She didn't remember much after she was bitten by that freak. At first, it felt like acid was being poured through her entire body, melting and dissolving her in a pool of pure agony and pain. She remembered trying to force the acid from her body, remembered digging her nails into her neck only to be stopped by someone. Strong arms had grabbed her. She remembered fighting against him. She couldn't remember who it was. The pain was too great. It took over every sense of her being. Every ounce of her control, of her awareness.

And then… Darkness…

She floated in the darkness for a long time. Every now and again she'd feel the sting of acid through her veins. But, eventually, a small light erupted in her mind. But, something felt wrong. Horribly, terribly wrong.

The light grew and grew and eventually, she realized it was fire. The flames burst into life, reaching out and touching her, kissing her skin as it danced along the ground. Then, she heard blood curling screams from thousands of different horrified lost souls. Hisako's heart lurched into her throat as the screaming grew louder, more frantic. The fire suddenly exploded in front of her and she was left standing in the middle of a very familiar courtyard.

Red snow lay tainted and stained at her feet, dead bodies scattered the once beautiful and peaceful courtyard. She turned to her right and had to watch as her best friend Sana was killed by her own mother. Watched her own mother bring a large knife down on her own daughter. Saw the blood splatter on the birthday cake and the table.

As she watched Sana fall away from the table laying dead on the ground, Hisako remembered that the cake was meant for her. This happened on the day Hisako turned six. Hisako watched with almost a detached curiosity as she watched her aunt and cousin murdered by the members of the Yami Clan, even though she wasn't there to see that happen. Then, her parents, lying dead at her feet outside of the clan's estate in a forgotten field. Then, her cousin, Takun. Dead.

For some reason, she wasn't sad watching this. She had come to terms with the destruction of her village a long time ago. Had come to terms with what had happened here around the same time that one member of the Yami Clan showed her the events in her own mind. It helped that the events that played out in front of her, weren't exactly like what had happened.

There were small differences like this was a bad replay of the day's events. Hisako wasn't there to see Aunt Ashren and Cousin Kei die. She wasn't there to see the end battle between her parents and the Koori No Oni. And yet, she sat there. Watching them die.

It still hurt, there was still a small part of her where watching this stung her very soul, but a large part of her felt numb. She wouldn't let this affect her. She has grown past this. The past could not affect her like it used to.

"Do you want power?" A masculine, evil voice that matched the man who had given her this mark asked from nowhere in particular.

Hisako's green eyes shifted up to the sky as she searched for the location of the voice. She couldn't find one.

"No." Hisako replied, her voice calm and collected, "Not from you."

No reply. Instead, the scene played out again exactly like how it did a moment before. The knife glints in the sunlight, and the screams. Fire as the buildings burned down around her and the people fled from the village only to be slaughtered. Then she watched herself kill Takun, and her sister died as well. The same events over and over and over again.

And after each time the events were done playing out, the same voice would ask the same question.

"Do you want power?"

Hisako's response was always the same.

"No. Not from you."

She lost count of how many times this happened. How many times she had to watch the Glacier Village be destroyed. Over and over and over again.

It was becoming maddening.

"Do you want power?"

"No. Not from you."

"Do you want power?"

"No. Not from you."

"Do you want power?"

Eventually, her resolve began to falter.

"No," Hisako paused, baring her teeth in rage as her hands formed fists at her sides, "Not. From. You."

But, she wasn't sure if she believed her words herself anymore.

It was another hundred times watching the destruction of the Glacier Village. Watching the bodies fall dead at her feet. Seeing the blood run through the one pure snow. Every single time the scene was done playing out, that same question. She began to question herself.

If she was stronger, if she had more power, she could have prevented this. If she could grow stronger, she could make sure nothing like this ever happened again. She could protect the people she loved. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. She heard Akio's voice so clearly in her mind her heart lurched.

No. She will not yield. She will not give into this man's crazy desire to grant her power. Whatever the Hell that means.

But, another hundred times after watching the events play out, Hisako began to believe she would lose her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she struggled with the mental strain that this was putting on her. The faces began to blur, she was becoming immune to the screams. She just wanted this to stop. She wanted to bloodshed to stop.

Her resolve weakened. Her answer went from No. To maybe. To I'll consider it. Each time she watched the events play out, her will was chipped away until she felt that there was nothing left. Nothing except to relent and accept the power he was offering.

She collapsed to her knees and sobbed. The voice returned.

"Do you want power?"

She trembled, hesitating before she could answer him.

"Yes." she replied, her voice sad, resigned as she lifted her tear stricken gaze, "Give me the power I require to protect my friends and the people I love. Give me the power I need to never go through this pain again,"

"Then I will grant you the power you seek."

She felt chakra explode from her body, a foreign dark chakra, and her eyes shot open. She saw in perfect clarity the scene before her. Neji kneeling down in front of her, blood coming from his ear. He looked disoriented and sick and Lee was stabbed with senbon needles bloodied, and beaten. And the team responsible for hurting her beloved comrades.

They would pay with their lives.

The foreign chakra surged through her body like a wonderful elixir. Her hand grasped her neck over the mark as she stood up from the tree she was resting against. She felt the power coursing through her veins and fell into the intoxicating power that it offered her with open arms. She would use this power to avenge her comrades. She would use this power to protect them.

"You'll regret hurting my comrades," she wasn't sure if she recognized her own voice.

There were no traces of herself left there. A small part of her shouted at her to reconsider, to pull back. Fight against this strange power. But, she ignored that. The power was too entrancing, too wondrous for her to cast aside. Especially in the face of a fight.

She reached one hand up, and without moving from her spot, an arm of chakra flew out from her body. A large chakra hand grasped the man's gauntlet and squeezed. Metal exploded and blood spewed from open wounds on his arm. She picked the man up by his arm using her chakra and threw him into the trees. Trees were knocked down by the sheer force of her throw, and she turned her attention to the terrified girl standing in front of them.

She took a few steps back, raising her hands innocently. But, there would be no mercy.

"Hisako! Stop this!"

Before Hisako was able to attack the girl, she felt strong arms wrap themselves around her torso, breaking through her protective barrier and pinning her arms to her sides. Hisako's guard dropped as she recognized who it was. It was Neji. His voice had somehow broken through the bloodlust and insanity she had found herself in.

She blinked her eyes widening in shock and surprise as her body shook from the adrenaline.

"Leave, now!" Neji screamed at their opponents.

"Right, we've seen all we need to see here," one of them replied.

The two remaining teammates from the enemy team disappeared into the trees to go retrieve their third teammate that Hisako had just thrown into the trees.

"Hisako, calm down! We're fine, you need to calm down!" Neji shouted, tightening his grip on Hisako as the foreign chakra began to recede back into the mark on Hisako's neck.

Hisako groaned as the chakra and all the new abilities she had woken up disappeared. Her knees gave out on her and Neji and she fell to the ground panting. Her head was resting on his chest and he refused to let her go as he stared behind them like he was prepared for another attack.

Hisako's shoulders trembled, and she turned her face into Neji sobbing uncontrollably as she gripped his grey vest in her shaking hands. She was recounting what she had done, the crimes she had committed. She had attacked those people so ruthlessly, so brutally, and she took pleasure in it. There was a large part of her, in that moment that enjoyed causing the two of them pain and suffering. In those moments, she had turned into the very monster that she was terrified of. Turned into what she hated the most.

And even though the foreign chakra had subsided, even though it was over, she could still feel that wonderful, and awful power watching her. Like it was waiting for another opportunity to break out and take control of her body again.

"I-I'm so sorry," she murmured her voice breaking with tears, "I don't know what's happening. I don't know what came over me, I'm so sorry,"

"Hisako, it wasn't your fault. I had a suspicion something like this was going to happen," Neji told her, his voice gentle.

Hisako lifted her tear stained face to Neji and saw both him and Lee giving her looks of encouragement, of compassion and she saw the blood on both of them.

"Y-you're hurt!" she exclaimed, "let me heal you!"

She raised her hands to Neji's ear, her hands glowing blue with chakra when out of nowhere, that horrible acid poured through her veins again from the mark on her neck. She screamed in agony, one hand going to grasp her neck as she doubled over in pain. Neji's hands firmly grasped her shoulders to hold her upright as Hisako withered in pain for a few more moments.

"Don't use your chakra, Hisako. It seems that mark is responding to your chakra," Neji ordered Hisako, his voice stern, "Both Lee and I can live without your healing,"

Hisako lifted her gaze, and a feeling of fear and almost worthlessness washed through her as she looked between the both of them.

"A-Alright. Let me at least help Lee with those senbon needles," Hisako replied, crawling over to Lee.

After about twenty minutes, she had removed all of the senbon needles and had wrapped Lee up in gauze.

"You're lucky those needles didn't hit anything vital. If you were any slower in dodging, you may be dead right now," Hisako told Lee with a sigh.

Her hands shook and she placed them in her lap, her gaze dropped.

"Hisako, don't worry about that! We just gotta worry about getting these exams finished!" Lee replied, giving Hisako a signature smile and thumbs up.

Hisako lifted her gaze and gave Lee a weak smile, nodding her head in agreement, "We're still going to make it on time?"

Neji was on his feet by this point, and color was starting to come back to his face again as he reached a hand out to Hisako.

"Yes, we are. We've also got both scrolls,"

Hisako took Neji's hand and let him pull her to her feet, "Then let's finish this,"

Even though they were all exhausted, they took to the trees jumping from branch to branch to get to the tower as quickly as they could. They didn't want to fall into any more traps or get into any more fights and thankfully, they were close enough to the tower that they didn't run into anyone on their way.

Once they got to the tower, they found a door to enter through and a barrier went up around the room they were in. They looked around the large room in awe. At the end of the room, a parchment on the wall read a poem.

Hisako stepped up, her gaze lifting to the parchment as she read the poem out loud,

"'If qualities of Heaven are your desire acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. If Earthly qualities are what you lack train your body and prepare to attack. When Heaven and Earth are opened together the perilous path will become righteous forever. This,'" Hisako paused, her head tilting to the side. This part of the poem was smudged, and she wasn't able to make out what the word was, "Something, 'is the secret way that guides us from this place today.'"

Lee's eyes grew big as she read the poem, "Wow! Is it a riddle of some kind?" Lee asked.

Hisako had a weak smile and looked at her bag that held the two scrolls inside of it, "I think it means we're supposed to open up the Heaven and Earth scrolls now," Hisako replied.

She took the scrolls out of her bag and handed the Earth scroll to Lee, and the Heaven scroll to Neji, "Would you two like to do the honors?"

Neji turned to Lee and stepped up to face him, "Lee, you ready?"

"Yeah! Let's do this!" Lee exclaimed.

Together, they opened up the scrolls. Black letters and symbols were drawn on the two scrolls, and at first, nothing happened. But, smoke started to wither out from the scrolls, and at the same moment, they all realized what the symbols meant.

"It's a summoning jutsu!" Neji yelled.

The boys dropped the scrolls at the same time and Neji dove for Hisako grabbing her around the waist and throwing them both back right when there was a small explosion. Lee took a few steps back, coughing from the smoke that filled the air. Hisako and Neji sat up, swiping at the smoke in front of them.

"Hello, my youthful students!"

"I recognize that voice," Hisako muttered as she and Neji stood up again.

"Guy Sensei!" Lee shouted right as his sensei became visible through the smoke.

Lee rushed to their sensei, embracing him in a tight hug.

"I did it Guy Sensei! I passed the second phase of the Chuunin exams!" Lee yelled.

Guy Sensei laughed and they both shared a student sensei moment together cheering and making merry. Of course, Neji and Hisako stood back watching the spectacle.

"Um, Guy Sensei, why did you come out of a summoning scroll?" Hisako asked, breaking their moment.

"Oh right!" Guy Sensei paused, clearing his throat as he turned to face his entire team, "At the end of the second exams, we Chuunin and Jonin are to be the messengers for you to congratulate you for passing the second exams!"

"I see. So if we would have opened up the scrolls in the middle of the exams, you would have knocked us out. That's why we weren't allowed to open the scrolls in the middle of the exams," Neji said quietly.

Guy Sensei rubbed the back of his head, "Ah. Observant as ever, Neji. Yes. One of the tasks of this exam is to test how well you can see a difficult mission through to the end."

"Guy Sensei, the parchment on the wall, do you know what the missing word is? I'm curious," Hisako added on, ignoring the whole opening the scrolls thing.

It wasn't like that mattered to them anyways. They didn't even come close to opening the scrolls.

"Yeah, that's another part of my job here. I'm supposed to explain that parchment to you," Guy Sensei said, looking up at the old parchment on the wall, "Those are instructions that Lord Hokage recorded as principles that Chuunin should follow,"

"Wow! So cool Sensei!" Lee shouted.

"Yes, it is cool, Lee! Now, pay attention!"

"Yes, Sensei!"

"Heaven stands for your mind and earth for your body. Make sense?" Guy Sensei said.

"Oh, so if you lack intellect, then you need to gather intelligence and wisdom. You need to train your mind. But, if you lack earthly qualities, then you have to prepare your body. If your mind and body are in sync, if they're working together, then you'll be a stronger, better Shinobi," Hisako finished for Guy Sensei.

She turned her green eyes to the parchment, newfound respect and appreciation were growing inside her for those words written on there.

"But, I still don't understand that missing word,"

"That's for you to fill in," Guy Sensei replied, giving Hisako a thumbs up.

"Me?" Hisako asked tilting her head to the side.

"Hm hm," Guy Sensei replied nodding his head, "The second exams are meant to test your skills as a Chuunin, to see if you were all ready. And, I have to say! The fact that you three made it here, means you're ready! A Chuunin is a leader, a guide. It's Chuunin's responsibility to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of those serving under him and to know what those ninjas are going to need in order to succeed on a mission. You three all worked together as a team and succeeded. I'm so proud of you!"

"Guy Sensei!" Lee had tears of joy streaming down his face, and a pad of paper and pen were in his hands as he was writing down what Guy Sensei was telling them.

"When did he get the pad?" Hisako muttered as she watched the student and teacher embrace each other again.

Hisako let out a sigh, and her gaze dropped. She felt pretty useless. She wasn't even conscious for the majority of this exam! She had to rely on Neji and Lee the entire time! She didn't feel like she deserved to have passed these exams. Not like how it happened.

"Hisako," Neji asked, his voice quiet as he rested a firm hand on her shoulder.

Hisako fought against the angry tears that pressed behind her eyes as her hand went up to grasp her neck tightly where the mark resided, "I-It's nothing," Hisako whispered in response, her chin trembling.

Guy Sensei, noticed this and turned around facing Neji and Hisako.

"Hisako, let me see your neck," Guy Sensei ordered as he knelt down in front of Hisako.

Hisako let her hand drop and she didn't meet Guy Sensei's gaze as he stared at the mark on her neck.

"So Orochimaru got you, huh?" Guy Sensei muttered stepping back.

A tear slipped down Hisako's cheek and she angrily wiped it away, "Because of it, I was completely useless during the exams Sensei!" Hisako exclaimed, "I was unconscious for most of it I-"

"Lee and Neji did exactly what they were supposed to do. They protected you, and filled in for you when you were down. There is nothing to be ashamed of. You pass or fail as a team. Just because you were unable to fight, or assist, does not mean you were useless. Orochimaru was never meant to be in these exams. What happened to you was never meant to happen," Guy Sensei said his voice firm and it seemed to ground Hisako despite her chaotic emotions, "Hisako, I'm just glad you're alive. That curse mark has a nine out of ten chance of it killing its host after it is applied. You've made it through the worst of it, but you're not out of the woods yet. Heed my warning, you must not use your chakra. Not until that mark can be sealed away. Is that understood?"

Hisako's eyes widened in panic as she lifted her gaze to her Sensei. Her hands trembled in fear at his warning. Neji had said something similar out in the Forest of Death. He said it seemed like the mark was responding to her chakra. But, how was she to proceed in this without the use of her chakra?

"I understand, Sensei," Hisako replied, her body trembling in fear.

"Good, now there are rooms set for the teams who came to the tower before the five days were up, and a shared cafeteria. Go get some good food, and rest up my youthful team!" Guy Sensei ordered, taking a step back from his team.

"Right, Guy Sensei!" Lee shouted already marching towards the nearest door.

"Uh, Lee, the cafeteria is that way," Guy Sensei corrected pointing to a door in the opposite direction where Lee was headed.

"Oh, right! Understood," Lee replied, turning on his heel to walk in the other direction like it was totally natural.

Lee's good hearted nature somehow brought a smile to Hisako's face even though she was internally freaking out. She hesitated, but she noticed Neji stayed back with her.

"Hisako, be honest with me," Neji whispered, his voice low enough so no one could overhear them.

Hisako turned her attention to Neji, his gaze was on her, and for a moment, it felt like the entire world faded away until it was just them two, "What is it?" Hisako asked.

"Do you think you can continue? And don't say yes just to please Lee and Guy Sensei. What happened in the Forest of Death, and the fact that you can't use your chakra, isn't a light issue. If you say no, we can pull out now, and try again next time,"

Hisako froze at his words and her hands started trembling again. She brought her hands up, grasping her necklace as she fought against the angry tears. She couldn't lie to him. She's tried to lie to him before, but he's always seen through her lies. His eyes, the Hyuga can tell when people lie. He was like a walking lie detector. And he knew Hisako well enough that he didn't even need his Byakugan active to know when she was lying.

"I can't lie to you," Hisako began, her voice breaking, "I'm terrified. I rely on my chakra a lot. On my ninjutsu. I'm not as strong in taijutsu, and I'm not sure how I'm going to continue in the Chuunin Exams without my chakra. But, I have to. And it's not because of them, it's for me. I have to see what's coming. If we drop out now, I don't know if I could forgive myself. When the time comes, if I decide I need to drop out, I will. But I don't want to do it during a time when we'll all have to drop out. I'm scared,"

"Hisako,"

Hisako raised her head to Neji and she was taken aback by the softness in his tone, by how gentle his voice was.

"Whatever happens, I'll do what I can to protect you. But, know that you are proficient in taijutsu. You can hold your own. Even without ninjutsu or genjutsu. You are a member of Team Guy after all. Also know, if you do decide to drop out, you'll have my support. I don't know why Orochimaru targeted you, but it isn't for anything good. And that mark on your neck isn't something to mess with. Don't push yourself. We'll figure this out but we have to tread carefully,"

Hisako gave Neji a weak smile and nodded her head in agreement.

"Come on, I'm sure you're hungry, you haven't eaten in a few days," Neji said, walking in the direction of the cafeteria.

A few minutes later, they found themselves in a small cafeteria. There was a line of counters that had food on it with a single lunch lady at the station. Team Guy was the only team in the cafeteria at this moment. They formed a small line and Lee gratefully thanked the cafeteria lady as she scooped some odd looking brown stuff on top of a bed of rice on a plate for him that smelled strongly of curry and other herbs.

Hisako couldn't hold back a grimace as she got a scoop of that brown sludge on her plate and followed Lee to one of the five empty tables. Each table had three chairs around it like they were set up for the teams of three that would be passing.

"Spend a few days surviving the Forest of Death and pass. You'd think we'd get better food then… This… Can it even be considered food?" Hisako grumbled as she sat down with her team picking up a spoon to move the food around on her plate.

Sure, she hasn't eaten in days but did she really want to test if this was edible? Her stomach growled in protest and a splash of food splattered on her tray.

"Hey! Lee! Watch it!" Hisako complained, moving her tray away from Lee as he dug into the food like a starved animal.

"Sorry, Hisako! It's just so good! After days of eating bugs and plants, this is a great change! The flavor is outstanding!" Lee exclaimed through mouthfuls of the food.

Neji grimaced beside Hisako as he looked down at his food, "It hardly looks like it could pass as a meal,"

"Am I really going to test my luck?" Hisako muttered to herself as she picked up a spoonful of the food.

Either this food really was edible, or Lee's stomach was made out of iron like the rest of his rock hard body. Hisako was about to find out.