Vampire Knight: Strings of Light and Darkness
Prologue
"She seems precious to you, Lewis-san." Asato Ichiou shook hands with a man in his sixties, dressed in a suit. This man, who the council and the association refer to as Dr. Fumito Lewis, is one of the greatest scientists living at that time. Despite having an aristocrat vampire present beside him, he seemed unwavered. His eyes were fixed at the black haired bubbly girl in front of him.
"Otou-san!" The girl called onto him. Fumito reached out his hand to the girl who started running towards him.
"Oh, Haha!" The girl giggled with delight as she felt herself flying as her adoptive father raised her to the air.
"Isn't this a marvelous sight?" Takuma said as his eyes traced the girl that the famous scientist is holding in his arms. He turned his attention to Kaname, who also looked at the sight with softness in his eyes.
Takuma rested his back to the sofa and looked back to the girl.
Her cheerfulness must have reminded Kaname of his dear sister…
Eye donation, was it? Kaname closed his eyes. This momentary peace…It certainly fruited to something. For a member of the Hio to willfully help a member of the association test and know the effect of a pureblood's organ transfer to a mere human… He sighed. Though I support this idea of peace, this is certainly madness for both parties. He felt the presence of the vampires around him- including the unwanted attention he gets from the council.
This is certainly madness, or he must have been too desperate to die with his old age. Kaname opened his eyes and looked at the girl. Too desperate to be freed from his prison, from the council, from the weary life of immortality…disguised within this idea of peace.
The ball, where the vampires and vampire hunters alike attend to, seemed like the materialization of this peace. However, deep within their hearts were desires- desire for blood, greed, and power- all repressed by the authority of the Kuran head and the deadly weapons the hunters possessed.
"Kaname-sama, I'm so pleased to see you again." Ruka said as she caressed Kaname's hand. Aidou, who was behind her, flared with jealousy; Akatsuki just sighed and shook his head.
Hanabusa... don't make any scene…
The group was ushered to a sofa and was all asked to be seated. At their place, they could see all the people meddling, dancing and drinking wine. Ichiou and his companions, the scientist and the blind girl, approached them.
"Kaname-sama." Ichiou bowed with respect to the head of the Kuran. "I'm sure you have heard about Dr. Lewis, and his daughter. They wanted to see you." Ichiou said and signaled the two humans to come forward. The scientist bowed and his daughter did a cheerful curtsy.
S-S-She's blind… Hanabusa thought as she saw the little girl's hazel eyes- innocent and void.
"Thank you." It was all that Dr. Lewis could say. He was thrilled when he first heard of the dangerous experiment, but after knowing and taking care of the little girl for years, he has long hesitated of the peril that might happen to her. He was afraid the girl's smile would fade…
"THANK YOU!" The bubbly girl repeated the same words her father uttered and made a big circle in the air with her hands and even stood on her toes. "THIS BIG!" she chuckled, innocent of what her father was grateful to the strangers she couldn't even see.
"Now, now Kira-chan. Don't get too excited with our sponsors." Dr. Lewis patted her daughter on the head. "It's alright." Kaname, who seemed amused, has at last spoken.
"Are you, Kaname-sama?" The little girl called Kira asked and held out her hand as if reaching him. The two elders beside her tried to put her arms away, but Kaname stopped them and held the child's hand. The girl chuckled and held Kaname's hand and Takuma's, mistaking Takuma's hand for the other hand of Kaname.
"I'm very sorry if Otou-san is so unexpressive of his ungratefulness, so in his behalf I'm gonna sing for you!" Kira giggled and held those hands towards her chest. Dr. Lewis looked proud and turned sulky after a moment. Ruka and Aidou closed their fists with jealousy towards the girl who nonchalantly touched Kaname's hands.
Takuma blushed while Kira started swaying and closed her eyes.
"On sullen days, across your hearts,
Hear this song and remember,
Soon you'll be, filled with love,
Once upon a full moon's light."
I-I-It's nice… Takuma thought. It feels like a lullaby…
"Did you like it? Kaname…-sama?" The girl asked innocently and held one hand she thought was Kaname's, but actually was Takuma's, and continued to close her eyes. Kaname chuckled lightly to everyone's surprise and looked at Takuma who was flustered. "Yes, thank you."
Kira jumped happily and did a little curtsy. "I can feel the warmth of your hand…"She smiled, "You are a good person and a loyal one…" She hopped to her father who was holding her from behind and waved to the group, which for her was once a dark space now suddenly filled with different colors.
Kaname looked at the little girl going away while resting his chin on his knuckles.