Hey guys! I know it's been a while since I last updated, about... holy cow! Over a year! I feel ashamed... But you know, life's been a bitch and I stopped writing completely for that time. Life's still a bitch now but I found back to my beloved stories so, yeah. Yay!
To tell the truth, I didn't even plan on updating this story. I solely wanted to focus on my second story since this story won't come to an end that soon. But then my conscience wouldn't stop nagging on me so in the end I actually wrote this!
I also planned on completely rewrite this story since Minari got a lil' bit too Mary-sue-ish but I'm really lazy right now and postpone that till I find some motivation. It's only the first few chapters that are going to chance, too, so I guess it's alright to just continue like that.
Enough babbling on my part, now enjoy!
Sins and Sunshine
Chapter 23: The finals
"Hey, Hinata-chan, Minari-chan, over here!" Kiba yelled as he spotted the Hyuga girl and me walking down the stairs looking for good seats to watch the upcoming fights. They were held in a gigantic stadion and I was amazed at the masses of people in here and slightly wondered why I never noticed this enormous building inside Konoha before... Blame my inattentiveness!
"Hey Kiba-kun! Thanks for the seats." I greeted my dog-loving friend and patted Akamaru's head after I squeezed trough the already sitting people to flop down next to my buddy. With the other hand I pulled Hinata behind me who was slightly nervous because of all the people who were bumping into her and she quickly took the seat next to me.
"T-Thank you, Kiba." she mumbled with a sweet smile on her face that made my heart skip a beat. Aww, she was just too cute to be true!
The last few weeks were pretty boring for me since almost all of my friends were out training for the finals. Even Shikamaru! Though it was more like his father forced him to but still. So I spent most of my time with Hinata, Kiba and sometimes Choji. And I got pretty close with Hinata, being my only girl friend and all. Even though she's really shy, when you get to know her it's quite fun to hang out with her. She's so adorable and kind, how could you not like her? Too bad that Naruto was too dense to notice her feelings, they would make such a cute couple!
"Uh, M-Minari-chan?" Hinata stuttered worriedly. Only now I noticed that I kept staring at her with my cheek resting in my palm for the past few minutes.
"Huh? Uh, sorry. I was just thinking and all." I explained smiling sheepishly and scratching the back of my head then turned to Kiba.
"So what did we miss?"
"Nothing really. They just stand down there so that all the big bosses can observe them. I guess for betting and all. I'm almost happy that I don't have to stand down there." he explained staring nervously down to the battleground.
Never knew he had stage fright, I thought and then followed his gaze. The participating genin were all standing in the middle of the field posing for the people. On the grand stand were many daimyo observing them and debating intensely among themselves while maids kept running around between them serving booze and snacks.
"I also want snacks" I muttered while glaring at them then saw back down to the posing genin.
My gaze fell on Gaara who was glaring at no one in particular and I couldn't help but sight as I watched him. Since this one time in the hospital I didn't get the chance to see him again let alone talk to him. Every time when I was on the streets and he was somewhere close, the Anbu assigned to protect me appeared and ordered me politely but firmly to go the opposite direction. It was sad but it was for my own safety so I had to accept it.
While I kept staring at the redhead our eyes met and I smiled at him while he just glared back and then turned away. I felt a slight sting in my heart and sighted a bit hurt from his harsh reaction but could I blame him? After all I had lied to him and then ignored him for the past few weeks. Even though I didn't intend to, it didn't change the fact that I did.
I forced myself to look away and saw Nobu standing there with a broad grin decorating his tanned face. When he noticed me he winked at me and I playfully stuck my tongue out to him and then giggled as Ayano, standing next to him, rolled her eyes from our childish behaviour.
As I observed the rest of the group I noticed some guys missing...
"Hey, where're Naruto and Sasuke?" I asked wondering how they could be late on such an important event. On the other hand if it was me it wouldn't be any different since I always overslept on important occasions, but still.
"Dunno, didn't see them yet." Kiba replied only now noticing their absence.
"I-I hope Naruto's a-alright." Hinata mumbled worried for the blonde with a slight pink tinge on her cheeks.
"Don't worry Hinata-chan" I consulted her with a grin and patted her back. "He'll definitely get here on time and knowing him he'll make some flashy entrance."
She giggled and a small smile rested on her lips as she watched the entrance. And like on cue a certain blonde came running in screaming like crazy and being chased by a horde of bulls. Lucky for him some chunin at the entrance stopped them though having a hard time doing so. It was bulls after all!
"See? What did I tell you?" I laughed out and winked at Hinata as she gave Naruto a loving smile.
"Ha! Now I'm really relieved that I don't have to be down there!" Kiba blurted out laughing and I looked down to see what he meant. All the people were now staring at Naruto and Shikamaru when he started talking to him.
Way to do things, Naruto, I thought an amused grin plastered on my face.
Then finally the Hokage started with his speech to announce the beginning of the matches. There I noticed for the first time a certain person sitting next to the Hokage.
"Hey Kiba, is that the Kazekage?" I asked the boy to confirm my worries. He looked at me then to the direction of the Kages.
"Uh, I guess? It's pretty rare to see a Kage from another country here in Konoha." he mused and I frowned at that. For once that Kiba was actually acting somewhat mature and actually said something that made sense! Who are you and hat did you do to Kiba?!
"Or maybe that's an imposter who's trying to assassinate the Hokage." he added laughing like the idiot I knew. I joined his laugher. As if that would ever happen!
The Hokage's speech ended and an examiner entered the stage explaining the rules and then showed us the chart of who would fight who. Curiously I read the names. It was the first time that I found out the battle pairings and these bugged me for days.
First were Naruto and Neji, then Sasuke and Gaara, Kankuro and Nobu, Shikamaru and Temari and the last battle of the first round were Shino versus Ayame.
"Sasuke's first fight is against Gaara? That one will surely get intense." I said in awe. They both were formidable shinobi so this battle was bound to reach epic dimensions.
"Ha, I'd kick both their asses if I were down there!" Kiba boasted grinning like an idiot.
"You mean if you wouldn't have lost against Naruto who was the drop dead of class?" I mocked and silenced his laughter.
"That was tough luck. Against this Neji he'll lose anyway."
"Naruto-kun, you did it!" I shouted down to the victorious boy and applauded together with Hinata. Then I turned to Kiba with a triumphant smile and held a hand out to him. He grumbled something that sounded like "Who would have thought that he could actually win against that Hyuga prodigy." and handed me 10 dollars.
"Oh beloved bet money." I coed and rubbed the banknote against my face.
"Yeah you're good at bets, we know, so stop it." Kiba mumbled huffily because he lost his last money on this bet.
"You're just sulking because you can't buy new hentai magazines." I teased him waving the money in front of his face. His cheeks turned bright red as he started making excuses, making Hinata and me laugh.
"Oh look, the next fight!" he shouted to change the topic, which was a success since my eyes shot down to the arena. Unfortunately for him the only battle that was going on was some random ninja whispering indecent things to the examiner. Okay, maybe that weren't indecent things since after the ninja vanished the examiner announced that Sasuke and Gaara's fight would be postponed, but some yaoi fans among you certainly had some perverted fantasies now. Naughty you!
'Who are you talking to?' Kumiho asked confusedly inside my mind. Poor her being stuck inside my messed up head.
'Some random mind reading strangers that found my thoughts amusing and perhaps even were yaoi fans.' I explained logically while grinning idiotically which was the only feature visible to my friends that told them I was probably thinking about something stupid.
"Nooooooooo!" echoed a familiar voice throughout the coliseum.
"What? Did Nobu's opponent surrender before the battle even started?" I asked quickly after getting out of my musings.
"Yeah. Didn't you pay attention? Kaknuro forfeited just now." Kiba explained. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Naah, I was daydreaming. But Nobu's screaming gives it all away."
"Why do I also get the quitters?!" the battle maniac continued screaming.
"So, who do you think will win in the next battle?" Kiba asked with a gleam in his eye. Seems like he wanted to try to win his money back...
"You mean if Shikamaru won't quit halfway?" I retorted with a cocked eyebrow.
"Not even Shikamaru will be that lazy." he said laughing.
"Oh I'm pretty sure he will. He has a reputation to lose after all." I replied winking.
"Wanna bet on it?" Kiba challenged me.
"Do you even have anything left you can wager with?"
"Yeah. Well... No." he admitted.
"But I will clean your apartment for a whole week, if I lose." he quickly offered.
"Deal!"
And with a handshake the poor boy sealed his fate.
"Nooooo!" Kiba screamed as Shikamaru forfeited. At the very end of the battle. When he had already won. And Kiba thought he finally got his money back.
"I have a cleaning slave!" I cheered and happily hopped up and down while clapping my hands.
"So the next battle is Shino versus that Ayame, right?" Kiba asked, fire burning in his eyes. Poor Kiba doesn't see that he can't win against me when making bets.
"L-Look." Hinata said quietly and pointed into the arena.
There were Leaves swirling unnaturally on one place before they revealed two figure standing there. Two familiar figures.
"About time he appears." Kiba exclaimed at the sight of Sasuke Uchiha standing in the ring next to his teacher, Kakashi Hatake.
The crowd started applauding and cheering. The long-awaited epic battle between the last survivor of the Uchiha clan and the monster of Suna would finally start!
"Sasuke's hair got longer." I mused since that was the most important fact, in my opinion at least.