Yes, 8! i always liked 8 cos when you turn it on its side, it looks like infinity. here's a question. if orochimaru was in sasuke's body & his remains inside kabuto's, does that mean that if he took over in both cases there would be 2 orochimarus?

Disclaimer: ... does it really need to be said?

The reborn sand charmer

They all exited the exam room. Everyone was in high spirits from passing.

"Whoo!" Kankuro exhaled, "For a second there I thought it was all over!"

Temari gave a self-satisfied smirk.

"It wasn't that hard." she said, confidently.

Something clicked in Kankuro's head.

"Oh yeah!" he said, grinning broadly, "I've got somewhere to be!"

He left to look for Tenten. Temari turned to Gaara. She was tapping her chin.

"So… you want go for a walk in the forest?" she asked, nonchalantly.

Gaara stared at Temari.

"I… uh… just think it would be-"

"You just want to see Umibe again."

Temari held her hands in a begging way.

"Come on Gaara, please?"

Gaara sighed.

"Fine, let me get him some food first." he said, walking away.

"Ok!" Temari said brightly, "See you there!"

Gaara stepped into the streets & headed for the market district. All the shops looked like they were closing, but Gaara found a small corner shop still open. He went inside & looked around for anything Umibe might eat. He grabbed a few things & paid for them. As he left the shop, he saw a few of the genin from the exam, and their jounin sensei walking by. One of the genin was Shikamaru.

"Hey." he said, giving a small wave. Gaara nodded back.

"Who's your friend, he's cute." said the blonde girl walking with Shikamaru. When Shikamaru gave her a look she stammered, "Uh- but he's got nothing on Sasuke-kun!"

Gaara blinked.

"So the Uchiha's pretty popular, huh?" he thought, "Maybe after I complete my mission, I'll stick around for the third part of the exam & prove just how weak the tame Uchiha really is."

Smirking, he set off to find Temari. When he found her, she was sitting in the same spot from before. She spotted him & stood, waving. He caught up with her & they began walking through the woods.

"Alright, Umibe, you can come out now." Gaara said, removing the cork from his gourd.

Sand poured out from the gourd, spiralled in the air & formed into the small sandworm.

"Hai Gaara-sama!" Umibe said, happily.

"Hi Umibe-kun!" Temari said, smiling.

Umibe jumped onto Temari's shoulder, who giggled.

Gaara reached into his satchel & pulled out the food he had bought. One look at Temari & he immediately handed the food over. She began feeding Umibe, who was clearly enjoying the food, judging by the sounds he was making.

Temari opened a packet of potato chips & fed one to him. Umibe crunched it happily for a second. Before he turned red.

"AAAAHHH!!! HOT!!!" he yelled.

Temari looked at the chips. Extra Spicy.

"So apparently, the only thing he won't eat is spicy food." Gaara noted.

"Cool, he changed colour!" Temari said, looking surprised.

"Hm? Oh yeah, he can do that." Gaara replied, "It's something to do with his being able to change the properties of the sand. He can disperse, harden, or change colour. It makes the sandworm adaptable to any kind of sandy environment."

Temari put away the chips and started feeding Umibe some sandwiches, which he loved.

* * * * *

Later, they had returned to their hotel room. Kankuro was still out on his date. Baki was reading a letter he had received from Suna. When he was finished, he put it away.

"Where is he?" he asked no-one in particular.

"I convinced a Konoha genin to go out with him." Gaara answered, laying on an armchair with his legs hanging over the side. Baki smirked.

"So the lucky guy's already sampling Konoha's cuisine eh? If there's one thing to say about this place, it bears a lot of beautiful women."

Temari gave a disgusted grunt.

"Perv." she muttered.

"Anyway, you guys prepared for tomorrow? Your gonna be on your own for a while & as far as I'm aware, you're only permitted to bring ninja tools."

Temari waved away his question.

"Yeah, we're ready. This isn't the first time I've been in the Forest of Death, you know."

It was then that Kankuro entered the room, wearing an expression that made Temari want to throw up.

"I'm in love!" he exclaimed, spinning around the room.

Temari glared at him.

"What do you mean you're in love?" she demanded.

Baki barked a laugh, "He means he got to first base."

Kankuro shook his head, "Better, second."

Baki looked bewildered, "What kind of girl were you out with?"

Kankuro smiled as wide as he could.

"A bi." he said.

Baki took on a serious expression. He grabbed Kankuro by the shoulders & looked deep into his eyes.

"Listen here, we are about to go to war with Konoha. I can't allow your feelings for one of the enemy to get in the way, understood?"

Kankuro nodded quickly.

"But if she survives, marry her."

Temari let out another disgusted grunt & went to her room.

Gaara got up too, but he went outside for another rooftop trek.

He didn't go to the same place as before, he wanted somewhere he could be alone. So he travelled in the opposite direction and found an apartment building that looked suitable. He stood on the roof and leaned on the fence on the edge.

"It's almost time." he thought, "Tomorrow I will-"

"HEY!"

Gaara whipped his head round. Standing behind him was-

Gaara groaned. Not him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE?"

"Naruto-san, stop yelling or I'll kill you." Gaara said.

Naruto looked afraid for a second, before making a confident face.

"Like you could! I could defeat you without breaking a sweat!" he said, grinning.

Gaara turned fully towards Naruto.

"Your team mate thought so too." he said.

Naruto's confidence disappeared.

"You- you beat up Sasuke?"

Gaara nodded.

"Yes. He foolishly challenged me without knowing my capabilities. I wouldn't make that same mistake, if I were you."

They stared each other down for a while, Gaara's face stoic while Naruto's showed fear.

"So you're the Jinchuriki for the Kyuubi." Gaara noted. He had seen the signs easily.

Naruto's face changed, the light from his eyes disappeared.

"Yeah, what of it?" he said, impassively.

Gaara smirked.

"I take it your used to people looking down on you." he said.

Naruto blinked, "How did you know?" he asked.

Gaara looked off to his right side, towards Suna.

"That's how the people of my village see me. I know that pain. The pain of loneliness."

Naruto was staring intently at Gaara, a little of the light had returned to his eyes.

"You do?"

Gaara nodded again, "But then I found someone. Someone who gave me a chance to escape that loneliness. I will do anything that person asks of me. I am eternally indebted to him."

Naruto looked at Gaara like he recognised something within him.

"You're just like Haku." he said with a sad smile.

Gaara looked at Naruto. He really did seem to have a lot of potential. Pity.

"Naruto-san, I have a favour to ask."

Naruto blinked, "What is it?"

"Tomorrow. Watch out for your team mate. You may be the only one who can protect him."

"Huh? What do you mean, protect him from what?"

Gaara didn't answer. He disappeared in a whirl of sand.

* * * * *

The next day, outside the Forest of Death, Gaara felt many eyes upon his squad. Naruto, Sasuke & the pink haired girl kept glancing at him from a distance. Shikamaru raised his hand in the air when he saw Gaara. His blonde team mate was a little less subtle.

"Hi Gaara-kuuun!" she called out.

"Do you know her?" Temari asked, frowning at the girl.

"Not at all." Gaara answered.

Tenten kept shifting to giving Gaara a determined look, to giving Kankuro a different look altogether.

"Hee-hee-hee." Kankuro giggled perversely, receiving a hand across the head from Temari.

"Everyone! Around me!" called out the second exam proctor, Mitarashi Anko. When everyone had formed a half-circle around her, she began giving them her instructions.

Once she was done, & they had signed the consent form, they all received a scroll.

"Now get to your assigned gates!" she ordered, leaving them.

Kankuro looked at their scroll.

"Lets go" he said, walking towards their gate. Temari grinned at Gaara.

"Isn't that usually your line?" she joked.

Gaara looked at her.

"You know, the faster we get this thing started, the faster I can let Umibe out." he said.

Temari blinked and started walking faster.

* * * * *

About an hour had passed since they'd entered the forest. They were taking their time, choosing to play it slow. Gaara had let Umibe out, having already told Kankuro about him. Umibe was crawling on the ground by Gaara's side, looking at the giant trees in awe.

"Wow. I think some of these might even be bigger than Kousou-sama!" he exclaimed, making Temari laugh.

"So how are we going to do this?" Kankuro asked, annoyed that they hadn't immediately sought out another scroll.

Gaara stopped.

"What is it, Gaara-sama?" Umibe asked.

Gaara turned to face his siblings.

"Gaara?" Temari asked, looking nervous.

"Temari, Kankuro." Gaara said, "This is were we part ways."

Kankuro frowned.

"You want us to split up? Is that really necessary? I mean, we could just take a scroll & no-one could do anything about it."

Gaara shook his head. Temari figured it out.

"You're leaving." she said.

"WHAT?! Gaara, you can't be serious!" Kankuro exclaimed.

Gaara crossed his arms & closed his eyes.

"I do not serve the Kazekage. I serve another." Gaara replied.

"Another?" Temari repeated, tears filling up her eyes, "Please, Gaara, don't leave us."

Gaara turned away from her & began to walk away when he felt her arms wrap around him.

"No! Don't go!" she cried, weeping into his shoulder.

Gaara turned back & placed his hands on Temari's shoulders. He looked deep into her eyes.

"Temari, I have a purpose now." he said. "I will help my sensei achieve his dreams. Nothing will stop me from gaining my place by his side."

Temari wiped her eyes.

"You're not going to change your mind?" she asked.

Gaara shook his head.

"No."

"I see. Then… take me with you!" she begged.

"Temari! What are you saying?" Kankuro exclaimed.

Gaara was frowning at Temari.

"Why? Why do you care?" he asked.

Temari sniffed & smiled at him.

"You're my little brother & I love you." she said.

Gaara froze.

"You l-…lo…"

He grabbed his hair & screamed.

"Gaara!" Temari & Kankuro cried.

Gaara was on his knees, screaming in pain.

"GET OUT!" he ordered, "GET OUT OF MY MIND!"

The sand flooded out of his gourd & attacked Temari, wrapping itself around her neck.

"NO!" he yelled, stretching his hand out and trying to pull the sand away.

"UMIBE!" he called out.

"Hai Gaara-sama!" Umibe called, leaping onto the sand, biting through it.

The sand retreated and trapped Gaara in the sphere.

"GET OUT OF ME!" Gaara screamed.

"YOU!!! YOU STILL DON'T KNOW YOUR PLACE!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I AM IN CONTROL HERE! YOU ARE MY SERVANT, NOW KILL! I WILL HAVE HER BLOOD!"

Gaara's hands fell to his side, he stopped screaming.

"No." he growled.

"LISTEN TO ME BOY, I-"

"Shut up. You have no control over me. You are just a weak fragment of your former self, attempting to get a taste of freedom through me. I see it now. It is not my existence that is in question, it is yours. If I don't follow your orders, if I don't listen to you, then you do not exist. You are afraid that your existence will be nullified. That you will no longer be. Well understand something. If I cease to exist, then so do you. If you wish to hold on to your pitiful existence, then you better not get in my way."

"…"

The sand fell around Gaara, landing in a heap on the ground. Gaara realized he had won, but he suddenly felt very weak. He fell forwards & landed on the ground face first.

"Gaara!" Temari cried, rushing to his side, turning him over. When he was on his back, Temari realized he was smiling.

"I can't hear him anymore." he whispered, "I won."

The world turned black.

* * * * *

"Ngh."

"Kankuro, he's awake!"

"Wha- really?"

Slowly, Gaara opened his eyes. It was very late, judging by how dark the forest was. Nearby, a fire was throwing an orange light onto the trees.

Gaara was lying on the ground, his head resting on Temari's lap. He looked up at her & felt a teardrop hit his cheek.

"You're ok." she said, more to herself than him.

"Temari." Gaara said, getting up.

"You've been gone for hours." Temari told him, smiling sadly.

Gaara looked uneasy. He kept glancing around the area.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, looking concerned.

Gaara pressed his hand against his forehead.

"I'm just not used to things being this quiet." he said.

"Ca-caw!"

"Hisssss."

"ROOAAARRR!!!"

Kankuro looked out into the woods then back at Gaara.

"Quiet? What are you talking about?" he asked.

Gaara rapped his knuckles against his head.

"In here." he said.

"Oh."

Gaara walked over to the campfire & sat by it. Off to his left Umibe was attacking the pile of sand.

"Bad sand!" he yelled, "You hurt Temari-chan!"

Temari & Kankuro sat down on either side of Gaara. The three of them were looking into the fire. Neither of them spoke for a while. Umibe had become tired & was resting his head on Temari's lap while she petted him.

"So…" Kankuro said, "What's the deal with you leaving?"

Gaara looked through the fire, back to the last time he saw Madara.

"You remember the first time the sand took me, the day everything changed?" he asked.

Temari nodded as she remembered.

"Well, the Shukaku said things. Things that made a lot of sense to me. But he demanded too much of me. His power was great. I couldn't be sure that I could always be in control. So I decided to lead a life of solitude, in the hope I wouldn't hurt anyone precious to me."

Temari looked at Gaara, hope in her eyes.

"Anyone precious to you?" she repeated.

Gaara wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin on them.

"I'm sorry." he said, aware of the fresh tears pouring down Temari's cheeks.

"So, wait." Kankuro said, eyebrows raised, "That whole crazy, psycho killer thing was just an act?"

Gaara shook his head.

"He was affecting my mind. I was his puppet. If either of you pushed me, I probably would have killed you. I couldn't let that happen."

Kankuro nodded.

"So what does that have to do with this?" he asked.

"The day before that happened, I met a man who was all alone. He had disguised himself as uncle Yashamaru to get me to follow him. But when he revealed himself, I didn't fear him. I felt like I had been waiting for him. I had only just met him, but I trusted him. I decided then & there that my fate was to follow this mans will, so that I may eventually stand by his side as his dreams come true. I still believe that & that's why I must leave."

Gaara made to stand, but Kankuro grabbed his shoulder & pulled him back down.

"Sorry bro." he said, not looking at him, "There's no way we're letting you walk away from us that easy."

Gaara glared at him. But that glare changed to surprise as Kankuro met his glare with a determined look.

"If you want to take this path… we're coming with you."

Gaara blinked. He looked at Temari, only to see the same determined look.

"You would abandon Suna, just to follow me?" he asked, bewildered. Temari nodded & Kankuro grinned.

Gaara looked back to the fire & smirked inwardly.

"Ok." he said, getting up.

"Then I guess…" he said, walking away.

"That you two…" he said, pausing.

"Are my subordinates." he said, looking back at them.

Both Temari & Kankuro sweat dropped.

"Subordinates?" Kankuro repeated.

"Great." Temari said, unenthusiastically.

"Now then." Gaara said, "If you two really want to come along, then you are going to help me complete my mission."

"Your mission? So you gonna tell us what it is?" Kankuro asked, as the two of them stood.

"Temari, Kankuro, the three of us together." Gaara said, as Umibe climbed onto his shoulder, "We are going to kill Orochimaru."

Temari & Kankuro paused.

"Did I just hear right?!" Kankuro asked, eyes wide, "You're going to try to kill the Legendary Sannin Orochimaru?!"

"What makes you think we even stand a chance?" Temari asked, looking shocked.

"I have a plan." Gaara answered, "But first, we must find Uchiha Sasuke. If Orochimaru gets him, we have failed."

"Ok." Temari said, "How are you going to find him?"

Gaara turned to Umibe & quietly gave him an order. He nodded, flipped off Gaara's back & burrowed into the ground.

"I saw his team's gate number earlier. If we hurry, we can intercept them."

"Hai!" Temari & Kankuro called out as the three of them leapt up to the tree branches & moved out.

Gaara took the lead, with Kankuro behind to his left & Temari to his right. As they travelled through the forest, Gaara thought about the last time he had spoken to Madara.

"Gaara-kun, you're sure you're ready for this?" Madara had said, "It will probably be very painful."

"I will do whatever it takes." Gaara answered, "To make myself worthy of a place in your clan."

Gaara took his shirt of & lay on the table, facing the floor. Kazuma stepped forward & placed the teakettle containing Shukaku on a smaller table next to him. He then put a piece of plastic between Gaara's teeth for him to bite down on. He took out a brush & started marking points on Gaara's body. As a final measure, he attached restraints to Gaara's wrists & ankles. When he was done, he turned to Madara.

"I have marked the necessary points to bond the chakra to." he said.

"Very well." Madara replied, "Then let us begin. I'll focus on removing the chakra from the source, you focus on bonding it to Gaara-kun."

Together, Madara & Kazuma formed hand seals faster than the eye could see. When they both had finished, they called out.

"HA!" they yelled.

A sand coloured vapour began pouring out of the teakettle. It swirled in the air, heading towards Gaara. It focused on the points Kazuma had marked & settled on top of them. They then began sinking into Gaara's skin.

"HHHRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!" came Gaara's muffled scream, him biting deep into the plastic.

The procedure lasted for three hours. After an hour, Gaara had passed out & was still unconscious. He awoke two days later in a bed inside a dimly lit room.

He groaned & sat up. In the corner, Madara was rising out of an armchair.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Gaara groaned as he held his left hand to his forehead; his right one was too painful to move.

"What was the name of that Sharingan Katon jutsu again?" he asked.

"Amaterasu?" Madara offered.

"Yeah. This feels exactly how I imagined that would feel like."

Madara chuckled.

"You are underestimating the Amaterasu." he said.

"Am I now strong enough to defeat Orochimaru?"

Madara's face was serious.

"Raw power alone will not lead you to victory. The legendary sannin were named by Sanshōuo no Hanzō himself. That alone attests to their skill. You will need to come up with a strategy to defeat someone like Orochimaru."

Gaara nodded.

"Is there anything you can tell me about him?" he asked.

"Well, aside from his great skills as a shinobi, he has augmented his body in many ways to make himself even more snakelike. His sense of smell is powerful & he can detect nearby vibrations. His eyes are also infrared sensitive. In other words, it will be almost impossible to hide from him."

"I see."

Madara smiled at Gaara.

"Gaara-kun. Every time we meet, I become ever more certain that you are the one."

Gaara looked at Madara.

"The one what?" he asked.

"Not now." Madara replied, "But one day, you will control the fate of the world. I trust you to make the correct decision."

"Madara-sensei, your will is my destiny."

Madara shook his head.

"No Gaara-kun, your destiny is bound to the destiny of the entire world. It is not held in place by something as fragile as my will."

Gaara stared at Madara.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"That one day, our paths will meet for the last time. I have lived long for a single purpose, & committed crimes so inhuman that when the Shinigami comes for my soul, I will bow my head for his blade. But there is one thing I must do before that day & that is to make you strong enough to face the challenges of your life."

Madara placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"Gaara-kun, the day I took your parents lives, I looked at you like you were my own son. I know you will make me proud."

"I will, Madara-sensei." Gaara thought, racing ahead of his siblings, "I will make you proud!"