Super fast update no jutsu!

A GAME OF SHOGI/ TO START A WAR

His body trembled as he coughed and blood ran from his lips in cruel rivulets. It dripped on the Uchiha's arm whose eye was fixed on the boy's pale face in horror and confusion. Impossible. This wasn't supposed to happen. His host wasn't supposed to be the one in this position. It would ruin everything!

The host was likewise stricken in utter terror. He did not want to die but even he knew it was inevitable. They both did. He couldn't breathe. His impaled lung wouldn't keep air in it and his heart struggled just to beat. He had only a minute left-if that-thanks to his mother's genes and the stamina that went with it and the only thing keeping him from bleeding to death right on the spot was Obito's arm lodged into his chest.

And that's how the Taka found them. The two, Uchiha and Uzumaki, were frozen by one solitude thought and one solitude fear: he was going to die.

_-xXx-_

Turn 16: SUNSET-DIRGE OF THE DAMNED

Never Tick an Uchiha Off Part 1

Which side is which?

We can tell

by where they point

to Heaven or Hell

_-xXx-_

Sasuke thought he had had a plan. Naruto was supposed to have played his part as a two-fold pawn. He was supposed to be taken back to Konoha as the "Trojan Fox". The Akatsuki was then supposed to plow through Konoha's defenses and take him back. Sasuke would have his revenge and he would have the Akatsuki off his ass because they would have Naruto again. It was supposed to be a win-win scenario. After taking care of Danzo and being free from the Akatsuki he could finally focus on reviving his clan from the ground.

But no.

When they came into the main area he watched his plans bleed out in pain-filled spasms.

No, he wouldn't admit it to himself but it was so much more than that. More than just his plans….This was Naruto. The newest wing of the Taka and one with unfulfilled justice.

This wasn't supposed to have happened.

And he hadn't deserve to die like this.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The moment of shock and registering the situation lasted only an instant, an instant that seemed to go on for the longest time, caught midsentence in Time's chronicle, but after the booming thunder that followed the bolt this frozen moment was shattered when the girl started screaming. With her cry chaos triggered and began once again moving to the ticking of a clock.

Karin was the first as her medic instincts took over. She rushed to Madara crying, "Don't dislodge your arm yet or he'll bleed to death!" Then carefully they both maneuvered to where Naruto was laying on the ground, his head resting on Karin's legs and Madara kneeled beside him, his black-cloaked arm still trapped between his vital organs by the broken edges of his rib cage.

Karin getting a closer look at the damage started crying. "It's too late. I can't-"

"Shut up and FIX IT!" The Uchiha snarled in a nasty tone that surprised Karin. Never had he spoken to her in such a hateful voice. Never had he shown such emotion. She winced when he pulled her closer by her hair. "Hurry up and fix it!" He ordered again, releasing the red strands that started to dye darker by the boy's blood. It was covering the man and it was starting to get on her.

It was just…terrible.

"Naruto," the medic cried. He only groaned in response. It took everything in her to look past the damage and instead look at his pale face that was moist with sweat. His lips were parted slightly, a weak breath, a gasp, going in and out rapidly as he fought for breath. Words those pale lips once spoke came to her mind: "I can't sit back when those I care about are threatened. I'm not gonna let them hurt 'em. Or you"

She didn't know what had happened to cause this but she could wager an educated guess. Tears filling her eyes she stole a glance at the strange girl-the intruder-who was sobbing hysterically. "I'll suffer. Better me than you or anyone else."

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did he have to do it!?

"You're going to have to bite me." Even in his pained daze he shook his head 'no'. "You're going to die if you don't!" she exclaimed. "This is your only chance!"

_-xXx-_

Suigetsu was second to move. He made way for the sobbing girl with Executioner in hand. But upon seeing the symbol of the Leaf flash around her neck he stopped the blade at her neck. "They're all I got left!" He could hear Naruto chastise him in his head. "I won't lose them!" She was from his village. If he took her out as Madara expected him to…

"I'm so happy, no one else has…Thank you…Suigetsu…Just don't freak me out like that again."

She let out a fearful whimper noticing the blade inches from sending her to the Afterlife. "Just be quiet," he whispered. "I won't hurt you if you just be quiet for a while. I'm on Naruto's side, okay? He'd get ticked at me if I killed you."

He looked to Madara and Karin and Naruto in worry. Cans of lemonade and puffy eyes. "This is…just to celebrate being alive, ya know? " He could not stop the words of his new friend from echoing in his head or the accusation from settling in his heart that deep down Naruto had known something like this would happen.

Just as he couldn't stop the thoughts he couldn't stop the water from his lavender eyes from sliding down his pale cheeks. Damn it, was he leaking or something? He wiped it with his free hand. It tasted like salt. What was wrong with him?! "She'll fix this…I'm sure of it." He was just as upset as she and just as doubtful.

_-xXx-_

"Come on, Juugo. We're in this together."

Juugo didn't know what to do as his hands traveled to his mouth in horror. The kid…He couldn't do anything to help him. He couldn't save him like he had Sasuke when he'd nearly been killed by the Hachibi. He didn't even know if he would be able to comfort him in his final moments. He was so useless!

"It's not right…You shouldn't give up like that."

"Juugo!" Madara's voice cried. "Hurry! Konoha squads operate in three man teams. Use you unique communication abilities and find the other two! You're looking for two males, one operating with a dog and the other parasites."

Juugo not knowing what else to do, not wanting to endanger Taka's position or alliance with Madara and make Sasuke mad, or end up becoming so emotional and dangerous ran for it as fast as he could.

But mostly, he ran because he didn't want to see the innocent boy in that terrible state. He didn't want to see another friend disappear. Part of him wanted to shell up again from the world and all its innocent deaths like he had before. And the only thing keeping him from not running away was the connections he had forged with Naruto and the Taka.

Protect him, even if it meant some distance but never truly leave. Not even in death.

He didn't have to be a medic to know it was over.

_-xXx-_

Sasuke was frozen. Utterly frozen. Not one step. Not a single one.

Red. There was so much red.

"I'm still not going to give up. I know I really slipped up earlier but …"

Why was there so much blood? So little breath. So pale.

"I'm sorry."

Shock.

Voices were calling for him.

He couldn't hear.

_-xXx-_

"You're going to die Naruto!" Karin screamed. "It's okay to bite me! I WANT YOU TO!"

Finally, as if he had been waiting for Karin's consent regardless the fact he was so scared and he wanted to live no matter what it took, he finally bit down on her scarred arm. Instantly upon contact the most orgasmic chakra feeling exploded in her. Even in his weakened state he had such chakra! Such ineffable force! She laughed a little. Just as she could feel his brilliant aura she could feel hers head where it needed to…Just maybe he still had a chance!

False hope.

No, she argued with her reasoning as she used her free hand to tear his shirt. She could still pull him through. She could do this. She had to. Now the shirt was out of the way, exposing his chest and wound…His Uzumaki flesh and blood. They were distant family, after all. Besides, he was the only one who could make her Sasuke smile. She was sure of it.

Her hope and smile died when red fire snapped at their link. Hot, burning chakra was attacking her! She screamed. "The Kyuubi's fighting me back! Make it stop!"

With a loud curse the masked figure pressed his free hand to the boy's stomach where the seal was. "I'm going to restrain it," he snarled. "Don't stop healing him!"

_-xXx-_

More black chains. He should have seen it coming. Should have known eventually what little mobility he had for the first time in a seal would be shackled down again. He should have freaking known it.

Obito had bound every single limb and tail with the forbidden dark chains and when he'd growled back at the piece of trash the man tightened them like he had the muzzle. He couldn't move one inch. Couldn't alter the flow of his chakra just as much as he couldn't speak or open his jaw. Any attempt to only made him bleed against the chains.

All he wanted was out. The boy was going to die anyway. Might as well speed up the process and end his suffering. He was in so much pain. So much. The fox could sense it. Sense the fear, too. His heart was in agony both physically and emotionally… Naruto deserved a quick death. The fox would admit that. A few weeks ago he wouldn't have. But…

"Can't you be a little nicer to me? I am the one who's going to free you…and the others…I swear on everything I am-you will be freed in the end… Trust me-you know I don't go back on my word."

Stupid naïve boy.

For just one moment he almost had Kurama fooled with his sincerity.

His care.

No. Humans were all just task masters. Only using others as soulless tools.

The fox closed his eyes and wondered how long it would take him to be reborn and how long before he was shoved in some other Uzumaki wench. No. Wasn't Naruto the last one?

He batted his crimson eye with a growl when the answer came to him: Sasuke's medic girl. All she had to do was pop one out and judging by her hormone levels around Sasuke and his desire to revive his clan it would happen again. Another sacrifice.

It was just never going to end.

The world was so much better off without them. All of them. They weren't the Sage of Six Paths. None of them.

He didn't know what he thought he saw in Naruto that reminded him of him somehow…

It didn't matter.
They were all damned.

_-xXx-_

He was still frozen, eyes wide, staring. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

It wasn't supposed to be this way….

_-xXx-_

Suigetsu kept calling for Sasuke's attention but he wouldn't respond. He needed a command from him or something. Some darn assistance and it would be much more appreciated than him just standing there like a statue! He didn't know what to do with the girl. She was struggling and it was getting harder to hold her.

Madara was focused on tightening Naruto's seal so he had to hurry up and quiet her before he brought his attention to her and commanded her execution. Crap. "You have to stop struggling!" He yelled at the girl. "We're taking care of him!"

"He's going to die! Madara-" She cried but her shouts were cut short by a gag. Suigetsu had taken a piece of cloth and tied it around her mouth.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "But if you want to stay alive you have to not get on that guy's bad side and right now we need quiet. She can't heal him if you're not quiet, okay? Let the medic focus."

She nodded.

"Madara!" It was Juugo. He was already back. "No one is in the proximity."

Madara having brought his attention back from the seal looked at Juugo suspiciously. "I find that odd. They always work in teams."

"The animals tell me she split with her team. They've been apart for days now."

Now Madara's eye turned to Hinata and all three of them-Hinata, Juugo and Suigetsu-tensed.

"A Hyuuga…she might be useful for information later. Knock her out for now."

That was the last thing she heard before the black enveloped her.

_-xXx-_

"Come on, Naruto," Karin cried. "You have to fight…Crap-SASUKE!"

Still no response. Juugo and Suigetsu were now around the bloody mess but Sasuke was still frozen in the same spot he'd been standing since entering the area.

"Dammit, I'm losing him!" She cried louder this time. "Please hang in there!"

Slowly, Naruto began to move his hand, his fingers coated in his own blood. To the side, near Karin's free hand. She held it and gasped at the temperature. He was so cold. "Please, you have to fight…." She begged, trying to give him what little comfort she could.

Her chakra just wasn't healing his lung fast enough. It had finished closing the gap to on his heart but he was still in a lot of pain from Madara's arm and his lung. Until she closed up his lung and prepared to stop the bleeding it wouldn't be save for Madara to pull out…

But really, no matter what she told herself she knew vital damage had been done. At this rate…"Crap, he's fading! Come on!"

His clenched jaw upon her arm began to loosen. He was letting her go. Even in death he was considerate-he didn't want to die with his jaw locked on her. "NO!" She screamed. "It's not over yet!"

"Obi-" He tried to say something but the rest of the word didn't come out. Instead a pained groan as he struggled with air.

"Save your breath, Naruto!" Juugo panicked, his hands holding his head for comfort.

Naruto again tried speaking but the pain wouldn't let him, his lungs rebelled and his lips only sprouted more blood in place of words. "Stay with me!" Karin cried. "Please don't do this!"

She could feel his trembling grasp around her hand let go. He moved it along the ground. He was trying to write something, to tell her something important. They all turned their heads to see what. To see his dying message:

O-B-

Before he could finish the "I" the masked figure suddenly yanked his arm from his chest which caused the boy to scream, his hand halting its message forever. Blood. A splutter, an entire sea, of blood followed.

"What are you doing?!" The medic screeched. Suigetsu was just as upset and quick to respond. "He'll bleed to death! Karin wasn't ready for you to do that yet!"

"He's becoming delirious," the figure hissed. "I need both my hands to focus on keeping the Kyuubi before we lose it for good. Instead of yapping get healing if you're still so concerned."

Blood poured, no longer being somewhat contained. A sucking sound, his lung. Juugo cursed and ran for a blanket. He pushed it onto the hole in a matter of seconds. But it did no good. The fabric was becoming drenched in the cruel liquid and the ground below flooded with it. Naruto's skin became more pale and cold.

He was going into shock.

Fading out.

"HANG ON!" Karin screamed, her hands glowing green. "Don't let go!"

Regardless her plea, he couldn't hear her anymore.

He was no longer in a full conscious state.

Death was taking him.

_-xXx-_

Waterfall. Rain.

Suddenly Sasuke found his feet moving toward Madara and his hands grabbing him by the coat.

"Undo the seal on his back!" He yelled.

The man's eyebrow was raised. "Calm yourself Sasuke. Why would I do that?"

"BECAUSE I ONCE PENETRATED HIS LUNG!"

Everyone but Karin's eyes went to Sasuke who had Madara's coat balled with his fist. Juugo was the most shocked. Suigetsu had his mouth drawn in a frown.

"He survived," Sasuke continued, "because his chakra. NOW UNDO THE DAMN SEAL!"

"Sasuke, really," cooed the figure. "Removing the seal now would only speed up his death. True his chakra would heal him but the pain as the seal removes itself from his channel network throughout his body would be much too stressful for him and he would die before he even got the chance to heal. The seal comes with that price."

Sasuke released the man's coat with a hiss. The figure seemed to laugh, showing a more nasty side to him than he had around the Taka as his internal mask started to crumble away. They weren't the only ones freaking out.

"Truthfully, Sasuke," he said. "I'm not willing to bestow him the mercy of a quick death."

Sasuke could not control his eyes. Involuntarily they glared at that mask. At that mocking eye.

"But if you're so attached to him, more than you've let on, then by all means his neck is wide open. Use your katana and let him die with some bit of honor and dignity."

_-xXx-_

He was in a plane of pure white, floating. Like he was in water but he wasn't. It was a weird sensation, being in this plane of existence. He couldn't see anything but white. He couldn't feel anything, only the terror that was dying. He couldn't smell. He could hear, though. He heard the walls around him crumbling.

No. He cried. I don't want to die! It can't end this way! I'm not ready yet!

A voice. Someone was with him. A man. He'd heard that voice before. It was the one who told him to go to the place it snowed his first night. But right now he couldn't see or understand him. He was too far away, had to get closer.

There, in front of him, he saw a dot on the horizon. He glided for it. Wait! Who are you?

Red marks upon white. The Fourth. Naruto couldn't see him any more to identify him other than his cloak because he was fading away, dissolving into white and as he did Naruto could feel a tremendous emptiness in his sternum follow. He wrapped his arms around his seal in despair. I didn't mean to use the rest of your chakra! Well I had to save her but I didn't mean for all this to happen!

The man kept fading into nonexistence.

I just found you! Stay! Don't leave me! Not again! I need answers!

'I'm sorry son. I tried helping you to the best of my limits but well…My chakra's up. Remember the snow.'

I don't understand! I'm so sorry!

He was gone.

Naruto collapsed to his knees as the walls continued to crumble and the white he had been enveloped in started to be swallowed by dark shadows.

Death had found him.

It was descending upon with its scythe in hand.

No! Not yet!

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around him. He nearly jumped but he could feel such warmth coming from them. There was absolutely nothing hostile about the slim arms holding him comfortingly. These arms were not the arms of death but love. 'Shhhh, I'm so sorry, my love,' a voice whispered. 'This isn't what he'd planned…'

Who are you?

Instead of answering she told him something else, a little secrete about his blood, and when he asked her who she was again she smiled and got ready to speak but…

Before she could answer the shadows grabbed him.

_-xXx-_

"He's losing his breath!" The medic screamed as he started to spasm. "It's happening!"

In a panic Sasuke started yelling again. "Undo the seal! He can still make it if he has his chakra!"

The figure made no response so Sasuke yelled again. "Would Pain approve of this, huh?!"

Finally the figure responded. "No, he won't Sasuke. But it's happening and our number one priority is keeping the fox, not the boy. If you're medic is no use healing him then-" He grabbed Karin by the hair again, flinging her to the ground by Naruto's side. She screamed and tried scrambling back to healing position but Madara had her by her hair again. "She can be the next container. She's an Uzumaki after all. With her chakra she should be able to handle it."

In a flash Suigetsu had his sword pointed at Madara. "Hell no," he snapped, his pointed teeth showing dangerously. "If you killed him it's your own damn fault and you're not going to use her to make up for your mistake!"

"Sasuke, control your teammate."

"EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!"

The yell had come from Juugo who had his head pressed to Naruto's chest, trying to feel or hear the slightest hint of breathing.

None came as the seal on his back deactivated itself with his heartbeat.

He was dead.

In a rush the elder Uchiha made his way to the boy's sternum, pressing his bloody hands to the spiral seal that was glowing ember.

"Sasuke! We don't have much time-if any! It's a matter of seconds! Give me the girl! We can still grab and seal the Kyuubi!"

Suigetsu again pointed his blade at him and stood in front of Karin defensively. Juugo on the other hand was focused on trying to put air back inside Naruto. It wasn't working. The boy just lay there dumbly. Sasuke remained motionless as he watched the chaos.

It was all wrong.

The crow, long forgotten, suddenly flew to Sasuke's shoulder for the first time. Like it was expecting him to do something….

"There's still good in you somewhere…Else Itachi wouldn't have spared you, would he? TWICE! He bestowed to me his power for a reason…to save you."

"Karin," he found himself saying. "Don't stop healing him."

"Huh? But-"

"You heard me."

She pushed her way past the small crowd of shinobi and began again, crying all the while.

"Sasuke…" warned Madara. It was taking everything in his power to hold the Kyuubi by his chains. He could only do it for so long before he could no longer and they lost it. The effort alone was making him sweat. A body function no one had ever known he was capable of. "We don't have time for your denial."

It was an extremely difficult feat, one that was only possible because of who he was and the fact he used to be able to summon the fox and right now had some of the fox's blood. But even he could not hold it for more than a minute.

Sasuke made no move, just hung his head down, his dark bangs covered his eyes making him unreadable.

"I almost got his lung closed up," she cried. "But Sasuke…it's still too late! He's dead!"

No.

"Sasuke…just give me this chance."

"Chidori." As he said it, his hand cackled with electricity in brilliant flecks of white lightning.

Karin, registering what he was getting ready to do moved back to allow him room, not stopping the healing as he had commanded.

He stepped closer to Naruto's dead body. The host's head was to the side and limbs limp in eternal slumber. His pale skin was covered in Blood. Blood that was on all of their hands.

The next night after Naruto had accidentally cut him with his own blade he came to him and apologized.

I don't know what came over me, he said. But it got me thinking…weapons can kill and hurt…but they can also be used to help and heal.

Sasuke had only criticized him. But…In some bizarre way he'd spoken true.

"I thought," he whispered. "I thought I told you to…"

Sometimes it takes a blade to protect what is important.

He slammed his hands screeching with lighting to Naruto's chest. "GET OFF YOUR ASS!"

_-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-_

NEXT TIME IN TURN 17: TWILIGHT-Never Tick an Uchiha Off Part 2

It's not over yet. The girl and her lover's fate is in the hands of two Uchiha and the elder's not making it easy on the younger to protect either of them. Plans are made and the medical authority of the Taka over Naruto overrode. And so the day darkens to a gray twilight.

_-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-_

predictions and reviews welcomed and appreciated!

You see now why I mentioned in the AN in 15-2 that the "defibrillator technique" was an ironic choice of words? :3 Huh? Was it predictable?

I got the idea in December when I was reading the NBC HEROES comic. Elle had the power of lightning and when another Special died her father, Bob, commanded her to restart his heart so she pressed her hands on to him with her power activated.

So I was like…that sounds fun. I should do it some time.

Aaaaaannnnd sorry this is short. ^.^ It's becoming addicting to shorten events in turns but much easier on me to write and try to check for typos. Darnet, I don't get why they keep slipping by me until I post the darn thing! GRRRR.

OH! This was really hard for me to write! So many people and drama and it's poorly done but at least I can now move on to next the phase. ^.^ Though I left ya hanging again I left you some hope…

Expect an update either tomorrow or the day after! And if I don't update then that means it's going to be a longer chapter than I expected. These things just roll themselves ones you push them.