I was on my new training grounds. After my month probation after my team died, I was getting a new teammate/ sensei. He was apparently in Anbu.

Since Oji-san wanted me to be with someone closer to my age, and someone who was a 'prodigy' like me he gave me an 11-year-old Anbu.

I've been at this training grounds since 6. I am not meeting my new sensei until tomorrow, but I want to get a feel for the training ground.

I was wearing bandages around my chest like Neko taught me. A tank top was folded at the base of a tree nearby. Knee-length armored shorts, gloves, and calf-length boots kept me from getting hurt, from my training.

My former butt length hair was cut slightly past my shoulders. I was placed on the graves of my teammates, a testimate of how I wasn't able to protect them. How it was my fault they died.

That's why am I training so hard. No one else will die protecting me. I will become a protector.

It's now 7'oclock at night and I was finished my cool down laps. I didn't realize it would be this cold out.

I knew I should have learned Harashin when I had the chance. When I get home I am going to continue my fuinjutsu studies, like me life depended on it.

I can't regulate my chakra to keep warm yet since I just learned to water walk a few weeks ago.

Rin and Kurama are trying to give me some space after I snapped at them the other day.

I stiffen as I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around to see Itachi Uchiha. He is already an Anbu at the age of 11, I've seen him around the village since I was a kid. I've talked to him a few times too, along with his parents.

After all, while Naruto got Jiraya and Tsunade as godparents, I got Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha chosen by my mom. They weren't allowed to formally adopt me or even get near me thanks to my Jinchūriki status. The council thinks that f they were allowed near me they would try to gain control over the Kyuubi.

Wait.... 11... Anbu.... Oji-san made him my sensei.

" How are you Uchiha- sensei," I ask with a bow.

" How did you know I was your sensei?" He asked, not shocked, just curious.

" How many 11- year- old Anbu's do you know," I ask dryly and he smiles.

" Looks of your mother, yet your actions mirror your father," He tells me and I stare at him slightly wide-eyed.

" But your mother had long hair, and I was told that yours reached your lower back, what happened," He asked and my eyes drifted to the ground.

" As long as I have long hair, I mirror my mother, yet she was strong enough to defeat an army, how can I allow myself to look like her, to honor her if I cant save those who are close to me," I tell him and he nods.

" Yet here you are working and training so you do not repeat that mistake, to protect those you have left, in my opinion, if anyone is worthy of bearing the symbol of strength it is you after all most people would give up after facing what you have" He replied and my breath hitched.

For this whole week, I had people telling me that it was OK and that I a right to give up. Even Oji-san was looking at me like he wanted to give me a break. Even Kurama and Rin told me I should relax and take it slow, and that my team wouldn't want me to destroy my health.

But here Itachi was. Telling me that what I was doing showed that I was stronger, not weak.

" Any parent would be happy to have a daughter who works so hard," He said and his eyes met mine. 2 stay tears feel down my face as I smiled for the first time in what felt like ages but was actually just a few weeks.

It felt like the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders, and like I could finally breathe.

Itachi POV

I was walking towards the training ground where I would be teaching Akari. I had met both of her parents during, and after the war. My parents also had plenty of pictures of both Kushina and Minato.

When they heard what had happened, the Hokage himself had to hold them back from going to their godchild.

While they aren't allowed to get close to her thanks to her Jinchūriki status. But with me as her sensei, not only will I be able to get to know my god sister, but I have a logical reason to bring her to the Uchiha compound to see her godparents.

Sasuke can't know since he is still too little and father fears he will tell others, that the daughter of the fourth Hokage is getting to know his parents.

When I got to the training grounds, 13 to be specific I saw my Akari already there.

She seemed to be cooling down when she turned around to greet me.

"How are you Uchiha- sensei," She asked with a bow. How did she now? Hokage- same told me that he didn't tell her anything.

" How did you know I was your sensei?" I asked with my eyebrow raised.

" How many 11- year- old Anbu's do you know," she told me dryly, her blank expression never leaving her face.

" Looks of your mother, yet your actions mirror your father," I tell her and she looks at me wide-eyed. It was the truth. She acted just like the late Hokage, especially from the stories father told me. But she looked more like Kushina.

There are 3 differences that I can see. The first two are the whiskers and blue eyes. The last one is in her posture. She stood as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

I mentally frowned. No one this young should have to have that weight in her shoulders.

" But your mother had long hair, and I was told that yours reached your lower back, what happened," I asked, picturing the girl I had seen a few weeks ago.

" As long as I have long hair, I mirror my mother, yet she was strong enough to defeat an army, how can I allow myself to look like her, to honor her if I cant save those who are close to me," she tells me and my Anbu training is all that stops me from reacting more than a nod.

I know grown men who had killed themselves from the grief of failing a mission, or losing their team. Yet she is training showing her strength, she would have been loved by Minato and especially Kushina.

" Yet here you are working and training so you do not repeat that mistake, to protect those you have left, in my opinion, if anyone is worthy of bearing the symbol of strength it is you after all most people would give up after facing what you have" I replied making sure to look her in the eye.

Her breath hitched as her eyes widened.

" Any parent would be happy to have a daughter who works so hard," I finished thinking of my own parents.

Her eyes finally met mine and 2 tears fell down her face as she trembled.

That's when I realized that it was winter and she was probably freezing.

I quickly took off my jacket and placed it over her head. She was about to stop me when I gave her a small smile.

" I know how to regulate my chakra through my body, keeping me warm, plus I have a long leaves shirt under. I will be fine. " I told her in a no-nonsense voice and mentally berated myself.

Well Kaa-san always said I'd be a good mother.

She grinned up at me and I slowly mirrored the grin.

Without thinking I poked her in the forehead, much like I do with Sasuke, and ruffled her hair.

Just in case you didn't notice I am trying to give you pieces of her past every five chapters.