Konoha's Own Blue-Eyed Puppeteer

Preliminary Battles

I AM SOOO SORRY!! >-< It's been forever since I updated, but for a good reason! ^__^

I've been working on a drawing of Akisha! Look to the side and you'll see her :D I drew her, then scanned her and used an editing program to add paint and stuff. (Which..if you happen to be a blonde at heart like me it's much harder than it looks ._. )

So hope you all like the drawing!~ Even though I know it's not that good XD I'm a mediocre artist at that moment.

So, please enjoy this chapter! 

****Akisha's POV****

I groaned, rubbing my eyes. We have a preliminary battles before an actual battle? What bullshit... We just got out of the Forest of Death, and now we're going to be thrown in another life or death battle. I peeked at glance at Team 7 within this spacey room. I feel pretty bad for them. It looks like they only just got here and happen to be pretty beat up. Naruto looked destroyed, but in high spirits. Sasuke looked really messed up, even more so than Naruto. And Sakura, her hair was cut short and dirt clung to her clothes. It felt unnatural to see her like that, back in the academy, her and Ino fought over who had the clearest skin, softest hair, and all of that girly stuff.

I mean granted our team got a meal, sleep, and a shower. However we still have to wear our dirty clothes and most of our wounds haven't healed. Plus, one night's sleep isn't enough to rest us. All that and the cook here sucks...

"Now then." The old man Hokage's voice rang to us, breaking me from thought. "This is Gekkou Hayate, he will be your instructor for these preliminary rounds." A sickly looking man walked out in front of us, bags under his eyes and he wore a bandana to his head. He coughed into his hand before looking around at us. "Now then-" He took a moment to cough again. "There's something I'd like everyone to do..." 

He coughed heavily for a few seconds, then getting back to the point. "This is a preliminary for the third test as you all know. For this one, you can chose to quit. It will not affect your team at all. And... Um.. You can always try again in the next Chunin Exams.." He breathed in air as if it was going to be his last. Jeez. I almost feel bad for this guy... Although I am thankful I'm standing more or less in the back. I'd rather not get coughed on- "Umm.. I'm going to quit.."  I turned and saw the one gray haired guy with glasses from the beginning of the exams. He had a nervous closed eyed grin with one hand raised. Naruto took a step his way. "Huh!? Kabuto? You can't quit now!" Naruto seemed crushed and upset at the 'Kabuto' guy.

The examiner raised a clip board, checking it. "Yakushi Kabuto. From Konoha, right?" He coughed and checked something on the board. "Okay, you may leave now.." Naruto looked between the examiner Kabuto with an extremely upset face. The examiner scanned all of us before looking back to the clip board. "Does anyone else wish to retire-" Naruto jumped out in front of his team. "Wait! But Kabuto, why!? Why are you quitting!?"  Huh.. Why does Naruto care so much for this guy? Did they get close in the exam? Or..  Had Naruto always known this guy?  My eyebrow automatically raised in question, a devious smirk taking hold of my lips. First that kiss with Sasuke and now so much care over this guy? Naruto's starting to make me question his claimed love for Sakura. Hehe, maybe that's a cover up?

Kabuto sighed distracting me from my random thinking. "Sorry Naruto, I'm too beat up to continue. I actually haven't been able to hear out of my left ear from when the sound ninjas first attacked me. And now we have to risk our lives? I can't." I internally scoffed yet externally face palmed. We had to risk our lives ever since we first stepped into that damn forest. Kabuto gave a friendly wave goodbye to Naruto before walking out. Naruto still looked upset, an understanding look was on his face though.