A good glimpse into the characters from an original perspective. I liked the way Naruto thinks as seen via the shogi board, and I liked the fact Sakura keeps getting called away on emergencies; she's seen as extraneous or a nuisance in so many fics, it's nice to see her in her element, as well as get a glimpse of the violence implied, which comes par for the course in a Hidden Village. And of course, the section on Sasuke was grim, moving and insightful.