Six Years Later - 3

"I'm sorry that you didn't pass Gaara-kun," Sakura said supportively, "You, Haku-kun and Naruto-kun..."

He shrugged in response as they stood in the entryway of the Academy along with a few other students waiting out the rain. Gaara could honestly say that he hadn't expected things to go well after seeing calm and collected Haku tossing shuriken at Naruto (which had mildly amused him.)

"I did poorly, so I'm not fit to graduate." Gaara said simply, not wanting to press the matter that was already burning him up.

Sakura scowled, "And it's that kind of attitude that won't get you anywhere! Those stupid examiners, you're more worthy to be a genin than I am..."

"I doubt that."

Again, she frowned, "Why's that?"

"Because you passed."

"Ugh...Gaara-kun, could you be any more apathetic?"

Gaara smirked, "Would you like to see me try?"

"No thanks, you already have me depressed."

Ever since their childhood, Sakura had remained a loyal friend to Hinata, Naruto, Haku and Gaara. It was tearing her up that the three of her closest friends (whom she had nicknamed The Trio)would not proceed into Genin training with her.

She was about ready to pick a fight with Iruka-sensei for failing them all, but that docile nature that she had shielded herself would not permit it.

"What a crappy day..." Sakura muttered. She was in a worse mood than even Gaara.

"I'll walk you home Sakura-chan."

Sakura gave him a bothered look, "Don't. It's pointless for both of us to get wet..."

"Do you remember who you're talking to?"

She hadn't noticed the sand shield that had been surrounding them for the past minute and she mentally slapped herself.

"Oh...well, I guess I'm just so used to you by now that I don't notice these things." She chuckled sheepishly.

He said nothing and stepped out into the rain, but couldn't help but notice the look of wonder on her face. The only other person they knew who could walk out in the rain without being soaked was Haku, for obvious reasons.

Gaara listened patiently while she began another one-sided conversation during their walk. Something about Naruto's perverted jutsu and it somehow reflected his cleverness in a sick sort of way.

By the time they had reached her house, the rain had stopped, and Gaara's sand returned to his gourd. His hands were buried in his pockets, and he suddenly felt awkward around the pink haired girl.

"Maybe I'll see you tomorrow." It was the 'maybe' that irked Sakura. Things were uncertain now that he could not leave the Academy.

She frowned and then hugged him, giving him flashbacks of when they were young children when he had first come to Konoha with Naruto and Haku.

Sakura smiled, "You will see me tomorrow."

And she went inside leaving him with an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. He stood outside her door for a long moment, inhaling the moist air that smelled like rain, forest, and Sakura.

Gaara's spirit was lightened somewhat, and then seemed to do a nosedive after noticing Naruto in a flash of orange leaping over a number of nearby rooftops. He had a large scroll that he was certain his friend was not the owner of.

"That's conspicuous." Reluctantly, Gaara followed his blonde friend, hoping this wouldn't lead to any further complications.

In a short while, Tenten had easily solved Haku's coordination problem.

"Senbon are perfect for you!" She was proud that he had picked up on throwing the needles so quickly, "Do you really believe you're a lost cause now, Haku?"

They stood on the side of the empty, damp street, where he had been using a wooden telephone pole as a makeshift target. He embedded senbon into the want ads and posters that were stapled to the pole.

Haku fiddled with the three needles he had gripped in his hand, "Well, maybe not, but I can't say that I would've thought of this myself."

"You just practice, and you'll graduate in no time..." Tenten said while tossing a few needles herself, lodging them in the bearded face of a man on a poster, "You'll need a good knowledge of the human body too if you want to study Shinjutsu."

The dark haired boy regarded her for a moment while she casually flicked senbon at the pole, and a small smile appeared on his face, "I'm very glad you found me Tenten. I'm not quite sure what I would've done if-"

She blushed, "It was nothing! Really! Just do me a favor and pass will you?"

Haku then had a thought, "I wonder; how did you come to find me anyway?"

Tenten extracted the needles from the wooden beam and turned to him, "Oh, well, my team mate had mentioned you, actually. He said that when you were young that-"

"Haku!"

The dark haired boy looked across the street and saw Gaara standing there. He was scowling and Haku could tell that it probably had something to do with Naruto.

"I think I should be going now," He sighed, "I'll come find you tomorrow so we can continue training."

"Tomorrow?" Tenten mulled it over in her head, "Okay then...I really should go too. I kind of ditched my team to come find you."

Haku gave her a grateful smile when she handed him a fistful of senbon, "Here, they're on me! I have plenty more for myself...it was nice meeting you Haku!" He watched her jog off down the street and he then turned to Gaara again who didn't look pleased.

.

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing?"

Gaara had described to Haku how he had seen their friend making off with a large scroll that he had never seen before. They both tracked him down in a forested area and Naruto seemed ecstatic to see them.

"Haku-kun! Gaara-kun! Check it out!" He displayed the large scroll he found, "This Forbidden Scroll if full of awesome jutsu!"

"Did you ever think that it was 'forbidden' for a reason?" Gaara said pointedly.

Haku however wasn't as hostile, "Maybe we should hear him out..."

The red haired boy gave him an incredulous look as Naruto went on, "But there's more! You see if we master a jutsu from this scroll, then we can pass the exam and graduate!"

"Where did you hear that?" Haku asked. He hoped it was true.

Gaara remained skeptical.

Naruto was gently slipping the rope off the scroll, "Mizuki-sensei told me."

Gaara exchanged a confused glance with Haku.

"He did?"

"Oh yeah!" Naruto nodded while opening the scroll in front of his friends to give them a better view of its contents, "He said any jutsu would work. I say we give it a shot!"

Haku nodded, "If that's what Mizuki-sensei said then I have no objection!"

Gaara watched with his arms folded as the blonde boy and Haku examined the first few techniques. Nothing about this seemed to make sense. Why hadn't they heard of this scroll before? And how did Naruto come by it?

Then again, graduating to become a genin sounded just too good for him to resist, and discarding his better judgment, Gaara settled down beside them and took a peek, "Let me have a look..."