A/N: My first attempt at a fanfic. Done some creative writing in the
past, but nothing pertaining to an anime I watched. After watching
Naruto and getting sucked in by it, I decided to write a fanfic of my
own. Since he is one, if not the most, favorite character of mine, I'm
going to write a little something on Rock Lee. I think I can identify
with him the most, he's a pretty inspirational character to boot (if I
can't jump rope 1000 times, then I'll have to do 2000 punches... now
that's training). I know this issue will get resolved pretty soon in
the manga, but I'm going to take off after the Rock Lee/Gaara fight,
when Lee's future as a ninja is in jeopardy. Well, with that, enjoy! Oh
yea, quick edit rocks, heh.
Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Kishimoto Masashi.
Chapter One
...it hurts so much. I don't know how much longer I can last... Storms of thoughts about the anguish and sheer pain clouded his mind. Despite the intense pain, he charged forward with clenched teeth, knowing that the moment he stopped was the moment that he lost everything. So many had surpassed him already, so many hours passed blasting away at the same tree trunk until his whole body became numb. What was all that for if he couldn't prove himself now? Almost at his limit, the only thing carrying him now was pure will, the will to protect what was most precious to him...
...is it over?... These were the words that crossed his mind as he looked at the crater before him. I don't have anything left, he thought. All the muscles in his body seemed to be ripping apart at the same time. At this point, it would have been a miracle to even walk off the floor. With heavy eyes, he set his gaze forward once more, witnessing at that point the terrible reality. A torrent of sand rushed forth, from it two appendages racing at an incredible pace toward the left side of his body. This is impossible... I used "it" on him... he shouldn't be able to move... By then, the gruesome appendages grabbed hold, and tightened its death grip...
Nooooooo!!! Lee woke with a start, his breathing heavy and rapid. Staring into the empty darkness, he grasped his forehead and wiped the sweat from his brow. He gathered his senses, and saw that he was in a hospital room. His gaze scanned across the curtains and the extra bed, leading him towards the window. Lee could grasp a faint outline of a flower in a vase. It was the same flower that he saw the other day in the afternoon. He still wondered about who put it there.
He lay back down on the bed. This was the second time I had that dream, he thought to himself. He grasped his left arm, cringing away suddenly at the sharp pain that followed. It still hurts quite a bit. I have to get better soon. Even though I may have lost in the preliminaries, I can still catch them. I need to train harder soon. Train harder...
Fatigue from the prior grueling battle overrode the tension of nightmares as Lee found himself looking up at the ceiling with a shadowy gaze. I finally got some shuteye, ehh? he thought. The nights seemed to grow longer as the nightmares grew more intense. Lee was the type of person to get over anxiety with loads of hard work. Sitting idly in bed wasn't helping with anything, and Lee suddenly had the impulse to get up and just move around.
"Alright! Let's start off with something light today. After loosening up a bit, I'm going to start doing 100 one-legged squats. If I can't do them, then I'll do 200 right-handed push-ups!"
Lee gingerly sat up and made his way off the bed. Grimacing from the dull pain from his left side, he braced himself on a crutch and went over to an open space in the hospital room. He tried as best he could to stretch out his joints, bracing himself on one leg and maintaining balance. Fortunately for him, Gai-sensei employed an insane variety of training techniques, including those for balance. As he stretched out, Lee enjoyed a brief memory of one of his many training days:
"Lee, you must work on your balance today. Power cannot come from a weak foundation. Now, show me the power of youth! Balance on one leg and take the high-knee stance!"
"Ossu!" Lee happily complied and propelled his knee up, maintaining a steadfast stance.
Gai flashed one of his signature smiles. "You've been doing some major stance-work, haven't you Lee? Alright, hold that stance till lunchtime. Then, work on the other leg. Then, we'll get to the hard part." The sun began to rise in the east at this moment.
"Ossu, Gai-sensei!"
These were one of his happiest moments, training under the tutelage of Gai. He wondered when his wounds would finally heal, so that he could enjoy those moments again. He clenched his fist in heightened anxiety. I can't wait. Gai-sensei, when can I take these bandages off? I need to fight again. This is my way of the ninja... my way of life.
"Yo, Lee! You're up already? So, this is the springtime of youth!"
Gai-sensei appeared in the doorway, as if to answer Lee's call. "Good Morning, Gai-sensei!" Lee beamed. Maybe this would be the day when I can finally start my rehabilitation, Lee thought. "Gai-sensei!" Lee said with an increased enthusiasm," any good news from the doctor today?"
Gai tried not to give such a pained look as he heard those words. He hadn't heard any good news ever since that fateful day. Those words still reverberated over and over in his mind every time Lee got that gleam in his eye... his injuries are too severe. He has to give up the life of a ninja... This wasn't the first time Lee asked for good news. Usually Gai would just avoid a straight answer, saying that the doctors needed more time for tests and such. He couldn't say the truth looking into those eyes, full of hope and promise. Those eyes which were so much like his own long ago, the eyes that gave him more reason to teach his way of the ninja. The same eyes which pained him so, for how could he crush the aspirations of one so ambitious and determined? Denying the means to train from the Genius of Hard Work would be a fate too cruel to bear.
He couldn't avoid the question forever though. The truth will come out in one form or another, if not from his mouth then elsewhere. Gai closed his eyes, trying to deal with overwhelming feelings of guilt and sorrow. How could he tell his student that he couldn't pursue his dream anymore? No, he had to tell him. Now would be better than later, now rather than living content in a fleeting delusion. Slowing fixing his eyes on his beloved student, he firmed his gaze into Lee's eyes.
"Lee, listen to me carefully. This might be one of the most painful things I ever had to say in a long while, perhaps my entire life." Gai's eyes still fixated onto an increasingly nervous gaze from Lee. "I couldn't really believe it myself when I heard it the first time. Or the second. I just told myself it couldn't possibly be true... All the medics, the doctors, everyone.... Lee... y-... the injuries from the last match... are truly severe... and..."
Gai's words trailed off, this sort of anguish was too much. Lee's eyes filled with increasing anxiety, a worried expression spread over his face. Guilt began to overtake Gai's sense. Suddenly, Gai thought back to the time of the battle. Watching his student's limbs snap under the malicious sand and listening to the shout of pain reverberate in his head made the guilt an overwhelming burden ... If only... if only I had stopped the match sooner. Lee was weakened so much after the Secondary Lotus... and I knew that. Why didn't I come in after that rush of sand. I could have prevented it... If only I came earlier...
No, I can't let his destiny, his ambition which led him so far stop now. I won't let it! Gai thought to himself. There's still a chance... there has to be a way. I won't give up on him.
Gai looked at Lee with fresh eyes, still determined but revitalized. "What I meant was that your injures are pretty severe, but if you stick with me, you can still recover and go back to training like you always have. You'll eventually get back on your feet, and I'll help you to get there, no matter what." Gai gave a gleaming smile, with yet another one of his trademarks: the good-guy thumbs up.
Gai-sensei flashed his good-guy thumbs up. Lee thought. That means it's true, he never goes back on his word! If Gai-sensei says I can do it, then I can. Alright!
I flashed my good-guy thumbs up. Gai thought. That means Lee has 100% trust in me. There's no turning back now, since I still haven't told him the whole truth yet. My student has placed his total faith in me. I can't falter now, I have to find a way to get him back to his old self...
Lee felt a tear or two well up in his eyes. "Gai-sensei..."
"Don't say anymore Lee." Gai started to feel tears in his eyes as well. "You... you..." They embraced each other only as a teacher and his favorite student could. The sound of waves crashing upon a rocky shore could be heard in the distance, and a brilliant light shone through. A student's hope rests upon the shoulders of a teacher's determination and grit. Hopefully Lee can reach his dreams, but every ambition must go through some hardships. A challenge at best for the Genius of Hard Work....
To be continued...
Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Kishimoto Masashi.
Chapter One
...it hurts so much. I don't know how much longer I can last... Storms of thoughts about the anguish and sheer pain clouded his mind. Despite the intense pain, he charged forward with clenched teeth, knowing that the moment he stopped was the moment that he lost everything. So many had surpassed him already, so many hours passed blasting away at the same tree trunk until his whole body became numb. What was all that for if he couldn't prove himself now? Almost at his limit, the only thing carrying him now was pure will, the will to protect what was most precious to him...
...is it over?... These were the words that crossed his mind as he looked at the crater before him. I don't have anything left, he thought. All the muscles in his body seemed to be ripping apart at the same time. At this point, it would have been a miracle to even walk off the floor. With heavy eyes, he set his gaze forward once more, witnessing at that point the terrible reality. A torrent of sand rushed forth, from it two appendages racing at an incredible pace toward the left side of his body. This is impossible... I used "it" on him... he shouldn't be able to move... By then, the gruesome appendages grabbed hold, and tightened its death grip...
Nooooooo!!! Lee woke with a start, his breathing heavy and rapid. Staring into the empty darkness, he grasped his forehead and wiped the sweat from his brow. He gathered his senses, and saw that he was in a hospital room. His gaze scanned across the curtains and the extra bed, leading him towards the window. Lee could grasp a faint outline of a flower in a vase. It was the same flower that he saw the other day in the afternoon. He still wondered about who put it there.
He lay back down on the bed. This was the second time I had that dream, he thought to himself. He grasped his left arm, cringing away suddenly at the sharp pain that followed. It still hurts quite a bit. I have to get better soon. Even though I may have lost in the preliminaries, I can still catch them. I need to train harder soon. Train harder...
Fatigue from the prior grueling battle overrode the tension of nightmares as Lee found himself looking up at the ceiling with a shadowy gaze. I finally got some shuteye, ehh? he thought. The nights seemed to grow longer as the nightmares grew more intense. Lee was the type of person to get over anxiety with loads of hard work. Sitting idly in bed wasn't helping with anything, and Lee suddenly had the impulse to get up and just move around.
"Alright! Let's start off with something light today. After loosening up a bit, I'm going to start doing 100 one-legged squats. If I can't do them, then I'll do 200 right-handed push-ups!"
Lee gingerly sat up and made his way off the bed. Grimacing from the dull pain from his left side, he braced himself on a crutch and went over to an open space in the hospital room. He tried as best he could to stretch out his joints, bracing himself on one leg and maintaining balance. Fortunately for him, Gai-sensei employed an insane variety of training techniques, including those for balance. As he stretched out, Lee enjoyed a brief memory of one of his many training days:
"Lee, you must work on your balance today. Power cannot come from a weak foundation. Now, show me the power of youth! Balance on one leg and take the high-knee stance!"
"Ossu!" Lee happily complied and propelled his knee up, maintaining a steadfast stance.
Gai flashed one of his signature smiles. "You've been doing some major stance-work, haven't you Lee? Alright, hold that stance till lunchtime. Then, work on the other leg. Then, we'll get to the hard part." The sun began to rise in the east at this moment.
"Ossu, Gai-sensei!"
These were one of his happiest moments, training under the tutelage of Gai. He wondered when his wounds would finally heal, so that he could enjoy those moments again. He clenched his fist in heightened anxiety. I can't wait. Gai-sensei, when can I take these bandages off? I need to fight again. This is my way of the ninja... my way of life.
"Yo, Lee! You're up already? So, this is the springtime of youth!"
Gai-sensei appeared in the doorway, as if to answer Lee's call. "Good Morning, Gai-sensei!" Lee beamed. Maybe this would be the day when I can finally start my rehabilitation, Lee thought. "Gai-sensei!" Lee said with an increased enthusiasm," any good news from the doctor today?"
Gai tried not to give such a pained look as he heard those words. He hadn't heard any good news ever since that fateful day. Those words still reverberated over and over in his mind every time Lee got that gleam in his eye... his injuries are too severe. He has to give up the life of a ninja... This wasn't the first time Lee asked for good news. Usually Gai would just avoid a straight answer, saying that the doctors needed more time for tests and such. He couldn't say the truth looking into those eyes, full of hope and promise. Those eyes which were so much like his own long ago, the eyes that gave him more reason to teach his way of the ninja. The same eyes which pained him so, for how could he crush the aspirations of one so ambitious and determined? Denying the means to train from the Genius of Hard Work would be a fate too cruel to bear.
He couldn't avoid the question forever though. The truth will come out in one form or another, if not from his mouth then elsewhere. Gai closed his eyes, trying to deal with overwhelming feelings of guilt and sorrow. How could he tell his student that he couldn't pursue his dream anymore? No, he had to tell him. Now would be better than later, now rather than living content in a fleeting delusion. Slowing fixing his eyes on his beloved student, he firmed his gaze into Lee's eyes.
"Lee, listen to me carefully. This might be one of the most painful things I ever had to say in a long while, perhaps my entire life." Gai's eyes still fixated onto an increasingly nervous gaze from Lee. "I couldn't really believe it myself when I heard it the first time. Or the second. I just told myself it couldn't possibly be true... All the medics, the doctors, everyone.... Lee... y-... the injuries from the last match... are truly severe... and..."
Gai's words trailed off, this sort of anguish was too much. Lee's eyes filled with increasing anxiety, a worried expression spread over his face. Guilt began to overtake Gai's sense. Suddenly, Gai thought back to the time of the battle. Watching his student's limbs snap under the malicious sand and listening to the shout of pain reverberate in his head made the guilt an overwhelming burden ... If only... if only I had stopped the match sooner. Lee was weakened so much after the Secondary Lotus... and I knew that. Why didn't I come in after that rush of sand. I could have prevented it... If only I came earlier...
No, I can't let his destiny, his ambition which led him so far stop now. I won't let it! Gai thought to himself. There's still a chance... there has to be a way. I won't give up on him.
Gai looked at Lee with fresh eyes, still determined but revitalized. "What I meant was that your injures are pretty severe, but if you stick with me, you can still recover and go back to training like you always have. You'll eventually get back on your feet, and I'll help you to get there, no matter what." Gai gave a gleaming smile, with yet another one of his trademarks: the good-guy thumbs up.
Gai-sensei flashed his good-guy thumbs up. Lee thought. That means it's true, he never goes back on his word! If Gai-sensei says I can do it, then I can. Alright!
I flashed my good-guy thumbs up. Gai thought. That means Lee has 100% trust in me. There's no turning back now, since I still haven't told him the whole truth yet. My student has placed his total faith in me. I can't falter now, I have to find a way to get him back to his old self...
Lee felt a tear or two well up in his eyes. "Gai-sensei..."
"Don't say anymore Lee." Gai started to feel tears in his eyes as well. "You... you..." They embraced each other only as a teacher and his favorite student could. The sound of waves crashing upon a rocky shore could be heard in the distance, and a brilliant light shone through. A student's hope rests upon the shoulders of a teacher's determination and grit. Hopefully Lee can reach his dreams, but every ambition must go through some hardships. A challenge at best for the Genius of Hard Work....
To be continued...