Small Steps

A sleepy kunoichi—nicknamed the Narcoleptic Ninja—has big dreams. Wanting to save her teammates Obito, Kakashi, as well as her sensei and his love, the sleepy kunoichi will have to work hard to see her dream come true. Reborn!OC

young akemi-chan: trust

years til nine tails: 8 years, 6 months

akemi: 9 years, 11 months

location: hidden leaf village (spring)

"Mom," I say, "I'm going to be a ninja."

Mom stops washing the dishes. She turns to me, face so pale it's blue. "My baby girl! She's going to die! She'll kill herself! Oh, please, Gods, I should have never let her outside!"

"M-Mom...?"

Mom clutches my shoulders. "You're never leaving ever! I'll lock you up in the room and you'll never escape. Don't you know you'll be safer in there?"

"M-Mom..."

"I don't want to hear it! You're banished to your room! Banned, banned, banned!"

I wake myself.

(That was a scary dream...)

If I pass the entrance exam, I still need Mom's permission to let me attend the Academy...

Problem is, I've been hiding my training for nearly two years.

(Mom won't be happy I lied, she'll never ever let me go—)

It was easy to hide my lean body under baggy clothes. It's easy to attribute my hunger and soreness for "working" in Nishi's shop all day. There is no way I can get away with going to the Ninja Academy, let alone becoming a Genin should I graduate.

I. Need. Help.

Who can help me with Mom, though?

I think and think. Only one person can fight the ball of extreme compassion.

I knock on her sliding door and mutter, "Excuse me." I slide it open to see Gramma.

At this time of night, she's always outside in the garden. The bluish sky makes her loose yukata dress pink instead of peach, but her silvery white hair in short curls remains unaffected. She looks up from watering her plants to see me approaching. Two round glasses lens shields her eyes. It makes her no less welcoming.

"Good evening... Gramma."

The proper title for her is Grandmother. It's respectful since she's the woman who began the Minakura Clan.

Er, the up and coming Minakura Clan.

Gramma told us how much Granpa-formally, Grandfather-wanted to have a clan of his own. He died long before it. It was so long ago, only Mom, Dad, and my aunt had been kids when attending his funeral.

Gramma ensures his dream will come true.

I truly do respect my grandmother, but I don't like the length and effort of that name. I shortened it. Gramma doesn't mind.

(Being the baby of the family has its perks.)

"Ah, if it isn't my sleepy red panda," Gramma smiles. "So glad you decided to randomly talk to me."

Ha... in my defense, I'm not a very talkative person around my family. But I grab a watering can and pour a silver stream of water on the dryer plants for a while. As the crescent moon moves behind the walls of the house, Gramma instructs me to bend down and make sure no plants have mildew from today's heat spell. Mostly hidden from her gaze, I finally speak.

"Um, well it's... I need... Gramma, you're strong... I need that strength."

That could have gone worse.

"Oh?" To my relief, Gramma sounds very amused. "My strength? But, red panda, aren't you getting stronger nowadays?"

I'm wearing an oversized sweater, so there's no way... I look and look through the chunky knit, light yellow garment but nothing gives it away.

Gramma laughs. "Maybe the others see you as a delicate bud, but I see you as who you are. There's a strength guiding you that's never been there before. Oh, how strong it is. It's almost as if the red panda I knew almost a year ago is completely changed."

I wrap my arms around my body and stare at my toes. I've always been me. Never have I showed anyone what's really on my mind until recently.

"...Gramma, you're so wise," I grumble. "How could you know...?"

"It's easy, dear."

A cheeky grin crosses Gramma's chubby, wrinkled face.

"I followed you and listened to that Nishi girl teach you," she says. "After all... I haven't been able to test my ninja skills out recently. Here, how do you like this?"

In explosion of leaves and old lady perfume, in Gramma's place is a young man holding up a one-of-a-kind Nishi brand dagger. She doesn't hold the form long.

"A-A-Ah..."

How could I forget?

This old woman isn't as sweet as she seems. When I was seven, she tricked me into thinking she was a man for a week. When I was eight, she pretended to be dead two weeks just to see how we'd react. When she thought we reacted good enough, she returned. When I was really young, I heard that Gramma alone was good enough to defend my cousins and me while the adults helped during the Second Great Shinobi War. One night, a burglar snuck in and Gramma supposedly humiliated and spanked him.

In short, I fear the person who gets on Gramma's bad side.

"It's not as if I don't trust you," Gramma says, now her normal self. "You're still so very naive, child. Think of it as extra assistance!"

I exhale. "...maybe."

"So, since you obviously want something, it probably has something to do with you and the Ninja Academy and your mother, huh?"

I nod.

"To be frank... no amount of reasoning will convince her. Your mother protects you because of her emotions. Nothing is more unreasonable than that. If you want to get something done, make a bet she can't back out of."

A devious smirk adorns her face. Worriedly, I say, "Is that so...?"

"If you can do this, your mother has to let you do that. But if you cannot, you will do this for your Mother. Just like that. It has to be something she can't refuse and will be willing to risk. For example... your complete safety."

I nod. I expected this. "Thank you. But, Gramma...? I don't think I can talk to her alone."

She sighs pleasantly. "A matriarch's work is never done!"

Gramma and I ambush Mom on her way to her office the next day. Mom immediately looks wary. "Grandmother? You're walking again? You should really rest."

Gramma tucks her hands in her huge sleeves, smiling. "Hanae, we need to have a serious discussion."

"What? Oh no, is someone dying?" Mom holds a hand over her heart.

"Not that serious. It is about your little one. She has done something very important."

I duck behind Gramma's dress before I can see Mom's expression.

"Our little girl wants to try the Ninja Academy entrance exam."

Silence.

A bird chirps. A breeze toys with leaves.

"Excuse me?!"

My mother's girly scream echoes through the house.

Mom is panting heavily. "That's—unacceptable! We know she's different from other children! She's a bit sick. She can't hold herself to those high standards! Oh, Grandmother, you must not amuse her; she's only ten!"

"Relax, relax... let me finish."

Out of politeness, Mom hushes up. But she looks eager to keep talking.

"A newfound light burns bright in our girl. Don't tell me you haven't noticed a change. She is not as sluggish nor careless. She wakes with a purpose and sleeps satisfied. I personally believe in letting her follow this light, but I will not lecture your mothering style. All I ask is that you heed an ultimatum."

Mom looks a thousand years old. "Okay... tell me, Grandmother."

"Let her take the entrance exam. If she fails like you'd expect her to, she agrees to never do shinobi arts or civilian-nin missions. She will assist you here, where it is the safest. However... should she pass the exam, you will allow her to become a kunoichi. How does this sound?"

Mom trembles. "You know there's no way she'll pass! She's too gentle..."

"Hanae, please..."

"Ohhh! I do not like this one bit! Take the exam but please do not hurt yourself! Ahhh! What if they push her too hard? Which if she pushes herself too hard? Does she know her limits? I bet if I were her, I'd disregard those limits just to push myself! If she does, she'll actually hurt herself... Oh my poor baby, I can't see you in the hospital again! And if you were to die, I can't... my heart will break...!"

Gramma and I wince.

"There's no stopping this," Gramma states.

I nod once.

Gramma breathes in resolutely. "We need to run!"

I run but Gramma still races past and pushes me out the way, leaving me in the dust in the hallway. From far away, I can hear my mother's paranoid ramblings in the beginning of what we dub her "worry meltdown".

My mother cares a lot. Too much. When she worries, she worries. Her worries are so realistic, so graphic, so utterly convincing, and so utterly cynical that, if anyone listens too long, a person will have their happiness and optimistic sucked out until nothing but a neurotic shell remains.

We have a theory her chakra leaks out and negatively affects her surroundings like a anxiety based Killing Intent. An Anxiety Intent, if we may. No one has found a solution other than these three steps: prevent the worry meltdown, save yourself during a worry meltdown, and throw Dad at her.

For some reason, Mom's worry meltdowns never affect Dad.

We fairly normal people... we run.

I make to Nishi's store on my rest day. Nishi is actually very surprised to see me, saying, "Did you forget what today is?"

I shake my head. "About the Ninja Academy... I dealt with it."

"Oh! And? What happened?"

"I can do it but... Mom is having a worry meltdown."

Nishi inhales slowly. "By Gods, you weren't lying before."

I explain to Nishi my situation.

"Ah, you have a lot to lose," she says. "I guess this is your all or nothing. I mean, you're asking me, your mom, your family... to trust you enough for this chance even though you don't seem fit for it at all. It's even worse because you're relying on a death omen. Look, I'm no god or superhuman, I'm just normal. I can't make the impossible... possible."

"Uh-huh... I understand, Nishi-sensei."

It's all down to me. Nishi can teach me all she wants. If I don't learn and don't show those ninja I have a chance, it's really all my fault.

I keep that mindset up until the day of the Ninja Academy entrance exam.

Nishi is at my side since Mom couldn't bear to come. In Mom's words, it sounds like I'm walking to my death, or something.

We get here pretty early but it's still really packed with kids.

Nishi sighs. "This never changes. Most people who come are kids with no clans and small families. They've got nothing to lose because nobody expects much from them. Meanwhile, children from clans and notable clans rarely fail to get admitted."

"Hey... don't you know... the Minakura Clan is a clan, too," I say.

"Not really. You're just at that big family stage." She pats my head. "Keep trying."

As the early morning progresses, the kids enter the Academy alone. The building is huge and buzzing with energy. Mostly all the adults wear their standard Leaf uniform and look kinda cool. No adult is actually armed with anything, but I'm still sure they can defend their kids when the need arises.

I tell my information to an adult who writes it all down extremely quickly, only slowing down when I'm trying to find the right ideograms to spell words with.

"You're from Maple Village? Not the Leaf?" His voice is loud and harsh, instantly worrying me.

"...I can't do the exam?"

(Is this the end of my dreams?)

"If it's the place with the blood trees and Mist ninja," he starts, "then it's fine. That's one of the officially recognized Leaf territories, anyway. Just note no matter where your live, your loyalty to the Leaf is stronger your loyalty anywhere else. Disobey that rule and that will make you a traitor. That is very, very bad."

I shiver. "Y-Yes, sir..."

Carrying my papers and looking from left to right to see my room number, I try to find my exam room. As I walk, kids who find their rooms enter and the door slides ominously shut behind them. Some kids are waiting in a line outside their door, practicing, chatting... very few are nervous and fearful.

When I get to my room, the door is open and an average man with glasses and a bandanna meets my eyes. I probably looked a bit too obvious during my search.

"Can I see those papers?" he says gently. Reading through them, he nods. "Looks like you're the first one today! Are you ready to begin?"

My legs feel like jelly. Should I have eaten breakfast? I feel like it's going to make a reappearance soon...

I frown at the room. "...I have a lot to lose."

"Eh?" He scratches the back of his head. "Well... maybe so. But you never know, you could get in."

"If don't... I can't ever come back here... I promised."

"Well then, let's do our best instead of worrying!" Smiling encouragingly, he guides me into the room. I'm momentarily energized from it until he closes the door and I'm realized I'm trapped with three teachers.

I step in front of their big desk, feeling the sweat pouring down my back.

"Good morning," says the sunglasses-wearing man on the left, holding himself with a solemn rigidity. "Before we begin, you'll have to understand the Ninja Academy pledge." He hands me a sheet of paper. "You will swear by the pledge. To do so, read from the paper. Clearly."

As a ninja of the Village Hidden by Leaves,

I will be healthy in both mind and body,

I will have a spirit able to endure hard work,

I will have love and respect for my village.

When I am inside the Academy, I will embody

Teamwork and the hope for peace and village prosperity.

This pledge is so old, I think, the ideograms used to spell the Leaf Village are older than me.

I swear by the pledge and then the elegant lady in the middle speaks. "Very good. Now, we will test your ability to learn the ninja arts. With every part to the exam, you will get three votes. Votes are from one to three, with one standing for definite potential, two standing for possible potential, and three standing for no potential at all. In short, three is good and one is not so good. If you find yourself with all threes, it may not be bad. However... please do your best."

(At least they're honest...)

"We will begin with testing the body for Body Techniques. When I give you an exercise to do, do as much as you can before quitting. The more you are able to do or the better your technique will lead to ones."

It's the basics: push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, et cetera. I had done these with a weight steadily increasing but never growing impossibly heavy, so I end up doing more than I predicted without a weight.

Still... the ninja teachers are completely expressionless.

"Good. A ninja must have control over their own chakra so that they may perform Ninja Techniques. Please mold your chakra. You must close your eyes and meditate."

What? No techniques? I do as she says... focusing on my core and get the spiritual and physical energies spiraling together. I seriously lack chakra, so I can't afford to waste any of it.

"What do you see?" the woman says.

"Very, very low amount of chakra. Lower than most civilians. Slow moving and unbalanced. The spiritual energy differs greatly from physical energy, a gap made worse because she is female. She'll need specialized help to mend the balance. Other than that, control is superb."

"Very good. You may stop now."

I open my eyes and nothing seems off with them. Hyuuga? The man's forehead is covered by his forehead protector, looking perfectly average. His tree trunk colored hair is very thin and not long at all. Not ponytail length.

"Can you perform any Ninja Techniques?" says the woman.

"Um..." I dig into my overstuffed pocket and grab origami shuriken. Nishi made them for me, just in case this moment arises. Adding chakra to flimsy paper-based weapons is a lot harder than adding it to a hard to change metal. With four shuriken in my hand, I throw the chakra covered paper, feeling remarkably like Konan. Without much of a distance between the shuriken, they all strike the desk. "Does that count...?"

"If you're using chakra, then it's certainly a Ninja Technique. Is that all?"

They still seem so unimpressed though...

I stick the paper to my hand. "...and that's it."

They write so quickly I can't tell what number they put.

The man who invited me inside speaks. "Do you have anything else you can show us? If not, the exam will end."

"Uh... um..."

I don't feel confident at all. I can't leave like this.

"Weapons Techniques... I can do that."

"Hm?"

"I can do... Shuriken Techniques... I can use a staff and kunai..."

The man looks over the woman to the oldest man. "May I?"

The man doesn't spare him a glance. "Go ahead."

In it is a small wooden target the size of a head, a few shuriken and kunai, and a staff... among other things.

"Let's see your skills," he smiles.

With weapons in my hands, I feel slightly more prepared.

If I just throw these weapons, they'll like my accuracy, right? Or... what if I've been so unremarkable that this is my last chance to get a two or one? I can't settle for just barely squeezing by.

"That's why you're going to master this."

"Eh? But... it's so easy to use..."

"I know that. But mastering a kunai is different than just using it to serve a purpose. See this?"

Nishi stopped twirling the kunai and did a fancy hand trick to get a better hold. Her other hand grabbed four shuriken and threw without missing a beat. Soon the kunai was flying and on the center of the target was four shuriken pierced in the middle by the kunai.

Nishi showed me that day the level between masters and those who just use kunai, I think.

If I can do that too... I'll definitely get a one.

Still, I had practiced doing what she did for months. She explained it to me, but it's also something that just sort of clicks in the mind.

Hm. If I can't do it with four, maybe two will be fine?

Satisfied with at least two points, I hold my four shuriken and two kunai. The target is higher up and farther away than what I'm used to. But this target has the same diameter as the target's centermost dot.

The shuriken go flying at first, thrown at an angle to that they are not parallel to the ground. A blue glow covers the kunai as I throw them too, watching as the energy powers them like I never could. The two higher shuriken are pierced, the two lower shuriken are pierced. Both are make a small curve in the sky that, to my eyes, looks like a straight line to the center of the target.

There, two pairs of shuriken rock against the kunai points like a wind chime.

(I did it...)

It's nothing as cool as what Nishi had done... but I did it on my own. I'm proud.

I pick up the staff and test it. It's a demo staff, so it's very light and hollow. It's easy to do fast spins and strike knowing full well something like this would break almost instantly in a real fight.

When I'm too exhausted to continue, I stop and try to fight my creeping sleepiness.

The man on the left and the woman are impassive. The man on the right smiles slightly, saying, "Is that it?"

After hesitating, I nod.

"By sunset, the board with the names of children who will attend the Academy will be posted. You'll attend the entrance ceremony and begin your lessons. If you fail to make it, you may always try again next year..." He suddenly trails off. With a few looks from his colleagues, he shakes his head. "Thank you for today. No matter happens, know that Lord Hokage is proud of your bravery and passion."

I nod and hurry to let myself out before fear paralyzes me.

Nishi is still waiting outside, parasol the same deep red color as her outfit. "Ah, sleepy, how'd it go?"

I stop just before her, trying to forget the impulse to hug her. "I don't know... I'm scared."

"Well... if you gave this your all, don't regret that you don't make it. You're just following a crazy, slightly impossible dream."

"If I fail... your weapons brand."

"I can always hire people or blackmail my old Academy classmates. They were all jerks to me anyway." She glares at the Academy buildings. "I hate this place. Let's go get some food while we wait."

By "food", Nishi orders Earl Grey tea while I settle for occasionally drinking my white tea.

At one point, with the teacup covering her mouth, she calls my name. When I watch her, she's looking away, furrowed brows twitching. "Hey, er... you know, you did good, sleepy. So there's that."

Wh-What? I'm certain her tea doesn't have alcohol in it, so what's with the one-eighty flip?

"Nishi-sensei," I say cautiously, "are you... okay?"

Deadly precise, her teacup spoon hits my forehead. "Nevermind what I said! You're completely hopeless!"

I spend the rest of the day trying to distract myself with sleeping or eating until Nishi drags me back to the Academy to wait among the crowd for the board. I feel like I'll pee myself from the nerves and then the board comes out. People lunge for it like it's a lifeline. It probably is, honestly.

"Go look for your name," Nishi says, nudging me slightly.

"Come with me...?" I plead, almost childishly.

"Um, did you forget? I'm Deadly Nishi. I'm already getting rude looks for being here. Off you go."

My feet won't move.

"Agh, sleepy, I really can't go! I don't even know your name and it might be really unlucky to have me there! I mean, with my name, I could be the death of your dream. So, you have to go by yourself. It's the least I can do!"

Still... no moving. The crowd is almost completely gone. I don't dare look at the board long enough to read names.

"Is there something wrong?"

I look up at the familiar voice: the man who judged me looks between us two, curious eyes recognizing me.

Nishi pushes me to him. "Take that girl and go to the board. She's too scared to go alone."

(Nishi-sensei, did you have to tell him all that?)

"That's no problem, let's go see then." Taking my hand, I have no choice but to follow him, least I be seen as rude.

The board stares back at us.

"Let's see... your name... I'm sure I remember it."

"You judged me..." I mumble. "So, can't you tell me... if I did good at all? Do we h-have... to worry about... finding my name... on this board?"

He's stunned silent for a moment. "'Minakura,' isn't it? Your last name?"

"...uh-huh."

(What if he's too afraid to tell me my dream is over?)

"And written in Hiragana is your first name, correct?"

"...uh-huh."

"You know, you're a very... not normal case. You're probably one of the oldest children to try out. Most of the little ones are seven. You'd expect that at ten, you'd be overprepared, but that isn't the case for you. Typically, no matter the age, each year has strict needs of what the ninja can do. For example, we had a student who could only do Body Techniques two years ago. There was no need for a ninja who could only do one skill. Even so, he was admitted on alternate sheet thanks to one teacher. That means he still was accepted due to open spots."

Why is he monologuing instead of just telling me my future is over? This is too cruel...

"I'd like to think if all went well, you'd definitely be at a third year level. That's not to say you're advanced in anyway. It's simply means you have the same aptitude as third years. Putting you in first or second would only bore and harm you. And putting you in fourth or fifth year will be too difficult. That would mean if you were accepted, you'd have to find a third year teacher willing to take you in. Because, in the end, you aren't a hopeless case."

A surprised noise bursts from me before I can stop it.

"If I were a third year teacher," he continues, keeping his gaze on the board, "I would see your Body Techniques as okay, since you are older, so your body can handle things most third years can't. Your Ninja Techniques will need lots of room to grow, so I would be worried to accept you based on that alone. But, your Weapons Techniques, not counting your age, is very good. With a bunch of weapons masters in the Academy, there's no doubt you can become a good ninja. So if I were to pick you, I think your name would be..."

I follow his index finger, watches as he places it just under the mina of my name. Realizing that, my eyes burn.

Then he turns to me. "Ah... there's a Minakura right here. If you are the owner of this name... then I believe you've just passed the Ninja Academy's entrance exam, Akemi Minakura!"

Like flipped switch, I start crying.

"Ah... um, Akemi? It's okay... you did it. Er, did I over do it...?"

"Sleepy! What's wrong? You didn't make it?"

The tears blur my vision too badly to see Nishi.

"No, no, she passed! I mean, just barely... I'm the only teacher who wanted to take a risk with her, so... congratulations!"

"Ehhhh?"

When I get home, I barely get the front door open before I see Mom, Sayaka, and Gramma staring at me expectantly.

"Ah," Sayaka breathes, "An-chan's been crying!"

"So has her mother," Gramma says, patting my mom's head who's still sniffing.

"U-Um..." I look away. "So... I didn't hurt myself."

"Y-Yes," Mom says, eyes shining with unreleased tears.

"And... it was kinda scary," I admit, which sounds immature but somewhere I'm ten. It's normal.

"Tell me about it," Sayaka says.

"But in the end..."

Out of my pocket, I pull out my rejection letter.

"Oooh..." Gramma and Sayaka exchange an awkward smile.

"Well," Sayaka says, feigning cheer, "you're dream was kind of on the impossible side. It's okay, An-chan! Your big sister will always be by your side!"

"You're... my cousin," I correct.

Gramma sighs. "It's alright, it's alright. So long as your tried your best. Now that this excitement is finished, let's enjoy dinner together."

Mom's tears disappear. "I'm sorry... I know you wanted this dream. Don't be afraid to keep dreaming... but let's be a bit more realistic, okay?"

I nod. "Yes, Mom."

Later on in my life, while I'm stuck indoors, my family would go on to assist in the Fourth Great Shinobi World War without me. They would tell me stories of how incredible the Fourth Hokage's son Naruto Uzumaki was.

Meanwhile, I would never get to see him.

"Hey, listen to us carefully, you know!"

Sayaka pokes my cheek. She, Gramma, and Mom all wait eagerly to hear the results.

(Wouldn't rejection be some kind of bad end, huh?)

Out of my pocket, I pull out my congratulations letter.

Gramma and Sayaka gasp in surprise, ready to hug me.

Mom... just kinda... collapses.

small steps chapter 4 | trust

So a lot of people might be going "Why do all authors hide their oc names?" and, for me, It's because nobody really acknowledged Akemi as her own thing instead of sickly, very cute, sleepy... it's the ninja judge who's the only person who cared enough to see potential in her, and so he called her name first because he's associating her as a full picture instead of nicknames or traits. It's an important step.

Anyways, her name is written in the chapter titles so it's not as If its a grand reveal.