Chapter Two:
Meetings and Beginnigs

Amber and Devon shortly had discovered that everyone was waiting in a small convention room,which was quickly filling up with Nin's from various villages. Easily spotting Brian and Liane, the four stuck together,not really making any effort to talk to any of the others who seemed strange and slightly intimidating to them. No one had seen Richard yet and Holly seemed to have completely vanished all together.Though, the group figured she had met up with
someone and either got side-tracked or had just 'ditched' them altogether. Glancing around the room, the four soon realized that this meeting was sappoused to break the ice between everyone participating,though it wasn't working as each of the nin's had broken into groups with people
they either knew or had met prior to the tournament. That is, all except for one boy who had blonde hair and wore bright orange clothing-he was rather loud and slightly annoying as he seemed to be talking excitedly about something louder then most others were.
'So...She's not entering, eh? If I had known that I wouldn't have let her go...'
Brian finally muttered, obviously unimpressed of Holly's actions while he took the chance to scan the crowd for her.
'She wouldn't just leave us...would she?'
Liane also looked around but had a look of concern on her face, thinking that maybe something bad had happened.
'...No...She's probably met up with Richard.'
Devon replied, he too glancing around but used the moment to hide the fact that he had a look of uncertinty cross his face.
'Sure are a lot of Nin's here.'
Amber muttered, she had been trying to count how many exactly but with so many people moving about and not having a very good view of the room-she soon lost count and finally just gave up even trying. The others nodded silently, it looked as if almost everyone who planned on
entering were already there-making it almost near impossible for any of them to move around without bumping into someone else. The four fall silent for a moment while listening to some of the conversations being had by various other people, however it was hard to pick up what any
of them were talking about. Amongst all the chatter they only managed to pick out a few words
or phrases.
'Ninja...'
One person said loudly,
'In the...'
Another passing by, talking to a younger girl,
'Night...'
Came a third from a boy who seemed to be making crawling gestures with his hands. The four friends looked at each other, all with the same grins on their faces as they knew they were all thinking of the same thing-a little song they had heard not too long before the tournament.

Insert Ninja in the night, with Amber and Brian here,to be added at a later date.
since I don't currently have the words,
you'll just have to imagine them making a scene singing the song, and if you don't know it-go
look it up. awsome vid and all.

The room remained silent as all eyes were on Amber and Brian as they finished their 'song'.
Devon and Liane had been standing out of sight dancing silently to their friends singing.
'ALRIGHT!'
Exclaimed the boy with the bright clothes, seeming to be one of the few who had truly enjoyed the entertainment. Dashing through the doors moments later, was none other then their friend, Richard-Who came to a skidding hault by Devon and Liane.
'What I miss?'
He asked breathlessly, noting that almost everyone were starring at Amber and Brian, who were currently standing on a small platform at the front of the room.
'Not much. Just Amber and Brian going crazy.'
Replied Liane chuckling, and shaking her head slightly. From her spot on the platform, Amber could clearly now see across the entire room-that's when she noticed Holly standing at the back
but one of the doors talking to a man in a black cloak and wore a ghost mask. Holly looked very serious and almost fearful of the man she seemed to be having a private conversation with.
Suddenly Holly gave a small bow to the man as he moved away, blending into the crowd-Holly spotted her friends and began to jog towards them. Grinning widely she waved to the four off to
the side as she got closer, accidentally bumpig into some guy in a long black velvet cloak.
'I'm so sorry.'
she hestily said with an apologetic tone, before she dashed off a few more feet stopping just in front of Devon, Liane and Richard.
'You'll never guess who I sa-'
'HEY!'
Holly's excited question was interrupted by the shout of an angry voice-Turning around swiftly, the next thing Holly knew it, she was on the ground several feet away from where she had been
standing. At first she didn't know what had happened but quickly found relized the instant the blinding pain raced through her head and down her spine. Trying her best not to scream out in pain, Holly curled up into a small ball on the ground, hiding her face in her arms as she hugged
her knees. The room had fallen deadly silent as all eyes were now on Holly and the man who had punched her.Amber tried to get to her friend, but no one would budge to let her pass-Brian was having the same problem only a few feet away.
'C'mon-Aren't you going to fight back?'
The man half laughed half growled, obviously hoping to start a fight with someone who looked much weaker then him. The three she had been talking to were frozen in disbelief and shock at
seeing one of their friends get attacked.
'HEY-LEAVE HER ALONE!'
Yelled a boy only moments before the man in velvet was punched back into his buddies and landed on a ground with a loud 'thud', which resulted in him biting his lip. Slowly, Holly glanced up to see who had come to her defence as she knew that it wasn't one of her friends, she didn't
reconize the voice. It was the boy in orange, all his previous enjoyment gone as a look of anger washed over his face. The man was shocked to find himself on the ground, however, he was not going to let this go unpunished. Quickly leaping back to his feet, the man pulled back his arm to punch the boy in orange.
'That's Enough!'
An Offical looking man had stepped between the two and was giving both of them a grin of slight amusement.
'There'll be a time for that during the tournament-until then, we can't have you killing each other, now can we?'
The man in velvet scowled darkly before turning to his buddies and walking away, while muttering something offensive under his breath. The boy in orange only nodded before turning to check on Holly, who was still sitting on the floor now in disbelieve.
'Hey-Are you alright?'
'Yea...Thanks...'
She smiled brightly at him, to let him know that she was genuinly grateful.
'Your bleeding.'
He said rather suddenly, causing Holly to look a little confused before lifting her hand to the spot
where she could feel a small trickle of warm blood.
'Oh...'
She went red as if she felt stupid for bleeding, adverting her gaze to the boy's feet instead of looking him in the face.
'C'mon, I'll help you get cleaned up.'
The Offical man had moved beside the boy and grinned oddly down at Holly. Amber and Brian who had finally managed to muscle their way through the crowd, both noticed the look in Holly's eyes. If the two didn't know better, they would almost have to think that Holly knew this older man. Offering his hand, Holly slowly took it and allowed the offical man to pull her to her feet.
The boy in orange was giving the offical a look of distrust and suspecion, he didn't seem to like the man helping Holly.
'Thanks...Oh!'
Suddenly turning, Holly looked to the boy in orange, all fear and doubt gone from her eyes as she gave him a large grin then a quick hug of thanks.
'By the way...My name's Holly. What's yours?'
Looking slightly shocked at Holly's outburst, the boy finally returned the smile and rubbed the back of his head slightly chuckling.
"I'm Naruto!'
'Naruto, huh? I like that name. Anyways, I should go with this nice man and wash up. See you
'round, Naruto.'
Holly gave a friendly wave before following the older man out of the room, bowing her head as her grin slowly faded to a look of worry.
'What are you doing here?'
She thought while glancing at the back of the offical man-but remaining silent until she left the room. Watching her leave, Naruto was finally dragged off by a pink haired girl who seemed to be half scolding him for fighting and half telling him he did good by sticking up for a stranger-a rather confusing lecture to listen into.
'Geez! The Tournament hasn't even started yet and already Holly's made and impression.'
Devon stated loudly as Brian and Amber finally joined them.
'Oh... I hope I get to fight that man! I'll kick his ass for hurting Holly!'
Liane growled, much to most of the groups surprise except Brian who sighed and patted her on the head telling her how 'cute' she was.
'What's up with Holly today? She seems to not be able to...'
Richard was cut off as the Judge walked to the front on the platform and coughed loudly to catch everyone' attention.
'Welcome, Welcome. Let us Begin!'
He beamed, his voice booming loudly over the chatter of the crowd. Everyone fell silent to listen to the judge.
'This tournament is pretty straight foreward, for the most part, but I won't bother you with that now. There are 30 of you,much more then we had expected but that's alright. So, now, the rounds will be fought one-on-one. As for the rulse, no killing-that will result in a disqualification. other then that, have fun!'
There was some muttering as the crowd debated over what the had just been told-some liked it while others found it lazy and disorginized, while others still didn't care much for it, preferring to be able to kill their opponents.
'The day is still young-'
The judge continued, still enjoying the crowds reaction.
'Right-so let us begin, my assisstant here will continue on...'
The judge backed away as the offical looking man who had disappeared with Holly stepped foreward.
'Though the tournament's matches are one-on-one, you will be on two seperate teams,consisting of 15 people on each team.'
The room errupted once again only to fall silent once more as the offical raised a hand for silence.
'Before the first match can even begin we still must split you up. So, when I call out your name I want you to come foreward and pick one piece of paper from the jar. Once you have that paper do not show it to anyone-go directly through the door marked with the corrisponding letter to that
on your paper. Now then...'
While the offical pulled a scroll from behind him the room was as loud as ever as everyone seemed to be talking at once. the fact that they may not even be on the same team as their friends or people they knew was the hot topic.
'It's a real drag that Holly chose not to enter.'
Richard stated moments before his name was called. Waving he went up front and followed the instructions of the Offical, trying to keep his face emotionless as he vanished behind one of the doors.
Slowly, one by one the room emptied as the participants all disappeared behind either door 'A' or door 'B'. Leaving Brian and Devon as some of the few remaining to have their name's called.
They stood for a few minutes in silence, both waiting and wondering-but time seemed to have come to a crawl as no more then 6 people waited patiently.
'hmmmm.poor Liane.'
Devon suddenly muttered, bringing Brian from his thoughts as he glanced at Devon questioningly.
'Richard and Amber went through the Right door while I distinctly saw Liane go through the left door.'
He continues seemingly to be unaware that Brian was listening to his outloud thoughts.
'Liane would be very lonely if she were the only one of us on that team.'
Devon jumped slightly at hearing Brian speak.
'Yea-it wouldn't be too good.'
he commented, with Devon making a grunting noise in reply. Finally, after what seemed like forever Brian was called up followed directly by Devon. The two took their papers and looked at each other in silence before walking in opposite directions. Both stopped simutainously just short of the door they were to enter, giving one last glance back at the other.
'At least Liane's not alone...'
Called Devon smiling politely.
'Don't think that just because we're friends that we'll go easy on you.'
Replied Brian smirking before disappearing through the door. Leaving Devon to stand there alone for a few moments before he too walked through the door.