p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" The wind blew Yuki's hair in front of her eyes. It had been almost six months since Kaname had cast his heart into the fire in order to spawn a new generation of vampire hunter weapons. The pain of losing her brother/lover still throbbed in her heart as she stood at the gates of the Moon Dormitory - the dorm that used to belong to the Night Class before it was shut down in a joint action by herself and President Cross of the Hunter Society./span/p
p style="text-indent: .5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The dorm had been permanently converted into a smaller headquarters for the Hunter Society as the Society's primary headquarters were temporarily a crime scene. Ther hunters poured over letters, contracts, and other paperwork trying to understand how their former President had formed a secret alliance with the vampire Senate. Kain Cross, Yuki's adoptive father, was still the acting president of the Hunter Society while Zero was on a solo mission in the mountains attempting to gain control of the increased strength the Bloody Rose had gained because of Kaname's sacrifice as well as his own vampire powers./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki stepped silently into the front hall which was now buzzing with young hunters rushing paperwork or weapons to one senpai or another. It had been only a few months since she'd been the Night Class dorm's President and only a few years since the Night Class was first created by Kaname and Cross./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Odd, isn't it?" Aido stood slightly behind her and was glancing up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "I never used to think about my future aside from being afraid of separation from Kaname." Aido had arguably been Kaname's most loyal supporter and after his death Aido pledged his loyalty to Yuki. Like Kaname, Yuki generally refused to use her pureblood powers to control other vampires - she wanted those who served her to do so for their own reasons./span/p
p style="text-indent: .5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Following Kaname's death, the Aristocracy was reestablished and Aido's father was elected president. The few purebloods that remained in the world had abdicated their own positions of power and retired from public life in order to avoid involvement in politics. In a convenient twist of fate, the Aristocrats who had endeavoured to destroy the purebloods and control both human and vampire populations had been mostly wiped out during the battles of the last year. Those who had not been killed had been placed on the Hunter Society's execution list./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki and Aido wandered through a maze of boxes and weapons to Kain Cross's office which had been converted from Kaname's old bedroom. Yuki looked around, it was strange being back in this room which had alternately held love and fear for her./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""My darling Yuki!" Cross exclaimed, fatherly affection shining in his eyes. Yuki let him embrace her. She valued such actions more since Kaname's death./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""What a delightful surprise! Did you come just to pay a visit to your dear father?" Cross beamed./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki laughed, "I'm here to ask you a favor, I want to know where Zero is. It's been a month since he went on this 'training mission.'"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Cross sighed, "To be honest, I don't know exactly where he's gone or when he'll be back. He knows he's expected to become President of the Society someday so I get the feeling he's taking advantage of the freedom he still has."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki glanced out the window. The snow was melting in the gardens below, revealing how unkempt they'd grown in the absence of Kaname's attentions. A stab of pain jolted her chest, Yuki knew that his sacrifice was necessary for the survival of human and vampire alike. She also knew that a life as Kaname's consort would have been, for her, a life in a gilded cage. But still, as her brother and her lover, she missed him. She missed the safety he ensured her and the certainty that she would be always loved by him./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Yuki…" Cross was looking at her with a concerned face, "Don't worry about Zero, he can take care of himself. He'll be back when he's back."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki took a deep breath and grinned, "Of course, President!"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Call me Father…" Cross groaned. But Yuki was already two steps from the door with Aido on her heels./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Once they were outside, Aido asked, "So? What's the plan? I'm assuming you aren't going to let it go like the President wants you to…" Aido's absolute loyalty was contradicted by a wish that his charge would simply sit at home and behave herself. Over the last month he'd been dragged on Yuki's various peacekeeping ventures in which she met with the remaining purebloods and aristocrats trying to form a more tolerant and human-friendly vampire society. Aido respected that Yuki was carrying out Kaname's goals - this was much of the reason he remained at her side - however, he constantly worried for her safety because he knew that some aristocrats viewed purebloods like Yuki as an impediment to success and power. Though Aido knew Yuki would never forcibly control other vampires, he understood why the aristocrats didn't like the idea that the power was even available to her. The Aristocrats governed all vampires but this was tempered by the knowledge that any pureblood could take this power away at a whim. Yuki's death, and the death of the other purebloods would be advantageous to Aristocrats who were uncomfortable with this threat to their power./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki stared determinedly out at parked car waiting for her in the drive. "I'm not giving up on Zero now. He may say he wants to be out there alone but I've had enough of his self-imposed martyrdom. Besides, how am I supposed to build relationships between the vampires and the hunters if the future president is off sitting under waterfalls somewhere in the mountains. It's time for him to come home and take responsibility for his own future and the people he's supposed to lead. And Aido, I have a job for you too: go home and convince your father to help you track down the remaining purebloods. It's dangerous work, I don't know how receptive all of them are to outsiders at this point, but I can't send anyone that I don't trust completely." Additionally, she broke her rule of never commanding other vampires and ordered Aido to obey her once he'd agreed to undertake this task. She feared that an evil pureblood might see him as a potential pawn but a commandment of loyalty from her would prevent anyone else from controlling him./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido gave her credit, Yuki thought of everything. She might even be more clear headed than Kaname who tended to become distracted by his own emotions to the point where it clouded his judgement./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""If that's how you think I'll best serve you, I'll do the best I can. But, can I ask, what is it you want with these purebloods?"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki replied, "It's no secret that not all purebloods have good intentions so I'm taking a know-thy-enemy approach. If there are people opposed to my plans, I'd rather know who they are and what they're up to. Also, it's clear that some of the more powerful aristocrats, those that survived the battles anyway, don't want the purebloods around. If we're all in communication with each other, we might prove too formidable for any upstart aristocrat to think about stirring up a new rebellion. My goal is peace, for vampires, humans, and hunters. It may be idealistic but I feel like I have to try. Kaname died for this goal, so I must live for it."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido looked at Yuki, standing in front of the Hunter society temporary headquarters, hands on her hips and head held high. It's strange how only a few months ago she had been a scared fledgling vampire hiding behind Kaname (figuratively if not literally). Aido had been a part of her growth since the time she defied Kaname in order to save her friends. He didn't always agree with her plans and he wished she'd be more careful but at the same time his loyalty to her was due to her determination regardless of the difficulty of the task at hand./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""All right," he said, "I'll do what you ask. Promise me you'll be careful though. There's still a lot of vampires that don't like you and that will be especially true once they find out what you're trying to achieve. I think several people had hoped Kaname's plans had gone into the fire with his heart. And you're still young, don't do anything stupid."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With that they climbed into the waiting car and sped off back toward Yuki's home./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"…/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Two days had passed since Yuki had visited the Hunter Society seeking information about Zero. Cross had reluctantly sent her some notes on what he did know: Zero had headed North, into the mountains, to spend some time undergoing physical training. He was also abstaining from blood because he couldn't reconcile the idea of being Hunter Society President while feeding on the blood of humans himself. He had been adamant about not relying on blood since it was revealed that the former President had been taking gifts of vampire blood to increase his own power. Cross also knew that the Kiryu family owned a cabin in the forest which they retreated to for training before they were murdered and it was fairly likely that Zero would have gone there. Cross provided Yuki with a map showing the approximate location of the cabin but for the most part, she'd have to rely on her enhanced senses to track him down in the forest./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido had left on his mission leaving Yuki alone. She had inherited vast wealth upon Kaname's death. She'd sold all of her residences to aristocrats eager to increase their social standing by residing in the home of the progenitor and purchased a new house for herself. It was in the town just below Cross Academy which had been reopened with only a Day Class. Yuri and the few others who retained their memories of the past few months often gathered at Yuki's home to reminisce about the Night Class and the happier days when Cross was simply the president of the Academy and Yuki and Zero were merely overworked disciplinary committee members. Yuki liked having these students near her. So many of the aristocrats either treated her like a china doll or they treated her with false reverence waiting for some chance to get rid of her. Her human friends still treated her as their classmate even though she'd long since left the school./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki's home was a quaint, two-bedroom abode. It was decorated with fresh flowers and bookshelves to house the library of volumes on hunter and vampire history she'd inherited from Kaname and her parents. Though a poor student at Cross Academy, Yuki had dedicated herself to the study of vampire history; she wanted to understand her own kind and those who fought against them. Yuri had actually done much of the furnishing for the house, going through the numerous mansions Yuki inherited and deciding what should be brought to the new home and what should be sold. Yuki had been so busy in diplomatic affairs with the Aristocrats that she neither cared nor had the time to furnish her home. Yuri, Yuki's most patient human friend, took it upon herself to make sure Yuki would be comfortable./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuri had been Yuki's friend since they were children and she was the first to discover Yuki's identity as a vampire. She had never questioned nor feared Yuki nor had she changed the way she acted toward Yuki. Yuri remained the concerned friend who worried about whether Yuki was eating and sleeping enough. After arriving at Yuki's house one day to find her fast asleep, head resting on an open book, piles of dirty clothes on the floor, and surrounded by half eaten bags of chips and candy bars, Yuri went straight to Aido demanding he secure the services of a housekeeper. Yuki was grateful for her friend who was in no way concerned for her own safety in a house inhabited and staffed by vampires but was terribly concerned about the state of her friend's health, house, and wardrobe./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuri had helped Yuki purchase all the gear and clothes she'd need in her trek through the mountains to find Zero. Yuri had even offered to go along but Yuki refused believing this a task she had to take on alone. However, as she stood on the threshold, backpack slung over one shoulder and sun beating down on her head, Yuki hesitated. She'd never been much of a hiker and she'd certainly never gone searching for someone in the woods. Perhaps this was a crazy venture and she should just wait for Zero to come home on his own. Yuki shook her head to clear it. No. She needed Zero home if her plans for peaceful coexistence between vampires, hunters, and humans were to be realized. She tossed her pack into the waiting car and the driver started off toward the trailhead. As they drove, Yuki went over her supplies in her head: water bottles, blood tablets, tent, extra socks (three pairs at Yuri's insistence), and a change of hiking clothes. Yuri told Yuki that depending on the length of her trek, she could change clothes everyday and wash the unworn set in any streams she found. Still, Yuki hoped that it wouldn't take more than a few days of backpacking to find Zero./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"…/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The car dropped her at the trailhead and she watched it drive back toward civilization in a cloud of trail dust. Fortunately, the mountains weren't far from her home and it had only been an hour car ride. Still, her joints felt stiff and she stretched before slinging her pack onto her back. She set her face with determination and started up the trail./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"One of the best parts about being a vampire was the incredible stamina and strength. Though her pack easily weighed forty pounds, Yuki barely noticed it at all. She also didn't require anything more than blood tablets as sustenance so she was able to hike all day without having to stop. As evening neared, Yuki consulted Cross' map. According to the directions, she'd have to continue up this trail for another two hours and then head West for another six. Then, if Cross's estimations were correct, she'd arrive in the vicinity of the Kiryu's mountain residence and it would only take a little searching to find the house itself./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki decided to stop for the first time since the morning and rest for a minute. She didn't feel tired but she imagined Yuri's worried face demanding that she not overexert herself on her first day out. Yuki sat down by a stream just off the trail. She unlaced her boots and stuck her hot feet into the icy water. Her mind had been clouded with thoughts of Zero all day and for the first time she noticed the sounds of the forest. She closed her eyes and let the bubbling water, birdsong, and rustling leaves wash over her. It was the first time she'd been alone in a long time. Either Aido or Yuri had been always at her side working on plans for the future. She missed the solitude she'd often had when she patrolled the campus as a disciplinary committee member. She missed those days, she missed Zero./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With that thought she opened her eyes. She hadn't given much thought to her feelings about Zero this entire time. She'd been so focused on the task at hand that it really hadn't occurred to her to address her own feelings. Her mind drifted back to the time he'd kissed her. He kissed her despite knowing that she was the creature he despised above all others - the creature who's kind he'd vowed to eliminate: a pureblood vampire. Her heart jumped a bit at the memory and she reached down and splashed water on her face. This was not the time to revisit those types of feelings. She needed to focus, she needed Zero as an ally before anything else and feelings would just impede that goal./span/p
p style="text-indent: .5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The dorm had been permanently converted into a smaller headquarters for the Hunter Society as the Society's primary headquarters were temporarily a crime scene. Ther hunters poured over letters, contracts, and other paperwork trying to understand how their former President had formed a secret alliance with the vampire Senate. Kain Cross, Yuki's adoptive father, was still the acting president of the Hunter Society while Zero was on a solo mission in the mountains attempting to gain control of the increased strength the Bloody Rose had gained because of Kaname's sacrifice as well as his own vampire powers./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki stepped silently into the front hall which was now buzzing with young hunters rushing paperwork or weapons to one senpai or another. It had been only a few months since she'd been the Night Class dorm's President and only a few years since the Night Class was first created by Kaname and Cross./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Odd, isn't it?" Aido stood slightly behind her and was glancing up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "I never used to think about my future aside from being afraid of separation from Kaname." Aido had arguably been Kaname's most loyal supporter and after his death Aido pledged his loyalty to Yuki. Like Kaname, Yuki generally refused to use her pureblood powers to control other vampires - she wanted those who served her to do so for their own reasons./span/p
p style="text-indent: .5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Following Kaname's death, the Aristocracy was reestablished and Aido's father was elected president. The few purebloods that remained in the world had abdicated their own positions of power and retired from public life in order to avoid involvement in politics. In a convenient twist of fate, the Aristocrats who had endeavoured to destroy the purebloods and control both human and vampire populations had been mostly wiped out during the battles of the last year. Those who had not been killed had been placed on the Hunter Society's execution list./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki and Aido wandered through a maze of boxes and weapons to Kain Cross's office which had been converted from Kaname's old bedroom. Yuki looked around, it was strange being back in this room which had alternately held love and fear for her./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""My darling Yuki!" Cross exclaimed, fatherly affection shining in his eyes. Yuki let him embrace her. She valued such actions more since Kaname's death./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""What a delightful surprise! Did you come just to pay a visit to your dear father?" Cross beamed./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki laughed, "I'm here to ask you a favor, I want to know where Zero is. It's been a month since he went on this 'training mission.'"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Cross sighed, "To be honest, I don't know exactly where he's gone or when he'll be back. He knows he's expected to become President of the Society someday so I get the feeling he's taking advantage of the freedom he still has."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki glanced out the window. The snow was melting in the gardens below, revealing how unkempt they'd grown in the absence of Kaname's attentions. A stab of pain jolted her chest, Yuki knew that his sacrifice was necessary for the survival of human and vampire alike. She also knew that a life as Kaname's consort would have been, for her, a life in a gilded cage. But still, as her brother and her lover, she missed him. She missed the safety he ensured her and the certainty that she would be always loved by him./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Yuki…" Cross was looking at her with a concerned face, "Don't worry about Zero, he can take care of himself. He'll be back when he's back."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki took a deep breath and grinned, "Of course, President!"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Call me Father…" Cross groaned. But Yuki was already two steps from the door with Aido on her heels./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Once they were outside, Aido asked, "So? What's the plan? I'm assuming you aren't going to let it go like the President wants you to…" Aido's absolute loyalty was contradicted by a wish that his charge would simply sit at home and behave herself. Over the last month he'd been dragged on Yuki's various peacekeeping ventures in which she met with the remaining purebloods and aristocrats trying to form a more tolerant and human-friendly vampire society. Aido respected that Yuki was carrying out Kaname's goals - this was much of the reason he remained at her side - however, he constantly worried for her safety because he knew that some aristocrats viewed purebloods like Yuki as an impediment to success and power. Though Aido knew Yuki would never forcibly control other vampires, he understood why the aristocrats didn't like the idea that the power was even available to her. The Aristocrats governed all vampires but this was tempered by the knowledge that any pureblood could take this power away at a whim. Yuki's death, and the death of the other purebloods would be advantageous to Aristocrats who were uncomfortable with this threat to their power./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki stared determinedly out at parked car waiting for her in the drive. "I'm not giving up on Zero now. He may say he wants to be out there alone but I've had enough of his self-imposed martyrdom. Besides, how am I supposed to build relationships between the vampires and the hunters if the future president is off sitting under waterfalls somewhere in the mountains. It's time for him to come home and take responsibility for his own future and the people he's supposed to lead. And Aido, I have a job for you too: go home and convince your father to help you track down the remaining purebloods. It's dangerous work, I don't know how receptive all of them are to outsiders at this point, but I can't send anyone that I don't trust completely." Additionally, she broke her rule of never commanding other vampires and ordered Aido to obey her once he'd agreed to undertake this task. She feared that an evil pureblood might see him as a potential pawn but a commandment of loyalty from her would prevent anyone else from controlling him./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido gave her credit, Yuki thought of everything. She might even be more clear headed than Kaname who tended to become distracted by his own emotions to the point where it clouded his judgement./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""If that's how you think I'll best serve you, I'll do the best I can. But, can I ask, what is it you want with these purebloods?"/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki replied, "It's no secret that not all purebloods have good intentions so I'm taking a know-thy-enemy approach. If there are people opposed to my plans, I'd rather know who they are and what they're up to. Also, it's clear that some of the more powerful aristocrats, those that survived the battles anyway, don't want the purebloods around. If we're all in communication with each other, we might prove too formidable for any upstart aristocrat to think about stirring up a new rebellion. My goal is peace, for vampires, humans, and hunters. It may be idealistic but I feel like I have to try. Kaname died for this goal, so I must live for it."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido looked at Yuki, standing in front of the Hunter society temporary headquarters, hands on her hips and head held high. It's strange how only a few months ago she had been a scared fledgling vampire hiding behind Kaname (figuratively if not literally). Aido had been a part of her growth since the time she defied Kaname in order to save her friends. He didn't always agree with her plans and he wished she'd be more careful but at the same time his loyalty to her was due to her determination regardless of the difficulty of the task at hand./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""All right," he said, "I'll do what you ask. Promise me you'll be careful though. There's still a lot of vampires that don't like you and that will be especially true once they find out what you're trying to achieve. I think several people had hoped Kaname's plans had gone into the fire with his heart. And you're still young, don't do anything stupid."/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With that they climbed into the waiting car and sped off back toward Yuki's home./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"…/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Two days had passed since Yuki had visited the Hunter Society seeking information about Zero. Cross had reluctantly sent her some notes on what he did know: Zero had headed North, into the mountains, to spend some time undergoing physical training. He was also abstaining from blood because he couldn't reconcile the idea of being Hunter Society President while feeding on the blood of humans himself. He had been adamant about not relying on blood since it was revealed that the former President had been taking gifts of vampire blood to increase his own power. Cross also knew that the Kiryu family owned a cabin in the forest which they retreated to for training before they were murdered and it was fairly likely that Zero would have gone there. Cross provided Yuki with a map showing the approximate location of the cabin but for the most part, she'd have to rely on her enhanced senses to track him down in the forest./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Aido had left on his mission leaving Yuki alone. She had inherited vast wealth upon Kaname's death. She'd sold all of her residences to aristocrats eager to increase their social standing by residing in the home of the progenitor and purchased a new house for herself. It was in the town just below Cross Academy which had been reopened with only a Day Class. Yuri and the few others who retained their memories of the past few months often gathered at Yuki's home to reminisce about the Night Class and the happier days when Cross was simply the president of the Academy and Yuki and Zero were merely overworked disciplinary committee members. Yuki liked having these students near her. So many of the aristocrats either treated her like a china doll or they treated her with false reverence waiting for some chance to get rid of her. Her human friends still treated her as their classmate even though she'd long since left the school./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki's home was a quaint, two-bedroom abode. It was decorated with fresh flowers and bookshelves to house the library of volumes on hunter and vampire history she'd inherited from Kaname and her parents. Though a poor student at Cross Academy, Yuki had dedicated herself to the study of vampire history; she wanted to understand her own kind and those who fought against them. Yuri had actually done much of the furnishing for the house, going through the numerous mansions Yuki inherited and deciding what should be brought to the new home and what should be sold. Yuki had been so busy in diplomatic affairs with the Aristocrats that she neither cared nor had the time to furnish her home. Yuri, Yuki's most patient human friend, took it upon herself to make sure Yuki would be comfortable./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuri had been Yuki's friend since they were children and she was the first to discover Yuki's identity as a vampire. She had never questioned nor feared Yuki nor had she changed the way she acted toward Yuki. Yuri remained the concerned friend who worried about whether Yuki was eating and sleeping enough. After arriving at Yuki's house one day to find her fast asleep, head resting on an open book, piles of dirty clothes on the floor, and surrounded by half eaten bags of chips and candy bars, Yuri went straight to Aido demanding he secure the services of a housekeeper. Yuki was grateful for her friend who was in no way concerned for her own safety in a house inhabited and staffed by vampires but was terribly concerned about the state of her friend's health, house, and wardrobe./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuri had helped Yuki purchase all the gear and clothes she'd need in her trek through the mountains to find Zero. Yuri had even offered to go along but Yuki refused believing this a task she had to take on alone. However, as she stood on the threshold, backpack slung over one shoulder and sun beating down on her head, Yuki hesitated. She'd never been much of a hiker and she'd certainly never gone searching for someone in the woods. Perhaps this was a crazy venture and she should just wait for Zero to come home on his own. Yuki shook her head to clear it. No. She needed Zero home if her plans for peaceful coexistence between vampires, hunters, and humans were to be realized. She tossed her pack into the waiting car and the driver started off toward the trailhead. As they drove, Yuki went over her supplies in her head: water bottles, blood tablets, tent, extra socks (three pairs at Yuri's insistence), and a change of hiking clothes. Yuri told Yuki that depending on the length of her trek, she could change clothes everyday and wash the unworn set in any streams she found. Still, Yuki hoped that it wouldn't take more than a few days of backpacking to find Zero./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;" align="center"…/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The car dropped her at the trailhead and she watched it drive back toward civilization in a cloud of trail dust. Fortunately, the mountains weren't far from her home and it had only been an hour car ride. Still, her joints felt stiff and she stretched before slinging her pack onto her back. She set her face with determination and started up the trail./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"One of the best parts about being a vampire was the incredible stamina and strength. Though her pack easily weighed forty pounds, Yuki barely noticed it at all. She also didn't require anything more than blood tablets as sustenance so she was able to hike all day without having to stop. As evening neared, Yuki consulted Cross' map. According to the directions, she'd have to continue up this trail for another two hours and then head West for another six. Then, if Cross's estimations were correct, she'd arrive in the vicinity of the Kiryu's mountain residence and it would only take a little searching to find the house itself./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Yuki decided to stop for the first time since the morning and rest for a minute. She didn't feel tired but she imagined Yuri's worried face demanding that she not overexert herself on her first day out. Yuki sat down by a stream just off the trail. She unlaced her boots and stuck her hot feet into the icy water. Her mind had been clouded with thoughts of Zero all day and for the first time she noticed the sounds of the forest. She closed her eyes and let the bubbling water, birdsong, and rustling leaves wash over her. It was the first time she'd been alone in a long time. Either Aido or Yuri had been always at her side working on plans for the future. She missed the solitude she'd often had when she patrolled the campus as a disciplinary committee member. She missed those days, she missed Zero./span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With that thought she opened her eyes. She hadn't given much thought to her feelings about Zero this entire time. She'd been so focused on the task at hand that it really hadn't occurred to her to address her own feelings. Her mind drifted back to the time he'd kissed her. He kissed her despite knowing that she was the creature he despised above all others - the creature who's kind he'd vowed to eliminate: a pureblood vampire. Her heart jumped a bit at the memory and she reached down and splashed water on her face. This was not the time to revisit those types of feelings. She needed to focus, she needed Zero as an ally before anything else and feelings would just impede that goal./span/p