Chapter 39:

Normal

"Speech"

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I STILL do not own Naruto (sad isn't it). Rated "M" for language and adult situations.

Chapter 39: Friendly Training Exercise

"You're going to be working with Gai and Lee to improve your taijutsu." Rai's words echoed in Myra's head while she trudged towards the bridge. She had left Naruto sleeping in bed and Sephie sleeping on the couch back at her apartment. Myra's father was slightly upset with her poor performance at the test match a few days ago, but he was even more upset by Myra's disappearing act.

Myra knew the early morning was more punishment than anything else. The Ravenheart girl hated early mornings. "Evil day star" she grumbled and rubbed at her eyes.

Naruto had tried to coax her in to telling him where she went. "Letting off some steam" was the only answer he or anyone could get out of Myra. The Ravenheart girl yawned as she got to the bridge. She was a few minutes early so she dropped her heavy back pack, leaned against a post and closed her eyes.

The moment Might Gai got close enough to be within range of Myra's senses, it was like cheesy 70's disco music started playing in her head. She calmly opened her eyes to see the Green Beast. Myra shook her head.

"You must be the Captain's daughter Myra." He had a large toothy grin on his face.

She looked at him indifferently. Myra was not amused by her "punishment" for leaving the village, but she was going to get it over as quickly as possible. "And you're Might Gai. Nice to meet you." She picked up her bag. "Let's get this over with."

"Myra, you must be enthusiastic about life and take this training seriously." Gai struck an odd pose.

Myra raised an eyebrow. "Oh I will take it seriously in about two or three hours when I'm fully awake and getting ready to take my nap."

"Maybe a run with help you clear your head of the morning cobwebs." Gai gave her another toothy smile.

Myra sighed. "With or with out gear?" She smirked.

Gai blinked. "Five hundred laps with gear."

Myra smirked. "Sucker…" she muttered under her breath and put her back pack on. Myra was about to take off running when a hand grabbed her shoulder. The one and only person that could sneak up on her had put his hand on her shoulder.

Rai's voice boomed. "NO LAPS! You do NOT need to work on your speed." Rai turned to Gai. "Don't let her fool you Gai, we're here to work on her hand to hand. She doesn't need to work on the speed."

Myra scrunched up her face and crossed her arms. "You're no fun." She groused.

They walked to the training ground where Lee was waiting. Lee came bounding toward them. "Gai-sensei, Myra-san, and" Lee looked at Rai. "Ravenheart-san." Lee's eyes went wide; then he bowed very low. "I am honored to meet the man that trained Gai-sensei."

Rai chuckled. "Lee, it is good to meet you finally. I have heard so much about you. But I am not here to trade stories at the moment. I am here to observe." He turned his gaze to Myra. "And keep Myra from slipping away."

Myra rolled her eyes and dropped her bag. "Let's do this. I would like to take a nap later."

Gai smiled. "I am glad to see you are more enthusiastic about hard work. Maybe we should start with something simple."

Myra crossed her arms. "Ok, like what?"

Gai glanced over to Rai.

The Ravenheart elder smiled and shook his head. "Start with the basics and work your way up. That should give you an idea on what she needs to work on."

Gai nodded. "Ok Lee… Start with the basics."

Myra rolled her eyes again and dropped her arms. "Right… The basics." Myra walked to the middle of the field. "Come on Gumby." She took her stance.

Lee grinned at Gai and saluted. "Yosh!"

Rai and Gai watched as the two started to spar. Lee was a flurry of punches, spins and kicks. Myra blocked and evaded, but never attacked Lee.

"Stop!" Gai held up his hand. The two stopped. Myra walked to her bag with her nose in the air. Lee just stayed in the middle of the field. Gai turned his back on the two students to speak with Rai.

"She is amazingly graceful in her movements and can keep up with Lee, but she has not taken the offensive." Gai crossed his arms and had his chin in his hand in contemplation.

"This isn't like her. I have always noticed that she doesn't like to be aggressive, but this is ridiculous." Rai looked over at Myra who was messing with her cell phone. The Ravenheart elder walked over to his daughter and crouched down next to her.

"What is wrong with you?" Rai asked her.

"Nothing, why?" She looked up are her father.

"Because you won't take the offensive." Rai scowled at her.

Myra finished the text message on her phone and dropped it back into her bag. She looked up at her father and glared right back at him. "This was your idea, not mine. I am here because I was TOLD to be here. No one said I had to cooperate."

"When are you going to get it though that thick skull that this is part of who you are?"

Myra turned away from her father. "When are you going to understand that who I am isn't who you want me to be."

"I want you to aspire to be something more. More importantly I want you to at least show some respect. Lee isn't some kid off the street. He can take what you can dish out."

Myra turned back to her father. "Are you sure? He's a little slow and tends to favor his left side."

Gai's eyes went wide with shock. "How did…"

Myra turned her glare to Gai. "This is the second time I've spared with Gumby. I have a tendency to notice those things." Myra turned back to her father. "You want me to get serious?"

"Yes." Rai tone was firm.

"Fine…" Myra angrily stalked back to the middle of the field where Lee was standing. "Take off those stupid leg weights. They slow you down and they hurt my wrists. By the way, don't hold back, because I'm not going to either."

Lee looked back at Gai for approval. Gai nervously gave Lee the "thumbs up". Lee dropped the weights with a loud thud. The green clad boy looked back at Myra standing in the middle of the field with her head down. He walked slowly towards her. The morning had been warm and the sun was shining brightly. But as Lee approached the middle of the field the temperature started to drop significantly.

The young taijutsu master raised his trade mark eyebrows in shock. Lee could feel a distinct element of darkness surround the normally happy and cheerful girl. The air was turning icy and cold.

Myra raised her head to glare at Lee. His jaw dropped. It was like looking at a completely different person. Myra's normal bright color was gone and she had washed herself of all emotion. Her eyes had gone cold and heartless. Myra allowed the darkness to take over for the moment, and she hated it. Lee took a step back. He had seen that empty stare before. Sasuke had it, Kimimaru had it, and now Myra had it too. Myra stared through him with cold distant eyes. "I'm sorry Lee." Was the last thing she said before she attacked him.

It was faster than Lee had expected. He was flying a few feet back before he could react and catch sight of Myra coming around for another punch. Lee managed to block her punch, but did not anticipate her kick to his side. He wasn't prepared for the complete change in her fighting style. Myra was using her speed and flexibility against him. What was worse, she was intentionally attacking his left side.

Lee was thrown back a feet by a quick palm to his chest. She was hitting A LOT harder than before as well. Lee regained his composure and darted after her. They met head on in an all out fight.

Gai stood in awe of his student and Myra. It was bringing tears to his eyes. Rai was simply smirking. He knew what Myra was capable of and knew she was anything but rudimentary and sloppy. Lee grabbed Myra's ankle and spun her around tossing her back a few feet. She gracefully twisted her body to land on her feet, to be met with another barrage of blows from Lee.

There was a large plum of smoke that gathered around the fighting shinobi. Gai became nervous when he lost sight of his precious student. When the dust cleared, Lee had Myra from behind in a choke hold. There was no expression of any kind on her face. Rai felt the charge in the air and could smell the Ozone. "MYRA NO!"

But it was too late. The white hot electricity coursed through Lee and threw him back ten meters. Myra stood stock still and didn't move. Gai rushed to Lee. The older man cradled Lee's unconscious form. "What did you do?"

Myra's expression did not change. "I got him off of me." Her tone was icy and distant.

Rai walked over to Myra and loomed over her. "That was unnecessary."

The girl looked up at her father with an uncaring stare. "Was it?"

"This was a friendly training exercise, so yes, it was uncalled for."

"I beg to differ. You wanted me to "get serious", so I did. Now you want chastise me for doing what you wanted?" Myra started to steady her breath.

She was right. Rai had asked her to take this spar seriously and she had, maybe a little too seriously He thought. She had to prepare for the up coming match with a Hyuuga. Which Hyuuga she was going to fight against had yet to be determined, but it would still be a challenge. Myra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She let go of the dark place she went when she would fight an enemy. Feelings started to come back to her as did her color and emotions.

Myra turned to Gai and the unconscious Lee. Tears started to well up behind her eyes, but she pushed them back. She walked over to Lee, her hands glowing a deep purple color. Myra knelt down and placed her hands over his chest.

She smiled sadly Gai. "This should only take a few minutes and he will be bouncing around again."