Academy Days: The Saga Begins!

[abileunaspada]

Who: Adela Milani (abileunaspada) & OPEN
When: January 3rd-31st
Where: Konohagakure's Ninja Academy
Notes: Adela is one of the chuunin recruited to be a teacher's assistant for Iruka at the academy! At times it's rough, and at others it's fun, but to be a future Hokage one has to know how to address the youth of Konoha! And, well, give them proper reprimand for nearly burning the buildings down on a weekly basis.

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Adela didn't think she'd have such a hard job in assisting Iruka with his academy classes, but man was she ever exhausted! Between running around, teaching kids combat and stealth skills, breaking up spars that were going too far, dousing fires, testing kids meticulously, and dragging the kids who played hooky back to the classroom for extra lectures and hidden evasion exercises? She was exhausted. Even thinking up that list was hard work!

If Adela wasn't running around and helping Iruka however she could, she was taking one of the few breaks she could with a sigh, a bottled water, and a tune to hum to herself. It wasn't like she was the only aid he had, but that didn't stop the work from being any more tiring. At least on missions out of village she occasionally had the chance to rest!

But, maybe she was being too negative. A smile tugged at the teen's lips as she watched the kids, growing up into the next generation of protectors for the village in a relative era of peace. The future that she'd be protecting with all her might, along with every other shinobi there. Yeah... Times like this, it felt worth it. It felt like her goal was even more important then.

Not that she'd tell the kids that, between teaching them, praising them for good work and scolding them for giving less than their very best in their efforts. There was simply no time, but they didn't need to know the hard work of adults yet either. They were still kids, and they were still allowed the time to be young and carefree so far as she could see.

Yeah. This was way better than her days in Kiri. This was Konoha's Ninja Academy.

Comments

[senseiofthesea]

"He's always been a good person. I'm glad that you like working with him." He laughed softly and started on his own food, settling another box in his lap.

"Do you think you'll keep n contact with him after this?"

[abileunaspada]

"Probably, if we're not too busy on separated missions and the like. I'm thinking about grabbing him and getting him to go out to dinner with me tonight."

After a beat she thought about it, then immediately went red and started shaking her head, "A-As colleagues! I mean, even if we get along we don't know each other well right?"

[senseiofthesea]

He laughed and lifted a hand, the gesture intended to placate. "Deep breath now. I take people out all the time."

[abileunaspada]

"... Yeah, sorry, it's just... M'kinda sick about the rumors floating about me being 'Konoha's Siren' and all that crap," A sigh and she relaxed, her shoulders falling from their lock as she looked up to Iruka again, "I just kinda don't wanna worry about that romance stuff for a while."

[senseiofthesea]

"Then don't worry about it. Rumors being what they are, they'll only stay predominant as long a they're given fuel. Sometimes, the discomfort of the person they're about is all the fuel they need." He sighed, shaking his head.

[abileunaspada]

"I hope you're right, but... I guess I kind of have my own reasion for not liking the rumor mill, you know?" Her smile disappeared then, and Adela glanced away from Iruka with her fingers touching the skin beneath her blinded eye. Rumors were part of the lifeblood of a Shinobi, because how else were they supposed to get tips for important missions? But, considering what it had done to her...

[senseiofthesea]

He regarded her for a moment, turning solemn. "It's a terrible thing that happened to you, but it won't happen again. You learned something, even at a terrible cost, and now you're prepared. Hopefully, you'll never need to use what it taught you again."

[abileunaspada]

"Yeah, I know. It shouldn't be like that though -- we shouldn't have to be on guard within our own village, should we?"

[senseiofthesea]

He gave her a wistful smile. "Not to paranoia... but the Hokage has guards with him at all times even inside the village for a reason. People set traps at their doors and windows for a reason. Being careful will never be amiss."

[abileunaspada]

"Yeah, that's true, but... It just shouldn't have happened," She sighed, her head bowing a bit as her fingers touched the skin around her damaged eye. Damn, now they were on this kind of depressing topic...

[senseiofthesea]

"You're right. All we can do now is make the world a place where it won't." It was a simple statement, soft, and he shook his head slightly. He nibbled on his food, watching her.

[abileunaspada]

"... Mm," The hum was all he received as she pondered over her food, having slowed down a great deal as she just tried to think of other things and to eat. Still, the conversation sort of made her lose her appetite, and she wasn't sure if Iruka really understood. Then again, she wouldn't want him to.

[senseiofthesea]

He let the quiet pull out for long moments, observing her as they both ate. "Adela-san, do you dream of the future?"

[abileunaspada]

"... Sometimes. I still don't know if I'm ready for it or not, but if I don't try then how else am I supposed to live my life?"

[senseiofthesea]

"And when you reach the future, what do you expect it to be like?"

[abileunaspada]

"I dunno... I'll try hard to make it so, but I just hope that it's better than what things are like now. As good as they are, they aren't perfect."

[senseiofthesea]

"Nothing ever is Adela-san." He shook his head, closing up his emptied bento. "Ready to head back inside?"

[abileunaspada]

"Well, that's why we have to keep trying to make things better," She nodded and did the same, getting to her feet before handing him the bento, "Thank you for the food, it was really good. Yeah, I'm ready to head inside now."

[senseiofthesea]

He smiled fondly at her and nodded, collecting her box too. "You'll do very well in years to come. I'll go put these away, you go rescue Kiba-kun, mm?"

[abileunaspada]

"He needs it again, doesn't he?" A laugh and she darted off to do just that, making sure that he wouldn't end up too frazzled from the excitable children during the break. She needed a partner for this for a reason, after all!