Normal

"Speech"

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language right now, but there is a possibility of lemons later.

Chapter 9:The Battle Begins!

There was a mass of explosions that traveled the length of Shikamaru's tendrils. He felt her chakra flowing back along his own shadow. Shikamaru released his shadow Jutsu and jumped out of the way. "What was that?" Shikamaru was intrigued. There was a lot of smoke from the explosions. Myra's voice echoed through the smoke.

"I don't give up that easily. You should try a little harder! My Grandma Nancy could do better!" Myra smirked. Shikamaru took a deep breath and shook his head. He wasn't going to rise to her baiting. Shikamaru looked around as the smoke started to clear. He still couldn't see her. Myra had her eyes fixed on him, and she wasn't moving from her spot. She reached for two kunai. One had a long thin wire attached to it. The other was noting special, merely an object to get him to move in the right direction.

Myra looked at Shikamaru's positioning and guessed the likely direction he would dodge and took aim with the wired kunai. She threw the second kunai directly at him. She would swear to anyone that asked her later that it was sheer luck she picked the right direction, but others knew better. Shikamaru jumped to the left to dodge the first kunai to be grazed by the wired kunai. He felt the wire touch his skin and reached for the wire.

"Are you planning on tying me up?" He grasped the wire and smirked. Myra smiled and tilted her head just slightly. Neji was the first to wince as Shikamaru lit up like a bug hitting a bug zapper. Naruto didn't know if he should be happy because Myra beat Shikamaru, or upset that Shikamaru lost. Sakura raised her eyebrows. Tsunade just beamed.

Shikamaru'd hair was standing more on end than normal and he had a burnt charcoal color to him. He fell forward and hit the ground. Kakashi came forwards and checked to make sure he wasn't faking. Kakashi looked up to Sakura and she rushed forward. Myra stood back and waited. Sakura examined the unconscious shadow weaver. He had minor burns on his hand where he grabbed the wire and that was about it. "This could have been much worse." Sakura was a little worried.

Myra stepped forward and bent over Shikamaru, "Is the Nancy Boy ok?" Myra looked genuinely concerned. Sakura turned to give Myra a smile and looked directly into her eyes. Sakura was in shock, it was there, but ever so slightly. "Myra's eye color had changed, but not enough to be noticeable from meters away. And all three tomoe in both eyes. Is this possible?"

"Sakura, you're staring again." Myra winked at Sakura and walked back to the center of the field. Sakura watched her walk away. Kakashi bent down to Sakura and whispered. "I am sure there will be an explanation later, but for right now, Sakura, worry about Shikamaru." Kakashi was smiling at Sakura. The pink haired girl gulped and went back to working on Shikamaru. Sakura looked up at Kakashi and they hauled Shikamaru off to the tree line where Sakura could continue to monitor his vitals. The lightning attack wasn't strong enough to do major damage. Myra had seen to that. She hadn't used enough juice to short circuit his nervous system, or stop his heart. "It shows she has restraint" Tsunade smirked with pride.

"Who's up next?" Tsunade turned to the three boys. "On the count of 3?" Naruto put his fist out. Lee followed suit and they both glared at Neji for a few moments. Neji begrudgingly put his fist out as well. There was a three count and Lee lost. Lee's eyes were a blaze and there was a shout of "WOOHOO!" The excited Lee walked to the center of the field and faced off with Myra. Myra raised an eyebrow. "So… I get Gumby next?" Myra laughed. "Ok then…"

"Do not underestimate him. He has speed, but he is quick to prove his worth, you may find an advantage in that. Remember in a battle of strength vs. speed, speed will win a straight out fight. But, if you fight smart and catch him, you can overpower him" Edgar ruffled his feathers.

Myra nodded and kept her eyes on Lee. Kakashi came to the center of the field between Lee and Myra. "Same rules as before. Are you ready?" Kakashi looked at both of them in turn. "Ok… BEGIN!"

They started with easy punches and kicks. The speed was normal and Myra looked bored. She threw off one of his kicks and shimmered to the center pillar again.

"Are you trying to test me, or bore me?" She shimmered again directly in front of him. She tapped Lee gently on the forehead and shimmered to about 5 feet away from him. Myra was giggling. "That was from Edgar who says to stop holding back." Lee looked slightly confused. He glanced over to Neji and Naruto. Neji was keeping his eye on Myra, Naruto gave Lee a thumbs up. Lee took off in a zig zag pattern that kicked up a lot of dust. He came toward her and she was already moving out of the way of his punch.

Sakura finished working on Shikamaru who was finally beginning to come around. He was going to have a splitting headache and the burns were superficial. Sakura walked back over to Tsunade who was watching the match intently. Sakura looked a little upset and angry.

"Shisho? When were you going to tell us about…" Tsunade interrupted her. "Sakura, right now is not a good time for an explanation to anything. I think Kakashi already told you once that there will be a time for it later. Besides, I am sure that if you ask Neji he can confirm your suspicions." Sakura didn't argue with the Hokage. She somberly walked back to where Neji was standing. He was staring at Myra with his byakugan. Sakura looked at Neji with concern in her eyes. "Is it true Neji?" Naruto was looking very confused by what was going on.

Neji turned around to Sakura. "I'm not sure yet, the chakra concentration in her eyes isn't enough to say for sure. Of course it could be a deviation from the bloodline. Did you notice the crest on her back?" Sakura nodded.

"Yeah, it's a fan with feathers." Naruto said still confused. "You are as observant as ever Naruto-kun. What other clan in Konohagakure has a crest that is a fan?" Neji continued to watch Myra. Naruto flipped through his mental picture file of each of the family crests. He stood stock still. His mind raced over everything trying to make sense of it all.

Myra and Lee were a blur of kicks, flips, punches and jabs. They matched each other equally. She caught his ankle and felt the weights under the tacky lag warmers. Myra tossed him back a few feet. Lee recovered easily and charged her again. Myra put up her hand. "WAIT!" Lee skidded to a stop.

"I thought I asked you not to hold back." She glared at him. Lee blinked at her, then looked over to the Hokage. Tsunade shrugged. "Take them off Lee." Tsunade smiled. Lee sat to take off his leg weights. There were concerned protests from the crowd "That isn't fair!" cried Sakura. Naruto was about to add his voice in protest when Tsunade put up her hand to silence the crowd.

The loud thud of Lee's weights hitting the ground snapped everyone's attention back to the battle. Myra smirked. "Finally, someone takes me seriously." The pace of the fight quickened. Even Neji could barely keep up with what was going on. Kakshi lifted his headband to uncover his sharingan. Kakashi didn't know what was more incredible, the speed at which they were moving, or the fact that Myra was keeping up with Lee.

Naruto and Sakura were at the disadvantage. Neither could see more than a dark blue blur and a green blur. Naruto was in awe of the raven haired girl. There was a loud bang seconds after the blurs collided and trails of smoke in opposite directions. Lee and Myra hit the ground sliding on the soft ground. They all looked between the two opponents. Everyone focused on Myra and finally, in its blood red glory, the sharingan shown brightly in Myra's eyes.

"An Uchiha? But I thought that Itachi had slaughtered all the living Uchiha with the exception of Sasuke?" Naruto blurted out. Sakura elbowed Naruto in the ribs. Myra took notice of the names and the conversation. She wanted to know more about who Itachi was. Myra decided to end this battle. Myra turned her attention back to Lee who was waiting to move. Lee smirked. The both took off at the same time. Lee charged her again. She wasn't paying attention to Lee, Myra was more involved with the conversation on the sidelines. She took the hit in her chest and flew upwards.

Lee had set her up for the Lotus. He shimmered behind her and was about to get his wrist wraps around her. Myra saw everything in slow motion. She put a replacement in her stead and shimmered to just above Tsunade in the trees. Everyone's attention, except the Hokage's, was on Lee.

"Is it true? Someone DID survive?" Myra voice was quiet and serious. Lee crashed down to the ground in a large plume of dust and earth. The dust cleared and a tired Lee was standing at the edge of the crater. Kakashi moved in to survey the damage. Lee was already celebrating.

"I don't think you should celebrate too quickly Lee." Kakashi pointed to the splintered log at the bottom of the crater.