Wednesday, August 1st, 2012.
Hey! Short chap today!
I was actually thinking of not updating. Why? Only one person reviewed my 3-shot yesterday. And I thought it was my sis.
Why? The person who reviewed, logged in as a guest under "Faith." Guess what my sister's name is? Faith. Just earlier that day, I was ranting about how upset I was the no-one reviewed. Then I saw it. I thought it was her. Then I re-read the review after my sister said she hadn't reviewed it. Or read the second and 3rd chapters.
But thank you SO much, "Faith"! I'm so glad you reviewed! You made my day! And readers, you better thank her because she's the reason you got a chapter!
If I don't see another review on the 3-shot, I'm not reviewing next week. I might not have anyway, that's the first day of school for me. But then again, it's Tsunade's b-day. Anyway, review and I'll update!
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Hinata's fight against Pain wouldn't have been that pathetic. In the manga, it was like 4 panels-2 pages long. Most of you know what happened in the anime. It was longer, but still not that pathetic. I also would have Naruto acknowledge the confession in a different way besides just saving her from Zetsus. Even a nod would have been something.
Anyway, READ ON!
Chapter 10: The Bet
Recap no Jutsu
I took off my headband. "I will give up being a ninja if Lee does not recover with the ability to be a ninja in 3 and half months' time."
Recap no Jutsu: Release!
Sakura POV
Sasuke looked like he was going to kill someone. Asuma dropped his cigarette; Chouji's chips were lost a long time ago. His mouth dropped instead. Kakashi…I can't read it. Naruto…can't read his either. Everyone else; a variation of surprise, disappointment, worry, and from the girls and Sai-kun; determination.
Tenten and Ino took their headbands off too. "So will we." Ino said.
"As will we." We turned to find Karin helping Hinata walk toward, holding out their headbands. "I may not be a Konoha ninja, but I refuse to see someone with that sort of spirit be given up on like that. My team left me to die in the Forest of Death and never cared about me in the first place. And another team I was on…our leader used me as a sacrifice and would have finished me off had he not have been interrupted and me running away with the little strength I had left."
"What about your other teammates?" Asked Naruto.
"They couldn't care less if they had known. Granted, I was pretty annoying, but still…I thought I had become friends with them. Instead the leader let himself be obsessed with power and only focus on his goals; destroying any and all obstacles. Including me." I knew she was talking about her time with Team Taka/Hebi in the future. The time Sasuke tried to kill her was the day she finally gave up on him. No longer following him…you get the idea.
"After that", she continued. "I can't bear to see someone else given up on and left to die, too. I'll believe in this Lee kid and let my career take the price if I was wrong." She smiled-a small one-, supporting Hinata with one hand and her headband in the other.
"I-I believe in Lee-san, too. He helped me be proud of who I was. So what, I'm a failure in my own family's eyes? A failure can become great. I will bet my dream as great kunoichi on Lee, too." Hinata said, softly as she was still in pain.
"B-but Hinata! If he doesn't, your father will surely disown you!" Kurenai exclaimed. Akamaru barked in agreement. He and Kiba had also come back behind Hinata, to see what was going on.
"I know. That man stopped being my father the day my mother died, and even moreso in the death of my uncle. The loss of his brother had been the last straw. He'll disown me soon anyway, I'm sure." She said this as if it was a fact.
Neji blew up. "Loss? He sacrificed his own TWIN so he can live!"
Tenten turned on him again. "Oh, shut up! Your father gave himself up! Hiashi didn't want to lose his brother but he didn't have that option! Hizashi gave himself up for his brother, imbecile! I've tried telling you before but you'd never listen! Ask Hokage-sama! If his word isn't enough, I have documented proof! And this is about Lee, not you!"
"I'll bet my career as a ninja, too." Now this turned some heads. Temari, a Sand ninja and older brother of the one who put our friend in this state in the first place is betting her career that he would get better. I bet they didn't see that coming, did they?
"But what about that Gaara kid? You're on the same team, right?" Asuma asked, the first to gather his senses together.
Temari nodded. "Gaara and Kankuro are my younger brothers. I won't be surprised if my brother tries to kill me if he hears this."
"But isn't he your brother?" asks Sasuke. I almost forgot he was there. I find it almost ironic that he's asking this. You know, planning to kill his OWN brother and all…I'm not sure he should be talking.
"Gaara…is very troubled and unstable. He used to be a nice little kid but things happened and he lost his sanity. He no longer understands bonds of any sort aside from killer and victim. He doesn't understand family especially, so he doesn't acknowledge Kankuro and me as siblings. I'd appreciate it if you don't let it leak to Gaara that I'm betting my career. His leniency for me might evaporate and he has more than enough power to kill me."
"What happened?" asked Shikamaru.
"I'll tell you all after we're done with this. Does anyone else want to bet or is it just us girls? No guys have the balls?"
At first no one moved. They didn't say anything on her language either. Then Naruto held his headband out. "Like before when I vowed to beat Neji for Hinata, I vow to beat Gaara for Lee and I bet my career and headband on Bushy Brow's recovery."
No one else did anything.
Sasuke suddenly snorted. "You'll have to beat Gaara after I do; I'm facing him in the match."
Temari smirked. "That's if you can. Not just anyone can beat Gaara."
"I'm not weak! An Uchi-"
I interrupted him. "We know you're an Uchiha! We know you're stong! We get it. God, I'm so damn sick of hearing that!"
He looked at me strangely, and then glared at me. I didn't care. I was too pissed to.
Temari started to leave. She turned to us at the exit. "Well if you guys want to find out about Gaara, you might want to follow you know. I want someplace more private. Hokage-sama, Hayate-san, and the other sensei spectating may come. You'll want to hear this."
That's all for now!
By the way, everyone knows who's fighting who in the Finals.
The next few chaps will have little action, but I wouldn't call it filler. It's important. Either way, things are mellowing down.
Review!
See you whenever I update next!
