Chapter 24- Preliminaries
We finally got to the tower and met up with Kabuto's team. I didn't exactly trust them, either.
"There you are, Kabuto. You're late." One of them said.
"Sorry about that. I got a little sidetracked." Kabuto said.
"Yeah, and are we glad for that! It's only because of you we got both of the scrolls." Naruto said.
"Not really. You did most of it on your own." Kabuto said. Well, me and Sakura were helping Sasuke walk.
"Sorry to break up this sappy goodbye, not really, but can we please get going?" I asked, bored.
"Well, this is the door we go through. So long and good luck to us both." Kabuto said. They opened their doors while Naruto opened ours.
We got inside and noticed writing on the wall in front of us.
"I think we should open the scrolls." Naruto said.
"Well no duh!" I said, already having them out. I gave one to Sasuke and the other to Naruto and they opened them. Smoke started to steam out of it.
"Oh, no. This is a summoning jutsu." Sasuke said.
"Well drop the scrolls!" I yelled and quickly backed away from them. What's being summoned?
They threw the scrolls and an explosion went off. More smoke came. When it all disappeared, Iruka was standing on top of the scrolls.
"Oh god!" I said, not pleased to see him at all.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sasuke said.
"Hey, long time no see." Iruka said.
"Not long enough." I said.
"Ah, Kyoshi. Still as negative as ever." He said.
"Just answer the question." I said.
"Well, after the test, each chuunin are suppose to welcome the test takers back, and, well, it was just good luck that I got you guys." he said.
"Yeah, 'good luck'." I mumbled.
"And you've made it just in time, too." He said, looking at a watch. "And now, congratulations, you've made it past the second exam."
"So what would you have done to us if we opened the scroll in the middle for the test?" Sasuke asked.
"If they opened the scroll in the middle of the test, we were told to knock out whoever opened it." Iruka said. Well, I'm sure glad Naruto didn't open it. I would have been an easy target for those chuunin when I was all tied up.
Iruka started explaining what the saying on the wall meant. Bo-ring.
After he was finished, we went threw the doors to see everyone that passed (which wasn't much). They were standing in lines with their teams. We joined and I was the extra one since we had a squad of four.
And I was wondering what the third exam would be.
"Congratulations on completing the second exam." Anko said.
"It looks like all of the Konohagakure ninja passed." Sakura said. Now that I looked around, I did see that all of the Konoha ninjas passed. Even all the rookies.
"I don't have a very good feeling about this." Sasuke said.
"Me neither." I agreed.
"Okay, pay attention." Anko said. "Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam to you maggots." So the Hokage told us everything about the exams. And I mean everything. Let's just say it was boring.
Before he could finish, Hayate Gekko interfered.
He told us that if any of us wasn't in top physical condition, then we should quit because the preliminaries would start immediately. It would also be one-on-one hand-to-hand combat.
Sasuke quickly grabbed his neck. Apparently he was in pain.
"Sasuke you have to quit." Sakura said.
"Sakura! Don't edge him on! If he wants to continue, let him continue." I said. Sakura got into an argument with Sasuke. She said she would tell them about the mark.
"Sakura, don't." I said. She was about to raise her hand, but someone beat her to it. Kabuto.
"Okay, you got me. I'm out." He said.
"Kabuto Yakushi of Konohagakure, right?" Hayate asked. "You may leave."
So he left and Sakura started to raise her hand again, but Sasuke slapped it down.
"Don't you dare tell them about this mark." He said.
"Am I suppose to just watch you tear yourself apart? I can't bare to watch." Sakura said.
"Then don't watch." Sasuke said. "Just stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you."
"Alright, we will now begin the preliminary rounds." The Hokage said. He told us that since their were 21 of us, there would be one round of three fighters. The winners would pass onto the third exam. No rules. Then a score board got revealed. That's suppose to show us who was fighting who.
So the board was shuffling through names. It stopped at Roy Okato and Sasuke Uchiha. What the hell ever, doesn't even let Sasuke have a chance to rest.
"Good luck, Sasuke." I said to him. He'll need it.
"Thanks." He said back and I went to the upper level.
"Well, if you're ready… begin!" Hayate said. Sasuke took out a kunai while Okato took out some shuriken. He threw the shuriken at Sasuke but he deflected them all with the kunai. Then he fell down in pain.
"Come on, Sasuke!" I yelled. "Suck it up, you're a ninja!" I felt people look at me. Then Okato almost kicked Sasuke's face in. He didn't, though, because Sasuke moved in time. But then he pinned Okato down. Sasuke looked so little compared to him. It was kind of cute. Kind of.
But Okato did something with his hand and hit Sasuke's chest, causing him to lose his grip. Then he ran at Sasuke and pushed him down and chakra came out of his hand. No wait! It was going into his hand. He was stealing Sasuke's chakra!
And Sasuke was starting to look weaker and weaker. But then he kicked Okato off of him.
"Yeah, Sasuke!' I cheered. "Way to suck it up!" And again, I felt peoples' eyes on me. Can't a ninja cheer for her teammate?
Anyway, Okato ran at Sasuke again. Sasuke slowly stood up. Okato went for Sasuke again, but he dodged.
Sasuke tried kicking Okato, but he also dodged. Then Naruto yelled to Sasuke that he wasn't an Uchiha or something. I don't know, I really wasn't listening.
Anyway, he seemed to inspire Sasuke more than I did, because the next thing I knew, Sasuke was dodging every one of Okato's attacks.
Then Sasuke disappeared and then appeared in front of Okato and kicked him in the jaw.
"When the hell did he learn that?" I asked seriously.
"Oh, it was when Sasuke and Lee were fighting. You left, remember? Lee used that move on Sasuke." Naruto explained.
Well, anyway, while Okato was still flying threw the air, Sasuke appeared underneath him and said that this wasn't his move, he borrowed it but from here out it's all original. Then I saw Sasuke cough u blood and his mark was spreading rapidly.
"Sasuke, no!' I yelled in disapproval. "Fight it off!" And it retreated. Thank god!
Orochimaru: 'Damn you, Kyoshi! I could have had that!' he thought.
So Sasuke tried kicking Okato in midair. He blocked it with his arms. Then Sasuke hit Okato in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. But then Sasuke did a lions barrage, making him slam to the ground. The impact made Sasuke skid backwards. After a few seconds they were both still laying on the ground.
"Come on, Sasuke! Get up!" I yelled. So he did, breathing heavily. Hayate checked on Okato and said he was down.
"I'm declaring this match over. Sasuke Uchiha will proceed to the finals."
"Yeah! Go Sasuke!" Me and Naruto cheered. Sasuke was about to fall, but Kakashi appeared behind him and supported him. He was also reading that perverted book of his.
I noticed that Sasuke was looking at Lee. So I looked. Lee looked pretty mad. So I walked over to him and said, "if it makes you feel any happier, that move probably saved his life." Then I walked back to Naruto and Sakura, wondering who would be fighting next.
Anyway, I'm going to just tell you who won the matches and how.
Next was Shino against Zaku. Shino won by clogging Zaku's wind tunnels in his hands with bugs.
Then it was Kankuro against one of Kabuto's teammates.
"Yeah! Let's go Kitty-boy!" I cheered for him. He shot a glare at me, but other than that did nothing. Kankuro won by using his puppet. Yeah, real manly (Sorry for any Kankuro fans out there. Personally, I think he's kind of hot, but he's very fun to make fun of!)
Next was Sakura and Ino. Can't wait 'til this fight! They both walked down to where Hayate was standing and gues what? He surprised me.
"Since the number of candidates that are competing is odd, I will have Kyoshi Yin join this battle." Hayate said.
Gaara: 'So that's what her last name is.' he thought.
A three way fight? I jumped down off the upper level to where Sakura and Ino were standing.
"You may begin." Hayate said. I jumped back and sat against the wall. Ninjas around me were wondering what I was doing.
"Hey!" I said to Sakura and Ino. "Since you guys hate each other and all, I'll let you battle first. The winner will get to battle me."
"What? That's not how it works!" Tenten said u in the stands.
"Well, actually they said there were no rules. So get over it." I said.
"I swear, Kyoshi. You're just as lazy as Shikamaru." Ino said.
"No don't go dragging me into it." Shikamaru said in his usual laid back voice.
"Hey, the fight's started! What are you waiting for?" I told them. So Sakura and Ino battled. It was pretty dull if you ask me. So in the end, they both lost, declaring me the winner. I love disqualification.
"What? But she didn't do anything!" I heard ninjas in the stands say. Well, that just means that I didn't show anybody my strength. So maybe they will underestimate me if I go up against them in the third exam. That's a good advantage.
I went to the upper level. Kakashi took Ino and Sakura up. And when they finally work up, I decided not to brag that I had won.
After my match, Tenten and Temari were battling. Temari won the match when she used her fan to knock Tenten out. Too bad.
Then it was Shikamaru against Kin. Shikamaru better win this one. And he did, by using the Shadow Possession jutsu. He threw the kunai at Kin (her doing the same) but he ducked (her doing the same) but she hit her head on the wall and passed out. I have to say, Shikamaru is quite the tactician.
Then it was Naruto and Kiba. Naruto won, surprisingly. He tricked Kiba into attacking his dog, Akamaru.
So then Hinata gave Naruto some medicine and Neji was glaring at her. I went up to him and hit him lightly on the arm.
"You jealous of your cousin?" I asked. "She's a Hyuga, too, right? You want to be with Naruto, don't you? Ooohh, you have a man-crush! Hyuga's got a man-crush!"
"What are you talking about?" he said calmly, not giving me the satisfaction of his embarrassment. Aw. Oh well.
"Okay, well you shouldn't be so uptight." I said, changing the subject. "Sometimes, the things that you thought you knew were true, the things that make you very angry, they can be wrong. And trust me. Whatever you think is wrong." I told him. Yes, I read his future.
"What are you talking about?" He asked me with an attitude.
"I don't know! It's your future!" I said and walked away, leaving him as confused as ever.
"Oh," I said, not turning around. "and people can change. Just saying."
So then the next battle was Hinata and Neji. Neji won by almost killing Hinata. (like I didn't know that would happen…) I knew she would live, though. But guess what? Neji didn't listen to me when I told him not to be so uptight. Or about how people can change. A few times he looked up at me with a very confused expression.
Anyway, next was Lee and Gaara. I could see that this was not going to end well for Lee.
"Lee! Just a heads up! I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you aren't going to win and this isn't going to end too well." I yelled down to him.
"I will win this fight, Kyoshi. Don't worry." Lee said.
"You baka! I'm a psychic, damn it! You aren't going to win but I won't stop you from fighting." I said. He continued. So I stayed quiet when he got his arm and leg crushed by Gaara's sand.
And the last fight was Chouji and Dosu. Dosu won.
All the candidates that won lined up in front of the Hokage. That was Shino, Neji, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, me, Naruto, and Dosu. Sasuke also won, but I had a feeling he was in the hospital.
The Hokage said that the exams would be a month from now. Great.
"Now, before you leave, you have to take a slip out of the box Anko is holding." The Hokage said. We did and it had a number written on it.
"Okay, now tell me from left to right what number you have on your paper." Ibiki said.
Dosu had nine, Naruto had one, Temari had seven, Kankuro had five, Gaara had three, Shikamaru had eight, Neji had two, Shino had six, and I had ten.
"So that means Sasuke gets number four." Ibiki said. Then he showed us who we would fight.
1. Naruto vs. Neji
2. Gaara vs. Sasuke
3. Kankuro vs. Shino
4. Temari vs. Shikamaru
5. Kyoshi vs. Dosu
"This is going to be fun." I said. Then the Hokage said that there would be judges that see if we have the qualities to become chuunin. Blah, blah, blah. I'll make it! But I was only guessing. I can't see that far into the future. Yet.