Naruto: Shadowed Light

By Stone Shield

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters involved, though I wish I did, as funny as it is.

Hello/Normal Speech

Hello/Thought

Hello/Demon or Summon Speech

AN/ FYI, be ready. I'm almost ready to post the first 1 or 2 chapters of my Naruto/X23 crossover.

Chapter 15: Painful Lessons

(Day 15)

Forget the lazy curls. The pipe twixt Hiruzen's lips may as well have been a smokestack for the steady stream it belched into the air overhead. Smoking the flavored tobacco had turned from a habit into a compulsion as of the last few days. His one vice that always seemed to calm him…and here he'd been burning through several times his daily intake with ever diminishing return on his nerves.

Who could blame him?

Flashback (3 days prior, 12 days after the preliminaries)

The preparations were ongoing, and moving as smoothly and swiftly, not to mention quietly, as possible.

A knock on his door jerked his attention away from a handful of status reports. Hastily tucking them into his desk, "Yes?" The Chunin on duty stuck his head through the door.

"Hokage-sama, there's a Whirlpool Jonin here to see you."

Hiruzen's spine stiffened. "Send her in." No point in denying it. He knew exactly who it was. The question though was what she was here for. Who was he kidding? The way his luck had been going, almost mimicking Tsunade's, it had to be her.

The Chunin's head disappeared from the doorway for but a moment before one of the twin doors was pushed open all the way, standing to the side to allow the kunoichi in question to enter.

"That will be all," Hiruzen informed, eyes never leaving the redhead before him. "In fact, why don't you take your lunch break, Saizo."

The Chunin frowned in confusion. "Sir?"

"You look hungry. You should go get something to eat," he pressed, adding a little emphasis to his suggestion. Sweating under the mild aura, the Chunin nodded shakily and backed out of the room. "Lock the door, please," being the last words he received before cutting a hasty retreat.

Klk-kik

Silence bore down on them both.

Hiruzen did not like the look in her eyes, the tension he could see.

"Kushina."

"I met my son." Reflexively clenching his jaw, he nearly bit the stem off his pipe. For its safety, he took it out and absentmindedly coddled it in his hands. Well... Blunt and to the point. There was little anyone could say to match that in regards to the weight it carried. Though, he guessed afterwards he'd be happy to have this particular landmine come along now rather than keep waiting in the wings. But that still meant he was screwed for the next hour at least.

Her tone though… It wasn't angry, but rather subdued.

"I see." Grimacing, his visage quite readily sagged showing age and fatigue openly. "Please, Kushina, sit. This will take some time."

It had been easy to come see him. In her time with Minato, she'd known the Sandaime and his wife for years. Coming to him for answers was easy.

Confronting him though. She doubted her courage would hold for that. It was why she wasn't angry. Any other time she might've gone batshit on everyone in sight, but the first meeting with her son had left her shaken. She just wasn't ready. Fear of his rejection gripped the forefront of her thoughts like an icy vice.

Flashback End

The last he'd seen him, Naruto had made no mention of the events she spoke of. There was little doubt that the boy, no, young man simply didn't wish to talk of it. It'd occurred to him that Ebisu's previously unsuccessful search for him was likely so fruitless because of that horrid meeting.

But, he still had faith that he was recovering, and would continue to do so as long as he had people close to him, even if he couldn't see it.

He'd received an interesting report from Kurenai in that regard.

For now though, he was writing what had to be the third missive to the Tsuchikage, convincing him that his Genin had been hallucinating in the Forest of Death after being exposed to some of its psychotropic administering slugs. In other words he was lying through his teeth to by the young Uzumaki time. Time until he was prepared to take on the name of his father.

(Day 15) - Elsewhere

Training had been called for the day, insisted upon by Kyubi to which he agreed. So he retired to the hotsprings as a means to loosen the various tight and aching areas he'd strained during training.

Hand clenching under the water, he was reminded of the last several days and their effects. A pity he'd had to have the seal removed so soon. Another week and he might've gotten his control a little higher. As of though, his control had ascended several levels, so he wasn't going to complain too much. With the help of his shadow clones, hordes upon hordes, he figured it now stood at roughly high Chunin when he was at full capacity.

Letting his eyes droop, he relaxed in the water. It was uncommon for any side to be so empty. An infrequent blessing, he took advantage of the silence and solitude, attributed it to the hustle and bustle of the exams. Taking the cloth from his forehead, he rewet it in the water and returned it, letting out a small sigh.

"Geheeheeheeheehee…"

Well, not entirely silent, or alone.

There was actually a second person on the guys' side of the springs. Unlike himself though, this other person was taking advantage of another hotspring pastime.

He had noticed the other occupant not long after he'd come in himself, but never gotten into the water.

Leaving one logical conclusion.

"Heeheehee."

"Please?" For the last minute, Kurama had been pleading with him, rather childishly, to do as she asked. At first he'd held strong, but the giggling was starting to break his serenity. When it showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, and her whining had reached a piteous zenith, he caved.

Towel secured, he slipped out of the water.

It wasn't terribly difficult to find the offender. It was painfully easy as he was squatted in the open by the fence in nothing but a towel.

"Excuse me-"

"Move along, junior. 'm busy."

Okay, he'd given him a chance. Waiting for a moment until he knew the pervert's attention went entirely to his peeping, noticing the moment had come after a high pitched giggle from the other side and the man tensing, he acted.

CRKSH!

It came as rather a surprise to all when a white-maned man's head was thrust through the wood partition. There were only a few girly screams. But the rest…it was his bad fortune that a handful of the occupants were kunoichi. He had all of two seconds to gather his wits and get a wondrous glimmer before, eyes bugging, jaw going slack, he passed out from perv. overload.

Within the seal, Kurama threw both her arms into the air, "NOW THAT"S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!"

Dragging the man back by the ankle, and being certain not to look through the sizeable hole, "Sorry about that, please return to your relaxation."

"Brat?"

He tensed a little. Again…her. "Anko-san," he greeted informally. Using just enough peripheral vision to see that she was wearing a towel, barely, he turned just enough so as to let her know she had his attention.

"Nice job there," she praised. "Wish you didn't have ta give him an eyeful in the process though."

"I apologize again for the inconvenience. I'll inform the manager."

Smirking impishly, she grabbed the hem of the upper portion of her towel between her generously exposed décolletage. "See something you like?" she mewled huskily. To her credit he twitched, just a little.

That was exactly what she wanted, a reaction. "…I think I'll just take care of this then." For reference, never let it be said that he was immune to women. Socially desensitized he may be, and even rather rigid, but like most any other he was struck dumb by the fairer sex.

Thinking quickly, "I think I'll go take care of this," he answered, once more taking the unconscious man by the ankle, and dragging him off. No one seemed to mind that the man was facedown as he did so, the stones doing a number on his face…and likely his boner as it was likely he had one from the peeping, and probably quite painful.

"Maybe next time," she offered after him, and he shivered inexplicably.

Retreating to the far end of the guys' side of the springs, he went about waking the unconscious man as gently and efficiently as he could.

He kicked him into the water.

For a few seconds, he wondered if it'd been a poor choice. Given the large air bubbles popping on the surface. "Did he die?"

"Better question: should we care?"

"I'm sure there must be a reason to." Not that he felt any more urged to jump in and pull the man out.

But retrieving the sunken man proved unnecessary. The surface exploded a second later as the white-haired man came bursting through the surface, gulping for air like, well, a drowning man.

"AIR!" he gasped, spluttering and coughing before throwing himself against the stones lining the spring. "Dear sweet Kami, I thought that was the end!"

"You're alive then?"

But the man wasn't entirely receptive yet. "I saw virgins and everything, and there was the maker herself, with the biggest pair of-" Panting, he fell out of his musing and looked up, eyes turning violent. "You!"

"Me. What of it?"

Leaping from the water, he bore down on the teen glaring unholy death and hellfire. "Kick me in the balls, through a fence…into a haven of a bevy of kunoichi beauties," momentarily losing himself in fantasy before returning to his frothing rant. "Then you try to drown me, and that's your answer?!" He looked about ready to strangle the youth.

"Obviously. Again, what's your point?"

"GAAAHH!"

"KEEP IT DOWN OVER THERE, PERVERT!"

Veins bulging on his temples, he dropped his trembling arms, lest he later be judged guilty for a murder.

"You got a pair on you, kid," he griped, having slumped unceremoniously into the water.

Returning himself, the blonde was trying to relax, but the conversation was a hindrance. "What's your point?"

"Is that all you can say?"

Eyes closed, "No telling."

"Are you normally this difficult?"

The teen's head tilted forward a little, and he was silent in thought. "Not normally, no. It was advised that I try to get more in touch with my…juvenile side. I simply find it rather amusing for the moment."

Gawking unashamedly, the white-haired man palmed his face. "You are one strange kid."

"I suppose." Again with the short answers.

"What's your name, kid?"

Cracking an eye, he leveled a cyclopean eye on the bane of his solitude. "Naruto," he answered curtly.

"Fishcake. Heheheh." Chuckling, he stood up in the thankfully waist-high water. "Well, I am the man who has no enemies anywhere! ENVIED BY MEN, LOVED BY WOMEN! I AM THE GREAT-"

"KNOCK IT OFF BEFORE I SHOVE MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS!" Anko roared from the other side, a rock smacking him right in the face, interrupting him.

"Jiraiya," he answered for the man who was currently clutching his head, whimpering in pain.

Seemingly immediately, the man gave up on the façade of being horribly wounded, though the bruise was still there, to look the boy dead on. "That's surprising. I'm that famous then?" he asked, grinning foolishly.

"Infamous," he corrected. "Your name is red-flagged in any hotspring registry." The pervert huddled over, twiddling his thumbs. It wasn't even from history or a Bingo Book. "And I happen to have occasional conversations with the Sandaime. You've come up in talk more than once." Craning his neck around, he sent him an analytical look. "But you know all of this." Jiraiya's eyes twitched back in his direction. "You've been spying on me for a few days now, and following me as of lunch today."

The now revealed Jiraiya fixed him with a relaxed glare before smirking. "Not bad, brat." In truth he was fairly impressed. Given, he hadn't been actively trying to hide his presence.

"More to the point at hand, I wouldn't put it beyond you to have…engineered this situation so that we might meet." Now Jiraiya grinned. Oh, the kid was sharp.

Or paranoid.

"Heh, that's pretty good, brat," he offered, leaning back against the rocks, pretense gone. He wouldn't deny some planning. Just a little. "You've got room for improvement, but still not bad." But Jiraiya's smirk immediately nose-dived into a fierce scowl. "Except for you kicking me through a wall and letting me drown." The blonde shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're still alive, so you have yet to drown," the teen countered casually. "And as for the previous… You should be more aware of your surroundings," he countered with just a pinch of insolence. The pervert twitched. Naruto blinked. "Did I miss something?"

The sannin beamed across at him. "Kudos for paying attention, gaki. But don't get cocky. Like you implied, I didn't hide myself."

"…Understood," he agreed. "Then might I ask why you are here?"

Jiraiya's smile returned smug. "What? I thought you were smart, gaki. Haven't figured it out?"

Naruto shrugged. "Just conjecture. Nothing substantial."

The sannin snorted, a mix of a laugh and a sigh. "The old monkey sent word for me a while back. He let me know when you started dabbling in seals, and asked me to take a look into your work." Technically a lie. He had been called back for the confrontation regarding Kushina, but he was interested in learning more about the kid's progress. "Not only bringing in a new summoning contract, but drafting it yourself… That's…ambitious."

"I have a great deal of spare time between missions." And resources others did not.

"I'd figure training would get in the way."

"You've talked with the Sandaime regarding my situation?" The older man nodded. "Then you know that I take advantage of my shadow clones to their fullest." Jiraiya's smirk threatened to split his head in half. But he knew the rest of what the boy wasn't saying. He had no social life to speak of, so it was, to an extent, understandable that he was able to monopolize his time for such things.

"Kid, you've no idea how many people would love to have that kind of skill with clones." To create so many clones so easily, almost as breathing, you could count the number of shinobi with the chakra alone on one hand. The possible applications of such in sex was positively astounding, come to think of it. And this…youth was one of them. "Anyway, I thought I'd sit in on your training for a few days. I'd even like to see some of your work if you'd let me."

Both eyes opening lazily, the blonde peered into nothingness, seeing through the world before him as he thought. "I suppose." It wasn't an entirely objectible idea. Jiraiya was famed for being an expert seal master. And there were many questions he had that were far beyond what the books and scrolls could answer. Questions of a language the Sandaime wasn't as fluent in.

(The Sandaime's Office, The Following Day)

Not bad. Jiraiya scanned the intricacies of the work.

He could see where the primary structure had been taken directly from the books, but there were features that were improvised, either as replacements for missing parts or attempted improvements. The penmanship was a little shaky, but that was the sort of thing that developed over time. With enough experience, the strokes would become far smoother, more rounded.

Usually, the summoning contracts were created by the animal clan and given to a chosen human, but this… He had gone right past that and created the contract on his own without the creatures' knowledge or consent, and had even been glowingly accepted by said summons. All of which would've been all-but impossible.

But there was an exception.

Kyubi.

The old monkey had mentioned the terms with which the pair existed, years back, in a letter after the incident. His lips curled a little at the memory of the letter.

But, back on topic. Interesting, really, how the pair seemed so in tune. At the same time, it made sense. In a way, it was perfectly understandable how he could advance so fast. Hard work and effort aside, though remembered, he had the faculties of not just himself but Kyubi at his disposal. He had no doubts that it was the fox who he consulted with.

Not one to judge, he'd leave it as simply interesting.

He had heard rumors of how deceptively intelligent the biju were. They were seen as destroyers, but he'd heard that they were far smarter than they appeared. The proof was in the ninja pudding he supposed.

But he could see other things as well.

The boy's training was…lacking. In some areas. He studied and worked towards individual projects, but was too focused to broaden his studies. If he had to guess, that focus was too fine leaving him missing much. That wasn't bad as he was already advanced for his age and level, but it wouldn't do in time to come. It was something he would have to talk with him about.

All of which were thoughts he kept to himself as he listened to the boy explain every little detail. He'd seen some of the boy's work beforehand though. It had come as quite a surprise when the old Sarutobi had unrolled the Forbidden Scroll, pointing out a certain jutsu, and passing on the small detail that a fourteen year old genin had come up with it.

At the time, his first thought was that the kid needed to get laid. Badly.

Still did.

Now though, he figured what he needed was a life. Something outside of the shinobi lifestyle. Hell, he himself would probably go nuts if not for the occasional…(cough) interlude.

As the dialogue wore down though, moments of contemplative silence grew more common and were harder to break out of. Content with relaxing in his chair with his pipe, forcing himself not to think about all the trouble of late and live in the moment, the Sandaime just sat and listened to the two-way debate over the young blonde's work. Moments like this, he could see the fire return to boy's rather reserved gaze.

"Naruto," he broke in at the latest bout of silence. "I've asked Jiraiya back to the village to offer you some council in your studies."

"Hokage-sama?"

"Your work is exceptional, my boy," he conceded. "But there are many things that books and scrolls are rather…wanting in. And he's agreed to offer a critical eye."

The blonde's brow furrowed. He could see the logic, but it wasn't something he'd been expecting. He wasn't averse to working with others. He could tolerate Team 7 and the other genin, if necessary, and he was quite adept when it came to working alongside the others in R & D, but Jiraiya was just so…

So…Jiraiya.

The Sandaime recognized immediately the fast-paced thinking of the teen. He would figure it out eventually, but it would be some time before he did. Jiraiya was intelligent, oh yes, but what he wanted to boy to observe more than anything was Jiraiya as a person, outside of being a ninja. Jiraiya had so much personality, he could only hope it would rub off on the boy.

Hell, he'd even settle for the quiet boy becoming a little perverted.

Several women of varying ages across the land felt the desire to caress a finely honed edge at that exact moment for no apparent reason whatsoever.

(3 Days Left)

For the most part, Jiraiya was a simple observer as the boy trained. He sat back and let him do his things. The teen didn't really have a set timetable for activities. The itinerary he lived by was flexible. He would train, but if ever an idea came to him he would stop and go off on a tangent, creating a shadow clone to write a few notes on his thoughts.

That had to be cheating.

Even for a ninja.

There was just no way someone should be throwing around a B-ranked ninjutsu like cheap kunai.

It was when he stopped to rest that he would sit in and argue the finer points of theory. Damn, but he was sharp. He saw right from the start that he wasn't a genius, but there was something to be said about his ability to see the ins and outs of the rules governing the ninjutsu. For a brief span, he had a horrible vision of a young Orochimaru sitting next to him.

At least until he spied on one of his visits to the hospital. Interesting. That was all he could think. That, and promising. One thing the wayward bastard hadn't had, correction, that he hadn't embraced was a connection to others in the village. Yet here the boy was trying to make those connections. He doubted he even knew he was doing it. Heh, he just had to take notes on the interaction between him and the young Hyuga. "Perfect," he murmured, ink pen poking out between his lips. Pervy though he may be, he was still a romantic at heart, and what he saw was gold. It'd need some perving up a bit, but he could see a good foundation for a new book. "The emotionally crippled hero, his whole life spent in the dark, unknowingly seeks the light and finds it in the embrace of a woman who secretly loves him."

Score.

It unnerved him how little the kid slept though.

Four hours a night, if that. He supposed it could be disturbing dreams, nightmares more likely than not with what he knew of his childhood, if it could even be called that. But, then, he remembered how his old teacher had described him as a child before the…change, bouncing off the village walls with excess energy.

No wonder he seemed so advanced. Outside of team missions, all his time and energy went into his work.

But, he didn't stay with him all the time. The case being what it was, he'd also sought out Kushina.

She'd always been such a firecracker. She didn't have Tsunade's superhuman strength, but her fierce temper more than made up for that. Visiting her, he'd seen such conflict in her. She buried it behind training her genin, but she'd been with Minato long enough that he could read her pretty well. Eventually though, he got the truth out of her; her side of the story up to meeting her child again. And there it was. A meeting that just had to have happened. It surprised the Hell out of him that the boy hadn't finally melted down. He pushed for her to confront him again, but she'd shrunk away from his insistence like a slug to salt.

He could see the fear in her, and he could understand it. But, as he'd told her, she couldn't hide from her mistakes forever.

And he was still her son.

(Back to the present)

"You got a plan?"

"…Several," the blonde admitted. Leaning over papers of scribblings on his second-hand coffee table, he paid little attention to the hermit sitting against his window. He'd been there for several minutes, just slouching against the frame as he worked.

Anyone else might've been irritated by the almost apathetic response, but Jiraiya was better than that. He had little doubt that the teen did have a plan, with at least one or two backups.

A good habit in their profession.

Remembering something, "Hayata sends his regards, by the way." At mention of the blonde seated before him, the swordsman had started grumbling fitfully to himself. He'd not had that difficult of a time figuring it all out. As he'd come to understand it, the swordsman was waiting for the feared day when his mourning girlfriend found out he was still alive.

Considering he knew who Yugao was…

The poor sod. Rescued from death, only to find out that his execution would be rescheduled for a later date, to be carried out by a wrathful girlfriend.

Taking a moment, the blonde straightened up, stretching his back. "Still upset then," he mused mainly to himself, adding a few more scratchings to the paper. It was just his latest side-project, a small improbability thrown his way by R & D. Unfortunately, while he did come up with a few interesting ideas, noted in the margins, this proved to be one of the frequently fruitless endeavors. Kana would be disappointed, but she, like all of R & D, knew that no prospect was guaranteed.

"So…"

"Yes?"

Jiraiya scowled. "You gonna tell me what your plan is?"

"Now that would be telling." It was by far the closest he'd ever seen the boy come to humor. And it was definitely the most he felt like sharing…with him. Just a day prior, the white-haired man, seeking to test his mastery of drawing out Kyubi's power and summoning all in one go, shoved him into the chasm just south of the village. Even tempered he may be, but the sannin's actions had left him in a restrained conniption fit for the better part of a day, no matter how he'd tried to placate him.

Despite that iron-like control, he still belted the man across the jaw for that one. Of course, that action might've been due to the toad hermit's comment that he needed to "lighten up." And if not that, then the following mumble "You really need to get laid."

(Days Left…0)

Calm.

That was usually the best word to describe his outward appearance. And, in fact, that was quite often how he felt on the inside too.

Pulling a matte-grey vest on, he took one final look over the weapons lined up neatly on his bed. To the average ninja, one might say that he needn't a tenth of the wares laid out before him. However, he had always been one to believe that being over-prepared was good policy. Still, this was almost double his usual stock.

And for good reason.

The others would be ready for the tournament; he would be ready for what followed. And if need be he could pass supplies to those in need.

Finding everything satisfactory, he sealed everything back away in their appropriate scrolls, wherein he then slipped them into various pockets on his pants and in his vest.

His mirror showed nothing new. But there was so much more there than was often the case. Calm…and yet not. He knew what was coming, but that wasn't in the forefront of his mind. No, despite the seriousness of the hours to come, he found himself oddly focused on one Neji Hyuga. The serenity of his mind was offset by an almost imperceptible…eagerness. He wasn't one to seek battle, but he nonetheless looked forward to the confrontation that was just an hour away.

More than once he'd debated with the Sandaime about the core of ninja traits. To put it bluntly, a ninja was a mercenary, if a highly skilled one. Ironically, it was in those conversations that the samurai came in as well. He understood that there came a time when something needed to be done, nothing else for it. At the same time, he had always felt that there was something to be said about the inherent nobility to the samurai and their grasp of honor.

And as such he'd found many ninja who tried their best to embody what they considered the best of themselves. Kakashi aside, he'd met many Jonin who defied the stereotypical ninja mold. Most notably to come to mind being Gai. Gai was a fierce ninja, but was guided almost unerringly by his code of ethics. As were many others.

These trains of thought all linking back to Neji Hyuga.

The blonde wasn't the most friendly or open person, far from it, and he knew as much, but even he knew that there were some things that simply weren't done. And Neji showed no signs of remorse, and still had yet to.

Something soon to be corrected.

All was as prepared as it could be. All there was to do now was wait.

Taking a moment, he took a breath. Pulling up the cloth mask, covering the scar-like birth marks, he left.

It was decades of experience that kept the unfaltering ease on his face, in his step. An ease that was quite fake.

"Hokage-dono." Okay, so maybe there was one thing at hand that could take his mind from the problems to come. "Eyes up, you old coot," he reminded himself. Kami, but she was stunning. It was probably good that Jiraiya wasn't in the box. He could see that international incident coming a mile away.

Removing the smoldering pipe from twixt his lips, he gave the woman a smile followed by a respectful bow. "Mizukage-dono," he greeted in return. "Let me officially welcome you to our village." As was the case, each kage in attendance was allowed one bodyguard at their side while in the reserved box. It came as no big surprise to see Kushina behind her. In truth, there were few fighters that could match Kushina in a straight up fight, so fierce was she.

Neither kage spoke of their respective pasts. Particularly how Konoha had steadfastly stuck to the sidelines during Kiri's bloodline purges or the soon-after tumultuous coup. No, there were no hard feelings there at all. But both, as village leaders, knew not to let such things decide every little thing. "How could I resist the temptation of seeing a Kiri genin win this tournament," she needled, getting a modest twitch of a smile from the aged kage. "And then there is the mystery of an Uzumaki in your village." Different kind of twitch entirely. "I find myself intrigued by this…situation."

Well, he supposed someone had to find it amusing…eventually.

Time left as there was, he had not rushed to the arena. What was the point? Everything happened in the fullness in time. The tournament, and what followed.

Without Hayate, Genma had been assigned the niceties of refereeing the fights. He was a Jonin with whom Naruto had a fair bit of experience. He was an…okay person. Somewhat like a Jonin version of the eternal Chunin Izumo and Kotetsu. A respectable shinobi, just casual.

It was him that appeared among the select few genin and led them out onto the floor of the arena, just ten minutes before the matches were to begin. They were not all there, but there was no longer time for simple lollygagging, as he'd referred to it.

In a line, they stood before the collective gazes of the stadium. Civilians, ninja…locals and foreigners…kage of several nations.

At the far end, Genma looked down the line. "Alright, quit your fidgeting and stand proud, everyone. You're here as shinobi, not kids." A few postures straightened at his reminding. "Listen up, genin. The lineup has changed." Heads swiveled around, looking away from the audience to give him their full attention. "Dosu Kinuta has…disappeared, we'll be continuing on without him. As such, one of you will be getting a by for the first round. Do the math. Aburame, that's you." By the original lineup…Dosu would have been Shino's opponent. The stoic Aburame's brows rose a fraction before he gave an impassive shrug. In the exams, a pass meant little. In fact, it could actually hinder as you lost the chance to showcase your "talents".

Kankuro snorted. "Feh. So bug-boy gets a freebie." Shino sent the puppeteer a measured gaze down the line, but said nothing.

"Hey, blondie, where's your teammate?" the Jonin queried.

Unaffected by the Jonin's blasé attitude, he shrugged. "I wouldn't know," he replied casually. "Perhaps Hatake-san's lateness is starting to rub off on him." Judging from Genma's small appreciative smirk, his attempts at humor were getting better. In regards to his teammate and team captain…he had absolutely no idea where they were. He didn't all that much care, either, but that was beside the point.

(7 Minutes Later)

Pushing himself up from his chair, Hiruzen stepped out into view at the VIP box's edge. Clearing his throat, he raised his voice. "Welcome all, friends, strangers, and allies to this the biannual Chunin Exam." The design of the stadium helped his voice to resonate throughout, but he still had to raise his voice. "Before you, today, stand the best and brightest of this exam. Genin who hold the desire and skill to strive to become Chunin. Today, they fight for rank, and the glory of their respective villages! Let the tournament…COMMENCE!" arms, previously raised, falling back to his sides, the stadium filling to the brim with the oceanic roar of the crowd, crying out in anticipation.

His words done, he turned and walked the few feet back to his seat among the other two kage. Behind him, the cheers of the audience still sweeping through the crowd.

"Well spoken, Hokage-dono," the Mizukage praised. "But I see that the vaunted Uchiha isn't in attendance."

Hiruzen withheld his grimace. "Yes, he and his sensei have yet to make an appearance. If he does not arrive soon, he will have to be considered for disqualification."

The Kazekage leaned over in his chair. "Isn't that a bit harsh, Hokage-dono? There are many people here who've come just to see the fight between him and Gaara."

"You always did like to watch," the aged kage thought derisively. His snake of a student had always liked to sit back and watch his prey struggle. In this case, he doubtless reveled in the delusion of control that he believed himself to have over the situation, not knowing how much of his plan was out. But, trading the view of the forest for that of the tree, he knew that young Sasuke's growth was of keen interest to him as well. Why, he was still unsure of, but he knew such interest was an ill omen.

Outwardly though, he frowned in concentration before seeming to make up his mind. "He will be given more time," he finally conceded. "You speak the truth in this, Kazekage-dono, but there will be consequences. We will push his match to last. Should he arrive in time for his match, he will be allowed to fight." The Kazekage actually seemed to relax. "However, for his tardiness he will not be allowed promotion in this exam." Motioning to the Jonin at his shoulder, the shinobi vanished down to the field, delivering his words to Genma.

The Mizukage nodded. "An acceptable compromise," she agreed. "And a fitting punishment."

Meanwhile, down below…

Appearing in a leaf shunshin, the Sandaime's guard appeared before the filed genin. "Genma, news from Hokage-sama."

"Oh?"

"As Sasuke Uchiha is not here, his match will be pushed back. If he does not arrive for the match, it is forfeit. This is the order of the Sandaime."

"Yeah, yeah," Genma retorted, waving dismissively. When the Jonin disappeared back to the Hokage's booth, "You heard the man. The match between Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara will be moved to last." Gaara looked as impassive as a rockface, but anyone could see irritation in his sea-green eyes.

"Be patient, mother," he cooed to the bloody rage that roared through him. "I will give you the blood you desire."

(In the stands)

"Aww, man, this sucks," growled a young woman, not much older than the participants of the exam. She was a foreigner though. There were very few in the region with a skin tone like hers. Her skin was a rich, dark mocha, offset by deep red hair and eyes of amber. "Not a one of them's of our village…and we're stuck in the nosebleeds." Huffing, she crossed her arms over her chest, grumbling on to herself.

"Karui, keep it to yourself," the eldest of their group advised curtly. She was a slender young woman of about sixteen or seventeen with long blonde hair woven into a single plait down to her shoulder blades. She was Yugito Nii, sub-captain of the team. Standing in for their sensei who couldn't make it for being so…ostentatious and well known. But she would do her best to reign her friend and mentor's genin in for the time being,

Karui, brazen as sandpaper, sat to her left, suddenly taken to sinking into her seat, mumbling grumpily to herself. To her right were Samui and Omoi, respectively. "You should calm down, Karui," Omoi advised nonchalantly, scratching his nose in show of just that, as he rolled a sucker between his lips. "What would happen if all your talk got you into an argument with some Leaf nin? That could cause an international incident and-"

"Cram it, Omoi!" the feisty redhead growled, interrupting him. Despite his absurd talk, Omoi was in fact very intelligent. Like Karui, he had a deep brown skin tone, but his hair was a ragged, close-cropped off-white, a pale blonde.

Yugito groaned. She'd better get overtime for this. All three were new Chunin, and while good, had their…quirks. Karui had a mouth on her, and a temper to match. Omoi could be a bit of an asshole, always overthinking. And Samui… Well, to be honest, she'd never had much of a problem with Samui. Samui was the same age as her, yet had the reserved attitude of someone many years older. She was quite attractive, based on popular opinion. More often than not the chosen word of the masses was "stacked". Chin length blonde pleats framed her elegant features nicely, accompanied by a soft, milky skin tone and pale blue eyes made her quite the looker to many, but that was a trap for anyone who was stupid enough to underestimate her based on her features.

"Raikage-sama asked us to report on the latest crop of genin," she reminded. "So deal." This was a low-key mission. They were merely here to observe. If someone of their village had been in the finals, the Raikage himself might've shown, but since none had, they'd had to get tickets instead. It was also why none of them was packing their heavier ninja gear. Rules and regulations.

Unlike her teammates, the only complaints Samui ever really voiced were that her shoulders and back ached. A humble brag in regard to her blossoming cleavage. "Karui, keep a lid on it. Omoi…stop provoking her." She was doing this as a favor, but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to get her fair share.

A week of B not rapping…

It was almost enough to bring tears of joy.

Not far away from where Kurenai sat, Anko at her side, were the remainders of Team 8. Kiba and Hinata, the former with his ninken draped over his head, were separated from their sensei by just a few rows.

Regardless of her belief in the living enigma that had so enraptured her, Hinata could not prevent the small inklings of worry towards him in this match. He was strong, no one knew that better than her, but so was Neji.

Doubts aside though, she had faith in him. Faith that he would win.

(00:00)

"Alright, then." Stepping out to the front of the genin, Genma cleared his throat. "The tournament is officially begun. The first match is between Neji Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki." His raised voice reverberated through the suddenly hushed stadium before quieting back down as he addressed the young shinobi around him. "The rest of you, please exit the stadium floor and wait in the observation box." The other assorted genin broke ranks, heading back for the exit, except for two. Neither Neji nor Naruto moved all that much from their original positions.

The floor clear of anyone else, Genma moved between the two. "Okay, you two, remember: you're shinobi of the Leaf, so give a good showing and make your village proud." With a weak shunshin he moved back about fifteen yards to give the teens some room.

They were separated by a scant few meters. Though distance meant little. Throughout Genma's instructions to them, an intense, if not outright hostile, stare-down had begun.

One pair of eyes, milky white, reflected confidence.

One pair of eyes, deeper blue than was often seen, reflected resolution.

"I must admit," Neji began, breaking the silence. "While I am unsurprised you've made it this far, Uzumaki-san, it is rather intriguing that we should be paired in the first match of the finals. Fate, it seems, wishes to challenge me, if just a little."

Across from him, the blonde's eyes flickered with the barest hint of annoyance. It had always been bothersome when Neji began his monologues. It was all so…preachy. He'd seen this attitude more than once when he stepped in to the training with Team Gai. In fact, he had even fought Neji more than once in the occasional spar, so he knew that the Hyuga was skilled.

But he knew other things also.

"I frankly do not care, Hyuga-san," he answered evenly. "While we could debate your beliefs, they have nothing to do with the here and now." His eyes narrowed harshly, "Though I would greatly like to discuss your view on family, it can wait, for the moment."

"You can start any time now," Genma reminded.

"Indeed." Settling into a loose stance, he faced Neji. "Let the battle of wills begin."

Neji smirked, "Your fate was sealed the moment you were paired with me. You can't win," but, he too chose an attack-ready posture.

"There is only one way to find out."

As one, both teens hurtled forward.

They had both observed one another in action, so Neji wasn't all that shocked at the straightforward punch, used as a feint for an elbow strike to the back of the neck.

The Hyuga bent like a reed before his blow could connect, but his attack was still ongoing. Bending to the side to avoid his descending elbow, his right knee shot up, seeking to plant itself in the clan shinobi's chest.

That last addition was new, but Neji, feeling the rush of wind from the missed strike brush over his head, brought his palms down, pushing off from the rising knee, and sealing a small grouping of tenketsu on his thigh in the process before pushing himself away from further retaliation. Quite the coup. Still, he would admit to the…vigor in his opponent's attacks. Landing back several feet, he prepared himself to go on the offensive. Now was the time, while the closed tenketsu hindered the Uzumaki's mobility.

"You're fighting well," he praised, while not actually praising. "You're not usually this…impatient." A subtle barb.

Favoring his leg, he regarded Neji. "I do not often let myself feel disappointment in others," he explained. "Disappointment like what I feel for you, Hyuga-san."

Maintaining his composure, internally Neji rolled his eyes. "That issue is none of your concern," he retorted coldly.

"I have made it my concern." His leg would be a problem. Correction. It would be a problem…for a moment. "Consider this a learning experience." He had shown weakness, and raised Neji's beliefs in his own victory. Good. He flared a little of his chakra, as much out of show as of necessity, and charged back in.

The pair dodged and twisted, launching and evading attacks. Neji's confidence never wavering.

"I have seen you train with my teammate. You have skill, true, but no natural talent," he monologue tauntingly. "You're like that fool, thinking that hard work will get you through."

"…Talent alone can only go so far," he countered bluntly. Neji's gaze hardened. This was what made the blonde a difficult opponent. His ever high stamina and chakra reserves meant he could last interminably in a fight, unless you could neutralize that. His burst of chunin level chakra output reflected no sign of fatigue just yet.

Hands rushing through seals, Naruto took in an exceptionally deep breath. "Wind Style: Air Bullets!" and spouted off a volley of near invisible projectiles, all as little more than distortions in the air as they speedily converged on their target.

It was difficult, but with his Byakugan tracking the chakra in the wind element attacks, he deftly maneuvered around the projectiles. As the last passed him by though, "Impressive, but it will take more than that to convince me you have even a chance."

"I am aware of that," Naruto readily agreed, a half dozen clones shimmering into existence alongside him, and, as one ran through the same hand signs. "Wind Style: Air Bullet Barrage!" they chorused and unleashed their synced attacks.

"To be expected," Neji thought, dodging the attacks, noticing that in their vastly increased number they were effectively blanketing all of his escape vectors. "It would be you to push me to this," he mentally sighed. Why could he not understand the futility of it all? Still, credit where it was due. He had no choice but to play his trump card.

Chakra surged out of his tenketsu, blanketing his body.

(In the stands)

Hiashi Hyuga's eyes narrowed in scrutiny and disbelief. "It can't be…" he mumbled, the words like cotton in his mouth. All Hyuga knew how to alter the flow of chakra through the tenketsu, but, this attack…an attack reserved for the Main household…

"Rotation!" And, as the name implied, the Hyuga spun around on the spot. Not even bothering to dodge the attacks, he took them head on. A barrier of twisting chakra, whipped up on the fly, came to protect him, the attacks washing across it like rain against a wondow.

(In the stands)

From the Hyuga clan's reserved box, Hiashi Hyuga tensed in further bafflement at what he was seeing.

Hiashi knew that Neji was strong. A celebrated prodigy. This was just another example of why he was called that. His nephew had been a jewel in the clan, representative of the Hyugas' prowess and ability.

Rotation was an ability taught to and reserved for the Main family. And he knew with some certainty that none within would have taught such a skill to one of the Branch family.

Beside him, Hanabi was just as confused, but voiced her thoughts. "But that's-"

"It's a secret technique of the Main Branch," he ground out, brow furrowed. 'To think, that he would come across the technique on his own, without being taught. A Hyuga cut off from the line of ascension… Truly, brother, you were denied your birthright.'

So, he was right. He'd suspected that Neji could know the Hyuga clan's Rotation. It was considered something of an advanced move due to its necessary chakra draw and the control needed.

Just as quickly as it had flared to life, the barrier fell, leaving an unharmed Neji in its wake, albeit several inches lower considering the way the technique had also scoured the earth around him. At the same time, the number of blondes on the field was reduced back to one, each having been given only enough chakra to exist and attack before failing.

He had let his opponent have the first attack, failed though it had, then, twice against his agility and ultimate defense. He had been forced to reveal an ace, but now it was his turn to go on the offensive. "Normally, I'd draw this out, but I know what happens when someone gives you an opening," he declared.

Lips curling into a confident smirk, he jumped forward, disturbing the cloud of lingering dust from his Rotation, his spurt of speed sending him right past Naruto, exactly where he intended. Inside his guard. "You're in range. Eight Trigrams-"

Naruto started turning.

"Two palms!"

(With Hiashi)

Did the surprises never cease. All Hyuga knew how to alter the flow of chakra through the tenketsu point, but, like the Rotation, this too was an attack exclusive to the Main family.

At least it used to be. Neji had discovered these technique on his own. There was no other explanation. He felt shame in that realization. One as strong as he…and ineligible to lead the clan.

Elsewhere in the stands…

Soft, lavender tinged white eyes, were locked on the combat. She had faith in him, believed in him to a fault.

…But that didn't stop her from worrying.

"Two Palms!"

"Four Palms!"

Beneath his attacks, the blonde retaliated with a flurry of nonsensical movements, apparently trying to brush away the attacks with his hands.

"Eight Palms!"

Still, again he found his attacking fingers meeting the blonde's hands.

"Sixteen Palms!"

He was blocking him! Every strike! Now that he knew that something was amiss, he could see the glow of chakra concentrated in his opponent's hands. There was simply no way.

"Thirty-two Palms!"

Wherever he moved in his attack, there was always a palm or finger to meet it, negating it!

All or nothing! "Sixty-four Palms!" and unleashed the final barrage, a flurry of precision attacks.

Gasping, out of breath from the exertion and agitation, "How?! It's not possible!"

Arms out, stance loose, the blonde remained where he'd been standing throughout the attack.

(Naruto's PoV)

"Eight Trigrams-"

Blue eyes flashed in readiness. His world slowed, and he closed his eyes.

"Two Palms!"

"Four Palms!"

"Eight Palms!"

-Flashback-

'Has the rock ever feared?'

-End Flashback-

Kyubi's words echoed in his mind. 'Has the rock ever considered avoiding?' Taking a deep breath he released it, feeling his body relax, preparing. 'The only thing the rock does…is let the water flow around it.'

"Sixteen Palms!"

The blonde was meeting the Hyuga blow for blow.

"Thirty-Two Palms!"

"Sixty-Four Palms!"

Attacks were either blocked or diverted, no matter their target, angle or location.

Neither fell. Neji's pale eyes burned with furious hatred. "How?! It's impossible to stop my Eight Trigrams!"

"Obviously not, Hyuga-san," Naruto responded impassively. His hands smoked from the clashing chakra discharges. "You have your defense, and so do I. This is the Seikuken, my sword and shield." His arms slowly waved rhythmically around him in smooth, purposeful movements before stopping in a loose stance.

That alone was enough to rile him. "Your leg…" the teen began, fervently trying to rationalize the situation. "With your tenketsu disabled, the chakra flow disturbed, you shouldn't have been able to move like that!"

"That would be because they are not closed."

Neji blanched, but, under scrutiny, he realized it was the truth. "But-"

"A closed tenketsu is like a pinched pipe," the blonde answered lowly, so that just Neji could hear. "Enough pressure in that one spot, focused, and it can reopen. Though it is somewhat painful." For anyone else though, such a maneuver could be problematic. It was indeed painful, more so than he let on, but, more to the point, it relied on his own high chakra levels, the density of his chakra, and the elasticity of his own chakra network that'd had a lifetime of adjusting to the strain of carrying a biju.

Neji bared his teeth in anger, but the answer was plain. The sudden show of chakra! He had used it for the wind attack, but also to draw attention away from his other intent: reopening the points that'd been closed.

"I see questions in you," Naruto mused. "You are a prodigy, Hyuga-san. Talent has been your boon, bringing things to you with greater ease than to others. By that reasoning, you are weak. Everything I am, I have made my own through time and effort. Lee understands, as does your sensei. You lack the experience of failure, of struggling, of earning your skill through blood, sweat, and pain." Dropping his stance, he straightened. "How can you appreciate your skill, truly know its limits, if you accept your ability and never push it? Success grants nothing beyond that, but it is fleeting. Through defeat, one changes, adapts, and grows."

Once more, the Hyuga in the private box were a gathering of grumblings.

"They are mocking us," Shinji, a Main Branch elder growled distastefully. "The Branch boy for failing, and the other…boy…for his insolence."

But Hiashi was deaf to their mutterings, focus narrowed onto his nephew.

"Your talent has made you weak, Hyuga-san," Naruto chastised. An unexpected blow from behind sent Neji stumbling forward, right into the path of a discreetly created clone, who proceeded to uppercut him with enough ferocity to launch him off the ground. But it didn't end there. He was absorbed into paired sensations of flying through the air separated by harsh moments of pain.

One after another, a clone kicked or punched Neji upward, gaining precious feet.

But that was not his endgame.

Clones forming in the air, each launched a hit or a kick, before being used as a stepping stone by the original.

Using the momentum granted by his clones, he soared far above the flailing Hyuga prodigy. Now was the time. Twisting in air, he began rolling on his axis even as he and Neji closed distance.

"Understand this, you contemptible jackass-" Of the people who knew the blonde, they stiffened, as the boy was never this verbose, and never so abrasive. His speedy descent bringing him within range of the "prodigy", he swung his entwined fists down like a hammer. "HARD WORK WILL ALWAYS SURPASS TALENT!" releasing an unholy roar just as his attack came home.

Twin cries of "Yosh!" echoed from among the audience at his…youthfulness.

'PHWAM!'

The sound of the connection reverberated through the arena. Unfortunately, it wasn't over yet just yet.

The Hyuga was shot at the ground like a meteor, his short flight ending in a sickening 'Crunch' and a small cloud of dust as he created a Neji shaped imprint. So great was the force behind the hit that he was propelled upward once more, allowing him more than enough time to orient himself to land lightly not too far from the crater.

Fighting, sweat, broken bones, blood…and that awe inspiring ass-kicking… It was practically orgasmic!

She knew it was coming, her body trembling uncontrollably as it surged through her. She couldn't hold it in! Finally, unable to restrain herself anymore, Anko shot to her feet. "CAN I GET A 'HELL YEAH!'?"

"HELL YEAH!" the audience cheered. Or, at least, the Chunin duo Izumo and Kotetsu, as well as Kiba and the sensei of Team 8, Kurenai, roared in agreement.

(The Kages' Box)

The Mizukage had, through the fight, leaned forward in her seat on the desire to see everything below. She had been enthralled by the prowess the blonde exhibited on the field. A fascinating specimen amongst men.

Hand coming up in a show of contemplation, she subtly wiped away the small bit of drool that'd gathered.

The match had been something of an upset, given the reputation of the Hyuga, and of clanless shinobi in general.

"A bit brutal, Hokage-dono," she remarked. "For one facing a shinobi of the same village." Raising an eyebrow, she sent the aged man a sidelong, questioning glance. "Is there some…quarrel between them?"

The Raikage wasn't as gentle about it. "Kinda hard not to figure that out," he grumped. He had no love for the Hyuga, but he wouldn't say he hated them either. What was the point? Still, there'd been a fierceness in the victor that none of them had expected given the nature of the tournament. "The Hyuga obviously pissed him off somehow."

The Sandaime coughed embarrassedly. "It concerns the preliminary matches," he supplied, seeing no harm in the answers he would provide. "Suffice it to say, young Naruto is driven by something as old as it is grave…the mistreatment of a woman."

While the Raikage nodded lazily, indifferently, the Mizukage's attention was quirked.

The Kazekage hummed to himself. "Yes, I do remember hearing the genin from my village speak of such a match."

Leaning back in her seat, Mei's head tilted to her subordinate. "A very…promising shinobi, don't you think?"

Behind her, Kushina felt the oddest twist in her stomach. "He's a little young for you, Mizukage-sama," she whispered back a little briskly, to which Mei snickered cutely. Horrible though her relationship was to this, her son, shamed though she felt, there was also a feeling of protectiveness for him.

Even if he never forgave her.

The mother in her, unrealized for all these years, felt a similar urge to do some beating as well.

"What's a few years?" Mei considered.

(Back on the field)

Body frozen by pain, Neji could only lay there as the Uzumaki's steps grew louder. Until, finally, he was eclipsed by the blonde's shadow. "I did not come here for promotion, Hyuga-san," he explained out of the blue. "I care not for such. I came here to deliver a message."

Neji might've interrupted, if he wasn't certain that his jawbone had been cracked in his earlier ascent. But the fire he was unaccustomed to seeing in Naruto, was enough to quell the urge for good.

Cold fury blazing anew in his eyes, he gave off an exterior of serenity as he approached the downed Hyuga. The boy's eyes were distant, but he was still conscious. If barely. Looking down at him with bare contempt, "So then, Neji-san, to the crux of the issue. If I ever see you fight someone simply to be cruel and inflict pain, again, we will have words once more, and I won't be as gentle. You know I can hurt you very easily, now." Sighing deeply, the fire in him abated, returning to him that exterior of a rather apathetic genin. "You say that you are fated to win, and yet we can both see plain that I am the victor. So, which is it? Is fate wrong? Have your own eyes deceived you? Or is your interpretation of fate wrong? Thoughts to ponder," and started walking away.

As they'd had their one-sided conversation, Genma had taken his time to leisurely stop across from them. "Alright, that's enough of that then." Clearing his throat, "The winner of the first match: Naruto Uzumaki!" And the crowd erupted into a cacophony of resounding cheers. Many had lost bets on the match, but it had been interesting enough to at least make up for it in part.

Without a word, the blonde bowed to the kages' box, turned and walked away. "Wasn't that a bit…much?" he muttered to the blonde as he passed by.

Hesitating for but a moment, time enough to answer, "I gave my word I wouldn't maim or cause him undue harm. He is alive and will recover…eventually. I have kept my word."

Genma grinned amusedly. "Hmm…I'll allow it," he answered back as the blonde continued off, back to the competitors' box.

Eyeing the downed genin as the pair of medics swept out from the walls, Genma couldn't help a small, knowing smirk. "Your bad luck, kid. That kid doesn't give a lick about fate." He mentally scoffed. Most Jonin knew him well. Naruto believed in himself; what he knew, what he could do. In retrospect, he and the Hyuga teen were polar opposites in regards to their outlook. "Y'might want to think about what he said, kid," speaking through the din to Neji as the medics descended upon him. "Leave something up to fate and you won't live too long in this world."

OMAKE

"Now, we will take a brief intermission so our crews can, er, fix the stadium floor. In the meantime, please enjoy the half-time show. A brief note beforehand. After the attempted self-immolations at the last exam, Maito Gai will not be singing his traditional Hunka Hunka Flames of Youth." A shudder swept through the audience like a wave as there were still a few alive that remembered that horror.

Gai was in a fir of tears though none heard or saw it.

"Instead, here are two of our outstanding Chunin: Izumo and Kotetsu!"

Izumo was a wreck. Not only were they being put on the spot, but they had nothing to show! Smacking a palm against his friends back, Kotetsu thrust a microphone into his hand. "I got this," he insisted. "Just follow my lead." Clearing his throat…

Kotetsu:
Let's face the facts about me and you, our love unspecified
Though I'm proud to call you "chocolate bear"
The crowd will always talk and stare.

Izumo:
I feel exactly those feelings too
And that's why I keep them inside
'cause this bear, can't bare the world disdain
And sometimes is easier to hide.

Izumo Kotetsu:
Than explain our guy love, that's all it is
Guy love he's mine I'm his
There's nothing gay about it in our eyes.

Izumo:
You ask me 'bout this thing we share...

Kotetsu:
...and he tenderly replies.

Izumo:
It's guy love...

Kotetsu & Izumo:
...between two guys.

Izumo:
We're closer than the average man and wife.

Kotetsu:
That's why our matching bracelets say Izumo and J.D.

Izumo:
You know I'll stick by you for the rest of my life...

Kotetsu:
You're the only man who's ever been inside of me!

Face burning crimson at the possible implication in the wording, he waved his hands frantically at the audience. " Whoa whoa! I just took a shuriken out of his stomach!"

Kotetsu:
There's no need, to clarify...

Izumo:
Oh no?

Kotetsu:
Just let it grow more and more each day.
It's like I've married my best friend...

Izumo:
But in a totally manly way!

Kotetsu & Izumo:
Let's go!
It's guy love, don't compromise,
The feeling of some other guy.
Holding up your heart into the sky.

Kotetsu:
I'll be there to care through all the lows.

Izumo:
I'll be there to share the highs.

Kotetsu & Izumo:
It's guy love, between two guys.

Kotetsu:
And when I say, "I love you, Izumo,",
It's not what it implies.

Kotetsu & Izumo:
It's guy love
Between...
Two...
Guys.

Izumo's arm shot out to clasp his friend's but was cut to the quick by Kotetsu. "No hands," and pulled him into a hug. Er, a manly hug that in no way lessened their manliness.

(In the stands)

Gai and Lee were both pouring buckets of tears, saluting the two Chunin, each with a thumbs-up.

(In the kages' box)

Hiruzen's palm came up to his face as he groaned.

(Taken from "Guy Love" from the Scrubs soundtrack)

AN/ Yeah, yeah. I know it's been a while, and for some of you this isn't the story you wanted updated. Well suck it. Inspiration is serendipitous, and I've been busy! But, on a lighter note, I gave you this super-sized chapter to in some way make up for the lateness as it is roughly double the length of my usual chapters (and I really didn't feel like cutting it off right before the fight. I hate it when that happens!)

As always, enjoy, and, if not, that's your problem.

And, a reminder to all, if you feel impatient about a story or don't like where it's headed, why don't you try writing your own? Just brain food.

PEACE!