Maito Gai watched silently as his student began to show signs of life again. This Hyuuga woman had certainly given his prize pupil a run for his money thus far. Her style was similar to their team's own Hyuuga Neji in most areas, but vividly different in others. Lee had to suspect by now that her strikes were effective whether she hitor just barely grazed. He had to be feeling the effects.
If he had the eyes for seeing chakra, he would have known for certain. Hinata's open palms often burst with blue chakra as she struck…the amount of chakra she expelled with each powerful strike was enough to overload a man's organs. Perhaps it was better that Lee couldn't see them.
Gai found himself wishing he couldn't see them.
Kakashi glanced over to his associate and caught the look on his face. It was a look of extreme debate…Gai was more anxious than any Jounin would normally be over a match between genin. Slowly, Kakashi closed the distance between the two of them and stood next to him, joining him at the railing. When Gai didn't respond in any way, Kakashi began to muse.
"This fight…while interesting,should be done already." Kakashi reached up to his face and pulled up the forehead protector that covered his Sharingan.
Gai realized who was speaking and turned to Kakashi. "What are you saying now?"
"You know as well as I do…" Kakashi's eyes locked onto Rock Lee's legs. "The way that boy kicks…he's a hurricane of force and speed. But then…his legs are moving slowly enough that this girl's slow reactions are evading him."
Gai knew where this was going, but he wasn't in the mood at all…
Kakashi locked eyes with him again. "Why do you have one of your students wearing weights in the chuunin exams?" Kakashi ignored the gasp he heard behind him and focused on Gai's response.
Gai turned back to the battle, but his student and the Hyuuga were talking. "He keeps them on at all times. This is no special occasion."
Kakashi remained looking at Gai. "If he took them off, he'd win…"
"He can win without taking them off."
Kakashi glared at Gai. "Or, he can die without taking them off…" The disapproval was clear on the man's face. "I'm disappointed in you if you're willing to take that chance…"
Gai glared back at Kakashi and refused to budge. "Don't you dare tell me how to raise my students. He has his reasons for not taking them off." Gai knew the main one well…Lee wouldn't take those weights off in front of Neji until he was in the ring with him Only if it were a last option would he go that far.
No…this one had much more battle to go before he'd reach that point…
"OOOOOOOOOOOH!" Rock Lee yelled with all his might. He wouldn't take his weights off, but it was time for this woman to know his strength!
What If: The Lavender Lotus Brawl
Part 2: Under Siege
by Yondaime-dono
Here he comes…Hinata steadied herself for the oncoming typhoon as Rock Lee sprinted towards her. Taking a step back with her left foot, she slipped back into her battle stance, right foot forward this time. I'm ready! She waited, preparing to time her counterattack…
Before he entered her range, however, Lee quickly shifted directions and took as quick a path around her as he could. As he passed to her left, she jabbed at his side, but wasn't quick enough. He blazed around and to her rear, and Hinata focused her concentration on turning the 360 degree image in her mind to an angle where she could follow his movement.
As he got around to the rear of her stance, he stopped on a dime--his back to hers--and threw a turning backfist toward her back. Quickly, she spun around clockwise and slid into a side stance facing Lee. She drew her right hand inward and away from Lee, while her left palm extended across her body, searching for a new attack to counter. When none was found, she quickly switched to the attack…
When Lee's attack didn't connect, he quickly spun around with it so that he would be facing her when she inevitably turned around. Almost immediately, he saw her folded arms, and realized she'd crept closer somewhere along the way…her right palm suddenly flew at Lee, and he spun effortlessly to the side. As he did, he felt a hand grab on to his own right hand. Darn! It was a faint! Not good!
Hinata hadn't attacked; she'd instead grabbed onto him, and now her side stance shifted as she gathered power. Pulling with her right hand, she tried to steal his balance, and used his resistance to rotate her body. A fierce cry escaped her lips as she stepped forward and thrust her left palm towards Lee…
Suddenly, she felt fingers on her wrist, and a sharp upwards pull took her momentum (and concentration) away. Lee quickly pulled her forwards toward him and thrust a strong elbow into her midsection. Before she could react, Lee manipulated his grip again and judo flipped her onto the ground.
Hinata gasped for air, but her body reacted before her lungs could. Rolling to her left side, she barely evaded Lee's attempt to stomp on her abs, and he landed on his feet a split second later. An axe kick followed, then a one-legged stomp, and another. The girl was barely dodging his kicks, but she wasn't gaining any distance…
Lee knew that keeping her on the ground was the best way to avoid her deadly hands, and he was determined to keep her down there, wasting her energy. Chances were she'd get tired of evading and rolling before he'd get tired of kicking. Hours of practice each day witnessed to his stamina. Heck, she already looked winded…
In what looked like frustration to Lee, the girl banged her palms on the floor and began to push herself up to her feet. Before she could, Lee quickly kicked her hands out from beneath her body, and she toppled. This time, she really did bang her hands on the floor in frustration, and Lee felt something within him urge for the coup de grace…
Before Lee could even blink fully, however, he realized something didn't feel right. Looking down, he saw only a shadow…looking up, he saw Hyuuga Hinata, arms tensed, right palm aiming for his head…
"Holy cow…" Naruto's eyes went wide as he realized what he'd just seen Hinata do. "KEEP IT UP HINATA!" The more he thought about what he'd seen, the less he felt he got it…but it had looked ridiculously cool.
Sasuke and Kakashi got it, however. Wow, thought Kakashi. For a genin, she has pretty impressive chakra control…and a great range of output. To put that much chakra out so suddenly through her hands…she literally vaulted herself off the floor. She had doneit with such force that she cut a flip in midair.Kakashi looked on in surprise. She may have a rookie's confidence…but her skills are at least those of an older genin.
Sasuke's thoughts were much similar, but he moved past that line of reasoning very quickly. Sasuke's eyes watched Rock Lee closely. If he's doing what I think he is, then he's the real story here…
Show me, Lee…Sasuke refused to blink as his Sharingan activated. Show me your true strength.
Lee was in a bit of a panic…this was too close for comfort. Hinata's "gentle fist" was rapidly closing the distance between them Running on pure reaction, he bent his knees and turned with the attack…instead of hitting him, her palm glided past his head. As he rotated his body, he grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her forward further behind him than she probably planned. Hinata got her footing in midair, however, and quickly turned to face him. As soon as her feet hit the ground, Hinata closed the short distance between them Lee was forced to remain on the defensive, and he evaded her onslaught as best he could..
Frontal strike. Quick sidestep.
Three quick swipes to the head. A bit of quick evasion.
A knee? Lee blocked it, bringing his hands down to hold it in place.
Thrusts at his chest while he held the knee. He just barely dive and rolled to the side.
Lee spun, ducked, and leaped his way away from Hinata's attacks, watching carefully for an opening. Unfortunately, he was too preoccupied with defense to really notice the few openings Hinata gave. Hinata caught on to this, and fevered her attack stretch with feints and fake attacks. Lee had to respect them, however, for a wrong move could lead to an early end to this match, or worse.
Hinata felt the adrenaline surge as she attacked, and began to realize that Lee was being quite cautious in fighting her. The confidence she'd seen earlier on his face was replaced with sheer effort, much like her own. Sweat began to fly as both fighters got into it…
Lee was beginning to get comfortable with evading her attacks. Even if they were ranged and powerful, they were still too slow to hit him when he was watching for them…Lee's dance of evasion became more fluid as he planned his point of counterattack…
Meanwhile, another set of Byakugan watched the battle from a distance. So this is Hinata's level. A small scoff of frustration escaped the lips of Neji. Why did the fates frown on me…I should be the one to beat her. This fight was pointless, he decided. Deactivating his Byakugan, his eyes drifted to the others in the room, who were all insisting on locking their eyes with the combatants. Dosu Kinuta, Akimichi Chouji…Sabaku no Gaara.
One of them was Neji's battle for this round, he knew. If I had to choose someone to fight…Neji bit his lip to avoid frowning harshly. I would have preferred to take Hinata down…
"Whoa…fast…"
"Did you see that, Kakashi?"
"Is she…"
"No…not quite."
The conversation barely registered in Neji's mind until he turned his head to see what was happening now…
Rock Lee's eyes were wide, and the panic on his face was clearly legitimate. This girl…
Just as he'd thought he'd figured her out, she changed entirely. Lee, who to this point had just been dodging haymakers until he trusted he'd learned Hinata's style well enough to counter it, had finally decided to make his move. As she struck at him, he spun to the side and prepared to roundhouse kick her…
When he'd gotten the kick halfway around, she'd ducked beneath it, and unleashed a flurry of two fingered jabs…
Neji's style, Lee thought. What the heck?
Suddenly, he was on the defensive in fifth gear…rapid jabs at his chest and head had his adrenaline running crazy as he dodged like a madman…
A year ago…
Hyuuga Neji leaped into the air and landed in front of a young Rock Lee. Lee just barely dodged his first two jabs, but Neji wouldn't let up his advantage that easily. With great ease, Neji switched from chest swipes to face thrusts, then used his Jyuuken to strike at a couple of key points on the boy's chest. Pain filled his chest, and he bit his lip and kept evading. It was only a matter of time now…Neji kept striking, smacking Lee on the face, jabbing his chest again…using Jyuuken on his abs to sap his strength…this was just too easyfor him…
Five seconds later, Lee was airborne, and the insults began.
Rock Lee remembered that occasion well, but it wasn't a pleasant memory. Now, he was reliving it as his worst nightmare. Hyuuga Hinata was switching styles rapidly…forcing Lee to dodge quick jabs, then suddenly throwing one of her haymaker palm attacks directly for a critical point. Lee's dodges were getting too slow for comfort…
Hyuuga Neji watched Hinata strike at Rock Lee and saw a bit of himself. Her steps were off-balance, and she was having trouble switching smoothly from quick strikes to power strikes…she obviously wasn't on his level, but she was more than enough to give Lee a run for his money. There was one thing that bothered Neji, however…but there was only one way to check it out…
"Byakugan!"
No one here had given her a chance, Hinata knew.
"Ha!" A sharp thrust to the boy's chest, barely dodged. She heard his breath catch as her chakra entred his system anyway.
She hadn't even given herself a chance…she had absolutely known this boy with the bowl cut was going to beat her to a pulp.
"Heya! Hayt!" Two strikes toward his head, both avoided well.
She'd come this close to quitting before even seeing what he could do…
"Sa!" Quick two-fingered jabs to his body…which he dodged, but not well. Hinata could hear his breathing as clearly as her own now…
He wasn't the easiest match she could have had, but there was no more room for doubting. I've got him on the run, Hinata declared. I…I can win this!
Lee felt his legs get tired, and grimaced. He had to get her off now! But there wasn't enough time…
Here! Hinata yelled and jabbed two fingers directly into Rock Lee's chest, and his eyes went wide.
Four more quick jabs followed, and Lee felt his body tense under her prodding touch. Hey…wait a minute…where was the pain?
"YAAAAAAAAAA!" Hinata's open palm glowed blue from the huge amount of chakra she radiated as she thrust the strongest hooking palm of her life at Rock Lee's face…the palm caught him square on the cheek and knocked him off his feet.
"Whoa!"
"Holy—"
"No!"
"Yeah!"
"Unbelievable…"
The outcry from the group was loud and surprised, but Naruto's whistle was the most obnoxious of the sounds heard from the balcony. Gai grabbed onto the railing and watched carefully. Darn…that could be it…
Rock Lee definitely felt the pain this time…his head throbbed, and he felt himself nearly black out. Not now, Lee willed. He had been sent airborne straight backwards, and he needed to get his bearings fast…he had one last chance to save his ship. Leaning back and raising his hands above his head, he spring boarded off of the floor and into the air. Before he could figure out his positioning in the room, however, he felt the pain in his mouth again. Blacking out slightly, he barely even felt it when his body collided with the giant fire in.
Hinata looked on, watching his movements carefully. He hadn't hit high enough on the monument to hurt himself badly, and he seemed like he was catching his bearings quickly. Lee landed on his feet and dropped to a knee, using his hands to steady him. Hinata remained still, and Lee took the opportunity to leap to the top of the monument.
Rock Lee felt his chest resist his attempts to breathe, and sat on the upturned fingers of the monument. Closing his eyes, he focused on controlling his breathing. Considering their last pass, Rock Lee realized his error and frowned. This can't go on much longer. I have to end this…next pass or never.
A loud voice cut through Lee's meditation.
"LEE! Take off the weights!"
Lee's eyes popped open, and he noticed the thumbs-up from Gai. "What?"
Hinata looked up to the yelling man. What did he just say?
Lee saluted his sensei. "But, sir, I thought I was only to take these off when it was necessary to protect many important people!"
Gai looked down at Hyuuga Hinata, then over to Lee. He pointed down to the arena floor. "That ninja down there has shown you the full depth of her training…she has shown you the power of youth and exuberance!"
"Sir!"
Gai smiled. "Honor her effort by showing your spirit to her!"
Lee smiled, and then cried out in joy. "HAI, GAI-SENSEI!"
Hinata raised an eyebrow as Lee bent down and removed something from within his pants legs. Are those…weights?
Recognition crossed her face, then panic. He was that fast with weights on?
Lee raised his arms to shoulder level, one weight in either hand, and let them unravel. Each was labeled with a different letter. G. U. T. S.
Hinata's eyes were wide. She could tell the weights were heavy just by the way they'd unraveled.
Lee shut his eyes in anticipation, but a twinge of regret crossed his face. "I haven't taken these weights off in a year…but you, Hyuuga Hinata, have done what no one else has. I can't win this with them on…you've proven to be a worthy opponent full of heart."
Hinata remained silent, and Lee continued on.
"Hyuuga Hinata…you shall experience what I had hoped to save for your cousin. You shall see my speed."
Temari and Kankuro smirked. This kid thought weights would make a difference? A little extra leg speed wasn't going to change the fact that he was being completely outclassed...
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto remained silent, his mouth wide open. This was too incredible for words...Hinata was dominating! His fingers began to shake in excitement...and he felt the urge to cheer and be loud return...
The Hyuuga girl's veins tensed as she watched the look on Lee's face. As much as she wanted to believe in herself, there was no bluffing on his face…he was legitimately excited, and quite energetic again. It was hard to believe he was the same person she'd been fighting a moment earlier. Taking a deep breath, she knew then what she had to do. "No, Lee-kun…this was enough for me."
"Eh?" Rock Lee's round eyes expressed confusion, and an outcry could be heard from the balcony...Hinata ignored it.
The girl's veins suddenly relaxed and receded, and her eyes went back to their former lavender hue. "Despite the damage you've taken, I've barely held my own until now…I won't be able to keep up anymore." Getting that last strike to his head in had cost her one of her best advantages; he knew the full depth of her style now, and would be less afraid to counterattack. And those weights...no. She stood no chance here.
Lee stared at her, and confusion slowly changed into concern. "But…what of the things you needed to prove?" If she truly meant to quit, he would have his moment…but what of hers? "And what of the people you wish to prove them to?"
Hinata bowed her head slightly and felt the blush cross her cheeks. Her shy self came back, and she quickly found herself fiddling with her fingers again. "I have done what I could…that is all anyone can ask of themselves." Hinata smiled up to Lee. "Whether or not I have proven anything isn't an important detail. It's the heart behind it that matters…"
Despite saying that, Hinata still cared. But those weights convinced her that anything more would be pointless. I won't be able to set up an attack, and he'll be able to get behind me repetitively. Hinata couldn't help but think of Naruto. Did I prove anything to you today, Naruto-kun? "A part of me does not want to quit..." Her eyes looked up to Lee's, and the competitive fire inher eyeswas as clear as Lee's. "It wishes to face you to the end...to see if there is a chance...and to defend my way of the ninja..."
Lee brought his arms back down to his sides and considered her words. He could only imagine what he'd be like in her situation. As she talked about her split thoughts, he realized he'd never back down if there was still a chance. The things he had to prove could very well require his all. "If you wish to battle," Lee interrupted, "then why do you back down?"
"Because you have won, Lee. I've given everything I have to give...to go any further would be to risk my life on proving something."
Lee looked back to her. Perhaps they weren't as similar as he had thought before. "You and I do not fight for the same things, then. Some things are worth proving, even if you die for them."
Hinata's lips turned into a frown for a moment as she considered it. Was proving her skill worth dying for? Was earningNaruto's respect worth it? But then her content smile returned. "No. What good is proving such a thing if you don't live to benefit from it? I...I won't fight for such an empty victory, Lee..." Either she would earn it the right way, or she would never earn it...that was her decision.
Lee paused and looked at the girl. Defeat was before her, but it didn't show on her face at all. She humbly accepted her failure, and Lee realized something. While Hinata might not beat him in an all-out match, she certainly had learned more in her life than he. Her words suggested she spoke from experience, and Lee wouldn't take them lightly.
This girl had earned his respect.
Lee tossed her the thumbs-up (as well as he could while holding those weights). "Well said, Hinata-san!" It crossed his mind that maybe...just maybe...she was right. If it was to defend his country, Lee would do anything. But, until just now, Lee would have gone just as far to prove his way of the ninja was valid. He would have proved that he could be an excellent ninja by dying for that cause. Now, he wasn't so sure such a sacrifice would be worth it. "I will write that down….and meditate upon it. Thank you." Lee bowed in reverence to Hinata.
Hinata bowed in return before walkingover to Genma and whispering into his ear. For some reason, she wastoo embarrassed to alert everyone herself. Genma coughed a few times, and then raised his voice. "Hyuuga Hinata has forfeited the match. The winner by default is Rock Lee."