Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I live in Kentucky and we got hit by that Ice Storm. We (my family) had no power for about two weeks. Then when we did get the electricity back up, there was no internet! It was a living hell. The only reason I was able to respond to a few reviews during that time was due to the local library and computers at the college computer lab. Then I got hit with a ton of homework and I started getting more hours at work, so I've had no time or energy to write. But I'm on Spring Break right now so I'm going to try to get as much done as I can. So I'll try to have the next chapter up this week or next week. Please bare with me as I get back into the swing of things.

Now on to more relevant news. This chapter will cover most of the Chunin Exams and will mostly be just Haku and Kei. The stuff involving Team 7 basically goes the same as in the anime. As a matter of fact, the only role Kei and Haku will play, that is of importance, in the Chunin Exams is at the end when all hell breaks loose.

SPOILER: I mention elements at the beginning of the chapter. Which is in the Shippendun.

One last thing, I've been seeing a lot of people post challenges in their profiles lately, and it seems like a fun idea. So now I have a few up in my profile. They are not very detailed, mostly just a pairing I would like to see in certain fandoms. If you think you might be interested then check out my profile and PM me if you want to take one of the challenges. Now on with the story.

Chapter 10

Training Ground in the Uchiha Complex

THUD! THUD! FlOP!

Haku sighed as Kei completely missed the target for the fifth time. Since he had begun training Kei with senbon the boy had been doing expceptionally well, though his accuratecy wasn't perfect yet. So it was unusual for him to miss the target to such a degree.

"Kei, come here for a minute." Haku called. The young boy silently put away the senbon Haku allowed him to practice with and walked over to his teacher and friend.

"What's wrong?" Haku asked, kneeling in front of Kei.

"I'm worried about Nii-san." Kei muttered, looking down at his feet.

"Kei, look at me." Haku gently ordered, nudging Kei's chin. "Your brother is really strong and he has Naruto-kun and Sakura-san with him. So even if something does happen, they wouldn't let anyone hurt him. Right?"

"Yeah!" Kei agreed, looking a bit more cheerful.

"I have an idea!" Haku exclaimed. "Sasuke told me we can check to see which element your aligned to while he was gone if you can preform the Transformation Jutsu. You have been practicing it, right?"

"Yep! Naru-san promised he would show me how to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu if I could trick him into thinking I was someone else!" Kei chirped.

"Really? Have you been able to trick him yet?" Haku asked.

"No," Kei sighed. "I keep forgetting that I'm not supposed to be able to see auras and Naru-san always thinks of something sad whenever he thinks it might be me."

"Well after we find out what your element is I can help you work on that. You need to learn how to conceal your ability anyways. Otherwise you would lose a large advantage during a battle. Now let's see your Transformation."

Kei assumed the position and with a pop! Sasuke appeared where Kei was standing. If Haku hadn't just seen Kei transform he would have believed that it really was Sasuke, Kei had mimicked Sasuke's posture to a T.

"Very good!" Haku praised as Kei dismissed the jutsu. He then took a piece of paper out of his pocket and he handed it to Kei.

"What's this?" Kei asked, staring at the little square piece of paper.

"This is how we are going to test you chakra. This is paper will tell us when you focus your chakra into it. For example, if you are strongest in wind the the paper will split in half." Haku explained.

"Cool! Can I try now? Please?" Kei asked.

"Go ahead."

Kei starred at his paper. It took him a little bit, but eventually it began to darken in color as it became wet.

"Look! Look! Haku, the paper's wet! Does this mean I have the water element?" Kei asked.

"It does, good job!" Haku praised. He was secretly hoping that Kei would have an element he could help train him in. Though if Kei had the same element as Kakashi and Sasuke then one of them could have taught Kei.

"What element does Nii-san have?" Kei asked.

" His element is Lightening, so is Kakashi-san for that matter." Haku replied.

"Really! What about Naru-san or Sakura-san?" Kei asked.

"I don't know. I've never asked and they might not even know themselves."

"Why not?"

"Because they don't use the paper test in school. Instead it's up to the family or Jounin Instructor to decide when to find out. Sasuke only recently took it when I asked him if it was okay for me to help you find out about your element. When he found out his element was Lightening he went to Kakashi to ask about training."

"Oh! Umm...Haku...How do you use ice? It's not one of the elements, is it?

"No it's not. There are only five main elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Lightening. I can use Ice because of my Kekkei Genkai. It allows me to combine the Water and Wind elements." Haku explained.

"So is my Kekkei Genkai made from two elements?"

"No, yours is an Eye Technique. It would probably be better to read up on those or ask Sasuke or Kakashi-san about it if you want to know more. For now let's concentrate on concealing your aura reading and when you accomplish this I will start teaching you how to use your water element." Haku replied.

"Okay!" Kei agreed.

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

At the Hospital after the Prelimenaries

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

"Hurry! Hurry! We need to see Nii-san!." Kei yelled at Haku.

"Calm down. Kakashi-san told us that Sasuke was fine. Plus Kakashi-san should be with Sasuke right now, there's no need to worry." Haku explained as the two entered the hospital. "Now what room did Kakashi-san say it was again?"

"This way!" Kei pointed down the hallway and took off running.

"Kei-kun! Wait for me! You shouldn't run in the hospital!" Haku yelled, following the young boy. (AN: You shouldn't yell in the hospital either Haku. Shame on you.) With Haku making an effort not to cause a commotion in the hospital, Kei was able to make it to Sasuke's room before Haku and he noticed more that two auras in the room. By the time Haku realized that something was wrong, Kei had already entered the room.

Kei stopped just inside the doorway of the room when he saw a man holding a weapon to his brother's throat. What shocked Kei even more was that the man had a white aura, an aura that Kei recognized as a corpse's aura.

"Kashi-san! Why is that dead person trying to hurt Nii-san!" Kei yelled.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kakashi attacked the man. The man dropped to the floor before Kakashi could touch him and one of the ANBU bodies got up and ran at Kei only to stop when Haku finally reached the room and placed himself in front of the boy. Kei had realized by now which ANBU had a living aura.

"Kashi-san! The one by the window!" Kei shouted.

Kakashi quickly turned and rushed for the ANBU only to stop as the man threw himself out of the window.

"What was that!" Haku demanded, rushing over to check on Sasuke, with Kei right behind him.

"That was Kabuto. He was using a jutsu to control the ANBU's corpses." Kakashi said, examining one of the bodies.

"Why would he want to hurt Nii-san?" Kei asked, looking at Sasuke's aura. There were some distorted places, the biggest of which was around Sasuke's shoulder, but that was to be expected if he had gotten hurt during all of the fighting.

"Who knows." Kakashi said. Haku and Kei shared a look before turning to stare at Kakashi.

"Umm." Kakashi mumbled as he was hit by the two stares. "Look at the time! Gotta go!" With that Kakashi fled the room.

"Something happened to Nii-san, right Haku?" Kei asked. "Kakashi was lying to us."

"We'll find out. Even if we have to drag it out of someone." Haku replied.

"Then the best person to ask first would be Naru-san, right?" Kei asked.

"Correct, as soon as some more guards come we'll go find him." Haku agreed. (AN: If only they knew)

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

Later on that day

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

"Naru-san didn't know anything." Kei sighed.

"Well, he did tell us that they where attack by the 'creepy snake guy' right?" Haku repied.

"But they beat him." Kei said.

"Kei, I think it's time to go back home for tonight, we've got school tomorrow." Haku said.

"But I want to stay at the hospital with Nii-san." Kei pouted.

"Okay." Haku sighed. "I'm sure they won't mind if you sleep on a futon in Sasuke's room, since everyone there loves you. Let's go. Haku said.

"Yay!" Kei cheered.

What concerns me is that the guy Naruto described sounded like the Orochimaru that Kisame-san told Zabuza-san about when he tried to get Zabuza-san to join that weird organization. I wonder if Sasuke will tell me anything. Probably not. I mean we aren't really all that close are we? I mean I know we're friends, I just wish it were more. Haku thought.

"Haku, are you okay?" Kei asked.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Haku replied.

"Because you seemed sad and there was a color I didn't know in your aura." Kei explained.

"You'll know what it is one day," Haku smiled at the confused boy. "Now let's hurry. Maybe Sasuke's awake."

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

The next day in Sasuke's room.

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

Sakura-san knows something, but Kei said she wouldn't tell him and she still doesn't like me. Actually it's kind of amusing because Kei said she was jealous of me because I get to live with Sasuke. Too bad there's nothing else for her to be jealous of. I hope Sasuke will tell me what happened. When he-

"Nii-san! Your awake!" Kei suddenly exclaimed, moving to hug his brother before stopping short. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, come here." Sasuke said, opening his arms in time to catch his brother.

"I'm glad." Kei said, hiding his face in Sasuke's chest.

"Hey, every thing's fine." Sasuke said, rubbing Kei's back.

"Kei, why don't you go down to the nurse's desk and get the flowers we brought for Sasuke?" Haku suggested.

"Okay! I'll be right back."

As soon as Kei was out of the room Haku turned to Sasuke.

"What happened in the forest?" Haku asked.

"Nothing." Sasuke replied stubbornly.

"That's not true. Kei said Kakashi-san was hiding something, Naruto-kun doesn't know that anything is wrong, and Sakura-san is not telling. So what happened." Haku asked, moving to sit on the side of Sasuke's bed.

"..."

"Please, Sasuke. Please, tell me." Haku pleaded, placing his hand on top of Sasuke's.

"Fine. I'll tell you." Sasuke sighed. "But I don't want Kei to hear and he'll be back any moment now."

"Then tell me tonight." Haku pressed.

"I can't. I'm going to go train with Kakashi until the final test. I'll tell you after." Sasuke replied.

"As long as you don't forget." Haku consented, squeezing Sasuke's hand softly before moving back to his chair.

SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB SNLB

Why did I agree to that? Sasuke wondered. Why couldn't I tell him no?

Because you don't want to lie to him. You don't want to push him away.

But if I'm going to get revenge, I shouldn't be forming any attachments.

To late. You like Haku

No, I don't.

Don't lie to yourself.

Your wrong. I can't like him.

Fine. If you want to keep saying that, I won't argue anymore. Enjoy your stay in the Land of Denial.

OH, Shut Up!

AN: That's all for this chapter. I have a few things to say before you leave though, so please read on.

First, I've decided to pair Harry/Kei with Sai. Nothing said will change my mind. You will find out more about this when I write about it. All other information is a secret until than.

Second, do you want Kei and Haku to both watch the final match, or do you want one or both of them to be somewhere else?

Finally, the poll for my HPPoT xover is over for those who are interested. I will be writing one more chapter of it and then I will put it on hold until the summer or until this story is finished. Whichever comes first.

Thanks for reading.