Disclaimer : Vampire Knight belongs to, who, now? Everyone say it together: Matsuri Hino! Ah, very good! :D

4. Reacquainted

Mitsuki's lip pulled to the side in question as she studied her reflection in the mirror, angling this way, shifting that way, trying to see if she had donned the uniform on correctly. From what she could see everything seemed to be in order, spic and span -the zippers zipped where they needed, buttons buttoned where they had to be- except for one item, and her unsettled concerns caused her to focus solely on the tiny decoration that hung below her collarbone. After a moment of silent contemplation that had been centered on the troubling piece, she raised her hands and touched the red tie at her neckline, the action tentative and unsure like the rest of her being. "Like this?" she asked, tapping the lopsided bow and turning towards the man behind her. "Did I... Did I do it right?"

Kain Akatsuki, who had sat and waited patiently on the bed, watching her twirl and move to inspect herself for the past fifteen minutes, bent across his knees and cupped his face, slouching even more on the bed than before as he began to stroke his chin, a habit of his whenever he was asked of something that required a great deal of thought or concentration. Though he was stooped in an almost unceremonious fashion, his eyes were fixed deeply with concentration as he examined her lithe figure, red orbs scanning her work rather intensely. Both caretaker and escort to Mitsuki tonight, Kain took his job with the utmost seriousness, not only because it was his duty, but also because of who had assigned it to him. His eyes narrowed slightly, continuing to examine, as the cheerful older Noble blood's words appeared.

"Kain, please don't forget to bring Mitsuki to class tonight," Ichijou chirped pleasantly. "She's important to me." A hint of a smile started at his lips, a secret glint that Kain could not read appearing in his senior's eyes as he added, "Someone in particular, far more powerful than I, will know if Mitsuki is absent or in any trouble." Then Ichijou was gone from the room.

Kain repressed a visible shiver as the memory faded. The threat had been subtle but clear as day to Kain, and the image of his Dorm Leader's face appeared in his mind's eye. Kain had no intention of leading Mitsuki astray, let alone kidnap her, but the idea still left a sizable impression on him - which was why he took Mitsuki's small and rather insignificant question with such importance. He was aware, he realized, that even though Ichijou had asked him for this 'favor', it was Kaname who had been the one to assign this task.

Mitsuki, unaware of Kain's thoughts, waited patiently at the foot of the bed, averting her eyes from his intense gaze as she played absent-mindlessly with the fringe of her skirt. Truth be told, she was a bit intimidated by his scrutinizing and it took everything not to fidget nervously.

"Mitsuki," he finally called and her head snapped up attentively, hands dropping to her side.

"Y - Yes...?"

He beckoned her forward, one firm sweep of his finger cutting through the air. "Here," he said. "Come here."

She went to him, obedient, and Kain reached for her. "You made the bow too tight," he told her as he loosened the clasp and started to set the bow straight. Eyes wide, Mitsuki watched him fix her mistake with surprise. His overly large and rough looking hands took the task with grace, his movements deft and sure of themselves as he accomplished the delicate work with ease. Punching the pin back in to finish, Kain frowned, trailing an index finger down one of the sides. "And when you pulled at the edges you seemed to crease the tail, too," he added bluntly. A look of slight disapproval started to carve his features, and Mitsuki, embarrassed at her inability to put on a simple uniform, had the grace to blush as she brushed her fingers once more against the corrected ribbon.

Then she took a step back, retreating towards the mirror, and spun in a circle while Kain, suddenly self-conscious, touched his own, making sure it was set right. "Does it look fine?" Mitsuki asked.

Kain dropped his fingers back to his side, the action subtle, and merely nodded. She smiled, then checked herself one last time, and as Mitsuki began to make sure she was touch-free of imperfections Kain glanced at the side wall, checking the time. They were already behind schedule and once more Kain fought down the urge to tremble. Only God knew what Kaname would do to him if they were any later.

But before he could catch her hand and drag her from the room, haste at their steps, a movement caught his eye. He turned and saw Mitsuki bent on one knee, a hand gripping the side of her head, her face contorted into a mixed expression of pain and puzzlement. His eyebrows drew down, disquiet. "Mitsuki?" he began, but she waved him back, clearing the unfocused look in her eyes.

"I'm fine," Mitsuki reassured him quietly, and taking a moment to recover her bearings, she sat up and inhaled deeply. She looked out of one of the windows silently and stared at the scenery outside. The sun was setting behind the distant western hills, casting its light one last time across the valley. It spilled the land in an array of golds and crimsons, streaking the sky briefly with color until finally disappearing behind the mountains.

"Thinking," she said when she saw Kain's figure move faintly in the window's reflection. "Just thinking…" And her thoughts took her to the this morning when she had awaken.

Something gentle caressed her face and Mitsuki opened her eyes, blinking against the morning light. The first thing she saw were shining blue spheres, brilliant and stunning in the shadow of the face that stared down at her. The person's mouth was just inches above hers, puckered, and she realized that he had been in the midst of blowing against her eyes –that had been the feeling earlier –when she had waken.

"Yo…" Aidou said, his breath pressing warmly against her cheek once more as he smiled. Crouched over her figure that lay on the bed, half crawled on the bed himself, he pulled his head away, though didn't move from her, and spoke to someone farther away. "Ichijou-san," he said, "she's awake."

As the younger vampire rolled away from Mitsuki, striding over to stretch and lounge lazily across a sofa, Ichijou got to his feet and walked over to Mitsuki. When she sat up at his arrival he took her chin in his hand, the action gentle, and caught her eyes with his. There was a look of intense relief in them, she noticed, but before she could make sense as to why, he immediately dove into a topic that caught Mitsuki off guard. "Since you'll be staying here, I assume, I was able to talk with the Headmaster and he agreed to have you enrolled at Cross Academy. You need to get ready for class tonight," Ichijou informed her, "because your first session is later today at the other dormitories. I don't have the time to escort you – ah, no," he placed a finger against her lips when she made to speak, "because I still need to get other things ready, like where your room is and where you'll be staying. And Aidou," - he paused long enough to glance over his shoulder, eying his subordinate briefly - "for once in his life, will be attending class on time tonight, which means he won't be taking you to class either."

Ichijou dropped his grip as he started toward a far door, passing Aidou who had begun to laugh weakly at the Noble blood's earlier and unnervingly correct assumption. Mitsuki was still taking in what her cousin had told her, blinking quickly to register the information, as the doors swung open and revealed a figure. Ichijou swept his hand out, smiling pleasantly. "He will," he said and Kain entered the room.

Mitsuki's reverie was abruptly broken as she felt a hand rest heavily on her shoulder and when she turned around to face Kain, he jerked his head to the side. "Time to go. Don't forget anything." He exited the room, not noticing Mitsuki return her gaze briefly outside. It was already dark outside, night coming on quickly this evening; stars shown against the black sky, scattered along the dark stretch.

Don't forget anything.

What irony, she thought to herself, for as Mitsuki continued to stare from the tall window, a distant look in her eyes, she couldn't help but wonder at the wall that seemed to block something inside of her. It felt as if there was a mental barrier that prevented her from remembering...remembering something. She touched the panels, cool and smooth beneath her fingers. But what was it she was trying to remember? Before she had awaken this morning she had caught brief glimpses of pictures skirting along her mind's eye, the images moving too quickly for her to make sense of them. And as the day had progressed and begun to die, so too had the images, becoming so foggy and scattered that she could barely make sense of it.

Her fingers flexed a little, uneasy at the fact that she was incapable of recalling a simple memory. A light glow emitted from the glass as Kain cracked open the door, spilling a beam inside the darkened room. He called her, and tearing her eyes from the sight, Mitsuki exited the room.

[***]

As Mitsuki and Kain left the room, Kain locking the doors quietly behind them, a figure slipped outside his own compartment located two hallways down. His eyes were set in fixed concentration as he fumbled at the clasp that held his tie, having difficulty maneuvering his fingers about the delicate metal. The uniform had had too many buttons and zippers, too many cuffs and links to put together, that he had found himself late for class by half an hour. This was just another unnecessary object he found himself troubled with, another item that caused him to be late.

Something popped against his uniform, startling him, and he looked down in curiosity, playful mint eyes inquiring the open clasp he held in his hand. All he had to do was slip it beneath his tie, which he kept tucked away in his pants pocket, and clip it beneath his collar, then everything would be fine. The only problem was that at one point in the metal it was bent unevenly, preventing him from properly hooking the clasp to his shirt."Stubborn piece," he mumbled in slight irritation, but despite himself the boy smiled a tiny smile. This was just a small set back.

Then he sighed, slipping the ribbon he usually wore to keep his hair up in his mouth, and began his attempt at fixing the piece. His steps slowed, bringing him to a halt in the middle of the empty corridor and he bent down to play at the piece. But he only managed to bend the delicate piece more and it snapped suddenly beneath his touch.

He exhaled in defeat, giving up. "I'm usually much better at this," he murmured about the ribbon and looked up, trying to find the supply room. He set off through the mansion at an easy and unperturbed pace. There was no point trying to get to class on time now that he was officially late – might as well take his time.

[***]

They were starting down the stairs, almost to the door, when Kain suddenly stopped, and Mitsuki only managed to keep herself from bumping into his tall frame as she stumbled to a halt. He snapped his fingers sharply, making a small sound of irritation against the roof of his mouth, and then turned to look back the way they had came. His whole body shuddered as he gave a great sigh, pocketing both hands within his pant pockets with a mild look of irritation. Then he was retreating back to the top. "Just a moment," he said as he passed her. He paused at the pinnacle of the staircase, pointing at a few of the ivory pillowed couches located at the bottom floor. "Wait for me there, I'll be back." Then he disappeared around the corner.

There was a moment of undecided hesitation as Mitsuki stared helplessly at the spot where Kain had been just a few seconds ago, and she almost started after him, tracing his steps upward and ascending the staircase. But when Mitsuki peered down the hallway that Kain had disappeared through she felt a cold wave of premonition wash through her. The corridor was sparsely lit, the weak candle light that flickered dimly along the wall barely penetrating the inky blackness that filled the main part of the passage. Her ears buzzed from the untouched silence that filtered down the stretch of the passage, as she could barely make out the bend Kain had rounded in his retreat.

The gloom was depressing, almost eerie, as Mitsuki watched suspicious shadows dart across the floors and walls like cats along an alley. She exhaled shakily, the sound hovering momentarily in the air before disappearing a moment later, swallowed by the dark. The longer she stared, the more it felt like the blackness thickened, weighing heavily on her shoulders and making it difficult to breath. Though her mind screamed at her to retreat, Mitsuki peered closer, her hand sliding along the wall until it disappeared in the darkness; and the shadows were cold against her skin, slipping up her fingers and into her pores. The experience was frightening, and she backed up a step, nervous.

There was something underneath that dark cloud, as if something hid from her, lurking beneath the shadow, waiting for her to step closer, come closer...

Another dark chill swept through her, and Mitsuki clutched a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beat frantically inside, pounding quickly like a caged bird fighting to get out. Something suddenly moved within the shadows, causing her breath to catch in her throat. The movement was only slight at first, shifting in the faint light as if a tiny breeze had disturbed the calm. Then it began to grow, bulging in places they shouldn't rippling along the surface that grew both in strength and clarity. And they moved toward her. She wanted to retreat, run away from this place, but she was immobilized by a fear that dug and twisted its claws deep inside her, forcing her to watch. The shadows drew closer, seeping up the walls and through the floor, and Mitsuki, clutched by the unseen force, took a resisting step forward, her actions not her own.

Come, the invisible force called, and Mitsuki began to tremble. Come closer and remember...

A soft and abnormally fast sound filled her ears and she realized she was hyperventilating, her breaths shallow and incapable of being slowed. Unable to believe what was happening Mitsuki watched as the gloom took shape, twisting and shifting wildly. It was as if it was a completely separate entity, the darkness one thing, the...nightmare another. Fear shot through her, violet eyes dilating, heart rate skyrocketing, and Mitsuki waited at the end of the hallway for the monster to appear.

Waited for the thing to scramble toward her on four appendages, crawl and jerk violently at her, limbs gnarled and twisted beyond the name of 'arm' or 'leg' to reach out toward her, its body convulsing in appeal; waited for it to gargle and gasp for breath, the sound guttural in its throat, mixed with soft giggles and rasping sighs that shook her nerves; waited for her name to be whispered along the cool breeze that suddenly swept over her. Waiting...waiting...waiting...

The back of her throat tickled as overwhelming fear shot through her, and Mitsuki tilted back her head, madness and terror biting at her mind, readying to scream, waiting for the monster to snatch her...waiting for the darkness to swell up and consume her...

A brief image flew past her, increasing her insanity, and Mitsuki's hands flew to her face as she recognized the picture. No. No...! What was...? What was with this memory? She had locked it up tight years ago, shut forever in her heart, creating wall after wall to fortitude her from the nightmare. She thought she'd forgotten this hellish memory long ago, sure she had buried it away so it would never surface, made sure she had - !

"Come here," a voice said, and Mitsuki felt herself suddenly yanked back as firm hands at her shoulders pulled her away. With a sudden shimmer and what almost sounded like a sigh of disappointment, the darkness and its terrifying apparition flickered, then began to fade into nothingness. And it was all over.

She blinked, unfocused. Before her now was only an open hallway, still dark and scantly lit, but without the haunting air she had just experienced a moment ago.

And yet still Mitsuki found herself shaking beyond reason, trying to catch her breath and settle her fears, both to no avail.

"Wha...?" she began.

The person behind her, oblivious to the nightmare she had just experienced, hushed her gently, interrupting, and took up her left hand in its own, resting the other lightly on her hip. She didn't know what was happening, everything seemed to be moving too fast - was she being assaulted? Kidnapped?

But even though she was still at a complete loss and in potential danger, Mitsuki, oddly enough, felt no danger emit from this person.

"You're trembling," the stranger said softly behind her, and she heard amusement in the observation.

The person had a pleasantly warm voice, comforting and yet playful at the same time. And instead of being frightened at the sudden grip she was in, Mitsuki felt the tension in her body ease, as if she'd just stepped into a warm shower and allowed the ache in her muscles to disappear.

Yet something nicked her in the back of her mind...

Her puzzlement was quickly broken as the person said, "Well, stop it. Stop trembling." And much to her surprise, she did, the feeling no more than a distant memory. She was awarded with a chuckle that caused her eyes to widen. This voice was so familiar - that was it. Like she had heard it long ago. Why couldn't she place it? It was definitely male, the tone, though light-hearted and pleasing to the ear, was low, holding that rumbling volume only males could have. As her eyebrows narrowed in confusion, fighting to remember, the hand that held her own tightened and lifted up her arm to hold it loosely to the side.

As if her thoughts were written clearly in the air, the stranger's mouth was by her ear once more, speaking softly and smiling. "Ah, do you remember me?" he asked, and before she could answer he was pulling her away from the lip of the hallway, walking backwards.

Misuki suddenly found her breath lighten, as they stepped into both the middle and the brightest part of the room, the warm chandelier glow above them giving an imperceptible air. "If I move this way," he murmured and shifted slightly the side, increasing the pressure at her hips only minutely. She was startled, not only at the action but the sense of nostalgia that flew through her, and the man quickly made it vanish as he touched her more firmly in silent encouragement. She followed him backward. He nodded his head in satisfaction.

"And if I go this way..." he said, anticipation now at his voice, and he led her to the other side, this time raising her arm more. To her surprise, Mitsuki moved at almost the exact time he had, comprehension beginning to appear in her eyes, as she realized the movement was one of old times, years and years of practice pounded within her until she had allowed just her body to take over.

He began to lead her around and about the main entrance hall, twisting in a various manner of half steps and long strides, twirls and dips, and Mitsuki followed his movements perfectly, molding her body to his. The only sound was the swish of her skirt as she pirouetted gracefully about him, or the hush of carpet as he slid his foot along the ground. As they swept along the floor, filled in absolute grace and perfection, Mitsuki soon saw that she hadn't seen his face this entire time, not even glimpse. He had been able to cleverly hide his appearance, lifting his face when she had craned hers to the side, their movements calling for it, and pulling his cheek into shadow. And when they had passed across the large open window of the balcony, a full view of the two of them together in the crystalline panels, he had swept her quickly across the glass, dancing away before she had had the time to catch his reflection in the mirror.

The burning curiosity was soon assuaged as soon as their steps slowed and he sighed behind her with satisfaction, "Ah, very good." Then her vision was whirling about her as the hands that held her hand and her hip, clasped upon her shoulders and turned her about.

Mitsuki was able to stifle a gasp just in time as striking green eyes, the color unbelievably bright, stared straight into her own no more than inches from her face. It was the color of spring, the color of mints and celadon. The color sparkled and glittered in the light, the parts of his eyes that were somehow shadowed, hiding the dark mischievousness underlying the playful nature. And now this remarkable color - the freshly born blades of grass during the first days of spring - bore deep into her with suppressed pleasure. A bang of chestnut brown hair strayed into his eyes, covering the beautiful color only momentarily as he smiled and brushed it away.

Had she seen his eyes from the beginning she would have known who this young man standing before her was instantly.

Now face-to-face with him, Mitsuki was able to hear how wonderful, how familiar the voice was."Have you missed me?"

But Mitsuki, wide eyed than she'd ever been before, could only stop and stare, rendered speechless beyond compare as she faced a ghost from her past.

Childhood friend, Tsukutane Koegi.

A/N : First let me say this: what Mitsuki saw in the hall was more of a...psychological thing. It was all imagination - but it does relate to something that had happened to her in the past. For now, all I can say is that Mitsuki has a very...unstable condition when it comes to certain things, which will be revealed later. If my darn Writer's Block will stop acting up, you might find out what the 'secret' is before I graduate high school! :D

Second. I know, I know. Tsukutane Koegi. It sounds funny, and if you pronounce his first name (last name?) wrong, it sounds even funnier. Let me see if I can write it correctly, or at least explain it. It's not SU-ku-TA-ne. You have to roll the first part -Tsuku- so it sounds like 'skoo', and than add the ending, which is supposed to be 'tunae' (no, not 'tuna', 'tunAE', literally the letter 'a') The result: 'Skoo-tunae' - Tsukutane! Got it? :D The last part should be easy to say. "Koh-egi'.

The reason why his first (last name? Gosh dangit!) name isn't typical Japanese is because, I, uh...made it up. I thought the two names fit nicely, so that is what I called him. I'm pretty sure 'Koegi' is Japanese...or Nigerian...or Indonesian...or Neapolitan (ha, a joke.) - or something! I just know it's not made up! (If I caused any offense to those readers who are a part of that country, or have a part of that in their ethnicityy, I highly apologize!)

One more thing I need to say about my newest character. Since I'm retyping this series from my old account - (if you're too impatient to wait for the upcoming chapters, you can go to my Quizilla account where it was first made, and just type in kunoichi04. Let me warn you that the series there will be altered from the series here. Mitsuki and Tsukutane, for example, have met one another differently here than there.) - I was a unsure about whether keeping his name or not. It just sounded...funny. But I thought about it for a while, coming up with a new combination of other utterly ridiculous titles, but I could only see 'Tsukutane Koegi' fitting. So, as I kept Mitsuki and her full name original, so too did I keep Tsukutanes'. :)