Uchiha Mana

CHAPTER 12

“Your actions were impulsive earlier, Sasuke-kun.” Kabuto spoke. “Something you need to improve on. There are times when one should only show their true power to their enemies, and times when they should know to preserve it.”

The moment they arrived at the hideout, Sasuke was immediately chastised by Kabuto for his actions, and he didn’t like it one bit.

“It’s none of your business.” Sasuke muttered.

“But Kabuto has a point, Sasuke-kun.” Orochimaru said. “Your actions earlier were reckless. You must always remember to see the bigger picture before we strike.”

“I’m not a child to be scolded at.” Sasuke scoffed. “Mana, ikuzu.”

Following after her brother, Mana and Sasuke left Orochimaru and Kabuto and went to the room. But once they were away from the two men, Mana stopped. Her eyes casted on the ground, hidden from Sasuke. Sasuke felt his sister’s sudden halt and turned to see.

“Mana, what’s wrong?” He asked.

Looking up to her brother, Mana’s eyes were not her usual onyx ones, rather they were her Mangekyou Sharingan. Sasuke was pulled to an area he knew all too well. It was the place where Mana had trained.

Why did she bring me here? He thought.

Before him, Sasuke saw his sister stabbing Shuuya at the chest.

“A disgusting way to get power…” Mana spoke from behind him. “But it wasn’t the killing that woke my Mangekyou Sharingan…” Sasuke felt a pain on his chest. He looked down and saw the weapon that was used on Shuuya went though him. “… it was the trauma.” Turning he found Mana standing there with her ninjatō in her hand.

MANA, STOP THIS!

Seeing that her brother had enough, Mana released him from her Tsukuyomi, and before her, she saw Sasuke lean on the wall, slightly shaken by what he saw, and by what he felt.

“That’s how it felt.” Mana said. “But worst… the moment when I found out I killed my best friend.” She walked up to him. “You’re such a hypocrite… did you know that?”

A sob was heard from Mana. Something he has not heard since Shuuya’s death. Looking up, he saw his sister slowly breaking down.

“If you want to get power so much then kill me!” She threw her ninjatō to Sasuke’s feet. “Killing Naruto won’t awaken your Mangekyou Sharingan… how could it if you have no emotions for them… but killing me, it will.”

“Mana…”

“Killing me is better than giving your body to Orochimaru, at least you get to keep your life. The only thing is, you get to live everyday knowing what you did! Because that’s what I feel every day!”

Sasuke did not move, he was frozen on his spot after hearing what Mana was saying.

“Fine if you won’t do it, then I will!” Mana took out a kunai from her pouch and was to stab herself at the heart, one of the only places that the seal can’t heal and cause a permanent damage. Death. But before her kunai could touch her, a hand grabbed her wrists, stopping her. “Let go!”

“Enough, Imouto.” Sasuke said.

Mana released her hold on her kunai, and lets it fall on the ground. Taking the opportunity, Sasuke pulled Mana into his arms, she tried to escape from his hold, but Sasuke kept her still.

“Let go of me!” Mana cried.

“Mana, enough!”

“Just let me die!” Mana cried. “I have nothing to live for… Oto-san and Oka-san are gone, my teacher’s gone… so is my Onii-san…”

“That’s not true, Mana.” Sasuke bent down and held Mana by her shoulders. “I’m right here!”

“Iie.” Mana shook her head. “You’re not…”

~*~

“Naruto-niisan!”

Konohamaru came running down the street with Moegi and Udon in tow. Naruto greeted the tree with a smile.

“I heard that you came from a mission to bring back Sasuke and Mana-chan.” Konohamaru said.

Slightly frowning, Naruto nodded.

“Hai… Gomen, Konohamaru.” Naruto began. “I know how much Mana-chan means to you –”

“It’s okay, Naruto-niisan.” Konohamaru said.

Surprised to what Konohamaru said, Naruto lift up his head and met Konohamaru’s eyes.

“Because I’ll be the one to bring back Mana-chan!” Konohamaru said, his eyes full of determination.

“Konohamaru…” Naruto said.

“Mana-chan still has to pass her exams at the Academy, and I don’t want her to be left behind just because she’s slacking off!” Konohamaru smirked. “I’ll drag her back here screaming and punching just so she could get do her graduation exam and receive her Konoha headband – it would be embarrassing if she’s the only one who didn’t graduate, right?”

A small chuckle came from Naruto. “Is that so…”

“Hai, Mana-chan is a kunoichi of Konoha… it’s only right that she comes home… and Naruto-niisan, I promise you that I will be the one to bring her back.”

“Well, I’m counting on that, Konohamaru!”

~*~

Outside the hideout, Mana sat on a tree branch and watched the children of a nearby village play. It reminded her on how she and her brothers would play when they were little. It would often be hide and seek, tag, or house – if she insisted.

“Mana!” Sasuke came.

Mana did not bother to look at her brother.

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

“I should be asking you that.”

“Nothing. I’m just looking at the village.” She said.

Sasuke turned to where Mana was looking and smirked.

“Mana, do you want to play hide and seek with me?” Sasuke asked.

“If you think that will make me forgive you, then you’re wrong.” Mana said as she jumped down the branch. “You’re pathetic.”

Sasuke followed after his sister and blocked her way.

“You’re not going back, not until we play, Imouto.” Sasuke said.

Mana glared at her brother. “Fine, one game.”

~*~

“San… nii… Ichi…” Mana finished her counting.

She uncovered her eyes and found the empty forest. She sighed, knowing that Sasuke have chosen to hide in a hard place for her to find him. This was their fifth game for the day; at first, Sasuke was the seeker, while she hid in far and at the top of the heighest tree there was. But after counting, it didn’t take a few minutes for Sasuke to find her – even without his Sharingan. And each time Sasuke would hide, he would make sure to make it difficult for her to find him, there was one time when she was about to catch him, he teleported away just before Mana could say “Found you!”.

Where could he be?

Jumping from tree-branch to tree-branch, Mana kept a sharp eye at her surroundings –

There he is! She smirked. Not far, Mana could see Sasuke’s familiar hair all the way on the ground. She jumped down from the tree and landed before the one Sasuke was hiding.

“Found you, Onii-san!” Mana jumped before Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked and made hand sign.

“Not quite, Imouto.” He said and dissapred with poof.

A CLONE?!

“OI! ONII-SAN, THAT’S CHEATING! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!”

After a while of searching and catching one of Sasuke’s clones, Mana finally found him, he was just where they sat earlier, at the boulder, watching as she caught his clones and waited for her to realize where he has been all this time.

“YOU CHEATED, ONII-SAN!” Mana said poiting at him.

“I wasn’t.”

“You did! Our rules said –”

“No, Sharingan and tracking jutsus. But it didn’t say anything about clones and substitutions.”

“That’s not fair!”

“So, I guess I win?”

Mana muttered under her breath about how he cheated. Sasuke smiled and jumped down the boulder and went to Mana’s side. He held out his hand for Mana to take.

“Let’s head back.” Sasuke said

“Hai.” Mana muttered as she took Sasuke’s hand, and the two of them walked back to the hideout, taking small and slow steps to keep prolong their time together. “Nee, Onii-san.”

“What is it, Imouto?”

“Can we play again… at another time?” She asked, slightly blushing.

“If you want, we could even play house.”

Mana smiled at Sasuke’s words.

“I’d like that… Oniisan…”

“Hm?”

“I forgive you…”

Sasuke smiled.

“Anata aishiteru, Imouto, always remember that.”

“Hai.”

~*~

Months later

Mana slept soundly on the bed while Sasuke stood over her and watched. It was time. He has learned enough from Orochimaru, and now was the time to fulfil his mission, but to do that, he will need Orochimaru’s power.

It won’t be long, Mana… and it will be just the two of us again.

Slipping out of the room, Sasuke made his way to the snake-man’s quarters. His steps echoing in the halls, making his presence known. Opening the door of Orochimari’s room, he was greeted by the man’s voice.

“You’ve come, Sasuke-kun.”

~*~

Mana woke to the sound of a battle. She immediately got out of bed and checked at the space beside her, expecting her brother, but found it empty. Panic came to her.

Has it begun?!

Jumping out of bed, Mana grabbed her weapons and ran out of the room, she followed the sound of where the battle was.

It’s from Orochimaru’s room!

Turning the hall, Mana was suddenly put to stop by Kabuto.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed, Mana-chan?” Kabuto asked, mockingly.

“Where’s my Onii-san, Kabuto?” Mana demanded, her hand on Yatagarasu.

Kabuto’s head slightly turned to the door that was left ajar.

“As of now the ritual as begun…” Kabuto said. “Even if you try, it’s too late… Sasuke will be consumed by Orochimaru-sama, and there’s nothing you could do about it, Mana-chan.”

I’m too late!

“If I were you, I’d just watch as this unfolds… to see if it was successful.”

Walking pass Kabuto, Mana looking inside to see for herself. Inside, she could see Sasuke standing in a room covered in blood and on the floor was a giant white snake that had a head that looked like Orochimaru.

Onii-san, what have you done?!

~*~

Sasuke have woken from the dimension. He had successfully absorbed every spec of Orochimaru, out-smarting the Sannin and using the man’s own dimension against him. Turning to the doorway, he knew that there has been an observing spectator that hid behind the wall.

“Kabuto.” He spoke.

Though he came out of his hiding place, Kabuto was still loss for words. Seeing that Orochimaru’s follower had nothing to say, Sasuke made his way pass the man, he had to get Mana before he leaves.

“Who are you?” Kabuto asked.

Sasuke stopped and turned to Kabuto with a smirk.

“Why don’t you see for yourself.” Sasuke said.

With his Sharingan, Sasuke showed Kabuto what has happened in Orochimaru’s dimension. It was the last thing that Kabuto expected. They have underestimated Sasuke.

“Orochimaru is gone… I have absorbed him completely.” Sasuke said.

Turning his back to Kabuto, Sasuke left. He was deep in the corridors of the hideout, just a few more turns before he reaches where he left Mana, but he stopped on his tracks when he saw her standing before a crossing paths, Yatagarasu in her hand and pointed at him.

“Tell, me… are you my Onii-san?” She demanded.

“Mana…”

“TELL ME!”

Sasuke ignored Mana’s threatening pose and walked towards her. He softly lowered Yatagarasu and placed an affectionate hand on her head.

“It’s me, Imouto.” Sasuke said.

“Onii-san?”

“Hai…”

“But how?”

Sasuke smirked. “You underestimate me, Imouto.”

Mana hid Yatagarasu in its holder and wrapped her arms around her brother.

“I was worried.” She said, her voice muffled in Sasuke’s clothes.

“Don’t be.”

After releasing her brother, Mana looked up to him.

“What now?”

“Now we go look for some people.”