A/N: This is my first Naruto fanfiction. No, don't go easy on me. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Flame if you please, expression is your fundamental right. So...oh well...

And obviously, I don't own Naruto. I would be writing the manga then, not this fanfiction. I won't repeat that every chapter. Coz I'm lazy...

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There was a jump in her step as Azami set off for the ninja academy. She wasn't sure why she felt so happy. She wasn't one to sulk or brood, but she couldn't remember when in her 7 years on this planet she had felt happier. Maybe it was because otou-san and Kazumi-neechan were due to be back today from their month long mission. Yes, that had to be it.

She reached her class and slipped into the seat she sat everyday. She greeted whoever she saw with a smile and a wave, even those clan kids she somewhat feared. They nodded before going back to whatever they had been doing. Yamanaka Ino cocked an eyebrow before grinning and running to her.

"Anything special today, Azami-chan? You do look happy! Did you get someone you like?" Ino winked at her.

" What?!", she spluttered, face growing pink."Ino-san.."

" Just call me Ino or Ino-chan. We're friends right? "

" Oh..yeah sure!"

" So.."

"Yeah, it's just that otou-san and neechan should be back today. Haven't seen them in ages!"

Ino threw back her head and laughed. Azami looked at her face and smiled sheepishly. Had that been too childish?

" You have a cute blush", Ino poked her cheek, making her face go redder."Wanna have lunch with us today? "

Azami's eyes grew wide. Have lunch with Ino-chan and all the other clan kids? Her father was a chunnin of Konoha, her mother a civilian. She had a good idea of the physical and political strength of the clans. Have lunch with a Yamanaka, an Inuzuka, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, a Hyyuga and an Uchiha? All at once? And with the Uchiha being the cutest and smartest guy ever,won't that be too daring?

Ino frowned and waved her hands in front of Azami's eyes,"Hello! Anyone there? "

"I...I am not too sure Ino - chan. I mean, I am just...and you..."

" Oh come on! They all are idiots, but they are fun! You've gotta come! "

" Okay.."

Ino thumped her on the back,"That's the spirit! See you soon!"

Azami looked at the beautiful blonde girl walk away and smiled. Today was a great day! She would make new friends, a whole lot, and they would be clan kids! What would Kazumi - neechan say to that?

Azami broke out of her thoughts when they were greeted with a "Good morning, class"

"Good morning sensei!" she chorused and settled down with her books. She couldn't wait for lunch break! She hummed inaudibly as Iruka sensei taught them a chapter on the basics of chakra control. She was absorbed in marking an important passage in her book when a sound pulled her back to reality.

" Lunch break already? I knew time flies when you are happy, but..", she looked up to see the door opening.

Not the lunch break then.

" Can you come outside for a moment, sensei? "

Azami peered from her seat at the back of the class and gulped. The person at the door was clad in navy spandex and heavy metallic armour. The face was hidden behind one of those creepy white masks with colourful streaks here and there. An ANBU. What was an ANBU doing early in the morning at the ninja academy of all places? She wanted him to go away, fast. ANBU and their masks gave her the creeps.

Iruka sensei looked as confused as her as he nodded and stepped outside, forgetting to warn the class for once. No one kept an ANBU waiting, if you aren't the hokage that is.

The class erupted to howls and peals of laughter. Azami sighed and began doodling on her notebook. She liked Iruka sensei's class. He was short tempered and strict, but he had one of the kindest faces. He was a chunnin, but his knowledge and personality would earn respect even from a jonnin, not to forget that he was one good teacher.

" Azami chan?"

Azami stiffed and looked up. Sensei had entered the class. How had she missed it? She stood up.

"Yes sensei? "

" I want you to go with ANBU san here. You are needed at home. "

Azami looked petrified. Go alone with an ANBU? Iruka noticed her hesitation and smiled kindly.

" Don't worry. He means good. You don't need to be scared."

"Hai, sensei", she said. Great, now the whole class would be laughing at her.

" Good. Now pack your bag and go. You can take your leave."

Azami packed her bag with a frown. As much as she wanted to go home and meet her father and sister, she had been looking forward to the lunch break. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

She reached the front of the class and bowed to her teacher.

" Arigatou, sensei"

Iruka sensei placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair a little.

" Arigatou", he smiled back.

Azami's eyes widened in surprise for the umpteenth time that day. Iruka sensei was friendly, yes, but never showed affection openly. And absolutely not in front of the whole class. What was up with everyone today?

If only Azami had been a little more observant, or mature for that matter, she would have noticed that his smile seemed stretched. The ends of his eyes didn't crinkle the way they should, he didn't tilt his head to a side like he always did when smiling. But she didn't. And he was thankful of it.

Azami stepped out of the class cautiously and stiffly smiled at the man before her.

" He..hello ANBU san"

The man simply nodded and hoisted her on his back, earning a squeal.

" I can walk, ANBU san, really fast", Azami tried weakly.

" I know"

That was all he said before sprinting out of the academy and jumping on a rooftop. Then he proceeded to go 'the ninja way'. Azami didn't mind. Her father often gave her such rides and she would soon be learning herself. Only difference, this man was twice as fast as her father, his hold on her wasn't half as comforting. So she heaved a sigh of relief when she was finally put down.

" What...what is this..", she started in confusion.

" The hospital" he said simply before walking inside. Azami found herself walking behind him to the helpdesk. Her six year old mind was swimming with confusion but she could come up with no logical explanation why she was here. People came to the hospital when they are sick. She wasn't sick, was she? She checked her forehead subconsciously. Absolutely normal.

The ANBU stopped at the enquiry desk and asked the lady," How is Yuki san doing?"

Azami looked at him in absolute alarm. Yuki-san, that meant...

" She hasn't come around yet." ,came the answer.

Azami frantically tugged at the man's trousers,"Hey, hey, what's wrong with my mother? You said Yuki - san, right? Was that oka-san? Please..."

"Yes it was", the black op. replied in a calm, cold voice. Azami found herself trembling.

" Wh..what's wrong? This..this very morning...she was fine...smiling...then?", she stammered out. Instead of replying, the man took hold of her arm and gave a tug. Without further protest, almost robotically, the confused, scared six year old followed the much older man. After a while they came to a halt. Azami looked up and saw a man, a medic-nin talking to the ANBU.

" Yuki - san will come around soon. It's nothing serious. "

Azami let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't serious then. But if it wasn't, why was the ANBU involved?

" How much time before she comes around? ", spoke the man in black spandex. He sounded impatient.

" Look here, ANBU-san.", said the medic in a patient voice. " She has been put to sleep. At least twelve hours, I would say."

The ANBU paused for a moment. Then he bit out the words,"Doctor, I think you perfectly understand that we can't waste time. "

The two men stared at each other for a few seconds, and the medic sighed.

" Is there no other way?", the doctor sounded tired.

" None that we, or for that matter, you can think of. "

The medic sighed again,"Okay "

He knelt down to Azami's level, making her jump. " What's your name dear?"

" Aa..Azami"

"That's a nice name", he gave the usual compliment and ruffled her hair.

Azami narrowed her eyes. She could understand well that this wasn't one of those pointless conversations. Only she had no idea where it was going. The fear and the anticipation were suffocating her.

" We have a little task for you, Azami - chan"

The point of the conversation at last. Azami furrowed her eyebrows. The medic smiled kindly.

" No need to worry little one. I and ANBU san will be with you. Ok?"

She tilted her head slowly. At other times, the doctor would have found it adorable, but now his thoughts were far from it. He nodded to the silent man in black spandex and led the path, followed closely by the six year old.

Azami had not noticed how long they had walked but she came to a halt as the medic nin pushed open a steel door.

" Come Azami - chan, " He grabbed her hand and motioned her to come inside. The kid shivered as she entered the room. It was freezing cold inside.

" Why is it this cold shinobi-san?"

No one answered her. Instead, the medic smiled at her yet again,.

" You have to do a little job. I heard you are really smart. Now, see if you can recognise this. "

He walked to a table beside a hospital bed and came back with something vaguely familiar.

" Now, do you recognise this ninja tools pouch?"

Azami frowned and took it from his hand. There was a tiny picture of a flower and a flame at the bottom right corner.

" Hey, this is Kazumi - neechan's! Where'd you get it? " She turned it around and almost dropped it."Bloo..blood? "

The medic took it from her and looked at the ANBU, who gave a silent nod of approval.

Azami finally found her voice. "Hey what's going on here? Will someone tell me?", she shouted indigantly.

The doctor picked her up and said,"Almost done, little kid. Now just one small work, ok? Then I will send you to your mother. "

Azami frowned but nodded slowly. Taking a last look at the almost casual black op, he walked to the hospital bed with the girl in his arms. Azami gasped in shock as she finally had a good look at what was on the bed. A figure wrapped in white sheets. Or rather, once white sheets which were now stained here and there with a brownish red. The doctor gently removed the sheet at one side. Azami felt bile rise up her throat as a battered, torn arm came to view. It easily twisted at a weird angle as the doctor lifted it slightly.

" This ring, and the bracelet. Do you recognise? "

Azami stared at it, her vision growing blurry.

" Do you? "

" Yes"

" Whose are they?"

Azami hung her head down and glared at the white tiles on the floor.

" Azami - chan, whose?", demanded the doctor with a sudden sternness.

Without moving, in a hoarse, almost fierce whisper, the six year bit out,"Remove the cloth."

The doctor flinched slightly and paused. Then with a sad, tired sigh said, "The face isn't recognisable kiddo. That's why you were brought here. "

" Who?"

"ANBU is investigating."

Everything fell into place slowly as the six year old brain processed all the information. Iruka sensei's behaviour, ANBU's impatience, the overtly kind doctor. But only one thing was out of place. Something else was horribly wrong. It suddenly clicked and Azami blurted out,"Otou-san! Where is he? Where was he when..."

She trailed off when the medic's eyes softened and looked away. Azami followed his gaze, her heart thumping painfully. Another figure, in an adjacent bed. Same white covers, same stains.

" We are sorry", the medic nin apologised in almost inaudible voice."It was already too late."

Azami felt numb. She couldn't think, or understand for that matter. Surely this wasn't supposed to happen. Was it even happening? Then, it finally began to sink in. She flinched at the comforting squeeze that the doctor gave her. Her heart began racing at sixty miles an hour, and she began taking sharp, shallow breaths.

" Azami - chan, breath easy", said the alarmed doctor.

With a snarl, she pushed him away and leapt to the ground. She paid no heed to his shouts as she ran, pushed away the black spandex clad silver -haired ninja roughly and raced out of the hospital.