The Letter
Teyashi: Hello and welcome to Close Your Eyes. But let me stop flapping my keys and get to the story.
Lee: Teya-san doesn't own Naruto. If he did, I would win sometimes.
Scene Change
"Speaking"
'Thinking'
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First Law of the Eight-fold Fist: Be true to yourself and to all others
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Just Outside the Hyuuga Mansion Just Past Noon
Team Gai was walking down the path toward town, having just finished training, without Gai, in the Hyuuga private training area. "Neji, why was Hiashi watching us?" Tenten asked.
"I don't know. Probably just trying to see just how our team trains and if your styles are compatible with the Juuken," Neji answered with his usual lack of emotion.
"Well, we might be about to find out. He's coming right for us!" Lee said as he almost began to panic. His last meeting with the Hyuuga leader resulted in so much verbal abuse even Neji thought he went overboard. When Hiashi Hyuuga got to them he stood there looking mildly mad (The kind of mad you get when you find out that even though you haven't moved them for a whole year, your Christmas lights are inevitably a tangled mess) turned toward Lee and glared at him with an intensity that the bolder behind him crushed itself into sand. He them whipped out an envelope from his pocket, handed it to Lee, and stalked off back into the manor.
"You are so dead Lee," Tenten mocked, "That letter is either a death warrant or a restraining order." Tenten had a point. It was officious down to the T. Lee's name written on the front even though it was handed to him, Hyuuga wax seal on the back, this letter meant business.
"Well, open it Lee. Don't stand there like you're watching a car crash," Neji quipped. Silently, Lee opened the letter. As he read it to himself his face contorted from shock, to confusion, to deep thought, to panic. "No! Sakura!" Lee yelled just before he passed out. Neji walked over to where Lee lay unconscious and picked up the letter, started to read it, went through the exact same facial expressions and also passed out.
Tenten picked up the letter and just smiled. "I so need to tell the girls about this," she said. Leaving the note folded on top of Lee's blacked out form; she set off to the village to tell anyone who could hear and some who couldn't about the sudden turn of events.
Several Hours Later at Lee's Apartment
Lee kept running the letter's message over in his mind trying to make some sense of it.
'Dear Rock Lee
As of 11:45 of June the 15th, the arrangements for your engagement with Hinata Hyuuga have been finalized. The details to the wedding are to be decided. Your presence is requested at the Hyuuga manor tomorrow at 3:15 for more information.
Sincerely,
Hiashi Hyuuga
Hyuuga Clan Head'
He didn't know what to do. He was in love with Sakura, and he was going to marry Hinata, someone who he only heard of by association and saw briefly at the chunin exams. Being of little to no social standing it was obvious that this was a special request. Not by Hiashi, though. Hiashi hated him with a vengeance.
'Could it be possible Hinata herself requested this? That seems to be the only possible explanation. If she did then I can't break her heart. I don't have it in me to do that. I'll just have to go along with it. I'm sorry, Sakura, but we can never be now. I've got to put the past behind me now and focus on the future. I've got to prove myself to be a man worthy of marrying into such a prestigious family. The only way I can prove myself would be to beat Neji with Hiashi watching. But the Gouken isn't enough to beat him. The Gouken has never been enough for me to succeed at anything. If I'm to do this, I'm going to need to find my own way.' With that Lee headed to the store.
At the Hyuuga Mansion
Hinata was distraught. She had just been told the news of her engagement. She had been crying for about an hour. She maintained her composure while her father was there but after she was sure he was out of earshot, she just broke down. By now she was coming to grips with the whole situation. 'Naruto, I'm sorry. I failed you. Oh, who am I kidding! Naruto won't give a flying fuck about what happens to me. I was always too weak and scared to tell him how I feel. All I know about the man I'm going to have to marry now is what I heard from Neji, and that doesn't make him sound good.'
'How could this have happened? It's not like he's got any respect from father, or any social standing. Why him of all people? The only time something like this happened before was when the person managed to convince the council. Did he really go that far for me? No one has ever gone to any kind of lengths for me before, none the less petioning the council. He must really like me. I can't just turn him down after all of this. But if I'm going to be a wife, I need to prove myself as a ninja first. I need to beat Hanabi or I will never be able to say I am or was a ninja. I need to show I'm not just the reject daughter.' With that she set out to train.
As for Hiashi, he was in his office going through paperwork when he heard a knock at his door. "Come in." Neji then stormed in with all of the respect one can muster storming into your uncle's office. "Ah, Neji what brings you here?" Hiashi asked with a bizarre hint of amusement.
"I've come to ask if you're out of your mind! Why did you set up a marriage between Hinata-sama and the second most ridiculous person in the village, second only by the sheer virtue that he emulates the first?" Neji asked with an almost panicked tone.
"Neji, calm down."
"I am calm; you'll know when I start panicking!"
"And I'm the one with the loose mind? I'm going to let your lack of respect slide as I'm in a good mood. As for Hinata, I based this on very good information."
"Your daughter is set to marry a man not fit to clean Hyuuga latrines and that is based on 'good information'!?"
"The council wished to marry Hinata off to allow Hanabi to assume the mantle of heir to the Hyuuga clan. I ensured that I would have choice in the matter of her husband. Knowing how she converses with the servants, I had one ask her about her taste in men in exchange for a raise and some vacation time. She found out she likes those that are not necessarily the best but are determined to succeed, honest, trustworthy, devoted, and enthusiastic about whatever they do. From what I hear, Lee fits this down to the most finite detail."
'Why did Naruto and Lee have to be so similar? Why?' Neji thought, "Alright. I'm sorry for the rudeness. I was caught off guard. I'll see myself out," and with that Neji left, to find a way to stop what was, in his opinion, the wedding from Hell.
Gai's Training Ground the Next Morning
Gai was on pushup 397 and anticipating his favorite student's arrival, when the greatest shock of his life walked up (Even more than the idea of Kakashi in a green jumpsuit, as that had already happened after a drunken bet of 'Who imitates the other the best' that Kakashi won.) Lee was walking up but this was not the same Lee he knew. Sure, he had the same eyebrows and haircut but that was about it. He was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and olive green cargo pants with the standard ninja sandals. His belt length ninja head protector was actually wrapped around his head, giving it about two feet of extra hanging out the back. On his arms, in addition to the taped fists and now taped elbows, he had a black version of the detached sleeves Sasuke wore before the Chunin exams.
"Gai-sensei, we need to talk." Lee said as he got nearer.
"What is it Lee?" Gai asked, totally confused.
"I think you should take a seat for this," Lee warned.
Fifteen Minutes Later
"I fully understand, Lee," Gai said after the explanation, "Everyone must eventually go on their own path. I'm 'm also thrilled at the news of your engagement. With the grace of Youth go you!" Gai yelled with his standard pose. Lee then did his own, with a small smile as opposed to a full, toothy grin.
'Today, my life begins anew. My time is now.'
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Teyashi: Hah! I'll bet you didn't see that coming did you? As for the Law of the Eight-fold Fist, more will be explained on that later but for now, I've got to stop Naruto from trying to dye Ino's hair pink.