Fading Light

Chapter 17: Who She Was

A month or so passed and Shikamaru and I were still hiding our relationship; even from Choji. We went on several more discreet dates after a couple more missions, but nothing that would raise any questions from others about it. Lady Tsunade had taken her place as the Fifth Hokage and it felt like the village was finally going back to normal from everything that happened during the Chunin Exams.

One morning Shikamaru and I were both called to the Hokage's office.

"Shikamaru Nara and...Amaya Uchiha?" Lady Tsunade hesitated when she said my name.

"Is something wrong?" I asked when I noticed her eyeing me up and down.

"It can't be..." She muttered as she rose from her chair.

"What?" I asked a little concerned by her sudden interest in me.

"Was your father, Huga Uchiha?" I gave her a small nod. "So then...Ilya was your mother?" I was surprised that she knew my mother's name, she never went by it always her nickname Iya.

"How do you know my mother's name? She never went by it, which means you had to have been close with her." I questioned.

"That's because...your mother was my younger sister." I froze.

"What?! She...I didn't..." I stumbled surprised to find out the truth about my mother's clan: Senju.

"You were never told her birth clan were you?" I shook my head unable to speak. "I see...then your father never told you anything about her."

"No, it was the one thing he could never bring himself to talk about." I frowned. Lady Tsunade sighed.

"Huga was always so stubborn." She grumbled under her breath and looked like she was about to get back to the task at hand, but now that I knew my aunt was right in front of me I had to know the truth finally.

"How did she die?" I blurted out. Everyone who was there, looked at me surprised.

"Amaya, that isn't necessary right-" Asuma started to object.

"Its alright, Asuma. Is this truly something you want to know?" She looked at me with a somber expression on her face.

"I grew up never knowing anything about her. My father wouldn't tell me anything about her and all I know is that she passed away when I was a little girl. I want to know her I want to understand the good and bad things, it's all I have left of her now." I stated. She said nothing as she walked over to stand in front of me.

"You know your mind forced the memory away. Do you want really...want to remember the day she died, protecting you?" My eyes went wide.

"She died protecting me?"

"Yes..."

"I...I want to know. I want to know everything about her and I want to know how she died." I said determined.

"Very well..." She placed a glowing greenish, blue hand on my forehead and suddenly I felt my mind being thrust into a different time.

*flashback*

I could see my mother standing in front of my father and I, blood dripping from her forehead.

"Ilya, you don't have to do this!" My father demanded.

"Huga, if they know of her powers they will come for her. She must be protected, she must be kept safe until she can defend herself. She is my beloved daughter as you are my darling husband, I can't allow her to be all alone. Promise me, you will make sure she never feels unloved. That she knows about me and that she knows how much I loved her with all my heart. Protect her, cherish her, that is all I can ask of you now." I felt the salty tears streaming down my face.