Maya had just got done with a sparring session before the sun set. The weather was turning cold as autumn settled over the towns. Maya sat down on a bench in the middle of a tree-spotted park, wincing as she did so. Covered in dirt, blood, sweat, and many healing bruises, she could feel her injuries slowly healing.
The place was not as barren as she expected, given the fragile condition of humanity. Nighttime vampires were the only ones to go out, not really the target of the enemy. There were at least two dozen vampire's flowing down the wide paths, lights strung up on either side to light the way.
It had been nearly five months since the release from her position, leaving her with too much free-time. Fighting and thinking were the only two things she had been able to do. Everyone was becoming busy with the problems at hand, and it forced Maya to be alienated away from her friends and family. It wasn't that it was sad, it was just...lonely. There was no one to talk about this stuff to, not without spilling secrets. She wished Kaname was here, or Naomi, just so that she could finally be able to break down. Maya couldn't remember the last time she truly cried, keeping all the pain locked up deep inside, so that no one really knew. This must have been how Kaname felt all those years. It was agonizing to try and act like nothing phased her, but she was so tired. So very tired.
"Father! Where are you!"
Maya's head perked up at the sound of distress, at the same time feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Perhaps its was the overstimulation of vampires in her presence, but Maya was smarter than that. Standing, she walked on the grass while looking around for the little girl whose voice she'd heard. Maya found the girl several yards away, standing near the edge of the path, tears lining her eyes reflected the light from the path as she looked around for her father. She could sense that the little girl was a vampire too, but just a common one. A Level C.
Spotting something rush at the little girl from behind her prompted Maya to rush in without thinking. Nails sharpening, she punched her hand through the chest of the Level E that had been about to grab her, in the middle of a mildly highly-populated path. Extracting her hand from the Level E, she shoved the vampire away, watching it explode into dust as it hit the pavement.
Her eyes traveled down to the frightened little girl between them, who was staring up at her with wide eyes, a splatter of blood across her cheek. Maya knelt down, reaching out with her clean hand to wipe away the blood.
"Kyoko!"
The little girl turned, as did Maya, to spot a raven-haired vampire, who looked relieved.
"Father!" The girl ran away from Maya, and was picked up by her father, who hugged her, wiping away the blood. The man looked at Maya, who stood, flicking her hand to get rid of some more of the blood, and began to thank her, but stopped.
She could see the recognition on his face, which quickly turned sour. The feeling of eyes on her was evident, and she knew that the entire interaction had not gone unnoticed.
"Takamiya. You stupid dog!"
Oh god. Maya looked in front of her, seeing a couple of hunters.
"That Level E was on our list, and you interfered. Your name will be put into the report and you'll be reprimanded for it." One of them stated.
"I'm not a hunter anymore, if you haven't heard. Besides, if I wasn't to interfere, then perhaps you need to be better." Maya turned and limped away.
______________
The next evening, she was on a run in the same park, in her own little zone as she ran past hunters and vampires going about their nightly duties. Even though she was ignoring them all, she was getting glared and stared at as she ran laps. Her phone began to buzz and she slowed to a stop, putting one foot up on a bench to stretch and take a breather.
"Yeah?" She answered, glaring right back at whoever glanced her way.
"Maya..." Kaito's voice sounded rough, not like he'd been crying, but afraid.
Maya immediately went into protective sister mode, voice softening. "Kaito? What's the matter?"
"Akiyama released the information to the supernatural public about the murder you discovered about the Tanaka and Maeda families. In the article, it says they found gunpowder residue on the ground, and in some of the ashes, and on that coffin. They are pinning all the murders on you, since a lot of people knew how much you disliked purebloods."
Maya sat down on the arm of the bench. "Kaito-"
"Please, Maya. Tell me right now. Did you kill any of them? I won't saying, I just...I need to know, as your brother. Please."
Her chest began to ache. She wanted to tell him everything. Despite her birth circumstances, and blood relation, he was her brother, and she loved him as one. Closing her eyes, she covered her face with a hand, the other gripping the phone hard enough that she could have broken it with just a little more pressure.
"I...."
Kaito was silent on the other end of the line, awaiting her response.
With a deep exhale, she spoke. "When I got there...all of them were already dead. I gunpowder was from my hands. Remember? I told you I'd run into Raiden that same day before I discovered their remains."
"Okay, Maya. I'll talk to you later. I'm about to head back into work."
"Alright, Kaito. Stay safe."
"You too."
Maya hung up, clutching the phone in her hand as she sat there, hunched over with her shoulder's stiff. Let the lies pile up. Maya's name was already smeared in black and white, and from word of mouth. Rumors grew along with the issues, and there was nothing to stop it. God forbid they found out she was an Ancestor as well. There would be an uproar.
Not that she could find out now, but there had ben very little information about Progenitors located in the archives. No one really bothered to learn, just going off of their family history as vampire hunters, and the knowledge that it was a pureblood who had given them weapons. Other than that, there was little importance on the subject. Now that they were frantic, Maya was sure that those inside the Association were searching high and low on how to deal with Raiden.
She grew sad, leaning back against the bench.
Maya's childhood had been all well and good between her and her three other siblings, and that included Raiden. He was a good one back then. Reckless, cocky, funny, and well-mannered most of the time, but still good. Memories slowly panned through her mind; Raiden and her playing together, getting riding lessons from their father, Raiden practicing his powers with her help. Their father had always been harsh and demanding, and was most strict on Raiden who was the oldest of the four. As they had grown, Raiden became more bitter and defiant as a rebellious teenager would have.
Being a caring younger sibling, Maya would always go off and find him to make sure he was alright after their father and him had a shouting match. Sometimes she would find his clothes torn, after they used their powers to fight one another, she would sit there and sew the holes back together, distracting him or letting him vent. They understood one another in their own way. Since Maya had no powers, her father would train her harder than all her other siblings on how to defend herself.
After around three thousand years, Raiden had fallen in love with a regular vampire woman, who was beautiful and kind-hearted, and sharp-minded. But their father disapproved, ordering Raiden to find a pureblood like them to marry, to continue strong family lines. Raiden heavily refused, which caused their father to become infuriated.
One day, Maya had agreed to meet up with Raiden's fiancée for a chance to hang out, and Maya happily agreed. Her father secretly followed Maya, unknowingly to her knowledge, and murdered her older brother's fiancé. Maya had told Raiden what had happened, and he immediately put the blame on her, telling her that Maya knew full well how much their father hated that woman.
From that day on, Raiden hated Maya no matter how many times she wanted to make amends for her mistake. He wouldn't have it. And from that day on, Raiden took every chance available to return the favor, making her life miserable. Part of her still believed that Raiden wasn't all bad, that there was a reason for everything he had done in the past, and after his awakening just three years ago. Even though Maya was smart, Raiden was absurdly hard to understand then, and now.
What was it that he wanted...?
All she wanted was her brother back. The one she loved to have around growing up. He was the only blood-sibling she had left.
Maya closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath, swallowing hard as a pang in her chest appeared. Tears escaped her eyes and she reached up, wiping them away.