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Disclaimer: Check chapter 1.

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Chapter 4
"You can outdistance that which is running after you but not what is running inside you."
--Rwandan Proverb

"ALRIGHT!!!" Itachi yelled as he ran out of his bedroom, he was pumped up for today. Today was the tryouts for the track team. There were a few reasons why this would make him so happy, one was that he was an excellent runner (he'd always been running away from other syndicates in some battles so he wouldn't get shot), and another reason was he'd be seeing Kyuubi in action on the field.

He ran past a mirror, only to turn back to it and see his hair not tied back. This would cause a problem to himself because he'd have the girls all over him wanting to brush it. He didn't understand females at all. Now if it was Kyuubi then he wouldn't mind. He snapped out of it, this was no time to be thinking about Kyuubi, he had to get himself ready for school.

Itachi ran down the hall once again after he tied his hair up and slid down the railing past his brother who was half awake. Sasuke looked at him strangely, "What's up with you today, you're not usually this bright in the morning." Itachi didn't answer but instead ran into the dining hall where his mother scolded him for looking grungy and running in the house. Itachi really didn't care as he scarfed down his breakfast nearly choking at one point. He ran out of the dining hall hearing his mother yell something about 'no manners' or something. Itachi ran to the door and almost ran outside but remembered to grab the umbrella. And he was off to school.

The chauffer dropped him off in front of the school gates and Itachi nodded for him to leave. Shifting his gym bag onto his shoulder more appropriately he walked into the building. He saw his buddies at the end of the hall laughing at something, "Hey guys what's up?" He asked.

"Oh Itachi," Pein, their appointed 'leader', said to him, "We were just talking about the newest assignment that your uncle gave us. Deidara tried to make it funny, but as you know it's serious business. We'll be having a meeting afterschool today to discuss the job." Itachi's eyes opened wide and tehn he became stoic again.

"Sorry, but I'll have to pass. My uncle will understand." Shifting his bag again he began walking down the hall.

"Wait, Itachi! You can't run out on this--" Pein started but Konan, the only girl of their group, stopped him by placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't even bother. He's trying out for the track team today." She said softly.

Pein sneered, "A school club overruling an assignment? Just what is he thinking?"

Deidara laughed as he jumped onto Sasori's back, "That's the point, he's not. Kyuubi-senpai is the captain of the track team." Just mentioning the name of the senior boy made everyone understand completely.

**

Itachi walked out onto the field after school to see about 100 boys out on the field. Kyuubi was in some sweats stretching on the field. His hair wasn't in its normal braid; it was in a high ponytail.

Kyuubi blew his whistle and everyone gathered, the senior smiled at them. "Alright then let's get started. We'll do a warm up lap first and then we'll get to the tryouts."

Everyone ran out of the stands and began running down the track, some going so fast as to show off and some just trying to keep up with the others. Itachi took the lap slowly and to his heart's content. The guys who finished first were panting and laughing as Itachi came last on the run. Kyuubi held up his clip board and smiled at Gai-sensei who had shown up when they were running the warm up lap. The teacher was talking with Kyuubi on something and the red head was nodding and pointing to his clipboard for a moment. Gai took the clipboard and nodded for Kyuubi to run onto the field. "Okay, first of all I need to know who is a sprinter and who is a long distance runner. Sprinters raise your hands." About 70 of the boys and girls raised their hands. Itachi kept his down, he was never that good at short distance running.

Kyuubi smiled at them and told them to line up in groups of five. Itachi then noticed an arrogant look on Kyuubi's face as he shook his head.

"Alright we're going to be doing a process of elimination. We can only have 15 sprinters from each gender, we're going to take the first person who crosses the line." Itachi sat on the ground and began stretching a bit. Kyuubi took out a stop watch and began timing them. Those that had worn themselves out on the warm up lap were eliminated. By the time that they were finished the males were down to about 30.

"Um, Kyuubi-san, you said that there were only going to be fifteen sprinters left." Kyuubi smirked and began stripping the sweats off to reveal the shorts and tank top. The girls began sqealing in delight at the sight of the redhead. Kyuubi stretched his legs a bit. "That's where I come in. Anyone who is within 5 seconds of my sprint time makes the cut. For the boys that is." He said and ran up to the line. Itachi watched as Gai took out his stopwatch. And Kyuubi took a deep breath in.

Kyuubi waited for Gai to take out the starting gun and waited until he heard the blast. His reaction time was phenomenal, in a flash after the gun went off he was off and running down the track at an amazingly fast speed.

"Wow…" Everyone said and suddenly became nervous.

It took half an hour to get the results in for the sprinters team and finally they were onto long distance. Gai-sensei stepped out onto the field and yelled, "Great job boys, now as for the long distance runners we're looking for 15 runners. Of course if you don't run as good as you do today you'll be kicked off, we're looking for truly dedicated people."

Everyone nodded and they went to the starting line. Itachi stretched his legs and got into a sort of crouched position. Itachi waited for the gun fire and was off, he was at least twenty feet ahead of everyone else. He was doing a 1600 meter run, he soon got so far ahead of some people that he would pass them every once in a while. Four laps can get a little repetitive so to keep his mind occupied and ignore any signs of fatigue or hurting he began thinking of other things, like why the sky was blue or why he was doing this in the first place. His mind would always venture to his precious Kyuubi-chan. Was he obsessed? He didn't think so. But to anyone else, I would say he was.

Soon he heard his time called out, "5 minutes 33 seconds!" Gai-sensei shouted, "Keep running you guys!" Itachi did a short cool down lap and then went over to the fence. He wanted to sit down so badly, but to look tough infront of Kyuubi who was staring at him he had to refrain from it. Kyuubi walked over to him and handed him a water bottle. "Take some small sips of water, you'll get sick if you take in large ones."

Itachi nodded and took in a swig of the water. Kyuubi looked at him and said, "You're amazing, I've never seen anyone run a mile that fast. But then again I don't usually pay attention to long distance races since I'm a sprinter. But you have great potential Uchiha-san." Itachi didn't know whether that was an insult or a compliment. Usually it would be taken as an insult, and that's kind of how he felt. Was he not good enough for the team?

Itachi shook his head from the thought. No, he was practically the first person to cross the line. If that wasn't good then he didn't know what.

After everyone was finished Gai named the long distance runners. Itachi was the first one called. Kyuubi looked over at him and sighed deeply as he drank from his water bottle. "Gai-sensei, I need to get going. Everyone will know if they made the team tomorrow when we post the team rosters on the bulletin board first thing in the morning." Itachi went over to his bag and looked at Kyuubi who was looking over the list with Gai-sensei. Kyuubi was either nodding or shaking his head 'no'. Itachi wanted to know what they were talking about.

Kyuubi took the list and placed it in his bag and was off walking. Itachi ran up behind him, "So Kyuubi, would you like me to walk home with you?"

Kyuubi looked at him strangely, "Just because you're trying out for the team doesn't necessarily mean I'll tell you if you made it or not. You have to wait until tomorrow like everyone else. And bribing doesn't help." Kyuubi shifted his bag weight.

Itachi shook his head, "That's not what I meant. I'm not curious at all if I made the team or not." He saw Kyuubi look at him with a 'is that so' look. "Okay, I'm a little curious but the whole reason of wanting to walk home with you is totally different."

Kyuubi stopped and looked him in the eyes and smiled even though Itachi could tell there was annoyance in his eyes, "You don't have to go out of your way to walk with me. I'm fine walking by myself, I do it all the time."

Itachi shook his head, "We live on opposite sides of town right, so I'll only go with you half way." Kyuubi thought on it for a bit and nodded, he began walking and looked very thoughtful.

As they walked neither of them talked, Itachi was shy for some reason and he quite enjoyed just walking next to Kyuubi. The other was walking next to him, it was only until they reached Rose Avenue Kyuubi bid his farewell and was off to his house in what the rich people liked to call "poor mans alley." Itachi wished he knew the secret behind the smiling face but frowning eyes.

Shaking the thought off he walked home silently but content. For a moment, he had felt, Kyuubi's hand graced his. He remembered the electricity it sent up his spine and release multiple chemicals, the ones telling him that he was happy, and the ones telling him he was in love.

TBC

Uh, there you go. Short, sweet and to the point. Haha, you have to wait to see if he makes it or not. But I think we all know the answer.

Next Chapter: STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS (sophomore edition part 1). When the school is holding elections for student council positions to sophomores Itachi and all his friends join in for the fun. But with Orochimaru seeking revenge for his hurt relationship with Kyuubi there will be a bit of slander on the election course. Part 1 of 2