Hearts And Futures Entwined

Disclaimer: Don't own Rosario to Vampire or Naruto.

Speaking Normally

Thoughts

Demonic Voice

Demonic Inner Voice/Thoughts

Chapter 1, What Life Holds In Store

A year since he'd been exiled, and he was finally starting to settle into the life he'd carved out for himself. He'd left the Elemental nations. To be more exact, he left the world. With all of Kyubi's power now his, and the occasional memories left behind, buried, it had been almost too easy to rip a hole in the barrier separating worlds.

He had settled into a life of anonymity. It was nice being able to go for a walk and be just another face in the crowd.

A month ago though… He'd received a rather…distressing…letter in the mail. There was no writing anywhere on the envelope, no sender or recipient address. Inside was a note asking for the chance of a simple chat later that night.

The problem in all this?

The name.

At the head of the letter was his name. Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto.

His full name.

There was no one, absolutely no one, here, he had told his full name to.

He had fretted over the letter for all of six whole hours before heading off to the desired meeting. And while he was dressed in a simple hoody, only a veteran fighter or survivor could tell that there was war in the blonde's eyes.

He may not have any idea of the 'who' or 'why', but one thing was for sure. If things went sour, as he was certain they would, it wouldn't be him lying in a puddle of blood.

The sun had gone down a little over an hour ago, and yet the streets remained just as busy. Though the decided majority were of the less than honest element. It was one of the reasons why the park was as empty as it was. Regardless of the reason, he noted an odd energy to the night air, as if there was something actively trying to repel those who couldn't sense it.

The sounds of his feet striking the concrete echoed through the mostly vacant park. Lights, those that were on, seemed to fight a losing battle against the darkness that was attempting to swallow them up.

The fountain in the park's eastern corner, that was where he was supposed to meet the writer of the letter. So, here he was. He couldn't sense anyone around, hidden, but that didn't sway him. He was taut as a spring, ready to burst into motion.

The lights in the immediate vicinity started blinking before failing entirely. He prepared himself.

"Ah, good! You've arrived." The light overhead flickered back on, the only one to do so. Standing to his side was a well dressed man, with a permanent smile plastered on his features.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked in a deathly whisper.

"Please, Mr. Namikaze. There's no need for pointless hostility."

"It's only pointless if it's unfounded. So where's your weapon? Let's get this fight over with."

The man smirked wryly, like he was observing a child making a fool of himself. "I think you have the wrong idea here, Mr. Namikaze."

Blue eyes narrowed, calculating. "Then, to ask the unsaid question… Are you here to kill me?" he nearly spat.

"Quite the opposite, in fact," the man countered before reaching into his jacket. The blonde was internally ready to pounce, muscles coiled for the moment he might be attacked. But instead of a weapon, he pulled out…a brochure? "I'd like to extend an invitation. If you accept, simply wait at the bus stop. Monday morning, seven am, two weeks from now," he said, passing the papers to the confused, but edgy teen. "I assure you, if you attend you will find many of the answers that you seek about yourself."

Point to the mystery man. He was curious about his abilities. Merging with Kyubi left him wondering about just what he could do. What were his limits? Did he even have any? He wasn't about to believe everything this man said though. He'd long ago learned to be wary of those looking to do favors. The first dozen attempts on his life had been enough incentive to be careful of such offerings, hence his leaving the village in the first place.

"I'll think about…it?" The man was gone, and Naruto felt a familiar twitch consume his brow. Oh, he hated it when people did that! What worried him was that no human, in this world particularly, should have been able to disappear so easily.

Taking a closer look at the brochure, he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Youkai Academy was spelled out on the cover of the brochure. Youkai? He was getting that seriously creepy vibe. Then again, why? Sure, he was a demon now. More or less. So who's to say there aren't other demons out there?

But, good decision or bad, he would keep his eyes open, and his weapons ready.

Okay, this was officially starting to suck. To attend this…school…he'd had to buy several sets of uniforms. The tie was really becoming a pain in the ass. He didn't know how much longer before he'd set the offending item on fire.

Scenery flickered by the windows as he lamented his choice, if only for the issue of these damned clothes. Soon enough though, a tunnel appeared down the road. Darkness enveloped the bus, the tunnel seeming to devour the transport, "You're…a new student, enrolling at Youkai Academy?" The driver's voice was off somehow. His eyes, glowing in the shadow of his hat, as well as the overall creepiness of his expression might have unnerved someone else, but he'd seen far too much to freak over something so minimal. Hell, he'd faced Biju and come out alive.

"Mhm," he answered lazily. He was the only person on the bus. Odd, but not completely out of the ordinary.

"In that case, you'd best prepare yourself now," he said, voice smug. "Heheh. When we come out of this looong tunnel we'll be right in front of the school." He turned in his seat, giving one last try to freak the boy out. "Youkai Academy is a verrrry horrifying school," and he started laughing darkly for effect.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "You practice that?" The driver's laughter didn't stop on his account. 'Man, talk about a ham.'

"Hehe, we have arrived, sonny boy," he cackled. "Be careful." And the yellow behemoth was off, rocketing away in a cloud of stirred up dust.

"Does he get paid to act like that? Or does he just like screwing with people?" he asked himself. Not that he was one to talk. He'd made people's lives hell with his pranks in the past.

"Coming through!" Distracted by his musings, he had enough time to see a girl on a bike approaching him at high speeds. Common sense told him to avoid the bike, he was fast enough to do so, but that would blow his cover. So…

'…Crap.' And the bike collided.

"…Ouch," he groaned. Sure, the bike wasn't too heavy, but he'd landed on a rock, and it when he'd hit the ground it had dug into his back. Trying to get back to his feet, he realized that he was leaning over the form of the bike's rider. She was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. Well, maybe cute was a better word. Extremely cute. While he hadn't really had any positive associations with the color pink in the past, he couldn't see her as being the violent type. She was, in terms of physical proportions, practically perfect. He'd almost felt the need to slap himself to make sure he wasn't daydreaming.

"…Oow… I'm sorry," she apologized. "I got dizzy from my anemia… A-Are you okay?" He'd give her credit for that question. There weren't many who would own up like that and ask for forgiveness. Most would simply leave off at an excuse.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. He knew enough to know that if she was anemic, dizzy spells would be fairly common.

As if seeing him for the first time, her eyes widened in horror, "Ah, oh no, blood!" she cried.

"Huh?"

Pulling a handkerchief from within her blazer, she moved towards him with it. "You cut your cheek."

Finally noticing the warm fluid trickling down his left cheek, he reached up. Somehow, he'd gained a cut just under his eye on the cheek bone. Pulling his hand away, there was a little of the precious fluid on his fingers. "That's alright, it'll-"

"The scent of…blood," she murmured, her eyes turning glassy. "I…I…can't." Leaning across, she fell against his chest, "I lose control when I smell that scent," she practically whimpered.

Naruto was thrown through a loop. They hadn't even gotten off the ground, and then she started acting…weird. Not exactly unwelcome, just odd. Her proximity was starting to affect him though. He could feel his blood beginning to warm. Her hands went up to his face, so that she could meet his gaze.

"I…I'm sorry but… It's just'cuz…" she leaned forward even further, her face flushed, and he was really starting to sweat, figuratively speaking. Hey, he may appreciate the female form, but he had little to no experience with it. "I'm a vampire." He froze in shocked surprise though when he felt a pinch on his neck.

'Vampire?' He was really starting to wonder about just where he was.

Her muffled slurping of his blood was accentuated by the occasional moan of contentment. His blood. It was so…rich, full of flavor, and it stirred a hungry rumbling within her. "I've never tasted anything like this," she thought from the high his blood was giving her, licking the skin of his neck. It filled her with a spreading warmth that seemed to make her tingle down to the tips of her toes.

A moment later though, she was able to regain enough control over herself to pull away. Licking her lips to taste the remainders of the marvelous liquid, her eyes began to clear from their unfocused daze. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized once more. "I didn't mean to just take your blood like that," she added with a slight tone of self-recrimination. "I'm sorry. I'm Moka Akashiya. Although I look like this, I'm a vampire," she explained, her hand resting on her chest in a rather fetching manner.

"Erm, you don't…hate…vampires…do you?" she asked quickly before he could even react, looking immediately uncomfortable, finding her fingers extremely interesting.

Still reeling a bit from the bite to his neck, he bore a perplexed expression as he considered her explanation and confession. She was a vampire? Somehow, he had been expecting something…more. That is had he even thought about the types of monsters that would be attending. Which he hadn't. Not really anyway.

Taking a minute to look her over closer though… Her eyes spoke only of innocence. "No," he answered nonchalantly. "Tell you the truth? You're the first I've met." She seemed elated by his answer as her face lit up in a radiant smile. He didn't volunteer his own stats, but, hey, she didn't ask. "…And you sucked my blood."

She blushed, at the confrontation as well as the moments old memory of said event. "Yes. Thank you so much for the treat. Your blood is soooooo yummy," she answered shamelessly, a dreamy expression lighting her features.

He twitched a little at how…oblivious…she could be. Inwardly frowning, he corrected himself. Oblivious, no. Just…overly innocent.

"But you don't have any problems with…my kind, vampires?" she asked again.

He shrugged. "I guess not."

Her happy smile was quite a sight, making even him smile. Quite the trick as he was trying to school what he showed others. Picking her bike back up, she turned to him. "That's great! Then if you're okay with me, please be my friend! I was feeling lonely since I don't know anyone here."

'She's really cute,' he mused again.

Remembering she'd introduced herself, he felt obliged to return the salutation. "Oh. I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. Pleased to meet you," he offered casually before shouldering his bag.

"I'm pleased to meet you!" she returned as they walked along with him towards the large building peaking from over the skeletal treetops, her with her bike and him with his duffle. Before splitting up, she asked him to meet up with her after the entrance ceremony. He agreed with a smile and a lazy wave as she walked away.

Scene Break

"I am your home room teacher: Shizuka Nekonome," she said with an enthusiastic bow. "I think you all already know this, but…this is…a school built for monsters to attend."

His brow rose again. Sure, he knew that already, but to be so cavalier about it?

Tapping a hastily drawn chalk diagram of the planet Earth, "The Earth has already come under the control of the humans! In order for us monster to continue to survive, we have no choice but to continue to peacefully coexist with the humans. At this academy, you will be studying 'How To Coexist With Humans'!"

His jaw dropped. That was why that weird guy had asked him to come here? To learn to associate with humans? He'd been human. What else was there for him to learn?

"So, for that reason, as a school rule, you will all live your lives at the academy in human form."

Okay, that he could understand. Many of them needed to learn to blend in, and tolerate the form.

"Do you understand? It's a matter of being able to disguise yourself well as a human! This is the foundation of coexistence!"

Yeah, unknowing and unwitting coexistence. It wasn't coexistence as much as it was hiding. Not that he could complain. That was what he did.

"You are never to allow any of your fellow students to know your 'true form', understand?"

"Hey, teacher!" interrupted a boy in front of him and over to the side. He remembered passing him as he sat down. Something about the prissy fool had screamed arrogance. Now he understood why. "Would it not be better for us to eat up those puny humans?" Prick. "And in the case of beautiful girls, better to molest them."

His fingers bit into his palm, but he refused to show any outward sign of reaction. Oh, he wanted to kill this shithead, but now wasn't the time. Not that that stopped him from focusing a little ki on the sick fuck.

For a brief second, the apparent teen boy froze in what looked like utter panic, sweating bullets. '…Where…What…' but hardly had it started, it simply vanished.

Whether anyone noticed his momentary condition or not, Nekonome-sensei continued her introduction. "Oh! Incidentally, here at Youkai Academy, the teachers and students are allllll monsters, there are no genuine humans here."

Glancing briefly at his hand, looking at it he couldn't help but think, 'Once upon a time…'

"S'CUSE ME!" Broken from his memories, his eyes shot to the door, but he already knew who was there. In the doorway was a panting Moka. "After the entrance ceremony I kinda got lost in the school… Sorry I'm late…" she said, offering a meek apology.

"Oh, that's fine. Just take a seat," their sensei spoke with an unwavering smile, pointing towards the back center of the room. 'Well, what a cute one.'

Moka smiled weakly, "Okay."

She was so unaware of the effect she had on the class, it was almost painful. Murmurs erupted, from boys and girls alike. Surprisingly, it wasn't just the boys whispering about her sexy cuteness.

Going down the aisle, Moka spotted an already familiar mob of unruly blonde spikes. "Huh? Naruto…" She threw herself at him, literally. "It's Naruto!" she squealed happily, giving him a tight hug. "We're in the same class!" Okay, he was officially not earning points in his favor. Pretty much every male in the class was glaring at him, hatred burning in their eyes. A few of the females did, too. The remaining girls, now noticing him were giving him wide-eyed looks. They hadn't noticed him before and were inwardly confused at how they'd missed this…Adonis. A rare few girls…they looked at the two and had…happy thoughts.

Unnoticed, the prettyboy watched the spectacle in silence. Finally, he hummed in appreciation, licking his lips as he appraised the pretty vampire girl's form.

"I…I wanna date her…!"

"WHOA, beautiful. I've never seen such a hottie!"

"Hey, who the Hell is that guy next to her?"

Murmurings went from admiration of Moka to thoughts of killing her chaperone.

"Perhaps he will leave on his own."

"If not that bastard is dead."

"Let's just kill him now."

Normally, said blonde might react to their comments, or the murderous intent. It should be noted that if you've faced death enough times, there's little left for you to be afraid of, in those regards. Even if he had overtly noticed, the chances of him actually paying attention to their ki was slim to none. He'd fought opponents of such power and skill…these punks were like ants. They didn't even register as threats.

For the moment though, he was simply lost in thought.

Okay, he was feeling a bit…awkward…being hauled around as he was. Not that he didn't like it. She was a truly nice person, er, monster, er, girl… The point being she was…nice. Being around her awoke certain…instincts. Instincts he'd heeded most of his life. The need to protect.

Something he hadn't wanted to feel ever since he left.

But, when she was around, it reminded him of how things once could have been. How his life could have been had he never had the ninetails sealed in him. It was really getting to him, her purity of spirit.

"Hmm, such a pretty one."

His inner monologue of the effect she had on him was cut short though at the greeting of the prettyboy from their class. Again, prick.

"You are called Moka Akashiya, are you not?" he asked, winking at her. "I am your classmate Saizou Kamiya. Salutations!"

His attention was brought fully back to reality when he was hoisted a few inches off the floor. He concealed his own shock. If it wasn't for the fact that his youki was suppressed almost down to nothing, he'd be wondering just how dumb this guy was. Sure, his energy was suppressed, explaining his own apparent weakness, but this guy…he was a weakling.

"By the way, why is a beautiful lady such as yourself associating with a guy like this?" he asked condescendingly before dropping the blonde.

Naruto landed on his feet easily enough. Sure, now he wanted to kick the crap out of this guy, but when his eyes cut to Moka he could see the inner struggle. She wasn't a mean person, so telling him to back off wasn't really in her. How would she react if her new friend kicked the crap out of some guy?

Hence the dilemma.

"Wouldn't someone like me be far superior to someone like that scummy guy?" Saizou asked arrogantly, before raising his thumb to point to himself. "Why don't we go off somewhere, just the two of us and have some fun?" And then he made his power play. Leaning right in her face, "WELL? WHY DON"T WE GO OUT FOR A BIT?" he murmured huskily.

Moka blanched. In less than a second, she was dragging an inwardly fuming Naruto down the hall as fast as she could without breaking out of a walk. "I'm sorry! I'm having fun with Naruto now!" she countered quickly over her shoulder.

"…Humf, just watch me," Saizou growled to himself. He was far from put off. This could be an interesting game. "I…never allow a nice woman like you to escape…"

Moka was too hurried in her escape maneuver to hear.

But that didn't mean Naruto didn't.

Moka didn't stop dragging him until they reached an empty stairwell…clear across the building.

Panting from the flurried retreat, "That was surprising, wasn't it? I got a little scared," she puffed. "Are you okay, Naruto?"

He didn't seem to be winded at all. Of course, it's hard to lose one's breath when they're being dragged. "I'm fine, Moka," he answered with a small smile. "Really though, you shouldn't be worrying about me."

"I have to!" she proclaimed, puffing out her cheeks. "You're my friend!" If she only knew how touched he was by that sentiment, though he hid it well. "Be-Besides…" Her cheeks grew rosy and she had a far off look in her eyes, "…We're on bloodsucking terms." He twitched, violently. But she rounded on him after barely another second passed.

"Be proud of yourself!" she cheered happily. "You have Grade A blood, Naruto! It's way better than any of the blood I've drunk before from the blood transfusion packs! It's full bodied, the sweetness and mineral content are all perfect, and sends wonderful shivers through me!"

As…flattering as that all sounded, "What am I? Food?" he all but demanded.

"Well… Actually… You know…" her courage seemed to dwindle as she radiated embarrassment. "Th-That was my first time, Naruto…" He was a little stunned hearing that. The way she seemed to hold that fact… It sounded almost like a 'cherry popping' sort of topic. "You're the first person whose body I have ever fed from, Naruto," she explained, looking ever so demure and innocent. "My first time… That feeling… I'll never forget it." Okay, the way she was talking, it was really heating his blood, which he forcefully kept in check.

"Moka," he managed to say, only to get shoved, hard.

"Oh, I'm so embarrassed!"

Flushing from being so candid with him, she had failed to keep her strength in check as she had 'gently' shoved him into the lockers. He had survived relatively unscathed. The lockers…not so much.

"Let's have some fun! Let's check out the rest of the academy!" she shouted enthusiastically, leaving him to follow her up.

He had had a wonderful time with Moka for the day as they explored the campus, her childlike enthusiasm even getting him to drop his guard.

Still, as nice as it had been…

He needed answers.

The moment the headmaster had walked onto the stage, he had recognized him on the spot. And now here he was headed to his office. It was past midnight, but if he was right, he would still be there.

The secretary, or whatever, was gone for the night, the desk vacant. Pausing in front of the massive door, he considered his options. A, kick the door in and demand answers, or B, keep a cool head. Annoyed at how logic prevailed, he raised his hand to knock. "Come in," echoed the man's voice, halting his hand millimeters from the door's surface.

Bag packed, he was only waiting to say goodbye to Moka before he left. His talk with the headmaster, while interesting, had still proven that he was once again being used. As the new head honcho, the blonde could peddle some influence in the years to come. And with him being human before, he had more insight and possibly sympathy for them. Sure, he made sense, and his idea of coexistence was interesting, if a little idealistic, but he was tired. All his life he'd been used.

"Naruto!" Looking up from the paper in his hand, he caught sight of a smiling Moka swiftly approaching. Her smile… It alone tempted him to stay, but he needed to send a message to the headmaster.

Smiling back lopsidedly, "Morning, Moka."

Not slowing down in the slightest, she glomped him. "Mornin'!" she intoned sweetly. "If we don't hurry we're gonna be tardy!" Seeing the bag at his feet, her face flickered through a few confused emotions. "Naruto?" her eyes beginning to show fear.

"Sorry, Moka, but I can't stay here," he answered, knowing what her question would concern. "I don't belong here."

"But-"

"The only reason I was invited here was as a chess piece in someone's game. I'd rather go to a human school than be used."

She flinched before an angry flush overtook her face. "No way! You can't go off to some human school! I hate humans!" That final line hurt a little, mainly because she had used the word 'hate'. He had foolishly hoped her innocence had shielded her from such concepts. "You know I…I actually went to a human school once, up through middle school," she voiced weakly. "I was isolated…it was so sooooo tough," her sad frown turned into a smile, but he could see it was strained. "But… You said I was alright, even though you found out that I'm a vampire, and so… This has been the first time in my life that I haven't felt alone!"

Oh yeah, that didn't feel like a kick to the nuts.

"You can't go, Naruto," she pleaded. "We can study hard at the academy together."

"I was human once," he murmured somberly, but his words may have well been a shout for all the silencing effect they had on the girl. "If I hadn't become what I am now…would you hate me?"

"…" She looked cornered and frightened, but he needed to voice his thoughts.

"I've known humans my whole life. Lived among them. I can't say it was enjoyable; most never saw me as human. But I never hated them…because for all their hatred, I still found a few who didn't. If I'd returned their hatred, I'd have truly become something dark."

Seeing that she was thoroughly shell-shocked, he shouldered his duffle. "I'm sorry, Moka, I truly am. You're one of the first…people…I've liked in a long time." Stepping forward, he brushed a strand of pink hair out of her stunned, betrayed eyes, and left a light peck on her forehead.

She remained in that state, watching him walk away, and unable to say anything. Tears welled up before streaming down her cheeks.

A ways away:

He sneered. Perfect. She would be more…receptive, now. Or, at the least, she was shaken enough that she shouldn't cause too much trouble. She would be his.

Sitting on the steps of the school, he waited for the bus. It wouldn't be there for another few hours, but considering he was leaving he'd decided to skip his morning classes. What was the point in even going?

What wouldn't settle though was the thought of how he and Moka had parted company. It gnawed at his insides, seeing the loneliness in her eyes. A loneliness he understood all too well.

Damn…

He couldn't leave it at that. The least he could do was find her and apologize for the impromptu tearing down. Maybe then, they could at least remain friends.

Nodding to himself, he stood and walked away.

Actually not that far away, Moka shuffled along the campus, thoughts of the day's classes gone from her mind. "No way… No. Even though I finally made a friend," tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Even though it was the first time in my life I thought I had a friend…"

Her inner pain was interrupted by a sudden gripping of her wrist, and a hand on her waist. Yanking her around, "Hey, why is it you're alone?" Saizou asked in mock shock, laying the sleaze into his words.

"Saizou!" Moka gasped in both surprise and discomfort at the hold he had on her arm. Emotionally drained as she was, she just didn't have the strength of will to throw him off her.

"You shouldn't be lonely, Moka Akashiya, when you can be with a man like me…" But his words and the expression on his face only drew out fear in the girl.

It wasn't so much an escape as it was her being thrown away, her side colliding with a tombstone. She squeaked cutely from the painful contact.

"Mwaha…I'm serious," Saizou continued, removing his academy blazer. "Your beauty is incomparable to any one of those puny humans I have molested!" Her breath hitched fearfully at his words. "I want you in all seriousness, Moka Akashiya!" he cackled as, more and more, he looked less and less human.

"Sa-Saizou?"

His form now dark and twisted compared to the pretty boy look he had composed for himself, "…Arrgh, ohh. I can't stop myself. When I feel like this, my body starts to ache," he crooned. "When I come to this point, there is no stopping me… I just can't stay in human form anymore."

Shivering in fear, "N-No. Someone, help…" she thought before the plea finally escaped her lips. "NARUTO!"

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" the transformed Saizou laughed madly. I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS LITTLE VIOLATION OF THE SCHOOL RULES." His tongue stretched to cover the distance between them to wrap around her, drool dribbling from its slimy surface, even as he loomed closer.

"Provided you live that long," interrupted a third voice, growling darkly. Standing only a few meters away was Naruto, glaring balefully at the disgusting demon.

"Naruto!" Moka shouted in relief, if a tinge of fear at him possibly being hurt because of her. "Why? Why did you come back?"

The blonde's glare melted as he looked to her. "I just couldn't leave it like that, Moka," he confessed. "I just didn't think this asshole would have the balls try something like this, here." Fist clenching, the knuckles cracked from the stressful clenching.

Saizou snarled at the blonde. "GOT MORE TO SAY, DO YOU? I BELIEVE I WARNED YOU NOT TO COME NEAR MOKA AGAIN…"

Naruto blinked, less than impressed by the demon's true form, and his power…it was piddling. "Huh…now that's a face for radio," he commented cheekily.

For a brief moment, he wondered. If this was Saizou's true form…then what was Moka's. Without that rosary, what would she be like?

"Run!" she urged, unable to get to him with Saizou in-between them.

To his surprise, the little shit actually made to hit him. Curious about just how weak the minor demon was, he let the hit connect. He was rocketed into the supposedly dead tree at the edge of the small cemetery.

"Naruto!" Moka screamed in fear filled sorrow, running over to him.

Oops, maybe that wasn't such a smart thing when Moka didn't know he could survive it.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Saizou crowed. "WHAT'S WRONG, WANNABE VAMPIRE? DID YOU NOT THINK A ROGUE MONSTER LIKE MYSELF WOULD CHALLENGE A SO-CALLED VAMPIRE…" he chortled. "YOU'RE TOO WEAK, SCUM!"

Hands shaking, Moka hovered over the out cold blonde teen. He had come back for her…only for this to happen. How…How horrible!

As a vampire, feeding off the blood of others… Was hurting others all she would ever be able to do? The truth was, even at the human school, all she'd ever wanted was to make a friend. Tears falling in twin rivers, she caressed the downed boy's face caringly. "But I guess it's impossible. Surely, all I'd be able to do is hurt Naruto and bring him pain as well."

Soulful blue eyes opened before a warm smile made its appearance known. "You don't need to worry about me, Moka," he assured her. "I'm sturdy." He had played possum, expecting another attack from Saizou, but not the sad, teary words of Moka. It pained him, hearing the sorrow in her voice. She would have chosen to be alone, knowing if her friendship would cause others pain. Looking back into her teary eyes, just beginning to shine with relief, "I don't have much to offer, Moka, but I do want to be your friend," he said with a smile. Climbing up to his knees, he cupped her face. "It doesn't matter to me what you are…you're my friend and that's all that matters to me-ACKK! " He was interrupted by a foot to the back of his head, sending him into Moka, and the pair to skid to the ground stirring up dirt.

Was he really that stupid? He'd left himself open.

Looking down, he blushed momentarily as he found his hand on her, erm, chest, the fingers of his left hand grazing something metal. Jerking away, coughing, he stood back up. Ignorant of the sharp 'CLNK' sound, or the object that fell to the ground, he pulled the pink-haired girl to her feet. Scowling at Saizou, "You asshole! That was a private moment!" Looking back to Moka, he frowned at her wide eyes.

Moka though, was staring in stunned awe at her chest. Something…was missing.

"Hey, where's your-" he began to say until the area was flooded by a wave of power. Power that erupted from Moka. Shaking at first from the raw power, she stood straighter as the energy wave settled. Her finger nails turned wickedly sharp, her fangs even more pronounced, pink hair turned a shining silver, and her overall appearance looked more…mature.

But in the absence of the swells of power, her presence had grown. Naruto was inwardly shocked. She was somewhere around the power level of a high jonin, maybe even kage, comparatively, not that raw power was ever a good testament.

So…this was a vampire.

Saizou wasn't taking it as well. "WH-WHAT IS SHE… TH-THIS OVERPOWERING SENSATION… SHE'S A DIFFERENT PERSON!" he ranted, overcome by innate fear by her raw power.

Brushing the hair elegantly out of her eyes, Naruto was rewarded with the sight of another change. Her face had grown more angular, this he had seen, but her eyes…they were now a deep crimson, with slit pupils. All in all, they reminded him of the good old days when he'd channel Kyubi. Spotting something familiar, he bent down and picked up the discarded rosary, running his fingers over it analytically.

"JUST LIKE THE LEGENDS! RED EYES…AND INTENSE SUPERNATURAL ENERGY!" Saizou was shaking. "THIS…THIS IS A VAMPIRE?"

"What's wrong, rogue one?" Moka asked, her voice slightly different than before. Now, it was heavy, husky even. "You…want me right? Just try and take me…by force," she invited. "Here…Won't you?"

Saizou, panic overriding his common sense, attacked, diving at her.

Naruto groaned internally. Stupid kid. He knew that tone.

"Attacking me with just this degree of power…" the transformed Moka tsked. "Realize your place," and delivered an amazing right foot to his face. Naruto whistled at her power.

Appraising the still flying Saizou as he went through several trees, "Good distance," he mumbled.

"A low class monster like you who has nothing to show for his size, doesn't even make for a decent opponent in a contest of strength," she sighed in annoyance. Turning, she walked back to him.

Intrigued, he gave her a more analytical once over. That's what that little shit couldn't see. Those eyes spoke of a hunter. A miscreant like him couldn't be ready to face someone with that kind of nature. Feeling her flare her power, he smiled. She was testing him, after a fashion.

"What's wrong?" she asked silkily as she approached. "Are you scared…of this me?"

He shrugged.

She smiled. "I know you aren't. The other me…she can't sense it, but I can. You hide your true power." Getting well within his personal space, she plucked the rosary from his fingers. "I wonder…just how strong are you, really?" she mused aloud, licking her lips. Tracing his jaw line with the metal cross, she looked deep into his eyes in attempts to divine some truth. "But the other me finds your blood to be delicious… I will await the day when I can learn the truth about you," she cooed huskily. Raising the rosary, "Until we meet again…you'd better watch over that sentimental other me," and with a 'CLNK' it clipped back into place.

Like a wind tunnel going silent the pressure disappeared. Moka's more aggressive traits faded and she once more took upon the softer appearance of the pink-haired girl he'd met just shortly ago. Seemingly wiped, she fell against him, asleep. Taking a second to brush the hair from her eyes, he just looked down at her.

It was time to reconsider some options.

Picking the slumbering girl up into his arms, he carried her back to the school proper.

Sometime later, the bus pulled out sans the passenger it was supposed to pick up.

Watching the transport leave, the blonde took a deep breath before walking back to the academy dorms.

He'd found something at the academy. Something…he realized was impossible to get anywhere else.

AN/ Editted.