I was shocked. I'd already become an anbu leveled ninja by Akatsuki's standards.
"But Father-"
"We agreed that he should go to Konaha."
The table was silent.
"No," my mother said.
"He doesn't have a choice-"
"Itachi, I said no. He's not going. Not to Konaha or any other village," Mother interrupted Father.
Father sighed, getting irritated.
"Sakura-"
"NO!"
Before I knew it, Mother was against the wall and Father's arm was across her chest, holding her there.
"He's going, Sakura, and that's the end of the discussion where you are concerned."
I couldn't believe it. Father had never acted like that towards our mother. She sobbed and he let her go. She put her head on his shoulder and he held her there. I looked down only to see Faye and Nana with their heads in my lap. I picked them up and let them wrap their arms around my neck. Faye was shaking. Mom and Dad looked over at us and Dad sighed, leaving the room. Faye ran to our mother with Nana close behind her.
"Mommy!" they both yelled.
"Everything's okay, girls."
She picked the girls up and kissed their foreheads.
"Why did Daddy hurt you?" asked little Faye.
"I'm not hurt," she told Faye," and you're too little to understand."
"I didn't like it," Nana said.
"I didn't either, Baby Girl."
"Why is Daddy mad?"
"It's hard to explain. Your brother has to go away for a long time and I don't want him to go."
"I don't either! Why does he have to go!" Faye squealed.
"So he can become a ninja."
"But he's already a ninja," they argued.
"No, he's not. That's why he has to go."
Faye looked at me. I sighed and went to find Father. I found him outside with a cigarette in his mouth.
"If Mother sees you smoking that, you're in for it."
"I already am, Son."
There was a long pause before either of us spoke.
"When do I leave?"
"Tonight."
There was another pause, this one twice as long.
"Mother doesn't know, does she?"
Father shook his head, "no."
I sighed,"alright. Do you have a mission scroll for me?"
"I'll give it to you tonight at midnight right here. Have your non-Akatsuki cloths packed in your bag and have your weapons pouches and your guards on. Make sure to also not pack any pictures or Uchiha memorabilia," he specified.
"I'm going to the village where you and mother grew up, aren't I?"
After a moment he replied.
"Yes. And before you leave, I want to tell you something that you aren't going to like. I don't like it, but it makes me feel no different towards you as my son."
"What?"
"... I'm not your biological father. Your mother was raped by my father, and you were conceived."
My eyes widened. Was he saying I was actually his brother? He nodded at my unspoken question.
"Ryou, I will always see you as my son, that will never change. I just wanted you to know before you find out from someone in Konaha."
I nodded. He smiled, a rare thing, then said," Ryou, if ever you need help, do not be afraid to use the human summoning jutsu your mother taught you."
I nodded.
I was shocked. I'd already become an anbu leveled ninja by Akatsuki's standards.
"But Father-"
"We agreed that he should go to Konaha."
The table was silent.
"No," my mother said.
"He doesn't have a choice-"
"Itachi, I said no. He's not going. Not to Konaha or any other village," Mother interrupted Father.
Father sighed, getting irritated.
"Sakura-"
"NO!"
Before I knew it, Mother was against the wall and Father's arm was across her chest, holding her there.
"He's going, Sakura, and that's the end of the discussion where you are concerned."
I couldn't believe it.
Father had never acted like that towards our sobbed and he let her go. She put her head on his shoulder and he held her there. I looked down only to see Faye and Nana with their heads in my lap. I picked them up and let them wrap their arms around my neck. Faye was shaking. Mom and Dad looked over at us and Dad sighed, leaving the room. Faye ran to our mother with Nana close behind her.
"Mommy!" they both yelled.
"Everything's okay, girls."
She picked the girls up and kissed their foreheads.
"Why did Daddy hurt you?" asked little Faye.
"I'm not hurt," she told Faye," and you're too little to understand."
"I didn't like it," Nana said.
"I didn't either, Baby Girl."
"Why is Daddy mad?"
"It's hard to explain. Your brother has to go away for a long time and I don't want him to go."
"I don't either! Why does he have to go!" Faye squealed.
"So he can become a ninja."
"But he's already a ninja," they argued
."No, he's not. That's why he has to go."
Faye looked at me. I sighed and went to find Father. I found him outside with a cigarette in his mouth.
"If Mother sees you smoking that, you're in for it."
"I already am, Son."
There was a long pause before either of us spoke.
"When do I leave?"
"Tonight."
There was another pause, this one twice as long.
"Mother doesn't know, does she?"
Father shook his head, "no."
I sighed,"alright. Do you have a mission scroll for me?"
"I'll give it to you tonight at midnight right here. Have your non-Akatsuki cloths packed in your bag and have your weapons pouches and your guards on. Make sure to also not pack any pictures or Uchiha memorabilia," he specified.
"I'm going to the village where you and mother grew up, aren't I?"
After a moment he replied."Yes. And before you leave, I want to tell you something that you aren't going to like. I don't like it, but it makes me feel no different towards you as my son."
"What?"
"... I'm not your biological father. Your mother was raped by my father, and you were conceived."
My eyes widened. Was he saying I was actually his brother? He nodded at my unspoken question
."Ryou, I will always see you as my son, that will never change. I just wanted you to know before you find out from someone in Konaha."
I nodded.
He smiled, a rare thing, then said," Ryou, if ever you need help, do not be afraid to use the human summoning jutsu your mother taught you."
I nodded.