Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its plot or characters. I own any OC, my plot, and anything else you don't recognize unless otherwise stated.

DaYaNa1997: I swear this isn't a rant …. How many times has Rin cried? Twice. (NOT counting when she was a little kid) 1: In class when her stuffed cat was taken (yes that's whimpy) 2: After the whole Naruto/Gaara Fight and Gaara was hurt (justified). So she's not just there and crying.

Also there have been no situations to show if she's weak or not. I've just introduced her team. Plus she's a medical ninja more so than a normal combat ninja. Yes I know that medical ninjas need to know how to fight but she does know how to fight. It's just that since this isn't an action story I haven't shown much action.

The Akatsuki stuff doesn't happen for another three years. And since he loves her he's always going to be concerned about her anyway.

So that wasn't a rant I was just responding to a review that I didn't agree with.

Carri007: I don't think they're going to actually admit they love each other for a while. The "Forever and Always" is kinda their way of saying I love you to each other.

PAVeY14: Lol yeah.

Thank you every who has reviewed, followed and favorite. I'm just gunna skip to show events because I wanted to post a chapter since I haven't in a while.

"What's going on?" Rin asked as she saw Temari rushing around her room, packing things.

"The council received word from the fifth Hokage. They've requested our help." Temari said as she zipped up her bag.

"You guys are going to the Leaf?" Rin said.

"The council thinks they should send two teams, they spoke to Baki and Sachiko earlier." Kankurō said as he walked past her down the hall.

"My team's going too?" Rin asked as her face lit up. Gaara stepped out of his room and grinned as he saw her smiling. "I already have my overnight bag for here so I'll help Gaara pack." She said.

"I'm already packed." Gaara said.

"Then I have a better idea." Rin said with a grin. Gaara blinked.

…

"Are you two ready yet, we have to leave soon." Temari said.

"Just a second!" Rin called from Gaara's room.

"What are you two doing?" Kyo asked. He and Riku were waiting with the two older sand sibs each with a backpack. "Hurry up!" Kyo whined.

"Hold your horses, we're done." Rin said as she and Gaara came out. Gaara had switched his previous black overalls to a reddish-brownish one with longer sleeves and an upright collar. He retained the white cloth, but had fishnet on his wrists and ankles. Rin had changed her outfit colours to match Gaara's, keeping her fishnet and pants the same but changing the sleeves she had previously had for fingerless gloves that went a bit below her elbows. Her hitai-ate stayed around her waist with a black band.

"You took so long to change your outfits?" Kankurō asked.

"You changed your makeup." Rin said as she crossed her arms.

"Warpaint." Kankurō growled as Kyo snickered.

"And Temari changed hers too." Rin pointed out.

"Yeah but she didn't wait until last minute." Kankurō said. Rin pouted until Kyo ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" she said with a laugh. Gaara frowned slightly.

Gaara and Rin neared the field were Lee was fighting Kimimaro. They saw Lee kick him in the chest but bones absorb the impact.

"Now die!" Kimimaro shouted as he attacked.

"Lee." Rin gasped.

…

Temari and Riku approached Shikamaru who was had Tayuya under his shadow possession jutsu on a tree branch. She was slowly overpowering him.

"Just a little bit further, you piece of garbage." Tayuya said. Shikamaru's jutsu soon retreated and she chuckled. "You're mine!"

…

Kankuro and Kyo neared Kiba who was sitting against a tree with Akamaru. Ukon had found the two and was ready to strike with a kunai.

"You're staring death in the face, shouldn't you be screaming for mercy or something?" Ukon asked. "Huh?!" Kiba chuckled. "You're gunna die kid, wipe that grin off your face!"

…

Tayuya was blow away suddenly as Ukon's kunai hit Crow.

"What the hell?!" Ukon looked up.

…

Gaara extended his arm and sand shot out to block the attack and send Lee and Kimimaro flying back in opposite directions.

…

Tayuya was holding onto a tree as the wind blew.

"Who are you?!" she shouted. Temari landed on the tree branch in front of Shikamaru as Riku stayed back on a branch above them.

…

Kankuro and Kyo stepped out from behind a tree.

"What do you know, looks like we're on the same side." Kiba said.

…

The sand caught Lee and lowered him to the ground safely in front of the three.

"Who are you?" Kimimaro asked.

"Allies of the Leaf Village." Rin said.

"We're Shinobi of the Sand." Gaara said.

"Huh?" Lee look up at the two. Gaara walked forward to stand in front of Lee. "He's Gaara of the Sand."

"Gaara, is that what they call you?" Kimimaro asked. "Digital shrapnel!" he sent pieces of bone from his fingertips at them. Gaara's sand came up and blocked them.

"Impulsive aren't you?" Gaara asked. He looked back at Lee briefly. "You're different… when you fought against me you had much more agility and sharpness." Lee stood.

"I figured you would say that. I am not the kind of person who holds a grudge. Even so, because of you I've had a fairly tough time with it." Lee said.

"Really.." Gaara's sand returned to the gourd.

"Anyway, why have you come here?" Lee asked. Gaara looked back at him.

"I owe the Leaf." He said. "I owe the Leaf a great debt."

The wind had stopped and Tayuya stood a few branches away from Temari and Shikamaru.

"I had heard something about how our villages had finally made up with you traitors." Shikamaru said. "But I didn't expect you to change sides so quickly."

"It's not like we just attacked the Leaf village for kicks, ya know." Temari said. "We were following orders. That's all," she looked back at him. "Just like we're doing on this mission. By the way, you seem a lot dumber than the last time our paths crossed." Shikamaru looked surprised then glared. "So are you gunna give up again this time? Go ahead, I'll take care of this for you."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not about to give up. And besides, a real man doesn't let a woman do his fighting for him." Shikamaru said.

"Huh, still being all macho with the man and woman stuff? You talk tough but I know it's just an act, idiot." Temari said as she walked forward and opened her fan in front of her. Riku jumped down to land where she was. Shikamaru's eyes widened and Riku looked back at him with a straight face. Shikamaru saw the sand village band on his left arm and relaxed.

"So this time you're on the Leaf's side huh?" Tayuya asked. "You guys are all over the place, aren't you?" she said before blowing into her flute.

"The sound of the flute summons her genjutsu." Shikamaru told the two.

"I got it." Temari said as Riku nodded. "Cyclone scythe jutsu!" Temari swung her fan and the wind sliced through trees and finally Tayuya's flute before making her jump back.

"I got this, kid." Kankurō said. Kyo frowned.

"I'm older than you." He said. Kyo crossed his arms as Kankurō attacked Ukon with Crow. Kiba looked up at Kyo.

"So you fight with puppets?" Ukon asked.

"Hey wait a second, when you showed up here weren't you in a group of three people?" Kiba asked. "And who are you?" he looked at Kyo.

"The other two went on ahead with another team cause you guys couldn't hack it." Kankurō said.

"My team." Kyo said with a grin.

"Listen, moron, these enemies aren't exactly light weights." Kiba said. "Behind you!" The three turned to see Sakon jumping out to attack. Kyo quickly made hand signs and an earth wall came up to block him. He punched through it and grabbed Kankurō's face. Kiba struggled to get up. "No use, can't move." He growled out.

"What is this guy?" Kankurō asked.

"He's all yours Sakon." Ukon said. "Finish him."

"Be careful, he's about to try and enter your body and combine with it!" Kiba warned.

"What the hell?!" Kyo shouted. "Haven't you heard of personal space buddy?!"

"It's too late." Sakon said as he gripped Kankurō's face making it crack. "Eh- I can't believe it." Kankurō grabbed his arm.

"What's the matter, Sakon?" Ukon asked. Kankurō's face cracked more before it started dissolving into sand.

"I guess that jutsu of yours, doesn't really work on puppets, does it?" Kankurō asked as he came out of the wrappings on the puppet's back. "Fair warning, we sand ninja aren't pushovers like our friends from the Leaf. Oh and standing as close as you are to my friend The Black Ant…?" The puppet's arms came out with razors on the inside. "Big mistake." It hugged Sakon cutting him up. It let him go and he fell to the ground. Kankuro sent The Black Ant after Ukon who dodged. Sakon reverted back to his original form as Ukon transformed and ran to his brother. The two combined.

"That hurt. You take over brother, let me rest in this body a little bit first." Sakon said.

"You're so pathetic Sakon!"

"Just who are these freaks?" Kankurō asked.

"This is there most dangerous ability." Kiba said.

"I can't believe you let that punk catch you off guard." Ukon said. "Be sure, I won't. His puny speed and power are nothing special. It'll take more than his toy to stop me." he chuckled and patted his stomach. "I healed my stomach wound. I don't have much chakra left but it should be more than enough to vanquish these scrawny armatures. Hm… I'm not usually the one who turns into the main body, it's hard to move like this."

"It's like they're over there just mocking us."

"This isn't the kind of enemy you can beat head to head. Back down and we'll regroup." Kiba said.

"I can't back down when they show me no respect." Kankurō said.

"They're our enemy; I don't think they're supposed to respect us." Kyo said.

"Shut up." Kankurō snapped before sending Crow at them.

"Not quite." Ukon said as he dodged. The puppet shot out kunai at them. It shot its arm at him which then shot out needles. He back flipped away. Kyo quickly made hand signs and a small square of earth came up and tripped Ukon backwards. Behind him The Black Ant opened its chest and he fell back into it. The puppet closed just as quickly as it had opened.

"My Black Ant puppet isn't designed to be used on offence, its usual function is trapping people." Kankurō said. "But when The Black Ant is paired with The Crow it makes a deadly attack combination."

"Hey punk! Let me outta here! Can you hear me?!" Ukon screamed. Crow shook and its arms detached, Black and landed on the ground as blades came out of the arms and from Crow's head.

"And now, let's have a puppet show!" Kankurō said.

"Hey let me out! Let me out or I'll kill you!"

"Secret Black Move: Iron Maiden!" Kankurō shouted. The arms and head all went into the slots on The Black Ant making Ukon scream. "Heh, show's over."

"Guess those dolls are pretty lethal."Kyo said.

"For the millionth time they're not dolls!" Kankurō snapped.

"She must be hiding around here." Shikamaru said as he looked around.

"Or she gave up." Temari said.

"Not her, she'd never run away." Shikamaru said. Temari looked behind her at him.

"Since we're new to this fight maybe it'd be a good idea for you to explain the situation to us." Temari said. "Give us an analysis of her skills and battle style."

"Well, first off, her flute casts genjutsu, she uses it to ensnare her opponents and when they can't move she delivers a lethal attack. She's a typical long range genjutsu style shinobi. Mostly likely as soon as she saw your jutsu she realized it could counteract her own, that's why she retreated. Besides, it's three against one now. I'll doubt she'll show herself again until she's able to cast her genjutsu."

"So it's sound." Temari said.

"That's right." Shikamaru said. He pulled at the knuckle of his finger. "If you really want my honest assessment, you're at an overwhelming disadvantage here. Listen sooner or later she's gunna get us cornered and that'll be that. I think we should withdrawn until we-"

"Excuse me, did I ask for your opinion?" Temari asked as she cut him off. Riku smirked.

"Wha-?"

"I told you explain the situation to us, that's all. You have no idea," she bit her thumb what kind of powers I have. If she thinks she can hide from me," she brought her fan in front of her. "but stay close enough so the sound of her flute can still reach me," she drew the blood on her fan with her thumb. "She's mistaken! Alright!" She moved her fan behind her before swinging it in front of her. "Summoning blade dance!" she shouted as the wind summoned a one-eyed sickle-holding weasel that sliced up all the trees around them. Temari set her fan top down and leaned on it. "How was that? It's finished." Temari turned around to face Shikamaru. "Pretty good huh?" she asked with a smirk. "Guess I didn't need you after all, huh, Riku." She said turning to the boy. Riku only smirked, closing his eyes briefly.

"So, who exactly are you?" Shikamaru asked.

"This is Riku Kuroki." Temari said. "He's a member of Rin's team." Riku nodded in greeting.

"She finally got her own team." Shikamaru said. "Good for her."

Lee got into his fighting stand with his arm up. Gaara looked over at him and noticed the blood dropping from Lee's wrappings.

"I'll handle this." Gaara said. Lee blinked and looked at him.

"No, please, just back me up." He said before running forward.

"Lee!" Rin called after him. Gaara's sand shot out and wrapped around his ankle, Lee fell forward and fell into the sand that softened the fall.

"I got sand in my mouth!" Lee shouted into the sand.

"Do you have to be so rough?" Rin asked with a grimace. Lee turned to shout back at Gaara.

"Will you please let go of me?!" Lee suddenly winced in pain. Gaara walked past him.

"You're not doing anything in your present state." He said. "I've got this." Rin moved forward to Lee and crouched beside him.

"Let Gaara take care of this; you're hurt." Rin said putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Do not let your guard down, he uses bones to attack! He can launch them like you saw before, and forces them to protrude from his body! He is able to control them all at will!" Lee shouted. Rin helped him stand.

"You're Gaara of the Desert. You wield sand, hence the name." Kimimaro said as Gaara's sand hovered out of the gourd. The bones retracted back into Kimimaro's skin as he examined Gaara. His eyes drifted to Rin as he assessed her. He extended his fingers and bones started to protrude from the fingertips. Gaara's sand shot out at him. Kimimaro jumped out of the way. "Digital Shrapnel!" he shouted as he shot the bones at Gaara. Once again Gaara's sand blocked them as another part of sand made Kimimaro have to back flip to dodge the sand as he kept shooting bone bits. "Gaara of the Desert, rather a foolish nickname isn't it? You're nothing without that sand of yours." The sand shot out at him again and Kimimaro continued to dodge and attack.

"Sand shower." Gaara said. Kimimaro looked up to see sand above him.

"What a surprise." He said then suddenly let out a grunt of surprise and looked down to see sand holding his ankles.

"But as long as I have it," Gaara said as he extended his arm. "I can do anything. The only fool here is you. If I need more sand I can easily use the earth we're standing on to make more." The sand soon surrounded Kimimaro.

"You did it!" Lee said.

"Almost." Gaara said before he closed his fist and the sand closed around Kimimaro. Gaara lowered his arm. "When I look at this guy, it reminds me of him."

"Huh?" Lee turned to look at him.

"Uchiha. His eyes. Sasuke had the same eyes this guy does."

"The same eyes?" Lee asked. Suddenly Kimimaro's hand, covered in black markings, broke out of the sand. He managed to climb out of the sand. "Im-Impossible."

"What's with this guy?" Rin asked in a small voice as she had a hand against Lee's wounds, her hand glowing green.

"That sure was a lot of pressure. If I hadn't grown a membrane of bone underneath my skin I would've been crushed beyond recognition."

"More bones, he's a monster, a freak." Gaara said.

"Well he certainly is a nuisance." Lee said.

"I underestimated you, but that's the last time I'll get caught in your sand." Kimimaro said. Gaara spread his feet before making quick hand signs. A wave of sand began rising, growing bigger and bigger, creating a strong wind.

"Sand Tsunami!" There was so much sand Kimimaro couldn't dodge or attack. He was quickly swept away into the trees which were all soon halfway submerged with sand.

"You- You did it." Lee said.

"No, not yet." Gaara said. He put one knee down and put his hands into the sand in front of them. "Giant Sand Burial!" The ground shook almost sending Rin and Lee to the ground. "Why won't he give up?" Gaara asked.

"What?"

"You're telling me he's still alive?" Rin asked as she looked out over the new mini desert Gaara had created. Suddenly a tentacle like tail came out of the sand.

"Wait a minute, what is that?" Lee asked.

"That can't be him, can it?" Rin asked. Gaara lifted his hands and made the sand swirl around Kimimao's new form. Kimimaro managed to step one foot out.

"Sand Coffin!" Gaara shouted as he closed both his fists. The sand stopped swirling and hardened. Kimimaro stepped forward, breaking out of the sand, and ran out at them. His eyes were yellow, his skin a weird maroon and large bones protruded from it as well as a tail. Gaara punched the air, closing his fist, sending sand at Kimimaro but he dodged. Gaara continued to shoot sand at him but he dodge every time. Gaara put his fist on the ground and lifted up a large sand wall to block him. Kimimaro came through the sand and ran into Gaara sending him flying.

"Gaara!" Rin called as he landed further back.

"Is the best you can do with your ultimate defense?" Kimimaro asked. "Is that all? I'm very disappointed." Gaara looked back and his face was cracking off. "I see, an armor like shell of sand."

"He is not your only opponent!" Lee shouted as he was suddenly behind Kimimaro. "I am here as well!" Lee went for a kick but Kimimaro's tail came up. Gaara's eyes widened and he sent his sand to block it but the sand went through the sand and sent Lee flying.

"Lee!" Rin ran and caught him sending the two to the ground. "Lee are you alright?" The two sat up and Rin immediately started to try and heal him, her hands glowing green again.

"I'm tired of that sand." Kimimaro said. "Very well, Gaara, you first."

"How about something else?" Rin muttered as she took her hands away from Lee to make hand signs as she took a few steps away from him.

"Rin." Gaara said without turning to look at her. Rin stopped and blinked.

"What good am I if I can't do anything?" she muttered.

"Gaara can handle this." Lee said to her.

"I can help too…" she said. Kimimaro pulled out his spine to use as a weapon.

"Clematis Dance: First the vine." He swung it, with a yell, at Gaara who made a sand wall as it wrapped around him. "Then the flower. It's always my strongest." A large spike came out of Kimimaro's other hand until it consumed his entire hand and was almost s big as himself. "It'll blow right through you, defenses and all." Kimimaro coughed up a bit of blood. Sand came up and covered the spine in front of Gaara.

"Ultimate Defense: Shukaku Shield!" Gaara shouted as his sand form a large sand Shukaku with a hat. Kimimaro sunk the spike into the sand. The spike slowly began to crack before it revealed Kimimaro's arm.

"It's so strong."

"I took that hardest minerals in the soil I gathered and then I fused it with the sand using my chakra." Gaara said. "Tell me, that's a very unusual jutsu, it's a kekkei genkai right?"

"It belonged to the Keguya, but now it belongs to me and me alone."

"You're the last of your clan, eh? Then your clan perishes today." Gaara said.

"That might very well be the case my body has weakened, it may not last much longer. However, I will still live on. Because I am not alone."

"You're not alone, you say?"

"That's right. My existence has been consumed into Orochimaru's ambition. That means that part of me will survive in Orochimaru's heart, forever."

"Orochimaru's brainwashed you well." Gaara said as he made a hand sign. "You sad little pawn." Kimimaro's feet sunk into the ground as Gaara's Shukaku Shield dispersed into a fist and grabbed the spine and the sand around Gaara pushed back the spine around him. Quick sand formed around Kimimaro and he struggled to pull himself up.

"It is amazing he still has chakra!" Lee said.

"I underestimated him." Kimimaro said.

"I will bury you 200 meters below the surface of the earth, under pressure so great you won't be able to move a finger, imprisoned there until the end of time." Soon Kimimaro was no longer visible and the sand stopped moving.

"You did it! This time I am certain!" Lee said. Gaara scanned the sand in front of him.

"Dance!" Gaara's eyes widened. "Bracken Dance!" Bone spikes came up out of the sand in front of Gaara before heading towards Lee and Rin.

"Lee!" Rin gasped as he was closer to the spikes than she was. Suddenly the sand beneath the two them lifted up, as did the sand Gaara was standing on, as the spikes grew higher and higher, so there did the three sections of floating sand.

"Thank you, Gaara." Lee said. "You saved me again. These powers of yours are truly remarkable."

"Not really. I'm merely able to make the sand do my bidding. It's second nature to me now." Gaara said. "A tenacious opponent but this time it's over. We won't be seeing him again in this life."

"Yes, good." Lee said.

"Gaara," Rin whined. "You didn't let me help at all." He looked over at her then looked down.

"I didn't want you to get hurt…" he said. Lee smiled. Gaara suddenly gasped and put his hand down to steady himself. "My strength is gone. I must descend." He said. Suddenly Lee and Rin's eyes widened.

"Gaara!"

"I am not some pawn!" Kimimaro shouted as he was suddenly behind Gaara. "He is the one, the only one who ever gave my life meaning!" He drew back his arm which had another spike around it. "But how could the likes of you ever understand that!" The spike stopped inches away from Gaara's face.

"He is dead." Lee said. Blood dripped from Kimimaro's mouth.

"G-Gaara, are you okay?" Rin jumped over to his platform and pulled him away from the spike. He looked up at her with wide eyes and slowly nodded. Rin let out a breath of relief.

I had this longer before but I wanted to get this out. Towards the beginning it jumped around a bit between the three scenes so sorry if that was weird to read.