The following weeks were spent with Sasuke training with Orochimaru, Hana, and Kabuto, and Miyako spending her time watching the training sessions, joining in from time to time at the request of Orochimaru. She had recently read Orochimaru's mind and discovered that he trusted her about as far as he could throw the Hokage monument. In other words, he doesn't trust her. But that was fine with Miyako, she didn't need his trust. She just needed to stay in order to protect Sasuke.
Of course, Miyako's hovering was starting to get on Sasuke's nerves. They had been gone a month, and Miyako rarely left Sasuke's side. She watched over him as if he were a noble prince in need of protecting. Of course, he was technically the head of his clan, but he too was a shinobi. He didn't need protecting. Even if it's from Orochimaru.
At the moment, Miyako was resting against the wall of the training room. Sasuke was standing in the centre, covered in sweat. He was standing in front of Orochimaru who was explaining the importance of speed in battle. For the last two hours, Sasuke had been running the length of the room, going fasted and faster at the order of Orochimaru.
Miyako, who had been in the room the whole time, had just been joining Sasuke in his training, only, unlike him, she wasn't sweating all that bad. This training was child's play compared on what she used to do on a daily basis.
"Miyako-chan," Orochimaru said, walking up to her. "I need you to do something for me."
"What can I help you with, Orochimaru-sama?" Miyako replied, standing up straight from her slouching position.
"I need you to go into the nearby village. You see, we are running low on food, and I need someone who isn't known by the villagers to get it for me. I'll give you the money, of course," Orochimaru explained and Miyako frowned.
"Isn't that usually Hana's job?"
"Yes. But she is currently on a mission in the Land of Rice Paddies. So can you? It will be such a big help to me," Orochimaru stated, holding out a fairly large bag of money.
Miyako sighed and grabbed it off him, walking towards the exit of the training room they were currently using.
"Oh, and Miyako-chan, do buy yourself some new clothes. Those ones are starting to get worn," Orochimaru added and Miyako nodded, leaving the room and the base and to the village two hours away.
...
Miyako was just finished up in the village, her shopping sealed away in scroll when she felt a familiar chakra, and the pushing of a familiar voice on her thoughts. Miyako made her way into a nearby dango shop and sat down, ordering some and a cup of green tea. A few minutes later, after the dango and tea arrived, someone sat across from her.
"I heard you left the village," the male voice stated and Miyako looked up from her tea into the onyx eyes of Sasuke's older brother.
"I promised you I would look after Sasuke. I'm keeping that promise," Miyako replied simply, taking a bite of her dango.
"I didn't think you'd follow him to Orochimaru," Itachi replied as he too ordered some dango and green tea. "But I'm happy that you're keeping your promise to me. even if I don't deserve it."
Miyako didn't respond to his statement, instead, watching the young woman place Itachi's order in front of him. The woman blushed when she met Itachi's onyx gaze, before running off to take of some other customers.
"Tell me, have you been hanging around here waiting for me?" Miyako questioned in curiosity as Itachi nodded.
"I know about the nearby base. I came hoping to get a hold of you to convince you to give me regular updates on how my brother is progressing. Do you think you can do it?"
"I have summonings, you know. It won't be a problem. As long as you promise me one thing," Miyako stated and Itachi leant forward, awaiting her next words. "You keep in contact with me. tell me how you're doing, and all that stuff. I want to make sure you're okay as well. I care about you. I always have. Ever since we met all those years ago. Besides, you're the last thing connecting me to Hisoka."
Itachi took a bite of his dango as he thought Miyako's words through. He knew that she cared for him. He cared for her as well. In fact, he dare say he loved her. If things hadn't gone the way they did in Konohagakure, he had wanted to marry her. Though at the time, he had to contend with Hisoka, and, to this day, he's not sure on who would've won her heart between the two of them.
"I will," Itachi replied as Miyako finished the last of her tea. She placed some money on the table and nodded, standing up and leaving Itachi alone in the shop, thinking about what could have been.
...
"Did you enjoy your chat with Itachi-kun?" Orochimaru questioned Miyako upon her entry into the base.
"I see you were aware he was hanging around," Miyako replied, meeting Orochimaru's gaze head on.
The man let out a chuckle, followed by a smirk. "Of course. I have people all around here keeping an eye out for me of any threats. You could imagine my surprise when I found out Uchiha Itachi had been hanging around for the last week, as if waiting for something. Or someone. What did you two chat about? Sharing my secrets with the enemy, Miyako-chan?"
Miyako smirked. "How can I share you secrets if I don't know them? No. He wanted to know about how his brother is doing."
Orochimaru hummed, kicking off the wall he had been leaning against. "I see. I take you know the truth about the massacre? I wonder what Sasuke-kun would do if he found out?"
Miyako's smirk faded, and her blue gaze turned to ice. "He won't find out. You and I both know that he would destroy all those involved if he were to find out. And I suspect you don't want that. Not yet anyway."
Orochimaru chuckled as he walked past her. "You'd be surprised on what I want, Miyako-chan."
Miyako watched as he slithered away, wondering what, exactly, he meant by that, but not wanting to risk him sensing her in his mind. That happened once, and the fall out had resulted in consequences against Sasuke. Orochimaru was smart. He knew that she wouldn't care what he did to her. So whenever she did something he didn't like, he took it out on Sasuke. Miyako hated the fact Orochimaru had such a hold over her, but she would endure it. For Sasuke's sake.
...
Sasuke frowned, having overheard the conversation between Miyako and the snake sannin. What was the truth they were speaking of? He already knew it all. Didn't he? Itachi massacred the entire clan in cold blood. No survivors but him and his brother. Sasuke didn't understand what Orochimaru and Miyako were going on about.
What he did understand though, was that his brother was currently in the nearby village. Without so much as a logical thought, Sasuke made he's way out of the base and the two hours walk to the village. When he arrived he searched everywhere for his brother, only to not find hide nor hair of the elusive elder Uchiha. Sasuke frowned, and leant against a nearby building, glaring off into nothing.
A few minutes passed and a shadow fell over him. He looked up and was surprised to see the unamused face of Miyako looking at him.
"Look for Itachi, Sasuke?"
"I wouldn't have to look for him I you me where he was," Sasuke replied, standing up straight to meet Miyako's gaze.
Miyako pursued her lips. "Last I saw him, he was having tea and eating dango at the dango joint down the road. But I doubt he's still there. Or even here in the village. And besides, you're not ready to face him. Not yet. Have patience. You will get you revenge. In time."
"What is the truth of the massacre? I heard you and Orochimaru talking about it. Tell me, Miyako. Now," Sasuke ordered and Miyako glared at him in way reminiscent of that of a Uchiha.
"You shouldn't eavesdrop on others conversations, Sasuke. Besides, you already know the truth o the massacre. There is nothing more to know. Itachi massacred your clan in cold blood. No more, no less. Now come on back to the base. We're having tomato, rice, and beef for dinner tonight. Unfortunately, Orochimaru and Kabuto have decided to join us. So I have to cook for the two snakes as well."
Sasuke frowned, knowing that he wasn't getting the full truth out of Miyako, but decided against arguing and followed her back to the base. He decided to help her make dinner by chopping up the tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and carrot as Miyako cooked the beef and the rice. An hour later, everything was ready and Orochimaru and Kabuto were sitting at the table.
Miyako placed each plate down in front of them and sat down across from Orochimaru as Sasuke sat across from Kabuto. They all started eating, and for a time nothing was said. Until, that is, Orochimaru opened his fat mouth.
"Tell me, Sasuke-kun, did you find your brother?" Orochimaru questioned. Sasuke's grip on his chopstick tightened. "Yes, I know you left the base. Kabuto told me after Miyako left to follow you. I should've known you would be close enough to her mine and Miyako's conversation."
"Hn," Sasuke grunted and Orochimaru chuckled darkly.
"I'll take that as a 'no' then," Orochimaru stated before frowning, leaning forward slightly. "Now listen to me, Sasuke-kun. If you ever leave the base without my say so again, I'll lock you in your room when you're not training. Understood? That goes for you as well, Miyako-chan."
Miyako frowned, realising that this would make it harder to get her letters to Itachi. "As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."
Sasuke's fist clenched. He wanted nothing more than smash the snake sannins' and subordinates faces in but nodded. He knew he wouldn't win. Even with Miyako on his side.
Orochimaru, having finished his meal and pleased with their responses, got up and left, followed eagerly by a smug looking Kabuto. They waited until the duo were out of earshot before relaxing.
"Looks like we're now practically prisoners here, Sasuke," Miyako stated with a sigh as she started to grab the empty plates and wash them in the sink. Sasuke said nothing as he stood up and left the room, not even thanking her for dinner.
...
That night, Miyako sat on the desk in her room, pen meeting paper at a rapid pace as she quickly wrote about the events that transpired that day. It was a letter. A letter that will be sent to Itachi as soon as she could send it. She promised him she'd write to him about Sasuke, and she intended to keep the promise. Even if it makes Orochimaru even more suspicious of her.
Though, if she were to admit to herself, she was fairly sure she knows that Orochimaru knows that she's on Itachi's side. He also probably knew that she could ultimately care less for Orochimaru and his plans. But, because of this, she needed to make as little wrong moves as possible. Even at the cost of her own pride and, maybe, her dignity.
Miyako sat back and stretched out her arms, looking over the letter with care, seeing if she forgot anything, or spelled something wrong. She had always been like that. A grammar and spelling nut, but she didn't mind. So what if she took pride in her work? So what if she had a habit of correcting other people, oftentimes when they don't want to be corrected? That was her and she was proud of it.
When she was sure everything was up to her standard, she grabbed an envelope and placed the letter in it. She sealed the envelope and placed it in her new jacket, which she had brought that day when she went to the village. It seems almost like a lifetime ago that she was in the village shopping and having tea and dango with Itachi. But, it was only a mere eight hours ago.
Miyako smiled slightly before blowing out the candle that made up the only light in her room and settling into bed. She would send the letter to Itachi tomorrow.