Disclaimer: Own nothing. If I did, I wouldn't be using student loans to pay for college.
In the words of Monty Python: "Get on with it!"
Lee made a hand seal. "Gohan-kun," he said, "now is the time to test the limits of my training! Prepare yourself!"
"Kaimon…KAI!"
Gohan quirked an eyebrow as Lee's ki increased by a good amount, but nowhere near what it needed to be to compete with him.
"Lee," he said, "that's not going to do much."
The prodigy grinned back at him, not lowering his hands. "Just wait, Gohan-kun, it gets better." He closed his eyes and a vein began to bulge in his temple. "Kyumon! KAI!" Again, Lee's power shot up, but this time, Gohan was surprised to note that it was a substantial bit more that what had been unleashed before. "Seimon! KAI!"
The opening of this gate was the equivalent of a bomb going off. A wave of power shot of Lee's body and slammed so hard into Gohan that it made him stagger. The ground beneath the lanky shinobi cracked and broke under the strain of supporting Lee's increasing power and smaller pebbles began to fly of their own accord, rising into the air to hang like earthen rosaries. Lee's pupils vanished into the whites of his eyes and his hair began to whip and dance, as if tousled by a hurricane. To Gohan's amazement, his skin turned lobster red.
"Shomon!" Lee appeared to steel himself for what was coming. "KAI!"
The splintered earth buckled and gave way, rising as jagged spikes, the hanging pebbles were blown away, Gohan shielding his eyes from the onslaught of minute rock fragments that were moving faster than bullets. One ripped a hole in his gi top, right over his left shoulder and another opened a sizable gash on his leg, but neither were able to pierce his skin.
"Tomon! KAI!"
The earth blew itself away, Gohan flickering as he moved from place to place dodging rocks. Lee's ki speared through the saiyan's mind, a rocket that was rising to his own level faster than anything had ever before. Below, the bushy-browed martial artist staggered, sweat beading on his crimson forehead, teeth gritted as if he was holding off some desperate scream of pain.
"What…What is he?" Sasuke asked, voicing the thoughts of everyone who didn't know what was going on. Ino, Chouji, Sasuke, and others like the civilians looked at the two jounin for their answer. Kakashi looked stunned at what Lee had done, but his normally lazy gaze sharpened as he too looked at Maito Gai for the explanation.
"Gai," Kakashi barked, sounding more alert and angry than Sasuke had ever witnessed, aside from when he'd seen the jounin fight with Zabuza and Haku on the bridge in Wave Country. "You taught him how to open the gates?"
Gai didn't look nearly as worried as Kakashi did. "Kakashi, Kakashi," the self-proclaimed Green Beast of Konoha answered, shaking his head. "You are one to criticize." He shot the other jounin a look and the Sharingan-user realized with a jolt that Gai was perfectly aware of what he and Sasuke had been working on as of late. "Besides, you do not know Lee as I do. Watch. Lee has worked hard to master the Gates. He's practiced using them every second of the day, opening and closing them every chance he gets! Even I have not achieved what Lee has."
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, his voice not losing its sharp edge.
A dull thud from behind him made him spin just in time to catch a massive spray of soil and rock arcing into the air, as if the hard earth wasn't solid, but water. But just who'd taken the hit was what surprised him the most.
Lee was standing at the base of the eruption.
His red face still looked strained and he was still sweating, but the taijutsu user wasn't bending over like he should've been. Kakashi knew that using the fourth and fifth gates snapped the muscles of the user upon its activation. The human body simply couldn't handle the strain. Or so he thought, as a fantastic, insane, idea occurred to him, but no matter how far out it seemed, Kakashi knew it was the only likely explanation.
"That's…That's not possible!"
"It is." Gai answered simply.
"What're you two talking about?" Sasuke demanded, Sharingan aglow as he watched Gohan shoot from the top of the settling spray, a gold streak that shot into the air to hang over the stadium like an avenging angel or a star.
"Lee…" Kakashi sounded like he was having trouble accepting what he was about to say. "Lee has mastered the Gates in a way that no one before him has." He plowed on before the impatient Uchiha could interrupt him again. "He's used the gates so often and so much that his body has accepted the strain."
"Accepted and adapted," Gai continued, a distinct note of pride and a slight tinge of jealousy, though it was of the friendly sort and not the malevolent like Sasuke's. "Lee's body has toughened to the point that the muscles do not snap upon the initial activation, nor is he drained as much as someone like Kakashi or you, Sasuke-kun, would be if they used the Gates. Lee-kun has taken the technique and made it his own."
High above the arena, Gohan was wondering about the technique as well as he watched Lee below him, a figure shrouded in swirling blue ki and a constant ripple of dust shooting from around his feet. The Super Saiyan knew he'd seen the technique before, but for the life of him couldn't place where he'd seen it.
Lee crouched like a track runner in the starting block then pushed off, the earth buckling behind him. Gohan barely got his guard up in time, the blow rattling his teeth when it landed. The two launched a barrage of attacks, their fists colliding with thuds that rocked the entire stadium as they fought, suspended in mid air, Lee using a few of Gohan's blows like springboards to keep himself aloft.
The saiyan's head rang as a blow slipped past him, making white stars dance in his field of vision, but he recovered quickly, diving back into the fray, perhaps faster than Lee expected because the prodigy took a return blow in the face as well. He went rocketing earthward, flipped to his feet right as he hit, skidded backwards, then the wall behind him shattered, a deep depression blown into its surface as Lee threw an arm out behind himself and used it to stop. A vein bulged in his forehead as he strained to absorb the force. When Lee began yanking, Gohan thought that his opponent's arm was embedded too far into the arena wall to be pulled free.
Something began to emerge from the wall as Lee continued to try to free his arm.
'No. He's not trying to free himself!' Gohan realized with a jolt as he sank into a stance, his arms cupped at his side. "He's pulling!"
"Pulling?" Shika asked to no one as he watched Gohan, reading the other teen's lips as a blue star began to shine in the gold-haired warrior's hands.
Water sprayed all over the green genin as he yanked the water pipe out of the wall, breaking off a sizable section when he had pulled it far enough out. Without hesitation he whipped it at Gohan, who was forced to abandon the former Kamehameha to dodge the pipe as it scythed through the air, cracking past inches from his ear.
"Close!"
A fist buried itself in Gohan's gut, doubling him over. He didn't get a respite as bandages shot out of nowhere and began wrapping around him. Before he was able to puzzle over what had happened, he was bound more tightly than a mummy, unable to move.
"You took your eyes off me," Lee's voice said in his ear. "A most unwise move, Gohan-kun."
"Gohan-kun!" Sakura shouted, recognizing the set-up for a Renge. She'd seen its devastating power first hand and though it had failed at the time, the kunoichi would never forget it for as long as she lived.
Lee flipped over so they were pointed headfirst at the ground and began to spin like a top, picking up speed and power until the dirt below began to swirl with them before springing up, a brown tornado in a cloudless sky. The whirling boys were only recognizable as a dark smudge inside the twister.
"A new technique Gohan-kun! Tatsumaki no Renge!"
The bottom of the tornado blew out in a massive fountain of earth, the twister dissolving into nothing more than a few ghostly wisps of dust, the heavier particles falling over the arena floor as an earthen rain.
Lee shot out from the cloud below, rolled on his shoulder then knifed into the air to alight on his feet. Then he clutched at his leg, eyes screwed shut.
"Lee!" Gai shouted, rushing to the rail. The new Renge hadn't been a surprise. Lee had found that using the Ura Renge had depleted too much of his stamina even with his newfound resistance to the Gates, so he'd invented the Tatsumaki no Renge as a replacement. It was simply a stronger form of the Omote Renge with increased spin and more gates open, meaning more power. However with greater power came a greater downside. It still had a tendency to snap muscles and shatter bone. Gai had tried it himself and had knocked himself out for four days from the forces on his body. That was when he'd been force to admit that Lee had surpassed him, at least in the area of stamina.
Lee staggered upright, but the overt signs of his Gate use didn't fade, meaning that he was still using at least up to the third one. His leg shook violently and gave out, forcing the taijutsu user to sink back to his knees. His ragged breathing was the only sound within the stadium for several long minutes, during which the crater he'd left Gohan in had become visible. It was a hole in the ground with jagged edges, peeled back like a banana. There was no sign of the saiyan inside it.
"Gohan…" Kakashi whispered, seeing no trace of movement within the deep hole.
Sakura clenched her hands even tighter, knuckles bone white, everyone but her and Naruto, who'd returned from the hospital right after Lee and Gohan had gotten serious, noticing that the metal beneath her fingers was creaking and crying faintly in protest.
"Gohan!" Naruto shouted, his voice echoing over the silent stadium. "GOHAN!"
There was no response. Again Lee staggered upright, leaning heavily on his good leg, his expression one of horror and his eyes tearing up.
"Gohan…-kun…no…" He rasped out as he hobbled towards the crater in front of him. "I-I didn't mean to…"
"GURAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Pure gold light shot from the crater, the brilliant rays shining so bright that everyone shielded their eyes from the light for a second or two before, with a noise like a cannon going off, the crater exploded from within, the flying fragments of every conceivable size slamming into the walls and sticking, . When the slight and shouting stopped, a streak shot from below the ground, climbing until it was level with the box where the Kage's sat before turning earthward again.
For the umpteenth time, a cloud erupted in the arena as the streak slammed to earth. When it cleared it revealed Gohan, much worse for the wear, but otherwise intact, standing hunched over, a section of his golden hair dyed a dark crimson as blood spilled from some unseen wound above his hairline, running down his face then dripping from his chin. His gi top was totally gone, the hirai-ate around his waist holding only scraps. His torso was covered with cuts and bruises, but his arm was the worst. His right arm dangled limply, a savage gash carved into his shoulder, spilling crimson fluid that raced down the limp limb in small dark rivulets. The dark pants that he'd been wearing were almost gone too, resembling cut off shorts more than pants, the ragged fringe resting at knee level. Gohan's legs were just as scuffed up as the rest of him and he seemed to be favoring one leg.
The two fighter's breathing was ragged, as if they'd both just run flat out for miles.
"What…was that?" Gohan gasped, trying desperately to get his breathing to level out. If he was still this winded and Lee managed to recover first, he was done for. His body wouldn't get the oxygen it needed and he'd pass out.
"Tat…sumaki…no Renge," Lee struggled to say. "New jutsu."
"Scary," Gohan replied. "You…almost…had me."
"It…wasn't…enough."
"Almost…a little…faster…and you…would've won." That was all they said for a few minutes, then their breathing was as even as it was going to get.
'Incredible,' Gohan marveled. 'He's almost as strong as I am right now. With those Gate things of his it's like he's using Dad's…The Kaio-ken!' The answer that Gohan had been looking for this entire battle hit him right then and there. 'That's it! It's not a transformation or some weird bloodline! It's an enhancement technique like Dad's old Kaio-ken!' Gohan smiled weakly, making Lee lift an eyebrow.
"Something funny Gohan-kun?" The prodigy asked.
"I just figured you out, Lee," the saiyan answered. "Those gates give you great power, but the strain they put on your body is incredible. The fact that you're standing is mind-boggling, but you can't have that much left." He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, his golden aura bursting to life, renewed determination in his emerald eyes. "I can beat you."
Lee looked startled, then his red skin resumed its normal color and his pupils returned. "You're right." A sound like a bunch of rubber bands snapping filled the air and Lee got out one yell before his eyes rolled back and he passed out, though he remained standing for some odd reason.
Genma popped up out of nowhere. He'd made himself scarce when the battle had really begun, taking shelter with the Hokage. The jounin looked Lee over closely before leveling one hand at the Super Saiyan.
"Winner: Son Gohan!"
The crowd's reaction was immediate and ear shattering. Everyone, from the meanest peasant to the most noble of the lords was on their feet, screaming and stamping, cheering for both of the warriors and the show they had put on. The only one not cheering was Sasuke, who was too busy trying to keep his inner turmoil in check. For the longest time, he'd believed himself to be superior to everyone in every way. Then they'd found Gohan and he'd shown them the barest glimpse of his power, forcing Sasuke to admit that he wasn't so superior. Then he'd been defeated by Haku and somehow, Naruto, Naruto all people, had beaten the ice user.
Then his effortless defeat at the hands of Orochimaru and now this, the unbelievable earth-shattering power that both fighters had unleashed. In that instant, Gohan had proven himself to be in a class far above Sasuke and Lee had proven that he could match it, or at least make Gohan work for it.
Though he hadn't fought, with this one battle, his pride and ego were in shambles. He turned on his heel, teeth gritted so hard he thought he heard his jaw crack, and made to leave.
Kakashi stopped him, one hand clenching on the avenger's shoulder.
"Let go," Sasuke snapped, trying but failing to shake the lanky jounin off.
"No." Kakashi's voice was gentle but unmistakably firm. "We're done for today. I had you up early so we could finish before the tournament. I want to see how much Naruto and Sakura have improved in this past month."
Sasuke had to resist the urge to spit at the jounin.
Gohan chuckled weakly as medic nins came into the arena to collect Lee. He watched as his opponent was loaded onto a stretcher and carted off. The world seemed to spin before him and the ground seemed as firm as jello. Cotton was in his ears, making the noise sound mute and distant.
"Heheh. Good thing he didn't call my bluff."
Then all Gohan's strength lefthim and his hair turned black, emerald eyes returned to their normal onyx hue and he fell backwards, spread-eagle onto his back. The last thing he heard was the medics shouting for another stretcher.
An intermission was called after the two were carted off to allow shinobi to use Doton jutsu to fix the area. Nothing could be done about the battered and abused walls though, which had holes from Lee, Neji, and Naruto smashing into it, not to mention the rock that Gohan had flung around when he'd emerge from the ground and the narrow fissure from when Lee had pulled the pipe out of the wall.
Sakura found herself in the hospital wing of the stadium during the twenty minutes she had before her match. She was sitting next to Gohan's bed, who was out like a light. She wished he were awake so he could offer her a few last minute pieces of advice. To her surprise, she got her wish when Gohan's eyes opened about ten minutes before the start of the next match.
His dark eyes found her, but it took him a minute to recognize her. The nurse had told Sakura he had a severe concussion from his head-on collision with the ground. If he'd been able to get an arm free to absorb even a little of the impact it wouldnt've been as bad, but he hadn't so this was the way things were. If Sakura knew Gohan, though, he'd be up and about before the end of the week.
"Sakura?" Gohan asked thickly, the words slurred, a sign of the concussion.
She tried to smile, but it was a weak one. "Hi."
"Where?" He flinched as his head throbbed. "Where am…I?"
"The hospital wing. You had a bad concussion, some light internal bleeding, a smashed shoulder and five broken ribs. The doctors say you're lucky you didn't die, but they've fixed most of it. Now you just need rest."
Gohan chuckled but hissed as his ribs bit him for doing it. "Did you tell them I've had worse?" Even though he'd been up for only a minute or two, Sakura could see he was feeling better already. His words were less slurred and there was a coherent light in his eye.
"No," she answered with a laugh. "They wouldn't have believed me."
"How's Lee?"
Sakura moved to the side, allowing him to see the other fighter, who was in the bed next to him, still unconscious. "He's just as bad as you are. His leg's in really bad shape though. The bones are in shambles. It's almost too much to fix and every muscle in him has some kind of tear on it. Some medic worked a little magic and kept him out of the ICU though."
"That's good."
"What happened?" The kunoichi asked.
Gohan leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her. "That technique he used to get his skin to turn red. That's what did it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. My Dad had a technique similar to it."
"He did?"
Gohan nodded weakly. He stared at the ceiling. When he spoke again, it was like he was reliving old memories. "He learned it from Kaio-sama, the Lord of the Worlds. It was called the Kaio-ken and it enhanced everything."
"Kaio-ken?" Sakura interrupted. "I've heard you mention it before."
"But not what it did. To make it simple, it was like what Lee used. It even gave him a red aura, but the downside was that he could only go so far before his body couldn't take it anymore. It looked like Lee did the same thing."
"So long story short, Lee's something else?"
Gohan nodded. "Yeah. I didn't realize that he had that kind of ability." He stared at the ceiling again. "Or that it would make him so powerful. He was around my level at the time." Sakura must have looked startled because he smiled. "Don't tell me you're that surprised? Your level of power doesn't mean anything concrete, just that you have a greater chance of winning."
Sakura was silent for a moment then shook herself out of her stupor and got down to why she was there. "Uh, Gohan-kun."
"Yeah?"
"Do you have any advice for me before I fight Temari-san?"
Gohan settled deeper into his pillows then said, "Bring me those crutches over there."
"Huh?"
The saiyan repeated his request.
"Oh. Sure." She crossed the room and picked up the walking aids. One the shoulder cushion were the words 'Son Gohan'. There was a second set beneath them that read 'Rock Lee'. Apparently, the nurses had left them by the door for when they were discharged, but forgotten to take them with her. She handed the crutches to Gohan and he hauled himself out of bed, breaking out into a pained sweat as he did, touching one hand to his bandaged head, and took them. How he managed with his ribs, arm, and other wounds, Sakura could only wonder about. He hobbled over to the door and into the hall.
"Coming?"
Sakura finally realized that he meant to go to the match. She opened her mouth to protest, then stopped and closed it before trotting after him. Hard experience during their month together had taught Sakura that you didn't attempt to reason with Son Gohan when he had set his mind to something. He was a lot like Naruto that way.
There were only a few minutes remaining before Sakura's match when they arrived at the participant's box. Everyone looked stunned to see the wounded saiyan there.
"Gohan?" Naruto asked, looking amazed that his roommate was on his feet.
"Hey."
Sakura noticed that Temari was already on the arena floor, which, aside from some rolling dips, looked none the worse for wear. The other kunoichi had her fan out and was tapping her foot impatiently.
"You better go," Gohan said to her. Sakura turned to leave, but the saiyan had one other thing to say to her. "Sakura!"
She stopped and turned. "Yeah?"
"When you get down there, take your weights off, but keep acting like you have them on."
"Huh?"
Shikamaru broke in with an annoyed tone. "He means that you should keep doing what you're doing now, even though you have the weights off."
"Oh, okay," Sakura answered as Gohan laughed sheepishly and scratched his head. Then the kunoichi turned and trotted down the stairs to the arena floor below.
"Hn, it's about time you showed up," Temari said scathingly. Sakura tried not to show any sign she'd heard the older girl, but she wasn't able to stop a little heat from coming to her face. The Suna-nin glared at Genma, who chewed easily on the needle stuck in his mouth. "Can we get this show on the road?"
"If you're that eager," Genma answered, raising his voice and removing his senbon. "The third match will now begin! Sabaku no Temari vs. Haruno Sakura…" Sakura looked into the stands on briefly but in that span of time, found Sasuke, Kakashi, Ino, and her parents all watching her like hawks.
'It's all on me now,' she thought, feeling a little queasy. 'I cannot lose!' Her jade eyes narrowed. 'I won't lose!'
"Begin!"
Sakura's hand shot up to the top clasp that held her weighted vest shut. Temari took it to mean that she was reaching for a weapon and leapt backwards, light as a feather, landing a fair distance away. Sakura flipped open the clasp, her heart pounding. At long last she would be able to see the results of her training. It hadn't seemed like she'd made any progress, since the vest nor the weighted arm and leg sections got any lighter, but she had a suspicion that Gohan had a hand in that.
The middle clasp came open, then the bottom. She shed the vest, letting it dangle at her side then fall easily to the ground. Next were the six arm clasps, three on each one. She knelt for the leggings.
"What is this?" Temari called, "A striptease? I could beat you there too!"
The crowed snickered, but Sakura paid them no mind, feeling oddly detached as she undid the clasps for the leggings. She stood up, marveling at how light her body felt. Briefly, she ran through everything that Gohan had taught her and the things she'd taught herself.
She could remember them all.
She was ready.
"Why'd Sakura take all that stuff off?" Naruto asked to Shikamaru. The genius shot him a look that said 'what are you? Stupid?'
"Those're weights you idiot," the lazy genin shot back. "Shut up and watch."
"Yeesh, snippy," The blond answered huffily.
Gohan was trying not to grin too much. This was about to get good. Or it would if Sakura could adjust to the speeds she was about to be moving at. If Gohan's estimates were right, she would be around as fast Lee without his weights, but he knew that was a rough guess. More than likely she'd end up being either a hair slower or a hair faster.
"Here we go," Kakashi muttered to himself. "Let's see what you've got, Sakura."
"Sakura doesn't stand a chance against her!" Ino protested. "That Temari girl is way better!"
"Don't be so sure," Kakashi answered, nodding to the arena when Ino twisted around to look at him. "Watch."
"Let's go," Sakura muttered. She channeled chakra into her feet, legs, and arms. When it reached the level where it was supposed to be, she raised her arms to guard, making every motion deliberate so she didn't punch herself in the face, then slid her left foot forward, put her weight on it…
And vanished.
"What!?" Temari shouted, right before Sakura appeared in front of her, fist already drawn back. The hook smashed into her cheek, right on the joint for her jaw, and lifted Temari clean off her feet, throwing her corkscrewing through the air. The Sand-nin cried out as she slammed into a tree, compressing the wood of the trunk, and slumped to the ground, dazed.
"Whoa!" Sakura exclaimed, just as caught off guard by her success as Temari herself was. The pink-haired kunoichi looked at her fist, amazed. "Did that really happen?" It was a weird feeling. When she'd started running, she'd shot forward faster than she'd ever thought possible. The world had begun to blur a little in her peripherals, but Temari had remained as if she was frozen in time, not reacting to Sakura until she'd dug her foot in to slow down and land the attack.
The crowd was dead silent. They didn't know what'd happened either.
"That's it," Gohan murmured, a triumphant smirk on his face. "That's how it's done!" He watched, a feeling of great pride in his chest as Sakura walked over to Temari's fan as the kunoichi herself began to stir, pick up the tessen, heft it as if testing its weight, then draw back and hurl it as hard as she could.
The fan spun, an iron blur, out over the wall and somewhere into the village. It was, Gohan knew, as much as strategic move as it was a test. By using the fan, Sakura accomplished two things. One, she got rid of her enemy's favored weapon and increased her chances of winning, and two, she got used to her strength and what her body could do when it was free of the weights.
"You little bitch!" Temari howled as she watched her beloved fan, and main weapon, spin far from the confines of the arena. She'd put a little something in it that allowed her to track it, and she could sense it without any problem, but she couldn't leave to retrieve it without getting disqualified. "I'm gonna kill you for that!"
"I don't think you can," Sakura answered, and meant it. She felt…powerful, as if her body was energized by her success and her improvement. She owned Gohan-kun big time, she decided. She would have to repay him somehow. Maybe a date or something. She stopped at the thought and flushed.
"You cocky little…" Temari snarled, though her mind was racing, trying frantically to come up with a way to counter Sakura's newfound abilities. The wind-user whipped out a kunai then dashed as fast as she could at Sakura, who looked startled, as if she was seeing the kunoichi in a brand-new light. "Die!"
Sakura's hand snapped up, as if of its own accord, and seized Temari's wrist in a vice grip. The strength of the hold surprised Temari for the second time in two minutes. Who knew the little witch had so much strength? She jerked and Sakura, not ready for it, stumbled, but by reflex tightened her grip. Temari ground her teeth together as she felt the bones in her wrist begin to grind together.
Sakura let out a yell as she drove her knuckle into the just the right spot on Temari's arm and the kunoichi's arm went slack, the knife clattering from her grip. Sakura drew back again and slammed her fist into Temari's stomach, making the other girl cough up bile and blood. Sakura stepped in, turned, seized Temari's head in a headlock, then hurled the other kunoichi across the arena. A sudden inspiration seized the pink-haired kunoichi, then she sprinted after the flying Suna-nin. When the time was right, she leapt up and lashed out with one foot.
The blow caught Temari in the ribs and shot her into the sky like a soccer ball. Sakura dashed at the wall below Temari then sprinted straight up it and launched herself into open sky. Temari, despite her pain, managed to prepare, throwing her weight around to twist in the sky and seize Sakura by the wrist as she sailed past. The older girl jerked, spun like a figure skater, and hurled Sakura at the ground.
Sakura hit hard, bounced twice, then skidded to a halt.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted.
"Easy," Gohan said, nodding to the kunoichi as she got up without hesitation. "Sakura's not done yet." Sakura again fazed out, but this time Temari was ready for it and backpedaled right as she reappeared. The Suna kunoichi spun out of the way, letting Sakura overextend, then blasted Sakura in the ribs, making her wince and cough, but she recovered fast, regaining her footing before lunging in, ducking beneath a second strike, then from the crouch, gave Temari a vicious uppercut, lifting the kunoichi her off her feet. Sakura brought her hands to her hips then struck forward, a double hit that again sent Temari flying away into some bushes.
Sakura exhaled easily, lowering her hands as she centered herself again, preparing for the next onslaught. She was only dimly aware of the cheering of the crowd around her. Most of it was for her. After all, she had the home turf advantage.
Temari emerged from the bushes, wiping a small trail of blood from the corner of her mouth. The kunoichi didn't waste any time talking. Her hands molded together into a seal sequence. The pony-tailed kunoichi glared at Sakura as she slammed her hand down on the hard-packed earth.
"Ninpou! Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
When the smoke cleared, a white weasel the size of a dog was sitting at her feet. Temari, who had held the last sign in her sequence, allowed her fingers to shift to the form for Tiger.
"Henge!"
The weasel jumped into the air, twisting and turning, before being changing with a small pop and puff of smoke. Two small fans fell out of the smoke cloud, which the Suna kunoichi caught deftly in each hand. She flipped them open, the design on the inside white, with the edge dyed red and a small purple circle on each side.
The left one snapped closed, but Temari gave the right fan a little flick and to Sakura's surprise, a mildly strong gust of wind rippled out from the other kunoichi, visible as a rising sheet of dust that whipped across the arena floor.
"Now," Temari growled, her voice all the indication Sakura needed that she was ready to kill, "where were we?"
And that's that. Sorry about this being so late. As you may or may not know, my grades started to slip and one of the first things I had to give up was writing. But I'm back, so here it is, the first new chapter of the new year! Well, technically it's still 2008 right now, but it's '09 somewhere right?
Glossary
Tatsumaki no Renge (Twister's Lotus): An upgraded version of the Omote Renge developed by Lee to try and get the power of the Ura Renge without so much damage being done to his body.
Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique): A technique used to summon an animal partner to battle. Can be dogs, toads, snakes, slugs, weasels, pretty much anything you can make a contract with.