Uchiha Mana

CHAPTER 2

About four years passed and Mana grew up to a fine and beautiful girl. She brought joy to her family and to the clan, many adored her – especially her brothers and Uchiha Shisui, who was also like a brother to her. While Mana started to learn about the basics of the Shinobi World and the Uchiha clan, Sasuke, on the other hand, started the Academy.

“Sasuke-Niisan, play with me?”

Sasuke turned to his sister. He saw her holding out her teddy bear towards him with a hopeful smile. But, as much as he wanted to say yes, Sasuke gave his sister an apologetic smile and placed a hand on her head.

“Gomen, Mana, but I have to go to the Academy.” Sasuke said.

Mana pouted. Sasuke saw his sister’s reaction and sighed. He bent down to meet her gaze.

“When I get back, I promise.” Sasuke said.

Mana looked up to Sasuke, still pouting.

“Promise?”

Sasuke chuckled. “Promise.”

Mana grinned and wrapped her arms around her brother, startling him. After she have released him, Sasuke said his goodbye and left for the Academy.

Just as Sasuke left, Mikoto took Mana to the streets of Konoha to shop for dinner. The whole time, Mana held on to her mother’s hand tightly, afraid to be separated from her. As they walked, Mana noticed that people were greeting her mother and her as they walked, and she would always bow and introduce herself when asked who she was by the people, and Mikoto would smile, proud about her daughter’s manners.

After shopping, Mana was in her room, playing with her toys. As she played, Mikoto folded their clothes, she would smile whenever Mana played with the gifts that her brothers gave her.

“I’m home!”

Mana got on her feet at the sound of her brother. She ran to the door and threw herself into his arms.

“Welcome home, Sasuke-Niisan!” Mana greeted.

Sasuke smiled and patted his sister’s head.

“Ohayo, Mana.” Sasuke picked her up and spun her around.

Mana giggled at her brother’s actions.

“Sasuke-Niisan, you’re making me dizzy!” Mana laughed.

Sasuke placed her down and had his hands on his waist, and took an exaggerated breath.

“Wow, Mana, you’re getting heavy!”

“Of course, I am! Because I’m growing up! And I’ll be as big as you, Sasuke-Niisan!” Mana said, getting on her toes.

Sasuke chuckled.

“Welcome home, Sasuke.” Mikoto greeted her son.

“Ohayo, Okasan.” Sasuke smiled at his brother.

After taking off his shoes, Sasuke went to his room. Mana followed him the whole time, she would be at his tail when he placed his bag at his desk, when he took out his homework, and when he searched for some books he needed, and while she did, she told her brother everything that happened for the day.

“Then, Okasan and I went to the playground. I played with the other kids, one of them pushed me though, but I’m okay!” Mana told her brother.

“Who pushed you, Mana?” Sasuke asked.

“Some girl, it’s nothing.” Mana said.

Sasuke, on the other hand, took it seriously, he hated it when his sister is pushed around or being bullied. Seeing her brother’s anger, Mana reached to her brother and poked her brother’s cheek with her finger.

“Don’t worry, Oniisan, a Yellow Neko saved me!”

“Yellow Neko?” Sasuke asked.

“Hai! He had yellow hair and three whiskers!”

His sister’s description did nothing to help his confusion. He could not picture a cat – a yellow cat – save his sister from a bully. But he decided to shake his head to rid the Yellow Neko from his thoughts.

“Next time, you tell me, okay?” Sasuke said. “And I’ll make sure that it won’t happen again.”

“HAI!” Mana said. “Sasuke-Niisan, can we play?”

“HOMEWORK FIRST, SASUKE!” Mikoto said, from the hall.

Mana pouted and just stared at the ground. Sasuke smiled and had his hand on his sister’s head.

“After I do my homework, we’ll play anything you like, Mana.”

Mana sighed and sat down at Sasuke’s bed, and upon seeing his sister sitting at his bed, he knew that she would wait for him even if it would take him hours just for them to play.

~*~

A year passed, Mana spent her time with her brothers, to say that they were her most favorite people was true, she would always be seen tailing after Sasuke and Itachi. But when Itachi joined the ANBU, Mana rarely saw him. There were days whenever she would ask her brother to play with her, he would apologize and dismiss her since he had a mission, and his distance became greater at the death of Uchiha Shisui.

“Is Itachi here?” an Uchiha came to their door. “Get out here. We need to have a talk.”

Mana and Sasuke quietly tailed after their brother, watching of what was to unfold just before their home.

“What is it?” Itachi asked.

“Two people didn’t come to the meeting last night.” The Uchiha said.

“Why didn’t you come?”

“I understand. Then I’ll be more careful from now on. Now I must ask you to leave.” Itachi said.

“But before that, we’d like to ask you a bit more about something. It’s about Uchiha Shisui who died after throwing himself into the Nakano River last night.”

“And we, the Police Force, have devided to launch an all-out investigation.”

“Investigation?”

An Uchiha held out a piece of paper to Itachi. “This is the note Shisui left behind.”

“He was a man who took any mission for the sake of the clan. It’s hard to believe that someone like that would kill himself, leaving his behind… we’ll leave his will with you. Take it to the ANBU and request their cooperation in the investigation.”

“Understood.” Itachi said.

Just as the three Uchihas left, they whispered amongst themselves of their suspicions. Mana, who saw her brother’s reactions, hid behind Sasuke and clutch on to him even more.

“Let’s hope we get a lead on this soon.”

“Why don’t you just come out and say it?” Itachi said.

The three turned to Itachi with their Sharingan.

“That’s right, you punk!”

It happened in a blink of an eye. Itachi stood barefoot outside, and the three Uchihas who were blaming him for the death of Shisui were on the ground.

“You assume that I’m very patient, and underestimate me… that’s why you’re here now, groveling…”

“After about half a year working with the ANBU, your actions and manners of speech are stranger than ever. Just what are you thinking?”

“What’s going on here?” Fugaku came. “What are you doing? You haven’t been yourself lately, Itachi.”

“I’m perfectly sane.” Itachi said. In a fast movement, Itachi took out his kunai and threw it at the clan’s seal on the wall, stabbing it. “Adhering to this clan and petty things… makes you lose sight of what’s truly important.”

“I’ve had enough!” An Uchiha said. “Captain, give us the order to arrest him!”

“Onii-san, please stop!” Mana cried.

Standing barefoot just a few feet from Itachi, Mana had her fists balled to a fist as she begged her brother with teary eyes. Itachi, Sasuke, Fugaku, and the three Uchihas stood shocked at the young girl’s actions. Never have they expected young Uchiha Mana, a quiet girl, to speak up in such situation.

“Oto-san, I did not kill Shisui, and the reason why I wasn’t in the clan meeting was because I was sent by the Hokage on a mission. I apologize.” Itachi said, bowing on his knees before his father.

“You must understand Itachi. Ever since he became part of Konoha’s ANBU, he’s been busy. From now on, I’ll look after Itachi.” Fugaku said.

“Hai.”

After the three Uchihas left, pissed that they were not able to arrest Itachi, Fugaku went to his young daughter. He picked her up and brought her inside. Sasuke, who was left by the door step, watched as his father brought his sister inside, but after they disappeared inside, he turned back to his older brother, and it was the first time he saw something in his brother’s Sharingan.

~*~

One night, when Mana was sleeping in her bed, she was woken by the sound of her father’s voice. Tiredly, she got up from her futon, rubbing her eyes, she turned to her door with a confused look.

“Oto-san?” she whispered.

“What do you mean you can’t come?” Fugaku said.

Mana was just about to leave her futon to see what was happening, but was stopped when she heard Itachi’s voice.

“Sasuke, go to the toilet and go straight back to bed.”

“Hai, Onii-san!” Sasuke said.

It was a while before she heard her parents and Itachi talk again. But after she heard her father dismiss her brother to go back to his room, Mana heard Itachi’s footsteps coming to her door. Slightly jumping, she hastily pulled her blanket over her shoulder again and tried to sleep. She heard her door slide open and close, and then left Itachi kneel down beside her.

“I know you’re awake, Mana.” Itachi said.

Blushing in embarrassment, Mana turned to him with a look of getting caught. “Itachi-niisan.”

“Did we disturb you, Mana-chan?”

Mana shook her head. Lying.

He didn’t need to be a shinobi to know that his sister was lying. Smiling, Itachi kissed her forehead and tucked her in, he grabbed the teddy bear that sat just a few feet from Mana, and placed it beside her.

“Go back to sleep, Mana-chan.”

“Hai, Itachi-niisan.”

~*~

The following day, Itachi left early for a mission, leaving his family in the morning. While Mana helped Mikoto with preparing her father and brother’s packed lunch, Fugaku and Sasuke sat on the tatami eating their breakfast.

“Sasuke-niisan.” Mana brought a wrapped bento on the table. “Here’s your lunch… and here’s yours Oto-san.” After receiving a praise from her father, Mana sat down beside him and ate her breakfast. And the whole time, he listened when Sasuke asked their father about their clan’s Kekkei Genkai.

“I’m heading out now!” Sasuke said.

“Bye, Sasuke-niisan!”

“Mana, I’ll be going as well.” Fugaku said.

“Have a nice day, Oto-san!”

~*~

Night came, and the sound only to be heard in the Uchiha Compound were the screams of horror, pain, and betrayal, as one by one, the Uchihas fell in the hands of their own kin. After dealing with his younger sister, Uchiha Itachi stood before his kneeling parents, who both have accepted their fates.

“So, you chose their side.” Fugaku said.

“Yes.” Itachi said.

“Itachi, please look after Sasuke and Mana.” Mikoto said, her eyes trailed to her young daughter who was under a Genjutsu placed by Itachi. It was evident that the illusion that Itachi placed Mana in was a nightmare. Tears fell from her eyes when she heard Mana cry.

“I will.” Itachi said.

“Otosan? Okasan?!” Sasuke’s voice came from behind the doors.

“SASUKE, DON’T COME IN HERE!” Fugaku yelled.

Not waiting another minute, Itachi raised his katana and killed his parents. With a tear-stained face, he hid his cries, he can’t let Sasuke know his true intentions. The clan’s true intentions.

Sasuke opened the door, he saw the horrible view in front of him. He trembled in fear –

“Otosan… Okasan…” Sasuke said.

MANA-CHAN! Where is she –

“Oniisan, why?”

Turning, Sasuke saw his sister on the ground, crying in her sleep.

“MANA!”

Before he could run to his sister, Itachi came out of the shadows.

“Onii-san, who did this?” Sasuke asked.

Without answering, Itachi have placed Sasuke in a Genjutsu, showing him the m******e, he caused, how he spilled the blood of their clansmen.

“Onii-san, please stop!”

~*~

Sasuke woke on a hospital bed. His body still tired, and his head aching. He tried moving, but stopped at the sudden pain he felt at his shoulder. Turning, he saw it wrapped with a bandage. It was where Itachi have cut him with a kunai.

Flashes of last night came to Sasuke. He remembered everything.

Itachi-niisan killed everyone!

But his mind came back to the room where his parents were.

Mana!

In panic, Sasuke looked around the room for his sister. And just beside her, a curtain separated him from another hospital bed. He quickly got out of bed and pulled the curtain open, and just as he wished, he saw his sister sleeping.

“Mana-chan…” Sasuke said.

He reached for his sister and held her hand, and just by that gesture, Mana’s eyes shot open.

“Sasuke-niisan…” Mana said.

Just like Sasuke, a flash of the events last night came to her. And it was only then Mana finally accepted the truth and cried. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his sister protectively.

“Itachi-niisan…” Mana cried. “He…”

Big brothers are supposed to look after their younger siblings. That’s why I promise to look after you and Mana-chan…

Itachi’s words echoed in Sasuke’s mind.

But Itachi broke that promise…