Chapter 21: My Turn
I didn't know what the hell to do. I just completely froze. I was just standing there.
First of all, the anticipation that built up during the last four people was like having mental gas bloating. That's why I hate going last so much.
Secondly, I hadn't practiced for this at all. The others had been waiting to do their routine and probably did it over and over again for all I knew, and I hadn't done a thing.
Thirdly, I didn't even know what the hell I was going to do in the first place. Probably something to do with lightning, but I really had no idea how this was going to turn up.
And finally, Hinata was in the crowd. Somehow she'd gotten a front spot apparently too, so I could see her just fine. That alone unleashed hell upon my mental status. What if I totally mess up and make a fool out of myself in front of Hinata? What would she think of me then?
Five seconds that felt like five hours passed. I still hadn't figured out what I was gonna do. I felt my face getting hotter by the millisecond. People were expecting SOMETHING. I thought about maybe just giving up – forfeiting. I seriously considered it too.
Two more seconds passed. I wasn't forfeiting. Even if I did completely mess up, it would be better than just giving up.
Three more seconds passed. I was thinking of something…I thought I might have something! Think James, what do you see commonly in a talent show? C'mon! Think circus! Think amusement park! Think SOMETHING for fuck's sake!!!
Five more seconds passed, and I finally got an idea. I made the hand sign for the Lightning Paralysis Jutsu, which charged my hands with electricity. Then, with the hands still charged I made a sigh for the Lightning Hurl Jutsu, which conjured up a small ball of non-lethal lightning. I needed my hands in Lightning Paralysis mode because I needed to keep the ball charged so it wouldn't fade out. I started juggling the single Lightning ball.
It wasn't all that impressive…yet…
While the Lightning ball was in mid-air I quickly made a sign to conjure up another Lightning ball, and I started juggling two at a time. Then I made another one. And another one. And another one. I ended up making and juggling 10 total lightning balls at the same time, and they were going way up high in the air because there were so many of them. All 10 of them were sparkling brilliantly as they moved in a fluid circle in mid-air. I amped up the voltage on my hands, in turn charging the balls making them sparkle brilliantly even more.
Was that a red spark I just saw? I faintly thought. I thought I saw a red one, which would have been unusual because all of my sparks were blue with some occasional green in there too. I dismissed it as a figment of my imagination or something.
I was ecstatic, beaming the entire time! I was so happy that I'd actually just gotten this idea in the first place, never mind actually being able to execute it better than I was expecting!
I looked down at the crowd while juggling the balls of lightning practically flawlessly, and I looked at Hinata. Right into her eyes. Those beautiful, crazily gorgeous eyes. It was then that I knew that I had to do something drastic to impress her right then and there or else I wouldn't be able to live with myself (of course, at the time that was probably just the adrenaline talking to me). I quickly thought up a finale that could very easily be dangerous, but I did it anyways just because it would be impressive and chances were this was the only time I would ever be able to do something like THIS in front of an entire crowd, especially with Hinata in it.
This one's for you Hinata! I thought. Yes, I actually THOUGHT that.
I concentrated all of my remaining chakra to the inside of my throat and mouth. If I was gonna do this, I had to soon because I was quickly running out of chakra. I looked up to where the lightning orbs were making an arch in mid-air, altered the direction where the orbs were falling and opened my mouth.
One lightning orb down the mouth. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. At Seven I was afraid I wouldn't have enough room. Eight, and I was really hoping my gag reflux was being nullified long enough by the chakra. Nine down. Finally, the Tenth lightning orb went down my mouth and to the top of my throat, which was clogged by the rest of the orbs. Yes, the orbs were ALL down my throat, from bottom to top. I was holding my breath the entire time – I had to or else I would inhale those shockers! And that wouldn't be good, needless to say.
I paused for half a second, forgetting what I was gonna do just from the pure thrill and adrenaline rush that I was experiencing. Then I remembered, along with realizing that I didn't have much left in me at all. I had to do this NOW.
I exhaled as hard as I could. Low and behold, I was breathing Lightning! The ten orbs had all fused into a huge thing of electric chakra that when I exhaled it spewed out completely. And it was freakin' cool looking too! I was just blasting lightning from my throat like there was no tomorrow, a little like a ten-second long burp of lightning.
Finally, I was done lightning burping. The crowd was totally silent for about five seconds – I don't think they knew what to make of what just happened. It took me starting to leave the stage when someone actually clicked the "audience" button on all of them, and the next thing I knew I was overwhelmed with applause. I mean, these people were practically going berserk. I bowed, exhausted really, and then left the stage. I stole a glance at Hinata, who was also clapping pretty hard and looked positively thrilled.
Seeing as though I had no practice at that whatsoever when the others did, I hated going last, what I did was totally made up as I went AND it looked like I thoroughly impressed Hinata, I was crazy with happiness for the next few hours. Winning 1st was just a bonus, though it didn't really mean much to me.
After all, it WAS only for "bragging rights". Though after all of that, I REALLY needed a drink of water pretty damn bad.