The problems in writing a fanfiction is that you sometimes you have to write things you hate to do to characters.

I hate some parts of this.

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"There is no trace of him anywhere Homura san," Naruto spoke, "so I believe that Gaara has left hidden leaf." The two of them Homura and Naruto was meeting in a small heavily warded room that prevents anyone even the hokage from looking in.

Homura frowned, he then spoke, "then what about the Uchiha?"

"Training with Kakashi," Naruto answered calmly, "as ordered I gave the Hatake a little incentive to train the boy harder."

"You don't seemed to pleased," Homura noted he saw Naruto clenching his right hand slightly before relaxing, "I take it you still have a grudge against the Hatakes."

"…………………"

"That's fine," Homura spoke as Naruto tensed slightly, "as long as it doesn't affect your abilities, after all anger is what affects your seal, we may need it in the not so distant future."

Naruto nodded giving a slight nod, "is there anything else Homura san?"

Homura closed his eyes taking in a deep breathe before speaking, "the hokage has some suspicious, lay low until the day of the exams. When it is time to fight the sand's monster, I will give you clearance to use the tails if need be."

Naruto nodded his face expressionless but his eyes were alight with a feverish glow, "well then see yah!" Raising his hands to form the seal, the Naruto clone dispelled itself.

Looking at the spot Naruto's clone had dispelled from, Homura prayed that he had not accidentally unleash a monster from its cage.

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"You look better," Temari spoke use she visited her younger brother.

Kankuro snorted, "yeah I can live through almost anything," Kankuro amended slightly looking at his sister he was surprised to see a slight smile on her face, "so what's up?"

"Not much," Temari spoke setting down a small basket of fruits she had brought along with her, "Gaara's disappeared to god-knows-where, Baki has to go around speaking with his contacts and I had to scout the village mapping out possible escape routes for civilians."

"The usual huh?"

"The usual," Temari responded.

There was a slight moment of silence, then Kankuro spoke, "fine I won't pry but if the guy or whoever it is even thinks off….."

Temari quickly peeled a banana and shoved it in Kankuro's opened mouth, "not a word…..or else."

Kankuro nodded noticing the menacing glare in his sister's eyes.

"Since you've gotten into the third round and all, you need any help in training?" Kankuro asked as he ate the banana munching and peaking at the same time with his left arm, his right arm was in a sling.

"No!" Temari snapped, "you've only just been recovering, why a few days ago I had to be restrained when I heard you had a cracked skull, thank god for medical ninjutsu."

"Fine, fine," Kankuro sighed finishing his banana, "but I can help you by using my puppets."

"You've only got Kuroari, Karasu got totalled remember?"

"Damn," Kakuro groaned, "where is sensei when you need him?"

"Back home," Temari paused, "but I wouldn't want to be the one to face him."

"Why's that?"

"Because there's no chance you will be made into a chunin this round."

"Oh shit!" Kankuro yelped knowing that he will endure a whole lot of hell back home when he returned to Suna.

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"In this month alone I will teach you how to make poisons," Sasori spoke as the three of them stood inside the greenhouse, "there will be no time to teach you seals, which was used against demons."

Gaara stood there his face thoughtful as he digested the various facts about the plants in the greenhouse, his sensei seemed almost alive as he happily described which part of a particular herb had the best results. Meanwhile a jounin how introduced himself as Taki to Gaara, was eagerly writing all this information down.

"But why is this relevant to Gaara?" Taki asked as Sasori pointed out the various uses for Cactus thorns.

"The techniques Gaara uses can be helped with the use of poison," Sasori spoke slightly irritated at being interrupted, "now the roots of this…."

"I don't understand," Taki spoke his face confused.

Sasori glared at Taki, "what rock have you been living under?" Sasori spoke bluntly.

"Huh?" Taki asked confused.

"Gaara show him," Sasori spoke tossing a kunai without any warning, Taki yelped as the blade sliced through the air, instantly Gaara's sand defence activated, crushing the kunai to powder. Taki gaped.

"Feel free to returned back to the office to work on paperwork," Sasori spoke looking at Taki his eyes cold as he regarded the surprised jounin whose mouth was hanging open.

"Well?" Sasori demanded after a moment's silence.

"THAT IS SO COOL!" Taki yelled his eyes sparkling, Gaara looked confused, "HOW DO YOU DO THAT?!".

"I have a demon sealed inside of me," Gaara responded bluntly, "it gives me the ability to control sand."

"Amazing!" Taki grinned taking out another notepad to write all of this down, "that's why you carry the gourd filled with sand all over the place….nice!"

"Why are you writing all this down?" Sasori demanded.

"We need to improve Gaara's attacks right?" Taki grinned, "might as well write all its qualities and physical attributes to figure out what poison to add to the sand!"

"Add to the sand….." Sasori spoke to himself his eyes unreadable.

"That's what you were suggesting right?" Taki asked eagerly, "I mean there are some poisons that work like acids on certain materials, add to the fact that we can add unlimited amount of sand…"

"Hold it," Sasori raised a hand looking at Taki eyes alight with interest, "what do you mean unlimited amount of sand?"

"Well um…our country is surrounded by sand that kind of acts like a natural barrier and…."

"You have just given me an idea on what to add to our village's defences," Sasori said striding out of the greenhouse, "let's leave this place and get to work."

"But what about the poisons lesson?" Taki yelled as both of them followed Sasori.

"It will be a hands on training," Sasori responded, as his mind was busy thinking out of various scenarios for his plan to work.

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It was a few days later that Sasori disappeared somewhere, that Taki finally had some time alone with Gaara. Taki had his notebook out and had Gaara telling him about the battles he had finished using his sand, the one fight that really caught Taki's interest was the one with Shukaku.

"Woah so let me get this straight," Taki spoke chewing on his pen, "both of you, were using almost the same sort of sand techniques."

"Yes."

"Standing on the sands."

"I've already said this, do not make me repeat myself."

Taki gulped, but bravely continued on, "you guys can use this sand to fly?"

"Not exactly flying more like floating, making use of the sand to remain airborne."

"So why don't you use it to increase your speed?" Taki asked scribbling furiously.

Gaara paused, he had no idea why this human…no person did not run away at the sight of him, nor did he fear the sand, deciding to wait and see whenever this person was a threat, Gaara spoke, "not possible, the sand is heavy and it weights me down even in the air."

"No no, look to this," Taki turned his book upside down and passed it to Gaara, Gaara looked at the drawing then at Taki who grinned, "this is an idea I got from a book."

"It's a person standing on flaming wheels," Gaara poke not getting the point.

"Control the sand to move with you on it!" Taki said making some sort of whooshing motion, "you know magic carpet, green lantern or something like that.

Gaara suddenly understood, he look at the design thinking it through thoroughly, "there is a slight problem."

"Which is?" Taki asked looking at the picture wondering where he went wrong.

"Sand does not catch fire."

"………………" Taki was speechless.

"What?" Gaara's tone was flat and deadly serious as he glared at the stunned look on Taki's face.

"Never mind we don't need the fire," Taki spoke with a sigh, in a way Gaara wasn't very imaginative.

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Matsuri was lost; she had wandered the corridors of the Kazekage building looking for directions to internal applications office and so far had found no one. "What to do?" Matsuri sighed as she leaned against a wall behind a huge flower vase in the corner, "and to think I'm going to graduated soon….."

There came a slight rustle of robes, Matsuri peeked out from her hiding place to see a figure dressed in Kazekage robes walking pass her, cheering up at her situation since the Kazekage always know where to go, Matusri gathered her feet to her side preparing to stand up when another figure approached the Kazekage, looking at the pure black outfit with a small backpack at the back with the arm and shin guards, Matsuri realised that it was a messenger.

Not wanting to intrude Matsuri continued to hide herself, not realising that this in fact saved her life.

"Oi Kazekage sama," the messenger spoke stopping in front of the Kazekage, "how's the job suiting you?"

Matsuri was confused, normally if one talk like that to the Kazekage you will end up in some remote outpost close to the border with no contact for miles, the Kazekage was extremely strict about people giving him respect even if there were rumours of someone doing it all the time. Fujin was one example.

"It as boring as hell six-arms," the Kazekage responded, "the weather's crap over here, and the people are as boring as hell, what's Orochimaru sama thinking chucking me here in this crappy post?"

"Be glad that's all you get for failing his orders," the messenger spoke mockingly, hidden Matsuri was too shocked to even cry out, someone was impersonating the Kazekage!

"That's bull and you know it Kidomaru," the Kazekage snapped, his arms at the sides of his body palms on his hips in a distinctly feminine manner, "so what's the rest of the gang up to anyway?"

The messenger frowned, "well for starters Jirobo's is together with the rest of the force, even building some sort of hidden temporary command post in case the invasion takes more than two days."

"He's probably has the most easiest job out of the whole lot of us, that fatass," the Kazekage snorted.

"Sakon and Udon, those two got the job of protecting Orochimaru sama since that Kaguya guy got sick again," the messenger grinned, "I bet they even get to witness 'that' first hand."

"Pity the poor saps who had to be the sacrifice," the Kazekage spoke his tone amused, "so what about you slacking off you six-arms?"

"You wish," the messenger retorted, "nah, I'm was doing my mission which was coincidently in this village, and decided to pay you a little visit."

"Fuck off," the Kazekage retorted.

"That's the Tayuya I know and love," the messenger mocked, "and to think I was wondering you were watching your language today."

"That's cause this old fart I'm impersonating doesn't swear, at all!" the fake Kazekage retorted, "stupid old fart I'm glad we put him out of his misery."

"So that's all," the messenger spoke emphasizing on a certain word, "nice meeting you again, Tayuya but I got a real job to do."

"There's someone here," the fake Kazekage spoke suddenly as the messenger turned to leave.

"Who is it?" the messenger asked to Matsuri's shock, the messenger turned into smoke to reveal a man with six arms just like the fake Kazekage said, the man himself then pull down his headband to reveal a third eye, "ah yes I see her, over there!"

Matsuri immediately ran, jumping out from behind the vase and heading in the opposite direction.

"Kidomaru you idiot, the bitch's getting away!" the fake Kazekage yelled.

"I'll take care of her," Kidomaru grinned as he ran after her assuming the guise of the messenger again, "you were going to a meeting right?".

"I hate you," the fake Kazekage hissed as he watched Kidomaru disappear from sight around a corner.

"See yah!" the messenger yelled as he chased after the girl, "come back here!"

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Matsuri didn't know how long she ran, the adrenaline in her system that was helping her outrun the man was disappearing fast, whimpering involuntary, Matsuri wondered where she should run to.

Having left the kazekage's office and continuing running, Matsuri knew she was running out of options, she decided to head for the gates and call for help from the guards.

She ran, the man continued to his chase, using their ninja abilities both hunter and prey leapt from roof to roof of houses, she screamed as the man shot out a few shurikens attempting to finish her from behind, in her mind she could almost recall the blade that almost killed her, 'can I escape?' Matsuri thought, 'where can I run?'

Leaping down from the building hoping to lose him in the crowded market street, Matsuri landed in the adjourning alleyway, her feet touching the ground with a thud. She collapsed, not used to exercising so much. "No!" Matsuri cursed and forced herself to stand up, however an arm immediately held her in an armlock.

"Hello little girl," Kidomaru hissed into his captive's ear, "stopping to land was your first and final mistake." Clamping his other hand to stop her from screaming Kidomaru dragged her off deeper into the alley to finish her off.

Matusri struggled against the man's grip as he dragged her deeper and deeper into the desolate alley, there many alleys like this in Suna, it's long and narrow walkways some of them with roofs, made great hiding places for people hiding from the shade or engaging in illicit activities.

Meanwhile Kidomaru was wondering where he should kill her and dump the body. Inwardly he admitted that he wanted to do more than just kill her, but common sense, which most members of sound lack, dictate that someone could overhear the screams and the struggles. There was also the fact that she was a kid, and Kidomaru liked his woman to be slightly more ripe despite the way he looks.

Strung by desperation, Matsuri gave Kidomaru a great big kick in the shin with her heel, stepping on his toes as well. "Ow!" Kidomaru growled as his captive's high-heeled shoe crushed his left toe. "That hurt damned bitch!"

Matsuri immediately attempted to struggle free as the pain struck her captor, but Kidomaru was more experience at such things than her, he decided to end it by grabbing her throat attempting to crush her windpipe. Matsuri's struggles became more violent, her gasp became more erratic. She felt herself losing conscience her head was pounding furiously from lack of air.

She then knew she was going to die; both sides of her throat were being squeezed shut restricting blood flow around her body, her arms struggled uselessly before hanging limp, her brain slowly started to shut down, her eyes felt like popping out with tears blurring her vision, "mom," she whispered before she blacked out.

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Orochimaru knew that all his planning, all his decisions, all lead to this moment, the all for nothing gamble, which decided on whenever he will have his revenge and establish sound village as a great power in the shinobi world.

So far everything had gone as planned, Sasuke had received the seal, he had managed to control Suna temporarily by killing the Kazekage and using one of his loyal subordinates as a replacement, Sasori, his one time partner, has been effectively holed up in believing that unknown forces will attack Suna during the invasion of Konoha. All that remained was mainly the invasion itself and a few minor details.

However, being the paranoid man that he is, Orochimaru had two backup plans. In case Sasori decided to leave Suna and come to Konoha, he had ordered Kidomaru to retrieve what he needed from Suna under the cover of darkness, and had also made a secret pact with rain to invade Suna, eliminating two great villages at one go and boosting his reputation enormously.

Right now Orochimaru was waiting at the temporary base for Kidomaru to arrive with the 'item'; with this item Orochimaru can use it as a catalyst for his jutsu, rendering Sasori useless in battle.

There was slight murmur of voices, as several of his subordinates began to talk among themselves, Orochimaru smirked he could hear what those fools were blabbering about, it seemed that one of his sound four has returned.

There was a slight rustle as the sound of sandal feet hit the dirt next to his makeshift tent, Orochimaru hastily composed himself trying not to look to eager, inwardly he found it ironic that a jutsu he had made by mistake in his quest for immorality had such uses.

"Come in Kidomaru," Orochimaru hissed as he recognised the chakra signature of the individual.

There was a slight hesitation as Kidomaru stepped in the tent, Orochimaru took note of his untidy appearance and several cuts on his clothing, "did you run into any trouble?" Orochimaru hissed as Kidomaru briefly glance up before looking down.

"There were a few patrols and a sandstorm," Kidomaru spoke taking out two small makeshift bundles from a small pack behind his back, both of then were about the size of a loaf of bread, "but I've got it."

Orochimaru nodded his eyes checking both the bundle and the subordinate for any suspicious behaviour, "leave them on the table, and return to your other duties."

Kidomaru nodded, "hai Orochimaru sama," Bowing slightly Kidomaru left.

"At last," Orochmaru hissed taking up one of the bundles, "nothing can stop me now, ku ku ku."

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There was a slight hissing sound as the target melted into a pile of goo, Taki looked at the remains on the floor with something akin to fascination and fear, "wow," Taki spoke the one word that summarise Gaara's new attack.

"Wow," Gaara agreed the foreign word rolling of his mouth, in a few days he would be participating in the tournament and this would be his trump card.

"With this you can own that tournament!" Taki yelled raising one of his hands up in victory, "One hit and bam! The opponent's dead."

"…….I refuse," Gaara spoke flatly watching as the desert sands greedily devoured the remains of what used to be a steel rod, his sand normally brown like the desert around him had turned purple during the trial run and was only now turning back into it's normal colour.

"But why?" Taki demanded, "don't you want to win?"

"……………….."

"You know, think of the possibilities, both of us will get respect for inventing this stuff," Taki insisted.

"Taki," Gaara spoke looking at the young jounin, "what do you know of me? What do you know of Gaara of the desert?"

"Hmm," Taki frowned, "well….I know you're the Kazekage's son, you had a demon sealed inside of you since you were a baby and that you can use awesome sand attacks."

"I've killed people, many people."

"So do I!" Taki exclaimed, "you don't think I was able to rise to jounin because I'm a wimp do you?"

"I was a monster," Gaara continued, "there were times I killed people since they annoyed me."

"Ok that I've never done before," Taki admitted, "but so what, people make mistakes in the past, all you have do is change and its all forgotten."

"No one will ever forget," Gaara spoke remembering the pain, "there was once I tried to make people like me, but it only ended in me getting more hurt."

"Gaara," Taki looked at Gaara with impatience, "if you don't feeling sorry for yourself, I'm going to find some way to get around that sand barrier of yours and hit you on the head hard."

Gaara only looked at Taki his normally impassive face showing balant surprise and amazement, "why?" Gaara asked finally speaking what's on his mind, "why you don't fear me?"

Taki shrugged scratching his head, "well….um…..," Taki closed his eyes and raising his right hand pointing upwards, "well I admit truthfully, I've never heard much of you and you reputation until I came to the main village, where I came from we don't believe in rumours, only believe in what we see and experience for ourselves."

Gaara's response was to stare.

"Oh I know you don't really get it, but that's the way it works, reputations are created by rumours, which to a backward village like mine is worth nothing at all, we were taught from young to do more work and less talk, gossipers and the like got punished."

"I see."

"Anyway enough about that," Taki spoke looking at their surroundings, "let's just say you remind me of my younger brother, he's the genius of the family and worries too much for his own good."

"Is he a ninja?" Gaara asked impassively as he willed his sand to return to the gourd.

"Dead," Taki spoke bending down to inspect the damage, "died from some disease a few years back."

"I apologise."

"Don't be," Taki said as he took out one of his notebooks and started to record his findings, "hey Gaara."

"What is it?"

"Do you have someone precious to you?" Taki asked as he scribbled furiously.

"Why?" Gaara questioned wondering where Taki was going with all of this.

"Well I've heard that when one truly has someone they wish to protect, they become really strong," satisfied Taki flipped his notebook shut and stood up, "you worry about that person's safety and wish to protect them, that can also be a reason for existing in this world, to protect the ones you love."

"Why love?" Gaara spoke suddenly.

"Huh?"

"What is so good about love that people are willing to treasure it? Die for it? Preserve it?" Gaara looked at Taki with something akin to hope in his eyes, "do you know why?"

"Woah!" Taki raised his hands up in protest, "calm down Gaara."

"Tell me," Gaara had once again turned back to his impassive state.

Taki sighed, "to tell you honestly, I don't know Gaara. Its like you realise it only when its right in front of your face."

"……………….Thank you," was all Gaara said as he heading back towards Sasori's lab.

"Um okay," Taki responded following Gaara, "hey wait up!"

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Big cookies to those who can figure out what is in those bundles of Orochimaru.

Hint: it happens in canon I have only altered it.

Kamikaze Hakkeshu is my beta for this flick, he's a great guy, thanks!

Finally the prelims begin in the next chapter, with twist plots and a whole lot of action!