Rock Of Sand

A:N Check the bottom for translations
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A year passed and it was time again for the Chunnin Selection Exam. It was tradition for the Kazekage to make an appearance in konoha during these next few weeks and Gaara had half a mind not to go. Word around Konoha was that Gaara had become very bitter, isolating himself and treating people with nothing less than the hate he use to, without the violence.

Within that year of not seeing his ex lover once Lee abandoned all hope of ever going back to Sunagakure. He became an assigned Jounin for cell number 8 which consisted of Inuzuka Hiachi, Nara Kori and Uzamaki Kizumaru. Lee treasured all of his students but found it sort of relaxing that Kizumaru was not energetic like his father and instead took on a quiet personality much like his mother, Uzamaki' Hyuuga Hinata who had become a Chuunin and taught at the academy.

Cell number 7 belonged to Aburame Shino, his subordinates were comprised of Hyuuga Unmei, Inuzuka Takachi (Inuzuka Hiachi's twin sister) and last but not least Uchiha Ryote.
Preliminaries were over and this time only four people remained for the third section. Nara Kori against Hyuuga Unmei, and Uzamaki Kizumaru against Uchiha Ryote.

Gaara materialized into the stadium with two Suna ANBU at his side.

"Kangei, Kaze...Kage Sabaku No Gaara. It is good to see you after so long." Tsunade smiled from her chair next him while thinking to herself that he was in such bad shape and looked abnormally tired...more then usual.

"Anata Mo, Tsunade-sama." Gaara sat down and his ANBU stood behind him while ANBU Hatake Kakashi and Hyuuga Neji both stared at him from the other side of Tsunade.

Neji looked away as Jounin Inuzuka Kiba began giving the rules of the first math. Neji's son was fighting Shikamaru's son and he grinned roughly at the great battle ahead.

"Round one. Hyuuga Unmei versus Nara Kori. Will the two Genin step forward?" Kiba announced and they did. Unmei with sharp eyes and Kori with the same laziness as his father.
Shikamaru watched from the stands in a seat next to Lee.

"How troublesome this is going to be. Kori can't think on his toes and will probably lose to the Hyuuga boy." Shikamaru sat back and awaited the fate of his son. He knew Kori was smart but he was in no mood to become a Chuunin and it showed tremendously.

"Kudaranai Koto! Kori is strong and is smarter when faced with danger." Lee countered, believing in his student even when his father would not. He hung off the balcony. "OI! KORI REMEMBER YOUR HARD WORK!" Lee smiled at his student.

Kori looked up in the stands, hands firmly in his pants. "Lee-Sensei is too loud. The match hasn't even started and he's cheering." Kori squinted. "He's weird."

Gaara's ear twitched when he heard the sound of Lee's voice. His chakra flared and the bushy browed man looked up into the Hokage's designated area and saw Gaara furiously staring at him. All his enthusiasm for Kori was gone and he sat in his seat, hushed.

The fight commenced and Unmei unleashed his Byakuugan and stood there there waiting for his prey, but Gaara wasn't watching. His looked over at Tsunade and she looked at him. She knew he didn't want to be there and she also know he had been the one to quiet down Lee, their past relationship was no secret to her. She looked away and paid no attention when he vanished leaving his ANBU behind.

Lee could feel Gaara presence close, calling him but two of his students were fighting in this part of the exam and he wasn't going to leave and not be there to cheer them on. He ignored Gaara and looked on as Kori was being slowly beaten by Unmei's attacks. The two boys fought quickly and in the end Unmei walked away the victor. Kakashi watched Neji as he showed no emotion even after the battle was over. He was a great ANBU and hardly ever showed his face anymore.

The medics carried Kori's limp body off the field and the next fight was begun immediately. Ryote was to be favored in this battle since he was now the only "known" savior of the Uchiha clan. Sasuke had disappeared once again and no one had seen him for over six years. None of Konoha seemed to mind though, thy all knew of how Sasuke had left the first time and it was nothing new to them. All but Sakura feared he would never return. Ryote cared none to see his father and he did all that he could not to remember the man. His goals were to become an ANBU, much like the man that has raised him in Sasuke's absence, Kakashi. Sakura had left most of Ryote's training up to Kakashi and in the six years that Sasuke had not been there, his son had evolved into an elite Genin fighter. Much stronger than Sasuke had been at his age. No one could beat him, no one had a chance, no one but Uzamaki Kizumaru.

Hinata and Sakura sat in the stands together. They had become very close friends but they feared their boys would destroy each other in this battle. Kizumaru fought because it was expected of him and Ryote fought because he had something to accomplish. They were friends and Ryote spent a lot of time Kizumaru but right now they were enemies.

"I won't be going easy on you." Ryote took his fighting stance and released his Sharingan. He knew what he had to do to become the best and to defeat his father. He wasn't going to let his friend stand in the way of his hopes and dreams to save his mother from anymore hurt.

"I don't expect you to. This has been forth coming for a long time, and though i do not wish to fight a friend, i will not lose to a hot head." Kizumaru made the first move using the Shadow clone Jutsu his father taught him. Two copies of himself appeared on both sides of Ryote. All three ran fast at him and then they disappeared and attacked him from the back. Ryote fell to the ground in a cloud of smoke but when the dust settled nothing laid where Ryote's body had fallen.

[A Replication?] Kizumaru dropped to the ground and his shadow clones disappeared. Ryote flew in from behind him and power punched him to the ground then stepped back.

"You're not acting like you want this match. What would your father say? Ig he were here Kizumaru he would be looking down at you. Ashamed that his son would lose to such a worthy opponent." Ryote narrowed his eyes, he knew Kizumaru's weakness was his parents and the boy hadn't seen his father in two months. Naruto had left on a mission and had yet to accomplish it, either that or he was...

"What would yours say?" Kizumaru stood up and dusted himself off. He also knew that Ryote had a special bond with his parents, or at least his mother.

"FIGHT ME!" Ryote yelled rushing at his friend and punching him repeatedly in the face. Kizumaru grabbed one of his hands and pushed him back, launching a his hand seals.

"Jimen Henka No Jutsu!" Kizumaru yelled and the earth around Ryote's feet started to shake and then it began pulling him under. He couldn't get away from the attack and so he was just seemingly standing there helpless. It stopped and Ryote was trapped at his ankles. He struggled to free himself.

"What is this?" Ryote tried to pull his feet from the ground desperately but he couldn't.

"While you and Kakashi-sensei were training for the last month on one attack which i know to be Chidori i went i spent some time in Suna learning this attack. It's called the Ground Shifting Jutsu. You're not going to get out of that without a serious fight, and I'm betting you won't get out at all."

"Don't underestimate me. You might have learned of Chidori but I'm not as weak as my father. My body can withstand more than he could when he was my age." Ryote tried again to escape the earth trapped around him as Kizumaru released his Shadow Clones and attacked. Knocking Ryote to the ground with his ankles still embedded. He shrieked and forced himself to stand up straight. The pain in his ankles was unbearable and he felt like they would break off his legs. [There has got to be some way to get out of this] Ryote thought.

Then Ryote had a an idea. He mastered his hand seals and began starting his Chidori.

"Do you really think that's going to work on me?" Kizumaru sent his clones after the Genin.

Finally revealing itself after a long power up Ryote drug chidori in a big circle around him and broke free of the ground, then launching his attack on his opponent. Kizumaru jumped back but his right arm was sacrificed and it hung heavily at his side, unmoving with Chidor's wrath upon it. He breathed hard and held one eye open.

[That attack was stronger than i anticipated. If i hadn't have moved i would have lost this entire fight. Luckily he can only use that move once more. I'm going to have to beat him before he can. But there's no way to beat him. Ryote is one of the top Genin in our class. He has no weakness. He fully functional except for...] Kizumaru smiled. "Is that all you got? So you took my arm and i can't use seals anymore. But i won't let this fight last any longer than it has to. Its over Ryote!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself. Ningen Senko Jutsu!" A darker blue light erupted from both of Ryote hands. This was his signature move. This was the move his father named him after. This was...his last attack.

"Kizumaru! I told you i wouldn't go easy on you! I told you I'm here for a reason. Now i'll finish you off to become the best in all of Konoha!" His evil laughter was some what petrifying to kizumaru and the blinding light kept him from moving while Ryote ran at him.

[But how?!? He shouldn't have any chakra for that attack! Come on Kizumaru think, think of something or be killed.] And at the last second the Genin dodged the attack and fell on his wounded arm. He looked over at Ryote and stared wide eyed that he was now coming his way again. The attack hadn't vanished. Kizumaru laid there and didn't move.

[Beaten by my own move...] He said looking down and noticed was trapped in the sand pit he'd created for Ryote. [HEH, so this is it huh?] Kizumaru stood and awaited his fate. But in the back of Ryote's mind he knew Kizumaru would avoid the move easily. He ran straight for his friend and forced the attack into the boy's abdomen. The blinding light scanned the entire stadium and for a few moments nobody could see anything that was happening.

The smoke from the ground cleared and Ryote shook with absolute fear when his attack finally ceased. [Whaa...] He thought, his hand was nearly going right through his target. Kizumaru coughed and a handful of blood found its way towards Ryote's shirt. He body furiously shook with pain.

"KIZUMARU!" Hinata yelled from the stands, awaiting for any sign that he son had survived the attack.

"Wh..why?!? Why didn't you move?!?" Ryote panicked as the blood from Kizumaru's stomach began to flow to the ground. "You should have moved! That attack was not meant for you!"

"You...want this more than me Ryote." He coughed and tried to breath easily. "Its a fine move...one worthy of avenging your mother's pain." Kizumaru tried to fall back but Ryote's hand was still lodged inside of him and the boy held his friend in a standing position. Furious, trying to find out why he hadn't evaded the deadly attack.

"No, I'm not strong enough, you would have beaten me and you know it! You went easy on me! How dare you?!?" Ryote yanked his hand free and punch Kizumaru with the the bloody hand in the face. The boy fell to the ground with no consciousness in his eyes, but he was still very much awake.

"I didn't go easy, look at your surroundings. I have lost and arm...and a leg."

Ryote looked at the ground and found Kizumaru's leg still intact with the sand. He shuttered at the boy's broken ankle as it bled as well. Kizumaru coughed again. Ryote looked back at him and Kizumaru smiled.

"Your place is with the Chuunin now...anata kachieru." Kizumaru didn't close his eyes but he laid there wheezing and trying to find the air he so desperately needed.

"Do to the fact that Uzamaki Kizumaru is unable to battle, i declare Uchiha Ryote, the winner." Kiba annonced.

The crowd cheered and clapped at their victor. Ryote didn't know what to do, so he stood there staring into nothing. The medics came out soon after and Kizumaru released himself from the Jutsu and they carried him off.

"Matsu!" Ryote yelled and ran after them. He stood next to a wincing Kizumaru. "Arigato...Domo arigato gozaimasu for fighting my fairly. You are a true friend." Ryote bowed. Kizumaru put a thumbs up and the medics hurried off, leaving Ryote to not understand what he had done.






The stands were soon empty and no one resided in the stadium. Lee was the last one to leave and he was heading for the hospital to check on Kizumaru when he felt a wave of darkness cloud over him.

"Gaara." He said trying to figure out why the Kazekage hadn't started his trip back to Suna by now. He turned around and out of the shadows Gaara walked slowly into the light. Lee stared, seeing him up close after so long was frightening and Lee knew of the rumors of Gaara's recent behavior. Gaara walked over to Lee with his arms crossed.

"It's been quite a while Lee."

Lee felt his shoulders stiffen and he couldn't remember the last time he felt such a chill in the air. Maybe it was getting late or maybe he was afraid of what Gaara had to say to him. Either way he wasn't feeling like himself and he wasn't feeling comfortable either. So he did the only thing he knew he could. He turned around and kept walking to his destination.

"That's the second time you've walked away from me." Gaara said and Lee froze on the spot, not knowing if he should address the issue or not. So many bad memories were a attached to the man behind him and he felt he wouldn't be able to control himself enough to talk.

Lee looked at Gaara by only turning his head slightly around. "I have nothing important to say to you Gaara. A year has passed and i am no longer the person you remember, nor are you the person i recall. You made your hello now go back to Suna. You no longer have business in Konoha."

Gaara was shocked but it didn't show on his face. Instead he held anger and it read all over his face. Never had he heard Lee be so calm and stern with him. What had happened to the man he loved just a short time ago?

"You must have injured yourself on your long journey from Sunagakure. I know you're not forcing me to leave!" Gaara could feel his chakra rising as he walked closer to Lee. His head telling him that he had heard wrong and his body telling him to crush the Jounin's soul. But Gaara no longer carried the ability to beat Lee in any way. He had no defense and not much training. If Lee wanted he could force Gaara to leave and not come back.

"I am not forcing you to do anything Sabaku No Gaara, I am asking you. A request can be simple or difficult and i have the feeling this is not going to be simple. You made it very clear the last time i heard your voice that we were never to see each other or interact with each other again. I obliged you and disappeared from Suna forever, now you should do the same and leave Konoha."

Gaara had never heard Lee say so many things at once and it was infuriating but at the same time, he could clearly hear the cry in Lee's heart. Gaara touched Lee's shoulder from the back and Lee snapped around yanking from his grasp. Lee stared unblinking with worry in his mind. He knew what Gaara was attempting and he knew what he would do in the end himself.

"I will not beg you to take me back." Gaara said firmly getting his point across. "But if you wish it, that i leave... then you will tell me with your heart and not your hate." Gaara did the only thing he could think of at the present moment and hugged Lee tight. Lee's body was a tense machine and he let his arms fall to his sides pleading with them not to touch the hand that wanted to be fed.

"Gaara....you will leave this village hidden in the Leaves and not return unless you are needed. The Kazekage and the Taijutsu Master will never be again."

Gaara waited and didn't let go just yet, as if he were soaking in all the things Lee had said. His eyes shook with horror of rejection when he did finally let go. Memories of children playing on the playground together without him stood forth. Thoughts of him swinging alone during the night while the other children ate dinner with their (families) Thoughts of him spending an entire year without Lee at his side fell to the surface and he neared hurt.

"Wakare Lee, i will not forget this night."

Lee thought about all the times he'd wanted to go back to Suna and try and fix things with his love but he never got the chance. And now here he was faced with true love once again and he chose to destroy it where it stood, two feet in front of him.

"Nor will i forget the one you bestowed upon me."

The Kazekage simply seemed to vanish as he walked away without another word. He hung his head low in defeat and made sure he never looked back as he left the village hidden in the leaves.

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Kangei- Welcome
Anata Mo-Same To You
Kudaranai Koto-Nonsense
Anata kachieru- You get by effrot (basically, you tried and won)
Matsu-Wait
Arigato-thank you
Domo Arigato Gozaimasu-thank you very much
Wakare-farewell
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Hope you all like this chapter...it was idfficult because i didn't really wanna write about the Ryote and Kizumaru fight....but i think it turned out at least a little okay...right? Review and tell me-NIK