The Darkness Within the Light

Chapter 10

Checkmate

I think it's funny…someone mentioned that Sakura was getting a little too sad and not really doing anything to help Naruto…ironic that I had meant her to be like that…and that someone mentioned it right before I wrote this chapter out. It's just funny…because of what this chapter is about…I've had this chapter in my head for a long time…so…whatever…you people are always like that though…I had to change the ending because somebody guessed it already…(I like the new ending better)

-Naruto-

Naruto stared into the forest…knowing it was only an illusion…if somebody was outside the barrier…he wouldn't be able to see them. Suddenly he heard a shuffling sound. Then he turned and saw Tobi, holding a shogi set. Tobi set it down, and then sat down, crossed legged and said, "Play." It wasn't a question…or an order.

Naruto exchanged a glance with Kiba, who shrugged. Naruto sighed and turned back to Tobi and admitted. "I've never actually played before…"

Tobi sighed, "You're missing out…shall I teach you?"

"You're my enemy…" Naruto said.

"That doesn't mean I can't teach you how to play…there's no way I'm going to let you…or anyone die without knowing how to play such a great game," said Tobi seriously.

"Fine…" said Naruto, not in the mood to argue.

"Each player has a set of twenty pieces of slightly different sizes. Except for the kings, opposing pieces are differentiated only by orientation, not by marking or color. The large the piece the more powerful…from largest to smallest the pieces used are: one king, one rook, one bishop, two gold generals, two silver generals, two knights, two lances, and nine pawns…" explained Tobi holding up each piece as he named it.

"The king is placed in the center file nearest the player, the two gold generals are placed in the adjacent files to the king, the two silver generals are placed adjacent to each gold general, he two knights are placed adjacent to each silver general and the two lances are placed in the corners, adjacent to each knight." Tobi placed each piece down as he talked. "The next rank the bishop is in the same file as the left knight and he rook in the same file as the right knight. The final rank is filled with pawns."

Tobi rambled on about how to play, and surprisingly Naruto actually understood it. Suddenly he started to laugh and Tobi grew quiet. "What?"

"I'm just thinking of someone…" he said. He had been thinking about Shikamaru…and trying to picture him playing against Tobi.

"Oh…so do you understand?"

"I understand the game…but not why you want to play me so badly…"

"I want to see how your mind works," said Tobi truthfully.

"Makes sense…" said Naruto. "But since I'm about to die I suppose it really doesn't matter..."

Tobi sighed. "None the less…I'm curious."

"Whatever…" said Naruto, setting up his pieces, after awhile he looked up, "Is that right?"

"Exactly right," said Tobi, sounding proud, which freaked Naruto out.

Naruto gestured to Tobi, calming himself down. "You are black…you go first…"

Tobi nodded, moving his first pawn forward.

Naruto mirrored his move.

By now Kiba was peering over Naruto's shoulder, watching them play with curiosity. "I play winner!" he announced.

Tobi looked up at him. "Sure…but keep your mouth shut until the game is over."

Kiba nodded rapidly.

Naruto and Tobi stared at the board, deep in concentration. An hour past, and neither was winning, and neither was losing.

Tobi suddenly looked up at Naruto, grinning beneath his mask. "Not bad for a beginner…"

"Arigatou," said Naruto.

"But…everyone can always get better…" With that Tobi moved a piece and said. "Checkmate."

Naruto stared at the board for a few long minutes then cursed. "I guess Kiba plays you now."

-Sakura-

Sakura sighed, and her aqua eyes closed. It had been three days since they discovered the barrier…and they had made no progress. They had set camp a little bit away, and determined the perimeter of the barrier. It was shaped like a circle and covered about 100 yards in all directions.

Her eyes flew open to glare that the barrier, which was still invisible…or well…more of an illusion.

"Damn!" yelled Sasuke as he once again tried an unsuccessful Chidori.

"Just stop…that's obviously not going to work…" she said irritated.

Sasuke turned to glare at her. "Like you're doing anything!" he spat. "You're just sitting their moping and worrying like always! I guess time didn't change that! It's so pathetic! Why don't you get off your ass and do something for once!"

Sakura's chakra focused around her fist. "What!?" she yelled, anger etched into her face. Both of them were impatient and their tolerance was spent.

Sasuke's Sharingan activated and his sword was drawn. "I said why don't you get off your ass and do something for once!" he repeated. "Quit being a burden Sakura…that's all you ever were…and all you ever will be!"

"Urusai!" screamed Sakura, forcing herself not to cry. "I am not a burden! I've gotten stronger! I will not be a burden to Naruto ever again!"

"Then prove it!" spat Sasuke. "If you don't you won't even have the chance to be a burden to him!"

In a flash Sakura charged, her fist raised. Sasuke dodged and it connected with the earth, causing huge cracks in the surface. The earth was uneven and jutted out of the ground. She looked up, gasping for breath her fist still lodged to the ground. Then she froze as Sasuke suddenly appeared behind her. "Quit moping."

"I am not a burden..." Sakura told herself, ignoring him and straitening up. "I am not…" She fell to the ground, and tried not to cry, but she did anyway. All was silent in the clearing as Sakura realized exactly how useless she was being…and had always been. Sasuke was right…and it pained her…she had tried so hard…first for him and for Naruto to get stronger…and yet it wasn't enough.

Then with a burst of rage and desperation, she stood up, wiping her tears. She turned to Sasuke and her finger flew out, poking him in the forehead. His eyes widened as he flew back and into a tree. It was just like Tsuande had done to Naruto…and sorta like the way Itachi would poke him. It pained him to think of his brother that way…when he still acted like he cared. Sakura's face darkened when she saw the pain in his eyes. "Gomen…I will not be a burden any more…I will not let my emotions get in the way of this…not until he is safe…"

Everyone's eyes flickered from Sasuke to Sakura and back again. Then after staring into each other's eyes for a long moment, Sakura whipped around and stalked the other way to cool down. Sasuke stood up from against the tree and stared at them, daring them to say something…nobody did.

So, with a grim expression turned around and walked in the opposite direction as his former teammate.

It was funny how one day could change everything…how and hour was long enough both to save someone's life…and long enough to end it…and yet…it always seemed…that there was never enough time.

-Naruto-

"Well that was interesting…" said Kisame sounding entertained, he and Itachi had just returned from outside the barrier.

"What was?" asked Tobi.

"Sasuke pissed Sakura off…" said Kisame, grinning at Naruto. "If you ever see her again…I would not recommend doing it."

Naruto kept his face blank as he stared down at his shogi pieces. He picked up one and started to play with it in his hands…he wanted to change the subject.

"What happened?" demanded Kiba.

Of course… thought Naruto darkly, silently cursing Kiba multiple times.

"Sasuke seems to think his Chidori will break the barrier…and Sakura disagrees…then he told her that trying it multiple times was better than sitting around and being a burden…" explained Itachi dully.

Kiba blinked. "Baka…"

"Sasuke's expression was hilarious!" laughed Kisame. "She poked him in the forehead and sent him flying into a tree. The look on his face was priceless!"

Itachi looked away and quickly made his way back outside the barrier.

Naruto stared after him. "What's up with him?" he asked softly.

Nobody answered.

"Hey Kisame…want to play a game of Shogi?" asked Tobi.

"You're still playing that game!" said Kisame sounding annoyed. "Isn't three days of it enough?"

"Well Naruto-kun and I started this game early this morning," explained Tobi. "Nobody can seem to win…"

Kisame stared up at the sun…it was almost noon. "Great…" he said sarcastically, sitting down and quickly falling asleep.

"Hey Naruto…when we get out of here…you need to challenge Shikamaru to a game…you're getting pretty good…" said Kiba, clearly believe that they both would indeed survive.

"Arigatou…" said Naruto his mind on Sakura and Sasuke.

Suddenly Tobi yelled in triumph. "Checkmate!"

Naruto stared at the board blankly. "You win…again."

Tobi sighed and crossed his arms. "You weren't trying!" he sounded like some little girl pouting because she couldn't go over to her friend's house.

"My mind is…somewhere else…" said Naruto.

Tobi nodded. "I understand…sorta…"

"Naruto?"

"What?"

Kiba looked serious. "This isn't the end…"

Tobi sighed. "You know it's not as funny as it is the first ten times you say it…"

-Sasuke-

His hand rubbed his pale forehead, his mind in the past…millions of questions swarming in his head. Obviously…he had accomplished nothing expect for making Sakura truly into this rescue/killing (depending on if you were Konoha or former Sound.)

Right now he needed to smash something anything…so that's what he did…he punched a tree…splitting it in half. He stared at the tree blankly, knowing he couldn't do this on his own…knowing that somewhere deep down a part of his mind wanted to get Naruto out of there just as badly as Sakura. He assumed that was because he would kill Naruto. Nobody but Sasuke had that right…at least that's what he hoped it was. After all…it was impossible for him to still care about the damn Jinchuuriki.

"You're angry…" came a voice.

Sasuke felt himself start to freeze up. No! he yelled at himself. Not this time!

He spun around. "Itachi…"

His brother was standing there, staring at him blankly.

"How can you just walk up to me like that!?" demanded Sasuke.

"Simple…Kisame and Tobi got annoying so I left them and went on a walk…then I walked into this clearing and saw you destroy a tree," sighed Itachi.

Sasuke stared at him and changed the subject "You made that damn barrier?"

"Part of it," said Itachi. He paused then asked. "Why haven't you declared that I was going to die yet?"

Sasuke just stared at him, his fingers twitching, wanting his sword. "Because I know you're not actually here…you might be watching…but from a safe distance."

Itachi sighed, "You over think everything…"

Sasuke just stood there.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

Sasuke remained silent.

"You're blind little brother…" suddenly Itachi was behind him. Then he whispered something in his ear, before hitting him on the back of the neck causing him to faint.

Within the darkness the words echoed through Sasuke's subconscious. I'm real this time…everything is real this time…by the time the week is over…you'll be dead.

-Sakura-

Sakura's head shot up as an epiphany hit her like a thunderbolt from the sky. She called Shikamaru over and explained quietly in his ear her plan.

Shikamaru looked shocked. "That could kill us!" he said.

"Not if we have perfect chakra control…"

"Chouji doesn't…" replied Shikamaru.

"Then Chouji can stay out of it!"

"No way! I'm helping!" said Chouji coming over as soon as Shikamaru said his name. "Whatever it is you're planning I'm game."

"Are you sure Chouji…you could die…" said Shikamaru, sounding worried for his friend.

"Better me than Naruto…"

"Don't you dare say that Chouji!" said Shikamaru.

"Okay fine…I won't say it…but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit out."

Sakura nodded. "Come here everyone!"

Everyone, except Karin came over and listened to Sakura's plan.

They all nodded in agreement, but Lee looked crestfallen. "But Sakura-chan…I won't be able to…"

"Don't worry Lee…we'll be exhausted after we attempt this…your food will be to hold Itachi and Kisame off until we can eat food pills," explained Sakura. "You're the most important!"

"Really?" asked Lee getting all sparkly-eyed.

"Really," smiled Sakura. Lee was so easy to please.

Shikamaru sighed. "We will make our first attempt at dawn…that should give Sasuke a chance to come back and everyone time to rest up…"

-Naruto-

Naruto and Tobi were once again, staring at a game of shogi intently. Kiba watched over their shoulders. Itachi and Kisame sat on the other side of the clearing, silent.

Then suddenly Naruto grinned. "Checkmate."

At that exact moment a high pitched crackling sound was heard. It was followed by a sickening crack. Itachi, Kisame, and Tobi were on their feet in an instant.

In a flash Tobi had managed to bind both Naruto and Kiba to two separate trees. They stared at each other, wondering what the hell was going on.

Then suddenly a flash of green landed in front of them. "Hello Naruto-kun, Kiba-kun…" grinned Lee.

"Lee watch out!" called Kiba as Tobi punched Lee in the face. Lee blinked and dodged a rain of countless blows.

Out of the forest burst out of the forest and onto the battlefield…the barrier was broken.

Suddenly Itachi was in front of Naruto, "Time to go!" he said his voice lacking emotion.

Then an achingly familiar voice, contorted with rage yelled. "Get your filthy hands off him!"