Chapter 1

''Where?'' I asked. Were they really sending me away?

''The Leaf village. You will be staying with your cousin Sasuke.''

''Who?''

''Sasuke Uchiha. He is a Genin in the Leaf village.''

''Why do I have to go?''

''You will be going to start your training as a ninja.''

''Why? How long will I be staying there?'' A ninja?

''...As long as it takes. But at the moment I'm not sure. It could be a month to a few years.''

''YEARS?'' What? I would die staying that long.

''Yes.''

''Why can't you train me?''

''I'm getting too old. And your grandmother is very ill.''

''But I don't want to go.''

''I'm sorry. But you have no choice. I don't want you to end up like your parents. I want you to have the skills to survive.''

My parents had been attacked by a group of ninjas, and were killed on the spot, I was 6 at the time. They never wanted to train to be ninjas, they thought it was too dangerous. They vowed to never train me. They made my grandparents vow the same. But now they were breaking it.

''What about you and grandma?''

''We'll be fine. I'm still able to protect us. Plus we are in a small housing. Out of the way of attacks.''

''But...''

''I'm sorry. But this is the only way we know how to keep you safe and sheltered.''

''Why can't I just stay here?''

''…We don't have much longer to live, Akemi. And we want to be sure that you aren't left alone when

we are gone.''

''But…''

''I'm sorry…Now finish packing. You will be leaving soon.'' He said and left.

''…Okay.''

I grabbed my necklace, with the blue gem hanging from it, and sat on my bed. It was my mothers. It was the last thing I had of her. She always said that when I was old enough, she would give it to me. She got it from grandma and was going to pass it down to me. She always smelled of cookies. Sweet sugar or chocolate chip cookies. Her cocoa cookies were my favorite. She would make them ever-so-often, on special occasions. It was a family secret. I missed her so. Even though I hadn't known her long, and I didn't know much about her, except for the things that my grandparents told me.

I had just finished packing, when my grandpa came back in.

''Its time to go, Akemi.''

''O-okay. I'm coming.''

Grabbing my suit case, I headed out. But before I left, I walked into my grandmothers room to say goodbye. She was lying in bed.

A few weeks ago she had fallen ill. We are not sure of the sickness, but our doctor told us that if she did not begin to show improvement within 2 weeks, that the sickness could be fatal. That's one reason why I was leaving. It had been a struggle for my grandpa to take care of the both of us.

''Grandma?'' I said, quietly.

''Yes dear…Akemi is that you?''

''Yes grandma.'' I said, approaching her. Kneeling beside her bed, I grabbed hold of her hand.

''Oh dear, grandma is not feeling the way she used to.''

''I know…I've heard.'' I said, slowly. ''I'm leaving, grandma.''

''Where, Akemi?''

''To the Leaf village. I'm going to start my training there.''

''Who with?''

''I don't know. All I know is that I will be staying with my cousin…uhm…Sasuke, I believe.''

''Oh, that child is very…different.''

''What do you mean, grandma?''

''He's a very…mysterious young boy.''

''Oh.''

''Dear, will you hand me that glass of water?''

''Yes grandma.'' I said, taking the glass off her night stand and handing it to her.

''Thank you.'' She said, trying to sit up. I helped her up a bit, as she sipped from the glass. Handing it to me, she laid back.

''Well grandma. I have to go.''

''Okay young one.'' She said, and brought her hand to my face. ''Please be careful and train well.''

''I will.'' I said, standing to my feet. I lightly kissed her cheek and head out onto the sandy porch.

There was a big chariot sitting in front of our house. Three teenagers stood by the chariot talking to my grandpa. One had black hair, in-which was pulled back into a pony tail. He looked really bored.

Un-amused, Uninterested. Another had light brown hair, and wore, what looked like underwear, on his head. He was a pudgy guy with rosy cheeks. He stood there devouring a bag of chips. Then there was a girl with really long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Were these the ninjas that were escorting me to the Leaf village? They were just kids. How could they protect me? We were all practically the same age. I thought (not to sound snooty) that I was going to a ninja village, not a playground.

I walked over next to my grandpa.

''Oh, Akemi, you're here.'' He said, smiling. ''Akemi, this is Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji, they will be

escorting you to the Leaf village.''

''Hi.'' The girl said, smiling brightly.

''Nice to meet you.'' The underwear headed one said, with a mouth full of chips.

The other one scoffed.

''But they're just a bunch of kids.'' I said. Though I hadn't realized I'd said it out loud.

When I looked at them, they all looked offended.

''I…I didn't…''

''Excuse me? Who are you calling kids?'' Ino asked, angrily.

''I didn't mean…''

''Okay now, you guys do not need to get off on a bad start.'' My grandpa compromised. ''I'm sure Akemi didn't mean that, now did you Akemi?''

''No. I didn't. I'm sorry.''

''Hm.'' Ino scoffed, and walked away, towards the chariot.

''Okay, time to go everyone.''

''Bye grandpa.'' I said, embracing him with a hug.

''Bye.''

We released, and I walked towards the chariot, Ino giving me the death stare. Who knew someone could be so offended by being called a kid. I mean she is. What is she like 13 or 14?

I climbed onto the carriage, and we headed on our way to the Leaf village. I waved good bye to my grandpa until I couldn't see him anymore, and he was just a speck in the distance.