A Promise to Keep Until I Die

I sat beside Naruto, waiting to hear what jutsu we had to do in order to pass. When Iruka sensei said 'bunshin no jutsu' I tensed with worry. I could do that jutsu easily but Naruto...Well, that was his worst jutsu. I glanced to the side to see him panicking.

"Hazuki!"

I stood up from my spot beside Naruto and walked into the next room. I did the hand sign and four copies of me appeared. I walked forward and took the head protector from Iruka sensei. I felt my stomach clench with nerves as I walked outside to wait for Naruto. I had a feeling that his exam wasn't going to end as well as mine.

"Hey Hazuki, think Naruto will pass? I don't! He's such a loser!"

In a second I had a kunai at Ino's throat. The whole yard went silent but I didn't really care. I knew they said those things mostly to anger me. They all enjoyed seeing how far my loyalty for Naruto would go. Only a few people there like Shikamaru and Chojii refused to bait me.

"Get this through your abnormally thick scull Ino," I snarled, making sure everyone could hear. "If Naruto doesn't pass fine. Then I'll stay at the academy with him just like the last two times. If he passes, then he's one step closer and I my promise will be harder to keep. And if I ever hear another insult about Naruto pass through your lips, I will not hesitate to put you in your place!"

She sneered at me. "Oh, isn't someone defensive! The way you protect him it's like you think he can't take care of himself. Why do you care so much?"

"Because I promised. I promised I would protect him. And I'm glad I did because I haven't turned out like the rest of this village! The adults despising him without knowing him! The children following their parents lead! It makes me sick to my stomach!"

I stalked away from her, replacing my kunai. I sat down beneath the tree to wait for Naruto. I could hear the adults whispering about how something must be wrong with me but I ignored them. I made a promise and I sure as heck intended to keep it.

I stood up the minute i saw Naruto walking over to me. The whispers followed him like wind. It made me want to scream! How could people be so stupid? He hadn't chosen to host the Kyuubi! So why did they have to torment him?

He didn't have a head protector. I took his hand and led him away, stopping in front of two women who had been whispering about him.

"Talk about him again and I will not hesitate to teach you a lesson about keeping your mouth shut," I said calmly. Leaving them behind I led Naruto away. He stayed silent the whole time which was so unlike him. I wanted so bad to hug him and tell him that everything would be okay but I knew that's not what he needed.

"Naruto."

We both turned and Naruto seemed surprised. "Mizuki sensei!"

He nodded to me and reluctantly I let Naruto go with him. I had a very bad feeling but I dismissed it as sadness.

****()****()****()****()****()****()****

Hours later I was running through the forest, searching for Naruto. I had a very bad feeling. People were searching for him. Supposedly he had taken a forbidden scroll as a prank but I knew that wasn't right. Naruto always let me in on his pranks.

I finally found him but oddly enough there was more than one of him. And they were very real unlike clones made with the 'bunshin no jutsu.'

"Naruto!" I gasped.

"Hazuki! I learned the Kage Bunshin No jutsu! Isn't ti cool? It makes actual copies!"

He released the jutsu and sat down, breathing hard. I looked at him and my face broke out into a smile. "Shadow clones? That's amazing Naruto!"

"I found you!"

We both turned to see Iruka sensei and I grinned.

"I found the nose bleeder!" Naruto said.

"Baka! I found you!" Iruka sensei snapped.

"Hehe. I've only learned one thing..."

"Why do you look all beaten up? What were you doing here?" Iruka sensei questioned.

"Never mind that! I'm going to try an incredible jutsu and if I do it let me graduate!"

Iruka sensei's eyes widened in realization. "Naruto, where did you get the scroll?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh Mizuki sensei told me about it. And about this place too! He said if I showed you this skill I'd definitely graduate!"

My eyes widened in realization and Iruka sensei shoved us out of the way as a swarm of kunai hit him. I launched a kunai at Mizuki in anger but he deflected it.

"Nice job finding the moron!" Mizuki sneered. I pulled out another kunai and launched it at him. He deflected it easily.

"Naruto give me the scroll!" he commanded.

"No!" I shouted. "Don't give him the scroll Naruto! It's dangerous and filled with forbidden jutsu! Mizuki used you to get it!"

"Naruto there's no point in you having the scroll. I'll tell you the truth... Twelve years ago-"

"No, don't!" Iruka sensei shouted, looking panic stricken.

"You know about the fox demon being sealed right? Since that day a special rule was created for this village. But this rule was never meant to be told to you."

"What is this rule? Tell me!" Naruto demanded. I took out another kunai and threw it at Mizuki. Again he deflected it.

"The rule is nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that you are the nine tailed demon fox!"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked weakly.

"STOP IT!" Iruka shouted.

"It means that you are the demon fox that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed the village! You were sealed up by the Hokage you admire-"

"STOP IT!" Iruka shouted desperately.

"-and lied to by everyone! Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you? Iruka is the same! Nobody will ever love you!"

I could tell that Naruto was hurt and angry. If Mizuki wasn't careful he would enrage Naruto enough that the seal would weaken. That would be bad.

"That scroll was used to seal you up!" Mizuki shouted, delighted to be revealing this to Naruto. I could feel myself wanting to cry. Naruto acted tough to hide his suffering. He had never cried but I knew he was hurting. I could see it in his eyes.

Then Mizuki threw something at me, knowing Naruto would jump to save me. He did but none of us expected Iruka sensei to block the attack from reaching Naruto.

"Why?"Naruto asked, shocked.

"My parents were gone. I acted like a fool goofing off to get attention. It was so painful... Naruto, you also must have been in a lot of pain. I'm sorry Naruto. If I only did a better job you wouldn't have to feel like this."

Iruka sensei's tears dripped from his face. Naruto was shocked at his words.

"And you Hazuki. You put yourself through the loneliness and hurt so Naruto wasn't alone. You turned your back on your family. You also must be in a lot of pain."

I took Naruto's hand and we both took off running. I could sense them following after us and I pulled Naruto behind a tree as Mizuki and Iruka sensei both came into view. Mizuki had transformed into Iruka sensei and Iruka sensei had transformed into Naruto. Mizuki tried still thought Iruka sensei was Naruto though.

When he found out he said, "You'd even transform into what killed your parents to protect him..."

"I won't hand the scroll over to someone like you!" Iruka sensei snarled. I clutched Naruto's hand tightly, feeling the gratitude for our sensei grow.

"If you use the skills in that scroll, you can do whatever you want! There's no way the demon fox wouldn't try to use the powers of the scroll!"

"Yeah..." Iruka sensei said. My temper flared as Naruto's face fell. I squeezed his hand as Iruka sensei continued to speak. "The demon fox would do that but Naruto is different. He is...I've acknowledged him as one of my excellent students just like Hazuki. He may not be the hardest worker and he is clumsy and no one accepts him. He and Hazuki already know what it is like to feel pain inside your heart. He is not the demon fox. He is a member of the hidden Leaf village. He's Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto was crying for the first time ever. I pulled him into a silent hug.

"Well, whatever," Mizuki said angrily. 'I said I was going to care of you later but I changed my mind. "Hurry up and die!"

I head the sound of a weapon and I felt instinct take over. Naruto and I both jumped out from behind the tree and kicked Mizuki, sending him flying. I crouched, holding a kunai at the ready.

"You shouldn't have done that," Mizuki said menacingly.

"Stay away from Iruka sensei!" I snarled, fury flowing through my veins.

"Don't touch Iruka sensei! I'll kill you!" Naruto said savagely.

"You morons! Why did you come out? Run away!" Iruka sensei shouted.

"Haha. I'll kill someone like you in one shot!" Mizuki said.

Naruto made a hand sign and said, "Try it trash! I'll return the pain a thousand times over!"

"Then do it, Demon Fox!" Mizuki said tauntingly. I walked forward slowly until I was even with Naruto. I copied his stance and we looked at each other.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" we shouted simultaneously. Hundreds of clones appeared around the small clearing, perfect physical copies of us.

Mizuki suddenly looked very frightened. Ha! Served him right.

"What's wrong?" I said lazily. "Weren't you going to kill us with one shot?"

"We'll start, okay?" Naruto suggested.

I landed the first punch and hurriedly stepped back. When we released the jutsu Mizuki laid on the ground beaten to a pulp.

"Huh. We may have gone a little far..." I said sheepishly. Naruto grinned.

"Naruto, come here," Iruka sensei said, smiling. "There's something I want to give you."

I smiled widely as Naruto closed his eyes and Iruka sensei took his own headband off and tied it around Naruto's head.

"Okay, open your eyes," he said, smiling. I let out a cheer and hugged Naruto tightly, laughing.

"Congratulations on passing!" Iruka sensei said, his eyes filled with pride at Naruto's accomplishment. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and then he tackled Iruka sensei in a hug. I was still dancing around the clearing, laughing and cheering. Then as I passed them Naruto grabbed me and hugged me and we were suddenly both shouting and laughing and cheering. Despite how the night had started, it was one of the happiest nights of my life.