Title of Chapter
The last chapter was somewhat of a mini-filler... but on with the Third Exam today! Finally!
Disclaimer: I own Naruto, I own it not. Seriously, no, I don't own own it.
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"Wake up," Kiele demanded, rapping on Temari's door with her knuckles.
She walked in, then flung the covers off of a sleeping figure. Temari opened one eye and glared at her human alarm clock.
"Get up, Temari."
Temari groaned, then brought the blankets back over her head.
"Five more minutes..." She begged in an aggravated yet very tired voice, muffled by the blankets.
"No, not in five minutes. Now," Kiele responded hotly.
Temari sighed, then slowly sat up. When Kiele left, Temari laid back down. Thinking that she was the brighter shinobi, she snuggled back into the abysmal that was her bed. A kunai flew and landed centimeters from Temari's face. She yelped. She sat up and glared at the konoichi in the doorway, ignoring the ripping noise.
"What the hell was that for?" Temari demanded, glaring daggers
"You wouldn't get up," Kiele answered bluntly.
"I was awake!"
"You laid back down. I knew you would."
Temari pouted, then threw the covers off of her body in defeat. Kiele left the room, and headed towards Kankurou's room. Temari glanced sleepily at her calendar and yawned. She froze in mid-yawn when she saw what day it was.
"THE CHUUNIN EXAMS AREN'T FOR ANOTHER WEEK! ARGHHHHH!"
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"Alright, now tell me again why we have to get up early a week from the exams?" Kankurou asked, scratching the back of his head. He didn't even bother with his head-piece.
"To train," Kiele answered.
"If we plan to win our Chuunin matches and defeat Konohagakure No Sato, we need to be at our best."
"That's right we need to be at our best," Temari replied hotly.
"And we're not going to do that if we're half asleep."
"Why do I have to get up?" Kankurou whined.
"I'm not even fighting! I'm forfeiting the match with bug-boy!"
Kiele rolled her eyes.
"Don't complain," She accused, pointing her new fan at the wobbly sand siblings.
"If I'm up at this hour, you can train too. You can never be too sure with these leaf ninja. We don't know completely about thier abilities, especially the Jounin here. Better safe than sorry."
"Look who's talking, miss flirting-with-leaf-ninja," Kankurou snorted, guestering to Kiele's fan.
Kiele glared. She had seen Naruto several times during the month break. He had been training with some "Jiraiya-sensei", but when he wasn't he was at the ramen shop. Kiele had talked to him. Naruto seemed enthused to see her, and suggested that she eat with him. She had obliged, and the two spent several hours daily together, while they talked and Naruto tried desperately to impress her with a toad summon, getting by with only a tadpole. Kiele found it humourous to se his failed attempts. She thought of thier get-togethers of nothing, until Naruto presented her with the red hand fan. It looked normal, but upon closer inspection, she soon found, was simailar to Temari's, and allowed her to preform wind-based jutsu more easily with a swift wave of it. Like Temari's giant fan, three blue "moons" appeared her fan after a degree of time, then allowed her to preform the Great Cutting Whirlwind Technique. She didn't know if Naruto knew that he had given her a weapon, or mistook it for an ordinary fan, but she didn't tell him. She did however, begin to spend more and more time with the leaf ninja, to the point of annoyance. Temari and Kankurou grew afraid that she would back out of the invasion on Konoha, or even worse, would hold back if pitted against him.
"I don't flirt. Especially with the enemy, Kankurou."
Kankurou tutted. He pointed to her fan.
"That's what I told myself everytime you went out with the kid. But then why do you carry that fan he gave you around now? It's like you've grown a soft spot for him-"
"She's grown a soft spot for whom?" Gaara demanded, emerging from the top of the roof.
Kankurou and Temari held thier tounge. They weren't angry enough with her to want to see Kiele drowning in sand. Gaara turned his icy stare to Kiele.
"Who have you grown a soft spot for?"
"No one," Kiele answered.
She forced herself to look Gaara in the eyes.
"I have no soft spots for anyone, especially not any leaf ninja. Naruto is no exeption."
She directed her last sentence towards Kankurou and Temari, shooting them a hateful look.
"Fine. If it's so much of a burden, then I'll go train by myself."
She folded her arms in front of her, then stalked off into the forest.
"She's been cold and hateful lately... not normal for her," Kankurou muttered.
Temari nodded in agreement.
"She's... usually too soft to be called a ninja, but since Gaara's match, she..."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. He reached up and ran his fingers along the edge of the picture in his sash. His next words shocked both of his siblings.
"She misses me."
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Kiele flicked her wrist lightly, spreading her fan open. The trees before her were severed apart like scissors and paper. She grimaced, putting her fan away in her sash. She made several hand signs, then spread her palms outwards. Sand filed around her, completely clearing the area of trees with its impact. Kiele frowned, then tutted.
"It's no use training if I tear apart everything in my way so easily... I need an opponent..."
(...You may use me, child.)
Kiele sputtered.
"Yeah, right. Just summoning you nearly takes the wind out of me. Have you forgotten the fight with Neji so soon?"
(Not if I summon myself willingly.)
Kiele considered the offer, until she realized what the bird was trying to pull.
"Nice try, onna. If I summon you, what guarentee do I have that you'll come back to me, and won't kill everyone in the village?"
(I know how much you dislike it, but you'll have to trust me.)
"Pssht! Trust you? Not happening. I'd rather spar with Gaara than risk you killing off the entire population."
(Fine. Be like that then, but it's only you who will suffer when you face the blonde boy and will be unable to pull any new techniques against him.)
Kiele gritted her teeth.
"Fine, I'm ready for you. But you'd better come back when we're finished."
(Don't worry. I will.)
Kiele made the seal of the bird, closing her eyes, then she felt herself become considerably weaker as Takai left her body. When she opened her eyes, a green, spiky haired female with golden eyes and huge talons stood before her. She smiled, revealing sharp teeth. Kiele glared.
"I molded myself into a human form," Takai explained.
"Now... shall we begin with a certain justu I like to call an extreme ace in the hole?"
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(If this crowd was any louder, they'd deafen us,) Takai complained.
Kiele ignored her, standing in the arena, the other Chuunin Exam candidates around her. All exept for Naruto, Sasuke, and Dosu. Although she knew what had become of Dosu.
"Takai... you don't think that he backed out on us, do you?" She asked her inner demon aloud.
(I doubt it. You said so yourself, the boy has a nerve of steel. He's not afraid of a fight.)
"But, a fight with someone he considers a friend..."
(Oh? And don't you think of him as a friend?)
Kiele remained silent. She didn't know the answer to that question. Kiele was aware of how out of character she had been acting towards the sand siblings the past month. Instead of finding refuge in Temari's comforting words, peace in Kankurou's ill humour, and fear in Gaara's eyes, everything was backwards. She knew that her words became more harsh and more hurtful, and she found herself in awe at times that she had actually spoke them. Gaara as well noticed her sudden change, and Kankurou questioned it several times, but always with the same answer.
"With change comes responsibility. Lately, I've been burdened with a new responsilbility, which calls for change."
Kankurou didn't understand her, but it was her way of saying that she realized that she loved Gaara and he hated her, without saying it straightforward. Naruto showed up late, and Kiele found herself wondering if she was relieved or devestated. Genma, the new proctor since Hayate was killed, explained that Dosu was no longer in the tournament, and that Sasuke still could not be found. In that case, he explained that Nara Shikamaru no longer had an extra match, and would instead be fighting Temari.
"Alright, now for the rules. I suggest that you understand when you have lost. Matches won't end until someone gives up or is killed. As proctor, I of course will stop a match if it seems hopeless of I see that someone cannot continue."
He glanced around, then proceeded.
"First match: Sharne Kiele versus Uzumaki Naruto. Everyone else, clear the arena."
Kiele stepped up, and Naruto stepped in front of her as the other candidates did as they were asked.
"When you're ready... begin."
Kiele wasted no time in whipping out her fan and jumping back, slicing the air with it. Naruto put his hands up in defense, but was thrown backwards onto his back from the force of the chakra controled whirlwind.
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"First, before we begin, promise me you won't hold back on Naruto," Takai demanded.
"I promise. If I did, it's the same as me betraying Sunagakure," Kiele replied solemnly.
"Alright." Takai shifted into a fighting stance.
"Waste no time. Attack him immeadiately. Throw him off guard. He'll expect you to stand still and hear out whatever little speech he has planned. But if you assult him immeadiately, it will tell him that you are not playing around with him."
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Kiele then spread her fan, watching Naruto stand to his feet.
"Don't stand there and take it when I come onto you, Naruto. Fight back."
"Fine! Just remember that you asked for it!" Naruto shouted.
He made a cross sign with his index and middle fingers.
"Kage Bushin No Jutsu!"
Kiele tucked her fan into her sash, her arm raised, forming a single seal. Naruto and his clones screamed battle cries as they ran recklessly towards her.
"Suna Tsuka."
Kiele's fan landed beside Naruto, and he stared in awe. Where Kiele once stood was now a pool of sand. Naruto looked back and forth, searching for her. Under the earth, Kiele waited for Naruto to move. Suddenly, she felt his pulse directly above her. She smirked.
"Now!"
She thrust her hand up, piercing the earth's surface. Naruto looked down, shocked. Kiele snatched his ankle before he had a chance to move, then pulled him under, so only his head was visible. She stood up, brushing the earth off of her body triumphantly. To her shock, Naruto vanished ina puff of smoke. She froze.
"A replacement! Damn it! He fooled me!"
She whipped around and saw five Narutos they all charged at her. She stomped her foot on the ground, making a series of seals.
"Chiisai Bushin Yamada."
The sand around her body rose and formed into fist-sized projectiles. They hurled themselves at Naruto, destroying the four clones and piercing the flesh of the real one. When the projectiles had dissipated, Naruto was cut in sereral areas, though none were vital. He didn't notice this, but the sand siblings did.
"What is she doing?" Kankurou hissed to his sister.
"She promised us to end this fight quickly, but she's just toying with him!"
"I'm sure she knows what she doing, Kankurou," Temari assured her younger brother.
"She always was quite the tactitian."
"Suna Futoiude!" Kiele called.
A giant arm of sand emerged from the ground. It chased Naruto, grabbing him in its clawed grasp. Naruto struggled, but to no avail. The hand flung Naruto against the northern stadium wall. He slouched down it, but scrambled when he noticed the hand ball itself into a fist and thrust itself at him, completely shattering the wall as he luged out of the wall.
"Man, and that could've been me..." Naruto mumbled, staring at thw wreckage.
He had no more time to gawk at the fist, as it turned on him once again. He looked over at Kiele, standing there with her arms folded arcoss her chest. She stared at him with cold eyes.
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"See? Ta da!" Naruto proudly thrust a small package into Kiele hands.
She stared at him, perplexed.
"What... is this for?" She asked, partially shocked.
Naruto laughed, folding his hands behind his head.
"Open it!"
Kiele slowly did, and her surprise only hieghtened.
"A... fan? Why? What for?"
"A gift! We're friends right?"
"But..." Kiele began, still confused at the sudden present.
"I didn't do anything."
"You don't have to. You got it because we're friends!" Naruto proclaimed.
"Friends... I'm sorry, Naruto."
Naruto stared at her.
"You're sorry? For what?"
"I don't have a gift for you, Naruto. If I'd have known that you'd be giving me a gift, then..."
Naruto grinned mischeviously.
"It's okay! You can make it up to me by buying me ramen tonight!"
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"Naruto... you said when we first met, that you'd defeat me if we ever faced against one another. But now, we're..."
Kiele nearly choked on the word.
"Friends. Do you intend to keep your word?"
Naruto dropped his chopsticks momentarily.
"Yeah I do! When we fight... it'll be different. But I won't hold back on you! And you better not hold back on me."
"Don't worry, Naruto... I won't. I have my way of the ninja to protect, so I can't. You just remember that you have yours when we face one another."
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Naruto glared at Kiele.
"That's right! I have to become Hokage! I can't lose here, even if this is Kiele I have to face! If I have to beat her into the ground... then let's do it!"
"It seems that you've finally realized that I'm not playing with you, Naruto. Good. Now fight me like you said you would," Kiele called.
The sand fist returned to her side, levitating beside her.
"Alright! Kage Bushin No Justu!"
(How many times will he use that?) Takai mused in Kiele's mind, watching the blonde charge at her with clones around him.
"It doesn't matter," Kiele replied to her demon, raising her fist, the sand fist going up with her.
"I'll crush him all the same!"
Kiele and her sand fist rush forward, the fist taking out several clones as it passed. Kiele unsheathed her fan and plunged it into Naruto's chest, convinced that this Naruto was the real one. He doubled over, clutching his wound. Clones vanished all around her, and eventually, the Naruto in front of her also grinned and vanished. Kiele stared in shock.
"You were wrong, Takai?"
(Kuso!)
"Hahaha! You fell for it, Kiele!"
Kiele spun and saw Naruto. He grinned broadly. She gritted her teeth. Naruto smirked, then clasped his hands together. His chakra increased rapidly, and Kiele took a step back.
"Oh my god... His chakra... is reaching a tremendous level! Is this the Kyuubi's chakra?"
(I'm afraid so. You're finished if he's learned to control the demn within him. That is, if you plan to keep your promise to Kankurou and not use the full extent of your powers.)
Kiele sneered.
(You can use me, demon versus demon, or you can lose, It's your desicion.)
"As a matter of fact, it is. You remember that, Takai."
"Alright!" Naruto cheered, standing up straight.
"Let's get serious, and fight for real!"
The orange chakra of the nine-tailed fox engulfed his body, and he ran forward. Kiele saw his advances and jumped up over Naruto's head, kicking him in the skull as she passed over him. Naruto whirrled around rapidly, then ran at her again. This continued, Naruto assulting, Kiele evading. She began to run out of phyical energy, and she knew it.
(It's about time to end this, ningen.)
"I agree. This next jutsu... one way or another, will end everything."
Kiele raised her hands and braced for Naruto attack as he charged, elbow first. She endured the blow, being shoved back several feet. She then made hand signs as Naruto skidded to a halt and ran at her again.
"Gokusamaiso."
While Naruto was mere feet from Kiele, he suddenly froze. He looked down to see his feet stuck into the earth, and quicksand around him. He was rapidly sinking into the pit.
"This is it, Naruto," Kiele informed him as the sand was now up to his knees.
"Whether you escape, or you sink... it's over."
Naruto quickly preformed Kage Bushin. The clones pulled and tugged at Naruto, trying to free him. Kiele stood and watched.
(You should push them all in.)
The demon laughed at her own cruel humour.
"I should, but I won't."
They finally pulled Naruto out, and soon all seven were charging at the konoichi. Kiele smiled sadly at her feet, then raised her hand.
"That's it for me. I'm done."
Naruto froze in shock. His chakra faded, as did his clones. He pointed an acusing finger at her.
"No way!" He shouted angrily.
Kiele stres down at her feet, only looking up to turn around and find the exit.
"You can't leave like this!" Naruto yelled, running up behind her.
"What happened to all that crap about not giving up and going easy on one another! I know this isn't your limits! That wasn't even a fight!"
Kiele ginored him, resting her hand on the cool surfae of the railing as she left to the stadium to watch the other matches.
"You promised!"
Kiele froze. Then she rusumed her composure, Naruto still yelling angrily after her.
"Don't sweat it, Naruto... you're not the first one I've let down."
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And that was chapter seven. The other two should follow suit soon. Ta-ta!
