I hid back another wince as Hinata and Neji's match finished, going exactly as it had in cannon. It was brutal, and just flat out painful to watch.

The moment I had noticed Orochimaru, I had signaled this to Sasuke and Naruto, both of which were still mildly tense. I couldn't even sense Orochimaru's chakra, so I couldn't obviously point him out to someone, claiming his chakra reserves were too massive to be just a Jōnin. I couldn't even bet anyone would recognize his scent—as I'm sure if Kakashi or Anko did they would have already done something about it—so we were momentarily stuck on what to do regarding him.

I felt nervous in his presence, and unconsciously I inched closer to Sasuke and Naruto. My hand almost instinctively grabbed onto Naruto's, but I was able to restrain myself.

I watched on as the computer screen flickered to life again and the next match was chosen.

Gaara of the Sand

Vs.

Tsuchi Kin

This match will be so one-sided it's not even funny, Kurama snorted softly.

I inwardly nodded in agreement. She's dead, no questions asked.

In fact... I predict the rest of the matches will equally be one-sided. Lee and dog-boy, and then that fat boy and whatever his name is.

What makes you say that?

Call it a lucky guess, if you will.

I winced as Gaara's sand caught Kin in its grasp, and winced a last time when Gaara gave a sort of insane giggle before completely crushing her in his sand. Her blood leaked through the grains, dropping to the floor.

"That guy... what's wrong with him?" Naruto muttered.

"His seal is unstable," I murmured. "His bijū and him are at an unstable relationship, both hurting from the seal."

"That doesn't mean he can just..."

I didn't respond to that, feeling a rush of chills run down my spine. Following my instinct, I raised my gaze and flinched. Orochimaru was looking directly at us, a tongue flicked out and he licked his lips.

"Fucking creeper," Sasuke snapped lowly, fighting to keep his face neutral and not to scowl at Orochimaru, lest we be given away.

"Mm? Do my cute little Genin know him?" Kakashi murmured.

"I-I don't like his scent," I managed. "I have a bad feeling about him. Sh-Shisho, why don't you take a closer look at him? Maybe you know him from somewhere?"

"Can't say that I do," Kakashi replied. "Don't worry, though. I won't let anything happen to my cute little Genin."

I chuckled weakly at that.

Inuzuka Kiba

Vs.

Rock Lee

Another completely one-sided match. Kind of anticlimactic...

Mm.

Suddenly feeling very tired of all the fighting and blood, I abruptly turned to Kakashi. "Do you think I'll be allowed to go to the bathroom? I promise I'll be quick."

"Mn. Five minutes."

"Hai."

('･ω･')

I splashed water across my face, rubbing my eyes.

What am I going to do about Grandfather?

What can you do?

I don't know. I just... I don't know.

You can't defend him against Orochimaru. The only way you can do that, at least, would be if you called upon me. But with the current status on the seal, you could only call up to three-tails. And Orochimaru can handle three-tails with ease.

I know.

I suppose the only thing you could do, would be to take out the Sound Four before the invasion. Make it so that way Orochimaru and the old man will be interrupted.

How can I do that? I haven't the faintest idea where the hell they are before the invasion. Not to mention I would have to take all of them on at once because I doubt they'll be willing to separate and I doubt even more so the rest will sit by while I fight.

You don't need to take them down. You only need to distract them long enough for some ANBU to make it to the old man's side.

... You're right. Can I count on you?

In this manner, at least. I don't want you to be sniveling about your stupid old Hokage if he dies. I always get the worst of headaches when you cry.

Sorry.

No you're not.

... You're right, I'm not. Nonetheless, thank you.

Whatever, brat.

('･ω･')

When I returned, the last match was finishing up. The victors of their matches were asked to make their way to the ground level, to which we complied. Hayate cleared his throat as Grandfather made his way to the front.

"In the final round, each of you will put your battle skills on display. You'll demonstrate the power and control you've achieved in your respective disciplines. Accordingly the final battles will commence one month from today. This is to provide a suitable period of preparation, simply this; in addition to announcing the preliminary conclusions to each country's leaders, we must also have some time to prepare and distribute the summons for the final section. Not to mention that you examinees are going to need time to prepare for something that is this important," Grandfather instructed.

"Each of you, take one slip of paper from Anko's box."

"Everyone just stay where you are, I'll come to you," Anko snorted.

Naruto – 1

Miwako – 9

Sasuke – 7

Shikamaru – 5

Lee - 8

Temari – 6

Neji - 2

Gaara – 10

Shino – 3

Doku – 4

Each of us held up our numbers and Grandfather studied each of them, deciding in his head who would be facing who. His eyes lingered a minute longer on mine, his lips turned down in a frown before he gave a small nod, almost to himself.

"Very well, the match ups are decided. The first round will be Naruto against Neji. The second round will go to Shino and Doku. The third being Shikamaru and Temari, followed by Sasuke and Lee. The final round will be Miwako and Gaara."

My heart stopped.

Oh. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Kurama laughed cruelly. It seems our luck has run out, little brat.

I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm deaddeaddead.

No, you aren't. He won't be able to kill you; I wouldn't ever let a measly one-tailed take out my host. Maim, perhaps. Injure severely, perhaps. But kill? Don't make me laugh.

OhGodI'mgoingtobemaimed!

Yes. Yes you are.

Stop laughing at me, you son of a bitch!

Kurama's laugh somehow became louder.

I was panicking. My heart was pounding erratically and I felt oddly light and dizzy. I didn't want my bones to be crushed. I didn't want what happened to Lee to happen to me!

Don't worry. You'll heal. Even if he manages to crush every bone in your body, save your skull, you'll live. Don't ever underestimate m ycapabilities, fool. But it will hurt. Oh, yes. It will hurt.

Oh my God! I wasn't a masochist! Oh my God!

I was completely tuning out Grandfather's words—elaboration on how the tournament would run and whatnot—because I was seriously panicking. I thought back to that Kin girl and how Gaara had gleefully killed her. I inwardly cringed. How the hell was Sasuke not panicking when he found out he had to face Gaara?

Oh, right. He didn't see Gaara in action before the tournament. Ignorance was bliss.

Oh, wait! Kakashi! Kakashi!

Oh thank God, I might not end up being maimed. Kakashi had taken Sasuke away to train to survive Gaara (along for other reasons, but that was definitely the main one). Kakashi could—and would—train me to survive Gaara. Okay. Okay. It wasn't a totally hopeless cause. I would just talk to Kakashi about training tomorrow morning and everything would be fine. It's all good.

OhmiGodwhatifhedoesn'ttrainme?

I quickly squished that thought. He would. He might not have trained me the past few months, but he saw how Gaara was. He would know I needed him more than ever before. He would be there for me.

So what if he still flinches whenever he sees me or Naruto laugh, or say our little speech defects? So what if it's painfully obvious that we're a horrendous reminder of them, as well as his neglect? Kakashi willingly trained me before. He was my Shisho and I respected him.

He would be there for me when I needed him to be.

I knew it.

Still... I couldn't help, but feel a little panicky.

Orochimaru left.

He did? Oh shit, we missed our chance.

It doesn't really matter if they know about him or not. Well, they already know he's in the vicinity—he did leave behind those corpses and Anko identified them—but honestly, we don't really need to elaborate more for the moment.

I suppose...

('･ω･')

Bright and early the next morning, I headed off—Naruto was surprisingly gone when I awoke—to find Kakashi. I sniffed the air carefully, trying to find out where he last was. It didn't take me long before I found Naruto—and Ebisu—and concluded that Kakashi was last in the vicinity with Naruto.

"Aniki!" I chirped, smiling brightly. "I'm looking for Kakashi-sensei, have you seen him?"

Naruto frowned, his brow furrowed. "He didn't tell you...? He already left with Sasuke to go train. I thought... I thought he was taking you with him...? Didn't he talk to you, too, last night?"

I froze.

... What?

Kurama was surprisingly quiet, mild shock seeming to radiate off him.

My mouth hung open for another moment before I snapped it shut and I felt a small bubble of hysteria in me.

... He saw... He saw how Gaara was, right? He could feel his chakra, his demonic chakra leaking through, right? He felt his killer intent, right?

Kurama didn't respond. I already knew the answer.

And he... why? Why? Why?!

Hurt gnawed away at me, stinging horrendously and I swallowed roughly. Naruto's eyes widened before sincere concern entered them. He took a step forward, towards me, and I took a step back. I wordlessly shook my head, turned on my heel, and left.

I needed him! I need him! Why did he leave? Why? Why? Why?!

I didn't understand, I couldn't wrap my brain around it. I knew at times Kakashi felt uncomfortable around Naruto and I. I knew we must have looked like ghosts from his past and he didn't really appreciate it, but I also knew—or thought I knew—that Kakashi was a good person and that he could see how much we needed him. How much I needed him. He was the first, the first person I had befriended in this damn world that wasn't family!

When he gave me the contract to the Pack, I thought he was accepting me. I thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw me as me and not as Minato and Kushina's daughter that he was obligated to help.

Was I wrong?

Was the whole reason he first helped me... not because I was me... not because I had potential in tracking... but because he was obligated to? Because I reminded him too much of the obligation he had abandoned and he was too guilt heavy to deny me?

It hurt. It really, really hurt.

Was the reasoning behind him leaving me—leaving us—to train Sasuke... not because he favorites Sasuke in the more obvious way... but because it just hurts too much to look at us? Because Naruto and I are the picture perfect image of those he lost? Was that the real reason he stole Sasuke away to train after normal practice? He was using Sasuke's Sharingan as an excuse to not be with us? Was that it?

And he knew... He knew that I would be coming for him, that I would be asking for his help. And before I could even get that chance... he grabbed Sasuke, and is using him as his excuse to not train me?

It hurt so damn much.

Perhaps you're reading too much into it. Calm yourself, brat. I don't want you half hysteric on me, that's worse than crying.

What if I'm not?

Then you did it again.

What?

The Rookie Nine. The whole reason you can't trust them now is because you blindly trusted them as children. You looked at them and you saw what they would be, and you trusted them. And when they acted like normal little brats, ignored you, bullied you, abandoned you, you were hurt. It's the same for Kakashi. You see Kakashi as what you read about, but you forget that he is still just human. And now you're hurt because he is acting like a human.

... I'm a hypocrite in that fashion.

Yes.

It still hurts.

I know.

It hurts really bad. Even... Even if that wasn't the case, or is the case. I've known him for years. He's earned my trust many times over in those years. I thought... I thought I could trust him. I thought that he accepted me, but this? Even if I wasn't biased in the beginning, I have reason to be bias now! I thought we were friends! Teacher and student at the very least, but he won't help me when I need him most.

Kurama was silent at this, but he did not disagree.

Don't jump to conclusions, Kurama finally muttered. Or they'll bite you in the ass.

Do you think I'm wrong?

No. I think you're absolutely right. But I know that will hurt you, and right now you can't afford to wallow in self-pity. If Gaara in-capitates you in the match, you'll be useless in the invasion.

What am I supposed to do then?

Train, you idiot.

('･ω･')

Half of me was in denial, and the other half of me I was successfully repressing, this way I was wholeheartedly embracing my denial. Yes it was silly, but I needed a focused mind in order to fight Gaara and not be maimed. My taijutsu wasn't anywhere near as good as Sasuke or Lee's, so I wasn't even going to bother with their entire strategies. I did go ahead and henge and buy weights. I was already the fastest on my team, but I knew I needed to be a lot faster to outpace Gaara's sand.

Next, I headed towards the library, henging again into one of my main disguises to check out one more lightning-ninjutsu scroll. As a Genin I had access to more ninjutsu scrolls than I did as an academy student. I also grabbed a few genjutsu scrolls that I thought would be helpful.

I knew that the body flicker and substitution would be my favorite moves in the match, as they would both be essential to evading Gaara's attacks so I went ahead and checked out scrolls on them. While I was comfortable using both of them, I wanted to refine my skills enough that I could be confident with them.

The scroll I held in my hands was a B-Ranked move and I was beyond nervous about using it. A tiny part of me didn't want to be learning it. That part of me wanted to be learning the Chidori from Kakashi alongside Sasuke. It was such a childish part, whining about how I knew Kakashi first, how I was his first (not counting Tenzou) student and how I had lightning nature too, so damn it, I deserved to learn it. But that was such a tiny part of me that I didn't allow to grow.

If it did, then I would be having my hopes up.

And the part of me that wasn't in denial didn't want that because that part of me knew they would be crushed.

The Lightning Style: False Darkness was a move I had seen Kakuzu using with his lightning mask. I knew it was powerful and I knew how it looked. From the scroll, massive chakra reserves were necessary to use it and I had that in spares (I admitted it surprised me that I could check this out as a Genin only and it made me even more curious that if they allowed this stuff to Genin, then what did they restrict to Jōnin? Or ANBU?)I also knew that it would be beyond useful to know, especially against Gaara. It had but one handseal—the Snake.

The genjutsu I had chosen to train (and hopefully learn... but it would be second place to the False Darkness as Kurama reminded me that because Gaara's chakra flow was constantly disrupted from the seal, he had a more likely chance of breaking out of a genjutsu very, very quickly) was another escaping genjutsu, B-Rank. It held a widespread area effect, so everyone—including allies—would see it. The user would seemingly dissolve into smaller objects of their choice (like flower petals, puffs of steam/mist, etc)—and thus their opponent (and allies) would lose sight of them. The genjutsu would last about a minute before they would seemingly reappear. It would only hide their appearance, not their scent or sound, but I knew that would be enough for Gaara if I could master it. While the genjutsu was in play, the user would automatically create a substitution. There were no handseals for this.

I had packed enough supplies for a week, opting to train in one of the further, empty, training grounds away from the village. I just wasn't in the mood for people in general. I left a note for Naruto, though, telling him that I would come back in a week when I was more collected.

So for a week I trained, focusing solely on my ability to evade along with the single ninjutsu.

And when that week was over, I returned.

('･ω･')

I entered our home in the early morning lights, smiling softly at Naruto's sleeping form. I moved silently through the small apartment, placing my used survival kit on the kitchen counter before grabbing a few of my fresher clothes and heading to the bathroom for a quick shower.

When I returned, I found Naruto awake, pouring milk into two bowls of cereal. He handed me one of them wordlessly, which I took with a small thank you. The two of us then sat at the table, eating quietly.

"How's training?" I finally asked.

"Mn. Actually, I have to talk to you about it. I, um, so... he didn't tell you at all? I mean... really?"

I shrugged, ignoring the small sting in my chest. "No. I haven't seen Kakashi-sensei since the preliminaries."

"Oh. Well, you were asleep when he stopped by the first time. I thought he would have told you personally later, but he mentioned stuff about how Sasuke needed some one-on-one training or some other shit. He said they would return in about two weeks."

"Did he mention why he singled out Sasuke?"

"Na-uh. I thought he was taking you, too, 'cause you know, the whole Gaara thing. He didn't actually say it, but it was kind of a no-brainer to me... I don't know. I can't ever tell what he's thinking," Naruto commented, scratching the top of his head.

"Mn."

"And uh, well, I know how you were kind of panicked about Gaara."

I blinked in surprise. "You did?"

"It was kind of obvious," Naruto said plainly.

"Did anyone else notice?"

"I'm sure Gaara didn't," Naruto said. "He was sort of off in his own little world, giggling creepily and muttering how happy his mom would be or whatever. As for anyone else? Dunno. Ah, so um... look, I found another teacher and I told him about you, 'bout us, and he agreed he'd help you."

Jiraiya?

"Oh... Aniki... you shouldn't have... I know you're worried about your fight with Neji, too..."

"It's fine," Naruto assured me, smiling warmly. "Neji won't kill me, or really try to. I'm just concerned about you."

I swallowed thickly at that, my heart warming and for whatever strange reason I felt lighter and my eyes were stinging. It passed quickly enough though that I could dismiss it for the moment.

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

Naruto just gave me his bright, sunny grin. "Eheheh. So whenever you're ready to meet him, let's, 'kay?"

"'Kay!"

('･ω･')

"Alright Pervy-Sage! Here's my imouto!" Naruto declared, pointing dramatically towards me.

"Hello," I greeted, feeling slightly shy towards the man that was my godfather.

Remember Miwako. He's a stranger. Don't let your previous thoughts of him cloud your judgment. Never again. I don't ever want to be betrayed in that manner ever again.

"Why hello there, aren't you a pretty little one?" Jiraiya grinned.

"No," Naruto growled, his eyes narrowed. "I swear, if you go pedo for my sister, I will end you."

"Kidding, kidding, but she is quite a cutie. I bet she'll be quite a looker when she matures," Jiraiya said teasingly.

"Um—uh—thank you?"

"You're quite welcome! So, what seems to be the issue?"

"I'm fighting an unstable jinchūriki with a broken seal that wants desperately to kill me," I said bluntly.

Jiraiya blinked. "... How unstable?"

"He refers to the bijū as his mother, he oozes killer intent and demonic chakra, he hasn't slept at all—in his entire life—and he giggles hysterically in the middle of battle."

Jiraiya whistled. "How the Hell is he allowed in the exam?"

"... I don't know," I confessed.

"So are you going to help Miwa, or what?" Naruto demanded. "Kakashi-sensei is being an ass and totally ditching us, and I'm not letting my little sister be crushed by some little psychotic creep!"

"Calm down, I already said I'd help—can I ask why your sensei isn't helping you, though?" Jiraiya asked incredulously.

I shrugged, once again ignoring the stinging sensation in my chest.

"... Right. I guess he's an idiot or something. Do you already have a plan?"

I nodded.

"Excellent! That makes my job much easier. Tell me what I can help you with."

I smiled shyly. "Hai."