Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Waaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
A/N: Part 2. Minako's memory.
Chapter 2: Sono Yakusoku
Flashback. Minako's 7th birthday. 3:30 pm.
"Come on, nii-san!" Minako shouted as she ran out of the house. "Let's go play!"
"I'm coming!" Sasuke shouted back as he followed Minako. He had to keep Minako busy until 5 pm, which was the time of Minako's party.
"Let's go! Let's go!" Minako shouted tugging Sasuke's shirt.
"Okay, okay!" Sasuke said as he started to run. "Catch me if you can!"
"Wha –? Hey, come back here!" Minako laughed as she started to chase Sasuke down the street.
One hour later………..
"Okay, it's your serve, nii-san!" Minako said. They were playing a game of volleyball, minus the net and proper ball, out on the street.
"Okay, here it comes!" Sasuke said as he threw the ball in the air.
Sasuke served the ball so hard; it sailed right over Minako's head and disappeared into street.
"Oops, sorry Minako," Sasuke apologized. "I think I served it too hard."
"Don't worry, I'll get it!" Minako said as she ran to the next street. "Stay there, nii-san!"
In the next street, Minako searched for her ball. She came upon an empty alleyway and went in, searching.
"Where is it?" Minako wondered impatiently. She wanted to get back to their game.
"Is this yours?" asked a voice.
Minako turned. Behind her stood 5 boys, each about 14 years old. The boy looking like the leader was holding Minako's ball.
Is this yours?" the leader repeated.
"Yes, it's mine," Minako said. "Thank you for finding it."
"No problem," the leader said.
He was about give back the ball when one of the boys nudged him and pointed at Minako's skirt. The leader's expression changed when he saw the symbol.
"Is that the Uchiha fan?" the leader asked.
"Uh, yes," Minako replied, getting uneasy.
"What's your name?"
"Uchiha Minako."
"Uchiha Minako?" The sister of Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Oh, nothing," the leader said slyly. "Here." He held out the ball.
Minako reached out to take the ball. But before she could take it, the leader slammed the ball into her face. Minako fell to the ground, her face stinging.
"Oww….." Minako moaned.
"Get her," the leader ordered.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was still waiting for his little sister.
"Where is she?" Sasuke wondered impatiently. "It's not like she getting beaten up or anything!"
Suddenly, Sasuke heard a cry not too far away.
"Nii-san!!!!!!!!!!"
"Minako!" Sasuke started to run to the source of her voice.
When Sasuke got the alley, his worst fears were confirmed. He saw Minako getting beaten up by 5 boys. Minako was already badly bruised and various wounds were all over her body. The boys were taking turns in throwing a punch or kick. The young Uchiha was crying from all the pain.
"Stop screaming and crying like a baby," one of the boys said.
"Yeah. If you're an Uchiha, get up and fight!" another taunted.
"I thought the Uchihas were the best ninjas in Konoha," another one piped up. "But now I see they're wimps!"
"Nii-san! Help me!" Minako cried out.
"Stop yapping out to your stupid brother," the leader said. "He can't hear you. He's probably off training somewhere just to get away from his wimpy sister."
"Leave her alone!" Sasuke shouted. All movement stopped. Minako tried to run to her brother, but she was too weak to move.
"Nii-san……" Minako moaned, crying.
"Shut up!" the leader shouted at her as he pulled her hair. Minako whimpered in pain and looked at her brother with tears in her eyes. Sasuke felt his anger increase.
"I said 'leave her alone!'" Sasuke said again his anger continuing to rise.
"Mind your own business, Uchiha Sasuke," one of the boys said.
"Anyone who hurts my sister is my business," Sasuke said. He was at the peak of pouncing at them and strangling them one by one. Still, he kept his cool.
"So, what are you going to do about it, Uchiha?" the leader taunted. Minako whimpered at his feet. She was kind of bloody from the multiple wounds she was inflicted. That was it. Sasuke was so angry, he could explode! He did some quick hand seals and put one cupped hand in front of his mouth.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
Sasuke's fireball was big, but it didn't reach the boys and Minako. Still, those boys haven't seen a jutsu of that kind, so they wet their pants with fear. They ran away and left Minako too weak to move. Sasuke rushed to her and helped her sit up.
"Minako! Are you okay?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, I think so, nii-san," Minako replied weakly.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Sasuke said lifting his sister to his back.
"Arigato, nii-san," Minako whispered to him.
That night, Minako sat on the roof right above her room. She had band-aids all over her (courtesy of Uchiha Mikoto first aid!). But she still felt a stabbing pain on the inside.
"Minako?" Minako looked behind her and saw Sasuke.
"Oh, nii-san, I didn't see you," Minako said.
"You can't sleep?" Sasuke asked as he sat down beside her.
"I was just thinking….." Minako said quietly.
"About what?"
"About those boys."
"It's okay now. Dad took care of it."
"It's not that, nii-san."
"Then what?"
"Those boys……..they had the guts to taunt our family. If you weren't there, I would've been……you know. But then, I saw something when they were beating me up."
"What?"
"I saw you in those boys."
"What do you mean 'you saw me'?"
"I don't know. I just felt you doing the same thing. Someday, you'll end hurting others. And me."
Those words struck Sasuke like lighting. Him? Hurt his own sister?
"You're wrong. Minako, I'll never hurt you!" Sasuke exclaimed.
"How can you be so sure?" Minako asked.
Again, those words struck. Sasuke realized something. Minako was afraid, afraid to experience that kind of pain. Now she was thinking that even her own brother had the strength to even throw a kunai at her! But Sasuke understood her reasons.
"Minako, your wrong! I promise I'll never hurt you!" Sasuke said.
"Promise?" Minako persisted.
"I promise. As a symbol to that……." Sasuke as he reached into his pocket. "…….here. I made this for you."
Minako's eyes widened. Sasuke was holding a beautiful necklace with a leaf-shaped pendant. The pendant shone like silver in the moonlight.
"I was going to give it you," Sasuke explained. "I made it myself by doing a fire jutsu with some shiny stuff I found."
"It's beautiful! Arigato, nii-san!" Minako said as she put it on. "In return, I'll train harder to become stronger! I can defeat anyone!"
"Okay, we'll train together," Sasuke agreed. He marveled at his sister's determination.
"Hm…to be fair….you can hurt me if it were an official battle," Minako said after thinking hard. "That okay with you?"
"Deal!"
"This promise will last forever!"
"Yeah. Let's go back to bed."
"Okay, nii-san…….."
The memory faded back to reality. Minako glanced at her now-sleeping brother. She smiled at him and relaxed on her bed. It's been 4 years already and her brother had still kept his promise. He took care of her the day after Itachi had killed their family. Minako felt grateful that she still had a brother who's there for her.
"Good night, nii-san…" Minako whispered. Then she closed her eyes and sank into her dream world.
Sasuke opened his eyes slightly and gazed at his sleeping sister.
"Good night too, Minako."
The end.
Translations:
Saisho no Kioku – First Memory
Sono Yakusoku – The Promise