Izumi had settled back into village life, it was good for her mental health and it provided her time to keep her many alter egos off the map for a while. Laying low in a newly built Hidden Village was an excellent way to lose some heat. Izumi had taken up the position of academy director until they could find a suitable replacement for molding the young into death machines. The curriculum in Suna was harsh and difficult but those that graduated were better for it. One of her teachers had been called for a special mission needing their talents and thus Izumi would have to fill in for teaching their class. The class just so happened to belong to the teenager that herself and Nova had taken into their home. Normally those selected to be shinobi were younger than him but it was better to start late than never. Not that Izumi could really speak out against it given her similarly late start in the academy. Izumi got to the classroom early and today she was wearing a comfortable outfit much unlike her traditional mission attire. Her weapons were sealed away into the strange tattoo on her left wrist that moved of its own accord. The prosthetic that had replaced her left hand that Nova had made for her was curiously life-like and the students would likely not even notice that it wasn’t her real left hand. It had been a good while since she’d lost it in the duel with her apprentice Kirei Uchiha. The pain of losing a beloved friend was worse than that of losing the hand. Izumi leaned back in the proctor’s and kicked her feet up on the desk waiting for the kids to arrive. Today was the first day for many students at the academy.

The morning progressed to the point where class was to begin and by now there was an ambient hiss of whispers no doubt discussing Izumi’s attendance in the class, Izumi cleared her throat and stood up. Silence fell across the class room as she began to speak “Good morning students, as you probably noticed I am not the Ichiro-sensei that you were told would be your teacher. He was unable to make it to class today due to his participation in a vital mission for our village. So instead I will be your teacher. Many of you probably know my name but I will still be the first to introduce myself, I am Makato Izumi wife of the Kazekage and her top general. First let’s take attendance. When I say your name please stand and bow as I don’t know all of your names I’ll need to see who you are.” Izumi began to rattle off the names, and eventually came to her adopted son and noticed that he wasn’t present. Izumi clenched her teeth and took a deep breath to clear the anger that welled up at the humiliation of her own son being absent the day she was to teach. Izumi had her moment of rage then continued her attendance. Having confirmed the rest of the children were accounted for Izumi began to think where he might be, He probably forgot and went for a walk, I thought Nova would remind him today he was to be in the academy. I should search the outskirts first. She created a single shadow clone which made the seal of confrontation and disappeared into thin air. Izumi would begin her lesson for the class while her clone searched the outskirts of the village.

Izumi’s clone materialized atop the village walls and made a half snake hand seal, the raiton chakra that emanated from Izumi covered a large area and told her where each living thing in the area would be, it didn’t take long before Izumi pinpointed the familiar chakra signature of Hanabi was on his way back into the village proper and was approaching the gates the clone dematerialized having completed its mission of locating her son. The information of his whereabouts immediately flooded into Izumi’s mind. So he did just forget… I suppose now is as good a time as any to let the students have a break. Izumi rose once again and announced to the class that they would have a short recess and should be expected to return to class in 15 minutes sharp. This time making seal of confrontation herself and after assuring that she placed a seal in the classroom for them to return to, she would disappear from the classroom to immediately reappear at the village gates about a meter behind Hanabi. Izumi’s voice called out through the crowd to him ringing clearly through the bustle with a hint of scolding, “Hanabi, aren’t you forgetting something today?”

What anger Izumi had left quickly disappeared when she could see her son’s shame. His disappointment even bled on to her a bit, she tried to remind herself to be kinder to him he was little more than a child after all. What fourteen year old hadn’t gotten lost in a good day and shirked a responsibility or two. That was just part of growing up, so Izumi knelt to his level put her hand under his chin softly and raised it up gently. “I was just worried about you sweetie. Take my hand we’ll go back to the academy together. I’m your teacher today so you don’t have to make any embarrassing apologies I promise. I was about to pair off the students for sparring so I can assess them. Sound fun to you?” Izumi rose back up to her full height towering over a foot above him she held out her right hand for him. When he took it they would reappear in the classroom with moments to spare before the rest of the students came back in. Izumi brushed the sand off Hanabi’s clothes and from his hair and pointed to a chair that she knew would be empty “Take that seat, class will start again soon love.” Izumi’s kinder side was showing much more often lately, her much lower murder rate as of late had surely helped her temperament. Izumi had a special soft spot for children as it was but this Hanabi was one she called her own and he saw a side of her that few were fortunate enough to experience.

The students returned at fifteen minutes on the dot as prescribed, their punctuality pleased Izumi and none made comment at the newcomer to their class. Izumi would neglect to bring it up either instead addressing their next lesson. “One of the basic foundations of the Shinobi is the way of the fist, taijutsu. If you cannot learn to control your body how do you plan to control chakra? I want to see what foundation you have been given. I am not so naïve to think that all of you have been completely devoid of training at home. In order to place you in the proper classes I will need to see firsthand what you can do. Don’t hold back for fear of harming your partner that is not the way of a ninja. Give it everything and I will stop the demonstration when I’ve seen enough. Fear not for your safety I will not let serious harm come to any of you. Now, rise from your seats and head to the dojo after me. Try to maintain order as we go please.” With that Izumi would march towards the door and to the dojo without hesitation having faith that her students would follow. Izumi was happy to scope out the first class on her own rather than leaving it up to one of her proctors, she hadn’t thought of it before but it had turned out ideal that Nova had needed Ichiro today.

Upon arrival to the entrance of the rectangular room Izumi would bow to show respect for the institution that the dojo represented. The room was fairly large at 20m wide and 30m long the high ceiling had skylights that let in ample natural light and helped to make the room slightly warmer than the rest of the academy. Izumi liked the warm bright room and took a moment to admire the craftsmanship of the ornate pillars and high arches. It was staggering to consider that Nova had created this from nothing she was truly a craftswoman whose imagination and skill was without equal. Izumi would wait for the entire class to enter before giving more formal instruction. “I will call up two names at a time the pair will come up and on my command you will fight to the best of your ability. Jutsu are allowed if you can use them, your goal today will be to knock your opponent down do not continue to fight once this goal is reached. I want to emphasize that I want to see your best today class. I can’t help you if you won’t show me your best. First students to spar today will be Shibui Yamato and Makato Hanabi.” The Shibui boy, Yamato rose and took his place before Izumi quickly and with a determined look. Izumi gulped and hoped he’d not be too well trained already she’d hate to see Hanabi fail but also resolved to not interfere any sooner than she would with another student. When Hanabi took his mark Izumi would signal for the pair to begin.

794 words for a total of 1,604.

Izumi soon regretted the pairing she’d given her son, Nova would not be happy about this. Yamato wasted no time pressing the attack, as could be expected from a child from such an ancient clan he was not without training. This one would do well in the academy as for her son, well … he had heart. It took much of Izumi’s restraint to maintain her emotionless stare at the action when she heard the crack that could only be Hanabi’s nose breaking. Hanabi began to weave the chakra for a jutsu with hand signs but Yamato was having none of it, pressing his attack once again. Hanabi was able to make something of a counter attack which caught the Shibui boy square in the face. Hanabi however had slipped and fallen. Izumi could take no more and called out to Yamato to stop when his fist was mere millimeters from her son’s face. “Enough! Well done Yamato-kun, your family has trained you well.” Yamato stood and bowed to Izumi before shambling into the crowd of students from whom a storm of whispers had exploded. Izumi rushed to Hanabi and began to flow chakra into his face to numb the pain. Izumi spoke softly to her son “I’m sorry honey, this might hurt a little.” Izumi snapped his nose back into place, once the flow of chakra stopped from her hand he’d feel the pain rush to his face. Izumi could have numbed it better, but the painful lesson would help him learn. Izumi remembered all the times she’d been injured while training with Syekren and later with Yosei and reminded herself that each injury made her stronger to talk herself out of healing it fully. Unfortunately she was not strong enough to let his pain stand and from her hand would flow emerald green healing chakra to completely heal his nose.

Izumi again spoke softly to Hanabi, “Hanabi, go join the class on the sidelines, it’s time for the next contest.” Izumi rose from her son’s side “Next I’d like to see Shinji Kaito and Shimura Jishi.” The pair would wait for Hanabi to clear out before taking their marks and awaiting further orders which came quickly from Izumi. When they were well and started Izumi would approach Hanabi once more to check on him “You okay? I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly when I set your nose. If you need to go home early I understand.” Try all she might Izumi couldn’t help but favor Hanabi, she’d grown quite attached to the boy in their time together and wanted nothing but the best for him. The rest of the class would go on with little of note.