Chapter Twelve: Power

The raven-haired girl shrieked as the impact from the Kyuubi's tail thrust her full speed into a cliff side. The Shukaku merely watched as she fell to the ground and watched the life leave her pale, lavender eyes, but Gaara's mind was screaming inside of him.

HINATA! No--NO!

Blood seeped from the Hyuuga's mouth into the grass, her eyes slowly closing, her surroundings fading away. The sight of her eyes losing their life echoed in Gaara's sleeping mind, and memories burst forth inside of him.

He walked up to the lone Hyuuga by the waterfall's edge. She stared up at his bright aquamarine eyes. They sat together on the waterfall, and the raven-haired girl leaned her head onto his shoulder. She told him she loved him, and he answered her back with a kiss. Then she looked back up at him. "Gaara…?"

The Sand-Chuunin looked into her eyes. "What is it?" Hinata sat up straight, and put her hands together. "The day I confronted the Sound Chuunin…Why did you protect me?" Gaara looked down into his hands and thought.

He remembered staring into her eyes and seeing the innocence and beauty that lingered there.

"It was…Because I saw something." Hinata frowned. "What do you mean, Gaara-kun?" Gaara smiled, and put a hand on her face. "I saw your soul through your eyes--I saw your innocence and your beauty…But most of all, I saw your desires. I saw your desire to change for the better of your friends and yourself. I saw the confidence to fight and protect those you love; no matter how much people say you are weak…" Hinata raised a hand to where Gaara had put his hand on her cheek and she held his hand. "Arigatou."

Gaara smirked. "Now, let me ask you something. In the forest, when I had tried to kill you--Why did you comfort me when I was in pain, even when I was trying to take your life?" Hinata smiled. "Well, one, because you were in pain…Second, you had saved me from the Sound Chuunin, so why would I be mad at you…? Third, you may have tried to kill me, but you didn't, did you?"

He smiled at the Hyuuga, and held her close to him. "Well, then--Arigatou as well, Hinata."

Gaara couldn't take it anymore. The Shukaku put its hands up and thrust the Kyuubi back, felling it to its side. The Kyuubi jumped up.

What--?

The Shukaku put a paw up to its head.

Wha--What are you DOING, Gaara!

I am no LONGER under your CONTROL!

The Kyuubi growled and sped at the Shukaku, claws first. Shukaku thrust its arms up and grabbed the Kyuubi's paws in its hands. He tossed the fox demon to the side, slamming it into the side of the waterfall. The Kyuubi sat up and stared at the Shukaku unbelievingly.

Where is it getting this sudden power from!

The Shukaku snarled in its mind at Gaara.

How! How are you gaining control of me!

I don't NEED you anymore! I'm surpassing your possession with my strength--And my will to keep the one I love alive!

The Kyuubi shrieked in frustration and climbed above the Shukaku, launching itself off the rocks straight at the Sand-Demon.

DIIIIIIIIIE!

The Shukaku thrust an arm back, its claws extended.

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The group of Chuunin still rushed through the forest, heading towards the sounds of crashing and roaring. Sasuke and Sakura ran ahead, Neji and Tenten close on their feet, with Shikamaru and Ino behind them. Ino stopped in her tracks. "Aw, I don't see what the big deal is here! What on Earth is going on! Can't we just stop and take a re--!" She jumped and began running again as a hand pulled her up by her waist and held her hand. Ino looked up at the figure of Shikamaru. "Come on, we don't have time to waste, we have to keep moving!" Ino stared at him for a moment, and then smirked with a light blush on her face. "Fine…'handsome'." Shikamaru blushed, rolled his eyes, and continued to run.

They all stopped suddenly as a heavy tremor ran through the ground. Tenten fell back, and sat on the ground where she had fell. Ino held on to Shikamaru, who was trying to keep his balance and get Ino off of him at the same time. Sakura stumbled, and Sasuke put his arms around her to keep her from falling. She gripped onto his shirt. Lee looked around wildly. "What's going on!" The group looked toward the north to see a cloud of smoke and debris rising from the forest.

Sasuke scowled. "Damn it!" He shot his glance to the others. "Come on, we have to move!" Sakura picked up her run again to keep up with Sasuke. Lee frowned and began to run behind them. Ino and Shikamaru began to catch up. Neji bent over, pulled up Tenten by her hand, and held onto it as they caught up with the others. Tenten frowned. "You know, now that we've caught up, you can let go of my hand, Neji." Neji scowled, and blushed. "Yeah, I know, just keep running, will ya!" Tenten smiled strangely, and rolled her eyes. "…Men."

The Kyuubi's yellow eyes stared wildly into the eyes of the Shukaku. The Kyuubi's head slowly looked down at the clawed arm of the Shukaku, his orange stomach smeared with blood at the point where the Sand Demon's hand had gone through him. The fox-demon slowly turned his head back to see the clawed hand sticking out of his back, blood dripping from the Shukaku's nails. He shot his head back at the Sand Demon, blood spraying from his jaws.

How…? HOW!

The Shukaku was no longer itself. Its voice echoed with Gaara's.

Because I remember. I remember her confidence and it gives me strength. SHE GIVES ME POWER!

The Shukaku withdrew its arm from the Kyuubi's stomach and tossed him into the waterfall wall. The Kyuubi stood up, trembling, and looked up at the Shukaku as it widened its large jaws.

WIND RELEASE: DRILLING AIR BULLET!

The Kyuubi let out one last shrieking roar as the force of air slammed it through the rock wall of the waterfall, and the Shukaku watched as broken rocks streamed out beside the dead demon.

The Sand Demon withdrew its form back into the red haired Sand Chuunin. Gaara was beaten all over, and blood streamed from a wound on his forehead and from his mouth. There was a slash on his shoulder from where the Kyuubi had bitten him, and blood ran down the wound.

Gaara turned to the broken female lying dead on the ground. He stumbled over to her, and fell beside her. He stared at her face--Her once flawless skin damaged with bruises and blood stains. The Sand Chuunin slowly raised a hand to the side of her face. "Don't…Don't you leave me here, Hinata…" The Sand Chuunin slowly began to succumb to darkness. "Hi…Hinata…Aishe--Aisheteru…" Gaara began to fall unconscious, but watched as the raven-haired Hyuuga's eyes peeked open, and she muttered, "...I love you too…Gaara of the Desert…"

The Sand-Chuunin smiled slightly, and tried to turn his gaze as he heard voices.

"There! There they are!"

"Wait--Oh my God, NARUTO!"

"No…Sasuke, Sakura, go and see if Naruto is still alive!"

"What do we do, Shikamaru?"

"Neji, you and Tenten take Hinata back to Konoha to receive treatment. The rest of us will meet you back there--We have to get Gaara and Naruto out of here!"

"Gaara…He must have really fought for her…"

Gaara closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

You KNOW that was awesome :D! Alright: Is Naruto dead? Will Gaara and Hinata survive? Find out next chapter XP….Heh.