Promises Made

Promises Made

Chapter 1

An uncertain future…

The idea of this story was taken from "Hinata's Protector" with permission from ChewieCookies on this fanfic site. A great guy and I just wanted to thank him for letting me take bits and pieces from it and put my own spin on it. There will be a few original characters added to the story which will turn up later.

Also I will probably only be updating this one once a week. (I got a lot on my plate and not sure if I can keep it all down) Anyway, this is or will be NaruXHina…possibly some other pairings in the future AND if you have read my other story, (What is Love?) you will remember I like to throw lots of twists and turns in.

This will be no exception. Most important, like my other story, if you are looking for canon…move on because 90 of my stories are original content. The only thing here similar to the anime or manga are the characters.

I do not like going word for word from a series. Yes…the characters will be OC to some extent, and perhaps way off in some cases. I do this because I am writing in my view what the characters would grow to become in certain situations.

Again…this will be way off from canon so please do not write to me telling me that Naruto doesn't act like this, or Hinata wouldn't do that. It is someone else's characters, but my story.

Now…Naruto is the container of the Kyubi no kitsune. But Hiashi swore to Minato he would keep a promise he made to him concerning the boys future…which will affect the Hyuga clan also in the future. What was that promise and how will it affect the Hyuga's…and how will it change Naruto? Or everyone else for that matter?

OH…one big warning…This story will show the darker aspects of Naruto, the side that the manga and series does not touch on. There will be pain, torture(To an extent), harsh language, sex, and lots and lots of violence. I will not be pulling any punches so if you have a weak stomach or are just too much of a prude, STAY AWAY!!!

NOW…

I hope you enjoy it.

As always I do not own any bits and pieces of Naruto or any of its content. If I did…I would still write fanfic but not about Naruto…or would I?

O

O

Hyuga Hiashi rounded the corner at a dead run, dodging branches and rocks alike as he prayed he wasn't too late.

As he came around into the opening to the ravine he skidded to a halt and gasped at the site in front of him.

His eyes hardened as he saw his closest friend, Namikaze Minato lying half in, half out of a protective circle. Blood was everywhere, but the nine tailed fox was nowhere to be seen.

Hiashi ran over and knelt at his friends side then almost fell back in shock as Minato's good eye opened and slowly focused on him. Hiashi was always impressed with his ability to shrug off damage, but this rivaled anything that he had seen or heard of at anytime before.

"Hiashi…my friend…time is short…d..do you remember Fire ridge?"

He nodded as he rested a hand on Minato's shoulder, his Byakugan in the deepest level studying the extensive damage. Minato's body wasn't so much broken, as it was disrupted. As he watched muscles unraveled, tendons burst sections at a time, organs failed and began collapsing into gelatin bit by bit.

There was nothing even the most powerful medic nin could do to save him.

Minato reached down and pulled a pouch from his waist and handed it to Hiashi.

Hiashi accepted it but would not look at it.

"Please Minato, save your strength. We need to wait until help arrives."

Minato grinned at him but shook his head, there was no need to say anything, but he looked at the pouch again. As Hiashi opened it and shook it, a piece of pumice dropped out into his hand. Hiashi blinked then looked at Minato. "Hiashi…you uptight ass…you never were a go..good liar. Pl..please listen…do not speak."

Hiashi nodded as he moved closer to hear his friend. "The Kyubi…I couldn't beat it…to powerful…its power is eternal…cannot be destroyed. I..I sealed it..it is inside…Naruto. My..my notes on the seal..are in…my house. Please…protect him..tea..teach him…as if he..were your own. But first…you must find him. Jiraiya to..took him after the seal was com..complete. Ke..keep the pr..promise you have…made. Fire Ridge…swear it."

Hiashi was horrified at first. He sealed the demon in his own son? I did not think he was serious when he told the council he would if he couldn't beat it! Hiashi blinked as a tear escaped his eye.

"Stupid clown ninja…I swear to you…I will find him…and I will honor the promise I have made to you! On my life, the life of my family, and clan, Naruto will be as my son!"

Minato nodded slowly then reached up and touched Hiashi's forehead, causing his eyes to glow momentarily and Hiashi shook his head as a wave of dizziness overcame him. He looked down at Minato who smiled again.

"The gift will be passed by the proud heart, to the pure heart. The pure heart…unlocks the gate, and will become black, but be cleansed by the power of hate. The beast will claim two…but the beast will be split by the power of one…black as night, bright as day. Do not forget this…my friend."

As Minato breathed his last Hiashi deactivated his Byakugan and gritted his teeth.

He picked up his friends broken body and carried it to the entrance of the canyon as Hizashi came running in with others of the Hyuga house guard. Unashamed, Hiashi looked at his brother with the tears coursing down his face. The two brothers looked at each other and Hizashi nodded as Hiashi continued to the leaf village gates.

"Uzumaki Naruto is still missing. Leave no stone unturned! Find the Hokage's son!!"

O

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Jiraiya stood impatiently until an older woman stepped out from behind the closed door. She walked over and smiled at the cooing baby. The child seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings, and despite not being with his mother or father, he didn't cry or otherwise fuss in any way.

The matron looked at Jiraiya and smiled again. "What a strong little boy…and he looks so much like his father. What is his name?"

The toad Sanin nodded as he looked at the baby and rubbed his arm lightly with a finger tip. "Naruto." Jiraiya sighed somewhat sadly. "There are special circumstances to his existence. He is to be well cared for, and treated as if his parents were still alive. You will take very good care of him…do you understand me?"

The older woman nodded. "I will care for him as I cared for my own before they grew and moved on." She looked at him and frowned slightly. "Does anyone else know?" The man sighed as he nodded. "Too many, I fear what will happen if they discover where he is. I will begin a rumor. This way if anyone finds him with ill intent, they will leave him alone…but it will be up to you to protect him."

"Do you think it will be that bad? The council promised to protect him! To honor the Hokage's wishes!"

Jiraiya wished that would be the case, but he knew better. "Minato had enemies on the council, and killing Naruto would be the best way for a coward to get back at a man they could never beat. And unfortunately…there are quite a few cowards in the leaf village."

The older woman nodded as Naruto began to cry. She picked him up and they heard his stomach gurgle and she laughed lightly. "Already showing signs that you are your mother's son." Casually she unbuttoned her blouse and maneuvered the baby until he latched onto her nipple and began to feed. She winced in partial pain. "It has been a while since I had to breast feed a baby…but thankfully my milk never dried up. Hiring myself out as a wet nurse for so many years has paid off finally."

Jiraiya watched for a moment then turned away with a slight blush. "Ah…yes…well I must go…but if you need me I will be back in a few months, as quick as I can to check on him and you." Placing a pouch on the table by the door he turned to her again. "The sum in that pouch should be sufficient to support the two of you for quite some time."

The woman nodded and began to hum as she rocked Naruto back and forth in her arms.

"I will take good care of him Jiraiya…do not worry."

Jiraiya smiled. "Thank you Elana. I will see the two of you soon."

Unfortunately, the toad sage knew nothing of Hiashi's promise to Minato. If he had, he would have let the man take the boy because he would have been treated well, and no one would dare go against the head of one of the most powerful clans in Konoha!

Sadly…Jiraiya did all he could, but it was woefully insufficient.

He came to see them the end of the first year, and Naruto had grown and was surprisingly already walking. He looked at Jiraiya and watched him, but never said a word. The toad sage, took it in stride, he was after all a stranger to the child, but while he was around the boy didn't even babble as most children that age do once they begin crawling or walking.

He would smile at Elana, and watch Jiraiya, but the strangest would be the way he would sometimes look off into space and nod to himself. Hopefully he isn't retarded…

Still…his development was good, and the boy seemed strong as an ox…with double the appetite!

Leaving another substantial sum, Jiraiya left again. As fate would have it…this was the time period where great and sad things were taking place in the elemental lands. He was gone longer then he wanted to be.

Originally he planned to be gone every three months…another year passed before he returned, and discovered the worst possible thing could have happened. Naruto was gone.

He found the remains of Elana at the bottom of the ravine down from her house. Foul play seemed unlikely…the bones were unbroken, and there was no telling really how long her body had been here.

He gave her a proper burial in her garden and marked a stone and placed it at the top of her grave.

But that left one very obvious question and even worse dilemma.

Where was Naruto?

O

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Hiashi grumbled as he read another report…another failure. It had been three years since the toad Sanin stole the child of his friend…nay. He had to stop lying to himself…it didn't make it hurt less.

Minato was as much his brother as Hizashi was. He twiddled the pumice paperweight on his desk with his index finger. Fire ridge…it seemed so long ago. Then…Hiashi was a proud man…not taken to getting help from anyone.

Back then…the thought disgusted him…and he would not lower himself to ask for help from anyone. The battle had gone badly for the leaf shinobi. Many had died. There were too few left to even be able to call it a fighting force. Hiashi had found himself in a trench sitting across from the Namikaze, the one that aspired to be Hokage.

He didn't like him, but he respected him. The man was an incredible fighter. Hiashi had never seen anyone shrug off the amounts of pain and damage that he did!

He had seen Namikaze take two arrows in the stomach, and one dangerously close to his heart, and still he shoved a rasengan into the enemies midst, killing the majority of them so that the puny remainder of Hiashi's clansmen could finish off the rest.

They were sure he would die, but after the second night and he still lived they realized there was something incredible about him.

Hiashi's respect soon turned to admiration and he began to talk to him. He found out much and eventually a friendship formed between the two. Then it happened. The two of them agreed to attack the enemies flank to buy the remainder of their men time to withdraw.

Hiashi and Minato struck terror wherever they went, fighting a two man guerilla battle. What was worse, this was not their territory, and they knew it better then the enemies they fought.

Inevitably, luck has to run out.

Hiashi was struck by a flaming rock that broke his left shoulder, and then another that broke his right thigh in two places. "Hiashi-Sama…can you walk?" Minato looked at his friend and he shook his head as he surveyed the damage with his byakugan. "No…it is broken, the bones will grind or become a compound fracture if I try to walk. I guess it is time we parted company my clown ninja. Please tell Izumi I am sorry I will not be able to marry her as I promised." The insult rolled easily from his mouth but Minato smiled.

"You uptight ass…I would…but I hate giving my friends bad news."

Hiashi blinked but then gritted his teeth in pain as Minato picked him up and slung him over his shoulder…fighting and deflecting arrows, rocks, and spears as they flew at them.

Hiashi bounced around on his shoulder until the pain finally took away his consciousness.

When he awoke, they were in the hands of a group of medic nin, and a relief force sent by the third Hokage. The battle was over. Seeing the relief force, composed of all of the hidden villages the invading force backed down and returned to where they had come from.

Hiashi was still unsure where they had come from, or even who they were. In the history texts, it was referred to as the "secret war". As quickly as it came, it disappeared…but it had definitely left its mark. Many fine nin died those days, Including Hiashi's father.

Minato again surprised everyone. He staggered into the camp, bleeding from multiple deep gashes, projectiles once again protruding from his body. When he awoke, he had survived the night after the nin said there was no way he could.

In the coming days, Minato was on his feet again as Hiashi was on the mend. By the end of the week, Hiashi was walking again, and Minato was none the worse for wear.

Hiashi could not forget what he had done for him. As they walked he reached down and picked up a plain piece of pumice and carved his initials in one side and Minato's in the other, then handed it to him.

"I know this is only a piece of rock in appearance, but it is also my promise to you, that I will honor any request you make of me. You have saved my life, and ensured a future for my love Izumi, and for that I can never repay you…but I promise you, anything you request, I will gladly grant…to one who is like a brother to me."

Minato blinked back a tear and smiled at Hiashi. "Thank you…Hiashi-sama."

Words such as these, spoken by men such as these; was a serious thing. They both knew the other was serious, and that this was a bond that would not be willingly broken by either.

A few months later Minato staggered onto the Hyuga estates and walked into the dojo where Hiashi was practicing. Seeing his friend he walked over but before he could speak he asked a question that surprised Hiashi. "Do you remember Fire ridge?" Hiashi nodded then Minato continued.

The request Minato made shocked Hiashi and he grinned at first but seeing the serious expression on his face made him stop, then nod his head in affirmation. "Only my brother could make such a request and I would grant it. It is still early, and though it goes against my better judgment I will do this."

A few days passed and Minato brought a document to Hiashi, which they both read, then both signed, and it was never spoken of again.

The bargain had been struck.

Many months would pass between the two, sparring, laughing, and joking. He the head of the Hyuga clan, and eventually Minato the Hokage of the hidden leaf village.

Yes…Minato had made a request a few years before…and Hiashi at first did not take it seriously, so thought nothing of it. But when he handed him the stone and asked him to remember Fire Ridge…the request came back. And Hiashi never, ever went back on his word.

His wife brought him a fresh cup of tea and he smiled at her.

"Hiashi-kun…we will find him!" The look in her eyes undershot the strength in her voice.

Hiashi, lost in his thoughts, did not notice and only nodded as he patted his wife's hand that rested on his shoulder.

Where are you Naruto? It's been two years…where are you?

O

O

The boy wandered the streets…dirty, clothes barely hanging from his gangly frame and torn in places. He didn't speak as he wandered, but people looked and avoided him. He didn't notice, because he seemed to be to lost in his own thoughts whatever they were.

As he rounded a corner, he felt a hand grab him and pull him into an alley.

He saw stars as he was flung into a wall further into the gloom and he thought he saw three men standing over him in a semi circle, boxing him in so he couldn't run.

"I told you it was him…he's dirty and he stinks…but that's the Jinchuriki!"

Naruto blinked as he looked up at the men but didn't understand what happened. Did the men throw him here? Why? Had he been bad?

He was bad once and the woman who took care of him spanked him…it hurt but it got better…but he didn't like it and he didn't want these men to spank him, their hands were bigger!

Naruto covered his butt with his hands and backed against a wall.

The men didn't even notice this response, so busy they were contemplating what they would do.

Two of the men pulled out knives but the man who recognized what Naruto was stopped them. "No…we can't kill him! The sanin told me and a friend that if he dies before his sixteenth birthday, the Kyubi no kitsune will be released again!"

The two looked at him and frowned.

"I think I heard that too…or something like it."

The third nodded and got a sick smile on his face. "Oh…we won't kill him then…we'll just make him a little prettier." One man came closer as Naruto backed into the furthest part of the alley away from the entrance…fear gripped him as he whined and pushed himself into the corner and the man came within striking distance.

Suddenly he lashed out and the blade cut a line across Naruto's right chest, sending fiery pain through the damaged skin!

Naruto cried out and fell to the ground, seemingly wrapping himself around the pain, tears running down his face as the other two closed in as well. "Alright, now we get some revenge!"

Naruto's eyes looked up at them and he screamed one word as his chin quivered and the tears ran freely down his face.

"Mommmmmmaaaaaaa!"

O

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A lone Hyuga messenger walked down the street running errands for the main house. He had delivered a message to the tailor for Lady Hyuga, and he had already dropped off the letter at the postmaster's office. All he had to do was pick up the groceries then he would be able to relax with his girlfriend for a while.

A child's cry caught his attention and he turned to see what direction it came from. He could tell immediately that it was a scream of terror, even though it didn't sound like words.

After turning in a complete circle he stopped and wondered if he even heard anything at all…until he heard the screaming.

Orienting on the screams he ran towards a set of buildings. He didn't know what he would do, but like the leader of the clan he abhorred the idea of anyone inflicting adult pain on a child!

Before he reached the mouth of the alley, the screams suddenly stopped.

As he rounded the corner a feeling of dread gripped his spine, but two guardsmen ran up and stopped him. "Stay back sir, let us handle this!"

He frowned but nodded as one of the guardsmen entered the alley, but a few seconds later a loud gasp and the unmistakable sounds of someone reliving a meal the hard way could be heard. As the other guardsman and the Hyuga messenger entered the alley they were greeted with a horrific sight.

All three men were unrecognizable. Body parts littered the entire back area, and blood covered almost the entire area of the ten foot wide alley. The more inexperienced guardsman knelt on the alley floor retching loudly.

Naruto, was nowhere to be seen. So the question still remained...

Where was Naruto?

O

O

Hmmmm.

What does this all mean I wonder?

Tell me how you feel. Tell me what you like and what you don't. Please review…and I will see you all again soon.

Next Episode: …and then there was pain.