Author's Note: {Again, I really apologize for the lateness. I'm an easily distracted person, and I tend to procrastinate... .'' Therefor, I'm HORRIBLE with deadlines. I am extremely sorry for having led everyone on before... So, I take back what I said. I will really try to be somewhat timely, but I can't promise that I will. It's actually really likely that there will be long periods of time between updates. I know this is probably frustrating as hell, but it's how I am. =x I'd prefer taking my time to create something decent over just spewing out something that is obviously, and horribly, flawed.

But anyways, thanks to all those who read, and a special thanks to those who've had to endure this past dry spell and who've still managed to stay aboard. Please continue reading and enjoying this story. ^-^ And feel free to give any and all opinions, even the negative ones. I'm open to all. :3}

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The forest was full of life--from its highest branches, where birds perched and roosted, to its moist soil, where a variety of insects crawled and slithered across rotting leaves and erect blades of grass. A squirrel ventured out onto a branch, tail twitching, before it dashed back into the safety of its hollow. A black shoe touched down on the limb where the rodent had been not moments earlier.

Gaara of the Desert paid no heed to the wildlife that flourished around him as he lept through the trees. His mind was focused on his movements, on reaching his destination as quickly as possible. This was a mission; his first substantial one since the Chunin exams. His hands clenched in anticipation for, not just the fight that lay ahead, but for the chance to gain some answers.

After all, as far as he knew, he was headed towards Naruto, rushing to help the blonde obtain one Sasuke Uchiha and return with him to Konoha. That is what he had been told and so that is what he believed.

Imagine his surprise when he found, not a blonde dressed in fluorescent orange, but a boy dressed in green, with hair a shining ebony...

Shock rendered his body immobile for a few seconds, enough time to allow the other boy to launch an attack on his foe. Gaara recognized the swirl of bandages that was the beginnings of the move called Primary Lotus. He found himself in motion once again as Lee's kick landed against an intricate shield of overlapping bone.

He sent out a stream of sand as the man who possessed the power to control his own bones thrust forwards with an arm equipped with a trio of dense, protruding bones. The sand swirled before the man's pale hand in a graceful spiral before it expanded, pushing both leaf and sound ninja further away from each other. The dark haired boy let a startled shout escape him as he fell backwards onto the grass. He wasn't down for very long before a mass of sand gathered under him, lifting him and relocating him to the ground before Gaara's feet. He looked up at the redhead with wide eyes, his mouth open in disbelief.

"Sand?" He murmured, glancing down at the rough substance beneath him. "Am I still drunk?" His comment was ignored; Gaara stepped forward to stand in front of him.

"Gaara..." The boy's round eyes returned to the sand ninja.

"Gaara?" Repeated the albino looking man from across the field, crossing his arms before him. "So that's who you are."

He flung his arms out, and bones shot like missiles from his fingertips. Gaara didn't flinch, didn't even blink, as the tiny projectiles barreled through the air towards him. His sand arched upwards to shield him, absorbing the bones. Their momentum caused cones to form before Gaara's face until they finally broke through the film of sand and dropped uselessly to the ground. The sand slid slowly sideways to reveal part of its controller's face.

"You're hasty, aren't you?" The redhead said, his tone it's usual apathetic low.

Azure eyes flicked back to meet obsidian. At the contact came a spark of remembrance, a flash of memory.

"You..."

His crimson hair was in constant movement as he lashed his head from one side to another in an attempt to keep up with the barrage of attacks. But his senses were too slow-- as soon as his eyes focused on one area, all that was left for him to witness was an evaporating cloud of sand. And, as soon as he was able to process what he was seeing, there was another attack, from a completely different area, a different angle. His head, as if answering the blow's call, would shift to the new area; the pattern repeated itself until at last his sand reacted too slowly and a furious blow to the head left him dazed and experiencing the first physical pain he had felt from another person in his life...

"When we fought before, your moves had more speed and edge..." Gaara stated bluntly, shifting his gaze forward once more. He heard movement as Lee got to his feet.

"I figured you would say that." Lee said softly, tone unaccusing. "I do not hold any grudges, but I have been through a bit of trouble because of you."

Another memory danced across Gaara's mind like lightning.

The boy watched the sand wind around his limbs with lidded eyes, his teeth grinding. He put up a meager struggle, although one could see the slight resignation in his exhausted and pained form. His head reared back, black hair flying, mouth contorting into an almost impossibly wide shape as the sand crushed all flesh and bone and muscle it held within its grasp. The scream that shot from his throat was deafening. He fell, limp, to the ground.

Gaara was silent for a moment. "Is that so?" He asked, though it seemed rhetorical.

Lee nodded and looked over towards Kimimaro. He shifted into a fighting stance with a steadying exhale of breath. Gaara's eyes cut across to him, lingering on the arm he held forward, sliding down to the leg of the same side--the limbs he had rendered useless during their battle so many months ago. He felt a twinge of something--regret, perhaps? Blood dripped onto the grass, staining it dark red and causing it to droop with heaviness. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach, awakening and shifting irritably. It moved his eyes towards the white-haired man across the field, and felt an instant, unexplained hatred towards him. It extended it's claws, revealed teeth, and crouched as if to spring...

"I'll take care of this." Despite the growling creature inside, Gaara's voice came out as it's normal, even monotone.

Lee looked over at him in surprise. "No, please be my backup!" He requested, rushing forward to continue the fight. A trail of sand raced after him to wrap around his ankle, causing him to fall forward onto the ground. He landed face-first in a pile of sand, sent out to help cushion his fall; the grains seeped into his mouth and clung to his lashes. He lifted his head, sputtering and blinking rapidly to rid himself of them. "Please, let me go!" He shouted, polite even while yelling, his hefty brows narrowed as he turned to look at the sand's controller with annoyance. He flinched in pain as he flexed something that screamed in protest, fists clenching.

"You can't do anything in that condition." The reply was blunt, but truthful. "I'll do it." He repeated. The beast within his chest purred with approval, flexing it's claws, claws that had a strong desire to embed themselves within the other man's flesh, to slice, rip, and tear at every part they could reach.

This was their battle now.

They would fulfill their mission to redeem the Sand.

And this man would pay for touching what was theirs.