Naruto could hear his alarm beeping at him, but didn't fully awaken until a loud thump hit the wall between his room and Sasuke's room. He imagined Sasuke had thrown his shoe at the wall. Groaning, he rolled over to glance at the clock, it read 4:20 A.M. He'd always had to get up early for practice, runners were notorious for being early risers, but that didn't mean that it was any easier for all the years he'd done so. Hearing Sasuke's muffled voice through the wall, "Dobe, get your lazy butt out of bed and turn that alarm off! It's waking me up!"

Then he heard Sai's voice, "Shut up, Sasuke! You're waking me up!"

Ah, his roommates didn't have practice until 6:30. With that, Naruto crawled out of bed and shut the alarm off. He stumbled to the bathroom, and then to the sinks to wash his hands and face before making his way back to his room and turning on the bright, fluorescent lights. After dressing in his shorts, dry-knit shirt, warm up suit, and light gloves he headed to the kitchen to scarf down a banana. In his water bottle he poured half water and half orange Gatorade. His bag was already packed and sitting by the front door with more water, caffeinated run gum, beef jerky, gummy bears, sunglasses, extra socks and shoes, tissues, and Body Glide to prevent the painful chafing that always plagued distance runners in the most uncomfortable spots. He knew today was going to be a long practice. Neji was still not finished dealing out extra laps for him. He stretched out on the couch for a brief minute, trying to let the banana digest but not fall back asleep before heading out the door into the soft morning air.

Naruto love walking through campus in the wee morning hours. It was dark and quiet, but the lampposts provided ample lighting and managed to look elegant and alluring. He knew Neji and Tenten were already at the track, helping their coach, Kakashi-sensei set up. Many of the other freshmen had companions on their respective teams: Sasuke and Kiba, Sai and Shikamaru, Sakura and Hinata, and Gaara and Shino. But Naruto, Ino, and Chouji were the only freshmen on their own teams and it often made practice somewhat lonely. Not that they didn't have great upperclassmen teammates, but Naruto didn't have anyone to share the quiet predawn walk with. Despite running being performed alone, it was very much a sociable sport. In high school he and his teammates would hold hours long conversations on their runs, talking about any little thing.

The red track was brightly lit with flood lights and he could see Kakashi with his clipboard talking to Neji. The team was individually lightly jogging and beginning their dynamic warmups, and Naruto lazily joined them. Ten minutes later, Kakashi was blowing his whistle with an unkind amount of volume for so early in the morning, eye-smiling behind his medical mask.

"Today you'll be running six miles. Then we'll do a brief thirty-minute session of strength training. I've assigned everyone to groups based on their mile pace, remember, no one runs alone. Girls, take this run easier since you have your first practice meet this weekend. Underclassmen, stick with your upperclassmen so you don't get lost."

He turned pointedly to Naruto at that. Naruto shrugged and gave a sheepish smile. He did get lost on their first long run and the whole team was sent out looking for him. They split into their groups and began jogging the first mile slowly around the track before heading out the gates and into the fields beyond. Kakashi followed them on a bike with extra water and a first aid kit in his backpack, riding up and down the spread out groups repeatedly, somehow managing to simultaneously read Icha Icha.

Naruto's pace partner was a third year, Haku. Haku was a good runner, much more experienced than Naruto, and had a gentle way of encouraging him. Naruto had naturally strong stamina, and could run for hours, but his pace was easy and loping. Haku was teaching Naruto to quicken his steps and work at a faster pace more consistently. They would race to the finish each time, and for shorter distances Haku would always win, but for the extra-long runs, Naruto's stamina pulled him through.

The first three miles, Naruto hated. His legs hadn't woken up, his lungs burned, and he just wanted to slow down and quit. But it was always this way, and he knew that somehow once he completed his third mile, he get in the zone and would feel like he could go on forever. Then they'd reach a hill and his legs would ache and his breath would sting and he'd hate running. Then they'd reach the top and begin running downhill and he'd feel invincible. The cycle repeated: he hated running, he loved running. Some runs were amazing, some were defeating, but Naruto knew he was getting better with each step. Plus, he got to eat a monstrous amount of food afterword.

When they finished the run, Naruto was stopped by the water station. He turned when Tenten called to him.

"Morning, Naruto! Are you ready for classes to start soon?"

He grinned. Tenten was a great resident assistant, she and Lee always managed to keep tabs on the freshmen and fit in time to interrogate them about their lives. "Well, I haven't ordered my textbooks yet, but I am excited."

"Hm, you might want to do so soon, but definitely rent some of the books to save money! If you need any help with the general education classes Lee and I can get you in contact with great tutors. In fact, Neji is a tutor for calculus!"

Naruto gave her another smile. Like he'd ask Neji for help. The guy was a stick in the mud and did not like Naruto at all. Neji was as stern and quiet as Naruto was carefree and loud. Oh, speak of the devil; he was on his way to the water station now, glaring at Naruto with icy eyes and a downturned mouth.

"Neji! I was just telling Naruto what a great calculus tutor you are!"

"Naruto, you should be heading to the weight room with the other teammates. No slacking off. Tenten, I doubt as a student of the culinary school Naruto needs to take calculus."

Naruto bristled and stepped forward, but before he could say anything, Tenten spoke. "Oh you may be right, but I'm sure he could hack it if he tried. No need to be rude, Neji."

At that, Naruto noticed that behind his blank mask, Neji's face managed to look somewhat like a kicked puppy, and there was the faintest hint of pink. Naruto decided Neji was still a jerk, but he realized he was an in-love jerk, and was too proud and emotionally restrained to hold a pleasant conversation. Well, Naruto now had a new mission.

"Eh, it's okay, Tenten-san. I've never been one for traditional studying. That's part of the reason I decided to become a chef, cooking uses a lot of instincts! I'm sure Neji-san is a great calculus tutor, but I'd pity anyone who tries to teach me that fancy math."

Neji stared at him while Tenten giggled slightly. Naruto smirked and turned toward the weight room. Halfway there, Neji called out.

"Naruto, I think you've worked hard enough today. Instead of running extra laps, you can hand wash all the water bottles from the water station after practice today."

Naruto stopped cold. He was being demoted to dish washing? Neji probably thought he was doing him a favor, but really, dish washing?! He half turned, "Heh…okay. Thanks Neji-san."

Ino puffed an excited sigh as she walked into the gym. She was the first one here! It was silent and peaceful, and she was ready to begin her long hours of practice. Gymnastics was one of the most time-consuming sports, requiring its participants to work four hours a day, five to six days a week, and those training for the Olympics worked much longer. Ino preferred to begin early in the morning, stretching and warming up before even the coach, Kurenai-sensei arrived.

Ino finished her dynamic warmup, static stretches, and rolling her ankles, hips, and shoulders to prepare them for jumps and twists and began working on the floor. Though her favorite part of gymnastics was the parallel bars, she always began with floor exercises as the floor routine was her weakest skill. Just as she was completing a round off, the gym doors banged open and a loud voice echoed throughout.

"Whoo! I'm back from summer training camp and better than ever, un!"

Startled, Ino stared at the blond boy who looked to be a couple of years her senior. His blond hair looked eerily familiar, pulled into a high ponytail with bangs hanging out over his face. The only difference was that Ino routinely used glitter hairspray in her long strands. The other gymnast had on a sharp, white warmup suit with red stripes down the sides of the sleeves and pants, and was excitedly doing back handsprings across the floor, almost bumping into her.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you fool!"

The boy immediately stopped, his feet touching the ground with his hands behind his head in the bridge position before sliding out so that he was on the ground staring up at her. Ino wished she had worn her sparkly new purple leotard rather than this drab grey one, so that she would look more impressive, but she was saving that one until she invited Sai to come watch her practice.

The other blond bounced up, reaching out to tug her hair, but Ino jumped back just in time. "Oi! What is this, un? Do I have an admirer?" He grinned and reached out both hands to pinch her cheeks.

She slapped his hands away. "No! My hair has always been like this. I don't even know who you are! Not to mention, you almost knocked me over with your sloppy back handsprings!"

The boy snapped his gaze to her and narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know, I am Deidara, gymnast extraordinaire and master of the still rings! Captain of the Konoha Gymnastics team and nationally recognized winner of the pommel horse! And, my back handsprings are not sloppy! My form is an artwork none can hope to achieve! Who are you, little fish?"

He imitated her jaw-dropped stare and flapped his hands by his cheeks. Ino flushed, then she screeched, and moved to hit the idiot but he just jumped as high as any gymnast could, laughing and taunting her. Ino chased him around the gym until he jumped up to the two still rings hanging from the ceiling, out of her reach. She was still spitting and growling like a wild animal below him when Kurenai-sensei arrived with the rest of the team.

"Oh, Ino-chan, I see you've met Deidara-kun. He's offered to help coach the underclassmen and chaperone the first training camp."

Ino fell to her knees, this humiliating idiot would not coach her. Besides, he only mentioned skills in the still rings and pommel horse, girls did not compete in those skills, therefore she would never have to work with him.

Then Lee ran up, in all his green-spandex glory. "Deidara-senpai, how kind of you to offer your help! Will you teach us some cool moves for the floor routine?"

Ino fell face first on the floor. Oh, she couldn't wait to whine to Sakura about this. How did she gain such unfortunate teammates? Deidara leaped down from the rings, not even out of breath from suspending himself for so long.

"Lee-kun, I'd be happy to! As soon as Ino-chan recovers from her dead fish-like state we will begin, un!"

When Ino returned the next morning, still sore and bitter from the previous practice, Deidara attacked her with a wide smile and holding a smaller, matching, ladies version of his own red and white warmup suit.

"Fish-chan! Look what I got you!"