She thought by then she would have figured it out.
A way to distance herself from all of this, a way to stay on the side and watch her life pass her by. Like the ever-changing seasons, she would have let her heart grow cold over time until there was nothing left but an eternity of numbness.
It didn’t go as planned. When did something ever do?
“Come on out and show me the clothes.” Yimei’s voice sounded excited.
“Yes,” Misoka replied automatically, forcing a faint smile on her lips when she drew back the curtain, which separated the changing cubicle from her room.
A theatrical gasp escaped Yimei’s mouth as she wasted no time examining her grand-daughter, no, how the clothes fit her. “Perfect. I told you it is custom-made, specifically for you.” She smiled to herself, letting a few wrinkles dance over her face.
Misoka stayed still and impassive as if Yimei wasn’t talking to her, as if none of this concerned her in any way. It was only when she was told to do so that she turned to the mirror and regarded herself.
“So, what do you think?” Yimei asked proudly, brushing a strand of golden hair over Misoka’s shoulder. “See, here’s the clan sign. You belong to us, after all.”
The outfit generally consisted of two parts: a black top leaving her stomach exposed and a short white skirt. Apart from that, Misoka was wearing a golden and black, sleeveless jacket which reached slightly over her bottom, almost the same length as her hair. Her feet were covered by long boots, going along with her outfit’s color scheme. The black collar and the ribbons tied around her arms and legs seemed to serve as accessories.
Misoka gazed at her mirror image indifferently. She didn’t like showing so much skin, thus she wouldn’t dress herself like this. It didn’t matter, though. Nobody cared about her opinion.
“So?”
When she picked up Yimei’s warning, she quickly put another smile on her face and turned to her.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you very much, Yimei-san.” Misoka paused for a moment. “Grandmother.”
Now the older woman was satisfied. In her chit-chatty voice, she continued talking about all sorts of things, but Misoka couldn’t say she paid much attention.

Suddenly, another voice cut through the air, silencing Yimei immediately. “I’m not truly convinced yet.”
Both of them whipped around to glance at Akihiko, the clan’s head and Yimei’s husband. He was in his fifties, but his Karisuma genes made him look younger and still fairly handsome.
His eyes slightly narrowed, he walked over to them. “We shouldn’t let her go out on her own. Who knows what she’s up to.”
Yimei shook her head and said,”You have to throw her a bone every now and then. And she won’t do anything stupid, she knows what’s on stake.”
‘My father’s life,’ Misoka thought bitterly. It was always this way. They had brought him to the Karisuma estate only to give her a reason to come back. To obey. It almost made her feel guilty about the so-called “day-offs” she was granted at times. Days when she was allowed to go outside without a bodyguard.
Akihiko snorted. “You really spoil her too much. She needs discipline.”
“But she is obedient!” His wife retorted, throwing a sideways-glance at the young woman beside her. “Aren’t you, my dear?”
And Misoka knew what she had to answer. “Yes.”
She was a pet. A doll. A painting. A product.
But when would she turn back into a human being?

~

The sand was crunching beneath her boots as she walked up the hill at the outskirts of the village. It was too small to offer a glorious view, yet high enough to make most people think it wasn’t worth climbing. She’d been here a couple of times before.
Upon reaching the top, Misoka let her gaze wander for a while, then she sat down on the sandy ground.
With her right hand, she reached for her necklace and observed it absent-mindedly. Why had she chosen to wear it today? Her head lowered and she felt her eyelids droop ever so slightly. She could still hear his words as though it had just been yesterday that he had given the necklace to her.
‘Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the situation, put it on and know that I’m still here. I’m going to come back for you, I promise.’
A broken smile tugged at the corners of her mouth when her grip tightened around the necklace.
But you never came for me.
Not in the past five years. She knew it was pointless to be still waiting. Their paths had split long ago. He might not even waste a thought on her anymore.
And I never came back.
Misoka let go of the necklace, directing her gaze back forward.
Does that make us even? Bokuden?
A light breeze blew through her hair and made her close her eyes. The nature around her was comforting, but it couldn’t erase the feeling of loneliness within her. Sunagakure wasn’t the same village she had come to love. All her old friends were gone. All the people she used to depend on were nowhere to be found. The only person left was her father.
A fact her clan would never cease taking advantage of.

He hated it,he hated it so much.All those eyes,staring at him in either fear or disgust.All those fingers,pointing him out.All those people who stopped what they were doing when he walked by.He hated them.Zaiaku walked quietly on the out-skirts of Suna.He needed to get away from them,atleast for a little while.
The sand under his  bare feet was hot but he was too use to it.The sun practically assualted him,but he paid no attention to it.He was to angry.His clawed feet left foot prints which were continuously being filled by sand.His mind was still wrapped around the memory."Get out of here,you hellbeast!You are not allowed in my store!Your not even suppose to be a ninja,let alone in a village!"It replayed over and over again,but Zaiaku was begining to careless.

"Not like he'll do anything...worthless oldman.."Zaiaku then looked up.There were hills of sand and behind him,he can faintly see Sunagakure.He sighed,put his hands in his pocket and continued walking.He looked up,and faintly saw a figure on a hill.Curious,he walked to its direction,wanting to know who else is out here.

As he got closer,he made out the figure as a woman.He advanced until he was behind her."Hello...?"He bluntly said,caring not if she jumped up and fell off the hill in fright.

"Taken?Sorry,but I wouldn't own one sand dune that could possibly blown away by tomorrow and that they in the millions across the desert."Said Zaiaku.There was a hint of annoyance in his voice,but not due to her."Anyway,I did not know there was someone else out here besides me and don't worry,I'm human."He rolled his eyes as he said the human part.He had to look down to meet her eyes,beautiful,something he wasn't.

"I just came out here to think,I'm guessing you did to."There was a certain non-chalatness in his voice and he yawned."I'm Zaiaku,and you are?"Strangely,there was no wind blowing,no sounds besides their talking,making it seem like a eternity.Zaiaku's eyes studied her.Not very tall,blond,turquoise eyes.He studied her eyes the longest.They reminded him a jewels.Eventually,seeing that he completely over-shadowed her,he plopped to the ground,patting the space beside him,gesturing her to sit.

"Either?"He repeated."So something is wrong with you two."Said Zaiaku.He watched as the sand fall from her small hand.The wind finally came,a cool breeze which calmed Zaiaku slightly.He wished he could just stay out here,in the breeze,where no one made fun of him.His attention the returned to Misoka.She was the first who didn't run away in terror on first sight of him.This irratated yet made Zaiaku feel a little better.
He turned his face to the sky,looking at the bright blue,the breeze still blowing.'Why can't I always be this relaxed?'He asked himself in his thoughts.At times,he felt jealous of other people,being so happy and care-free while he lives a Living Hell.He eventually pulled out a lighter and box of cigars,took one out,put it in his mouth,lit it,and inhaled,almost relaxing instantly.

Zaiaku couldn't quite put his finger on it,but he felt that Misoka and he were both expericening the same thing.For once,he didn't feel perverse or angry,for once he didn't feel like a outcast.He felt...content.Perhaps there are people out there who truly understand one another.”Is this how you make yourself feel better? By smoking?”Zaiaku thought for a moment before answering."It helps relax the stress I get sometimes,so yeah,I suppose"Said Zaiaku in a casual tone.

As the gray smoke of the cigar escaped his mouth,he heard her next question. "By the way, Zaiaku, how old are you?" Zaiaku glanced at her.Seeing she was curious(who wouldn't?)he took another hit of the cigar before answering."Believe it or not,the beast of whom you are conversing with is actually a fifthteen year old boy."He said in a attempted,sophisticated tone of voice.He chuckled afterward,waiting to see her reaction.

Zaiaku saw her embarrasment and chuckled alittle bit more.'Shocker...'He thought as he continued to smoke."Sorry, this was... just unexpected. You look older than you are.”Zaiaku could imagine.”I mean, this is not a bad thing! Very... um... tall people always seem to look more mature. Is everyone in your family so huge?”Zaiaku's fun quickly faded when he heard this.“You must live in a big house... eh, so you don’t hit your head on the ceiling all the time,”It was almost like getting sucker punched by a massive Shinra Tensei.Zaiaku looked down at particularly nothing,his expression un-readable.He knew she didn't mean any bad by the question but when something involves his long gone family.

“This is... um... forget it. I was joking. And I’m sorry. It’s probably not funny to constantly bang your head on something just because you’re so tall. Eh.. I didn’t mean to make fun of you.” Zaiaku raised his hand,interrupting her apology."The jokes...they are true but are rather funny..."He said,his expression still un-readable."Its just that..when you said 'family'...."He didn't dare complete his sentence.He looked at her,his previous expression replaced by sadness only a child could experience.

There was a silence for a moment as certain memories returned to Zaiaku.He almost though she left until he felt a soft hand on his bigger and more feral looking one,the sudden contact made him tense but soon relaxed as he heard her voice."Are they... dead?"Zaiaku remained silent."Happened on my eighth birthday.."He said slowly and emotionlessly."Some Iwa-Nin came,got drunk,caused trouble..."