Beating The Odds

Chapter 18: Naruto vs Gaara!

By: MikeJV37

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----August 21, 8:20 AM, Outdoor Arena----

The arena had been cleaned and everything was ready for the most anticipated match of the day, there was just 1 little problem.... neither fighter was ready, and the Proctor wasn't going to call for them until he got word they were.

----Room 34----

Naruto knew they shouldn't be in his room, he was about to fight Gaara, and even if he was fully prepared to beat him and even Shukaku he could still get hurt. That was part of his current.... problem. Hinata knew that as well as he did, which is why he was currently unable to tell her he was late for the match.... she was giving him what she called, 'the Hinata Hyuuga, extra special, super good luck kiss.' She didn't want him getting hurt, even if she knew he healed really fast and has unbeatable good luck already. What was he going to do.... refuse and hurt her feeings? Hinata was giving him a very passionate kiss, her hands up his shirt rubbing his hard, muscilar chest. her jacket was open and her breasts out.... resting in his hands. To his right Tenten was kissing his cheek, her bare breasts pressed against him, Temari was on his left doing the same thing. He felt Hinata's hands slid out of his shirt, take his hands and put them on Tenten's and Temari's breasts, then she broke her kiss. It took every ounce of willpower he had to keep himself.... relaxed, he didn't need everyone seeing him excited in that way.

"That should do it Naruto-kun. Thank you Temari-chan, Tenten-chan..... you can let go of their breasts now Naruto-kun." Hinata said then giggled.

Naruto quickly pulled his hands away. "Heh.... sorry. Um, you really didn't have to do this Hinata-chan, I...."

Hinata put a finger over his mouth. "That's as far as I can go as you know, I just want you to be safe. I know you'll beat Gaara and save him from himself, but there's also the Invasion we have to worry about. Most of us will probably get sent to protect the civilians, but you'll be out there fighting because unlike us, you're special. We can handle small battles, but you can fight a whole army and everyone in Konoha knows it. We kept you long enough, now go win this for us Naruto-kun.... protect your friends." Hinata said and gently pushed him towards the door.

"Go get'em Naruto-kun!" Tenten and Temari said together, looked at each other the started giggling.

'Only someone as lucky as me could deserve a girl like Hinata-chan.' Naruto thought, smiled and waved, then ran out of the room, the door opened and shut so fast you almost couldn't tell someone had gone through it.

----Hokage Box----

An ANBU appeared next to Tsunade. "Naruto is on his way Hokage-sama."

"Bout time." Tsunade said and sent the signal to the Proctor who smiled. The crowd was getting a little restless waiting, though it had only been delayed five minutes. She had a feeling he was delayed by a certain girl, but didn't say anything. "You ready Sensei?" Tsunade asked with a certain look in her eyes she knew he'd understand.

Sarutobi looked at her and saw the glint in her eyes. "Hai, it should be quite exciting." He said as he casually touched the battle armor under his robes. He hated war, but even if he wasn't Hokage, as long as was alive he was going to protect Konoha with his very life. He'd even taken some special precautions, the least of them being the custom battle armor he had on.

----Arena Floor----

Naruto came out just after the Proctor called his name, most of the crowd stood and cheered wildly, being from Konoha they knew who he was and that he was powerful, though most of the civilians in attentence had no idea just how powerful. Only the older adults even knew what he had sealed inside him, and were VERY glad they'd been wrong about him... well they were now, most still felt guilty about how they'd treated him when he was little.

Naruto stood and waved to the crowd for several minutes, very amused. When he was little he would of killed to get this kind of attention.

Tsunade was squirming in her seat, a big smile on her red face. It was taking most of her willpower not to join them or burst into tears of joy at their reaction. She was so happy it almost hurt. She glanced at Sarutobi, he was handling it much better than she was, but he was still smiling. 'A few more minutes then I'll stop it.' Tsunade thought.

----Room 13----

Kankurou watched his little brother nervously, continually glancing up at the monitor. He'd told Gaara Suna wasn't going to help Sound attack Konoha, but he wasn't surprised Gaara didn't care if they did or not, he was standing as usual and staring intently at the monitor, he hadn't even blinked since Naruto came out about 4 minutes ago. Even if other's didn't, he knew the very subtle signs that told him Gaara was very anxious to begin the match. The only good thing that had happened during the exams was that although he'd threatened about a dozen people with a horrible death, none of them had been from Konoha, it was to him, an incredible sight to see his little brother politely avoid anyone from Konoha, even stepping aside to let them pass. he knew it had to be whatever Naruto said to him after the preliminaries, he hadn't so much as insulted anyone from Konoha since then. He saw the crowd calm down then heard the Proctor call Gaara's name. As soon as he did Gaara vanished in a swirl of wind and sand, and appeared in the arena. He relaxed and headed for the door, he wanted to watch the match in person, and be there for Gaara when it was over.

----Arena Floor----

The Proctor glanced at Tsunade for her nod, then took a deep breath. "FIGHT!" He yelled, then shushined up to the Kage's Box, there was no way in Hell he was staying down there during this match.

The arena went silent for a moment.

Naruto called up about half of his own chakra as he got in his fighting stance, and a moment later felt Gaara call up about the same amount. He saw Gaara's face change slightly, but he couldn't tell if Gaara was happy or dissappointed he was only using his chakra, not Kyuubi's, unlike Gaara who was only using Shukaku's chakra.

"Do not insult me....I want a real fight. I have not harmed anyone from Konoha, now give me the great battle I deserve." Gaara said emotionlessly

Naruto actually paused, slightly stunned for an instant, then glanced at Tsunade for her approval, he didn't want to reveal Kyuubi if he didn't have to, especially with Sound's attack being so close. Her answer was a little surprising. "As long as you don't attack anyone but me, I'll do it. But you hurt anyone and I'll show you what true power really is.... understood?" Naruto said very seriously as he looked into Gaara's eyes and let him see Kyuubi in his.

Gaara nodded, as his chakra spiked and the sand around him for 10 feet began to swirl violently around him, as if ancious for battle.

Naruto called on Kyuubi's chakra and a moment later his eyes turned red, his pupils became vertical slits, his whisker marks got darker and thicker, his canines elongated and his nails became claws. He was then surrounded by a red chakra cloak which sprouted a single tail. "Now let's show these people what a real fight looks like!" Naruto said and dashed forward at incredible speed.

"SAND SHURIKEN!" Gaara exclaimed as a wall of sand quickly but briefly rose up, dozens of sand balls shot out at Naruto and quickly took on a kunai-like shape.

Naruto weaved through the barrage easily, not that he needed to, as he flashed through a series of hand signs. The instant he cleared the barrage of sand kunai he stopped and very quickly inhaled. "FIRE STYLE:FLAME CANNON!" Naruto said and blew out a continuous cone of fire at Gaara, who was surrounded by a bubble-like dome of sand that protected him from the intense heat and flames that surrounded the sand shield.

In his room, Sasuke was nearly gawking at the monitor,.Naruto was using a fire jutsu THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW! He watched for 2 full minutes as Naruto blew out a constant stream of fire, finally snapping out of it. "Son of a bitch has been holding out on me.... did Naruto create that or did he? When this is over I'm gonna find out if he can teach that to me." Sasuke said impressed, and slightly jealous of his friend.

Naruto finally stopped just after 2 minutes, and watched the flames die down to reveal Gaara in a bubble of black glass.... which shattered as soon as the fire was gone, spraying shards of hot glass around the arena. Naruto glanced up at the nearest wall and was glad to see none of the glass reached them. Some of the shards bounced of his chakra cloak, and when he looked, Gaara did NOT look happy, or maybe he was, he really couldn't tell yet. The only emotion Gaara seemed to know how to express was anger.

Gaara glanced around a moment at the melted sand, which was now usless to him, then right at Naruto and gave him a full toothy smile, which of course had an edge of sadistic glee to it. "My turn." Gaara said coldly and extented his open right hand. "SAND COFFIN!"

A huge mass of sand quickly rose up and surrounded Naruto except for his face. Naruto recognizd it.

"Show me how strong you really are.... or die." Gaara said calmly then closed his hand. "SAND BURIAL!"

In the stands next to his sister Temari, Kankurou was nervous. He'd seen the ANBU of other villages crushed to pulp by that jutsu. He turned to Temari when she grabbed his hand.

"Can he get out?" Temari asked worriedly.

Hinata squeezed Temari's other hand now in hers and smiled. "Hai, Temari-chan.... Naruto-kun told me he planned for this."

Several moments passed when gasps started to be heard around the arena, starting from the Suna crowd who'd seen this countless times. What made them gasp was that the sand wasn't contracting, but slowly expanding. And a yell could be heard from inside as it rapidly got louder.

Gaara was more stunned than anyone, except maybe Shukaku who was yelling in frustration in his mind that the Kyuubi vessel wasn't being crushed. Gaara put more and more chakra into it to crush Naruto, but it kept expanding. he'd never been challanged like this before, he found it frightning he was being overpowered, and very exciting to of found a worthy opponent finally.

After a full minute the sand was almost in a bubble around Naruto and the animalistic yell from within was almost deafening. Then it exploded. When the dust cleared Naruto stood there, a big feral smile on his face, and a chakra tail behind him as long as he was tall. "Come on Shukaku, I know you can do better than that.... you little bitch. Let her out Gaara, she needs a lesson in humility." Naruto's voice said.

'Shukaku is female?!' Naruto asked Kyuubi.

Kyuubi laughed. "Oh come on kit, you didn't figure it out.... why do you think he called Shukaku Mother? You think any self respecting male demon would allow that?"

"Take me over, no! This is my battle" Gaara said.

"If you don't know how to summon her, then I'll do it for you." Naruto said in adeeper voice than normal and began to flash through a long series of hand signs.

"Shukaku is female?" Tsunade half said to, half asked Sarutobi.

Sarutobi just shrugged, he was speechless for once, even he didn't know that.

In the arena Gaara tensed up, as if in pain and a dome of sand started to form around him. "NO, Leave me alone.... don't drag me out without my sand.... NOOooo don't do it Kyuubi-sama, don't do it!!" Gaara screamed in an obviously terrified female demon's voice.

"DEMON LORD'S REQUEST: BEAST SUMMON!"" Kyuubi said through Naruto.

A moment later there was an inhuman female scream and a puff of smoke between Naruto and Gaara, when it cleared, kneeling on the ground, hunched over, hands over her face, was a girl in light and dark brown robes like Gaara wore but it only went over her right shoulder, the left and both arms were bare. She had wild red hair to her waist and desert sandles. EVERYONE froze in shock, the whole arena was dead silent. She stood, head down, when she raised her head she had the same red kanji for 'love' over her left eye like Gaara, and was Gaara's height. She looked about 16 to 18 years old, very beautiful with a strong toned body judging from her arms, but what really stood out about her, literally, was her breasts, they looked like they were as big as Tsunade's, but didn't sag as much, only a few inches it looked like. She had a few tears in her eyes, then ran at Naruto, who changed back to normal, screaming at both him and Kyuubi for what they did to her, forcing her out into the open without her sand, breasts bouncing wildly under her robe, she obviously had nothing on under it. When she got to Naruto she began beating on his chest like a little girl, she didn't seem to know how to fight.

Tsunade watched the scene stunned. She couldn't help but notice that Shukuka was built like her when she was 18.... before her breasts dropped. 'If Kyuubi is the oldest and strongest of the tailed demons and only looks about thirty.... it makes sense that the one-tailed would be a teenager.... though I must admit even I never saw this coming.' Tsunade thought.

Naruto just stood there in shock and took it, he really didn't know what to do. He glanced past his attacker to Gaara, who was standing there like a statue, apparently too stunned to do anything. Thinking quickly he did the only thing he could think of to do in a situation like this.... he wrapped his arms around her and gave her in a tight hug and didn't let go. He heard Kyuubi tell him to kiss her, but he refused. When she went back into Gaara's mind she could share the memory of that with him, and the thought of even indirectly doing that bothered him. Hugging a guy was one thing, friends can hug, but he had no interest in doing anything else beyond that with Gaara.

Everyone watched as Shukaku, the girl, slowly stopped fighting Naruto after several minutes, put her head on his shoulder, hugged him back and started crying.

"Please.... give me my sand or put me back.... I.... I don't want to die." Shukaku said sadly, between sobs.

----Naruto's Mindscape----

"There, that should humble that little bi...." Kyuubi said smugly, then suddenly tensed up and slowly looked to his right and saw Lady Luck standing there, arms crossed over her chest, her face stern. "Heh... uh, I'm in trouble aren't I?" Kyuubi asked, when she nodded Kyuubi winced. "I know I shouldn't of done that, but you know how I get.... okay, okay, I'm doing it." Kyuubi said and began releasing Naruto.

----Real World----

'That's why Gaara can't fight, because she can't.... she's helpless without her sand and so is Gaara.' Naruto thought. "I won't kill you, and neither will Kyuubi, I promise." Naruto said then gently put his right hand under her chin and raised her head up and back so she was looking at him. "You don't have to kill people.... if you stop tormenting Gaara and let him sleep without trying to take him over, I'll be your friend.... we all will. You also have Gaara's brother and sister, if you got to know them you might find that you like having precious people to care for and protect like I do. That's what makes you strong. Oh.... please don't share all this with Gaara, you can tell him, but don't share the memories. Promise me you won't share the memories and feelings you have with him.... and I'll kiss you." Naruto said.

"Really... you'd do that, be my friend?" Shukaku asked, when Naruto nodded she smiled and a new warm feeling appeared inside her, though it was small. "I promise, you have my word as a demon Kyuubi-sama."

"Call me Naruto, I'm back in control now. Thank you.... Shukaku-chan.".Naruto said warmly, had a talk with Lady Luck in his mind, then took a deep breath, let it out and in front of everyone kissed her on the lips for a full 10 seconds, using Lady Luck's power on her like he had Tsunade to heal her emotionally, broke the kiss and his eyes changed to Kyuubi's. "DISMISSED" Naruto said then his eyes returned to normal and a happily smiling Shukaku vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing in Gaara's mind.

Gaara suddenly snapped out of his daze and fell to his knees, his head felt like it was spinning. "I submit." Gaara said.

The Proctor shushined back into the arena, looked at Gaara a moment, then raised a hand toward Naruto. "Winner, Naruto Uzumaki! The next round will begin in fifteen minutes!"

In the stands a silver haired man pushed up his glasses with his right hand as he gritted his teeth in frustration. "Oh I'm afraid the rest of the Exams will be cancelled.... if Gaara and the Suna nins won't help us they can all die with the rest of Konoha.... and I'm going to personally kill you Naruto Uzumaki, though you actually did me a favor by killing Orochimaru, you ruined my plans and forced me to move up my time table. It cost a fortune to hire all the extra Earth, Water and Lighning nin, as well as the few nuke nin we could find, but it'll be worth it to make Konoha mine." Kabuto said quietly to himself beneath his hood.

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End Chapter 18

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Author's Note: I'll bet you never saw THAT coming did you? Seriously people. why do you think Gaara calls Shukaku Mother?.The idea and look was totally mine. I know the Naruto/Gaara fight was cut short, but I had that idea while writing and just had to do it. However, rest assured that the invasin will be violent and action filled.... and Shukaku will appear again. *evil smile* Sorry if the chapter is a lil shorter than noral, but I needed a good stopping point.... and a good cliffhanger. LOL! Hope you enjoyed it and will reciew.