Yui's vision awoke inside another body that she wasn't familiar with.

A boy sat against a wall, peering around the tiny room with a couple of beds. Most of the other children playing with toys, and others squabbling over the rights to a specific bed for the coming night. Thinking to himself that this was worse than running with others like him on the streets. They at least had enough food to eat and weren't forced into doing the bidding of nobles that came to the orphanage seeking some amusement. When he arrived, he noticed that the orphanage was all boys. All the girls were sent to a different one in town. He later found out that they were given preferential treatment due to some arrangement that the orphanage had with a different group of nobles.

Hugging his knees tight to his chest, he missed the boy he looked up to. Slightly older than him, all the children that were a part of the same group just called him "boss." No special titles, just respect to someone who was making their lives better on a daily basis. Never having any special love for aristocrats as they were often the reason why the city was corrupt as it was.

On the opposite side of the room, he saw another boy who arrived around the same time that he did. Darker hair and lacerations cut across his arms, legs, and neck. A couple of the other boys were picking on him, deciding to make something of his day, picking himself up from the wall and walking over to the group huddled around the dark haired boy.

"Oui! Why don't you pick on someone your size?"

The group that was shoving and beating on the other boy looked up at the individual confronting them. "Fine. You can have him." They chimed, not wanting to go up against someone bigger than them.

"Why do you let them do that to you?" he spoke while peering down at the smaller frame below him.

"It feels good to be wanted." The other boy spoke in a quieter voice. Gripping his sides that jumped with pain.

"You new here?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. My name is Edgar. What's yours?"

Looking up at the towering frame before him, "My name…" he spoke slowly, "Azusa."

Edgar holding his hand out to Azusa, feeling his cold fingers slip into his hand, taking hold and yanking him up. "Let's talk to the caretaker and see about getting you fixed up."

Azusa was pulling his hand from Edgars', "No. I'm fine. It's okay."

Peering at the odd boy standing before him and nodding, choosing that it was his decision of whether or not he wanted help.

Turning his gaze to a commotion that was coming from the front of the orphanage. A blonde haired boy was standing amidst several adults. They appeared to be standing over him, inspecting him. Taking his face in their hands and pulling it towards their gaze.

"He's beautiful." Chimed one adult.

Another adult is walking a full circle around his body, lifting his arms up and looking over the skin of the young boy. "His skin is so soft; it's like porcelain."

"He will do nicely." Stated another.

The young blonde boy seeming pleased with himself that he had so many admirers.

Almost skipping away from the crowd towards Azusa and Edgar, "They like me!" Smiling brightly.

"Why are you so excited?" Peering over the boy, noting that his right eye is missing. His hair was covering most of his face to keep that fact hidden.

"They want to take me out!" The blonde boy chimed excitedly.

"Uh huh… and why is that something special?"

"It means I get to pick something out. They will buy me something!"

Looking at the boy curiously, not fully understanding why he was so excited to leave temporarily only to be brought back, "What's your name again?"

The young blonde haired boy was opening his mouth to say something when an adult comes over. Edgar is looking up at the individual, noting their pressed clothes, cologne, and general appearance, knowing that it was an aristocrat.

"Well, this young man is the most popular one in the orphanage. His name is Kou…" Rubbing his hand over the top of Kou ruffling his hair. "We will see you tonight young man."

"Tsk. Stupid aristocrat…" Edgar scoffed.

The towering adult is looking down at Edgar, "You'd do well to respect your elder's young man. No wonder no one has adopted you. You're completely worthless." Turning around and leaving the orphanage with the other adults that came to visit Kou.

Balling his fist up and wanting to punch Kou's perfect smiling face. A hand coming to his side, icy, but firm. Looking over, Azusa standing next to him shaking his head noting not to touch Kou.

"Don't," Azusa whispers to Edgar.

"Put he pisses me off!" Edgar declares.

"It's not worth it," Azusa replies. "The caretakers are always watching over Kou. Punishment happens when you lay a finger on him."

"What?! Why?!" Edgar asks Azusa in a hushed tone. Azusa is shuffling Edgar off to a side of the room, "He's a favorite."

"That's absurd. I am going to give them a piece of my mind." Edgar voices before beginning to walk towards the nearest caretaker. An equally high child stepping in front of him, his back facing him. Looking up for a brief moment, Edgar could see the back of the individual's head. His hair jet black, short, and his skin fair noting that he is also wearing a suit.

"What? Are you one of those caretaker's pets coming to stop me? Just like those filthy aristocrats! Get out of my way!"

The well-dressed young boy turning around towards Edgar to show the front of his suit shredded and dirty. Edgar is finally getting a full view of the individual in front of him. He was dressed like one of them but looked to have been recently cast out from the flock.

"Who are you?"

"Name is Ruki, and you'd do well to know the order of things here." Peering over his shoulder at Kou whose attention is currently residing with one of the caretakers. Lavishing praise upon him for getting another meeting scheduled for him.

"What's the big deal about him anyways? He's just a pretty boy." Edgar declares.

"That pretty boy is the reason why this orphanage can even stay open."

"What do you mean?"

"The aristocrats like to take him 'out' and he always comes back slightly different than before."

"You mean they showcase him? Like cattle?"

"Not far from it," Ruki says in a hushed tone, but nods at the comment.

Suddenly feeling stupid for wanting to punch Kou, not realizing that maybe he was sacrificing himself to keep what little the children here had. "I should apologize."

Ruki and Azusa are nodding that it would be good and would be seen in a positive light in front of everyone. It would put Edgar in a better light with everyone and would make his life easier here inadvertently.

Edgar was walking back over to Kou, finally stopping just short of him and blurting, "I'm sorry."

Kou turning away from the attention he was getting, from the adults to look Edgar in the eyes, "Hrm?"

Edgar looking down and mumbling it again, "I'm sorry."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kou stated.

Getting irritated that Kou was so dense, "I'm sorry for wanting to punch you!" Edgar blurted quickly.

"You didn't punch me, though."

"I know, but I still feel bad for wanting to."

Kou was ignoring Edgars apology and turning back around to gain more attention.

"I didn't know you were sacrificing yourself. I'm sorry!" Trying in a last effort to get him to accept the apology.

Turning back around and peering over Edgar, "You're just a commoner. You wouldn't understand what's going on here. Keep your nose out of my affairs."

That did it. Edgar hated nothing more than someone pretending to be better than him or anyone else. It was that logic that was the primary reason the city was in such a state of disrepair and falling apart that places like this even existed. Balling up both fists and jumping on top of Kou. Pinning him to the ground and laying blow after blow across Kou's face.

"I will ruin that perfect face of yours and see if you think yourself so high above everyone else!" Edgar continued to let his fists fly on Kou's face until the adults pulled him off of the blonde boy. His feet not touching the ground, he was carried past Azusa and Ruki's blank faces as the adults all ran to Kou and began to coddle his now mangled and bleeding face.

A door opened, and Yuma was tossed onto the dirt.

"You will stay here and work the land until you've learned your place. You are nothing better than livestock here. Get used to it!"

Edgar looking up as the adults walked back inside; he could hear a loud click on the door as it closed. They locked him out here. Where was here?

Looking down at his hands as they smarted, dirt was below him. The smell of greenery was in the air, peering around, he could see the orphanage garden. Smiling to himself, knowing a bit about gardening from when he ran with his group – this would serve as a reprieve from what was going on inside.

Getting up and walking over to the plants in front of him, orange bulbs adorned a growing plant. Looking over the round plant, it had a faint smell to it but looked appealing to eat. Picking one off and popping it into his mouth. It was tart, but juicy and tasted good. His foot was hitting something, crouching down he could see a tag on a stick labeled, "Tomato."

Around the base of the plants were weeds growing. Looking at the other plants in the garden, they all seemed to be suffering from the same problem. There was more food out here than in the orphanage. If this was their idea of punishment, then he would welcome it. Rolling up his sleeves he began pulling the weeds.

Several hours later, a wheelbarrow full of weeds, the sun was beating down on his skin. His hair was hanging in his face and sticking to his skin. Grabbing a handful of plants from the barrow and fashioning a ring of greenery from the weeds. Using the coil of weeds as a means to pull his hair back into a ponytail. Feeling invigorated now that his skin was able to partake in the light breeze, Edgar picked up a watering can and began filling it from a nearby spout. Pumping water from the contraption until the bucket was full. Walking around and watering each of the areas that housed the bases of all of the plants.

Looking around the garden, feeling satisfied with his work, and taking a seat below a nearby tree that granted plenty of shade. The sound of the birds, the rustle of the leaves, and the breeze running across his skin – it reminded him of a time when he was happy, when he was with his group. Reminiscing of that time, his mind began to wander and unbeknownst to himself he had fallen asleep.

Opening his eyes some time later, the sky dark as night. Quiet sobbing is coming from somewhere in the garden. The sniffling of whoever was out here with him causing him to wake up completely into a state of alertness – knowing better than to ask verbally for attention, Edgar picked up the nearest object and began walking slowly towards the sound. Realizing what he grabbed was a small garden shovel, it would suffice if it were a small animal making the sound.

Walking quietly in between the rows of plants, he saw something move and heave with air in between one of the rows. The light of the moon was shimmering off the individuals' hair. Continuing to sneak up on whomever, holding the shovel high in case this person was going to attack Edgar.

A face looking up to greet him, he recognized this face.

"Kou?"

Continuing to sniffle, and use the sleeve of his shirt to wipe away the tears. "What are you doing out here at this hour? Trying to kill me?"

Edgar stunned at the boy before him crying, his clothes torn and his skin beaten, bruised, and cut. "Actually no. I was thrown and locked out here for punching you earlier."

Kou was wiping more of his tears, and letting forth a small smile. "I guess I should be thanking you for my current state."

Taken aback by his comment, "What do you mean?" Edgar asks, finally lowering his garden shovel.

"They thought I was all the more beautiful because of the damage to my body and face, that they relished in it and added to it."

Edgar's eyes are growing wide. "You mean they beat you… regularly?"

"Yes. I let them, though, because they buy me things. It's a give and take relationship. This is the price I pay for what I have. I like what I have, so I let them do it."

Edgar's heart was sinking to the pit of his stomach. At a loss for words, going to help Kou to his feet to finally notice the blood soaking through the back of his shirt.

"Shit."

"Yeah, it's worse than usual. I will heal, though. I always do." Sniffling under his words and taking a heavy sigh. The pain still so intense that it caused the tears to continue to flow in a quieter manner.

"Take off your shirt," Edgar demanded.

Eyeing Edgar with his left eye, not knowing what else he's got stored up for him. Balling his shirt up and wrapping it up. Edgar leans forward and takes the shirt from his hand. Walking over with it to the bucket of water, pulling it up and wringing it of the excess water. Using his strength and ripping the shirt into thin strips. Gathering a small bowl nearby and wiping it clean with his shirt. Pouring a little bit of the water into it, but not before collecting some plants from around the garden and putting them in his mouth to chew.

"What are you doing?" Kou asks curiously.

"Helping you. Shut up." Edgar states while starting to chew the plants.

Kou is looking at Edgar and smiling lightly at his behavior.

Grabbing his shirt and taking it off. Dunking it in the water and working the blood, sweat and dirt off of Kou's back. Taking the mixture from his mouth and working it into the wounds on Kou's back.

"Oww!"

"Shut it. I am only doing this to make up for my punching you earlier. I didn't think you were already going through this before I got here. I'm sorry." Edgar was pressing a little lighter into the wounds. Taking the soft cold strips of torn cloth and placing them over the salve that he pushed into the wounds. "This should help you heal a little faster."

Kou is letting forth small squeals of pain as Edgar finished up the remaining wounds. The damp cloth was sticking to the mixture laid into his injuries.

"Thank You. I am also sorry."

"Hrm?" Edgar inquires.

Kou was looking down at his lap, the medication still stinging the wounds but the pain is starting to subside. "I'm sorry for thinking I was above you. Thank you for this. No one has ever done anything like this for me."

"What do you mean? Don't they take care of you?"

"For a price. You did this without getting anything from me. Is this what people call kindness?" Kou stared at Edgar for a brief moment before the door to the building opened again.

"There you are! You will catch a cold out here! Come inside quickly!" An older man shuffled Kou to his feet, throwing a dirty look at Edgar before pushing Kou through the door, locking the door behind them.

Edgar sighing to himself, he felt better. He didn't care if they wanted to leave him out here. He was perfectly fine. He would make due. Finding a nearby segment of dirt, digging himself a hole. Emptying the weeds from the barrow into a pile and moving it over the hole flipping it over. Moving it so he could slide into the hole with his head resting on the opening between the barrow and the dirt. He was at peace out here, no one to bother him, and no one fighting him for food or for a place to sleep. Smiling to himself while he peered at his hands, he was in control of his future, a future that he could continue to shape like 'boss' always wanted. Looking up at the night stars, his mind began to drift again, and he fell asleep. As his vision blurred and turned to black, Yui's vision began to refocus.

A dark speckled ceiling is adorning the environment she awoke in. Her body felt like a lead weight, unable to move her arms she became worried. Struggling to move, her will had been completely drained. A familiar face came into view.

"Are you awake, Yuma?" Karl chimed.

His eyes are adjusting, blinking several times peering at Karl. Still unsure of what was happening Yui attempted to struggle her limbs up. Still no success.

"My name?" he whispered.

"Yes. Your name is Yuma. Don't you remember?" Karl stated, keeping a familiarly warm smile while telling Yui that her name was Yuma.

Looking at the environment around her, noticing trees, the scent of evergreen on the wind. It was a forest that surrounded her vision. Karl also seemed slightly different than she remembered him.

"My name is Yuma." The voice stated.

"Yes. Your name is Yuma." Karl reaffirmed, "Your wish has been granted. You are now a vampire like I am. You can now fulfill the dream you wanted."

A hand was coming up to her face and shoving fingers in the mouth feeling around the frontal lip. The body is shuffling and hurrying to a nearby pool of water; she noticed it to be a young Yuma that she was looking through. He was inspecting the front of his teeth as if to check what Karl was claiming. Small fangs peeking from the front of his lips. "I really am… a vampire."

Yui's heart fluttered as she saw the image of young Yuma. He was brash, carefree, determined, and had a passion inside of him that didn't seem to be horribly present in the current period.

"You will help me with my plan when the time comes, yes?"

"Whatever you say boss man!" Yuma was turning around and saluting Karl formally. Karl is letting out a hearty chuckle at the vigor of his newest creation. "You will help me with the Adam & Eve plan along with your brothers."

"My brothers?"

"Yes, the ones you ran away with; Ruki, Azusa, and Kou. Don't you remember them?"

Struggling to remember who he was talking about, why was it so hard for him to remember? The names sounded familiar, but he wasn't able to put two and two together.

Karl seeing that the boy was having issues with his memory, no doubt as a result of being turned, he would need to restore enough of them but not too much that he remembered his past. In drinking the young child's blood to turn him, he gleaned that he was once a childhood friend of Shu's. Taking away that complication would further his plan and would continue to fuel the behavior of Shu as he would grow and become head of household. Making sure that he continued to think his friend dead would be better for him and Karl's plan.

Yui having full access now to both the current memories and past memories, she began to wonder if she would be able to access that part of his life without further help from Karl. Now knowing that Shu and Yuma used to be friends would turn things in a manner of which she knew Karl would find unfavorable. She liked Shu a great deal and wanted to see him happy. Maybe reuniting him with his friend would bring about that happiness.

A giggle from the boy peering into the water brought her back fully to the memory; he began skipping away to see three figures come into view. "Ruki! Azusa! Kou! We are all vampires! Isn't that great?!"

Azusa was letting forth a small smile, still grossly concerned with his arms. Seeming to be in distress at something happening on his body.

Kou's hair pulled back a bit letting a smile on his face at his brother before him, "We made it!"

Ruki is coldly staring at Yuma, "Calm down. We need to get going to our new home."

"What's wrong with our old home?" Yuma stared at Ruki.

Karl walked into view, "You mean the orphanage?" A grin is forming at the edges of his lips, bringing his hand up and caressing his bottom lip. "It's been taken care of." Karl was thinking to himself that the blood of so many was very filling. A meal that he had indeed not had in many centuries. After finishing the last of the remaining children and adults of the orphanage, setting the entire place ablaze, burning the bodies of all that he had killed.

Ruki was staring at Karl, knowing full well the total measure of his cruelty. Not entirely understanding why he chose to spare the four of them. Maybe their pledge of loyalty or something that the four of them possessed that he desired. He would need to wait to find out more about the full intentions of their would-be savior.

Yuma looking up at Karl, smiling with excitement, "Let's go to our new home then!" Running ahead of his brothers to their destination. Kou's voice in the background, "Wait for me! No fair! Cheater!"

Yuma is giggling to himself and running faster. His eyes are adjusting the darkness; the memory began to fade.

Yui continued to focus on the memory as if still trying to maintain the connection to it only to see a new image come into view. It was a wide open space with an apple tree in the middle of it. The tree was in full bloom, around it a lake of water. The edges of the area were adorned with iron workings and blue stained glass. The sky seemed to go on forever, and a light music appears to play in the background.

"Eve…"

Turning back around towards the tree, "Who's there?"

"Who do you love?"

Wringing her hands together, looking up at the tree, there were some apples on it. "I don't know what you mean…"

"You must pick an Adam. Who will you pick, Eve?"

"I'm not Eve! My name is Yui!" She proclaimed. Looking at the tree, she noticed several patterns on its trunk. Walking up closer to it, she recognized some of the markings on it. One of them was in the shape of a serpent that adorned the Sakamaki family crest. On another part of the tree, she recognized the emblem as that of the Mukami family. "Why were there markings on this tree?" She wondered.

Reaching up to the nearest apple, a voice rang throughout her mind again. "Choose wisely…" Retracting her hand from the nearest apple, catching that there was a double meaning to the words. Turning around to try and find the voice that seemed to be coming from behind her only to see that the walls of the area she was in began to move.

"The lives of many depend on your choice."

"What do you mean?!" Yui yelled. Frantically looking around to see where exactly this voice was coming from. The sound was feminine but soft, not cruel, yet informative. "Do I know you?" She asked the voice again.

Her vision was blurring again and fading out to black. She had so many questions and what was with the tree in the middle of the lake? What did it all mean?

Finally regaining her faculties, she found herself waking up in a simple room. It was her room inside the Mukami mansion, the dark color on the walls was an almost soothing sensation as she could feel her body moving again.

Looking over to her side, she saw flowers of different kinds sitting next to her bed. Some of them appearing to be dried up and dead, others seemed fresher and more recent. Who were they from?

On the other side of the bed, was a pan filled with water and a cloth draped over the edge. Not realizing it, but a more recent version was laying moist on her lap. It had been resting on her forehead. It must have fallen off when she sat up. Putting her hands in front of her face, her skin pale, but free of any bite marks. Her arm also fully healed and no longer bleeding.

What had happened? How long had she been asleep for? A day? Maybe two? Continuing to peer around the room, she saw something that startled her.

"Richter?…"

"Hello, my darling. My love."

Slightly unnerved by his presence, remembering just what exactly happened last time. "What do you want?"

"Only to be by your side, my beloved."

Unsure of how to respond to his words, "You know I am not her, right?"

Getting up out of his chair and walking to the side of the bed, "I know that I would do anything for you if only to gain your love for a moment of my life."

His words were pulling at her heart. His proclamations bittersweet, and not able to trust that they were meant for her but instead for Cordelia. The woman who's heart she held within her body.

Richter kneeled down at the side of the bed, picking up Yui's hand and bringing it to his face. Almost wanting to pull it from his grip, she wasn't in much of a state to fight back. If he wanted to, he could do much worse to her knowing that he was the demon lords brother, no doubt that he was as strong as him if he wanted to be. It was entirely possible that he was harmless right now and was genuinely interested in her recovery.

Deciding that it was best to let him kiss her hand as it would result in him leaving that much quicker.

"I brought these for you." Richter slowly states while motioning at a newer arrangement of small flowers in a vase sitting on the table to Yui's left. "I will see you again, my love." Richter is again bringing Yui's hand closer to his face and nuzzling it.

Yui didn't know if she should be creeped out by his advances or if she should be in acceptance of them. Not fully grasping what exactly was happening, as it was, after dealing with Karl – she thought it might be best to distance herself, but here Richter is. The first person she sees upon waking up.

Briskly leaving in a flash, teleporting out of the room; Yui notices an envelope sitting under the tiny vase of flowers. Lifting the jar up, sliding her finger under the folds of the paper and opening it up. Pulling it out, the letter read:

"Beloved,

While knowing that this is not love, I search for love from you.

And you, while appearing to grant me that, stick your tongue out in the darkness.

The more I believe, the more I wait in the deep.

I start to think all the more that this is an eternally spiraling staircase.

From here

I have thought about thrusting you down.

This love is an endless waltz. This love is a vast darkness.

My heart is yours.

Richter"

A shiver was running down her spine, slightly unnerved by his poem; it was romantic in its gesture, but also strangely out of place. Blushing to herself while quickly folding the letter back up and slipping it under the covers as if to think that out of sight was out of mind. Her cheeks were blushing faster, bringing her hand up to her face to try and tone down her flush. Fanning her face quickly with one hand while the other continues to clutch the letter under the blankets as she heard footsteps approach the door…