I've never told a lie,

And that makes me a lier

I've never made a bet,

But we gamble with desire

The soft pitter-patter of Kakashi's feet as they made a fast pace on the ground echoed throughout the tiny hallway of which he was striding down. His legs were tired from the brisk walk he had taken from the Unearthed to this remote part of inner London, his one visible eye grew limp and in much need of rest due to the late hour of the night, but his mind and will-power made it possible for him to continue forward.

It was always like this, each time the Ring Master had made a call on him to meet. Never was Kakashi given any sort of prior notice or some signal that he would be summoned; it was always a brief note placed centrally atop his desk in his room with the Ring Master's symbol, RM, stamped in red wax sealing it shut. Kakashi was very careful to always leave the room inside his private wagon locked and guarded at all times, but that note had always been placed in that one spot without disturbances to any of his locks. Somehow, the note had always managed to magically appear, giving him the location of the meeting and a time span of fifteen minutes to get there without any complications.

Of course, Kakashi was always late. It was as expected of him. But over the years the Ring Master had grown accustomed to the lack of punctuality and no longer felt the need to create a fuss over it.

As Kakashi walked down what seemed to be a never-ending hallway, he couldn't help but feel an eerie sort of feeling in the pit of his stomach about the place. The Ring Master never lived at the carnival like the rest of the workers, for fear of his identity being leaked out to unwanted others. But he was always near by, always.Sometimes in grand hotels in the more posh side of the city of which they were touring in, other times in disgusting dumps where only thieves, beggars, criminals, and the like chose to mingle.

Like any other sensible person, Kakashi preferred the... cleaner side of the street life, where he wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. He was always very grateful to the Ring Master when he chose to meet in a much more... safe environment. Today, however, he had no such luck.

When he first walked into the old, abandoned-looking building which he could only assume was some sort of motel, Kakashi was greatful that no one spared him a glace as he walked into the lobby and up the stairs to the floor of which the meeting was supposed to be held. Even now as he was nearing the end of the hall, Kakashi couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable as thoughts of what the people who inhabited this filthy place were really up to.

Finally, at the end of the hall, Kakashi's one visible eye studied the room number with intensity. Perhaps it was coincidence, or maybe just a preference of taste, but every time the Ring Master called on Kakashi, he was always in a room with the exact same number on it.

666.

A tired sigh escaped Kakashi's masked lips as he composed himself before rapping lightly on the large oak door before him. Immediately, the door swung open, and Kakashi made his way into the dimly lit room.

From what he could make out, the only visible peice of furniture in the room was an old, round table surrounded by a few chairs. The table was empty, except for an old, flickering wax candle that looked as though it had been burning for a good length of time. Kakashi could see that only half the table was lit by the light, while the other half was buried deep inside the dark shadows of the room. As usual, Kakashi knew that somewhere in that never-ending darkness was the Ring Master himself, his ever present smirk gracing his mysterious face.

Sitting on the lighter side of the table were the two other managers of the Unearthed and Kakashi's most trusted allies, Asuma and Kurenai.

Kurenai wore her usual attire which consisted of a plain red dress that covered her ankles to preserve her modesty, her hair up in a tight bun, and the same belt full of keys strapped securely around her waist. She sat poised and upright in her chair, where as Asuma was slumped sluggishy in his chair with the same little cigarette placed firmly in the corner of his mouth.

The two did not need to turn their gaze away from where they were looking, they were fully aware of whome it was entering the room. Closing the door behind him, Kakashi strolled over to the table and sat beside Asuma who now sat wedged between the silver haired man himself and Kurenai. Once he was seated properly, Kakashi knew the meeting had officially begun.

"I am most humbled that you could join us, Kakashi..." came the usual greeting from the shadows.

The Ring Master's voice had a very deep, rich tone to it, adding more mystery to his personality. He wasn't speaking Japanese, he preferred to use English as frequent as possible seeing as neither he nor any member of the Unearthed had been back to Japan for over ten years. He didn't exactly sound too serious, for his voice hide a tint of intrigue and amusement to it.

This was the game the ring master played. Always confusing to Kakashi, always keeping him on his toes about everything. Although Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai had known this man for quite a long time, he still remained a complete perplexity to them.

Kakashi closed his one eye and gave an easy smile, "Well, leaving the Unearthed vacant of all of its managers is not the easiest thing to do, Sir. Especially when you take into consideration of the all exciting events that have taken place this evening. Even now I'm feeling a bit uneasy about leaving Gai in charge during my absence."

"I don't worry about Gai, he's always been one to follow orders and never ask any... questions as to where you three always disappear to," chuckled the Ring Master, sending chills down his company's spines.

"I trust the three of you found your way here without any complications? I hope that Kakashi enjoyed his brisk walk over to my little temporary abode. I know how much he loves places like these," the Ring Master put, idly.The clincking of glass, probably his usual cup of liquor, rung in the background.

"Well, I know your affinity for these slums is overwhelming, so I thought I'd take my dear time on my way here to see just what it was that you found so interesting about them," casually put Kakashi, earning himself a soft, amused snort.

It was well known fact between the three that when in the presence of the Ring Master, one was supposed to make sure he was kept well entertained with witty small talk and some sorty of stimulating conversation constantly. It was an unspoken rule that must be kept at all times. No one really knew why the nature of the man was like this, the idea itself was perplexing. Perhaps the Ring Master was lonely all the time assumed spent alone. Maybe it was just a little amusing game he played so he wouldn't come off the typ of man who was purely business. Of course, one has to take into account that he was the one who had founded and sheltered a fairly large group of children who now today hold him in the highest respect, so perhaps he wasn't all that serious. Maybe he wasn't that bad.

But for Kakashi and the members of the Unearthed who had actually met the Ring Master, they knew better then to assume that this mysterious man was some sort of saint. The fact of the matter was, Kakashi knew he was far from it. He was a deadly, ingenious, and rather terrifying man. If something was not done according to his liking, terrible things could happen.

There was only one occasion where someone had dared defy him, only once. The poor boy didn't have a chance when the Ring Master got to him, and until this day he remained an insain lunitic, kept a prisoner to his mind and would forever be reminded of the chains that bound him to the Unearthed and its Ring Master.

Kakashi's cool facade was hard to keep up considering his mind was still pondering on more pressing matters. Hoping not to loose his cool, he turned to Kurenai, who nodded and quickly cut the small talk.

"Excuse me, Sir, but... I can't help but to assume that your reason for calling us here tonight has something to do with the boy who preformed earlier... I trust you yourself witnessed his performance?" asked Kurenai, her voice straight-forward and precise.

The soft clianking of glass stopped and for a brief moment there was silence in the room. The Ring Master gave a soft sigh, like he had just finished taking a long drink of whatever swam in his glass, then followed by the sound of his liquor glass resting gently back on the table.

"Yes, Kurenai. Sharp and to the point, as per usual. Indeed, we are here to discuss the new commers' verdict and the next location Unearthed will be heading to," the Ring Master began, his voice secretive, "I saw the boy's little trick and I must say... I was indeed quite astonished... When I first informed that his last name was Uchiha, thought that he could possibly be one of thoes Uchiha's hadn't dared to cross my mind... I had always assumed that our own dear Kakashi was the last known user of those beautiful eyes... Even if he doesn't have the Uchiha blood..."

Kakashi shifted in his chair uncomfortably, not liking the turn the conversation had been forced to take. It was an extreme taboo to speak of Kakashi's right eye. The memories of the past were meant to remain memories and never once should they resurface. Especially when it came to Kakashi.

Sensing the slight shift of Kakashi's mood, Asuma was quick to jump in.

"... So, what did you think, Sir? We've never been in a situation like this, letting some new guy in and all. I don't know... The kid's got talent, that for sure, but there's something about him... Something that doesn't sit well with me... Like he's hiding something. I mean, what guy in their right mind would possibly choose to join us when he knows what... what we are."

The clinking of the glass begun again along with soft swishing sounds of liquid inside.

"... And you're very right to assume something like that, Asuma. The boy knows more then he let's on, he's got one too many things up his sleeve for my liking. That's why I want you three to keep a close eye on him for the next few months, watch him carefully and make sure you don't miss a thing. The smallest little quirk about his personality could be a very large clue as to the mystery of this Sasuke Uchiha. Be discreett, though. We don't want to scare him off," the last part was said in a sort of teasing chuckle, followed by another long drink from his liquor.

Kakashi's one eye widened slightly, "So he's in then? Are you absolutely sure about this, Sir? I mean, when I was with the Uchiha Grand Pree, I saw things that were absolutely unimaginable, but none of the illusions were like this kid's', none of them felt so... so real."

The Ring Master snorted, "Of course you didn't. You were too young and not there long enough to possibly see what a main branch member of the Uchiha was possibly capable of... Yes, I would very much like to learn all the little secrets of this boy... I am most interested... Indeed..."

Asuma took in a deep breath before speeking, "...So this kids' in then? In for real? He'll travel with us, preform in the huge festival in America in a

few months, learnall our secrets... become one of us?"

The Ring Master threw out another of his infamous chuckles before taking another swerve of the mysterious alcohol that swirled inside his little glass cup.

"That is correct, Asuma... he is one of us."

-

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Clutching his matchbook tightly in his left hand, Sasuke brought the match that rested between his thumb and forefinger in his right hand into a quick sweeping motion against the sandpaper-like strip, seconds later receiving a small flickering flame on the tip of the match.

Bringing the the lit match up to his mouth, Sasuke lit up his cigarette that sat perched between his lips, then quickly flicked the match away. Taking a long drag from the smoking cigarette, the black haired boy leaned his head against the backboard of the bed with his arms crossed over his bare, muscled chest.

Sasuke inhaled the sweet, calming poisons again before his eyes drifted across the room, taking in its features. He hadn't had much time to really study the room last night seeing as he was still high off all the excitement of the performance. All that really mattered to him was that he found a bed so that he could let out some of his 'adrenalin rush' with his female partner.

The room that they had given him was quaint, to say the least, but better then most places that he'd taken residence in before. Of course, he did have the money to afford more luxurious places, but that money would forever remained untouched. Untouched, until he was prepared to be rid of it all.

After his performance, Naruto had told him that Ring Master had wanted him to stay close to the carnival for the night until they had decided as to if he would officially the carnival join or not. Sasuke and Karin had been given a small caravan, which was about the size of a long room. It was a tad bit cramped, but Sasuke knew that such living conditions were a necessity when joining a moving carnival such as this.

Besides a bed, the room was almost bare of any sort of furnishing. Two small windows allowed the first bit of daybreak inside the room, one large, locked door inbetween them. Four briefcase-like bags stood at the door along with two large trunks with big brass locks snapped on them; Sasuke and Karin's only luggage. Aside from the clothes scattered in a disarray across the floor, the polished wood planks were free of any carpets or accessories. It was a standard living space, full of potential. Potential for being Sasuke's new workshop. A real work shop.

Sasuke was getting anxious. He knew he had done extraordinarily last night, the crowd has loved him. But he knew that that alone might not have been enough. He knew all about this carnival, he had done his research. It was a harsh fact that the Unearthed wasn't the type of job where you could just go for an interview and then get hired.

No, these people were exclusive as to whom they so much as looked at, let alone allow into their little circle. Just like how Sasuke's illusions weren't all smoke and mirrors, these peoples abilities were real, and if someone who wasn't apart of their most trusted circle found out about it then it could cause a catastrophe beyond imagination.

To be allowed in, Sasuke had to prove that he was authentic, that he was a real damned as well. Then and only then would they allow him in, and he knew that when he was let in, there'd be almost no possible way of getting out. Well, no known possible way, that is.

Inhailing the ciggarette deeply, Sasuke felt as through his nerves were shot. He knew this had to work. It had to. If it didn't, his entire life's plans would be completely wasted. The Unearthed carnival was the lone key for achieving his most desired dream, of achieving the ultimate power. And once he got that... Then he could finally avenge those who were most important to him.

A light rapping was herd at the door followed by afew grumbles and muttering, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts. A small groan and shifting was herd beside him. Looking in the direction, Sasuke was greeted with the sight of his assistant, Karin, who had pulled the thin covers over her bare chest more and snuggled into her pillow, still in her dream-like stait and extreemly tired from the previous nights 'activitys'.

The knocking was heard again, this time hastier and louder. Letting out an aggrievated sigh, Sasuke pulled away the covers that rested across his lap and searched the room for a pair of pants. Just as he found the desired item, the knocking started once more in a continuous pattern. Growling obscenities under his breath, Sasuke took another drag from his cigarette before he walked to the door and opened it.

Being greeted with the cool morning air wasn't exactly a preference for a bare-chested young man. The sky was still a bit dark, but the rising sun in the horizon gave a pretty view for the raven-haired boy. Such sunlight was rare in smoggy London, but the probability of it disappearing by noon was high, anyway.

Looking ahead of him, Sasuke saw two men standing side by side.

The first was a tall man, older than other, but not by much. Pasty yellow-white hair stood on its ends on his head, coupled a sullen, almost lifeless expression across his face. His slightly tattered and dirty clothes looked a

bit too small for him, but that was expected for such a huge man who was assumed to be on the lower end of society's "money tree".

Then there was the second man, whose face was marred with a rather sour expression. Sliver-white hair hung limp across his face and hovered just above his shoulders, giving a sort of harmony with his icy-green eyes. Like the older one, his clothes were old and in working condition. Snorting a bit, the silver haired man grunted and gestured his friend towards Sasuke.

"I'm most glad that you've finally decided to grace us with your presence, sir. I dohope we didn't wake you so early in the morning from your beauty sleep," said the silver-haired boy, his dagger-like teeth shining as he spoke sarcastically, in a mocking tone.

The older man said nothing, but his eyes shifted slightly as if to warn his partner not to speak so rudely. Sasuke's dark eyes glared down at the silver haired man, trying to seem like the bigger person because he was standing higher then the other two due to the steps of the caravan. The silver haired man simply smirked cockily and quirked an eyebrow, challengingly.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, sharply.

"Oh, do forgive me for not introducing myself, sir. My name is Suigetsu... Suigetsu Hozuki, and my big friend over here is Juugo," the man laughed before falling into a low, exagerated bow.

"...And?" Sasuke said, embarrassing the man intorduced as Suigetsu due to the fact he hadn't answered his question.

Suigetsu's face changed from playful to hard and daring.

Sasuke felt a presence behind him, and turning his eyes slightly to the left he could see Karin, red hair in a disarray, a long white sheet wrapped around her body, and a puzzled expression on her still groggy face. Suigetsu raised his chin and looked over Sasuke shoulder, then smirked mischievously.

"Ah, I see you got yourself a pretty little whore over there too, eh? And I thought she was just for show... I wonder, sir, does she charge much? I haven't had a good fuck in a while and I know I could use a go myself," Suigetsu joked, earning a small sigh from his larger friend and an astonished huff from the young lady.

"Sir, how dare you be so rude as to-"

"Karin... Not now." cut in Sasuke, sharply, earning complete silence from the red head.

Suigetsu whistled lowly, "Obedient too, eh? Well, haven't you got yourself a fine catch there, sir, if I do say so myself..."

Sasuke ignored his remark, not careing in the slightest, "Why are you here?"

Suigetsu's impish grin only widened as he answered, still eyeing the young woman up and down, "We've been assigned, Juugo and I, to be your personal entourage, so to speak. We'll be working for you exclusively, moving your things, watching over your caravans, getting you ready for shows, doing your dirty work, stuff like that. We'll be with you both 24/7... in simplest terms, sir... we're your new best friends."

Suigetsu smirked.

Sasuke's face was stone cold, but on the inside his heart was racing.

"Do you mean to tell me that..."

Suigetsu smirked, "Yeah, buddy. Welcome to The Greatest Show Unearthed!"

- o -

Sakura's eyes didn't leave Sasori's body the entire night. She hadn't slept, hadn't eaten, hadn't so much as even spoken a single word, and neither had he.

Once the night's performances were over and enough people had left that she wouldn't be noticed, Sakura bid her friends good night and made the trek from the Big Top into the campsite, pasing all the workers and performers, into the darkness and finally reaching the caravans that she and her master resided in.

Upon entering their home, Sakura knew immediately that something was different. Something had happened. Sasori was sitting in his usual spot at his wood carving table, staring intently at the wood doll that hung limp and lifeless in his hands. The only light in the room was from a small candle on the table, but the glow from the flame wasn't enough for Sakura to be able to see the expression that marred his face.

She tried talking to him, tried getting him to at least show some sign that he was okay, but there was nothing. Only a numb, lifeless interpretation of her Master. Lifeless, almost like one of his own dolls.

Deciding that it was best to leave him alone for the time being, Sakura sat perched on the bed that only rested a few feet away from the table, and for the rest of the night she watched him. Watched, and waited.

Sakura was frightened, that was for sure. Frighten of where he was last night, frighten of all the many times he had disappeared without telling her, frighten of whatever it was that was making him betray the Unearthed, his family, frightened of his actions now, but most of all, frightened of the fact that she was being kept in the dark.

The pink haired doll's eyes watched through the small window with fascination as the first traces of morning spilled into the room. Not thinking twice, her mind momentarily drifted away from thoughts of her master as the beauty of the sunrise consumed her. She had always been mesmerized over such simple, human things. Sunrises, sunsets, the moon and stars, beautiful lush meadows and vast oceans, sunny days, the rain... Especially the rain. It all fascinated her. All the small, trivial things that humans take for granted, she adored.

She longed to be able to do the things real people do, enjoy the things real people enjoy. Even if it was just for a little while. So desperately had she always dreamed of being able to simply dance in the rain, but she knew she couldn't. Never, ever, under any circumstances, was she allowed to go into the rain.

A hand landed softly on her shoulder, breaking her from her trance.

Sakura's body shot up immediately from her sitting position to a stand, tired eyes wide open, bleak cheeks returning to color. Her breathing raced and her mind was in a jumble as she gazed upon the sullen form of her master. He was composed as usual, his black suit and tie that he always wore was slightly wrinkled, but other then that Sasori looked completely fine. Sakura felt a wave of relief come over her for a moment. Just a moment.

Sakura snapped herself out of her daze, deciding it was time to break the odd silence that loomed between them.

"... M-Master... Master, I-"

"I trust that you enjoyed yourself without my presence last night, Sakura?" Sasori cut in, his words as sharp as ice.

Sakura was taken aback a bit. Her Master's idea of having a bit of small talk at the moment was highly inappropriate, so she decided to ignore the question all togeather and continued.

"Master... What happened last night? What did they say? What did those people-"

"Answer me."

It was a command this time. She had no choice.

"... It was fine. He's an illusionist, that's the best I could figure out... I-I... I wasn't able to see the illusion... I believe you need to be human to see..." Sakura spoke, softly.

Something in her words struck a hard chord in Sasori. She couldn't see because she wasn't human. Gritting his teeth and balling his fists, the red haired puppet master's hard eyes bore down to Sakura's slightly shaken form, her confused emerald orbs still searching his face for some sort of answer.

"... Because you weren't human..." he muttered, more to himself. Slowly, a sadistic smile came over Sasori's face, a sort of smile Sakura had never seen before, "... But all that's going to change now."

Twisting his body away from Sakura, Sasori bolted around the room and back to his pervious spot at the working desk. Like a mad man, he shuffled through a disarray of papers frantically on his desk, as if looking for something of great importance.

Watching him, Sakura trembled in fright. This wasn't he master, he never acted like this. Never. The beating in her chest was violent and tears threatened to fall from her perfectly lashed eyes. To say that the pink haired puppet was scared as an understatement. She was completely errified.

Sasori slammed his hands down hard on the desk, releasing a frustrated growl. Sakura let out a small gasp, taking one step backwards.

Breathing in long, deep breaths, Sasori composed himself. Turning around and being graced with the sight of a shock-stricken young puppet only made his face go from emptiness to contorted guilt. Slowly, Sasori took one step forward, but on reflex Sakura took one step back. His face hardened.

Immediately gasping, Sakura realized her mistake. She had flinched from him, she was scared of him. Breaking into a run, her long pink hair whipped ehind her as she jumped into her master's arms and held him tightly, sobbing. Sasori's heart ached, but he dared not show it on his face. Gathering her small frame up into his arms, the puppet master carefully sat himself down on his bed, the puppet still clutching strongly onto him in his lap.

As soon as her shaking had calmed, Sasori gently took her delicate chin in his hand and tilted her face up to him. Apple green eyes shone with worry and a small amount of relief, and he felt worse.

"Shhh now, puppet. No crying. It's all right... I'm alright, I promise you..." Sasori whispered softly into her hair, kissing her head soothingly.

Sakura held tighter, "... W-what's... what's going on? T-this isn't you, Master... Yout aren't l-like this..."

"... I know, puppet... I know... But everything's going to be alright now... I've... I've figured it out..."

Sakura froze. In all her years of being alive, never once had Sasori ever spoken those words, at least not in that context. The tone of his voice, the way he worded the phrase, the odd behavior he was portraying. It all made sense to her now. He was on to something. He was going to set her free.

Sakura stared up at her master with wonder in her eyes, "Y-you couldn't... You couldn't mean that... that you've figured it out... could you? B-but how? How could you possibly-"

"I made a deal with them."

And the worry came flushing back. A deal meant a sort of partnership, a trade. And if there was one thing for certain that Sakura knew about her master, it was that he never liked to work with others, he never gave anything in order to gain. He either did it himself, or took it by force.

"... With whom?" she asked, uncertainly.

"Them," Sasori replied, as though he was stating the obvious. But of course, she knew who he was referring to, even if she still hadn't met them yet.

"... What did they want from you in return?" she asked, speaking even more softly.

There was no answer.

"What did they want!" she repeated, forcefully.

Sasori shifted his eyes away from hers, "... It doesn't matter what they wanted. All that matters is I have the secret now... I have the secret of turning you into a human..."

Sakura started to shake her head, "But I don't want it this way! Not if you'll be doing something dangerous for them. We can figure out another way, another secret! I-"

"There is no other secret." he snapped, and she was silent, "... I've tried, Sakura. For years, we've tried everything... We looked everywhere; we've been all over the world, searching... but nothing. These people... These people know how to do it, they've told me... and I... I can't let this opportunity pass us by... I can't..."

Sakura stayed silent for a long time, thinking to herself while she sat in her master's arms. She knew he wouldn't change his mind now, there was no stopping him. Ever since the day he had first woken her from her sleeping wooden world, he had obsessed over how to make her human, on how to take the final step to insure that they were together forever. She could taste how close he was now, she could feel him yearning for this more then she did herself. She knew there was no stopping him now.

"... How is it done?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Sasori stiffened for a moment, but then spoke, "... It doesn't matter how-"

"Yes, it does!" she screamed.

"... I'm sorry, puppet... but I can not tell you... I will not..." he spoke with remorse.

"... Why not? Why another secret? You won't tell me who these people are, what they want from you, and now you won't even tell me what you have to do to change me! Why are you hiding so many secrets from me? Why!" Sakura cried.

Sasori held her tighter in his arms, "... Please, puppet... please understand... I'm keeping these things a secret to protect you... But I promise... I promise you'll find out soon... I promise you, but for now, you must trust me... Please..."

"... When will you do it... when will you change me?" Sakura breathed out.

Sasori breathed in deeply before answering, "... I can't now, not yet... There are still a few things I need to take care of... But in order for this to work, I need you to do something for me..."

Sakura looked up at Sasori with curiosity, the prospect of helping her master with something brightening her mood. Perhaps, with this small clue that he would ask of her, she could some how figure out the mystery of the secret that can change her into the thing that she so desoerately desired.

"I need you to get close to someone for me... watch him, be with as often as you can... figure out every single minor detail about him, earn his trust..." Sasori explained with careful detail.

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed into confusion. This random request of her master's was not only odd but highly impossible to do due to the fact that he was probably talking about someone at the Unearthed, and Sakura either knew every member here like the back of her hand or there was no possible way that any of them could possibly help them with their goal.

"... Do whatever it takes to get as close as humanly possible to this person for me, Sakura. Go to any means necessary, even if you must make him fall in love with you," Sasori directed with a stern voice.

A gasp escaped from Sakura's soft mouth. Her master was a possessive lover towards her, and his request seemed ridiculously out of place. "W-what? What are you talking about?"

"This boy... this boy is the key to our success; he is the only thing in the way of turning you into a human... You must trust me on this, Sakura. This is the only way... you'll see why I'm asking this of you soon enough, but for now you must follow my order without question... do I make myself clear?"

"Master, I don't see how any of this is relevant to-"

"Do I make myself clear?"

Sakura paused for a long time, disagreeing with the arrangement Sasori had thrown at her in the least, but she knew her place, and that was to never question her creator. Reluctantly, she answered, "... Yes, Master... please, tell me... tell me who it is that you want me getting so close to?"

Sasori's eyes darkened, not liking the prospect of having his puppet leave and become close to someone else. But he knew it must be done, and he also knew that she would never betray him. Never. So with a reluctant sigh, the red haired puppet master gave out the name. The name that would change their lives forever.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

- o -

Slowly... ever so slowly, his hand hovered above the little pot of boiling liquid which rested over a small, candle lit burner. Removing his hand away from the little pot, he carefully grabbed a small test tube full of an odd, florescent pink liquid and dropped three small drops into the strange, simmering concoction.

The liquid steamed a bright red at first, then fell into a musky orange, quickly followed by a pale yellow, finally reaching white again. Releasing a low, frustrated sigh, he blew out the burner and put away the small test tube, clearly unhappy with whatever scientific result his potion had given him.

Scribbling down illegiblye words into the old, leather bound book beside him, he ran calculations over and over again in his head, trying his best to come up with some sort of answer as to this new mystery of the illusionist that was thrown into his grasp.

His technique was so remarkably familiar to him that it actually made him feel quite... Uncomfortable. He remembered something... something about this sort of thing back when he was reading old trasncrips of the clan's history when he was a child. But, he couldn't place a word on it. He couldn't figure out this one puzzle that plagued his mind endlessly ever since he first laid eyes on him.

The Unearthed was a place where everyone knew everything about one and other. Achievements, flaws, corrections, mistakes. It was all out in the open, wound up into a thread of trust bound tightly between them all. But this man... this new man, he was new. A secret. And if there was one thing he did not like above all other things, it was a secret that he was not informed of.

Oh, the irony.

If only he could still access the clan's documents, if only he had looked more, read more when he had the chance all those years ago. Of course, he did not regret his decision to leave them. He never had, nor would he ever. The chance to be free of that life of destitution, of that cult, he'd never trade it for anything. He'd never trade his opportunity to escape, to save himself... and of course... to save her.

Raking his mind over and over again for answers, he came up with the same thing each and every time. Red eyes... red eyes... where had he hear something about that before? Where had he so much as even suspected a whisper of something else out there besides his own-

"... Nii-san... it's late..."

And he froze, his mind completely emptying of all but that voice.

Slowly, soft arms encircled around his upper torso, petite hands gently and soothingly caressing his covered skin. And that voice... oh yes... that sweet, melodic voice that always hid innocence, always promised sanctuary... No matter how twisted things really were.

Realizing his position, he quickly composed himself and sat upright from his slouching pose, freeing his hands from his long hair and quickly batting his eyes to get rid of the few clues that sleep desperately wished to overtake him. Resenting the fact that he had broken away from her grasp momentarily, he quickly turned his body around to face her's, quickly pulling her frame back into his own.

Soft indigo hair hid what he knew so well to be fresh, ivory skin. Her head barely made it up to his shoulder, but that was alright. He liked the fact that she was so small, so weak... so delicate.

He could hear her breathing into his chest; feel her heart beet come in time with his. Yes, it was moments like these that he cherished. Forbidden moments. Moments where he knew that this was all wrong, that what they were doing was wrong. And, of course, moments where he just didn't give a damn.

She sighed, nuzzling her face deeper into his chest, "... You shouldn't be up this late... Its's almost morning..."

His eyes shifted for a brief second over to the window to see the first few traces of the morning sun hitting the sky. He hadn't realized that he had stayed up all night, and now it was almost time that he got up. Grunting a bit, he held onto her tighter, savoring the moment for a little longer.

Her head shifted upwards, pale lavender eyes making contact with his own, "Why must you obsess so much over something as trivial as this? It doesn't matter, he doesn't matter, Neji-nii-san..."

Neji smiled softly to himself at the name she had always used for him, ever since they were little. She always disliked using english all the time, even if it was decided that they would leave their old life in Japan behind them. Even in public she would always refer to him in Japanese, and it was alright, as long as the people around them couldn't tell that they were referring to themselves as relatives.

"I'm not obsessing, Hinata..." he defended, quietly, "I'm merely... intrigued. His style of optometry is unusually like our own, he appears out of no where from a supposed massacre... The pieces don't seem to fit... Logically, someone who endured such a traumatic episode in their lives wouldn't go back to the type of environment that would remind them so much of their previous home..."

Hinata sighed, running her hands up and down his back soothingly, "And must you always turn to logic, Nii-san? I don't see how he can threaten us... He's under contract with the Ring Master now, and we'll always be watching... I say we leave it be for now. Time will tell us everything we need to know."

Neji gave a sour, almost childish expression, not apppreciating hearing that his cousin's reasons make more sense then his own. Hinata giggled, her hands now making their way to the ends of his bound hair and playing gently with the silky strands.

On the tips of her toes, Hinata craned her head up to his ear, her breath teasingly warming and then cooling his skin. Chills begun to shake Neji's spine violently, an unimaginable amount of possibilities for what she would do next swarmed throughout his mind.

"... Curiosity killed the cat you know, Nii-san." she teased, still gently.

"... But satisfaction brought it back, Hinata..." he breathed out, heartbeat erratic.

She smiled, wickedly, "But you know I can provide better means of satisfaction... better then your silly curiosity can."

And as her lips met his, the games had begun.

The thoughts of the proper way to treat an unwed man or woman fled their minds, hours and hours of etiquette classes were immediately diminished. The fact that Hinata portrayed the image of a sweet, innocent little girl around others was replaced by a hungry, passionate-crazed young woman who was desperate for more. The fact that Neji was always one to keep up a composed and gentlemanly posture was gone. Now, he wanted her, ne needed her.

And, above all, the undeniable fact that the two shared the same blood flowing through their veins was almost nonexistent in their minds. That one small peice of information had been disregarded ever since the day years ago when they had first laid eyes on each other.

Hands trailed in a frenzy all over each other. Pants and gasps for air were limited, as they both despised the thought of their lips parting from each other. Hinata tugged on his long hair, releasing it from its bindings and letting it flow like a waterfall down her cousin's back. Neji traced the sides and curves of her body, silently worshiping the beautiful craftsmanship that had created something so fine.

Hinata hadn't even noticed that she was struggling to stand on her toes just to kiss her beloved, but he had. Gathering up her petite body up in his arms, he hoisted her in the air and immediately was rewarded with soft, creamy arms ringing around his neck.

Making a bold move, Hinata removed her lips from his and begun to make soft trails along his jaw and then down along his neck. Sensing that Hinata wanted more then a few passionate kisses, Neji used his one free hand that wasn't holding her up to slowly make its way from her side to the back of her dress, playfully undoing the strings of her corset.

Hinata smirked against his skin, pleased with his new advancements, and just as she was about to place another kiss on the nape of his neck, she froze.

Neji hadn't noticed, seeing as he was still fixated in the passion, but Hinata's body soon begun to shake in a low, vibrating patter. Her heart was beating at an inhuman speed, the grip around his neck tightened. Her white eyes were wide as she slowly lowered her head back down to his skin, running her nose up and down his flesh. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, savoring the sent like a hungry man would savor the smell of freshly cooked meet. As she exhaled, her eyes snapped open again, this time with veins outlining her temples and forehead. The white of her eyes were replaced with many cracks and contraction lines.

She had activated her bloodline. Now she knew, she was about to loose control.

She shook harder, her eyes staring harder and harder at Neji's soft flesh. Her mouth started to water and foam the way a dog's would and the look in her eyes read something unimaginable. Something disturbing.

Hunger.

"... N-Neji..." she whispered, the last bits of reality slowly slipping from her mind.

"Mhhh... Hinata..." he moaned back, thinking she was speaking out of pleasure.

"... Neji... Neji... I'm gonna... I-I'm... I want this!" and she scream, plunging her teeth into his sholder.

As quick as lightning, Neji reacted and dropped the small girl from his arms, but the grip her teeth had on his flesh kept her firmly on him. Animalistic hands clawed at his chest, ripping and tearing at the cotton shirt and releasing wild screams.

Getting aggressive, Neji ripped Hinata forcefully off him, allowing a loud, shrilling scream of protest to escape her lips. She trashed around in his arms violently, trying as hard as she could to bite the nearest peice of flesh to her.

This wasn't the first time this happened. No, Neji wasn't shocked or surprised in the least. As much as it scared him, he knew how to deal with times like these. He knew her stamina was weak, that she couldn't always hold onto her control. She couldn't resist the temptations. At least, she couldn't resist them as well as Neji himself could.

Throwing her to the floor, Neji made a break to run over to the wooden cabinet on the far side of the room. Opening it with haste, Neji searched through all the vials and test tubes of liquid, deserately looking for the one required to set his love free.

Shuffling and footsteps were heard behind him. She was on the move.

Finally finding the right vial on the shelf, he snatched it up in his hands like a precious jewel. Turning around, Neji found himself face to face with Hinata. Her beautiful dress was ripped in all directions; her hair, which was usually kept clean and tightly bound was thrown messily down her shoulders. A wicked gleam glinted in her tainted white eyes. Her mouth watered and her teeth shined with determination.

Keeping completely still, Neji waited for her to make the first move. Just as he predicted, Hinata pounced on him, her mouth wide open and just as she was read to bite, Neji shoved the vile into her mouth. Hinata tried to break away, but Neji's strong grip behind her head kept her in place as the blue, viscous fluid inside the small bottle poured down her throat.

Slowly, her breathing slowed down and her body was released from its tension, falling softly into the waiting arms of Neji. The popping veins on her forehead and eyes calmed and returned back to its original smooth, soft surface.

The bottle was now dried, clean of whatever had perviously filled it. Carefully, Neji removed the top of the vial from Hinata's lips, which begun to cough lightly soon afterwards.

Finally, when Neji was perfectly sure that Hinata was completely calmed down, he quickly gathered her up into his arms and held on tightly, afraid that if he let go she would fall into pieces.

The white eyed girl begun to sob into Neji's chest, holding on as tightly as she could. She felt ashamed, dirty, horrible, and most of all: scared. Scared of what she could have done to him. What she could have done to her beloved.

"N-Nii... Nii-san... I'm-I-... I'm so sorry!" she cried, gripping onto him tighter.

Neji ran one hand up and down her back soothingly while the other rested firmly on her head, "Shhh... It's alright... It wasn't your fault... It's ok now... I'm ok..."

Hinata's body was shaking harder and she found it almost unbearable to speak, "I'm so, so sorry... I-I was... I was just so hungry... I couldn't... I couldn't control it..."

"I know, I know, love. It's alright. It's not your fault. You're not to blame. Its alright, it's alright," Neji silently quietly chanted into her ear, easing her pain as best he could.

Hinata's teeth clenched, sudden realization dawning on her. Her face changed dreamatically from guilt to anger. Anger for what they had done to them.

"No... No, it's not my fault. It's not our fault at all... Its those... It's those bastards. That filthy, filthy cult! They're the ones that did this to us! They're the ones who made me... Made me what I am," she gritted out, her voice full of malice and venom.

Neji remained silent. He, too, felt just the way she did, but not wanting to fule the fire, he kept it within himself.

"It's all the clans fault... all of this... they raised us like this, the sick bastards... They made us this way! They're to blame! They're the ones who made me want to eat-"

"Enough, Hinata," Neji commanded, his tone hard, "... Don't speak any more about them, you'll upset yourself."

"I don't care! I don't fucking care! It's their fault I'm always hungry, hungry for something that's a sin to taste. They're sick! Sick! They're the ones who killed your father; they are the ones who tried to get me to-"

"I said that's enough!" Neji cut in, his voice as impossibly sharp as ice.

Instantly, Hinata was silenced, realizing the mistake she had made. Bringing up topics having anything to do with the clan had always been a sort of taboo between the two Hyuuga's, but more so was the mere mention of Neji's father.

Guilt stricken, Hinata's face changed once again from angry to once again remorseful. Placing her hands on either side of his face, tears brimmed in her pearlescent eyes as she tried to reconcile once again.

"Neji-nii, I'm... I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have- I shouldn't have become so outspoken like that, it was improper of me. I apologize, sincerely, I do." Hinata pleaded.

"It's alright..." Neji sighed, kissing the top of her head affectionatly, "but you mustn't loose face like that again, especially not in public. If others were to see you as something other then the character you portray yourself as, we could come across some unrequired trouble. Do you understand?"

"Of course, I-I know better then that. You know I do..." Hinata replied, noddeing her head vigorously like a child who desperately wanted to please her father.

Dropping her head, her voice grew into a faint whisper as she continued. "My one... my one fear, though... is if there were ever a time when I would be without you and my urges would come back, who would stop me? So many times... so many times, when I look out into the audience, when the bloodline is active... so many times do I think of all the ways I could take them... Taste them... I don't- I-I don't know how I can bear it anymore..."

Holding onto her tighter, Neji rocked her body back and forth soothingly, "I know, love. I know... I feel the urges sometimes too; I know how hard it can be. But, I must remember my place, where we are, the difference between right and wrong. And you know, love, you know it's wrong."

Hinata shook her head, her voice full of panic, "No, no, you couldn't possibly feel the urges the way I do, you could never understand how much harder it is for me. You were never apart of the Main Branch, you don't know what they did to me! You weren't fed only it all your life until the point we ran away! It was all I ever ate, you could never imagine how-"

"Shhhh... It's ok... I do understand, darling, I do. You must trust me on that. You have nothing to fear, you won't ever loose control, for I will always be with you. I'll always be able to stop you from loosing control, you know I will," Neji cooed, reassuring the girl in his arms once more.

Hinata calmed herself down more, her mind at ease once again, "... Yes... that's right... you'll always be there for me... you'll never leave me alone... I won't be alone..."

Neji kissed her head again before hoisting her into his arms and getting up off the messy floor, "That's right, Hinata. You won't be alone, never alone."

Hinata smiled a soft, delicate smile. She carefully set herself down from Neji's hold, her feet landing softly onto the smooth surface. Glancing momentarily at the window, Hinata could see clearly that the morning sun was now high and bright in the sky. Looking back at Neji, her eyes glimmered.

"Its morning now... I know you must be tired form staying up all night, but they'll wonder where you are if you aren't present soon, not to mention you'll miss your big chance to meet this Sasuke Uchiha person your so fixated on. Go clean and get dressed, I'll clean up in here." nodded Hinata, motioning to the mess they had created along the floor.

Neji nodded his head back in agreement, "Yes... that's right, the newcomer... Alright, I go get ready."

Hinata smiled again before standing on her toes to give a short, chaste kiss on her lover's lips. Neji squeezed her body close to his once more before turning away from her and making his way over to the small bedroom compartment of the caravan that they had set up.

Before Neji could make it more then a few feet away from his blue haired companion, he paused momentarily and spun back to face Hinata. Quickly, he tore his bloodied shirt off his body and gave it to Hinata.

"Quick, burn this before we leave. We wouldn't want unwanted eyes finding their way over to this article of clothing and start speculating," he ordered, his words followed by a dutiful nod from Hinata.

"Of course... I'll go do it now, Nii-san." she smiled.

Neji smiled back for a second, only a second, before turning back and making his way back to his room bare-chested in a hurry.

Had Neji of turned back around for a second time, his eyes would have been greeted with a less-than comforting scene. Had he have turned around, he wouldn't have missed the way Hinata's nose twitched a quite odd fashion. Had he have turned around, he would have seen the peculiar way the petite girl's eyes flash to almost unreadable emotion as they stared hard at the bloodied shirt handed to her.

But most of all, which one could only assume would have struck the young man as the strangest of all, had he turned around again, he would have been able to see Hinata's line of vision move at a deadly speed from his shirt to Neji himself.

Had he have looked when he should have, Neji wouldn't have missed the sight of Hinata licking her lips.

- o -

Hardly one to think of, so much as feel any other particular emotion besides numbness, Sasuke Uchiha couldn't help but sense the slight awkwardness of the situation which he was presently faced with.

A smirking Suigetsu. A clininging Karin. A cautious Juugo. And a hyperactive Naruto.

Uncomfortable would be the understatement of the century.

Even with Naruto's incessant rambling on and on about hardly useful tidbits which usually came along with smart ass remarks from Suigetsu, Sasuke was still able to keep his mind and thoughts in check as he carefully studied all the many little details that were kept well hidden inside the Unearthed carnival.

It was still too early in the morning to let customers inside the gates and since the big shows didn't start until late at night, the carnival site was almost lifeless spare for the minor performers and staff that were busy setting up for the arrival of new buisness.

It didn't surprise Sasuke in the least to find that even though this was originally a Japanese carnival there was absolutely nothing around hinting to that fact, besides the people ovcourse. It was a traditional, modern setup with big, flashy food and game stands, old rickety rides with unimaginably bright colors plastered all over them, and huge, black and white striped tents with little flags topping them.

Had this of been any ordinary carnival, Sasuke wouldn't have given any of these little details a second glance.

The thing was, though, it wasn't.

In his mind, everything had a purpose, everything was all mapped out and planned perfectly in hopes of hiding the many secrets of the performers that danced the nights away. And most importantly, every little thing Sasuke overlooked was a step further away from his goal... the goal that he was so close to reaching...

"- and over there is like, the only stand which surves ramen, which in my opinion is completely retar-"

"Would you just shut up already? God, you're such a fucking pain in the ass, Naruto," Suigetsu snarled, smacking the blond boy over the head with the back of his hand.

"Ow! Show some more respect, Suigetsu. I'm a major performer, and you're a little nobody," sneered Naruto in an uncharacteristic hiss.

Suigetsu's teeth clenched, Naruto's words hitting a soft spot, "Fuck you, you bastard. You haven't preformed for five years ever since you know when, so I highly doubt your any better then me, shit face."

Naruto's eyes flashed a dangerous color, "You little fu-"

"C-clould... Could you two please calm down... Its inappropriate to speak that way infront of a lady..." Juugo quietly interrupted cautiously looking around and trying not to make any eye contact with anyone.

Karin blushed a bit, clinging onto Sasuke's side a little tighter and allowing a proud smirk to flash across her face.

Suigetsu snorted, "I don't see any ladies. Only whores."

And just as the red haired woman was about to claw her way angrily at the silver haired young man, the ferocious sound of a high pitched scream snapped the five out of their argument immediately.

Smirking, Karin latched herself back onto Sasuke's arm, looking dead ahead at the now seething blond girl with victory in her eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear Sasuke and I are so happy to be here. We can only hope that you all will treat us kindly seeing as we're so new," Karin said sweetly, her crimson eyes flashing brightly.

"Of course, dear," hissed Ino, raising her head proudly, "We are quite aware that you need all the help you can get, so please feel free to always ask."

Shikamaru shifted where he stood uncomfortably, "Ino..."

Snapping her head back to the young, dark haired man, Ino smiled brightly and played with her hair girlishly, "Of course, where are my manners. Let me introduce you to more of our little... family we've established here. Since you will be living with us from now on, I see it only proper that we get as close as possible."

Naruto was quick to but in, "Uh, Ino, I was already-"

"I'm sure, Mr. Uchiha, that you've herd of the Hyuuga siblings... Please let me introduce to you Neji and Hinata Hyuuga." announced Ino, gesturing over to a dark alleyway.

Sasuke arched a perfect brow, not quite buying into the sweet act and completely missing the longing stares behind him from a blond haired, blue eyed young boy. Brushing off the female of the duo, Sasuke seemed more interested in the taller male. Although his composure screamed dark and quiet, Sasuke was quite sure that there was more to this man then he was leading on. The look in this Neji Hyuuga's eyes gave off a distrusting feeling for Sasuke, and he didn't like it.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Sasuke replied, emotionlessly.

Blushing darkly, Naruto stepped up to the young Hyuuga girl and gently placed a kiss on the back of her hand, "Miss. Hyuuga...It's been a-a while since I've seen you last... I-I trust you've been well."

Giggling, Hinata affectionately squeezed Naruto's hand lightly before letting her hand fall gracefully back to her side, all the while being watched carefully by the boy who stood rigid by her side.

"Ye-yes... It h-has been a while... I should hope... hope to s-see more of you f-from now on, Naruto..." Hinata's sweet voice chimed, causing Naruto's heart to flutter just a little bit faster.

"So tell me, Mr. Uchiha..." cut in Neji, his cold voice commanding the attention of the group immediately, "Judging by your name and appearance, I think it is safe to assume that your of Japanese origin, so it only leads me to wonder what a Japanese man such as yourself is doing all the way in Europe, surely not just because we are touring here."

Holding his breath for a moment, Sasuke's face grew hard, "You're very quick, Mr. Hyuuga, but just as you have your secrets, I have my own."

Neji's face didn't change, but it could be told that the atmosphere between the two men had become harsher and harsher every moment.

"I don't like being kept out of a secret, Mr. Uchiha," gritted Neji.

"And neither do I," Sasuke responded.

And just as everyone was sure that Neji would pounce, an oddly pitched laughter broke the tension. Snapping his head over to where the source of the sound could be found, Sasuke's eyes were rewarded with the sight of a tall, hunched over man slinking his body across the dirty floor with a dramatic chuckle leaking from his lips.

Bright red hair flashed along with lifeless teal green eyes circled in black, the man held a sinister grin across his face which looked like it could reach the blood red tattoo on his forehead. His clothes were tattered and looked very much unkept, but if one looked closely you could see that the material was of rich quality and styled in some of the finest European fashions.

There was a creepy, odd sort of aura that spread from the boy, so much so that Sasuke was nearly suffocating from it, and he could hardly imagine the type of condition his partner was feeling at the moment herself.

The boy was not human.

Well, at least, not entirely human.

Wide eyes flashing unreadable thoughts and feelings, the red haired mystery had made his way up to the small group, his careful gaze reaching everyone at once, one blond haired boy more so then others.

"Hehe... HeheHAHAHAAA... new boy comes to the carnival seeking a toy he can't haaaaave..." the boy versed in an a sing-song voice, his head cocking to the side and his hands gripping invisible objects in mid-air.

"Gaara. Where is your sister?" sternly demanded Shikamaru, the tone of his voice changing from lazy to implacable. No one saw Ino's eyes harden for a spilt second. No one, except maybe for...

The red haired boy proclaimed as Gaara's eyes shifted momentarily towards the voice before returning back to Sasuke, licking his lips at an unimaginable speed.

"The Witch is away... Away, away away... Away today... And when she's away, The Monster will play... Play, play play... The Witch is away... Away, away, away... But when she returns... The Chains will burn... Burn, burn, burn... Away, away, away..."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "What on earth is this fool rambling on about?"

Ino was first to jump in to say something, "Don't pay any mind to that scum, he's just a nobody unless his family has him under their spell. You shouldn't listen to a word he says."

Gaara quirked his head to the side, his voice dripping in a low, dangerous tone, "The Mirror should be silent unless someone looks in her..."

Ino's face went pale.

Gaara's head snapped back to Sasuke's, a bewitched smile spreading widely across his deranged face.

"The New Boy wants and wants and wants and WANTS- but he can't haaaaave it. I see it in his eyes..." his voice is a deadly whisper, "He wants vengeance... He wants power... He wants blood... Just like The Monster... Yes... Yes... YES! The Monster wants it, just like the New Boy, and The Monster can help him... Yes... Yes... YES! HE CAN HELP! HAHAHA! HE CAN HELP THE MONSTER BECOME FREE! FREE FREE FREE! FREE LIKE THE BIRD IN A TREE! FREE FREE! VENGANCE! VENGANCE ON THE MASTER! THE MASTER WHO MADE THE MONSTER LIKE THIS, THE MONSTER THAT ONLY KNO-

"Gaara."

And his body snapped low to the ground, his possessed eyes flashing from person to person until he found the one he was looking for. His eyes strained on a tall, dirty blond woman as she made her way past the small group of spectators and towards Gaara himself, clutching some small, inanimate object firmly in her right hand.

"And when The Witch returns, The Chains will burn... Burn, burn, burn..." Gaara sang in a whisper, his hands shaking harder and fidgeting.

Temari grasped tightly onto Gaara's upper arm, pulling him to her side and glaring hard, "Gaara,where's Kankurou?? I left you with him, now where is he?"

Gaara giggled the way a little girl would, "The Nobody is nowhere, doing nothing, with no one. The Nobody is a nobody who wants to be a somebody but caaaaaaaan't."

"Enough of your nonsence, I'm taking you back to your rooms..." Temari growled, jerking Gaara forward.

"Hehe, time for The Monster to go to the caaaaave, go to the cave, go to the cave. But when The Witch goes away, The Monster will plaaaaaaay..."

Sasuke studied the red haired boy carefully as he and his sister drifted further and further into the fog of the morning. Clearly, the man was completely mad. Sasuke had already gotten a clear answer of that when he had seen him perform just the other night before himself. But there was more to him, it seemed. More to his riddles then just insanity. As odd as he found it, Sasuke could see that this lunatic was trying to tell him something important. Something vital.

Something that could only lead one to assume that Gaara, indeed, held all the secrets of the Unearthed trapped inside his disturbed and estranged mind. All the more reason why the people hear made it necessary to silence him.

I've never lit a match

With intent to start a fire,

But recently the flames

Keep spinning out of control.

Act Four:
Scene /End/

Authors Notes

Oh, well, this certinly did take me a... really really long time?

I appalogize, sincerly, friends. This chapter was such a whore to write, for serious. Whatever, I don't really have anything else to say about the story really, only that the next chapter won't be posted untill I have the chapter after that done, and I don't know how long that will take (less time if I get good reviews :) And my exams are comming up, so be worned.

Also,
I sware,
If I get any comments says "Ewww, Incest", I'll hunt you down and write a lot of nasty little incest stories to bother you. Watch.

I wrote this story in the sence that not every things perfect, so no, you won't see all the "usuall" pairings because I find that they're getting boaring, over used, redundant and the Fan Fictioning world needs somthing fresh and new, especially in SasukexSakura stories.

AND, NO!

Hinata and Neji are not, and I will repeat, are not vampires. I refuse to use any of the usual angle/deamons/vampires/wearwolves/fearies/ect. I'm making this story origional and new, so I refuse to use the usual story lines that are, no offence to thoes out there, getting a bit over done.

However, if anyone can guess what they really are, I'll give you a cookie :).

-

Just a word to the wise

, this story will contain : graphic, mature content. Swaring, violence, sexual content, extreemly mature situations, and all the lovely little goodies that you know you all secretly enjoy so much. Some of the things in this story WILL be hard to handle, but trust me when I say its all for the good of the story.

Editor: Roses Of Sharon, my ever-beloved friend who was the first to read this story and kick me in the ass when I wrote somthing akwardly wrong. I love you.

-

and thats all I have to say about that.

-Sky