Kamisu's stomach made a loud noise as we ran, I slowed down looking at him before the sky, by the light it was a little after mid day. We all could use some food as he looked at us ashamed.

"Let's find a safe place, sit and eat" I spoke. We gave a look around and a bit of a run we found this area of rocks. The sand sliding up the east side showing the way the wind blows. We snuggled into the safe place and I broke out a meal of non cooked food and tossed around a few bottles of water.

I was so thirsty I could feel it go all the way down. "Damn." He spoke. "It is hot out here." I nodded at him. I would suggest moving at night again but I feel we may not know how long it will take to get to the tower and who we might run into that only a few small breaks should be more of a goal. I looked at the sky. We can rest when we get there.

I felt a small chakra on my sense heading south. I made them shut up and try and hide behind the rocks the best they could, they ended up running past us enough yards away they never even noticed.

"We should go after them." He whispered.

"No." She finally spoke. "We just need to get to the end now." He looked at her a little annoyed that she is so level headed. She just stared back making him look away with a huff letting it go. It made me smile, she seems to hold him back a lot.

Trying to follow the sun we were hopping we headed the right way. We did almost trip a trap making us a little more alert at our surroundings. Strange thing, the trap did not come with people, we just ran. We also avoided a fight and changed direction letting them be.

The sun was getting low in the sky, hoping to travel a little at night we moved to find another safe place to nap.

Taking turns, they were on watch for an hour or so and then they would wake me to take the tail end and then wake them come early morning and move again before the sun bares down on us.

I just laid on my sand covered blanket and watched the sky. I connected all the constellations I knew. Stared at the moon wondering how the others were doing.

There was a strange noise at one point but it was not a person making me sit up and peer around. Even just the Scorpions are insane out here. I wonder what else there is.

I found my mind thinking about Kakashi, how his Mission was, if he is alright all alone. Then I found my mind dwelling on Hayashi unsure what I did to him. I looked at my current team feeling better about them now that I can see they can handle themselves more then I thought.

"I don't think we are going the right way." She spoke "Would we not see the tower now?"

I Sighed. "I don't know."

She stood there before I watched a few bugs flying into the air and gone. "They will find the way." She spoke with no emotion as we just stood there awkwardly unsure where to go.

I tried to empty my right shoe of sand.

"I hate the sand." I mumbled and slid it back on.

"That was pointless." The kid said, hands behind his head in wait.

"Ya." I sighed. "I know but there was a rock." I just kicked at the sand awkwardly as we waited.

One small bug came back, I watched it disappear into her skin disturbing me but I did not show it. "There is a leaf team in trouble that way." She pointed in a direction. "The tower is a little that way." She moved her hand slightly east both not far from each other.

We shared a look, She sighed. "Alright, Let's help." I smiled and we ran after them.

"Does your bugs talk to you?" I asked her curious.

"I see what they see." She spoke calmly, a thought I never figured. "So they kind of talk to me once they are in me."

We came in close and got low, it was Sakura, Ino and Choji fighting some invisible people. I could see the chakra slightly as they moved around slowly. I could also see a little chakra was holding Ino to the ground making four spots of chakra.

Sakura and Choji looked lost as they stood back to back talking.

One moved over kicking Choji away as Sakura tried to hit them with her punch but missed as he got on his feet. "I can see them, I will go in." They may not need me but we could help. "Take out whatever is holding Ino to the ground."

She nodded.

"The blonde?" He asked.

"Yes." I smiled.

I took off my weights slowly and quietly as they watched me, making my whip I turned it into water fists, making one more I pushed it to my ankles. I breathed in getting serious, pushing off with chakra I moved to block Sakura from a hit. I kicked at it making it fly backwards before rolling away from a hit from a second blob.

My team tossed weapons at Ino poofing away whatever was there. They all came at me as I just rolled avoiding everything. The five of them stood there, Ino seemingly trying to do something with her mind as her eye's were closed and she stood with hand signs.

I rolled and rolled barely avoiding it all, I few small cuts hit me, one seems to have a long weapon I could not fully see.

"Your just gracefully rolling, do something!" Kami yelled. With a sigh and a need I rolled again pulling chakra out of the ground.

I could really see now, there was some force around Ino's mind. My sage mode could see the three people clearly now.

A female had long chakra weapons on her hands, bug like. This time I jumped backwards, the kid had a point, I was rolling to much.

The other two were just hidden and I was unsure who was hiding them but I have to figure that out and stop it so I have help.

This group was not easy to evade and I can't land a single hit for some reason. I need help.

First.

I shoved in Chakra avoiding the claws and ran at Ino. My hand slightly pushed her head back as I removed whatever was around her mind. I pushed too hard she stepped back shocked catching herself as I moved to one and kicked out blocking Choji from someone. It felt like my leg hit a wall but it made him back off.

I turned and ran at the women with the long chakra swords as that I could see.

I got low and kicked at her as she blocked, felt like water bouncing off water. I pushed on hers with mine trying to overpower her. "Block her mind." She yelled, I saw the chakra move of the tall one again, he tried to cover me in chakra but like always it was easily removed, I smirked.

I heard Ino make a noise but I ignored it for now.

It is him.

I then spun at him. He was a good fighter as we moved in a dance making me need to jump away or dodge another player when I came close to hitting him, they were trying to protect him. They were fast enough to keep up with me.

A small cheer came from Kami, I held back a smile as I moved in again being blocked by a wall before the wall moved and I went rolling backwards as it slammed into me, hurting my side and knowing I will have a large bruise. Whatever he held was blunt but painful.

Suddenly the one with the long water things was about to hit me hard, it moved like she had the claws of a praying mantis, for some reason that made Kakashi cross my mind so strongly as it swung towards my shoulder when Sakura shoved her fist into the women making her fly away. "Cha!" Saving me from my distracted mind.

I moved and placed my back to her. "Ino can see now." She said happy. "The tall man is the one." I made a noise like I understood, not telling her I figured it out.

"But she can not get in your head to share information." Choji's large fist move to squish a hidden person but they moved, I turned to the tall guy and went after him again.

"Hit this bitch." The guy yelled making me smile as I got in close kicking him into the air in a combo before using my whip I again tossed him into a rock, I heard a loud painful noise as his back landed, Sakura tried to punch the wall but she was blocked again, like me. Her hit did making a loud noise unsure what stopped it as the chakra slid backwards leaving a trail in the sand.

She then switched hands and punched with her other. There was a noise like she broke something as sand came falling from no where lightly falling from the air, it was weird to see as it was not invisible like whatever that person was carrying.

The bugs of my teammate went poring towards where that person stood Sakura was fighting, It covered his skin showing where he was helping Sakura get another good hit, this time I heard a cry of a young man as he ran trying to get them off.

The tall man rolled off the rock trying to get up but I think I broke something, he fell to the ground after trying to get up and with a small noise suddenly all three could be seen and the jutsu was lifted.

The bugs flew away, I saw he was covered in a thin layer of sand. "He blocked them." Aburame yelled.

The women ran over and started to heal the tall one fast as he tried to get on his feet, the other stood ready to fight all six of us and keep us from them, not even looking shaken.

This guy was a cute teenager, shaggy hair as he held a shield and mace made of sand, I knew I had to dodge but I never knew he was holding that, no wonder I never got a good hit on him, it was half his size looking incredibly heavy. Sakura and Ino crossed their arms like 'what you going to do' He glared ready to fight.

She got that man back on his feet pretty fast.

They looked at us, her eye's landing on me. "This is a losing fight." She spoke.

"Fine." The sand shield man stood up. "We will share the water." I smiled, they were fighting over water? So glad I bought some, never would have guessed. We followed them for about two minutes at a slow walk, all three of them were hurt, Ino had a few cuts, Sakura has a bruise and then my Sage mode dropped.

I felt like flopping to the ground but I pushed on and we came to the edge of a large pond where a tent sat. I laid on the ground thankful for the shade as the three healers healed someone else.

"I was curious about the team with two med ninja's." She looked at me. "But I never would have suspected you." I smiled taking the best cat nap I could.

"Ava is very good at dodging." Ino spoke. "We brawl all the time and I can never hit her."

"With the painful tai and fists of Sakura and them, you need to learn to dodge." I joked with my eye's closed.

"Ya." The female spoke. "She really hurt's." As she rolled her shoulder. Sakura gave a proud smile at the other teams med ninja before they all started to talk about it and how something called the jellyfish was really cool, I take it some kind of heal she did I never got to see.

The strange med ninja walked over to heal me, I hated the feel of the strange chakra invading me so I told her I was fine and she nodded and stopped.

We sat around as they chatted and I napped, I was more sleepy then I was at all last night.

They offered a scroll but we both had what we needed.

I was not ready as they all stood up, I sat up weakly about to get on my feet. "We will go this way." Sakura spoke pointing to the east.

"And we will go this way, great to meet you all." She headed west around the pond the men following.

"And we will sit here." Kami spoke startling me as he looked at Sakura and them, he looked at me kindly. "Girl needs to rest a little." I smiled at him and flopped back down.

"See you at the finish line." Ino said with a cocky tone and they headed off.

"Thank you." I quietly spoke to my teammates.

We were walking when I pulled Kami over as he ran to the only green in miles about to touch it. "I smell poison on that plant" I yawned. He nodded sadly as we walked, that was when there was a small wind and a strange noise on the air. I paused and looked back, I could see the sand storm heading our way.

"What is that!" Kami yelled.

"Run." I spoke up, this looks bigger and worse then the one I was once in, we moved fast but it was catching up with us. "I have no way to make shelter." I screamed at them.

Aburame shifted a little right.

"Over here." She yelled the wind getting so loud It was hard to hear her, we turned and followed. We ran down a hill where I slid most of the way down and there was some old stone as we hid under it.

The storm over took us, a bit being whipped into our faces making it sting but we were safe in this spot. I could not see anything passed the wall of moving sand. I looked up at the fancy rock. "Looks like some old building." I spoke. "Nice job finding this." I smiled at her.

"I do love your bug's." He spoke.

I did not even see her send some out.

The storm was so long I lost all time, half asleep, before I dug into my scroll pulling out food, we ate even if sand was getting in them.

I was unsure when but I had fallen asleep when I was shaken awake. I smiled up at my female team member, Standing up it was early morning the storm was gone. The tingle the early morning gives me feels amazing.

We headed after her bugs when we finally could see a large tower in the distance still a long run away making us speed up.

Aburame and I slid to a stop as Kami was missing.

"What?" I said softy and we turned around when we heard screaming from him to help.

We found him knee deep and quickly sinking in a random pit of sand. He yelled, he was soon almost to his waist. I sighed as Aburame panicked and I mindlessly grabbed him in my whip, he gripped what he could and I pulled him to me, he clung to me scared as he stared at where he stood. His tight grip on my arm like a child confused me as he stared where he had been.

"Well, that is the second time, I am growing to love that jutsu." He spoke getting a hold of himself making me smile at him kindly. I forgot they were kids for a moment.

We headed to the tower. Not just watch for people, giant bugs, poison plants but fucking quick sand.

We came close, close enough to see the large dusty tower. We moved slow as I boosted every sense I could and avoided what we could. There was a couple teams between us and another few traps as we slowly moved. The kids following me quietly when we got into the tall circle of sand around the large tower without a real fight.

The tower had two green covered stands outside, some sand ninja smiled as I pulled out and handed over our scrolls.

We were tired, smelly and have sand in every single place it should not be. I was in need of a shower and some meat. I was not alone to need a shower making me close my nose as much as I could when we walked inside. Almost wanted to ask Kami for a flower weapon to hold under my nose and embrace the drunk feeling it gives me.

We walked inside and already I felt better getting out of the hot sun and standing on anything but Sand, I could feel it in my legs, like air, at the change of ground. I breathed in with a smile as we headed to the kitchen area. There was Sakura and Ino and Choji, the later was eating a lot of food.

Many teams had made it as I scanned the area, a very large living room was attached to the kitchen and dinning and was filled with teams but some I thought of that would win never came.

No Fu.

No Lee, Neji and Tenten.

That scary hot man that was my age covered in scars from the sand, not here.

These were tough teams, where are they?

Kiba, Hinata and Shino came down some stairs as we had a social meal, I watched Shino treat my Aburame like a little sister, I smiled at there relationship, it was cute.

We headed up and found an empty room to stake as our own for the rest of the test. I flopped on one bed and relaxed but I was not alone as Kami took the second ground floor bed. She looked out the window and I was just getting comfertable when a strange alarm went off.

Grabbing our things we headed down the stairs confused.

"Does that mean we just made it?" Kami asked. I just shrugged.

We found our way as everyone who made it grouped, this time Neji, Lee and Tenten were in here looking dirty and tired.

I stared at Gaara, he also looked dirty and a little hurt but man it was nice to see him not feeling so scary this is my second time, that feeling I had was long gone, so long as I don't search him deeply.

He started to talk and congratulated us but because of situations there will not be a third exam.

We were all silent and stunned.

What on earth happened, what situation?

Our Hokage's will decide our fate from here and that we can leave whenever.

It felt so, weird.

We stood around as a few leaf jonin and others came inside.

Guy, Kure and Azuma all excited to see us.

We did not have time to shower and headed back to the leaf village, the large group of us.

I was sad I never got to say goodbye to Fu. I wonder where she went.

I was also glad to have the next three day's running back with people I know at a normal pace, my team seems to know the other genin team I did not. I assume they are from the same year, Kami talked there ears off as they chatted back to him about what happened in the test.

I just needed a good sleep as I ran silently behind them all.

I stood behind my team who stood behind the three genin I did not know but every team was here.

"I thoroughly gone over the second exams notes we received from the sand." Tsunade spoke.

"Ino, Sakura, Choji, Kiba, Hinata, Both Aburame, Kamisu and Ava you passed with flying colors and are promoted to chunin." I smiled at them as they cheered, I did see Tenten and Lee look down sad.

She looked at the three strange kids and called there names. "You will have another chance in the next chunin exams."

"Even though they did not get both the scrolls they preformed admirably and are more then qualified for promotion, Lee and Tenten you are now Chunin." Everyone cheered before we all looked at Neji sad.

Lee started to yell why Neji was left out.

"Let me finish!" She yelled. "Neji Huyga is given a double promotion and will become a jonin. The kazekage said he was most impressive and is more then capable." Everyone cheered as Lee smacked him in the arm. I also clapped for him.

We all walked out together in a large group. Happy and safe.

It felt so anticlimactic.

I headed home and needed a long shower.

I left the clothing store with a few large bags feeling excited and proud so I went shopping like I used to at home. I had been fitted for my chunin vest in there just now so I also went shopping for outfits that may look good in it and out still unsure if I will wear it all the time or not.

I threw on a new dress like top that was black over the chest and mesh like Anko's over the rest but two lines going down, it then hung low in between my legs both back and front with this light blue stitching almost hard to see.

I felt like some fantasy game style from home so I had to buy it.

Grabbed some knee level black boots and cut my hair by a real stylist around my shoulders as it was getting to long.

I felt like being a real Chunin I needed a change.

I then went and fought with the girls at the same time we always do. They were all here including Hinata.

This time we went all out, held nothing back and it was a badass fight. Just for Exam fun when someone was down for more then twenty seconds, they were out.

We wanted a winner like the last part of the exams we did not get to do.

It was a crazy fight at first, lasting a while and need to really pay attention not knowing who is going after who.

Tenten was out first and I felt her sadness deep in me. I need to help her. Ino, then Sakura, then it was me and Hinata.

The girl was good and she seemed shocked to be one of the last but between both of us we could not get a good hit and the small tai like battle just lasted forever.

Ino was looking at Sakura with this angry but impressed look as Sakura cheered us on.

I sat on my ass to breath as she also flopped down, the girls cheering.

We just gave up.

It was a mad fight and lasted so freaking long between all of us that we were just done.

Hinata won in my mind so I called it.

I wondered the home store finding some cute little décor items and grabbed some dango when I could feel Kakashi on my sense. My body got so excited and my heart fluttered.

He is back.

The smile was large and I could not stop it.

I ran his way and found him at the gate with some pretty girl, She smiled and leaned into him as he stood there calmly, flicking her light yellow hair.

I leaned on the wall and boosted my hearing eating my snack curious.

Who is that?

She had no chakra, well a little, she was a normal person.

I was happy to see him, he looked a little warn down but smiled kindly down at her. I could see the long mission all over his clothes, She lightly touched his arm. Her large chest lightly pushed out, her face read cute next girl type.

"Can I treat my Savior to a meal." She stepped forward sliding her hair behind her ear in a sweet kind voice.

I felt so sad when he agreed.

I hate it matters so much to me, he is a friend, it is not like I am doing something about it.

They headed my way. Before they saw me I shifted and ran home like I discovered a bad secret.

Kakashi is so damn mysteriously fine, I don't know his type and maybe she was. I was torn, I was happy for my friend to find such a cute girl. Curious what will happen, say if it goes anywhere...

That thought made me so sad.

If it goes anywhere I guess I am happy for him. According to Kure and Anko they never seen him date or be with a girl and I know he has been around some by a few comments he has made even if I never asked. I hated how bad this made me feel.

I put my bags down and then got angry at myself. I should have said hello to him, I missed the fucking guy, happy to have him home.

Next time I guess.

I started to pull out what I bought and looked for a place to put it before heading to a shower as that fight made me very dirty. I loved the cool water enjoying to break from heat and just got lost in my head about everything.

I wrapped my towel around me and stepped into the hot room, the sunlight low in the sky making me see the dust that just floated in it like the room was just disturbed.

There on my table was a small box.

I peered into my bedroom but no one was here. Walking over as I rolled my towel hoping it stays up without my hands and grabbed the small note.

The flutter came back.

"Congratulations on Chunin, I need to get to the Hokage but I knew you could do it- Kakashi."

I opened the small box finding a necklace chain, it was gold and thin and pretty making me pull on mine before I slid it over my head my towel falling to my feet. I looked at my old chain leaving the towel on the ground, it was not real so the color it once was was faded.

I knew it was this bad but I could not just take it off.

The pendent also was a little worn down now, it used to be rose gold and now it was just an ugly silver from never taking it off and being in so much water as I slid into my chair shocked that he bought me jewelry. I peeked into the box and there was a small but interestingly shaped Kunai.

The metal blade had a faint color of purple and pink as I turned it in the light, It came to two points and was wrapped in the nicest leather at the hilt. The word Alien ran along the blade in English on one side and on the other was this worlds word for it.

It was so fucking pretty, I know I don't use them to much and would hate to lose this one in a fight.

I wish he stuck around I wanted to thank him.

I peered at my Snowboard and sword.

Maybe he thinks I will hang it but I loved it so much that I wondered to my bedroom and carefully placed it in my scroll. I wanted it on me. With a smile I sat on my soft bed and took my pendent off the old necklace.

The colors did not match but I did not care, honestly it made me happy it did not. Kind of like the stupid blue and green when I got here. How clashing and bad the colors were together. Now however seeing them together makes me feel safe and loved.

I dug in my scroll for my wallet as I waited at the coffee shop cutting into my hand from the gift he gave me and I pulled it out a little blood. I guess that was a stupid place to put such a gift. I slid it into its new home on my hip.

The coffee women handed me a pile of paper towel but I smiled and took a small piece wrapping it around the cut and digging for my wallet that I could not find.

She handed me my normal coffee and waved me off, it was on the house today. I thanked her with a smile and got out of line. Where was the last place I bought something?

The clothing store.

Nel was there. "Was wondering when you would come back, at least your coin pouch is memorable." She waved it at me. "I tried to find you." She sighed at me like it was to much work.

"Thanks'." I grabbed it.

"I like that, your ass looks good in that." She spoke as I walked away making me turn with a smile. "You always hide it why?" I just shrugged.

I honestly don't know, I just do that, always have, I show off my chest but hide my butt I do not know why.

"Ya it does." I heard looking over finding Kuro and Kiyo staring at it leaning on the door.

"Come, Chunin." Kuro nodded at me to follow.