Dream Team (NaruHina)

#24 Enter Iwa

The arena was packed when the Hokage arrived with the Tsuchikage and the Kazekage. Everyone slowly got quiet as Hiruzen stood at the railing.

"Welcome everyone to the last part of this year's chunin exams. The man on the arena floor is Hayate Gekko, the proctor for this stage. He will explain everything and then we will meet the competitors. I hope to see some very promising fights today." Hiruzen said, his voice amplified by a simple jutsu.

Everyone gave a bit of applause as the old man sat down and Hayate took over.

"Welcome again to everyone. This part of the exam consists of one on one matches between the genin. Everything goes, as long as they stay in the arena. Any jutsu that endangers the audience are forbidden. Generally the fights are to the death, but if a contestant can't continue anymore, they may give up or I will step in. As soon as I step in the fight is over and any continued attacks will cause a disqualification. Interference from outside will also cause a disqualification." Everyone listened carefully while the proctor explained the rules.

"Now, we have competitors from three villages. First welcome the genin from the sand: Gaara Sabaku, Temari Sabaku and Kankuro Sabaku." Hayate announced, as the three siblings appeared next to him out of a sand shushin. Everyone applauded as the three genin bowed to the present kage, before they went back to the competitors box to wait for their matches.

"Second please welcome the genin from Iwagakure: Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga." Hayate announced as he looked next to him only to find the place empty. Looking around he was confused as suddenly a kunai landed next to him. Looking closer he recognized the kunai's shape and took a step back before an orange and purple flash cut through the silence. Everyone gasped, the older shinobi because they had seen this jutsu only once before and the younger ones because the man that appeared out of the flash looked almost exactly like the fourth Hokage. The orange and white coat Naruto wore slowly stopped fluttering as he looked around to see wide eyes staring down at him. Hinata wore a similar coat, only that hers was purple and white. Both turned to the small raised platform where the different kage were seated and smiled at the wide eyes from Rasa, Onoki and the Anbu. Hiruzen wasn't as surprised since he had no doubt gotten word about the use of the hiraishin in the previous parts of the exams. The bulk of the spectators still were in shock when Naruto and Hinata smiled at each other and another flash transported them back to the competitors box. After a slight pause Hayate gathered everyone's attention again before he began to speak.

"Now last but not least, please welcome the genin from Konohagakure: Sasuke Uchiha, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi." He said, earning a loud round of applause for the hometown shinobi as they walked down the stairs from the competitors stand. Sasuke Uchiha however was nowhere to be seen. After waiting for a few minutes Hayate decided to move ahead.

After everyone was back at the stands Hayate looked at the Hokage, who nodded. The proctor nodded back and went to the middle of the arena, where he called for the first two competitors to come down. Shikamaru and Temari came down into the arena waiting for the proctor to start the match.

After the proctor started the match, Temari immediately went on the offensive, not giving her opponent time to form a plan. As she attacked she noticed a shadow racing towards her. Jumping back she watched as the shadow stretched and became thinner and thinner as its distance to the caster grew. After about fifty meters the shadow stopped and Temari looked at the black haired shinobi with a smile. Making a small mark with her fan she attacked again, using her fan to amplify her long range jutsu, making them even more destructive as they flew towards Shikamaru. The boy quickly threw a smoke bomb and fled behind some trees to think up some sort of plan. He was obviously outmatched, since he had no long range attacks to counter Temari's wind jutsu.

When the smoke cleared Temari looked around searching for her opponent. Suddenly she jumped back just in time to evade the kunai that hit the ground. She looked around, finding Shikamaru in between the trees. The Nara threw another set of kunai, forcing the blonde to jump back.

As she jumped back, Temari saw Shikamaru go through the hand signs for his family's jutsu but she didn't think anything of it, since she was well out of range for the shadow possession jutsu. Opening her fan she went to swing it at her opponent, only to find that she was unable to move.

Shikamaru looked down, forcing the girl to mimic his movements, enabling her to see the shadow that stretched from herself to Shikamaru connecting to a few kunai on the way. Apparently the shadows of the kunai enabled the shadow to stretch further than it was supposed to. Shikamaru slowly stepped forward and with Temari mimicking his movements they slowly came closer to each other. When they were face to face Shikamaru raised his hand and forfeited to everyone's surprise. When questioned by Temari why he forfeited, he explained that he had no more chakra so he would not be able to continue the fight.

Temari came back to the other competitors while Shikamaru walked up to Ino and his sensei, waiting for their teammate Choji to have his fight.

Naruto and Hinata waited as Hayate went back to the middle of the arena, to announce the next fight.

"The next fight will be between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha."

A flash cut through the arena for the third time this day as Naruto hiraishined to the arena floor. The only problem was that his opponent still hadn't shown up. Hayate was about to disqualify the Uchiha when an Anbu appeared next to him, whispering something in his ear.

"Everyone, apparently the fight between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha has been moved back. The next fight will instead be Hinata Hyuuga against Kankuro Sabaku." He announced after the Anbu had disappeared again.