Chapter 11:

The Visit


"He's making too much noise. He must be silenced at once!"

Iruka buried his face in his hands.

He should have known something was amiss when their was an emergency Conclave meeting called.

Tensions between those of the night and mortals were beginning to rise as technology threatened to make it easier to track and confront those suspected of having some sort of abnormality. He had thought that this was going to be the thick part of the discussion; things were, otherwise, relatively calm the last few years. Of course, all of that had changed, and he was a part of the "problem," strictly by association.

Originally formed around 120 years prior, the Conclave was at first a small, elite group of powerful immortals that sought to keep peace with the rest of the world. It now amassed thirty or so members; the majority of them were thick-headed and against change, as if they were running backwards to capture the time that they thrived in. Iruka had been a very proud founding member, though the group had sucked much of his life away and pigeonholed him into a teacher and not much else.

It had forced him to give up his Godson for a period of time before he lost him altogether, only finding him many decades later, when he was already comfortable with another caretaker. Another family.

It had stung when his Godson had told him he wished to continue traveling with his new pack, though Iruka completely understood his reasoning. Really, why would he have wanted to stay with him? He was constantly busy and never home; if he wasn't teaching, he was trying to keep peace inside the Conclave. That boy was a fiery flame of energy that refused to be burnt out; he would have grown bored with Iruka's grinding, work-filled lifestyle. His Godson had never been mad at him for his actions, though he wondered every so often if he had chosen the right path.

He brushed the thought away as he reminded himself this is where he belonged; it was days like this he was needed the most.

Naruto was in good hands, anyway. They kept in touch and Naruto updated him regularly; Iruka acknowledged he should have known that the Uchiha boy's current situation was going to eventually bring a world of trouble to his pack.

"I will not let a blood sucker ruin what we have built for over a century!"

The table vibrated unnaturally, causing Iruka to remove himself from his attempted mental escape. Mariano, a werewolf who was three centuries old and a very revered clan-head, beat his fist against the rickety wooden table.

They were meeting in a basement of a vacant business building in Sunagakure. The room was plain and pale; it was lit by cheap light bulbs that cast an off-white light and the aged glass-block windows were covered with chipping black paint. The old, creaky wooden chairs were cramped together tightly, so it was no wonder everyone was so on edge. Iruka could just imagine Mariano's relentless pounding causing the building to collapse. Perfect. That's exactly how he wanted to die... Buried alive by sand. He guessed he could at least swim in it until he suffocated and sand filled his lungs...

"Stop it Mariano!" A young woman, Ikiti, shouted. She was a beauty, and absolutely easy on the eyes. She was slight in appearance with thick, chocolate brown hair she wore pulled back tight; a long red ribbon was knotted around her bun, and thin copper frames the same color as her eyes rested on her face. She was the new mortal Spokeswoman and Ambassador of Goodwill for their group. For Iruka, Ikiti was a breath of fresh air they desperately needed. He was tired of being surrounded by stuffy old people.

New to the Conclave, Iruka had guessed that she wouldn't last long. Somehow, their previous volunteers continued to disappear, though it was widely assumed they were being silenced by an opposing force; however, Ikiti was married to another shifter, granting her a special status and protection.

Naturally, she was not well-received. She was expected to be quiet, listen, and bow her head at meetings; and yet, she refused. In her opinion, the group was obviously still very behind on the times.

As Ikiti and Mariano argued, there was also a multitude of voices yelling over each other all at once.

"We can't let this continue!"

"I don't believe it is in our best interest to interfere..."

"It is strange, don't you think?"

"Oh, so true. We really must consider this..."

Iruka sighed, his chin resting on his hands again. He stared at the empty chair beside him; he was not the least bit shocked that his friend had yet to show his face. He had missed the past ten meetings. Of course he would not show to one that was scheduled on a whim, with very little warning.

Mariano beat on the table once more, causing Iruka's head to bounce in his hands and the teeth in his mouth to rattle. "Do you all forget that the blood-born and his pawns have made nice with the criminal Stefanos? They actually work for him. This is a considerably disturbing thing, and yet no one else seems as concerned as I!"

"We are all very concerned. Otherwise, we wouldn't be meeting here when we all lead incredibly busy lives, now would we?" The 22 present members turned towards the doorway, all surprised to hear such a familiar voice.

"Hmph." An elderly-looking woman shook her head. "How kind of you to join us, Jiraiya."

The man bowed in kind as he kicked the door behind him closed with one of his feet. "It is my pleasure to grace you all with my presence!"

He was surrounded with looks varying in degree of disgust. Once extremely revered, he had fallen out of good graces with the Conclave. It was impossible to kick him out, though, and all those who opposed him knew it. He was still too well liked, even by a few who were greatly annoyed by his presence.

He was wearing an oversized red traveling cloak that swayed around him as he walked, and his geta shoes clacked loudly with each step he took. "I, myself, feel like you are all approaching this the very wrong way."

Iruka smiled into his hands, staring at his friend. Oh, Jiraiya. What mischief are you up to now?

Mariano reddened violently, his fists shaking. "I know exactly how to handle it. I will go down there and strangle that wimpy vampire myself-"

"I do not think killing the one vampire we all want alive would be wise. Neither is forcing him to relocate because we don't like the success he is having," Iruka spoke up. All turned to him as Jiraiya sauntered into his seat, winking at Ikiti as he went; she rolled her eyes and adjusted her blouse, ensuring it was not sitting too low on her bosom. "I doubt Kakashi would even let you past the front gate."

"Stay yourself, Iruka! You know not what you speak of!" another Conclave member yelled, attempting to defend the famous clan-head.

"Except, he does." Jiraiya adjusted his hair as he made himself more comfortable. "Lest I remind you all that his Godson is basically a brother to the Uchiha heir?" Not giving a soul time to argue with him, Jiraiya went on, "I think that it would be best to invite Kakashi into our cabinet; we should befriend them, in order to keep eyes on them-"

"Or, maybe, we should just kick you two out. It appears you are both sympathizers of our enemy." Mariano's eyes turned to slits, and his teeth threatened to grow.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed; his normally relaxed features tensing at the insult to three beings he knew well. "That is a dangerous claim. You have absolutely no solid evidence that they have done anyone any harm."

Ikiti threw her arms up. "No, no no! Mariano, I think Jiraiya has a good idea. Actually, I should visit them. I am an ambassador of goodwill, after all."

Another uproar ensued.

"Crazy bitch! No!"

"Well, why not? What do we have to lose?"

"You can't just approach a vampire and tell it you want to be friends, stupid girl."

"There is a reason vampires are no longer members of the Conclave!"

Jiraiya's booming voice interrupted the angry outburst once more.

"It has been years since we sought membership from a vampire. Their presence cannot be denied any longer; if we are to remain relevant and continue to hold a position of power against something equally powerful, we must befriend the Uchiha clan."

"You mean the single Uchiha." Mariano crossed his arms again in an open act of defiance and his extreme dislike of their current subject. "I hardly see one young vampire, a fox, and his turned companion as powerful; and absolutely not threatening to us in the slightest. It is the city that surrounds their ruined village I am concerned for."

"Your pride clouds your senses, old friend," Jiraiya continued cordially, despite being interrupted. "If you still refuse to see it my way, let us consider this, then: if we invade and destroy their progress, what will happen?"

There was silence across the room as each member looked around, waiting for another to speak up. After a long stretch, it was Iruka whose voice broke through the ice.

"There will be a war." He leaned forward as he removed his hands from his face, turning slowly, to stare at each member as he spoke. His dark eyes glistened as he spoke of the gravity of their situation. "There is no denying the hell that will be brought upon those responsible; it would be each of us. He wouldn't discriminate. The other turned vampires may have abandoned him, but they are loyal where violence is involved; they will follow his lead. And we will have caused an all-out enmity battle, with bloodshed and innocents being slaughtered left and right."

Knowing full-well he had gained their complete attention, he paused and nodded to Jiraiya, who continued his speech for him. "Imagine that, for a moment, friends. Imagine waking up from your slumber finding your home destroyed and an army surrounding you, telling you to move on and take your business elsewhere... quietly. Can we not all agree it would send most of us into a murderous, blood-thirsty rage?"

They had managed to convince each of their colleagues but one.

"Well. There are other reasons for us to be concerned..." Mariano continued, still not satisfied with where this meeting was going.

"Rumors," Iruka cut-in. "I myself have yet to see the baby." Well, that part was true. But he had heard the baby while he chatted on the phone with Naruto. Naruto was incredibly proud of the little one, eager to share news concerning her development with his Godfather each time they spoke.

"I have a suggestion that I would like to add to Ikiti's idea. I think you will be very fond of this, Mariano." Jiraiya hoisted one of his legs on the table, eliciting a scowl from the woman sitting next to him. He raised his eyebrows at her suggestively before returning his attention to the crowd before him. "Ikiti will be our ambassador. She will make regular visits to the House of Uchiha and report back to us. Iruka or myself will accompany her each time-"

"Of course. Sympathizers. Who else would so willingly walk into a dragon's nest? And if you see something amiss, would you dare report it, considering where Iruka's loyalties lie?" Mariano was not out of hostility yet; he kept much of it on reserve for times like these.

"I assure you, Mariano, Naruto is more loyal to Sasuke than anyone else. If it came down to a blood-battle, I know where he would stand... and it wouldn't be by me."

Finally shocked into silence, Mariano kept his lips sealed tight in a firm line, still not happy but out of insults for the time being.

"It isn't as terrible as you are all making it out to be." Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively. "Let us do this. As I was explaining earlier, Ikiti will make routine visits to the Uchiha and report back to us on a regular basis."

Ikiti nodded; she adjusted her glasses on her nose before she continued. "My family and I are located in Konoha. I could visit the Uchiha at a moment's notice of any disturbance."

"I think that an added bonus to this is that Ikiti isn't exactly threatening... Hear me out, love." Jiraiya motioned with his hands for the young woman to calm herself; at that moment, she looked like she wanted to murder him. "If someone like Mariano were to visit Sasuke, I am sure that he would feel threatened. We don't want that."

"Hmph." Mariano barked indignantly, still not out for the count. "How do you know your husband will approve of this grand idea, Ikiti? We should consult him first before we make a decision-"

"It's modern day, Mariano. My husband is not my lord and I am not his slave. Please refrain from trying to push your old-fashioned ideas of marriage on us," Ikiti spat, her hidden hands shaking beneath the table. Jiraiya let out a bellowing laugh; he then promptly threw his hand over his mouth, pretending to care about his outburst. Mariano scowled deeply at the woman, his teeth gritting behind closed lips.

Iruka was all smiles. "I think this is a great idea, and I say we move forward with the motion." He beamed, excited at the idea of visiting his Godson under the guise of business; he couldn't wait to meet their new addition. "All in favor, raise your hand promptly please."

A sea of hands shot upwards. There were only a few members whose hands remained in their laps; Mariano's arms were crossed so tightly, it was as if he never intended to move them again. As they glanced around, it was obvious that the victory of the vote had gone to Iruka, Ikiti, and Jiraiya. "I think this is a mistake!" Mariano stood up quickly, knocking his chair backward in the process. "Tell your husband not to come crying to me when you're mauled to death by a blood-thirsty hell-bringer!" He quickly exited the room, growling to himself as he went and allowing the door to shut loudly behind him.

Iruka and Jiraiya glanced at each other happily, their eyes silently congratulating themselves on their joint victory.


"Peek-a-boo!"

Sakura laughed, her little mouth bursting open to reveal pink gums. After a few moments, her laughter calmed, and her smile was replaced with a blank stare.

"Peek-a-boo!"

Again, she laughed, flailing her chubby arms around. Like clockwork, when she stopped laughing, Kakashi again would yell "Peek-a-boo!" and she would respond in kind with giggles and wiggly movements.

Little Sakura had turned six months old that day. Pleased as punch with the gurgling little girl, Kakashi was playing with her outside of their shack; though the shack wasn't much of a shack any longer... It was now a four-room home with a wooden porch, the perfect size for the mismatched family.

The muddy yellow paint had been replaced with a brighter, less-depressing red. Naruto had his own room now, as did Sakura; her space was covered in pastels and was home not only to her crib, but a comfortable twin bed for when Rin stayed there as well. The basement had been widened and a wall had been installed so that Kakashi and the younger vampire had more space for themselves. The small yet cozy home had only two windows that were currently covered with deep black fabric; the front door was open as Kakashi allowed the late summer breeze to ripple through the normally warm house.

The demolition project was nearly complete. Sasuke had been in high-spirits for the past few weeks as the first phase of their rebuilding was quickly coming to a close. They had been able to hire additional contractors to assist them with the project, which was a blessing since they themselves could only work in the cover of night. While Sasuke initially balked at the idea of outside, mortal assistance, it ended up working in their favor. They were ahead of schedule. Autumn was a whisper in the wind and would soon arrive, throwing the men into overdrive. No one wanted to be working on such a task during the winter months.

Kakashi was happy to have a quiet evening to himself and Sakura. Rin had taken a bus into inner-Konoha to do some evening shopping; Naruto and Sasuke had just recently left for their shifts at the bar, giving Kakashi some much needed one-on-one time with their pretty little princess.

"Well, Sakura," he began as he stood, cradling the baby and adjusting her in his arms. "I say we go inside and get you some food. What do you thi..."

His voice trailed off as he froze in place, his words falling away, lost forever in time.

Kakashi's movements were nearly undetectable; one moment he was on his porch with the child and the next she was in her crib, crying at the sudden change in atmosphere. He reappeared again on the porch as he quietly shut the door behind him, drowning out Sakura's wails. She was going to have to be patient with him and wait.

Now in full view of whatever it was outside that was coming towards him, he very cautiously slipped his bandana down his face just enough to uncover his left eye.

He blinked, revealing a blood red iris and three stagnant tomoes that soon began to spin in unison. He tensed as he sensed the approaching, unknown visitors.

And just like that, the tightness was eased from his shoulders and he released a short, nearly unnoticeable sigh. He almost smiled when he realized who had decided to drop in for a spell.

He had initially heard the loud roar of an automobile; automobiles rarely visited their area unless they were contractors; if they were strangers, they promptly turned around due to the driver's confusion and realization of being lost. Soon, a familiar smell accompanied the noise, and he was able to relax.

The sound of crunching branches and gravel began to get louder and louder as the car approached his porch. When the headlights hit the ground in front of him, Kakashi went back into his house to fetch the little one.

The car came to a sudden stop after careening forward slightly. Iruka removed himself from the vehicle at once, shaking his head back and forth. "I am never letting you drive again."

Jiraiya soon joined him; he slammed the driver-side door closed behind him. He adjusted his cloak and rolled his eyes. "I am not going to apologize for your wimpy fear of speed."

"It's not speed I'm afraid of!" Iruka adjusted his vest, fiddling nervously with the buttons down the front. "I fear you killing all three of us inside of this metal deathtrap because you lack the sense to slow down when necessary!"

"Never again!"

Ikiti jumped from the car and quickly adjusted her black, knee-length skirt. After feeling satisfied with the way it hugged her legs, she adjusted her blazer. "Never again! I am never riding in the backseat when one of you is driving ever again! I will take the bus home!" She smoothed a few wispy, unruly hairs away from her face.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes again. "Women are so over-dramatic."

"Well. This is a somewhat pleasant surprise."

The three of them turned their gazes toward the porch of the small home. Kakashi stood tall and proud in a cottony, white button-down and dark navy blue jeans. In his arms he held a teary-eyed little baby girl in a lime green, floral patterned dress. Her tiny feet were covered in matching lace socks. Her soft, pink curls rippled in the evening breeze as she blinked away her tears, obviously surprised to see the new faces.

"So, it's true, eh?" Jiraiya laughed. "Well, introduce us, you old bastard!"


Sasuke adjusted the small apron he wore around his waist as he scowled at Naruto from behind the bar. The blonde was already talking-up a couple of rich-looking people at a table. He hadn't even bothered to come back and check in with Steve, much less put on his apron and grab his pen and paper.

Sasuke joined the burly demon in what looked to be a very boring task – sorting drinks and gathering dishes. They worked in silence; Sasuke had been removing dirty glasses that needed to be washed when Steve suddenly broke the quiet surrounding them.

"Sum one came lookin' for ya earlier," he said offhandedly from his spot on the floor.

Sasuke, forcing himself to act uninterested, set another glass into the container of dirty cups. He spoke without looking at the other man, keeping his attention on his work. "Who was it?"

"Heh heh." Steve laughed quietly, not answering Sasuke's question.

A pregnant silence settled between them as Sasuke had stopped what he was doing and waited for Steve to answer. When the beast continued sorting through bottles of alcohol on the low shelf, Sasuke asked again, his words heavier and more insistent than before. "Who came here and asked for me?"

Steve left his task; he stood up and towered over Sasuke, his face not even attempting to hide his antagonistic intentions as he rose above him. "Sum one from the Conclave."

The vampire had turned and given the demon his full attention now. Sasuke's fingers balled together and tightened to form tense fists. He released the tension from them as his eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Steve pulled a stick of gum from his pocket. He casually unrolled it from it's wrapper, his movements painstakingly slow as Sasuke waited for his answer. Sasuke knew that demons had a tendency to be annoying like Steve was acting at this moment, but he hadn't experienced this type of behavior from him yet.

"I didn' think it wassa big deal, Sastay. Why the worry?" The demon popped the gum in his mouth and chewed loudly. "Someone ya probably know. Tall, long silver hair. Ugly cloak. Loud, annoying shoes... Asked for ya. I sed, he ain't here yet. He lives down thatta way." Steve pointed in the direction of Sasuke's home. "'Was bout ten minutes before ya got here. I bet they passed ya when ya were on yer way here."

Not even bothering to remove his apron, Sasuke leaped over bar and took off out of the tavern at breakneck speed.

The bells above the entrance jingled loudly in response as the door was slammed open. Both the owner and Naruto called after him, but as the creaking door slowly closed itself, the blonde realized that Sasuke must have had a reason for acting in such a way. Naruto shrugged sheepishly at the guests he had been entertaining and excused himself. "My brother gets a little... excited sometimes." He quickly sprinted in the direction of Sasuke, doing his best to keep up with his insane speed. His breath caught in his throat when he realized Sasuke was dashing towards their home.

A trip that would have taken a mortal thirty minutes to walk was quickly covered by the vampire. He rarely ran like this anymore; it simply wasn't necessary, and the exhaustion after such exercise was seldom worth the effort.

But a terror had rippled through him like an earthquake the moment he realized who Steve spoke of. No good could come from Jiraiya making a sudden, unannounced appearance. The only explanation for a visit from him was trouble. He wanted her.

He wanted to take Sakura.

One of his worst fears was developing and coming alive at that moment: the conclave had figured out that Sasuke had taken a mortal child under his care. The stupid group that claimed to have formed for the betterment of all kinds, human and not, sought to control every aspect of the creatures of the night. There was no way they would allow a blood-drinking, murdering being to keep what they would see as a food-source to him and nothing more. How was he, the assumed last of his kind, supposed to explain this situation to anyone and have them understand it?

As his legs tore through the tall grass and down the dirt road that led to his old village, he hoped like hell that they hadn't taken her yet.

After reaching the newly renovated house, he bit back a horrified gasp. The baby was in Naruto's Godfather's arms.

Ikiti had been laughing with Kakashi about some dumb joke he told her when a blood-curdling roar filled their ears.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE HER!"

Ikiti screamed, startled by the sudden noise. Her head whipped around to the strange voice. She barely had time to process that a very angry looking young man was approaching them before all hell broke loose.

What happened next was a blur that she would later on try to process.

The raven-haired man had charged senselessly at Iruka, destroying parts of the wooden porch in the process. Moving like wind, Jiraiya interrupted him. He quickly side-stepped and blocked Sasuke. The young vampire's hands reached to wrap around Jiraiya's neck, but Jiraiya had anticipated this, and flung Sasuke outward accordingly over the railing. "What is wrong with you?!"

Sasuke tumbled through the air, but landed on his feet. The soles of his shoes dug up bits of earth as he pushed from the ground, making a run for the porch once more.

He was intercepted by Kakashi, who attempted to grapple with Sasuke. However, Sasuke wasn't interested in a battle with his mentor - Sakura was his priority. Kakashi begged Sasuke to be calm and listen to reason, but the younger vampire couldn't hear him over the roaring in his ears and the fear clouding his judgement.

Ikiti was unconsciously screaming, panic and uncertainty taking over her senses as she ran into the house for cover. Iruka had instinctively avoided the conflict by jumping the porch and moving as quickly away from the chaotic scene as he could with Sakura in his arms.

Sasuke's fury grew at the audacity Iruka possessed. How dare he kidnap her in front of him?!

He needed to get to her before they could take her away. In an attempt to break free from Kakashi, he instinctively crushed the fingers that were striving to withhold him from what he was desperately trying to protect.

Kakashi cried out in a dangerous mix of pain and fury. Distracted, his grip on Sasuke loosened. Recognizing that he was free to escape, Sasuke threw Kakashi's injured hand away from him and took off towards Iruka.

Kakashi had made every effort to show Sasuke an extreme amount of patience, but he had met his limit.

Sasuke's freedom was short lived.

Faster and more agile despite his injury, Kakashi caught him by seizing his left arm.

He ruthlessly yanked Sasuke back with nearly enough force to dislocate his shoulder. Determined, Sasuke tried once more to break free.

It was then that Kakashi broke Sasuke's arm.

He couldn't remember the last time he had hit anything with such force. The strong bones crushed beneath the weight of his fist; their cracking filled his ears. Sasuke roared in agony as Kakashi pulled him to the ground with his uninjured hand, this time careful enough to not break Sasuke's other arm.

Kakashi slammed him to the ground and dug his shoe into his back. He pulled angrily on his unhurt arm, forcing Sasuke's face out of the dirt. "Now," he said through gritted teeth, "Will you stop and listen?"

Sensing that the vampire was not done putting up a fight, Jiraiya joined Kakashi in restraining Sasuke's legs. When Sasuke continued to fight, he did his best to reason with him. "We're not taking her, you moron! We are not taking her!"

"THEN WHY?!" Sasuke screamed.

"Well, I would have gotten to that part if you hadn't come in here guns blazing and looking for a fight!"

When Sasuke stilled beneath him, Kakashi relaxed slightly. He dropped Sasuke's arm, which fell to the ground without resistance. He ran his good hand through his hair, allowing the other to simply hang limply beside him. "They're here because they want to help us, Sasuke."

Silence filled the air as Ikiti looked through the doorway, panicked and scared. Though Iruka had removed Sakura from the scene, her loud cries echoed around them.

It was then that Naruto had finally joined them. "I don't get it!" He threw his arms up, exasperated. Walking over to Kakashi and Jiraiya, he continued, "Why does stuff always get interesting when I'm not around?!"


Just a short time later, Sasuke sat outside on the grass brooding. The voices from inside the little house were upbeat and completely contrasted with his current state.

Kakashi had procured a makeshift sling for his injured arm. Due to the nature of his vampirism, it would heal in a short amount of time, so long as he consumed sufficient blood to speed up the process.

His ego, however, was deeply bruised.

He could hear the others in the house laughing like nothing had happened. The only consolation for this was that Sasuke had personally ensured that baby Sakura had been put in her crib. Exhausted by the events of the evening, she quickly fell into a deep sleep. Knowing she was safe in her bed was the only comfort he felt at the moment.

A deep anger at everything brewed in him. Whether they had meant it or not, their actions had forced him into overdrive. He was exhausted, angry, and disgusted. Why would Kakashi let them hold her so casually? No one should hold her unless he gave them explicit permission. If that hadn't happened, maybe he wouldn't have reacted the way he did, and maybe -

"Um, hello. Sorry to bother you."

He rolled his eyes as his thought process was broken by an all too feminine voice from behind. Not interested in conversing with something he'd rather eat, he stayed silent and faced straight ahead, not bothering to turn around.

"I'm also sorry about what happened." Ikiti wrung her fingers, nervous and scared of this new Lore creature despite being married to someone who also thrived in the shadows. Though Jiraiya and Iruka carefully watched her from the porch, she was still uncomfortable.

"I'm sure you understand, what with Kakashi explaining this already and all that... but as the Conclave mortal representative, I thought I should clarify the situation myself."

She was met with silence. Sounds of night bugs filled her ears, a normally soothing sound that did nothing to help her then; her heart pounded away, wishing for a response from the apathetic being in front of her. Not seeing his reactions made things even more arduous.

"I live nearby in greater Konoha, and I'm going to be making regular visits to see how progress on your rebuilding is going, and to visit Sakura, of course. She is quite precious; such a lovely little girl."

When he still said nothing, she sighed loudly, but continued.

"For your cooperation with this, you will be paid."

He stirred slightly, but made no move to act like he heard her at all.

"The Conclave sees you rebuilding as an asset, and a way to further opportunities for the Lore, those of the shadows. You will be sent a monthly cheque to assist you with your efforts. We just ask that you keep our organization and all otherwordly beings in consideration as you continue your…. uh, quest." She felt stupid talking to the back of someone and she was thankful when she had finished her thought.

After a minute of silence, she decided that he intended not to respond, and she readied herself to leave.

She jumped when Sasuke suddenly stood. He turned to face her, his impassive face bathed in the light from the house.

"I find it comical that the Conclave fears us so deeply that they have sent a mortal woman to do their bidding." A smirk played at his lips as he awaited her response.

Indignant, Ikiti fought to remain cool and composed. "Iruka, Jiraiya and myself would like to see your… er, kind… more fairly represented at meetings. I have extended an invite to Kakashi; he is welcome at our next scheduled assembly three weeks from now."

"Look around you." Though Sasuke spoke with intent, he continued to hide any emotion he felt.

Ikiti attempted to do so, but her mortal sight was weak in the darkness. Not wanting to seem rude, she looked left and right. "Yes?"

"It is also comical that the Conclave wants to assist me now, and yet…" Sasuke began. He looked towards the rubble of his once great home, the streets where his powerful family once walked and ruled. "...When I was a defenseless child and my entire family was slaughtered, they shielded their eyes and pretended I didn't exist."

He looked at her once more, his eyes narrowed. Ikiti rubbed her wrist furiously, desperately wanting to escape from this uncomfortable situation.

"I know what is going on. The Conclave's sudden interest and "kindness" come at a heavy price. I'll comply for now, but I do not waive my right to back out of this "arrangement" at any time. Make sure Mariano understands that."

Ikiti thanked him for his time, bowed her head, and quickly skittered away. On the ride home, she couldn't stop thinking of Sasuke. As she thought of how rude and difficult the young vampire was, she was also haunted with thoughts of the horrors he must have experienced to be so cynical.


Author's Note:

Thank you, lovely readers, for bearing with me. I'm so sorry about another slow update...This was a difficult chapter to write. Finally a little action though, eh? Some things making sense now?

Ugh, there is so much in the early chapters I want to change! SO much. All I can do from here on out is improve. Definitely not going to rewrite everything. So if you notice some character personality changes or that type of thing, I apologize. I'm trying to write more inline with what is going to eventually happen.

Get excited: toddler Sakura is going to be a handful!