Disclaimer: I own neither Doctor Who nor Vampire Knight. I only own my characters and ideas.

The Anomaly
A Doctor Who/Vampire Knight Crossover

Chapter Two: Into the Unknown

"What a brilliant young girl you are," an unfamiliar voice whispered to me. I felt a pair of arms wrapping around me, and carrying me a short distance before gently placing me on the ground.

Blinking a few times, I managed to clear my vision enough to make out the features of the man who was kneeling beside me. Close cropped hair, dark eyes, and even darker clothes initially made me fearful of the man next to me, but at second glance, something about the man made me trust him instinctively. When the man seemed to think it was best for him to leave, I quickly protested.

"Don't leave me," I demanded, weakly. "Please, stay…"

I felt hot, and my skin was sensitive. Even when nothing was coming into contact with it, my skin burned as if I'd lain in the sun for far too long. I'd reached up to grab the man's sleeve, but when my fingers began tingling painfully, I released him quickly.

Seeming to understand, the man remained beside me. He didn't look at me, and didn't appear at all certain what he should say to me, so I timidly asked after the man's name.

"The Doctor," he replied. He seemed surprised by his reply, and for a moment, he appeared to consider correcting himself, but never did. Suddenly, as if fearing more personal questions, the Doctor leapt to his feet. "Well, best be off. Have a lot to do. I expect someone will come 'round soon enough to collect you," he told me.

Surprised by the man's indecisiveness, I protested, "But… You..." I realized I wasn't certain what I wanted to say. Everything still felt so groggy. As the man began walking down the alleyway, I called out to him desperately, "Doctor! Doctor!"

Forcing myself to sit up, I watched the place I'd last been able to see the Doctor. "Doctor!" I called one final time, but the familiar sound of an unusual engine was my only answer. Knowing that he'd left me in the middle of an unfamiliar alleyway, I cursed the ground with a fierce glare.

Well, I guess I should try to get up, and figure out where I am, I thought, rationally. That man was precious little help.

Trying to walk out of the alleyway turned out to be a mistake. I had no trouble standing, but as soon as I tried to take a step forward, I took a dramatic nose-dive, and barely managed to catch myself on my arms. My still sensitive skin screamed at me to stop abusing it, and I determined that remaining on the ground would be my safest option for the next few minutes.

Regressing back into a sitting position, I began to take inventory of the injuries I'd procured during my fall to earth.

Nothing more than a few scrapes… Could have been worse if I'd managed to hit my head on the concrete… I must be dizzier than I thought… Either that or clumsier…

Glancing around, I noticed a bag lying nearby, and I reached for it. This is mine… I realized; although, I couldn't remember ever laying eyes on the bag before.

As I rifled through the bag in search of clues explaining my purpose in being in this alleyway, I began to feel as if I were being observed. Ceasing my actions immediately, I slowly raised my head, and noticed a boy lurking in the shadows. Despite the boy's aloofness, he appeared to be a typical young boy. In fact, the boy struck me as being too beautiful and alluring – he was much too perfect; so perfect he was frightening. When the boy suddenly moved out of the shadows, I leapt to my feet in one bound, then proceeded to collapse to my knees once more.

I managed to catch myself once more, but this time I managed to tear open the palms of my hands, and the new injuries antagonized my irritated skin even more.

What is wrong with my accursed legs? I wondered, feeling a wave of hot-anger overcome me.

Briefly, I was distracted by the boy kneeling down next to me; his jade green eyes reflected either true concern, or a convincing imitation of it. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to frighten you," he apologized. "I was just wondering if I could be of assistance. Are you lost? Or hurt? I heard someone crying out for a doctor; was that you?"

Not knowing which question to answer first, I stammered out the first response that came to mind. "Ahh… I don't know how I came here… but there was a man… Tall, dark… He brought me here… I think…"

The boy seemed to consider his next words carefully. Finally he asked, "Did the man do anything frightening to you?"

I hesitated because I hadn't expected to be asked such an odd question. "Y-Yes…" I answered, recalling the feeling of fear that had shot through me initially, as well as the feeling of abandonment as the Doctor had left me when I needed his support. As I attempted to recall events that had occurred before meeting the Doctor, blinding pain caused me to rub my head wearily.

"Is something wrong?" the boy asked me. Genuine concern showed in the boy's features, and I felt uncomfortable lying.

"I-I can't remember anything… And I feel both hot and cold…" I answered. "I don't know what's happening…"

"I think I might," the boy replied, sounding graver than before. His expression seemed to darken. "You'll have to come with me."

When the boy offered his hand, I hesitated. In fact, I simply stared at his hand for what seemed like a few minutes. If the Doctor had offered his hand, I would have taken it without a second-thought, but this boy… There was something uncanny about him… Taking his hand seemed as much the same as giving myself over to the control of a beast in human form.

"You won't be harmed, if you come with me," the boy assured me, speaking softly once more. "You'll be taken care-of."

Since he didn't seem willing to accept a refusal, I took his hand, despite my misgivings. He pulled me to my feet easily, and let me stabilize myself before letting me go. When I took a very shaky step, he asked, "Are you too dizzy to walk?"

I shook my head. "I think I'll be fine after a few steps…" I replied, already I was feeling much better. My head wasn't burning nearly as much as it had been. I even had the sense to ask the boy to grab my bag.

"Were you attending a Halloween party?" the boy asked, while he retrieved my bag. He zipped it quickly; I must have forgotten when I'd been startled by his presence.

Confused by the boy's question, I asked, "Halloween party? Is that a traditional Tellurian custom?"

Now the boy seemed confused. "A what?" A grin broke out across the boy's face suddenly. "Oh! I see… You're kidding... Are you dressed as an alien?"

I glanced down at my heliotrope colored robes, and realized the difference between the boy's outfit and my own. "I don't know… I guess," I answered.

"You can't remember that either?" the boy asked, looking a bit confused. "What is your least recent memory?"

Thinking as hard as I could, I glanced back at the place the Doctor had disappeared to. He'd carried me from somewhere… I glanced behind the boy, then moved to peer around the corner. From this vantage point, I could make out a familiar looking red phone-booth. However, in the blink of an eye, it had vanished.

"All I remember before that man is… a red phone-booth…" I admitted. "It was over there." I pointed to the location of the now missing red phone-booth.

The boy came, and followed my gaze. Looking utterly perplexed, he told me, "It seems that your memory has been wiped completely… There isn't a red phone-booth over there…"

"It disappeared," I explained calmly.

When the boy looked back at me, I could tell that he was incredibly concerned. Slowly, he replied, "Phone-booths don't just disappear…"

"But… I watched it disappear just now…" I insisted, quietly. I rubbed my head once more. Maybe there had never been a red phone-booth… Maybe I'd only imagined it. "At least… I thought I did…"

The boy took hold of one of my hands once more. Forcing a smile, he told me, "Your memory seems to be inaccurate… It's all right; you'll probably begin to remember once you've settled down."

I nodded; although, I wasn't certain what the boy meant. As he began leading me down the street, I asked, "Where are we going?"

Without looking at me, the boy answered, "To my house." Before I could ask anything further, he added, "I never asked… What's your name?"

Thinking a moment, I told him, "Lorna Fairchild. Yours?" Since the boy seemed to not want to be asked questions, I was quick to slip in a question of my own with my answer.

"Ichijou Takuma," the boy answered. He turned down another darkened alleyway. "How old are you, Lorna-chan?"

"Eight years old," I replied. "My birthday's on June the 20th."

For a moment, Takuma seemed distracted, but more than distracted, he seemed saddened. "Tell me about where you lived," he instructed, gently. "Do you have family? Parents?"

I nodded. "I live in Glasgow, Scotland with my parents. Lilith and Douglas Fairchild," I told him.

Once again the boy was startled. He was so startled that he immediately came to a halt. Turning to look at me carefully once more, he repeated in disbelief, "Scotland? Were you on vacation?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided the safe response was to nod my agreement.

"You don't actually know that either… Huh… Do you know which country you're in right now?" Takuma asked me. I looked away from him, as I shook my head. "I didn't think you did… That memory wipe took all your memories… It must have been quite powerful…" After this speculation, he continued, "You're in Japan."

"Is that near Scotland?" I asked, innocently.

Takuma didn't seem to know whether to laugh or remain serious. Shaking his head, he answered, "Not really. Your Japanese is very good – for being from Scotland."

"Thanks…" I whispered, but I didn't feel warmth by the compliment. If anything, I felt greatly saddened; as if, there should be a significant reason why I could speak Japanese fluently.

"Oh… You're crying…" Takuma realized. Reaching out, he gently wiped away the tears in my eyes. "Are you remembering something?" he asked, softly.

Nodding, I answered, "I'm sad… I remember that I'm sad."

"Do you remember why?" Takuma questioned.

I shook my head. "I… can't remember…" I repeated. Ashamed of my inability to answer even simple questions, I blushed, and stared at the ground sullenly.

Trying to maintain an upbeat attitude, Takuma laughed, "That seems to be a thing with you. You're okay; the memories will return. When we get to my house, I'll make tea, and we can play a game, okay?"

Feeling myself smile a little, I asked, "What kind of game?"

"A word game," Takuma answered. "Do you like word games?"

I shrugged. "My mother used to give me riddles to work out. I'll do anything except riddles," I told him.

"You do remember something!" Takuma smiled. "What else do you remember about your mother?"

Obediently, I attempted to recollect my mother's face, but whenever I tried to focus on how she should look, I found that the memory grew dark. Thinking that I should at least know something about her personality, or about the little secret things a mother tells her daughter, I was startled to come up with only one word: Run.

"The last thing she told me… was to run…" I whispered distractedly. While I was attempting to remember why my mother had instructed me to run, I noticed that Takuma's smile had faded as soon as the word 'run' had been spoken. "Is something bothering you?"

Clearly not wanting me to know his true thoughts, Takuma plastered a false smile on his face, then told me, "No; everything's fine."

Although I wasn't convinced that Takuma wasn't bothered, I decided to remain silent. After walking for a few minutes through less populated streets and alleyways, we finally arrived at a large, wrought-iron gate.

The atmosphere around this location was incredibly dark – even darker than the atmosphere on the empty, silent streets we'd just walked through. While Takuma went to unlatch the gate, I seriously considered running away. However, when I glanced back toward the deserted streets of the town, I realized that nothing was certain if I left. At least I would be taken care-of by following Takuma.

A gentle hand on my shoulder drew me out of my thoughts. "Lorna-chan, come on," Takuma instructed. As if sensing my distaste for the atmosphere, Takuma reassured me, "I'll show you around the grounds before we go inside."

Still not completely reassured, I forced myself to nod a bit woodenly. Hearing the gates close with a loud clang that seemed to resonate with the beating of my heart, I began to tremble without control. A feeling of entrapment overwhelmed me, and the battle to remain cool and calm would have been lost immediately, except that Takuma led me enthusiastically over to a koi pond, and began regaling me with the legends surrounding the fish.

Despite the fact that I neither heard nor comprehended what he was telling me, I began to feel myself relax once more. If this boy is at ease in this place… then everything must be all right… Even if the atmosphere is dark…

I was drawn out of my reverie by Takuma taking my arm, and leading me down a shadowy path which led to a large lake surrounded by an enormous flower-garden. While the flowers were beautiful, the view that entranced me was the sky. The full moon reflected enough light to see the details of the garden clearly, and Takuma quickly began to tell me about the different types of flowers that could bloom even in the coldest weather. It took him a few minutes to realize that I never once looked at what he was looking at; I was simply nodding occasionally, and following behind him.

"It is a very clear night," Takuma admitted; glancing at him, I realized he was blushing. He seemed embarrassed that he hadn't realized I wasn't interested in the flowers. "Would you like to stargaze on the pier? You would have a clear view from out there."

I nodded, and felt myself smile slightly. Not wanting Takuma to feel embarrassed for my disinterest in the topics he'd brought up, I told him, "It's not that I'm uninterested in flowers; I've just always been interested in stars and planets more." Flushing, I admitted, "I always thought it would be wonderful to travel throughout time-and-space. Reading about planets and stars and history in books just isn't enough. I want to experience it all first-hand."

When Takuma didn't respond, I glanced at him, and realized that he was guiltily looking away from me. Silently, he led me out onto the pier, and we lay down to stare at the stars above us.

"I never really took much notice of the constellations," Takuma admitted. "I guess I always just noted that the stars were present, and then went back to whatever I was doing. They never change, so I always overlook them."

As my eyes flickered toward the constellation Aquila, I summarized, "You mean, you took the stars for granted." After a moment's pause, I added, "And you're wrong, you know."

From the gasp I heard beside me, I realized being wrong – or at least, being told he was wrong – wasn't a common occurrence for the boy beside me. "Wrong? About what?"

"About the stars never changing," I answered. "They're always changing; it just takes years to notice the change because the stars are so far away that the light takes years to reach the earth. That's the reason I like the stars so much. It's like… a window into the past. For all we know, some of those stars are already dead, and new stars have been born."

I absent-mindedly fiddled with the chain around my neck. Drawing out the attached pocket-watch, key, and ring, I studied the diamond inlaid inside the ring. It was glowing slightly, and was warm to the touch.

"What's that?" Takuma asked, curiously. "May I see it?"

For some reason, I didn't want to take the items from around my neck, but I permitted Takuma to hold the diamond briefly.

"I've never seen anything like this diamond before…" Takuma whispered. "Where did you receive this from?"

"Gallifrey," I replied, without thinking. Shaking my head, I corrected, "Oh… I don't know why I said that…"

Takuma chuckled. "Is that in Scotland?"

I shrugged. "It must be," I answered, taking the ring from Takuma, as if that would prevent me from answering his questions senselessly.

For a while longer, I examined the pocket-watch, but decided that it was too uninteresting to attempt opening. The clasp appeared to be broken, anyway.

This key, however… I thought, holding the rusty key momentarily. Ameretat… Why does that word come to mind when I look at this key?

After a few minutes of silently staring into the starry night, I began to relax. I closed my eyes, and felt myself drifting off to sleep. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until I'd closed my eyes; when I felt Takuma shake me gently, I almost didn't recognize him at all.

"Arcadia is falling…"

Takuma had said something quietly, but I couldn't hear him over the high-pitched whisper that seemed to echo inside my head. "Wh-What did you say?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"I asked if you would like to have tea and play a word game," Takuma repeated, patiently. "I'd like to speak with you some more before you fall asleep."

I nodded, and accepted Takuma's hand when he offered it. He pulled me easily to my feet, and led me back down the shadowy path. When we emerged, I noticed the large manor house, and I wondered how I couldn't have noticed it before.

Upon seeing the house, the first word that popped into my mind was 'extravagant.' This word was quickly followed by 'ancient' and 'timeless.' The grounds seemed to wrap themselves around the house effortlessly, and I wasn't certain whether the house hadn't been built before nature had arrived on the location.

"My grandfather likes traditional styles, so the interior is relatively simple," Takuma told me. He led me to the back of the house, and directly into the kitchen. "It's really a combination of traditional and contemporary architecture… Oh… You're not really interested, are you?"

As soon as we'd walked into the kitchen, I was fascinated by the ornate ceramic dishes displayed on open-shelves. I'd only been half-listening to what Takuma was telling me, and when I heard him taper-off, I immediately began feeling guilty once more. "Sorry… Not uninterested… just distracted," I admitted, sheepishly.

"You're sweet, Lorna-chan… but you don't have to pretend you're interested in something if you really aren't," Takuma informed me, smiling reassuringly. "Do you have a tea preference?"

I shook my head. "Anything's fine," I answered.

While he took a kettle from off a shelf, Takuma told me, "If you like, you can have a seat at the table." He indicated a table placed next to a window on the opposite side of the kitchen.

Shortly after I sat down, Takuma left briefly, then returned carrying a large book. From across the kitchen, I recognized it as a dictionary. He sat down next to me, and flipped to a seemingly random page.

"I thought we could play in English, since that's what you're used to speaking," Takuma explained. "I'll give you a word, and you tell me the first word or phrase that comes to mind."

"All right," I replied.

Most of the words were innocuous, but occasionally, Takuma would select a word more carefully, as if this word was one he had always intended to give me in order to gauge my reaction. It was obvious to me that these words were predetermined because he would act as if he couldn't think of another word to give me, but then he would flip directly to the page the word was written on, and would run his finger along the lists of words until he finally came across the word on his mind.

When the kettle began whistling, Takuma excused himself, and went to add the water to a teapot he'd selected earlier. While he was busy mixing tea-leaves, I studied the dictionary, and flipped through the pages.

Just as I expected… These pages are marked… He's written down the word he's wanted to ask me on the markers… After warily glancing across the kitchen at Takuma to confirm that he was still distracted by the tea, I made a mental list of the words he'd selected. Fangs, fear, red, dark, run… vampire… These words all go together with vampire… Does that mean…

Abruptly, I sat back in my seat, and turned my attention to the landscape visible from the window. Despite appearances, I was not considering the beauty of the flowers or the trees, but instead I was tying all the loose-ends together.

I knew it all along, really… He was too perfect… out at night… He's only about twelve, and out this late on his own… I chose to ignore the fact that I was four years his junior, and also out at night alone. And in the garden, he'd seemed capable of seeing details that I couldn't have made out… He must be…

My thoughts were interrupted by Takuma coming back to the table with the tea he'd made. "Rose tea," he announced, smiling as he poured the tea into the cups. "Would you like sugar?"

I shook my head. As he set the cup in front of me, I wondered, Should I reveal that I know his secret now? He's so bright and cheerful. If he were going to harm me, wouldn't he have done so already? Eyeing Takuma suspiciously, I noted that he seemed oblivious to the fact that I was aware of his true identity. But after all… I am a human child… He probably doesn't expect that I have the ability to catch on this quickly.

Once again, I was drawn out of my thoughts by Takuma giving me a word unrelated to vampires. "Sky," he said, already beginning his pretend search for a word he'd already marked.

"Orange," I answered, still distracted by trying to determine when to reveal the knowledge I'd procured.

However, the next word surprised me because it seemed to be a spur of the moment decision – unlike what I'd expected. "Time," Takuma said, watching me more carefully.

"Lord," I answered instinctively. I flushed, as I realized how unrelated these two words were. "They just seem to go together somehow…" I whispered, almost to myself.

After receiving an odd expression from Takuma, he continued with a word I'd already anticipated. "Fear."

"Shadows," I answered, thoughtlessly. Blushing furiously once more, I quickly distracted myself by drinking my tea. What must he think of me when I'm afraid of my own shadow?

Takuma couldn't quite hide his amusement at my answer, but he quickly comforted me, "It's not such an irrational fear. Shadows often conceal dangerous beings… Although… Now that I think about it… This might not be the reassurance you'd like to hear…"

Surprisingly enough, I found that his advice made me feel more relaxed. As he realized that he'd only made me believe in the fear's rationality, I giggled behind my tea-cup.

For a while after that, I managed to push my suspicions to the back of my mind. Surely this good-natured boy didn't intend to harm me; although, the more I considered the game we played, the more I worried that he was toying with me. Maybe he hasn't been taught not to play with his food yet…

When Takuma arrived at the final word on his list, I knew that one of us would ultimately reveal the truth, and I was determined to at least control the initial reaction. "Vampire," Takuma stated, and he gave me perhaps the darkest, most intense stare I'd ever received.

Coolly, I replied, "Ichijou Takuma."

Startled, Takuma opened his mouth, and my theory was immediately confirmed. Two incredibly sharp looking fangs were clearly visible. Noticing my gaze upon his mouth, Takuma quickly closed his mouth in order to conceal his fangs once more. In the moments that followed, I wondered who was more frightened: Myself or Takuma.

Undoubtedly, Takuma had not intended to reveal his true identity in this manner, and this unexpected turn-of-events seemed to have left him with no idea as to how to rectify the situation. I, on the other hand, had not wanted to have my suspicions proven, despite my certainty. Now that I knew without a doubt that Takuma was indeed a vampire, I was faced with the realization that I'd entrapped myself with him.

I don't know how long we sat there, staring at each other, and waiting for the other to do something first. After a while, Takuma questioned, "Why haven't you run-off? Most humans would have attempted to escape."

Shrugging, I acknowledged, "There doesn't seem to be much of a point in running away."

Despite my words, I was wondering why I hadn't run off as soon as I'd suspected Takuma was a vampire. In fact, I was feeling slightly foolish for getting drawn this far into his trap. If only I weren't so curious… If I hadn't been so set on learning the truth… On confirming my suspicions…

"Lorna-chan…" I felt Takuma take my hands gently in his own. "Please, don't be frightened of me. I don't want to harm you. I brought you here because I didn't want to leave you on the street – not because I wanted to eat you."

Hesitantly, I pulled my hands out of his grip; he released me easily, and I relaxed slightly. He isn't trying to overpower me… Maybe he only intended to ensure that I had food and shelter… Of course… then it doesn't make sense why he wanted to play a game which would lead me to discover his identity.

"You planned out that word game…" I theorized aloud. "Why?"

Sighing, Takuma withdrew a sheet of paper from the back of the dictionary. "I wanted to confirm as much as possible before telling you… In fact, I don't really have to tell you anything, but I would have felt guilty if you'd been forced to learn it from my grandfather. The truth is going to be difficult enough without him…" He didn't finish his statement; instead, he shook his head, as if he didn't want to think about it.

"The truth about what?" I asked, perplexed. For some reason, I felt as if he were about to inform me that I was now in his family's debt, and that I wouldn't be able to leave the Ichijou Manor ever again.

Takuma moved the paper closer to me, so I could see it clearly. Glancing over it, I noticed the rough sketch of a pyramid, and the notations off to the side. Patiently, Takuma waited for me to finish studying the notes before speaking further on the subject.

'Hierarchy of the Vampire Society…' I read silently. 'Level A: Purebloods; Level B: Nobles; Level C: Commons… Level D: Former humans…' He's placed an asterisk next to this one. Asterisk indicates that the only way for a human to become a vampire is to be bitten by a Pureblood, and that former humans are managed by the Noble vampires.

Below the pyramid, Takuma had labeled a separate category as 'Level E,' but hadn't explained what it was, or why it was outside the pyramid. In another area he'd outlined symptoms that would be present if a human had been bitten by a Pureblood vampire. A feeling of being both hot and cold; overly sensitive skin – often presenting with a burning sensation; dizziness; muscle weakness or spasms; tightness in the chest; red-tinted vision, or seeing double; memory loss.

Suddenly a wave of cold settled over me, and I began shivering uncontrollably, despite my heavy robes. My mind whirring, I recalled how I had exhibited most, if not all, of these symptoms shortly prior to Takuma finding me in the alleyway. He has to be joking… This is some sort of cruel prank… He must have watched from the shadows for longer than I noticed him…

"I take it you've had more of these symptoms?" Takuma asked; his voice was cool and calm, but caring.

Uncertain what to do now, I shook my head, as if that would cause this nightmare to fall away. This isn't real… This isn't happening… I'll wake up in a bit; at home with… Clenching my eyes shut, I repeated my convictions over to myself. I am not turning into a vampire; I am a human named Lorna Fairchild whose parents are called Douglas and Lilith Fairchild, and who are from Glasgow, Scotland.

When I felt Takuma take my hands once more, I opened my eyes. Seeing him once more made my heart race with anxiety and fear, and I couldn't quite resist the urge to cry.

Wiping away my tears gently, Takuma apologized, "Lorna-chan, I'm not trying to make you upset. I'm really shaken by this situation, too. Unfortunately, all the evidence suggests that you and your family fell victim to a Pureblood vampire. I don't know why it attacked your family, and I don't understand how you managed to get away, but it is apparent that you encountered someone with enough power to wipe out your entire memory. The only information left with you is basic information, or anything you felt so strongly about that it was impossible to eradicate completely."

I shook my head again, and insisted, "No; I can't remember what happened, but I was not bitten by any vampire. I'm certain that is something I would remember."

"Not necessarily," Takuma countered, calmly. "Many victims of Purebloods have their memories removed, or at least, the memory of being bitten. In the vampire society, turning an unwilling human into a vampire is illegal, so Purebloods routinely cover up their actions."

"You can't expect me to believe that's enough to prove I was attacked by a Pureblood," I replied, pointedly. "For all you know, I fell, and knocked myself out. Hitting my head would cause all of the 'symptoms' I've experienced."

Takuma shook his head, and looked away before answering apologetically, "I'm sorry, but there was something I left out." Prompted by my quizzical expression, he continued, "Lorna-chan, your robes are soaked with blood, but..." Pausing to direct my attention to the mangled sleeve of my robe, Takuma finished, "You have no injuries."

Surveying the region that should have been a grievous injury, I realized the flesh was not so much as scarred. Curiously, I examined the palms of my hands, and discovered that the scrapes I'd procured only hours before had already healed, as well. "But..." I whispered, trying to find a reason the wounds would heal quickly that did not include transforming from a human into a vampire, but unable to discover one.

"Vampires heal quickly; even before the conversion is complete, former humans possess this ability," Takuma explained. "It must be shocking for you, but... it's definitive."

Nervously, I wiped my eyes, as if my actions would prevent tears from falling again. "Is that why you appeared in the alleyway?" I asked.

"You mean to ask whether the scent of your blood drew me?" Takuma questioned. When I nodded, he replied, "Yes. I was several streets away, but I could smell your blood clearly. I'm inexperienced in this area - normally it's my grandfather who deals with former humans - but I was the only one around, so I went after you. That's the reason I was so hesitant to tell you my suspicions; I wasn't certain whether the scent you possessed was that of a former human."

My next question was difficult to force myself to ask. "Level E is detached from the pyramid… Why?"

"At some point, most – if not all – former humans reach a state that is referred to as level E. In this state, former humans cannot ignore their desire for blood, and they attack indiscriminately. It doesn't matter how much blood they consume; they'll always be searching for more," Takuma told me. "The only way to stabilize a former human's condition is to drink the blood of the Pureblood who turned them into a vampire. I cannot tell you whether or not you're stabilized at the moment, so it would be safer to assume that eventually you'll fall into the level E category."

After listening to Takuma's explanation, I stared resolutely at the ceramic dishes on the table. Despite the obvious difference between our social levels, Takuma had chosen to be kind. He could have locked me away without informing me about what had occurred, and certainly without trying to comfort me.

"I don't feel like a vampire," I admitted, still looking at one of the ceramic dishes. "I feel like a human. Is it possible to fight the conversion?"

"Yes; for a time," Takuma acknowledged. "But eventually the conversion becomes uncontrollable." Briefly he paused, then added, "Especially for a child. To be honest, children aren't able to resist long."

For some reason, I couldn't resist laughing lightly. "When someone asks that sort of question, you're supposed to lie. 'Little lies are good for the soul,'[1]" I reminded him.

To my surprise, Takuma did not reflect my sentiments. Instead, he looked saddened. "I believe in this instance that knowing the truth will make it easier for you," he informed me, seriously. "Even if I lied to you, my grandfather won't mince words when he meets you, so I think it best that I not give you false hope."

"In the meantime… What will be done with me?" I asked, hesitating slightly.

"You'll be kept here under supervision," Takuma replied, calmly. "My grandfather will be in charge of your fate, so I can't really give you details. I've come up with an idea that might help you live a semi-normal life, but I don't know whether my grandfather will agree or not. I won't tell you what my idea is because I don't want you to get your hopes up too high."

Still not fully convinced that I was about to become a vampire, I continued to stare at the ceramic dishes on the table. Without realizing it, I began fiddling with the items around my neck once more. My fingers traced the outline of the old rusted out key, and I was surprised once more by the familiarity of it. Ameretat… That word always comes to mind when I think about this key… But why?

Unintentionally, I tapped the diamond with the key, and a white-hot pain spread from my hand to my head. Immediately, I released the items, and mumbled, "Ow…"

At that same moment, indistinct events flashed through my mind. A red phone-booth disappearing into the night… The door to a red phone-booth being opened, but when I entered it was not a phone-booth at all… A control console… beautiful and gleaming… Bigger on the inside…

"I will take you anywhere and everywhere."

These words were not spoken, but I felt them as I remembered that Ameretat was the name of that wonderful red phone-booth that could travel throughout time-and-space. What I could not remember was whether Ameretat was real or imaginary.

Shaking my head, I chided myself, A box that travels throughout time-and-space? Of course, that's imaginary! Who could ever create such a wonderful invention?

Takuma's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Are you all right?"

Without looking at him, I nodded. "I'm fine; I just remembered some stories I had been told," I replied.

"There was a little white spark… when you tapped that key to the diamond…" Takuma told me; although, he might as well have been speaking to himself. "Or perhaps I imagined it."

Another question popped into my mind at his words. "I want to keep these items with me," I stated. "Is that all right?"

Smiling a little sadly, Takuma responded, "It is with me, but my grandfather will more than likely have other ideas… He's under the impression that possessions that belong to former humans rightfully belong to him." He held out a hand, as he continued, "I can hold onto them for you. He'll never know about them if he doesn't see you with them, and I can keep them safe for you."

I shook my head. "They must remain with me, at all times," I informed him, calmly. "It isn't sentimental; I think… these would be dangerous with anyone else."

Takuma couldn't hide his amusement at my belief in the damaging effects the items could have. Laughing slightly, he asked rhetorically, "A rusty key, a broken pocket-watch, and a large diamond? Those are dangerous?"

Holding the items loosely, I stared morosely at the table. If Takuma didn't believe my beliefs, then his grandfather certainly wouldn't.

"I'm sorry, Lorna-chan. I know they must mean a lot to you," Takuma told me, apologetically. "If I were desperate to keep valuable items with me, I guess I'd claim they were dangerous, too." After a moment, he asked, "Are you certain you don't want me to look after them for you? I promise you that I won't turn them over to my grandfather."

I shook my head. "I really can't," I replied. "I'll think of something."

Takuma rubbed the back of his neck, and stared at the ceiling worriedly. "I wish I could help you more," he admitted.

Uncertain about what I could possibly say, I simply remained quiet, and waited for Takuma to tell me what I needed to do. While I waited, I stared out the window, and watched the sun rise in the distance. When the light began to reveal the true colors of nature, I felt my eyes widen considerably.

Without thinking, I leapt up so quickly that my chair fell backward. As I faced the window, I felt my expression change from disbelief to wonder, and I discovered that beyond the window was a world I'd never seen before. Green grass, and blue skies, and red roses, and trees with yellow-golden leaves fascinated me to the extent that I wasn't aware Takuma had risen until his hand rested on my shoulder.

"Lorna-chan, what's wrong?" he asked. Wrenching my eyes away from the beauty of the daylight, I glanced up at him, and realized his other hand was shielding his eyes from the sun's rays.

"Nothing; I was going to ask if we could go outside, but actually that doesn't seem like such a good idea now," I answered, still watching him flinch in the light from the sun. I turned back to the window, and continued, "It's just that… I've never seen such a variety of colors in one place."

Forcing a smile, Takuma tried to sound excited when he told me, "Of course, we can go outside for a few minutes. The sunlight won't harm me; my eyes will adjust… eventually. We can go to the lake. It's certain to be beautiful during the daytime."

Although I wanted to protest due to Takuma's clear discomfort with the sunlight, he led me outside, and down the path toward the lake before I could say a word. "Just for a little while, okay, Lorna-chan?" he said, glancing at me while we walked in the shade of the tree-lined path.

I nodded, and smiled brightly. "I really appreciate this," I told him, as we emerged into the sunlight.

The garden was stunning in the daylight, and I suddenly realized why Takuma had been so interested in telling me about its flowers. The garden itself was enormous, and I was certain it contained every flower imaginable. Some parts had been left to grow wild; such as, a flower bed of entangled rose bushes, but others were carefully planned out to make specific patterns of color. I was drawn to the brightest colors first, and then the more unique flowers.

"Dear Lord…" I heard Takuma say behind me. I felt him take hold of a lock of my hair. "I see exceedingly well in the dark, but I never imagined your hair was that red. I can't tell which is brighter: The sun or your hair!"

Grinning, I looked up at him. "Yeah… My mother used to forbid me from lying in the grass because she could never find me," I told him without considering what I was saying. "She said I blended in too well."

"You're funny, Lorna-chan," Takuma told me, smiling. He took my arm, and practically dragged me toward the rose bushes. "Here. I tried showing you these roses last night, but you didn't seem interested." When we were in front of them, he explained, "These roses bloom only once every ten years. They die as soon as you pick them."

"That's so sad… I wonder why," I whispered, studying the roses carefully.

"My mother used to say that the life-cycle of this rose is to remind us that even when we think something has left us forever, it will eventually be returned," Takuma told me. "And she told me that the rose withers away as soon as it's picked to remind us that life is sometimes fleeting."

I fingered the diamond on my necklace lightly, as I thought about what I wanted to do next. No… that's too sad… I don't want to watch something die in front of me… But… at the same time, I'm so curious…

"You want to pick one, don't you?" Takuma realized; he seemed more amused than upset by my desire to watch something die in my hand.

I nodded, slowly, but replied, "But I won't. Curiosity is fleeting; I'll move on to something else in a moment."

Takuma shrugged. "It's fine if you pick one. This bush is the last of its species, but nobody will ever know if one rose is missing," he assured me.

Since Takuma seemed certain that picking one rose wouldn't do any harm, I stopped fingering the diamond, and instead reached for one of the roses. Despite my curiosity, a part of me cried out in protest, and hated the idea that I was killing something so lovely.

Please… Don't actually die… I found myself begging the plant silently, as my fingers closed around one of the delicate stems. It separated easily from the vine, and I examined it closely once it was free of its branch.

"It didn't wither," Takuma whispered. "But that's… never happened before."

We both stared at the rose for a moment, as if expecting it to wither away any second. However, instead of withering, the rose regressed into a rosebud before our eyes.

"It's alive…" Takuma realized; his eyes were wide in surprise. "How is that possible? It's been separated from anything that might be keeping it alive… It must be… some sort of anomaly…"

Silently, I continued to study the rose. Finally, I asked Takuma, "Could we put this in a stand?"

Smiling once more, Takuma nodded. "I will, as long as you'll let me add it to my collection," he answered.

I agreed, "That's fine. What do you collect?"

Takuma shrugged, then replied with a laugh, "Anything I find interesting. I invent rules to organize my collection by, but actually… I just tell people that to make them more confused when they see my collection." He blushed, despite not being embarrassed at all by his devious prank.

He led me back to the manor house, and into the kitchen once more. While he searched for a suitable container for the rose, he informed me, "My grandfather had business in Osaka today, and he won't return until this evening, so you don't have to meet him yet. I really hate to do this, but it's my grandfather's rules… so…" He was momentarily distracted by reaching for a small glass jar on the top shelf. Once he'd managed to reach it, and climb off the counter safely, he continued, "I'll have to lock you up during the daytime. You'll be let out at nightfall; we just can't permit level D vampires to roam the grounds freely because they'll escape. I like to believe the best of everybody, but… we really can't afford to make exceptions…"

Although it should have been the idea of being locked away that hurt, the nonchalant attitude Takuma had toward this protocol is what caused me distress. He was only four years older than me, but it already seemed to be programmed into him that level D vampires could not be trusted on their own.

Oblivious to my concern over the protocol established in the Ichijou household, Takuma took the rose from me, and carefully positioned it inside the jar before sealing the lid on loosely. "There," he announced, looking at the rose proudly. "Would you like to name it, Lorna-chan? My mother always tells me that living things deserve to be named."

I jolted slightly at hearing him address me as if he hadn't just informed me that I would be locked away during daylight hours. "Antigone," I replied hastily to cover up my initial reaction.

"Clever name," Takuma commended, smiling over his shoulder at me. When he saw the distressed expression on my face, his smile faded quickly. "You're upset… It's about being locked away, isn't it?" Without waiting for my response, he continued, "It must be done. If my grandfather thought I wasn't enforcing his rules, we'd both be in trouble. I can't have him believing that I would willingly break his rules; he would never consider my idea then. You'll have to trust me."

Since it was obvious that I couldn't negotiate, I nodded my head without looking at Takuma. "Well… nobody really likes being locked-up, but…" I hesitated before finishing, "You mentioned it so offhandedly that I was troubled."

"Oh… It's not that I don't care… It's just that…" Takuma rubbed the back of his neck nervously again, then continued, "I've seen what vampires will do once they can't resist their desire for blood. You haven't been a vampire long enough to really understand how strong the desire will be… You're not the first to underestimate it… We had a level D a few years ago who was convinced nothing was wrong with her, and she escaped. A few months later, she degenerated into level E, and killed at least six humans…"

Being locked-up really is necessary then… Although… I still don't believe that I am a vampire… I feel so human… How could I ever be something else?

Staring at the floor, I considered how long I would have before I was no longer able to ignore the changes Takuma was so certain would occur. If he was telling me the truth, I wouldn't have more than a few months before the vampire within me consumed all my humanity. I'm becoming a monster… I realized. But I don't want that… I want to live a normal, human life. I don't want to lose myself, or hurt others.

Once again, Takuma rested a hand on my shoulder. "It's not your fault, Lorna-chan. You didn't ask for this," he told me. "I really want you to try to get some rest before you meet my grandfather, so I'll take you to your room." He picked up my bag for me. As we set off, he continued, "I'll be back around six-thirty this evening to give you time to get ready to meet my grandfather."

While we walked through the mansion, I glanced around at my surroundings. Despite the simplicity, the interior of the house was elegant. Vases of flowers, oil paintings, and small decorative tables were placed at certain intervals, and complemented the custom hardwood floors.

"It's very traditional," Takuma told me – repeating what he'd said earlier. "It gets a little boring after a while, and everything looks the same, so you'll probably get lost at least twice every day. I grew up in this house, and sometimes I still get turned around."

I giggled, and noticed that a pattern seemed to be revealing itself. By the fourth hallway we walked through, I knew that I would first see a flower, then I would see a painting, and then I would see a table, then another painting, and finally another flower. Soon afterward, the hallway would bend, and the pattern would repeat itself.

Finally, Takuma stopped at a door, and slid it open to reveal an unadorned, narrow, stone stairway. A deep cold radiated from the passageway, and I felt my heart skip a beat, as I came to an abrupt halt. Momentarily, I stood frozen to the spot, unable to bring myself to continue.

"I wish I could tell you that you'll get used to this," Takuma whispered, and I noticed that he too seemed to not want to continue. "But even I cannot grow accustomed to the atmosphere."

"That's comforting," I mumbled. Steeling myself, I strode toward the doorway, as if I weren't terrified at all of being trapped inside a dungeon. "Is there a light switch?" I called over my shoulder.

As the lights flickered on, and cast a dim light that was only a marginal improvement over the darkness, Takuma complimented me. "You're pretty brave for a child; we've had adults who have wept, and refused to continue for hours."

I didn't reply, as I stepped carefully off the last stair, and waited for Takuma to instruct me on where to go next. While I waited, I peered about the dungeon.

At right angles to each other were two narrow hallways. Numerous metal doors lined each hallway; each door equipped with three separate locks. Because of the dim lighting, I could not tell how far the hallways stretched, or how many doors they contained. However, in the distance, I could hear the rattling of chains, and cries demanding release.

"Those are level E vampires," Takuma explained. "Level D vampires are kept in separate rooms until they fall to level E status."

I nodded to indicate that I'd heard him, but I was distracted by the cries coming from the darkness. It was almost impossible to decide whether I felt afraid of the vampires, or if I felt pity for them. Another part of me felt afraid that I would become like them, but I was surprised by how small that part of me was. I was still very much convinced that I would never become a level E.

Takuma led me down one of the hallways, and deeper into the dungeon until the cries from the level E vampires could no longer be heard. Toward the middle of this hallway, he halted, and opened up one of the doors, then motioned for me to enter.

"I'll be back soon," Takuma assured me, handing my bag to me.

I nodded. "Is your grandfather really scary?" I asked, worriedly.

Forcing a smile, Takuma answered, "Don't worry about that right now, okay? When I come back for you in a few hours, I'll tell you precisely what's expected of you."

"All right," I replied. "Until then…"

"Sleep well," Takuma said, as he shut the door. A moment later, I heard the locks click into place.

It didn't take long to survey the room I'd been locked into. Besides a cot, the room contained only a small table and a chair. The room didn't have a window, so the only light came from a dim light bulb hanging in the center of the ceiling. The room was frigid, but only one blanket had been provided.

In an attempt to warm myself, I pulled the blanket off the cot, and wrapped it around myself. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I drew my bag close to me for extra warmth, and began rifling through its contents once more.

Clothes… Nightgown… Hairbrush… The items seemed completely ordinary until I discovered a notebook wedged into an inside pocket of the bag. Turning it over in my hands, I stared at the odd circles adorning the front and back covers. What is this? I wondered, opening the pages in the hope of finding a name or title page, but instead discovered that the pages were filled with similar circles as the covers. What is this? Some sort of odd writing? Or doodles? Am I the type who doodles?

Brows furrowed, I continued to turn the notebook over in my hands. It seemed so familiar somehow… Well, of course it must be familiar! It was in your bag! It must be yours! But why would I draw such strange circles over and over?

As I flipped through the pages of the notebook, a loose piece of paper fell into my lap. On the paper were strange symbols that made even less sense than the circles drawn inside the notebook.

Must be some sort of code… Yes… That's it…

Carefully, I placed the loose sheet of paper back inside the notebook, then put it off to the side. Searching through the bag, I found only one more unusual item which I found even more bizarre than the notebook.

Is this some sort of flashlight? I wondered, turning the metal rod-shaped object over in my hand. It has a button here… Maybe…

Holding the object straight up, I hit the button. A high-pitched sound resonated out of the object, and despite its glowing, I knew immediately that it was no flashlight. In the next instant, the light bulb shattered, and the room went dark.

Dropping the item, I quickly shook the glass and bits of wire out of my hair, and fumbled in the darkness as I attempted to brush the glass away from the cot.

What is that thing? Did it destroy the light bulb, or was the light bulb just faulty? That light bulb certainly had seen better days…

Curling up, I drew the blanket to me as much as possible. Strangely, the darkness comforted me slightly. Although I had known that I was by myself before the light had been shattered, the darkness made me feel as if I could potentially be anywhere. For all I knew, I could be asleep in my own bed – at my home. Wherever that was.

This is just a dream. I'm really not becoming a vampire. I am human, and I am dreaming…

Visions of a marvelous red phone-booth filled my dreams that night. A red phone-booth which took me to all the places I'd ever wanted to runaway to. I wasn't simply going to see the world, I was going to see all of the worlds, and all of time itself, and not only that, but I was going to be part of history.

In that dream, I created a heroic role for myself. I was not a human child who had been bitten by a Pureblood. I was not simple-minded, and frightened, and locked away; I was brilliant, and bold, and free. All the trials that had seemed so difficult in real life were nothing in comparison to the battles I fought inside my dreams.

But there was one thing that haunted my dreams much more than my reality: Loneliness.

Loneliness followed me like a shadow – creeping up on me when I least expected it. Just as I was beginning to feel satisfied with my accomplishment, the loneliness came to remind me that no matter how many worlds I helped save, there was something I could never have returned.

And it tortured me.

Finally finished this chapter... I had a lot to cover, so sorry that it's a little long. I hope I didn't make my main character sound too adult-like... It's difficult to write her into the new setting because I have to consider that her true self grew up in an endless Time-War that turned her childhood into a living hell. :/ Makes it difficult to really understand how to balance her latent memories, and her oblivious human conscious.

Notes:
[1] I am pretty certain that this quote came out of an NCIS episode, so just thought I would point out that it did not originate from my mind.
Antigone: pronounced: an-TIG-aa-nee: from the Greek for "against birth"

Let me know what you think. I love receiving reviews, and constructive criticism is welcome. :)

Cheers,
Mango