Chapter 48

Last Time:

"Hajime!" Hayate exclaimed, then jumped out of the way.

Now:

Karui quickly unsealed her twin daggers and held them in a reverse grip as Temari unfolded her large fan and held it at her back. "That guy with the helmet.." Temari began in a flirty tone, "He's cute. Mysterious…strong.. silent.. maybe I'll ask him out after our fight." She said, making Karui laugh. "You won't have to worry about me, but the two girls who are actually with him might have something to say." She quipped back, making Temari fumed. Temari quickly channeled wind chakra to her fan and shot it towards Karui, making her flip backwards with the current to avoid getting swept up.

As soon as Karui looked up, Temari was upon her, fan folded and in mid swing to her face. Karui quickly leaned backwards and watched the fan swing right over her face. She quickly slashed at Temari's side only for Temari to swing the fan and intercept the blade. With another flick of her wrist, the other end of her fan was descending on Karui's head. She quickly parried it with her free blade and slashed at Temari's leg, only for Temari to jump over it and balance perfectly on the dagger. "Dear me, that just isn't going to cut it." Temari teased.

Karui slashed upwards with the blade, only for Temari to twirl her fan around her body and block it. Karui quickly jumped back and began channeling fire nature chakra to her daggers. 'That fluid movement, the fact such a large fan isn't weighing her down..' Karui thought as she watched Temari twirling the fan around herself.

~ In The Balcony ~

"This is bad." Naruto muttered as he watched Temari charge against Karui, fan spinning as if it was a small piece of wood. "How is she able to do that?! Most fans weigh a ton." Samui muttered as she watched Karui parry a blow and slash at Temari's side, only for the fan to block it again. "She's had Bojutsu training." Naruto answered Samui. "Bojutsu?" Samui asked, curious. "The art of the Bo staff. Obviously, she's gotten comfortable enough with the weight of her staff to use it properly and has had enough training to use her katas in live action." Omoi muttered.

"Is there any way Karui can make it out of this one?" Yugito asked. "Tons. The most basic one is a distraction or to get Temari to lose the staff, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards any time soon. The best chance she has it to destroy the weapon, but it's going to be difficult. She doesn't have a wind nature and her fire nature isn't developed enough to melt through the metal. The last shot she has is to bang it up enough in a certain point so that it breaks." Naruto mused as Temari jumped away from Karui and unfolded her fan.

"Crunch time." Naruto muttered and pointed to Temari.

~ With Karui ~

Karui stared at Temari as she unfolded her fan. "What's the matter princess, having trouble keeping up?" She asked. "Go to hell!" Karui yelled back, then got into an offensive stance. Temari swept her fan and sent a large wave of pure wind chakra towards Karui. "Fire Style: Frontal Beheading!" Karui yelled as she slashed forward, sending a large wave of fire towards Temari. 'Shit!' Temari internally yelled as she quickly jumped out of the way. As soon as the slash passed through her wave of wind, the flames got bigger and the heat more intense.

'This is the worst-case scenario for her. Air versus fire.' Karui thought as she began spinning the sword in her hand, making a small circle. "Fire style: Cyclone slash!" Karui yelled and began channeling fire chakra to her dagger. The small twirl quickly turned into a raging vortex of large flames, gunning straight for Temari. 'I need to do something about this, quick!' Temari realized as she jumped into the air. She waved her large fan towards the ground, propelling herself upwards and fanning the flames beneath her. As soon as she was high enough to avoid the flames, she grabbed her fan like a hang glider and surveyed the sea of flames the Kumo Kunoichi was brewing up.

'Speaking of which, where is..' Temari began, but was cut off as a speeding blur launched itself from the stadium walls and tackled her, making her let go of her fan. As Temari and Karui fell to the hard concrete floor, Karui quickly flipped Temari to her back and grabbed her left foot and right arm. She then placed her knee at Temari's back and closed her eyes. As Temari impacted on the stadium floor, the resounding snap of various bones made everyone present wince. "Call it." Karui said with a huff as she got off Temari's unconscious form.

"Winner.." Hayate began, but was stopped as the smoke cleared from Temari's form and it was revealed to be a log. "What!" Karui demanded, but was quickly swept away by a strong rising current. As Karui was being swept upwards, Temari launched several cutting waves at her. Karui curled into a ball and tried to ignore the searing pain of pure air cutting flesh, but couldn't stand it. Temari, who was still on the ground, saw her getting closer to the ceilings and shot a "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough" to her downed form. The impact of her body smashing into the ceiling was too much for Karui to handle and she passed out.

Below, Temari positioned her fan where Karui would land with the sharp end of her battle fan pointed upwards, intent on ending the young Kunoichi's career.

~ In The Balcony ~

"This is bad!" Omoi yelled as he watched his cousin falling to her death. Naruto quickly retreated as far into the balcony and called out to Omoi. "Hey, I could use a lift!" Omoi turned to see Naruto running full speed towards him and positioned his hands in front of him like a stepping-stone. Naruto launched off the step and soared throughout the stadium, turning all of the attention of the fight to him. He watched as Karui form soared faster and faster down. 'Come on.. come on.. come on!' He internally yelled as he saw the girl fall. She fell a few seconds before he arrived at the spot, making him turn and grab her by her hand.

He quickly pulled her close to him and curled up tightly into a ball, trying to minimize any further damage to her. 'This is going to hurt..' Naruto thought as he soared full speed towards the opposite stadium wall with his back leading the way. "AHH!" He yelled in pain as he felt the full impact. He began falling, but managed to stick a hand with chakra to the wall. "Winner: Temari of Suna!" Hayate yelled. Temari looked at Vee with worried eyes. He had actually risked his advancement in the exams by exposing himself to injury, just for Karui. Her brother would have left her to die.

She quickly went to him and helped him up, then began dragging him up to the balcony.

~ Balcony – Kumo Team ~

"What the hell were you thinking!" Yugito demanded as she checked his back for bruises, only to find none. 'Thank god for Cap's formula and the Uzumaki healing factor.' Naruto chanted in his mind. Though the searing pain was still there, there was no wound, no tenderness, and the broken bones were already mending. "Umm, is he going to be ok?" Temari asked worriedly. "He'll be fine. He's childproof." Yugito responded and slapped him on his back, making him yell. "Thanks for helping him up here." Samui said. "Sorry for over doing it with your friend, I didn't mean to almost kill her." Temari apologized.

"Don't worry. With Vee here, you would have had to nuke the place to kill her." Omoi said as he checked his cousin's wounds. "How so?" She asked as Vee slowly got up and walked to the balcony. "He isn't the type to let anyone die on his watch. Hell, he's risked his life more than once for all of us." Yugito replied. Temari looked over to Vee's hunched form. 'Maybe… maybe there's someone out there for me like that too.' She thought with a blush. "Gomen, I have to go." Temari apologized and left.

Yugito sighed and looked over to Naruto. 'You're going to make us fight to keep you, aren't you?' She asked herself, then walked over to him. "Did I miss anything?" She asked and saw the two Hyuugas fighting. "Just Dr. Phil's goldmine. Talk about family problems." Naruto replied as the Hyuuga ranted on about fate, then moved in for a strike to the young heiress' heart. "He's going in for the kill." Samui muttered as Neji moved in. "Relax, look around at the Jounin senseis." Naruto replied. Samui looked around, but found nothing. "Which senseis?" She asked, then Vee pointed to the Arena.

Neji was completely immobilized, every one of the Jounin senseis holding him and Hiruzen checking up on Hinata. 'What's the matter little brother, is she your Achilles' heel?' Naruto wondered as he saw him checking her for wounds. He turned to see Samui and Yugito talking amongst themselves. 'Then again, who am I to judge?' He mused joyfully. As soon as Hinata was carted away, Hiruzen headed towards the small pool of blood she coughed and grabbed it, looking at Neji defiantly.

"I am sick of those with power looking down on those without it! First my brother, now Hinata. You seem to think just because you have strength, it makes you superior! Well, it doesn't! I know about the Hyuuga clan's caged bird seal! Don't you think she knew about it too?" Hiruzen asked, putting Neji on the spot. "She didn't use it because she was weak!" Neji shot back. "Bullshit! She didn't use it because you don't hurt family!" Hiruzen yelled back. "You don't belittle them or hurt them! You help them get stronger! She idolizes you. You're her strong older cousin! You're supposed to care for her, not hurt her!"

"You're one to talk! You kept accepting your parent's training, despite what they did to your so-called "older brother!" Neji shot back with venom in his voice. "You're wrong! After I found out what happened, I moved out. They haven't trained me in years! And for Hinata and my brother, I promise you this: I will beat you down! I will make you regret ever hurting your own flesh and blood!" Hiruzen yelled at Neji. "We'll see." Neji replied with a snort and walked away.

~ With Naruto ~

Samui watched as various emotions flickered through Naruto's face. What had just happened between Hiruzen and Neji had clearly been unexpected, and now he was having a difficult time coping. "Naruto-kun, are you ok?" She asked and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Huh? Oh yea, I'm fine." Naruto replied. 'Just what happened after I was renounced? If he really hasn't been receiving training from the Kage, then from where?' Naruto wondered as he watched his kid brother walk back to the balcony.

"Hey, don't think you can just blow us off like that. Now what's wrong?" Yugito asked in a caring tone. "I need answers, and I'm going to get them after this part of the exams." Naruto said in a determined tone. "Wait, you're going to confront the Kage?" Omoi asked in a cautious tone. "Yea." Naruto replied. "Not without us, you're not." Samui said. "But.." Naruto began, but Yugito cut him off. "No buts. We're your family now, and we're going to be there through the bad too, not just the good." She said. "Yea, guys. How do you plan on getting out of a hot zone without a plan? From the Kage's office, no less?!" Omoi asked in a worried tone.

"Details, details." Naruto replied in a dismissive tone, then turned to the flashing scoreboard. "Looks like you're up." He muttered as the board stopped on two names. "Will Omoi of Kumo and Shikamaru of Konoha please head down to the arena?" Hayate asked. "Good luck." Naruto said to Omoi. "Remember, he's a shadow user and a strategist. With the Nara's, a high IQ and a lazy mind set is pretty much coded to their DNA." Naruto whispered to Omoi. "Watch out for tricks." Omoi nodded and jumped down to the Arena.

~ Arena ~

Hayate turned to Omoi. "Are you ready?" He asked Omoi, who flicked his wrist to reveal several kunai ready for battle. "Are you ready?" HE asked Shikamaru, who just muttered "Troublesome" and nodded. "Hajime!" He yelled, then jumped away.

A/N: I know, I made Temari really strong. But you have to admit, it was a damn good fight. Firstly, I haven't decided whether I will add Karui or not.