Disclaimer: I no own Naruto. I DO, however, own Gaeans, Riso, Sebraya, Murasi, Senkito, Kisaike, etc. You get the point.

Gaara: So, what's going on today? Finally going to get to the Chuunin exam?

Ryu: That's my intent. I'm not sure how good it's gonna be. I'm just writing what I see.

Gaara: Trust me, they don't care. Most of them are anxiously waiting to see what happens with me.

Ryu: Yeah. I know. They'll find out.

Kyo: So, you don't need me, right?

Ryu: I never said that.

Sumomo: Dances around with a tambourine

Count D: Don't worry about him. He'll show up when he's needed. Hands Ryu a plate Cheesecake with strawberries?

Ryu: Oooooooooooh…. Happiness….

Chapter 6: Watching from Afar

The morning couldn't come fast enough for Kisaike. She sat on the roof of her apartment building, staring at the moon, memories flooding her head. She relived the night that she turned herself into an exact clone of her brother, the next birthday when Temari gave them identical gourds, the same birthday when Gaara gave her the choker, sitting night after night like this, looking up at the moon and talking with Gaara. Moonlight glinted off the silent tears that rolled down her face as she sat, clutching her choker. I miss you Gaara, she thought. I wonder if he's staring at the same moon too.

In the morning, Kisaike went over her packed bag one last time, making sure she had forgotten nothing. Sebraya had determined that the best thing to do would be for Kisaike to go, gourd-less, to Konoha, posing as a chuunin from a newly developed village traveling to see the exams.

"Whatever happens at Konoha, people will know for a fact that we exist after this," Sebraya had said. "We can no longer hide ourselves. I accept that. It will come in handy later on, if the Sound becomes any more of a problem." She turned to Kisaike. "So, when you arrive, go to the Hokage and introduce yourself. You are not just there for the exams, you will also be my liaison in an alliance with Konoha. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sebraya."

"Good."

Murasi came up to her right before she left.

"Hey, Kisai. I have something for you." He held out a box. "I was waiting for your birthday, but I thought this would be a better time."

Kisaike carefully unwrapped it and gasped. In the box were four little gourds and a slightly larger one.

"I already talked to Sebraya about you taking them with you on this mission, and she said yes."

"Thank you Murasi." Kisaike smiled. He helped her put a gourd on each wrist, one on each ankle, and the slightly larger one around her waist. The small gourds reached half-way up her forearms and calves, and the larger gourd looked almost like a water gourd. Kisai filled each of the gourds with sand from her gourd, and created a cork from sand, just like her regular gourd had. She then fastened her hitae around her neck and turned to the group that had come to see her off. "Well? Do I look like a chuunin tourist?"

Everyone smiled. She gave everyone a hug and turned toward the gates. When she reached them, she turned and waved. Everyone waved back. She then turned and took off through the trees.

After a full day and night's travel, Kisai reached the village of Konoha. She stood outside the gates for a moment, just taking in the sight of the large village. After a moment, she walked toward the gate.

A guard approached her. "Good morning, miss. May I ask your business here in Konoha?"

Kisaike bowed. "I'm here as a surprise. My siblings are taking the chuunin exams, and I traveled here to see them and cheer them on."

The guard smiled. "Ahh, I see. And what village are they, and you, I presume, hailing from?"

"They come from the Village of Sand. I, however, hail from the small Shizen no Kumi." She presented her papers. "I am assistant to the leader, and was sent here to observe every part of the chuunin exam and get information on entering and the 'grading' of said exam."

The guard nodded and smiled. "It's always good to see a new village looking to come out and show themselves at least a bit." He glanced at his roster. "By the way, your siblings checked in this morning. Kankurou, Temari, and Gaara of the Sand." Kisaike smiled and nodded. "Well, the first exam takes place tomorrow. Please enjoy your stay."

Kisaike smiled again and walked into Konoha. She traveled the streets, lost in the size and beauty of the place when she heard voices around a corner. She was about to look and maybe introduce herself when she heard a familiar voice.

"You little shrimp. I hate shrimp."

Kankurou! Performing a few quick hand seals, Kisaike covered herright eye with two fingers of herleft hand and opened the third eye in her right. After it opened, she sent it around the corner and out of sight. She wasn't too happy with what she saw. Kankurou was holding a little boy up by his scarf while Temari proclaimed to have nothing to do with the situation. Two other children were pleading with him to let the boy go. Two ninjas, a guy and a girl about Kisai's own age, were also arguing with Kankurou. Just when it looked like Kankurou was going to smash the boy's skull in, a stone hit his hand hard enough that he dropped the kid. Everyone looked up in a tree, where another ninja about Kisaike's age stood. He spoke to Kankurou and Kankurou answered. Suddenly, a familiar chakra appeared, and Gaara appeared hanging upside down from the branch on the other side of the tree from the other ninja.

Kisaike fought her urge to go out and embrace Gaara. He still looks the same, she thought. Actually, no, he doesn't, she corrected herself. He looks almost evil. That's not the same Gaara…

Suddenly, Gaara looked right up at the third eye. Kisaike broke it off hurriedly, but she knew he'd already seen. She wondered if he suspected. She took off in a different direction.

After running through the city for about 30 seconds, she turned a corner, ran headlong into someone, and went flying backwards. From the sound of it, the other person had fallen as well. She picked herself up and turned to face the person she had run into. To her surprise, it was the blonde ninja she had seen trying to fight Kankurou for the kid. The other two ninjas weren't with him.

"I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." Kisaike bowed.

"It's ok." The other replied. "Hey, you look a lot like the guy with the gourd."

Kisaike's eyes went wide. "Please don't say anything. Can you take me to the Hokage's office? I promise to tell you everything after I see him."

The boy nodded. "Follow me. I'm Naruto, by the way." He held out his hand.

Kisaike shook it. "I'm Kisaike."

"Hey, are you a ninja too?" he asked as they moved through the streets. He looked at the hitae around her neck.

"Yes. I'm a chuunin, but unlike most places, we don't use vests. We have different hitae for genin, chuunin and jounin." Kisaike said.

"That's cool. How come your hitae is tan?"

Kisaike giggled and explained the different colored hitae and how the colors came into play with the moves. Naruto paid attention to everything she said and smiled a lot. Kisaike liked talking with him.

When they arrived at the Hokage's office, Naruto walked in first.

"Hey, this is Kisaike. She's a chuunin from…" He leaned over to her. "Where is it again?"

"Shizen no Kumi."

"That's right! Shizen no Kumi. She's here to see the Hokage."

The man at the desk looked about to say something when a strong voice spoke over him.

"Welcome to Konoha, Kisaike. Please come in." Kisaike turned towards the sound of the voice. Standing in the doorway, pipe in hand, was the Hokage. Naruto bounced over to him.

"Hey, hey, are you going to watch the exams?"

The Hokage smiled. "Yes, Naruto, I will be. You'd better go home and get ready."

"Good." He turned to Kisaike. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Naruto. Thank you for your help."

Naruto left, and the Hokage ushered Kisaike into his office.

"Now, Kisaike, what can I do for you?"

Kisaike handed him a sealed scroll. "I represent Sebraya, leader of Shizen no Kumi. We are the Gaeans. We have heard rumors about the Sand and Sound, and Sebraya chose me to come and aid you."

The Hokage read the scroll and nodded. "But why would Sebraya-sama chose you? Surely someone more experienced than you would have been a better choice?"

Kisaike shook her head. "No. There was no one better. You see, my siblings are here, in the chuunin exam. My brother, Gaara, is my twin. He is the vessel for Shuukaku, the tanuki demon." The Hokage just nodded. "I know him and his abilities. I have quite a few of them myself. I know the most about the Sand." She stood, waiting for the judgment.

The Hokage smiled. "We will accept your alliance, and your aid. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You can perform Henge no jutsu, right?" Kisai nodded. "Then, tomorrow you may stand in as an proctor for the first exam. You also have permission to enter the grounds for the second exam. Do what you can to help." He stood and looked out the window. "Well, I'm to meet with some of the genins who will be participating in the exams for dinner. Would you care to join us? Then, we can find you someplace to stay."

Kisaike smiled. "I would love to."

The first person that Kisaike saw when she entered the restaurant with the Hokage that night was Naruto. He bounced over and insisted that she sit with him and his group. He peppered her with questions about her village and what kind of jutsu she knew. Kisaike talked easily, as she and Sebraya had already gone over what could be spoken of for a little while. Soon, all the genins, and even some of the instructors, were asking questions and nodding. Kisaike saw the Hokage watching her out of the corner of her eye. He was smiling and when she glanced at him, smiled wider and laughed at the story she was telling. She couldn't help but smile also.

By the end of the night, Kisai had met most of the Konoha genins, and their instructors, and had a place to stay for the week that the exams were to take place. She prepared herself for the next day, the first exam.

Ryu: sighs Another chapter done. Just wait. Next chapter it gets better.