Composition by Adrian von Ziegler.

Chapter Thirteen

Even in Death

He saw her once again from a distance, across the street and atop the apartment complex, and he was certain she was researching. Night had fallen, and he no longer needed his injections; the last dose wore off an hour ago.

She was relaxed in her floral gown and sweatshirt, the small box of sweets and cup of tea in reach but not yet touched. Her computer's back faced him, so he had no idea what she looked at exactly, and he wasn't going to intrude on her privacy. She is researching my kind. She's seeing it all...but she'll ask me how much is accurate. She'll get a real lesson.

Known characteristics of a vampire were the extremely pale skin, cool to the touch. No oxygen was required, but when Itachi awoke into this life, to feel nothing was an eternal hell because he would no longer know the breath of fresh air to his dead senses - yet he savored the smell off of a living, breathing human.

He could change into something that flew, of course, besides being able to jump from building to building: his flock of crows. He could leave no shadows behind, or he could become one if he wanted to.

Holy relics did work against him; he was vulnerable to silver and blessed blades if they came in contact with any part of him. Shinto seals like the shuin stamps were such apotropaics against bloodsuckers of the east.

Death? The heart was vital and most vulnerable, finished with decapitation alone, but himself? He wasn't an easy man to kill, not to boast. He was keeping these reasons to himself for a much longer time intended.

He would tell her all of this during her training. Just as she would have her answer to why he ventured out when the sun was shining.

It was then that he watched as she closed the laptop sometime later and then curl into herself, crying to herself. He knew what it meant: she was overwhelmed that her life changed for good, she was fighting to hold onto herself, and she was struggling with how to tell her friends and what to do in order to keep them safe once they knew. She had something she built with their aid, making all of them happy, so to have that taken away would destroy her heart only to make her build it back together but with walls to prevent anyone from getting in and what was inside out.

Itachi looked down at the long way to the ground below. Now he knew what he had to do, and it was all for her. He had no idea how she would respond once she found out, but if she was angered, would she forgive him?

Why does it mean so much that she would think ill of me?

The answer was at the back of his skull, though he kept it at bay.

~o~

So here she was at work again, riding the bus alone, and getting there safely and soundly. Before she took her tea and meds last night, she'd been afraid she would lose sleep despite their effects. Thankfully no dreams haunted her...except one. It was something else entirely.

She saw herself underneath a collection - a corridor? - of white linens, and she was enveloped by them all, but managed to pry her way through them...until she found her way out and then she saw HIM standing down at the far end of the heavenly path which symbolized an enclosed world where it was just the two of them, nothing and no one else.

This time, his hair was loose, the raven locks falling over his shoulders and covering the middle of his pectorals; some was flying in the air as the gauze around them - he was nude. Standing there like a god and without a care. He watched her intently, standing there with his eyes pitch black before they flared to red and swirling the tomoe into the pinwheel as they took in her state: she was just like he was. Her skin flared as if flames literally consumed it before it was over as soon as she saw he was so close to her their bodies were closely connected.

"We're connected...mind and soul."

That was what he said before he leaned down and was about to capture her lips with his -

- before the alarm broke through and brought her to the real world. Shattering the dream altogether.

Once more: a dream that felt so real but hadn't happened unlike some things. It was scary, because it was Itachi...but it also felt so damned good that she shouldn't have it.

Here she was now, and when she stood before the boys, their faces were all grim. "What's...going on?" she asked, dropping her bag down beside her chair as they were all in the conference room. But it seemed today, they weren't going to talk about work, but something else entirely.

"Shikamaru was telling us a very interesting story, involving a new friend of yours...Itachi," Asuma answered. He hadn't been outside smoking as usual when she arrived, so here he was.

Hanaru slumped into her seat, looking at all of them in shock. There was the lazy genius himself, and he certainly wasn't screwing around with her. Choji looked like he was trying not to be scared out of his wits, having to clear his throat a few times only to relapse. "What do you know, Shika?"

"Well, long story short: he visited me and told me basically everything...even showed me the teeth and all. What else is there?"

She tried not to bite her lip. "You're right about that: what else is there?"

"So that story about the long-lost relative...?" Choji pressed, and she nodded, affirming that it was all true - to an extent.

"You all remember that blonde woman my grandfather brought to the New Year's party? That was her. Tsunade Senju is her name. She's my grandmother, but that's not the half of it -"

Now it was Asuma's turn to speak. "They're a vampire hunting organization, like the stories we used to listen to when we were younger, except guys, I've seen more than you thought I have when I was still in the last war while you all were just juniors. I had friends who were in that organization and died in the line..."

Hanaru had never been so shocked that he, their manager and good friend, knew more than she thought - more than any of them thought. All this time, but I understand why few would talk aloud.

"Yeah, I remember all of the stories, including the river monsters which are nothing relevant to what's happening," Shikamaru said, shaking his head. He looked pale as if he'd seen a ghost. "He came right to me and Choji's place and he told us what you were going to - I guess to spare the trouble. I thought I was dreaming!" He glanced over to Choji who swallowed and nodded. "He said that you intended to, but of course we would be skeptical - except you're not one to make stories up, unlike your brother used to, no offense," he said quickly. None taken.

"So he said that everything was going to change for the worst," Choji answered nervously, "and that scares me. I don't even know what he means."

"Except one thing that was important: he said your brothers were safe and sound." Shikamaru referred to her and Temari. She nodded. "And you didn't say anything because...?"

"You would have asked where he got the info, and questioned if he could be trusted. Everyone knows you need convincing, Shikamaru, over these things," Asuma answered for her.

"And all it took was what?" Hanaru asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shikamaru was paler more than Choji was when he answered. "The teeth. Opened his mouth and stretched them before my eyes. I thought I was in a movie!"

The image of Itachi opening his mouth to show his fangs was indeed comical and scary at the same time. "And now that we know he's a real life creature of the night - and Asuma, you thought you were protecting us," Shikamaru went on, "Hanaru, what does this mean now? We're going to lose you because it happens that you are the granddaughter of the world's leading vampire hunting league, which can only mean you'll become one in the event of time. Know what that means for Temari? She'll relapse if she learns, or worse: she would blame Tsunade and Itachi for taking you away."

She did NOT want that to happen. "I thought about that, but Itachi says she'll get over it." That said, they seemed to agree with her. "And as for me being one of them, Tsunade wouldn't have left my father with Grandpa without a reason. I spent all my life, Naruto too, not knowing what Mom and Dad did for a living, when they were protecting us, too. As for my brother and Temari's, I don't know what happened to them, but I was promised we would see them someday soon," she finished without a breath to take.

Everyone bought that; it was a surprise that Shikamaru and Choji took it rather well despite being white as sheet ghosts, and Asuma easily confessing he knew more than they thought. That left one more person as soon as she would get out of a certain place.

But what if the worst DOES happen?

~o~

The pain throughout his body erupted, but it was nothing compared to silver being slashed across his flesh in midst of the fight that was put up. He'd taken great effort to try and convince the man who clearly had young children waiting for him at home; that was the only reason why he would NOT kill the old fool.

Here he was after saying he would give in, if only he would not kill his younger brother who would have been turned to ash had he not intervened. Now Sasuke was nowhere in sight, just as the early morning darkness was lightening to pre-dawn gray. He, the fallen vampire master, lay fallen and staked through the stomach, farthest from his heart, amongst lush grass which glimmered with his undead blood as well as the pure life of the human towering over him as he looked upon him with utter contempt.

Strands of black hair fell over the subdued vampire's eyes, which lidded with haze.

"You bested me," he rasped. "The first human to ever do that..."

"Indeed," the man agreed. "I wish I could say it was not a nightmare that you would wake from. That brother of yours...I wish I could have finished him off for what he did to my own brother. Eye for an eye, it would have been, so that you would know what it was like to lose someone precious." He snorted. "You monsters have no beating hearts, so it surprises me that you could still feel such emotions."

The insignificant fool should have known love if he had a wife and children, so he dared to assume the undead like himself weren't blessed with the powerful, natural luxury? Even after... "You should know...when one of your own took away my..."

He never got to finish his sentence when the fist came down to slam on the middle of his body, not too far away from the stake. He threw his head back and made a sound that combined a groan and a scream at the same time. Sasuke...otouto...can you hear me now, wherever you are now...?

"You are nothing, vampire."

He choked on his own broken throat and fluids. "I have...a name," he gasped out, seeing nothing but shadows. "Itac -" He was cut off once again, this time with a blow to his face - this human was a rare match for him, but he really thought he knew his own strength against a vampire, did he? - and his eyes would close before he'd wake again and find himself in steel chains and in a box accommodated for him.

~o~

That memory he sometimes had which could be classified as a nightmare. Once it was every day he was haunted, though it would become less and less.

In those early days - no, years - when he was locked away in a dungeon rather than having the privileges he had now, he was mistreated and fed the blood often of slaughtered animals. Things were far more primitive, as it was during both World Wars. The culture of this country had all but been rejected but was beginning to come back in some forms, while reformation was in play. This was in Hashirama Senju's younger days.

His father was a harsh man who wanted all of his sons - two who died at young ages - to never show their enemies their weaknesses. But it was nothing compared to how the captured Uchiha lived during his human childhood. Nothing compared to what he did for his brother, just like now, so that he had his freedom. So, the truth wasn't all of it when Itachi said he was tired of living free and without a real purpose; he meant it when he wanted to be a servant of the Senju Organization, even if it meant being a pet they could abuse any time they wanted.

When the nuclear scares began and Hiroshima was bombed by the United States, the real trouble began that he was unleashed by the Senju after all the years of being a prisoner. But we attacked them first, so when the war was over, we got it in return and had no choice but to surrender.

The first and second World Wars were field days for the living dead. They were also the glory days for Itachi Uchiha who didn't set out to seek it. He did it from the shadows of night. In those days were streets of blood, the stench of rotting flesh, bones crushed as they were trampled upon.

It was also both those times Itachi would encounter HIM. He who was his greatest enemy and a match for.

When the wars were all over and Tsunade came along, things were average, with nothing but petty battles that were resolved within months or less.

Itachi looked down from his reminiscing at the strange sensation he had when he pulled his fingers from his eyes, rubbing them as well as the sleep away. Blood. The red liquid against white skin was like the ancient crest of his family. He scowled, glad no one saw his internal weakness. But it was not the old dream that troubled his sleep this time.

It was the one where he met with HER in the hallway of gossamer. Both naked and unafraid, but uncertain - although one thing was, spoken by himself, none other as this safe haven drew them close together until their bodies touched. The fire burst between them.

His words were this: "We're connected...mind and soul." And that seemed to be the case.

That being said, he wondered if she would end up turning this into her next piece of art as she went about with her day to day life as if nothing terrible was happening.

Itachi found himself dreading their training session that would come...yet he was also thrilled.

~o~

She was happy when she finally got the perfect day for Moonlit Dust to be released to the public: none other than February eleventh.

The day which was none other than Kenkoku Kinen no Hi - National Foundation Day. Which celebrated the mythological founding of the country as well as its first emperor's ascension well over one thousand years ago. During the Meiji restoration era, the government established the day as national because of feudal ways updating to westernized influence. During the days of daimyo and samurai, the emperors were seen as gods among them, until they were eventually viewed as unimportant deities in comparison to the Shinto gods until the government went out of their way to ensure national loyalty rather than just regional.

They might have accepted modern technology, science and socialism, but they didn't have the same values of the western world. There was the fear of the Japanese people turning to the ideals of individualism and fair democracy.

Here she found herself being told that on the day her next art would be debuted, and she was so happy. She was working on the final painting touches, but she also had a visitor who insisted that they begin her training, and after today, it was going to be difficult to keep up her normal routine. That scared her in more ways than one.

What if she would be forced to choose a side? Meaning I have to cut the ties I have in my life out, just like my grandmother. Or doubly worse: her boys would be forced to go WITH her for their own safety, which means they'd have to give up the studio and their own lives for a bigger cause.

That wasn't all, either: not even a couple days ago, she met up with Itachi so he could take her back to the mountains where there was a dojo reserved for trainees in the art of combat. She, Temari and the boys used to go to the one in town when they were all younger. It was there that Itachi showed her where to kill a zombie: through the brain or through the heart. Because while you could kill a regular human being easily, zombies and vampires were something else.

"What about yourself?" she had to ask him. "All the ones like you are just left for you alone?"

He smirked. "Correct. No one but me can handle the maggots." He held it up before her eyes; the craftsmanship was amazing! He explained to her that it was a semi-automatic magnum, could carry six cartridges and weigh six kilograms - only when it was unloaded. The barrel was measured eleven inches long, being silver finished with titanium nitride for that gold on the handle.

The best part: it took down the target in only a single shot. Although when she tried to hold it, she nearly fell to the ground, which made him laugh heartily and take it back.

"See? Nothing for a human to handle."

She scowled, wishing she could have something like this. When she said it, his eyes sparkled. "That request I can put in for you, but no guarantees it will go through." That was fine with her as long as she had more than just a stake.

And so overall? She felt like she was a natural, but fighting someone like Itachi? She would have ended up having more than just broken bones, because no matter how hard a human these days trained, they would end up like the undead in this way or a hollow shell. Though Tsunade could do it herself, because she was bred in harsh environments.

Thinking about her grandmother made Hanaru think of how lonely she must have been all that time as it was, and that she should try letting her into her own life more often. All the more reason when Itachi said this to her:

"Your grandmother genuinely cares about you. She looks like an iron maiden on the outside, but beneath is something else. Think of the softest earth around the steel core. I've tolerated her more than her great-grandfather, my first master."

Now THAT spoke enough volumes. If he was in the Senju family services for generations, then that meant it started out beyond terrible before lessening as time went on.

Now Hanaru was with none other than her grandmother's ward and personal assistant. Shizune Kato was her name; turned out she was the niece of the man Tsunade loved, the one Grandpa Jiraiya said was killed. "My mother had me unmarried," the woman said with a sad smile, "and died when I was still young. You can guess how." Monsters. Is it always like that for those in this damned organization? Too much death before your time.

"So, how does this really work?" she asked of her so-called gift, which happened only at night and without her control. She received a warm smile.

"I don't have it myself, but I'm a specialist. Your mom worked with me as she had it. It's been passed on through her side of the family - a hereditary kind of thing, generally in the women. This ESP is in three different classes: precognition, where you see things that will happen in the future. There is also retrocognition which involves the past. Finally, remote viewing, and that's here in the moment. Though with the Uzumaki, the lines between all three tend to blur."

Which meant that it didn't matter what form she had. She had no idea what to think about this, but what the hell did it matter? She was supposed to be thrilled she had something other people didn't - except her mother - and that meant she could do something with it. She'd used it unknowingly when she saw Itachi in her dreams, so that was one great thing about it.

Shizune's dark gaze shifted downwards. "You have onyx and white quartz..."

Hanaru reached up and put a protective hand over this treasure from her brother. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, you know what they are said to do, don't you?"

"Absorbs negative energy, cleans the eyes of wisdom, calls to the spirit guides - that's the quartz. Black onyx is for protection against all that bad karma, maybe make you invisible to your enemies and sharpens your senses..." Hanaru trailed off then and there.

Wait...calls to the spirit guides and sharpens the senses...

The next thing she knew, she found herself in another place altogether that wasn't her apartment. It wasn't her and Shizune together anymore, but she was alone in this world of white as well as rainbow hues - like living inside an opal - and there were two people she hadn't seen since she was a child. Her heart burst with sadness and then joy.

"Mom! Dad!"

~o~

It was snowing in the mountains, but a gentle fall with no chances of a blizzard or knee-length snow.

And just what she needed: a conference at headquarters with nine other men and women which involved her grandchildren as well as the future of the Senju Organization, and the rest of the world. And if things were going to be dire, that was why she had no choice but to call all of them here today. While Shizune is with Hanaru.

"You're right, yes," Tsunade answered to Homura Mitokado when he asked this of her himself, before the turn shifted to the woman with the painfully tight silver bun and squinting eyes.

"There are reports of vampire attacks rising steadily in smaller towns outside this one ever since the New Year began, Tsunade," Koharu Utatane said bluntly. "How much longer do you intend for this to be kept quiet? There are limits to the information we can suppress."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair when she answered. "We are conducting a thorough investigation, and in doing so, we have a solid piece of evidence." It was here and now that she held it up before their eyes, which her best spies uncovered without getting themselves killed to acquire it: a small device that was likely a transmitter, or much more. Its use was out of the question since removal from its rightful place.

They had been finding these...microchips embedded within the zombies that were recovered for analysis, and that was when the scans showed the metal pieces lodged within the base of the brain and spinal cord. It appeared to relay information regarding the creatures' mental and physical states, movements and altercations. Even so, while they looked like the walking dead shells, they also spoke normally and acted like real bloodsuckers. Which meant that there was someone creating these combinations of vampire/zombie, restoring them almost to their original selves. These chips were suspected of coming from Iwa, where the technology was advancing underground by any means.

Someone was driving them for unknown reasons, so of course things had gotten grim.

"Traditionally, these zombies had their blood drained completely by the vampire, and while we have had this happen in Konoha not even two weeks ago, it doesn't seem like it will just be the case anymore," Tsunade finished after a sip of cold water, wishing it was something stronger. "All of this might mean one thing: we could be going to war with vampire experts we either have not met or have not seen or heard of in years."

If this is true, then we're all going to have to prepare. Grandfather said it would happen someday.

~o~

So, even in death, my parents...

It meant that her parents were with her, that they'd always been, and it made her so happy she ran up to them, throwing her arms around them both. Minato and Kushina...they were just like she remembered. Her father with his shock of blond hair and bright blue eyes, just like Naruto and her; her mother, with that fiery red hair and violet-blue eyes, the former making its way now into Hanaru's mane. They were happy to see her...but then Kushina sadly told her now wasn't a good time to catch up.

"You have only just begun to make contact with this world, sweetie. But next time you'll have more, so for now, please go back and see your brother..."

She cried out for them to not go when they turned their backs to her, walking away hand in hand to nowhere in particular, and then the world turned white, blinding her vision -

- and then it softened to show she was back at home, with a worried Shizune beside her offering a glass of water she'd gotten from the sink. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Hanaru panted, taking a few sips and sighing when the cool sweetness made her feel a little better, until the sound of a door slamming made her and Shizune jump to their feet, the glass slipping from her hand and falling to the ground, shattering pieces and water everywhere. That voice she hadn't heard in two weeks wasn't angry, but demanding as always.

"Hanaru, what the HELL is going on here?!"

Definition of apotropaic: supposedly having the power to avert evil influences or bad luck.

Shuin are seal stamps given to Shinto and Buddhist worshippers in order to...you guessed it. They are one of three paper seals (others are ofuda and shide).

Historical moments: the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima by the U.S.; Japan surrendering to the British, Chinese and America in July of that year. And all of this when WWII drew to a close.

National Foundation Day (建国記念の日Kenkoku Kinen no Hi) - This national holiday was established in 1966 (and first held in 1967) as a day to reflect on the establishment of the nation and to nurture a love for the country. From 1872 to 1948, February 11 was known as Kigen-setsu (紀元節), a holiday commemorating the day on which—according to the Nihon Shoki—Emperor Jimmu is said to have acceded the throne in 660 BCE. (from Wiki)

Itachi's arms is definitely inspired by Alucard's ARMS Casull (the handgun before his prized Jackal we would see the rest of the time).

And as for the ending - after Hanaru briefly sees her parents finally, more maybe in the next chapter - guess who that was. :D