I don't own Vampire Knight or any of the characters in the series.
A/N: Chapter 21 is here! :D
BrightAsNight, Spiritleopard, KxZ fan girl, Animefunlover23-bree, AokyorRenka: Thank you so much for your reviews! :D You probably hear this from nearly every author on this site, but reviews really are the best motivation a writer can get! I am always thankful for having such wonderful reviewers! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :D
This chapter was a little difficult to write because it has Takuma, Zero and Kaname it. I hope it turned out ok... :)
Please read, review, fave and follow! But, most importantly, please enjoy! :D
Chapter 21: Representation part 2
"Hello, Zero Kiryuu. I'm Takuma Ichijou, a friend of Kaname's, and I'll be defending you from the charge of treason."
…
Zero looked up at Takuma and considered him slowly.
Tall, blonde, far-too-happy-looking-for-the-situation emerald-coloured sparkly eyes…He looks kind of like a big blonde smiling puppy…Though, it's discomforting to see that this guy is smiling so much, like he doesn't have a care in the world, when he's talking about the charge of treason, which could end my life if my name isn't cleared! Is this happy-go-lucky blonde really qualified to save my life!?
This…was Zero's first impression of Takuma Ichijou.
"Kaname?" He called through the bond.
"Yes?" Kaname responded.
"Earlier when Yuki told me about this Ichijou guy she said that he was your friend." Zero explained.
"Yes, he's my best friend and a very reliable person." Kaname replied.
"Is he really qualified to save me? He doesn't look like he's taking this seriously…" Zero felt the need to check to check this, eyeing the blonde's smile warily.
"He's the best private investigator in the land and my best friend. I have complete confidence in him. And he's smiling because he's always so optimistic. Don't worry too much about it." Kaname tried to dismiss Zero's worries.
"How can you expect me not to worry, Kaname? If he fails I'm dead! I think I'm allowed to be a little bit worried here…" Zero told Kaname in response to his previous comment.
"Look, just trust me, ok? He's very talented and I have the greatest faith in him. Anyway, you should probably at least put him out of his misery by responding to his greeting, don't you think?" Kaname replied.
"Fine…" Zero gave in.
…
Takuma was still smiling after introducing himself but he was slowly losing confidence. Zero was still looking at him, considering him, judging him, and he didn't look too happy. The idea that he had blown his first impression with his beloved's brother made him pale slightly.
I know he's not too happy because he's in prison and whatnot but surely he should at least respond a bit quicker than this! I'm panicking here!
And all poor Takuma could do was smile and wait for Zero to respond, hopefully with a response in his favour.
…
Having only been using the bond for a few days now and still wasn't used to the art of focusing on both the bond and what was in front of him at the same time.
"Nice to meet you." Zero finally returned Takuma's greeting.
As he replied he saw what he thought may have been some kind of sigh of relief from Takuma.
"Kaname assures me that you are a good investigator." Zero decided to continue the conversation.
"Kaname says that?" Takuma queried, tilting his head and wondering how he could know what Kaname was thinking.
He had copied Haruka's investigation team's case file and had read it before coming here. It only said that they had a half-bond. However, a half-bond wouldn't normally allow for
Uh-oh… Zero thought, realising his mistake.
"Well done." Kaname added through the bond.
"Please, just shut up?" Zero didn't want Kaname rubbing his mistake in his face.
"It should be safe to tell Takuma about the bond. Just make sure it doesn't slip out to anyone else or we'll get in serious trouble." Kaname explained. "Giving undeclared blood or blood tablets to prisoners is illegal, you know."
"Great. I'll try to remember that in future." Zero replied with sarcasm.
"Ichijou-san, if I may call you that, Kaname and I formed a bond after we were imprisoned, with the help of Yuki." Zero explained to Takuma.
Upon hearing this, Takuma couldn't help but wonder what he'd gotten himself in for. They had been locked up in prison and had then proceeded to commit an actual crime.
"Ichijou-san sounds far too stiff. Just 'Takuma', please." Takuma began before turning to his main point of concern. "Giving undeclared blood-" He was about to scold Zero.
"Is illegal, I know." Zero finished, having heard it just before. "We did it because we were desperate. So, please don't tell anyone, Takuma." Zero pleaded with the blonde, knowing that it was his mistake that it had slipped out and making a note not to also tell the blonde about the blood tablets he had received from his brother.
Takuma, thankfully for them was sympathetic. After all, he couldn't help but think about if it were Ichiru and himself in that situation…locked up and alone, fearing that they may never see each other again… It was a little over-dramatized in Takuma's romantic mind, but at least he understood their struggle enough not to tell anyone about it.
"Don't worry I won't tell." He assured Zero.
"See, he's trustworthy." Kaname joined in.
"I'm really not used to this whole three-way talking thing…" Zero thought, allowing Kaname to hear his comment.
"So, how is your investigation going?" Zero prompted Takuma.
"It's going good, I think." Takuma replied confidently.
"You think…?" Zero clearly wanted a little more information than that.
"Well, currently, the only piece of physical evidence against you was given to Haruka and Juri by Shizuka. As a result, her fingerprints are on there as well as yours and there isn't even anyway to tell if you used it or not. It all relies on Shizuka's word. So, in a court of law this is considered evidence, but it can't be conclusive, though they will use it to argue their case." Takuma began to explain.
"But surely they can't just blindly accept Shizuka's word as truth, can they!?" Zero argued back.
"No, they do not blindly accept it as truth. However, the tale that she has told is a strong one. Each time she's been interviewed she's filled in any gaps that they needed filling. Her story is nearly flawless." Takuma informed him.
"How can it be flawless?" Zero continued, craving information.
"Because she's been making excuses. And, the most dangerous thing, is that she has been making excuses which include truths. Even if she is distorting facts overall, lies that contain truths are the strongest form of excuse which can be made." Takuma explained.
"She's been keeping me isolated from society for years! How can they not find that suspicious? What possible excuse could she have for that!?" Zero demanded information.
"Her explanation uses the fact that you are a level D and a hunter against you." Takuma began. "She has said that she has tried to isolate you for 'the safety of others', basically. Mentioning that you are a level D and a hunter also, I'm sad to say, does allow her to easily suggest that you have a grudge against purebloods. Using these reasons she then has told them that your actions towards Kaname have been part of your plot to destroy the Kuran family from the inside."
"…" Zero really didn't know what to say.
If this was indeed what she had said it was quite elaborate and, as Takuma had pointed out, it did have elements of truth that would cause a judge or a jury to doubt him. It was impossible to hide his blood rank or his hunter heritage, yet both could be so easily used to accuse him…
"But, I'm sure that we can dismantle her story!" Takuma tried to lift the frown off of Zero's face by smiling twice as much, creeping Zero out a little bit more. "I have uncovered that the whole thing is Shizuka's plot to get back at Rido, Haruka's brother who disappeared after breaking off an engagement to her. So, our side also has a plausible story and we have witnesses willing to testify in your favour, including your l-" Takuma was about to say 'lovely brother' but that could land him in hot water so he stopped himself just in time. "Including your brother." He corrected, hoping that Zero hadn't noticed. "And, I also believe that Haruka is looking closer at the relationship between Shizuka and Rido which will hopefully yield some more good news for us!" Takuma finished his explanation and dazzled Zero with another cheerful smile but still Zero was frowning.
Takuma half wondered if Zero's face had lost the ability to smile after being down here for so long. He hoped that was the case because Zero wasn't looking particularly impressed. But, Takuma was determined to get Zero's approval and to impress him for the sake of his relationship with Ichiru. So, right now, Zero's clearly unhappy face was not filling him with confidence. Seeing this he couldn't really help but let his smile fall a little.
"Can you ask Takuma in what way, or how, my father intends to look closer at the relationship between Shizuka and Rido? It's not heavily documented even in the family archives…" Kaname requested through the bond, clearly concerned about this matter.
"Ok." Zero replied to Kaname.
He looked back to Takuma to see the man staring off into space. He seemed worried about something. But, Zero didn't know, or particularly care, what it was that he was worried about, as long as it wasn't his case. And, for some reason, he got the vibe that he wasn't worrying about this case, possibly because Takuma had been smiling the whole time they were talking about the subject that put his life in danger.
"Takuma?" He caught the blonde's attention again.
"Yes?" Takuma responded, doing his best to smile again.
"Kaname wants to know how Haruka intends to look closer at the relationship between Shizuka and Rido. He says that it isn't heavily documented even in their family's archives." Zero relayed Kaname's words.
Takuma blinked a few times in silence as he thought, before responding.
"You know, now that I think about it, he didn't actually mention how…" Takuma replied honestly.
Even after Takuma had left the cells later that day, this tricky dilemma would continue to puzzle all three of them…