It was early morning and the citizens of the village had yet to wake; to greet the day. The elderly man walked quickly, and silently down the street as the morning mist swirled around his ankles. His long white robe the only protection against the chill in the air as he made his way to one residence in particular. He had a few choice words for the person inside. What the kid had done earlier the night before was horrible. Savage. Cruel even, and he wanted to know why seven of his subordinates had lost their lives like that. The kid had never attacked anyone without reason. Hell, she rarely defended herself at all.

It wasn't that she was weak. She wasn't.

She was simply too strong. Had always been that way, since the day that she had been born. The day that the demon fox had been sealed inside of her by her own father. The fourth Hokage. The man had sealed the demon inside of her knowing that she was the only one who could go head to head with the demon and win. Still that didn't mean that she could do what ever she wished. She was still a kid after all.

Once he reached her apartment he suddenly felt the need to post a great big neon sign out side the appartment with the bold glowing red letters.

IF NOT OUT OF THIS APARTMENT IN FIVE MINUTES, AVENGE MY DEATH.

But that would be pointless since she wouldn't really kill him. He was her partner after all. She needed him alive or she would die. But then again since he was only fifty five percent compatible maybe she didn't need him at all. He didn't bother knocking. Knowing her; she probably already knew that he was there. Whether she was asleep or not. Walking just inside the door he softly closed the door and looked around the dim room. There were no dirty dishes, clothes, books, or anything else lying about. Everything was neatly in it's place. He almost felt cheated but he had to give credit where credit was due. She was a clean little monster. Walking by a lamp he ran one of his fingers down the shade and looked at his finger. No dust.

Just how often did she clean anyway? He could still smell the lemon scented pledge. Sighing he walked across the room to the door that led into her bedroom and slowly opened it.

The bed room was a bit brighter thanks to the soft glow of the rising sun. And the person he sought lay under the dark red, black, and copper comforter on the bed. He couldn't even see her head. If mot for the fact that her small hand hung over the edge of the bed, the slender fingers almost touching the floor; he would have thought that she wasn't even there.

"Uzu-chan, I've got a bone to pick with you-" The old man said sharply. Nothing. Not even a twitch, or whine. Was she really a kid or an old woman in desguise? Letting out a frustrated huff he marched over to the bed and shook the comforter and the one under it. "I said I have a bone to pick with you, brat!" He growled as he shook harder.

"Then speak or get the hell out of my room." The slight figure under his hands said. The sound of her voice made him jump, and he suddenly felt like a little kid, that had been caught by his parent; with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You killed seven of my best Anbu Black Ops. Brat, and I want to know why." Sarutobi demanded and backed away as the kid slowly sat up and the comforter fell away from her. Her unnerving eyes stared right at him like she was trying to see his very soul. She was a lovely child. Angelic face, pale skin, soft rose pink lips, long silver-platinum blond hair that fell to the small of her back, and vivid red eyes similar in color to the sharigan.

Beauty like hers was a rare thing. She would make a great partner to some lucky man; other than him.

"If they don't want to die then they should leave me alone. And you, Saru-kun; should discipline your men better. I get really tired of your fools thinking that they can make sport of me without fear of me retaliating." Uzu said as she pushed her long hair back from her face as she stretched. Damn what time is it? She thought as she looked at her digital clock and waited for her partner to speak. It was only five fourty five in the morning.

And the bastard had woken her up for this bullshit.

"Sport of you? Just so we're on the same page here...you mean that they approached you with the intent to..." Sarutobi let his voice trail off and she nodded confirming his thoughts, and fears. Damn it, those fools never learned did they. First they hand her over to a serial killer to be murdered. Then they sold her in a slave market as a concubine. Then they wired her apartment to blow sky high with her inside. And now this shit too. When would it end? Not even having her disguise herself as a boy could save her.

The attacks would only get worse as she grew up. Maybe they could fake her death? Marry her off to some one with a pristigious family, or name? Those seemed to be the only two choices he had now.

Either one would work but only one would keep her from finding a younger, more compatible partner. One that wasn't dying at the pace that he was. He had learned only a few weeks ago that he was dying of cancer. He would be lucky if he lived past the Chunin exam's a few months from now. "Forgive me, for disturbing you Uzu-chan. You have practice with your team later so go back to sleep." Sarutobi said gently as he started to leave when Uzu spoke again,

"Sarutobi, I found a more compatable partner."

Sarutobi stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. "Who? How compatible is he?" He asked curious to know the name of the man whom would be holding her life in his hands.

Uzu gave him a soft smile, "He is one hundred and twenty percent compatible. It's Kakashi." She said as she rubbed her hands over her face. She was exhausted.

Sarutobi was struck dumb for a moment. He was torn between asking "Seriously?' and cheering. He could arrange for Kakashi to take care of her as her true partner. Gods, knew that the damn man needed a good woman to keep him in line and put the fear of god into him. And Uzu could do both and then some.

Anyone who was remotely compatible as Uzu's partner would be infused with her chakra, they would become stronger, faster, more able to survive whatever was thrown at them. Their lives were extended considerably, and they practically stopped ageing. They served as her shield, sword, and her lover. Unfortunately he was far too old to full fill some of the requirements that a partner filled. The lover part for instance. He was more of her really elderly brother than a lover.

Thank god, because he would have died of a heart attack trying to take care of her behind closed doors.

Kakashi was a good man. Really... He was honorable. Sort of.

Kind. When he wanted to be.

He would keep her safe and grow to love her. Maybe. Worse case scenario they would kill each other before they had kids.Where had his awe inspiring confidence gone off too all of a sudden? Did he really have no faith in his ninja's at all. Well, now that you mention it...

"SHUT UP!" the old man yelled as he beat his head against the wall. Uzu watched him with a bemused expression. This always happened when he talked to himself. It was one of the many reasons she kept him as her partner. He amused her to no end, she would miss him when he died.