"Everyone say hello to your new classmate, Uchiha Sasuke!" Says Iruka. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"

"Yes," Sasuke says, "I enjoy spending time with my best friend, Sakura, and I have the most amazing sleep if it's to the screams of the damned."

The pink haired teen seriously considers hiding under her desk.

"Wow. That was something," Says their teacher. "Go ahead and have a seat. As an aside, I'd like to remind everyone that we have a counselor who's always available if anyone needs it."

Sakura's mind drifts as the day passes, desperately trying to forget the not-boy that has decided to claim her.

"What is this?!" Demands the Uchiha at lunchtime.

"Taiyaki," Naruto replies. "It's good. You should eat it."

But Sasuke is already lost in his own head. "Are they trying to insult us with these fake fish?!" He asks. "How can you humans be so placid over this?!" Leaping onto the table, he shouts, "Rise up, fellow children! Declare war on the adults who oppress us!"

"What the hell is with this guy?" Asks Menma.

"Must be the good drugs," Says Naruko.

Taking a bite of the pastry, Sakura scoops a small amount of the filling onto her finger before sticking it into his mouth the next time he tries to make another proclamation.

This changes his entire demeanor and he plops down to sit on the plastic surface. Around her digit, he says, "Humansh are tashty."

"It's the taiyaki." She tells him. "Please stop attracting attention."

"Sakura-chan!" Says Lee as he joins the group. "I think you should avoid putting your hands near the mouth of a feral satanist!"

"You don't have to worry," She says, noting something's a little off with him and Neji.

Brushing it off as Sasuke making her anxious, she pulls her finger out, putting the fish in the hands of the not-boy.

The rest of the day goes relatively quiet. And once school is out, she makes her way to the little shop outside of town.

Her crow perches on her shoulder, staunchly watching for potential danger.

The bell jingles as she steps into the occult store.

She's met with jars full of stones, whole aisles full of varying candles, hands wearing rings and bracelets. Necklaces sit in glass cases with the tarot decks.

Her fingers softly pick up a box of incense for examination.

"Looking for something?" Asks a man from his place at the desk. His feet are propped up on it, nose in his book.

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She looks to the crow and it hops from one shoulder to the other and back, flapping its wings.

"I'm a new witch and I need some resources to help me interpret a grimoire I inherited."

"Lemme see it," He replies, taking his feet from the counter and placemarking his reading material. "The thing about grimoires is that they're created by individuals. Very rarely are you going to find two spells the same."

She hefts the book onto the shiny surface and he tentatively draws his fingertips over the leather bound cover and its hellish engravings.

Gazing up at her with his single visible eye, he asks, "Where did you get this?"

"It was given to me."

"You need to get rid of it," He says, hand recoiling as if burned. "Because the person you stole this from is going to want it back with blood."

"The consort, right?" She asks. "He gave it to me."

The shop keepers gaze lands on the crow and it squawks, wings fluttering.

"Listen." He says, voice anxious. He runs a hand through silver hair. "A beginner like you is going to get eaten by the things in this book."

The bell jingles and the man's expression goes from anxious to alarmed.

Lowering his voice, he says, "Leave out the back. And dump that thing somewhere very fucking far away from here."

"But--"

He takes the porcelain mask off the side of his head, baring his other eye and the scarring over it. She can't help her startled gasp.

Something noisily comes down the chimney flue and the small fire that was burning goes out like someone's thrown a blanket over it.

The crow jumps up to stand on the crown of her head.

She grabs the grimoire, stuffing it back into her bag, shivering as a shadow darker than pitch creeps from the mouth of the fireplace a few feet away.

"I wish Rin would keep that thing lit. It's so cozy."

"She keeps you warm in other ways." Kakashi replies lackadaisically.

"And I praise hell for it every time she works."

"Wh-what is he?!" Asks Sakura.

"He guards the shop," The silver haired man informs her.

"Yeah," Says the being as it practically slithers across the floor towards her, provoking a primal urge to climb on the desk to get away from him. He rises up before her like a snake on the verge of striking, taking the almost-shape of a man "Can I see that book?"

"Oh no you don't," Snaps the shop keeper.

"Just a peek?" He queries, "Kakashi, you can't dangle something like that in front of me."

"Who's here?"

The demon's red eyes squint, they're his only defining feature. "Hmm." He slinks up to the roof, crawling along the rafters and disappearing into the shadows there.

Kakashi grabs the broom, sweeping at Sakura. "Go! Get while he's busy!"

The crow makes an angry noise, settling back onto the teen's shoulder and spreading his wings in defense of her.

"Go!" Hisses the man. "Quickly!"

Shelves tip over and the demon's voice is angry. "Don't touch my merch!"

"We know the book is here." Comes the reply of a woman. "Hand it over or I'll continue to destroy your objective."

Sakura shoulders the heavy backpack, rushing through the palm reader's booth and out the back door.

She runs smack into a man in a black cloak and red clouds. "Looky here. I bet you have the book, don't you?"

"W-what book?" She musters as he grabs her bag, throwing it to the concrete. The crow shrieks, taking flight and dive-bombing, knocking off the man's hat to reveal his beady eyes and blue hair.

He draws a sword and Sakura staggers into the wall behind her. In one, smooth motion the bird is sliced in half and she hiccups a sob at its body and blood on the ground.

The bag is grabbed and Kisame begins to rummage through it when the corvid starts screeching, giving him pause and making them both uncomfortable.

It's even worse when each side wobbles to its designated foot to scream louder.

The door to the shop flies off its hinges. Inside is a raging inferno with a terrifying creature hulking towards them. "Those who cross the son of hell shall suffer the Queen's vengeance!"

The cloaked man is surprisingly quick for his size as he disappears down the alleyway.

Sakura's frozen, knees knocking together as she drops to the pavement underneath. The bird, still halved, lies against her, rubbing its bill on on her knuckles while smearing gore on her skirt and legs.

The angry lava monster fizzles out to the shop's protector. Flames evaporating to reveal an untouched store. "Can I see the book, now?"