Immortal Guardian
02
Friends and Enemies
"I will no longer relinquish that which is important to me. I won't allow myself to lose anything else. Therefore, I'm going to do everything I can to protect you."
Kaname Kuran
"You've changed a lot from that little brat I met so many years ago. Some would say that they hardly recognized you as the same person from before."
"People change for all sorts of reasons and in some cases the change makes them go bad. The same applies to me, does it not? There is no need to deny the painful truth. I know what the others have been whispering behind my back all the time. They all think that I'm a demon incarnate and that my ideals are going to destroy our world. They only followed me because they feared me. None of them are truly loyal to my cause."
"Don't pay any attention to those insufferable idiots. None of them know anything about what you're trying to accomplish. They can't see what kind of future you're offering them."
"It doesn't really bother me, you know? It's not like they're anything new. I grew up in this world hated by those around me for something I can't control and judging by their reaction after all these years I have a feeling that I'll leave this world hated by many as well."
"That's a rather pessimistic point of view."
"It's a statement of fact. There is no lie in my words and there is no point in denying the truth. Not when it is far too obvious that I am not the most well-liked person in the world."
"Well, I'm not like them. I don't hate you. I never had and never will. If I hated you, I wouldn't have sacrificed my other eye trying to save your scrawny ass when you were little. You're my student and it's my job as your teacher to believe in you. Even though I think your plan is crazy and reckless and you're going to get the both of us killed."
"Thank you. It means a lot to me to hear those words…"
"Remember this: no matter what happens, no matter how much you change, I'll always be able to recognize you for who you are, you reckless brat. Many refer to you as the merciless Silver King but to me, you'll always be my prized student. Don't ever forget that, Kiryuu Zero."
- xXx -
Kiryuu Zero needed less than five minutes to earn Aidou Hanabusa's extreme dislike.
Hanabusa couldn't believe the nerve of that silver-haired bastard. The man had just walked in after being late for class and acted as though he was someone high and mighty. He couldn't even show any sliver of respect towards their pureblood leader. Add to that, the man was a freaking vampire hunter. God, Hanabusa could just imagine how painful and unbearable this class was going to be with that asshole teaching this class. Couldn't the chairman find someone else? Preferably, someone who wasn't this bastard!
His irritation kept on spiking as the man continued to act indifferently around them. It was like he didn't care and they weren't worth his time.
For some reason, he remembered that male prefect who usually chased away his fan girls during class changeover. Now that he thought about it, the two certainly had some sort of uncanny resemblance to each other. They even had the same prickly sort of personality. And moreover they both annoyed him to no end.
"Kiryuu? As in the same Kiryuu as that infuriating prefect bastard?" Hanabusa asked haughtily, his mouth running off from him again. He just couldn't stop himself from voicing out his innermost thoughts. He had conveniently forgotten that he was mouthing off towards a man who was his new Literature teacher and would likely punish him for the action. He turned to his seatmate, "How old is this guy, anyway? He looks too young to be teaching a class. Let alone our –"
"Ichiru is my younger brother and my age shouldn't concern you, Aidou-san. But if you must know, I'm twenty-three years old. Next time you have a question, please raise your hand or there will be consequences," Zero interjected in a calm tone of voice that somehow grated on said student's nerve.
There was a slight warning in Zero's cold gaze and it sent chills down Hanabusa's back. It was too inhuman – those silver-amethyst eyes of his – and it was as if this man could see deep into his very soul. He suppressed a shiver and tried to push those unwelcomed feelings away. There was no way he was going to be frightened of this vampire hunter. Hell would freeze over before he let this bastard walk all over him.
"Your previous sensei did not leave any reminder of what I should be teaching all of you or any specific curriculum for that matter. That is why I will use my own and start from the very beginning even if we might not be able to reach the end of it by the time this school year ends," Zero stated tonelessly, pointedly ignoring the glares some of the students were giving him. Really, they were truly a pathetic bunch if they thought those weak glares would be enough to faze him. He had been subjected to much worse and these were nothing compared to back then.
'Look at that brat trying to pretend that it's even human when we know the truth that it's not. It's a demon. A god damned demon.'
'That demon would destroy us all. What was the old man thinking in letting it live? It should've been put down as soon as it was born.'
'It should've just died along with its demon-loving parents.'
'Scum like you doesn't deserve to live. Just die already!'
Zero turned his back on the class and moved towards the blackboard where he wrote important key words regarding his first lesson. Unknown to everyone in class, his eyes lost their usual indifference and for the first time in years his pain showed clearly on those silver orbs. He wondered why now of all times he was remembering those terrible memories. He had always been in control of his emotions and he thought that living for a long time had dulled the pain of his cruel beginnings. Apparently he was terribly mistaken if today was any indication.
This is not acceptable. I cannot afford to show my weakness now of all times, he thought to himself.
As that realization settled on his mind, he decided that meditation would be his first priority as soon as class was over. Apparently, just taking a rest wasn't enough to keep those unwanted memories at bay. He needed to sort out his thoughts before it consumed him again. He didn't need his past rearing its ugly head while he was in this world. It was far better for everyone if it stayed under wraps. No one needed to know what kind of person he was before he became an immortal. No one needed to know the sacrifices he made and the sins he had committed.
He schooled his features back into a stoic one as he finished writing and once again addressed the class, "I won't make any guesses about how much previous knowledge all of you may possess regarding this subject. Don't feel insulted if simply assume that all of you are completely ignorant of the lesson we are dealing with. I will now start from the very beginning…"
Hanabusa grudgingly began to write notes about the lecture and found out to his surprise that his new teacher was extremely knowledgeable about the subject. Far more than their previous one and so he couldn't help but actively listen as the man discussed the beginnings of Japanese Literature to all of them. He saw his teacher writing some Kanji on the blackboard with an immaculate handwriting which made him feel rather inferior, envious and obviously irritated. Kiryuu-sensei's handwriting was definitely neater compared to his own messy scrawls.
How unfair was that!
There has to be a limit to how perfect this bastard was.
He had to reluctantly agree to himself that Kiryuu Zero was good-looking to the point that it looked as if he wasn't all that human. His coloring was too unique with silver hair and silver-amethyst eyes. He even dressed classily and was intelligent judging from the man teaching the lesson without using any books or reading aides. Hanabusa hated the man's personality but he knew that females' especially human ones would find Kiryuu-sensei to be cool.
Of course, Hanabusa disliked the man. Truly, he disliked the bastard with every fiber of his being. But he respected and admired beauty and this man had it in spades. His Kaname-sama was at the top of the ladder with his dark looks and persona but this man was a close second.
He grumbled curses under his breath at the direction those thoughts were heading. How could he even think that this guy was someone to be admired? Was he truly out of his mind?
In order to push away those thoughts, he chanced a glance to his left just in time to see his pureblood leader's eyes focus intensely on their new teacher. He was taken aback as he saw just how attentive Kuran Kaname was on that man. The gears on his brain were working overtime as he thought about several reasons for that intense gaze. Kaname had never really paid much attention to their teachers before and just sat there at the class with his gaze pointed towards the windows. Probably staring at the prefect girl whose relationship with their leader became a large speculation among his peers. It was a weird concept for Hanabusa to see that Kaname had forgone the usual habit and instead paid attention to the man in front of them.
He began wondering what was different with Kiryuu Zero that he managed to garner Kaname's whole attention.
Five minutes before the bell rang to signify the end of the class; their teacher stopped the lecture and put away the chalk. "This will do for an introduction. Next meeting we will start with an actually Japanese Literature. I will see everyone next meeting. Class dismissed."
Hanabusa watched as his classmates began leaving the room to head back to the Moon dorms since Kiryuu-sensei's class was the last one that evening. He saw from the corner of his eyes that Takuma was speaking to their leader in hushed tones. After a while, he saw their leader stand up and walk towards Zero who was also preparing to leave.
"Come on, Hanabusa," Takuma whispered as he grasped Hanabusa's arm gently and propelled the blonde noble towards the door. "Kaname wants to speak to Kiryuu-sensei alone."
With no choice left, Hanabusa allowed himself to be steered out of the room by Takuma. Leaving Kiryuu Zero finally alone with Kuran Kaname.
- xXx -
Kuran Kaname noticed that he was finally alone with his new Literature teacher and was thankful that Ichijou Takuma made sure that the other night class students steered clear of the building. No doubt that without his blonde friend's help, the others would be hovering nearby. This discussion was a private matter as far as he was concerned and one way or another, he was going to find out the truth about this man.
He had spent the majority of class thinking about Kiryuu Zero and during those moments of contemplation, he became more frustrated. He truly didn't know anything about this man. Even as he delved deep into his incredibly long memory, there was nothing. He knew a lot of things about the Kiryuu family and in connection to that, he knew a lot about Kiryuu Ichiru. The only son of Kiryuu Shirou and Kiryuu Madoka.
The Kiryuu's came from a long line of vampire hunters and they were quite famous for producing prodigies every generation. Most of the vampire hunter community speculated that young Ichiru would turn out as great as his father. If the Kiryuu couple only had one son, there was the question of who this man was. Ichiru was supposed to be the only heir of the Kiryuu family line alive today.
Of course, he couldn't deny that the man's resemblance with Kiryuu Shirou was truly uncanny. Zero had the same hairstyle and color as Shirou. Even the color of their eyes was the same – a unique silver-amethyst shade. Kiryuu Zero could be an adopted child but that didn't explain why no one had ever heard of his existence. Why was he hidden? What was his purpose? Was he another one of his enemies? Too many questions that Kaname had no such answer to.
I'll get my answers no matter what, he thought as he gazed at Zero's eyes.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Kaname demanded rather bluntly. With all the built up frustrations he had regarding the mystery of this silver-haired man, he found himself short on patience. Which was rare in itself since he prided himself in being a very patient individual.
With this man's sudden appearance, all of his plans concerning Ichiru would be derailed. This man had said he was Ichiru's older brother and it meant that Kaname wouldn't be able to use Ichiru the way he needed to in order to protect Yuuki from his scheming uncle. Zero single-handedly ruined his plan and because of that Ichiru wouldn't become Yuuki's knight. He was sure that Kiryuu Zero would get in his way from now on and it irritated him to no end.
Zero tilted his head to the side. "Didn't you hear me introduce myself earlier? My name is Kiryuu Zero. As for the second question, I suppose I should be the one asking you that, Kuran Kaname. Ancestor of the Kuran family."
Zero had spent a lot of time digging out that particular tidbit of information and he had even visited the old Kuran manor just to be sure. Turned out that he was right on the dot. Kuran Kaname wasn't who he truly was. Zero had always known that something was unnatural about the order of things in this world. So many conspiracies and hidden secrets, much like his own world. That was why he went all around the place trying to gather as much information as possible.
He inwardly smirked when he saw the pureblood's eyes narrow in anger. He considered it an achievement on his part to shatter Kaname's mask of false congeniality. He had seen how the pureblood acted with everyone during class changeover and he had the sudden urge to see the real Kaname.
Glass crackled from the left and the rows of windows along the classroom shattered in a shower of broken shards. The wall behind Zero then exploded and looked as if it was punched by an invisible force. Zero didn't even bat an eyelash at the violent display of power. His features remained stoic as he surveyed his surroundings.
"That was a warning," Kaname stated coldly. He didn't know why but this man ticked him off in the worst way possible. He didn't miss the amused gleam that entered Zero's eyes a few moments ago. "Don't think about lying to me. Who are you and how did you come by that information?"
"I'm not lying to you. What makes you think I lied about who I am?"
"There is only one Kiryuu child and that is Kiryuu Ichiru. I don't know who you are, how long you've been here, or what connections you have with my uncle – but you should tell me. Soon. Before I make you suffer."
Zero hummed lightly. "Well, if you didn't know anything about me then that means that everything went well. My name is Kiryuu Zero. I am Ichiru's older brother and for as how long I've been with them…" He paused before continuing, "I was with Ichiru since he was three years old so it's probably been fifteen years since then. There are several reasons why I lived away from them at first and kept myself hidden after all these years but I don't trust you enough to allow you to know what those reasons were."
"That's impossible," Kaname snapped. His manners gone as his patience was stretched to its limits. The silver-haired man could be a spy working with his uncle and that could be the reason why he was hidden. If that was the case, he would kill Zero to ensure Yuuki's safety.
"Of course it's possible. Nothing's impossible in this world, wouldn't you agree?" Zero stated, his voice tinged with amusement. "It took me quite a long time to figure out a lot of things and one of them was the truth about you. Don't worry, Kuran-san, I'm not a spy working for Kuran Rido. His arrogance sickens me and I'm not the type to bow down to anyone. I rather like working for myself. Freedom is everything to me."
Kaname eyes Zero cautiously as he weighed the man's word. He easily saw through other people but this silver-haired man remained an unsolved mystery. He was sure what Zero was thinking and he couldn't comprehend this man's intentions. He accepted this game of Zero's because of a whim but already he was at a disadvantage. The man knew a lot about him and in reverse, he knew little about Zero.
"How do I know you are telling me the truth? For all I know, you're lying."
"You don't," Zero remarked bluntly. "You can trust me but I doubt that would happen in your case. You're the type of person who doesn't trust others easily. I'm quite sure that you think I am an enemy to be eliminated. I won't try to change your mind. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That is your freedom, Kuran-san."
Kaname wore a bemused expression. "You're quite something aren't you, Kiryuu-sensei?"
"You're not the first person to say those words to me, Kuran- san," Zero said as his mouth tilted into the smallest of smiles.
"You act like you're far older than you are. You know a lot of things that are kept secret in this world. You can hide your presence at will. You are not frightened by my display of power. What are you, Zero?" Kaname asked, his previous anger gone.
A smirk stretched across Zero's face.
"And that, Kaname, is a secret."
Kaname sent off another attack just for the hell of it and with a rather infuriating grin Zero slipped away from his previous spot with an almost unnatural ease. All the pureblood saw was a blur of black shadows as the man disappeared from sight.
Where is he?
"Over here," Zero's voice whispered softly in his ear, the warm breath tickling his neck. Kaname spun around to face the man.
"For the record," Zero said casually, "I have no intention of harming Yuuki. I have no intention of interfering with your plans, unless I decide that it is absolutely necessary. I am here simply as Ichiru's protector. Be warned though that I won't tolerate him being used in whatever arrangement you have." He smiled faintly. "I'm rather tired. So if you'll excuse me…"
Zero crossed the room and was out of the door in another second. It closed behind him with a loud click.
Kaname kept his gaze on Zero's back until the man disappeared. He couldn't help but think that the man was truly something else. Far too interesting and was a mystery he wanted to unravel so badly. In all of his years, he had never met someone quite like Kiryuu Zero. With those thoughts, he vanished into thin air – leaving the classroom bare of its previous occupants.
- xXx -
"Zero-kun…" Cross Kaien whined as he confronted Zero outside and saw the severely thrashed classroom. He resisted the urge to bang his head repeatedly against the wall for allowing such a thing to take place. He should've expected that something like this would happen when the two finally met. "I specifically told you earlier not to antagonize Kaname-kun so much. Look what happened to the classroom!"
Kaien grabbed Zero's arm and led him back inside the so-called war zone. He gestured frantically at the broken pieces of furniture, walls and windows. He didn't want to think about the costs of repairing this mess. He couldn't even think of how he was going to explain this mess to the others.
Zero looked at him, all innocence. "I had no idea he would react that badly," he replied casually.
Kaien's eye twitched as he fought the urge to tackle Zero and beat the crap out of him, wondering if he could get away with it. How could Zero act all innocent when he was the one at fault in this mess? The silver-haired immortal goaded the pureblood intentionally, knowing that something like this would happen as a result. Truly, he would never understand how Zero's mind worked.
"Anyone would react that badly, Zero-kun," Kaien replied exasperatedly. "Going around in circles and letting him think that you're a spy for his mortal enemy. It was a wonder that you're not badly injured. What if he directly attacked you? What then? Your brother would murder me if you died!"
"He won't be able to injure me. That sort of attack isn't enough to hurt me," Zero stated confidently.
Kaien sweat dropped at the statement. He didn't know whether he would admire or hate that confidence.
"Well, I guess you're kind of right but it still isn't good to rile Kaname-kun up. Are you trying to make enemies of the whole night class? Because that's the direction you're heading to if you keep this up," Kaien reasoned. Usually Zero was the one who reasoned with him every time he acted childish. But it seemed that today was the reverse. He never thought that the day would come he would be the mature one between the two of them.
Zero gazed at him blankly before sighing audibly, "You're trying to take away my fun."
"…Sociopath. You're a real sociopath, Zero-kun," Kaien stated matter-of-factly. "You'll surely get along well with the vampire hunters who would come at the academy soon," he then muttered under his breath.
Zero's mouth twisted into a bittersweet smile. "When you have lived for as long as I have, you tend to do things that would make this world much more interesting," he stated softly. "I have always felt detached from humans because of my power and their prejudice against me. They never considered me as one of them and labeled me as a monster that shouldn't have existed. They limited my freedom, fearing that it would increase my power. I was a prisoner and I hated every moment of it. As time passed by, I began to fall in line with their thinking until the time came that I stopped thinking of myself as human." He sighed. "I did a lot of terrible things, Kaien. And the truth is I haven't changed at all. Do you still think that I'm a good person?"
Kaien's expression turned gentle and tender as the mood of their conversation turned steadily darker. He had always known that Zero carried a lot of baggage but he wasn't aware of how heavy it was. The immortal had always been tight-lipped about his past and this was probably the first time he had ever talked about it. He frowned as he thought about the implication of those words and knew instantly that Zero didn't live a good and happy life. It was quite the opposite judging from the pained look in the man's eyes.
"You're a good person. There's no doubt about that, Zero-kun. A lot of people tell me I'm a good judge of character so believe me when I tell you that you're not as bad as you think you are."
"I see. Thank you then," Zero said warmly. "But I warn you that you might be mistaken. I'm not who you think I am. Still, I'll let you have your own opinion. Like I told Kuran-san, that is your freedom."
"You're welcome. Now that's over with, I want you to fix that mess you made as soon as possible. I don't want to explain to the school board why this classroom looked like a battlefield."
"You make it sound like I'm the only one at fault," Zero said, sulky. "Kuran-san was the one who destroyed most of the classroom with his powers. Shouldn't he be the one reprimanded about his unjust use of his abilities? I didn't even use mine."
Kaien raised an eyebrow at Zero's sudden change of character. "You're the one who egged him on," he stated flatly.
Zero sighed in defeat. He wasn't in the mood to use his magic but it seemed that it couldn't be helped.
He snapped his fingers and Kaien watched in amazement as it seemed that time began moving in reverse. Within seconds, everything inside the classroom was fixed and it looked as if nothing had happened.
"Honestly…that was kind of amazing," Kaien uttered, still in shock. He had never seen anything quite like it. Deep inside, he was very happy that Zero was on their side. He shuddered to think what would happen have the man decided to side with their enemies. Vanishing those thoughts away he said, "Let's head home and have dinner. Ichiru should be back by now."
- xXx -
"Why do we have to treat each other as mortal enemies when we can just work together?" A woman with long and wavy blonde hair stated seriously. Her light blue eyes were focused intently upon him, wanting him to say yes to her question.
Zero's eyes, normally blank and expressionless, narrowed a fraction. "Do you really think that I would accept your proposal? Such foolishness is unbecoming of you, my Lady. Your comrades tried to kill me countless of times. I am not an idiot who would place my trust in your filthy hands," he stated in a voice as cold as ice.
She moved closer and cupped his cheek with her gloved hands. She leaned closer and the distance was so short that she was able to see the countless flecks of silver on his eyes.
"As blunt as always, my dear Silver King. That is why I like you. I had always known you were far more special than anyone in this world. Too bad that the others don't see it my way. Deny it all you want but at the heart of it all we're not so different from each other, my king. I can see it in your eyes…the desire for power…the hatred against the world…the overpowering sense of loneliness. We've both been betrayed countless of times and we live such cruel existence, shouldn't that be enough for you to trust me and join me?"
Zero pushed her away, his eyes blazing in anger. "You know nothing of what I've been through. I fight because that is the only way for me to live. From the day I was born I was forced to fend for myself. I had nothing and nobody was there for me."
"I'm a pureblood vampire and because of that many have cursed me. Nobody dared to care about me and look past what I am. They already made up their minds that I was a monster. I had to do every dirty thing to survive," the woman said bitterly as she clenched her fists tightly. Blood dribbled to the floor but she didn't care. "How did it feel to kill someone the first time? Did you enjoy it? The first person I killed was a bastard that deserved to die. He treated me like a plaything. An object to be tossed around when not needed anymore. He didn't want to think of me as a person. That is why I ended him and I enjoyed every damned minute of it."
"I felt nothing and it angers me that I couldn't even force myself to care about ending the life of another person. But then again, after a while you just get numb to everything," he replied honestly. "It's true that we live shitty lives but we're nothing alike, Shirabuki Sara."
"I see…You were always such a stubborn man," the woman named Sara replied with a soft smile. "Don't worry. I promise you that one day I would manage convince you to join me. Things are going change soon enough and you know already that war is inevitable."
Zero opted to remain silent. He wondered why Sara was always so insistent on this partnership. As far as he knew, he had never given her any reason to seek his company.
"We'll change this damned world – this world that had gone into disarray since the deaths of Kuran Haruka and Kuran Juri."
"The fact remains that you aren't the only one who wants to change the world," Zero stated truthfully. "Haruka was the king and his unexpected death led to a throne without an heir. Of course, many would seek it and fight for it. Thus, this broken world."
Sara reached out for his hand and grasped it tightly. "That is why I need you, Zero. Together you and I will rule this world as its King and Queen…"
Zero stirred as the sunlight slanted through the open windows. He sighed deeply as he remembered the dream all to well. He groaned as he placed an arm in his eyes and thought about why he dreamed that particular memory. It was probably because of Kuran Kaname, he reasoned to himself. Whether the pureblood knew it or not, his family name was an important part of Zero's past. He also wondered if Sara existed in this world as well. After all, there was no guarantee that she would be here since there were a lot of differences between this world and his. The fact that Haruka and Juri had children was one.
He sighed. If only it was the same in his, then none of the tragedies surrounding his world would've taken place.
An endless war, he thought bitterly.
He always had the impression that the people here were quite lucky that there was no war like his taking place. He had remembered all too well the bloodshed and destruction caused by the warring factions seeking the empty throne. If only Kaname had existed in his world then his life would've been different. From the brief interaction he had with the pureblood, he knew instantly that the man would've made a great king.
Kuran Kaname had the natural charisma that drew others to him just like how the night class seemed to respect and admire him. He was intelligent and he was quite ruthless when need be. He was also protective of those he deemed precious to him. All of those were qualities that would've changed his world for the better had he been the king.
He pushed those thoughts away as he prepared for the morning, knowing that the past couldn't be change no matter how much he wished for it.
He had sacrificed a great deal to attain true peace in his world. He was forced to deny himself many things he'd wanted, he'd abandoned so many roads that were open to him. And he wasn't the only one. Kaito…Touga-sensei…Sara…Sayori…and the list went on. So many people had sacrificed themselves for the greater good. Even he himself had made so many sacrifices.
Before he left the room, he gazed at the envelope sitting harmlessly on his desk. He had already expected that the Vampire Council and Hunter Association would show interest in him. But it never crossed his mind that it would be this soon. The letter was a request for him to take on a group of rogue vampires and hunters. He debated whether he should accept or not but Kaien told him to accept just to get the higher-ups off his back for a while.
Well, it's not like I have nothing better to do this week aside from teaching classes.
He also thought it would rather amusing since Kaien mentioned that he wouldn't be going alone. Rather he would be accompanied by Takamiya Kaito. He was rather curious about Kaito and wondered if the man would be like his counterpart. Add to that, a certain pureblood named Kuran Kaname volunteered for this mission. In short, the three of them would be going together.
A vampire hunter.
A pureblood vampire.
An immortal in hiding.
The three of them would make an interesting team as far as he was concerned.
I wonder what you'll think of me, Kaname, when you see me on the hunt. Will you be disgusted of me? Or will you accept me? I sincerely hope it's the latter…
-chapter 02 end-
Silvermaiden's Notes
A big thank you for everyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites and alerts list… =) Thank you also to Gravity's Child for reminding me about switching the first names and last names of the characters for a rather Japanese feel for the story.
Everyone has truly inspired me to continue this story and I hope you guys like this newest chapter.
Feedbacks and comments are always appreciated. =)
