A.N: And so ends the beginning of the year. Next chapter will have a time skip like I said before. And thank god this is the last battle I have to write for a while. Well anyways here we go. Please reveiw

Chapter Twenty-One: Last Minute Preparation; Ao Shin is Released!

I closed my eyes trying to calm down. This was it this was everything I've been working for. In my concentrated state I did not expect anyone to touch me. So I nearly jumped off the bench when an arm fell around my shoulders. I opened my eyes and looked at Deidara shocked by his boldness after not having talked to me much since we 'kissed.'

"It's going to be fine un, don't be so nervous," he said with a smile. "You'll do fine yea," he moved some bangs out of my face and tilted his head slightly. My heart throbbed hard in my chest it almost hurt.

"I'm going to get my ass kicked," I muttered looking over at Konan in the corner of my eye. Deidara rubbed my shoulder the only thing between our skins was my mesh shirt. I could only think of the soft lips that were brushing my flesh. His hand was cool and dry; his palm had a different texture then a normal it was softer more like skin you'd find on your cheeks.

"Oh please Jenny don't make me laugh," he whispered giving me chills "you're a wonderful fighter but your just a first year, don't think that Pein will judge you the same as the seniors hmm."

"Uh huh," I coughed blushing like mad. I looked back up at the screen. "Do you think Itachi-sempai is okay?"

"Ugh I'm sure he's fine," Deidara grumbled crossly. An evil thought came to mind and I smiled wickedly.

"Deidara, your not jealous are you?" I asked with the same Cheshire Cat grin. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"No," he said with a pout "I just don't like the guy, he's such a show off un. I'm glad Sasori-sama put him in his place yeah."

"Sure," I said with a laugh.

"Shut up Hmm," he muttered his eye becoming a half circle and his lip pouting even more. I just wanted to squeal and hug him like a child would a soft plushy.

"Your so adorable Deidara-kun," I said sweetly and he smirked.

It was something about Deidara that made worries explode and turn to carefree ashes that drifted thoughtlessly in my heart. It was a white-hot feeling that made me feel like nothing could hurt me. As long as he was around I'd always have a warm blanket to make me feel happy again.

And then the bell rang out and the warmth disappeared as nervousness and worry took me over.

Hidan and me walked side by side to the far right of the round fighting area, while Konan and Kisame stood on the opposite side. I looked at Hidan next to me who had a sadistic smile on his face as usual.

The area was completely silent. Only the Akatsuki bells rang softly in the cool breeze. I looked up at the people around us, watching, craving to see us spill each other's blood. To them it was nothing more then a gladiator match.

'Well if it's a gladiator they want,' I thought with a smile 'it's a gladiator they get!'

So the bell rang again and the fight started.

There was no thought in my first few actions. I just sprang into action, I knew my target, and I wanted to fight her.

Konan's eyes widened as she realized I was only a few feet away from her now. My mind did not dwell on the fact that she didn't move a centimeter as I neared. I jumped and swung my leg around to kick into her side. Curiously all I hit was air and lost my balance.

"Ah! Come on Tueur," Hidan cried trying to block Kisame's chakra sucking blows. "Fight smart!"

I looked around and the flutter of paper was all around me.

"I'm really disappointed Jenny I'd hoped you'd do better," I heard Konan whisper. Suddenly a worldwide of paper twisted around me into a mini tornado that swallowed me up.

'Crap wind element will do me no good,' I thought 'I'm not prepared for this!'

The walls of the tornado began to shrink and the razor edges of the paper were being to bite and knick my skin.

Use the water element then something whispered in my head. It wasn't the soft-spoken Ao Guang. This voice was silk but had a venomous underlining. 'I don't know what the water Jutsus are,' I thought. No better time then now to figure it out right? 'Troublesome lizards are going to get me killed,' I thought annoyed reaching for my belt and grabbing the scroll with blue tape around it. I ripped open the seal and the scroll opened up.

"Spirit Transformation Jutsu: Ao Shin!"

Blue gray light flashed from within the paper twister the massive form ripping it apart. I stood in Ao Shin's form my white eyes gazing about. I tilted my camel-like head up slightly seeing Konan hovering above. Her paper had formed into wings she looked like one of God's angels ready to smite Satin's hideous serpent, that serpent being yours truly.

'All right your highness what do I do now? It's not like I can try whipping my tail at her, she'll just fall apart again.' I thought. Okay I can only tell you one jutsu under my eldest brother's orders so here it is, tiger, snake, spread hands out in front of you, snake, tiger then inhale and exhale through your mouth okay? 'Got it,' I thought raising my body up, the purple and blue scales shimmering in the noon sun.

I clasped my claws together and did the seals as fast as I could. But Konan had already seen through this and was assaulting me with paper airplanes. They bombarded me trying to get at my eyes and cutting into my arms trying to make me lose concentration.

I growled shutting my clouded eyes so they wouldn't get injured. I didn't want to lose my eyesight due to major paper cuts that would just be dumb. I was midway through the hand seals putting my claws out in front of me like Ao Qin had told. Suddenly unfolded paper zoomed out at me cutting the soft flesh in-between my fingers and pinging off the tough scales of my neck.

I ignored the pain and finished the seals. Then I quickly inhaled feeling water filly my chest and belly. I panicked the feeling of drowning and light-headedness coming over me. I wobbled nearly toppling like a tree. Exhale you idiot! I heard scream through my brain that was already throbbing painfully.

I did as the voice said and blew out. Water spayed from my lungs and belly with very high pressure. I tried to hit my target but Konan was already moving and my neck was stiffed out.

I tried to see what was going on but everything was going to fast for my eyes to register. I could hear the spray of water and the flutter of paper.

My lungs were emptying of the water and the presser was beginning to lessen allowing me to move my neck better. I shut my jaws holding my breath so I would chock.

I looked down seeing that Konan had in fact been hit, her right wing crippled and inert. I could feel the water begin to force it self out of my nose so I opened my mouth again to try to hit her again but she moved out of the way and soon I was empty of all the water in my gut.

My chakra was low and I couldn't hold my dragon form for much longer. I fell forward landing on all fours but this time I was much smaller and I could see my brown hair had fallen over my eyes. I was me again.

I saw the scroll near by all wrapped up and pulled together with blue tape as if it hadn't been used at all. I grabbed it quickly and stuck it back in my belt. Good work girl now finish her off. I nodded getting to my feet.

Konan was standing not far off only her left wing still mostly in tact if not a little damp. Her right wing however was just a bunch of lose papers scattered on the ground. Her face was completely emotionless perhaps from shock or something else, I wasn't sure. I knew a head on attack would do me no good. She would just disperse, unless she was so wet she couldn't, but I could not tell. Her face gave no sign ether it was nether of despair or hope so I wasn't sure what to do.

She saw an opening and in a millisecond her left wing broke apart turning into hundreds of origami cranes and butterflies. I could tell there sides were sharp as knives and would and will cut through me if I didn't move, Konan was out to kill me!

I moved my hands quickly as I could as the blades of paper art shot at me. They hit with amazing force they nearly hit me but I was already gone. My clock however was stuck to the plaster wall. I was moving fast now and I could see Konan's eyes darting around trying to catch a glimpse of my movements.

I shot out with a hard right jab trying to catch Konan's solid form. But something had caught my arm. Paper had folded around my limb and with inhuman strength holding it in place. I could see Konan's face in front of me but it was only three flat pieces of paper floating in the air with her face printed on it.

I noted that paper was floating and folding around me into pointed tipped paper airplanes. She was going to hit me on all sides and both crush me and slice into my body. My other arm with trapped in a paper cocoon that was holding me still and my mind was blank of any ideas.

Then she let the airplanes zoom down onto me and I could nearly count the seconds, I shut my eyes tightly. Then a wonderful sound went out, a bell rung out in the stadium and I cracked open an eye. A paper airplane was floating only centimeters from my face and would have stabbed into my eye had it hit.

The paper around me fluttered away unfolding and reconstructing into Konan's form. I took an intake of breath, it was over the quiz was over. I'll never complain about math test again!

Somehow I was able to leave the stadium quickly afterward. I wanted to have stayed to watch Tobi and Deidara's fight but my chakra was low and I was still in shock about how close to death I had come and recalling all the stupid mistakes I'd made.

I went straight to my room were Sasori was already on his bed. But he wasn't on the computer someone else was in the room. I blinked a few times that he was talking with Loren. She was balling and he was sitting next to her an arm wrapped around her shoulders and with a 'I really don't know what to do' look on his face.

"Loren? Sasori?" I blinked again as they looked over at me. "What's wrong?"

"Jenny," Loren sniffled and I noticed a nasty bruise going across her cheek and going under her eye. "I w-wanted to see you fight b-but Gaara didn't want to go with me. I tried pushing him to come with me b-but he lashed out at me and the sand…" she trailed off. I walked over to her and kneeled down so I could see her eyes that were cast away. "Jenny he hit me bad."

"Where?" I said anger flushing within me.

"My face…my arms," she was flooded with new tears "he-he nearly crushed me Jenny! I'm so scared! And I-I don't want to go to the medic ninja because…Oh Jenny I love him so much! I-I don't want to get him in trouble…"

"Shhh you can stay here for a while okay?" I said and Sasori looked at me. I looked back at him my eyes full of rage and he just nodded slightly.

A.N: Oooh more drama and a last minute plot twist!