Before you knew it we were already back in the sunny Konoha and doing lame missions again. Things pretty much got back to normal. I was feeling sorry for myself while pulling some herbs from the ground in the backyard of a house. Sakura was obsessing over Sasuke and shooting angry glares in my direction every time that he talked to me. Sasuke was being his usual emo self usually saying just 'Hn' or insulting Naruto. And Naruto was apparently doing everything that he could to become better then Sasuke. At the end he caused only problems and that leaded in to things like Sasuke saving him from falling in to a waterfall. I almost died because I was laughing so hard when I saw that.
We just finished another lame mission and Kakashi told us that it was enough for today. I stared at Naruto with hope. '' Wanna go with me have ramen? I'm bored being at the shop on my own! ''
Naruto clapped with enthusiasm. '' Ramen! '' Then he turned at Sakura and hopefully asked: '' Do you wanna come with us too, Sakura-chan? ''
Sakura was just staring at Sasuke again. It was surprising how she was able to look at him for so much time without even blinking. '' Sasuke-kun, wanna go have ramen? ''
'' No, '' he simply replied. '' I don't like ramen and I have to go train. '' With that he was gone.
'' Stupid Sasuke that doesn't like ramen, '' Naruke mumbled.
'' Don't worry, Sakura. I'm sure that he'll notice you... '' I said, patting Sakura's head. '' Sooner or later. Maybe you should try to make him jealous! How about if you go on a date with that Choji kid! '' I asked with a grin.
Sakura shot me a angry glare and hit my head. '' Don't say ridiculous things like that! You go on a date with that fat boy if you want, I'm going to try get Sasuke-kun! ''
That was when Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon. I buried my face in to my hands when I heard Meogi talking about being sexy or something like that, which was completely inappropriate at her age and preferred to lift Konohamaru on my shoulders. '' You're such a cute little kid! '' I said to him, grinning.
His face instantly turned red of shame. '' I'm not a little kid! I'm a ninja! And put me down! ''
I put him on the ground and started poking his cheeks. '' Still so cute, '' I said with a baby voice. '' Do you wanna go eat ramen with me, Konohamaru? ''
Konohamaru blushed even more, then he stared at Naruto. When it came to Naruto he was worse then Sakura around Sasuke. I couldn't believe it when I met Konohamaru and his gang for the first time and heard how they were calling Naruto 'leader'.
'' Why are you looking at this girl like that? '' he asked. Then he turned at Sakura and grinned. '' You two are together, aren't you? ''
'' Well, yes- ''
I just covered my and Moegi's eyes with my hands, already knowing what was going to happen. Sakura of course punched first Naruto and then Konohamaru. But it looked like the little boy didn't know her and that he should shut up because it wasn't a good idea insulting Sakura. Instead of that he started yelling at her and the second that I caught the word 'fat girl' I stepped closer to Konohamaru, trying to help.
'' Shut up. You don't see that she's on a diet?! '' I hissed and then realised that I probably shouldn't said that because Sakura's face turned from the usual scary to super creepy.
'' RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! '' I yelled and the next second we all started running.
With that we all sprinted down the street, chased by a furious Sakura.
Moegi tripped over a rock but I quickly grabbed her and ran in to a different street from the one that Naruto, Konohamaru and Udon chose and with that we were safe.
I dropped Moegi on the ground and then looked at her. '' So, do you wanna go eat ramen? '' I was slowly getting tired of asking who wants to go eat ramen with me.
She looked around, scared. '' What about Konohamaru and Naruto? ''
I sighed, rolling my eyes. Who cares about them?! I'm hungry and I want my ramen! But I still decided to be nice and showed the girl my best fake smile. '' Fine. Let's go check if they are okay. ''
We walked down the street and just when we went in the one that Konohamaru, Naruto, Udon and Sakura chose I noticed that there was something strange going on. There was a girl with a huge fan and four ponytails and a guy with purple paint on his face and funny cat ears. The second one was holding Konohamaru in the air and it looked like they were arguing about something.
'' What's happening? '' Moegi whined. '' He's going to hurt Konohamaru. ''
My eye flinched and I was staring at Kitty boy with anger. Then I turned at Moegi. '' Not on my watch. '' I started walking closer while doing the handsigns for Wave of inspiration jutsu, a simple one that gathered electricity in my hands and then shocked everything that I touched. I just stopped behind the Kitty boy and smirked. Then I casually placed a hand on his shoulder.
His scream was resounding through the street and he quickly dropped Konohamaru and turned at me with anger.
'' Who are you? '' he hissed.
'' The one that's going to punch that attitude right out of you if you don't get the fuck away and leave me and my friends alone, '' I replied with a creepy voice. Yeah, I've been practicing it with Naruto. It made him laugh but Kitty boy looked scared for a second before he narrowed his eyes with anger.
'' I'll teach you a lesson, '' Kitty boy said, frowning and taking the thing on his back off.
I grinned, nodding. '' Go ahead. I'll teach you one too. What do you want it to be about? Lightning? Fire? Ice? '' Then I noticed Sasuke on one tree watching the whole thing and my grin got wider. '' Oh, Sasuke! You wanna do a combined fire attack that we've been pratictising? '' It was Kakashi's idea to do it.
A smirk appeared on his face. '' Gladly, but do are you sure that you wanna burn the whole village? This guy isn't worth it. ''
I frowned and rolled. '' You are always so boring. I really don't get what all the girls see on you. ''
He shot me an angry glare. '' You're just jealous. ''
'' Jealous of your stupid looking hair? '' I asked with a grin and quickly turned back to Kitty boy. '' Sorry, I forgot about you for a second. Let's just do this the old fashion way. '' I did two hand seals and my spear appeared in my hand. I spun it over my head and leaned on it.
Kitty boy just started doing something to the thing that he was carrying on his back when a serious, bored voice said:
'' Kankuro, stop. ''
We all turned in the direction the voice was coming from. There was a boy, standing on a branch on Sasuke's tree. Well, actually upside down. Hmm... Showoff. Other then that he had amazing red hair and seafoam eyes, surrounded by black lines. There was a kanji on one side of his forehead and he had a gourd on his back.
I tossed my head on one side, curious. There was something interesting about him and his chakra. And he was also hot. I didn't understand why there weren't girls chasing him instead stupid hair Sasuke. Well, maybe it was just because of the expression on his face.
'' S-Sorry, Gaara, '' Kankuro mumbled, putting the thing that he was carrying on his back again.
'' Yeah, we're sorry, '' the girl with ponytails said.
I turned at them with surprise. Why did they both look so afraid of this kid? I mean, he had a serious expression on his face that made him look dangerous and a strange chakra but other that...
I spun my spear over my head again and made it disappear. '' I guess that we'll have to continue this fight some other time, Kitty boy. ''
A smirk appeared on the ponytail girl's face while Kankuro shot an angry look in my direction. '' You are lucky that I didn't get to fight you. ''
'' Yeah, yeah, whatever, '' I replied, smiled at the boy with red hair and then turned around. The whole situation wasn't interesting anymore. I was hoping for a fight but it looked like it wasn't going to happen.
That was when I felt something wrapping around my leg and making me stop. I looked down and frowned. Sand. How strange. I turned around and leaned on the wall next to me, crossing my arms.
I shot a glare in the direction of the boy with the red hair. I was pretty sure that he was the one that was manipulating the sand that was still wrapped around my leg. I guess I'm staying for a little while, considering that I can't move.
'' I can tell from your headband that you came from the Village Hidden in the Sand, '' Sakura suddenly spoke up. '' Of course the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind are allies, but no shinobi can enter another village without permission. So state your purpose. ''
'' We have permission... '' ponytail girl boredly said and raised her permission closer to Sakura. '' We are here for the Chunin Exams. ''
My eyes widned with shock. Chunin Exams... I knew what they were but that bastard of our sensei of course didn't tell us that they were going on now. I frowned, clenching my fists. He was so going to hear about it...
'' The Chunin Exams? '' Naruto asked cluelessly. '' I've never heard of any Chunin Exams, believe it! ''
I covered my face with my hand because of shame. '' Naruto, '' I whined. '' Say something like that and from now on I'm going to pretend that we aren't on the same team. ''
'' Same team? Poor girl, '' the ponytail girl said and smirked.
I nodded. '' I know. ''
Sakura just finished explaining to Naruto what were the Chunin exams and Naruto already yelled: '' I'm so there! ''
'' Hn. '' Gaara jumped on the ground next to Kankuro and ponytail girl. I really hoped that it was a one time thing because if he was saying 'hn' al the time like Sasuke... Well, let's just say that I've been hearing enough of it during missions and training.
I just heard how Sasuke said to the boy with the red hair something that sounded like 'identify yourself'. What a lame phrase. Again, not seeing why are the girls all crushing over him... Even if I knew that I can't say that at loud. The last time I did I was at the ramen shop with Naruto and Ino and a herd of other girls heard me which lead in to them chasing me around the whole town.
'' Who me? '' ponytail girl asked hopefully, turning back at Sasuke.
'' No, him, '' Sasuke said, gesturing to Gaara. I was staring at the girl and shaking my head. Poor, girl, how he instantly managed to crush her.
'' My name is Gaara of the Desert, '' Gaara said with his mysterious, strange sounding voice. '' Who are you, '' he said. It wasn't really a question. By the way he pronounced it I was guessing that he wasn't used to people saying no to him.
'' I am Sasuke Uchiha, '' Sasuke said and smirked.
Gaara's seafoam ice moved to me. I probably wouldn't see that if Sasuke wouldn't smack me on the head. I was to busy looking at my nails and wondering what nail polish should I put on them tonight.
'' Hm? '' I asked and then looked around. '' Oh. I'm Misaki. No last name needed, '' I said, staring in to Gaara's empty eyes. There was something strange and interesting in them.
'' I bet you wanna know my name too, huh?! '' Naruto yelled excitedly.
'' I couldn't care less, '' Gaara simply replied.
I burst in to laughing. '' HAHA. BURNED. '' Then I noticed Naruto's face and quickly got serious. '' I mean, that was very rude, '' I quickly said, nodding.
A slight smirk appeared on Gaara's face for a second before him an the other two turned around and walked away.
We were all quiet for a couple of seconds. Then I grinned and spoke up: '' Okay, that was very interesting and fun but now who wants to go eat ramen? ''
***
It was probably around midnight and I couldn't sleep. I was just laying on my bed and running with my fingers up and down the two scars that were on my chest. They both stopped only at my shoulders so everyone was able to see them. The third one was covering my stomach. All the three were done by the sword of Zabuza Momochi.
It's been only a few days since his and Haku's death but I often found myself thinking about them.
I sighed, sitting up and crossing my arms.
I couldn't stop thinking about the Chunin Exams either. Earlier that day we confronted Kakashi and he looked pretty scared when Sakura, Naruto and I were yelling at him while Sasuke was just standing there with his arms crossed. Hm, emo. We were just about to start a fight when Kakashi told us that he signed us for the exams and just forgot to tell us. I was pretty sure that he just made that up to get rid of us and signed us up later. But anyway, we were going to do them.
I put on my shoes, deciding to go on a midnight stroll.
I jumped through the window (doors are so lame) and landed on the roof of a house. Then I started jumping from one to another and that was my idea of a midnight walk. Yeah, sometimes I was weird. Everyone was telling me that.
I was just running down another roof when suddenly something pulled my leg. I screamed with surprise and collapsed on the ground, hitting my head on something on the way down. I groaned and grabbed it, rolling around like an idiot. It took me a couple of seconds to realise that there was something that pulled my leg and quickly jumped up again, carefully looking around.
Then I noticed sand, moving around me and narrowed my eyes with surprise.
Gaara? That was surely his sand but what was he doing here at this hour.
Then I noticed him sitting on the edge of the roof and staring at the sky.
I crossed my arms and stared at him. '' You really had to do this?! My head hurts because of you now. ''
'' What are you doing up so late? '' he replied with another question in his usual bored tone.
I shrugged and then realised that he was showing his back to me so he couldn't see me. '' Amm... I couldn't sleep. You? ''
'' I don't sleep a lot because of nightmares. ''
Nightmares? That made me remember something.
I sat down next to him, catching him unprepared. He looked at me with surprise. '' What are you doing? '' he asked.
I showed him a goofy grin. '' I will help you with your nightmares. But why are you even here and not in your room? ''
He shrugged. '' Temari and Kankuro were annoying me. ''
Temari. So that was the name of the girl with four ponytails and the giant fan.
Then he looked at me with his seafoam eyes. '' You really think that you can help me? ''
'' I know a trick when it comes to nightmares, '' I proudly said. I used the same words that Shiro told me when I was a five years old girls that was having nightmares every night.
I slowly moved my hand in the direction of his head. His eyes widened with surprise and then I felt sand, wrapping around my wrist. I frowned. '' Can you move your sand? ''
'' It likes you, '' he murmured.
I stared at him with surprise. '' What? Who? ''
'' No one, '' he quickly said and I felt the sand move away from my wrist.
I smiled. I felt how he froze when I touched his skin and pulled him closer. I forced him to put his head on my shoulder and then said: '' My former sensei used to sing me this lullaby every evening. It's pretty stupid but it always calmed me down, '' I murmured and tightened my grip around him because I felt like he was going to jump from the roof if that meant get away from my hug. Hmm... Was I really that bad? After a couple of seconds when I felt how he finally calmed down I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I haven't sang in a while now. I was wondering if I still got it.
Then I opened my mouth and started:
'' Far away from the heavens.
Someone must've send you to me.
Angel once in the sky,
now is watching over you and the darkness of your life.
Close your eyes and go to sleep,
and I'll make the angel chase away all the bad dreams. ''
I wasn't sure where did Shiro hear the lullaby or if she came up with it but I always liked it. When I was little I thought that it was some kind of magic song because I used to dream about angels and similar stuff every time that she sang it to me.
After a couple of minutes I realised that Gaara fell asleep. An arrogant smirk appeared on my face. Ha! And he thought that I wasn't able to help him!
I gently placed him on the ground, took away my black scarf and put it under his head.
I was staring at him for a couple of seconds. Yup, totally turning in to creepy stalker Sakura. A smile appeared on my face. I didn't know any trick actually. Shiro stopped my nightmares by staying with me until I fell asleep and making me feel safer that way.
I quietly jumped on another roof and then back through the window of my apartment. I had to get some sleep. The Chunin Exams were tomorrow and I was going to do everything that I could to pass.