We were jumping for quite a while now and I could not stop worrying about Shikamaru. Yes, we two had never been friends but ever since Team 7 was created and after the forest of death, I had started to be more attached to the rest of the rookies. I mean, I passed some time with them while I was waiting for the second stage to be over and they had calmed me down when I was exaggerating about that could have happened to Naruto and the others-

"It looks like they have stopped moving," Packun said and snapped me from my thoughts.

"He did it! Like, he was successful in stopping them in their tracks!" Naru said.

"That's Shikamaru"

"You are right Sakura, that's Shikamaru for us," I said. but couldn't smile or enjoy the moment. Please, be okay Shikamaru.

"Sasuke's movement had stopped. There is still a little way to go but-"

"Aright!" Naru shouted and cut off Packun.

I left out a sigh and rolled my eyes but still had my guard up. Suddenly, I noticed that Packun was sniffing the air and his ears were moving. I was no dog expert but I knew that he was sensing/hearing/smelling something.

"Packun, is something wrong?" I asked.

"There is someone else besides us, chasing Sasuke"

"What?!"

"Is it the enemy or an ally?" Sakura asked.

"I do not know… only it's not human"

"How is that even possible?" I wondered/muttered mostly to myself. Except… no, it cannot be, can it?

I was lost in my thoughts, thinking and praying that I was just having too much imagination. When I heard a psychotic laugh that sent shivers at my spine, I knew that my thoughts and my suspicions had come to life. My eyes widened as we reached a small clearing and the first thing I saw, was Sasuke, who was almost unconscious, with that curse mark all over him. However, that was not the real issue as my eyes landed on Gaara but he was not himself. His right arm had transformed into a beat's clawed one, made completely from sand, identical to the one we had seen during his fight with Sasuke. Dark blue marks all over his face and his eyes were not seafoam blue anymore, but a beast's yellow one.

Is this part of Shukaku's transformation? I asked myself as my mind travelled back to the book about the bijuu.

I quickly raised my pace and headed towards Sasuke, hoping to reach on time and getting him out of harm's way. However, I was not fast enough. Thank Kami, Naru decided to act on impulse again and kicked Gaara on the face, sending him a few feet back. I quickly did the same and made sure to add as much power as I could. Gaara was sent flying, giving us some time to catch our breath and analyze the situation. Naru and I landed on a branch, a little in front of him.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed the moment she and Packun landed at the branch right next to him.

She immediately knelt next to him. Poor Sasuke grunted from the pain as he was trying to get up.

"Sakura…Akuma…" Naruto said, trying to proceed the whole situation.

Sasuke was supposed to be the strongest in our team and seeing him beaten up and with that curse mark all over him, made for an unpleasant picture that had shaken my friend.

"What… what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked.

"We came to help you dumbass, now stop moving or you will make things worse," I said.

"Sakura…Akuma…"

'What the hell do you want?!/What is it Naru?"

"This guy, over there, who the hell is he?" he asked and I facepalmed.

"His appearance may be different but he is the one you know as Gaara," Packun said and Naruto paled.

"So, I was right. He is losing control over Shukaku" I muttered, my worst fears coming to life.

"Hey little girl, red eyes. I guess it is the time to tell you that I am not the fighting type"

"I can see that by looking at you!",Sakura shouted and Sasuke screamed from the pain.

"It is okay Packun, what matter is to keep Sasuke safe for now," I said as I looked at Sasuke, who was screaming and grunting from the pain. Hold on Sasuke, just a little more.

"It's you, you are the one I did not kill that day," Gaara said, a murdering aura around him. I looked at him and my eyes widen as his murdering glare, gave away his next target.

"Guys, we have to go! Now!" Naru and I shouted together.

Suddenly, Gaara charged at Sasuke with inhuman speed. His giant san claws hand, ready to slice our comrade in two when Sakura, stood between them, kunai at her hands.

"Sakura no!" Naru shouted.

'Move this!" Gaara shouted as he trapped Sakura between his clawed hand and a tree trunk.

The force was great enough that caused Sakura to faint. Gaara was ready to attack Sasuke but he stopped and grabbed his head.

This is our chance.

"Naruto!" I called him and the time our eyes met, we both knew what to do. We both ran for our comrade. Naruto grabbed Sasuke but Gaara predicted his move and brought his giant sand tail, that now I noticed he had, and went for a strike but I was faster. I had grabbed my two fans and by placing my hands on an 'X' form, I blocked his attack. "Go Naru!" I shouted at him, who nodded with his head, and jumped at another branch while having a strong grip at Sasuke.

When I noticed that they had landed safe, I gathered chakra at my hands and pushed his tail aside while at the same time jumping away. I managed to land unharmed right next to Naruto and Sasuke.

"Damn it! Damn! What are we supposed to do now? We are screwed!" Naruto said as he started to panic.

"Naru, listen to me!" I said as I grabbed both of his shoulders and made him look at me. "You can do this. Calm down. I am here and I am going to help you. Remember what I told you yesterday Naru. You can do everything and I believe in you"

Gaara laughed. "What is the matter? Aren't you about to make a run for it?"

"Sasuke… Naruto … Akuma…" Sakura called our names while trying to stay awake but failed miserably as the hand continued adding more pressure.

"Who are these two? Who are they to you?" Gaara asked.

"Who are they to me? They are my friends, that is what they are! You try to lay another finger to the two of them and I will pulverize you!"

"Yeah, so back of Gaara because I am going to help him!" I shouted and we both looked at him with threatening glares. Suddenly, Sakura screamed as Gaara added more pressure.

"What matter? Weren't you going to pulverize me? Well, come on then!"

"Go get him Naru. I will keep Sasuke safe"

"Damn you!" he shouted as he charged at Gaara, only to be pushed back by his giant sand tail.

"Naru, are you okay?" I asked, worry in my voice.

I knew that Naruto didn't have a lot of changes in coming out victorious from that battle but miracles do happen. Kurama was also inside him which could save our lives but for the moment, things were tough and I couldn't do a lot.

"Yeah… This guy…"

He laughed again. "As long as you fight for the sake of others, you will never advance beyond this level! Only one can stay undefeated and only he can know what it means to exist! Forget for your friends and fight for yourself"

"Naru, do not listen to him!" I shouted."Gaara, you are wrong! Those who abandon their friends are worst than scums! Remember Naru!"

"You are insane. Forget my friends? Akuma is right, not going to happen!"

"Let the feelings like friendship and loyalty cloud your focus and you will die" he argued.

"Yeah, yeah… keep talking while you can because I am going to shut you up, once and for all!" Naru shouted the last part, grabbed a kunai and charged.

"You do not understand what true power means," Gaara said and smirked evilly but it faded a few seconds later as he grabbed his head once again, having some sort of power struggle between him and the tailed beast.

However, that did not prevent him from hitting Naruto with his tail once again and sent him flying at a tree branch, not too far away from Sasuke and Me. Speaking of him, he coughed blood and you could see that he was struggling to keep the curse mark in check. Which meant that we had to bring him back as soon as possible. If it were another ninja in my place, most likely they would have grabbed Sasuke and leave but like I told Gaara and like I was taught by my sensei; I wouldn't abandon my friend. All I could do and hope was to believe in Naruto, to believe in any luck that might be on our side and hope that I can help in any way I can to turn the tides of the battle.

"What's the matter? Why don't you attack? Don't you care what happens to your precious friend?" Gaara asked when he stopped holding his head and added more pressure.

"Sakura!" Naruto and I shouted together.

"Let her go!" Naruto shouted and started to make hand signs that I quickly recognized.

"Naru, are you sure?" I asked as he finished the signs.

"Positively!" he said and bit his thumb. "Summoning Jutsu!" he shouted and smoke appeared from nowhere. When it cleared, however, instead of the giant Chief Toad, a small red and yellow frog was standing in front of Naru.

"What is it? What do you want kid? Well, whatever it is, I will probably need some treats because if you think that I will do anything fro nothing you are wrong" the frog said and I facepalmed.

It was clear that no luck was on our side.

"Give me a break! I really have started hating frogs!"

"What is that? Don't you dare to take that amphibian for a fool!" the Frog said and showed him his tongue.

"Listen, I do not have time to play with you slimy little squirt!"

Gaara laughed again and it had started to anger me. We got it that the situation was ridiculous and perhaps impossible but his constant laughter should come to a halt eventually. Yet, he continued his very same speech. "Worried about the others? That is your big mistake!" this time, he lifted his head, only to show that his face had completely changed into the one of a beast. "When I fight, I fight for me and me alone" he continued and his whole body, minus his feet, started to be covered with sand and weird markings.

When he finished, his upper body was one of a beast that I assumed was Shukaku's. His giant clawed hand that was holding Sakura, cut in two but he did not set her free. The part that was stuck at the tree, stayed there like it was some kind of glue while Gaara's hand, quickly replaced the already cut on with a brand-new. Crap, we definitely are doomed.

"Only by attacking and defeating me, you can free her. You should hurry as with every passing second, the sand will continue to add more pressure until she dies… Sand Shuriken!" he shouted the last part and countless sand shuriken were aimed at him.

"Naruto get out of the way!" I shouted and thank Kami he heard me. He grabbed the tiny frog, held him close to his body and jumped in the air. However, a few managed to hit him and the force sent him flying on a tree and later on a branch. "Damn you!" I shouted as I grabbed shuriken and threw it at him.

He laughed at my fatal attempt. "Pathetic" he stopped my attack with his sand shuriken.

However, they were more than mine was and it was then when I understood that they were coming towards Sasuke and I. Instincts kicking in, I quickly opened my fans and blocked all of them but one stuck at my thigh.

"Shit" I muttered at myself as I pulled it off and then crashed it, turning it back to sand. Sakura let another weak cry of pain as the hand continued adding pressure.

"What is the matter? Are you afraid of me? Are you still thinking of the best way to save your friends? Fool! Forget them! Love only yourself and yourself only. That is what it means to be the strongest! What is wrong? You were so bold and cocky before. Shoe me your strength! Attack you, coward! Fight or I will kill the girl right now!"

"Okay, you asked for it!" Naruto shouted as he charged. While he was at the air, he created around twenty shadow clones and all of them, attacked Gaara.

Suddenly, Gaara inhaled lots of air and then exhale it along with sand. The force of the attack, strong enough that the clones were disappearing one after the other. When the air stopped and the sand cleared, I searched for him and I found him lying with his stomach, at a branch.

"Naru, are you alright?" I shouted/called, taking a few steps on the branch while ignoring my bleeding thigh.

'Yeah, I will survive" he said as he tried to get up. Gaara sent him another dozen of sand shuriken and sent Naru flying back until his back touch the trunk.

"You bastard!" I shouted as I left my fans down and started making hand signs. I was tired of waiting and tired of watching Naruto getting beaten, again. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu" I shouted and sent him a giant fireball. When the jutsu dies, Gaara was unharmed, as his giant tail had protected him from my attack.

"Such a weak and pathetic attack. You are no match for me little girl" he said and laughed at my face. Damn it, I curded under my breath and I looked at Naruto who was fighting to stand up.

Gaara did the same only that he, attacked again with sand shuriken. Naruto was sent flying, smashed two branches before finally landing at another trunk.

"Naruto!" I shouted and I could feel my blood boil. "No one is hurting Naru!" I shouted as I grabbed my fans and went for a front attack, forgetting the whole protecting Sasuke plan.

He sent me some sand shuriken but I managed to avoid or destroy them. I brought my fans and aimed for his face but he blocked my attack with his tail. He then grabbed me with his clawed hand and threw me back. I landed on my back, a branch in front of Sasuke.

I managed to stand up but then, a sheer pain made me look down. It looked like that when he grabbed me; one of his claws entered my wound at my thigh and ended up opening it even more.

"Oh come on!", I cursed as I knelt at one knee and grabbed my bleeding wound.

"What is this? You come at me and this is all you have? All that effort and you could not even touch me. Your friend over there did better work than you did but she is still weak"

I looked at Naruto and noticed that he attacked by adding explosive paper at one of his kunai. Then, he created four more shadow clones and all of them attacked.

"Brand New taijutsu Technique… Uzumaki Clone: Body Slam" the Narutos shouted.

Gaara trapped three of the Naruto's between his hand and a tree trunk but then, two more Narutos jumped at his hand. One of them, the clone, tossed Naruto towards Gaara was. The real Naruto, while he was in the air, created a shadow clone to take the impact as Gaara attacked with his other hand. Then, he created another clone, which used him to eject himself and attack Gaara from the back. However, when I expected him to attack Gaara, he only pinned his kunai at Gaara's butt and caused me to sweatdrop, deadpan and then facepalm at his stupidity.

Naruto, I just lost all the respect I had for you, I thought, not believing what he had just done. Gaara did not say anything; instead, he brought his tail and hit Naruto once again. However, the kunai at his butt exploded and caused sand and smoke to rise everywhere. My eyes quickly landed at Naruto who would land, hard, at another tree trunk.

"I am sorry Sasuke," I said as I grabbed him, infused chakra at my hand and tossed him. Just in time, as he crushed with Naruto and prevented him from crushing at the tree. I quickly landed next to them but my leg quickly abandoned me and I landed on top of Sasuke, who sent me a death glare. "I am sorry" I apologized, for throwing him and for landing on top of him, and got up.

"Forget it," he said as he tried to get up. "Naruto, you did it," I said as the smoke cleared and exposed that half of Gaara's sand body had started to melt and the tail had already disappeared.

However, my cheers and happy mood did not stay for long as Sakura let another weak yell/scream of pain as the hand continued pressing her and made me wonder, how much time we had.

"Naruto, I can't save you this time, as I did in the land of waves… and Akuma is already hurt and she cannot do much…"

"Hey!"

"Listen… you have to save Sakura even if it is the last thing to do. Once you get her, I want you to take her and along with Akuma, I want you to flee as fast as you can"

"Sasuke… you…"

"I can… hold him here… a little longer" he said as he stood up. "If it ends here… it just means that this is as far as I was meant to go… I lost everything once… I never want to see that again… my trusted comrades falling… right in front of me"

"Your comrades… Sasuke … I get it now! Of course!",Naruto said and got up. "He is not different than I am. Going through life with the same feeling of loneliness and sadness, I did. I thought he was strong because he survived that solitude, fighting only for himself… but I was wrong! His strength is not real! Strength does not come from being alone… real strength is not when you are fighting only for yourself… When you have something special to protect, only then you can become really strong!"

"You are right Naru!" I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder. His words had filled me with determination and courage. "Both of us have passed loneliness but we only cam through it stronger because we had our friends by our side. They are what gives us power and they are the reason why we fight" I said as both, Naru and I placed our hand on the Tora sign.

"Naruto… Akuma…"

"Better stand a little back Sasuke" I warned him.

"I am going to protect my friends no matter what!"Naru and I shouted together and smoked covered us and a small part of the are around us. When it was clear, a thousand clones of Naruto and dozens of mine were standing at every branch.

"Geez, I did not mean to make you wait so long! Get ready for my original jutsu straight from my ninja handbook!" Naruto shouted.

"Yeah, get ready Gaara. Because when you mess up with our friends, you have to deal with us next!"

"Yeah!" Naruto's and my clones shouted together.