Yawning, I walked through Konoha's alleys. It was already afternoon and the sun was no longer so high in the sky, but still the tiredness did not let me go. Which was possibly also due to the fact that I had stayed in bed today until twelve o'clock. Kurenai had ordered me to stay in bed after I collapsed during training yesterday. From overexertion. Lately I had been training harder and harder, but I didn't know myself where that came from. Somehow, I had a feeling that something would soon come my way for which I would need all my strength.

A week had passed since Naruto and his team had returned from the Realm of Waves. And since then, not a day went by without Sasuke eyeing me suspiciously. The Uchiha suspected something, I was sure of it. I should continue to be careful with him. Besides, I hoped that Naruto would not inadvertently reveal anything regarding my Kekkei Genkai to Sasuke. No, certainly he wouldn't. We were friends. Even if the blond slob liked to act impetuously and sometimes put his foot in his mouth ... although, actually, I could do that just as well sometimes.

„Hey! Leave your hands off him right now, otherwise you can experience something. Got it?" I looked up as Naruto's voice sounded close to me. The tiredness disappeared more and more, giving way to an insatiable curiosity. Naruto sounded quite angry. I should go and see what was going on in the alley not far from me.

Naruto and Sakura were standing there. Konohamaru, the grandson of the third Hokage was in an extremely awkward situation. A tall boy in a dark full body suit, had grabbed him by the collar. The little boy was already pale in the face. With a shudder I remembered that I had once been in a similar situation. With my father. I felt sick to my stomach.

Right next to him stood a girl who was maybe two years older than me. She had tied her blond hair into four pigtails. She made a rather annoyed impression but didn't seem to want to intervene in the situation.

I had to help Konohamaru. The others seemed to be frozen. I made myself invisible, suppressed my chakra, jumped on the fence and crept closer to the action. No sound was produced by my feet on the wooden slats. Quiet as a cat, I crept over them and stopped under the tree, which stood in a neighbouring garden. Slightly I crouched down and tensely watched what was happening.

„Before I take care of that blonde loudmouth there, I'll take care of this pain in the ass here."

Konohamaru growled strained. Drops of sweat ran down his forehead. That was enough, this was no way to deal with a child. I didn't know what had happened before, but that was no excuse for such behaviour. The little one could almost not breathe with this grip.

„That's enough," Naruto shouted and stormed towards the elder.

A grin spread across the latter's face. Triumphant and superior. But he did not move from the spot. I clasped my hands in my thighs and analysed every little movement of the boy. If I could find out something about his fighting tactics, that would be an advantage. Well, actually, it depended on his talent.

A single movement of his fingers was enough to get Naruto off his feet. I pressed my lips together. It was as if he was pulling on strings that were connected to Naruto. Like scales, it fell from my eyes. The boy was a puppet master. I had read quite a bit about this type of ninja. This style of fighting was quite fascinating in my eyes, but just plain unfair in such a situation. That would then explain the wrapped part on his back. That was a puppet for sure. I simply couldn't imagine what else it would be.

„You better put him down Kankuro," the girl now said as well.

The situation seemed to make her a little nervous. She didn't seem to want any trouble. Thoughtfully, I focused on the headband. That was the sign of Suna, after all. What were genin from this country doing here in Konoha? There had to be a good reason for it. Either a mission, or ...

„I don't like little pests, and if I ever see one, I want to beat him up," Kankuro said, and I winced.

Something must have happened to him in his past that he had such a problem with younger children. Nobody hated people just like that. Not even my father. He still saw in me the guilt of mother's death.

Kankuro raised his fist and I reacted. Quick as a flash I stretched an invisible shield around Konohamaru. But he was never hit. A small stone had stopped Kankuro from hitting the younger man. Gently, he hit the ground and tapped the shield in confusion. I grinned and released the jutsu. Konohamaru looked around, but his eyes could not catch me.

„You're a stranger here and you're messing with people stronger than you?"

I rolled my eyes. Sasuke. Who else? With his typical aloof expression, the black-haired Uchiha focused on Kankuro and demonstratively tossed another small rock into the air. For a brief moment, his eyes darted in my direction, but he found no fixed point. Luckily.

He still didn't know about my ability and hopefully it would stay that way for a while. That would then continue to be a great advantage for me.

Sakura and the blonde girl were looking in his direction, while Konohamarus and Naruto's looks were filled with less enthusiasm. From the look on my friend's face, I could tell that he was almost boiling over with jealousy right now. Silently, I begged him to please not break out now. That would only make the whole situation worse.

„Oh great, another one to get on my nerves," Kankuro growled.

Sasuke seemed unimpressed and crushed the stone with his fist.

„Get lost."

I gritted my teeth. Slowly, the Uchiha was getting me upset, too. With his arrogant posturing. But well, I didn't think that helped in this situation. It would only make Kankuro angrier.

„Come down to me you coward. I don't like guys like you at all. I don't like guys like you at all. They talk a lot but have no courage." The brown-haired boy's eyes were narrowed to small slits in annoyance. With a loud crack, he put the wrapped puppet down in front of him. Determined, he looked up at Sasuke.

The girl didn't seem at all thrilled with the idea. Even though I didn't like Sasuke, in a situation like this I had to help him. Concentrating, I began to gather my chakra.

„Kankuro better leave it."

I winced at the voice. It was as cold as I had never heard one before. Goosebumps abruptly ran down my spine. Right next to me, I felt a presence. Slowly I turned my head and looked into freezing turquoise eyes. The look in them was cold and emotionless. Even colder than Sasuke's. Those eyes had seen and experienced a lot. A lot of negative things. I did not know why, but this thought could not be shaken off. Because no human being was born like that. Not even my father.

Red hair framed his face in marked contrast to his eyes. Deep, black circles under his eyes deepened this difference and gave him an intimidating appearance, even though he was barely my height. Unnaturally small for a boy.

„You are simply a disgrace to our village."

Abruptly, the other's expression changed. Something gleamed in his eyes. At first indistinct but then clearer and clearer. Fear. And I suspected that it was not just from his appearance. I could feel the chakra of the redhead. It was strong. Very strong. It was certainly approaching Naruto's.

„Oh ... Hello Gaara." I never would have thought that Kankuro could stutter.

„Have you forgotten what we came here for in the first place?"

„No. I really haven't. Honestly. A- But they challenged us honestly," Kankuro stammered, making shaky hand motions.

I shifted uneasily, causing the fence rail I was standing on to squeak softly. Oh no! Everything inside me froze. Gaaras eyes bored into mine. He had noticed me. They bored numbly into mine, but I felt no fear. Rather respect for his appearance and a hint of distrust. Then he turned his eyes away and back to Kankuro.

„Be quiet. Or I'll demote you." Now I could almost smell the brown-haired boy's fear. Drops of sweat ran down his face and his hands clenched into shaky fists. In which relationship the two stood probably to each other? In any case in no good one, that much was sure. But still ... they seemed to know each other. Possibly they were even in a team. But I would certainly find that out. After all, they didn't seem like they were going to disappear from Konoha right away.

So lost in thought, I didn't catch Gaaras body dissolving next to mine and appearing in the alley next to the blonde and Kankuro. I blinked. He had clearly just used sand for this jutsu. Was it coming from the jar he was carrying on his back? That was interesting. I hadn't seen anything like that before.

Dare I got to know that the three of them were here in the village because of the upcoming chunin exams. I did not waste the thought that we could also participate in it. We were surely a much too big risk for our Sensei.

Thoughtfully I looked after the three Genin. This Gaara was extremely strange and also a little scary. However, there was no person who scared me more than my father and the red-haired ninja from Sunagakure would not be able to change that. Nobody could. However, there would still come a lot on us, I was very sure.

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Hello again,

so... what do you guys think of the story so far? Is Tora an interesting main character? Does the story drag in some places? What do you think of my writing style? Is there anything that could be improved? I would be very happy about some feedback :)

Best regards

Soleira