Chapter 5 – Reporting for Duty

A mission. The new had just arrived at the main house and it was causing uproar. Most of them didn't even know Sesu had graduated. Others just wanted to know how he got a mission ahead of their young prodigy.

Nonetheless, Sesu was sent out, on time, and, through Taki's efforts, unharmed.

"Good luck," Taki whispered, as Sesu left out the back gate.

Sesu smiled in return and hurried to reach the village leader's residence. The village was considerably smaller than other ones, so the leader's house doubled as their headquarters. The sand ninja had been kind enough to offer to pay for it to be built, but the village had refused, since upkeep was almost just as expensive.

It wasn't a very impressive house. It was squat, square, and looked like something else that begins with s. Sesu had no trouble, but he could see Hagane-sensei, who had already arrived slouching mildly to avoid bumping his head as he walked into the main room.

"How does a guy like this become Village Leader?" Jie commented loudly. Hagane failed to cut him off, his hand covering his mouth a little too late.

"It's all right," a deep voice assured Hagane. "Boys will be boys." The man was in his late 30's, not old, but not young anymore either. His face was covered with laugh lines, though they seemed worn, like they had not been used in a long time. His muddy brown hair was uncovered, a hat resembling those of the larger villages "kages" leaned against his side. His eyes were the same muddy brown, and, overall he was… Unremarkable.

"You don't look that strong." Hagane was just a moment short again.

The man smiled knowingly. He was once like this too. "I am," he replied simply. "Now, your mission." He shuffled through a small pile of papers until he came to rest on one. "Here it is."

Hagane silently took it from the man's hands, already scanning over it. "I understand."

"Where are we going, Hagane-sensei?"

The jounin brushed past Sesu without answering his question. Sesu looked around, noticed he had been left alone, save for the village leader, and hurried out the door.

"I'm sorry," the man said, watching as the boys left. This was not something they should have to do.

Ami had been told to report to the empty classroom, and was still peeved slightly that they had not told her which classroom was the empty one. About 6 classrooms and 180 tittering 5-9 year olds later she had found it. And now they made her wait.

She had found a way to amuse herself. Although the white board was now full of her anti-men slogans, so she had set about to looking at the door with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently, and glaring at whoever dared walk in.

About the time she figured no one was coming in, and she had decided to turn around and take a seat, the door slid open.

"Hatashi Ami?"

Ami froze, half in the seat. She did her best to smile, and turned to meet her new sensei.

"Sesu?"

"Hello, Hatashi-san," Sesu greeted her, bowing like he did to everybody. She could just barely make out the headband hanging around his neck, hidden behind the collar of his jacket. "Hagane-sensei sent me to get you."

That was the last straw. He had made her wait, then not even come to pick her up himself. He sent the poor little boy all the way to bring her to him.

"That's it," she said aloud, stomping out of the class. A number of doors opened to see what was causing the noise, but quickly shut again at the sight of the angry girl stomping down the hall. She barely felt Sesu still following her. Finally, about halfway down the block, she realized she had no idea where she was going.

Sheepishly, she turned back to her dark-haired follower. "Uh… where do we go?"

"We're meeting at the training grounds," Sesu answered, taking this opportunity to pass her and attempt to lead. She let him take over the lead, matching his easy pace.

"So, you passed, then?" she said, breaking the silence she found uncomfortable.

"Yeah," Sesu answered, and Ami could tell he was smiling, even without being able to see his mouth.

"That's good."

And there was that uncomfortable silence again. "So… you get a big party or anything."

"No." Sesu glanced down, and Ami knew she shouldn't press. That didn't stop her.

"Why not? We had a huge party! There was music, and…"

"Ryoma graduated too."

"Ryoma? Who's that?"

"He's… my little brother," Sesu answered. His eyes were straight forward. This subject made him uncomfortable. Ami no longer cared.

"I don't remember him from our class. Was he held back—"

"There." Sesu pointed, relief evident in his voice.

She followed his finger to the pair. The third member of their cell, and their sensei. She immediately recognized Hagane, one of the village's few jounin, and the one who had given her the first graduation test.

It took a few moments longer to figure out who the second one was. He didn't stand out much from other people, probably because his bandana hid his hair, so she couldn't even tell what color it was until they were closer.

What she wouldn't give for that uncomfortable silence now.