A/N - Wow, has it ever been a while since I last updated this fic! I really hope this was worth the wait.
Anywho, I decided to stick with my original plan for the Gaara vs. Ino fight. So I hope you like how I wrote that particular scene. If you're upset, that's fine. But I had ideas that worked really well with how things played out, sooo...
Also! I forgot to include Rock Lee's number drawing back after the prelims, so I just put him up against Choji. :P
Alrighty, not really sure what else I can say up here. Sooo, read on and enjoy! Hopefully! lol
Chapter 9 – Dance in the Sunshine
Gaara watched Ino as she dashed around, trying to probe at his defenses. Without much effort, he was holding her off with his sand barriers. Sure, each of her attacks easily cleaved through whatever barrier he set up, but, after training as hard as he had, the barriers would immediately spring forth once again, mere seconds after she cut them down.
The ponytailed blonde frowned to herself as she continued to poke and prod at her opponent's guard. This is getting me nowhere. I need to pull out something big, something he won't be expecting. I refuse to let him beat me!
The redhead looked calmly into his opponent's eyes and asked, "What do you fight for? Why do you want to advance so badly?"
The green-eyed girl momentarily paused at the questions. However, she knew that staying still was a bad idea, so she immediately began to move once again. As she tried to formulate some kind of plan, she decided to humor Gaara with a response. "Gaara-kun, I fight for my friends and loved ones. Sakura is my dearest friend and, because of what Sasuke did to her, I want to move on and crush him for daring to lay his hands on her in such a way. Besides that, I want to prove myself to Naruki-chan and show her that I have changed. I'm not some stupid fangirl any longer. Besides that…" Chancing a quick glance up at Naruki, she found herself smiling at the supportive look her fellow blonde was giving her. Turning back to Gaara, she said, "I see something in Naruki-chan. She's innocent, but she's full of determination to do what's right, not just what's easiest. I want to protect that innocence. I want to get rid of all obstacles that lay before her. And…" Pausing for a moment, she looked seriously into her opponent's eyes. "I want to prove that I'm worthy of her love. I don't care if we can't have children together with the both of us being women. Naruki fascinates me. I want to be with her. I think I see what Sakura sees in Naruki, and I want to be loved by her as well. So, I want to prove that I'm worthy of her."
Gaara's eyes widened fractionally before he nodded once. "I see. Naruki is something special, indeed. Not only is she my dearest friend, but she's the first one I've ever made. Naruki makes me feel…whole, I think is the most appropriate term. I'm still learning what love really means, but I'm certain that I'm dearly in love with her. She completes me. Because of her, I will never needlessly kill again. I will use my power to protect her and those dear to her. If she means just as much to you…" Looking hard into Ino's eyes, he said, "Then I say you're worthy of her love, as well. However, I will be the one to move on and crush Sasuke Uchiha."
Ino made a frontal assault at this point, slicing through defense after defense until she got close enough to attack him. However, the moment she got close, a large twister of sand sprung up, sending her flying backwards. Skidding along the ground on her feet, she watched as the twister settled down until she could see Gaara once again. However…
Ino grumbled to herself and said, "Clones. It would be clones, wouldn't it? Oh well." Folding her arms across her chest, Ino decided to pose a question to him, this time. "Why do you want to win so badly? Why do you want to fight Sasuke so badly? You barely know him and yet it's obvious to me that you will kill him, if given the chance. What did he do to earn your anger?"
As Gaara and his clones began to fan out, encircling Ino, he smiled at her sinisterly and said, "The Uchiha is insufferable. Naruki doesn't like him. I promised Naruki that I would kill him for her. The Uchiha has an overinflated ego and flaunts his superiority over everyone in the village. From what I understand, Sasuke has had practically everything handed to him whether he has earned it or not. He does not care for the women that flock to him, nor does he care for his teammates. In fact, he injured someone Naruki and I care for. You said it earlier: Sasuke hurt Sakura. I'm glad to have gotten to know her and I vow to protect her, as well. Besides that…" Here, Gaara looked up at the waiting area for the other contestants. "Sasuke craves power, no matter the kind. If Naruki is right, Sasuke WILL leave the village if he is promised more power faster than he's getting here. I will not risk anyone getting hurt because we showed the Uchiha mercy. He does not understand the concept of such a thing. If permitted, he would kill everyone on his quest for revenge."
Turning to look back into Ino's eyes, he continued. "Ino, you may just want to humiliate and/or crush Sasuke Uchiha. However, in order to keep Naruki and the others safe, I WILL kill him here, in this arena. Can you vow to do the same?"
The platinum blonde frowned slightly and chanced a quick glance at Sasuke, who was watching the fight with boredom clear in his eyes. Scowling slightly, she looked back at Gaara and shook her head. "Despite how I might feel, he is a shinobi of Konohagakure. An ally. It would be wrong of me to kill him, even if he deserves it. Sadly, so far, he hasn't done anything that warrants his death. But…" Staring hard into Gaara's eyes, she said, "I understand where you're coming from, Gaara-kun. I respect your desire. The most I could bring myself to do to him is cripple him somehow. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, yet."
Gaara found himself smirking wickedly. "Yet, hm? So, if he did do something monstrous, you would kill him. Good to know. However, I'm afraid it's time to put an end to this fight, wouldn't you agree? I do believe I have the advantage."
Before Ino could question what Gaara meant, she felt something snaking up her leg. Eyes widening in shock, she quickly reached down and slashed through the sand that had begun encircling her leg. Afterwards, she leapt back to avoid the sand tomb that he was just about to bury her in. Taking in a few calming breaths, she began to move at a speed that she hadn't revealed to anyone before this moment. "We're not done yet, Gaara-kun! I win!" she declared before slashing through one of the Gaara's, hoping dearly she had hit the right one. Sadly, the Gaara she struck fell apart, sand falling to the ground. It was at this point that she knew she had lost.
Gaara smirked to himself as a number of sand senbon struck Ino. The only one to truly draw blood, however, was the one that nicked the back of her left leg. As soon as the first drop of blood slowly trickled down the back of her leg, they both knew who had won. "You fought admirably, Ino Yamanaka. You are, indeed, worthy of Naruki's love."
Ino slipped away her trench knives before turning to face Gaara. Walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug and said, "I guarantee that you are going to absolutely love me, Gaara-kun. Thanks for showing me a good time." Winking at him, she walked off to get her minor wounds tended to. No point in letting them potentially get infected somehow.
Gaara blinked and looked up at Naruki for a moment. When she simply grinned at him and gave him a thumbs-up, he smiled slightly before leaving the field to return to the contestant waiting area.
Naruki grinned to herself and glomped onto her boyfriend the moment she saw him enter the waiting room. "Good job Mr. Ultra Cutie Huggypants! I'm glad you won. And…" here, she blushed a bit and asked, "I-Ino-chan, huh? I didn't think she liked me like that."
Gaara held his girlfriend close and walked with her over to the edge to peer down below. "Yes. I am not surprised that she feels for you so strongly. But, if you make each other happy, I do not see a problem in allowing her to be with you. Unless you do not care for her?"
Naruki giggled a bit and said, "I do care about her. Ino-chan's really cute! Umm, it's kinda my turn now, though. Wish me luck, Gaara-kun?"
The redhead held Naruki close and pressed his lips to hers. When they separated a short time later, he released her and watched as she left the room to venture down to the arena. Naruki-chan, you don't need luck. But still, good luck.
Once Naruki stepped out into the arena, she looked across the way at Tenten. Frowning slightly, she asked, "Tenten? We don't have to fight if you don't want to. I don't have anything against you, and I'd rather not have to fight if we can help it. But, if you want to continue with this anyways…well, I have ways to win this fight. That's a guarantee."
Tenten frowned for a time before saying, "I'm not just going to give up, Naruki. But, I appreciate what you're saying. I'm going to give you the best fight I can. With or without those Pokémon things." She giggled a bit afterwards before saying, "I've gotten stronger, Naruki. You may have a unique type of skill on your side, but I promise that I'll be the one to win this fight. I'd very much like to advance and make the rank of Chunin."
The blonde nodded once and held her arm outstretched to her side. Focusing on one of the seals inscribed into her skin, she summoned forth her bo staff and clenched her hands around it tightly. "Okay then, Tenten. I've trained hard to become even stronger than before. I've even developed a new technique to help fight girls like you. But, I'd prefer to defeat you using skill, speed, and a little bit of luck. Because, like you, I'd like to advance in rank. First though, I've gotta ask something."
Tenten blinked a few times before motioning for Naruki to go ahead. Nodding in thanks, the whiskered teen asked, "Do you feel the same way that your teammate does? Mr. Buttface Hyuga, I mean. He was really, really mean and I'm not happy with the things he said and did. I don't like what he did to Hinata-chan. I also really didn't like the things he was saying about me. I get enough of that crap from…from…" Looking around at the audience, she shivered a bit before looking back into Tenten's eyes. "From all of them. The things they've said…the things they've tried to do to me…"
The bun-haired girl took a moment to process what she had just heard. After it clicked, she gasped and covered her mouth. "Dear Kami. I'm so sorry! No, of course I don't think like that asshole! You're just a sweet girl that doesn't deserve to suffer that kind of talk. In fact, I respect you, Naruki. You're well on your way to proving that women can make strong ninjas as well! I'm tired of men looking down on us. It's my goal to be even stronger than Tsunade-sama someday."
Naruki smiled thankfully at Tenten before she looked to the proctor. "Mr. Gooberpants? We're ready. Let's have some fun!"
In the stands
Sakura smiled to herself as she stared down at Naruki and her opponent. The earlier fight between Gaara and Ino had been eye-opening, such as the moment Ino talked about wanting to be with Naruki. She also realized that she had a LOT of training ahead of her if she wanted to become as powerful and skilled as the two of them had shown her.
Sitting next to her was Haku. Gently grasping Sakura's hand, he said, "Are you okay, Sakura-chan? Still shocked?"
The pinkette looked at Haku and quickly shook her head. "Yeah, I'm a little caught off guard by the confession, but that's not what's really bothering me right now. I'm just wondering how Naruki-chan will deal with Tenten. She's trained so hard, but Tenten's a ranged fighter. She's likely skilled in the use of all of her individual weapons as well. I guess I'm a little worried."
"Meh. You've got absolutely NOTHING to worry about, girly." Anko said as she threw her arms around Sakura and Haku's shoulders, hugging them both tight against her. "Naruki-chan's gonna kick Tenten's ass and then make her way all the way to the finals. I'm more curious about what this anti-girl killer is like. If she pulls it out in this battle, I'm eager to see how it works."
Kakashi chuckled a bit, sitting behind Anko and the other Naruki lovers. "If it's anything like her Crotch-Seeker, then women will be living in fear of such a powerful attack. I just wish Naruki hadn't taught the majority of kunoichi how to unleash the full power of the Crotch-Seeker. Now men throughout the village are terrified of doing ANYTHING dirty. Still, it was Naruki's choice in the end." He said, shrugging his shoulders afterwards. "I'm proud of Naruki. She's become a splendid kunoichi and is only going to become truly unstoppable if she keeps up at the pace she's growing. Tenten doesn't stand a chance."
Guy, who was sitting next to him, frowned and said, "As much as it pains me to say this, you are right, my hip rival. Young Naruki is unpredictable and has proven to be far more powerful than others her age. From what I understand of her, she has studied under Hokage-sama and learned how to defend herself from him. Aside from that, Zabuza has adopted her and has very likely trained her just as hard as Hokage-sama did in the past. Tenten is just not ready for such a youthful opponent."
Neji scoffed and said, "So, she's received special treatment all her life, huh? I guess fate favored her. If it was me down there, 'Naruki' wouldn't be leaving the arena alive. She is nothing more than a common whore. Forming relationships with as many people as she has proves my point. I still don't see what my cousin sees in that girl."
Anko turned and glared at the rotten Hyuga. Stepping up to him, she cracked her knuckles and said, "I thought Hinata had beaten the sense into you at the end of your match against her. Obviously, you have not learned your lesson. Naruki is NOT a 'whore'. Naruki is an innocent little girl who has seen too much of the darkness in the world. Naruki is one of the few who are truly pure of heart. However, she has grown strong so that she'll never have to hurt at the hands of scum like you. Now, are you going to shut up and watch Naruki kick some ass? Or do you want to play 'hide the snake' with me and learn just how terrifying a kunoichi can really be?"
When Neji went to snap at her in response, Guy clamped a hand firmly down on Neji's shoulder, holding him in place. "Don't say another word, Neji. You've already proven to be most unyouthful. I don't want you to say any more."
Neji scoffed and said, "Fine. We'll see who fate shines on today. Will it be Tenten? Or will it be the insane 'girl' that hid her true gender like a coward?"
Anko scowled fiercely before she had one of her snakes bite Neji's cheek. When the wound started to change colors, eventually settling on a nasty purple color, she turned her gaze to Guy and said, "Might want to get him some help. I know he's not getting the antidote from me. I suggest you hurry, Guy."
Might Guy sighed and shook his head for a moment. "Foolish Neji. So unyouthful." Picking his student up, he soon vanished, making his way to the hospital at quickly as he could.
Once Guy and Neji were gone, Anko returned to where she had been sitting before. Sitting down once more, she folded her arms across her chest and huffed. "Damn that little shit. Calling our Naruki a whore. He doesn't know a damn thing about Naruki-chan."
Kurenai moved from her spot next to Kakashi and seated herself down beside Anko. Gently taking her friend's hand in hers, she smiled at Anko and said, "Don't let it bother you too much, Anko. I've heard nothing good about that Neji kid, so it's best to just ignore someone like that next time. As for Naruki…" Looking down at Naruki and Tenten as the fight finally got underway, she said, "I'm glad you're happy with her, Anko. Tell me something, though." Seeing she had the attention of not just Anko, but Naruki's other lovers, Kurenai asked, "Nobody has, um…'hurt' her…have they?"
It took a moment for what Kurenai just asked to set in. When they finally realized what she was insinuating, Haku quickly shook his head and said, "No. Thank goodness for that. Naruki wasn't hurt in that way by anyone. Her disguise worked wonderfully in that regard."
Kurenai brought a hand to her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Kami. Alright, now that we've got that out of the way, let's watch the match. Personally, I'm cheering for Naruki." She said, giving them a wink.
Haku chuckled softly and said, "Thank you, Kurenai-san." Turning back to the front, he watched as Naruki had Tenten on the defensive. You can do this, Naruki-chan!
Naruki
Taking a deep, calming breath, Naruki waited for Genma to announce the beginning of the match. Upon doing so, the blonde zipped forward, far faster than Tenten had expected from her. Quickly summoning a broadsword, she blocked Naruki's initial strike, only to wince in pain a moment later as Naruki transitioned her failed attack into a knee strike with the bottom of her staff. Wincing, she hopped backwards, away from her highly skilled opponent. Shit! She's good. Damn good.
Not wanting to give Tenten time to act, Naruki twirled her staff before zipping in close again and thrusting her staff forward at her opponent again and again, only for Tenten to block her attacks before landing a solid kick to Naruki's chest and sending her stumbling back a couple of steps. Seeing that Naruki was momentarily stunned, Tenten thrust the broadsword into the ground and quickly unfurled one of her scrolls, sending a rain of weapons at the blonde. Please work!
Seeing the weapons flying at her, Naruki smirked to herself and said, "Perfect." Resealing her bo staff, the young woman quickly took hold of two small fans and focused on molding her chakra in a specific way. Mere moments before she would have become a human shish kebab, Naruki waved her fans and unleashed a wind technique, sending the weapons scattering in all directions, some even raining down towards Tenten.
As Tenten struggled to avoid both the wind and her weapons, she chanced a glance at Naruki and frowned deeply. She didn't have those before. That means she likely learned how to use them during the month break. Dammit!
Focusing on all of her senses, Naruki began a deadly dance, her fans waving and sending gusts of wind and wind sickles flying at Tenten, giving the Weapons Mistress no room to launch another attack. For all of those watching, they were mesmerized by the intricate dance Naruki was doing. They were even more stunned when they saw that all of her attacks were flying directly at her opponent, despite her dancing.
Tenten scowled at her opponent and, deciding that she'd have to force her way through somehow, she rose to her feet and grasped hold of another scroll. When Naruki sent another wind sickle flying her way, Tenten slipped around it before rushing in closer. As soon as she was a mere few feet away from the blonde, Tenten leapt into the air and unleashed another rain of weapons down on the younger woman.
Eyes closed now, the whiskered woman began to dance around each of the weapons thrown her way. When the weapons had ceased flying towards her, the blue-eyed beauty opened her eyes and smirked dastardly at Tenten. "And now, you lose. Sorry, Tenten."
Before Tenten could question what Naruki meant, Tenten was suddenly struck from behind by something powerful, sending her crashing face first into the ground some distance away. Groaning, she slowly pushed herself up and spat out some blood. Looking behind her, she saw two Naruki's standing there. One still had the fans while the other was wielding what looked to be an adamantine staff. Wincing in pain from the blow the second Naruki had dealt her, Tenten asked, "Where did you get all of these weapons? How did you get so powerful?"
The Naruki holding the staff shrugged and said, "Some of them were gifted to me. Others, Daddy had made for me. Then this one is sort of a gift from Gramps/Hokage-sama. Say hi to King Enma!"
Tenten blinked as the adamantine staff suddenly transformed back into the great monkey king, Enma. Slowly waving at him, Tenten felt as if the world was spinning. "I don't even know what's going on anymore."
Blinking at Tenten's sudden dizziness, Naruki rushed forward and caught her right as she began to fall. Looking into her eyes, the blonde saw that they were a little glazed over. Reaching a hand up, she felt Tenten's forehead and then her cheeks and realized what was going on. Looking over at Genma, Naruki shouted, "She needs medical attention! NOW! She's burning up."
Genma nodded and pressed a button on his earpiece, calling or a medic team to come out and take Tenten to the infirmary. Once she was gone, the proctor declared Naruki the winner of said fight. Afterwards, he listened as the crowd had mixed reactions to what had just happened. A large number of people began to boo her, trying to get her to run away and give up. The others were supportive of Naruki and clapped happily for her. Chancing a glance at Naruki at this point, he frowned sadly as she was shaking in place, her fists clenched at her sides. Poor girl. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from anybody.
Naruki couldn't even bring herself to look up at all the assholes yelling derogatory things to her and about her. The more they jeered and insulted her, the worse she began to feel. I'm sorry, Gramps. I don't know if I can forgive these monsters. All I wanted was to make you and my family proud of me. Then these assholes had to ruin everything. Will these monsters EVER accept me? I hate this! I hate them!
When Naruki felt someone wrap their arms around her, she looked into the person's eyes and asked, "G-Gaara-kun? What's wrong?"
The redhead placed a hand on the back of Naruki's head and pressed her face against his chest for the time being. "Ignore them, Naruki-chan. Let's get you upstairs. I'm so proud of you. I know Haku and the others are, as well. If…if it means anything, I love you, Naruki-chan. I refuse to let them hurt you or demean you any longer. I hope Hokage-sama can do something to rein them in before we're forced to annihilate them."
As Gaara led her back upstairs to the waiting area, she breathed in Gaara's scent for a time, allowing it to calm her frazzled nerves and bring a smile to her face. I love you, too, Gaara-kun.
Upon reaching the waiting area, Naruki watched as both Choji and Rock Lee descended the stairs, ready to begin their own match. Afterwards, she walked with Gaara over to the railing again and looked down at the field below. "Thank you, Gaara-kun." she said, looking at her boyfriend lovingly. "I just wish they wouldn't be so…so cruel! I don't get it. Why do people hate us simply for what we hold? It doesn't make any sense to me. We didn't do anything wrong!"
Her green-eyed boyfriend simply held her close and said, "I don't know either, Naruki-chan. People are cruel. I believe they always will be. At least, not until something really big happens to change their minds about us. I wouldn't count on a miracle like that, however. Just…don't allow their words and actions to hurt you. You're stronger than they are. You're a far better person. You shouldn't have to live in fear, anguish, sorrow…" Kissing her forehead, he said, "I promise, Naruki-chan, that I won't let any harm come to you so long as I can help it. You'll be safe with me."
Before Naruki could reply in any way, they heard Genma announce Rock Lee as the winner of the 4th match. Blinking a couple of times, they looked down at the arena floor and watched as Choji was carried off on a stretcher. Lee was hopping in place for a moment, cheering about the power of youth or some such thing. Naruki and Gaara didn't much care for that kind of nonsense.
After a moment, Gaara sighed and looked his girlfriend in the eyes. "It's my turn again. Do you want me to kill Sasuke for you? Or would you prefer I do something else?"
Naruki made a show of tapping her finger against her chin, looking skyward as if in thought. When she saw Gaara frown slightly at her, she giggled and poked his nose. "I did tell you that you can kill him, if you really want to. Sasuke's a bad person and chances are high that he'll try and hurt somebody sometime soon. Can you imagine if he went after Haku-kun or Sakura-chan? If he ever hurts someone we love, we'll make him PAY. I honestly think you'd be doing everyone a favor by killing him now. But, it's entirely up to you in the end. Do what you feel is best."
The redhead nodded and said, "I understand. I know that if I were to kill him, I would earn the scorn of the people. After all, you've said it before: the people of Konoha worship Sasuke as if he's a prince or a god of some sort. However, I am used to being hated and feared. So long as you and our family are with me, I can bear the scorn. So, I will do what I must and end Sasuke's life."
It was at this point that he peered up at the Hokage and the man masquerading as his father. "You've noticed it as well, I assume?" Seeing Naruki nod, he continued. "That man is NOT my father. I believe that man is Orochimaru. He is going to kill the Hokage. What do you want to do?"
Naruki frowned sadly as she looked up at her grandfather figure. "I don't know. I want to believe in him and believe that he'll be okay…but I don't know if he can win. He's so strong, but he's not like he was back in his prime." Looking into her boyfriend's eyes, she said, "I'm concerned about somebody else, though. That Kabuto guy. I think he might be associated with Orochimaru. I don't have any proof, but my instincts have been screaming at me that something just isn't right about that guy. I don't want to let him hurt anybody."
Gaara nodded in agreement. However, before he could say anything, the proctor called out for he and Sasuke to come down for their fight. Frowning distastefully, he said, "If you're right, then the moment I go for the kill is when they'll begin the assault. I fully expect Kabuto to interfere and save Sasuke's life. Be ready to act." Kissing Naruki's lips tenderly, he proceeded to make his way down into the arena.
Once he was gone, Naruki fidgeted in place for a moment before turning her gaze towards the Hokage once again. Please don't die, Gramps. I don't know what they'll do if you're gone. The threat of you getting involved was the only thing that really kept the people from trying anything major. But…if you're gone, who will protect me? It was then that it clicked for her. Giggling softly to herself, she thought, Daddy and the others will still be there for me. But, I still don't want to lose you. I know I don't stand a real chance of beating Orochimaru if I tried to help you. I caught him off guard last time and had a lot of fun with my friends. But this time? I'm not sure what I could do that would allow me to put him down for good.
It was at this point that she heard Genma shout for the match to begin. Looking back down at her boyfriend, she smiled to herself and said, "Do it, Gaara-kun. Sasuke can't defeat you. I just hope he doesn't draw on the power of that curse mark…"
Sakura & Co. - Earlier
Shortly after Naruki took the field for her fight, Ino had sat down on Sakura's other side. Smiling at her friend, the pinkette said, "You fought really well. I was really impressed, Ino. But, is it true? Do you like Naruki-chan, too?"
Ino nodded as she watched Naruki's fight down below. "I meant every word, Sakura. Naruki is special, and I want to be with her, too. I don't care if we can't have children together. I just want to be with her and be happy together with our huge, crazy family."
Haku chuckled softly and said, "In the end, we kind of just leave those kinds of decisions up to Naruki. It's up to her if she wants to invite you into our relationship." It was at this point that they all looked down at the fight taking place down below. What they saw caused Naruki's family to blush something fierce. "Wow." Haku said quietly.
Sakura's blush intensified and she said, "She's so beautiful. Did you know she could dance like that? How is she even fighting like that?"
Anko smirked and said, "Damn. Gotta admit, seeing her pull this off is damn sexy. I wonder if she'll dance for me?"
Haku smirked and said, "She might. She's such a special person and seeing her fight like this is absolutely mesmerizing." It was at this point that he remembered the events of last night. Blushing worse, he soon found himself giggling perversely.
Seeing this, Anko smirked at him and leaned over his shoulder to peer at his face. "Mmm, I know that laugh. You had quite the good time last night, didn't you? Naughty Haku-kun. Maybe I should 'punish' you, hm?"
Haku's face turned even redder at this point. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out yet! When he turned to say something to Anko, she leaned in and captured his lips with hers. When they separated, Haku was sputtering, trying to think of something to say. The Snake Mistress just giggled to herself and said, "Oh, you are so much fun to tease. Now, enough of this. Let's watch our girl kick some ass!"
Behind them, Kakashi smirked under his mask and thought, Sounds like somebody had a good time last night. If she were anyone else, I have this feeling that she wouldn't be standing, let alone fighting in the finals like this. Normally, I'd play the fatherly role and warn them to behave properly, but I think I'll leave that up to Zabuza. Actually, speaking of which… Here, he turned his gaze onto Zabuza, who was sitting beside him. "You've been awfully quiet. What's on your mind, Zabuza?"
Zabuza simply smiled and said, "I'm just proud of her. My daughter's come a really long way when compared to when we first met. She knows I'm rooting for her, and she knows I'm here for her whenever she needs me to be. She's been in complete control of this fight from the very beginning. I don't think I need to say any more than that."
Kakashi nodded in understanding before turning his gaze back upon the field. Naruki had just won her fight and now it was time for Rock Lee vs. Choji. Shortly before it began, Might Guy returned and sat down on Kakashi's other side. Looking into his eyes, Kakashi asked, "How's your student?"
Guy scoffed as he folded his arms in front of his chest. "Neji will live. He won't be able to participate in the coming 'situation', but he brought it on himself with his unyouthful actions and words. After today is over, I plan to discuss Neji and his behavior with Hokage-sama. Something clearly needs to be done, but nothing I have tried has made any kind of impact."
Zabuza scowled and said, "Something does need to happen to make that boy behave. I still don't appreciate what he's said about my daughter. If he doesn't change soon, I won't hesitate to make him suffer. I love my daughter, Guy. Despite how hyperactive and crazy she can be, she is still a fragile young woman who has self-confidence issues. She is sensitive and certain things can really get to her. It might seem like she can just brush everything off, but inside, she's still an innocent little girl. So, for your sake, I hope something can get through that thick head of his. I want him to apologize to my daughter and MEAN it."
Guy nodded in understanding as he watched his pupil do battle with Choji. He already knew who would win such a fight, but he still wanted to watch and study Lee to see where he might need improvement. "I understand, Zabuza. For what it's worth, I apologize for my student's behavior. I'll step up my efforts and try to set things right somehow. One way or another, we will correct his attitude and make him a better person. If need be, as the person he's wronged, I would be more than glad to see Naruki-chan deal with him in her own way."
"That might be for the best, if Hokage-sama can't deal with him properly. For now, it looks like Gaara's fight is up now. You've done a good job with Lee, Guy. It's just a shame that he wasn't able to showcase what he can really do." Kakashi said, eye-smiling at his friend/rival.
"Thank you, Kakashi. I must ask, though. Are you prepared to act if Sasuke takes things too far in this fight?" Guy questioned.
Before Kakashi could reply, Zabuza spoke up. "I'm more worried about what might happen during this fight. If my instincts are right about this, then Orochimaru will make his move during this fight. And, considering he wants Sasuke, there's no telling what might happen. I suggest we move as soon as he calls upon the power of the curse seal."
Kakashi grumbled to himself and said, "Dammit. You're right. That'll be the perfect time to start their invasion. The distraction will allow Orochimaru's men to retrieve Sasuke and flee with him. Is it bad that I'm hoping Gaara can crush him before they try to make off with him?"
Zabuza smirked wickedly at his friend and fist-bumped him. "Naruki-chan has already told him to kill Sasuke if he feels like it. In order to protect people, that might just be for the best. I know I shouldn't say something like that, but we need to do whatever it takes to protect our loved ones."
Guy shook his head and said, "As unyouthful as it is, I agree. I have never trusted Sasuke. He will not hesitate to unleash the power of his curse seal, despite your orders otherwise. I don't think he cares if he disobeys your orders. The Uchiha craves power and will take any shortcut granted to him if it means he can kill his brother faster."
Kakashi nodded sadly and said, "Our first priority should be to protect the citizens and fight off the invaders. I just hope Hokage-sama and Naruki-chan will be okay. I'd prefer it if Naruki didn't have to kill anyone, but I recognize that it's a distinct possibility. It's a kill or be killed situation. I just hope she doesn't break down when it happens."
Zabuza frowned for a moment before glancing at his sword that was resting at his side. "I'll go to Naruki's side once the invasion begins. If she does break down, I'll keep her safe and try to help her through it. I won't let anyone hurt her."
Guy and Kakashi smiled at him and nodded once. No more words needed to be said between them. Instead, they turned their gaze to the combatants in the arena.
Gaara
Gaara stared apathetically into his opponent's eyes. When the Uchiha glared at him, his Sharingan blazing, the Ichibi container shook his head in disappointment. "If you were smart, you would forfeit the match to me before we even begin. Should you choose to fight, I will kill you."
The Uchiha scoffed before smirking at the redhead. "You're overconfident if you think you can beat me. You should bow before me, Gaara. I watched your fight against that worthless bitch, and I was not impressed. With your pathetic skills, I'm likely to end up taking your life. Now bow, Gaara of the Sand!"
The green-eyed jinchuriki frowned deeply and said, "Do not insult Ino Yamanaka. She is what a kunoichi should strive to be. I guarantee that if it had been her you were to fight, she would have utterly destroyed you. However, where she would have shown you mercy as a fellow ninja of Konohagakure, I will show you no such courtesy. Sasuke, I sincerely hope you find peace in death, for I will show you no mercy."
Seeing that their pre-battle banter was finished, Genma shouted for them to begin before he leapt away, trying to stay well clear of the fight that was about to begin. If he was right in his assumption, this fight was going to get wild.
Immediately, Sasuke dashed straight towards him, ignoring the cork that shot past him. Before he could even reach Gaara, Sasuke's leg was ensnared and he was flung into one of the walls of the arena. Groaning in pain, the Uchiha quickly got back on his feet and avoided another tendril of sand that tried to snake its way up his leg. If he had noticed the trap Gaara was laying for him, he might have rethought his approach. However…
While his expression was still an apathetic one, inside Gaara couldn't help but smirk wickedly. Oh, you are a fool. You honestly believe you can hit me that way? I won't even have to move to deal with the likes of you.
When Sasuke managed to reach Gaara, he threw a punch, only for a wall of sand to block his attack. Scowling at this, the Uchiha tried to dash around to the side so he could attack from Gaara's blind spot, but found that, once again, he couldn't move. Glancing down at his body, he saw that the lower half of his body was completely encased in sand. Thinking quickly, he unleashed a Great Fireball Technique at Gaara, point blank.
Gaara scoffed at the Uchiha's attempt to free himself. However, to keep up the appearance that Sasuke had him on the edge, Gaara let him go and erected another sand barrier, blocking the fireball. Sadly, this has the unfortunate side effect of turning his sand into glass, but the redhead paid it no mind. Instead, he watched Sasuke carefully as he hopped backwards a few times before chancing a glance behind him at the wall. Frowning, Gaara couldn't help but wonder exactly what the Uchiha was up to this time.
Sasuke gave a cocky smirk at Gaara before he dashed away from him and up the wall opposite of Gaara. Grinning sinisterly, he began to focus on the chakra needed to perform the jutsu he wanted to unleash on his opponent. Slowly, electricity seemed to pool together in his hand and began to emit a rather loud sound akin to the screeching of 1000 birds. As he prepared to charge at Gaara, he was caught off guard when the redhead erected a dome of sand around himself. Trying to defend yourself against this attack won't work, you fool. I'm going to enjoy snuffing your life out before turning my attention on her. Sasuke thought to himself as he chanced a glance up at Naruki. I'm going to enjoy killing her.
As soon as the attack was charged to completion, Sasuke laughed madly before he descended the wall and began charging straight for the sand dome hiding Gaara from view. However, as he neared his opponent's defense, a large wall of sand erupted before him, forcing Sasuke to burst on through, nearly losing his focus on the technique. As it was, he realized that he probably wouldn't be able to penetrate the sand dome with his slowly failing technique. Shit shit shit! Keep it together!
When Sasuke reached the sand dome, he thrusted his Chidori into the dome, barely penetrating it. Peering through the hole, Sasuke scowled to himself as he didn't see his opponent anywhere inside. Where the fuck did he go?! Did I really just waste that technique on NOTHING?!
Gaara smirked as he rose from the ground behind Sasuke. Forming a spear of sand in his hand, he prepared to impale his opponent with it, only for feathers to begin raining down, blanketing the whole structure and the arena floor itself. Scowling at this, he ignored the pathetic genjutsu and began to thrust his spear forward. However, when the spear was mere centimeters from impaling Sasuke through the heart, a masked man grabbed Sasuke and leapt away with him.
Turning his attention on the one who had just interfered in his fight, the redhead scowled and said, "Remove the mask. You aren't fooling anyone, Kabuto Yakushi."
The masked man chuckled before removing his mask and lowering his hood. "What are you planning to do with that information, Gaara of the Sand? You've betrayed Orochimaru-sama and attempted to kill his future vessel. You were to be our trump card against Konoha and its forces, but then you fell for that psychotic bitch. If it wasn't for the fact that we need Sasuke alive, I'd deal with you here and now. You're nothing more than a defective weapon, entranced by another failed weapon. Tch. You two are perfect together."
Gaara's eyes narrowed and he commanded his sand to surge forward like a tidal wave. Before it could swallow them whole, however, Kabuto disappeared with Sasuke. Scowling, he said, "Insulting me is fine. But saying that about Naruki-chan is another story. Kabuto, I will kill you."
Naruki
When the genjutsu blanketed the stadium, Naruki easily dispelled it and helped Rock Lee out of the illusion as well. It was just in time, too, as a number of Oto ninja swarmed the waiting area and attempted to strike the two of them down. Rock Lee, who had experienced his first kill already, led the charge and quickly began dispatching their foes. Naruki, on the other hand, withdrew the Excalibur from its sheathe and quickly killed two of the Oto ninjas that had attempted to assault her. They weren't incredibly skilled, but they did have a numbers advantage on their side. Still, between herself and Lee, they were easily able to kill their opponents.
Once it was safe again, Naruki's eyes went wide and she started to hyperventilate. Collapsing to her knees, she began to quiver. Sure, she had experienced her first kills during the mission to the Land of Waves, but that didn't make it any easier! "I…I…"
Feeling a pair of arms wrap around her, Naruki looked up into the eyes of her father: Zabuza Momochi. Gently stroking her hair, Zabuza smiled and said, "I'm proud of you, Naruki-chan. You do what you have to do to survive and protect your comrades and family. If that means taking another's life to protect yourself, then you do it. This does NOT make you a monster. You're my sweet, adorable little girl. Just let Daddy handle everything from here, okay?"
The young blonde hugged her father tight and mumbled something into his chest. When he asked her to repeat what she said, she looked into his eyes and offered him a broad smile. "I love you, Daddy. Do…um…" Blushing badly, she released her father and began poking her index fingers together shyly. "Would…would it be okay if I took your last name? I like being an Uzumaki, but…" Looking into her father's eyes, she said, "I want to show that you're my great dad and that I respect you."
Zabuza blinked a couple of times as he tried to make sense of what his daughter had just said to him. After it really clicked for him, he blushed a bit and scratched the tip of his nose. "Y-Yeah. That'd be great, Naruki-chan. Now, do you feel up to getting out there and kicking ass? Or would you rather leave it all up to me and the others?"
Naruki glanced up towards where she last saw the Hokage. Seeing the barrier in place, preventing anyone from helping the Hokage, she frowned and shook her head. "I'm not sure if I could even get in there to help Gramps or not. Then there's Kabuto and Sasuke…" she said, turning to stare down at Gaara who was listening to something Genma was saying to him. "Daddy, I think I'm going to try and find those two. I want to stop them before they can hurt anybody."
Zabuza nodded once before standing up again. Grabbing hold of his blade, he said, "Then do what you need to do, Naruki-chan. I trust you to know your limits. Then again, you've got a lot of power at your disposal. I think you'll be just fine, no matter what you might face. Kabuto and Sasuke won't know what hit them."
Naruki grinned and said, "Damn right! And…thanks, Daddy." Hugging Zabuza one last time, Naruki quickly hurried off to join up with Gaara.
Once she was gone, Zabuza ventured out to kill all of the Oto and Suna invaders. I will defend this village and my children from all of you bastards. You'll never hurt them so long as I draw breath!
A/N - And that's the chapter! I really hope it was worth the wait. I had a lot of fun writing it. And yeah, I didn't include any really funny moments in this chapter. Can't have that all the time, so you take what you can get. :P
I'm sure a lot of you might be upset with how long it took me to get another chapter out for this story, and for that I apologize. I do have a life outside of writing fanfiction, after all. And recently, I've been pretty sick. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'm really hoping to get whatever I need to start feeling better again. 'Cause right now, I feel like crap. x.x
Anyways, I honestly have no idea what I'll work on next. I'm considering working on a new chapter for The New SeeD, buuuuuut, I dunno. *shrugs* We'll see.
Hope you're all doing well and thanks for reading!