Disclaimer: naruto doesn't belong to me just my characters
"A shell made of sand!?" Sakura cried out in surprise.
"When did he switch!? That's impossible!" Gai was outraged and worried at the same time.
"When you were closing your eyes," Kakashi said.
"And praying," Michiko added.
Gai gasped and everyone looked over for an explanation.
"Lee briefly paused from the pain. Gaara used that to make a clone of himself," Mizu explained. "Hmm... a symbolism of what Gaara really is on the inside."
"Huh?" Naruto looked at Mizu confusingly.
"No. Nothing."
"IT'S ALIIIIIIVE!" Akio pointed at Gaara who was rising up from the sand.
Michiko and Hiyony both smacked her.
"Shut up! You're interrupting the battle!" Hiyony shouted.
Gaara chuckled evilly as he licked his lips and stared blood-lustfully at Lee.
"No doubt about it... Those eyes are..." Kankuro whispered with fear. "It has awakened...! The monster within him."
It makes him look like a living doll... Mizu thought randomly.
"Mizu?" Naruto began.
"Nani?"
"Wasn't that guy your friend?"
"..."
Mizu was taken back by Naruto's question. Because, for one thing, it was a mature question that came from his mouth. Also, it was an out-of-no-where question.
"He... I... I don't know anymore," Mizu answered truthfully.
Flashback
In the hallways, Mizu and Gaara confronted each other before everyone actually gathered for the preliminary battle.
"We are enemies from now on," Gaara stood glaring at Mizu. "Even in the beginning, we were never friends."
"Then why was I able to sit next to you all the time," Mizu glared back.
"It was just a privilege, not a right."
"Excuse me? I am a person who can do what they want. You don't get to tell me what my right is, Gaara."
"You'll just get in my way," Gaara stated as he began to walk away.
"We're not finished here!" Mizu called back to him.
Gaara ignored her and continued to walk away.
End of Flashback
"If he doesn't care then why should I?" Mizu asked Naruto.
Naruto was slightly shocked.
"If you told me that, Mizu, I wouldn't easily let our friendship end!"
Mizu was taken back even more. She stared down at the empty shell of sand as it began to pour back into a pile of sand.
Gaara began to attack. Lee tried to block it, but was thrown back. His legs also prevented him from standing back up. Lee turned over to Gaara. Gaara took this opportunity to attack again.
"RUN!" Naruto cried out.
A tsunami of sand came crashing down on Lee, throwing him up into a wall. But the sand didn't stop there. The sand violently crushed Lee into the wall.
"The bobbed hair guy can barely move now," Kankuro examined. "Gaara is just playing with him."
"Nande? Why isn't Lee-san dodging them?" Sakura asked. "With Lee-san's speed, he should be able to dodge those attacks easily!"
"It's not that he's not dodging them, but that he can't dodge them," Gai answered.
"What do you mean?" Sakura gasped.
"That moved he used, the Lotus, is a double-edged sword," Kakashi began.
"Why do you think the Lotus move is considered a forbidden technique?" Michiko looked at Sakura. "The Lotus is not ninjutsu or genjutsu. It's just a combat move that requires the user to move at a high rate of speed."
"...I was going to say that," Kakashi sighed.
"You just wanted to show off," Michiko stuck her tongue out.
"Basically, he can't move, right?" Kairen stated.
"Ouch..." Akio huddled with Akamaru. (Who's still sleeping by the way.)
"...He's dead," Hiyony stated bluntly.
As the sand slid back to Gaara, Lee was breathlessly kneeling. He barely dodged Gaara's sand attack again. As Gaara stood up straight, Lee was on high alert.
"He can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu..." Kairen began.
"And his only hope, taijutsu, is inferior even by normal standards. He can't win," Mizu added.
"At this rate, he's going to..." Kairen stopped with concern.
Everyone continued to watch as Lee was attacked, or he tried his hardest to escape.
"I always saw him practicing. He was at this log for like... 24/7!" Akio remembered.
"Sugoi... he must have worked real hard to attain taijutsu!" Hiyony gaped.
"He should just give up already," Temari smirked.
"At this rate, Gaara will just toy with him before he kills him," Kankuro said.
Naruto gasped. "Kechi Maiyu!"
"Iie. I won't let him," Mizu spoke up.
"Hmph. It's not like you can stop Gaara," Kankuro argued.
"Don't compare me to you Older Siblings," Mizu glared.
Kankuro just glared back.
Lee was thrown back by the sand again. He stood up quickly and took a stance to block the sand again.
"Hmph... So useless," Gaara smirked evilly.
"The bobbed hair had bad luck matching up with Gaara," Kankuro continued to ridicule Lee.
Mizu was going to ridicule Kankuro, but Gai interrupted her.
"Iie. Lee is not a guy who will surrender to something like this. That is because Lee is..." Gai stopped midway. That is because you kept working hard, Lee.
"He's a hard worker," Kairen concluded.
Lee was breathless. He stood there taking in all of Gaara's attacks. But in no way could he fight back now. But as he stared up at the railings, he started to tear.
Arigatou... Gai-sensei! Lee thought as he stared happily at his smiling teacher.
"Iie, Lee-san! If you fight anymore, you'll die!" Sakura cried.
Gaara attacked Lee once more. Suddenly, Lee disappeared and reappeared in front of the sand. Gaara stood there emotionlessly, but confused nonetheless.
"Lee's movement!" Neji shouted.
"It's back!" Naruto exclaimed.
Everyone was shocked.
Sensei is smiling for me. That alone can revive me and make me stronger! Lee thought with determination. Stronger... Far stronger!
"Lee-san is laughing, even when he's cornered!" Sakura was astonished.
"Actually, he has yet to be cornered," Mizu pointed out. "Even I can see that. Lee can really keep up with Gaara."
"After all, the Konoha Lotus blooms twice!" Gai smiled wider.
"Blooms twice?" Sakura questioned. "Lee-san said that, too!"
"Gai! Who did you-!" Kakashi finally figured it out.
"It's just as you suspect," Gai smirked.
"You didn't.." Michiko stared at Gai.
"Didn't what? What? What? What?" Hiyony was curious.
"So a Genin... is capable of opening inner gates of the Eight Gates and use Primary Lotus?" Kakashi sounded worried.
"Whoa! ...What's that?" Hiyony wondered.
"That's correct," Gai answered with concern as well.
"What a disaster..." Kakashi sighed. "Gai. How many gates is that boy capable of opening?"
"Five."
"Huh. Not bad," Michiko complimented.
"Oh no. I feel a long lecture coming up..." Mizu leaned against the railing tiredly.
"Well, don't you want to know what it is?" Akio asked.
"What's there to know? From the sound of it, it's bad. Forbidden. Deadly. A disaster as Kakashi put it. And this five gate thing must be strong if Michiko were to say something about it."
"Yeah, but the fact that it's so dangerous, I want to know what it is!" Hiyony jumped up and down.
"Whatever is, you're not using it," Mizu stated bluntly.
"EHHH?! NANDE?!" she cried out.
"Because you'll die," Michiko shrugged.
"Psh! I'm too stubborn to die!"
"Judging by this so-called gate, it must mean opening something inside you. And if Kakashi's worried about it, there's only one thing it would lead to," Mizu stared sternly at Hiyony.
"Nani?"
"Death," Kairen completed Mizu's thoughts.
"..."
Wind began to surround Lee.
"I don't know what you're trying to do, but you're finished here," Gaara declared.
"Yes. Either way, this move will end everything," Lee agreed. "Neji, Sasuke-kun, and... Naruto, I cannot be the only one who loses here!" Gai-sensei! Please acknowledge this. Now is the time... to abide by and protect me way of the ninja!
Chakra violently and rapidly flowed everywhere around Lee. And when he released his stance, his whole skin was red.
"Third... Life Gate, open!" Lee cried out.
Everyone stared in astonishment. Even Gaara! Gai just smiled proudly.
"What's happening to him?" Kankuro gaped.
"He opened the third gate, the Life Gate," Kakashi stared with wide eyes. "He's going to make his move now!"
"No. Not yet," Gai said.
"Nani?" Kakashi questioned.
But Gai stood silent.
"Now for the fourth gate, the Wound Gate... OPEN!" Lee cried out.
The ground began to crumble, and the rocks flew past Lee following the strong wind and swirling Chakra.
"What a guy! This isn't something that can be achieved with hard work alone! Is he a genius after all?" Kakashi asked with shock. (Boy everyone's just shocked and surpised huh)
Lee finally made his move. He disappeared instantly and kicked Gaara across the stadium with such force that everyone was almost blown back from the railings.
"He's fast!" Mizu tried to hold her balance.
"Gaara?!" Kankuro cried with worry and looked around.
"Where did they go?" Naruto also looked around.
"Up there!" Shikamaru cried.
Gaara was being thrown up into the air, his body was crumbling and cracking.
"But I can't see Lee anywhere!" Ino cried.
"Where is he?!" Chouji also searched.
"The sand can't keep up at all anymore..." Mizu stared with astonishment.
Damn it! Gaara gritted.
"The armor of sand again?" Lee asked. "Then how about this?!"
To Lee, he was slowly hitting Gaara back and forth. But to everyone else, Gaara was like a ping pong ball. (Sry couldnt help it! If it wasnt so crucial I would b laughing my head off.)
Nani!? This armor of sand is... being penetrated! Gaara thought in pain.
...Gaara...! Mizu couldn't help but thought.
"You are tough!" Lee shouted. "Then...!"
"His muscles have ripped!" Kakashi examined with his Sharingan.
Even Neji brought out his Byakugan. "That's Lee?" he wondered. When did he become so...?
"THIS IS THE END!" Lee declared. "Fifth gate, the Forest Gate... OPEN!"
I can't guard myself! Is this really human movement?! For the first time, Gaara was scared for his own safety.
Neji... This was the secret move to defeat you! But, I will show it to you! Lee thought as he stared at Neji, but quickly turned back to Gaara.
As he was coming close, Lee disappeared for a moment leaving Gaara anxious of what Lee will do. But right after that small gasp, Lee appeared and punched him in the stomach. Gaara was rapidly falling back down to the ground. Suddenly, he was yanked up by something. Gaara tried his hardest to look up and found that Lee was holding him with his bandages. The sand could barely follow...
This will be the last move! Lee struggled in pain with his thoughts.
Lee pulled Gaara up with all his might, and came down with his fist and foot.
"PRIMARY LOTUS!"