Chapter 9: The Two Progenitors
Takuma and Ichiru hurried toward the front steps of the Academy grounds where, on the other side, a limousine was parked and waiting for them. Takuma was carrying Rukia on his shoulders and was starting to regret what was happening. However, he could not express his true opinions…not with Ichiru there.
Three vampires jumped in front of them, and they halted immediately. "Hanabusa, Ruka, Akatsuki," Takuma whispered.
"My suspicions about you were correct after all," Aido said with a glare as the ground between them became an icy patch. "This is the end of the line, Takuma. You shall not pass any of us."
"I don't want to fight you, but I will if I have to if you don't move out of the way," Takuma stated as he transferred Rukia over to Ichiru's shoulders, which he allowed. Then he placed a hand on the hilt of his katana.
"Like what Hanabusa said," Kain said coolly, "You shall go no further, so don't move…or else." Three fireballs appeared behind him.
"I didn't want to do this, but you left me with no choice," Takuma said as he withdrew his katana and threw his scabbard to the side.
Then with a burst of speed, he charged toward the three. He dodged a glare from Ruka, and slashed at Kain, who sent his fireballs toward him and jumped backwards.
Takuma slashed through the flames, charged toward Kain and slashed again. Any burns caused by the flames were healed within seconds. All what Kain could do was blast more fire and dodge his opponent's attacks. Takuma dodged the flames and continued his slash attacks.
Aido noticed that his cousin was being overwhelmed so he stepped in to help. He burst forward and fired an ice blast from behind. Kain blasted more flames from the other side. Takuma jumped up and flipped backward several times to avoid the attacks. A crimson glow appeared in Ruka's eyes, and Takuma quickly dodged it before it could enslave him.
"You think that just because you're the closest thing to a pure-blood than the rest of us that you can just get away with something like this? You're wrong, you fucking traitor!" Aido shouted as he charged toward Takuma, who dodged an incoming kick.
"And I'm telling you that it's not my choice!" Takuma shot back as he dodged more punches and kicks. He knew that if he came into contact with Aido, he would be frozen solid within seconds.
"Bullshit!" Aido yelled as he fired another ice blast at Takuma. "You know what will happen if Kaname-sama finds out?"
Takuma froze at the question, unsure of what to say. His body shivered slightly at the thought. However, he snapped back to reality when he dodged the ice blast.
"Basically," Aido continued as he fired more ice blasts, "You signed a death wish when you chose to betray us all! We probably don't have the power to kill you, but Kaname-sama does!"
Takuma dodged the ice blasts with amazing speed and reactivity. He realized that Aido was right. Kaname is a pure-blood vampire, and Takuma had seen how horrifying he can become if something infuriated him. However, he was also living in fear under another very powerful pure-blood vampire…two in fact. He was not sure about Ichigo, but why do pure-bloods have to be tyrannical at times?
Ichiru sighed in impatience as he drew his gun. "Takuma!" He shouted. "Quit idling so that we can get a move on!"
Aido sneered at Ichiru's words. "I wouldn't think that you would take orders from a human either."
"I'm not taking orders from him," Takuma corrected as he charged toward Aido and slashed his katana. "You don't know what it's like being forced to work for Aizen-sama and Juha-sama. Either way, I've signed a death wish no matter what!" He continued to slash his katana multiple times.
Aido winced as he dodged Takuma's attacks. Did he just say Aizen-sama and Juha-sama in the same sentence? He had heard about both of them—how they were currently in hiding after committing such vile and unforgivable acts.
Kain's eyes widened as he saw two men behind Ruka. One of the men made a large, double-bladed sword appear by grasping at his cross pendant and raised it over his head. "RUKA!" He screamed as he ran toward her, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her away before the man could make his attack.
"Akatsuki?" Ruka asked as she stared at Kain with surprised eyes. Kain glared at the newcomers. Ichiru fired his gun and Kain hissed as pain overtook his left shoulder. He loosened his grip on Ruka and she stood up immediately. "Akatsuki! You're hurt!" Kain grasped his bleeding shoulder and panted.
"Akatsuki!" Aido shouted. However, while he was distracted with what was going on, he created an opening for Takuma to attack.
Takuma stabbed Aido through the stomach, and the younger aristocrat choked on the blood that spewed from his mouth. "I told you I didn't want to do this, but like I said, you left me no choice."
"Trai…tor," Aido managed to choke out before falling into unconsciousness.
Takuma walked toward his scabbard and sheathed his katana. Then he walked toward Ginjou, Tsukishima, and Ichiru, who was pointing his gun toward Kain and Ruka. He placed a hand on Ichiru's gun. "Leave them be," he said, "The more time we spend around here, the more impatient Aizen-sama and Juha-sama get. So let's go." He averted his eyes to Tsukishima and Ginjou. "And I didn't ask for your help."
Ginjou placed his blade on his shoulders and scowled at his fellow aristocrat. "You were takin' too long."
"And besides," Tsukishima said, "remember where your loyalties lie. You're with us now, and you won't be going back to them anytime soon."
Ichiru put away his gun and adjusted Rukia on his shoulder. "Let's get out of here," he suggested. They walked down the stairs toward the limousine.
Ruka stared after them as they left. She could not believe that Takuma stood up for them like that, especially after betraying them. Was he still struggling with his loyalties? She focused her attention back to Kain, who was still gripping his injured shoulder tightly. His left arm was limp from the damaged tendons. "Don't worry, Akatsuki, I'm going to get you the help you need."
She carefully helped him up and they walked back to the Moon Dormitory. When she noticed Aido lying unconscious not too far away, she walked toward him and managed to put him on her shoulders. Then she and Kain continued to walk toward the dormitory. "Can't believe that bastard betrayed us," Kain trailed off and Ruka nodded in agreement.
While everything was going on outside, Kaname narrowed his eyes as he watched the one whom he considered his best friend knock Rukia out. So Takuma is a traitor, he thought to himself. I'll have to deal with him later, but first… He saw Ichigo lying barely conscious and walked out of his room. However, he found himself face-to-face with Rido-Senri.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Kaname?" Rido-Senri asked with a sadistic smile.
"Rido," Kaname snarled under his breath.
"I want to thank you for killing my fiancée," Rido-Senri said. "Shizuka Hio had become such a bother over the years, and I thought that locking her up would make a difference."
"I didn't do it for you," Kaname snapped.
Rido-Senri frowned at Kaname's attitude toward him. "You can hate me however you like, but the fact still remains that you're still my servant. And also, you know that you can't kill me due to my power over you. I'll continue to target Yuuki as well. She may be a human, but…"
"Stay away from Yuuki!" Kaname shouted, his eyes glowing red from rage.
Rido-Senri smirked. "Well, if you don't want me to target Yuuki's blood so that I can finally get my body back, revive me using yours."
Kaname said nothing; he continued to glare at his "uncle" with pure hatred and fury.
Rido-Senri turned around, "It's your decision," he said, "but I'm sure you'll make the right choice. Either way, I will get my body back so that I can continue to spread terror throughout this wretched world along with Aizen and Juha. So long, Kaname."
Kaname clenched his teeth and fists tightly. All he ever wanted was to be free, like any other pure-blood vampire would be. Why would he have to be forced to be put under Rido's spell…to be forced to work for him like some slave? The answer was simple: Rido revived him from his coffin by sacrificing the life of an infant…an event that caused him so much guilt and disgust because of the pain that it brought to the parents of that child. Because of the intensity of his rage, the windows in his room shattered and the walls split along the middle.
He looked out the window once again at the unconscious body of Ichigo Kurosaki and narrowed his eyes. Then he hurried out of his room toward that area.
Rido-Senri was just exiting the building when he was confronted by Rima. Silence fell between them for a moment as a breeze blew through their hair.
"I don't know who you are or what you want," Rima said, "but I know that you're not Senri and I can tell that you're pure evil." She got into a fighting stance and sparks crackled at her fingertips. "So I'm going to stop you from doing whatever it is that you're planning on doing."
"So this is the girl that Senri loves so much," Rido-Senri said with a sadistic smile. "I can tell he has good taste, but I'm wondering how he would react when his precious girlfriend is mercilessly slaughtered...by his own hands." He bit into his fingers and his blood hardened into a whip.
"You bastard!" Rima screamed as she charged toward Rido-Senri.
Elsewhere, Yagari was patrolling near the crypt, looking for any suspicious activity. To pass the time, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
When he made his first puff, he raised an eyebrow when he saw two hooded figures carrying something into the crypt. Realizing that this was suspicious enough, he managed to get a closer look at them, making sure that he was not seen.
His eyes widened at the object they were carrying: a black coffin covered by a pair of crossing chains. There was something familiar about that coffin, and he did not like the odds of who could possibly inside.
He made sure that he was out of hearing range and quickly took his cell phone. After quickly dialing a number, he put the phone to his ear and waited for someone to pick up on the other side.
At the Vampire Hunters Association headquarters, Byakuya Kuchiki sighed as he filled out paperwork at his desk. This was going to be another long night shift, he was sure of it—not like he had anything better to do on a night like this. His life was devoted to his work, and he planned to keep it that way for a very long time.
The phone on the right side of his desk rang and he immediately picked it up with another sigh. "Byakuya Kuchiki," he said in an almost monotone voice, "state your business."
"Hello Byakuya, I've got urgent news," Yagari said.
"Yagari," Byakuya replied. "What is it?"
Yagari looked around to make sure that no one had spotted him. "Two hooded figures had entered the crypt near Cross Academy, carrying a black coffin locked tight with two chains. I've got a bad feeling about who could be inside that coffin."
This bit of news made Byakuya wince slightly. "And are you sure that this was what they're carrying?" He inquired.
"Yes, sir," Yagari affirmed. "It looked very suspicious. I think tonight will be the night that Rido Kuran gets his body back."
Byakuya nodded in understanding. "Don't do anything at the moment, Yagari. Report this to Kaien Cross. I'm sure that he will cancel whatever classes in that school of his. After all, the Cross Academy grounds are not safe for human students."
"I agree, sir," Yagari nodded in agreement. "I'll see you soon." He turned off his phone and hurried toward the Academy building, praying that those hooded figures have not smelled him yet. He knew that he would probably defend himself anyway, but he had to take those extra precautions.
Byakuya pressed a button on the main body to go back to the dial tone and dialed a number on the keypad.
In his home, Renji Abarai snored beside his girlfriend, Tatsuki, on their bed. Suddenly, his phone rang, causing his eyes to snap open. With a groan, he reached for the phone and pressed the send button to connect the call. "Hey," he greeted with a very tired voice.
"Renji, urgent news," Byakuya said. "Come to the office immediately." He hung up his phone.
This caused Renji to wake up slightly. He clicked his phone off, sat up with a yawn, and put his shirt back on.
When he stood up from the bed, Tatsuki stirred awake and sat up. "Renji, what are you doing?" She glanced at the clock. "It's 1:30 am."
"I've got to go to the office, babe," Renji answered as he put on a pair of jeans. "Byakuya called with some urgent news." He grabbed his holster and took out his shotgun. Then he grabbed some ammo and loaded it until it was completely full.
Tatsuki sighed. "You be careful out there, alright?"
Renji smiled at her and kissed her lips. "I will, Tatsuki. Don't wait up." He slung his shotgun over his shoulders and walked out of the room to finish preparing for his departure.
Tatsuki watched him leave and smiled. She was proud of him and his line of work, but at the same time, she was worried about him. She knew that vampires were very powerful and dangerous beings and she had heard stories of hunters failing to exterminate them. She hoped that Renji would not be one of those casualties. "Come back home safely," she whispered as she lay back down on her bed and closed her eyes.
Ichigo groaned and opened his eyes. The pain seemed to have disappeared, but his side continued to throb a little. He looked down and saw white bandages wrapped around his abdomen. Someone must have found him and taken care of him, but who? He looked around the room and realized that he was in his own bed. Sighing, he lay still on his back, wondering what happened and how long he was out for.
Then it suddenly hit him. He remembered that he was sparring with Rukia when they came to kidnap her. He tried to protect her, but he was shot by an anti-vampire gun and the other, Takuma Ichijou, knocked her out and put her on his shoulders. Ichigo was confused as to why Takuma would want to betray his fellow Night Class students. What was his deal?
Either way, it angered him to no end. I should be healed by now, right? He thought to himself, I'll go after them. They haven't gone too far. I'll personally go after them, make them pay for what happened, and then bring Rukia home. "I'm coming, Rukia," he whispered as he immediately sat up.
However, he was immediately pushed back onto his bed. "What do you think you're doing?" A voice demanded. "Your wounds aren't healed yet, so lie back down and rest."
Ichigo scowled when he heard that voice. He turned to face the speaker and looked into the eyes of Kaname Kuran. "Bastard," He hissed through his teeth, "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Kaname sat back in his chair and his eyebrow twitched with irritation. "Considering that it was I who saved you, you should owe me that much."
"Why the hell would you of all people save me?" Ichigo snapped. "And I don't owe you anything."
Kaname took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "First of all, in another life, I was a doctor, hence why I was able to treat your wounds. Second, everyone else is busy and I couldn't allow a fellow vampire such as yourself to suffer…not if you have unfinished business to take care of."
"Then allow me to go over there and save Rukia!" Ichigo argued. "I can't allow them to do whatever they're planning with her!" He sat up once again but was pushed back down.
"Are you stupid?!" Kaname growled, his eyes glowing red. "You think rushing into enemy territory with your condition will be enough to get Rukia back? Think again! Your wounds aren't healed yet! If this were a normal wound, then fine, I would let you go. However, a wound from an anti-vampire weapon takes a very long time to heal. Also, Aizen Sosuke and Juha Bach are there! Be smart and think about recovering first."
"How the hell do you know that?" Ichigo asked. "How do you know Juha?"
"I know instinctively that Aizen and Juha are somewhere outside of town," Kaname answered. "And how do I know Juha? In another life, he and I were partners."
"Why do you keep saying, 'in another life'?" Ichigo questioned. "What do you mean?"
Kaname sighed. "Juha Bach and I…we're the progenitors of our respective clans." Ichigo widened his eyes in surprise. "We're among the oldest of all vampires and the only ones still alive today. It's a long story."
"I want to know everything about him," Ichigo said. "I want to know why you two are still around."
"A thousand years ago," Kaname started his explanation, "we were travelers—nomads who traveled from place to place in search for survival. Humans were decreasing in numbers because of a great climate change. However, we also needed to survive and it was either us or them. Juha and I were unstoppable. Nothing could touch us. You could say that we were like gods—superior, powerful, immortal. We were despicable but it couldn't be helped. However, things changed when we arrived in one town and my eyes opened forever."
Flashback – 1,000 years ago
Kaname and Juha arrived in a small town that stood in shambles. Famine had fallen and the streets were in poor condition. People had fallen ill due to the uninhabitable condition of the atmosphere. Kaname's eyes softened when they entered the town.
"Let's put them out of their misery, don't you agree, Kaname?" Juha said with a grin.
"No, go on ahead," Kaname replied. "I'm staying."
"What the hell?!" Juha exclaimed. "Have you lost your mind?! Don't get sentimental on me; it will just make you weak. We have our pride! You think you're just going to throw it away?!"
"I've made up my mind," Kaname trailed off. "Go on ahead and leave this place." He turned around to glare at his companion. "You're no longer needed. I'll take care of myself from here on."
"Traitor," Juha snarled. "Go ahead, have your fun. However, I'll make you regret it." He marched in another direction.
Kaname continued to walk into the town and began to live among the people. He just told them that he was a visitor who would help them, and they believed him mainly because of their desperate struggle. They were grateful for the help that he had given them, and the sick grew stronger due to his expertise in medicine. He was considered a hero in their eyes; someone whom they could really look up to. The once poor town became a thriving one, and not only he was their healer, he was also their mayor.
However, years went by and the townspeople became very suspicious of their hero. "Lord Kaname!" a man cried, "Are the rumours true? It's said at night you've made villagers fall asleep to take small amounts of blood from them. You rarely come outside during the day. You've shared your blood with us when we needed medicine and your appearance hasn't changed since my father was young."
"An aberration! A monster!" A woman cried.
"You monster!" Another man shouted. "Give us back our blood! Give us your blood! You're not like us! Give us your medicinal blood! Or better yet, get out!"
Kaname stepped back when the mob marched toward him, carrying torches, farming tools, and any other object they could use for a weapon. He knew that he had overstayed his welcome despite what he had done to help the town thrive. He turned and fled the town, dodging anything that was thrown at him.
As soon as he was a mile away, he met a strange woman in a white cloak. "Kaname," she said.
"Who are you?" Kaname asked. "How do you know my name?"
"It's only natural for humans to be scared of those with powers they don't understand," the woman said, ignoring Kaname's questions. "We need to live apart from them for their sake as well." She held out a hand for Kaname to take. "Come live with your kind." Hesitantly, Kaname took her hand and she led him to a coven full of men and women wearing white cloaks.
Realizing that he did not drink blood for a while, Kaname became dizzy and collapsed. The woman that rescued him caught him when he fell. He could barely make out the voices of the woman who found him and another before his eyes closed.
When he came to, he could hear more voices nearby and from what he overheard, it seemed that they were discussing something very serious.
"I'm worried…There are those who creating 'servants' indiscriminately. There's no need for so many of them…"
"And the servants need blood to sustain themselves…"
"I have a bad feeling about this. They say it's what both sides want, but…I don't believe it."
Kaname blinked but his weakness overtook him once more and his eyes closed with exhaustion.
"Kaname, wake up," the voice of the woman that saved him spoke. Kaname groaned as he opened his eyes once more. "I've never seen one of us collapse like you did… It's because you still haven't selected a 'servant' yet."
"Or maybe…I don't remember the last time I…" Kaname managed to speak.
The woman nodded and pulled back her sleeve to show Kaname her arm. "Drink," She said. Kaname looked at her. "Don't tell me you've forgotten how to use your fangs. Drink," She repeated.
Kaname sunk his fangs into her arm and did as she told him, relishing in the liquid that he had been living on. He stopped biting her arm and she covered it once again. His mind wandered to the conversation that he had overheard. "Those vampires that were turning humans into slaves," He said, "could one of them be…Juha Bach?"
The woman's eyes widened and she softened them once again. "It could very well be," she answered. Kaname's eyes narrowed. "You knew him?" She asked.
"Yes," He nodded, remembering the last words Juha had told him before he left. He's going to make me regret it? I have no regrets…however… He remembered his crimes that he had committed with Juha and suspicious acts that he had done in that town, and he looked up at the woman. "There's something that I must ask of you in return. I need your help. I must control this…this inner demon that's within me. I know this is a bit sudden…but…"
The woman nodded. "I understand what you want from me, and I shall do whatever I can to help you even though you can't keep it suppressed forever. After all, you let your people run you off your land. You left without so much of an obligation, and it wasn't because you couldn't be bothered to put up a fight." She embraced him. "You're a kind boy…Kaname."
Kaname closed his eyes. This was the first time he had ever felt true love from anyone. Even though, he hardly knew about this woman, he felt that he could trust her more than anyone. He separated from her and gazed into her eyes. "Even though I was no different than…"
"Even still, you redeemed yourself when you decided to help that town and gain their trust," the woman replied.
Kaname smiled softly as they once again shared an embrace. "What's your name?"
"I don't have one," the woman replied, "but you may call me the Ancestress."
Time went by and the situation grew worse. The army of slaves grew bigger within record time and Juha grinned at his work. Soon his revenge will be complete, and he was anticipating every moment of it.
A horse sped through the army and its rider, the Ancestress, steered through the crowd. Kaname was behind her, amazed at the numbers of the slaves that surrounded them. "There are so many," Kaname said in wonder.
"Yes," the Ancestress replied as she continued to steer her horse, "The number of humans has finally increased, but more than half our members are thinking about turning every human into one of our own. They want loyal slaves of their own." She pushed Kaname off her horse and he landed with cat-like balance. "You must use your powers to stop them! Go!"
Kaname stared at her without a word.
"The only way to stop more servants is to destroy the source. Then we'll do something about the servants who have lost their masters. I don't relish destroying our kind after I searched them out." She looked back at Kaname. "I'm sorry for asking you to do such an unpleasant job. Forgive me, Kaname."
"I'll be fine," Kaname assured her. "But you look pale. Are you alright?" He brought up a hand to touch her face.
The Ancestress smiled. "I'm all right. Everyone is working so very hard for this." Their faces grew closer together and they shared what seemed to be their final kiss. Kaname could feel a tear running down his cheek for he could tell that this would be the end. "You're a kind boy, Kaname," She said when they separated, "Work hard even though I won't be with you." And after those final words, she nudged her horse with her heel and rode off out of sight.
Kaname stared after her, emotion filling his cold heart. However, he knew that this was not the time to cry. He stood up tall and his eyes glowed. "Go home," he whispered. "Go home, all of you!"
At that moment, the servants felt a sensation well up within them. Kaname could hear voices all around him as the servants slowly left the area.
When the area was empty, Kaname was face to face with Juha Bach and his eyes narrowed as Juha smiled maliciously back at him. "Have any regrets yet, Kaname?" Juha asked. "Soon, that woman will die and you'll once again be all alone. Such a shame you had to choose this path."
Kaname turned his back on his former friend. "We will meet again, Juha. This time, I won't be afraid to kill you with my bare hands."
"You've turned into a coward, Kaname!" Juha called after him, but Kaname had already disappeared.
When Kaname heard that the Ancestress ripped her heart out and threw it into a furnace, he was overcome with more emotion than he could ever handle. She was everything to him—she was his mentor, his lover, his savior. He felt lost without her; nothing in this life mattered to him but her.
The Ancestress' heart formed an element, which became a base for anti-vampire weapons, and with these weapons, humans have begun to take arms against the vampires that threatened their existence. Making sure he was out of any hunter's sight, Kaname infiltrated the forgery. He had come up with an idea to fight against Juha and put an end to him, even though he knew of the risks it could take.
He noticed a sword propped against a crate. It was a simple sword—white hilt, white curved hand-guard, dual-edged blade. Kaname narrowed his eyes when he walked toward it. He grasped the hilt, but it sent a shock through his hand. He hissed in surprise and pulled his hand back. Realizing that he was going nowhere, he had to try again to take the sword. He grasped it again, and even though it continued to reject him, he ignored the pain. Making sure that he was not seen, he quickly ran out of the forgery.
It was not long before he met up with Juha, who was also wielding an anti-vampire sword. Blood had stained his robes, and Kaname could tell that he killed a hunter and stole his sword.
"So this is it, Kaname," Juha said.
"Afraid so," Kaname replied. He got into a fighting stance. "I should have known that you would be the one who caused her to sacrifice herself."
"You were a naïve fool to think that you could fall in love and side with humans," Juha said as he also got into a fighting stance. "You've grown soft over the years, Kaname, and I will make sure that you will fall because your mistakes."
"Not if I do it first!" Kaname charged toward Juha and slashed. Juha dodged the slash and countered with a slash of his own sword, which Kaname blocked.
Over and over, they slashed at one another. Juha slashed at Kaname, who blocked and countered with a slash of his own. Juha slashed several more times in a fast motion, and Kaname jumped back, making sure to avoid every slash. "You used to be smart," Juha said as he continued to slash Kaname. "We were like brothers and yet, you chose to side with those inferior humans, the very creatures that we prey on! Looking at you makes me sick!" He made a wide slash, which Kaname dodged by jumping out of the way.
"I've got no excuse for that," Kaname shot back as he charged once again. "Yes, we were like brothers, but I have changed!"
The two opponents slashed once more and stalled in the centre. Juha kicked Kaname in the stomach, pushing him back, and slashed him once more. Kaname blocked and slashed several more times. Juha blocked each attack easily and slashed downward, causing Kaname to jump back. They charged at one another one more time, and once they collided, a cloud of dust covered them for a moment.
Once the dust settled, they were on the other side of each other, both covered with slashes from each other's weapons. Blood splashed from a wound on Kaname's side and he hissed from the pain, propping himself up against a wall.
He slowly turned around at Juha. Blood gushed from a wound on his stomach and he fell on his knees. "We'll just…call it a draw, but…I will…recover," he croaked out as he fell onto the ground. His sword lay beside him.
"Fair enough," Kaname trailed off. He stumbled through the empty street, using anything he could find to keep himself upright.
A mausoleum stood in front of him, and he staggered toward it, thinking that this might be his final resting place. He opened the door and stepped through, panting from the wound that burned at his side. Just…a little more.
A black coffin stood in front of him and he made it way toward it. Perfect. He knelt in front of it, placed the sword on a table beside it, and opened it. Sure enough, it was empty and Kaname smiled weakly. He stepped inside, lay down inside and closed the coffin lid.
Present
"I was inside that coffin for the next several hundred years," Kaname concluded, "Since the Ancestress died and I took care of Juha, there was nothing else for me in that world. I was insignificant…empty…with nothing else to live for. I thought that I was asleep forever…until Rido came along and revived me by sacrificing the life of an infant boy who just happened to be named after me. I reverted my form to that of an infant and was able to start my life over.
"Juha, on the other hand, was revived by a man named Aizen Sosuke, the same vampire that bit Rukia and killed her family. Together, these two became criminals, which put them on the most wanted list at the Hunters' Association."
Ichigo said nothing. He could understand that Kaname had gone through so much the past millennium. However, he knew that his rivalry with him was still the same.
Kaname stood up from his chair. "Now that I've told you everything, I hope you understand where I was coming from when I warned you about Juha. However, if you truly feel like this is something you must do for the good of your family, do what you wish. However, you won't succeed without help. The decision is yours, Kurosaki. For now, however, rest and recover from your injuries. There's something I need to take care of." He walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.
Ichigo stared after him and sighed. So Juha is that strong. He knew that this would not be easy; so maybe he might take Kaname's advice into consideration. His eyes closed as he drifted off into a sleep.
And another chapter is done! For the flashback, I used Vampire Knight Volume 13 (chapters 62-63). I understand that Kaname tells Yuuki about his past after the Cross Academy war against Rido. However, since Juha plays a part in this too, I figured that it would be more fitting that I have Kaname tell Ichigo about his past. So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you next time! In the meantime, please review and let me know what you think.
