Ten Years Prior to The Second Great Ninja War...
The First Great Ninja War might've finally come to an end, but the conflicts in between waged on. On year 32 (one year prior to The First Great Ninja War) the gallant shinobi from the prestigious Uchiha clan was given a daughter.
The mother had died due to birth complications, but the child lived nevertheless. Taku Uchiha, father to the Kunoichi who'd later be known as Ichiko Uchiha had been injured in the dead of night as clan members of the Uchiha brought him back one night.
Taku Uchiha had fallen a victim to one of the conflicts between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Cloud. Where he protected two children of the Leaf and got injured abjectly.
He'd saw Ichiko's face in the two children, and that had made his body move on its own, thus contributing to his injury.
Kagami Uchiha was the valiant shinobi who found and helped escort the injured Taku to the Uchiha District.
The Ninja Medics who were summoned upon the injured Taku tried their best and gave it their all. However, no amount of Jutsu and knowledge known back then could reverse the damage done to Taku.
As a result, he was left with a completely paralyzed left leg for the rest of his life. From that night on he'd use crutches to get by.
It was a blow to Taku's life when he learned that he'll never be able to participate in battle or any fight for that matter. Therefore he must lead a peaceful life from here on out.
That only contributed to deep depression.
Ichiko, being only ten at the time had tried her best to keep her sorrows to herself and support her father when that calamity hit their lives.
Taku swallowed his sorrows as well for the sake of his precious daughter, despite snapping and getting mental breakdowns from time to time. Ichiko would tolerate it all as she knew far too well that he was hurting deeply on the inside, and that he tries his best to conceal it for her sake.
One night, when Ichiko was pretending to be asleep, she'd heard her father having another one of his mental breakdowns in the neighboring room. He was screaming and sobbing, tearing himself apart. Ichiko had cried herself to sleep that night, all the while trying to muffle screams of her own.
When she woke up the following day, her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Nevertheless, that didn't stop her from secretly peeking through her father's room, where she saw him sprawled on the ground.
She tipped on her toes and pulled the duvet over him before she exited the room with a heavy heart. She got herself ready for the day and headed out, making sure to have prepared breakfast for her father beforehand.
There, a decent distance away from her house, she spotted Fugaku Uchiha. The goofy smile on his face, made Ichiko's eyes widen in recall.
Today was her graduation day at the Academy.
The days seemed to have blended together as she drowned herself in sorrows. 'How could I forget?', she thought to herself. She glanced over at her house and knew that the graduation ceremony would be over before her father decides to wake up.
"Ichiko!", Fugaku waved at her as he beamed with happiness.
Ichiko attempted a sly smile before waving back, "coming".
When they caught up with each other, Fugaku had said in disbelief, "I can't believe we're getting our headbands today".
"Yeah", she replied, although deep down she felt very indifferent towards the idea.
Little things would make her happy from time to time, but she couldn't help feeling like she was a letdown of some sort.
Along the way to the Academy, Fugaku wouldn't stop telling her about how he wants to get stronger when he grows up. Ichiko would nod and reply curtly from time to time. She'd involuntarily crack out a laugh at some of his jokes, which would encroach Fugaku's heart with happiness.
"I don't doubt your abilities, Fugaku", Ichiko remarked with a genuine smile, making ten-year-old Fugaku's cheeks tinted with a tomato hue.
At the Academy, a banner has been put up, congratulating the newly reformed Genin. Ichiko had smiled to herself then, knowing that she's already excelling in her training.
She'd rival her abilities to that of the blonde haired Namikaze, which she and Fugaku grew close to. Upon remembering him, Hayate Namikaze appeared out of nowhere, making Ichiko flinch.
"Goodness Hayate, can't you be a little more discreet?", Ichiko complained, her hand on her chest as she took in the sight of his blue eyes.
"S-sorry", he attempted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
Ichiko realized that he'd used the Teleportation Technique when she looked down at her feet, where the tip of a kunai was buried.
She'd looked back at him only realize how close their faces were. They caught sight of each other's eyes, before their faces burned crimson red.
"Ichiko's just being a scaredy cat as usual", Fugaku remarked to Hayate, a smug grin on his face.
"Well I don't think that she'd be able to graduate if she was a scaredy cat", Hayate was still looking in her eyes with a smile as he said this.
Ichiko's insides churned at his remark and all she could do in response to his cheesiness was raise her hand and flick him nonchalantly in the forehead.
"Ouch", Hayate stepped away while clutching his now red forehead, "that hurt".
"It might leave a mark", Fugaku remarked, to which Ichiko replied, "the headband will cover it up anyways, so there's no need to whine Hayate", she shrugged off and gestured for them to follow her inside the Academy.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Third Hokage was present onstage, congratulating the new generation of the Leaf Village with a bright smile on his face.
Ichiko, Hayate, and Fugaku stood out from the rest. The more she looked around, the more she saw parents with their children. Which was something that they completely couldn't relate to.
***
"Congratulations to us!", Hayate and Fugaku high-fived each other as Ichiko pinched both of their ears suddenly, pulling them close.
"Now, you two knuckleheads, we are now Genin, you better act accordingly. Understand?", she stressed on each word as the two of them squirmed in pain.
"Understand?", she darted her murk eyes to Fugaku as she awaited for his response.
"Y-yes goodness Ichiko you're hurting my ear let go", Fugaku complained, his eyes were scrunched up in pain.
Eventually, Ichiko let go of Fugaku and turned her slit eyes to Hayate perilously, "and you?", she arched a brow.
Hayate had pouted then, imitating the way Ichiko's lips pucker when she's serious about something and said, "in your Genjutsu".
The girly voice he tried to pull off as he said that suggested that he was doing an impression of Ichiko's natural voice. That made Ichiko's face burn red as she tightened her pinch on his ear, making him squirm.
"F-flying Raijin!", Hayate blurted out loud.
In the next moment, Ichiko's hand was left pinching the transparent air as Hayate appeared behind her and quickly flicked her ear.
"Ow!", she bellowed as she turned on her heel to face the grinning Hayate.
"You jerk!"
"Hey, you started it!", Hayate shrugged off, then turned to Fugaku, "isn't that right?"
"Meh, what's up with our Sensei? He's late", Fugaku remarked as the three of them patiently waited in an empty classroom.
"Come to think of, you're right", he's late", Hayate pouted to himself.
"Calm down its only been like what...an hour...", Ichiko trailed off as she realized that they're the only ones without a Sensei.
"Ahhhhhh", what if we don't get a Sensei at all?", Ichiko's pessimistic side was kicking in suddenly.
"Calm down Ichiko, you're overthinking stuff as usual", Hayate rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Well yeah, but the point remains, we're the only ones left. We should be at the training grounds by now", Ichiko inserted as she watched Hayate desperately trying to adjust his tilted headband.
"It's a good thing that they decided to stick us together", Fugaku remarked as he doodled on the chalkboard.
"Huh"
"We are basically the only ones who can tolerate each other", Fugaku said it like he'd just achieved world domination.
"Right", Hayate snorted like a pig, making Ichiko roll her eyes as she walked up to him.
She sighed and took his headband from him. Hayate somewhat blushed when Ichiko went behind him and began tying the headband in a perfect horizon above his eyebrows, concealing the mark she'd caused on his red forehead.
"You can't do simple things and you expect to be a ninja?", she remarked as she abruptly tightened the headband around his head. Which lead Hayate to think that he might've gotten some brain damage from the gesture.
"R-right..."
The three of them stopped goofing around at once, and they turned their heads in the direction of the door. They held their breath in anticipation as the door slid open suddenly, revealing a smiley face.
"Sorry I'm late"
Hayate, Ichiko, and Fugaku exchanged glances with each other as their eyes widened.
"Wh-what?", the Sensei asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"We just didn't expect to get such a cool Sensei!", Hayate yelled out of joy, making Ichiko's ear drums bleed.
"Oh. My. Lord!", Fugaku beamed as both he and Hayate began jumping out of joy. Ichiko shrugged off nonchalantly before suddenly beaming and following suit with her two crackhead of comrades.
"Ok, ok, you guys can stop now, Uhh really it's embarrassing...", the fresh-faced twenty-three-year-old Sakumo Hatake nervously said.
"Teach us all kinds of tricks?", Fugaku inquired with a toothy grin and puppy eyes.
"Y-yeah..", Sakumo replied uncertainly.
"GREAT!!", Hayate beamed again, he suddenly pointed at the threshold where Sakumo stood and declared, "OFF TO THE TRAINING GROUNDS!!!".
"YES!"
"OH MY, YES!!"
"W-wait..."
"LETS SEE WHO CAN GET THERE FIRST!"
"OH YOU BET!", Ichiko challenged.
"H-hey guys, c-calm down..."
"YASSSS"
But the ten-year-olds were too carried away. As a result, they'd lowered their torsos at once and flew past Sakumo like a flash. Leaving Sakumo to contemplate his life decisions.
***
Despite his students' somewhat feral behavior, Sakumo couldn't help, but feel proud of the team he'd been given. They learn fast and have natural talent, something that completely contradicts their goofy appearances.
Sakumo watched in awe as his students excelled in all the tasks he'd given them. He knew well that they were far too advanced to teach them simple ninja tricks.
Ichiko had decided to take a rest from training with Hayate and Fugaku. She'd sat in the cool shadow casted by a giant tree as she watched her two comrades in awe. They really were the perfect team.
Hayate and Fugaku were practicing Taijutsu, which was supervised by Sakumo as he corrected their movements from time to time.
Ichiko rested her head against the tree and sulked in. She let the breezy wind whisk away the fallen strands from her braid. She closed her eyes and took in a moment of peace to meditate.
The moment she decided to open her eyes, she immediately caught sight of the spider web above her head. Her brows furrowed as she squinted her eyes to scrutinize it.
Her mouth fell agape when she spotted a petite white butterfly with a broken wing, ensnared in the spider web.
She rose up to her feet immediately, not taking her eyes off of the web. Then she glanced back at her preoccupied team and took in a deep breath.
She patted away the dirt on her clothes and adjusted her headband. She whipped out two kunais and pierced them into the tree bark. Her body began to carefully climb along the tree as she'd momentarily held onto her breath, before exhaling again.
Once she'd reached the tallest branch, she swallowed the lump in her throat and refrained from glancing down before further crawling towards the web.
She carefully approached the spider web, making sure she doesn't lose balance as she held onto her breath. Her finger tips barely reached the squirming butterfly despite her attempts.
Then, in a swift move Ichiko cupped both of her hands over the tiny creature and yanked it off of the sticky web.
A laugh of joy contorted her face before her eyes suddenly widened and she screeched.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
Of course she'd lost her balance, earning the attention of her team instantly.
She curled up as a defensive mechanism as she knew the fall from this height will break a bone. Instead, she'd heard Hayate say "Flying Raijin" as she spotted a kunai casted her way.
In the flash that the Namikaze are known for, Hayate had caught Ichiko with perfect timing. He'd landed on the ground steadily before remarking, "goodness Ichiko you're one heavy lady".
Ichiko sulked in his arms on purpose, making it harder for him to stay steady and replied with a straight face, "no one told you I need help", she lied.
"Then get out of my arms", Hayate took away the arm that held her legs in bridal style, making her stand on her feet again.
Sakumo and Fugaku rushed over immediately to inspect what had happened.
"What happened?", Sakumo inquired in concern, his eyes darting from Hayate to Ichiko.
"Ichiko are you alright?", Fugaku asked.
"Uhh", Ichiko attempted, "I...am", her eyes then trail down to her cupped hands and her expression saddens.
Hayate, Fugaku, and Sakumo lean in anticipation of what's cupped in between Ichiko's hands. She slowly unveils the petite butterfly, making Hayate sulk.
"Seriously?", Hayate scoffed, "a butterfly?".
"It's wing is broken", Sakumo remarked.
"It was caught on a spider web", she muttered to herself as she witnessed the small creature attempt to fly again in utter vain.
"You almost fell off of a decent height to kill you", Fugaku inserted, eying her carefully.
"All this for a broken winged butterfly?", Hayate asked in disappointment.
Ichiko remained silent for a moment as her eyes scrutinized the wound of the butterfly.
"I just don't like seeing people get hurt", she replied with a sad smile, earning an empathetic look from Sakumo as Hayate and Fugaku simply looked perplexed.
Ichiko then sank in the ground and scrutinized the butterfly with somewhat teary eyes.
"Both of you", Sakumo directed his speech to the two clueless boys, "let's give Ichiko some time alone".
Hayate and Fugaku looked back and forth between Sakumo and Ichiko before they complied.
For as long as she could remember, Ichiko had wanted to become a Medical Ninja for her hopes of figuring out a way to cure her father's left leg someday. She'd discreetly learned some medical Ninjutsu, hoping she'd surprise her father someday by miraculously gifting him back his left leg.
But as time passed on, she felt hopeless.
Each one of her father's writhing tore away at her heart, rendering her to be an empath.
Later on, she'd spend that entire evening endlessly trying to pour chakra into the injured butterfly. She was sure she'd spend at least two hours straight, before her stillborn tears gave in and flecked the wings of the petite creature.
Ichiko bit down hard on her lip as she sulked beside a tree.
"I'm sorry...", she wasn't sure if she whimpered it to the butterfly or her father, "I can't do any better than this..."
"I'm trying I swear, but it's all in vain".
"Ichiko..."
Her head suddenly snapped around where her bloodshot eyes fell upon Hayate.
Without a word Hayate treaded to her and sat down in front of her, cross-legged. He cupped his hand under hers as she watched in anticipation.
Hayate's blue eyes met her dark ones and he said, "try concentrating your chakra directly into the wound".
Something about Hayate's small smile made Ichiko's gaze linger.
Hayate had learned of what happened to Taku Uchiha from Sakumo. And felt bad about making that previous remark.
Ichiko wiped away her tears and nodded. The feel of Hayate's hand on hers soothed her from the panic attack she was just about to undergo.
"Come on", he said with a faint smile, "don't be a scaredy cat Ichiko we are Genin now remember?".
Ichiko scoffed momentarily before hovering her hand over the butterfly again.
She'd peek glances at Hayate from time to time, which would disrupt her concentration. Meaning, they had to start all over again.
Hayate kept reminding her to breath in and out as she concentrated her chakra. His voice encouraged her to keep going and before they knew it, Ichiko held her breath.
Ichiko looked back up at Hayate, waiting for some kind of signal. Hayate nodded in response, his own breath cut short in anticipation.
She unveiled the butterfly only for a big smile of disbelief to break on her face, when the butterfly had finally ruffled its perfect wings in sync.
"Well done", Hayate remarked, his own eyes sparkling with exhilaration.
The bent in the wing was gone for good. Hayate and Ichiko looked at each other and nodded instinctively. Hayate's hand, which was placed under Ichiko's was slightly lifted high until the butterfly decided to take off and into the wilderness it disappeared.
From that day on Ichiko's heart sparked with hope again.
She'd catch sight of multiple butterflies from that day on. Each time she wondered whether the one she and Hayate helped heal was among them.
The sight of them warmed Ichiko's heart unconditionally. Eventually, it'd become a natural phenomenon to see Ichiko with a flock of butterflies all by herself. She'd speak to them as she appreciated their majestic sight.
She'd go off into the wilderness all by her own to make flowers crowns that'll attract the butterflies.
She'd talk so much around them despite knowing that she's talking to no one but herself. Until one day, a voice whispered back to her catching her off guard.
For sometime then, Ichiko had convinced herself that it's all in her head until further notice.
When she finally accepted that the butterflies could somehow miraculously talk back to her, she'd labeled it as her petite secret.
The days seemed to blend together as Ichiko would fulfill her Genin duties and her house chores during the day, and go off to the butterflies during the night.
It wasn't until one day, that her father was feeling calm and nice did she feel the need to cry in front of him.
It was Ichiko's day off as a Genin and her father was feeling good today.
"Ichiko come here", he calmly said, a wrinkly smile on his face.
Ichiko complied and skidded over to him.
"Sit down", he said, to which Ichiko simply complied.
Ichiko took a seat at her father's feet, where he instructed her to. She sulked against his legs and pulled her knees to her chest.
In Taku's lap, there was a small basket filled will different species of flowers. He'd smiled and took her long braid, only to start inserting the colorful flowers from his basket.
From the red Camellias to Marigolds to Daisies, it'd be an understatement if it wasn't said that her braid looked like a masterpiece. He inserted the red camellias into the crooks of her braid and placed white daisies behind her ears.
"I'll be out tonight", he stated, killing the silence in the atmosphere.
"What's the occasion?", Ichiko skeptically asked.
"Oh I'll just catch a breath", he assured.
"I'll be back before eight p.m."
"O-okey..."
"Listen", he started in a more serious tone, "I'm sorry for burdening you so much Ichiko. I'm sorry that you have to sometimes sit through my breakdowns in your room".
"Fa-"
"I know you cry yourself to sleep every time I tear myself apart like that. And for that I'm sorry", he cuts her off, "I just want you to know that I will always love you Ichiko".
Ichiko knew better than to say anything else, other than 'I love you too' in return.
"I'll be back", he patted her head, before taking his crutches.
And he lied. Ichiko had waited on her nerves as the clock ticked past eleven p.m. She'd taken her precautions beforehand by sending out some of her new friends after him.
She left the window open on a thunderstorm night, waiting for the butterflies to come back and set her heart nerve-free.
There was something wrong, she could feel it in her bones. She kept trying to shake it off as pessimistic thoughts caused by being an empath, but...
The butterflies had come back to her, only to tell her of her father's location. Which she didn't wait out any longer and embarked on the journey to find her him.
'Father what are you going to do?', her breath heaved as the question begged and begged in her mind. But there was no certain answer, at least not until she goes up to him directly.
The butterflies kept reminding her to breath, but that was the last thing on her mind.
She'd tried to keep calm as the butterflies directed her to her father's location.
Which happened to be at the Naka river.
Ichiko's breath hitched in her throat when she spotted her father standing with his crutches near the end at the Naka river.
"Father...", she gasped, her eyes glossy with stillborn tears.
"Ichiko, you made it...", he smiled.
"There's something I have to tell you", he declared, the wind blowing away at his equally dark hair.
"Wh-what is it?"
Taku turned to face his daughter straight in the eyes and said, "I saw it", he narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"The night of my injury, I saw your red eyes, Ichiko"
"What are you talking about?", she gasped.
"You manifested the Sharingan that night Ichiko", he replied, tipping his head low.
"What does that have to do with anything?", she swallowed the lump in her throat as she patiently waited for her father's response.
"Listen, Ichiko", he glanced up at her again, " ever since that night, I have only been a burden to you, darling. You'd bury your sorrows deep in your heart for my sake, but I saw it all through your eyes. You were hurting as well and there was nothing I could do about it. I failed you-"
"No!", she blurted out, scaring away a few butterflies, "don't talk like that please-let's just go home...", she whimpered.
"Ichiko darling", he gave her a sad smile, "I won't stick around forever you know that? In fact I stopped being around once this injury happened, I even missed you graduation".
"That's not important!", she yelled back, "just knowing you're safe and sound is enough for me, please come back home dad!".
"Don't cry, Ichiko. The time will come where I'll be gone and when that happens I want you to be strong and solid. Which is why...", he stammered as Ichiko stared him with her wide eyes.
"I want to give you something before I part the realm of the living and I'm pretty sure you're smart enough to know what it is"
"No...father please don't...", she choked on her voice with her desperate attempts.
"Mangekyō Sharingan", Taku replied, making her heart sink as she knew what that meant. The words rang back and forth in her ears as her breath heaved.
"D-dad..."
"You have to be strong, Ichiko, you have to learn how to survive. Conceal this power you have for not everyone should know everything about you", he smiled, a small tear rolling down his cheek as he appreciated the sight of his daughter.
"Don't...", she sternly said, taking a step closer.
"Forgive me, Ichiko, you have to forgive me before it's too late".
"Please!", she begged.
"Whatever happens, just know that I'm proud of you".
Her sorrows only buried deeper further, when the wind howled past her as her father tumbled back from the edge and collapsed to his inevitable death.
A high-pitched scream pierced her ears, only for her to realize it'd eluded her as she fell to her knees and blankly stared at the edge.
"He's gone...", her lower lip quivered and the flowers in her braid loosened.
Her eyes were wide and open as the scene replayed before her unblinking eyes.
Next thing she knows, her veins are churning with hatred, because right then, she'd just unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Her scream didn't go unnoticed as someone who was scouting nearby followed the emanating sound until his eyes fell upon Ichiko.
"Ichiko?"
Ichiko grit her teeth together and muffled another scream by covering her mouth. She dug her nails in the dirt and closed her eyes shut.
"W-what happened?!", the voice of her twenty-five-year-old blood relative, Kagami Uchiha demanded as he rushed up to her and knelt beside her.
"Ichiko?"
Kagami had then glanced at the edge of the Naka river and saw the crutch that was hanging on the edge. He gasped in pure shock before his eyes darted to the trembling Ichiko who was crying uncontrollably.
"He left me", she whimpered.
Kagami's heart sank in his stomach as he asked, "Ichiko, look at at me...hey come on look at me".
Ichiko squirmed under his attempts at trying to catch her attention.
Kagami swallowed the lump in his throat as he needed to confirm this suspicion in his gut.
"Ichiko, come on now, look at me...", his hand swiftly snaked to her chin as he pulled her chin up.
When Kagami looked straight into the sophisticated pattern of Ichiko's Sharingan, he only saw the flames of hatred that wanted to devour this world down.
Her teeth were grinding against one another and her nostrils flared in and out.
His own eyes widened at the sight of the Mangekyō.
And right here, he knew he had to make a choice. He knew there was something that should be done to prevent her from going down the path of hatred.
The endless cycle of hatred. And so he attempted to do just that.
"Listen Ichiko...", he began, his own eyes blinking back a few tears.
"I don't want to!", she cried out loud.
"Taku didn't die in vain", he took her small hand in his large one, "I can assure you that".
"What?", she whispered as she stopped crying for a moment to search his eyes for an answer.
"Your father was a gallant and honorable man, do you think he'd be happy to know that you went down the dark path of hatred".
"He killed himself right before my eyes", Ichiko sniveled.
"I know, and I'm sorry...but hardening your heart will not bring him back will it?", Kagami held his breath as he searched her Mangeykō eyes.
"No..."
"Tell me, Ichiko what'd he tell you?".
Ichiko searched Kagami's face for a moment before sniveling out, "you have to forgive me before it's too late".
Kagami smiled faintly and said, "then forgive him Ichiko. Forgive the cruelty of this world and what it's let your father to. Show it that your Will of Fire is stronger than any predicament thrown your way. Show it that you have what it takes to survive in it".
Ichiko simply blinked back tears as she stared back in his eyes, searching for any skepticism.
"The Sharingan is a token of affection", he smiled.
"A-a token of affection?", she echoed back.
"When life goes on you hard, show it your token of affection like it's an honorable medal. Show it that you are strong and that you've held on long enough to dwell here".
He placed a gentle hand on the top of her head and said the thing that'll stick with Ichiko forever, "The Sharingan is a blessing, not a curse, so let's only use it in favor of the good".
Right then, as Ichiko stared longer in Kagami's eyes, her own lost that sophisticated pattern and descended into the abyss of her murk eyes.
Her eyes slowly clicked shut as she whispered, "token of affection.."
With that, she fell into Kagami's arms as she lost her consciousness due to the Mangekyō.
Later on, Kagami would have died, but not without passing on his Will of Fire onto Ichiko. Who would grow up to be the beloved Kunoichi that everyone knows.
Deep down, Ichiko has always been thankful for Kagami Uchiha's words to her that fateful night. And she remembered them, even when she was breathing in her last breaths.
___________________________________
A/N:- That was quite long. Tell me if you enjoyed it. This is probably the longest chapter I've ever written so far, about 4000 words. And yes, Sakumo Hatake is way older than Fugaku. I'd gotten this info from a Naruto timeline on tumbler.
Sakumo was born on year 19 while Fugaku was born on year 32 along Ichiko and Hayate✨✨
Saika is my fav Naruto ost and if you imagine the scenes that occurred in this chapter while listening to Saika, then it'll all be extra sad✨✨
~A