It was snowing.
It was snowing in Konoha, too.
In a small courtyard blanketed in snow, two children were sparring.
They were Izumi and Itachi.
Taking a textbook offensive stance, Izumi planted one foot in the snow, sending it spraying up. She lunged at Itachi, using the flying snow to conceal her movements.
Itachi pulled back.
Izumi landed where Itachi had been and threw a side kick.
Thud!
Itachi raised his arm and blocked it.
Izumi followed with a second kick, a third, a fourth...
Her relentless assault never let up. Itachi kept blocking and retreating, blocking and retreating again.
Until his back met the tree trunk behind him.
Itachi stamped one foot hard against the ground. As Izumi leaped up to kick him again, he warned in a low voice,
"Here it comes!"
Izumi's pupils contracted.
Itachi struck like lightning, blocking her shin with one hand before driving a kick toward her stomach.
Thud!
Izumi flew backward and slammed into the snow, leaving a deep crater.
Itachi walked over.
"Are you okay, Izumi?"
Itachi reached out and pulled her up.
Izumi wiped the snow off her face with her forearm, her eyes stubborn and tinged with frustration.
"I'm going to be a great shinobi! I'm going to find Gua! I'm going to protect him! This little injury is nothing!"
Looking at Izumi's determined face, Itachi felt a faint pang of bitterness.
Izumi's talent was only average. She wasn't even as good as he was, let alone capable of protecting Gua... That would be difficult...
But Itachi didn't crush her confidence.
He came every day to practice hand-to-hand combat, ninjutsu, and shuriken throwing with her...
Even knowing Izumi would never reach the level she wanted, Itachi kept coming as he always had.
Gua was gone, so he had to look