If anything, Kisame was getting more and more excited and into it. This was so much fun. She was full of surprises--even if she still wasn't at his level--and countering them was enough of a challenge to keep his interest.

Her last tactic made him grin and he had the barest split second to decide whether to brace against the attack--he knew he could--or go with it and use her momentum against her. He decided on the latter, and came out of the leg sweep in what looked for all the world like a really awkward stance, but when she bulled into him proved effective for what he was planning. He rolled back, grabbing onto her with his good hand and trying to bring his knee up into her stomach to flip her over.