CHAPTER TWO IS HERE!!! sweet. This one is a bit longer but i hope its a ton better. Remember im only a rookie so try to be forgiving.

Merci to Gaaras1girl for reviewing! All you other people could learn a thing or two from her. Thanks a ton for the advice! When i saw your pen name i thought it looked familier and then i realized that i read your story. you were one of my inspiring authors so be proud of yourself! i am really happy that there is someone out there who cares enough about my writing to critisize it! love you!

i dont own Gaara n' friends, duh.

Review!

Chapter 2

Matsuri POV

The sun peered through the drapes shrouding my window. It warmed my faced as I yawned and stretched out my achy joints. I sighed at the pure tranquility of the moment. Wait… the sun's up? Damn it! I'm late! I practically fell out of bed and grabbed my cloths. I frantically tore apart my room on the quest to retrieve my other shoe until finally tripping over a corner of the coffee table. My nose was sore after the face plant but I managed to make it out the door alive. I scurried down the street internally muttering damn it, damn it damn it all the way to the training grounds. I took a few minute of my eyes darting back and forth until I spotted my sensei sitting peacefully staring out over the ever changing dunes of the desert. He sat with one leg crossed over the other and his personal supply of sand residing at the ready.

"You're late… again." He said at my approach revealing little emotion in the statement.

"I'm so sorry Gaara- sensei! I over slept, but I know, I know, no excuses! I'm really REALLY sorry!"I said as quickly as the words could leave my lips.

"Matsuri" I stopped my rambling instantly.

"Hmm?"

"It's alright." He said calmly turning to look at me. His face still retained its passive expression but his words assured me he wasn't upset by my tardiness. Gaara never got mad at me and seemed to have endless patience trough my constant screw ups. I wonder if he was like that to everyone of just me.

"Oh. Arigato." I smiled at him.

"Let's get started then." He stood up. We were the same height not counting the extra altitude he gained with his spiky red hair.

"I want to see how you have improved with your jouhyou." He said. My eyes grew wide and my heart sank. In the midst of my hectic morning I had left my jouhyou at home.

"Errrr… crap." I hung my head in shame. Not only had left my jouhyou, but my entire weapons bag. I was an utter failure.

"A ninja is never caught without his ninja tools." Gaara said as if stating it from a book. He reached into his pocket and handed me his own kunai. I just starred at his outstretched arm.

"Come on. We are wasting daylight." He said still emotionless.

"Hai, sensei." I took it from him.

Gaara POV

Thwap, thwap, thwap. The repeated sound of metal meeting wood created a metronomic feel to her movements. Each strike was either followed by a yes! Or a darn… To my satisfaction I heard more yeses than darns. Matsuri was doing quiet well for herself.

"Ooooo! Sensei did you see that one! Right down the middle." The knife was wedged in the bull's eye of the target.

"Uh huh." I said flatly.

"Go me, go me! Who's skilled, who's skilled?" she sang while doing a little victory dance. She was the strangest girl I had ever seen but somehow she managed to amuse me. While she continued the celebration I looked up at the sun to estimate the time of day.

"It's time to go now." She stopped dancing and gave me a puzzled look.

"But we haven't even been out here that long. Where are we going?"

"The Chunin recommendations." was my rejoinder.

"Awww man. Do we have too?" she wined at me. I know Matsuri would rather be out training herself than sit through watching others getting praise for there accomplishments.

"Yes"

"Darn."

Matsuri POV

I walked very closely behind Gaara as we made our way through the village. The streets were lined with a variety of shops selling various items. All of which were constructed with the ability to be quickly closed and secured in cause of the frequent sandstorm. I began watching the faces of the people as we passed and started to notice a trend. It seemed like most of the older sand nin starred or flashed dirty looks while the younger villagers smiled towards their passer bys. This created a clear distinction between those who remembered the old Gaara and those who had embraced the new one. I felt sorry for him. I really did. It wasn't pity, just understanding. He was trapped in the shadow of his past looking for an escape. WACK! I smacked into something hard because I was not looking where I was going. Gaara had stopped walking but I did not.

"Whoops. Sorry."

"Try to stay in the present please." He said in his classic Gaara tone.

"Right" Gaara had stopped because we had reached our destination. As we crossed the threshold I noticed the room was filled with my fellow Genin as well as their teachers. I spotted Kankuro with his older sister Temari. The thing about Temari was that if she liked you, she was a caring and dedicated friend who never let you down, but if she didn't like you, she had the uncanny ability to make your life hell. It's for that reason I did my very best to stay on her good side.

"Hello Gaara, Matsuri. Glad you guys finally made it." She said as we went to take our place behind her.

"Hn." Was Gaara's greeting to his sister. The learning program in Suna had grown tremendously in the past year. There were several teachers now apart from the original sand siblings, but the only one I recognized was Baki.

"It is now time to decide which Genin shall be sent to Konoha to participate in the Chunin exams." Said what looked like a member of the consul of Sunagakure. He must be running the show. After a winded speech about the responsibility place apawn the shoulders of those chosen, he asked the sensei to bring forth the nominated.

"I nominate Sari"said Temari. She was a nice girl. I hope she does well at the exams.

"I nominate Yuudai" said Kankuro. Uggggggg… I really hated that kid. He started flexing his muscles as the other students cheered. I grinded my teeth.

"Now that we have our two participants…" the head honcho began, "We can… hold on." He looked out at his audience with a confused glance. Everyone followed his gaze which landed on me, no wait. They were looking at Gaara. I turned to face my sensei to see his hand raised in the air.

"Yes? What is it?"

"I'd like to nominate my student, Matsuri, for the Chunin exams." He said coolly. No one could picture the timid little Matsuri fighting for her life in the Chunin exams, and neither could I. My mouth was a gape.

Gaara POV

"Are you sure?" Councilmen Masahiroasked quizzically. (A/N quizzically is a terrible word… but I'm using it anyway. mwhahaha)

"Yes." I had full confidence in my student's abilities though it seems that the rest of the room did not share my feelings. The other teachers looked confused at my decision to send her this early because she had gained the reputation of being helpless. Matsuri was also getting sour looks from the other Genin who were not fortunate enough to be chosen.

"Well, alright then. The representatives of our village this year will be Sari, Yuudai, and Matsuri." The committee announced. The second the meeting was over I made my way towards the door.

"Sensei!" Matsuri called for me.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you nominate me?'

"Because I believe that you are ready… whether you go or not is your decision of course." She looked down and furrowed her eyebrows as if she was thinking hard.

"I think I'm ready too."

Well there you go... Review S.V.P.