Uchiha Mana

CHAPTER 10

All Mana could see were centipedes. She could feel them around her, crawling around her, on her arms, legs, body, face. They were everywhere. It was as if they were devouring her. The first few hours she spent in the pit of centipedes she was screaming for help, their painful bites felt like fire. But as hours passed, Mana just fell silent and succumbed to them. Their bites were still painful, but they weren’t as painful as the first hour. The burning feeling was just a small pinch to her now.

Outside of Mana’s mind, she was still lying on the grass of the training grounds. Her eyes half-closed and showed nothing. Her body was burning hot and limp. And at her nape was a mark that just finished burning on her flesh.

Shuuya sat patiently on the tree branch, his eyes were on the limp girl on the ground. And not once did his eyes left her.

Impressive… I expected her to die. Only a few survive the Pit.

The Pit is a different world from this… a minute here is an hour in that place, and when you think you’ve spent decades, centuries there, they’re just mere minutes in this one.

Not far, Shuuya saw the symbol given by the Sound Four, and he simply acknowledged it with a nod.

“Now, we wait…”

~*~

After his battle with the Sound Four, Sasuke continued his search for his sister. He searched high and low for her, and every possible place he could think of, but before he could go to the training grounds, Sasuke was stopped by the Sound ninjas.

Defeated by them, he knew that he was far from the image he thought he had. He hasn’t grown, he hasn’t changed since that night. He was still weak. How could he defend himself if he was in such state, and how could he defend Mana?

An unnerving scream was heard.

Mana!

“Mana, I’m coming!”

Sasuke ran to the training grounds. He heard her screams and felt a chill run down his spine. They were screams of pain. But not long after, Mana’s screams stopped and the air was quiet.

What’s going on?

Upon coming to the training ground, Sasuke found Mana lying on the grass. He ran towards her, and skid hi knees on the ground to get to her side.

“Mana, I’m here!” Sasuke said, tears threatening to spill.

He pulled Mana’s body to his –

She’s burning up!

“Mana, wake up! Mana!”

“She’s in the final process of the seal.” A voice said.

Sasuke brought Mana in a protected embrace, his feet ready to flee if needed. Before him, a boy about his age with white hair came towards them.

“Who are you and what did you do to her?!” Sasuke questioned.

“A little gift.” The boy said. “As of now, Mana has succumbed to the power…”

Power?

“She’ll live… but she will need my guidance if she wants to continue living.”

Sasuke turned to Mana and saw her slowly regaining consciousness.

“What do you mean if she wants to continue living?” Sasuke questioned.

“The seal holds power that eats chakra… a parasite. If she does not learn how to control it, the power inside her will eat from the inside out…”

“Why would you do this…”

“I saw potential in her, if you want her to live, you will need me… I’ll be waiting for you two just by the gates…”

And just like that, the boy disappeared.

~*~

Mana woke to the sound of Sasuke’s voice. Her time at the pin felt like decades, but when she saw her brother, she knew that it was just for a few hours.

“Onii-san…” she croaked.

“Mana!” Sasuke pulled her to an embrace. “Gomen, Imouto!”

“Onii-san, I could feel them… all of them… inside me…” She muttered.

Sasuke felt a chill when he heard Mana. She wasn’t the same. What that boy did changed her somehow…

“They were inside me…”

“They’re gone, Mana.” Sasuke said.

Mana shook her head.

“I could still feel them…”

If you want her to live, you will need me…

He had no choice… His plan to leave Mana in the village has changed. To save her, he needed to bring her down the path he was taking.

It is the older brother’s job to carry the burden.

~*~

“This is the time when we split up.” Said the Sound ninja.

After leaving Konoha, and Sakura on the bench, Sasuke and Mana met with the Sound Four just outside the gates. As expected, they were waiting for him.

“What do you mean split up?” Sasuke questioned as he pulled Mana to him. “I’m not leaving my sister unprotected.”

“Don’t worry, she won’t be.”

The boy with white hair came, walking casually as if this escape was nothing but child’s play.

“Natsukasa, you’re late.” Said a Sound Ninja.

“But I’m here… hello, Mana.” Shuuya said, smirking at Mana’s way.

Mana held on to her brother at the sight of the white-haired boy. And for some reason, she felt the centipedes from her dream over her body again.

“Like hell I’m giving her to you!” Sasuke said.

After what you did –

“Right now, I’m sure somebody has seen your little girlfriend lying on the bench. And she probably told someone that you went rogue… I wouldn’t be surprised if that blonde would come to get you with an army of ninjas and drag you back to Konoha…” Shuuya said. “Every second counts, Uchiha… especially for Mana. So, I suggest you do as we say.”

To trust his sister’s safety to someone else was like the greatest failure that Sasuke felt as a brother. He promised that he would protect her. And now, he had no choice but to give her to this boy who brought her to this current situation.

“You feel them, don’t you?” Shuuya turned to Mana. “Thousands of centipedes inside you… I can make them stop, only if Sasuke does what he’s told.”

Letting go of her brother’s hand, Mana took a step towards Shuuya.

“Mana.” Sasuke said.

Shuuya took Mana’s hand with his, and with his touch, Mana felt the centipedes stop. She knew that they weren’t really inside, it was this power, but it felt like they were real. Once she was calm, Shuuya took Mana in his arms and carried her as if she weighed nothing.

“We’ll meet you at the border. I suggest you get moving.” Shuuya said.

He left with Mana in his arms, taking the fastest direction. He didn’t need to get into bloody fights. He’ll leave the reaping to the Sound Four.

Mana, who was looking back at her brother saw his angered look.

Onii-san.

~*~

When Konohamaru woke he did his normal routine before coming to the Academy. When he arrived at the Academy, he noticed that Mana wasn’t at her usual seat. Normally, Mana would be the first person he would see in the classroom. She was always punctual. But now, strangely, her seat was empty. And when class started, he noticed Iruka’s expression. The man was worried about something that he once again left his students to do their worksheet in the classroom in peace.

Hours passed and Konohamaru still noticed Mana’s empty seat. No one really took interest in her absence but him. And he couldn’t help but wonder if Mana’s absence had something to do with Iruka’s worries.

After class, Konohamaru left to look for Naruto. He searched for hours for the blonde but couldn’t find him, so he thought of looking for Mana instead, besides, he did have her worksheet to do, and he planned on giving it to her so she wouldn’t miss the deadline. But just like Naruto, he couldn’t find her.

Their place was locked. The training grounds that he knew she would be were deserted. And he couldn’t find her in Ichiraku!

“Where is she?” Konohamaru said. “She’s really a pain in the ass!”

“Konohamaru!”

Moegi and Udon came running.

“What’s wrong?” Konohamaru asked.

“Didn’t you hear?! Naruto-niisan along with the others came back badly wounded!” Moegi said.

“What – why?! What happened? Was it a mission?!” Konohamaru asked.

“They were trying to get Mana and Sasuke back!” Udon said.

“What do you mean ‘get Mana and Sasuke back’? I don’t understand!”

“Konohamaru, Mana and Sasuke left Konoha!”

~*~

Konohamaru ran back to the Academy in search for Iruka.

So that’s what was bugging him the whole time!

He kicked open the door of the teacher’s room and found his sensei discussing with the other senseis of the Academy.

“Konohamaru!”

“IS IT TRUE?!” Konohamaru questioned. “DID MANA LEAVE?!”

Iruka’s eyes downcasted. He knew that the boy would find out sooner or later… all of his students would…

“Let’s talk outside.”

Iruka brought Konohamaru to his classroom and closed the door after him. And Konohamaru wasted no time in questioning his teacher.

“Is it true, Iruka-sensei?! Did Mana leave?”

“Yes.” Iruka said. “She and Sasuke left the village early in the morning, while everyone was still asleep…”

“But what about Naruto-niisan?” Konohamaru

“Naruto gathered a few of his friends to go after Sasuke… they’re badly wounded…”

“But, Mana… she…” Konohamaru’s grip at the worksheet crumpled it. “Why would she… How could she?”

“I don’t know.” Iruka said.

Why?

~*~

Sasuke limped his way to the border. He clutched his arm with his hand. His body was about to fall out of exhaustion. The battle with Naruto had worn him out, but he still managed to get himself up and get to the border where he knew Mana would be.

“You’re alive.”

Annoyed by the sound of the boy’s voice, Sasuke glared at him when he saw him sitting under a tree with Mana beside him, sleeping.

“Mana…”

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s fine.” Shuuya said. “Her body’s still getting used to the seal… it’s completely natural.”

“Get your hands off her.” Sasuke said.

“I don’t think you have the strength to carry her all the way to Orochimaru’s hideout, Uchiha.”

“She’s my sister.”

Shuuya sighed. “You could barely lift your feet… I’ll carry her to the hide out while you limp your way there.”

Sasuke growled. The boy was getting on his last nerve.

“Let’s go, Orochimaru is expecting you…”

“I’ll kill you!” Sasuke said in a dark tone.

Shuuya turned to him, smirking.

“I’d like to see you try, Uchiha.”