Desert Flower

Gaara vs. Kimmimaro

"Gaara!" Yuri shouted, surprised to see him and so did Lee as well.

"Gaara of the Sand."

"Gaara...so you are he." Kimmimaro shot out some bones from his fingertips and threw them at Gaara. "Digital Shrapnel!" Gaara's sand immediately rushed forward, protecting him from the attack. The bones seeped through the sand and fell to the ground.

"You're impatient." Gaara spoke keeping his eyes on Kimmimaro then he looked down at Lee. "When we last fought, you were faster and sharper than this."

Lee stood up. "Thanks for reminding me. Not that I hold a grudge. But you really did a number on me." He smiled.

"I see."

"Why are you here?" Lee asked him.

"I owe the Leaf Village a great debt." Gaara replied. "I'll handle this."

"No! Please back me up instead!" Lee shouted.

"Lee, you're still injured. Gaara's got this." Yuri tried to stop him. Lee was about to charge at Kimmimaro when Gaara's sand moved and tripped him instead. Lee fell, getting a face full of sand.

"Ugh. I got sand in my mouth!" Lee sputtered, spitting out the sand and turned to Gaara. "Will you let go!?-" He groaned in pain.

"You're in no shape to fight. I'll handle this." Gaara said and took a step forward, facing Kimmimaro.

"Gaara of the Sand. So the name suggests you are of the sand." Kimmimaro said.

"He attacks with his bones! Like you saw, he fires or shoots them out from out his body. It's amazing, as it is disturbing!" Lee warned him.

"A foolish stage name, to rely only on sand." Kimmimaro spoke. Gaara made the sand rush towards Kimmimaro, trying to grab the shinobi. Kimmimaro dodged, jumping out of the way until the sand underneath him latched onto his ankles, holding Kimmimaro in place.

"Sand shower." Gaara shot out some sand into the air, hovering above Kimmimaro. Then it fell like bullets, raining down. "So long as I have sand, I can do anything." Gaara said. The sand began to wrap around Kimmimaro, encasing him inside of it. "Tell me again who's stupid. Making sand from soil is no art."

"You got him!" Lee shouted.

"Not yet." Gaara closed his fist. "Sand burial!" The sand crushed down onto Kimmimaro's body. There was silence and no one moved a muscle, waiting, hoping that it was finally over. Then there was movement in the sand and Kimmimaro began to slowly push himself out of the sand, revealing parts of body protect by bone. His mouth showed half of his jaw, some showing on his arms and his rib cage. Yuri's eyes widen in shock and so did Lee's.

"N-No way!" Yuri cried out. Gaara frowned.

"More bones, huh? This guy's a freak, a monster." He spoke.

"He certainly is a nuisance." Lee murmured.

"That pressure was a feat. Without this layer I created, underneath my skin, I would've been crushed. I underestimated you, but your sand won't hold me twice." Kimmimaro glared at Gaara. Gaara quickly made some hand signs.

"Sand Tsunami!" Yuri and Lee watched in shock as they saw a large wave of sand rose up, rushing towards Kimmimaro, taking him with it and flowed into the nearby forest.

"You...You did it." Lee said.

"Not yet." Gaara slammed his hands down onto the sand. "Giant Sand burial!" A large shock wave shook the ground, nearly knocking Lee and Yuri off their feet.