Promotion Celebration!

Finally home.... Nyguyen thought gratefully as he saw his house come into view. The former Hokage was walking down the stony path leading to house in the Uchiha Clan District. Nyguyen's home was what one could call upper-middle class. It was a large two story luxury home with all of the amenities and even a small guest house in the back. His wife's father bought it for them after they had gotten married and he had lived there all his life. Even when he became Kage and his salary increased, he had kept it. There were plenty of good memories there and although it could be a chaotic place at times, right now it felt like a holy refuge.

Nyguyen was carrying a packaged sword secured to a strap that was slung around his shoulder and he was humming a tune from his favorite childhood program, the Adventures of Farfour. He was in a good mood, or at least, what felt like a good mood. He wasn't sick to his stomach due to stress, blind with rage, or inconsolably wracked with guilt. He felt normal, hopeful even. Not for himself or even the future but for those who cared about. Today had been the day that Mercedes had received her promotion letter in the mail. Of course, everyone in the household already knew she was going to make Jounin. He had never told her and he had over the course of the war become resistant to her attempts to needle the truth out of him. That didn't mean she didn't have her other sources. A few weeks before the Notification Date he had caught her bragging to her younger sister. He wasn't sure how the cat got out of the bag, but since it was now roaming about, the best he could do is adopt it and make it his own. He took the opportunity and turned it into a lesson.

If Mercedes could keep her knowledge to herself, he'd make it worth her while. At first, she was hard pressed to believe him, but when he told the family that he was now going to be serving as the Administrator of the Heavenly Emporium she looked at him with something resembling awe for the first time in years. If her Dad was going to be in charge of the greatest city on Earth then maybe he did have a thing or two to surprise her with. Mercedes agreed. There would be no more discussion of her promotion until the letter officially came in the mail. In the meanwhile, Nyguyen had set about planning a fun get-together. He had invited the Hokage and while he woudln't take it personally if the man didn't show, he couldn't think of a better person to help usher in his daughter's career as as an Elite ninja of the Hidden Leaf. He had bought all of the family's favorite food and had instructed his faithful maid, Yui to ensure that the home was spotless and in order. If she had time, she could help his wife Porsche cook who had taken it upon herself to prepare a feast fit for a Queen. The only one who had been unaccounted for was Innocence. The girl was usually tasked with helping Yui but she was very good at finding ways to shirk her responsibility. Nyguyen also suspected she was rather jealous of all the attention that Mercedes was receiving. It didn't help that she wasn't even a genin yet.

He'd probably have to set aside time to talk to her later, but for now, he needed to get home and hide Mercede's present before she got home. The letter had arrived mid-afternoon and she had gone out with some friends to celebrate. She promised to be back home in time for dinner later in the evening which gave Nyg and his family enough time to get everything ready. Nyguyen unlocked the front gate and headed towards the back. He walked up the back porch steps and approached the back door. He could immediately smell the delicious aroma coming through the window. He inhaled deeply and sighed in contentment.

No. He wasn't okay. He was good. For the first time, in a long time, he felt good. He knocked lightly not wanting to draw to much attention. The fewer people who saw Mercedes's gift the better.

Yui was excited, truth be told without Nyg around she felt alone, sure she had the others but he was her soul and savior. She was still quite angry at him but she could forgive his actions even if she felt they had been cruel and unjust, sometimes justice was grey, and its a no-win situation. She had carefully cleaned and organized the house for several weeks, after all someone was advancing in the shinobi world even if it was not herself.

She had a lot to discuss with Nyg but for now, she would make this the best party for Mercedes, she not only cleaned but helped make the food as well. The food smell filled the air as she smiled it was a perfect house, everything was clean and tidy even if she had some dark secrets herself. She only hoped Nyg never discovered her self punishment as she felt she had done so little to help the village and had not earned her worth as an Uchiha.

She heard a light knock on the door and smiled, she was very sure she knew who this was, it had to be Nyg trying to be quiet to not draw attention to his gift as she quietly opened the door and bowed before her master.

"It has been sometime master everything is prepared and perfectly suited to Mercedes tastes, I hope she will enjoy this. I am unsure what Innocence is up too she has not really been around much."

The moment Nyguyen stepped inside the house. He knew Yui had outdone herself. She was the finest maid that he could ever hope to have. He had raised her to be a steward of his household and though he was quite fond of her, he had done his best to not treat her like one of his own children. If he grew too attached and too close, it might compromise her ability to better serve his family. It was a tough position but when he adopted her, it was one of the rules he had set for himself. He would always protect her and be there for her, but as her Master not her Father.

The war had forced him to rethink that. He tried to see other shinobi as assets that could be groomed and cultivated but over time he couldn't help but see them as extended family. And when the time came to deploy or discard them as needed, he felt a piece of his soul break each time. The line between son and subordinate, daughter and maid were blurry. He had lost three ninja who were close to him because of that line of thinking and now he feared that Yui might one day suffer the same fate. She's been good to me...good to this family...she's more than just a housecarl..... Nyguyen had to re-focus. If he tried to ascertain how he felt about Yui's position in the family, he'd grow stressed and put himself in an anxious mood. Today was not the day for such melancholies.

He nodded in acknowledgement of Yui's bow and inhaled deeply. The aroma of Mercedes's favorite foods wafted through the kitchen and filled his nostrils. He looked around and saw a home in perfect order. "It certainly has. The War has pulled my attention from home, but I'm fortunate to have you here helping my wife run the household. Mercedes will be more than pleased. You've done impeccable work as always Yui." he kept his tone professional and authoritative, although Yui could probably tell that he was happy to see her. When Yui brought up Innocence, he could only sigh and shake his head. He closed the door behind him and entered into the kitchen.

As he walked, he inspected the food that Yui had prepared:

Chicken & Waffles. No thighs, drumsticks only drizzled in strawberry syrup.
Pork Buns. Baked firm but with a bit of give.
Chicken shish-kebob. No onions on the ends.
Sticky rice and stew pork with extra spicy sauce.

Good....very good...

As he walked, he also talked. "Innocence is probably off sulking somewhere. She's good at avoiding her chores but if she's been absent for this long then something is definitely bothering her. She has yet to graduate the academy and under the new Hokage's policy, she won't be eligible to take part in any serious missions for some time." Nyguyen set Mercedes's present on a nearby table, blocking it with his body in case anyone else came into the kitchen. "I don't want her spoiling the celebration. This is supposed to be Mercedes's special day and we have several important guests coming by. If you happen to see her, send her to my study. I need to have a talk with her...."

Nyguyen paused and sighed. There was no helping it. He needed to address this now or it would eat at him during the party.


"I also need to have a talk with you...."

Yui was happy to see him with her having a genuine smile, but she had a secret, besides the flogging of herself she also was much stronger than anyone realized. She made herself seem weak to avoid conflict with the Uchiha, if she was known to be strong it would cause a shake and stir in her clan and mark her as a target. This would in turn make Nyg and his family a target and it was not something she wished on him.

She did feel Innocence was being rather immature but this was fine, this was how kids that didn't suffer tragedy should be, slightly spoiled and brats it meant they had a good life. She heard him say he wanted to talk with her as she would follow him to his study and closed the door behind her.

"What is it my master, was everything not set as you desired if so I can quickly fix any of my mistakes. I can't be failing at the one thing I am good at, I am sure others wonder why you have someone as worthless as me here and I don't blame them for feeling this."

If he could see past her hiding her chakra and ability he will see she was a monster in power now, her ability was far from a joke, and playing as a sheep was just her way of keeping everyone safe.

Nyguyen would take Mercedes's present with him as he made his way to the study with Yui following him. He was careful not to let his wife see it as he wanted it to be a surprise for everyone except Yui, who would have the honor of presenting it to his eldest daughter. He leaned against his office desk but not before setting the sword to the side. Yui would lock the door behind her and ask him if she had done something wrong. She even implied that she was worthless to which the former Hokage shook his head and walked over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and bid her look into his eyes.

"No Yui. Your work was impeccable. You did everything perfectly and I won't have you changing a single thing. You are not worthless. You have always been a loyal servant to this house and....." Nyg had more to say, but he couldn't bring himself to say it yet. He opted for a compromise version of what his heart wanted to say. "I consider you a member of this family. Anyone who makes you feel less than will have to answer to me"

This was not an empty threat. The impotent weakling of yesteryear was gone. The man standing before her now was a force to be reckoned with and anyone who crossed him would not live long enough to regret it. Nyg knew what others said however wasn't as important as what she thought about herself. Yui set a high bar for herself and she did it because Nyguyen had commanded her to.

He was hard on her that was true. Whereas he had spoiled his daughters to the point where (until recently) they didn't respect him, he had given Yui no opportunity to slack. From afar, one might assume he did not care for her and that he was just using her for free labor. However, in reality, Nyg cared for Yui deeply. He had taken her in and given her a purpose. She served his family yes, but she was still a part of it. Given the stigma surrounding her birth, there were political considerations that prevented him from outright adopting her. But if she was under his household as a maid, then none could impinge on her honor without insulting him directly.

Nyguyen believed in his hardest of hearts that he was protecting Yui and that by showing her a firm hand, he was making her strong enough to stand on her own without his help one day. Little did he know, it was Yui who was protecting him. Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine that his maid was one of the strongest Uchiha in the clan.

"I wanted to talk to you about your career....I don't want you to just be the greatest maid in the Uchiha Clan. You deserve more than that. You have the heart of a warrior and I promised you that when the time was right, I'd make sure you'd get the training you needed to succeed. I haven't kept up my end of the bargain and I want you to know that I'm sorry for that. I was so busy looking after the village that I didn't look after my own people. I wanted to tell you that that ends today. As of this moment, ensuring you and Innocence catch-up to Mercedes is my number one priority. I will personally see to it that you each get a chance grow stronger.....even if I have to train you myself."

Yui's team had fallen apart and he had done nothing to remedy it. She wasn't in a position to demand more than what the village had given her and he assumed that she hadn't complained because she did not want to draw shame to him. She would go back to maintaining the home without complaint even if she wished to continue her career. Nyg could not let that go on any longer. Mercedes would be moving out soon (Kami give me the strength) and with one less person to tend to, Yui would have more than enough time to finish what she started.

Yui would listen to his words, he said she was like family but in Uchiha politics, she was a black sheep. He could not openly say how he felt and that in itself ate at her. He did not know but to her, he was her father, he was someone she cared for deeply, in truth that loved had bloomed into a love she could not have. He talked about her carrier and stalling it and how he blamed himself, but he did not understand her emotions. She wanted to serve him because for a very long time she was deeply in love with him, she had emotions and feelings that welled up inside of her that had to burst out.

"You just don't understand, you never have understood, I always wanted to be around... it isn't just because of your daughters, it's because I fell in love with you long ago. I couldn't say anything because your married, and it gutted me how could I be so selfish to wish we were together and not you and your wife. Do you really think someone my age would have stayed around being a simple servant without any desires, I am a selfish and terrible person, I wanted you for so long and did not care if you were married. I know I am a terrible person but I am tired of holding this in... if you wish me gone from your house I will leave but it won't change my feelings toward you."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, it was so clear she held this in for so long and it was the source of her self punishment. Her flailing herself for loving someone she could not have and doing this to suppress her feelings but finally it had been too much all the emotions came out as her eyes were now red with three tomoe showing. She had no intention to harm him but it may be a shock for him to realize she had grown that strong.

There were many responses that Nyguyen expected to hear from Yui. He expected her to dismiss his concerns of neglect or perhaps be thrilled that she'd finally get to learn directly from him. He even accounted for the possibility that she might be angry at him for not having this conversation sooner. What he did not expect was for her to confess her love for him. The former Hokage froze and his throat felt like stone as his maid and adopted daughter spilled her guts out to him. She had loved him and not in the same sense that a child loved their parent. She wanted a romantic relationship with him and the only thing stopping her from pursuing him was his beloved wife.

Nyguyen felt a rising panic in his body and his heart-rate was elevated. No. Stop. She continued on. She was crying now and that's when Nyguyen knew that this wasn't some elaborate prank set up by his daughters. Yui rarely, if ever, cried. Years of ostracization and mistreatment at the hands of others not connected to his household had made her into a resilient young woman. No matter how hurt she was, no matter how tired she was, and no matter how upset she was, Yui Uchiha always bore her burdens with dignity. When he saw the red in her eyes were not just a product of periorbital edema, he rose from his seat. He did so slowly but with a degree of purposefulness that made it clear he had to step in before things spun out of control. Nyguyen moved from around his desk and approached Yui.

A perfect Tomoe 3 Sharingan....my goodness...how long has she had this?

Despite all the chores and responsibilities he had laid on her, Yui still had found time to train. And given what she had just told him, she had been in an emotionally charged state for some time. Years of this kind of stress combined with relentless training would produce a fully matured Sharingan. It had all happened right under his nose. Yui is right....I don't understand. Nyguyen was now in Yui's personal space and he placed a hand on both of her shoulders. He had only done this with his own children when they were hysterically crying or upset. It was his way of stabilizing them and letting them know that he would always be there for them. Whenever they felt themselves teetering on the abyss, Nyguyen would protect them and be their rock. He was not a perfect man, but he loved his family. Once the initial shock wore off, Nyguyen did his best to appear neutral but caring.

"Yui....please you cannot say that. I know things have been hard and you must feel very busy and lonely sometimes, but you can't say that. You don't feel that way....I know you don't."

Nyguyen was trying to help but he couldn't see how offensive and belittling his words were. He was denying Yui's feelings rather than dealing with them. It might have even been considered a form of gaslighting even if he lacked abusive intent. It was obvious that he had serious trouble accepting her confession. Nyguyen realized that he couldn't be unsure of himself at a time like this. He recalled all of the hard decisions he needed to make as Hokage. The times where he needed to set aside his fear and uncertainty and do what needed to be done for the good of his family, clan and village. The sum of those experiences had made Nyguyen into a hard man. Whenever he felt himself back-sliding into his old habits, he remembered what he had been through and pulled himself right back into the cold leader that the War had forced him to become. Nyguyen closed his eyes and when he reopened them, Yui would see the frightening image of his Mangekyou Sharingan. He gripped her shoulders tighter and spoke in an even but serious voice.

"Yui, whether you feel that way about me or not doesn't matter for now. You cannot, I repeat, you cannot say those words ever again. Not in this house and not out in the world."

Yui had to know that while Porsche was nice to her and respected her, there would always be a tension between them. Yui was much older than Mercedes and Innocence. She was also clearly not related to Nyguyen and she was a rather fulsome young woman. She trusted her husband but a part of her would always feel threatened by Yui's presence. She had been very tolerant of their relationship, even to the point where Yui could give Nyg a massage without provoking drama. However, there were certain boundaries and lines that couldn't be crossed. Porsche was the woman of the house and if she ever became aware of what Yui had said, then she'd make her life very difficult. She was a territorial woman and she eliminated threats to House Nyguyen long before its patriarch ever saw them coming. If Yui was forced out of his home, she'd be a sitting duck for all sorts of predators.

"I don't want you to leave Yui. I care about you but as....." even now it was hard for him to say. "...as a member of this family" He opted for a compromise rather than stopping altogether. "If you keep saying what you just said then it will be out of my hands and if you're not a part of this household, I can't protect you Yui. The others....they don't understand how strong you are. How good you are. All they see is reputation and they will use that against you. Uchiha Abelardo will try to force himself on you and lock you into a wedding and I do not trust that man."

Nyguyen didn't need to elaborate. There was no telling what kind of abuse he'd heap on Yui. She had no family to defend her and he was influential enough to escape most of the consequences if not for Nyg.


"Even outside the clan, there are many who hate me and will take that hatred out on you. Both in this village and if you leave it. If they find out about our connection your life is in danger and I don't want that. Please listen to me Yui, you must forget this desire. I love my wife and I would never choose you over her. I know it may be hard to see but she cares for you and if she knew you wanted me for yourself it would crush her. There are many suitors your age that are worthy of your love...you'll find someone I'm sure but it won't be me. It can't be me."

Nyguyen would be lying if he said that he didn't think Yui was beautiful. He had never seen her in a romantic light though and that wasn't ever going to change. Hopefully his stern lecture would get through to the crying girl because if it didn't, then the family drama would reach a level that was foreign to even he. "Come here..." Nyguyen would release his grip on Yui's shoulders and hug her. If she wanted to continue crying, that was okay. He was there. He'd muffle the sobs so that no one else could hear. She needed to get it out of her system and he couldn't deny her that. But he prayed that those words were never uttered from her lips again, for if anyone heard them, his life could be turned upside down....




Innocence had her head pressed to the heavy wooden door of her father's study. She had spent most of the day sulking in all the places that her family wouldn't think to look. As an angsty pre-teen, she had plenty of places to hide without being bothered. She didn't want to come across as the jealous younger sibling, but how could she not?! Mercedes was getting promoted to Jounin and her Dad was retiring from the position of Hokage. It was as if her imminent graduation from Konoha's Ninja Academy meant nothing. In fact, pretty soon it would mean nothing. Her Academy Instructor had informed her that per the policy of the incoming Administration, underage genin were to no longer take part in dangerous missions. The cowards in her class had been overjoyed. Even with the war over, they would no longer need to risk their lives in B-Rank or A-Rank missions. If you were younger than 18 you were pretty much a glorified errand boy or errand girl. Innocence was one of the few students that booed loudly during the announcement. She wasn't afraid of death. She was afraid of not being remembered, of being an afterthought. Mercedes had distinguished herself as an excellent shinobi during the War and she barely acted like she gave a damn. Big sister's attitude was infuriating and it was the reason Innocence found herself punching her stuffed animals. She had taken a break from mourning the loss of her career to grab a snack and while she was about, she had seen Yui and her father go into his study.

Uh-oh. Trouble!

With the door shut behind them, Innocence decided to eavesdrop. The Sharingan couldn't see through physical obstructions and while she was just a kid, she was remarkably stealthy for her age. Her friends had even given her the nickname The Green Ghost for her light-footsteps and eerily lime pupils. Porsche was in the dinning room getting the place ready for Mercedes's arrival which left her with at least few minutes of juicy spying. She figured her Dad was going to yell at Yui for screwing something up, or if he was in a particularly emotional mood, maybe congratulate her on how well she had helped run the house. Either way, it'd give her something to focus on other than her own enmity. What she heard was perhaps the most scandalous piece of information she had ever heard in her young life.

No way!

Yui was in love with her father. Like, really in love with him. Dad was pissed which was predictable. He hadn't been the same since the war. He had always had a quick temper but back then it was almost always harmless. Nowadays, when he got in one of his moods, she learned that it was deathly serious. There was something different about his aura and she found herself compelled to actually obey him rather than argue. Innocence grew still as she soaked in the gravity of Yui's confession. She felt her heart beat faster as new possibilities opened up to her. She had always been a smart girl, but for some reason she never had the chance to prove it. Now was her time. Yui was family to her and while she might have been a headache for the maid to deal with, she saw her as an older sister. There was love and respect there even with the defiance. Yui's admission to Nyguyen, however, changed things. For the first time ever, Innocence began to see Yui as an outsider that threatened to tear their family apart. She loved Yui, but she loved her mother even more. She knew this information was dangerous and she couldn't just go repeat what she had heard. Yet, she wasn't obligated to pretend like she had never heard it either. It was leverage. Leverage to be used to increase her standing in the household and ultimately in her father's eyes.

I can make Yui do things she'd never normally do....

A devious grin made its way onto her face and she slunk away from the door just as quietly as she had appeared. This was going to be an interesting dinner.

Nyg let her speak which shocked her and she could feel both his anger and fear, she said something that should not ever be spoken but she had to release it out of her system. He began to say she didn't feel that way but she knew her feelings, no matter what he said she did love him, she did not know why this happened just over time it did. He finally said what she already knew there was no way she could ever say this again.

Nyg would pull her in and hug her, how could she ever forget these feelings, there was only one way this could work, she had to forget he ever existed, she had to forget she was ever part of this family it was the only way. She could not simply shut the open door now, she had to make it clear what she wanted and if he would not do it himself she would find a way to do it to herself.

"You don't understand I cannot forget how I feel, there is only one way and that is to erase any memory of me living here or knowing your family. If those memories are gone then I can move on and you will be safe, I am too much of a weakness for you now and you know it. You could erase the memories and have me join Sato and his family, I would not know the difference as long as you erase you and your family's memories from my mind. Even if you refuse with my Sharingan as developed as it is I can find a way to do it to myself and might do it wrong and cause far worse things to happen, please I don't want to suffer anymore and do not want you or your family to suffer."

Nyguyen was in a predicament that he saw no way out of. Even with the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan, his Eye of Insight was currently failing him. The solution that came from Yui's lips, however, made his blood run cold. Erase her memory? It was an unthinkable act. One usually reserved for ANBU and typically deployed only in the most egregious of circumstances. Did this family drama qualify as such an emergency? He could not deny that her confession had put him and his family at grave risk. Yui acknowledged this and was willing to do the deed herself if he refused. The middle-aged man looked crestfallen as he considered the damage that Yui might do to her own mind if she attempted it.

No!

Skilled as though she might be, Yui's Sharingan wasn't mature enough to undertake such a task. Even someone as experienced as himself would need weeks of study before something of that magnitude could be attempted. He didn't want to remove all of the loving memories that Yui had of his home, but it didn't look as though she'd simply be able to "forget" her feelings for him. And if he had raised her to protect his household at all costs then he needed to take responsibility for her taking that training to its logical conclusion. The crestfallen father shook his head but his words gave his assent.

"Very well....I'll do it. I'll need to come up with a way to explain this to Porsche and the kids" The last thing Nyguyen wanted to do was brainwash everyone in his family and he couldn't tell them that the reason Yui was leaving was because she had feelings for him. He needed time to figure out how to plan this. The art of erasure would take time to master and he'd need the perfect alibi to allay the suspicions of his whip-smart wife and daughters. "Let's not focus on this tonight please Yui. Let's try to enjoy Mercedes's celebration and enjoy some good times while we have them. I need time to figure out how best to go about this process. Give me some time and I'll be ready in a few weeks but until then don't do anything rash. That's an order."

Nyguyen was delaying the inevitable but he knew that there was no getting out of this. It needed to happen and it needed to happen soon.

Yui would listen to Nyg as he caved and agreed to help her erase the memories she had of the family. She was more than happy to enjoy what time she could and would go out of her way to make sure they would enjoy tonight to its fullest. She loved Nyg so much and he loved the family but she was not going to be the one to destroy the family, with this; she could make sure to forget this ever happened and move on with life.

"Okay I agree to this but don't break your promise to me, let us go and enjoy the time we have left. It is time to celebrate her great feats, not my emotional issues, we will make sure it is a night she will always remember."

She would smile as she cleared her eyes and placed a smile on her face ready for tonight's event, she walked out the door staring directly in the direction she felt a presence was. It seemed clear now but she could have sworn someone had been there at some point, either way, it would be a night of happiness and celebrations with Yui putting on her best smile. Soon her life would change who knew what would come but a big change was coming.

-Exit Thread-
EXP:10x5=50

Nyguyen breathed a sigh of relief as Yui agreed to his plan. He would not break his promise to her. This was indeed the only way and once their cover story was sorted out, he'd oblige her request. She wouldn't remember tonight but he resolved to make the evening as pleasant as possible. If not just for Mercedes then for all of their sakes. "We will. After all...what's family for?" Nyguyen smiled back as he ushered her out of his office but not before she had a chance to collect herself. He noticed her lingering stare back at the office but dismissed it. He was more focused on having a great celebration.

Eventually the guests would arrive at the evening would begin with much funfare and joy. There was food, laughter, stories and gifts. Mercedes was fairly muted in her emotional response and she was critical of overt displays of affection but there was something special about this night. Nyguyen didn't need his Sharingan to see it. For all the weight of what the future held, the present was in their grasp. Seeing all of his daughters together like this almost made him cry and he would have if not for the presence of his guests.

This was always worth fighting for...and if necessary dying for.

[End Thread]