(WIP)The Hidden Dragon Chronicles: Series 1

Episode 4: Team 7! United Once and For All!

The next morning, Izumi awoke to Naruto hitting her with a pillow. "Izumi!"

His eyes were widened as he enthusiastically pulls his shirt over his head.

Izumi looked away from his bare back to see that Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were still sleeping.

The curtains were still drawn over all the windows, although it couldn't have been earlier than 5 a.m., judging from Izumi's dazed state.

"We're late!" Naruto grabbed Izumi's arm and started pulling her, covers and all, towards the door.

Izumi was about to ask why they were late, when it dawned on her. The survival exercise was that day!

She didn't bother looking for a change of clothes as she chased Naruto.

After a few minutes of frightened muttering and tripping over their friends' sleeping bodies, Naruto and Izumi gather their belongings and run out of Choji's house as quietly as they could in their confusion.

"I'll meet you there!" Naruto yells as he slides his shoes on the wrong feet. "I need to go get my gear from my room." He waves and headed for his apartment.

She was left in the middle of the street, sleep-deprived and clothed in what appeared to be a mix of Shikamaru's and Ino's clothes, attempting to figure out what had occurred.

Izumi shook off her confusion and hurried back to Shikamaru's home. After leaving her window open the day before, she slid back in and closed it while she changed.

Izumi quickly slipped into her white training top, light blue shorts, and her pair of blue ninja sandals before searching for her gear.

Izumi found Sakura and Sasuke waiting alone at the training grounds entrance.

Sakura appeared too preoccupied with watching Sasuke, but the boy immediately noticed the blonde konoichi.

"Hi guys!" Izumi approached, smiling and waving happily.

Sasuke nodded, and Sakura smiled faintly at her.

Izumi observed that her sensei had not yet come, so she decided to store her fantastic explanation in case she was late again.

Izumi heard feet pounding behind her and just barely avoided colliding with Naruto.

The Uzumaki came to a halt near where she had been standing and greeted her with a wave.

"I..." he panted. "...am here!"

Naruto quickly straightened up and looked around. "Where's sensei?" He asked, scratching his head.

Sakura huffed, crossing her arms.
"He's obviously not here yet, Naruto." She exclaimed, evidently displeased.

Naruto frowned and then scowled. "He's later than me!"

Almost an hour had gone, but there was still no sensei. Naruto sat down next to you, and Sakura joined him.

Izumi, meantime, leaned against the railing near Sasuke.

She remembered it clearly...

~flashback~

Izumi was about 9 years old when she sat under the large cherry blossom tree in the park with her best friend Shikamaru for the first time.