Temari:

With my legs crossed, I sat on the windowsill and looked down on the city streets. Colourful hustle and bustle prevailed down there. Happy laughter reached me and made me sigh wistfully. How I would love to go down there and stroll through the alleys. Maybe buy me something small. But I couldn't, because if my brother didn't show up soon, I would have to look for him.

This afternoon I had been shopping and actually Kankuro should have been looking after Gaara, but apparently not well enough. And now he was gone, could be anywhere else. On the way home I had almost collided with Tora. That had been so close. When you think of all the raw eggs, I had with me... But the young Konoha-nin was really fast. No one had ever managed to dodge Gaara's sand so well, and no one had ever managed to hit Kankuro on the chin. You could even see it a bit now. I could even understand her anger a little. If Kankuro or Gaara had been poisoned, I might have reacted similarly.

After all, he was still my youngest brother, and I was still his big sister. Even if he probably didn't see that in me. A circumstance that sometimes made me very sad.

I almost fell off the windowsill when Gaara suddenly appeared in front of me. But his gaze was absently directed into the distance. Silently, he sat down against the wall opposite me and looked at the floor. Surprisingly, his features were very relaxed by his standards. He looked thoughtful. Absently, he let his sand fly around the room a little, making me tense up a little. What was he up to?

„Temari. I won't hurt you," he said quietly, and I froze.

My brother's turquoise irises glared at me. No emotion could be read in them. But still. Something had changed. Deep inside him. What it was I could not define. He seemed agitated, but not in a negative sense, because the colour of his eyes did not change in any way and his body did not tremble.

Then his gaze strayed further and was lost in nowhere. Once again, his thoughts were gone, and it was almost pleasant to see him like this. Honestly, the first time.

„What happened?"

Softly, no louder than a breath, the words escaped my lips. At first, I assumed he hadn't heard me, but then he turned his head in my direction.

„She said I still had feelings," he murmured.

Tora:

Impatiently, I rocked up and down on my heels. Once again, I had to wait. But good, actually not bad. A little break after this intense training came more than handy. It was already dark, as far as I could tell through one of the windows at the end of the corridor. Kurenai had finished the intensive training about half an hour ago. Kiba's angry glances still haunted me. It seemed he didn't want to forgive me for the clone number. Although I also had a small guilty conscience, since the Inuzuka had displayed a truly panic-stricken fear. Actually, he was one of those people who were less likely to be afraid of something. Well, I wasn't entirely comfortable around Gaara either, but fear? I really only felt that with my father, without exception.

With a soft squeak, the door opened and a serious Genma hurried out. His eyes met mine and I thought I saw something like concern in them. He quickly disappeared from my field of vision. When my uncle's footsteps had completely faded away, the Hokage's voice reached my ears.

„Don't be shy Tora."

Carefully I stepped into the office and gently closed the door. Exhausted, I dropped onto the chair in front of the desk and straightened up again immediately. The Hokage laughed softly and took off his hat. Confused, I looked at him. What came next?

„You must be wondering why I asked you here, young Tora?"

I nodded and he smiled gently.

„Well, it has nothing to do with your little outburst from the hospital and I don't intend to reprimand you for it either, as I can certainly understand your feelings, after the failed attack."

Shuddering, I thought back to the event and trembled slightly at the thought of the look in Kabuto's dark eyes.

Attentively, the eyes of my counterpart scrutinised me, seeming to perceive and interpret every little emotion.

„As you know, I care about the lives of every single person in Konoha and also about your Tora. In the last time you have developed very well, which also showed in your duel. However,..."

He paused briefly and a serious look entered his eyes.

„I fear for the safety of our village. Much has happened in the Chunin Exam, and I'm sure it has not passed each of us by without trace."

I thought of Sasuke's terrible mark and the attack on me. Then there was the strange behaviour of some of the contestants. Especially that of the Suna-Nins. Although I was still unsure how I should relate to them. Even though I had decided to trust Kankuro, there was still something that made me doubt. Gaara's words that we shouldn't be friends and the reason they were actually there made me doubt.

„I thought so."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had noticed my thoughtful expression.

„Listen to me Tora. I don't know what's coming for Konoha, but it's certainly not far away. But one thing that's important for you to know is that you have to be careful who you trust."

Urgently he looked at me and I felt a chill run through me.

He knew about my friendship with Kankuro and the conversations with Gaara. I couldn't explain it any other way. How he had found out was beyond me.

„You've made good friends in the meantime. Don't forget those two. Train diligently with them, after all, the final battle still awaits you."

He alluded to the fight with Naruto. I bit my lip. I hadn't exchanged a single word with either of them since the duels. Neither with Naruto nor Shikamaru. But still, why did he insist so much that I surround myself with those two instead of Kankuro. And besides ... why should I train with those two? Genma was my sensei after all ... or had something changed there?

A sad smile crept onto the lips of my counterpart.

„Hayate was just found by us. He is dead."

The news hit me like a bomb.

„There are traitors in Konoha. That's why I want you to watch your back, because it seems someone is out to get you too. Kabuto's failed attack was already more than a warning. We don't know what else is coming."

He took a deep breath and looked me seriously in the eyes.

„Genma won't be able to keep training you. A lot has happened with Hayate's death and he has other things to worry about."

My mouth dropped open and closed in horror.

„Yes...but...what will happen to me then?", I asked desperately.

„Your opponent in the final will be Dosu. A shinobi who specialises in sound and has taken out many strong ninjas. Kakashi is busy with Sasuke. Genma is busy and Kurenai is training Shino and Asuma Shikamaru. So that leaves only one option..."

He slid his chair a little closer to the table and looked at me urgently.

„I will train you."

Help!

My head was spinning. This was just too much for me. First the conversation with Gaara, Genma's strange look, the fact that he couldn't train me anymore...for some reason. And...I still couldn't really believe it...Hiruzen Sarutobi was my sensei from now on. The Hokage. I buried my face in my hands. Where were the holidays? I could really use them right now.

He had arranged a training session with me for tomorrow. In the middle of the forest. Near my old camp. I wonder what he wanted to show me. Somehow, I was also afraid of the training. The Hokage was a powerful man who had fought and won many battles. He did not lack knowledge and experience at all. In addition, he was said to be able to master almost every jutsu within the village.

That alone was reason enough to have a lot of respect for him. How could I train with him when he was so immensely strong? A fight with me would only be boring for him.

Not even the good noodle soup that stood in front of me brought me out of the deep mire of my thoughts. It's delicious smell penetrated my nose, but I was so far away that it could not bring me back to reality, even though I was terribly hungry.

„Yes, she really is my best friend, even if I don't understand her sometimes, especially at the moment when she's dealing with the Suna ... Tora?"

The voice was unmistakable and all of a sudden, I was very happy to hear it? It would definitely distract me a lot now.

It was Naruto, as expected, but I didn't know the man standing next to him. He was incredibly tall, had long white hair and red stripes under his eyes. These seemed tired and exhausted. Apparently, Naruto had been chattering to him quite a bit.

But who was he? I had never seen him in the village before and I actually memorised faces and one like that, would definitely not have slipped my mind so easily.

„Tora, this is Jiraya. My new se..."

„That's not quite decided yet young friend, first you will have to convince me," he was interrupted by the other. I raised my eyebrow. Why was Naruto so fixated on that man? Wasn't Ebisu supposed to be training him or were his nerves at their limit with the Uzumaki?

„I think you should train him," I interjected and the white-haired one eyed me in amazement. "There's a lot more inside Naruto than meets the eye from the outside, and even than he realises."

Jiraya crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at me.

„You must be Tora. Naruto has told me a lot about you. You don't seem to be going with the flow much." He grinned. But it seemed so strange that I involuntarily slid back a little. Somehow, I didn't like it. „I like that."

Nah but I don't.

„Who's training you Tora anyway?" asked Naruto, bringing me back down to earth. I stared at my now cold noodle soup.

„Does it matter?", I asked.

„Yes. You're in the finals and I want to know if your sensei is as awesome as mei..."

„AGAIN, YOUNG FRIEND, I AM NOT YOUR SENSEI YET!" thundered Jiraya and I couldn't help grinning. Experiencing the two of them as student and sensei would be divine if it came to pass. Then he turned to me and grinned again.

„By the way, congratulations on making it to the finals ... what did you say your new sensei's name was. I'm sure I can surpass him in my unbeatability."

Help. So much arrogance should be punished, and I actually had the perfect counter. I grinned challengingly at him.

„Are you sure about this?"

„He's incredibly strong Tora. You should have seen him," Naruto interjected enthusiastically.

„Hiruzen Sarutobi," I said bluntly, having to hold back laughter as I watched their jaws literally drop. A picture for the gods. Well, I was already used to it with Naruto. But to see it so synchronised was a spectacle in itself.

„Ah Tora. There you are... Who's that?"

Shikamaru stood behind us, looking at everyone in a befuddled manner. The Nara seemed exhausted, single scratches adorned his cheeks, his hair was dishevelled and thick circles around his eyes cast shadows over his face. In short. He didn't look well at all.

„This is Jiraya. Naruto's new se..."

„HOW MANY MORE TIMES? I'M NOT YET..."

„But almost. You've basically already made up your mind," I interrupted the older man and turned back to Shikamaru. He looked like he could use a break, but here was definitely not the best place. Especially with a hyper Naruto...not such a good idea.

Without further delay, I slurped down the cold noodle soup, paid, said goodbye, and pulled the stunned Shikamaru out of the restaurant.

Side by side we walked through the streets, silent. Each of us was preoccupied with his own thoughts. I waited patiently for him to say something. Pushing him wouldn't help, he would only close himself off even more.

„That's what I like about you, Tora. You don't push me but wait until I decide to say what I think. All that pressuring is just annoying and way too stressful," he said softly, and I grinned.

„Also, a reason why I like you too. You're so nice and calm, you don't rush me and you're the perfect counterpart to Naruto. I can be with you when I want peace and quiet. You and Naruto are my best friends and always will be."

A smile graced Shikamarus features. One of those that was extremely rare to see on him.

„With you, I don't care that you're a girl. You are among my best friends, come what may, I will always support you."

So much honesty in one sentence caught me deeply off guard and made me incredibly grateful at the same time.

„We may be on different teams, but maybe that's a good thing, everyone developing in their own way. As Sensei Iruka said, possibly, we would just distract each other," he said quietly.

I nodded. That was true.

We both fell silent again. Finally, we arrived at my front door and I unlocked it. Behind me, the Nara entered the flat. With a soft squeak, I closed the door again. It was the middle of the night, but neither of us was really thinking about sleeping. We were both too upset by the past day.

In the last few minutes, I had learned that Asuma had intensified Shikamarus training and had thus thoroughly challenged the Nara, which he was not used to at all. Asumas previous training had been almost pleasant compared to the current one. I wondered what would happen to me if the Hokage's son showed no mercy in training.

I was definitely too grumpy. And it didn't get any better, a strange feeling came over me as we walked along the corridor to the living room. Shikamaru also began to stiffen. So, he had felt it too.

The only thing that drove me to open the door was the fact that I was not alone.

My eyes widened and I froze in mid-motion, clawing my hand into Shikamarus arm, who had also paused.

„There's my little monster. I was beginning to think you were never coming home."

As if all that had happened in the last hours wasn't enough. Now this had to occur as well. But...how had he done it? Konoha's prisons were safe. At least that's what Kakashi had said. How had he managed to get out?

Panic rose in me. Made waves, pushed me under the water, slowly but surely drowned me.

The sofa squeaked as he rose from it and came towards me.