Loyalty (Sasuke Uchiha)

XVIII: As Dawn Approaches

It was at a waterfall this time.

I sat at the other side of the river from where Sasuke stood, as I watched him curiously from the branch of a tree.

Chirori was chirping loudly in his left hand as Sasuke stood there looking absentmindedly at something off in the distance, his cursed mark stretched out and enveloped half of his face and spreading to his neck and chest.

And then, similar to before, he released his chidori in his own way, affecting the tree I sat relaxed in.

The little flowers of the tree rained down into the water and the rocks, as I watched a few of the flowers fall down upon my bare skin.

I wonder. Could that bastard have been aiming for me?

I watched in irritation as he retracted his arm back, taking a few steps forward.

And then I snapped my head the second I felt a presence underneath me.

A presence that sparked something within me, that put me on edge in an instant even though I hadn't seen this presence yet. The same presence I had sensed not too long ago.

I looked down, seeing the same boy with dirty blonde hair bent down by a few of the small flowers that had fallen onto the rock.

"Tell me.. Do you like red camellias or white camellias?"

I narrowed my eyes at the blonde haired boy. Could that be... Yuukimaru? What is he doing here? And why is he trying to talk to Sasuke?

"Camellias don't lose petals; instead, the entire flower falls off. You can get oil from the nuts, and the tree makes great charcoal." He spoke oddly as he picked up one of the white flowers in his hand.

"Don't come back here. Go away." Sasuke spoke lowly.

I switched my gaze to his as his back was turned to us, then moving it back down to the boy.

"Go away? I wonder where to? Where should I go to? Is this were I'm supposed to be?"

I watched as Sasuke turned back around, as his eyes watched the boy cautiously.

"But something's not right. This is not the place where I'm supposed to return to. That's right.. You wouldn't know that, would you?"

When I last spoke to Yuukimaru, he wasn't as odd as what he was being right now. I wonder.. did Kabuto or Orochimaru get to him?

"Say, do you have somewhere to go back to?"

"A place like that does not exist for me." Sasuke spoke blandly.

"Ah, here you are Yuukimaru. It's time to go."

I moved my gaze to the sound of Kabuto's voice as I watched him walk up to the boy.

"Okay." Yuukimaru said as he smiled.

"Sorry to bother you." Kabuto apologized, directing his comment to Sasuke.

And then he turned around and walked off with the boy, not before looking up at the tree and giving me a smirk.

"See you soon, Sasuke." The boy called out.

"Do you know him?" I asked him, curious. The uncomfortable pit feeling in my soul lifted as he went further away from me.

"He belongs to Orochimaru."

I groaned in annoyance. "Of course, I am the last to know of whatever the hell that bastard is doing." I mumbled to myself as I laid back on the branch.