F I V E

Zero leaned fully on the cement wall that acted as a barrier around the Morning class. Although it wasn't customary for the classes not to mingle, it was for privacy reasons that the wall was built around the Sun dormitories.

He was dressed in a black-suit-ensemble, complete with black shoes that were newly shined, black slacks with pockets at the sides – where his hands were currently shoved into – and a black overcoat with a white button-up underneath. He sported a red tie, which almost made him look as if he was a student.

He didn't change much from when he was, as a matter of fact.

Standing diagonal from him, wearing one of his T-shirts and a pair of her father's pants – that were too big for her and were staying up by a belt, tightened at the second-to-last hole and giving more definition to her hips – with her shoulder-length hair pulled into a ponytail, was Yuuki. Attached to her belt was the holster for Artemis, which Zero had reminded her wouldn't be of much use since the spell she used with it would have no effect on humans.

"Just like Bloody Rose will have no effect on humans." She had countered.

"What time do the gates normally open?" Yuuki inquired, stretching her arms over her head. "And when does Rose normally come? Isn't she on the Disciplinary Committee?"

Zero opened his eyes and looked around, kicking off of the wall and looking down the road. Normally, Rose would be here by now, harassing him about something or other… She would march up the hill as if she was about to bite his head off, with a scowl painted on her pale face and her red hair messily pulled into a ponytail resting on her shoulder.

"They normally open about now; pretty soon, we're going to have to fight off rabid fan girls. So, stay on your toes, Yuuki."

The girl to which he was referring nodded and rested a hand on her hip, watching a cloud of screaming girls come at them like a tornado. Simultaneously, both retired prefects let out sighs of exhaustion just by watching them, and suddenly Yuuki was fighting off girls like the old days. "Come on, girls, get back! I'm sure you all have homework for your Morning class that needs completing, so just go on back to your dorms!"

"No way, Disciplinary Committee!"

"Yeah, you just want the Noon class boys all to yourselves!"

Zero wrinkled his nose. "She and I are both alumni of this school; haven't attended in five years!"

"That makes you perverts then!" replied a whiny-sounding blonde, and Yuuki successfully pushed them back. Now, instead of being three-feet from the gate, they were five-and-a-half.

"I am no pervert!" Yuuki yelled as the doors slowly opened behind her. The girls quickly formed two lines facing each other and Yuuki took a step to the side casually, blowing her bangs from her face. She gave the girl an even glare as the students started forward.

While Yuuki was so-clearly absorbed in telling the girl off, Zero was too busy actually monitoring the behavior of the students. They seemed to be acting sort of… less exciting than normal. The least he normally had to deal with was the rambunctious and loud yells of excitement from Noah, which quickly developed into almost theatrical banter between Victoria (Tori) and Anita (Nina). He watched the trio stand with their chins raised in an unusually seemingly omnipotent way, and quickly moved his eyes to the end of the line to see Maria Kurenai, who was also eyeing her classmates.

"Maria, what's wrong with them? Normally they're making a scene and riling up the girls, but I've heard and seen no attempts on Noah's part." Zero matched her steps, pulling Yuuki along with him by the hand, and stared at the Dorm President. "Is something happening in the Dorms, or in class that has them acting so stiff?"

Maria looked at Zero and quickly moved her sight over to Yuuki, who slowly smiled in realization. "Oh, Maria! I didn't know you started attending the school. And you're even the Dorm President? That's so great!"

"Thank you," the girl smiled and switched places with Zero, taking Yuuki's hand and smiling a hello. Yuuki took her hand kindly and looked forward, now taking on her role as a retired prefect. Maria looked back at Zero, narrowing her eyes. "A few of my classmates have heard a rumor that one of the Morning class girls has gone missing. Rumor has it she got spooked by a vampire and ran off campus. Any idea what could've happened?"

Zero's breath hitched. "No. No vampires have been coming in, or out, of the school gates since I came back to patrol. There's been absolutely no activity." Unless… maybe the reason why Rose didn't show… Zero's jaw dropped in realization and he stopped walking. Obviously, Yuuki had the same thought, because she too had stopped walking. Maria looked at them, confused.

Yuuki slowly looked over at Zero. "The reason why Rose didn't show…"

Zero completed her thought, keeping his breathing as steady as he could, "was because she was the one who ran away."

"Uh, you guys? You're missing the big picture, here. If Rose Cross is the one who supposedly ran off campus, then how could she have seen a vampire if Zero here said there's been absolutely no Vampires on the vicinity?"

Yuuki absently touched her neck, letting her fingers brush the surface of the healing marks. Maria went completely rigid and looked at Zero. "You… you didn't… and right in front of Rose…?"

Zero looked away, digging his hands in his pockets. "It wasn't in front of her. It was completely oblivious; if she had just waited in the dining room like we asked…"

"So, it is our fault…" Yuuki looked down for a brief moment, narrowing her eyes and biting her lip. "It's our fault that Rose isn't here; that she ran outside the gates. Zero! We have to find her!"

The half-blood already had Bloody Rose in hand. "Maria, are you coming too?"

"Retard, I have class," she said casually, flipping her lavender hair over her shoulder. "But I'd be happy to take a detention if it means getting down to the bottom of Rose's disappearance. C'mon, let's go." She pulled out a belt of throwing knives from the inside of her robe and tied it securely around her waist as the three made their way off the path. None of the other students had even noticed, for they had all disappeared by the time they made it anywhere near the main gates. "I'll take the South end of town while you both take the North. We'll meet at the Café and then head towards the forest together."

"Barking orders already?" Zero deadpanned, rolling his eyes and putting a hand on Yuuki's shoulder, nudging her forward. "We'll find you when we're done searching… how's that? Be careful, I don't check the outskirts as much as I do on-campus."

The three friends nodded and Maria leaped out of the main gate and bore right as Yuuki and Zero slowly walked out and bore left. "Zero, maybe this is a good time to tell you…"

"C'mon, Yuuki. We don't have time for story time, okay? Can it wait until after we find Rose?"

No! That's exactly it! Yuuki's jaw tightened up and she looked down, breaking into a run. Especially when… there's still a possibility… that they could still be after me after all this time… "Not after. As soon as possible!" The pair broke into a run after passing underneath an archway, and Zero let out a soft sigh.

"If you can steady your breathing… tell me now!"

"It's… just that…"

"Yuuki!"

"It's just that-!" and just as Yuuki went to say what was on her mind, an ear-piercing scream echoed through the market. Oh, no… "Rooooooose!"

Oh, look! What's this I see? A plot-twist AND a cliff-hanger? What is WRONG with me? XD I guess a lot of things. Oh well.

Hm. As far as the story's progress outside of FFnet, I'm finishing up the epilogue, aka the "10th Chapter". Almost done!

Please review! It makes me update faster... and stuff!

~Cookie