Me: Alright the next chapter is here! WOOHOO! Well I thought now might be a good time to say the teams so I don't get confused. I mean so you don't get confused.

Sakura's team:
Sakura
Gaara
Naruto

Hinata's team:
Hinata
Shikamaru
Sai

Sasuke's team:
Sasuke
Kiba
Ino

Neji's team:
Neji
Lee
Tenten

Sound team:
Dosu
Kin
Zaku

Kankuro's team:
Kankuro
Temari
Shino

So these are the teams, I have I think I might have switched some around just for convenience but that's how they stand for the rest of the story.

I don't own Naruto people!

To the story:

Recap:

"Now we have double the teams after us."

"We have to get rid of the competition somehow right? Well what better way then having them come to us?" I asked, smirking.

"I like the way you think, Sakura." Gaara said smirking as well.

"Yeah we can handle anyone!" Naruto shouted. I nodded in agreement. Then the gates opened and my smirk grew. With my new found confidence and adrenaline I entered the forest behind my team. One thought in my head. So it begins.

End Recap

Sakura's POV

The forest was just as creepy as Anko described, if not more so. Bugs the size of buses, trees so tall they blocked out the sun creating a dark scene, everything created this horror movie scene so perfect that if people were to watch this they would be screaming at the screen to not go any farther and get out because it was obvious that nothing good could come of it. But I wasn't going to run, I prepared myself for this and I was as ready as I would ever be. Now to find a target.

"Um guys…" Naruto called to us stopping on a branch. Gaara and I stopped and turned to him.

"What is it Naruto?" I asked a little irritated that we had to stop five minutes into the test. We still had five more days left, in a forest with unimaginable creatures, plenty of teams after us, and the icing on the cake Naruto.

"I have to go to the bathroom." He said. I rolled my eyes, why did he feel the need to share that information?

"Then go." I told him, he responded by jumping to the ground and pulling down his zipper. "Not here you idiot! In the bushes."

"Sorry." Was all he said as he disappeared into the bushes. I sighed, this could become a problem. I leaned against a tree, waiting for Naruto when something caught my attention. Gaara must of sensed it too because he was now more alert, searching the grounds. Then Naruto appeared out of the bushes. "Finally Naruto, we shouldn't stay in one spot for too long."

"Sorry about that, but I wrote my whole name and everything!" He said laughing, I rolled my eyes again. Why does he always share information that I don't need to know? I looked closer at him and noticed his kunai pouch on the wrong leg, Naruto's right handed not left. "Come up here you idiot and lets go." I shouted to him, he just nodded and jumped up to the branch Gaara and I were on. I attacked immediately kicking him into the tree across the clearing.

"Hey what was that for?!" 'Naruto' shouted.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me what you did with the real Naruto." I shouted back. The boy chuckled, before becoming a boy from the mist.

"Clever girl, and I have to admit your not as weak as you portrayed yourself to be. But it doesn't matter, which one of you have the scroll." The boy demanded.

"Maybe you didn't hear me, but I said what did you do with Naruto." I repeated.

"You shouldn't worry about your friend so much but rather yourself, at the moment." A whisper came from behind me, a kunai at my neck.

"Oh but she doesn't need to worry about that." Gaara said, catching the boy in his sand, pulling away from me. Now to find his teammates. I looked around and found two more mist ninja in sand, ready for the kill. Gaara just cut off there oxygen supply off knocking them unconscious though so that we could find the scroll.

"You never let me have any fun." I said to Gaara after we found the scroll. I slit the throats of the three ninja, and dropped them to the ground one by one.

"Your just to slow." Gaara shrugged.

"Well sorry I don't have sand to catch my enemy." I retorted sarcastically.

"Some of us are just not lucky."

"Whatever let's go find Naruto." I said heading into the bushes with Gaara following.

Naruto's POV

"Um guys…" I called to my team stopping on a branch. Gaara and Sakura stopped and turned to me.

"What is it Naruto?" Sakura asked sounding a little irritated.

"I have to go to the bathroom." I said. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Then go." Sakura told me, so I jumped down into the clearing and began to unzip my pants when Sakura stopped me. "Not here you idiot! In the bushes."

Oops

"Sorry." Was all I said as I disappeared into the bushes. I relieved my bladder and was about to return to my team when I was attacked and tied up. I saw someone transform into me, doing it badly I might add. Anyway, I worked on un tying myself from the ropes. I was out and standing in no time, as I turned to return to my team once again, I heard a hiss sound behind me. I gulped hoping it wasn't what I thought it was. I slowly turned my head to see this giant snake and it looked hungry. Before I had time to react I was gulped up into the snake's mouth and eating for breakfast. Not cool.

What a pathetic kid they stuck me in.

Okay, what was that? Why is there a voice in my head?! Wait it just called me pathetic! I Naruto Uzumaki am not pathetic!

Just who are you?

I am the reason people call you monster. I am the Kyuubi the nine tailed fox.

Well then, help me out here?

No.

Fine just die along with me then.

That's when I felt it. The power. It burned through me making me feel invincible. My sight became more defined and my nails grew into claws. Perfect. I put focused all the chakra that fox gave me and focused it to my fist. Getting a good swing, I sliced through the snake, cutting its head off. I looked at my hands, unbelieving at what I just did. Then I lifted up my shirt to reveal the mark on my stomach that I now realize is a seal.

I always knew I had a power resting in me. I've felt it before. But to find out it was the Kyuubi this entire time, it surprised me. Now I know how much alike I was to Gaara.

"Naruto." Sakura called out to me. I turned to her, and she stopped and gasped. I looked down at myself, I was covered in snake goo, my hands were still claw like, and I was guessing my eyes were different because everything was still more defined then before. Next thing I knew I was covered in water.

"What was that for!" I shouted shocked at the cold feeling. Sakura giggled and came closer.

"You were covered in whatever was in that snake's stomach, I figured you needed a clean." I smiled at her.

"What happened to you Naruto." Gaara stated, I immediately knew what he was talking about. Sakura looked from me to Gaara, trying to figure out what was happening. I almost chuckled at her.

"Why do you two always do this? I thought we were past the staring contest thing the day you two met!" Sakura sighed.

"Well Naruto." Gaara persisted, ignoring Sakura. I felt my features return to normal.

"I have the Kyuubi residing in me." I told him simply. Gaara stiffened slightly at the mention of another demon. We were the same. We sat in silence for a while, no one breaking it.

"Guys as much as this bit of information is interesting, we have both scrolls I say we head to the tower and get out of this place as soon as possible." Sakura suggested. Gaara and I nodded. "Can you two not be so weird about this?"

Gaara and I just stayed silent, running faster. Sakura sighed and sped up to keep up with us. Silence. That's all there was. Silence. I didn't know what to say about what just happened. Gaara was still thinking about me having Kyuubi. And Sakura just stayed quiet, she didn't completely understand what was going on. Suddenly she stopped, and turned to us signaling us to be quiet as she looked through the bushes. She stiffened and Gaara and I looked to investigate what was going on.

It was that weird grass nin, he was fighting Sasuke's squad. But Sasuke was unconscious and Kiba was too except he was hanging by a kunai on a tree. Ino was the only one who was awake.

"What did you do to Sasuke-kun!" She yelled to the grass nin. He chuckled darkly and Sakura began shaking. Gaara had to use his sand to stop her.

"I just left him a little present. He is in search of power and when he wants it he will come to me." The grass nin explained but it was not a grass nin, it was someone else. But who?

"Why Sasuke-kun?"

"Oh he's not the only one I'm after, in fact…" The man trailed off and Sakura broke free of the sand and took off. But it was too late the man appeared in front of her. "She decided to come right to me."

"Stay away from Sakura!" I yelled to the man. I didn't know what he wanted but he wasn't going to get Sakura if I had anything to say about it.

"Get out of here Sakura!" Ino yelled it sounded like she meant it and was actually scared for Sakura. Sakura got into a defensive stance preparing herself. What was she doing? The man chuckled.

"Time for more entertainment I see." The man said darkly putting his arms forward snakes coming out of his sleeves toward Sakura. Sakura just stood there waiting the oncoming blow. It hit her.

"Sakura!" I shouted as she was pinned to a tree, the man coming closer to her.

"Hmm, I thought you would be more fun. Sa-Ku-Ra." The man taunted. He went to bite her neck when he was knocked aside from sand.

"You are not going to touch her." Gaara seethed. The man just chuckled again. Man his laugh was really getting on my nerves.

"Two demons, eh?" The man inquired "How interesting."

I had enough. I summoned some clones and went in for an attack. But it was useless, as all my clones disapppeared and Gaara and I were knocked out of the way in one blow. The man had summoned a giant snake with two heads. We attacked trying to create an opening to help Sakura but we couldn't and we watched as the man bit Sakura's neck. But it wasn't Sakura, it was a clone. I went back to fighting the snake, trying to look out for Sakura at the same time.

"Well looks like this will be more fun than I thought." The man said aloud. I growled, growing angrier with each passing second. I felt my features change again as everything became more clear. Where was Sakura?

"Come out, come out where ever you are, Sakura. Your not going to escape me this time."

CRASH!

Trees came tumbling down, straight at the man, but he quickly got out of the way. Once the dust and debree faded away, I saw Sakura. I gasped. It wasn't just Sakura, but Sakura on a giant white tiger. I looked to the man and a glint shined in his eye as he looked at Sakura. Sakura jumped off the tiger.

"Take care of the snake Yuki." Sakura instructed. I watched as the tiger easily tackled the snake, not even bothered by its bites. Sakura came down by Gaara and myself.

"Very impressive Sakura." The man said, "You have exceeded my expectations."

"What did you do to Sasuke Orochimaru." Sakura demanded.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough my dear." He lunged at all three of us, easily handling all our blows. But I could tell he was especially focused on Sakura. Watching her every move closely, studying her moves. She punched the ground and it vibrated, causing an earthquake. That's when I began to wonder what other things she could do that she never showed us.

He was tiring though, I could see it. That's when he prepared for his final attack. We were on opposite sides of the clearing and he looked at us with his snake eyes. Suddenly a picture of my death flashed by and I was frozen with fear. I looked out of the corner of my eyes to see Sakura and Gaara in the same state. We were doomed. Orochimaru's neck stretched forward toward Sakura, his mouth open to bite her. Right when he got to her though, Sakura moved and cut off his head. Her thigh had a kunai embedded in it bleeding still as her chest huffed up and down with each breath.

Gaara and I were immediately at her side, as she took the kunai out of her leg, dropping it then healing the wound. When did she learn this? I was about to voice my thoughts when she pushed me and Gaara out of the way flying backwards hitting a tree.

"Sakura!" I yelled. I heard that chuckle again and I turned shocked to see Orochimaru still alive, with his head on! But I saw it, his head was cleard right off his head! I turned to where it happened and there was skin there along with the head. He crawled out of the skin like a snake! But that doesn't make any sense.

"AHHHHH!!!!" Sakura screamed. I turned to find her holding her neck and Orochimaru standing above her. Gaara tried catching him with his sand but only in vain, Orochimaru escaped, and Sakura was left slowly losing consciousness. Gaara and I went closer to inspect the damage, and saw a strange mark on Sakura's neck.

"What is that?" I asked. That's when Ino came over to us.

"It's the same mark Sasuke has. That man, Orochimaru said that the mark will lead them to him." Ino explained, tears in her eyes. I didn't get it, she and Sakura were rivals not best friends. I looked to Gaara and he was thinking the same thing.

"We have to move, incase he decides to make a return visit." Gaara said. I nodded and looked to Ino.

"You think you can carry one of your teammates?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Yes I can but we only have one scroll." She told us. So it seems they were attacked right away. There was no way she could get one by herself, especially in the state she was in, but we needed to get Sakura out of here. I looked to Gaara.

"Stay here and make sure nothing happens to Sakura, Naruto. I'll be back in a little bit." Gaara said before looking to Sakura quickly then disappearing in sand. I never thought he would trust me so much. Sure we were friends, but he was always the one who took control. I looked down at Sakura, as she lay there. A droplet fell on her face and that's when I realized I was crying. Ino had brought Sasuke and Kiba over to where Sakura was, Akamaru staying by Kiba's side. Ino sat by Sakura's head brushing her hair with her fingers.

"Why the sudden change in attitude toward Sakura?" I asked. She looked up at me.

"Though it may not have seemed like it I always admired Sakura. I tried to be strong like she was, and to see her like this. It hurts." Ino said. I nodded in agreement. After that, Gaara appeared by us covered in blood and handed Ino two scrolls cause he didn't know which one they had. She took the earth scroll, and Gaara kept the other heaven scroll.

"Let's go." He said, I looked to him.

"I think it would be best if Ino carried Sakura, since she is the lightest." He nodded and picked up Kiba, leaving Sasuke to me and Sakura to Ino. We rushed through the forest making our way to the tower with Gaara leading the way. That was a relief because I had no idea where we were. It was getting dark, well darker than before. I just hoped no one would attack us and we could make it to the tower with no problem.

As time flew by Kiba began to stir. He woke up and looked around to find himself on Gaara's back. Kiba was about to hit Gaara on the head, when Gaara stopped him.

"If you know what's good for you, you wouldn't do that." Gaara said stopping and dropping him on his butt.

"What was that for!" Kiba shouted. He then got up and turned to Ino. "What are they doing?!"

"They are helping us." Ino said simply.

"We don't need help!"

"Will you take a look at our team Kiba! You just woke up, Sasuke is still unconscious, and I'm worn out. How do you expect us to do anything like this?!" Ino shouted angrily at him.

"Okay so we are in bad shape, but what about the other scroll." Kiba said more calmly.

"Already taken care of." Ino said holding up both of there scrolls. "Now can we please continue to pass this test and get out of this forest before something else comes after us?" Everyone nodded, and Gaara took Sakura from Ino to not slow us down. We reached the tower early in the morning, I gave Sasuke to Kiba and we went our separate ways.

"Thank you." Ino told us, Gaara and I just nodded. Entering one of the doors in the tower. We were safe in this room but what did we do now?

"Do you have any idea what we are supposed to do now?" I asked Gaara who just set Sakura down.

"No." I sighed. "We have time though, we are safe in here so we can rest."

"Right" I said in response sitting down next to Sakura. "How long do you think she will be out?"

"I don't know."

"Why do you think Sakura didn't tell us about all those jutsu's she knew? Why would she hide that from us? I knew she was good, but I didn't know she was that good." I said thinking out loud, Gaara sighed.

"That's what I want to know."

Two days passed and Sakura still hasn't stirred. I wonder if Sasuke was doing better so we could judge when Sakura would wake up. I looked around the room and that's when I noticed the sign for the first time.

"If qualities of Heaven are what you desire,
Train your mind to academics higher.
If Earthly skills are what you lack,
Train your body in the field of attack.
When Heaven and Earth are opened together,
The path of rightousness will never leave your grasp forever.
This " " is the secret way,
That leads us to this place today" I read aloud. Gaara looked to me then the sign I saw. He was trying to figure out what it meant just like I was.

"Do you have any idea what it means?" I asked, Gaara just shook his head.

"It's 'cough' talking about 'coughcough' the scrolls." A voice explained behind us. Gaara and I both turned to see Sakura sitting up holding her neck, a purple looking chakra was coming out of it, but Sakura was trying to surpress it in. She couldn't and soon the purple surrounded her, marks covered half of her body. She looked at her hands that were shaking. She was just as confused as we were.

"What's going on Sakura?!" I shouted in panic. She looked at me with just as much panic in her eyes.

"It's power. I can feel it, I feel stronger." She explained. She sat Indian style on the floor and closed her eyes in consentration. She looked like she was in meditation, but the marks that covered her body slowly began receding as the purple chakra disappeared.

"You have a lot of explaining to do Sakura." Gaara said in a hard voice. It left no room for argument, so Sakura just nodded.

"I know, but right now we have a test to pass." She told us, then took the scrolls from Gaara tossing one to me. "We have to open them." I nodded and we both opened ours at the same time.

"Person?" she said confused. Then smoke started coming out of the scrolls, as a mound began forming on the scroll.

"Get rid of the scrolls, it's a summoning." Gaara told us, we both just threw them across the room and watched as the smoke grew and a person outline became clear.

"Iruka-sensei?!" I shouted in surprise. The figure stepped out of the smoke and revealed our academy teacher. He chuckled.

"Seems like you have been through a lot during this test." He said.

"Why are you here?" Sakura asked.

"I was sent as a messenger, it was only by luck that I got assigned to you three." He explained.

"Messenger?" I asked still confused. He nodded.

"Right, I'm here to tell you, you all passed, early too." He told us.

"What about the sign, the writing is a little faded and its hard to make out." Sakura asked.

"What does it matter Sakura? We passed!" I said jumping up excitedly.

"Actually I am here to explain that as well. The Hokage had the issued for all chunin's to know. The lesson meaning it takes both strength and knowledge to be a ninja, and that which ever you lack you must obtain. The Heaven scroll represents knowledge and the Earth scroll represents strength, a Chunin must have both to succeed. Now if you will follow me I will show you where you need to go for the next part of the exam." Iruka explained to us, showing us out of the room.

"This is where the Hokage will explain the final part of the exams, and congradulate all those who passed, since you are about a day and a half early there are beds in the room you were just in along with some food. Congradulations again!" Iruka said before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. I looked to Gaara and he looked back at me before we turned to Sakura. She looked at us nervously slowly backing away into the room we came out of.

"Now no need to be hasty." She told us. She looked around trying to find an escape, but Gaara trapped her in his sand and set her on one of the beds, Gaara and I sitting across from her on the bed next to hers. "I think we should get some rest for the next part of the exam."

"We will have plenty of time to rest Sakura. Now is time for you to explain." Gaara told her. I nodded in agreement. Sakura just sighed slouching with her elbows on her knees and her face resting in her hands.

"I figured you would say that." She said finally giving in. "Where do you want me to start?"

"How do you know Orochimaru?" I asked.

"He was the one who killed my family, the reason I came to Konoha in the first place. He was after me when I was 6, but I ended up getting away. Tsunade ended up helping me along with Shizune and I have been her kid ever since."

"Where did you learn all of those jutsus?" Gaara asked. Sakura took a deep breath.

"Well I have this voice in my head, Inner Sakura. She like some old soul of a previous Haruno centuries ago or something like that. She taught me a lot of the jutsus I know I just don't use them because its never really necessary. I didn't want to draw attention to myself to bring Orochimaru here, but it seems like he was planning on coming anyway. Although the medical jutsus and super strength I learned from Tsunade."

"So that's why you train by yourself…" I said

"Yes, I wasn't sure how to tell you guys so I never did." She told us.

"What are you going to do about that mark?" I asked as I thought about what Ino had told us.

That man, Orochimaru said that the mark will lead them to him.

"I'm not sure, I mean I'm not the only one with it." Sakura said

"Sasuke is not going to tell anyone, it would hurt his chances in the chunin exams." I told her.

"I know, maybe it's the best way to go about things." She said to us as she laid down on the bed. "Can you guys promise me something?"

"Of course Sakura." I told her, Gaara nodded.

"Whatever happens with this mark, you won't let me leave the village. You'll do everything you can to stop me and I mean everything even if it means fighting me."

"Sakura your not going to leave why would you even think that?!" I yelled at her. She touched her neck as a tear rolled down her face.

"I just have a feeling I won't be myself with this thing." Sakura explained.

"Your not leaving." I repeated softer this time.

"Just promise me please. I don't want to take any chances." Sakura said softly.

"I promise Sakura." I told her.

"I promise." Gaara said.

"Thank you." She said before drifting off to sleep.

"We need to tell someone." I said to Gaara. He just nodded.

"We will, but for now just leave her be. After the whole assembly with the Hokage we will tell someone."

"Alright." I said taking one last look at Sakura and I tried to get some sleep after all that happened in this dreadful forest.

Me: Woah! Intenseness! Lol anyway how did you like this chapter? Found out a lot of new things didn't you. Well more drama only comes with this. To the poll! The standings:

Gaara- 18

Naruto-12

Shikamaru- 11

Neji-8

Itachi- 7

Sasori-6

Deidara- 5

Sai-5

Sasuke-4

Kiba- 4

Pein(Pain)- 4

VOTE AND REVIEW!!!