Thanks to everyone who's reviewed or otherwise expressed interest in this story. I struggled a lot with the beginning of this chapter, but then the rest of it came much easier than usual. I honestly had a blast writing it! Having a hobby with visible results has given me a bit more of a sense of purpose, I think. I'm beginning to feel a little more confident! ^/^ How cool is that?

This is a nice long chapter too! I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think, if you feel like it. I'm always curious what you guys have to say!

Chapter 7: The Second Encounter: Lee's Mad Dash!

Lee stared up at the roof of the house, leaning on a rake. I wonder if that man will come again.

She felt normal. Almost. Sleep had done what it did best. Her pain had faded to a dull ache, and her aches to a collection of faint reminders.

And she looked normal too. Every wild edge was whittled down. Her sprawling cloud of hair was bound into a tight inky swirl atop her head, and her bangs rested tamely across her brow, like two lightly-folded wings. Her kimono was clean, unripped and unstained, a dull grey-pink that couldn't commit to one color or the other.

Everything was as it should be, or had been, but a defiant smoldering coal in the black of Lee's eyes, a dull light that couldn't be snuffed. So she raked and swept and cleared debris, danced and folded and poured, and buried it under layer after layer of ritual and calm. So it couldn't be seen.

Preparing lunch with her mother was a challenge. The silence was mandatory, it seemed, and stifling. Lee had no intention of being the one to break it, instead engaging in a game as stimulating as it was draining: deducing precisely what it was they were cooking. She took what she was handed, washed vegetables that were already washed, and cut things every which way, and received exactly zero feedback. Her mother chopped the carrots with more force than was strictly necessary, but if the girl had done anything wrong, her mother did not say.

Lee wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

When the time came to eat, Lee left wordlessly, returning to the yard. She sat on a large rock by the fish pond, throwing food in occasionally, watching them eat hungrily, as was their wont during the hot summer months. She swung her feet and nodded her head and smiled away hunger, frustration, and melancholy, whenever they creeped in the corners of her mind. She smiled because tucked away in some secret drawer was a cache of forbidden books. And on the roof perhaps, Lee thought, looking up, some stray lock of hair, still imbued with starlight and moonbeams and firefly's glow, was fluttering away.

Would he come again? He's probably too busy, she thought. He has his team to train, and who knows what else a jonin is responsible for? Lee turned her thoughts to the previous night. I wonder if my advice will help him understand Haruno-san better. Was I too forward? He seemed to appreciate my perspective, but maybe he was just being polite.

I hope I didn't offend him.

From dawn to evening that day, Lee's eyes flitted to the roof, with increasing frequency as the sky began to darken. She was hungry, and after an equally stressful dinner preparation, she was ravenous.

Kakashi did not appear that night, but Lee did not go hungry either.

As she lingered in the yard late that night, not entirely sure where "do not disturb us with your fitful sleep" left her (she had slept enough the previous afternoon to remain awake until presently), Lee was startled by a rustle in a nearby bush. It was too loud and too sudden to be a breeze. Something brown and blue darted away, straight up the cliff.

Lee carefully made her way over towards the bush, eyeing the cliff warily. On the ground was a bowl of ramen. White with red characters. Ichiraku. This is the same ramen he brought last night...But why like this? She peeled back the film and smelled it, wondering if poison even had a smell. With a cautious glance toward the house, Lee sat on the ground behind the bush and ate it in the dark, quickly and messily. She felt like a stray, living off the kindness of a stranger.

It appeared again on the second night.

I never realized how dull my days were until I had something to look forward to. Are you watching me even now, Kakashi Hatake?

On the third night, Lee resolved to climb the tree in the yard to see how the bowl was arriving. She squinted through the dark as a small creature in a dark vest darted down the steep rock face behind the pond. It deposited the white bowl on the ground behind the bush, then practically flew up the rocks and into the night. She thought she saw a flash of silver reflecting the moonlight. Was that…a ninja hound?

On the morning of the fourth day, Lee's mother quietly set the table for three, and Lee was so relieved she almost cried. Instead, she kept her face trained and ate delicately and slowly.

After lunch, she sat on a stump by the pond, glancing up at the roof, as she did whenever she thought of Kakashi Hatake. She wondered if he would continue sending the ramen with the ninja hound. Or if he might come again himself. If he's even the one doing this. What if this is the Hokage's doing? I know Hatake-san said he was concerned, but this is a lot of effort, isn't it? Maybe it's, Lee thought delightedly, a thank you? Maybe I really helped him with Haruno-san? If I was able to help him even a little... Lee shook her head.

Long after dinner, the girl slipped outside again. Instead of climbing the tree, she stood close to the cliff, too close for the ninja hound to see her. She had to ask it. If it can even talk...She had to know. But the creature did not appear. After two long hours, Lee turned away, sullen. Maybe it's waiting till I'm not watching. Or maybe...they really have been watching me and they know I'm eating again. And I'll never see Hatake-san again. She settled against her tree, feeling quite sorry for herself, and moped.

At two in the morning, Lee plodded toward the house with a heavy heart and heavier eyes. A slight wave of movement pulled her tired gaze upward. Her heart caught in her throat: a mess of hair silhouetted against the moon, the tips glistening as bright as the moon itself.

A surge of childish wonder came over her.

Kakashi Hatake could dance across the roofs of Konoha, and his hair glowed like the moon, and he knew a thousand jutsu. A sudden compulsion gripped her, a desire to do something half as fantastic. It urged her up the great tree behind her and, at almost a run, across a thick branch overhanging the building. She descended more carefully, making sure her feet found the tiles soundly before releasing her grip on the branch.

"Kakashi…Hatake," she breathed. He gave her an odd look, as if seeing her for the first time. Lee turned her gaze to her feet. The best reward for saving a life is seeing it well cared for...He said something like that, didn't he? I've made a fool of myself, haven't I?

"I thought you would notice me sooner," Kakashi said, with an amused smile. "Pakkun was impressed you detected him so quickly. Maybe he's losing his touch…"

"Is Pakkun the ninja hound?" Lee asked, crouching down next to him, relieved he didn't seem upset with her. Maybe his idea of what's dangerous to civilians is skewed from all his time with ninjas.

"Yes, he is. I'm surprised you've heard of them."

"Did you send him, Hatake-san?"

"I did."

"Why?" she asked in amazement, "I mean, how did you know they weren't feeding me?"

"A hunch."

A hunch? He isn't serious.

"Has someone been watching us?" Lee looked around, as if some random ninja would pop out from behind a bush.

"No, no. I just happened to be in the area that first night, and when I saw you looked a little weak, I had Pakkun bring over a few meals while I was busy."

"Hatake-san, I still owe you so much. Please don't put me further in your debt. I fear I can never repay it. I will be smarter and take better care of myself, so you needn't invest any more time or effort into me. I will not risk my life like a fool any longer."

"Then I suppose I'm a much bigger fool than you. I'm always risking my life," Kakashi laughed quietly. He reached into a bag and pulled out a tray full of sweet dango. He handed her a stick and began to eat his own. She stared at the dango.

"Forgive me." She looked down (which was becoming a habit as of late). "I speak poorly around you. I am normally better with words."

He shook his head with a dismissive smile. "'I've been wondering: What do you think, Lee-san? Of your behavior on the day we first met? I have told you I thought you were brave." This question took her aback.

What do I think…of my own behavior? What an odd question to ask. She sat back past her heels, her butt landing on the roof. She extended her stiff legs and took an absentminded bite of the dango, chewing thoughtfully. What do I think of my own behavior…Proud? Shameful? Foolish? She shook her head—none of that feels right— sinking further into her mind.

What does it make sense to think, then? I was raised to feel ashamed of such behavior. And I endangered my life. That's a foolish thing, isn't it? But Hatake-san just said that if endangering yourself makes you a fool, then he is a much bigger fool than I. And he certainly isn't a fool. She glanced up at his masked face and slid another dango off the stick into her mouth.

But he's also a professional. He is paid for a skillset he's developed, and one of his primary jobs is defending others. Doing his job isn't foolish. I risked my life when I have no such skillset. She pulled the last dango into her mouth.

He seems to think it was the right thing to do—No, not the right thing, necessarily, but a good thing. Kakashi worked his way across the tray, glancing at the girl occasionally. Lee continued her internal debate unawares. She chewed on the end of the stick in her hand.

I really don't know what to think of myself. Of my behavior. But, I do think—I think I would make the same decisions again. She voiced these last few thoughts aloud. Kakashi nodded, and she thought he looked pleased.

"It's possible to feel many different ways, contradictory or otherwise, at the same time. Still, if you feel that way all the time," he looked at her, perhaps meaningfully.

She nodded as she tried to process the words, taking another dango stick when Kakashi held the tray out.

"To risk your life for the sake of others is never foolish, Lee-san. To avoid a battle you can't win is also never foolish. When you desert your morals to fulfill the wishes of others, that is foolish. I value my comrades over my missions, because I know to be looked down upon by others is something I can cope with. To look down upon yourself is much harder and often impossible to live with.

"Shinobi are tools, Lee-san, but our greatest asset and weakness is that we each possess values independent from the guidelines we are given. Most of the time, we make our decisions without consulting the Hokage. And that means our judgement," he said, tapping the side of his head twice, "is where we find our answers.

"We often risk our lives when there are better, wiser solutions. We willingly enter battles we cannot win. We make all manner of stupid decisions. One time I was captured by a rogue shinobi, a particularly powerful jonin at that. And when I told my squad of genin to leave," he shook his head smiling, "those knuckleheads ignored me and fought a battle they could never hope to win. All of us could have died there, but we didn't; they saved me. Three genin. We completed our mission. And we all got out alive.

"As we grow as ninja, our judgement usually improves. Our instincts improve. But our strength of character is what determines our progress. Lee-san, you are not a ninja, but the same truths apply to you. I believe you have a very strong character, and that you would only be foolish if you behaved weakly in spite of it."

What reason does he have to tell me this? Why does he come here? Is he just that nice? To trust a shinobi to have no ulterior motives seems like poor judgement. But is that an inherited prejudice? Lee thought of the innocent laughter of Sakura Haruno. Of how open she'd been with Lee. That girl was someone you could trust, surely. It's that mask, Lee thought. How am I supposed to tell if he's being sincere from just one eye?

"Well, it seems I've given you enough to think about for one night," Kakashi said, gathering up his bag. "I'll see you around, Lee-san," he waved.

"Wait!" Lee called, quickly. She had to ask. This could be her only chance. "Will you come back, Hatake-san? Will I see you again?" He didn't turn around.

"...When I get a chance." He waved again and disappeared into the night with the causal grace of a stray cat.

I believe you have a very strong character.

You would only be foolish if you behaved weakly in spite of it.

When you desert your morals to fulfill the wishes of others, that is foolish.

These words swarmed Lee's brain the next day as she hung wet laundry to dry in the hot sun along a line through the yard. The thoughts buzzed incessantly, and her temper rose.

You would be foolish…if you behaved weakly…What have I been doing all this time? While Brother has trained and become strong, what have I been doing? This has never been what I wanted. These weak hands and these downcast eyes. What—Big, wet tears raged down her face. Lee mopped at her cheeks with her fists. What's wrong with me? What am I crying for, like some little girl? Kakashi Hatake, damn you! What are you planning? She turned to look at the roof, but the lens of tears magnified the glare of the sun, blinding her. She squeezed her eyes shut, hissing through her teeth, and squatted on the ground, covering her eyes with her palms. You've made me question everything, Kakashi Hatake, but you keep the answers to yourself. Why is someone like you concerning yourself with me? I'm starting to wish none of this had ever happened.

The weeks that followed trudged by in a stagnant, humid haze. Every time her mother looked away during lessons, Lee was beating her sweat away with her sensu.

After the first seven nights of bug bites and cicada-induced headaches, Lee resolved that Kakashi was satisfied with the chaos he'd wrought in her mind and had left her to sort it out alone. Instead of spending her evenings staring at the roof or up the cliff, Lee lay on the marginally cooler wood of the porch, only moving to unstick herself occasionally.

The sweet, spring air summer had clung to was finally gone, and everything smelled muggy and earthy instead. Lee's head was permeated by a similar air, and she spent long hours steeping her brain in the same thoughts until they turned bitter and she finally emptied them from her consciousness.

She needed to do something. Anything.

The books, occurred to her. She wasn't overly interested in their contents, but a reason to sneak around and defy her parents right under their noses held a certain appeal.

One evening, Lee dug the tomes from their drawer, handling them with a reverence that teenage romance novels did not typically warrant. She concealed them in the skirt of her kimono (a very suspicious image) and did not breathe until she had made it through the entry, the hall, the main room, and out into the back yard. She knelt behind the tree and opened the first book. She squinted and struggled before setting it down to lament the waning of the moon. A week ago, she might have been able to read at this hour, but not now.

From that point onward, Lee snuck into dark corners during all hours of the day, and read her books so fast her eyes were a blur. To compensate for lost time, she performed her chores with unmatched vigor. She swept up great clouds of dust, raked so intensely she left lines in the earth, and, in a few short days, the fish began to fear she was a predator; her hand appeared like lightning, striking into the pond to capture an offending twig or leaf, and they would cower and dart and shrink away into the depths. Her mother wasn't sure whether excess enthusiasm was something she could punish, so she steered clear of Lee whenever possible. She began to wrap breakables in cloth and shelter them in cabinets and closets, for every time Lee scrubbed the floor, it would rumble as an earthquake.

After two such weeks, the hurricane that was Mizuchi Lee began to lose its momentum. She was running out of words to read, and it had grown so hot that running about was unbearable. Even as she read, her attention was fuzzy: pieces of her conversation with Kakashi three weeks ago flung themselves at her as distracting flies.

She longed for fresh cool water and crisp mountain air to rinse her lungs, body, and mind. A blank slate. What story could I spin, Lee considered, to escape for even half a day?

On the first day of the fourth week since she'd seen Kakashi, Lee dumped a container of tea leaves into "the ramen bush". When she was practicing tea ceremony with her mother that morning, she feigned shock and embarrassment, announcing she must have been using the wrong ratio for the leaves, for they were completely out. The girl apologized profusely and begged her mother to allow her to gather more before the summer heat dried up the plants in the mountain. After a fifteen-minute lecture on proper technique, her mother assented with the promise that Lee stay near the base of the mountain.

As if I would make a mistake like that, after 10 years of lessons. Lee giggled, almost skipping as she made her way through the Old Village toward the mountain. She greeted her neighbors politely and ignored the whispers and judgmental gazes that followed her. She wondered if they knew of her encounter with the bandits, or if it was just the usual dislike that came from being part of the Lee family, the family with the weird son who left to be a ninja and the old house falling into disrepair.

As Lee rounded a corner, the dusty path into the mountain revealed itself, an old red archway marking its origin. She paid her respects to a small spirit house beside it, as she had done since she was little, and began the trek. Shortly after, the path forked and she took the wider path northwest.

It was then that she began to feel the sun's harsh gaze on her back. The pale dirt in front of her blazed white. Yet to either side, the woods seemed dark as night. The leaves had grown thick and opaque since she saw them last, and very little light filtered through the canopy. As the path grew steeper and sweat began to saturate the nape of her neck, Lee considered venturing into those woods more than once. Little over a month ago, she would have wandered aimlessly among the trees, just listening to birds. Now, Lee wondered if she'd spent half her life narrowly avoiding dangers she never realized existed.

Sweet mountain water. Cold mountain water, she chanted internally, strengthening her resolve, as the burn in her thighs rivaled that of the sun on her back. She wondered just where the small lake her brother and she used to swim at was. I'm sure Grandma Hatsu will know. I hope she's excited to see me and not angry I came back after last time. But how else would I see her?

As Lee neared the crest of the hill, she heard voices. It alarmed her. She shook her head at her foolishness. They must have stationed ninja here to secure the entrance into the village. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get to see one of the ninja I've met!

Lee paused. But then, what if I get in trouble for coming up here? Or if they think I'm an enemy and they attack before I can explain? Maybe I should just pick the tea leaves and go home...Lee looked down the hill, eyes tracing the curves of the path until it snaked out of sight. To her parched mouth, it looked like a river. I can't go anywhere without at least a sip of water. And I'm so sweaty.

She continued upward until the small farm came into sight.

Two ninjas lay before her feet, eyes rolled back and limbs splayed, pools of blood growing shallow as they were soaked up by the parched earth. Their headbands reflected a pale gold in the sunlight, and she saw the unmistakable spiral of the leaf insignia carved into the metal plates. Two shinobi. Dead. On the brightest of days, while the birds sang merrily. They were young. One with short, mousy-brown hair, the other with shoulder-length black hair. She looked up at a group of men and one woman. They were all looking at a cat standing in front of them, a red ribbon around its thick neck. As if it sensed her gaze, the cat turned its head and met her eyes. Its eyes were sharp and yellow. One man followed the cat's gaze, caught sight of her, and made an exclamation, but Lee couldn't hear it over the words echoing through her head: "To avoid a battle you can't win is never foolish."

"Hatake-san," she whispered, "lend me your strength!" She turned and ran. So fast her heart thundered in her ears. So fast she almost fell forward down the steep decline. So fast she couldn't make a word out of the shouts behind her, nor spare a thought for Grandma Hatsu. She had only one objective.

Someone grabbed her from behind, but Lee tore herself free of her kimono and continued to run. She streaked down the path in nothing but white linen shorts, with her chest wrapped in white cloth. Only when she neared the red gate did Lee look behind to check for her assailants. Nothing. But the second cost her, as she stumbled forward and tumbled down a good twenty feet. She sprung up, dirty, scraped, and bruised, with her hair half-restrained and half a tornado of black. And she charged forward again, into the village.

The neighbors saw nothing but a blur of pale clothes and whirling hair as Lee flew around corners. Her strides were so long and forceful, she spent more time in the air than on the ground. She was free of the Old District in less than a minute, though normally to traverse it took her ten. The ache had left her legs, and the drum in her head had quelled; all Lee felt was the power of her legs propelling her forward.

At last, Lee saw the large red building towering over all others, and each Hokage head came into view. She hurried through the faintly familiar streets, slowing as she reached the entrance to the Hokage's building. Two ninjas stood near the front, one laughing as the other recounted some humorous anecdote. They became stoic and quiet as soon as they noticed her. She jogged up to them and finally stopped, bracing her arms against her knees and panting.

"The Hokage," she breathed out, "I—I need the Hokage. Take me"—a sharp intake— "Take me to him." The two men exchanged glances.

"Look," said the taller man, crouching down with a friendly smile. He had a bandage running across his face and over the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry miss, but the Hokage is receiving a report for a very important mission. We've been told not to disturb him. Are you sure this isn't a problem for the police force?"

"Two leaf shinobi"—her eyes stung terribly—"are dead. This cannot wait." The two men exchanged another glance, this one much graver.

The man with the bandage grabbed her gently by the arm, and directed her up the stairs to the building interior.

Lee gathered herself as best as she could, panting and sweaty, in front of the door to the Hokage's office. The back of one of her thighs burned and hot rivulets of blood were rolling down her calf. The man beside her knocked and entered, guiding Lee into the room.

Beside the desk stood, of all people, Kakashi Hatake. The sight of him, like a mother's hug, was such a comfort that tears were rushing freely down Lee's face before she even felt the impulse to cry. Her face scrunched up and her legs gave out and she fell to her knees with a thunk! She shook her head wildly, blinking. Snap out of it! I need to speak. I need to tell them. Now. Lee squinted through her tears at the face of the kind, leathery old face of the Third Hokage. Lee felt a gentle pressure against her shoulders and back, and green fabric came into her field of vision. She hugged it to her like a blanket.

"Hokage-sama, G-Grandma Hatsu's p-place. Quick…ly," she managed.

Kakashi and the Hokage exchanged glances. "Lee-san," Kakashi said warmly, kneeling down beside her. "Can you tell us anything else?" He offered her a navy handkerchief. Lee nodded, bowing slightly, and took the square with two hands politely. She wiped her face and dabbed her nose, then took a long draught of breath and released it shakily. The muscles of her face relaxed in stages, as she willed it to grow blank.

"Two leaf ninja are"—Lee closed her eyes painfully—"are dead, Hokage-sama." Her voice hardened and grew steady, and her shaky limbs stilled. "A woman with short brown hair and a man with long, dark hair. Both looked pretty young. I saw seven other people there. Six men and a woman. They were...different from the last group, Hokage-sama. More put together. Like shinobi or assassins or something, not poor farmers turned bandit. And…a cat was there too. With a red ribbon. They were all looking at it, when I got there. Like it was talking. The cat saw me, and they realized I was there. I ran away as fast as I could; one of them almost caught me, but I shook him loose. Along with—with my clothes," Lee blushed and rose, pulling her arms through Kakashi's vest and zipping it up. "I didn't see Grandma Hatsu there. She might've been inside."

Kakashi and the Hokage shared another look.

"Kotetsu!" called the old man.

"Yes!" The ninja from before re-entered the room (he had left after bringing Lee in), shutting the door behind him.

"Organize a team of skilled chuunin and immediately head for the northeast entrance. This is an A rank mission. We do not know the extent of our enemies' abilities. However, they have killed two new chuunin. I will send a support team shortly after to back you up, but time is of the essence." Kotetsu gave a salute and took off. The Hokage turned to face Kakashi.

"Kakashi, find another jonin and return to me. We'll head them off from within the tunnel system. I believe Gai is free." Kakashi nodded, then disappeared out the window in a flash, leaping from one rooftop to the next.

"You've been very brave, Miss Lee. Thank you for your succinct report. I'm sorry you had to see something so troubling, again." He walked out from behind his desk and rested a hand on her head. "Rest easy, we will do everything to protect Hatsu-san. She is a dear friend of mine." He smiled kindly.

"I'm going too, Hokage-sama." His hand dropped from her head. He looked at her dirty face and saw as much fear as resolve.

"Are you now?" he asked sadly.

"I am," Lee said, looking directly into his eyes, "though you may try to stop me. I know I might just get in the way… but I—I can't just sit around when someone precious to me is in danger. I knew the only way to protect Grandma Hatsu and this village was to come to you, and so I came. But now—" Lee shook her head, and the remainder of her hair tumbled free to float around her. A red ribbon slipped free to rest at her feet.

"But now I must be true to myself. I cannot desert my morals to fulfill the wishes of others, even if their wish is for my safety. Even if it is the wish or even direct order of my Hokage. I hope you can forgive me for encumbering your shinobi with yet another thing to protect, but I won't back down in this. Even if you try to drag me away, kicking and screaming, I will fight beside your shinobi. If my life is lost, then it is on my shoulders and not yours."

"I will not stop you, Lee-san, though I may wish to. You are not helpless. It is the right of everyone in this village, shinobi or otherwise, to protect what is theirs. I will pray for your safe return, for to me this village is far better with you than without." He brushed the hair from her face. "Just know that every life lost in this village shall rest on my shoulders so long as I live; you are my precious family as Hatsu-san is yours." He pulled her into a warm hug, and her stiff form slowly melted. She pulled away gently.

"You are too soft for your job, old man. And you think too fondly of strangers. You are the Hokage, not my grandfather." Her eyes grew soft. "I have little to offer this village but a dance and some warm tea. But I do not wish to die, Hokage-sama. You will see me again."

"A dance and warm tea could bring much comfort to a weary, old man like me. When you are my age, even the children you have yet to meet are like grandchildren. You are no stranger to me. And one's greatest talents are the ones that cannot be taught. You are clever and brave, and to have both traits at once is no small feat. There is a fire behind your eyes that burns brightly, because you have found purpose. It is what connects you and I as if by blood, and it is what has drawn Kakashi Hatake to you, though his mission finished long ago. You possess the Will of Fire, Miss Lee. Though your manners are very different, you and your brother both have kind hearts and swift legs."

"You know my brother?"

"Ah yes," the old man laughed, "Rock Lee. He's a strange one, that boy. But full of passion. What he lacks in talent, he makes up for in spirit. He's a hard worker. The captain of his squad, Might Guy, was a lot like him when he was younger.

"But you, hmm…you remind me a bit of Kakashi. You want to prove yourself. And you're brave and smart. And you're torn between the rules and your heart. Someone like Rock Lee or Gai will trust their heart without question. I doubt your brother would run away to get help, whether it is the right thing to do or not. Haha. Don't make that face at me, Miss Lee. If I were you, I would have run for help as well. It is the wiser decision, and I commend you for it."

"Hokage-sama, you said that the Will of Fire is the reason Hatake-san has come to see me. What do you mean by that? Did you order him to check on me? If not, how do you know that he has?"

"I gave him no such order. I asked him to confirm you were safe at home, and he did. I did not order him to visit you, nor did I know that he had. I just noted that his interest in you seemed to extend beyond the initial mission. Perhaps he has seen some of himself in you. Perhaps he has seen some potential he'd like realized.

"I cannot give you the weapon of a ninja, Miss Lee," he said, circling around to behind his desk, "for you are not a ninja. Nor do I recommend you engage in any battle." He opened a drawer and pulled something small from the side of it. "Your brain, though untrained, will be your greatest tool in this case. But a simple knife," he said,—Lee reached out and felt the weight of the folded knife drop into her palm—"is a tool you may find a use for. It is nothing special, but it is yours."

"For something to be truly mine makes it special, for everything I have is a loan to my family. And a gift from the Hokage is special in the giving. Thank you, sir," Lee said, holding the knife to her chest. "I will treasure this."

As the old man returned to the back of his desk, the door burst open and a flash of green breached the room, leaving clouds of dust in its wake. Deep laughter welled up to fill the room, as the dust began to dissipate.

"Hahahahahaaaa! I heard there's a little old lady in trouble, and you've found just the men for the job. Leave it to me, old timer!" He shot out a thumbs-up and a sparkling grin. "Might Guy is on the case! I just hope you can keep up, eh Kakashi?" he said, looking over his shoulder.

"I'll do my best," Kakashi said blankly, stepping into the room coolly.

So, this, Lee thought, looking over the bowl-haired, green-suited man posing before her, is the Guy-sensei Brother admires so. He's…He's… Her eyes sparkled with tears of admiration. SO COOL! He's just so sure of himself. Wow. I can't believe it's really him. The original Handsome Devil of the Leaf!

"Gai-sama! I am Mizuchi Lee." She bowed to him, "I will accompany you on this mission. Someone precious to me is in danger. I have heard much of your many great deeds and am comforted to know someone so great is my ally in this. I am not very strong, but under your guidance I must be of some use."

Gai…sama? Kakashi's eye twitched.

"Ha ha ha! I like your spirit, kid. Don't you worry. I won't let them harm a hair on your pretty little head. We'll have you and your granny safe in bed by the end of the night! Or my name isn't," he posed, "Might Guy!"

"Thank you, Gai-sama!" Lee bowed again, her eyes watery with gratitude.

This…is not what I expected, Kakashi thought, his eye twitching again. He stared back and forth between Lee and Guy. I didn't expect anything in particular, but this…

"Say, Mizu-chan. Did you say your name was Lee?"

He's already got a nickname for her?!

"Yes, Gai-sama!" Lee belted, standing at attention.

"Any relation to a stunning young ninja by the name of Rock Lee?"

"Yes, Gai-sama! He is my older brother. I am a year younger. He has always spoken very fondly of you, Gai-sama!"

"Has he now? That boy," Gai wiped a tear from his eye, "I can't believe I didn't know he had a sister. I've neglected my duty as his sensei and mentor. From now on, I will know everything there is to know about my students! It is my duty! Or my name isn't," he tossed his head, his hair flowing to settle over his eyes. He looked up through it. "Might Guy."

Lee swooned and gazed up at him with sparkling eyes, hands clasped in front of her heart.

I don't think I can take this. What kind of sick dream…?

"Hokage-sama, now that introductions are complete, don't you have a mission for us?" Kakashi questioned, planting his hands on the wide desk and staring into the older man's eyes imploringly.

"Kakashi's right! There's no time to waste!" bellowed Guy, approaching the desk. Lee nodded eagerly and stepped forward as well.

Are you as hype as I am for the next chapter? Tune in for "The Might of Guy," next Sunday (8/2)!