"Kunoichi must learn not only the three Shinobi battle skills—Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu— but also a wide range of knowledge and refinement as women. If you don't blend into enemy territory and conduct yourself as a normal woman, you'll have a difficult time on occasions when you need to work as spies."

The Kunoichi instructor looked over the group of female students who sat in the grass in front of her, then adjusted her glasses.

"That being said, today's class will be flower arranging." The teacher looked out at the wide expanse of meadow and nodded her head. "Let's all gather flowers that we like, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The girls said, and then they stood and all scattered throughout the meadow, bending down to examine the various flowers that were growing.

"Ino-chan, wait for me!" Sakura called out to the blonde girl, tripping over a small raised mound of earth and falling onto her face. "O-Ow..."

The two girls nearest them turned to look at their pink-haired peer, then laughed. Ino turned to shoot them each a glare, quieting them, and then she helped Sakura to her feet.

"You're such a klutz, Sakura."

"S-Sorry." Sakura laughed sheepishly, and Ino dusted off her sleeves and pants.

"Come on; let's go over there." Ino pointed, then hurried over to a section of meadow with Sakura following.

Ino sat in the grass and quickly set to work collecting several small blossoms, and Sakura frowned slightly as she looked around. She picked a bundle of white flowers and held them up to examine them.

"I'm not good at stuff like this." Sakura stepped closer to her friend and sat beside her. "What about you, Ino?"

"Well, that's no good for you, being named after a flower, is it?" Ino giggled and stuck out her tongue. "Listen, there are tricks to flower arranging."

"Really?" Sakura asked.

"Of course!" Ino nodded. "You know, as for flower arranging, you have to decide on a main flower, and then you add the other flowers to decorate. All flowers can't be in the center of attention at once."

"Really?" Sakura asked against, looking down at the flowers in her hands. "I don't understand..."

"Hmm. Oh!" Ino pointed at a cluster of flowers in front of them. "Here's an example. You see those Cosmos over there, right? For example, if they were the main flowers... the Thoroughwort flowers that you picked would be add-ins. As contrasted with the Spring Cherry blossoms, Cosmos have the name of Autumn Cherry Blossoms and are the prettiest flowers of the fall. They're also the flowers that mean 'harmony'!"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly and Ino grinned, holding up a finger as she continued.

"Any Autumn grass would go perfectly with the Cosmos." Ino watched Sakura's expression for a moment, then smiled and took one of the flowers from Sakura's bundle, holding it up to her face. "What do you think? Do I look as nice as the Cosmos flowers? Aren't I cute?"

"Oh um..." Sakura smiled and then nodded. "Yes! You look really pretty, Ino."

"Say, Sakura, what's with that pause?" Ino stuck out her tongue. "You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?"

Sakura shook her head, holding her flowers close to her. "No, of course not!"

They met each other's eyes and then laughed, and a trio of girls approached from behind.

"You look like you're having a lot of fun, huh, Billboard-Brow?"

Sakura's eyes widened and a soft squeak of a gasp escaped her lips in recognition of the voices. She turned slowly to see the girls, and Ino furrowed her brows and looked at them.

The middle girl stepped closer to Sakura with her arms crossed, frowning deeply as and bent to lean in close to Sakura, pointing at her.

"Lately you think you're so pretty, don't you?! Don't get too full of yourself, you Billboard-Brow!" She flicked Sakura's forehead and the pair of girls behind her laughed.

"Good one, Ami-chan!" Kasumi sneered.

"Yeah, who does that Billboard-Brow think she is?" Fuki frowned at Sakura, looking at the ribbon tied in her hair. "No matter how much she tries, she'll never be pretty."

Sakura's eyes watered and she held her hand over her forehead as her lip quivered. Ino glared and threw a trio of flowers into Ami's mouth. Startled, she staggered and fell back, and her friends rushed to her side.

"Ami-chan!" Kasumi and Fuki's eyes widened slightly. "Are you alright?!"

"Oh, sorry!" Ino covered her mouth and waved her hand. "You have such a beautiful cylinder-shaped body that I thought you were a vase and put flowers in you."

Ami's eye twitched and she sat up quickly, exhaling hotly as she glared at the blonde. "INO!"

"Shinobi flower aconite." Ino held up another flower, smiling at Ami. "It has a weak toxicity, but it is poisonous, so you'd better spit them out quickly."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, and Ami gasped and let out a scream. She ran off, screaming and flailing her arms, followed closely behind by her friends.

"Sensei!"

Ino laughed and held a finger up to her lips as Sakura met her eyes. "Only the root is poisonous, though." She stuck out her tongue and laughed again.

"Ino is so cool." Sakura stared at her friend, a small smile spreading over her face. "She knows everything, is stylish, and is pretty. Even the way she threw those flowers was just like throwing Shuriken. Her Ninjutsu is so good, too..." Her smile faded slightly and she looked down at the flower flowers in her hand. "Compared to that, I..."

Ino's laughter faded and she looked at Sakura and blinked. "Sakura?"

"If you're a Cosmos flower... then, am I a Thoroughwort?"

"Oh, Sakura." Ino sighed and then leaned back, looking at her again with a smile? "What are you saying?"

"Huh?"

"Let's see..." Ino looked up at the sky as she thought. "If I had to choose, I'd say that you're not a flower yet, but only a bud!"

"W-What?" Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "I'm... not even a flower?" She bit her lip and turned her gaze downward again, watching a line of ants carrying small crumbs through the sea of grass. "Hey, Ino..."

"What?"

"Why did you give me this ribbon?" Sakura reached up to touch the red bow on her head.

"Well, actually, I thought it'd be a waste for you to wilt away when you're still a bud."

Sakura's cheeks warmed and she smiled to herself as Ino reached out to touch a yellow bud in the grass beside her.

"After all, there's no point if flowers don't bloom." She turned to Sakura. "For all we know... it just might become a flower more beautiful than a Cosmos."

Sakura's eyes watered and she hugged her legs close as a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. "...Thank you, Ino."

"Tch." Ino smiled as she watched her, then she stood and dusted herself off. "Sakura, let's hurry and go pick some flower before all the good ones are gone, okay?"

"Okay!" Sakura sniffed and Ino helped her to her feet.

"What's wrong, Sakura? Why're you crying?"

"I-I got some dirt in my eye when I fell."

"You're so clumsy, you know."

Ino and Sakura sat on a bench together and watched the flowers of the meadow dance in the breeze.

"By the way..." Sakura mumbled, and then clutched her hand in her lap and looked down.

"What, Sakura? Don't be so stiff!" Ino smiled and tilted her head to look at her face.

"Well..." Sakura sighed softly. "Ino, I heard that you also..."

"What?" Ino laughed and Sakura blushed slightly as she met her eyes. "What is it?"

"You like Sasuke, too."

Ino blushed lightly and blinked. "Well, of course. Sasuke is Sasuke, after all."

"Then, from now on..." Sakura stood and bit her lip. "You and I are rivals."

"I guess we are."

Ino stood and watched Sakura reach up to touch the ribbon tied in her hair. After a moment, she pulled it loose and then held it out toward Ino.

"I'm... giving you back this ribbon."

Ino frowned deeply and her eyes fell on the red ribbon, and then she scoffed and smirked faintly. "I gave you that ribbon, so you can't return a gift." She wagged her finger. "Besides, your hair will only get in your eyes again if you don't have it."

"It's not just a ribbon." Sakura looked down at the red cloth in her hand. "I always rely on you for everything. I always wanted to be like you because you're also so smart, and so pretty, and so cool. But... I can't do that anymore."

"Sakura..."

"I don't need your ribbon to keep my hair out of my face to see clearly." Sakura closed her fingers tightly around the ribbon. "Before when you said that I was only a bud, you were right."

"Of course I was. I know my flowers, after all." Ino frowned.

"That's why I can't keep this anymore." Sakura held out the ribbon to her once again. "Because... I need to blossom, too."

"Hmph!" Ino reached out and took Sakura's hand with the ribbon between them. "Who's to say when that will be?"

"It doesn't matter how long it takes. I won't lose to you, Ino. I'm going to become a great Kunoichi, and I'll blossom into a beautiful flower— beautiful enough to win Sasuke over."

"We'll just see about that." Ino smirked, but she squeezed Sakura's hand, who squeezed her own. When she drew back her hand, the ribbon passed to her. She clutched it in her hand tightly and met Sakura's eyes. "If you really do blossom into a flower like that, I'll be the judge. I am the expert, after all."

"This is goodbye for now, I guess." Sakura bit her lip, then turned to leave. Her gaze lingered on Ino for some time, then she walked away.

Once alone, Ino let out a sigh and held up the ribbon to look at it.

"Until we meet again, Sakura."

Ino's cracked open and slowly adjusted to the light. When her vision cleared, she blinked to look around and noticed Sakura beside her. She watched Sakura's calm expression as she slept, frowning as the memories lingered in the forefront of her mind. "Sakura..."

Sakura's eyes cracked open a moment later and she groaned at the aches that filled her body.

"It looks like you finally woke up, eh, Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes burst open and she sat upright with a small gasp. "Ino!"

"How's your head?" Ino smiled faintly at Sakura, and Sakura rubbed her head.

"What...?"

"Our match is already over." Ino shrugged.

Sakura's eyes watered and she looked down at her lap. "I... lost, didn't I?"

"I'm the one who wants to cry... to think that I almost lost to you, too." Ino closed her eyes and exhaled. "And here I'd thought that I'd finally grown so much stronger."

Sakura blinked and turned to her. "Huh?"

"The way you broke out of my Mind Transfer was really something, Sakura." Ino let out another breath and shrugged a second time. "That Genjutsu, too... what I saw was horrible, but it was strong. There was a point where I thought I wouldn't be able to break out."

"I-Ino..." Sakura looked down and fell silent.

"What have we been doing?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura met her eyes.

"Do you remember when we were little, how close we were?" Ino asked quietly as she smiled to herself. "You were always following after me, and I was always going to find you to invite you to play." She paused and leaned against the wall. "Remember our 'secret base' in the woods, where we grew all sorts of flowers and little tree saplings?"

"Of course I remember." Sakura mumbled and clasped her hands together in her lap. "But why—?"

"Look at how far we've fallen from that." Ino's smile twitched and she tilted her head slightly. "We used to be inseparable, but we let something like a crush drive us apart."

"That..." Sakura bit her lip and stared at her hands. "That was my fault. I didn't have the confidence to like Sasuke and be friends with you. I felt like... you were always going to overshadow me."

"Idiot." Ino shook her head. "I said it back then, didn't I? That you need to have more confidence in yourself."

"I know, I know." Sakura laughed weakly, and Ino smiled.

"It was my fault, too." She shook her head again as Sakura opened her mouth, continuing. "You've always had a pretty face, Sakura, and when you started to rise to the top of the class, I felt... jealous." She waved her hand. You started to not be so worried about your appearance the longer you wore your hair back, and part of me started to feel left behind, I guess."

"You did, Ino?" Sakura's mouth gaped and she pressed her lips together. "But... you were always so pretty and fashionable, and you knew so much about everything, and was good at a lot of things... on top of being liked by everyone."

"Well, I am pretty great, but...it was also very... tiring to always be like that. Sometimes it felt like most of my friends wouldn't have stuck around if I ever let myself relax and showed other sides of me." Ino drew her arms closer and leaned forward to hug her knees, looking into Sakura's eyes. "But you were the only friend I knew I could always rely on."

"Ino..."

"In the end, I let my own doubts get the better of me, and I started to think of what I might do if you really did blossom into a flower better than a Cosmos. When you came to me that day and brought up Sasuke, I felt relieved in a way." Her gaze lowered. "Competing with a friend is so bitter so I thought it would feel better as rivals, but I only missed the days when we were friends."

"I didn't know you felt that way." Sakura hugged her own arms closer. "There were a lot of times when I almost ran to you and started to talk like normal but I thought you didn't want to after I was so awful and gave you back the ribbon you gave me."

"We were both pretty awful, weren't we?" Ino laughed under her breath. "If we hadn't been so jealous or insecure, then maybe we could have figured out how to like Sasuke without hurting each other."

"Looking back... it really was silly of me." Sakura sighed.

"Of course, I'm not saying that Sasuke isn't perfectly cool, handsome, and perfect, or that we shouldn't like him." Ino winked.

"When did we ever start to see him as a prize to fight over, anyway?" Sakura mumbled and shook her head.

"We got so caught up in fighting over him that we didn't even really get to know him at all." Ino laughed. "We're pretty shallow, aren't we?"

"Ino..." Sakura watched her for a moment, her chest almost aching, though she smiled faintly.

"Anyway..." Ino reached into her back pouch and then held out something to her. "Here."

Sakura's eyes widened. "T-That's..." She met her eyes. "You've been carrying it with you this whole time?"

"I used to think I did it to remind myself of our rivalry, but..." Ino held up the red ribbon. "But I think I really only kept it because it reminded me of when we were friends."

Sakura's eyes watered again and she reached out for the ribbon, then drew her hand back. "I'm sorry that I ruined our friendship."

"I'm sorry, too." Ino paused, only briefly, and then she smirked slightly. "Now, hold still and let me put this on you." Taking Sakura's arm, she tied the ribbon around her wrist and finished with a small bow. "You're not a kid anymore, so a big bow on your head wouldn't look right, but this I think is stylish enough." She grinned and crossed her arms. "Well? What do you think?"

"I really don't deserve this, after all—" Sakura started.

"You can't reject a gift," Ino tilted her head. "Right?"

Sakura sniffed and wiped her eye, then smiled down at the ribbon. "Right."

"Don't get the wrong idea and think I'm giving up on Sasuke, though." Ino raised her brow. "I still like Sasuke and I want him to fall for me, but I don't want us to be enemies anymore. Got that? I'm not handing Sasuke to you, Billboard-Brow."

Sakura reached up to touch her forehead subconsciously and Ino shook her head and flicked her forehead.

"You idiot. You know your forehead was never that big all along, right?"

"W-What?" Sakura rubbed her forehead and stared at Ino. "What are you saying?"

"That whole thing started because you always tried to hide behind your bangs since you were self-conscious in general, and some bored girl started a rumor to tell everyone in class that you had an oversized forehead when really, it's the same as everyone else's."

"I-It is?" Sakura's eye ticked and she crossed her arms. "Wait a minute... if that's the case, then why did you never tell me before? Are you just trying to fool me right now?"

"That's for you to figure out, I suppose." Ino stuck her tongue out, and Sakura frowned, then flicked Ino's own forehead in return.

"Ino-pig."

"Billboard-Brow."

They met each other's eyes, then broke out into laughter. After a while, Sakura wiped her eye and pointed at Ino.

"By the way, you should really have a Medic examine your finger. I've noticed all of the flinching you've been trying to hide, and it's pretty swollen already."

"This thing?" Ino raised her hand slightly, suppressing a wince as she smirked. "I can hardly feel it."

Natsumi sighed and turned her gaze from Sakura and Ino to Kiri from the corner of her eye, keeping her voice quiet. "What happened with their match? Did they tie?

Kiri nodded and put her hand on her hip. "Ino won."

"Sakura lost?" Natsumi's eyes widened slightly, then her brows furrowed.

I guess I'm not surprised, considering how my match against them went, but Ino's always been the more annoying of the two, so I figured losing would knock her do her some good...I guess she really is a Yamanaka, though.

"We'll get right to the next match." Hayate coughed into his hand and turned to look up at the monitor as it illuminated and names were displayed and cycled through.

Tenten

Vs

Temari

"Oh? It's finally my turn?" Temari smirked and stood straighter. "Finally. It was boring watching those little Leaf girls." She walked down to the center of the room, as Tenten did the same.

"Seeing that made me all fired up!" Tenten watched her opponent with a faint smirk and furrowed her brows.

"Hmph. This girl looks too sure of herself. It'll be fun to embarrass her in front of her teammates." Temari's smirk grew wider. "I'll show them how a real Kunoichi fights."

"The second challenger from Suna, hm?" Neji crossed his arms and kept his gaze on the blonde older girl. "This should be an interesting match."

"Do your best, Tenten!" Lee raised his arms above his head as he cheered loudly for her. "Remember the Power of Youth!"

"Do not waver, Tenten! There is no limit to your youth!" Guy called down to his student with a grin. "Youth shall prevail!"

Hayate coughed and looked between the girls as they stood across from one another. "Let the fifth battle begin."

Temari smirked and furrowed her brows, and Tenten's eyes widened slightly for a moment before she clenched her jaw and leaped back to put distance between them.

"Go for it, Tenten!" Lee cheered. "Knock her out with your Youth!"

"Believe in your own strength, Tenten!" Guy cheered and grinned down at Lee. "Very good, Lee! Cheer her on with even more heartfelt passion!"

"Yes, Guy-sensei!" Lee grinned and nodded. "Go for it, Tenten! Show everyone what you can do!"

"These guys are so noisy!" Naruto groaned and pressed his hands over his ears.

Natsumi did the same, wincing at their shouting and the aching of her head that followed. "I almost wish I was still knocked out." She mumbled. "My head is killing me."

"I find it to be a sweet gesture, seeing such a caring and encouraging teacher." Hasu looked at Natsumi from the corner of his eyes, his mouth twitching in a faint smirk. "Thus far, this is the first instance."

"Hm?" Kakashi glanced over at the boy and pointed at himself as he smiled. "That wouldn't be a subtle jab at me, would it?"

Hasu's eyes widened slightly and he laughed quietly and rubbed his head. "O-Of course not. I am certainly not bold enough for such a thing."

Kiri snorted and Kakashi's gaze fell on her.

"What? It was funny." Kiri crossed her arms. "It seems everyone still takes this thing too seriously." She shook her head and shrugged. "It should be fun for everyone."

"That distance is just what I'd expect from Tenten."Hiruzen mused aloud. "Not too close, and not too far; ideal for reacting both offensively or defensively."

"Are you planning on standing there and waiting until I make a move?" Temari's smirk broadened and she scoffed. "Let me just say, we Sand Shinobi are of a higher caliber than you kids. Once I start my attack, this match will be over in a second." Temari chuckled and took a step forward, prompting Tenten to take one back. "If you're trying to look cool in front of your obnoxious little friends, you've got a long way to go before you can get to that point."

Temari stepped forward again, and Tenten took another step back.

"It doesn't matter to me. Come at me first with everything you've got." Temari thumbed at herself. "I'll even be nice and let you get a hit in."

"Nice and direct; I like that girl." Kiri grinned. "No unnecessary dancing around."

"Didn't you just say that the fights should be fun?" Natsumi stifled a laugh.

"The fighting is the fun part." Kiri stuck out her tongue. "It shouldn't be a somber affair for the spectators, is all."

"And Temari complains that I'm the showoff." Kankuro shook his head and rested his hand on his hip.

"Hmph. If you insist. I won't hold back." Tenten shifted her stance and jumped into the air. She threw a volley of Shuriken at Temari.

Temari closed her eyes briefly, only shifting slightly in place before she opened her eyes again.

Tenten landed on the floor and her eyes widened as each of the Shuriken hit the floor. "They missed?! That's impossible!"

"What happened? Are you warming up?" Temari rested her hands on her hips and sneered. "Or are you just intimidated by me and your aim is off?"

Tenten gritted her teeth and Temari chuckled.

"I thought you'd actually prove interesting, unlike the others, but evidently I've been let down."

"No way!" Lee's round eyes grew wider and he held onto the railing. "I can't believe Tenten's attack missed! Her accuracy is impeccable!"

"It's unbelievable indeed." Guy frowned slightly. "Tenten's weapons always hit the mark, ten out of ten times."

"There's no reason for them to miss a stationary target." Neji furrowed his brows.

"That's right... She didn't miss. She was made to miss." Guy looked from Tenten to Temari.

"Made to miss?!" Lee gaped at his sensei, who only nodded.

"It looks like Temari's in a bratty mood." Kankuro smirked.

"How foolish." Gaara scowled, standing beside Kankuro with his arms crossed.

"How disgraceful." Shikamaru sighed heavily and rested his head on his arms as he leaned on the rail.

"Huh?" Naruto looked at him.

"The Sand wins again." Shikamaru raised his head slightly to glance at Naruto.

"The fight only just started! We don't know that yet." Naruto frowned and put his hand on his hip. "What're you saying that for?"

"We know." Shikamaru straightened.

"How? How do we know?" Naruto's frown deepened and he pointed to himself. "Explain it so that I can understand."

"Idiot. As if I'd do such a troublesome thing."

"If Shikamaru says it's so, then it's surely how it is." Choji sighed.

"These guys are hard to understand..." Naruto grumbled.

"In truth, I don't particularly understand what just happened, either." Hasu crossed his arms and scratched his chin.

"Try to watch more carefully. She'll probably do it again." Natsumi glanced at him. "I won't blame you for missing it, though. It was quick."

"Calm down." Tenten inhaled and exhaled slowly while she kept her eyes on Temari. "Don't let what she says get under your skin." She narrowed her eyes and counted the floor tiles between Temari and herself. "One. Two. Three. If it's going to get dodged, I'll just have to make it impossible to!"

"Hm..." Temari watched Tenten's eyes and the corners of her mouth twitched. "So, she's measuring the spacing. This next one will be a big attack." She reached up to touch her fan

"I get it now. That fan of hers is the secret. In that case..." Tenten lowered her stance and then ran in a circle around Temari while reaching behind her back and then jump into the air. "How about this?!"

The scroll unfurled and she spun it around herself, moving faster and faster until she was only a blur. Kuna, Shuriken, and other various weapons appeared from the Scroll's seals. She grabbed them each and threw them toward Temari in a shower of metal. Temari pulled out her fan, only opening it partway, and knocked them away with a single gust of wind.

"No way! Even my flying weapons!" Tenten landed on the floor again, looking over the weapons that lay on the ground around Temari. "Does that fan have a secret mechanism...?"

Temari chuckled and glanced at the purple circle on her fan. "This is... the first star. There are two more. When the third star appears, you will lose."

"Tenten! Don't be taken in by your opponent! Stay calm!" Lee shouted. "You can do it!"

Tenten closed her eyes briefly and clenched her jaw, exhaling slowly. "I know that, Lee... I really intended to save this for the main battle and not a preliminary round, but... it looks like I can't wait." She opened her eyes and furrowed her brows. She retrieved a pair of scrolls from her pouch and held them out in front of her. "with this, I'll hit my mark for sure."

"She's already going to use that?" Guy mumbled and crossed his arms.

"Two scrolls this time?" Naruto asked. "What does she intend to do?"

"Heh." Temari shook her head and turned her nose up. "No matter what you do, it won't work."

Tenten ignored her and stood the scrolls on their sides beside her as she knelt, and then she formed a series of hand signs and channeled her Chakra. "Rising Twin Dragons!"

Smoke filled the room and several sets of eyes widened as the smoke formed into a pair of dragons and spiraled together toward the ceiling and transformed once again into scrolls. The smoke started to clear and Tenten jumped up in the center of the swirling scrolls. Weapons burst out of each seal and rained down on Temari.

"Even if you increase the amount, the outcome will still be the same." Temari gripped the fan and opened it wider, holding it back and swinging it hard. "Second star!" A strong blast of wind cut through the air. The projectiles were knocked back into the air.

Tenten's eyes widened and she dodged the blades and landed on the floor, avoiding the weapons as they clattered on the ground around her. "I'm not done yet!" She jumped up once again and flexed her fingers, manipulating the nearly invisible threads connected to each of the fallen weapons. They lifted into the air and she aimed them at Temari again. "This time for sure!" They shot back down at their target and she grinned. "Did I do it?!"

"Overconfident kids like this never learn." Temari opened the fan further and swung hard. The blast of wind knocked the projectiles from the air and threw Tenten to the ground hard.

Tenten sat up slowly and groaned. She locked eyes with Temari, whose fan was fully opened behind her. She gritted her teeth and Temari laughed.

"Third star."

Tenten stood and took a defensive stance as Temari chuckled and shifted her grip on her fan and positioned herself behind it.

"She disappeared!" Tenten's eyes widened as she looked around. "Where?! How?!"

"Up here!"

"W-What?!" Tenten turned quickly and gaped; far above her, Temari knelt on her fan as it flew in a slow circle. She glided downward toward Tenten who ducked as she passed low over her, eclipsing the light as she wore a smirk on her face.

Temari landed across from Tenten and posed with her fan. "Ninja Art: Wind Scythe Jutsu!" She swung her fan and a cyclone swept Tenten off the ground, trapping her in a high-pressured vortex in the air.

"Tenten!" Lee shouted.

Tenten screamed into the vacuum as the wind sliced her body and swallowed her cries, not allowing for any sound to escape. Lee gulped as he watched, and Neji furrowed his brows.

"Chakra is expertly enfolded in that wind."

"What an incredible display of Wind Nature Chakra." Hasu eyes were wide. "I've never seen such a thing before."

"She's a master of it." Natsumi looked between the cyclone and Temari and mumbled. "She must have had a great teacher."

"Damn." Kiri whistled. "Impressive."

"Tenten fought well but there is no escape from that twister." Neji frowned deeply. "Such an intense vacuum surely has stolen all of her breath as well. She will be unconscious in only a moment, if she isn't already."

"In three... two... and..." Temari smirked and the cyclone weakened and began to wane.

Tenten's unconscious body fell steadily, gaining speed as she came closer to the ground. Temari positioned her fan beneath her opponent and Tenten's body slammed into the metal fan with a resounding crack. Blood spurted from Tenten's mouth and her body—now bending backward— hung limply from its perch atop the fan.

Eyes widened around the arena as it fell quiet with a heavy stillness.

Guy remained quiet with his lips pressed into a hard line. "Tenten..."

"T-That's awful, ya know..." Naruto shook slightly with his eyes wide and a bead of sweat rolled down his head. "No mercy at all..."

"Oh my gosh...!" Sakura, who had only just managed to stand, covered her mouth as she stared.

Ino stood beside Sakura, only watching wide-eyed. "She wasn't just defeated... this was more of... a slaughter." She swallowed and glanced up at the foreign Shinobi across the room. "Those Sand ninja are completely brutal..."

"Tenten!" Lee gripped the railing tightly and stared at her.

"How boring." Temari let out a sigh and looked at Tenten's unconscious face.

"To think she completely interrupted and countered Tenten's attacks." Guy clenched his jaw.

"Tenten..." Lee gripped the railing tighter with both hands.

"W-What going on with her...?" Naruto stammered. "Why isn't she moving?"

Hasu gulped and averted his eyes and Natsumi watched him from the corner of her eyes. He said nothing, but his hands were trembling.

I don't blame him for looking away. That was— this is so... Natsumi's lip quivered and she glanced back at Tenten. She won't be recovering from that quickly.

"Awful..." Hasu muttered, nearly inaudible before he repeated himself. "How awful..."

Natsumi brushed her hand against his, and his eyes widened at the sudden touch. He exhaled as he met her eyes, and then he looked down. She slid her hand into his and he gave it a squeeze.

"That sound..." Hasu kept his voice low and shuddered. "She is seriously injured, isn't she?"

Kiri shook her head slowly and sighed. "...Another career ending before it's even started..."

"It's the Sand's win again, just like Shikamaru said." Choji's mouth turned downward in a deep frown. "But even worse... an injury like that..."

"That's why I said it." Shikamaru sighed. "I knew she would lose, but I wasn't anticipating that."

"She sure took her time with that." Kankuro said. "But there's no reason for any of us to lose here. These Leaf brats don't come close to matching us."

"It's as I expected... Shinobi produced by the Hidden Sand are to be feared." Hiruzen chewed on the end of his pipe and let out a puff of smoke.

"Temari wins the fifth battle." Hayate approached the girls and Temari smirked broadly.

"No way!" Naruto scrunched his face. "After all that cool stuff she did, it still wasn't good enough."

"Oh no!" Lee's eyes widened and he jumped down quickly to catch Tenten as Temari threw her body across the room. The force sent him sliding back and he dropped to his knees. "Tenten!" He looked down into her face and stuck his lip out in a small pout. "Tenten..."

"Hmph. Nice catch. But it's a pity that you have such a weakling for a teammate."

Lee lay Tenten down on her back, careful not to move her much, and shot an intense look at Temari. "What are you doing?! Is that the level of respect you give to an opponent who fought to the utmost?!"

"You're annoying!" Temari tapped her fan against the floor and furrowed her brows. "Just be a good boy and take the trash away!"

Lee growled and clenched his fists tightly and Neji frowned deeply.

"Stop, Lee!"

"Why you...!" Lee stood quickly and then ran at her, jumping up to swing his leg in a strong kick. "Leaf Hurricane!"

Temari blocked the kick easily with her face and her smirk widened as she lowered her voice. "You're just like you look... you're a dull one, too."

"What did you say?!" Lee glared at her and she pushed him back with her fan. He straightened to a stand and Guy appeared beside him.

"Stop, Lee!"

"Guy sensei!" Lee turned to him. "But—"

"That's enough, Lee." Guy shook his head slightly and Lee glanced down.

"...Yes, Guy-sensei."

"Tch." Temari turned away from the pair.

"Temari." Gaara's flat tone made her turn to look at him over her shoulder and he furrowed his brows. "Come up already. You've already been declared the winner. Don't loiter with that green-clad guy and his chaperone."

"What?!" Lee's eyes fell on the redhead and their eyes locked intensely for several moments until Guy placed his hand on Lee's shoulder.

"Enough of that, Lee." Guy lowered his voice. "We should be utilizing our energy to check on Tenten." He looked up at Gaara. "Gentlemen of the Sand... I wonder if I may give you a word of warning."

Kankuro gritted his teeth and Gaara's expression remained unchanged.

Guy squeezed Lee's shoulder. "This boy is strong. It isn't wise to look down on him."

"Outright picking a fight with the Sand, especially after that... Is he crazy?" Kiba scoffed. "I can hardly stand to look at those guys, but riling them up? There's no way I'd do that."

"T-They're all so powerful..." Hinata trembled as she whispered. "That poor girl..."

Akamaru whimpered and ducked his head down into Kiba's jacket. Kiba reached down to stroke his head with a frown

Shino kept his eyes focused on the scene below as medics entered the room and began to gently move Tenten to a stretcher. "There was never the chance for her to win from the start."

"S-Shino?" Hinata looked over at him and paused. "...What do you mean?"

"The reason is because she is either incapable of, or outright refused to adapt to her opponent's strategy." Shino said simply. "The exact reason does not matter when the outcome was the same."

"Now's not the time to be making comments like that. Even I know that." Kiba furrowed his brows at him.

"I was merely stating what we observed in the match."

"You really don't know how to read a room at all." Kiba frowned and Shino met his gaze from the corner of his eye.

"You should conserve your energy for your own match." Shino turned his eyes from Kiba again.

Kurenai let out a sigh and crossed her arms. "Once again, they're at odds."

The medics lifted Tenten on the stretcher and Guy and Lee walked closer. Lee's brows furrowed as he looked at her face and he frowned.

"She will be alright, won't she?"

The medics shared a look and looked to Guy, who patted Lee's shoulder.

"Of course she will! She is a beloved member of our team and she youthful determination. She will surely recover! All of your passionate concern will reach her and aid in her recovery, so you mustn't stop believing in her or sending your most fervent prayers."

"Yes, Guy-sensei! I will do my part in helping her recover!"

"We're moving her to the infirmary now." A medic said to Guy.

"I'll walk with you." Guy nodded and watched the medics begin carrying Tenten away.

"I will go with you, Sensei! I'm sure that Tenten would feel more assured if we all were there when she wakes."

"You must stay here, Lee." Guy patted his shoulder. "I won't be gone long, but I assure you, I wouldn't miss your match." He held up a thumbs-up and grinned. "You must win for your own honor, and avenge the dishonor done to our precious comrade.

"Yes, sensei!" Lee straightened at attention. He watched Guy follow the medics and then sighed softly and returned to the viewing platform to stand beside Neji. "I'm sure that Guy-sensei is right and that Tenten will be fine. Her springtime of youth has only just begun."

Guy looked back over his shoulder to check the distance they'd walked and he frowned deeply. "What's her condition?"

"We won't know the full extent of the damage until we do a full examination, however..." The first medic trailed off.

"It's best to not get your hopes up that she'll be able to resume Shinobi duty." The second medic continued where he left off. "Her back, after all...

"I see." Guy clenched his fist, raising it slightly as his eyes rested on his student. "Tenten, don't give up! Persevere and overcome expectations! You still have yet to achieve your dream!"