Seen as they were in the talent show, the members of NIN did not have to go to their 5th hour class for attendance. "Look 'Tora, its Camui Gackt," Hinata said pointing down the hall at the Jrocker.
"I hope we win," Hotora stated as the Jrocker disappeared into one of the rooms down the hall. "I would love to meet him."
"So would I," Sasuke added to the conversation. "We have to try our hardest to win. We can't afford to make any mistakes, and if we do make mistakes we have to prey others to do worse than we do."
"Sasuke, do you believe we can win?" Tenten asked.
"Yes I do," Sasuke replied. "We have the best. We have Hotora who has one of the best voices I have heard, not to mention looks. We have of course you and Hinata who are great at your choreography and a definitely good looking."
Both Hinata and Tenten started blushing. Sasuke looked at Hotora to make sure she wasn't mad before he started talking again, "Lee who can definitely handle Sueyoshi's break dances. Kiba who can handle Hidaka's rapid rap parts with ease. Neji who surprisingly has a great singing voice, and of course Naruto who well is good at what he is supposed to do."
"You can't forget about yourself, Sasuke," Hinata said quietly. "Without you we would have never gotten together as a group."
"Plus you yourself have a really good singing voice," Tenten added.
Sasuke just smiled slightly at the comments. A guy walked up and asked, "Are you NIN?"
"Yes," Sasuke replied as he turned around.
When he turned around enough to see the guy, his mouth opened slightly. "Gackto-san wants to wish you luck," the guy stated.
"Can you thank him for us, You?" Hinata asked sheepishly.
"I sure can," You replied. "Hope to talk to you soon."
The members of NIN nodded. Once You walked into the room where Camui Gackt was, Hotora spoke, "I know we didn't talk to Camui Gackt, but having You wish us luck for Gackt was pretty cool."
"He also wished us luck himself," Naruto said.
The whole group just smiled.
---------------
It was almost NIN's turn. They were going to be the last to perform, so they were growing more worried by each performance. Finally the curtain was lowered and IST left the stage. IST consisted of Ino, and two normal village kids.
As Ino walked by, she purposely ran into Hotora. "Break a leg, and I mean that literally," Ino told Hotora as she walked off.
The members of NIN took their places on stage behind the curtain. They heard the guy on the other side say, "Our last performers have been the runners up for three years. This time their performance will be slightly different then the years before. This year they have a new female singer. Let's see if that will make a difference in the outcome this year. Now without further ado, I give you NIN."
The curtain raised and the music started.
---Sasuke-Nishijima---
nakama wo tsumekonde
hashiru WAGON wa GERENDE e
---Neji-Urata---
sarigenaku joshuseki wo
---All---
KI-PU shite iru kimi ni wa
yarareta yo ne
kooru hoshizora no shita kita wo mezasu yo Highway
Snow steps kimi wo nosete
masshiro na Kiss shiyou Wonderland
ashiato no nai yuki ni oh-o-o-o
hashiridasu you ni
boku-tachi ni hirogare Winter land
atarashii monogatari o-oh-o
fuyu no mashita de egakidasu no sa
You and me!!
---Neji-Urata---
urusai yatsura ga
---All---
neshizumatta no tashikamete
---Sasuke-Nishijima---
hidari no kata ni hora
---All---
kimi wa atama wo noseta yo
warainagara
mayoko kara sashite kuru asahi ga kimi wo terasu
kitto sono shunkan ni
masshiro na koi shiyou Wonderland
RIBON wo kakeru you ni oh-o-o-o
kimi to chikadzukitai
doko made mo hirogare Winter land
mahou wo shinjite ita o-oh-o
kodomo no koro no hitomi ni narou
You and me!!
---Kiba-Hidaka---
Just two of us
chuu wo mau konayuki to zutto tawamureru you na
KYU-TO na itsumo no kimi
rashikunai shigusa ni
shizuka ni HA-TO washidzukami kurai
omou 2(futa)ri itsu made mo itai
hyotto shite KISU made mou chikai?
mou jikan ga nai yo asa made
ato mou choi kamisama matte
---All---
masshiro na Kiss shiyou Wonderland
ashiato no nai yuki ni oh-o-o-o
hashiridasu you ni
boku-tachi ni hirogare Winter land
atarashii monogatari o-oh-o
fuyu no mashita de egakihajimeyou
You and me!!
Just you and me!!
The curtain went down and the audience clapped their approval. "Now we will have our guests from Japan decide who they believe is the runner up and the winner," the guy in front of the curtain said.
---------------
NIN sat backstage and worried over the outcome. "How much longer is it going to take?" Naruto asked with a whiny voice.
"We don't know Naruto," Hotora replied for the others.
Naruto only got to pout for a few more minutes before Radio approached the group. "You are wanted on stage now," Radio informed them.
NIN filed onto the stage along with three other bands including IST. "All of you did very well, but we could not choose all of you," a guy named Ren from Gackt's band stated. "So I will announce the runner up, and You will announce the winner. The runner up is...IST."
The audience clapped as Ino accepted the trophy that Radio handed her. You got out of his seat and took the first place trophy from Radio so he could award it. Just as he was going to start talking, the members of NIN held hands. "The group that won is the best that we saw. Gackto-san can't wait to meet them, and I am sure they can't wait to meet him. The winner is...NIN!"
The members of NIN were happy, tearful happy. Sasuke ended up sitting down on the stage. He was an Uchiha. He was of one of the strongest and noblest clans in Konohagakure no Sato, and he was sitting down on the floor with tears coming out of his eyes. "Sasuke, you accept the trophy for us," Hinata told Sasuke as she helped him up from the floor.
Sasuke walked over and took the trophy from You. "Thank you," he said to You.
The audience clapped and screamed their approval. "You guys get to sit in our seats while we perform," Ren informed NIN.
NIN took their seats and the curtain went up to reveal Camui Gackt and his band members' instruments. His band picked up their instruments and began to play U+K.
Dakara...
nanimo iwanai de
kimi wa tada sukoshi ima wa obieteiru dake dakara
nanimo iwanai de
kimi wa tada sukoshi kanashimi no naka ni iru dake dakara
Saigo no toki no naka de inori o sasageru
Tsuki no mahou wa... shalle a le rilla
amai koe de sasayaku kara
mou ichido dake kanau nara
te o tsunaide kimi to waraitai
Yume no naka de...
kioku no naka de kitto mata aeru ne...
Kimi no egao ga torimodoseru nara
hohoenda kimi ga iru nara
kanashimi wa yasashisa ni kawaru yo
"Tooi kioku no mama de..." negai o komete
Tsuki no mahou wa... shalle a le rilla
kimi ga namida o wasureru nara
yasashisa ni furerareru nara
kimi no soba de nemuritai
Tsuki no mahou ga kieru nara
sayonara ga mata otozureru kara
ima omoi ga tsutawaru nara
te o tsunai de kimi to odoritai
Hikari no naka e kaeru beki basho e
mata dokokade kimi to aeru kara
Gackt's band finished playing and the audience members clapped as well as NIN did. "Thank you all for coming. It is now time for you to be leaving," Radio announced to the audience.
Once the audience started to file out, Radio approached Gackt. "Thank you for coming," he said. "NIN will you join us up here?"
The members of NIN got out of their seats and joined Camui Gackt and Radio on stage. "This is Sasuke, Hotora, Neji, Kiba, Hinata, Tenten, Naruto, and Lee," Radio introduced them.
Most of the members in NIN shook Gackt's hand. The only one who didn't was Hinata. She stood behind the others and didn't move. After Gackt shook the others hands he had a look on his face that showed he was confused. "Where did the other girl go?"
Hotora turned around to see where Hinata had gone. When she spotted her she walked over to her and asked, "What's wrong Hinata? I thought you wanted to meet Gackt."
"I do," Hinata replied. "I'm scared though."
"Hinata, don't tell me you are scared!" Gaara yelled from one of the doorways.
"Gaara!" Hinata yelled with joy.
Gaara got up on the stage and grabbed Hinata's hand. He led Hinata up to Gackt. "She's a little shy," Gaara informed Gackt.
Gackt just smiled and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you all. I think you did great. I was a little skeptical about your group, but you weren't anything like I had expected."
"May I interrupt for a moment?" Gaara asked.
"Sure," Gackt replied.
"We might want to have a seat," Gaara stated. "It will help keep the conversation sane."
Gackt led the others to the seats the audience had used just minutes before. Now in their seats, they enjoyed a halfway intelligent conversation. Gackt's band had evened joined them at some point in the conversation.
---------------
"It's getting pretty late," Gackt informed NIN and his band. "We have to start back to Japan early tomorrow."
Gackt took a pen and paper from his pocket. "I would enjoy hearing from you all after I return to Japan, so here is my address. I enjoy talking to people who get along so well even when they are so different from each other."
Gackt handed the paper to Sasuke and got up from his seat. "Well I guess I will talk to you later."
Once Gackt had left, NIN disbanded and headed for their homes.
"Nalis and Saru are waiting for us at home," Gaara said.
"Then let's hurry," Hotora stated happily.
Hotora ran down the street towards their home, with Gaara and Hinata at her heals. When they finally reached the she doorstep all three were out of breath. They went inside of the house and were greeted by the two boys who were sitting on the couch. "Great job at the talent show," Nalis commented. "I'm proud of you."
"You did a good job too, Hinata-san," Saru added.
"Thank you," Hotora said. "How is Sunagakure no Sato, and our siblings doing?"
"As good as is expected, everything could be better though," Saru replied. "If Gaara decides to become the Kazekage, I know the village can return to its former strength."
Hinata thought about the conversation that was taking place, and then she asked, "Would that mean you would have to live in Sunagakure no Sato, Gaara?"
"Yes, that is why I am not sure about it," Gaara informed Hinata. "What do you think I should do Hinata?"
Hinata thought form a while before she finally answered, "If it would help your village and your siblings then I think you should go and take up the title of Kazekage."
Gaara smiled and hugged Hinata. As an added touch he kissed her lips. "You are the sweetest person I have ever met," Gaara stated. "I don't know many people who would let the person that they love go someplace they aren't familiar with. Or let them stay away for who knows how long, just because it will make them feel better."
"If it makes you happy then I can wait how ever long it will be too see you again," Hinata informed Gaara with a smile.
"We have to start out now if we are going to get there before the position is taken by the spies of our enemy," Nalis told the couple.
Gaara let go of Hinata so he could give his sister a hug. "I will be back as soon as Sunagakure no Sato is strong enough to try and make amends with Konohagakure no Sato," Gaara said before he gave one last kiss to Hinata.
Gaara turned and headed out the door, making sure to grab his gourd on the way out. Nalis and Saru both gave Hotora a hug before they too departed from the house. "Things are going to be different without him here," Hinata stated sadly.
"He said he would be back soon, and he will."
Hotora smiled as she ascended the stairs leading to her room. Things were definitely going to be different, but Hotora could definitely handle them. People had always protected her, but now it was her turn to protect her friends. She was definitely going to be the best she could and show her brother he made the right choice by moving her to Konohagakure no Sato.