/ - means the beginning or the end of a flashback
Asae wondered around campus grounds after the sun had set. It was against the school's rules for Day Class students to be out after dark, but she just hated being cooped up inside at night. She wanted to roam around, and she wasn't going to let a push-over and vampire tell her otherwise.
Although, with that mindset, she also should have expected to be caught at some point.
Thinking the coast had been clear, she had hopped up into another tree and proceeded to howl out her loneliness to the wolves beyond campus. Hopefully, he would hear her from wherever he may be.
Once she was done with her song, the ravenette jumped down and began to walk, wanting to travel through the thick trees that provided cover. The sound of footsteps made her ears perk as she halted in her step.
"Why are you here?" Zero questioned, lilac eyes narrowed suspiciously at her.
"To take a walk," Asae sassed back.
"You know that's not what I meant. Why did the Hunter's Association send you here?"
Finally deciding to face the male, she turned her body only half-way so that she could see him.
"That's none of your business."
She could tell by the tightening of his jaw that he was gritting his teeth.
"Who are you?"
/
"Who are you?"
A brunette woman examined the child before her. She looked beyond pale with unruly black locks that covered her face and draped down her back in tangled knots. The only clothes she wore was a white, thin dress similar to a hospital gown. Her feet were bare, and bandages were wrapped around just about all over her exposed skin, including her neck.
The little girl took a step back, clutching the large rabbit toy to her chest. She didn't understand the question, so she shook her head no.
The woman kneeled down to the girl's height to be less threatening, holding a hand out to show she meant no harm.
"What do they call you?" she tried again, tone kind, something the child had never heard before.
This scared her more, but she took hesitant steps closer. She had been taught that when being beckoned forward, it was best not to fight. She would get needles -or worse, fangs- as punishment.
"187," came the quiet reply.
A frown overtook the woman's olive face. She didn't have a name? How cruel. Before she could respond, something attacked the wire grate that imprisoned it next to the seeming cell the girl had been kept in. The brunette moved the girl behind herself and away from the cage.
"What is that?!"
A smile happily spread over hidden cheeks as pointed a small finger.
"That's..!"
/
Asae turned her back to the Kiryu male once more, not wanting to continue the argument.
"Who am I?" she asked while walking away. "That isn't your concern."
When Asae got to class, the students were much louder than they usually were. It irritated her ears, and made her grumpy mood even worse. She hadn't slept at all the night before due to memories replaying over and over again. She's used to having only a few hours of rest, but none was still taxing on her body and mind.
It seemed someone had overslept. Yuki and her friend Sayori burst into the room.
"Safe!" the brunette cheered as the bell rang only seconds after they made it. "Uh? Did something happen?"
"Didn't you hear, Yuki? We're getting a new Ethics lecturer today!"
"Huh? But, why now?"
"I don't know, but I just saw him!"
In walked their new teacher, and the girl who had been speaking blushed and had to be pulled to her seat.
"Seems word of my arrival proceeded me. The name's Toga Yagari, and I will be your new teacher. Nice to meet you."
"He's pretty cool for a teacher."
"Mm. Yeah, I guess, but.."
"Alright, then. Are there any questions?"
"Professor, are you single?"
"I am."
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"You're fond of the personal questions, aren't you?"
Students began shouting and asking him things without raising their hands all at once, every one of them wanting their's answered for childish reasons.
"Come on!" The class rep shouted over the din. "Let's have some order here! If you want to ask this man a question, raise your hand first! You're up!"
"That patch you're wearing.. Is that a new fashion trend?"
Asae's head tilted down so that her bangs covered her eyes, and Zero stood up and began to leave the classroom.
"Zero?" Yuki said with concern.
"Um, sir, as part of the Disciplinary Committee, I'll go bring him back!"
Once she left, he spoke again.
"This was the cost I had to pay to save someone's life."
The ravenette glared in the direction of the Moon Dorm. She could sense them, all of the vampires mingling about among one another. How could Yagari stand being in the same vicinity of so many of those beasts? Perhaps he didn't know. It's not like his nose worked the same way her's did.
Either way, the teen had had enough of their stench. It was suffocating. She couldn't go about howling with so many ears about.
The ravenette made her way to the fountain. She wanted to check to see if it was still where she put it. As she walked, she couldn't help but think of how she came into possession of her new weapon.
/
"Alright, Mr. Yagori," Asae relented. "Why are you here? Am I being called away again?"
"No. But I was told to give you this while I was here."
He pulled something out from in his trench coat, and placed it gingerly in her hands so it wouldn't fire. Her eyes widened at the firearm now laying in her palms.
"Don't worry," he soothed, seeing her expression. "It's not a real gun. They still don't want to kill him. They're intent that he gets caught soon, though. He's started again."
She nodded her head, putting the gun where no one would see it while walking by.
"Hide it somewhere it won't be found. I won't take any responsibility if you get caught with it."
"Right.."
/
She knew it was buried safely in a plastic baggy so that rain or snow wouldn't harm the weapon. It was just off the path leading to the swan fountain, certain she wouldn't forget its placement. She had to find him. The Hunter's Association might grow weary with the more lives he takes. They may decide it would be best to eradicate him if she takes too long.
Getting down on her knees, she moved the foot-wide rock to the side and dug a bit into the soft dirt. Once she came across plastic, she dusted away the remaining earth and sighed.
"Still here.. Good."
Her hands gripped onto the gun as she held it close to her chest.
"I'll find you, Yěmán.."
A gunshot rang out, causing her to quickly look in the direction. The smell of blood hit her next. Had one of the vampires done something? Had it been Mr. Yagori? As quick as she could, Asae re-buried the gun and ran off toward the sound.
What she saw was surprising but not too so. Her teacher stood, shotgun barrel pointed at Zero in the fountain with Yuki clutching onto the bleeding male. She didn't make herself known, knowing the adult could handle his own with one Level-E.
"Mr. Yagori, listen," the brunette female said. "It's clear to me that you and Zero have a connection to each other that I don't know anything about. But I will not let you decide Zero's fate for him! I will not let you kill him!"
"Are you saying that he isn't a Level-E yet?"
"Yuki.." Zero pushed her away a bit. "It's okay."
Suddenly, the Headmaster ran toward them all.
"You took things too far! I thought there might be a problem, and look! This is a perfect example of why I hate vampire hunters!"
Toga took his gun with a 'hmp', not at all impressed by the blonde male's attitude.
"And how much longer are you going to keep a girl in cold water? You must be freezing. Here, grab my hand." Both students got out of the water themselves, completely ignoring the man. "Or not.."
Yuki stood up and stared harshly at the blue-eyed male.
"I want to know now. Who are you?"
"When Zero was training to be a vampire hunter, I was his mentor. Right, Zero?"
"It's true."
"You really are the adoptive daughter of that silly twit. Zero was about to attack you, yet you consider me as your enemy."
"I'll take over from here," Kaien said. "Yuki, go back to the dorm."
Asae frowned, moving back silently through the trees to avoid getting into trouble.