Don't ask. Really, really, don't ask.
I can't remember anyway. XP

Disclaimer-I do not own Naruto, only my (very) weird ideas.

The Green Beast of Konoha
Chapter One-How It Began

"Lee! I hear that Naruto has finally returned from his training!"
"Yes, Gai-sensei! We must go and greet him!"
"Just what I was thinking!" proclaimed Gai. "Last one there does three hundred push ups on hot water!"
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" replied the adoring Lee, with great enthusiasm.

The two of them leapt up, and went off at a terrific pace, for the Konoha gates.

* * *

"…what?" asked Lee, skidding to a halt, seeing a group of nine very strange ninja, just outside the gate. "Gai sensei, what is going on?"

There was silence, then a single, terse word from Gai.
"Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?"
"Akatsuki. They're an organisation of S-rank missing nin, searching for the nine tailed beasts."
"Tailed beasts… like… Naruto-kun." said Lee slowly.
"Yes."
"Well we must stop them!" said Lee, preparing to attack.
"No! They're more powerful than us… go and find the strongest ninja you can. I will hold them off." said Gai.
"Gai-sensei…"
"Go!"

* * *

"Gai sensei! I'm here!" shouted Lee, appearing at the head of a large group of ninja.
What he saw shocked him.

Gai was injured, dodging back and forth with a look of pain on his face, reduced to defending. Two other ninja, a pair of chunin called Kotetsu and Izumo, were fighting along side him, as well as another three or four ninja on the floor, unmovingl.

"Gai sensei!" cried Lee, charging.

Behind him, Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai and Anko, as well as Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten and Kiba were preparing to attack-the only ninja Lee could find at such short notice.

There was a lull in the fighting.
The eleven Konoha-nin, not counting the injured Gai, sized up the nine akatsuki.
"I have most experience dealing with the Sharingan." said Kakashi, already charging a Raikiri. "I'll take Itachi. If he attacks any of you, don't look at his eyes or hands."
"I can deal with Kisame. My blades are the only things guaranteed to survive his sword." said Asuma.
"I'll take the white-haired one. He looks like someone who would suffer from genjutsu." said Kurenai.
"I'll fight that weird one with the hood." said Kiba. "I need a challenge."
"I hear the puppet uses poison." said Anko. "I can cope with poison."
"I think the blonde one seems like the emotional type." mused Shikamaru. "He could probably be outthought.
"I'll take the blue haired woman." said Tenten shortly.
"I'll deal with the orange haired girl then." said Neji calmly.
"And I'll defeat the plant!" said Lee. "Let's go!"

It took only moments for them to realise how hopeless this was. Kakashi's attack missed utterly as Itachi managed to catch his gaze. Asuma was thrown to the floor, half his chakra removed by Kisame and Samehade. Kurenai was in agony as Hidan prepared a ritual circle. Kiba and Akamaru were unconscious already, no match for Kakuzu.. Anko and Shikamaru were the two who were actually correct in their assessment of the situation, Anko's resistance to most poisons gave her an immense edge against Sasori and Shikamaru was indeed a better strategist than Deidara, though Deidara was winning through sheer power and experience. Tenten was finding that Konan's techniques were way beyond hers. Neji was finding himself against not one but six enemies as the woman summoned five other orange haired ninja, all with odd piercings.

Lee was fighting desperately against Zetsu, the plant-ninja splitting into two and attacking with a pincer movement. Lee managed to land hits, but the plant material almost devboured his body where it struck them, and he had to viciously tug himself away.

He risked another glance.

Kakashi collapsed on the floor, overcome by Itachi's Tsukiyomi. Asuma was bleeding in a dozen places, immobile. Kurenai was unconscious and looked to be in great danger as Hidan relished the sight of his needle-blade, pointing it to himself. Kakuzu was aiding Deidara and Sasori against Shikamaru and Anko, his abilities tipping the balance. Tenten and Neji had been joined by the injured Gai, unable to fight their enemies alone.

Lee winced. Konohan ninja… his friends, his colleagues… his friends. But there was nothing he could do.

Well, there was one thing…
But he couldn't. It was too dangerous.
But…

"I have no choice." said Lee. "Kaimon, Gate of Opening. Kyumon, Gate of Healing. Seimon, Gate of Life. Shomon, Gate of Pain."

He paused briefly, looking around and seeing just how strong the Akatsuki members were.
Four would not be enough.
"Tomon, Gate of Limit. Keimon, Gate of View. Kyomon, Gate of Wonder."
Chakra was swirling around him, damaging the ground and all but lifting him into the air.

The last of the Konohan ninja fell. Lee closed his eyes.
"Shimon, Gate of Death. Open."

Lee vanished, and every member of Akatsuki was struck with a furious bombardment, hit repeatedly in the blink of an eye. Kakuzu fired a devastating salvo of fire-wind missiles, but none of them hit-and the speed of Lee's movement produced enough wind to blow the immense flames out.

Chakra ran through Lee's body, tearing muscles and shattering limbs, his body kept moving through sheer chakra. But there was no pain. No fear.

The chakra buoyed his spirits as it shattered his body, and he felt the thrill of power, the thrill of saving ninja twice, three, many times more powerful than him, the joy of aiding his friends. Even as it destroyed him, he continued, chakra pouring out of him, surrounding him in an increasingly solid shell, as he attacked more.

Kakuzu in particular was struck again and again when he kept getting up, hearts being ruptured by the furious assault, Lee moving to attack someone else, attacking every member and returning to Kakuzu before the 'immortal' ninja even got up.

At least one of the Path's of Pain was dead. Kakuzu looked close to it-and a final strike from Lee threw him into the now damaged gate, piercing a huge spike of rubble through him, killing him.

"Retreat." said one of the Pains. "He won't be here next time."

Akatsuki was only too happy to obey, other than Hidan who had to be dragged away.
"Fool…" whispered Gai. "Wonderful… foolish… wonderful boy…"
"You have no idea how much of a headache this is going to be." muttered Tsunade, appearing on the scene with a large group of medic-nin. "Do you know what the eight gate does?"
"Produces an immense amount of chakra that will kill the user when it runs out." said Lee, chakra still swirling.

"No." said Tsunade. "That's what has always been said for the good of all. The amount of chakra reaches a point where the user is made up only of chakra, their body destroyed. The chakra becomes self-sustaining, and it reaches the power of a lower numbered tailed beast. Because that's what they are. That's how Bijuu are formed." said Tsunade, looking closely at Lee.

Sure enough, green tails were visible growing from him. Just weak, but three of them were clearly visible.
"Willpower. Concentrate on who you are." said Tsunade. "I'd hate for us to need to kill you."

She left with most of the injured ninja, save Gai, who had forgotten his pain, staring at Lee.
"What just happened?" he finally said.

* * *

Hmm. Well. There you go.