Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach.

Chapter 10

"For as long as the moon is there

My eyes will be clear

They shall no long shed

Any more tears.

For as long as the moon is there

I shall have hope

Forever and ever

My soul shall cope."

"Goddamit! Why are Renji and Gaara in the advanced classes?" yelled an irritated Naruto as they waited for the teacher to arrive.

"Yeah. I'm wondering that too," muttered Rukia, her mood matching the blonde's.

"Come on, guys. It's because they scored higher on the entrance exams," Taya tried to explain.

"But still!" the two said in union and rather than finishing their retort returned to sulking instead. Taya sighed and shook her head at them. She, for one, was happy to be in a class that wasn't filled to the brink by rich, no-it-all snobs. To be continually berated for their background and lack of significance lineage was not how the wolf girl wanted to spend her years at the Academy. Sure, being in the advance classes meant a lot of experience and can almost guarantee a place among the seated offices of the Gotei 13, but it wasn't worth being someone you are not.

At least it was to Taya, who aspired to be on the healing 4th Division no matter what. But this was just her opinion on the subject. Her brother and friend on the other hand…

"They must have cheated. It's the only explanation!" Naruto concluded.

….were sore losers.

Suddenly, a jolt of pain hit her lower abdomen, making Taya nearly start with the pain. Gently, she placed hr hand against her stomach, sending healing kido to the problem. It helped but the pain persisted and the arrival of the teacher made her stop, lest she be caught and thought to be using the kido for other, foul purposes.

The woman who came surprised Taya, for not only was she female, but she was young. Her lustrous raven's wing hair showed signs of aging streaks of gray and her red eyes still shone with vibrant youth and ancient wisdom. She also had a very curvaceous body, which Naruto took no hurry to comment on, earning him a smack on the head from Rukia.

"Good morning, everyone. Even if this is not the advance classes, I expect you to give the same effort and determination otherwise. That means no late work, tardiness, or horseplay shall be tolerated and I must warn you now, detention with Ibiki-sensei is not your idea of spending your weekends. Now, my name is Yuuhi Kurenai. I'll accept either name, but I do not like to be called miss. I have told you my name; I expect you to use it. Now, let us begin today's lesson."

The lesson was really reviewing the basics of a Shinigami's training, one that the three had known thanks to their mentors. Rather than listening again to what Tsunade had already drilled inside, Naruto began the beginnings of a long scaled prank involving a hapless boy sitting two rows in front of him. Rukia still took notes, even drawing her infamous bunnies and bears as "instructors" to what the notes meant. Taya held her belly, trying to stop its uneasiness. She couldn't use kido again or risk drawing everyone's attention to her, something that her patrons had warned her again. Instead, she opted to rubbing her abdomen, which lessened a bit thanks to the massage.

'What is wrong with me?' she wondered.

--

They changed to another class, which had them outside. There, they were introduced to Umino Iruka, a dark skinned, black haired man with a scar running across his nose. He instructed them through the kido spells, making them shot at targets while he marked their progress down. So far, Naruto and Taya were the masters of their class, achieving bull eye's with their spells. Rukia lagged behind slightly but still managed to awe their sensei with her control.

Off to the distance, an explosion was heard, drawing everyone's attentions to the rising smoke.

"It looks like the advance classes are testing their students as well," explained Iruka to those who asked.

"For some reason, I feel as we know the fool who blew himself up," Rukia said quietly, still eyeing the plume of smoke.

"I hope it was Gaara. Man, he'll never be able to live it down." Naruto clenched his fists in his excitement and thought of teasing his asshole of a brother.

Taya sat down, her face hidden by a curtain of hair. "I hope no one was hurt," she whispered painfully, but no one heard her as Iruka-sensei announced the next practice.

--

The river roared, rushing forward with an angry might that clearly told any observer that it was untamable and therefore unthinkable to cross it. But the gypsy wasn't interested what was on the other side. No, her interests were inside the river.

She cast off her sari, allowing the sun to touch her form. She glowed with an inner darkness that would be frightening to those weak of heart. Once it diminished, the woman was charged. Her skin appeared black, but was in actuality the life-giving color of the earth. Her hair fell in purplish waves and the front ends were held back with lavender pins. Her eyes had turned gray and her lips blue…

Her transformation complete, the demonic gypsy leaped in the air, using spiritual pressure to keep her afloat until she came to the river's mouth, more ferocious in currents and dangerous. Then, she stopped, the lack of energy making her fall into the raging waters. At the moment of impact, there was no splash as once again the gypsy changed form for an instant.

She transformed back too quickly for any onlooker to glance on her features. She stood straight and stared about the river's secret : the river palace of Susanoo's River Count.

The gypsy began to walk towards an open balcony that oversaw the bustling on-goings of the rivers inhabitants : fish demons, kappas, and all sorts of water creatures dealing in the markets. In her unleashed form, the gypsy did not need to worry about breathing underwater. The protective covering of energy surrounding her body was enough to live in this place.

However, once she stepped onto the dais of the palace, there wasn't any more need for such matters. For the rest of the Courts to be able to visit their comrades, the palaces had been built in all matters of living; for example, the river palace, though underwater, was as livable as to any who lived within its walls. Which was good, considering the guests this count kept here.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Shadow Earl. One of the few of the courts whom I actually can say that I like." A voice spoke on the floor of the balcony, a figure who laid draped in many layers of kimono, designed with different types of fish on a dark blue surface and glittering silver treads that, if the person moved a little, it appeared as though the fish were alive and moving. Probably there are.

Draped over flaccid limbs and a limp form was glowing blue hair, beautiful and sleek like waters. As the gypsy came closer, she was met with such intriguing eyes, a yellow shade surrounded by a light burgundy. Expressive they were, that within the equally face, they showed the boredom and hopefulness that one whom they belonged to had concerning her coming here.

Once she finally approached the last step that gave into the balcony, the gypsy took a look around. "I should have known," she said thoughtfully, looking at the paintings that hung from the ceilings by seaweed, all beautiful and masterfully crafted by a skilled artist. "Whenever you feel nostalgic or start reminiscing about the past, you would come and lie here, staring at what remains of the wolf biju, Nacht. She was your friend, was she not?"

"I would like to think we were," said the count, drawing to a half sitting position. "We both exchanged too much information to be mere acquaintances. What about you, Jengar? Is there a reason why you're acting so formal today?"

"What do you mean?" asked Jengar, her gray eyes following the river count in front of her, knowing that of all the court members that controlled the demon world, she trusted this demon who held the title of Suikune the most.

"Well, for one, you usually just poof in here rather use the gate. And you hate to mingle with the water folk, seeing as they like touching you and berating you as a 'land-lover'. Which brings back to the question as to why you took so much preparation in announcing your arrival," explained Suikune, leaning against the rail. In her full height, she was taller than Jengar and her features would be beautiful as female or male. Though the kimono was feminine, it was worn in a masculine way around her thin form.

Jengar gave a thin smile to the other's acute perspective ness. "I wanted to give you time to compose your reaction to the news that I bring," she replied.

"Oh?" The river count looked intrigued, her pink lips twisting into a smile.

"First though, where are your guests?"

Suikune shrugged. "Ray came back so Absol took Shiro to visit her. They could still be nearby though, since Ray likes to stay in the rivers while she rests. Unless you want to be more careful, Jengar, you can tell me here."

"It'll have to do, since they will find out eventually. We need to start planning our next move." Taking a deep breath, Jengar spoke.

--

"Ahhh! What a rough day! It's just the beginning."

Taya watched as Rukia fell onto the bed within the room they've been given at the Academy barracks. She smiled as her friend instantly began to snore, despite of all the homework they've been given.

Thanks to Yoruichi's manipulating, both she and Rukia had been given the same room while the others girls had to share with complete strangers. Theirs was even more furnished than the other of the regular classed students, filled with two queen-sized beds, a single bathroom with a large tub and a separate shower, two dressers for their clothes, a large closet and a big window that separated the room in half.

Taya drew the curtains closed and sat on her bed, deep in thought. The pain had diminished after plaguing her all day. She didn't tell no one, wanting to find out her aliment herself, using it as practice for the time when she needed to know medical things herself.

As quietly as she could, Taya pulled a book from her pack that had been delivered to the barracks from the mansion. Opening it up, she placed her hand on top of its blank pages.

"It's one of my own creations," baa-chan had told her that last day as she gave her daughter a leather clad book. "It all the known ailments inside it."

Taya had lifted the light weight book and eyed her baa-chan. "It's awfully thin," she said.

"That's because it's stored in kido. Just put your hand on the first page, think about the symptoms, and put a bit of your kido inside. The results will appear on the next page." She had ruffled her hair affectionately and pushed her outside. "Good bye, my sweet girl. Write okay?"

'Baa-chan,' Taya applied the method's she was told and thought about what aided her - the painful spasms, the shifts in mood… To name just a few. She turned the page and read :

Menstruation - the periodic discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the uterus, occurring approximately monthly from puberty to menopause in no pregnant women and females of other primate species. (A/N: Thanks to for the definition)

She recognized it now : she had once overheard Rukia murmur the same symptoms to baa-chan one day and got pulled aside for a private explanation. It seemed harmless enough but how was she going to keep the blood from staining her hakama?

The words suddenly faded and instructions appeared on how to avoid her dilemma. Taya also found out that Tsunade had went ahead and supply her with the pads, hidden underneath her clothes. She smiled at the thoughtfulness and went to the bathroom to take a shower and prepare herself to bed.

But then, her body pulsed and she dropped her things on the floor of the bathroom. She gasped as her stomach erupted in pain and blacked out, nearly falling to the floor. But then she righted herself and went inside, closing the door behind her.

Rukia had awakened, heard the scuffle her friend had made, and sat up in the bed. "Taya-san?" she called out.

The reply was low, subdued in its tones. "Yes, Rukia? Did you need something?"

"No. it's just I thought I heard you fall down," Rukia said.

"I almost did," the voice admitted, "but I'm alright. I just tripped, that's all. Go back to sleep Rukia. I'm sorry to have woken you."

"It's alright. I was going to get up for dinner," she said, moving from the bed. "Hey Taya-san. Are you alright? You've been acting strange all day. And your voice is weird. Is everything fine in there?"

Again, the response was late, calculated and carefully said. "It was nothing. I was just feeling homesick was all. Please, go without me. I don't feel very hungry tonight."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. See you later, Rukia."

"All right. Bye, Taya-san." Rukia left the room, still worried about her friend. By the time she reached the dining hall, she realized one thing about Taya.

She had called her Rukia. Not Rukia-san.

Something was very, very wrong.

But when she returned to her room, it was empty. Taya was gone.

--

This wasn't happening. It couldn't. But as she raised up the pale hand into range of sight, Nacht had to grudgingly realize the truth. For the moment, she and her jinchuuriki had traded places.

The demon biju sighed and looked within the ocean that served as her cage. Lying on the banks, half into the water, upper half within the cage, was Taya, locked within a deep sleep.

"It looks like during your moon cycles we trade places. How odd," she wondered out loud and pulled back into the outside world.

Nacht had escaped the room after the small chat she had with Rukia. She had known what had happened until the girl had called out to her. She was allowed usage of Taya's body, but her voice had changed, gone from the girl's soft and gentle tones to the demonic brusque and hardened voice. Nacht didn't have time to disguise it and she knew that Rukia would put two and two together and realize the sudden difference. Having watched her through Taya's eyes had taught the wolf a little about her character so Nacht fled, using flash step and found herself within a hall of fame of some sorts. But it was old, abandoned and appeared to not have seen visitors for years.

Good. This is where she will hide then, whenever these changes occurred. Here she will have some peace to forgot and spend her time subduing her massive spiritual pressure. It was a short time ago, at least in her eyes. But she knew the Seireitei's Gotei 13 have not forgotten exactly the signature of the monster that nearly destroyed everything and everyone.

Nacht rubbed her belly in irritation. No! it wasn't guilt she was feeling right now! They deserved it, the Shinigami and their sweet-coated lies. They deserved that and more, more than Nacht could ever impose on them. The plagues, feminine, all the despair of the cosmos. But it still wont be enough.

Opening the top of the uniform she wore, Nacht used a bit of the second energy known as chakra to force the seal into appearance.

"Why, Shinigami?" she whispered in pain, tracing each curve of the seal. "Why have you done this, Namikaze Minato?"

--

Silence reigned over the balcony. Jengar have never seen her friend so lost in thought for twelve hours straight. Time meant nothing to a demon but this reaction wasn't usual. Not from the water demon in front of her. No, she would have jumped into action, with or without a plan.

Something was wrong.

"Have you told any one else?" The question, so sudden as it was, nearly made the normally stoic dark demon jump. Instead, she shook her had no. "Good," Suikune continued. "If this had gotten to Arkeus, who knows what the bastard might have decided to do."

Jengar blinked. "What about Susanoo? Surely he will offer help in this manner, no?"

Suikune shook her head in irritation at the suggestion. "He's gone. It's the reason why Ray left in the first place. She came back since she pretty much gave up looking for the elusive bastard." She leaned back against the wall. "That makes all of the four emperors who've gone MIA. Now, with no one leading the courts, all responsibility will fall on the duke of light, Arkeus. Council seems so less appealing now, don't you think?" She ruffled the back of her hand, messing the flowing blue strands in a show of anger.

Sensing the direction the other's thoughts was turning, Jengar immediately protested, "You cant! Someone of your status-"

"If the Shadow Earl can play hooky, why cant I, the River Count, do as well?" asked Suikune softly thought the implication of her words were firm. "Besides, who else is better suited to testing these children? After all, we know naught of the situation and how they donned these forms in the first place. You say sealed in, Jengar, but you've forgotten one of the many practices that makes our kind so ruthless. I wont put it pass any of the bijou's named to attempt demonic possession while hiding their bodies elsewhere. Before we can proceed, we must see if this is an act or the Shinigami. For that, I must go myself."

"Do you put so few faith in the Shinigami, Suikune, even after seeing first hand of their destructive power?"

Suikune gritted her teeth at the remark. That single night fifteen years ago had the extinction of so many of the demons. Never had there been so much death, even during blood feud battles most of the clans had. The soil had been so drenched in blood that had there been any of the Earth Court around, they would have surely drowned.

The clan that had suffered the most casualties, with as little as three members left living, was the wolf clan. Moro, Saska, and Ruhe had escaped the massacres that night since they were under the protection of Susanoo, when he still had his palace opened to the public and his own Court.

Still, it was no wonder Nacht went ballistic and tried to destroy the Seireitei when the evidence pointed to a Shinigami involvement. But that still doesn't explain the appearance of Shukaku and Kyuubi, both whom had gone missing years before the disaster.

"I haven't. The entire oceans are still drumming with the need for revenge," answered the count at last. "But I need to hear the wolf's version of events. And I need to see if this is an act. Nacht, you might remember, was a very good actress."

"Are you really going to believe the words of a traitor?" Jengar asked.

Flicking the long blue hair back, Suikune replied, "I have to. Who knows? Maybe the crazy people are telling the truth. It depends on how absurd her story sounds."