==============================
Chapter 12 : The Preliminaries Conclude
==============================
¡§Will the two remaining contenders please step forward.¡¨ Gemma said, looking toward the opposing stands. ¡§Temari, Yamanaka Ino. That¡¦s the two of you.¡¨
¡§Yes!¡¨ Ino said happily. ¡§It¡¦s my turn, FINALLY.¡¨ She silently applauded her luck that it was Temari she was fighting, not Kai. But she couldn¡¦t help but feel a nagging voice of worry in her head. Last year, Shikamaru had just barely gotten the upper hand, and still lost. This year... she was still having her own doubts.
==============================
Ino panted heavily as Temari dodged yet another one of her attacks.
They had been fighting for at least 10 minutes now, and despite their previous attitudes, they soon realized that they were evenly matched. Sometimes Temari had the upper hand, sometimes Ino did, but whoever was winning, wasn¡¦t winning for long.
But what worried Ino the most, was that throughout the entire time elapsed, Temari didn¡¦t once use the fan strapped to her back.
//Why isn¡¦t she using it?// Ino thought, almost desperately as a particularly hard blow made the two of them land on opposite sides of the gym. //If she did use it, I¡¦d be wiped out in a flash. Is she trying to prolong this fight or something? //
In truth, Temari was thinking about the words Naruto had said to her 8 months before, when he had visited the Sand Village. During a training session, after he had completely cancelled out her wind attack, he had told her:
¡§I once heard someone say, ¡§Don¡¦t use a technique twice, or it¡¦ll be used against you.¡¨ Well, something like that. Anyway, you know that I¡¦ve already seen the way your fan works. That¡¦s why I could counter your attack. This is just advice, but ¡¥save your trump card until the very end. Only use it if you know that you¡¦re going to lose of you don¡¦t use it.¡¦
//Naruto,// Temari thought. //I¡¦ve kept those words to heart, because you are the one who saved Gaara from the darkness, and you are the strongest person I know. But...//
She glared at Ino. //If I continue this, it¡¦ll end up as a draw. I can¡¦t let that happen.// She reached for her belt. //Looks like I¡¦ll have to use the fan after all.//
Ino¡¦s eyes widened as Temari drew out the fan. //Crap.// she thought. //My chakra...//
Temari snapped the fan open. It wasn¡¦t the white one with the purple dots anymore. It was red with a small pattern of orange flowers painted in the corner, set on dark brown wood, and narrower than the former one. It didn¡¦t open as wide as the first one, and even though it was a weapon, it could easily been mistaken as a work of art in a museum somewhere.
¡§NINPOU! KAMAITACHI!¡¨ she shouted, swinging her fan with as much force as she could.
Only one, big, fast moving air blast was produced, which Ino barely dodged. When it struck the wall, it sliced a large dent in it.
//Thank god.// Ino thought, but when she turned her head around, there was another one headed straight for her. And this time, she couldn¡¦t dodge it. It came in contact with her stomach and knocked her straight into the wall behind her, right beside the huge dent that had just been made.
//She didn¡¦t anticipate another one coming from her blind spot.// Temari thought as Ino fell to the floor, unmoving. //That¡¦s why she lost.//
¡§Winner, Temari.¡¨
======================================================================
¡§Hokage-sama?¡¨
¡§Huh?¡¨ Tsunade mumbled, jerked out of her pleasant slumber, ¡§What?¡¨
¡§The Preliminaries have ended, Hokage-sama. We await your words.¡¨
¡§Oh, right.¡¨ She said, following the Leaf Nin to the arena. ¡§Did Naruto make it?¡¨ she asked.
¡§Yes, Hokage-sama.¡¨ He said, ¡§All members of the Air Team have made it into the finals.¡¨
¡§I guess that was pretty much a given.¡¨ She muttered, more to herself than to the other. ¡§The Air Village is notorious for having all Genins become Chuunins the first time around. I just never thought Naruto would be one of them.¡¨
======================================================================
¡§Congratulations to all of you.¡¨ Tsunade said to the 12 remaining Genins. 5 from the Leaf, 3 from the Sand, 3 from the Air, and 1 from the Mist. ¡§I will now explain the Main Test.¡¨
¡§The battles you have just fought in have been seen by everyone present. They have witnessed each of your powers and fighting style. Just like last year, the Finals will be held about month from tomorrow. During this time, you can, shall we say, prepare for your upcoming battles. You have analyzed your everyone else¡¦s¡¦ strengths and weaknesses, as well as some of your own. During this month, you can use that time to improve yourself, and resting your body wouldn¡¦t hurt either.¡¨
She waved her hands, and an attendant brought forward a small box.
¡§Inside this box,¡¨ she said, ¡§are blank pieces of paper. Please pick one carefully, and hold onto it.¡¨
After everyone had received the blank paper, she said, ¡§This will decide your Main Tournament Match Ups.¡¨
She held up a blank card of her own. ¡§You see that screen over there?¡¨ she said, nodding at a big white screen titled Tournament with the lines drawn, and everything. ¡§What you will do, is send a bit of chakra into the white card you just got.¡¨ She then demonstrated it by sending her chakra into her own card. ¡§What will happen, is that the chakra you send into the card in your hand,¡¨ She held up another card in her other hand, this with a number 13 burned into it. ¡§will correspond with the numbers, and your names will be burned on the board that way.¡¨
¡§So now, please transmit some chakra into your card, and take a look at the board.¡¨
//I see,// Akito thought. //This system is so that no one can cheat. Cool.//
One by one, the names appeared on the white screen. Once everyone¡¦s names where one the board, Shizune called the matches out, one by one.
¡§Battle One: Hyuga Hinata and Kankurro.
Battle Two: Uzumaki Kai and Temari
Battle Three: Uzumaki Akito and Aburame Shino
Battle Four: Rock Lee and Hyuga Neji
Battle Five: Suzuka and Gaara
And Battle Six: Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto¡¨
After a moment, Tsunade said to the surprised faces of the Genins, ¡§You can leave at any moment to begin strategizing and training. We will meet in the Konoha Arena in 36 days starting tomorrow, approximately one month from now. If you don¡¦t have any questions, you are free to go.¡¨
==============================
Once outside, the remaining Genins attempted to talk to Naruto once again. Only one problem, he was no where in sight.
//Where¡¦d he go?// they wondered.
Just when they were about to split up and go find him, a piece of paper floated down from the sky. It said in hastily scribbled words:
¡§I can¡¦t explain everything right now. It¡¦ll take too long. If you want to, all of you can come over tonight. I¡¦ll explain everything then. I¡¦m staying at Room 15 at the Hotel Complex downtown. See you then. -Naruto¡¨
//I¡¦m sorry everyone.// Naruto thought as he sped away from the group. //There¡¦s something I need to do that¡¦s long past overdue.//
==============================
¡§We should probably get going too.¡¨ Kai said to Akito after Naruto¡¦s departure.
¡§Stupid Naruto-niisan.¡¨ Akito grumbled as they broke away from the group that was still looking at the place where Naruto last stood. ¡§Him and his flashy exits.¡¨
¡§Jealous?¡¨
¡§No.¡¨
¡§Sure.¡¨
¡§No, really!¡¨
¡§Uh-huh.¡¨
¡§Nee-chan!¡¨
¡§Whatever. I¡¦m hungry. It¡¦s lunchtime right?¡¨
¡§Yea...¡¨ Akito said, his stomach suddenly letting out a rumble.
¡§I¡¦ll treat. Udon?¡¨
¡§YES!¡¨ Akito shouted happily, the previous argument completely slipping his mind. ¡§Let¡¦s go!¡¨
==============================
¡§We¡¦ll see you guys later!¡¨ Sakura shouted to Lee and Hinata¡¦s team. ¡§Bye!¡¨
¡§See ya!¡¨ Ten-Ten and Lee yelled back as they headed the other direction. ¡§Bye!¡¨
¡§Sasuke.¡¨ Sakura said, as soon as they were out of earshot. ¡§What do you think we should do? About tonight?¡¨
He sighed. ¡§I don¡¦t know.¡¨ He said. ¡§I just don¡¦t know.¡¨
Ino looked at the two of them worriedly. ¡§Hey!¡¨ she said, attempting to brighten the mood, and succeeding slightly, ¡§What¡¦s the big deal? We¡¦ll go anyway, right? Besides, we got the whole day to decide, right? So why don¡¦t you guys go home, get some rest, and we¡¦ll all go tonight, together.¡¨
¡§Ok.¡¨
¡§Great!¡¨ she said. ¡§I¡¦ll see you guys later!¡¨
¡§Wait, Ino!¡¨ Sakura shouted, ¡§Where are you going?¡¨
¡§I got to go tell Shikamaru that Naruto¡¦s back!¡¨ she shouted back, never stopping her run towards town, ¡§And on the way, Chouji might want to know too. See ya!¡¨
Sakura and Sasuke smiled at their friend as she slowly disappeared. Though she was a poor substitute for Naruto¡¦s overwhelming hyper-activeness, she was a wonderful person.
==============================
Where was Naruto in such a big hurry to rush off to?
Iruka-sensei had dismissed all the children for lunch, and was sitting at his desk contemplating what he would do for the next 45 minutes. He considered staying in to grade papers, but for some reason, he just wasn¡¦t feeling ready for it.
But...
Just when he was about to sit down and pick up the dreaded red ink pen, a familiar voice came from the door.
¡§Iruka-sensei.¡¨
He looked up and saw Naruto standing in the doorway.
¡§Wanna go out for some Ramen?¡¨ Naruto asked, smiling at Iruka¡¦s shock.
¡§My treat.¡¨
======================================================================
A/N: This chapter was more like a ramble¡K hmm.
Thanks to LittlePetSimpson for all her wonderful, WONDERFUL ideas and help. :-D
Q/C: icy_cloud359@kuririnmail.com
-Yume
Chapter 12 : The Preliminaries Conclude
==============================
¡§Will the two remaining contenders please step forward.¡¨ Gemma said, looking toward the opposing stands. ¡§Temari, Yamanaka Ino. That¡¦s the two of you.¡¨
¡§Yes!¡¨ Ino said happily. ¡§It¡¦s my turn, FINALLY.¡¨ She silently applauded her luck that it was Temari she was fighting, not Kai. But she couldn¡¦t help but feel a nagging voice of worry in her head. Last year, Shikamaru had just barely gotten the upper hand, and still lost. This year... she was still having her own doubts.
==============================
Ino panted heavily as Temari dodged yet another one of her attacks.
They had been fighting for at least 10 minutes now, and despite their previous attitudes, they soon realized that they were evenly matched. Sometimes Temari had the upper hand, sometimes Ino did, but whoever was winning, wasn¡¦t winning for long.
But what worried Ino the most, was that throughout the entire time elapsed, Temari didn¡¦t once use the fan strapped to her back.
//Why isn¡¦t she using it?// Ino thought, almost desperately as a particularly hard blow made the two of them land on opposite sides of the gym. //If she did use it, I¡¦d be wiped out in a flash. Is she trying to prolong this fight or something? //
In truth, Temari was thinking about the words Naruto had said to her 8 months before, when he had visited the Sand Village. During a training session, after he had completely cancelled out her wind attack, he had told her:
¡§I once heard someone say, ¡§Don¡¦t use a technique twice, or it¡¦ll be used against you.¡¨ Well, something like that. Anyway, you know that I¡¦ve already seen the way your fan works. That¡¦s why I could counter your attack. This is just advice, but ¡¥save your trump card until the very end. Only use it if you know that you¡¦re going to lose of you don¡¦t use it.¡¦
//Naruto,// Temari thought. //I¡¦ve kept those words to heart, because you are the one who saved Gaara from the darkness, and you are the strongest person I know. But...//
She glared at Ino. //If I continue this, it¡¦ll end up as a draw. I can¡¦t let that happen.// She reached for her belt. //Looks like I¡¦ll have to use the fan after all.//
Ino¡¦s eyes widened as Temari drew out the fan. //Crap.// she thought. //My chakra...//
Temari snapped the fan open. It wasn¡¦t the white one with the purple dots anymore. It was red with a small pattern of orange flowers painted in the corner, set on dark brown wood, and narrower than the former one. It didn¡¦t open as wide as the first one, and even though it was a weapon, it could easily been mistaken as a work of art in a museum somewhere.
¡§NINPOU! KAMAITACHI!¡¨ she shouted, swinging her fan with as much force as she could.
Only one, big, fast moving air blast was produced, which Ino barely dodged. When it struck the wall, it sliced a large dent in it.
//Thank god.// Ino thought, but when she turned her head around, there was another one headed straight for her. And this time, she couldn¡¦t dodge it. It came in contact with her stomach and knocked her straight into the wall behind her, right beside the huge dent that had just been made.
//She didn¡¦t anticipate another one coming from her blind spot.// Temari thought as Ino fell to the floor, unmoving. //That¡¦s why she lost.//
¡§Winner, Temari.¡¨
======================================================================
¡§Hokage-sama?¡¨
¡§Huh?¡¨ Tsunade mumbled, jerked out of her pleasant slumber, ¡§What?¡¨
¡§The Preliminaries have ended, Hokage-sama. We await your words.¡¨
¡§Oh, right.¡¨ She said, following the Leaf Nin to the arena. ¡§Did Naruto make it?¡¨ she asked.
¡§Yes, Hokage-sama.¡¨ He said, ¡§All members of the Air Team have made it into the finals.¡¨
¡§I guess that was pretty much a given.¡¨ She muttered, more to herself than to the other. ¡§The Air Village is notorious for having all Genins become Chuunins the first time around. I just never thought Naruto would be one of them.¡¨
======================================================================
¡§Congratulations to all of you.¡¨ Tsunade said to the 12 remaining Genins. 5 from the Leaf, 3 from the Sand, 3 from the Air, and 1 from the Mist. ¡§I will now explain the Main Test.¡¨
¡§The battles you have just fought in have been seen by everyone present. They have witnessed each of your powers and fighting style. Just like last year, the Finals will be held about month from tomorrow. During this time, you can, shall we say, prepare for your upcoming battles. You have analyzed your everyone else¡¦s¡¦ strengths and weaknesses, as well as some of your own. During this month, you can use that time to improve yourself, and resting your body wouldn¡¦t hurt either.¡¨
She waved her hands, and an attendant brought forward a small box.
¡§Inside this box,¡¨ she said, ¡§are blank pieces of paper. Please pick one carefully, and hold onto it.¡¨
After everyone had received the blank paper, she said, ¡§This will decide your Main Tournament Match Ups.¡¨
She held up a blank card of her own. ¡§You see that screen over there?¡¨ she said, nodding at a big white screen titled Tournament with the lines drawn, and everything. ¡§What you will do, is send a bit of chakra into the white card you just got.¡¨ She then demonstrated it by sending her chakra into her own card. ¡§What will happen, is that the chakra you send into the card in your hand,¡¨ She held up another card in her other hand, this with a number 13 burned into it. ¡§will correspond with the numbers, and your names will be burned on the board that way.¡¨
¡§So now, please transmit some chakra into your card, and take a look at the board.¡¨
//I see,// Akito thought. //This system is so that no one can cheat. Cool.//
One by one, the names appeared on the white screen. Once everyone¡¦s names where one the board, Shizune called the matches out, one by one.
¡§Battle One: Hyuga Hinata and Kankurro.
Battle Two: Uzumaki Kai and Temari
Battle Three: Uzumaki Akito and Aburame Shino
Battle Four: Rock Lee and Hyuga Neji
Battle Five: Suzuka and Gaara
And Battle Six: Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto¡¨
After a moment, Tsunade said to the surprised faces of the Genins, ¡§You can leave at any moment to begin strategizing and training. We will meet in the Konoha Arena in 36 days starting tomorrow, approximately one month from now. If you don¡¦t have any questions, you are free to go.¡¨
==============================
Once outside, the remaining Genins attempted to talk to Naruto once again. Only one problem, he was no where in sight.
//Where¡¦d he go?// they wondered.
Just when they were about to split up and go find him, a piece of paper floated down from the sky. It said in hastily scribbled words:
¡§I can¡¦t explain everything right now. It¡¦ll take too long. If you want to, all of you can come over tonight. I¡¦ll explain everything then. I¡¦m staying at Room 15 at the Hotel Complex downtown. See you then. -Naruto¡¨
//I¡¦m sorry everyone.// Naruto thought as he sped away from the group. //There¡¦s something I need to do that¡¦s long past overdue.//
==============================
¡§We should probably get going too.¡¨ Kai said to Akito after Naruto¡¦s departure.
¡§Stupid Naruto-niisan.¡¨ Akito grumbled as they broke away from the group that was still looking at the place where Naruto last stood. ¡§Him and his flashy exits.¡¨
¡§Jealous?¡¨
¡§No.¡¨
¡§Sure.¡¨
¡§No, really!¡¨
¡§Uh-huh.¡¨
¡§Nee-chan!¡¨
¡§Whatever. I¡¦m hungry. It¡¦s lunchtime right?¡¨
¡§Yea...¡¨ Akito said, his stomach suddenly letting out a rumble.
¡§I¡¦ll treat. Udon?¡¨
¡§YES!¡¨ Akito shouted happily, the previous argument completely slipping his mind. ¡§Let¡¦s go!¡¨
==============================
¡§We¡¦ll see you guys later!¡¨ Sakura shouted to Lee and Hinata¡¦s team. ¡§Bye!¡¨
¡§See ya!¡¨ Ten-Ten and Lee yelled back as they headed the other direction. ¡§Bye!¡¨
¡§Sasuke.¡¨ Sakura said, as soon as they were out of earshot. ¡§What do you think we should do? About tonight?¡¨
He sighed. ¡§I don¡¦t know.¡¨ He said. ¡§I just don¡¦t know.¡¨
Ino looked at the two of them worriedly. ¡§Hey!¡¨ she said, attempting to brighten the mood, and succeeding slightly, ¡§What¡¦s the big deal? We¡¦ll go anyway, right? Besides, we got the whole day to decide, right? So why don¡¦t you guys go home, get some rest, and we¡¦ll all go tonight, together.¡¨
¡§Ok.¡¨
¡§Great!¡¨ she said. ¡§I¡¦ll see you guys later!¡¨
¡§Wait, Ino!¡¨ Sakura shouted, ¡§Where are you going?¡¨
¡§I got to go tell Shikamaru that Naruto¡¦s back!¡¨ she shouted back, never stopping her run towards town, ¡§And on the way, Chouji might want to know too. See ya!¡¨
Sakura and Sasuke smiled at their friend as she slowly disappeared. Though she was a poor substitute for Naruto¡¦s overwhelming hyper-activeness, she was a wonderful person.
==============================
Where was Naruto in such a big hurry to rush off to?
Iruka-sensei had dismissed all the children for lunch, and was sitting at his desk contemplating what he would do for the next 45 minutes. He considered staying in to grade papers, but for some reason, he just wasn¡¦t feeling ready for it.
But...
Just when he was about to sit down and pick up the dreaded red ink pen, a familiar voice came from the door.
¡§Iruka-sensei.¡¨
He looked up and saw Naruto standing in the doorway.
¡§Wanna go out for some Ramen?¡¨ Naruto asked, smiling at Iruka¡¦s shock.
¡§My treat.¡¨
======================================================================
A/N: This chapter was more like a ramble¡K hmm.
Thanks to LittlePetSimpson for all her wonderful, WONDERFUL ideas and help. :-D
Q/C: icy_cloud359@kuririnmail.com
-Yume