C h e c k.M a t e
Sometimes Gai thinks life is like a game of chess. No, his life is like a game of chess. His life and the life of the ninjas serving with him. His comrades. On the battle field, the hierarchy was gone, in the purest sense, but the value wasn't. The ranking wasn't.
Pawn to G4.
Tenten. Her muscles taunt as she strikes, slashing and hacking until all that's left is a dark stain on the forest floor and a few mangled remains. Fierce. She could make it as a rook. She has the potential. She's fierce. Analyzing. An excuse. An excuse to do it. Just one. One for each.
Three.
Pawn to F5.
Neji. His duty, his honor, his loyalty. In front of Tenten. Figurative. Literal.
Always better, always fighting with her. Fighting for her. Protecting. Watching. He's a blur of spinning limbs and chakra coils.
He could become a King, were it not for his binds, slamming him each time back to the cold granite. His bonds called family.
Potential.
Pawn to H5.
Lee.
Moving with such smooth, simple attacks. Clean. He's becoming more precise. Not even a pawn but now—
A miracle.
Gai is watching him fight from where he sits hunched on his knees. The taste in his mouth is metallic, hot and he spits to the ground. Sick.
The pawns always protect the King. But they're wrong. Gai is no King.
He's a Knight, he's a Bishop, he's a pawn.
With the strength this his aching body can muster. With the speed. He's on his feet. Flying.
Gai to G6.
Fierce.
Potential.
A miracle.
Three excuses to save them.
His hands lash out. Deadly. Strong. He thinks he's smiling, but he doesn't know. Maybe he's snarling as he rips into Shinobi after Shinobi. Until his hands are slick and the leader is staring at him with something like awe, but much more like horror.
There are no final words. Just a sick, echoing crack.
Gai is just another pawn.
Because a King cannot move to protect.
"Check Mate."
What did you think?