Chapter 1: Wrong

A/N: Hello! Wow, that response was really fast. I hope you guys like this chapter too. My writing style might be a bit rusty at the moment since I'd lost my muse for a good while, but it should get back up to speed pretty quickly.

I closed my eyes and focused. I reached out to my chakra and pushed it towards my right leg.

When I felt there was a sufficient amount, I slammed my foot down on the ground, pushing up a chunk of rock and soil. It wasn't a big chunk, but it was enough for what I really wanted to practice. I caught the rock easily. I checked my distance. I was 15 feet away from the tree trunk I was aiming for

I quickly sent chakra to my mouth. Throwing the rock up, I rapidly sent off a breath of air at it. I watched as a kunai was formed through the rock and flew forward, only to fall short about a foot away from the target.

"Dammit, I thought I'd gotten it that time." I frowned.

I walked over to the stone kunai and picked it up. I carefully studied the weapon. The point was certainly sharp enough, but one side looked to be a few centimeters too wide. I figured that must have been why it hadn't gone farther. The lopsided kunai wasn't able to be aerodynamic.

I sighed. At least it was better than before. I looked up and watched a flock of birds fly under the cloudless sky.

"I think I'll take a break," I said to myself. I pocketed the kunai and headed back into town.

I walked around, just enjoying the day. It seemed like so much had changed about me since I'd gotten here. From my short, unnecessarily messy hair to my growth spurt up to 5'1 to my now mysteriously yellow eye. I ghosted a hand over my left eye. It looked just like my father's. I shook myself out of my thoughts.

I first headed to Ichiraku to see if Naruto was there to keep me company. The blond was annoying and too much sometimes, but for some reason his optimism was contagious. He always managed to give me a boost without realizing it.

"How're you doing guys?" I asked Teuchi and Ayame.

"We're doing just fine," Teuchi replied. "Looking for Naruto? I saw him go past with a square rock chasing after him."

That made me pause. The arched eyebrow on my face made Ayame confirm what Teuchi had said with a nod.

"It's true. I saw it too."

"I don't feel any chakra lingering, so that square rock wasn't formed with a jutsu. I bet it was that Konohamaru kid. He and Naruto might as well be related with how alike they are." I smiled at the two, "Thanks for the info. I'll come by later, kay?"

They smile back and nod. I leave, as does the smile I'd put on for them. I sighed, I wondered if they were genuinely nice or actually thought of me as the sand child like so many of the other villagers. I decided to abandon that train of thought as I searched for Naruto's chakra.

I headed home when I realized Naruto was no where to be found. The quaint house had been a gift from Lord Third after I had been found half-dead right outside the village. I cooked up some miso soup and brought it to my room. Setting it down, I reached under my small bed and pulled out a book.

The cover was a blank beige and faded to almost white from age. After five years, I still couldn't open it. I even looked up all the sealing jutsu that could have been cast on it. I halfheartedly tried to open it, but it just wouldn't budge.

I put the book back in its place and ate my soup. It had cooled down considerably while I had spaced out again. I scolded myself. That sort of absentmindedness was unacceptable in a shinobi.

I took a deep breath and finished off my soup. Leaving the bowl on my nightstand, I left the house to see Lord Third for a mission. I hoped there was a job that didn't involve pulling up weeds. I always got yelled at for pulling up the crops instead.

Not my fault I lived in the desert. The only plants I know are cacti!

I heard a certain someone yelling something about being cool and hating Sasuke. I sweatdropped.

Sounds like I finally found Naruto...

I jogged over to the group. Naruto was there with the rest of Team 7 along with Konohamaru's 'squad'. Naruto seemed to be yelling at some visitors that had strong and faintly familiar chakra signatures. The enormity of one signature seemed odd and somewhat similar to Naruto's. Sakura looked nervous and Sasuke seemed to be assessing the intruders.

"Naruto! Don't be rude! Yelling doesn't solve anything." I walked up to scold him further only to stop in my tracks. I looked at the visitors and my fists clenched tightly.

Right before me were the Kazekage's children, with a certain redhead at the front. My jaw tightened and a look of pure fury crossed my face for a half-second before I feigned a smile. "I'm sorry about Naruto, you three. He gets too energetic for his own good sometimes."

The two genin in the back seemed confused by my informal speech. I noted how grown up they now were. Kankuro now hid his brown hair with traditional puppeteer clothes and wore purple face paint to look more intimidating. Temari's blonde hair was in double pigtails and she now carried a huge fan on her back. I focused my attention on the redhead. He was stoic and seemed threatening despite his height, but I wasn't afraid. I could feel how cold his chakra was, but I would never be afraid.

"What's going on?" Naruto seemed just as confused as Kankuro and Temari.

"It's been awhile, huh, Gaara?" I said casually. His eyes turned to slits. "You haven't forgotten me, have you? Though, I guess I look pretty different."

"I don't know you," he turned away.

"I had hoped you'd remember your only friend."

I saw his head turn back a fraction and felt his eyes look me over.

"Yep, I'm Haruka."

Gaara's chakra flared angrily. He sent his sand at me, but I countered with my Breath Style, sending sand kunai back at him. His sand protected him like always, but his eyes were wide.

"It's true, Gaara. You can't fake the Kishimoto Breath Style." I dropped the act.

"You're dead." He stated

"No, Gaara. My parents are dead." I growled. He didn't even flinch.

"You've changed."

"Actually, by the looks of things, you're the one who has changed."

His sand shot out at me again. I jumped back several times to avoid it. Temari and Kankuro took a step away from Gaara with wide eyes and chakra spiking out of fear. Gaara merely narrowed his eyes.

"Everything about you is wrong now, Gaara. Maybe the others were right all along," I was the one who turned away this time. "You are just a little monster." I walked away, but had to spin around to slice away more sand with the kunai I'd made earlier. "Don't be petty, Gaara. I've always said what I thought, even if it hurt."

Gaara glared at me and said in his grainy voice, "The first chance I get, I'll take joy in killing you."

"Good luck with that, Gaara-kun!" I said in a sickly sweet voice before walking off.

Naruto ran after me and walked beside me. He let me fume for a few moments.

"What was that about, Haruka?"

"Nothing."

"That didn't look like nothing," he insisted.

"I don't want to talk about it. Drop it, Naruto."

"But, Haruka-"

Naruto barely dodged the punch I threw.

"I said, drop it." I let my arm fall to my side. "I need to train. I'll be at the usual place if someone needs me." I began to leave, but turned back to Naruto. "Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah, Haruka?"

"Why the hell are they here to begin with?" I asked as my mind began to regain sense. I cursed my actions. Rash and hot-headed were not good traits for a kunoichi.

"They said something about the chunin exams, whatever those are."

"I see," was my reply before walking back to the training grounds.

I didn't realize the chunin exams were going to start soon. I need to find a way to get in. I wonder if they'll let me join a team or do it on my own. I'd be better off on my own, but it's unlikely if Kakashi has anything to say about it with his whole teamwork-is-important thing goin' on.

I once again stood in front of the target stump and took a deep breath to center myself. Either way, I've got to get stronger if I plan on facing Gaara. Especially since his chakra signature is so huge. It's interesting to know he can protect himself against his own sand; I can use that knowledge to my advantage. There's no point in using a tactic that won't work after all.

I pushed another chunk of rock up from the ground. Still, I won't just be facing him if I can participate. I need to practice my rock kunai. It makes me miss the desert to think how easy it was to shape that sand.

I formed the appropriate hand signs and focused my chakra. Either way, no time like the present to practice.

I worked until the next day's light appeared in the sky.

A/N: Done! I feel like their meeting was a bit forced and rushed, but it needed to get done and Gaara will obviously have more screen time in the future. Also, I'd like to take this time to explain the Kishimoto family's kekkei genkai. It's not something that is really activated like the Byakugan or Sharingan, but instead is used continuously. A Kishimoto has enlarged chakra pathways in their lungs. This grants them the ability to merge their breath with the chakra and transfer it into a medium like sand or rock. The user, however, has to shape the chakra in order to make any sort of object out of the medium. So, it's kind of hard to learn on your own. Also, like the Byakugan or Sharingan, taking the organ, in this case a Kishimoto's lungs, will grant the new owner's the same power. Kishimoto's can also hold their breath much longer than others and it is a common misconception to believe they can breathe underwater because of it. There might be more to explain later on, but for now this should be a full enough explanation.