There will be violence, major character death, and sexual content. I do not condone any actions of the characters in my work. Please, leave a review if you enjoy it.

Sitting in his leather office chair, Sarutobi Hiruzen, dean and founder of Konoha's medical school, filed through the large stacks of students' information. Once settled, he smiled and gestured to the papers in his hand. "Ah, I see. You are here. I apologize, Haruno-san."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "You had me frightened, Sarutobi-sama. Now that we have this settled, I would like to conclude this session by saying I will most definitely be attending Konoha - School of Medical Science."

"That's good to hear. We are fortunate to have such a bright and talented young woman attending our school." Lacing his fingers together, he leaned forward. "Oh, and about your living arrangements, I would feel comfortable in knowing that you had a place settled."

Sakura waved away his fretting. "Don't worry about that, Sarutobi-sama. I've got everything planned out," she replied confidently.

Sarutobi's shoulders relaxed and the man smiled at the girl. "Excellent. I may say this to all my students, but I'm honestly looking forward to your enrollment. I know you have a very bright future ahead of you. Welcome to K-SOMS, Haruno-san."

"Thank you very much!" Sakura stood from her seat and bowed deeply. "Have a nice day, Sarutobi-sama. I look forward to seeing you again."

Walking briskly and pushing through the crowds, Sakura waited at the bus stop as her heart thumped hard against her chest. She had bought three copies of the different newspapers in town, but there wasn't a single apartment for rent - an affordable one, that is. She even searched the web, but with no success. What was she supposed to do? Sleep with the bums in the alleyway?!

Showing her transit card to the bus driver, Sakura sat in the first row of empty seats. Returning to her old town was impossible, she made a promise that she would not ask for help from anyone - she knew she could do anything if she had the determination. Also, she had emptied her entire savings account and left without a proper goodbye. How do you come back after that?

Absent-mindedly, Sakura reached for her suitcase to find her phone. Grabbing at air, she looked around her seat, underneath, only to find out-

Sakura gasped, "My suitcase!" She had forgotten it!

Quickly pressing the 'Request Stop' button in front of her, Sakura apologized to the driver profusely and exited the bus in a full sprint. She evaded the growing crowd of people returning home and raced through the crosswalk, unable to wait for traffic to cease. Cars and trucks honked as she ran through the road, but she ignored them. That suitcase was an absolute necessity - it contained all of the money she ever saved from her summer jobs!

Breathing heavily, she made it to the university only to find the gates closed. She was too late!

That's what you get for making an appointment at six, she thought bitterly. Devastated, she lumbered back to the bus stop. Now, she had to sleep in the alleyway.

"Haruno-san?" A woman's voice called behind her. "Is this suitcase yours?"

Turning back, Sakura stumbled towards her and rested her hand on the suitcase. "Yes! I had forgotten it in Sarutobi-sama's office."

"He told me to hurry and return it to you. Well, here you go." She released her grip around the handle and returned Sakura's most precious belonging.

"Thank you, Shizune-sensei." She bowed, grateful that her mistake did not end in misfortune.

Shizune smiled warmly. "You're welcome. I hope to see you in my class someday. Have a good night, Haruno-san." She retreated down the sidewalk and out of Sakura's line of sight.

Sakura was ecstatic, hugging the suitcase against her chest. But there was still the matter of finding a place to stay. It was getting dark and with hotels filled up because of the tourists, she'd have to hurry to find a place to stay.

"I guess I can dip into my savings... Man, for a prodigy, I certainly didn't expect myself to act this stupid. I should have known that place was a scam," she said aloud to herself. "Maybe I can check into a cheap love hotel, but will they accept me if I don't bring someone with me?" She began walking aimlessly as she delved deeper into the possibilities. "I know! I'll just tell them that I'll be waiting for him. They won't know any better!"

The sky darkened as the sun set below the horizon, casting shadows on the large skyscrapers and leaving the luminescent glow of the city's buildings as her only source of light. The air was growing chilly in the early-April evening, but Sakura's body hadn't bothered to worry about the cold.

She wasn't truly scared or worried for herself, but it didn't ease her mind that she was crossing a small slum of shady businesses. Grungey men leaned against the old, moss-covered walls of abandoned buildings. They took a glance at her and tried calling the girl over, but Sakura quickened her pace. Luckily, skyscrapers grew larger in size and she easily found a love hotel advertising a deal for a cheaper stay. Ready to head in, Sakura stopped a few steps as a something caught her eyes.

'For Rent!'

Sakura rushed across the street and examined the sign following its direction until she stopped at a two-story home. It appeared in fair shape and seemed to fit well for her. She rummaged through her suitcase and pulled her phone out of one of the many pockets inside. Dialing the number listed on the sign with a red marker, she crossed her fingers, praying that this would be the last ounce of luck she needed in her lifetime.

"Yeah?" The voice on the opposite line sounded hoarse and miserable.

"H-hello? My name is Haruno Sakura. I just found a home for rent in Konoha - University District and was wondering if I could meet with you?"

The other voice suddenly fell silent. Assuming the person hung up, Sakura almost ended the call until she heard a fervent voice hiss inaudible words to someone else. After another minute of quiet, fuzzy chatter, the voice finally answered her.

"Can you meet tonight?"

Sakura's heart danced. What luck! "Yes, of course! Where would you like to discuss the terms?"

OoOoOOoOoO

If the area outside of the university made her uneasy, the disgusting bar she agreed to meet in made her feel worse. The bar's poor lighting buzzed and flickered, casting shadows around the room where heaven-knows-what could be happening inside. Sakura grabbed a seat at the counter and nervously held her suitcase close, making sure to keep both eyes out for scummy, unwelcomed guests. She was only nineteen, barely skimming on the legal age to drink alcohol. What if the police came?

"Haruno Sakura?" A tap on her shoulder startled her and the poor girl fell from her stool.

A few of the bar's regulars laughed and giggled, pointing and making a few choice comments. Sakura cursed under her breath and picked herself off the dirty floor. "What the hell?!" She was surprised to see a woman standing by with an amused smirk on her face.

"Did I scare you?" the woman asked, a laugh in her voice.

Her voice sounded much huskier over the phone. Regardless, Sakura felt better knowing the owner of the home was a woman. "Are you Senju Tsunade?"

"You got it." She sat on the stool beside Sakura's. "So are you sure you want to rent this place? You look kind of young. Can you even afford it?"

Sakura nodded her head furiously. "Yes! The price you listed is definitely within my budget!"

Tsunade raised a brow. This girl was definitely someone to get to know. "Alright then. I'll need the first month's rent immediately and I'll need you to fill out a few forms. Where are you staying right now?"

Slumping her shoulders, Sakura turned away, embarrassed. "Nowhere..."

"You idiot! What, did you just pack everything and leave?! Who thinks like that?" Tsunade shouted incredulously. Calming down, Tsunade sighed, bringing her hands up to her head and rubbing her temples. "Well, I guess I can come unlock the place for you... but if you don't like it-"

"Trust me, Senju-sama. I can't afford to find another place. I'll take it no matter what." Sakura crossed two fingers over her heart.

Tsunade nodded, trusting the girl's word. "Come with me. I brought my car."

OoOoOOoOoO

The two women walked inside the house. Sakura examined the interior, the quality not very far off from the outside, perhaps just slightly better. The living room was large with a clear view into the kitchen. She walked farther in, a like-new stove and refrigerator sat unused and free of stains and dirt. Part of her wondered how such a nice house hadn't already been taken.

"It's two-stories, so if you ever need someone to move in to help pay just give me some notice. I visit every few months or so to check on things, so take good care of it. Tomorrow, probably around two o'clock, I'll come by to see how you like it and to fill out all the forms I need." Tsunade pointed to the back of the house. "There's a bathroom down the hallway and a washroom with both a washer and dryer already installed. I would try to hold in any use of the toilet until tomorrow morning. Anyway, I'm going to get out of here. Good night, Sakura."

"Good night, Senju-sama. Thank you so much for your kindness!" Sakura bowed at the waist as Tsunade walked past her to the front door.

Stepping through the doorway, Tsunade faced Sakura with a smile. "Just call me 'Tsunade', okay? I'm not really into formalities."

OoOoOOoOoO

Without a bed, Sakura slept on the floor of her new bedroom. It had been too late for Tsunade to consult the power company, so Sakura was left alone with only the darkness as her company. She didn't mind at all, really. The doors were locked and the streetlights seemed to deter any lurkers. She closed her eyes, tossing and turning to find a comfortable position. However, she wouldn't complain. Sleeping on the floor was better than sleeping outside.

"Just relax... Everything will fall into place soon enough," she mumbled to herself.

Laying on her stomach, Sakura finally fell into a deep sleep. Her dreams played out the rest of her life: Graduating SOMS with perfect grades, becoming a doctor, and just overall being as successful as she could be.

"Who the fuck is she?" A harsh voice radiated from an unknown place inside the house.

Another voice joined. "Don't worry about it. Like the others, she'll be gone in a week or two."

"Man, she's a heavy sleeper. Do you think we could take a look at her panties?" A third voice chimed in.

"Don't be an idiot. Let's just do what we usually do and we'll be just fine," the second voice stated flatly.

The third's voice moaned. "Ah, but she's so cute! Come on, one peek?"

"Stop behaving so childish," a fourth voice commented, "Let's go. We've got a lot more to worry about than a little girl."

OoOoOOoOoO

Sakura awoke to the jingle of her phone's alarm and sat up, stretching her arms to her fingertips. Her back ached, but she refused to have her mood swayed by a bit of discomfort. Heading to the bathroom, she tried the faucets and was pleasantly surprised to find the water working. Tsunade must have worked quickly. At least now she wouldn't have to wait to brush her teeth.

Walking back to the living room, Sakura searched through her suitcase but failed to find her toothbrush. She knew it wasn't possible that she had forgotten it - she ran through her checklist countless times before leaving her parents' house. Hell, she even placed it in the same pouch as her toothpaste. Annoyed, she kicked her suitcase and moved onto brushing her hair. On the walk back to the bathroom, Sakura kicked something across the floor. Turning, she frowned as her eyes set upon the same toothbrush she had stowed away in her suitcase. It puzzled her. Why would it be laying on the floor, so close to the bathroom? Could she have mindlessly brought the toothbrush with her and had dropped it?

"Oh, no... a ghost stole my toothbrush!" she exclaimed dramatically. Laughing it off, she returned to retrieve her toothpaste and brushed her teeth in the bathroom.

Today, she'd explore the city until Tsunade's meeting. Afterwards, she would venture off to buy all of the furniture and finish the rest of her list. If she had enough time, she could ask around about job openings. Sakura spat out the rest of her toothpaste and splashed some water on her face. She smiled proudly at her reflection. With luck on her side, she could even get some good prices on the furniture she needed!

"Wow, you certainly have your life in order," a hushed voice whispered in her ear.

Sakura's heart jumped into her throat. Pivoting on her heels, she found nothing behind her. Grabbing her hairbrush as a makeshift weapon, she searched the every room but found absolutely nothing. Could she have really imagined that voice? It sounded so clear. Feeling uncomfortable, Sakura got dressed and left the house.

"Was that necessary?" the second voice from the night before asked.

"Oh, it was funny. What, do you actually want her to live here? I'm helping out." The voice sounded irritated with the second's chiding.

"Whatever. Just tell us next time."

OoOoOOoOoO

She had six days left before classes started and Sakura made sure to take this small window of time and spend it carefully scheduling everything she needed to be finished beforehand. After calming down from the strange incident in her bathroom, Sakura simply excused it as her imagination. She had just pretended that there was a ghost in the house moments before it happened, so of course it was her mind fueling her imagination. Believing that ghosts and ghouls were real was silly. She wasn't a child anymore.

Removing her list from her jacket's pocket, Sakura started with the first line: a bed. She had heard a few deals over the radio on the bus, so she decided to start her hunt at the local mattress and bedding shop.

"Would you like us to deliver this? It only costs a few extra yen," the salesman asked, snatching away the money she had in her hand.

"Yeah, sure. Here's the address." She pulled a piece of old scrap paper from her pocket and scribbled down the address with the pen on the counter.

Suddenly, the man's smile faded and, before Sakura's eyes, the color in his face paled. "Oh, the school district? Is this the house that was up for rent?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, growing concerned over the man's condition. "Are you okay?"

The man tore his eyes away from the piece of paper and tried to appear unperturbed. "I'm f-fine! Don't worry, miss! We'll have someone deliver it to your house tonight. Just make sure you have all the lights on, o-okay?"

Leaving the store, Sakura ambled to her next destination: the general store to purchase cooking supplies. Strange, the man appeared very rattled as he read over her address. Was he scared of the slums in the area? He shouldn't have been so afraid though. She was quite the distance away...

"Are you sure you can carry all of this? It's quite a lot," the clerk asked, handing her the last bag.

"I'll be fine. It's not very far from my home."

"Perhaps I could help you? My manager allows delivery or I could just carry a few bags for you," she suggested.

"Well, if you'd like to... I live in the university district, between the old bookstore and Yakiniku Shimizu. But if you think that's too far- what's wrong?" Sakura stopped to observe the exact response from earlier on the store clerk's face.

"I'm so sorry, m-miss, but I feel so sick all of a-a-a sudden! I don't think I can help you c-carry your bags." She sputtered her words as though she was deathly ill.

Sakura, with an eyebrow raised, walked out of the store, her insides twisting into knots. It was simply no coincidence that two people had become disturbed or frightened by her new address. She wasn't ignorant, but what could she do? Glancing at the time on her wristwatch, Sakura noted she had enough time to finish at the furniture store, sign for deliveries, and make it home for Tsunade's meeting.

Just like the last two incidents, the man that had once been motivated and friendly became visibly shaken by her home. Although he promised they would arrive by the night, he repeatedly advised her to keep her porch light on for a 'safe delivery'.

After finishing her errands, Sakura headed home. It was all very strange. Did something happen at the house that everyone knew about? Sakura read through the house's history, but nothing was out of the ordinary. Reaching her front door, Sakura stopped mid-step. She stared, fueled by shock and fear as her door sat open and unlocked, slapping against the frame with the wind. There was the possibility that Tsunade could have dropped in early, but wouldn't she just have called her? And why leave the door open?

Sakura decided not to take any chances.

Quietly, she dropped her bags and fished through them until she pulled out her new wok, gripping its handle tightly. She slinked through the entrance, silently surveying the living room and kitchen. Lurking behind every corner, she listened for any strange sounds, but not a sound echoed inside the house. With one hand holding the rail, Sakura climbed the stairs to the second story. Her heart pounded in her chest, she finally reached the top of the stairs and looked through the only two rooms that occupied the next level. Thankfully, she found nothing - even the closets were empty. She sighed, relieved. The lock must have been old, she'd have to let Tsunade know.

As if on cue, a knock on the door brought her back to reality. "Sakura? It's Tsunade," the woman called through the door.

Taking another glance into her bedroom, Sakura hurried downstairs to the door. Opening the door fully, she greeted Tsunade with a smile, "Good afternoon, Tsunade."

"Hey, what's up with all these bags by the door?"

Sakura's face flushed. "O-oh! It's nothing, don't worry about it. Please, come in."

Raising a brow, Tsunade helped grab a few of the bags and entered Sakura's living room. "Man, did you really leave home with nothing? This place is empty."

"I am actually expecting some furniture to be delivered. Also, once we finish with these forms, I plan on calling my dad to help deliver a few things." Possibly a new security system, as well?

Tsunade nodded, handing the rest of the bags to Sakura. Reaching into the folder nestled under her arm, she pulled out a large stack of papers barely held together by a flimsy paperclip. "These simply state the rules and expectations I have for all of my tenants. You can browse through them, but don't take all day. The last pages are where you need to sign that you agree to my terms and will count yourself responsible for any violations. Understand?"

"Yes," Sakura answered, reading through a few sentences at a time. After filing through each page, Sakura signed her name on each line.

Grabbing the papers, Tsunade grinned and returned them to their place inside the folder. "Now, I'll just need the deposit payment."

"Oh, right." Sakura opened her wallet and pulled out the exact amount Tsunade requested.

"I'll call the power company when I arrive home. The time it will take maybe a few hours to another day... Anyway, I look forward to our time together, Sakura."

Fidgeting, Sakura pulled at some of the loose threads in her shirt. "Um, Tsunade-san?"

"I told you, just call me 'Tsunade'."

She laughed nervously. "Right, um... Could I possibly have a different lock? I came home today and found the door wide open. It freaked me out, but it's probably old, so..." Trailing off, her eyes dropped to her feet.

Tsunade furrowed her brow. "Really? That's strange. I just changed the locks a few months ago. But if you insist, I'll fix them up in a few days."

OoOoOOoOoO

After her phone call with her father, Sakura waited patiently for the deliverymen to come and drop off her new furniture. She spent the time organizing all of her pots and pans into the shelf above the stove and stocking her fridge full of all of the on-sale food she could find. Yes, she was slightly cheap, but she wasn't trying to impress anyone.

As she stacked her dishes into a cabinet built over the open counter. A hard, single knock grasped her attention and she ran to inspect who it was through the peephole - a delivery man holding a clipboard.

Opening her door, Sakura noticed the anxious look on the man's face. "H-hey there! I'm here to deliver your mattress. All I need is your signature and I'll haul it into your room."

"Okay?" Sakura signed her name and the man hurried past her, struggling with the mattress. "Would you like any help?"

Lifting the mattress onto the stairs, he grunted, "No! I can handle this. I don't want to take any more time than I need to."

"You're taking longer doing it by yourself than if I helped you," Sakura replied, annoyed. "Move out of the way. I'll pull it while you push." Sakura raced up the stairs and lifted the mattress without bothering to hear any oppositions from the deliveryman.

"So do you know why this place wasn't already taken? Seems like a steal considering it's near the school and in great condition," Sakura asked humorously.

The man snapped out of his thoughts and frowned, moving it to her bedroom. "Err, don't have a clue." He dropped it to the floor and eyed the room warily. "Anyway, I better get going... I have a few more deliveries." He excused himself with a bow and moved down the stairs quickly. "Thank you for choosing our store as your mattress choice!"

Later, two deliverymen appeared and brought her living room furniture inside before she could greet them. They hurried back and forth between their truck and the house hastily, tripping over themselves and acting wildly frightened. After dropping off her kitchen table - and without having her sign any papers - they left without a single word.

Sakura didn't care. She finally felt like an adult. Examining her purchases, she laughed out loud. Now, all she needed to complete her home was her bedroom furniture, desk, and computer taken from her old bedroom - oh, and a job, but those were much easier to come by in such a big city. Nevertheless, she would still look through the newspapers and apply at any company or restaurant she could find. Sitting on her comfortable couch, she rested her head on the arm and stared contentedly at the ceiling.

Her life was in order and she could finally relax. She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of satisfaction. Now, she was comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"Hey."

Her eyes shot open and a young man's face hovered over hers. His violet eyes blankly staring at her with his silver hair falling over his face.

"What's up?"

Sakura screamed, swiftly raising herself from the couch, her forehead colliding with his nose. He recoiled backward, holding his nose as blood squeezed through the gaps of his fingers.

Sakura stumbled away from the couch, screeching and bug-eyed until a hand covered her mouth and stifled her scream. An arm wrapped around her neck and squeezed lightly, a subtle warning to keep her still. Her eyes darted to the man behind her, his red hair messy and lazy, brown eyes gazing down at her.

"Be quiet. You're giving me a headache," he stated impassively.

Another figure entered from the hallway. "Look at this place! We've never had this much furniture in the house before. It's kind of cramped, though." He blew a blonde strand of hair out of his face and smiled impishly.

Sakura stared, bewildered that so many people had been inside of her house without her knowledge. Where could they have hidden? Did they make a hole in the ceiling and live inside?!

A number of others invaded the living room and encircled her. She could barely breathe until the man behind her released her from his grip. Dropping to the floor, the men surrounding her fell silent as yet another with piercings crowding his face approached her.

"Greetings," he said, his face stoic and his ringed, grey eyes peering down at her small figure.

Standing up, she planted her bare feet firmly against the floor, breathing heavily with her chest heaving. "What are you doing in my house?" Feigning bravery was easy for her unless they took it as a challenge.

"Actually, we've lived here much longer than you have - you only own it legally," a tall, tanned man responded.

"Are you squatters? Why don't you get a job and quit mooching off of people that work hard for the things they have." The words slipped from her lips before she could stop herself.

The pierced man grabbed the collar of her shirt and raised her body from the ground. Her hands instinctively wrapped around his arm with her nails digging into his flesh. His eyes, piercing and dark, focused solely on the girl he had in his grasp.

"Do not test me, girl. I will not hesitate to kill you," he growled, his voice heavy.

"Lay down the heat, Pein. She's like a puppy - all bark and no bite," one of the boys standing against the wall called out.

Pein did not react to his words as he continued to stare into Sakura's eyes. Did she hear clearly? Did he call her 'human' as though he wasn't? Was he a ghost or something?

"We're not ghosts," the redhead said, seemingly reading her thoughts, "we're demons."

Sakura scoffed, "Demons? Please, I'd be more likely to believe that you were a boy-band laying low in my ceiling than a group of demons."

Pein released her, folding his arms behind his back and circled her, his eyes never leaving her form "I am being polite when I say that we want you to leave this house immediately."

"You're kidding. I've moved from my family's home three stations away. I searched through the city, expecting to sleep on the streets. I'm not going to allow all of my luck to run out just because you want to stay here. I'm going to pay the rent, I'm going to pay the utilities, and I'm going to stay here!" she yelled out.

The silver-haired boy that she had initially first met, walked around Pein and hunched over her. "Listen, little bitch. It might seem unfair or rude to you, but we've had this place for a long time. I suggest if you want to keep your worthless life, you leave quickly because Pein isn't as tolerable as the rest of us." The arrogant smirk that crossed his face pissed Sakura off.

Her eyes narrowed. "Fuck you. I'm not leaving this house... especially for a group of disgusting rats like you."

Wrong words.

He ground his teeth and raced over to her before the others could react. With both hands, he grabbed onto her neck, squeezing his thumbs against her windpipe. Sakura struggled ferociously, he had lifted her above the ground with his superhuman strength, and she did her best to kick against his chest. Her nails tore through his skin, blood speckling the long scratches.

"You've fucked with the wrong guy, cunt!" he hissed, his recent words of 'being tolerable' lost in his rage.

Pein turned his gaze to his housemate, his face rather calm considering how he was trying to kill someone. "Hidan, that's enough." His voice was just as cool as his physical demeanor.

"But she called us rats! Let's just kill her!" His voice shook, teeth gnashing.

Pein's eyes darkened and he removed the partizan holstered against the inner lining of his cloth belt. Holding the butt of the ash-wood pole, he pointed the steel spearhead directly against the back of Hidan's skull, the sharpened edge pressing against his scalp.

"That is enough," he repeated emphatically.

Hidan sputtered curse words under his breath and thought silently for a moment longer, pondering over his decision. Sakura's paling complexion attracted his attention and, with little regard to her near-death state, dropped her to the floor. Sakura pressed both hands to her throat and gasped for air. She coughed endlessly, her lungs slowly regaining the air they had lost. Her eyes drifted to the man that almost took her life away and then to the leader staring smugly. She glared menacingly, but the man did not falter (how could a high school graduate actually intimidate someone so abhorrent anyway?).

"She's a livewire! Do you think the others will like her?" The blonde marched over to her, his hands on his hips, peering down at Sakura as though she was some sideshow attraction.

"I will admit that you are resilient," Pein stated, stepping closer to the crippled mass near his feet. "But I'm not going to allow a human to inhabit the same housing structure as my group."

"Why?" Sakura questioned, her voice strangled and hoarse.

Pein blinked, the mere question surprising him. Why? Watching as the girl stood from her spot on the floor, her vision locked onto the leader of this demon gang with eyes as sharp and dangerous as his own.

"I will not leave. I've struggled with my own demons, so real ones won't be much of a bother." She paused and bit her lip, adding, "Even though I don't believe that you really are." Logic, before all else.

Pein faced the redhead beside him who responded with a firm shake of his head. The situation that would arise from killing the girl was worth more trouble than he presently desired. He may be a demon, but he wasn't stupid.

He did not want them up his ass about it anyway.

"Killing you would be senseless and I am not a fool." Pein eyed Hidan. "So I've decided to make a proclamation."

Sakura panted while raising an inquisitive brow. "I'll listen." She was, after all, reasonable - even if it included demon spawns that had intentionally harmed her.

"We reside in the house together-"

"I don't think so." Sakura swallowed hard as the sharpened tip of his partizan threatened to slice the curve of her neck. Her eyes followed the wooden pole up to the man with a serious expression.

"Do not interrupt me," he told her. Lowering his weapon, he spoke once more, "We live together, but remain isolated and separate - both parties focusing on their own tasks. Understood?"

A vein pulsed irritably from her temple. How could this even happen? Would it be remotely fair to have bums living with her claiming to be demons from Hell? She shook her head slowly in disdain.

"I understand that you're stronger than me. I mean, a group of men like all of you could easily subdue or kill me without much of an effort on your part - even if you had a handicap. But I'm not going to let this bullshit happen! I won't allow a group of guys hanging out in my house try to tell me what to do! This lie that you're all supernatural creatures is insane. There is no such thing as the paranormal; there is no such thing as demons!" She spat her denial of their existence out viciously, her knuckles bleached white from clenching her fists so tightly.

Without a word, Pein consulted with the group of men around him. They never spoke, but their facial expressions made it clear they were agreeing to something unknown to Sakura. She watched Pein carefully as he held his weapon close. Within seconds, he sliced apart the wooden floor, splintering wood through a six-foot diameter.

Darkness emanated from the hole and Sakura's curiosity had been piqued. Wisping through the living room, cold air wrapped around her, causing the girl to shiver uncontrollably. Echoes murmured through the room and Sakura finally shuffled closer. This definitely wasn't a basement.

Sakura's eyes lay upon a dark mass filled with the ghastly forms. Their moans, ranging decibels from mild, haunting whispers to ear-bursting screams, caused her own mind to stir with uncontrollable terror. She was paralyzed, unable to move a single limb to scurry away. Gazing down, she watched as one of the creatures swam through the swirling mass, reaching its decrepit hand out for her - its eyes similar to the black holes found in space and it's face contorted and twisted in a state of permanent, eternal agony. Creeping closer, Sakura became entranced. She couldn't breathe, the creature attempting to drain all of the life out of her.

A pair of large hands snatched her away quickly and Pein quickly blocked her path. He raised his partizan and pierced the lost soul through its chest. It screamed out, holding onto the shaft with its bony fingers. He lifted his foot and pushed the creature off of his weapon, watching as it fell through the vortex. Taking a glance behind him at the recovering girl, he then tapped the tapped the butt of the partizan against the wood, magically mending the floorboard to its original form.

Visibly shaken, Sakura hadn't realized that she could have easily had her life taken away again. On her waist, blue-tinted hands remained in place and she tilted her head upwards, finding sharp, pointed teeth framed by an amused, crooked grin.

"Got to be careful with that kind. They'll suck the soul out of you faster than you can say 'bless you'." His tone was light and casual enough for Sakura to believe he had encountered those monsters often. He chuckled softly as Sakura escaped his arms, backing away until she bumped into the back of Pein's legs.

"Do you believe now?" Pein started, "Is this enough proof?"

Sakura didn't answer. Did he honestly need one anyway? After thoughtfully considering his approach, she had to admit that he did take some consideration that she would want to be left alone - especially from their endeavors. Approaching him carefully, Sakura gently placed her hand against his back, attracting his attention.

Turning, his face remained unchanged, waiting for whatever she had to say. The others did the same, frozen in place and visibly curious with this strange girl. Sakura bowed her head, thinking of the appropriate response, sucked in a breath, and made contact with his eyes.

"I reluctantly agree to your offer. It's reasonable and fair, so it shouldn't be a problem." She presented her hand with a fiery, determined expression.

Glancing at her hand, he shook once in affirmation. A cruel smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, but he quickly admonished any remote emotion inwardly to himself. This girl, even with her fragility as a human being, emanated a primal force he hadn't reckoned with in many, many years. The poor fool, however, had no idea what she had just gotten herself into. He may have allowed her residence, but with their presence known, she wouldn't reside there much longer.

In fact, he might wager on the duration of her stay.