章節 11: Chapter 11: Protect

Somebody told me I'm a failure. I'll prove them wrong.

-Uzumaki Naruto-

-Protect-

-Yahizui-

Yahizui couldn't sleep, and that had nothing to do with the summer heat. Her open window took care of that. No, her restlessness had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with Itachi.

Why was he acting like that? What had happened in the time she hadn't seen to him make him so… closed off and jaded?

She sighed, turning over and kicking her thin blanket angrily. Was this how he wanted to end their friendship? Well, then he really was an ass. Or maybe… maybe in his head, they had stopped being friends a long time ago. After all, what was it that she could do for him? They'd stopped training together well over a year ago, and the last time she had truly seen him had been six months ago — and even then it was in passing. Could it be that in his head she was already nothing more than a past acquaintance who didn't mind her own business?

Tears stung her eyes.

"Idiot!" she shouted in the darkness.

Heart pounding and palms sweaty, Yahizui braced herself. She leapt.

With one swift move, Yahizui launched her body out the window, kunai held at the ready— only to have her hand caught in a vice-like grip.

"Who's there?" she squeaked, hating the way her voice gave away her fear and anger.

The grip on the wrist eased slightly before a familiar form materialized before her.

Yahizui bristled, immediately trying to yank her arm from his grip. "You?! How dare you come here after what you told me, and in the middle of the night, and—"

No response came from Itachi. Under the scattered light of the stars, she could see his drawn-out features and shadowed eyes. He looked tired, sapped of life. It hurt her to see him like this. Yahizui pulled her hand back and stepped aside with a frown.

"Tch. Come in."

Yahizui watched him jump the railing and land as silently as a cat on her wooden floor. In one fluid motion, Yahizui turned and placed the kunai on the side of her bed, then turned on her night lamp, flooding the room in a comfortable light.

Itachi curiously looked around, tired eyes taking in every detail of her small room; from the messy table filled with scrolls to the haphazardly thrown outfit on the floor. Yahizui's eyes widened, and a blush stained her cheeks as she quickly kicked her clothes under the bed. She hadn't expected guests!

Looking at him taking in everything while he searched for a place to sit, Yahizui couldn't help but wonder: Why was he here? What did he want? The question circled her mind like an annoying fly. In the end, she settled on her initial annoyance.

"You're a real ass, you know?"

"Aa."

Her eyes narrowed at his monosyllabic answer. "You shouldn't have been so cruel to me!"

"Mm."

"And you shouldn't have kicked me out!" continued Yahizui as she started pacing through the room.

"Hn."

Her fists banged on her table, her voice rising to an alarmingly high pitch. "For the love of every God out there, say something that makes sense, or leave me be!"

For a moment, Itachi looked startled at her exclamation, before his eyes lowered in shame, fists clenching at his sides.

"I...I failed," he said, voice rough.

"What?" Yahizui stared at him in shock. She had never seen Itachi look like this.

She could see his throat bob as he swallowed. "Three years ago I failed to protect my friend and he died. He died protecting me, even when he didn't have to."

She blinked, watching him carefully. Why was he bringing this up now? Tenma's death was something she remembered clearly, as well as Itachi's sorrow. He had been raw, and fragile, and his expression now reminded her of that day. Why was he pushing her away now? Were her reasons there that much different than now?

Itachi seemed to finally find his spot as he leaned against the small desk. His hands gripped the wood behind him like it was his lifeline.

"Now… someone killed Izumi, and I could do nothing but watch as he walked away… I couldn't even move." His voice was monotone, a stark contrast to the white-knuckled grip he had.

Yahizui's mouth opened, yet no words came out. Had Itachi… seen it happen? God, what had happened to Izumi? And who... who could have frightened Itachi so? Questions fired in her head, yet asking them seemed callous.

"I…" There was nothing Yahizui could say. A simple sorry seemed too cheap. Her hands balled into fists, anger at her incapability to do or change something eating her up inside.

"I was weak. I stood there, frozen, afraid to even breathe. I thought I was strong… I was a fool."

Yahizui knew the feeling reflecting in his eyes, she'd felt it every time she thought of that day when she'd been nothing but a helpless child. What a joke to believe that she wasn't one now. Compared to him she was still a child in the eyes of the village. If there was a situation where he would be frozen in fear, then what kind of monsters lurked out there?

"I…I don't know what…" Itachi began, yet the words failed him.

His voice, all strained and trembling, pulled Yahizui out of her thoughts. Her legs moved, arms spreading instinctively as she took a quick step toward him and enveloped him in a hug. There were so many things she wanted to say. She wanted to yell and be angry, to tell him how stupid he was for lashing out at her like that, but she couldn't bring herself to berate him now. He was here, and that was all that mattered. Even if she wasn't strong like him and couldn't understand the troubles that plagued him, this was something she could do. Yahizui held him tightly because this was all she could offer him as his friend.

She hated to admit that his fear unsettled her.

At first, Itachi stood tense in her arms: limbs stiff, back straight, breath trapped in his lungs. Yahizui could feel his uncertainty, his hesitation. But then, ever so slowly, his muscles relaxed, the tension melting away as he sank into her embrace.

Yahizui smiled softly into his shoulder when his arms slowly slid around her small frame.

They stood that way for a moment that seemed to last forever and go by too quickly at the same time.

"I'm sorry," Itachi said, finally breaking the silence between them. His voice was steady now, stronger than it had been before.

Her breath caught in her throat momentarily at his apology, and she found herself unable to respond.

"I thought I was strong, but I was still painfully weak," he said softly.

Yahizui could feel his breath on her neck as he spoke. Before she could answer, he hurried to continue, the words seeming to fall from his lips now that he had started.

"I was angry at myself for failing, and I took that out on you. I'm sorry." He swallowed heavily. "I will get strong and I'll find that man. He will be brought to justice for all the crimes he committed against Konoha. So that he can't hurt anyone else, not like..." Itachi hesitated, his voice wavering. "Not like Izumi."

She frowned and tried to pull away, but his arms only tightened around her waist. How could he burden himself with something that big?

"Itachi-"

"I wish you'd stayed a civilian," he said. "Stayed safe and away from the danger of the ninja world. But I know you won't. So I need you to promise me something."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me that you'll get strong. Because I know I won't always be able to be there to help, and if something happened to you..."

Finally, Yahizui managed to push away from his iron-clad embrace and pinned him with a glare. "Idiot!" she said, her fingers flicking his forehead and she noted with brief satisfaction that he blinked in confusion at the motion. "Of course, I'll get strong! I already promised that, didn't I? So…" Her eyes softened, fists tightening by her side. "Don't you worry about me! I'll be right here, right behind you. I just… well, I just need a bit longer to catch up, that's all!"

Itachi's dark eyes stared into hers before his expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The thought that she could make him smile like that, even after everything he had gone through made Yahizui warm and happy, and she couldn't help but smile back. The weight of their argument had lifted away, leaving her feeling light and free. She tugged on his hand, pulling him to the floor to talk about all the things that had happened since they'd last seen one another. She spoke with fervor and passion of little nothings, of training with Tojiro and her love for seals, of the annoying new classmate and the upcoming genin exams. She kept talking, only softening her voice as she noted how Itachi's eyes got heavier, before slowly sliding shut, exhaustion from the past few days finally pulling his body into a deep sleep.

Itachi didn't move when Yahizui placed a pillow under his head, didn't twitch when she covered him in a spare blanket, nor did he realize when she sat right beside him and continued talking until sleep caught up to her as well. He was asleep, for the first time in days.

The next day, Yahizui sat in her usual spot with trepidation. Today they would receive their grades on the project they had to present for the final exam. The official genin exam was only days away, and her nerves were on fire. Beside her, Tojiro waited with his eyes closed and arms crossed, looking rather unconcerned about the whole ordeal. But Yahizui knew that appearances were often deceiving with him and that he was just as nervous about this as she was. Yet, she swore to herself that she wouldn't care or ask him and would otherwise ignore his traitorous presence until further notice. The reason for her sour attitude sat by Tojiro's side with a bored expression on his face.

The annoying Seiya boy had waltzed into their classroom and had the gall to sit at their table and ruin everything. And to top it all off, for the first time since she'd known him, Tojiro had started taking someone else's side.

Hakudoshi did this, Hakudoshi did that, it was as if everything revolved around that nasty boy. Even the teachers were enamored with him! He got the highest grades in the class, with comments like "You can see that he's part of a big clan" and "Ah, just as expected, he's a prodigy" and the one that got on her nerves the most: "He will surely become a great shinobi!"

No one had told her she would become a great shinobi, just that she had to redo the ikebana class if she wanted to be a good kunoichi. Who cared about flowers, and why did she have to do the stupid course? She was better in taijutsu than anyone in their class, on par with that prissy Seiya.

Yahizui looked past Tojiro, at Hakudoshi with narrowed eyes. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he was hiding, but she couldn't pinpoint what that was. When she shared her theory with Tojiro, he called her paranoid and accused her of not taking the time to get to know Hakudoshi. Yahizui scoffed at that. Why take the time to get to know him when they were about to graduate soon and hopefully never have to see his smug face ever again?

"Settle down everyone! Today you will get your graded projects back, and tomorrow we start with the genin exam, so make sure you are well prepared and rested!" The teacher's words gathered everyone's attention.

Yahizui was almost jumping out of her seat when the teacher finally reached her. She was one hundred percent sure that her work was the best in their class. Her paper was incredibly thorough; she had described a possible new sealing code and listed — in detail — the coding formulae and signs used. Undoubtedly, this was at least an incredible discovery worthy of an apprenticeship in the sealing unit, but Yahizui would be more than happy with an 'exemplary.'

The moment the paper was placed on the table Yahizui closed her eyes.

'Exemplary,' here we go!

Evergreen eyes opened with delight, then widened in shock. Staring at her was a definite 'Good.'

WHAT?

"Maiko-sensei…" Yahizui's arm snapped into the air, fingers trembling. How was this possible? She was… she was sure that everything was in there!

"Yes, Yahizui-chan?"

"Sensei, there seems to be a mistake here." She placed the project on the table and gave the woman before her an expectant look.

Maiko sighed. "Yahizui, your paper was extensive, but the subject you chose is unfortunate. This is not only a well-established and rigid technique but also… your coding methods made little sense. You've applied the principles from 'Fundamentals of Sealing' well, but then at the practical part of the paper you've gone past their borders and presented something that is confusing at best."

"No – no, Maiko-sensei, I can explain! The anchor has to be chosen according to –"

"Yahizui…" continued Maiko in a tired tone. "This is why your paper has no practical applications. This is not something that can be used by another shinobi, or even by you in a mission. What you present here is just theory, but the practice fails." She placed a hand on the top of her head, but Yahizui was too shocked to move. "Look, you received a good grade, and it won't influence your score much. This is better than any civilian-born kunoichi can hope for. So heads up, okay?"

A vein popped near her temple. Was that supposed to make her feel better?

"What're you talking about? How's being a civilian or a kunoichi related to any o'this? How's this fair? It's bullshit! I – "

"Shourai Yahizui, mind your tongue, or you will end up with a grade that will surely influence your final score!"

For a second Yahizui sought to say something more. She wanted to argue about the unfairness of it all, about the stupid standards they had and their incapability to see something good. Yet years of hearing how each shinobi should know their place, and how they were tools meant to serve the village made Yahizui hold her tongue, bow her head, and return to her seat with tightly balled fists.

It's not fair! She screamed internally as she walked. I did a great job! It's not friggin' fair! Yahizui looked up, her eyes trailing over Tojiro's compassionate look toward Hakudoshi's paper. Right there, staring at her was a wonderfully written 'Exemplary.' Yahizui's eyes widened as she froze in place. It couldn't be, how could this be?

She looked up in disbelief and was met with his snide, self-satisfying smirk. When he spoke, the words were drawled out, eyes narrowed in malice.

"We each do what we can. And kunoichi's… they simply can't do more, no matter how much they try."

For a moment Yahizui saw red. When she finally came to, she was straddling Hakudoshi, one hand fisted in his T-shirt while the other tried in vain to punch him. She looked to the right and saw Maiko-sensei's stern look and felt the woman's grip tighten on her arm.

"Control yourself!" barked the woman. "You will have detention today, young lady. Now, sit."

Yahizui's cheeks turned crimson with shame, but she obeyed. Tomorrow was the exam, and after that, she won't have to see Hakudoshi's smug face ever again.

She had to endure.

The following day passed in a blur. From the crack of dawn until late in the afternoon all Yahizui did were tests on shuriken-jutsu, taijutsu, laying traps, ninjutsu, resistance, and knowledge of the wilds. The exams came one after another, and by the time they were done, She and her classmates were sent home, thoroughly exhausted. Some left with headbands in their hands, some with the knowledge that they had to repeat another year.

Yahizui left with a smile on her face and a shiny new headband clutched in her grasp. She was now officially a genin. Happy was too small of a word to describe how she felt as she carelessly walked through the academy grounds one last time. She was brimming with energy, shaking with delight and her head was up in cloud nine until a small body barreled straight into her.

"What the…?" She barely managed to catch herself from the impact, when she saw the little boy before her, and the frightened look on his face. He looked to be in a hurry, glancing backward and seemingly trying to decide between saying something to her and bolting.

"What's wrong, kid?" asked Yahizui curiously.

There was no answer from him, and as a group of slightly older boys rounded the corner, Yahizui understood the fear in his eyes.

"Are they after you?" she asked, eyes locked on the approaching boys.

The boy's small nod was all she needed. One look at his dirty face, uncombed hair, and old clothes told Yahizui all she needed to know. He was an outcast, most likely an orphan left to fend for himself. Sink or fight your way to the surface was the motto at the academy. Yahizui pushed him behind her taller frame in one swift motion and quickly tied her new forehead protector around her head, assuming a confident pose.

The four younger boys halted before her, surprised by the new turn of events.

"W-who are you?" asked one of them, apparently the bolder one of the group.

Yahizui raised her head high, making sure to look at them down the length of her nose as if they were nothing more than dirt beneath her feet.

"I'm the reason everyone in this school knows that picking on defenseless kids is a short-lived practice," she said with a sneer.

The boys paled and took a step back. For a moment, it looked like they were going to turn and run, but bravery seemed to come from the fact that they outnumbered her, overriding their initial fear.

"Oh yeah! Well, you graduated, so you've got nothing to do at the academy! Starting tomorrow, you have no power here!"

Yahizui clicked her tongue, her earlier burst of joy turning into annoyance. These brats…

"I'd watch my back if I were you, brat. I've got eyes and ears everywhere, and I will know what you're up to! And when I find out you picked on other kids again…" She left the threat hanging, finishing in a sinister tone. Their faces had gone white with fear, and Yahizui grinned at them, showing her teeth like a predator.

"Let's get out of here!" screamed the bravest of them all, running as fast as his little feet could carry him, the other three cronies quickly following behind him.

With the threat now gone, Yahizui turned to talk to the scared boy, only to find he was now anything but scared. He looked at her with wide, blue eyes and an ecstatic look on his face.

"WOW! Tha' was so amazin' nee-chan! You told'm off and't was sooo cool! And then they were like: Ahhhh! And then they were running like noo! And—"

Yahizui watched him with wide eyes, trying to understand all the words that kept bubbling and spilling out of his mouth in a cascade of swallowed letters and sound effects. She grabbed his shoulders, hoping to end the tirade and get his attention. As if on cue, the boy stopped, his eyes trained on her.

"Kid," started Yahizui, a smile tugging on her lips. "Breathe! And tell me, why were they after you?"

The earlier excitement in his eyes dimmed down like someone had put out a light inside him. His shoulders slumped, head bowing and his voice lacked the earlier delight.

"I dunno… no one likes me, an' they all… they never wanna play with me. They say I'm weird and… I dunno. But 'tis okay… I mean I'll get'ta be Hokage one day and then they'll all be nice t'me!"

Yaizui's eyebrows disappeared under her headband as she listened to the boy speak. Wow, was I that bad when Itachi pestered me to stop swallowing letters? When he finally seemed to finish, she smiled indulgently.

"That's a really nice goal you've got there, kid! What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Yahizui paused. Uzumaki? Like her one and only idol Uzumaki Mito? Could it be that they were related? 'Fundamentals of Sealing' had an ink sketch of her on the cover, but she really couldn't tell. Were all Uzumaki with blue eyes? Or… blonde hair? Maybe he knew something himself… maybe there were other Uzumaki in the village whom she could ask about seals!

"Uzumaki… that's a cool name, Naruto-kun. Do you know anyone else with that name?" she asked, crossing her fingers and hoping that the answer was affirmative.

"Nah, no idea. Ol' man Hokage told me this was my name, so I believe it! And I got my own apartment and money from ol' man Hokage! And I get to eat as much ramen as I want! But… I got no one…"

There was pain in his voice at the end, and Yahizui felt sorry for him. She no longer had her parents, but Riruka was as much of a mother to her as any. This boy was alone, and that tugged at her heartstrings.

She sighed. There was no time to babysit stray kids; she had just started her career as a genin. Missions will come, and she'll have to train and… Damn it! Those were excuses, and Yahizui knew that. After all, what would cost her to pass by the academy after a mission, or check on the kid from time to time? Apparently, no one else seemed to do it.

"Say, Naruto-kun, I'll be coming by next week to check on you. It's… a special Hokage progress check-up." She could see the confusion in his little face, so she decided to elaborate. "You can't become Hokage if you don't eat well, stay clean and do well in school. Everyone knows that!"

Shock flooded Naruto's face, making Yahizui smile. Kids were too easy to trick.

"Really?" he asked in awe and then flopped down in disappointment. "Man, I'll never be Hokage like that!"

"That's why I'm checking in on you, silly. Once a week, I'll come by."

A smile stretched Naruto's lips so much that it seemed to engulf his whole face. "Really nee-chan? You'll help me?"

"You'd betcha!" His attitude was contagious, his joy spreading all around Yahizui like rays of sunshine.

"Yay!! Ne, ne… what's your name, nee-chan?"

"Yahizui."

Naruto smiled and nodded "Yahizui-nee-chan…" he said, testing her name out. He seemed glad about it, but then a shadow fell over his face. "Ne, why are ya helpin' me out?"

Yahizui's heart broke. What had made this little boy think that he wasn't worthy of help? She placed her hand on the top of his head and stroked his hair gently.

"I also know how it is to be alone."