Today was the big day.
The first round of the tournament was being hosted and I had never felt so anxious in my life.
Naruto and I woke up and quietly got ready for the day. The morning felt far too serene, especially knowing what was coming.
I even decided to take Puggy with me, getting Naruto to paint a quick storage seal on my calf. I might not be able to hold Puggy, but the knowledge that Puggy was on me at any time was nice.
Of course, Puggy wasn't the only thing. Naruto, Sasuke and I had spent hours the night before getting Naruto to paint storage seals all over us – hidden under our clothing, of course. I had a myriad of weapons at my disposal at any time, as did the other two.
We headed over to the arena, together. Jiraiya had wished us luck the day before and said he would be watching.
Naruto yawned as we trundled slowly towards the arena, Sasuke doing one last check of his equipment at his side.
"Oi! You guys! Yea, you the nerds!" It was Ino, streaking towards us with Sakura at her heels.
It suddenly hit me that Sakura didn't know. Not that I wanted to tell her, considering how we had last parted.
The two stopped in front of us, panting.
"We wanted to wish you luck," Ino grinned brilliantly, even though her face was flushed from running. Sakura was bent over behind her, gasping for air. "We're going to be cheering you on from the crowds."
"Except… Sora…" Sakura panted, finally straightening herself up. "For all I care, you can go and die in a ditch!" she yelled, thrusting her finger in my face.
Naruto giggled at the dramatic scene she made. My lips curled down.
"Hmph! Well Sora-kun, don't worry about her," Ino said, shoving her aside and coming to stand in front of me. "I have a good luck present for you."
I blinked in surprise, but broke into a smile, wondering what she-
She leaned forward, and my body stilled with that sort of confusion you get when you know you aren't in danger but are taken off-guard.
Her eyes closed and her lips brushed mine. My brain failed to process what was going on, and when I finally did, she was running away cackling, Sakura sending a hopeful glance at Sasuke.
His look said it all, and she was off.
"You did that to spite me, Pig!" she screeched as she disappeared behind a corner after Ino.
For a moment the three of us stood in gaping silence, and then my brain caught up and despite myself a blush spread across my face.
Ino had kissed me. She was a- her lips had- my first kiss and-
Naruto fell to the ground, rolling about with laughter.
"The look on your face!" he gasped out between laughs, and even Sasuke was smirking.
I am a girl. Ino kissed me, a girl.
But then again, she didn't know that did she? No one knew I was a girl, save a few. I didn't know what to feel. So, I decided to just ignore it for now.
I stormed ahead, leaving the hysterical Naruto behind me.
Still, I felt tension leave my body as the other two caught up, Naruto still giggling like an idiot.
I think we… needed that.
We arrived at the arena, in the common area for the contestants. We were separated from the audience, set aside in a room beneath the stands that lead straight onto the arena floor. The wall facing the arena was made of reinforced glass so we could watch the action on the arena.
There was a grim sort of silence as we walked in, other contestants lingering with their teammates and sensei, talking in quiet undertones.
Well, it was tense and quiet until Anko spotted us, and came careening towards us.
"The brats are here!" she yelled, gaining a few looks. The other genin recognised her from the first exam and winced.
Akio came over as well, at a more sedate pace but still with a cheery grin.
"We are not brats!" Naruto stated determinedly. "We are masters of ourselves! Conquerors of worlds! Destr-"
"Oi shut up, your starting to sound like Jiraiya," Anko interrupted, poking her tongue out as if disgusted.
"Yea well you're crazy so you can't talk!" Naruto retaliated.
"Now now," Akio moved his hands in a placating manner. "The exams are starting. Look," he pointed outside to where a proctor had landed in the middle of the arena.
"Thank you all for coming today. First off, I would like to formerly welcome the Hokage and also the Kazekage, who has travelled far to…"
I stopped listening as I instead focussed on the Kazekage, trying to tell just who was impersonating him.
If anybody was, there were no tells. I was also far from where he and the Hokage sat, so I couldn't exactly tell anyway. Not that I would be able to in any case.
The door to the candidate room opened as the introductory speech was made, and all the present genin glanced over to see Yoroi and his sensei enter.
There was a possibility that this was the actual Yoroi, and that Orochimaru had been in a henge. There was also the chance that this was a third party taking the place of Yoroi so that Orochimaru could be Kazekage. Or it could still be Orochimaru. I didn't know if Anko had found the actual body of Yoroi with his face ripped off.
My mind swirled with the possibilities. Anko drew us in closer with a grimace when she noticed him. Naruto, Sasuke and I all stared, as did Shikamaru.
In fact, Shikamaru stepped forward just as he was about to pass him and Asuma.
"I want to wish you well in our fight," Shikamaru drawled, the picture of cool aloofness.
The three of us gaped, and for a terrified moment I imagined Shikamaru being murdered then and there.
Yoroi stopped, but it was impossible to see his expression. Shikamaru held out a hand in the gesture of the seal of confrontation, all the while I could feel my heart in my throat and Naruto was spluttering beside me.
The seal of confrontation was a Konohagakure handshake that was usually used in the academy or general sparring. It basically means 'I will face you in battle', and after the fight the two combatants make the seal of reconciliation, which basically acknowledges that the two are still comrades.
Yoroi glanced at it, in one fluid motion he locked fingers with Shikamaru, completing the seal.
I waited for bones to crack or blood to fly, but…
"As I do you," and then he let go and he walked past Shikamaru who looked thoughtful.
When Yoroi joined his sensei in a corner of the room without making a fuss, I let out a sigh of relief and the three of us turned back to the arena floor.
The introductory went on for about five minutes before the candidates were called and the crowd roared with approval as we were ushered from the candidate room.
"Hurry up squirts! Now's your time to shine! Just in case you fail," Anko beamed, shoving us out before we could retort.
We walked towards the middle of the arena in a cluster, Shikamaru making his way to our side.
"What was that?" Naruto hissed as soon as he approached. "You made the seal of confrontation with the enemy!"
Shikamaru shrugged of his frustration with ease.
"It was a way to tell if he was a Leaf-nin. There was a chance he was an enemy in disguise, and now we know that it is either Yoroi this time, or that Orochimaru traitor still. Unless we have more spies in our ranks," he muttered. "It's highly unlikely it is not one of them. And if it is Yoroi, he is a traitor since he hasn't spoken up about being impersonated. In any case…" his eyes sharpened. "I'm going to give it my all."
And then we reached the middle and the roar of the crowd drowned out any responses we might have had.
After our names had been announced and the crowd had their fill of us, the proctor announced the first match.
"Shikamaru Nara and Yoroi Akado of the Leaf, please remain in the arena. The rest of you, return to the candidate's room."
Sasuke placed his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder as we passed, speaking for all of us.
"Give him hell."
And Shikamaru sent us a crooked smile that was somehow resigned, grave and amused at the same time.
And then we were back in the candidate room with the other sensei and genin, and we watched as Yoroi and Shikamaru faced each other.
Nothing will happen, right? If it's Orochimaru, he can't blow his cover anyway.
The proctor stood between the two of them and swiped his hand down.
"Begin!"
The fight never even started.
There are so many avenues for how I want this fic to progress! Still I'm gonna have to choose one... such a hard choice.
Question:
What has been your favourite scene so far?