( I don't own Naruto. The song for this chapter is "Monster" by Skillet. Enjoy! )

The Chuunin Exams:

Late afternoon:

"You three familiarize yourselves with the village. I have to report our arrival to the Hokage and check us into a hotel," a man yells back at three others as they leap through the trees. He was dressed head to toe in ninja gear, an ANBU black fox mask upon his face that had muffled his voice slightly. Light blonde hair blowing behind him and a forehead protector with the symbol of the Hidden Rain Village was the only bit of him that was identifiable. Behind him the three figures, his students, nodded to his command. The head student at their front, wearing a red fox mask, speeds to his side and keeps pace, wearing similar garb in the same dark tone. A headband with the same symbol tied around their waist.

"We'll be fine sensei," the voice, soprano but mistakable for either gender, says. "We'll see you in a few hours." The other two, who are slightly taller and larger in frame, speed up to flank Red and nod, getting an identical one from their sensei in return.

"Alright. Red Fox, you're in charge," he orders.

"Aren't I always?" Red quips. The sensei laughs, changing direction and heading north, presumably for the Hokage's office. The three students, genin in rank, slow top a halt in a tree on the edge of the forest they had reentered after checking in at the village gate. Below them the streets began again and a clear view of the sidewalk just below them was presented. Red Fox lowers into a couch before looking up to the other two on the left. "You guys ready for these exams?"

The taller of these two, one with a long ponytail of coal, a headband tied to his right bicep, and a mask with the likeness of a black panther sighs from inside the thick cloak he was wearing that was identical to the remaining teammate's. "We've been trained for this haven't we? We're the only ones in the village with an ANBU as our sensei so I would hope we're prepared for a mere exam." His deep tone sounds bored, as per usual for them.

To his left is the final teammate, shrouded in his cloak and adjusting his headband around his left bicep, his mask reminiscent of a brown snake. His hair color is impossible to determine with the leathery cover over his head. In response to his teammate's statement however, he crouches and tilts his head with seemingly strained interest. A raspy tenor leaves his mask more clearly than his comrades, thanks to years of practice most likely.

"True," he states, "but my sources tell me that there are quite a few rookies from the Leaf this year. They must be pretty talented for them to be recommended by their sensei so early on in their training."

To this, Red nods. "Probably, but then where would the fun be if they weren't a little above average?"

Panther folds his arms, seemingly bored again as he shakes his head. "They're just a bunch of rookies. We won't have a problem with them."

This prompts a giggle from Red. "You know, we're rookies too."

Visibly flustered, Panther turns his head. "Yeah well, that's different. We graduated from the academy early and our sensei is an ANBU." His gaze slides back to Red and he seems to shift in place, a sort of familiar pit of warmth in his heart causing it. His thoughts however, are interrupted by Snake as he does a head jerk that, despite its resemblance to cracking joints, is in no way related. His gaze is ahead, planned on a small gathering of shinobi, young ones, quarreling on the walk.

"Looks like the action's already started." His teammates follow his gaze to the seven youngsters, three more so than the others. Red observes the situation, analyzing from the look of things that the smaller of the three we're probably academy students while the others must've been genin. They guessed this by the Leaf headbands on a blonde and a pink haired girl as well as the Sand headbands on the two oldest of the group. Red didn't know the details or who exactly these people were, but there was something familiar about the brunette child on the ground. "Does that kid look familiar to you guys?"

Snake is the one to answer. "He was in they files Toshimora briefed us on," he states. "Konohamaru Sarutobi, grandson of the Third Hokage." Red nods in realization. It looked like he must have ran into the Sand ninja clad in black that was wearing purple face paint. The blonde girl with him in similar dark clothes sported an agitated look as he was speaking sarcastically to the young boy however.

"Do you need something?" The Leaf ninja as a whole gasp as the Sand shinobi picks the child up by the front of his scarf. The blonde boy, wearing an orange jumpsuit of sorts yells.

"Konohamaru!" It was in fact who they thought it was. The Sand ninja however doesn't seem to bat an eye out recognize the name. Instead, he squeezes down on the child's neck.

"So, does this hurt punk?" The girl with him, probably his teammate, rolls her eyes.

"Put him down Kankuro, or you know you'll pay for it later." Ignoring the warning, the pink haired kunoichi looks absolutely terrified by the male's aggression, yet she still apologizes for the inconvenience as if it's her fault..

"Hey I'm sorry. The whole thing was my fault." The blonde boy however, wasn't handling it as well.

"You better take your hands off him right now!" he bellows.

Panther notices the symbols engraved on the headbands of the older ones on each end of things later than his teammates, and sizes up the groups. 'So, these are the Leaf and Sand genin...' he thinks to himself.

The one called Kankuro smiles at young Konohamaru in his grasp, but not in a friendly manner. "We got a few minutes before he gets here. So let's mess with these punks huh?" The boy in his hold merely kicks at him in response, gasping every so often.

"Let go of me you jerk!" Kankuro's expression becomes harder, filled with greater intent as makes a clear threat towards the academy boy.

"You're feisty, but not for long." Red tilts his head, watching with interest as the blonde boy from the Leaf loses his cool, charging at the one responsible for losing a hand against their leader's kin.

"Put him down!" he screeches. Red, watching closely, is barely able to catch the faint movement of Kankuro's index and ring finger, insignificant movements that usually wouldn't mean anything, but in this case must have triggered something. Suddenly, the blonde falls as if tripped backwards. "What the hell? What was that?" he asks panicked.

Kankuro gives no definite answer, but instead says, "You're a Leaf genin too? Looks like your village is full of wimps."

It was at about this moment that watching became boring, and without interference from the other two Reason ninja, Red drops down from the tree, practically demanding the attention of everyone. The pink haired girl who has tried to diffuse the situation seems most jolted by the sudden appearance.

"An ANBU?" Red smirks beneath the cover of the mask and shakes his head, bowing politely, as is customary when introducing one's self to a new village.

"Genin in training under ANBU actually," Red clarifies before turning to Kankuro. "You've got balls you know? Messing with the Hokage's grandson like that." The duo share a look of visible sick before shielding it. The blonde female yet to be named speaks before her teammate can, eyes suspicious.

"And just who are you?"

Red facepalms and shakes his head in a dramatic manner. "Forgive me, where are my manners? Panther! Snake!" In an instant, the two are at their leader's side, ready for orders and action to follow. "Shall we introduce ourselves boys?"

Panther shrugs on the one hand shrugs indifferenly, not a care to be given. "Whatever."

Simultaniously, Snake's neck twitchesbefore his head jerks a bit violently. "Considering we'll be taking the exams together, we might as well get acquainted," he offers in a playful tone, prompting a hidden grin from Red one more.

"Alright, you start," he orders, a nod answering his request.

"Gladly." He lifts a hand, a sign releasing the jutsu on his cloak and poofing it away in a plume of smoke just as his other hand, covered in a glove, removes his mask. Gasps ensue from the younger children as he is revealed to be completely covered from head to toe in a black latex body suit; a head covering and the gloves and boots to accompany it. The only changes in color being the brown of his belt that held his kunai pouch and a shimmering black rope of sorts rolled through a loop. A glint reveals a silver zipper running down the base of his spine and another runs along the base of his face covering from his neck and around to nearly complete the circle fully. The final noticeable one is unzipped and runs along the space where his mouth is. The only things visible, apart from tan lips are his heterochromic eyes, the left one a vibrant baby blue and the right a warm brown. Another spasmatic jerk catches the attention of the strangers and holds it as his skull seems to twist almost one hundred and thirty degrees so that he appeared to be looking forward with a crooked head. All who witness it cringe aside from his comrades and he introduces himself with his raspy tone. "I'm Cavuto, contortionist extraordinair. Pleased to meet you." Despite the negative reaction, it doesn't seem to affect his good spirit.

A nod from Red captures Panther's attention and he takes it as his cute to follow suit of Cavuto. With a sigh he follows the same handsign as Cavuto, his cloak dissipating in a similar manner as he too removes his mask with a fingerless glove clad hand. In the fading of the smoke, its revealed that he wears typical blue shinobi sandals and some beige knee-length cargo shorts with multiple pockets, and his belt and pouch along with a mesh armor tee shirt an open indigo shaded sleeveless vest. An umbrella and tanto are strapped to his back, the strap itself tied diagonally across his front. His hair is a shimmering ebony styled in a long ponytail, a small portion of it lying in a shaggy, unkempt nest upon his head in which his bangs fell well into his eyes and the rest fell to about the base of his neck. His eyes however, are what prompted awe induced gasps from the three present females, along with the visibility of his obviously athletic form. They were a deep sapphire, icy and cold, his expression upon and angular face blank. "I'm Kai," he states simply. His smooth voice practically left hearts in the eyes of the girls around him.

Kankuro and the unnamed blonde boy glare at Red impatiently, obviously impatient and none to ready to become friends based on the appearances of the other two who had revealed their identities already. Red sensed that easily and, not wanting to make them wait at the sake of his own amusement, drops the cloak in the identical fashion and lifts a pale hand to remove the mask.

The smoke takes many moments more to clear, the Hidden form becoming more visible and very apparent that it was smaller than Kai or Cavuto. Eventually the form is revealed, and the quarreling boys both drop their jawsin unison, shooting simultaneously in shock

"You're a girl?!"

Standing before them, a hand on a prominent hip, the leader of the group known as Red grins, the color no less accurate a nickname. She's a pale and short female with not a blemish to be seen, navy blue shorts and matching heeled sandals adorning her lower half, as well as a fishnet sleeve decorating her right calf down to her ankle and the middle of her left thigh and beneath her shorts. On her torso, a tight emerald green v-neck midriff with elbow length sleeves covers her form. Matching the intensity of the color is her long-lash rimmed eyes, one of which is hidden by the chopped hair, as vivid in hire as blood itself and the same color. In front it falls just below her chin and in back, the bottom of her shoulder blades. With an innocent expression, she smiles sweetly at Kankuro.

"Yes I'm a girl, last time I checked anyway," she teases. Snapping from his stupor, he grins back at her.

"And a cute one at that..."

She chuckles as if humoring him, her eyes holding mischief. "Aren't you just sweet."

At her right flank Kai emits a low growl, moving closer to her side, though she fails to notice. The blonde boy, now one again with the situation at hand, begins yelling at the Sand ninja once again, ripping all attention from the greeting.

"You're annoying," Kankuro groans back. "All of you Leaf. I don't like runts or any other scrawny weaklings anyway, so when a wimp like this starts running his mouth," he features to Konohamaru, "I just wanna break 'em in half."

Seemingly irate, his teammate sighs. "Fine," she gives in. "I'm not involved in any of this though okay?"

He smirks in response. "First, I'll take care of this little squirt, then I'll waste the other one," he proclaims. He rears his fist back in preparation to hit the small brunette, triggering a slow response from Red as she begins to stop him at the same time as the blonde. At that moment however, a rock, no bigger than a pebble, bounces off his hand and Konohamaru drops from his grasp with a thud and a grunt. Each young shinobi looked up and around in the direction from which the projectile came from, leading them to a lone tree just above them where a black haired boy with a Leaf headband was reclined with another rock in hand.

"You're a long way from home and you're way out of your league," he states to the lack of enthusiasm of the Rain trio. The pink haired girl from his village however squeals, making them cringe at the sound.

"Sasuke!"

Kankuro, also unamused, frowns and sends a glare in the way of the younger male. "Great. Another wimp to tick me off," he grumbles.

Sasuke, the newcomer, crushes the rock in his hand, to appear tough it seemed to the redheaded girl. Not exactly impressive... "Get lost."

"Hey punk, get down here." His that is completely ignored. "You're the pesky little snot I hate the most. All attitude and nothing to back it up," He accuses. Now free handed, he begins pulling something from off the strap of his back, large and wrapped in bandages with a tuft of brown app it, his teammate gasping at the action.

"What? You're gonna use the Crow for this?!"

Red considered stepping in since it seemed that it was possible he was going to try and initiate an all out battle in the street. Surely her sensei wouldn't scold her for keeping the peace of all things. It even seemed as if Kai would assist her at one point, until a deep monotone carried from the tree, merely a foot or two behind Sasuke.

"Kankuro, back off."

Red's gaze snaps up along with everyone else's, her emerald eyes taking in the form of the one who had spoken. Unlike those around her who looked at the male with fear and shock, she found herself smirking and a blush even slightly finding its way to her cheeks. Short hair only a few shades off from her own, he immediately captured her attention. Even in the shade she could tell he too was on the pale side, his arms and face the only skin showing despite the fact. He was wearing garb she found more passable as from the village in the desert, almost like wraps, and his arms were crossed nonchalantly. Even his expression was void, his sky blue eyes timed in thick black to put emphasis on the face itself.

"You're an embarrassment to our village," he continues coolly.

Kankuro grins, but his nerves are apparent in this as well as his voice. "Uh, hey Gaara," he chokes, all the while the male stays blank in expression.

"Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?" he asks calmly, yet somehow a threat still seems present.

Kankuro is so stirred he begins to stutter. "Ye-yeah, I know...I mean they challenged us. They started the whole thing really. S-see, here's what happened..." He's cut off before he can even begin an excuse.

"Shut up. Or I'll kill you." The that was so brash it almost seemed melodramatic, but there were no signs that he was joking in the slightest. Kankuro gulps and sweat begins talking his temple. Intrigued, Red grins and steps in front of him, between he and the male hanging upside down from the branch.

"That's a bit harsh don't you think?" she asks with an almost amused tone. Everyone gapes at her. No understanding to her actions registering to them at all. The girl and Kankuro themselves knew one thing: No one ever questions Gaara. Or tells him off, and they had a feeling from that one sentence that this girl would do either without prompting. Kankuro speaks up, attempting to apologize one more and direct attention away from Red's statement.

"It's fine sweetheart, I was totally out of line! S-sorry Gaara." Seemingly this does the trick, keeping Gaara's attention on Kankuro before turning to Sasuke.

"I'm sorry... for any trouble he caused." The statement almost had no feeling to it, and Red questions the truthfulness to it. He suddenly however, dissipates in a stream of sand, cascading down onto the walk and reforming in front of his male teammate, his left shoulder slightly brushing Red's as he solidifies and begins heading in the opposite direction. "Let's go. We didn't come here to play games." The order is soft but there is a dominance behind it. His squad begins to follow without question.

"Alright, s-sure. I-I get it."

The pink haired kunoichi, who had gone silent, seems to regain her voice and raises her voice once more. "Wait!" she calls. Her attempts to act imposed in front of them is obvious, but not pointed out. "State your business here."

Cavuto picks this moment to speak again and verbally answers as Red, as well as the Sand girl, pull out their access cards given to them at the gate upon being admitted into the village.

"Why we're here for the Chuunin Exams dear," he states almost in a coo. His head jerks and the girl cringes to the amusement of Red, prompting her laugh.

"You really should get up to date with what goes on in your own village," she states teasingly. The girl scowls. Purpose now stated, the Sand team begins leaving again, but not too far before Kankuro turns and address Red.

"Hey cutie!"

She smirks, giving him a raise of the brow. "Yes?"

"I didn't get your name." At this, Gaara turns as well, broadening her smile.

"I'm quite curious myself... Who are you?" he presses.

"Kiki Jakkaru of the Rain," she states simply, gaze on Gaara's. Kankuro seems to give her a once over and Gaara himself nods in satisfaction. Behind Kiki however, the boy called Sasuke yells.

"While names are being given out, why don't you tell us yours?" The redhead boy's expression never changes.

"I am Gaara of the Desert. And you are?"

"I am Sasuke Uchiha," he replies without missing a beat. The three Sand then take their leave for good, Kiki waving at them as they depart.

Turning, she eyes over the Leaf ninja and tilts her head as she addresses them. "So," she begins, "May I ask who you are? You're Sasuke and this is the honorable grandson of the Hokage, Konohamaru," she points out, "But who are the rest of you?" The blondes face lights up, almost as if no one had ever asked him for his name before.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna be Hokage some day!" At her side, Kai scoffs at the voiced ambitions of the blonde, his arms crossing in indifference as he continued. "This here is Moegi and Udon."

Without even the slightest hint that he was paying attention, Cavuto approaches the older of the two stranger kunoichi, bypassing Naruto with a hand held out. "It's a pleasure young miss," he almost purrs. The girl is extremely reluctant to acknowledge the greeting, refusing to offer her hand in greeting and making Kiki laugh.

"He doesn't bite you know," She taunts. With a frown the girl seems pressured to finally give her hand to Cavuto's outstretched one. As he claps his around hers she actually starts to pull away, his mouth making it's way to her hand putting her on edge before, to her surprise, soft lips graze her skin. Unsure of why, she blushes as mismatched eyes capture hers and a luscious smile curves his lips.

She feels almost compelled to offer her name. "I'm Sakura..."

Kai shifts once more, putting him at the side of Sasuke, who's hands had migrated to his pockets. "Always has to be a flirt," he sighs softly just loud enough for the younger make to hear and turn his way.

"Why even bother?" he asks. "He's too creepy to actually get a girl."

Kai smirks. "You would think huh? Believe it or not though he's had more girlfriends than me. He's actually quite the lady's man under all that latex." Instinctfully his sapphire eyes shift to Kiki. "Sometimes I envy him for it..."

Sasuke seems to catch the exchange. "So... you and her huh?"

Though vague, Kai knows what he's implying and shakes his head. "Not even a bit. But when you're forced to be cold in the life if a shinobi, you take all the rays of sunshine you can get." Sasuke listens but stays indifferent, not really taking it to heart. After a moment or two, Kai uncrosses his arms steps forward, placing a hand on Kiki's shoulder. "We should go find Sensei," he states. She listens and nods after a moment, turning to Cavuto.

"Right. Come on Casanova," she orders. Reluctantly he waves goodbye to Sakura, earning a growl from Naruto.

"Farewell my beautiful angel!" he calls dramatically. The two Rain boys each rest a hand on Kiki's arms as she lifts a hand into a sign and grins in farewell, a red mist surrounding them moments later until they vanish into thin air.

Once gone, Naruto groans. "Man those guys are freaky."

Sakura agrees with a nod. "Yeah, I've never seen a transportation jutsu like that before either..."

Sasuke, without real reason, approaches the spot where they were standing moments before and crouches, placing a hand above the pool of red that had collected there before dipping a couple fingers in and lifting them to his face. Once the smell hits him his eyes widen. "It's blood..."

Sasuke Uchiha. His name was on Gaara's mind. He stopped Kankuro with a pebble. Made it look easy too. He was somebody the redhead thought was worthy of keeping an eye on. As for the Rain Village trio, he had actually consulted his inner mind for advice on that. Shukaku, one tailed demon sealed inside him, stated with confidence that the three we're all very strong. Not unlike Gaara himself, but he was particularly interested in the girl Kankuro had taken to: Kiki Jakkaru. He had threatened to kill his brother numerous times before, but this stranger had wasted no time in taking up for him. She stepped forward with no apparent fear. Still, she never tried to approach him. Then again, why would she? No one ever did.

'You think she's hot!' the demon within him taunts.

'I don't know what you mean...'

'You're attracted to her idiot!' it asserts.

Attracted? How would he even know if he was? It wasn't as if that was an everyday emotion he was familiar with.

He led his siblings to their hotel, the older two passing him to head inside once they arrived with Temari stopping in the doorway. "Gaara?" she calls. His look doesn't change. It never did unless he found himself in the midst of the kill...

"I'll catch up..." he states simply. Dissolving into sand, the mineral begins to surround his blurred form and disappears from the street to reform on the roof of the building of housing, sitting with one leg draped over the edge and the other propped so that his chin rested on his knee. It had been a long journey from Suna, and at the end of the journey was a sunset oh so foreign to him...

'We should throw ourselves a little welcome party tonight kid!'

'You know I'm not supposed to while here. Not until the right time.'

'You take all of them out easily!'

'No.'

As fate would have it, the perplexing enigma that was the Rain kunoichi that fascinated him, appeared in a red swirling mist in front of the hotel along with her squad. They don't stand idle for more than a minute before they're greeted on the walk, a man with long, light blonde hair sweeping forward and covering the left side of his face approaching from inside. His right eye, a visible hazel color, is marked down the middle with a vertical scar, with the beginnings of another seen peaking from the blonde and seeming to run across the bridge of his nose. He was class in a jonin vest and a Rain forehead protector marked its rightful place, so Gaara could only assume that this was the sensei of the trio.

After some talking between them, what it was he want sure, the three males turn and walk down the walk and into the hotel. Kiki however looks around before lapping up and landing upon the roof of a jewelry store across the street, taking a seat fairly quickly. She never turned his way, but she seemed to sit and enjoy the sunset as he himself was about to do...

The young redheaded girl sits cross legged atop the vacant roof of a jewelry store, the building darkened and closed down for the night. Her mind was reeling from the events of the day, clouded with all its events and fatigue. From the long and grueling journey to the foreign lands in which they were to take these exams, to confronting some of the fellow exam takers from the host village and it's neighbor from the Land of the Wind. And then of course there was the issue of the three ninja she had sensed lurking about. Despite the protests from her ebony haired teammate that stated he would've sensed the chakras of any spies, she had stayed adamant in her statement. Toshimora had lended support in suggesting that masking their chakra may have very well been a possibility, but Kai had not been so quick to buy into it. She knew though. She could practically feel the blood pulsing in their veins from so close.

All in all, there was much to think on and it left her exhausted both mentally and physically. She hadn't been one for new terrain either... She was so used to the dark days, the squish of the mud beneath her bare feet, the constant cascade of water falling from the sky like tears. Even the air here seemed too dry. The climate was full of lush greenery but it was still not her village. Even the buildings were of simpler, less study materials. In the Rain, nearly everything was metal for maximum s strength against weather and any sort of disaster. Here though...

She needed to calm herself, get her bearings. No doubt she would adjust, she just needed to be patient. Like Toshi had taught her. She nips at her thumb, bringing blood to the surface so that she would get an effect when she began performing hand signs and inevitably slammed her palm onto the stone. "Summoning Jutsu," she breathes. A cloud of smoke bursts from the roof, a huge form emerging from it. The creature was at least the size of horse, most likely larger, covered in silken fur that around large paws and and side was tan, but along the top of the head and down towards the top of the long tail was brown, with the face and underbelly a solid white. The ears were overly large and the muzzle narrow. The eyes a brilliant emerald. A jackal.

The canine lowers it's massive head down to meet the girl's gaze, a gentle expression in its features. Kiki is calm and looks to the female beast with a look of familiarity, before speaking softly. "Mother."

Yes, the jackal before her, along with its kin, were an aid to the many hateful names she had received from the purple of her own village. Seen as a visage of evil and darkness, the jackals were a creature of unholy origin to the Rain Village people. This one in particular was named Kyoto Jakkaru, Kiki's biological mother. Though no one apart from her sensei knew of their relation, it was only in blood itself that the two of them were connected. A jackal who birthed a human spawn was no kind of ideal caregiver. And so the newborn Kiki was left on the stoop of a young couple to be raised among humans like her. Following their untimely demise when Kiki was only six years old, Kyoto returned to find her child in the hands of Toshimora, whom she explained her situation to. Toshimora signed a contract with the jackal, and when she was older he explained the story to Kiki and summoned Kyoto for her to officially meet. Since then, nine years from the initial horrific event, jackals have become her summon as well, but she and Kyoto have an understandably strained relationship, and Toshimora has been her legal guardian.

"Kiki," a soft soprano coos from the mouth of Kyoto. "How have you been?" she asks. It was almost like she was unsure of how to spark a conversation.

Kiki shrugs, her gaze lowering as her mother knelt and laid upon the ground in front of her, hind legs tucked beneath her and front ones following suit. "I'm fine."

The large furred femalenods before glancing around, taking in the scenery with a bit of confusion. "Where are you?" It wasn't the Rain.

"The Hidden Leaf. Toshimora brought us to take the chuunin exams." She shifts with one leg propped up and the other extended. "We've been traveling for a few days. We arrived a few hours ago." She receives yet another nod in response.

"I see. You must be tired." A short silence follows before Kyoto speaks again. "Are you nervous about the exams?" she tries.

"A little I guess... I mean I know I'll pass, but I'm not keen on the idea of having to show the ninja of the other villages what I am..." she says sort of mournfully.

Kyoto gives a saddened expression and gives a long exhale. "I know it's hard, inheriting the Kessaigan. It's a destructive ability. If it were up to me I would've rather you hadn't been burdened with that party of my family."

Kiki shakes her head. "It's not that exactly. It's how I get when I use it..."

"Your father's fault..." The murmur is quiet and intended not to be heard, but Kiki doesn't miss it. Nevertheless she doesn't acknowledge it. "I'm sorry Little One. I'm certain though that you will pass too though. You have the strength and instinct of the Jakkarus within you. The shinobi would be folks not to prime you," she assures.

"Thanks mom..." Silence follows once more before Kyoto lays her massive head in her daughter's lap, Kiki's hand falling at the base of her skull and sliding down her neck.

"So, from what you've seen, what do you think of this village?"

"It's dryer. Sunnier. The clouds are white and much fewer than back home. Plus there's the people..."

"What about them?"

"The Leaf residents are much more lenient about who enters. They don't even have chuunin follow the visitors. And that's only the higher up shinobi. The genin I met earlier didn't even know that foreigners were gathering for the exams." Slowly Kiki loosens up. "And then there was others from another village who were watching us as we interacted with other genin. Some Sand genin with attitudes..."

Kyoto raises a furry brow as Kiki seems to change thoughts. "Anyone interesting?"

"Well... one of the Sand guys did catch my eye," she admits.

Her response prompts a sly smirk from her mother. "That cute huh?"

"Well, yeah," she says honestly. "He was. Another red head, pale blue eyes with these dark rings around them. But that's not what I mean. Aside from looks he's pretty interesting. He has like this emotionless demeanor but if you look in his eyes it's just like, bloodlust."

"Sounds like a certain daughter of mine..." Kyoto muses thoughtfully. "But I understand. There's something different about him isn't there?"

"Yeah. Like when I get those thoughts I usually conceal it with an innocent smile. He just puts it out there, like... his goal in life is to destroy the world and he doesn't care who knows."

"Were you... scared?" She looks into the girl's mirroring eyes, genuinely concerned.

"Not really... I kind of, sympathized. Like I see the same thing when I look into a mirror."

Kyoto looks just barely relieved but nods. "I see. So has all of this been on your mind then?" A nod. The jackal thumps her tail on the ground beside her stomach as the girl scoots closer and prompts her to raise her head. To her surprise, She curls up against her neck. The two share a mutual nuzzle that seems to break the ice for a somewhat more appropriate encounter for mother and daughter. Kyoto runs a hot tongue across her daughter's face and causes her to laugh with an accompanying 'ew!' A smile spreads over her muzzle and an unusual laugh leaves her as well, one that always puts off humans because of its unnatural animalistic sound. It's short lived though. Kiki's laughter fades and a frown makes its way to her lips.

"Mom?" she inquires. "Am... am I really so bad? That the village should be calling me an Anti-Christ? A demon?"

Kyoto leans back to look down at her. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

Why? There were many reasons she could think of right off the bat. "Mom, you're a jackal," she begins. "I'm human. My kekkei genkei is the manipulation of blood-"

"Your clans! We all have it."

Kiki shakes her head, continuing. "I get these urges to just hurt people for no reason. I have to be kept in check so that I don't kill people around me. Why am I like this if I'm not a monster?"

Kyoto frowns and places her forehead against Kiki's. "Little One, I know you want answers, but some things aren't easy to explain. You're my daughter. Not a monster. You have a kind heart and a desire to protect. Some anger issues don't define you. You are you. Isn't that all that really matters?" A tear wells up in the teen's eye and emotion is apparent in her gaze. Without hesitation, she buries her face into fur.

"I just want to be good... Looked up to..." she whispers solemnly. Her vision begins to fade to black as She slowly drifts into unconsciousness, Kyoto watching over her even after she was asleep.
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