A Stuttering Flame

Chapter 1

Konoha was silent.

It was the pre-dawn hours of October 10th, and many were already remembering those they lost in the disaster that had befallen the village exactly 12 years before.

In one certain tiny apartment, slept a blonde child who dreamt of the day to come, when her precious Jii-chan would take her out to dinner.

Outside the building, 5 different ANBU members had been assigned to the child's protective detail for the day. Normally it was only 2, but today was October 10th, and the villagers tended to get more aggressive towards the small child on this day.

As the sky minutely began to brighten, the girl's eyes suddenly shot open, and she rose from her pillow.
She turned her body, and slipped off her bed, leaving the sheets in a rumpled mess.

She walked out if her room in a daze, stopping only briefly at her front door to unlock it, and exit the place she called home. 

The ANBU outside watched as the child they had expected to stay inside all day, made her way down the stairs of the building still in her nightgown, and without shoes.

HAWK, a newer recruit, used the standard ANBU hand signals  to communicate with his superior, JACKAL, questioning what the squad was to do now.
                                                
JACKAL signed to his comrades to keep tailing the girl, and prevent any major altercations with civilians and ninja alike from happening.

As the 12-year-old made her way through the village, she did not utter a single sound. The only sound coming from her was the sound of her feet hitting the ground, the rustle of her pajamas, and the swish of her long blonde hair moving in time with her steps.

It was at this point that she had made her way to the main road of the village.

Here there were a few early risers, who were getting ready for the day, milling about.

As they watched the little blonde pass through, they sneered and glared at her with venomous eyes.

When their efforts to make the 'Demon Brat' uncomfortable failed, and their loudly whispered insults were ignored without so much as a twitch from the child, the people began to anger.

How dare she ignore them! Today of all days! The day that the Kyuubi had brought so much death and destruction!

Things came to a head when one brave villager, a fruit stand owner, approached the child from behind.
                                                             
The hidden ANBU guards tensed slightly, preparing to interfere if necessary.

When the fruit seller placed his large hand on the child's shoulder, he immediately withdrew it whilst screaming out in pain.

Alarm ran through the minds of all whom were witnessing the scene.

For seeping from the area the man had placed his hand was wisps of red chakra, and the hand of the man in question was suffering from severe chakra burns.

The ANBU leapt into action, darting forward and surrounding
the child and injured man.

MOUSE, the only one in the squad with more-than-basic medical ninjutsu, grabbed the man's hand and began an on-site diagnosis.

He turned to JACKAL, and reported that the man needed immediate medical attention. The chakra burns were traveling up his hand, and eating away at the flesh of his arm. It was as if the chakra was sentient and maliciously attacking the man's body.

JACKAL ordered SHEEP, the only woman on the squad, and the fastest of the bunch to take the man to the hospital.

Turning to DOG, the next in the chain of command in their squad, he said "DOG, you report this to the Hokage."