Maya jogged across the grounds, trying to follow the scent of Yuuki who had wandered away from her original location after Kaname had given Maya orders to stand guard outside the room while he left to do other business.
She ran into Kaien and Yagari, who was walking across the grounds away from a secluded building.
"Maya, what are you doing out here?" Kaien asked. Maya stopped just short of them, eyes trained to her adoptive father. he no longer wore his regular goofy outfit but had on an old hunter coat, his sandy hair down out of his usual ponytail and glasses gone. He was also carrying a sword.
"I'm looking for...nevermind. What are you two doing out here? I thought Zero would be with you?"
"He's currently locked up in a cell, President's orders." gruffed Yagari.
"Locked up? What do you mean locked up! Do you really think that's a good idea? We need him, we need everyone to help protect this school." She replied, sensing a large number of Level E's approaching the main gates.
"Kaname-kun and the Night Class are on our side. That's more than enough."
"Is it?" She asked, doubtful. Turning on her heal marched off.
"Maya!"
She stopped, turning around to look back at Kaien and Yagari.
"Where are you going?" questioned Kaien.
"You worry about you, father," Maya stated, smiling a little and continued on her way.
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An omniscient presence looked on the stone bridge that spanned between the campus and the Moon dorms, as did a large number of Level E's and Aristocrat vampires alike. It set Maya on edge, causing the wolf inside her go let out a guttural growl.
She ran up towards the bridge after hearing a startled, almost pained cry from Yuuki and jumped up on the stone railing, going around the dormant pile of bodies, seeing Rido in his true body, holding Yuuki in place by what looked and smelled to be whip-like structures of blood. Some of the Night Class students were there, but they had been trapped in place, unable to move by what looked to be restraints made from black smoke.
Without hesitating she pushed off with her feet and flung herself in into the air, directing herself towards Rido's turned back. In midair, she phased, willing her body to turn into its other true form. A massive white wolf replaced her human figure.
She opened her jaws, revealing two rows of sharp fangs and clamped down on the shoulder of the unsuspecting pureblood. He cried out, whipping around to try and dislodge her, and she used that momentum to propel him away from Yuuki, letting go of his shoulder at the right moment. He flew back, landing on the pile of bodies he had so graciously placed.
Maya landed on all fours, partially over Yuuki, whose restraints had disappeared the moment that Maya had attacked.
"Ohhh, look. Finally appearing in your true form. What a good dog you are." Rido purred, standing and holding his shoulder. Maya snarled, baring her blood covered fangs at the pureblood. "You took my prize away from me..."
"May...Maya!" gasped Yuuki, realizing who Maya was, she knew she could sense it.
"Well then, come and get me." He said the malicious intent was full in the vampire's gaze. A greedy smile accompanied it. Maya complied, nails digging into the stone as she ran forward, ready to hurt this pureblood once more.
Suddenly, a mass of what looked like vines with thorns enveloped Rido, Maya skid to a stop, watching as the vines and Rido disappear into the forest. The only thing that remained was destroyed stone, a large pile of dust from the dead Level E's. Maya turned human, spitting the blood from her mouth and wiping the rest of it off with the cuff of her coat sleeve.
"Zero," Maya muttered.
"Zero!" cried Yuuki, ready to jump off after the two of them. Maya grabbed Yuuki before she could do so.
"Don't! Are you crazy?" Maya shouted.
"But-"
"Don't give your uncle what he wants! I know you're trying to do the right thing, but you need to stop!" She stated. She couldn't go either, not until Kaname called for her. Yuuki relented, and Maya finally let go, eyeing the younger girl in case she tried to sneak past.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Yuuki tugged at her coat sleeve. "You're bleeding, Maya-chan."
Maya had been clutching her side since she had let go of Yuuki. Rido had swiped at her mid-brawl, getting purchase on more than just her coat.
"I know...I'm fine," replied Maya with a small smile. It wasn't deep, but it did sting and had bled through her coat. "Don't worry about me, Yuuki. Okay?" She gently ruffled Yuuki's hair and felt Kaname's aura pull her in the direction of the forest where the noise had died down to nothing. She could sense that Rido was no more. "Stay here with the others."
Maya leaped over the side of the bridge, landing on the grass at the edge of the wide lake-like river with a gasp of pain as her wound smarted. She jogged into the forest, finding Zero and Kaname at a face off. The vines attached to Zero were swimming in the air, and then they launched towards Kaname.
"Zero, stop!" She cried, throwing herself in between the two. She didn't have a choice, seeing as she had been forced to do it. The vines stopped inches from her gun, which had been drawn and was now in her hand, pointing in his direction.
"Get out of the way, Maya!" Yelled Zero.
"I can't." She said, feeling her eyes brim with unsuspecting tears. She hated this, hated the fact that Kaname was using her like this. In turn, it was hurting her and Zero's built relationship all because he wanted to use her as a pawn in his stupid little game.
"Maya, move! Get out-" He stopped, eyes widening in surprise at the tears that now flowed freely down Maya's cheeks.
"Please, Zero." She declared, her hand holding the gun was shaking. "I'll explain...just please..."
It hurt. All of this hurt.
"Zero!" Yuuki's far off cry made Maya flinch. That girl never listened to anyone, did she...
"I know that you would never land that final blow, Zero Kiryuu. Because of Yuuki..." Kaname said, before placing a hand on Maya's shoulder and transported them elsewhere.
__________________________________________
"Stop using me like that!" Shouted Maya, wiping the remains of tears from her face. Kaname had placed the two of them near the crumbled remains of the Sun Dorms, which had been destroyed in the fight. "You're ruining my life!"
"I can direct you in whichever way I chose. For now, I am in no longer need of your services." Kaname said. "I don't care about your life."
"Does that mean you'll release me from your stupid 'Master and Slave' bind that you have on me? I'd appreciate it greatly."
"No. I won't bother you. But, do know that I am not through with you yet." Kaname disappeared into a flurry of bats.
Maya let out a yell of rage and sat down on one of the pieces of the building, feeling the first rays of morning sunlight hit her back. Why, why did things like this have to happen, she thought. All Maya had wanted was a normal life, and it had escalated to this level of insanity. One thing after another.
It was an endless cycle, a Circuit of events that seemed to plague her. It would never stop.
A strong breeze wafted across the now silent campus, it was accompanied by the overwhelming smell of blood. Ichiru's blood.
Maya's head snapped up, in the course of events, she had completely forgotten about him. Leaping up from her place on the rock, she followed her nose which led her to the building that led down to the cell that had held Zero unsuccessfully.
"Ichiru!" She shouted, a hollow feeling in her chest when she could smell the amount that was coming from the cell. She reached the broken door and almost ran straight into Zero, who was holding a limp Ichiru in his arms.
Zero's eyes were hidden behind his silver bangs, but the set of his mouth and the tears she saw only confirmed the question that had flashed through her mind. Maya took several, staggering steps back to allow Zero to come out of the building.
Zero did, but fell to his knees, holding Ichiru tighter. Maya could see a rather large injury on his side, but she could also smell his blood on Zero.
"Ich...Ichiru..." Sobbed Maya. She collapsed in front of the twins, laying a hand Ichiru's head. She could feel that he was no longer warm. Zero didn't say anything, but Maya knew. Rido... she had a similar gash on her own body, just like Ichiru. He was the one who had done it.
________________________________________________
Maya stared out the window of the car, hands gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles were almost stark white. Kaien was going to meet them at the Association to discuss the events that had happened a mere hour ago. From the brief rundown that Kaien had relented to tell her after she had goaded him for it, it turned out the President of the Association had been the one to take strike against the ideals and pacifism of Cross Academy. The mass of Level E's were the Associations. They bred their own ex-humans.
No wonder the Association President had kicked her out. It wasn't just because she had physically assaulted him. He knew that Maya was smart and that she would have eventually found out about what they were planning, especially since she was now working with Kaien at the Academy.
Maya glanced over at Zero, who was sitting quietly in the passenger seat, then looked in the rear-view mirror at the motionless body of Ichiru. Both Maya and Zero had remained silent the entire trip, glad that Yagari and Kaien were in the car behind them. It provided them with some uninterrupted quiet because she knew that once they stepped inside the Association, it would be anything but quiet.
Maya flipped on the left blinker and pulled up, parking along the curb in front of the Association. The parking lot was jam-packed, but the street itself was quiet and uninhabited. It was too early on a Sunday morning for any real city activity to take place. Getting out, she slammed her door shut and opened the back door. Being careful and gentle, she tapped into her wolf strength and lifted Ichiru out of the back seat, one arm supporting his back, and the other under his legs. His body was beginning to stiffen, which made her eyes smart with tears before she forced them to go away.
Yagari and Kaien pulled up behind them as she kicked the car door shut with a little more force than necessary, causing the car to rock on its wheels.
Zero looked at her, then to Ichiru.
She shook her head. "I have him, Zero." She stepped onto the sidewalk, making eye contact with her Master and adoptive father, both of them had solemn expressions. Maya's face was a blank mask.
Zero, Kaien, and Yagari walked inside the property perimeter, and Maya began to follow but stopped short when she saw a familiar flash of ginger hair to her right. Turning her head, she saw Heisuke and a few more high-class vampires making their way down the sidewalk in their pristine clothes and powerful auras.
Heisuke stopped when he saw her, causing his business partners or friends to stop too. Maya and he made contact for a few seconds and she saw his dark blue eyes flicker down to the motionless body in her arms, including the dirt, blood, and grime on the both of them.
Maya's stoic facade broke at the presence of the pureblood, her hatred getting the better of her. Purebloods and their disgusting games, their sadistic nature and arrogance ruined lives and destroyed the freedom of the slaves that they created. Whatever spark of kindness that she thought that she had towards purebloods vanished right then and there.
She glared at him with a malevolent ferocity, letting him see the cold wall that she placed between them. He saw this, looking utterly startled at her sudden hostility.
Without blinking, she turned her head and walked through the gates to catch up with Zero.
Author Note: This was longer than expected. I felt that the middle was slightly rushed, probably because I wanted to get the scene over and done with, but I may go back in and edit it later.
Disclaimer: All rights go to the wonderful Matsuri Hino!