Title: Retrieving Darkness
Anime: Nightwalker
Pairing: Shido x Cain
Author: Sanyu-Kumiko
Rating: R

Part Two:

"I just can't do it."

Cain smiled at his new student. The master of these lands was surprisingly patient for someone as sinister a reputation as he had. The young man before him had taken to pouting, something he would have to work out of his persona soon enough.

"It isn't that you can't, it is that you won't, Shido." Cain said aloud, toying with a dagger between his fingers. "Try it again."

"But I told you I can't! Are you dense or something?"

Cain raised a blond brow at his feisty student and with a flick of his wrist the dagger flew across the small field to land on the ground beside his child's feet. The young man called Shido stared down at it and then let his light blue eyes dart over to his teacher.

"Now do it."

Shido lifted his hand to his mouth and cringed at what was to come. With a quick and rather reluctant motion he bit a fang into his finger. A rouge glow formed there and trickled over the new vampire's pale skin.

"That didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would." Shido mumbled, staring in awe at his handiwork. "Now what?" Cain walked away from the tree he was leaning against and stepped up to his pupil. His cold hands grasped the amateur immortal's chin and tilted it up so that his own golden cat-eyes met the pale aqua of the younger vampire's.

"You are going to unleash the power resting within you so that you may utilize your blood for a weapon." Cain said gently, letting a frigid thumb glide over Shido's smooth jaw line. "Your eyes will look like mine when you are done. This takes practice. Relax."

The younger vampire did as ordered. After a few attempts those blue orbs transformed into the golden cat-eyes of a vampire.

"Now, think about something in your mind. A whip, a sword, a dagger or an arrow and mold your blood with this image in mind." Cain said plainly. He grasped Shido's bleeding finger and lifted it so that Shido could gaze at his own bleeding digit.

Shido stared at it. Nothing happened. He stared harder. Still nothing.

"This isn't working." Shido finally muttered. Cain merely stared at him confidently.

"Keep trying." Cain instructed. Shido tried again and again. Nothing.

"I just can't do it." Shido repeated again. This obviously was his phrase of choice. Cain chuckled, amused at Shido's frustration.

"You aren't focusing."

"I am focused. There is my damned finger and I'm staring at it. It isn't doing anything."

"Well, I guess you're just an idiot." Cain said. Shido stared up at him in shock. He was offended and hurt.

"Idiot? Take that back." Shido hissed at his master. Cain just smiled at him and shrugged casually.

"Oh, I can't because it is true. Don't be upset, some of us just aren't as bright as others." Cain replied plainly, turning away from Shido to look out over the abandoned field.

"I am not an idiot! Look, here is the fucking finger and the blood. I've been staring at it and it isn't doing a damned thing! What am I supposed to do? I want it to turn into the dagger and it just won't work so just how am I stupid? How am I supposed to turn something into something that it isn't? Ugh... stupid blood! Turn into a dagger all ready!"

And it did. Shido fell silent.

"Your anger helped to make you determined and more focused." Cain replied as he turned around with a smile. "You'll get better at this, it takes practice."

Shido didn't reply.

"Well, I guess training is over for today, Shido . . . "Cain said softly in his Transylvanian accent. He approached the young vampire and leaned down to press a small kiss to the violet-haired man's lips. The kiss was enthusiastically received.