Chapter 6:

We found the Sand Genin in the local park, sitting by a statue. Gaara was sitting cross legged on the ground, sand moving in small waves underneath him, as if he was some sort of vibrating music box or an incoming wind. Kankuro was busy adjusting the bindings around his mummy puppet, Crow while Temari was busy giving herself a manicure.

"Alright, you three start talking." Kyoske said.

Kankuro was the only one who looked up at us and he scoffed.

"Well aren't we flattered that you're taking time out of your vacation to visit us." Kankuro snickered.

Kyoske glared at him. "Alright enough with that. You know as well as we do how big of a lie that is."

"So you are here for the exam?" Temari asked, feigning shock.

"Why are you three here?" Hideki asked.

"To become Chunin." Gaara said, his eyes closed now.

"I don't buy that." I said. Gaara looked at me, the vibrating sand beneath him stilling.

"Why are you three here?" Gaara countered.

"We're here to become Chunin, you three are here to find and cause trouble so spill before we beat it out of you." Kyoske growled.

"Kyoske…always so annoying I could squeeze the life out of you." Gaara growled darkly.

"You guys being here for the exams are as big a joke as us being here for the exams so why don't you spill first." Kankuro said. "We'll tell you if you tell us."

"Or we don't say anything and just follow you three around." Hideki said.

"And annoy us like the rabid flies that you are?" Gaara growled. "I'll kill you before we even begin fighting."

"Why did you pick on those Leaf shinobi?" I asked.

"Because they need to learn to keep their mouths shut." Kankuro said. "I was merely going to teach them a lesson."

"Why do you care? Is this about that boy?" Gaara asked.

"A boy? Does my little Miyu have a crush?" Temari squealed. "Which one is it? Please have some taste and choose that dark haired one."

"It's probably the loud mouthed one." Kankuro said.

"They're my friends." I said.

Gaara stood up and I watched Kankuro stiffen and an uneasy look cross over Temari's face. The boys tensed beside me and I swore I saw Kyoske's hand inch closer to his weapons pouch.

"Stay away from that boy." Gaara aid, his eyes dark.

"You're not my father." I said.

"Don't you see the darkness inside of him?" Gaara asked. "The hatred burning in his eyes?"

"Reminds you of someone doesn't it?" Kyoske asked, his voice sarcastic.

"You act like I'm going to marry the kid." I said.

"He's toxic." Gaara said, his voice huskier and he shot Kyoske a look. "And yes it takes one to know one."

"I can handle myself, but I'm flattered by your worrying." I said, placing a hand over my chest.

"You're going to be foolish." Gaara said. "You're going to meddle with him anyway even though I'm telling you he's bad news."

"She's a strong girl, Gaara." Hideki said. "She can handle herself, as she mentioned already.

"She's naïve." Gaara said. "Innocent."

"Are you gonna tell us why you're here or not?" I asked.

"Or are you three gonna just sit around and test us?" Kyoske asked.

"Oh why are you being so offensive and touchy?" Temari asked as she stretched. "We're all friends here, aren't we?"

"Friends is pushing it after the crap you people pulled." Kyoske growled.

"What's that supposed to mean, Kyoske?" Kankuro growled.

"You know." Kyoske snapped and they turned to glare at each other.

"We did what you three were too cowardly to do yourselves." Kankuro snapped.

"You sabotaged the entire mission." Hideki said.

"I didn't hear you complain before it was done only after." Temari said.

"Shut up Temari." Kyoske called.

"Don't speak to her that way." Gaara snapped. His eyes never left my face but I could see the agitation in his eyes.

"You have a problem with us, Kyoske?" Kankuro asked, rising to his feet, the Crow's hair clenched in his fist. "Let's do something about it."

"Kyoske." I said, my voice full of warning. I didn't look at him, I let my voice do the talking. I continued to stare down Gaara and felt Hideki shift at my side.

"This is a crowded place." Hideki warned. "Calm down."

"We can go somewhere else if it makes you feel any better." Kankuro called.

"No good holding these things in, Hideki." Temari called. "Either we face this head on or he'll explode."

Kyoske's hands balled into tight fists at his sides and he stepped away from us, stopping a few feet away from Kankuro.

"Kyoske." Hideki said, his voice full of authority. "That's enough."

"I'm mad enough to punch you." Kyoske growled.

"Then come over here and try it." Kankuro said, egging him on.

I was turning to look at Kyoske and tell him to stop when suddenly my feet felt stuck. I looked down only to see the sand from Gaara's gourd at my feet, holding me in place. I turned back to glare at him.

"We're not done." Gaara said.

"That's enough." Hideki said. "Everyone needs to calm down."

"Oh Hideki! You're such a bore! Such a referee! Let the kids have their fun." Temari called.

"Come at me with your best shot." Kankuro said and pointed a thumb to his chest. "I'm waiting for it."

"Kyoske, there are people around." Hideki called.

"They'll move." Kankuro snickered.

"Kyoske…don't please." I begged.

"Too late." Kyoske growled and pulled out a kunai. He was charging for Kankuro and just as Hideki was going to jump in after him, Temari sent a kunai to his feet, stopping him.

"Let the boys talk it over." She said.

"I'll show you something to talk about!" Kyoske was getting ready to swing when the Crow jumped free of it's bindings and appeared just in time to block Kyoske's attack. It was a close call, a risk on Kankuro's part. He was a puppeteer, a long range battler and Kyoske's attack had been meant to be close range. I narrowed my eyes as I realized Kankuro had gotten stronger since the last time we had seen him.

"That the best you got?" Kankuro chuckled. "Then this will be easy."

Kyoske jumped off of the Crow and the puppet's mouth rattled, sounding like heavy, wooden wind chimes. Kyoske landed and immediately began making hand signs.

"Wind." Temari growled, her eyes narrow.

"Kyoske that's enough!" Hideki shouted.

"Wind Release!" Kyoske shouted as he jumped into the air and took a big breath. "Vacuum Wave!" He began spinning and the wind picked up around until it all shot forward as one big force. It headed straight for Kankuro who snickered as Crow released several smoke bombs, and disappeared just as the attack landed. The minute the attack hit the ground a powerful wind picked up and Temari struggled to stay steady. If Gaara hadn't been holding me in place, I had no doubt I'd be knocked off my feet and as for Hideki, he went sliding back, dropping to his knees.

"That the best you've got?" Kankuro's voice echoed throughout the small clearing.

Crow's rattling came from above and Kyoske looked up just in time to see it release a few poison bombs. Kyoske took out his sword from his sheath and sliced at the bombs, their toxins dripping to the grass below.

Kyoske landed but not before the Crow came swooping downward, a blade drawn. They swiped at each other, Kyoske dodging expertly until Crow's knuckles brandished more knives.

"Gaara, stop him." I said.

Gaara looked at me. "Stay away from the boy."

Kyoske pushed away from the Crow, using his sword to block all the incoming knives that were sent in his direction. He began making hand signs and held up his hand, chakra flowing to his fingertips.

"Blade of Wind!" He shouted just as the Crow fired off a whole array of senbon at Kyoske.

"Kyoske!" Hideki shouted.

The chakra at his fingertips sent slash after slash of razor sharp blades of wind at the Crow. The minute they hit the senbon not only did it throw off their aim but it sent the senbon raining down in different directions. I flinched, my eyes locked on a few senbon heading straight for us until a wall of impenetrable sand from Gaara's gourd shot up and blocked the attack. I looked over to find Temari shielded by the same wall.

"I'm not a little kid." I snapped at him.

"Would you have rather the senbon strike you?" Gaara asked as the sand wall began to collapse.

Kyoske landed, his sword drawn at the same time the Crow did, rattling mouth and all.

"You still fight behind those toys of yours?" Kyoske panted.

"Until you can hit me, don't talk." Kankuro said, jumping back down to the clearing. Crow floated in front of him and rattled its mouth at Kyoske.

"I swear you know just what to say to piss me off." Kyoske growled.

"I could say the same about you." Kankuro said. Crow fired off another set of senbon and this time threw a couple kunai in as well. Kyoske was making hand signs again and when the swarming set of weapons were a good distance away, he exhaled a fireball.

The searing ball of inferno went straight into the weapons and the sheer force of them forced them to clatter to the ground. The fireball continued forward, heading straight for Kankuro and Crow until they jumped out of the way.

"You're such an idiot it seriously hurts." Hideki called out.

"Come out and fight me!" Kyoske shouted into the setting sky.

"Be careful what you wish for." Kankuro chuckled and Crow shot out from a top a tree, breaking apart to reveal sharp sets of knives. Kankuro drew his sword and was busy dispelling each knife when one whizzed past him, cutting his cheek. He cried out, a hand slapping against his wound as he jumped back.

"Caught you." Kankuro laughed. "All that talk and for what?"

"Go to hell!" Kyoske shouted, drawing his sword once more. He started running toward Kankuro who laughed.

"Gaara!" I shouted and was shocked when this time, he released me from his hold but by the time I looked back at Kyoske, it was already too late. Invisible threads shot out and wrapped around Kyoske suddenly and he slammed onto the ground with a grunt.

"That's enough." Megumi-sensei's voice cut into the clearing and we all turned to face her. Baki, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro's team leader stood beside her, his arms folded, his expression angry.

"What part of keep a low profile do you three idiots not understand?" Megumi-sensei called, the strings binding Kyoske clenched tightly in her fist.

"Save it for the exams." Baki called. "All of you."

Megumi-sensei walked over to me and looked between Gaara and I.

"What's this about?" She asked, her voice low.

"Kankuro was challenging Kyoske." I muttered. "He reacted."

"Clearly." Megumi-sensei sighed. "Baki, what do you suggest we do?"

"They both have rather big mouths." Baki said.

"I think it was one of mine this time." Megumi-sensei, fixing a dark look on Kyoske.

"They challenged each other." Hideki said.

"And you did nothing to stop him?" Megumi-sensei asked.

"Not without the others interfering." Hideki said.

"Is that so?" Baki asked.

"We were just leaving." Gaara said, earning a look from Baki.

"I would hope so." Megumi-sensei said dryly.

"Let's go." Baki said and after shooting Gaara one last look, the four of them disappeared into the night, leaving us in the middle of the empty park.

"Who wants to do the honors and explain what just happened?" Megumi-sensei asked.

"Those Sand brats started it!" Kyoske shouted

Megumi-sensei lifted a hand. "Anyone other than Kyoske."

"They're here for the exams." Hideki said. "We confronted them because we were suspicious."

"And who gave you the order to do that?" Megumi-sensei snapped.

"No one." Hideki said. "It was an impulse…a reckless impulse but we wanted answers."

"Selfish." Megumi-sensei snapped.

"It was but we had to, Sensei. We can't trust them you know that." I said.

Megumi-sensei glared back at me. "You of all people know what that boy is capable of. He is an unstable Jinchūriki who can kill you all if he so wishes it."

"We know but—"

"Instead of putting our mission first and focusing on what's at stake you three put everything on the line to pick a fight with Genin over something that happened years ago." Megumi-sensei shook her head. "Unacceptable."

"But Sensei-"

"I've heard enough." She said before cutting the wires at her hands. "I will worry about the Sand Genin. You stay focused on why we're here and find me some damn information I can actually use!"

She disappeared then, leaving us in the darkening field and feeling like we had all been slapped in the face. We stayed in our spots for a long time, so long that it was dark by the time Hideki stepped forward, heading for Kyoske who was still lying in the grass.

"I'm surprised you didn't try to free yourself." Hideki said, pulling a kunai from his pouch to cut off the wire.

"He paralyzed me." Hideki said. "That's what those weapons were dripped in."

"Figures." Hideki said. "Now we have to carry you home."

"You do." I said, shaking my head. "I have to go and see Sasuke."

Hideki looked back at me. "Why?"

"We had a deal." I said. "I'll be back soon."

"Great." Kyoske muttered, glaring out into the night.

"Make sure you get something out of him, anything." Hideki said.

"I'll try." I said with a small smile.