"He's dead?"
"I thought he'd never live too long, the fool."
"But so soon? I thought he…"
"Who died?"
"Didn't he just take on a student?"
"It has to be a hoax. They don't just…die like that."
"Poor guy."
Takani walked through town, and all she heard from every ninja she passed was about a Jonin who had died.
As she walked down Main Street , Takani saw Iruka-sensei making his way through the crowd. He was walking fast.
"Takani-chan! I thought I'd never find you," he said as he walked up.
Takani looked up at Iruka with confusion. Why would he be looking for her? There always had to be a reason, and for some reason Takani knew it had to do with the dead Jonin.
"Takani, I need to talk to you. It's about Kiyoshi-sensei…"
Takani nodded. So, he was dead. She felt torn. Now that he was gone, her problems were over, but still, he was dead. Her teacher was dead. It came as a blow, even though it was one she was expecting.
"I guess you've heard, then. We'll need to find you a new teacher. This is getting way too complicated…"
Takani took Iruka's hand and they walked back to the Academy. She still hated the fact that she was not even a Genin yet. If only she could tell Iruka what had happened in the woods…
"You'll never become a Genin at this rate…"
Takani stopped. Never…become a Genin? She knew that Iruka didn't really mean it, that it was just a figure of speech, but the words still caught her. Never…
"What's wrong?" Iruka asked, confused. Takani shook her head.
"Apparently he died fighting a ninja from another village," Iruka said, grimacing. Takani looked down, wondering what had happened. She felt strange, like she was sad. She had barely known Kiyoshi, but she still felt sorrow.
"We may need to put you with another team for a few days, until we figure something out. Before he died, Kiyoshi-sensei decided to make you a Genin. If you want, I have your forehead protector in my room back at the Academy. Do you want it?"
Takani nodded. She pictured in her mind the gleaming metal plate with the Konoha leaf on it, and the blue tie. It seemed so perfect. She desperately wanted it.
"Let's go, then," Iruka said, smiling. He took Takani's hand and they walked to the Academy. Takani stared at his hand for most of the way. It was so big...and the touch felt strange. To be touched by another person...to hold someone's hand. It was totally foreign.
When they reached the Academy, Takani felt this feeling take her over. Her eyes got wide, and she started to dash towards the door. It was such a childish act, to let go of her calm for this long, that she reveled in it.
Iruka laughed, jogging after her. He opened the door to find her staring at a Konoha headband sitting on the table. It was like many other in the village, but Takani was staring at it as though it was gold.
She picked it up, looking at it from every angle. Then, she put it to her forehead, under her long bangs, and tied it around her head. The long bits of hair above the plate framed her face, and her long hair still swept down her back. She adjusted it, and for a moment she looked so much older.
Iruka smiled and walked over to her. She was feeling every bit of the forehead protector, from the metal to the band around her head to the small bolts holding the metal plate on. Her fingers traced the Konoha leaf.
Then, she smiled up at Iruka. "Thank you."
Then she dashed out the door, leaving Iruka speechless. Takani had spoken.