Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto!
Orochimaru didn't allow anyone but himself, with the exception of Kabuto, to lay a finger on Tsukiko. She was a valued porcelain doll, but not completely off limits. When Orochimaru gets angry enough, she will get hurt, but by his hand only.
--
Empty hallways...
That's how it always felt in this stone prison. Darkness ended every stone entrance. She sometimes felt that out of sheer will, she would fall, break her leg and cease breathing all together. But he wouldn't let that happen... Not yet...
'Footsteps...'
Tsukiko couldn't stop herself as she held Sasuke's gaze. They passes each other in the corridors more than a few occasions. When the passageways were narrow, they would side past one another, sometimes brushing one another's arm, or shoulder. To Tsukiko, it always left her running warm.
But she always brushed it off, "Must be the sun..."
--
Wind drifted smoothly, slowly. Cool air set the scene. Another one of those special moments where Tsukiko was able to free herself of the prison and take in the air of the forest. The best time was at night; even if there were no butterflies out.
A white moon hung in the night. Allowing the creatures without night vision to see the beauty.
"Never took you as one to be out at night..."
Tsukiko's gaze never left the moon. "I like the moon, the night, even if there are no butterflies out..."
Sasuke emerged on the branch over her, leaning against the trunk of the giant oak. His arms crossed casually as the breeze rustled the leaves, softly.
"Did you want to talk about something? Usually after training you go to back inside."
After a few moments he still didn't answer. She decided to drop the question. It wasn't very often that she was able to appear outside after sundown, she was going to relax with or without a conversation.
"Why are you here? With Orochimaru?"
Her gaze turned away from the moon and upward, in the general direction of the Uchiha. A small bird left it's tree and took flight into the neighboring tree.
"Look, you don't have to tell me..."
Biting her bottom lip slightly, she tilted her head downward. Why he want to know? Her fingers tightened around the hem of her cropped kimono.
"...It's not like I want to be here," voice barley a whisper in the wind, "but there's no where else to go that I'll be accepted..."
The wind hushed the forest as the moon continued to illuminate the world bellow.
--
It started roughly four generations ago, if not more. One of Tsukiko's ancestors, who was also a gifted oracle, became infatuated with a merchant. He was a greedy man, with envy for anyone who had more wealth than he. She told him her secret, out of love or out of insolence, it really didn't matter. In the end, she got put into a prisoner and was forced to tell fortunes. He died, but leaving a child in her place with the same gift... which is now a curse to the women of the descendent.
Tsukiko's grandmother, Mizuko, was the first to be taken by Orochimaru. Why? Just because he was interested in her ability. Ever since, the female oracle would remain untouched until she was old enough to conceive a child, her replacement.
In exchange for the curse, the person has a shorter life span. Most die early, around the age of twenty to thirty. Some may die sooner...
Sorry for this being a short chapter, but I just wanted to get the background information out of the way. The next chapter will contain more of the plot events and I also need to know if you people like limes or lemons... Yes, I am planning one, but am not quite sure, yet.
Lighting Wings: Thank you for reviwing! You're a writter with great ideas! I hope you got the answer to your question out of this chapter, but no, Tsukiko doesn't want to be with Orochimaru. Hope you stay intirested!
Princesa de la Luna: Thank you for your support! Sorry for the delay.
Please review and tell me what you think!
-Sin
