Disclaimer: I'm so tired… Why do I have to put this up anyway? Not like I own Naruto…
Author's blabbering: Finally, I'm back. That stupid, stupid login button wouldn't let me in for some unknown reason! Are the ffnet administrators angry at me or something? Anyway, thanks for the great FenixPhoenix for being my beta-reader! I appreciate it very much!
Kojiyohandnejifreak: I so wanted to use that symbol for "and" but the stupid computer wouldn't let me… Don't ask me why… Yes, I watched the real Survivor… Well, most of it, really. And I usually see them fighting or conspiring with people. Survivor: Palau made me write this fic!
Kumii-chan: Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad you like it!
TheGurlWithNoName: Yeah, I love those two girls too! Pity Kiba? … Yeah, Temari's bullying him! Ah, you're a Filipina too? You live in the Philippines? Haha! Stupid question! Anyways, I'm not sure which chapter it is…
Cherlye: Nope, they're not acting OOC. It's just that Ino, well, is like fighting over Sasuke with Sakura, except this time she's fighting with Temari over Shikamaru. Temari, she's always seems so confident in the anime.
Kirby freak: Thanks for the corrections! I'm going to edit it again and check my mistakes as well. I was having a migraine while I was typing the chapters.
Brokenxrequiem: Interesting? My cousin told me I was going insane when I told him my ideas for this fic.
Senjou: Okay… So are those two OCs the children of Neji, Naruto and Sasuke (0.o) Now I'd like to see that!
Inochi: Thanks!
Asura of love: That's the way my brother thinks… That selfish, overbearing git! (Xia-chan, I don't think that's very nice to call Leander-nii-sama a git.) Yeah, well, he is, Erie!
Xoni Newcomer: Don't worry, I've already thought of that predicament and I've already made a solution to it! Aren't I great? (You are so conceited!) Who asked for your opinion, bubble-head? What's with Naruto and with that one-armed hugs to Hinata? Well, they're "friends", aren't they?
Waprince2000: Don't worry! Come hell or high water, I will update! Just let me in, ffnet administrators!
Moonlightpath: Yeah, Byakugan team sure was lucky. But don't worry, Sharingan team has Sakura and probably Kankuro, Hinata and Lee could help with the ideas. Sasuke's too much a prick and arrogant bastard! (ducks from javelins, forks and rakes thrown by Sasuke fans!)
Shadow-sensei: I'm not much good with man-to-man or weaponry combat. I'm better in writing competitions and stuffs… That's why I made Asuma and Kurenai to appear. Sure, more Naruhina on the next chapter… Oh, of course there will be, stupid me! Next chapter will be the tribal council!
So that's it… I'm going to answer your reviews as much as possible to clear things up… And I just love answering them… Gives me the heebie-jeebies! Okie then, I'll leave you with this and go to my firing lessons now! (Even with your hand injury, you still keep on going with that hobby of yours) Firing is fun! You get to shoot targets and if you're lucky, people!
CHAPTER 4: DAY 2 – UNDERWATER FIRE?
"HELLLLOOOO EVERYOOOONNNNEEEE!"
Everyone sweat-dropped at the sight of a very happy Gai, who was holding a megaphone while standing on top of a platform.
"Welcome to Konoha's new event, Mission Survivor, the event where you will be given symbolic tests of courage to demonstrate your burning passion and determination!"
The group blinked twice at the green-clad lunatic standing in front of them. He must've just come out of the asylum. Even the Hokage and the Kazekage looked dazed at Gai. Crickets chirped and the owls hooted… And there was a single clapping sound.
Lee was crying waterfalls of tears, clapping as loud as he could. "Gai-sensei!" he exclaimed. "You're so passionate about our springtime of youth!"
"Lee!" Gai was crying as well.
Tenten let out a sigh and placed a hand on her temples. It wouldn't be long before the island turns into a lagoon if those two didn't stop their weeping, crying and hugging spree.
The Hokage, who was having the same thought of Tenten, went up the stage and grabbed the megaphone from the howling Gai. She sweatdropped at him. "Ah, Gai, I think that's enough now, thank you." Shizune ushered the weeping Jounin away from the stage and Tsunade cleared her throat.
The younger shinobis glared at her darkly, remembering that it was her who placed them in that situation. Tsunade raised an eyebrow at them before cleared her throat again.
"Gai was actually right in one part, the part where you will be given tests to determine your skills in survival training," Tsunade said hesitantly, eyeing the flaming shinobis. "You know, I might just put up another rule. 'No glaring at the Kages'. And guys, where is your team spirit and energy for today?"
Shikamaru yawned widely. They were shaken awake by the Jounins before the sun had even risen above the horizon, saying that it was time for the main event. Of course, they had no choice but to follow them. Much to their annoyance, they had started when the sun was already high in the sky and the Kages and other Jounins were finally awake
"I think Kurenai-sensei is right," the lazy shinobi commented loudly. "We left them in Konoha. Can't we go back to get them?"
"No!" the blonde Kage retorted sharply.
"Can we go to the nearest town to buy something to eat then?" Chouji suddenly asked, his stomach growling loudly. "I'm hungry and tire and hungry! I haven't eaten breakfast yet!"
"Yeah, yeah! And can we get ramen too?" Naruto waved his hand ecstatically in the air.
"That's right, and I need some sun-block too," Temari commented, looking at her flawless skin critically. "I don't want to become darker. It so doesn't suit me."
"You live in a desert and you're not used to the sun?" Kiba asked, scratching his head in thought. "Sounds weird, doesn't it, Akamaru?"
The white dog barked in response.
The blonde Sand Nin raised an eyebrow at him, a hand on her hip. "Who asked you, dog boy?"
"I gave my opinion for free, voodoo doll," Kiba shot back irately. "And what the hell do you have against dogs?"
"Ooh! Let me think!" Temari pretended to look thoughtful then smirked at him. "They're smelly, dirty, loud and icky. Oops! I might just have described you then!"
"Why you little—" Kiba was then restrained by Shino (holding his arms), Lee (holding his legs), Naruto (pushing him back) and Shikamaru (his two fingers on the dog-lover's forehead). "Let me go, you idiots!"
"I wouldn't say that if I were you, bozo," Kankuro remarked, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You wouldn't want to taste Temari's wrath. Even Gaara and I are afraid when she gets mad."
The red-haired Kazekage shot his older brother a sharp look. "I am not afraid."
"LET ME GO!" Kiba shouted until the four boys promptly released him, once they sensed the dark aura surrounding the Sand kunoichi. When he had finally felt the sinister look Temari was shooting him, Kiba rushed back and clung to Shino. "Shino, pal! Come on! You want to restrain me, right?"
"I should ask her to teach me that look of hers," Tenten said, looking at the blazing blonde ninja from the corner of her eyes.
"What would you need it for?" Neji asked her.
She grinned. "For those suitors of mine. So you won't have to chase them away with your Byakugan."
Tsunade obviously wasn't used to being ignored and, as she stood there in front of the squabbling, chatting, declaiming and brooding shinobis, she could feel her temper rising with every second. Even Jiraiya, who was busy coaxing Shizune to pose for his next book, took a step away when he felt the overwhelming power of Tsunade's rage, which would easily rival the chakras of the Kyuubi, Shukaku and Cursed Seal Sasuke when unleashed.
"JUST SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" the Hokage shouted into the megaphone, releasing a teeth-smashing, jaw-grinding noise that everyone knew can only be done using the microphone. "WE ARE NOT LEAVING THIS ISLAND! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR RAMEN OR YOUR FOOD OR YOUR SUNBLOCK! WE ARE STAYING HERE AND THAT'S FINAL!"
Sakura ground her hands into her ears, trying to keep her eardrums from bursting at the megaphone-amplified shriek. When the berating was over, the pink-haired kunoichi swayed slightly on the spot. "That made me dizzy…"
The shinobis peered warily at the panting, huffing and red-faced Hokage. Was the storm over or were they just inside the eye; sitting ducks to another explosion?
"Finally!" Tsunade huffed at the silent shinobis. "Now… Let me start on the first challenge—"
"I thought our first challenge was building a house?" Shikamaru asked lazily, placing his pinky inside his ear.
The Hokage realized her mistake. She did tell them that their first challenge was the shelter-building one. But then, Hokages never make mistakes (at least, that's what she believes in) and so, she decided not to take the blame and cover it up with an excuse. "The house-building was just a warm-up challenge. It doesn't count for anything."
There was a collective groan from the group. Ino pouted. "And I thought we'll win the immunity if we build the best house!"
"Will you just let me explain the details?" Tsunade gritted her teeth in frustration and the shinobis promptly behaved. Their ears haven't recovered from the shock yet. "All right, here are the instructions. All sixteen of you—"
"Fourteen," Ino corrected. "All fourteen of us."
Tsunade's brown eye twitched. "Why fourteen? There should be sixteen."
"Because," Shikamaru started to yawn. "We're only fifteen, five groups of three. And since the Kazekage didn't join that makes us fourteen."
"Oh, all right!" The Hokage huffed then cleared her throat. "All fourteen of you will have to swim to those flags over there!" She pointed at the two flags, one white and the other red on top of a floating raft with a large goblet-like torch in the middle. It was even farther than the yacht! "Underneath those rafts are chests with your own torches. You have to dive under to unlock the chest, retrieve the torches inside and swim back to the surface. After retrieving them, you will ignite that larger torch on the raft then light your own from the fire you created. When you finish doing that, return here without using your chakra to walk on the water. The first team to arrive with all of their torches lit will receive the immunity and something else. Clear?"
"No."
She turned to Shikamaru who had his eyes closed while leaning on Chouji. "What isn't clear, Shikamaru?"
"You said we'll unlock the chest, retrieve the torches, swim back up, then light the torches, right?" he said slowly, unfolding his arms. Tsunade nodded and the dark-haired shadow master shook his head. "That's not possible."
"Why not?" Tsunade demanded. It was such a perfect plan. How could it not work?
Shikamaru sighed as if just the thought of it bothered him. "Fine, let me explain," he replied lazily. "You see, if we try to swim back with the torch in our hands, the water would wash away the interior, and as a result the oil of the torch. Thus if we try to light it, it wouldn't work because of the water."
Tsunade opened her mouth to argue but, instead of verbally attacking the genius shinobi, she turned to the older Jounins. "Who the hell thought of this ridiculous idea anyway?" she demanded. All at once, Kurenai, Kakashi and Asuma pointed at Gai who blinked obliviously. "I thought so…" She turned back to her audience. "Anyway, just… just do whatever you want with the torch. Find out a way to bring them back to the surface dry. And also find a way to go back here without your flame being extinguished. That's your problem."
"Hai…"
The two teams split up and went to their respective positions on the shallow portion of the water. The girls, who were wearing tank tops and shorts, removed their clothes, revealing their swimsuits. Jiraiya went on another mad rampage at the sight of them and, thankfully, the Kazekage stopped him again with his sand. The boys, while hiding their blushes, took off their shirts.
"All right, since we can't open the chests underwater, we have to drag it to the surface," Shikamaru told them. The group nodded. "Neji, Shino and Kiba can handle it. The girls and I will swim to the raft already and start the fire."
Neji frowned at him. "The chest is probably heavy since it sits underwater," he argued calmly. "We might need more manpower."
"I can help," Temari said with a smirk. "I do have strong arms since I always lug my fan with me."
"All right, so that's Neji, Shino, the Sand Nin and me," Kiba said as Akamaru barked. "No, you stay on the raft, Akamaru!" The white dog barked even more. "No! I said, no!"
"What about going back here?" Ino asked, ignoring the dog and its master fight. "We can't have the flame to be extinguished or else we'll have to go back to light it again."
"We'll figure that one out when we arrive at the raft," the shadow controller muttered. "Tenten, I want you to use your kunais to make a fire. Rub them together just like stones." The Weapons Mistress nodded.
Kiba howled. "We'll win that immunity and the prize and beat that dobe and that arrogant Sasuke as well!"
At the Sharingan Team…
Sasuke folded his arms as if daring anyone to argue with him. "Hinata and I will proceed to the raft and start the fire. You guys can retrieve the chest underwater."
"Can Chouji swim?" Naruto suddenly asked and they all turned to the chubby Chuunin. "Won't he just float?"
Sakura punched the blond Kyuubi, whose head smashed into the sand. "That's enough, you idiot!" But even after that, the group was still looking skeptically at Chouji who did look like he would probably float on the water.
"We should also plan on how to get back here," the puppet master said. He neither removed his clothes nor his puppet from his back.
Lee punched the air with determination. "I have an idea! How about we—"
"No, I make the decisions here," Sasuke cut him off flatly. Lee looked dispirited. "Three of us will have to carry the other three back to the shore. The three sitting on our shoulders can carry the torches."
"Are you kidding?" Naruto shouted. "That's a long way from here!"
The Uchiha heir shot him a dark glare. "You have a problem, dobe?"
"Why yes, I have, you bastard! I have—" The Kyuubi boy was shut up by Sakura who shoved him back to the sand. He stood up again, brushing the sand from his hair. "All right! Fine! But you—" He jabbed a finger on Sasuke's chest. "—better take care of Hinata-chan! You know her heart is weak and I'll kill you if something happens to her!"
Hinata blushed darkly and Sakura patted her smilingly.
"I know that, dobe," the dark-haired Sharingan user retorted. "That's why she's coming with me to the raft."
Naruto glared at him for a while before turning to Chouji. Lee grinned and raised his fist in the air. "Yosh! We shall show them our burning determination!" His black eyes became balls of fire.
Just before the event started, the Jounins popped up in front of their students, carrying several forehead protectors. New ones, in fact, and were sewn onto red and white cloths. Kakashi and Gai appeared at the Byakugan Team with the white forehead protectors while Asuma and Kurenai were to distribute the red ones to the Sharingan Team.
"Yo!" Kakashi suddenly appeared beside Tenten, his hand raised in a wave and his eye crinkled in a smile. The chestnut-haired weapons specialist jumped and unintentionally clung to Neji in surprise. "We've got presents."
"Yeah? Like what? A heart attack?" Tenten shot back, detaching herself from the Hyuuga prodigy.
"No, my dear team flower," Gai told them and pulled out the white forehead protectors. The group blinked at him. "We deliver them to you, a wonderful indication that you are part of a special bonding in this test of youthful courage."
"Translation, it's something to distinguish you from the other group," Kakashi said as he handed each of them a forehead protector.
Ino stared at her own protector. The logo of 'Survivor' was engraved on it with the design of the Hokage Monument. On its two sides were the symbols of Konoha and Suna.
"These protectors suck!" Naruto exclaimed as he stared at his own. "Who made this design anyway?"
"I did, you brat!" Tsunade shouted at him from a distance. "You got a problem with that?"
The blond-haired shinobi glanced around at his teammates who were tying the protector on their arms or necks, anywhere except their forehead which occupied their original hitai-ate. "Fine!" He sulkily tied his own around his neck.
"Want me to adjust that, dobe?" Sasuke, who had his red protector on his arm, smirked.
"Shut up, bastard Sasuke!"
When they had all tied their team protectors around their different body parts, Tsunade started to shout on her megaphone again. Fortunately, they were some meters away from the PMS-ing Hokage. "All right? On your mark, get set… GO!"
The fourteen shinobis dived into the water all at the same time. They swam towards the raft which was even further than they imagined.
"It's too… far…" Ino wheezed as she floated on the water, quarter way to the raft. "It's even farther… than the stupid… yacht!" She stared at Tenten and Temari who were swimming just a few feet behind Neji, Shino and Kiba.
Shikamaru let out an exasperated sigh then held out a hand to her. "C'mon, I'll pull you until you've recovered your energy."
The blonde kunoichi took it gratefully and Shikamaru dove, swimming on the surface, his hand on hers.
"How much further?" Sakura panted then looking out into the wide sea. She was already beside the yacht and she fought the urge to jump back into the vessel. She glanced at Naruto who was carrying the already-tired Hyuuga on his back then at Shikamaru who was pulling Ino. "This is really annoying!"
She blinked the saltwater out of her eyes, feeling them burn and smart. "This is really annoying!" she grumbled. "Whoever thought of this idea should just go to hell!"
"Need help, Sakura-san?" Lee offered with a smile.
The pink-haired kunoichi shook her head smilingly. "No thanks, Lee," she replied. "I'm sure you're tired as well. I'll just rest for a minute or two."
The taijutsu master saluted her before he dove back into the water, swimming madly towards the raft. At this rate, he could even return back to Konoha.
She sighed then took a deep breath and dove underwater again.
Tenten was the first one to climb on the raft. The very first one, even from the other teams. Neji, Shino, Temari and Kiba (he left Akamaru with Tenten) had already dived deeper underwater to retrieve the chest. The weapons specialist immediately pulled out two kunais from her holster and started rubbing them furiously into the large torch.
One minute… 2 minutes… Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata had already reached the rafts and the blond Kyuubi jumped back into the water. Sasuke performed some hand seals in front of the torch and used his Katon: Goukakyuu. A fire was immediately lit on their torch. The Uchiha smirked at her smugly.
Tenten, feeling annoyed, rubbed her kunais harder continuously until a spark was created. She gently blew on it until it grew and became a roaring fire. She stuck a tongue out at him then waved at Hinata brightly.
"Damn!" Neji, Shino, Kiba and Temari had resurfaced with the chest in their hands. The boys heaved it on top of the raft, gently rocking it, as Temari climbed aboard.
Kiba shook his head like a dog, sending water everywhere. The Sand kunoichi pushed him back into the water in annoyance.
"Where are Shikamaru and Ino?" Kiba asked, climbing back on the raft.
Shino and Neji unlocked the chest and pulled out seven torches which they all lit just as Shikamaru and Ino arrived and climbed onto the raft, the latter panting hard. Apparently, the shadow master had lost the will to swim to watch the clouds again and Ino was forced to drag him along with her.
On the Sharingan Team…
Sasuke was eyeing the Byakugan Team who had finally retrieved their chest and was pulling out the torches. He folded his arms across his chest, a dark expression on his face. Hinata, on the other hand, was waiting for Naruto to resurface, peering over the water anxiously.
After some minutes, Naruto resurfaced along with Kankuro, Lee and Sakura, the chest in their hands. Kankuro was muttering something about idiotic dobes who got tangled in a forest of seaweeds.
"Where's Chouji?" Sakura glanced around then found the portly boy still swimming halfway towards them. She slapped her forehead. Well, at least she wasn't the last one to get there.
Sasuke effortlessly unlocked the chest and they started lighting them up. "We'll just meet him there on our way back," he said flatly, handing Sakura two torches. He then sat down on the edge of the raft. "C'mon, what are you waiting for?"
The pink-haired kunoichi looked around then stared at Sasuke with wide eyes. "Me?" She pointed at herself.
The Uchiha rolled his eyes. "C'mon, you can ride on my shoulders." Sakura grinned as she settled on his shoulders, her legs tucked behind his back.
"Hinata-chan!" Lee called to the timid girl, bounding over to him. "I'll carry you on my shoulders also!" The white-eyed girl nodded slightly (although a bit disappointed that it wasn't Naruto who offered it) as the taijutsu master helped her up before giving her the torches.
Naruto and Kankuro stared at the two pairs then at each other. "No way am I going to ride on you!" they both shouted at the same time.
The Sand Nin sighed then whipped out his puppet, using his chakra to control the puppet. He then climbed onto the puppet, holding two torches, and followed the two other pairs, leaving Naruto behind on the raft.
"Oi!" the Kyuubi shouted but was deliberately ignored by the others. "OI!"
Ino glanced at the shouting Kyuubi then turned to Shikamaru who was lying on the raft and watching the clouds. "What are we going to do now?" she demanded. "Sasuke-kun and the others are already on their way back, you lazy bum!"
"They did leave the dobe behind," Kiba said, jerking a thumb over his shoulders at the screaming blond.
The shadow master yawned then rolled on his side. "Is this raft heavy?"
"Probably," Temari replied, shrugging. "With us on board."
"You think you guys can pull it with the girls on it?" Shikamaru turned to Neji, Shino and Kiba. "Of course, I'll push at the back."
Shino pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose then glanced below the raft. "I think we can," he said calmly. "The raft is supported by weightless foams on underneath which makes it buoyant. It will be easier to pull it than without the foams."
"All right then." Shikamaru yawned then turned to Tenten. "Tenten, I want you to go underwater and cut the rope tying the raft to the seabed below. Make sure you cut it far below."
The kunoichi nodded, handing Neji the two torches she was holding, then dove underwater. After a minute or two, they felt the raft slowly moving then Tenten broke the surface with a grin. She climbed back up and took back the torches.
"We'll pull this raft to the shore?" Kiba asked in disbelief. "Are you serious? The beach is so far away from us! We'll die of exhaustion!"
"Dead serious, Kiba," Neji replied flatly, jumping into the water with Shino.
"Why can't we just think of another way?" the dog-loving boy argued. "We could just use a sail then that girl—" He pointed at Temari who still has her fan slung on her back. "—can make wind for us!"
"That's a good suggestion, dog boy," Temari remarked. "Except one problem: What are we going use as a sail?"
They glanced at each other then… they all looked at Kiba. Aside from Kankuro, who was still wearing his brown hooded suit, Kiba was also wearing his gray jacket. Ino raised an eyebrow at Temari and Tenten who both grinned. The three girls then advanced at Kiba who started to back away.
"W-Wait! Don't tell me you're gonna use my jacket!" the Inuzuka heir screamed, backing away then falling into the water, right into Shino's waiting arms. "Wait! Shino has a jacket too! His is much larger than mine! Or… Or, hey, we could just use the wind as a motor! Yeah, that's right! Use the wind as a motor!"
"What?" the group asked blankly.
Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, the guy's right," he said in a bored tone. "Using the recoil force of the fan as it is being used, it could push us forward since the fan is big enough to create a gust of wind."
The group stared at him blankly as if he just started to speak in alien language. Shikamaru grumpily grumbled under his breath then told Temari to use her fan to create a strong gust of wind away from their raft.
The Sand Nin nodded, opening her fan to the third purple dot. "San no Hoshi!" A massive gust of wind was released and because of the equally-powerful backward force created by the wind, they were pushed forward so fast and abrupt that Ino swore they were skimming the water at the speed of light.
"See?" Shikamaru settled back on the raft. "Simple physics."
(Third Law of Motion: For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. When Temari created a powerful wind directed away from the raft, the wind also created an equally powerful force that pushed the raft forward. Just think of a jet and its rocket… you know, the flaming tip of it. As the thrust is directed to the opposite side, it pushes the rockets forward. That's also what happened in Temari's group, except they used wind power.)
Naruto decided to just swim back to the shore, his torch already extinguished by the water. He decided that Sasuke would be able to light it again with his Katon anyway so there would be no problem even if it fire was extinguished. But just as he had reached halfway towards the shore, he looked around to see how the Byakugan Team was faring. Much to his shock and disbelief, the Byakugan Team's makeshift raft was hurling towards him at breakneck speed.
"What the—"
Temari was still wafting her fan madly and so, the poor, battered raft was skimming the surface of the water, almost barely touching it.
The blond Kyuubi let out a loud shriek as the raft flew into the air like a deadly projectile and dove underwater. With that much force, it could have beheaded him if the raft had suddenly hit his exposed neck.
"I'm going to die!" Ino shrieked as their raft sailed into the air like a Jet Ski that had hit a steep ramp. She was holding onto the calm and bored-looking Shikamaru who seemed unfazed by their raft's flying ability. "I'm too young to die!"
"Get a grip, Ino! You won't die!" Kiba shouted back, cowering with Akamaru as well. Clearly, dogs are not meant to fly like birds. "We won't die, right, Sand Nin? RIGHT!"
Temari rolled her eyes at the two shinobis. "Why would you?"
The raft continued to soar into the sky like some Unidentified Flying Object projected by a slingshot until it hit the shore with a loud thud, throwing its passengers on the sand. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shizune and the Jounins' jaws dropped. Even Sasuke and his group who had also reached the shore at the same time as them were dumbfounded at what had happened.
Tenten groaned as she pulled herself up. "Damn… Did someone get the plate of the truck that just hit me?" Her world was spinning and she was slightly swaying when she turned to Neji who held her arms to steady her. "Thanks…"
Ino was still holding Shikamaru's neck with a vise-like grip, still shrieking her head off. The lazy shinobi pried her away from him.
"Oi, oi! It's over!" he said, slapping her cheeks gently. "Stop shouting. It's annoying." He moved his head towards Shino who was calmly holding all seven flaming torches (don't ask me how he did it). "The torches all right?"
The impassive Aburame heir nodded deeply and when the Byakugan group had finally recovered and retrieved their lost senses, he handed them their torches.
"Dobe! You stupid idiot!" Kankuro shouted at the still stunned Kyuubi. "Come over here right now! We might still have a chance to beat them!"
But Naruto was clearly perplexed, mystified and lost. He was staring into space, his eyes blank and uncomprehending. "The raft… It flew… Nearly hit me… How… That girl…" He was saying incoherent things again, but then, it's not like it's news to everyone.
The puppet master shook his head. "He is so far gone…"
Sasuke let out a dismayed grunt as he crouched and let Sakura off his shoulders. "Once a dobe, always a dobe," he muttered darkly, taking his own torch and trudging on the sand. His group, minus Naruto, followed him, their torches in hand.
The pink-haired kunoichi glanced at the other team with a sigh. "They'll get the immunity, of course," she said in a disappointed voice. "And someone in our group has to go home."
"Naruto!" the Sharingan Team shouted furiously at the same time, except Hinata who looked sad. It was, after all, the blond boy's fault that they had lost. He had stayed at the raft to shout colorful epithets to his teammates instead of just jumping into the water and swimming back. But no, he had to stall time by screaming like a girl!
"We could've died, you know!" Ino muttered loudly for Temari and Kiba to hear. "Some people are just as idiotic as Naruto, suggesting life-threatening ideas and even agreeing with them!"
"Get a grip, Ino!" Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "We weren't killed."
The blonde shinobi turned to him, her eyes ablaze like blue flames. "So now you're taking her side?" she demanded hotly.
Temari smirked at her, looping an arm around Shikamaru's. "Are you jealous that he did?"
Ino placed her hands on her waist, shoving her torch to Shino. The boy said nothing in response. "Why would I be jealous of someone like you?" she demanded then turned to the dark-haired Jounin who was trying to shrug Temari's arm off. "Fine! Stay with her then!"
She seized her own torch from Shino then stomped back to the stage where the Hokage and the others were waiting.
"Ino! Oi, Ino!" Shikamaru called her with a sigh. He glanced at Temari. "You really have to piss her off, don't you?"
The blonde Sand Nin grinned. "It's better than pissing dog boy off."
Neji and Tenten watched as Ino stormed past them, muttering darkly under her breath. Once in a while, they'd hear words like "Sand", "Fan girl" and "Stupid, lazy bum". The two looked at each other then glanced back over their shoulders at their other teammates.
"Another lovers quarrel, I presume," Tenten said with an exasperated sigh. "Shikamaru just don't get it, doesn't he?"
"It's amusing to see the girls fight over someone like him," Neji admitted, a slim eyebrow raised. "It's like watching Haruno and Yamanaka fight over Uchiha."
"You're making it sound like Shikamaru is a terrible guy," Tenten chided him. "Besides, Naruto and Lee often fight to determine who would challenge you. You could say they're fighting over you." The Hyuuga prodigy's face darkened at this. She giggled. "So, I guess, you're no different from Shikamaru and Sasuke. Except guys fight over you, not girls."
"ALL RIGHT!" Gai had once again taken the role of emcee slash host on the stage. The shinobis all took a step back, afraid of the torrent flood of tears he might release later on. "It seems that both teams are already here! We shall now award the immunity and the prizes."
Kakashi stood on his side, the "immunity" on his hands, a much smaller and lighter version of the Hokage Monument.
"And the immunity goes to…" Gai paused for that drum-roll, Oscar-awarding effect. The shinobis rolled their eyes. "Team Byakugan!"
There was no clapping, no howling, no crying. Well, Gai was crying since his prodigy 'had beaten the prodigy of his eternal and most worthy rival, Kakashi'. And just when the white-haired Jounin was about to hand them the immunity statue, Sasuke just had to raise his hand dramatically. Everyone turned to him.
"I object," he said flatly. They all rolled their eyes in exasperation. That's Uchiha Sasuke, the one who couldn't accept defeat. "They used chakra to propel their raft towards the shore. We should have been the winners."
"That was taijutsu, you idiot!" Temari growled at him. "You don't use chakra in taijutsu!"
"Besides, even if we used chakra to propel the raft, we wouldn't have broken any rules," Shikamaru added lazily. "The Hokage instructed us not to use chakra to WALK on the water. She didn't specifically said not to use chakra on our way back here."
Neji smirked at him. "Really, Uchiha, do you have to show that you're a sore loser?"
And so, before all hell broke loose between the two prodigies, Tsunade stepped in between, seizing the megaphone from Gai. She cleared her throat. "Since the Byakugan won, they would be safe until the immunity title is taken away from them in the next challenge. As for the Sharingan Team, you shall have the tribal council tomorrow evening where you will vote one of your members off the island."
"Can't we do it now?" Sasuke asked crankily, glaring at Naruto who had just arrived at the beach.
Tsunade scowled at him. "Don't be a spoiled brat! We'll follow the system here, all right?" she said. "I'll have the Jounins fetch you tomorrow when it's time."
"What's the prize?" Kiba suddenly asked.
"Oh, yeah, the prize," Tsunade said then motioned Asuma and Kakashi to fetch the large crate lying on one side of the stage. "It's actually nothing… Just some rice, two live chickens and a fishing pole."
"Food!" the Byakugan team chorused happily as the two Jounins laid the crate before them. Kiba hastily pulled the top and they all peered inside.
"How did you manage to place the chickens inside this crate?" Ino pointed out as Shino pulled a live and tied chicken from the box.
Tsunade glanced at Kakashi who just grinned. She jerked her thumb at the ex-ANBU. "Ask him."
Naruto was watching the other team with envy in his eyes. He groaned, clutching his stomach. "How come they got the food? Shouldn't we get it since we're the losers?"
"Baka!" Sakura slammed a fist on the Kyuubi's head. "If you hadn't stalled so much time and just swam over here, we would've gotten it!" She then sighed longingly at the Byakugan group as they hauled off their prize to their beach. "They're so lucky…"
"C'mon, we'll just have to find and catch our own food," Sasuke said, motioning his group to follow him.
Chouji followed Sasuke with a longing look on his face. "Not fair…"
"Don't worry, Chouji!" Lee struck one of his poses again, the determination and burning passion one. "We shall beat them in the next challenge and take all the food we can! For now, I shall run around the forest to find us something to eat. If not, then I shall swim from the beach to the yacht 200 times. And if not, I would—"
"Yeah, yeah," Chouji said wearily and hungrily.
"I'll go with Lee," Sasuke told them. "We'll try to find something. You guys can try to catch fishes."
"Yeah, we'll do that."
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