Wildflower Book 1 | Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter63: Cutting Ties

"I, Uchiha Tamakiku, hereby declare my departure from Anbu, both as a leader and an operative. I will not be joining the regular forces, nor will I be returning to serve as a Konoha shinobi. This does not mean that I am defecting, and so you don't need to view me as an enemy nor a threat. I love Konoha, but I can't stand being there anymore.

I'm sorry, Tsunade oba-san, I hope you'll understand. With love from your niece, Uchiha Tamakiku."

There was silence as Inoichi lowered the letter, his gaze slowly rising to look at the fifth Hokage.

"Tama-san is your niece?", Kakashi asked incredulously. It felt like a large brick had struck the top of his head. Of all that things that the letter said, the only words that hurt him were those revealing that Tsunade was her aunt. How was it possible? Wasn't she Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha's daighter?

"Yes. It's a long story.", Tsunade said, clearly sombre as she studied her hands on the desk.

Kakashi was baffled. So, all this time, when the girl was raised by someone who didn't particularly want her, she did nothing. Did she see the mess that Tama was, always trying to fit in somewhere by doing more than what was required of her?

"Was Tama's mother a Senju? Who were her parents, actually?", Anko asked. Shizune looked away, somewhat guilty. She had a vivid idea of why Tama made this choice, and it worried her that Tsunade was a the centre of it.

"Both Tama's parents were Uchiha. However, her grandmother was my aunt. Everyone present is too young to remember her, but Mika was meant to be the nine tails Jinchūriki after my grandmother, Mito. Lord third thought it was best not to make that descion since... She fell in love with an Uchiha. Back then the Uchiha clan was our biggest worry in Konoha, and Mika was stubborn, so despite the third Hokage's warning, she went ahead and dated Kazui. At this, Kushina was immediately sent over and, thanks to my grandmother, Mika was able to marry thean she loved. Tama is Mika's granddaughter, her son was Uchiha Hono.", Tsunade explained. In the crowd of Jōnin, one Yamanaka seemed like he had been stabbed with a knife in the gut. Minato was like a little brother to him, and Tama meant a lot to him. Now, he wondered if letting her go was a good choice.

"I see, this is why Kushina insisted on keeping her close despite the tension between the council and the Uchiha clan.", he said with a heavy sigh. Even without Kushina and Minato, she would have become the best at something. Now that he thought about it, the girl did get this far on her own, because two years of gentle explanations surely couldn't have been much.

Next to him, his clan head, Inoichi thought the exact same thing. Tama was no force to be reckoned with, if she wanted to leave, then nothing could be done. It wouldn't be wise to raise any tension with her.

"We can't afford to make her an enemy, we already have Itachi to worry about. Him, Orochimaru, and the Akatsuki, that is.", Shikaku said thoughfully. Inoichi nodded in agreement.

Tsunade sighed. Everyone was clearly trying to keep a cool head after the revelation. For that, she was thankful, but it was to be expected. Secrets were the very foundations upon which the shinobi world were built.

"We'll continue as normal. I'll put together a team to locate and confront her. I'll need Inoichi, Ensui, and Makaro to take her place at the border. Our Anbu is currently conducting extensive investigations, so we have no choice but to heavily realy on you Jōnin.", she said tiredly, before turning to look at Shizune.

"I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you, Shizune, Santa, and Aoba.", she said. The young woman nodded.

...

Mizubana had devoted her entire life to further strengthening her clan. To see that now, after three generations, the intent was still the same. While she had never seen anything like what Tama was capable of doing, she was pleased.