Somehow I have managed to injure a soft spot under my chin and on my neck.

It's horriblly bruised and I'm sitting with an ice pack on it.

I don't even know how I got it. Ugh.

Enjoy!

Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 7

It wasn't until I got home that reality set in. Neji and I had snuck into his house and I cleaned up as best I could. I took a shower and scrubbed off all of the blood I could. Then I put on a bunch of bandages and gauze and honestly, it was horribly done but you couldn't see the blood. Neji lent me a dark green robe-like shirt and a pair of dark green pants. My parents might notice I don't own clothes like these but they won't know I didn't leave the house with these on…I left before they were awake.

My only problem was the swelling on my face. It's not like either Neji or I knew any healing techniques. I didn't even know they existed at that point. So I pulled my hair out of its normal ponytail and let it cascade down and over my swollen left eye. It was the same black hair color of any Uchiha. We all looked so similar. Black hair, dark grey eyes. At least the Hyuuga clan had a variation of either brown hair or black hair.

I waved Neji off a little while before the compound. Kami only knows what would have happened to him if someone saw him there. Then I turned around to see those tall and haunting doors. I sighed. It's just like snakes.

You must face your fear or it will control you. Face it, hold it in your hand, and crush it. Only then will you be rid of it.

Hebi-sensei, I don't think this is that kind of situation. I pushed forward nonetheless, putting one foot in front of the other. My whole body ached and although I acted bubbly and fine in front of Neji, I was depressed and tired inside. When I got to the door and was about to pull on the handle, it suddenly burst open. I staggered forward and caught myself last minute. I took a step back and looked up to the eyes of my father.

You're a disgrace. My lip quivered and I took another step back. "You're late—again."

"Hai. I apologize. I was out and—"

"I don't want excuses. Go to your room." I nodded and rushed passed him, happy that he did not notice the bruise. If he did, well I don't even know what he'd say. What would I say? I guess I don't have to worry about it because he didn't notice it. For once, fate seemed to be on my side. Not that I believed in fate, but…oh never mind. I just didn't have to worry about—

"Tsukiko." I stopped mid-stride, not turning to Fugaku. My…my father. "Turn around," he said and noticing that I wasn't going to move, barked out, "NOW!" I pivoted and looked at him. He walked up to me and pushed my hair from its spot on my left side. "What. Is. This?"

"Well, I was walking down the street and I—" I stopped the long story and looked down at my feet. My father had given me the you're not my child look. "I-I got into a fight." My father was caught off guard, perhaps, but he didn't show it.

"With whom?" he asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know. I got really angry and I upset him and—"

"Who won?" I wanted to scream! Let me finish my sentence! I went to bite my lip and it quivered. It was then that I noticed I really was sad for having lost. He could have killed me. I was just as weak as I started, just as bad. Tomorrow—oh Kami, tomorrow! I'm going to do terrible! They might as well fail me now. Fugaku cleared his throat and brought my out of my thoughts.

"He did," I said and Fugaku turned on his foot and left without another word. I think I miss his harsh words, I thought as I put a hand to my chest. It's aching even worse than before…and I know it's not a bruise.

I went to Itachi's room and curled up under his bed. I cried for a while and sobbed into my pillow. I was seven years old. I was heartbroken. My daddy didn't love me—my actual daddy didn't love me. As much as I loved Itachi I knew there was more than what he wasn't telling me. I loved Neji, him, sasuke, and Akako but I wasn't their mommy and daddy. No, I was their friend or sister. Real parents were made.

And that was the first time I doubted Itachi.

I woke up even earlier than usual and showered. I changed into new bandages and hissed at the pain it caused. The old bandages were colored red and I wrapped them up in a shirt and put it into my backpack. I couldn't let anyone in the house know. I paused for a moment and wondered what Itachi did with his used bandages. He doesn't get hurt. With that I sprinted out of the house without breakfast. No, I wouldn't be able to do this with something in my gut. It wasn't nearly ten o'clock, obviously. But I wanted to scout out the training ground we would be using.

When I arrived, Hebi-sensei was waiting up against a tree. "Hebi-sensei," I breathed out and he turned to me. I let go of my grip on the skin on top of my chakra core. I couldn't let him know about it. No, I might be different than most Uchihas—but I still had the pride. The stubborn pride that would not admit defeat in any circumstance. "Is this where we will spar?"

"Tsukiko," he greeted but didn't look at me. "Yes, this where you will spar. Are you ready?"

"Hai," I said, already feeling my muscles ache. What I did last night was completely stupid. All because of what? Why was I so upset? Because he was babying me? So? I'm only seven! I guess he had the right.

"Good, because if you lose this…oh if you lose this battle I'm going to drop you as my student." My head shot up and became very stiff.

"You wouldn't teach me anymore?" I gasped out.

"You can easily beat him and if you don't, then you're not worth my time." Not worth your time? My father's face came into my mind. Not worth my time. A disgrace. Certainly not a daughter of mine.

"But—"

"Ah, they're here. Early as usual." I turned around and looked at the two approaching figures. One was much taller than the other. I guess it was Sarutobi and I was right.

"Ah, Tsukiko. Good morning," he greeted.

"Good morning, Sarutobi," I said and the boy beside him gasped in shock. What was so weird? I raised an eye brow at it him but he did nothing to respond.

"This is Ryuu. He is who you must beat today if you wish to become a genin. He is a genin himself." That is hardly fair, I thought sourly. Just because someone is a genin, doesn't mean they can beat up other genin. "To win you must render the opponent unmovable or they must give up." I looked at the boy and our eyes locked in a glare. I was not going to let myself lose…and by the looks of it, he wasn't either. We both walked to the circle and bowed.

"Begin!" Sarutobi called and we both stood still for a moment. I then fell into my stance. He was taller than me. At least a couple years older than me. He had blond hair and bright green eyes. He didn't bother getting into a stance and ran to attack me. I ducked out of his punch and slid to the side, kicking his left ribs. I was rewarded with a quiet crack. I could crack all of his ribs. Do you think he would be able to win then?

He fell backwards but pushed himself back up with his hands and was attacking me again. Don't be there! I ducked, weaved, and dodged from his onslaught of punches and kicks. Use his own body against him! When he aimed a punch at my chakra core I nearly fainted but mentally kicked myself in the head. Face your fear! Only then will you be rid of it! I grabbed his wrist and pushed it downward. Then with my right hand, I hooked around and punched his face as hard as I could. I put all my might and strength into the punch and blood splattered onto me.

I ignored it and let go of his wrist, landing a kick at his chakra core and sending him flying backwards. He lay still for a moment and I almost thought I won. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. He sprang up again, this time there were three of him. I ached to turn on my sharingan. You don't have enough chakra, Tsuk. You'll end up fainting.

With sharingan you will be able to detect which of a group of clones is the real one.

I would have to injure them all to find the real one. The three of him pulled out kunai and chucked them at me. I dodged by twirling off to the side. One of the kunai embedded itself into my arm but it was hardly anything to worry about at the moment. I was high off of adrenaline.

I am going to win. No matter what.

This time I ran toward him and dropped down, sweeping his feet out from underneath him. He landed on his back and I pulled the kunai from my arm and lunged it at him. He knocked it away with a kick and pushed himself back up. He then landed a kick on my side. I took a sharp intake of breath. Breathe. Blood pooled into my throat and I swallowed to keep it down. I could only imagine how that would come out. Ugh.

When I steadied myself I could hear Orochimaru and Sarutobi's voices. "Why hasn't she activated it?" the former asked. "I don't know. I expected her to start out with it activated." A punch landed on my face. I leaned back and shot back up, pushing him away from me. Very not ninja-like, but I was desperate. What could one do without using chakra?

Blood poured from my nose and I whipped it, turning back to my opponent. He huffed and did handsigns. A ball of fire came flying my way and I ducked down to dodge it. The back of my shirt set on fire and I rolled on the ground to put it out. I jumped back up and barely dodged his roundhouse kick. Wait! I frantically thought. What happened to the other two of him? I thought too late and a crack emanated from my back.

I screamed out in pain and huddled over myself. This is bad. This is really bad. Give up, Tsuk. Or you won't make it out alive. I panted and my eyes narrowed. I will not give up. I stood up straight. A rush of water came well, rushing at me. I jumped up to dodge it and landed back down on top of him. I pinned him with my body and began punching him repeatedly. Blood poured out of his face but I ignored it. I just kept hitting. Hitting and hitting. Blood pouring and pouring. A nondescript but very dead Uchiha's face poured into my mind. Some are able to torture their opponent for 72 hours, like your brother.

I let go, screamed, and stumbled back away from him. The Uchiha's face dug into my mind and my senses suddenly became clearer. I was no longer seeing through a fog. The nondescript face suddenly was a person. He had high cheek bones with short black hair and blaring red sharingan eyes. Three tomoe spinning in a circle. His face was mature but not quite completely mature yet. He looked to be Itachi's age. I gasped. No.

And then the world became fuzzy again—when a kick plunged deep into my skin, right above my chakra core. I gasped and fell backward, unable to stop myself from hitting the ground. I coughed as I hit and even after I hit. I couldn't stop coughing. When I finally did stop, my vision had spots in it and I couldn't move.

"She's immobile," the blond haired guy said. Orochimaru and Sarutobi made their way over to me. I closed my eyes, unwilling to look at them. It's too embarrassing. Don't. Don't look at me. Just leave me here. You certainly aren't a daughter of mine.

"Is she out?" Sarutobi asked and leaned down to inspect me. I couldn't speak because of the blood filling into my throat. I had never thought of death. I had only been alive seven years! I thought that it was real and would happen someday, but that it was so far in the future that it didn't matter.

"She lost," Hebi-sensei nearly hissed out. "My student—no, not anymore. Sarutobi-sensei, I refuse the responsibility of being her sensei."

"Orochimaru—"

"I picked her because I thought she had potential. I was wrong."

"I know how much it hurts to say you're wrong, Orochimaru. Are you sure?"

"Yes." I felt my eyes sting and tears swell up in my closed eyes. Hebi-sensei! I wanted to scream out, but all that came out was a deranged sounding gurgle. More tears leaked out and I didn't have the strength to hold back my sob.

"You may leave, Ryuu."

"Hai." Footsteps told me that he had left. Hebi-sensei left behind him, leaving Sarutobi and me alone.

"Child, how can I help you?" I motioned for him to roll me onto my stomach and he did so. I then proceeded to hack up blood, no food mixed in because I hadn't eaten. When I had finally gotten it all out I could breathe clearly. "I will take you to the hospital."

"No!" My voice screeched. "Don't take me there!"

"Home then."

"No, not there!"

"Then where?" I bit my lip and looked up into his warm and caring eyes.

"Leave me here."

"What? You can't possibly—"

"Leave me here. I lost. Just go. You have better stuff to do."

"Little one, I will not—"

"Leave me alone! I just want to be alone!" And with one last glance in my direction, he disappeared into thin air. I cried on the ground and pulled myself into a ball, my legs against my chest and my hands hugging my legs.

Disgrace…disgrace…disgrace…disgrace…disgrace…

Hours later I pulled myself up and made my way home. It took me twice as long as usual, but I made it all the way there. The academy was still in session, so hardly anyone was out and about. I made it to the house undetected and pushed the door open. I walked further in, past the kitchen, and was stopped as I passed the dining room. My father was sitting at the table, scrolls scattered around him.

"Tsukiko!" He yelled and my heart fluttered. Was that…was that concern in his voice? I turned to him, a smile on my face even as blood poured from me. I probably looked incredibly creepy. But it didn't matter because for that one moment, my father cared about me. He cared.

A/N: Feel free to review! I love opinions, even complaints.