Chapter 26- Walking down Memory Street
Oh lord, I don't know how to say this... I'M SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! I haven't updated this fanfiction for a month! And the worst thing is, I have no legitimate excuse. I was drawing, partying for Christmas and New Years, watching and reading anime/manga, drawing some more because I'm addicted to it and more writing! I've been working on two original novels of mine ( and I'm not a bookshelved author sadly, writing is just a hobby of mine :) ) and so I haven't had a good amount of time to finish the chapter.
But I've finished the chapter and I hope to actually write the next chapter in a more speedy time. SO I"M SO SORRY! But nevertheless, let's get started with yet another chapter!
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Reina's POV.
I heard Yuki give a gasp and I closed my eyes painfully. Her heels clacked backwards, as if she was so shocked that she took a few steps back.
" Not all vampires are like that," she replied, trying to keep a calm voice. I smirked and and gave a small laugh.
" Of course, if I did, I'd be generalising all vampires including Zero, you, Aido who actually isn't that bad, Akatsuki and some people in the Night Class," I replied. I heard Yuki give a nervous gulp.
" I noticed you didn't place Kaname-sama's name in that list," Yuki remarked, causing me to smirk bitterly and give a bark of laughter.
" That man, has something that I don't know is good or bad," I replied, closing my eyes, " it's as if his choice is something that could be both really. Is it the outcome worth more than the suffering of those during the time you tried to gain that outcome? Or is it the other way around? People can't get anywhere without hurting no one, if it's either themselves or others."
I opened my eyes as I looked only to see blackness.
" This is a fight, no, a war and I'm planning on winning it even if it means if I have to make you my enemy Yuki," I said with determination, before softening my voice in sadness.
" Wow, isn't the world such a cruel, dark, twisted place? Pitting people you love against each other?"
" I can help in this investigation!" Yuki exclaimed, " I will you find out the culprit who killed Ouri and your comrade."
" This isn't your fight," Zero snapped immediately, " don't step into things you don't about."
" I'm not as ignorant as I was before!" Yuki protested, " I can help!"
Her voice, sounded so strong, so determined to help. I smiled at that, willing to know that my little sister had grown so much for the past year. She had grown wiser, stronger, more knowledgable. My smile dropped however, as I remembered.
" That doesn't matter in the world anymore, not being ignorant. The world doesn't work that way. What can you do Yuki? Tell me. Tell me you can stop all of the horrible happenings because you're not ignorant," I said sharply.
" I wasn't ignorant, I was probably the most aware out of all of us. And yet I was dragged around like a rag doll, hurt and killed. Being ignorant does not change the way the world works, because if the victims in this world weren't ignorant, which I'm sure they weren't, they would've done a damn thing about it by now."
There was a stale tension in the air, as if Yuki couldn't reply to my declaration.
" Then what are you going to do about it?" she asked harshly, as if she was trying to deny her helplessness by accusing me.
" What I'm going to do about it? I'm going to get stronger, get more knowledge. I'm going to prove that I'm powerful enough," I replied, " I know you're not weak or ignorant Yuki, but you're just like a child whose just realised the truth. You want to help, you know and are very capable. But what can you do about it? You can't change anything by speaking."
" I know, I know," Yuki whispered in desperation, " but I want to help somehow."
I could hear the frustration, the want to help.
" But is want, stronger than can?" I replied.
" That's enough Yuki," a masculine voice said in a rich tone, " your place is not here. You should return to the mansion."
" But Kanam-…" Yuki protested.
" This farce of a party is obviously over," Zero hissed, " not after what happened to the pureblood and Callum."
My heart panged at the mention of Callum, the poor 21 year old who deserved so much more in life. I felt a wave of anger and hurt wash over me as I remembered the poor man.
" Yuki, please," Kaname said, now with a little force in his tone.
" Yes, Kaname-sama," Yuki replied softly, before I heard her heels clacking from the room. The Headmaster and the other hunters had already left once Yuki came into the room, trusting Zero and I enough to prevent anything from happening.
" If it isn't Reina," Kaname remarked, once Yuki had left, now showing his true colours instead of the fake charming man he was in front of Yuki. I narrowed my eyes and lifted my lips into a snarl. I took my dark blue mask off, so I could glare at him properly even though I was blind.
" And what do you want Kuran?" I growled, clenching my fist. I heard Kaname give a mocking ' heh' before he said,
" I only want to see a precious student of the academy," Kaname replied smoothly, but I knew there was more than what he had just said. I scoffed at the obvious lie as I crossed my arms.
" Don't make me laugh, you're here to see how your wonderful pieces in this disgusting chess war are going," I hissed. I heard Kaname chuckled darkly and I knew I had hit right on point.
" My my, but I can't deny that I want to see the now revived bishop of mine, and how my vicious knight is coping," Kaname answered, causing me to give an animalistic growl, before giving a bitter smirk of triumph.
" Ha, jokes on you Kuran, because I no longer have my powers, my abilities. I'm human which means everyone trying to make me their damn weapon can shove their ideas of that and shove it up their hole," I said, grinning at my crass language, " because they can't use me any more. I'm also specifically talking about your ideals and your hole as well Kuran."
Kaname chuckled at my language but I frowned at the tone he laughed in. As if he was hiding something from me. I didn't like how he was a step ahead of me, it made me feel inferior and by god, I did not want to be inferior to him of all people.
" How do you know you have your powers or not?" Kaname asked, " have you even tried to use your powers?"
I stiffened and gaped at the direction he was standing in. That wasn't possible, it couldn't be. I swallowed deeply and held a wary ear onto Kaname.
" What the hell do you mean?" I hissed. I could practically hear him smirking a victorious grin of his, like he used to all the time at the academy.
" When you first waked up, you stayed at a small vampire threatened village, didn't you?" he asked. I took a threatening step forward, somewhat pissed that he had known everything up until now.
" How the hell do you know that?!" I growled, " have you been keeping track of me? But then how did you know I had met up with Tatsuya and the other Elders?!"
" Ah, yes, I remember the other Guardian Elders, he must have told you I was one of them when I was in my dormant sleep. I was the Blood Elder, the one to control the vampires while the rest tried to take care of the mages that they had foolishly let loose into the world, thinking they were useless," Kaname said, " but to answer your question, I've always kept an eye on you since you are my little bishop."
" And how you know mages were test experiments to become a new sort of soldier for the Guardian Elders," I hissed as well, " how every single mage were some useless tool. What they didn't know was that we could breed with humans, and that some curse that made our lives shorter with the more power wasn't going to completely wipe our existence just yet."
" Yes, you are correct. I was rather regretful to kill off the mage race, they were obviously a key to helping humanity," Kaname replied, " but I wasn't a true Elder which meant I really had no say."
" But coming back to our topic, you met an old woman at the village, who was one of the other people to be sent back to the living for another chance."
I stiffened and nodded, giving him a questionable glare.
" Now, how do you think she managed to live peacefully in an isolated village so well?"
I scoffed at that question and smirked.
" It's not like they're going to use an old woman, I don't think Tatsuya is that stupid," I replied.
" Have you heard of ' equivalent exchange'?" Kaname asked, causing me to frown in confusion.
" Uh, yeah, in Fullmetal Alchemist," I replied, giving a 'duh' look. I thought back to how awesome Edward was and how Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye should be together obviously. Now that I realise, dammit now I can't watch anime or read manga?! THAT SUCKS. Screw you Tatsuya. Back to the subject at hand, you could practically hear the awkward cicadas in the background.
" Well, equivalent exchange works just the same here, you pay something of equal value for something else," Kaname explained, " so you traded both your freedom and sight for another chance at life, but don't you think you were being asked a little too much having to add your powers into the mix?"
I frowned as I unfortunately agreed. I was ripped off wasn't I?
" However, the Guardian Elders can't take too much since ' greed is one of the traits a Guardian Elder must never have. So they simply lied to you saying you didn't have any powers while you very well do."
" Why would they need to lie though?" I asked, " and if I did have my powers, wouldn't I then have to die at 21 again?"
I felt Zero tense beside me as I said this. He didn't want that to happen again, and in all honesty, I didn't want to either.
" I only said your powers, never your true being as a mage," Kaname replied, a hint of a calculative and knowing tone in his voice, " and besides, what use would a dead woman be to them?"
" You didn't answer my other question," I snapped, tired of his cryptic messages.
" To put it simply, the old woman mage at your village, traded in her powers to gain back her freedom. Back then, the Elders had no reason to lie and simply said to trade her womb and her freedom, for her life. But then she soon was sick of running around for the Elders and demanded she trade her mage powers for her freedom."
I widened my eyes at this, not believing what was told to me.
" And how do you know this?" I asked with an edge of wariness and shock in my voice.
" Because I was the one who agreed to swap her powers for her freedom," he replied, causing me to choke slightly on my saliva.
" It was just before I was awakened, and when I was still an Elder," he explained, " but the real dilemma is, don't you feel betrayed now that you know that you've felt so helpless without your powers, even though you've always had them?"
I froze at what he said, feeling fury course through me as this man had somehow known my true feelings all this time. I heard his footsteps approach me, and I flinched at how I felt his presence so close to mine.
" Don't you think those senile men have already taken so much from you?" he asked, almost whispering his words. I closed my eyes as I shoved him back. He was right, they had taken so many lives, so many mages dying all around the world. When I had stood up to them, I was standing in the name of all of the mages who had died or lived.
" Yes, yes they have," I replied, " but at least they have the best of intentions when using me. There's nothing worst than being used by someone whose despicable."
I intended for my words to stab at Kaname, but he only chuckled.
" Either way, how do I know you're not the one lying?" I asked.
" Why don't you try and use your powers to prove me wrong?"
I furrowed my eyebrows and took in a deep breathe. My eyes were closed and I tried to calm my beating heart. I opened my palm in front of me and chanted a small spell. Suddenly, I felt a spiral of water on my palm, dancing about which tickled my hand.
" How big is it?" I asked to Zero.
" It's just fitting on your palm," Zero replied, " in circular motions."
I grinned as I realised with great happiness of what had just happened. I, had my powers. I wasn't weak, I wasn't powerless now. I wasn't just some weak, blind girl who had to rely on other people and her partner.
" See? The Elders have lied to you," Kaname said, breaking the simple yet wonderful experience. I opened my eyes at him, glaring to where I knew he stood.
" Well, sadly, I have to leave to attend some difficult matters."
As his footsteps started to walk away from where he stood, he paused.
" I'm telling you all of this because I do not want to see someone else fall into the hands of those senile old men," he added, before walking off.
After that, Zero and I decided to go somewhere since the Headmaster simply insisted that he and I should take a break. Ichiru was taken back to the Association by Taka, since having a wolf running around the city was a stupid idea and would create havoc. Pssh, Ichiru was a great and I loved him... as a partner of course.
Zero had insisted he hold my hand since I was blind, causing me to blush like a high school girl. AHHHH I DIDN'T WANT TO BLUSH SO IDIOTICALLY. And the worst part was that I didn't know how bright and big my blush was.
" Reina, you're a little red," Zero pointed out, and I instantly turned my head.
" It's the fricking snow," I muttered, as I tucked my hood a little down and thanking the mask for protecting my face.
" Sure," Zero replied, chuckling. I felt, sort of at peace. I didn't have to run around, I didn't have to kill something without even knowing about what my victim looked like, it could've been a child, a woman, a man, anyone or anything. Perhaps it was even a blessing not to see, so I didn't have to pity what was in front of me as I killed my Level E victim. All I had to do, was hold Zero's hand and quietly walk around.
" So, what have you been doing for the past year?" Zero asked, sounding quite casual and not angry at all. I bit my lip and closed my eyes as we slowly walked.
" I, had died. I remember it clearly. They say your life flashes through your eyes as you die, but all I could see was your crying face. Psh, what a lie. Anyways, I think I shattered into pieces, and I floated up, up, up into the sky," I explained, hearing Zero's breathe hitch.
" I then woke up to see five, old men, who actually look like 40 but they're like, thousands of years old. They were in charge of creating the mages, and they were in charge of trying to make us extinct," I continued, " but I struck a deal with them, as you heard before. I gave up my freedom to serve them, my sight and supposedly ' my powers' which weren't in fact taken. I then woke up and ever since then, I've been switching from training and fighting I guess."
I heard Zero give a small gulp before tightening his hold on my hand.
" It's okay Reina, I'm here now," he whispered. Those words held so much to me, as if they were exactly what I wanted to hear ever since I had my heart broken by him.
" Thanks," I replied softly. I squeezed his hand as well, giving a large grin.
Zero's POV.
I thanked the high heavens that Reina couldn't see my face, as I held her hand. I was bright red, trying to cover my face as we walked along the street. I never thought I would do this with Reina, never. I, had always thought I'd be holding hands with Yuki. I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard something that perked Reina's interest obviously.
" Cheap hair cuts! Cheap haircuts for all! Only $10 and from the best hair dresser in town!" exclaimed a jolly looking man, as Reina grinned widely. She let go of my hand to my disappointment and walked over to where she could hear the voice.
" I'd like to have my hair cut up to my shoulders," she chirped happily, causing me to pale considerably as I realised what she was doing. To my even more surprise and fear, the jolly man seemed to accept her tragic request and accepted the money that Reina gave.
" Wait.. Reina..!" I called out, only to know it was too late once the hair dresser expertly started to cut her hair.
After she was finished, she stood up happily and ruffled her own hair in satisfaction. She took off her hood and mask, tucking her mask in her pocket. Her beautiful long, wiast length hair, was now shortened. Nevertheless, she looked free, weird, crazy, beautiful, and perfect. She grinned as she heard me approaching her.
" Hey, whatcha think?" she asked, grinning wildly. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out of it. It tried to form words but nothing wanted to come out.
" I..uh..it..," I stumbled through my words, trying to form some sort of sentence. I felt like a complete idiot, stuttering like this.
" Just wait here," I said, before rushing off to the girl's jewellery shop, off to find something. I had realised stupidly, that she had risen from the dead, and I hadn't even given her anything as a gift. I looked around in a hurry, before finding what I was looking for. I took the simple sky blue clip from the shelf and went towards the counter, flustered that the woman at the counter gave me an amused smile.
" Thank you," I said, before rushing outside, only to see Reina sitting down by a bench casually. I went up to Reina, who heard my footsteps.
" Uh, Reina," I said, holding the bright pink jewellery shop bag.
" Oh hey Zero," she chirped, before giving me a look of confusion as I sat beside her in haste.
" Can you look at me for a sec?" I asked, as I took the clip outside of it's package. She turned to face me, frowning in confusion. I placed the clip diagonally on her right bangs, pleased that it suited her. I then took my, or rather, her rain drop earring from my ear and smiled at it. I then delicately pierced it through her ear, now happy that I had done what needed to be done.
" Zero?" she asked, utterly confused to what I had placed on her ear and hair. She brought up a hand to the earring and gasped as she felt the rain drop crystal.
" You kept it," she whispered.
" Of course," I replied, smiling, " why wouldn't I?"
I always acted different with Reina. I was cold, harsh, distant to others, even Yuki and the Headmaster. It was like I wanted everyone to stay away from me. But Reina was different, she didn't care about the wall I had built around myself. She climbed over it, letting herself into my true self. It was as if she was saying,
" I don't care that you've placed a wall around yourself, you're hurt and lonely and so I'm going to let myself in no matter what."
She made me smile, laugh, actually enjoy the world. She was always that light that guided me wherever I went. And for the past year, it was terrifying trying to stumble my way through without that light.
" Thanks," she said, smiling. She took my hand, surprising me, before standing up with a sigh of relief.
" Why don't we continue on our journey?" she suggested. I nodded and together, we walked hand in hand towards the place I wanted to take her to. And this time, she wasn't the one who was left behind, because I was going to hold onto her until I die.
Reina's POV.
We reached a place, after walking quite a distance. It wasn't the hustle bustle of the city anymore, but there were indeed murmurs and rustling.
" Whose that with Kiryu?"
" Oh my god, they're holding hands!"
" When did Kiryu catch a girl?"
" And a really pretty one too."
" Dammit, and I thought Kiryu-san was the only one who felt my pain."
" He wasn't even in pain you dumbass."
" Hey, isn't she blind?"
" Oh, yeah."
" But doesn't she seem to look like Reina?"
" Yeah, but Reina's gone and she isn't blind."
I grinned as I whipped my head towards Zero.
" You took me back here," I said, the excitement barely contained in my voice.
" Of course, where else would I take you?" he asked, answering my question. It was the Academy, and the numerous amounts of students murmuring reminded me of the good old middle school days. AKA, where people would try to avoid the ' weird yet scary delinquent' AKA me. Then when high school came, everyone soon got used to me. Yep.
" Reina?"
I turned towards the voice and frowned as I couldn't see who it was.
" I'm sorry, who are you?" I asked, not bothered at how blunt and rude I sounded. Hey, I was blind and I didn't know who the heck I was talking to!
" It's me, Tamaki," the voice replied, in a desperate tone, " don't you remember me?"
I froze as I remembered the kind yet amazing defence kendoist was. My team mate, the one who always calmed Rin down or tried to convince me not to do some of my weird stuff. Like trying to hang off the ceiling at the kendo nationals stadium. Good days.
" Sorry, but her name is Kaori Himasaki," Zero cooly stepped in, as I was too frozen to speak.
" No, that is obviously Reina's earring," he pushed on, as I heard him take a step forward.
" I bought it at a local jewellery store," I lied, as I knew that I would never go to a jewellery shop in my life. I got the earring from the Hunters Association's tattooist and piercer, which I might add had some cool earrings and piercings.
" Then why do you look so much like her?" he asked.
" Because there are people who look similar to each other in this world," I replied, trying to hide my appearance. There was a sore silence, as if Tamaki wasn't so sure what to think anymore.
" Sorry, I just got my hopes up since Rin and Reina have left the kendo club and the Academy," he said, before I heard him walk away. I clutched my heart at how hurt, how lonely, how pained he sounded. He lost two of his friends, Rin being his best. Zero squeezed my hand in comfort but that didn't subside the pain I felt hearing Tamaki.
" Dammit, why did I have to die? Why did Rin have to work for Rido?" I whispered, " why does this world have to tear loved ones apart?"
" Come on," Zero whispered, before tugging me gently towards who knew where.
Zero took me inside some sort of room, and I looked around my surroundings, still hung up that I couldn't see anything.
" Welcome to your room Reina," he said, as he placed an object in my hands. I felt it, trying to figure it out what it was. I gasped as I realised who it was.
" Kano?" I whispered, as I felt the beautiful groove designs on the katana, and the smooth curve of my amazing sword. I felt tears prickle the corner of my eyes as I hugged my beloved partner in crime/hunting.
" At your service, Reina-sama," Kano replied, from the katana. I heard Zero take a sharp intake of breath as he heard a sword talk but I only chuckled.
" What did I say about calling me Reina-sama?" I reprimanded playfully, " it's just Reina."
" I hope my father wasn't too strict on you," he said worryingly.
" No worries, he's the same old man he ever was," I replied, happy that I had him back in my arms.
" I'll leave you to it," Zero said, giving me some privacy with my Guardian. As I heard him walking towards, I presumed, my bedroom door. I turned quickly, fearing of where he could go, fearing that he could be in danger.
" Wait!" I exclaimed, trying to look at where I heard Zero walking towards to. Zero's footsteps paused, and he walked towards me. I hesitated, not sure if I should do what I was going do next. I stepped forward to him, before standing on my tippy toes, closing my eyes, before kissing him gently on the lips.
I heard Zero give a small gasp of shock as I pressed our lips together gently, before he reciprocated the kiss. My heart was beating fast, as if anytime by now, it would burst and I would die yet one more time. The feeling was almost indescribable.
It was exhilarating, yet calm. It felt dangerous, yet I felt safe in his arms at the same time. I was getting addictive to the feeling, as if I was taking drugs or something. As if I was reading an everlasting manga that I just couldn't get enough of.
This was something I've always wanted to do with him, to hold him, to call him mine. But since I thought I would die anyways, and that he loved Yuki, I knew it was useless to hope for something like this. But now, here I was, sweetly kissing the boy I fell in love with years ago. It felt like a dream, but I knew very well that this was the amazing reality of it.
I weaved the hand that wasn't holding Kano into Zero's hair, pushing him a little closer. He held my waist, pulling me just a little closer. He pulled back a little to take a breath before he placed his lips once more on my lips.
It wasn't aggressive, it was simply a sweet, innocent kiss. I felt like I could do anything, now that I've kissed the boy I thought I could never have. I pulled back, and I felt my cheeks burn as I realised what I had done. Oh Tatsuya, what the heck have I done.
" You better go," I breathed out, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.
" Okay," he whispered, before pausing. I gave a confused look before he gave a swift, soft kiss to me, his lips slightly brushing over mine. Electricity ran through my body and veins, giving me the same excitement and joy when I had kissed him earlier. As he rushed out, probably for a job, I sank to my knees, my legs finally giving out on me. Wow, I didn't know I had it in me.
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