Training and Meetings

Early the next morning I realized it was saturday and that meant early morning practice. With a sigh of frustration I got ready and headed toward sensei's house. Hei was silent, on guard and most of all trying his best to stay in check. I wasn't sure why but he didn't like sensei or the fact that acted, that he looked after me without any reason. As we entered the courtyard I found a vampire about mom's age on the floor and passed out. Quickly I went to his side, ignoring Hei's growls of warnings and dislike.

"Stop it Hei, he needs help." I said while placing my hands over the vampires heart and started to heal.

"This is unwise my lady."

"How so? Why is it unwise to help others in need?" I demanded, all the while focusing, making sure that while I healed any internal damage I also healed his power supply.

"That's not what I..." but before Hei could finish he jumped in front of me and blocked an attack. Everything had happened so fast that at first I wasn't sure if it had happened or not. Then, when the vampire I had been healing stood he sighed.

"Stand down Sai." he called out, causing a similar looking man to stand down, to withdraw his weapons and threat.

"My pardons Lord but you were injured and I as a healer felt the need to assist. My name is Izakura, Izakura Haruno." I said instantly while bowing. Hei stayed tall alert and determined to show it.

"Who is this wanna be hunter?" hisses the man beside the vampire only to sigh as he suddenly changed forms. In front of my eyes, our eyes I saw the man turn into a tiger, a black and red tiger with eyes exactly that those of the vampire before me.

"You should know better Sai." the vampire said before turning to me. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha." he said, voice emotionless and stoic. It wasn't until his last name registered in my mind that it hit me. He was related, in the same bloodline as sensei was, the same age as my mother and had the same type of blood animal as me so maybe. Just maybe he was my father.

'My lady we should go.' I heard Hei, this time addressing me alone.

"I'm sorry for suddenly healing you my lord, I will now take my..."

"Your not going anywhere." growled Sai, about to jump and attack. He would have too if it wasn't for the sudden black flames that repelled the wolf and kept Izakura safe.

"You need to learn control Sai, Sasuke you shouldn't have allowed this to go as far as it has." suddenly came sensei's voice. He didn't look happy and his voice certainly showed that. Sasuke bowed in his presence before nodding, as soon as that was done Sai was no where to be found.

"I know, we were training when I pushed my self too far. This healer helped me." he said before looking over at Hei. "I don't know who's blood animal that is but he seems to be looking over her." he said, his tone of voice indicating he was holding back some sort of information.

"Hn, I'll be training her as far as for Hei, he has been ordered by Lady Tsunade her self." he said before turning to face us both. "This way." and with that we walked off. Sasuke, his blood animal was similar to mine, both looked the same and the vampiric traits that I had inherited he seemed to have. Yes, I was right to have suspected someone from this bloodline to be my father and it seemed likely, really likely that Sasuke was the man. When sensei stopped it took me a while to realize, in fact I wouldn't have realized it if it wasn't for the fact that Hei was forced to move and block for me.

"I suggest you pay attention when training with your vampiric power." sensei spoke, voice strained and serious. Hei growled but I shook my head, instantly silencing him.

"My pardons sensei, I didn't mean to..."

"When training here I am not your sensei, I am your master. Vampires to not believe in sensei's." was all he said before quickly going into a spar. I knew instantly what he was doing, he was testing my strengths, my weaknesses. Strengths I had many, my speed as fast as his, my eyes as well, as adapting and as exact as any pureblooded vampires eyes would be, my sense's all heightened, my intelligence amplified by my power. Weaknesses I had few, I wasn't sure how to call on my true power, how to control on the gifts I already had access to, let alone how to take on a true vampire.

'Hei' I called out, knowing full well that he was waiting, hiding and listening. Instantly I got a response.

'Yes my lady?'

'When I give the signal, go in for an attack.' I send out to him, instantly picking up my speed and running circles around sensei. He all the while kept his eyes on me, the black slits in them bolding, growing in intensity and making themselves making them more noticeable. Then, as soon as the timing was right I gave Hei the signal. Sensei blocked his attack easily, so easily that I hadn't thought about attacking, all I could do was watch and feed Hei more power, more energy. Hei was about to get hit, sensei wasn't going easy on he or I and the moment he did my own amber, green and black eyes began to glow in a dangers red glow with the black slits in my eyes started to spin. The burning sensation was there, it was stronger than it had been before but unlike previous times it didn't hurt. Instead it felt right, comfortable, and good. As soon as that happened sensei was stuck in his place, his body could no longer move, his shadow was mine and the gravity all around him was beginning to grow. Hei quickly took my side then, looking at me with worried eyes.

"My lady..." he called out to me but the amount of power I felt then, it was just so intoxicating that I didn't want to hear anything, I didn't want to pay any attention to anything other than the fight before me. I had also allowed sensei to turn, to face me head on and the instant he saw my eyes, how they were reacting and what they were doing I could feel him calling out his true power. It was immense, so immense my own couldn't help but react and do the same.

"My lady, please stop this." Hei's voice was distant in my mind, growing foreign and yet the more he called out to me, the more I felt, I began to realize I would lose if I didn't let go of my hold.

"Hei,....I can't..." I said softly, a panic tone seeping into my voice. As soon as those words left my lips sensei was out of my grip and standing beside me. Hei was too concerned for me then to even bother growling.

"Izakura, its alright. Your safe." sensei said, voice calm, warm. I knew he was telling the truth, I could feel it and yet the power in me couldn't help but want to take over. No, this wasn't me, I wasn't a power hungry vampire who only cared about blood. I was Izakura, the daughter of my mother, a master healer and a huntress in addition to my vampiric traits. As soon as I remembered who, what I truly was I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

'My lady Izakura!' exclaimed Hei as soon as I closed my eyes while sensei called out to me with his own voice. Then, before any of them could touch me I let out a soft, soothing sigh and opened my eyes. The power my blood had access to was still on the surface, still not completely back in its place but I was under complete control of it then.

"I'm fine, I have it under control." I assured them both, my tone of voice confident and soft. Both of them looked at me unsure, concerned as to whether I was telling the truth or not. "Really I am, promise."

"Izakura, we're done training for today, stand down." sensei said, voice still calm, warm but at the same time strong and demanding respect. Slowly I nodded, I understood what he was saying. With a sigh my power was gone, suppressed and kept back, send to where it belonged. My eyes weren't like sensei's anymore but my body still glowed with my own power. Hei then slightly gave a nod to sensei, thanking him for what he had done to me, I knew he wasn't mea.

"Hei, thank you."

"No need my lady."

"Amazing, I now see why you've chosen to take her on as your one and only student Itachi." suddenly came a woman's voice. It was kind, warming, and most of all motherly like. Quickly I bowed.

"Good afternoon my lady." I addressed her causing Itachi to shake his head.

"I have told you already, when training here with me you are not mortal, you are immortal, our equal. Understood?" sensei asked, causing me to nod.

"Yes master Itachi, I understand. My pardons Uchiha-san, I'm not used to being on the same grounds." I said with a sheepish smile on my face. Hei all the while was staring into the eyes of yet another tiger, he too was a blood animal and by the feels of it a strong on to boot.

"It's nice yo meet you, tell me what is the name of my sons only student?" she said, with a smile on her face and walking forward. Instantly Hei submitted, it was the first time I had ever seen him do so.

"My name is Izakura, Izakura Haruno." Her eyes went to her son and back for a split second, all the while she kept her calm, casual face on.

"I see, isn't that the last name of a hunter clan though?" she asked. I was about to answer her, to explain why it was I was now Itachi-sans student but decided not to. In the end all I offered was silence.

"She will be joining us for tea mother, however what I've just put her through seems to have made her a little thirsty. Is there?"

"Yes, there's some left in the fridge. Should I fetch it for?" but before Itachi could answer I stepped forward, my eyes locked on Hei's frozen form and the tiger before him. Both looked similar in size, but each had their own unique sense of power.

"I'm sorry where are my manners, this is Hei, he is in charge of me." I said, not sure whether it was okay to introduce him as my blood animal or not. The woman smiled and slightly bowed, showing respect to the animal.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, though I find it odd that we have not met before." she said before looking down at her own blood animal. Hei nodded but said nothing.

"This way." said Itachi before walking off and leading me toward where we were to have tea. I was expecting a small, calm, peaceful place but when we got there and I was surrounded by his bloodline, by his clan I froze. I was only supposed to have shown up for training, to do what I needed and nothing more.

'Hei...' I called out desperately, panicking at the sight of so many vampire from the same clan and how strong they were. Sasuke was there, I could point him our easily, to his left was Kakashi and to his right was a mask wearing vampire though by power alone I knew he too was a member of the clan.

'I know my lady but I can not speak, there are too many of my kind here, and that wolf, her wolf....'' he thought troublesomely before shaking his head. I wanted to ask what it was he was talking about but before I could try I was handed a cup of blood and a cup of green tea.

"Master, I shouldn't be here, it it your family time." I said, quickly moving and hiding behind the shadows.

"You are my student Izakura, as such you will be seen as a member of this clan until you have surpassed me." he said, causing my eyes to go wide and my jaw to drop. How could I have forgotten, of course he'd, they'd all be seeing me as a member of their own family, it was their code. A part of me wanted to protest, to say that acknowledging me in such manner, with such high respect wasn't necessary while the other was just content to have blood in my hand and to be surround by other vampires.

"Hai master, then I will stay." and with that I stayed quiet. As soon as I was finished with my cup of blood they had called me and Itachi up to some sort of stage. It wasn't big or anything but it was big enough to be considered a stage. His mother had acknowledged me as Itachi's student before presenting me to the entire clan, and then when sensei, master had taken the stage and the mike everything went still. He had everyone's undivided attention, damn he was good. Once that was done and over with I spend another two hours dancing and speaking to people whom might "come in handy" it know when I was out of school and in the real world. 'Yay me.' I couldn't help but think

Things managed to calm down after a couple of hours, everyone had left, wanting to retrier for the evening or rather in their case for the day. Day time, night time, none of it mattered to me because my blood, my heredity allowed me to live comfortably in either worlds. Sensei was talking with some of the other clan members so I had decided to take my leave. When I got to the courtyards back entrance I paused.

"There isn't any need to sneak around, feel free to address me anytime you want Sasuke." I called out, causing a growl to escape his blood animals mouth. Hei was going to react but the instant he saw me shake my head he stood down.

"How did you know we were following." he asked, all the while Hei looking, meeting Sai's gaze head on.

"I don't have mortal sense's Sasuke, not anymore. And before you ask I can't explain that." I said with a slight smile on my face, if he was my father it would be interesting how he and his blood animal would react.

'My lady he and that woman's blood animal, they're connected to me some how. That's why Sai refuses to acknowledge me.' suddenly came Hei's voice in my mind. Well at least that much was proved, with a smile I nodded, gaining Sai's and Sasuke's attention.

"Come now Sasuke-kun, its not nice to pick on the little one." suddenly came a taunting, childlike toe of voice. All of us turned, we knew who it was. He was the one who wore the mask, the childlike, dangerous leader of the Uchiha clan. Or so he was until Itachi found a proper mate. Everyone except for me and Hei bowed, outside the Uchiha land I didn't have to show submission to them, I only needed to address them as they had instructed me to do so earlier.

"Lord Madara." both Sasuke and Sai breathed out before bowing. I slightly bowed my head toward him.

"Master Madara." I said, all the while using my link to Hei to sooth his anxious feelings.

"Sasuke you are excused, I'd like a moment alone with Miss Haruno." he said, while his own blood animal appeared. I was surrounded by tigers, damn.

"Hai." and with that Sasuke and his blood animal were gone. Once alone he looked at me, curious eyes gazing at me as if he'd find what he was looking for.

"This is Saya, my blood animal." he said, addressing Hei first. Saya looked at Hei and sniffed. She was looking for a definite scent, something she could trace back to his master. Too bad she wasn't going to find it.

"It is an honor to meet you Saya of Madara." Hei said, already speaking with titles and terms among his own kind.

"Master Madara it's getting late and I must get home."

"Of course Miss Haruno, I do not meant to keep you very long."

"Sakura is fine Master." I said, getting annoyed with being called with a title. He in turn smiled and nodded.

"Sakura, Hei is your blood animal is he not?" his question was so sudden, so blunt that it took me a moment to get a hold of my self.

"No, Lady Tsunade has assigned him to me master." I said quickly, causing him to nod his head.

"I can promise you anything you say here an now will not be heard. Saya's specialty is silencing her surroundings." he said. I could tell he could be trust, the aura around him and the look in his eye both told me so. A part of me wanted to tell him the truth, to tell him and hope, ask if he'd be willing to help me.

'Hei?'

'My lady she is silencing, I can feel it.'

'Should I?'

'The help he might offer, is capable of offering is immense.' I knew Hei was right, hell I had thought about it my self but knew better than to just act. Hei was mine to protect, and that meant I could no longer afford to act without reason.

"I have your word?" I asked ever so softly, so softly it wouldn't have been considered as speaking if it wasn't for his acute hearing.

"I give you my word of honor." he said, tone of voice serious then.

"Hei is mine, my blood animal. I am neither immortal or mortal. I'm a half-breed. Master I don't know who my father is, my mother refuses to share that bit of information. However I know how to put a puzzle together and the fact that no other bloodline has a tiger for a blood animal means my father is someone in the Uchiha clan." I said, voice getting softer and softer. "And so,.....so...."

"So you wish my assistance in tracking your father?" master Madara asked, causing Saya to turn and look at me. Hei moved in front of me almost instantly, feeling the need to cover my view usually meant he was nervous.

"Yes, I was hoping you would be able to." I said while instantly reaching out and petting Hei. Whenever he was nervous I would some how one way or another end up feeling it too, and then it was he who needed to comfort me.

"Saya and I will do what we can. I'm sure she can track Hei's mother, through her we will be able to narrow it down."

"Thank you master Madara, I am in your dept."

"Nonsense, you are a member of my clan, my family and I help everyone. Saya." and with that the two were gone. A sigh escaped my lips then, it had been a long day. Training, meeting my fellow clan members and now asking for help form the leader of our clan.

"Lets go home Hei, we need rest."

"Yes my Lady." and with that the two of us headed home. Hei by side, staying alert and ready.