"These are confiscated."
"Confiscated."
"I doubt this is even legal..."
The Disciplinary trio had been working their backsides off for the last two hours going through every nook and cranny of occupied Day Class dorm rooms. Both Yuuki and Koneko were walking down the corridor, a trolley holding a giant bag stuffed with large photo albums and scrapbooks of their beloved Night Class. Koneko still couldn't understand the fascination with those vampires. True, the Day Class were left completely oblivious to this fact, but there was still nothing wracking at the kitten's brain to say this was okay. Day class students moaned and whined, shocked that their privacy was being invaded by these so-called Disciplinary students.
"What's wrong with those? They're only a few photos!" One students cried out, chasing after Yuuki. Handing over the album in her hand to Koneko, Yuuki turned back to said student, hand on her hip.
"I bet these photos were taken without permission and that is not allowed." She said as a matter of fact, nodding her head towards Koneko. Said kitten looked towards the brunette with awe at how mature and professional she had become when speaking with her peers.
Speaking of, the girl had suddenly burst into a fit of tears, crying out at how much Yuuki didn't understand. Koneko sighed softly, rubbing her temples to soften the headache that began to throb inside her head. Yuuki only managed to open her mouth before a new voice entered the fray.
"She's right Yuuki. It's you who doesn't understand." The Disciplinary committee turned to see a boy Koneko recognised as the class rep. "Do you have any idea how this makes us feel to know you get all cosy with the night class!?" He cried, yelling towards the two of them. Had Koneko not saw Zero approach behind, she would have yelled back twice as loud.
"Confiscated..." The hunter grunted, swiping whatever the class rep had behind his back. Not that Koneko really cared for what it was. The class rep only froze, shock evident on his face. As both Zero and Koneko retreated from the statue of a student, Yuuki gave a final "have a nice day" before he practically screamed.
"Why are you all so mean!?"
xx
"I really didn't think the Day class would have so much to do with the Night class. I personally find today utterly disturbing..."
Finished with their part of the job, Koneko and Zero sat on opposite sides of a nearby tree while waiting for Yuuki to finish putting her sack in the tower. The girl was taking forever, and they should have been at the Moon dorm twenty minutes ago.
Resting her head on the trunk, the blonde sighed heavily before turning her head to face her fellow hunter. "Hey, Zero...what do you think we'll find in the moon dorm? I mean...I know I'm living in their now, but I've never seen in anyone else's room." She asked, awaiting a response from the white haired boy.
"I have no idea. But I hope we find something that may be useful to taking them down." He smirked, meeting her gaze. "That's why you're still doing this, aren't you?"
Truthfully, Koneko would have loved to see what she could find in terms of weaknesses for all of the vampires. But she had to approach this logically. "Yes I am still doing this, but we need to think about this. There is no way I'm going let you do away with any of them present on these grounds. Not unless you want to be murdered yourself by their fans." She chuckled, watching Zero's face become paler, if that was possible.
Another sigh left the kitten's lips, as she stood and dusted off her skirt. "Well, I'm going to go on ahead. I'll meet you at the Moon dorm, Zero." She called, waving goodbye to him.
Zero watched her off, resting his head on the tree before he felt his throat begin to itch. It was happening again, and so soon after the last one. He dug into the inside pocket of his blazer, taking out his little box and staring at it, ever so tempted to take a tablet out and gulp it down.
"Zero!~"
xx
Koneko knew that Yuuki would take even more time, so going on ahead seemed only logical. She didn't want to be doing any more than she had to, and that only meant doing things much quicker. This would have been a very sound notion...
If she hadn't gotten herself lost.
This school was far too large for her to remember everything. That and the fact her eyesight wasn't particularly brilliant with the setting sun blinding her through her shades. Everything looked the same within the forest area, and it was annoying when you had to be somewhere quick. Maybe she should have just stuck to the paths, but no. Koneko wanted a scenic route in order to waste time. Well, now she'd wasted plenty of time.
So much time that she saw Yuuki running past her.
"Yuuki, where are you going?" She asked, almost getting knocked over by the brunette. Yuuki only stopped for a second, panting softly as she attempted to explain.
"Zero's gone out to town. I think I made him angry. Inspection postponed for now." She offered a quick salute before bounding off again, more than likely to catch up to Zero. Koneko let out a soft sigh. Sometimes she really couldn't understand that boy. One minute he'll be having a decent conversation and then the next he has a hissy fit and storms off to who knows where.
xx
Kaname leaned himself casually against the large window, looking out to the two Day class students outside. He noticed that they were a Day student missing, from what he heard. It only made him wonder where their little kitten was.
"I guess the surprise inspection is cancelled then..." Takuma hummed as he watched both Zero and Yuuki rush off in the opposite direction of the dorms.
Outraged that all of his items were removed from his room, Hanabusa leaned himself against the window. "You mean my little slice of happiness was destroyed for nothing!?" He had forgotten all about Kaname standing beside him until he cleared his throat. It only made Hanabusa scuttle away in fear, his head hung in shame.
It made no difference whether the inspection was on or not to Kaname. The secrets he held in his room were well hidden from searching eyes. He watched as the others returned to their rooms, getting ready for their classes. Once he knew everyone was gone, he went back to his room, walking to his wardrobe to find an outfit for the night. He didn't wish to spend all night in his pyjamas.
"What a shame. It would have been quite a scene should any of them saw what I have..." He whispered, removing his pyjama top and throwing it onto his bed before making his way to his desk. Opening the drawer, he pulled out a few papers, Koneko's name at the top. Within it settled a good amount of newspaper articles and her Association details.
A smirk graced Kaname's face as he dressed himself in a pair of dark jeans and a button up shirt, leaving the top few buttons undone. Before he went for any of his duties, he would first need to find Ichijou. Kaname needed a favour.
xx
It may have been about ten minutes before she finally made her way out of the forest and found the path leading to the Moon dorm. She greeted the gatekeeper with a nod of her head. "Have two other disciplinary members came in before me?" She asked, tilting her head. He gave a nod before explaining what he saw. A nod came from Koneko, and she headed towards the dorm.
What greeted her when she entered was her new found friend. "Good evening, Koneko." Takuma greeted, a sweet smile enveloping his face.
Koneko couldn't help but return the smile before sitting herself down on the couch in the entrance hall. "The inspection has been cancelled, Takuma. Could you let Kaname know? I might get some sleep now.." She huffed, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
"I know. We saw Yuuki and Zero leave rather abruptly. And Kaname is currently not here." Takuma explained, taking a seat beside her. The blonde female rose a brow at Takuma's words. Kaname gone? But whatever for?
"Do you know where he went?" She asked, slightly curious as to why he would leave without consulting a Disciplinary member. Unless...
"He went out into town on an errand. He- Hey! Where are you going!?" Too late.
Koneko was out of the door before he could finish his sentence.
xx
"You...one of us...?"
Zero couldn't bear to hear those words come from that demon's mouth. It sickened him, yet he knew how truthful that really was.
He was a monster just like the woman in front of him. He may not have reached that level yet, but he knew it would be soon.
"One of us..." It called again, only this time it was confirmed, and a happy smile appeared on its face. That was the last straw.
"Shut up!" Zero growled, pulling the trigger on his Bloody Rose. The level E in front of him dispersed into dust, leaving nothing behind. However, something was stood behind the vampire once it vanished; a small child.
Zero couldn't believe his eyes, pitiful that a child had watched him do something so terrible. But there was something else that tortured Zero. Something greater than just having a child witness what had happened.
"Ichiru..." He whispered, his whole body trembling at the vision he saw.
"Zero!"
The yell of his name shook him from his daydream, and a hysteric cackle emanated from the child that he thought to be Ichiru.
Koneko stopped beside her fellow hunter, sword sheathed and pointing at the level E child in front of them. She hadn't known that vampire attacks were frequent in town, but having Kaname leave, as well as Zero and Yuuki in the same vicinity was nowhere near coincidence. She had sussed it out soon enough.
"How did you know I was here?" Zero asked, rather shocked she was even here at all. Yuuki must have mentioned it to her.
"That doesn't matter right now!" She turned to him, not even bothering to hide her anger. "Now where is Yuuki!?" She yelled, attention from either hunter no longer on the vampire.
And that was their mistake. While Koneko had averted her gaze, the child made its way up the bell tower beside them, and a very familiar scream hit their ears. Both turned to the sound, knowing full well who was at the top.
"Yuuki!"
Without even a second thought, the two of them sprinted for the tower, eager to save their dear friend. "We're coming, Yuuki..." Koneko whispered, desperately trying to keep up with Zero. His long legs were very advantageous in this situation.
By the time Koneko had gotten to the tower, Zero was already going up the stairs. The blonde stopped at the door to catch her breath, watching him disappear up the stairs. She knew she'd never catch up to him now. Instead, she stood and waited, knowing Zero would be able to save Yuuki on his own.
Koneko had only just begun to relax when she heard a low growl emanating from behind her, and she spun around just in time, souba guarding her face from long sharp claws. Her eyes widened as she started at yet another vampire attacking her. Its face harboured a large grin, its fangs protruding from its lips, and its breath reeking of blood. It almost made her gag if she hadn't been so fixated on getting the monster away from her.
She hastily swung her sword, forcing the vampire back, to which it landed perfectly on its feet. It gave an insane chuckle before charging towards her again. Koneko held her sword in a defensive position, ready for when the vampire would attempt another assault to her neck. However, it dived for her legs instead, its hand wrapping around her ankle and pulling her onto the ground.
She landed with a grunt, her vision slightly blurred from the contact of the floor to her head, but she could still make out the outline of the vampire swiping at her again. It caught her arm and shoulder, but she kept her face and neck well protected. She saw the perfect opportunity to strike when it managed to crawl atop her, hastily attempting to pry her arms away from her face. She swiftly kneed the vampire in the stomach, and kicked its side, pushing it off of her so as she could stand up.
She attempted to quickly rise to her feet, but the tight grip from her attacker left her ankle bruised and in pain, only allowing her to stay on one knee. Her vision kept on blurring, but she remained focused on her target. She only hoped Zero didn't have this much trouble. She didn't have time to think, as the level E made yet another assault on her, charging at full speed.
This time, Koneko was ready. As soon as the level E came within ten feet, she feigned left, only to slash right and take off a few fingers on its right hand. The vampire cried out in agony, its hand steaming from the anti vampire blessings upon her souba. The distraction gave Koneko incentive to slice the monster right down the middle, letting it explode into dust.
As soon as the last speck of dust vanished, Koneko found herself breathing a huge sigh of relief. She had survived an attack without much damage beside a bruised ankle and a few scratches here and there. A small smile graced her face, her lids feeling rather heavy.
"Koneko!" A voice called, and said female looked up to see another blurred vision. Clad in white. She gave a smile towards the person, even though she couldn't clearly see who it was, before her eyelids decided to glue themselves shut.
xx
"You really are a handful..." The man in white huffed, settling the girl down on her bed. His forest green eyes glanced down at the battered blonde, shaking his head in disbelief. "As if you were beaten up so much. Some hunter you turned out to be..."
"I'm getting soft..." A voice replied, weak but humorous. Takuma glanced down at her with a wide grin.
"Well then, our sleeping kitten is awake. Will you not open your eyes to see your knight in shining armour?" The vice dorm president cooed cheekily. Obviously he read far too many fantasy manga.
"That all depends. Do I have my shades on?" She asked, lifting her arms to check. Or should we say, she tried to lift her arm, before a sudden pain shot up it. She hissed a little, putting her arm back where it was to begin with.
"Yes, your shades are on. And I suggest not moving your arm for a while. Those claw marks are pretty deep. It took me ages to stop them from bleeding." He stated, placing a ghostly hand on her shoulder, gently stroking down her bandaged arm. Indeed, it had took him ages, but mainly because it was hard to remain composed when free blood was going to waste right in front of him.
Hearing the news she wanted, her eyes opened, her vision much better than previously. "Ahh...it is nice to see this place again." She hummed happily, glancing around the familiar surroundings. "Oh...where are Zero and Yuuki? Did they come back?" She asked, quickly sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.
"H-hey! I've only just put you down. Do you think it's wise to get out of bed now!?" Takuma, being the mother hen that he is, pleaded with her to remain in bed. Her ankle was still slightly bruised and needed time to heal properly.
But Koneko needed to know if those two were safe. Did Kaname get to them while she was out cold? Or did Zero save the day? She didn't really feel a lot of pain in her ankle like she did previously, so she thought it okay to walk on. "I'll be back soon, don't worry."
Takuma could only watch in defeat as she left the room in a hurry, his face contorted with worry. "Be alright, Koneko..." He whispered, honestly concerned for her safety.
xx
"I take it everyone was safe, Kaname?" Kaien asked, taking a sip of his tea. After hearing what happened this evening with Yuuki and Zero, he had gotten so worried about their safety until Kaname informed him that the two of them were safe and without harm. Kaname did say that Koneko was less fortunate, but sustained no serious injuries.
"I was surprised to know that Koneko had gone out looking for them too." Kaname mumbled, moreso to himself, but didn't care so much if the headmaster heard him. He casually sipped at his glass as the two of them conversed for some time.
A quiet knock at the door averted both men's attention. "Come in." Kaien called out rather seriously, but his face beamed when he saw who was at the door. "Oh, Koneko! Are you alright? You're not hurting anymore right?"
All these questions and she hadn't even walked through the door yet. Closing the door behind her, she took the other seat opposite Kaname. "I'm fine, Headmaster. My ankle just hurts a little. Nothing too serious."
"It looks like Takuma took good care of you." Kaname added, gracing the kitten with a smile, to which she nodded.
"Yes, he did. I will have to properly thank him when I next see him. I left rather abruptly to ask about Yuuki and Zero. Are they alright?" She turned her head towards the headmaster.
"There's no need to worry. Both Zero and Yuuki are fine. I think they're back on patrol on the inside if you wish to look for them." He offered a soft smile, much like Kaname had done. If she didn't know any better, she'd think they were hiding something from her. "However, as of right now, I need to ask you some questions, young lady."
Koneko rolled her eyes, her lips curling into a rather grim expression. "It's about that level E that attacked me, right?" She asked already knowing the answer. Both Kaien and Kaname nodded their heads.
"Yes. Recently, we have been having more and more attacks on those living in the town outside our academy. All from level E's. Since you have proven yourself able, we will be giving you missions from the Hunter's Association to eliminate these level E when the need arise."
Frankly, Koneko was gobsmacked. She had never thought she would be able to undergo missions during her stay. "Your details were transferred to the Association here from Europe." The headmaster continued, though Koneko never really paid much attention to him.
"And what do you have to say in this, Kaname?" She asked, realising he was being exceptionally quiet.
"Level E's are vampires formally humans. Creatures like that should not really exist." He stated simply. As simple as saying how was the weather. And that seemed to scare Koneko, even just a little. "And speaking of...Headmaster Cross. How long do you intend to keep Zero in the Day class?"
"Wait...what? What do you mean by that?" Koneko asked, her head shaking from one person to the other.
"Kaname, why do you have to bring that-?" The headmaster was only cut off by the Pureblood.
"Koneko would have found out sooner or later. Not only was Zero bitten by a Pureblood when his family was murdered, he also resisted the bloodlust for four years. While I admire his resolve, it can only mean that he may just become even more harder to control."
The blonde remained in her seat, her eyes wide at the news being delivered. Zero, a vampire? A level E? No, he had his sanity still intact, so a level D. She just couldn't understand that. How could she have not seen it? She had thought his hatred for vampires was because he was a hunter, but that was only the skin deep truth. Not only was his family was murdered by a vampire, but he was also bitten by that vampire, a Pureblood nonetheless, it must have been heartwrenching for him.
And yet, she felt no pity for him. Not one bit. She felt respect for him. It was strange...to say she respected a vampire. But she hadn't seen him drink blood, or show those dagger-like fangs in his mouth. To keep the bloodlust hidden away for four years, Zero must have hated what he was becoming.
"I never even knew..." She whispered, looking down at her hands.
Boring chapter is boring. I am waiting to get to Takuma's party. That might get things more interesting. Bahhhh~ But anyway.