Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or its characters
Chapter 14- Ino and Sakura.
"Well, I guess I have to fight, oh well, things always end up so troublesome," Shikamaru said with a long sigh looking at the board which showed the match ups for the prelims of the final part of the exam. He looked up towards the board for a second time just to make sure that it said what he thought it said. Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi, yep it was just what he thought it said, and somehow it was not any less troublesome then the first time he looked at the board.
"Good Luck, Shikamaru, don't give up before the fight is over," Choji said patting his friend on the back.
"Yeah, Shikamaru, go and kick her ass, show everyone just how great my team is," Sakura announced proudly.
Shikamaru jumped into the ring, and looked at the long dark haired female who was across from him. He had heard, that Naruto, and his team had battled this group, but he did not have any detailed information on this girls skills. She looked rather bland and simple, but looks could sometimes trick the mind, and it could be so with this girl. Still she also did not know his jutsu which also put him at a good advantage, because there was a chance that she would not notice his shadow till before it was to late.
"Come Shikamaru, beat her up, destroy her, so her your power," Sakura yelled throwing Shikamaru out of his thoughts.
Ino looked over at her one time friend, and rival with a bit of a questioning look. From the way that Sakura was cheering for Shikamaru, she would of thought that Shikamaru was the one that she had the crush on, and not Sasuke. She was not the only one either, Choji and Kiba also gave here odd looks noticing that she was cheering so loudly for Shikamaru.
Inside the area, Shikamaru focused his mind, and blocked out the noise Sakura. He was going to let the girl get her move off first, so he could come up with a plan on how to beat her. He narrowed his eyes as the examiner lowered his hand to start the fight. Suddenly he notice a needle flying at him with a bell on it. He dodged the first one and the second one as well. Then he noticed the string on of the needles which she held in one hand.
"Now, you gone, you let me get out that part of my jutsu," Kin said before doing hand signals before freezing.
"Shadow bind complete," Shikamaru said with a small smile on his face.
"So what are you going to do now," Kin said in a know it all fashion.
Shikamaru turned and dove into the dirt, the problem what with Kin so close to the wall, she dove right into the wall knocking herself out.
"Winner, Shikamaru Nara," the examiner announced, as Shikamaru jumped up to the side.
"Nice one, Shikamaru, that was great," Choji said giving him a high five.
"Yeah, I knew it, the first match for my team, and a victory already, great one Shikamaru," Sakura said giving Shikamaru a huge before backing away feeling a bit awkward.
"Shikamaru, I guess I owe you a couple of games of Go now," Asuma added giving Shikamaru a smile.
The board flashed names again before stopping. When it did there was silence in the area. Naruto turned quietly to Ino and nodded to her.
"Remember to not let your old friendship get in your way, and mess you up in this fight," Naruto said with a odd serious look on his face, "You are a good shinobi, you should be able to get past this fight, if you don't let things get to personal."
"Correct, just fight this as if Sakura was just any other shinobi," Yamato added giving his word of wisdom as well, "Just be careful of her genjutsu."
Just down a bit, Shikamaru, Choji, and Asuma gave Sakura a similar talk, which seemed to have very little impact on the female who had been looking forward to this for a bit.
Landing in the area, Ino looked at Sakura for a second measuring her up. As much as she did not want to make this fight personal, she felt she had too. She had to show Sakura, that just being a fan girl would not work, that she need to focus herself to becoming a real shinobi and true rival to her. Ino knew that Sakura did not really like her, but she still wished the two of them could still be friends, and could move past the problems that they have had over the last few years.
"Lee, why are you so quiet," Tenten asked looking at Lee, who looked rather solemn for someone who was about to watch the girl he seemed to have a crush on fight in her first fight.
"Well, I don't know who to rout for, they both look like angels, Ino and Sakura. They are so great, why can I pull for one, and not the other," Lee replied loudly, "Ino was also so kind to me after my match, and for some reason Sakura seems suck on that Sasuke fellow of hers. Well, I guess I can hope that no matter who wins, that they the two of them have a good fight."
"Yeah, you can, so cheer up, and enjoy the fight," Tenten countered.
"Yeah your right, thanks Tenten," Lee said with a large smile on his face, which lead to Tenten just shaking her head.
"Ok, Ino, your going down, and I will show everyone just how much better I am then you. You know if you want you can give up now, and save yourself the embarrassment from looking like a weakling in front of your team, and Sasuke," Sakura announced in a arrogant tone.
"Whatever, Sakura, I think that you need to learn a less. That you have not taken this job as being a shinobi as being important enough. There are more important things this boys like Sasuke, and there are more important things then just looking like you can be a shinobi," Ino replied preparing herself.
As the hand of the examiner fell, Ino charged right at Sakura. Ino feinted a couple of times moving towards Sakura in a bit of a zig zag pattern as it approached her. Sakura could barely follow the moment of Ino, and figured in her mind where Ino would attack her, and prepared for an attack at that point. Ino moving closer to Sakura noticed that Sakura was preparing for a defense at the right side. Going at the rate of movement that she was going, she would attack, Sakura on that side, just about where she was predicting. Still Sakura was leaving herself a bit up in some spots, because she knew in her mind that Ino would attack her there. If it had been during there academy days, Ino would of walked right into the defense, and counter attack of sakura. Ino extended her last move to her right and hit Sakura with a long punch getting by all of her defenses. Sakura, noticing the attack coming her way tried to move to defend it. As she did she was knocked back by Ino who attacked from the right just as soon as Sakura moved a bit. Ino had been depending on her moving her defense a bit, and way to quickly.
Sakura quickly regained herself to notice, Ino coming at her again, and she knew she did not have a chance to defend at all, and dodged to the right. Ino seeing a opening from Sakura moving to the right, kicked her in the stomach knocking her back to the wall. Sakura did a couple of quick hand seals.
"Duel Illusionary Strike," Sakura said with a smile.
Ino noticed that out of nowhere two Sakura appeared moving at breakneck speed at here. When she blocked there attacks, Ino found she could not block them for some reason, and suddenly the Sakura's hit her in the back and in the side causing Ino to fall over. Then she had to defend herself the best she could as the two Sakura's attacked her.
Naruto sight worried about the outcome of the fight, "Come Ino, don't let Sakura beat you, don't give up. I know that you can win."
Lee shock his head, it seemed that Sakura was not all that great, and that she was very underhanded, plus he could tell that she was using some genjutsu on her friend, to do as much damage to her as possible, and the fact she tried to embarrass her old friend reminded him of the times his teammates tried to do the same to him.
"Lets, go Ino, you can do, pull off this victory, show Sakura, the power of youth," Rock Lee yelled at the top of his lungs.
Ino got a bit of space and looked at the three Sakuras close, and prepared her self. As the Sakura's approached her, she did a hand seal, and grunted, the false Sakura's disappeared, leaving only the real one. Upset at being found out, the real one charged at her. Sakura feeling that Ino got lucky for beating her. How did she get so much stronger then her, was it cause of her change in ways. There had to be thing up, she could never beat her in the academy. Upon getting near her she throw a uppercut that just ended up hitting a tree. Ino appeared behind Sakura and hitting her against the wall, knocking her out.
:Winner, Ino Yamanaka," the examiner announced, as the medical team came and got Sakura.
"Well job, Ino, I did know you had it in you, that was just sweet," Kiba said with a smile,
"Yeah, Ino, that was great, I am glad you did let, Sakura get in your head. Your really the best Kunoichi around," Naruto said with a smile.
"I am proud of you, Ino, you have proven a lot and overcome a lot in that match," Yamato added.
Ino turned around with a smile, before noticing the green clad boy.
"Ino, you are wonderful, you fight like an great angel, and you look like on as well," Lee said giving his good guy pose.
"Yeah, um that Lee, I think," Ino said waving Lee off.
Suddenly the board started switching names again.
A/N- Well that is two more fights, and both of them where in the series, but Ino won, and Shikamaru won just like in the series. Well if you have anything to say please review, and it would be nice if you reviewed. Till next time.