Tamashi

We decided that day, because both of our dreams involved us being ninja, we should start training to get a headstart. Cutting the time we hunted sakumo in half, because i wasn't giving up on that just yet, we plotted out the best ways to train and improve.

It started out with stalking the training grounds, finding out which were being used at what times, which would be open if our regular was taken by older nin, unless we wanted to watch, where the jounin sensei taught their genin, all was taken into consideration.

When we finally started to physically train, we hit a slight bump in our plans, the idea of training is great and all… but how do you know if you improve, what do you do when you finish what you know? Minato knew some moves from watching his parents training, before they died, and I was a black belt in tae kwon do before my own death. However that wasn't much to go on, other than meditation for chakra control, and general strengthening of the body, we knew jack shit.

We agreed to stalk the academy students, sneak into their library if possible, so we would at least know what to expect when we finally enrolled. Till then it was simple hand to hand, as well as strength and flexibility training, with a touch of meditation.

Apparently life decided that things could never be simple for us, because one of our training days saw us being followed by some of the other orphans. Minato and I were sparring when they actually decided to make themselves known,

"Look guys, its the freaks"

We both paused mid strike, and turned towards the children who hadn't bothered us since i punched that one brat in the schnoz. A group of older kids were walking towards us, most with sneers and the others looking on in contempt.

"You know, we always wondered what you freaks could be up to all hours of the day. Sneaking off after breakfast, coming back for lunch, then leaving till night again. What interesting lives you must have, that keep you so busy that you can't spend time with the rest of us. Or is it… you think your to good for us? You think you're better than we are. Is that it?"

The speaker turned to the rest of the group, "you know what guys? I think that's it. Don't you?"

Them all nodding did not sit well with me, then minato spoke up in turn.

"We don't think we're better than you, we're training to be ninja, if you want to join us then you're more than welcome."

The apparent leader seemed to think of it, then a cruel smile grew on his face.

"Now why would we want to do anything with freaks like you."

The other kids circled us now, and that bad feeling got worse.

"Yeah freaks!", "weirdos", "who wants to train with freaks?".

Were all thrown at us, and I was getting angry.

"Look at the freaks hair!", "her heads going to explode!"

I wasn't paying attention anymore, because leader boy pushed Minato, and all I could see was red.

I didn't know I moved, couldn't feel the heat of the flames, all I cared about was helping Minato.

"S-stay back!"

My blonde friend was still on the ground, I was standing in between him and the bully, and apparently I was on fire. Literally.

"Don't ever come near me or my friends again," I stepped towards him and he fell back. "Do you understand?"

He nodded quickly and started crawling backwards, as I calmed down and looked around me, I could just tell that we were in deep shit.

The other children were running back to the village, and I could see the fear in their eyes as the looked back to make sure I wasn't following them. Minato was still on the ground, staring up at me with wide eyes, I sighed and turned away.

The fire still burning on the training field was alarming, did I do that? How?

There was a distant bell of recognition going off in the back of my head, but, it couldn't be, could it?

I was starting to panic internally, what if Minato hated me now? I got used to having him around, would I be okay if he wanted to leave? What do I do now?

My inner musings were disrupted by a hand on my shoulder, looking back I saw Minato looking at me with a comforting gaze.

"We can figure this out okay?"

I can only nod.

Oh yeah, he accepted kushina when she became a jinchuriki, he won't leave. Thinking of kushina set a stone in my stomach, when she comes around things will be different.

I shouldn't think like that, Minato will still be my friend, even if he loves someone, he's still my friend.

Minato pulling on my hand broke me out of my thoughts, he pointed towards the ninja running towards us, oh right, the fire, how did that happen again?

I'll figure that out later, for now, we just ran back to the orphanage, hoping the storm we were running to wouldn't be too bad.

Man have I never been so wrong, she was waiting for us, the matron, killing intent leaking into the air, and if I didn't know she wouldn't actually murder us I would fear for my life. She marched towards us as we approached, grabbing both our arms and dragging us inside.

The kids who were picking on us were waiting in the foyer, shooting us looks that clearly told one thing, 'you guys are in serious trouble.'

"What are we going to do Minato?"

I asked in english, his helpless look was all the answer I needed, he didn't know.

The knock on the door sounded like heaven to my ears, the matron paused in her march to her office, dragging us back to the foyer and with a firm glare telling us to stay, she answered the door.

It was a shinobi, Minato and I shared a nervous glance, the training field, was he here about the training field?

Apparently not, he introduced himself as a chunin scout, looking for younger kids who wanted to be a ninja and join the academy. Well seeing as this was an official scout looking for new recruits, the matron can't get mad at us for speaking up now can she.

"We do," Minato said, and the chunin looked us over,

"You're to young yet, but I'll put your name down to join later, and you girl…."

His pause was slightly worrying, "not nearly enough chakra, there's no way you can even consider being a shinobi, so best not even try."

I felt cold, cold and heavy, not enough chakra? But what about the fire? How have I been sensing sakumo? What about being Minato's strongest shinobi?

I slowly sat on the floor, Minato kneeling next to me with his arm around my shoulder.

"Surely there is a chance? How much chakra you have doesn't determine your ability as a ninja."

You go boy, you go, that man's expression however, shows your words don't mean much to him.

"Technically speaking no, chakra isn't the determining factor, but face it kid, it helps alot. Best find a new dream while you still can."

Then he left, without a care that he just crushed all my hopes, my desire to help Minato, Kushina, Obito, Rin, Sakumo, and all the others whose fate I wanted to make better.

The matron slowly closed the door, pity clear on her face, "I know that was difficult, but we still have something to discuss, don't we."

It wasn't a question.

She was thankfully going to let us walk on our own this time, when there was another knock on the door. Confusion clear on her face, as we really don't get this many visitors, the matron opened the door again, this time it was an ANBU.

Now I know we were in deeper shit than anything the matron could dish out. As I expected, Minato and I were summoned by the Hokage. The matron asked for a moment with us first.

"I don't know what you did but tell me what happened with those kids."

She asked sternly, "they were calling us freaks, then one of them pushed Minato, and I just moved, I didn't even hit anyone this time."

She huffed a slight laugh at that last quip, and ushered us towards the ANBU waiting by the door. A hand was put on both of our shoulders and the world went swirly, only to right itself again and we were standing in front of the old man himself… only he wasn't old. This has probably been the most unnerving thing I've seen yet. I've only ever seen the Hokage as an old man, not as someone who was still in his prime. It was. Disorienting.

He didn't really beat around the bush, "what happened at training ground seventeen?"

The pressure in the air felt suffocating.

"They were calling us names, and one of them pushed Minato down, I don't really know what happened, except that I moved, and there was suddenly fire everywhere."

His gaze was locked on me for what felt like forever, then he turned to Minato. "And what do you say to this?"

Minato looked at me, with no fear, "we were training, and then the others approached us, calling us freaks. Tamashi's hair was starting to go red, like it always does whenever she is angry."

The Hokage's gaze turned sharp as it landed on me, but I didn't see it, I was to busy staring at the blonde in confusion.

"Then Surudoi." So that's what that kids name was,

"pushed me to the ground, then…. I didn't actually see Tamashi move, one minute she was to the side, the next she was between me and him. And fire was spreading from where she was before, after that everyone ran away, and we left when we saw shinobi running towards the fire that was still there. Then we went to the orphanage, and then we got brought here."

Silence is never more terrifying, than when your fate is in someone else's hands. As it was, I didn't really know this hokage, I knew the one that naruto called old man, that konohamaru called grandpa, not this war weary shinobi who probably had yet to gain the patience and tolerance that old age brought.

Then a man of nightmares walked in, Danzo. I could already feel myself getting angry, knowing just what this man was capable of doing, what he would do… if given the chance.

My hate for him only grew when he opened his mouth. "These two children are responsible for training ground seventeen? Sarutobi is this a joke? That one isn't even old enough to be in the academy, and the other barely has enough chakra to stay alive, what are you trying."

I could barely keep my temper down, it was bad enough that I was angry at him for something he hasn't done yet, but now he was calling Minato a joke? He won't be allowed to run free, not if I can help it.

"Danzo, the two chunin that put out the fire saw them running from the field, and reported the incident to me afterwards, they were there."

An arrogant sniff, "they were probably playing with matches when they shouldn't have, made a problem they couldn't handle, and ran when things got bad."

I was practically fuming now, Minato poked my arm, then pointed at my head. Oh yeah apparently my hair turned red when I was mad, and I guess the hokage noticed.

He held his hand up to silence Danzo, "so her hair does change, tell me, why is this?"

I looked at him and shrugged, I had an idea, an impossible idea, but I couldn't be sure.

"Then if your hair turns red when your mad, what has made you angry?"

I huff and look at Danzo,

"don't talk bad about Minato, he's the smartest person I know, and he's going to be the Hokage one day. He didn't start the fire, I don't know how it happened but I did it, so don't blame him."

The Bastard tsked and leaned down to talk closer to my face, "that boy will never become Hokage, there is no way someone like him could ever take the hat."

Welp, my self control just went flying out the window.

I snarled, actually snarled, and he backed up. I couldn't feel the heat, but I saw it, fire was coating my body, I held my arm closer to my face as if to check for burning, but nothing, I was completely untouched.

Everyone was moving around me, the Hokage stood at his desk staring, Danzo was half out the door eyes wide, and ANBU were surrounding me but not touching. Then there was Minato, slowly getting closer, with nothing but kindness in his eyes, I slowly calmed down, the fire going out when he touched my arm.

Then I was grabbed, Minato called out my name terror clear on his face, but whoever had me was already gone from the office. When my swirly vision finally settled, I was dropped in a grey room, turning around I saw the dark metal bars clearly built for a prison, with the door closing shut.

shit.

Namikaze Minato

Why did this always happen to them, they were just training, nothing special. So why did they everyone always have to pick a fight. A boy several years older, Surudoi, if memory served correct, was leading the group of kids towards them.

Then came the name calling, Freak, oh how he hated that word, and they wouldn't stop. He tried to make things better, saying that the others could train with them if they wished, but it wasn't enough. Why couldn't it be enough.

A quick glance at Tamashi confirmed what he already knew, she was getting angry, her hair was already starting to turn red. It was probably because he was distracted, that he actually got shoved, or at least his distraction made him be caught off guard, which led to him falling.

Then it happened, it was as if she disappeared from one spot, and appeared in between him and Surudoi. And she was on fire, actually on fire, but she didn't seem bothered by it. Still on fire, she threatened the bullys to stay away, then watched as they ran back to the orphanage.

Then she looked at him, his shock obviously still on his face, because she turned away the fire covering her slowly going out. She didn't think he would hate her did she? Putting his hand on her shoulder, she turned to face him again, the relief clear in her eyes.

He promised her they would figure things out, and she agreed, then he saw the shinobi.

They were clearly running towards the fire, so he grabbed Tamashi and ran back to their home, worrying about the others who had a head start, they clearly weren't going to tell the truth.

He was right, if the murderous aura of the matron was anything to go by, as soon as they got close, she had a harsh grip on both their arms, and was dragging them into the orphanage. Surudoi and his group were waiting in the foyer, glares and sneers were thrown at them.

Then there was a knock at the door, which turned out to be a chunin scout looking for ninja hopeful wanting to go to the academy. This was their chance.

"We do,"

Minato spoke up when the question was asked, and he held his breath at the calculating gaze that followed.

"You're to young yet, but I'll put your name down to join later, and you girl…."

At that point Minato was worried, what about Tamashi? She could go to right?

The chunins next words shook him to his core, not enough chakra? But, that couldn't be.

Tamashi frozen stiff, was on the floor, he put his arm around her in comfort, then argued that the levels of a person's chakra didn't determine their ability as a ninja.

The ninja dismissed his words without a thought, then left, the matron, although less angry, said that they still had things to talk about.

Oh yeah, the training field, hearing Tamashi probably couldn't achieve her dream, almost made him forget.

Then came a second knock, this time it was an ANBU.

Both Minato and Tamashi were brought to Hokage-sama, and he was an intimidating man. They were immediately questioned in their involvement at training ground seventeen.

Tamashi went first, her explanation was simple, the kids approached them, called them names, he was pushed down, then the fire stuff happened. Minato guessed she didn't really know what happened then either.

Then it was his turn, he was more detailed, explaining how he could tell Tamashi was getting angry based on her hair, which got him looks from both the girl beside him and the Hokage. She didn't know?

Then came the part where she moved so fast he couldn't see her, and the fire, how they saw ninja coming, how they ran, and then how they were immediately summoned to his office.

The Hokage seemed to be deep in thought, not paying too much attention to them, then another person came in. He was tall, at least to him, and walked with the stride of a man of power. Tamashi apparently didn't like him, if the red of her roots was anything to go by. Has she met him before? Should he be worried?

His name was Danzo, one of the elders on the shinobi council, and he was calling them a joke. Now Minato wasn't someone to get mad easy, you can call him anything you want and it probably won't bother him, but if you insult his precious people, then you're going to have issues.

Tamashi, it turns, out was on the same page, her hair was going bright red, which the hokage noticed. He questioned her why, but she didn't know, then he asked about her anger. And Minato didn't think he's ever been so glad someone was his friend. She raged on the councilman, telling him how Minato was smart, that he was going to be the Hokage, and that the fire was her fault, even if she doesn't know how.

After her piece was said, the elder leaned down into her face, Minato wanted to rip him away, and keep him as far from Tamashi as he could.

And then Danzo insulted him, called him incapable of ever achieving his dream, right in front of Tamashi…. Oh no.

He didn't know if exploding was the right term to use, when describing how Tamashi was suddenly covered head to toe in flames, but it was pretty close.

One second she was normal, the next, fire coated her whole body, without burning her. It was beautiful, in a scary, fiery sort of way. Everyone else moved away from her, Danzo was partially out the door already, and the Hokage stood behind his desk, clearly alarmed.

Minato wasn't scared though, she wouldn't hurt him, so carefully, so as not to startle the ANBU that now surrounded them, he approached.

The fire felt warm on his hand, not burning, the heat curled around his palm as he reached for her arm, and when he made contact, the flames went out. She was looking at him now, fearful expression on her face, he only hoped his own was comforting.

The she was ripped from his grasp, dread and terror curled in his gut, they were taking her away? NO!

"TAMASHI!" he called.

But she was already gone.