This one is a bit long, but bear with me, please
6
The first round
When they got to the relatively small stage, the Hokage explained the rules.
"You may not try to injure or kill the opponent. The battle is over at first blood or if the opponent gives up. The first blood is five points, a vote is taken; the winner of the vote gets five points, and the most outrageous insult or threat is five points. Those who will fight or have fought may vote, but you may not vote for your match.
"Those who wish to fight, come onto the stage." Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, Shino, and Negi walked onto the stage. Shikamaru was pushed onto the stage by Naruto. He bumped into Temari, who blushed a deep red and moved slightly away. When he didn't move to get up, she helped him up.
His hands are so soft! It's as if he doesn't do anything all day!
"First match, Kankuro and Hinata." The Hokage announced.
Kankuro wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure he wanted to win, seeing as Gaara liked her, but he wasn't about to lose to a girl. HE also wasn't whether he could win. She was Hyuuga, and he had seen how determined she was during the Chuunin exams. On the other hand, he could definitely get the insult prize.
"You little mouse turd!" he yelled. "I should shove you up an elephant's nose." Hinata laughed. That wasn't the desired effect. "And then make the elephant sneeze you all the way home." Everyone laughed that time.
Then, the mood changed, and Kankuro drew a knife. He lunged at her. Out of reflex, she stuck his arm, causing it to go numb. He jumped back. The numbness faded and he wished he hadn't retreated. She drew her knife. Instead of lunging, she threw hers. He dodged, thus getting his sleeve cut, but no blood. He drew two knives, and so did Hinata. They attacked, and met in the middle. He kept Hinata on the defense, striking again and again.
Finally, he decided what to do. He got into a good position, and applied all his weight on the knives, bearing her down. Suddenly, she bit him. It was the one thing he didn't expect, and it hurt. Worse, it bled. As soon as she saw the blood, she backed down. He looked at the bite-marks. She spat.
"You taste bad!" she exclaimed. He laughed. "I'm never going to bite you again if my life depends on it!"
"Good, it hurts." The Hokage laughed with everyone else.
"You may vote." The Hokage concluded. "For Hinata?" Half the hands were raised. All the people in their little group were in support of Hinata except the other Sand ninjas. It was split down the middle.
Then, Gaara raised his hand. The balance was tipped, and Hinata won. Kankuro stared. Gaara valued her more than the team—him. He really was in love.
"Winner--Hinata, fifteen points." said the Hokage. Kankuro's face burnt. He hadn't even won the insulting!
He walked down. Hinata bowed first; then walked down.
At the bottom Hinata was crowded by people, who wanted to congratulate her. When they were done, Gaara walked up.
"Congratulations," he said. "You deserved it." Hinata smiled and blushed.
"Arigatou."
"Next match: Negi and Shino."
Shino looked less confidant than usual, as everyone knew how good Negi was. Negi looked grimly confidant.
"I think it will be more likely for my insects to squash you than for you to squash my insects." Shino said.
"Your body is nothing but an anthill, with many ants in your head. Is there room for a brain among those ants?" They obviously didn't usually insult their opponents before fighting.
Negi drew a knife and activated the Byakugan. He rushed at Shino, knowing that it would be a race. If he hit Shino before an insect bit him, he would win. He lunged as fast as he could, but an insect got him seconds before he scratched Shino. Shino looked pleased with himself, as the Hokage asked for votes.
"You may vote." The Hokage said. "For Negi?" It was almost everyone. Perhaps ten hands were down.
"Winner—Negi, with ten points."
Shino walked off of the stage; looking pleased with himself for all that he had lost.
Negi smiled, and walked off the stage into a crowd of screaming girls, which made him stop smiling.
"Next match: Temari and Shikamaru."
Shikamaru walked onto the stage, wondering whether to try. He decided to see if she was interesting. If she was, he wouldn't try, and if she wasn't, he would try, so he wouldn't lose to her again.
He watched her reaction to him. She was slightly flushed, and didn't look very determined. She seemed sort of like Hinata. But when he wasn't there, she seemed to be much more like a tomboyish version of loud, intimidating, Ino. It was something to do with him. He thought of all her reactions to him.
Shikamaru was pushed onto the stage by Naruto. He bumped into Temari, who blushed a deep red and moved slightly away. When he didn't move to get up, she helped him up.
When he made eye contact with her, she blushed and looked away.
Yet people always seem to describe her as tomboyish and anything but shy. What about me could make her shy? She isn't afraid of me; no one is until I have them in my control. So…A stricken expression crossed his face. Oh my god, I can't beat her now! She…
He decided the best way to get out. "Hokage-sama," he started. "This was all a big mistake. I was pushed onto the stage by Naruto." He said. Temari saw the reason for saying this. She blushed. Everyone there glared at Naruto, who had fooled them into thinking that there would be a incredibly mind-bending match between two great thinkers.
"Naruto," the Hokage wasn't happy.
"Gomen nassai, Shikamaru." Naruto apologized. He acted like a dog being scolded.
"Next match: Gaara and Tenten." Tenten swallowed. She hated him, and she wanted him to get together with her best friend, and she was afraid of him. She wasn't sure what to conclude.
Gaara was smiling confidently. She used weapon attacks; easy to counter. And he could easily use the sand to pierce her skin. The question was where. He wanted to draw blood, but not enough to bring out the monster. The finger, he decided.
"I could smother you with one grain of sand, and kill you with two."
"You're a despicable lily-livered toad-wart on a hippo's rump." Tenten used a unique insult that she had made up on the spot.
Gaara showed no sign of having heard; his sand came out. A spike of it attacked Tenten's finger. She dodged about three times and threw a knife. The sand caught it with ease, and got her finger while she was distracted. A single drop of blood fell from Tenten's finger and she knew she had lost. She smiled.
"You're good," she said. She didn't hate or fear him any more. She respected him more than Guy-sensei, but she wasn't afraid any more.
"You may vote." The Hokage said. "For Tenten?" Temari and Kankuro were the only ones with their hands down.
"Winner—Gaara" Tenten walked down, immediately followed by Gaara, who didn't bow.
"You won." said Hinata at the bottom to Gaara. "Congratulations." Gaara smiled. Temari noticed. He smiles a lot, now. And he tries not to kill people, though I can see it on his face when he wants to. But he's happy.
Oops
Negi smiled, and walked off the stage into a crowd of screaming girls, which made him smile wider as he took it their features with his eyes.
Plesae reveiw. I hope this story isn't going to fast.
