And I have once again uploaded. :D THANK YOU: my-forgotten-rose- and Stella Adkins (for kindly pointing out some stuff I need to work on. I really, really appreciate that!! I really do!! Thank you so much Miss Stella Adkins!!) Alrighty, please spoil yourselves and bask in the awesomeness of my story. Hahaha, I'm just kidding!! :D Okay...I wasn't kidding when I said (in a way) to enjoy it...please do! :D
"What's the point of her return? Seriously, she attacked Zero once, so what is she plotting now is what I'm trying to figure out," Naomi murmured to her knot of friends as the rest of the student body began to file out, all chattering happily about how much fun they had. Ichijou ran his fingers through his blond hair and tried to comprehend what was going on as well.
"Does Kyoko know anything about this?" he asked and Naomi shook her head.
"Not to my knowledge. I doubt she knows about Zero because she's never mentioned his being a vampire," she replied and tossed a handful of dirty napkins into the trash can.
"Well, she's in for a surprise," Kaine voiced and Ruka ruffled her light brown bangs.
"It's shocking she doesn't know yet," she said and Naomi agreed.
"I know, but still, we aren't worried about that now. What we are worried about is making sure Shizuka stays away from Zero, since he's most likely the reason she's here in the first place and we have to keep her away from anyone else. We can't have anyone but us knowing who she is and why she's here," Naomi ordered and the rest of the vampires gestured in agreement.
"Naomi," Kaname touched his sister's shoulder and she focused on him, "Zero ran off looking for Shizuka--"
Naomi dropped the cloth she was using to wipe off the tables and sprinted out the door.
"NAOMI! WAIT A SECOND WILL YOU?!" Aidou yelled to her but she ignored him.
Zero, you idiot! What the hell are you thinking?!
"Damn it," Ichijou muttered and loosened his tie.
"Aidou, you search the Night Class dorm with Kaine and locate Shizuka. Shiki you go with Ruka and Rima and look around the campus outside and Ichijou, follow me," Kaname instructed and vanished in an instant, the rest of the vampires following suit.
Flash To Kyoko...
I know there was always something Naomi, Kaname and Zero were never going to tell me. I am always left out of these secrets...I wonder why...Kyoko wondered to herself as she made her way up the winding stairs to her dorm, I'm definitely not weak...I'm rather smart...but still, why am I excluded out of these things and treated like a porcelain doll that will crack and shatter to pieces every time danger begins to show its face? I'm not weak...I'm not delicate...She reached her dorm room and creaked the door open before walking over to her closet to pull the doors apart...My parents trained both my sister and me for times like these...there's some vampire lurking around here that is, doubtlessly, not one that Naomi-san and Kaname-senpai seem to be on good terms with.
Kyoko pushed aside her wardrobe of warm sweaters, t-shirts, casual shirts and dress pants along with her uniform aside to reveal a long, thin blade resting against the back of the closet. She reached to grab it, dusting aside the small cobwebs and lifted the sword from the base of the closet.
The silver coffer was embellished in hand carved roses that wrapped around the whole length of the blade, the pure gold handle engraved with ancient initials of the Greek goddesses Athena (goddess of war), Artemis, (goddess of the moon and hunt) and Nike, (goddess of victory) and sticking out of the end of the case. A timeworn inscription of a prayer for protection against the vampire race was written in bronze on the back of the coffer and Kyoko traced her fingers over the epitaphs gleaming on it, feeling the rush of adrenaline pulse through her veins.
"Chairman and my parents trained me for this," she said to herself, "Mother left this to me when she died...she was also a vampire hunter with Chairman Cross...her blood runs in my veins, therefore making us share the same fate."
Kyoko pulled the somewhat heavy lid off of the chest and swung the leather strap over her shoulder. She slid the case back into the closet and with the Goddesses' Sword strapped to her back, she half ran out of the room.
Flash to Naomi...
"I honestly can't put into word what it is exactly what I am thinking," Naomi admitted to the pure blood standing before her, a Day Class girl in her arms, "I guess I'm not surprised you would go this far as to attack an innocent girl returning to her dorm after a school dance. You're still that mindless attacker you were four years ago, Shizuka-san."
The silver haired vampire smiled softly, crimson blood dripping off her chin.
"I just got so thirsty and she looked so delicious."
Naomi growled as the scent of the girl's blood practically suffocated her.
"You're a sick being. You didn't do this because you were thirsty...you're doing this to get a glimpse at my blood lusting side." Naomi traced her cool fingers over the injured girl's neck, making a faint green light emit from her finger tips and close the bloody wound. Her eyes were glowing red, but she did not give into the yanking urge to sink her own fangs into the unconscious humans flesh and drain her of the sweet, satisfying blood flowing steadily in her veins. "I simply won't do it though. You won't see my true self, the one that loves blood more than her own family...no...I won't give into that part of me."
Shizuka gave a soft, girlie laugh and covered her mouth with her lengthy sleeve.
"What has made you change so much over the years, Naomi-chan?"
The young princess smirked, her red, red eyes glaring over at the woman.
"Your example and how I no longer wish to be like you."
"You never wanted to be like me, and yet, I think we have more in common than you and your brother do."
"What makes you say that?" Naomi hissed through her teeth and carried the motionless girl over to the somewhat moth eaten couch.
"We're both incredibly lonely and searching for that one person to love us. However, you're surrounded by people that adore you and worship the ground you walk on, but still, you're extremely lonesome. You have many admirers and many woman want to be in your place, have the handsome men protect and fall in love with you, your beauty, everything. They want to have what you have," Shizuka stood up gracefully and walked over to Naomi in such a rhythmic way, she seemed to dance. "You aren't hated and seen as an untamed beast like I am. I want to have the life you do. I want to have the life where everyone admires and fears me and you, Naomi, have that, but you are so absorbed in those emotions of self pity and hate, you can't see the beauty in your life."
"How is that relevant to you, Shizuka-san?" Naomi asked and laid the girl down, her wound healed.
"You're just as willing to do anything for the sake of the ones you love as I am. Like me, you'll go to any lengths to protect the people you live for and you won't let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your goal. Which reminds me, we both want to accomplish the same task don't we?"
Naomi gouged her sharp nails into her palms, making them trickle with blood.
"I want him dead. I'll kill him then drain every drop of blood out of his body with my own fangs."
Shizuka gave another girlie giggle and Naomi glowered at her.
"Naomi, you really don't get it do you?"
Naomi shot her eyes over her shoulder and saw a silver haired man standing behind her. She let out a small gasp and Shizuka continued.
"Only one of us will kill off Rido. The whole point of my coming tonight was to make sure you don't get in my way."
The sound of a sword being drawn and then a slicing noise mixed in with Naomi's shrieks.
Flash to Ichijou and Kaname...
"Naomi!" Ichijou yelped as he sensed the dripping blood from Naomi's gash.
Kaname whipped around and practically flew to the Day Class dorms, Ichijou right next to him.
Flash to Zero and Kyoko (who ran into each other in the hallway)...
Zero had his Bloody Rose clasped in his hand as he sprinted down the dark hallways, following the sudden shrieks of pain erupting from Naomi's throat. Kyoko kicked off her heels (which were painful to run in and holding her back) and caught up with him, both of them twisting down the shadowy passageways. Zero stopped after approaching the door that lead into the old office and kick the door open, pointing his weapon at the silver haired woman.
"Ze--ro! Kyoko--!" Naomi coughed and pressed her hand to her bloody hip.
"What have you done to Naomi?" Zero demanded and was standing over Shizuka before Kyoko could even blink.
"I just gave her a minor injury, that's all."
Zero uttered an animal-like snarl and slammed the gun's barrel against her forehead, pinning her against the wall with one hand clutching her neck.
"You--won't--do--anything--to--hurt--Naomi-sama!" he growled and Shizuka could only smile.
"You're still playing that role of the hero even though you're still a little boy to her. You allow yourself to be coddled by her, don't you, my cute Zero?" she taunted and Naomi was able to numb her wound and it healed.
"After what you did to him, I'm shocked he hasn't committed suicide yet," she snapped and Kyoko stood behind her friend, sword ready. "You robbed him of his parents, brother and life. How can you expect him to not turn to the one person that is still alive and has always been by his side since he was a little boy? Answer that for me, will you?"
"I doubt you're the only one still alive that has been by Zero's side," Shizuka said and Naomi felt the chill of the blade begin to press back onto the flesh of her neck.
"Ichiru!" Zero met his brother's face with his eyes and Kyoko gasped.
Twin brothers...?
"What do you plan to do with that, Ichiru?" Naomi asked and wrapped her fingers around the blade, "you don't want to kill me do you?"
"If you're keeping Shizuka-sama from achieving her goal then yes," was the reply and Naomi smirked.
"Ichiru, don't you dare," Zero pointed the Bloody Rose at his brother and Naomi brushed the blade off of her shoulder.
"Don't bother Zero. He won't kill me," she instructed.
Ichiru lowered his sword and lifted the mask off his face.
"I see my brother is still attached to Naomi-san's side," he observed and Naomi glared at him over her shoulder.
"Where did you run off to, Ichiru?" she demanded and her tongue grazed over her venomous fangs.
"I was with Shizuka-sama. Surely you remember, Naomi-chan?" Ichiru's light violet eyes were penetrating and the young pure blood felt a shiver bolt up and down her spine.
"Abandoning your brother and betraying your dead parents. I don't know how much more dishonor can come to an individual." Naomi strode over to the couch with the still unconscious girl lying there and picked her up. "Kyoko, if you could be so kind as to take this young lady to the infirmary."
"Alright," Kyoko took the girl in her arms and departed, leaving the vampires and remaining human to resolve any issues.
"You make me cry sometimes, Ichiru," Naomi said after a minute of her standing with her back to them in silence. The twin felt his heart jolt and Naomi could hear the blood palpitating through his veins. "You left your twin brother to die and you let this woman murder your parents so willingly. How could you be so cruel?"
Naomi went to turn around and felt a sudden rush past her stomach. Ichiru had lunged for her with his sword and had just barely missed her before plunging it into the wall.
"Shut up!" he cried, "shut up!"
Ichiru reared around and his sword clashed with Zero's Bloody Rose as he had jumped in front of Naomi to prevent the blade from entering her body.
"Don't go blaming Naomi for what happened to you, Ichiru," Zero told his brother gently and Ichiru's eye contained a certain rage that not even his brother could recall him ever having.
"She was always preferring you and coddling you more than anyone! Just like with everyone else, you're the favorite!" Ichiru yelled and Zero kept his resistance on the blade, yet him body going a bit numb with regret.
"That's not entirely true, Ichiru," Naomi said softly and Ichiru glared at her, "I love you both just the same but it's a different type of love for each of you."
"You were always lusting for his blood and being more protective of him! You saw him as so much stronger and a better hunter than I ever could be. The way you looked at him constantly...even when we first met, I was the one that loved you and trusted you immediately but you still preferred Zero's attention over mine!"
Naomi felt her mouth open half way and her eyes were slightly wider at the feelings Ichiru had revealed. Zero let up his resistance and Ichiru lowered his sword, glaring down at the floor, his light violet eyes raging. Naomi heard the rustle of Shizuka's dress and whipped around to see the pure blood had vanished out the window.
"She's going after Kaname--!" Naomi cried as she fled to the open window. Neither one of the boys behind her said a word.
Flash to Kaname and Ichijou...
"I know where she is," Kaname said and Ichijou stopped walking.
"Where?"
"Go find Naomi. This is something I need to handle myself," Kaname instructed and Ichijou felt taken aback.
"Kaname-sama--"
"Do as I say."
"Yes Kaname-sama," Ichijou went back down the stairs and Kaname followed Shizuka's flowery scent to his dorm where he opened the door and saw her standing near the window.
"Kaname-sama," she greeted and Kaname closed his door.
"What are you planning to do to my sister?" he hissed and Shizuka giggled.
"She's really standing in my way to defeat Rido. It's very irksome."
"There's another reason why you're here."
"Well, I believe you know that reason. Yours is the same reason of you wanting to come into another encounter with me," Shizuka said as she brushed aside her glossy, silver hair. Kaname stood in front of her then took a step behind her.
"I hope you know by now, I won't let anyone cause Naomi pain. Rido has done enough of that, and you will let her be." Kaname eyes glowed red and his hand traced over Shizuka's back.
"Oh? What makes you so sure?"
Kaname gave an inaudible chuckle and thrust his hand through the woman's chest, crimson blood dripping off his long finger nails.
"I will go to any lengths to protect my sister from harm. You know how much I love her, and you know exactly why I'm doing what I'm doing now. Naomi will live happily with the people she loves and she will be able to genuinely smile once more," Kaname declared tranquilly and Shizuka's blood flowed off his hand.
"My blood can give you the powers you need to protect her and help her accomplish her goal. You've got a dark future ahead of you Kaname-sama," Shizuka whispered and his fangs pierced her neck.
The warm, delicious blood trickled down Kaname's throat as he retracted back his hand out of Shizuka's chest, taking her heart out with it. She crippled in Kaname's arms and he lifted his head back, crimson staining his chin. He knelt down with her and Shizuka's body began to glitter.
"I'll make sure the one you want to get your revenge on will die. Next time I see him, I will not hesitate to kill him," Kaname vowed to her and she smiled.
"Thank you--Kaname-sama. Naomi and I were friends only for a little while--but I--do hope she'll be able to smile again now," Shizuka exhaled and her body liquefied, leaving only her kimono behind.
Kaname stood and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Flash back to Naomi, Ichiru and Zero...
Naomi could smell the blood and she bowed her head.
"Kaname-onii, what have you done?"
"Shizuka-sama--" Ichiru whispered and dashed out of the room, sensing danger as well.
"Ichiru! Come back!" Naomi called and began to go after him but Zero held her back.
"Let him go. He needs to be with her right now in her final moments if she's not already dead," he told her and she gazed up into his violet eyes.
"I'm sorry..." Naomi hugged Zero tightly, trying hard not to cry or imagine what it was like to lose the one you had fallen so deeply in love with.
Flash to Ichiru...
Ichiru ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the Moon Dorm, tears blinding him. He yanked the doors open, following Shizuka's dying scent and raced up the stairs to the end of the hall to Kaname's dorm room.
"Shizuka-sama!" Ichiru cried as he almost ripped the door of its hinges and then saw her disintegrated body. "SHIZUKA-SAMA!"
He approached the lightly colored robes, tears flooding off his face and dropped to his knees. Ichiru touched the silky robes and then untied the bells from them to take with him as a remembrance of her.
"Shizuka-sama..." he whispered and buried his face in her robes, sobbing.
Flash back over to Zero and Naomi...
I can only imagine what Ichiru is going through...Ichiru...why did you think I preferred Zero over you? I love you too, Ichiru. I never knew your feelings for me were that deep. I love you though, I love you as much as Zero but it's just a different type of love. Please don't think I would ever choose between you two. You both mean so much to me and I want be here for you both. I understand if you'd rather not see or be in contact with me anymore but still, I hope you'll be able to find forgiveness in your heart towards me and Kaname-onii even though we both...in our own ways...killed her.
Back in Kaname's dorm...
Ichiru felt his tears still burn down his face as he held the bells tightly in his fist. He opened the floor length window and then jumped from it, landing in a cat-like position on the concrete ground. With rage and agony boiling in his blood, Ichiru disappeared into the night.
-Castle of Sand (Vampire Knight Guilty's ending for those who don't know) begins to play- I felt bad for Ichiru even though I'm the one that wrote all this...I'm sorry Ichiru-kun. :( I love Ichiru in the series even though he's kinda crazy...trying to kill Zero and all (or am I misunderstanding him?? Well that's how it was implied to me...anyway...) 4 reviews please! I hope you like this chapter and I'll upload again when I get 4 reviews :D See ya soon!! :D
~SilverNightRain08
