Yo, yo, yo! What's up? Personally, I just had a terrific chicken sandwich! Anyways, here's another chapter for your viewing pleasure!
…
I woke up to the feeling of sunlight on my face. It felt nice, warm and comforting. I blearily opened my eyes to see a living room with ornate, gothic furniture. I heard some people talking in another room. I looked around and realized that I had been sleeping on a couch.
I removed the blanket that had been on top of me and sat up. I then realized that my jaw now felt fine, like that whole altercation before I passed out had never happened. I attempted to stand up, but the soreness from before then kicked in. I ended up falling on my ass.
"Jesus fuck," I thought. "What the hell has been happening?"
"Oh! You're awake now!" I looked up to see a middle aged man with long blonde hair. "You've been asleep for quite awhile, let me help you up."
The man slung my arm around his shoulders and helped me to stand. He led me over to the next room where there was a kitchen and an eating area. He sat me down at a table and put a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of me.
"Breakfast." He said. "Have some, then we can talk."
"Th-Thanks." I said after a moment's hesitation, then I began to eat.
As I was eating the man began to speak. "I'm sure you have many questions, so I'll just start with this. What you saw was a vampire, I'm sure you know what that is." I looked up at him in surprise and disbelief.
"B-But vampires aren't real!" I responded. "It must have been a hallucination or something!"
"I'm sorry to say that it wasn't," The man said, a look of sadness and pity taking his face. "What you saw was very real, and what you did was very brave, if stupid."
"What do you… What do you mean?" I asked.
"It was brave and impressive of you to resist the vampires aura of fear without any training." The man answered. "It was stupid of you to attack a vampire without any proper weapons or training to speak of. Anyways, we're getting off track. My name is Kaien Cross. What's yours?"
"Oh, I'm…" I paused, my mind drawing a blank. What was my name? Who was I? I remembered bits and pieces. Favorite foods, memorable vacations. But no names, not faces, not of anybody.
"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to." Kaien said. "You certainly wouldn't be the first runaway I've come across." He appearently mistook my confusion for apprehension. "Either way, I don't need it to make this offer. Would you like to become a hunter?"
"A hunter? Like… a vampire hunter?" I asked.
"Yes." Kaien said. "A vampire hunter. As much as it pains me to admit it, the world is always in need of more hunters."
"Why me?" I questioned. "Why give me this offer?"
"Well…" Kaien responded. "As you may have noted, your jaw is no longer broken. Hell, when you first got here it was already on the mend after an hour at most. This is because you have hunter's blood in your veins. I also think you proved yourself able to act when necessary. If you hadn't distracted that vampire, who knows what could have happened to Yuki, the girl."
"Hunter's blood?" I asked.
"It means you are descended from at least one person to have killed a vampire." Kaien responded. "It marks you, makes you stronger, faster than the average human. It also makes you heal quicker."
Kaien seemed to be thinking for a second, as if at a loss for what to say. "Anyways, should you choose to accept, you'll have to move in with me. If anything, you being a runaway makes this easier. No parents to explain things to."
As he said this, I contemplated my situation. I had no ID, no name, I effectively didn't exist here. If anything, this guy was my best chance at survival. Food, shelter, and the means to defend myself against the vampires that apparently existed.
"You don't have to decide now but-"
"I'll do it." I cut him off. "I felt powerless against that vampire. I don't want to feel like that ever again. Train me"
He looked surprised, like he had expected me to refuse. He quickly schooled his features into a calm expression "Very well. If you're going to be living here, then you'll need an ID. I'll have to adopt you as my son. Your surname will have to Cross, what would you like your first name to be?
I thought about that for a bit as Kaien patiently waited, eventually I just decided to go with something that vaguely felt right. "My name will be Marcus."
"Very well, I'll deal with things on the legal end later. Why don't I introduce you to the boy who saved you, and Yuki, your new 'sister'."
…
We eventually came to another living room, this one much larger than the first. There I saw the boy from earlier and the girl. Yuki. My mind supplied. They were eating pudding, with the boy feeding Yuki.
"Hello you too! I see you decided to have at the pudding!" Kaien exclaimed happily.
"Yeah!" Yuki said. "It's really good!" She then looked over at me, recognition registering on her face. "You, you're the one who tried to save me!" She ran up and hugged me, a massive smile on her face.
I'm not ashamed to say that she made my heart melt with that smile. "Heh, anytime kiddo!" I said, patting her on the head.
"I really must thank you. Who knows what could have happened if you hadn't been there." The boy said, approaching me. "Kaname Kuran, a pleasure to meet you."
"Marcus… well, Marcus Cross now I guess." I said, shaking his hand. "And likewise." I noticed how his eyes were level with mine despite the fact he was only in his early teens. Strange
"Oh, so you're taking Cross up on his offer?" Kaname said. "I wish you the best of luck!"
"Yes, I'm sure you'll do fine." Kaien interjected. "Oh that reminds me, how old are you?"
"Eighteen. My birthday was just a few weeks ago." I responded. Kaname and Kaien both shot me weird looks.
"Marcus, I'm sorry to say; but that's impossible." Kaien stated. "You look to be of an age with Kaname here. You certainly don't look anywhere close to eighteen."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confusion bubbling up inside me.
"Just look at the mirror." Kaname said, gesturing towards a mirror on the wall. "You don't look a day over thirteen."
I went over to the mirror and what I saw shocked me. I was staring at my thirteen year old self. Skinny, pimples, big spiky hair. I had looked good as my eighteen year old self, I had found a style that worked. Now I was back to objectively the least attractive stage in my life.
"What the fuck!?"
…
Hope you guys liked this chapter! It took me a while to figure out what each of the characters would say. Nonetheless, I think I'll need to work on how the characters talk. I don't think I really captured their mannerisms. Have a happy Thanksgiving!