The Nindō Effect

2-Team Initiation

Akemi balked at the team assembled in front of her and whispered a silent 'thank you,' to the universe. Team Gai was full of talent, and since the leave of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, it was objectively the best team left over in the entire village. Sure, Rock Lee was still recovering from his injuries, but Lee was not known to slow down too much.

Akemi stepped forward and bowed to her new teammates, then sat down next to Tenten on a bench in front of the balcony. Tenten smiled warmly at Akemi, with Neji staring at her calculatingly. Lee beamed, but hadn't said a word, waiting for Gai to give a conversational direction.

Gai stood with his arms on his waist and began, "Akemi, when your new comrades joined Team Gai, they all poured their hearts out to me concerning their goals. How about you do the same?"

Tenten rolled her eyes, "Only Lee poured out his heart Akemi, you don't have to go off on us unless you want to."

Akemi gulped and spoke, "Oh no, I don't mind. You'll have to forgive me if my voice is a bit shaky. I have not talked about myself to anyone in a... long time. Umm, well I believe in loyalty more than anything else, and my Nindo, or ninja way, is to protect my land and what I believe in with all my life. This Village is everything to me, and I will not cease to use all power within me possible to honor and defend my home."

'Wow,' Lee thought, 'Such an unselfish Nindo. Certainly there are great things in store for this one!'

Gai smiled intensely at Akemi, "Akemi, that is an honorable goal. And with your Academy scores, there is no doubt that you hold amazing potential. It does not matter to me who your parents are, and it surely will not be a problem on this team."

What Gai had said about Akemi's parents had puzzled him, so he turned to Akemi and asked, "From whom were you born Akemi?"

"LEE! Do not meddle in Akemi's life," Gai scolded, causing Lee to wilt and comply with a weak "yes sensei."

"If you are truly curious Lee, I would rather you hear it from me than from the likes of those who have a strong distaste for me," Akemi piped up, causing Lee to sit straight and turn toward her.

Lee's intense eyes of course reminded her of Gai's, but Akemi found a strong sense of sincerity in Lee's eyes, so she began her story:

"I came from Akane and Arakan Yamasaki, who were both Jonin of this village. From a young age, both of their families fled to the Leaf Village as a source of refuge. Both of their families died soon, but my parents, even from young ages, stuck together. They were still so young that they both grew up considering the Leaf Village their home, and then they advanced to serve it together.

They became Jonin, and soon after, my mother had me. Life in the household was always so strict, with them starting training for me at a young age. As I had reached the age of 6, my parents defected to a terrorist-ninja-group that stemmed from their original village. In the middle of the night, they attempted to assassinate the Third Hokage, leaving me at home, then fled. The Anbu, however, quickly caught up to them and swiftly executed them.

My parents were a disgrace and were disloyal to the Village and their sworn oaths of protection. By my becoming a Jonin and ushering peace into this land, I can wipe the filth they left off of me."

Lee, Neji, and Tenten stared at Akemi, and Akemi excused herself due to the late hour, promising to see everyone bright and early for her first day of training.

"I want you all to understand how special Akemi is," Gai spoke in a low tone, "She has been ostracized by her peers and everyone she has encountered in this village, and we will welcome her and train her. She follows closely in skill behind you all, and will keep up well with the pace of our training."

Lee's eyes shined with this new purpose and he struck a pose, sticking his thumb out, ready to offer a nice-guy promise, "Gai Sensei, I will make Akemi feel extremely welcome and I shall help her fulfill her Nindo, just as you have aided me."

Tenten chuckled along with Neji, "Ditto with Lee. This girl clearly needs some TLC."

Gai nodded in approval at his team, "Tomorrow we assess her combative and strategic skills. Neji, I want you to find some sort of gauge so I can understand her chakra limits. Tenten, assess her weapon abilities, and Lee measure her Taijutsu and endurance capability. We can find her strength and play to it. I want her to become a Chunin this year, along with you all. She'll compete as a one-woman team, but the support that you all can supply her will be of immense use."

'A Chunin so early? Gai made us wait a year! She must be special!' Tenten thought.

Neji contemplates this in his head for a moment, then he queried, "Gai Sensei does Akemi have a special ability that puts her above us as rookies?"

Gai looked off dramatically in the distance and rumbled, "Kakashi and I have watched over Akemi subtly throughout the years. The only thing I can tell you comfortably is that she has the work ethic to rival Lee and also possesses some natural inherited talent."

Neji's eyebrows shot up in an unusual show of emotion and Lee smiled even wider than before, "The perfect balance of underdog and genius for a new comrade?! We have inherited fortune!"

At Lee's words, tears streamed down Gai's face, with Lee soon following suit. Tenten and Neji simultaneously rolled their eyes and Gai shouted, "THE POWER OF YOUTH WILL AMPLIFY ACROSS THE VALLEYYYYYYYYYY!!!"