Someone requested a sequel to What If a while back...I've actually been attempting to create one for quite some time. However, it's a lot more difficult than I thought coming up with my own setting and scenario. Instead, I'm focusing on my other stories a bit more, and I'll get to What If Continued a bit later. That doesn't mean I can't come up with a few other What If's though...
A two-shot for your enjoyment...I'm too tired to finish it tonight.
Back in the Chuunin Arc...
It had been a hard match for Hinata to watch. On one side, her teammate of the past few months, Inuzuka Kiba, was dominating the majority of his match. He'd shown the depth of his abilities, as well as his ability to strategize. And through the majority of the match, he and his dog Akamaru had come out without a scratch. In any other match, she would have cheered Kiba on whole-heartedly...
But opposite him was the most chaotic and energetic ninja Konoha had ever known. Uzumaki Naruto had spent the majority of the match on his rear, or surrounded. He hadn't managed to get many licks in...but he refused to quit. It was his cunning and determination that Hinata admired so much. And, even when he was losing badly, it was impossible for her to root against him.
In the end, he'd gotten lucky. An unintended fart had hit the right place at the right time and saved his butt...literally. It was an unfortunate end to what had been a great battle for Kiba.
Even as Hinata evaluated the battle in her head, she couldn't leave it at that. Hinata watched as the medical ninjas picked up little Akamaru from the ground and made their way across the arena. They walked toward Kiba, who was being carried away on a stretcher. No, Hinata reminded herself, the outcome of the fight would have never been a possibility if Naruto had not been clever enough to eliminate Kiba's dog from the equation. That stroke of wisdom had not been luck...it was pure Naruto. She'd never been more amazed at him in her life.
Now she felt guilty...she'd given Naruto ointment for his wounds and stood around acting shy, while her teammate was being picked up from the floor. Quickly, she made her way down, just as the medics cleared the floor. They would surely take care of him, but she felt it was best to do what she could.
"Umm..."
The medics stopped in their tracks and faced the girl, and Kiba lifted his head to look Hinata's way.
Hinata lifted her little jar to them. "This is an ointment. Please use it on Kiba and Akamaru's wounds..."
Kiba looked curiously at her, and noticed her concern...but the look on his face was full of concern as well. Despite that, he let out a chuckle. "You should be worrying about yourself, and not others..." He hadn't been able to beat Naruto, who was supposedly the worst of the worst. What did that make him...and what did that make the others who he had not seen fight yet? No...this was indeed worrisome territory.
"Kiba-kun..."
Kiba felt weak, and knew he was going to need rest soon. He would not joke around while he was on the stretcher. "Listen, Hinata. There are only six of you left. You, Chouji, Neji, Lee, a Sound ninja, and that Sand guy."
As he saw the look that came across her face, he almost felt like he didn't need to say the rest. He wasn't going to leave Hinata's life up to chance, however. "Listen up, Hinata. If you match up against the Sand guy, give up right away." Akamaru's warning rang clear in his mind. No one of their team would beat that guy.
Then, he remembered who he was speaking to. "Also, do the same if you match up against Neji. Give up right away." Hinata's eyes widened as she considered the possibility. "He will be very strict against you. You're going to get beat bad."
He didn't get a chance to say more. Genma's composed voice cut in. "Now then, I will announce the next match." Everyone's eyes shifted to the screen, which was now randomly cycling through names...
Hinata clearly recognized her own name on the screen, and quickly scanned down to the name beneath it...
Both she and Kiba exhaled slightly. It seemed the fates had been good to her. As good as she could expect anyway...
The name was spelled out clearly, though she did not know it. Rock Lee.
What If: The Lavender Lotus Brawl
Part 1: Fighting for a Reason
by Yondaime-dono
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" The cry of the two men wearing green spandex echoed throughout the arena. The younger of the bowl cuts leaped onto the railing and kicked his right leg up above his head. "Finally, I get my turn! Watch me shine, Gai-sensei!"
"Lee, wait a moment!" Gai grabbed his student by the tights and pulled him down from the railing. "Let me give you some nice advice..."
Lee and Gai both turned, and Hinata could see their eyes lock with hers from the opposite end of the room. Gai's voice was clear as day, and carried to her ears. "She may not look as intimidating, but that girl is the cousin of Neji...do not underestimate a Hyuuga!"
"I see, sensei! I will be careful!"
Neji harrumphed behind them, and looked away from them all. He only wished he had gotten this fight instead of Lee...
"All right! Go! YEAH!" Gai's battlecry echoed as he cheered his student on, and Lee leaped down from the balcony.
Hyuuga Hinata had yet to move from Kiba's side, but Kiba shut his eyes now. "Hinata."
"Eh?" She hadn't turned her eyes from Rock Lee sincehis bombastic yell...now she turned back to her teammate. "Hai, Kiba-kun?"
"Go and do our team proud. I have faith...we can get 2 out of 3 today." Warmly, he looked at Hinata and smiled. Hinata nodded, and the men who were holding Kiba's stretcher took him away.
Now, Hinata walked slowly to the middle of the room, drawing the ire of Genma as she kept her pace even. Hinata found her mind swirling and unsteady...there was no team in this battle...only her, and she wasn't even close to confident in her chances. At least in a battle with Neji, she knew her chances were slim. She couldn't even tell that with this guy...
And what's worse, his sensei had already given away everything about her worth knowing. She was a Hyuuga...family of Neji's. Her style was similar, though she was certain that he was better than she. Hinata felt her hands tremble lightly as she walked, and knew then that she stood no chance. Quickly, she drew her index fingers into their traditional nervous position.
A half-smile spread across Rock Lee's face, not because of her nervousness, but because of his own anxiety. He hadn't even noticed hers, in fact. It was time for him to prove himself...not only to his sensei, but to the world. And beyond that, this was a chance to prove far greater things than his own abilities. It was a great chance to measure his chances of ever surpassing Neji. "I am glad that I am able to fight a Hyuuga so early," Rock Lee announced. "This gives me a chance to accurately see how far I've come. It shall be a great battle."
Hinata's eyes widened. He had trained with Neji? It dawned on her that they were teammates...he would more than likely know more about her style than she did.
Suddenly, the battle before her felt less like a challenge to swim upstream...and more like a deadly dare to try and swim up Rock.
"If both fighters are ready..." Genma looked to either side, and made note of the panicked look on Hinata's face. Injury was one thing...but he was not going to stop a match for panic. "The 8th match shall begin...now!"
Rock Lee felt his ankles tense and realized he'd been standing on his tiptoes this whole time. Rolling back onto his feet flatly, he slipped his left leg back behind him and turned his foot parallel to his body. Lee folded his left hand behind his back and extended his right hand to his opponent. His smile widened...Gai-sensei was watching...and he would make his sensei proud.
Hinata, on the other hand, was feeling entirely different. A bit before, she'd actually felt good about this...she'd thought maybe luck was on her side since she hadn't drawn Neji-niisan or Sabaku no Gaara. Now, she felt as if she and Kiba just hadn't realized that there was a third awful option. Instead of Neji, now she would fight the anti-Neji. Something told her Kiba would have demanded she quit this one too if he had known. And yet he hadn't...what should she do?
"I...I...I can't..."
Rock Lee's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, and he recognized her nervousness for the first time. "You can't what?"
"I resig--"
"GOOOOOOO HINATA! Beat those fuzzy eyebrows down!"
Three sets of eyebrows raised at that yell: Hinata's, and the top and bottom set of Rock Lee eyebrows. Lee looked up and saw the orange jumpsuit and blonde hair...Naruto was yelling over the railing as loudly as he could. "Show him what you're made of, Hinata!"
Hinata was speechless. Naruto was cheering? For her? She felt her cheeks warm slightly, and turned her head toward him.
Naruto kept the worry from appearing on his face. He had never seen Hinata fight, but he had seen Rock Lee fight. If the look on her face was any sign, she must've been going through some serious doubt down there. Knowing what he did of Rock Lee's strength, he couldn't blame her. When murked down in such doubt, he did the one thing he always did. He shouted his anxiety away, and faced his problems head on. If he'd had ten seconds with Hinata, he would have given her the same advice. Instead, his yell would have to do.
And do it did. Rock Lee turned his eyes back to his opponent. "Hinata-san, you were saying something about what you can't do?"
Hinata turned her eyes back to him, then looked down for a moment. That's right, Hinata remembered. I came here for a reason...even if I can't win, I can't back down here. Not before I prove I've changed...and definitely not in front of him. Hinata drew her hands and began a long seal sequence.
"Byakugan!"
Rock Lee watched as the veins around Hinata's eyes constricted and tensed. He'd seen this a thousand times, but every time, it never ceased to amaze him. As he watched Hinata slide into her fighting stance, his eyes widened a bit. This stance...
Hinata slid her right foot backwards without turning her thigh at all, and leaned forward onto its toes. Likewise, she slid her left foot forward, but this knee remained straight. Her stance...is much different from Neji's. Lee didn't know what he expected, but this was not it. She seemed settled enough into it, but Lee couldn't help but look at her legs oddly. She's so tense...and there's no way she can have leverage from that odd positioning...
"Please forget what I said before, Rock Lee...let us fight."
Lee nodded. "If that's what you want..."
Everyone in the arena watched silently as the tension in the room rose. Naruto grew anxious watching as Hinata advanced slowly and Rock Lee waved her closer, watching her stance closely. He couldn't take it anymore. "Ikkei, Hinata!"
Hinata chose that moment to move for real.They were only about five feet apart, and with surprising speed, she pushed off of her right foot and closed the distance. She flipped stances and put her right foot forward, slightly diagonal with Rock Lee's angular stance. Instead of being directly in front of his hand, she had landed slightly to his left, with a clear shot across his chest if she was fast enough. With all her might, she thrust her open right palm toward Rock Lee. "HA!"
Lee's eyes opened wide, and he panicked for a moment. Open palm? He was expecting Neji's poking thrusts, and they were painful enough...who knew what an open palm could do? Lee leaned to his right quickly, trying to pull out of her reach, but discovered that wouldn't be enough. Breaking his stance for a moment, Lee took another step back with his left foot and turned his stance to face her a bit more. He tilted his upper body just a bit and evaded her attack, but just barely. As the attack passed him, Lee quickly used his rotation to his advantage and kicked his right foot out behind Hinata, sweeping her back leg out from beneath her. Hinata gasped and wobbled.
"Ahh!" She toppled backward and onto her side, and Lee took three large steps back, not lowering his guard for a moment.
There was silence in the room, and then a collective sigh. That had been a disappointing opening...
Hinata frowned as she felt the pain in her hip from her fall, and then she began to pick herself up. Rock Lee's eyes were focused on her, his right hand extended once more, palm inward. His stance was almost the same as before.
"I should not tell you this...but you will not defeat me in that stance. You are Hyuuga...part of a family hand-to-hand specialists." Lee balled his fist and closed his eyes, tensing his arm muscles. "But I will prove I am just as special as you are...my art is taijutsu as well." Opening his eyes once more and watching as Hinata got up, he made eye contact with her. "Show me your movement...or you will not last."
Hinata didn't notice immediately, but his stance had one definite difference. His left arm was no longer behind him, but instead his palm was stretched across his chest, tensing with each throbbing pain he felt in the muscle there. I know she missed, Rock Lee thought...there's no way she hit me just now, or I'd be on the floor. But...Lee considered her open palm strike, as compared to Neji's two finger assaults...
Is it possible that her attacks are more ranged than Neji's?
It was obvious to him that he didn't know as much about the Hyuuga style as he thought he did. She's more dangerous than Neji for me...a direct hit might kill me. And, unlike Neji's strikes...even a near-miss wounds. I can't let her do that again.
Maito Gai watched carefully from the balcony and grimaced at that first pass. To the majority of the crowd, Lee had won that first pass easily. But there were at least 3 people watching who knew the truth. Gai glanced over to Hatake Kakashi just as he glanced to Gai, and each gave the other a knowing glance. Yes, Hinata had gotten a small surprise there, but she'd given Lee a bigger one.
That's ok, Gai thought. He still had tricks up his sleeve, as long as he didn't get whacked before he could use them...
Hinata quickly realized he was right. Her style was meant more for two-dimensional battle against opponents who were far worse at physical combat than her. This fellow, based on his quick reactions and how he'd found the weak point in her stance, was probably quicker than her--and better at defense and evasion. That meant she needed to keep her stance stable at all times. Hinata shifted her normal stance a bit...
Rock Lee watched as her right foot shifted behind her and turned parallel to her body. This time, both knees were bent slightly. Her hands remained the same...left hand extended with open palm facing Lee, right palm back at just below face level. Better, he thought. But she still underestimates my speed. He'd give one last warning. "The next time we match blows, I will not stop." With that, he moved his left hand back behind his body.
Hinata nodded and huffed. "So be it, Lee-kun." No more time to look back. She needed to watch him closely.
With no warning, Lee sprinted forward. I won't let her get the jump on me again! Leaping into the air, Lee spun around and brought a roundhouse left kick toward Hinata's head. "Konoha Senpuu!"
Hinata leaned her head back and out of the range of the kick and dragged her feet backwards to make distance, but she did nothing to block his movement. He continued to spin as he landed and threw another left kick, this one aimed for her gut. With crossed arms, she blocked that one. Lee withdrew his foot and quickly snapped it forward again, this time side kicking toward her head and over her block.
With the Byakugan, she was able to see the movement ahead of time, however, and raised her arms just slightly. Her crossed wrists deflected his kick away from her head, and she began to twist her hands around, trying to grab his leg...
Lee gasped as he realized what she might try, and he leaped off of the ground. Before her fingers could touch his leg, he twisted in midair and brought kicked his right leg toward her midsection with as much momentum as he could. Hinata took the shot to the ribs surprisingly well, but that was probably because Lee didn't really have the footing for a great kick at the time. He quickly got his other leg away from her, however, and hit the floor.
Instead of retreating, Lee pushed himself up and off the ground and kicked his legs out. As though he were an Olympic pommel horse competitor, Lee quickly gathered his legs and scissored them behind hers in another attempt to sweep her.
Hinata leaped over his feet as if she had anticipated his movement slightly. But beyond that, she leaped forward, toward him...past him. Lee was quite surprised when he heard the yell..."HA!"
At the same time, a strong force impacted his right shoulder, and he face-faulted forward. Hinata had kicked him from midair.
The surprise in the room was palpable as Lee fell to the ground. Hinata stayed within her stance and slowly inched backwards, still not breathing hard. Everyone except him knew exactly what had just happened. Hinata's yell wasn't because of the strength of her kick...it was because she had strained to channel chakra into her feet quick enough.
The wave of blue chakra extending from her foot and into Rock Lee as she'd kicked wasn't nearly as bright as the one from her palm strike earlier, but it was just as well. The first attack had missed. This weaker one had quite plainly hit dead on.
Gai inhaled sharply. That one had to hurt.
Come on Lee...I know you can do this...
Whoa! She's doing it...she's winning! A wide-eyed Naruto clapped his hands once, and leaped onto the railing.
"Go Hinata! Keep it up!"
Naruto began to cheer in full earnest, and soon, he heard other voices joining him. Ino and Sakura had joined in, cheering their fellow rookie girl on...
Dang it...owww...
Lee's shoulder didn't want to move anymore. It wasn't that he couldn't move it...it was just that it made it quite clear it hated him for doing so. Lee tried to push himself back onto his feet and failed. Rolling over onto his back, he kicked his legs into the air and vaulted himself up without his arms. This just won't do...
Hinata was a good distance away, and her stance was solid now. She was looking up into the stands.
That's when Lee heard the cheers. The blonde was still cheering...but now another blonde had joined in. Then, he heard a voice he wasn't expecting...
"Go Hinata! Show him what the Rookie Nine are made of!"
Is that...
"Sakura-chan?"
The voice in the stands grew silent. Lee turned and looked toward the pink-haired girl and caught her gaze. Her eyes were full of panic, as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. Lee looked at her and felt the hurt cross his face. She's rooting against me too?
Lee shut his eyes and felt a tear run down his face. It's just like before...no one believes in me.
In the silence that followed, Sakura turned away from Lee's pained face and walked toward Kakashi.
Ino, too caught off guard to cheer anymore, asked the question most had been thinking. "Fighting hand-to-hand with a Hyuuga is foolish...why doesn't he make some distance and test her defenses?"
Gai frowned momentarily and looked to the girl. "With what?"
Ino paused. What kind of question was that? "I don't know...whatever ninjutsu he knows! Use a fire technique, for crying out loud...something!"
Gai shook his head. "He doesn't know any."
Sakura chimed in. "It doesn't have to be fire...he just needs to keep his distance."
Gai sighed. "You two don't understand. It's not that he doesn't have any of those techniques...it's that he doesn't have any ninjutsu."
Everyone in listening distance turned their heads at that.
Shikamaru glanced over. "He doesn't know ninjutsu?"
"Neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu are in his repertoire."
"Then...he's pure hand to hand?" Sakura looked toward him again and saw the look on his face slip toward despair. He's in trouble...
Gai bit his lip, watching his student. "Yep...that's his forte. And that's why he'll win this fight...if he just pays attention..."
"Lee! Stop fooling around and fight!"
Lee's ears perked. He needed to correct that last thought. No one believes in me...except Gai-sensei.
He turned back to his opponent, completely toning out all the yelling he heard in the balcony. "I came down here thinking I could use you to test myself...I underestimated you."
Hinata smiled and shook her head. "We've both made our mistakes. Had you continued to attack after that initial sweep, I would have lost." Her words were spoken carefully, and Lee thought she sounded like a noble. In truth, she was trying not to let her nervousness make her words shaky.
Lee nodded. "Yes...we have both been kind to this point." Lee smiled. "I am glad we drew each other. I helped you fix your stance." His eyes locked with hers, and she remained focused upon his despite every urge to look away. "And you have shown me how deep this competition is. But...I must make it through this. Forgive me...I will not hold back from this point."
Hinata saw the fire in his eyes and knew exactly what he meant. "I, too, have reasons to fight. There are things I must prove." Hinata glanced toward Neji in the balcony, who had never budged from his spot on the wall since the beginning of the tournament. He wasn't there. Instead, he was pressed up against the railing, his Byakugan activated...he was watching as closely as he could. "And there are people I must prove them to..."
She fought the urge to look at Naruto, and instead locked her eyes on Kurenai-sensei for a moment, then drew them back to Lee.
Lee fought the urge to look to Sakura. "Sou, ne..." Lee closed his eyes and nodded. "We have much in common."
Hinata blinked, but showed no other change in expression.
When Lee's eyes opened back up, they were focused and intense. "The time for talk has ended. I'm coming!"
To be continued (a two-shot!)