The ANBU core unit Rally day had come and Ran was itching in her gear to start. She stood at the far edge of the arena where the chunnin exams had been held years ago running a finger along the slighted edge of her kunai. The goal here for her was to get to the Uchiha. They had a long standing disgust of one another and although he disliked her, she loathed him. Today she would teach him a lesson; don't dish out what you can't return. He wasn't ready for the firestorm he'd unleashed inside her core and she was going to solidify her place beside Naruto whether he liked it or not. As far as he was concerned, or so she'd heard in the neighborhood, he figured they'd only last a month. She had all intentions of shoving his foot down his own throat today. There were already bets placed by the villagers and the respective jounin of the town. Most of the money was one Sasuke although she pulled a few votes on her own. The other majority of the bets fell over Shino of the Aburame clan and Dog Boy. She knew that for the most part she wouldn't be able to use her general shield technique because she wasn't allowed to outside of a controlled mission but she would still bring hell fury with her as she went. Her plan was to stay out of the way while the minor threats picked themselves off until her targets were left. She would have to take out Dog Boy since he didn't go down without a blazing battle. It would take time and chakra to subdue his pet so she'd have to move through them quickly if she wanted a shot at the Uchiha.
Kakashi sat in the stands around the arena mulling over the information he'd learned from Ran the night before. Naruto would be joining him so to cheer on his girlfriend and best friend. He didn't really understand what a problem that would possibly cause but Kakashi was pretty sure the two were going to have at it in the Rally. He knew now classified information about the village that he hadn't really wanted to know but Ran had told him in order for him to understand the magnitude of the situation. Being an Iwaii clan member she was good for shielding; whatever that may mean. She could be used for close range battle, long range battle, and for hiding things. In the part her family had been used to contain secrets for the village underground to hide the chakra markings with their special shields. Prisoners had been kept under their digression under the village for weeks to years when her clan had been at their prime. Now, a very delicate prisoner was held under her control and that worried him. She alone had the sealing power to hold capture to Orochimaru. He wasn't worried about how Sasuke would react, he knew the boy wanted nothing to do with that man again, but he was worried about how the snake would attack the village if unleashed. She'd assured him last night that he wasn't a threat and his body was barley corporeal. He still didn't know how much he trusted having that man anywhere near the village again.
As the speakers blared across the arena to signal the beginning of the Rally event Naruto zipped down the stairs to Kakashi's side. He grinned running a hand through his blonde locks before taking a seat and scanning the grounds. His eyes first traveled over Sasuke whom he could tell immediately from the general aura of screw off and stay away from me. There was a wide space the others were giving him while he adjusted his arms covering before stretching his arms. He then searched for Ran. Her violet locks took him a while to spot because she was hovering in the shadows of the far east end of the training pad. She'd donned her mask and was currently re=sheathing her kantana letting it rest against her back. She was calm and calculated watching the others as she reached up to tuck her hair behind her ears and into the mask. Kakashi smiled as the boy let his eyes linger over her.
"You picked a good one you know." Naruto didn't truly understand how loyal she was.
"Eh?" he grinned rubbing the back of his neck. "She's great. She cooks for me." Kakashi sighed rolling his eyes at the comment.
"I meant that she's a good person boy." He reached over ruffling the whiskered boy chuckling.
"I know. She really does love me." He admitted catching his teacher's attention.
"What about you loving her?" he asked before Naruto looked in Ran's direction again.
"I'm pretty sure I'm done. She's got me locked in." he laughed watching her stretch her legs nimbly. "She's got me hooked." There was a faint glint in his eyes that vaguely reminded Kakashi of the look Minato had often given Kushina when she wasn't looking.
"Don't lose her ok kid." Naruto gave him a puzzled grin as the signal flared through the speakers for the beginning of the event.
Ran positioned herself behind several of the newer ANBU as they readied themselves for hand to hand. The overhead speakers were signaling the beginning of the event and in thirty seconds it would all begin. Her muscles started to tense in effect waiting for the carnage to start; they weren't allowed to kill one another but they could inflict serious damage because medical units were at the wait. This was a recognition of the best of the best. Only the crème of the crop would rise to win respect in the battle as the dignified ANBU they were. Sasuke would not be that person. She smirked behind the mask when the sound started the event because it was pure violence. Not that she liked violence and immediately she was thrown into a defensive stance blocking kunai and senbon needles from her right but in the end she would be satisfied today.
An hour passed slowly as Ran shifted, blocked, and attacked on the rare occasion narrowing her eyes at the men falling around her. Sasuke was also on the move ebbing around the edge of the field just like she was looking for the weak to pick off. Neither one was exhorting too much energy because they wanted to get at the best once the crop was weeded through. A buzzing noise berated her left ear causing her attention to be pulled in that direction. She jumped back about three feet as a swarm of those pinpoint beetles suddenly appeared over her shoulders. There was no direct way to fight them but you could block them out if you were timed and careful. Shino was looking for a way to infect her skin and implant the beetles in a wound to immobilize her body. It was possible because there were several small exposed scrapes on her arms now. Pulling back she summoned an invisible shield to film over her skin. It was a higher level technique of her clan and one that she could use without others instantly seeing what would keep the beetles out. When she didn't have to worry about the bugs infecting her bloodstream she pulled her kunai. Shino wasn't ready for a hand to hand battle and as bad as she felt she was going to take him out of this competition. He tried to maneuver around her but her sheer speed was intense enough to knock him off guard. She threw the first blow sideswiping his head causing his body to hit the ground. However, to be out he had to flag himself out or pass out. She took a quick breath before grabbing him by the front of his shirt as he worked hand signs to call his bugs up his arms and pulled her fist back.
"Sorry, no hard feelings Shino." She let her arm fly again and his body went limp. He was out cold. She didn't drop him like she would an enemy but laid him on the ground instead and flagged a medical unit team standing on the side to come get him. She stood up and her eyes roamed the arena. This was it. It was over. Sasuke stood across the plain staring her down and she was perfectly ready for the real fight to begin.
It wasn't explicitly written in the rules that taking off your mask wasn't allowed but she didn't really care at the moment. Ran stood taking off her mask and threw it to the ground. Her eyes were burning with a cold sort of anger that would normally cause someone to falter under the intensity. Sasuke returned the stare with the same cold heat. He too took off his mask smirking and placed it on his hip tying it there. The arrogance in this motion, as if he wouldn't break it in the fight, annoyed her. He needed to be taken down a few pegs and she was happy to do it.
"Naruto this isn't going to be pretty." Kakashi warned his student.
"She'll be fine." He said gently frowning as he watched the two walk towards one another.
Sasuke pulled his blade watching as Ran did the same. He wasn't worried and in fact pretty much figured this would be over with a few stroke swings. His smirk was setting off every bell inside Ran's head. Her fists clenched around the handle of her blade staring him down.
"Arrogance is never a becoming trait. You'd think you'd have learned that when your brother gave his life for you." A tick started in his jaw but she continued. "Sometimes everyone needs reminded of where they come from. You can't remember so I'm going to do what Itachi should have." He glared now.
"And what is that?" his voice was stoic.
"Kick the living hell out of you until you learn some respect."