"Do you remember the rules?" asked Rukima Sensei to me. I wasn't listening, and didn't answer, so I guess he thought I didn't remember. My attention was only fixed on his instructions when he moved the bells away. "These are the rules," he said. "You are to try and get these bells away from me. There is only two, so one of you will not succeed. The one without a bell will be tied, by or against their will, to a tree in the forest all night. This may or may not be the way you ever did it back at the Song village, but the rules are still basically the same." Aki was upright again, his eyes wide with humor and joy. I guessed that he and Yuma had waited a long time to have a third squad member so they could participate in the Chunin exams, harder missions, and of course, the bell game. Rukima Sensei held up the bells, glittering in the early sun, as he started this came. I hadn't noticed that Suta was gone until now, and a question suddenly came to me. "Rukima Sensei?" I asked.
"Yes, Kichimaru?" he replied.
"If Suta, my cat, gets a bell, does that count on my behalf?" Rukima Sensei hesitated for a moment, his eyes looking away in thought.
"I guess so. But I'd encourage you to try and get it for yourself." he said finally. After a few moments, he started speaking again, "Ready, Set, GO!" At 'GO!', Rukima Sensei was gone, only a few blades of grass which had been ripped from the ground my his sudden departure twirled in the air. "Where'd he go?" mumbled Yuma, but Aki, for some reason, was lying on the ground. He had his ear to the earth, his lips twisted in concentration. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he began running to the left of me, knocking Yuma over. Yuma yelled his complaint, and ran after him at a slower pace. "Let's go," murmured Suta to me, and he hopped onto my shoulder, clawing at my clothes and scrambling up my frictionless armored jacket. I yelled my complaint at Suta, and charged after Yuma. I was determined not to lose, especially on my first day. I wasn't used to the town yet, even after running through it twice. My feet skidded under me every now and then, but I keep myself up and running, and I was soon in front of Yuma. Houses and shops whizzed by, Yuma whizzing farther and farther behind me, and I almost forgot what I was doing. I was wondering aimlessly, thinking that I was following Aki, until I realized that I was following no one. I skidded to a stop, closing my eyes and trying to listen to the world around me, trying to find any trace of Rukima Sensei. I felt Yuma run by me, turn a corner, and disappear, and then I heard running footsteps from that direction, not like Yuma's that I had just heard. It was either Aki or Rukima Sensei, and I hoped with all my might that it was Rukima Sensei. I didn't want to lose. I couldn't lose. I wouldn't lose.
I ran after the sound, and started focusing my chakara to my ears, like my previous Sensei had taught me, to strengthen my hearing. I still heard the footsteps, but they were getting farther away, but then I heard them loud and clear, but they faded away once I passed a few yards. I ran back, wondering how that could happen. There wasn't a road this way for Rukima Sensei to go, and I was puzzled. I looked up at the shops and houses that I had heard the steps come from before I passed them. I frowned in concentration, trying to figure all this out. I looked up at the sky, for no reason in particular, and then it hit me. Rukima Sensei is jumping on the houses! I stepped on the window pane of the nearest shop, pulling myself to the flat, burning roof that was baked by the sun. I looked over the town, now marveling how many streets their were. I saw the hill where Naruto and I had fallen off, where I had met Sakura who surprisingly took no notice of my cat ears. I looked the other way, and saw Aki walking down the street, his hand clenching something that I couldn't see. He's got a bell! I thought. I had to hurry. Yuma could of found Rukima Sensei already, trying to capture a bell. I turned around to look behind me, and saw him standing a few streets away, holding only one bell. I groaned, and jumped off the house and ran into an alley filled with trash and boxes. Yuma was in this street, acting casual. I couldn't hear Yuma anywhere, and I crouched, ready to spring at the bells. I ran, charging my fastest, and I grabbed Rukima Sensei's arm, and reached at the bells. But he flung me off, and I skidded in the dirt, Suta falling off my shoulder. I scrambled up again and pounced at him, but he jumped out of the way. "You have to be faster than that," mused Rukima Sensei, and I charged again. This time I grabbed his arm tighter, determined not to be flung off. I reached for the bell, which was jingling its heart out. I was only a few centimeters away from it, when it disappeared. My shock made me loosen my grip on Rukima Sensei, and I fell off. I looked wildly around, trying to figure out where it had gone. But then I saw it in front of my face, and laughing Yuma jingling it between his fingers. Aki had joined us, jingling his bell around, too. "You know what this means!" laughed Rukima Sensei. I scrambled to my feet and tried to run away, but he grabbed the collar of my jacket while Yuma and Aki held my arms. I kicked and grunted. I didn't want to lose. I was dragged to the forest, ever second I kicked and struggled, until I was held to a tree while Rukima Sensei tied me with large ropes. I kicked even after they left, trying to free myself from this prison. I was biting at the nearest ropes, but nothing helped. I kicked one last time at the tree, and my head drooped down. I groaned as loud as I could manage, and was answered to rustling in the bushes.

First I saw Naruto, still wearing his orange clothes. Then I saw Sakura talking to someone behind her. But the other two I still didn't know. First I saw a man with silver spiky hair, his Leaf village plaque around his forehead, tilted to cover one eye. He wore a mas that went over his nose, and he wore mostly dark shades of green as clothing. Then I saw the black haired kid that I saw waiting with Sakura and Naruto. He had his hands in his pockets, with an expression that showed not interest. He looked shockingly familiar, but I passed it off since I had seen him before I joined Rukima Sensei, Yuma, and Aki for the bell game. I was startled by a loud laugh, which came from Naruto. "Oh, shut up," I retorted. But he still laughed. "What happened?" asked Sakura, who to my relief wasn't laughing at me.
"Bell game," I murmured. Then Sakura started laughing.
"I remember that game!" she said. "Naruto here lost and got tied to the tree all night!" Naruto stopped laughing, and he folded his arms. "So what?" he mumbled. Then the black haired kid spoke, "Naruto's a total loser. You probably are, too." I frowned at him, then spit at his shoes. I missed. "I'm a loser?" I retorted. "I'm not the one with a picture of a red golf ball on their shirt!" That seemed to have gotten him mad. "That's my clan symbol!" he yelled, his teeth gritting.
"Well then, it's a stupid one!" I spat back.
"In case you didn't know, my clan was especially popular!"
"How come I've never heard of it, then? Or anyone else in the Song village?"
"Humph. The Song village people are losers!" I screamed at him, and started kicking. My foot met its target at the kid's stomach, and he fell back.
"Why I odda...," he growled, and and jumped back up, and pulled his fist behind him. I winced when I saw him bring it forward, but nothing came. I dared to open one eye, but didn't see anything. I opened the other, and saw that the silver haired man was holding the kid back, though he was highly reluctant. Sakura had her hands cupped over her mouth, and Naruto was wide eyed, his jaw dropped. Finally the kid gave up, but his teeth were still clenched and his fists were held tight. His eyes were angry fire, and he looked like he was restraining from throwing a knife at me. The man let go of the kid, and he turned away without another argument. "Golf ball clan," I murmured, and he spun around to charge again, but the man held him back. He pushed the kid in front of him, and they disappeared. Sakura went after them, but Naruto stayed. "Woah," he said. "That's the biggest fight I've ever seen Sasuke in with someone else." So that kid was Sasuke.
"Who was that man?" I asked.
"That's Kakashi Sensei. I think he favors Sasuke, because he always trains with him. I have to settle with Pervy Sage." The name made my skin crawl.
"Er, Pervy Sage?" I asked, my voice wavering. I was wondering why Naruto was training with someone like that.
"Oh," he said. "for the Chunin exams, Kakashi Sensei was training with Sasuke, and he tried to make me train with this other perve. I ditched him, and started training with Pervy Sage, who taught me this cool move! Do you wanna see?" I wondered what he was about to show me, and I almost felt worried. But instead, he made a shadow clone of himself, only one, and started making a huge ball of chakara in his hand. The clone was quickly manuevering his hands over the ball as it grew and seemed stronger. Then the clone disappeared and Naruto held the ball in both hands, and held it behind him. He hesitated for a moment to look for something, and then started charging at a tree. He pulled his hands forward, quickly and powerfully, and pushed the ball into the trunk. The tree snapped, cracked, and fell backward, away from Naruto. The trunk was scorched, a hold right through it. I didn't quite recognize the move, but I knew it was very powerful. "What is it?" I asked, still mesmerized by the scorched tree.
"It's the Rasengan. Only three people have mastered it!" He smiled as he bragged about the Rasengan, but I didn't really listen. I snapped to attention when Sakura stepped out of the bushes. "Kakashi Sensei's wondering where you are. Come one!" she said. Naruto shrugged. "I'm coming. Lucky he didn't send Sasuke. He might of killed Kichimaru this time!" He laughed at his own joke and followed Sakura into the woods. The sky was getting grey, and I knew that if wasn't nightfall yet. I groaned as rain started to fall, and the tree I was tied to was skimpy and would cover one bit of me. "Why me?" I groaned, and wished that Suta was here.

I was in a shadow forest, and I was running. I knew why I was running, but my concious mind didn't know at all. But I ran, and I didn't tire, and then something was running with me. It was a large white tiger, its shoulders as high as my head. It ran with me, and I knew who it was. This was Suta. I still ran, I still didn't tire, and nothing ran with us. I saw nothing, yet I saw everything. I couldn't tell at all. I knew who, or what, I was running from, but my concious mind didn't know at all. But I kept running, and I never tired, and then I fell. I was weak now, and Suta was gone. A tall, dark figure appeared by me, he looked at me with cruel, dead eyes. I heard no sound except his only words, "Die."

I awoke with a shock, someone was shaking me by the shoulder while another was untying my ropes. When the ropes fell, I fell, and I felt my clothes plastered to my skin. I remembered the rain and the dream and the game, and pulled myself upright. Every joint in my body was stiff and aching, and I had a painful headache. "Rukima Sensei says that you don't have to train today," said Aki, who apparently was the one who had awoken me.
"Thank goodness," I groaned, and started walking into the forest and to town. Aki followed me, which I was grateful for because I had no idea which part of the forest I was in. I tripped painfully over roots and rocks, which was no surprise to me because one, I still wasn't used to the town and hadn't been in the forest, two, I was stiff and sore and uncoordinated, and three, I was half asleep. I almost sighed with relief when the trees broke away to the town, and Aki said goodbye and went back into the forest. I almost sighed again when I saw that my house was very near. I quickly went through the door and to my room. Suta followed me, his paws in almost perfect sequence with my feet. I guess that Rukima Sensei had told my parents about the bell game because they didn't question why I wasn't home last night. I closed my door behind me, and plopped onto my bed and put my hands behind my head. I stared at my ceiling, thinking about my dream. It seemed so de-ja-vu in a way, only it felt like I was a fortune teller, seeing my future. Suta jumped onto my bed and curled up beside me, but then he noticed my troubled reverie. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Nothing," I said. "Only a dream."
"Tell me," he said, his concerned voice fading back to normal.
"Well," I said. "First I was running, then you in demon form was running with me, and then I fell. Then...then this dark figure was standing over me. He seemed so familiar. Suta, I-I think that it was Itachi!" Memories flooded my head, about Suta entering my body, about the man with dead-man eyes, and about the young voice I heard yell when Itachi had left me to be burned by Suta. I wondered who that voice belonged to. I guess I'd never find out. Different memories flooded me now, about moving to different villages with Mom and Dad, each time Suta's "spot" changed. And each time I tried to make my family believe that his fur had grown enough to change it, and each time they seemed to buy it. My memories were interupted when heard a mysterious clanking outside. I pulled myself to the window, and saw among the few people on the street a boy with bushy eyebrows, long black hair, and green clothes with...orange stockings? He had crutches, and they their movements matched the clanking sound I had heard. He looked like he was struggling, and it was confirmed when he fell to the ground. No one stopped to help him, and my first reaction was running out of my room and outside to the street. By the time I saw him again, he was trying to get up. And yet again no one tried to help him. "Are you okay?" I asked, grabbing his arm and helping him up.
"Yes, I am fine," he said. "Thank you. I've never seen you before. Are you new?" I nodded, and handed him his crutches.
"Yes, I am. I'm in a squad with Yuma, Aki, and Rukima Sensei. My name's Kichimaru, what's yours?"
"That does not sound like a girl name." he said. I frowned at him. "Anyway, my name is Rock Lee, but I am usually called Lee or Bushy Brow." I noticed that he had no casts or leg braces, and I wondered what was wrong with him. "What happened to you, Lee? Why do you have those crutches?" Lee's eyes dropped to the ground, and his eyes went sad. "An...accident," he murmured, but then he smiled. "It is nothing to worry about!" he laughed. "I will be fine! Well, I have to go. I hope we will meet again, Kichimaru!" He limped away slowly, his legs wobbling under him. I felt sorry for him. He looked like he was in pain with each step he took. "Poor guy," said, and was replied by Suta.
"Yeah. I wonder what the accident was."
"Me too," I asked. But something that could hurt him so much that he needed crutches to keep upright, I assumed, wouldn't be very splendid to meet. I walked back to my house, now remembering that every muscle in my body was burning and aching, and went back to my room without a word.

I had the dream about Itachi again. But it was more chilling this time. This time, when Itachi said, "Die." he shot me with something red and glowing. And it hurt.

I awoke with my heart pounding and my breath weezing. It was still day, but it was later for sure and I was starving. I pulled myself out of bed, and changed my clothing quick. I brushed my messy hair, which had the worst knots I think I've ever had. I sighed with relief when I was finally done. I looked around for Suta, but he wasn't around. Instead, I heard yowling, hissing, and yelling from outside my window. I looked out, expecting Suta to be in a fight with a dog, but instead I saw him clawing and biting at a guy with a white shirt, blue shorts, and a green over shirt. He also had sandles and and a head band that when through the middle of his long brown hair. He had red swirls on his cheeks, and he had a chicken drum stick in his hand. "Suta!" I yelled, and opened my window. I jumped out (yes, my room's on the first floor) and ran to the battle. I grabbed Suta and started tugging, but he was holding on tight to the boy's clothing. When I finally pulled him off, also ripping the guy's clothes, I threw him into my bedroom window and slammed it closed. The guy was gasping, and took a bite of the drum stick. "Thanks," he said after swallowing. He took another bite, and started waving it over his head. I turned around and saw Suta at the window, shouting unheard at the guy. I turned back around, laughing. "Hi," I said with a smile. "I'm new here. My name is Kichimaru, and that psycho cat is Suta." The guy gulped down the chicken and answered, "Psycho cat just about fits him. My name's Choji. You know-"
"-I don't really have a girl's name?" I asked, and he nodded. "I get that a lot." Choji laughed, and said, "True, but that's not what I was going to say. I was going to say that you look a lot like Kiba. Only you have a cat instead of a ninja hound. And you have cat ears..." I shrugged, and was startled by another voice. It was another guy. He had a net-like shirt and a short sleeved jacket. He had black hair tied into a tight pony-tail, and his Leaf village plaque was pinned to the left sleeve of his jacket. He had dark grey pants, and he looked like he just didn't care about much. "Hey, Choji," he said. "Who's this? She looks like Kiba."
"This is Kichimaru. She has a psycho cat named Suta that tried to kill me for my chicken!"
"Hmm," said the guy. "Why would a cat be so interested in your meat?" Choji looked confused for a moment, then said, "Um, well, it wasn't exactly mine...I kinda took it from him." I frowned at him, and the guy shook his head.
"Can I keep it?" he asked me, and I just sighed and agreed. Choji jogged away happily, and to my unsurprise the direction of a food shop. "So your Kichimaru?" said the guy. "Naruto told me about you. And how you have those ears and that name." I frowned. Shikamaru smiled with amusement. "My name's Shikamaru. Choji is in my squad along with Ino."
"Who's Kiba?" I asked.
"He's in a different squad. He has this dog named Akamaru that he never leaves behind." I nodded in understanding.
"Well, I have to go," said Shikamaru. "See you later." He turned away and I went back inside. "I didn't see you leave..." mumbled Mom when I came through the door. I just shrugged and went to my room to a clearly angry Suta.