Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [1]

☾ 46 ☽

"Why?" Tsukiko demanded immediately, her heart racing. Why was Usajii hesitant about telling her about her family and actual heritage rather than who she is related to in the far distant past. "Why, Usajii?"

"You're going to try and prove yourself as worthy as them, Usahime," Usajii replied smoothly. "And I cannot have you do that. You've got abilities different from your relatives. None of them were bestowed with what you were. You're special, you're worthier in different ways,"

"You don't know that!" Tsukiko said heatedly, unable to string two thoughts together. "You don't know whether I would do that or not!" Usajii's expression turned stern.

"I don't know that?" Usajii asked. "I live in your thoughts. Even without knowing their names, you want to be the same as them. I know you very well, Tsukiko,"

"So, what if I want to be as worthy as them? They're my family!" Tsukiko said furiously. "I don't want to talk to you," Usajii pursed his lips but vanished off into the depths of her head. Tsukiko moved to hold her head in her hands when her eyes fell onto her palms.

The sun on her right palm, the moon on her left palm, and the magatama on her neck. Tsukiko despised them. She tried to rub them off of her hands but they wouldn't ever come off. It wasn't like that Tsukiko hadn't torn the skin from that area once, but the symbols would always make their way back onto her hands.

Why is she more 'worthy' than her parents, her family? Tsukiko frowned. She was now scared that she had made Usajii annoyed with her and she was afraid he would not tell her about her parents at all now. And she didn't want that. Her heart was still a little angry and she wasn't sure how she should even apologise.

☾

"All right, then..." Jiraiya said a few days later as he brought Naruto a new bagful of rubber balls. Tsukiko took one from it as well, since she had given hers to Naruto, too. "I'm going again to gather some information,"

"What?" Tsukiko asked. "But you just came, Usa," She wondered if Jiraiya was really researching. He didn't seem to come to the hotel that drunk anymore. Jiraiya turned to leave.

"I don't have any time to waste," Jiraiya told them. Tsukiko sweat-dropped at the thought of that. He's saying that? After wasting all those days with women and alcohol?

"Hey, hey!" Naruto shouted. "Isn't there going to be even a little soulful game of catch between the master and the pupils?!" He took the ball from Tsukiko and threw it at Jiraiya. "You scoundrel!"

"Strike!" Jiraiya said, catching the ball between his teeth. Tsukiko and Naruto stared at him, unsure what to make of this behaviour. The white-haired man spat the ball away. "Here, the game of catch is over," He laughed as he left. "See you later,"

"I'm telling you, that man is a little loopy in the head," Tsukiko said to Naruto, although she was pretty sure that Jiraiya heard them for he was struck over the head and twitched.

"Humph, I'll forget about that Pervy Sage and work hard by myself!" Naruto announced before walking over to where bag of rubber balls was so he could get started. Tsukiko sat down to fool around with her own.

Tsukiko watched Naruto as he went through the rubber balls, only managing to get holes in them, and she was pretty sure that he would be requiring a new bag again soon. The white-haired girl let out a sigh as she laid onto her back, tired. She was bored because Usajii hadn't forgiven her yet. Hat grumpy old rabbit...

"Now working... I've got to concentrate even more," Naruto muttered. He tried to sit up and concentrate. Tsukiko gave him a disturbed look when he suddenly started laughing loudly. "That stupid perv's face floats up in my head and I can't even concentrate!"