Chapter 3. Dynamic advice

Lee kept looking at his bandages. He obviously dreaded hearing a "you can't train like that, Lee!", but that was not going to be the case.
- So! Meal is over, everything's polished and... Well, one final thing. No training tomorrow!
Lee gasped.
- Is it... because of me...
- Oh, no! Not really. You see, I have to give a report on our team missions to the Hokage. It will take time, as I did a full report two hundred pages long! I will not let Kakashi to write a longer report than mine!

That is SO Gai-sensei. Team Gai's Genious of Hard Work couldn't be amazed enough at his sensei's dedication to his tasks.
- Plus – Gai added, lifting a finger with that surefire attitude that had impressed his pupil so much - I am going to teach you three something really neat. But, it will require a lot of rest and relaxation, so I'm giving you all tomorrow as a free day to prepare.

Round black eyes met narrow black pupils. A free day... that was not like his sensei, was it? What for? To prepare... that was going to be some training, then.
- It's important you wrap your arms conveniently. Bandages of any type will protect your arms and help you with this special training. If you can achieve this one, we might move through this path to help you become a fine ninja. If not, we'll try a different one. Let's try, shall we? – The wink, the sparkle and the thumbup projected light onto Lee's worried features.
- As you wish, Gai-sensei!

The jounin chuckled in amusement, fingering his dust-covered kimono – And please, don't use clothes that hinder your movements! The slightest change in direction, trayectory or movement can be extremely dangerous, so mind you keep your clothes as fitting as possible. Remember you are a Taijutsu user, it's all about your body cutting through air, it should be like a hot knife on butter. Find something that fits you, and you alone!

The familiar finger fell on the boy's forehead, as Gai grinned in his self-assuring way.
- Now you should sleep! But if I know you disobeyed me, that you trained even a finger tomorrow, you will face my wrath. Got it?
- Got it, Sensei, sir!
As the teacher blew the gas lamp off, and the house plunged into darkness, he knew perfectly where the window was. Two hope-lit eyes, full open in wonder, were making the whole room alight.

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Lee opened his eyes at dawn, as usual. He slowly gained conscience of his hands, dressed himself gingerly, and with a shudder of dread, he found out he had his first free day in years. Ever since Gai himself, with his encouraging words, had woken the fire everyone tried to quench in him, he had woken up at dawn, forcing his body to endure gruelling training seasons.
Seven years ago? More?

Sighing, he looked around. The day seemed void without punchs to logs, squats, push-ups, ropeskips and bets. His small, austere living room was orderly and quiet, but something was wrong with it... frowning, he looked around again.
Window, checked, futon, checked, table, checked, book... book?!

That book was not his.

Big, old, fixed in both covers, laying on the floor. Several pages were highlighted with electric green pagesavers. With some effort, and the help of a ruler held between both feet, he opened the book at the first highlight.

It was a taijutsu manual. A very ancient guide to his specialty.
It wasn't difficult to see why it was marked, as a full paragraph was underlined in red pen:

All great Taijutsu masters without Blood limits are usually quite incapable to make Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Studies suggest their chakra chooses to get compact around the limbs, and is never as moldable as the other ninja types. But taijutsu users can get the best of this feature. The taijutsu chakra mode is a natural enhancer to muscles and it can be heightened with non-stop specific training.

His heart leapt in his chest, wonder spread through his eyes. So... he wasn't that much of a freak...

Sensei left this book here for me to read...
Something clicked inside of him.
He could picture the little boy in his sensei's photograph, poring through this very same book, searching for some bit of information that could help him to become stronger. Something that made him feel he was not so much of a dork.

You know, Lee, we are so much alike, you and I...

Lee left the door open. He walked to the bathroom and stared at his reflection. Alike, huh... that didn't seem anywhere near true. Gai was always strong and, despite his overtly OTT behaviour, found solutions to queries and problems with ease.

He found himself staring critically at the mirror. What on earth was he thinking? When he graduated, he had looked at that and he was so pleased. It seemed ages ago, five missions ago, a life ago.

Find something that fits you, and you alone!

Moodily, the taijutsu overachiever picked his wallet, stuffed it with both hands into his shirt, and went out. His sensei's words made sense, he needed to find a general style that fitted his taijutsu. Maybe with a walk, he would get some ideas.