She hummed softly as she cast an eye over her desk. Immaculate, she thought contentedly brushing her shoulder length dark hair back and out of her eyes. Yet still it fell forwards again, her Leaf headband overpowered.
Hearing a noise in the corridor outside her classroom, she spun and faced the door with speed born of long hours of training. A head popped round the door, another academy teacher, an older woman. No doubt a mother figure she thought concealing a sigh, she wasn't disappointed.
"How are you feeling?" the woman asked. "It's your first day of teaching isn't it? The first years?"
Unsure of which question to answer first, she faced the still floating head and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine although I only made chuunin a few months ago so I'm a little nervous, first years are usually quiet right?"
The other woman chuckled, "Well yes after they stop screaming."
She paled, "After they what?"
"It's a scary time for them, but just be patient." She smiled and nodded and then the head was gone.
She sat down in her chair with a thump, "Screaming?" She shook her head, "Come on Tokoa, you're a sensei now." She grinned, "Tokoa-sensei," she repeated liking the sound of the name.
Glancing up at the clock, she grimaced, time to go and greet the masses.
Outside the academy gates there was a small riot taking place, hordes of students and parents littered the area. The older of which, sauntered about glaring at the first years, all of whom where around five years old, and looking as though they owned the world which only served to terrify the little five year olds further.
Teachers of other years attempted to restore order by quickly whisking the older students into their classrooms, most of those students were between six and twelve as a student only advanced when he or she passed the exam to become a genin.
Moving quickly among the frightened first years and anxious parents, Tokoa stopped every so often to reassure a particularly frightened student. As most calmed down and moved into the classroom to look around and find a seat her eyes fell upon a small boy with startling big blue eyes and a shock of golden hair. He gazed up at her looking as though he didn't know whether or not to be frightened or excited. As Tokoa had done with the others, she knelt beside him as he stood next to his ninja parents.
"Hello," she said, "I'm Tokoa-sensei."
The boy hesitated before replying shyly, "I'm Arashi Uzumaki."
Tokoa nodded smiling warmly, "Would you like to come in and find a seat?"
Arashi looked up at his parents and nodded.
His mother bent down and gave him a bone-crushing hug while his father ruffled his hair. Arashi hugged his mother back but let go of her long before his father had to pull her off of him.
"Come on Merelko, he'll be fine, we've got a mission," the child's father said.
"I just want to see him in," his mother replied.
After sighing, he acquiesced and followed Tokoa, and is wife and son into his son's new classroom.
The classrooms tiered seats had been nearly all filled, and the students and their anxious parents filled the bright room with chatter. Arashi stopped just inside the door with his parents behind him and stared apprehensively at the mass of people. Tokoa turned back towards him.
"Arashi? Its ok, come on in, we'll find you a seat."
Arashi nervously took a few more steps into the room before suddenly grinning, his bright blue eyes sparkling. He turned to his parents.
"Mum, Dad, I like it here!" he declared, before swiftly moving forwards and securing himself a seat next to a large window, three tiers up. His parents smiled, his mother a little sadly, and turned to leave.
After the parents had been persuaded, cajoled and in a few cases of over-protectiveness threatened, to leave, and all the students had a seat, Tokoa smiled at her first class as an academy teacher.
"Hello class I'm Tokoa-sensei," she said firmly, "I'm going to teach you all how to become ninja."
At this her class pricked its collective ear. And all fidgeting ceased.
As she outlined the main lessons, she appraised her new students, most seemed to be paying attention except for Arashi, who was staring out of the window. Sighing, she barked, "Pay attention!" Immediately causing his eyes to focus on her. Satisfied she continued.
At break, outside in a large playground the new students kept mainly to themselves, discussing their first lesson. Except one who was of staring at the sparring arenas. Arashi watched the older kids spar for a few minutes before turning away. The fighting students were so big and from the thuds and cries of pain, strong too. He would not be allowed to spar anyway, despite both his parents being ninjas, his mother was so protective, and he wouldn't even be here if his father hadn't put his foot down.
A few of the sparring older kids noticed him and snickered. One, a large boy, sauntered over, at several years older than Arashi; he towered over the small boy.
"So," he drawled, "Yuh think yuh could fight us, do yuh?"
Arashi considered his options, they were not good, on the one hand he could accept the challenge and fight, but he was neither big nor strong and would most likely be beaten and besides word would almost certainly reach his mother as first years were not allowed to spar, no one graduated and became a genin before they had spent several years here. But if he backed down he would avoid a beating but be forever seen as weakling. Arashi stared up the older boy and said nothing
The boy bristled, "Well?" He shoved his face into Arashi's who blinked. "Well I'm gonna pound yuh into the ground." The boy declared before clearing the arena with a glare at the other students.
From the speed with which the others got out of his opponents way, Arashi surmised that the boy was either very strong or cruel, or both.
The students gathered around to watch the battle, drawing his own class to the area, with their not so muted whispers of "Oooh that kids gonna die," and "He's so small, shouldn't we do something?"
Arashi did not know how to get out of this and tried to edge his way into the crowd only to get pushed back by the mass of students.
A girl of about six immediately ran to get Tokoa-sensei, while his opponent sneered derisively at him. Arashi was roughly pushed onto the arena and watched through worried eyes as his "opponent" took up his battle stance. Not knowing what else to do Arashi stood where he was, a few yards from the other boy.
He became aware through his fear that Tokoa-sensei had arrived and was yelling at him to not be so stupid, that guys twice your size you idiot and get down from there right now!
Arashi tried to tell her that none of this was his idea but for some reason his throat just wouldn't work.
Tokoa-sensei, unable to get through the crowd of students in time, began shoving them out of the way as the bully began running towards Arashi.
The boy reached his tiny opponent with his fist raised and launched a punch at Arashi's head; Arashi yelped and ducked, the others fist went sailing over him. Tokoa reached the pair and caught the boys' fist as he tried to strike again.
"Stop it the pair of you," she snapped.
The older boy shrugged, and jumped down from the arena. Tokoa turned to Arashi who had not straightened up from his duck yet. Tokoa sighed and gently shook his little shoulder. Arashi peered up at her and finally straightened.
The gathered students dispersed and disappeared back into their class rooms as the bell that announced that break was over rang. Tokoa and Arashi walked back to the classroom amidst the bell that announced break was over.
They entered the classroom and Arashi hurried to his seat. The rest of the class stared at him as he walked past.
Arashi noticed their looks and stopped on the steps.
"What?" He demanded, with his hands on his hips. The few students in the class who held his gaze shrugged and turned away.
"Ok everyone settle down." Tokoa-sensei said and in a few minutes was able to start her next lesson.
Arashi walked home late, he had been kept back by Tokoa-sensei to explain what had happened at break.
He sighed, she had wanted to know, how he got into a fight and why he fought.
He had answered as best he could, telling her that he had been challenged for simply watching a fight, that he had tried to back down and that the other boy just wouldn't let him, but he didn't know for sure if she had believed him.
Tokoa-sensei had studied him for several minutes and then told him to go home. He was not looking forward to it; doubtless his parents already knew that he had been fighting.
He trudged up the path to his house and pushed open the door.
Arashi walked into the house and headed for the kitchen where raised voices where coming from, pausing before he entered he listened to his parents conversation.
"Calm down, he's a ninja, strength is proven through combat," came his fathers' voice.
"He is not a ninja, he is a child, and fighting is dangerous," his mother flung back.
Arashi flinched back from that; did his mother truly not consider him a ninja? Overcome, he turned and fled from the house and the implications of his mothers' voice.