Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Path of a Ninja ❯ Promises ( Chapter 4 )

Title: The Path of a Ninja

Chapter: 4/0?

Chapter Title: Promises

Author: Silverwolf

E-Mail: Silverwolf_angel@yahoo.com

Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/broken_doll969

Rated: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's copyrighted characters. They belong to their respected creator, Mahashi Kishimoto. I write fanfics for fun not for money, so please don't sue. If you ask my friends they'll tell you how poor I am in my little yellow house on my cheap $100 computer with my stupid new Kmart job. So yeah, no lawsuits please.

A/N: So Sorry it took so long to update. I've been sorta busy with school and stuff. Anyway, within the last few weeks I've gotten a lot of responses from people wanting an update. To those people : This Chapter is dedicated to you. ^ ^;

Warning: Minor A/U

Promises

Naruto watched as Fujiko came around the corner for the fifth time. She was doing her morning workout, one that consisted of an hour of running, a half hour of target practice with Kunai and shuriken, and another hour of meditation. She did these things every morning starting at five o' clock. She had explained that the running helped to wake her up, the target practice let out any pent up anger from the day before, and the meditation helped her think.

"Hi Naruto!" She called as she passed him, her hair bouncing behind her as she bounded away. "Morning..." He trailed off. Lately it felt strange to be around her, especially because half the time she was in her underwear like it was no big deal.

Maybe not to her, but to him it was embarrasing. Not knowing if it was safe to even look at her when he was in her apartment. He'd told himself that she was probably used to walking around in her underwear like that because she'd done it for a while when she was on her own.

Whatever the reason, it made him uncomfortable. She was rounding the corner again when she tripped and fell. Naruto dropped the apple he was eating and rushed over. "Fujiko, are you ok?" He asked, lifting her to her feet.

Fujiko nodded and stood upright, dusting herself off. "Damn...I was really getting into that workout too." She mumbled, closing her eyes. "You can get an early start on target practice." Naruto reminded her. She smiled and opened one eye as she put her hands behind her head.

"I guess so, but my body isn't warmed up enough yet. how about we go to that ramen stand you love. My treat." Naruto's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Let's go!" He cried. Fujko laughed and tousled his thick blonde hair. "Calm down...we're going. And," She added with a grin. "I'll race you there."

Naruto put his hand out. "you're on! Ready..." The both stood tensely. "GO!" Fujiko sprinted ahead of Naruto easily, seeing as her legs were longer. He crept up behind her, determind to get his ramen.

People stared as if they were crazy as the bolted down the streets of Kono Village, nearly neck and neck now. They had just barely reached the stand when Konohamaru stepped in front of Naruto, causing him to collide with the younger boy.

Fujiko skid to a halt and turned around. Naruto lay on top of Konohamaru, who seemed to be crying. Slowly, they rised and she began to giggle as Naruto scolded the child.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Can't you see I'm getting RAMEN. C'mon, RAMEN! My favorite thing in the world!" He yelled. Konohamaru just sniffed before looking up.

"U-Uzumaki Naruto-sensei, will you play with me?" He asked. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Play what?" He asked cautiously. "Ninja games." The boy had stopped crying, but continued to sniff the snot back into his nose. Naruto looked longingly at the ramen stand and then at Konohamaru.

"I..." His eyes raised one last time to the Ichiraku Noodle bar. "Goodbye ramen." He murmured, looking away. "Hey, Konohamaru. You hungry?" Fujiko piped up, her hands on her hips as she continued to pant from her run. The younger male nodded slightly. "A little." He answered quietly. He was rather shy around Fujiko, like most young childeren.

Fujiko smiled. "C'mon boys. I'll treat ya both. I'm not supposed to eat before I'm done with my workout anyway." She purred.

Both Naruto and Konohamaru rushed over and sat down. Fujiko let them order while sipping on her bottle of water. She wasn't paying attention to anything except for a tree nearby.

"I'll be right back." She said softly. The boys didn't hear her and kept on eating.

She wandered over to the tree and leaned against it for a second before shoving her elbow into the trunk. Suprisingly, it sunk in and the tree made an 'oomfing' noise. "What are you doing here, Keon??" She hissed. The ninja behind the camoflauge whispered something into her ear. Something that made her heart race.

"I see, thank you very much Keon. I'll deal with her right away." She whispered. "Oh, and Fujiko." the male whispered. They paused as a woman and her child walked by, smiling politely. "What is it?" She asked. "Make it quick." Keon sighed. "Just thought you should know, she has Zephaniah on her side." With that, the ninja seemed to dissapear into thin air, leaving Fujiko breathless.

"Zeph? She got Zeph?" She murmured, looking as though someone had just shoved a katana through her chest. Her heart pounded. Sweat slid down her face as she tried to think of something to do.

Quickly, she ran to Naruto, telling him to tell Kakashi that she had urgent buisness to attend to and that she didn't want them following her. Naruto swore that he would tell Kakashi and watched her take off towards the apartment building. * Something's wrong. * Naruto thought * She wouldn't just blow off a mission like that for no reason. * He abandoned his ramen and ran to the meeting place that Kakashi had chosen.

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Fujiko sat crouched beneath a bush, her hair tied back in a tight bun. Her body was clad in a thin, black matierial that clung to her form. She also wore sandals that were made of a special rubber so she could move noiselessly through the forest.

Her target was close by. She could almost smell her rancid perfume. She would pay dearly for what she had done to her villagers and Zephaniah. Keon's message had been simple.

"Gemi killed them. She's taken several of them hostage and refuses to let go until her demands are met." "What does she want?" Fujiko had asked. "You. Your blood on her hands for what you did to her father."

Fujiko wasn't about to give in to this woman's crazy demands. She'd give her what she had coming for her in return for a lifetime of pain and torture.

The sixteen year old crab-crawled accross the dirt floor, spotting the female almost instantly. On her arm, a tall, handsome male stood, looking quite arrogant as though he had all of the power in the world sitting right next to him.

Fujiko quietly slid her fingers into the bag on her hip, slipping out a shuriken. She took care to aim before she threw it, watching it slice through the air and Gemi's cheek.

Gemi yelped and clutched her cheek, looking around to see who had thrown it. Fujiko had, by then, moved to the other side of the woman, preparing for another attack. She let it fly and watched as it whizzed past Gemi's shoulder, scratching it lightly.

The woman ran around in circles for a moment, unaware that Fujiko was now right above her, a kunai in one hand, ready to strike. A few moments passed before Fujiko leapt onto the blonde, driving the kunai into her chest over and over until her desparate cries for assistance had subsided.

Fujiko rose and wiped the kunai off on her leg, stashing it back into it's holder as her friend-turned-enemy stared in disbelief. "You killed her! Why did you kill her?! I could have had everything I ever wanted! You dumb bitch, you HAVE to ruin everything, don't you?" Zephaniah yelled, grabbing Fujiko by the shoulders.

"Unhand me or I'll kill you too, Zeph. Don't test me right now. That woman deserved it after what her father did to yours, I'm suprised you haven't done it yourself. I did this for you." She hissed, shoving him away, leaving bloody handprints on his bare chest.

"If you don't mind, I have other things to do." She growled, turning to leave. Zephaniah grabbed her by the arms again and looked down at her. "Thank you." He whispered, kissing her softly. Fujiko wrenched away, wiping her mouth, smearing blood accross her face.

"DON'T!" She yelled. "I don't have time for mushy shit like that! I am an assasin. I am a ninja. I am NOT a sex toy!" She turned away again, but not before Zephaniah spoke again. "Promise me you'll come back." He said.

Fujiko shook her head. "I don't make promises I can't keep. Goodbye Zeph." She gave a little sigh before walking back to Kono Village.

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When she arrived at her apartment, Kakashi and the others were lready inside. Sakura screamed when she saw Fujiko's blood stained figure enter the room.

"Shut up, will you?" Fujiko growled, closing her eyes. Kakashi stood up and touched her face, inspecting it slowly. "Get of!" She shouted, shoving him to the floor. "Don't touch me!" She walked into the bathroom, slamming the door.

Water could be heard running as well as a slight whimpering. Inside, she stood under the hot spray, tears mixing with sweat and water. What was wrong with her? She never cried after killing her target.

* Maybe, * She thought * Maybe it's because of Zeph. Because I couldn't make that promise to him. * She turned the water off and stepped out, slipping into a thin robe. Steam rushed out into the other room when she opened the door to find Kakashi alone. He was on the floor, reading his newest copy of "Make out Paradise".

"We need to talk, Fujiko." He said softly, not looking up from the book. "About what, Uncle Kakashi? I'm sorry I pushed you, I'm just not in the best of moods right now." She murmured, sitting down on her futon.

"Where did you go?" Kakashi asked, finally putting the book down. Fujiko didn't look at him. "Nowhere. " She answered. "Oh? Is nowhere the place you got covered in blood?"

"Look, I had a job to do. I went and did it! Where I went is of no importance to you!" Fujiko stood up and glared at her uncle. "It is when your life is on the line, Fujiko. Anyone of these 'jobs' could get you killed. I couldn't live with the guilt if that happened." Kakashi growled, standing up as well.

Fujiko narrowed her eyes to slits. "I am an assasin. I kill because people want me to. I DON'T give in tosomebody's emotional attatchments just because they're concerned for my saftey. You of all people should know that that's the one weakness that will get you killed."

Kakashi stared at her, searching her brown eyes for any sign of a bluff. "I do know, Fujiko. You're my weakness. You and the others. I care about your well being. Call me soft, but I'd rather it'd me me instead of you."

Fujiko looked away and grunted, walking over to her dresser, pulling something form the top drawer before she threw it at him. A little, black book with no title.

Kakashi opened it and stared. There were about a hundred or so names that filled it's pages. "What is this?" He asked. Fujiko laughed. "My little black book. Everyname in there belongs to someone I've met. But do you know what those people have in common?" She asked, tilting her head to the side arrogantly.

Kakashi shook his head a little before looking up. "Every name in that book belongs to someone I've killed." Her voice was icy as she took the book out of his hands and began to write Gemi's name on a blank space.

"That makes two-hundred and thirty four. Not bad for a girl, right Uncle Kakashi?" She smirked and set the book back in it's drawer. Kakashi seemed stunned. So, she wasn't lying when she said she'd spilled more blood than the Hokage. Well, maybe not quite as much, but it was a lot for a sixteen year old, let alone a female.

"Yeah, not bad." He said softly. Fujiko sighed and looked out the window at the sunset. "Looks like it's too late for a mission. Sorry if you've wasted your time." She whispered, returning to her spot on her futon.

Kakashi just shrugged. It wasn't that big of a deal anymore. He was just as oblivious about the time as she had been. The teen leaned back and sighed again, closing her eyes. "Hey, Fujiko. What happened with the girl. The one you killed, What did she do to piss you off?" Kakashi asked.

"What did she do? Nothing. Her father killed my friend Zephaniah's father and I killed him. She merely took over my village for revenge. I had to stop her somehow." She shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. The thought of Zeph's request for a promise came back to her. Why did he want her to return so bad? He'd never shown any interest in her before, why start now?

"Fujiko, put some clothes on and meet me next door. I'll treat you to dinner at the Ichiraku Noodle bar." She nodded and stood after he'd shut the door. She slid the robe from her shoulders, letting it slither to the floor as she sighed.

She looked into the mirror in front of her, staring at the many scars on her body. Most resided on her abdomen, the others wewre scatterd randomly over her body.

One stuck out like a sore thunb. One she had recieved in a battle about three years ago. This scar had almost cost her her life.

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Fujiko panted as she surveyed her surroundings. Blood coated the ground as well as many bodies and weapons. She could barely see as blood dripped from her head into her eyes.

"Fujiko! MOVE!" Keon shouted, throwing his arms around her tiny waist as he tackled her to the ground. Something whizzed over her head, Shuriken, no doubt.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his green eyes staring down into hers. She nodded but winced as he sat up, moving off of her body.

She heard him gasp and leaned up. "What, what's wrong?" She whined, looking up at him. Keon shook his head. "Nothing Fujiko, just lay back down, ok?" He said softly.

"O-ok." She obeyed the older male, laying on her back in the dirt. She winced again as he pressed his palms over her stomach.

"K-Keon! It hurts..." She whined, a few tears stinging the backs of her eyes as she closed them. "I know, I know, but Fujiko, it will stem the flow..." Fujiko flew upright. "FLOW? What do you mean?!" She cried.

"LIE BACK! You'll make it worse..." The seventeen year old gently pushed her back, holding her there with one hand as he covered the left side of her stomach with the other.

"Keon..." She whispered, looking up at him. "Yes Fujiko?" He answered, focusing on stopping the flow of blood. "Am I going to die?" Tears choked her voice as she shuddered with sobs.

"No. You wont. I promise I wont let you die, Fujiko. I PROMISE." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, applying more pressure to the wound.

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Fujiko looked up from her ramen as someone placed a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?" Naruto asked. Fujiko nodded and turned away. "You're crying." He pointed out. Fujiko raised an eyebrow at him. "What?" She lifted a hand to her cheek, and sure enough, it was wet with tears.

She wasn't suprised. Her memories of Keon were always a little depressing. "Hey, Hatake."

Fujiko turned around and stared. * Well, well, well, speak of the devil. * She thought, standing up. "Hello again, Keon." She smiled.

Naruto and the others turned around to watch them. "Who is that?" Naruto asked. Kakashi shrugged. "How should I know?"

"What are you doing back here? I thought you were just my little messenger." Fujiko teased, playfully punching his arm. " I am. I have a message for you, Fujiko. Zephaniah, killed himself."

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********** Preview of Next Chapter**********

Naruto: Hey, Fujiko, Who is that?

Fujiko: Keon, Darling...why have you come back with such bad news?

Naruto: Hello? Fujiko?

Keon: You need to know about this.

Naruto: Who is this guy?

Kakashi: Next time on 'The path of a Ninja', we discover a little more about Fujiko's past and even I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Fujiko: don't miss the next chapter of 'The path of a Ninja': Mission#2

Naruto: Doesn't anybody hear me?!

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A/N: Alright, that's enough for this chapter. Hope Ya'll aren't too dissapointed that I left it at a cliffy.

Love,

Silverwolf