Faster. She had to get there faster. She increased her chakra even more so she could run even faster than she had so far. Not fast enough. It might already be too late. But she had to try. If only she could run faster…

The gates of the village came within view. Despite her hurry to get there, she stopped on the hillside and took some time to look at the buildings. Three years had gone by since she last set foot inside these gates. There would be no warm welcome for her here. Still… She had to go. She had made a promise and she had to fulfill it. She took a deep breath and descended from the hill towards the gate.

A few yards away from the village she slowed down to a calmer pace. Bursting into the village wouldn’t do any good at all. Forcing herself to stay calm, she strolled to the gates, knowing she would be spotted from a mile away. Behind the desk at the front of the village she saw two men. ‘Shiro and Kazuma.’ she thought, recognizing them. When they noticed her enter, they stepped in front of her and stopped her.
“Halt. What is your business in Konoha?” the girl looked up at them and one of them gasped. The other one held his posture.
“Taryn Desertstorm,” he said, “you have a lot of nerve coming here like that.”
“Is there a warrant for my arrest?” she inquired. Shiro and Kazuma looked at each other and back to her.
“No,” Kazuma stated, “still… you are not welcome here. State your business.”
Taryn stared at him emotionless. “I need to speak with the hokage. It’s important.”
Shiro laughed. “you know we won’t let you speak to the hokage. Not after the way you left this village. Who knows what you have been up to or whom you’re conspiring with.” Taryn sighed. She didn’t have time for this.
“What he’s trying to say,” Kazuma said, “is that we don’t trust you. Leave. Before we decide to arrest you anyway.”
“I have no feud with Konoha. You’re wasting time just standing around here. Let me see the hokage.”
“We can’t do that,” Kazuma said, ‘besides, lord hokage is busy with the Chuunin exams. He can’t see anyone right now.”
‘The Chuunin exams, huh.’ Taryn thought, ‘is it that time of year again?’ “Kazuma, Shiro, If I really intended harm to you, don’t you think I would have entered some other way? I have important information. Lives may depend on it.” The two men looked at each other hesitantly. “What kind of information?” Shiro asked.
“The kind the hokage should hear before it spreads out.”
“Leave your weapons,” Kazuma ordered.
Taryn’s eyes grew colder. “I am a shinobi, “ she stated, “I do not lay down my weapons.” That remark earned her a disapproving look which she ignored. “We’re losing time,” she said. Kazuma growled and turned to his comrade.
“Will you be alright on your own” Shiro waved him off.
“Go on. It’s quiet any way with everyone focused on the exams.” Kazuma nodded and looked at Taryn. “Come with me.”

***

“This is a no-holds barrel combat,” Hayate Gekko, the proctor of the prelims announced, “each pair of combatants will fight until one of them is dead or unconscious… or admits defeat.” He coughed. His health had never been very good. There were blue spots under his eyes and his energy was low. He stared at the Genin before him and continued. “As soon as you sense that your opponent is overpowering you, immediately concede your loss… if you value your life. Uh… since we don’t want a total bloodbath on our hands, there may be cases in which we ascertain that there is an undisputed winner and step in to end the match. But don’t count on it. From here out on, the key to your fate is this electronic scoreboard. At the stat of every round, we will display the names of the two combatants competing in that match. So let’s…” He was cut off by the large entrance doors opening. Everyone turned around to the newcomers. One of them was Kazuma who had guard duty. The girl next to him was not so familiar.

Taryn tried to ignore the Genin who were staring at her curiously, but couldn’t help the slight hesitation as her eye fell on three young competitors she knew all to well. She forced herself forward. She couldn’t afford to be distracted, even though she felt a tug on her heart. Determined she walked past the young ninja and approached the platform where the hokage was seated. Immediately two Jounin blocked her from going any further. Obediently she stopped and stared at them emotionless. Behind them the hokage gestured for them to step aside. Reluctantly they let her through and she kneeled in front of the man, Sarutobi, the Third hokage.
“Taryn Desertstorm,” he acknowledged her.
“Lord hokage. I have matters to discuss with you.”
“What matters might that be?” Sarutobi inquired. Taryn looked up at him.
“With all due respect sir, but I think these things should be discussed in private.” The hokage eyed her for a moment and nodded.
“They will have to wait. I am occupied with the Chuunin Exams at the moment.”
“I fear this matter can’t wait,” Taryn said, “it is of high importance.” Her hand went to her collar and rested there for a moment.
"I understand,” Sarutobi answered, “still… it will have to wait until after the preliminary round.”

Uzumaki Naruto, who was one of the combatants, stared at the girl with concerned eyes. Something about her gave him the shivers. She was a few years his older, she could be twenty, had long dark hair and walked with a self-confidence and had a slim, but strong figure. She was beautiful. But it was her eyes that scared him. They were dark and deep and cold. This one was dangerous. He stared at her headband that indicated she came from Sunagakure. Something about her… He glance aside at the team from Suna. The three siblings were completely focused on the newcomer, but it was the youngest that held a murderous glare in his eyes. Even from this distance it was clear that he was gritting his teeth. Naruto looked at Sakura, who stood next to him. She too was staring at the girl and she trembled lightly he leaned towards her.
“Hey. Do you know who that is?” he asked. Sakura shook her head.
“No, but she scares me.” Naruto nodded and glanced at his teacher. His expression was the most surprising. He stared at the girl with a thoughtful expression.
“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto asked, “who is that and why is everyone so tense?”
“Her name is Taryn of Sunagakure,” Kakashi answered.
“Sunagakure,” Sakura asked, “but why is she wearing a hitai-ate from Konoha as well?”
"Eh?” Naruto wondered. He took a better look and saw that she was right. Around the waist, the girl wore another hitai-ate. And the Konoha symbol was embedded in the small metal frame. He looked at Kakashi, but his sensei didn’t answer. He was still looking at Taryn. Naruto glanced at Sasuke who kept his face expressionless.
“Heh,” the boy scoffed. The sound drew the girl’s attention. She turned her head towards the boy and stared at him intensely.
“Uchiha Sasuke.” Her mouth formed the words without making a sound. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

Taryn eyed the black haired boy. He had grown since she last saw him. Her eyes landed on the mark in his neck which was almost covered by his collar. Her eyes flickered for a moment. ‘I’m too late,’ she thought, ‘he got to him first.’
The hokage noticed her look. ‘So you are here for the boy are you? I wonder what for.’ Taryn returned her gaze towards Sarutobi and he nodded.
“We will talk after the prelims,” he said, “you are free to wait in my office, under supervision of course.”
Taryn stood up and bowed. “If you don’t mind I would like to attend the prelims.” They were out of hearing from the contestants and she looked at him with a faint question in her eyes. Sarutobi let his eyes go over the participants until they rested on the team from Wind Country. A faint smile came over his face. They stared at each other for a while to measure each other, then Sarutobi sat back.
“Considering the circumstances I will allow it,” he said.
“My lord…,” one of the Jounin protested. The hokage raised his hand to cut him off.
"If you can find three people in this room to stand for you,” he continued, “I can not afford to take risks at this point.”
Taryn swallowed and sighed. This would not be easy. She had felt the hostility when she walked onto the room and she didn’t blame tem. She nodded and the hokage stood up.
“We have a guest,” he announced loud enough for everyone to hear. “Taryn Desertstorm wishes to attend the preliminary exams. Who will stand for her? I need three voices.” It was silent for a long time, but Taryn had expected no less.
“I, Hatake Kakashi of Konohagakure stand for Taryn of Suna.”
Taryn’s eyes went wide from shock. She hadn’t seen him hen she came in. She sighed. To hear his voice again… Her head went up, but she didn’t dare look back at him. She wondered which team was his. She wondered if she would find out.

Up on the balcony, Kakashi’s team stared at their teacher in different varies of shock. Kakashi ignored them and kept his eyes on the girl. His arms were crossed in front of his chest. This was an opening move.

Her heart had calmed again and the silence had returned. The only sounds were the mumbles over Kakashi’s statement. Taryn let her breath escape and prepared herself to be send away when another voice broke the air.
“I, Gekko Hayate of Konoha stand for Taryn Desertstorm.” He coughed again.
Taryn turned around this time and nodded at him with thanks. For the first time her face relaxed a bit. Hayate had been her friend once. It seemed he still remembered. The mumbles increased. The Genin glanced around the room with uncertainty, hoping to find answer with their teachers, but didn’t receive one. The silence took over again. No one else would speak for her. She knew hat. So, that was how it was. A strange feeling of loss came over her. She would have to find some other way to stick around. There was no way she could leave now.
Sarutobi let his eyes wander the room and let them rest on Taryn.
“Very well,” he said, “if no one else…” 
"I, Gaara of the Sand of Sunagakure will stand for Taryn of Sunagakure.”
The young voice was clear and loud, but held no emotion whatsoever. There were gasps all around the room. A mere Genin had dared to claim this right? Taryn was one of those who gasped, but for a completely different reason. There was a faint pain in her chest, near her heart. She longed for home. She looked up at the balcony and met the boy’s eyes. Whatever she had hoped to find, it wasn’t there. His eyes were dark and cold. He tore his gaze away and Taryn turned her head back to the hokage. He nodded.
“So be it.” He sighed. “Go up to the balcony. You can watch from there with the others.”
A young woman gasped.
‘Lord hokage, are you sure this…”
“I have decided,” he cut her off.
‘But…”
“Anko, enough.”
Taryn turned her gaze towards the female Jounin. ‘Anko Mitarashi.’ Anko, who had the same curse mark as Uchiha Sasuke now had. The same one… she had… They stared at each other, the tow women, with reserve. It was no secret that they weren’t big fans of one another. Taryn nodded at Sarutobi and was about to turn when his voice stopped her.
“Taryn,” he ordered softly so only she could hear, “do not interfere with Uchiha Sasuke.”
Taryn stared at him.
“Do you understand?” he urged.
Taryn clenched her fists, but nodded and headed to the first floor.
Hayate watched her go and sighed. Then he turned to the crowd. “Let’s begin.”

Kakashi and his team stood closets to the stairs as she arrived on the balcony. There was Uchiha Sasuke, leaning against the wall. His hands in his pockets. He pretended to ignore her, but she could feel his eyes as she passed him. There was a hyper blond boy that was vaguely familiar and a girl she didn’t know. Both of them were staring at her with a hint of fear. Kakashi was casually leaning over the railing, his back towards her.
“Taryn,” he acknowledged her as she walked by behind him.
“Kakashi,” she said in the dame emotionless tone.
Naruto’s eyes went from Kakashi to Taryn and back, but he kept silent. The girl stopped a few feet further and took on the same pose as Kakashi, glancing at the battle area. She pretended not to notice the other people in the room and kept staring ahead.
“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura whispered, “why would she ask to stay here when everybody is so hostile towards her?”
“My guess is that she wants to see her siblings fight,” he answered.
“Eh?” Naruto questioned. He turned his head towards the three sand shinobi who gave the girl angry looks.
“Siblings?”
“They don’t seem too happy she is here,” Sakura wondered.
“I suppose it’s hard to have your sister branded a traitor,” Kakashi commented, “they haven’t seen her in years. She was banished form Suna seven years ago.”
     “Banished?” Sakura gasped. She dared a frightened glance at Taryn. “She’s a missing-nin?” “Not exactly,” Kakashi said, but when they looked at him questioningly he didn’t continue.
       Naruto glanced at Taryn and studied her for a moment. ‘Seven years? That means she must have been our age when she was banished.’ He shuddered. What could she have done to deserve such a fate? When he studied her face, he realized the cold glare in her eyes wasn’t hateful as he had believed at first. Instead it was one he recognized. The kind of cold one develops when shunned by everyone. The kind one developed after being alone for a long time. The cold of being hated…

“The first two combatants are…Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi.”
Sasuke pushed himself away from the wall without a word and descended the stairs. From the other side, Yoroi entered the battlefield.
Taryn straightened up and her hands clutched the railing. Carefully she let her gaze wander the room. He would be here. He wouldn’t want to miss this. Not after marking Sasuke. His spies would be here as well, but she didn’t know his current allies. She had been looking for Kabuto, but it seemed he wasn’t here. Still, he would be here. As she had mentioned, he wouldn’t want to miss this… Orochimaru would. She glanced at Kakashi. She had heard him whisper to Sasuke not to use his Sharingan. So he knew… and apparently, the hokage knew as well. Why didn’t they stop the match? Why did they allow him too fight? Do not interfere with Uchiha Sasuke. So she was right. Orochimaru was here somewhere.
    “Go Sasuke!” his hyper teammate cheered. Taryn returned her attention to the arena where the fight was about to begin. There wasn’t much else she could do. She watched as Sasuke brought a hand to is neck. Again, Taryn scanned the room. He was well hidden and she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. For now she would have to wait and see how things turned out.
“Begin!” Hayate announced. Yoroi ran towards Sasuke while he boy took out a few shuriken. Before he could throw them however, he gasped and reached towards his neck. His face flashed with pain. Yoroi bolted him over to the ground. He pressed a hand over Sasuke’s face. A light glow appeared there.
Taryn narrowed her eyes. ‘That Yoroi can absorb chakra?’
That was not good. If Sasuke’s chakra was all absorbed, the curse mark would force him to use that power. That would be disastrous. Was Yoroi one of Orochimaru’s pawns? He had to be. Sasuke screamed and Taryn’s grip on the railing tightened. ‘Bastard.’ She was surprised when Yoroi suddenly flew through the air. Somehow Sasuke had managed to kick him off, but he was panting heavily.
‘He can’t use Sharingan.’ Taryn thought, ‘any other jutsu will trigger the curse mark. Close combat will endanger him, because Yoroi will absorb his chakra… he’s no long range fighter…’
        “Stand up Sasuke!” his blond teammate yelled, “how can you still call yourself an Uchiha?! Aren’t you embarrassed to have everyone see you as a big loser?!”
             “Naruto!” the girl next to him hissed. Sasuke looked up and something flashed across his face. He turned to is opponent with a determined expression. Just before Yoroi could grab him again, Sasuke made a fast upward movement and kicked Yoroi back. Not far way a boy in a green suit gasped.
‘Those are Gai’s moves,’ Taryn thought surprised. As Yoroi flew through the air, Sasuke followed hi,. When he was about to make a final blow, he gasped and cringed in pain. He coughed and spit out some blood. He groaned. From his neck strange markings started to erode his body.
“Damn,” Taryn muttered.
         Across the room, Anko looked on in horror and the hokage looked stern and concerned. Taryn grabbed the railing tightly. She had to do something. A hand on her shoulder stopped her before she could move. She snapped out of her trance and looked up. Kakashi stood next to her. He didn’t look at her, but had his eyes on Sasuke. Neither did he speak. Taryn found herself unable to move. His hand was a restriction as well as a comfort. She looked back at Sasuke. Sweat was on the boy’s forehead and she knew he was in pain as he tried to fight off the curse mark. Do not interfere… She gasped when she noticed the markings slowly retreating.  
‘He is strong to overcome that power so easily.’ Maybe that meant it wasn’t too late yet.

In the arena, Sasuke continued to fight with Taijutsu. Both contestants fell to the ground, but it was Sasuke that crawled into a sitting position again and he was declared the winner. Slowly Taryn let her breath escape, only noticing now that she had been holding it.
    “You did it Sasuke!” Naruto called out. Sasuke scoffed and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth. Next to her Kakashi disappeared and reappeared down in the arena behind Sasuke. He nudged his knee into the boy’s back before he could fall over.

Across the room, Anko turned her eyes towards Taryn, who kept no emotion on her face.  
         ‘Taryn Desertstorm…’ Anko narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Why was that girl here again? Was she in league with Orochimaru after all? It was very suspicious that she had turned up now, right after Orochimaru had marked Sasuke. The hokage seemed to trust her enough though… or maybe he just wanted her here where he could keep an eye on her. Anko sighed and turned her eyes back to the arena.
          The medics were just carrying Yoroi out. When they moved to Sasuke, Kakashi waved them away.
“I will take care of this one,” he said. He helped Sasuke to his feet and walked him out of the room.

“Next match,” Hayate declared.
       Naruto watched his teacher and teammate leave with concerned eyes. Something wasn’t right. He had sensed that since the second exam in the Forest of Death. He turned around to find Taryn. She had been tense during all of Sasuke’s match. Maybe she knew something more. He had seen Kakashi go over to her. That was something else he was confused about. His eyes rested on the spot where she had been during the match, but it was empty. She was gone…