I do not own Naruto.

"This is going to be awsome!" Ittetsu cheered as we waited for Sari to finish packing her bag. "We're going to be the best Chuunin ever!"

"Yes we are!" Matsuri grinned, throwing her arms around Ittetsu and I. "We'll beat all those other ninja, no problem!"

I giggled, "Trust me Mats, the Chuunin exams is not all fun and games." I winced as I remembered the events of my first Chuunin exams, specifically how I got a thorough ass-kicking from my older sister.

Matsuri pouted, "You have us now Amy! And all four of us are going to become Chuunin, otherwise we can't be a team."

I pulled her closer, "Mats, even if one of us fails the exams, we'll remain friends, teammates or not." Matsuri returnd the hug and Sari jumped over, wrapping her arms around us both.

"I hate to break up the love fest," Ittetsu joked, "but we have to go to the Academy, remember?"

"Oh, come here, you jerk!" I exclaimed, pulling him into the hug. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around the three of us, causing us to burst out into giggles.

These three were the best friend's a girl could have. When I was around them, I was a completely different person. I knew I had to fight tooth and nail for them.

"Seriously though," Ittetsu said, pulling away from the hug, "We're going to be late."

My team had always been seen as strange. For one, we were the only four-man squad (excluding Gaara-sensei) in Sunagakure. As well as that, we were the students of Gaara no Sabaku, and when I first started training with them, I saw first-hand how badly they were treated for their choice of sensei. Even I got hate for it, and I'd only been in the village for a couple of days! When Lord Gaara became Kazekage, he continued to train us, and people stopped treating us like crap and started expecting us to pass our exams with flying colours and become the best of ninja for this village. Plus, we were the only team which had two senseis; Gaara-sensei taught us, but it was Aiji-sensei who accompanied us on missions, since Gaara-sensei was Kazekage now. Aiji was the one who we would be with for the Chuunin exams.

When my team arrived at the Academy, the other teams stared at us, whispering.

"They'll pass for sure!"

"Lord Gaara taught them himself, there's no way they'll fail!"

One of Gaara's many fangirls sighed, "I wish we had Lord Gaara for our sensei! They think they're all that just because he taught them!"

I rolled my eyes at them, before seeing Gaara-sensei. Sari, who had been ignoring the other teams, waved to him, "Over here, sensei!"

Ittetsu had told me about this tradition when we decided to enter the Chuunin exams. All the teams would meet up in the Academy hall, where the Kazekage would be waiting for them. The Kazekage would then speak to all the teams individually, wishing them luck, before speaking to all the teams as a whole. After that, the teams would go to the village where the exams were taking place.

"Sensei, over here!"

Gaara-sensei turned to look at us, and he smiled slightly. He started walking over to us and Aiji-sensei. When he arrived, Sari began talking.

"Sensei, we promise we'll make you proud! You trained us so hard for this moment and now we will go out and get it and return as the best Chuunin in the village an-"

Ittetsu put a hand over her mouth, "Sari, let's let Gaara-sensei talk."

Gaara-sensei nodded, "I believe you will make me proud."

Sari grinned, "Told you so, Ittetsu!"

Ittetsu rolled his eyes, Sari smirked, Matsuri and I giggled. Even Gaara-sensei chuckled slightly.

I have to make them all proud. They're my family.

Gaara-sensei speaks to the teams as a whole, and then, it's time for us to depart to Kumo for the exams.

I turn and look at my Kazekage, "I'll make you proud, Lord Gaara."

And with that, I follow my teammates.

I won't let them down.