Drop...drop...drop...drop...

„Aaargh. I can't take this anymore. This eternal waiting is going to drive me nuts," Kiba growled angrily and Akamaru barked in agreement.

„Shut up Kiba. That doesn't make it any better," Shino retorted. "They'll come; the exam will be over soon."

„Or they're already here, just in a different area from the tower," Hinata spoke up hesitantly.

I said nothing. I just lay on the stone slabs and looked up at the ceiling. Gaara's words were still buzzing around in my head. And the fact that he was in the next room didn't make things any better. Had that just been a threat to me or a simple statement?

To be honest, I couldn't tell yet, but it was exactly this uncertainty that made me feel uneasy in my stomach. He grumbled the whole time already so strangely. Which was probably due to the fact that I had not eaten for what felt like an eternity.

My pockets were yawningly empty. Nothing to eat there.

„Do you have anything to eat here?"

Synchronously, my team members shook their heads. Disappointed, I slumped my shoulders. If I didn't get something to eat soon, I would become increasingly uncomfortable for the three of them. Back then...-as it sounded- when I had lived in the forest, I had been alone, but had noticed myself that I was in a worse and worse mood as my hunger increased.

„I'll just ask the ones from Suna, then," I finally gave in and jumped up.

Kiba was on his feet much faster than I would have liked and blocked my way.

„Have you gone completely insane? Did you get hit on the head with something during your solo tour? They almost killed Hinata, and you want to march over there and ask for something to eat?" he shouted completely aghast.

„In case you haven't noticed Kiba. But the second trial is over. So, we shouldn't be fighting each other anymore. And all I want to do is ask for food, whether I like them or not. What's wrong with that?", I replied heatedly.

„Quite a lot. I'm certainly not going to let you go to them. Especially not after we all saw your almost one-on-one fight with the redheaded guy and...hey...what are you doing?"

„I'm going to see if there's anyone else here. Looking around isn't illegal, is it?", I replied and disappeared around the corner before Kiba could launch into another protest.

„Weren't we still going to open the scroll?"

Pausing in the movement, I looked back. Oh, that's right. There was something else, too. Again, a decision. Eat or ... Oh what the heck. I was not Choji. It was first important, for what this whole theatre had been good.

I ignored Kiba's triumphant grin as I sat down with the others and Shino began to open the two scrolls.

A loud bang was the result and we flinched.

Standing in the middle of the room was none other than Kurenai, who eyed us with a satisfied look.

„I am proud of you guys. You have passed the second chunin exam."

We had all gathered in the great hall of the tower. It was very surprising how few teams were left, but still, my joy at this swelled considerably when I spotted Naruto and Shikamaru among them.

The latter gave me a nod, while the Uzumaki didn't seem to notice me at all, which hurt me a little personally. But probably he was just too distracted by Ankos words to pay attention to his surroundings now.

My belly gave a content grumbling from itself. Kurenai had actually brought something to eat. Probably she had guessed that we would be hungry, or had observed it through the cameras, which, as I had noticed earlier, were hanging in almost every corner.

I stretched slightly to see better, since Kiba's back was obscuring my view a bit. Finally, I had enough and pushed myself between him and Naruto. The Uzumaki gave me a quick glance and mumbled a hello before turning back to the Hokage, who had just started talking.

What had happened to him? Was he angry with me or why did he react like that? Had I done something wrong?

„Naruto," I began carefully, and the blond turned his head.

„What's wrong. You're mad about something."

Something began to sprout in his eyes. Something dark and I flinched a little as I recognized anger and disappointment.

„Kabuto said he saw you with that Suna nin Kankuro. Is that true?"

As if he had struck me, I backed away, my gaze going to Kankuro and then to Kabuto, who seemed to be watching our conversation. The beginnings of a smile had crept onto his lips and sheer anger shot up inside me.

It had been purely on purpose. He wanted to incite Naruto against me, what he intended was still a mystery to me, but the point was that he wanted to drive a wedge between me and the Uzumaki. To destroy our friendship. But he would not succeed, he could not. I would prevent that.

And I would not let him destroy the sympathy I felt towards Kankuro. It was still my decision whom I liked and whom not. Kabuto had now made it to the first place. Without any doubt. Sasuke decisively left behind because he was my smallest problem at the moment. I now distrusted Kabuto more than the Uchiha.

On top of that, there was the inevitable threat from Gaara, which I was still pondering what it might mean and...

„Master Hokage, please allow me to say one more thing before the third test will begin."

I looked up.

A dark haired Jonin, had appeared in front of the Hokage and now turned to face us. His cough broke the uncomfortable silence that had spread through the hall. Uh. He really didn't look all that healthy. Deep circles shaded his eyes, which looked tired and blurry. He should rather go to bed and rest instead of doing the examiner for the third exam.

„Before it goes to the final stage for you, you will take a preliminary exam."

Everything inside me convulsed. Another exam? Hadn't we had to do enough already? What was the point?

Kiba stiffened beside me and his body began to tremble with suppressed anger.

„What, why another exam, sensei I don't understand..."

Sakura had apparently had similar thoughts to mine. Attentively, I looked towards the Jonin, waiting for him to enlighten us.

„Well, there are just too many of you. That's why we have to reduce your number in this exam by half in order to be able to do the actual one. Many prominent guests are expected to be there, so the exam will take place immediately. Those who want to drop out...cough...report right now."

What, right now? But we were all still pretty worn out from the Forest of Terror, how were we supposed to be able to fight reasonably now?

„Come on. Right now?" Kiba's body shook. I could definitely understand his anger.

But they didn't give us a break at all. That wasn't fair at all. Looking around, some looked fitter than the others, so what was fair about the upcoming fights if the balance of power was unbalanced?

„The winners will be determined in a man-to-man fight."

Even better. Cautiously, I squinted at Gaara. But he had his eyes fixed on the examiner, a small triumphant smile playing around his lips. Not good at all. Especially since he wasn't the only one who didn't like me.

There was Sasuke and ... Kabuto, who still made me terribly angry. Just to set Naruto against me. Already at the beginning I had felt that there was something wrong with the guy. But Naruto seemed to trust him completely. I was about to have one more problem.

"Those who have won the fight then will be admitted to the third test and will compete against each other in front of everyone. There will be no special rules for these fights. You will only stop if one faints, voluntarily quits, or can no longer continue fighting."

The thought of the latter, and the fact of what Gaara could do with his sand, sent chills down my spine. The Suna-Nin was the last person I wanted to fight, I preferred even Sasuke.

„Now you will get the chance to take your fate into your own hands."

Hayate nodded to Anko.

„

Open the screen."

At the end of the hall, a panel slid aside to reveal a digital green screen. My tension grew, by the second.

„Since I have nothing more to say, let us begin. In a moment, the first two fighters will appear on the screen."

I squinted tightly and stared intently at the screen.

Yoroi Akado against Sasuke Uchiha