"This is absurb! She has the potential, so why not?" Minato tried to reason, but soon to find it useless. These people wouldn't listen to reason.

"She's a monster, Minato. It's best to keep them caged and kept away from any form of things that'd be assisting them. No matter how much potential a monster has, it wouldn't be a match for prodigies, so what's the point?" One of the elders said, their heads lifted high up, proud.

"If she beats the prodigy in my genin team, Kakashi Hatake, who's much older then her. Then, would you accept my request to allow her to join the team?" Minato asked, persisting and not giving up. He didn't want to. He didn't believe she was as good as a prodigy.

Was all his beliefs because of his sympathy for her? He was sure it wasn't. After he had rescued her from the bullies, he helped her, earning her trust. He had also assisted her in her self-training. He saw, her potential, her determination, her power, strength. All she needed was help and she'd be so much better than before. Help was the one thing she was missing, another was care and love. She had to grow up in harsh conditions, resulting in her trust issue too. She had grown strong inside and outside. He believed she wad just a looked-over prodigy.

"Sure. I'm sure it would result to that though." The confident elder said, not even having a slight thought that she could even win Kakashi. To them, there was no way.

"Don't go back on your words." Minato said, his tone deep and ominous, warning the elders, ensuring them to keep their promises.

-

Could she do it? Against Kakashi? Minato couldn't help but waver. She was so much younger than Kakashi, and so much more inexperienced when it came to fighting. It was a completely unfair match.

He frowned, using his hand to massage his forehead. He sighed, putting on a smile as he walked towards Itsuko. He had planned for them to meet up whether or not his proposal went through.

"Itsuko! Sorry I'm late, there was something I had to take care of." He tried smiling enthusiastically, putting away all his concerns and negativity.

"You don't have to act in front of me. I know you're stressed." She had saw through his act. He wasn't that bad of an actor but she was good at observing. She could tell that his smile wasn't as bright as natural and his eyebrows made him seem tired.

"You got me there." He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "You sure are good at observing."

"How'd you think I lived my life? I know when someone is being fake. It was always a matter of whether I bothered." She sighed, gesturing him to start heading to wherever he said he was going to take her.

"Ah right. The request got approved." He gave her another smile, this time it was real. He was truly from deep down happy for her but at the sane time, he was worried. "But you'll have to with Kakashi Hatake in a match. They call him a prodigy."

"All the more reason I could fight him seriously. Prodigies are always cocky, mocking those below them." She glared at the thought of prodigies from her own clan, treating her like an outcast they always do. She hated them, even detested them. She wanted equality, understanding and mostly trust.

"He's different. He's been through hardships and so, he's only a prodigy because they call him so. You'll understand when you see him." Minato sighed. He wanted to change her view about the world. She hated this world, she thinks it was full of nothing but criticising and hate.

-

"Kakashi, this is Itsuko. She'll be your sparring partner for today. After we're done, you'll need to report it in to the elders, they want the results." Minato introduced, giving Kakashi brief information on the reasons for the sudden sparring.

He gave them an option on whether they wanted to get to know each other better before they sparred or to start straight away. Without thought, they both decided to begin.

They starred into each other's eyes, for as long as it could be, as if looking for something hidden deep, down inside. Then, at the same time, they both found it. At the same time, Kakashi couldn't help but stare at her beauty. She caught his eyes, unlike others, she was different. The vibe and aura she had was all different, very different.

Itsuko jumped backwards, in fighting stance the second her feet reached ground. Kakashi stood still, his hands reached towards his kunai pouch for a kunai.

There was nothing but the noises of their weapons clashing, hitting the ground and nature.

Kakashi decided to strike first. He was certain he could beat her, if he hadn't found that something hidden beneath. But finding it motivated him. He wanted to know more, he wanted to know her power, he wanted to know. Running with a kunai in his hand, hs took a leap and threw a few more kunais at her.

Dodging them with ease, she caught one with her bear hands and used it as her own. She ran towards Kakashi, left and right, left and right. Kakashi could only stand still, analyze where she was going to attack him from. Her moves reminded him of Minato. During their first test as genins, Minato used these few tricks against them, in the exact same way.

Left or right? He didn't know. All he could do was wait and react as quick as possible. But soon, he found out it was neither left nor right, it was up.

Having quick reflexes, he managed to roll off, though she still managed to scratch his arm with her kunai. Kakashi was speechless. He had underestimated her. She was so young, yet so strong.

"I'll report that she managed to defeat me. It's already a defeat to be wounded by someone her age." Kakashi looked away as he surrendered. He wanted another spar with her, but only after she gets more training. This was definitely an unfair match but she still managed to wound him. He felt that it was already more than enough to proof her worth.

"Great to hear. Itsuko, I have a quick mission after this. Do you want some lunch before I go?" Minato asked, speaking quite fast, being in a rush.

"No thank you, you can go off if you're in a rush." Itsuko replied considerately. Minato have her a pat on the head before he rushed off. "Get along with Kakashi!" He turned around and yelled just as he suddenly remembered.

The two made sure he wasn't around before they spoke. They had the same question in mind, the same spark of curiosity. "What happened to you?" They both chorused coincidentally. Taking a step back, Itsuko spoke. "You go first."

"My father committed suicide back when I was in the Academy. He abandoned his mission and helped his dying comrade. He was blamed for the failure of the mission and was told he should have abandoned the comrade instead, even the comrade he saved turned against him. Everything changed since then." Kakashi said, his voice heavy and angered.

"I respect him. He did the right thing. I've been left behind my entire life for whatever reason. There was always an unspoken rule that was set. Outcasts never deserves help. It's a popular rule, especially amongst prodigies like yourself." Itsuko said, ending off with a slight chuckle. "So, you follow rules a lot don't you?"

Silence. "So I'm right. Since we'll be on missions together in the future, I'd advice you to change for the better. I'll definitely prove your wrong, it's heartless to leave a comrade behind, even if the mission meant world peace." Itsuko turned to leave. Her words echoed in his mind, he doubted his actions yet he doubted her words too. He was confused, he didn't know what was right and what was wrong. So what should he be doing? Was he wrong?