Admin: Wooooooow it been three years since I last updated, but I'm finally back. Hahah I wonder if anyone will actually read this since so much time has passed. Oh well time will tell right?
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-Naruto's POV-
Suddenly more people of Konoha reported 'Gothic Guy sightings.'
"He's really great looking, but a major weirdfest must be going on in that haunted house!" One girl whispered to her friends, in algebra class.
"He actually came out of his dungeon?"
"Yeah, and Sai said he had blood dripping from his mouth. And when Sai drove closer, he suddenly disappeared!"

"Really? Hey, you're hanging out with Sai again?"
"No way! Everyone knows he's in love in that Naruto boy. But get this. I saw that ghost guy at the movies last Friday. Alone. Who goes to a movie by himself?"
"Only a loony loser crazy person."
"Exactly!"

I rolled my eyes in total disgust.

Then after school I was at the 7-Eleven with Deidara picking up soda for Kushina, when I noticed a tabloid headline that read, 'I Gave Birth to a Two-Headed Vampire Baby.'

"Well it must be true then!" I joked, "Vampires exist. I read it in the National Liar."

Deidara and I giggled like little kids. Then I turned around and there was Gothic Guy standing right in back of me, staring at the candy bars below the counter. He was wearing Ray Bans, like a ghostly rock star and was holding a pack of candles.

"Aren't you the guy-" I whispered breathlessly, as if I had spotted a celebrity.
"Next," the clerk said, summoning him to the counter. He didn't even notice me. I followed him closely, but was edged out by a red-haired fitness queen and her tanning bed-addicted friend buying celebrity magazine and bottles of imported water.

Gothic Guy took his bag and let the store, lifting his sunglasses as soon as he stepped into the dusk. The two women leered at him like they had just seen a walking zombie.
"That reminds me," the fitness queen whispered. "I saw that kid at he bookstore. He's so pale! Hasn't he ever heard of the sun? At least he could use some fake tanning cream. He needs a makeover bad!"
"Did you notice what he was reading?"
"Oh, yes," she recalled. "It was a book on Uchiha Estate Cemetery!"
"I'm convinced they're vampires!"
"Maybe we'll see the Uchihas in the tabloids next week: 'Vampire Teen Plays Baseball with Real Bats." And they giggled like me and Deidara had before.

"Hurry!" I said, impatiently.

By the time Deidara and I raced into the parking lot he was gone.

-Damn so close-

The gossip continued at our dinner table.

"Down at the courthouse I heard that the Uchihas didn't buy the mansion, but they inherited it," Minato said.
"I heard they don't eat real food, but bugs and twigs," Nerd Boy added, like only a nerd would.

"What's the matter with you guys?" I shouted. "They're different—they aren't breaking any laws!"

"I'm sure they aren't, Naruto," Kushina agreed. "But at the very least, they are strange. Their clothes are bizarre."

They all looked at me—at my black lipstick, black nail polish, black tank top, and clunky black plastic bracelets.

"Well, I dress bizarre, too. Do you think I'm strange?"
"Yes," they said in unison.

We all had a good laugh at that one, even me. But deep down, I felt sad because I knew they really weren't kidding, and I could tell they felt sad, too, for the very same reason.

The sun had fallen from the sky and the moon was smiling over Deidara and me. I was ready for the infiltration in camouflage night gear. I was wearing matte black lipstick instead of gloss, black turtleneck, black jeans, and a tiny black backpack with a flashlight and disposable camera. Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha were in Europe. Their Mercedes was not in sight. Creepy Man must have gone to the store and if he pushed his shopping carts as slowly as he drove, I'd have plenty of time. The rusty iron gate stood in front of me. All the answers to the rumors lay on the other side. A quick climb over and the investigation would begin. Unfortunately the adventure was going to be delayed because Deidara was terrified about climbing.
"You didn't tell me we'd have to climb the gate! I'm afraid of heights un!" (A/N: Pfft. I know. That's funny.)
"Please! Just get over. The clock is ticking."

Deidara looked at the harmless old gate like it was Mt. Everest. "I can't un. It's way to tall!"
"You can," I argued. "Here." I put my hands together for a boost. "You'll have to put your whole body weight into this!"
"I don't want to hurt you un."
"You won't. Let's go."
"Are you sure un?"
"Deidara! I've waited months for this, and if you spoil it because you were afraid to step into my hand I'll have to kill you."
He stepped and I grunted, and suddenly he was suctioned to the gate like a terrified spider.
"You can't just hang. You have to climb!"
He tried. He really did. I could see every muscle in his body strain. He wasn't heavy, but he wasn't strong either.
"Pretend you'll go to jail if you don't climb up."
"I'm trying!"
"Go, Deidara, go!" I chanted like a cheerleader. He climbed slowly and finally reached the spiked top. Then he really freaked out.

"I can't go over. I'm scared un."
"Don't look down!"
"I can't move un!"
I was starting to panic myself. He could have spoiled everything right then. A cop could have come by or some nosy neighbor. Or Gothic Guy himself might have come down from his attic to see what was making more noise than his blaring Cure CD.

"Here, I'll go." I pulled myself up the gate, maneuvered around Deidara and flipped over the top. "Now you!" I whispered as I hung on the other side.

He didn't even move. His eye wasn't even open.

"I think I'm having a panic attack un."
"Great!" I said, rolling my eyes. "You can't do this!" Maybe I would have been better off bringing Konahamaru. "Deidara?"
"I can't un!"
"Alright, alright! Slide down."

We both slithered down the iron gate on opposite sides. The iron bars separated us, but not our friendship.

"I hope I didn't spoil everything un," Deidara said.
"Hey, at least you gave me a ride."
He smiled appreciatively. "I'll keep an eye out here."
"No, go on home. Someone may see you."
"Are you sure un?"

"It was fun hanging around with you," I joked. "But I gotta go now!"
"I hope you find everything you're looking for..."

Deidara drove off to the safety of his plaid couch and I continued on, minus one detective. I was the NBI—Nartuo Bureau of Investigation. I had to put an end to the rumors. And if they were more than just rumors, the world had to know.

The only light came from the curtained attic window. I could hear the faint wailing of an electric guitar, as I tiptoed around the side of the house. Fortunately, I didn't hear the sound of barking dogs. I found my favorite window. There were no boards or bricks, and the broken window had been replaced. If they fixed one thing in the mansion, why did it have to be this particular window? I scrambled around and checked the other windows. They were all locked. Suddenly I noticed something catching the moonlight. I crouched over and lying by a bush was a hammer, and next to the hammer was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was a window, propped open with a brick. A caulking gun and putty were still sitting on the ledge. Someone had been working here and left their mess to dry. I kissed my new friend—the helpful brick—with my hand. Thank you, brick, thank you!

It was a much tighter squeeze through the window this time. I'd eaten a lot of candy since I was twelve. I sucked in and pushed and pulled and grunted and heaved. I was through. I was in! I high-fived the air, the dark musty dusty basement air that filled the mansion dungeon. My flashlight guided me around crates and old furniture. I saw three rectangular objects leaning against the wall, covered with blankets. Paintings? My flesh tingled with anticipation as I grabbed the corner of the blanket and slowly pulled it back. I gasped. A face with two frozen eyes stared back at me. It was a mirror! I clutched my racing heart. A covered mirror? I pulled the blankets off one after the other. They were all mirrors! Gold framed, wood framed, rectangular and oval. It couldn't be! Who covers their mirrors? Only vampires!

I continued to search the basement. I uncovered china dishes and crystal goblets, not the kind of glasses I was used to drinking from. Then I found a box labeled 'Sasuke's Watercolors', filled with drawings of an estate just like the one I was standing in. There were other paintings too, a version of the big three together: Frankenstein, the Werewolf, and Count Dracula. I started to put them into my backpack, but I promised Deidara I wouldn't take anything. So I took out my camera and took a photo instead.

I found a dusty rolled up parchment with a faded family tree. There were long unpronounceable names of duchesses and barons going back centuries. And then at the bottom—Sasuke. But no dates of births—or deaths!

Finally I uncovered three crates marked, 'Soil'. They had Romanian customs stamps on them. As I made my way towards the stairs, I tripped over something covered with a white sheet. This was what I had come for—it had to be a coffin. The object was the right size for a coffin and sounded like wood when I tapped my knuckles on it. I was afraid as I was excited. I closed my eyes and yanked the sheet off. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes wide. It was only a coffee table. I replaced the dusty sheet and carefully walked up the creaky stairs. I twisted the glass door handle with all my might, and the door suddenly burst open. I went flying into the hallway. Portraits of a black-haired man and woman lined the hallway, along with some wild paintings that could have been van Goghs or Picassos. I'd have known for sure if I had ever paid attention in art. It felt like I was in a museum, except there were candles and not fluorescent lights.

I tiptoed into the living room. The furniture was art deco. Very stylish. Huge red velvet curtains hung over the windows—the windows I had once waved a red baseball cap through. I could hear the Smiths pulsing through the ceiling. I looked at my glow-in-the-dark Swatch. It was already eight-thirty. Time to leave. But I paused at the bottom of the grand staircase. I couldn't go upstairs. It would be ultra risky. But I had to see everything. When would I ever get a chance like this again?
The first room I entered was a grand study, books upon books, the Uchiha's very own library. But no librarian, thank goodness. "Just came to check out Crime and Punishment" would not go over very well with Creepy Man. I peeked quickly into the other rooms. I had never seen so many bathrooms on one floor. Not even a football stadium had so many. A small guest bedroom was surprisingly spartan with a single bed. The master bedroom had a canopy bed with black lace curtains dripping around the columns. There was a vanity, but no mirror! Little combs and brushes and nail polishes. Shades of black, gray, and brown. I was about to look into the closet when the music suddenly stopped. I heard footstep overhead. I slipped down the stairs fast. I didn't look back and made sure not loose my footing and stumble or fall like those girls do in Friday the 13th movies. Fiddling with the door locks, my fingers shook uncontrollably, like those foolish horror-flick girls. I was making way too much noise. As I tried to unlock the top bolt, I saw the bottom bolt turning from the other side. I ran down the hallway, but hearing footsteps coming from that direction, I doubled back heading into the living room. There wasn't time to open the windows, so I threw myself behind the red velvet curtains.

"I'm back," I heard Creepy Man call out. "The delivery will be here tomorrow as usual. I'm going to retire now."

No one responded.

"You can't get them to shut up when they're three, but when they're seventeen they won't even open their mouths," I heard him mumbling to himself as he walked slowly past the grand staircase.
"Always leaving doors opened," I heard him say and shut was must have been the door to the basement.

I peeled myself out of the curtain, ran, and unbolted the front door locks in record time. I was ready to make my escape when I felt something familiar—a presence, again. I turned around and there he was standing in front of me, Gothic Guy. He stood motionless, like he was breathing in his uninvited guest.

When he extended his hand to me, to show I didn't have to be afraid, I noticed the accessory—he was wearing the black spider ring that I'd given Creepy Man on Halloween! I had waited for a moment like this all my life. To see, to meet, to befriend someone who was different from everyone else, and just like me. Suddenly the reality of the situation hit me.

I had been caught.

I ran across the mansion lawn and pumped and pulled and flung myself on the top of the rusty gate. And as I threw my booted foot over the top, I looked back and could see a distant figure standing in the doorway, watching me. I hesitated, feeling drawn back to the mansion. I stared at him for a moment before sliding down the other side.

I had found what I was looking for.

Admin: Phew...it's literally 3:30 AM now...I'm tired, but I had fun picking up on this. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!