Once upon a time…

There was a school, a school that still exists today, but hidden from the eyes of Man. This was a very special school, most things that are hidden are, but this school, this academy, was not just a place of learning for the young minds of future generations, but a safe haven for all that is inhuman. Creatures of the night, beings of the supernatural, entities of numerous shapes and sizes come to this place to learn in the safety and comfort it provides and shields them from the biased and cruel humans that would have destroyed them as they had tried so in the olden times of ancient history.

But recently, this school, and the grounds from which it was built on, has had a new arrival, one that has hidden their presence well from the unsuspecting students, even the faculty…

Nearing the end of the first semester, there were two students, both young girls and friends of one another. Well, perhaps they were more than just girls, it was a strict rule in the school that all students, including the working staff as well, must retain a human form to mask their true shapes, the reasons being are to better learn how to blend into human society. But these two girls did not appreciate such a crucial regulation as they were walking to their class together, enthused as any teenager would be to arrive to school, as parts of their true forms began to manifest and ripple from their human disguises. One's eyes were like that of an insect, blue and made of hundreds of tiny hexagons that shimmered and glinted in the dull sunlight whereas the other's neck was long and boneless, wiggling and writhing impulsively as her head bobbed and swayed in an unnatural and yet seemingly casual manner.

As they continued to walk the gravel road that led to morning class, surrounded by the outlandish pale trees and grim, foggy scenery that surrounded them, seemingly not at all bothered or disturbed by the ominous scenery, one of them spoke with a playful tone, "Hey Hikari-chan." She said, earning her friend's curious attention.

"What's up?" Hikari responds.

"You heard about the new rumor buzzing around the campus lately?" Hikari's friend inquires, hoping her friend was unaware.

Hikari seemed indeed curious, and admitted it by asking, "What rumor…?"

"That there's a man in the woods."

Hikari paused, she wanted to believe that her friend was just teasing, but the notion alone disturbed her, if not a little. "What do you mean…?" she asks.

Her friend could see the anxiety on her friend's face, and her smile stretched a little. "I mean, like, an actual human."

"I know that!" Hikari retorts, "I mean how would a human even be here?"

"I don't know…" She admits before regaining her mischievous smile as she added, "But I've heard that some students have heard voices in the woods, voices that probably belong to him. And that some say that a student was even attacked by him!"

"oh c'mon!" Hikari scoffed, "Now I know you're making this up!"

"I'm serious!" Her friend insisted, "Deadly serious!"

"Then why hasn't there been an alarm? Wouldn't have we all been sent home if that actually happened?"

"Well okay, the student who got hurt said he couldn't remember what happened, but that's still pretty suspicious if you ask me. I bet it's not just any human either, it's probably a hunter, like the ones from the stories!"

Hikari's face paled, slapping her friend's shoulder as she scolded her, "Don't even joke about that Yume-chan! You know that there's still some of them out there!"

Yume laughed at her friend's expense, "That's what makes it exciting, right?! Just think, there could be one watching us right now, in the fog, behind the trees, or maybe…HE'S BEHIND US!"

Hikari screamed, turning around, expecting some terrible figure looming over her, holding a bloody hatchet or loaded crossbow…only to see nothing but the looming fog devouring the trail behind them.

Yume giggled with uncontrollable glee, even after receiving a terrible glare from her unamused friend, she continued to laugh as though it were the best prank she had performed yet. Hikari slapped Yume's shoulder again, this time hard enough to hear her squeak with a hint of pain, "Ow…Jeez, Hikari…" Then retracted the hurtful expression like a mask and swapped back to her impish demeanor and said, "Jokes aside, I still think he's real, I mean when a student gets beaten up like that-"

"Who was the student?" Hikari asks.

"Oh…uhm, Saizou, I think…"

Hikari suddenly let out an exasperated sigh, "You idiot…"

"What?"

"That was Akashiya! She's the one that beat him up!"

"Wait, you mean the Vampire?"

"Now I really know you're full of it." She proceeded to walk ahead, not caring if she let her friend behind as Yume chased after her continuing her efforts to convince her otherwise.

Eventually their forms vanished in the mist, their voices gone silent, and at a tree not far from the main road, a figure laid hidden behind it. Knowing it was safe to emerge, the figure shifted and moved deeper into the forest, silently it crept as it made a casual stride, following the marks that only it would recognize, the marks that would lead it back to its sanctuary. By the time it had returned to its secret refuge it slumped down into a chair near a desk cluttered with tools, parchments and other belongings that were significant only to it. Its hand slithered to the back of its neck, caressing and rubbing it as it made a deep grumbling sigh from its nostrils. The hand found its way to the chin, feeling the greasy hair scrape against the callous skin. It was tired, hungry, low on precious reserves, and running out of time. It hoped for escape and feared what may become of it if it were discovered. It looked over to its desk again, looking at a closed note book. It thought for a moment as it stared blankly at that tiny, leathery book, then reached for it, tore out any remaining notes or sketches it may have had and pressed the inky tip of a pen against the musty paper.