Hey everyone! I hope all of you like the story so far. This chapter is going to be a little shorter just because I am on the final stretch of school. The teachers are all trying to teach everything they put off all year. Sooooooo yeah... I didn't put this in the first chapter but I don't own Naruto and blah blah blah. Alright and to the story!

The next morning Naruto woke up just as they crossed into a seemingly endless dessert. Naruto was sore and his face felt it was on fire (from wind burn), but he was not about to complain. 'I have to be strong just like sensei.'

Jiraiya noticed him stirring and reached up to hand him a nutrition bar. "It won't taste very good but it will fill you up and give you all the strength you should need."

Naruto took a bite and almost gaged, "It tastes fine. It's almost as good as ramen."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "Were you dropped on you head as a baby? That stuff is awful."

Naruto managed to swallow the first bite, "Yeah, I'm just trying to be tough like you."

Jiraiya laughed, "I don't think even the greatest of ninja could eat that stuff without shuddering."

They both laughed long and hard trying to imagine different people trying to finish an entire bar.

After another twenty minutes of silence Jiraiya pointed in front of him, "look gaki we are here."

Ahead of them was what looked like a city in the middle of the dessert. Naruto secretly thought that Konoha looked way better. As they neared Jiraiya slowed down until he came to a stop. After quickly unsealing a few brown cloaks he handed one to Naruto.

"Put this on gaki, no one around here walks around without one."

Naruto took the opportunity to stretch and get some of the feeling back in his legs. He then wrapped the cloak around him. It was much too long for him until Jiraiya took out a kunai and cut through the material easily. It wasn't perfect but at least he could walk now.

They walked up to the gate and Jiraiya gave them his papers (that were most likely fake). They got through without any trouble. Jiraiya led them to a back street where he knocked on the door in a certain rhythm. The man cracked the door and then opened it all the way when he recognized who it was.

"Gaki wait here. Don't wander off to far."

He entered the house to talk with the man. Naruto crossed his arms and leaned against the wall and just observed his surroundings. It had not been long when a strange boy holding a ball and a teddy bear started coming down the street. He was looking down at his feet and his eyes were glazed over from crying.

Naruto felt like he was looking at himself only a couple of days ago. He walked up to the boy, "Hey, my name is Naruto. What's yours?

The boy looked up from his feet with a questioning look. He squeaked out "Gaara."

Naruto smiled, "Gaara would you like to play catch with me?"

Gaara nodded hesitantly.

Naruto smiled and opened his hands signaling he was ready.

Gaara threw the ball and Naruto was able to catch it on his first try. Naruto threw it back and Gaara just narrowly missed it. Then the sand from underneath the ball came to life and brought the ball back to Gaara.

Naruto's eyes nearly shot out of his head.

Gaara's gaze returned to his feet, 'he thinks I'm a monster too.'

Naruto recovered enough to exclaim, "That was amazing! How did you do that? Can you do it again?"

Gaara was startled by the outburst, he expected for this new boy to run away in fear just like the others, but he seemed more excited by his sand than afraid. Gaara looked up and squeezed his teddy bear for support. With a wave of his hand the sand flew through the air and condensed into a circle.

Naruto was having a great time watching the sand that Gaara was controlling. "Naruto looked down at his hands, "I wish I could do that." He waved his hands in the air getting no response from the sand at his feet.

Gaara was stunned no one had ever been so friendly to him, much less want to be like him.

Naruto walked up to Gaara, "Hey Gaara, Do you want to be friends? I won't be able to stay for too long but I know I won't ever forget you."

Gaara let a rare smile run across his face and extended his hand, "Naruto my new friend, I will never forget you either."

Naruto shook hands with Gaara, "I'm sure we will meet again. When we do I will have some really cool ninja techniques to show you."

Right when Naruto finished speaking Jiraiya came out of the house with a large backpack on his back. "Hey gaki! We are leaving right now."

Naruto gave Gaara one last smile, "Take care until we meet again Gaara!"

Gaara raised his hand and waved while he mumbled, "you too Naruto."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow but said nothing. After they got past the gate Jiraiya stopped under what seemed like the only tree in the desert.

"alright Naruto, If you are going to be my pupil you and I both need to take an oath."

Naruto looked at him questioningly.

Jiraiya striated up to his full height, pulled out a kunai and slid it across the palm of his hand, "Naruto, as your sensei I swear to teach you to the best of my ability."

He handed the kunai to Naruto, "You must swear to learn to the best of your ability."

Naruto slid the kuni over his hand and grimaced at the pain, "Sensei, I swear to learn to the best of my ability."

Jiraiya stuck out his hand for a handshake, Naruto grasped it. Naruto turned to the unexplored world ahead of him and smiled with anticipation.

Yeah I know it was short, but hey you could leave me a review anyway. If you have suggestions or just want to yell at me because I did something you don't like; whatever. Alright and a big thank you for reading, you all are my inspiration for writing.

-Konoha Civilian-