Hello!

Thanks to all who have hung in there this far.

It's been a pleasure writing for you these 30 chpts.

I hope for 30 more!

xoxo

I looked at everything I had placed out in front of me. A scroll packed with ration bars for about two and a half weeks. A scroll packed with fruit. A scroll packed with some new clothing I bought with Sakura yesterday. A couple of books, weapons, and my bed roll was already packed into another scroll as well. I sighed. The last few days flew by and even though I still had one more day till I left tomorrow I was anxious. I read the note that Kakashi sent. It had a map and he told me to memorize it and meet him there. He was on the top of some rock formation but I couldn't tell the height of it from the map alone. He told me to pack for two weeks and to be ready.

I was always ready for anything, usually but this was different. I felt as though I hadn't seen the two in a year and I was a whole new person. I looked the same on the outside for the most part but on the inside, well that was a different story.

I had one more session with Gai and part of me was sad to see them end. I had learned so much from him in these short two weeks. I sighed at the thought of everything going back to the way they were after the exams. He had his team and Kakashi had his own. What about Lee thought? Did that mean that they needed to find another member before they could continue active duty?

I left my house with a pear in hand. I was going to be gone for two week and I wanted to get a last look around the town. Without Saskue and Naruto I had gotten to know more genin then ever before. I almost understood how it must feel to have lived here from birth, knowing every one, going to school with everyone.

I passed by the ramen stand and knew that as soon as I got back I was going to have some with my whole team no matter how much Sakura and Sasuke protested. I had to crack a smile at the idea.

I found my way over to the Hokage's tower. I didn't think and just let me feet doing the walking. They knew what I wanted more than anything else. "What is your business with the Hokage?"

Scrunching my nose I at the bagger, mole thing. I still couldn't tell what exactly he was. For some reason the attitude in his voice annoyed me. "I wanted to say hello. Is he in?" I knew under the mask his face had shifted slightly even thought I couldn't see it. His left foot moved toward the right, outward in irritation. "He is in a meeting right now and doesn't have time for silly little Genin." My cheeks puffed out and I felt a dust of pink on them.

Since my time here I hadn't really came across many people I didn't like. Besides the whole Orochimaru thing but they were all outsiders but this guy was a member of this village and he was pissing me off. I took a step back and crossed my hands over my chest taking a seat on the bench. "I can wait." I mumbled. "Just because you're an Uchiha doesn't mean you get special treatment."

I rolled my eyes. I couldn't help it I was ready to punch his porcelain face off. "What's wrong you jealous?" It just slipped out. I didn't mean it in the slightest, well technically I did. Right on que the doors opened and Ibiki Marino stepped out. I spent only a little over an hour with that face but I would never forget it. I instantly got up and he smiled at me. "Hello Suiren Uchiha." I bowed my head before I even realized I had done so. "Hello Sir."

"I look forward to seeing your finally match." I cracked a small smile. I felt a fire burn with in me at the mention of it. "I look forward to it as well." He nodded to me and started to walk off. The porcelain ass hole close behind. I shook my head, for a moment I had totally forgotten the main reason why I had come here. I knocked on the door but flinched when I saw another man and two other Anbu members inside. This man was one I couldn't place in my head. I was sure that I had never seen him before. Just the sight of him made my insides turn and twist. "Im sorry ill just –" air plugged my throat when he turned and looked at me, He was an older man, probably around the same age as the Hokage. His hair a dark brown and the left eyes was bandaged up. He walked with a stick but I sensed that he didn't even need it.

"Please come in. We were just finishing up." I tore my eyes away and looked at the Hokage. I had stepped aside and looked to the floor and only when he left did I allow myself to breath. He made the room think and uninviting. If I never saw that man again it would be too soon.

I made my way over to the Hokage's desk. "Who was that?' I mumbled not even sure I wanted to know the guy's name. The Hokage eyed me curiously. "Danzo. One of the Elders here in the village." I let my brows furrow together, "Well I don't like him."

The Hokage let out a warm laugh and I couldn't help but crack a smile. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Im leaving tomorrow morning. I guess I just wanted to stop by to say hello." I scratching the back of my neck and the Hokage eyed me with interest. I wouldn't see him till the final matches happened in two weeks. "Also I had a question. About Anbu." This got his attention quickly. It was his turn for his brows to furrow together. "What about them?"

"They answer directly to you right?" He nodded his head but then stopped for a moment. "Some will answer to Ibiki since he is head of Interrogation but ultimately all the ninja of this village answer to me." I nodded my head and let me eyes glance out the window. "And if I wanted to become an Anbu. How would I do that?" He took a long drag of his pip warm eye sprinkled with doubt. "And why would you want to do that?" I shrugged my shoulders again, I didn't know why. It was just something I had started thinking about recently.

"I just figured that the most efficient way to protect this village and to help you would be to be one?" My voice became soft. When I said it out loud I felt kind of dumb. I nibbled the inside of my lip but calmed down when he smiled. "You are gifted I won't lie but I think it is best for you to worry about training and finishing the Chunin exams and then we will talk about it alright?" I bowed and couldn't help but smile. "You will not be disappointed sir." He was up out of his chair and looked out the window. His eyes drifting off to what I can only assume was some kind of distant memory.

"Your father would be very proud of you." My lips pressed into a thin line. "He was very involved in the police department. He wanted nothing more than the safety of his clan and the villagers." He took another long drag on his pip. "And despite all your struggles and setbacks you have worked hard in become a splendid ninja. Your clan would've been so proud to call you one of their own." I felt a prick in my eyes. My lips quivered softy, would they have really been proud? I used to be so worried if I would ever be able to live up to the expectation of my parents. If I would ever be able to live up to the name Uchiha.

"You really think so?" I played with the hem of my shirt when he turned and came over to me. "Yes my dear. I know it. Remember Suiren your heart is pure. Trust in your instincts because they will never lead you astray. It will help light the way when things become dark." This was eerily familiar. Although this was more of a see you later it felt more like a good bye and my uncle's face passed through my mind.

I reached out and wrapped my arms around his chest and was thankful when he returned the hug. I didn't want to cry, I had no reason to cry but a few tears slipped out. I didn't feel right. This didn't feel right. Trust my instinct. My instinct was telling me from the very beginning that these Chunin exams were going to be bad, horrible and I didn't know why.

"Alright my little Lotus bud are you ready?" I raised an eyebrow. I was ready but I wasn't sure what I was getting ready for. He stood up tall, one hand behind his back and the other out motioning me to be prepared. "Im going to try and land a hit." I chuckled drily. I knew that no matter how much fast I had gotten I still and a long way to go before I was as fast as him. Maybe I would never be as fast as him. I rolled my shoulders back and took a deep breath in, feeling my chakra warm around my body.

I nodded my head, eyes on. I need everything I had in me to try and dodge any attacks. I blinked and he was off. Kicking up to high speed right off the bat. I quickly flickers out of place because I knew he would be coming for a direct hit. I wasn't as good as he was, I couldn't dodge without blocking but that was alright.

We went on like this for some time. I wasn't sure exactly how long, an hour or two or maybe even three. I was getting tired and sluggish and even though I could still track his movements with my eyes my body was having a hard time keeping up with what my brain was telling it to. Had to keep moving, keep dodging, keep flickering back and forth to keep him from landing a hit. I wondered if even for a second I would be able to keep up with him if he was using all of his strength.

I must have fallen into a pattern that he noticed because I flickered to dodge a punch but he was gone for a moment. I turned, sensing his chakra "Gottcha." I tried to block but he poked me right in my forehead. I took a step back and put my hand on the spot. He chuckled loudly, "The power of youth runs freely through you now more than ever. I'm proud of your hard work and your determination. I see nothing but bright things ahead of you." My mouth was slightly ajar and I felt my cheeks heating up. I felt a pull in the pit of my stomach. Was it really all over?

I pressed my lips together and put my hands to my side bowing to him. "Thank you so much Gai-sensei. For all your wisdom and knowledge and for helping me become, well a better me." He gave me a thumbs up and I swear his eyes started to sparkle. "It is a great day when a sensei can look at their student with such pride." Tears streamed down his face and I couldn't help but snort a laugh and give him a hug. After everything I had put him through he deserved it.

For the first time since he started training me Gai-sensei walked me home. "So you are sure you know where you are going then?" I nodded my head, "Yes. Yes. I memorized everything." I tapped my temple to let him know I used the Sharingan so it was defiantly in my brain for good. "And you packed everything that you needed for the two weeks." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Playfully of course. "Yes sir. Im always over prepared just ask Sakura about the survival portion of the exam."

The air became thick at the mention of it. Sometimes I almost forgot about everything that happened in the forest of death. It was easier then facing the fact that something was happening to me that no one could explain and at any moment something unexpected could happen. With Orochimaru I knew whatever that unexpected thing was it wasn't going to be good. I was standing next to my front door faster then I cared to realize.

"Just remember to always trust yourself. The inner voice of a great ninja is not something to be ignored." I nose twitched. That was the second time today that someone had mentioned trusting my gut. I nodded my head and gave him a smile. "I will do my best to make you proud at the finals." With small curve of the left side of his lips he was gone and I let out a sigh. I felt as though more and more people were expecting so much from me at these exams and I wouldn't be human if I didn't doubt my abilities to live up to their expectations.

I quickly slipped through the front door and made my way up the stairs. I quickly changed out of the clothes i was in and eyed the package that was on my desk. I had decided it would be best to wait till after the finals to open it. I still had important training left and I didn't want to clutter my mind with anymore grief and guilt. I decided it was best to shove that as far down in the pit of my stomach as possible. I wasn't ready to deal with that just yet.

I let myself fall asleep earlier than usual the night before. I needed to be up with the sun in order to make my hike to the spot on the map Kakashi-sensei had told me to go. I changed into black shorts and a violet sleeveless top with a high collar. I never went anywhere anymore without my weighted black legwarmers so I put them on and covered the exposed skin on my left leg with wrappings so my pouch wouldn't irritate the skin. I had also grown accustom to wrapping my right hand all the way up to the point under my elbow because during training I had worked on my weaker side more and thus it always looked banged up and I was tired of answering peoples questions about it.

I neatly French braided my hair all the way down into a single rope. Stray wisps that just weren't long enough to get into the braid framed my face. Looking the mirror I tried to put them behind my ear but they never ever stayed.

I grabbed my back pack and went down stairs. I took some fruit and ration bars I didn't pack to build up my energy before I left and made my way to the village entrance. In the letter, Kakashi had told me he sent a letter to the Hokage who would let the guards know I was leaving the village with permission from the Hokage himself to train for the exams.

When I had passed the two they simple nodded in my direction and before I knew it I was on the path from the map. I knew I had to walk it for a while until I came across a more rugged rocky area. I took to the trees because Kakashi had told me it should take me a more than a couple hours to get to the rougher terrain. It was pleasant to move under the dust pink and blue glows of the rising sun.

I meet no one in the two and a half of running I had done. I was a bit confused because I thought I might have taken the wrong path but as I weaved out of rocks and over crevasse I noticed my first marker. It was a large rounded stone that balance on the tip of pyramid looking rock. My head tilted to the side as I looked at it. Kakashi-sensei was right. It looked like it had no earthly business there and I wondered how it maintained that position.

Turning to the right I started counts. 200 paces too my next marker, a fluffy cloud shaped bush at the base of a large rock formation, well mountain actually. After some time when I finally got there I looked up and squinted at the sun that was now high in the sky almost at its mid-day peak. It was higher than I expected and I couldn't hear any person but this was the point where I was told to climb all the way to the top. The meeting point. I sat down on a boulder and took out my water. The sun was getting hotter by the second and I knew I need to climb fast in order to avoid the sun getting even worse. When I was ready I pulled the straps and focused chakra to my feet, might as well get some chakra training in.

With one more breath I took off running up the side of the mountain. I made it about a fourth of the way up before I had to pump chakra to my hand and grab on to a small ledge. This was training in itself and it made sense why he would pick this spot. Way to warn me beforehand.

I moved a bit slower than I would have liked but I didn't want to fall, the bottom seeming so much farther with ever small ledge I grabbed onto and hosted myself up. I tried not to focus on the time passing the toasting feeling of the sun on my back and neck. I took in sweet air and moved at a steady pace keeping chakra pumping to my fingers so I wouldn't loss my grip.

The top was in view. My lungs were on fire, because even though I wasn't near exhaustion they weren't used to the air up here, it was thick and dry. My brain screamed to keep moving, to starting going faster. I let some chakra travel to the soles of my feet to give myself a boost and I started to bounce up the rest of the way. My fingers outstretched the very last ledge, palms firmly planted lifting my body weight all the way up till I was sitting right on the edge, the view before my breathtaking.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my eyes flashed red as I turned to catch a kunai aimed for the back of my head, "Suiren?" My legs shook when I pushed myself onto my feet. My lips pursed slightly at the quickening of my heart and before I could answer him I heard Kakashi speak, "You made it much sooner than I had expected. He looked up at the sun. "About noon. Not bad at all." I cracked a small sly smile.

"Why are you here?" My eyes darted back to those onyx ones. I travelled down to the rest of his body inspecting him since the last time I had saw him two weeks ago. "Her training with Gai is over so she is here to train with me for the remaining two weeks. I thought I told you this already?" His hair was more jagged then I remembered. His face still stoic but I could see small bits of dust caked on his chin and the tips of his shirt and shorts. "You didn't." He put on a layer of muscle so he no longer seemed to have as much of a boyish body like he did before I wonder if he was training harder than I was.

"Really? It must have slipped my mind." I could see the amusement in Kakashi's eye and I knew he had done it on purpose. He sure had an interesting way of amusing himself. "Well just don't get in my way." My eyes narrowed as he brushed off his surprise from moments ago. His eyes harder then I remembered. I pushed my lips together into a thin straight line letting my bag drop off my shoulders and quickly I flickered in front of him jabbing him in the forehead with my finger using more force then I usually did, before flickering over to one of the many larger rocks stationed on top of this peak. "How about YOU don't get in my way?" I folded my arms over my chest and sat down with my legs crossed.

I let my hands lazily rest on my knees, I had been here for two seconds and I already wanted to punch him. I let out a deep ragged breath and closed my eyes. I needed to meditate and clear my mind. I had gained so much self-discipline and control that if I kicked his ass now I felt it would just be all for nothing.

Breathe Suiren. Breathe.

It took me sometime to figure out how I wanted to handle this chapter.

I know that Sasuke's character has alter with Suiren's presence but I didn't want to pull him complete out of character.

I knew there would be no sappy reunion. I firmly believe without constantly being around Suiren; Sasuke would harden back to who he really is.

Hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think! Review!