By day, she was a simple nurse in a hospital, helping patients and comforting nervous children. She had attained much in the way of medical knowledge this way by observing how the doctor she assisted cared for his patients. She could very well have been a doctor herself, but she wanted to keep her keen observation skills one of her many secrets.

By night, however, she had a very important job. Her mother, a highly skilled martial artist, had trained her in many different forms of martial arts, as well as stealth, so that she could help protect the innocent, and preserve harmony and balance.

She was Akali, the Fist of Shadow.

It was a cool late evening when she started her patrol for the night after a shift from the hospital she work at during the day.

The young raven-haired woman leapt from rooftop to rooftop, eyes thoroughly scanning the environment around her for any sign of trouble. She found it rather quickly. There were two men in the process of mugging an elderly lady. The ninja's eyes narrowed, and she swiftly, yet silently, leapt off of the rooftop and touched down behind two trash cans so they wouldn't see her.

She looked around the two cans to spot the perfect moment to strike. While she was waiting, the two muggers started to threaten the old lady.

"Give us your money you old hag, or my big friend here will...persuade you to hand over the dough." The skinnier of the two said with a cruel smirk.

The larger man, who looked like a large gorilla with a monobrow, laughed at his friend's words. "Yeah, lady, if you know what's good for you, you'll do as we tell you or I will be forced to 'persuade' you by breaking your legs." He told her with an equally cruel smirk.

"Please...Take my money, just don't hurt me..." The larger man smirked.

"Thanks a bu-URK!" He was interrupted when something connected with his head, knocking him unconscious.

"What the hell?!" The skinnier guy exclaimed. He looked over to see the raven-haired woman glaring dangerously at him. "HEY, PISS OFF, BITCH!" He pulled out a switch blade and advanced on the woman...

Only for the knife to be instantly kicked out of his hand. He looked at his weaponless appendage, and then everything went black for him.

Akali looked at the unconscious forms of the two thugs with a scowl. 'It sickens me to see men threatening physical harm to a frail old woman...' She thought to herself as she turned her attention to the old woman, who was shocked but thankful.

"Thank you for saving me young lady, I was afraid that they were going to hurt me." The old women said as she reached into her purse and took out about five large lollipops. She offered the lollipops to Akali. "I know that it isn't much, but please take this as thanks for saving me."

The old woman smiled and nodded. "I'll do that my dear, you do be careful now." She told Akali, who nodded and wall jumped back to the roof.

"Worry not, Ma'am! No harm will come to me!" Akali yelled from the roof before running towards another buildings roof and jumping.

The elderly woman smiled warmly as the vigilante left, then glared down at the two thugs at her feet. She kicked one of them, and got no response. They were going to be down for a long time. Wordlessly, the woman approached her house, which was nearby, to call the authorities. The house next to it was labelled "Number 4 Privet Drive". And terrible things happened behind those doors...

Akali was hopping from roof to roof, thinking about the woman who had given her the lollipops. She figured it couldn't hurt, and decided to unwrap one of the lollipops and try it out. She moved her mask away from her mouth, and put the lollipop in. The second she popped it in her mouth her eyes went wide. 'Oh my. It's green apple flavoured. How lovely.' Akali thought to herself as she stopped on a roof to enjoy the flavor some more.

But before she could enjoy it too much, she heard some noises from the house under her.

'What on Earth...?' The ninja thought to herself before looking down at the house beneath her feet.

"TAKE THAT, FREAK!"

"PLEASE STOP, UNCLE VERNON, IT HURTS SO MUCH-"

CLANG!

"DON'T YELL IN MY HOUSE, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT!"

A sound of something small hitting a wall was heard. Akali was shocked at what she just heard. 'Someone is in danger...' Akali thought as she ran towards the edge of the roof and jumped off. After falling for a few milliseconds, she grabbed the bottom part of a opened window and climbed inside.

he had entered quietly, so the occupants of the room hadn't noticed her. She quickly ducked behind a couch and peeked out. She saw an obese man hitting something with a metal crowbar, but she couldn't quite see what it was. Eventually, the man moved just enough for her to see a thoroughly beaten little boy, covered head to toe in bruises, blood, burn marks and infected wounds, curled up in a ball, sobbing softly and quietly begging the large man to stop hurting him.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CRY! EVER! FREAKS DON'T CRY!" Vernon raised the crowbar into the air, and prepared to bring it down with enough force to shatter the boy's little spine.

What he didn't expect was for the crowbar to be knocked out of his hand and then feel something blunt hit him on the back of his neck. He felt his consciousness leave him as he tumbled down to the floor, out like a light. In a span of 2 seconds, Vernon was disarmed and knocked unconscious before he know what hit him, which was an enraged Akali.

Akali shook her head in disgust at the obese man lying on the floor in front of her, then kicked him as hard as she could, causing him to roll on his back.

"Disgraceful scum." Akali muttered. Then she turned her attention to the little boy lying on the floor. He was still curled in a ball, hands clapped over his eyes, whispering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." nonstop. The ninja knelt by his side, gently grabbed his hands and removed them from his eyes to see that although he had stopped sobbing, there were still tears streaming down his face.

Harry felt someone grabbing his hands and thought the worst. 'He's gonna burn my eyes again!' Harry thought in horror. But when his hand was removed from his eyes, he wasn't met with the angry face of his uncle, but the concerned face of a beautiful, black haired woman with a green mask over her mouth. Harry was surprised by this and just started at her.

Akali took in a deep breath. "My God, how could that man cause you such harm, child...?" She whispered softly. Harry let out a soft sob.

"B-Because I deserve it for being a freak and not doing the chores right..." Even more tears began to stream down the tiny boy's face.

She stared at him while his words went through her head. 'He caused this child all this agony...because he didn't do his chores right?!' Akali though angrily as she glared over to Vernon's unconscious body. She looked back at Harry and her eyes soften back up.

"Listen to me, you are not a freak. And you didn't deserve such harsh treatment." Akali told him in a calm voice.

"But Uncle Vernon said-"

"Do not be discouraged by his words, young one. He has no idea what he means." Akali said gently. "When I look at you, do you know what I see?"

"A...A punching bag?" Akali gritted her teeth under her mask.

"Absolutely not, child. I see a normal, innocent, and I may add outrageously adorable little boy, who has suffered immensely for no good reason. It is your uncle that is the freak, little one. Not you."

Harry blushed when she said that he was adorable. "And if I have anything to say about it, I'm not going to let you suffer anymore." Akali told him. Harry looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" Harry asked her.

Akali smiled at him. "It means that I am going to take you with me. I intend to get you out of here." She answered.

Harry looked at Akali as if she had grown a second head and then began to fly wildly around the room on a jetpack. Akali blinked and tilted her head.

"Is there an issue, child?" She asked gently.

"Y-You want me...?" He asked softly. Akali smiled sadly.

"Well of course, young one." She said, placing her hand on his head. "I cannot imagine a woman on this planet that would be unable to resist such an adorable face."

Harry's emotions could take no more. He had been saved from the abuse of Vernon Dursley, and now he felt free to unbottle his pent up emotions.

So, without a word, the little boy threw himself against the raven-haired woman and hugged her tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

Akali just looked at him with a sad smile and hugged him. "It's okay, let all the pain out little one." She told him until she heard the cocking.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY VERNON YOU BITCH!" An angry Petunia Dursley said as she pointed a shotgun to Akali's head.

Harry flinched at the sound of her voice, but didn't stop crying. Akali was unphased by the gun.

"I simply gave him what he deserved." She replied calmly. "A man who harms a child in such a way deserves far worse than what I did to him."

"HE'S NOT A CHILD! HE'S AN ABOMINATION!" Petunia's words made Harry cry even louder, and he pressed himself closer to Akali for safety. "STOP YOUR CRYING RIGHT NOW, FREAK! I SWEAR, WHEN VERNON WAKES UP, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE EVERYTHING WE DID TO YOU UP TO THIS POINT LOOK LIKE LOVE TAPS-"

Petunia was interrupted when Akali dashed at her swiftly and pulled out her Kama. With two slices, the shotgun that Petunia was holding was sliced into three pieces. Petunia just stared at the gun and Akali in shock, her mouth opened as she makes struggling noises.

"...I will not allow you to harm this poor child any more than you already have, vermin. Should you lay one more hand on the boy, I will personally cut it off. You claim he is an abomination. But you are wrong. He is a sweet child, and he deserves so much better than this. I will ensure that he lives safely from this moment forth. And I will also ensure that the proper authorities give you the punishment you deserve for causing him so much pain." She heard the little boy she had left on the floor was still crying, and her gaze softened. "Now then...I must console the boy that you physically and psychologically tortured. And I intend to take him to my living quarters and care for him myself. Live with the knowledge that the child will live a safe and happy life, under the care of someone who will truly love and care for him, while you will spend years of your life rotting in a prison. Good evening to you, ma'am." And with that, Akali curtly turned to walk back to the crying little boy.

She gave him a sympathetic look as she bent down and hugged him. "It's okay, all your past pain will not haunt you anymore." She told him before picking him up. She readjusted him so he was laying in her left arm and his head was on her chest. She turned to glance a Petunia, who was just staring at her with the stock of the shotgun still in her hand, with an emotionless face before walking right past her and to the front door.

Akali walked out the door wordlessly, gently cradling the child in her arms.

"Um...M-Miss...Um..."

"My name is Akali, little one." Akali replied, closing her eyes with a smile.

"Miss Akali...Wh-What's gonna happen to me now?" Akali gently rubbed the child's hair.

"Well, child, I was wondering...Would you feel open to living with me? It is my job to protect the balance in this world. You've suffered from an early age, so I must balance it by making the rest of your life as happy as it can be. I feel the best way to do that is to have you under my care at all times. And so, I ask you...do you wish to live with me?"

Harry couldn't believe his ears. 'She wants me...? She really wants me...?' He thought. He looked up at the woman holding him. She was looking down at him, waiting for his answer. "Um...Y-Yes...Please...I'd love to stay with you..."

Akali smiled warmly. "I am glad you chose that answer." The ninja placed her cheek on top of the boy's head. "I promise I will protect you with my life, child. No one will harm you when you are under my protection."

Harry became teary eyed as he smiled. "Thank you." Harry told her.

Akali smiled. "You're welcome...my apologies, but I never got your name." She told him.

"I'm Harry." He told her.

"Hello, Harry." Akali said fondly. Then she remembered something. She reached into her pocket and pulls out one of the lollipops.

"Would you like a lollipop harry?" She asked him.

Harry stared at the candy in her hand, then slowly reached out to take it. Akali smiled and took the wrapping off, then placed the lollipop in his mouth. The little boy's eyes widened, and he smiled at his new caretaker.

"Th-Thank you, Miss Akali..." He said. Akali smiled.

"You are most welcome, dear." She said tenderly. Then, without another word, the ninja carried the little boy in the direction of her house. She looked down at the child, happily sucking on his lollipop, and smiled lovingly. He was so cute...She was going to love caring for him.