Sakura walked along the road, Naruto close behind her.
"Those sand nins are pretty gutsy to be making trouble for the leaf, and its only the start of this troublesome month." Sakura sighed, waving her hands in the air.

"Well.... what's happening in this month Sakura?" Naruto asked softly, he snatched her waving hand and held it.

"The Chunnin exams, to rank up and become a higher rank Naru." The pinkette smiled as she waved their entwined hands.

"Do you think our.... sensei" he spat "will let us enter?"

"Oh he will, he adores Sasuke after all~" Sakura laughed as the two colorful duo headed to Ichiraku after dropping off Konohamaru to the Hokage tower.

Sakura hummed a tune, fixing her tight shirt before browsing over the menu.
"Ohh!!! Naru naru look Shoyu Ramen!" Sakura smiled.

"I'll have a miso pork, the usual. I'll pay, you get tonights dinner." Naruto laughed at her as she bounced in her seat.
Sometimes Sakura was cold, unnervingly formal and callous.
But times like these, where she smiled and laughed. Naruto Cherished.

The blonde smiled before he spotted the Red haired sand ninja glaring at them from across the booth. The cat boy and the pigtailed girl were also there shock still.

Sakura lifted her gaze and peered at them, before cracking a grin.
"Oh? It's the sand nin again Naruto! How about we introduce ourselves?" She snickered before standing up heading to the ninja.

—+—

Gaara looked up to see the Pink haired girl coming to his side of the ramen booth, the mole in his pocket squirmed and let out a feeble cry.
The red haired boy gently soothed it but kept a murderous glare on the girl.

"Hi there!" She smiled "sorry for getting off on the wrong foot, my names Sakura." She waved to his group "and the blondie is Naruto."
Sakura smiled at Gaara and instantly his glare diminishes. He felt slightly uncomfortable as he stared up at her.

"Gaara of the sand." he stated formally until his eyes travelled down to the large black chains swinging down her wrist, the soft cling of the metal swayed int he wind.

His eyes then travelled to her blonde companion and instantly his mother screamed at him in his mind, an ear shattering scream. 

"What the hell?!" The ichibi was startled to say the least "H-how c-could He be here?"  The sand demon shrank back to his sealed cage and growled.

+-+

Naruto's icy eyes scanned the redhead until he felt a pull on his mind, a sinister laugh echoed in his ears "My oh my looks like  Shukaku has smelt me kit." 

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he gave a foxy stare "well not to be a burn out but my names Naruto." he held his hand out for the teen to shake. 

Gaara's eyes hardened before taking the boys hand with the intent to crush the mortal before him. When his rough hands touched they were both pulled into a dark sewage room.