An Uchiha's True Worth

Rogue Ninja

Shinpi had accomplished her last mission successfully. The rest of her squad were in a hurry to get home. She told them to go on ahead. She would be fine. There was a full moon out and a cool breeze. Shinpi wanted to enjoy it some before she returned home. She stopped suddenly sensing two presences. One very familiar. The other had a very ominous, dark. She reached for her kunai. Itachi’s hand lay over hers again. She took a deep breath. “Don’t go home.” He whispered. Then the other man approached her. “Itachi, if she is an Uchiha you need to finish her as well.” “She’s no Uchiha.” She heard Itachi respond. She wanted to cry out. But Itachi’s grip on her tightened. As a warning. Whoever this man was, he would kill her without a second thought. The other man chuckled then. “She’s no threat.” Itachi added almost as an afterthought. “So be it.” The other man growled. All she heard was “Sharingan.” When Shinpi woke, she found herself in a hospital room. The captain of her squad sat in a chair with his arms crossed. “What happened?” She asked. To her shock, the Third Hokage was standing in front of her. He motioned to her captain and he bowed and left. They were completely alone. “Shinpi Uchiha.” He says simply. His eyes sad. As though he had witnessed something that he was glad she hadn’t. “Lord Hokage, please. What has happened? Are my parents alright?” The Hokage began to pace back and forth. Not sure how he would tell her what needed to be said. “Lord Hokage, please. I wouldn’t be a member of the Anbu if I couldn’t handle information that is given to me.” Lord Third shook his head. “True enough. Though this information may be more than you can bear.” Shinpi took a deep breath. “Please, sir.” Lord Third sighed and sat at the end of her bed. He watched her closely. “Your parents as well as every other member of the Uchiha clan has been murdered. Save a single child.” Shinpi froze. She could feel her body go numb. “Itachi as well?” Lord Third looked away. “Sir?” “Itachi was responsible for the massacre.” Shinpi felt her head begin to swim then. She found it hard to breath. She gripped her chest. And then screamed.

When she woke again, she was alone. She lay there watching the ceiling. Not sure what to feel anymore. It had been a week since the Hokage had given her the news. All she could do was sleep. Sleep for her consisted of nothing more than nightmares. At one point, she had begun scratching herself in her sleep. The doctors had no choice but to sedate her then. Her last meeting with Itachi ran through her mind over and over. Should she have mentioned seeing Itachi when she returned? No, this could lead to more questions she may not be able to answer. When she was discharged, she was given a residence of her own. She was ordered not to go anywhere near the Uchiha Compound.

On a cloudy day as she walked through town, she saw a familiar figure sneak away. She followed him. She watched him go into his old home. She went into her own. It was almost as though nothing more were wrong than no one was home. She could hear her mother humming as she prepared dinner. Her father as he came home and took off his shoes before entering the house. When she went to her parents bedroom, however, she threw up. All her years in the Anbu and she wasn’t prepared. Blood splattered the walls. The bed, devoid of linen was soaked as well. She turned away then. And noticed the small figure watching her from the other room. “Why did you follow me?” A voice asked. “Sasuke.” Shinpi whispered. “Are you going to tell someone I was here?” He asked. “No, not if you don’t.” Shinpi responded. “You were friends with my brother, weren’t you?” Shinpi could only nod. Sasuke nodded. “He didn’t kill you because you weren’t one of us.” He stated then. So matter of factly. “You were as worthless to him as I was.” With that Sasuke walked away. Shinpi followed him remaining silent. They had managed to leave the Compound without being detected. When she returned to her apartment, and opened the door, she found someone waiting for her. Kakashi Hatake. He put down his book and simply watched her. “Do you mind?” She says as she takes her shoes off. “Not at all.” He says with a smile hidden by his mask. “Well I do.” She didn’t care if it was rude. She was exhausted. “I was just coming by to check on you.” “Why?” “You’re new Captain was worried about you.” Shinpi rolled her eyes. “I still have another week off before I have to report for duty. He’ll be fine until then, I’m sure.” “I’ll be sure to tell him that, then.” Kakashi says simply. “Later.” With that he was gone. She was looking forward to going to back to work. She was tired of having nothing to do but think, eat and sleep. She trained on occasion, but it wasn’t the same as being on a mission. The nightmares had lessened, but the dreams that replaced them were far worse. She would wake up wet as hell. Reliving the night she shared with Itachi. Shinpi was still trying to make sense of it. Then she thought back to the last kiss he gave her. He knew. He was pleading with her to forgive him. She sighed. She was tired enough now that maybe she would be able to get some proper sleep. She went to the kitchen and found a note along with a packet of herbs. These will help you get some rest. I’m sorry for your loss. It was signed. Your Captain. Shinpi sighed again. She fixed herself a cup of tea and sat down on her bed before taking the herbs. She took the herbs and was able to finish her tea before her head hit the pillow. She slept. Her mind devoid of anything. A black nothingness. A smile crossed her lips then. Rest would finally be hers. Nothing else mattered. A lone crow sat in the window and watched the sleeping form. It stayed there for quite sometime before finally flying away. It left a single black feather behind.