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Characters: Rock Lee and YOU!! ♥
Location: Shibusen City Park
Rating: G to ?? (depends on the language of who stops by)
Time: mid-afternoon, April 17th
Description: Lee is still down from Gai-sensei and others disappearing earlier in the month. He needs some cheering up, or maybe just someone to distract him.

Lee sat on a park bench with his communicator in his hand. He wasn't looking at the device but rather out over the large park where some happy owners were playing with their dogs. Even then, Lee's gaze wasn't on anyone in particular. His round, dark, orb-like eyes remained fixed and mostly unblinking.

For a teenager who was often full of energy and shouting proclamations of youth, he looked rather somber. The fresh breath of spring was in the air, but for Rock Lee it was hardly a day to celebrate. With his sensei gone, along with Kakashi, several of his friends before them, and now even Temeraire, Lee just felt listless.

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Somewhere not too far from where Lee was sitting there was a strange brown tent with eyes painted on one of the sides. There was a large tarp spread out beside it.

After a moment, Giroro steps out with some of the weapons he'd managed to buy with the money he saved up so far cradled in his arms.

Giroro walked over to lay the weapons out in a row before straightening back up...and stopped. For a moment he thought he was looking at Gai, but he was gone, wasn't he?

A closer look and Giroro realized it really wasn't Gai, though the kid looked like he could be related.

He also looked like he had a lot on his mind.

"Hn, instead of just sitting there you should do something useful." With that, Giroro was sitting himself down on a piece of rubble he had dragged over earlier, using it as a chair.

Because, of course, Giroro can't just come out and ask what's wrong.

Distractions? Sakura could do that much at least. It had been a rough time for a lot of the remaining Konoha members and she found that they really had just been sticking to themselves. That needed to change, but how? Sakura never found herself as a leader type, nor the kind of person who was considered decent in encouraging others. Team Seven had always been that way, hadn't it? Between her frustration with Naruto, his frustration in return with Sasuke, and Sasuke's frustration with both of them. Not to mention Sai and their team leaders. Honestly, it felt refreshing in a sense to have to seek out other allies in Death City.

When she happened upon someone familiar though? It took her by surprise, but once the initial shock passed, he'd find company plopping down right in front of him.

"Hey, snap out of it." Not much of an encouraging remark, but it mustered from good intent. "You're not on watch or anything, so you can move around a little."

Oh. There appeared to be a little frog person addressing him. That wasn't something Lee had expected, though it certainly got his attention. He offered the brown frog person a light smile, and while his voice was bright his eyes did not light with their usual spark.

"If you would like my assistance, I would be glad to help, frog-san!" Lee stood up and moved over to Giroro's spread, placing his communicator into his vest pocket as he hunkered down close.

[Lee didn't expect bubblegum pink hair and a familiar face to stumble upon him today. He blinked his round eyes up at her, then pulled back and out of his slouch.

Was he worrying her? Probably. He rarely sat this still. Neji would be proud, if not for his lack of focus.]

"I do not really feel like moving." [He sighed. An unusual sound coming from Lee.] "I am not doing well in expressing my Spirit of Fire, am I?"

Tassadar needed time for his meditation, Hidden within the park, he had allowed his mind to travel through thought and memories of days gone by, along with the future in this world. Pulling himself out from his meditation, the templar got to his feet. His large form began heading back out towards the city.

He stopped, however, at the sight of the a familiar figure just a little further off. Tassadar's movements came to a halt as he turned to face the somber human. "En Taro Adun, Rock Lee."

Lee turned his head and blinked up at the large alien. He hadn't seen much of the Templar (or anyone else, really) since Gai's disappearance over a week ago. Had it really been that long? Lee felt so out of it.

"Hello, Tassadar-san," Lee sighed after a pause. He mentally shook himself. There was no excuse for rudeness, even if he wasn't in the best mood.

Lee attempted a smile. "How have you been since our last mission?"

There appeared to be something weighing on the young human's mind. Something that the templar could guess at from what had transpired within the city over the last human week or so. It was something that he understood far too well, with all things considered, and perhaps that was why Tassadar changed his path and began heading over to where Lee was.

"The war seems to have taken a pause since then, my friend," Tasssadar said in return. Glancing down at his young companion, the templar murmured, "And you? Your thoughts appear heavy."

"That is good..." Wars. They seemed to follow just about everyone here. That was what Lee tried to console himself with. Gai had just been returned to fight in the war back home. And Lee remained here... to fight in this war while he was still required by BREW.

Lee's lips came together in a pouty frown. Heavy sounded about right. "I am... coping."

Or maybe he wasn't. Coping seemed to indicate dealing with a situation, but Lee was stuck in stasis and had little to do about it. He sighed softly. He knew what was wrong, but there was no fixing it. "... I miss my sensei. I have never been away from his side for long except when on missions. And even then, at least I know that he would be returning home to me after."

There was a nod in return to the honest reply given. He knew well how difficult it could be to expression yourself. That was something Tassadar wasn't certain whether or not he'd ever happen. Human thoughts and emotions were, at times, beyond his understanding, but that was something that even he could understand.

"There will always be those to whom we long to be beside," Tassadar quietly murmured, his tone pensive before he crouched down to bring himself more on eye-level with Lee. His eyes were glowing softly as he said, "So long as you keep those who are important to you in your heart and mind, they will never be far from your side."

Lee nodded. He knew the Protoss' words were true. He knew that! But it didn't make it any easier on him to accept. His biggest support and safety net was gone, and it felt like Gai had taken a good chunk of Lee's heart with him.

Lee reached up a bandaged hand and placed it over his heart. "I will try. Though sometimes, the more I think about Gai-sensei, the more I hurt inside. There is still so much I wish to learn from him..."

Perhaps their relationship was a little too deep for others to understand. They were teacher and student. Mentor and pupil. Hero and aspirant. Lee's hand formed a fist, clutching a bit at the fabric of his green suit. "But I need to try hard and continue training. And... maybe when Gai-sensei returns, I will be a stronger student and worthy of his praise."

His words were harsh in some way, but the protoss' ability to understand human emotions only stretched so far. Their upbringing and connection to others were vastly different, but in some ways, there were some similarities that also brought their two races together.

Listening to the words spoken, they weighed heavily on his heart as he considered those that had once been around him. Preator Fenix came to mind, and the longing for his comrade in arms resurfaced.

"There are times throughout our lives where we must be without those who make us strong, but it is because of those moments that we find the true strength hidden within," Tassadar offered. Watching the movement of Lee's bandaged arm, the templar inclined his head. "You are already a human worthy of praise from all. If Maito Gai returns, there will be something far more important than whether you have grown stronger."

"True strength." Lee supposed that was true. Without his sensei, his biggest supporter, he had to step up his game. It was up to him to make his own decisions, and to try and do his best by Shibusen. It was going to be hard, and Lee was honestly a little scared to continue on without Gai, but he would have to manage. Even if in the end he was still doing it for his sensei's sake.

The praise, however, was unexpected. Lee's eyes widened in shock, and then they slowly started to fill with thick, watery tears. Not one to hide his emotions, Lee allowed them to spill over and didn't even bother wiping away the runny trails they left down his cheeks.

"Th-thank you, Tassadar-san! I am honored to know you have such a high opinion of me!"

Protoss growth and development may not have been ideal to compare to, but the templar had little else. His people had to learn young to stand on their own despite the connection to the Khala, and even if they fought on the battlefield alone, they would do so for honour to earn their place among his people.

Tassadar was pulled from his thoughts though at the odd reaction. Watching as the liquid began to fall from Lee's eyes, he felt a moment of concern before the words followed. It was a reaction he had never seen from a human before, at least not in such large quantities.

"You have always fought well and bravely," he said while inclining his head with respect.

Holiday didn't like not being busy. She had been used to going nonstop for the last five ~~more like eight~~ years, not even taking any vacation or sick days from her insane job. A calm and boring day was one in which she didn't have the threat of being eaten by some sort of monster.

While Death City wasn't exactly boring, Holiday was still trying to get in the groove of things. She had decided to finally start seeking out a job in this city that wasn't volunteer or just missions, but until she was actually hired she still had to keep herself busy. Thanks to Six, that time went to training.

So Holiday is jogging along in the park by herself this evening, in a track suit that she bought because of Liz's insist that she get some sort of casual clothes. Her pace slowed when she caught sight of the dogs... She really wanted some sort of pet. If only they could have won that stupid goldfish at the carnival.

Holiday catches sight of a young man sitting on a bench not too far away, looking at the dogs, too... Though his interest doesn't seem to be in them. Best to give some words of passing and leave him be rather than be rude and ignore him. "They look well trained, don't they?"

On one hand, Giroro was loathe to let anyone else help him clean his weapons (he will need to rely on them in combat!), but on the other hand...

He tosses a rag at the kid. "Hn. Do what you want." He reached for one of the guns, then paused, "And I'm not a frog."

Edited 2012-12-22 04:22 (UTC)

It pleased Lee to no end to know that he was looked upon with such high regard. He hadn't had many kind remarks coming his way of late, especially since...

Lee sniffled and finally reached up to wipe away his tears. "It has always been a pleasure fighting alongside you, Tassadar-san. I sincerely appreciate your patience with me during our missions together."

He took a deep breath, a frown once again pouting his lips. "I am afraid we may have to stop working at temporary partners for a while, however. I upset someone recently, although..." He scratched at the back of his neck, uncomfortable that things had to come to this. He liked Tassadar. He was a good fighter and a true warrior. But if it was going to cause problems, then...

Lee glanced up at a woman who seemed to have been in the middle of her work-out. He enjoyed training, so to see more of Death City's citizens moving about in ways to improve themselves did his heart a bit of good. But her words were centered on the dogs, so he turned his attention back to them before answering.

"I am... really not sure." He scratched at his head, though his hair fell neatly back into place; one of the advantages of having his hair in the bowl cut. He thought back to what he knew of dog training back home. "If I could see how well they did in summoning techniques or at scenting blood trails, then perhaps I could make a better estimate of their abilities."

Not that he was any expert on ninken. That was more Kakashi's department, and the Team 7 sensei had very recently been returned home by BREW.

Lucky for Giroro Lee was very careful and deft around weaponry. He had learned very early on how to treat every type of weapon with proper respect. It came from having a weapon's master as a close teammate.

Picking up one of the blades in the frog-like person's arsenal, Lee carefully began to polish it to brightness. Though his eyebrows lifted at the second comment. "Oh. I am sorry. Forgive me for the assumption."

He eyed the creature curiously. "Though... if you are not a frog, what would you be then, sir?"

Tassadar was pleased to see that his words had managed to reach some level of comfort within the fighter. Aiding in such ways was foreign for his people, and it had only been since arriving here where he had begun the attempt to bridge the gap further between their two races.

The next reaction, however, confused the templar. Humans were an odd creation, and when it appeared that Lee was uncomfortable over the matter, Tassadar chuckled lightly. "You have nothing to fear for I will not be offended," the templar murmured in reply. "My companion, the prelate Zeratul, was returned to this world as a Weapon, and thus we have been attempting to resonate."

It was rare for people to actually apologize to him for mistaking him for a frog, so when someone does, Giroro is usually mollified quite quickly.

When he answers, he' still gruff, but the words aren't biting or angry.

"I'm a Keronian, from the planet Keron." The kid knows his way around weapons, Giroro will give him that.

No, no he wasn't. Sakura discovered herself growing low of energy just by witnessing him so dispirited, but what could she do other than offer him company?

"Sometimes a flame can burn just as hot even if it's tiny." Besides, she swore to herself, she wouldn't let it be snuffed out. "So don't concern yourself with that."

Geez, the task started to look a lot more difficult than she originally anticipated. If her presence couldn't get him up and about, what could?

"I haven't had a good spar in a while." Time to set the bait out.

Judai had been spending a lot of time recently just roaming about. With the inability to just travel like he had been for so long, he was feeling the need to just walk around a little more than normal. Plus, seeing the new sights in this city was nearly as exciting as catching every plane or train he could afford and making his way around the world.

He was just wandering by a park when he actually noticed Lee. Something about the boy seemed off, though Judai didn't know what mostly because he didn't know him at all. All the same, he felt drawn to sit next to him suddenly, speaking as he did so.

"Hey! You look pretty down. This is a pretty weird place to be... y'know... sad at." He gestured to the park vaguely before grinning at his new companion.

A wave of relief rose through Lee and he let out a pent-up breath. Finally, he could relax a little, and his smile became just a little brighter. "Thank you, Tassadar-san."

It was heartening to know that Tassadar's friend had returned, and with an ability that could possibly compliment the two Protoss. Lee found he could smile even brighter at the news, because good news for a friend overshadowed his gloominess, if only momentarily. "That is wonderful! I hope you are able to become good partners!"

Good partners. Lee had somewhat failed on that end recently. His thoughts turning inward, Lee looked back across the park and his smile faded. "There was some miscommunication with a friend of mine, I think. That strain has not helped matters either."

"A Keronian! I see!" Lee had seen the other frog... er, Keronian, on the communicators before. Even from the short interaction he had with this one, Lee could already glean that the two had very different personalities. Lee smiled a bit and nodded. "I will not forget!"

He continued to polish the blade in his hand until it shined, then he moved for another. They were the kinds of weapons he was most familiar with, though he preferred his fists in a fight.

Glancing back down at the brown frog, Lee turned his eyes to the tent. "You live here, sir?"

[He felt like he should be concerned. Gai had always said he needed to shine his brightest especially in the worst of times, but now...]

"I know, but..." [Why was it so hard to work up his enthusiasm?

Sakura's off-handed comment did have Lee's ears perking up, however. She hadn't had a good spar? As much of a foul mood he was in, someone else's needs easily outweighed his own in his mind and he stood abruptly.] "If you would like, I would not mind sparring with you, Sakura-chan!"

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hope this is okay?

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of course! :D

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Omg hi, I'm just gonna tag in here? ;w;

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