Opening theme: Ai Believe(Opening theme for Baki the Grappler)

Chapter 21: Grand Finale

Morning in the Land of Dragons. The early birds were getting their worms, workers who had the night shift were going to bed…

HOOOONK!

…And Chan Ken was blowing an air horn.

"Good morning, fight fans!" Ken greeted to a camera, "It's here at last! The Grand finale of the Dragon Belt Championship! And boy, is it a doozy! In the red corner, it's the rebellious orange Ninja from the Land of Whirlpools…or Leaves…whatever…Uzumaki Naruto! And in the blue, that rock-hard heavy-hitter, Fuji, from the Land of Earth!"

Dattebayo

In the Hyuuga Main House, the living room was packed. A small army of Naruto's friends- and other Leaf Ninja he knew- had camped out in front of Lord Hyuuga's big screen. Amidst the chatter and quarrels for a better seat, a woman's voice rang out.

"All right, SHADDUP!!" Tsunade screamed.

All was silent.

"As your Hokage, I should have you severely disciplined for skipping work to watch this," Tsunade said, waving her jug of sake. "But since I'm here too, I'm not one to talk. So, we're going to do this in a nice, orderly fashion. All tall guys- and girls, in the back with me! You runts get in front- don't sit directly in front of the set! Put at least three feet's distance!"

"Hey, where's you dad?" Tenten asked Hinata as they shuffled around.

"I don't know…" Hinata admitted.

Dattebayo

In a pub usually frequented by very depressed ninja, Hiashi sat at the bar, staring at the TV set.

"Uh, Lord Hyuuga," The bartender said, polishing hi glass. "Don't you have your own set?"

"I used to," Hiashi muttered, staring into his cup. "I used to."

Dattebayo

"I know you're all eager to see our two champs," Ken continued, "So why don't we cut to our camera crews, who are checking in on the finalists? Let's start with that blond battery, Naruto, who's staying at the Osaka Inn!"

The camera cuts to an old fashioned Japanese hallway.

"Naruto!" Kushina's voice calls out, "Aren't you ready yet!? We have to get to the stadium!"

"I can't find my forehead protector!" Naruto yells from somewhere.

The camera goes around a corner. As it does so, the yelling gets louder.

"Just wear the headband I gave you! You can't wear any sort of armor anyway, remember!?"

It goes around another corner. Off to the side we can see a room door open, showing some random things being thrown aside from the small opening.

"Are you still looking for that thing?" Jiraiya's voice asks.

"I can't find it!" Naruto yells in answer.

"Oh, for the love of… It's right there, on the mantle!"

The camera moves in to the room.

"Oh, okay!" Some banging. "Alright, I'm read-!"

On this note, the camera is just outside the door when Naruto charges through. The last thing before static fills the screen is Naruto's surprised face.

Ken grimaced. "Uh…okay… Let's go scope out the Fuj-ster!" He decided, brightening.

Camera cuts to an old hut in an alley. As it moves in, we hear ringing.

"Grahh!"

An alarm clock flies out a closed window(Crash!) and into the camera. Static.

Ken frowned. "You know, someday we gotta get finalists who won't break our stuff."

Dattebayo

"C'mon, Anko!" Iruka called back, as the stadium came into view.

"Yeah, yeah," Anko grinned, "Just don't forget on whose tickets you need to get in, smart guy!"

As the pair approached the stadium entrance, Iruka noticed several people gathered outside of the ticket stand. They seemed familiar for some reason…

As Iruka and Anko charged through the entrance, the following conversation took place between the people and the ticket seller.

"Are you sure there aren't any available seats left?" The elegant woman with movie-star looks asked.

(Kazahana Koyuki- Naruto movie 1)

"For the last time, we are sold out, ma'am." The exasperated seller replied tiredly.

Koyuki frowned. Then, she smirked, and flipped her hair back.

"You know, I am a famous movie star as well as royalty," She said, fluttering her eyelashes. "Can't I count on a fan of Princess Gale to sneak me in?"

The ticket seller grinned. "Sorry, but if it helps, they wouldn't let me sneak into the premier of your last movie either. Beat it."

Grumbling, Koyuki stomped off. Next up was an overweight man and a glasses-wearing boy.

"I believe we have some tickets reserved," The man said, "For the royal family of the Land of the Moon?"

(Tsuki Michiru & Hikaru – Naruto movie 2)

The seller looked it up in his computer. "Nope."

Michiru blanched. "No!? But I know I arranged for something over a month ago!"

The seller nodded. "Yeah, you reserved tickets for the semifinals. We were wondering why you never showed up that time."

Michiru slumped. Hikaru facepalmed in dismay.

"Ah, dad…"

Dattebayo

Meanwhile, deep in the stadium, the medical staff was undergoing a very intensive sound-off.

"Alright, team!" Dr. Tai Wan barked as marched back and forth, "This is what we've been waiting for! No matter what happens, I won't excuse anyone who doesn't pull their weight today! Is that understood!?"

"Sir, yes sir!" The younger staff members saluted- except for Sakura, who stared in wonder and fascinated horror.

What is going on here?! Sakura thought frantically.

"Corporal Tofu!" Wan glared at a man in glasses. "How many bandages do we have!?"

"Enough to wrap a mummy!" Tofu saluted.

"Get more!" Wan declared before glaring at an chubby woman. "Lt. Milan! Has the equipment been properly sterilized!?"

"Sir!" Milan saluted, "It's clean enough to eat off of! Sir!"

"Then stop eating and clean it again!" Wan yelled, before focusing on Sakura. "Bottom-rank Volunteer Haruno!"

Sakura jumped, and found herself saluting. "Yes, sir?!" She shrieked in surprise.

"I should warn you, since you'll be on the field with me," Wan said in a low, mean voice. "That any slacking on your part will result in an immediate court martial! Is that understood?"

"Y-yeah…" Sakura stammered, "But, aren't you all acting a bit…?"

"Is that understood!?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

Dattebayo

In the audience area of the stadium, Anko and Iruka had gotten to their designated seats. Apparently, these seats were in the section that was neither too far away from the ring without being real close, which is very annoying when you thought that you were getting ringside view.

"Stupid scalper," Anko muttered, crossing her arms. "'You'll be close enough…' Yeah, right!"

Iruka smiled awkwardly and sweated when he heard some…rather offensive muttering from his left.

"#$%...Popcorn costs... Soda costs... It's robbery, those &$^..."

Iruka turned to see the red-headed girl he saw at the Inn push and shove her way into the empty seat next to him. He felt a rustle of movement and realized that Anko was staring at her.

Tayuya felt Anko's gaze and glared back. "What?" She hissed.

"Aren't you one of Orochimaru's bodyguards?" Anko asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," Tayuya growled, "And aren't you one of his throwaway experiments?"

As the two members of the unofficial 'Orochimaru used me as a pawn club' glared at each other, Iruka became painfully aware that he was stuck in the center of a potential catfight. As his practical side began to calculate how many bones would be broken from collateral damage, his whimsical side began to wish he was A) a turtle, so he could hide in his shell, or B) a bird so he could fly away.

Then, a miracle happened.

Anko grinned. Tayuya's lips twitched. They clapped their hands together.

"Nice to meetcha!" Anko laughed.

"Same here." The flutist replied.

Iruka collapsed in his seat.

"What's with him?" Tayuya asked, looking down at the teacher.

"He just doesn't get out enough." Anko replied.

Dattebayo

On the field, Sakura was helping set up the medical tent when she felt a rustle of movement. Looking around, she saw a much skinnier Pandaman lurking by a water cooler.

"Pandaman? What are you doing here?" The pink-haired ninja asked.

"I'm here to cheer my good friend Naruto on!" Pandaman said, his eyes darting around. "But don't tell anyone I'm here!"

Sakura slowly looked around, trying to see if she could spot what was making the panda-themed wrestler so jumpy.

"I'm hiding from Tomato Gang, a gangster I borrowed money from," Pandaman explained, "I hoped I could use the prize money from the Dragon Belt to pay him off, but… Oh, crap! It's Unforgivable Mask!"

Pandaman vanished from sight, as a skinny man in a speedo and wearing some kind of cartoonish dog mask ran by. Before Sakura could contemplate this any further, music began to start up. She turned her attention towards the ring, where Ken was standing.

"Hello, people!" Ken declared into a microphone, "And welcome to the 17th Dragon Belt Championship Grand Finale!!"

The crowd screamed.

"So, it's started, huh?" Wan asked.

Sakura jumped. "Where have you been?!"

"Bathroom break," Wan explained, "I'm not missing it for the world!"

"I'm sure you fight-hungry battle fans have waited long enough," Ken continued, "So, we're gonna make you wait some more!"

The audience screamed again. This time, however, Sakura had a feeling they weren't cheering. One person in the first row had pulled out a knife.

"Okay, okay, I was just fooling!" Ken laughed, "But, seriously, I want every one of you sadists to take a moment and think about the pain and suffering our finalists have gone through to get this far." He ducked a thrown bottle. "Okay, I think we've thought long enough- bring on the gladiators!!"

Background Music: Tough Boy (TOM*CAT)

"Entering from the East Wing," Ken introduced, "From the Land of Earth… 'The Brawler'… Fuji!!"

Fuji marched onto the field, looking very confident and belligerent. As he stomped towards the ring, he shook his fists at the screaming crowd. After he climbed into the ring, he flexed an arm, rubbed a bicep, and then smack his fist into his palm.

"Aw-RIGHT!!" He roared.

"Right in my ear, dude!" Ken groaned, wriggling a finger in said appendage.

All over the stadium, Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai stared from their respective watch posts.

"He's certainly energetic." Kakashi commented over the radio.

"What about his allies?" Sai asked.

"So far, no sign of them," Yamato reported, "I don't think they're coming back."

Background Music: Hero's Comeback (Nobodyknows+)

"And now, entering from the West Wing," Ken declared, "From the Land of Whirlpools… 'The Hero'… Uzumaki Naruto!!"

Naruto stepped onto the field, flanked by Kushina and Jiraiya. He was wearing a red long coat with black flames painted on the back, and a giant scroll slung over his shoulders by a strap. The crowd went wild, but Naruto paid them no mind as he walked toward the ring.

…Naruto charged out, a Rasengan in hand.

"Take this!" Naruto yelled, slamming the sphere into Fuji's chest. Fuji went flying, spinning into the mast of his ship, causing it to break in two from the force…

…Fuji tossed Lee into the air, and leapt after him. Hooking his leg around Lee's neck, Fuji yelled "Iron Inquisition!" and squeezed. They both hit the mat, Fuji on top of Lee. There was another audible silence…

Naruto's eyes narrowed on Fuji.

As Naruto arrived at the ring, he set the large scroll onto the ground, vertically. Then, he used the scroll as a support to lift himself into the air and flipped into the ring.

"Nice threads." Ken commented.

Naruto paid Ken no mind. He kept glaring at Fuji. In a long, drawn out gesture, he pointed at Fuji, then at the stone ring. Fuji smirked. Though no words were spoken, almost everyone could feel the dialogue being exchanged.

You're going down…Naruto would've said.

Just try it… would have been Fuji's retort.

Off to the side, Lee clenched his fist.

"Good luck, Naruto…"

Dattebayo

A/n: At last, the final round! Okay, the actual fighting will begin in the next chapter, I promise! Don't throw that stuff at me- hey, put that rope down! I swear, next time we'll have combat.

I'm sure most of you recognize Naruto's new intro song, from the first episodes of Naruto: Shippuden, but how many of you knew that Fuji's new opener was the second opening of Fist of the North Star? Anyone?

Anyway, please leave lots of good reviews.