A Promise to Keep Until I Die

"Everyone get down!"

I opened my eyes and looked up at Naruto. He was standing over me protectively glaring at something behind me. I rolled over and looked up at a familiar face. I scowled at him.

"Zabuza," I growled. He was standing on his huge sword which was stuck in the tree.

He glanced at me and laughed. "Well, if it isn't the little Minati who dared to defy! How's life as a traitor treating you?"

I leapt up, throwing five kunai at him. He dodged them easily. I glared at him with loathing. Not many people knew that Zabuza had once been a part of the Minati clan. He had deserted them when he was very young just like I had.

"Where's Haku?" I asked.

"Elsewhere. How is my brother, Hitari?"

"How should I know? I'm not on speaking terms with my father anymore remember? And how did you know about my being disowned anyways?"

"I was keeping tabs on my favorite neice."

"You know him?" Kakashi asked, surprised.

I sighed. "Unfortunately. He is my uncle on my father's side. No one knows that because he deserted our clan when he was young and changed his name."

I glanced at Kakashi. "Can you handle him Kakashi sensei? He isn't known as a demon for no reason."

Kakashi pushed up his headband and nodded. "Yeah. I can handle him."

I looked at the eye and felt a weird tingly feeling go through me. He had a sharingan. I closed my eyes as a headache started. It was the power within me developing the sharingan. The same thing had happened when I saw Hinata's byakugan. I hadn't used it much yet but I had asked Hinata about it. I would use it when I needed it.

"You will fight me first Zabuza. You four, stay back and guard Tazuna."

I fell back with the others and we surrounded Tazuna. Naruto was staring at Kakashi's eye with a confused expression.

"It's a sharingan," I told him.

"What's a sharingan?"

"Sasuke can you explain?" I asked.

"Yeah. It is said that some have the ability in their eyes to read and defeat all types of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu. The sharingan is one of the types of pupil that gives you this power. That's not the only ability of the sharingan though. It also allows you to copy your opponents techniques once you see them."

"When I was a member of the Hidden Mists assassin team, I kept a handbook. It included information on you, the copy ninja of the Hidden Leaf village. It said that you have copied more than one thousand jutsus."

I glanced at Sasuke. He looked confused which didn't surprise me. The sharingan was a bloodline trait that only showed up in a few members of the Uchiha clan. Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha but he had the sharingan. Most likely it came from a transplant by the wishes of a friend who had died.

"I'm surprised Hazuki," Zabuza said suddenly. "I thought you would have decided to avoid the path of a ninja the minute your parents told you the truth. I guess you inherited stubbornness from your mother."

I tensed at his words. I knew exactly what he was talking about. The curse of the ten tails. If I used the power, developed it... it would kill me before I turned eighteen. It would consume me. I might be worthy of it but that didn't mean I could beat the curse.

"It was my choice," I said quietly.

"Yes but how will you keep that precious promise if you die?"

"By the time that happens he will be able to take care of himself. Besides," I said grinning, "He'll have more friends I can trust to look out for him. Even if I'm gone he'll never be alone again."

Zabuza's cold eyes bored into mine and I just smiled. I would complete this mission. I would protect Naruto. I had promised. And I never broke a promise.

"You've grown," Zabuza said approvingly. Then he jumped and I spun around looking for him.

"There! On the water!" Tazuna said. I turned and saw the hand movements.

"Hidden mist no jutsu!" Zabuza said. I swore as the mist enveloped us.

"Be careful," I said quietly. "He's an expert at silent killing. You don't even notice until you're dead."

"She's right. It's not like I can use the sharingan perfectly,"

I held my stance perfectly and closed my eyes. I opened a connection to Zabuza and glimpsed what he was thinking.

I can't hurt Hazuki. That is absolutely forbidden. Besides, Haku would kill me if I hurt her.

"The mist is getting thicker," Naruto said suddenly.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I could barely see the others now.

"Eight choices. Liver, lungs, spinal, clevical vein, neck vein, brain, kidneys, heart. Which one should I go after?"

My heart thumped wildly at his words. If I wasn't quick enough when he struck someone would die. I frowned as more fear was added to my own. It came from Sasuke which surprised me. I reached to my left and squeezed his hand gently.

"Don't worry Sasuke," I said quietly. "Just believe in Kakashi sensei."

Hazuki's right. I shouldn't worry about what's going to happen. Kakashi will get us out of this alive.

"Don't worry you two," Kakashi sensei said suddenly. "I will protect you even if it kills me. I don't let my comrades die."

I grinned. A little ray of hope spread through me until my fear was mastered. If I couldn't get rid of it I would use it to my advantage.

"We'll see about that."

I spun and aimed a kick for his face. He grabbed my foot and I plunged the kunai into his hand. He dissolved into water then and I fell to the ground, cursing.

"Sensei, behind you!" Naruto shouted. I turned but someone grabbed my hair and covered my mouth, pulling me back. When Zabuza had come behind us we had been scattered. I was behind all of them so they couldn't see me.

"Stay still and silent or I will kill all of them."

I didn't recognize the voice but their tone gave me no room to doubt that they were telling the truth. I stopped struggling and they removed their hand from my mouth slowly, pulling me back into the trees.

"Who are you?" I asked weakly.

"Someone you should be very afraid of."

I felt his hand cover my mouth again but this time their was a rag in it. Before I knew what was happening, a foul scent reached my nose and I blacked out.