Vampire Knight Disclaimer:
I do not own VK, but I do however..
own my characters, in which I have placed...
in CROSS ACADEMY for your reading pleasures...

AYATORI
(Cat's Cradle)

Chapter 04
Niwa no Enkatsu
(Harmony's Garden)

A vampire... I never imagined that I would become such a thing. A curse now that I cannot give up on. And when I fall to a level E... "...I will be killed..."

What a bright future I have been given. Kamoku Saito, and Kamoku Kaito, those two are the reason that I have become this, this creature- this monster. I shuddered as the water turned cold just as my thoughts became darker. I reached over and turned the water off and stood in the shower for a moment, "They will be my reason to not fall to a level E... I will kill them before I am killed..." I told myself before getting out of the shower. I wrapped the towel around me and blow-dried my hair, making sure it didn't stay wet or else I would catch that blasted cold I always got whenever I didn't blow dry my hair. Once my hair was dried I just slipped on my dark purple shirt on and some white pants, not really caring about the appearance.

"I was never bitten though...." I said still thinking about how I could have been a vampire. "Unless..." I raised up my shirt to the large gashed wound on my side, "When the pain disappeared..." I said looking at it, my fingertips barely running over my skin, "Impossible..." I said as I thought about it all. It began to make sense, but at the same time, I was hating myself for letting myself be like this. I would definitely make sure those two are dead.

The door burst open and I quickly put down my shirt, falling backwards onto my bottom as I looked up to see Yuuki and Zero. I blink a couple of times in the silence as the two looked at me. "Are you all right?" Zero asked as Yuuki let go of the arm she was trying to pull him on.

"Yeah... why?" I asked, curious as to why they just barged in.

"There was a killing intent in here and..." He trailed off looking away from me, "Never-mind..." He turned and left, leaving Yuuki looking confused, and I was confused as well.

"Zero is only looking out for you, because Zero and Rikku-san are similar." Yuuki explained, "SO I believe that Zero is worried about Rikku-san, so he wants to protect her too..."

"Don't be ridiculous..." I said, Zero wasn't the one that would be like that unless he knew the person, such as Yuuki. "He probably thought there was a vampire in here that he could kill for a reason..." but the only vampire that was in here... was me...I sighed, standing up, as Yuuki did, and made my way out of the bathroom, tossing the towels into the basket.

I walked over to the window to see that it was well into the morning, and I decided I wanted to go outside, so I turned and headed for the door, ignoring Yuuki asking me questions such as to where I was going too. She followed me, though, which was not a bother, and headed down the stairs to leave the building. The sun was bright, and it was the first time since I first arrived in the town outside of this academy that I had been outside. I closed my eyes, the sun burning, but proceeded along my way.

"Rikku-san..." Yuuki said running after me until she was able to catch up. "It's still not safe here for you to be alone..."

"Why do you say that?" I rounded on her, "Is it because you think that I'm weak, and that I can't protect myself? Or could it be the fact that there are vampires running around everywhere here?"

"No... It's neither of those..." She said looking almost scared of me. "It's because you haven't returned to your full health... and I don't want Rikku-san to get any more hurt than what Rikku-san all ready is." She told me and I looked away from her.

"Fine." I said, "But I want to be outside for a little bit..."

I found my way to the stables where the horses were located at. I turned to Yuuki, "Am I able to ride one?" I asked her before going back and petting the black horse. "You're really pretty..." I told it, "So pure and innocent..." The horse breathed into my face licking my cheek as I kept my hands on top of it's head, petting it, I laughed.

"I.. I don't think it's a good idea... Rikku-san..." Yuuki said as we both heard an annoyed horse from down the stable. I looked down to see a white horse that looked like it was out to get Yuuki.

"Don't worry, Yuuki." We both turned when we heard Zero's voice. "Go on back to the Chairman's office... If she wants to ride the horse, let her... I think this one wants to be out too..." He said as he petted the white horse, "Isn't that right, Lilly?" The white horse leaned towards Zero's hand, wanting to be petted by him.

"Zero..." Yuuki said unsure.

"It's fine, Yuuki..." Zero reassured her. "Can you imagine what it must be like if you were locked away for days without being able to leave a room?"

"Right..." Yuuki nodded and left.

"Do you know how to ride a horse, Rikku...?" He asked me, it was the first time he called me by my name. and the surprised must of shown on my face, "What's wrong?" He asked me.

"Nothing..." I said, "And yes, I do know how to ride a horse."

"That's Harmony that's in front of you..." He told me and I looked back to the horse in front of me. "Why don't you bring her out of the stable... I'll get Lilly." I nodded and took ahold of her reigns and opened the gate to let her out, and guided her outside.

I placed my foot in the foot hole and hopped up onto the saddle, rubbing her head as she troted around in circles while I waited for Zero to come out. It had been a couple of years since I had last gone horseback riding. Zero came out on Lilly and trotted over. "I don't know the place so well, so, I'll follow you..." I told him and he nodded, starting to leave the stables.

"You'll probably be here for at least a semester, so I'll show you around while we're out here..." He said a we rode off.

"That sounds reasonable... and it's not like I really have anywhere else to go..." I said with a sigh, unless I chase down those Kamoku brothers.... I tightened my grip on the reigns of Harmony as I thought about it. After about a half hour, we stopped by the pond on campus and got off the horses, letting them drink the water. "It's actually a bigger campus than I thought..." I said, not realizing before that it was on an island, and the two dormitories were attached to the mainland.

"Yeah, and when you're first on it, it's very easy to get lost on..." He said sitting down next to a tree in the shade from the hot sun. I wiped my forehead where beads of sweat were forming from the sun's rays beating down on us. It was August, so the sun would be hott, no doubt. I sat down next to him, on the side of the tree, leaning on the tree and closing my eyes as the wind blew. "Have you had any times yet where you have craved for blood or do you restrain it by ignoring it?" he asked me.

"I have been ignoring it..." I said, which was true. Any time I had thought about it, I pushed it aside. "And I will refuse to even eat those blood tablets too..."

"When you can't ignore it..." He started, "you're going to have to rely on these." He tossed a container to me, "Mix it with water, and you should be fine..."

I looked down at the white tablets in the container. "I will make sure I will never have to use these..." I told myself outloud as I stuck the container in my back pocket. "...never..."

"We should probably head back..." Zero said standing up. "Let's go." I stood and we left back to the stables on the horses.

WELL?! Fifi-san you are amazing! I freaking love your reviews! YOU inspire me so much to continue -sniff sniff- THANK YOU! -hugs- Well, it's 2:30 in the afternoon, since I start up school again tomorrow, I thought I'd post during the day... What do you guys think of the developing relationship between Zero and Rikku? What about how she treats Kaname? Can you just imagine how the semester would be like?! What is she was placed in the night class... ooh.... so many ideas... :] well, continue your reviews! I still don't know how many people are reading my story other than the ones that review/alert, since no one has favored my story... :( Well, bye bye for now!