Sorry for the wait. I went on vacation the day I posted Festival. I got back a few days ago, but I've been recovering from the vacation. My whole family was worn out, and my mom's been hogging my laptop. So, sorry once again. Just a note: I'll skip most of the fights that happen in the manga. You know what happens then.
But thank you for the reviews~
FullMo0n, romyblossom, kitare, Freak-With-Issues, Black snake eyes, Wealse-chan, shadow miko, Rydia, emosaku, JMLAO, and a couple of anonymous reviewers!
**Sakura POV**
I've been studying that book. The storybook with the fairytale? In the back, there are pages about only the princess. I've read those over and over again in the three days since Sensei showed it to me. Right now, the day before the Finals, the three of us are headed into town to sleep in a nice, comfy hotel room, as a reward for learning the technique so quick. Turns out the princess could be anyone - any girl - and there is a prince to go with her, although I only learned that while reading the index. There's a whole other book dedicated to him. I'll have to find it. The princess will be chosen by the Others, a race of mysterious people that 'came before all of known life, and live to judge those who are deserving'. They decide who the prince and princess will be, based on circumstance. Once chosen, the princess will be 'born from the Earth on wings of pink with flames will dance on her skin'. When this happens, all girls of her generation will lose the ability to become the princess, giving it to the chosen one to boost her in her times of need.
I've tried to feel for that piece that could possibly make me the princess, but I never found it. I put the book down on the bedside table. The clock beside it read 1:44 am. Despite the comfort of the cushy bed, it was hard to find sleep. Tomorrow - or today, whatever - I want to get up and train for at least a half hour before the exams. Gaara and I may be friends now, but that doesn't mean he'll go easy on me. The full moon will make sure of that. Temari warned me a month ago, but I haven't forgotten. I sighed and laid back on the covers, curling up hugging a pillow. I closed my eyes and just breathed, trying to loosen the knot in my stomach. When that didn't work, I sat up again. Sensei walked into my room, bringing the scent of hot chocolate.
"Can't sleep, huh?" she asked me.
"Nerves," was my answer. I took the warm mug she offered me, sipping the steaming liquid cautiously.
"I'm sure you'll do fine." She went on to talk about her first time at the Chunin Exams. I only listened to a little of it, my thoughts in other places, on other people. How will Naruto do against that ruthless Neji? What about Sasuke's curse mark? And I don't even know who to root for when Temari and Kankuro battle. Temari - the friend I made in just one night - or Shikamaru - the friend I've known for years, but doesn't believe in me? Kankuro or Shino? Well, that one isn't too hard to figure out. Creepy Shino who barely talks or Kankuro, who looked out for me in the preliminary rounds? Easy choice: Kankuro. That left one last fight: Gaara vs. me.
"Sakura-chan! Are you listening!"
"Uh- I- What?" No, I wasn't listening. Sensei sighed.
"Don't worry about tomorrow. You'll do fine," she assured me. "Just get some sleep. Here's a couple of sleeping pills. Don't take more than one unless one just doesn't cut it."
I nodded, but as soon as she left, I swallowed both with the rest of my coco. I settled down, then fell into a dreamless sleep.
**Ino POV**
Sakura's late! I haven't seen her since that day in the alley a month ago, and I've been worried ever since. Sure, she insulted us that day, but she's my best friend, and I'm worried about her. Now, sitting in the stadium, I just wait for her to get here on time. Everyone else is - Shikamaru, Sasuke, Naruto, Shino, the Neji guy, the Sound nin and the Sand team. Even Chouji and Tenten are sitting on either side of me. I could tell Chouji was worried about me. I think even Tenten was able to pick up on it.
"You're waiting for Haruno Sakura, right?" she asked me. I nodded. "You two seemed to hate each other when you fought."
"It was just an unfinished argument. We settled it when we fought."
"I'm sure she'll be here soon, don't worry."
I nodded and thanked her, then tried to relax and focus on what was going on. The Hokage was going on about how far the candidates have come, and how he looks forward to seeing their progress. The proctor took over, introducing himself as Genma. Weird, he's not the same one as before. I wonder what happened to the other guy.
"Welcome to the final portion of the Chunin Exams. The ten participants chose a number after the preliminary rounds, and that is how the order of the fights has been chosen. First is Hyuga Neji versus Uzumaki Naruto. Second is Uchiha Sasuke versus Kinuta Dosu." He kept rattling on about the line up. Third - Sabaku no Kankuro against Aburame Shino. Sabaku no Temari versus Nara Shikamaru. I know he'll kick her ass. The final match is, of course Haruno Sakura versus Sabaku no Gaara. I growled at his name. Genma counted the kids behind him. "The matches will begin in ten minutes. If the final contestant, Haruno Sakura, does not show up by then, she automatically forfeits, and Sabaku no Gaara will move forward."
"What?" I didn't know that! I thought she would have until her actual match! It's not until last! I tried to get up to yell at him, but Chouji held me down. "Fine! I'll be good." I sat down pouting, crossing my arms and legs. The minutes ticked by. Where is she? This is doing nothing for my nerves! My fingers tapped against my arm. I growled at The fat ass beside me, then watched then hands of my watch tick around the face of it. Nine minutes of excruciating wait went by. I chewed on my lips.
Genma sighed. "Haruno Sakura has for-"
"NO!" I jumped over Chouji's arms and ran to the rail. Naruto was down there, protesting with me. "You can't disqualify her! She still has thirty seconds left!"
Genma looked at me, and held Naruto away from him. "It makes little difference. Thirty seconds, one minute, she'd never make it here in time."
We yelled back and forth for twenty-seven seconds (and I would know, I kept checking my watch). Then the wind picked up. Chouji and Tenten were trying to restrain me. We all looked to the field before us, where the fierce wind originated from. In a sudden gust, cherry blossoms were thrown in our faces. I gasped. Where no one was standing before, Sakura stood with her eyes closed and her back against another woman's. She - Sakura - looked amazing! So strong and confident.
Sakura, who was facing me, opened her eyes and winked at me.
"Thank you, Ino-pig!"
I smiled at her. "You're welcome, Forehead!" She turned to thank Naruto, and I heard Tenten gasp.
"Tsu-Tsunade-sama!" She said under her breath.
"Huh? Who's that?" I asked her.
**Sakura POV**
I woke up late, that's all there was to it. Those pills… I should have taken one. I overslept, and was adamant about getting in that half-hour of training. So I did, even if I barely beat the clock. I know the lazy proctor was about to disqualify me a minute early. If it weren't for Ino and Naruto, I wouldn't have this chance. I promised myself to treat them both to ramen afterwards.
But as I stood here, back to back with Sensei, whispers erupted in the stands. Even the proctor and a few of my fellow contestants were shocked. Genma, as Sensei told me his name was, almost dropped the senbon in his mouth. Neji seemed especially mad at me. Temari looked excited. Dosu and Kankuro just seemed surprised. Listening to the whispers in the wind, I picked up a few words. 'Legendary… Jiraiya… Sanin… Tsunade… Orochimaru.' Orochimaru?
"Sensei…?" I asked. She sighed.
"My name is Tsunade."
"As in, the one of the Legendary Sanin Tsunade? Konoha's Slug Princess?" She nodded. Looking back, maybe I should have picked up on this. "W-why didn't you tell me?"
Instead of answering, she turned to me and smiled. She put a hand on my shoulder and said, "I have faith in you, Sakura."
"'Sakura'? So-" She disappeared. Of course. But… she believes in me. With probably the goofiest smile on my face, I took my place beside Gaara. The proctor still seemed pretty out of it, but he cleared his throat and explained the rules.
"Same as before: no rules. The fight is over when one competitor is either dead, unable to continue, or forfeits. If I step in, the match is over. Now, the first two up are Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji. Those two stay here, while everyone else goes to the waiting room."
I wished good luck to Naruto, then followed the others to the room above the field. He and Naruto fought, and I could see the determination in Naruto's eyes. He remembered the promise he made for Hinata. They practically destroyed the arena! I smiled at him anyway. And, to everyone's (well, most people's) surprise, he won! He joined us in the waiting room, where I congratulated him. Next up: Sasuke and the Sound nin.
Both of them walked by me stiffly. I wished good luck to Sasuke, and he gave me that smoldering half-smile of his. But it didn't seem to… well, smolder like it used to, I guess. It gave me butterflies in my stomach, but they weren't as frantic as usual. They calmed down quicker than they used to. I just watched the battle.
"Finally… I've been waiting for the chance to fight you, Uchiha Sasuke. I will kill you." Dosu told Sasuke creepily.
"Second match - Uchiha Sasuke versus Kinuta Dosu, now begin." With that, Genma stood to one side of the ring. For a few minutes, they just stood there, facing each other. I guess to wait for the other to make the first move. Sasuke did it, throwing a few kunai and shuriken almost impossibly fast. Dosu raised his right arm in defense, and the projectiles were knocked away by waves of sound. Dosu then moved in for a close-range attack. Sasuke, virtually impossible to see, moved out of the way, throwing more kunai at the charging Sound nin. This time, he just let them hit the metal part of his arm and bounce harmlessly away from him.
"Go Sasuke!" I heard Ino call from across the stadium. She really is loud.
Dosu moved in really close to Sasuke, and started attacking. Sasuke dodged and locked, but he fell for the attack - Dosu's sound waves. I could tell when they took effect. Sasuke jumped away from his attacker stumbling and grasping an ear. I could see blood slip from between his fingers as he fell to the ground and vomited. He stood on shaky legs and tried to attack again, only to meet the dirt again. Dosu chuckled darkly and strolled calmly over to Sasuke, talking about how he was going to be the favorite from now on. Right as he reached Sasuke, though, Sasuke stood with a smirk on his face. He held one hand in front of him, and it erupted in a blue light as the sound of chirping birds filled the air around us. I gasped and jumped away from the rail as if it shocked me. Covering my mouth with both hands, I leaned against the wall away from it and just took shaky breaths.
"Are you alright, Sakura-chan?" Shikamaru asked me. I nodded and slid to the ground; he shrugged and turned back to the match. My breathing evened out as I felt someone sit beside me.
"What's the matter?" Temari's cool, hushed voice asked.
"It's nothing." The dream flashed through my mind. Sasuke's eyes, his hand…. The fact that he tried to kill me with that jutsu just won't leave my mind. I flinch when I hear the chirping again, gripping my knees with my hands. "Well…" In the end, I wind up telling Temari my dream. She didn't seem to believe it, but she didn't really say anything either. Kankuro, who had been eavesdropping, responded.
"Are you sure this is our brother you saw?" he asked me.
"Yes, I'm sure." I responded. We didn't really talk much after that, since Sasuke returned victorious. He didn't really seem too happy, but I congratulated him anyway.
"The third match, Sabaku no Kankuro versus Aburame Shino will now begin. Will the contestants please come down?"
Sorry for the half-assed (literally) fight scene. And I'm ending it early(shorter than usual), because I think ya'll have been waiting long enough, right? Besides, I need to know if ya'll want Kankuro and Shino to fight or do you want Kankuro to give up like in the manga/anime? If they do fight, who wins? I have a poll on my profile, so go vote, ok?
