Twisted

Sarada's Curse

Sarada lay in bed with her nose buried in a good book. Not just any good book; the latest volume of "All Things Outdoors," an encyclopedia of everything in nature and the workings of the world. The entry on grass was particularly fascinating.

Scientists recently discovered a pigment called chlorophyll in most green plants that converted light energy into chemical energy and turned sunlight into food for plants. Apparently, the color green allowed for the best absorption of sunlight.

She set her book down and checked her closet for green clothes. Surely, there had to be a scarf, a summer dress... Something that was green. Maybe green clothes would enhance the pleasant warmth that came with the minimal rays of sun that shone through the cracks in the window and onto her back.

But after a few minutes of rummaging, she came up with nothing. Her only dresses were red, and her only scarf was yellow.

If she remembered correctly, her granny wore green... But it'd been a while since she last glimpsed her. Several years perhaps.

Just as she was about to close the wooden wardrobe doors, her little chameleon friend suddenly popped open its wide auburn eyes, her skin de-camouflaging from the dresser's pale blue color into a deep burnt orange. "Cho-Cho!"

The chameleon casually crawled up her arm, showcasing the now yellow butterfly mark on her back.

"You can turn green too, can't you," Sarada asked in a hushed whisper.

Just to show off, the chameleon proudly changed to green and struck a pose, head tilted up in pride.

Sarada's mind raced off onto a different world entirely as she pondered if this change in color would allow Cho-Cho to attract more sunlight and better regulate her body temperature. She lifted her arm and studied her friend's scales carefully.

Three light taps on her bedroom door brought everything to an abrupt halt. "Sarada?"

Sarada shoved her arm into the closet and closed it a heartbeat later. Some might think it rude to trap a pet in a confined space, but Sarada had no choice. She wasn't exactly allowed to have visitors, reptiles and birds included.

Turning away, she dropped her head straight down, her dark eyes boring holes in her bare feet. "Yes, granny?"

Ordinarily, Sarada took all these steps in addition to closing her eyes whenever these three taps stole her away from her thoughts, but whirling around and the added anxiety of having to hide Cho-Cho made her dizzy enough. She didn't need to make her balance worse by shutting off one of her senses and tumbling over. She couldn't cause her caretaker any unnecessary concern... Or put her in any unnecessary danger from entering the room.

There was a soft creak as Tsunade peered inside. "Lunch is on the table in the kitchen... About your birthday--"

"Green," Sarada said quickly. "I'd like... Some clothes that are green..."

"...Alright."

Sarada had only seen her granny's face a few times, and most of them were far too long ago to remember. She always made sure to knock three times and pause before peeking in, and sometimes she didn't open the door at all. But today was special; it was three days before Sarada's birthday. And her granny Tsunade always got her whatever she asked for.

When the door was finally shut, Sarada let out a held breath. She reopened the closet doors and gave her chameleon an apologetic look. Cho-Cho crawled from her hand up her arm and onto her shoulder, leaning her head on Sarada's neck in understanding.

Sarada was cursed. Or at least, that's what she'd always been told. And she had good reason to believe it.

When she was a little girl, no more than a day old, she was banished to this castle. Tsunade said her parents did it to protect her, but they stopped visiting a long time ago.