"So, does this hurt, punk

"So, does this hurt, punk?" Kunkuro asked, holding a little boy up with one arm. I stood next to Temari, staring past my oldest brother at the wooden fence that blocked the passage on either side.

"Put him down, Kunkuro. Or you know, you'll pay for it later." Temari said with some impatience. I laughed lightly, I zoned out for a moment as the girl spoke, but looked over to the kid with weird hair as he shouted at us.

"We got a few minutes before he gets here, lets mess around with these punks, Huh?" Kunkuro responded, not talking to the leaf village brats, but to Temari and me. The kid started swinging around, kicking his legs and such. I sighed in boredom and stepped closer to Temari, giving her an annoyed look. "Your feisty, but not for long."

"Put him down!" The boy screamed at us and started running at Kunkuro. Were these guys stupid? I thought to myself. The boy fell on his back a moment before reaching my brother. "What the- what was that?" He seemed honestly surprised.

"You're a leaf gunine too? Looks like your village is full of wimps." I let my eyes half drop, falling into a slightly ridged sleeping form.

"That's it, drop him now or I take you apart, got that? Fool." He was pointing at us, anger management was heavily needed with this kid.

"You're the fool! Making threats isn't going to help, Naruto." The girl with pink hair said with the same amount as anger, only she was directing it to someone on her side.

"You're annoying. All of you. I don't like runts or any other scrawny weaklings." He balled his hand into a fist and glanced back at me. I rolled my eyes, having the urge to punch him on the back of the head. He turned back to the boy, Naruto, "So when a wimp like you starts shooting off his mouth, I just wanna break them in half."

"Ugh. Fine, but I am not involved in any of this, okay?" Temari declared, looking back to me. I was focusing on everyone's expressions. I had the urge to laugh, were they really afraid of us, especially Kunkuro? Geeze.

"First, I'll take care of this little squirt. Then, I'll waste the other one." Kunkuro went to punch the kid he was holding.

"No!" Naruto ran towards Kunkuro again. I turned, and looked up into the tree. Was I the only one who had noticed? A moment later, the kid fell and Kunkuro was holding his hand.

I started to laugh, "Pansy." I muttered. I didn't break eye contact with the dark haired boy who was sitting in the tree.

"Your a long way from home, and way out of your league." The boy threw the sharp pebble in his hand up and down.

"Sasuke!" The pink haired girl screamed. I now wanted to grab the rock that hit Kunkuro and shove it down her throat, just to see what would happen.

I glanced over at Temari; she was smiling up at the guy. I hit her arm. "Ew." I hissed, she ignored me and kept looking at him. He wasn't thatattractive. He looked like he had a bird growing out of his scalp.

"Oh great another wimp to tick me off." Kunkuro said, I loosened my shoe and kicked my foot. The shoe hit him on the back of the head with some good force. He turned and gave me a dark look. I stared back with my same bored expression.

"Get lost." Sasuke said, crushing the rock in his hand.

"Oh impressive. What are you going to do next? Run up a wall?" I hissed, I then looked down, and laughed to myself again. What was I doing? I shouldn't even be here; I was supposed to skip out on this shit. But no, I had a biological agreement with my true siblings. We came in a three or nothing package, at least, that is what they told us.

"Hey punk, get down here." Kunkuro said. I was still in my own head. Not thinking too much about what was happening. "Your the kind of pesky little snot I hate the most. All attitude and nothing to back it up." He started to undo Crow.

"Sounds familiar." I growled.

"What? Are you going to use the crow for this?" Temari stepped forward, obviously slightly concerned.

"There is no need for that, Kunkuro." A hollow voice dawned over us. I smiled, giving Kunkuro a dark look. His face seemed to pale. Raij was sitting on the tree branch next to Sasuke, who jumped down with the rest of his little leaf village friends the second he noticed. Kunkuro pulled on Crow again. "What did I just say? Are you a five year old, can't open your ears for one second?"

"Shut up, Raij. You're possibly worse than those brats." He motioned towards the leafs. Raij smirked coolly down at Kunkuro; his dark red eyes seemed to glaze over as they peered directly into Kunkuro's. Kunkuro looked over at me, "Call him off, Jaga."

"Call him off? He isn't doing anything. Don't be such a pussy." I growled, glancing up to Raij. He eyed me and his smile melted away. I looked around me slowly. Hai wasn't with him that meant we should hurry up. Hai unattended was the equivalent of an offbeat, tantrum-throwing rebellious child in their terrible twos. Not good.

"Kunkuro, as you wish. I shall be going, Jaga will be attending me. But, I should warn you. There are worse things than me that you should be worrying about at this moment." Raij signalled me away. I started to walk down the alley; I brushed Temari's shoulder as I passed. Raij jumped down beside me and firmly gripped my arm. We stopped walking, a bolt of energy surged through us and we appeared at the local ramen shop. Hai was there. This was one of Raij's Jutsus, transportation through electrical currents.

"Gauge!" He shouted, pushing his bowl of ramen aside and wrapped his arms around me. I pushed him off; my skin was tingling from the heat of the energy. He laughed, "Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot about that whole lightning after tingle thing." He sat back down and gobbled down his noodles.

I sat down next to him and swiped his noodles away. "What did I tell you about calling me Gauge?" I barked. He had been calling me that since we were little kids. It was evidence that we weren't one hundred percent perfect and absolutely connected. He was the one who made mistakes, but he also had the personality. I say he should share more.

Raiju sat down between us. "Don't sink to his level." He grabbed the noodles from me and shoved them back in front of Hai's face. He smiled like a little kid and ate away. "Besides, we aren't here to act immature, or to goof off. We are here to –"

"Fulfill our duty and prove our worth, stamina, and show that we are far above that of any other ninja here." Hai and me said in unison.

"Say it again and I will beat you. Even if your repeat it in your head." I growled, I leaned forward and ordered my own ramen. "Though, we have been doing good at staying out of each other's minds."

"That is because they sealed us, we only have access to each other's heads if we are given permission to enter." Hai sounded smart for once. He ordered another, as he pushed his empty bowl away. "Which is a bit of a drag you know, it uses up chakra."

Raij shook his head, "I don't mind that. It is the emotion thing that is getting me. Every time this boy gets around that sister of yours, it is pure torture." Hai had quite the crush on Temari. This was bad for us, seeing as every time he got around her; we would start feeling his emotions, have you ever had a serious crush of your sister? I hope not, because it is a disturbed emotion, especially when it is coming from him. All lust, no game.

"Oh, so that is why you left him here?" I asked, Raij nodded. I took in a large gulp of noodles.

"Finish up, we should go sign in and then get some sleep. I have had enough day time to last me a while." Raij choked out, we were nocturnal. In the daytime, things were abnormally bright and flashy for us, in comparison to a normal person. These exams were going to be troubling, due to them being more of a daytime thing.

I swallowed down the remaining chicken and noodles and then got to my feet. "Hurry up, Hai." I snapped, counting to five in my head before leaning over him and grabbing his noodle bowl. He scowled at me and crossed his arms. Raij shook his head, obviously frustrated with us. I drank down Hai's noodles and started to walk away. Hai stood and followed. Raij paid, and then quickly caught up.

"You two aren't focused at all, are you?" Raij hissed, grabbing them both by the hair on the back of their heads. Pulling back hard then pushing their heads down so that it looked like they were bowing. Hai was squirming around, trying to get out of Raij's grip, but it was too much for him. I stayed calm; I got this a lot. "Stop being childish already." He released us and walked forward.

I growled, "Then stop acting like you have a stick up your ass …" He slowly turned. Hai sheepishly backed away. Raij's eyes met mine, cold and identical.

"Don't give me attitude, Missy. You're to blame here, you and your crude emotions. You keep bring both Hai and me down to the point where you over ride us." He bit down on his lip and smirked, "Hurry up, you two." He started to walk away again.

I was practically fuming out the ears. Hai walked over to me, smiling like a dumb ass. I sighed and pushed him aside, moving forward as well. Hai ran up to Raij, he knew better than to hang around me when I was in a bad mood.

We entered the building. The first thing that came out of Hai's mouth; "Do you think Temari and them have registered already?" I sighed and shook my head, he was hopeless.

"Don't get your hopes up." That was all Raij could say apparently. We walked down the hallway, heading towards the desk. We were cut off.

"What are you doing here?" A man in an all black outfit said coldly. He displayed his sand village headband perfectly, wrapping it around mid chest, mid gut. The band was black, so t looked like he just had the metal plate attached to his shirt. His light green eyes stabbing into mine.

"Sorry … Kaimu – Sensei. You … you're here?" Hai said. The man didn't move his eyes from mine though.

"Go. Rest. You shouldn't be exposed to this village, these people." He hissed, "If you become contaminated …" He turned, and started to walk away. "Go." He said, when he was half way down the hall. We slowly started to move over to our provided room.

"Crazy bitch …" I muttered. A slicing paining jolted through my cheek. I looked over at Hai; he was staring at me with slightly wide eyes. I looked down the hall, meeting my master's glare. He mouthed something, focus. Is what it looked like? I went to turn, but there were strangers' eyes on me too.

"Your … cheek …" Raij muttered, I reached up, felt it. My fingers automatically being covered in blood. Raij pulled my hand down and replaced it with his. He analysed it. "Your gonna need stitches … lets get back. I can do it. But, for the moment. Take this." He bent down and ripped a thick peace of cloth from the bottom of his pant leg, then handed it to me. I pressed it against me cheek. The bitch! He must've used his cutting technique on me …

We walked back to our room and I opened the door with impatience. Raij walked over to his bag and started digging.

I sat down, leaning my head against the wall. "You said he wasn't coming." I said, my voice raspy.

Raij had found what he needed and sat beside me, "I'm sorry … He said he wouldn't be coming. But … something must be happening. He wouldn't come unless it was truly important."

"Of course, we aren't truly important to begin with?" Hai asked quietly.

"We are … but in a different way. We aren't important as people … but as pawns." Raiju responded, staring over at me. He treaded the thin piece of thread through the little hole in the needle.

"No. We are more than pawns. We are … rooks … we are useful, but only to a degree. We are important, but … loosing us isn't fatal. And by loosing us, I mean, if we die … besides, we should compare our selves to a game like chess. Contaminated … he means if we don't stick with our sides …" He stuck the sharp instrument into the side of my face.

"It's not that … well, yes, not staying with our … owners is a problem. But turning on each other. That is what they truly fear. They can't win us back as easily." Raij swiftly moved his hands. "But let's not dwell, they have tried to keep these thoughts out of our heads since we were created … might as well listen for once, you two."

"Your too obedient. You would never leave. You're the responsible one. The one who thinks out their actions … Hai is too stupid and not nearly independent enough to leave. Why do you think he was looking at me? Huh? I'm the one who causes trouble, the one who is always blamed, I'm the cold hearted ruthless one that drags us down." I punched the wall, splinting the wood. Raij has finished the stitch just in time, so my sudden movement didn't ruin it.

"Shut up … if they were to want only one of us, it would be you and you know it. So swallow your emotions and relax. You cannot be tired for the upcoming exams." Raij growled, standing up and going back to his bag.

"Fine." I hissed, I stayed crouched on the floor and closed my eyes. We never slept like regular people, I had to be sitting up, or else I couldn't stay asleep. Hai needed something hard to lye on, like the floor, but something soft to rest his head on. And Raiju preferred high places and hated it inside, so he would most likely be staying on the roof or out front.

I didn't care though. Come to think of it. I was extremely tired. I took in a deep breath and let the darkness take me.