The Lineage

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


The Lineage
By 11


Chapter 08
The Vampire’s Assistant: Sunlight

Dawn; the sun is coming up.

Sasuke came in to check on me since I wasn't asleep yet. The blinds aren't drawn and the window is open like I left it last dusk.

I watch the pale yellow light spread across the floorboards. Slowly the color becomes brighter, then the yellow gives way to a dazzling orange for a moment. Just before it melds back to an almost white yellow color. Then only light begins to fill the room, it's dimmer here in the shadows where I am on my bed, or where Sasuke stands near the dresser and the wall.

I miss being able to go sit on the warm spot on the floor where the sun comes in. Just to sit in the sun for a few moments, or a short nap. I wish I could stand there just so I could see the sky outside and watch the colors play all through the day.

But this is the time I'm supposed to sleep. But I don't want to. Sleep isn't required as far as I can tell, physically at least. I haven't felt tired since I've kept myself fed.

Sasuke should leave soon or else the sun will reach the door and he won't be able to leave. Hm, then he'd have to share my bed. That might not be so bad, that could work actually.

He's watching me again and he blinks; but it's like the look a cat might give you as if to say, "yes, I know what 'you' are thinking". It's a bit infuriating since I usually feel like yelling at him when he looks like that. Of course I feel like yelling at him a lot, so maybe it makes no difference.

I feel the back of my eyes twitch with a slight burning. My parasite is getting annoyed at something, though I can't tell what. It may just be bored since it's not able to go to sleep yet. Generally if I'm up the parasite has to be up, or so it seems.

After a moment more Sasuke moves towards the window and watch in some surprise. He actually steps into the light in order to reach up and close the window and draw the blinds.

I note with some surprise that Sasuke looks perfectly fine, in fact he's still standing in the filtered sunlight. It may be a miniscule amount but he's still standing in it. He looks over at me and cocks his head to the side at my quizzical expression.

"Does it hurt?" I ponder.

He sneers, but in a way that it's so very close to a smile. "No," he answers simply, "not anymore."

"Anymore? It did at one point?" I ask.

He shrugs, "After the first thousand years it won't burn your flesh off the bone at least." He leans against the wall and folds one of his legs up under him. "If you were to go out in it right now, you could seriously injure your eyesight for a long time and your skin can and will actually start to melt if you're out in it too long."

Dark eyes fix on me, "Just sleep, it'll be over soon. Dusk is never far behind dawn."

"I’m not tired though." And it’s true. Even my parasite is still more awake than when I first woke up. I resist the burning behind my eyes, and look away from Sasuke. If my eyes do turn red, I don’t want him to say anything about it. Stupid parasite, it always does stupid stuff; or is this known as vampire hormones?

I don't know, and I'm not sure I can care anymore. It's just a part of things, so I deal with it. Surprisingly Sasuke crosses over to sit at the foot of my bed. “Not tired?”

“Yeah, we don’t ever tire do we.” It’s a statement not a question, and he doesn’t refute it. Just shrugs and stares across the room. With the shades drawn the world is lit with a dim dusty glow.

I turn my eyes to the sliver of light beyond the blinds. And then I'm in the sun again, and it's nostalgic. I haven’t entered the light for a while now, but I swear I can imagine the warmth across my flesh. In my memory everything is vivid and real; and I ponder if I’m dreaming while I sit here still staring at that sliver of light.

I miss it. I miss all the things in that world I left behind. I may not miss the school, the weakness, my house and daily life; but the sun, the places where Shikamaru and I used to hang around. Some of the crazy things we did, even before High School. We actually changed the lettering on our middle school building once.

I’m thinking about him again, Shikamaru. In this memory somewhere between sleep and awake he’s nothing like the dream I had before. There’s no talk of saving me, no talk at all. I just remember, and it becomes a slideshow behind my eyes; I am aware I’m still staring at the sun shining between the blinds but I also see beyond in my own thoughts.

I wonder if that's why I saw him before too, I miss him, I miss having a friend that I've known since middle school. But I think, I've more or less reconciled that feeling now; perhaps.

I don't miss the teachers, the work, the waking up early; there are so many things there I could have done without. But, “I do miss the sun.”

Sasuke glances at me and my thoughts center back to the wooden dimly lit room. He turns away, “In a thousand years, perhaps you'll be able to watch it rise again.” He notes for my benefit.

I frown. One thousand years is a long time to wait. But then again, I guess I have forever.

I get up and walk over to the window. Sasuke stands when I start to move the blinds. But I don’t intend to burn myself, I just want to look out.

The outside, the daytime... There's wind there I can hear it. There’s that old park I used to pass through on my way home, there across the street behind the third house at the corner. The trees make that cool swishing sound and the grass is soft underfoot.

A breeze wafts through and I’m glad I left the window open. It carries with it the smell of dirt and sun. That fresh tangy scent of life; I haven't smelled it in a long time. I've been so surrounded by dust and darkness and musk.

I still remember the smell of wind and grass, and life. I remember the smell of the living world where there's a pulse thrumming through everything around this place. In the trees, the wind, the ground beneath, it's all singing.

Dust and decay is not a bad smell, it's one I've come to appreciate and even like, it's comforting and it's become home. But these are the smells I've missed. Where things are alive, warm, and there's a bubble of something light and bouncy that wells up inside.

“Those are crows,” Sasuke notes when the loud squawking of birds across the rooftops reaches us. I look back at him and can’t manage not to glare.

“I like crows.” I like listening to the birds in the morning. I always did prefer that to the alarm clocks in any case. Sasuke is unperturbed by my affront.

“I like them too.” He states simply, as if unaware that he had sounded the least bit derogatory when he said before that they were ‘crows’. It’s all in his tone, but he sounds unhappy and sarcastic most of the time anyway. How am I supposed to know when he’s trying to be mean and when he’s not? He does it on purpose anyway. “Though I prefer the rooftops. The neighborhood cats sometimes go after the birds; occasionally they’ll kill one.”

That kind of statement might have warranted a raised eyebrow in question around a month or so ago. “Blood and feathers everywhere, it’s really very beautiful to watch a predator take its kill.” Sasuke looks beyond me in his musings. “I think you might be able to learn something from it.”

Yeah, well maybe in a thousand years I can – oh! But wait! “Hey, Sasuke,” I state quickly drawing his attention o me as I continue rushing my words more than I meant, “If I have an umbrella the sun won’t get through, will it? Then I could go out in the sun, couldn’t I?”

Dark eyes are slightly wider than usual, and it strikes me a moment after that he looks surprised. Yes, he doesn’t look it really, but he is surprised; that’s his look of surprise.

“I- Uh, yeah.” He says after a moment and looks away, it’s unlike him to lose his calm. Yes! I should totally jump him now! Ooh, but he said I can go in the sun! Where’s an umbrella?! “It’d be weird to have an umbrella open in the daytime though.”

“But at least I can go out!” I say my jubilation pushing me to ignore that Sasuke is floundering for words. I can go outside!! Now where is that umbrella I know I saw yesterday? I rush downstairs to the entry way and third hall; there at the end! It’s that hook handle sticking out of a holder! A big dark umbrella! Thick fabric, no UV rays are getting through this baby! The sunlight world is mine again!! YES!!

“Naruto!” I pause on my way to door as Sasuke leaps over the banister to block my way to the door. He’s scowling, and I think for a moment to break past him for the door – there’s no way I’m not going outside now that I can get around that stupid no-vampires-in-the-sun-for-the-first-1000-years rule! “I’m going with you.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going with you.” Sasuke repeats looking vaguely annoyed, “you can’t go out by yourself, if that umbrella gets torn away, you’ll be in a terribly compromising situation, and misting won’t get you out of it.”

“What’s going on at this hour?” Shit, it’s Jiraiya. He looks like he was about to go to sleep too, his eyes are more bloodshot than I remember then this morning.

“Hey, I’m going outside for a bit,” I explain as quick as I can gesturing to the umbrella, “Sasuke’s coming with, no need to worry!”

Jiraiya looked at the umbrella and glared at Sasuke, “I suppose ‘you’ gave him this idea.” He accused. Great, so I’m not capable of coming up with my own ingenious ideas?

“Not at all, he came up with this hair-brained scheme on his own.” Sasuke defended, staring the old man down. Jiraiya looked back at me disapprovingly but at the same time with a slightly wide-eyed expression that must be how vampires show shock. Since they’re all so terribly limited as far as displaying emotion.

“Um, I’m gonna go now. We’ll be back soon, don’t wait up.” I say touching my hand to the door handle. Jiraiya snarls and retreats from the light the door sheds into the house, and he glares at it as an offending intruder. Then crimson eyes turn to me in something resembling sulky-ness.

“You’re nuts.” Now the pot calls the kettle black, amazing; you really do get to be a kid again after 50. “What’s so great about the sun anyway? Even to the humans it’s like poison! It makes them age faster, drains their vital fluids as well as tires them out! It makes them lazy and slow!”

Yeah, well I can’t argue with that. It is all true after all. “But the thing about the sun is it also energizes in a way.” I attempt to explain, Jiraiya snorts. “It fills us up with light and that’s like happiness solidified.”

“Really?” Jiraiya still scoffs drawing deeper into the shadows as I don my umbrella and Sasuke and I make to leave the manor for the morning – actual morning time too! “Light is overrated.” He finally sneers, “Those are human customs ingrained into you. Like when you feel sad or gloomy if it rains! Stupid. Do what you want.”

I get the odd impression that he’s sulking or something. He doesn’t want to join us but there’s something about us going out to do something – and possibly have fun? – without him makes him petulant. Child-like, the old psychotic has been a lot more outspoken though.

At least he didn’t decide he wouldn’t let me do it. “At least he didn’t break out the whips.” I note to myself as I put up the umbrella and step outside, Sasuke just a step behind me.

I remember when I wanted to try levitating objects the first few times after Sasuke had told me about it and I weaseled instructions for the basic out of him. I broke a lot of Jiraiya’s household glassware somehow and I remember he whipped me good for that. Stupid psycho sadist and his collection of torture weapons. Stupid old man and his whip fetish!

“Jiraiya whipped you?” Sasuke sounds somewhat curious, and I feel his eyes at my back seeing if he can see under my shirt. Normally I’d be flattered, but he’s looking for scars not the fact that I have an extremely sexy and well-muscled back.

“Yeah, I think he did it more when I was a human though.” I note, again more to myself than to Sasuke. But the raven-head stops short there, and I turn to look at his quizzical expression.

“As a human? Wow…” he trails off and looks beyond me to the world outside. We’ve only just reached the gate when I paused to look back at him. “I didn’t know the old guy was so kinky.”

Oh shit. Is he serious?!

“No!” I emphatically correct, “It wasn’t like that! It was just psychotic because the old man is senile and insane!”

Sasuke nods, but his expression hasn’t changed, he’s smirking a bit though; maybe he did just say that to mess with me. “Nice to be outside right?” he breezes past me, “Want to go to the park?”

I follow him without thinking too much. The sidewalk is cool and grey but warming up. I can’t even see the shadows on the other side of the umbrella, so I have to look out from this special isolated capsule of shadow. At least I can be this close to the light.

But I’m watching Sasuke’s back as he walks ahead of me. He nearly shines, pale skin unharmed by the UV. And I’m envious; that he can feel the warmth of the sun on his skin. I can’t or I’ll burn up. I remember that feeling of heat flowing all over me; it always felt like comfort.

I scowl at the ground to keep myself from glaring at Sasuke’s back. Oh well, right. It’s only a thousand years. I guess tons of vampires must have done it before me. Even so, I feel like my memory is being tarnished seeing it from afar like this, unable to truly feel it for myself; just to watch and be so close unable to partake.

“Naruto,” he catches my attention back from the ground and the golden green surroundings. The birds are playing in some puddles left by the morning sprinklers. There’s a crow, a pair of doves, and one pigeon. So what? Oh wait, there’s a cat behind that bush. Black and brown fur, I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t seen it’s bright golden eyes staring out at it’s prospective prey.

The pigeon hops slightly farther towards the bush. After turning its head every which way it bows its head to drink. The cat thrusts forward from the bush. With a wild yowl it pounces at the smoke and ash colored bird. The crow and doves flee.

The pigeon flaps its wings frantically to take to the air. But the feline’s paws have already caught its sides. There’s the stain of red to it’s feathers. The cat’s neck lurches forward. In a single movement the beast snapped the bird’s neck.

I’m surprised by how quick and clean it is. No drawn out torture. It doesn’t play with its food. That’s all it is for the cat too: food. There’s no need to treat it as anything but. The cat sits licking the bird, there’s blood flowing into the grass. I can smell it even from here.

It’s not as thick as the human blood I’m used to, but its scent is pleasing nonetheless. My parasite stirs minimally as if wondering if it really smells what it thinks it smells. Then decides to curl up and rest quietly.

“It’s not really so different is it?” Sasuke asks, and I realize he’s next to me, just outside the shadow cast by the umbrella. His dark hair shines in the light, and at an angle it nearly looks blue-ish.

“Different from?”

“Vampires and humans.” He answers, looking back at the cat as it picks up the corpse and retreats back to the bush to eat in privacy. “It’s just a way of surviving. There’s nothing terrible about this pattern, it exists in almost all other forms of creation.”

It makes sense in a way, “So vampires aren’t unnatural?”

“Why would you think they are?” Sasuke seems slightly surprised. “We’ve been around ever since humans have; like the cats and birds, or dogs and cats, or sharks and fish. Penguins and seals, elk and bears – just a regular food chain arrangement.”

“Besides that,” Sasuke looks away again and starts walking, “some humans hunt vampires too.”

“Hm.” I affirm that I heard him and follow after, moving to walk beside him rather than behind. I pick up my pace, but I couldn’t have done that at the wrong time. I knew there was a breeze today, but I didn’t think it would get so strong so suddenly. It was only a moment, but the umbrella handle was ripped from my hands.

The immediate heat of the sun struck my skin and I cried out as I felt the heat against my skin. It would burn soon if I couldn’t right my umbrella. Sasuke looked back in shock as well and moved to grab the runaway-sunshield. Sasuke cursed or something, but I was still in the open. “Quick idiot! Get in the shade or something!”

“But the trees have too many holes!” I protested after rushing into the shadow. Sunlight still speckled across my arms and face. Hey I’ve already been out from the umbrella for a moment or so. It doesn’t hurt yet.

Tentatively I step out from the tree’s shade. Sasuke yells at me some more, but I’m not listening. It feels too good. The sun is hot against my skin but I’m not burning. My skin is not melting from my bone or anything, it’s not even sizzling. I fill my lungs with the smell of the grass and trees. My muscles stretch under my skin appreciatively. It’s been so long since I went outside like this; I forgot how relaxing it could be.

“Naruto.” Sasuke seems perturbed by something. But I’m elated!

“Sasuke!” I practically laugh and I know I’m grinning, I can’t stop it, I don’t want to. “The sun doesn’t burn!”

I don’t care why or how! But it’s possible! I’m standing here, and surrounded in light. The bright daylight world before me, without consequence and without a thousand years of waiting! I don’t even need that creepy shadow-capsule umbrella!

This meant I could go out and do normal stuff for a bit too! I persuaded Sasuke to get us some ice cream – I love chocolate chip cookie dough. Sasuke selected the smallest size, for some odd reason – is he anorexic or something? Does food hurt us? I doubt it! It may not provide energy but it sure does taste good! I’ve still got the tactile senses don’t I? I can still appreciate good food.

I wanted to go see a movie too, and had probably intended to try and stay out all day, until nightfall. But Sasuke insisted we head back by noon; since I would need the rest, unless I was constantly feeding, for this kind of exertion on my body. The whole time he looked really unsure about something too. Wonder why?

Like there was something he wanted to say to me but kept biting back. I asked him about it, but he just stared at me and then after a moment’s debate inside his head just told me it was nothing. But I know it’s not since he thought about it and stopped himself again at least ten or twenty times.

“Jiraiya! You up? Guess what?” I boomed into the house happily. I tossed the umbrella in the closet on the way in; Sasuke shut the door behind us. “Jiraiya, guess what?”

“For the love of sleep, WHAT is it whelp?” he asked as I sped upstairs and barged into his room – it wasn’t like it was forbidden or anything. He sat up and stared at me in that annoyed way. I hate his room. It’s so lavish, and girlie. Mine is so bare. He could at least lend me the third dresser he’s not using, you know.

Sasuke was quicker, he actually misted upstairs when I started shouting, I can feel him materializing behind me; “I can go out in the sun! I don’t burn!” Sasuke’s hand grips my shoulder, and one of his hands stops it’s motion and forms a fist near the side of my head. What did I do wrong? I can practically feel him glaring at the back of my head.

“What are you talking about, idiot?” Jiraiya frowns.

“Nothing really. Sorry to have woken you,” Sasuke says, trying to cover up what I was trying to say, “We’re on our way to rest as well.” His hand on my shoulder tightens. But I want Jiraiya to know, I don’t want to wait to tell him!

“I’m serious, the umbrella got blown away and I was fine!” I explain anyway. Jiraiya looks shocked and sits up straighter as he regards me.

I wince as Sasuke’s hand seems to be trying to break through my skin and bone. I growl and turn back to face him, “Stop it, that hurts!” I hiss to him.

He regards me blankly as if he hasn’t heard me, then he’s looking beyond me at Jiraiya. “What do you mean, you didn’t burn?” He looks quizzical and pensive, considering me; for once not as something silly, annoying or insignificant. That’s kinda cool actually. “But that makes no sense. You’re barely three months turned.”

“It’s probably because he drank my blood.” Sasuke theorizes, releasing my shoulder and stepping beside me to stand before Jiraiya. The old man looks unsure a moment before considering the idea.

“But-!”

“Naruto.” Sasuke silences me with my own name. I was going to say ‘but why would drinking your blood make any difference?’ That stupid jerk, cutting me off. I’m not going to press it but it still doesn’t make any sense. Just because I drank Sasuke’s blood?

“Still that shouldn’t…” Jiraiya muses still apparently unable to make it form sense in his own mind either. “It’s strange, even if it is your blood.”

“Well there is no other explanation.” Sasuke imposes in something like exasperation. Jiraiaya looks up at Sasuke again and regards him a moment; he’s hesitating I realize.

Then he shrugs, “Hm. I suppose it must be.” He agrees, also not wishing to pursue this further. At least not now, “Let’s get some sleep, it must be the middle of the day already.”

“Excuse us, sorry to have disturbed you.” Sasuke mutters as he drags me, with an arm around my shoulders, out of the room.

I try to ask him something after the door’s shut, but he gives me such a cold look I am forced into silence. He escorts me personally back to my room and stands outside this time. Watching me as I hesitate to enter, but imposing the purpose; that I go back to rest. But that whole bit back there was so curious. He probably left a bruise on my shoulder too!

“Is there something about you and Jiraiya that I don’t know about you guys still?” I ask straight out. Sasuke’s expression doesn’t chance.

“Go to sleep. Now.” He gives me a final glare before turning to walk off back down the hall. He didn’t answer me on purpose. He’s probably mad at me too. I sigh in reluctance and enter my room. It’s not morning time anymore so the dim light has waned and it’s mostly dark and unlit now.

There’s probably a lot I don’t know about both Jiraiya and Sasuke. Course like this we’re pretty isolated so I’ll only know what they choose to tell me. There’s nothing I can do about it now anyway. I’m just happy I didn’t lose the sun; I wonder if I can go out again tomorrow. Maybe I should stop by the school, just to peek in and see how everything is without me. I dunno. I’m asleep before I truly think about it.

Again, I don’t dream. Then prior to realizing I’m even really awake it seems, I’m already back in training with Sasuke, and the sky is dark and the moon is currently at half-wax.

Within the next week I’ve more or less been able to change into a bat-sorta. It has wings and can fly, and isn’t particularly noticeable. The wolf is still proving difficult; I got paws on all four limbs once. “I can’t!” I’m on the patio again. “I can’t help it when my legs freeze up! I’m losing all my joints!”

“That’s supposed to happen. You only have the back turn at your knee, it’s not supposed to be able to turn.” Sasuke sighs ready to run the concept by me again. But it doesn’t help.

“Instead of thinking about your legs concentrate on your skull.” Jiraiya’s here, nearly forgot he misted over a couple minutes ago to watch. “Think about just the frontal part of your skeleton, and ignore the back half. Let your legs do what they want to.”

It’s easy for him to say though. He’s done this! Concentrate on my skull… it’s still weird to feel the bone lengthen; I feel like I’m turning into a monkey, not a world. Or a gorilla, these teeth are huge.

I snarl as an unpleasant tremor ripples my spine. It’s directly connected to my head now, it feels weird, like I’m looking up all the time; but my neck doesn’t hurt. My voice comes out raw and animalistic; it’s not mine, I don’t think. It’s me, but it doesn’t sound like it…

“There, whelp. You’ve done it.” I open my eyes, and have to look up at Jiraiya and Sasuke. They both look gratified for some reason. I glance down at myself and the thick grayish fur that covers me. I start slightly when I can’t move my leg forward in the right motion. The paws are back, and I think it’s possible… I’m an entire wolf now?

I growl suddenly and Sasuke smirks at me, “What, you can’t change back?”

No that’s not it. Something isn’t right. Jiraiya suddenly looks up too; can he tell also? Sasuke’s expression fades; no one has to say anything. All three of us are moving towards the irregularity. It’s not a smell persay; it’s more a sense, an unforgiving cold or cloud that settles over an area.

I only know this much because it’s foreign to me. There’s something the same about Sasuke and Jiraiya; but I am used to their presence, I recognize it. This is something new. There’s another vampire in the area, and close by; on the grounds.

I dash ahead, Sasuke and Jiraiya right behind me. I don’t even really look where I’m going, I just follow that presence to the front and the yard. It’s there, a shadowed figure stands in the entry against the moon. I’m on them before they realize. They raise an arm and a shadow-like blade protrudes from their arm.

I allow my body to fall back to it’s natural shape. I catch their hand with mine and allow the momentum of my leap to drag us to the ground. This is, partly, what I’ve been waiting for. In all those sparring sessions with Sasuke. This is a real opponent, a real threat… this is something whose blood I can safely spill. This is one whose flesh I am allowed to devour without consequence.

Their strength is abnormal and they toss me off like a rag doll. They don’t even touch the ground as their body twists to land on his feet. Strands of dark red hair twist around my fingers. I rush forward again. Their ready with those blades, and I take to the side to stab at his back.

Jiraiya is yelling at me to stop or something. The guy moves to face me and catches my hand with his blade. He had one in his left arm too?! I let my hand close on the metal and launch my whole body over on top of them. My legs catching around his shoulders.

He moves to fall to the ground; duck under me then swerve I suppose. I’ll just have to cut him off. Grab his shoulder and hold him down. But then Jiraiya is here.

I thought he was going to help but, “STOP!!” it’s a resounding bellow in my ears. He gripped my arm and tossed me away. I landed on the ground, but hand is still a mess. I almost had that guy! What the hell is his PROBLEM!?!

“Naruto, stand down!” Sasuke orders, he’s standing by the cloaked figure as well. Jiraiya stands beside him, and offers him a hand so he can stand.

Great! They all know each other? Why didn’t they warn me ahead of time?! I thought it was an enemy or something! Not my fault!! Whoever it is, he’s pretty good. I could have taken him though! Stupid vampires.

Faintly reddish hair had fallen at the sides of the hood, and after a moment’s exchange the person pulls back their cloak. Emerald eyes turn to glare at me. It’s a girl, and I stand to regard her as coolly as she does me. She’s pissed, I would be too. I’m still angry since no one told me he, er she, was a friendly here.

“Peon! Who on earth are you?!” she growls at me from across the yard. Stupid girl!

“I’d ask the same of you!” I snarl back to her, not all traces of my canine transformation completely absent. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?!”

Sasuke turns and calls me over. The girl crosses her arms and stands sourly. Sasuke gives me a look not to speak, and I watch her expectantly, as do Sasuke and Jiraiya. She turns to address the old man; all but ignoring me with a jerky turn of her head, and a pronounced ‘hmph!’ The SNOB!!

“I am here to speak with you, Jiraiya.” She declares, forest-green eyes flashing with that fiery assertion. “I have a message from the Order.”

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