Fading Light

Chapter 4: Sharingan's Secrets

After dinner, Shikamaru and Choji walked me home.

"Just get some rest, alright?" Choji muttered. I smiled at him.

"I will. Thank you both for walking me home." We waved goodbye before I went inside. The place was dark but it felt as if someone had been there recently. I took a step closer to my bed room.

"Who's there?" I called out. I was met with silence. A chill ran down my spine as I heard the creak of the wood behind me. I twisted sharply to attack whoever was there, but there was no one. I took a deep breath, calming my racing heart. "Just hearing things..." I whispered to calm myself as well, getting ready to laugh it off.

"Are you though?" His voice whispered in my ear. I felt my feet freeze in their place, not wanting to meet his gaze again.

"W-Why are you h-here...?" I stumbled to get the words out. His hands pressed against my shoulders, which chilled me down to the bone.

"I wanted to see how my little brother's friend was doing." I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Liar...why are you really here?" My voice taking on a sharper tone.

"Did I hit a nerve? Did something happen between you two?"

"Yeah, you." I stated. He wrapped his arm around my throat, my windpipe struggling for air.

"I would drop the attitude." He released me, allowing me to gasp for the air I desperately needed.

"W...why...are you...here...?" I coughed out between breaths.

"You have something I want." I froze.

"I don't know what-" he cut me off by stepping on my back, pressing his foot down hard. The pain from my lungs was now being added to by the pain in my back.

"Don't lie to me, where is the ruby?" It was my father's greatest treasure. It was said to hold the secrets of the Sharingan. It was only passed down in my family, because we were the first ones to inherit the Sharingan.

"That was everything to my father...you'll have to kill me before I hand it over." I spat. He went to grab me, lifting his foot in the process, allowing me to kick his other foot to off balance him. I used his off balance to punch him into the wall, which shook the whole building. "Unless you want to die where you stand you might want to leave. My neighbors don't like loud noise, they'll call the night watch." I explained. As if on cue I heard my elderly neighbor start banging on the door.

"Do you have any idea what time it is!?" She yelled. He looked directly into my eyes, which I realized my mistake too late. The Sharingan threw me into a vision of the past. The day our clan...was murdered.

"Do you get enjoyment out of causing others pain?" I asked as the tears fell down my face. My father's bloody corpse sitting in front of me hundreds of times.

"Just tell me where the ruby is and this will all stop."

"I won't." I glared at him. "It was my father's dying wish for me to protect it. For you to know the secrets of the Sharingan...would be a waste." I could see him clench his fists. However before he could do anything, the jutsu broke as Asuma appeared at my side.

"Itachi Uchiha." He stated, setting me down against the wall. "Just rest, Amaya. I'll take care of the rest." He looked back at me, Itachi taking that time to disappear out the window.

"He's gone..." I muttered. My head splitting from pain.

"Are you alright?" Asuma came to my side as Kurenai, Kakashi and the Hokage appeared inside my apartment as well.

"I think...my head really hurts..." I put my hand against my head.

"Amaya, what did he come for?" The Hokage asked. His old face was wrinkled with concern as he took in my state.

"The Sharingan Ruby..." I muttered.

"I see..." The Hokage muttered under his breath. Asuma and the other Jonin looked confused.

"What is that?" Kurenai asked.

"It's a secret of the Uchiha clan. My father was the protector of it and that fell on me when he was murdered." I muttered. My eyes started to drop as the exhaustion of the event started to kick in. My back ached from the new bruises forming and my lungs burned with every breath.

"Lord Hokage, she looks pale." Kurenai came to my side.

"You're right. Let's get her over to the hospital. Well have the Anbu look after her until we can make certain that Itachi is gone." The Hokage stated. Asuma picked me up, which made me wince in pain.

"You were very brave today, Amaya. Not many could do what you did." He whispered to me as we left for the hospital.

"Thank you, Asuma..." I whispered back. "You knew...he was here, that's why you were thinking earlier..." I guessed.

"I wasn't sure, but I followed you after you, Shikamaru and Choji parted ways."

"I might be dead right now if you hadn't..."

"We're going to keep you safe. That's a promise." Was the last thing I heard as my mind went blank.

I won't let him have the ruby, Dad. I made that promise to you when you died...