Into the Sunlight
This story is in the anime continuity, and takes place after the final episode.
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Chapter 1: Curse of Durakura
Elda Marker gently brushed a hair from young Karin's eye. Karin gave the slightest sigh of contentment as she slept with her head upon Elda's lap.
She's adorable, Elda thought; though she wondered if this thought came more from maternal love or personal narcism. In truth their features were identical. Any human might assume they were twin sisters. Still despite what people think about Anju, Elda knew that Karin was the cutest.
On this particular night Elda had not been able to sleep. It was odd. Usually she had no trouble dozing off for decades at a time. Tonight, however, she was wide awake. Karin on the other hand seemed to go out with the sun. Still it was nice to spend time with her without any of the usual drama that plagued their family.
Karin stirred a bit but drifted back to sleep.
Finally the commercial ended. They had been watching a movie together. It was a beautiful love story about an aristocratic vampire searching for the reincarnation of his first love. What was it called? Durakura, or something like that.
The movie had a nostalgic feel to it. It reminded her of her own lost love: Alfred. Elda felt a tear moving down her cheek. She looked at Karin, whose own cheeks were beginning to redden. Her wishy washy thoughts were triggering Karin's blood affinity. Immediately Elda pushed all thoughts of Alfred Sinclair from her mind.
Karin's handbag began to play circus music. She recognized this as a ringtone, remembering how the cellular phone played 'Fly Me To The Moon' whenever that annoying Usui boy called. One of these days she'd send him to the moon. Who could that stupid circus tone be for?
Not wanting to wake Karin she grabbed the phone. It took her a moment to figure out how to answer.
"Moshi moshi."
"Karin my love, it is I Winner Sinclair."
Urgh! It's the idiot.
"Karin my love, there is a heaviness upon my heart; for though I know you are a vampire my affection for you has not diminished in the slightest. If I cannot be with you then I fear I may do something drastic. My mind is torn in conflict between the life of a vampire hunter and the life I dream of us sharing together. I fear that the relationship I've formed with Tokitou-san is nothing more than a shallow attempt to hide from my feelings but I do care for her enough so that I do not wish to hurt her. Please stop avoiding me. Meet me at Kobe park tomorrow at sundown. For I fear the telephone will not fully convey the passion and yearning I wish to express."
Elda tried to yell at him, but Winner wouldn't let her get a word in.
Far away Winner Sinclair gasped for air. He had said all of that in one breath.
What a drama queen, Elda fumed. Surely he was exaggerating or he would have demanded to see Karin right away. The Vampires' mouth salivated to think. Tomorrow there would be a boy insane with passion waiting all alone for a girl with a face just like hers.
Karin awoke. Gently she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Oh did I fall asleep?"
The following night Karin and Anju wondered through Kobe park.
Karin knew nothing about Winner's call. She was their because her blood increase was moving beyond the point of control. The blood increase had snuck up on her and she didn't want to bother Kenta for a bite while he was working.
She lurked in the bushes watching a promising prospect. A girl whose date was late and feared she'd been stood up. But just before Karin could attack the date showed up. She knew it was too much trouble to attack two people at once so she walked on.
Her face was red, her mouth dry, and her sinus' throbbed. Karin new she couldn't last much longer.
Meanwhile Elda watched Winner from her perch upon a tree. He too feared that he had been stood up. If Elda's blood affinity had been misfortune she would be in a mad bloodlust right now. Elda's blood affinity, however, was love. Her instincts told her to tease the boy a bit, wet her appetite, then suck his blood until he passes out. Still watching Winner she was struck by his resemblance to Alfred. She'd known they looked alike but avoided thinking of it before. Now the sensitive boy on the verge of heartbreak looked more like her lost love than ever before.
Elda thought of the movie she had watched last night, how the vampire had searched for the reincarnation of his lost love. She really hated how that movie had ended.
"Oh Winner," Elda chimed, disguising her voice as Karins.
Winner moved toward the tree. "Karin is that you?"
Elda slowly hovered down from behind the tree where Winner would not see her. The she poked her head out just enough so Winner could get a glimpse of a face that was identical to Karins.
Winner ran to the tree but his target coyly remained on the side of the trunk opposite to him.
Meanwhile Karin stalked a wino who staggered about. Before she could strike he was picked up by another woman (presumably his wife) who dragged him by the collar muttering something about the late hour.
This was getting out of hand. Her blood increase was already bad when she had come to the park. Being stopped short twice was grating on the demands of her awkward body. She knew she could not take much more.
Back to Winner and Elda.
"Karin, since I learned your secret there has been much for us to talk about. Now that we're finally alone please don't avoid me."
Even Elda couldn't help but be touched by the melancholy in Winner's voice.
"I've been such a fool," Winner continued. "For years I thought if I ever met you again I'd impress you. I'd impress you by being a great vampire hunter."
Elda groaned at his stupidity.
"If it's any consolation I've never actually caught a vampire."
Elda snickered, she knew that that was only because of his incompetence.
"I've been trying to reconcile my past by studying my families history. Supposedly the Sinclair family became vampire hunters to deal with the disgrace of an ancestor who loved a vampire.
Is he talking about Alfred? Elda wondered. "What do you know about this ancestor?" She demanded to know.
"Alfred Sinclair? He was a naturalist and a scholar. He loved a vampire, but his father wouldn't allow them to be together."
Elda bit her lip and suppressed the urge to cry. She asked a question, one whose answer she'd often wondered about. "What happened to Alfred?" She asked.
"Oh he was put to death."
"What!"
"He died on the gallows. Under archaic laws those who held communion with demons were considered witches."
Karin was on her last leg. Her vampire instincts had gone into overdrive. She knew she had to bite someone soon. So when a wave of unhappiness rushed towards her she jumped in its direction.
Without looking Karin buried her fangs into her prey. So lost was she in the release that she could not hear Anju yelling "No! Stop."
Karin was biting Elda.
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Chapter 2 Once Bitten
Kenta starred at the phone, as though he could will it to ring. He had actually succeeded a few times, but it was never the right caller.
The right caller was Karin Makka.
A few days ago a mystical barrier was raised around his girlfriends house. Anyone who tried to reach the residence was confused and led astray; doomed to wander in circles or get lost in the woods. Their phones were disconnected. What worried him most was that Karin's father stopped by two days ago to tell him everything was fine. Henry said there was a family matter that needed resolving and refused to give any details.
All of a sudden there was a series of thudding noises against the window. Bats were trying to kamikaze there way into the apartment.
This was both encouraging and discouraging. Kenta knew that Karin would just use the phone. He rushed outside, to follow the winged beasts. They stopped crashing into the windows, staggered about in confusion for a few moments then began to lead Kenta to the Marker Manor.
For twenty minutes he trekked through dense forrest, with only loud squeaking to tell him when he moved off the path. 'I should have brought a flashlight' Usui cursed.
Finally he reached the Marker manor.
There was a light at the front porch, obviously there for his sake.
He knocked. Ren answered. Without a word Ren waved a hand, gesturing for Kenta to come in. Ren sneered a bit as Kenta entered. Kenta was greeted by Anju, who led him up the stairs, telling him about the incident at the park.
"Vampires don't usually bite vampires. The reasons are first the blood offers no nourishment, and second the affects hit us harder."
"Effects," Kenta questioned.
"Big Sisters blood affinity is misfortune, so her bite drains peoples misery. Elda's blood affinity is love so..."
Anju didn't finish her sentence.
"But Elda didn't bite Karin. It was the other way around."
"Big Sister had her blood drained by a vampire. It's the same thing."
Kenta gulped. He had a terrible suspicion what this meant.
They came upon Karin's bedroom.
Karin was on her bed, in her pajamas. Her mother handed her a baton. She took the baton and waved it about like a magic wand.
A fruit bat flew back and forth, up and down, following the movements of the wand. Kenta was impressed. He new Karin was a vampire, or unvampire, but she had never consciously displayed any real powers before.
"That was amazing Makka."
Karin blushed and ducked behind her mother.
Calera patted her daughter on the head and sighed.
"Please don't take her behavior personally," Anju continued. "Big sister has always been very shy."
He moved away from the door fearing that he might cause Makka's blood to increase. Sensing his intention Anju spoke: "Karin's been very weak right now. She seems anemic.
"Is that true Makka." Usui stepped closer.
"Kinda, I don't feel bad except if I move around too much I get woozy."
"It's worse then that," Calera added. "Yesterday she passed out trying to walk downstairs." Kenta cringed with worry, but Anju assured him that Ren was there to catch her.
"Were you hoping I could increase her blood?"
"You can try. Don't get to close though."
That last warning didn't make much sense. As he approached Karin's body seemed to tense up and Calera held her in place. They did not bother to explain this. Kenta tried to think depressing thoughts. Karin played along for a minute. Usui's had a serious expression as he focussed waves of negativity towards her. Karin broke out into laughter. She was laughing at him.
Not wanting Kenta to dwell on this, Anju pulled Usui aside. "If you don't mind, There is something else you can do to help Karin. We can't have Big Sister absent from school much longer or people will be suspicious."
Kenta nodded.
"That's why we want you to help us with a certain deception."
Usui rose an eyebrow at the word deception.
"Let me show you."
She led him to the living room.
What Kenta saw nearly caused an anime style face fault. Elda's hair was cut and dyed to resemble Karin's. She pranced about in one of Karin's school uniforms.
Then she curtsied toward Kenta. "Well what do you think."
He turned to Anju in shock.
"The bite turned her into an unvampire. Now she wants to go to school in Karin's place until it wears off."
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Chapter 3: School
The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Everywhere she looked people moved about, preparing for another busy day. Elda yawned. All these signs were telling her she should be in bed.
"Hey Elda," Kenta asked.
"Call me Karin," she teasingly chided.
"Ka-ri-n," said he through grated teeth. "Why are you doing this?"
"What do you mean?"
Kenta looked for a diplomatic way to ask, then realized there was none. "Don't you hate humans?"
"Sure do." Elda declared with such enthusiasm you could almost forget what the question was. Karin's bite had made her annoyingly cheerful. He was used to seeing this but not with her.
"Then why are you pretending to be one."
"Don't be stupid. I'm a vampire pretending to be a vampire that's pretending to be human."
"Oh...but are you really doing this for Karin's sake."
"Heck no. I've got a free all access pass to the sun shiny human world. I might as well see what you monkeys do all day."
Kenta was oddly satisfied with this answer.
"Now remember Maki and Winner are the only students that know Karin's a vampire. I already told Maki, over the phone, that you're taking her place. Be careful what you tell Winner. What you say isn't always what he hears."
Karin's/Elda's first class was English. The teacher kept talking nonsense. He said that in this strange language verbs go before adjectives. How could anyone understand what's being said? Suddenly she was called upon. "Makka, read this sentence." The teacher demanded. She looked at the board and tried to make sense of the foreign alphabet.
"What's the matter Makka? You got this one on the last quiz."
Elda sweat-dropped. What was she to tell him?
SLAM!
A textbook was thrust against a desk. Maki jumped up in righteous indignation. "Sir," she demanded, "how can you force a girl to recite such explicit language in front of her classmates. I am shocked and appalled. The teacher looked at the sentence. It read: 'The fox jumped.' What did she think the fox was jumping.
"All it says is..."
"Eek, no stop you can't actually say it." Maki covered her ears; several other girls did the say. The boys started chanting "read it, read it."
Elda felt a twinge of gratitude, and almost forgot that the girl was a human. After class Maki invited Elda to walk with her to the next class. This was perfect because she had no idea where the next class was located.
In the halls Maki whispered to her. "So how is Karin?"
Back at the Makka household Ren trudged towards the kitchen. His annoying sister seemed incapable of changing her sleeping hours. This meant that he was stuck with the task of feeding her during the day. Ren fumbled through the cupboards till he found the instant ramen. If it were Anju or Henri's turn to feed Karin they would have made an attempt at actual nutrition. Still he wasn't completely thoughtless. He chose the chicken noodle ramen. After all you're supposed to have chicken broth when sick, probably.
He poured some hot water into the styrofoam cup, sealed it and trudged upstairs. The instructions said to give it three minutes, but he figured at least half that time would pass on the trip to her room.
It took one minute to reach her room and another to remove the lock on her door. They were locking her in. Usui, wasn't told about this, but Karins attitude had been different since the bite. It took a great deal of coaxing to have her promise to behave herself when Kenta had visited, and she still laughed in his face.
When he entered Karin was dressed her usual flannel pajamas, but with a few buttons open on top. She was lying on her bed watching TV.
"Hey pest, I bought your lunch."
She looked at the ramen. "Anju would have made pancakes."
"Well, Anju will make your breakfast tomorrow."
Ren turned to leave.
"Stay." she commanded.
"No." he replied.
"You hate me, don't you?" There was a pleading in her voice.
Ren grunted then he got down on the bed next to her. "What are you watching."
"Dunno, I was flipping channels when you got here."
Ren took the remote and put sports-net on. After about fifteen minutes Ren closed his eyes. Karin slipped out of bed and tip toed for the door. Without even stirring Ren commanded her to stop.
Karin turned towards her brother.
"You know I can stop you." Ren declared.
"I'll come back before dark," Karin promised. "It'll be our little secret."
"Dummy you still can't erase memories. If you want to bite someone wait until dark and Anju will take you." Karin looked like she had recovered from her anemia, though it was probably still too soon for another blood injection.
"I just want some fresh air. I'll come back."
"Liar."
Karin crawled back into bed and spooned next to Ren. Her bosom brushed up against his side and she whispered in his ear. "Please."
Ren felt something warm and wet touch the side of his ear. Immediately he leaped out of bed. "I'm out of here," he declared.
"Wait," Karin pleaded as Ren latched the lock behind him.
She was licking his ear. Modest innocent Karin was licking his ear.
The teenage vampire was about to return to his crypt when he heard galloping. Yes galloping. This day was becoming surreal. He checked the time, and knowing that the sun would be facing east he opened the west door where there was enough shadow to protect him. Outside was Winner on a black steed.
"How did you get past the barrier," Ren demanded.
"Ha, whoa, fool, your vampire trickery is no match for my ingenuity. The barrier only confounds people so they get lost. I knew that if I ignored all sense of direction and simply went anywhere I hadn't been before I would eventually end up here."
"Really? How long did that take you."
"Two days. Now tell me. Where is Karin?"
Ren lead Winner to Karins room. He opened the two locks and pushed him in then closed the door behind him. There was a scream. A few minutes later Ren opened the door and dragged him out. "You do love me brother." Said Karin as he left.
Soon after, Winner awoke. Ren gave him some orange juice, erased his memory, and told him that Karin was back at school.
As Winner galloped off Ren thought again about how surreal that was.
Back at school Elda explained to Maki what she could about Karins condition.
"She's become irresponsible."
"Irresponsible?" Maki questioned.
"Exactly, she just wants to bite and bite and bite. We tried letting her out the night after she bit me and she attacked every human she could find. She didn't even think about erasing there memories, and the poor girl made herself anemic. That's why we're locking her up. Of course she's become indifferent towards Usui, but I don't know what brought on this other affect; this irresponsibility."
"Hmm, usually Karins always worried about being embarrassed. Heck I'd love to see an irresponsible Karin."
"No you wouldn't. She'll bite you first chance she gets."
"Maybe she's trying to fill a void. She did love biting Usui, and now she doesn't care about him."
"That makes sense," Elda thought, She remembered going on a biting spree last time a relationship didn't work out.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of galloping.
Winner Sinclair had an unusually happy grin on his face. Even if he didn't remember Elda knew right away that Karin had given him her blood.
My love, I have found you at last he happily declared.
He lifted her upon the horse and carried her off into the sunset.
Maki fumed. Technically she was supposed to be Winner's girlfriend but Winner had unresolved feelings for Karin. Strangely she couldn't seem to get jealous or mad about that. She wondered if it had anything to do with Anju and the bite marks on her neck.
A few minutes later the horse returned and he threw Elda off like a sack of potatoes. "What did I ever see in you, filthy creature." As he bent over to yell at Elda, Maki noticed the second pair of bit marks upon his neck.
Then to her surprised the hoarse galloped forward and he picked up Maki in mid stride. "My love," he declared, "I am finally free of that vampires spell."
"No you're under two spells. I think I'm under one too."
"Whatever lets ride off dramatically into the sunset."
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Chapter 4: Not the end
That evening the Marker house was in an uproar. Karin had escaped. It wasn't a brilliant escape, she just made puppy dog eyes and Henri let her out. He was shocked when Karin didn't return like she promised she would.
At the bottom of the hill, Kenta Usui was preparing for bed. He heard a scream. It was his mothers scream. He ran outside and to his horror saw Karin embracing her. She dropped the woman upon the soft grass. There were two bite holes on her neck. Karin turned, blood dripped from her lip. "Still not satisfied," she declared. Her canine fangs extended further. The moonlights reflection glowed upon her wide eyes and she moved towards Usui.
Kenta knew that Karin was a vampire (sort of) yet she had never frightened him before. Still he thought that maybe he could grab her, bring her inside then call her family. His mother wasn't hurt, but Karin was in immediate danger. As frightening as she seemed her body was diminished from lack of blood. She couldn't carry this on much longer.
He exposed the nape of his neck, only to tempt her into making the first move, but Karin was too fast. Her teeth pierced his skin. Then Karins mind exploded with a familiar sensation. She had remembered the thing that satisfied her.
The next morning Karin was her normal self, Usui was no different that usual and Usui's mother was obnoxiously cheerful.
She didn't mention the bite except to say that she felt great that morning. Fumio went on and on about how wonderful life was as she made them pancakes and teased her son about having his girlfriend sleep over.
Back at the Marker household Henri kept pacing and expositing about how worried he was. Calera kept reminding him whose fault it was that Karin got out, and occasionally threw a slipper at him. Henri would graciously return the slippers when asked so she could throw them again.
Karin and Usui entered the house. They were surprised to find everyone still awake. Henri grabbed his daughter examining her for bumps or bruises then he started crying harder than before and squeezed her in a bone crunching hug.
Kenta explained that Karin was really wild last night, but seemed to mellow out after she bit him.
"I think I'm back to normal now," Karin declared.
Ren examined her. She blushed at the sight of him, but didn't turn quite red enough. He reasoned that she was still a little bit anemic.
Elda touched her cheek and looked deep into Karins eyes. "Your better but still not ready to go back to school dear."
"I don't have school today. It's Saturday."
"I meant for cheerleading practice." Elda then opened her coat to reveal a cheerleading uniform." Everyone face-faulted.
"Wait, wait. I'm not even on the cheer squad."
"Not yet, but I'll ace those tryouts for sure." Elda arched her back and held a pom pom to her chest in a dramatic pose.
Before anyone could get another word in she skipped out the door. Karin tried to pursue but she made herself dizzy with the exertion. The other vampires couldn't follow her in broad daylight, and Kenta couldn't keep up with a full blooded vampire.
The practice was at nine. they reasoned that they had time to get there before tryouts even if they couldn't match her pace.
On the way Kenta increased Karins blood so that she would get her energy back. When they arrived Maki and Elda were doing warm up stretches in the field. A boom box played loud pop music.
Without thinking Karin ran out into the field. "Stop, stop" she yelled. "that's an impostor."
That girl is still being irresponsible, Elda scoffed, not giving any thought to her own behavior.
Suddenly Winner appeared. Kenta looked at his neck. The four bite marks were gone. At least he probably didn't hate Karin right know. He announced that it was Karin's name on the tryout list and one of them must be an impostor. The only way to settle this was to have a cheer-off between the two.
Maki whispered to Kenta. Don't worry I think he has a plan. Kenta worried.
A bunch of girls dragged Karin to the change rooms and found a uniform in her size. Soon she was standing next to Elda trying to cover the exposed bits of her skin with the pom-poms.
Winner put a CD into the boom box. It played the opening theme to Lucky Star. Elda danced in Konata's role while Karin did a perfectly choreographed rendition of Kagami's role. Maki filled in whatever parts she could. A black steed pranced in the background and Kenta watched wondering if this was all some dream or hallucination brought on by Karin's bite.
When it ended Winner announced that they were wonderful and they could both be on the cheer squad. The two girls hugged one another and jumped in joy, Karin completely forgetting that she was trying to prevent herself from having to join the cheer squad.
Winner's plan worked. He created such a spectacle that everyone thought it had to be staged. It was just a girls having too much fun at their cheer tryouts.
They fed everyone some line about Elda being a cousin who happened to resemble Karin, and the students seemed to accept that. Winner told a few people that Elda was a vampire impostor just because they expected him to make such outrageous claims anyway. No one believed him.
Later Elda enrolled. She didn't study much and was mostly just there to cheer and make trouble. Still she made friends with just about everyone.
There were two bite marks on her neck. She told everyone they were beauty marks. Kenta kept wondering to himself 'Won't they ever go away?'