A/N: Okay, so this chapter is finally out, the rewrites of the few previous chapters are still in progress, but I just wanted to get one out there. A bit of a warning, this chapter has not been edited yet. Again I really just wanted to get it out there. ENJOY!
(Chapter 4)
"It's not fair! We should have been in this years Chuunin exams."
"Be quiet, we've both been lectured enough to know that you only three man cells are allowed into the exams."
"Still it isn't fair I mean the other teams we graduated with are participating, what if all of them make Chuunin before us?"
"Who care honestly we know were stronger than the majority I of them. At least I am, Dobe."
Naruto huffed and didn't respond to Sasuke's bait for an argument. Enough fights had been started over little comments such as that, and the fact they were running late to the arena where the third round of the Chuunin exams were being held, meant they didn't have time to go through all the actions of full out row.
"Think we would of have been entered into the exams if she was still alive?" Naruto had been thinking this question for awhile now, he would have asked it sooner, but no time had seemed right. He came to a stand still waiting for his teammates response, squinting his eyes to narrow his vision on Sasuke.
However Sasuke just continued to walk, not bothering to look back at his fellow Genin. Keeping his cool appearnce was the only thing about Sasuke that hadn't changed after her death.
He reached up and tugged on the collar of his black sleeveless jacket, the high white collar felt like it was choking him.
It was when he had a near twenty yard distance between himself and Naruto did he turn to face his whiskered teammate and give his response. "Yes, the way Kakashi had no concern for our well being, he would have been the first to enter us into the Chuunin exam. Though knowing him it would have been just a test of our skills, he most likely knew the three of us could never have been promoted." Sasuke looked up into the sun, judging the time, he again faced the direction of the arena and began to walk towards it. "Though if the two of us were to be entered into the exam now... Let's go, were almost ten minutes late."
Naruto stood still for a second, contemplating the end of Sasuke's respone. 'What does he mean,'Though if the two of us were to be entered into the exam now...' is that a compliment?' He shrugged it off and began to jog forward to catch up with the already dissapearing teammate.
He quickly caught up to Sasuke already having a witty comment at the ready. "You know it's common courtesy to wait for a friend. Least that's what I've been told." 'Now that I think about it, I could have come up with something a lot better than that.'
"It's your own fault for stopping in the middle of the street, besides who says you're my friend."
Naruto clutched at his heart while grasping onto his orange vest and red T-shirt. "You're words... They strike so cold... I think... I think I'm dying. How could you... SASUKE!" Naruto's weak and broken speech ended with a scream of his best friends name.
"Shut it, Dobe. You're embarrassing us both." Though Sasuke couldn't help but let a faint smirk pass over his lips.
"Well, at least you two are finally here, do you even know how late the both of you are? The first match has already begun."
Both Genin gave their sensei the dirtiest look they could muster, though it was Naruto who shouted out first. "Us late? By what twenty minutes? Look at your track record Kaka-sensei!" Naruto began to fumble around in the pockets of his dark red cargo pants. "I know I have list somewhere, which I used to record how late you were to our last fifteen training sessions."
"Maa, sit down Naruto. Just watch the match its a Hyuuga versus Hyuuga. Hyuuga Neji was graduated a year before you and was his classes Rookie of the Year, like you Sasuke. And I think you two graduated with Hyuuga Hinata." During the time they had been there Kakashi had not once looked up from his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"Eh, Hinata... I think I remember her, she was always really quite and red like she always had a fever. Now that I think about she was probably blushing a lot. Another one of your fangirls, Sasuke?"
"Hn, not that I know. I never interacted with her unless I was paired with her in some training excersize, and that rarely happened. But, when I was she just seemed meek and shy. Never blushed around me unless she did something wrong, which happened a lot." Sasuke looked down into the arena focusing in on Hinata trying to recall what he could about her, which wasn't much. "Who knows, maybe she had a thing for you, Naruto."
"Yeah, I mean who wouldn't fall for my charm, especially when their only other option is your-ego filled-self."
Sasuke let out a growl, but didn't respond, deciding to watch this Rookie of the Year.
Naruto began to focus on the match that seemed to be slowing down in the center of the arena, the Neji guy seemed to be saying something, though it was really hard to hear what was being said. He began to channel a light amount of chakra to his ears, ampliphing the range of the sound he could pick up.
"You don't deserve to be part of the main branch. You are weak Hinata. You're not worthy to be the Heir of the Hyuuga clan." Naruto blinked, had he heard him right? Did Neji think he had the right to say that someone was weak and not worthy?
"Kakashi-sensei, what is this? Aren't they relatives or something, why would he say that to a relative?"
Kakashi closed his book and looked up, shifting himself just enough so he could apraise the situation of the battling Genin. "I don't know the full story, and I wouldn't tell you much if I did. From what Neji's sensei has told me about him he has a grudge against the main branch of the Hyuuga, especially his cousin, Hinata."
"Did she do something to hurt him? Even then it doens't justify the amount of hatred he had against her."
"It was an incident about ten years ago, that cost Neji's father, Hinata's uncle, his life. If you want to know more ask them yourself, Naruto. As for now, just watch the events unfold."
Naruto didn't like his sensei practically blowing him off, but he decided to let it go and tune back in on the match.
"Even with you're Byakugan you stand no chance against me. Without me using a fraction of my strength, let alone my own Byakugan, I can defeat someone as weak as you with ease." Naruto heard was getting fed up with the stuff Neji was saying, he was starting to get angy, wasn't someone gonna stand up for Hinata? 'I guess I will.'
Kakashi looked over just in time to see Naruto begin to shimmy out of the aisle towards the stairs, leading to a banister that seperated the stands from the arena. "Naruto, where are you going?"
"Someone has to stand up for her, and no one else is going to, so I have to."
"Don't do anything stupid and don't get involved." Kakashi began to contemplate Naruto's past actions, of course he was going to interfere. "Sasuke, go with him, make sure he doesn't jump in there and try to attack someone."
"Hn, fine. Though don't expect any miracles if he does do something." Sasuke began to follow Naruto, hoping that he wouldn't do anything to stupid.
"Training would be useless for you. Your Jyuuken is incredibly weak, with your strength you can only hope to seal off one of my tenketsu with multiple strikes." Neji was poised to strike again, taking things slowly to get the most torture on Hinata.
"SHUT UP!" Naruto had reached and was now leaning of the banister. "Hinata, don't listen to that jerk. You are strong and any person who says you're not is wrong! So show him you're strong and kick his ass."
Both Hyuuga froze, Neji didn't bother to look in the direction of the shouting. Hinata however turned and looked up, locking her gaze on Naruto. Immediately she began to blush, nervous at being confronted with her love at this time. As she processed what Naruto had shouted at her, she began to feel a new resolve. If he believed in her, then Hinata knew she had to try for his sake.
Naruto could barely hear Hinata whisper. "I will defeat you, Neji."
Naruto saw what happened next in what seemed like slow motion.
Hinata charged forward after quickly reactivating her Byakugan, it was only as she began to try and channel chakra to the tips of her fingers for a Jyuuken strike, did she realize what was wrong. Throughout the whole battle whenever Neji struck her and she blocked wiith her arms, another Tenketsu was sealed. She now longer could channel chakra to her fingers.
The Hyuuga Heiress's strike bounced harmlessly off of Neji's chest. She began to attack in a frenzy trying to faze her cousin.
Neji brushed off all of her strikes, a new fury could be seen in his eyes. "You can not fight me, you will never win." He burst towards Hinata, his Byakugan activated for the first time in their battle. At first Hinata blocked his strikes. But, she quickly was overwhelmed. The first strike knocked her back, the next seven nearly killed her. Seven rapid attacks slammed into her chest, cutting off her chakra and damaging her most important organ, her heart.
"Hinata! Hinata!" Naruto began to launch himself over then bainster trying to reach the Hyuuga girl before Neji could do any more damage.
Naruto was caught and pulled back by the quick actions of Sasuke. People began to look at the team seven Genin, wonder what was going on. While the majority of the crowd focused on what had just happened to Hinata.
Hyuuga Hiashi sat shocked next to his younger daughter, Hinabi. How could his nephew attack his cousin so visously. Did he really hate them that much?
"Winner! Hyuuga Neji." As soon as the proctor yelled those words, a swarm of medic-nin's rushed out towards the center of the arena, quickly gathering Hinata and rushing out to try and save her life.
"Sasuke let me go now, I'm going to kill him!" Naruto stuggled against Sasuke's grip trying to get away.
"It's over Naruto, nothing can't be done now. It's over, let it go." Sasuke's grip was slipping, no matter what in a fight of brute force, Naruto would win.
"Naruto, stop." A hand landed on Naruto's shoulder, surprising him and Sasuke. Kakashi signaled the Uchiha Genin to step back, while he locked eyes with Naruto. "I said not to get involved. The fight is over, going in now would just be you trying to get revenge. If you must fight him, then do it after the Chuunin exams are over."
Kakashi stepped back, waiting to see what the whiskered Genin was going to do.
Neji had begun walking out of the arena, towards the competitors seats, when he heard the voice yell out to him. "Hyuuga Neji, my name is Uzimaki Naruto. I'm may not be part of the Chuunin exam, but what you just did is unforgivable. I don't believe in revenge, but you were wrong in what you did. And I will restore Hinata's honor. After this exam is over, I challenge you to a fight." Naruto glared at the disappearing form of the stoic Hyuuga.
"What honor did someone as weak as her have? And you defending her, you're not even worth my time. But, I'll show you you're destiny, Uzimaki Naruto. You're destiny is to be weak, just like Hinata. I accept you're challenge." Neji completely vanished from site and Naruto was left with a crowd of unlookers staring at him.
"Let's go so the next match can start." Kakashi began to walk away, back towards his seat, he looked up once to see his rival, Gai, looking his way. He gave his fellow Jounin an eye smile before turning away.
Sasuke stood with the still seathing for of Naruto. "Are you sure that was the right thing? Do you even know how to combat with someone with the Byakugan? Just don't be stupid, you never think ahead and that's going to get you killed one day." The dark haired Genin then began to walk away, following his sensei.
"I though that the Sharingan was supposed to be superior to the Byakugan. If I can beat you, then he should be no problem." Naruto looked back down into the arena, watching as the next Genin came out for their fight. "Kiba and an Oto Genin, should be fun. Good luck dog boy."
"Winner, Inuzuka Kiba!"
"Think that Ame-nin can come back, Sasuke?"
"No, not after all of his chakra was sucked out, see, it's over now."
"Winner, Aburame Shino!"
"Shall we make a wager, Kaka-sensei?"
"You wait till the end of the battle to ask me that? Fine, my bets on Shikamaru."
"Hey no fair, that was going to be my bet!"
"Quite, Dobe. We already know he's won. I mean look no-"
"Winner, Sabaku no Temari."
"WHAT?! Did Shikamaru just surrender, that coward. But see, Kaka-sensei, I win."
"Maa, no. All bets must be made before the match. Now Sasuke, or you Naruto, can either of you guess why he forfeited the match?"
"He's out of chakra."
"No fair, Sasuke used his Sharingan."
"Well did you know, Dobe?"
"Well this match was kinda boring, did that Oto girl pay attention to the preliminaries at all? He's a puppet user, and she tried to cast a Genjutsu on a puppet."
"Wait, whats going on with the makeup wearing Suna Genin? Ouch, that's going to hurt, she got that kunai in pretty deep."
"It doesn't matter, Naruto. Weren't watching when he slashed her earlier. All of his kunai tips are poisoned. It's a draw, right, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Maa, I don't know. It looks like he is going to out last her."
"Winner, Sabaku no Kankuro."
"Now everyone, listen, it is time for the final match of the first round, will Rock Lee and Sabaku no Gaara please come down." The proctor called out the many people who sat in the stadium. Rock Lee had quickly jumped down pumped up for his upcoming match, Gaara on the other hand was a lot slow in his decent into the arena, choosing to take the stairs.
"So, Kakashi-sensei, what do you know about those two?" Naruto was sitting forward in his seat, a nervous feeling rippling through his gut. He felt a maelicious intent coming from the Suna-nin.
Kakashi looked over at Naruto, scoping out what he was his student was thinking. 'Does he sense his fellow jinchuriki?' He watched as Naruto squirmed in his seat. "Maa, Rock Lee is the teammate of Hyuuga Neji, from what I've seen and heard he is a strictly Taijutsu."
Sasuke was the one to respond next, "And, why is he dressed in an all greed tracksuit?"
"That, is because he is the clone and almost carbon copy of his sensei, Maito Gai." Kakashi cringed as he recalled the first time he had seen Gai and Lee together. His rival was enough to take, having a near carbon copy of him was near unbearable.
Naruto, of course well interested in his fellow Konoha Genin, noticed that his sensei had failed to answer his question about the Suna Genin. "Sensei, what about that Sabaku no Gaara, what do you know about him?"
Naruto didn't get a response from Kakashi at first, the jounin seemed to be in deep contimplation. In fact he was trying to edit his wording so as not to mention the Bijuu that was inside Gaara. "From what us Jounin were informed, he had a very dangerous, evil power sealed inside of him."
'So, he's like me. He has a Bijuu inside him as well. No wonder he seems so angry.' Naruto scanned the face of Gaara one more time. 'That's blood lust in his eye, is he going to go for a kill?' He knew the power of a Bijuu, at least somewhat, he didn't really remember the day of Sakura's death. But. He did recall the pure maelicious intent of the Kyuubi's power. The blonde haired Genin couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like if he gave himself into his Bijuu, like Sabaku no Gaara seemed to have done.
"The battles started, Dobe. If you sit there trying to use what brain power you have to think, you'll miss it." Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, knowing that it would drain a large portion of his chakra, but he wanted to see the full extent of what these two Genin could do.
Unluckly for Sasuke, his sensei was quick to notice him. "Shut them down, Sasuke. You what these two have trained to achieve isn't just yours to steal." Kakashi sighed, he had learned this the hard way, especially being a non Uchiha. "We've talked about this before, your Sharingan is to only be used in combat."
"Yeah, Teme, least I don't have to worry about you stealing my moves, you're to slow to keep up."
"Sure, Naruto, that's why I don't steal your techniques, because you're so good." Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and turned to the arena, noticing how fast Rock Lee was.
"Wow, he's almost as fast as you Sasuke, if it wasn't for those gigantic eyebrows of his, I might have requested a change in teammates." Naruto waited for a response from the Uchiha, but no response was give besides a light, "Hn".
Naruto watched as Rock Lee continuously tried to attack the Suna-nin, who seemed to be capable of forming a wall of sand with just pure thought, each time just before it seemed like Lee was going to land a hit. Sabaku no Gaara just seemed to stand there, letting the attack come at him, rarely lifting a finger to send a stream of sand at the green clad Genin. Not even a glint of emotion entered into his eyes, until a slight shine of something seemed to begin to enter them. 'Is he angry? No, thats not anger. That has to be annoyance.'
A shout was enough to startle Lee out of his barrage of constant attacks. "Enough! You will be not be enough to satisfy Mother, but for now you will do." Gaara's yell rang clear and loud through the stadium, a look of confusion crossed Naruto's face. 'Mother?'
Lee could be seen standing still for a second as if contemplating what had just been shouted at him. Rock Lee looked up into the stadium towards the direction of where Naruto and his team sat. He watched as large man gave a thumbs up in the direction of Lee, as if encouraging and giving permission for something.
Naruto squinted his eyes, trying to figure out the hidden conversation that had just taken place between his fellow Konoha Genin and what he guessed was Jonin Sensei. "Gai, are you sure thats wise? He has yet to land a hit. Would taking off his weights really help?" The whiskered Genin glanced over at his own Sensei.
"What are you talking about Kakashi-Sensei?" It was Sasuke who asked the question that Naruto had been thinking.
"Just watch and see, young Uchiha." Maito Gai answered before Kakashi had a chance.
Naruto focused his attention back to the arena, wanting to see what Kakashi had meant about weights. Rock Lee now stood holding his leg bracers in each hand. "That's it? He had some leg weights?" Naruto nearly chocked the next second when Lee let go of the leg braces. What seemed like an explosion happened as soon as the immense weight hit the ground. A storm of dust was kicked up, obsuring Lee from sight.
Naruto was barely able to register that Lee was back in view, due to the sheer speed that he was moving at. He watched as Lee plowed forward, slamming his fist into the face of the red haired Suna-nin. Gaara was sent flying backwards skidding across the ground, he finally came to a stop, lying face down on the ground.
Sabaku no Gaara slowly stood, looking in the direction of the force that just hit him. But his attention was soon drawn from the fact as he felt something slowly drip down his chin. He ran his had across his bottom lip and then brought it forward. Far enough for his eyes to lock onto his hand. Blood, blood was smeared across the Ichibi Jinchuriki's hand.
Naruto viewed all of this with a blank expression, not entirely understanding why bleeding a little would send a person into shock. However that wouldn't be of any concern, as within the next five seconds, all hell seemed to break loose.
(And CUTTTT!)
A/N: Now again very sorry if there are mistakes but as soon as its up be sure that I'm rereading it and editing it. So the revised and better version will be out in a few days. As always I hope you enjoyed.
R&R pls!