Broken Bonds
Prologue
The first few chapters will be somewhat of a prologue and take place during the light novel Catastrophe at 16, and then, the remaining chapters will pick up during the Vampire Reign anime/manga. Hope you enjoy!
First Shibuya High School, 8 years prior to Vampire Reign.
Haruka sat quietly in the back of the classroom at First Shibuya High School as the instructor handed back the exams the class had taken the previous day. She was a late enrollment and had only began the class a few days prior. Ignoring the snickering from the students around her, she knew they expected her to fail the examination. She had heard their whispering when she had taken the seat in the back on her first day. It was basically unheard of starting in the middle of the term without special permission from the Hiragi family themselves, which only added to the air of mystery around the newcomer. The fact that she had hardly interacted with anyone in her first few days added more to it.
Pushing a tendril of ebony hair out of her navy eyes, she picked up the papers and the instructor had placed on her desk and looked at the perfect marks with little expression and no surprise.
"So, how did the little rookie do on her first exam? Don't take it too hard. It's not like you ever had a shot at passing since you started late," the boy in front of her scoffed. She shrugged at the boy, Norito Goshi if she remembered correctly, and sat back in her seat, leaving her exam face up on the desk.
His eyes trailed down to the paper, and he nearly knocked the desk over in surprise.
"WHAT?! A perfect score? How is that even possible?" he snatched the paper, eyes wide in disbelief.
She frowned at the scene he had begun to cause and the two boys, Guren Ichinose and Shinya Hiragi, in the row next to hers turned at the sound.
Taking her papers back, she tried to diffuse the situation.
"I studied hard to catch up. I learn fast," she said softly, trying to quickly deflect the attention away from her.
'Ha, that's a lie,' a childlike voice giggled in her head. 'Why do you have to be so modest? You could have done that with your eyes closed.'
'Hush, Riko,' she silently answered back. 'Now is not the time. Stay in the pendant where you belong,' referring to the onyx medallion hiding around her neck under her uniform.
'Fine, but that's no fun.'
She breathed a sigh of relief as the instructor simultaneously dismissed the class. Gathering her books, she made her way out the door and down the hall when Goshi's voice followed her.
"Hey, new girl! You still haven't told us how you studied so much material so fast!"
Pausing, she slightly glanced over her shoulder at the three boys as they made their way out of the classroom behind her.
"No special techniques really. Photographic memory I suppose." she responded, hoping they would accept her answer and let her be on her way. She knew she wasn't supposed to interact much with the other students and form any sort of relationships. She had been warned that it was detrimental to her training, even though she wanted more than anything to reach out to people after being kept isolated for much of her life.
"How'd you get to start classes midway through anyway? Important family or something? After all, you'd have to get permission from the Hiragis," he responded, giving Shinya a side-eyed glance. Shinya shrugged to indicate he knew nothing of the situation.
"No, no family, of importance or otherwise. Just showed potential, I guess," Haruka replied vaguely. She had actually begged her one contact, her handler Dr. Amari to allow her to go to school. Since she was born, she had been under his care and tutelage as he conducted training and "enhancements" with the sponsorship of the Hiragis to help her increase her mental capacity which included telekinetic and empathetic powers. He said she was destined to serve the Hiragis, and had been fortunate to land with them and not with some crappy orphanage. However, she wanted nothing more than to be a normal teenager, go to school, and have friends. He had relented on only one front, allowing her to attend school, but it was crucial to her ability to control her abilities that she always keep any emotions well within check, even dismissing them entirely, and not forming any friendships.
"So, are you one of the Hiragi's little pets?" Guren mumbled, trying to appear uninterested in the conversation, but she could clearly sense he was curious.
"NO." she clenched her fists before she could stop herself. She actually hated being a prodigy for them. She would not be anyone's puppet, but she was biding her time and gaining as much strength as she could before freeing herself.
"I mean, other than approving my admission, they don't know I even exist," she quickly backtracked. Careful idiot, she thought, mentally scolding herself for being so reckless.
"What is your name anyway?" Goshi yawned. "I wasn't paying attention when the instructor introduced you."
"It's Haruka," Shinya spoke up. "I remember hearing it, but I didn't catch your house."
"Like I said, no house of any importance," she repeated. "I apologize for keeping you from your next class. There really isn't much else to know about me."
Please leave me alone now, she wished, excusing herself and making her way down the hall.
'This is going to be harder than I thought,' she sighed.
'Well, what did you expect?' Riko piped up. 'Of course, people are going to be curious about the new girl, and you're a pretty young girl. Did you really expect the boys not to notice?'
'Wait, what?' she responded.
'You really are clueless, aren't you?'
'Quiet before I keep you in that pendant for the rest of the day,' she retorted. Riko was a spirit that she had accidentally summoned during one of her training exercises about a year ago, unbeknownst to Dr. Amari. Far from being a demon, Riko was a playful little wisp who had become Haruka's only friend, often taking the form of a ferret-like creature when they were alone and Haruka allowed her to stay outside of the pendant that she had enchanted to house her.
She quietly sank down in one of the empty seats toward of the back of the room, trying to not draw any attention to herself. However, she winced as one of her textbooks slid off the desk and clattered to the floor.
The girl in the seat next to hers reached down and handed her the book.
"Thank you, I'm so sorry about that," Haruka whispered.
The girl gave her a sympathetic smile and whispered back, "It's no problem. I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Sayuri Hanayori. Nice to meet you, Haruka."
Haruka bit her lip and returned the smile, nervously not wanting the conversation to go any further. Fortunately, the instructor began the class, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Haruka picked up a bowl of soba and some water and scanned the cafeteria for an empty table. Sitting down next to one of the windows, she pulled out one of her books and started reading, taking a sip of water and focusing on the lesson ahead.
"Hey Haruka! You left so quickly after class I didn't get a chance to invite you to sit with us!" a voice called across the busy room. Haruka looked up to see Sayuri waving cheerfully toward her with Goshi, Guren, and Shinya in tow, along with two other girls she had never seen before.
Oh crap, she thought. This is bad.
"Um, what?" Haruka stammered.
"Yeah, I know it has to be hard being new, especially in a place like this, so we're going to sit with you!" Sayuri smiled.
"You have to forgive Sayuri," one of the girls said. "Sayuri gets a little carried away at times. We didn't mean to bother you."
"By the way, I'm Shigure Yukimi and this is Mito Jujo," she said, motioning to the redhead next to her.
"I mean, I guess it's okay to sit here," Haruka said, uncertain really of what to do.
"Great!" Sayuri exclaimed and pulled out a seat as the others followed suit. "So, do you know anyone else here? How are you going to handle the qualification exams next week? Where are you from?"
"Geez, Sayuri! Give the girl a break from the interrogation!" Guren groaned.
"Oh, ah, I'm so sorry, Guren!" she gasped.
Haruka sat there, clearly uncomfortable and not knowing how to answer the questions. Damn it, I didn't think this through! I should have thought of all this!
"Well, I don't actually know anyone here, and I won't be participating in the qualification exams. I'm not on the combat track, mostly just studying the spellcraft, I've been told my training will be a little different, but don't know much else."
"Weird," Goshi replied. "Though the Hiragis always do things their own way. Know anything about this Shinya?"
"Ha! You actually think the higher-ups tell me all their plans?" he laughed. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember hearing something about a girl like you!"
Goshi laughed as well, "Easy now! Don't forget you're an engaged man!"
Haruka took another sip of her water, feeling utterly confused but figured it best not to ask. Besides, learning more about people was a step toward forging friendships and if Dr. Amari found out, she would be pulled out of class and right back into isolation. She listened to the others chatter around her and occasionally nodded to give the appearance that she was engaged in the conversation. This is harder than I thought…
That evening, Haruka slid her key into her tiny room in the building that housed Dr. Amari's lab and study. She was utterly exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to take a shower and wash away the memory of the day. But did she really want to forget it? Yes, Dr. Amari told her to keep to herself, but she had actually enjoyed being a part of the group. She knew she was on dangerous ground if she let herself get too close to people.
Clasping her hand around her pendent, she released Riko from her chamber.
'It's about time!' Riko scolded her. 'I don't understand why I can be out in here, but not everywhere else!'
'Because I can conceal you from the mind of Dr. Amari. That's one person. I can't hide you from the minds of an entire school.' She responded, stroking the turquoise fur of the ferret-like wisp.
'You doubt your own strength?'
'Maybe, I can't reveal myself to anyone. Dr. Amari said it would be detrimental to the work he's done. Only he and the highest of the Hiragis know about what I can do.'
Suddenly, a familiar voice crackled over the intercom at the door.
"Haruka, I hope your day went well, but I need you to visit my office," Dr. Amari's voice announced.
'Oh no!' she thought. 'He knows I talked to other people! But it wasn't my fault, they wouldn't leave me alone!'
Panic rose in her, but she called upon her training to repress it.
"Of course, Dr. Amari," she calmly replied. "I'll be right there."
Haruka made her way to Dr. Amari's office, and knocked carefully on his door.
"Come in!" he replied.
Pushing the door open, she was startled to find another man already seated in front of him. She stood respectfully before both of them before Dr. Amari offered her a chair next to the man.
"Haruka, we have a very special guest here. Normally, we would always go to him, so it is quite a surprise and honor to have him here. I would like to introduce you to General Tenri Hiragi."
She held her breath for merely a second, before continuing her composure and bowing her head, "It is an honor, General Hiragi."
"So, this is her," General Hiragi nodded curtly at her before turning his attention back to Dr. Amari. "She is the one who far surpassed all the other subjects."
'Subjects,' she thought. 'That's right, we're nothing more than lab rats to him.'
"She is my masterpiece," Dr. Amari beamed. "While she still has far to go in her training, her potential is undeniable, and has exceeded my expectations. She will be the perfect agent for the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, although not a soldier. With her ability to make her way through the mapping of minds, she will be able to interrogate and retrieve intelligence like nothing we've ever seen before. And while she's still rudimentary with the skill in vampires, I have no doubt, with much practice, she will be able to extract information from them and demons as well. Her telekinetic powers are impressive as well."
Staring straight ahead and showing no emotion, Haruka nearly let herself feel annoyance at Dr. Amari, speaking about her like she wasn't even there in the room.
"When will she be ready?" General Hiragi inquired.
'Just like a new weapon rolling off the production line,' she thought. 'That's all I am to them.'
"Soon. Probably within a year," Amari assured him. "I know the wait has been unbearable, but to make the most use of her, we need to make sure everything is ready. Remember, all the other subjects couldn't hold up to the chemical and electrical mental stimulation, and sadly had to be put down before they were even 10 years old. Haruka shows absolutely no signs of any distress which is both astonishing and encouraging."
Ah, yes. The other children she had heard of who had undergone extreme neurologic damage from the invasive experimentation. Strangely, she had always thought her life would end the same way, but it never came to be. She continued to progress through training and conditioning, and even learned to keep some of her strengths and abilities a secret to Dr. Amari. It was to her advantage that he didn't know everything, so she downplayed her power.
"Good. Excellent. She will be a useful weapon, indeed," said General Hiragi.
"Yes sir. Whatever you ask of me, I will serve," she bowed her head at him again, trying not to choke on the sour words as the left her mouth. This will not be my life forever, she reminded herself. I may be the only one who hates the Hiragis, but I will be free someday.