It was my first week in the village, in Konoha, home.

This Konoha wasn't truly the same place that I had lived and loved but the jubilant shopkeepers, loud laughter from the children, and the crisp breeze resembled my Konoha so much, it stood as its replacement well enough.

Otherwise taking in the morning sights of the village, I was wandering around its streets because I was, for lack of a better fitting word, flat out broke. No money to my name and without connections had left me threadbare and wishing- for the first time since that mission where I had to play a homeless woman for an assassination- to have something.

Money, possessions, food.

Something.

I was working on just one apple that I had eaten last night, swiped from the receptionist's desk at the Hokage Tower as I left it. I felt like I had been woken up this morning by the rumbling of my stomach.

Wallowing a bit more in my own state of despair, my ears perked at the sound that indicated I found who I was looking for.

"Come now, Lee, the morning is too bright and beautiful not to do one more lap around Konoha!" Came the booming voice of the green-clad jounin ahead of me.

True to form, Maito Gai was shining his signature smile to his student, Rock Lee, who was tearing up at the gesture. A small smile tugged my lips at the familiar sight. Minute things like Gai and Lee's morning routine brought back a crashing wave of nostalgia (and slight grief at the reminder of Gai's current state back in my old world, bound and not as physically able).

"Gai-san!" I yelled out anyways, pushing back any memories to the back of my mind. I jogged towards the two with an opened-mouth smile of my own.

"Dragon Mistress, how blessed I am to be graced with your presence this early in the morning's rays!" The jounin put a large hand behind Lee and pushed him forward.

"This is Rock Lee, one of my beloved students and definitely the most hardworking! Rock Lee, this is Tatsuya Hinowa. She is a new citizen of the Leaf, but one to be counted on and protected as any other in this village!"

At the mention of his name, the smaller bowl-cut opened his mouth to speak, "Greetings! I am Rock Lee, Gai-sensei's youthful student! It is nice to make your acquaintance, Tatsuya-san!"

Then, turning to his sensei, "Congratulations, Gai-sensei, on such a wondrous, youthful engagement with a blossom of beauty!"

A ninety degree bow aimed towards Gai and then me finished the end of the boy's introduction and I quickly jumbled over returning the action, not wanting to be rude myself. It was all very embarrassing and jarring at being reaquainted with a younger Rock Lee's enthusiasm.

"Haha...nice to meet you too, Rock Lee," I picked my elbow in awkwardness. "But me and Gai aren't in any kind of 'engagement'...other than the friendly kind...I actually wanted to ask you, Gai, if I could-"

But before I could put in the request, the Green Beast placed his large hands over my shoulders and shook me (albeit as gently as he could).

"Say no more, My Youthful Flower! I can see it in your eyes, how you ache to join us!" Manly, fat globs of tears spilled down the man's heavily lashed eyes.

"Join...you?" I croaked out, still gathering my bearings after being shook.

A vigorous nod came from the youth with us, "I see it too, Gai-sensei! The youthful drive to train and get stronger! To achieve what you did not think possible! To test the very limits of one's own strengths!"

A backdrop of a setting sun and twinkling ocean appeared behind the three of us. I could have sworn that I heard dolphins chittering in the background as well, their bodies splashing the water as they leapt out and back into the sea.

Unsurprisingly, the surrounding people around us didn't even bat an eye at our display, seemingly used to the eccentricities of the ninja in this village (or perhaps just Lee and Gai's).

I didn't want to discourage them by turning their offer down so, "Alright, I guess. Just one lap around the village, though?"

I could do this right? I needed an excuse to train anyways and this was perfect. I just didn't think I'd be able to do more than one lap around the village however since I never could keep up with Gai's speed and stamina.

"Of course, fair maiden! Lee and I will do ours on our hands but feel free to do what comes natural to you! Perhaps with time you will be able to join us in our entire warm-up session!"

The two barked out a laugh, finding something funny. Just hearing Gai call their exhaustion-inducing, hellish workout a 'warm-up' was enough for me not to say any more on the matter. I just smiled politely at the two and started jogging alongside them after they had gone into handstands.

By the end of the lap- which took about an hour and a half, dragged on of course because of me- I was panting and sweating heavily. I thought myself clever in pacing myself and not outright sprinting but I had still ended up choked for breath.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken their one lap lightly, I thought as I put my hands on my knees. My hair draped over my face to help hide the fact that my face was sweaty and a bit swollen from all the blood circulating through my body.

A heavy hand clapped my shoulder. I almost sputtered out had it not been sheer will and effort of holding in my cough.

"Good job, My Roaring Beauty! You had kept a great pace and finished your lap to the very end!" Gai chortled good naturedly.

Gathering every last ounce of composure, I replied, "You still managed to overlap me, twice, on a handstand." I pointed out.

"It is demeaning to your own skill to compare it to others who have trained longer in this particular exercise, Tatsuya-san! I assure you that Gai-sensei and I think very highly of your efforts!" Rock Lee chimed in after seeing my disgruntled figure.

I finally rose up from my semi-crouch to grin at the two, my eyes crinkling between the sweat gathered there.

"Thank you, honestly. But- ah- Gai, I had actually wanted to ask if I could borrow some supplies or monetary figures since I don't have a job at the moment. I promise to pay you back! It's not as if I could outrun you, we've proven that clearly today." I let out a laugh.

A cryptic look came over the jounin's face, then, suddenly, a thousand-watt smile broke through.

"You should have asked from the beginning, dragon mistress!" He barked out. I bit back the automatic retort of 'I could have if you didn't rope me into your workout!' to avoid antagonizing the man.

"Sorry, must have slipped my mind." I giggled behind my hand, an effortless shrug masking my own tiredness.

The jounin then led both Lee and I to his apartment (the same one as before) and asked us to wait outside. When he had returned, I immediately recognized the green fabric peeking out beind the man's back.

"To thank you for joining us today, I, Maito Gai the Green Beast of Konoha, gift you one of my extra sets of my special, youthful, durable ninja garbs! Please, take it!" He pulled out the onesie from behind him and held it out for me.

All I could do was smile, politely.

From behind me, I heard a voice that sounded very much like Lee's chant one of us, one of us, one of us.

I really like Gai and Lee. I've always envisioned them as these positive, like-minded people who promoted healthy-relationships and self love/care. Say what you will, this is how I've always seen them:)
Short extra, though! Most of them you should expect to be short since they are just that: extras!
Hope you all enjoy anyways!

Thank you jymmie00 for the reviews! I'm always trying to push myself to update and complete this story!