Chapter One - Never Too Late
It was the day of the third exam. It was beginning at ten, so we had time to get ready. My alarm went off at six thirty, my new wake up time. I showered quickly and went through my ritual of getting dressed. Migoto woke up to the alarm and was now in the shower. I brushed my damp hair and let it air dry. My hair was now brushing the top of my chest. It had to have grown at least five inches since I'd last really looked at it. I pulled my kunai holster on after habitiually looking through it. I added three kunai, seven shuriken, two more lengths of wire, and extra bandages since I was low on them. I opened the door to see Neji lounging against the wall next to the boys room. I pecked him on the cheek shyly before opening the door and shaking my two cousins awake. Once I was positive they were awake, I shut the door behind me. Neji claimed my right hand with his left, and we walked to the kitchen, where we'd made breakfast since Hinata was badly injured. We flitted through the kitchen easily, cooking and smiling. As we heard noises in the dining room, we finished and filled platters with the food. We walked through the doors together, two of the platters each. Together we set them on the table, then sat opposite of each other on the table. With that, we began our meal.
Soon, Neji and I were greeting Tenten. We walked at Lee's pace since we were a little early. Neji had an arm arm around my shoulder, and one of mine was around his waist. Actually, it was the arm that had just recently been uncasted. It had - luckily - healed properly. We were talking about the matches - all of them except Neji's that is. Everyone figured he'd win, but I wasn't so sure. I was never one for betting though. I believed they both had an equal chance to win, but I was more in favor of Neji winning, anyhow. As the time for the matches to start grew closer, the more jam-packed the roads became. We were close to the stadium anyway. We pushed, shoved, and jostled our way to the door, carefully making sure Lee was okay. Neji had to go a seperate path towards the box that the competitors would be waiting in. He pulled me into a breathtaking kiss, before smirking at me and walking away. I knew my face was red, but thankfully my teammate was merciful and didn't say anything. We took our seats high above the combat zone. Across the row to my right, Hinata's group was sitting. I didn't see anyone else I recognized. There was a small room in the wall forward and to the left of the area I was sitting in. That was where the others would be sitting. The ones who got to compete - and win - in the prelimenaries. But at the moment, they were in the center of the field. All seven of them. Wait, seven? There were eight people supposed to be there. Gaara, the creepy red-head. Temari, the blonde that beat TenTen up. Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji. Kankuro, the one with the puppet. Shino, the bug master. Where was Sasuke? We watched as the Kazekage took his seat. Then, our Hokage made a small speech to start the third exam. As the proctor talked to the others, everyone grew restless. Sasuke was missing. Everyone was talking.
I heard some mumblings about how Neji would beat Naruto. I wasn't taking sides, as I said before. I was more inclined towards Neji, but I was still cheering slightly for Naruto. Then, the first match was set up.
Naruto held his fist out, just as he did after Neji's fight. Like when he swore over Hinata's blood. Neji muttered something for Naruto and the proctor's ears alone. He looked so smug. Then, the proctor called out the start. They stood there for a few agonizingly long moments, just measuring up. Then, Neji shifted forward, as if daring Naruto to move. Naruto threw kunai, which Neji deflected, as Naruto charged him. Kiba, Hinata's teammate, screamed out something, but I didn't pay attention. Naruto threw a punch, and Neji dodged and let him go. But Naruto, quick as ever, spun away and twisted, flying back for another shot. Again, Neji dodged easily, then deflected every single one of Naruto's punches. As Naruto kicked, he was pushed to the side into a spin, which he launched into a second kick, that Neji dodged. I heard a "No!" I saw Neji hit Naruto in the torso, but I wasn't sure where. He was hit in the shoulder as well.
"But there is only one." Neji called out.
"Heh, don't act so tough." Naruto replied.
"Come get me if you want to."
"It's useless." Tenten whispered to all around her. "He hasn't seen Neji's defence. He isn't offense only." I nodded.
"Don't underestimate me! Got it?" Each of the clones called out a different word. With that, four rushed him, while one stood behind, looking smug. Neji dodged two and used the other two to leap over. He blocked two attacks from kunai's, but was caught by Naruto's kick.
"Foolish." Tenten said softly, leaning forward.
"We'll get him next time!" Naruto yelled. He hadn't hit him. Neji just leaped away. As two of the clones went to his sides and rushed him, Neji leaped up and spun. He lashed out with his feet, catching one under the chin and the other on top of the head. The next two came behind him, but Neji just deflected and let them fly past. He had defeated all but one of the clones by then.
One Naruto watched in horror, while another was on the ground, struggling to get up. The standing one seemed to be mumbling something. Neji destroyed the last clone. Neji began to speak. I only caught bits, since he was quiet and we were up high.
"...Hokage? Cant... figure out... ...determined... birth." Naruto didn't seem to like hearing that, whatever it was. It seemed condscending like in Hinata's match.
Naruto asked him "Why?" about something.
"Few... Hokage. Born... Fate. Determined..." Neji explained. Apparantly he was putting down Naruto's hope to become Hokage. There were a few silent seconds.
"So what?" Naruto yelled it loud enough for everyone to hear. "Give up... easily." Then, there was a multitude of Naruto's. Naruto rushed him. Neji flew into action, pucnhing and beating up each clone as it came up to him. He was so cocky, but I loved him anyway. Neji flew through the clones and attacked one of the Naruto's specifically. Many clones disappeared as Naruto spit up blood. Then, that Naruto disappeared. Someone yelled for Naruto. It sounded like Kiba. Then, Neji used the one thing we'd been working on forever. He spun, forming a wall of chakra, throwing Naruto away, and causing a small crater to form. Naruto stood and formed more clones, encircling Neji, about a yard between each. Neji spun, flinging them back again. Then, Neji took a stance. That stance that I knew all too well. He'd only hit me a billion times with it. I felt sorry for Naruto right then. Neji threw sixty-four different strikes at him. Naruto was thrown backwards. The proctor stepped forward and began to end it, as Naruto began to move again.
Hinata began to cough across the way. I faintly heard Kiba speak to her. I knew how Naruto was feeling right then. Slowly - amazingly - Naruto stood back up.
Hinata continued to cough.
"You're bleeding!" Kiba called out. "Hang on, Hinata." He muttered loudly. I risked a glance over. An ANBU was leaning over, looking her over, talking to the two. I saw him pick her up, and with Kiba following him, take her up the stairs.
Neji then told a heart-breaking story about the Hyuuga clan. How he was a caged bird in the clan, and that he would never get anywhere. He pulled off his headband, and from where I sat I could see that there was something there, but not exactly what it was.
After the story, he replaced his headband. They spoke again, too quiet for us to here, before Neji attacked again, throwing him across the field. Neji said something, and the proctor looked at him. Apparantly Neji told him to end it. Naruto stood, and a fight ensued. After a few moments of standing there, and talking, Naruto formed a handseal. There was no way he could use chakra. Why would he try?
"It's useless." I whispered. Then, without any warning, rocks around him began to hover. Orange chakra flowed around him.
"There's no way that could be happening!" Tenten said, shocked. Everyone was startled. Neji put up his arms defensively to deflect the dirt from his eyes, and then Naruto launched into an attack. He was literally glowing with chakra as he flew into the air. Neji spun as shurikens were thrown, and he threw them back. Naruto flew to the sides, dodging them easily. Neji had to dodge quickly to get out of the way of the punch. They threw kunai's then lunged at each other again, picking up their flying kunai as they went. Naruto flew at him, and there was a huge explosion. Two forms broke the smoke, flying inside to land on the ground. Two craters were there. Who was where?
Neji came out of the proctor's left crater, so Naruto had to be in the right. Tenten breathed a sigh of relief. Neji was breathing heavily and walked to the second crater. A fist came out of the ground under Neji, and Naruto was attached to it. It was a clone in the crater. Neji landed heavily on the ground. Neji didn't get up. Naruto stood over Neji and spoke.
"Winner - Naruto Uzumaki." The proctor proclaimed.
"No way!" Tenten breathed. I closed my eyes and leaned back in my seat. Everyone was shocked. No one had expected Naruto to win. As Neji was taken out of the arena, Naruto walked back to his seat.
The next match was Sasuke and Gaara, but Sasuke was still missing. Instead, they skipped ahead. It was Shikamaru versus Temari.
It was a simple fight, all defense. Temari stood back while Shikamaru attacked with his shadow jutsu. In the end, Temari won, but only because Shikamaru forfeited. It was kind of sad. He could have won, too.
It was the end of the matches. The rest had forfeited. Sasuke and Gaara were the only ones who remained. Everyone was counting the seconds before he was disqualified. There was a lot of yelling around us.
The proctor began to speak.
"The time limit has expired. This match is officially -" The man was cut off by a whirl-wind of leaves. Two men appeared, standing back to back. Sasuke and his sensei. Naruto yelled a bit, and the crowd cheered, but in the end, the match was started. Gaara versus Sasuke.
Sand poured out of Gaara's gourd, but fell to the ground as he clutched his head. After a few moments he regained his composure, and he was more focused. Sasuke threw two shuriken, which were deflected easily. Sasuke went into close combat with a sand clone, that he easily destroyed. Then, Sasuke threw a punch and disappeared to reappear behind him. Sasuke threw a punch that hit him in the face, throwing Gaara to the ground. He just sat there, and Sasuke stood there. Then, Sasuke ran, and Gaara barely had time to defend himself. But even then, he was hit. Sasuke kicked Gaara backwards.
There was a lot more fighting that ended up with Gaara surrounded by a thick dome of sand. Sasuke threw kunais, which did nothing. He tried to attack, but the wall became spikey and he couldn't touch it. Then, Sasuke flipped backwards and went up the wall. He made quick hand-signs. His hand began to glow a silvery-white with light that chirped. It destroyed the wall where it touched. His arm went through the dome, and sand exploded around him. Most of the dome was still there, but his arm was stuck.
A blood curdling scream emitted from the dome.
"Blood! It's my blood!" Sasuke forced his arm out, using a second burst of Chidori. An inhuman arm emerged from the dome. Sasuke kneeled down to recover. A large hole was in the dome, but only Sasuke could see what was inside. And he looked scared. The dome became sand again. Gaara looked normal, and the sand pooled at his feet. He was holding his shoulder, and blood was dripping around his hand.
I saw feathers, falling. People around me began to fall asleep. My vision began to fuzz. I formed a handseal and broke the spell of sleep. Tenten passed out next to me. Silver-haired sensei and Gai-sensei were still standing, a whole set of people between us. Then, all hell broke loose.