The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the battlefield. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and smoke wafted over to them from the out-of-control fires that dotted the landscape. Miyuki, looked out at the destruction, at the corpses of friend and foe alike, and she couldn't help but shiver as her eyes took on a scarlet hue.
Earlier that morning, Miyuki and Itachi were roused from their sleep by their father, Fugaku. His usually stern face now etched with lines of worry and resolve.
"Itachi, Miyuki," Fugaku's voice was firm but gentle as he shook them awake. "Get up. We're going somewhere."
Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, the twins quickly dressed and followed their father out of the house. The village was eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle was replaced by the silence of the early morning. As they walked, Fugaku spoke, his tone serious.
"You both need to understand the true cost of war. It's not enough to train and fight. You must see what happens after. You must be able to deal with the results of a battle to effectively lead the clan in the future."
Itachi and Miyuki exchanged a glance, their curiosity was piqued but their hearts heavy with a sense of foreboding. They both knew that they were going to a battlefield today. Miyuki knew their father was right though. They needed to witness the aftermath to truly grasp the weight of their responsibilities as future clan leaders.
Walking outside the village for the first time, Miyuki paused. 'Am I really ready for this? What if we get into a fight with a ninja? Can father protect us?' Miyuki's thoughts were running wild, and her worries peaked.
However, just as she was about to spiral into what if scenarios, a hand fell onto her shoulder. Looking up she saw her father, with a resolute expression on his face.
"Miyuki, don't worry. The battle is already over, you're only going there to witness the disaster it's caused. The village has secured the area so there's not much danger for you there."
"Hn" Miyuki responded lightly, feeling much calmer after hearing that.
Later on in the evening, standing on the battlefield, the reality of their father's words hit them with full force. The ground was littered with the remnants of jutsu, scorched earth, and shattered weapons. It was a stark contrast to the vibrant village they called home.
The scent of corpses, smoke, and whatever else was there wafted over to Miyuki and Itachi both causing them to retch.
"Ugh this... this is terrible." Miyuki spoke after a while, but Itachi remained silent, not taking his eyes off the battlefield. "Itachi? Are you okay?" Miyuki asked worried for her brother.
"Miyuki, will you ever end up like these people? I mean, will our family die on the battlefield later?" Itachi turned to look at Miyuki, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "Miyuki... what's the meaning of life? Why can it be taken away in such a cruel manner?"
Hearing Itachi's rapid questioning, Miyuki was stunned for a moment. 'Oh no, is this when Itachi begins to "think like a hokage?' Miyuki thought for a moment, considering what affect her answer may have before answering Itachi truthfully. "I think we make our own meanings in life. These are all heroes who died on the battlefield so that we could continue living in peace with our FAMILY." Miyuki said, stressing the word family.
"I think that's why the village was founded. So that we could live in peace with our families without worrying about war."
Hearing her answer Itachi turned back towards the battlefield, his eyes taking beginning to change. "So, Miyuki why do wars still happen? Is it because they want to destroy our family?"
Hearing that from Itachi, Miyuki was stunned. She began to think about the clan's massacre that Itachi may cause in the future. Her mother, her father, and all the people she's met in the clan, being slaughtered by her manipulated brother. Turning back towards the battlefield, Miyuki, looked out at the destruction, at the corpses of friend and foe alike, and she couldn't help but shiver as her eyes took on a scarlet hue.
"Yes, it's because they want to destroy our family" Miyuki affirmed slowly. "They're jealous of our family Itachi, so they want to destroy us."
Itachi remained silent, but he turned to Miyuki, looking into her eyes. His scarlet sharingan reflecting her own. "We must never let our family be destroyed Itachi." Miyuki spoke as she pulled her brother into a hug. "I don't want to lose everyone, so we can't let it happen. Itachi, promise me that we'll always protect each other, and our family, from those evil guys who want to destroy us."
Itachi looked at his sister, his sharingan beginning to glow, "I promise, they'll never be able to lay a finger on us."
The promise hung in the air between them. They stayed there contentedly for a while but separated when they noticed Fugaku approaching.
"You both understand now," he said quietly. "This is the reality of our world. But it's also a reminder of why we fight. To protect those, we love and to strive for a better future."
Miyuki and Itachi nodded, their resolve to be great ninja strengthened by the sight of the battlefield and the weight of their promise. They continued to walk through the devastation, their eyes taking in every detail, every fallen comrade, every scar on the earth.
As they walked deeper into the battlefield, they saw the corpses of three genin, and a jonin instructor kneeling beside their bodies with tears in his eyes. They watched the jonin for a while, as he silently grieved the loss of his team. Feeling sorry for the man, Miyuki wanted to go up and comfort him, but Fugaku pulled her back and shook his head before speaking.
"It's best to leave him alone at this time. That's Kaito Nakamura, you can send a letter later but leave him be for now."
"Hn" Miyuki responded reluctantly as they moved away from the dead genin team.