Mika-san: -scribbling madly in a notebook and chuckling to herself-
Hisoka-kun: What are you doing, Mika?
Mika-san: -looks up and covers notebook- Uhh... nuthin'. -guilty look-
Hisoka-kun: You're writing more dirty fanfiction, aren't you?
Mika-san: -hits him on the head with a rock- Am NOT! -runs off-
Hisoka-kun: The rock wasn't necessary, you know... owie...


A light drizzle had begun to fall as Neji stole quietly through the forest, instinctively heading toward the Yamanaka manor. The rain itself only helped him, for it would look very odd indeed if he were to be spotted carrying a young blond vampire through the woods. Not to mention the fact that he, along with the girl he was carrying, were both soaked in blood.

The rain had begun to mix with the blood on Neji's face and run into his eyes, making it even harder to navigate through the trees undetected. He shook it out of his eyes subconsciously as the girl he had been carrying began to stir. Neji stopped running, coming to rest in a larce spruce tree and laying her down gently on a thick branch. He sat down beside her, watching as she fought to regain consciousness with an odd sort of amused grin. Eventually she managed to get her eyes open, peering into the dark wood blearily. "Good God... what happened?" she said to no one in particular, sitting up and holding her head, as if she were recovering from a night with Captain Morgan. It wasn't until she had backed up against the trunk of the tree for support that she spotted Neji, sitting a few branches off and smiling in that odd, twisted way. Ino glowered at him, wondering why he looked so happy. "What's your problem?" she spat, in no mood for sarcasm. Her head had begun to throb behind her left eye, causing her to squint it in pain and only adding to the hung-over aura that she was giving off. Neji chuckled, walking over to sit at her side and pushing her hair out of her face. "I saved your ass, that's what," he replied, tracing small circles with an index finger along her cheekbone. It wasn't until then that Ino remembered exactly what had happened back at the cemetery. She nodded grudgingly, knowing he was right but unwilling to admit it ot loud. "Yeah, yeah... whatever." Neji shrugged. "Whaddya want from me? It's true." He stood up, chuckling to himself as he glanced through the trees in the direction of the cemetery. "Heh... they're freaking out," he said quietly, shaking his head. Ino, surprised by his moment of anarchism, laughed nervously, unsure of how to take his new attitude. "Yeah, I have no doubt," she replied, standing up beside him. "Well, we need to get back and tell my father what happened." And with that, she bounded off toward her home, Neji racing off to catch up.


Back at the cemetery...
Half of the cemetery was a panic zone. ANBU Black Ops ran all about the place treating the wounded, carrying out the dead, and canvassing the area for clues. Nothing had been found until...

"Captain! Captain! We have two more fatalities over here!"

Three more ANBU were instantly by the side of the one who had called out, the scene they came upon making all of them cringe. Temari laid sprawled out at the base of a huge oak tree, eyes wide and blank as they stared into eternity. Shikamaru was about twenty feet from her, crumpled up in the dirt like a ragdoll that had been tossed aside. His eyes were closed, but even as the four watched, he began to twitch and stir, life slowly returning to his limp form. One of the men darted forward, tossing his hood back to reveal a tuft of mousy brown hair and a rather rotund face. He ripped his mask off and tossed it to the side, beady eyes filled with worry. "Shika... Shika-kun, are you alright?" the man asked, placing a hand on Shikamaru's neck only to feel something warm and wet stain his hand. He jerked his hand back and help it up to the light, fingers beginning to tremble as he realized they were now stained vermillion. Shikamaru turned his head to face the man who had spoken to him, breath coming in rattled gasps as he fought to stay conscious. "Ch-Chouji," he murmered, a small smile spreading across his face. "I shoulda known one day I'd have to depend on your fat ass to save my life." Chouji glowered, snorting in disdain as he scooped up his comrade with awe-inspiring ease. "Well, get used to the idea you lazy bastard," he retorted. He had turned to head back to the cemetery when Shikamaru grunted and twitched, indicating for him to stop. 'What about Temari?" he asked, turning his head in an attempt to look at her. It wasn't until he did this that Chouji was able to see the two holes in his neck. "So the rumors are true," he thought to himself nervously. "But if he was attacked, then how is he still alive and she...?" He shook himself mentally, turning his focus back to Shikamaru's futile attempts to worm out of his arms. "Temari... she, well... she..." But his vain attempts at an explanations were cut off: The other ANBU took a white sheet and draped it over her, one taking the time to kneel down and gently push her eyelids down before covering her head up. Shikamaru, spurred on by some feral instinct, now fought desperately to get out of the Akimichi man's arms, tears beginning to roll down his face as he kicked and swung. "God, no... lemme go, you fat bastard... she needs my help... no... she can't be dead," Slowly he stopped fighting and went limp in Chouji's arms, shoulders shaking as the imminent breakdown hit him like a sack of bricks. And all Chouji could do was carry him to the awaiting medic-nin at the cemetery gates.

A total of nineteen were attacked that day; eleven died at the cemetery, five died at the hospital, and the other three vanished without a trace from their hopsital beds. Coincidentally, the moon just happened to be full the very night all three disappeared... can you guess where they went? Let's just say that Yamanaka Manor got some extra guests.


Dun dun duuuuuuun! XD Took me forever to update, I know! I'll be on top of it from now on, I promise! -Lilium