Chapter 22

"This preliminary will consist of one on one battles, basically based on real life confrontations." Hayate, the examener, explained. "Since we have exactly 24* participants we will have twelve battles and the winners will move on to the third test. There are no real rules. The fight continues until one of the combatants is unable to continue or admitts defeat. If you do not wish to die acknowledge your defeat quickly. Since we do not wish for pointless deaths I do have the authority to step in and declare the clear winner. This board behind me will randomly pick two names. Now we will announce the first match."

They all stared straight up at the green board. Finally the board flashed two names, Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado. Kagome tensed. There was something about the match up that didn't sit right with her. The guy was on Kabuto's team. She watched Sasuke smirk out of the corner of her eye. She definitely didn't like this. As the two stepped forward in front of Hayate Kagome tensed and watched with apprehension. There was nothing she cold do. All any of them could was watch and pray.

"Now will begin the first match. Would everyone except those two combatants please move to the upper level?" Hayate said motioning to the gallery that circled the arena.

Kakashi walked toward them being sure to pass by Sasuke on his way. His lips moved behind his mask. From where she stood it looked like a warning followed by a hreat. She turned and walked away without a word to anyone. Feeling eyes on her as she walked up the stairs she glanced over to find both Sasuke and Kakashi watching her. She didn't like the dark look in Sasuke's eyes. Taking her place she refused to acknowledge either male. Instead she focused on preparing for her own match. Every genin was a possible opponent. Even her own teammates. They were all on their own now.

"Tell me the truth, Kagome, what happened to Sassuke." Kakashi said coming to stand beside her.

Just as she opened her mouth to explain Hayate called for the match to begin. "We were attacked and seperaed by a grass nin. While seperaed from the group I was picked out as easy prey b thosse hree oover there." She motioned to the three from the Dusk. "I took them out with a genjutsu that turned them against each other and took their scroll. Upon my return to the group I found Sasuke attempting to get the gass ni to leave by handing over the scroll. Naruto was injured when he tried to attack. The Nine Tails' chakra was becoming active and...I don't know, he did something to Naruto. I felt the chakra just vanish. The nin revealed himself as Orochimaru and bit Sasuke. I tried to stop him but I was too late. Later when I was healing him the energy from the mark lashed out at me. I was knocked out while we were attacked. Sasuke woke up and put Zaku of the Sound out of comission."

"I see."

"Sensei, one more thing." she said as Yoroi and Sasuke fell to the ground. "Orochimaru said two things to me. The first was that Sasuke would come to him seeking power."

"And the second."

"That he would be seeing me very soon."

Kakashi looked her in the eye. It had been a threat directed straight at her. He had promised that part of his plan included her and possibly her pain. Yet here she stood, unafraid. In fact she seemed more worried about Sasuke's condition. Her eyes held his less han a minute before returning to the fight that seemed to favor Sasuke's opponent. Yoroi had Sasuke pinned to the ground by his forehead. From the corner of his eye Kakashi noticed Kagomes hands grip the railing harder. Finally Sasuke kicked Yoroi away. Naruto yelled out at him, egging his teammate on. It seemed like that was what the Uchiha needed ad soon the fight was turning in his favor. Kagome's grip eased though she never let go. Just then she felt the curse mark's energy flare up again.

"Stop him," she whispered so queitly Kakashi barely heard her. "Stop him before it's too late."

Kakashi saw what she meant. The mark didn't only change his chakra, it changed him Sudden;y his attacks became more violent. They could only watch as Yoroi was tossed violently around like a limp rag. His attacks stopped as he worked to catch his breath and in that time Yoroi didn't get up. Hayate stepped in and called the match. Kagome nearly collapsed from releif. Kakashi jumped down as Naruto cheered for his teammate and degraded him at the same time. He called off the medical teams. What Sasuke needed was for the curse mark to be contained before it got to out of hand. He pulled Sasuke away before he could offer up anymore arguements or complaints.

Kagome didn't pay any attention to the next few matches. She knew that one of them was the sound nin Sasuke had attacked but she could do was focus on Orochimaru. Then, wihout warning, he was gone. She though about going after him but decided against it. Goiing after him would cause Sakura to panic and it would just draw unwanted attention to the entire situation. So she watched, it was all se could do. That and pray that Kakashi was prepared to defend Sasuke.

(With Kakashi)

Sasuke collapsed at his feet as the sealing proccess finished. It was a nearly hopeless case but he had to try and help his student. As he had been working on the seal he began to unnderstand what happened to Kagome. The energy radiatingfrom the mark itself was dark and evil. The moment he had touched it he had wanted to crawl out of the tunnels and hide ffor the rest of his life. In contrast Kagome's healing energy was light and calming, pure. When she had healed him it was like being bathed in liquid warmth. No doubt the dark energy had over powered her energy and had caused the damage he'd heard about. Just ass he was about to relax himself Kakashi felt an all too fan=miliar dark presence.

"Orochimaru..." He growled.

"Long time no see, Kakashi." The snake nin hissed. "I'm sorry, I'm not here to see you. I'm here for the boy behind you."

"Why are you after Sasuke?"

"THe Uchiha clan had many talents." His snake-like eyes flickered with secrecy. "It's strength was legendary and the power of the Sharingan alone makes that boy extremely valuable."

Kakashi knew tha was no lie. Sasuke was apart of a dying breed. His clan was one of few with such legendary skill and thanks to Itachi there were only very few thought of death brought another question to mind. "What about Kagome? What do you plan to do to her?"

"The girl? Hmmmm...How do I explain? Such exquisite pain. She is my etertainment, her pain...such beaty. But you wouldn't understand that would you?"

"You?" Kakashi gasped. His stomach rolled at the implications of Orochimaru's answer. He could still remember the bloody and broken girl Asuma had carried on his back into the village. The dull eyes of the girl who had been through hell for no reason. Entertainment? He remembered the light iin her eyes as she finally began healing. The girl who started to look like a girl. And he remebered the blood, the mangled bodies, and the return of dull eyes. "You killed her family. You..."

"They were never truly her family, Kakashi. I took care of those people long agao."

"Why? What did she do to you? Why did you chose her?" Kakashi demanded.

"I did not chose her. Fate chse her, Kakashi. You have no clue how important she is, the part she plays." Orochimaru explained. "Her blood, it's sweet. I've grown to love the taste."

"What are you palnning? What do you need them for?"

"I won't even begin to explain that to you, Kakashi, but he will come to me. He will come to me seeking power. A for the girl? I won't have to lay a finger on her to enjoy her pain."

"If you come near them..." He prepared to attack.

"You'll kill me? Please, do try."

With that Orochimaru vanished. All of Kakashi's bravado dimmed and died out as he picked up Sasuke and handed him over to the anbu who would be watching over him. Alone for a moment he thought about what Orochimaru had said. Kagome was important, fated for something. He wondered if she knew that about herself. Her lack of self worth told him she didn't. It didn't matter, he would protect her. That was the one thing of which he could be completely sure.

(In the Arena)

Shino had won the fight completely taking out the sound nin. The startling part was that one of his arms had been blown off. Kagome understood the cause but it still shocked her. As they carted Zaku away Hayate annouced the next match. The only one she recognizedd was Kankuro the puppet user who was with Gaara. The guy probably deserved to lode but his opponent was on Kabuto's team so the best hope was they knocked each other out. At that point Kakashi made his grand entrance next to her. She ignored him and focused on the match she could hear him calming the others. She however was not deceived. Something had happened while he was with Sasuke. He came up and rested against the railing beside her, watching her. Something had definitely happened.

There was nothing interesting about the fight. It was relatively long though. A puppet seemed like Kankuro was ganging up on his opponent. He'd already used it as a decoy to escape the first attack from his enemy. It was annoying enough that Kagome merely tuned it all out and focused on what she would do in her own match. If she held back she almost sure to lose but if she went all out her enemy would know what she could do in the next round. So if she used her twin sort blades she could use her own style of kenjutsu that would allow her to channel her ninjutsu in to her blades. It was a strong techniqe and allowed her to use her entire arsenal in the next phase. Just as she completed her plan Kankuro finished the match beating Kabuto's teammate.

"Sakura, looks like you're up." Kakashi said.

Kagome read the board. Sakura would be facing Ino. "You can beat her Sakura. You are much stronger than she is, just don't let her drag you down."

A/N: So yeah this chapter was killer. It was so much re writing that I din't get to Kagome's fight. I'm going to fast forwarrd a little next chapter to the Hyuuga fight because that leads in to Kagome's fight. After that I'd say there's maybe five more chapters in this story. Then I'm going to ove on to the sequel Her Past which will be an AU of Shippuden. After that I am considering a third part which is right now being called Her Future.

PS: Today was my 18th birthday. Yay!