Chapter 10: Opaque

"Are you going to be okay?" Naruto asked Sakura, as the girl dashed around the backstage area.

"Huh?" Sakura squeaked. Sasuke put a hand on her shoulder and she screamed.

"Relax." He whispered and she heaved large gulps of air. "What are you so nervous about? You've made plenty of speeches in front of the Konoha villagers."

"This isn't a speech." Sakura fiddled with her hands. They seemed big and out of place; she couldn't quite figure out what to do with them.

"Sakura-chan, you'll do just fine." Naruto smiled, "Just remember what I told you."

"H-hai."

"We better go find our seats." Sasuke said. "You have everything, right Sakura?"

She nodded vaguely.

The two waved and left the stage.

-

The lights dimmed and the stage lit up. Music so loud you could feel it radiated from the roof of the MegaDome. Sasuke pulled on his collar. Naruto sat on the edge on his seat beside him and further down the line sat Choji, munching on chips, and Shikamaru, looking thoroughly bored.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." A savvy announcer, a small speck on the stage, bellowed at the audience. "We are proud to give you the contestants of the 43rd annual Young Teen Queen Pageant for Kunoichi. Presented by NinCola."

All fifty girls flowed onto the stage, like a flower opening in the sun.

Naruto put a hand to his forehead.

"Where's Sakura-chan?"

"In the middle, next to Ino. Number 14."

Naruto glared at the small speck.

"Oh, I see! Waaah, she looks so pretty."

Sasuke gave him an odd look.

"How can you tell from this distance?"

"Man," Naruto moaned, "why didn't we get better seats?"

"Because we got these for free."

"Cheap."

Sasuke chuckled.

"All of the pearls you see before you have proven that they are the epitome of kunoichi." The announcer rambled on. "But only one will but named the Young Teen Queen of Kunoichi!" The crowd erupted in cheers. "And tonight we will find out which one she is!"

More cheers. Sasuke yawned and stole a glance over at Shikamaru, who looked positively asleep.

The show began. The contestant showed a range of talents from simple henge no jutsu to juggling plates.

"How the hell do they choose these people?" Naruto asked, bored out of his mind, as a contestant preformed a basic bunshin technique.

"It's based on looks." Sasuke answered mundanely, "These things are so fake. It's hardly a talent show."

Most of the crowd, however didn't share Sasuke's sentiments. They rooted and cheered for the beautiful, but talentless girl as she bowed and stepped off the stage. She seemed to have a whole fan club in the row above them.

"Go Miyuki-chan!"

"We love you!"

"You'll win for sure!"

Sasuke rubbed his head in annoyance.

"Number 12." The host announced.

Akari walked onto the stage, wearing what looked like a priestess uniform.

"Akari-chan will be performing the S-ranked sealing technique, the Bloodline Binding Seal."

"Oh really?" Sasuke's interest grew.

"What is it?" Naruto scratched his head.

"A semi-permanent area seal that stops all advanced bloodline techniques and abilities of one or more targets within a given radius."

"Kinda like that seal Jiraiya put on you during your probation?"

"No, that was only good for one person. This technique seals all advanced bloodlines that comes within the circle as long as they stay in that circle."

"I don't get it."

"Just watch, dumbass."

Akari drew 12 sutras from her pockets, six in each hand. She spun dispersing the rectangular paper slips in an even circle around her. She made a hand seal and held it out to full arms length.

"Sealing no Jutsu!" She began. The sutras lifted into the air about three feet and started to glow as did a fine circular line beneath them. Akari motioned a couple more hand seals.

"Bloodline Binding Seal!" She slammed her hands onto the stage. As she did, the sutras plastered themselves to the ground again, each emitting a photonic ray to another, creating a twelve pointed star shape upon the wooden stage. The star glowed, shooting rays of light upward into the endless ceiling of the MegaDome. Akari's clothes billowed toward the sky in the updraft of illumination. After a second, the ray dispersed leaving a glowing mark upon the ground. Akari stood up and wiped a sleeve across her brow.

The crowd danced with enthusiasm.

"Now that was cool." Naruto gawked.

"It's a good thing we won't have to fight her." Sasuke replied wistfully.

With a wave of Akari's hand, the glowing ring disappeared.

"Number 13." The announcer called as Akari walked of the stage.

Ino stepped onto the stage, confidently.

"Go Ino!!" Choji hollered. Sasuke saw Shikamaru jerk awake and sit up right. Sasuke smiled coyly.

Ino asked for five members of the audience. They stood in a row before the crowd, in front of Ino, as she made her signature hand seal.

"Ninpou Shintenshin no Jutsu!"

The strong release on chakra engulfed the crowd and the five figures before them began to do flips and tricks while Ino bowed to her audience. The stadium clapped ferociously.

"Five and still standing?!" Naruto exclaimed, "But she could only do three when we left!"

"She's gotten better." Sasuke muttered as Ino left the stage. "and that's going to be harder for us. I hope Sakura is watching."

"No time for that. She's up next."

-

"Number 14."

Sakura barely heard the announcer as she stepped onto the stage. Her legs felt detached. Her arms tingled. She walked nervously into the center of the stage and stared out into the pitch black and blinding lights. She couldn't see them, but they were there; thousands of people staring at nothing but her. She felt stripped and naked. To the left a man cleared his throat, to the right a woman shuffled uneasily and somewhere far in the back, Naruto's voice screamed something undistinguishable.

But above the nervousness, the image of Ino's anguish resonated in Sakura's mind. Sakura felt her pain, and it clutched at her heart. The music picked up.

Grasp a strong emotion and run with it. Don't sing with your voice, sing with your heart. Naruto's words resounded in her mind.

She gripped her microphone and took a deep breath.

She sang. She sang with everything that she was. The emotions she'd bottled up while comforting Ino crawled out of her heart, clambered up her throat, dove off her tongue, and flew like bats out of hell into the black abyss before her.

She sang for Ino. She sang for Tazuna and Inari. She sang for it all.

Can you here me, Konoha? I'm sorry! I didn't want to run away! Please don't be angry, Godaime, Kakashi-sensei, everyone! I miss you all! I want to go home! Please understand!

As the song's bridge began, Sakura didn't even notice the tears running down her face or the strength of her voice through the microphone. She just felt. She just was.

-

The crowd roared. Whistles were thrown as Sakura bowed and exited the stage wiping her eyes.

"Incredible." Naruto gasped.

"Looks like she took your advice." Sasuke said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she won."

They listened and watched as the rest of the contestants tried unsuccessfully to approach Sakura's greatness but none came close.

After a couple hours of crap and an intermission, the contestants all gathered on stage again.

"The judges have made they're decision. The second runner-up is...."

A dramatic drum roll thumped through the loud speakers.

"Number 13, Ino"

Ino stepped forward as the crowd cheered. Several show girls came forward and put a bushel of flowers in her arms and a small tiara on her head.

"The first runner-up is..."

Another dramatic drum roll.

"Number 14, Haruko!"

"Aw man," Naruto pouted as Sakura stepped forward to receive her own flowers and slightly larger tiara. "I thought she'd win for sure!"

"Nah," Sasuke grinned as he saw Sakura throw Ino a look. "She did what she said she was going to do. Besides, I think the winner diserves it."

"You know who the winner is?"

"Of course, isn't it obvious?"

Naruto scratched his head.

"And the winner," the host continued, "of the 43rd annual Young Teen Queen Pageant for Kunoichi, presented by NinCola is..."

An even louder drum roll echoed through the stadium.

"... Number 12, Akari!"

"Didn't see that coming." Sasuke whispered sarcastically.

Tears ran down Akari's face as she hugged Sakura and Ino and accepted her crown.

Cheesy, sappy music played as she stood on a risen platform and waved at an adoring crowd.

"Akari-san?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Don't tell me you're surprised." Sasuke gave Naruto a questioning glance.

Naruto kept his mouth shut.

-

"Congratulations, Akari-san!"

A large VIP room in the east end of the MegaDome danced as the teams of girls, crewmembers and invited guests partied jovially. Pink and purple light flooded the dimly lit room. A dance floor, fully equipped with a DJ swarmed with dozens of happy dancers.

The rest of the guests lined up at a fully-stocked, refreshments buffet or arranged on the many tables ringed by circular couches. Sakura, Ino and Akari all sat at one such couch, munching on crackers. People passed on their jealous congratulations as they waltzed by.

"Th-thank you." Akari muttered and turned back to Ino and Sakura.

"You look tired, Akari-chan." Sakura stood up. "You want me to get you a soda?"

"It's alright. I'll-" Akari started to get up as well, but Sakura put a hand on her shoulder and forced her back into her seat.

"Sit down. I was going to get some snacks anyway."

"O-oh, thank you, Haruko-san."

Sakura swerved around chattering girls and clumsy light technicians to the long spread of lined tables covered with munchies. Sakura moved down the line to the refreshments section and grabbed a random cola. She awkwardly poured in into a plastic cup and set the 2 liter down amongst its friends. Looking around her carefully, Sakura stuck a hand into her pocket and produced a small pill, which she dropped casually into the soft drink.

The liquid bubbled and fizzed, before settling to its tranquil state. Sakura poured a cup for Ino and herself and took all three back to the table.

-

Shallow footsteps echoed on the pavement into the dark.

"Sasuke, what took you so long?" Naruto hissed.

The two boys huddled in the alley behind the emergency exit. They wore the clothes the bought in the Hidden Mist Village and Sasuke had returned his hair to its original style.

"I brought presents." He said, holding up a package.

"?" Naruto peered into the bag and held up a long-sleeved, white, mesh shirt.

"Sakura's clothes?"

"She told me to bring those, but I got something else."

Sasuke dug into the bag and pulled out a piece of black cloth. He threw it to Naruto, who held it up to the dim light. He pulled at the stretchy fabric.

"Ah... Kakashi-sensei style."

"It's time. C'mon let's go."

The two slipped quietly through the emergency door.

-

"I'm still in shock." Akari said as she sipped her cola. "I feel a little guilty."

"Don't be." Ino smiled. "You deserve the crown. That was a really difficult seal."

"Thank you, Ino-san." Akari sighed.

Ino relaxed in her seat.

"I guess I really did lose to you." Ino mumbled to Sakura.

"Don't be an idiot." Sakura swirled the liquid around in her cup. "This stupid contest? It doesn't mean anything."

Ino laughed.

"Yeah," Ino stopped laughing and looked distant. "I wanted to thank you, Haruko, for this afternoon. I feel much better."

Sakura slipped her soda and smiled.

"No problem, Ino-chan."

"I think I can talk about it now." Ino looked at the braid on her wrist.

I didn't ask, piggy, Sakura thought.

"Sakura was one of three of my friends who died recently."

Akari gasped.

"Ino-san, I had no idea."

"It's been a little hard to talk about. I don't like thinking of them as dead."

"What were they like, Ino-san?" Akari asked.

Ino laughed.

"Well, they were amazing, all three of them, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto was the village idiot, but he was a good idiot. He wasn't smart, or handsome, but his determination was through roof. Out of all of us, he was a born leader. He... had this thing about him... like you didn't want to get outdone by him and somehow you always were." Ino laughed. "He made you a better person just by knowing him..." Sakura smiled. No one actually admitted it to his face, but Naruto was a catalyst for greatness. The entire group agreed on that one.

"Sasuke.... Uwaaaah! He was so fine! He was smart too. He had a lot of problems though. Inner problems, but he got over them. Naruto changed him..."

"Sakura was my rival in everything. Oh, we had so much fun, fighting over Sasuke. Of course, he didn't really care. We stopped fighting over after a while and moved on to other things, the Chuunin exam, whose chest was bigger..." Akari blushed. Sakura snickered to herself. "...she won, but I'm taller!"

Ino scratched her chin.

"I don't really remember when we stopped fighting over Sasuke. I must have been around the time he left for the sound village. Sakura started training really hard with Naruto and I fell for someone else..."

Sakura nearly gagged on her soda. She'd never heard this part; she merely assumed, back then, Ino had labeled Sasuke as an A-ranked asshole and had gave him up for that and only that reason

"Eh?" Sakura leaned in close to Ino, grinning coyly. "Who is this someone else?"

Ino turned red.

"I-it's none of your business."

"Do I know him? Is he on your team?"

Ino turned even redder and tackled Sakura.

A small groan reverberated through Sakura's singing "I know who Ino likes" and Ino's squealing of "Shut up!"

"Huh?" Ino looked up from wringing Sakura's neck. "Akari-san, Are you okay?"

Akari covered her mouth and yawned.

"I don't understand. I'm so tired." Her eyes drooped heavily.

"That sealing technique must have taken a lot out of you." Sakura suggested.

"Yeah," Ino got up and moved to aid Akari. "We should probably take you home."

"But it's so early! I don't want to make you guys leave early. Besides, all I need is a nap; 15 minutes maybe."

"It's okay, Ino-chan. She can sleep in a waiting room and come back when she's rested." Sakura prompted.

"That's a good idea, Haruko. C'mon, Akari-san." Ino put an arm around Akari and lifted her out of her seat. Sakura quickly moved to her other side and together the three hobbled out of the noise, down the hall and into a quiet, vacant, waiting room.

"Are you sure it's okay to leave her here?" Ino asked as they lay Akari's sleeping form on a couch.

"Relax, Ino." Sakura shrugged. "There are security guards everywhere. She'll be fine." Sakura took one last look at Akari, before shutting the door.

Ok guys, it's all up to you now.

-

"Why are we here, Choji?" Shikamaru meandered slowly behind his boisterous friend as they walk along the side of the MegaDome.

"Ino said she'd bring us a cake." Choji whistled happily.

"She won't be out for a couple of hours." Shikamaru complained.

"Then we'll go grab a meal and come back," Choji smiled, "C'mon Shika, it's not like we have anything better to do."

Speak for yourself, Shikamaru looked up into night sky. His stomach gnawed at his insides; he felt jittery and abnormally alive. He had the urge to check up on Ino, but couldn't. Even the stars seemed strange. Something wasn't right.

They moved passively around the Dome, by all the automatic entrances that yawned open in anticipation as they walked by. They were strolling by the emergency exit when Shikamaru stopped.

This is the only door unguarded...

He moved up the step and grasped the handle.

"Shika, what are you doing?" Choji called, "That door is always locked, remember?"

Shikamaru tugged on the knob and the door swung freely open.

"!!" Shikamaru noticed something pink in the lock.

Gum...

"Choji, we have a situation."

Aurhtor's notes: Woohoo! NU has passed the 20,000 word mark! YAY! anyway, on to some interesting facts. "Sasuke's probation" - I figured he wouldn't have it easy once he came back from Oro. If I were Hokage, I'd put him on probation, so I did. :)

Thanks much for reading this story! You have no idea how much I appriciate it!

Next Chapter! Battle! Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura vs. Ino/Shika/Cho!