"Tell me again, Miyuki, tell me exactly what happened." I knelt before the Third Hokage, Lord Hiruzen, still lost in a daze of grief and astonishment, unable to bring my mind to understand the logic of all that had happened. "Miyuki?" Blinking, I slowly lifted my head, feeling drained and completely spent of all energy. The use of my Kamui to bring both Sasuke and I to safety had taken a lot of my chakra, and the weight of knowing that all the Uchiha had been completely wiped out save for three. A measly three.
"It is as I said. They are gone, and it was Itachi Uchiha who killed them." Keeping my report simple and vague, I lifted my eyes to meet the Hokage's, cold and harsh against him. My loyalty was to the Leaf village, but no I was not certain that I could ever trust the Hokage or the council ever again for their possible involvement for the destruction of the entire Uchiha Clan. I could not even be certain that they had ever intended anyone to live, and that the existence of myself and Sasuke was nothing but an inconvenience. There was still a chance that they might kill us yet.
"I see…" He trailed off, stroking his beard slowly as he observed me with a grave constitution. "And is there anything else you can remember, Miyuki? Anything that you wish to tell me? You have my word that you may tell me anything in confidence. You can trust me, Miyuki." My eyes narrowed minutely, my expression remaining blank and unreadable. Could I trust the Hokage? No, I do not think I can. Because we Uchiha were becoming too strong, too untrustworthy, and so they eradicated us like vermin, and worse still, they forced an Uchiha to do their dirty work.
"No." I finally said, allowing myself to draw my own conclusions. "Nothing." Seeing that there was nothing else he would be able to coax from me, Lord Third, inclined his head to me.
"Very well then. In that case, I shall see to it that you and young Sasuke Uchiha are placed in new accommodation. Since you are the only relative left of the Uchiha Clan, and the adopted sibling of Sasuke, then it shall be left to you to take care of him. Your Clan will be buried with honours, and the Uchiha compound sealed off to all outsiders. Once you have collected your belongings, I think it best if you and Sasuke do not return." He said to me with curious gentleness. I could not understand why he was so kind to us when it was most likely his order which brought the death of my entire family.
"As you say, I shall obey." I responded dutifully, though the words tasted like a foul odour in my mouth.
"And I would like to recommend you be elevated to the rank of Jonin. Since you will be now in charge of Sasuke's welfare, might I presume that you wish to no longer be part of the ANBU corps?"
"Yes, Lord Third." Humming deeply with thought, Lord Hokage nodded his head. Promising me that he will ensure that everything will be taken care of, I was then allowed to leave. I bowed to the ground then left, walking through the door and shutting it behind me to face Sasuke who had been waiting for me on a seat, eyes reddened from his crying but his lip stiff in a stubborn determination to appear stronger than he really was.
"So? What did he say?" He asked me, almost glaring up at me as he did so. Lowering myself to my knees I reached up my hand to gently run my finger against his cheek, smoothing away a fresh tear which had risen unbidden to his eyelashes.
"It is you and I now, Sasuke. Together." Brushing my fingers through his hair, I attempted to force a smile, though how believable it was, I could not be certain. "We are all that is left, so I shall protect you, and you shall protect me. None shall ever separate us, and I shall never betray you. This is my solemn vow to you." Sasuke's face hardened and he looked away from me, refusing to meet my gaze. "Sasuke?"
"Itachi killed everyone. My mother, my father, everyone." Haunted by the ghosts of all of our clan, Sasuke clenched his fingers into fists and pulled his lips into a snarl. "I'll never forgive him. I'll get revenge, I'll make him pay for everything! He'll die by my hand one day, I swear it!"
"Sasuke." Uncertain of what else to do, I pulled him into my arms and nestled his head into the crook of my neck, cradling him to me like I did when he was just a baby. It soothed him somewhat, making him go lax against me until gradually, Sasuke began to sob and cry. He grasped hold of my clothing at my back and clung to me desperately, releasing all of his grief and pain with all the strength he had left. I held him in my arms until he had quietened, then I pulled him up onto my back and grasped my arms behind me so that I could carry him away.
From then on Sasuke was solemn and silent, no longer the cheerful little boy I had always known, slouching in silence as I gathered our belongings together. I did all the work, not wanting to interrupt Sasuke in his processing and had everything we needed move to our new apartment within the centre of Konoha, including the kitchenware, all of our savings, clothes, weapons, pictures and everything in between. For the pictures which contained Itachi, I somewhat struggled to look at them and knew that Sasuke would also loath them, so I hid those away.
Itachi's actions still troubled me greatly, as I knew that he was not a willing killer, and definitely not a murderer. I doubted even his profound loyalty to the village would tempt him to kill the innocent unless given no other alternative, as it was not in his nature to readily inflict pain. Perhaps I will simply have to ask him myself, though there was no longer any trace of him. He had completely disappeared, and with my duty to Sasuke, I could not go hunting after him. I had to ensure that I was awake before Sasuke to make his breakfast and that I was home to cook his meals, ensure that our new apartment was always spotless and that I could sit with him and help him with his homework.
Although quieter, Sasuke gradually began to return to the way he used to be with me. He turned to me for everything, even if my assistance was not necessary. I think he simply wished for my company even when it was a simple thing such as homework. He was bright, clever and very talented. He hardly needed my help at all, but in the evenings we would go to the rooftop where there was a wide open space and train together, sparring until dinner was ready or he was too tired to continue.
Sometimes we would go elsewhere to train for extra room or a higher level of difficulty, which usually meant the woods. He would practice throwing kunai, shuriken, his jutsu, everything. I dedicated each and every waking moment to Sasuke, not wanting him to ever feel lonely despite all that he had lost. I could weather it better for I had experienced this sort of tragedy before, but now that his Sharingan had awoken, I knew that the agony he must be feeling would fester inside him unless I could help him move past it.
"Onee-chan?"
"Yes Sasuke?" Turning my head so that I could see his head poking over my shoulder, Sasuke slid his arms further around my shoulders as I carried him home on my back, though he was carrying flowers in one hand and instead of going directly home, we were making a detour.
"Where do you think mother and father are right now?" His question startled me and since I had no time to prepare a logical answer, I was silent for a few moments. "Onee-chan?"
"Yes?"
"You didn't answer me." Sasuke pouted so I hummed softly, my quiet voice lulling like a gentle whisper.
"I do not know where they are, Sasuke. There is no information as to what happens to us after death. I cannot give a logical and truthful answer." Still pouting, Sasuke wriggled on my back a little, giving me a slight shake of exasperation as he did so.
"Onee-chan! You don't have to use logic for everything you know, you could just answer with an opinion every now and then." An opinion? Does he mean he wants to know what I believe happens to a person after death? In truth I did not believe anything. There is nothing to say that we did not simply become dust after many years of our bodies lying in the ground, and there certainly was no evidence to suggest that our soul went anywhere after we became deceased. In all honesty, I was not certain that we had a soul, just our conscience, but I do not think Sasuke wished for me to tell him these things, that he was looking for a small ray of hope in his little heart.
"I…think…that those who leave us become part of us. That we carry them within our memories, and they live our lives through us as they watch from the heavens." Looking to Sasuke discreetly, I was satisfied that my answer was appropriate as it did not upset him, and in fact he looked rather pleased with the answer.
"So mother and father are watching over me even now?"
"Perhaps."
"Even when I bathe or use the bathroom?"
"I am certain they will look away." Giving a little snigger, Sasuke settled once more. I carried up all the way up to the private cemetery, where the bodies of all our fallen clan had been laid to rest. It was a sombre place and I disliked going there, but at least we could pay our respects. "Now, you know what to do." Allowing him to slide to the ground, the two of us set to work cleaning every single gravestone and plot, removing old flowers, raking up the leaves, washing away moss and ensuring that everything was tidy for the departed. Sasuke went to his parent's graves, sniffing softly as he attempted to maintain a stern exterior, so I placed my hand on his shoulder silently and gave a little squeeze.
We paid our respects before I then went to the shared grave of my own parents, repeating the process. I stayed a little longer with my head bowed and my hands clasped in prayer, thinking to myself. I was not certain that they could hear me, but in the minute chance that they were aware of my inner voice, I told them all that I had accomplished recently, such as the new meal I had recently learned how to cook and how I had been granted the rank of Jonin at the age of seventeen. It was a small comfort to speak to them, even if my words fell upon empty ears. "Yuki? I'm hungry, are we going home soon?" Sasuke called to me from the entrance to the cemetery, so with a final few words I stood up.
"I am coming, Sasuke." The wind caught my hair and lifted the shorter tresses of my milky white locks. I had bound my hair in a single cluster towards the lower region of my back, gathering it into a neat array as it hung at the base of my spine. Reaching out a hand I grasped the bag of leaves we had gathered and I looked around me one last time in reverie. So many graves, and all of them belonging to an Uchiha whom Itachi had slaughtered. I still did not know all of the facts, so I was content to remain indifferent until I knew for certain whether or not he had been ordered to commit this heinous crime by a higher authority.
If he was the true culprit, however…then I do not think even I will be able to contain the fullness of my wrath.