This is part three of the invasion. Chapter 39 is the first part of the invasion. Have you read chapter 39 and 40? It's written through different peoples parts of the invasion.
I hope you find it enjoyable, and let me know what you think.
Please enjoy it, lol.
Thank you for the alerts and reviews.
Naruto = flash back
'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking
"Naruto" signing/sign language
"Naruto" speaking.
"Naruto" Demon
"Naruto" is demon enhanced.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.
Chapter 41. The Monster.
Naruto scowled as Shikamaru woke him up, by hitting him with his full strength on the head. He turned watching as Kankuro and Temari moved to an unstable Gaara, Shino and Shikamaru glanced to them.
"That's a shit weakness to have." Shikamaru scowled.
"Doesn't mean you can try and give me a concussion because of it." Naruto scowled rubbing his head.
He turned as his clone threw its broken staff at the purple barrier that was appearing around where the Hokage was. He shivered an ominous feeling running down his spine.
"Shino keep an eye on the sand siblings, you're better at tracking then we are." Naruto turned.
"Shikamaru try to keep up," Naruto smirked.
He jumped over the railing, grabbing it and spinning on his hand pushing up and running along the wall, Shikamaru sighed and flipped up onto the wall running after Naruto.
They ran back towards Sakura and their sensei's, Naruto dropped onto the railing below and bounded up the stairs he glanced at their friends as he moved past, jumping over Kakashi's kunai wielding extended arm as Shikamaru ducked under it, Kakashi glancing at them as they flew past him.
"Naruto where are we going?" Shikamaru asked.
"To Hinata, I noticed she and Kiba weren't in their seats earlier and with this attack I'm worried." Naruto shouted spinning out the way of Asuma's glowing knives, as Shikamaru stopped short.
"How do you have this much energy?" Shikamaru shouted as Naruto stopped at the entrance of a hallway.
"I naturally have a high source of chakra, but I'm like Gaara I have two chakra sources."
"That's why you're reaching out to him, because he reminds you of yourself."
"In some ways he does, but-" he moved Hinata into a more comfortable position, "He shows me what I could have turned into." He straightened Kiba so that he was also leaning against the wall.
Shikamaru watched as he summoned a small green toad that looked about the size of Akamaru, who he moved in-between the two stroking his fur carefully, as an eye cracked open.
"Hey there I was getting worried, doesn't look like you guys got hit by the genjutsu." He stroked Akamaru, "This is Akamaru, and together you two are going to make sure nothing happens to them." Naruto spoke to the toad. "She's precious to me." He moved her hair back into place.
Naruto moved away as Shikamaru shook his head at him, Naruto shrugged ducking as Gai threw an enemy ninja into the wall.
(Line)
Genma growled as Gaara began holding his head and his siblings landed next to him, along with their sensei.
"We've got to get him out of here."
"The plan." Baki snapped.
"Gaara isn't in any state to be part of the plan, he did too much damage!" Kankuro shouted pointing at Sasuke. "We should get Gaara out of here, like Naruto suggested, the further out of the village he is the safer it is."
"He's a fool for trying to transform before the signal, this is his own fault." Baki snapped.
"No it's not!" Temari snapped. "He's never been hurt like this before, there was no way anyone knew how he'd react! Screw the plan, Gaara's more important!" Temari grabbed Gaara under the arm as Kankuro did the same.
"Abort the mission!" Baki growled, "I'll join the battle, get him out of here." Baki turned to face Genma.
Genma frowned hearing them talking about Naruto, he looked up at Baki.
"Is this Orochimaru's doing?"
"Who knows let's just enjoy the fun?" Baki laughed.
"What the hell is going on?" Sasuke snapped.
"The chuunin exam is over, the sand and sound have banded together to start an invasion, Gaara is unstable, and Naruto figured out that would happen which is why those two are taking Gaara away so that when it happens he doesn't hurt any innocent people. Smart kid that Naruto. You need to make yourself useful somewhere, technically you're already at chuunin level, so you should be able to handle yourself, and I'm going to take out this guy." Genma explained.
Sasuke's eyes hardened as he stared out after Gaara, Naruto was not better than him, he would finish this fight and prove that he was better than Naruto. He jumped up following after Gaara the mark on his shoulder pulsing ominously as it tried to put through the seal Kakashi had placed around it.
(Line)
Kakashi and Gai turned looking at the barrier surrounding where the Hokage had been sitting, Kakashi let out a gasp as he realized who was inside the barrier with him, Orochimaru. He watched as Hikaru tried to get through the barrier throwing jutsu at the staff ends sticking out the barrier. Naruto had created a weak spot. He glanced round looking for Naruto spotting him and Shikamaru emerging from a hallway near where the other senseis and his real body were fighting. Gai settled Rock lee into a comfortable position tucking him away as Tenten, Ino, and Choji started moving people to safety.
"We are in a dire situation indeed old friend." Gai stood ready to fight as he glanced to Kakashi. "Naruto will be fine; he didn't mean what he said he does care about you." He rested a hand on his shoulder calming the man.
(Line)
Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru followed Pakkun through the trees in a straight path.
"Did Kakashi sensei actually call for me on this mission?" Shikamaru asked as they dodged over branches heading to the edge of the village.
"Yes, he assigned this mission to us, I'm worried about Sasuke, and Orochimaru's in the barrier with the Hokage, what if Sasuke finds out and heads to Orochimaru?"
"He won't right now he's more interested in finishing his fight with Gaara, but Gaara's too unstable to fight," Naruto pursed his lips sensing Gaara's chakra faintly.
"This way!" Pakkun darted to the right suddenly as they moved further into the trees surrounding the village.
Naruto frowned behind them, his head turning as he made out chakra signatures moving towards them.
"Pick up the pace you guys!" Pakkun shouted over his shoulder.
"What why?" Sakura asked.
"Two squads are following us." Pakkun replied.
"Nine of them." Naruto confirmed.
"Already that was quick; they must have left soon after we did." Shikamaru complained.
"Doesn't look like they know our exact position but the speed they're going they'll catch us fast." Pakkun mumbled.
"They're probably way above chuunin level too; if they catch up with us we won't have a chance." Shikamaru moaned.
"Stop putting a downer on everything, we're three very capable ninja and Pakkun can handle his own, he's one of Kakashi's ninken, when they catch us we'll handle them together." Naruto snapped at Shikamaru. "We can do this." He pushed off faster.
"Naruto, I've got an idea. We can't ambush them but what if I lead them away. It'll give you and Sakura a chance to catch up to Sasuke and Shino a chance to catch up with us, he's still following the sand siblings like you suggested right, he'll take over as the fourth member of the team."
"You sure about this? You don't have a lot of chakra left." Naruto looked back at his friend.
"Enough to distract them with and hold them off long enough for you guys to get a head." Shikamaru nodded.
"What are you two guys saying?" Sakura asked staring at the two boys.
"Shikamaru is going to be a decoy, he's going to draw the enemy hunters away from us giving us enough time to catch up to Sasuke, but he doesn't have much chakra left after his fight with Temari, it's a one way ticket for him, which will only slow our pursuers down but eventually they will catch us to us." Naruto explained.
"I'm going to pretend to ambush them. You guys are all needed for Sasuke but me I'm just the tag along, besides the Kage mane no jutsu was used as a delaying tactic originally. I'll be fine go!" Shikamaru snagged a branch above them spinning and turning himself around, landing on the branch as he did so.
Naruto stopped momentarily glancing in the direction they were travelling from his chakra fanning out as he did so he looked up at Shikamaru nodding before jumping after Sakura and Pakkun.
"They're getting closer." Pakkun sniffed.
"He wouldn't have run away would he?"
"Shikamaru's not the type of guy, not anymore anyway, don't under estimate him." Naruto stated.
(Line)
Shikamaru crouched down catching his breath, he couldn't believe how much faith Naruto had in people, it was a foolish trait to have, but Naruto was a foolish person, he fought when injured and inspired others that there was more to them than what they believed, he truly was an idiot. Shikamaru shifted his attention as the group of ninja that had been following them had fallen for his trick. He smiled as they all landed in the clearing behind his hiding spot behind some bushes.
He straightened and walked out of the bushes, as the enemy realized that they couldn't move, he held up a stick he had made to look like a dogs paw.
"Just to let you know that this is what made the paw print." He smirked dropping the stick and breathing harshly.
"This is the famous shadow binding spell huh?" one of the ninjas spoke.
"That's a pretty old name, times moved since then." Shikamaru grunted, he pulled out some kunai and shuriken and proceeded to throw them at the ninja stuck in his trap. He watched as the tools flew towards them before being knocked out of the air, he glanced in the direction that the other projectiles had come from taking note of the tree that ninja was sat in. He pushed his shadow towards the tree watching as it only made it half way. He gritted his teeth pulling out a kunai for each hand as his shadow slowly began to return to him. The enemy ninja sniggered as it happened, the one that spoke earlier taking the lead again.
"Looks like you've run out of rope, a kid like you never have should have thought he could beat us." He smirked.
"But I out smarted you." He smirked; if he was going to go down he would do it as someone Naruto could be proud of.
"Come down and lop his head off already, he sneered.
Shikamaru shuddered as a person dropped down behind him too quick for him to do anything about and a cloud of smoke drifted past him, he turned seeing Asuma standing behind him the enemy ninja that was hiding in the trees lying dead in his arms.
"I finally caught up to you." Asuma smirked throwing the body away and bringing his trench knives out.
He moved quickly through the enemy ninja his trench knives glowing as he weaved amongst them. He stopped dropping his cigarette to the ground as the enemy ninja dropped dead, blood pooling around them. He walked over to Shikamaru as the boy collapsed down onto the ground his kunai clattering as he slowly came to the realization that he wasn't going to die, his sensei had saved him.
"Where are the others?" Asuma asked.
(Line)
"Our pursuers have stopped moving." Pakkun stated.
"He did it!" Sakura cried out joyfully.
"Told you he would." Naruto smiled, feeling the familiar warmth that was his uncle arriving at Shikamaru's location.
(Line)
Sasuke smirked as he finally caught up to the sand trio, he pushed forwards gaining a burst of speed and over took the trio landing on a branch in front of them, blocking their path causing them to stop.
"You can't escape." He smirked.
(Line)
"Sasuke's movements have stopped." Pakkun called back. "He's a little ways ahead still, but..." he sniffed "I can't make out this other scent, but they are following Sasuke too."
"Don't worry that's a friend." Naruto smirked.
(Line)
Kankuro stepped forwards placing himself between Sasuke and Gaara, he glanced back pulling off his mummified puppet. "Get Gaara out of here, I'll take care of him." Temari nodded hauling Gaara further up her shoulders and continuing on.
"Actually I think you owe me a fight." Shino spoke from his perch on a branch to their left.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked shocked yet pleased that Shino was there.
"I have better skills as a tracker, but I am still a competent ninja, I would like to have our fight if you please."
"How did you get here?" Kankuro griped in annoyance.
"My bugs allow me to track others; I have been following you since you left the arena." Shino stated.
"If you're sure you're confident enough to handle him." Sasuke smirked his attitude coming right again.
"Enough to keep him off your back at least." Shino nodded. "But Sasuke be warned Gaara isn't like any other opponent, Naruto thinks we should let him get out of the village before he unleashes –"
"I'm not Naruto! I'm not scared of that creep!" Sasuke snapped.
"You should be. You have no idea what you're up against, the terror that Gaara can turn into." Kankuro shook his head as Sasuke darted off after his sister.
Shino spread his arms wide his sleeves jumping past his hands before falling back into place, his fingers spread as he prepared for his battle with Kankuro. Kankuro slide his mummified puppet from his back the bandages falling to the floor, his fingers lighting up with the visible blue of the chakra that would make up the strings that attached to the now revealed puppet Karasu. Shino held his arm as slowly the bugs he kept inside his body stalked out of his sleeves, until they we're swarming over his arms and hovering in the close vicinity of his body.
"I will not underestimate you, and will fight with my all; I hope you can do the same." Shino spoke in his quiet whisper.
"As expected of someone who's been in close proximity of Naruto." Kankuro huffed.
"He changes people." Shino nodded a slight smirk appearing across his face.
Kankuro smirked back before moving his hands sending Karasu towards Shino; a hidden compartment opened in the wrist of one of Karasu's arms a knife sliding out of that compartment. It slammed the knife down where Shino had been before; having dodged backwards away from the blade, noticing the liquid dripping from the dagger, noticing that it was poison. Kankuro moved his right lower two fingers causing the mouth of his puppet to open and two kunai to shot out of the mouth at Shino.
The two kunai hit Shino one the head the other in the neck, Shino's face began to drop as the insects which had been pretending to be Shino separated revealing the ploy to Kankuro as he looked round for the real Shino. He ducked as Shino attacked from behind a strong right cross as he moved into Kankuro's weak point. Kankuro kicked back jumping off of the branch and landing behind on a second branch, creating distance which worked best with his style of fighting.
"Using insects to create a body double and then attacking from behind, not bad." Kankuro bemoaned.
"You use jutsu from a distance which is why I thought you wouldn't be able to handle close combat. You concentrate when you use your jutsu leaving yourself wide open." Shino confirmed.
"You understand the limitations of a jutsu specialist, but I'll show you the terror of the crow technique." He cried as he moved his left upper fingers making Karasu's arm fold at the elbow where a sphere shot out like a small canon exploding in front of Shino releasing a gas that enveloped his surrounding area.
Shino was stuck inside the gas cloud for a few seconds before he managed to escape its radius and push up landing on a branch above the noxious poison gas. As he landed he lost visual of Kankuro, Karasu appeared behind him he turned round just as Karasu using all its hidden blades, four in the stomach, and each of the four arms containing a blade dripping with poison swung round to stab Shino.
Shino was planted the other side of the branch his bugs forming a shadow over the puppet, they had placed themselves to stop the puppet from moving by jamming all of the joints, allowing Shino to get to a safer distance, even if it was the underside of the tree branch. The insects while blocking the puppets joints were also making their way up the chakra strings eating away on their preferred choice of delicacy, while slowly revealing the path to Kankuro's hidden position in the trees.
Kankuro realizing what the insects were doing cut the strings attached to his puppet leaving the insects to wave aimlessly in the wind as they devoured the remains of the string. Shino seemed surprised that he had done so, when the head of Karasu detached itself with a quiet shick causing Shino to turn his head in alarm as the mouth opened wide to reveal yet another hidden blade. Kankuro smirked, he had reattached a single chakra string moments after he had severed the rest of them, this single string was controlling the head as it sped towards Shino who was stuck with his hands controlling the insects that had stopped the puppet in its tracks earlier.
"Time to DIE!" Kankuro shouted slightly manically, as the head flew closer and closer to Shino.
The head suddenly stopped at toppled to the ground inches from Shino's face, Shino finally free of his bugs moved to a branch leaning heavily against the trunk as a sweat broke out across his face. Kankuro looked down at his fingers in shock, finding bugs swarming his fingers, he glanced back to his puppet realizing that the insects had eaten the chakra strings which is why the head had fallen, he was then swarmed by a wave of insects all eating away at his chakra.
"When did these things get on me?" he shouted.
"The one's attacking your puppet were a diversion, while you were focusing on them, you didn't notice the one on your back," Shino took a breath getting woozy. "That I had planted on you earlier. I deliberately missed when I threw that punch at you allowing me to place that one bug on you, I have been directing the others towards you ever since."
"One bug? How could you know where I was with one bug?"
"I hate having to repeat myself," Shino sighed slumping against the truck.
"Wait so the one on my head, is that female bug," he whimpered as the insects continued to eat away at his chakra.
"Yes," Shino slipped to his knees, he had inhaled some of the poisonous gas cloud earlier after all.
(Line)
Temari continued through the trees glad that Gaara was small for his age, he was easier to with two people, but Kankuro had stayed behind to stop Sasuke, that little twerp really didn't know when to quit. She looked down as Gaara groaned.
"Put me down Temari." He muttered.
"You're awake?" she asked stopping on a wide branch.
She helped Gaara down as he clasped his head actually looking like he was in pain for once as the demon inside him tried to break its way out. She watched in concern knowing that she couldn't handle him alone, Gaara's head snapped up suddenly as he looked past her.
"Scram!" Gaara commanded, making Temari pause as one of his eyes changed from teal to black.
"GET LOST!" he swung his arm out and knocked Temari into a tree with tremendous strength. "MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS!" he shouted, his attention riveted to Sasuke who had appeared in a tree behind them.
Gaara crumpled to the ground his head in both hands now, a cry of pain erupting from his lips.
"I don't know what your village's motive is but I will stop you." Sasuke looked on. "Also I want to see your true face." Gaara looked up his skin on one side cracked.
"You that is strong, that has companions, that has ambition but is still like me, once I kill you, I will be the one to destroy all that, only then can I survive, can I feel alive!" Gaara screamed as he collapsed to his knees a monstrous scream ripping from his lungs, freezing Temari in terror as Sasuke watched on.
The sand like claw from the beginnings of their battle reappearing as Gaara face morphed to match that of the sand, his eye now black with a yellow pupil staring out, his skin falling away to take on a more sand like appearance, the beginnings of a face appearing as an ear sat atop his head, a deep growl rumbling in his throat as his teeth sharpened.
Temari shrank back in terror as Sasuke finally saw the makings of the monster Gaara truly was. He quickly put together the image of the thing inside the sand prison; his hand betrayed his cool demeanour by shaking. He was rooted to the spot as Gaara flew towards him the monstrous arm coming towards him. He moved finally as the arm came sweeping down towards him, he looked back at where he had been standing after the cloud of dust settled to find two felled trees and a chunk of branch missing from where he had been standing, a thrill of terror ran down his spine as he realized just how much of a monster Gaara actually was.
"Are you afraid of me, Sasuke Uchiha?" Gaara's voice was tinted with madness like rage. "Has fear taken over the hatred that courses through you, the killing rage diminished like your very reason for existence? Come and get me!"
Sasuke ran through hand seals pulling chakra to his arm as the crackling chirping of the Chidori gave away his position, he leapt forwards meeting Gaara as he came to destroy him.
Temari watched on as the lightening that surrounded Sasuke's arm as he landing, hearing an ear splitting roar she turned to look at Gaara to see his transformed right arm had been split in two by Sasuke. That was the second time that Sasuke had managed to hurt Gaara, the manic laughing that resonated from her brother was eerie, she had never heard him laugh and now the monster was enjoying its fight, it would not end well for the leaf ninja of that she was sure, she looked back the way they had travelled hoping for Kankuro to come and help her.
"This pain, I see now, this is why I enjoy it so much, killing you, the strongest person to ever hurt me will renew my existence!" He fell to his knees as the sand formed a tail, moving his transformation along.
Gaara swung round the tree and threw himself at Sasuke, his speed had increased, and the only reason Sasuke had managed to create distance was because of his sharigan. The branch he had been perched on exploded as Gaara destroyed it, Gaara's hooked his claws in to a branch spinning as he changed his trajectory, and Sasuke however standing upside down on a branch sent a giant fireball towards him, hoping that would have some effect against the sand. He was knocked back as Gaara exploded through the smoke of his fireball sending him rocketing through several trees landing in a creator of a trunk slumping as the wind was knocked out of him along with at least two cracked ribs.
"Is this all your existence means to you? You are weak! Your hatred isn't enough, to hate is to kill, and to kill is vengeance! Your hatred doesn't even reach on the scale of mine!"
"Shut up!" Sasuke glowered.
"It means you're weaker than me!" Gaara launched himself at Sasuke again.
The air ripped as the chirping noise surrounded Sasuke again, as he flew towards Gaara, the noise dying out as he drew closer, his limit reached on the use of chidori.
They both landed on opposing branches Sasuke slumped as he fought for breath; slowly Gaara's arm slipped as Sasuke had made the final chidori severing through the sand bound the monster arm together. The curse mark had broken through the seal allowing Sasuke the push he needed to create the final chidori, his arm still crackling with lightening. He collapsed as Gaara's second arm turned into the monstrous arm to match the tail, now that his other arm was human again. He launched himself at Sasuke's downed form going for the killing blow. Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm as he realized he couldn't move.
Gaara was knocked back as a blonde blur collided with him, catching the branch and spinning round it landing in a protective stance above Sasuke, Sakura, and Pakkun landed just behind him, Sakura instantly rushing to their downed team mate.
"Naruto." Temari breathed as the blonde straightened up his eyes hardening as he sent a steel glare to Gaara.
"Sakura, you help Sasuke, I've got to try and calm down Gaara." Naruto spoke over his shoulder, as both Pakkun and Sakura finally registered the monster that Gaara had transformed into.
"What the hell? He attacked Sasuke like that?"
"He's not fully transformed yet there's still time." Naruto turned as Sasuke let out a shout of pain as he tried to control the curse seal.
Gaara eyed Naruto warily as he stood in between him and his prey; he titled his head as a slow recognition settled over him before being consumed by a mad blood lust. He launched himself at Sasuke, faster than Naruto was prepared for as Sakura kunai quickly in hand put herself between Gaara and Sasuke. The monster arm hitting her full force and pinning her to a tree, Naruto grabbed Sasuke and placed him on a tree branch just above the two ninja.
"Naruto," Temari called out, "the more of him that turns the stronger and faster he gets, there is no stopping this transformation." She shouted up to the blonde boy who was willing to help Gaara.
"Why?" Gaara held his head in his hand.
"The same reason Gai stepped in front of Rock Lee, because she cares for him," Naruto stated.
"What are they to you?"
"They're my comrades, members of the leaf village, people I would die to protect. I told your siblings to get you away from my village because I love it, and want to protect it. Just like your siblings want to protect you." Naruto frowned.
"They are scared of me! Of what I am! I'm a monster that cannot love anyone but me!" his hand pressed tighter around Sakura.
"No! You're not a monster Gaara! You're misguided and hurt; you're taking out all your resentment and anger on the world around you! But look Temari's still here. Kankuro gave himself up to protect you!"
"Out of fear." Gaara pulled his arm away leaving Sakura in the sand hand as his body transformed further, two sand arms and a tail as his face began to lose its human shape.
"No out of love! Love makes people do amazing things Gaara, love makes you stronger; I don't want you to hurt my friends." Naruto spoke calmly.
"That claw will get tighter and tighter until you defeat me." Gaara smirked.
Naruto twirled kunai into his hand waiting as Gaara crossed his arms over his face before flinging them open as he threw sand shuriken at Naruto. He pushed chakra into the kunai as he sliced at the sand knocking them away as his wind based chakra surged through his kunai.
"Pakkun stay by Sakura, you can't do much more for us now, but I need to know how much time I have left." Pakkun nodded jumping over to keep an eye on the slowly constricting sand.
"Show me that power you are so afraid of using, that one from the battle with the Hyuuga!" Gaara roared the only human part of him were the two legs sticking out of the sand mass.
Naruto looked to Sasuke as he quickly came up with a plan, if Sasuke had enough strength left to perform a fire jutsu that could be combined with Naruto's wind jutsu then perhaps they could transform the sand into glass. He would have to wait for Sasuke to get his energy back. he darted forwards his kunai glowing as he sliced his way through the sand that reached out for him, spinning as Gaara used a giant wind based attack at him, the spinning motion allowed him to push more and more chakra out as his wind based attack tried to stop Gaara's. He switched with a clone getting closer to Gaara landing on the branch sliding through Gaara's legs attaching an exploding tag as he did so, his clone burst as it hit the tree Gaara's attack more powerful than his own, he was knocked flying by Gaara's tail, as the tag began to smoke.
"Boom." Naruto smirked as he flew back.
Where Gaara had been was covered by smoke as the explosive tag blew up creating a cloud of dust. Naruto felt himself land in something soft as it appeared Sasuke had gained enough energy to move. Gaara's sand monster hand an almost melted like appearance where Naruto's attack had been more effective than he first thought.
'Got a weak spot there will have to remember that.' Naruto thought as he turned to look at Sasuke.
"Can't always be saving your ass, dobe."
"Well I had to do something till you got your strength back, got enough to perform a fire jutsu for me?" Naruto smirked wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Not yet, you have to save Sakura, stupid girl tried to save me, I'm not worth saving, you get her and you get out of here as fast as you can."
"Sasuke,"
"You said love's what makes you strong, that he isn't a monster, that you don't want him to hurt your friends, when did we become friends huh?" Sasuke stood up straighter.
"We've always been friends Sasuke, we're both to stubborn to admit it, and the fact that you're getting ready to sacrifice yourself for me and Sakura proves it. Deep down we mean more to you than you let on." Naruto straightened as Sasuke looked at him out the corner of his eye.
"It doesn't mean I care about you, I'm just not willing to watch any more people die." Sasuke snarked.
"You're both wrong about strength, it doesn't come from fighting for yourself it comes from fighting for others," Naruto's chakra began to spike as he summoned more and more chakra. "I will protect you no matter what, that is the true meaning of strength. We've all lost precious people, but we gain more and that gives us something to fight for without something precious to push us on how can we know true strength?" His chakra was tinged with red. "Ready with that Fire jutsu?" Naruto smirked, his teeth elongating and his eyes turning to slits.
He pushed forwards as Gaara's battered form couldn't move, he split into more versions of himself kicking Gaara around from one clone to the other as Sasuke took a breath and released it into his signature fireball technique Naruto quickly running through seals and creating a wave of wind which mixed with Sasuke's jutsu making it stronger, he landed on the ground a few feet away from here Gaara had fallen and watched as he was consumed by the flames. There was an almighty roar as the smoke from their combined jutsu dispersed, and a giant sand monster emerged.
"Shit." Naruto sighed; turning to look at Temari, both of them had hoped that last attack would work.
"He's fully transformed there's no stopping him now Naruto." She yelled at him.
"So that's Shukaku," Naruto spoke in slight awe, as Sasuke collapsed down onto his tree branch.
Shukaku moved one giant paw as sand started to surround Naruto, he felt the air getting gritty and heavy moving up into the trees bouncing from one branch to the other as he tried to out run the sand but was quickly overwhelmed as it completely surrounded him.
"Naruto!" Sasuke called out as he watched his team mate disappear in the sand.
Naruto switched out with a log as the log was shattered into splitters. 'I'm going to need help, a lot bigger help if I'm to stop Gaara and Shukaku. The fox doesn't really trust me yet, so I can't use him, I wonder if,' He bit down on his thumb pushing all his chakra out as he glowed red briefly, a cloud of smoke later and several stories higher he found himself atop the head of Gamabunta.
"I'm sorry to call you out so suddenly, but I would greatly like your assistance please toad boss Gamabunta." Naruto asked respectfully.
"Still got your manners I see kid. Maybe I should introduce you to my kid."
"Yes, would you please help me subdue Shukaku, before anyone else gets hurt?" he asked.
"I don't exactly have no claws, here kid, but seeing as you asked so nicely, why not?" Gamabunta smiled drawing his sword.
"I just have to figure out a way to get Gaara back in control, if you can manage till then." Naruto nodded.
"Hold on kiddo." Gamabunta said, jumping forwards bringing his sword down for an impressive sweep.
The sword pushed through Shukaku's arm but with a lot more effort and strength then the toad boss wanted to use, he felt his hands shaking as he finally pushed through dislodging his sword from his hands as he did so. He jumped back assessing the damage as his sword landed near the others and Shukaku's arm landed to the left of that while he skidded to a stop to the far right of that.
"We need to keep clear of this area; Sakura, Sasuke Temari, and Pakkun are down there." Naruto commented seeing how close they came to being crushed by the two giants fighting.
"If we don't finish this fight soon we'll change the entire landscape." Gamabunta commented.
"You're fun! This is Fun! Naruto Uzumaki!" Shukaku laughed.
"Naruto, wake up Gaara!" Temari shouted up as Gaara appeared on the top of Shukaku's head.
"Take it Gaara's the kid that Shukaku is sealed inside." Gamabunta asked.
"Yeah, he's had a worse time than me dealing with it; we just need to knock some sense into him is all." Naruto stated watching as Temari darted away from the battlefield, back towards where he could faintly feel Kankuro and Shino.
"He suffers from insomnia; Shukaku eats away at their personality while they sleep until there is nothing left. While that kid is awake Shukaku's powers are suppressed but if he was to fall asleep..." Gamabunta explained as Gaara used a jutsu to fall asleep.
"Whoop I'm finally out! And here's someone I what to kill! Futon renkuudan!" Shukaku inhaled suddenly and hit his belly like a drum exhaling shots of wind mixed with sand at the two of them.
"Going Up!" Gamabunta warned as he jumped up over the shots, his mouth swelled as he pooled water, firing two big cannonballs of water, as Shukaku repeated his attack. The two water cannonballs took out two sand shots wet sand flying everywhere, but left one heading towards them. They were hit and sent flying back from the force as Shukaku started to dance around thinking he had killed them.
"You put so much chakra into that ball you threw me." Gamabunta moaned.
"You okay Gamabunta?" Naruto asked concerned.
"Can't take many more of those hits." Gamabunta acknowledged.
"Gamabunta can you get me close enough to Gaara, if I wake him up, Shukaku will disappear right?" Naruto asked.
"Hopefully, but I won't be able to hold him, I can use the henge no jutsu,"
"Something with claws right?" Naruto smirked.
"I'm pretty bad at henge though so I'll lend you my chakra and you are in charge of the transformation, right?"
"Right, claws, got the perfect thing in mind," Naruto smirked putting his hands in the required seal.
With a cloud of smoke they transformed into a familiar blonde cat, but in giant size, Nami's claws and fangs bared as they leapt forwards sinking into Shukaku's form.
"That cat?" Sasuke gasped.
"Not what I was expecting." Shukaku confirmed as he was struck by all sharp claws and teeth.
"Gaara wake up!" Naruto shouted spring from Nami's head causing the henge to drop and Gamabunta to reappear, being pushed back by the Tanuki.
Naruto flew through the air landing a punch to wake Gaara, dulling Shukaku's power, he managed to land on the Tanuki, and he quickly ran back up towards Gaara, as Shukaku swung a hand down at him, he pushed off gritting his teeth as Gamabunta grabbed Naruto with his tongue.
"Sorry about this Gamabunta," Naruto closed his eyes summoning chakra up the red colour swirling around him. "Throw me at him." he growled as the red charka swirled round him. He felt the tongue move back before swing forwards sending him towards Gaara, the sand swirling around him as he swung his bandaged arm forwards the red chakra swirling around it as he landed the blow on Gaara. Gamabunta returned back to his land his chakra limit reached.
Together they fell as the sand that made up Shukaku cracked and fell away, Naruto reached out his fingers brushing against Gaara's as they fell, his red chakra still swirling.
Suddenly they were surrounded by blackness, their descent stopped. Naruto floated in the darkness, as images came towards him, a little red haired boy, sat on a swing alone watching other children playing, with a ball, the ball got stuck at the red head got the ball down with sand.
"Gaara," Naruto watched sadly as the children ran from him and his sand reacted to his distress, a young man approached Gaara throwing himself in front of the child that was about to be attacked by the sand, calming Gaara down.
"You're not alone Gaara." Naruto continued to watch as a new memory played before him.
This time Gaara had a knife and had tried to cut his wrist, being stopped by the sand, the young man from before walked in stopping Gaara. Gaara asked if Yashamaru as the young man was named if injuries hurt, he listened as explained about physical pain as well as emotional and mental pain. Then the subject of his mother came around, the defensive sand was his mother's will, not Shukaku, which explained why he called the monster mother at times. Little Gaara asked for ointments and returned to the children he had hurt to give them the help to heal their wound, only for them to turn him away in anger calling him a monster.
"What happened to change you?" Naruto asked.
The image changed once again to Gaara sitting on a roof as a ninja appeared behind him throwing kunai only for the sand to block the attack while crushing the ninja. Slowly Gaara walked over slipping the cloth mask from his attackers face to reveal Yashamaru. He was shocked that someone who claimed to love him would turn against him so readily, Yashamaru then went on to explain that his father ordered him to, that he never loved him, it was just revenge for killing his sister and that she never truly loved him, he opened his vest to show the explosive tags Naruto moved forwards before he could stop himself as the explosion was stopped by Gaara's sand and he finally started on his path to becoming a sociopath.
"You're not alone Gaara, I'm here, I understand, I always under stood," Naruto hugged the child close as he found the real Gaara huddled where the memories had just been playing tears pooling in his eyes as he must have seen Naruto's life. "I'm here, I understand," he dropped his headband and hugged the smaller boy tighter. "I care," he whispered soothingly, as the darkness evaporated and they continued to fall.
Their hands slipped pushing away from each other as they landed harshly on the ground, Gaara on his back and Naruto on his side. Gaara stared wide eyed at him, as slowly Naruto started to crawl over to him.
"Stay back!" Gaara shouted confused.
"Did you see? You did, didn't you? How one person can make a difference in someone's life? How that one person can change everything for you. You and I are the same Gaara; let me help you, let me be the first person to change your life for the better, I want to be your friend! But if you continue this way trying to hurt my friends, my precious people, I will kill you, for the sake of the village and those I love I will stop you. You saw that they rescued me from that lonely existence, they acknowledged, gave a family when I had none. They love me as if I truly was their family, I can never thank them enough for that," he had tears pooling down his face as he spoke. "Your siblings love you Gaara you just have to let them in, let them in like you've let me in, I want to be your friend don't ever forget that, doesn't matter what village we're from, I will be your friend if you want me to." Naruto had crawled all the way to Gaara now.
"She really loved you? But she left you!" Gaara shouted tears streaming down his face.
"Yes, but I've got a little brother too, if anything it's him I'm fighting for, and I know he'll fight for me too when the time comes." Naruto pulled himself up into a sitting position painfully. "Your mother loved you too, I believe your uncle was right that defence of yours is your mother trying to protect you, and look your sibling have come back to help you, they love you too." Naruto smiled as Temari and Kankuro landed a few feet away.
He reached out a hand to Gaara, "I'm here." He smiled as slowly Gaara reached out his hand grimacing in pain as he clasped Naruto's hand. Naruto looked up at the siblings, "You can take him home now." He smiled as they stared at him with worry in their eyes. His head snapped round towards the stadium as Sasuke landed next to him. "Grandpa," he whispered as he slipped out of consciousness as a scream rang out across the forest.
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Thank you for reading.