AN: Wow I really use hyphons in the most random of places... oh well. I have to warn you now that I suck at writing fights - they're here because the story demanded it. On the bright side these are the only preliminary fights that will appear in the story, and I am back on my one chapter ahead system. Oh just so you know next chapter the shit hits the fan and niether Gaara nor Orochimaru are involved - just a heads up.


Naruto was feeling the happiest she had been in a long time as she stood with the rest of her team before the Hokage as he explained the nature of the exam they where in. He was currently explaining something about a replacement for war to all those that had passed the second exam but she didn't care. After she had calmed down she had continued her conversation with Sakura and was ecstatic to discover that Sakura didn't mind about the Kyuubi – and she wasn't even angry with her for 'stealing' Sasuke!

She was happiest though to discover something about her family; as soon as the exam finished she was going to take the book, which Sakura kindly offered to let her keep, to the Hokage and ask for details on how she was related to this woman. Subconsciously her hands made their way to her hip pouch where the book was now situated, she had spent hours over the last couple of days just staring at that picture – absorbing details of a woman who could be her aunt, cousin or even her mother for all she knew.

She was still staring blankly off into space with a stupid smile on her face when the other candidates began to walk up to the observation platforms – only a sharp jab in the ribs from Sasuke brought her back to reality. Sasuke didn't even bother asking what she was thinking about – she had been doing this every few minutes since the discovery of the picture and he had a feeling she would keep doing it until she went and saw the Hokage about it.

"What's going on?" She whispered to Sasuke as they headed up the staircase to the observation platform.

"Preliminary matches – the two people whose names appear on the screen fight – the winner gets to go on to the finals."

Naruto nodded and took her place on the balcony watching the match ups appear.


"A loser will always be a loser," Neji gloated as Hinata struggled to bring herself upright, "it doesn't matter how hard you try – you where born with the destiny to lose to me, just as I was born with the destiny to be oppressed due to nothing more than being born."

Hinata extended her palm and got into a ready stance, "I am truly sorry Neji, I never wanted you to be treated this way – I never wanted preferential treatment, I was given it because of birth and that is a fact I cannot stand." She swayed dangerously, "I hate the way our family is run, some of us pushed into areas we are weak because of tradition, others having their natural skills denied – I hate it!"

Neji smirked, "A poor psychological tactic – trying to earn sympathy? No wander you are always beaten by your sister."

Naruto's hands gripped the rail tightly – this guy was really pissing her off.

Hinata shook her head, "If your eyes are as good as you say then look at me Neji, look into my eyes and search for deceit, I would rather have been born in another family – I curse these eyes of mine, not good enough for the family yet the rest of the village treats me as royalty."

Neji shook his head, "You are adept at it but you must be lying, you are just a spoiled princess – no one knows of the suffering I have had to endure."

The handrail splintered and gave way under Naruto's grip, "Hey Bastard!" She shouted, "No one knows your pain? You don't even know what real pain is – stop acting like some foolish drama queen and take responsibility for your own problems! Just because it's not your fault doesn't mean you can't change it!"

Neji smirked, "You clearly have no idea of true suffering with your comfortable free life, you are a slave to no one – a truly lucky person who knows nothing of suffering."

Naruto silently fumed as Sakura and Sasuke held onto the back of her jacket, to the surprise of everyone present there was a sudden thud and a flash of chakra. Neji slowly looked down into Hinata's eyes, her palm extended flat against his chest, "You call me weak but at least I am not so easily distracted."

Neji fell down to the ground coughing violently, "I didn't lie, I hate the way our family is run and when I am in charge I will make sure no one bares that seal again. You say Naruto knows nothing of suffering? I have been watching him for a long time, he was always alone, always trying and always kicked back to the ground again. You know the difference between you and him Neji-nii-san? Even if they knocked him down he stood back up again – you didn't even wait to get knocked you just lied down anyway."

"Winner – Hyuuga Hinata!"

'Did you see Naruto-kun?' Hinata thought smiling as she walked back to her team, 'I became brave just for you.'


Sasuke stared into the eyes of his opponent – or at least into his dark glasses anyway, he was sick of being taunted but no matter what he did this guy had him. He tried to mould chakra but was instantly greeted by a pain in his shoulder where his curse seal was located – Kakashi had not shown up in time to seal it before his match, where had the bastard been for the last two days?

He jumped back awkwardly as his opponent made another grab for him, he was getting nowhere fast… he needed some sort of attack that required no chakra but Tai-Jutsu was not his strongest point. Granted he was good but he wasn't good enough to take this guy down without giving him a chance to grab hold of him with those annoying chakra-sucking hands of his.

Sasuke thought through various plans most of which revolved around trying to get behind this guy but he doubted he was fast enough. Sasuke's sharingan activated on instinct as another swipe came for him – he knew he couldn't keep this up but at least the curse seal didn't seem to affect his bloodline.

Sasuke's eyes noticed that his opponents moves where becoming easier to read, in fact he could almost see them ahead of time… scratch that, he could see them ahead of time. A shout came from the observation deck causing him to look up at his girlfriend, "Yo, Teme!" she shouted, "congratulations on the third tomoe!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and he smirked – now he could do this, now he would have that edge in a tai-jutsu match that he so needed. It would be easy to avoid his opponents' swipes now that he could see them ahead of time, jumping in the Uchiha decided to finish this quickly – two swift strikes to sensitive areas and it was all over.

Sasuke smirked up at Naruto, "Dobe!" he shouted, "Let's see you beat that."

"Pfft! With my eyes closed teme!"

Sasuke smirked as the match was called, "Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!"


Naruto stood opposite Kiba unmoving; she didn't what to think of the dog user – after all, he hadn't been much at the academy but then again neither had she. She analysed his appearance, their where no outward changes but that didn't mean a thing about his abilities – but she was sure she could take him.

Almost as soon as the match started Kiba started on some weak psychological tactics, "Hey Uzumaki! You smell like a girl."

Everyone in the audience sweat dropped, could that even be called a psychological tactic? It was more like a schoolyard insult.

"No mutt, it's called soap – use it from time to time." Several spectators sniggered causing Kiba to seethe.

"No Uzumaki, I mean your scent is that of a female not a male."

"Is that so?" Naruto asked innocently, "Maybe I should change my shampoo, what you think Teme?" he shouted behind him.

The Uchiha smirked, "I think it's funny you're telling someone else about personal hygiene."

Naruto smiled broadly rotating her head to talk to Sasuke but keeping her eyes on her opponent, "Yeah but have you smelt Kiba?"

"We all have, I can smell him from here." Sasuke shouted back resisting the urge to grin. Naruto was using an effective psychological tactic now, by bringing in a third party as an 'impartial' judge to reaffirm his accusations she ensured Kiba's anger.

Kuba growled and through a smoke bomb, "I'll get you! Gatsuuga!"

Twin spirals flew though the smoke knocking Naruto out the other side, Naruto though for a moment – Kiba had mentioned how she smelled and tracked her without being able to see… fighting by scent? That was easy to combat.

Kakashi frowned as he watched his student cut into her arm with her own Kunai, 'What is she up too?' he wandered.

Not aiming for Kiba Naruto ran around the room trailing blood behind her covering the entire area in specks of the red liquid – Kyuubi quickly healed the wound but not before she was done.

Kiba was looking around in frustration, he could no longer work out where she was by scent alone – Naruto had seen through his technique.

Naruto thought for a moment trying to think of a way to combat the dog-nin, she had gained the upper hand on Kiba's primary technique but as long as she was visible she would still be easy for him to pick out with that 'Gatsuuga' thing of his and it was powerful she would give him that.

She needed to stay out of sight but the 'stage' was just an empty room… she thought for a moment before remembering a discussion with Kakashi-sensei near the end of the land of waves mission.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! Teach me that technique – please!"

"I don't see why not, but what do you want it for? It's not that useful in most circumstances."

"But it's cool!" She begged.

"Alright," He sighed kneeling next to her, "The seals are…"

Naruto smirked, she wanted to learn it for pranks but it would be useful here – she ran through a set of hand seals and declared her technique, "Hidden mist technique."

Kakashi smirked under his mask, 'Smart – first disguise your scent and then hide from his other senses – I never thought you would use that technique properly.'

Kiba spun round as the mist got thicker, those in the observation area could just make out the outlines of the two combatants from above but to each other they where invisible.

Naruto smirked as an idea popped into her head, 'why not go the whole hog?' she thought, "Kidneys," She began causing Sasuke to smirk and Kakashi's visible eye to squeeze shut in a smile, "Lungs, heart, liver, larynx, jugular vein, subclavian artery – seven targets."

Sakura was shocked but impressed – she didn't know that Naruto had learned this technique and even from the outside it was intimidating, especially watching Naruto's outline calmly circle the frantic Kiba.

Kurenai was frowning, this was a very heavy psychological attack now, Kiba was by no means a coward but he must be scared.

"Which one shall I go for?" Naruto asked seemingly from multiple angles. Sasuke tried not to laugh as he saw what she had done; Naruto had formed multiple clones and had them all speak at once to add to the disorientation Kiba must be feeling.

Kiba was, to be blunt, shitting himself, he could not work out where the hell Naruto was and 'he' appeared to be all around him. Moreover what she was saying scared him – 'his' voice was cold, calculated – almost as if 'he' was genuinely pondering which point to attack.

Naruto however was stuck, she had achieved being hidden and even gotten to play a little game but now what? She didn't have a plan to attack him and she couldn't follow through on her threats or she would actually kill him – she decided to try and make him quit.

She performed a regular bunshin, though with great difficulty, and had it transform into Zabuza – the clone charged at Kiba making to cut off his head with it's massive sword. Just before it met though the clone dispersed – or to be more exact Naruto had it flicker out of existence – she didn't want Kiba to know it was just a bunshin.

Needless to say Kiba was now terrified – that last 'attack' had caused him to fall to the floor trying to avoid the blade.

Naruto signalled to her Kage Bunshin and had them have muted discussions in varying voices, the whispers through the mist where creepy to say the least.

"Ho? What's this?" Naruto asked in the same cold calculated voice she had used before though with a hint of mock humour, "Looks like the spirits that have died in this mist never left it."

Kiba spun around trying to locate the voice, "That's not funny Uzumaki, you shouldn't joke about spirits."

"Who says I'm joking?" She smirked knowing from the academy Kiba was afraid of ghosts, "I inherited this technique of an enemy on a recent mission – one Mamuchi Zabuza, tall man with a large sword."

Kiba's eyes widened as Naruto continued her description, "Used to wear bandages around his face and no top, his sword was longer than he was." Fake nostalgia filled her voice.

Kiba matched the description to the mystery figure that had attacked him, "Shut up Naruto!"

Naruto was having too much fun to stop now, "He once told me that everyone he killed in this mist came back every time he summoned it, he could hear them whispering and sometimes see them," She invented this to scare him further, "I wander if he's stuck in it now too – after all he died in this mist."

"I QUIT!" Kiba shouted suddenly, smirking, Naruto disipated all her clones and cancelled the mist technique – as it cleared she made sure she was stood right in front of Kiba to make him think she had been that close all along.

"Scared?" She asked innocently, "And I didn't even get to attack – how dissapoining."

Kiba glared at her, "That was not funny."

"No," Naruto said simply, "It was a fight."

Kiba stayed silent for a moment before nodding and holding out his hand, Naruto took it smiling.

In the stands Kakashi was smiling broadly as Sakura turned to him, "Did you teach him that sensei?" she asked.

"Only the mist part," he replied, "Naruto begged me to teach him that, the rest he invented as he went along – seems to have a knack for it, probably saw this as one big prank."

"Kakashi!" Came a call from his left, turning he saw Kurenai, "What the hell did you teach that kid? That was too far by anyone's standards!"

"Like I was just saying to my student I only taught him how to make the mist – the rest was his own doing, surely a genjutsu user such as yourself can give Naruto respect for managing to finish a fight without physically injuring anyone."

Kurenai frowned, "As much as I have to admit I admire your students tactics that was not a technique that should be used in a friendly fight! Kiba might need therapy after that!"

Kakashi looked at her evenly, "My students first saw that technique being executed by Zabuza himself and they are fine – Kiba will live and has learned a valuble lesson about relying too heavily on a single technique."

Kurenai thought for a moment before nodding, "I suppose you are right, though I am still not too happy – please explain to your student the necessity of holding back sometimes."

Kakashi nodded, "Was already planning too."

As Naruto walked up next to her teammates she saw them looking at her oddly, "What?" she asked.

"Dobe," Sasuke said, "That was awesome."