Oh my, Iruka thought. This is bad.

The water knocked him off is feet and as he crashed back into the cold, it poured over his head, into his mouth, up his nose. He kicked out, swimming to the top. Not much air left. He took a deep breath, even as the water flew to the ceiling. He stayed at the top, pressing his face against the ceiling, breathing what little air was trapped by the water against it.

Right, door first. He swam out towards it, and as he did, shadow-things came out of the mirror at him. They were cold to the touch, and shot through the water around his wrists and legs, dragging him to the bottom. Now this was just unfair.

They were strong too, nearly crashing him down against the linoleum and pinning him there. The bathroom was distorted by the water, turned into a dark nightmare version of itself. There were scissors in the cupboard beneath the sink. He reached for it -- grabbed hold of the cupboard handle, pulled it open. Some objects were floating, some weren't. He pushed with all his might, trying to wrench his arm far enough against the shadow's pull to get those scissors. They tore back at him, but he managed to get a hold of them.

He stabbed the scissors into the shadow holding his arm. It reacted, twisting in pain, releasing him. He stabbed at the others, and they coiled away from him, screeching. Up -- push with your legs, Iruka, come on!

He nearly rammed into the ceiling, gulping what was left of the air there. He guessed the door was no good. Magically sealed, most likely, since it wasn't buckling from the water pressure. But the mirror wasn't sealed -- those shadow things came at him from it--

He dove down, and the shadow things came at him. The bathroom was small -- he reached the mirror as they grabbed hold of his legs. He pressed against its surface, and felt his fingers press through into icy cold. He forced the rest of him through--

-- and dropped, soaking, onto the foggy cliffs of the spirit-world, gasping for air.

"Impolite, isn't he?" a voice said. "Zabuza, I mean."

Iruka looked up and his heart chilled. He recognized the lanky silhouette seated some feet away from him. "No," he said, clambering to his feet. "No, you're dead."

The silhouette shrugged, looked away. "What an awful place this is, isn't it? I almost pity them -- the monsters banished here, I mean. It's no wonder they want to tear your little charge open. And such power inside him, I hear."

This was the worst conversation Iruka had ever had in his life. He wanted to reverse time, take it back. "No," he said, voice strangled. "You stay away from him."

"Naruto," the figure said, regarding his nails. "Interesting name, isn't it? Naaaar -- ooo- tow. Oooo-zooo-maaawk-"

"Stay away from him."

The figure regarded him for a moment. "Zabuza's gone to go kill him, by the way."

"I'm going to stop him."

A chuckle. "I'm sure you will."

And then the figure was gone, and in the distance Iruka could see someone coming towards him out of the fog. The light in the spirit-world was never consistent, and it wasn't until the person got within ten feet that he congealed out of the fog into some coherent detail and shape.

Spiky red hair, wild eyes, a billowing scarf. Gaara.

"It's you," Iruka said. "We've been looking all over for you."

"Yeah?" Gaara said. "Hey, look what I can do."

And sand tore up from beneath the kid's feet and slammed into Iruka hard enough to tear his skin apart and throw him from the cliff into the foggy nothingness.

ooo

"Well, well," Sai said, seated on the school steps next to Sasuke. "Look at you."

"Heh," Naruto said, standing under the glare of the street lamps. "You like the jacket? I usually hate wearing stuff like this, but--"

Sasuke smiled. "It's a special occasion."

"Yeah." Naruto looked at Sasuke, who looked impeccable in his suit jacket, and looked down at his own ruffled, unbuttoned jacket. Oh well, Sasuke always was more fashionable.

"Sai," Sakura said, coming over in a glittery blue dress. "I told you to get the green one."

Sai crossed his legs, shifting in his black dress. "But this one is just like the one Audrey wears in Breakfast."

"Right, well," Naruto said, turning in the night air, spinning around. "We ready to go in?"

"Ready as anything," Sasuke said, standing up. "Competition starts in ten minutes, and I'm ready for anything."

Inside the school, music pounded from the gym doors and several students were sitting on benches, drinking punch. Some of them were obviously drunk, most notably, Suigetsu, who was leaning over the bench, Karin rubbing his back and telling him not to throw up, please, not here, not now. Haku smiled blankly at the two of them, waved to Temari, who walked by, got up and went to talk to some other students walking around.

"Do I know you?" Haku said.

"Doubt it," Jugo said, standing beside a locker. "But I sure look like a student, don't I?"

Haku smiled at him, blinking. "You are a student, right?"

Slam. The locker next to Jugo shut and Shikamaru turned around, glaring at Jugo. "Yes," he said. "We're definitely students here."

"I'm one of the Popular Kids," Haku said, his face radiantly friendly. "I know almost everyone in the school."

Jugo and Shikamaru exchanged glances.

"So I should know you too!" Haku said, extending his hand. "I'm Haku. You are?"

Shikamaru looked past Haku and saw Naruto and friends heading towards the gym door. "I'm pleased and a little exasperated. Excuse me. C'mon, Jugo."

"Enjoy the dance, 'k?" Jugo said, patting Haku on the shoulder and following Shikamaru past him.

ooo

Whump -- the music stopped and the lights came up on the gym stage, up onto Kabuto who, as always, relished the attention everyone on the dance floor came him. "How are you doing, guys?!"

They screamed back at him, and the sheer volume of everyone lifted him, making him, for a moment, mighty. He spoke into the mic, "Are we ready to start the competition?"

YEAH! Oh god, it was like crack.

"Here's how it's gonna work, guys," he said, glancing at the sheet of paper in front of him. "Our panel of lovely judges will be here on stage, led by the notable Mr. Kakashi -- look at him wave! What a card! Students will be judged on form and technique and will be paired randomly, boy-girl, boy-girl. Our first team is: Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka!"

Music came through the speakers, and Sasuke entered the circle made by the spectators, looking a little pissed off. Naruto, standing at the sidelines, knew he was: he didn't want to go first, when the judges had nothing to compare him to and would therefore be more critical, more fresh. Still, Ino appeared, looking a little flustered; they touched hands and began to weave kinetic poetry around the gym.

"Wow, they're great, aren't they?" Sai said.

"Yeah," Naruto said. "That Sasuke sure learns fast."

"Do you see him?" Sakura said, looking around. "Do you see him?"

"See who?"

"The boy I like -- Sasori--"

"No. Since when does he go to this school?"

"He's new, I think."

"What are the odds?"

"How should I know? Where the hell is he?"

Someone touched Naruto on the shoulder. In the dark of the gym it was hard to see but he recognized the silhouette of Temari. "Naruto, can I talk to you please?"

"Uh, sure, Temari."

She led him out of the gym, away from the dancing, out into the brightly lit halls of the school. Temari walked a little ahead of him, her red dress swishing with her movement. She looked distracted, she looked a little distraught.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Hold on. I want to go somewhere where we're alone."

Uh, Naruto thought. Okay.

They passed Hinata, who squeaked at them in surprise and scuttled away. Temari paused in the far hallways. There was no one around the length of the hallway. It was darker here, too, the fluorescent ceiling lights off, and only the orange glow from outside coming through the doors at the far end.

Temari looked uncomfortable. She leaned against a locker, rubbed her arm. "I just -- I just have a question for you and it might sound a little weird but I need to know. You look good, by the way."

Naruto looked down at his ruffled, unkempt suit. "Oh. Thanks. You too, I guess."

"I just have a question." She paused, looked away. She seemed to be contemplating the lock on the locker, as if trying to discern the numbers to open it. "Did you -- did you kill my brother?"

"What?"

"He attacked you -- god, that idiot -- he attacked you right? Slashed your arm, shit, this is so weird. My parents have been -- I didn't know it was possible for people to be in shock for so long-- I just... Kankuro thinks you killed him. You or Sasuke."

"I didn't kill him, Temari."

She looked up at him, eyes shimmering in the low light. "Oh," she said. "Oh good. That's good then. I just wanted to know." A pause. "Just wanted to... clarify that, if you know what I mean."

"I'm sorry."

"What, why?"

"Just-" He shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of the right words. Why did the language portion of his brain never want to work properly. "I don't know. I just hate how it... hurt everyone. Hurt you."

"Kankuro held you down, I heard."

"Yeah."

"God. God god." She ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I'm sorry to bring you out here, Naruto, it's just--"

Her fingers find the collar of his suit; they tightened, and then she was kissing him.

He pushed her away, and immediately regretted it, he didn't mean to push her away, didn't mean to full-out reject her like this. Just-

"God, I'm sorry," she said, turning away so he couldn't see the hurt in her eyes. "God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it just sort of--" She leaned against the locker. "Jesus Christ." She looked up at him, held his gaze. "Naruto, I think I'm in love with you."

His mouth was open. His body felt like dead weight. "Oh," he said.

"Which-- I guess this makes this a little awkward. God, I'm so stupid."

"No, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-- I didn't mean to push you away like that. It was--" Another pause. What could he say? "I'm sorry."

"You didn't kill him though."

"Gaara? No, I didn't."

"All I do is pay for his stupid crimes."

"Temari?"

"I'm sorry. I'll go."

And then she was gone, walking shakily off into the shadows of the hall, leaving him a little stunned.

"Hey!" a voice said. "You're Naruto, right?"

Naruto turned around as the fist struck him straight in the face -- down he went, hitting the tiled floor, sliding a bit.

"Aren't you subtle," Shikamaru said, coming up behind him. "Kill him, why don't you, Jugo?"

"I'd love to," Jugo said. "Can I? Can I please?"

"Sometimes I really hate you."

I don't know what this is about, Naruto thought as he tried to get up; but I don't like it. I've been assaulted way too often these past few days.

"No, no," Jugo said, kicking him in the side and knocking him over. "Stay down, little fox."

"Will you quit beating on him?" Shikamaru asked. "I swear to god, these could go so much better if you get your little need-for-pain down at a controllable level."

"He's so soft, though," Jugo said, looking down at Naruto. "So easy to knock over."

"You're looking for a fight?" Naruto said, getting to one knee and wiping his bleeding lip. "I can fight."

"Yeah, but don't bother, kid," Shikamaru said. "We're professionals here. Try and keep a low profile when talking to us, we don't want to-"

Naruto was already swinging at him. Shikamaru darted to the side, ducked one swing, ducked another.

"He's a fast bugger, ain't he?" Jugo asked, grinning.

"Kid, seriously-" Shikamaru said, weaving from side to side as Naruto snapped punches at him. "I don't want to hurt you."

Naruto kicked off a locker, went into the air, his foot aimed for Shikamaru's head. Shikamaru grabbed his ankle and hurled him away, where he hit the floor and slid along.

"Urg," Naruto said, when he came to a stop. "What do you guys want?"

"We have a very simple ultimatum for you," Shikamaru said. "Come with us, or we'll kill you."

"Easy choice to make, I think," Jugo said. "And either way I'll be happy."

"I can fight two of you," Naruto snapped.

"Wow, are we overconfident," Jugo said.

"Kid, you can't fight the two of us," Shikamaru added. "Give up, will you?"

Can't lose, Naruto thought. He balled his fists. Could run. Could get to a brighter area, where there're friends, people to help.

"Naruto," a voice behind him said.

Naruto turned around and saw his reflection in the sheer locker surface ripple and warped. No, he thought, not now. Anytime but now.

The locker opened and water exploded outwards, throwing him down the hall. As he flew, the other lockers burst open, and an ocean crashed outwards, taking Shikamaru and Jugo down with it.