The following day had finally arrived, bringing a sense of anticipation that filled the air at the ninja academy. Iruka, their teacher, stood before the class with a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Hello, class. Today marks your last day here at the academy, or at least, for most of you," he announced, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "We will now be announcing the teams."
Shikamaru leaned over to Choji, his best friend, and muttered, "We're probably going to be with Ino, aren't we?"
Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino exchanged hopeful glances. "I hope I get teamed up with Sasuke," they both whispered, their voices filled with prayer-like desperation.
As the teachers began to assign the teams, they started with the civilian teams, and excitement filled the room as the students held their breaths. Finally, the moment came.
"Team Seven," Iruka declared, his voice carrying a note of surprise. The room was abuzz with whispers and speculation. "Mika, Naruto, Hinata..."
Before Iruka could finish, Sakura and Ino couldn't contain their excitement any longer. They shouted in unison, "Yes! We still have a chance to get together with Sasuke!"
Iruka resumed, "And Sasuke." Suddenly, the girls' faces went blank, and they retreated to a corner where Naruto and the rest of Team Seven sat, erupting into laughter.
The teams were gradually assigned, and each group eagerly awaited their sensei. It seemed like an eternity had passed when Asuma and Kurenai finally entered the room. Sasuke's eyes gleamed with anticipation, thinking he would be on the same team as his uncle and aunt. However, his dreams were dashed as both instructors gathered their respective teams, leaving Asuma to chuckle at Sasuke.
"You'll have to wait a lot longer than this," Asuma teased before departing, leaving Team Seven in suspense.
It was dusk when the team started to lose hope. Hours had passed, and they were the only ones left in the room. Just as their spirits were waning, Kakashi Hatake, their sensei, made his dramatic entrance, or rather, he was pushed through the door.
"Hello, team!" Kakashi greeted with enthusiasm, his lone eye crinkling in a smile.
"Don't give me that crap!" Mika exclaimed, struggling against the hold that tried to restrain her. "I waited forever for this dude to get out of bed then he said he'd rather not walk and just read his stupid perverted book as I pushed him through the village for hours!"
The entire team's eyes lit up at the sight of someone unexpected. "Shizune!" they cheered in unison, their happiness palpable.
"Meet us at the roof," Kakashi instructed before both he and Shizune vanished in a blur of movement. Moments later, they all converged on the rooftop.
"I expected a lot more from the Four Prodigies. Perhaps a little more speed," Kakashi commented, building suspense as his team listened attentively. "But do you know why we're up here?"
"To go back down," he said with a mischievous smile. "I already know enough about you guys, so introductions won't be needed. All you need to know is to show up at Training Ground 7 at 9 in the morning. Goodbye!" With that, the silver-haired ninja disappeared with a swift body flicker, leaving Team Seven excited and eager for the adventures that awaited them.
The day had arrived, the one they had been waiting for with bated breath. The clock had just struck nine, and as expected, their Jonin instructor was nowhere to be seen. Naruto couldn't help but voice his frustration, his eyes looking lifeless from staying up late the previous night.
"We shoulda just come at 12," he suggested wearily, his enthusiasm waning.
An hour later, the two Jonin finally appeared, but this time, it seemed they had a shared reason for their tardiness. Shizune blurted out an excuse, her face reddening, while Kakashi remained enigmatic as ever, his thoughts hidden behind his mask.
Flashback
Shizune had arrived at Kakashi's residence early, determined to ensure they wouldn't be late. Knocking on his door brought no response, and her patience waned. "Kakashi, open this door, or I'm breaking it down!" she yelled,once she got no response shizune acted on her threat.
Upon entering Kakashi's cluttered living space, she found him in a state of disarray, fully hungover, and empty bottles strewn about. Shizune couldn't leave her friend in such a state, and so she set about cleaning up and warming him up with a blanket, her thoughts wandering as she observed Kakashi. He looked rather charming in his sleep, she noted, the mysteriousness that always surrounded him was actually quite attractive to her. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she realized what she was thinking.
Determined to be a good friend, she continued tidying up, questioning her motives all the while. Was being friends really the only reason for her actions? After about 20 minutes, Shizune was finished cleaning, when she heard the growl of Kakashi's stomach so she left to buy groceries knowing he had nothing in those useless pantries. When she returned, Kakashi was groggily awake.
"Why is someone breaking into my house with shopping bags?" the disoriented Jonin mumbled.
"It's me, Shizune," she replied, her face still a shade of red. "The pretty Shizune."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "The pretty Shizune?"
Blushing even more intensely, she stammered, "Yes. I bought groceries, so, um, just sit tight, and I'll whip you up some food and my secret ninja hangover remedy."
After a while, Shizune had prepared grilled fish and a side of eggplant miso soup. "Kakashi, sit up and drink this, and then I'll give you your food."
Once they finished eating, Kakashi felt considerably better and much more sober. "I'm sorry, Shizune. You shouldn't have seen me like this. Thank you for taking care of me."
Shizune couldn't help herself; her thoughts spilled out once again. "Oh, it was no problem. You looked very cute in your sleep, anyway."
"Just so you know, I'm not an alcoholic. Every time I see Naruto, it reminds me of my past, and last night, I was at my breaking point..." Kakashi began, but Shizune silenced him with a finger to his masked lips.
"I don't need an explanation," she said before pulling down his mask to see his truly stunning face. They leaned in for a kiss, sealing their unspoken feelings.
End of Flashback
After Team Seven vented their frustrations about their sensei's tardiness, Kakashi finally explained their purpose for being there. "Today, we will be doing the bell test. As you know, traditionally, only three members can be on a squad, so Shizune and I will each carry in total three bells. The one who doesn't obtain one can never become a ninja."
The four teammates exchanged incredulous glances. "Sensei, that's not fair," Hinata protested, seeking support from Shizune, who remained silent.
"You have five minutes to prepare," Kakashi announced, leaving the team to discuss their strategy.
"I think it might be a test of our bonds," Sasuke suggested logically, to which Mika concurred, "It doesn't matter if it's a test or not; we get the bells, and if he doesn't let us all pass, none of us do."
Hinata, puzzled, questioned, "So how are we going to get the bells from two Jonin?"
Naruto's determination shone through as he declared, "I have a plan."
As Kakashi announced the beginning of the bell test, the four of them took their positions, forming pairs with Hinata and Mika, and Sasuke and Naruto together. Their well-thought-out plan was set into motion. Mika summoned a dense forest of trees in the open training area where Kakashi typically read his book and Shizune scolded him. Meanwhile, Hinata activated her Byakugan and used a hidden mist jutsu to obscure the area.
With Naruto's sensory abilities and Hinata's Byakugan, they could see the Jonin but remained hidden themselves. The four converged in the center of the training ground, where their sensei and Shizune lay. With the element of surprise, they unleashed their respective jutsu – Naruto with his clones, Hinata with her bone and ice senbon, Mika with her wood spikes emerging from the ground, and Sasuke employing his ash release.
The four celebrated their successful attack and confidently moved to retrieve the bells. However, as they reached for them, Kakashi and Shizune forms dissipated into smoke, leaving the team bewildered. A sharp chop to their necks soon rendered them unconscious.
When they regained consciousness, they found themselves back in the same training area, with Shizune and Kakashi looming over them. "YOU PASS!" both Jonin exclaimed.
"How?" the four asked in unison, still disoriented.
"It was about teamwork, and that's exactly what we saw out there," Kakashi explained. "Honestly, the best part was watching you guys think you could take down two esteemed Jonin like us," he said with a hearty laugh. "Well, you are officially part of Team Seven now. Your missions will begin tomorrow," he concluded, building anticipation in the team that would soon face its fair share of challenges.