Opposed to the usual blabbing I do at this point (about how I didn't think I'll manage to write this on time or bragging that I did) I wanna start this intro differently the usual. The reason for that you can read about at the end of the chapter (for those who actually feel like reading about my personal thoughts that I wanted to share and are not afraid to go deep into my twisted mind XD). Anyways, what I wanted to say is:
THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING WITH THIS STORY FOR SO LONG! I KNOW I SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT MANY TIMES ALREADY, BUT WORDS REALLY CAN'T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU WHO KEEP ON READING AND REVIEWING THIS STORY. IT'S YOU GUYS THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THIS FIC TO RUN THIS LONG AND IF YOU'LL FEEL LIKE IT, IT'LL BE YOU GUYS WHO'LL HELP IT RUN EVEN LONGER!
Although the statement above is directed towards everyone who reviewed the story overall, I'll also treat it as 'thanks' to those you reviewed the previous chapter specifically as well. I really can't find the words to thank you enough, and so I'll just leave you knowing that I'm really grateful for your support.
SECOND CHARACTER POPULARITY CONTEST: I just wanted to remind everyone, who didn't voted yet, that they still have a chance to do so! The rules of the voting are written down in chapter 93! Remember: every vote counts XD
And now, without any more blabbering (there's plenty of that at the end of this chapter XD), here's the newest chapter of "Naruto: Next Generation":
Chapter #96: Here Comes the Rain Again
Title Page: Kai is fishing and just when he caught something, he shoots it out of the water, right into a sea-gull's break
Tasuki swung a wooden sword around, making a cutting sound fill the air around him. The wide, hospital park had just enough free space for him to train a bit. Although his ribs hurt from time to time as he swung the practice katana, he just clenched his teeth and kept going, ignoring it completely: "To get defeated by a brat… never again will I allow such a disgrace!" he claimed, piercing the air before him. It was then that his right eyebrow raised, while his sight traveled to his right, where two, familiar twins stood: "What is it?" he asked in an annoyed tone, looking at the pair.
"Well, it's not like Nobu is completely healed an all…" Kumo began, pointing at his brother who still had several bandages on his body, that covered his burns. "But apparently neither of our injuries were that serious, so the head nurse had use released. She said she needed to attend to some girl or something… don't know what that was all about…"
"Will you get to the point?" Tasuki interrupted, narrowing his eyes as his annoyance grew.
"The point is we're free to wonder around the village" Nobu replied, slowly picking his words. "Eliminations ain't over yet, but I'm guessing they will soon. Since both Teela and Tenka already fought, there's no point in entering, but we were thinking to wait outside the dome and go celebrate their advancing to the final exam once the matches are over. The three of us didn't succeed, but that doesn't mean we can't cheer for them…"
Tasuki's eyes were settled on the two. His gazed indicated that he was both annoyed, with a doze of anger. Teela's words flashed through the swordsman's head and narrowing his eyes, he replied, surprising both twins: "As long as I'm not paying…" and with that he gave them a smirk, making the Chishio siblings exchange shocked glances.
---Back to eliminations---
"Tsume!" Kokoro yelled from the platform, ready to jump down to help his teammate, yet a sudden hand appeared in his way. As the telepath gaze to his left, he saw Hinata blocking his way with her face expression both worry, but also determination: "Stay here, Kokoro… this match still hasn't been decided…"
"Shit, what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Lee asked himself as his gaze shifted from one gennin to another. "Announce a draw?" he raised his huge eyebrow at the thought and after a short hesitation began raising his hand, only to see another hand raising as well. The hand that belonged to Honemaru.
The white-haired boy lifted up his hand and aiming his palm at the ground, he made a bone shoot out of it, making one end prop itself on the floor, while the other held the hand up. The sand-nin used that very bone to help himself up. Although his entire body burned from inside and pain shoot from every bone as he moves, breathing heavily, he managed to get back up, only to prop himself on his right knee and the bone as his eyes settled on his opponent.
With the turn of events, Lee gazed at Tsume, but seeing no reaction from her, he decided the match was over: "Winner: Ho…" but at this point the kunoichi's body shook as she struggled to get back up. "Couldn't you do that faster, so that I wouldn't make an idiot out of myself?" the Leaf's Green Beast thought as his eye twitched.
"I'm… not… done yet…" the dog gennin managed to speak up: "I… have… a…" but this was all she said, before her knees broke beneath her and she collapsed to the floor none the less. A second later Lee announced Honemaru's victory, making Tsume's teammate jump down to their companion immediately.
"Looks like I lost…" she said weakly, seeing her friends gather around. Somehow she found it easier to speak now, though she couldn't really figure out why. "It'd appear that after everything, I'm still too weak…"
"What are you talking about?" asked Galu surprised. "You gave that bone guy a whole load of trouble. Hinata-sensei said his bones aren't in good shape. Just a bit more and you would have won for sure. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Next time you'll surely advance…"
"But this time I did" the kunoichi replied with disappointment in her voice. "How's Uramaru?" she quickly asked, receiving an answer that he'll be fine from Kokoro. Finally both the young Inuzuka and the pup were taken away, while the rest of Hinata's cell made its way back to the platform. The medics came towards Honemaru as well, surprisingly however the white-haired boy refused to go for treatment and got back to his teammates as well.
"I'm not an expert, but I do believe your skeleton isn't in its best shape" stated Tarakudo with an emotionless voice. "I can imagine it hurts and quite much at that. Why didn't you go with the medics?" he asked not even turning to his teammate. Honemaru simply gazed at him for a split second, and then replied, with the voice just as emotionless as the bandaged boy's: "The eliminations are almost over. I can endure as much, so no point in leaving, since one of my teammates still has his fight ahead…" and with that his sight traveled to Takai.
The scythe user noted his gaze, but seemed to ignore it completely as he still stood with his arms crossed, watching the screen. Seeing this, Aoru gave her crush a worried look, but didn't say a word. Temari however managed a smile at her subordinate's statement: "Perhaps there's still hope for these three?"
"Using your own bones as weapons" Kai shivered at the thought as he embraced himself. "I saw it, but it's still hard for me to believe…" he announced, making Kankuro gaze at him for a moment and then, returning to observing the screen, the puppeteer responded: "That is partly the reason they were created… to strike fear in enemy's hearts. But even putting their abilities aside, they're still creepy. I'll never understand why Gaara allowed them to live, let alone become Suna shinobi…"
"And I know exactly why he did that" replied Naruto with a smile. "Whether you classify them as humans or not, they were created on human basis. They feel… learn… dream. They're living and Gaara… he learned to respect life. Any life. That's why he forbid to kill those three. He let them become sand-nins, because he acknowledge their existence…" at this point Kankuro merely glanced at the whisker-marks and after staring at him for a while, his mouth also broke into a smile as his eyes returned to the screen, where two, new names were already picked: HEBEREKE NAZAA versus FURIKUZU TSUINO.
"Well, what do you know?" began the red-haired rain-nin as he gazed at his teammate with a smirk. The scar-faced boy replied with a smile as well as they both jumped down, awaiting the starting signal. Seeing this however, Kusari got completely confused: "Wait a minute, those two are from the same team!" he noticed, pointing at the Ame gennin. "How the hell were they picked to fight each other?"
"Don't you remember what Lee-san said at the beginning?" Kumiko responded, slightly annoyed by her teammate's lack of intelligence. "The fights are individual, meaning the teams stopped existing for the time being. Right now they're not teammates, but just two gennin, trying to get the right to participate in the final exam! They're rivals, just like you, me, Takaru, Ibuki or Kai…"
"Wow, Kumiko-chan is so smart" the chain master replied with his eyes turning into hearts. "You deserve a kiss" and with that he buckled up his lips, only to receive a kick right into them, while a vein pulsed on the young genius head. Ibuki merely sweat dropped at the whole situation: "You're really pushing your luck, Kusari… and risk your life at that…"
"Thirty match: Hebereke Nazaa against Furikuzu Tsuino!" Lee announced loudly as the two, rain-nin stood before each other. "Ready and… BEGIN!" and in a flash he moved out of the way, while the red-haired Ame gennin charged at his teammate, readying his fists. As his opponent came within his range, he jumped forward, flipping and dropped his right fist at the scar-faced boy's head.
Immediately Tsuino leaned to his right and spun on his foot, aiming a kick into the back of Nazaa's head, yet before the attack connected, the redhead deflected it by hitting his teammate's leg with an opened palm, throwing it off course and just barely landing safely on his feet, he spun himself, freely swinging his left hand at the opponent, who quickly ducked under the assault and launched both his fists at Nazaa's stomach.
The redhead simply bended his torso and with his head and legs out front, he tried to head bomb Tsuino, but the scar-faced boy manage to act in time and bending back, he flipped backwards, throwing his legs at Nazaa's incoming head. Surprisingly for everyone though, the other boy leaned back in time, making the kicks fly just before his face, causing no damage.
As his head shoot back, it seemed like Nazaa will fall back, yet he managed to keep his balance by taking a single step in each direction and then charged at Tsuino again but not in a straight line. He zigzagged! Once he beat the distance between the two, the redhead began throwing punches and kicks completely randomly, forcing his teammate back, barely dodging or blocking all of them.
"That redhead!" Lee just realized, widening his eyes. "He's using the drunken fist!" Meanwhile, on the platform, Taki raised her eyebrow: "What is it with that guy? Is he drunk or something?" she asked, looking around confused. The one to answer her, was Takaru: "That's the general idea… he's using Suiken, a very specific martial art. Its biggest strength lies within the fact that the attack pattern is basically unpredictable…"
"Unpredictable, huh?" Horohoro snorted, glancing back at Tsuino. "And yet this guy managed to read that redhead's movement perfectly. Out of the two… who is more dangerous then?" and at this point Nazaa threw another punch forward, making his entire body lean to the front. The scar-faced boy managed to jump back and as it seemed that the redhead is going to fall down, he suddenly jumped forward, aiming to smack his teammate's stomach with his own head.
Acting on instinct, Tsuino jumped over the incoming, spinning redhead and upon landing, he spun around, seeing that his opponent already came to a sliding stop and charged at him again, still giving the impression he'll fall down at any time. Just inches before his teammate's scared face he jumped up, aiming a kick into it, but also this time the other rain-nin ducked under the assault.
As his feet touched the floor, Nazaa aimed a knee into Tsuino's face that was now near the ground, but also this time the scar-faced boy managed to dodge the attack by standing back up instantly. It was then that the redhead threw an opened palm attack with his right hand, making his opponent lean right, only to see a punch coming at him from the same direction, from below.
Instinctually, Tsuino bended back, making the attack go right before his face. That single swing made Nazaa lose his balance again and spin on his feet. Surprisingly however , as he was halfway through, he placed his hands on the floor and using them to prop himself, he threw a kick at defenseless scar-faced boy, delivering a powerful blow into his teammate's stomach.
"He got him!" yelled Hanamaru shocked as Tsuino took few steps back, holding his stomach. He gazed at his teammate with a tiny smirk appearing on his face and simply reached or his dagger swords: "Well, that was fun. What do you say we end our warm-up here and get serious, old friend?"
"Works hik for me" replied Nazaa, also crooking a smile.
---this battle starts now!---
Coming up: the eliminations are at an end and the final exam is drawing closer. Plots, dreams, ambitions! All will come crushing against each other soon! But with the little still to come in the eliminations, what awaits Ibuki, who was yet to fight? Next: Ibuki's match begins!
Well, this concludes this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. As usual, I'm placing the list of the gennin 'still in the game' below and after that my personal thoughts. Whether you wish to read them or not, I'll leave it up to you. It's just something I really wanted to get off my chest.
Konoha #7: Murasakki Kumiko, Tanken Ibuki, Gekido Takaru, Hagane Kusari, Haisha Kai
Konoha #3: Konpaku Rei, Amagasa Toku, Debano Kitsune, Gusoku Hanamaru
Konoha #4: Benda Kokoro, Kobushi Galu
Konoha:Hamano Taki, Hyuuga Hitomi, Manako Akira, Tanken Funbo, Horohoro
Suna #1: Aoru, Torune, Honemaru, Tarakudo, Takai
Suna #2: Sabaku no Sabure, Hari, Dekai, Horamaru, Karame
Kusa:Hokku Tobane, Kanraku Nezumi, Kuchibashi Taka, Kyohaku Tokame, Wanabi Hizoku
Ame: Furikuzu Tsuino (in progress), Hebereke Nazaa (in progress)
Bakufu:Abura Tetsu
Tsuki:Junsei Teela, Tenka
Hane:Ono Reiji
Kumori: Kyuu
Shang's Personal Thoughts that no-one cares about: recently, in my free time, which serves me to get away from all the problems that began growing all around me, I found myself escaping to "One Piece" world, re-reading the entire story (over 450 chapters… believe it). As I recalled all the events that occurred throughout the entire story, I realized something that I haven't given much attention when the note about it appeared in one of the recent chapters: it's been 10 years since the first chapter of "One Piece" appeared. 10 years!
More Shang's blabbering: my first thought was 'damn, 10 years? It took the guy 10 years to get to the point the story is at right now'. I made a quick search and noticed that Oda-sama ("One Piece" creator) is now 32. Basically my favorite manga (sorry, but "Naruto" comes second) began when the author was 22, meaning as old as I am now. Just that, single fact made me wonder 'what ever happened to your dream, dumbass?' XD
Shang's Blabbering Still: you see, ever since I was little, I always enjoyed writing stories and hoped that someday I'll actually manage to become a writer. During my 'early years' I wrote quite a bunch of stupid stories, in many cases feeling ashamed that some of the ideas I used in them I once thought were actually good sweat drops. And here I am, 22 already, and the one story I wrote, that could actually be published, has barely two pages done sweat drops even more. Oda-sama made his debut at that age and I already fell behind.
Shang Just keeps going and going: all of that actually made me look back and think 'what have I been doing all those years'. I wrote just fun stories, in most cases not sharing them with a wider audience. And as I kept on skidding down my works, I finally reached this story/fic of mine. For some reason, a smile appeared on my face as I recalled how it all began: a friend of mine told me about a "Naruto" fanfic she was writing (at the time the idea of writing fanfic seemed pointless to me… believe it or not) and asked me to read it (saying that she'd like to hear my opinion on it… apparently she was impressed by one of my original stories and thought of me as a good writer). That is how I came across this site.
Would you believe that it's still Shang's blabbering: her fanfic was really good and as I read it, a certain thought bloomed in my head: 'what do I have to lose'… and basically that is how N:NG was made. The whole gennin exam (meaning the first, 8 chapters) were done instantly, one-two days was all it took me to write them down. I've send them to the very same friend to ask her opinion and she liked it. Kinda on a whim I opened an account and three days later I uploaded the first chappie here. Then second… third… before I knew it I began writing chapters that went beyond gennin exam.
Fear not, Shang's almost done: that was nearly two and a quarter year ago. Now that I think about it, life played a pretty twisted joke on me: what began as something to just pass the time, ended as one of the longest stories I've ever written and probably ever will write. Without me even noticing I grew anxious about writing what happens next to the characters and couldn't wait to finish the next chapter. Oda-sama already sacrificed 10 years for his work, while I so far spend 2 on this project. Not much by comparison, but even so it helped me realized something: whether I like it or not, this story became an important part of my life. I don't know if I'll manage to write it to the very end that I've planned (since it'd require much more time then I've already used for it). I don't know if my dream of becoming a writer will come true. Heck, I don't even know what I'll be doing this weekend XD. However there's one thing I am certain of: someday, probably years from now, I'll look back at all the stories I wrote once more, stop at this particular fic, and manage a smile. Story began on a whim. Story that means to me as much as "One Piece" means for Oda-sama.
Last paragraph, seriously: and so I came to a question: what in the world made me sacrifice so much time for this? A story that I never really planned (or even suspected) to go this long? Was it really my liking of the characters? Was it the 'thrill to write' alone? Perhaps both. I don't suppose I'll ever figure out the answer to that one, however I do know one thing: this story certainly wouldn't have reached this far if it wasn't for you, dear reviewers, who kept on encouraging me, pushing me to keep going. And so I wanna thank you all for support! I don't know if you'll decide to stick around to see how all this mess will end, but at the very least I hope this story won't bore you too soon.
And this is really it for this chapter. Hope you found it enjoyable and that it helped you escape from the reality, if only for a little while. Thanks again for tuning in and hope to see you next time!