Uchiha Mana

CHAPTER 18

“It’s raining.” Karin said.

Mana looked at the horizon and saw the thunderclouds that were formed. She knew what it meant. A sudden feeling inside made Mana jump, she looked down at her hands and her body to see what the problem was.

What is this feeling?

“It’s done.” A plant-like man came from the ground.

“What do you mean?” Karin asked.

“Sasuke won, Itachi is dead.” The man said.

“Itachi is… dead?” Mana muttered.

A rush of emotion came to Mana, an emotion she couldn’t understand.

What’s wrong with you?! Why are you feeling like this?!

Her mind was once again in war, conflicted about everything. Was it because she never understood Itachi why felt this? Or was it because she knew that one of her brothers have killed the other, and she helped him do it?

It is a sin to kill your own brother. She remembered Shuuya’s words.

“Uchiha Mana.”

Turning, Mana found a masked man.

“Who are you?” Mana questioned.

“Mana!” Juugo went in front of her to protect her from the man. “Stay back!” he told the mask man.

“My apologies, but that won’t work.” The man said.

Before they even knew it, the mask man was behind Mana. Mana sensed his presence and went to reach for her ninjatō, but the man was fast, he grabbed her wrist and then her lifted her by her neck.

“MANA!” Suigetsu came with his sword to get her out of the man’s hold.

“You have loyal companions, Mana.” The man said, “But, you must know that I am not the enemy… and I believe that what I have to say will interest you.” The man angled his face for Mana to see the hole of his mask, and inside, she saw red eyes.

Sharingan?!

~*~

The last that Mana could remember was the sight of a masked man taking her from Juugo’s protection, and the sight of his eye which had its Sharingan. She woke in a cave, her eyes shifted around, and by the corner, she saw him. The masked man.

“I apologize for tying you up,” the man said. “I heard from your brother that you’re quite a handful.”

Mana looked down and saw that she was indeed tied up. She looked up to the man once again, but she this time, she noticd something different about her. Something was off, she felt –

“It’s probably one of the effects of my Genjutsu… I apologize, but it is a way for me to keep you still, but knowing you, I don’t think I would have trouble with making you listen to what I am about to say.”

“What… what are you talking about?” Mana asked. “Where’s Onii-san?”

“Sasuke’s resting now, he’s at the other side… now, are you ready to listen?” The man asked, but when he saw Mana’s interest was still fixed on Sasuke, he said something that finally caught her. “It has something to do with your brother, Itachi…” and as expected, she looked back at him, with a curious look. “You know so much about your brother, and at the same time, you know nothing… just like Sasuke.”

Mana was silent, but the man knew that he have spiked her interest that she was willing to listen, besides, he could see a part of Itachi in this little girl. And he knew that she would lend him her ears to hear what he was to say.

“Why don’t I introduce myself first.” The man took off his mask. “Like you, I’m a living, breathing Uchiha. And the man who knows the truth about Uchiha Itachi. My name is Uchiha Madara…”

~*~

Konohamaru waited before the gates of Konoha for Naruto’s arrival, he has been doing that since the group left to search for Mana and Sasuke. He would wait for a good thirty minutes and would leave after, but today, he felt of waiting a bit longer.

I have a feeling, that this time they were –

The sight of Naruto and the others caught Konohamaru’s attention. A grin was formed at his face at their sight, his eyes looking at the group for any familiar raven-haired girl, but he couldn’t. His grin fell when they finally came to the village gates, and Naruto was the one who came up to him.

“Konohamaru…”

“She’s not here, isnt’ she?” Konohamaru said, his eyes downcasted.

Naruto shook his head. “Iie, gomen, Konohamaru… I know how you feel about Mana-chan… and I failed again…”

“Iie, you didn’t.” Konohamaru shook his head.

Naruto’s eyes widened at the sight of the boy, he noticed how he discretely wiped a tear that was to fall and swallowed a frustrated sob. Konohamaru looked up to Naruto with a forced smile.

“Naruto, the next time you go after Mana and Sasuke, take me with you.” Konohamaru said. “Maybe then… we’ll get them back.”

A smile was formed at Naruto’s lips.

“Hai…”

~*~

Mana felt as if her world was crumbling down. After hearing what the Masked Man had to say, everything she knew, were a complete lie, and all of her suspicion and doubts were answered, which were the truth she never wanted. The Masked Man have cut the ropes that held her and stepped back, knowing what was to come. Mana’s hand raked through her hair and gripped on her locks.

Her heart pounded inside her, and her stomach held a pit of emotions that just wanted to burst –

“Itachi-niisan… who –” Mana trembled. When Itachi’s hold on his sword tightened, and the sight of his eyes were seen, Mana’s whole body shook, and her breathing became uneven.

Why?

Her brain kept asking the question, but another thought came to her mind.

Run!

Forcing her feet to move, Mana took a step back, but just as she were to run, Itachi used his Genjutsu at her. Forcing her to see sleep full of nightmares. Before his sister’s body could hit the ground, Itachi caught her and held her body close.

“Gomen… Mana…”

A loud anguish yell came from Mana which was followed by sobs. Dark Chakra formed around her, it solidified and started thrashing around. Destroying everying that was around her. Her cries continued as more memories of Itachi came to her.

All this time, the reason why she never understood by Itachi killed their family was because of this. They were happy, Itachi loved them, he never – not once – showed that he despiced them… he gave everything to them!

I’ll protect you, both of you, because that’s my job as your Onii-san.

Once Mana’s Dark Chakra finally stopped and subsided inside her once more, the Masked Man emerged from the shadows again and waited for her to completely stop.

Increadible, he thought. All that chakra came from this child… what else is she hiding?

“Your brother, Sasuke, still does not know… but I doubt that he would listen just as you did…” The Masked Man said. He approached Mana and squated down to her height. “That day you found that ANBU’s book that had you and your’ brother’s information, you had your suspiciouns, and now that you know the truth… what are you going to do?”

I don’t know…

“I want to see him…”

~*~

Sasuke was left to think. After Uchiha Madara’s revelation about Itachi, he never felt so lost. For years, he believed that Itachi was the villain that he claimed to be, and he used that to fuel himself to get power and kill him, now after all this time… his whole life, his ambition, his hatred, his revenge was all based on a lie. A lie that Itachi made, a secret kept by Konoha –

No! He’s lying! Sasuke thought. Itachi is the enemy! He killed everyone!

The sound of Uchiha Madara entering the room caught Sasuke’s attention, but did not care.

“Sasuke, I brought someone for you.” Madara said. “You may go to him.”

The sound of light footsteps caught his attention, and Sasuke looked up and saw Mana standing before him, her eyes all puffy and red.

Please, no. he begged, Please, let this all be a lie.

“Mana…”

“I saw his body.” Mana spoke. Tears fell as she did. “Everything that Uchiha Madara says is true…”

“YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS! HE’S TRICKING US! EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS A LIE! ITACHI IS THE ENEMY – HE KILLED EVERYONE!”

A sudden sting at his cheek made shocked Sasuke. Looking up from the ground, he saw Mana with furious eyes, and her Sharingan activated.

“I just wanted to see him…” Mana said in a whisper. “I wanted to ask him why he did it…”

“Mana…”

“I JUST WANTED TO SEE HIM!” Mana cried. “EVERY NIGHT, I WOULD DREAM ABOUT HIM, ALWAYS WONDERING WHY… I JUST WANTED TO ASK HIM WHY HE DID IT! BUT YOU DIDN’T LET ME!”

“You have to understand, Mana.” Madara spoke, “It was also Itachi’s intention to keep you in the dark… he never wanted to you find out… he gave the burden to Sasuke because he never wanted you to go through this pain, but he never thought that someone from the Natsukasa plan would find interest in you and drag you to this…”

“Gomen, Mana…” Sasuke said.

“Stop apologizing.” Mana said through gritted teeth.

Sasuke forced himself to reach out to Mana. He took her hand with his and begged her to come closer. Out of pity, Mana went to her brother and lets him wrap his arms around and her bury his face on her clothes.

“Gomen… Imouto…” He cried.

~*~

Standing before the crashing waves, Mana looked at at the horizon. She have stopped crying, after meeting Sasuke, and she was just tired of shedding a tear. She remained motionless from where she stood, yet her mind went on with a million things.

“Sasuke, Mana.” Itachi came to the spot, carrying his futon. “I was thinking we would sleep outside.”

Smiling, the two raced back inside to get their futons as well, disregarding their brother’s warning of not running, which then had them wincing in pain at the sudden stomachache.

The three of them laid down on their futons, sluggled close as they watched the stars. Mana made sure to place herself between her brothers, wanting both of them beside her.

“I want to be a great shinobi someday.” Sasuke said. “I want to be stronger than you, Onii-san.”

“And you will.” Itachi said.

“Onii-san, can I be a shinobi too?” Mana asked, her eyes dropping.

“Hai, Mana-chan, and I’m sure you’re going to be the strongest kunoichi in the village.” Itachi said.

“Hai, Mana-chan.” Sasuke agreed. “You might even be stronger than than Itachi-niisan and me!”

The sudden touch on her shoulder pulled Mana from her reverie, she turned and found Sasuke standing before her. His eyes were in the verge of tears and from what she could see, he was trying to hold them back. Sasuke knelt down to her height and held her hand.

“Mana… gomen…” Sasuke said.

Sasuke pulled Mana to him and wrapped her in an embrace.

To protect peace in Konoha, and mostly importantly you, Uchiha Mana and yourself… Itachi lived as a fugitive, a traitor, a criinal, praying for the release of death. He traded his pride for disgrace… and your love for your hatred. And even still, Itachi died with a smile on his face…

He left the name of “Uchiha” to you two and decieved you all the way to the end…

“Mana, please, don’t leave me.” Sasuke said in a whisper.

“Onii-san… I’m tired.” Mana said.

Sasuke’s hold on Mana tightened as he remembered once again what Itachi have said.

Mana slept soundly on the floor, her head rested on Itachi’s lap, while Sasuke sat beside her, sharing Mana’s blanket.

“She’s really asleep.” Sasuke said. “Shouldn’t we take her to her room?”

“No, let her sleep here.” Itachi said.

“Won’t you get tired, Onii-san?”

“Never…” Itachi said, smiling. “I’ll never get tired of being your Onii-san.”

“I know, but things aren’t done.” Sasuke said, he released Mana and held on her shoulders. His eyes were his Sharingan, which reflected her own, and slowly transformed to his own Mangekyou Sharingan. He stood from where he knelt but kept his hand on Mana’s shoulders.

“We’ve shed the name ‘Hebi’.” Sasuke began. “From now on, we will act under the name, ‘Taka’. Taka has but one goal. We will crush Konoha!”