A/N: I know this is the second similar celebration in the last week but Hurray! This fic has reached 600,000 hits! Awesome! Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 197: Flowers, Bones and Sand

Zoro stopped for a second so that Luffy and Naruto can catch up to him.

"Sasuke! Where are you!" shouted Naruto.

"He won't show up." Said Zoro, "He too smart for that."

That was when they saw Sasuke, ran into a room.

"There he went." Said Naruto.

"I think this is a trap." Said Kyubi.

"What kind of trap?" thought Naruto.

"Knowing him he's going to play on the fact none of you, have any sense of direction what so ever." Said Kyubi.

"I doubt Sasuke would do that." Said Naruto.

"Knowing him it would be the just the thing he does if he's trying to beat you…" said Kyubi.

"Yeah right…" said Naruto.

And so the three began to follow Sasuke deeper into the ship.

Meanwhile with Kimimaro he called out "Dance of the Camilla"

He created that bone sword and aimed his attack at Gaara, who just stood there as the sand protected him.

"You have no idea, do you?" asked Gaara.

Kimimaro glared at him as Gaara sent out his sand at him.

That was when Robin sprouted arms all over Kimimaro's body.

"Seis Fleur Clutch!"

However instead of the normal thing happening (which was breaking his spine) the arms were struggling.

"Robin… stop it." Said Gaara, "It won't work."

"My bones are as hard as steel." Said Kimimaro, "They cannot be easily broken."

Robin's eyes widened, she managed to vanish the arms before Kimimaro could do anything to them.

"Are you okay?" asked Gaara.

"I'm fine." Said Robin.

"Be careful with him, don't try to strain yourself." Said Gaara, "I'll take of him."

Robin nodded, she knew that Gaara would be better suited for this.

"It is already too late, Sasuke has already decided to give himself to Lord Orochimaru." Said Kimimaro.

"You know nothing about our captain." Said Gaara.

"The hold that Lord Orochimaru has on him is much stronger than your stupid captain thinks." Said Kimimaro.

Gaara just looked at him getting ready for a fight.

Back in the large ship, the three were deep in the bowls…

"Where did he go?" asked Luffy.

"Come on… kit… say it! Say it…" said Kyubi.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Thought Naruto.

"Say "You were right" I mean it's so obvious he's playing to you lack a sense direction." Said Kyubi.

"There's no way he's doing it." said Naruto.

Elsewhere on the ship Sasuke smirked, he knew that the three would be lost by now. It was all too perfect.

Back on the Going Merry, Kimimaro began to grow bone spikes all over his body.

"Dance of the Willow!" he called out.

He began to aim his attacks at Gaara. Gaara once again stood there as the sand blocked the bone.

"How long will you be able to keep this up?" asked Kimimaro.

"I could say the same to you." Said Gaara.

Kimimaro continued his blows, but nothing got though.

"I think it's time for me to this." Said Gaara.

He sent out a large amount of sand at his opponent. It engulfed him. As the sand cleared away, both Gaara and Robin were in shock, Kimimaro was still standing. However chinks of skin were missing and underneath they see a sort of bone armor.

"I believe it's time to get serious." Said Kimimaro.

He began to activate his cursed seal. Shapes began to form around him.

"I was wrong about you two, I thought you were much stronger than this." Said Kimimaro, "The Host of the Ichibi and the Demon Child… you are nothing but trash."

He began to use dance of the willow again on Gaara. The shield began to weaken at the bones hit against it.

"Robin…" said Gaara, "Please stop me if I go far."

Robin's eyes widened when he said that.

She knew what it meant.

"Are you sure… that's a good idea?" she asked.

"It's the only way to stop him…" said Gaara.

Sand began to crawl up his arm, taking the shape of Ichibi's arm.

"I'm sorry Naruto…" he thought.

Back in the ship, Naruto got a bad feeling.

"What is it?" asked Luffy.

"I don't know… it was this weird chill." Said Naruto, "It's probably nothing."

"Or it could be something really bad." Said Kyubi, "Knowing who's fighting it probably Gaara."

"You think…" said Naruto as his eyes widened.

"Robin is there with him, I'm sure he won't destroy the ship." Said Kyubi.

Naruto sighed, then sweat dropped as Luffy and Zoro were arguing which direction Sasuke went into.

"He went this way I'm sure of it." Said Luffy.

"No he went this way!" said Zoro.

"Admit it kit… admit it!" sang Kyubi.

"NEVER!" thought Naruto.

Back on the Going Merry, Gaara grabbed Kimimaro and slammed him into the mast, he then grabbed him again and pinned him to the mast much like he did to Hinata when he fought Naruto. He left a portion of his sand hand, still pinning Kimimaro into the mast which began to harden.

He then sent out a wall of sand at Kimimaro… engulfing him and the causing the mast to fall down.

Gaara's demon arm turned back into sand as fell to the deck in exhaustion.

"Are you okay?" asked Robin.

"Just exhausted." Said Gaara.

Back on the ship, Luffy, Zoro and Naruto all argued which way Sasuke left…

"You know kit… there is a way to find him." Said Kyubi.

"Really how…" thought Naruto.

"I won't tell you, unless you say a certain phrase." Said Kyubi.

"What?" thought Naruto.

"Come on… you guys are lost… so lost you are bickering… almost as if Sasuke is toying with you." Said Kyubi.

Naruto groaned.

"Fine… you were right." Thought Naruto.

"Good now! When this is all over I want you to write in the bathroom mirror." Said Kyubi.

"What?" asked Naruto.

"Just never mind…" said Kyubi.

"So what do I do…" said Naruto.

"Isn't it obvious." Said Kyubi, "Shadow Clones."

Naruto proceeded to slap himself in the head.

"I love it when your this stupid." Said Kyubi.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" asked Luffy.

"Just… never mind…" said Naruto.

Back on the Going Merry, Gaara cleared away his sand, when it was all clear, both Gaara and Robin began to sweat at the site. Not only was Kimimaro unhurt, but all of his other wounds had healed. His skin was grey, with his black and yellow, some of his bones were out of his body and he even had a bony tail.

"I guess it time to take you out." Said Kimimaro.

This battle was only just beginning…

Next Time: Robin and Gaara continue the fight with Kimimoro, will they be able to defeat him being in the second level or will he win? Meanwhile Naruto uses his Shadow Clones to find Sasuke. Will he find him? Find out next time!