Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ TWIST OF FATE ❯ JOUNIN EXAM: Uchiha Vs. Sand ( Chapter 9 )

CHAPTER 9: JOUNIN EXAM: Uchiha Vs. Sand

 

 

- The Waiting Room-

 

Contestants that were triumphant were to return to the waiting room where else contestants that were defeated will be sent to the medical room unless the surrendered from their match and escaped unhurt.

 

Walking into the waiting room, Ryo noticed daggers sent at him from the other contestant but he simply ignored their stares. He cared no more for anything else now that he had won the match. Spotting his other teammates who have yet to fight their match, sauntered with all the air of a winner.

 

Seeing Ryo stride forward, Himeko couldn't help but poke some fun at him. “Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Goody Two Shoes. How does it feel to win the match, Ryosuke kunnn...”

 

Ryo simply grinned at Himeko little jest of trying to imitate his new fan girls nickname for him. “ Well, I could be truthful and say it feels great but nah, I prefer to be suave and say it wasn't a big deal.”

 

“Hah. Yeah right. We saw you practically sweating out there just now. Not to mention that you eventually had to resort to using Ryu no Jutsu.” Chided Himeko with her arms folded in front of her chest.

 

The mention of that jutsu had Ryo serious again. “ Yeah, well as much as I hate to admit it, that Akimichi is really skilled. But he ain't bad. He even asked me out for barbeque sometime later.” Ryo smiled at the thought of him getting a new friend since his arrival in Konoha.

 

Hinata smiled, “Yeah, that sure sounds like Chouji. After all that barbeque he consumes, it would impossible if still he wasn't that strong. Besides, he only invites people he considers friends for barbeques with him. You should go.”

 

“Heh, too bad I just turned down his offer. You know the gay guy joke.” Ryo smirked sheepishly but deep down, he truly appreciated Chouji's thoughtfulness. Maybe I might just take up his offer for barbeque later.

 

“And I thought you were straight. Tsk tsk…you really disappoint me, Ryo.” Joked Himeko as Hinata giggled at the false display of dissapointedness.

 

Ryo simply wrestled Himeko's neck playfully as she attempted to escape from his grasp, giggling and pleading all the time.

 

Suddenly, an officer known as Aoba, appeared at the door and called upon the next contestant. One of them was Kankurou from sand. A weird looking shinobi with a painted face and big baggage behind him stood up. Kankurou emitted a dangerous aura that felt rather sticky and silently walked out of the room towards the battlegrounds. All the other contestants waited nervously for the second name to be called and truthfully, some of them were silently praying that it wouldn't be their name. After that little display of dangerous chakra, not many were sure that they would want to face Kankurou.

 

The room was silent when the second name was called upon. Silent gasps of relieve could be heard here and there as Aoba mentioned the second name; Uchiha Himeko.

 

Silently untangling herself from Ryo's grasp, Himeko straightened herself out and grabbed her weapons. “Oh well, it's now or never.” She simply shrugged and walked towards the door pausing mid way to give her friends without turning back.

 

Hinata and Ryo smiled at her silent gesture. It was so like Himeko to act calm when inside, her heart is racing.

 

“Good luck, Hime.” Wished Hinata when Himeko was out of sight.

 

“Yeah. She might be a pain in the ass but she's one hell of a kunoichi.” Ryo stood smiling at the door that Himeko had just exited. Come back safe, little prick.

 

 

 

- The Battle Grounds-

 

“ Ladies and gentlemen. We will now announced the next contestants for our second match today.” Genma announced to the audience.

 

The audiences were still excited from the result of the first match and immediately calmed down to pay attention to the second match.

 

“Man, that first match was good. Who taught that Ryo was that good to be able to beat a guy like Chouji.” Chirped an exited Naruto. He was happy that his housemate had won yet sorry that his childhood friend had lost too.

 

“ And Chouji being really strong now. That friend of yours must be really skilled,” exclaimed Sakura who had also noticed that Ryo was also good at healing. I wonder who is he?

 

Naruto stuck his chin up in pride that his housemate was actually a somebody, but couldn't help wondering about the next match. “ Hmm, I wonder who are the next contestants?”

 

Sasuke too had to admit that he was also curious about the second match. The first had got him excited when at first he was actually totally uninterested in the jounin matches.

 

“ The next contestants are Kankurou of Sunagakure…” announced Genma.

 

The crowd applauded the sand's shinobi upon his entry into the battleground as they waited for the other contestant's name.

 

“…and Uchiha Himeko of Konoha.”

 

The audience gasped upon hearing the name Uchiha. Those close to Sasuke immediately glanced at him, puzzled that there was another Uchiha in Konoha. And all this while they thought that Sasuke was the only remaining Uchiha, apart from Itachi of course. Sasuke simply ignored their questioning gazes as he glued his eyes onto the battleground in front.

 

In walked a girl of mid teens from the shadows of the doorway. The crowd gasped upon realization that the next contestant was a girl. A young girl.

 

An excited Naruto cheered Himeko on as she approached the center of the battlegrounds, “Yeah, Himeko. Wipe his ass out, girl.”

 

The crowd applauded upon her entry as Himeko took her place, standing opposite Kankurou.

 

“ Never thought that I'd meet you here, moreover fight you.” Smirked Kankurou.

 

“Yeah, come to think about it, I never realize that we were in the same room just earlier. But fate has funny ways of meeting people up. Don't they?” smiled Himeko with her arms folded in front of her chest.

 

Back in the superior stall, Tsunade watched the two contestants interestedly.

 

“Never knew that she was with Konoha.” Exclaimed Gaara from her side.

 

Tsunade was puzzled, “Hmm, you know her? Himeko?”

 

Gaara remained silent before very slightly nodding. Well, this is interesting.

 

Down at the battlegrounds, the two contestants simply stood watching each other.

 

“Are you ready?” asked Genma. At the two shinobis nod, Genma raised his arm as signal for the battle to begin. “ Begin!”

 

Immediately, the two shinobis leapt away from each other. A whirl of sand enveloped Kankurou before revealing his puppet. Kankurou stood feet apart with one of his hand holding Karasu, his puppet.

 

Himeko on the other hand stood on the other side of the battleground, hands behind her back and eyes never leaving Kankurou.

 

“ Hmph, still playing around with dolls, eh Kankurou?”

 

“ And you, still the little brat you were ne, Hime- chan.”

 

Two pairs of eyes clashed and with a gust of wind, both shinobis disappeared from eyesight. Gasps of astonishment could be heard here and there.

 

Naruto practically stood up from his seat, “Where did they go?”

 

Sasuke too was silently shocked. He had his Sharingan activated to keep track with the contestants' attacks but they were too swift for his Sharingan.

 

Another gust of wind revealed Kankurou opening Karasu into pieces and attaching strings to each particle. His eyes were alert for the still missing kunoichi. Suddenly a poof of wind above him alerted him that Himeko was just above him. He was too taken aback that he immediately summoned Karasu. In his fear, he had Karasu trap Himeko in the barrel like body of the puppet and stab her in various parts of Karasu.

 

The stadium gasped at the gory attack and Tsunade too was shocked. Kankurou couldn't have possibly killed of his opponent just like that. It shouldn't have happened.

 

Kankurou stepped out of trance and shuddered at the thought of what he had just done. He didn't mean to kill her off just like that. It was an accident. A coolness at his neck made him gulp.

 

“Tsk tsk, think that I would easily reveal myself. Think again.” Himeko sent a side kick into Kankurou's side sending him flying across the battlegrounds.

 

Kankurou forced himself to stand up even though the kick that she had sent him was starting to hurt him like mad. Dismantling Karasu and bringing it back to him, Kankurou got into fighting position, eyes alert.

 

“ I misjudged you, Himeko. That was just your bunshin it seems”

 

“Yeah, you bet. Don't worry. I'll go gently on you, Kankurou nii-san.”

 

“ DEATH TORNADO!” Spinning Karasu like a vortex, Kankurou brought the puppet to aim dozens of kunais and shurikens in all directions. It was an attack that was sure to injure if not kill off the enemy. The flying weapons seemed like a shower of steel with clanking sounds reverberating everywhere.

 

The spectators could not see what was happening down at the battlegrounds and questions were everywhere.

 

Kankurou smiled as the last piece of kunai flew out of Karasu. There was no way at all that Himeko could have escaped that attack. Weapons littered the battle ground floor. Just when he had thought that victory was his, a wisp of smoke revealed his opponent.

 

His supposedly defeated opponent was neither lying in a pool of blood or unconscious. There she was standing before him, merely metres away with two long katanas in both her hands. Her whole body had no scratch at all and everything about was as in place as when she first came into the battlefield. Around her were dozens of kunais and shurikens lying on the ground. Slashed into small pieces.

 

 

-The Waiting Room-

 

“This is not good.” Hinata voiced.

 

Ryo who had been watching Himeko's match from the screen, nodded. “ She's losing her cool. Do you think Sasaki sensei knows about this?”

 

Hinata thought for a while before answering his question. If Himeko starts losing control, things might turn worse. “She's probably somewhere in the stadium watching as well.”

 

Ryo averted his attention to the match on- screen. Himeko was rarely ruffled but now that he thought about it, there was something different about his teammate of his. Somehow, he just didn't know what it was that was bothering her.

 

“So, you noticed it too?” Hinata spoke again from beside Ryo.

 

Ryo who was sitting on the bench, looked up to see what the standing Hyuuga meant by her question. Her facial expression as well as her body language revealed it all. There really was something that was seriously bothering Himeko. Ryo nodded. Yes, he did notice that Himeko had not been her normal self since early that day. Sighing, Ryo leaned back against the wall and continued to watch the battle that was happening on the battlegrounds.

 

 

 

- Back At The Battlegrounds-

 

Kankurou started to sweat upon realizing just how strong this kunoichi was. His hand that was attached to Karasu automatically pulled the strings, bringing Karasu to release chakra strings of poison.

 

Gaara muttered under his breathe upon seeing his brother nervous.

 

Himeko simply swung her two katanas in graceful swifts with her bodies twisting like a dancer, avoiding the nearly invisible deadly strings. Sasuke followed her every movement and marveled in the swiftness and preciseness of her defense. Not to mention the gracefulness that came with handling two long weapons. Skill such as that is only acquired through intensive training and experience.

 

Seeing Himeko every attack that he launched, Kankurou panicked more. Just as he was about to summon the Karasu again, an explosion startled him. Kankurou was too late and there was his Karasu. Broken into useless pieces on the ground like pieces of wood.

 

“Ka- Karasu.” Stuttered Kankurou. Kankurou was afraid out of his skin. The last time he felt like this was during Gaara's crazy days and right now in front of him was a crazy bitch.

 

“ I told you playing with dolls were bad for you.” Himeko spoke ever so quietly, enough for her and Kankurou to hear. Her head was downturned so, nobody really sees her expression then. her katanas were poised crossed in front of her ready to attack just about anyone. With a gust of wind and earth, Himeko suddenly appeared right in front of Kankurou, placing a katana on one of his shoulders, threatening to behead him at the slightest move. It wasn't much of the swords that had Kankurou terrified, it was actually his opponent herself that was freaking him out. Her eyes. Himeko had her Sharingan activated and the three tomoes were slowly spinning, a bad sign Kankurou remembered from earlier experience fighting her.

 

“Ready to give up, Kankurou? Cause you and I both know how painful memories can be, don't we?” Himeko dangerously drawled. She had her eyes narrowed and Kankurou immediately understood the red lights going off in his mind.

 

“ I give up!” screamed Kankurou as he dropped to the ground. “I give up…” he shivered, holding his head as if he was recalling some past memories.

 

Himeko simply drawled her katanas back to her side and stood looking at Kankurou. Looking at Genma, Himeko sighed, “Looks like I won, Mr. Refreeman.”

 

Genma went to check on the still kneeling Kankurou. Man, he's mind is in a terrible state. Confirmed about the results, Genma stood up and announced to the audiences, “ ladies and gentleman, the winner for the second match is…Uchiha Himeko.”

 

Unlike the first match, there was a long silence before an applaud was heard of. Slowly, the stadium erupted with applauds and cheering for Himeko. Himeko however felt nothing in winning the match and simply walked of passing several medic nins rushing to escort Kankurou out of the battle grounds.

 

“Amazing, she didn't attack at all.”

“What did she do too the puppet man for him to lose the match like that?”

“How come we have never heard of her before?”

 

“Man, what did Himeko actually do to Paint Face?” wondered Naruto as he watched the retreating kunoichi walk out of the stadium.

 

“It was genjutsu.” Kakashi suddenly appeared behind his subordinates, informing them of Himeko's style of attack.

 

“Kakashi sensei! You were here all along!” shouted Naruto.

 

“Ma… ma, no need to get so excited. I have just arrived. Just in time too watch the girl fight. Unfortunately, I missed the first match.” Kakashi grinned from behinds his mask at his students.

 

Immediately turning serious, Kakashi addressed Sasuke, “ You saw her technique haven't you?”

 

Sasuke looked at Kakashi and nodded before turning his attentions onto the battleground once again, “It was it wasn't it? It was Mangekyou Sharingan.”

 

Kakashi simply nodded, “Yes it was, but a different kind.”

 

Sasuke turned once again to his sensei, confusion in his face, “A different kind?”

 

“Hmm, how should I put it for you. I'm not quite sure of the dynamics of her Sharingan but if you noticed, that girl had never actually even attacked Kankurou. Don't ask me how, but I'm sure there's something about her Sharingan that is extremely powerful…and scary.” Added Kakashi. Plus, there's something wrong going on.

 

This bit made Sasuke frown as he turned again. Comparing his Sharingan abilities with this girl, he realized just how left behind he was. He wasn't the Uchiha genius after all. All those years of training and slavery to Orochimaru did nothing.

 

Suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder, Sasuke tensed.

 

“Don't compare yourself to her. Those three are from a different league altogether.” Kakashi advised. His advice was not simply for Sasuke only but it was directed to Naruto and Sakura as well. “Always keep that in mind.”

 

 

-Down The Hallway-

 

“ Himeko, I need you to follow me right now.”

 

“Sensei. I..I…” Himeko stuttered as she looked up to her sensei. Her hand was gripping her left shoulder and her eyes were on the verge of letting the unshed tears steam down her face.

 

“It's okay. I understand. I have already informed Ryo and Hinata not to worry.” Walking towards her young subordinate, Sasaki smiled gently, brushing away Himeko's bangs from her eyes, “I'll take care of you.” Brushing away the tears from her student's eyes, “Trust me.”

 

Himeko looked up at her sensei and ruefully smiled. Slowly nodding, “Hai.”

 

“ Now, come on and I'll have a look at that seal before it gets worst.” said Sasaki as she lead Himeko down the deserted hallway.

 

 

TBC.