Disclaimer: I do not own Maria-Sama Ga Miteru and its characters, credits to Konno Oyuki.

A/N: And so I have decided to continue 'Blood', but it probably will not turn out as long. Let's just see as the story progresses. I will not make any commitments yet as to the timing of the next posting, because I am still finalizing the next few chapters. I just thought I'd post the first one.

Just an added reminder: I do not want to rush the story, so as early as now, I would like to set expectations that Sachiko & Yumi's journey will not be easy. Meaning, it will take a few chapters before the issues are resolved and they get back together. You have been warned, in case you decide to discontinue reading the story.

This is no different from 'Blood' wherein it took quite a few chapters for them to actually be able to talk, then to be friends, then be soeurs, until they eventually became lovers in the last chapter.

Thanks to imoshen88, my beta reviewer. Any other errors or mistake are mine and mine alone.

If you haven't read 'Blood', I would suggest that you read at least the last chapter, because it is (in my opinion) a fitting Prologue for this story.

SUMMARY:

Yumi awoke to be a pure-blooded vampire. She had no choice but to leave Sachiko, despite having just admitted that they love each other. But despite their distance, the fact remains that she thirsts for Sachiko's blood.

Chapter 1: Conflicting Emotions

- - o 0 o - -

Sachiko

Sachiko sat elegantly on her chair, her back straight, her posture perfect, her face a mask of indifference and her gaze straight ahead, but unseeing. It was one Saturday afternoon, towards the end of October, and more than a month since Yumi had left. But to Sachiko, it already felt like a lifetime since she last saw her most beloved person. It had been a whole agonizing month, where she went through an emotional breakdown, her mind plunged into chaos and her heart had been shattered. But despite all that, despite still being such an emotional wreck, she was somehow improving. Not that the pain was fading or the loneliness was lessening, no she was still days, even months, or to her dread, probably years away from that. But at least, she was getting better at handling her emotions. She had years of training to back her up, in keeping her loneliness to herself, to be able to smile despite the pain, to be able to go by the necessities of everyday life as if everything was well and fine. She could put her stoic mask back on and act like the prim and calm Ogasawara that she was.

Even in front of her friends, Sachiko was back to how she used to be. Or at least, that was what she was aiming for. The pitying gazes were unnerving, especially on the days when she showed up at dinner with puffy red eyes. Their comforting words were also irritating, telling her that everything will be okay. But it was not, and it never will be. She just nodded her head whenever they said those words, not even bothering to make them understand the pain she was feeling, the emptiness in her heart as if half of her soul had been ripped off and taken away. No. No one would be able to understand how she feels, so there was no use in explaining herself.

Sachiko curled in on herself and enclosed her heart in a wall. Her friends told her that she wasn't alone in dealing with all this sadness, that they too missed her. Again, she chose not to say anything in reply. They were not the ones who was held close by Yumi that night, Yumi didn't kiss them senseless and told them that she loved them, they didn't feel Yumi's warmth and her elating scent when Sachiko fed off of her. No, no one would understand. They were not the ones who were filled with hope when Yumi started remembering their past together, they didn't understand the joy when Yumi stopped being awkward around her and when the younger girl went back to how she used to be when they were younger. The list went on and on, of the memories and the feelings she shared with Yumi. None of them felt what she felt. She was alone in this, not even her onee-sama would understand.

Sachiko shifted in her chair when their English teacher walked along the isle, close to where she was seated. She didn't want to be caught with her thoughts adrift, and she was thankful that she was able to pull herself back from her thoughts…

"Sachiko-san," their teacher called, "can you please translate this paragraph?"

She nodded her head "Yes", and stood up to do as she was asked. Despite her obliviousness, she was able to immediately glance at the book of the person beside her to know what they were discussing.

"The third paragraph?" She asked, just to be sure.

Her teacher nodded her head with a smile, a clear sign that she was unaware of Sachiko's inattentiveness earlier.

Her classmates looked at her in awe at the ease she translated the said texts. Really, it was child's play for someone like her who had been tutored in English conversations since she was a child. After finishing the said paragraph, she looked to her teacher to confirm if she got it right (of course I did, she mused).

"Good work, Sachiko-san."

Sachiko sat back down after giving a modest smile. It was only proper, after being praised.

It was not long after when she slipped back into her own world.

It had been a miracle for her to be sitting in this English class, as if everything was back to normal. Then again, with her upbringing, she knew she could pull it off. She was even effective in brushing aside the pain every time her classmates asked why her imouto was on an indefinite leave of absence. She had trained her heart to stay frozen (she was Lillian's Ice Princess after all) each time her name was mentioned. She had also prepared herself to come up with a default answer- "She is ill", Sachiko would say, "she was sent back home to live with her family and we don't know when she'll be back".

Even when someone would ask how she was feeling, Sachiko would still force herself to smile and say, "I am fine. Thank you for your concern." Because it was proper to do so, and because it was necessary to always look like she was fine…to not let them see how broken she was inside and for them not to realize how much of a struggle it was just to put that smile on her face.

But at night, while she lay awake in her bed, that was when she was unable to stop her silent tears from falling. Every night, she dreamed about Yumi and her smile, that despite the weeks that have gone by and despite knowing it was foolish, her heart still held a glimmer of hope that her little sister will come back. She wanted to believe that what she said in that letter was true…that Sachiko should await for her return, and that they will surely meet again.

That was the one thing that helped Sachiko in putting on this brave façade, Yumi's letter. The younger woman told her that she would be strong and try to live through her re-awakening (and there was never a time when Sachiko believed otherwise). But in exchange, Sachiko too had to be strong.

But before she received that letter and after waking up to find Yumi gone, the first emotion Sachiko felt was shock. She found it so hard to believe that despite admitting their feelings for each other, Yumi still left.

Then she was in denial, after tiring herself from crying that day, she awoke much later in the afternoon with a renewed surge of hope that Yumi would come back, that there was no way Yumi could manage being apart from her for that long. So she waited…

But minutes, turned into hours and hours turned into days, but still there was no sign of Yumi or any hint that she was coming back. That was the week of the school festival. So despite her loss, Sachiko performed a magnificent Cinderella. She even took no heed of the fact that she as playing alongside Suguru-san. After all, she was Ogasawara Sachiko, and she always (always) does what is expected of her.

But towards the beginning of October, when the school festival was finally over, and she didn't have anything else to occupy her mind…to help her in waiting for Yumi to come back, the cruel reality finally hit her…that her beloved was really gone and that she may never return. It was then that she lost herself.

For the first time since her awakening, her claws sharpened, her fangs elongated longer than they used to, and she was not in control of herself. She screamed a desperate scream. She laid waste to her room - destroying her bed, her curtains, her couch, everything and anything she could lay her claws on, anything that could ease the pain she was feeling, despite knowing it would all be useless. No one tried to stop her. With her sharpened senses, she knew her friends were just outside the door, waiting for her to tire herself out. When silence finally ensued, Sei-sama peaked inside to find her sprawled on the carpeted floor, heaving and weeping, weak and drained and shattered. She was a mess and looked like a mess too. Gone was the elegant and perfect heiress she was supposed to be, but at that time she didn't care. She should have been embarrassed when her friends saw her looking like that, but she wasn't.

She didn't leave her room for a while and missed school that week. In her head, she was still in denial that after finally making Yumi hers, her lover left her. It was still another few days after when she got over the 'denial' phase, pulled herself out of her bed and went to visit her onee-sama to ask again why Yumi needed to leave and why it was taking her this long to come back. She knew her grande soeur had explained everything to her before, about Yumi being a 'pure blood', but at that time, the weight of those words didn't really sink in. At that time, all that mattered to Sachiko was that Yumi may have left for whatever reason, but she will surely (undoubtedly) come back. She was delusional, holding onto a speck of hope that whatever the reason may be, Yumi loves her too unconditionally to ever bear to be apart from her for that long. So her onee-sama explained everything to her again…

"Try to understand, Sachiko, she did this for us, for you."

Sachiko was suddenly on her feet as a surge of adrenalin rushed to her head, "For me?! She did this for me?!" She was angry and hysterical, as the hope she had been holding onto with her dear life slowly diminished.

"Do I look well and fine now, onee-sama?! Did she have any idea what the results of her actions would be?!"

"Sachiko…"

Blood rushed to face as she shouted and as tears streamed down her face, "No she didn't! She could have told me. Together, we could have convinced the council that she was harmless, that we could handle her even if she awakens, that my blood can satisfy her hunger, and if that wasn't enough, she had all her friends to give her blood."

"She was scared."

"Scared? What about me…what about-" Her voice faltered as her sobs made it difficult for her to speak.

The rational part of her understood Yumi's reasons, that her imouto too didn't want to go and that it was the safest, the best, option to go with the Society. But the emotional, dominant, part of Sachiko was finding it hard to accept her beloved's decision.

She was so tired of crying, of hoping, of denying what was in front of her eyes…and the dominant emotion to her now was anger and loneliness and pain.

Her onee-sama pulled her into a hug and she allowed her to do so. She had not been held like this for the past week she was grieving because she allowed no one, not even her onee-sama, to see her. She had wanted to be alone…because she was.

And as if reading her train of thought, "You are not alone, Sachiko." Youko-sama said as she gently stroked her hair, "You still have me. You have us. And you are really no different from Yumi-chan, right?"

Sachiko momentarily pulled away and through swollen eyes, gazed at her onee-sama's black orbs.

"You chose to stay away from Yumi-chan at first, right? Because you too were scared...you were afraid of draining her. You chose not to tell her about your past together, despite wanting to so badly, because you believed that it was for the best. Even though you were hurting inside, even though you were longing to be close to her again. If it weren't for the fact that Yumi-chan offered her blood to you –"

Sachiko's eyes widened.

'Onee-sama knew?' she thought.

And in response to her surprised look, Youko-sama smiled, "Oh yes, I knew about it. Actually, the three of us, Sei, Eriko and I, had hinted at it. Because you are stubborn, you wouldn't have fed from Yumi-chan without that brave girl tempting you or pushing you to do so, right? You would have stuck to your ideals, pushing yourself to the limit of losing yourself, just so you could hold on to what you think was best. Now tell me, Sachiko, how was that any different from Yumi-chan's decision to leave, knowing that she would be dangerous to all of us, most especially to you?"

…

Her onee-sama had been right of course, but Sachiko will not admit that to her. She was stubborn that way.

But during that conversation, Sachiko chose to dwell into a different kind of emotion, something that would help her deal with her pain - Anger.

She had lost Yumi once before, but the pain of losing her again had shattered her this time. Maybe because the first time, it had been her fault, she almost killed Yumi, and she deemed it to be her penance.

But this time, she had done nothing wrong. Difficult as it might have been for her, and her upbringing may have forbidden it, she chose to be more open and honest to her feelings this time. She was sure that Yumi felt it too, the kind of love that she has for her. With every kiss, every touch and every pleasurable sensation that wracked their bodies as she fed off of her young lover that night, surely, Yumi felt just how much Sachiko loved her, desired her and needed her. And Sachiko was sure that her feelings were reciprocated, that Yumi loved her too. If so, why did she still opt to leave?

Her onee-sama had explained to her the situation, tried to make her understand the reason why Yumi had to leave, but still, to say goodbye in a letter? Really, where was the fairness in that?

She was finding fault at anything and everything Yumi did. Sachiko was rationalizing, justifying that Yumi was wrong to do what she did, and it fuelled her anger.

Yumi could have opted to stay for their love, could have chosen to be with her, so together, they could face the challenge head on. But no, she chose to do it alone, to leave her behind with this unbearable pain that despite the days that have gone by, did not disappear. If anything, it was getting worse.

She hated Yumi.

Or at least, that was what she wanted to feel. Hate. To help her move on. Not longing, not sadness…No. Because the longer she held on to hope-

Ring...

The bell rang signalling the end of the day's classes immediately halting her train of thoughts. Together with second year Pine class, Sachiko stood up, gave the usual greeting, and bowed to their teacher. She then proceeded to fix her things, picked up her bag and headed out the door.

She walked slowly towards the Rose Mansion, with her mind still adrift.

She had called her father after that conversation with her onee-sama, but was unable to reach him. She was only able to speak with him days later, and it was only then she redirected her anger. Sachiko realized that it shouldn't be Yumi she should be angry with, but the Society who took Yumi away.

During her phone conversation with her father, she was not at all surprised to hear when he said that he could not talk about Yumi just yet. But he did confirm that her imouto was at the Main Institute, kept in a well-secured room (why didn't he just admit that she was kept in a prison?), and was forbidden from accepting any visitors. He also mentioned that she had re-awakened and was currently not herself, so phone conversations were also out of the question. It was a clear message that she couldn't speak with her, nor see her at the moment. But the thought of Yumi being 'locked up' made her heart ache. She had wanted to rush to the Main Institute at that time, despite her father's warnings. But the rational side of her, which she was having a hard time listening to for the past month, knew that it was no use and that she should just wait.

'Wait?' She had wanted to scream. 'Didn't father know how maddening it was to just sit and wait for Yumi?!'

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton." A timid first year greeted her.

The girl's brown hair, so similar to that of her imouto's, caught her eye and made her stop in her tracks. Sachiko would have ignored the girl, pretended that she didn't hear her. But she had stopped and looked at her already, so she proceeded to nod her head in acknowledgment, thereby surprising the girl. She rarely, almost never, stopped by to acknowledge greetings such as this.

The girl, after bowing again, rushed away blushing.

Again… so much like her Yumi.

Sachiko tore her gaze away and went on her way. No. That girl is not Yumi. No one will ever replace her.

She was then unable to stop her displeasure from showing on her stoic face as her brows furrowed and her lips drew to a frown. Various conflicting emotions continued to swirl inside of her.

'Just come back to me already, Yumi…' She silently wished. '…because I am losing my mind waiting for you."

- - o 0 o - -

Shizuka

"Activate the limiting crystals" Dr. Kanina, the head scientist said.

One of the associates pressed the button and a shock of electricity shot from the crystals around the girl's neck, wrists and ankles, into girl's body, paralyzing her.

Kanina Shizuka's brows furrowed in displeasure at what her mother ordered, and at what the associate did.

Yumi-san's whole body convulsed as a high voltage of electricity passed through her body, rendering her weak and helpless despite her apparent strength and prowess.

"She's just hungry, let the human volunteer enter as soon as the pure blood is weak. But don't overdo it, she needs to be conscious to be able to feed properly." Dr. Kanina ordered.

Does the council know what mother is doing? Shizuka thought angrily.

She watched in horror as the 'pure blood' that used to be Fukuzawa Yumi, lay nearly unconscious on the bloodied floor. No matter how many times Shizuka saw her in this form, she even watched the video when the girl first re-awakened, she still could not believe that the person (not creature) before her was the same innocent-looking girl she brought to the main institute more than a month ago. With the girl's golden eyes, her pale glistening skin, her sharp features and her lithe slender body, Shizuka could not believe that this person could be as dangerous as her mother believed her to be. If it were not for her long pointed fangs and her sharp claw-like nails, no one would think that this girl was a monster.

Shizuka jumped in surprise as yet another shock of electricity hit the girl.

"I think she could not fight back now, mother." Shizuka whispered.

Her mother looked at her with that calculating gaze of hers. It unsettled her somehow, but she held the older woman's gaze. It was a second later before Dr. Kanina eventually said, "Shizuka is right. That's enough."

Shizuka stopped herself from breathing a sigh of relief, not with her mother still observing her. So she maintained her indifferent expression as she just looked down at the room below again. She was standing in front of the one-way mirror, in a room almost a floor above the girl's room (more like a prison, she thought), where the scientists stayed to observe the 'pure blood' below.

There were countless times when Shizuka doubted if she made the right decision of following her mother's request to bring Yumi-san in. But it's too late for that now. She should have realized this weeks earlier, when her junior was still herself and not lost within that creature's subconscious. And that was what Shizuka truly believed, that despite the fact that it had been more than a month since she last saw the real person inside that shell of a body, Yumi-san was still in there somewhere, waiting for the creature's thirst to be satiated.

Her heart ached again at the sight of Yumi-san's body, which lay crumpled onto the floor. These days, this was how the girl looked like. She was not the graceful sauntering creature, who was so alluringly beautiful that she awakened to be, but a weak and helpless person rendered unconscious by her (and all other infected's) weakness, electricity.

Shizuka turned her attention back to the room below as a lone figure of a woman entered the door. The woman's eyes were framed by simple black glasses, her hair was similarly black and cut up to her shoulders, a little longer than hers.

The woman approached Yumi-san, and proceeded to crouch down beside the younger girl. She then extended her arm and offered her wrist.

"This is a new experiment, Shizuka. I think feeding that girl with fresh human blood, instead of the bagged human blood she had been drinking for the past weeks, could hasten in satisfying the pure blood's unending hunger."

"Yes, mother." Shizuka replied in a voice devoid of emotion. But deep inside, she desperately wished that this experiment proves to be effective.

'Get better already, Yumi-san, so that you can get away from this place', were the thoughts Shizuka kept to herself.

- - o 0 o - -

A/N: Let me know your thoughts. Good day!