This is the last chapter of the preliminary rounds! I'm glad that this is over, hahaha! I hope you enjoyed my story. This is chapter 14! Enjoy!

Chapter 14 Failure

I hope that Lee would be okay, Gaara is not an easy opponent. I sighed, actually I didn't want to see this match. I walked to the wall and was sitting against it. The results are all clear…

Lee jumped over the railing and landed on the battle field. Although I didn't want to see the match, I could seen them. I put my arms around my knees and was leaning with my chin on my knees and was watching how this would be ending.

I saw that Gaara shoot his cork with sand to him, and with surprise Lee catch it.

" Don't get so hasty." Lee dropped the cork. When they have the permission to fight, lee ran up to Gaara, but he was blocked with sand. The sand spread out and wanted to grab Lee, but luckily he dodged it. the sand got back in the gourd. Then Lee tries again to attack Gaara but it was blocked again by sand. Although was Lee's attacks blocked by sand he still tried to hit him, even with his kunai.

It's useless… No one has ever touched Gaara… So Lee has no chance to win.

" Is that it. Let me enjoy this a little more…There isn't enough… Blood!" I sighed, I hope that Lee would be okay. The sand was going to Lee again. Lee jumped to dodge it but the sand grabbed his foot and smashed him against the wall. Lee! I stood up and ran up to the railing. They must stop this fight! Lee wouldn't survive this!

" Baki-sensei!" I looked worried at him, he immediately understand what I mean but unfortunately he shook his head.

" But!" I got almost tears in my eyes.

" Sorry Asuka, there is nothing we could stop this fight now… They are just fighting now."

" But you know how Gaara is! He wouldn't survive this." I clenched my fists and Temari tries to calm me down, I released myself from her and was watching the fight again. This is wrong! If they just knew how Gaara is…

Lee tried again to hit him but was blocked again by sand. " Lee-san…" I whispered. Why is Gaara like this?! What in the world has happened in the past! I clenched my hands around the railing and watched further. I saw that Lee felt on the ground because of the sand and was going to attack him. but he dodge it and landed on the statue. I saw that Gaara was not very happy.

" Lee take them off!" Screamed his sensei.

" But, Gai-sensei, I thought that was only permitted when protecting many important people."

" I don't care! I will allow it!" He pointed his thumb to Lee and was curious what would happen now. Then I saw he had weights on his legs. Wait… Weights? Why weights? Lee took them off and let it drop. When they reached the ground a big explosion came free. Nani?! How much weight those things!

" Go Lee!" With that Lee disappeared. I saw that Gaara was surprised with that. Suddenly was Lee hitting Gaara, and he almost hit him! the sand couldn't catch up with the speed of Lee! This is insane! Then he kicked Gaara in the face!

" He had touched Gaara!" I was amazed. No one has ever touched Gaara… Well I had touched Gaara when we had that mission but this is different! He had hurt Gaara! Then he ran up to Gaara again. But Gaara wanted to defend himself with his sand but Lee got behind him and kicked him full in the face… I was wrong… Lee is strong… Gaara… Gaara landed on the ground. But this is actually nothing for Gaara… I could sense his bloodlust. His face is crumbling… Oh god this is bad. Then he restrained his sand armor.

" Is that all you've got?" Asked Gaara. Then Lee loosened some of his bandages around his hand. What is he going to do now? With full speed he ran around Gaara, you couldn't even seen him. Then Lee kicked him from below in the air and repeated it several times.

" Gaara!" Nani?! Lee is the first person who's ever hurt Gaara and even could kick him. The sand tried to keep up with Gaara but it failed. After some kicks he wrapped some bandages around Gaara and whirled himself and Gaara to the ground.

" Gaara!" Please let him be alive! I saw him laying on the ground. No way!

Then the whole body of Gaara was crumbling. Huh where is he?! I looked around and saw him behind Lee. But something was off… I didn't know what, but Gaara was not the same. He attacked Lee with his sand and hit him. Lee had difficulties with standing up. But he got hit several times of Gaara's sand. Gaara…

Lee did his best to dodge the sand, but I saw he was exhausted. I sighed deep and leaned again on the railing. Lee got attacked several times, but he keep still standing. Why isn't he stopping this fight… I looked over at the other side of the battlefield. Why is his sensei doing nothing… He may be strong… But he can't win this fight against Gaara.

When Gaara wanted to attack Lee again, he dodged it with fast movements. Gaara began to attack him again but Lee dodged it again. I hope this fight would be over soon. Then Lee is going to do something… His body turned red! What kind of power is that?! He kicked Gaara full in the face with inhuman speed.

"Gaara!" Lee is incredible! He kicked Gaara several times and his armor is crumbling from his body… Gaara…Gaara…Gaara…Gaara! Gaara! His sand can't keep it up with the movements of Lee. With the last punch he kicked Gaara in the ground.

" GAARA!" I closed my eyes shut… I didn't dare to look. I opened one eye and saw that he was still alive. " Gaara!" He had survived this. Wait… what is he going to do? The sand were going to Lee and grabbed his arm and leg and crushed it with his sand! I covered my mouth with my hands. Lee-san! But before Gaara could kill Lee his sensei step in to stop the sand. I sighed and landed on my knees. What a fight… I'm glad that it is over… But then when Gaara wanted to get back, lee stands up his left arm and leg were covered with blood. He is all beaten up… I knew that Gaara would win. I saw that, that pink hair girl wanted to get down but was stopped by her sensei, than Naruto got down and ran past Gaara. They gave each other a glare but Naruto went further and ran to Lee. Some minutes later Lee got carried away. Gaara was with us again, he looked at me but I didn't dare to look at him, even I was scared to lose him… But it would be weird to hug him here, and he would never accept it in a time like this. I looked again at the screen waiting for my name. It is this next fight or the next. I never had imagined that these fights will turned out like this… It would be more harder then I first thought it would be.

I hold the railing tight and clenched my teeth's.

" Let's begin with the tenth match. Akimichi Chouji VS Dosu Kinuta. Fighters, step forward." So I must against Michi! I looked at her and she smiled at me, I smiled back and watch the tenth match.

I'm curious how this would turn out. Oh okay, you may not call him fat… But he looks very fat… that guy uses a jutsu that he turned out like a giant ball and roll up to that sound ninja guy. The sound ninja guy dodged everything, when that other guy crashed against the wall. The sound ninja slammed his hand in that fat guy. And uses a jutsu what defeated the fat guy…

" Nani?! Is that a fight?! I couldn't call that as a fight!" I talked to myself.

" Asuka, it is now your turn. Do your best!" I looked over at Temari and gave her a smile and nodded to her. I jumped over the railing and was facing Michi.

" Let's the eleventh match begin! Michi VS Asuka!"

"Michi! Don't lose from her! I know you can win!" Man, that guy is as loud as ever…

" Don't worry Naruto-kun! I won't lose!" She looked back at me, and I could see that something was different about her. I also could sense something evil… What is this?

" Well, Asuka-chan… I had never imagined that we would fight each other. But I will warn you. I have never lose to someone." She gave me a smile, but not a smile she always give me, this one is evil.

" We shall see! I'm not going to lose either!" I want to know what is wrong with her now. She is acting strange… When we got the permission to fight, she ran up to me and tried to grab me. I dodge her and keep some distance. I grabbed some kunai's and let them covered with lightning and threw with full force at her. I had hope that it would hit her, but then she got suddenly a Katana. How?! I had never saw her with a sword on her back or at her hip.

" What's wrong Asuka-chan? Are you afraid?" She licked her lips and ran up to me.

" Tsch… Afraid? No way!" I also ran up to her and saw that she want to cut me with her sword, I dodge it and tried to hit her with my thunder punch. But she dodge it fast and kicked me in the stomach and landed several meters away of her and hit the ground.

" Aaaaaah…" I got up again and did my hand signs. " Lightning Needles Jutsu!" I fired my needles but she blocked it with her sword. " Damnit!"

" Asuka-chan… Is this all what you have got?" She ran again up to me and kicked me several times, I blocked them and tried to kick and hit her.

" Michi! What is wrong with you?! Why are acting like this?!" I grabbed her arm and kicked her to the wall.

" Aaaah!" I took some distance and watched her carefully. I began to pant and was thinking what I would do next. Damn… She is strong… I concentrated and closed my eyes. Then I had it, I opened my eyes and did again some hand signs.

" Lightning Dragon Jutsu!" There was a dragon of lightning and went to Michi, she wasn't fast enough to dodge it and it hit her.

" Aaaaaah!" She fell on the ground, but I keep my distance. Then she stood up again and was just laughing.

" You think you can defeat someone like me Asuka?! Have you ever heard of assassins."

" Assassins? You are an assassin? On that age?!" I was shocked… Is it maybe that she would turn into somebody else when she fights?

" Yes, but I'm just like this because I got fired up from the fights before. I want to see some blood…" She is just like Gaara! And I must fight her! I was stunned and wasn't focused enough and got stabbed by her. I was shocked, I could feel the blood draining out of my body.

" My oh my." She gave me an evil laugh but let her sword inside of me.

" If you think that you had won already, then you are wrong. I grabbed her sword and blood was also falling from my hands and put her sword out of me and held my stomach. I tried to get some distance, but she too fast and kicked me to the ground. I coughed some blood and held my stomach tighter. I tried to get up but I failed. Why am I so weak, I wanted let Gaara knew how strong I could be, so that he would maybe train with me… But I have failed with that, I am no match for Michi. I felt my tears running down my cheeks.

" Asuka! Are you going to lose?!" I looked up and saw Gaara looking angry at me… " If you dare to lose Asuka! You know what I would do! So get up and fight her!" When he said that I got more tears but I tried again to stand up, and gave Michi a glare. It is just the fight that she is that strong, I don't know from which family or clan she is. But it seems dangerous. I tried to heal my wounds to let it stop with bleeding. It worked and ran up to her, and tried to hit her, but she blocked it every time and hit me right in my face and fell on the ground. I wiped some blood from my mouth and got up again.

" I'm not going to lose from you Michi! You may be an assassin but that wouldn't change that I could win of you!" I did some hand signs and did the Lightning Dragon Jutsu again, but she dodge it. Then she did some hand signs.

" Snow Dance Jutsu!" I got surrounded by snow and got hit several times. I got cuts was kicked out of the snow storm and crashed against the wall.

" Asuka!" I heard Temari screaming, and tried to get up again. I'm not going to lose! I got up again and blood was running from my arms, mouth and one leg. I walked back to her, and she was surprised that I was still standing.

" Well, well Asuka-chan. You are very stubborn… Hihi but no matter how hard you try you would never win of me. Accept your defeat!"

" Shut up!" She was shocked when I said that. " I don't know what is wrong with you know, but this is not the Michi that I know! The Michi that I knew is nice and a happy person. But you, are nothing compared with that!" I did quick some hand signs and concentrated on my lightning, I was covered with my own jutsu and ran up to her. I saw she did again those hand signs for her snow Dance Jutsu. I tried to run through that jutsu of her, but it was hard to do. But when I was almost to reach her she did some ice jutsu and was stabbed with many needles of ice. The snow storm vanished, and I had not strength to keep standing and collapsed on the ground.

" I have lost…" I got again tears in my eyes and didn't dare to look at my teammates. I have failed… I have failed to show Gaara that I'm strong…

" The winner of the last battle is Michi!" Hayate announced.

" Yeah Michi you have won!" I heard the blonde boy screaming again. I'm… A… Failure...

" Asuka!" I could hear Temari and could feel her that she was sitting on her knees next to me. I had closed my eyes, because I didn't had the strength to keep them open, but I was aware what was happening around me. I heard some people from the medical team and carried me away. Then it went all black.

The preliminary rounds are done! I hope that everything would be okay with Asuka. And if you are confused about Michi later in the chapter it would be all clear why she was like that. I hope you like my story! Please review! ^_^ Let me know what you think about my story :)