Ok, this is my first chapter done in oppenoffice and i promise to make this one more in depth and longer then the last two. I looked back at the last two and i was a tad disappointed in myself, and i may remake them, possibly into one chapter. But until then i bring you the third and hopefully improved chapter of 'the other side of the coin'.

ch.3: Pass and fail

"So, you punks think you got what it takes to be ninja, huh!" yelled Ikazuchi, "Well to tell the truth, you all make me ill. I want you all to look under your desks, there you will find a large envelope taped to your chairs."

This was met with a loud chorus of 'Hey, that wasn't there before!' and 'Where did that come from'. As the students pulled out the envelopes many tried to open it, Naruto didn't even bother to get his, and Gaara stared nervously at his. None of the students who tried to open their envelopes were able to, Ikazuchi was irritated at this and yelled, "You impatient brats! Wait till i tell you to open them, now put them down and wait for everyone to pull theres out there envelopes. That means you goth boy!"

Naruto gave him a terrible look and clenched his fist, he heard a faint 'psst' as he looked over his shoulder at Rock Lee.

"You may just want to do as he says, i heard he is the best genjutsuist in all the great five villages. Plus the longer you act this way the longer it will take to get out of here, so us real ninja can move on to the next part of the test."

Naruto was more than a bit agitated but didn't want to spend the rest of the day in that sweltering room, so he pulled out his envelope and stared at it with malice. Ikazuchi gave the order and they pulled open the tabs and read the message inside. Some had a large red X on them, and after a few moments these exploded, knocking most of the students out, but a few others were blank, and they crumbled and dissapeared, as Ikazuchi called out "Those of you who weren't knocked on you hind ends have passed, you may proceed to the next part of the test, the others must leave!"

(I'm sure you can guess who passed and who did not)

As Ikazuchi gave his speech Naruto butted in quite annoyed, "Hey, what is this all about, this test is stupid, how can silly mind tricks, some boring test, and some fancy parlor tricks decide who passes as a shinobi, huh!"

"You brat, if you were paying any attention at all you would know what was going on. It takes guts, and true inner strength to become a shinobi, you are right in one respect though, a simple written test cannot determine who is worthy of the title ninja, but i had to preoccupy your minds so my telepathy jutsu would work. Ha, except in your case it was easy, the telepathy jutsu works best when the target is asleep."

"Hey, you better not be mocking me old man!"

"Cut it out Naruto," a timid voice came from in front of him from a pink haired girl, "I want to pass this, and that means teamwork, remember what Ibiki sensai told us."

"Whatever Sakura, i just want to get out of here."

out side the classroom Gaara was sweating bullets, not because of the heat but because of all the stress, the sand tried to comfort him but he couldn't hold his concentration and it receded to the small gourd at his waist.

"Hey little bro, I'm glad you made it, just don't choke up on this next part, ok."

"Don't worry," Gaara said with an unearthly stare not usual of him, "I will pass, i will make my father proud."

"Whoa, little bro, you ok, thats not like you."

"Huh, oh, sorry, I'm not sure what just came over me, its probably just the heat."

"Sure, well, you keep your fluids up then. Come on, sis will be mad if we're late, plus she said she needed to talk to you, better hurry."

Across the hall team 7 were in a quarrel.

"Look Naruto," grunted Sasuke, "I know you hate this, but please, if never again just be a team player this once, unless all three of us make it to the end of the next test alive, we all fail."

"Look, i know what you guys want from me, I'll be a good sport just this once, but you two owe me, got it!"

Sasuke and Sakura both nodded their heads. As Naruto walked away Sakura could see the anger in Sasuke's eyes, him and Naruto were always rivals, but until just recently Sasuke had always been one step ahead, and that angered Naruto to no end. It was just until recently that Naruto got an inhuman boost in his abilities, when he was really mad he could even take on both her and Sasuke, Itachi sensai would always scold them when they would let their guard down, which didn't help matters.

"Hey, Gaara, I need your help."

"Uh, sure big sis, what is it."

Temari put a sly cat-like look on her face and leaned in towards Gaara's ear, "You know Gaara, you see those two from the leaf village, you know, the pink haired girl and the gloomy guy."

"Ya, um, what about them."

"Go ask the girl if she has any makeup on her, I'd do it but you are just so much sweeter."

"But Temari, you don't wear makeup, why would you want some now?"

"Oh, just ask her already."

"Uh, ok, sure."

Gaara walked over to Sakura and Sasuke, who didn't quite seem to notice him.

"Ahem, uh, hello." he said with a shy, groggy tone.

"Yes, and who might you be." Sakura said with haste, though it sounded almost like conviction.

"Uh, well, I'm sorry to bother you, but my sister wants to know if, well, if she could borrow some makeup."

"Huh? Some makeup, well i guess, lets see, ah, here it is."

"Um, thank you very much." Gaara said as he walked away after a quick bow.

"Well ha seemed nice, don't you think Sasuke."

"I don't know, I'd keep an eye on him."

"How come, he had great manners."

"Ya, but i got a look at him with my sharingan, i saw something in him."

"Something... in him? Like what?"

"A demon, just like Naruto."