Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
I like to make references to ongoing events happening in the manga, you have been warned.
Rated T for mild themes, and violence.
This story is a prequel/side story to my other fiction, Truth Unfolds in Wave. If you are reading that, only some parts up to chapter 14 will be partly spoiled for you in this story.
Prologue
"Limit gate, kai!"
Lee screamed, as he felt the fifth gate open, his violently high pressured chakra soaring through his now tube like veins practically near exploding through his red skin. At near instant speeds, Lee shot faster than a bullet train across the field of the chuunin exam stadium, taking his opponent completely by surprise with a bone breaking foot to the rock nin's jaw. The dense crowd watched in awe as the opponent was blasted back and forth in a blur in the air from the brutal onslaught of relentless strikes. After a good breath holding minute, Lee revealed himself above his heavily injured opponent as he delivered the final blow.
"URA RENGE!!" Was heard echoing throughout the silent stadium, which was then followed by a enormous explosion, the dust blinding the still shocked viewers from seeing the destroyed floor.
When the dust settled, it revealed a large ten meter crater in the perfect centre of the stadium, along with both a barely conscious Lee and his opponent lying within the crater. Lee tried to raise himself to his feet, but his muscles did not even respond to his wishes, as instead his efforts resulted in a twitch. His ears could only hear the heavy beats of his blood pumping slowly throughout his system.
Before his vision went black, he did not miss hearing the muffled announcement from who he guessed was the third test examiner, "The match...is a draw!"
"No! I can still sta-"
Lee froze in surprise to find he no longer was in the stadium, but instead was in a cream room. To his right he saw a curtained window, bringing in the blinding sun from outside. There also was a bedside draw, with a lone pure white daffodil blooming in a glass vase. On his left, he saw what looked like the standard assortment of tools and furniture to any private hospital room. 'I-I am in hospital?!' Lee tried to stand, but gritted his teeth in pain. It was then he became aware of his firm bandaging all over his body underneath his standard issue hospital pyjamas.
'I...lost?'
The door opening made him look up from his puzzlement to see a face of familiarity. The cherry blossom coloured hair made it obvious who it was, but her emerald coloured irises, the red vest, cream shaded skirt and black tights instantly was recognised as Haruno Sakura.
As she came in and closed the door behind her, she gasped when she saw Lee looking at her, "Lee-san? You're awake."
The Kunouchi stated in surprise but relief, while briskly walking up to his bed.
"Sakura-san...what happened?"
The kunouchi froze, but quickly recovered with a flat expression while leaning in to inspect his injuries, "The match was a draw Lee-san I am afraid...neither of you won the match. "
"...I see."
"You were unconscious on our return from Iwa, we are back in Konoha now."
Lee nodded while looking deflated out the window, "I see." He said simply again.
Sakura gave a warming grin while lightly nudging his shoulder, "Don't worry Lee-san. You both were the top two fighters in the final tournament. You should be proud...I lost after my first match."
The miniature Gai tried to give a thumb up of gratitude to Sakura's comforting words, but only succeeded to discover his hand was in a cast.
"Thank you for your comforting words Sakura-san! I am sure the examiners recognised your chuunin worthy talents though."
The kunouchi just smiled but soon turned serious, "Your injuries are quite severe Lee-san, as expected from using the celestial gates. You will be bed ridden for at least a week, just in time for the chuunin exam results to come out when you can get back up on your feet again."
Lee nodded in acceptance, but was taken aback by her index finger suddenly raising while forming a scowl, "However, since Tsunade-sama has assigned you as MY patient, don't even think I am going to let you train until I give you clearance. If I even catch you doing squats, push ups, or whatever it is you do, I WILL have you restrained. So don't you dare betray my trust in not having the nurses do that already."
The miniature Gai gave an attempt at his nice guy pose, "I accept your conditions, Sakura-san!"
One week later...
Lee stretched outside of the Konoha hospital, wearing his traditional forest green spandex with no injuries he bared when he first entered. Satisfied after several more stretches, his eye sparkled with fortitude.
"Yosh Yosh! The chuunin exam results should now have been mailed to our apartments. I will reach my apartment door so I can tear open that glorious piece of paper and find out my results in two minutes flat!"
After his self declaration which earned bystanders perking a puzzled eyebrow towards him, Lee bolted with a dust trail behind him leading straight to his apartment
His hand gripped on the hinge at exactly one minute and fifty seven seconds, 'Safe!' He declared, opening his apartment door to see mail built up over the week scattered across the floor.
Scooping them up, he began frantically rifling through them.
'Junk, Junk, Bill, Junk, Icha Icha series membership subscription...' Lee blinked for a few moments in confusion, then continued, 'Junk, Aha!
' Lee didn't need to ponder, the fact that the envelope was sealed with a candle waxed seal of the Konoha insignia said it all. Ripping it open and pulling out the letter in excitement, he began reading. His eyes darted back and forth furiously, but then froze.
After a minute's silence, Lee let the thin paper slip out of his limp grasp, not missing the definitive and conclusive words at the very bottom of his exam summary.
'Overall results : Unsatisfactory.'
"As expected of my student!" Gai beamed, going teary eyed at a sweat dropping Tenten.
"Neh...Thank you Gai-sensei."
It was agreed by team Gai that they would meet in their training grounds when the results came out. Tenten and Neji were there already, but Lee still had not shown up after a good half an hour. Concluding he may have got delayed in the hospital, they decided to get started and go look for him to personally announce the news later. Once Gai had stopped his flowing tears of joy, he turned expectantly to a cross armed and smugly smirking Neji.
Neji didn't even need to speak as Gai broke into his tears again, "HAWW! Not one, but two of my highly charisma filled and blossoming students were promoted!"
Neji's smirk disappeared with a sweat drop, but he responded with a 'Hmmph.'
Neji didn't seem as interested to Gai's continuous pride filled cries, as his milky white byakugan eyes shifted as if looking for something. Tenten soon noticed her teammates focused gaze on the ground, and raised an eyebrow when she saw his eyes suddenly stop and flicker with surprise and questioning.
"OH! Lee!"
Tenten followed Gai's pointing finger to see Lee dragging his feet towards them. Her raised eyebrow was joined by her other one, when she saw how down her usual ecstatic teammate was, almost as if he was sulking.
'Lee?'
"Come now Lee! Tell us the grand news!" Lee came to stop next to his other two teammates, his eyes still finding the grass interesting.
"...I failed."
"HAWW! AMAZING! ALL MY STUDENTS..." Gai suddenly processed the dry words that rolled out of Lee's mouth and soon went agape.
"Lee...?" Tenten whispered, her sadness clear for her teammate's dilemma.
"I am sorry, everyone. You both passed?"
Tenten blinked at his change in personality, but slowly nodded, earning his sad smile.
"That's grand." Ignoring Gai's mumbling in puzzlement, Lee turned and began to drag himself away.
"Where are you going?"
Neji barked loudly, making Lee stop in his tracks but not turn, "Back to my apartment, I won't ruin my teams celebration with my drizzling failure."
Tenten grew worried and tried to say something, but Neji talked over her.
"You're pathetic!"
Tenten looked to the Hyuuga in shock at the venom that poured at of that clear insult, "N-Neji?! W-What are-"
"You once said you would defeat me, and prove me wrong that genius's were not determined by birthright...yet now you are running away like the fool and dropout you are because it is getting too tough for you!"
Lee began to tremble at the Hyuuga's almost whip lash like words, but still did not turn.
"Hmmph, and to think I was starting to see you as a rival. You're a disgrace to be considered a teammate."
Lee's shaking intensified, while his hands clenched to tight fists, as he spun around and exploded, "I WILL SHOW YOU MY TRUE DETERMINATION TO MAKE YOU EAT THOSE WORDS! NEXT CHUUNIN EXAMS, I WILL SHOW THE ENTIRE SHINOBI WORLD THE FULL GLOWING AURA OF MY YOUTH!"
Ignoring his tears falling, he pointed a shaking finger at Neji, "I will show you! I will make you take back those words when I am of chuunin rank, and then I will challenge you when we are equals once again!"
Tenten blinked at the exchange and sudden change in attitude from her teammate. It was effectively like changing from rock bottom giving up, to pure flaming determination radiating from Lee's figure.
"HAWWW!!! That's the willpower I want to see in a person I am proud to call my student! Do not worry Lee, next chuunin exams will be one that they will be talking about throughout all the grand four seasons!"
Lee ran back and jumped into his sensei's warming embrace, "Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!
"Lee!"
While the pair continued their shouts, Tenten looked at Neji with a smile, "I see what you were doing now Neji...that was very kind of you to help Lee cheer up like that."
"Hmmph...I meant what I said about the idiot."
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"They aren't going to stop are they?"
Lee marched out the training grounds with his head raised high.
'I will take this defeat as a lesson, and the next time I will be sure to show the judges what they expect to see in a chuunin!'
Coming through the forest, he started walking across the small bridge to cross over back into the residential area of Konoha. He paused when he noticed somebody leaning on the side rail of the bridge, looking down the river.
It was Sakura, baring a soft smile as if recollecting a happy memory.
"So I take it you're efforts brought you a well deserved promotion Sakura-san?" Lee's announcement made her blink in surprise, as if she was cut out of deep thought, and turned.
"Lee-san?-" Shaking her head she smiled again, "Ah, I honestly didn't think I would...You're sensei I am sure must be extremely happy for you Lee-san."
Lee looked elsewhere and shrugged, "I umm...didn't pass Sakura-san."
Her gasp of shock only added to his deep gash of disappointment.
"Y-You-Wha-...Lee-san I am so sorry to hear that."
The miniature Gai smiled it off while leaning over the rail next to her and looking down the river.
"That's fine Sakura-san, I am not offended in the slightest."
Looking back out, Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, "I hope I am not intruding Lee-san, but may I ask if they gave you at least a reason? I mean, you were one of the final combatants in the third test...I don't understand."
"I was disqualified on the grounds that instead of accepting defeat or gaining victory, I used a technique that brought us both to a draw. The judges gave the reason that it is a chuunin's quality to know when to make decisions that are vital to the success of a mission, and essentially disabling yourself with a double edged sword technique is something that should only be used as a last resort in a life or death situation."
Sakura formed a scowl, "They are being far too harsh, but I don't mean to be disrespectful Lee-san...they do have a point."
"No matter, I will know better now for the next chuunin exams."
Sakura looked in surprise to how strongly willed Lee sounded but smiled while looking back, "Hehe, I am glad to see you are not giving in Lee-san. That is very admirable."
Lee shrugged with a embarrassed flush, "I have my team to thank for that."
'I still will make you pay for what you said, Neji!' The miniature Gai inwardly declared, remembering his promise to challenge him when they were both chuunin's.
"I have six months then to prepare for the next round of chuunin exams. Gai-sensei tells me this time it is being held in Kumo instead of Iwa."
"Ah, at least it the lightning country will be a much safer environment, at least that's what I have heard." Sakura stated, remembering the warning the Konoha contestants were given about entering the country that still held a grudge against them from the previous shinobi war.
The kunouchi then wondered something and looked back at Lee, "Who will you be attempting the exam with Lee-san?"
"I was going to see if there were others from the rookie nine I could join in the next go."
Sakura swallowed the lump at the back of her throat, "Lee-san...I think you are all that's left, bar Naruto who isn't here..."
Lee was in too much shock to notice her sudden down demeanour while looking back out at the river.
"I-I am?!"
"...Ah, I spoke to Ino and Choji who I joined in my second time through. They both were promoted as well. From what I saw, it also looked like Kiba, Hinata, and Shino also got promoted."
Lee would have slumped his shoulders at the news, but he was not going to let Neji's words get proven true.
"What do I do then Sakura-san?"
Seemingly recovered from whatever washed over her, Sakura put a hand to her chin, "It depends if Konoha do what they always do with the exams, since Iwa's had a different first and second test. You would want to team up with a group you know you can work together with to at least pass the first two tests."
"I don't know of any comrades outside the rookie nine though."
"What about other shinobi you graduated with back in the academy? You were a year ahead of my group?"
"Tenten had asked around earlier before we met up. One full team made it through, the rest however either failed before the third test, or did not meet the expectations of the judges."
Sakura brows furrowed, "That doesn't help-..."
Standing upright she began walking across the bridge, "...Follow me Lee-san, let's ask my master for help."
"Will hokage-sama mind? I don't mean to pester her with my problem."
Sakura waved a dismissive hand while giving an assuring smile, "Don't be silly, Tsunade-sama always is happy to help."