DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO...TOO BAD THOUGH...

((Author's Notes: Hey again folks! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I've been reading the occasional fanfic during CIS 101...which suxor! I've noticed a lot of good story lines gone to waste by bad writing. If I get too bad with grammar or spelling, you are allowed to verbally bitch slap me. Anyways, no Tatsumaki-chan is not married yet, TheDark. Just to answer any quiet questions. This chapter may not be so long, but the next surely will! Enjoy! Oh and sorry for the lateness...I was sick. Bleh...on with the fic

TRAVELS AND JOURNEYS

I stared at her for a few moments in pure silence, her words settling in like the end of a bad disaster ending in front of a poor family that had just lost their home. I shook my head a couple times and suddenly I had wished I wasn't here anymore.

"Naruto-kun...?"

She gently reached her hand out and touched my face. As she lifted my gaze I witnessed the most distressing frown I had ever seen. I felt my anger and self-loathing attitude quickly dissipate. I placed my hand on hers and cupped it gently.

"So you and him are...?"

I hesitantly asked, not fully wishing to know the answer. She tilted her head to the side; I gazed at my reflection in her polished hitae-ate.

"Boufuu and I? No, we are not wed, nor do I wish to be wed to one such as him."

I felt my self unconsciously smile and my spirits rise once again, ever so gradually this time. Awaiting another bombshell that could threaten to break me into two.

"Someone has already stolen my heart."

I stared at her for a moment and felt my anger spike for a mere moment before it quickly passed like the wind as she rubbed my cheek gently. Her subtlety almost and obliviously passed over my head. I shook my head.

"I bet he doesn't deserve you."

She smiled lightly at me.

"He does, I just hope that he is able to return to me soon...I don't have much longer."

I paused and looked at her confusingly.

"What do you mean, 'I don't have much longer'."

"You see, father--..."

I was totally caught off guard when Sori decided to attack again and almost throw me completely off onto the battle floor. I quickly poured chakra into my feet and stood uneasily on the side of the wall. I crossed my arms and looked up at the railing. Sori slowly appeared over the railing with a meek smile on her face and a sweatdrop on the side of her head.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun."

I shook my head and managed to swing myself over the railing. I brushed off my shoulders and looked at the two genins that had been missing during our earlier encounter.

"I'll be damned, you guys actually made it. I'm surprised."

Kaji merely glared at me and said nothing while Pon shook his fist at me with a mock anger motive behind it.

"You'll see if you have to fight me, I've trained tons!"

"Uh, Pon-san, I was with you the entire time you trained..."

Pon sweatdropped and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh yeah..."

Sori smiled sweetly and took a quick peek behind Naruto. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly but quickly returned to normal when I raised my eyebrow. She waved her hand at me.

"Who's your friend?"

I turned around and smiled, I grabbed Tatsumaki gently by the arm and brought her a couple of steps closer. I held my hand in front of her.

"This is Tatsumaki-chan. I believe I told you about her when I was training with the three of you. She's from the Village of the Hidden Cloud."

She put her right hand to her chin and bent it down slightly.

"Hmm...Oh I remember!"

She snapped her fingers and bowed to her.

"It's nice to meet you."

I shook my head, why was Sori such a ditz? Didn't she realize that she was blind? I nodded weakly as Tatsumaki bowed forward slowly.

"It's nice to meet you too...?"

"Sori!"

"Nice to meet you, Sori."

A young man with blue diamond tattoos across each eye of his topaz colored eyes and a rather bald and shiny head came over to the group of us. I quickly noticed his Hidden Cloud forehead protector. I silently dreaded what he had to say, let alone his being near could only mean Tatsumaki leaving.

"Tatsumaki-san, Boufuu wishes to speak with you about your future match as well as his."

She nodded and he quickly raced back to where they had been standing earlier. I turned to Tatsumaki, if she had been able to see my face I know she wouldn't have left. She put her hand to my face and smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, I will return once our discussions are through. I promise."

I nodded to the best of my ability instead of grabbing her and holding her back, but I knew I couldn't do that. She trailed her hand off of my face and she walked slowly back to her group members, touching her staff in front of her every few steps as she walked. I sighed and looked back to where the three genins had been standing only to find Sori still standing there.

"So, how have you been Sori-chan?"

I said leaning against the railing once more, watching the fight. She was about to say something when I gripped tightly on the railing and felt it warp slightly under my grip. I locked my eyes on the markings that were growing on Sasuke's flying body as he was thrown high into the air. His body almost impacting with the ceiling, thankfully I watched as the markings had begun to withdraw back into the original seal. I looked back at Sori.

"I'm sorry Sori-chan, I have to talk to a certain someone."

I raced through the hallway and over to Sakura and Kakashi. Sakura was standing on ends, her hands gripping tightly onto the railing. Kakashi merely had one of his hands buried in his pockets while the other loosely held a small book labeled, "Come Come Violence."

"Kakashi-sensei, do you know about...?"

"The curse? Yes."

He had said in a matter of fact tone without even turning his attention to me. I bowed my head slightly, I should have known that Kakashi would know. I was beginning to underestimate people I shouldn't and I knew that it would cost me greatly if I continued to do so again. I turned began walking back to where Sori was left standing when I noticed a familiar two watching the match quietly.

I stopped behind the genin with the bound object on his back. I knocked on it several times and whispered.

"A little hot in there isn't it?"

Kankuro turned to me and frowned.

"Naruto."

"Kankuro."

By then, his two teammates had already noticed me by now. Temari had turned and flaunted her signature smirk and placed her hands on her hips. I noticed another that stood directly behind Temari hadn't even bothered to acknowledge me and continued to watch the match with an odd fascination.

"Naruto-kun. It's surprising to see you here."

I frowned slightly.

"Surprising? It shouldn't be in the least surprising to see me, I'm the one who should be surprised that Kankuro actually had the interest to come let alone participate."

He looked as if he was about to say something when he immediately bit back his words and gave a quiet, quick glance towards the mysterious boy with the large vase looking thing on his back. Temari traded a look with Kankuro and walked past him and to my left.

"How does it feel to be back home, Naruto-kun?"

I began walking with her only to glance back at the two we had just left. This was a bit odd for her to act this out in public; I had seen her act friendly in private with no witnesses whatsoever around. I didn't bother to try to ask as we continued walking down the hallway.

"It feels foreign. I mean I feel at home, but I feel more at ease when I was traveling."

She nodded and paused when she noticed a man, a Jounin from the looks of it with a white garb covering his head and draped in the back. She looked at me her eyes darting back to the man. I smiled weakly and nodded.

"I'll try to catch up with you later. Good luck out there."

She nodded and actually smiled, I felt truly honored then, especially by the fact that we were also out in public. I shook my head and began walking back to where I had left Sori a few minutes ago. I would definitely have to go out of my way to apologize to her for leaving her behind like that. As I passed the man, I noted that he was wearing a Hidden Sand hitae-ate and he was quietly speaking with a Jounin from the Hidden Sound Village.

The two had stopped momentarily as I passed. The sound shinobi's white skin had sent chills unpleasantly up my spine. His eyes locked with mine for only a few seconds and turned back to the Sand Jounin's. Something about his eyes reminded me of something, I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but my thoughts were in record time disrupted by a third time by my favorite body-crasher.

Sori collided into me, knocking me flat on my face. I stared at the pale color of the ground my nose was smashed into and huffed a long breath.

"Why me...?"

I said to the floor as I slowly pushed myself up and sat Indian-style on the ground before her. She bent down and smiled innocently at me.

"Sorry Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"Uh huh, you're trying to kill me."

She snapped back upright and put her hand in front of her mouth.

"I would never do such a thing, Naruto-kun. I could never hurt you and you know that."

I shrugged and stood back up. I knew she was totally infatuated with me completely, but there was nothing I could really do to help it or dismiss it. I didn't want to be rude to the girl, but I could never return the girl's feelings. I smiled and looked back towards the ring, Kakashi was standing next to Sasuke as he sat on the ground. Kakashi bent down for a moment and stood back up, Sasuke weakly stood up and followed Kakashi away from the arena.

I briefly thought about following but quickly pushed the thought from my head. I wasn't going to miss my match no matter what. My luck would have been following them back there and then losing by forfeit because I was back there with the two of them. I looked over at Sori who had decided to copy me and lean forward onto the railing. I smiled over at her briefly, which made her blush in return.

"Naruto-kun...?"

"Hmm?"

"Tatsumaki-san...what's so special about her...?"

I paused, uh-oh this was already heading down a path I wasn't ready to tread yet but it was quickly encroaching and I wasn't able to turn away. I looked back out onto the battle floor as the next two names lit up brightly on the board. Zaku Abumi vs Aburame Shino were the next two to fight. I peered down towards the end while leaning over the railing; I could see Hinata and the dog boy, Kiba. The bug kid, Shino quietly walked down the stairs while the sound Nin we had encountered jumped from the balcony across from us and landed smoothly on his feet.

His right arm was slung in a sling while he clenched his left openly. The referee stepped between the two of them and quickly walked back into place. Shino stood rigidly from my point of view as the sound Nin was waving his free arm blatantly. I shook my head as Sori's voice brought me back to our present and pressing conversation, which I wish I didn't have to take part in it.

"Naruto-kun...Are you listening to me?"

"I'm sorry...it's just..."

"Naruto-kun, just tell me what is so special about her...?"

I sighed slowly and closed my eyes.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"I've been punished all of my life for who I am...the people here didn't even accept me for who I was. They only saw me as a beast."

"A beast--?"

I shook my head.

"Hokage-sama sent me away with Jiraiya-sensei and I was practically raised by the man for the last few years. He's watched over me and taught me the basics of many things that others surprisingly don't know. He led me all over the place and managed to get me to the Hidden Cloud Village. I was introduced to a great man that taught me almost everything I know and use today. He trained me and his granddaughter for the nearly half a year until I had to leave...before I left though, I had made a promise to--..."

A sudden explosion ripped my attention away from Sori back to the battle floor. Standing in the middle of the arena was Zaku, he stood still; I took another look at him and quickly noticed his arms were cut off at the elbow. I winced unwillingly and watched as Shino had came from behind, whipped around him and struck him hard in the face. Zaku fell back, he made a few attempts to rise back but promptly fell back to the ground.

The referee knelt down beside the fallen Nin and quickly waved in several medical shinobi. Their reaction was rather fast as they placed the boy on the stretcher and swiftly removed him from the battle floor as Shino began his slow jaunt back to the balcony where the rest of us stood. Is he really that strong, though?

I looked back at Sori as she stared openly beyond me. I turned and looked at the two names on the board, I quickly felt my heart plunge deep into my gut and gradually begin to slowly sizzle. Uindo Sori vs Ikazuchi Tatsumaki were the next two to fight.

I turned back to Sori, I'm not sure what my facial expression was but I knew I felt sort of betrayed again by fate. That life was mocking me in the most insidious way imaginable. She smiled lightly and touched hand to my left shoulder.

"I'll show you Naruto-kun..."

I stared at her blankly before she turned around and began walking away from me towards the stairs that spiraled down to the battle floor.

"I'm worthy of your love..."

My ears perked up as they heard her say the last a little above a whisper as she walked away. I clenched my fists and looked back at the other end as Tatsumaki had finally reached the bottom of the stairs. She was guiding herself along again with her staff, touching it lightly to the ground as she walked. The referee called out to her, she immediately smiled and walked over to his voice.

I sprinted to the other side of the balcony to get a better view of everything, as I reached the other side Sori had finally made it to the middle and was staring at her with her hands held behind her back.

The referee stepped back and called the match to begin. There was a momentary pause between the two fighters, I peered closer and saw Sori's lips moving. I quickly changed my attention back to Tatsumaki who was talking had begun to say something. I had really wished I had learned how to read lips. After half a minute of total silence passed by, Sori pulled her red staff from almost nowhere and twirled it around skillfully. She aimed it towards Tatsumaki and grinned.

Tatsumaki placed hers before her horizontally and took a deep breath. There was a sudden burst of wind and the two broke into action. There were several loud cracks as the staves met one another repeatedly. Again and again, I had already counted twenty-seven strikes now. I focused my mind and tensed my muscles and released my chakra throughout my body. Suddenly I could see every strike that Sori and Tatsumaki traded. Sori was really keeping up with Tatsumaki's speed it was amazing. With one final strike the two broke apart and stood 10 yards from one another.

Sori began to spin her staff in repeating succession, switching it from side to side. As she switched it from side to side it picked up speed and gradually the wind inside the arena was spinning wildly. I suddenly began to hear several cracks as the wind began to cascade random hits against the pillars and the battle floor. Tatsumaki moved her staff with lightning speed as each ethereal attack whipped at her with swift precision and canceled it out.

Sori's face contorted into a rare emotion that I had fortunately not seen too often, anger. She began to spin the staff directly in front of her, spinning it faster than I had ever seen her do before. I cursed inwardly; this move was hard to dodge if you didn't see an opening in her spinning motion. I gritted my teeth as I watched Tatsumaki gradually begin to get pulled into the gale force winds as the pulled her in. Hayate, the referee had safely made it out of the suctions way and held tightly onto one of the nearby beams.

I felt my heart almost stop as Tatsumaki's feet left the ground and she began flying towards Sori's spinning staff. She leaned back into the cushion of the wind and speared her staff forward with amazing speed. Amplified by the sheer wind force the staff had somehow managed to hit the other staff directly. Sori flinched and instantly let go of the staff, her crimson red staff flew wildly to her left and embedded itself into the arena wall.

She turned to look at her opponent only to see air, she looked from side to side and spun around swiftly before she felt her presence around her and tried to swing an attack at her. Tatsumaki easily dodged the futile attack and began striking her repeatedly before Sori managed to dodge the rest of her blows and skidded away from the blind-Nin. I could tell she was already quite fatigued and the way she was breathing heavily began to concern me.

I didn't believe Sori was an easy one to exhaust by the way I trained with her at times. I quickly noticed several bruises on her arms as she held her arm across her stomach, as she stood back upright. The Hisame Dageki combo, Tatsumaki wasn't able to perform the full combo on her but she had done a number on Sori already.

Sori looked towards her staff and pulled out several kunai. She tossed several to her left, which caused Tatsumaki to start in that direction until Sori began to dash towards her staff. She began to form a long string of seals with rapid speed as she ran for her weapon. Tatsumaki stopped suddenly then began to spin like a top and practically gliding across the floor of the arena and caught up with Sori.

She struck her in the side with her two open palms, stacked atop one another, which sent Sori flying her into the wall on her right side. She sucked it in, I suppose and dove forward and with the full motion was able to pull the staff from the wall. She twirled it around with her left hand and touched the top point into the ground.

Using her right hand, she formed several half seals with her hand and sand began to form from the arena's floor. She held half of the 'serpent' seal as she parried several of Tatsumaki's oncoming attacks while being struck by only a couple of them. The sand began to spread out across the arena's floor. She continued to dodge Tatsumaki to the best of her ability while only being able to knock away a few of her melee attacks, she was still struck by a number of them.

By this time, the sand had finally covered the entire length of the floor, the referee had chosen the statue of the seals hands to take refuge but still referee the match. Sori stabbed her staff into the sand and formed; dog, boar, then the dragon seal.

"Ryuujin no Sabure, taiatari!"

Her staff began to shake and began to sway back and forth until the sand suddenly whirl pooled inward and pulled the sand from underneath the two combatants. Tatsumaki quickly stood back up and darted her head back and forth, searching for anything to go by. Sori began to laugh lightly. Her shoulders slumped sluggishly, she merely watched as Tatsumaki began walking over towards her when a sudden gust of wind began to spiral around Sori's staff wildly.

If Tatsumaki had been able to see, the sight alone probably would have been enough to scare her into forfeiting. Perhaps if there had been no roof, we would have seen something different but instead, a long neck began to piece together from the grains of sand.

Sori's blue-hued hair began to pulse with color as she stared beyond Tatsumaki. The wind had slowly begun to die down, she gazed back at where the wind had roared and darted her attention back to where she had heard Sori last. She stood straight and rigid, she formed a string of seals; boar, horse, dog, ox, ram, bird, and finally serpent. From the serpent seal she slowly pressed her hands flat against one another about chest level.

This was looking very bad, I had seen that skill used by Sori only once before but not with same last name. I swallowed hard and hoped that if Tatsumaki's attack came off in time if Sori's ninjutsu would fail as she lost consciousness.

Several loud booms echoed outside loudly as thunder rolled over Konoha. The dragon's head peered at the blue-haired girl; its lifeless eyes made from sand fell away inside and left eerie yellow eyes to hover in a spacey black emptiness in its head. It roared once and charged forward.

Tatsumaki pushed both of her hands out and felt a gigantic push come from within her, as her arms outstretched fully she opened her palms horizontally, her wrists standing on one another.

"Ikazuchi Dageki!"

She had screamed before the creature made entirely of sand screamed once more along with the tremendous clap of thunder and plowed her over. She quickly disappeared under a mountain of sand. My reactions hadn't skipped a single beat as I was already out on the hill. I gritted my teeth, as digging was useless, I formed three seals: bird, boar, and dog. I kicked the sand with my right foot with such force I spun half a dozen times clearing spreading the sand throughout the room.

My eyes quickly scanned the room and found her prone body lying in a heap on the floor a few feet away. I rushed to her side and lifted her up; she coughed several times as I brushed some of the sand that was clinging to her face, away.

"Tatsumaki-chan...Tatsumaki-chan...Are you alright?"

She smiled faintly and tilted her head up.

"Did I win, Naruto-kun?"

I turned my head around and gazed at the limp form of Sori being checked by three medical shinobi. The one farthest away turned to the referee and nodded took a few steps in our direction and looked at the blind-girl laying in my arms.

"Is she conscious?"

I nodded.

"Ikazuchi Tatsumaki is winner!"

I slowly heaved her into my arms and walked towards the doorway that all the medical Nins had been taking people. A female medical shinobi stopped me.

"We can take her from here."

I shook my head and tried to walk past her when the tall hidden cloud Nin landed a few feet behind her with his arms at his side.

"You should listen to her, kid. You have no right to touch Tatsumaki-san with your foul hands."

I glared at the boy and sidestepped him and was about to pass by him when he stuck his long arm out to halt my progress even further. I gently handed her to the medical ninja and turned around to glare at the boy.

"You're not going to have Tatsumaki-chan."

He narrowed his eyes and took a step forward and looked down at me with a fearful glare that only made my blood boil even further. I could feel Kyuubi stir within me and his chakra being to pour and mix with mine. I gritted my teeth hatefully.

"She will be my bride, kid. There's nothing you can do about it, it's already been arranged."

"Dead men can't marry..."

I grinned sadistically as I rolled up my right sleeve when suddenly Kakashi was at my side with a reassuring hand on my right shoulder. He looked down at me with a smile hidden beneath his mask.

"Fighting is prohibited outside battles. I doubt you would want to have yourself disqualified for someone that isn't worth fighting over."

The young man turned and leapt back atop the balcony and away from my sight. I took several deep breaths and felt my anger fall back down and the Kyuubi's chakra seep back into its rightful place. I gripped the seal on my stomach and winced slightly. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at me. I waved my hand dismissingly.

"I'll explain later. I just need to stay calm, that's all."

He nodded and quickly made his way back to the top in a flash. I leapt up to the top as well and gradually made my way back around the second floor. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino turned towards me. Hinata took a quiet step forward and smiled meekly.

"Ano...Are you okay, Naruto-kun?"

I nodded weakly again.

"Yes, thank you Hinata-chan..."

I began to walk past her but stopped myself and turned around.

"Good luck, Hinata-chan. I'm rooting for you."

I turned back and began walking towards my teammate that had a surprising look of concern smeared obviously across her face.

"You okay, Naruto-kun?"

I nodded with a small smile on my face.

"Yeah, who's fighting next?"

I gazed lazily at the board as I had hoped that I wasn't the next combatant. If I were to get too worked up while Kyuubi was stirring then whomever I was fighting was in a world of hurt. Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro was the next two to fight. I turned and began walking down the stairs, Sakura turned to stop me but I held my hand to wave her off.

"I'll be back, if the match ends and my turn comes up make sure you get a hold of me..."

I made my way down the stairs and down the long dark hallway that lead to the medical area of the arena. A Chuunin with jet-black hair spiked and goggles at the top of his hairline laying right above his hitae-ate, gave me a weird look as he leaned against the wall in the lone hallway.

"What do you need?"

"I came here to see someone that just got done fighting."

"Well kid, they take them to the hospital after they treat them here. Just to make sure everything is alright."

I frowned and nodded.

"Thanks..."

I walked back out and casually up the stairs. As I reached the spot where Sakura had been earlier, I looked around curiously and spotted Kakashi-sensei with several of the other Jounins. I walked over towards him and scratched the back of my head confused.

"Umm, where did Sakura-chan go?"

He nodded his head, gesturing to the arena battle floor. I raced to the edge and peered down onto the first floor below, Sakura was walking coolly up to the girl named Ino. From what I remember her saying once, they had been the best of friends until they realized they both liked Sasuke. I sort of stopped listening from there on because she started naming dozens of reasons why she was better for Sasuke compared to Ino.

Now as I watched in silence, Sakura walked silently up to her rival for love with a smirk of confidence on her face. Ino seemed to hold the same smirk as they walked to the center of the arena. The referee joined them and glanced at the two before breaking and backing up several yards to give them enough room to battle freely.

I watched the fight with a small smile on my face; she seemed a bit more formidable than I had thought. Of course she didn't know any unique or signature jutsu, she had a great knowledge of nearly all the basic ones and awesome chakra control. Unfortunately the two had both lost but in an admirable way that I won't soon forget. The two of them had lost using their different ninjutsu as well as Ino's signature ninjutsu had lost to her will. I'm not sure if it was my cheering her on that had done it, but it seemed she was able to fight off her jutsu.

The two had dashed at one another and landed a hit on one another with such a force that each of them were knocked back about 10 feet from one another and left our conscious world. Kakashi had quickly retrieved the girl and sat her on the ground, leaning against the wall. The next two names promptly lit the screen, Nara Shikamaru vs Pon.

I felt my lips curve up into an inevitable smile as I watched Shikamaru shook his head then without skipping a beat smacked his hand firmly against his forehead. He shrugged openly and took his time as he walked down the battle floor. I looked down at the other end, where I had earlier seen Pon.

I blinked a few times and looked back towards the other end, then down at the floor to see the boy running cheerfully to the center of the 'ring'. After nearly a minute of waiting, Shikamaru finally appeared from the entrance to the arena below. He walked to the center of the ring with his hands in his pockets and looked lazily at the boy before him.

Pon postured himself into a stance that coped Bruce lee out, he tensed his entire body and stood completely still and rigid as the referee walked up to the two. He exchanged glances with the two of them, threw his hand down in a chopping motion and flashed to his normal standing spot. The boy had immediately bolted towards his shinobi opponent; he swung his legs in several wild kicks and began trying to hit him with an amazing speed.

Shikamaru, I guess hadn't expected the sudden flurry of attacks but quickly reacted and threw a kunai that forced Pon to move back and then rush forward again. Shikamaru began forming a small string of seals in mid-air and landed around 20 feet away from Pon. The boy postured into the Bruce-Lee stance once again, keeping his posture rigid; his eyes however watched the seals Shikamaru was making finally land on the 'rat' seal.

"Kagemane no Jutsu!"

Shikamaru yelled and his shadow came to life and sprung forward, the way it flew across the floor sent a chill up my spine. Pon quickly jumped to the side and flipped back a few times. He noticed the shadow coming at him again and began maneuvering again, dodging the shadow rather closely. Shikamaru withdrew his shadow for a moment, Pon formed several seals: ram, hare, monkey, boar, and landed on dog.

"Sabure Taihou no Jutsu!"

The boy slowly drew his hands from their seal but kept his left hand closed in the same fist from the seal. Sand began to gather in front of him and gradually formed perfect spherical balls that were the size of a soccer ball. In only moments three were formed and several more began to stack themselves together from the grains of sand. Pon grinned from ear to ear and brought his right leg back and let loose a mighty kick.

The sand seemed to contort under the sheer pressure of the kick but it quickly shifted back to normal as it shot through the air and barely missed a wide-eyed Shikamaru.

"You're attacking me with soccer balls made out of sand?! How lame are you?!"

The boy seemed to be locked away in his own zone as he continued to drive the balls of compacted sand across the entire length of the arena with some serious force. Some of the impacts were able to leave small indentations where cracks and split rock were left. Shikamaru had been able to dodge them but he seemed to be making more and more balls with each kick. Not to mention that as soon as they were made, he sent them on their way.

Shikamaru dashed forward and began to drift away diagonally, the balls were chasing on his path rather quickly. Pon frowned as the distance began to close between the two, he suddenly stopped kicking them and gradually the balls began to grow in numbers. Spacing themselves automatically by only four inches, the started at the farthest wall and began to form a line.

Pon was on the run as Shikamaru tossed several more in his direction only to strike the floor. The two were again standing at opposite ends of the arena, Shikamaru looked at his surroundings momentarily as the balls were almost completely filled the room. He squatted down and glared across the room at his opponent. He took a glance at the balls then back at Pon.

Pon took several slow deep breaths and drew his hands back to each of his sides, each hand formed into a small fist. He closed his eyes then quickly snapped them open.

"Ooooooh, kee-yai!"

(Author's Notes: Think of when Bruce Lee does his little battle cry after he begins whooping on people.)

Pon kicked his leg out then brought it down hard onto a small part of open ground, a small quake rippled through the entire building as the balls of sand flew into the air. Shikamaru stared up at the balls of sand and pounced forward, running madly at the shinobi. He began to form the same seals as earlier in quick succession as he had quickly began to close the distance between them.

Within only a few moments, the balls had been utterly caught by gravity and descended down onto the lazy Nin below that dashed across the battle arena floor. He landed on the rat seal and his shadow leapt forward. His shadow stretched forward as the balls had suddenly came down and a large cloud of sand filled the open area of the arena.

I coughed and tried peering into the sand; unfortunately I was as blind as everyone else was to the situation. I had thought I had seen Shikamaru shadow dart across the floor and actually make it to Pon. But I had eventually noticed the balls of sand plummeting down and I had recalled how painful it was to be hit by those. The balls were so condensed that it felt like they were made out of the hardest limestone. The cloud of sand had finally settled.

Standing idly out in the middle of nowhere, Shikamaru was standing rigidly in a weird posture as he looked around, still holding the 'rat' seal. He sighed and looked over at his opponent who looked at the shinobi known as Pon. The boy looked over at him at the same time, my eyes darted to the ground and a smile quickly appeared across my face. He was able to pull it off somehow. He shook his head and the boy quickly mimicked his movements.

He bowed forward and Pon followed suit. He smiled at the boy and bent his knees into a small squat. I guessed the sight on Pon's face, more than likely it was that pathetic look he'd give you when he knew it was over and he had lost. Which happened every time between the two of us. Shikamaru squatted halfway then suddenly flung himself backwards. The boy disappeared from my vision but was quickly replaced by a small smashing noise. I peered over the railing and saw an unconscious Pon lay with his arms sprawled out, a goofy smile plastered across his face.

I shook my head. That kid was hopeless but at least he put all of his heart into what he did, that was something I really admired him for. The medical Nin made a swift entry and promptly exited with the sand Nin on their stretcher. Shikamaru made his way up the stairs and rubbed his legs sorely. I walked up to him and slapped him hard on his back, he winced and took a couple of involuntary steps forward. He glared back at me and shook his head.

"What?"

"He hit me with his attack and dammit it hurts."

"Heh, yeah. He's all about power and pain he just doesn't have the skill to think anything through."

He nodded and turned his attention back to the electronic scoreboard. I felt drawn to it myself as the next two names lit up the board brightly, Kin Tsuchi vs Temari. I felt myself smile subconsciously as Temari walked down the hallway.

"Good luck out there."

"I don't need luck for the weaklings here."

I shook my head and smiled as she continued past and down to the main floor. Kin Tsuchi stood with her hand on her right hip and a haughty smirk that could dare rival Temari's. The referee stepped to the middle, gave a quick look to each shinobi and chopped his hand through the air and the fight began.

Kin Tsuchi stood proudly for a few moments after Hayate had jumped back into his normal standing point. Temari crouched slightly, she slowly bent her hand back and with a quick and fluid motion ripped the large metal bar from her back. In the same motion, the fan came unfolded and she let loose a furious wind that thrusted her back into wall.

She reacted smoothly and began dashing across the arena's floor while Temari continued to swing her fan, the wind ripping around the arena. I looked over at Shikamaru who had already chosen to find something of more interest. I shrugged and made my way over to Kakashi and Sakura, while Ino sat right next to her. I looked down at the two and smiled before I stood by Kakashi watching the match.

Kin Tsuchi smirked as she formed a quick seal and caused a loud explosion from behind Temari. The force of the sound pushed her forward several yards and off of her feet, Temari rose quietly and dusted herself off before picking the giant fan up with her right hand and slamming it into her other hand.

"Now, you've pissed me off."

I shook my head; unfortunately I knew what that meant all too well. I gazed across the arena; Kankuro was watching the match with what I was guessing was a smile. I couldn't really sometime because of his make-up. My mind began to wander, searching for several reasons why Kankuro wore make-up. My eyes gradually drifted over to his comrade, the boy with the gourd on his back.

He had been standing silently with his arms crossed for the entire duration of the tournament that I've seen so far. I wonder if he even spoke at all? For one reason or another, I wasn't sure if it was coincidence or not but he decided to look up and lock eyes with mine. I felt a weird sensation wash over me, a sort of familiarity but yet something different as well as a small pinch of fear and angst mixed into my batch of sudden emotions.

Our staring contest was abruptly ended when Hayate's voice broke through.

"Winner, Temari!"

I smiled and looked down at the girl. She looked up at me briefly as the sound Nin laid unconscious atop her folded fan. She swiftly knocked her a few feet away and walked back up the stairs. She walked up the stairs on the side I was and as she stopped briefly behind me.

"I told you, I don't need luck."

She looked over at me with her haughty smirk that always seemed to make me smile without really knowing it. I nodded.

"Yeah, yeah."

She opened her mouth to say something else when I noticed her attention draw off into the distance. As quickly as it had, it returned and she merely smiled at me.

"Uh, yeah. I'll catch you later, Naruto-kun."

"Oh, okay."

I watched as she walked off and looked back across the arena. The boy with the gourd on his back was looking directly at me with a fearsome look in his eye that could make a man crumble in fear. I somehow was able to tear my eyes from his and began walking down the hallway, my thoughts jumbled about the sand shinobi with the gourd on his back. For one reason or another, he just gave me a bad feeling and I didn't like it. Something else within me hadn't liked it either. My thoughts were suddenly ripped apart when Shikamaru spoke up.

"Naruto, you're up."

I looked towards the scoreboard and grinned as I noticed the name on it right next to mine. Uzumaki Naruto vs Denkou Boufuu.

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END OF CHAPTER 10

(Author's Notes: Sorry about the super long wait guys. I've been sick with a head cold for the last few days and it's been so hard to actually sit at a computer and have my head throbbing.... Too hard to think. That's why I had to end this chapter abruptly too, still have it. :sniffle: Anyways. I also learned of one of my best friends dying just this last weekend in a drunk driving accident (other guy being drunk) So I'm a lil shaken up about it. I will get the next one to you guys as soon as I get over this head cold thingy...I want to thank Blaboy for pre-reading this for me and making sure I didn't screw up too much. I hope ya'll understand and don't hate me too much for ending the fic on yet another...cliffhanging moment. Take care guys and I'll be back before the end of the week at the latest. ) 0