Chapter 1: Jishaku Maemi, Steel Shinobi
The calm wind blows during the black, moonless night. Stars shine dimly in the distance. In the fire nation, a new village has been formed; a village hidden in steel. Located by an iron ore mine, this village was founded shortly after Uzimaki Naruto became the sixth Hokage. Because of their location by a iron ore mine, it gives them an unlimited supply of iron, the key ingredient in making steel. The ninjas in the village of steel are master smiths and users of many steel weapons. But in a house, near the outskirts of the village, a young boy sleeps in his bed.He's failed the ninja academy three times due to poor grades. He's very good with the jutsu, but he's dumb as a rock. Yet still, this boy is special. Though it is hard to tell at the moment, he will become the strongest member of the jishaku clan.
As the sun rose, the light shined in the boy's eyes. Slowly his eyes flickered open, then shut quickly as the bright light stung his eyes. He sat up and stretched lazily in bed. "Damn sunlight…" he muttered. He got up and stretched to wake himself up. Then it hit him. The examination was today! Today was his chance to, once again, try to become a shinobi and receive the Village hidden in Steel headband. He smiled widely and quickly got dressed.
He rushed down the stairs, almost falling at one point. "Bye Mom!" he said quickly as he grabbed something small for breakfast and hurried to the academy. "Be careful!" His mother yelled back but she didn't know if he'd heard her or not. His father watched him hurry to the academy. His father was head of the Steel section of the Anbu and was disappointed by his son's repeated failed attempts to become a Genin.
The boy quickly opened the door and sat down in his seat as the bell rang. "Well. Early for once I see Maemi," the teacher said.
"Yes Suoh Sensei. I plan on becoming a shinobi this time!" Maemi said with glee. He was thirteen years old and had shaggy brown hair. He always pretended to be happy but was really sad inside. His father didn't care about him and his mother had begun to give up hope. His fellow peers mocked him for being student and was left alone. Yet with all this, Jishaku Maemi continued to be happy.
"Yes… I believe we've all heard that before." Suoh Sensei said. Some of the students began to laugh quietly. One of them was Meimei Jiro, a student who has failed twice because of his actions in class. His hair is dyed dark green and where's forest cameo pants with an olive green shirt. Maemi considers Jiro his rival but Jiro considers Maemi easy prey for his insults.
Class began and Suoh Sensei went over some last minute studying with the class. Maemi paid close attention, wanting to show his family he wasn't a failure. It wasn't long till the final examination began. Maemi was nervous, first was a written test and if you passed that you did three jutsus; he's never made it passed the test. As Suoh Sensei passed out the test form Maemi could feel the sweet dripping down from his forehead. He took a gulp of air, and began.
----------
"And pencils down. Please pass your papers up. In one hour you'll have your results. Until then I suggest you practice your Jutsus. Maemi, you can go back to bed now." Suoh Sensei said and started grading the papers. The student's laughed at him again. Maemi walked slowly to his tree, the tree he sat under every day after school when Jiro and everyone else mocked him.
The hour was nearly up and Maemi sat at his tree. He didn't know whether he should go back to the academy or not. Suoh could be right and he have failed the test again, but then again he had been studying a lot. Maemi jumped up and hurried back to the academy. A crowed stood by the academy doors, looking at the list of people of who passed and who failed. They all went silent when Maemi arrived. As he walked towards the list the students parted, allowing him passage. At the bottom of the pass list, with a 61, was Jishaku Maemi.
Maemi smiled widely when he saw that he had finally passed. True the grade was still a D but he passed nonetheless. He squeed loudly and jumped with excitement. He looked up at the rest of the students. The highest grade was Sumiyaka Michiko 100, surprise surprise. She was the smartest girl in the class, not the mention the cutest in Maemi's eyes. She had blond hair that went down a bit past her shoulders. She also had glasses that constantly slid down her nose making her push them back up every now and then. Her parents had held her back a few years to continue her jutsu training so she was actually a year older then he was.
Maemi looked down the list. There were a lot of Bs and a few Cs and Ds. Maemi's heart stopped, Jiro had gotten a 69, so much for his bragging rights. It said at the bottom to meet in ten minutes back in the classroom. Maemi went there strait away. Michiko was already in her seat, nose in a book like always. Maemi took a seat in the front, right by were Suoh Sensei would be standing. Before long, other students started coming walking in. Maemi could hear the loud stomping of Jiro's boots down the halls. He moaned slightly and waited for Suoh to start the second half of the exam.
"Well now, I see most of you have passed the first half of the exam. The first Jutsu you will be performing is the Airon no Jutsu. Use it to create a barrier around you one foot thick. Any volunteers?" Suoh Sensei explained. Michiko's hand shoot into the air followed by Maemi's. "Yes, Sumiyaka Michiko. If you would please come down and perform the Jutsu." Michiko walked down and preformed the Jutsu flawlessly.
"Any others?" Maemi raised his hand once more. Suoh sighed and motioned his hand for Maemi to come up. Like Michiko, Maemi preformed the Jutsu flawlessly. Some of the students started whispering about Michiko and Maemi. Some said that she had tutored Maemi. Others said that Maemi's Jutsu was better then Michiko's.
One by one the class preformed the jutsu. Some did the barrier too thick, others too thin. "Now then. The second Jutsu will be the Airon Ken no Jutsu. Please make your swords three and two thirds feet long." Once again Michiko and Maemi were the only one's to volunteer. Michiko passed flawlessly but Maemi's sword was only three feet long. Michiko had passed two of three Jutsus, which meant she had passed the exam and was a steel shinobi. Others had the same problem as Maemi; they weren't good and fractions and couldn't get the sword the right length.
"Now, for the third and finale jutsu you will perform the Airon kuro-n no jutsu. Your Iron clone must be a flawless copy of your self," Suoh Sensei turned and faced Maemi, "I assume you'll be volunteering for this Jutsu as well Maemi?"
Maemi gulped. He was good at the Iron Clones, but they were never perfect. There would always be some flaw in them. "Yes sir. I plan to become a Steel Shinobi and serve my village with pride."
"How noble of you. Come on. The sooner you get up here the sooner I can get to the students that actually stand a chance." Suoh Sensei said with a smile. None of the other student's laughed, snickered, or smiled; including Jiro. They have all seen how good of a shinobi Maemi could become. Suoh's face turned serious again as he watched Maemi.
Maemi took a deep breath and sighed. He quickly did the seals to do the technique. "AIRON KURO-N NO JUTSU!" Maemi yelled. A puff of smoke surrounded him and then there were two Maemis. Suoh Sensei started to walk around Maemi and his clone. He studied them carefully. He looked for some kind of flaw, anything small or minute that could allow him to flunk Maemi once again. Yet no flaw was detected.
Suoh sighed. "Maemi… Cancel the jutsu so you can get your headband." In another puff the clone vanished and Maemi squealed in excitement. He hurried out of the class to get his headband. After getting his headband he tied it around his arm and hurried home to show it to his mother and father. For once, he had done something good.
