Fa:*daze*
Foo and Fie: *snaps*
Fa: Huh? What? What do you want?
Foo and Fie: *points to MNI story*
Fa: FINE!
Disclaimer: Sorry for the wait every one I've been sorta… I've been fighting writers block, okay! and it's been kicking my butt! (orz) well here's the next chapter BTW I still own nothing!
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'Niggle niggle' Kagome thought sourly, tuning out the hokage's drawn out lecture.
something was niggling at the edge of her awareness and she. quite simply, could not place it, while observing Sasuke's curse mark with trepidation (she could feel it's willingness to become active and that left her uneasy) something started bugging her and she for the life of her was struggling to figure out what it was!
'blah, Blah, BLAH' she thought annoyed, looking at the old man in front 'can we get on with this already!?'she was tired, hungry, annoyed by her mystery niggler, and really wanted a bath.
Finally, after what seemed like forever of tuning out everything in a tired daze, a new energy pinged into her spirit energy radar that could tell if something was close, but not where it was, and a man appeared in front of the Hokage 'I'm going to have to train it back to proper working order after I'm done with this.'
His name was Gekko Hayate, he was the proctor of the next stage of the exam. But that took back seat compared to her realization at who her mystery niggler was: that serpentine creep who bit her
She surreptitiously began to look around for him.
But Hayate had her full attention again at the words out of his mouth, they made her want to cry after hearing one other ninja (Shikamaru if she remembered correctly) cry out in outrage, she didn't blame him.
"what do you mean 'preliminaries'?" she felt an odd dread fill her "can't we just finish this?" she barely managed to keep from snarling, then gave a pointed look around the room "or do you need to see us fight so you can seed us?" she sneered earning a few odd looks for her out of character attitude.
"not really," Hayate responded with a cough and Kagome idly wondered while taking in how sickly he looked if he was well enough for this.
"the truth is… we have too many applicants." He continued "as lord Hokage mentioned honored guests will be here to observe, so we need to reduce the number of applicants and make the exam intense, tight and fast moving" Kagome had to mentally agree that that made sense and mentally grumbled about the fact that the preliminaries are probably just about to start 'damn, can't even catch a wink'
When he mentioned forfeiting she wanted to but couldn't 'what the hell is your problem, I'm not even supposed to be here.' She mentally challenged her inner tag along "I know Sasuke-kun isn't going to forfeit, so neither will I!' tempted to argue that Sasuke knowsthat she's not Sakura, but knew arguing with the voice was pointless. S
he recalled the incredibly uncomfortable and annoyingly drawn out conversation that she had with the other two members of team seven(when she was hoping to squeeze in a short nap) giving a condensed explanation that simply stated she is not Sakura her name is Kagome, and that she had no idea what happened (why did that take so long?)
When Kabuto called out that he wasn't sticking around Kagome took a second to wonder if he had any intention of sticking around in the first place, she still didn't trust him.
"WHAT!? KABUTO YOU'RE QUITTING!?" Naruto yelled in protest.
Kagome reached past Sasuke to smack Naruto upside the head "Naruto, let him do what he feels has to, if he's not up for it he's not up for it. Not everyone has your impossible stamina." She sighed she felt better knowing he was leaving so she didn't have worry about him and the snake man. As she watched him leave she felt pain erupt from where she had received a bite but hid her discomfort in a way that Sasuke didn't.
'I was worried about this I'm not too worried about me I've got a feeling I'm safe but… Sasuke… I worry about.'
She heard a farmiliar wail of dismay in her head 'will Sasuke-kun be alright?!' Kagome didn't answer, she didn't know.
Kagome leaned forward to whisper to Sasuke "are you up for this? You seem to be in pain, can you handle it?"
He straitened his posture "I'm fine," he grunted to her.
"No, you're not" she responded "please promise me that if it becomes too much you'll pay more attention to your well being than some sort of misguided pride"
"I'm here to face the best of the best, if I can't endure this pain-"
Kagome cut him off "then you're human," she remarked blandly "Sasuke you're what? Thirteen right? Your job isn't to be powerful it's to become powerful. You have time, but you won't if you don't take care of yourself."
"I can't withdraw." He snarled
"when did I ask you to?" she calmly asked "I asked you to take care of yourself!" she continued before he could retort "promise me that, and I'll leave you alone." She said seriously worry shining bright in her expression.
"fine, I'll do my best" he allowed himself to relax as she backed off there was something about this person that was not Sakura, this Kagome, he didn't know her and she didn't know him but she still genuinely cared for him.
Kagome once again tuned out the rest of the world and tried to find out the location of that guy, that… snake freak.
When a commotion erupted around her she looked around and noticed that Sasuke's name along with another one was spelled out on what appeared to be some sort of electric score board.
"remember your promise" she whispered to the Uchiha.
He nodded and stepped forward to start his match, as she along with all the other non participants moved to the viewing area.
Kakashi briefly took a moment to let Sasuke know what would happen should the mark take over "should there be any sign of the mark taking over the match will be stopped, I'll stop it personally if I must."
Kakashi, having given his warning to Sasuke, felt a little better about this match- hoping- that Sasuke taking his words to heart wouldn't try to activate the sharingan or use too much chakra.
He took a look at his other students and drew up short at his lone female student, something about her had changed drastically, the shorter hair was barely noticeable (to him) compared to the change in her face. She looked the same initially, but if you knew how to look you could see cold hard steel underneath a warmth cast in an emerald frame. Everything about her told him it was the kunoichi he had been supervising and training for several months but the way she carried herself, the way she looked at others, the tenseness that she had yet to let go of.
There was no way this was Sakura.
He would have tried to ask questions, if he wasn't worried about and focused on Sasuke. He noted the wariness and slight distraction that Sakura was hiding fairly well with decently feigned interest in Sasuke's fight.
'I hate this body, I still can't find snake face.' Other then taking notice of Kakashi's speculative glance at her (he was clearly suspicious) she had the majority of her focus on searching out Orochimaru's aura, with only her eyes trained on the fight but not truly paying attention, until pain once again cut through her concentration taking her by such surprise she couldn't suppress her grimace of pain. Refocusing on the fight: on Sasuke in particular, she didn't notice Kakashi's surprise at her reaction, but he didn't have long to dwell on it as they both focused on the mark they saw spreading across Sasuke's skin.
Kagome was ready to start yelling at Sasuke, when the mark started receding taking her pain with it and he defeated his opponent with a rather painful looking blow to the stomach.
"That should do the trick." She sighed in satisfaction
Kakashi sent a curious glance her way before he took off towards Sasuke, he had to take care of Sasuke's mark first and foremost, the rest would have to wait.
Kagome didn't bother to worry about Kakashi's departure 'figure he know's how to do something about that weird tattoo like curse thing.' And turned her head to Naruto and listened to him cheer and jeer at Sasuke with a smirk, 'so much energy" she smiled at his enthusiasm.
She let relief wash over her one less thing for her to worry about and as the next match started the feeling of the man she was looking for… vanished : it was gone!
She sighed annoyed she'll just have to find a way to hunt him down later.
'hey, that guy…' Kagome thought 'didn't Sasuke dislocate his arms? Will he be able to fight?' Kagome wasn't stupid enough to underestimate someone but she was also decent at reading people and knew certain and knew his kind; the kind to keep all his eggs in one basket, but… she could be wrong.
She continued watching only half paying attention, for some reason her eyes kept drifting over to the hidden sand, red head 'Ithink… he called himself…gaara?' she questiond as she recalled the previous run-in (found in Sakuras memories) before the nonsense (to her) exams started.
'there's something off about him, something not right?' she silently allowed herself to speculate but still couldn't decipher what her fickle ESP was telling her 'something demonic?'
When she looked back to the fight only because she was bored and having trouble staying awake (I haven't gotten any sleep in awhile) she for a moment almost fell over in shock 'are those bugs crawling out of his skin?' she was wishing she hadn't looked back, she could have done without that visual.
She closed her eyes to take a few deep breaths and attempt to forget what she just saw when she reopened her eyes 'almost fell asleep again.' Saw the young man arms detach themselves from the rest of him half way between his elbow and wrist, Kagome scrubbed at her eyes 'so tired I'm hallucinating?' She thought annoyed. She took another peek and figured that she wasn't really hallucinating. one arm was indeed lying on the ground.
She sidled up closer to Naruto and quietly said "is it okay that seeing a guys arms blown off doesn't bother me while seeing bugs crawl out of persons skin does?"he looked at her not taking more than a few seconds to think over her question, he answered "nah? Why do you ask?"
She sighed 'must be a sad comment on my life that disembodied limbs don't faze me, and what bothered me was how it happened, and that a guy has bugs crawling out of him'
"I don't know, just doesn't seem right." She muttered a little glumly
Not a second later they were once again joined by Kakashi "yo" he greeted giving them short mock salute
"welcome back" she began blandly, still dwelling on her lack of emotional reaction to severed limbs 'guess I've seen a lot worse' putting those thoughts out of her mind she asked "how's Sasuke?"
"he's fine, sleeping in the infirmary as we speak." He drawled calmly watching the pink haired girl warily as mutter moodily about him 'being lucky' and how tired she was.
'you're training him aren't you? That girl too, correct?' Kakashi heard the phantom voice whisper through his short term memory.
'Girl?' Kakashi asked, eyes never leaving the Sanin in front of him.
"That girl with that odd hair color, I believe her name was Sakura?" Orochimaru drawled calmly.
Kakashi took a deep breath, this was taking an odd turn, "what about her?" he asked sternly
Orochimaru smirked at him again "she used techniques I've never seen before; never even heard of! And so powerful too…" the sanin trailed off almost wistfully.
"Did she now?" Sakura didn't know much more the basic academy jutsu other then the tree walking exercise he hadn't trained much more than their painfully, slowly progressing teamwork.
"Come now Kakashi, Face to face with me? I takes more than a typical genins skills to even hope to stand a chance against me, and to find something so fascinating, here in Konoha, yes I came here for the sharingan but to have found something else so interesting? I'm looking forward to both of them joining me?"
"so she used it?" he played along; it's a much safer idea to act like he knows what he's talking then let on that he knows so little 'what is he talking about what did Sakura do?"
"Clearly you must have known she had no choice. Tell me Kakashi is it a kekkei genkai or a hiden technique?" he looked at Kakashi expectantly but the jounin remained silent.
"I guess it doesn't matter I'll find out soon enough it won't be long before my mark takes effect on her too." He said failing to mention that he had yet to complete it 'in due time' "besides if she will not follow me, I know she will follow Sasuke."
The Memory sent chill's ripping through him with all the gentleness of an f-5 tornado.
He surreptitiously glanced at Sakura again. He knew she was different, was it the effect of the mark? Maybe… but that wouldn't explain whatever that, strange jutsu Orochimaru had been going on about, was.
"I wonder, what allowed her to utilize purple flames in such an unexpected way." Orochimaru had stated.
Was this even Sakura? She had no such ability, but someone else might.
Kagome was so focused on the fight in front of her she didn't notice the way Kakashi was observing her.
There were two life energies in the ring and while she couldn't sense exactly where they were she could tell one thing 'that sand ninja isn't exuding any life energy' and had a brief thought 'zombie ninja's?' she was stuck by the sheer stupidity of the thought and hoped it was her sleep deprivation that was thinking.
She wasn't surprised by the way the leaf ninjas limbs moved to coil around him like some sort of climbing vine, nor was she surprised to figure out that the ninja he was fighting was a puppet 'ninja puppets don't have life energy, good to know.' she thought.
"hey that's two against one! Isn't that cheating?!" Naruto yelled in outrage.
"yes it would be, if that were the case." Kakashi replied tearing his gaze from his female student to focus on his loudest one.
"Naruto, saying the puppet makes for another person would be like saying a kunai makes for another person, a puppet like the one he's using is just another tool, he manipulates his chakra to control his puppet." She informed him, Kagome had to wonder how Naraku controlled his.
"This is like a never ending freak show." Naruto commented as the proctor declared the progression to the fourth match.
"like your one to talk." Was Kakashi's bland remark
"depends on how define freak." Kagome turned to the score board and almost fell to her knees with the way the voice in her head roared with eagerness.
'what's your problem now?!'Kagome mentally hissed.
'This has been a long time coming, let me fight her!' Inner-Sakura insisted 'it's time to settle this'
The strength of the emotions washing over her from inner Sakura and Sakuras habitual need to outdo Ino overpowered Kagome's control, of course it wouldn't have worked if she had fought against it.
She was just too tired to.
'fine I could use the break.' She said allowing inner-Sakura control.
'I need to think about my situation and find a solution.' And her consciousness drifted into the back of her head giving her room to think and inner-Sakura free reign.
XxX
Kakashi (and few others)watched on in confusion as the whole demeanor of his most feminine charge changed back into the Sakura he knew. 'what in the world is going on?'
He watched as the girls fighting went on in a manner that was pretty much expected, their behavior typical of themselves.
Until Ino Caught Sakura and performed her mind transference jutsu.
XxX
'But then I've got to figure out where they are relative to that…' Kagome was in the process of trying to figure out how to get back to her friends when she felt a change crash over her like a tidal wave.
"what the hell?" she spoke into her mind and when she got no answer she tried to take a peek out of her mind to see what was going on outside of her head and came across another presence.
Ino.
"what in the world are you doing here?"
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"I Haruno Sakura…" Ino began but drew up short when she heard a voice speaking to her inside her head.
'what in the world are you doing here?' the voice was eerily calmbut more than that it wasn't Sakura or even herself surprised she outwardly asked "what?"
Then a sharper 'what exactly are you doing in my head?' followed by white hot rage.
The anger was so intense, that Ino felt she just might faint.
Then Ino felt it, she was about to lose control, she barely had enough time to return to her body.
Both girls slumped panting.
'come on, let me back out!' inner-Sakura bellowed
'not a chance! She crossed a line, she's mine!' there were few things Kagome genuinely hated and one of those things was people messing with her head 'she'll pay for that!"
The rage Inner-Sakura felt from Kagome was so intense that she decided to remain silent, and for a moment, she even worried for Ino's safety.
"What's going on with you? There were two different psyches in your head before me." Ino panted out.
She took a second to observe her opponents change in expression and she wasn't the only one to notice the change.
For just a moment Ino saw someone else entirely over lapping Sakura's Image. Long black hair, taller height, womanly figure, warm, kind eyes forged from high grade steel, a beautiful, true warrior with unshakeable courage and unbreakable will.
'what on earth is going on with her?' she wondered a little worried for her childhood friend.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Kagome sneered straightening up, still pissed, her body coursing with an angry adrenaline high.
And they rushed each other, but as Kagome read her attack, she allowed her stance to become wide and dropped low both dodging Ino's attack and digging her elbow in to the blonds diaphragm, and with a quick twist of her arm and stance, grabbed the front of Ino's shirt with both hands and pulled the girl driving her knee into her abdomen.
Kagome stepped back, and Ino fell to her knees dizzy and gasping for breath, soon after fell unconscious.
With a little disappointment Kagome sighed a took just a moment to lament the fact that this meant she would have to put up with more of this chunin exam nonsense.
She looked over at Hayate who was standing stalk still .
With an annoyed flick of her wrist she snapped her fingers hoping to get his attention, it worked.
"um, she's not moving..." She drew out expectantly, motioning to Ino.
"right" he snapped out of his daze moving to check on the unconscious girl.
Hayate had been among the ones stunned by the pink haired 180 degree change and taken by surprise by her elbow followed by knee combo.
'That's not traditional ninjutsu, and I have trouble Imagining Hatake Kakashi teaching her that.'
He turned to the spectators and declared "Sakura" the victor.
The adrenaline wearing off Kagome Staggered and was saved form a reasonably likely fall by Kakashi.
"You look tired" he commented.
She groaned "you have no idea." She allowed him to support her before she drifted into the ever merciful arms of sleep.
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Finally done! I don't know how many times I changed this! I'm glad I did though, the way this played out was much more satisfying then my original plan.
I hope you all enjoyed!
And I would like to thank: Lunascorpio20, hiwaii024 (anon), Julia N SnowMiko, BenevolentBizzy, alice(anon), Kisara, DemonChylde(anon), gurlygenes, rhizz17, Crystalize Moonnie, BlackRabbz76 and kisara(anon) for your reviews (the reason I go to the trouble to type and post)
And if anyone is interested in being a beta, I'd really appreciate it.