Vision of Truth I: Cat and Fox (Naruto)

Clashing Wills

Chapter 26: Clashing Wills

"Idiot," Sasuke growled. "Why were you just standing there?" He glared at Gaara, who stood on a lower branch of the tree opposite to us.

I still had not gotten over my shock. I had opposed Sasuke, and he called me a traitor. Not to mention my outright rejection of him the other day. And yet he- I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "I have to help him. He's still my friend, Sasuke. If I can get close to him..." I did not know why my touch had such a profound effect on Gaara, but now was not the time to contemplate it.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.  "That's going to be difficult. What's he doing?"

I felt sick as I watched the strange arm from before shoot out of Gaara. "He-he's transforming into Shukaku. The One Tailed Beast."

Sasuke looked at me. "Tailed beast?"

"Ugh, there's no time to explain." Curse this village and its secrets that could get us all killed. "Gaara is losing control and the demon inside him is taking over!"

This seemed to be enough for Sasuke, for her gave me a tiny nod. "Stay here. I'll take care of him."

"Wait! Just don't kill him."

Sasuke gave me an incredulous look. "I can't make any promises." With that, he leapt down the tree to face off against Gaara.

I groaned and leaned against the trunk of the tree. There was no way I could stop this fight now. Gaara wanted to kill Sasuke, and Sasuke might have to kill Gaara to stop him. How had everything gone so wrong? Why couldn't I just save one friend? I felt terribly and utterly useless.

I did not want to watch the fight, but it was hard to look away. Even only partially transformed, Gaara's speed and strength was incredible. Sasuke was able to harm him using Chidori, but he seemed to be unable to do so a third time. And then, suddenly, the curse mark spread all over his body. I called out to him, but he did not stop. With this power, he managed one more Chidori against Gaara... but it was not enough.

"Sasuke!" I cried. I raced to the tree branch where my teammate collapsed. I had just enough time to get up a lightning shield before Gaara attacked with one of the beast's arms. I winced as I felt the shield waver. Somehow, I managed to keep it up. I glared at Gaara as he leapt back to the next tree. "No! I won't let you kill my friend!"

"Then I will kill you too!" Gaara said in a strange voice. Shukaku, perhaps? I steeled myself for the next blow. It held up again, but I could feel it growing weaker.

"Katsumi," Sasuke groaned. "You have to get out of here. Your shield is going to break. Leave me and get as far away from here as you can."

"I am not leaving you!" I snapped. A third attack forced me to move an inch, backing my heels right up into Sasuke.

"We'll both die!"

"I won't leave you, Sasuke!" The fourth attack shattered the shield. Gaara gave me a wicked grin, and I shut my eyes. I did not want to see him like this when I died. This wasn't him. I braced myself for an impact that never came. My eyes shot open just in time to see Naruto kick Gaara into the next tree. Sakura and a small dog landed beside Sasuke and me a second later. "Naruto!" I let out a breath of relief and fell to a sitting position.

"Sasuke, Katsumi, are you two alright?" Sakura asked in concern.

"For now." I glanced at the dog. "Who's this?"

"Pakkun at your service," said the dog, surprising me with his ability to talk (though nothing should have surprised me in this world by now). "I'm Kakashi's summons."