A/N: Hooray!

So I think I'm just gonna post these chapters two at a time. I won't make you wait for just one.

Deidara: Isn't that what you're doing for your other story un?

No! Shut up! And I love you!

Deidara: Bi-polar...

Anyway... Enjoy this one as well!

^v^

"Okay guys, now that you've seen what these tests are all about, I hope you've taken something away," Pein said, looking at both Teams gathered him. He couldn't help but grin. Three of them looked irritated and were covered with dry mud in the burning summer heat. "Now- the second test is just as simple. Two people from each team will be tied back-to-back and sent down that hole over there," he pointed to a thirty foot deep crevice in the ground. "They must climb out together and tag the hand of their two other teammates who will be tied together at the ankle. That pair will face off against one from the other team, running down this path," his finger indicated towards a flat grassy area, "and up that hill where their last teammate will be waiting."

Everyone's eyes grew large at the sight of the giant slope their leader pointed to.

"I-Is that the hill we use for sledding?" Kisame managed to get out.

"That's the one," Pein smiled. "The last teammate will take one lap around the base, going back down the hill their teammates just ran up, to circle around, climb the hill from the back and then run down to the finish line which is where the beginning of the test took place."

"Um…" Deidara scratched the back of his head. "Leader-san? Won't the last person just fall into the hole if they don't stop quick enough?"

Pein clapped his hands. "Very good Deidara. No. Whoever is not running the last leg will be gathered around to make sure no one flies into the hole and dies. Does anyone else have questions?" He looked around at the flabbergasted Akatsuki members.

Hidan raised a hand. "Um yeah. What part of that was fucking simple?"

"The winning part," Pein said. "Now shut up and go decide amongst yourselves who will do what."

Hidan grumbled something foul under his breath but stomped over to where his team had huddled. "Alright fuckers. Who's going in the hole?"

Konan picked at her nails. "You and Zetsu."

"What!"

~X~

Pein surveyed his sparkly-clean group with a smirk. "Just because we won the first round and will probably win the rest, doesn't mean you can get big heads. I want to crush them in all that we do today."

"Hooray!" Tobi cheered, throwing his arms up into the air.

"Shut up Tobi," Deidara drawled.

Tobi lowered his arms with a hidden glower. Keep it up you…

"Alright then-" Pein stroked his chin in thought. "I want us to finish this race strong. So who out of all of us is the fastest?"

Kakuzu hummed in the back of his throat. "In terms of the fastest…I'd say it was Itachi, Tobi, and Deidara."

Pein felt an eye twitch. "That's half our team."

"Oh." Kakuzu blinked and then shrugged. "Well you're not exactly fast, and I know I'm not- so that takes us out of the equation."

Pein felt his lips turn up in a twitching smile. "Really now? Okay then, I've decided. Kakuzu, you and Tobi will be the ones tied down in the hole. Tobi, as you have all seen, has a large amount of hidden power."

"Why do I have to be with Tobi?" Kakuzu complained.

"Because you piss me off." Pein turned to his last two teammates. "In that retrospect, I think it would be best to have Itachi paired with me in the three-legged race."

Itachi crossed his arms and looked away. "Great. Trying to make me look slow."

Pein clouted him over the head. "That's not it! And I am not slow!"

Deidara snickered.

A vein popped on his leader's forehead. "I hate you all. Itachi, you're with me because Deidara's shorter than all of us. It would create problems for running in unison. And with your speed and mine combined, we can easily beat whoever our opponents are."

Itachi gave a heavy sigh in agreement before glancing at the blonde next to him. "That means that this victory is going to depend on you. If you screw up, you'll make us all look bad."

Deidara felt a vein throb, folding his arms and turning with a harrumph. "Then I suggest you give me a good enough lead un."

"Oh I will. Just don't trip like you usually do."

"Why don't you keep your mouth shut like you usually do?"

"Enough bickering you two," Pein interrupted. "It looks like the other team has chosen their positions. Let's go over and claim our victory shall we?"

~X~

"Are you guys ready?" Pein called down to the two pairs in the thirty foot deep hole.

Kakuzu, Zetsu, and Hidan grumbled, Tobi being the only one to give a thumbs up and scream, "HAI!"

Pein nodded and then stepped back. "Then on my mark…"

Hidan flexed his arms muscles.

"Get set…"

Tobi giggled, causing Hidan's head to whip around and glare at him.

Zetsu rolled his eyes.

"GO!"

And they were off!

…Or not. Neither of the pairs had any idea how to climb out the hole tied to each other's backs. So they sat there in the dark, trying to formulate a plan quicker than the other team.

"Fuck!"

~X~

Pein sweatdropped, moving away to look at everyone else. "This might take awhile. All of you get to your positions and wait until those idiots find a way to get out!"

Kisame and Konan immediately sat down, tying their ankles together with a small rope while whispering between themselves about victory plans and their strategy.

Pein watched his partner and the shark interact before shaking his head and sitting down to do the same with Itachi. "I have no idea with those guys are planning, but they're obviously going to lose," he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at Konan and Kisame who had jumped to their feet, only to fall over to the ground from their massive height difference.

Itachi muttered in agreement. They did have a better chance since at least he and his leader were around the same height.

Pein glanced towards the hole, hearing curses from Hidan and cheerful exclamations from Tobi.

Yeah…they weren't getting out for a long time.

His gaze traveled past those nearest to him, to the pair of shinobi walking up the hill he and Itachi would have to race up.

~X~

"This should be a piece of cake hmm," Deidara snickered, folding his arms behind his head.

"What's so funny brat?" Sasori asked, glancing at him from the side.

"Oh nothing." Deidara smirked. "Just thinking about how great it'll be to see my team coming in first with your teammates still stuck at the bottom of this hill un."

Sasori felt a vein pop. "Is that so?" He scoffed and looked in the opposite direction. "If anyone's going to be stuck at the bottom of the hill, it's your team. And even if they miraculously made it up this hill, you would just ruin all their hard work by losing."

Now it was Deidara's turn to pop a vein. "I-Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"Well- you're gonna lose!"

"Tch. Don't go shouting lies."

"That's it! You're going down!"

"AAAGGHH!"

Pein and the others deadpanned as the two artists got into a wrestling match.

Itachi stared at the pair and then looked at his leader. "Are you sure we'll be alright?" he asked.

Pein waved a hand, though his brow kept quirking. "We'll be fine."

Somehow, Itachi doubted that.

A/N: Psh. Keep thinking that Leader-san... I'm with Itachi on this one.