Tenth Gate [Voice/Action]

[niceguypose]

[What connects the phrases "Rock Lee" and "dislocated knee", aside from the fact that they rhyme? Well, the two things are part of the same person after Rock Lee tried to fight off the droids when the time came to come to the moon. And why did he feel so compelled to resist them? Well, such a pain in his heart comes out soon enough. Once he finds that the journal is still on his person and is still working, he shouts into it the reason:]

[Voice]

GAI-SENSEI AND TENTEN... THEY'VE GONE HOME!

Feel free to weep. Gai-Sensei never saw shame in shedding tears of youth, after all, and I am sure that they will be missed dearly. At home, they will fight on bravely.

In addition to our current predicament, I understand that it is almost Halloween. Many worlds refer to it as the 'holiday of disguise'. A very appropriate holiday for the ninja, don't you think? Furthermore... I shall honor Gai-Sensei by disguising myself as him.

[Action: Throughout Event]

[It's odd. Lee does not feel alone, as he expected to. But he feels afraid of the very possibility of feeling that. So, there's less attention to personal space than ever - and he's seeking out friends new and old as he travels through Malnosso World. You may even find him towing around a reluctant NPC friend. He's the least impaired by the power cap as well, since all of his strength and speed is from personal training. He makes regular lap around the area in search of more companions, while constantly ignoring his knee's pain. And if you catch him on Halloween, you'll certainly find him dressed as Maito Gai. Which... does not look very different.

In Cartoon Land, he trains! What better way to make use of the complete lack of physics than to perform impossible feats and absurd spars with them? Beware as he challenges passersby into battles that will often take place in fight clouds!

In Bubble Land, he examines the surroundings and takes notes! Not to mention that he winds up going on the love-paddle rides. In fact, it almost becomes like an addiction because of the way it puts his fear at ease.

In Casino Land, he takes his hand at games of chance! With spectacular failure. And he may just need to be held back whenever he tries attacking a machine in frustration. He has better luck at the food court, where he collects all the curried dishes for himself - including all of the weirdest ones. He spends more time here after the Halloween incident.

In Junior Land, it's time to relive the most youthly part of youth! He checks out most of the attractions but focuses on the bumper cars, sparing no mercy towards his rivals. He spends time in Thrill Land and Halloween Land as well. Trying out all the death-defying rides! Being the most impatient youth in line! Murder mysteries!

He spends his offtime at a villa inhabited by Usopp, Shikamaru and Luke Triton. He may feel the need to camp out in some of their rooms on different nights, and it all builds up to the Halloween Incident: when Usopp brings him sake, the result is a drunken Lee who wrecks the villa.]

Comments

( Video )

[padme_amidala]

I am sorry for your loss. ( She hesitates before adding: ) You realize it's not much of a disguise if you tell everyone who you will be dressed as? Unless you mean to use Gai's appearance as a decoy?

( Video )

[niceguypose]

I humbly thank you, miss.

I will use no decoy! It is no such thing. However, we shall see for sure how well the disguise works. You may very well find yourself convinced you are speaking to the true Gai-Sensei!

( Video )

[padme_amidala]

( She doesn't - or, rather, didn't - know Gai-Sensei, but she can be diplomatic about it. This boy obviously wants to do his best. Who is she to dissuade him? )

I look forward to seeing the outcome of your efforts.

( Video )

[niceguypose]

And I look forward to displaying it! Will you garb any disguises for yourself?

[action - Thrill Land]

[dangerouswind]

[There have been precious few places that Temari can relax a bit. In the casinos, there were just too many people. Cartoon Land and it's indescribable lack of logic (and impossibly thick dust clouds) had her retreating to the nearest source of water in the most dignified way possible.

So Thrill Land it is - a place designed to induce freak-outs and she's looking for... well. For anything other than way too many people, messy eaters (the buffet was horrible) and dirt.

So much dirt.

...Yeah, she knows. She's got to get this together. She's not standing in any line, really. Just looking up at the nearest ride and thinking, yeah, it might be worth standing in line for.]

[action - Thrill Land]

[niceguypose]

[Lee had just finished a ride, and the people he had tried to befriend in the same roller coaster car as him had just ditched him. He had that feeling of exhilaration from just finishing a ride and was a sweaty mess for the most part. Being separated from those guys for some time now, his fear starts to settle in. What if all of his friends are truly gone forever, and he'll always be as alone as he is right now?

He brightens when he sees Temari surveying a ride.]

TEMARI-SAN!

[He's running forward to hug her. That is accepted behavior amongst friends, after all.]

[action - Thrill Land]

[dangerouswind]

[Oh good God no, not accepted behavior. She can smell him from here and that's just...

... that's just not good.

Throwing a punch is an acceptable response, right? 'Cause that's what she's doing.]

[Video]

[misterbrief]

[Tenten went home? Pfff. That sucks, he actually sort of liked her.]

You know there's absolutely no reason for you to shout like that, aren't you ever going to learn? I'm sure Tenten didn't appreciate you blowing her ear drums out all the time either.

[Video]

[niceguypose]

It is... youth.

[He sounds defeated.]

Tenten never voiced such complaints. Or... perhaps she did, sometimes. If I speak at a lower volume! ...Would less people leave me alone?

[Video]

[misterbrief]

[He is letting the youth comment slide because he is not yelling it right now. And he does sound really down.]

Lee, if you spoke in a normal voice more often than not I'm sure more people would probably be more likely to want to hang around you. [Why, he'll never quite be sure.] I'm sure you hurt more than one person's ears on a regular basis with all that yelling you do.

[therewerefifty]

[In the chaos of their arrival here and now the strange place they've found themselves in, it's ironic that Makie fastens on Lee's loud announcement as something normal and familiar.

And it's bad news, also. Though she only met him the once, she knows how close the two of them were. And Tenten...]

I'm sorry, Lee. Will you be all right?

[niceguypose]

[Normally, he would try to cover his feelings under sugary mounds of blind optimism. But he feels that fear tingling in his spine and responds to that instead.]

I cannot say, Makie-san.

I...

I feel considerably lonesome!

[therewerefifty]

[She was expecting the blind sugary optimism, actually. The more honest answer (if still flamboyant) makes her blink.]

He must be missed by many here. Perhaps you could seek consolation in the company of others.

[ action ]

[degleamed]

[ Rapunzel didn't know much about the Paddle Boats of Love beyond the fact that the line was quite long and she thought the name sounded nice. A ride about love? Sounds like her type of thing.

She's more than a little surprised when she gets to the front of the line and sees who she'll be riding with, however. ]

Lee?

[ action ]

[niceguypose]

[And he's quite surprised himself. But it's a pleasant surprise. That fear of his immediately feels all the more distant.]

Ah... Rapunzel-san! [He looks towards the boat.] Are we to paddle together?

[ action ]

[degleamed]

I...suppose we are! [ She smiles sheepishly as she gets in her side of the boat. ]

[Voice]

[windandrain]

I'm sorry to hear about your sensei, Lee.

He was. Is. A wonderfully brave man. I've met very few so vibrant.

[Voice]

[niceguypose]

Thank you for your wishes, Saori-san. None could channel the vibrancy of youth with his skill. I hope that you can cope with his departure well.

[Voice]

[windandrain]

No, I don't think there are many like that except perhaps my uncle. But if your exuberance is any indication, I think you'll match your father in time. Probably exceed him.

[Video]

[origami_ninja]

I am sorry to hear about Maito Gai and Tenten.

[How to put the latter part of what she has to say politely... He already emulates Gai to the point that they could be mistaken for relatives.]

I am confident that you will pull off a very effective Maito Gai disguise, though.

[Video]

[niceguypose]

Your confidence, it emboldens me, Konan-san!

Yet, I am glad to hear your wishes, Konan-san. So, even they befriended you here?

[Video]

[origami_ninja]

They...did not, but they accepted that I meant them no harm.

[Gai had been downright uncomfortable when she spoke to him, and had forgotten about trying to use his wings to fly in favour of being carefully guarded around her. Neither Gai nor Tenten had been hostile toward her, though.]

[Action]

[endgames]

[It's the first night at Malnosso World, in their villa. It was annoying being dragged off like that with no notice, but Shikamaru has to admit things aren't as bad as it could be. Kind of nice, actually.

Staring at the ceiling, he wonders what woke him up. And then he hears the second set of breathing in his room.]

Lee.

[Not turning his head; hazarding a guess.]

[Action]

[niceguypose]

Shikamaru-kun.

[He says, sitting cross-legged in a corner of the room looking through his notepad.]

Are you awake?

[Action] Wow, sorry for the wait

[endgames]

No, I'm sleeptalking. [/deadpan.] Why are you in my room, Lee.