Author's Note: This story is a Rosario + Vampire and Naruto cross over. As a general rule I usually don't like crossovers but I've always liked Naruto and recently discovered Rosario. This story is also a response to a challenge from D-FireX, and I like a good challenge. Since there is currently no option for filing stories under Rosario + Vampire it will go under Naruto. Any of you who are unfamiliar with Rosario can check out the manga at www. onetrue manga .com there is also an anime that you can find on youtube and other places. I don't think it's necessary to enjoy this story, but if you do and enjoy it so much the better.
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Naruto sat all alone on the bus except for the driver. He looked out the window at the sunlight and the beautiful countryside. He wouldn't see this again for three years. And when those three years were up he would finally go back to the village.
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Seven Years Ago
A very nervous and frightened eight year old looked around at the huge apartment. There was so much space! And there was no garbage anywhere and there were no spray painted signs on any of the walls saying, 'Die,' 'Demon,' or 'Monster.' And best of all the apartment was far away from all those horrible people who hated him.
"Well Naruto, what do you think?" A friendly voice called from the door way.
Naruto looked up to see the smiling face of his caretaker. "It's really great Iruka-sensei! Are we really going to live here?"
Iruka smiled and nodded. He didn't hold it against Naruto what had been done to him on that night his parents had died. To Iruka he was a fellow orphan who was lonely and didn't deserve the treatment he'd received. That was why he had volunteered for this mission.
"That's right Naruto. We'll be living here until you turn eighteen."
"What happens then?"
"Then we go back to Konoha."
The boy suddenly froze. "No! I don't want to! I don't want to go back to where they hate me, to where they want to kill me!"
Seeing the boy's fear, and knowing how justified it was, Iruka quickly knelt down before him and gently put his hands on his shoulders. "It's all right Naruto. Ten years is a long time, the Hokage thinks that after that much time the people will finally be able to accept you."
"But why do I have to go back at all?"
"Naruto," Iruka spoke carefully. "You understand why you are special and why so many people have… difficulty accepting you right?"
Naruto slowly nodded. The Hokage had explained everything to him before sending him away. "I am the Kyuubi."
"No you're not!" Iruka said sharply. "And don't ever say that again! You are the Kyuubi's container, what is called a jinchuuriki. You hold the Kyuubi within you but that is not who you are. The jailer is not the same as the prisoner."
"If that's true then why does everyone hate me?" Naruto demanded. "The whole reason we're here is because they almost killed me." He closed his eyes and shivered as he remembered the smell of gasoline and pain like nothing he'd ever felt before. "If that's true why would they do that to me?"
Iruka put his arms around the boy and hugged him tight. "Because when people are frightened they do terrible things some times. But the fault is theirs not yours, you are not to blame, not for any of it. Do you understand?"
"I… I guess so, but why do I have to back there?"
Iruka sighed sadly. "Because Naruto, one day you will have great power. For good or for ill you are the living legacy of the fourth Hokage. (Note, Iruka does not know Naruto's parentage. He is referring to the fact that it was the fourth that placed the Kyuubi into Naruto.) And the power you wield will be used in service of the village."
Naruto looked up angrily, but did not speak the thoughts that were in his head. Iruka and the old man were the only ones in the whole world who had ever been decent to him; he didn't want to say something that would make Iruka hate him.
"Listen Naruto, how about we save the unpacking later and go get something to eat? I'll be cooking most of our meals from now on but tonight we can eat out and do some exploring."
"Cool!" Naruto said excitedly and much of his bad mood was dispelled. "Can we go get some ramen?"
Iruka nodded with a wide smile. "Sure."
As they left their new apartment Naruto remembered something. "Oh, Iruka-sensei, what is this place called again?"
"Tokyo," Iruka told him. "We are living in the city of Tokyo."
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"You are the student enrolling at Youkai academy?"
The bus driver's words snapped Naruto back to the present. "Uh, yeah I am."
The bus entered into a long dark tunnel. "I should warn you," the driver said. "Youkai academy is a veeeeerrry horrifying place." The driver looked over his shoulder at him; his eyes seemed to be glowing.
Naruto took it all in stride and looked back out into the darkness. "I've seen scary things before," he answered quietly. He rubbed his nose a bit as he thought he could smell gasoline.
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The bus dropped him off in front of a scarecrow with a pumpkin head. In the distance a mile or two away he saw the outline of a building he assumed had to be the school. He dropped his back pack and just took a moment to look about. All the letter from the Hokage had said was that he would be attending a very special academy for the next three years. He would not be allowed to leave the academy until his graduation, at which time he would be returned to Konoha to take his place as a Leaf nin and serve the village. In the meantime he was to follow the school rules and at least pass his classes. Without conscious thought he reached up and tugged on his hitai-ite.
The one Iruka had given him.
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Three Years Ago
The twelve year old opened his eyes. Standing over him was a serious and sad looking Iruka. "What's the matter Iruka-sensei?"
"Naruto you have to get up, I've just received a special message from the village."
"Uh, o.k." He glanced at the clock next to his bed, it was almost midnight. A still sleepy Naruto followed Iruka into the living room. There Naruto spotted something that really woke him up. "Iruka-sensei, why is you luggage packed? Are we going somewhere?"
Iruka looked at the boy sadly. "I'm sorry Naruto, but I've just been ordered back to the village."
"What?! But what about me?"
"I'm afraid you're to remain here, alone."
Naruto stared up at his precious sensei in stunned silence. "You're… you're leaving me?"
"I don't want to Naruto, but I have to follow the Hokage's orders."
"No!" Naruto shouted, terrified at the thought that he was being left all alone. "The old man would never do that!"
Iruka took a deep breath. "Naruto, the Third Hokage is dead."
"Wh… what?"
"He has actually been gone for about two months now. The letter doesn't go into detail, but two months ago there was a sneak attack on the village. Konoha beat back the invasion, but at high cost. The third Hokage was among those who died to protect the village."
Naruto stood there in silence for a moment as the words sunk in. "The… the old man is really gone?"
Iruka nodded. "I'm afraid he is, and I'm afraid it took this long for me to hear about it because they only just installed the fifth Hokage." Iruka shook his head. "It seems the man they finally got for the job was actually the third choice. They offered the position to both Jiraiya and Tsunade but they both refused. So instead Hyuuga Hiashi was made the Fifth Hokage. The new Hokage wants every available ninja to return to the village immediately, that's why I have to leave right now Naruto."
Naruto glomped on to Iruka's waist. "Then take me with you! I'd rather go back to that place where they hate me than be all alone again!"
Iruka put his arms around the boy and tried to comfort him. "I'm so sorry Naruto, I would gladly take you and have you stay with me in the village. But the orders for you are specific, and you have to obey them just as I do." He smiled at him. "Don't be afraid Naruto, I've already taught you what you need to know to defend yourself and I know you'll be all right. Just as I know we'll see each other again one day."
Naruto knew a ninja wasn't supposed to cry but he couldn't seem to help it. He pressed his head against Iruka's chest and cried. "Pleeeeeease don't go! Please Iruka-sensei! Don't leave me!"
Naruto felt Iruka's hands gently cup his face to have him look upward. Naruto was surprised to see that Iruka was crying too. "I'm so sorry Naruto, I know how unfair this is, but I will give you something very special before I go."
With that Iruka undid his hitai-ite. "This isn't official Naruto; technically you are only a citizen of Konoha and will not become a ninja until you return to the village. But," Iruka tied the hitai-ite around Naruto's forehead. "So far as I am concerned you are a ninja. Be strong and remember everything I have taught you and I know we will meet again one day."
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That was how Iruka had said good bye and how he had wound up alone again.
Since that time no one else from the village had ever come out to check on him. He'd received no further help with his ninja training and no news about Iruka or the village. All he got was a monthly check. Then a few months ago he'd received the formal letter from the Hokage instructing him to attend this place.
"Look out!"
Naruto turned just in time to see a beautiful girl staring at him before she plowed into him with her bike.
The both went tumbling over in a pile. When they finally stopped Naruto found himself lying face to face on top of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She had long pink hair and the most amazing green eyes, and she was dressed in the same green school uniform he had. He also slowly realized he could feel her breasts pressing up against his chest.
"Sorry!" He quickly sat up and got off of her. "I didn't mean to…"
The girl sat up and gave him a shy and embarrassed smile. "No, I am the one who should apologize. I was feeling a little weak because of my anemia." She looked at him a little startled. "Oh you're bleeding."
Naruto reached up and touched his cheek, sure enough there was a little bit of blood. "Oh, it's nothing don't worry about it."
To his surprise the girl suddenly leaned forward, putting her face only inches from his. Naruto had never managed to get so much as a single date in middle school. Top have such a pretty girl so close to him made his heart beat faster and made him suddenly feel very warm.
"Your scent," as she spoke he could feel her hot breath against his skin. "It's so, so… delicious!" Suddenly without warning she put her mouth to his throat and he felt a bite.
"Nani!" It actually wasn't really painful; he was just surprised that a pretty girl would suddenly want to bite him. So despite his surprise he didn't try to pull away. After a moment she released him. He put a hand to his neck. There was a slight mark there, a bit like a hickey, but no wound. What had just happened here?
The girl meanwhile was blushing and seemed almost euphoric. "Oh! Thank you soooo much! Your blood is absolutely delicious!"
He stared at her. Were all really cute girls this weird? "Did you just drink my blood?"
Now looking a bit embarrassed she nodded. "Yes, I apologize for not asking first, it's just that you smelled so delicious I just couldn't resist." She smiled. "I'm a vampire you see."
"A vampire?"
Something in his tone worried her. "Do… do you not like vampires?" She asked worriedly.
Naruto smiled. Weird or not she was really cute and she was actually talking to him. "That depends, are all vampires as cute as you?"
She immediately went red in the face. "Ah…"
Seeing he had embarrassed her he rubbed the back of his head and hoped he had not ruined things. He seemed to have a real gift for saying the wrong things to girls. "Sorry, I was just kidding. Of course I haven't anything against vampires," he looked away for a second. "They're not the ones I hate."
She was a bit surprised at his reply, but relieved that he didn't automatically dislike her. "In that case, would you like to be my friend?"
"Sure!" Naruto couldn't believe his luck. He hadn't been here more than five minutes and he was already friends with this incredibly beautiful, if delusional girl. Honestly, what kind of girl imagines she's a vampire?
With a pleased smile the girl introduced herself. "I am Akashiya Moka."
"I am Uzumaki Naruto."
"Are you a new student like me?"
Naruto nodded. "I sure am."
"That's wonderful! I was really worried because I was all alone, but now I'll have someone to do things with!"
He looked at her in surprise. "I don't think a pretty girl like you will have to worry about being alone." Naruto instantly regretted his words as the girl suddenly blushed again and looked away. Why did he always say the wrong thing? "Anyway Moka, I'd be very glad to hang out with you."
She shyly looked back over to him and nodded.
As the two of them began walking towards the academy Naruto actually felt some hope for the future.
He really should have known better.