Gaara no Sabaku vs. Sasuke Uchiha
The tension in the air was stifling as the two fighters glared at each other, both willing the other to make the first move. Sasuke gladly granted Gaara his unspoken wish and charged the Suna genin. Just as his fist was about to connect the sand rushed to his defense just as Sasuke expected. The soft sand latched onto the fist that hit it and began to swiftly encircle the whole being.
"Sand Coffin."
The voice that spoke it was cold and uncaring. His outstretched hand waiting for his target to be completely encased. Up in the contestant' bunker Naruto, Sakura, and the rest of the finalists watched the sand as rapidly surrounded and encased their friend. Sakura was horrified after what she seen that sand do to the Sound-nin and her brain was frantically combing over their options. She then heard Naruto snicker and turned on him so she could knock him into next week. That is when she noticed his eyes.
"Just watch Sakura-chan." He pointed over her shoulder at the mass of sand.
"Sand Burial."
The sound of splintering wood echoed through the stadium. Realizing his mistake, Gaara heard the chirping of a flock of birds behind him. The sand rushed to his defense but the lightning passed right through the sand like nothing was there. Gaara felt a sharp tearing sensation in his shoulder and looked down to find a lightning covered hand protruding from his right shoulder.
"Chidori!"
The cry shot across the cheering audience. Everyone were on their feet as excitement rippled through the air at the display they were just shown. Sasuke did no such celebrating. He felt sand wrap around his throat before it picked him up and launched him into the stadium walls. Gaara still stared at his wound in shock, even when the sand enclosed him in a massive cocoon. The cheering stopped and was replaced by a murmur of curiosity. The eye that floated above the cocoon was unnerving to many and was faced in the direction that Sasuke had been thrown in. The eye was locked onto the crater in the wall.
"Sasuke you have to stop this now!" Naruto's voice rang clear throughout the stadium and many people dismissed his fears. The eye turned towards Naruto for an instant before movement in the wall recaptured its attention. Sasuke pulled himself out and leaned against the wall, bent over and spitting out blood. He knew he had a concussion from slamming into the wall that hard but instead focussed on this final move. He had just enough chakra for it and he was determined to make it count. He took off at a run, hugging the wall, as he built up speed. The whole time he concentrated chakra into the palm of his hand. He was already a blur when the lightning sparked to life and the blur twisted towards the cocoon. The rapidly approaching figure was met with spikes of sand that were easily dodged before the blur stopped, becoming Sasuke once again. His hand was embedded in the cocoon and he felt something moving about before a large claw like hand burst out of the cocoon, knocking Sasuke out and pinning him to a wall. The hand was left there and a new one took its place.
"Shukaku. The One Tailed Demon is released." Naruto ran and jumped onto the railing before he turned and faced the other finalists. "Stay out of this fight. You will only end up dying." With that he jumped into the arena just as the cocoon broke apart and formed a tail on Gaara. The crazed genin spun around to face the interruption. Once his eyes locked onto the ripples in Naruto's blue eyes he began to salivate and he smiled like a crazy man smiles at his next victim.
"You! I've been waiting for you!" The voice sounded half demonic and the star shaped eyes held Naruto's gaze.
"Shukaku release this boy from your control!" Naruto's voice held a commanding tone and signalled no fear towards the transforming boy. The genin brought his one free hand up like he was thinking before he smiled.
"No."
Like a damn had broken, massive amounts of sand rushed at the transforming boy and attached to his body. Naruto watched as the sand grew higher and higher before it filled out into Shukaku's form. The body solidified and finally the mighty demon was free. Screams ripped through the air as people tried to escape only for a dome of sand to spread out and encase the stadium.
"I want all of these people here to watch as you fail to protect them. Then they all get to die!" Shukaku's laugh was full of amusement at his own plan. He laughed even harder when the blonde at his feet sighed and began walking away from him. Shukaku watched on in amusement as the boy stopped and slammed his hands together. The following words immediately stopped the demon's laughter and replaced it with fear.
"Kuchiyose: Gedo Mazo!"
The ground began to rumble and a massive statue began to rise up from the ground. Its eyes were blindfolded and it roared at Shukaku. The demon nearly trembled in fear.
"What are you doing kid?!" Shukaku took several instinctive steps back as he tried to put more distance between him and the statue.
"I'm going to seal away your chakra until you give total control over to the child." With that Naruto made a hand seal and a blue aufa surrounded Shukaku. The demon watched as his own red chakra was pulled into the open mouth and began to panic. He finally cried out.
"Ok! You win!" The blue aura faded and beneath the blindfold, one eye was halfway open. "I guess you really are the next Rikudo Sennin."
Everyone was dumbfounded to hear that statement from one of the legendary Bijuu. Did Naruto really just beat a tailed beast?
True to his word, the sand fell away and Gaara's weakend form began to fall.
"Bansho Ten'in."
Gaara felt himself get pulled into the open hand of Naruto Uzumaki. He couldn't help but think, is this how it ends? He felt the claw like hands on his stomach twist and it was like a huge weight was lifted from Gaara's shoulders.
"What did you just do?" Gaara gazed at the blonde with curiosity.
"I sealed away Shukaku. If you ever need him his chakra is still there but now you must voluntarily relinquish control for him to take over." Naruto smiled at the red head but before he could say anymore Baki appeared and grabbed Gaara. Gaara was about to protest when they disappeared. But Naruto had heard Gaara's last words.
"Thank you Naruto Uzumaki."
"You know what sucks about this whole thing?"
"What could possibly suck? You've made it so that people don't actively beat you and call you a demon child. I say again what could possibly suck?"
"I didn't get to kick the teme's ass."
"That's because he was hospitalized with a major concussion. Let's also not forget that the hand pinning him down had been constricting the entire time so his chest and ribs are seriously damaged."
"Good point Sakura-chan...well guess I'll just kick his ass when he gets out." Naruto adopted his smile once again as him and Sakura walked down the street.
"Naruto Uzumaki you are an unbelievable baka!" Sakura mumbled into her palm which was pressed firmly to her face in light of Naruto's latest stupidity. Naruto just chuckled and continued walking. He examined his walking companion out of the corner of his eyes. Ever since her motivational speech at the Chunin Exams she had spent alot more time with him. Not that he was complaining it just seemed out of character for her. He did a mental shrug and kept walking. He was about to ask her something when his super pervert of a teacher landed in front of him.
"Hey gaki pack your bags." Jiraiya's eyes lingered on Sakura's slim figure.
'Oh she will be worth researching when she gets older! Maybe when we get back...'
"What for Ero-Sennin?"
"I told you not to call me that! As for your question, we are leaving on a two or three year training trip. We need to get you ready for them." Naruto knew this had been coming and dropped his hands from their relaxed position. Sakura's head was reeling with questions.
"How long do I have?" The blonde looked close to depressed. He didn't want to leave now considering everything with Sakura but he had no choice.
"30 minutes. See you at the front gate." The pervert disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Well Sakura-chan I guess this is goodbye...for two years..." Sakura gave Naruto a hug before he too vanished. He knew he had to leave then otherwise it would become too hard to leave.
-Front Gate-
Naruto was beside Jiraiya as they exited Konoha. They both walked in a different kind of silence. Jiraiya was quite as he planned what they would do for the next two years. Naruto walked silently out of a growing depression. Leaving now meant Sakura had two years to build a relationship with Sasuke. Naruto knew he had lost. At least, he thought that until a familiar voice rang out.
"Naruto wait!"
The blonde's ear perked up and be twisted around to see Sakura come up to them. She couldn't stop the blush from growing and decided to act quickly.
"Sakura-chan what are you-"
His question was cut off...by her lips. The boy was shocked to the point of immobility as he felt her soft lips against his. She pressed a little harder before she pulled back to look into his wide eyes.
"I know you've always loved me and I know this is a little late but I want you to know that I am waiting for you. For now that kiss will have to do." The shell shocked genin snapped out of his comatose like state and nodded while smiling his biggest, most heart warming smile.
"Good bye Naruto-kun."
And just like that the pinkette was gone. Naruto heard Jiraiya snicker and turned around.
"Well well. It looks as though someone just had their first kiss."
Naruto let the realization sink in before he shouted one word that was loud enough for the whole village to hear.
"YATTAAAAAAAA!"