The Ulitimate Konoha Idol!

By Tru and Neko

Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto.

**

CHAPTER 9: Clash of the Hyuga!

"Hinata!" Kiba vaulted over his seat to crouch beside her. Gently he shook Hinata's shoulder. "Wake up!"

Kurenai drifted near her students, worried. Hinata had to find her courage…

Pale eyes opened and slowly focused on Kiba's face. "…uh?"

"It's your turn," he reminded her.

"Oh." Hinata fidgeted nervously. "Right."

Shakily she made her way toward the stage.

"She gonna be all right?" Kiba asked.

Kurenai smiled encouragingly. "She will be."

*

Hinata reached the microphone and picked it up. "Um…hi," she mumbled, hiding behind her coat collar. "I-I'll be singing 'H-Hopelessly D-devoted to You b-by O-O-Olivia Newton-John."

Her eyes sought out her teammates, who all gave smiles of encouragement. Kiba yelled, "Go, Hinata!"

Embarrassed, she glanced away. The slow, mournful music began.

"Guess mine is not the first heart broken," she began, taking a shaky breath. "My eyes…are not the first to cry." She kept her eyes focused on the mike. "Not the first to know there's just no getting over you…"

"I know I'm just a fool who's willing to sit around and wait for you…but baby, can't you see, there's nothing else for me to do…I'm hopelessly devoted to you."

Closing her eyes, Hinata forced herself to forget that there was an entire crowd of her peers looking on. Imagining that she was all alone, she stood taller and sang out, "But now, there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside. I'm out of my head, hopelessly devoted to you, ooh, I'm hopelessly devoted to you." She took a breath, sighing, "Hopelessly devoted to you."

The audience, for once, was not talking, rapt at Hinata's beautiful voice. No one had ever heard her speak so clearly without stuttering before. Naruto thought Hinata looked rather pretty under the spotlight.

Once Hinata had finished the song, she took a shuddering breath and mumbled, "Thank you."

Wandering over to the judges' table, she handed the microphone to Temari.

"Wow…I don't know what to say," smiled the older kunoichi. "That was lovely."

"Th-thanks," blushed Hinata.

Kankuro agreed. "You should sing more often."

"O-okay."

Gaara stared off into space for a moment. "…You suck."

Hinata inhaled sharply, tears stinging her eyes. Temari and Kankuro glared at their brother.

"Gaara! Don't be so mean!" hissed Temari.

"…Whatever."

Kurenai hustled Hinata off the stage, murmuring, "You did wonderfully."

"Thank you, sensei," she whispered, blinking back tears.

"So!" Iruka took the stage. "Before I call the next name, I'd like to congratulate Hinata on her performance. I know it must have been hard for you to come onstage in front of all of us." He smiled kindly at her; having taught all the rookies at the academy, he knew them well. Hinata smiled timidly back.

"And now…let's have Hyuga Neji!"

Neji sighed before heading onstage.

"I really don't want to be here," he addressed the crowd. "My team forced me into this. I hate singing."

"Good," said Gaara. "I hate it, too."

"However," Neji paused dramatically, "I must sing. People think I'm a genius…I can't let them down."

As the audience mulled over this strange comment, the music began.

"I'm singing 'The Reason' by Hoobastank."

He began singing.

"I'm not a perfect person. There's many things I wish I didn't do. But I continue learning; I never meant to do those things to you-"

"I never knew he could sing," commented Naruto.

"-and so I have to say before I go that I just want to you know. I found a reason for me to change who I used to be, a reason to start over new, and the reason is you."

"Who's he talking about?" asked Sakura.

"I have no idea," replied Sasuke.

"If Sakura is to love me," thought Lee, "I must sing better than my rival, Neji!"

"I'm sorry that I hurt you, it's something I must live with every day, and all the pain I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away and be the one who catches all your tears."

Neji began doing his 8 Trigams Heavenly Spin technique.

"That's why I need you to hear, I found a reason for me to change who I used to be, a reason to start over new, and the reason is you, and the reason is you, and the reason is you, and the reason is you!"

There was applause at the end of the song. Lee glowered with jealously.

"I must impress Sakura!"

"Neji has a secret admirer!" giggled Naruto. Sakura immediately punched him into unconsciousness.

"Okay," said Iruka, "the judges?"

"That was an awesome song!" praised Temari.

"Good singing," said Kankuro, "and good jutsu control. Nothing like Choji's song. You know, you look a lot like your sister."

"Sister?" asked Neji. "I have a sister?"

"Don't you know? Hinata, who went right before you."

"HINATA IS NOT MY SISTER!" yelled Neji. "WE'RE COUSINS, OKAY?"

"I wondered why you had the same last name."

"He sucks," muttered Gaara.

"Next is…" Iruka pulled a name out of the bowl.

"Sakura."

Sakura grinned. She would show Ino!

She climbed onstage.

"I'm singing 'Little Voice' by Hilary Duff. And no, it's not about puppets."

"Awwwwwwwwww," said…you guess.

Random funky music began; Sakura struck a pose with the microphone.

"I won't tell you what I'm thinking 'cause it's not the same thing you're thinking, too. You could say I've got a best friend and she's always telling me what to do." Here she glared at Ino.

"She's out of sight but easy to find…she's in the front of my mind!" Inner Sakura was cheering as Sakura sang louder. "A little voice in my head won't let me forget. A little voice in my head is never misled. All of this noise is what keeps me from making a mess. A little voice in my head just won't let me get with you."

Inner Sakura was punching her fists at Ino.

"When I see you, I admit, I start to lose my grip and all of my cool. You smell so sweet just like my perfume."

Lee jumped onstage. This did not bade well for him. Once again, he was pushed off the stage.

"What have you been doing since I left you? You're always there in my thoughts, but that doesn't mean that it's on!"

Naruto hopefully jumped onstage. See what happened to Lee, only with more force.

For the last verse, Sakura was running all over the stage, singing at the top of her lungs.

When the final note was played, she dramatically collapsed.

"Oh my!" Temari gasped, half-rising from her chair. "Is she all right?"

"…" said Gaara, unaffected.

Sakura jumped up. "Ha! I'm okay!"

Temari sweatdropped. "Well…that was pretty good."

"Is the little voice referring to a puppet?" asked Kankuro.

"You suck," hissed Gaara.

"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" yelled Naruto.

"Y-y-you ca-can't s-s-s-s-say th-th-that!" cried Lee, taking forever to get the words out.

"You're my hero," said Ino, smiling at Gaara.

Lee punched her.

"OOOOOOOOOOwwwwwww," moaned Ino. "As far as I know, guys with freaky eyelashes punching me wasn't part of my dream competition."

Iruka prepared to pick another slip.

"Oh! It'll be my turn next!" gasped Naruto.

"I've waited this long!" sulked Lee. "If it were up to me, I'd rather be the final act!"

Iruka picked up a slip.

"Next up is…"

**

Hinata - 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' by Olivia Newton-John (from Grease)

Neji - 'The Reason' by Hoobastank

Sakura - 'Little Voice' by Hilary Duff (sorry, it fit :P)

Lee or Naruto? Whoever's next is sure to have an *ahem* interesting song... Please review!