Almost absent, Ichika picks up her phone.
'You were right. Kaname did show up but left when he knew that we released Hanabusa,' sounds Kaien's voice. 'I have no idea where he's going but it's not to the building from the society. I know that address.'
She closes her eyes. I think I know. 'Thank you, Mister Cross.'
'I must ask. Why do you keep calling me that?'
'Simple, you are the president of the hunters but also a headmaster of Cross Academy. You are contradicting yourself by having two opposite positions. Are you against the vampires or are you supportive of us?' She uses her familiar and sees enough. 'I have to go, Mister Cross. Something came up.' She goes to the receptionist. Cleaning up after Kaname. 'I hope to be back within an hour. Hold my calls.'
The guy can only nod, or she's gone.
***
I have work to do, Kaname. I can't keep cleaning your mess. Arriving, Ichika sees the destroyed wall. I see you are here. So far, everything is going according to plan.
Having what she came for, Sara stops in her tracks while eyeing her sister. 'Ichika.' She spits out. 'Here to stop me? You should have arrived earlier then.'
'Hello, Sara.' Ichika sees her arm is missing. 'You need to stop playing with forces beyond your power. Now, you miss an arm. Is it worth it?'
'Yes,' confirms Sara. 'Tell me, what's it like having to live without Takuma? You know he's with me, right?'
Takuma is where he needs to be. 'What's it like to be a puppet on strings? Are you forgetting that I know you? I know what your plan is, and I won't let you succeed.' She collects herself within a second. 'Go, play your game, but now that I'm on to you. I'm here to stop someone else.'
'So you are after Kaname. I've seen you with him. All lovey-dovey with him, cuddling, and kissing.' Sara knows what she saw.
'You can't even tell a close friend from a relationship? How pathetic.' It's the first time Ichika is facing her sister. 'And after all this time, you have nothing better to say other than to criticize me? Not even so much as a simple hello.'
'You kiss all your friends on the cheek?' Sara hears something coming from inside the castle.
Ichika laughs. 'You don't even know the definition of a friend. That's why you always feel compelled to change people. You don't even want friends, you want servants, who will serve you anything and everything. Some things will never change, Sara.' Look at your long vintage dress, which has blood stains because of your ripped-off arm. And then me, a dress with a blazer for the office. We were always different. I follow the fashion trend a little while you are stuck in the past.
'You're crazy.' Sara does see the difference in their fashion choice.
'Not as crazy as you are, Sara.' Ichika checks with the time. 'If you don't hurry up and leave, Kaname will see you.'
Sara huffs. 'So you're not here for me. I should've known.'
'You are aware that Hanadagi is coming, right? I can see him behind you.' Ichika smiles seeing Sara teleporting away from him.
'I'm not done with you yet, Ichika. I'll see you some other time.' Sara disappears, leaving her sister behind.
'Lovely lady, are you here to give your blood to me.'
Ichika grabs Hanadagi's hand. 'No, and I'm a Pureblood like yourself. You can not demand anything from me.' She sees the hole in his chest. 'However, I can help you with something else. Kaname is on his way and do you wish to face him?'
'No, not him. Either help me or stay away.' Hanadagi does remember the woman but not the name.
She moves behind him. 'I can make it more painless for you. Kaname won't show you any mercy.' She bites his neck and drinks just enough blood. 'I'm doing you a favor because Sara killed the rest of your family before taking your heart.'
'If that's so... thank you, Lady...?'
'Ichika,' she tells him his name. 'Ichika Shirabuki.'
Hanadagi knows there's another presence nearby. 'You are the friendlier and kinder version than Sara. Thank you, Lady Ichika.'
'It will be over soon, Hanadagi.' She teleports out of his reach when she sees Nagamichi. Right on time. She sees how Hanadagi requests Nagamichi to give him his blood, but the man declines. Seeing the man with Nagamichi, she can see Kaname.
'Nagamichi.' Kaname starts and kills Hanadagi first. 'You do know what this means, right? You wanted to kill a Pureblood and that is punished with death.'
Nagamichi knows what he wants to do and what his punishment will be. He bows his head. Ready to accept his fate. 'Thank you for saving me, Lord Kaname. It was him or me, he was starving since someone took his heart.'
Ichika sees Yuki, Hanabusa, and Kaien appear.
'Father!' Hanabusa's eyes widen when his father turns into dust.
Kaname looks at Yuki. 'I want to be with you, Yuki, but there is something I must do first.' He turns to see all three. 'I'm sorry.' He turns into bats and disappears.
Ichika leaves and goes back to her office. I will visit his wife later.
***
Knowing no one would look for him there, Kaname teleports inside his office. Since I teleported, the receptionist doesn't know either.
'I see that you didn't destroy Hanadagi's castle. I call that improvement.' Ichika knew he would go somewhere to be alone. 'This is for you.'
He sees it's a bill. Hiroshi? That's her contact in construction. 'What do I need to do with this?' He wants to give it back.
'That's the invoice from him. Since you are the one who destroyed Toma's castle it is only fair that you pay for the reconstruction, Kaname. This is not coming from my pocket, so I expect you to pay me back every cent.' She explains without taking it back.
His eyes widen and looks at the paper in his hand. 'This is from...'
'Yes, and I will not let you off the hook so easily.' She interrupts him. 'And nice of you to drop by, even when Kaien, Yuki, and Hanabusa want to talk to you. They are trying to find you.'
'Always aware of what's happening, I see.' He puts it down and hopes to pay it back later.
'Yes, and unfortunately, I have sent familiars out. Even after you, Kaname, because you left me alone yet again. This is becoming a habit.' She goes back to her office and stays in the doorway. 'Do let me know when you want to leave and tell me something. I'm not asking you to reveal your secrets, but I am your right hand. What am I supposed to do when someone is coming for you, and I have no answer?'
'You are right, I'm sorry.' He apologizes. I'll send her something tomorrow. But what do you give a woman, who already has everything she wants? He makes up his mind and goes to her. 'Ichika.'
His voice brings her back to her office. 'Yes, Kaname.' She smiles.
'It's about what I did.' He wants and needs her support because things aren't over yet. 'It's about Nagamichi Aido. I didn't kill him. That was a copy I made and switched the two.'
'And now he's asleep in Hanadagi's castle.' She knows. 'I'm glad you told me yourself, but I can't just let you go unsupervised. You made a couple of mistakes, and you broke a few rules. If that means that I have to send a familiar after you to stay informed, so be it. Do you know that Yuki found out about a new power?'
'She did?' He can't help but feel proud of the girl.
'Yes, in her desire to find you. She has big butterfly wings that allow her to fly,' she nods and clicks on the next email.
Wait a minute? She knows this? How? He's surprised by how well-informed she is. 'How many familiars do you send out? And where to?'
'Every night and as much is needed,' she answers while clicking to reply to the email. If you only tell me what I need to know, I can do the same. Quid pro quo, Kaname. 'I'm sure you teleported inside to avoid being seen. That means no one knows you're here. Get to work, and I will let it slide.'
'Thank you.' He goes back to his office.
☙❧
I can't believe it! Ichika looks down and sees some Level E vampires trying to kidnap a young girl. So this is going on? Is it truly getting more dangerous around here in the evening? She teleports down and appears behind the girl.
The other vampire sees the woman and recoils.
'Do you know the consequences of your actions?' She covers the girl's eyes before killing the lower level. Would you even think you stand a chance against me? 'Come on, let's get you back home. The bad man is gone.' She offers the girl her hand.
'Thank you, Miss.' The girl grabs her gloved hand and is guided back.
After dropping the girl off with her mother, she goes to the roof of the tower bell.
'Milady!' Ami gets closer and joins her. 'I've taken out a few but they keep coming.'
'I'm aware, Ami.' She knows other vampires are close as well. Zero and other hunters. 'To all the normal vampires in town, brace yourself. This is only to kill all the Level E vampires.' She makes sure everyone can hear her. 'Zero, this might affect you too. Get ready.'
Ami understands what she wants to do and goes to stand behind her. Using your power on such a large scale will have some consequences.
Ichika descends her power through the town, wiping all Level E vampires out.
'Now that's a handy power. Do you know this woman, Zero?'
'Shut it, Kaito.' Zero did feel the power but it didn't disintegrate him. Still a force to be reckoned with, Ichika. I wonder how powerful she truly is. Maybe I can't even kill her.
Ami finds the two and goes down to them with Ichika. 'Please, be careful, Milady.'
'Don't you have enough manpower to patrol the town anymore, Zero? I can miss a few to send them out for a few hours.' Ichika does nod to Ami. I have loyal followers, and they would patrol if I asked them.
'Ichika.' Zero has his hand on Bloody Rose ready to shoot if something goes wrong.
Ami chuckles. 'No need to be so stressful. She did you a favor, you know.' She walks around the two. 'And how are there so many Level E vampires around? Don't they answer to someone?'
'If we knew, we wouldn't be having this conversation,' snaps Zero to the woman.
'So your Ichika.' Kaito heard a few things about her. She doesn't look any older than eighteen years old. Maybe nineteen. 'I've heard a few things about you. Ichika Hirawa, a Pureblood, who attended Night Class at Cross Academy. It seems you have no problem walking into the hunter's headquarters.'
'Kaito shut up.' Zero warns his colleague. She can kill you within a second if she wants and I won't be able to stop her.
I've heard a thing or two about you as well, Kaito Takamiya. Short temper, hates vampires, and Purebloods the most. She focuses on Zero. 'I wanted to ask you something but I got my answer already.'
'What am I? Invisible?' reacts Kaito. 'You Purebloods are all the same. Arrogant, selfish, and eager to bite a human.' He's kicked against a wall and didn't see it coming. 'And that proves it. You only have to lift a finger just to kick me down.'
Ichika raises a hand to stop Ami. 'Ami, no.' She knows Ami kicked him. 'Don't compare me with other Purebloods. Much like humans, we too have some idiots who are ruining everything for the others. You were there at the meeting where I also signed that treaty between us. Right now, I'm the leader of the vampire society and that means I keep everyone under control.'
'Can you shut up, Kaito! She's the one who would punish Kaname if he would do something wrong.' Zero knows that much. 'Every vampire listens to her since Kaname is doing who knows what.' And Yuki hasn't earned her place as a Kuran and a Pureblood. I'm sure Ichika would turn up the pressure on Kaname.
Kaito doesn't like that Zero is on her side. 'So you choose her side? The vampire Pureblood?'
'No, I will do what I must to keep the treaty between hunters and vampires. And Ichika is someone I can talk to.' Zero is annoyed by Kaito's attitude. 'You've seen how she saved that little girl.'
'Tch, probably to sink her fangs in the little girl's neck.' Kaito continues his rude behavior. 'I mean you'll do anything to bite a human.'
Ichika stops Ami from attacking him again. 'Let it go, Ami.'
'But, Milady, he openly insults you...'
'That has to do with what happened in his past. He's both angry and scared of Purebloods. I don't know what happened, and I don't want to know.' She waits for Ami to retreat. 'As for you, Kaito,' she starts and immobilizes him. 'Even when you look down upon me, you have no right to judge me. You don't know me, nor do you know my past. I haven't bitten a human for centuries, if not longer. Don't compare one Pureblood to another. Right now, I'm upholding the treaty, and I will punish everyone who breaks it. Even Kaname if he's the one breaking it.'
Why does it feel like she means it? Does she truly have leverage over Kaname Kuran? Isn't he her king? Kaito realizes he underestimated her power and gets a better idea. 'I don't believe you. You vampires always say anything and manipulate everyone just to get what you want.'
'I'm sorry you feel that way, Kaito.' She doesn't want to let him go yet. 'However, among any race or species, there are always a few who listen to the rules while others break every rule. That goes for humans, hunters, and vampires. You make it sound like you would compare me, a Pureblood, with a Level E.'
'Are you?' Zero knows better and crosses his arms.
Kaito narrows his eyes at Zero. 'Of course you would choose her side since you are a vampire.'
'Let me tell you, Kaito, that comparing a Pureblood with a Level E is a serious insult. You're lucky you are facing me. Any other Pureblood would kill you for that.' I'm above it. Besides, I can not uphold that treaty if I would allow him to get me like that. She frees him from his immobility. 'Surely, that you can see that some vampires are not like the ones you know from your past.' She leaves the boy alone and turns to Zero one last time. 'I'll see you another time. I believe you also know where I work.' Preferably without Kaito. She walks away with Ami around the corner and disappears.
***