~Scroll 45~
"Wha… what are you talking about?!" Sakura stuttered as she stared at the Jounin and her little brother.
"It's none of my business what that child means to you… and I'll spare us both the lecture about not being governed by your feelings…" Kakashi growled, "But you crossed a line on this!"
"You…" Gai's tone was hard, "don't know the first thing about that kid… that boy has something he values so deeply that he's willing to die for the sake of it."
The usually exuberant Nin can still hear his student's words echoing in his mind: I want to prove that even a person who can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu can still become a splendid ninja! It's my only goal!
Down in the arena, Lee closed his eyes; channeling his focus on his inner Gates.
Gaara watched in anticipation. He can scent the change in the air. His prey-not-prey was about to commit to his final move.
"THE THIRD GATE, SEIMON…" Lee roared, "RELEASE!"
The entire arena watched; stunned as the Genin opened the Third Inner Gate, resulting the air to be thick with chakra and the teen's skin to become red.
Lee suddenly hunched over as he gave out a second roar; releasing the Fourth Gate, the Shomon.
Ignoring the blood dripping from his nose, Lee suddenly charged.
Gaara's eyes grew wide and wild in excitement.
The arena began to rumble as the ground shook beneath Lee's feet.
Gaara's thin frame was tossed about in the air from Lee's assault.
His sand armor crumbled beneath the brutal onslaught.
Instinctively, Gaara attempted to draw up a sand shield.
Lee, however and suddenly, appeared before the sand shield could be completed.
Again Gaara's frame was tossed about in the air.
With each assault, inch by inch, Gaara's sand armor was peeled away, leaving the redhead's flesh and bone vulnerable to attack.
Pale eyes widen as the Sand Genin sensed another spike of chakra coming from his opponent; indicating that the Konoha ninja had opened the Fifth Gate, the Tomon.
Gaara watched in fascination as he finally came face-to-face with an opponent who was his equal!
It made his blood sing! Finally, he found someone, who could make him feel alive… differently from how the girl made him feel, but still a feeling he longed and coveted.
In the back of his mind, Gaara can sense Mother stir in hungry anticipation.
Suddenly, the redhead found himself wrapped in Lee's wrappings.
Lee pulled at the wrappings, forcing the Sand Nin's body to snap forward.
Lee and Gaara collided as they met in the middle.
With his left fist and foot, Lee slammed his entire weight into his opponent's smaller frame.
"REVERSE LOTUS!"
As Gaara's body came crashing down, Lee gritted his teeth as he felt and heard the bones in his left arm and leg snap and break.
While the redhead was free-falling, the last of the teen's sand – the gourd – came undone; providing a cushion as Gaara slammed into the ground.
The contingency from Sand all gasped in shock. They each knew and understood the significance of their youngest member being forced to breakdown the gourd strapped to his back into sand… while the others had believed the gourd to be just that a gourd; the truth of the matter, it was more sand… sand that was now being used to create the teen's signature move… the Coffin of Crushing Sand, Sabakukyu!
The sand wrapped around the Konoha's right arm and leg, like a snake, and much like a boa constrictor, the sand squeezed Lee's limbs; breaking them with an audible snap!
The arena watched in horror as Lee screamed in pain before collapsing helplessly to the arena floor.
Once more the sand moved, preparing to complete a second Sabakukyu attack but…
The attack was dis-spelled by Gai, who stood before the redhead with a solemn look upon his face.
Gaara stared at the Konoha Jounin in confusion. Why would this man protect the prey? And what was that strange look in the Jounin's eyes? He had never seen such a look before… what was that look?
Gaara suddenly clutched his head as he sensed Mother stirring violently. Mother was angry… but Mother's anger was confusing… it was directed at the Konoha ninja for interrupting the fight, for looking at them like that, for having that unnamed look, but Mother's anger was also directed as Mother as well. Why?
Gaara was confused so he did the only thing he could think of… he bared his teeth at the Leaf shinobi and growled…
"Why are you helping him?"
Gai did not answer immediately. As he looked at the young Sand Genin, he wondered if his words would make sense to the redhead.
"He's…" Gai began, "He's my lovable, precious protégé!"
Gaara blinked. Mother whined in pain. He did not understand. The redhead then turned around and began to walk away; not even paying attention to the proctor declaring him the winner.
Suddenly, a collective gasp caught his attention, making him turn around.
Pale eyes widen a fraction at seeing his equal-not-equal standing.
"Lee, it's all right…" Gai's voice was soft and affectionate, "It's over. You're in no shape to be standing…"
Gai's eyes then began to sting and burn as tears began to fall when he realized that his precious, precious boy was not even aware of his actions. Knowing it went against shinobi code of conduct, Gai openly let his tears fall while he gathered the son of his heart into his arms.
Gaara watched with open curiosity as the Leaf ninja gently laid the defeated Genin on the ground. He had never seen such a display of gentleness and care. It confused him as to why… why did they care for a defeated Nin?
"Emergency Unity, please hurry!" The sickly proctor shouted.
Mother suddenly whined even louder as they felt a strange chakra lash out at them. The strange chakra burned them, causing them to retreat back to the others.
Temari and Konkuro nervously shifted away from the redhead.
"Welcome back, Gaara…" She said.
Gaara, however, ignored her as he stared at the petite blonde; realizing that it was his presence which burned Mother and Gaara… but why? When the blonde's presence had not bothered him before; so, why now?
/Houshi…/ Mother whispered, /Kami's child… angry… sad… stay away until calm…/
Gaara's eyes grew wide as he listened to Mother. He had unknowingly angered and sadden a Child of Kami…