Control

A Thousand Birds

*Warning* This chapter contains somewhat graphic depictions of violence

Naruto had won his battle against Neji. It was a good fight to watch and you cheered for both of your friends as they battled against each other. However, you were glad that Naruto beat Neij. Naruto and Neji were both good friends of yours, but you knew Naruto needed this win and Neji needed to be humbled. Neji was always so focused on his fate being set in stone and was so sure that he would crush Naruto but Naruto rose to the occasion and showed Neji what you had been telling him all these years--that fate was not predetermined. It was always changing based on the individual's actions and desires.

After Naruto and Neji's battle, Shikamaru and Temari battled against each other. You knew Shikamaru was less than thrilled to be part of the final stage of the chunin exams but you still tried to get him to see how great of an opportunity it was. Sadly, that ended up backfiring. It only made Shikamaru view it as more trouble than anything. Despite this, you could see how much effort he put into his battle against Temari. You were proud of him for trying and made sure to cheer for him throughout the battle.

You even thought that Shikamaru would win his battle until he raised his hand in surrender. You were admittedly shocked because he was so close to winning but it also made sense that he would surrender. He didn't like going beyond his limits; you guessed he was more than likely nearing this point.

After Shikamaru surrendered, Temari was announced as the winner of the battle. You then saw Naruto jump from the stands and march up to Shikamaru. You couldn't hear what Naruto was saying but you guessed he was probably giving Shikamaru an earful for giving up when victory was well within his grasp. You watched their interaction from the stands before they were directed to leave the arena in preparation for the next match--the match between Gaara and Sasuke. 

Kankuro and Shino were supposed to fight before Sasuke and Gaara, but Kankuro backed out and Shino won by default. This in turn led to the much-anticipated battle between Gaara and Sasuke. Their match was supposed to begin now but since Sasuke had yet to show, he was given a ten-minute extension. If he didn't show up within ten minutes he would be disqualified. 

Sasuke said he would be here on time for his match but he was really cutting it close. You couldn't help but wonder what could be holding him up. Sasuke had said he would be training but you still found it odd how late he was. You then shrugged, letting it go as you stood to your feet.

"I'll be back guys, I want to congratulate Naruto."

You didn't have a lot of time to spare, seeing as the next match would begin soon (if Sasuke ever showed up) so you left with a quick wave to your friends. As you walked away, you found yourself weaving through people who also took advantage of the momentary break in fighting to get refreshments or go to the bathroom. Some people seemed to simply wander around in anticipation while others placed bets on the next match.

You shook your head at this, you weren't one for betting. You didn't care if other people made bets but it was mildly annoying that Gaara and Sasuke were being treated as mere weapons. Sure, they both were formidable opponents but they were more than that. They were also living, breathing humans with their own thoughts and feelings. You were tempted to say something to the people placing bets but it wasn't your place so you just kept walking.

Finally, you reached the staircase that would bring you to the section where Naruto and the other competitors were. As you walked down the stairs, a sudden tapping noise piqued your interest. Stopping in your tracks, you quietly listened in an attempt to pinpoint where the sound had come from but you didn't hear it again.

"Weird..." You murmured as a sudden feeling of anxiety swelled in the pit of your stomach. Something didn't feel right but you pushed forward. Reaching the final step of the staircase, you stepped down into a hallway. Ahead of you, you could see two ninjas silently approaching Gaara who had his back turned to them as he was walking down the hallway. His sandals lightly clicked on the ground with each step he took.