At a time

Chapter 2

She takes the first graduation test and fails. Kazemi raids the library to find the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Forbidden jutsu her ass.

...

The second time she takes the test she passes. Thank the Sage as well, at least she won't have to be with team seven.

...

Her sensei is still Hatake Kakashi and she has no teammates since there was an odd number of students graduating.

Maybe that's a sign that she should defect from Konoha and become a cabbage merchant for Iwa.

Which didn't really sound too bad to her at that moment. Maybe that could be her dream, leave the glorified child soldier life behind her and become a cabbage merchant.

-----

The next time Kakashi so much as looks at a D-Rank mission she'll stab his visible eye out.

"Old man." Kazemi glares at the Hokage as Ebsui let out a scandalised gasp. "I demand a mission that doesn't have me questioning my sanity."

And her loyalty to the village for that matter but she's fairly certain saying that will land her in the Torture And Interrogation faster than Jiraiya can abandon a child.

Hiruzen sighs slightly as he look to Kakashi who nods. "Very well then Kazemi, we have a C-Rank delivery mission for you."

She smirked triumphantly towards Kakashi who held his hands up mock surrender. "Finally, something that won't want me ripping my hair out."

...

If someone had told her that accepting a C-Rank meant travelling with Kakashi for a week she would've just took a D-Rank.

That's a lie, Kazemi would've checked herself into the nearest Yamanaka psych ward to prevent a death. Hers, the Hokage's, Kakashi's or the baby she had to babysit were all reasonable answers.

...

Turns out the box they were delivering were a box of cookies a noble from the Daimyos court really liked. Kakashi had to physically stop her from committing an international incident.

...

Izumo and Kotetsu laughed when she told them about her mission.

"Traitors." Kazemi muttered.

If anything, they started laughing harder.

-----

"What are you working on?" Kakashi inquired as he looks over her shoulder.

"This thing called a seal, Kakashi." She answers back with sarcasm but decided to actually tell him.

"You know how explosion tags have a countdown for when you put chakra in them so you have time to throw it at an enemy? That's inconvenient when the opponent can throw it back in the split second it takes to explode. This tag will trigger when the person who added the chakra into it releases their chakra. This allows it to stay inactivated for a long time until the user commands it when the enemy lets down their guard, thinking the tag was a dud. It also saves chakra since you can release it and the chakra will go back to you." She excitedly rambled off her newest invention with pride.

Kazemi then realised that Kakashi looking at her as though she were a ghost. Maybe he had the right idea.

She didn't talk to him about what she was working on again even when he asked about them. If he wanted to see his sensei again then he could visit the memorial stone or he could stick a kunai into his neck. Kazemi won't indulge him, that's for certain.

-----

The Hokage had called her to his office. Upon entering she could see Kakashi and a Yamanaka that may or may not have been the clan head.

Kazemi vaguely wonders what this was about. She hasn't said anything especially treasonous lately.

"You are probably wondering why you've been summoned here Kazemi." The third starts off with pleasantries, as though anyone here actually cared for them. "I'm sure you'd like to know."

She rolls her eyes. "Spit it out old man, you may not want to to do your paperwork but I have things to do."

Oddly enough Hiruzen's face softened slightly. That couldn't be good. "Kazemi, have you realised that how people treat you...differently?"

It took everything in her not to snort. She wonders how he survived so long as Hokage with such a terrible way of words. Instead she nods.

"Well, that has something to do with the day of your birth. October 10th, the Kyuubi attack." He scanned face for a second before continuing. "The Kyuubi is a being made out of pure chakra, it cannot be destroyed but it could be sealed. I heard you know a bit about sealing."

At that she glared at Kakashi who was still staring at the floor like child meeting a relative he didn't like. Face her like a shinobi, coward!

"Yeah, I guess I know a bit."

He smiles slightly. "You are quite talented with it Kazemi, I'm sure you'd flourish under a little guidance." He comments before turning serious again. "The fourth Hokage couldn't kill the Kyuubi, his only choice was to seal it into someone who could contain it." The third paused. "As you may have guessed that person was you, Kazemi. But understand that you are the jailor and the Kyuubi, you are the only thing keeping the beast at bay."

Inoichi looks at her intently to see her reaction. Honestly, she figured this is what the meeting was about as soon the Hokage mentioned how she was treated differently.

Kazemi tries to wonder how she would feel had she never known of the Kyuubi before replying. "Are you kidding me?" She starts, sounding extremely annoyed. "I get treated like shit for my entire life over saving this entire village from certain doom?"

There was silence. When she stormed out of the office no one stopped her. Which was a good thing as well because she was about to stab someone.

AN: hope you enjoyed.