A/N - Okay, I should technically be sleeping right now as I have an early appointment with my psychiatrist, a very important appointment, but I can't frigging sleep. x.x So I decided to finish working on this chapter. Or rather, the epilogue to this story.

As with A Heat of Dangerous Proportions, a sequel is planned for this story. There's still a lot left to do, after all. Sooo...expect to see more at some point. lol.

Anyways, a bunch of things happen in this epilogue and there's a bit of an info dump. But whatever. lol. I really need to try and get some sleep, so I'll end this here. Have fun!

Epilogue

Gaara sighed heavily as he looked around at all the chaos that was taking place around him. He had seen it firsthand: a mirror that revealed the true forms of everyone that looked into it. Ruby had called it the Lilith's Mirror, and it was a forbidden artifact. Somebody had obviously gotten their hands on it and was using it to cause chaos throughout the academy.

He, Mizore, Tsurara, and Ruby had been relaxing and just enjoying conversation with one another when the commotion first started. The first one to be hit by this mirror was a mermaid by the name of Tamao Ichinose. Seeing her struggling, the redhead carried her to the pool and set her inside gently. "Tamao-san, are you okay?" he asked, having met her twice before, mostly in passing.

Tamao blushed a bit as she looked away from him. "I'm fine now, thank you Gaara-kun. You…you must think I'm hideous now."

Gaara quirked a brow, but shook his head. Gently running his fingers through her hair, he said, "Not really. A person's looks are a superficial thing. To Naruto and me, it's what's on the inside that truly counts. Are good looks a bonus? Perhaps. But good looks do not necessarily make a good person. You've been kind to me the few times we've spoken with one another, and you've been good to my friend as well. I see nothing wrong with you, Tamao-san."

The mermaid looked into Gaara's eyes for a time before she said, "You're…you're really serious. You really don't care what I look like?"

The redhead shook his head and said, "Not really. I'll admit that your human form is stunning, but your real form has its own appeal to it as well. It doesn't really matter to me, one way or another. As far as I'm concerned, you're a friend, and a good one at that. For now though, why not rest here? I need to rendezvous with Naruto and deal with the current crisis."

When Gaara went to leave, Tamao called out to him. Once she had his attention, she asked, "Umm, a-after this…could we spend some time together? Maybe get to know each other better?"

Gaara simply nodded in response before he left the pool to go and deal with the spirit named Lilith and the cursed artifact she wielded. Somebody unleashed this thing on the academy. When I find out who, they're going to enjoy a nice sand bath.

Naruto

Back to the present time, we find Naruto and Moka looking around at the absolute chaos that was the school festival. All throughout the academy, students and teachers alike had their true forms revealed to one another. While it made for an interesting sight, there were numerous complications arising from such a problem. Fights were breaking out, some monsters were making derogatory comments about other monsters that they had been treating normally up until this point, some monsters had even broken down crying.

Sighing heavily, Naruto was about to say something when a little fairy flew up to Moka and himself with a mirror, flashing its reflective surface at them. When their true forms were revealed and Inner Moka was released, Naruto blinked a few times before reaching out and grabbing the fairy tight in his clawed hands. "Release me at once you stupid beast! You won't stop my fun!"

Grabbing the mirror, Moka looked it over for a time before smirking at the fairy. "This could come in handy. It's a shame I'll have to destroy it."

The little fairy's eyes widened and she shrieked in horror. "Please don't do that! I was just having a little fun!"

Naruto scowled at Lilith and said, "Uh-huh. And when your fun was over, you were going to harm a certain someone, the one that unleashed you, if I'm correct. Weren't you?"

The fairy began poking her fingers together and said meekly, "M-Maybe…?"

"See? You're lucky we don't just destroy your mirror and kill you right now. As it stands, your mirror does have its uses and I'd rather not have to kill a cute little thing like you. So I'm going to give you this one chance. Behave." Naruto commanded.

Lilith nodded quickly. "Y-Yessir Mr. Kyuubi Sir!"

The blonde shook his head and said, "The name's Naruto. If you want to call me anything, just call me that. Moka-chan, any idea who could be behind this?"

The silver-haired Moka shook her head negatively, but before she could say anything, a girl ran up to them and looked at the fairy in Naruto's hand. "There you are, Lilith-san! Why would you do all of this? Why show me all of this? Is this really where my brother went? He…he didn't just suddenly die from an accident…did he? He was murdered by one of these, these MONSTERS, wasn't he?!" the girl exclaimed before she got a good look at Naruto and Moka. "Whoa. You two look really strong."

Gaara, Mizore, and the others walked up at this point, each of them narrowing their eyes on the human girl. "Excuse me for asking Miss, but how did you even get here? Yokai Academy cannot be reached by normal means. There's a reason Humans don't come here." Gaara questioned, sounding highly suspicious.

"It's really quite simple. I let her in." a woman's voice could be heard saying.

Looking towards the source of the voice, Moka easily recognized the woman. "Hitomi Ishigami. Looking for revenge against me, I assume?"

Ishigami smirked evilly and said, "I had considered that, yes. Then? Then I figured, why take my revenge against you when there was something sooo much better? This sweet, little Human girl. She loved her dear Tsukki so much, and then he was killed by a monster. More specifically, that one, right there." Pointing at Naruto at this point, she began to cackle madly as Kyoko Aono looked at Naruto in horror. "I'll reveal the existence of monsters to the whole world through this one, little girl! A monster took the life of a mere Human. Just think, Humans and monsters will go to war with one another over this! The death toll will number in the thousands on both sides! All because of that rotten little Tsukune!"

Kyoko frowned in confusion as she looked between Ishigami and Naruto. "You…you want to start a war between our races? And you…!" Glaring into Naruto's eyes, she slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "How could you kill Tsukki?! What the hell did he ever do to you?! Why?! He was family! He was dear to me! How could you?!"

As Kyoko cried and continued to pound on his chest, Naruto just stared sadly down at her. Reaching up, he gently patted her on the head before saying, "Unfortunately, this woman hasn't given you the full truth of the events leading up to Tsukune's death. After we deal with her, how about we sit down and I'll explain everything that happened to you, as well as my role here at the academy? After you've heard everything, I'll allow you to judge me then. Can you accept that?"

Kyoko looked into his eyes for a while before nodding sadly. "Yes. Just…stop this woman before she gets what she wants. War is…war is a terrible thing."

Naruto nodded before turning to Moka. "Moka-chan, why don't you have some fun with her, hm?" he suggested with a wicked grin on his face.

Moka smirked wickedly as she went on the attack, attempting to land a blow on Ishigami, only to fail every time. At first, she wondered how the hell Ishigami could be faster than her, but then she realized that she was just moving too slow. "The rosary…" she muttered.

Naruto scowled and quickly appeared behind Moka, blocking an attack by Ishigami when she attempted to strike from Moka's blind spot. Spinning around, he gripped Moka's rosary before ripping it off, allowing her full power to be unleashed. "Kick her ass Moka-chan."

The silver-haired vampire grinned and placed a deep kiss on her lover's lips. "I expect you to give me a 'treat' later, Naruto Uzumaki." she said before she proceeded to beat Ishigami to within an inch of her life.

Once the Medusa had been sufficiently dealt with, at least by Moka's standards, Gaara stepped up and enveloped the woman in a cocoon of sand. "I am sorry, but by her own admission, she seeks to cause harm to thousands of people, humans and monsters alike. For those of you squeamish about such things, I suggest you turn away now." The only one to turn away was Kyoko, not wishing to see anymore brutality done today. Of course, this didn't prevent the sounds from being heard, which would haunt her for some time.

"Thank you for dealing with that Gaara-kun." Mikogami's voice could be heard saying as he walked up to them. "Kyoko-chan, I would like it if you followed me. Everyone, you are welcome to come as well. In fact, I insist upon it. The effects of the mirror will wear off shortly and my friend will handle things from there. For now, we have much to discuss."

Naruto and the others nodded and began to follow the headmaster. As they walked, Naruto put the little fairy on his shoulder and patted her head. "You're going to behave now, right?"

"Yes, Naruto-sama. No more trouble from me. I promise." Lilith said submissively.

The blonde-haired Kyuubi sighed and said, "Just Naruto is fine. And I'm not your master or anything. If anything, I'd prefer to be friends. So long as you're not causing trouble, I see no harm in letting you stay out for a while."

Lilith smiled happily at that and hugged the side of Naruto's face. "Thanks so much Naruto-kun! That means a lot to me. I never get to stay out and play. Always cooped up in the mirror, never getting to have any fun. Meanies."

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "You know, you should probably wear a bit more than that dress you've got on. You look like you could catch a cold at any minute."

Lilith shook her head and simply smiled at him. "Nope! I'm fine. Besides, I'll just end up back in the mirror again come dawn. I'm only able to come out and play when dusk falls. After that, I can stay for the rest of the night, but never during the day."

"Well that sucks. Hmm…tell you what, how about I make you a deal, Lilith-chan?"

"What kind of a deal are we talking about here, Naruto-kun?" Lilith questioned, sounding intrigued.

"If you promise to be good from now on, I'll try to find a way to free you so you can be free to roam around and be as happy as you want whenever you want. And, since I get the feeling you don't like monsters pretending to be human, you can stay with the headmaster for the time being, if you'd prefer? But…you will need to get used to dealing with humans and monsters that disguise themselves as humans at some point, Lilith-chan. No matter where you go, you're going to see that happening. So…can you at least try to deal with it? I understand you hate it, believe me. I hate having to hide what I am too. But I see the value in doing so."

Sighing, Naruto scratched the back of his head and continued. "Lilith-chan, I come from a place called the Elemental Nations. The Humans there have special powers and are capable of doing things even most monsters would find to be impossible. If they wanted…they could probably wipe all of us monsters out. We NEED to try and coexist with each other, and we can't do that if we can't meet each other eye-to-eye. That's why we learn to act and be like Humans. We don't want a war. We don't want the extinction of either race. We just want to live peaceful, happy lives. And we can't do that if you swing that mirror around and reveal to everyone our real forms. Do you understand?"

Lilith frowned deeply for a time before she nodded and sat down on Naruto's shoulder. "I understand Naruto-kun. I'll try not to cause so many problems. But I reserve the right to make a little mischief now and again! And…if you do manage to free me, I'll have to think of a reward to give you. Gimme some time to think on it and I'll let you know what I've decided when you've freed me. Sound good?"

Naruto smiled at her and raised a fist up for her to bump her tiny fist against. "It's a deal. And pranks are fine. I used to love causing pranks. Still do actually. But I take my job seriously, so I haven't unleashed any pranks the entire time I've been here. Can't wait to have some fun when I go home though. Gotta admit, I really don't like the idea of going home to Konoha, but…"

Yukari frowned as she looked at Naruto and took his hand in hers. "If you don't want to go home to Konoha, can't you just come live with one of us? You'd never have to return to such a horrible place then."

Naruto shook his head and said, "It's not as simple as that, I'm afraid. Gaara and I will explain with Mikogami-sama's help after we've dealt with Tsukune's cousin. I have a feeling…I'm not going to like the outcome of this particular meeting." Everyone frowned at that, not liking the implications.

Mikogami's Office

Once everyone was seated in his rather spacious office, Mikogami looked directly into Kyoko's eyes, his eyes chilling her to the bone. "Kyoko-chan, I'm going to explain the circumstances regarding your cousin's death. All I request is that you sit still, be patient, and listen to my tale all the way through. Only then will I permit you to speak and ask your questions. Can you agree to that?"

Kyoko frowned for a moment before nodding once in understanding. "If it means I get some answers about Tsukki's death, then I'll hear you out."

"Good. Now, when Tsukune Aono first came here, he was essentially a Human amidst a pack of wolves. So to speak, of course. He was clueless and a bit naïve, unsure about even the simplest things. He didn't get good grades. His social skills were lacking. Let's just say…it wasn't the ideal situation, but we tried to make things work and I tried to be accommodating for him."

"Upon his arrival to this school, he met and fell in love with this lovely young woman here, Miss Moka Akashiya. She is a Vampire and she took a liking to Tsukune quite quickly, partially due to the fact that he smelled so good and his blood tasted good as well. Tsukune made friends with Miss Kurumu Kurono, Yukari Sendo, Ruby Tojo, and Mizore Shirayuki." Mikogami said, motioning to each girl in turn.

"To say there were complications ever since his arrival to Yokai Academy would be an understatement. Other students attempted to kill him for being too close to Moka, for one reason. Then…there was the Public Safety Committee, more specifically: Kuyo." Sighing heavily, Mikogami massaged his forehead for a time before saying, "I had originally created the Public Safety Committee to keep the peace at this academy. Tensions were bound to rise and conflicts would naturally occur as a result. The purpose of the Committee was to protect the students and put down riots and the like. Unfortunately…they became corrupted over time and the Public Safety Committee turned into the abusers. They became the boogiemen of the school, terrorizing people and making life a living hell for everyone."

"The very same woman that gave you that mirror and helped you into Yokai Academy let it slip to Kuyo that Tsukune was a Human. Kuyo planned a public execution of your cousin, Miss Kyoko. He was saved…but he nearly died during the rescue attempt. Moka had to give him some of her blood to save his life…but in doing so, he was forever changed."

Frowning deeply, Mikogami shook his head sadly and said, "Tsukune did not become a full-fledged Vampire like Moka. Instead, he became something known as a Ghoul. I had to seal his powers with a rosary, like the one Moka is wearing. If I hadn't, Tsukune would have lost control of himself and killed indiscriminately."

"After the Kuyo incident, while Tsukune and his friends were in your world, Kyoko-chan, I hired Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara to come to Yokai Academy and act out my will as the Guardians of Yokai Academy." Motioning to the two of them when he said their names, he soon continued. "Their role was to protect the students of the academy from any and all threats using lethal force if the situation required it. They've done their jobs splendidly, and I'm proud of them for their hard work. However, that is not what you want to hear."

Closing his eyes, Mikogami rested his chin atop his steepled fingers and said, "As Tsukune was something of a trouble magnet, I insisted that Naruto and Gaara befriend the gang and get as close to them as possible. They were to keep an eye on Tsukune and protect him and his friends from any and all threats. For a time, everything went well. Then…" Here he opened an eye and looked at Naruto. "That day happened."

Turning his gaze on Kyoko again, Mikogami said, "I told you that Tsukune had fallen hard for Moka. As a result of this and of his insecurities about himself, he was the type to grow easily jealous of those who got too close to Moka. Unfortunately, Naruto and Moka had grown to be quite close friends. They hadn't gone on any dates or anything, they just talked and told jokes, laughed together, ate lunch together sometimes, typical things that friends would do. Tsukune…did not take kindly to this. I'm not sure what exactly finally pushed him over the edge, but your cousin removed his rosary and gave into his Ghoul side. He lost himself to the monster inside of him and attempted to kill Naruto Uzumaki. As per the orders I had given him when he accepted his job here…Naruto was given no other choice but to end Tsukune's life. It was a mercy killing more than anything."

Sighing softly, Mikogami looked hard into Kyoko's eyes and said, "Jealousy is a powerful thing. It can mislead us or completely warp a person's personality. They'll find themselves doing something they normally wouldn't do." Looking from her to Naruto for a moment, he shook his head sadly. "Kyoko-chan…now that you know the truth, what do you want to do?"

Kyoko was in tears, her face buried in her hands. For a while, all that could be heard was her sobs. When she finally calmed down, she glared into Mikogami's eyes and shouted, "If that Committee was so bad, why the hell didn't you do anything about them before it got to that point?! You're obviously strong enough that you could have stopped all of that from ever happening!"

"I have no good answer for that, I'm afraid. None that would please you, anyways." Mikogami answered honestly.

Kyoko gawked at him, unable to believe that this man wouldn't even TRY to defend his actions, or rather a lack thereof. Turning her gaze on Moka at this point, she asked, "What's your excuse? If you knew about Tsukki's feelings for you, why did you spend so much time with this guy?"

Moka frowned sadly and shook her head. "Naruto-kun is a good friend to me, Kyoko-san. I thought…I thought Tsukune trusted me enough to know…to know I wouldn't do anything to hurt him. I never thought things would get to that point."

Kyoko frowned deeper at this before she turned to Naruto. "I don't even know what the hell I should say to you. I bet you feel all big and proud of yourself for killing Tsukki, don't you?"

Naruto scowled slightly as he looked into Kyoko's eyes. "You don't know a damn thing about any of us. You're making snap judgments based on very little information. The only thing you truly know is what you knew about your cousin. I have never enjoyed killing. I never have and I never will. Is it a necessity at times? Yes. Did I take pleasure in killing your cousin? Fuck no. Would I do it again if I was put in that exact same situation? Yes. Yes I would. I do not regret what I did. I just wish it didn't have to happen in the first place. But you know what? You can go ahead and throw around all these accusations and judge people all you want. Go ahead. Because at the end, it doesn't matter. What does matter to me is what you're going to do now that you know the truth. You cannot tell other people, regular Humans, about the existence of monsters. It would only cause chaos, or they'd think you were insane. Maybe both."

Kyoko glared at him for a time, but when he didn't back down, she sighed heavily and turned to look at the headmaster. "I understand what you're telling me. Really I do. But…" Falling backwards into her chair, she closed her eyes and fought off more tears. "I won't tell anyone about you or the existence of this academy or anything. I won't even tell my family. But…!" Turning a fierce glare on Naruto and Moka, she said, "In exchange, I want those two banned from this school! They're the reason Tsukki's dead now! He would've…he would've been okay if…"

Naruto was gritting his teeth in anger. "Tsukune was a jealous prick that didn't appreciate the good things he had! He had people around him that fucking loved him! They showered him with affection, they were happy just being near him! AND HE SQUANDERED ALL OF IT! HE THREW IT ALL AWAY BECAUSE HE COULDN'T BE FUCKING SATISFIED!" Naruto was clenching his fists so tight that he was drawing blood, but he didn't care. No, he was FURIOUS with this girl. "That rotten little asshole hurt everyone that loved him. So y'know what? Fuck you. Just…fuck you. It's your call headmaster. Are you going to expel Moka-chan and me from Yokai Academy? I…just…ugh. I don't fucking care anymore." he said frustratedly. It was obvious to everyone that he DID care, but he was trying his best to get control of his emotions.

All Moka could do was cry, as she knew that if the headmaster expelled her and Naruto, they wouldn't be able to come back to Yokai Academy again. She loved it here! She had friends and was part of a wonderful club. She had so much fun here and she didn't want those times to end because of some…some… "Bitch." Moka said quietly.

Mikogami raised an eyebrow at her in curiosity. "Did you say something, Moka?"

Eyes narrowing into a fierce glare, the pink-haired Moka glared hatefully at Kyoko and yelled, "You're just a grumpy bitch! You don't know anything about what goes on here or about our personal lives! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TAKE AWAY MY TRUE HOME?!"

When it looked as if Moka was about to attack Kyoko, Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from moving. When the Vampire turned to look at him, he hugged her close and began gently stroking her hair. "We'll be okay, Moka-chan. Remember, despite everything, I have a home in Konoha we can live in together. It…it may not be Yokai Academy, but at least we'll be together."

Naruto and Moka both heard Inner Moka speaking from within the rosary, begging to just be unleashed on Kyoko for daring to hurt them in any form, but they chose to tune her out for the time being. Instead, Naruto just held Moka close while she cried at the idea of being separated from Yokai Academy and her friends.

Mikogami sighed sadly and looked at Kyoko. "Is that what you want? I'd like to hear your reasons for demanding such a thing."

Kyoko was dumbstruck for a time, even somewhat horrified at the responses she got from Naruto and Moka. When Mikogami spoke to her again, she slowly turned towards him and asked, "W-What…?"

"I asked you if that's what you really want? And if it is, I'd like to hear your reasons behind making such a demand."

Kyoko frowned deeply as she thought about it. After a time, she closed her eyes and nodded her head. "Despite the reasons…and despite how angry and upset they are…yes. I don't know why, but I have the feeling that a lot of the problems surrounding Tsukki were probably due to be around Moka-san. I…don't mean any offense by that, but that's just the feeling I get. Especially after the confrontation earlier with that woman and how she and Moka interacted with one another. And Naruto-san? Naruto admitted he has no problem taking a life. He wouldn't even hesitate. Who's to say he wouldn't kill an innocent at some point simply for pissing him off or accidentally bumping into him?"

When Naruto looked about ready to yell and potentially blow a gasket, Mikogami raised a hand to silence him. Looking directly into Kyoko's eyes, he said, "You know, Naruto was correct when he said you know nothing about any of them. You're making snap decisions and judgments based on very little information. I understand that you're emotional and quite angry now that you have learned the truth, so I won't fault you for it. However…" Narrowing his eyes on the young woman, he asked, "If I refuse to expel them, what will you do about it, Miss Kyoko Aono?"

The young woman glared back at him and said, "I'll tell Tsukki's parents all about this academy, the existence of monsters, and everything about Moka and Naruto and their involvement in Tsukki's death. Even if I don't know absolutely everything, I know enough."

Seeing no hesitation in her eyes, the headmaster scowled for a time before he looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "In that case, I am sorry to say this, but you, Naruto Uzumaki, and you, Moka Akashiya, are hereby expelled from Yokai Academy starting today. I'll give you the time you need to pack your belongings and to say your goodbyes."

Seeing the look in Mikogami's eyes, Naruto nodded once in understanding before he took Moka into his arms as she began to cry harder. Leading her out of the headmaster's office, Naruto whispered into her ear, "The headmaster is going to try and implement a loophole of sorts to bring us back, Moka-chan. I'll be meeting with him later after Kyoko is gone. For now, we'll pack our bags and get ready to leave, just as we were told. I don't know when we'll be able to come back." Moka simply nodded and continued to walk with her boyfriend, holding onto him tightly.

Back in Mikogami's office, he had to unleash some of his power to keep the others from lashing out. Looking into Kyoko's eyes, he said, "I will have Nurari escort you back to the bus and off of school property. He will return you to your world and to your home. After that, I don't want to see you back here again. Is that understood, Miss Aono?"

Kyoko nodded and stood up, looking to the door when the bus driver, Nurari stepped into the office and bowed. Walking over to him, she didn't even glance back at the others as she left the office.

Glaring at the headmaster, Kurumu shouted, "What were you thinking?! How can you expel those two like that?!"

Mikogami sighed and closed his eyes. "It's only for the time being. Once I've worked out a few things, they will be welcomed back. However, should you wish to remain with them, and more importantly, your destined one, you are more than welcome to drop out of the academy for the time being and join them on the bus home? Aren't you at least a little curious about Naruto Uzumaki's home?"

Kurumu blinked a couple of times and asked, "Are…you really suggesting that we drop out and follow Naruto-kun home? Would we even be welcome there? Actually, you know what? Never mind. If he's going home, I'm going with him and that's that! What about you Yukari-chan?"

Yukari looked into the headmaster's eyes for a time before eventually nodding. "I'm going too. But…what about Gaara and his girlfriends?" she asked, looking towards Gaara, Ruby, and Mizore.

The redhead looked at Mikogami and said, "If Naruto is not here, I see no reason for me to stay. I apologize, Mikogami-sama."

The headmaster simply waved it off. "Do not worry about it, Gaara-kun. You are all more than welcome to go home with them to the Elemental Nations. I'll even have Miss Ririko Kagome informed of this unwelcome change so she can pack her bags as well. It will be a shame to lose a teacher like this, but Naruto holds a special place in her heart. I'll try to keep the peace here for as long as I am able. But, should I require your aid again, I will contact you then. Be well, all of you."

Gaara nodded and said, "Thank you, Headmaster. If that is all, we'll go and pack our bags. For what it's worth, I'm sorry that we failed to last the rest of the year. I assume this mission will go down as a failure in our mission records?"

Mikogami nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so. You both did a wonderful job and I commend you for it, but seeing as you can't stay for the remainder of the year, the mission is technically a failure. It's unfortunate, but that's how things go, I'm afraid."

Nodding once again, the green-eyed teen turned and left without a word. As he proceeded through the halls with Ruby and Mizore following after him, he was a little surprised to see Tamao approach him. "Gaara-kun! I've been looking all over for you. Is everything okay?"

The redhead shook his head. "Naruto and Moka have been expelled. Don't ask, as I can't give the details right now. I am leaving with my friend back home to the Elemental Nations. I'm sorry we could not have spent more time together, Tamao-san."

The turquoise-haired Mermaid looked at Gaara with wide eyes and shook her head. "B-But…you can't just leave! I don't want you to go!"

Gaara sighed and gently petted Tamao's hair. "I am sorry Tamao-san, but I cannot stay when my friend is no longer welcome here. I go where he goes."

"Then take me with you! I don't care if the Elemental Nations are dangerous, you're the nicest person I've ever met and I want to spend more time with you. Please, Gaara-kun, don't just leave me here alone." Tamao pleaded.

Gaara frowned before he decided to explain why that was a bad idea. "Unfortunately, Sunagakure is in the middle of a desert. There's barely any water to be had. And it's normally rather hot." he said, looking back at Mizore for a moment. "If I were to bring you two with me, I'd have to ask to be transferred to Konohagakure. It's cooler there and there's far more water to be had. Are you two absolutely sure this is what you want?" Seeing them both nod, he nodded as well. "Very well then. I suggest you pack your things. I will have Nurari-san drop you off with the others at Konoha. Ruby-chan and I will join you as soon as we are able. Is that acceptable?"

"So long as she doesn't try anything while she has you all to herself? I'm fine with that." Mizore said with a sweet smile on her face.

Ruby simply smirked and said, "He's already promised that his first time will be with you. Gaara-kun wouldn't break a promise like that. Now come on, we need to go and pack our things."

Kurumu & Yukari

Shortly after Gaara and his girlfriends left, Kurumu left the room with Yukari. Their first goal was to hurry and pack their things. Their second was to find Naruto and Moka and tell them what was going on and that they were coming with them back to Konohagakure.

Shortly after arriving at the girls' dormitory, they hurried to their rooms and began to pack everything they had from school uniforms, regular outfits, shoes, books, special toys, and more. Whatever they had, they packed it into their bags and prepared for the trip to their new home.

Afterwards, they decided to hurry to Moka's room. Once there, they could hear their friend crying inside. Slowly opening the door, they entered and frowned when they saw their friend slowly packing her things. "Moka-chan…" Yukari said sadly.

The pink-haired Vampire turned to her friends and smiled sadly at them. "Hi. Did you come to say goodbye?"

Kurumu shook her head and stepped further into the room, only to see a couple of Naruto's helping pack Moka's things. Shaking her head, she looked back into Moka's eyes and said, "No. Yukari-chan and I are coming with you two. Gaara, Mizore, and Ruby are coming along as well. I hope you don't mind?"

Moka blinked a couple of times before looking at them with astonishment. "But…what about school?! Don't you two want to finish? Especially you Yukari-chan!"

Kurumu shrugged and said, "We can come back here later once you and Naruto-kun can come back. Speaking of, is one of these two the real Naruto-kun?"

The green-eyed Vampire giggled and shook her head. "No, Naruto-kun went to speak with the headmaster. He's got clones packing up his belongings right now too. I…asked him for some help, because I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

The blue-haired Succubus nodded and knelt down beside her friend. "Well, just think of it like this. We'll be living with Naruto-kun from now on. We can do whateeeeever we want with him whenever we want. Doesn't that sound fantastic?"

Moka blushed deeply and slowly nodded her head in agreement. "That does sound nice. But…he's still a shinobi of Konoha. They'll probably send him on missions that keep him out of the village for a few days at the very least. What if the people of Konoha don't like us or try to hurt us or something simply because we're with Naruto-kun? I haven't heard good things about the people there…"

One of the Naruto clones spoke up at this point. "I wouldn't worry too much about the people. The civilians know better than to try anything these days, as they've been punished quite harshly in the past for their behavior. The only person you'd really have to be concerned about would be a man named Danzo. He might try to use you girls to get to the Boss. Hokage-sama will deal with that, though. And if need be, Boss is strong enough to wipe Danzo off the face of the Earth, soooo, no problems there. If he makes the mistake of pissing Boss off, he's done for. Plain and simple."

Kurumu smiled at that and said, "See Moka-chan? Nothing for us to worry about! I'm sure it'll be nice and we'll meet some really nice people. What's your village's leader like, Naruto-kun?"

The clone that had spoken before hummed in thought for a time before saying, "She's like an aunt to me. She's a really good person and she can be really sweet and kindhearted. But boy does she have a temper. Piss her off and she's likely to smash your head to paste. She literally has the strength to shatter mountains with a single punch. So do try to be respectful of her, okay? Boss usually is, but he slips up and says something stupid sometimes." Kurumu and the others giggled a bit at that before they all pitched in to help Moka finish packing.

Headmaster's Office

The parents of each of the girls had stayed behind so they could speak with Mikogami. Looking coldly into his eyes, Tsurara asked, "Just what are you planning Mikogami? You didn't have to expel them and you know it. What's on your mind?"

The headmaster of the academy smirked and said, "They were originally meant to stay here for a few years until the situation with the Akatsuki back in the Elemental Nations was dealt with. However, circumstances have changed. While they've been here, a number of the Akatsuki were killed when they went after the other jinchuriki. The Zombie Duo, said to be immortal, were the first to fall at the hands of Kumo's dual jinchuriki and the Raikage. Itachi was killed by the true leader of the Akatsuki for trying to relay certain sensitive information to Konohagakure's Hokage. Deidara and Sasori are no more, falling at the hands of certain Konoha shinobi. And the lone female of the group, a woman by the name of Konan, is seeking sanctuary in the village of Konohagakure. She has betrayed the one called Pain and will only speak with Naruto Uzumaki. I'm afraid if we do not act soon, she may be killed by a member of the Akatsuki…or that old fool, Danzo Shimura."

"I'm sending them back to the Elemental Nations because they will be needed for the coming battles. They are no longer jinchuriki, and it is highly doubtful that they can be sealed away or used to revive the Juubi and eventually Kaguya Otsutsuki. The Akatsuki's plans have derailed and things have changed drastically in such a short time. It's time to let Naruto and Gaara take the fight directly to them and eradicate the forces of evil in their world once and for all."

Yukari's father, Tamanori, frowned at Mikogami and shook his head. Seeing this and understanding what the man was saying, the headmaster said, "Do not worry too much, Tamanori-san. Your daughter will be perfectly safe with Naruto-kun. She will learn much during her time there, and she will become stronger as well. But more than that, she deserves to be happy with the one she loves, does she not?"

Yukari's parents frowned deeper, but nodded their heads in agreement with that statement. Ageha, on the other hand, simply grinned and said, "I think I'll go ahead and move in with them too. They'll need a responsible adult around to watch over them. But more than that, I'm still curious about Naruto-kun. My little Kurumu is so infatuated with him and he seems to be completely immune to a Succubus' Charm magic. It's intriguing. I'm hoping to learn more about him during my stay in his world."

Before Mikogami could reply, Naruto revealed himself, stepping out of the dark corners of the room. "I have no problem with that. I'm sure Kurumu-chan would enjoy having her mother around more often." he said with a smile.

Turning his gaze to Mikogami, the blonde asked, "So what's the plan exactly, Headmaster? I get the feeling that there's more you aren't telling us."

Mikogami smiled at Naruto and said, "Indeed there is. You already heard everything I said about the Akatsuki via use of your clones, I take it?" Seeing Naruto nod in confirmation, the headmaster nodded and said, "Good. Unfortunately, things on this side aren't going so well. A new group has arisen and I am currently unsure about what their goal is, exactly. But I know one thing: Alucard is involved in some way. For now, I want you to focus your attention on the Akatsuki and settling into your home in Konoha once again. Should I have need of you and your friends again, I will send out another mission request. However…"

Looking seriously into Naruto's eyes, Mikogami said, "Naruto-kun, should anything happen to me that would prevent me from being here for my students and/or prevent me from performing my duties as headmaster of this academy, I am naming you as my successor. Nurari will keep in contact with you and train you in the duties such a position carries with it. And, before I forget, make sure to take Lilith and her mirror with you. You did make a promise to her, after all."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly before he nodded in understanding. "As you wish, Mikogami-sama. I would like that very much. As would my mates, I'm sure. And if anything does happen to you and I am forced to take up your position, I'll definitely be extending an invitation to Gaara and his mates to come join us here as well."

"I'm glad to hear it, Naruto-kun. You should probably get going now though. You do not want to keep the others waiting for too long. I assume you've already sent a shadow clone to Ririko to help her get her things together?"

Naruto nodded and said, "Of course. There was no way I was leaving her behind. I wasn't about to leave anyone behind if I could help it. Ririko-chan should be waiting at the bus stop for me by now."

"Good. I'm looking forward to hearing good things about all of you. Good luck and be careful, Naruto-kun." Mikogami said before watching as Ageha and Naruto left his office.

Once they were gone, the headmaster rubbed his forehead tiredly and said, "I just hope everything works out for the best in the end."

Bus Stop

Upon arriving at the bus stop, Naruto smiled at everyone and asked, "Is everyone ready to go?" Hearing a chorus of "Yes!" from everyone, he nodded. "Good. We have a lot to discuss before we arrive. In the meantime, I hope you don't mind the fact that your mother is joining us, Kurumu-chan?"

Kurumu scowled at her mother for a moment before she reluctantly nodded her head. "It's fine. It might be kind of fun having her around. Who knows?"

As his girlfriend shrugged her shoulders, Naruto chuckled softly before turning his gaze on Nurari as he opened the doors to the bus. "Hop on. This is going to be a long trip, so I hope you're prepared."

After everyone had climbed on board, Naruto began explaining everything that he had discussed with Mikogami to all his friends and loved ones. When they understood the situation, he scratched the back of his head and said, "It seems they've been pretty busy while we've been gone. Took the fight straight to the baddies."

Gaara frowned and said, "It's a shame about Itachi. But it sounds as if this Konan might be trustworthy. What do you make of this, Naruto?"

The blonde shook his head and said, "I'm not entirely sure. I just know that she's in danger and I need to meet with her as soon as possible. For now though, I'm kind of eager to see how things have changed while we've been gone."

Gaara simply smiled and nodded in agreement with his friend. It was going to be a long bus ride, but he was definitely eager to get back home and see what it was like now.

Days later – Konohagakure

As Naruto and the girls entered Konoha, he stretched out and grinned as he looked around at everything. "Man, it still looks the same as when I left. But it feels sorta different too. I can't wait to see Aunt Tsunade again. And then there's the ramen. And of course I can't wait to go home and sleep on my own bed again. This is gonna be great!"

Moka giggled and said, "You seem excited. Are you happy to be back?"

The blonde shook his head before waving his hand in a so-so motion. "Maybe a little. Still not fond of the majority of the civilians, but eh, what can ya do? You're not going to like everybody you meet, soooo why let it bother you? Now, since we're back kinda early and everything, we should probably go and introduce ourselves to Hokage-sama. I'm sure she'll be happy to see all of you. Just, don't reveal your true forms just yet, okay?"

Everyone nodded before they followed Naruto through the village in the direction of the Hokage tower in the distance. As they walked, they couldn't help but notice the curious stares they were getting, as well as some of the rude comments being made about Naruto. When they looked at Naruto, they saw that he was simply ignoring all of it, so they did as well.

When they finally arrived at the door barring their entrance into the Hokage's office, Naruto smirked at the secretary, one Shizune Kato. "Hiya Shizu-chan. Mind if we go in?"

Shizune smiled happily at him and said, "Of course not! I'm glad you're back, Naruto-kun. Come on, let's go in and see Tsunade-sama right away. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you too."

Naruto nodded and walked with Shizune into the office. Once everyone was inside, he smiled when the busty Fifth Hokage looked up into his eyes with a grin on her face. "Welcome home, Naruto."

To be continued…

A/N - And that's the end of the story! Well, sort of. Like I said before, there is a sequel planned for this story. I just don't know when I'll get around to writing it. lol. Hopefully you enjoyed the story though!

I really don't know what to say right now. My cats are driving me insane. I need sleep, but they just will not stoooop. . Hopefully I can sleep soon, because I really don't want to miss my appointment.

I've been having a really hard time keeping my moods in check. I've been angry and snapping at the smallest provocations. I've had to physically restrain myself before I could hurt myself or anyone else. I get so depressed I want to die. Let's just say my moods are no longer under control and I need to talk to my psychiatrist about altering my meds a bit or prescribing me new medication or SOMETHING to help with these issues I'm having. Because I'm barely able to control myself.

Anyways, as I said before, I need sleep. I hope you enjoyed this story and are looking forward to the sequel!