"I thank you so very much for allowing me to enter your village Hokage Sir." Said Akane bowing her head deeply to the old man in front of her. When she had arrived at the gates of the village she had been more than surprised to see the Hokage himself standing there waiting for her. He had smiled at her warmly and greeted her like she was already one of his own and walked by her side all the way to his office. Many people had turned to look at her as she walked by and she had noticed that there were several ANBU members lurking in the shadows just in case she did anything. Despite all that the Hokage had walked down the street without a care in the world, smoking his wooden pipe and humming a slight tune to himself.

"You don't need to thank me child. It was my pleasure really." Said the old man as he sat behind his desk. "Speaking of pleasures I have something for you." He said as he stood up and then reached into a draw in his desk. He pulled out a blue head band with the metal plate on the front with the leaf village's symbol on it. He walked over to Akane and held it out to her. "This is now yours. You may where it wherever you like." He said as Akane very carefully took the headband in her hands.

"Is it really okay for me to just put it on like that? I mean I understand that everyone else has worked hard for there's headbands...it somehow doesn't seem right that a stranger to the village like me should simply come in here and put it on like it means nothing."

"I understand how you feel but you have worked hard have you not? You studied everyday in your room, you are far smarter than a lot of our genin at the moment. Plus I do not believe that that headbands means nothing to you. If it did you would not have asked if it was alright but if you feel the need to prove yourself then I can understand that." He said and he seemed to stand up a little straighter and look down into Akane's blood coloured eyes. Akane stood to attention the headband still in her hands.

"Do you Akane Sato-Yamada plead your loyalty to the village hidden in the leaves?" Asked the Hokage. Akane thought for a second then nodded.

"I do."

"Are you prepared to give your life in order to save your comrades and the people of this village."

"I do."

"Then place that headband on and where it with pride as from this day forward you are a genin of the leaf village." Akane nodded and placed the headband around her neck. She looked down at it as it hung loosely around her neck and smiled. There was no going back now. Not until she was 20 at least. She was a leaf shinobi which meant no more dark lonely rooms, she could see the sun everyday if she wanted too. It was the first time in awhile that she had felt in control of her own life but still not quite free. She could never be truly free, not from the suffocating grip of the great expectations of all those in the Yamada clan, not free from the pressure of one day having to run the whole clan by herself.

"Do not think too much of the future Akane." Said the Hokage seeing her saddened face. "I understand that you have a lot of pressure on you but you should enjoy now. Make friends with those around you, train hard, have fun and make unforgettable memories and when the time comes for you to leave this village behind, know that those friends will still be here for you and whenever you feel lonely you can come back here and the leaf village will welcome you back with open arms." Akane could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes. No one had ever said such kind words to her, not since her Father died.

"Thank you Sir. I'll be sure to remember that." She said with a smile. The Hokage let out a small chuckle.

"That's what I like to see, what a wonderfully bright smile you have dear. Now as for your accommodation I have sort out a small apartment for you, it's right next to someone I am sure you will get along with and there is no need to worry about anything else. Anything you need with be provided and if there are any problems feel free to come and see me whenever you like. It might be nice to have some company once in awhile, it gets rather dull doing all this paperwork by myself you know." He said with a smile. Akane's smile widened as she looked at the old man's kind face.

"I read that in all Shinobi villages everyone is placed on a team of three and the team have a jonin leader how help them train and go on missions and things. Will I be placed in one of them?"

"Indeed you will. However due to the circumstances you will be added into an existing team of three. All genin and your age they graduated from the academy about a year and a half ago. I'm sorry, I know it may be a little hard to fit into a group that is already familiar with each other." Akane shook her head.

"No that's okay, I really don't mind."

"Yes I'm sure it will be fine, the team you going to be on is very nice. I am hoping you fit in easily with them. The Jonin that is to be your sensei actually requested that you be on his team after he heard the circumstances." Akane's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really? He did?"

"Indeed he did. I will warn you though he can be a little eccentric at times but he means only the best. I'm sure you'll go far with him. He gathered his team and explained the situation he should be here to meet you in person any time now." Explained the Hokage. Akane was a little nervous. She never really talked to kids her age before. Always being shut in a room you don't really talk to anyone really. She always saw them through her small window, playing happily in the sun without a care in the world. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door.

"Come in." The Hokage called as he blew out the smoke gathered in his mouth from his pipe. The door opened and Akane watched as a grown man came into the room wearing a green spandex leotard. He head shiny black hair cut into a very neat bob and the bushiest eyebrows Akane had ever seen.

"Ha ha, it is a pleasure to finally met you Akane. I'm your new sensei, Might Gai the handsome green devil of the leaf village. Allow me to introduce my students." He said with a gleaming white smile as three more figures entered the room. The first one was a boy that looked like a younger carbon copy of the sensei. The same black hair, bushy eyebrows and green spandex leotard. The next was a girl with brown eyes and brown hair that was tied back into two small buns on top of her head. The last boy had long brown hair tied together loosely at the bottom and light purple eyes. His face was cold and when the two made eye contact it felt like he could see straight through her. Akane looked away quickly, she couldn't deny that he was very handsome but something told her that he was a little hard to get along with.

"This is Rock Lee, a hard working, dedicated shinobi with handsome looks that rival my own and a talent for Taijutsu." Said Gai sensei proudly. Akane looked at the boy to see his cheeks were bright read and he was looking at her with such intensity that it was making her feel a little uncomfortable.

"You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on." Akane stared at him in shock and glanced at the Hokage while everyone stared at her waiting for her reply. The Hokage only smiled at her so she cleared her throat ready to reply.

"Oh...um...thank you. It's very nice f you to say so." She said still not believing that this guy had really just said that too her. She had never been paid a compliment like that in all her life and was doing everything she could to stop herself from blushing.

"Then there's Tenten. She might be the only female of the group up until now but she can hold her own against any student that she comes face to face with in the battlefield." Tenten smiled and waved at Akane.

"It's nice to meet you." She said. Akane smiled back and nodded at her.

"The same to you."

"And lastly there is Neji Hyuga. Graduated the top of his class at the academy, a real genius and a skilled user of his clan's Kekkei Genkai the Byakugan." Akane had read about that. The Kekkei Genkai that provided its users with 360 degree vision. They could see all the chakra points in someone's body and block them, rendering their opponent unable to use their chakra.

"Welcome to the leaf village." He said with a polite nod. Akane nodded back at him.

"Thank you." She said trying to keep the blush from her face. There was just something about this guy that really made her feel weird.

"Ha ha, well welcome to the team Akane it's a pleasure to have you."

"And it's a pleasure to be here." She replied.

"Then let us go and have our first training session as a newly reformed team and may the power of youth prevail."

"Yes Gai sensei." Said Lee as he eagerly followed his teacher out of the door. Akane couldn't help but smile. They were training already, these people really don't mess around. No wonder the leaf village is said to be the most powerful shinobi village in the land. Tenten sighed and left the room while Neji looked back at Akane expectantly, waiting for her to get going.

"I'll be going now then. Thank you for everything Hokage Sir." She said with a quick bow and then she rushed out of the room with Neji following closely behind...