A/N: This is a bit longer than regular chapters since I didn't want to have a training montage leaking into any other chapters. In this particular chapter, the bits and pieces are spread out in the weeks before the Chunin exams.

Genjutsu information taken from the Narutopedia directly. I did not write the sections the 'book' tells. Thanks for understanding!

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I lay awake on my bed, facing the ceiling with my hands behind my head. Narrowing my eyes, I thought about what Kabuto told me last night.

Scrunching my eyebrows, I thought hard. They need me alive for something...for what was the question.

Sitting up, I look to the side and out the window. The sky looked pretty this morning.

"As long as you don't warn the village of our plans..."  

"No need to threaten me, Kabuto. I have my own reasons...and so do you."

Kabuto's eyes widened a little at my statement, "oh?"

"No worries," I smiled a little, "for my silence, you can relax. But as for you...don't think you're off the hook. I will not afraid to reveal the plans to a special someone."

Kabuto's face was stock still, but a sweat drop rolled down his temple. He probably had no idea who I was talking about.

"Do you really think you can oppose Orochimaru with a curse mark? What can this special someone do?"

I almost laughed in his face, but I couldn't hide the amused expression.

"I've found a way..." I digressed, "to...how to put it...get around the mark. Before you guess, no, it's not a sealing technique like the one Kakashi had used."

It was my death, but Kami knows I wouldn't tell him that outright.

"Free of missions until after the exams..." I sigh to myself, swinging my legs out of bed and rubbing my eyes with the backs of my hands.

Getting up, I threw on a comfortable grey tank top with a white short sleeved hoodie over it. Putting on some sand colored pants, I pulled on my hidden blades and clipped my weapons pouch on my left hip.

All the more time to study and train.

Making a quick Cinna-O's breakfast, I chowed down before taking off to the library on the rooftops. My plan was to focus my studies on genjutsu today.

Hours later...

"Dammit...!" I curse under my breath.

I forcefully rake my fingers through my hair, groaning.

No matter which way I look at it, I'll have to use some sort of pain if I want to get out of a genjutsu without using any chakra...I have to conserve chakra for the battle for the jutsu I'm planning to use...

I go back to reading over the book again. 

"A genjutsu is created when a ninja controls the chakra flow of a target's cerebral nervous system, thereby affecting their five senses. This is frequently used to create false images and trick the body into believing its has experienced physical pain. Genjutsu can also be used to manipulate others - similar to brainwashing - by feeding the victim illusive suggestions. Most genjutsu is performed visually, requiring the target make eye contact with the caster. Despite its usefulness, genjutsu is rarely employed, most shinobi preferring the real, tangible effects of ninjutsu and over the imagined effects of genjutsu. The difficulty of performing genjutsu in the first place presents an additional barrier to its use: genjutsu require precise chakra control in order to manipulate the target's senses and advanced intelligence to make the illusion convincing..."

Genjutsu is a bit frightening in this context. From what Sakura told me, the girl I'm going up against has visual genjutsu.

"Those under the influence of genjutsu will either appear to be unconscious or continue to move around under the pretense of the genjutsu. The latter is very effective in battle as a genjutsu user can make themselves appear to be somewhere else and attack the victim from behind or change the environment to make the victim see a flat plain where there is a steep cliff."

Good to know.

---------------------

"Hey, Angeles!"

Opening my eyes, I realized that someone had called for me. Looking up, I saw Kiba and Akamaru running up to the stream. I sat upon a rock in the middle of the wide stream, cross-legged.

I waved with a friendly expression.

"What're you doing all the way out here?" Kiba asked, leaping across the gaps of rocks to get to closer rock to talk to me.

Smiling a little, I respond lightheartedly, "well, I came out here to have a bit of mental exercise. It's so peaceful out here compared to the village noise."

Kiba looked skeptical, "mental exercise? Shouldn't you be training your body for the exam? You'll lose for sure if you just sit around all day!"

Akamaru barks, seeming to agree with his owner.

I frown, pointing out, "I'm not just sitting around, Kiba. I'm going up against a genjutsu master in the finals..."

Kiba thinks about it and admitts, "oh, right. That one girl."

I nod, knowing who he was referring to. The fur-hooded boy sits on his own rock near me, asking, "but what are these for? These mental exercises?"

I smile and happily disclose, "strengthening your mind with mental exercises means clearing the clutter and silencing the negative voices in your head. The 'what if's, the 'pursuit of perfection', and 'judgement from others'."

Kiba gave a confused look.

"Uh...let me put it in a different way," I decide, putting my words in a divergent perspective, "it means focusing your efforts on what takes for you to live your own dream instead of just wishing for it...it means treating your brain like an athlete treats his muscles, training the muscle in question to do more with less effort, and focusing on the steps you need to take every day to make your dream a reality."

Akamaru barked in response, and Kiba looked down at his dog blurting, "yeah, you're right!"

It was my turn to give a confused expression. 

Kiba quickly figures out what my face meant and translated, "he thinks that it's essential to being a ninja. Achieving dreams and all. How do you do that? Can I join in?"

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"You've forgotten to speed count, again."

"Kami, so help me..." I sigh, rubbing my temples, "just grasping this game was a full on brain workout by itself..."

Asuma chuckles, leaning his elbow on his knee and supporting his chin with his palm as we both face each other. Between us is an old Shogi board. Shikamaru has been watching the multiple games we've played, learning my moves along with how I work and integrating it into his own learning.

I had asked Asuma to help me with Shogi because I had thought it would be good to learn, but this is extremely mind bending. It's not very different than Chess moves-wise, but I've never heard of sacrificing things like pawns or silvers. Castles...the Climbing Silver move. Defense, defense, defense. My offense is horrible. I can't balance it as well as Asuma does. It'll be a loooong time before I get the hang of this.

"Why didn't you use the 'tokin' you had? It was in a perfect position," Shikamaru questioned with a disappointed tone, pointing it out on the board. Having it pointed out to me made my embarrassment flare, but I kept my frustration under control and took his perspective on things.

I shook my head, muttering, "this sucks. Strategy and deduction are two different things."

"Shogi isn't something you learn within one day, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. Why not take a break for now?" Asuma offered.

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"41! 42! 43!" I pressed on, refining my movements and reflecting on my technique in Bartitsu.

I spent hours upon hours doing physical exercise every afternoon since my break began, and I could tell I was getting stronger despite the horrible aches and pains. My calves had been refined in muscle and my shoulders were more square. My arms had a bit more definition as well.

"If I still had the female body," I whispered to myself as I stared in wonder through the mirror that night, "I wouldn't have changed this much visually..."

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"I had figured you would find someone who will train you specifically, but it seems as though you hadn't had much luck," Kakashi surmised.

I nodded, feeling a little out of place in the hospital bed. He had caught me after my overnight stay and check up with my Kalasis.

Three weeks before the exam.

"In light of your struggle, I had gotten a hold of an individual that'll help in your training to become mentally strong. That is your goal, correct?"

Nodding again, I wondered who it would be. Kakashi looked over my shoulder and made a 'oh, good' type of noise.

"Speak of the devil," Kakashi spoke up. Turning, I came eye to eye with someone I've run into more than once. It didn't take me by surprise, actually, but it did make me sweat bullets.

"Morino-san," I greeted as politely as I could, perspiration of fear evident on my brow.

This guy, the best in INTERROGATION, will be my instructor?!

He nodded to me and turned to Kakashi with a stern expression, "this will be a one time favor. I'm sure you're aware of that, Kakashi."

I turned to Kakashi as well, speaking hesitantly, "...are you sure about this, sensei?"

Kakashi nods to us, "I'm sure he'll be better at teaching you the ways of the mind better than I could. Besides, my schedule is piled up with other things, as I've mentioned. Anyway, I've got to go."

He bids Ibiki and I goodbye and poofs away.

Ibiki clears his throat and I turn my attention to him.

"We should get moving, shall we?"

"Where?"

"...I'll leave you in suspense."

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"Move faster in your bursts this time!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Do not stop, and watch your footwork! Do you hear me!?"

"I do, sir!"

"Mean it!"

"I do, sir!"

When I had passed the finish line once more, I fell forward on my hands and knees and breathed heavily, my lungs felling like they were on literal fire. I had used the new technique Ibiki had shown me, but getting to the end was just as hard as the last time.

"14 minutes."

Gritting my teeth when I heard the number, I slammed my fist on the ground.

"Again!" He shouted.

Again, I went.

My muscles were burning raw, tight, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I gave up halfway through by passing out.

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Closing the door behind Ibiki and myself, I followed his quick pace down the hall and away from the interrogation room.

Ibiki's tone cut right through me as he slammed his critique into my head, "realize you're mistake in taking the case too personally, Angeles. That was more of an accusatory interview. That was not what we were going for."

I lower my head a little in shame, speaking softly but sincerely, "I apologize, Morino-sensei."

"Don't apologize, fix your behavior. What happened to that even-tone I had heard before? In that room, your level head is crucial! Do not be so inclined as to falter in your tactics or confidence. We have been over this many times, so make sure this gets through your head! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir..."

He had warned me that he would be straight up about my mistakes and missteps, and it would be difficult to correct them since the actions I took to fix them would be going against my 'mental grain'. I had accepted both of those facts as I listened to Ibiki's abrasive tear-down of my actions. Enduring it, I had firm resolve to help what can be helped.

Too much passive nature. 

Horrid control of nerves and thought process. 

Insufferable information gathering. 

Not threatening enough. 

Too heavy handed. 

Not enough force. 

Control is off. 

Lost focus.

Dropped loose ends.

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"Your hook is off. How many times have I told you to straighten your wrist?"

"Fuuuuck...." I groaned, sweat cascading down my temples relentlessly. Honestly, I couldn't tell if it was from the heat of the day or from my workout.

Ibiki grunted, "Watch your attitude, there, boy. Get your ass off the ground, now."

Getting up, my legs feeling like jelly.

"There too many mistakes in you're performance. Show me your form."

Breathing heavily, I got back into position that Ibiki had taught me. He walked around me, inspecting it. I learned to not let his cold gaze make me as nervous as it did before.

Jabbing between my shoulder blades with two fingers, he instantly corrected the slight slump from tiredness in my spine. With his ankle, he shifted my feet distance to where it was supposed to be. Gloved hands grasped my wrists and shifted my arms into a more strenuous but correct form.

"No matter how tired you are, always return to this exact position. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

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"Angel-kun, what...are you doing?" Naruto asked hesitantly, looking under the kitchen table from where he sat. He just got back home from training with Jirayia and was halfway through his plate of Gyudon (beef bowl) when I went under the table.

Ibiki had told me to do a number of things even outside of regular training sessions, to keep consistency and teach me self drive. This was one of them.

"Huff....bodyweight rows...huff...."

Naruto's eyes sparkled, "even now, you're training?! I should train too! How do you do that? Show me, show me!"

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I didn't expect what he did behind my back.

My task was simple enough: Get the information - a scroll - to a neighboring village safely. 

I was told that even though I was supposed to be off missions, the village was short on ninja and I needed to fill a spot for a team. Understanding as I was, I accepted the mission without a second thought about what might be behind it. 

I was accompanied by a couple of ninja I've never met around my age. One was spiteful, and the other was too easygoing, and the leader was quite the eccentric. The team got along despite it's hiccups in disagreements. I kept a handle on both of my teammates, keeping my voice of reason to calm their grudges against each other, the leader quite grateful for my presence. They warmed up to me, and despite that I thought otherwise.

We were halfway through the mission when we had gotten ambushed. My team escaped and kept the scroll safe, and I was the only one that got captured. It was worth it, though, seeing them get away.

Not so simple...rogue ninja, after all.

Now, I sat in the chair facing a ninja dressed like a sophisticated ninja without a distinguished head band, reeking of intimidating power. It's been three days and I haven't had anything to eat. The room was cold, and they had given me no time to sleep. They tried squeezing anything out of me with the threat to hurt me horribly before, but I thankfully didn't let anything slip so far.

The enemy ninja flipped through a pretty thick file, ignoring me. The silence was deafening as I listened to the clock tick. The tick was beginning to become annoying.

"You must not speak to fill the silence."

My eyes flitted to the camera watching me in the corner, remembering Ibiki's words when we went over the basics of techniques during interrogation.

"The interrogator will rely on your need to speak and your desire to defend yourself."

My eyes traveled back to the rogue ninja, watching him with heavy lidded eyes, silently focusing on his hand that flipped through files and files. Looking up at me, he upturned his eyebrows. Seeming to take pity, he dug into his back pocket and pulled out a cigarette box. He pulled out a stick and held it out as a gesture for me to take it. I recognized it immediately.

 "'Help yourself'. This method relies on inducing your desire for self-preservation. You may be offered food, water, a more comfortable room, or a sentence reduction for cooperating."

"What does that mean for me?" I asked, taking notes as I sat across from him in a quiet training ground.

"These are signs of weakness in your opponent. If they are offering bribes, they desperately need your information. It will start out as something innocent, but once you give in to that, it will be difficult to stop. They will turn their kindness on you later, even."

They already tried this. Did they think I forgot?

I turned my head away a little, my silent gesture denying the cigarette. The ninja's reach falters, withdrawing his hand after a moment with a sigh.

"Look, my buddy that was in here from before?" the ninja finally spoke with a half-friendly tone, "he was a bit harsh, but was just trying to help you. I'm here now, trying to help you. What makes you so reluctant to even speak to us? We're on your side, you know...?"

I closed my eyes for a second to focus as I was aware of the pain spread on my cheek from where his partner socked me earlier, and other such aches from the days I spent in this very room. After a moment of silence, he closed the big file and set it off to the side. Opening my eyes, I saw the ninja press a finger to the earpiece resting in his ear.

He waited for a moment, listening to whoever was on the other side of the earpiece. Subtly he nodded and smiled a little.

"We've captured your pals who tried to get away," he informed me, his expression turning into a frown, "there's no point in hiding anything now. If you won't talk...they will. Do you understand?"

I pressed my elbow to the desk for support, resting my forehead on my open palm.

"'End game'. The technique relies on instilling the idea that the battle is already over. You've been captured. Any resistance is futile. Anything you believed in is lost. You're holding out for no reason. Make things easier on yourself. The technique relies on forcing you to give up internally."

I remained silent, but kept the interrogators gaze as best as I could. He held my gaze as well, having quite the intense stare-down. Blinking first, I looked down at the table in a woozy spin of my conscience.

"Very well, then."

The ninja brought his fingers to the neck hem of his coat and pressed something, speaking into his shoulder. Everything went still when the words spilled form his mouth without hesitation, my heart almost skipping a beat.

"Kill one."

My eyes widened, pupils shrinking in one rapid motion as I heard screaming outside of the room not too far away. Screams I recognized.

It broke me, those damned screams. I didn't want anyone to die because of my actions. Begging for them to not kill my teammate, I spilled everything I knew.

The RTI...resistance to interrogation...went horridly. To top it all off, it was in a genjutsu far above my own understanding. I had gotten thoroughly berated by Ibiki for that one. 

My sensei, though very hard and cold on me because of my performance, was surprisingly reasonable. He took me out for enokitake (sauteed mushroom) and meat after a round with a doctor was over to heal my injuries. We ate together, though he was still stiff and a little irritated with my actions.

I had a long way to go yet, for sure.

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Too much passive nature. 

Horrid control of nerves and thought process. 

Tolerable information gathering. 

Not threatening enough. 

Light handed. 

Not enough force. 

Control is off. 

Mostly maintained focus.

Tied up loose ends.

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Ibiki was out for today, so I had to work with a couple of other ninja from his hand picked team. One had goggles and a bandaged face, while the other had spiky hair. Both were intimidating, but after training with Ibiki a number of times had me numb to their personified presence. I think it took them a little bit aback when I didn't flinch at their shouting when I didn't do a specific move right.

I battled it out with the two of them, holding my own for one and a half minutes before getting pinned.

"Whew, kid," one relented as he let me up, releasing my head from under his boot, "you sure are something, despite your flimsy execution. Ibiki-san must have put some effort into ya."

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"Not good enough!"

Gritting my teeth, I grunted when he flattened my form to the floor, my arms not strong enough to keep the plank position that he had me in for the past five minutes.

What a fucking sadist.

"Get up."

I slowly but surely got to my hands and knees, but Ibiki got impatient and grabbed the back of my collar. He forced me up to my feet harshly. Coughing into my elbow, he grunted at my pathetic state.

"For that awful failure, get on that branch and do pull ups until I tell you to stop. Get your sorry ass moving!"

Taking a deep breath, I gave a nod in understanding and took off to where he pointed, not a word against him. Ibiki was training me of my own volition, anyway.

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Chugging water, I wiped the seat from my brow with a numb arm.

"Take a break, Angeles."

Gladly, I collapsed onto the ground on my ass in the shade, wheezing.

"Are you going to tell me my time?" I breathed, taking another chug of water just after the words left my lips. The cooling sensation of water went down my parched throat, giving my throat and stomach relief.

Ibiki was quiet for once, not giving me a firm 'no' or anything of the sort. He was silent as he stared at the watch. This disturbed me a little as my eyes traveled to his stern expression, then to the stop watch, then back to my sensei. My confused expression made him smirk a little as he held up the stopwatch he had in his gloved hand toward me.

I dropped my water bottle and snatched the stopwatch from his hands, blinking at the number with wide eyes, wondering if I read it right. It took me three times for it to set in.

3:15.

A mile in a little under four minutes.

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"Good."

Puffing, I dropped my aching arms and caught my breath. Ibiki dropped his battle stance I've come to respect as well, giving me a smirk.

I smiled, and I could feel the sparkle in my eyes. It was the first compliment without a backhanded, degrading comment on my stance or footwork.

Ibiki grunted, chiding, "don't get too excited. You still need to hit the center of a target 100 feet away."

My shoulders and head dropped.

Thought too soon.

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"Watch your side, Angeles!"

Quickly filtering my sensei's shouting among the sounds of battle against the two subordinates of Ibiki's, I quickly fixed my position and caught a left hook, flipping the spiky haired one over my shoulder.

With my gained speed from training, I began turning and throwing my weight sideways. This way, I narrowly avoided a discombobulating attack from his goggled and bandaged partner that came up behind me. Skidding my foot to complete balance again, I threw hard punches while redirecting delivered attacks to throw him off.

My eyes shot away and I spun with a speed I barley knew I had, the kunai missing my shoulder. I took the opportunity to take the back of my heel and swing it into the side of the spiky haired opponent, who didn't expect it and flew off and out of the ring we had created. With the momentum, I slid under a fist from the goggled man and swept his feet from under him. I was on top of him before he could get his bearings, my hidden blade to his neck and face a foot from his.

"Enough."

Blinking, I realized the goggled man was directing a smile to me at the sound of Ibiki abruptly ending the spar.

"Your implemented stylized moves are interesting, Angeles," The spiky haired subordinated commented, standing and coming back into the ring as I got off his partner, "you can actually hold your own, now!"

I helped the goggled man up, him rubbing the top of my head and chuckling, "you've grown much under Ibiki. I think it's safe to say you'll do well at your match in the Chunin exams."

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Three days before the exam....

"Angeles."

The snap of fingers in front of my face brought me back to reality. We sat in the same old training field facing each other, a gentle breeze blowing by, the sun getting a bit close to the horizon. I sat relaxed with my gaze on Ibiki, silently waiting for instruction after a mental exercise with him.

Running? Spar? Lecture? What will it be?

"Let's go eat, hm? It's getting late."

Blinking in surprise, I watched him get up from where he sat and start to walk away.

Wait, he really meant it?

Getting up after recovering from shock, I quickly followed after him and matched his stride. We made our way off the field and into town, Ibiki leading the way. Adjusting my coat collar to block the breeze, we walked with no hurry, unlike most days.

What's up with him? Something has to be wrong if he's acting like this....

Arriving at a diner, we sat down opposite of each other at a booth. We were away from the crowd, at the back of the diner. Away from prying eyes and ears.

"Order anything. My treat."

Giving him a quizzical look, I asked, "...what is this about, sensei?"

"About your abilities."

I leaned back, not surprised, "oh, like from the sparring?"

"No."

My stomach sank and I upturned my brows in confusion, waiting for an explanation. He looked up from the menu and put it aside, clasping his hands and putting his forearms on the table. Ibiki looked me directly in the eye, his gaze more intense than usual. This unnerved me.

"What will happen during the exams?"

This question threw me off a little, coming off as strange. I answered with, "well...because of my training, I'll be prepared for my opponent, an-"

"You know that's not what I meant, Angeles."

My heart skipped a beat as I realized what he was getting at. I shook my head, daunted. He leaned a bit closer and lowered his voice.

"I know what happened back in the Land of Waves."