Book 1: Dancing With Lightning [Naruto]

Exams Start Again

Finally the day Hoshino was dreading was here and he couldn't halt the dawn ebbing it's gradual way into daylight. Everything hinges on what he did at noon, and once done it can never be undone. He couldn't think straight this morning, he put his staff in the wrong pocket and then panicked when he couldn't find it.

Today it could be the difference between walking away with all the other Genin who failed the test. His hands spread like pale starfish around his coffee cup, and they were cold too, resisting the warmth that struggled to seep into them. He must be quite gaunt, but he won't be looking in the mirror today.

"Hoshino?" Haku's voice asked him. He spun around to face his friend, who was leaning in the doorway of the Main house. He was dressed in dark blue pants and a white sleeveless tunic top with silver stitching, his hair pulled back in a bun and his new Konohagakure headband shone proudly around his forehead. "We should go now."

"Right." The simple word was hard to force out. Hoshino's throat went dry as he stood up and followed his friend outside the door. His stomach flip flopped with every step he took closer to the arena. They hadn't told him who he was fighting yet for some reason.

Haku was going to be fighting Temari from Sunagkure first. He had been training with Hoshino's mother, Iro, for the past month. Hoshino could tell that whatever his mother had been working on with him wouldn't mean anything good for the girl. Perhaps she'd finally get a taste of her own medicine.

Judging by the way Haku's eyes were gleaming with determination and excitement, Hoshino could confirm that indeed, that girl was in BIG trouble. He had to admit, he felt that she sort of deserved it after what she did to Tenten.

Once they got there, Hoshino was more aware of the murmurings sounding around him and from the crowd whispering his name. He kept his attention on Haku, who was standing face to face with the girl from Sunagakure in the arena.

"His fight is next!"

"He's from the Mizu Clan! Oh man, I feel bad for the sucker who has to fight him..."

"If he's anything like the rest of them, that fight probably won't last long."

His attention finally snapped back to Haku, desperate to keep his mind off of his own fight and watch his friend.

"Looks like I finally get to pay you back for what you did to Tenten, huh?" Haku taunted Temari, fixing his posture so he was standing at his full height, towering over her by a few inches.

Hoshino saw her gulp, and she said nothing.

Once they got the signal to begin, Haku made the first move. He vanished from the spot he was standing, causing Temari to put her guard up looking around for him. He suddenly appeared behind her before she could react.

"Samuke!" He shouted, his cry ringing through the arena.

Temari gasped as the ground beneath her froze, binding her feet to the ice under her feet. She glared at him fiercely and growled. He simply shrugged indifferently, as if to say 'sorry' for what would come next.

Panicking, she opened her fan. "First Star!" She called, swiping it towards his direction. The wind hit him, but as soon as it made contact with his skin, his body shattered into a million different ice shards with gleaming, sharp edges that all went hurling towards her. It had been a clone.

She couldn't dodge with her feet frozen in place, so she could only stand there as the ice pierced her skin, causing her to gasp in pain as she was cut all over by the sharp pieces of ice.

"Hurts, right?" Haku's voice whispered in her ear, but when she turned, he wasn't there.

She swept her fan towards him once she spotted him standing behind her. "Second Star!" She shouted, her voice ringing with worry and panic.

Haku slammed his hands on the ground, and an ice wall rose to his aid, blocking the wind and leaving him unharmed. "Looks like you're all talk. No walk." He said, making her even angrier.

"Third Star!" She roared.

"Too late." He smiled calmly at her as her eyes shone desperately, "Ice Style: Twin Blizzard Dragons!"

Haku thrust his arms outward, gathering ice and water to his palms. In the same motion, he sent out a twisting torrent of liquid black ice, whose rotation resulted in the front of the blizzard to take on the appearance of a dragon's head, from both hands. Rather than simply attempting to ram their target, the dragons converged on a single point, using one another's momentum to combine and form a large black ice tornado.

While Temari was trying to fight off the dragons, Haku seemed to be preparing for the final blow. Hoshino watched his hand signs with growing amazement. Wait a moment... those hand signs... he's going to use Lightning Style!

Haku ran around the dragon, tricking Temari out, and threw his hand at the right side of her chest.

"Lightning Style: Twitching Limb Technique!"

The screaming started immediately. Hoshino exhaled. The technique could be lethal if used the wrong way, luckily, Haku hadn't hit any vital organs, but he had gone a little too close to her heart for his, and probably Haku's own, comfort.

She kneeled down, blood dribbling from her chin. She coughed, and blood splattered on the ground in front of her. Haku took a step back, breathing heavily.

"I was stupid to think--that I was a match for you." She rasped, wiping the blood from her mouth. "I withdraw!"

The medical ninja ran over to take her as soon as the words left her mouth. They took her off and out of the arena, and the proctor announced Haku as the winner.

The whole crowd screamed. It was deafening. Hoshino cheered at the top of his lungs for Haku as he came up the stairs, stumbling a little bit due to how much chakra he had used. As he passed Hoshino, he gave him a huge grin, causing him to smile and nod back. Sasuke nodded at him with a smirk.

"Where's Naruto?" Hoshino asked Sasuke, who shrugged in response.

"Who knows? The loser hasn't been here yet, huh? Interesting..." He turned back to Hoshino. "About your fight... are you sure you want to do it?"

"Um... yeah? Why wouldn't I?" Hoshino asked him, confused.

Sasuke's onyx eyes locked with ice blue. "Do you know who it is you're going to be fighting?" He questioned.

"No... they didn't tell me. Why? It's not like it's..."

Sasuke shook his head and Hoshino felt his heart sink deep into the pit of his stomach, so far down that he thought there was no chance if it ever resurfacing.

The dread crept over him like an icy chill, numbing his brain. In this frozen state his mind offered him only one thought. It is today. There is no avoiding it. He was like a cow being herded into a truck for the slaughter house, only the cow doesn't know where it's going and Hoshino does.

They both looked towards the big sign that displayed the names of the next match, and Hoshino's fears were confirmed.

Mizu Hoshino (Konohagakure)

vs

Gaara (Sunagakure)

Dun dun.... DUN!

The match of the century, guys! I can't wait to show you guys what's in store for Hoshino! Let's see what happens next week on Dragon Ball--

Nah, I'm just kidding! The chapter will be out either today or tomorrow; promise! Just be a bit patient and it'll be here before you know it!

Anyway, I hope that you guys liked the chapter! I thought that Haku and Temari would be a good match up for the fight, and Haku got to avenge his comrade Tenten! I must admit, I did not like Temari for a while after that... but overall, she is a cool and strong character.

What do you guys think comes next? How will the fight go? Let me know what you guys think in the discussion! :D

~ Tsunami