Chapter 1: Primo Nocturno
Chapter Text
We never had a choice to begin with.
Anya tried to quicken her pace as much as possible, her rolling chair making the process difficult. She had been sent on a mission as an emissary for like, a week? And this is what happens in her time away?
It was ridiculous. Without warning she entered her father's office, but when she saw him having a phone call, she decided to stay silent, letting him time to finish. The man looked towards his daughter, only rising an eyebrow as a sign of surprise. He just carried on talking, his grand and noble figure pacing around the desk. The dark-haired girl wondered if her father knew why exactly she came to see him.
The ex-Hunter waited patiently. And, finally, her father hung up. Maybe he will have some free time for her now? She didn't wait any longer before speaking:
"Why did you send Sarah on a mission? I thought you wanted her to concentrate on her political lessons…"
Edward Darkwing looked on her quietly. The older twin seemed… furious, that was the word. That didn't surprise him, sadly. Anya had always been very fond of the youngest of her siblings. No matter how matter this affection had cost her in the past.
"I changed my mind. Sarah is safe, don't worry. It's nothing more than a surveillance mission. If everything goes well, she will be back in a year."
Anya nearly choked herself at this. In a year, if everything goes well? And he just decided it at the last minute? She didn't believe one bit of what he said, but she asked anyway:
"And where did you send her, Father?"
Edward looked at her with his dark, green eyes, and he took the time to light up a cigarette. When he smoked, we had the impression that the whole stress of his work fell on his shoulders, instead of fading away. Kind of ironic, since tobacco was meant to help him to relax. White hairs began to appear sooner that expected in his red-brownish hair and beard. Being a king wasn't easy, so it seemed. Anya guessed it was…normal. Carrying huge responsibilities had to affect the body, one way or another. The man took his time to answer, and finally, he spoke up when he sat in the comfy seat of the office:
"At Cross Academy"
Once again, the young woman had a hard time to believe that. At her father's expression however, she knew he wasn't kidding. She brought up her wheelchair until her knees were touching the dark wood of his desk:
"Why, Father? We already have some Hunters into the academy. Why would you send the heiress? Pardon me, my king, but it just… doesn't make any sense."
"We are outnumbered there. And I personally feel better knowing it will be Sarah who will send me reports about the academy's activities, instead of Kaien Kurosu. God knows he is sympathizing a little too much with Kaname Kuran for my liking."
Edward let out a big puff of smoke, before letting the burnt remains of the cigarette fall into the ashtray. His eyes darkened before he set his gaze on Anya:
"If Sarah cannot succeed in this mission, wouldn't it be a sign that she isn't the right person to take over my duty?"
Anya realized that the discussion was over. She narrowed her eyes, staying at the same place a little longer, to stare at him. She couldn't believe him and what he said. Finally, she turned around on her wheelchair and went off the room, not without smashing the door.
She didn't like it one bit. A mission that came out of nowhere and the fact that the King was eager to put his most treasured daughter on it… He must have a plan behind his mind. And you would be a fool to believe that he was only concerned by watching over a project of cohabitation between humans and vampires. A project he didn't have faith in, to begin with.
However the fact that Sarah would be the one who would be sent in Cross Academy was the most surprising thing in all this absurdity. The King has four children, one son and three daughters. Why would he send the one who is the first in line for the Hunter throne? That didn't make sense.
The girl in the wheelchair thought about it while going down the slope that has been equipped here just for her. Maybe she should start to investigate on it.
Sarah was looking at the landscape that passed behind the window of her car. Her luggage has been done quickly, just after she had been called in her father's office that morning. All that mission had been put together at the moment she entered the room, she knew it. And while her mission was far from being difficult, it annoyed her to no end. In fact, it made her furious. She hated unplanned moves.
She didn't even have time to say goodbye to her siblings. The new student put back one strand of her hair behind her ear nervously. Maybe it was better this way for Kai, after all. Sarah sighed and opened the file that had been handed to her by her father when she got out of the Guild and while reading the first pages, she narrowed her eyes.
The Heiress of the most prolific Hunter family coming to Cross Academy? Sounded like the beginning of a very bad joke. Ah. But then, her entire life had been a joke, so she wasn't that surprised. She smirked.
It's not like you were trying to make it better. Stop moping and give us a break, would you?
Hum. Her voice in her head had a point. In fact, she always has a point. It unnerved Sarah to no end. She lifted up her bored eyes. Same old countryside than when she looked by the window … Twenty minutes ago, she calculated. Father's manor, where she had to pick up her things, really was in the middle of nowhere. That's the least he could do to hide his family now. The crimson-haired girl shook her head before checking out again her file. She was in the Night Class. In the Night fucking Class. The last discussion she had with her Father came up to her mind:
"Father, I thought the Day Class was reserved exclusively to humans. Why am I not with them?"
"You know that. You're not human. Kaien Kurosu didn't want to make things more complicated that they already are. Putting another Hunter was already hard to negotiate. It's you we're talking about. He knows our secret so really, we didn't have much of a choice here."
Ah. She really had wanted to tell him she wasn't some kind of monster, that she could control herself. That he didn't have to put careful words to avoid the blunt, hard truth. But she couldn't speak. It's been a long time since the man before her stole her the right to stand against him. It's been an eternity since the paternal figure has left, and instead she found a stranger who calls himself her King. The man who looked around his thirties continued:
"Fortunately, the fast that you'll be among the blood-suckers make your task easier."
Oh? And what about the fact that she wanted to have a quiet time, away from the people who could become one of those days her victims. Didn't it matter to his eyes? No, of course. The mission came before everything else. She controlled her facial expression, so he wouldn't see her frustration at his orders. She asked:
"And what is my mission?"
"Observing and making me a report on the targets I'll give you. No need to tell you they mustn't know a thing about this."
Yes, obviously. A Spy mission? He could have given it to anybody else in the Guild, really. That was too easy. Which could only mean that…
"You will be watching over Kaname Kuran, the Aristocrats that are close to him and the headmaster of the school, Kaien Kurosu."
She really should have seen that coming. She have to restrain herself from cursing him out loud. Sarah had the awkward feeling to be offered as some sacrificial goat sent in the forest full of starved wolves. A Hunter who doesn't have the right to fight on a neutral ground such as the Academy? She will have to keep her guard up all the time. The perspective of a quiet, relaxing time was out of the way. Damn you Edward Darkwing. Damn you and your plans.
"However, you have to remember before anything else that I want you to take care of yourself. Your task is important but it will also be a year-long mission. Be sure to relax a little, away from the Guild."
Copied that, Father. She will be sure to take a nap between two murder attempts on her person. Sarah really wanted to roll her eyes at this moment. Instead, she got up from her kneeling position and headed towards the doors.
"Please. Do not take this mission as some kind of punishment, Sarah. I love you, you know that?"
Liar. He loved her more like a chess player would affectionate his favorite paw in the game than a father would love her daughter. But it was alright. He was King after all. Hard decisions had to be taken and she knew his people, Her people, came before her, his own heiress. If he had no choice, he would sacrifice her. She could understand that. But that didn't mean she couldn't resent him.
"Of course, Father."
And she fled away from his desk as calmly as she could.
An important mission, my ass. He must have something really specific in mind, however Sarah couldn't figure out what. Her father didn't only questions on his final goals. And she wouldn't be the one to risk herself to defy him. Even thought it flustered her to no end.
What the kings wants, the King will have. The worst of all this is that he didn't even have to justify himself.
And now what are you going to do, Sarah?
I don't have much of a choice here. The young girl had to stop thinking of her Father when the car stopped. Already? The travel must have lasted two hours, but Sarah had the impression to have sat in this damn tin can for much less than that.
Shaking her head to come back to her senses, she got off the car, took quickly her luggage before looking up. Before her a stood great and impressive stairway that led up to a couple of building, themselves surrounded by walls. Was that Cross Academy? Right now, the view gave her the feeling of a high-security prison.
Stop moping and start climbing. Those stairs aren't gonna be climbed magically.
The crimson-haired girl let off a very heavy sigh, before she started to move forward. When she took a quick glance to her surrounding, she saw a small mail box standing beside the stairs. Oh?... That was actually nice. She wouldn't have to go down to town every time she would have a report to send.
Maybe I could even stay in touch with Helene, Anya and Kai this way…
A smile made its way on her lips before she started climbing up again. Geez, was it really necessary to make those stairs this long? Only then, she remembered that this Academy was built on the grounds of the old Hunter Guild. You could bet that having your headquarters on a hill definitely could have helped during a military assault.
But it really wasn't an advantage for her small legs. Anyway. When finally she stood before the gates, she pressed the button on the intercom that was built-in the wall beside the gates. She looked around waiting for someone to answer, studying the length and the height of the walls. Impossible to jump above it, even for a vampire…
"Who is there?" asked the muffled voice through the intercom.
"Sarah Darkwing, she answered. I'm here to join the Night Class."
Nah, saying it out loud didn't make this absurdity easier. She barely heard the answer she got, something about a guardian who would come her way. That aura, around the buildings… It was clear that a Pureblood had marked on this territory, putting it under his protection. Maybe it was in order to scare off Levels E… Or the Hunters.
Well, too bad for him if he didn't want to have another Hunter around. Here I come!
She let a smirk ornate her face. Maybe staying a year here won't be that horrible. The opening of the gates made a horrible squeaking sound that interrupted Sarah's train of thoughts. And them came along a familiar scent. She knew it, she was sure of that, but she couldn't figure where she already smelt that fragrance, no matter of accustomed she was to it.
Who she saw when she turned back to the gates really caught her off guard. That scent, that pale complexion, those silver bangs… And those amethyst eyes that were as shocked as she was.
"You?"
"Zero?"
They busted their words at the same time. To find Zero again after such a long absence was the first surprise that Sarah got when she entered the Academy, this very peculiar Academy that was about to change her destiny.
However, that wasn't going to be an easy road for anyone here.
Primo Nocturno, Fine.
Chapter 2: Secundo Nocturno: No one wearing a Crown comes in the name of peace.
Summary:
Sarah's tour takes her all around the Academy, and to the most important people of her new living-place. Oh, and also, the Night Class's first appareance.
Notes:
Chapter 2, translated by yours truly, revised from its Fanfiction version (improved grammar, you know the drills).
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, everyone !
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Secundo Nocturno
Sarah was, for a lack of a better word, speechless for a good three minutes. For goodness’ sake. Zero Kiryu here? To find him right as she is coming to join the class is hardly believable. Or it was the worst joke she could be a victim of, depending on your point of view. She opened her mouth to speak but he was quicker, finding his closed-off expression again:
“So you’re the new student in the Night Class?”
“I … Yes, that’s right,” she said finally, not finding the ability to utter the words she wanted to say.
As if her answer couldn’t disgust him more, he wrinkled his nose before turning his back on her, showing her by a dry head movement that she had to follow him. The young woman just stood there, before taking long strides to catch up with his pace.
“Wait, Zero!”
He stopped dead in his tracks, which allowed to the crimson-haired girl to catch up. Then the prefect turned to look at her. She is nearly as small as he remembered her to be. Her hair, which was of a profound red, almost like she had washed them with blood. Those eyes… She didn’t change at all. But that didn’t give him any relief, far from it, especially when she was giving him that look. He ground his teeth at her words. He didn’t want to hear anything that came from her.
“Save your breath, Sarah."
Her expression changed to a hurt one. Oh? So, she did have some remorse after all? He nearly laughed of frustration at the sight. They were both so … pitiful. What would Ichiru say if he could see this? Zero’s mood darkened at the thought, while Sarah clearly couldn’t think of anything else to say. When finally the young woman wanted to reply, he cut her off:
“I mean it, don't bother. Come on. I’m taking you to the Headmaster’s office.”
And once again, he turned away. The girl with crimson hair looked at it, not very surprised by his bluntness. She deserved it, she assumed. It wasn’t like she could fix up the past faults, not when four years had come by without talking. Why hadn't anyone told her Zero had been living here, for all those years? Her feet began walking on their own, following the young man while she kept her eyes glued to the ground. Then, something took her off guard. That scent she was inhaling just now… Wasn’t that a vampire’s?
Sarah looked up, taking a glance to her surroundings. Right. She should get used to it. Surely a Night Class student has got up early this morning and was just walking by. It was almost time for sunset, after all. She could have sworn this scent was coming from Zero, but it was impossible… Right?
A nervous smile came up on her lips at the thought, but it quickly disappeared, as soon as Zero opened the doors of what she guessed was the administration building. Here we are, time to get to more serious things. She was about to meet the ex-Hunter that her father was so cautious of. The footsteps’ echoes that Zero and Sarah were making by walking up the hallway was almost unbearable. This time, Sarah took up the lead and opened the door, with a firm resolve to see who was the Hunter who earned the title of “Vampire without Fangs”, so many years ago.
This was for sure, she didn’t expect to see said Hunter rummaging in his desk for some face lotion. She also didn’t expect to see him with a towel arranged on his head in order to cover his hair. And was he really wearing a pink apron, right now?
Sarah’s eyebrows rose up at the sight she was offered with, and it took her all her strength and determination to not fall onto the floor crying. Or laugh. Or both at the same time. For the last decade, she has been told numerous stories about this ex-Hunter that had been a living nightmare for the Vampires, that had been the very best of the Hunters. A true hero, in short. And now, this myth was busting as Kaien Kurosu finally found his damn lotion.
She cleared her throat while she had trouble to assess what she was seeing. The headmaster straightened up quickly and his eyes widened when he acknowledged her.
He doesn’t seem too happy to see me.
Well, even though the Hunter King accepted the whole Cross Academy project, Kaien Kurosu and her father did argue back and forth for months, if not years. She guessed her family wasn't seen by the best light after the whole drama. Maybe the Headmaster was wondering if the fact that the King suddenly sent over his favourite child to integrate the school wasn’t hiding something nastier. He wouldn’t be wrong to have this train of thought.
“Headmaster. It’s a great pleasure to finally meet you.”
Whether or not he was wearing an ugly pink apron, he still was a living legend. Even if she had imagined a whole different behaviour coming from him. Anyway, Sarah came back to reality when his chair made the floorboards creak. The Headmaster had sat down and had now a kind smile on his face.
“What a surprise, the one and only Princess Sarah Darkwing. You sure have grown up since the last time we saw each other.”
Sarah frowned a bit at his words. Did they m
eet before? Maybe she was too young to remember their first encounter. Or maybe it was because she didn’t pay attention during the Hunter balls or meetings back then. The mistakes of an idler child. Before she could answer politely, Kurosu went on:
“However, even though it’s an absolute honour to welcome you in this Academy, it does surprise me that your father agreed to your transfer. Especially in the Night Class.”
Behind her, Zero snorted. No wonder: she also didn’t get over that fact yet. Anyway. Sarah straightened her back and cautiously replied:
“It was a surprise for me as well, Headmaster. He must have thought that sending a Hunter from the Royal Family here would be seen as an act of goodwill by the Hunter community and the Vampire Senate.”
She shrugged as she wanted to show she didn’t think too much of her Father’s order and looking by the window. It was getting dark outside. Damn it, the vampires will most likely be awakened when she gets into the dormitories. To think she wanted to avoid them at least for this night… She briefly shook her head to chase away her frustration before going on:
“I think you know what the conditions are, concerning my transfer here?”
“Of course. To not let a soul know about your identity or your … abilities. Nothing too complicated. Only the Purebloods and the Senate’s high members know about you and your family.”
Sarah nodded along, thinking that she wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one who came up with those conditions, like her father said. He sure looked like he had lost all Hunter reflexes, but he was smart enough to know how to prevent a real bloodbath among his students. The crimson-haired girl quickly looked over her new Headmaster. Behind his frank smile and his extroverted behaviour, there was a good strategist. It wasn’t that surprising that the King ordered her to keep a cautious eye on him. Sarah internally sighed. Will she only see people who felt obliged to hide their final goals to other people for the rest of her life?
Well. She shouldn’t complain about it. Maybe, just maybe… She will become like them. That’s what politics between Vampires and Hunters did to anyone after all.
“You must be tired,” the Headmaster then said. “Zero is going to lead you to the Moon Dorms. Kaname was informed of your arrival and should be awaiting you right now. They didn’t have classes today, you sure chose the right day to come to the Academy” he finished in an excited tone.
Just her luck.
“Alright. Well, then, thanks for your hospitality. Have a good night,” she said, bowing a little before turning her back on him, ready to go out of the office. Zero was already waiting for her in the hallway. She then heard the Headmaster clearing his throat and turned around to see him, while raising an eyebrow. What was the matter?
“Sarah-chan, I would like you to not forget we’re on neutral grounds here. Threatening the vampire students with your weapons will be … frowned upon.”
Seeing him becoming so serious at sudden caught Sarah off guard. It was as if his friendly mask was falling apart. She then understood that putting at risk the peace of Cross Academy was a line she didn’t want to... well, cross, lest she would have to face Kaien Kurosu’s wrath. After a minute, she nodded:
“I will make sure to remember that, Headmaster.”
Well, only if the Vampires here don’t bare the fangs at her.
Walking to get to the Moon Dorms as they call it, turned out to be extremely short. Zero left her at the doors, he seemed eager to quit the vampires’ territory as soon as he could. He didn’t say a word to her after they got out of the Headmaster’s office, but she knew he didn’t have a nice opinion concerning her stay here. Sarah pressed her lips together; a feeling of regret quickly made its way inside her mind. She attempted something, if not for his forgiveness, then for her peace of mind:
“I’ve written to you." She began, before shaking her head. "I’ve written a lot, if not tons of letters. I was told you were going somewhere to be safe. I know I should have been there for you where you needed me when … your parents and brother got killed. I know that what I’ve done instead is not enough – not by far – . But I want you to know that I hadn't forgotten you.”
She didn’t open the doors yet, not willing to enter without getting his answer. The prefect tensed up, stopping dead in his tracks. A spark of hope crossed Sarah’s mind at this moment. He reacted. That could only mean that he has read her letters.
“I’ve never got a single letter from you, Sarah." A pause, then. "For what is worth, I'm sorry about your mother. And Anya. Good night, Sarah."
The young woman stood there paralysed as he disappeared in the darkness of the night, reeling from the information she had just been given. Then, a disbelieving scoff came out of her lips. No wonder she never got an answer.
She had always thought that he was too mad at her to send a letter back, she even wondered if he’d blamed her so much that he never opened the envelope after he saw who had sent it. She was well aware that her first “real” meeting with him since the murders would not be a happy one. Zero had been a close friend, and when she lost him, she didn’t take it well.
Maybe HE was content to not have to deal with the Royal Family.
Damn it. Sarah had a sad smirk at the thought, before looking over her shoulder one last time. She could always try to talk to him, one of those days. To talk about it, and to make amends.
Come on. How are you going to redeem yourself? With your hardly existent social skills? Dream on Sarah.
Sarah shook her head to wave the invasive thought away, before trying to get her acts together and at last, she opened the door. She blinked. Well, for school dormitories, it sure was well decorated. A grand staircase with golden leaves-covered railings, a living room that could very well fit in a manor, all the candles on the walls were lighted… And she could have sworn that she’d seen a maid sneak out of one of the corridors to get into another room. Would that be the kitchen? …
And here you would have thought that getting into the academy would have been a great opportunity to learn humility and modesty to those aristocrats.
Sarah sure wasn’t complaining. She was, however curious to see what the Sun Dorms looked like. From what she could remember, a lot of children from political members came there too. Were they given the same lavish treatment? She put her luggage down, finally stepping in the building. It was quiet… Awfully quiet. The young woman took a glance at her watch. 7:15 p.m. Since it was winter, the sun had set for a while already, shouldn’t the vampires be up?
“Poor thing. Did you get lost, Hunter?”
Guess she just needed to ask.
Sarah turned quickly towards the staircase, looking up. Two vampires… And Aristocrats, on top of that. She took a look to their faces and quickly recognised them as Hanabusa Aido and Akatsuki Kain. The files she read before coming to the Academy came in handy after all. She raised an eyebrow at the taunt veiled under the question. Too bad she wasn’t allowed to “rock the boat” as my father said.
“I am not lost, actually. Would you be kind enough to tell me where’s your Dorm President’s office? I have to meet with him, since I was transferred into your class,” she simply stated, unwilling to show anything but neutrality for the moment.
Of course, she just wanted them to watch their reaction when she said that. At least, she would actually be able to tell you she didn’t attack first.
To the young girl’s satisfaction, the vampires were more than surprised by the news. The smaller one was about to talk back. However, an impressive aura made itself known, as another man approached the scene. She could already tell without looking at him who he was.
“Aido, would you calm down? One should not display harsh manners when meeting a young woman for the first time.”
So Kaname Kuran is a gentleman. A pleasant surprise, for once.
She looked up at him to finally see what he looked like. There weren’t any pictures of him in the files. He was tall and brown-haired. Red, long-lashed eyes coupled with a somewhat tired expression over his perfect features. He wasn’t as old as the other Purebloods, but he looked just as weary of everything.
Sarah decided at once that she wouldn't trust him yet. After all, she knew that when Purebloods find themselves bored to death, people get hurt.
Suddenly all the room was filled with people. There were twenty of them at most, but their presences aroused the Huntress’s instincts who had a hard time not to react. They had every advantage there could be: number, elevated position, distance. However, the vampires looked perfectly relaxed, comfortable on their territory.
The Sun Dorms might as well be a good alternative.
The crimson-haired girl stopped the thought before it came too tempting. Sarah was not going to flee before the next generation of Aristocrats. Nothing would be sweeter for them than her fear.
And then she was caught off guard when the students just knelt down. What the…
Everything became quiet, and then, the weight of a nasty glance made Sarah turn to her left. An ashy-brown-haired girl with purple eyes, looking a bit uptight even for a vampire, was giving her the same look you would give to a vermin that wasn't as squishable as you wished to:
“Hurry up and kneel before Kaname-sama,” she snapped.
Sarah didn't understand, at first. The idea seemed so ludicrous. Once she was certain it wasn't, in fact, a joke, she merely tilted her head. She tried to keep her expression straight, but her lips betrayed her, quickly quirking up in amusement.
“I shan't," Sarah said, simply. "He's your King. Not mine."
Ruka Souen -that was her name, now that Sarah remembered- didn’t seem to find it funny, if the Huntress had to gauge her wide-open mouth and her dumbfounded-then-resentful expression. Oops. Sarah looked at Kaname again, wondering if the vampires would get up soon. The situation was getting awkward by the minute. She decided to take the lead.
“Kaname Kuran." She paused, before nodding. "Pleasure."
He only nodded back, before addressing the whole group:
“My dear friends, this is Sarah. She is a qualified Hunter sent here to represent the Guild for the Academy’s project. I expect a respectful and kind behaviour from you. No less will be accepted. It would be a pity to see the Night Class’s image suffer because of a childish conflict in the Dorms. Did I make myself clear?”
Well. It seems he isn’t someone who minces his words. At the collective nod, the Pureblood turned to see the Huntress, a gleam in his eyes that Sarah couldn’t quite identify at the moment.
“May I trust you to not provoke or fight them?”
She nodded curtly, unimpressed by his authoritarian tone. Who was he taking her for? She was perfectly able to behave. They weren’t children anymore, and Sarah knew they would be able to be civil between each other, even if they weren’t from the same species…
At least, she hoped so. The young woman didn’t feel quite at her place in those Dorms, even if she showed the contrary. Kaname called out a blonde boy, who, like all the vampires here, looked incredibly handsome. Perhaps even beautiful. The latter took long strides to approach them. He had a smile that, quite surprisingly for the new girl, looked sincere.
“Takuma, would you mind showing our new student her room?”
“Of course. If you would follow me…”
The boy who was named Takuma had a blinding smile that could have lit the whole building if he wanted to. Sarah was put off guard by this vampire who seemed fine with having to live with a Huntress in the same building, but then she got out of her thoughts and followed him in the stairs, only too happy to quit the room under pressure. Gods above and below, Sarah hoped that they would get used to her presence, or the tension would make it impossible to breath. Again, she got out of her train of thoughts when she heard Takuma open the door:
“I hope this will be comfortable enough.”
Sarah blinked twice. Comfortable enough? Her eyes roamed the bedroom. Everybody would be “comfortable” in such environment– she has had to sleep in bedrooms in a much more pitiful state than this when on missions. She scanned over the spacious room. Well, she certainly had the space to put all her things here. Perhaps she would even be able to make the bedroom feel … like home.
“It’s more than enough. Thank you for showing me the way.”
She turned towards him while speaking, and found the boy looking … embarrassed? Why the hell would he feel like that?
“I would like to apologise for some of the students” behaviour. That wasn’t very nice to pull this act just so you would kneel before Kaname.’ He explained.
Oh, that. Sarah shrugged. On top of being the one who stepped up to apologise, he looked rather sincere. It was a nice change.
“It’s nothing." Sarah assured him. "It must be strange for them, this whole new ‘living with a Huntress’ thing. I can’t blame them.”
And Sarah knew that her arrival could have gone way worse than it did, in all honesty. Those kinds of reactions were to be expected, they were, after all, Aristocrats. They didn’t particularly like the Hunters. But, even if she said that… How to put this into words. The young woman would have to try to ease up the tension, even if that meant keeping to herself for a while. Being stressed and expecting to be stabbed in the back – literally or just metaphorically – wasn’t good for their nerves, or hers. The blonde boy smiled and left her to come back to his peers.
Sarah closed the door behind him, before turning towards the bed, putting her luggage on it. She should write to her father, to notify him she arrived safely and met the two “targets”.
That could wait for another half an hour, the Huntress decided as she looked at all her luggage; before rolling her sleeves. Time to unpack...
Dear Father,
As you have probably concluded when you saw this letter, I settled into the Cross-Academy’s Moon Dormitories. I was able to see Kaien Kurosu and Kaname Kuran. Even though I am not inclined to trust the latter – I assume it might be because of my Hunter instincts – , I did not see anything that could make me believe they are plotting together. However, if you really think they are conspiring against the Guild, I will look deeper into it.
I do have a rising concern to share : Kiryu Zero's presence here. You surely knew it, as you knew I had tried to reach out to him. My question is simple enough. Was this your doing?
I will contact you again if I find something interesting.
Waiting for your answer,
Sarah – Jin – Pyrrha Darkwing,
Heiress of the Guild.
The young vampires have reunited in the living room, taking their free time to eat cookies and discuss the news. Well. Discussing was a little over-exaggerated.
“Argh. Can you believe this? A Huntress, in the Night Class! Just how rude can she be?!”
Ruka didn’t get over this. Granted, she was a Huntress so it would have been unlikely that she was raised with the same good manners than them. But she could have seen fit to kneel before such a powerful being like their Dorm president! As for Aido, he had a hard time to not roll his eyes, not even wanting to get into the argument. At least, she didn’t try to attack the Pureblood, unlike a certain prefect they all knew. If the Huntress wanted so, he would gladly leave her alone…
It wasn’t that he wasn’t protective of Kaname-sama. Far from it, even. But all that fuss over one person…
Unfortunately, his cousin – way too kind for his good – wanted to calm down Ruka. By now, he should know that it was a risky thing to do…
“Ruka, please calm down. You’re making a scene.”
“She was right to not kneel before him.”
“Shiki!”
The burgundy-haired model who has supported Akatsuki didn’t even lift his eyes from his Pocky case when she called him out. He was wiped out and having everyone around him arguing was annoying. And he wasn’t one to hold back his bluntness, often at the expense of the others. He went one, under the watchful eye of his modelling partner:
“Kaname-sama is our kind, not hers. She doesn’t owe him anything, unlike us.”
He stopped speaking after that, returning to observing the whole group. Takuma quietly went up the stairs. In order to step back from the debate? Doubtful. He would be the first to try to find terms they could all agree on. He must have been called by the Dorm President. Let’s hope he wouldn’t get back to their room when Shiki was sleeping…
Ruka sighed at the answer, before getting herself together like the good aristocrat she was:
“Mmh if you say so. Let’s hope she won’t get us into troubles.”
“I don’t think she is an idiot. She won’t do anything as long as we don’t threaten her.” Kain said, looking at Ruka with careful eyes, relieved that she was back to her normal mood.
Ah. Then we still need to know what would be considered a threat for Hunters. Aren’t they all hot-tempered like Kiryu, after all?
This was what Senri thought, before getting himself up from the couch. Now that everything quieted down, he could get into his bed and sleep without worrying about another argument between his comrades. Only then, he noticed a thing that should have been obvious and unsettling at the second the Huntress has come into the building. As they were quick to argue and to protest her presence, they didn’t really pay attention to the young girl…
How come that they didn’t pick up any smell of her blood?
Takuma was waiting patiently for Kaname to finally speak and tell him why he asked for the blonde’s presence. Still standing up, an amused smile made its way on his face as he observed his best friend rearranging his chess pieces. The President was an excellent strategist, no one couldn’t deny it.
However, Takuma wasn’t naïve enough to think that the game he was playing was a simple game. The pieces represented real people. The Night Class, The Prefects, the Senate… Maybe even the other Purebloods were included. The blonde vampire had long since accepted that it was simply how Kaname had, and would always operate. Pawns, People, Events, Schemes. It was easier for Kaname to visualise something on a 64-square board.
Another knight joined the battle, on the left side of the board. Finally, Kaname spoke up.
“I would like you to keep an eye on the new student.”
Well. The blonde couldn’t tell he wasn’t expecting that order. Takuma really wanted to let out a sigh. Why would Kaname be that cautious of the Hunters? … They wouldn’t dare to threaten the Academy. Kaname, more than anyone, knew that. Nevertheless, the Vice-president wasn’t exactly one to refuse anything to the Pureblood. The blonde, however, did try to ask the reasons behind his mistrust:
“You think she might become a nuisance to the Academy Project?”
His friend hummed in agreement, turning a chess piece between his long fingers. Takuma couldn’t help but stare at the object’s movement. An entire turn to the right, another at the right and then half a turn to the left…
“I think she might know more than she is willing to share with us. Like the reason behind her transfer, for example." Kaname stated, placing down the pawn. "This transfer was … rushed. Maybe you could use some of your charm to try and see why she is here?”
The red eyes finally laid on him. Ah. A request. Takuma’s smile grew wider. That was what he wanted to ask him since the beginning. To make sure someone would be able to find information on the new student’s arrival.
Takuma knew he was right now being used like a tool, a mere pawn in Kaname’s hidden court. But that didn’t bother him, far from it. He would do anything for his best friend:
“Fine. I’ll do it, Kaname. I cannot refuse you anything, after all.”
Anya,
I’m very sorry I couldn’t warn you about my departure. It had been so rushed that even I didn’t expect it. One moment I was summoned in Father’s office and the next thing I knew was that somebody was putting my luggage in my hands and making me get into the car.
Cross Academy wasn’t exactly welcoming either. But I should have expected that: Hunters had reluctantly agreed to the coexisting project between Vampires and Humans and since then, we didn't exactly help them to make some improvements with its current system. We are seen as a Necessary Evil, the ones who act as a buffer between the two worlds, even if that means to kill the deviant members of the Vampires. If there is an organisation that would be satisfied with the failing of the Academy’s project… Well. That would be the Guild.
I can’t help but worry about the days to come. This forced cohabitation won’t be easy. I only hope to keep my powers in control and not to scorch someone because he had the misfortune to spook me. I wish you were there. You always have been quick to bond with other people, not matter if they were Hunters or Vampires. You don't appreciate how much you should value your social skills, Anya.
On a more serious tone, I’m nervous. Father sent me far too quickly to this Academy: it doesn’t make sense. He had always been the one to begrudge it when I had to go out of the house. It doesn’t feel right, I fear that he has something on his mind. The problem may be the Academy, who knows. Could you, if you can afford to, talk to him and ask him about what it expects from this mission? I know your relationship with him isn’t exactly at its best, it hadn't been for a while. However Helen will never question him about his plans even if I asked her and Kai… You know I can't ask that of him.
I hope you’re resting well in the secondary residence. Is Kai taking good care of you? I’m sure he does. I’m going to have to finish this letter here unfortunately. I still have to store all my clothes and to sign up for classes. You should see the Dorms, you’ll be so shocked: I’m not sure vampires did get what dorms should be like, in the eyes of mere mortals. Not that we can speak for ourselves here, but still. You know it is outrageously lavish when you have a shower and a bathtub for yourself.
With all my love,
Sarah
Sarah finally laid her pen down as the paper before she was tempted to add something else. She hoped her older sister would answer quickly; that mission really didn't feel right.
She didn't mention Zero being there, at Cross Academy. The heiress was afraid that the letter would go on to no end if she began to tell how her first day went in detail, including her feelings about this. And she certainly wasn't ready for the onslaught of questions that would come of it. Perhaps Anya would still ask. Her Sight was always acting up in the most random moments.
She shook her head and put away her writing material, before getting up. She had to complete her admission … and to unpack her last luggage. A subtle, but stubborn smile wouldn't leave her face, as she enclosed the letter into an envelope. Maybe being in the Cross Academy wouldn’t be so bad. She could treat it as vacation, or something.
Secundo Nocturno, Fine.
Notes:
That's it for today! Let me know if you've got questions about this or if you've simply enjoyed today's reading! Kudos, comments are always appreciated! I wish you a nice week-end!
Chapter 3: Tertio Nocturno: The consequence of Imagination is Fear
Summary:
A Huntress' s journey into the vampires' den, and some insights on certain family members.
Notes:
It's been a long wait, during which everyone held their breath. A decade of hope, and despair. But this is it, Vampire Knight: Memories has officially ended.
And with it, I feel comfortable coming back to that story. Knowing how something ends helps one to calculate what one wants to keep, and what one wants to leave aside.
I will try to update those chapters regularly, though I will have to say it once again : English is not my main language, and I have to translate the original chapters before being able to post it there. Microsoft Word does simplify this task now with their embedded translator, but a second-check is always necessary.
With that said, I hope you do enjoy this chapter. As always, what is Matsuri Hino's is her own, what is mine, remains mine.
Chapter Text
Anya.
Anya received the letter one day after it was sent. She was once again far from the Guild, far from the plots and manipulation. The house where the disabled woman resided could be considered a small corner of paradise, with its mountainous side, where crickets sang, and the lake sparkled as if thousands of diamonds were laying in its bed. The brunette hated this place, especially because she lived there under her father's orders. It didn't take a psychic to understand that he wanted to keep her away from the Crown and its schemes, one of which was beginning to emerge. And upon opening the letter, Anya knew she wasn't the only one with this impression...
How reassuring, she wasn't paranoid as Kai had suggested. Speaking of which...
"Is it from Sarah? It looks like her handwriting."
"It's funny that you recognize her handwriting, considering you never open the letters addressed to you.” Anya replied easily enough, eyes flicking through the content of the missive.
The man rolled his eyes as he stepped onto the balcony, lighting a cigarette, and taking a puff. He knew she would bring it up again someday. Anya didn't seem to handle conflicts well, especially the one between Sarah and him. Although it saddened him to hurt his older sister, Kai wasn't going to reconcile with the youngest of the siblings on her terms. So, he decided to refocus the conversation on the letter:
"What does she want from you?"
Anya shrugged, her hands resting calmly on the armrests of her wheelchair, raising her blue eyes towards the landscape.
Can't say the view is unappealing, at the very least.
"She thinks, as I do by-the-by, that Father is scheming behind our backs. She wants me to dig a little in that direction since she's stuck in an academy." Anya informed him, her voice quipping at the beginning.
A long puff of smoke almost made her cough, as Kai knelt beside her, his dark violet eyes fixed on her with barely concealed concern.
"You should give up. Last time, Father didn't tell you anything.” he said.
Finally, his sister deigned to look at him with her sapphire blue eyes, her pale lips forming a small line. It's too late, she was too involved to back down.
" I'll just try again, and again, as many times as it is necessary to get the information I want. No matter what the means."
"Don't you dare bring me into this,” he snapped.
Her brother quickly left with his words, almost angrily crushing his cigarette under his foot. Anya closed her eyes, the smell of tobacco and musk lingering on the balcony for a while. She didn't want to anger him. But whenever Sarah or the Guild was mentioned, he got upset. Kai wasn't very patient or inclined to make compromises.
But the black-haired girl had to dig deeper; she sensed that something was not right. She maneuvered her way into the residence, smiling a little sadly. She would try to keep her brother out of it, as it was his wish. Nevertheless, she had the feeling he would have to get involved anyway.
A storm was looming on the horizon, after all.
Sarah,
I don't blame you for not letting me know about your departure; as I know it was beyond your control. I have already expressed my discontent to Father, but.. Well, you know him: it goes in one ear and out the other.
I will try to learn more about his plans, don't worry. In the meantime, enjoy your stay and have some fun, get good grades, socialize a bit! You used to complain about not seeing enough of the human world, so this is your chance. You're safe from the Guild there. So, have some fun while you can, that's the only advice I can give you, unfortunately.
Don't worry about the Academy or about me: Kai is taking good care of me. You know him: a shitty temperament, but deep down he's not a bad person.
Haha, I know the vampires haven't given up their way of life. Well, enjoy it, and don't be so mean!
I hope to see you soon,
Anya
????
The scent of blood filled the entire field as the two women arrived, dismounting, and surveying the scene before them.
Times were tough, they had no doubt about that. The two sisters had always struggled to survive. Humans were so few now, populating this earth... While they, the monsters, the separate beings, were gradually integrating, destroying everything in their path. Now all-powerful, some had forgotten that those who initially gave them life were indeed human.
The younger one ran up to one of the men, being careful not to stumble over a pitchfork or another corpse. The field was filled with tribe banners, weapons, horses fallen mid-run... Men, women, children, all lying on the ground, bearing bite marks on their bodies. The massacre was fresh; perhaps there were still survivors. The calmer one followed her slowly as the first one offered water to an unfortunate soul who hadn't yet passed away.
Diana would have gladly ended his suffering, but her dear little sister seemed determined to talk to him first. The cough and blood didn't distort certain words.
Like the last one the sisters were starting to hear all too often... "Vampires."
Of course, it would be them. The elder sister sighed in annoyance, drew her sword, and plunged it into the man's heart. Kali didn't even flinch. She simply glared at Diana:
"We could have tried to save him."
"And drag a corpse along for the next few miles? There are no other villages nearby. It is less cruel to end their suffering than giving their false hopes. Now, let's move. They might not be far away."
Kali prepared to respond, her unique eyes shining in the semi-darkness, but no words came out. Her sister was right. As always. But did Diana never have any regrets about the poor victims they left behind?
The younger one seriously doubted it. Her sister, the redhead, was too focused on their survival to think about anything else. Finally getting up, Kali mounted her horse again, with Diana already galloping ahead of her.
Hopefully, none of their kind would have arrived at the next village before them.
Sarah.
The hot water from the shower reminded her that she would probably have to stay holed up in bed and not emerge until the end of the year.
Sarah sighed, turning off the water and stepping out of the bathtub. Having to switch between wake-up times hadn't been kind to her, and she felt like it would take a while for her to switch into "bat mode." The redhead was also hungry. Really hungry. Apparently, vampires only eat when they feel like it, otherwise, blood tablets suffice.
Great. There will be fewer people in the kitchen. That's what the girl thought, clearly not very sociable in the morning. Once she put on her uniform, she stealthily left the room. It was 4 o'clock, and if, unfortunately, she woke someone up, the hunter would probably get massacred because they had all stayed up late this morning.
It would be foolish not to survive your first day, wouldn’t it, Sarah?
She brushed off that thought as she entered the kitchen: there was a more pressing issue to solve right now. Where were the cookies? After a silent search, she found what she was looking for and decided to make herself a hot chocolate. The curtains of the window were not closed, revealing that the sun's rays were beginning to fade. Right. We were approaching the end of autumn, with red and orange leaves falling as the cold set in.
Sarah loved this season. It was a perfect excuse to have a nice hot chocolate and stay under her blanket. Could she do that, for once? It would be more rewarding than attending an awfully serious, boring-to-death class.
The whining of the microwave snapped her out of her thoughts. With the first sip, she felt awake and finally ready to face the day. However, she was not prepared for a voice calling out to her from behind: "Good morning, Darkwing-san, you're up early!"
She could kiss her peace and quiet goodbye. The girl with heterochromatic eyes turned around, wary, before seeing the infamous blond from last night, the one who was all smiles, as if he could have bitten three or four young virgins right after getting out of bed. Ichijo-san, was it? She raised an eyebrow.
If there's anyone who shouldn't be awake, it's him, for God's sake!
"Takuma-san. I thought I wouldn't see anyone at this hour."
If he understood the implied meaning in her words, the blond vampire didn't show it, his smile never faltering. Sarah suddenly felt that the same smile was a mask, not as sincere as yesterday's. Her initial instinct would have been to avoid the upcoming conversation: she knew he was going to talk. At the same time, the young woman was curious to know what he wanted. That's why the redhead did nothing but take another sip of her hot chocolate as he tried to revive the conversation:
"You arrived just in time for the cold season, Sarah-san. It's a shame you missed the first semester."
"Hmm. I hadn't received the order to join the academy yet. School is not my primary interest," she said, shrugging.
This quickly piqued the blond's interest, withdrawing his gaze from the window to observe the expressionless young woman.
"Did you leave school early, perhaps?” he asked.
"No. I was homeschooled. It gave me more time to train to become a Hunter."
There it was, she understood. Sarah glanced at him from the corner of her eye, keeping her half-full cup in hand. He was fishing for information. For Kuran? Most likely.
Should she be alarmed that the Pureblood was already so suspicious? She wondered. People of his status were always half-paranoid and worried about the intentions of anyone in their personal circle. It had allowed them to stay alive for so long, she supposed. Although it made her task more difficult if he was mistrustful. Or perhaps, it could indeed prove that he was plotting something.
Suddenly, Sarah felt a bit more motivated to accomplish her mission. She downed the rest of her cup, hiding her faint, barely-there smile behind the object.
"So, do you like the academy so far?"
Sarah had not been expecting that. The redhead raised an eyebrow in reaction. It's a bit early to give an opinion, perhaps... She looked at the windowpane again, seeing the sky gradually darkening. Wasn't it time to get ready for real? She closed her eyes.
"The room is comfortable, the dorms are quiet, we're not obligated to go to the cafeteria to eat, and with a bit of luck, the classes will be peaceful. What more could you ask for in an academy?" she enumerated, shrugging.
Takuma smiled at that. She was a simple girl, it seemed. It reminded him of the behaviours of two certain people he was definitely familiar with. At that moment, he was almost certain that the hunter had only come for her mission, as she had explained. Maybe Kaname had been a little too paranoid about this. Sarah cleaned her cup while grabbing a box of cookies that was there. Oh, Pockys? It's her lucky day. She glanced at the blond, raising an eyebrow.
"Why all these questions about my arrival and my opinion on the academy, Mr. Vice President? Are we filling out the Night Class guestbook?"
That caused him to choke on his coffee. And just as he was about to recover with false excuses, she had already disappeared. Damn it. He had thought he was being discreet... And the vice president couldn't even deny it...
Rima let her gaze slide over her best friend, who was still half-asleep. Sitting on his couch, he was struggling to gather the scattered papers on his desk. That's when the redhead chose her moment to bring up the sensitive topic:
"Senri, you haven't been visiting your mother much lately..."
"I didn’t have the time. The agency wants me to do more and more shoots,” the young man answered.
Oh, the same old excuse. Rima didn't insist, it wasn't worth it. Senri and his mother had always had a difficult relationship... Nevertheless, the heir of the Shiki family was helping the woman who had lost her sanity. Mizuki Shiki had an extraordinary son.
A shame that she probably didn't even realize it anymore.
That's why Rima understood why Senri wasn't fond of family visits. She had known him for a long time, they had first met in a studio... At that time, the boy's mother wasn't too deranged yet, but she had her little episodes: she had practically forced Senri into the modeling agency. Well, she shouldn't complain, that's how the blonde-haired girl had met him.
"Maybe send her a letter. It will give her something to hold onto for a while."
Now he was listening to her more attentively. Senri tiredly placed his gray-blue eyes on her before nodding thoughtfully. She knew he would do it...
"Put on your jacket, we have to go."
Senri nodded and got up, heading to his room, their synchronized footsteps resonating in the hallway with the dimmed lights. Senri ran a hand through his tousled hair.
A letter, huh?... He supposed that could work, yes. It's been a long time since he had stayed there. Hopefully, it will calm her down a bit...
He descended the stairs with Rima. Everyone was already there, including the new odorless girl. Ah, and Takuma looked a bit embarrassed... That's rare. But Senri didn't have time to ponder further, as he felt a headache coming on upon hearing distant screams... No way. Were they already at the gates?
Ugh... Here we go again, another headache.
Sarah, too, wondered what was happening, hearing... What was she hearing, by the way? It was partly piercing bird-like cries, partly screams of agony. The redhead suspiciously looked towards the entrance. And on top of that, no one seemed surprised. Rather... blasé.
So, was she supposed to draw her weapon or...?
"It's just the Day Class."
The young woman looked at the tall redhead next to her in a suddenly disillusioned manner, as he stretched lazily.
Wait. No. No way. Those horrible screams, they're... from humans? No, she couldn't believe it.
"Don't look at me like that, it's true. Well, it always surprises the first time..."
She blinked, as if he had read her thoughts. Well. Apparently, her shock was visible to everyone. But really? Sarah ran her hand over her throat, raising an eyebrow. She wasn't sure if she was capable of producing such shrill screams. Or maybe they were really enraged in this academy.
It's not impossible either, come to think of it.
Shut up, Sarah. Just focus on surviving until you reach that classroom.
Even in her head, she truly was a delight. The Huntress sighed as Kuran gave a speech about human-vampire cohesion, about how the Night Class had to be impeccable and all that. Sarah had only one desire: for him to finish talking already and for them to finally go to class. At least there, everyone would be quiet. That's what she hoped, anyway.
Finally, the doors opened, and the elite to which she now belonged stepped forward to leave the building. The vampires squinted at the last rays of sunlight, but Sarah was surprised that they didn't show more disturbance than that.
Or maybe they were too busy trying to cover their ears. The good news was that they weren't banshees here to make their eardrums bleed, but actual humans. More precisely, human girls.
The bad news was that the noise got worse as they approached them. Sarah grimaced a bit, hiding her face behind her notebooks. With a glance, she saw Zero and the Director's daughter trying to contain what Sarah would now call the Harpies. Feeling a twinge of remorse, she looked away.
Stop right there. You were not the one to blame all those years ago, and you still aren’t today.
Oh really? However, it was guilt that was gripping Sarah's throat at this very moment. But she quickly furrowed her brows, hearing a much less shrill voice right next to her.
"Good evening, my little cuties! You have no idea how much I missed you! ~"
Aido Hanabusa, in the process of... charming and strutting like a peacock, there are no other words for it.
Sarah was almost certain that she had a face a foot-long, judging by the laughter she heard behind her. She turned around to see Takuma chuckling in his corner yet saying nothing to explain himself.
She almost felt like hiding.
And now, I'm the Vice-President's new attraction. Great.
Anyway. Sarah shook her head, wanting to get rid of her thoughts. But seriously, Hanabusa had all the qualities of a celebrity.
Yeah, the new Primadonna. With any luck, he'll give us a remake of Circus starring the Day Class. Or better yet, Kaname and his gang.
A smile threatened to break through as she imagined the scene. Oh no. The hunter had hoped that her vivid imagination would let her off a little! Now, if she sees Kaname, she'll have the mental image of him in latex pants. Pff...
Fortunately for her, the torture came to an end, and Sarah collapsed onto her desk, only preceded by the lazy duo behind her, namely Senri Shiki and Rima Toya.
She hadn't spoken to them, at least not personally. But what can you do, the files she had received before coming here also contained personal evaluations from the director during their entrance exams.
Those two were interesting. Not particularly attached to Kuran's circle, it seemed. They seemed like a brother and sister looking out for each other. Well, the world of modeling had brought them closer...
The two lone wolves who still belonged to the pack. Sarah had to admit...
Contradictions have always interested her.
She kept her head in her arms, smiling a little while listening to the sounds in the room. Vampires settling in, some flipping through their textbooks... Was that the sound of someone opening a pack of Pocky?
She jumped when something was suddenly slammed right in front of her.
Good thing I'm not prone to heart attacks, you bastard!
Sarah held her head between her hands, ears ringing, before sighing as she regained her composure. The professor in front of her must have been several centuries old already. And he didn't look happy, the opposite of it really.
And I haven't done anything yet. Okay, let's play the ingénue and see what happens.
“… What is this, sensei?”
“Your entrance test.”
Oh? The young woman frowned. It didn't matter anymore, did it? Since she had passed it without any problems. Well, perhaps except for the science part of the exams, but Sarah had chosen to conveniently forget about it.
While Sarah was trying to maintain her blissful ignorance of the problem, the professor seemed to take great pleasure in making his observation. She wondered if he always made comments in front of the whole class, or whether it was just for her...
“... Convincing results in literature, literature, art history and foreign languages. Surprising, for someone homeschooled. “
"My sister gave me lessons.”
Sarah frowned. What does that mean? For someone homeschooled? Old prat.
Said old prat raised an eyebrow:
"By any chance, did that sister of yours choose to boycott the mathematics and physics?"
Only then, did Sarah see the notes on the papers.
What do you mean, thirty-five out of a hundred in physics? No way. And a twenty out of a hundred in maths? Sarah took the sheets without really understanding, turning to the back to find herself in front of an exorbitant and rather ridiculous amount of red lines.
Oh well, it's not that dramatic. She had a few points! She tried to hide her smile, seeing that she hadn't messed up that much. At least, not more than usual. Perhaps just a tad more. But what Anya couldn’t see certainly couldn’t hurt her.
"With such results, I doubt that you will be able to attend my lessons, young lady."
…Pardon?
Sarah looked up, stunned. She could swear she saw a sly glint in the teacher's eyes. No, what did he mean, she couldn't keep up with his classes?
School is not precisely to attend lessons that would help us improve in these subjects, right? Or did I miss the very essence of the concept of education?
After a while, she closed her eyes, trying to control whatever retort was bound to get out and get her in trouble. On the other hand, not having math and physics... Sarah smiled victoriously, which surprised her new mentor:
"If I understood you well, I can't attend these scientific classes at all. Is that what you're implying?"
The new student blinked innocently, supporting her head with her arm, leaning on the desk. Having witnessed the entire exchange, the blond vampire with blue eyes smiled a bit, landing near the redhead's bench with a smirk. He took a vicious pleasure in answering on the old schnock's behalf:
"Dream on. Not only will you have to fill your off-peak hours with other subjects, but you'll also have private lessons.”
Sarah glared at the obnoxious blondie at his answer,“You could have made a career in the "hope crusher" type, it would suit you perfectly.”
What Private lessons? Sarah was pretty sure that the teachers here weren't giving extra lessons. Especially those in the Night Class, since their night classes were all taking their time.
So what was that nutty smile that Madonna has there?
"These classes are offered by the students of the Night Class."
…Pardon?
For the second time in mere minutes, the young woman had a smile that was too bright to be true, while the blond's remained the same. Then Sarah let out a nervous chuckle...
"You’re kidding, right?”
“Not even for a second.”
They must have looked stupid, all of a sudden. Sarah shook her head twice or thrice, unsure if it wasn’t a nightmare. Hanabusa noticed that when she was moderately annoyed, her right eyebrow twitching by a few millimeters.
What fun!
Inevitably, it made him want to titillate her a little more. Quite annoyed, the professor went to his office, ready to start the lesson. Except that Aido wasn't exactly done with the Huntress who had unashamedly introduced herself into his elite class.
"I'm pretty good at science, you know.”
Well, it was fucking good for him! Sarah raised her second eyebrow, nonplussed. She had the feeling he was messing with her, or trying to. She smiled, barely:
"Oh, you volunteer?”
"If you want, my dear.”
Sarah shrugged, then flicked her finger, beckoning him closer. Hanabusa’s smile grew wider, believing he would have his fun with the new Hunter there. She held her hand as if to tell a secret:
“I'd rather have to eat the entire Man'yōshū than take lessons with you, Primadonna. Thanks, though.”
There was a pregnant pause between the two of them. Hanabusa’s eyebrow twitched. Sarah’s smile remained the same, before slamming the sheets on the desk, ready to listen to the lecture, while the blond turned on his heel to return furiously to his place. Akatsuki Kain might or might not have snorted at that.
And what of Sarah? On the outside, she was trying to keep her calm and take that damn course on economics.
Pff. At least I can still attend the Economy Class. Hélène might have beheaded me if I had been kicked out of it.
Still, the sentiment remained, as Sarah huffed once more. Private lessons? With the other students? The young woman thought she could stay away for this year, but with that new tidbit of information, that plan of hers was, to put it bluntly, screwed.
On the other hand, it might help Sarah keep an eye on the Pureblood and his cohorts. She didn’t have much of a choice anyway.
She lost track of the lecture when the professor began to talk about the forms of financial policy, and it seems that she was not the only one. Instead, she observed.
Kaname was setting himself apart, in a chair that looked very much like a throne, reading a book. He found himself just far away enough from the desk. Notes were, apparently, overrated. Of course, the ash-blonde female vampire wasn't standing far away, leaning against a desk. As if that wasn't cliché enough, Ruka Souen was checking her already perfect nails.
Only a little further back, the two cousins sat together. So far, they were the only ones have opened their class books.
At the back of the room, a student remained standing up, apparently not very interested in the class. Now that Sarah thought of it, it was only the second time she had met her since she arrived. And for good reason: she was as fast as a cat. It was plain to see in her eyes, sharp as blades: a true killing machine. The only reason she was here? Kuran, no doubt.
At the last desks, the modelling couple. They were dozing off, their heads in the crook of their arms. A testament to their overwhelming boredom. God, did she understand them.
As for the Vice-President...
Uh She could have sworn she had seen him by the stairs.
Sarah narrowed her eyes, feeling a presence behind her, their gaze heavy on her back. She thought for a second, weighing the pros and cons, before grabbing a page and a pencil.
Three seconds later, Takuma received a crumpled piece of paper on his desk, coming from the front.
‘Please take stealth lessons, that was pitiful.’
……
Sarah tried to refocus on the class, and curiously enough, the evening went on... Easily enough. At least, until she was forced to choose her... replacement courses, that is. The professor that seemed to be fed up with her already was massaging his temple.
"I can offer you subjects... let's say in your skills. Philosophy, Cinema, Economics, Advanced Sports...”
He trailed on and on. The redhead raised an eyebrow, unconsciously focusing on the first ones enumerated. There were just so many of them... And Sarah only had to take two of them. She pondered over it for a hot second. Advanced sports wouldn't be a bad option, given her training. She would be able to stay sharp. As for the other...
"Take the Drawing class,” said a bored voice out of nowhere.
Sarah turned around quickly, a frown on her face. She had definitely not felt the models coming from behind her... They looked wide awake this time. Senri bit off another Pocky stick, while Rima remained a little behind. Their blue eyes stared at her; neutral, almost clinical. Enough to give her chills.
Sarah didn’t consider herself to be easily intimidated. Still, she was not going to lower her guard yet.
"Why that one?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow.
The male model shrugged his shoulders, as if it didn't matter. Nevertheless... She could have sworn she saw a twinkle in his eyes. Amusement? Sarah could not say. But he went on in the same voice, half asleep, half bored:
"It isn’t going to be much of a commitment. Why not give it a try? Unless you don't feel like hanging out with vampires more than you have to…”
He let the sentence die. Sarah narrowed her eyes. She could see a challenge when she was faced with one.
The young woman turned around to look at the pamphlets on the desk: Drawing, or Art Class. It wasn’t beginner level, if she understood correctly. Yes, Sarah was much more interested in the student list.
Right in one. Both models were listed. As well as the Vice-President.
Definitely a challenge, then. She glanced over her shoulder: the models were already gone. A moment passed, then, Sarah wrote on the sheet laid before her and signed.
She hated challenges. But she accepted them, no matter what. If anything, it would fill up her schedule.
Hélène.
The clatter of high-heeled shoes announced the arrival of a woman in the higher floors of the Guild. White hair, a tall and lithe figure, sharp eyes, and folders stuck under one arm. The only thing that made this figure more authoritative than graceful was the frowning that seemed to have taken residence on her face. Right when she arrived at her destination, she spoke.
“You’ve scattered my siblings.”
Her father, the king, did not even look up from his papers. The situation seemed awfully familiar to him. Despite the accusing words, the tone was rather neutral. This was to be expected from Hélène.
The eldest of the Darkwing siblings was surely the one who remained the most professional. And she is also the one who didn’t have anger management problems, unlike the others.
Edward Darkwing tried not to play favourites. But Hélène was definitely the one that caused him the least headaches.
"That would be correct. Anya is on leave; Kai gave up on his duties indefinitely, saying he wanted to have a chance at surviving this…’mess’,” Edward answered, borrowing his son’s exact words. “As for Sarah, she is on a mission.”
Helene raised an eyebrow, and went to take one of her father's cigarettes, twirling it between her fingers. She sat quietly to ponder about those new pieces of information. Kai had made no secret of his distate for the family’s business. Anya being…sent away wasn’t a surprise either. Her youngest sibling, though…
"Where to,” Hélène asked.
“Cross Academy,” was the concise reply. The King was still busy writing.
"Is this really wise? Those are neutral grounds.”
Hélène pictured it. Sarah, in a nest of vampires who were revolving around a Pureblood... Putting a Hunter, especially the heir apparent, and the situation checked all the requirements for a bloodbath. Especially with the vampires' protective instinct towards their Pureblood and Sarah's seldom, but devastating tantrums. Why hadn't Hélène been warned earlier?
She would have gone there too and helped. Or, at the least, enjoyed it as everything came to a crash. She had little patience for this coexistence project.
Helen passed her hand over her forehead and looked at her King.
"Anything else I should know?” She asked, trying to leave her sarcasm out of it.
If Edward had noticed it, he didn’t comment.
“No. But if she doesn’t succeed... or if she gets a little too attached to this academy, for some reason, you will get involved.”
Of course. The eldest sister ought to have both her father’s and her sister’s back. Hélène nodded, tucking the cigarette for later use, before she took a file out of the desk. Another mini-diplomatic accident that she would have to deal with. Fortunately, she was rather fond of the Senate’s subordinates. They were orderly, and no-nonsensical.
Edward, out of the corner of his eye, saw his eldest stand up. He hummed.
“If you could do me a favour, Hélène, and tell Asatô I will need to see him shortly. We have much to discuss.”
The woman with the icy eyes smiled. It wasn’t kind.
"Very well, father.”
Sarah.
Sarah entered Kaname's office, very unhappy to be woken up from her digestive nap. Why on earth make her come so late after class? The Pureblood was, as usual, sitting comfortably. He looked up at her arrival.
"Good evening Sarah-san.”
"Good morning, rather.” She corrected, before jumping straight to the point. “What do you want, Kuran?”
The latter heaved a long sigh, as if tired. Sarah had little to no compassion at his display, given that the brown-haired vampire could just have gone to bed, like any sane vampire at this hour. Sarah’s annoyance, though, didn’t last, as she caught the sight of something on the coffee table.
A game of chess, already in full swing from the looks of it. Except, from what the Hunter had observed, no one went to his room, at least not frequently to play chess. Was he playing on his own? How…peculiar.
"Why, I would simply like to know what you are doing there.” Kaname stated, his hand hovering over a pawn. “It’s not often that someone of your pedigree comes into our humble abode.”
Kaname paused, before he enumerated things. Titles. “Heir apparent to the throne, Fourth of the Darkwing siblings, Holder of Saturn. Are there more, or did I remember every each of them?”
By the gods, hearing him made her want to clench her fists. This was a topic Sarah had no desire to discuss with him. She took a breath, and then, calmed down.
"That must be it. I haven't memorized every one of them either.” She paused, before shaking her head. “No that it matters. I repeat, what do you want?”
"I told you. I want to know what you're doing here.” Kaname reasserted, placing a white bishop on the board.
That made three of them, at Sarah’s best count, and far more pawns than there should be. Whatever game this was, it was not a classic one. Sarah forced herself to take her eyes off the chessboard to answer:
"You know the answer to that. My father sent me here. My sister didn’t have the time to take care of my education anymore. And this -” Sarah waved her hand at the proverbial situation. “-demonstration of goodwill will improve the Guild’s relationship with Kaien Cross. I didn’t get to say my piece.”
I would have preferred Anya to continue teaching me. I wouldn't have had to deal with math and physics.
"I don’t believe you,” Kaname answered, as if talking about the weather.
“Then don’t,” Sarah replied easily. “I understand your position. But it matters very little. I am here to stay.” A pause, then the Hunter had to say it, lest he was under a false assumption. “I won’t make it my goal to please you, though. You have enough followers as it is.”
The room felt colder. Sarah shook her head, and turned her back to him.
"I believe we’re done here. I'm going to sleep now, if you'll excuse me...”
She refrained from slamming the double doors, returning to her own room. The redhead immediately slumped on her bed, replaying the conversation in her mind.
He didn’t trust her, that was for sure. And she couldn’t blame him for it, all things considered. However, his suspicions were stronger than what she had expected. He was wary of her, as if she were a threat, and a dangerous one at that. On the verge of committing a murder.
Sarah knew she wasn’t that of a danger. What would she gain by attacking a student? That type of act would make a war break out. Sarah shook her head at the thought, dismissing it. It didn’t make sense.
She straightened up with a frown, before turning her head to the small coffee table, bare of all contents. It might become useful.
Sarah spent the rest of the night conjuring up a chessboard, reconstructing the game she had seen in the Pureblood's office. Questions tormented her mind, every time she moved a pawn.
Was everyone a pawn in that strange and life-size game that Kaname seemed to be indulging in?
If so, who was he playing against?
… And what happened to the person who was embodied by a pawn, when it fell?
Maybe the King of the Hunters was right. It could very well be that Kaname Kuran was playing a dangerous game.
Sarah just hoped that it wouldn't take on the disproportionate magnitude that her father had predicted. But hope... Wasn’t a luxury Hunters nor Vampires could afford to indulge in.
AlexisTasartir on Chapter 2 Tue 23 May 2023 11:42AM UTC
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FurnaceWitch on Chapter 2 Tue 05 Aug 2025 11:28AM UTC
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