Hey, hey!

We're back to the Chunin exams. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

"Are you nervous?"

Hinata looked over at Neji as the two stood in the tunnel waiting for her to be announced so she could enter the stadium. Neji stood by her side, still serving as an assistant for the exams. She looked down at her feet as she answered him. "No. Not really. Maybe a little I suppose."

Neji folded his arms as he looked at Hinata. "You shouldn't be nervous. You're going against a guy with puppets."

Hinata looked at Neji strangely. She didn't know if he was trying to make her laugh or not, but it did bring a smile to her face that she tried to cover. Neji outright smiled at this as he looked through the tunnel to the arena. "It's good to be nervous. You won't be too cocky and misjudge your opponent."

Hinata nodded her head in agreement and Neji looked back at her. "How's the dark chakra?" Hinata started to stretch as the two continued to wait. "It could be better, but it will get me through the exams."

Neji smirked at this, "That is what you are hoping for." Again Hinata nodded her head in agreement. She knew Neji couldn't go five minutes without picking at her. It was truly in his nature.

Neji rolled his eyes because he could tell there was something Hinata wanted to say. "Out with it Hinata."

She looked at him for a moment before she pushed herself to bring up the topic. "Do you think if I took the caged bird seal. Stayed in the position that I am in and let Hanabi take the true role of heir. That I could trust that Hanabi would abolish the caged bird seal before I am branded? That she would eliminate the structure of the main and branch family? That she'll change everything Neji. Do you think she would do that?"

Neji looked at Hinata with amusement dancing across his features. He looked impressed. "When did you decide to think like a leader?" Hinata frowned at this. "You don't think she will. Do you?"

Neji looked back out the tunnel and leaned against the wall. "Look. Our world. The world me and you created has been geared towards keeping the purity of Hanabi. She deserves it. Right. I get it. In all retrospect. That was a childish dream. Even one your father clings on to for Hanabi. I've gotten older now. I just turned 17 in July, next year I will be 18. Last December you turned 14, you'll be 15 this year in a few months. Then what? I don't know about you, but I want a family. I want a wife. Do I trust that Hanabi would do what you would do? Simply put. No."

Hinata paused as she looked at Neji stunned, but he continued to speak. "You'll be 15 at the end of the year. That's young, but not to clan politics. They'll start sending you suitors. Your father will start entertaining them sooner or later. My prediction is he'll start setting you up some time next year, whether or not you make Jonin. You see this Hinata. You know this. Now you're starting to think. You want to protect Hanabi, but the question is if Hanabi has the same mindset and intentions right now for us. What do you think Hinata? Do you agree with me?"

It was a rhetorical question that both Neji and Hinata knew the answer to. Neji looked over at Hinata and shrugged his shoulders. "Well. It's just me and you here. What do you have planned?"

Hinata furrowed her brows together in thought. "Father tried to abolish the seal before. From what I was told he got a lot of push back and ultimately he failed. What if I gave the right amount of push back. I could change things. All I would have to do is challenge Hanabi and get the title back. Right?"

Neji continued to survey Hinata as he leaned against the wall. He listened to every detail and thought of the probability. "Okay. You challenge Hanabi. They give you the title back. Hanabi will be next in line to be sealed. I know the story of your father and I know he pushed to make it so my father wasn't sealed. He failed. Not because there wasn't fear of your father. We all know he is the strongest in the clan. He failed because they threatened him with a civil war. That would be the fall of the Hyuga clan Hinata. At the end of the day, they want the seal. Your father couldn't kill off half the clan just to get what he wanted. We aren't Uchiha's."

Hinata looked at Neji and frowned at him. That was unnecessary. "How is what our clan is doing anymore civilized?" Neji pushed himself from the wall and stood in front of Hinata. His arms still crossed over his chest.

"Think about it Hinata. Use your head. Do you really believe your family from the main house believes Hanabi is stronger than you? Your father knows better. He knows who's the strongest. You can beat Hanabi both mentally and physically. You oppose the main family. How you think. How you carry yourself. They say it screams weakness when in reality it screams defiance. They see you'll change the family. You and your father together would be a force. I just don't understand what your father's end goal with all of this is."

Hinata straightened up as her and Neji looked at one another face to face. "My title. It's not stripped is it?" Neji shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "By mouth it is. On legal documents, you're still the heir. Like I said, I don't know what your father has planned. Maybe mentally torturing you is his pleasure."

Neji tilted his head in thought. An idea came to his mind, "He's been mentioning your lack of family orientation lately. Maybe…he's waiting for you to need him. He needs you right now because you will back up his views, I'm sure he hates that he needs you. He's stalling it out. Waiting for you to need him."

Hinata looked off in thought. "The dark chakra from Orochimaru?" Neji shook his head. "No. This is something that he'll have to cover up when he finds out about it, but more so to save himself the shame more than you. No, you just haven't messed up major enough yet. He's waiting. That's all and when you need him. He'll be there with the offer to work under him."

Neji frowned as he looked at Hinata. She used to be so innocent like Hanabi. That was until their family got ahold of her and ruined her. "I watch your father all the time. He'll keep pushing you to the edge Hinata. So he can get what he wants. Maybe it's parental guidance or maybe it's because he's a controlling sick man. Be careful."

Hinata nodded her head in understanding. Both Hyuga's turned their head to the tunnel when they heard Hinata's name being called. Neji turned back and looked at Hinata. "Make it quick." Hinata looked back at Neji and smiled. "I'll do my best nii-san."

Naruto watched Hinata exit out the tunnel and could see Neji standing there at the end of the breezeway. He frowned as he watched Neji. Was he standing there this whole time talking to Hinata? "What do you think that was about?"

Sasuke followed Naruto's eyes and saw Neji. "Her father. Going back to the Hyuga clan. Don't worry about it." Naruto looked at Sasuke like he was talking crazy. "There is nothing we can do about it. We're leaving after the exams remember?" Naruto grumbled at this and watched as Hinata and Kankuro walked towards one another in the stadium.

Hinata watched the young puppet master as he looked at her with a smug look. "You sure you're ready to fight someone that's not gonna forfeit? Hn. You're not that pretty, I don't understand why my brother fixates on you."

Hinata didn't react to the picking and looked at the proctor. Waiting for the exams to begin. The proctor responded with a sharp head nod, "Alright. Let's get this match started. You may begin." Hinata looked at Kankuro before bowing to him, which he just snarled off.

When Hinata raised her head her Byakugan was activated and she gave Kankuro a menacing look.

Up in the stands Tsunade sat next to Naruto and Kakashi. She elbowed the blonde beside her roughly and grinned. "Look at that confidence in her eyes. Such spunk! Such precision! I'll make a women of her yet!"

Naruto grumbled at Tsunade because she kept elbowing him. However after a few more elbows and seeing her excitement growing, he finally started to grin at her silliness. "Hinata does look like a firecracker." Tsunade turned to Naruto and gave an ear-splitting grin as she wrapped an arm around him. "That's the spirt!"

Sasuke and Kakashi had a more reserved, impressed expression. They both had their arms folded over their chest and looked down as Hinata fought. Kakashi nodded his head as he watched Hinata combat with Kankuro hand to hand. "They're both reading each other out right now. As a puppeteer this isn't his primary skillset. He still has a trick up his sleeve."

Sasuke continued to study Hinata. She did hold more confidence. She was a completely different person than she was when he first was placed on team seven with her. Still the reserved one out their class. Someone that rather be a wallflower instead of the being in the spotlight. He liked that about Hinata though.

You easily misjudged her because of how reserved she was. Hinata appeared weak and sometimes you could get over on her the first try, but once she got serious. Hinata was a different person. That excited him. "If you stare at her any harder, your Sharingan is going to activate."

Sasuke blinked back to reality and looked at Kakashi. Was he zoned out that much?

Kakashi chuckled at the love sick puppy Sasuke had become. He noticed Sasuke was only like this with Hinata and Naruto. Typically in all honesty…Sasuke was a douche. Rude. Short worded. He came off very standoffish. A complete asshole. Sasuke was a determined kid that had his eyes on the prize, which was his brother Itachi.

So, Sasuke didn't care about a lot of emotional connections. Except for the one he shared with Naruto and Hinata. It was interesting for Kakashi to see Sasuke come out his shell and kind of take Naruto and Hinata under his wing. Naruto mellowed out a lot more when Hinata and Sasuke were around. Especially since he didn't feel the need to one up Sasuke anymore.

Having Hinata on team seven was a humbling experience for Sasuke. Not because Hinata was a threat or stronger than him, but because she showed Sasuke he wasn't special. Hinata could have cared less about the infamous 'last Uchiha', his boyish charm or 'mysterious' persona. Kakashi believes that put a major ding in Sasuke's pride.

Maybe not in the beginning either. Sasuke was someone that liked his quiet and distance from people. However, Sasuke noticed things silently. So, over time, being casted out unintentionally by Hinata and Naruto had started to get under Sasuke's skin.

Working with people every day for hours a day and they just axed you out like you were toxic. It would get to anyone really. It would make a person start to questions themselves. It made Sasuke curious about this girl that was the only female he came across that didn't pay him attention.

Kakashi didn't miss the jabs Sasuke would take on Hinata either. To break her down because she ignored him. A childish way of getting a girls attention and a 13-year-old teenage Sasuke was doing it.

Seeing that Hinata had majority of her attention wrapped up in Naruto made Sasuke curious about Naruto. What made the dead last so special? Why were these two people not astonished by his talent? Slowly but surely Kakashi watched this eat Sasuke away until finally he lowered his defenses enough to explore Naruto and Hinata.

The rest was history after that.

Speaking of history. A lot of that was changing now too, the cold Uchiha was warming up to people.

Kakashi just wished he could say the same for Naruto and Hinata. They were his true concerns now. With the right intervention Sasuke could be helped. Steered into the right direction. Naruto? Too much damage was done to him. Damage that Naruto wouldn't share. Darkness that he didn't want anyone to see. Not even Sasuke or Hinata.

Hinata was just dark to the core. Not because she was evil. Just because Hinata couldn't find her happiness. Kakashi has never seen Hinata just happy or at least in a non-depressive mood for a whole day. It wasn't in her. Every day she found a way to be in a dark place in her head.

Hinata was being pulled in all sorts of directions. Her father. Her sister. Her family. Her teammates. Her sensei's. Everyone expected and wanted something from Hinata. Ultimately Kakashi feared she would crack. Possibly relapse. Or worse. Fall into the hands of Hiashi Hyuga and be lost in her darkness forever.

Hiashi created this darkness in Hinata. Orochimaru just awakened it. Kakashi hated both men.

Kakashi watched the battle continue. Kankuro has resorted to using his puppet, but couldn't successfully switch between the two, as Hinata would spot it every time he tried.

Kakashi leaned back as he watched. This sand kid was going to resort to something.

Just like that Kakuro's puppet released poison and it was in the close vicinity of Hinata. Naruto leaned against the railing and a smile covered his face as Hinata quickly did rotation to clear the area and make a successful barrier around her. "Fuck yeah! You go Princess!"

Tsunade looked at Naruto and could see the excitement in his eyes. How proud he was of Hinata. She could even see the complete affection he had for her. He was genuinely happy just to see her excel. Tsunade could see that he loved the girl. Everything about her.

She remembered when she used to look at her lover like that. Hell even though he wasn't her lover, she remembered when her brother looked at her like that. With admiration and love.

She wanted to tell Naruto all these emotions he was feeling towards someone would soon be destroyed. He'd end up hurt, but instead she smiled at Naruto. Just because her past life was utter shit and a depression roller coaster. Did not mean the future generation had to endure what she did.

Maybe this future generation was the key to less evil and bloodshed in the world?

Tsunade turned back to the battle and watched as Hinata had finally made close proximity to Kankuro and proceeded to obliterated his chakra points. She was hitting him hard and surely even if he did have any more tricks up his sleeve, he'd be too immobile to move.

The stadium grew quiet as Hinata turned from Kankuro and looked at his puppet. She looked back at the proctor who was looking at the immobile sand-nin. They would need a stretcher for him.

"Should I destroy the puppet to ensure I am the winner?" The proctor blinked before looking at Hinata. "Hmm? No. That's not necessary. Leave the guys puppets alone. The winner of this battle is Hyuga Hinata!"

Hinata gave a polite bow to Kankuro, who was knocked out. She looked around the stadium and immediately locked eyes with her sister Hanabi. She smiled at her and felt warmth in her chest as Hanabi smiled back at her and waved. Hinata's eyes then migrated over to their father.

Hiashi looked indifferent to the victory. Not really impressed in the slightest. The smile that was on Hinata's face vanished immediately and she looked over at Neji who was waiting for her at the tunnels entrance. When Hinata made it over to Neji, he smirked. "Not bad. Took you long enough."

Hinata placed her hands behind her back bashfully and walked with Neji to the stands. She bypassed her father, intending on just walking to her teammates. However, her father called out to her. "Hinata."

Naruto watched as Hinata closed her eyes at hearing her father call her name. She stopped with Neji and the two Hyuga's turned around in the appropriate manner to greet Hiashi. "Father." Hinata bowed and looked at him. Her father always had a cold aura about him. He never looked satisfied with Hinata, no matter how well she did.

"Should this go in your favor and you are granted the appointment of Chunin. There will be a meeting back at the compound in regards to you and your sister. You will be there." Hinata nodded her head in agreement, "Yes father. Of course."

Hiashi raised an amused brow at Hinata and Neji felt a chill run up his spine. Something just wasn't right. His uncle was toying with Hinata.

Hiashi looked up the stands and looked Kakashi directly in the eye. Like he was telling Kakashi that he lost. Hiashi looked back at Hinata and his face morphed back to blankness. "Very well." Hiashi dismissed Neji and Hinata and when Hinata turned around and started to walk towards her teammates again. Hiashi called out. "Let's see if you're going to keep your promise to your sister, Hinata."

It was like Hiashi knew. Seeing Hinata and Neji communicate again. Hiashi knew Hinata was starting to think differently.

Hinata's eyes widened slightly before she kept walking up the stands. She had to remind herself that her father was just picking with her. It was just another mind game. That's all he was doing.

When Hinata made it to team seven, she opted to sit at the end near Naruto. Both Naruto and Sasuke's eyes watched as Neji sat beside her as well. Sasuke frowned at this. Shouldn't he be helping with the exams like he said was his JOB.

Crap. Now Naruto was rubbing off on him.

Despite Neji's presence, Naruto still wrapped an arm around Hinata and smiled. "You did so good Hinata! I'm so freaking proud of you! Whatever he threw at you, you handled it like a freaking champ!" Hinata blushed at the affection, but still softly smiled at Naruto. "Thank you. I tried my best."

The exaggerated hug from Naruto gave him an opportunity to pull Hinata close to him so he could whisper in her ear. "Don't let your dad get to you. You were amazing Hinata and whatever he throws your way, I know you can handle it."

Naruto felt Hinata lean into his hold and her smile became more sincere. He returned the smile and the two reclined to watch the next match. It was Shikamaru battling a ninja from sound village.

Sasuke looked over at the two and saw Naruto absentmindedly playing with the back of Hinata's short hair as the two watched the exams. If he was a pouter, this would be the perfect time to do it because they left him alone. Even Neji was sitting beside Hinata.

Granted this was because Sasuke was in the middle of Kakashi and Tsunade. So technically Sasuke left Naruto at the end alone, but Sasuke didn't see it that way.

Sasuke leaned back to watch the rest of the battle. He sighed to himself and looked around the stadium. Watching another Konoha-nin battle was informational, but not something Sasuke would pay all his attention to. His eyes would scan around, but ultimately, much to his frustration, would land back on Naruto and Hinata.

On the third time of him trying not to do it, but failing, Sasuke saw Naruto and Hinata looking at him. Neji had left, probably went back to his duties, and there was a space next to Hinata for him. Sasuke silently stood up and made his way over to the two. He silently sat down next to them and it didn't take long for him to give them a look that said he was annoyed with them.

Hinata blushed under Sasuke's glare, but Naruto just smirked. Jealousy looked good of Sasuke. Every chance Naruto had he liked to make Sasuke jealous. Mainly because Sasuke wasn't vocal about it, he just silently cooked himself with frustration. It was amusing for Naruto to watch. Meanwhile Hinata was too shy to publicly fix the issue. Both Sasuke and Hinata were too shy. It was funny.

Sasuke leaned over and whispered in Hinata's ear and she immediately started to pick with her fingers. Sasuke was being inappropriate right now. Saying very naughty words that he knew Hinata didn't mind hearing in private, but wanted to keep private. Purposely doing this with her father not too far away.

When Sasuke had his silent revenge and had flustered Hinata to no end, he sat back in his seat much more relaxed and able to focus on watching the fight.

The rest of the fight went off smoothing. Naruto didn't expect anything less from Shikamaru and wasn't shocked that Shikamaru pulled out a win in the laziest way possible. The proctor went on to announce Shikamaru the winner and said that the next in line to fight was Temari and Sasuke. Naruto looked over at Sasuke and smiled. "Try not to get demolished teme."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he looked at Naruto, but still took heed to the warning. They all came too far to fall victim to being too cocky.

Hinata smiled at Sasuke as he jumped down the stands and into the arena. "I hope he does his best. I hope they both do their best." Naruto grunted in agreement, but his eyes gravitated from Sasuke over to where the other sand-nin was sitting. He ended up locking eyes with Gaara. "I wonder if he's going to try to procrastinate the fight, or go all in?"

Hinata followed Naruto's eyesight along with Tsunade. They all looked at Gaara and Tsunade gave a look that said she was weirded out. "That kid has some serious problems with him. He looks psychotic."

Naruto continued to look at Gaara, "I guess…some of us are better at hiding it than others." Tsunade snapped her head back over to Naruto, but he was still looking at Gaara. It was like the two couldn't stop looking at one another. Sometimes when Naruto thought about this battle, an urge to dominate hit him.

Like he wanted to prove who was the alpha between him and Gaara and Naruto didn't know why. Maybe it was the fox demon in him? If Gaara was indeed a jailer like he was to the nine tails, then maybe the nine tails wanted to dominate Gaara's demon. That being said, it made Naruto question the hierarchy of the nine demons that Kakashi told him about.

"Naruto-kun?"

Said person blinked and looked at Hinata. "Huh? Oh I'm sorry. I zoned out I guess." Naruto chuckled this off, but Hinata had a concerned look on her face.

"Your control is what makes you different Naruto-kun. You wonder how you ended up different compared to all the broken people that we have come across. The difference is Uzumaki Naruto controls his own destiny. When you are ready you will engage with the nine tails, you will not let me, Sasuke-kun or anyone else control your narrative. That's what leaders do. That's what you do Naruto-kun. I have faith you will control your narrative in this battle with Gaara."

Naruto looked at Hinata and was honestly taken away. He was stuck for a moment and didn't know how to comment back. He did smile at her, because only Hinata could lift his spirits when mentally he was sinking into the abyss. Having Hinata and Sasuke was a perfect mixture for him. The tough love from Sasuke and the tender, nurturing care from Hinata.

Naruto leaned back over and whispered in Hinata's ear. "Is it okay if I tell you how I feel right now? I promise it won't be as crazy as Sasuke was a minute ago." Hinata suppressed a blush and nodded her head.

This made Naruto smile. "You know I love you, but you don't know how much I'd love to see you with my last name. Instead of Hyuga." Naruto always thought Uzumaki Hinata sounded a lot better and more authentic than Hyuga Hinata. Hell, Naruto would even take Uzumaki-Uchiha Hinata. Yeah, now that sounded nice.

He pulled away from Hinata and looked at her reaction. Hinata used her hoodie to cover her face to hide her blush. She mumbled something to him and for the life of Naruto he didn't hear her clear enough. "Were you just saying you feel the same way?"

His heart sored and threatened to escape his chest when Hinata nodded her head to what he asked.

Naruto had the biggest smile on his face as he turned to watch Sasuke fight. He tried to control the big smile, but it wouldn't slide off his face.

Tsunade watched Naruto and Hinata and made a face like she was going to gag as she leaned over to Kakashi. "Young love is the grossest love. You have no clue what you're doing and everything is experimentation. Yuck."

Kakashi looked at her and smiled, "I'm sure it's about growing together. That's what matters. Young love turns to something more if you stick with it."

Tsunade shot Kakashi an annoyed look. "Oi! Shut it." Kakashi held his hands up in defense and looked down the arena as Sasuke had just obliterated Temari's fan. Mixing a fire and lighting type with a wind type was not ideal. Especially one on Temari's caliber. She was a strong ninja. Perfect for long range battle, but so was Sasuke, he was good in both long and short range.

Once Sasuke was able to make the fight close, it really wasn't fair. Temari tried for several minutes to keep Sasuke at bay, but he ended up not even resorting to using his Sharingan to trap her in a ring of fire he created.

Still. Temari was a warrior and refused to give up to an entitled, arrogant person like Sasuke.

The last thing Temari could make out in the ring of fire was Sasuke walking through the flames. There was electrical currents sparking around him as his cool, black eyes bore down to her weakened state.

This couldn't be a Konoha ninja. This had to be the devil.

Sasuke looked at her with an intense stare that only Uchiha's were famous for doing before killing their opponent. "Forfeit. Or I'll really hurt you." Temari growled at him. She coughed from the smoke as the intense heat burned her lungs.

She felt like she was stuck in hell. "Fuck you Uchiha."

When Temari made a move to stand up Sasuke's hand became encased in a ball of lighting. He arched his brow and grinned at Temari. Fuck him? She was a blonde, but she wasn't his type. He'd teach her for speaking to him like he was nothing. Sasuke didn't forget when they all first met. How they disrespected Konoha ninjas. How they disrespected Hinata. "Final chance."

The flames around Temari grew and it was so much she couldn't even see the stadium anymore. All she saw was darkness, smoke and fire. It was just her and Sasuke now. Not even the proctor was near. She felt like her skin was melting, but she ignored the burning pain in her hand as she pulled her kunai out and within a blink of an eye she attacked Sasuke.

Kakashi watched the giant ball of fire that Sasuke created. Ultimately trapping Temari in the fire, giving her no way to escape. Slowly burning someone to death was torture. Sasuke was an Uchiha. They were so used to using fire in their techniques it seemed to not even bother them.

Maybe in a few years when Temari becomes faster and more experienced she would have a chance to engage further with Sasuke at this level. As of today she wasn't ready. Just thinking about Sasuke in the future, Temari still wouldn't be ready. Sasuke was only going to grow to be more deadlier.

Hinata's eyes widened as she heard a loud scream escape from the fire ball and noted how it belonged to a female. It was Temari. Screaming in pain. This match was over.

The flames started to die down until it was clear. Only showing Sasuke and Temari. She was on the ground, unconscious. Her body convulsing with static around her.

Sasuke stood over her with an indifferent face. Temari was strong, but this hardly posed as a stepping stone to Sasuke. He wanted more of a challenge. He NEEDS more of a challenge to defeat Itachi. Still, this would be enough for now. This meant that Sasuke could handle other village ninjas on his own just fine.

Finally his Sharingan became active as he stared at Temari's immobile body. He grunted for a moment and held his shoulder. It was stinging from the curse mark and Sasuke scolded himself for giving in to his thirst for power.

Like he could sense them. Sasuke's eyes snapped over to the stands and saw Hinata and Naruto staring at him. His eyes widened at the look on their face. Sasuke doesn't remember ever seeing a worried look on Hinata's face that was towards him and the utter fear on Naruto's face froze him in place.

Naruto was scared of losing him. Sasuke could honestly admit Naruto has lost enough in his life. To see Hinata genuinely concerned for him. It made Sasuke actually feel bad. He didn't want Hinata to worry. He didn't want Naruto to be scared. They both had enough to worry about.

Sasuke didn't know when Hinata and Naruto actually got the power over him to stop thinking about Itachi, but they got it somehow. Sasuke immediately started thinking of ways to calm Naruto and Hinata's nerves down instead of vengeance.

Sasuke's Sharingan receded and he closed his eyes to calm himself. Sasuke heard the proctor announce him as the winner. He let out a breath and opened his eyes before he started to walk out of the arena and to the stands. Sasuke never made it out of the breezeway in the tunnel because Naruto and Hinata were there waiting for him.

Sasuke leaned against the wall and looked at the two of them. "I'm fine." Naruto looked at Sasuke confused for a moment before he started to look around the empty breezeway. "This is weird. Something isn't right."

Hinata went to observe Sasuke's curse mark. When he tried to shrug her off Hinata boldly cupped his face and leaned her forehead against his. She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration and stood on her tip toes. "Don't."

That was all Hinata said and Sasuke let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes as he leaned into her. Sasuke let Hinata examine him and looked at Naruto curiously. "What do you mean?"

Naruto dug his hands in his pockets. He looked to the entrance to the arena and then back at Sasuke. "You've been fine since Kakashi altered the seal. I haven't seen any change in you, and I've been watching hard for major changes between you and Hinata. I've seen Hinata's here and there, but not you."

Naruto clicked his tongue against his teeth in a very Kakashi like manner as he was deep in thought. "Maybe it's acting up now, because Orochimaru is around. I can sense the shift. It's really weird. Hinata even had this small glaze in her eyes from blood lust when fighting Kankuro. When the last few weeks, even with extensive physical training, she's been fine. Barely any flare ups."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and Hinata and saw how shocked they were at his observations. He was typically so loud and restless, there was no way Sasuke would have thought Naruto was watching him that close. Naruto was such a mystery sometimes. A worthy opponent that Sasuke was sure Gaara will take lightly.

Naruto looked down at his stomach before he looked back out the arena. Surely he will be called next to fight, so he'll stay here. "I can feel my insides burning. Mainly where the seal was damaged by Orochimaru. That adds on to my suspicion that Orochimaru is around. If that snake bastard really has control over our markings. Then I'll spend half my time out there trying not to go fox mode, meanwhile Gaara is going to go berserker on me. Tsk, this sucks."

Naruto took his hands out of his pockets and looked at them. They were already starting to grow claws and he could feel his teeth grow sharper. He refused to look at Hinata or Sasuke. He was much too angry with the situation at hand.

Naruto wasn't looking, but he could sense Hinata advance towards him, and he just took a step back. "I don't think that's a good idea Princess."

Hinata frowned as she looked at Naruto, "Please. Don't push us away. You've been there for me and Sasuke-kun this whole time Naruto-kun. Let us at least try."

Naruto gave a small smile to Hinata and looked at her. His eyes were flashing between fire red and sky blue constantly. He reached his hand out to her and Hinata took it.

Naruto lifted her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "Would you do something for me Princess? It means being pretty bad and breaking the rules, but it's for a good reason."

Hinata looked at Naruto curiously, but never hesitated as she nodded her head. Naruto continued to smile at her. "It would be great if you could scan around. Check everyone out and maybe find Orochimaru. You know what his chakra network looks like, so you'll be able to point him out in the audience."

She didn't have permission to just use her Byakugan on random civilians and ninja's. There was no threat at the moment. It's unauthorized use and she could get in a lot of trouble. Kakashi already gave her a tongue lashing for using her Byakugan on Naruto, and that was when she had his permission.

Still, Naruto asked her. He wouldn't ask her to do something if it wasn't important to him. Hinata smiled at him and nodded her head. "I can do that. If I find him, we can alert Kakashi-sensei and the others."

Naruto smiled calmly at Hinata. He wasn't trying to rile himself up or anything and wanted to keep his emotions under control. "Good thinking. That's my girl."

Hinata blushed at his affection that he was laying so smoothly on her. Naruto let go of Hinata's hand when he heard his name being called. "You guys get going and do that for me. Maybe it'll chase that snake bastard away and we'll stop feeling like utter shit again."

Sasuke grunted as he lifted himself off the wall. "This is fine for a temporary fix, but we can't keep running from this guy. How long are we going to let him terrorize us?"

Naruto was walking towards the arena before he turned and looked at Sasuke. The young Uchiha would liken Naruto's expression to something like pure wickedness. "Until I figure out how to skin that bastard alive."

End of chapter.

I want to show the relationship of Neji and Hinata start to blossom again. As family. Also show the foreshadow of Hinata, Hiashi and Neji that you guys will read soon. Reason why the chapter is called 'Be Careful'.

A lot of NaruHinaSasu moments in this chapter. I want to get it in before Naruto and Sasuke leave.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be the last of the Chunin exams.