I admit, I struggled with this one A LOT. I changed it I think three times? I had to think, what are Hikaris worries and fears? Who would be the most impactful on her? I really had to think about this for a bit.

Then I realized...In order for a later scene to make sense...A specific person NEEDS to have interaction with Hikari. So...I chose that person.

Also, there was ONE thing I couldn't get over when I played Kingdom Hearts. How could characters from other words NOT notice Sora, Donald, and Goofy were different? "Oh hey! It's a walking, talking duck and dog following a kid with a key in his hand! Nice to meet you!" Come ON! That's ridiculous! Did NOBODY notice how odd they were!? Well, I would SURELY think Konoha ninja would instantly know SOMETHING WAS UP! Yeah, this "let's be friendly with the odd balls that suddenly appeared" thing just ISN'T going to work in my story.

Disclaimer: The Kingdom Hearts Franchise, Dragonball and all its incarnations, and the Naruto series, their characters, settings, etc, belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

Chapter 10: Council

Training had been quite beneficial to say the least. Hikari had gained a lot of insight on how to use her new weapon, while Max gained at least SOME respect towards Shin, though he wouldn't outright say it.

The night before the field test, Hikari couldn't sleep, whether it was from her worries or Max's snoring she was unsure. As silently as she possibly could, she crept out of the room and into the hallway. Her feet gave little noise as she walked down the hall, hoping to at least find someplace to be alone for a bit.

She ended up outside on the main porch of the inn. It was better than nothing. She sat there on the wooden platform, gazing at the stars above. She recalled Max saying each star was a world of its own...Did that mean her own world was up there? Was Bulma's realm up there too?

"You should be resting for tomorrow's events." She nearly jumped at the voice belonging to the person hidden away in the corner. How long had he been there?

"I...Guess I'm just too excited." She had to remind herself of her words. She couldn't let on that she was from another realm. "How...Did you know I'm here for the exams?"

He appeared then, a towering man with red hair and seafoam eyes. An odd shaped tattoo rested over his left eye. He had the presence of a leader yet his voice was soft with a bit of an edge to it.

"I arrived a few days ago, seeing you and your comrades return from what I assume was training." He stated and for some reason he was expecting her to do something…? Say something?

"Oh…Well…" She shrugged, ignoring his odd behavior. Might as well make a friend here. "I'm Hikari…"

He paused.

"Gaara of the Sand."

An odd look developed on her face. "That's...a weird name...no offence."

He seemed quite surprised then. Was she supposed to know who he was?

"Sorry…" Hikari thought up a lie and thought it up quick. "My...team and I are new...We...Come from a brand new village very far away. So...We still don't know everyone we're supposed to know."

Thankfully, he took her excuse in stride.

"Something is on your mind." He said and she nodded.

"Yeah…" She let out a long breath. "Basically, my life's been turned around...And I've barely had time to catch up to all the changes…Shin and Max aren't pushing the matter but…"

"Change can be quite scary sometimes...I know such things." Gaara reasoned with her. "It is comforting to be able to talk to someone."

Hikari didn't know why, but she felt this guy was someone who would be willing to listen.

"Well...Do you mind lending an ear?" Should she really be doing this? Talking to someone from this realm? Why did she want to talk with HIM anyway? He was just some stranger!

He seemed pleased she had asked him. "Not at all…" He took a seat next to her. "Please...You have my attention…"

Though she was careful with her words, Hikari spoke what was in her heart. She felt confused, yet excited, calm yet scared.

"I'm supposed to go and help my birth parents...They're in trouble…" She exclaimed. "But...They're so far away...I'm...Worried I won't get there in time...And...Would they even recognize me? I mean, they sent me away when I was a baby…"

"Do you believe they will not accept you?" He asked.

"...Probably, I'm not even sure…" Hikari hung her head. "I don't even know them...But I do want to know them...What they're like…And...If I go to them...I feel like I'm...betraying those that raised me…"

He gave pause to her words.

"I was raised by someone other than my parents as well…" Gaara told her. "Though, my situation was vastly different from yours...My father wished to kill me." Hikari shot her gaze to him, astonished by his words. "I knew nothing of the love of family...And the one person I trusted...Ended up betraying me."

"What did you do?" She asked and he responded without a shred of emotion.

"I killed them. It is not...the best of memories for me...My childhood...But...Someone helped me in the process...My first and only friend. He pushed me away from my darkness...and saved my soul." He stared at her. "You have friends nearby...they will not let you falter."

"I guess so...Still though…" She looked up at the sky. "This all happened so fast…"

"Sometimes fate works quickly…" Gaara reasoned. "It is to help us get on the path we need to be on. Though confliction is there, you still seem to be more understanding of your situation."

"Yeah...I've moved around a lot so...This is kinda similar to that…I just wish I knew...Why me? Shin said it wasn't because of my parents...That...I had been chosen somehow...What makes me so special anyway?" Hikari rolled her eyes. "I must sound like some babbling idiot…"

A light chuckle from her companion. "You are merely confused. That's all. Perhaps that is the reason why you are here in the first place. Sometimes we need to leave home in order to know who we truly are." He smiled. "My friend once told me...Each ninja has a state of mind...A ninja-do, or a mantra of sorts. His was that he would never give up. It's the mindset that drove him towards his goal in life. I believe to this day it still is his ninja-do."

"What's yours?" She asked him. "You're...a ninja right?"

Gaara nodded. "That someday, I would have someone to rely on me...Like I rely on my friend. Having a ninja-do makes you focused, it gives you a goal…"

"A ninja-do…" Hikari spoke the word out loud. "A goal…" What WAS her goal anyway? Sure she knew what she NEEDED to do, but what did she WANT to do? Honestly she had no time to truly think about it. She had been thrust into this journey without considering what she truly wanted to do. Did she want to save her birth parents? Sure! But was that ALL she wanted to do?

"You will find your path...I am almost certain of it." He told her. "Now...You should return to your room...Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Yeah...I really should." Sighing, she stood. "Thanks...For listening to this stranger's rant."

He chuckled again. "No ninja is a stranger to me...We are all brothers and sisters. Though...I doubt you truly are a ninja to begin with."

"Yeah...I...Guess so…" Hikari balked. "Wait...How…!?" How did he know!? How did he know she wasn't a ninja!?

"Do not worry…" Gaara stood. "I seriously doubt you and your companions are here for some evil purpose…" He stared at her shocked form. "Whoever you are...I hope you three can accomplish the task given to you...Whatever that task may be…" He headed towards the inn door. "Just remember, you are not alone in this...You've got companions who I am sure...Are willing to help you on your journey." Then he walked back inside.

Hikari watched him leave then set her gaze back to the stars above.

What was her goal? What did she want to do?

Maybe her answers would be revealed tomorrow, when she would face her first challenges in the fighting test.

Perhaps then...She would truly know...Why she was chosen.

Next Time: Field Test