[Authors Note: Right! This is chapter 3 of 'Partners'... I think it's mostly gonna be Rooen and Anko bonding :P Please, Enjoy! R&R Too, if you like! ...Lou x]

Chapter 3: 'The Past'

After searching a good half of the forest, the two Kunoichi decided to take a break. Rooen, who was leaning against the mesh metal fence surrounding the forest, began to engage in her second favourite pass-time: smoking, of course. Anko simply stood beside her and waited for her to finish up.

The smoke from Rooen's lit cigarette curled in semi-opaque wisps around her and stung Anko's eyes. The veins in her throat stood out as she inhaled the lit tobacco. Anko felt an involuntary pang of blood-lust at the sight of the throbbing arteries, and mentally cursed Orochimaru. She had always blamed him exclusively for many of her social abnormalities.

Rooen could feel the other woman looking at her. You could say, she had a sort of sixth-sense when it came to those things. She knew Anko was staring at her throat. She didn't mind particularly, being used to people looking at her in much more disturbing ways. However, after three whole minutes of being ogled, Rooen decided to raise a questioning eyebrow and ask, "Problem, Mitarashi?" Anko gulped and looked away quickly, muttering something about Orochimaru and the curse mark. Coughing, Anko turned away from Rooen uncomfortably and scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, kiddo. I don't mean to stare. It's, uh. Just. Things from my past. 'Kay?"

The blonde slowly lowered her eyebrow and nodded. "Yeah, okay..." she trailed off, thinking. So I'm not the only one with secrets, huh? We'll see about that. After ten seconds of silence that felt like a lifetime, Rooen spoke. Her voice was hoarse and dry. "So... Uh. Nice weather we're having, eh?" She laughed nervously and scratched at the back of her head. "Cut to the chase, kid. What do you want to know?" Rooen's eyes widened slightly and she cocked her head to the left. "What happened to you, Anko?" At this, Anko lowered her head and sighed. "I was running. Running in the darkness. Away from him, from Orochimaru. I didn't know where I was. All I knew was I needed to get away. He did things to me. Indescribable things. It was horrible..."

"Please, Master. Stop it. PLEASE!" An eight year old Anko screamed. It was happening again. He was doing what he always did. Orochimaru's cold fingers slid along her milky white thigh, tickling the virgin flesh that lie there. He was committing an unspeakable sin. Defiling a youth. Taking her innocence away from her. He was used to hurting her. Her innocence wasn't the only thing he had stolen from her. He had cursed her with the Seal of Heaven Mark. It took her childhood from her. He also corrupted her mind. All those nasty thoughts and sights. On countless occasions she had seen him touch other girls, slaughter young boys. He always told her she was his favourite, though. He would always kiss her on the lips before she was sent to bed. She felt special. She... Loved him, in the only way she knew how. He was the closest thing she had to a friend, to a father. All of the things she would never have if she ever returned home. Until one day, he changed. He found a new favourite. Anko had always thought that she was his favourite. She thought she was the special one. She was heartbroken. She couldn't see what this boy had that she didn't. Sure; he was tall with the body of a warrior, but she was every bit as good... Wasn't she? The last day she spent with Orochimaru was the day she realised what he was. He was a monster. She'd seen him kill people, and that was bad, but this time she saw him devour a person. Make a person a part of him. It was traumatising to see the boy, his favourite boy, scream his last breath as the ritual was completed and Orochimaru stole his power and his body. It was at this point that Anko ran for her life. The overwhelming feeling of sickness nearly made her knees buckle. She had been living with the boogie-man and she had never known. She could no longer remember if Orochimaru tried to find her, if she was injured. She only knew that she found Konoha and that she was saved and was eternally grateful for it, even though from that day forth she knew her destiny was to find and kill that monster.

By the end of her story Anko's voice had broken with emotion, the distant memories of her past too traumatic to recall. Rooen considered embracing the older Jounin, but instead placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, attempting to soothe her. After a few moments, the purple haired kunoichi regained her composure and stood up straight.

"Best carry on with our duty, huh?" The blond just smiled and nodded in response, realising that she and this woman she had so loathed had much more in common than she cared to admit.

[This is the end of Chapter 3! I hope it didn't suck too much; I'm kinda worried that I'm not doing too well- So If you can be asked, I'd like to know if that's the case! Remember, Reviews are Sex, so sex me up! Thank you!..Auntie Lou x]