Tsuki was starting to feel relaxed again, once Orochimaru informed her Kabuto would be leaving soon for awhile to participate in the chunin exam in the Hidden Leaf Village. She didn't harbor any sort of resentment for the boy her age, but he was mean to her a lot over the years and lashed out at her often. She'd always tried her best to be polite and respectful to him, but that only seemed to make him hate her more. Because they were the same age, she'd always hoped they could be friends, but she didn't think that was ever going to happen, he hated her.

Orochimaru had left early in the morning and told her he wouldn't be returning for a few days. He left her sedatives to take if she couldn't sleep the first night. She hated sedatives, hated the vulnerable feeling they gave her. If she didn't take them, her fatigue would affect him too, and she couldn't put him at risk. He'd come back once before with a minor injury and she blamed herself, perhaps if she'd been able to sleep on her own he wouldn't have gotten injured.

While Orochimaru was away, she spent her time cleaning, exploring in the darkness and playing with Yuki, the pure white summoning snake he always left with her. After tidying up Orochimaru's private quarters, she took a quick shower and changed into a simple grey dress that she often wore when cleaning. She pulled her long pale hair out of her face and tied it back in a ponytail as Yuki coiled around her legs on the floor, before making his way up her body and resting on her delicate shoulders. Yuki was fairly heavy, but it didn't hinder her too much and they could cover more ground if she carried him.

"Yuki-san, please don't attack any bunnies today, you know it upsets me." Tsuki commented as they made their way to the kitchen. A family of rabbits had moved into the hideout and were claiming a storage closet as their home and Tsuki had been bringing them vegetables to eat. Yuki, not knowing any better tried to eat one of the babies.

The pure white snake nuzzled her neck affectionately as if to say he understood and wouldn't do anything to upset her. Tsuki nearly had a meltdown when the snake tried to attack the family of rabbits. It had been so bad, that Orochimaru had come back early thinking something had happened to her and then scolded her for getting so upset over something so trivial.

"If you get hungry..." Tsuki looked stumped for a moment, "I guess you probably wouldn't eat cooked meat, would you?"

Yuki shook his head.

"What about raw meat, I think there's beef..."

Yuki peered up at her with bright emerald eyes before nuzzling her neck as if to say he would accept it.

Tsuki bowed her head feeling guilty for making the snake change his diet for her peace of mind. "I'm sorry, Yuki-san."

She giggled as she felt his tongue lick her cheek.

"Do you forgive me?" She asked sincerely only to giggle again as he nuzzled her cheek. "Thank you, Yuki-san."

Once they arrived at the kitchen Yuki went to curl up in a corner leaving the starlight girl to her war on dust and dirt. Tsuki set to work, dusting all the hard to reach places with a towel tied to a broom handle, it had been awhile since she'd given the place a deep cleaning. After nearly an hour of dusting and cleaning she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, as if someone were watching her. Yuki moved from the corner.

"You're dismissed." Orochimaru's voice sounded from behind her, dismissing the summoning snake. He wasn't supposed to be back yet and she didn't feel his presence nearby.

Tsuki felt her heart begin to race, something wasn't right. "Yuki-san, no." She called to the snake but it was too late, the summoning snake had disappeared. She jumped as a pair of arms encircled her from behind. "Let go!"

A hand reached up and caught her neck in a deadly grip, before Orochimaru's voice sounded in her ear, "Don't defy me, girl." It wasn't him! It was his voice but the person using it wasn't him.

"You're not Orochimaru." Tsuki hissed and brought her elbow back with enough force, her attacker doubled over with a groan and she darted away from him, out in the open so she had a better range of motion and could get a good look at him.

Her attacker straightened up and shot her a glare, they were using a transformation jutsu to look like Orochimaru, but their gaze didn't hold the kind of power his did. She glanced down at the palm of his hand, which he often covered in the presence of others with a pair of fingerless gloves, there was no mark. This was an imposter.

"That's Lord Orochimaru to y-."

"You're not him." Tsuki clenched her fists at her sides, "Who are you and why are you trying to impersonate him?" Her heart was still racing, the transformation jutsu was almost perfect so it was still unsettling yelling at him.

"Stupid girl." He lunged forward in the blink of an eye. He moved too fast!

Tsuki tensed and attempted to dodge out of the way, but her assailant was faster and caught her by the neck. She let out a gasp as she was suddenly shoved onto the dining table. Her assailant's grip tightened around her neck threatening to cut off all her oxygen supply. Her mind was racing and all she could think of was what had happened four years ago with the prison guard. Tears welled in her eyes as she uselessly tried to fight off her assailant, he was stronger physically.

Her assailant, pinned her hands over her head onto the table with his free hand, while tightening his grip on her neck. He leaned over her, pressing his body weight on top of her. In the back of her mind she could still hear the guard's voice in her head, still feel his sickening touch, the heaviness of his body, the weight of his fists as they beat her until she was quiet. Something in her snapped as her assailant was about to steal a kiss, she let out an ear-piercing scream and fought and flailed to no end.

He backhanded her as he lost his grip on her hands and struggled to get ahold of her again as she kicked, flailed and writhed around in a panic. Tsuki screamed as she was lost in a haunting vivid reliving of what had happened in the prison. Strong gale winds ripped through the kitchen, hurling her assailant away from her. The wind tore through walls, appliances and her assailant ducked into the hall for cover. A pipe burst nearby as a blade of wind sliced through it and water sprayed everywhere.

Once her screams died down, she curled into a ball atop the table and cried silently. "Orochimaru-sama, please come back." She sniffled as she clutched her hand with the mark of her bond seared into it to her chest.

The imposter Orochimaru peered out from around the corner, hesitating to approach the now crying girl. "You're so infuriating." He grumbled.

Tsuki froze at this, "K-kabuto-san?" She turned to the imposter with wide eyes.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he vanished into thin air. Tsuki stared after him in awe, her body trembled unsteadily. It was Kabuto, he tried to attack her, and he tried to kiss her and she had no idea which action disturbed her more. She felt sick to her stomach. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she sensed a familiar presence approaching fast.

"Tsuki?" She jumped at the sound of his voice, despite herself and turned. Her heart skipped a beat as she spotted him standing in the doorway surveying the scene before him with worry. His snake like eyes flit in her direction, she was tense. He frowned as he noticed her jump at the sound of his voice, something had happened.

The summoning snake he'd left with her was nowhere to be found. It wouldn't have left unless it had been dismissed and it would only take orders from him. A worrisome thought crossed his mind, if someone were to pull off a successful transformation jutsu it could fool the snake, but why would someone do that? A small thin dribble of blood seeped from the corner of her lip. There were bruises on the pale girl's wrists and arms, someone had tried to restrain her but from the state the kitchen was currently in, that didn't work out too well for them. There were deep slashes that had sliced through walls and even the appliances, and from the amount of water on the ground, even the pipes.

Orochimaru approached the trembling girl cautiously. He'd sensed her terror and distress, it was like that night four years ago and he'd been worried about what state he'd find her in.

"Are you alright?" He asked her as he helped her into a sitting position.

She nodded. Her body was trembling. It must have brought back memories. He'd tried to tamper with her mind, to help her forget, but it didn't work. The only thing he could successfully get her to forget was the location of the lair, it was a safety precaution. If she were ever to stray too far from the lair she'd forget how to find her way back.

"What happened?"

"You'll be angry..." Her voice was whisper soft.

He reached out and caught her chin in his hand dragging her gaze to meet his, "I'm already angry, Tsuki." His voice came out in an animalistic growl that instantly struck her with terror.

"What happened here?" Kabuto's voice sounded from the doorway in mock surprise.

Orochimaru noticed the slightest muscle twitch in Tsuki as she tensed at the sound of Kabuto's voice and in an instant, he knew exactly what had happened. Kabuto who foolishly didn't understand his own feelings for the girl and tended to lash out at her at every turn, had tried to trick her, but what was he hoping to accomplish? Or was it possible he figured out at least part of his feelings for the girl, which scared him and made him lash out in a different way?

Kabuto froze as Orochimaru shot a glare in his direction. Sensing Orochimaru's murderous aura, Tsuki slipped off the table as he turned to Kabuto and wrapped her arms around him from behind surprising Kabuto and Orochimaru alike. What was she doing?

"Welcome home." Her soft sweet voice was soothing, quelling his rage.

He chanced a glance downward at her hands interlocked around his middle and watched as the bruises on her wrists and arms faded away to nothing. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Kabuto staring at her arms in awe. The boy had no knowledge of the link between Tsuki and Orochimaru. Once she was sure Orochimaru wasn't going to kill Kabuto, Tsuki released him and took a step away. Why did she stop him?

Orochimaru placed a hand atop her head with a sigh, "Kabuto, clean up this mess." He grumbled before heading off in the direction of his private quarters, "Come along, Tsuki."

Tsuki scampered after him.

Once they reached his private quarters, Tsuki bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry, you had to leave ear-."

She cut off with a gasp as he grabbed her by the shoulder pulling her out of her bow. His lethal golden green eyes with the vertical slits for pupils stared down at her intensely, "It's not your fault, Tsuki." He sighed before releasing her from his hold. "I am curious as to why you saved him, though."

Tsuki flushed at this, "You said he was a valuable assistant. Isn't your work going more smoothly with him?"

"That's true." Orochimaru noted, though Tsuki's healing abilities were on another level entirely, if only he'd corrupt her, he would have no need for Kabuto who could keep test subjects alive to undergo hundreds of tests. If he were to use Tsuki's Towa Clan abilities she could keep subjects alive indefinitely, but the girl was too soft and he didn't want to see her upset. "You saved him, for me?"

Her face reddened at this, "Y-yes."

"Thank you, Tsuki." He pat her on the head.

"Orochimaru-sama?" She said his name sweetly as she peered up at him through colorless eyes.

"Hm?"

"Please don't be mad at Yuki-san."

Orochimaru smirked at this, "You've taken a liking to that snake."

Tsuki smiled, a bright smile that made his heart skip a beat in his chest, he had no idea how she could be bright and charming after all he'd put her through. "I think Yuki-san and I will be great friends."

"Would you like to form a summoning contract with him?" Orochimaru asked her curiously only to stop and stare as she grinned.

"Really?! Can I?!"

Orochimaru retrieved a summoning contract from the many piles of scrolls Tsuki had organized neatly for him on the bookcase. He set it down on the writing desk and beckoned her forward. She looked down at the contract and paused as she spotted two other contractors names next to Orochimaru's Kabuto and someone by the name of Anko Mitarashi.

"Who's that?" Tsuki asked curiously.

Orochimaru followed her gaze, "An old student of mine."

"What happened?"

"She served her purpose." Orochimaru shrugged before retrieving a kunai. He caught her wrist in his hand and pricked her thumb before she had a moment to react.

Tsuki winced at the sudden pain and before she could ask what to do, Orochimaru pressed her bleeding thumb to the paper and guided her to write out her name in blood. Once the contract was complete she let out a gasp as she was wrenched into his arms. She squeaked as he wrapped his arms around her until the wound on her thumb closed. He released her from his hold once her wound healed.

"Try it." He sounded impatient, she had taken him away from whatever he'd been doing, he was probably in a hurry to get back.

Tsuki struggled to regulate her breathing and took a shaky step away from him, "Yuki-san please accept." She whispered before gathering her chakra, "Summoning Jutsu."

Yuki appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Yuki-san!" Tsuki cheered as the snake coiled around her legs. "Thank you for accepting." She smiled as he slithered up to her shoulders and nuzzled her neck affectionately.

"Don't leave this room until morning. Kabuto will be gone by then." Orochimaru ordered her sternly interrupting her and Yuki's joyful reunion.

"Y-yes Orochimaru-sama." Tsuki bowed.

"Don't forget to take those." He indicated the sedatives on the bedside table, "Starting tomorrow evening."

Tsuki frowned but nodded her understanding. 

Video- "Bringing it Down" By Starset