It was a rainy day, Aceso was just leaving the lab when she saw Lee sitting on the bench across from the door. He got up the minute he saw her.

"Are you finished with your work?" Lee asked walking up to her. 

"Yes," Aceso answered. "Why? What about your mission?"

"Went on without a hitch. Can you help me build a dojo?" Lee requested as he put his hands together.

"A dojo?" Aceso asked. " I will help you no matter what, but...Why do you want to build a dojo?"

"It will help further my training!" Lee exclaimed getting in her face.

"Your training?" Aceso asked as she took a step back.

"You see, I've been so preoccupied with my missions lately, I have not been able to devote enough time to developing my skills," Lee explained as he got closer. Aceso stepped back again, she was up against the wall, and Lee stepped closer. "And even when I did. It was hard to find experienced practice partners, so I could not train effectively."

"I am sorry about that," Aceso apologized as she looked at the floor.

"That is not your fault," Lee denied as he lifted her head back up. "Back to where I was...just when I was wondering what to do, I saw something in another village, on a mission." He explained how he saw this person from another person challenge someone from another dojo. "That is when I realized that if I opened my own dojo, someone with his high level of skill would surely come to challenge me! I want to get some real practice!" He took her hands into his...they were bigger than hers. "You say you will help me build it? So will you for sure?"

"Yes, of course," Aceso smiled at him, she closed her eyes, she could feel her cheeks burning.

"Thank you so much, Red Rose!" Lee exclaimed he kissed her forehead, let go of one hand, and bolted out of the hospital.  Aceso's face turned completely red.

"You want to start building it in the rain?" Aceso asked as he continued to run in a certain direction.

"Better to start now than later," Lee answered as he looked back at her. He dragged her to a spot out far from the buildings. It was on a hill, right before the forest. For the next couple of weeks, Aceso and Lee had built the dojo together in between the missions and other responsibilities. 

****

Aceso and Lee were now sitting on a beam they had to support the roof of their dojo, a lot still needed to be done. They were eating some riceballs and meat buns Aceso had made.

"I've been thinking," Lee said as they munched on some rice balls. "You should have an office here!"

"Hm?" Aceso asked as she looked up at him.

"My challengers will need a medic after I am through with them," Lee declared with fire in his eyes. "So we should add an infirmary room of sorts."

Aceso titled her head. "This is your dojo." Lee tilted his head. "You should be the one to have an office here."

*****

By the time they finished, they sat around a piece of paper trying to come up with a flyer. They were up on the laundry rooftop. They made a tent out of some sheets and sat inside.

"Do you have a name for the dojo?" Aceso asked 

"How about...Hot-Blooded Dojo?" Lee suggested.

"That sounds good," Aceso nodded. "Do you have a marquee?"

"I'm glad you asked," Lee said as he pulled it out. "Whoever beats me gets to take it." Aceso looked at his art piece.

"You go make the sign for the name of your dojo," Aceso suggested. " I'll finish the flyer."

"Deal," Lee agreed, he kissed her cheek before leaving the tent. Hours later Aceso walked up to the dojo just as Lee was hammering in the label.

"How this?" Aceso asked as she held it up.

"This will have people crawling to my dojo," Lee answered as he took it. "Thank you!" He engulfed her in a hug and spun around in circles. They disrupted the flyers all over, even in other villages, and small towns. 

****

The dojo had now been open for 6 days,  Aceso was walking up to the Hokage's building as she ran into Naruto, he looked beat up.

"What happened to you big brother?" Aceso asked. 

"That Bushy Brow," Naruto grumbled. " And his darn dojo. I spent too much time at the dumb dojo--"

" I helped build that dojo," Aceso cut him off. "I know it's not perfect but--."

" I mean it's a wonderful dojo," Naruto corrected himself. "I spent too much time at the wonderful dojo and now Grandma Tsunade is gonna tear me to shreds! Aw, man, I better steer clear of Bushy Brow's dojo until he calms down."

"What? Lee's dojo?" Gai's voice flooded their ears.

"Bushier Brow sensei?" Naruto asked as they stopped to face him.

"Papa?" Aceso asked.

Gai still seemed stumped. "Naruto, did I hear what I thought I heard?" They went and had some Dango together as they explained Lee's dojo. Aceso showed him the flyer that she put together. "So while I was away on my mission, Lee was desperate for practice that he decided to open his own dojo in order to train himself?" He hugged the flyer shuddering.

"What's the matter, Papa?" Aceso asked.

"Nothings wrong!" Gai cried dramatically. " I have taught my pupil well! I, Might Gai, am moved and impressed!"

"The problem is, not a single challenger from a rival dojo has shown up to fight him," Naruto informed as he chewed on his Dango.

"And we finished building the dojo six days ago," Aceso huffed. "We worked so hard on the building between our other responsibilities."

"Huh?" Gai gasped as he stood up. "How dare the other dojos treat him like this! Lee's hopes and dreams unrealized! I'll hunt down all those cowards, and I won't go easy on them!" He pointed at them.

"But, uh, if you do, wouldn't that leave fewer folks to spar with him?" Naruto asked.

" Gosh darn it, you're right!" Gai cried as he grabbed his head. " What do I do?"

"Why don't you challenge him?" Aceso asked as Naruto sipped his tea.

"Of course," Gai-sensei agreed. " If no one from the other schools will come challenge Lee--you're right...I will just have to pay him a visit. except I'll be disguised as a fighter who comes to spar against him?"

"Say what!?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Yes," Gai smiled. " I will act out the part of Lee's first dojo challenger!" He smiled, his teeth sparkled.

"What's your disguise going to be?" Aceso asked.

"You're agreeing to this!" Naruto exclaimed in horror.

" Well yeah," Aceso agreed as she looked at him strangely. "As Gai-sensei puts together his disguise, we should go tell Lee of this 'challenger from another dojo.'

"Right on!" Guy agreed before speeding off. He came back, paid for the Dango, and then sped off again.

"What have you two dragged me into?" Naruto groaned as he slammed his head into the ground.

"This isn't the time to be sitting around Naruto," Aceso shook her head as she stood up. " We must go tell, Lee." She grabbed his hand and dragged him all the way back to the dojo. Aceso saw a hole in the building in the shape of Naruto. The broken pieces were used to try to cover it up. They entered the dojo and told Lee about the 'challenger'.

"And this challenger you two met, he really traveled here from another dojo?" Lee asked.

" Well, that's what he told us," Naruto answered. " So we got no reason to think otherwise."

" He said he saw your flyers!" Aceso added.

" Well if that is the case, where is he?" Lee asked as he folded his arms. Naruto grunted nervously. 

"He's probably lost his way," Aceso answered. "This place can be really difficult to find if you don't see the signs." Lee opened his eyes, locking them on Naruto.

"Naruto...Aceso...the challenger is not here," Lee said. "So instead, I would like to spar against one of you!"

"Wha--?" the two gasped. Lee got onto his feet, ready to spar.

"Uh, hold on, let me just go look for him!" Naruto panicked before taking off.

"Naruto!" Lee yelled as he ran towards the door. " Let us work up a vigorous sweat in battle!" He then looked at Aceso. "Then you shall be my first challenger!"

"Hold on Lee!" Aceso exclaimed as she waved her hands frantically. "We should just wait for Naruto to come back with the challenger!"

"But the challenger is currently not here!" Lee said as he got into a fighting stance. "This will be a good chance for me to see how far you've come in your taijutsu!"

"I'd love to spar! But I really think its challenger from another dojo should be your first!" Aceso said as she stepped back. A fist landed next to her head. She went pale, she was shaking a little.

"Fight me, Red Rose," Lee demanded, by the look in his eyes, Aceso could tell that he was extremely serious. 

'This is how it ends,' Aceso told herself. 

"Just be my first," Lee said as he got his face closer to her. Aceso needed Lee to back up, but she had a feeling he wouldn't until she agreed to fight him.

"I really have no desire to fight you," Aceso said. "Not as this moment at least."

"I am tired of waiting for a competitor," Lee said. "Be my first!" Aceso grabbed the sides of his face, pulled him close, and kissed him right between the eyebrows.  Lee turned completely red before fainting, he fell forward, and she put her hands up to keep him from falling on top of her. She let out a sigh of relief, closing her eyes.

'That was a close one,' Aceso thought to herself, she then dragged Lee back to his spot and sat him back on his knees.

"Hey, Bushy Brow!" Naruto shouted as he shows up with Gai-sensei in his disguise. " I found him!" Lee's eyes snapped open, he got to his feet quickly, and Aceso quickly jumped to the side.

" I have been waiting..." Lee began as he turned his head. Aceso looked at the door. 

'Is that the best disguise you could come up with, Papa?' Aceso asked herself.

"Now, we will fight to see if you can best my dojo!" Lee declared as he got in a fighting stance. Gai gasped nervously, he seemed off. "Come in. I am ready."

" Uh...I, uh..." Gai began, and Naruto elbowed him. He leaned down, Naruto whispered something to him. "Oh. Is that right?" He stood up and walked in. " I, uh, issue a challenge--"

"Do I hear a familiar call?" Lee asked. " So you have come to try and destroy my dojo's reputation? Well, I accept! And if you can beat me, then you can claim my marquee as your own!" Gai-sensei seemed not to be on aboard with this anymore.

"Okay! Here I come!" Gai declared.

"Ready!" Lee said. Gai charged and Lee was already out of his sigh. He appeared and gave Gai a powerful kick sending him, into the wall.

"Huh?" Naruto and Aceso asked. Gai shook his head when he opened his eyes, Lee appeared in front of him, kicking him towards the ceiling. Lee jumped up delivering multiple kicks and punches into Gai-sensei.

"Either Gai-sensei is really good at his disguise or that's not Gai sensei," Aceso whispered to Naruto.

"What makes you think it's not him?" Naruto whispered.

"This guy seems uneasy, and Gai-sensei is always confident in everything he does, even in disguise," Aceso explained,

"By the way, when we arrived...correct me if I was wrong...but Lee seemed a little out of as well," Naruto brought up. " As if he got knocked out."

"He just fell asleep waiting," Aceso quickly answered. They continued to watch Lee beat up Gai-sensei. 

"He's got to at least make it look interesting," Naruto whispered to her.

"Maybe he's not fighting, cause Lee would recognize his technique," Aceso whispered.

"Genius!" Naruto gasped quietly. Lee kicked Gai to the ground.

"Wait," Gai said after shakingly getting up.

"Huh?" Lee asked.

" I submit," Gai said as he raised a hand.

 "But...that means...I did it!" Lee cheered. " I bravely fought off my first challenger from another dojo!"

" That's not what it means!" Naruto denied.

" What does it mean then?" Aceso asked as they looked at him.

"What he meant by I submit was, it's time to submit the official challenge to you!" Naruto answered. Both fighters gasped. " In other words, he's just been warming up this whole time, but now he's ready to really throw down! Right?" Lee looked at Gai with the intent to fight again.

" Of course," Lee said. " Now, I understand it."

"You do?" Aceso asked.

"Against such a season veteran, I thought it was strange that I could fight off the challenge so easily," Lee explained. He got back into a fighting position.  " In that case, I will go all out and not hold anything back!" He disappeared again, he reappeared and punched Gai-sensei in the jaw, and he went flying. They continued to watch Gai-sensei get beaten up even worse.

"Why doesn't he strike back?" Aceso whispered to Naruto.

" I'm wondering the same thing," Naruto said as blood came out of Gai's nose. "He's overdoing it on the getting beaten up routine." They then watched Lee deliver a kick that sent Gai crashing through the building. They both gasped.

"Shall I finish him off?" Lee asked.

"Hold it!" Aceso exclaimed

"Time out!" Naruto exclaimed. 

"Hm?" Lee asked as he looked back at them. Naruto and Aceso went out to find Gai-sensei. Aceso performed medical ninjutsu on him as Naruto poured water on him.

"Come on, fight him back a little, will you?" Naruto stated.

" If Lee doesn't find this challenging enough, he'll want more, and one of us might get stuck being his next punching bag," Aceso added.

"Well, actually..."Gai began as he sat up.

"Yeah?" the two asked.

"It's been one extreme mission after another, and I haven't had any sleep," Gai explained. 

" Oh? Well, that explains it," Naruto said.

"You need your sleep, Papa," Aceso said to him. "As you say, if we don't get enough sleep, we won't be able to engulf in the prime of our youth every day."

"If I got a little rest, I think I might recover, but..."Gai began. He grabbed Naruto's hand. "While I take my rest, won't you please do me a favor and act as his opponent for a while?" Naruto screamed out in a panic. "Come on!" Tears flowed out of Gai-sensei's eyes. Naruto ended up transforming into Gai-sensei along with his disguise, the two went back inside.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Gai/Naruto apologized.

"To have withstood such a fierce attack, yet you are standing there unharmed," Lee noticed. "What a fighter." He got in a stance. "The world is so vast, but somehow an amazing challenger found me. For today's experience alone, this dojo was worth it!" Naruto seemed nervous. " Here I come!" 

"Shadow Clone just!" Gai/Naruto shouted. Clones popped up, Lee punched and kicked his way through the clones. 

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee shouted a little wind storm appears from his move, taking out three clones at once. He jumped up, used his bandages, captured the Gai on the rafter, and yanked him down. Naruto yelped. Naruto whimpered a Lee took him down with Primary Lotus. Aceso was quite happy she ended up not being Lee's opponent, but now she was worried about Naruto.

" Oh, no," Lee breathed as he jumped out of the smoke after they slammed into the ground. "Another clone?"

" Fooled ya!" Guy/Naruto yelled as he came up from the ground. Lee easily dodged it, jumping back. "Let's try this again!"

"So you will make more clones?" Lee asked. The challenger grunted a smile as he went to go make more clones. A ton of Aceso's all appeared around Lee, he looked flabbergasted.

'NARUTO!' Aceso exclaimed in anger/horror to herself.

"Don't hurt me, Lee," all of her doubles pleaded. They all looked so innocent. 

"R-Red Rose?" Lee asked.

"It's me, Lee!" one said.

"Be nice to me!" another requested.

"Take it easy," another requested.

"So...So many Red Roses, all in one place!" Lee blushed heavily. His eyes kept popping in and out. "Lucky day! How moving!" Tears of joy flowed from Lee. " I have never known such happiness before in my entire life!" Aceso's eyes went wide, her cheeks went pink, and her mouth opened a little. 

"Snap out of it!" all the Acesos yelled.

"Huh?" He asked, then all of the Aceso's uppercut him, and he flew up. He let out a scream.

"We did it!" they all cheered.

"I guess I forgot," Lee groaned after he landed. "This is a fight against a fierce challenger. A clever rouse, but I will not fall for the same trick again! Even they may look like Aceso, they are just phony replicas."

"Lee," one Aceso breathed. " That was so mean."

"Tell me..." Lee began. "Only the real Aceso would know this...earlier before you arrived to be my challenger...if you were the real Aceso...then tell me where did you kiss me earlier?" 

"KISS YOU!" They all exclaimed a little angrily. Aceso's eyes went in horror. After this, Naruto was definitely going to kick her ass. Lee then went in and started to take out the clones.

"How about this?" Lee asked as he plowed through them, he soon landed in front of the real Aceso.

"Wait," Aceso said as she dodged a punch. "I'm not one of those phony replicas." She dodged a kick.

"How can I be so sure that it is really you?" Lee asked as he went for another punch.

"Right between the eyebrows," Aceso answered as she grabbed his fist. "To answer your question from earlier." Lee removed her headband before going back to battle.

Soon Naruto had returned back to his Gai-sensei disguise, soon both of them were panting harshly.

"You put up a good fight," Lee panted.

"Yeah, you did too," Gai/Naruto panted. Suddenly, another Lee crashed through the wall of the dojo.

" Ahh!" Lee cried as he covered his head. "Help me!" Tears flowed out of his eyes.

"What?" Naruto asked in his own voice. "Bushy Brow?" 

"Lee?" Aceso asked.

"Me?" the Lee standing across from Gai/Naruto asked.

"Dynamic Entry!" Gai's voice rang. He broke through more of the broken wall.

"What! Another dojo challenger!" Lee asked.

"Gai Sensei? What the heck took you so long?" Naruto asked before transforming back into himself.

"Na-Naruto?" Lee stuttered. " I am confused. What is going on?"

" If you can't defend against this basic attack, there's no use even talking to you!" Gai denied it as he walked over to the Lee duplicate. The duplicate was completely shaking. "Your training is a complete failure!"

'Wait! No!" the other Lee cried out, he didn't even sound like Lee. "I'm not him!"

"You don't deserve your own dojo!" Gai stated. " It's just way too soon. Such naive thinking. Well! I know how to fix that!" He punched the other Lee harshly through the wall. As he stood up, Gai's disguise completely fell off. " I hope you can forgive me, Lee." Tears flowed out of his eyes. "It was tough love."

"The challenger's true identity was actually, Gai Sensei?" Lee asked. 

"What the...?" Gai asked looking at Lee. "You're the real Lee? Then...who did I just punch through the wall?" They all looked through the giant gap, the fake Lee lay on the ground, and a cloud of smoke puffed up revealing some random guy.

"Never seen him before, who is he?" Aceso asked.

"Why me?" the man groaned. They went up to the Hokage's office with the random guy being carried on Gai's back. Aceso knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Tsunade welcomed them. Lee opened the door. "Oh, Gai. You brought Aceso, Naruto, and Lee. What perfect timing. I was just about to call you all into my office."

"Why, is something else going on?" Gai asked.

"We just received an intelligence report," Tsunade answered.

" A ninja from the Land of Valleys named Nanafushi is rumored to be spying on the Leaf Village," Shizune explained.

"Huh?" they all asked.

"I'm concerned that he may have already infiltrated the village," Tsunade admitted. "I want you to go search for this Nanafushi immediately." She held up a picture of the guy. "Capture him!"

"Huh!" Naruto exclaimed. 

" That's the fella?" Gai asked.

"Do you think you know where he is?" Shizune asked.

"It's him!" Lee, Naruto, and Aceso breathed as they pointed at the guy on Gai sensei's back. Tonton let out a sigh.

" I have no idea what's going on, but you call that mission complete!" Naruto admitted.

"Well then," Gai breathed as he dropped the Nanafushi on the ground. " We'll be on our way."

"Hey! Don't just leave him on my floor!" Tsunade scolded him.

" Wait! Gai, hold on!" Shizune protested.

" I demand an explanation!" Tsunade ordered. " Gai! Lee! Hey! Aceso! Naruto!" Lee and Aceso went back to the dojo to rebuild the broken parts. She explained what the disguise was all about.

"Sorry about that Lee," Aceso apologized.

"No, it was absolutely thoughtful," Lee said as he hammered in a nail. "In the end, I got to fight against three different challengers."

"Well, technically two," Aceso corrected. "Nanafushi and Naruto, who was disguised as Gai-sensei in a disguise."

"Oh, right," Lee nodded. They put up another piece, an odd silence filled the air. 

"Is something bothering you?" Aceso asked.

"It's about earlier," Lee said as his cheeks turned pink.

"Earlier?" Aceso asked as she hammered a nail.

"When I was trying to get you to fight me," Lee recalled.

"Oh," Aceso breathed as her cheeks turned pink. "Sorry about that, I kind of...panicked."

"Oh, it's alright," Lee said as he looked at the ground. "It was a good surprise attack."

"Thanks," Aceso breathed as her heart rate picked up. 

"Would you like to try that surprise attack again on me?" Lee asked nervously.

"Huh?" Aceso asked as she looked up at him.

"Would you like to try it again?" Lee asked with more confidence as he leaned down. "This time...don't miss." 

"Don't miss?" Aceso asked in confusion.

"I'll demonstrate," Lee offered as he got closer, their eyes locked. "This way, you'll be my first."

"WELL!" Naruto exclaimed as he appeared between the two. The two both fell over, feet sticking straight up in the air. "This dojo won't fix itself!" 

"Naruto," Aceso groaned as she rubbed her head. "Where did you come from?"

"Just around the corner," Naruto answered. "We need more wood if we want to fix it."

"Good thinking," Aceso agreed as she got back to her feet. She looked up at Naruto, and if looks could kill Lee would be six feet under.