Reunion
The streets of Tokyo were filled with almost everything: man and woman, adult and child...
Human and vampire.
Hunter and prey.
Many remained unaware, oblivious to the real world around them. Only a selected few knew the truth, but then they themselves had to be outcasts of society. They had to take sides on a war that raged on since ancient times, seeking no end to the chaos and bloodshed.
One side, the hunters, were humans that trained since childhood to defeat creatures of the night and keep their existence a secret. From the shadows, they protect innocents and risk their lives every moment. Each of them were supplied with a lethal weapon specially designed to eradicate vampires, crafted at the very Hunter Society. Amazing strength and endurance are their assets, along with the lust of killing vampires either out of justice or revenge.
The other side, the vampires, have strict classifications that are relevant to kingdoms. At the very top ruling all vampires are the purebloods;immortal since birth, not a speck of human blood in their lineage. Next were the aristocrats, those with human lineage, but had powers lower than the purebloods'. The common vampires followed and then the former humans who were considered scum. They were cruelly mistreated until they lose their sanity and fall into Level E, acting upon instinct and mindlessly attacking humans.
In order to keep peace among the regular humans, the war is fought secretly unless one side begins to act rough. However, both sides recently became irritated and rowdy...
All because of two individuals...
Although they stood right in the middle of a busy crowd, not a single person grazed their skin or knocked them off balance. the humans were too intimidated by their beauty and sophistication to even approach them. Not to mention the frightening aura they gave. There was no national occasion, but their attire stood out from the crowd. Both of them stood prominently and elegantly, as if royalty was in their veins.
Countless voices rummaged through her head as she tried to sort them out. It was easier when her eyes were closed; her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"Do you hear anything?" her cousin calmly asked.
She sighed with disappointment while slowly opening her eyes. "No."
What was the point of gaining a new ability if it wasn't gonna help her? It wasn't like she asked for it; one day, she suddenly hears voices only she can hear. It was later when they realized it was thoughts that people around her were thinking, being as clear as if they were speaking out. Perhaps it was just a gift suddenly developed rather an inheritance from ancestors.
Both Kaname and Headmaster thought about this. Maybe it was a branch off of her human traits. Since she was quiet and unsociable for most of her life, the new talent became a contradiction of her lifestyle. Once she gained this ability, Mizuki and Kaname both thought of putting it to good use.
"I can't tell if we're ahead or behind," she said. "We'll have to keep moving to find out."
Kaname nodded, and together, they started forward, still being unconsciously avoided by the humans. Although the Kurans appeared calm and collected, their minds were racing, frantically searching for any unwelcomed stalkers. It was bad enough their own kin was hungry for their throats, but now even the Hunter Society wanted their heads before they turned to dust.
'Are you sure about leaving the Hunter Society?' Kaname asked in his head. He knew Mizuki would read his question and waited to see her response. As her forehead creased, she looked up at him with small annoyance.
"I'm not going back," she explained. "I can't go back...they retracted the offer, remember?" Mizuki looked ahead and suddenly appeared worried. He could see that the choice was affecting her, but thought that it was something she had to resolve on her own.
All arrows and guns were pointed at them the moment they stepped into the building. Mizuki expected this outcome, but it still irritated her that her former allies were now her enemies. But what worried her the most was Kaname's safety, since he was never affiliated with the Society to begin with. A three-barrelled gun was aimed at his left temple by an obnoxious hunter, but Kaname remained calm while asking a question in his head.
Mizuki answered with a nod and looked at the hunters in the eyes.
"We're not her to fight or shed blood." None of them relaxed, irritating her even further. "We just want to ask for help."
"You expect us to help you? When you are involved with the likes of him?"
She immediately toned down her irritation at the sound of her voice. It was just the person she wanted to see. Still elegant as ever, the president of the Hunter Society stood out just like Mizuki and Kaname in beauty and mystery.
The hunters lowered their weapons, allowing the Kurans to relax, although it was unnoticed by regular humans.
"Now..." The president looked at Mizuki skeptically. "Why have you come to us after two years?"
Mizuki kept it short and simple. "Rido's finally made his move. Yuki and Cross Academy are in danger. Kaname and I are on our way to stop him, but we can't do it alone, especially when we share the same blood."
Interestingly, she found it hard to hold hostility toward Rido Kuran, for she's been longing for family her whole life...and now she had to destroy her uncle.
The president's attitude didn't change, but that didn't stop the former hunter.
"He's getting stronger every day, and gathering more and more followers...even Level E vampires! All we ask for is a team of hunters to back us up."
Mizuki didn't expect what was coming next.
rather than quietly thinking, the president chuckled innocently while concealing her face behind a paper fan. She obviously thought something was funny, which made Mizuki worry.
"What makes you think we will help you now?" she asked, revealing a coy smile.
Mizuki stared at her frustratingly as Kaname closed his eyes, disappointed. Feeling the coldest chill down her spine, she feared the worst. It should have been obvious when the hunters threatened to kill them the moment the Kurans stepped in.
"Madam president..." The words barely came out in a whisper, but her voice quickly rose. "Two years ago...when Zero and I came, you said the Hunter Society will help me. That I will make the right choice!"
It was then that the president lost her temper. "You went too far with your choice!!" she shrieked as she closed up her fan and brought it down to her side, revealing the full expression of anger on her face. Her words struck Mizuki like a powerful whip, leaving scars that would be difficult to heal.
"In order for you to survive, you had to accept your vampirism," she explained. "That was true. HOWEVER...it was still your choice to join Kuran and become one with the Senate."
Kaname opened his eyes, which glowed with crimson, and glared at the president. She stood her ground, unafraid of his anger.
However, Mizuki just shook her head. "No...we abandoned the Senate! Ever since Kaname changed me into a pureblood, we've followed no one!"
"But you were willing to do so, were you not?!"
That caught her. No matter where they were, she couldn't deny that she was willing to follow the Senate, the government for the vampires, in order to be with Kaname. Mizuki could feel the tears building up, but none of them spilled. Her last resort turned out to be useless.
"Your ties with the Society are broken," the president reminded her. "You can't even call Toga Yagari your master anymore."
Unfortunately, that brought up memories Mizuki wanted to set aside for the moment. After revealing a light scowl, she composed herself and looked at the president pleadingly.
"...Cross Academy may be in danger," she repeated from before. "Won't you at least try to protect it from Rido Kuran?"
The president sighed and gave a sympathetic look before shaking her head. "We will take action, but it is not to support you. Not only are the Senate and Rido Kuran our enemies, but you two as well." She turned her back on them, officially denouncing Mizuki's title as a vampire hunter.
"The next time my men see you, your life will be on the line."
As she walked away, the hunters raised their weapons again and aimed then at the Kurans. Kaname eyed them curiously, but Mizuki stood speechless, staring after the president. She had no choice but to abandon her old life of a hunter, relying only on herself, Kaname and her friends at Cross Academy. Against someone as strong as Rido Kuran, they would have little chance of success.
Unless...Kaname was able to set his plan into motion.
Snapping Mizuki out of her thoughts, Kaname grabbed her elbow and lightly shook her. She looked up at him, seeing the concern on his face.
'There's nothing more we can do,' he thought. 'The longer we stay here, the closer Rido gets to the academy."
Mizuki quickly got her mind back on track, taking a deep breath and nodding. They took one last look at the hunters surrounding them, and the only thing they could see was hostility.
"Get out," one of them sneered.
Kaname immediately laid a hand on the doorknob as Mizuki slowly turned back. Together, the Kurans walked out in a casual pace, still aware that the weapons were aimed over their still-beating hearts.
Before they were too far, Mizuki decided to peek into their minds and discover their true thoughts. They weren't all that positive: everything she heard was either aout her and Kaname or vampires in general. A few of them even plotted ways to kill the cousins, ranging from random attacks to stealthy missions.
'...That's not fair.'
Her feet came to an abrupt halt; surprise and wonder washed over her face at the thought. Was the owner of that thought referring to the Kurans? It was bizarre for a feeling like sympathy to immediately pop out of a crowd of rude remarks.
Taking precaution, Mizuki slowly turned around and looked up at the main headquarters, scanning the premises for any visible human. It took a while to find him, but he was there. Up on the rooftop, watching curiously after the vampires, was a young man looked no older than Mizuki. He had snow white spiky hair with blue highlights at the tips. Cloaked in average hunter attire, he also had a lethal weapon by his side: a simple katana. But, considering it was provided by the Hunter Society, it was bound to be endowed with some kind of power.
The look in his eyes was a meld of anger and curiosity, leaving Mizuki stumped about his true disposition. She hoped to dig deeper into his mind, realize his thoughts...
"Mizuki."
She instantly turned back to Kaname, and knew he w confused despite his passive appearance.
'We need to hurry,' he urged in his mind. 'Rido needs to be stopped.'
Mizuki nodded and slowly began to follow him. As Kaname retreated into the empty district, she fought the sudden urge to look back at the hunter and understand his motives.
'If he was gonna pity us...why is he a hunter?'
She tugged on her long fingerless glove on her left arm. "This is frustrating," she murmured. "We need a lead."
Calmly, Kaname placed a hand on her shoulder. "Relax. Just concentrate on the thoughts that could point us somewhere."
After sighing frustratingly, Mizuki finally gave in and closed her eyes.
It was all a buzz at first, unable to make out anything. And then it was complete pandemonium. The moment she tugged on one mind, another one's thoughts got louder, getting in her way. She had to sift through all of them at once.
'Moving in closer to Cross Academy,' she heard in a dark tone.
Her eyes snapped open and the thoughts disappeared. Mizuki turned her head around the place, remembering exactly where the thought came from. Not too far away was a small alley that was completely ignored, perfect for escape.
The moment she moved, Kaname followed so closely, it was like he knew where they were going. Neither of them even grazed the humans' skin; they passed through too gracefully for a regular person. Once they reached the alley, the Kurans immediately dropped the human pretense and went to full speed. Everything around them became a blur; wind lashed at their already-cold skin. Although their muscles continually retracted and stretched too many times in just one second, Mizuki and Kaname still had all their energy to use.
His eyes flitted to her. 'Hunters or vampires?' Kaname asked.
Mizuki shook her head. "I can't tell." Her voice was soft, like she was talking to him if they weren't even running too fast for the human eye to catch. "The only clue was that they're heading toward the school...and not in a good way."
There was a low growl in Kaname's throat. If anything happened to the school while Yuki was there... There would be no way for him to control his anger.
They went into a deep crouch at the end of the alley before leaping high into the air and landing softly on the rooftops. Starting into another sprint, Mizuki kept her mind open, checking for the same voice of the earlier thought.
As they ran, it was all but silent, hearing nothing but the wind as they sped by. Together, Kaname and Mizuki became frustrated when nothing was found. Growling at their empty handedness, they changed their direction toward the school, restarting their previous trek. Mizuki almost closed her mind indefinitely to give it some rest after the deep concentration.
'Got 'em.'
Her feet skidded on the cobblestone rooftop they were on, and Kaname stopped a few feet ahead.
"Mizuki?" He spun around to face her. "What is it?"
Not answering immediately, her eyes flickered around, trying to find the thought again. Mizuki didn't want to risk opening her mind again, when everyone's thoughts would flood in simultaneously, breaking her concentration.
Instead, she relied on her superhuman instincts. She tried to hear every whisper of the wind, every drop of water. She tried to see every passing insect that flew by, every particle of dust. She sniffed the air for any kind of scent that seemed different.
She took one glance in Kaname's direction...and stared with shock.
"Get down!"
He instantly dropped down, crouching as low as he could into the cobblestone rooftop. As Kaname's leg stretched out and his head craned upward, a crazed figure with its claws stretched out soared over his form, launching itself at Mizuki.
She readied her stance; her eyes already began to glow a blood curling crimson. Slightly crouching, Mizuki waited for the figure to be close enough.
And then she did a backflip, stetching her legs out and ensnaring the ambusher by the neck as he flew by. Although she was performing a perfect handstand, all her strength was in her legs as she held him tight while finishing the flip. The mysterious figure wrestled and thrashed to release itself, but it had no avail.
Mizuki swung her legs forcefully, throwing the figure off the ledge and into the side of the next building, shattering two windows and a whole section of bricks. Glass shards and crumbling cement fell five stories down to the ground; they were lucky it was only an alleyway, where no human dared of trespassing in the middle of the night.
After completing her flip, Mizuki crouched on the very edge and glared down at the figure. It was still stuck in the indent of the building, but made no motive of moving when it revealed eyes as bright as hers. Both of their lips curled into sneers, revealing gleaming white fangs that ached to tear the other's flesh apart.
'Fucking pureblood,' she heard him think. And that set her off.
With a growl escaping her teeth, Mizuki launched herself off the edge and shot at the vampire with incredible force. she clutched his shoulders and dug her nails in; with the blood pouring into her palms, it made her desire grow even more. Unfortunately, the vampire brought his legs in and sprung out of the indent, sending the both of them flying. He wrapped his claws around her wrists and wrenched her fingers out of his shoulders, locking her arms in place. In one swift movement, he moved both of her wrists in one hand, using his free one to grab her neck.
As the both of them plummeted to the ground, Mizuki noticed that she would be the first to hit the concrete; no doubt her opponent would be able to use her resisting force to get out unscathed. No way was she gonna let that happen.
Her legs were finally going to be put to use. When they reached the third story, Mizuki twisted her abdomen, wrapping her legs around the vampire and catching him off guard. With a twist of her abdomen again, she flung the him away, making him lose his grip and finally release her wrists. Both of them twirled in the air, both speeding down to the ground level. Mizuki curled up in a ball, using her even weight to set herself upright before landing. Once they were close enough, she stretched out her limbs and readied herself for the impact between her feet and the ground. The tips of her toes bounced lightly on the concrete, and she finally set herself upright on solid ground.
The vampire curled up in a ball himself and landed on a fire escape, glaring down at Mizuki again. He waited for a moment to strike, a chance to catch her off guard...
But bountiful bricks began to dig their way out of their building to their own accord. Dust and fragments of cement fell to the ground as multiple bricks surrounded Mizuki, protecting her from every angle. It confused the vampire why she would need protection until the bricks began to fling themselves in his direction, smacking him in his chest, face; they were even hitting him below the belt.
He backed away, hit after hit, going father down the fire escape. Once the vampire laid a hand on the railing, the railing itself curled and wrapped around his figure, ensnaring him in a cage as it dropped down to the ground.
From above Mizuki, Kaname dropped gracefully to the ground in front of her, holding his stance easily as he glanced behind him.
"You can do more than just read minds, you know," he poked. "Don't forget the powers in your blood."
Mizuki pouted. "Shut up. I was getting to that part."
At that moment, a dozen figures suddenly circled around them, blocking off any escape routes. Even up on the rooftops, five vampires looked down with red eyes that gleamed in the dark night. Some of them didn't have weapons, because they were already ferocious enough with their razor sharp teeth and nails like talons. One of them had a sphere created by artificial lightning in his palm, ready to throw it at the Kurans. Another had knives between each of his knuckles, holding them up to taunt the purebloods.
Mizuki and Kaname stood back to back, showing no sign of fear.
'An ambush,' Mizuki heard in Kaname's head.
She nodded. "And vampires, too. So that means..."
"It's a family reunion."
Both of their faces fell into complete shock. Neither of them could move a muscle. Not because of a power...but because of fear mixed with anger. They didn't know how to react to seeing someone so powerful and evil. Despite their preparation for a battle against him, Mizuki and Kaname didn't expect to meet him so soon. So suddenly.
From the end of the alley that Mizuki was facing, the vampires began to clear a path, but not for them. One lone figure slowly walked up from the shadows with hair as dark as Kaname's, but curlier. His stance was that of a gentleman, but all of them knew he was far from gentle and kind...very far. It was obvious he was a Kuran...except for the heterochromatic eyes he obtained. One of his eyes was a deep crimson while the other was blue: a trait that was easy to track whenever he used his special ability of transferring his soul into other bodies.
Although he smiled kindly to his stunned relatives, Mizuki and Kaname didn't share the same type of hospitality. The only thing that was running through their heads was who was going to die first. They couldn't formulate a plot, though, for they knew it would immediately die from failure.
"What?' the vampire suddenly asked. "No hugs?"
The idea of being familiar and warm with him instantly set them off. Mizuki and Kaname's irises glowed a deadly crimson red as Kaname turned to face him; growls were building up in their throats. They hoped their search and hunt would be over soon. Now was their chance. Mizuki couldn't help but glare infuriatingly.
"No fucking way would we greet you...Rido Kuran."
Yeah. Just trying to see how it is when I started up the story again. Review if ya like.
