Malkeru's sleep was restless, he awoke several time, getting glimpses of his surroundings. Several people came to visit him in the hospital. Kiba, Hinata, Hana, Tsume, Kakashi and Naruto had even stopped by. He was surprised by who he woke up to though.

"Unnn" Malkeru opened his eyes, the fog of painkillers lifting from his eyes. He looked to his left and saw a familiar pink haired kunoichi peeling an apple, she didn't seem to notice he'd awoken and began slicing it. "S...Sakura?" He seemed to scare her, as she jumped when he spoke

"Oh! Mal! You're awake." She offered him the cut up apple. "I thought you might be hungry when you awoke, you haven't eaten any real food in almost two days." Malkeru's head hurt, his body was sore, he felt like he'd been hit by raikiri.

"How long have I been out?"

"About two days. Kakashi asked me to watch out for you today, I'm suppose to inform you of the rules of the third test." Sakura first told Malkeru about the rest of the second test. About Hinata was able to keep up with Neji even though she lost, about how Kiba lost to Naruto because of a fart, of all things. She told him about Sasuke's fight, and even about Lee. "Lee took the worst damage of all of us. The doctor's said he will never be a ninja again." That made Malkeru shudder. He had liked Lee, he always had a positive attitude.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I got paired with Ino and we knocked each other out at the same time. We both lost. Shikamaru ended up beating some shinobi I'd never met, Tenten lost to Temari, and Choji lost to a sound ninja." Malkeru ate his apple as he thought about what she said

'No weaklings made it, so my opponent will be really strong.'

"But, onto to the third test. Basically, it's an anything goes match that will be held twenty-eight days from now. It's the same as the preliminary matches, just with a much larger stage and much bigger audience."

"Alright then." Malkeru said, getting out of bed. "I have no time to spare then." Malkeru stumbled out of the hospital bed, trying to get dressed. Sakura tried to stop him, but soon realized it was pointless. He was determined. "Sorry Sakura, you should leave so I can get dressed. I don't have time to waste not be training." Malkeru snuck out the window, he really didn't want one of the jonin medical nin stopping him from leaving. He hopped from rooftop to rooftop, although his body was sore, he could move just fine.

'Who the hell is gonna train me?!' Malkeru didn't know of anyone who could. He couldn't train with an Inuzuka, all they could teach him is the man beast techniques. Kakashi was missing..maybe..Kurenai? It was his best option, so he headed for the training grounds where team eight usually practiced. When he arrived there he was disappointed to find no one was there. 'Damnit! I don't have time to waste!' Malkeru ran back into town, when he noticed Shino. "Shino!" Shino stopped and looked at the shinobi who had landed in front of him.

"You're the one who took my spot."

"Ya..I am..look Shin-"

"I hate it when people take my spot"

'This guy seriously creeps me out.' Malkeru let out a sigh "Look Shino, I don't have time to argue..do you know where Kurenai is?"

"Yes..she took our team to the hot springs to celebrate Kiba and Hinata making it to the second round."

"Why didn't you go?"

"I didn't make it to the second round, and my bugs don't like the water.."

"Right.." Malkeru took off, the hot springs were about fifteen minutes away, ten if he ran full bore. He got to the hot springs out of breath, and that was when he remembered, he wasn't a girl. He couldn't go into the hot springs to ask Kurenai if she would train him. Sighing he took a seat..wishing they would come out sooner rather than later.

"Whaaa...whoaaa...whaaaa!" Malkeru heard a splash and went to investigate. He saw Naruto climbing out of the river that led to the hot springs, he was completely nude except for his boxers.

"Uhm, am I interrupting something?" Malkeru said, averting his eyes from Naruto.

"Mal! You're better? Good!" Naruto got back up and smiled at Mal, his usual goofy smile.

"Ya..umm, Naruto..why are you nearly naked in the hot springs?"

"Oh, Ebisu sensei is teaching me to walk on water." Malkeru noticed the ninja behind Naruto finally. He wore black glasses and a bandanna tied like Ibiki's.

"Yes, I am. Now get back to it Naruto. Remember, you have to change the flow of chakra in your feet to keep up with the changing flow of the water."

"I know! It's not as ea-" Malkeru was standing on the water, floating as if he'd been doing it his entire life.

"Huh...cool. Thanks Ebisu."

"See Naruto? It's easy! That boy did it on his first try." Malkeru glared at the sensei.

"You're not really being fair to Naruto." Malkeru activated his Sharingan. "My chakra control is only so good because of my eyes. He has never had anyone to teach him, so, teach him 'sensei'."

"You're an Uchiha?!" Malkeru smiled.

"Nope, Inuzuka." Malkeru walked away at that point leaving Ebisu confused and Naruto laughing at him

"He got you closet pervert ahahaha" Malkeru took his seat outside of the woman's hot spring again and waited, meditating. It was near dark before Malkeru saw anyone leaving the hot springs. Hinata was the first one out.

"M-M-M-Mal?! What are you doing here? This is the woman's hot spring"

"I know that Hinata. I wasn't taking a peek inside or anything, I need to talk to Kurenai."

"Oh, well, she'll be out soon." Hinata started playing with her fingers "Can um..can I sit with you?"

"Huh? Of course Hinata." Hinata sat next to Malkeru. 'Why does she always get red when she sits next to me..'

"Y-y-you did really well in y-your m-match Mal."

"Hinata..why are you stuttering again?"

"I-I-I don't k-know. I-I'm just proud of you." Hinata smiled, a very innocent, cute smile.

"Heh, thanks Hinata. I was only able to do it because of you."

"W-w-what do you m-mean?"

"You were right. I tell you all the time you need to believe in yourself more, and I couldn't do it. I was a hypocrite, and I never should have been. So, thank you Hinata. Hinata, you're really red..are you sick?"

"N-n-no! I just m-must still be w-warm from the h-hot s-springs! Ya...t-that.."

"Oh, alright then." Malkeru then saw Kurenai coming out. "Kurenai sensei!" Malkeru shot up, bowing in respect to the Kunoichi.

"Oh..Mal, I was going to invite you, but Kiba said you were still asleep. I wanted to thank you personally. Hinata told me all about your fight in the forest of death. You saved them."

"Heh," Malkeru started scratching the back of his head. "It was no big deal. They're my friends, I'd do anything for them!" Malkeru then remembered the third test. "But, Kurenai sensei, there's a reason I came here looking for you. I need your help.."

"Well, don't beat around the bush. What do you need?"

"I need someone to train me for my third test, badly."

"What about Tsume? Or Kakashi?"

"Mom offered, but all she can teach me is man beast combos, which I can't learn without a dog companion that I kinda don't have. And Kakashi is no where to be seen. I figured since you're a genjutsu master and I severely lack in that field and with my Sharingan.."

"You have Sharingan?!" Malkeru was confused at Kurenai's confusion. He thought everyone in the village knew, or that Kiba would have told her.

"Uh, ya, for about three months now."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure." Malkeru closed his eyes, opening them to reveal his three tomoe eye.

"From the little I know about the Sharingan, this seems to be the fully matured form of it, no?" Malkeru got an ashamed look on his face.

"Honestly...you probably know more about the Sharingan than I do. After the Uchiha massacre they stopped teaching us the history of the clan. All I know is that when I saw Kiba and Hinata in danger, my eyes hurt and apparently one of my tomoe split into two."

"Hmm.." Kurenai was deep in thought, leaving Malkeru and Hinata waiting. "This is perfect. The Sharingan is the perfect eye for genjutsu." Malkeru smiled

"Does this mean you'll teach me?!"

"Yes." Kurenai began to walk away. "Meet me at practice field eight tomorrow at six am." Malkeru began to cheer. He was going to learn a new technique!

"Wait..did...did she say six am?" Hinata laughed as Malkeru's mood instantly became depressed.

"Don't worry Mal, I'll train with you! I want to become strong too, and you're kinda taking our sensei.."

"I guess I am, alright..see you at six!" Malkeru ran off, eager to get home. His eagerness was cut short when he had to dodge a frying pan as soon as he walked through the door.

"YOU RAN FROM THE HOSPITAL! ARE YOU INSANE?"

'Oh good..Mom knows I left early..' Malkeru dodged a fist this time "Mom! Calm down! If I don't need to be in the hospital I will after you hit me!" Tsume seemed to calm down after that.

"You're a fool Mal, what's so important you had to leave early?"

"Didn't Kiba tell you? I made it into the third test..I only have twenty-eight more days to train and I had to find a sensei.."

"Oh right..your third test..sorry son, I guess I overreacted. Who did you end up finding." Malkeru started scavenging through the kitchen and found some rice cakes and began digging in. He hadn't eat real food besides the apple since the forest of death.

"Kurenai is going to teach me genjutsu. She said my Sharingan can improve it somehow."

"Well, you better head to bed then. Kurenai is as crazy as I am!" Tsume laughed as her son walked upstairs, muttering something about how he hopes his future wife is sane.