Secrets in the Hidden Leaf

Chapter Seventeen: In Victory or in Loss

Silence arrived the table. Different pairs of eyes on me, either in disbelief, sorrow, or blankness. But I kept my gaze on my bowl of miso, afraid of what might be judged of me. I waited, but nothing, I was hoping they left, leaving me alone; I didn't even hope Sasuke would stay with me, to comfort me, to even stay with someone who seems like her parents death were nothing. My parents' death weren't nothing, though, it created a hole in my heart that's coming back slowly.

However, what was happening now, was making my heart grow that hole back.

"Amaya."

I didn't answer.

"I understand how you feel at the moment, Amaya. However, if you don't mind, I know it's a wrong time to ask you this . . . But what happened?" Tazuna asked, his words making the hole bigger. My throat was tight, and I couldn't explain, but I had to. I didn't want it to seem like I killed them.

"Where's Kei, then?" Tsnumi whispered, I was pretty surprised when she knew Kei, but I didn't look up, nor did changed my blank expression.

"She's back at Konoha . . . She's doing very well . . ." I replied hesitantly, out from the corner of my eye I saw Inari take my hand and squeezed it gently. I smiled faintly.

I took a deep breath and lifted my head, I was prepared to answer Tazuna's question. Prepared. That's what I was born for, to be prepared and to die in a cold, hard battle. Either in victory or loss. That's what Yamaguchis are born for.

"What . . . Happened?" Tazuna repeated, knowing I'm ready.

"It was a normal night, Kei was in her room, studying for her test that her sensei had told her to study. My parents were in the kitchen making dinner, and I still remember what they were going to make. I was in my room, listening to music and playing. It was only an hour later until I heard yells and screams. I thought it was my parents arguing again, but I was only a child and I thought it didn't matter. So I continued.

"It got worse . . . Obviously, I was wondering what's going on, I smelled smoke and blood. Something was going on. I exited my room to see fire and blood everywhere. Kei was crying loudly, a dark figure stood in front of her, cackling. I didn't know what was going on, I realized there was a familiar figure in front of Kei. I saw it was my mother, she was crippled, ichor covering her face and clothes, her dress was moist with blood here her torn heart was."

I saw Sakura wince, I stopped for a moment, thinking of what else. I know this day as well as I know myself, but I want other people to seem as if I forgot or I'm trying to remember.

I continued, "I couldn't believe what I just saw. Questions a six year old would ask didn't run through my mind, but I knew that I lost my mother. I also saw a burnt-looking figure near the cackling silhouette, it was my father. Bits of his clothes were torn or bloodied, his face was burned badly, and his heart was torn out of his chest." I felt my stomach churn, I was ready to throw up what have in my stomach, although I didn't have the opportunity now.

"That was when I realized the silhouette saw me. It kicked Kei aside, hard enough to make her fly in the air and hit the wall hard enough to knock her out. I wasn't sure if the silhouette was a male or female, I couldn't even tell by the voice. It said, 'Poor little Amaya, her parents are dead, her big sister, Kei, isn't able to help her. She's just alone with a murderer.'"

My throat was dry, but I couldn't stop now. I was almost done. Naruto shifted in his seat, Sasuke sat still, very still, Sakura's eyes were closed tightly. I was almost done. That's when I could leave, cry, and throw up what I can. If that was a possibility.

"I just stared at the silhouette. That was stupid of me, but I couldn't help it. I wasn't sure of what to do, I was too young. I thought I was going to die. At the exact moment, it knocked me out cold with a rock. Saying something I couldn't understand." I hesitated, and took a sip of my tea. "When I woke up, everything was nearly burnt down, but it was still covered in blood. Kei was awake, and she was crying against she had a trail of blood leading down her face. That was the last I saw Kei as herself before we took different roads in life."