What are they planning? "Uh, we have to have a preliminary exam before we can move onto the real one." Huh?! Is he out of his damn mind?! Why that little- I was about to charge him when Sasuke tightened his grip on my hand warningly.

Grr. This day absolutely sucks. Shikamaru yelled at the dude before Sakura questioned him more. I sighed. "What he means is that there are far too many candidates then there should be. So they're going to hold another test to eliminate half of us." I said.

Sakura, Naruto, and a few others looked at me in surprise and I rubbed my head and sighed. "Man gramps, you're a kill joy." I muttered.

He smiled but did nothing as Hayato continued. "So if any of you are not in top physical condition, now's your chance to-" he started coughing madly. I sweat dropped. Dude needs to see a doctor about that cough.

Once he stopped he continued. "Sorry about that. Anyway, any of you who don't feel up to this, now's the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately." My eye twitched. So they do only want the best of the best. Having us worn from the forest, everyone's exhausted.

Kiba, Ino, and Shikamaru started complaining. Man, adults are so uncool.

"The winners will be determined with one on one combat sudden death. So like I said, if there's anyone who doesn't feel up to it now's the time to raise your hand."

What kind of idiot would quit? That's so stupid. Sasuke gripped my hand tighter and I turned to see his other hand grip where his mark is. Oh Sasuke. Gingerly, I brought my other hand to my neck. It isn't hurting right now, but with my luck it will during the exam.

I had let my long hair down so it covered the mark on my neck. I don't want anyone seeing it. But Sasuke . . . his collar was covering the mark. But his is acting up right now.

Things aren't looking so good for us. "Sasuke, listen to me, you got to quit." I looked at Sakura in surprise. Although, she's right. Sasuke shouldn't compete. But I know Sasuke more than she does. There's no way he's not going to compete.

So I looked forward, not wanting to be a part of it. "You and Miyu have been like this since you tangled with Orochimaru, and it's getting worse." Sasuke and I looked away from Sakura and Naruto. "It's the mark he put on you two isn't it?" she questioned.

I sighed. "Sakura, I'm not quitting. So drop it." I said. She looked at me sadly then to Sasuke. She held her chest and begged him not to do it. Then she begged me. She was even crying a little. I felt bad for her, but I don't need her to worry about me.

"Please. Please Sasuke, Miyu. Quit now before . . . I don't know what. I'm scared." I let go of Sasuke's hand and turned to Sakura before pulling her into a hug, surprising her and my team.

Her head was in the crook of my neck and I smoothed out her hair. "It's okay Sakura. We're fine. If needed, I'll drag Sasuke out if he's in trouble. And I'm smart enough to know when I can't continue. So trust me. I won't let anything happen to any of you. I'll always protect you guys." I whispered as I continued to stroke her hair.

She then gripped my shirt and sobbed quietly. I could feel her nod in agreement. I pulled away and smiled at her before ruffling her hair. "Don't worry; it takes a lot to take us down." I grinned at her.

She smiled and nodded. So I returned to my spot and faced forward. I took a glance at Sasuke and we smiled at each other before looking forward.

I happened to heighten my senses to hear Anko, Ibiki, Gramps, and Kakashi talk about the curse mark on Sasuke, then me. Oh so they already know? Punks.

I ignored them and focused on the reason I heightened it. Orochimaru. "Oh so you already figured out whom I am? No wonder. You look like your mother and have her temper, but your father shines out more than her in you." He whispered to himself, and me.

My mother? Father? I shook my head. It's fine. You don't want to look for them. "You even learned their jutsu's. I was surprised." Jutsu's? But I've only shown . . . my eyes widened.

No way. He chuckled. "It seems you figured out who your parents are. You're an interesting girl. So much power and potential. I made the right choice in marking you. The girl who mastered the Fourth Hokage's jutsu, his wife's jutsu, incredible chakra control, the ability to sense, smell, and see chakra, and even some powerful jutsu's. I am so glad I found you."

I shivered a bit before bringing me sense to the norm.

Okay . . . I'm freaking out now. My parents . . . I shook my head madly. Get it together! After the preliminaries I'll check out gramps study again and dig more into it. And Orochimaru can't touch us now that we're out of the forest. So I only need to focus on the preliminaries.

I took a deep breath and waited patiently.

That was until a familiar persons hand went up. I blinked. Kabuto? I snickered. What a pansy. However . . . I don't like the feel of his chakra. The freak.

"Okay, you got me, I'm out." He said lightly. "And so casually." I said. Naruto all but flipped. "But, Kabuto."

Silence. Well then. This is awkward. Hayato then dismissed him. "Kabuto! Hold on a second you can't quit- mph!" I put my arm around his neck and my hand over his mouth. "Later four eyes!" I called. Kabuto sweat dropped at me.

"You could at least act sad that I'm leaving." He said. I looked at him blankly. "That would be lying." I said bluntly. Sakura smacked my arm. "Ow! What was that for?" I complained.

She was a bit red. "You can't be rude to him! He helped us." I snorted and crossed my arms. "Whatever. Four eyes is just a little pansy." Sakura went to smack my arm but I used my forgotten brother as a shield.

The people around us sweat dropped as Naruto fell from Sakura's smack. I'm sorry big brother. Kabuto waved at us and walked off. I've got a bad feeling about that boy. Something just isn't right. My skin has Goosebumps.

Nobody else left. Well good. I guess they're not all-

I winced and quickly brought my hand to my neck. Damn. How long is this thing going to hurt? It throbbed and my eyes widened and I quickly bit my lip. It's happening again. I can see the past, the present, the chakra, the jutsu's, all the knowledge Kakashi knows is flowing into me.

I took deep breaths and let the pain and knowledge wash over me. Kakashi . . . you have such a painful past. Every time my mark acts up, it takes a person nearby everything. What's with this? But for some reason . . . I feel like I could do his jutsu's. Could this mark be able to do that?

"Miyu?" I jumped slightly and let go of my neck before facing Sasuke. He looked worried. "Your mark was glowing and starting to grow. But when I spoke it went down." I blinked in surprise. I then looked around to see if anyone else saw. No one did.

I let out a sigh of relief. "I'm fine. Thanks Sasuke." He nodded and brought me closer to him. Crap. I can't focus on anything but the preliminaries. And nothing is going to cloud my goal.

"Alright then. We'll now begin the preliminary round. This round will consist of one on one individual combat at full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. There are thirty of you remaining. So that means we will need fifteen matches. The surviving candidates from these fifteen matches will advance to the third exam. As for the rules there are none. You will fight until one dies or concedes defeat or rendered physically incapable to continue the contest."

Well that sounds . . . I'm not sure.

He then continued with it and I just didn't care. I'd have to pay extra close attention to Naruto and Sakura. I'm willing to step in if they're about to die.

A panel opened in the wall and a giant screen was revealed.

"The names of each pair of opponents are chosen completely at random. Before each match these names will appear on the screen behind me. As there's nothing more to say, let's begin. In a moment, the name of the first pair opponents will appear."

We looked at the screen and waited. I could feel the nervousness of Naruto and Sakura. Well, whatever happens happens. I'll fight whoever. And I'll intervene whenever. That's just who I am.

The screen lit up before a bunch of names quickly changed about. Only vs. stayed as the names changed. We watched the screen carefully. Finally the first two names appeared. I blinked a few times to make sure I was reading right . . .

Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado. I glanced at Sasuke who was smirking. He'll be alright . . . right? "Alright now. Those whose names have been drawn come forward."

Sasuke started forward. "Good luck Uchiha." I whispered. He turned slightly so I could see his smirk. I chuckled as he left. That's Sasuke for you. Confident and cocky as ever.

Both of them made it in front of us and the proctor and faced each other. "You have been chosen for the first match. Yoroi Akado and Sasuke Uchiha. Are there any objections?" Hayate asked. Of course both said no.

I rolled my eyes. You could smell the testosterone in the air. "Uh, alright then. Let's begin the first match. Okay everyone other than the two opposing candidates will now clear the area and move to the upper level." Hayate said.

I sighed and led my team to the stairs that go to the balcony like level. This way we can watch the matches.

I noticed Kakashi saying something to Sasuke and then looking up at me. We stared at each other and then he pointed to his neck. Since I already knew he knows I didn't bother giving him a reaction. Kakashi then left the arena and up next to us. I stared at Sasuke, a bit worried.

The mark on his neck is still giving him waves of pain. I know it. And every time he uses chakra the mark grows. So he can't use his Sharingan or any of his other jutsu's.

He's in a grave disadvantage. Yoroi's chakra's strange. I'm not quite sure why. Just don't push it Sasuke. "Then if you're ready, let the match begin." Sasuke's opponent immediately made a hand sign and my neck throbbed again. It was doing it again. His knowledge, life, jutsu's, memories, chakra.

I took deep breaths and willed the mark to stop. And slowly it did. Damn. So he's Orochimaru's pawn. But for some reason some of his memories were fuzzy. Maybe it's because I forced the mark to stop.

But whatever it is. . . This isn't good.

I saw chakra radiate Yoroi's hand and he used his other hand to reach into his weapons pouch. Yoroi threw shuriken and Sasuke pulled out a kunai and deflected them and made them go back to him.

However he grabbed his neck in pain. Already? He fell to the floor. Crap. Yoroi ran beside him and went to punch the ground. Sasuke moved out of the way in the nick of time and used his kunai to stop himself. He then kicked Yoroi's leg, making him fall down.

Sasuke put one leg over his neck, the other at the base of his arm, and held his arm in the familiar attack. Nice.

"Hey he got him!" Naruto said excitedly. However I had a bad feeling about it. I saw the chakra gather in his hand and realized what was about to happen. "Move it Sasuke!" I shouted. However it was too late.

Yoroi hit his chest, making Sasuke let go and jumped away. Damn. Yoroi ran at him. "Move!" I shouted. Sasuke managed to sit up, but Yoroi grabbed his head with his chakra covered hand.

Yoroi laughed and I grabbed the railing tightly as Sakura screamed for Sasuke. Sasuke went weak from under him. Is the match over then?

It's too late. Yoroi is taking his chakra.