Foxfire ~Sabaku no Gaara love story

A Precious Hug

Contrary to everyone's expectations- Yes, Sasuke was amazing and his Sharingan managed to help him both learn all of Lee's best taijutsu moves, helped with his practiced speed, but also, Kakashi taught him the famous Chidori, and frankly, I'm very much jealous.
I have to pressure him into teaching me as well now...

Then again, the match itself was quite...Peculiar.
Gaara's sand, in the end, engulfed him in a spiky ball that kept attacking the Uchiha, until from a small hole, a huge arm leaped out to injure him, which...Was nowhere close to being his sand, that is.
Something was definitely EXTREMELY wrong, especially after seeing his brother and sister so anxious and scared...As if something is not going as planned, or Gaara is doing something dangerous.

I didn't try to interrogate them, knowing well that they wouldn't say a word, but I continued watching the match, holding a tight grip on Kasai.
Something tells me that this desperation, Gaara talking to himself and his trembling have something to do with him being a Jinchuriki, if Inari Okami is correct...Which she most likely is.

The problem is, after the Raikiri hit the sand ball, Sasuke was visibly shook and sweating, as a creepy shriek emanated from Gaara...But it clearly didn't sound like him.
After the sand disappeared, revealing a panting, bleeding red-head, Temari and Kankuro started talking about him.
But before anything could happen, a mass-sleeping Genjutsu took over the stadium as an explosion took place in the Hokage-box.
Seeing the state he was in, his siblings jumped next to him, so I took it as a sign that it was clear that I could too, so I jumped in front of Sasuke, protectively.

Sasuke: What's going on?
me: Nothing good.
Temari: Gaara, stop!
Gaara: I'll kill you...!
Kankuro: There's no point in fighting anymore. Don't forget the mission!
Gaara: Out of my way...!
me: Gaara...Calm down, please.

But before Gaara could move towards us, the Sand Jonin came in front of them, telling them that the mission started. So, this was all an elaborate plan to attack Konoha? Thankfully, Genma jumped in front of us too, in a way to protect us.

Sasuke: Just what the hell is going on?
me: Guys! Why did you do this? Konoha and Suna had an alliance, why did you have to attack us? We were supposed to be friends!

But apparently Gaara was incredibly wounded and lacked the needed chakra for this plan, seeing that he fell to his knees, clutching his head in agony. Kankuro was obviously enraged at the whole situation while Temari was shook, as Baki ordered them to leave and heal their little brother.
The Suna Jonin thought he could keep us here, but Genma told us to pursue them as far as we could, but not do anything dangerous, as he took care of this dubious guy.

me: Genma! Take care of yourself too, alright?
Genma: Don't worry about me. Now go!

Nodding at him, I grab Sasuke's wrist and we both dart off after the Sand Siblings, not minding Baki's easily parried attack towards us.
We ran for a while, until we noticed a bit of Gaara's sand on the ground, which was an obvious piece of evidence that we were going the right way.
Jumping on high tree branches, we could see their pace picking up slightly, until we actually managed to get to them. But we couldn't go on because Temari made Kankuro go on with Gaara while she was to stop us in any way she could.
I tried to persuade her, but she only used her fan to try to cut us. Thankfully, I'm a fire user, so I could manage to throw her off her game a tad. Sasuke saw what I was doing so he started using the same tricks, but what she didn't realise is that the trap she thought would stop us backfired, as we put an exploding seal in our Kawarimi jutsu, making her fall on the ground, exhausted, so we could continue our hot pursuit.

Took a while, but we managed to catch up with a low-key tired Kankuro, only to be shocked by Temari appearing again by their side.

Kankuro: Temari, I thought they beat you.
Temari: So did I, but I got here, somehow. But I couldn't stop them at all.
Kankuro: It was enough for Gaara to recover some chakra.
me: Guys, we don't have to fight, y'know? We can talk this out-
Kankuro: No, we can't! The deed is done already! We can't do anything about it!
me: Yes, we can! Technically, you did nothing wrong, even if the others associated with you did!
Kankuro: SHUT UP! NOT EVERYTHING CAN GO THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO GO!
me: But that's how YOU want it to go too! You are young, neither of you wants wars or bloodshed! We can-
Kankuro: Shut up, you twerp! Just, SHUT UP! Temari, take Gaara and leave! You can't fight anymore!
Temari: But-
Kankuro: Just go! Hurry up and go! Seems like I'll finally get to fight you, missy.
Shino: No. I am your opponent.
me: Ah...! Shino! Yes, this couldn't be any better!
Shino: Indeed. Uchiha Sasuke, Kasai Kitsune, you go after Gaara and fight him. Since my opponent forfeited, it is my chance to fight him.
me: Break his legs, Shino! Show him that Konoha ninjas are the strongest!
Sasuke: Heh. You sound confident, but will you be okay?
Shino: Don't worry about me. Give me 10 minutes, and I'll go after you.
Sasuke: *smirks* In 10 minutes I'll be done.
me: Hell yes! Break him, Shino! Sasuke, let's go! Sucks to be you, Barbie boy!