Naruto felt her heartbeat in her chest. Her breath was rushed and harshed. Pain stifled each movement she made. Her legs ached, as she ran through the dark allys of Konoha.

Almost there

Her only thought was safety, which in her mind was Jiji's office.

Such an amazing birthday

She thought bitterly.

" We lost the demon" A villager's voice echoed through the ally.

Soothing relief filled her senses as she watched the villagers go past the ally she entered.

" What do we have here" I voice called out and Naruto jumped, ready to start running until she recognized the man before her.

She's seen him in Jiji's office, Danzo, was his name.

Danzō looked like a frail, old man, walking with a cane. He had black, shaggy hair, and his right eye was bandaged. Danzō has had an x-shaped scar on his chin. He wore a white shirt, with a black or dark grey robe over the top of it covering from his feet, to just over his right shoulder

" W-what are you doing here" Naruto called out wincing when fear leaked out of her voice.

" I believe I should be asking that myself" Danzo replied and Naruto straightened her back.

" I'm hiding from the villagers Ya know," She said and stiffened when yells were heard from the end of the ally.

Danzo looked up and scowled.

" Follow me" He rasped out and pushed a brick in the ally, opening up a door.

Naruto's eye widened in excitement as she followed the man that Jiji said was his teammate.

Danzo continued to navigate through what seemed to be a maze, Naruto blasting questions left and right.

" Do you know what the definition of a ninja is Naruto?" Danzo asked after a few minutes of silence.

" Jiji said that they are the people that protect the village" Naruto responded.

" Do you want to be a ninja?" He asked and Naruto smiled.

" Yep! Jiji said he's going to enroll me in the academy this year since I'm 6!" Naruto yelled.

"Wonderful" Danzo said and clicked his cane twice and the wall opened up like before.

" We're in front of Jiji's office!" Naruto yelled and was going to run out before hesitating. Fear flashing through her eyes as she eyed the outside.

" No one is stupid enough to attack you when I am here" Danzo spat, his anger, for a first, was not directed at herself.

Following him close behind, she entered the tower and was greeted by a frantic Hokage.

" Naruto where were you. Your Anbu guards lost you!" Jiji said and looked up in shock to Danzo.

" Yeah lost me" Naruto spat sarcastically.

" Sarutobi, she was in an ally running from a mob of villagers," Danzo said and the Hokage immediately looked at Naruto.

She had dirt, grim,e and sweat, plastering her hair to her face and back. Rips and trash covered her jacket, and bruises covered her skin.

She was holding onto Danzo's robs like a lifeline.

" Naruto, stay in here for a second, you should be safe" Sarutobi sighed. Signaling Danzo to follow him.

" I do not want her in root Danzo," Sarutobi said firmly the second the door shut.

" She is the village jinchūriki, Sarutobi. She can not be killed. I won't allow it" Danzo seethed.

" She is also Minato's daughter. I won't let her become one of your emotionless soldiers." Sarutobi all but yelled.

" Then let me train her. She will not become root. But she will have the skills of one" Danzo proposed.

" I want her to have a childhood Danzo," Sarutobi said firmly.

" A childhood running from villagers that wont to kill her" Danzo yelled.

" In case you forgot Minato spent 2 years training under me after he became jonin allow me to do the same to his daughter" Danzo spoke his voice a low growl.

Sarutobi wilted, " Don't make me regret this Danzo" He spoke and Danzo opened the door to the office.

Naruto was sitting down pouring chakra down into her arms.

" What are you doing Naruto," Sarutobi asked and Naruto grinned up at him.

" Inu taught me how to heal myself after he found my last month," Naruto said not noticing the tension in the air.

Does Kakashi not know that she is 6!

She won't become a medic, not under my watch

" Naruto, you told me that you want to become a ninja correct," Danzo said and Naruto grinned up at him.

" I can't wait for the academy. I bet I'm going to graduate within 2 months Ya know" Naruto grinned and Danzo walked up to her.

" What if I told you that I would be willing to be your sensei for a few years," Danzo said.

" No way! Jiji told me that you guys were teammates! I would be getting training from someone who's as strong as him!" Naruto exclaimed jumping up and down grinning.

" The training will be harsh Naruto. It will be your life for the next few years. Are you sure" Sarutobi asked and Naruto grinned?

" Don't worry Jiji!" Naruto said jumping up and down.

-- Timeskip --

Remembering her first day was disenchanting above all else. Today she turned eight. Her first-day training under Danzo sensei was a stain on a record that she didn't want.

Tears filled her eyes as a man with a strange mask kicked her into a wall. A copper taste filled her mouth as she gasped for breath.

" Right now, you weren't able to even look at one of my men. By the end of your training, you will be able to kill him"

" Yes Danzo sensei" She managed to rasp out.

True to his word Danzo did not turn her into an official root agent. He did turn her into a shinobi, however.

" My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, Jinchuriki to the nine tails, and kunoichi of Konohagakure. My likes are gardening, sealing, and the family I found in Root. My dislikes are war, and most civilians. My hobbies are gardening, sealing, training, and making Jutsu's. My dream for the future is to be Hokage" Naruto said.

There were several differences in the past two years. Naruto now wore, Black leggings and an orange Kimono, her hair that previously reached her waist was cut at her shoulders, no baby fat could be found and her face was set into a small smile.

Similarities were less shown. Her hair was still put into 2 tails, and her small smile managed to convey all the emotions her old grin held.

" Naruto is able to hold her own against my Root agents. Not more then 2, but she is still a child. She is jonin level in sealing and ninjutsu. Her taijutsu is chunin level, and her genjutsu is genin level in casting, but deflecting them is natural to her. I have gotten her started in wielding a katana, but it is ninjutsu was she truly shines" Danzo spoke, and Naruto grinned at her Jiji, who was looking at her in fondness.

This was her first time in 2 years seeing her Jiji. He seamed older even though only 2 years have passed. She only went outside for survival training, and those were few and far between.

" I would like to get her started on missions. None of those D ranks. To start us off a C or even a B rank. 2 of my roots will be going with her a precaution." Danzo said and Sarutobi practically jumped.

" I have no doubt in your teaching abilities but isn't this too soon," He said and Naruto steps up with a smile.

" 2 Roots will be with me if things take an unsavory turn. I will be fine Jiji" Naruto said a smile on her face.

-- Time Skip --

The mission was a simple scroll transfer. A few bandits and 2 chunin attacked.

Naruto was grateful for what Danzo had done for her. He made her into someone that had a purpose, who could defend herself and others. He told her an S-rank secret about her family and the Kyuubi, knowing that he might get in trouble for it later.

He introduced her to her current best friend Sai. Who despite his quirks has a good heart and Fu, who is currently 12 and treats them both with kindness.

But looking out onto the family in the streets kids her age who are still playing ball despite the fact that they should be training or studying, she wonders if she missed out on something.

For the next five months, these thoughts pulled at her mind. While doing the now more frequent missions, never above A rank, but never below C rank, she let her mind wander to what it must be like to have that sort of time. until one day She was woken up in the middle of the night and her life changed.