The imminent arrival of Konoha's annual Winter Festival brings a convoy of emotional joviality through the raw snowy atmosphere. For four weeks, Izumi trains with tenacity. The determination to claim first prize for the Council's Mission resonates with insurmountable pressure.
But the true mark of victory resides in breaking Itachi's three year winning streak. She will not back down, and Itachi is acutely aware of her competitiveness.
Training does not occur simultaneously with Itachi and Shisui, nor one or the other. If she can show the village leaders how much she has improved, and her skills are that of a strong jounin, Izumi hopes to be selected this year.
But first - the nomination.
Today, after a long theory driven lesson that sends her mind buzzing with ridiculous fantasies that has everything to do with beating Itachi, her body is agitated from two hours of sedentary behaviour.
Outside, Nanami is waiting by the door for some surprising news.
"Izumi!" She calls cheerfully.
Her short stature gets her lost in the transient stampede of those filing out the classroom. But her bright red hair is visible from the gaps of students. Izumi seizes the chance to creep between people and reach her before she is swept by the crowd.
"Found you," Izumi pants.
"Why are you breathing so hard?" Nanami asks.
"Held my breath. I was wading through people," she utters irritably.
Nanami finds this incredibly amusing. Her laughter reverberates dizzily across the now long empty corridors, rebounding on every wall until it hits Izumi with escalating annoyance.
"It is funny I suppose, but your laughter hurts a bit too much," Izumi says reproachfully.
"Never mind that, how was class?"
"Boring. I was fantasising about-"
"Itachi. I know," Nanami interjects.
She gives a low smirk, then turns the opposite direction. Perhaps this is a good tactic. The searing red across Izumi's face may be interchanging between rage and embarrassment.
"Izumi, have you seen the merit board for the Council's Mission nominations yet?"
This comment instantly neutralises every thought that played out several seconds ago.
"It's out already?"
Her tone is soft with shaken fear and as she trails after Nanami towards the noticeboard, every part of dissolves into one apprehensive mess.
And though seeing Nanami's bright smile and Izumi's name plastered ever so boldly against the white backdrop, her body is still meddling around in a liquified state.
"Izumi? Are you okay?"
Nanami's voice is oddly vexed, and perhaps she expected a more vivacious response from Izumi, rather than a despondent look of anxiety.
"I don't believe this," Izumi says ruefully.
"What's there not to believe?"
The audacious tone is reminiscent of a dictator commanding a group of ninjas at war. Except, there is a soft, feminine edge to it, a bizarre contradiction that is incongruent in nature.
"Yuki!" Nanami exclaims.
She is tall, rather burly but her pretty face makes up for the well built muscular figure.
They met on the first week of workshop training, and though her domineering personality was a deterrent, Izumi came to appreciate the vivid confidence she exuded. However, her comfort with Yuki extends only in Nanami's presence. She finds the last several weeks with Yuki undoubtedly stressful.
Nanami, to Izumi's chagrin, had withdrawn from the workshop training two weeks in, stating her physicality and stamina were no match against the other students.
"I'm better off analysing the situation rather than fighting," Nanami stated.
For reasons beyond Izumi's understanding, the three have become friends, or rather, Izumi's acceptance of Yuki was done out of angst and curiosity.
"Izumi, give yourself more credit. You worked hard," Yuki assures.
Despite Yuki's initial presence, there is not a shred of competitiveness to her. Izumi does not understand her ideals and goals. She is incredibly strong and adept in all aspects of ninja skills, yet there appears to be a passive rhythm of reluctancy when engaging in combat.
She has never been on mission with Yuki before, but Yuki's reputation as chunnin amongst the jounins are exceedingly high.
"I thought it would be you of all people who would get it," Izumi says dispiritedly.
"Heh? Are you regretting this?" Yuki chides.
"It's not that, I just-"
"You're too difficult to understand, Izumi. Take it as it is," Yuki interjects.
The brief quietude almost transcends awkwardness, but Nanami's quick sense for such imminent situation is unusually high.
"Izumi, who will you bring to the ceremony?" she asks airily.
When she is looking puzzled, the syncing sighs from Nanami and Yuki are denigrating.
"All nominees bring a partner to the ceremony. It's traditional," Yuki grins.
"Who will it be, I wonder?" Nanami smirks and Izumi knows exactly what she is playing at.
"I'm not bringing anyone," she answers solemnly.
"I thought blending in was your thing?"
Izumi looks troubled. Nanami catches her weak points and knows the precise time to enact.
"I'll take someone if you do," Izumi proposes, "Of course it's not compulsory for you to go, but it'd be nice for some moral support."
Her lips tighten in a fruitless attempt to contain a triumph snicker. Izumi happens to also know Nanami's weak spots, yet she never sees it coming.
"I told you, there isn't anyone I would want to take with me. And why can't you pick on Yuki?" Nanami mutters disapprovingly.
"Yuki is on mission that entire week," Izumi says, and she sends Yuki a nod of significant agreement.
Nanami keeps quiet, but there is contemplation underlying her gaze. And when she stares uncomfortably at Izumi, a jolt of guilt hits her and she silently breathes in resignation.
"If you ask Itachi, I will go with someone," Nanami says eventually.
There is now a flicker of victory across her face, mellowed by the eagerness that is the excited demeanour she exudes at the expense of Izumi's embarrassment.
"You're not getting away with it that easy," Izumi says brusquely, "I'll ask Itachi if you ask whoever I pick."
And it maybe the vexed impatience of the scenario but Nanami's answer is unexpected.
"Fine," she answers firmly, "Who will it be?"
"Shisui," Izumi replies without thinking.
"Heh? I don't even know him."
"You're in luck. I do."