"Master! What can I do for you?"

Elder Danzo sat at his desk, hands to his temple, trying to massage out his headache his constant guest was giving him. After three weeks, the elder had finally broken down from annoyance, unable to hide it any longer. Since Uchiha had become busy searching for Uzumaki, to the point of leaving the country and leaving his butler behind, Uchiha Tobi had been visiting a lot more. Kakashi only watched as the Elder slowly broke down to the butler's constant pestering. No matter what the elder ordered, Uchiha always found his way in whenever he pleased.

For the past hour, he had been chatting about inconsequential things. The repairs he was doing to the old mansion, famous people he had met in the past, and Japanese theology and folklore. He seemed to favor Susano'o in particular.

The elder said nothing, trying to work, hoping ignoring him would send him away, but as usual, that strategy failed. The ringing of Uchiha's cellphone was the only thing that seemed to put a cap on Uchiha's constant flood of words.

"Of course, I will look into it at once," though the butler's voice sounded enthusiastic, his face told a different story, full of disdain for whatever he was asked. "I'm sure I'll find something, young master. Please be safe." He hung up, the displeasure still on his face.

"I take it you finally have something to do?" Danzo asked, silently praying that this creature would finally leave him alone.

"Better, an opportunity," he crossed his legs. "My master and his little pet are going to Aomori. A good chance to stage something if you know which city they are going to."

"Aomori you say?" Danzo went into thought. If Uzumaki was going to the Aomori prefecture, there was only one place that would interest him, and he knew which town they would go through. "I will make the arrangements."

"Well, I've done my contribution for today," Tobi exclaimed, jumping off the desk. "I'll come play again tomorrow, Danzo-kun" Tobi waved before letting himself out.

Danzo groaned, unable to hold it in. If they could just kill that annoying mother fu—

"Elder Danzo, if I may ask, what is in Aomori?" Kakashi asked.

"One of Orochimaru-san's abandoned facilities. You were still in primary school at the time, but we raided it a long time ago and burned it to the ground. Did you do what I told you?"

"Yes, I delivered your orders," Kakashi bowed. "Is there anything else you need from me?"

"No, you've been very helpful these past weeks. With this opportunity, we can finally put an end to this ridiculous situation Tsunade-san has put us into."

"Indeed," Kakashi agreed impassively.

Danzo eyes him. Kakashi was a good person to have on his side. He worked hard and he didn't let his emotions get in the way of duty, but it appeared he still had not let go of Iruka. "We will avenge him, Kakashi-kun. The moment we have an opportunity, we will kill that bloodsucker."

"Of course, Elder Danzo," he responded. Kakashi did not sound any more or less enthusiastic. Well, he liked Kakashi because he was good at hiding his emotions, but it was a double-edged sword. It meant he could not guess his real thoughts. Kakashi took after his master well, but he was worried that, like Jiraiya, he may stray from the correct path.

Speaking of Jiraiya, he still needed to find out his location. As much as he disagreed with Jiraiya on his recent political decisions, having a master missing was troubling. If he wasn't scheming something, which he did not believe was the case as it appeared Tsunade herself did not know where her most loyal lapdog was, then he was either captured or dead. Or worse, he went rogue. One of the five strongest hunters on the planet being an enemy could be as troubling as an out-of-control host. He put out feelers to find out more, but there was nothing.

He stared blankly at the paperwork on his desk as he thought the situation over. Jiraiya was possibly the only one who could put Tobi in check. Until his return, it would be better to go along with what Tobi proposed. Right now, the proposal worked in the hunter's favor. He didn't know when that bloodsucker will betray him, but he had to prepare. He could not lose the ground he gained against Tsunade. As long as those willful kids did not go acting on their own again, things should go as planned.

He pulled out a picture of Matsuri and a thick file along with it. He should start by getting rid of this girl, for good this time.


Hyuuga never came to Gaara's room that night, and Gaara could not bring himself to apologize. He knew he was in the wrong, but he was afraid he would make things worse. He had tried to seek him out early that night but did not have the courage to knock. When he tried again in the morning, Hyuuga had already left. He had requested another training mission from his uncle even though he finally had a day off.

The guilt Gaara felt was strong, but he did not get a chance to fix it. First paperwork, and then Uchiha bringing him that folder about Uzumaki. He was concerned that the file Uchiha Itachi had contained so much of Orochimaru's old experiments. It was bad enough that Orochimaru was not dead as everyone believed, but if he managed to team up with such a dangerous vampire as well or if Itachi wished to continue the experiments himself, was beyond a nightmare scenario for him.

While he looked at the papers, he was reminded of his own failure. He couldn't kill Orochimaru. He couldn't keep Uzumaki or himself safe. The only reason he was not back in Orochimaru's hands was because he was still deemed a failure, defective.

What made it worse was when he realized Uzumaki had overheard their conversation, and he realized he could no longer hide the truth.

Uzumaki stood before his desk, his eyes resolute when he said, "What do I not remember, Gaara? Tell me, please."

Gaara could not look at him, could not even speak. He did not want him to remember. He was supposed to be the one to continue in the light. He wouldn't know what to do if Uzumaki ever changed. What if he broke? What if the memories were too much for him? What if that light Gaara tried to keep alive all these years were snuffed out?

Hyuuga's words from last night came to his mind. He should tell Uzumaki the truth. He could not keep this a secret any longer. Uzumaki was figuring things out. The truth was going to come eventually. It was Gaara's choice if he wanted to let Uzumaki discover it on his own or if he wanted to be the one to tell him

He told them about the laboratory. The last place where he saw Uzumaki before they were separated and the first place they met. There was no going back. When Uzumaki returned, he would likely remember everything.

It was hard to set things up for him. Harder to watch him leave with Uchiha by his side. Letting go of him was hard. Even with the decision, he could not stop the anxiety he felt that made his hands weak. Why was letting go so hard?

Gaara leaned back into his chair, fighting his urge to go after and stop Uzumaki. However, if he did not think about Uzumaki, his mind went to Hyuuga. It seemed he could only fixate on those two, but now that Hyuuga was angry at him, he did not know what to do.

He heard the front door open, and his body was moving before he could think too much of it. Pausing in the doorway and peering out. Hyuuga and Hiashi had just returned. Hiashi must have taken him on a light mission. Gaara could not smell any blood on them and barely any sweat. Hyuuga was removing his jacket, his face unreadable. He looked tired, but as his training progressed, it was getting harder to see his normal tells.

Gaara continued to watch him with quiet longing. He should go and say something. He owed Neji an apology. He knew that but going out there and doing it was apparently harder than living with his ire.

He knew Hyuuga was the one keeping them together, that Hyuuga did most of the work in the relationship. He made the most sacrifices as well.

Gaara struggled with considering others' feelings. In all honesty, he only cared about Uzumaki's and Hyuuga's. Everyone else around him blended together until they were a blur. If they were not immediately important, he hardly paid them any mind or memory space. Even with Uzumaki, it had always been one-sided. Gaara made the decisions for him while keeping space between them, so even then, as Gaara learned recently, he only took his consideration for Uzumaki's opinions so far. Hyuuga was the first person to make Gaara feel guilty for his actions and uncomfortable whenever Neji was unhappy.

And yet…

He could only watch Hyuuga through a crack in the door unable to go apologize.

Suddenly, Hyuuga's eyes darted over to him. Feeling a lump in his throat, Gaara retreated, closing the door. His back leaned against the door, banging his head. He was an idiot. Hyuuga deserved someone better than him. He couldn't make Uzumaki happy; how did he expect to do that with Hyuuga.

Like a coward, he continued to hide in the office, glancing at the door every few minutes. He knew Hyuuga would not come to him this time, but he kept holding onto hope that maybe Hyuuga would take the initiative like he has always had done.

The door clicked, and he perked up, sitting up straight and clearing his throat, pretending that he was working. Much to his disappointment, it was not Hyuuga as he had hoped, but Hiashi. His shoulders slumped a little as he moved the papers to the side. "Hyuuga-san," he greeted, but he did not look at him. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"My nephew has gone to run an errand for me. Could I trouble you to into accompanying me on patrol?"

Him? Gaara thought with mild surprise. It was not like he had not gone on missions with Hiashi in the past, but it was rare, and he always had the impression Hiashi did not like him much though he had not hated him either. But he supposed Hiashi had little choice in partners as they were not in Japan at the moment. Hunters rarely went on missions alone unless absolutely necessary. Gaara must have been the last resort.

"If you need assistance, I can spare the time," he answered, standing. He needed something to distract his thoughts anyway.

Gaara did not bother to change. If it was just a patrol, they would go around the perimeter, search for signs of trespassing or presence nearby, etc. It was normally done quickly, staying out of sight just in case there was someone staking out the house.

Rather than do that, Hiashi had them walk side by side, slowly and out in the open. It was more of a scenic walk rather than a patrol. Hiashi walked silently beside him, dressed in a modern fashionable suit. It was strange to see him in something other than the traditional kimono. Hyuuga really did look like him. It was a good indicator of what he would look like in the future. The only difference was that Hiashi was more severe-looking, aged with life experience.

But why was Hiashi doing this? This was not much of a patrol. Hiashi did not even seem to be looking around, keeping his gaze straight as they walked.

Gaara exhaled heavily, finally putting the pieces together when Hiashi stopped at the cliff overlooking Seoul a few kilometers from the property. Hiashi was never one to waste time. There was only one reason why he would put on this charade. "Was there an issue you wished to discuss with me?"

"There is no problem," Hiashi replied. Gaara couldn't read whether the answer was sincere or not. But if not for a problem, then why ask him to accompany him on what was basically a walk?

Neither spoke for a while, leaving Gaara to wonder once more what Hiashi wanted with him. He had an idea, but it was not like he could demand answers from him either.

"I have been taking lessons on leadership from the American military."

Gaara paused, genuinely surprised. The rivalry between Japan's hunters and America's had been around for quite some time. The elder generation still held a grudge for World War II and the Americans did tend to over involve themselves in Japan's hunter affairs. Hiashi was more open-minded than most other clan leaders, but he was still very traditional and was not fond of Americans. Americans were not too fond of Hiashi either after Hiashi led a mission that undermined the American authority on their own base.

"I see," Gaara replied, unsure of what he should say. That was not what Gaara thought Hiashi would take the conversation.

"It was hard for me to decide to ask. The Americans are quite," he paused to think of the right word, "abrasive. They are louder than I am used to, and they are very bold when they speak, but I admit, some of their policies are not bad."

Gaara tried to think of something to say. Hiashi couldn't have brought him here just to tell him this. There had to be a reason. "Why do it then?"

"I realized I am lacking as a leader. My brother died because of mental illness, and there are people under me now who struggle as well. Japan still lacks when dealing with mental health, and many still refuse to get help. Even so, I hesitated to ask."

"What made you ask?" Gaara was confused at where this was going. Wasn't this too personal for Hiashi?

"My nephew. He is my brother's only child. I promised to keep him happy. When he decided to become a hunter, I knew what challenges he would face, the mental burden it is. I did not want a repeat with my brother." Hiashi stopped walking. He turned to Gaara, looking down at him. "I learned that time with ones who can provide comfort is best after a kill and time to reconcile with the deed."

Shame crept up, dusting Gaara's cheeks red. "I see."

Hiashi lifted his hand, hovering in the air awkwardly. Discomfort showed on Hiashi's features, his body becoming stiff and moving robotically. He placed his hand on Gaara's shoulder, looking very uncomfortable, but stood firm. "Dealing with emotions in our line of work is difficult for people like us and change is not easy, but sometimes we need a reminder as to why we must work through that discomfort and move forward."

"I understand," Gaara whispered unable to meet the older Hyuuga's eyes. He tacked on, mumbling his words, "I will consider your advice."

Hiashi gave a stiff nod, dropping his hand. They walked back to the house, and Gaara could not be any happier to see the front door. He had never felt so nervous in a non-life-threatening situation. Was he starting to consider Hiashi's opinion about him now?

They entered past the threshold. A familiar energy embraced Gaara, wrapping around him like a warm coat warding off the cold. Hyuuga must be home, he thought his face relaxing.

"Neji-kun needs time to recuperate mentally. Since he needs time away, I made reservations for you both at a restaurant in Seoul."

"R-reservations?"

Hiashi moved like he had not heard him, heading up the stairs as he shrugged out of his coat. "Take good care of my nephew, Gaara-san. You leave in an hour."

Gaara was left stunned, as Hiashi left him. Him and Neji on a date? Heat rose to his face, turning it a deep red. He only had an hour to get ready? Why didn't Hiashi say something sooner? Did he have something to even wear?

Panicked, he ran up to his room, hoping he had one decent outfit in his wardrobe.


Tobi hummed an old Japanese folk tune, walking down the wooden stairs with a peculiar dignity he rarely showed. Rather than a bright and airheaded personality, he was much more subdued, carrying himself a sense of regality to him. The damp smell of wood filled the stale air, and the corridor was only lit by the minimal light of a few candles. Despite the darkness, he navigated the old creaking stairs flawlessly, stepping over any broken boards without a pause.

Along with the humming and creaking, a steady and heavy 'thump thump' followed as he descended. At the bottom was a solid stone wall, its surface covered in sutras. The only entrance was a solid steel door several inches thick. With the key in his hands, he unlocked the door, pushing it open. The hinges groaned as it swung the heavy door open.

The smell of urine and feces and a hint of blood was overwhelming, but the vampire seemed to pay it no mind. There was only a small bit of movement in the room. A body was pressed against the back wall, held up with chains that barely moved, but when they did, the chains chimed and echoed.

The man who was tied up was unkept and smelled horribly, flies flocking to him due to his soiled pants, sweat and dirt matted his hair and covered his skin, and traces of bile still on his front. His mouth was gagged, the rag slightly tinged with splotches of red.

"Are you calmer today?" Tobi asked, stopping several feet in front of his prisoner. "Or do I have to force-feed you today as well?"

Angry eyes looked up at Tobi with pure loathing. Even undernourished and weakened, Iruka gathered what little energy he had to send Tobi all his hatred through only a look, his eyes having a hint of silver to them. The metal cuffs on his wrists basically shredded the skin from the past struggling and weight to keep him suspended. The state of his body may have been the only reason the hunter had not tried to attack him even out of anger.

"Do not look at me like so. There would be no need for this if you had not tried to kill yourself. At the very least, you would have been well fed and not restrained."

Unable to respond or escape, Iruka glared harder, his eyes shining a little brighter in the dark. Tobi grabbed his chin hard enough to leave bruises so that Iruka could not jerk his head away. He tilted Iruka's head up, then to each side. "Did you know that the change happens faster when the body is weakened? Those nearly completely drained of blood but left alive turn almost a week and a half to two weeks earlier than those that were mostly healthy. With your constant stubbornness, you are completing the change much faster. I would say another day or so." A cruel smile curled on Tobi's face. "Maybe even today." He brought his face closer to Iruka's so that only a few inches kept them apart. "Can you even feel your heartbeat anymore?"

Iruka tried to jerk his head away, but Tobi's grip was too strong. His breathing through his nose became forceful as tears fell down his face.

With a satisfied smile, Tobi released his hold, taking a step back. "Danzo speaks well of you. Many of his faction does really. I find it almost laughable. This hatred for the supernatural is baffling. You call us monsters and yet judge us based on morals created by humans. We are "soulless", "evil incarnate", "malicious beings", and yet we are judged and subjected to human rules. But I suppose that it is human nature to be hypocritical without realizing the sense of irony. How many years have predatory animals been cast as villains in your stories?"

Tobi casually shrugged out of his jacket. "Because that is what vampires are. The apex predator. Most animals accept that reality, but humans refuse to. No, they rather vilify the natural order of things and impart their rules onto others. Perhaps it is because we look so human you cannot help yourselves"

He hung up his jacket on a hook on the wall. "Our voice, our appearance, I can see why you would think so." He turned back to Iruka. "But we are another species. We are more animal than man. More instinct-driven. The need to protect our territory, the need to feed, the need to establish and follow the natural hierarchy of power. Of course, we can choose to ignore it, we have high functioning brains and memories of our human lives, but so few resist. Do you know why?"

He bent down, picking up the body he had dragged in by their Kevlar vest. "Our brains are hardwired differently. There's little room for feelings of regret, killing becomes natural, using our skills acquired while alive and obtained after are used to capture our prey. Seducing our prey to bring them closer, intimidating and frightening them to make them sweeter, working with them so that hunting becomes easier. Other humans in our eyes become nothing but cattle."

He hulled the body up, propping it up with one hand. The body stirred, a soft groan coming from the human. "Which is why I find it hilarious that you humans have romanticized our species in your fiction today. Few vampires would ever bed a human, at least not without getting a meal from it. And the few that do really only look at humans as playthings, toys to be used and discarded."

He caressed the man's face with the back of his hand, gently rousing the man to consciousness. "Sasuke was like that. Human males in particular were his playthings. Used and discarded, mostly vampires, but sometimes human if he got a meal out of it. It's the way it should be, well minus the homosexual part, but even that disgusting habit of his could be broken with time once he grew bored. It had dwindled quite a bit before he met that Uzumaki child." His eyes briefly turned silver before returning to their natural state.

With a sigh, he looked down at his captured prey. His prey's eyes fluttered open before panic filled his eyes. Tobi shushed him, meeting his eyes. The hunter's eyes glazed over, and his body became slack, allowing Tobi to support him entirely and not fight back. "But I digress. My problems aren't for you to hear. I'm just letting you know what to expect now that you are so close to your turn. I am your sire after all. I cannot leave you uneducated." He helped the hunter stand, letting him go once he was standing on his own.

With a nail, he cut into the hunter's neck, drawing a thin line of blood. The action had its intended purpose. Iruka leaped forward, his chains rattling at being pulled taut. His eyes had turned pure silver, his teeth bared though he lacked fangs.

Tobi smiled. "I guess this is where our lecture ends." Pulling out a blade from his back, he cut through Iruka's chains like butter.

Iruka lunged at the hunter, his teeth digging into the hunter's throat. Without fangs, his blunt teeth made gorging messier. He couldn't dig into the carotid artery with the first bite, making him gnash on the wound, tearing off flesh to make the blood flow faster. His hand went behind his collegue's neck, pushing his meal closer, his hands turning white from how much pressure he put on them, drinking the red liquid greedily, guzzling and slurping it down as fast as he could.

Tobi watched, a small smile of approval on his lips. Breaking someone was always a pleasure. A little work and this former hunter would make a fine pawn indeed.