Tortured Uchiha [CURRENTLY EDITING]

三

T O N G U E   T I E D 

        I didn't even have time to check on Itachi before Shisui pulled me out of the medical bay. Since our trio was the 'resistance', elders of the first branch believed that we were just naïve children that knew how to hold a sword, but as they stared at me with Shisui's arm protectively around my shoulders, I could tell their perceptions had changed.

     My parents were notified of the victory as well as my new status in the first branch. No doubt when I return to my apartment, my parents will welcome me back with open arms in an effort to lift themselves into the clan's favour under the shadow of my victory. 

     As we walked up the stairs, every second branch member patted me on the back, shook my hand or attempted to hung me. Though as we walked to the exit, one person held me back. 

      Fugaku Uchiha, head of the clan, mastermind behind the failed attempts of a coup d'état, grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me to a stop. His attention was on Itachi who was carried off in a stretcher, he didn't look at me once, it was as if my image disgusted him.

       "You were lucky today, I don't know what happened in that arena but whatever you did to my son was something nobody has ever done before," Fugaku said.

       "I just know how Itachi thinks," I replied curtly, keeping my gaze straight ahead as Shisui gripped my shoulder tighter, his agitation evident.

       "Is that so? Well, I'm so glad you know my son as if he were your own. I'll enjoy seeing you up against an Uchiha of the first branch whom you aren't acquainted with," Fugaku's tone mocked me in every way possible―he wanted to make it known that I had made him my enemy by walking out of the arena alive.

      "The rules say once an opponent has won, regardless of who it's against, they can't compete unless they're qualifying," I clipped. "I won my place in the first branch fairly, Hayate already said to avoid a blood bath, the opponent has to be unconscious or forfeit. Itachi is both."

       "...Etsuko was it?" Fugaku didn't want to be reminded of his son's failure. 

       The silence confirmed my identity. No doubt he was going to sign a fake warrant and have me thrown in custody, beaten and killed and then publish it to the clan that I was too weak to represent the first branch further.   

      "Kirudoshi and Sabako are your parents I presume?" Fugaku continued pressing for information.

       Yet again my silence gave answer to my disgraced lineage. I had a pact with my parents, I didn't speak of them and they didn't speak of me―it wasn't that I had disgraced them, but the idea inside the clan was that your first child had to be a son to maintain your branch's honour and seeing that I was a girl, it went against the codes of the second branch at the time. 

      His Sharingan turned to Shisui. 

        "I expected better from a loyal man like you Shisui," Fugaku let go of my collar almost dismissively. 

        "Lord Fugaku?" Shisui frowned.

       "You know exactly what I'm talking about. . .don't play dumb," Fugaku seemed to ignore my existence completely. "It's your reckless mind that's placed Itachi in that arena, if you stopped influencing him then I wouldn't have these conflicting feelings regarding that fact that I can't even trust my first born son―now get out of my sight."     

       I didn't ask Shisui about what Fugaku meant. It was obviously something to do with ANBU Intel. The thought of the ANBU made me cringe, it was just another reminder that I wasn't up to Shisui and Itachi's standards.