Welcome back my lovely readers! It's time to announce the pairing for Yukiko (femLuffy)! And the winner is . . . Gaara! Gaara won the poll!
Disclaimer: I only own Satomi, Yuichi, and Minori!
Chapter 9 Preliminaries
In the end, there were twenty-seven candidates left. Seven teams from Konoha, one team from Suna, and one team from Oto. They were now gathered in a room that looked like it was meant for sparring. Namikaze Minato sat in front of the group of gennin with his Hokage hat on. Chuunin, Jonin, and ANBU surrounded him.
"First off, for the second test. . . Congratulations on passing!" Anko announces. "Hokage-sama will now explain the third test. Listen Carefully! Go ahead, Hokage-sama."
"Thank you, Anko-san." Minato nods to her and then acknowledges the gennin. "For the coming third test, but before I explain that. . There's something I'd like you to know. It concerns the true reason for this exam. . . Why do we have all the Allianced Countries taking the exam together? I don't want you to be confused about the true meaning. . ."
At this point, Yukiko pouts and tunes him out. She leans over to Minori and begins a hushed conversation.
"Have you noticed anything weird?" Yukiko whispers.
"You mean about Ace?" Minori replies. "Yeah. . It seems like he has a crush on Naruna or something. He keeps giving her this look. And then there was that kiss-"
"What are talking about?" Yukiko gives her a confused look. "I was thinking about that weirdo in the forest. That Okama guy with the snake summons."
"Huh?" It was Minori's turn to look confused. "What Okama-"
"I apologize, Hokage-sama." The two girls are interrupted when someone kneels in front of Minato. "From here on, as referee, will you please allow me, Gekkou Hayate. . ."
"By all means. ." Minato gives him a kind smile.
"Hello, everyone." A sickly looking man says between coughs. "I'm Hayate. Ummm. . .before the third test there's something I'd like you to do. Ummm. . . It's a preliminary for the third test to decide who gets to participate in the main event."
"Why doesn't everyone here get to participate?" Ino asks.
"There seems to be too many of you left." Hayate declares. "I guess the first two tests were too easy. There are a lot of you and we have a limited amount of time. So, I'll give you this choice now, incase any of you want out. If you want to leave, now is the time to do it. You can try again next year."
"I want out." Kabuto raises his hand as her adjusts his glasses.
Yukiko and Naruna narrow their eyes at him. The two share a look.
"Well if that's it, we'll begin." Hayate declares. "Your fights will be chosen at random. The fight will end when one opponent has been killed, incapacitated, or if one of you forfeits. Once the first fight is announced, the rest of you will wait behind the rails."
A board on the wall lit up and went through names rapidly, until coming to a stop.
"The first match will be. . ." Hayate declares. "Haruno Sakura Vs Tsuchi Kin."
Everyone except Sakura, a female Oto nin, and the referee exit the floor. Hayate backs up.
"Ready?" He asks both, receiving two nods. "Begin!"
"I hope you can put up a good fight, cherry blossom." Kin smirks at her opponent, whipping out kunai placed between each finger.
"I hope your skills are better than your insults." Sakura smirks back, making the Oto nin's eye twitch.
"Kick her ass, Sakura!" Minori shouts enthusiastically.
Sakura gives a thumbs up and falls into a fighting stance. Kin snarls and hurls the kunai at her. Sakura gracefully dodges each one with ease.
"Too slow." Sakura runs at her.
"Did you?!" Yukiko has a shocked expression on her face.
"Yep!" Minori grins. "I taught her how to use Kenbunshoku Haki."
Kin attempts to dodge, but Sakura lands a punch square in the face. Kin flies straight into the wall. She doesn't get back up.
"The winner of the match is Haruno Sakura!" Hayate announces.
Medic nins take Kin away as Sakura joins her team.
"You hardly did anything, Forehead." Ino informs her.
"More than you could." Sakura replies. "What do you think, Lee-kun?"
"You were magnificent, Sakura-chan!" Lee shouts. "The flames of youth burn brightly in you!"
"Akuma D. Satomi Vs Uchiha Sasuke!"
The two of them meet on the floor. A huge, smug grin appears on Satomi's face. Sasuke glares at her.
"Begin!"
Sasuke immediately shifts into a fighting stance . .only for Satomi to vanish from sight. He turns his head in every direction, searching for her.
"Behind you." Satomi whispers as she holds up a kunai to his throat.
"What?!" Sasuke's eyes widen.
"I'd like to forfeit." The kunoichi releases her opponent.
"Are you sure?" Hayate asks her.
"Yep." Satomi flashes to her team.
"Winner by forfeit: Uchiha Sasuke!"
"If you were going to forfeit, why didn't you do it earlier?" Naruna asks her.
"I want to see the rest of the fights." Satomi grins maniacally.
"Tenten Vs Yamanaka Ino!"
"Oooo!" Fu winces. "Ino is gonna get her ass handed to her."
"What?" Ino asks angrily. "Why?!"
"Tenten could kick your ass six ways to Sunday." Minori smirks. "I've sparred with her before."
The match is over in a matter of minutes.
"Winner: Tenten!"
"I hope the next match isn't so boring. . ." Yukiko pouts.
"Namikaze Hinata Vs Aburame Shino!"
"Ooooo!" Naruna shouts. "This is gonna be good! Who do you think will-"
"I forfeit." Shino announces. "Why you ask? Because it would be tedious."
"Are you a robot?" Yukiko asks him. "Do you still have to poo?"
"Yukiko!" Ace hits her upside the head.
"What I say?" She pouts at him.
"Winner by forfeit: Namikaze Hinata!"
"Just wait till I get down there!" Kiba smirks. "I'm gonna kick ass!"
"Roronoa D. Minori Vs Inuzuka Kiba!"
"Finally!" Kiba hops over the railing. "This is gonna be easy!"
"I don't think so. . ." A bloodthirsty grin stretches across Minori's face.
"Minori's gonna win." Yukiko declares with a grin.
"Why do you say that?" Hinata asks.
"Minori-nee once beat the crap out of Ace-nii and Sabo-nii at the same time." Yukiko's grin widens.
"Really?!" Naruna's eyes widen. "Wait. Who's Sabo?"
"Sabo-nii died a few months before Jiji brought us here." There's a sad look on Yukiko's face.
"Oh." Naruna feels bad for asking.
"Why did she beat them up?" Sasuke asks.
"She found out about when Ace-nii and Sabo-nii tied my to a tree and started arguing over who was going to kill me." Yukiko answers nonchalantly, causing many of the Jonin and Gennin to stare at my her in shock.
"You- Why?!" Naruna shouts angrily at Ace
"Yeah!" Sakura's yell interrupts their conversation. "Go Minori!"
They turned to see that Minori had won and Kiba was being taken to the hospital, along with Akamaru.
"We missed the fight?!" Naruna says in shock.
"Yep." Ace nods an affirmative.
"Namikaze Naruna Vs Nara Shikamaru!"
"Tch. . . Troublesome. . ." Shikamaru grumbles. "Can I forfeit?"
"No." Naruna leaks KI at him and kicks him into the fighting area.
"Poor Shikamaru. . ." Ace has a sympathetic look on his face.
"Begin!"
Naruna immediately buries her fist in his face, sending him into a wall. He doesn't get up.
"Winner: Namikaze Naruna."
"That was anticlimactic." Tenten comments.
"WHAT A YOUTHFUL GIRL!" Gai shouts. "THAT WAS A GOOD MATCH! AM I RIGHT, KAKASHI, MY ETERNAL RIVAL?"
"Hmmm. . ?" Kakashi looks up from his book. "Did you say something?"
"ARGH! YOU'RE SO HIP!" Gai says. "IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF!"
"Rock Lee Vs Tsurugi Misumi!"
Lee and one of Kabuto's teammates enter the arena.
"Go Lee!" Yukiko shouts. "Kick his ass!"
"You know him?" Sasuke asks.
"We trained together before." Yukiko tells him.
Lee's opponent tries to block his chakra, but it doesn't work.
"How!?" He yells more than asks.
"Simple." Lee replies. "You lack the power of youth!"
"Did you call me old?" His opponent twitches.
Naruna and Yukiko laugh. Lee vanishes from sight, only to reappear behind Misumi. He only has time for his eyes to widen in shock before Lee's leg slams into his side, sending him into a wall. The hole is bigger than the one Naruna made and Misumi has to be pried from it.
"Winner: Rock Lee!"
All of the Konoha gennin, plus Gai, cheer and clap for Lee.
"That was awesome!" Yukiko grins madly. "Just wait till I get out there!"
"Good job!" Naruna slaps him on the back.
"WHAT A YOUTHFUL MATCH!" Gai declares, making several people cover their ears.
"Ryuunosuke Yuichi Vs Akimichi Choji!"
The Suna gennin shushins to the middle of the arena in a swirl of sand. A bloodthirsty grin paints his face. Choji and a few others pale.
"It's okay, Cho." Asuma pats his shoulder in support.
"Y-yeah." Choji swallows. "I wish to forfeit!"
"Are you sure?" Hayate asks.
"I'm sure!" Choji answers.
"Winner by forfeit: Ryuunosuke Yuichi!"
"It's okay, Choji." Minori grins at him. Yt?
"Akuma Fu Vs Abumi Zaku!"
"Oh yeah, ssu!" Fu jumps right over the railing and into the arena.
Zaku, one of the Oto nin, enter the field. The fight is over almost as soon as it begins, but Fu pulls back from her finishing attack.
"I forfeit, ssu!" Fu declares.
"Winner by forfeit: Abumi Zaku!"
"Nice!" Satomi knuckle bumps her. "You did great!"
"Monkey D. Yukiko. . "
Most of the gennin perk up.
"Vs Portgas D. Ace!"
"Hell yeah!" Yukiko shouts enthusiastically and points at Ace. "I'm gonna kick your ass, Niichan!
"Sure." Ace snorts in disbelief and meets her on the field. "Try to keep up."
Their friends were stunned to hear who was fighting. Then they started to get excited.
"Who do you think is gonna win?" Naruna asks Gaara.
"Yukiko." He doesn't hesitate.
"Really?" Naruna gives him a questioning look.
"She's a lot more determined to win than him." Gaara points out. "Both of his teammates have forfeited. There's something going on. If Yukiko is about to lose, he'll probably give up."
"Won't she be pissed if he does that?" Naruna asks.
The two of them watch the fight intently. Yukiko throws a kunai, which Ace dodges. Yukiko goes through hand signs.
"Raiton Kage Bunshin!" Three shadow clones of her appear.
Then each one of them also go through hand signs.
"Raiton: Raikyū!" They yell, shooting lightning balls at Ace.
He manages not to get hit by them directly, but still gets a shock.
"Katon: Endan!" Ace spits flame bullets at her.
Yukiko just barely manages to dodge them. Her shoulder turns red.
"Gomu Gomu no. . ." Everyone's eyes, except Ace and Gaara's, widen in shock as Yukiko's arm stretches. "Pistol!"
Her arms stretches across the room and lands right in Ace's face, sending him into a wall. Ace wipes the blood from his nose with the back of his fist. He grins at Yukiko.
"Bring it!" He challenges her.
The two of them launch into a purely Taijutsu battle. Yukiko kicks Ace in the jaw, making him fly right back into the wall. Ace brushes the rubble off of his clothes before jumping right back into the fight. Then Yukiko activates her Sharingan. She moves her head to the left and Ace's fist passes a few seconds later. She uses his momentum to knock him onto the ground. Ace pushes back against the ground and leaps back to his feet. Yukiko's foot slams right into his face. A loud 'crack' echoes through the room as Ace's head connects with the wall for a third time. He tries to stand up, but nearly falls over. Ace grits his teeth and stands. Yukiko falls into a fighting stance. He runs at her again. She falls to the ground, pushes against the ground, and nails Ace in the chest with her feet. He flies into the air. She shushins above him and drives the heel of her foot into his back. He hits the ground hard and doesn't get up.
"Call the match!" Kotetsu yells.
"Winner: Monkey D. Yukiko!"
The medics cart Ace away. Yukiko frowns in concern.
"He'll be fine." Gaara tells her.
"Thanks, Gaara." Yukiko smiles at him.
Gaara's cheeks turn a light shade of red. Naruna's eyes widen when she sees it. Then an idea begins to form.
'I'll need to recruit a few people. . .' A devious smile forms on her face.
"Namikaze Gaara Vs Kinuta Dosu!"
Gaara appears in a swirl of sand. The Oto nin with bandages around most of his face enters the arena. Before he knows it, Dosu is knocked out.
"Winner: Namikaze Gaara!"
"Only two matches left." Yukiko comments.
"Hey, Yukiko." Naruna turns to her. "How'd you stretch earlier?"
"I ate a Devil Fruit." She shrugs.
"A what?" Naruna gives her a confused look.
"A Devil Fruit." Yukiko repeats herself. "It gives you an awesome power, but the sea hates you and you can never swim again."
"Hyuga Neji Vs Sabaku no Kankuro!"
Hinata's cousin, Neji, and the Suna nin with a hood that has ears step onto the fighting grounds.
"Kakashi-sensei." Naruna turns to the masked Jonin. "Is it okay if I go check on Ino?"
"And I want to see Ace!" Yukiko adds.
"Go ahead." He nods. "I'll tell you who you're fighting in the Final part of the Exams. Those will be taken in one month, so everyone can prepare and train."
"Thanks!" Both girl head for the Hospital.
"I'll catch up with you in a sec." Naruna stops at Ino's room.
"Okay!" Yukiko keeps going.
"Ino?" Naruna peeks in and sees Ino sitting up.
"What?" Ino asks with irritation.
"Remember how we got Tou-san and Kaa-san to get together before?" The bedridden girl perks up. "Well we've got another couple to set up."
"Who?!" There's barely contained excitement in her voice.
"Yukiko and Gaara." Naruna declares.
***^^~~~+ Skip +~~~^^***
Yukiko suddenly feels a chill go down her spine.
"You okay?" Ace asks.
"Yeah. ." She nods. "Sorry 'bout kicking your ass so hard."
***^^~~~+ Skip +~~~^^***
Gaara felt a chill go down his spine.
'Naruna must be planning something. . .' Gaara thinks to himself.
"Winner: Hyuga Neji!"
That's it for now! Hope you liked it. Oh, and Yukiko (femLuffy) will set sail at seventeen. The only question now is. . . Who will go with her?
Decided: Naruna, Gaara, Haku, Zabuza, Minori, Anko, Kakashi.
Any other suggestions on who should go? Review or PM me. Should Sakura and Lee go too?
Raiton Kage Bunshin - Lightning Release: Shadow clone
Raiton: Raikyū - Lightning Ball
Katon: Endan - Fire Release: Flame Bullet
Oh, and I apologize, but it might be a while before I updated any of my stories.