Chapter 2: Keiji- Oni of the Ash

Naruto looked around listening to the dancing flames roar around him. "Lets try this again", Naruto said while forming hand seals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutstu". "That's not going to work on me", Keiji replied.

There were at least 30 clones this time, all focused on Keiji. Keiji slowly walked into the middle. The clones began their attack and swarmed around Keiji. Keiji put his left hand on the ground and began making another seal with his right hand. "GET HIM" the clones shouted as the attempted to pounce on Keiji. Before the clones could reach their target, flames emerged from the ground forming a spiraling wall catching and destroying the clones. "Damn it!", Naruto shouted while pounding the ground with his fists.

"Is this how you intend to become Hokage?" Keiji said, "The title Hokage must be a joke if that's your way of becoming one." "Don't you dare say something like that about the Hokage title!" Naruto flared. " I'm running low on chakra" Naruto thought to himself while gritting his teeth. Keiji stood there watching while thinking about what he would rather be doing than wasting his time on Naruto. " I only have one shot at this! I'll use the Rasengan! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." 9 clones appeared charging towards Keiji. " This again? Don't u ever learn?" he said with a disappointed look, "I was hoping you would do some powerful move by now." Keiji sighed and snapped his fingers, engulfing the clones in flames causing them do disappear. When the smoke cleared, Naruto and the remaining clone stood side by side with a ball of chakra forming in his right hand. "Take this! RASENGAN!" At that moment however, Kakashi jumped into themiddle grabbing Naruto's arm and flinging him into a tree, casuing the Rasengan to explode. "That's enough for today. Continuing any further would be suicide" he said. "WHY THE HELL DID U SEND ME FLYING LIKE THAT KAKASHI SENSEI?" "If I had told u to stop you would've lost control, and could've seriously hurt yourself. "Of course, I knew that" he said placing his hand on his head.

The other 3 sighed and thought " Baka". " Did any of you figure out the point of that traing?" Kakashi asked while reading Icha Icha paradise. They were silent. Kakashi sighed, "It was to demonstrate the proper way of controlling chakra" he said, while closing his book. " As you all know, chakra plays a key part in combat. We need it to do just about everying. That's why its important to master chakra control. Naruto, why do u think you weren't able to lay a finger on Keiji?" Kakashi finished. Naruto didn't answer. "Its because u lack chakra control, and u rushed at him without thinking, he stated. After Kakashi lectured Naruto, he let them off early. "Hey Sakura-chan, would u like to eat ramen at…." "FOR THE LAST TIME

NO NARUTO" she shouted as she punched his head leaving a massive bump. " Sasuke-kun, would it be alright if I could train with you?" Sakura asked cheerfully. "That would only slow me down. You would only get in the way." He said giving her an icy stare. Sasuke went off to his house leaving the other three behind. Sakura began making her way home while thinking about what Sasuke said to her, when she heard someone calling her name. "Sakura-chan wait up!" She turned around to find Keiji trying to catch up to her.

"Whats wrong Keiji-kun? She asked. "Nothing.. I was just wondering if you'd like to train with me.. if its not too much trouble." Keiji said. His face was slightly red. Sakura smiled, " I'd be glad too!" Keiji smiled " meet back at the bridge in 1 hour, ok Sakura-chan?" She agreed. 1 hour had gone by. Keiji walked to the bridge finding Sakura waiting on the rail. She saw him and waved to him. Keiji smiled and waved back.

"What kind of training did u have in mind Keiji-kun?" she asked with curiosity. Keiji thought for a moment, then he got an idea. "How about I teach you my flame dance jutsu?" "Flame dance?" she asked. "whats that?" "It's a technique I made up on my own when I was younger, one of many that I perfected." He said proudly. "This should come easy to you since you have a better control over your chakra than the others." Keiji said. Sakura giggled and accepted his offer. "Lets get started" Keiji said. "This is the technique I used to eliminate Naruto's shadow clones. The trick to it is gathering chakra and molding it around your target. Once you've molded the chakra around the target, force the chakra inside your target and they will immediately burst into flames, from the inside out. Sakura's eyes widened with excitement. "Now mold your chakra around that rock." Sakura focused on the rock and tried forcing it in the rock. Nothing happened. "Focus" she kept telling herself in thought. She tried it again, only this time the rock was smoking. "Your starting to get the hang of it." Keiji said with an impressed look on his face.

Sakura kept practicing, improving with each try. "Once…more…" said breathing heavily. She emptied her mind of everything that could distract her. She focused on the rock, molded her chakra around it, and forced it into the rock, bursting it inot flames. "I DID IT" she said leaping with joy. "I knew u could master it Sakura-chan, great job." "Thank you Keiji-kun!" Sakura fell due to over working herself, but Keiji caught her. "I'll carry you home Sakura-chan. You're low on chakra and can barely walk." Keiji insisted. Sakura blushed, she never had any1, let alone a boy be so nice to her before. She nodded. Her heart pounded vigorously while Keiji carried her, she never had feelings this strong for anyone before, not even for Sasuke. " Keiji-kun". " What is it Sakura-chan?" she paused for a brief moment. "Tomorrow after we train with Kakashi-sensie,…would u like to go out and do something?" Her faced turned red, red enough to match her new crush's eyes. "Like a date?" he asked. Sakura nodded. "I'd love too Sakura-chan. Did u have somewhere in mind?" "A walk around the park seems nice" she replied. "Got yourself a date" Keiji said.

Keiji dropped Sakura off at her house and head home. The next day Sakura came Keiji's to walk with him to the bridge. They were the first ones there. They waited for what seemed like hours. Their other two companions were absent. A moment later, their sensei showed up with a surprised look. "What are u two doing here?" he asked. "WHAT DO U MEAN "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?" WE'RE HERE BECAUSE U TOLD US TO MEET YOU HERE!"Sakura roared. "Oh didn't I tell you? I've decided to give u all a day off today, your free to go today." Kakashi said leaving the two alone again on the bridge. "Keiji-kun I have something for you." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace with a ruby stone attached to it. "Here" she said putting it around his neck. "Do you like it?" she said smiling. "I love it." He said smiling.

"I have something for you too." He pulled another necklace out from under his shirt. It was an emerald stone that sparkled in the light. "This necklace means a lot to me, my mother gave it to me before she died, it's the only thing I have from her. I want u to have it." He placed it around her neck. "It matches your eyes

Sakura-chan." She smiled and hugged him. "Lets go Keiji-kun" as Sakura pulled him with her. "Where" he said with curiosity. "On our date Keiji-kun." They walked to the park and sat under a cherry tree near the pond. Keiji laid on the grass looking up into the sky. Sakura lay close to him holding her necklace into the the light watching it sparkle. A few moments later Keiji spoke up. " Sakura-chan, who would you like to spend the rest of your life with?" Keiji asked. "Do you really wanna know?" she replied sarcastically.

He sat up and said " yeah, who would it be?" "That's an easy one." She said pushing him back on the ground softly, laying her head on his chest. "The person I want to be with is you Keiji-kun." "I was thinking the same" he said wrapping his arms around Sakura. A moment later they sat up against the tree and looked at each other, making eye contact, ruby meeting emerald. Both their hearts pounding through their chests.

They kissed and their feelings for each other grew more and more. It was like falling in love for the first time for them The young crimson haired Oni and the pink haired angel, lay against the tree holding each other in their arms. NEXT TIME

Naruto: Hey Sasuke, you noticed Sakura and the new guy been spending a lot of time together?

Sasuke:Hmph.

Naruto: What the hell was I thinking talking to you about this!

Keiji: Naruto what are u yelling about now?

Naruto: Nothing, I'm just phsyced about the Chuunin Exam!

Chapter 3: The Chuunin Exam

Hellfire vs Desert Storm