The Uchiha Clan Survivors

Kodoku - Yes, Sakura is just...yea...And yes, I've seen worse too. -muttermutter- But, I was at my friends house for the weekend, otherwise I'd've updated this sooner. -smile-

Vans - Moving the story forward. I don't know why, but...Your reviews scare me for some reason...I don't know why either...Maybe because you're a reviewer and I'm an authoress and we had a misunderstanding? -shrugs- Oh well. I think it mostly has to do with the fact that I'm not to confident about the majority of this fic...Ah, well, I think parts of it are more dramaful than others...depends on your idea of dramaful. I don't like this chapter much...

DarkAnimeFan - I'm glad you like my story -smile- I think this chapter is really wierd, but you might like it.

HakuTenshi - Thanks for the review and I like your penname. Hope you like this chapter.

Chapter 5 - Vow of Commitment

Satsuki once again entered into the Hokage's place. The secretary told her to sit in the waiting room again, and she sat quietly. The pompous guy from before opened the door at the other end of the room again. He saw her and began glaring.

"I told you that I don't have time for your games. Today is no different from yesterday. Now get-" he started.

"Be quiet for once." Hokage said, walking out of the same door. "She is my guest, no matter what you believe."

"B-But sir! Do you know what she claims?" he asked in earnest.

"Yes, indeed I do. I will deal with it. You only need worry about your work. And next time that someone comes to see me, do not send them away as if they were common dust particles." He gave him a look that would seem to be kind at first glance, but looker closer and it showed a threat.

"Y-Yes sir!" and he left.

"Now then, come in my office Satsuki." he opened the door for her.

"How did you?" She asked.

"Do not worry so much young lady, I knew you were coming." he smiled. Satsuki followed him in his office.

"So..." Satsuki said, sitting down.

"Your first intention when coming to see me was to ask where Sasuke was. Now you wish to know what happened, right?" He guessed.

She nodded, "Hokage-sama, who murdered my family?"

"Ah. You believe it was done by another clan! No, it was done by a Uchiha." He looked like he would laugh.

"What? That would mean Sasuke...no, he's the only survivor. But that would be a reason why...Hokage-sama! Please explain!" she stood up.

He raised a hand to calm her. "It was not Sasuke. It was another Uchiha."

"But...they're all dead..."

"No. What do you know of your family besides that they were murdered?"

"Well, not much." she dropped her anger guard. "Just that my mom was cheated on by my dad. And that I had two half-brothers...You mean, Itachi, my other brother, is behind this? He's dead though."

"Ah. Don't believe rumors so much Satsuki. The rumors said one survivor, yet here you are. Isn't it possible that they missed another? Itachi..." he stood up and began to walk around the room. " He was a prodigy. At age 7 he was a ninja, Kakashi was a ninja at age 5, you are right in the middle. Better than Itachi was when he was 6, yet weaker than Kakashi when he was 6. Heh, seems you are the second best of the village, if you don't count me. Though, I am old, I believe that Itachi could easily kill me, or you could. Satsuki, Itachi is insane, he gave up his sanity a long time ago." Hokage stopped in front of a window.

"Hokage...I...If Sasuke hadn't survived, I would have gone to Itachi and become an evil shinobi. I...owe him so much. If your trying to get me to leave, to find and fight Itachi, then it's a useless cause. I couldn't possibly leave him right now. He's all alone, and besides...He wants to kill Itachi." Satsuki looked about to cry. "And...even though I don't...want him to become a killer...I'll let him do as he wishes...he'll fulfill his vow..." Hokage smiled.

"And that's...what I wanted to hear." he turned to face her, pipe in his right hand. She looked up at him. "That is your vow of commitment to Sasuke. You'd do anything you could to protect him, you'd die to save those you are loyal to. Sasuke is the only one in that category, because he is the only family you have left. I accept that, and he does too."

"Vow of Commitment?" It sounded like she just married the guy or something.

"Yes. It doesn't need to be written down on paper, or signed with a meaningless signature. It is both said and written in your heart, and signed with love and devotion and loyalty. Satsuki, you are now bound by that vow. Even if you were to leave, or become evil, you have made your vow of commitment." He said, opening the door and motioning for her to leave. She left, still thinking it sounded like marriage...

-

Satsuki exited the Hokage's office and walked around the forest. 'Vow of Commitment...' she thought.

"Hokage...I...If Sasuke hadn't survived, I would have gone to Itachi and become an evil shinobi. I...owe him so much. If your trying to get me to leave, to find and fight Itachi, then it's a useless cause. I couldn't possibly leave him right now. He's all alone, and besides...He wants to kill Itachi. And...even though I don't...want him to become a killer...I'll let him do as he wishes...he'll fulfill his vow..."

'He will fulfill his vow...'

"And that's...what I wanted to hear. That is your vow of commitment to Sasuke. You'd do anything you could to protect him, you'd die to save those you are loyal to. Sasuke is the only one in that category, because he is the only family you have left. I accept that, and he does too."

'My vow...'

"It doesn't need to be written down on paper, or signed with a meaningless signature. It is both said and written in your heart, and signed with love and devotion and loyalty. Satsuki, you are now bound by that vow. Even if you were to leave, or become evil, you have made your vow of commitment."

'Sasuke will fulfill his vow...and now I have my own vow...to help Sasuke, to protect him, to stay with him until he no longer needs me, until he dies, until Itachi is gone, and all Sasuke's hatred along with it.' She looked at the sky. 'My vow...of commitment...' A bird twittered nearby.

"It's afternoon already..." she said to herself, looking down at the grass. "This morning I felt great...Now my life seems meaningless..." she looked around to see that her feet had carried her away to a distant part of the forest. She began to train. "If I'm worthless, then my vow means nothing. So I will not agree to that, to the fact that I am worthless. I will become strong, to protect and support my brother, half or not. Sasuke-san!"

-

Sasuke was taking a 5 minute break from training. Naruto had stopped for breakfast, then snack, then digestion, then lunch, and was now somewhere in the city doing who knows what.

"I will become stronger." Sasuke said in a declaratory sort of way. His mind was filled with Itachi, and with Satsuki. The three of them. They were the Uchiha Clan survivors.

Preview : Satsuki stood up, grabbed Sasuke's hand, and led him off. She smiled softly and led him back to his house. "Take a break. Tomorrow, we train together."

"You just want to see how bad I can beat you." He mumbled in a amused sort of way. She just smiled.

Preview #2 (feel proud) : "I hear of many strange things while in town yesterday." he said. The smaller man was nearly laying on the ground.

"Hmm? What kind of...strange things? I believe you were in Konohagakure village, yes?" he asked, leaning forward slightly, but still in shadows.

"Yes master. I in Kono...haga-kure village." he stuttered. "many strange things going and coming there." he looked shiftily around the room.