(WIP)The Hidden Dragon Chronicles: Series 1

Episode 24: A Conflict with the Sand Demon!

A few days later, everyone returned to training and began visiting friends in the hospital. Lee had finally learnt his fate, and the outcome was horrible. Izumi felt nothing except guilt for her friend's loss.

Sakura was there before she departed, giving Lee a bunch of pink tulips in a vase. She left them near his bed as Izumi entered.

When she saw Izumi step in, she blushed and placed a finger to her lips. "Shhhh...don't tell anybody about this... I just...I care about him, you know."

Izumi nodded and smiled. "I get it...I'm glad you've found someone worth fighting for.."

Sakura smiled, hesitated, and then spoke again. "Hey, Izumi...could you stay here and monitor him while I go run an errand? "I'll be a while, so..."

"Of course, Sakura." "He will be safe under my supervision." She smiled and waved as Sakura exited the hospital.

That evening, Izumi had fallen asleep in Lee's hospital room after taking care of him for Sakura, when a specific red-headed shinobi entered.

Gaara had sensed her presence and realized he needed to be extremely quiet in order to carry out the killing.

Gaara cautiously opened the gourd, one step at a time, allowing his sand to unravel.

Izumi's figure moved in response to the sound, but her eyes did not open. Gaara watched her gaze before attempting to wrap his sand around Lee.

Gaara was so caught up in the performance that she didn't notice the blonde figure leave the spot. When he was about to use his signature jutsu, time stopped, and so did his sand.

He strained to get it to operate but realized the sand had gotten wet.....why?

He turned around to see Izumi holding her arms to her hips and staring out of her eyes. "You've already ruined his ninja career, so why go any further?..."

Her eyes met his without emotion or amusement.

"...why...why do you.....care?" he inquired.

"Because.... he's a great friend of mine... he helped save Naruto and the others from those Sound Ninjas in the jungle. I owe it to him," she said, glancing across at the comatose Lee before turning back. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to get through me first..." Water swirled around her, forming a vortex if that's possible.

Without saying anything, his sand made a fist at her, but Izumi was faster. Her water made the same movement, slamming into his sand. The water continued to moisten his sand, making it difficult to hold up.

His voice became increasingly wild as he grew angrier. "You shouldn't do that.....he....doesn't like it..."

Izumi became perplexed by his statements, bending her head slightly and giving him the side look, not releasing grip of the water. "He?....who's he?"

Guy Sensei arrived at the door just as she was waiting for an answer, and he witnessed Gaara being backed over by Lee as Izumi was fighting Gaara's attacks.

"You have already injured him once. There's no reason to cause anymore pain." Guy eyed Gaara, ready to stop him if necessary.

Gaara gazed at him and then back at Izumi before returning his sand to his gourd and slowly departing the scene, without saying anything else.

Guy looked to Izumi with a different, softer smile on his face. "Thank you, Izumi. Even in my prime, I would not have been quick enough to notice Lee had an unexpected visitor...thank you."

Sakura smiled as she returned from her mission. "Thanks for watching him Izumi... did anything happen while I was gone?" She gazed at Izumi and Guy sensei.

Izumi looked at Guy sensei before speaking. "No, not at all. He was sound asleep the whole time."

"Oh, good. "Thank you so much." Sakura quickly hugged Izumi before sitting near Lee's hospital bed.

Izumi smiled and nodded as she walked out of the hospital, wanting to remain hidden from her new enemy. Knowing she'd need to train, Izumi summoned Leviathan with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Levi."

He bent his head. "Hello, dear one. We must continue your training. You have a tough fight ahead of you..."

She bowed back. "Yes, I do. So, will you help me?"

He nodded. "Of course. During times like these, you'll need all the help you can get," he said before abruptly floating away. "Come, we must begin right away."