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Chapter 26: Sasuke's Decision, Ari's Broken Heart
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"Arg.." I clenched my teeth, 'So that's Shukaku, he's powerful..'
Looking back at the battlefield, I caught a glimps of Sasuke holding his shoulder while Shukaku looked for him eagerly
"How do you stop something like that.." I panicked to myself
"He can't be stopped..can't be stopped.." Temari repeated again and agian and shivered
I was pulled back to the match happening infront of me when Shukaku Gaara thrashed his tail angrily while shouting, "Come out!! Uchiha Sasuke!! You're my..you're my..PREY!!"
"GRR!!" Shukaku Gaara growled as he launched himself at the trees near where Sasuke hid. As he landed on a tree branch, I saw him turn around laughing as he looked around for Sasuke, "Are you afraid of me! Uchiha Sasuke!!"
"How can we stop him!?" I shook Temari lightly
"He can't be stopped..he cant be stopped.." Temari repeated again.
"Did your hate and murderous intent cower because of fear?" Shukaku Gaara growled loudly, "Is your existance that weak? Fight me and confirm it! FIGHT ME!!"
In that split second, I saw Sasuke get up and perform a couple of hand seals that ended with him grabbing his left hand in his right
'Oh no..it can't be..that stance' I almost cried outloud as his left hand started to glow with lightnining,' Chidori!'
Gaara turned around and stared at the spot Sasuke was hiding. The trees not concealing the chidori glow.
"Ah!" I heard Temari gasped as she turned her full attention at the battle before us
"Lemme have some fun.." Shukaku Gaara smirked as he drooled, "Uchiha Sasuke!"
'No..' I cried silently, 'He can't used that..'
Shukaku Gaara made the first move, jumping towards Sasuke who followed with chidori powered up and ready
"Rrr!!" Shukaku Gaara moved his demon arm infront of hm and enclosed chidori within, meaning to stop it. Surprisingly, Sasuke's chidori ripped apart Shukaku's arm causing him to cry in pain.
"Gaara!" Temari cried horrified before gasping at Sasuke's back
As chidori disappeared, Sasuke landed on a branch and took a look at Gaara, who was sprawled on his back across from him.
Suddenly, Shukaku Gaara began to chuckle and stood up, seemingly unharmed, "I see! I see now!!"
"That can't be.. he countered Gaara's attach when Gaara's in that form?" Temari gasped
'How can this be?!' I wondered, 'He was just hit with chidori'
"Why is this so exciting? I finally understand" Shukaku Gaara mumbled, clutching his shoulder, "By defeating a guy who can hurt me, and taking away everything he possess..it will give me a stronger sensation of life!!"
I noticed that Temari seemed to be in a daze as she looked between Gaara and Sasuke
"More. More" Shukaku Gaara's arm seem that it was growing larger by the second.
"What?" It looked like Sasuke was just as surprised as I was when a tail was formed behind him
Temari was shaking even more next to me, clutching her hands together
"Grr!" Shukaku Gaara launched himself at Sasuke who barely dodged him
'Gaara seems faster with that tail!' I gasped
Shukaku Gaara latched himself on another branch and used it as a catapult to relaunch himself at Sasuke who hung upside down on a branch. Sasuke readied with hand seals as Shukaku got closer
'He cant use Chidori anymore' I thought, 'So it has to be-'
"Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu" Sasuke blew a huge ball of fire at Shukaku Gaara who blocked it with his Shukaku arm, as he came out unscratched
"Die!!" Shukaku rammed himself against Sasuke causing him to fly back and breaking other branches and crashed into the trunk of a big tree denting it.
"Sasuke!" I couldn't hold it in anymore
"You are weak!" Shukaku Gaara smirked and taunted, "You are too soft..because your hatred is weak! The power of hatred is the power of murderous intent. The murderous intent is the power of revenge! Your hatred is weaker then mine!"
"Stop it!" Without knowing what I was doing. I found myself standing infront of Sasukeand facing Shukaku Gaara my arms raised, shielding Sasuke from him. Glaring Shukaku right in the eyes I growled, "Stop it! He's not like you"
Shukaku Gaara flinched and grabbed his head with both hands growling, "Those eyes! Don't look at me with those eyes! ARG!!"
It happened in only a split second, I felt his tail connect with my left side causing me to fly and colliad with the same tree I was on
"Nnng.." I let out a painful cry and screamed as I left a few of my bones from my rib cage crack, 'That sounded like 4 cracked bones. I think I got a dislocated shoulder too'
Looking back at the scene, I found that my vision was begining to fade, 'No..not yet! Have to..stay focus..'
The last thing I saw was Sasuke charging at Gaara and Temari asking if I was okay
I then..blanked out..
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When I came to I found mysef lying in a white bed in the familier looking room of Konoha hospital.
"Arg.." I tried to sit up but found that my ribs still hurt like hell
-Knock-Knock-
I lied back down as I told whoever was knocking to come in
To my surprise, Sasuke came in quietly and closed the door behind him.
"Sasuke!" I shouted happily as I tried to sit up again and hissed as my ribs hurt again as Sasuke helped me sit up and I smilled at him, "Sasuke! How are you feeling? How's everyone? What happened to Gaara?"
"Everyone is fine. Sabaku no Gaara is in the other room next to yours. Everyone else on this floor" He replied with monotone,"..Ari..there's something we have to talk about"
"What is it Sasuke?" I couldn't stop smiling
"Ari..what happened today made me think" He began quietly, not looking at me, "I don't think we should be together anymore"
"What.." I couldn't help it, "Sasuke..what's wrong..?"
"Ari. I want us to stop seeing each other as anything more then a teammate" Sasuke replied
"Sasuke.." I began to cry a bit, "Why.."
"Why?" I heard his voice get hard, "Because you get in my way!"
"I get in..your way..?" I asked quitely
"Now that see you understand" Sasuke stood up, walked towards the door and opened it. Before he went out, he glanced at me, "Good bye Ari"
"Sasuke.." I murmured as tears fell down my face..
"SASUKE!!!"
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Scarlet: - Thanks for reading Heart of the Avenger. As you can see, soon it will spit into 2 stories. One with Sasuke: Heart of the Avenger and one with Gaara: Love of the Sandman. Please review and tell me what you think. Sad ending though huh D: