[Itagaki Mitsumi]

The gambit had actually worked! Mitsumi couldn't help but feel a thrill of pride, even as she tried to crush it and focus on the sparring match. If she had more practice, perhaps she'd be able to use the wire to actually trap a limb, but settling for a trip and a follow-up strike would have to suffice.

Mitsumi forewent the kunai, her left hand too occupied with the first wire to want to risk drawing a second and becoming entangled. It was only a sparring match, so a fist would have to suffice.

But apparently, flipping Hinoe upside down was not enough. The first kick caught the side of her head, and the hand she had drawn back to deal the decisive blow instead came in to block the second. She kicked hard, even from such a disadvantageous position, and stars burst in her vision.

She cried out as her legs were swept before she could regain her bearings. Less gracefully than Hinoe, she rolled back and away in a simple ukemi, drawing a kunai and another wire, adopting a defensive stance, clearly on the back foot once again.

It had been a good gambit, but she needed something with a bit more reach and speed to properly capitalize against a competent opponent.

[Hyūga Hinoe]

Hinoe was quite pleased to see that her impromptu acrobatics yielded the results she hoped for. Even though Miitsumi had managed to block the second kick, the first had hit its target, and Hinoe had succeeded in her follow-up sweep. Still, and this was something the Hyuuga suspected Izusa might view with a bit of dissatisfaction, Hinoe had paused when Mitsumi had cried out as she fell. She could have attempted to try to push her advantage by pressing the attack on the Kumo girl, while the latter righted herself, but Hinoe had stalled.

"Great going, genius! You could have just attacked her as she rolled; why did you pause?" she chided herself. But Hinoe knew why she had paused. It was probably something that a ninja was not supposed to express, but she had felt unwilling to attack Mitsumi while she was down, very likely because of the image of vulnerability that the girl presented. In retrospect, Hinoe felt that hiding a manipulative side behind a more diffident cover was quite an effective mask for a ninja with concealed untoward intentions. But Mitsumi did not seem to be that sort.

Besides, Hinoe was not a fan of attacking people when they were down, even though she suspected that sometime in her future occupation as a ninja she would have to do such a thing. It felt like something a bully would do, and Hinoe disliked any form of such behavior. Still, on the flip side, Mitsumi could realize the reason she had paused, and resent her for it, especially as Hinoe realized too late that there was an expression of concern on her face as Mitsumi had hit the ground. The expression was quickly replaced by her usual deadpan expression, and Hinoe advanced again, aiming a kick at the opposite side of her opponent to that where the kunai was held. Still, the Hyuuga kept her eyes on the weapon. Mitsumi seemed to be a very quick thinker, after all.

Uchiha Izusa | Itagaki Mitsumi

[Uchiha Izusa]

Spring shall come in joy

---

Izusa continued to watch silently, appraising each of the students' performances to himself as he kept vigilant for any sign of things going too far. Hinoe and Mitsumi were still just students, but their control was surprisingly adequate.

No getting carried away, not rash bursts of anger, just a proper spar between peers. "This is a nice change of pace from overseeing kids." He thought to himself, leaning forward a bit to observe more closely. A kick to the side of Mitsumi's head and her rolling backwards made him narrow his eyes slightly. "She can't take another one of those."

There weren't many people who could, and even at this distance he could see the telltale signs of dizziness start to set in. True to form, Hinoe hesitated when the time came to strike the decisive blow. "There's still some reluctance," he noted, but still planned on saving his analysis for later. "In this case... that might be for the best." The prospect of an allied village's academy student being knocked unconscious under his supervision did not sound all that great...

For many reasons, least of all being his own being reprimanded. Mitsumi for her part was fending off her foe better than he expected, especially considering the Hyūga's prowess with taijutsu. Hinoe charged again and Izusa let his hand fall from his chin, to hide within his haori's sleeves with his other as he formed a single, sly Tora seal.

He had to be ready to jump in at a moments' notice, and this bout was getting down to the wire. So for the next tense few seconds, he would wait as he watched the two students fight, ready to intervene if he absolutely needed to.

---

[Itagaki Mitsumi]

Unfortunately for her, Mitsumi's only real plan had been the wire snare - whatever other ideas she had come in with had been scattered by a kick to the head. She had failed to capitalize, and now she was on the defensive.

She needed distance. A way to make distance. A way to strike decisively from a distance. Her mind raced, but she had no time for any new plans. She needed techniques to draw on. Actual skill and instincts, not just grit and determination.

Perhaps a more skilled fighter would have have been able to block the kick and catch it in wire in one smooth motion. Instead, the simple arm block caught her in place, the impact stinging even after softening it with her arm.

Hinoe hit hard. Harder than anyone she had fought, except Tetsumaki. And she was a Jōnin.

Mitsumi raised her voice in a yell. Halfway between a pained exclamation and a battlecry. Still off balance from the force of the absorbed kick, she stabbed out with the blunt tip of the kunai at the other girl's face.

A dangerous move. Mitsumi was over extending herself, leaving her core open to a decisive counterattack of the attack failed. Even if it was successful, even a training knife could do serious damage to the face with a direct hit.

[Hyūga Hinoe]

Hinoe's kick landed, although Mitsumi blocked it. Still, the Hyuuga could perceive that the defense was not seamless, as her opponent buckled despite warding off the attack. This presented many possibilities, it seemed. With her opponent slightly off balance, she could go in for the kill and do some more relevant damage, except that this was a friendly spar, and with someone who didn't seem too sure of herself in the first place. Perhaps fighting against a more confident person would have made Hinoe more aggressive.

Which was why Hinoe was still settling on a not so painful way to continue the fight, when Mitsumi screamed. A look of alarm registered on the Hyuuga's face, as she wondered if her kick had really damaged Mitsumi that much. "Is she that delicate? Should I have been gentler? Or--" Her stream of thought was halted by the registered sensation of a training kunai speeding towards her face.

In a way, Mitsumi's counterattack was impressive, even if it was not the most graceful thing in the book. By attacking almost as soon as she had been hit, the Kumo girl was ensuring that her opponent would not so readily follow up. Although taken by surprise, Hinoe's hands were both free, and she used one to slap at Mitsumi's offensive hand, before trying to grab her opponent's wrist. The danger was averted, yet a little purple patch, with a drop of blood in its center, on Hinoe's left cheek, was clear proof that it was a bit too close for comfort. Planting her feet, she drew her free hand back, and threw a punch, although she would stop it just before it touched Mitsumi's torso.

Uchiha Izusa | Itagaki Mitsumi

[Uchiha Izusa]

Spring shall come in joy

---

As the bout drew to a close, the instructor's dark eyes narrowed on the two students.

Their movements were getting hectic as the desperation of battle took hold. It was surprisingly easy to let one's emotions run wild, even during a friendly. Izusa rarely did even as a child, but he'd seen it many times before.

He saw the flash of a practice kunai aimed at Hinoe's face and already had the requisite chakra funneled into the soles of his feet. But before he could utilize his movement technique and put an abrupt end to the battle— something surprising happened. A droplet of blood, an attempted last-second parry, and an impressive demonstration of control.

The Hyūga's fist thrust towards Mitsumi's chest, sure to put the girl on the ground if only it hadn't stopped mere centimeters before impact. "Hm..." Izusa thought to himself, releasing his hand seal. "I think she's finally ready."

"Alright," he said, breaking his silence as he slowly approached the two students. "That should do it." As usual he wore a soft smile, but his gaze was keener than before as it shifted between them both. An analytical look that had been noting the strengths and flaws in both of their styles. "Since we accidentally skipped an essential step—" He paused, a brief, faux stern look flashing across his face as he glanced at them. "I want you both to perform the Seal of Confrontation. Then the Seal of Reconciliation now that the bout's over, of course..." He raised an eyebrow at them both. It was as a formality, but still a vital step, as comrades without good will towards one another were ineffective.

Izusa expected both of them to understand this already, so he decided to skip the lecture. "Let's start with the good, first," he began, allowing his expression to relax just slightly as he looked to Mitsumi. "Itagaki-chan, considering how little time you had to practice beforehand, you employed your wires to great effect." It was rather shocking truth be told, and he could already see some essential skills of hers that she would benefit from honing. "You're a quick thinker, and I think you have some real potential for becoming a technical fighter." With a little bit of work she'd be outmaneuvering her opponents in no time at all. A style of fighting he had a great deal of respect for, as he was not exactly fast or physically strong himself. "Hinoe-chan," he continued on, shifting his gaze towards the girl. "Your taijutsu, along with your overall control, are improving. Beyond that, you're fast on your feet." Fast enough to weave around Mitsumi's wires, though not without some difficulty. It was to be expected considering their disparate approaches to battle, and despite that, she still managed to maintain an edge throughout. "Keep at it. The more you practice, the more those reflexes will become second-nature." Hinoe was no slouch, and would improve with time.

But part of teaching was critique, and both students still had plenty to work on. "Now... for the bad." He said, bringing a hand up to his mouth to clear his throat. "Itagaki-chan, you missed out on seizing several opportunities to attack while Hinoe-chan was vulnerable." Something he was almost sure the girl realized, considering the look on her face after they'd passed during the short match. "You had the right idea about staying out of her reach, but when fighting an opponent more versed in taijutsu than yourself, you need to make that happen. However you can." All the wits in the world were worthless if you got caught and beaten to a pulp. And of course, if this were a real battle with an enemy, the stakes were always life-or-death. "On the other side of that coin, Hinoe-chan," he turned his gaze to the Hyūga once more. "You recognized the need to close the distance, but in trying to do so, you sacrificed some awareness of your surroundings." Ninja wire was dangerous enough by itself, but when attached to tools, its effectiveness rose wildly. "Offense is important, but tunnel vision is dangerous. Always stay alert, and always consider your footing." If she wasn't careful while fighting an evasive opponent, she could end up with a shuriken in her back. Izusa's smile had faded as he spoke, but after he finished, it returned. "All-in-all? Good work, you two."

Hinoe was reaching the end of her academy days, and Mitsumi was well on her way it seemed. They would both make fine kunoichi, one day. "I think we can call our impromptu lesson done for the day." Izusa said, looking to the Hyūga again. "Hinoe-chan, you need to get that cut looked at. Maybe you could show our guest the infirmary while you do?" It would leave the two of them time to speak absent any instructor's presence, and maybe even a chance to bond with one another post-fight. "Once again Itagaki-chan, we're glad to have you. If you have any questions or concerns during your stay feel free to let me know." Izusa nodded to the girl, his usual smile taking hold as his gaze bounced between the two. "We'll continue our joint training tomorrow." With that, he waved them both away.

Watching with a false, kindly expression as they took their leave. "This is good— for both of our villages." A thought as glanced to some of the nearby trees. "Spring shall come in joy..." He thought to himself. The season was here and the foliage had found its color once more, yet he spotted one poor, brown, wilted leaf. It fell lazily to the ground as he stared, thinking of his role within the village. His role to the children. "...or we shall gather what griefs destroy."

---

[Itagaki Mitsumi]

The wild attack had been avoided, and she braced herself for the impact that never came. A glance down at the fist stopped short of its target confirmed her fear. She had lost.
"I concede," Mitsumi admitted, though it was a formality. It was clear that the only reason she was not sprawled out on the floor was Hinoe's mercy. Hopefully that was a mercy she showed to everyone she bested, and not special consideration for her.

The kunai was returned to her pouch, and, as she was bid, sheepishly made both of the requested seals. "My apologies, Izusa-sensei. I guess we both are... impatient," It was a genuine apology, no matter how awkwardly worded. She bowed to him, and then to Hinoe. "A-and sorry, Hinoe-chan. About your face." Sparring wasn't meant to cause lasting harm, and stabbing even a training kunai at the face was far too dangerous for a spar.

Mitsumi took a deep breath, then released it. Patience, She reminded herself.

She listened intently to the praise and criticism both, though the notes she took were more about the critique. She needed to learn to be more decisive. To act, instead of react. It was never pleasant to have one's faults laid before them, but Mitsumi ducked her head in gratitude all the same. "Thank you, Izusa-sensei. A-and Hinoe-chan. It was a good bout, and you're a very skilled fighter." She forced a thin but genuine smile.

"Shall we, then? I'd hate it if that scarred." Better only one of them had to bear facial scars, no matter how small

[Hyūga Hinoe]

Izusa's voice indicated that the fight was over, and Hinoe let both of her hands drop to her sides, flashing a grin at Mitsumi. The smile quickly faded, replaced by a look of alarm, and then Hinoe blushed in embarrassment. "The fault is entirely mine," she said, both to Izusa and Mitsumi. "I attacked first, as soon as we were told to begin. I think I'm the one who most needs to learn patience, and I apologize earnestly for my mistake." She made the seals as well, and then returned Mitsumi's bow. "Don't worry about it," she replied honestly, to Mitsumi's apology about her face. The Konoha medics knew what they were doing, after all.

Hinoe stayed silent as she listened to her teacher's positive evaluation. Deep down, she did feel some form of pride, but she knew her showing had not been perfect. There was no need to feel like it was something to crow about, until she had heard the criticism. And when she heard it, she knew Izusa was right. It was perhaps one of Hinoe's greatest failings to throw herself into her ventures with little consideration for anything else. Keeping tabs on other things while she worked was important, and improving her ability to use her bloodline would help with that.

As Mitsumi thanked her for the duel, Hinoe flashed her a double thumbs-up with a grin. "Thank you too, Mitsumi-chan. You're quite an intelligent fighter, and you didn't make it one bit easy for me," the Hyuuga replied with unfeigned admiration. She turned to Izusa and bowed deeply. "And thank you so much for your helpful supervision, Izusa-sensei... even if you were late."

That last part was whispered, and the Hyuuga hurried away, taking Mitsumi along. She just had to throw a teasing jab at her sensei. Maybe she would get reprimanded for that later, but Izusa didn't seem like that kind of person. "I have absolute faith in our medics, Mitsumi-chan, so I'm not bothered that much about my face. Hey, after we visit the infirmary, I know a great yakiniku place in town. Treat's on me...."

________________________________

FINISHED

Uchiha Izusa | Itagaki Mitsumi