Disclaimer: As of this moment, Masashi Kishimoto is still unwilling to sell the Naruto characters and plotline to me.

Claimer: And no, I am not willing to sell Tsukiyo and Keiji to anyone either.

Sasuke stood behind Tsukiyo as she sat at the dining room table finishing her break fast. Kabuto sat across from her and was continually sending Sasuke triumphant glances that the Uchiha was doing his best to ignore.

The door opened suddenly and all three of them glanced up to see Orochimaru enter. "Ohaio gozaimasu Orochimaru Sama." Tsukiyo greeted him.

Orochimaru nodded to her. "Ohaio gozaimasu Tsukiyo chan. I will not be training the two of you today," he said. "I'm expecting a visitor today."

"Really?" Kabuto inquired. "Who?"

Orochimaru's eyes flicked momentarily to Sasuke's face before he turned back to Kabuto. "You'll see in a couple of hours."

Sasuke gave an inaudible sigh. He had been standing in back of Tsukiyo and Orochimaru's chairs for the past two hours. The two of them were in the midst of a game of Shogi (chess).

Kabuto was reading some random book and complaining about how boring it was every other second. If it's so boring then why are you reading it moron? Sasuke mentally shouted at him.

A moment later Kabuto opened his mouth to complain again when a cushion from one of the seats hit him full in the face, knocking him off of his chair.

Orochimaru applauded. "Good shot Tsukiyo chan!" He leaned forward and spoke in a lower voice, "and good timing. I was about to punch him through the wall."

Sasuke couldn't help but agree. Kabuto could be incredibly exasperating at times.

Without warning, the doors to the room burst open and in marched four sound nin. "Orochimaru sama, your guests have arrived." The first ninja announced.

Orochimaru turned and whispered something to Tsukiyo who nodded. Turning to the sound nin, He said, "Very good, show them in, and one of you take the Uchiha up to Tsukiyo chan's apartment and lock him in the cage."

The sound nin bowed and one of them moved forward to roughly take hold of Sasuke's arm and forcefully lead him out of the room.

Sasuke was sulking in the corner of his cage when the door opened and in stepped Keiji. Sasuke tensed instantly at the sight of him. Keiji chuckled. "Relax." He said. "I'm not here to hurt you this time. Orochimaru sama sent me to escort you down to the dining room for dinner."

Sasuke stood up. "The dining room?" he repeated. He hadn't eaten in the dining room since he had become a prisoner/slave.

Keiji shrugged. "Don't look at me. I'm just following orders." He opened the cage, allowing Sasuke to step out.

Sasuke began to head for the door but Keiji grabbed hold of his arm, halting him in his tracks. "Not so fast Uchiha." He held up a thick chain. "You're not quite ready yet."

Tsukiyo sat at the dining room table in between a red haired man by the name of Sasori, and a large man with blue skin who called himself Kisame.

Across from her was an empty chair, the chair that Sasuke would sit in as soon as he arrived, and in the chair beside it sat a man whose features greatly resembled Sasuke's. His black robe with scarlet clouds was Identical to those of Sasori and Kisame. This man was Tsukiyo's slave's sworn enemy— yes, this was Uchiha Itachi!

Tsukiyo had met him several times before. They were acquaintances, neither friends nor enemies, simply two people who respected one another's reputation and abilities and who had, in the past, formed temporary alliances when needed. Now, they were about to form another alliance, this time to be shared by Orochimaru.

Tsukiyo's eyes flicked towards the door. How will Sasuke react to this unexpected surprise? She wondered.

Who cares? Her inner self snapped. Would you stop worrying about that worthless brat and focus on your mission so that we can unlock the pendant some time before we die?!

Gee, you're kind of edgy tonight aren't you?

Shut up!

Tsukiyo smirked. Though it could be annoying it was also rather amusing when her split personalities started arguing.

The door at the end of the dinning hall squeaked open, causing Tsukiyo's mind to surface from the drama of her inner squabbles. Glancing up she saw Keiji enter holding the end of a thick chain. The sound nin gave a rough yank on the chain and Sasuke stumbled into the room. The boy was clad in heavy chains. They intertwined about his arms and legs and encircled his waist and chest; he wore thick shackles on his wrists and ankles.

Sasuke regained his balance and glared daggers at Keiji before turning his attention to the people seated at the table. It was then that he noticed the new guests. He went rigid and his onyx eyes flashed with fiery hatred. He clenched his fists, causing his nails to dig into his flesh and his face turned white with rage.

Itachi returned his brother's glare with an unaffected gaze, though his eyes held a glint of amusement and malice.

Tsukiyo bit her lip.

"Sassssuke, how good of you to join ussss!" Orochimaru hissed. "Allow me to introducccce the guessstsssss. Kissssame, Ssssassssori, and…" His lips twisted into a smile. "I'm ssssure you remember your big brother."

Itachi nodded. "Long time no see, Ototo-san."

"I-Itachi." Sasuke's voice was raspy and strained. He was trembling, but Tsukiyo could tell that it was not from fear but from the extreme effort that he was exerting in an attempt to keep from losing all control.

Orochimaru spoke again in a tone of mock courtesy. "Won't you have a sssseat?" he motioned to the empty chair between himself and Itachi.

When Sasuke made no move to sit down, Keiji jerked on the chain, forcing him to take the offered chair.

Keiji then proceeded to attach the end of the chain that he had been holding to the chair, thus, chaining Sasuke to his seat.

Tsukiyo sat across from Sasuke, watching as Orochimaru and Itachi proceeded to torment the boy.

"So how have you been of late?" Itachi inquired as he draped his arm about Sasuke's shoulders.

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut as if in an attempt to block out his present dilemma, and remained silent.

Orochimaru grinned. "Why Ssssassssuke," he said. "Don't be rude. Tell your brother what you've been doing the passsst few dayssss." Sasuke grit his teeth as Orochimaru continued. "Tell him how you tried to challenge me and how you ended up my prisoner. Tell him how you've now been demoted to the position of a slave to Tsukiyo-chan here."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at this new piece of information. "A slave eh?" he smirked. "Well, it's good to see that you finally found your calling Sasuke. I always new you had to be good for something, despite the fact that you were never worth anything as a shinobi!"

Sasuke's eyes shot open. "Shut up Itachi!" the words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think.

SLAP!!!!!

Orochimaru's hand came in contact with Sasuke's face and the boy went flying, pulling the chair along with him.

Sasuke crashed into the wall and lay there, breathing heavily. Orochimaru stood up and stepped over to where Sasuke lay.

"Sssssassssuke! I am very disssssapointed in your lack of ressssspect. Itachi ssssan is your superior and you will show him the respect he deserves. You will apologize to him and you will address him as Itachi-sama."

Sasuke shook his head. "No." he managed to croak.

Orochimaru grinned evilly. "You will do it Sssssassssuke." He hissed. "Or elssssse you will lose the one thing you have left that marksssss you assss an Uchiha.

Sasuke looked up at him in bewilderment. "Wha…?"

"Your' sharingan Ssssassssuke. I will cut out your eyessss and take away your sharingan." Orochimaru said.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"It'ssss your choiccccce Ssssasssuke, apology or blindnessssss? Which do you choosssse?"

Sasuke bit his lip as his eyes flicked desperately from Itachi to Orochimaru. "Alright." He said finally.

"You'll apologize?" Orochimaru inquired.

"I'll apologize." Sasuke agreed.

Orochimaru yanked Sasuke up by his hair, before throwing him down in front of Itachi. "Go ahead. Beg Itachi ssssan's forgivenesssss."

Sasukes voice shook as he spoke. "I-Itachi sama… I…I…"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I beg your forgiveness." The words came out in a rush and Sasuke hung his head.

Itachi smirked. "Apology accepted slave."

Orochimaru smiled cruely as an inspiration hit him. "You know… actionsss sssspeak louder than wordssss. Sssssassssuke, I think you should show Itachi sama that you are truly ssssorry."

Sasuke didn't like the look in the snake man's eyes. It made him nervous. "H-How?

Orochimaru looked at Itachi. "Itachi ssssan, how would it ssssuite you if, as a way to atone for his sssssin against you, Ssssassssuke were to sssserve you during the remainder of your visit? Tsukiyo is leaving with Kabuto on a mission tomorrow and will be gone for a few dayssss and I don't think it'ssss good for ssslavessss to be idle."

A smirk appeared on Itachi's face. He turned to look at the horrified expression on Sasuke's face. "Hai, that sounds like a very good idea to me."

Tsukiyo bit her tongue to keep silent. She glanced at Sasuke. The younger Uchiha wore a stricken expression on his face. Tsukiyo shook her head slightly. He's going to break pretty soon. What more can Orochimaru take from him? What more can he do to torture him?

"Who cares?" Her neko-self (1) asked. "Forget the worthless slave boy will ya?"

Will you just shut up! Tsukiyo snapped. The humans of today may be worthless, but anthros have human blood too.

"Anthros posses the pure blood of virtuous humans, before the human race was contaminated by greed; before they sank to the level of beasts! Your blood and the blood of those humans are about as different as black and white! Honorable humans no longer exist."

But as Tsukiyo studied Sasuke she had to disagree. No… most of them may be worthless, but I know of one who still possesses at least a trace of decency in his blood…

So... what did you all think of this chapter?

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed-

especially to "Maximum" for the Idea for the name of the story. Thank you!

I hope everyone likes it!

As always, review and no flames please.

~MidnightAnimeAngel