..Chapter Seventeen..

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Attention! The beginning of this chapter must be read while listening to 'Go Go Naruto!' by Toshiro Masuda from the OST. XD You'll understand once you start reading.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" She cried out while running for all her life was worth down the crowded lane. There was a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth and half of her deep blue vest was hanging off her one shoulder while she tried to run and pull her skirt on at the same time. She wasn't nude, you could see the tight black shorts beneath. A belt was in her other hand and she slid it through the loops.

People blinked at her and she waved. Someone called out to her and she just dashed on, crying her apologies.

Damnit! She was going to be late and then she was going to kick herself if she missed the exam all because she slept in. It wasn't her fault! The damn alarm didn't go off and no one had woken her! Her brother had just stared at her with a grin on his face as she glared at him. Then he proceeded to remind her of the time and she'd shrieked. He'd just laughed at her and it only made her want to strangle him more. Little imp.

She wanted to cry!

In her mess of thoughts she'd lost sight of the main stadium. She ran off in another direction as managed to pull on her vest. As she ran the toast was being stuffed down. Arg! Which way was the shortest? She gripped her hair as she looked around quickly. "Arrrrrrg!" she just ran off through another alleyway.

Dirt picked up under her heels and it looked like a dust cloud had erupted behind her. And then? As if it couldn't get worse? It did. She heard a bark and then a series of barks. She glanced behind her and then her face went pale as her eyes widened. It seemed a pack of dogs thought she was playing a game. And so, they were now... chasing her!

"WHY ME?!"

She picked up speed and ran a bit more until it dawned on her. "The hell am I doing? I'm a ninja for Kami's sake!" She lept up and onto a roof, scanning the area. Once more she located the stadium and dashed towards it; one roof at a time. When she finally reached it and landing in front of the two Chuunin guards she stuck her fist high in the air and shouted. "Made it!"

They both blinked at her.

She scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. After a moment she regained her composure. "Have the matches started?"

One of them shook his head. "You made it just in time. They're standing in the main area; being announced." He motioned. "Hurry up or you'll miss it."

"Thank you!" And then she was running onward. It didn't take long, not at all. Pretty soon the a light was showing her the way and she entered the stadium. And then everything seemed to drift away. "Wow..." she breathed and stared. It was huge. The people filled the stands. The cries of the crowd overwhelming her senses. She saw her parents in the main stand with all the other Kages and grinned. She noted three ANBU there as well. There very familiar ANBU. She smiled at them and waved.

"Kei!" she heard a hushed shout and looked across the stadium. She blinked slightly and realized it was Rei. The redhead seemed frustrated. She quickly trotted over with a sheepish sort of grin. She took her place next to her.

"You're late," she hissed.

"I know. My alarm didn't go off."

Rei was about to speak again, but, then both girls were quickly interrupted by the ref.

"Oi, hush you two. Conduct yourself with respect for the arena. Their watching."

"Kakashi-sensei?!" Kei blinked. She hadn't seen him in quite a while. She hadn't expected to see him here.

He seemed to smile a bit but motioned to the stands once again.

Kei blinked and looked around. She was once more swept by the feeling of infinite.. wow... It was the only way to describe it. She could feel a rush flowing through her. It was like butterflies in her stomach but much more. Pure joy. Like everyone's eyes were on her and she was the hero of the day. She grinned as Papa addressed the crowd.

Naruto had chuckled slightly when Kei made her last minute entrance. The image was just too familiar. He cleared his throat as he glanced at the Kages in a long row next to him. Not all of them could fit on the top level in this one section. The rest were spread around other top levels about the highest point of the stadium. He smiled.

"Today we will watch five fine young women and men participate in the final round of the Chuunin Exam. We ask that you wait until the exam is over before leaving. Enjoy your time. Good luck, candidates." And then he was moving to sit again.

Kakashi turned to the group of young Genin. Hm... Five huh? He supposed that worked out. Less than he thought would be here, but good enough. "Alright. Here are the match ups." He showed him the sheet.

Kei glanced at it. She blinked and looked over at Shin. He was her first opponent? Not that she wasn't thankful. If anyone could face the Byakugan user toe to toe it was her. She knew all his weaknesses and he her. They didn't always share new techniques... but still. It would be fun. She was glad it was him first.

"Alright, now that you know... The first match of the day is Kei and Shin. Get ready you two. Everyone else go to the stands and wait for the call."

Everyone nodded and left accept for the two mentioned.

Kakashi glanced back and forth between the two and then smiled. "Alright... Begin!" And then he was leaping out of the way and into the stands.

Both Genin stared at each other across the length between them both. They tensed up and took a stance.

Shin used his open palm stance most commonly known to the Hyuugas. It was almost a replica to his father's. Neji. He had all the skill of the man who sired him and yet all the weapons mastery of the woman who'd carried him for over nine months. Tenten, his mother.

Kei narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched him carefully.

From the stands Neji couldn't help but chuckle.

Tenten, his wife, blinked. "What's so funny?"

"I'm just chuckling at the irony." He eyed his son.

"What irony?" She arched a brow and followed his eyes.

"It was less than nineteen years ago that Naruto and I were in that same position." He pointed momentarily.

She smirked. "Ah, it's funny because she's his daughter and he's our son... well, in a manner of speaking." Her eyes seemed to hold information they both knew more of than anyone else.

He nodded and went back to watching.

Meanwhile...

Kakashi joined Naruto in the upper level and stood next to him. "This should be good, Hokage-sama." He leaned down and whispered.

Naruto sighed. "Quit calling me that, sensei. You're above it."

His one good eyes seemed to smile. "And you've earned it."

He grumbled but let it pass.

Kei spread her legs slightly, the grit of the earth beneath her feet crunching as she slowly exhaled.

"Are you worried?" He asked in a deeply cool voice devoid of emotion.

It was the strongest she'd ever seen him. She smirked slightly. "Not a bit."

"Hn," he seemed to half smile. "Byakugan!" His eyes took on more depths and the veins on the side of his face protruded slightly. "Ladies first."

"If you insist." And then she came at him, kicking up dirt in her wake. Taijutsu wasn't the smartest thing to use against a Hyuuga. Especially a Hyuuga with his eyes. But, she was confident.

From the stands Sasuke seemed to gaped and made a sharp noise as he drew him closer to the railing. She was going to go at him with taijutsu? What was she thinking?

Shin kept his schooled features and prepared himself. He jumped up and she dove down towards his legs, trying to knock him down. He flipped forward and turned to attack but she had already recovered and was coming at him again.

Kei smirked and went low as she ran, placing her hand outward. Open palm it was. She opted for her mother's stance as she stopped in front of him and moved to open palm hit him in his chest. He blocked it and moved to his her with two slender digits. But, already she was using her free hand to grab his wrist and twist him around so his back was to her. As she did this her foot came up, kicking into his back just as she let go.

He dove though, full swing into the fall and rolled. He turned on the ground; one foot beneath him as the other spread to the side. Two hands with open fingers braced the ground. She'd gotten faster in a month. Much faster it seemed. He'd have to quit playing around and pick up the pace. At this speed she wasn't going to let him disable any of her chakra points.

Very well then.

He pulled out a scroll as he stood and bit his thumb. He ran it across the scroll and a flash of smoke appeared. The scroll was forgotten and in it's place were his two katanas. Yin and Yang. A moment seemed to pass.

She smirked and took another stance. "You finally called them out. Now I know you're finally serious."

He gave a soft 'hn'. At that precise moment they flashed with chakra. The flooded with it. The hue was bright and pulsed around the blades.

"You're not the only one with a trick up your sleeve, Shin." She mirrored his actions with a scroll. As the smoke cleared a sudden thud was heard and spiked ball dented the ground. The clang of a chain was heard. In her hands was a long chain; at the end of it a spike ball of slightly small size.

He arched a brow. "That's new."

She grinned. "You ain't seen noting yet." She allowed for a long pause. And then... "Chidori!" It started at her hands, winding it's way around the chain and making it's way to the ball. Unlike Shin's weapons this was pure electricity. The sound of birds was loud and piercing. It filled the stadium.

Sakura gasped next to Sasuke. "How.. how did she learn that?" She looked over at him.

But he was just as surprised at her. So, his daughter had the ability to make a technique her own. Just like he and Naruto. She'd grown much more than he'd originally thought.

Kei started swinging the ball above her head slowly and then it picked up speed. She'd chosen this weapon just for this purpose. To keep her enemy, more specifically a Byakugan user, at a distance. He'd have to be fast to get past her now. She came at him them, flinging it towards him with the twist of her wrist.

He jumped up, growling softly as the blast hit the ground and erupted. He moved towards her through the air and come down with Yin. Right towards her shoulder.

Kei looked up, but he was going much faster and it was almost too late for her. As she moved backward, yanking the weapon with her she felt the tip of his blade graze her. She winced and gripped her shoulder. And then, he was coming at her again with amazing speed. The tip of his blade slicing air forward to his her again. She side stepped, but it cut across her chest.

She yanked her ball and chain again, pulling it short in her grasp and swung out to hit him; trying to wrap it about the steel of his blade. She felt her heart sink as the chain twisted around air. She cried out as she felt a slash across her back and stumbled forward, hitting the ground. She turned swiftly and scrambled backward.

He stalked after her, dragging the tip of once blade against the ground. "Give up now and I won't hurt you."

She stared up at him through narrowed misunderstanding eyes. "Why?"

He frowned and swiped the tip of his blade across the ground, right in front of her feet.

She jumped sightly.

"I don't want to hurt you, Kei. Understand that." His eyes seemed to hold something deeper.

But her remained narrowed. "No."

"What?" He looked angry, and unusual expression even for him. "I can kill you. I'm not going to. But I would rather not hurt you either."

She smirked slightly, the look in her eyes making him take a step back. "It's not in me to give up, Shin. If you don't understand that by now then you really don't know me." She stood up and stepped back slowly. A few hand signs were created and she cried out. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Five of them popped up and she could feel the blood rushing through her veins. And then she was coming at him, all five swinging the ball and chain with pulsing energy as she swung at him.

Shin grit his teeth as he dodged them. Yin an Yang clashed against the heat of the chakra laced balls. Were it not for them being laced through with his own chakra he was sure they would have broken long ago under the pressure of the blue hued bird singing spikes.

Kei watched with fascination as her eyes started to catch up with him. A moment ago she couldn't even read his movements... and now.. slowly they were becoming more clear.

Shin quickened his pace up a notch and wove through the clones. He still couldn't tell which one was her. He sliced at one and it proofed away. Four more to go till he found her. He hit another. And the another. He spun, side stepped and caught one on the back. It faded in a cloud of smoke. And then as the last one was reaching to hit him he ducked and pointed the tip of his blade out, allowing the sharp edge to slide across her ribs. He felt a wash of relief as it too faded.

But, just as this happened he felt a chain wind around his foot. He tried to pull away, but it was took late. She yanked on the chain and pulled him to the ground. He turned, flipping over and smirked at her.

She arched a brow, his smirk making her pause. And then she knew why. Suddenly the leg she had a hold on turned into a large log. Replacement technique. Damnnit. Where was he then? She turned, crying out as a blade slid across her wrist, forcing her to drop the chain. Damn that burned. She barely had time to block his next attack. She side stepped, avoiding the next movement of the blade just in time. But, not soon enough. A sharp pain hit her on her back as he sliced into her with the other sword. She hit the ground and rolled away, reaching for the chain. When she stood, she was a good five feet from him.

She was panting, almost breathless. Blood poured from her open wounds, fatiguing her. The wrist that held the chain seemed to weigh a ton. She wasn't exhausted. But she wasn't as ripe as she had been at the start. And there he stood, barely a mark on him. Other than being dirty he seemed amazingly free from wounds. How was this possible? A few weeks ago she would have been an easy even match for him. And now? She felt... so inadequate. She heard her own breathing in her ears.

Still, she wouldn't give up. With a grunt she was lifting the chain once more and swinging it wildly. And then she was running at him. But he was moving with that amazing speed once more; catching her every move with those damned eyes. How she hated those eyes. They were the bane of her existence. They were the reason she felt so beneath her family. So out of place. The tale of the ugly duckling suddenly came to her mind. But, she knew she was no swan. And if she didn't win here, it would only prove to everyone even more how mismatched in her family she really was.

"No!" she cried out, swinging her weapon determinedly. Even as he dodged her every move. Even as he cut into her more. She wouldn't give up. Not until she could no longer move. She felt her body going numb as the fight continued onward.

She didn't know why, but, every now and then she would catch his movements. It was only just bare... hardly even there... but, she focused on it. She had to. It was almost nothing. But, even if it helped a little bit she would take what she could get.

She swung out hard, timing her hit just right. And just then she grazed his calf. She felt it and saw the blood. It wasn't much. A scratch really. But it was a hell of a lot closer than she'd been five minutes ago. How long had it been?

She didn't care. She was waiting again, watching for him as he sprinted and circled her trying to cut her. And each time he did, she blocked more and more of his attacks.

She's adapting, Shin thought to himself. But how? Moments ago she couldn't even read my movements. And now she seems to be catching up to me, if only by a hair.

She felt another slice across her back and growled, turned swiftly. But, just as he had been there he was gone. Her cold blue narrowed. She tried to see him again, concentrating.

There!

She reached for his wrist as the blade slid past her dodging head. She grabbed it and flung him away from him; using every ounce of strength she had left.

Shin flew through the air, shock rushing his features. As he came closer to hitting the ground he dug his feet into the ground and turned. He stared at her from the distance. How had she seen that? He'd upped his speed that time. To it's pivotal point. Hell, to the point of using chakra to boost himself forward on that hit. The hit that missed. It'd never even grazed her cheek.

He watched as she began to swing the ball and chain again, spirit in her cold blue eyes.

He could do this. He could beat her. It wasn't that hard was it? He wasn't discounting her. She was the daughter of the Hokage. Hyuuga Kei. Granddaughter to the late Yellow Flash of Konoha. She wasn't ordinary by any means. But...

He'd purposely worked on his speed issues for just this reason. He thought he might have to face her at some point. And he knew despite the fact that she didn't posses the eye technique of the clan she had ways around destroying his defense. Her weapon was a prime example. Even if he saw her coming he'd still have to contend with that beast of a ball.

He crossed his swords in front of him.

None of this mattered in the end. Because he still had to defeat her.

Kei panted as she swung the weapon high above her head. She could do this. She just had to keep focusing. She could beat her cousin. It didn't matter how she'd felt about him now or before. This was a fight. And she intended to win. She would prove to her clan that she wasn't just a failure. That she meant something. She wouldn't be an ugly ducking anymore. Not for them and not for herself.

She kept her gaze on him as he came at her. This was it. She had to keep her eyes on him. she had to read his movements. She just had to. It all rested on this one moment. Because, honestly, she didn't know how much she had left in her.

And then something happened.

When he came at her she began to block his attacks with amazing accuracy. Each time he tried to hit her that ball was swinging in close. Everytime he tried to get close she got closer to hitting him. And then he felt something hit his gut and he flew backwards. Pain sliced through his abdomen and erupted in his back. She'd hit him? Damnit. He barely had time to catch it.

As he drug his feet back against the ground to stop, his knees were bent and he grasped his stomach. He knew there was a bruise already forming. He was sure if he hadn't pulled back just a bit, there would be large cuts where the spikes would have ground into his flesh. He gazed up at her as she stepped forward, that ball still swinging. He couldn't see her eyes. They were shaded in a shadow of dark ebony from her bangs as her head dipped low.

"How...?" He gasped. But hell... apparently all it took was one hit from that electric current to the right area. He was already beginning to feel numb and weak. From just one hit. One...!

And then she turned her gaze upward.

He gasped. "Kei..."

She blinked at the surprise on his face, not really having expected it. "What?"

"Your eyes..." His own were wide.

"What's wrong with them?" Her voice edged on fear. They didn't feel damaged. No, if anything they felt... more acute. Like she was suddenly seeing the world for the first time in her whole life.

He gasped at the pain, but lifted the flat of his blade as the chakra dispersed from it. "Look..." He knew this was it. He was going to call the match off. His body could no longer move anymore. Not after that shock wave through his body.

Kei reached for the blade, angling it to her face. She gasped. "I... don't... " What was going on here? Her eyes... they were red! And... tear drops with a small curl showed in them. Two in one eye and one in the other.

"Sasuke gained his clan bloodline technique. His eyes suddenly changed and took on a red color. Within each one were black rain drops with a curl at the end. It allowed for him to read Haku's movements and gain some advantage."

She felt herself faltering as his words came back to her mind... No.. what did it mean? She felt her heart racing and her blood pumping. She felt her insides turning inside out as she gasped for air, for anything.

What did it mean?!

She took another step back, no longer able to look at her own reflection. Instead, her eyes went up to her father. They narrowed.

What had he done?