Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 43: Hatred is Reality, Vengeance is Sanctuary

My body froze as Gaara... no, the monster, turned it's shining yellow eye on the three of us. There was so much hatred and loathing in a simple stare. He lunged at us, none of us could move, rooted to the spot by his malevolent glare.

"RARGH!" he snarled as he slashed down with his enormous claw.

I snatched Sasuke up and leaped away behind another tree, Liz right behind me. I breathed deeply, trying to compose myself.

"T-that was way too close," Liz gripped the bark, looking back at the growling monster.

"Are you afraid of me?" roared Gaara, spittle flying from his curled lips.

Sasuke tensed, I knew that this was something personal between the two of them. I couldn't find the strength to force myself to move, what a horrible chakra...

"What's the matter?! Are you afraid?!" Gaara asked again, screaming his discontent to the world.

Sasuke clenched his fists and I grabbed onto his arm, shaking my head. He bared his teeth but obeyed me.

Gaara continued to egg Sasuke, "Has your fear overtaken your hatred?! Your killing intent?! Is your reason for existence as weak as that?!" Gaara challenged.

Sasuke shook off my hand, "Damn it," he grunted and got up, out of our hiding place.

"If you crave an answer, come and get me!" Gaara vociferated, his eyes popping madly.

Sasuke formed several seals, Lightning Edge?, I thought, recognizing the order of the seals.

Within a few seconds, he had a chirping ball of electric chakra in his hand, he looked up at Gaara, his face lit evilly by the light of the Lightning Edge and his Sharingan gleaming in his eyes. He and Gaara flew at each other at the same time, their arms thrust out towards each other.

I jumped out from behind the tree too, "Sasuke!" I cried and pulled out my sword, ready to back him up.

Liz grimaced, her sword was also out but I could see that Gaara's aura was affecting her too. Sasuke's attack ripped through the monster's limb, shredding it in two. The monster howled as he gripped his useless arm. Gaara lunged at Liz and I but we backed up and leaped over him, reuniting with Sasuke on the opposite side of the clearing. Gaara's face split into a horrifying smile, he laughed maniacally.

He chuckled, "Ah, I see, so that's what it was!" he giggled to himself, "The reason I'm so excited... I just got the answer!" he cried out happily.

The skin between my eyebrows creased, What is he talking about?

He shivered from his revelation, "It's this pain..." he started, "Defeating a man strong enough to hurt me and completely annihilating him... that's what gives me a stronger sense of existence! I will survive!" he declared, absolutely and undeniably mad.

Sasuke grinned back, "Don't do anything reckless," I warned him.

He cracked his neck, "I can't with you and Liz right here," he smiled.

I returned a weak smile and looked closer at Gaara, hoping to discover some hidden weakness. I inspected his dangerous looking limb and his half transformed face, only then did I notice that his leg and lower abdomen was still normal.

What kind of a transformation is this? Could it be another one of the Tailed Beasts?, I thought as I analyzed our situation.

Gaara laughed gutturally, "I want more! MORE!" he shouted to us.

His forked limb began to mend itself, the sand that always followed Gaara around patched his arm up, returning it to its original form, then it moved on to his tail. Slowly, the sand around Gaara, gathered and sprouted out of where his tail bone would be. The newly constructed tail swished in the air, gently dancing along the breeze, as if mocking us. All the transformed parts of his body had indigo vein-like patterns smeared over it.