Here's Chapter 2. I hope you like it and please let me know what you think. Even criticism is welcomed. Anyway, Vampire Princess Miyu was created and is owned by Toshiki Hirano and Narumi Kakinouchi. Enjoy.

Through the Heart

Chapter II

It was a bright sunny morning in downtown Ginza. The busy streets provided a low roar to the background noise of the city. People walked up and down the sidewalks, heading hastily to their individual destinations. Even though the sun's rays shined through the air, as brilliant as they might be, they still could not take the late autumn chill from this cold morning.

Miyu could see her breath rising from her mouth in tiny clouds of hot steam. As she walked with the crowd, she kept her eyes forward as if she were looking through the crowd, as if disacknowledging their very presence. To her, the people of the here and now have become little more than shadows, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. 'Like dust in the wind' as someone once said. A little way ahead of her was the High School of Ginza. It is the place of her current status as a student, for now.

Inside the school, as she neared the main office, Miyu remembered there was some paperwork for her to sign in order to finalize her school transfer. She also needed to pick up her photo ID for the school. As Miyu arrived at the assistance counter, she was greeted by a young woman with a bright smile.

"Good morning. How may I help you today?" The woman asked.

"Good morning, my name is Miyu Yamano. I believe you have some papers for me to sign as well as an ID." Miyu said.

"Just one moment and I'll get them for you right away."

After the woman came back, Miyu began to sign the papers spread out on the counter top. Across the room, one of the secretaries sitting behind her desk looked up and noticed Miyu. She was an older lady in her sixties who had been working at the school for quite some time now. Adjusting her black-rimmed glasses, she stared at Miyu as if transfixed. Miyu signed the last line and placed the ID card in the pocket of her school uniform. "Thank you very much." The woman said, collecting the papers. Before Miyu could make it to the door, she was stopped by the voice of the secretary who had been watching her.

"Excuse me, young miss?" The lady called.

Miyu turned around and said, "Me?"

"Yes. Could you come over here for a moment?"

Miyu did as she was asked. "Was there something that you needed, ma'am?" Miyu asked, as she stood in front of the lady's desk.

"What is your name, young miss?" The lady asked.

"It's Miyu, ma'am. Miyu Yamano." Miyu said, politely.

"Miyu Yama…" The lady paused and raised her hand to her mouth as her eyes widened.

"Is there something wrong ma'am?" Miyu asked, curiously.

The lady immediately got up from her seat and ran around her desk. Standing in front of Miyu, the lady took off her glasses and looked more closely at Miyu's face.

"Ma'am…?" Miyu asked, slightly confused.

"Miyu…it's really you. You…you haven't aged a day in fifty years. Why?"

Miyu's eyes widened as it finally occurred to her who it was who stood there before her.

"Mei…" Miyu said slowly, as she suddenly remembered. Miyu then took another look at the name label on top of the desk. It read 'Mei Fumitsuki'. Miyu turned back her gaze to the eyes of the woman in front of her.

'It's true. It's her.' Miyu thought. "Mei, it's so good to see you again. I'm…I'm so sorry I had to leave out of the blue like that. I thought I made everyone forget about me."

Mei then placed her hands on Miyu's shoulders as a tear almost fell from her eye. "Miyu, how could I forget my best friend? We attended this school together in 1955. We spent the whole school year together. The two of us were so close. Where have you been all this time? I thought we could tell eachother anything. More importantly, why haven't you aged?"

"Mei…I…I had to go. I just couldn't stay. Things happened." Miyu said, her voice cracking with sadness.

"Not a letter, not a phone call, nothing. You just left without telling me at all. You should have come to me, Miyu. No matter what it was, I could have helped you." Mei said.

Miyu shed a tear down her cheek. She stepped back and said, "Mei…you were my best friend and you showed me so much kindness. I will always remember you for that."

"Miyu?" Mei said.

Miyu then held up her hand in front of Mei and said, "I promise…that I'll keep our times we spent together inside me, forever. And I will cherish them, always." Miyu then paused and closed her eyes for a moment as another tear rolled down her cheek. Looking back up at Mei, she said, "Please forgive me, Mei."

Mei's eyes had gone glassy for a moment. Snapping out of it, she looked around the room and then looked at Miyu.

"Is there something I can help you with, young miss?" Mei asked.

Miyu, whose head hung slightly to hide her tears under her bangs, said in a weak saddened voice,

"No, ma'am. I must be going now. Please excuse me."

"Okay, then. Have a nice day." Mei said, walking back behind her desk.

As Miyu walked out of the office and into the hallway, she thought, "I will remember you, Mei. Even if you won't remember me."

The day was painted melancholy after that moment, with colors of regret and sadness over a canvas of happy memories. The words spoken in her class lectures passed right over her as Miyu remembered all of times she spent together with Mei. A little later on, she found herself in the library. Miyu had taken out a yearbook from the school archives shelf and sat down with it at one of the tables. She opened to a page that said,

'Freshman Class of 1955'. Below it was a group photo of the entire class. Sitting in the front row was Mei with her arms around Miyu's shoulders. Both of them were smiling happily in the bright sunlight of that early autumn day.

As Miyu stared at the black and white photo, tears once again began to well in her eyes. She then folded her arms over the book and rested her forehead, weeping to herself. "Mei…" she said, quietly.

"Mei?" Came a curious voice. Startled, Miyu raised her head and looked over to see Itsuki standing there next to her. "Itsuki!" Miyu said, quickly shutting the yearbook. 'That's the second time he's done that to me.' She thought.

"Yeah, it's me. I thought I might find you here." Itsuki then looked more closely at her face.

"Anything wrong, Miyu? You look like you've been crying." He said, noticing her wet cheeks.

Wiping away the tears, she said, "No, no. I'm fine."

"Oh, uh, okay then." He said, then looking at the yearbook. "1955, huh? Looking for a relative, Miyu?" He said, picking it up.

"Y-Yes, but they're not in this one." She said, taking it back from him and holding it close to her chest.

"Okay, then. Um, the movie tonight. Are we still on?" He said, nervously.

"Of course we are. I wouldn't miss it."

"Great, I'm glad. Anyway, there's a movie playing called 'A drawn sword and a Camillia', it's supposed to be a romance set in feudal times." He said.

Miyu, Showing a happy face, "That sounds great, I'll meet you there at 8 then."

"Okay, then I'll leave you to what you were doing. I've gotta get going anyway. I'll see you tonight." He said with a wave as he walked away.

Miyu gave a wave and a smile. She watched him the entire time, as he walked through the library and out into the hallway. 'I think he's growing a little more confident.' She thought to herself. Miyu put the book back on the shelf and sat back down at the table. Silently, she stared out the window at the fluffy white clouds rolling by. Clouds that were set behind the bare branches of the trees that swayed with the strong wind blowing outside. Then she allowed herself a warm smile as she began to daydream. "Itsuki" she said to herself. She remembered looking at his eyes while they were talking those few minutes ago. She loves that color blue. It reminds her of the horizon at mid-day. She also noticed the way the ceiling lights gave a shine to his brown hair, making it seem more vibrant.

Miyu almost felt embarrassed, seeing as she hasn't daydreamed like this in such a long time. She continued staring out, taking in the scene of city skyscrapers and sunlight reflecting in their windows. Then, after ten minutes or so, she finally decided it was time to go. Picking up her briefcase, she left the library with dreamy thoughts still on her mind. The clock tolled 4pm as she walked out into the front courtyard of the school. She was immediately met by strong winds, almost throwing her off balance. Quickly running through the front gates and turning the corner, out of view, she ducked into an ally.

With but a thought, she willed herself away and appeared in the city graveyard, on the roof of a mausoleum. Not after long, Miyu was joined by Larva. He made not a sound, but she always knows when he appears.

"Hello, Larva." She said, her eyes still on the horizon.

"You saw an old friend today." He said, removing his mask and looking to the horizon as well.

"Yes." She said plainly, now reminded of today's less joyful event.

"You did what you had to do, Miyu. If you don't want to think of it as covering your tracks, think of it as simply taking away Mei's pain." He said.

"I prefer to think of it in the latter. Thank you, Larva."

"This boy. How far do you wish to take this?"

"I'm not sure, Larva. We'll just have to see. I know I really like him. More than I've liked anyone for quite a while."

The afternoon sun slowly moved the shadows of the graves along the grass. Soon, the shadows disappeared as the skies become overcast with silvery gray clouds. Their arrival was almost unnoticeable until the point that the sun was blocked out by them. Other things have been known to have that same effect.