a/n: welcome to chapter 3, presented at the 2 week mark, just like I promised.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto series or any of it's characters. They are all the belongings of someone much, much richer then me and I am simply borrowing their characters for my own amusement.

Naruto Arashiodori

'Now then, Naruto-kun.' Orochimaru thought. 'Show me what you are capable of. You could control Kyuubi's power to the point where even a Hyuuga was no match and you deflected Gaara's attack. Show me if you are a threat to Akatsuki! Show me if you are a threat to ME!'

"It seems that this year will present a lot of opportunities for the Sand, do you agree Hokage-sama?" he said to his old teacher, still in the act of being the Kazekage.

"Yes, I myself am impressed by the power that your shinobi have shown today, as well as in the preliminaries. However, do not claim victory when the fight has not even started yet, Kazekage-dono. The fight has not even started yet and his next opponent has defeated the greatest genius in the Hyuuga clan." The Hokage answered.

"Yes," he continued, as if to himself. "It will be a fight between those that have defeated the Bloodline limits." Only in his thoughts did he finish the line. 'It will be a fight between something fare worse then bloodline limits. A fight between Jinchuuriki. I'm not sure the stadium could hold a fight like this. Let's just hope that Naruto does indeed have control over the Kyuubi's power, otherwise he'll certainly die.'

---

"Let the Semi-final battle BEGIN!"

As soon as the words left Genma's mouth, Gaara rushed forward attacking for the kill right away. His sand arm hit Naruto before he could even react.

"DIE!"

"Aargh!"

Before Naruto had even realized it, he had landed, feet first, on the wall of the arena. The force of Gaara's attack had sent him flying all across the stadium, just like it had done with Sasuke. But Naruto, unlike Sasuke, could still move and his reflexes, honed by months of training, allowed him to flip in mid air thus causing him to land on his feet and minimize the damage. As soon as Naruto looked up though, Gaara was close enough for their noses to be touching. Again, Naruto couldn't move before Gaara slammed him into the walls. And this time, Naruto had no way of reducing the damage.

As Gaara drew back his arm to go in for a third strike, Naruto looked up at the stands. Kakashi was still standing there, just like how he stood during their talk. But now, all the others, with Sasuke leaning heavily on Kiba and Chouji, had gathered as well to watch the fight. seeing the look on his teacher's face, Naruto thought back to the words that Kakashi had said just moments before. Moments that felt like an eternity to him.

"You just said that he's the same as you didn't you? Doesn't that mean that you're the only one that can fight him on equal grounds?"

'I was right. He IS too strong for me to fight with. I can't hope to defeat someone like this.' Naruto thought as the giant arm slammed into him for the third time now. He could feel the walls behind him cracking under the power.

'Someone like this, he's too strong! He's always lived on his own! I know how terrible it feels but he's always stayed there, never seeking the help of others. I can't hope to win against him!'

Before the monstrous arm slammed into him a fourth time, Naruto could feel himself being lifter into the air and he was thrown around the stadium once again.

As Naruto looked up, cursing the demon fox inside of him for it's healing, he saw Gaara rushing out at him again. But this time, he also saw something different.

Someone he had not seen in a very long time.

---

Up in the stands, the people were in a variety of opinions for the fight. Sakura could clearly hear people shouting at Naruto to get up and fight back, while others where yelling with glee that her friend and teammate was about to be killed in this tournament. Yet a third group of people was yelling that he had to get up and defeat Gaara for the honor of Konoha and to avenge everything he's done to Sasuke-kun. And all of the shinobi that actually knew Naruto and had seen what Gaara was capable of, were yelling at him to give up and surrender so he could at least survive.

'But why are some of these people so glad that Naruto is getting beaten by that… that thing!' she thought. She had always known Naruto was not well-liked. It was obvious for everyone from the way he was treated on the street, to the teachers in the academy and even her own parents reaction when they heard of her teammates. 'Why does everyone hate Naruto like that? What has he ever done wrong? Pranks don't earn you this kind of hatred to they?'

"Damn it Naruto!" Kiba was yelling beside her. "This guy isn't normal so just GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE! He'll tear you to pieces you moron!"

"I told you not to go against this guy!" Ino added and, like with Kiba, concern was evident in her voice.

Next to her, Shikamaru was standing, looking at the fight below. In his mind, he was reviewing the conversation he and Naruto had with Gaara the day before, back in the hospital. He had, back then, already realized that he would stand no chance against Gaara and, if Naruto's bluff was right, Gaara was facing the only opponent in the village that could fight him. But Gaara was winning big time.

---

As Naruto looked up to see Gaara storming at him again, he suddenly saw something behind him that reminded Naruto of something that had happened almost a year ago.

In his mind, he was suddenly back in a flower field, a flied that was in the country of the Wave. He could see a person standing in front of him, talking with a small smile on his face. if Naruto had not known it was a boy, he would mistake him for a girl all over again.

'I remember where this was. During the training to take on Zabuza, I met this boy and we talked. But why can't I remember what it was he said?'

"do you…"

It was all that Naruto could remember about the words. Before he had time to consider more words, Gaara attacked him again. Going for a different attack pattern this time, Gaara punched Naruto into the sky before jumping after him. He continued the attack by quickly kicking Naruto in mid air. The kick, although not executed by a monster-shaped limb, was still powered up by the Chakra of Shukaku and caused Naruto to be slammed into the audience. He met Kiba and the others head on, accidentally slamming his head into Kiba's.

"AARGH!" both boys yelled at the same time. Being quick to recover, Kiba quickly started yelling at Naruto.

"What do you think you're doing you moron? Are you trying to freaking kill me?"

Before Naruto could give his normal witty response, or someone else interfere, they were suddenly covered by a shadow. Looking up they saw Gaara standing there, but the sand was starting to wrap around more of his body. When everything went silent again, the only things that were left normal of Gaara were his legs, his hair and the tattoo for 'love' on his forehead. The rest of his body had all been covered in sand, making him appear like a miniature version of Shukaku.

"Show me!" Gaara suddenly demanded, not shouting for the first time since being hit by the Chidori. "Show me the power that defeated the Hyuuga! The power that stopped my attack! I'll crush it!"

Naruto, still not standing up after his collision with Kiba, was only looking at Gaara with fear in his eyes. For everyone their, except his teammates, it was the first time they saw the loudmouth blonde look like that and it was unsettling. If even Naruto, the idiot who they always thought was too stupid to even know what fear is, was scared of this guy, it could only mean real trouble.

---

As he looked around, hoping that Naruto would bring out that strange red power of his, Gaara saw the look in the eyes of all the people around him. Every single one of them held great fear for him. Every person in the stadium was afraid of him and he loved it! He was feeling alive like never before. And he had yet to kill his opponent. He was already looking forward to that point.

As he looked around again, he saw that the blonde shinobi before him still hadn't stood up. Instead he was only looking at Gaara, the fear in his eyes more obvious then with anyone else. Deciding it was time to end this and feel alive again, Gaara moved in for the kill. He lifted his arms up, parallel to the ground and, without even moving himself, extended them to unreal lengths, ready to slam his opponent to his death by cracking his ribs. It would be slow and painful, payment for taking his other prey away.

---

Naruto could see it happen, almost as if it were in slow motion. Gaara raising his arms, getting ready to kill him. The arms extended, monstrous hands quickly closing in on him, aiming to crush his chest. He closed his eyes, to afraid to see the inevitable in the eye, instead waiting for the pain to come.

It never did.

Confused, Naruto looked up. Gaara's arms were at Naruto's sides, slammed into the wall. And in those hands, now nailed to the wall, were Hyuuga Hinata and Haruno Sakura. When Naruto had closed his eyes, both girls had jumped in trying to protect Naruto.

---

Gaara could clearly see everything that had happened. Just before he could kill his prey, those two girls jumped in. normally Gaara wouldn't have cared and simply gone for his prey before killing them. But there was something different about this situation. There eyes. It were the same eyes that the teacher of his opponent in the preliminaries had. The eyes that Gaara hated the most, that scared him because he could not understand what they meant.

So instead, he changed the direction of his attack and instead had the girls slammed into the walls. Looking back at his prey, he could see the blond switching his gaze between both girls.

"These two," Gaara started, drawing Naruto's attention again, "What are they to you?" he asked

And just as suddenly, he could see a small bit of fire burning in the eyes of his opponents as he answered.

"They're my friends!" Naruto shouted.

The fire in his eyes was small, but at least it was there. Gaara had found the way for this enemy to really make him feel alive!

"Don't you dare hurt them! I'll kick your ass if you do!" Naruto yelled. Gaara responded by pushing a bit more, causing both girls to scream out loud in pain.

"What's wrong?" Gaara taunted. "Weren't you going to kick my ass?"

Not having any more options, Naruto decided on the obvious thing. For the first time since the start of the fight, he took the offensive. Even thought they were still in the middle of the crowd, Naruto charged.

But even with the small amount of courage he had managed to gather suddenly, he was no match for Gaara. In a second, his tail swept Naruto away, causing him to slam into one of the many pillars that stood before the entire crowd. As he slid down from the pillar, sitting down on the ground, he looked at Hinata and Sakura again.

"No." he said, sounding much weaker then he had ever sounded. "I've got to save them."

his voice was little more then a whisper now, but it could still be heard all across the stadium.

Then suddenly something happened that no one had expected. Gaara suddenly laughed out loud, mocking Naruto's words.

"Save them? So you fight for the sake of others? That's why you're so weak!"

Suddenly and slowly, he brought his sand arms back to their previous length. But instead of releasing Hinata and Sakura, the girls were still covered in sand shaped like Gaara's hand. Without even blinking an eye, Gaara continued his talk.

"You don't need a reason to fight. Only the winner can truly feel the value of his existence. Now, forget about your stupid friends and fight only for yourself." He yelled.

Without him even realizing it, Naruto's fist tightened at his side.

"Stupid friends?" he said, his voice shaking with sudden anger.

Not even batting an eyelash at the sudden change in Naruto, Gaara continued again.

"People who bring needless emotions into battle should just die." He said, taunting Naruto some more.

"You just keep saying what you want. I swear, I'll beat you up!" Naruto yelled back, not fazed by the taunt. Moving quickly, he rushed towards Gaara, throwing a few Shuriken at the same time.

"You guys don't know the meaning of being truly strong." Was all Gaara said before he moved in for the counter-attack. Naruto didn't have time to answer as he slammed into Gaara, hitting him for the first time since the fight started. As their eyes locked, Gaara suddenly looked away, giving Naruto the opening he needed. He quickly punched him twice in the stomach, hoping for Gaara to feel the pain. Unfortunately, the sand that had formed around his body was now acting much like the armor of sand, except even thicker. Gaara didn't even feel Naruto's attack. Slamming him with his arms once again, Gaara pushed Naruto back into the arena. Even with the force behind the attack, Naruto managed to lend on his feet in the arena.

"That sand will crush them to a slow death. It's filled with my Chakra and unless I die, they won't be released! NOW COME!" Gaara spoke, still standing in the viewers sitting area. Seeing that Naruto made no attempts to move, he spoke up again.

"You don't care what happens to your precious friends?" from behind him, Naruto could hear Hinata and Sakura suddenly yelling out in pain.

'What can I do?' Naruto thought desperately. 'Unless I kill this guy, Hinata and Sakura-chan are gone. But I can't hope to defeat him, he's too strong! Wait, if I can draw his attention away long enough, I'm sure Kakashi-sensei could get them down safely!'

Looking around in hopes of catching his sensei's eye, he couldn't find the older man. Before he had time to do a complete search though, Gaara jumped into the air, going in for another attack.

As Gaara jumped up, Naruto looked him in the eye. Without even knowing why, he was suddenly reminded about what the sand shinobi had said mere moments before.

"You guys don't know the meaning of being truly strong."

At the same time, he also thought back to that time at the flower field in the country of the Wave.

"…that's when a person becomes truly strong…" but it were all the words he could remember.

'That's right. Haku, he told me, what it meant to be strong. But I can't remember. Gaara's right. I don't know the meaning of strength. But until Kakashi-sensei manages to get Hinata and Sakura-chan down, how can I even hope to distract him long enough?' then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The training he had been doing for the last month. It was time to put it to use.

'I'll have to summon the frog-boss.'

Quickly flashing through the seals in the order he had memorized already, he quickly bit the thumb of his right hand for the blood. Slamming his hand down on the ground he yelled the jutsu's name.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A/n: as some of you may notice, I am making my Naruto VS Gaara fight very similar to the original in the anime/manga. That is because I think that it is simply one of the best fights to date. The battle itself will have a few changes at the end, but you'll have to wait to find out what they are, but I will say this; the Naruto VS Gaara fight is anything but small (in fact, my Beta claimed that it might just be a little TOO long).

Since they are still in the stadium, and thus are having an official match, I couldn't really put Sasuke to Naruto's rescue like he does in the original but when I was thinking about it, Haku suddenly poof-ed into my head and I decided to go with it.

And as for the most often asked question;

I know that the people wouldn't allow Gaara to go full demon on Sasuke, but he only partially transformed, meaning that Gaara is still in control. And yes, common sense would make people get the hell out of there during a fight, but at the same time people are always drawn to conflict like this, so they all want to stay as well.

Anyways that's enough of my rambling. I would like to thank Zephyr-Tai-Ji for beta-reading this chapter for me. many thanks to him and if you can, you should go and read his stories as well.

As always, reviews are very welcome.