Chapter 2: Demon of the Mist

His dark brown eyes stared down at the blond figure beneath him. He watched as she crept towards the water her hand going white as it entered the cool waters reaching for something that shined within it's crystal color form. He gasped, reaching for his neck seeing that his chain was nowhere to be found. Growling slightly he watched her place it around her neck, trying to pick up on the words she mumbled but he failed to do so. They blond haired girl from the leaf village soon disappeared from his sight. Smirking under bandages he whispered a faint, "She'll get it soon enough."

Aliyah used a speed technique to quickly get to her new village. Leaping of the ground her fingers gripped tightly around a low branch where she rested her gaze seeing all the village. Glancing around she looked for the annoying blond haired boy, the cold black haired boy, and the pink haired now-it-all. Suddenly spotting her multiple targets she leaped from the tree and raced through the curving streets of the village until she caught up to them.

"Took you long enough." Sasuke spoke in a sarcastic tone, "I thought you'd be here before us. Since you did leave first."

"So?" Aliyah answered her cold gray eyes staring a hole through him, "Why did you miss me that much to actually worry about me?"

"No," He shot her a dirty glare, "I'm just relieve that you finally here so we can begin our next mission. Your useless to this village why don't you leave and save us all the trouble of having to turn around and save your sorry ass."

Aliyah's gray eyes turned to stone black, as her hand flew towards Sasuke, knocking him towards the ground. He rolled several times before coming to a stop. Cracking her fingers as she moved towards him, her gaze still on him.

"Your reflexes are slow." Aliyah spoke in a cold tone, "You can't summon a jutsu in time to save yourself from me. Your such a loser."

Her last phrase rang inside of his head. He often quoted it to Naruto and had never had anyone say it to him or even think of him as that. His anger rose to its limits. Standing he drew his Kunais, facing her, as he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Don't ever call me that, bitch!" Aliyah watched as the weapon came towards her, she stood still as it passed through the center of her forehead without causing her harm.

"What the?" Sasuke gasped for air, as he pulled his body back a step. His black eyes widened as the pupil grew smaller. "How'd you do that?"

Aliyah smirked, "Nothing coming straight at me can hurt me. I can manipulate shadows and can practically disappear leaving my image behind." Tilting her head to the side she glanced at Naruto and Sakura's blank expressions. "I'll show you," She sighed as she rolled her gray colored eyes, showing her annoyance.

Aliyah focused her jutsu as her eyes quickly went white. "Throw something at me." She ordered. Naruto bent down picking up a rock. Glancing at his hand he looked back at her before throwing it aiming at her face. It went through just as the kunai did before. "Now...I caught you off guard." Aliyah spoke. Their heads whirled around staring at the figure behind them.

"Its imp...no way!" Sasuke looked at the voice behind him before quickly swinging his head towards the spot she first stood in. Her old form disappeared with each blink.

"Well done," a voice stated from behind them. Aliyah's eyed narrowed as she turned her head slightly glancing behind her.

"Sensei Kakashi!" said Sakura, as she raised her hands towards her chin.

"So, what is it you wanted to tell us!" Naruto asked impatiently, his eyes grew wide with a huge grin plastered to his face.

Kakashi's one eye glanced from face to face as he spoke, "Very well then since your so impatient. You do know that the exams will be beginning very soon, and you have completed most of your training. Their will be one last mission for you four to take on. But only...you will have different partners. Some might remain the same but they will not only be from this village but from other villages as well. This is to test your ability to work with others and to fully test you to your limits to see if your prepared to start the exams." Kakashi took a shallow breath, "Any questions?"

Naruto raised his right hand as Kakashi addresses him, "How will we know who our partners are?"

"That is simple. Tomorrow you will meet me here. The other contestants will be here as well, everybody taking part in this exam will be here. Your named will be decided among the leaders tonight. Until then rest up and be here at dawn. Six to be exact. Any later and you fail." The last part he drawled out. Before smiling, "Well I'll be going then."

Aliyahs steal gray eyes made a one-hundred and eighty degree circle as she glanced towards her group. "Watch yourself Sasuke, if your not careful... tomorrow might be your last breath." a evil smirk crossed her face as she turned to walk away. Her feet scraped the soft earth with two thoughts constantly glued to her mind as they haunted her thoughts. She played with the silver chain in her hand as her left foot kicked a small rock causing it to roll. It was heavy, definitely a male chain. Its silver glare was no longer glowing but a very dull crisp to it. Dangling down from it was the symbol of the hidden village in the mist. Whoever it belonged to was a long ways away from home.

The room remained dark as several eyes pierced through the layer that surrounded them. A single voice gave stick orders as the others accepted them with a blood lusting smirk.

"Attack them, I want all of them dead." The voice harsh, and cruel.

The night came and drifted by quickly, although it seemed to last a lifetime to Aliyah who desperately wanted a good fight. She laid in bed as plans for the day drifted into her head quickly. 'This will be the final test until the chuunin exams. I must take advantage of this by gaining my enemies techniques, learning some new jutsu, and kicking major ass.' She hardly slept all night and begged she wouldn't be on the same team as her original group, especially Sasuke. Turning onto her stomach, she pressed her arms underneath her pushing her body upwards. Her legs slide underneath her, and eventually found their way to the floor. Rubbing her eyes, a quick yawn escaped her. Finally she stood, staring at her mirror she walked over, examined her eye color, only to see emerald green staring back at her. 'Great, todays going to be a lovely day.' she said in a sarcastic tone to her self, as she left her mirror walking towards where she placed out her cloths the day before. Grabbing her folded uniform, Aliyah let it slide over her head, grabbing her sandles she placed them on her feet. For the final touch, she tightly pulled her blond hair into a tight pony-tail. She left her room in search of the familiar spot she was suppose to be at, even though she would be their a little early.

"Okay," Started Kakashi, "We are all here I see." He finished glancing around seeing every group was there, all but the leaders who made up the excuse of being 'busy'. "Now to a sign you to your groups." He began to call out names of different students.

Aliyah glanced around, 'Leaf, Mist, Sound, Sand, Rain, and Waterfall.' Her eyes switched from the bands to their faces, 'Lets see.'

"Aliyah Tsukino, Zaku Abumi, and Gaara." He announced, "Well thats all of you. I have a scroll here that has on it your written assignment. You must work together as a team, follow the basic rules, and all of the members in your team must return alive in order for you to pass. You have two days to complete this test. Don't fail your team members, and good luck."

With that the team members got together, and were gone faster than lightning when their scrolls were given to them. Aliyah stood, her eyes focused on the ground, "This can't be happening." She glanced up at her two team members. Kakashi gave Zaku the scroll, he smirked once he received it. Taking a deep breath she looked directly at them.

Zaku Abumi, of the Hidden Sound Village. Thick black hair which was tilted more to the left. His headband was placed on his forehead. His cloths were of beige material and had black and a gray/blue cow spotted collar around his neck. His eyes were black, cold and ruthless.

Gaara (Often referred to as Gaara of the Desert), from the Village hidden in the Sand, Fiery red/brown hair, the outline of is eyes black while the center carried a color of sky blue there are often mistaken for teal. His clothing was mostly black, which had a belt that crossed over his chest carrying a gourd that contains nothing but sand, although it was said it also stores the blood of his victims.

A shiver raced down her spine at the thought of becoming a slave to the sand. The roughness scraping against her skin. Her eye widened as she stared at the ground again. Her head turned quickly toward a voice that spoke interrupting her nightmare.

"Hey sexy, you coming or not?" Zaku yelled, he was a distance away and carried a dumb smirk.

Aliyah scowled, "Don't you ever call me that!" Using the shadow technique she appeared on his left she continued walking, Gaara walked in front of them, not looking back as if he really didn't care, Partner or no partner.

"Why?" Zaku questioned, as he placed a hand around her waist as he pulled her tightly against himself. He looked down at her, a smirk on his face as his eyes remained glued to her.

Aliyah's eyes went white. Grabbing a Kunai from the pouch hanging from her side she drove it towards Zaku's gut, only to have him catch it. "Take your filthy hand of me." Shadows flew from her free hand pushing him away with great force, releasing her other hand. He threw up his hands blocking his face. Gaara stopped, and managed to glance behind him watching the conflict taking place behind hi, but remained silent.

"Don't you ever touch me again pervert!" Aliyah yelled, as the force of the shadow jutsu continued to attack Zaku getting stronger with each emotion.

"Yeah, yeah!" Zaku yelled between breaths, "I get it. Your one bipolar bitch, geez." his eyes were sealed shut, and his arms were beginning to get weak.

"Thats enough." Aliyah stopped immediately. Her light blue eyes glanced towards the voice that spoke. Gaara's intense stare was upon them, "We are already behind." He began to walk again.

Mumbling under her breath, Aliyah cursed. As Zaku stood dumbfound, and managed to catch his breath. He smirked, 'Orochimaru would enjoy have her around.' He stated as he ran slightly to catch up with the others.

The forest was cold. The dark intense shadows casts down from the trees covered most of the path set down in front of them. Although it wasn't completely bare as puddles of water were gathered here and there. Aliyah began to walk backwards glancing at them, 'Strange...I don't remember it raining?' She continued to back up until it was brought to a stop, as her back rammed into something hard an oval shaped. Realizing what it was, her eyes stared a random puddle in front of her. Turning her head slightly she back away glancing at Gaara, although it didn't seem to bother him, as his gaze remained fixed in front of him.

His strong arm reached back as he pulled the cork of the gourd it dropped to the ground with a ping.'Oh no...this is it...he going to kill me...' She groaned, as she found the courage to back away but stand somewhat beside him. 'Bring it on...'. The sand flowed from the gourd.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Zaku asked, as he lifted an eyebrow.

"Their coming,"

A/N: As Promised Here is the meaning to her eye colors. You should be able to tell I give plenty of hints but I will only fill them in as a new color is introduced. Gray(steal) – Annoyed; Crimson – Angered; White – Summoning shadow Jutsu; Emerald – Normal; and Light blue – Sorry your just going to have to figure it out