Hey everyone what's good? I'm back! And I apologize because I know I'm tardy to the party, but I've gone through some significant changes lately so I'm sorry for failing to update sooner. But I'm grateful to all of you guys who message me asking about the story and its status. Things like that really make me feel accomplished as a writer.
For those of you who do nothing but hate on this fic, well… I don't really have much to say but kiss my ass. Sorry I hate to be so frank, but I kind at the point in my life where I really don't care what haters and flamers think. Like I said I've gone through some life changing experiences in the past few months which have really changed my outlook on life as a whole. I'm not going to go into too much detail…But I'll give you a short summary
First off I would like to inform you guys that I have found employment so that's one of the reasons why I haven't updated and I'm also preparing to get back in college, not to mention the fact that I've been hanging out with my friends more often, and I've been trying to work things out with my girlfriend. To be honest I had been neglecting them since I've joined fanfiction last year so I decided I needed to change that. I was also in a major depression so that's why I had spent so much time writing and reading stories… But that's over now and I feel much better! I know you guys aren't interested in my personal life, but I'm just letting you know why I've been M.I.A "Missing in Action" For those of you who don't know.
Now before we get into the chapter, I think I'm going to let you guys know a little more about this story because I think some of you readers don't understand what it's really about. First off this isn't one of those crossover fics when Naruto and Gaara go to another world and become heroes or saviors if you will. Don't get me wrong there will be plenty of action, comedy, and romance, but what this fic is truly about is friendship. Naruto and Gaara's journey in the monster world is supposed to be a huge learning experience for them. So those of you who are expecting this fic to be like the others you're in for a rude awakening.
Also the point of view will shift sometimes. Though Naruto and Gaara are the main characters I will also be getting into the heads of the other characters as well. Now that I think I have said everything that I wanted to say… Onto the chapter!
Don't forget to review my friends and haters!
Chapter 6: Friendly Acquaintances
Standing on her tippy toes outside of her fifth period class, Mizore gazed questionably through the glass window. Not bothering to check out the rest of the class, her cold blue eyes landed on her instructor. Ms. Aspara was a cooking teacher from India, with an accent to match. She was a nice lady who was helpful with an unlimited amount of patience. She was always assisting students who couldn't get into the flow of things. Her advice was golden for the few males who took her class, since cooking meals wasn't exactly a field that boys specialized in. The only thing to be aware of when it came to her cooking habits was the amount of spices she added. The lady was really eccentric when it came to the flavor of the food. In her opinion food could never be too spicy.
Mizore loved her cooking class since she was trying to become the perfect housewife for a certain brunette. Still, being the quite girl that she was she never really asked for help. Whenever she struggled with something she'd always try to deal with it on her own. Though that is how she usually handled things, Ms. Aspara was sure to give her a few pointers. She wasn't as good a cook as Kurumu but she was average. Her only problem was when she got nervous or upset she would accidentally freeze her food.
Whenever the girls teased her Mizore would end up freezing them and storming out of the classroom. Eventually Aspara pulled her to the side and gave her a little talk to calm her down and relax her nerves. Ever since then, Mizore has felt pretty comfortable around her. She was glad that she was able to connect with a teacher after what had happened with Mr. Kotsubo the year before. One thing she knew for sure was not to piss her off.
Aspara may have been a nice teacher, but it was wise not to get on her bad side.
Despite her polite nature, she was very strict when it came to punctuality and had zero tolerance for disrespect. On the first day some girl made a snide remark about her choice of clothes. After class Ms. Aspara had a long talk with her and the next day the rude girl was sweeter than a Girl Scout. The snow woman didn't know what she did or said to make the girl so obedient, but she sure wasn't in a rush to find out.
Sneaking into class was out of the question. Ms. Aspara had already begun her lecture.
Now she was regretting taking her sweet time getting to class. Taking Yukari to her honor's class took longer than expected since they had to take a longer route than usual so they wouldn't have to answer questions about caring around an unconscious preteen.
When they had finally got her to her class, they dropped her on a random desk and ran out before her chemistry teacher could interrogate them. Kurumu's had math with Ririko Kagome which was close so Mizore decided to walk her there. Most of the way they argued and threatened each other. With their rude remarks, it wasn't too long before they got to Kurumu's class.
After exchanging a few more crude insults the two girls said their goodbyes. Most people who saw them interact with one another thought they had an unhealthy friendship and maybe they were right. Regardless, Mizore and Kurumu were satisfied with it and that was all that mattered.
She was going to go to fifth period right after but decided to take a stop at the little girl's room. 'Better to be safe than sorry' is what she had thought. When she was walking down the hallway toward the restroom she saw Inner Moka walking toward her. Before the vampire could noticed her she crouched down behind a trash ben that was nearby. When Moka had passed her she noticed her staring intently at her Rosary.
I wonder what that was all about. Shaking her head she tried to refocus on the task at hand. Observing the caramel women, she noticed that she was smiling. Alright she's in good spirits today, so that makes things easier.Stepping back from the door, the purple haired girl exhaled.
Gripping the door knob, she slowly began to turn it clockwise. Pushing the door open, she quietly walked into the classroom. Before she could head for her desk she was stopped by a familiar voice.
"Miss Shirayuki?"
Mizore paused mid-stride and turned to face the class instructor. Faking a smile would be a waste of time, since she knew it wouldn't help. Instead she decided to keep her usual bored expression. "Yes, Aspara sensei."
The caramel beauty smiled, "May I ask why you are late?"
Keeping her usual calm composure she stuck her cold hands in her jacket pockets to assume her usual stance. "Sorry sensei, Gin had the newspaper club working over time," she lied. People could say what they want about Mizore being shy and quiet, but she didn't know anyone who had a better poker face than she did. "There was an article about the cafeteria food that needed to be revised."
Aspara gazed at the young girl with uncertainty. Her brown eyes narrowed and her mouth was in a thin line. She really didn't know what to believe. The girl had bruises on her body and her clothes were partially torn. If she was to go with her gut she would probably say that Mizore was lying, her clothes were the obvious evidence. Rubbing her forehead in frustration, the Indian woman sighed. "Alright, I'll take your word for now."
"Thank you sensei," She replied with a gracious bow.
Humming, the older woman continued. "Shizuka Nekonome is the overseer of the newspaper club correct?"
"Uhh…Yes."
"I see. Then next time I want you to bring me a note from her to explain your tardiness. Do you understand Miss Shirayuki?"
Mizore nodded, "Yes ma'am"
That was easier than I thought. With that taking care of she casually made her way to her seat usual spot, second seat of the last row. When she got there she noticed a red head was already sitting in her seat. With a fake cough she got the girls attention.
"Hey…"
Annoyed by the interruption, the petite girl turned to face her. "What do you want Mizore?"
"You know good and damn well that I sit there," She murmured in a low tone.
Smirking she simply replied, "So… It's not my fault you were late for class. Why should I move when I was here first?"
Keeping her cool demeanor, Mizore removed the lollipop from her mouth so she could speak clearly. "Deshiko…Can you please sit somewhere else?" She was trying to be polite, but she had a feeling that she was wasting her time.
The brunette snorted while tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, "Nope, sorry weirdo but you snooze you lose. Why don't you go sit somewhere else you frosty reject?"
Mizore sighed and closed her eyes. "I see," she said before placing the sucker back into her oral cavity. Instantly her hands took the form of frozen daggers. Seeing the snow woman's icy claws caused the prissy girl to sweat bullets. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to reconsider?"
Seeing Mizore's claws Aspara became alarmed. Not again Mizore, she thought while standing up to get the snow woman's attention, "Mizore!"
The purple haired beauty turned around, "Hmm?"
"You know the rules. There are no assigned seats, its first come first serve. Miss Deshi was their first so you're going to have to find somewhere else to sit."
Mizore grunted before returning her attention to the girl at hand. The red haired stared back smugly while sticking out her tongue. Now that teacher supported her she wasn't scared anymore, Coward.
Giving the room a quick scan she couldn't find any available seats. "Well…Where the hell am I supposed to sit then?"
The caramel women smiled, as her eyes went to the back of the room. Her eyes landed on a young man sitting by himself at one of the tables in the back. "How about there?" she asked while nudging her head in the male's direction.
"Huh?" Mizore turned around to see a red headed male sitting by himself. His elbows were propped up on the large desk and his fingers were interlaced while his chin rested on them.
It's him… She thought with narrowed eyes.
Getting the boy's attention, Ms. Aspara shouted to him, "Mister Sabaku!"
Hearing his name Gaara opened his sea green eyes to give the teacher his attention. "Hnn…"
"There are no more desks or tables available, do you mind if Miss Shirayuki sits with you?" The stoic male didn't reply with words, he just gave the woman a silent nod of approval. "Alright Mizore, he's a new student so try and be polite." The Yuki-Onna was already aware of this, but felt it was unnecessary to mention.
Reluctantly, she walked to the back of the room and pulled out the chair next to the red head and took her seat. She hated sharing space with someone else unless it was Tsukune of course. For her working at desk alone was a lot more comfortable than sharing a table with another student.
Though she disliked the seating arrangements, she decided to make the best of the situation. Using her peripheral vision she watched Gaara while still keeping her eyes on Ms. Aspara who was currently discussing today's cooking assignment. Quietly the young man sat there in his usual relaxed posture. He's just sitting there not even moving a muscle. He's like a statue. She was hoping he'd at least say something since; he didn't speak at all when they were first introduced, but you can hardly call that an introduction because neither of them said a word.
Being so close to him she can smell him without even trying. There was no doubt that he carried the scent of a human. Her mind then went back to lunch time in the cafeteria. When she was following him the ground had shook causing her to stop. During that interval she had took her eyes off him for only a second and he had disappeared, only to reappear moments later to stop Naruto's attack on the student he was fighting.
She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about him that intrigued her. Other than the obvious things, such as his smell, appearance and his purpose for being at the academy, there was something else. His personality, the way he conducted himself was completely different. She had only been observing this guy for about two hours if you add up lunch and first period. In that short amount of time she could already tell that he had the maturity of a fully grown man. For some reason she didn't think he was pretending either.
Most of the males on campus were either, immature perverts, geeks, or weirdoes. Even his cousin Naruto was different. Yeah he seemed like a nice guy, but it was evident that he had a lecherous side after Kurumu caught him staring at her breasts. Not only that, but the blonde also had a sense of humor to go along with his playful personality.
But this guy doesn't show an interest in anything. Hell she was surprised that a guy like him even picked cooking as an elective class. He probably didn't have a choice in the matter since him and the blonde enrolled late.
Mizore by no rights was a conceited girl, but she knew she was attractive. She didn't get as much attention as Moka, but no other girl did either. Nevertheless she was confident in her sex appeal and little shocked that the red head hadn't even give her a single glance.
"Is something the matter?"
Blinking a few times, Mizore looked to her left to see Gaara staring at her curiously. "Huh?" His light green eyes seem to pierce her blue ones which made her feel kind of strange.
"Is there something wrong?"
Shaking her head the snow woman replied, "No…Everything's fine; I was just thinking about something. But thanks for asking." Gaara stared at her for several more moments before returning his attention to the front of the classroom.
She was actually quite surprised that he had spoken to her. I guess he only talks when it's necessary.
"Ok class, now get started!"
"Get started?" she murmured to herself. "Get started on what?" She wasn't paying attention, the whole time she was spaced out so she didn't even hear her sensei instructions. Now, she was just sitting there with this blank look plastered on her face. Her mind had been so preoccupied with the new guy that she couldn't even concentrate on her classwork.
"You didn't miss much."
She turned to her partner to seem him sitting their calmly still facing the teacher. That was the second time he spoke to her.
"We are supposed to pair up and then await further instructions," he continued.
"Oh…" the snow woman replied slowly. Observing her classmates, she saw them scramble around in search of a suitable partner. Well not suitable, more like compatible. Most of the students were pairing up with friends or someone they got along with, which is normal in high school. The smart thing to do would be to pair up with someone who's a good cook.
Fools…
As she watched all the remaining students dwindle away, she began to inwardly sulk. At times like this I miss having the company of that skanky succubus.
She and Kurumu didn't always get along, but they were still friends…Sort of. At a time like this, the busty girls baking skills would come in handy, but unfortunately they were placed in different classes.
Once again snapping her out of her musing was the deep voice of her neighbor.
"Mizore…Is it?"
"Huh?"
"That's your name correct?"
"Uhh…Yes," She answered hesitantly. His sudden change was really starting to catch her off guard.
"Well, I think it's safe to say that we're partners," he said while nudging his head north. Looking ahead she could see all of their other classmates were already paired up and sitting in different seats.
Gaara really didn't understand this woman. She was so quiet and soft spoken unlike her friends. Of course she was sarcastic and a little ill tempered, but other than that she rarely talked. The only time she seemed to want to chat was when she was around Tsukune.
She really is a strange one. Since they had met in first period he had notices whenever she thought he wasn't looking, she'd stare at him. He could feel her cold eyes beaming down on his frame. Well in the end of the day it didn't matter, he never really could understand woman. If she wanted to observe far be it from him to stop her.
"Yeah, looks that way doesn't it?" She replied.
Ms. Aspara watched her students and waited patiently for them to settle down before proceeding. "Alright next I want someone from your group to come up and select the meal that you will be preparing from this box!"
Mizore turned to her left to meet eyes with her partner. Without saying a word the snow woman gave him nod to let him know that she would be the one to go. Standing up, Mizore walked to the front of the class and stuck her hand in the box without looking since peeking was obviously against the rules. After shuffling her hand around for a few seconds she pulled out their selected meal and gave it a once over.
Walking back to her table she took a seat next to the red head. "Take a look," she muttered before handing the red head the card she pulled out of the box.
"Liver and onions," he read in a blasé tone. He wasn't really all that interested in this class to begin with. Cooking wasn't something he gave much thought. When he was younger he use to fend for himself and when he became closer to his siblings, Temari had begun to cook for the three of them.. Even so, he wanted something a little less conventional than liver and onions, but he wasn't one to complain. Food was food after all.
Folding her hands behind her head, Mizore casually leaned back in her chair. "Pretty lame right, I was hoping for something more extravagant," she mused.
"Alright class that's it for today, you can relax for the rest of the period," Aspara said. She was happy today was such an easy day, she had been feeling pretty stressed out lately. "Tomorrow you guys will be cooking, so be sure to bring the necessary ingredients!"
Now that there was nothing else to do the students started to converse. Whenever they had free time they were sure to take advantage of it, especially the females. They loved to gossip about the latest news, like whose gotten fat or who's the schools newest whore. There were fewer guys in the class, about five in total and four of them were all sitting together.
You didn't have to be a genius to guess what they were discussing. Last night's football game or which girl they would like to bang. Going off their perverted faces and wondering eyes it was probably the latter. The male students of Yokai academy were very predictable. They're always thinking with the brain in their pants, instead of using the one in their skulls.
Mizore couldn't stand dealing with the males at this school. They were so immature and perverted. One of the four boys even had the nerve to look her way. When she realized the boy was staring at her, he gave her a flirtatious wink.
He was a kid of average height with silver hair, blue eyes, and a nice pair of white teeth. To put it short he was a pretty boy. Unfortunately for her pretty boys didn't fall under the category of her type. Annoyed she returned his stare with an expression of distaste.
Disgusting…
Not at all deterred by her grimace, he gave her a knowing smirk that said 'You'll come around' before going back to conversing with his friends.
Rolling her eyes, she lazily hunched over the table with her arms folded. I might as well relax till the end of class, there's nothing else to do. If Tsukune were there she could think of many ways to keep herself busy and almost all of them were provocative. Hell, she would love to even have Kurumu with her at the moment, that's how bored she was. The two of them would be arguing, but at least she'd be entertained.
Maybe if she was a little more social she could get along with others better. She didn't know why but it was hard for her to trust people. At first she had thought it had something to do with her race, since snow woman are known for isolating themselves. But no that was far too simplistic. Though her people were quiet by nature, they all seemed to smile and be happy even though they were now few in number.
No there was something wrong with her. She had never felt like anyone understood her until she met Tsukune. That's why he was so important to her because she was the only one who could understand her. Will I always be an outcast? Will I ever be…?
Normal?
Sighing, she turned her head with her eyes only slightly ajar. When those depressed orbs met light the first thing they landed on was the sleeping form of the suspicious red head next to her.
Or is he just resting his eyes?
There he sat upright eyes shut with his arms folded across his chest. When she looked at his face he looked so content. He had a very appealing face to say the least. Observing him closer she had noticed something that she hadn't paid much attention to before, but now that she was a little closer she could see clearly. Is that a tattoo? She wondered. Squinting a few times she quietly propped herself up on her elbows. Or is it something else?
Without knowing she started to slowly inch toward him. What does it say? She couldn't exactly read it since his auburn hair partially covered the marking. She kept inching toward them till she was only a foot away from his face. "It's a kanji," she whispered, but for what? Getting a little closer she was finally able to decipher the marking. It's a kanji for…
Love.
Suddenly his eyes snapped open and she froze. She was caught. How could she even explain herself? She was nervous...Her heartbeat felt like it had doubled within the last five seconds. Good thing she had a knack for hiding her emotions. As if nothing had happened she just straightened herself up.
"What's with the Kanji for love?" she asked abruptly. She might as well get straight to the point since he had caught her staring.
"What?" He asked slightly bewildered.
Calmly she pointed to the mark on his head, "The mark on your forehead…How long have you had it?"
The red head looked at her with uncertainty. It was a topic he really wasn't comfortable discussing. Though things were different now, the scars from the past would always haunt him no matter how much he's grown. With pain in his eyes, he reluctantly he answered, "Since I was 6 years old."
Mizore's eyes widened, since he was six years old? That's preposterous what kind of child has a marking on them at such a young age. "If you don't mind me asking…How did you get it?"
"I'd…Rather not say…"
Mizore was disappointed, but out of respect she decided not to press on, "Oh…Alright." Maybe she crossed some sort of boundaries. At times like this, she wondered if she wasn't feminine enough.
Sensing the awkwardness in the atmosphere Gaara decided to change the subject to something else. "So…" He started. He really was horrible in these types of situations. Dealing with women was such a stressful endeavor. "Are you feeling better now?"
"What do you mean?" she asked with her head tilted in a curious fashion.
"Well when we left, you and your friend were in pretty bad shape," he clarified. "Are you still in any pain?"
"Oh…You mean that little thing with Moka?" She asked. When he nodded, she just shook her head and continued. "I'm a little sore, but other than that I'm okay."
She was kind of surprised to hear him ask such a question. At first glance he didn't seem like the kind of guy who concerned himself with someone else's health. In fact he didn't seem to care or worry about anything. But it was probably wrong for her to assume that without really getting to know the guy. He was probably one of those guys who did worry, but just didn't speak.
But still, if he had emotions than why when she looked at him did she sense nothing but emptiness? What made him so different from everyone else? But the most important question of all was…
Why did she even care?
Well whatever the reasons, she just wasn't going to concern herself with it anymore. She would continue investigating him and his cousin but nothing else. Using the spying skills that she was so proud of, she would gather the necessary Intel and then dust her hands of the situation like the good stalker she was. Whether they were, monsters, humans, or even aliens she didn't care. All she wanted to know of was there intentions.
"May I ask you a question?"
Confusedly she gazed back at him with apprehension. What could he want to ask me? She thought. "Uhh…Sure go for it," she said.
Staring at her with those emotionless green eyes, his question came out in a whisper, "What is your purpose?"
Incredulously she gawked. Did I just hear him right? "You want to know my purpose?"
He nodded, "Yes…What is your purpose in life? What is your reason for living?"
Now she was at a complete loss for words. She was expecting him to ask her something a little more predictable. Like what's your sign? What's your favorite color? Or even are you free this Saturday? But coming from a guy like him that last one would just be wishful thinking.
But her purpose…That isn't something she never really thought about. If she had to answer right away she would say it was Tsukune. That was her goal after all. Make him fall in love with her. Marry him and pop out a few babies. Simple as that…
Yeah it was simple, a little too simple. Besides that she didn't have any other goals. She had thought about becoming a spy, but that was her mom's dream. Even so, she figured it was worth a shot since she was so damn good at being undetected. However wanting a career wasn't the only way to have a purpose? Man this is just too difficult.
Aggravated she grunted, "I… I don't know…"
"You don't know?"
She shrugged, "Maybe I just don't have one."
Sighing Gaara closed his eyes and relaxed his body. "No that's impossible. Everyone has a purpose, maybe you just haven't found yours. Or maybe you've found it... but it hasn't been realized. "
Mizore's lips curled up in a smirk. "If what you say is true than what is your purpose in life?"
"Hnn…You want to know my purpose?"
The stoic boy didn't respond immediately which made her think that he was also stumped. Strangely enough it kind of made her feel a little better about herself. Maybe she wasn't the only person out there who was still hopelessly searching for answers. Maybe he was just as lost she was or even worse. But those thoughts were killed as soon as he replied.
"I could tell you mine, but I would like to hear yours first?"
He wanted her to wait. For some reason his answer had kind of pissed her off. "What the hell. What kind of game are you playing?"
Perplexed, Gaara gaze intensified. "I don't play games…"
"You asked me a random question that has me wondering about my life and the direction its heading. I asked you the same question and I get nothing." She said with a clenched jaw. Who the hell was he to be even asking her such a question anyway? She hadn't even known the guy for a full day. "Why would you ask such a strange question and why do you even want to know?"
Gaara watched the snow woman with slight amusement. This was the first time he had seen an expression on her face that didn't resemble indifference. Even when he watched her fighting earlier, she still looked so relaxed and in control. Though she hadn't raised her voice it was obvious to him that she was irritated. The way her cold eyes focused on him without wavering for even a second, told him everything he needed to know about her current mood. He also noticed that her right hand was balled into a fist.
Without budging an inch, he calmly exhaled. "Throughout the day I've watched the students of this school interact with one another," he said. His sudden reply caused her to visibly relax. Slowly she eased back in her chair so she could listen to his explanation. "I noticed that the majority of them are very shallow and egotistical."
Mizore couldn't help but let a small smile grace her velvet lips. Thinking about all the people that she had come across since she enrolled last year she couldn't help but agree. "That's seems about right, but what does that have to do with me?"
"You and your friends are different," he started. For once Gaara didn't have a suitable reply. He knew what he wanted to say, he just wasn't sure how to put it into words. He was still a new at socializing and dealing with emotions. This was all foreign territory. After several seconds he was able to regain his barring's. "It's obvious that you girls care more about the simple things in life, but it makes me wonder is it really enough?"
"Enough? What are you talking about?"
Gaara gave her a sideways glance, "That's for you to find out." Sighing he unfolded his arms and turned to face her. "I'll tell you what…Why don't I make you a wager?"
After hearing those words her eyes ears twitched in interest. "Alright…I'm listening," she replied.
"I'll give you the time required to find your answer to my question. Once you do find your answer, not only will I tell you my purpose but I'll also tell you the story behind this marking," he stated while pointing to the Kanji beneath his red auburn locks. He knew he wasn't supposed to make such a deal, but he couldn't help it, his interest had gotten the best of him. Well now I can't scold Naruto about being careless.
As soon as he finished his sentence her jaw dropped in shock. "Are you serious?" she nearly gasped. There was no way it could be that easy. Why would he make such a risky deal? Does he think I'm too stupid to come up with an answer?
With a bored look he simply replied, "Like I said before I don't play games." Slowly he extended his slender arm with an open hand. "Do we have a deal Mizore Shirayuki?
With a confident look in her eyes she nodded before grabbing onto his hand. When their hands made contact she couldn't help but feel a nervous tingle run down her spine. His hands are surprisingly warm. Since he had such a statue like personality she was guessing that he would be almost as cold as she was. "Yes, it's a deal."
He wasn't shocked at the feel of her ice cold hands since he was already aware of her monster identity. One thing that he was surprised about was the texture. Her palms…They're soft. Considering the fact that she was a snow woman he thought they would be a little rougher. But then again it's not rare to come across a female with rough hands even in the shinobi world.
"I expect an honest answer," he remarked.
Mizore smile grew even wider to the point that she was smirking. "Don't worry you'll get one."
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Hopping over the fence Tsukune proceeded to walk towards the freshly damaged bleachers. Observing the sight as he approached, he noticed the walking ramp had been severely ruptured. As he continued up the steep incline he noticed that there were dents and holes on the floor which he was sure to avoid. Some of the railing had appeared to be ripped off.
When he got to the top the first thing he noticed was that the top four rows on the right hand side of the stand had been completely destroyed. Damn, Kurumu and Mizore sure did a number on this thing. Out of the corner of his eye he had caught sight of what he was originally looking for.
Sitting alone in the middle of the bleachers was Naruto. His cheek rested in the palm of his hand. From where the hybrid vampire was standing, the blonde seemed to be depressed, but why?
After taking a deep breath, he decided to walk on over to see why he was so down. As he began to climb up the third column of the bleachers he was able to see his face more clearly. His eyes were droopy and his mouth was in a thin line. Yeah he was definitely upset about something.
"Hey Naruto," he called out.
Lifting his gaze off the ground his eyes landed on Tsukune who was standing right beside him. "Oh hey…What's up?" he asked with a forced smile. He was obviously trying to hide his sadness.
"Nothing much, just got done running a few laps around the blacktop," he replied while wiping some sweat off his face with the bottom of his gym shirt. Sitting down next to him he asked, "So why are you by yourself on the bleachers? You know this place off limits until the repairs are finished."
Naruto just gave him a wave that said 'whatever.' "Who cares it's not like anyone's going to find me over here." Suddenly his eyes widened in surprise. Looking at the brunette incredulously he asked, "Just how the hell did you find me?" Naruto was sure he snuck over there undetected.
Tsukune smiled before shrugging casually, "Well I followed your scent."
Naruto stared at him questionably. Is he serious? Did he really catch a whiff of my scent? It wasn't impossible since this was a monster academy, so he guessed that was probably a common ability among monsters. But still…That jerk that he had fought earlier couldn't sniff him out. He was completely dependent on his sight.
Hmm…What kind of monster are you Tsukune?
"Wow that's impressive they're only two people I know back home who have super noses," he said. Of course he was referring to Kiba along with his mother and sister, which was a given since sense of smell was a common trait among the Inuzuka clan. The only other person besides them was his sensei Kakashi. He couldn't understand why he had such a knack for it, but then again there were a lot of things that he didn't understand about his mysterious sensei.
"Ha-ha thanks I've only been able to do this for a short while, but as time passes my nose becomes more sensitive."
Understanding his explanation, Naruto nodded, "Well whatever the case, that nose of yours is going to come in handy one day."
Nodding Tsukune decided to return the conversation back to the original topic. "You know you never answered my question."
"What?" Naruto forgetfully responded.
"Why are you up here by yourself?"
"Oh…" Naruto said while looking staring at the field longingly. "I'm bored…"
Surprised Tsukune leaned in closer to be sure he had heard him correctly. "You…Were bored?" That's why he had that depressed look on his face?
Sighing, the blonde continued, "Yeah…There's nothing to do. I was hoping gym would be more fun but so far it's been nothing but a damn snooze fest."
Incredulously the hybrid Yokai gawked. "Are you serious? Today's a free day you could do whatever you want. You could play basketball, football, dodge ball, hell you could even walk around on the black top like some of the heavier guys if you're the lazy type." Tsukune chuckled.
"As long as you're doing some kind of activity, that bas- I mean Kotsubo sensei won't care."
Catching Tsukune's slip up, Naruto perked up, "Were you…Just about to call Kotsubo sensei a bastard?"
Frantically the modified vampire began to chuckle while nervously scratching his scalp. "Huh? Bastard? What are you talking about!? Now why would I say something like that!? Ha-ha I think you've been out in the sun to long Naruto!"
Sly shaking his head Naruto continued, "Don't try to lie…You were about to call him a bastard weren't you!?"
"Ha-ha I have no idea what you're talking about?" He replied.
Smirking he narrowed his eyes, "You can't fool me Tsukune, I'm not the smartest guy around but I do have my moments."
Defeated Tsukune hung his head. He really didn't want to have this conversation with Naruto. First off he hadn't known Naruto long enough to even tell him about Kotsubo. Secondly he didn't really feel comfortable talking about something so confidential.
In this situation there was only one thing he could do…
Lie.
"Alright I give up…You caught me."
Satisfied, the blonde continued his questioning. "So tell me, why don't you like Kotsubo sensei?"
The brunette sighed before placing the palm of his hand on his forehead. "Well you see…Kotsubo sensei isn't exactly as nice as he seems."
Naruto's brow quirked, "What do you mean?"
"Well last year…"
Intrigued, the blonde impatiently asked, "Last year? What happened last year?"
Still thinking of a believable lie, Tsukune's eyes began to wonder around looking for inspiration. When he saw a kid take a hit to the face from a rubber dodge ball he decided he had found just what he was looking for. "Abuse…"
"Abuse?" Naruto repeated…
"Yes," he replied calmly. "Last year he had gotten fired for physically and verbally abusing the students."
The visual anger was clear on Naruto's face, "Are you saying he hit them?"
Seeing the anger in Naruto's eyes he decided to change the story a little bit. "No…He just pushed them to hard. Especially the guys, he made us do physical activities on scorching hot days. Not to mention all the push-ups and sit-ups we had to do and don't even get me started on all the miles we had to run a day, I'm telling you it was intense. All the while he'd mock all the guys calling us weaklings, dumbass, and trash."
"Hmm…" was Naruto's only reply as he stood up and walked to the edge of the bleachers. Observing all the boys on the black top, he noticed something interesting. Scratching his whiskered cheek he had an unconvinced look on his face. "Are you sure?"
Nervously he sweat dropped, "Huh? What is it that's making you so skeptical?"
"Well for starters there are only eight kids in our class that have any muscle tone and that's including us. The rest of them are either chubby or really scrawny…"
Shocked at his insightfulness, the brunette gasped. As much as he liked Naruto he had to admit, he did come off as a bit of a simpleton. Nonetheless he needed to continue with this fib, he would tell Naruto the truth about Kotsubo once he had got to know him a little better. The headmaster wanted to keep most of the events of last year under wraps, so he had to be careful who he shared that information with. "Yeah, well a lot of them had stopped working out once he was fired a lot of them decided to go back to their old lazy ways…"
"Well if he was such a jerk then why did the headmaster decide to rehire him?"
At last an easy question to answer, he figured since he didn't have to lie this time around. "Oh that's simple, the varsity soccer players petitioned him to be given a second chance."
"Really? It was that simple?"
"Yes…But as a catch, they have decided to keep a close eye on him to be cautious. Take a look over my shoulder…" He said with a nudge of his head.
Naruto obliged and when he did he noticed someone standing on the rooftop. It was a man of average height dressed clad in black. You couldn't see the majority of his face since it was hidden behind the high collar of his jacket, not to mention his shades.
"And over there…"
Behind the fence of the volleyball courts was a hoard of trees. Partially hidden in the trees, there was a man wearing the same outfit as the previous one. The only difference being was this one was a lot taller.
"Oh I see…"
So those were the two chakra signatures I had been sensing…
"Anyways…" Tsukune said before letting out a brief yawn. "Those watch dogs are only temporary since the school is short on funds at the moment. So after about a month we probably won't be seeing them anytime soon. When that happens I have no idea what the headmaster is going to do as far as security is concerned."
Naruto stared at him questionably, "Tsukune?"
"Yes?" He replied.
"How the hell do you know all of this stuff anyways?"
"Oh that…One of my friends happens to be the headmaster's assistant."
Intrigued the knuckled head rubbed the underside of his chin in question. "His assistant is a girl right?"
"Yes…"
"Oh…I think I met her last week while I was still in the hospital. I forgot her name, but I know it starts with an R…I want to say Rachel…Or was it Renee?"
Tsukune chuckled, "It's Ruby."
Naruto snapped his fingers, "Yeah that's her name! She's cute…Don't tell me she's also one of those girls who are fighting over you."
"Ha-ha well…"
"Damn! What the hell is your secret Tsukune? At first glance you seem like an average Joe, but you're a real player aren't ya?" Naruto grinned slyly while giving him a slight nudge.
Flustered Tsukune shook his head, "No…It's not like that there just my friends."
"Ha-ha…Well it doesn't seem that way to me! But tell me…What did you do to get those girls so into you?"
The brunette shrugged, "To be honest with you I have no idea why they like me so much. I'm just being me."
"Just being you huh?" Naruto questioned. He had to admit seeing all these beautiful girls fight over Tsukune wasn't surprising. It's not like he hadn't seen that before, Sasuke had almost every single girl in the village chasing him. Since he was an Uchiha, not to mention a good looking one, Sasuke had to fend girls off on a regular basis.
But this was different. These girls didn't like him because of his looks or popularity. They seemed to genuinely care about him because of the kind of person he was, which was strange because nowadays most girls are superficial.
Naruto on the other hand had barely started to become popular amongst the young women of Konoha. Ever since he defeated pain and saved the village, girls had finally started to see him as man instead of the container of a tailed beast. In truth, his situation isn't all that different from Sasuke's. Until he graduated from the academy, there was only one girl who had always seen him as a human being. She is also the same girl that confessed her love to him only three weeks ago.
Hinata…
He hadn't had time to talk to her about it, but that didn't mean he had forgotten. If he wasn't so busy with his training and chasing Sasuke, he would have already talked to her.
But what would I say? Hinata and I rarely speak to each other and even then she always ends up turning red and fainting.
Aside from that, there were also his feelings to consider. He never really thought of Hinata as a woman, but then again Sakura was the only girl he really thought about as far as love goes. Maybe it was time for him to open up his mind a little bit.
"Naruto…" The blonde turned to see Tsukune staring. "Is everything alright?"
"Y-Yeah sorry about that, I guess I zoned out for a minute there."
Tsukune nodded, and started wiping remaining sweat off his face.
Tired of sitting, Naruto stood up and stretched. "Well it's time!"
Still sitting Tsukune watched him in wonder, "Time for what?"
"It's time for us to find something to do. We still got about twenty minutes before we got to go back to the lockers and change."
"Well…Alright," The brunette stood up and followed the blonde who was heading toward the back entrance of the bleachers.
While they made their way down the stairs, Naruto spoke up, "But before that, do you mind answering one more question Tsukune?" When the hybrid nodded, he continued. "Are you really telling me everything I need to know about Kotsubo sensei?"
Hesitantly he replied, "Y-Yes…Why do you ask?'
Suddenly Naruto stopped which caused Tsukune to follow. He had a concentrated look, as he was deep in thought.
"Earlier… In the cafeteria I couldn't help but notice the way Gaara was acting around him. He looked like he was irritated just from standing so close to him."
Shocked the hybrid's eye's widened, "Really?" I wonder if he knows the truth! No there's no way he could have figured out something like that so quickly. Yes he would have to do a lot of research to find the truth, Tsukune reassured himself. "I wonder why?"
"It's strange huh; it's been a while since I had seen Gaara show that emotion. Every now and then he cracks a small smile but other than that he usually looks emotionless."
"Oh…Well maybe he was sick from eating the cafeteria food, Ha-ha Yeah that's probably what it was." Tsukune really wanted to change the subject, but Naruto seemed determined to find out what was going on.
"No, that's not it," the blonde responded.
"What, how can you be sure?"
"Gaara didn't look sick…He looked…Disgusted."
Tsukune couldn't help but raise a brow in question, "Disgusted?"
"Yeah…Like he had seen something that pissed him off…"
There's no way he could know about Kotsubo? It's impossible they've only been here for a day. Unless… unless someone told Gaara about him. But who? The only people who know about Kotsubo are members of the newspaper club and Ririko Sensei. There's no way Gin or the girls talked and I doubt Ririko sensei said anything. Then who else? Who else could it be?
"Well whatever," Naruto continued. "I'll just ask him about it later. Anyways let's go play soccer with those guys over there!" The blonde started pacing anxiously toward the field.
For a while Tsukune just stood there watching him get further and further away until he snapped out of his daze. "Hold on wait up!" He yelled as he ran after him.
End of School Day
"Freedom at last!" Kurumu shouted while walking out of the main building. It had been a long day filled with far too much drama. Between multiple fights and complicated math problems, she had seen her share of action for the day. Now it was time for the busty succubus to relax and enjoy her day.
Behind her was a quieter Moka, "I think you're over exaggerating Kurumu, today was pretty good day." The pinkette beauty calmly walked down the school steps. Unlike her friend she seemed to be content with the day's events.
"That's easy for you to say…You didn't get your ass kicked by a vampire!"
Moka deflated, "Sorry I didn't think she would go that far!" The last time she had awakened was months ago. She had forgotten how her inner self could get carried away sometimes.
Kurumu flicked her wrist carefully as if to say "Whatever." Smirking she folded her arms underneath her breasts. "Well at least I'm not the only one; I bet that snow skank is feeling pretty sore right about now."
Her smile faded when she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. "I see you're running off at the mouth as usual Kurumu…"
Feeling the cold condensation on the nape of her neck, she jerked back. "What the hell's your problem? You really need to stop sneaking up on people you damn stalker!"
Mizore didn't reply her face just remained impassive. Messing with Kurumu never got old, so the chances of her stopping were slim. Still all joking aside she couldn't get her mind off what had happened earlier. That whole deal she had made with the red head had got her thinking. Should I tell them about it? She wondered. Or should I keep it to myself?
She didn't know how they would react. Especially Kurumu she always blew things out of proportion.
Yeah it was probably be best if she kept that to herself for now.
"So where is my husband?" The snow woman asked.
Confused, Moka asked, "Husband?"
Mizore nodded, "Yes, where is Tsukune?"
Irritated Kurumu clenched her teeth, "For the last time…You're not marrying Tsukune you frozen freak! He's mine!"
Remaining cool, the purple haired girl replied, "You can keep telling yourself that but it's going to happen and if you keep that bad attitude I won't let you be a bridesmaid."
Kurumu gawked at this, "Bridesmaid!? Like hell I would never be a bridesmaid at your wedding!"
Laughing playfully Moka got in between the two girls to separate them. "Alright let's all just calm down," she said in a low tone. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of what had happened at lunch. If they could go the rest of the week without any fighting it would be a miracle.
"Whatever," Kurumu huffed. She was too tired to argue with Mizore anyways. "So what's the plan for today?"
While she hummed and tapped her foot against the concrete, Moka tried to think of something to do. We could go back to homeroom and work on the paper or we could go to the human world to go see a movie. Other than that there wasn't really much for them to do except go back to their dorms and study.
Stumped the vampire said, "I don't know, how about a movie?"
"Don't care…" was Mizore's immediate response.
"Yeah… a movie sounds nice," Kurumu said. She really didn't care what they did as long as she didn't have to back to her dorm and do homework.
Smiling, Moka tilted her head and crossed her legs. "Great now all we need to do is wait for Tsukune and Yukari."
Kurumu sighed, "That's just great I forgot about Yukari."
"Why don't you want Yukari to come?" Mizore asked
"It's not that I don't want her to go, it's just she still underage so we can't watch any R rated movies."
The vampire frowned, "That's true, but we're also underage Kurumu."
Placing her hand on her hip, the succubus smiled, "Yeah but we look grown don't we?"
Mizore nodded, "Can't argue with her there."
Slightly annoyed by this conversation, Moka's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't matter; we're not going without Yukari!"
Defensively Kurumu raised her hands, "Okay relax…I was just making an observation."
Squinting a few times Mizore noticed a small figure coming towards them. As the person got closer, she was able to make out its gender. It was a girl that much was clear and she was wearing a pointy hat. The small girl also had something in her hand. Is that a wand? Mizore wondered. As she got closer she was able to confirm that it was a wand.
Yeah that's her, she whispered to herself. "Let's drop it she's coming." The last thing she wanted right now was to hear Kurumu and Yukari argue about their age and bodies.
Mizore's warning caused the girls to jump a little, but they quickly regained their composure. Casually they began to make small talk as Yukari arrived.
"Hey guys!" Yukari chirped as she walked up to the group, as usual she was in high spirits.
Smiling Moka said, "Hey…Yukari how are you?"
The preteen shrugged, "I'm okay I guess… Just a little tired is all. So what's going on?"
"Not much," Moka answered. "We're going to the human world to go to the movies? Do you want to come?"
Uncertain, Yukari didn't respond immediately. As much as she would like to go, she had a lot of work to do. Since she's has honor roll classes she needed to study and finish homework. Though she is the smartest student on campus, she still needed a decent amount of time to finish these assignments. Then there were also her general Ed classes, but she wasn't worried about those.
Yes there was a lot for her to do, but there was no way in hell she was going to leave the other girls with Tsukune. To hell with it, I'll just finish it all tonight! "Sure I'll go, but I can't stay out too late."
After hearing that Kurumu had to do her best to prevent herself from laughing. However, her snickering caught the little witch's attention.
Glaring she asked, "What so damn funny?"
Getting a hold of herself, Kurumu replied, "Nothing…It's just… I think it's so cute that you still follow your curfew." The last part she said in a cutesy voice.
"You…Bitch!" For the second time today Yukari lunged towards her to attack, but Mizore caught her by her collar before she could reach the succubus.
Kicking and screaming Yukari tried to break free but to no avail. "Let me go Mizore! I'm going to kick her ass!"
Mizore sighed as she held the thrashing girl, "Sorry but I can't do that."
Seeing them argue again really made Moka sad. Even though she was use to all the banter, she wished that the four of them could go one day without trying to kill each other. She knew that she wasn't innocent; there were plenty of times when she got into it with Kurumu and sometimes Mizore. But at least she was aware. The other three didn't seem to notice and if they did they obviously didn't care.
If the four of them could somehow figure out a way to get along things would be a lot easier, they'd have more success in their future endeavors. The newspaper would be more popular and people wouldn't look at them like they were crazy. Fed up with the fighting she did the first thing that came to her mind. She screamed.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Almost immediately everything came to an abrupt halt. Yukari stopped her kicking and screaming and Kurumu stopped her teasing. Even the students passing by stopped and stared at the pink haired girl.
Now the beautiful vampire was blushing in embarrassment. Maybe I shouldn't have screamed so loud, now everybody's looking at me!
"What's with all the commotion?" A voice asked from afar.
Moka turned to see Tsukune, Naruto, and Gaara approaching. She was kind of surprised to see them, but she was also delighted. With their arrival, people were starting to move on. For what reason she didn't know, maybe the other students were also skeptical about the newcomers. Whatever it was she was grateful. Seeing the face of her best friend also made her happy.
"Tsukune…"
"Moka…What's going on? Why were you screaming? Are you okay?"
Moka smiled and shook her head, "No everything's fine now…" She always felt good when he was around.
Not completely sold, he asked again "Are you sure?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"That's g-
Before Tsukune could finish his sentence Kurumu was already clinging to his arm. "Long time know see my love," she seductively said while pressing her large breast against his bicep. Her warm breath tickled the hairs on his neck as she continued to snuggle his lithe form. "What's wrong? You seem nervous."
Blushing, the hybrid began to fumble his words, "W-Well… Umm… I…Umm"
"Say Tsukune do you want to go to the movies with me?" leaning in she whispered in his ear, "But I promise we won't be focusing on the screen…"
Now his heart was beating even faster than before. Though he was use to her flirting, he'd never imagine she'd be crazy enough to do it at the movies.
"Hey! That was my idea!" Moka shouted.
Agreeing Yukari said, "Yeah you can't just go with him alone, we're all going together you cow!"
Unlike the other two Mizore was much more calm and relaxed. Not wasting time, her right hand took monster form. Pointing her icy claws at her rival she said, "I really don't give a shit about going to the movies, but if you don't back away from my future husband I'll have to amputate that arm."
As they continued to argue over Tsukune, Naruto and Gaara quietly watched on. The red head watched the spectacle with mild interest. Seeing them fight over something so petty confused the Kazekage. He didn't understand why they acted the way they did, but their strange behavior intrigued him nonetheless. Are movies that good? He wondered. Unlike Naruto he had never been to a theatre so he couldn't understand what made them so special.
When he looked over at Mizore they locked eyes for a moment before she looked away. Going off her facial expression she didn't seem like she wished to talk to him, but that was fine with him, it was probably for the best anyways.
Gaara might have been baffled by their behavior, but Naruto kind of found the whole thing hilarious. Seeing a bunch of girls fight over one guy brought back old memories of his time at the academy. However these girls are a lot more violent than the girls who use to compete for Sasuke's affection. If he was still a child he might be a little jealous, but now it made him feel nostalgic.
However the young sage was starting to feel a little tired. Lately he hadn't been getting much sleep. His own thoughts were clouding his brain and preventing him from sleeping. All he could think about was his friends. He didn't know if any of them had died or been injured and that thought was killing him.
"Gaara…"
"Yes?" the red head replied.
"I'm a go checkout my dorm since I haven't had a chance, do you want to come along?"
"I suppose..."
Without another word the two quietly walked away from the group. They seemed busy at the moment so it seemed best not to bother them. Though the girls didn't notice their departure, Tsukune did.
"Where you guys going?" He shouted over the bantering females, which caused them to stop and listen.
Stopping Naruto turned replied, "Gaara and I haven't had a chance to checkout our dorm rooms so we're going to go now."
"Oh alright…But when you're done do you want to join us?"
"That sounds good but maybe next time… I think I'm going to get settled in."
Tsukune frowned, but turned to the other male. "What about you Gaara?"
"No thanks, I think I'll also take this time to rest…"
Tsukune was a little disappointed with their response but all the same he understood. This was their first day; it was probably best that they took it slow and relaxed. "Alright then, we'll see you guys in homeroom tomorrow!"
"Yeah see you then!"
Walking away Naruto waved as Gaara kept his eyes forward not even turning his head a little to bid his new friends farewell. He didn't feel comfortable enough around them yet. Even though they seemed like nice people they weren't going to gain his trust so easily. After sometime passes maybe then he'll be able to converse more. For now he could still watch and observe them from a distance.
They were very interesting people. Their friendship is so dysfunctional it makes you wonder how they can tolerate being in each other presence. With all the arguing and fighting it's surprising that no one has gotten hurt.
Then there was that girl and that deal he made with her. There was no doubt that he would keep it no matter how much he might regret it in the future. A deal was a deal after all and he was a man of his word.
Still the fact that he asked such a question was a little unsettling. He didn't know what compelled him to do such a thing. Well whatever it was, I better not tell Naruto. Knowing him he'd probably do something similar.
"So…How did you like your first day of public school?" Naruto asked.
Gaara replied, "Hnn… It was fine...All the bickering was sort of annoying but amusing nonetheless."
Naruto smiled, "Yeah those girls really are strange, but I like them."
"Like?" Gaara repeated. "Do you wish to mate with one of them?
"Huh?" Naruto blushed. "M-Mate! Of course not!" He replied in a flustered tone. "Where the hell did you get that idea?"
"You said you liked them so I assumed…
"No that's not it I just think they're fun to be around!"
Gaara nodded, "You sure? Because I couldn't help but notice you staring at that succubus…"
"W-What? I- wasn't…I was…" He fumbled over his words as he tried to explain himself. His whiskered cheeks became tented revealing his embarrassment. "Just where is all of this coming from anyways?"
"I'm just taking an interest in your life since we are cousins after all," A small smile graced his lips when he finished his sentence.
Naruto chuckled while scratching the back of his neck, "Oh sorry about that. I guess I kind of got lost in the moment when I said that. You don't mind do you?"
"It's fine… We'll just have to continue acting like we're related for now."
"So what about you? Have you seen anything you like hmm…?" Naruto asked while pumping his brows.
Hearing his friend's playful remark, the Kazekage calmly exhaled. "Naruto…You must be joking. Do I seem like the kind of guy that you usually see in relationships?"
"Hey Hey! What's up with the negative attitude?" Naruto almost shouted. He hated when people didn't look on the bright side, especially those he considered friends. "I bet you could get a girlfriend if you tried. From what I've heard from Kankuro, almost every girl in the sand village is trying to get into your pants, so what's the problem?"
As they continued to chat they eventually reached the dorm building that was preserved for male students only.
"I don't really know…" He said while grabbing onto the handle of the door. "I guess I have just grown accustom to being alone."
Frowning the blonde grabbed his shoulder. "Alone huh?" Turning his head slightly, Gaara stared back at his fellow jinchuriki.
"Well you aren't alone anymore my friend." Naruto continued with a warm smile.
Gaara paused for a second in thought before a small smile began to form. How could I forget? He questioned to himself. "Hnn…You do have a point there." Pushing through the glass doors, they quietly entered the lobby of the male dorm rooms.
To be continued…
I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter, because it's been a long time coming. I know this story has been moving at very slow pace, but the next chapter I'm going to give you guys a two week time skip and a little action so stay tuned for that. Again I would like to thank you all for your support and kind words. I love you guys and I hope you enjoy the holidays and have fun... Hahaha I know I will ;)