FINALLY! I've been picking my brain for forever trying to get this to work. Hopefully y'all like it, give me a shout out and tell me what you think.

And so the battle continues...On with the chapter!

The two giants faced off. One was a construct of sand and chakra that had been compressed into the form of a tanuki with blue markings covering it's body. The other was a giant dark red toad dressed like a member of the yakuza and smoking a kiseru. On top of each of their heads was the summoners of these great beasts, Gaara Sabaku, jinchuuriki of the one-tailed biju known as Shukaku, and Naruto Uzumaki, jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed beast referred to be all as the Kyuubi.

"So you've summoned me to take on a biju for our first battle together," the toad growled, exhaling a massive cloud of smoke. "You sure don't leave me short on the special treatment do you gaki?"

The toad summoner sighed from his seat on top of the Chief Toad's head. "I know we haven't finalized the deal yet boss but when he pulled this I needed some backup."

'A biju...the kid is more like his father than he most likely will ever know.' The toad grunted and crouched low. "You're gonna owe me some major sake when this is all over gaki," he grunted, drawing his tanto. "From what I know of Shukaku the rat is a sand user so that's gonna be one thick hide."

Naruto felt the giant toad's body crouch lower as his muscles tensed to leap forward. Thinking quick the blonde knelt down and channeled his chakra to cement himself to the chief's head. "So what are we gonna do boss?"

"Well first we're gonna test just how thick that hide is!" Roaring a battle cry the chief summon of the toads launched himself forward, his blade poised to slice into the sand construct's chest. From deep within the shell of silicate Gaara directed the Shukaku's arm to rise, shifting its body back to prepare to launch an attack.

The toad was too fast for the lumbering tanuki, his blade slamming into the joint between its raised arm and the shoulder. It held for a moment before giving under the pressure and the large blade sliced through the sand, severing the entire limb from the body and flying off as Gamabunta continued to soar through the air and landed behind him. His tanto had been sent flying in the other direction, landing tip first not far away.

"That's is some impressive toughness," the chief grunted. He raised his hands and Naruto could see them trembling from the strain of slicing off just one arm. "If he'd taken that in the chest like I planned we would have been in a tight spot right now."

"So what do we do now?"

"I don't suppose you know any fire techniques do you?" Naruto shook his head and the giant amphibian sighed. "Well an explosive note could work in its place."

"I've got those, but why would I need it?"

"We toads secrete an oil that is highly flammable," he explained. "Either a fire technique or an explosive note from our summoner or another toad is used to ignite it while the user spews it out to create a giant flaming stream."

"Okay...that's cool and all but I'm trying to stop Gaara, not put him on a barbeque pit."

"Well you better start thinking then because because he's on the move."

He began to prepare for another leap but then the Shukaku opened it's mouth. "You truly are quite entertaining Naruto Uzumaki!" Gaara's voice, amplified by both his own chakra and that of the demon sealed inside of him, echoed from within the construct's maw. "In return for giving me such entertainment..." The body's shoulders sagged and its head lowered as the sand on its forehead began to churn like a sea plagued by storm winds. From the sand emerged Gaara's torso, his waist and below remaining encased in the construct's body. He looked up with the a small grin as he brought his hands together and forming handseals. "I'll let you meet a true demon."

The deranged genin raised both of his hands and formed a seal that Gamabunta recognized instantly. "Gaki, you better be ready for one hell of a fight," the chief said, preparing to spring into action at a moment's notice. 'I won't make it in time,' he thought. 'I'd better get the gaki ready for this.'

"What's going on chief?"

"The boy's about to let his tenant become the one in charge."

"What? How's that even possible?" 'Kurama, I'm gonna need a boost soon.'

'Ready when you are kit. Just remember, you're gonna end up passing out when this last go wears off.'

'I'll take my chances,' was the defiant retort as Naruto turned his attention back to his partner.

"All the hosts of Shukaku the Sand Spirit have suffered from insomnia due to the fact that when they finally fall asleep, he's right there to take over their bodies."

"Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu." Gaara whispered, his voice somehow carrying across the entire battlefield just before he slumped over...asleep.

"And it looks like we're about to see him come out to play."

The giant construct of sand and chakra hunched even further than before and it's eye, a gold colored iris with with a four-pointed star for a pupil, vanished. Suddenly it reappeared, glowing as the beast drew in a deep breath. Tilting its head to the sky it let out a great cry, its voice much higher than Gaara's own, as it waved its remaining arm in excitement.

"FREE AT LAST! HELL YEAH, IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME GAARA! And there's even a fight going on...that's even better!"

The others watched this spectacle, blinking in surprise. 'So...I'm guessing he was the weird one?'

'All families have them kit.'

"Right...boss we better move, I think he sees us."

As if his words were some sort of queue they noticed the tanuki's already considerably large belly had begun to swell and one massive claw had curled into a fist. "Futon: Renkudan!" he roared, slamming the claw into his stomach and using the resulting pressure to fire a massive ball of wind straight at the blonde and his summons.

"HOLD ON GAKI!" Gamabunta called, launching himself over the ball, his own cheeks swelling as he prepared an attack of his own. "Suiton: Teppodama," he grunted through the corner of his mouth, just before launching a water version of the Shukaku's own attack. When the tanuki managed to just barely move out of the way, the chief sent two more in rapid succession before landing. "You still there boy?"

"I'm here," Naruto grunted, lifting an arm and giving a shaky thumbs up from where he'd been clutching the collar of Bunta's coat. "Still, how are we gonna fix this?"

The toad sighed. "From the stories I've heard, Shukaku will keep rampaging until either two things happen. Either somebody forces his host to wake up...or he'll get bored and take a nap himself."

'...your family has issues,' Naruto thought as expression changed briefly to a deadpan.

'Fight now, therapy later.'

'Fine.' "Well, how do we do that?"

"The jutsu the redhead used is pretty fresh which means a good whack to the noggin will wake him up. But we have to slow the rat down first and I don't exactly have any claws or fangs to hold him in place."

"Can't you just transform?"

"You'd have to supply the handseals and direction for the technique if I did."

"So...it's like the Inuzuka clan?"

The toad nodded, eyes still fixed on the, oddly, unmoving Shukaku. "It's very similar but it has a disadvantage. If we transform and I manage to get ahold of the bastard we'll have to change back in order for you to get to the host. I'd only be able to hold him for a few seconds after that before he slipped away."

"There's always something," Naruto growled and narrowed his eyes in thought. "You know...shouldn't he have done something by now? Granted from how eager he was to attack you'd think he'd be trying to...well fight."

In response to his inquiry, a large part of the demon's front fell away, revealing a new section underneath. He wiped at the fresh area of his stomach before glaring at the duo. "Stupid frog! Getting my sand all wet, do you know how hard it is to move when I'm full of water?"

And with that little comment, Naruto had a plan. 'Kit...you're crazy.'

'Doesn't mean it won't work. Besides...it'd be fun and we can fall back on the boss' plan if this doesn't work.'

'Yeah...no we can't.'

The swordsman growled but turned his attention outward. "Boss, how much water can you launch at once?"

"I could fill a lake the size of Konoha if I pushed it, why?"

"I don't think we'll need that transformation," he said, drawing Wado Ichimonji and holding it in his left hand. "Alright boss, I need you to listen carefully."Naruto began to explain his plan but before the old toad could comment on the foolishness of his summoner, Shukaku got tired of waiting.

"STOP IGNORING ME!" The tanuki fired off another shot, forcing Gamabunta to take to the air where he launched two more. Thinking fast, the chief launched a hasty water bullet pair of his own to counter the shot. The two attacks collided and exploded with the force of a typhoon, sending wind and water tearing through the forest and forcing the spectators to secure themselves with chakra just to avoid being blown away.

"It's like we're in the middle of storm," Shino commented, his sunglasses protecting his eyes from debris and allowing him to see Shukaku launch a third bullet hidden by the collision. The genin was forced to watch as the third bullet tore through the remains of the collision and slammed into the giant toad's chest.

"HA! THAT'LL TEACH YOU TO IGNORE ME!" Shukaku yelled, thinking he'd won only for Gamabunta to drop to the ground and began leaping in a circle around him.

"That hurt," he grunted, a paw to his head as he tried to ease the headache he was feeling. "Another one like that and I'll be down for the count. You better hope this works kid." Gamabunta hopped over yet another compressed ball of air before leaping toward the sand construct, hands together and forming a seal as his throat swelled outward. "SUITON: BAKUSUI SHOHA!"

Opening his mouth, the chief unleashed a violent torrent of water that shot out like a canon, engulfing his foe and spreading like a tsunami. Sensing the danger, the observing shinobi quickly jumped higher, barely avoiding the crashing waves as they washed over there original position.

'This is getting worse, I should retreat to a more preferable location.' Shino turned to the siblings, both too entranced with the fact somebody was fighting on par with their little brother to notice him. 'I'd best get them too.'

Calling on his swarm, the young heir to the Aburame clan created a small platform under each of their feet and lifted them into the air. "This is not a safe location," he explained. "Why? Because the fighting between my comrade and your brother is growing more intense with each passing moment. I will move you to a safer place from where you can observe the battle."

The siblings looked at each other, a silent conversation passing between them with that single glance, and then faced him with a slight nod. The insect user nodded in return before forming his own platform and commanding all three to lift into the air. From there he directed them to draw back and place them in one of the largest and sturdiest trees in the forest, a great oak whose branches were perfect for watching a clash of titans from.

After dismissing the insects the boy sagged against the trunk, wiping sweat from his brow. 'I should have taken a food pill,' he thought. 'The only reason I'm not passed out is because I only need to use my chakra to signal what the insects need to do.'

The Aburame made a mental note to research techniques for increasing his chakra capacity before taking one of the food pills in his pouch and popping it into his mouth. He grimaced slightly at the taste but swallowed it nonetheless and relaxed slightly once the familiar feeling of his refreshed chakra coursed through his body. He could only hope that he would be able to reach the village before the effects wear off.

Meanwhile, Gamabunta wasted no time in pushing his offensive. Cutting off the flow of water from his gullet after a solid thirty seconds, the chief toad held his right hand close to his snout where Naruto jumped and clung to his wrinkled skin. "Good luck kid," he grumbled before pulling his arm back.

"AIM STRAIGHT BOSS! KYUUBI, GIVE ME THE BOOST NOW!"

"RIGHT/RIGHT'

Putting all his strength behind his throw, the chief launched his summoner like a fastball just as a cloak of pure orange chakra engulfed him, his eyes changing from deep blue to crimson red in an instant. As he was set on a collision course for the Ichibi's head, Naruto held his sword back while his other hand was stretched out toward his target. "Room!"

In an instant he called upon his power, creating a translucent sphere that spanned just over a hundred meters in diameter. Instantly he felt the strain as his entire body cried out for him to stop. 'N-not go-od,' he thought as blood began to drip from his nose but he forced back the pain as he waited. Finally, once Gaara and the sand around him was trapped in his range...he turned his hand, curling all but his index finger which was pointed straight to the sky. "Tact!"

As if he'd nullified the very laws of gravity, the sand was ripped from the construct, its host still secured within. It rose until it was level with the flying blonde who had turned the sword in his left hand to where the hilt faced the redhead. "RISE AND SHINE!" He roared, slamming the pommel into the side of Gaara's head, forcing him awake but also transferring all the momentum behind Gamabunta's throw into him as well. In short, he was sent on a one-way flight straight down.

From his place in the sky, Naruto watched as Gaara slammed into the hard, unforgiving earth and had just enough time to wonder if he was alright before he too began to fall. 'Guess...I used...too much,' he thought before his trip down was halted by none other than Gamabunta's own tongue. He could faintly hear the chief chuckling as he lowered him gently to the ground, mere feet from where Gaara lay, barely conscious.

"Not bad kid," he said, pulling his tongue back and heaving an exhausted sigh. "I kinda wish I could stay to see how it goes...but I've used up too much chakra. I need to get home and recharge so you better live to summon me again."

His piece said, the boss dispelled in an explosion of smoke and wind that quickly faded. Naruto gave a chuckle of his own as he forced himself into a seated position, wiping at the trail of blood from his nose. "Of course...I still owe you a drink...boss."

Glancing over to the crater nearby, the blonde saw that Gaara was staring at him. His teal-colored eyes met his deep blue with pure terror gripping him. Sighing, he stabbed Wado Ichimonji into the ground and used it to heave himself to his feet. Using the blade as a makeshift cane he began to walk toward his fellow jinchuuriki, only to see his eyes to widen as he struggled to escape. "Stay...stay away from me!" he screamed but his arms gave out and he fell back to the ground without having moved an inch.

Naruto ignored him and continued to move until he was sitting right next to him. "It's hard...isn't it? Having everyone look at you like you are just the beast you keep sealed in your body?"

"W-what?"

"Did you think you were the only one? There are seven people other than us who know what this kind of pain is like. I'll bet there's more than that actually." He turned his eyes to the sky and watched the occasional flitting form of a bird that would fly across his vision. "People fear what they do not understand and there is a great deal of things they don't understand and thus...a lot to fear." He placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"You're strong, but unless you use that strength for someone other than yourself you will never realize your true potential. There are people who care for you Gaara, let them in and accept them as your precious people. If you do, you'll that you're able to push through any pain, conquer any obstacle, destroy all that oppose you...just for the simple reassurance that they are safe."

His piece said, the exhausted blonde finally let darkness take him. His body fell backwards, sprawling on the ground just as Shino, Kankuro and Temari landed on the edge of the crater where they lay. The siblings rushed to the redhead's side while the insect user went to his comrade's. Both siblings grabbed one of their brother's arms and draped them over their necks before picking him up.

Shino on the other hand, reached under his fellow genin and hauled him onto his shoulder. Once sure he was balanced properly he grabbed his sword and faced the Suna-nin. Sharing a nod both sides took their respective burdens and departed, no more fighting would occur between them and they left to take care of their friend and brother.

Shino walked relaxed through the forest, Naruto draped over his shoulder like a sack of flower and snoring loudly. 'You truly are an amazing specimen Naruto-san,' he thought. 'Perhaps it would be beneficial to keep an eye on your progress after all.'

With the sand siblings, Gaara was considering the words of the one that had defeated him. He glanced to the two that carried him, unsure of what to do. Having openly admitted that he had never seen these two as his siblings, the jinchuuriki was unable to come up with a way to express his desire to begin anew. Finally he struggled through the exhaustion that claimed him and managed speak. "Temari...Kankuro..."

The siblings halted their progress, landing on a branch so they could look at their brother without falling. "What is it Gaara?" Kankuro asked.

"I'm...sorry," he managed to whisper before the soothing gentle darkness of unconsciousness finally took him. His elder siblings shared a look of confusion before the puppeteer sighed and held his little brother tighter against his side.

"It's fine," he said, smiling gently. "Come on little brother, it's about time you got some sleep."

In Konoha:

"Awww, you guys are done already?" Suigetsu was perched on the handle of her new sword, its blade impaled in the ground and jutting out at an angle. All around her were the severed limbs and bodies of both Oto and Suna shinobi. Nearby stood the team of Konoha-nin she'd joined to cover the evacuation of the civilians, all staring at her in a mix of awe and slight fear.

On a rooftop overlooking the village and the previous scene, Jiraiya scowled, arms crossed as he observed the damage around him. "This is one hell of a mess," he commented to the scarred jonin standing next to him.

"Indeed, but at least the casualties on our side were minimal. If you hadn't been here Jiraiya-sama...I shudder to think of the devastation."

The Gama Sennin nodded and turned his eyes upward to the tower where his sensei and former comrade had been fighting. The purple box that had sealed off the area had finally disappeared, the enemy had retreated and the summons were banished. All that was left was one question in Jiraiya's head. What had happened to Hiruzen Sarutobi?

AND CUT!

Whew...alright so how was it? Tried to show the strain the fruit puts on Naruto who just managed to eat it less than a month prior, plus using so much of Kurama's chakra when his body has not been able to adapt enough that he doesn't suffer ill effects afterward.

Now then, the results for the poll: Naruto will obtain Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi. Now there will be some changes to the main storyline, mainly how he obtained the fruit, where he got it from and who his crew members will be.

Now I ask a new question, anyone got a good name for it? I've got a few ideas but I want to hear what y'all think would sound good for a 'crew' of shinobi headed by the strongest user of the Paramecia Akuma no Mi.

So...yeah that's about all for now. Oh yeah, I'm gonna be putting some challenges on my profile soon, be sure to look em up!

Till next time...Yurei King signing out!