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Chapter 7: Sand and Sharingan – Seeing Through the Sandstorm

This chapter is dedicated to C. H. Wolf, creator of EscapeMan.

This chapter is also dedicated to everyone but Slacker, out of spite.

(scene change)

Gaara uncorked his massive jug of sand and walked slowly onto the field, crossing his arms and leveling a malignant gaze at the announcer. "So I am to wait until this Uchiha loser shows up before I am declared victor, instead of just getting an automatic win like the rules say I should?"

The announcer looked back at Gaara. "The Kazekage wants to see you fight the Uchiha kid. I'll give you a tip, though: I've seen the Uchiha fight, and it would do you well to take him seriously."

Gaara only looked more annoyed. "You haven't seen me fight."

(scene change)

"So why are we waiting like this?" A masked figure said to the hooded and cloaked man next to him.

"Waiting until the last minute is dramatic." The hooded figure answered. "It also gives time for interesting things to happen."

The masked figure watched as Gaara began to make figures of himself beheading Sasuke in the sand.

"I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

(scene change)

"Finally," Gaara said, finishing his sand-play by having a wave of sand representing blood roll out of the neck of the Sand-Sasuke. "His time is almost up."

As the announcer finished his countdown of the last minute Sasuke had to arrive, Sasuke and his trainer, Kakashi, appeared in center stage in a puff of smoke.

"Ugh. Now I actually have to fight you. I would have preferred the same result without the wasted effort." Gaara said, mockingly.

"Don't be so sure." Sasuke said. "I'm stronger than I was one month ago."

Gaara just stared at the genin before him, letting no whisper of nervousness or fear grace his visage.

The announcer began to wave his hands rapidly. "The match that everyone wanted to see! The power of the Desert against the power of the Uchiha clan, Konoha's favorite rookie genin Uchiha Sasuke against a newcomer, the amazing Tendo Gaara, also know by his nickname Gaara of the Desert!"

Gaara looked at the announcer. "They know who's fighting. They've been waiting. Just start the match so I can beat this loser already."

The announcer shivered, then looked back at the crowd. "uh... Begin!"

Gaara moved his hands into the sign for his favorite technique: "Earth Element: The Desert Spreads!"

Sasuke barely had time to jump back before the ground under him turned into sand, along with all the rest of the dirt within 25 feet of Gaara. Gaara panted slightly at doing so much at once, then began to direct the sand at his enemy. Sasuke was forced back again, activating his Sharingan.

After that, he suddenly became a lot better at dodging. By watching Gaara's hands, he managed to know where the sand would go ahead of time, and wasn't hit at all.

Gaara smirked. Suddenly, Sasuke was hit in the back, out of nowhere. "H... How?" he asked as Gaara continued his onslaught, forcing Sasuke to dodge without even moving himself.

"I know how your bloodline works. You're watching my hands. But I don't need to move my hands to move the sand..."

Sasuke gasped, then grew a determined look. With sudden speed, he dashed past Gaara's sand and right to Gaara, almost managing to reach Gaara before his ever-present shield of sand blocked Sasuke's attack.

"So, you have a little more speed. Interesting." Sasuke charged again, attempting to overwhelm the shield, but when he finally got a foot through, Gaara merely blocked it with his own hand, grabbing the offending limb and tossing Sasuke to the ground, where he had t roll away quickly to avoid the sand that followed.

When Sasuke stood, he ran at Gaara again, this time managing to avoid the block and land one on Gaara's chest, which was unharmed due to Gaara's Sand Armor Technique. Sasuke jumped back in time to avoid the counter, but found his destination had turned into a pit instead of ground. Falling in, he left enough time for Gaara to regain the offensive, but Gaara had other plans. As Sasuke climbed out of the pit he created, slightly faster than the sand collapsed, Gaara created an impenetrable ball of sand around him, completely protecting him from attacks.

"Hah!" Sasuke exclaimed, not worried about the eyeball made of sand that escaped from the ultimate defense Gaara had constructed to look at him. "This is what I was waiting for!" He ran up the stadium wall, leaving footprints in the concrete. "Chidori!" he exclaimed, starting his own ultimate technique, the mere power of it ruining the wall as he sped down to push his cutting chakra into the ball of sand.

Sasuke managed to dodge the spikes of sand that attacked him as he reached the ball. He managed to hit the ball with his attack, breaking a hole in its side. He didn't manage to predict that the ball would collapse as he passed, leaving him running at top speed towards nothing with a heavily draining ball of chakra attached to his hand. 'Gaara wasn't in there? Where is he?'

Sasuke managed to stop before he hit the far wall. Gaara was nowhere to be seen, but the sand eyeball was watching him. Sasuke ran to the eyeball, jumping to attack it so Gaara couldn't see where he was. As he neared it, Gaara made a mighty leap from the sandy ground, the sand around him rising as he did so to attack the Uchiha boy.

Suddenly, a hail of shuriken hit from the middle of the sky. Gaara, not quite expecting the attack, barely managed to defend himself. Sasuke was pinned to the ground.

Temari, Sand genin and secret agent, flew from the sky on her giant fan, holding a small bottle of an unidentified substance. Kankuro leapt from the crowd, his giant wrapped weapon on his back. Temari quickly forced the substance into Gaara's mouth before he could react as explosions began to grace the Konoha sky and city walls. Jumping through one of the walls, Temari left the stadium, while Kankuro jumped through a second later, covering her retreat.

"Fuck!" Ranma said, and watched as Sasuke got up and ran after them, Baki the Sand Jounin jumped into the center and attacked the announcer, and the entire stadium began somehow to fall asleep.

(scene change)

Ranma and Haku were stopped as they tried to pursue. "I, the mighty Maito Gai, will stop you sound ninjas and your attack!"

"We're not with the Sound." Ranma tried to explain, while dodging powerful Taijutsu attacks. "We're just missing ninja from the Sand!"

Gai doubled his attacks, attempting to bring in the criminals. "Damn it! We're just trying to rescue our brother!"

Gai stopped for a second. "Rescue! Noble deeds! I cannot stop the power of youth and their righteous actions!" He began to cry, allowing Ranma and Haku to sneak past, while they rubbed the fake Sound marks from their headbands.

Kakashi walked up to Gai while fighting off Sound and Sand attackers. "Did you just let those Sound ninja past you and after Sasuke?"

Gai looked after them for a minute. "Yes! How hip of you to notice!"

Kakashi just sighed. 'Now I have to send someone after them!'

(scene change)

Ranma looked to Haku. "We're being chased by four Konoha genins... no, make that three genins and one dog. After them are eight sound chuunins and one sound jounin."

"I know that, dumbass." Haku laughed and sped ahead, leaving Ranma to deal with the Konoha ninjas and the Sound attackers.

"Ah, good. I prefer to do the fighting and leave the easy parts to others." Ranma was just thinking that simply beating up two genins and saving Gaara would be boring anyway, and Haku could handle most Jounins on his own...

Orange-Jacket, Big Forehead, Gives-up and their pet Spot. Ranma sighed. "I suppose since they are under attack I shouldn't be beating them up. Man, I hate having to convince people I'm the good guy."

Orange Jacket spoke first. "You! How could you attack Konoha like this?"

Gives-Up made a sad look. "Be careful. He's strong."

Ranma shook her head. "I'm not with the attackers. I'm just gonna stop you from interfering in our rescue."

Big Forehead looked at Ranma strangely. "Aren't you one of the Sound genins?"

"Uh..." Ranma stuttered. "It's a long story."

Gives-Up held a kunai in a defensive guard. "We're listening."

(scene change)

Haku caught up with Sasuke when he stopped to face the Sand ninja. She only caught the last part of the conversation. "Kankuro, run! I'll stop him so you can complete the plan!"

She decided to help Sasuke beat Temari. After all, it couldn't hurt to once more have a Sharingan-user at her side when she got Gaara back, could it?

(scene change)

"... and that's why we were at the Chuunin Exams." Ranma finished explaining. "Oops, looks like the sound ninjas who were following you are almost here."

"I noticed." the dog agreed. "We need to lay a trap so we can find Sasuke and figure out what the Sand ninja want with Gaara."

Gives-Up sighed. "I'll do it. I'm the only one who can lay a trap here. Naruto and Sakura don't know how to, and Ranko doesn't know the territory. How troublesome."

Ranma grinned to herself, while the others were worried for Gives-Up. She'd just detected a Konoha ninja trailing the Sound Jounin, and to her practiced sense she could tell that the Konoha Jounin was going to arrive in time to save Shikamaru.

(scene change)

Haku sighed. Sasuke had misunderstood her intentions and attacked her, allowing Temari to escape. Now they both trailed after, barely reaching Kankuro before he handed Gaara back to Temari.

"You'll never beat me in time to stop our plans!" Kankuro cried.

Sasuke turned to Haku quickly. "You're the faster. Catch up and save your brother." He turned to Kankuro. "You'll never beat me in time to catch Haku."

Kankuro gasped as Haku sped off past him before he could even react. "Damn it!" He turned to Sasuke once more. "I'll kill you!"

Sasuke grinned. He could see the Chakra Strings coming from the wrapped package. With a quick leap, he kicked the package, only to grunt in pain when it did not give. Kankuro grinned madly. With a twist of his fingers, the package exploded, revealing deadly clawed metal arms attached to his back and controlled by the strings.

"I am known as Kankuro, the Deadly Trap! I am the best puppeteer among the Sand genin! I use my chakra strings to trigger traps even as my murderous puppet relentlessly attacks!"

"Wow. You gave up your whole strategy in one go." Sasuke casually remarked.

(scene change)

"Just give Gaara this pill after he's taken the bottle and the Sand's trouble will be over..." She lifted his comatose form and inserted the pill between his teeth.

She heard a shout and turned around. Haku was almost there. She hoped the solution to the problems of the Sand would include saving her life.

Suddenly, she heard a noise behind her. Looking up, she screamed...

(scene change)

Omake:

"So why are we waiting like this?" A masked figure said to the hooded and cloaked man next to him.

"Waiting until the last minute is dramatic." The hooded figure answered. "It also gives time for interesting things to happen."

The masked figure watched as Gaara began to make figures of himself prison-style-raping Sasuke in the sand.

"I'm absolutely sure this is not a good idea."

Omake 2:

Orange-Jacket, Sexy, Gives-up and their pet Spot. Ranma sighed, then did a double-take. 'Wait a minute. Sexy?'

"Who decides those stupid mental nicknames anyway?"

Omake 3:

Hah!" Sasuke exclaimed, not worried about the eyeball made of sand that escaped from the ultimate defense Gaara had constructed to look at him. "This is what I was waiting for!" He ran up the stadium wall, leaving footprints in the concrete. "Sexy-No-Justsu!" he exclaimed, starting his own ultimate technique...