A/N: Wow I really didn't expect to get three reviews in one day! Or as many favorites and follows that I get! I really appreciate it, and thanks to all of you who reviewed, favorited, followed, etc. This chapter you guys get to see the OC's and a little bit about what they're all about! Oh and in a response to a review I recieved from Hearts grow there SHALL be Shikamaru/Temari moments in here! Don't worry, they'll make an appearance sooner or later!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, only my OC's.


Naruto: Alliance of the Ninjas

Chapter 2: Foreigners

The next morning Sakura got up and stretched in her bed. Looking next to her and seeing her forehead protector a knot formed in her stomach. "The Chunin Exams… four days…" Shaking her head Sakura got up and went through her morning routine. Though, something she did differently than normal days was instead of walking around or sitting in her room, she headed out to the academy to get some practice in. She was worried for the Chunin exams and she wasn't sure she was ready for it. She didn't want to be a nuisance and she didn't want to fall behind Sasuke and Naruto.

Heading towards the outdoors training area, Sakura started thinking about the areas she needed to improve on most. Everything, Sakura thought to herself sadly. Making a decision she figured she could start with her aim. Pulling out her kunai and shuriken she practiced throwing the weapons at the various targets. Then she tried running and throwing with minimal success. She repeated the process for hours before she was able to hit every target.

"Nice aim."

Without thinking, Sakura whirled around and threw a kunai at whomever it was that was behind her. The girl behind her pulled out her own kunai just in time to deflect the weapon that would've hit her in the face. "Whoa!" The girl, Sakura noticed, wasn't from the village. She had long red hair with her bangs sweeping across her forehead and a bit over her eyebrow, almost covering her bright blue eyes. She wore tight red shorts, her kunai and shuriken holder on her right thigh on top of some bandaging, black sandals, black leather gloves, a black top with red outlines and her forehead protector hanging from her neck. The forehead protector showed that she was from the Hidden Rain Village.

"I'm sorry about that," Sakura apologized immediately.

The girl shrugged as she picked up Sakura's kunai and walked it back over to her. "No, it's my fault! I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that! Nice aim you got, though," the girl smiled.

Sakura took the kunai and put it away before sighing. "So far that's about the only thing I've been good at."

"Hey, don't get down on yourself. Everyone's got something they're not good at, right? I'm Ayame, by the way. From the Hidden Rain Village," Ayame said sticking out her hand with a large smile on her face. Sakura, deciding that the girl seemed like a genuinely kind person, shook her hand and smiled as well.

"Sakura of the Hidden Leaf Village."

Ayame smiled. "Well Sakura, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

"I'm trying to get some practice in before the Chunin exams," Sakura admitted, getting ready to aim at some more targets.

"Well, in my experience, I find that the trees normally don't hit back," Ayame giggled. Sakura frowned in confusion. "C'mon, why don't you and I give it ago?"

Sakura's eyes widened. "Fight you? But we're from two different villages. Fighting before the exams would cause trouble."

Ayame pouted. "Aw, c'mon; it'll just be a friendly little spar. After all, you want practice and I need something to do besides walking around aimlessly. What do you say? Please?" Ayame pleaded, placing both hands in front of her face in a childish manner.

Sakura paused for a second. Kakashi-sensei told us not to fight anyone from a different village… it could cause a rift in relations between our neighboring villages and possibly start a war if it gets ugly enough. But on the other hand, she's offering to help me practice and I don't want to be a nuisance to Sasuke and Naruto… After pondering for another second, Sakura grinned.

"Well, I do need practice in hand-to-hand."

Ayame beamed.


This was the pattern that continued on for the following three days. Sakura would get up, get ready, head to the academy and meet up with Ayame for training. The two would take breaks to talk about things like their different villages and teams, have some snacks and go back to work. It was on the day right before the exam that Ayame decided to ask a question that had been on her mind since day one. "Sakura?" Ayame asked just after they finished a round of hand-to-hand.

"Yeah, Ayame? What's up?" Sakura asked as she took a bite of her sandwich that she packed before heading out.

"Why aren't you training with your team? You talk about them a lot, but why don't you train with them?" Ayame asked curiously.

Sakura paused in her eating as she thought about her team. I haven't seen Naruto or Sasuke since meeting with Kakashi-sensei. I wonder what they've been up to. Probably trying to get stronger before tomorrow. They shouldn't have anything to worry about though. After all, I'm the weak one of the group. I'm worse than Naruto… Sakura thought to herself, replaying what Sasuke said in her head. Remembering that Ayame was waiting for a response, Sakura shrugged. "They're… out of my league. I'd just slow them down."

Ayame frowned. "No you wouldn't Sakura; you shouldn't put yourself down like that! Though I haven't known you long, I can tell you're a great ninja and you've progressed a lot in three days! You're a fast learner and you're a good ninja! You'll do great!"

"You really think so?" Sakura asked.

Ayame smiled. "I know so."

Sakura beamed. "Thanks Ayame, that means a lot to me. So what about you? Why aren't you with your teammates?"

Ayame's smile melted a way at that question and folded her arms over her knees to rest her head, staring off distantly. "My team… my team is like a family but they treat me as if I'm a child. They're constantly looking out for me and getting me out of trouble. I don't like feeling like I'm a child… like I serve no other purpose than to be protected and watched over like some gem. Even though I'm the youngest and I'm… I can fight for myself… and these exams are going to be my chance to prove it!"

"Huh… so we're in the same boat looks like," Sakura pointed out before she started laughing. Ayame blinked in confusion before she started laughing too. The two girls just laughed for a few moments before their laughter died down into giggles and they became silent.

"Hey… Sakura?" Ayame spoke up. Sakura turned to look at her companion and saw that Ayame looked embarrassed about something. "I just… I really want to thank you… you're the first friend I've made in a long time. Thanks for that."

Sakura smiled. "No problem. Hey, why don't we make a promise? That no matter what happens during these exams, no matter who wins or who loses; let's promise that we'll still be friends at the end of it," Sakura said extending her pinky.

Ayame beamed and wrapped her pinky around Sakura's. "And let's promise that we'll look out for each other during the exams and that we'll do our very best to pass!"

"Promise!" The two girls said in unison.

Sakura laughed. "Now let's get back to practice! This is the last day before the Chunin exams!"

"Alright! We're gonna rock these tests!"


"Damn… I always get lost on the way back," Ayame pouted as she walked through the streets of the Leaf Village. She had just finished training with Sakura before they both said goodbye and headed back to their homes. Well… Sakura went home. Ayame started to head back to the apartments that were being used by all the travelling Genin. And it just happened to be in the middle of the village. And Ayame just happened to be directionally challenged.

Instead of wandering around and getting even more lost—which already happened two days prior, resulting in her team being sent out to retrieve her—Ayame decided to go with the safest idea and start asking around. Surely someone who lived in the Leaf Village would be able to help her out. Resolving herself to ask the first person she came across, she suddenly realized that she was on a quite deserted street. "Aw man… can't I catch a break?" Hearing the sound of footsteps she turned and saw a boy walking towards her. He had red hair and a gourd on his back. Thanking her lucky stars, Ayame waved to him. "Excuse me! Do you know where the Genin housing for foreign villagers is?"

The boy looked at her briefly before nodding once, a look of indifference and mild annoyance on his face. "Yes."

"Can you point me in the right direction?" Ayame asked hopefully before she noticed the forehead protector on the strap of his gourd. He was from the Sand Village. "Oh, you're a foreign Genin too? Are you headed back to the housing?"

"Yes," the boy responded again as he neared.

"Do you mind if I walk with you?"

The boy paused his walking when he was right next to her and turned to stare at her with his piercing green eyes outlined with black markings. Ayame blushed a bit under his gaze and took notice of the 'love' kanji on his head. He continued to stare at her, as if trying to figure something out, before nodding. "I don't mind." With that said he continued walking. Ayame smiled before rushing to catch up with him and falling in step beside him.

"Thanks, I owe you one. My name's Ayame of the Hidden Rain Village."

"I am Gaara of the Desert."

"Nice to meet you, Gaara," Ayame said with a genuine smile on her face. Gaara looked at with an emotionless look but on the inside he was completely confused. He'd never heard anyone say that to him. No one ever even talked to him in his village besides Kankuro and Temari and the teachers out of the academy. And even when the teachers did talk all of the times they talked to him it was with fear. Even the Leaf Genin he had encountered earlier seemed anxious around him and they didn't even know his reputation. And this girl—this girl who was all by herself in a dark alley, who should've been the most cautious and fearful—was talking to him… was being kind to him. "So, you nervous for the exams?" Ayame asked looking up at Gaara. Gaara, still trying to hide his surprise at the fact that this girl was being friendly towards him, shook his head.

Ayame smiled. "Really? I am. I want to make sure that I do well and that I don't do anything stupid to get myself or others killed. I can tell you're strong though, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about, huh?"

Again Gaara was shocked. She can tell I'm strong? Can she tell the full extent of what I'm capable of? Surely she can't or else she wouldn't be talking to me so kindly… would she?

"Oh! There's the housing!"

Gaara looked forward to see she was right. Ayame smiled. "Thanks a lot for walking with me, Gaara! I really appreciate it! I hope to see you at the exams!" Ayame said waving at the red-head. "See you tomorrow!" With that Ayame ran into the apartment complex. Gaara stood rooted to his spot on the street and pondered about what just happened. He had never experienced that before with anyone. He never experienced being treated as a normal human being. Watching her form disappear into the building Gaara's lips curved up the most minute fraction of a bit before it disappeared from his face.

Ayame of the Hidden Rain Village… interesting. I'll have to keep an eye on her…


Ayame opened the door to the apartment slowly and started removing her shoes as quietly as possible. All the lights were off so maybe Chiaki, Yumi, and Emiko-sensei were asleep…

"And where have you been?"

…or not.

Ayame closed the door as the lights flicked on revealing her two teammates and her sensei. The girl closest to her was wearing a black skirt, a white cut-off top with red trimmings, black leather gloves and was currently barefoot. Her blonde hair was in its usual braid cascading down to her lower back with her forehead protector tied around her waist. Next to her was a girl wearing a short white and red dress with slits up the side going up to her hips, showing her black spandex shorts underneath and black leather gloves. Her long chestnut hair was up in a bun and her forehead protector was tied on top of her hair. The tallest woman in the back was wearing black spandex pants, a red flowing top that went down to her mid thighs with her Jounin vest opened slightly. Her raven hair was up in a long ponytail and her forehead protector was tied across her forehead. "Hey guys?"

All three girls didn't look happy.

"Where have you been?" The brown haired girl asked with her hands on her hips.

"I was training, Yumi, just like I told you guys I would be," Ayame said as she walked farther into the room.

"You've been gone all day," the blonde pointed out with her arms crossed.

"I lost track of time, Chiaki."

"Yes, but I told you to check in," the raven haired woman spoke up.

Ayame sighed and bowed slightly. "My apologies, Emiko-sensei."

Emiko stepped forward and hit Ayame on the top of her head. The girl crouched on the ground and held her head in pain while Yumi and Chiaki both jumped to cower comically behind the couch in fear of Emiko lashing out at them for some reason. "What do you mean 'my apologies'?! You shouldn't have disobeyed me in the first place! Now off to bed, you've got a big day ahead of you! You all do!"

"Yes sensei!"