Nyoko
As has become common, Ryuji and I immediately head back for the house when we made it back from our mission. Mother's illness has made it difficult to leave her alone for too long, but we still need to go on missions. Afterall, we need to make money somehow. It's not like we can just find ways to make money closer to home. Ryuji and I only know how to be shinobi. Mother pushed us to, ever since we were young. She wanted for us to be honorable and respectable, as if honor and respect even existed in the Hidden Grass. Luckily for her, we ended up being pretty good at being shinobi. Even when we were genin, we succeeded in virtually all of our missions. It wasn't before long that we became chunin, either. Unfortunately, most people requesting for missions go to one of the Five Great Nations, so there aren't plenty of missions to go around.
Once we get back home, we go straight to Mother's room. She looked as if she got physically sicker with each passing moment. Her once vibrant, joy-filled eyes now looked empty. What used to be the most beautiful, long, caramel-colored hair I had ever seen was now dull, dried out and unkempt. It hurt more and more every day to see her this way.
"How are you feeling, Mother?" Ryuji asked. His black hair was messy, as opposed to the way he normally slicks it back. His all black clothes were also muddy from sleeping outside the night before. I hate when I have to sleep outside during a mission. I'm sure my hair was just as messy, and I could clearly see my blue top and white shorts were covered in mud.
"Not even a hello first?" Mother weakly chuckled to herself. "I can tell I do not have much longer."
My stomach dropped every time she said something like this. "Let me go find a doctor," I said. Before I could even turn to make my way out the door, Mother stretched her arm outward.
"Don't waste your time, my daughter," she whispered. "Besides, I have something important to tell you both."
"Save your energy, mother," Ryuji said. It was as if he didn't even hear what she said. Did he not care what she had to say? Mother rarely would preface something by telling us that it was important, it surely must be worth hearing, right?
"I mean it Ryuji. It's about your father."
Suddenly, the air felt cold, and it was as if the world stopped turning. I could feel my heart beating in my throat. Our father? What does she mean?
"I need to tell you the truth about him. I know I told you that he died when you were both young… but that was a lie."
"Mother, what do you mean? Who is he? Where is he?" I asked frantically. Ryuji just stared at Mother, blankly, like he still hadn't processed her words yet.
"I need to start… from the beginning. It was the Third Great War… battles between the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the Village Hidden in the Stone fought each other, and since our village lies between them... we found ourselves to be their battlefield. One day, a group of shinobi from the Leaf made their way to our village… and they were very badly hurt. Even though it was risky, I wanted to help them. So I took them in… gave them a place to stay for a night or two. One of them was a man… he was so appreciative and thankful… I took a particular liking to him. We forged a brief relationship while he was here. I didn't think much of it at the time… it wasn't long before he went on his way, back to the war. Little did either of us know… I had become pregnant… pregnant with you two… That man's name was…"
I listened closely, the tension in the room was palpable.
"... Fugaku… Uchiha…"
Fugaku Uchiha. That was the name of our father. I looked at Ryuji, still with a blank expression. I wonder if he even listened. Or maybe this is just too much for him to process right now. Whatever it may be, it feels like my entire world has just changed.
Before I can think about what to do or say next, Mother has a particularly bad coughing fit.
"Cough… I'm sorry I waited so long to… cough… tell you two… I just couldn't bear to admit that my dear children were… cough… bastards"
That last word stung. I couldn't bother to focus on that though, as I knew that in mere moments, I'd be without my mother.
"Now that I have cleared my conscience… I can leave this world in peace…" she uttered. Her breathing was now labored. "I love you both… so much…"
"I love you too, Mother," I said, trying to not shed tears. Mother wouldn't want to see me cry for her. I looked at Ryuji. His expression wasn't blank anymore, it was strained. I know he has a hard time showing that he cares, but he needs to now. If he doesn't, I know he'll regret it.
Ryuji opened his mouth to speak, but he hesitated before any words came out. "Mother… I love you," he choked on his words. He was trying to not cry too.
Mother breathed one last breath, and then she was gone.
The next day, we buried her. A couple of her close friends came to say their final goodbyes, but funerals are not prevalent in the Hidden Grass, so it was finished rather quickly. Ryuji and I leave to go back home, and neither of us speak. I don't know what to say right now, and Ryuji has never been one to start conversations. I think it may be best to be quiet right now, at least for a little while.
We kept to ourselves for the first hour after getting back to the house. Eventually, I could no longer keep my thoughts to myself anymore. "We have to find him, Ryuji," I said, abruptly.
My brother looked at me with a bewildered look. "Find who?" he asked
"Don't be dense… Fugaku… We need to find our father."
"You're being ridiculous." He said, sternly. My face felt hot.
"What do you mean?! Don't you want to meet our father?!"
"He doesn't even know we exist, what's the point. He hasn't been in our lives at all until now, knowing his name changes nothing."
"Up until now, we thought he was dead, Ryuji. Doesn't any part of you want to at least see him once?"
"Not one bit." His voice was void of emotion. Typical of my brother. A shinobi must harden his heart, he always said. He rarely ever showed his emotions, even to me, his own sister.
"Fine then… I guess this discussion is over." I went to my room for the rest of the day. I have to meet my father. I need to see him, I have so many questions for him. If I have to go without my brother, I will.
I packed my things and waited for nightfall. I put a white cloak over my outfit, the same blue top, white shorts, and white sandals I wear on missions. I began to quietly make my way out of the house. Just as I was about to walk out of the front door, the walls of the room were now lit by a bright orange light. I turn around and see Ryuji behind me, holding a candle in his hand.
"I knew you weren't going to listen to me," he said.
"I'm not going to let you stop me… I'm going to find our father!" I exclaimed.
"I don't plan on stopping you, Nyoko."
I paused for a moment. "You don't?" I asked. I could hear the bewilderment in my own voice.
"I think that this is utterly foolish… but I can't let you go alone." He started to smirk. "Knowing you, you'd find some way to get yourself killed." He put out the candle and reached for his black cloak on the hanger near the door. "Now…" he said, "let's go find Fugaku Uchiha."
I felt a sensation in my eyes that was completely unfamiliar to me.
"Another thing..." my brother says to me. I listen closely. "We should figure out what those eyes are."
