Wahoo! 4th update today! Wow I'm on a role! Talk about speeding though the chapters, eh? I hope this lasts for a while, anyway.

--

Unwanted

Chapter 5 – The First Three Prelim Matches

--

"Alright!" Anko announced. "Let's start the prelims of the third exam of the chuunin exams!"

"Prelims…again?" thought Lee as he looked around to see how many were there, he was in the front so he couldn't see. He counted, there were 18 ninja there. "Wow, 18? That's as many as last time, if I remember right."

As Anko explained the preliminary fights, Naruto was looking for Katya. "Did she pass? I hope so!" he looked anxiously around for her, then his eyes fell onto her long hair. "Yes, she passed!" his smile disappeared. "Why am I so happy that she passed? She's not my teammate; she's my enemy! Is it because she was in my dream, or because she was sleeping beside me? I don't know why but I think I…"

"Alright then," Anko said finally, "Everyone please move up to the balconies around the arena so we can begin the first match!" Everyone slowly moved up the stairs, then the match was called. It was done the same way, with the screen randomly choosing the matches.

The first match: Hyuuga Neji vs. Kankuro

"I'm up right off the bat, eh?" said Kankuro as he jumped off and landed on the stone below.

"Alright," said Neji, "This shouldn't be too hard." He joined Kankuro at the arena, and as soon as Anko told them to start, they were ready.

Neji waited for Kankuro to strike, remembering that inside the thing on his back was a doll that he controlled with his chakra. "If I can get him to bring that out, I can make it useless by draining the chakra from it."

"This guy," thought Kankuro, "He's a Hyuuga, and his gentle fist attack can either put charka into me, or take it out, so I should probably just stay far away. He is obviously waiting for me to attack…"

Kankuro smiled in annoyance as he unraveled the crow from its 'cage'. "Go!" Kankuro yelled and the crow went flying towards Neji.

"There!" he hit the crow directly on its forehead and chest, and remained there until the chakra strings that connected Kankuro's fingers and the crow where gone. Crow fell limply to the floor. "What are you going to do now?"

"What? I never thought that he could take chakra out of crow…damn it!" he clenched his teeth together. "I can't go in and attack with taijutsu, that would get me killed…"

Kankuro raised his hand. "I give, proctor."

"Kankuro has forfeit! Hyuuga Neji is the winner and will advance to the finals!" Anko announced.

They both walked back to stand with their team.

The second match was going to be called up in a matter of moments. Who would it be?

The second match: Rock Lee vs. Haruno Sakura.

"S-Sakura?" Lee turned to face the pink haired genin. "I can't fight Sakura, anyone but Sakura!"

Sakura turned to face Lee. "I won't give up. I promised myself that when I walked into the forest. I will fight you, Lee, and you will fight back or lose!"

They both walked to the arena. Lee seemed very unsure about it, whereas Sakura seemed fully prepared.

"I know if Lee tries to use those 'gates' like he did the last time," thought Sakura, "then I'm surely done. But if not…maybe he'll take it easy on me and won't have to use them…no! I want him to use them so I can test my ability! …Or is that selfish? Lee might get hurt badly again…"

"Begin the second match!" declared Anko.

Both Sakura and Lee took up their stances, and Sakura attacked first. She went in with taijutsu.

"Bad move, Sakura." Thought Guy. "Lee is an expert in taijutsu, you'll never be able to beat him that way."

She continued to push him back, blocking each of his counters.

"He's not trying!" thought Sakura in annoyance.

"I can't fight you Sakura," thought Lee, "I have to think of a way to win but not hurt her."

"Now!" she thought as she made a few hand signs.

"Substitution?" thought Lee. "But I'm not even attacking…wait, she just did another sign? What jutsu could that be?"

She started again to attack with taijutsu again.

"What jutsu was that, Kakashi?" Guy asked.

"Wait and see, Guy, wait and see." Kakashi replied. "Sakura is very good with that jutsu, but she never uses it, she said she was saving it…but she didn't know she was going to be against Lee-san…what could she have meant?"

Lee countered, but a log appeared where Sakura was just standing. "A substitution? But that can't be right…she did those hand signs long ago, could it be a lasting substitution? I've never heard of one, but…"

"There!" both fists were coming down to the back of Lee's head.

"Leaf Whirlwind!" a gust of air pushed her back to the wall, and she fell to the floor.

"He's always one step ahead…" she thought. "I should have watched my strength and chakra level better…I'm beat…I'm worn out…"

Her eyes closed slowly. Lee turned around to see Sakura unconscious on the floor. "Sakura!" he ran to her side. "Maybe she hit her head on the wall? I shouldn't have used my leaf whirlwind…damn."

Kakashi appeared beside him.

"It's alright, Lee," he said, "she was worn out. It was her own fault she lost. She was careless."

He stood up and let Kakashi carry her back to the balcony and he went back to his team.

"The third match is…" Anko waited for the names to come up on the screen. "Tenten vs. Temari."

"Again?" said Tenten and Temari at the same time as the names appeared.

Temari smiled, and Tenten looked across at her as she went down to the arena. "I'll win this time, Lee! Just you watch me, ok?"

"Oh yeah!" Lee agreed. "You go, Tenten! You can do this!"

Tenten joined Temari in the arena.

"Begin!" Anko called and they readied for battle.

--

Oh yeah! (I still can't believe this is my 4th update TODAY!) Anyway, please review and I should update soon, (I haven't failed in that aspect yet!)