Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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Ino and Tenten were ready to erupt. Their best friend, Hinata, was hanging out with those idiots that had pushed Ino. She even had the nerve to hug both of them.

They stormed over to the stands and poked Hinata, who was facing the other way, on the back. She turned around and smiled. When she saw the frowns on her their faces though, she grimaced.

"W-what did I forget t-this time?" she asked nervously.

"You stood us up! Then you have the nerve to hug these jerks who pushed Ino to the floor. What is wrong with you?"

Hinata's eyes widened. She had forgotten all about meeting them in the lobby when she had seen Gaara and the others. She felt so bad.

"I'm sorry. I forgot."

"How could you forget?" Ino yelled.

"Well, you see," Hinata said, gulping, "I met up with some of my old friends from Suna. They're part of the team. I invited them to walk with me to the gym. I guess in my excitement I..."

"...Forgot?" Ino added helpfully.

"Yes. I really am sorry." Hinata looked toward the ground as if her friend wouldn't accept her apology.

The blonde's eyes softened. "Of course we forgive you 'Nata."

"Yeah, that's why we are friends."

Temari and Kankuro felt kind of left out when the girls hugged.

Noticing their discomfort, Hinata decided to introduce them. She pulled back from the hug and tapped Temari on the shoulder.

"This is Temari Sabaku. (a.n I do realize that in the first chapter I put their family name first. From here on it'll be the other way. Sorry for the confusion) This," she said pointing to Kankuro is her younger brother, Kankuro. Their other brother is Gaara."

"We already met...sort of. He knocked me down when we were coming into the gym." Ino narrowed her blue eyes.

Kankuro rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. We were worried that Gaara would have a fit because we were late. He's become more temperamental since you left Hina. You never did tell us you were leaving. Or why."

All eyes were on Hinata. She fidgeted uncertainly. Just then a loud, obnoxious ring started, signaling the beginning of the fights. Praying on the inside for her luck, she sat down and just smiled. The others followed suite. Temari sat on one side of her, with Kankuro on the other side of her. Ino and Tenten were in the level below them.

The first matches were dull. Neither of the fighters was really good. Leaf was in the lead, just barely. Suna was slowly catching up. They may not have had as much training as the Leaf fighters but they had just as much raw talent and determination to win; especially, Gaara, Kiba, and Shino.

They were currently standing near the benches, waiting for their turns. Being captain, Gaara would go last, like an encore. Kiba and Shino would be called at random. Kiba was pumped up and ready to fight, annoying the Leaf students and some of his own classmates. Two on the opposite team seemed really ticked at him. One was Neji and the other was Sasuke. Both thought the rambunctious brunette was eerily like Naruto.

"Hey you, over there, could you shut up for all of five minutes," Sasuke snapped. One Naruto was bad enough but two? That would just be asking for trouble- and a certain Uchiha to commit murder.

Kiba turned around. Akamaru had been taken by Baki, so he was no longer with him.

"Why should I? You're not my captain are you?" he sneered. Pretty boys like him angered Kiba. They thought everyone should listen to them just because they had hit big in the gene pool lottery.

"But, I am your captain and I'm telling you to shut up."

Acting like a child, he stuck his tongue out.

Neji perked up. "You are the captain?"

"The name is Gaara Sabaku," he stated lowly. He was bored out of his mind. That and he had never been much of a people person.

"I'm the captain of Leaf. Neji Hyuuga."

Kiba's eyes widened. Shino blinked behind his shades and Gaara glared.

"Do you, by any chance, know of a girl named Hinata Hyuuga?" Shino asked.

Neji's eyebrows went up. He remembered that Hinata had gone to Suna for all those years. These people must have known her. After all, everyone must have heard of the Hyuuga name. It was everywhere.

"She is my cousin. Did you three hear of her?"

Sasuke was mildly interested in the conversation. He was listening while looking like he didn't care at the same time. He was good at pulling that look of.

"Of course we've heard of her. She's one of our best friends!"

Sasuke and Neji sat silent thinking the same thing: wtf?

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Again I'm sorry about the name thing. It was all my fault.

Please review.

Also if you don't mind could you tell me what pairing you would want for Hinata? It may help me choose.

Sasuke and Hinata

Gaara and Hinata

Kiba and Hinata

Shino and Hinata

This story is leaning more toward GaaHina than anything else.

And no this won't turn out to be a NaruHina. I have other plans for himrubs hands together in a sinister way.

Thanks to all that reviewed.