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Disclaimer: Vampire Knight belongs to Hino Matsuri

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Red Snow, White Woman

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Flashback (Nina POV 1)

Through the windows, my eyes observe everything outside. My face sticks on the surface of the window. Everything out there is new for me. This is the first time I see a scene like this on whole of my life: a dying tree whose leafs had fallen down and left nothing on its branches. The road has clean because my new father had cleaned it in autumn. This is my first winter ever. May be this in not the first, but I did not remember any of my past. Ah remembering it makes me annoy and anger to myself. Why can't I remember such a big thing? It is ten years of my life, anyway. There must be too much thing happened in my life. Well, may not, I do not know!

Ah forget it, Nina. It is not the time to think about it! Just enjoy this winter! Eh? What did I say?

Enjoy? How could be that possible? I can not enjoy this winter like everyone else outside.

My hand falls upon my chest, grasp my clothes tragically. I feel a little bit choked, but it hurts more than usual. Yeah, it is very hurt to see everyone is enjoying winter outside while you're trapped in the house until the winter's end, right? But at least, I can still see the first snow falls. It worth to see, and may be I will forget about this disease for a while.

"You look very excited, Nina." I turn around and see my adoptive father is coming. He sits beside me in front of the windows.

"Yes." I answered when see through the windows once more. "I curious how snows look like, Dad."

"It is your first winter, isn't it?" My father brushes my hair gently. I smiles to him. He is so kind for a man.

He kindly adopted me: an unknown girl, from an orphanage few times ago. He treated me like his own family although he had no idea who I was or any of my background. He said it was not matter for him.

My father adopted me when I was just about two months at orphanage. How lucky I am to be adopted that fast, faster than any other child there, in spite of my age which become the oldest there.

Since I was at the orphanage untill now, I have never seen snow or experience winter. My father adopted me too fast for me too see my first winter at orphanage. Lucky for me, now I can spend my first winter in the house of my new family.

"Look, Nina! That is the first snow!" My father points his index finger to the window. I look at the direction which he is pointed.

Instead of widely opens, my eyes frown deeply. I see the snows fall upon the ground, one and then many of them fall from the sky. I'm watching them very carefully. It is weird. It is does not like I always think until now.

"You does not seem happy, My Dear. What's so wrong?" My father asked.

"Why the snow seems so white?" My mouth spoke.

"The snow always white, My Dear, it never change since unknown time." My father explained.

"It is weird."

"What so weird, Nina...?"

My eyes watch the fallen snows. It becomes like rain now. "Shouldn't it suppose to be red?"

End of Flashback

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Chairman's room

Actually, Nina is happy to see her father is normal again. But at the same time, she also annoys. "Why you call me here this time, Dad?" Nina asked, half curious and half annoys. Cross Kaien must have rational reason to call her here in this hour when she supposed to be sleep on her bed.

Nina wants to protest, actually, but when she sees the seriousness on her father face, she stands quietly. It is rare to see her father in serious mode like this. But, Nina knows when the time like this comes; she can never make any joke in front of him. The chairman looks right into her eyes through his glasses. He moves it a little and then he sighed.

"Nina, because of the worse situation, where you getting closer to the night class each day, I decided to give you a weapon to protect yourself." Kaien explained.

Nina's reaction is very clear: her eyes open widely. "A weapon...? Do not say that you belief to your "precious" night class lessen more?" Nina gives more emphasis to the word precious.

He sighed desperately. "Yes, Nina. Moreover, I heard about the accidents in Takuma-kun's party, so I think I have to protect you," he gave reason.

"With what?"

After Nina asks it, Kaien pull out the drawer in his desk. He put his hand in it and takes something from it. He put the thing on the table, and shows it to Nina. It seems like a very short stick, short silver coloured stick. Nina takes it and watches its every detail, trying to find the danger of the thing.

"Is it my weapon?" she asked confusedly.

"Yes."

One of her eyebrows is raised up. "Well, I see no danger in this weapon." She said. "How to use it?" she asked while she plays with the stick.

She throws it to the air and suddenly the stick lengthens on its two sides, become longer five times than before. Nina is very surprises but she responds very quickly so the stick does not fall onto the floor. She grasps the weapon on her hands, observes its every detail, still, nothing dangerous from this weapon.

"It has no sharp side. How can I hurt a vampire with a weapon like this?" Nina asked her father.

Kaien smiles with some stars on his face, those stars surround him and Nina can see it somehow. Ugh... it makes her sick, as if he will die if he doesn't make any too much dramatic action.

"Of course I will not give something dangerous for you, My Dear," Kaien said in different voice—almost sounds like a voice of a woman. Disgusting! "But Artemis will help its master, whenever the master needs it. Keep my word."

"Artemis?" Nina frowned. That name was the name of The Godess of Moon and Hunting in Rumanian Mythology. She looked at her new weapon. "Is it this weapon's name? This thing has a name?"

"Yes. It is legendary weapon!" Kaien pointed her nose suddenly. "It is one of the oldest weapons of vampire hunter. Do not break it apart or loses it!"

With one simple move, Artemis shortens into a little stick again. Kaien hand over her the holster of the weapon. Nina put around the holster on his right thigh. She tests it, and it feels suit her well.

"But are we really need this weapon on the day?" Nina spoke her other question.

"No, you really don't need it, actually, unless... you get attacked by a vampire. You may use this as a protection." Her father answered.

"Hey, Dad... how could you get this weapon, by the way?" Nina asked curiously. It was not weird, because Kaien said—unknown whether it is accidentally or not—that the weapon was one of the oldest vampire hunter's weapon. That means this weapon is not an ordinary weapon.

"From one of my old friends..." he answered, then he cleaned up his glasses with his handkerchief from his pocket. "Well, you do not have to think about it, Nina. All you just have to think is how to use it. That's all."

Once again, Nina frowns deeply. Her father never demands on her like that, it is his first time, and he did it because of only one weapon: a vampire hunter's weapon. This weird behaviour seems like... he is hiding something. Bu she think there is no use to ask it now; Kaien will keep it as a secret, may be. So she decided to let it be a secret for now. She believes that no matter how deeper someone keep their secret, it will reveals or be revealed someday.

"I will get back to my class now."

"Oh, wait, Nina!"

Nina turns to her father and sees some paper on his hands. She gets a bad feeling about it. "Now what...?" she asked with no enthusiasm.

"There will be a new student. But you don't have to pick her up. Kaname-kun will take care of it." Kaien explained.

One of Nina's eyebrows a little. "Is it a night class too?"

Her father nodded.

Actually she wants to ask why, because the previous night class student a.k.a Kuran Yuuki was picked up by her. Why don't this student? Does she/he someone special? Well, she has to save that question for herself. May be she has to give up and obeys what her father said.

"All right." Then she left the room without saying a word.

Or may be... she has to figures out who the student is.

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Now Cross Nina sure that her father is only tricked her. That man must know she will spying the school gate is any chances to figure out the new student, so he make a fake information to her. It is almost sun set and she has not see any track of the new student. No one comes to school today. May be the student will come on other day. She chooses to get back to her dorm instead. She does not want to spend the night outside. Who knows if there will a night class skipping their class and hang out to the school ground? She will be a nice prey if it happens. She does not want even to think about it. Too terrible!

As Nina walks bak to the dorm, a chariot arrives in front of the school gate.

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"I dreamed about Aidou-senpai last night!"

"Kyaa! Me too! He is so handsome in my dream!"

Nina breathe a sighed. Seriously, do these women never get bored with same topics every day? They keep repeating the same time day by day: nice dream, night class, photo album collection, etc. Even listening on it makes her frustrating!

"Everyone is as excited as always, isn't it, Nina?" Wakaba Sayori who standing next to her, spoke. She is sounded as calm as usual.

"Everyone..." Nina takes a deep breath. "Can you please just—

"Kyaa!"

The chairman's daughter turns her sight to left. That is not a usual Kyaa yelling. It is not an admirable yelling. It's sounds in pain. There is a girl in pain. And the girl who was yelling was kneel down not far from her. Nina walks towards and kneels by her side, helping clean all the mess because of her scattered book on the ground.

She gazes the girl. Weird. It is the first time she sees this girl. Her long black hair and lazuli eyes is unfamiliar. She never seen her. Even with this numerous students, she can remember most of their face. But this girl... she can be sure that this girl is new.

"Are you all right, Airi?" Nina turned around in surprised. Sayori is behind her, staring at the fallen girl in front of her. She knows this girl?

"Um... yes, I think somehow..." The girl raised her head. Nina gave her the books. The girl named Airi accepted the book with smile, a beautiful smile that can never be imitated by her. "Thank you for helping me, Nina-san."

"Eh? You know me?" Nina asked in surprised.

"Of course. We're in same class," Airi answered. They were in same class and she never recognize her?

"You still difficult to remember all of our classsmate's face, aren't you, Nina?" Sayori asked and gigled.

"What? You don't remember me?" Somehow, the girl looks very disappointed. Of course, why not? Airi remembers her when she thought that this girl is a new student! Now she will never talk to her again!

Out of her expectation, Airi smiles again, a pure smile. "My name is Hazuki Airi. Nice to meet you, Cross Nina-san," she said.

"Of course she knows me. I'm the daughter of chairman after all." Nina thought ironically. But then she realizes something weird. This girl still introducing her name even though Nina can not remember her?

"You don't mad at me?" Nina asked in fear.

"No. Sometimes I can forgot too, even I thought I have some acute dementia." Airi said and then laughed with Sayori. Nina force herself to smile too. Wow. It is the first time she meets a girl like this.

The echoing sound of the opened door surprised them. They stand in unison, Nina stands in front of them both. She does not forget her duty. She keeps the yelling girls stay behind the line. For stop the yelling, nah she already given up. As lons as they not mute, the yelling will keep echoing in the air, make her headache get worse each day.

The night class students walk calmly. Most of them are old face. She starts to bores to see their plain face. And there is a new face among them. Of course it's Kuran Yuuki. The first day that girl appeared, she succeed attract some boys of day class. What she can do about it? Even Nina herself thought that Yuuki is like a princess. Everything about her is so perfect: her attitude, her smile, how she speaks, how she walks, everything about her is so mannered. And it is impossible for her to become like Yuuki. She is tomboy, sport freak although has very acute problems of health, and can't act cute even to her own father. In short, she is the opposite of Yuuki: the perfect opposite.

"Hey, is that a new student too?" That whisper disturbed her. Nina pay her attention on the night class too and suddenly she feels like her heart stop beating.

Become the last student out of school, the girl walks in front of her eyes. Her attitude as perfect as the other students. But it is not the one which makes her froze. The girl's appearance: white hair and pink eyes, even that smile is similar to...

The horrible sights appear again. The scene of the sight and the reality showing in her eyes by turn, makes the distance between reality and illusion blur. Every sight mixed in: the bloody scene, the pureblood woman spoke to her, the scene of her bloody mouth and fangs, and then the reality which shows the silver haired girl, smiles at her. Suddenly she felt like something hit her chest. It is hard to breathe. Shit! Her asthma!

"You're the prefect, right?" When she realized, her heart like jumped out of its place. How long this girl have stood before her eyes?

Nina takes a backward step. The girl's smile grows wider, turn into a scary grin. Her eyes catches her, trapps her in it. The figure of the pureblood woman and the girl appear by turn in her eyes, emphasizes the resemblances between them both. God! They're so similar, even their smile. The only missing thing is the blood around her mouth and fangs.

"What's wrong, Miss prefect? Are you afraid of me?" the girl asked.

Of course Nina can't shows her sign of fear in front of him. One lesson she keeps until today: do not show your fear in front of someone you thought as an enemy. And for her, this girl is an enemy. "No. I'm not afraid of you." Nina said between breath, tried to returning her breath back to normal.

"Is that so?" The smile slowly disappeared. "I'm sure we haven't met before. My name is Kurenai Maria. What's your name, Miss prefect?"

"Nina. Cross Nina." Nina aswered bravely, stared at the girl's eyes without blinked.

The smile grows wider once again. "You're cute. I like a girl like you... Nina." Nina swear when this Maria smile, she can sees her fangs grows longer inside her mouth. Nina gulps in nervous and fear.

"Maria-san!" They both turn to the voice, to the dark-haired girl who waits with serious face. Nina never sees Kuran Yuuki so deadly serious before. Now she looks like Kuran Kaname very well. "The class is over. Let's return to our dorm!"

In a faraway place, Nina can see Kaname's eyes focused to certain person. No. Not to Maria but to her, to Nina. Only her. She tries to read the expression on his face and find something unexpectedly. Is it worry?

"Fine." Kurenai Maria answers and left her. She almost breath a realief when Maria turns back. "I hope we can be friend, Nina-chan." Then she really leaves.

Nina breathe a sigh of realief, finally. And when she breathes, her breath is fast and short. The girl was frightening her.

"Are you okay, Nina?" Sayori who stands by her right side, asked.

Nina turned to her to give her a reasurred smile. "Don't worry, Yori. I'm fine. You can go to school first. I will following you."

"Okay." Yori seemed objected but she didn't say anything and left her behind.

Unknowingly, Airi is still on her place. Her eyes are focused to the way where Night Class members gone a while then. "That girl is scary."

Nina turns left and surprises to see Airi still besides her. "You think... so?" she asks, unbelivably. Now there is another girl who has same thought as her. She is so glad to find this.

"Yes." Airi asked, looked gloomy and serious in the same time. "We better don't get close to her, Nina-san."

"Yes, but just Nina."

"What?"

"Just call me, Nina, without any honorific. It is annoying sometimes." Nina explained.

Airi gave her a reasurred smile. "Fine. Let's go to school, shall we?"

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The room of Kuran Kaname

"That appearance, that name, I almost wander why you're here." Kuran Kaname, sitting on his chair, talks with the white-haired girl who stands not far from him. Besides the girl, there is another man who stands next the girl. Kaname can't see his face because of his mask, but with the silver hair he possessed, he can easily figure out who it is.

The girl just smiles inocently. "It has nothing to do with you, Kaname-san." The voice and the way she talked is different with the Maria at day. Now she sounds so mature, serious, and deathly in the same time. Like someone else...

"I hope you know your line." Kuran Kaname warned her secretly. His gazes fall on her but the girl stares back at him bravely.

Maria smiles naughtily. "I will be nice girl!" Now she turned to the usual Kurenai Maria with her childish way of talk and attitude. "Thank you, Dorm Leader Kuran."

After the girl leaves the room, Kaname sighed. He stares at the chess board on his table, right to the only white horse on it. "Nina..."

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Another day end up without any important event happens. Thank God. Nina hopes the time will run faster for few days later. Unfortunately, time is the most merciless thing in this world. Day by day the time run slower. Each second she is afraid she will meet the scary Kurenai Maria. Luckily, she hasn't met her until today.

"You look troubled, Nina," Hazuki Airi (they got along since the day) who sat next to her, said. "You still afraid of that Maria, aren't you?"

Nina nodded shyly. What is the point of lying? She is the worst liar after all.

"Me too. But don't think about it too much. You often get fainted in the middle of class recently."

Nina sighed. That's true. Few days lately, the sight is disturbing her. It appears suddenly, hurt her head, and then disappear as fast as its appearance. The sight often overwhelmed her and made her got terrible headache. No need more time to had her fainted.

Airi always help her with this trouble although she never tell her why she get fainted so often. The girl never ask too but she looks so care about her. She often asked her condition, whether she all right or feel ill. Now Nina consider this girl as her new best friend. Besides her, Yori is asking her often too. Even Yuuki-senpai too. That pureblood feels like her big sister. She often informs her that her face looks pale or asks the same question with Airi and Yori. Without she even realizes, she is surrounded by people who cares so much about her. It touches her more than can be seen, but there is no way she will shows it up! It is embarassing!

"By the way, whom you want to dance with in the ball?" Airi asked Nina. The girl blinked her eyes several times. She almost forgot that topic. It was became trending topic this week even though the ball still two weeks more—after the exams.

"No." Suddenly Sayori joined them. "Nina will be a prefect that night, right, Nina?"

Airi seems to be object. "Eh? What was that?" she complained.

"I don't have a clothes to wear either, so it's better for me to just watching you all. Besides, who want to be my dance partner? My dance was terrible!" she said.

"Then how if someone ask you to be his dance partner?" Yori asked.

"Like who?"

"Um... well," Airi sounded again, she wandered, "like Kaname-senpai?"

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Well, you see, Airi becomes Nina's friend easily, and they will be best friend soon. For information, Airi has important role here, so don't you think her being here is just as a tritagonist. She has more than it seen. And yep, Kurenai Maria is here, and must be Ichiru is here as well. What happen next? Stay tune!