Authors Note: The original story is called Shinobi Tales by Antire5. It had potential, but I didn't like what the author did with it. Everything used with permission.

Also, I haven't much followed the Naruto manga lately, so I'm going to stick with the storys original premise of the ten tailed tiger and not try to get the actual ten tailed demon and the sage and all that good stuff from the manga in there. Don't hate, I believe in multiverse. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

A young man with rusty colored hair sat behind a desk. He was known as Gaara, and in three months time, he would succeed his father as the Kazekage, leader of the Hidden Sand Village and the Wind Country. His eyes were locked on those of a boy about a year older than his own fifteen years. The boy stood tall and proud, yet there was pain in his jade green eyes; pain he hid very well. He also had shaggy midnight hair and almond skin which seemed like it was natural to this very desert.

The boy, Sasaku, glared at Gaara, as though it were possible to intimidate him into changing his mind. Gaara returned the glare with a look which was absolutely devoid of emotion. He felt slightly sorry for Sasaku, but the matter was a simple one. No matter what anger or hurt Sasaku felt, Gaara would force himself to remain strong in his decision.

"I didn't come all this way," Sasaku growled, "Just so I could be turned down now." His right hand rested on the pomel of one of the katanas which rested on his waist in emerald green sheaths. Gaara felt no threat from the gesture, but he did wonder if Sasaku would be willing to go that far.

"I'm sorry," Gaara said, "But at your age, it would be difficult at best to train you effectively. I cannot see how you could possibly become a full-fledged shinobi in even a few years. I believe training you would be counterproductive."

A shadow passed over Sasaku's face as he looked at the ground. "I realize my country gets very little respect from the people of yours," he said, his voice low, "But I am still a warrior. I've been trained to fight. To kill. I have killed." He looked Gaara straight in the eyes. "All I'm asking is for you to help me improve the skills I've already been taught."

Gaara closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, it's not that simple. What you don't understand is how vastly different the shinobi way is from your own Koyan. Your techniques teach you one way to kill, while a shinobi's options are almost limitless. We could do nothing to improve your skills. You would have to start over, fighting what you now consider to be instinct, and each new skill you learned would directly conflict with what you already know." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Sasaku, what a platoon of forty of your Koyan soldier could do could also be accomplished by a squad of four shinobi."

Sasaku growled, baring his teeth. "I wouldn't underestimate the Koyan Army!" His hand shot inside his jacket and he quickly pulled out a pistol. The two guards that stood at the door both pulled out kunai and took fighting stances, but made no other motion. Gaara continued to stare into Sasaku's eyes. He had no intention of killing Gaara. The gun was pointed right at his left shoulder.

"It's you who seems to have underestimated us if you expect that weapon to be of use," Gaara said calmly. Provoke him, he thought, Find his potential. Sasaku's face hardened as he pulled the trigger and the gun exploded in his hand.

The bullet never reached its target.

A barrier of sand had suddenly appeared, stopping the bullet about a foot from Gaara's shoulder. The small brass bullet fell from the wall of sand slowly onto the desk, and the sand returned to the gourd on Gaara's back it had apparently came from. Sasaku looked shocked. "Any shinobi above a weak genin could do the same thing with a knife," Gaara said casually, "You Koyan call us superhuman, and that is no exaggeration."

Sasaku slowly dropped the gun, his face filled with both rage and shame. Gaara stood and looked at Sasaku. After a moment, Sasaku looked up and met his gaze. Gaara's eyes dropped to the katanas at Sasaku's waist. "If you want to prove yourself," he said slowly, "Use a weapon that actually requires skill."

With a snarl, Sasaku lashed out his two katanas and took a fighting stance, holding the katana in his left hand backwards. He glanced back at the two guards, then returned his attention to Gaara when he saw they still hadn't moved. Gaara had folded his arms, angering Sasaku. What would it take to be taken seriously? "I'm the best in the army when it comes to using blades!"

He leapt over the desk, slashing sideways to get at Gaara. The blade connected with an iron hard wall of sand, jarring his arm and making it go numb. Sasaku then whipped around and tried to go for the other side, but the sand stopped him again. Then when Sasaku went in for a kick, the sand wrapped around his leg and threw him against the far wall.

Sasaku stood up, gasping for breath. "What are you?" he panted, "How are you doing that?"

"This is one of the many things shinobi can do in battle."

"Is it magic?"

One of the guards, a young man in a full black jumpsuit with red face paint, chuckled slightly as he lowered his kunai. "You really don't know anything about us, do you?" Sasaku scowled and tightened his grip on his blades. "What that is is chakra, and it's what we shinobi use to perform our techniques, our jutsu. We start learning to focus our chakra when we begin our training at a very young age. The art is difficult to master."

"Chakra, huh?" Sasaku stopped and thought. Could it possibly be the same as...?

His thought was interrupted when a whip of sand lashed at him, striking him across the chest and knocking him back into the wall. He fell forward, then quickly spun to the side when he saw another tendril of sand heading for him. He slashed at it, causing it to dissipate, showering him with grains of sand. He quickly shook them off and jumped back again, afraid of what Gaara would be able to do with sand on Sasaku's body.

Gaara waved his arm at Sasaku, sending a pillar straight at him. Sasaku tried to move, but another whip of sand had suddenly wrapped around his leg. So he braced himself and held his swords crossed in front of him. The sand hit it, jarring his arms, but he was able to deflect the attack. Then Sasaku slashed at the sand on his ankles, freeing him for movement.

Another attack came from Gaara, and Sasaku spun around it. He felt a sudden rush, a surge of power that he always felt in the heat of battle. The energy flowed into his body, making his reflexes faster, his attacks stronger, and his body more agile. He had been told that a slight blue aura surrounded his body whenever this happened, and his eyes turned gold.

He had dubbed the sensation, Rush.

Gaara seemed surprised for a moment, obviously noticing the change. The two guards even looked more dumbfounded. "That's..." Sasaku grinned and dashed at Gaara, slashing at him with all his might, thinking he might get past Gaara's defenses. His blade was stopped only inches from Gaara's skin, and Sasaku's face was even closer as he eyed Gaara.

A wall of sand suddenly shot up, knocking Sasaku backwards. He felt frustration that he still couldn't land a hit, but pride in getting so close. Gaara was a strong opponent, there was no doubt in that. Sasaku realized he would be lucky to make it out alive if they were actually fighting. With that in mind, he went in again, holding nothing back. As he repeatedly hit with a flurry of attacks, sand shot up, blocking him.

Minutes went by without Sasaku even making a scratch. He felt a sudden panic. He had never been in his Rush for this long before. He felt the energy start to drain from his body. His attacks began to slow down, and the sand began to block Sasaku further and further from Gaara's body. If he kept this up, Sasaku would soon be too tired to walk.

"Stop!" Sasaku said, jumping back. Gaara crossed his arms as Sasaku lowered his swords and began panting. "Enough," he said, "You're right, I underestimated you. I doubt I could master your abilities."

Gaara exchanged looks with his guard in the black suit. "That power you used," Gaara said, "Do you realize what that was?"

"No clue," Sasaku panted, sheathing his swords, "Chakra?"

"Yes," the guard said, "I think you may have opened Kaimon, the first chakra gate." He looked at Gaara, who nodded in agreement and then looked back to Sasaku.

"This changes things." Sasaku's head snapped up, hopeful. He almost didn't want to believe it.

"So you'll train me then?" Sasaku could ignore his exauhstion and stand tall as Gaara stared at him, as if weighing and measuring him. For a long while, there was silence, aside from Sasaku trying to catch his breath. Finally, Gaara spoke.

"I doubt either of us would benefit from you being trained as a Shinobi here in the Sand Village." Sasaku slumped with disappointment, but he sensed there was more. "However, I see potential in you. I will send a letter to the Hokage. I want you to go to the Hidden Leaf Village, I believe you would fit in much better with their ranks."

Sasaku's face lit up. "Thank you!" Sasaku said with a bow, "This means so much to me!"

"We can have a room prepared for you until you are ready to depart."

Sasaku shook his head. "Thanks, but I would rather leave immediately."

"As you wish." Gaara watched as Sasaku exited, bowing to the guards as he left. Gaara sat back down and leaned back in his chair. "Sasaku," he muttered to himself. He sensed that this would not be the last time he heard that name.