Both "Naruto" and "A Flash to Naruto" are property of their original owners. GawrBack claims no credit aside from this two-line intro.
Unfortunately, I don't know the original author of this fanfic, but if you know their username - please leave a review so I can credit them.
Hey folks
Hey folks! It's here, chapter 8! Thanks for your reviews gravenimage, kibafangirl11, Tsuki Hoshigaki and claamchowder! It's good to know people are reading my story.
In this chapter, I may skip many explanations but keep the important parts of any explanation. Or not. Anyways, it's for the chapter!
Chapter 8: The preliminaries Part 1
I woke up the next day on the floor.
Big surprise; rolled off the half man bed. Ah, my back… I thought getting up.
I pulled out a piece of the wreckage which I slept on off my back. I got up half awake and saw the others.
Sakura was fixing her hair, Naruto was wiping the sleep out of his eyes still on his wreckage and Sasuke was, well, Sasuke. Just doing his usual, standing around with his hands in his pockets waiting for us.
"Ah, I slept like a babe!" I said stretching.
Naruto and Sakura stopped what they were doing and stared.
"You did!?" Naruto blurted out.
"Hell, no. Dude I got up on the floor." I said wiping some sleep out of my eyes.
They just grunted and continued what they were doing.
I did a few stretches and then fixed my clothes. They were a bit ruffled, then again I woke up and the floor. Sakura finished fixing her hair and Naruto was all set by the time I was finished.
"Yeah!" Naruto yelled punching at the air.
No one really paid attention to that.
"Hey," Sasuke said loud enough for everybody to hear. We all turned to watch him. "Let's head down now."
"Yeah, the exam should be over soon." Sakura said.
Naruto and I nodded.
"Wait," I said. "Do we have to fix the beds?"
"I am not fixing that!" Naruto said pointing at the wreckage which he slept on. The parts were scattered all over the area in which the bed was.
"Me neither." Sakura agreed. Sasuke was already out the door.
How did he do that? I didn't even hear footsteps.
"Hey Sasuke wait for me!" Naruto yelled running out the door.
"You guys can't leave without me!" Sakura yelled running after Naruto.
"Last, as usual."
We were on the second floor, just hanging around trying to kill time. Sasuke and I were sitting on what used to be a bench, Sakura stood next to Sasuke and Naruto was impatiently pacing up and down the corridor.
"Hey what time does the second exam finish?" Naruto asked as he stopped in front of Sakura.
"Naruto," Sakura said with an irritated tone in her voice. "For the HUNDREDTH TIME, I DON'T KNOW!"
"More like ninety ninth." I corrected. "I started counting after the fifth time."
"Why?" Sasuke asked.
"Bored."
"Bored?" Sakura asked. "What happened, your Ipod died?"
Ipod!? "Idiot." I said smacking my forehead. "Who forgets they have an Ipod!"
"Cool you have one of those!" Naruto said rushing up to me.
"Yeah, me too." Sakura said. "I just left mine home. I didn't think that it was necessary."
I pulled my Ipod out of my pocket. Naruto's eyes lit up at the sight and he stretched his arms to touch it.
"Tsebe since when did you get an Ipod?" Sasuke asked. "I never saw you with one before."
"That's because I brought it with me when I crossed over." The words came out before I could stop them. Wait, what did I just say?!
Sakura turned and raised an eyebrow at me. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing nothing!" I said quickly waving my hands. "So Naruto why don't you listen to the songs on my Ipod?" I said trying to change the topic.
The pink haired kunoichi didn't seem to buy it but she returned back to her original position.
Naruto was like a kid in a candy store and his eyes were as bright as a light bulb.
"Cool." He said as he played in the Ipod. "Wow. This is awesome." The blonde then popped in the earphones and blasted the music in his ears. It was so loud that I could hear the song almost clearly.
"Umm, Naruto, isn't that a little loud?" Sakura said placing her and on her hip.
"What!?" Naruto shouted. "I can't hear you! The volume's too loud and I don't know how to lower it!"
I grabbed the Ipod and lowered the volume.
"Thanks!" shouted Naruto who was beginning to dance.
All I could do what watch. Sakura stood with her mouth gaping and Sasuke just stared.
Naruto stuck out his butt, pulled his hands up to his face and pointed his knees inward. He then began to raise his legs and shake all different parts of his body, his butt (why?), his arms, his nose and other parts which I'd prefer not to mention.
Sasuke managed to somewhat control and chuckled to himself but…
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Sakura and I laughed. "Dude, you should KILL who ever taught you that dance!" I said as I rolled off the bench in my laughter and Sakura fell down to the ground.
"Haha, my sides… they hurt… a lot…" Sakura said trying to get up. "Naruto, please… stop… you're killing me!"
"… You don't have to laugh so much…" Naruto said as he stopped dancing. He took out the earphones and gave me back my Ipod.
"If it's funny it's funny." I said.
Naruto lowered his head.
"Cheer up Naruto." I said. "Who knows, Sasuke may be the next one to do something stupid."
Sasuke glared at me.
"Ok Ok, shut up Tsebe."
Suddenly, there was this loud piercing sound.
"Ah! My ears!" Naruto shouted.
/Attention all teams,\ It was Anko. /Report to the center room on the bottom floor now.\ Came out from what seemed to be an old P.A. system.
"Yeah finally! It's here, its here!" Naruto shouted punching the air.
"Yeah," I said standing up off the bench.
"Let's go." Sasuke said getting up.
We made our way downstairs and we walked down the corridor until we reached a huge opening. Inside was a huge room with viewing balconies with metal railings and a huge statue of two hands doing the tiger hand sign. The two side walls which had balconies on them didn't have paint on them and the other wall was divided into five boxes with wood. Two on the sides and one in the middle.
All of the other teams were not there yet, only Gaara's team. They were standing a single file facing the statue, except for Jetta; she was standing on her own line.
Gaara's team wasn't alone though, the Third Hokage was there, Anko, the proctor of the first exam (whose name I still don't know), Kakashi sensei, Gai sensei and some other sensei (whose names I am way too lazy to list).
"Hey!" Anko yelled. "Get in line like the others!"
"She still reminds me of Naruto." Sakura whispered as we fell into place.
"You! Tsebe!" Anko said pointing at me. What did I do!? "Form your own line."
I did what I was told. The other teams joined us and before long, every team which passed was there, seven to be exact.
"First off, for the second test… Congratulations on passing!" Anko said. I only then realized that she had an earpiece and mike on.
There was some talking after that, some 'yay!'s and other stuff like that.
"Sasuke's team passed too!" Ino said. No thanks to you, you no show!
"Your team isn't too bad, maybe they were lucky." Gai sensei started. "But as long as my team's around getting any further is impossible. Since from now on it's all about real ability. Well with youth there are sweet times and there are sour times, eh Kakashi…?"
Kakashi then turned his head towards Gai, "Huh, you say something?"
"!" Gai sensei. He then turned away from Kakashi and raised his fist to his chest and a fire came into his eyes.
I looked at the sensei again. I recognized Orochimaru in disguise. He was looking at me, with a smile on his face. I averted my gaze automatically.
I don't like the way he's looking at me. I said to myself.
Sasuke moved his hand to his neck. The mark. "Heh, I can't say I'm getting a good feeling."
"The Hokage will now explain the third exam!" Anko shouted. "Listen carefully!"
"Must she be so loud?" I said to myself.
"Now Lord Hokage."
"Yes." The old man started. "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." He then went on to explain the chuunin exams. There where a few questions but it wasn't anything out of the blue which I hadn't heard before.
"Actually (cough)" A man appeared kneeling. "I apologize Lord Hokage. From here on as the referee… Will you please allow me, Hayate Gekko…"
"… By all means."
Hayate got up and faced us. "Hello everyone, I'm Hayate." He looked sick, really sick, like he should have been lying down in his bed watching TV and sipping some chicken noodle soup. "Umm… Before the third test, there's something I'd like you to do. 'Umm… There's a preliminary to decide who takes part in the main event."
"Preliminary?" Sakura asked.
"Preliminary!? What do you mean!?" Shikamaru shouted.
He explained why the preliminary was needed. In a nut shell, too many people and we don't want to waste people's time with noobs, more or less.
"Umm, anyway those who aren't feeling well… Those who feel like quitting after these explanations, please come forth now, since the preliminaries will begin immediately."
"WHAT?! RIGHT NOW?!" Kiba and Jetta shouted at the same time.
Jetta glanced over at Kiba and Kiba did the same. She then scowled and looked away.
No one raised their hand. I feel like something's missing…Like something's supposed to happen now…
"Huh?" I heard Jetta blurt out. Everyone turned and watched her.
"Do you want to quit?" Hayate asked.
"No, no!" She answered quickly.
"Alright then, anyone else?"
Sasuke then jerked and clucked his neck. Sakura looked at him worriedly and then held her neck as well.
"Umm, now, there are no more retiring right?"
Sasuke grunted from the mark.
"Sasuke! You should quit the preliminary!" Sakura said.
"Huh?" Naruto said turning around.
"In fact, we should quit, the two of us. Ever since that Orochimaru attacked us, and gave us these marks… Yours hurts too doesn't it." She lowered her head. "Please… Quit, please… I'm afraid…"
"…"
"You're in no condition to fight anyway! I can see it; you've been hiding your pain all this time!"
"Be quiet Sakura. It not like you haven't either" Sasuke said.
"Yes, I'm been hiding my pain too but whatever you say, I'm going to tell the sensei's about these marks. Then…" She began to raise her hand.
Sasuke turned around and stopped her hand when it reached her waist. "Shut up about these marks."
Tears formed in Sakura's eyes. "Why are you so stubborn?! I don't want to see you suffer anymore. To me you are…"
"Sakura, this is something I need to do." He said turning around to face her. "I am an avenger. This isn't just a test to me. I don't care about becoming a Chuunin or whatever. 'Am I strong enough?' I just want to answer that. To fight strong people here."
"Sasuke…"
"And I can't forgive even you… If you take that away from me."
I grunted at the comment.
"You bastard! Stop acting all cool! Sakura is this worried and-." Naruto started.
"Naruto, Tsebe…" He said looking at both of us. "I want to fight you two the most." Almost immediately after saying that, "Ugh!" He clucked his neck and lowered his head.
"Sasuke… I also want to answer a question." Sakura said looking down. "'Am I strong enough… strong enough to protect… you.'" She started to blush as she looked up at Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at Sakura for a few moments. "Sakura…"
Sakura started moving towards Sasuke.
"Oh great, more of the 'power of love'." I said rolling my eyes.
The jonin and the Hokage talked among themselves.
"Um… Now… Let's begin the preliminaries." Hayate cut their soon to be moment. Sasuke and Sakura stopped and turned to the proctor.
"They will consist of one on one fighting as in a real confrontation. There are no rules. The match will continue until one person dies, knocks out or admits defeat. If you don't want to die then quickly acknowledge your defeat. But when I decide the winner has clearly been established, since we don't want excess corpses, I'll jump in and stop the match." He explained coughing in between some words. "And the object that controls your destiny is…"
"Open it." Anko said into the mike.
The upper left most box lifted, exposing an electric screen.
"This electric scoreboard will show the match-ups for each battle. Now this is sudden but I'll announce the two names of the first fight."
We looked up to the board. Names flashed on the board and then…
Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado
Sasuke smiled at the sight.
"Now these two entrants come to the front."
Sasuke and a guy from Kabuto's team walked to the front of the lines. The guy had black glasses, purple pants, a purple vest and a lighter shade of purple undershirt.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"We will now begin the match." Hayate then raised his arm and pointed towards the viewing balconies. "Will everyone except the participants move to the second level?"
The lines then began to disperse and head towards the stairs leading up to the balconies.
"Hey! Kakashi sensei!" Naruto shouted leaping in the air.
Kakashi pushed his hands in his pockets and walked towards Naruto.
"Sasuke." He said as he passed Sasuke. "Don't use your sharingan."
He smiled. "So you know."
"If that mark on your neck becomes active, you might lose your life."
"…Probably…"
"Well, if that happens I'll jump in and stop the match. Got that?"
Sasuke stood frozen for a few moments, stunned at Kakashi's comment.
Kakashi walked to Naruto, Sakura and me. "Let's go up now."
Sakura ran up to Sasuke and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't die… please." She whispered in his ear.
She then walked back to us. I saw Sasuke stare at her as she walked away for a few moments before turning back.
"You couldn't resist could you?" I asked as we walked up to the balconies.
We walked passed Gai's team, and I stood at next to Kakashi, on his left side, Sakura on his right and Naruto next to her. Ino's team was right next to ours'.
"Sakura you billboard brow!" Ino yelled at Sakura. "I saw what you did to Sasuke!"
Jetta then quickly approached me, grabbed my arm and dragged me off. She brought me close to the end of the balcony, away from everyone else.
"Thank you." I said.
"For what?"
"For getting me out of there. I'm not up for another one of Sakura and Ino's fights over Sasuke."
"Tsebe, something's wrong." She said.
"What?"
"Kabuto didn't forfeit. In the show he did, or so I remember." She said. "This can't be good."
"Hm, yeah. Also, Sakura has a cursed mark." I said. "So it seems things won't go according to plan with us here."
"What? Sakura? A Cursed mark!?"
"Yeah, but I think its best we play along, and try not to mention you coming from the 'other world' to others."
"Right." Jetta said scowling. "This is just great."
"Let's go back, before someone suspects something."
"Suspect what? No one knows anything; they think we've been here all this time."
"I was talking about Orochimaru. He has something to do with us being here, I don't know how exactly but he told me 'Let's just say you have me to thank for being here.'"
Jetta scowled even more. "What the-."
"Lions Barrage!" Sasuke shouted cutting off Jetta as he finished off his opponent.
Wow, that was fast.
"Whoa, the dude lost already? Anyway, let's go meet the others." Jetta said beginning to walk towards the others.
Hayate walked over to Yoroi's body, kneeled down next to it and checked for a pulse. He then got up and announced, "And the winner is, Sasuke Uchiha."
"YES!" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke lied on the ground after the final blow. He then sat up and Kakashi appeared behind him holding him up with his knee and as usual, with his Icha Icha in front of him.
"Sasuke!" Naruto laughed. "What a lame way to win! You look like you were the one who got beaten up!"
"That damn moron." Sasuke said looking at Naruto.
"KYYAAA! Sasuke!" Ino shouted like the fan girl she is.
"Man, I'm hungry." Choji remarked after Ino.
Some guys in white clothes came in with a stretcher. Their clothes had a cross on them and they wore a white jacket and pants. Of course, they were medical ninja. They picked up Yoroi and placed him on the stretcher. I didn't really think that they could save him right now, then again never say never.
"Sasuke Uchiha, let the medical team treat your injuries now." One of them said as they approached Sasuke.
"You guys aren't needed." Kakashi said. "I'll take care of him." He bent down to Sasuke's level. "I'm going to take you to the back and," He placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Seal up that mark."
Sasuke's eyes opened wide.
"Umm… We'll start the next match."
"Wait until after the preliminaries. I want to see Sa-the other matches." Sasuke begged.
Kakashi raised and eyebrow. "No." Kakashi answered. This angered Sasuke. "Don't get so mad. If we don't take care of it now, it'll be too late. I'm not listening to your selfishness anymore."
The board was randomizing the names. Then…
"No way…"
"What?!"
Tsebe Uchiha vs. Kabuto Yakushi.
I looked at the board with little surprise on my face. I saw it coming. Who else would I have fought?
"Will the participants please make their way down."
"Whoa," I heard Naruto say. "Tsebe, you have to fight Kabuto…"
"Just my luck."
I leaped off the balcony and landed on the ground floor.
Kakashi and Sasuke waked out of the room and out of sight. Kabuto walked down the stairs and we then walked to Hayate.
"Good luck." Kabuto said smiling.
"Likewise." I didn't really show much emotion on my face. Which is kinda weird cause i normally find it hard not to smile.
"We will now begin the second match." Hayate started. "Begin."
I jumped backwards giving me and Kabuto room.
Ok Tsebe focus. Keep your guard up. I assumed my battle stance and awaited Kabuto's move.
He also took up a battle stance but, it didn't seem real. It left too many spots on his body open and there was almost no power in it. His entire lower body was open.
"Come on Tsebe you can do it!" Naruto shouted from the balcony.
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm going to lose?" I said to myself.
"I heard that!"
"Pay attention to the match."
I looked forward and saw Kabuto rushing towards me. He was about three feet away by the time I looked.
Man he's fast, and too close to move away to dodge.
Kabuto rushed towards me, his fist ready to strike.
Poof! Smoke appeared in my place.
"Teleportation." Kabuto stated as he punched threw the smoke.
"Where'd he go?"
"Here." I teleported behind him and was in mid-air. I was about half of his height away from the ground. I then swung a kick to his side.
He blocked and grabbed leg and threw me towards the wall.
While I was heading towards the wall, I began to perform some hand signs.
"Those hand signs…" Kabuto said. "Tsebe, you're not in the academy anymore. Don't you think you should use some more advanced jutsu?"
I smiled. I approached the wall. Poof. Smoke engulfed me.
"That was a substitution jutsu!" Sakura shouted.
Bam! Something collided with the wall. The smoke was still lingering.
"Huh? What's going on?!" Naruto demanded.
"Interesting use of a substitution jutsu."
The smoke cleared, and Kabuto emerged from it. I stood where he once was.
"But," He said easily walking away from the wall. "You're gonna have to do better than that."
Yeah I know. I said to myself. But this noob stuff is all I know. I've got to do something.
Kabuto then pulled out a kunai and rushed towards me, I pulled out a kunai of my own and started to rush to him too. We met in the centre of the arena, and clashed kunai. He swung left, I managed to dodge the knife. He slashed downwards. I blocked it with my kunai and pushed his hand back. I stepped in and swung to his arm.
Fwap! A second kunai stopped it.
He spun the second kunai around throwing mine out of my hands. Oh no, this can't be good. Kabuto now had two kunai in his hands. He stepped closer and then began swing the kunai.
Fwap! Fwap! "ARG!"
"Tsebe!" I heard Sakura shout.
Two slash marks appeared on my chest. Kabuto then kicked me on my chest sending me off to the wall. I dragged across the floor and then hit into it.
"COME ON TSEBE YOU CAN DO IT!" The hyperactive ninja shouted.
"Must you be so loud?" I replied as I got up.
"Hm." Kabuto said smiling.
He then quickly threw his kunai at me. I didn't move. They stabbed me in each arm. He then began to rush towards me. His gaze drifted up to the balconies. To what exactly I'm not sure, I was under the balcony he was looking at.
Come on Tsebe, you've got to do something. In this rate you'll lose, you have to do something fast. I closed my eyes in thought. You're gonna have to pull something out soon, cause Kabuto is approaching. But what?
I slowly opened my eyes. Things seemed, different… Kabuto was still running but, a bit slower this time…
TBC!
So what do you think is going on? Why is Kabuto moving slower? The next chapter will tell.
This was kinda a pain cause some of the symbols I put aren't staying after uploading it. But, I found a way. Now please review! Tell me if what was good, or what went wrong… But still, all reviews welcome.