Author's Note:
Sorry everyone! Been real busy with other stuff and couldn't finish this as fast as I wanted! :( :(
Anyways, here is chapter 2! And of course, I do not own Vampire Knight.
Do enjoy!
"Seriously chairman? We have to do tonight too?" Anju looked as Isabelle ranted on about their newly assigned night watch duty.
"It can't be helped." The man seated at the table sipped down more tea. "The senior prefects have a quiz they have to study for. Although I am loathe about giving you too many duties this week, my hands are tied at this point and I have to look at things realistically. You all don't have important tests coming up so I am afraid I'll have to lay on more pressure for you all. Of course, your seniors have told me they will repay you in kind."
Isabelle blew a lock of hair out of her face. "As long as we don't do more than we should be. I have enough problems with the lazy piece of shit and the bumbler."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Anju pouted.
"You can barely do your job properly!" Isabelle snarled. "We are supposed to keep the Night and Day class separate! And yet all that happens with you is getting your butt trampled! If it isn't for senior Kuran, you wouldn't survive the daily rush!"
"Now now Isabelle..." Chairman Kirihara Cross raised his hands in an attempt to calm down the tense atmosphere. "No one said it would be an easy job. But if anything, being able to trust my cute little girl and son with this job-" He never got the chance to finish as Ichigo's arm suddenly crashed down on the table, splintering the surface.
"I know you offered to take me in, BUT I NEVER EVER RECALL BECOMING YOUR DAMN SON!" He growled as chairman Cross shrank back.
"You focus too much on these small details Ichigo..." Anju groaned.
"Anju is right Ichigo..." Chairman Cross said as he tried to smoothen out his table. "You shouldn't unnecessarily blow up over the little details..."
"Whatever." Ichigo snorted as he turned to leave. "I'll do what is asked of us, but don't think for a second it's for those bloodsuckers!"
"Hey, Ichigo!" Anju called out, but he ignored her completely, storming out of the room. "Don't you think that went a bit far?"
"It's okay Anju." Chairman Cross muttered. "I don't expect him to take kindly to vampires right away."
"Chairman..." Anju turned to see him. His usual jovial attitude was now replaced with a downcast frown. But the both of them knew best when it came to Ichigo. Two years after Kirihara Cross had adopted her, she met Ichigo. Chairman Cross had returned with him on a snowy night.
That was when she remembered what had probably happened to her parents. Ichigo was drenched in blood, blood belonging to who knew. Not only that, but his face was cold and murderous. It was then she realized what pure hate truly looked like. Thankfully though, he wasn't bitten. But she knew that there were some wounds that just don't heal.
"Even after my ancestor's trials and tribulations, there are still humans who refuse to accept co-existence with vampires. Even more so that there are still vampires who view humans as nothing but convenient prey." He stared into the half-full coffee mug. "But that is why I see all my prefects as bastions of that hope. That our world can still offer peace for both our races."
"Still, it appears to be quite the difficult task it seems..." He said as he stared out of the window.
Anju looked to Isabelle, who merely shrugged and left the room to do her rounds. True, there were still many hostilities between humans and vampires despite the setting up of thousands of laws by the vampire monarchy that forbid attacking humans. Vampire Hunters still remain active in policing and hunting down any vampires who broke said laws hand-in-hand with the vampire lords themselves. And some humans still hold grudges against vampires for what they do. Anju remembered many reports of humans slaying vampires for no better reason than the fact that they were vampires.
Peace it seemed still seemed a long way off.
"Don't worry Chairman!" Anju gave him a thumbs-up as she strode to the door. "Akira and the rest are different! I know, I know they will never think to harm humans! And they definitely seek peace just like you and I do!" Chairman Cross looked up in surprise as she walked away.
"After all, vampires and humans both share this world!" She said, smiling as she did. "I'm sure that everyone will be able to get along! Well, time for my rounds!"
Chairman Kirihara Cross smiled as his adoptive daughter left the office. "That's the spirit I suppose. The one that will bring peace. I hope you agree as well, Akira..."
"And that concludes our lesson on law." The bearded teacher said as he closed his book. "Any questions?" The class made no attempt to reply.
"I see then. I remind you once more, you are the future leaders of our proud race. As such, our people will look to you all as an example for our continued peace with humanity. You attentiveness in class not only reflects that example but also your continued effort to ensure our peace. Never forget that you are the pride of our race!"
"Geez..." A vampire groaned as the teacher left. "Mr. Du Coteau always gives that boring speech at the end. Makes me want to wish his classes don't stop."
"We represent our race, yada yada. I hear you man." His friend replied.
"My my, quite the banter from you two." Henry said from behind, pushing up his glasses. "I wonder what your parents will think when they hear such comments. They are quite the influential ones am I right?"
"Henry, we never said we don't like Mr. Du Coteau's constant reminders. But seriously, the guy tells us that every time! It's starting to get to be a drag..."
"Quiet." Shinji frowned. "He only does it so that we remember what we strive to be. Don't forget, vampires such as ourselves are capable of good and evil. Just think about last month, when a vampire killed a human."
The whole class turned to Shinji, with some of the vampires muttering away. Yes, he was correct that vampires were still not received well in some places due to the tendencies of their own kind going off the deep end and hunting human blood. It was to ensure such things did not happen with vampire youth that the monarchy funded the curriculum at Cross Academy.
"The monarchy believes that we are the best hope for our race." Gabriella crossed her arms. "These lessons, the rules and laws, they all serve to ensure that we never sink back into the history of relentless bloodshed."
"Yeah, we get it!" A vampire girl protested against Gabriella's comment. "We've never done such a thing of the sort during our time in Cross Academy!"
"But it's still being done by others in the outside world." Akira said from his table at the back of the class. "Others of our kind. If we don't remember our very positions, we run the risk of doing the same thing. Humans and Vampires can be the same in many ways, especially in giving in to the temptations for our desires, be they material or primal. It is to stop this that the queen has allowed us to mingle with humans in this school, that we may show to them our kind aren't beasts, that we may represent hope for peace."
All the vampires went silent, not daring to look at him in the eye. Akira scanned the room, confirming that his message had been received.
"Once again, no one dares to question you." Emi chuckled from her desk in front of him.
"That is because we all wish of such when we first came to this school." Akira nodded. "To build a better future for all."
Emi smiled as she scanned the room. She noticed some vampires gathered around the desk of Desmond, one of the European vampires.
"Idiot, half-wit! Oaf!" She could hear such words from his desk. Apparently, Henry did as well, as he strode over to regard the scribbles on the piece of paper.
"And this is?" He asked Desmond. Upon Desmond's paper were scribbled images of what a vampire could best describe as a mocking portrait of Ichigo.
"You should know!" He growled back. "The nerve of that Ichigo, to lay a hand on Lord Akira! I should just tear his head off!"
"My oh my." Gabriella frowned at him. "And Akira was just talking about being civilized. This kind of behavior is exactly why Mr. Du Coteau always cautions us."
"But, Lord Akira-!"
"Akira wishes all to treat him as an equal amongst them." Shinji yawned. "And not by his blood status. Besides, I'm actually real fond of that Ichigo guy. He seems like a nice kid..."
"That girl seems pretty nice too." Gabriella said as she stared out the window. "Anju Cross right? You seem fond of her, don't you Akira?"
"Haha..." He chuckled. "She's just a close friend. Nothing more."
"Are you sure about that?" Ganju looked at him. "Just a close friend?
"Ganju, stop teasing him." Emi said, standing up. "You know what he means. The kind of relationship between Akira and Anju is the kind that marks a huge step forward in the world we wish for."
"Yeah, yeah." Ganju nodded. Akira merely shook his head at his friend. No doubt Ganju had his own friends among the day class. Not long ago, he was exercising with a few Day Class students while others-mostly girls-fawned over him.
Emi herself had plenty of friends during her Friday study club. She would often be helping out both Day and Night Class students with whatever problems in schoolwork they had, which resulted in many of the Day Class students holding her in high regard and would often look at her with more admiration and respect than longing affection.
Henry himself had a good relationship with some of the chess club members. He remembered how many of the chess club members had been trounced by the British vampire. He especially liked how Henry had decided to give tips on how to better improve themselves, which opened up newer friendships between him and the Day Class. Even better when the Day Class students asked Henry to join the club, which he accepted.
He thought to his own relations with some humans such as Chairman Cross and Anju. Is this what you desired? He asked somebody only he could think of in the back of his mind. Perhaps he too desired this.
He looked to the window as the moon finally became obscured by the clouds. "The last light has faded." He closed his eyes, drinking in the absolute darkness. "Now, our time is upon us. This is our night..." His eyes now opened, flashing a bloody red.
"You are right..." Emi breathed as her eyes too, flashed red. "This is our time..."
Henry's eyes ran the same red as the final lights in the class finally blew out. Ganju and Gabriella stared at the lightless sky with blood red eyes while Shinji merely stared into the darkness with red eyes, the darkness that was now being lit with flashes of red.
Anju stared into the window as the lights blew out. She could make out the small red dots that were the eyes of vampires. No matter what, those eyes always scared her. The true eyes of vampires.
She could still remember the night Akira saved her life. The vampire he killed had the same scarlet eyes. Eyes that peered from darkness, that appeared to drown out all other lights, the last eyes you would see.
He's not like that. Anju told herself. She knew it was true, but it sometimes became hard to believe. Especially when they released their true natures. Anju now glanced upward to see Emi walking by the window. Her eyes were blood red as she glanced out and saw Anju. Emi then gave a small smile, waving a silent greeting.
Anju waved back, slightly unnerved by Emi's current appearance. Always she wondered if this was how she would always see a vampire. Many people told her vampires took on a human appearance so that they would be more efficient in hunting their prey. She wondered if the vampire that nearly killed her years ago had bewitched her parents before-
She pushed the thought out of her head as she rounded one of the school's parapets. She knew that Akira, Emi and the other vampires wanted nothing more than co-existence along with Chairman Cross. She had heard the stories of the academy before, how there were once prefects like her who served as the school's guardians. Back then, vampires were nothing but a dark secret kept by people worldwide. She also heard stories, of how one vampire fell in love with one of them and turned her into a vampire herself. Stories of how the vampires tried to protect their classmates only to be shunned away. Would this happen to their school now? Would she one day fear Akira and his kind?
"Are you alright?" Came a voice. Anju jumped, suddenly alert. She rushed to where the sound came from, her eyes catching the small silhouettes of two girls. Anju leapt off the wall, her right hand grabbing onto the ledge of the wall to slow her descent.
"I want your name and classes now!" She demanded as she landed. "Day class students are not meant to be out now!"
"But, we just wanted a glimpse..." One of the girls answered. "Then we tried to climb the wall and..."
"And?" Anju frowned as she looked at the girl who was clutching her knee. A small trickle of red oozed out from the girl's hand.
Oh no... She felt her heart skip a beat. "Are you hurt? Quick, we have to get you out of here!"
"What's this?" Came a voice. Anju turned as she saw two Night class students standing behind her. She recognized them as Sean Fernando and Joe Higashi, two vampires among the first Normal vampires to be admitted to the academy.
"Sean, just stay back." Anju cautioned as she struggled to help the girl on her feet. "She's injured and needs help."
"Oh, I'm sure Ms. prefect." Sean smiled. Anju now grew wary. Despite the fact that the vampires had a good hold on themselves, it wasn't a smart move to chance their self-control with the scent of blood. And with it freshly trickling down the girl's leg, she could not ask for a more unstable situation. It got even worse when Sean decided to move in.
"I am warning you..." Anju reached over and displayed her prefect armband. "It is forbidden for all Night class students to prey upon Day class students. Doing so will result in at least a week's..." Sean didn't let her finish as he grabbed her arm. The force of his grab was enough to cause her to cry out.
"Agh! What are you?" She snapped just as she felt a burning sensation on her palm.
"Did you cut yourself?" Sean asked as his eyes flashed red. Anju blinked as she remembered her hand grabbing the wall's edge. "I must say," He continued, his fangs now showing. "You smell absolutely delicious."
"Sean, let go, don't you dare..." Anju tried to pull away, but Sean only tightened his grip.
"Relax." He said, inching his head closer to her bleeding palm. "Just one taste? Joe is quite interested himself." She turned to see Joe standing nonchalantly behind.
"Sean, don't..." Anju gasped, fear inching into her voice.
Something rustled from the trees. Anju felt someone grab the vampire's arm and wrench it free. She stumbled, the unexpected momentum causing her to fall. Simultaneously, she heard a loud 'thud'. She straightened up to see Ichigo standing before her and Sean flat on his back. Ichigo emanated a menacing aura, whipping out a small pistol from his belt.
"Finally, you show your true nature vampire..." He snarled, cocking the pistol.
"Wait a sec!" Sean sputtered, obviously afraid. "I just wanted to-"
"DIE!" Ichigo snarled. Sean flinched as Ichigo pulled the trigger.
"WAIT!" Anju cried out, tackling Ichigo and causing him to lose balance. He fell over, the pistol round going way off course and embedding into a nearby tree.
"You can't just kill him!" Anju said, completely flustered.
"What the hell?" Ichigo stared back in disbelief. "Anju, he just tried to..."
"I know." Anju nodded. "But that doesn't give him a death sentence!" She said as Sean and Joe tried to back away. Suddenly, Anju heard a strange screeching in the air. She turned upward to see hundreds of bats swarming all around. They seemed to form a strange wall around the five of them, cutting off any form of escape.
"What's going on here?" Anju and Ichigo turned to see Ganju and Gabriella walking toward them. "Sean, Joe, what are the two of you doing out of class?" The tall vampire asked. Gabriella held onto his left arm as her eyes scanned the small clearing and its occupants.
"Ganju," Seam stammered, surprised by the presence of the other vampire. "Joe and I, we just..."
"You just what?" Came another voice. Everyone turned to see Akira and Linhua walking up to the small group.
"We just..." Sean attempted a reply but the words caught in his mouth. Anju now saw Akira's eyes. They were their usual mud-brown, but they also held a stern look that was directed at the two vampires who appeared terrified before him.
"I, I offer no excuses." Sean said, bowing to him. Joe also followed suit, not saying anything. Akira stared at them, motioning for Linhua to check on the two Day class girls. At once, Gabriella waved a hand in the air, and the bats dispersed, leaving a deafening silence in their wake.
"Chairman Cross will decide your punishment." Akira said firmly. "Return to class, now."
"Yes milord..." Sean and Joe replied, standing up and proceeding back to their classroom with Ganju and Gabriella behind them.
"Alright now?" Linhua asked the Day class girl. Anju and Ichigo turned to see a bandage wrapped around the girl's leg.
"Yes..." The girl replied, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Return to your dorms now." Linhua said. Ichigo breathed hard. Never did he expect the normal vampire to hold this much self-control in the presence of fresh blood. "Civilized we may be, but this time is still not safe for you."
"Okay..." The two girls replied as they walked away. Linhua stood where she was, glancing at Anju.
"You'd better get that checked." She said. Anju looked at the fresh cut in her palm, remembering that she was still injured.
"It seems our work here is done." Akira nodded. "Linhua, we should go." Linhua bowed, returning to Akira's side.
"Just a minute!" Ichigo snarled, causing Akira to stop.
"Yes?" Akira replied.
"Senior Kuran, surely you've seen how much trouble has been caused?" Ichigo said vehemently. Anju flinched at his remark, knowing full well that Ichigo did not intend to let this slide. "How much more risk will you take before someone gets off worse?"
"Rest assured, they will be punished according to the school rules." Akira nodded. "I myself will report to the chairman about this incident. Will that be enough?"
Ichigo gritted his teeth and Anju felt him tense up. She wondered if a fist-fight between the two of them would soon ensue. Then, Ichigo relaxed.
"Do whatever you want. I'm sick of talking to you." Ichigo spat.
"I appreciate it." Akira answered. He turned and walked toward the direction of the school, but not before glancing at Anju. "Take care." He said and, with a final wave of goodbye, returned to class.
The minute the vampires were out of earshot, Anju turned to Ichigo and frowned. "Don't you think that was a bit uncalled for? You can't just shoot everyone who breaks the rules! What sort of prefect does that?"
Ichigo merely scowled, holstering his weapon and walking off.
"Hey! Get back here! I'm not finished!" Anju pouted, running after him.
"Finish it elsewhere!" Ichigo growled. "This place smells like blood. I'm not staying here."
Anju looked on as he stormed off, wondering exactly how he could recognize the stench of blood from her and the other girl.
"Ichigo..." She sighed.
"Y'see?" Isabelle snarled as she removed her skirt and shirt. "I take my eyes off the two of you, and this happens!" She gestured to Anju's bandaged hand. "I have no clue why I have to babysit such troublemakers all the time!"
Anju didn't answer. She removed her undergarments and walked into the shower cubicle. Her thoughts ran wild as she turned the water on.
I saw it again tonight. Anju thought as she remembered the vampire who nearly killed her. I saw the true nature of a vampire again. Did I?
She was definitely about to be attacked certainly, but that wasn't all. She was also saved once again by Akira and others of his kind. There are all sorts of vampires. There are good ones and bad ones, smart ones and funny ones, strong ones and kind ones. And Akira is definitely kind.
No. She nodded. Not all vampires are bad. Just like humans.
"Hellooooo? Earth to Anju Cross?"
Anju squeaked as she finally registered Isabelle's voice calling her. "U-uh, yes?"
"Have you heard a single word I just said?" Isabelle asked from the adjacent cubicle. Anju gulped. She had been caught up in her own thoughts to notice.
"Ehehe, uhhh..." Anju chuckled. "Don't mind repeating?"
"SERIOUSLY!?" Came Isabelle's voice.
COUGH! COUGH!
Ichigo panted as he slid down the wall of the shower cubicle and onto the floor. He reached up for his uniform hanging from the hook.
Digging through the left pocket, he fumbled about, taking out a small black box. As his hand shook, the motion resulted in the box making a funny rattling noise. Ichigo stared at the box, prying open the lid ever so slightly.
As if deciding something, he closed it and put it away.
Dawn was approaching, the Night class had returned to the Moon dorms and were preparing for bed. However, in the main hall, light from the overhanging chandelier still shone in a little corner filled with sofas and a table.
"A week's suspension?" Sean asked. Joe merely looked nervous at the three vampires surrounding them.
"For the both of you." Gabriella replied, her arms folded. "You have quite the nerve to do something so atrocious. Count your-GUH!" She started another sentence but stopped short as suddenly, a violent coughing fit racked her body.
"Gabriella, did you take your medicine yet?" Emi asked as she moved in to support her. Gabriella shook her head, still coughing.
"Your body is a lot weaker when morning approaches." She said, pulling Gabriella's arms over her shoulder. "Sorry Akira, but I have to handle this."
"No worries Emi." He said. "I can settle this on my own. Please take Gabriella to her room." Emi nodded, guiding the panting vampire up the flight of stairs to where the rooms were located.
"I hope you two understand the seriousness of your actions." Akira said, getting up as he did. "The next time something like this happens, I don't know how the Chairman will react. Count yourself lucky to receive such leniency. Now, go back to your dorms."
Sean and Joe got up, returning to their rooms. "Man, what I'd give to taste Anju's blood..." Sean muttered
SLAP! The noise rang out in the large hall. Sean blinked as he now noticed a small cut welling at his cheek.
"What was that?" Akira frowned, his voice hard. He licked Sean's blood off his fingers as he stared.
Sean looked down. "Nothing milord." Hastily, the two vampires walked away.