FIRST A CRACK, NOW A CREVICE
YAMAKIKO PLAGUE
Sasuke gave Mitsuki one last glance before he headed downstairs to Kakashi's office. Mitsuki's entire family had been killed, but for what? Questions buzzed around in Sasuke's mind. He tried to fool himself but he couldn't. He knew the answers to those questions, and they were by no means the answers that he would have liked to hear.
When he entered Kakashi's office he slumped down in the second sliding chair before his desk.
"Is the boy okay?" Kakashi stared hard at Sasuke.
He slid a hand down his face and glared at the desk. "He doesn't seem to have any physical injuries."
"So they didn't find him then."
"I wouldn't say that. There is no way that such skilled assassins wouldn't know where to find one kid. They scoped out the house for weeks before they launched their assault so of course they'd be able to predict where my oji would hide him."
"So why didn't they just kill him too?" Kakashi scratched his head.
"Because they knew that he would lead them to me."
"Wait Sasuke. Before we go there, who's this 'they' and why are they targeting your family. You didn't tell me any of that when you came. I think it's about time you came clean." He narrowed his eyes.
Sasuke sighed and leaned back in his seat.
"My whole family was slaughtered five years ago. I only got the faces of the persons who did it. After they left, I searched the whole house with my newly activated Sharingan for clues, for something, anything at all. I needed answers and I found them. I came across this book that was well hidden in our wine cellar. From that book, I learned that for generations there was this research clan that hunted Uchihas. They executed families before Uchiha children in the hopes that their Sharingan would be activated. Then they would let the child develop for a couple of years before they kill them and gouge their eyes out. They wanted to find a way to develop the ultimate killing machine and they needed Uchihas' eyes to do it. There was no way that we would willingly become test subjects for some ridiculous project like that, so they've found a way of growing and harvesting the essential part of their experiment. We can't even defend ourselves properly because of the tension between the special ones and the normal public."
Kakashi looked at Sasuke in disbelief. "You're joking, right?"
Sasuke just stared at him. Kakashi should know better. Sasuke Uchiha did not joke.
The man shook his head and regained his composure. "I'm sorry, but this just seems all surreal to me. It's like a sci-fi movie."
"I've been doing research on that clan for years just to convince myself that my information is correct. I myself find it hard to believe, but all the evidence points in that direction. The name is Yamakiko by the way. The symbol is a white koi fish."
"Wait? Yamakiko? I know them. A tall people with white blonde hair and azure eyes. I heard that they have some shares in some weaponry manufacturing corporation in Tokyo."
Sasuke nodded. Suddenly, his tale didn't seem so ridiculous after all.
"So why are they coming after you? Is it your harvest time?"
Sasuke nodded. "My harvest time has long since passed. Maybe they've found some way to obtain intel on my job and skills. It's pretty easy to find people who are willing to get themselves captured by ANBU then relay intelligence in exchange for money. They'll be looking for me and when they find me, they'll kill me. When you don't know how far someone has advanced you can't take any chances."
"What about Mitsuki?"
"If he doesn't have the Sharingan, they will ensure that he's kept alive to continue the clan. If he does have it, then they'll kill him and use my DNA to artificially create Uchihas."
Kakashi gulped. "So…How are Mitsuki's eyes?"
"He said they hurt a lot. He's awakened Sharingan but he doesn't know it yet. No doubt it comes out involuntarily when he's under high stress." Sasuke clenched his fists and tightened his jaw.
Observing his body language, Kakashi knew that he was planning to do something that he wasn't pleased with. "What do you plan to do?"
"I'm going to force it tomorrow. Force it to come out. He can't hide something that he doesn't know is there."
"So you'll help him gain full control so that when they do come, he'll be able to hide it well enough so that his life is spared."
"Yes. That's what oji did for years but he probably slipped up once. That's why they killed him too."
Kakashi sighed. "Have you mourned yet? For your aunt, uncle and cousin, I mean." He eyed the teen carefully.
Sasuke stiffened then relaxed. His eyes softened a bit and he looked at the floor.
"Have you even recovered from your immediate family's death?"
Sasuke rose from the seat and turned his back. "No…I guess I'll go indulge myself in some dark chocolate. Oyasumi, Kakashi."
"I think you should sleep with him tonight. He might not say it, but he needs your comfort. Oyasumi, Sasuke."
Without another word, he stepped out of the office. By this time, his housemates had all retired for the night. Shari wasn't back yet. She had sent word to Kakashi that something came up and she wouldn't be home till the next evening. Without anyone around to tell him how unhealthy his eating habits were, he trotted to the refrigerator to get a chocolate bar, even though it might make him vomit a second time.
He took a seat in the den and watched the moonlight filter in through one of the windows. A full moon. He hated full moons. He hated how white and pure they were. He hated how awfully white they were. They reminded him of the Yamakiko clan and their disgustingly white hair. They reminded him of the Yamakiko and their white koi fish which was ironic really because they totally went against the symbolism of the koi fish. They reminded him of the night his family was stolen from him, and he hated it. He despised the feeling of helplessness that he had that night. He despised the ones that made him feel inferior. Feel insignificant. They would pay. One day they would pay. He would torture them and revel in their screams and pleads for mercy, but he wouldn't stop. No. He wouldn't stop until his thirst for revenge was quenched. Till none of the Yamakiko were bold enough to lay a hand on the Uchiha, on Mitsuki, ever again.
Sasuke ran into his brother's arms. "'Tachi-kun!"
Itachi grinned and ruffled his little brother's hair. "Good job on graduating from the academy Sasuke."
Sasuke smiled at his brother and said thanks. "Okaasan and Otousan are in the kitchen. I'll be in the garden if you need me."
Sasuke nodded and watched Itachi leave out the front door and enter the courtyard beyond. He shrugged then went into the kitchen and greeted his parents. His father sat around the table as usual, sipping his Jasmine tea and reading a newspaper. Onigiri and sushi were laid out on the it. "Hello Okaasan, Otousan."
"Hi sweetie." Mrs. Uchiha stooped down and kissed him on the forehead. Mr. Uchiha folded the newspaper and raised a hand in greeting.
Sasuke sat down on his mat and put some food on his plate. "Itadakimasu!"
His father watched him as he ate. "So today was the last day at the academy, right?"
Sasuke didn't pause, but nodded.
"Itachi, your mother and I have been thinking and we've decided to treat you. Do you have anything that you'd like?"
Sasuke paused this time. His dark eyes shone as he contemplated what he wanted.
"Let's have our own festival!"
"Our own festival? But it's just the four of us and the three hired workers."
"It doesn't have to be anything big. 'Tachi-kun has never been to a festival before and Otousan hasn't gone in a long time. Even though I've only been once, I'm sure that 'Tachi-kun would love it."
Sasuke's parents smiled. They had such loving children who always looked out for each other. Even now when their son could get anything he wanted as a congratulatory gift, he chose something that would bring happiness not just to himself, but to the whole family.
"We can work for everything to get done by this Friday. You and Itachi just relax. Your Okaasan and our hired help will get everything done in time. Now hurry up and finish eating so you can wash up and help your brother in the garden."
"Thank you 'Tousan, Okaasan." He didn't see his father's eyes twitch or his mother give a wary glance out the kitchen window.
The days crept by until Friday finally arrived. There was much bustling about as the courtyard was transformed into a mini-festival grounds. When night fell and they began lighting the lamps, Itachi dragged Sasuke up to his room so they could get dressed. He was already in his plain dark blue kimono. His long hair was combed down and swayed whenever he moved. He sat Sasuke down on his bed and brushed his hair.
"'Tachi-kun, stop! It hurts!" Sasuke tried to push the brush away from his hair, however Itachi slapped him with it on his wrist.
"Stop! If you would only brush your hair a little more often it wouldn't be so shaggy." Sasuke pouted and let his brother help him into his kimono afterwards. His was grey with red thread embroidered into the sleeves and hem.
Sasuke couldn't help fidgeting when Itachi was making his final touches. "You're such a perfectionist."
Itachi paused from adjusting the folds of Sasuke's kimono for the millionth time. "I am not. I-I just like to see things done right." He forced a cough to hide his embarrassment then pulled Sasuke down the stairs and into the courtyard.
Their eyes widened when they saw how festival-ish the courtyard had become. It was festive, but still had the elegant flair that Uchihas maintained so well.
Lined along the cobblestone walkway were small booths with helpings of festival foods, some with activities like goldfish scooping and target shooting. There was a platform in front of the entrance to the courtyard, and a large canvass was attached to the base of it. On the canvass was a beautiful painting of the countryside with a turbulent river tumbling down a precipice.
The plants were decorated with lanterns and tinsel and folk songs were playing softly from a laptop.
Sasuke dragged Itachi to each and every one of the booths and enjoyed a play that was put on by the adults. They danced and sang until it got late and Mrs. Uchiha announced that it was bedtime. Sasuke didn't notice how tense everyone had suddenly become. He didn't notice how his mother anxiously ushered the hired workers out a side door. He didn't notice the slight rustling in the bushes around his house.
Sasuke and his family sat on the doorstep and watched the full moon. "It's beautiful…" he muttered.
Mrs. Uchiha motioned to the canvass that was blocking the gate and her husband nodded. He sucked in a deep breath and took Sasuke into his arms. He hugged him tightly and ruffled his hair. His mother eagerly grabbed him and smothered him and planted a lingering kiss on his forehead.
"Good night Sasuke. We love you," they said in unison.
Their son smiled innocently and waved to them. "I love you too, Okaasan, Otousan. Thanks for everything. Oyasumi!"
Itachi took him by the hand and led him up to his room.
He changed him into his night clothes in silence, and then tucked him in. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed and he sat up in bed. "'Tachi-kun? Are you okay?"
Itachi smiled sadly and replied, "Mmm. I'm just tired is all." He sat beside Sasuke and hugged him. He kissed his precious little brother on the cheeks and forehead then pressed his head to his.
"Oi Sasuke."
"Yeah 'Tachi-kun?"
"I love you, okay?"
"I love you too, Itachi."
"Please do me a favour. Tonight's your special night. Otousan, Okaasan and I are planning a special surprise for you, so you can't come downstairs no matter what."
"Ugh! Itachi! You spoiled the surprise! Now I'm expecting something." Sasuke folded his arms and pouted.
"Sasuke."
The boy looked into his brother's eyes. They were glossy, but he assumed it was from fatigue.
"No matter what you hear, don't come downstairs. Please."
"I-I'll try."
"Good." He smiled then gave Sasuke one last kiss on the cheek and poked him one the forehead with two fingers.
"Ooow 'Tachi-kun!"
"Oyasumi, Sasuke."
"Oyasumi Itachi."
Itachi turned his back and walked out of the room, leaving his little brother behind for the last time. His time was up. Their time was up. A single tear fell onto the floor behind him and he joined his parents downstairs, staring at a man with a jar in his hands and a black kimono with a white koi fish on it.
He unsheathed a long katana and walked towards the three. "Already accepted your fate, I see. You won't fight back like the others and cause public unrest? Trying to protect the rest of the clan from them? Trying to protect your son from this? You can hide him from the public, but you can't hide him from this. You think by going down without a fight, no one will discover that you're special, so that he can live as normal a life as possible after losing his family. Naïve."
A man stepped out of Sasuke's room upstairs and brought him out over his shoulder.
The talkative one downstairs approached Mrs. Uchiha and ran her through the middle with the katana. The one with Sasuke had by this time disembarked the staircase and forced him to the ground and held his head up by the hair. The katana wielder stabbed and slashed and dismembered Sasuke's parents right before his eyes.
The little boy was tense with fear. He screamed his parents' names. He begged the murderer to stop. He cried out and shrieked but help never came. He shrieked, but he couldn't stop watching. He couldn't tear his eyes away.
The murderer shot him a sick grin then he turned around with a devilish smile to Itachi. Sasuke whimpered his name and squirmed around, but his captor held him firm. Mr. Killer stooped down to Itachi's level and gouged his eyes out while he was still alive. Breathing. Feeling. The boy writhed and wailed from the pain. Sasuke couldn't scream anymore. Pain was shooting through his own eyes and tears streamed down his face. He still couldn't tear his eyes away. Now he knew why his brother wanted him to remain upstairs. So he wouldn't have to see this. When Mr. Killer was done depositing Itachi's eyes into the jar, he stabbed him right through the heart. Sasuke gasped and shuddered.
Mr. Killer turned to him and looked into his eyes. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he saw in them, he grinned in satisfaction. He nodded to the burly man who was holding Sasuke down and the two ambled down the courtyard like nothing even happened.
Sasuke crept over to his parents (or what used to be his parents). He shook his head in disbelief. He moved over to his dear 'Tachi-kun and hugged his dead body. His face was covered by his hair (thankfully). Sasuke screamed into his kimono. The first one that he'd ever worn.
The next morning, Sasuke threw up nonstop. His eyes burned and pounded and a stabbing pain travelled through them. Somehow, though, his vision was much better than before. He didn't dare look into a mirror. He remembered seeing the name of an orphanage on the fridge some time before. Sure enough when he went back to the spot, the name and address were still there. He walked through the empty halls of his house looking for something, anything that would explain his tragedy and when he found it, he felt weaker than before. He had hidden in the wine cellar the day when his neighbours came to bury his family. Funny. They came when nobody called to clean up the damage but they didn't come when he had been screaming for help. Very funny.
The pain in his eyes continued to increase so he ended up looking into a mirror one day. He wasn't surprised to see that they were blood red with two dark commas already in them. He had learnt everything he needed to know about his family in that Book of Answers. The very day he found it, he decided to leave for that orphanage. He packed a change of clothes, water and bread (in case he regained his appetite), the emergency money that all three of his family members kept in addition to his own, a family photo and Itachi's blanket. He always used to snuggle with it on cold nights. It was the only thing childlike that Sasuke saw him do.
He put a cap over his head and set out. It turned out that the only thing he ended up using on his journey was the blanket. He couldn't care less about who gasped when they saw his blood stained kimono. All those hypocrites could go burn for all he cared. He wasn't even bothered when he noticed that his vision was fading. By the time he settled in at the orphanage his eyes had lost all feeling and he was completely blind. They had reverted to a version of their original colour – they weren't beautiful obsidian like before. Now they were a deep gray.
Shari's heart nearly gave out when she saw the frail child at the door. His kimono was dirty and heavily stained with blood. He looked thin and his eyes were empty. A shiver ran down her spine. She tried to figure out his age but it was difficult. His body was small but his face had a disturbing maturity to it. Another shiver travelled up and down her spine. The way he was staring at her was nerve wracking. It was as if he were looking through her.
Slowly, Sasuke raised an arm and touched her stomach. "Is this the orphanage I've been looking for? Hatake Boarding House?"
"Y-yes. Come on inside." She tried hard to bite back the stutter.
"I can barely see you Miss."
"S-sorry." Shari took hold of his hand and led him inside.
As he walked through the halls his ears were assaulted by screams and children's laughter. All he could see was a hazy blur of pink, yellow and black around a table. Shari stooped down in front of him and said, "The Master isn't here right now, so you'll be under my care. How much can you see?"
Sasuke held his hand before his eyes. All he could see now was black. "I can't see anything at all."
Shari gasped. Not only was she still in shock that someone turned up at this not very well-known orphanage in such a bad condition, but she was really creeped out that this kid wasn't freaking out because he completely lost his sight.
She cleaned him and he was registered when Kakashi came. They put him into a room upstairs where he was by himself. He wrapped his body head to toe in Itachi's blanket and squeezed his knees to his chest. Rocking back and forth, he pressed his brother's blanket to his nose and inhaled his scent. He was scared. He was in a brand new place with new people and he couldn't see any of their faces. All he had to keep him company was the memories of his family. Their execution haunted him. The images plagued his mind. He tried to get them out, but they wouldn't go away.
He remembered how he used to love staring into his brother's eyes, but now they were in some jar that Mr. Killer had taken with him. The torture replayed before his eyes again and again and the tears came. He shrieked. He held his head and wailed and screamed for his 'Tachi-kun. Screamed for his Otousan. Screamed for his Okaasan. All he could remember doing was screaming and after the screaming about six pairs of hands calmed him down and caressed him.
Sasuke crumpled his empty chocolate wrapper and trashed it on his way up to his room. When he stepped inside he saw Mitsuki curled up on his bed, desperately clutching a portrait of himself with Sasuke, Mikoto, Itachi and the Uchiha adults. His cheeks were flushed and tearstained and he was whimpering in his sleep.
Sasuke slipped in beside him and pulled him into a hug, his nose buried in his hair. He kissed his head and whispered, "Don't worry Mikoto. You're not alone here. You don't have to suffer by yourself."
Mitsuki shifted in Sasuke's arms and stared into his face. "Sasu-chan." He buried his face into his older cousin's chest and both eventually fell asleep.
"Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is"
- Mandy Hale
Good reading folks.
~Anne Callendar
