A/N - Yay! Another chapter finally! Hopefully you've been looking forward to this one!
Anywho, this chapter's a bit of a doozy. There's a lot of action, a lot of dialogue, yada yada. There were some parts of the chapter that were definitely NOT planned beforehand. They just kind of happened. lol. Still, I'd like to think everything turned out rather well.
Believe it or not, I actually LIKE the way this chapter turned out! I think it turned out really well and I really hope you guys enjoy it. So read on and have some fun!
Chapter 5 – The Invasion Begins!
The moment Temari attacked with her wind technique, Naruto disappeared from his spot, easily avoiding the attack. Upon seeing his speed, the wind specialist's eyes widened and she quickly turned, using her now-closed fan to block a punch from behind. When he simply disappeared again, she muttered a curse underneath her breath before jumping away from her current location. She barely managed to avoid a punch from her opponent, but the ground wasn't so lucky.
The moment Naruto's fist hit the ground, a small crater was carved into the ground, shocking not just Temari but the audience as well. Standing straight again, Naruto popped his neck to get out a few uncomfortable kinks. Popping his knuckles as well, he smirked at Temari and said quietly, just loud enough for Temari and Genma to hear, "If you're smart, you'll forfeit this match to me now. Your invasion plan won't succeed. I may have said I wouldn't do anything to stop you, but I have loved ones here and I would really rather they not get hurt because of your actions. Besides that, I really don't want to hurt you. You're too pretty to let some scratches, burns, or whatever else might happen to you."
Blushing slightly at the compliment, Temari soon shook it off and said, "I can't just give up now, Naruto. I may not agree with my father's plan, but…"
Naruto shook his head sadly and said, "That man up there is not your father, Temari-chan. You see, my godfather looked into it and your father was found dead. We believe Orochimaru killed him and took his place, just so he'd have an easier shot at getting to Hokage-sama. Please, Temari-chan, help me convince your people not to go through with this attack. It's not too late."
Eyes wide, the Suna Genin looked up at her 'father' for a moment, almost as if she was trying to get a read on the man. After a time, she looked back at her opponent and shook her head. "You say that…but there's no turning back from this now. My people need me. The Wind daimyo is giving most of our missions to Konohagakure. We're suffering as a result of his idiocy. Please try to understand, Naruto."
Shaking his head in disappointment, Naruto said, "I'm sorry you feel that way. I would have preferred it if we could work out some kind of arrangement and convince the daimyo to giving your village missions again. Try to fix things, you know? As much as I dislike the man, Hokage-sama can be a reasonable person. Working out some kind of agreement wouldn't be impossible or even improbable. But, I can see you're not going to just give this foolish notion to bed. So, I apologize for what I have to do."
Temari blinked in confusion, but the moment she opened her eyes again, Naruto was mere inches from her. Letting out an 'Eep!', she tried to back away, only to suddenly feel his fist buried in her gut. Doubling over, she coughed and gasped for breath. "S-Strong…"
Naruto frowned as he proceeded to land blow after blow upon his opponent until she could no longer stand. Once he was finished, he watched as her body stilled as she drifted into blissful unconsciousness.
Glancing towards the proctor, he saw Genma nod to him before exclaiming, "Winner of the first match: Naruto Uzumaki!"
Nodding at the man in turn, Naruto proceeded to leave the field while medics rushed out to collect the beaten and bruised Temari. That should keep her out of commission for a while. She won't wake up until after the invasion. Even if she does awaken, she'll be in too much pain to do anything about it. I just hope she can forgive me for what I have to do.
In the stands
Kin and Karin whooped and hollered as their shared boyfriend was announced the winner of the first match. Oh sure, they knew without a doubt that he'd win the fight, but it was still exciting to see him really kick some ass down there.
Sasuke was sitting in between the two of them, a small smile on her face. Good job Naruto.
Sadly, they did have some unwelcome guests sitting close to them. Sakura, Ino, and Kiba in particular. The other rookies were there as well, or at least the ones that had failed to make it through the preliminary matches.
"How? How the hell did the idiot win?" Kiba questioned. "There's no way he should have won that fight!"
Hearing this, Kin scoffed and turned to face him. "Naruto-kun trained really hard for this. He's not about to lose to anybody. So do us all a favor and shut up, would you?"
Sakura frowned deeply and said, "But…he was never this fast or strong before. He couldn't ever do anything right! He was a complete, hopeless idiot! None of this makes any sense!"
Karin glared at Sakura and said, "Wow. It's nice to know you think sooo highly of your teammate. Do tell me, who was it that rescued your sorry ass in the Forest of Death? He didn't do it just once, he saved you twice."
Sakura scowled at having that reminder thrown in her face. "That doesn't change anything. Sasuke-kun could have easily handled everything if Naruto wasn't there!"
Sasuke, having enough of their bullshit, stood up and turned to face them, her Sharingan blazing. "I am so sick and tired of you and your attitudes. All of you. Naruto is far stronger and far better than the lot of you! He saved my life and defeated opponent's I couldn't! I trained with him all month long, and I can safely say that Naruto's a lot stronger than you idiots give him credit for! Besides that, he's my best friend and I'm tired of people badmouthing him like this or treating him like the plague. I was lonely…so damn lonely living alone in my clan's compound. Every day was a reminder of what happened and how I lost everything. Naruto invited me into his home. He allowed me to move into his home when he didn't have to. He could have left me to suffer alone…and he didn't."
When Sasuke began to shake, anger and sadness visible in her eyes, Karin and Kin took her hands before Karin said, "It's okay, Sasuke. You've said enough. Let's just ignore them and watch the matches, okay?"
Kin nodded in agreement. "What she said. We don't need to bother with them if they're only going to badmouth Naruto-kun."
Clenching and unclenching her fists for a time, Sasuke eventually nodded and took her seat once again. She was angry, she was upset, and she wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of those that chose to badmouth her dearest friend.
Meanwhile, a few rows back, Anko was seated with Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai. They had heard everything that had been said by the Genin in front of them. Sighing, Kakashi palmed his face and said, "They really need to watch what they say before somebody hurts them for it."
Anko smirked and said, "I dunno. I like how Sasuke snapped at them. It was kinda fun to watch."
Kurenai laughed for a moment before saying, "Indeed. I think Naruto did a fine job. It's just a shame that our Genin can't accept Naruto's growth."
Asuma nodded and said, "Those three in particular are quite the problem. We're really going to need to correct their mindsets when it comes to Naruto. Besides that, I think it's time we put them through the torture from hell."
Anko grinned and said, "Sounds great to me. I'll gladly help should you need it." Looking down at the now vacant field, she smiled to herself. You've done a fine job, Naruto-kun.
Kage Booth
Hiruzen couldn't help it as a smile spread across his features. Good job, Naruto-kun. I just hope they don't start the invasion until you've managed to take out at least one of their jinchuriki. We can't risk letting them unleash their bijuu on the village.
Beside him, the 'Kazekage', who was actually Orochimaru in disguise, was seething. That little runt had taken down one of the key figures in his invasion plan! Sure, she wouldn't have made for much of a frontline fighter, but she would have been able to get Gaara where Orochimaru needed him to be. Damn that boy! He is constantly getting in my way! First in the Forest of Death, then he convinced Kin to turn traitor, and now this? Just how strong is this runt?!
Beside him, the large man known as the Raikage of Kumogakure, couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Careful Kazekage, we can all feel your killing intent. Might want to rein it in a bit."
Calming himself, Orochimaru glanced at A and said, "My apologies. I didn't mean to alarm anyone. I'm just…shocked that my daughter lost so easily."
Hiruzen smirked as he looked at the 'Kazekage'. You're not fooling anyone with that disguise, Orochimaru. Soon enough, you'll get what's coming to you. I guarantee it.
The Tsuchikage, a man by the name of Onoki, frowned as he watched Naruto leave the field. Without turning his eyes away from the boy, he asked, "That boy; could he really be his son? How come I never heard about him having a child?"
Hiruzen turned his gaze towards Onoki and smiled disarmingly at him. "You are correct in your assumption, old friend. Is there a problem with that?"
The Tsuchikage shook his head and looked squarely into Hiruzen's eyes. "None at all. I have no problem with the man, nor do I see any reason to hate the son. Some of my people would love nothing more than to kill him, but I have no intention of telling them about Uzumaki-san down there. Live and let live, as they say."
The Hokage smiled at Onoki before he returned his gaze to the field. "Thank you. Now, I do believe it is time for the second match."
Suzumebachi vs. Omoi
As Suzumebachi took the field, standing across from her opponent, she couldn't help but frown irritably to herself. This is going to be tough, but I think I can beat this guy. I've trained hard for this, and all I need is one bee to reach him to win this fight. If I can nail him with even more, that'll snag the win for me for sure.
Omoi frowned as he looked at his opponent. It was obvious that she had some kind of plan, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her. He had trained the entire month just to make sure he could beat at least this one girl. Yes, he probably should have focused more on preparing for every potential opponent he could face, just in case he managed to win this first fight, but he didn't care. All I have to do is show Raikage-sama that I'm worthy of a promotion. If I can just win this fight…
Genma looked between the two combatants and, upon seeing they were both ready, shouted, "Begin!" before getting the hell out of the way.
Immediately, Suzumebachi called forth an army of bees and sent them flying towards her opponent. She didn't expect this attack to work, but they were still an essential part of her plan. When Omoi channeled lightning chakra through his blade and began cutting down her bees expertly, she couldn't help but grin.
Omoi's eyes widened as the field began to become coated in honey. Some of it had even landed on him and his blade was soaked with it as well. It was sticky and he was having a hard time moving his arms where he was splashed by her attack. Dammit! Think Omoi! You've trained for this!
The Kumo swordsman took a deep breath to steady his nerves. After he had calmed somewhat, he turned and cut down another swarm of bees, leaping backwards every time he cut down a swarm of them, just to ensure he wouldn't become ensnared by the blasted honey. However, when he dodged for the fifth time, he ended up slipping on the honey that had coated the ground.
Omoi grimaced as he struggled to stand upright. He kept trying to pry himself free of the puddle of honey, but he was having very little luck. Shit shit shit! He cursed again and again in his head.
It was at this point that Suzumebachi said, "You put up a good fight, Omoi-san. But I'm afraid you were just outmatched this time. Bees, do your thing!"
Omoi blinked as he felt something prick the back of his neck. After a matter of seconds, he began to feel woozy and could barely stay standing. It was when he felt three more pricks that he came to the realization that she had won. Dammit… was his last thought as he collapsed unconscious to the ground.
"Winner: Suzumebachi!" Genma announced before he called for a cleanup crew to deal with all the honey. Omoi, meanwhile, was carried off by the medics so he could be taken care of properly.
The Iwa Genin let out a sigh of relief as she turned and began making her way back to the contestants' waiting area. Once she arrived, she looked at her next opponent with a smile. "Hello there, Naruto Uzumaki. I'm looking forward to our match."
The blonde grinned at her and said, "Me too. You fought well down there. Congratulations on your victory."
"Thank you." She said. After a moment, she glanced around before looking into Naruto's eyes again. "Can we talk in private for a moment? I want to confirm something."
Frowning slightly, Naruto nodded before he walked off with his next opponent. Once they were alone, he asked, "What's up Suzu-san?"
Turning to look into his eyes, she asked, "You're the son of the Fourth Hokage…aren't you?"
Seeing no point in denying it, Naruto nodded his head and said, "Yes. I am. Though I'm not too sure how to feel about my father. And before you ask, I can't tell you right now. No telling who could be listening in on our conversation. Why do you ask, though?"
Suzumebachi looked him over from head to toe before she peered into his eyes. "Your father was trying to form a peace treaty with my village. A way to cease potential conflict with one another and even become friends. Our villages would have worked together for a change, rather than constantly going to war with one another. Umm…" Glancing away for a moment, a small blush adorned her face. "The problem is, though, that he and Tsuchikage-sama decided that, in order to seal the deal, so to speak…umm…"
Naruto frowned for a moment as he tried to figure out what she was trying to tell him. After a few minutes, however, it dawned on him. "Oh. So, you and me…?"
The Iwa kunoichi nodded and blushed as she looked anywhere but at him. "S-So, you see the problem? Well, not that it's a problem, but…!"
Naruto chuckled softly and placed his hands on her shoulders, making her look him in the eyes. "Suzu-san, it's okay. We've only just met. There's no need to try and rush into anything. Especially if either of us are uncomfortable about it. I think, before we decide on anything, we should start out as friends. Okay? Besides, I have three wonderful girlfriends right now. That might make you a bit uncomfortable, so…"
Suzumebachi giggled a bit and shook her head. "That…doesn't really bother me. But you're right, we have only just met each other. I think starting off as friends would be nice. But…"
"I know." Naruto said before chuckling for a moment. "Tsuchikage-sama would likely try to push things through, wouldn't he? I think Hokage-sama would as well."
Suzumebachi giggled a bit more and nodded her head. "I don't think they'd take 'no' as an answer. So, as awkward as it might be, I think you're stuck with me. You don't have a problem with that, do you Na-ru-to-kun?" she teased.
Looking into her eyes, Naruto blushed a bit at the sultry look she was giving him. Glancing away, he scratched the tip of his nose and said, "Not really. It'll be nice to hang out and spend some time together. Nobody's saying we have to rush into a relationship right away, after all. Although, what if you meet somebody else you like?"
The Iwa kunoichi frowned sadly at this and shook her head. "Naruto-kun…look at me."
Naruto looked into her eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"
Suzumebachi moved her hands up and down, making him follow her movements. As he did, he got a good look at her body and her face, unsure what she wanted. Seeing his confusion, she said, "Naruto-kun…I'm not exactly 'attractive'. Most guys look at me and think I'm just some tomboy or that I'm ugly. Some even comment on my forehead and make fun of me for it. Even other girls make fun of me for my appearance. On top of that, my breasts aren't as large as other girls and my butt's not that great to look at either. To other people, I'm completely unattractive. So there is nobody else, Naruto-kun."
The blonde frowned for a time as he looked her over again. "I don't see anything wrong with you. I don't mean to sound like a pervert here, but you need to hear this. Suzu-chan, your breasts suit you just fine, and there's still plenty of growing for us both to do, so anything can happen. For me, it's not about how big your breasts are or how great your ass might be. Nor do I care much about appearances. Your forehead isn't an unattractive feature. It's part of you and I think it's cute. Your eyes hold a small hint of mischievousness and excitement, and I find that rather attractive. You may not dress like a typical girl and you may not act like one, but I think that's what sets you apart from other girls. You are your own person and you should feel beautiful in your own skin. Suzume-chan, you're plenty attractive to me. If nobody else can see that, then it's their loss. You seem like a really sweet person and I'm looking forward to getting to know you on a more personal level. Okay?"
Suzumebachi was blushing deeply now, but just to be sure, she decided to do something rather bold. Taking Naruto's hands in hers, she placed them on her breasts and asked, "You…you really think these suit me? They're small, barely a B-cup."
Naruto was a blushing mess now, but he decided to do as she wanted and began to gently massage them and get a good feel for them. Afterwards, he slowly retracted his hands and said, "I think they fit you perfectly. And if your moans were anything to go by, I'd say your breasts are sensitive. You can feel it more than some girls with bigger chests. Umm…"
Suzumebachi blushed deeply and said, "T-Thank you. Erm…umm…d-do you maybe w-want…to take a look at them? My clothes are kind of baggy, and…and…"
Blushing slightly worse than he already was, Naruto placed a hand on her cheek and said, "It's alright, Suzu-chan. No need to rush into anything. Just know that I find you plenty attractive and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Besides, there's no telling when someone might catch us."
The blushing kunoichi nodded in understanding. Taking his hand in hers, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, giving him her first kiss. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. We should probably get back before people start to wonder where we went." Kissing him again, she prepared to walk with him back to the waiting area. However, as they kissed, she found that she rather liked the feeling.
As his fiancé (damn that was weird to say!) kissed him, Naruto blushed worse and worse. However, he wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss. It was such a pleasant feeling and they were both feeling kind of tingly as they made out. They couldn't help it as they deepened their kiss and began running their hands over each other's bodies.
When Naruto started sliding his hands up under her shirt, he suddenly realized what they were doing and he quickly stopped, backing away a step and breathing heavily. "W-Wow. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take it so far."
Suzumebachi's face felt like it was on fire. Looking into her fiancé's eyes, she smiled bashfully at him and said, "I…I wasn't against it, you know? But you're right, we need to get going before somebody comes looking for us." Taking his hand in hers, she hurried with him back to the waiting area.
As he followed her, Naruto's thoughts were all over the place as he fought to get his blush under control. That felt way too good. I could barely stop myself before we took it too far! I didn't think all that sexual frustration over the month would get to me so bad that I'd start doing…doing THAT! The others will kill me if they find out how far we were willing to take things.
Shortly after they arrived back at the waiting area, the two of them were approached by none other than Tenten. Looking into her boyfriend's eyes for a time, she soon let out a heavy sigh and said, matter of factly, "You seduced another one. Didn't you?"
Naruto facepalmed and shook his head. "Not quite. It seems my father and Onoki-sama set up an arranged marriage between our villages. It was an unexpected discovery, but I'm not against it. And, since I don't want to keep secrets from you and the others, I'll admit it now. Suzu and I kissed. I'm sorry Ten-chan."
Tenten shook her head before offering him a smile. "It's okay sweetheart. But we're going to need to talk to the others about this. You know that."
The blonde nodded and said, "I know. This whole situation caught me off guard, I will admit. I just hope Suzu-chan fits in with our crazy little family."
Tenten giggled a bit before she said, "We'll just have to wait and see. They just finished cleaning up the arena, so they should be calling the next match shortly."
Naruto nodded and said, "We'll need to keep an eye on this match for sure."
Suzumebachi frowned in confusion for a time before she leaned in and whispered to Naruto, "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
The spiky-haired teen nodded and whispered back, "I'll tell you once the match starts, I promise. Not right now. Trust me."
Suzumebachi simply nodded and said, "Very well. I trust you, Naruto-kun."
"Thank you." Naruto said with a smile.
Yugito Nii vs. Choji Akimichi
As soon as the matchup was announced, Yugito quietly made her way down into the arena. Choji, on the other hand, looked incredibly nervous. However, he made a promise to himself that he'd give this match everything he had. As he went to pass Naruto, however, the blonde reached out and grasped his forearm. Blinking, he looked into Naruto's eyes and went to ask a question, only for Naruto's gaze to quiet him.
"Choji, be careful. I can't reveal much, but trust me when I say you can't underestimate her. Strike hard, strike fast, and keep on the move. Don't let her pin you down for long, if at all." Naruto said seriously. "I promise that I'll explain everything later. Now go and kick some ass, okay buddy?"
Choji frowned in confusion for a time, but nodded and hurriedly disappeared down the stairs so he could begin his match. Something big's going on if it has Naruto worried. Do I even stand a chance against Yugito?
After Choji left, Naruto walked with Suzumebachi and Tenten over to the railing so they could watch the fight. Leaning in close to his fiancé, damn that felt weird to say, he began to explain in a hushed tone. "Take a look up at the Kages." When she did, he continued, "The Kazekage was murdered recently. The man up there is Orochimaru, disguising himself as the Kazekage. Beside him is the Raikage. The two of them are allied with one another, and Orochimaru has managed to trick Suna into joining their alliance. They're planning an invasion using their precious weapons: Yugito, the Nibi jinchuriki, and Gaara, the mentally unstable Ichibi container. Those two together can and will destroy Konoha if we don't act fast and take them down."
"Orochimaru and A want to see Konoha destroyed. But more than that, Orochimaru has a personal vendetta against the Hokage and has made it his personal goal to kill him. Chances are high that Tsuchikage-sama will get caught in the crossfire and have to pick a side. If he sides with Hokage-sama, then I sincerely hope the two of them can pull off a victory somehow. I've heard about how fast A is. And Orochimaru has plenty of dastardly tricks up his sleeves. It's going to be a hard fight."
Suzumebachi frowned deeply and asked, "What should we do? Shouldn't we warn them? I don't want Tsuchikage-sama to die. And, I don't know about you, but I don't fancy my chances against a couple of jinchuriki." Her eyes then widened and she looked searchingly into Naruto's eyes. "Don't tell me…?"
The blonde nodded and said, "I'm the Kyuubi jinchuriki. I've been trained HARD for not just the finals, but so I can take down the other jinchuriki if need be. Jiraiya-sama has already alerted Fu-chan over there," here, he pointed at the mint-haired girl standing by herself, "about the invasion as well. She is prepared to help me if I need it. Otherwise, she's staying out of all the combat, if she can. This isn't exactly her fight, after all."
Suzumebachi simply nodded in understanding. After a moment, she looked into his eyes again and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Naruto smiled at his fiancé and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "The citizens have already been evacuated. A large number of fans in the audience are shinobi in disguise. We made sure to plan for this thoroughly so we could turn things around on them and crush our foes. I want you to work with my fellow rookies, such as Ten-chan here, to repel the invaders both inside the arena and in the village. But I want you to be careful about it. Don't take on more than you can safely handle. They won't hesitate to strike you down…or worse." Seeing her shiver in disgust, he nodded and smiled sadly at her. "Be careful, okay Suzu-chan?"
The Iwa kunoichi frowned for a time before she wrapped her arms around Naruto and nuzzled her head into his neck, breathing in his scent and smiling to herself. "I will. Just promise that you'll be okay."
Gently running his hands up and down her back as he held her close, Naruto said, "I will be. My sensei will be right there, helping me along the way if I need it. I'd say it'll be a piece of cake, but I've never had to fight another jinchuriki before, so this is new territory for me. But I promise, I won't just survive, but I'll win, too. You won't have anything to worry about Suzu-chan."
Smiling, the brunette looked up into his eyes and kissed him on the lips once again. "Good. And I promise that I'll be safe. Besides, I want you to take me on a date once everything has been settled." She said with a wink.
Naruto chuckled for a bit, but before he or the others could say anything, Genma's voice shouted out, "Winner: Yugito Nii!"
Naruto's eyes widened and he looked down at the field, only to see Choji was bleeding profusely from some of his wounds. He was being rushed off by the medics so they could tend to his wounds. "Oh…oh shit. Choji…"
Tenten frowned deeply and said, "That looked bad. I totally missed it, so I don't know what the hell she just did to him. But whatever happened, that was a quick fight. Way too quick. I really hope Choji will be okay."
Naruto clenched the railing hard and scowled fiercely. "Shit. I was hoping I'd get to see what she's really capable of…but not at Choji's expense. I guess I'll be going in blind if I win the next match…with you." He said, looking into his fiancé's eyes somewhat sadly. "I really don't want to fight you."
Suzumebachi smiled at him and took his hand in hers. "It's okay. Let's both just give it our best shot, okay? I won't go down easy, though." She teased.
Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "Good. Still, I think we'd both be better off if we saved most of our energy for the invasion. As much as I'd love for both of us to be promoted to Chunin, I want to make sure we're in fighting shape for what comes next."
Smirking at her fiancé, Suzumebachi punched him in the arm lightly and said, "What? Afraid you could lose to me?"
Naruto smirked back at her and said, "Oh, I'm terrified." Before she could say anything in response, he snaked a hand around and grasped her left butt cheek in his hand, causing her to let out an 'Eep!' in response and blush fiercely.
Glaring into his eyes, she said, "I hope you know, this means war."
Naruto chuckled and gave her butt a nice squeeze before he leaned in and nipped at her ear. "You're cute when you're flustered. And just for the record, I think your butt's fantastic."
Tenten sighed and thwapped the both of them in the backs of their heads. "Okay, that's enough flirting for the time being. It's time for the next matchup. Wish me luck honey."
Naruto smirked at Tenten and said, "You need luck? I thought for sure you'd just go down there and kick some ass."
The bun-haired weapons mistress giggled and said, "Smartass." Before grabbing him and kissing him hungrily. Once she was satisfied, she gave his butt a pinch before hurrying off so she could kick Shikamaru's lazy ass.
Once she was gone, Naruto rubbed the spot where she pinched and chuckled to himself. "I don't regret that even a tiny bit." He said, continuing to chuckle.
Suzumebachi smirked at him and said, "I see you like the feisty type. But what about me?" she asked, getting his attention. When he looked her way, she tried to use the best cute pout she could to get a rise out of him.
Smirking at her, he reached up and lightly flicked her forehead. "Don't do that. It's cute, but you don't need to compete with the other girls, okay?"
Genuinely pouting this time, she said, "Okay Naruto-kun." Then, before he could react, she gripped his ass and said, "Firm. I like it."
Blushing, Naruto looked at her, only to see her smirking at him. "This is payback for earlier, isn't it?"
"Yep!" Suzumebachi said before she moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder. "Why are you so warm? It feels so good being close to you like this."
Naruto simply shrugged lightly and said, "So I've heard. Anyways, let's root for Ten-chan, shall we?"
"Of course. Go Tenten!" she cheered, getting the weapons specialist's attention. "Kick the sloth's ass!"
Naruto snickered at this and said, "Sloth? Yeah, I can see it. Shika the Sloth." Snickering a bit more, he looked down at his friend and imagined him as a sloth, only to crack up laughing afterwards. "Okay, yeah, he'd make a good sloth."
Sasuke
The match between Suzumebachi and Omoi had ended about how Sasuke had imagined it would. To be fair, it could have gone either way, but the kunoichi from Iwa had gone in with a plan and come out the winner. Then came the matchup between Yugito and Choji. She knew that Yugito was probably too much for Choji to handle, but even she didn't think the battle would have ended as fast as it did.
"Poor Choji. Do you think he'll be okay?" Kin asked, a frown visible on her face.
Ino shrugged dismissively and said, "Knowing Choji, he'll be alright. I kinda figured he'd lose after seeing with that Yugito girl could do in the prelims. He just doesn't have the skills he needs to fight someone like that."
Karin frowned and looked at Ino. "This is probably a stupid question, but do you even care about your teammates?"
The platinum blonde frowned and said, "Of course I do. Sort of. To be honest, I've spent most of my time thinking of Sasuke-kun. But…"
Sasuke palmed her face and let out a groan. "Yes, yes, I'm a girl now. I know. You'd think you and Sakura would have accepted that fact by now. I'll never be a boy again, so find someone else to obsess over, please."
Sakura and Ino were in shock at Sasuke's casual dismissal of his sex change. After a moment to collect their thoughts, the pink-haired girl placed a hand gently on Sasuke's shoulder. "But…you can change back…can't you? If you were changed into a girl, then there has to be a way to make you a boy again…right?"
Sasuke scowled and shoved Sakura's hand off of her shoulder. "Sakura, whatever Orochimaru tried to do to me, it failed miserably in its purpose. I don't know how to explain it, but I had some kind of reaction to the curse seal he tried to place on me. I didn't say this before, partly because I hadn't thought of it at the time, but when I was unconscious and trying to somehow deal with the curse seal…I followed this light. It's almost like my true gender was revealed to me in that moment and some kind of haze was lifted from my mind. Whatever happened, it triggered this sudden transformation into a girl."
Sighing sadly, Sasuke clenched and unclenched her fists a few times as she tried to come to grips with what had happened to her. "Sakura, Ino…I've accepted the fact that I'll never be a boy again. I'm still coming to terms with being a girl now, but I'm not going to let this get me down. I'll still become stronger, and I'll be able to bring my brother to justice. But…it's not an all-consuming desire right now. As for my dream of reviving my clan? It'll be awkward as hell, but…"
Sakura and Ino both blushed deeply at the insinuation. "B-But…with a guy?! You're a boy, Sasuke-kun! You can't go doing th-that with some boy! It wouldn't be right!" Ino exclaimed.
Karin frowned at them, but decided not to comment on their anti-gay stance. Then again… "Do you have some problem with two men being together? Or is it the thought of Sasuke being with a man that bothers you?"
Sakura huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "Does it really matter? Sasuke-kun will turn back to normal sometime soon, I'm sure of it. Then we can be together and I can give him the family he wants!"
Kin facepalmed at this before taking Sasuke's hand in hers. "It's okay Sasuke. Just…try to ignore them, okay? Not the easiest thing to do, I'll admit, but it's better than reacting."
Sasuke was scowling to herself, but she managed to nod in response to Kin's words. "Thank you, Kin. Dealing with such diehard fangirls is, as Shikamaru would put it, troublesome."
Kin giggled a bit and said, "Just know that you have us and Naruto-kun on your side, okay? So long as you're with us, everything will be fine. I promise." Chancing a glance at Karin and the two fangirls, Kin sighed and shook her head. "Karin, it's pointless to keep arguing with them. Just tune them out."
The redhead frowned for a time before turning around and huffing. "Stupid fangirls. I wish my Naruto was here. I'd hug him tight and never let him go."
Before Kin or Sasuke could reply, Kiba scoffed and asked, "What the hell do you girls see in that loser anyways? He's just a freak and a loser!"
Sasuke was practically snarling at this point. Turning around, she glared fiercely at Kiba and said, "Enough already! Naruto's not some loser! He's my best friend and someone I respect. And out of all of us here, he's the one that managed to reach the finals and he even won his first match easily. I wouldn't be surprised if Naruto makes it all the way to the final match and WINS. That's how confident I am in Naruto and his abilities. Now do us all a favor and SHUT UP!"
Kiba blinked a couple of times, just as the fangirls did. None of them knew what the hell to say in response to Sasuke's proclamation. Before any of them could figure out what to say in response, they heard clapping coming from a few rows behind them. Turning to see who it was, Kiba's eyes widened at the looks he was receiving from the various Jonin sitting there. "Shit."
Kurenai glared hard into Kiba's eyes and said, "You can bet we're going to be having words with your mother after this, Kiba. I'm sick of your arrogant behavior and your sexist comments. I figured you would have learned your lesson after Naruto kicked your ass last week. You're lucky to even be moving around with how badly he broke your leg. So what the hell is your damn problem?"
Kiba stayed silent, not wanting to deign his sensei or the other Jonin with a response. So, seeing as she couldn't get a response out of him, Kurenai turned her attention to the fangirls. "And you two! You should support your teammates! Stop badmouthing them, stop treating them like they don't matter, and shape the hell up! Right now, you two are weak! If you two were on my team, I'd make damn sure to beat the fangirl out of both of you. Now sit down, shut up, and watch the damn matches!"
"But-!" Sakura tried to say, only for Kakashi to interrupt her. "Sakura, she's right. I've been far too lenient with you. You have alienated your teammate and made him feel unwelcome on this team. Sasuke and Naruto understand the concept of teamwork and trust in one's comrades. You? I'd say you're one of my biggest failures to date, and that's saying something. You can bet that if this team stays together, I'll be changing how I do things with the three of you. From now on, you're going to be molded into a model kunoichi, someone that can be respected. Right now, I can barely look at you without feeling disappointment."
The pinkette frowned deeply, but didn't say another word. Instead, like Kiba, she sat down and turned her eyes to the field below, where Shikamaru and Tenten were now standing.
Asuma looked hard into Ino's eyes and said, "My approach has obviously not been a good one. I'll admit, I barely put forth the effort. I should have been more proactive in my approach, but I figured you'd be fine otherwise, all three of you. I honestly believed you cared for and respected your teammates. But I guess I was wrong. Like Kakashi, I think it's time I step up and start acting like a real sensei for a change. You can expect to go through hell in the coming months, Ino. By the time I'm done with all three of you, you're going to hate my very being, but you'll come to thank me, whether you like it or not."
As with the others, Ino plopped herself back in her seat. None of them wanted to say a word, lest they make their situations worse.
Seeing as they were being quiet finally, Anko grinned and said, "If you ever want a little help beating the younglings into shape, give me a call. I'll gladly come and have some 'fun' with everyone."
Kurenai giggled and smiled at her. "I think I might just do that." winking at her, Kurenai leaned over and kissed Anko's cheek, just to show her girlfriend a little affection.
Anko blushed a bit, but smiled as she wrapped an arm around Kurenai and let her rest her head on her shoulder. "Love you." Anko whispered to her girlfriend.
"Love you too, Anko-chan." Kurenai said as she watched the fight now taking place down below.
Now that the assholes were being quiet, Sasuke and her friends breathed quiet sighs of relief. "Remind me to thank them later." She said to Karin and Kin, who giggled in response.
Kage Booth
Hiruzen smiled as he looked at his old friend, Onoki. "What do you think of the matches so far, Onoki-dono?"
Onoki frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. "Well, in the first match, I'd say Naruto knows exactly what he's doing. He's fast, he's powerful, and he's efficient. I don't know what he and Temari said to each other, but Naruto never lost the edge for a moment. We haven't seen enough of him yet to determine if he's truly worthy of a promotion, but I get the feeling he'd make for a great one."
"Agreed. Then again, considering his lineage and who he's been trained by, I'm not surprised." Hiruzen agreed, a sly smile on his face. "How about the second match? I'd say Suzumebachi earned herself a promotion. What about you?"
Onoki hummed in thought for a time before nodding his head. "Indeed she did. She planned out every one of her moves in advance and took advantage of her foe's fighting style to ensnare him in her trap. I'd say she did a wonderful job and earned herself a promotion. Though I would like to see how she fares against young Uzumaki. Speaking of whom, we'll need to have a discussion after all of this is over, old friend." He said, casting a glance into Hiruzen's eyes.
Hiruzen nodded his head in agreement. "Agreed. As for Omoi…" glancing at the Raikage, Hiruzen shook his head and said, "What are your thoughts on how Omoi did? From what he showcased today, if it were my choice, I'd decline his promotion. He was simply outclassed and outsmarted by his opponent."
A frowned and folded his arms over his chest. "You've got a point, Hiruzen. Omoi let himself get caught off guard and he fell for one trap after another. He's got a ways to go if he wants to earn that promotion. I'm more interested in that Uzumaki kid. He's her son, isn't he?"
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the Raikage, but soon shrugged and said, "I wouldn't know. We took him in one day and gave him a home here. It's unknown who his parents really are."
"I see." A said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the Hokage. After a moment, the burly man shrugged and said, "I suppose it doesn't matter if he's truly an Uzumaki or not. The kid's impressive."
"Indeed he is. But he has yet to prove to us if he's ready for the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank of Chunin." Hiruzen said. Then, he decided to broach the subject of the third match with the other Kages. "A-dono, your kunoichi is a force to be reckoned with, I'll give her that. She didn't hesitate for even a second. She went on the attack and tore Choji down in one swift, vicious attack. Poor Choji never had a chance."
A smirked and said, "What can I say? She's been trained well."
Onoki shook his head and said, "That boy will be lucky to survive after what she did to him. There's a fine line between beating your foe and attempted murder, Raikage. You might need to put a leash on her before she kills somebody."
A scoffed and said, "I'll do no such thing. She's a loyal kunoichi and she'll do as I tell her without question. She knows what would happen otherwise."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes again, but didn't say a word. Instead, he shared a look with Onoki and the two of them nodded their heads, coming to a mutual understanding. She's a dangerous one. Naruto, m'boy, I hope you're prepared to kill her if it comes down to that. You might not be given a choice.
Shikamaru Nara vs. Tenten
When Genma announced for them to begin, Shikamaru let out a loud yawn before saying, "What a drag. I don't like fighting girls. Can we please make this quick?"
Tenten's brow twitched and she said, "Just for that, I'm going to beat you until you're black and blue all over."
"See? That right there is why I hate fighting girls. Girls are so violent and temperamental. Just like my mother." Shikamaru muttered, only to feel a cold shiver shoot up and down his spine. Turning his gaze towards the stands, he listened as his mother began to yell at him. "Of course she heard that. So troublesome." Sighing heavily, he turned his gaze back to Tenten and said, "By the way, Shadow Possession Technique: Success. Thanks for being so cooperative."
"Wait, what?!" Tenten exclaimed in shock. She suddenly found it incredibly hard to move and realized that, while Shikamaru had been talking, he had somehow connected his shadow to hers. That sneaky son of a bitch! I fell for it! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Okay Tenten, you can still win this! Use what you've learned over the month! Think! When Shikamaru forced her to reach down and flip open her pouch of kunai, Tenten found herself smirking. That'll work.
Shikamaru frowned in confusion as he stared at his opponent. She didn't seem to be panicking and she didn't seem worried that she'd lose. No, as soon as he made her open her kunai pouch, she started smirking! Alarm bells were going off in his head, but he realized that if he released her, she'd be able to unleash her full arsenal of weapons upon him and he highly doubted he'd be able to survive a drawn out fight with her. What the hell is she planning?!
Focusing on her chakra, Tenten connected tiny strings of chakra to each of her kunai and, with the subtlest of twitches, sent her kunai flying straight at Shikamaru's face. Sadly, instead of letting her go, he made the both of them bend backwards, allowing the kunai to fly safely overhead. Scowling, she tugged on the strings, bringing the kunai towards Shikamaru once again.
For a while, they danced their deadly dance. Shikamaru was forced to split his attention between holding Tenten in place and having to dodge the kunai she kept attacking him with. Eventually, it got to the point where he knew if he didn't let her go now, he would lose either way. So, Shikamaru released Tenten and dodged out of the way of her kunai once again.
Panting for breath, Shikamaru watched his opponent as she returned her kunai to her hands. "I have to hand it to you Tenten, I didn't see that coming. I'm exhausted."
"It was a good plan, Shikamaru. You almost had me until you made that one mistake. Now, I have the upper hand here and you're nearly out of chakra, as far as I can tell. Do you want to keep going, or will you forfeit the match to me?" Tenten questioned.
Shikamaru thought over all of his options before eventually shaking his head. "I'm done. You win, Tenten. Besides," lowering his voice so only she and Genma could hear, he said, "Might as well save the rest of my chakra for the invasion, right?"
Blinking at this, Tenten soon began to laugh and said, "You really are as smart as they say. It was a good fight, Shikamaru. I learned a lot from it."
"Yeah, yeah. Good luck in your next match. You're gonna need it." Shikamaru said before he yawned and walked off, leaving Genma to announce Tenten's victory. Besides, I'd hate to piss off your boyfriend if I actually hurt you. Such a drag.
Waiting Area
When Tenten entered the contestants' waiting area, she hurried over to Naruto and glomped onto him. "Naru-kun! I won!"
Naruto chuckled a bit and hugged his girlfriend close. "Congratulations Ten-chan. I knew you could do it Though I was a little worried when he captured you like that…"
Tenten grumbled for a moment and nodded her head. "Yeah. I let myself get caught off guard. Even after all sensei taught us, I still fell for such a simple trick. I have a long way to go, don't I?"
Tilting Tenten's head up so she could look him in the eyes, Naruto placed a kiss upon her lips and said, "We're still just teenagers. We're not infallible. We're going to make mistakes and we're going to continue making stupid mistakes as we grow. It's natural. You still did a good job and I'm proud of you. You earned your victory."
Tenten blushed a bit and said, "Thank you, Naru-kun. That means a lot to me." Kissing him again, she leaned in and whispered, "I love you. I hope you know that."
Blushing worse than she was, Naruto asked, "Y-You do?" Seeing her nod and smile bashfully at him, Naruto smiled wide and hugged her tight. "I love you too, Ten-chan. I missed you so much. I never, ever want to lose you again."
The weapons mistress hugged him close and said, "I'll never leave you. That's a promise."
Meanwhile, a girl that had been silent this entire time watched the scene with a fierce glare on her face. Poor Hinata Hyuga didn't expect what she had seen throughout the month prior to the finals. Her Naruto-kun had been going on dates with not just one, but three girls! Now he had this tramp from Iwagakure hanging all over him! He was HERS dammit! The once timid, shy wallflower of a girl had transformed as a result of her jealousy and her rage. She wanted to prove herself to her beloved Naruto-kun and win his love. So, despite knowing she'd probably lose and maybe get hurt bad by her opponent, she decided she would fight and at least land one blow on Gaara. If she could get past his ultimate defense and deal some damage, she hoped dearly that her Naruto-kun would start to pay attention to her, and only her. You're mine, Naruto-kun. You just don't know it yet.
Sasuke
"Hell yeah! Go Tenten! Great job!" Karin shouted as Tenten began walking off the field. Grinning at Kin and Sasuke, she said, "I was worried there for a second, but she really pulled through and held her own."
Kin nodded in agreement and said, "Right. When he snagged her with his technique, I thought it was over. If he hadn't made that mistake, he could've won the match right then and there."
Sasuke nodded and said, "If she had lost, I wouldn't let her live it down. After all the training we all did, if she had lost in her first match, I would've been highly disappointed in her."
Karin gently nudged Sasuke and said, "Oh, you can admit it. You were worried about her, too."
The ravenette sighed and said, "Maybe a little. But you know sensei is going to up our training because she made such an easy mistake."
Kin and Karin both went pale in the face. "Oh Kami, you're right. Dammit Tenten!" Kin exclaimed.
Kurenai quirked a brow before turning to Kakashi. "Have you been training them alongside Naruto?"
The cycloptic Jonin shook his head. "I haven't seen them all month. I was planning to work on their training for a while, but I never got the chance. When I did see them, both Sasuke and Naruto looked exhausted half the time. Whoever was training them throughout the month was running them ragged, that's for sure."
Asuma frowned and asked, "If you weren't training them, then who the heck are they talking about?"
Anko shrugged and said, "Well, Jiraiya-sama's been hanging around Konoha all month. Maybe he's the sensei they keep mentioning?"
The other senseis' eyes widened at that. "You might just be right." Kakashi said, shock evident in his tone. "If Jiraiya-sama's been training them…then just how powerful have they become?" None of them could find an answer to that question.
Hinata Hyuga vs. Gaara
Hinata stared coldly at her opponent. Her hands were clenching and unclenching as she tried to deal with the anger coursing through her system. When Genma asked if they were ready to begin, she took a calming breath and nodded her head, immediately taking her modified Juken stance. The most commonly used form of Juken just never felt right to her, so she modified it to fit more with her litheness. She knew that she would likely get quite the tongue-lashing for her 'mockery of tradition', but she honestly couldn't care less anymore. If her clan wanted to abuse her and treat her like a failure, then she'd own up to it and be a proud failure, just as her Naruto-kun was. Or at least, as he used to be. Now…now he was so confident and powerful. He had four women that wanted to be with him! Dammit!
Shaking those thoughts off, Hinata quickly backhanded the cork that Gaara sent her way, dispersing it into harmless sand that fell to the ground some distance away. Afterwards, she gracefully moved out of the way of Gaara's sand tendrils, all the while maneuvering herself closer and closer until finally she got within range and sent out a quick palm strike towards Gaara's chest.
Naturally, Gaara's sand rose to protect him, but she had expected that. She didn't move from her position or try to escape as he lashed out at her. No, she took up a stance that nobody could recognize. Then, she began to spin, lashing out with hundreds of razer-sharp blades of chakra with a technique she called Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
After a moment, Gaara let out a shrill cry as he realized he was bleeding. Hinata, the meek girl from before, had managed to wound him with her attack! "I'm…I'm bleeding! It's my blood! What have you done to me?!"
Hinata was shocked by what was happening to her opponent. He seemed to be undergoing some kind of change. However, realizing that if she didn't act now she'd be in some serious trouble, she calmed her nerves and unleashed her next attack, the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. The more she hit him, the more he began to crumple under her fierce assault. "I won't let you win, Gaara!"
When she had finished with her assault, Gaara laid in a crumpled heap on the ground. Breathing heavily, she chanced a glance at the proctor, only to see him watching her opponent warily. Frowning, she returned her gaze to Gaara and watched in horror as he slowly stood up. He had undergone quite the change. Where once there was a boy's face, there was now some kind of sand creature practically swallowing Gaara whole. "W-What are you?"
"You! You are worthy! I will sacrifice your blood for Mother! I'll KILL YOU!" Gaara exclaimed. However, before anyone could act, feathers began to rain from the sky.
Scowling at this, Hinata quickly dispelled the obvious genjutsu and watched as everything erupted into chaos. "What's going on?"
Genma cursed under his breath and quickly grabbed Hinata, leaping away from Gaara's attack before he could reach her. "Pay attention girlie! Your opponent doesn't look like he's going to stop until he kills you. If you really want to know what's going on, we're being invaded by enemy forces. Leave Gaara and Yugito to Naruto. I want you to join the forces out in the village and do what you can to repel the enemy forces." When she went to ask him a question, he set her down and gave her a push. "No time for questions! Get moving!"
Hinata slowly nodded before she turned and ran off, leaving Genma to try and deal with not just Gaara, but a handful of Oto shinobi that leapt down to confront him. "Well, this day's just getting better 'n' better."
Naruto
Naruto blinked as he watched Hinata absolutely wreck Gaara's sand barrier, even landing a few deep cuts into Gaara's left shoulder and his right side, right between the ribs. In fact, the more she went on the attack, the worse his injuries became. Then, when it looked like she had won, Gaara underwent a transformation into some kind of raccoon monster. Then, the invasion took off at full force.
Chaos. Explosions rang out throughout the village and now the Kages were busy doing battle up on the rooftop above the Kage booth. Orochimaru's henchmen had erected some kind of powerful barrier to try and keep others out, but Naruto wasn't worried. They probably don't even realize that Jiraiya and Kurama were there. With them helping Hokage-sama, there's no way they can lose.
Chuckling to himself at the thought, Naruto looked at his fiancé and then at Tenten. "Girls, you know what to do. I have my own mission to complete." Looking past them at Yugito, he saw that she was just standing there, looking unsurely around at all the chaos. Giving his girls a kiss each, he waited for them to leave before he approached the Nibi jinchuriki. "I thought you were planning to unleash the Nibi and wreck my home. But you're not. Why?"
Yugito turned to look into his eyes, and what he saw worried him. She looked absolutely dead inside and she had tears streaming down her cheeks. "I…I don't want to do this anymore. I'm just so…so tired. I'm tired of it all."
Before Naruto could ask her what she meant, he heard a roar from down below. Peering over the edge, he watched as Genma and the Otogakure ninja came under attack by an enraged Gaara. "Shit." Naruto muttered as he turned back to face Yugito. "I don't know what the heck's going on with you, but if you really don't want to destroy Konoha, then fight with us and repel the invaders! I'd stay and talk with you for a while to figure out what the fuck is going on, but I have to deal with an insane jinchuriki down there. Fu!" Looking at the mint-haired girl to see he had her attention, he said, "I know you have no reason to follow my orders, but will you please look after Yugito for me? Make sure she doesn't hurt anybody and make sure nobody tries to do anything to her either. Just…stay safe, both of you."
Fu nodded and stepped up beside Yugito. Looking into the taller woman's eyes, she frowned at just how dead inside she seemed to be. After a moment, she shook it off and turned to face Naruto. "Go. Deal with that lunatic."
"Roger that." Naruto said with a grin before he leapt over the edge, aiming straight for Gaara. Well, here goes nothing. Gaara, it's time to finish what Hinata started! Get ready to get your ass kicked!
A/N - And that's the chapter! I wanted to get to the meat of the invasion, but the chapter was already running kind of long. Sooo, I decided to end it there. :P
Anywho, as I said before, a lot of this was NOT planned. Things just played out that way when I was writing the chapter. I really hope you enjoyed reading it and I hope you continue looking forward to more to come.
I've been working on this chapter ever since I hopped on my laptop at around 3 PM Mountain Time. So that's a little over 8 hours. Took me a long dang time to finish writing this chapter. lol. It better be worth it, dammit! lol
Alrighty, I honestly have no idea what else to say. If you have any questions, I'll try to address them in PMs or something. Soooo, yeah. Read, review, have fun, sing a song about tulips and daisies, and go insane! Wheee! lol.
Seriously, I need to get a drink. I'm thirsty. XD Bye bye peopleheads!