If I did own Naruto – he and Sasuke would be my best friends. I don't own Hikari Aino either.

This chapter update has been inspired by Alicia Keys' song: Girl on Fire, and it revolves mostly around Sakura and her match. Listen to it and you'll understand what I mean by this song.

Constructive criticism is warmly welcomed and appreciated. I'm an aspiring writer currently studying at University to write stories and other literary works and I need to know if I'm on the right track or if I need to improve on some aspects. So please, review if you can. Thanks xx (^_^)

My apologies for the lateness of this chapter update - I've been very busy. Please enjoy, if you haven't already lost interest :)

GIRLS ON FIRE!

"Everybody stares, as she goes by
'Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes
Watch her when she's lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl
And it's a lonely world.
But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby."

~NARUTO P.O.V~

If there was something even more boring than a D-ranked mission, it was watching that asshole from Sand Country who was picking on Konohamaru and his friends showing off in his match against Misumi from our Village - like he's so tough, I could beat him with one arm tied behind my back! This guy was so arrogant, it was sad. I was about to give up watching the fight and go search for Hikari, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei when something sweet smelling sat down beside me. I tensed before realising that Hikari had returned with both Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei, who was reading his perverted book again and looked freaking relaxed and bored at the same time.

Hikari speed-walked towards me and sat down, wrapping an arm around my shoulder while that teme sauntered over with that same cold look on his face...wait a minute? Is he smiling!? Sasuke Uchiha is smiling! I glanced over at Hikari and realised that she was smiling too.

"Hey Naruto! Did I miss anything?" Hikari asked sounding back to normal again, not cold or distant, but I did see a bit of worry reflected in her brown eyes that made me think something bad happened where ever she had disappeared off to. I chose to ignore the weirdness and just grinned at her.

"Just Shino getting his butt handed to him by some creep from the Sand Village." Hikari frowned as well as that teme, much to my shock. I even saw Kakashi-sensei tense up a bit. "It's that thug Kankuro from the Sand Village who threatened Konohamaru. He's up next against Misumi." Sasuke immediately focused on the fight when he heard that.

"Lemme guess? He's showing off isn't he?" Hikari teased, but the cheerfulness she exhibited didn't reach her eyes as she glared down at the brown-haired asshole with the freaky purple make-up. Then she looked around questioningly.

"Where's Sakura?"

"Huh?" I glanced around and saw that Sakura wasn't sitting beside me like she had been before Sasuke, Hikari and Kakashi-sensei had come back, which was weird because normally she'd be fawning over Sasuke by now. Should've noticed that she wasn't there, she's normally extremely chatty and Sasuke should be telling her to get lost by now…

"Dunno. That's weird…" I replied. Hikari frowned again.

"I'm gonna go find her - she could be next up to fight." I heard her say. She placed a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Let me know who beats whom." she requested before moving to go. I sensed Sasuke shifting in his seat.

"What?" I heard Hikari mutter impatiently.

I turned my head slightly in their direction and felt my eyes widen in surprise as I watched Sasuke gently grabbing her wrist in a possessive hold. It was something I had never seen the Teme do before, acting so extremely out of character. He was staring tenderly at Hikari who blushed underneath his scrutiny. Sasuke then, without looking away from Hikari, softly kissed the back of her hand so lovingly it was almost painful to look at.

Geez, what happened before with Kakashi-sensei and Hikari to make Sasuke so completely different? Hikari smiled softly before using the same hand to caress Sasuke's cheek, then left to find Sakura. I turned towards Kakashi-sensei in confusion. He was no help at all - he shrugged like this was all new to him too, but he was smirking in this really annoying way. Like all this was incredibly amusing to him. Not totally weird at all…

"What was that all about." I asked him, nudging him in the ribs and causing him to grunt.

"Don't know what you're talking about. Didn't see a thing…" He said airily and pushed his nose deeper into his book of porn. I groaned and turned my attention back to the battle - knowing that Sasuke wouldn't admit to anything, even I asked him. Probably tell me to fuck off and mind my own business. Grrr! I hated not knowing what was going on, particularly when it had something to do with my best friends. I flopped back in my seat and pouted feeling irritated. Sasuke chuckled at the back of my head with amusement.

The crowd inside the arena 'oooh' as they winced sympathetically when something 'exciting' and obviously painful happened.

"What!? What is it!? What did I miss!?" I babbled wildly trying to see what was going on.

"Hn. Dobe."

"Teme!"

~HIKARI P.O.V~

I giggled when I heard Naruto suddenly shout 'Teme!' out loud. Clearly, Sasuke called him a 'dobe' again.

I shook my head feeling extremely amused and returned my focus to the task at hand. Like Naruto, I was concerned about where Sakura had disappeared to. I found myself wondering down the corridor searching in classrooms that weren't already occupied by Academy Students and their teachers. They were the ones that weren't allowed to watch the Chunnin Exam Eliminating Matches because they were deemed too young or too innocent to watch ninjas older than they were seriously injuring or even worse killing each other. It was in actual fact their teachers that lucked out - poor bastards.

As I was about to walk into the girl's toilets - my last stop, since I really needed to pee in case I was up to fight next, I decided to give up on my search and return back to my friends, Sakura would resurface when she was ready - when I heard the sounds of somebody sobbing quietly. Frowning, I followed the sobs and came upon the girls' bathroom. Gently and cautiously, I pushed open the door and peeked inside.

It was Sakura.

She was standing at the mirror, leaning against a hand basin for support and staring into it with bloodshot eyes. The type you only got when you had been crying for a long time. Concerned, I stepped into the bathroom and startled Sakura who turned around and immediately scowled.

"What do you want?" she snapped bitterly.

Taken aback, I stepped towards her aiming to stand next to her, but was shocked when she took a large step back narrowing her eyes at me.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" I asked, my friend's eyes narrowing even further. "Why were you crying?"

"Why do you care?" she asked, "Shouldn't you be cuddling up to your 'Sasuke'?" My eyes widened with surprise at the scorn I could hear in her voice. I didn't understand.

"What does Sasuke have to do with this?" I questioned her. She glared at me resentfully before turning away and grabbing some paper towels to dab at her eyes.

"Well, you of all people should know that Sasuke is in love with you. Even though he denies it." My eyes widened. "You have no idea how much I envy you, to be in your shoes." I felt stunned not believing that Sakura would be blaming me for Sasuke's feelings. "I resent the fact that this is the reality and that I have to suck it up and deal with it." She stormed passed me towards the door and opened it. "But I don't want to. I know that you, Sasuke and hell even Naruto believe me to be a weakling. Always constantly having to rescue me because I'm not as strong or skilled as you three."

Sakura turned and her glare intensified, making me cringe. "Not anymore. When it's my time to fight, I'm going to prove to everyone that I'm just as tough as my team is." She said with such a finality in her voice that I silently wished whoever it was fighting against her all the best. I waited a couple of minutes to decipher my frazzled thoughts before following Sakura out of the bathroom and back to where we had been sitting with Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei and the rest of our friends.

As I walked into the crowded, noisy arena - I immediately sought out where Sakura was and spotted her sitting directly next to Sasuke who looked extremely annoyed and uncomfortable about the fact that Sakura was sitting next to him. However, my pink haired team mate had a stubborn determination on her face. Even more so when she noticed my reappearance and slid closer to Sasuke, giving me a taunting smirk while Sasuke snapped an irritated glare at her before following her gaze towards me. My heart jumped again when the Uchiha smiled sincerely at me before turning and replacing that smile with that same neutral expression he always wore that made him out to be a tortured soul - which turns on many heterosexual females everywhere.

My vision was suddenly filled with yellow and shocking orange, before forget-me-not blue eyes beamed into mine.

"Hey, Hikari-chan! You're missing out on all the fun!" Naruto announced in his usual hyperactive demeanour before grabbing my hand and dragging me back to where he had been sitting with our sensei and Sakura and Sasuke. Kiba looked away from the fight to fix me with a sneer.

"Where'd you run off to, Aino? Getting scared that I might be whipping your ass in a match?"

I ignored him, focusing back on the words Sakura had said back in the girl's toilets. Did she really resent me that much? How is it my fault that Sasuke had decided that I lit his fire? Suddenly, I was being jostled around and I frowned looking around not understanding what was going on. The previous match had ended while I was stuck in my thoughts and the next contestants were being randomly announced on the electronic board in front of us. As one everyone held their breath until two names suddenly flickered into view.

HARUNO SAKURA
(Konoha)
Vs.
AINO HIKARI
(Konoha)

'Why me?' I thought with some dread as I looked over at Sakura who after seeing the names on the screen and realising who she was up against, turned and gave me a condemning smirk which I narrowed my eyes at feeling extremely offended. I glanced over Sakura's head to see Sasuke's expression and was half pleased and half exasperated to see that he looked concerned. You'd have to be an idiot not to understand the hostile tension thickening between Sakura and I. Even Naruto - who isn't exactly the sharpest crayon in the pack - could sense something off between Sakura and I.

I bristled angrily and stood up from my seat at the same time as Sakura did and moved towards the battle ground with exaggerated dignity and all while thinking bitterly to myself about the way Sakura was behaving and unjustly treating me.

'Where does she get off trying to make me feel guilty about something completely out of my control?' I thought, stomping down the staircase beside the bleachers whilst trying to ignore the smugness rippling off Sakura in waves. 'I'm allowed to like whomever I want, and so can Sasuke! I'm NOT going to cowtow to some vapid bitch who thinks she can control not only MY love life, but also somebody else's whom she CLAIMS to love with all her heart!'

I came up to the banister and with a glance backwards I deliberately sought out both Sasuke and Sakura's eyes. With Sasuke, I winked flirtatiously and received a bewildered but nevertheless genuine smile back. With Sakura, well… I glared at her warningly before smirking then expertly vaulting over the banister and landing gracefully and soundlessly on the dusty arena floor. I received a lot of oohs, ahhs and a loudly mumbled 'show off' from Kiba who was sulking over the fact that he wasn't going to fight against me.

'Tough shit, life isn't always fair!' Sakura joined me on the arena floor two minutes later and still glaring at me, walked over to her side of the arena floor.

I rolled my eyes and stood at a kimbo, waiting for the referee to show up so we could start this match. It was clear that the moment the match begun, Sakura would be giving all she got to prove her worth and that she wasn't a weakling. I agreed with that too, except that I was only fighting against Sakura so I could rise in the ranks of ninja and make my recently deceased mother proud that I made it to Chunnin. I admit that I was also glad that I was fighting against Sakura for a second reason - to put her firmly back into her box and hopefully make her understand that things happen in life that you cannot control - whether or not it's physical, psychological or emotional - and sometimes it can be in your favour, other times you stand off in the distance watching it happening to somebody else. The bottom line is nobody can explain why it happens or when.

I just want Sakura to understand that before it's too late to make amends.

"Alright ladies," the referee finally shows up. Sakura and I immediately focus our attention towards the incredibly bored looking and disinterested jounin. "Rules are the same as every other fight: you lose the match if you are knocked unconscious, cannot physically get up yourself, you forfeit the match or worse case scenario; you're killed by your opponent. Please try to avoid that result at all costs please, nobody wants to scrape your bodies off the arena floor. Plus, I doubt that the Hokage would enjoy the paperwork he'd have to fill out." He droned.

Sakura and I nodded - all business. "Are we clear?"

"Yes!" we both confirmed. The referee nodded before stepping backwards raising one of his hands in the air to give the signal to start. "BEGIN!" He ordered before Sakura immediately took her position. Sakura smirked.

"I'm going to prove that I'm the better candidate for Sasuke-kun's heart, and not you or any other girl in this village is going to prove or say otherwise." she taunted confidently. I bristled - she was really starting to get up my nose.

"Sakura," I said tiredly, gathering up my fists into my hands and calmly cracked my knuckles in preparation for the battle ahead, "unless you're not planning to keep your teeth inside your head; I suggest you cut out that bullshit right now." I suggested coldly and calmly before moving fluidly into my fighting stance, fixing her with a glare.

Sakura's smirk immediately dropped and formed into a scowl.

"Are you threatening me, bitch?" she spat, shaking with fury. I raised an eyebrow. And she wonders why Sasuke doesn't have any time for her?

"I think we've already established that I just did, sweetie." I mocked her, now smirking myself. Sakura gave an ugly snarl.

"I'm so gonna kick your butt." she promised, before charging at me - fist raised.

'May the best person win…' I thought soberly.

~SASUKE P.O.V~

I watched grimly when both of my team mates commenced their fight. It took every ounce of my being to restrain myself from interfering. It was a part of the Chunnin exams; so why was I receiving this sudden urge to stop it? Then it hit me exactly why I wanted to and I scowled darkly at Sakura who charged head long towards Hikari with a kick, and I noted to my satisfaction that she had just had her feet swept out from underneath her by a 'cool as a cucumber' Hikari and Sakura landed hard on the dusty arena floor.

I smirked approvingly as I watched her struggle to get to her feet. Did she really think that I didn't know what was going on? Clearly Sakura hadn't learnt from the last time Kakashi, the dobe and I sternly reprimanded her for her treatment of Hikari, and also the numerous times I've told her to "beat it" because I wasn't interested. The crowd winced and 'oohed' when Sakura belted Hikari had across the face with her fist – deliberately putting force (and probably chakra) behind the attack. We watched as Hikari's head snapped backwards and she forcibly expelled a mixture of blood and saliva before she hit the deck hard, shuddering from the pain.

I felt my blood boiling with I saw the satisfied, triumphant smirk on Sakura's face as she watched Hikari stagger drunkenly to her feet and drew her arm across her bloody mouth. I clenched my fists in my fury, then nearly (and I mean nearly) jumped out of my skin when a warm, heavy hand descended onto my shoulder. I glanced towards the fingerless gloved hand and realised Kakashi was simultaneously trying to comfort and restrain me to my seat while still reading that perverted book of his. But even then, I could see the grim expression on his masked face. That's one thing I do respect him for - not being a fool and taking things seriously when the need arose.

"Relax Sasuke," Kakashi said firmly, "both of them need to resolve their issues, and I believe that this is the perfect opportunity for them to do that." I disagreed strongly. From what I already observed of Sakura since becoming the object of her ardent (and unwelcomed) affections, that given the opportunity she would eliminate any obstacle stopping her from her ultimate goal – even if it meant serious injury. I was thankful that even Sakura was level-headed enough that she wouldn't even consider death an option. She wasn't that type of person.

Sakura produced three kunai which she immediately threw at Hikari who easily dodged and retaliated by throwing one back to block an oncoming surprise kunai. Sakura used this to her advantage by attacking once again before Hikari could fully regain her barings. 'Is Sakura trying to prove a point?' I thought worriedly as Hikari dodged again exasperatedly.

I didn't blame her.

"I think Sakura-chan's got the advantage." Naruto blurted out looking excited about the match. I stared at the dobe - questioning if he really did have a brain as Nara accurately summed him up with one sentence.

"You really are an idiot aren't you?" He droned bored as though trying to forgo sleep, "Troublesome." He mumbled before returning to the match with Ino clutching his arm, watching both girls anxiously. Naruto looked offended by the comment before Hyuuga leaned over to put his two cents in.

"They're both female kunoichi - their physical attributes are lower than normal." A chick with her hair tied up odango-style… Tenten wasn't it? looked offended by Hyuuga's opinion.

"That's not remotely sexist…" she drawled sarcastically before leaning over to speak to the dobe as well. "And it's not because they happen to be kunoichi," she said, "It's because they're both going soft on each other." My eyes widened when I heard this and glared disapprovingly at Hikari for not putting her whole heart and soul into this fight. "Besides, Naruto," Tenten continued, "the sex of a shinobi has nothing to do with the battle." I silently agreed with that statement as I watched Hikari and Sakura beat the living hell out of each other.

~HIKARI P.O.V~

I paused for a moment to catch my breath as I scrutinised Sakura who was also panting heavily and glaring resentfully at me, as though wondering why I hadn't lost the match yet. Suddenly Sakura charged at me again.

'Oh… give me a break!' I groaned dodging and burying my fist into Sakura's stomach causing her to gag violently. Removing my fist and grasping both together in my hands I brought them down heavily on Sakura's back making her face plant on the dusty battle floor as I stepped back to catch my breath. 'I gotta end this now. Sakura's getting tired, and I'm not in very good shape either…' I mused as I quickly came over to deliver the final punch when Sakura looked up and our eyes locked for several seconds.

It was then that I realised Sakura wasn't going to attack me anymore and let me be with my feelings for Sasuke when she suddenly smirked again. I frowned cautiously.

"What's the joke?" I asked. Sakura got to her feet and brushed down her dress before springing back into her fighting stance. Uncertainly, I followed suit.

"I don't want to fight you for Sasuke anymore." She declared and I raised an eyebrow. 'Wow… can she read minds now?' I pondered before Sakura glanced up towards the spectators and I followed her gaze realising that she was seeking out Sasuke and sighed disappointedly.

"You and Sasuke aren't even a match." She insulted me and I bristled inwardly, "Furthermore, I am much stronger than you." She bragged. "You're not fit to be called my rival." she declared and I pulled a face.

"I wasn't aware that we were rivals." I retorted truthfully. Sakura chose to ignore my statement, instead she pulled her hitai-ate free from her hair and deliberately tied it around her forehead.

"You're not even from this Village. You don't deserve to wear that around your neck." she sneered. I took in deep breath, trying to will myself not to permanently put Sakura's lights out with one well-aimed punch. Sure, I hadn't been born in Konoha - I had moved here and became a Konoha citizen when I was roughly five. But it didn't mean that Konoha was any less my home than it was Sakura's or any of the other shinobi living here. She has no right to bully me over something like that. I straightened up and with slow deliberate movements, reached up to untie the knot that held my hitai-ate in place around my neck and tugged it free. Then I defiantly levelled Sakura with a glare before also tying my hitai-ate around my forehead. Sakura's eyes widened.

"I may not have been born here, Sakura. But Konoha will always be my home because I would do anything to protect it, even risk my own life in the process." I declared sincerely before stepping back into my fighting stance. "Are you ready to fight for real?" I asked seriously. Sakura nodded with determination. I tensed when she started fashioning hand signs and then immediately after that violently stomps the earth, hard enough for it to split in half.

"Shit…" I muttered as the split rocketed towards me and I dodged so I wouldn't fall into it. However, I foolishly didn't watch what Sakura was doing and ended up with a face full of Sakura's fist which collided painfully with my jaw…

~KAKASHI P.O.V~

"Wow! She's good." I heard Naruto comment at what Sakura had just done. But at the same time we all winced when our pink-haired teammate belted Hikari in the face with her fist. I smirked. 'Sneak attack. Not bad, Sakura.' I thought before answering Naruto's comment.

"Yes. Sakura has completed the ability to accumulate chakra and use it at the right time." I paused and glanced at Sasuke whom hadn't taken his eyes off the match for a second (except to give Naruto strange looks when the blonde knucklehead did something extremely weird) and had a serious expression on his face. "She could even beat Sasuke," that caught his attention and he turned and glared at me as though appalled I could even make such a suggestion. 'Tsk, arrogant little shit…' "But in Sakura's case, she was really good at chakra control to begin with."

Naruto and even Sasuke paused for a moment to reflect on this knowledge - my mind returned back to our mission in Wave Country and allowed a reminiscent smile to form when I remembered how both females in our team mastered chakra control faster than Naruto and Sasuke. I chuckled in amusement.

"What's so funny?" asked Naruto curiously. However before I could answer his question the examiner's loud voice resounded over the entire arena.

"This match has been the longest so far. It has been going on for ten minutes!" He announced with his usual bored drawl. The crowd cheered loudly. I noticed out of the corner of my eye, both Sakura and Hikari talking to each other. Curiously, I activated my Sharingan and lip-read what they were saying.

"Are you ready to calm down and stop insisting that you've been hard done by because Sasuke happens to like me over you?" Hikari questioned Sakura who bristled, clearly not liking Hikari's question. I raised an eyebrow and glanced subtly at Sasuke who seemed oblivious to the attention he was receiving from not only me, but also both girls currently fighting at that moment.

'How interesting. Childish and disturbing, but interesting…' I thought before glancing back at them. Sakura was now speaking. She sounded frustrated and at her wits end. I frowned with confusion.

"I can't understand what Sasuke-kun sees in you. How does he like you so much?" An answer I'd like to learn also.

Hikari sighed. "I just be myself. I don't constantly chase after him seeking his affection. I choose to be his friend rather than trying to be something I'm not - trying to be someone we think Sasuke wants in a potential girlfriend."

I smiled approvingly. Good answer - I can see why Sasuke has a lot of time for Hikari. I could also see Sakura looking stunned at Hikari's answer as well. It was clear that she expected a completely different answer. I could see the little thought bubbles forming over her head saying: "Now why didn't I think of that?"

Yes, Sakura. Why didn't you think of that?

"Are you alright, Kakashi-sensei?" I jerked back to the present and glanced over to see Naruto, Sasuke, Team Asuma and Team Kurenai staring at me curiously and worriedly. I smiled pleasantly.

"I'm just fine. In fact, I've learnt something quite interesting." I answered. Naruto brightened. Typical.

"Really? What? What? What?" He asked hyperactively. I ignored him preferring to watch the match. 'Nothing you need to know at the moment, Naruto.' I thought as I watched Naruto take a seat, pouting resentfully at me. 'Besides, it doesn't concern you. It concerns Sasuke…'

Suddenly, Hikari pounces on Sakura holding her securely with one hand while her other hand glowed green. My eyes widened in shock. 'She's not going to do what I think she's about to do…' I thought frantically. Sakura bucks trying to free herself, but Hikari tightens her grip.

"Surrender now, Sakura. Somebody has to win this match, and it might as well be me." Hikari said with a sad tone in her voice. It was clear she didn't want to do what she was planning to do: temporarily paralyze Sakura so she couldn't move, but she was giving Sakura the chance to forfeit.

Sakura chose to reject that offer and immediately flips Hikari over her shoulder. Hikari lands with a grunt before getting to her feet. My pink-haired student massages her wrists where Hikari had been restraining her and glared at the ravenette who moved into her fighting stance.

"This is it, you ready?" Sakura asks.

Hikari nods as Sakura copies the fighting stance. The girls give a warrior's yell and charge at each other fists raised. Both connect with each other and fly backwards, crumbling into a heap. The dust settled and it became clear that both girls were unable to continue the match.

"Both opponents lose the match!" yelled the Examiner.

Immediately I vaulted over the hand rail of the bleachers and headed towards Sakura, already knowing that Sasuke would be going towards Hikari. Both girls were unconscious as we lifted them into our arms and headed towards the medics. I chanced a glance over towards Sasuke and smiled when I saw him cradling Hikari carefully in his arms, allowing her head to settle against his shoulder. 'I'm happy for you, Sasuke,' My smile then slowly dropped as a foreboding feeling washed over me.

'Let's just hope your happiness will last for awhile…'

Please review. The next chapter will be up soon. xx