Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Living Stone	By : Resting-Madness Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Rock Lee/Gaara Views: 2359 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the naruto universe, or the characters involved. I also make no money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Gaara's fist hit the battered wooden door in three sharp raps for the fourth time since arriving at his home. He counted on Miyamoto being home not wandering the streets looking for trouble, as he had yesterday when the boy lucked upon Lee's busybody kindness. But he continued to wait patiently. An unanswered door isn't often lack of inhabitants to open it. It can also be a sleeping or bathing person as well. And his patience paid off when the door finally cracked open, just wide enough for vision to squeeze through to see who was out there. When spotting the emotionally stunted redhead, Miyamoto opened the door like the wooden barrier was pushing him aside to allow company in.
"What happened to your face?" Gaara asked blandly, like a doctor asking for the facts or reading them off for a patient brought in to his operating room.
"I don't know," The boy gave an obvious lie. "I fell." Miyamoto sucked his bruised lip into his mouth.
"You should tell the police if you're not safe in your home." Informed the Kazekage, now standing in the living room, arms crossed and watching the boy close the door and move a chair in front of it. "That's what they're for."
Miyamoto dropped his head with a nod that he at least understood what was being said to him, though Gaara doubted he'd actually do it. Rain truly is a thug's paradise, even so far as harassing children. But, then again, none here have ever really given the police force half a chance; preferring to remain hidden and unacknowledged of their own wrong doings.
"Where's Lee-san?" Still at the front door he looked over his shoulder believing that the chipper male may just have been a few steps away behind the closed door, and was simply overlooked by Miyamoto in his haste to remain hidden within his home.
"Doing research, like myself." He finally took a seat on the less-than-comfortable couch. "Miyamoto, I need to ask you an important question." When the boy sat on a rickety chair at the kitchenette table, he continued. "Your brother is the most precious person in your life; and if you've been speculating about Kerai being part of his disappearance then you must know whom the first person was to have received ninjutsu through a chakra stone?"
Miyamoto wet dry lips. The kid seemed to live in a state of nervousness. Rightfully so, if he doesn't learn to read the situation before opening his mouth to the public about his brother. The young boy'll continue living in a world of hurt by the puffed up egos of the ruined village of Rain. The refugees don't like upstarts when they're trying desperately to hide from the norm. Any attention is unwanted attention. Unless, of course, you're planning on standing up as a leader of the cut-throats. To tame some of the fear walking the streets of a village un-united and behaving as nothing more than castaways in paradise.
But they all yearn for a home and the comforts it provides. Some type of semblance- especially after the war. No one came to Amegakure. No one told the middleman things would be all right when the first strikes hit the lands and borders. Everyone returned to their Nation to confront and solve their own problems. Not play nursemaid to everyone else.
It would be stopped one day. Hopefully soon. It's why the Nation's leaders met up at the summit. To discuss a better means of living. A united way. But here... Here things seemed to be at a stand-still of cruelty and backstabs and a slanted glance. Until either Kerai or his competitor, Shochou, wins favor of the people because there can be no negotiation with the ruleless village.
"Chouji Sawada." Weary was the young boy's nod. "I visit him."
Gaara's eyes widen just a hair. An untrained eye wouldn't have notice the fluctuation in the Kazekage's still expression at all. He honestly didn't think the man would still be in the village. If he was the first to use an untested product there was a chance he'd be dead. Or the failed attempt would be locked away by the researcher that's done him wrong. Possibly even subjected for use over and over again until the product came out right.
"I need for you to take me to him. I'd like to ask him a few questions."
"Will it help you find my brother?"
"I can't be sure. But it's a stepping stone in that direction." Standing, ready for immediate action, he waits for the child to slip into his sandals before leaving the home.
"How can he help?" Miyamoto wondered as he tugged on a cloak peppered with moth holes. It looks very old, and far to big for the child. But he held it around himself almost dearly.
It must have belonged to his brother decided the Kazekage. There were things given to him that he held dearly like that. Bonds made. Maybe Lee wasn't wrong to want to help this boy, regardless the consequences. The poor kid doesn't have power. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body. Now he's flailing for toughness that he just can't muster on his own. Gaara can relate. Only his situation is in reverse. Gaara has power and very cruel bones in his body. It's because of that that he isn't given a chance to properly exhibit his acquired kindness, so he remains in view of someone who'll take brute force first and ignore the fact that he never got what he needed from you later.
Following Miyamoto out of the home, he replied in a low tone. "Sawada may have seen your brother but thought nothing of him at the time. To an outsider, your brother would seem just another researcher or guinea pig."
Miyamoto marveled at that logic. He hadn't even thought of that! In all the months he'd spoken with and taken care of the man he just considered him another poor victim of Kerai's dark behavior and wrong doings. These kind strangers really may do it! He may actually get his brother back!
"It's this way. Come on." His resolve restored, he hurried in secret down the wet streets.
It had either begun raining again or it has never stopped and all those dry pauses are actually super fine mists. But the torrent is coming down now, soaking everything the village has to offer. The young boy was glad for the rain, for a change, because everyone shied away from it by covering themselves and their eyes. It was perfect for them to get to the man's home without suspicion. Undoubtedly word has gotten around that 2 outsiders are asking questions that they have no business asking, and soon, maybe even very soon the higher-ups will get the heavy to show the outsiders the door in a less-than-kind manner, if they didn't leave peacefully.
The pair travelled for another fifteen minutes from Miyamoto's home, and finally reached the backwoods of the small village. This area is close to the main canal that runs the back of the village all the way to the wall of the main gate. The young boy walked hastily up to a home grabbed the knob and allowed himself entrance as though he'd been expected and this wasn't an impromptu visit.
Gaara stepped inside as well; his cool gaze eyeing everything the boy passed as the kid worked swiftly to open windows to allow air in. The man's home is clean, organized. A complete contrast to the heavy smell of urine, and the faint dusty stench of vomit trying to be expunged from the room. But even with the rancid smells circulating the air, Gaara hadn't expected to see the sight before him.
0 0 0
Naruto ate the riblette like it was an ear of corn, he just opened his mouth and spun it in a circle pulling the meat off as it went. His chopsticks would then take aim for a coil of yakisoba set in a boiling pot in the middle of the table.
Gai watched Naruto with pride. He loves sharing meals with his team. And though the blond, Sasuke, and the shark-faced stranger aren't his team, Maitou Gai can still enjoy spending time with fellow shinobi and man.
"So, Suigetsu," the addressed male cocked a brow at Gai, making an indignant sound before returning to his food. But Gai went on with what he wanted to say. "You're from Kirigakure? How'd you end up friends with our Sasuke?"
Suigetsu smugly turned up his nose high enough to raise his chin as well, slanting a sideways look at the largely browed misinformed. "Whoever said I was friends with this guy?" He points beside himself at Sasuke with his thumb.
"Then you work for him?" Gai continued trying to solve the case of the wayward ninja.
Flashing the man a shark toothed grin, he then returned to his meal and muttered around a mouthful of food. "I just find Sasuke interesting. I plan to rebuild the Seven Swordsman group as an army of one" with a cheeky wink he informed any puzzled looks. "Me."
"I see." Replied the sensei, though he doesn't really. What does Sasuke have to do with that?
He supposed it's part of youth culture to not even know your own feelings about something or someone in this case. But he was sure of it. This Suigetsu and Sasuke were certainly friends. Naruto can attest to the fact that Sasuke never hangs out with anyone, even when he wants to. So it stands to reason that this situation is the same.
Slurping down half his bowl of yakisoba, Gai then ate a mouthful of beef cutlets. They all ate in relative but pleasant silence.
Breaking the situation, Suigetsu points his chopsticks at Gai whirling them around in a small circle as he cocks an eye at the man. "So what's with you and that justu-less kid Lee? Hn? Is he your illegitimate son or something?"
"My most precious subordinate is not my son, though you give me a great compliment from the thought."
"Nhn. Than what's with the spooky similarities?"
"Lee's got great taste in mentors." And they all ignored the man's chest puff. "And as you can see he looks nothing like me." As if it had morphed into his hand, the splendid green beast produced a photo from his wallet of Neji, Tenten, and Lee.
Scrutinizing the photo then Gai, the curious male shook his head, sitting back in his seat. "There's no need to be ashamed of it." He shrugged his hand casually.
Gai could only blink at that response. Looking out the large window, he's glad for the distraction of Neji passing through. Grinning from ear to ear he excuses himself and hurries out the door with three sets of eyes on him.
"Neji! Neji!" Called the young man's former team captain.
Neji felt a sense of deja vu. And he could guess what was coming once the man caught up to him. Facing his problem head on, he turned with a simple greeting of "Gai."
"Come have lunch with us." Gifting the male with an award winning grin, he adds. "There's plenty to go around."
"Us?"
"Naruto, Sasuke, and Sasuke's delightfully confused friend Suigetsu."
Looking over to the restaurant pointed out, he declined. "I was just on my way to help stocking shelves at a supplies shop."
"Neji," he placed a hand on the deflectors shoulder. "you can't continue avoiding me. Let's have a meal together some time."
With a thoughtful frown, Neji retorted to the comment with a firm. "I'm not avoiding you. I'm busy. Just as everyone else in town is busy as well."
It was done so gently that the Hyuuga male thought he'd tipped forward from a light put against his back when really he was slowly pulled forward into Maitou Gai's beefy embrace. The awkwardness Neji felt was made worse when the man rested his cheek against the top of his head and nuzzled it there. His ashen eyes looked frantically around in a self aware panic that anyone would see and cruelly point with commentary. He'd never live it down.
"Gai?" He began to protest when the man spoke over him.
"The war wasn't that long ago, Neji. ...You don't know how much the team was hurt, how many tears shed for you. I'll never remember the moment... But I can never forget that feeling of having you gone. By a miracle you're back, and it may come off as same old same old to you but for your teammates and myself it means the world."
Neji could only blink hearing this.
"Even if you have to consider it putting-up-with, can't you give us even a small bit of relief that it's really you there?"
Though it was unseen by the receiver, Neji offered the man a small smile, closing his eyes within the embrace.
"Hhhuu." He huffed, wiping the tears that have begun sliding down his high cheeks he held the youth at arms length, releasing him in order to grin at him with a thumbs up. "I'd better get back before I'm stuck with the bill having eaten less of a portion than my guest."
"Yeah." Replied the male.
"I'll see you tomorrow, maybe we can both work in a shop together." Jolly once more, the youthful man strode away with a bit of pep in his step.
Neji watched after Gai with a small, warm smile returning to his face, even with his hand touched to just one of the many scars left from his death. He should be smiling. And maybe he will set a time to be with Gai.
The foursome's meal gradually broke up when Sasuke informed them of another trip he had to make to the hospital for another of his week by week appointments for ocular surgery. The procedures can be brutal on the nerves making them need days to heal after the smallest amount of work done. Suigetsu followed after his former leader for no reason other than he had nothing else to do. Rebuilding a village that isn't his own isn't really top priority of his.
Naruto stuck around with Gai, helping him with a little hammer and nail job on a nearby building. Watching Sasuke walking confidently through downtown traffic with ease, the happy blond couldn't help but feel the former rogue-ninja doesn't really need his vision back. Sasuke's become almost pleasant to be around. His anger of the past humbled to a simmer because of open arms and forgiveness of his fellow village, that once had him marked in the famed Bingo Book. Even when he and Naruto are fighting! He can feel the difference. Sasuke doesn't have the usual pompus cruelty as he had as a kid, when he decided making Naruto feel small was the greatest way to insult him. The hyperactive male prefers a nice friendly jab now and then, not near loathing.
There's also a very good chance Sasuke's been hit on the head too many times.
With a smile on his scarred face, he thought to himself. 'I should invite him to dinner for letting me stay over at his place.' His smile turned into a full on grin thinking about the look on Sasuke's face when he asks him. 'Ee hee hee... Hunh?' Sasuke suddenly vanished, but not in a ninja-esque clap of smoke or stealthy speedy jump. He was jerked sideways by an unseen assault. 'Wonder what's going on with that?'
Suigetsu didn't notice Sasuke's abduction as he was staring at the sky, arms behind his head as he walked at a bored lean. The male looked around confused, then began peeking into buildings to locate where he'd so hurriedly gone off to.
"Naruto!" Gai called to him for another handful of nails.
Saluting, he reached into the nails bucket handing some to Gai.
Meanwhile, over where Sasuke had vanished, the bluenet is being jerked into a dark corner of the village into a small home that still needed repairs so it remained uninhabited.
Hissing, Sasuke snapped. "Kakashi? What's the reason for this?"
He sensed no danger, so then why was he jerked off course by this near pervert? Because wouldn't Kakashi have to be labeled that when he'll read racey books out on the streets, and around underaged students? And that hand in his pocket has got to be up to no good. Sasuke can't forget what he read from a purple book that had been left on the bench at a restaurant, when Kakashi went to use the restroom. Naruto seemed all in to look at what was beyond the covers of the book. It successfully ended with them having a hard time meeting women's eyes for a week! So the former Leaf-ninja can only imagine how much worse this man's perversions have gotten over the years as he tried not to let his imagination run away on him.
"I've been doing some thinking," Kakashi began.
"Later. I have an appointment." He turned to leave but was detained. Sighing in aggitation, he shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. "What?"
"I figured since your surgeries have been going so well, I can give you a treat."
Intruiged, he turned to face the man. "What is it?"
He crossed his arms expecting a box filled with something useless, like books he can't read yet, to come his way or a sentimental something or another from their sordid past as team 7. But what he hadn't expected was what Kakashi said next, as he stared at the blue chakra ghost that people have become since he'd lost his vision.
"Well, there it was, the mystery you kids have been after since you were genin." With a laugh his voice began to fade in his departure. "It's actually a relief to finally show someone other than Gai. Don't tell anybody." Removing a little dark blue book from the secret pocket in his yukata, Kakashi waved a hand to the male. "Don't be late for your appointment, Sasuke."
"Wha-.. wait, Kakashi!?" There was no way?! There was just no way... He showed him his face!
0 0 0
Chouji Sawada looked at Gaara with wide sunken eyes. For a moment the pair simply took each other in; one with unblinking eyes that looked as though the skin was stretched too thin to go over the opening of his eye sockets anymore. At least, that's how it seemed. The other is blinking, but his expression is so blank and his eyes so drilling, he could just as easily not be blinking either. Sawada's a bag of wrinkles, each wrinkle was deep enough to house a sink's worth of water. And he looked as though he hasn't had a decent meal in his life with the way his bones are countable through his creased skin.
Gaara wondered if this elderly man were old at all? Kneeling, while watched by the man he'd approached, he placed his hand up to the man's dry parted lips. His breathes are steady and even. Looking over his shoulder, the Kazekage sees a half eaten sandwich set on the wooden coffee table peppered with holes. The sandwich looked somewhat fresh, maybe prepared earlier in the day.
Seeing Gaara's gaze on the man's lunch, Miyamoto explained. "I made it for him for breakfast. Sometimes he has a hard time eating."
"The stone did this?" Gaara inquired, taking his eyes from the near corpse of a man to set them upon the little boy.
Nodding, Miyamoto left the living room area and returned shortly with a glass of water, and he helped the man drink it. Gaara assisted him by elevating Sawada from his laying position. Though he choked on the first gulp, the man chugged the liquid like he'd been dying for it for weeks.
"Kerai doesn't know that Sawada still lives here... that, or he doesn't care." His bony shoulder gave a shrug. "Sawada-san can't move barely an inch on his own, so it's not like he could help me rally against Kerai's dark deed... But, I don't know... Maybe the people of the village wouldn't really listen to me about my brother, even if they saw what happened to him." He nodded at Sawada's poor condition.
"How old is he?" Not bothering to ask the man himself, because it's better that he not waste his energy answering his trivial questions if Miyamoto would know. Better Sawada save it for where it's needed. "Do you know?"
Miyamoto shook his head. "I know he's not an old man, when he was first showed off by Kerai as a user of the chakra stones, he looked around twenty something."
'The stones have done this much damage in only a few months?' Thought Gaara amazed. If only he had a doctor to look the man over, he could better tell him the extent of the damage done. But that doesn't explain how others have taken to them without a problem, but this man has become a shrunken head.
"Sssa... saa... Sit me... u.." The man wheezed.
Uncertain if that was a good idea, Gaara helped the man to sit up as he requested. "Can you speak? I'd like to ask you a few questions about the chakra stones."
Sawada's head swayed like he were drunk and trying to hear where the voice was coming from. "A bi.." He wheezed.
"I'm used to hearing him talk this way, want me to translate?" Miyamoto jumped in, figuring Gaara would become impatient with Sawada just as easily as he'd become impatient with him.
"I can understand him." Looking at the man, Gaara asked. "How did you come across the stone? Did you ask for it?"
Sawada shook his head. "I used..." He waited for his wind to return then continued. "the iron fact...ry." A dry cough left the man, and with help from Miyamoto he drank some more water. "I melted iron." He said clearer than anything else.
"If you worked at the factory, then you may have seen Miyamoto's older brother Tetsu...?" He looked to Miyamoto.
"Kino Tetsu."
Sawada thought it over. He was quiet for a long while. Gaara sincerely thought the man had passed away just like that. Then quietly, in a thin but steady voice he replied. "I worked along side two other men, who one day asked me to follow them into the boiler room."
Sawada can never forget that day. Even now, it still haunts him.
The two other workers walked ahead of Sawada, exchanging glances with each other along the trip and looking over their shoulder to see if Sawada were still behind them. He didn't seem nervous or even a little suspicious in any way as to why he was asked to follow along with them for reasons no more known or clear than "come this way". He's never seen this area of the factory. Never had a need to go beyond where he's stationed to work. Down and down they went below the factory, passing door after door. It made no sense to have so many floors beneath the factory. Sawada wondered what lay beyond those doors, as they finally reached the last step where his colleagues paused at a solid metal door opening it before gesturing him inside.
The last thing he remembered was seeing Kerai's thoughtful face. Then his body went berserk! He'd spouted off fire attacks into a thin sheet steal wall, burning himself badly when trying to phsycally smash through it. His bones ached before they separated from the ligements and tore through his skin ready to fire. His bones shot out of him and into anything they came in contact with! Weird marks crawled all over him searing at his insides. He had a moment where painful memories filled his head, but physically, he felt fine, only to have his memories fade away into nothingness as the pain engulfed him so completely all he could do was scream. Then the swelling started. But Sawada just closed his eyes and waited to explode, because it was surely the only time the pain was going to end.
"Kekkei Genkai... For now, we'll mark it as a failed attempt." Keria said through the man's shotty hearing. "But we'll keep trying."
Sawada's memories faded back to the past where they needed to stay, and rejoining his house guest in the present, he spoke again.
"When I awoke, I was in the hospital. A woman I've never met told me she was going to take care of me, and for a month she did. I wasn't sick that I knew of, but I could feel something was wrong with me. Then one evening we went for a walk and I got attacked." He swallowed over a dry throat, drinking the offered water. "I don't know what came over me, I've never been able to do ninjutsu before, but all sorts of things came out of me. I was so scared, I wanted no part of it."
Gaara nodded to show he understood.
"Kerai sought me out, and told me he could reverse the effects of the stone but only if I helped him with a demonstration first. I agreed, and before a crowd of people I showed them ninjutsu and genjustu... When it was over, I asked that he do as he promised but he sent me away where I was roughed up violently enough to be killed. But I didn't die, instead I woke up in a pile of trash outside of the canal. Only this area was where they dump and burn the refuge. It might have been the walled off area where the cesspool is."
"And your health's been deteriorating since then?" Wondered Gaara, receiving a nod in response. "This lab, do you think it's still under the iron factory?" Gaara asked out of concern that Kerai may have moved his base of opperation if he thought that Sawada had lived through the extermination order he gave to his men.
"It might be."
"Then that's where we'll go next." Looking at Miyamoto, he tells him to stay with the man since he lives as a ghost. "I'll tell you what I've found once Lee and I get back."
"Okay."
Leaving, he recalled that Lee was going to the potion shop where Kerai works. He hoped the male hasn't gotten into any trouble by asking questions.
0 0 0
"1,002... 1,003... 1,004. 1,005.." Lee counted. "1,00-... If I can't do 2,017 one-armed handstand push-ups before that butterfly flies to that training post..." He grunts as he moves up and down, exhaustion taking his voice as he moves and speaks full sentences at the same time. "Then I'll do 3,277 backflips over that ribbon marked branch in the t-... tree behind me... Rrr.." Tired, he tilts his head up to see where the butterfly is. The little bright yellow flutter is taking a break on a tiny white flower. Grinning, he gives the insect a thumbs up. "You're too kind!" Upping his speed, Lee worked to the completion of his training.
Resting in a kneel, Lee looked up at the branch he'd earlier thrown a kunai into when he was practicing his speed throwing. The sun is still out, though it's late evening. He can stand for a little more training. Walking over to the tree, he then began his backflips; and it went fine, at first, then he popped his head against the kunai marked branch landing painfully on his stomach.
A deep frown creased upon his face, and he rest his head against folded arms and just stared out at the field before him. Empty. No sound except for trickles of disembodied conversation drifting by from inside of town. That sound would soon turn into the chirp of bugs and the throat clearing frogs, playing like a soundtrack behind Lee's training.
Tears welled the corners of his eyes, though they remain unfallen. 'Once... Just once I'd like to hear someone else out here, hard at work for their battles too.' A sigh escaped his nose, and he closed his eyes to rest the lump on his head a moment. 'I wonder what it would be like not to worry?'
The shinobis participating in the Chunin exams must be tough. Everyone wants that rank to change. Ninjas don't seek out being a Genin forever. It's unheard of! But each year these exams happen, he's left to wonder how much stronger he'll have to be, what more he'll have to do or be prepared for the participants? None of which are like hisself. And each year he wonders, just for a moment, in his quiet alone times, which one will be his last? Someone will come along with a 'No mercy' state of mind, and then what? Would someone step in for him? How many times could that happen before eventually the higher ups want to see him alone for a long speech on how he's just not cut out to do be a ninja.
Teeth bared, he pushes up from the ground. Ready to continue. Done with pity. He's splendid in personality. Strong in spirit. And a beast in battle. Rock Lee has no time for straying from his ninja way of showing everyone that genius hard work is effective too to become a respectable ninja.
There were other times when he felt his nerves on the brink of defeat. But they weren't always during training. Sometimes the team would be sharing a meal with their sensei, Maitou Gai, and they'd be telling stories. It was after a particularly hard battle on a mission he'd gone on with Naruto and his fractured team. A powerful ninja named Gitai.
It wasn't the battle that was the biggest trouble. It was the taunting during the battle that had Lee shaken up days after. The monster mocked and insulted him. He was in utter disbelief that anyone could seriously come after him without Ninjutsu or Genjutsu skills. That he was simply a child playing ninja warrior. It's the same thing every time he battles anyone. You would think he'd become immuned to it by now, but he can't. It's like you're trying to heal a cut that's continually getting cut deeper. Sewn closed on the outside, but a chasm on the inside.
Lee had believed that he must have been hit on the head pretty hard during that battle, because he doesn't even remember how he'd beaten the guy! The Chunin either unleashed extraordinary powers that he didn't even know about, or he was knocked out and someone stepped in for him.
But, no. He certainly remembered shutting the man up with his own strength. He also remembered a horrible mediciney taste in his mouth. It was like liqour it was so strong. And though he was proud to tell the tale of his heroics to his team and hear their stories in return, at the back of his mind the green beast was reminded that his inner strength would someday kill him. Where other's simply give a command, weave signs and viola they're masterpieces in motion. He has to give up pieces of his life force.
There's always kind words sent his way for a job well done. And he accepts and loves each one tenderly. But sometimes he feels they might be baised opinions. That was until his relationship with Gaara began. The emotionally changing Kazekage called him the masterpiece in motion. That he doesn't doubt Lee's skills as a ninja when he'd defeated him so many years ago in the Chunin exams. Gaara's since grown stronger and gotten better in hand to hand combat with Lee's help and a resident of Sunagakure named Shira. But the point Gaara wanted to make is that, at the time, he had no respect or care for human lives.
And for Lee to have beaten him when he had a state of mind that wanted the death of every living creature, he would always be seen as someone to admire and fear. Gaara had tried to kill him afterwards, because at the time Gaara had met his match. And to avoid round 2 with someone who'll stand even when they're in a technical coma, it was better to get him when he was down.
Lee isn't hell bent on boasting, or being stronger than anyone else. He simply wants to be counted before he's made to prove himself to the non-believers that he should be counted. A Respectable Ninja. But even with his ninja way... He sometimes wonders.
"Wakey... Wakey..."
A voice called through the haze of his mind. Lee groaned having to use a great deal of force to pry open lids that were fine in the closed position. He felt a light smack to his cheek before he's able to alert himself enough to open his eyes, keep them that way, and look around.
"Huh? Where am I?" Seeing the elective grinning viciously in his face, Lee glared with just as much conviction. "Kerai... Where have you taken me? Why can't I move?" Looking around him he sees sterling silver walls, all kinds of strange machines for heating, melting, and sculpting shapes into iron go semi-identified by the abducted male. But the strangest looking thing in the room is a large dome full of clear pink water. It looked like extremely diluted blood.
"You've intriuged me, young man. Ever since I saw you out there during one of my demonstration. Such an extraordinary physique you have," Kerai ran his hand along Lee's arm, giving it light squeezes. "Yes, I believe you'll do nicely."
"What are you gonna do to me?" Lee asked with confusion lacing his voice. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to just sit still and wait for it to be done, and with a some effort he broke the restraint on his right arm, then the left.
The ninjas breathing has become labored just from expending that small bit of force needed to release himself from the cold metal table. He took a swing at the man who dodged it with ease since the punch was sloppily thrown. The Leaf-nin clearly has double vision, his gaze isn't lined with his head when looking at his target.
"It's not what I'm going to do to you, it's what I've already done." Replied the man with a snicker.
Grabbing Lee by the hair, he smiled at him. The young man's large eyes flickered back and forth trying to steady either his captor or the room, it was hard to say, but when Lee's cheeks puffed up and he looked on the verge to vomit the man threw him aside to the floor.
"Make sure you properly strap him down, it's time for phase two."
A few beefy men charged the swaying teen grabbing him up by the arms and legs to strap him down to a chair. Lee kicked and flailed, and just when he was about to unleash a whirlwind one of the thugs slugged him with a brass knuckle made of stone.
The next time Lee woke up he was being dunked into a large tank of water for the tenth time. Coughing and spluttering the green liquid, he hazily looked around the room. 2 of the four men who'd grabbed him are standing by the exit, a few feet from them is a man with his hand latched to a lever that's attached to the machine that's currently dunking Lee in and out of the tank. He didn't see him in the room before. The other two thugs are nowhere in sight.
"You are my weapon..." Keria was saying over a loudspeaker. "You will do as I say."
"Whaa..?" Lee is dunked again before he could finish his sentence.
He can still hear the man's voice reverberating through the thick water in the tank and into his skull, as he struggled to get the latches from his wrist, legs, and waist. But the dunk-tank treatment has got him half drowned and drained.
"The world is nothing without the art of ninjutsu." Kerai continued. "You will prove that by exhibition... By destruction..."
What was this lunatic going on about? Was he saying he wanted Lee to attack people in order to show them that humans born without chakra can become ninjas, need to be ninjas in order to avoid being assaulted by them? That's sick! Does he seriously believe that Lee will just start attacking innocent people under someone's order? Is that what this is all about? This man wants warriors of gratitude, fighting a fight they won't be ready for against hardened true ninjas who won't hesitate to put them down as they fumble through battle.
That explains why anyone would want to create such a strange stone, to generously shell it out at a cheap price to anyone who'll take it. And to think that for a moment, even he was one of them. Thinking he could sneak it from Gaara and his teammates and friends to use. A false sort of growth.
"Gwaaahhh!" He's dropped into the pool of liquid once again.
0 0 0
"Excuse me," Gaara entered the potion shop, not greeting the smile that was offered to him with one in return. "Have you seen a young man in here, with generous eyebrows and a bob haircut?" He looked at the woman dead in the eye, daring her to lie to him that she hasn't seen Lee. "He has a very proper way of speaking."
"I'm sorry, but no one like that has come in here." Her bright smile didn't wan, but her eyes looked momentarily relieved that she'd gotten her words out without fail.
"You're lying." There was a dull hiss playing through the silence that's befallen the room from the sand in his pockets coming to life.
"I'm not!" Insisted the woman with a waving of her hands, and dramatic shaking of her head.
"Had you said he'd just left I wouldn't have needed to use force." Explained Gaara; the sand from his coat pockets is slithering across the floor like tentacles lapping and slapping and seeking something to latch on to, that woman's throat would do nicely. Not to harm, just to frighten.
Seeing the pointed spears aimed her way, she cowered behind the desk, using her arms as an inaffective shield while shrieking. In a panic she blurted out. "I didn't mean to lie! He was here! But he left," Peeking an eye open she snapped it shut once again when seeing the tentacle dangling above her head. "I don't know where he is, but, Kerai-san is with him. They could be in the stone making factory!"
The room went silent. Slowly, the woman raised her head from under her arms seeing that the violent stranger has gone. Shrinking in on herself she began to weep with relief. Damned ninjas.
x x x
Gaara sailed over the village, invisible to onlookers, while swathed in a heap of sand as he made for the iron factory. He already knew where Lee was the moment the woman lied to him; and the likelihood of steadfast ninja being out just to pick up lunch was unlikely. If Lee'd gone back to the Inn he would know as he'd left his sand eye there as a guard to keep watch for him. It dissolved away when he went on the move for the factory.
Getting involved was a bad idea, and where he wants to help out the young boy, he certainly didn't want it at the price of something irreversible happening to Lee. He pushed himself to go faster and faster still. He could be worried for nothing, but why take the chance?
The Kazekage slammed an extension of his fist made of heavily packed sand, in the shape of his hand, into the large metal doors. At this point who needed discretion? No one was there to greet him at the front door, that much he'd expected. Where he needs to be is the lower labs where Chouji Sawada spoke of. Spotting a small door to his left and another at his right, he and a clone darted off for them.
Down in the catacombs of the factory things are coming to a nice end for Kerai and his intention to brainwash the Leaf-nin. The seat Rock Lee is bound to has been lowered to the floor, and he's freed from his shackles, and with the only things that kept his slumped form seated removed he fell hard onto the even harder floor.
A grin curled Kerai's lips as he watched the video feed from a safe place in the factory. The odds of him going berserk as that bumbling Sawada had are very likely and in order by around to carry out his plans, he had to take care with his self-preservations. But his triumphant expression was short lived when the building intercom crackled to life and one of his men, in a very panicked voice, came shouting through the line.
"Sir! Someone's broken into the la..." His scream was the last human thing the elective heard as a strange sizzling sound replaced him.
Kerai was about to look into the matter when he noticed that the Leaf ninja was getting up. Now was not the time to be wandering around should that young man get out of that room.
"Sabaku Shigure!" Ground the Kazekage, balling his hands up to signal for the attack to strike.
Four scientist look up as shards of sand rained down on them with intent to slaughter the men with the conviction it once held in the Kage's former lifestyle. Instead of pounding the men's heads in, it just beat down on them hard enough to thoroughly knock them out. Naruto would smile on his lack of criminal behavior, because deep down Gaara truly wants for these men to meet their end, but to be fair, it's only if anything has happened to Lee. For all he knows Kerai was glad to share his secrets and intentions with the curious young man. And the two are actually chatting politely about it over tea and dango. Yeah right.
Bursting through another door, he can sense his clone is doing much of the same.
The sand clone, however, isn't being as humane as his creator. His goal was to locate and extract Lee from harm and it intended to do it. Any obstacle or person in the way would be gone though. Spotting a man securing a door with a bomb-tag, he grabbed the man's bony ankle and swung him into a wall then slung him across the room, releasing his hold. A Shukaku-style claw pressed into the tag disarming it by simply arming it.
Gaara heard the explosion from his end, and looking over the shoulder of the man he's strong-arming. He figures there's no sense in questioning him any further, since the real fight was going on on the otherside of the factory. Bopping him over the head, he dropped the man to the steel floor then burst through wall after wall to meet up with his clone.
Kerai watched the feed with amused curiosity, because during the one man raid the elective watched his test-subject demolish his well trained guards and one scientist with ease. No attack seemed to phase him as he zipped about the room assaulting them with taijutsu that's backed up with ninjutsu. It was like fireworks were going off with the flashes of lightning, fire, and chilling kekkei genkai of ice. The young man actually seemed to be attacking against his will, and simply reaching out for help. But his body is holding. Unlike that simpering pile of waste, Chouji Sawada. The man's body bloated and deformed. He almost seemed like a bomb ready to explode. It would have been funny if the experiment wasn't such a failure.
The little over-achiever was even conjuring wood attacks through the concrete! Who would have thought that such a fine specimen would just land on his doorstep like this? All those stone guzzling monkeys out there are merely kindling for the fire, a sort of back-up to the breadwinner; and a nice distraction for anyone coming in on the front lines.
Kerai supposed he owed that little mouse a bit of gratitude for running his mouth all the time. Because now he has a body that can handle the brunt of masterpiece. A body where it can grow and thrive... live as it was meant to. And with the young man under his control, listening to his every word... The destructive force will be monumental.
So let the Big Bad Sand Wolf huff and puff all he likes. The damage is done. And when the doors to the main lab burst open with enough force to throw them against the back wall about 70 feet away, he was glad for the front row seat. His weapons companion is one strong shinobi. This should an interesting test.
...
Commentary: I wanna thank you all for reading and reviewing or even favoriting or following this with alerts. You're the beeest! Ahaha. I'm in a silly mood, sorry for that. But I've been having a pretty bad week with all the usual nonsense from whatever the hell's wrong with me. But I'm feeling pretty ok now, so work work work on the story. Try as I might this'll probably be over after this chapter. But I don't know until I start typing it.
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Living Stone