Kaori Vs. Kristen: Let the Battles Begin!

(So, I’m really disappointed. Did you guys know they’re having a contest to make a few made-up character REAL ACTUAL NARUTO CHARACTERS? Too bad it’s only in Japan. I mean, why advertise it here in America? That is cruel beyond WORDS. Anyway, I wrote the rough draft of this during lunch, so I don’t know Kristen’s techniques…so…er…they probably are not right. Pop Quiz: Do you people even read this blithering?)

There was silence throughout the room as the names were read. Then the sound of echoing footsteps took over as Kaori and the girl in the pink kimono walked down the stairs into the pit.
“Ready or not, here I come, Kaori-Chan!” The girl, Kristen, Keiko assumed, shouted cheerfully. Kaori didn’t say anything. Not even a smile flickered across her now stony features. It seemed that fighting was not a joke for her, whether or not the opponent was a friend.
“Ready?” The coughing man asked, “Begin.” The match started with a flurry of movement. Kristen leapt several feet backwards as Kaori reached into her backpack.
“No holding back!” Kristen called, and threw several kunai towards Kaori, who deflected them easily. The Honey-haired konouchi deftly picked them up and threw them back at her opponent. They hit was a squelching sound.
“Kaori! Watch out!” Tsuki yelled from above. Kaori looked back just in time to see Kristen’s body disappear in a puff of smoke to be replaced with a shard of broken tile. The pink konouchi materialized behind her, stabbing her side.
Kaori winced as her blood hit the floor but turned quickly and suddenly jabbed at Kristen with her bare hand. Kristen dodged. Keiko watched as the pair continued to clash, but no matter how hard Kaori threw a hit, Kristen always managed to dodge or deflect Kaori’s attacks. But however many times her attacks failed, Kaori never got flustered.
Kristen lunged at her again, but this time, Kaori flew out of the way. In that moment, what she had gotten out of her backpack was revealed. Still in the air, Kaori unraveled a scroll.
“Summoning Jutsu: Endless Water Supply!” A large tank of water exploded into being in the center of the tile hole, sloshing droplets all over the two.
“Water? What can you do with WATER?” Kristen asked. For the first time during the match, Kaori grinned.
“Plenty.” Her hands flashed into several different signs, “Water Technique: Mist of Death!” And with that, the room was filled with mist so thick, Keiko couldn’t see her hands gripping the rail in front of her.
The mist weighed heavily on the gathering. The silence was oppressive, except for the sounds of clanking metal, grunts, and screams coming from below.
As suddenly as it came, the mist disappeared, revealing the two girls and the examination head. Kaori was breathing heavily, looking even more exhausted then before, and Kristen was lying immobile on the ground.
“I…I can’t move!” Kaori nodded.
“The winner is Kaori.” The man said. Kaori heaved a small sigh of relief and then walked over to Kristen’s body.
“Let me,” She gasped for breath a few times, “Help you.” She grabbed Kristen by the shoulder where Keiko could see some chakra transferring between them. In about half a minute, Kristen staggered to her feet.
“Good fight. You’re an impressive opponent.” Kristen stuck out her hand, which Kaori took and shook with a smile.
“You as well.” Not wanting to take any more time before the next match, the pair of girls went to stand once again in their groups, where their teammates congratulated on either a win or a very good try.
The next match-up was Sasuke and the boy with dark glasses who had spoken up when his teammate left.
“Good luck Sasuke!” Sakura called at the same time Tsuki called:
“You can do it, Sasuke-kun!” He didn’t acknowledge either of them, but stiffly waited the beginning of his match. Keiko once again wondered about the connection between the two. If what Tsuki had said earlier was true, she didn’t have a crush on the Uchiha boy.
Once it began, Sasuke was rushed instantly. Keiko knew that on any other day, he would have been able to dodge, but he was tired and his reaction time had been slowed.
Sasuke struggled as his adversary sat atop him, laughing and gloating. Sasuke grew weaker and weaker as the man drained his chakra from his body.
With sudden violence, Sasuke screamed into the air. Keiko watched as Tsuki grew slightly paler than usual. Sasuke swiftly kicked the man, who sailed into the air like a kite.
A black pattern had appeared on Sasuke’s skin, taking over half of his body and contrasting with the red of his now activated Sharigan eyes. He jumped after the man, appearing below him. The man gasped as Sasuke made a sudden kick on one side, then the other, and then the first side one last time.
“Lion’s Barrage!” The man hit the floor with a sickening crunch. Sakura and Tsuki both cheered excitedly-until Sasuke landed on the floor, coughed, and fell to his knees.
“The winner is,” The announcement was broken with wracking coughs, “Sasuke Uchiha.” The mark had now faded, leaving Sasuke in such agony that he couldn’t even greet the sounds of approval made throughout the room.
“Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go.” Kakashi appeared behind Sasuke and lifted him to his feet. Sasuke didn’t even protest, a sure sign that something was wrong. Tsuki looked worried, but there wasn’t any time to continue, as right then the next match was chosen.
Keiko looked down to see Shino and a haughty sound ninja with two broken arms. The match went quickly and ended up with Shino as the victor. Keiko was starting to wonder if this match (And this chapter…and my mom is making me feel guilty about not taking the guinea pigs out like I said I would on Saturday, so no telling if I’ll finish this tonight or not. = (Even though it’s Collaboration and I don’t have to get to school until 9, I still have to go to bed at a decent hour.) was ever going to end.
The next few fights were short and with obvious winners. Kankuro won against the last of the silver-haired boy’s teammates and Shikamaru, after grouching about fighting a girl, beat the female sound ninja.
Sakura and Ino’s fight was the most boring. After lots of shouting, slaps, and punches, the match ended with a draw and two unconscious rivals.
The girl with buns in her hair that Keiko had seen beat up the day of the written exam and Temari, the sand-ninja ended up together. Although Ten-Ten had impressive weapons poweress, Temari’s wind nin-jutsu proved to be too much for her.
Naruto and Kiba’s battle was incredibly long and drawn out. As it went on, Keiko took a mental note that Kiba’s attacks were powerful, but he only had two different ones, and Naruto…well, Naruto seemed to think shadow clones were the answer to every problem. In the end, Naruto distracted Kiba by (she hated to say it) farting and went on to defeat him with his “Uzamaki Barrage”.
And then the next match was paired, the computer beeping at a fast rate through the remaining genin clustered near the railing. “Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga” it read. Keiko’s heart started thumping. She couldn’t explain why she even cared about her old friend’s safety, what with the unceremonious shake-off she’d been given. Still, the whole fight was mostly her fault. Keiko shook herself, scolding herself for not paying closer attention.
The match was already underway, although as far as Keiko could tell it hadn’t progressed behind Hinata’s cousin’s banter. Keiko had met Neji many times when she was younger and always underfoot at the Hyuga manor. The two hadn’t gotten along very well, but that was all Keiko could remember about those early encounters.
As the real match went underway, Keiko couldn’t help remembering something that happened several years after she’d come to Konohagakure and made friends with Hinata.

******

Two girls were standing atop hill a bit outside the gates of their hometown. The hill with the large tree was a usual haunt for the two, who weren’t particularly social and enjoyed each other’s company.
At the moment, here was a girl hunched over on a tree stump, face in her hands and wearing a ridiculous training outfit. The other girl was standing a bit away, looking over the tops of the trees she could see from her vantage point. She was wearing black pants and a black, skin tight shirt. Over the shirt, she was wearing an open blue naval shirt with red and orange outlines on it.
“Keiko-Chan…remember the boy I told you about? My cousin?” The girl on the stump asked.
“Oh yeah. Didn’t you say he looked really nice, Hinata?” Keiko asked, turning around to pay full attention to her friend. Hinata nodded.
“But…I just found out today. He wants me dead, too. Everyone in my family thinks I’m worthless.” She started crying in earnest, causing Keiko to rush to her side and hug her.
“I don’t think you’re worthless. Although, I’m not in your family.” When her friend didn’t stop crying, she continued, “I know you think everyone wants you dead, but I’m sure it’s not that bad. I mean, you’re the heir to the Hyuga…throne.”
“All the more reason for my dad to want me, his worthless daughter, dead. Hanabi is a thousand times better than me.” Keiko sighed:
“That’s not true and you know it. But, here, I’ll make a deal with you. I promise, right here, to not allow anyone in your family to harm you in anyway, even if I have to die to prevent it.” Hinata looked up, tears streaking her face.
“That’s a stupid promise, Keiko-Chan.”
“No, it’s not. You’re my best friend, Hinata; I’d do anything for you.” Hinata’s eyes seemed to steel a bit.
“Then I make the same promise. To protect you from your family.” Keiko looked surprised, but happy. The two shook hands.

******

Keiko came out of her reverie just in time to see Neji’s palm fly towards Hinata’s chest. Hinata already had blood coming out her mouth, already looked about to die. Keiko realized that the entire time she had been thinking about the good old days, Hinata had been growing into a much more courageous person than Keiko had ever seen her be. For a brief moment, Keiko wondered if she had been holding her back from reaching that goal.
Neji’s palm hit soared, inches away. Everyone in the room seemed to realize that if the attack hit, Hinata probably wouldn’t make it.
“No!” Keiko and Kaori cried at the same time, and with twin hand signs, appeared in front of their friend.

(Eww! Sucky ending! But I have to go take a guinea pig out like I told my mom would. So, hopefully, MAYBE tomorrow you will get to see Keiko/Tsuki and Akara/Jackerah.)