Ryuji
As we moved through the night, the cool autumn wind against my face, I couldn't stop thinking about those eyes. Nyoko's eyes have always been completely dark, nearly all black including the iris, but before we left, they were bright red, with two tomoe prevalent in the sea of crimson. I have to redirect my focus now, there are more pressing matters than my sister's eyes.
"You realize that we're missing-nin now, right?" I say to Nyoko.
"It's not like we're from one of the Five Great Nations. A missing-nin from the Hidden Grass is hardly even a footnote," she replies.
"Perhaps no one outside of the Grass will care, but do you really think no one back home will realize we're gone? We were valuable assets to that village. They aren't going to take our defection lightly"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Typical of my sister, casually speaking about the treason we have committed. Only she could do such a thing without a care in the world.
"How do you intend to find him?" I ask. I doubt she even has a plan. She's more of a 'act first, think later' type.
"Mother said he was from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, right? Let's just go there."
"Foolish," I said. Of course she thinks it could be that easy. "What's going to happen when two ninja of the Hidden Grass just waltz into one of the most powerful villages in the world? Do you really think they would allow us to do such a thing?"
"Well what's your plan then?" she whined. She hates being wrong, yet does nothing in an attempt to have a more strategic mindset. To this day I wonder how she's made it this far as a shinobi.
"We will find a safe place to camp for the night, and come morning, we will find a neighboring village. One without shinobi. There, we will gather as much intel as possible before deciding our next move. If Fugaku truly was from the Hidden Leaf, chances are in our favor that someone in the Land of Fire will have some information."
"Okay," she agrees, reluctantly.
After traveling a little while longer, we eventually find a place to make a suitable campsite. Despite the tiresome events of the past two days, I have a difficult time sleeping. As much as I try to take my mind off of it, I just can't stop thinking about those peculiar eyes.
The moment the sun peeked above the horizon, we began to move. It wasn't terribly long before we found a small village, seemingly about half the size of the Hidden Grass. Before I can even begin to make a plan, Nyoko starts to walk in the village's direction.
I have to grab her arm to stop her. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going into the village to get information, just like you said!" she exclaimed.
"You don't know if these people will be welcoming or not, we can't just stroll in as if it's our home." It gets tiresome having to explain things of this nature to Nyoko.
"It's a tiny farming village, how much trouble could they be?" she asks.
"I'm not taking any chances with this, Nyoko. When we go in, we will find the nearest shop, and act as if we are on a mission, one given to us by our village. We will then, and only then, ask for information regarding Fugaku. Follow my lead, if things go south, we will need to make a quick exit. Do you understand?"
"Yes…" she says, begrudgingly.
We enter the first shop we find, a tiny general store. Behind the counter was an old woman, couldn't have been younger than seventy years old. Her skin resembled a date, wrinkled from head to toe. Her wiry white hair resembled a bird's nest after a snowstorm. I approach her.
"Hello ma'am. My partner and I are here on shinobi business. What can you tell us about a man by the name of Fugaku Uchiha." She seemed taken aback momentarily, and quickly regains her composure.
"I don't know a man by the name of Fugaku… but I know the name Uchiha quite well."
"What can you tell me about them?"
"They were a very powerful clan of the Hidden Leaf. I'm surprised you have never heard of them. They were touted as some of the most gifted ninja the world has ever known. They were famed for their eyes, the Sharingan eyes." The Sharingan. That's what Nyoko's eyes were.
"You said that they were a powerful clan… What happened to them?" I ask.
"You see… they were subject to a horrible tragedy… Many years ago, during one fateful night, the entire clan was slaughtered by one of its own members, Itachi Uchiha." My heart sank. I look at Nyoko from the corner of my eye and can see how heartbroken she is. "He killed every member of the clan, except for his younger brother… I don't know what your village wants with this Fugaku Uchiha, but they aren't going to get it."
"I see. Thank you for your time." I grab Nyoko by the arm and exit the shop.
"So… he's dead," Nyoko says, solemnly.
"At least we now know what happened to your eyes. We should try to find more information about the Sharingan now."
"So you want to know about the Uchiha?" a deep gravelly voice says behind us. I quickly turn around. In front of me stands a man in a black cloak marked with red clouds, his hood shadowing his face. "My apologies, I could not help but overhear your conversation with that old woman. If it is about the Uchiha that you wish to know, I can tell you everything."
I am incredibly wary of this man, but if he can give us more information about the Uchiha and the Sharingan, I feel I have no choice but to listen. "Go on," I say.
"I figured you would want to hear me out. Everything the woman in the shop said was true, but she lacked certain… details. The man you spoke of, 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku, he was a hero of the Hidden Leaf Village during the Third Great War. He was the head of the Uchiha clan. It is true, Fugaku no longer belongs to this Earth, but that is not the whole story." Nyoko and I listened very intently to his words. "He was the father of Itachi Uchiha, and was slaughtered by his own flesh and blood." I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.
"The shopkeep said that Itachi spared his younger brother, is that true?" Nyoko asked. Normally, I would be telling Nyoko to keep quiet, but I was curious as well.
"Ah yes, Fugaku's youngest son, Sasuke. It is true, Itachi spared Sasuke," the hooded man said.
"Are they both still alive?" Nyoko asked.
"Indeed they are."
"Do you know of either of their whereabouts?" I ask.
"As a matter of fact, I do." I listen closely. "Sasuke is currently roaming the ninja world with his master, Orochimaru. As for Itachi, he is currently a member of the same organization as myself, the Akatsuki."
"So, does that mean that you know Itachi personally?" I ask.
"Indeed I do."
"Is there any way you could arrange for us to meet him?" Nyoko asks. This seems to pique the man's interest.
"If I may ask, why do you wish to meet him?"
I stop Nyoko from speaking. "Because if our mother was correct… we believe ourselves to be… his half-brother and sister," I say, reluctantly.
"Mmmm… Interesting… Very interesting indeed…" the hooded man says to himself. "I suppose I could arrange such a meeting."
I am admittedly shocked that he agreed, but I am still wary of the man. "My name is Ryuji Hashimoto, and this is my sister Nyoko. And you are?"
"I have gone by many names in the past, but you may call me…" he paused briefly, and lifted his head enough to reveal an orange swirled mask with a singular eye hole.
"... Madara Uchiha"
