Note: And now, for a little crack fic. Inspired by elenathehun.
The forest bristled as Gaara's sand coffin wrung blood out of the Ame-nin. Temari was not a superstitious person – living with a literal monster tended to disabuse one of the inclination – but she began to suspect the forest was alive. More than impossibly enormous wildlife – who nonetheless made themselves scarce in Gaara's presence – the forest was alive. More and more she came to believe it was displeased with Gaara, especially.
She distracted herself by searching for the Ame-nin's scroll. It was their objective, anyway. Temari fished the bloody scroll, miraculously intact in the midst of an entrails soup. Occasionally, the monster was her little brother. "Hey, Gaara, this is the scroll we need. Let's just go straight to the tower now, okay?"
As always, Temari's words were little more than dandelion's whispers to Gaara. He walked without a care – toward the tower at least. Minutes passed with nothing happening. Temari was starting to feel embarrassed. Like hell Temari of the Desert was afraid of Konoha's wimpy biome! Then the forest shook, but it was with a loud noise immediately recognisable as human battle. She swallowed a groan. Gaara was excited, of course. He ran, as much as Gaara ever ran ahead, and Temari and Kankurou could only exchange askance glances before hurrying after him. Sanctioned killing or not, the plan did not call for Gaara's monstrosity to stand out this early.
Then it seemed as though a volcano of corrosive chakra had erupted from where Gaara had disappeared into. Temari hesitated before dashing in anyway, Kankurou only half a step behind. Gaara was… half way into becoming less Gaara, facing off a familiar boy, also half way into becoming less of a boy. Red, corrosive chakra tail lashed between the sandstorm as the Konoha boy somehow slipped past Gaara's sand. She could tell Gaara – no, the damn demonic tanuki was getting frustrated. Temari swore. She knew the plan was too volatile, anything involving Gaara was volatile, and she and Kankurou would always be the first to die.
Amidst the chaos, the forest truly came to live. Trees like tentacles shot from every direction, wrapping themselves around the duelling monsters, stopping stray sand blocks from hitting Kankurou. A voice boomed from everywhere at once, and nowhere of earth. "Children! Please stop fighting."
A giant tree sprouted, separating Gaara and the Konoha boy. The tree shrunk to man-size, and shrunk again, folding into itself until it was man-shaped. Features sculpted and melted until wood became flesh – became recognisable flesh. A man wearing a familiar face beamed at the children. He spoke in a human voice, still booming, but at least no longer echoing from hell. "I'm sure this can be settled peacefully."
With a numb jolt Temari realised she was looking at the flesh and blood likeness of one of the faces on Konoha's vanity gallery. He was about to say something, but all pretensions of warmth was suddenly gone from his face. "Excuse me," he muttered, and vanished into the ground. Was swallowed by the earth. Not too distantly, a repugnant aura flared, followed by what seemed to be a riot of the trees in the area, and the forest in general shook with fury. She felt rather than heard the First Hokage's booming voice. "I don't know who you are, but you will cease threatening this pure Uchiha boy!"
Kankurou had a puppy look on him, one she hadn't seen in a long time since Yashamaru's death, and Temari and Kankurou realised they were all the other had – and they were their brother's keepers. Said brother was currently sleeping. Whatever was in the trees kept the demon subdued. For the first time in uncountable years Gaara was sleeping. He looked at peace. Temari didn't have the heart to wake him, and bring the demon infested brother to the fore. Yet the cat was out of the bag, and it wouldn't take long for Konoha to suspect Suna of treachery. Temari and Kankurou would need Gaara to have any chance at surviving.
Temari shook her head, and gestured at Gaara. Resigned, but not surprised, Kankurou whispered, "So how're we gonna – "
The First Hokage came back then, followed by the Uchiha brat and his gaudy teammate. The girl gasped at the tableau, but the First Hokage immediately addressed Temari. He seemed to have a better handle of human acceptable volume this time. Gesturing at Gaara, he said, "Do you know this boy?"
Temari nodded. "My brother." She didn't know why she had volunteered the information, except she knew they would all die today, one way or another.
Kankurou, too, piped up, "And I'm their brother." Temari wanted to kill him for that. But the First Hokage's expression softened. He said, "Then please come with me. I can help you."