Etsuo awoke to a new day, that would hopefully be different from his busy mission days before. He would be looking for a random loss shoe or cleaning up a messy library. This day was special because it was a rare occasion that probably wasn't going happen again like it has. Today was not suppose to be the return of his brother, but with the mission completed ahead of schedule, there was no reason to keep him there, away from the village. So as a surprise, he sent a message a few days early to inform his friends and family. It arrived just as his brother expected and brighten a few peoples, next day or two until his arrival. His brother actually effected a lot of people in the village as a shinobi and a person. He was a very kind and generous person, that helped even him get out of his dark corner, when mother had died. It was also his brother that has motivated him to become a better shinobi than ever before for the village. He learned puppetry, so seriously from father as well because of his brother. There was very few things that motivated him quite like his brother.

"Today is the day." Etsuo said to himself as he prepared just after waking up.

He eventually meet his father in the front of the house and they both left at the same time. Usually, Etsuo would of gone off by himself but he should stick with his father. They both equally wanted to see his older brother since mother had passed away and he left only a few weeks after becoming a chunnin of the village, it felt like such a short time ago. So, they both walked at a normal pace to the meeting place. He would finally get to see his older brother that he admired and used for motivation to become a better shinobi. Etsuo looked towards the sky to see a beautiful sunrise, it seemed that the sun was on time for the reunion as well. Everyone was coming together for this gathering and after it maybe they could have a celebration for the return to the village.

Everything was in it's pretty place as they came to the border that was the village's. There both of us saw a single man who looked like my brother standing just past what was considered the official line. Etsuo got a small smile at first, but it quickly shifted to a wide grin. There wasn't really a huge sign of happiness from their father yet but, both sons could tell that he was pleased to see his older son. In response to their happiness, his brother showed a smile of his own.

Time went by as they greeted each other and then proceeded to talk about things that the other didn't know of. Etsuo and his father informed his brother about the small events going around the Yukimura family and their village. Even though much wasn't going on that he didn't already know about. While his brother told them in more detail what his mission was about and the way things were in other villages. This caught Etsuo attention and held it tightly, his brother probably knew because he continued with these kind of topics. It could look like a casual conversation to most, because it very much was one. These three had a lot of things to catch up on since it has been years after all. Etsuo got to hear all the sides too now, even when they lived together, the three of them didn't talk in a group like this.

An hour or so went on like this and they were eventually about to walk back to their home. But, the older son stopped his father and asked him if he could take Etsuo on a trail with him to explore around the village and to speak in private. Their father allowed it and and went back home on his own instead. The two brothers continued down another path instead outside of the village. It was silent at first but eventually a conversation bloomed between them.

"So brother, how has training as a genin been for you?" His older brother would ask Etsuo.

"My training is going very well, Dad is teaching me puppetry, when me and him have time." Etsuo answered.

"That will be useful, after all us, Yukimura are known for our exceptional skill in puppetry." He replied and they continued to walk.

"But that isn't our true skill." He told Etsuo his cheerful mood completely disappearing and changed into a serious one.

"Mother had a skill too, she was great at ninjutsu but she gave us something more special." He explained and stopped, turning to face Etsuo.

"What was it?" He quickly asked his older brother.

"The Sharingan." He spoke softly and Etsuo looked at his eyes to see they had changed from before.

They were now a red that wasn't natural for them as he remember blue ones similar to his own and their father's. He also noted that there was a black spot, a single black spot on his eye as well. They stayed like this for a little bit, allowing for Etsuo to continue examine the sharingan eyes that his brother possessed. They kind of amazed him, and he found them fascinating with the color, red and black. It was like the sunset and the night that followed it in his mind. If he could have these eyes as well, he would be happy as he was now everyday because he knows that his brothers shares them as well.

"How did you get them?" Etsuo asked.

"I am not quite sure, I just noticed I had them one day after a mission but no one told me something out of the ordinary. At parts of the mission, I've used them and they helped me..." He said but he cut off as he rushed at Etsuo and pushed him to the ground. Quickly as this happened, multiple kunais and shurikens shot out and stabbed into his older brother.

"Nooooo!" Etsuo yelled out but it was too late and his brother already took the injuries for him.

He looked around and found a single man with what looked like a puppet at his side was the only one around and had to be the cause of this. The man smiled and used his chakra strings to start moving his puppet. As he prepared to try and finish them, Etsuo started making hand signs. As it got in close and the attacker yelled something out, Etsuo used his jutsu by finishing with the tiger seal and taking a deep breath.

"Time to finish this once and for all." Stated the attacker.

But it was proven false as Etsuo breathed out and released a ball of fire on to the puppet, luckily it's materials were actually burnable by the large flames.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu." He said hating the moment that he had to use the jutsu on an enemy so soon.

The enemy only snickered with his puppet gone and flexed taking off in the other direction at high speeds.

"You shall be an interesting opponent for later." The attacker said before getting out of earshot range.

Etsuo turned to his fallen brother and looked over his injuries. He took a kunai in the heart area and had shurikens pierce his lungs probably. There was no way for him to stop this level of bleeding at the moment and the village was too far away for them to return in time to even have a chance of saving him.

"I'm sorry brother, I cannot save you." He whispered, beginning to cry.

"It's alright Etsuo, I shall live on in your heart and your eyes. Make sure to tell dad, I never hated him for me." He responded with his last breaths, taking in as much as he could.

"Sure anything you say brother." He told him, now shedding tears.

"Live on Etsuo, for me" He said, in his final moments he removed the sharigan and closed his eyes.

With that Etsuo said goodbye, he wouldn't be aware until later that he too had the sharingan active and he finally understood his brother, when he said, that he would live on in his eyes. It was something from his brother, but also his mother, his eyes were now his connection to the dead.

"Dammit, why did you have to go and die on me!?"

From that day forward it became a goal of his to find the killer and get the revenge that he deserved for his brother. His eyes were now a constant reminder that he had something to do for his brother in his eyes, the sharingan. He still had to that last thing for his brother and speak to his father. His brother's journey wasn't done until he completed that single task. It also made him wonder about the relationship between his father and brother.