I smell Shima in the air ^.^ just a small hint though.

I think the vampires already know whatever they study in their classes. I mean they're quite old, they should've had some kinda education, after all most are nobilities 'should've said that in the beginning'…

Also, go listen to Meadows of Heaven, by NIghtwish. Amazing song. Really inspiring ^.^


Flashback

The day wasn't anything special. Just a normal day (or rather night) when she and her comrades were 'studying', all in inverted commas, because they'd all studied that and were going just for the sake of the pretense and their leader, Kаname-sama. Day and night were too mixed for them now that they avoided using them. For them, the tamed vampires, the night was a day and the same way with the day. The tiny silver wires of the Moon were now the sun, while the immense golden silk of the Sun were the lunar rays.

That day/night was nice. Or maybe more than nice. There wasn't a single cloud on the dark hole that was the sky or even if there was, one couldn't see it. Even if there was a cloud, it'd have looked like a gray pearl.

Nature was celebrating. Whether it was a day or night didn't matter, the date was essential.

Ruka was still amazed at her memory. Everyday quirks, emotions, anger, a lot of things didn't even reach her memory, no matter how good it was. One day she'd feel so sleepy that she'd be sure that she'd remember it the next day, and when that next day came, she'd wonder why something was lacking in yesterday's remembrance.

Yet that day was vivid in her mind. Not only was her blood drunk by Kaname-sama, but she did something that later, after some time and some willpower, became something more cherished to her. At first she hadn't wanted it to become that way, but after being rejected, it was to be expected. Ruka didn't want to forget that night but she didn't want to remember it with something unreachable, something that would always be one-sided, either.

The eyes of that girl had been so big.

The classes would soon start, but she couldn't care less. She didn't have an image of a bubbly girl to have to always talk. She was quiet, remembering. That night, a few hours after the best moments of her life, when she'd been able to walk without faltering, she'd somehow gone out of the territories of the school, in the small town. There she'd wandered the streets like a drunk. Or maybe she'd been drunk with happiness back then, in the moment before she learned her blood wasn't enough for Kaname-sama.

The teacher came in, did his usual routines and then started explaining some things he knew they knew. Ruka couldn't care less.

The eyes of that girl had been so afraid.

The vampire nobility remembered that back then she'd wanted some blood, because she didn't want to ask for Kaname-sama's blood, never, ever that and her body had been lacking blood. She'd gone into the poorer places to search for bastards – no concoction the Academy offered was as good as normal hot, scarlet blood. Scarlet was her favorite color after all. And petty criminals were the best when hunting for blood. At that moment she hadn't cared about her servitude to Kaname-sama – she had been hungry.

They were studying the DNA of plants: it wasn't even funny, the pun.

And then, she'd picked up the scent of a small girl. A young girl, one that still played with dolls. And there was the older smell of a few men. Ruka'd started running, to get to them, mouth salivating. When she'd gone there, she'd found out that she'd been right – there was a young girl and a small number of men, looming over her frame, reeking of alcohol. Making herself seen, Ruka'd gone to them and had bit into their flesh. It'd been her pettiest prey. No one ever understood.

The hours were ending. Soon she'd be in her room and probably Akatsuki'd come too for a small chat before everyone went to bed. Actually, she was sure he'd come. Probably, by now, he'd noticed that she wasn't behaving normally. Akatsuki always noticed.

The little girl had watched her as she drank the men's blood and wiped the stray trail of liquid, wandering down her chin. Instead, the still-child had thrown her hands around her and thanked her over and over again. Ruka remembered feeling sick and asking the girl to show her the way to her house and she remembered the girl obliging as she took her to a half-destroyed barn. There she gave her savior a small token to be remembered – a wooden toy soldier in bright colors.

As the hour ended, Ruka thought of that toy soldier and how the saved hadn't been afraid of her even if she was bathed in blood.

Somehow she went to her room faster than usual. Rima wasn't going to come back after some time (she wanted to have some time for leisure with Shiki after all) and so the apartment was all hers.

Ruka went to her nightstand and opened the small drawer up its very end. After some serious searching, her hand emerged with a small wooden toy with faded colors. Back then, she'd been too careless, as seen that she fell in love with Kaname-sama and made the vibrant colors go to such a dried out grey.

Silently and somehow dreamily, she sat on her bed and looked at what she was holding. The toy was one of her most valuable things. She decided it was better to watch it until she fell asleep.

However her plans were interrupted as a familiar face went into the room. Ruka smiled just as Akatsuki made his way and sat next to her, eyes moving between her eyes and the doll.

"What's this?" he asked slowly, carefully, but curiosity was apparent in his voice.

Ruka decided that it was safe to tell him her small story. He'd believe it. He wasn't like others. And she told him.

"Her eyes were so afraid," she wondered out loud when she'd finished her tale, but then she noticed him looking a little strangely "What?"

"Nothing," apparently Kain'd just decided to shrug it off. No matter how serious it was as a crime.

He hadn't asked why she'd gone to the town. He hadn't asked why she'd drunk their blood. He wasn't condemning her.

That was a happy thought.


Review?