"You're back," the judge greeted us. "Now, we may continue the trial."

I nodded mutely. Time to hear the verdict.

"You are not a Level E vampire," the judge reprimanded me strictly. "You can control your blood thirsts at will, and killing a man has also caused problems between the human and vampire race." Come to think of it, was the judge a human or vampire? Frowning, I tried to sense his, well, person in a way. Still, I came up with nothing. He was a mystery.

"We have discussed your punishment," the judge continued stiffly. "And we have come to the conclusion that your sentence will be, either, life imprisonment or death. However, there are some alternative choices, but for Kaien Cross to decide, as the headmaster of the academy you are in."

"And what are the choices?" I would have thought my sentence was death for sure.

"Kaien firmly believes that you can have another chance to make amends and try to make up for your...flaw. However, your actions have put the council into an important debate on whether vampires can be trusted," the judge landed me a severe gaze. "The actual verdict has yet to be decided, as a result. Court dismissed."

The audience and other people and the room began to trickle out, their murmurings acute to my ears.

"Such a young vampire..."

"To think she would commit such a heinous crime..."

"Nothing more than expected, from a Level C."

"Saki," a hand landed heavily on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" I turned around to see Yagari standing there. "I'm fine." Maybe. Well. Not really.

"Well, I'm supposed to take you back," he headed back to the door. "Shina's been worried sick over you."

"That's nice," I replied, not really listening. "I appreciate it."

"I don't think I told you the story of how I met her," Yagari commented, falling into stride next to me. "I was out on an assignment. Two Level E vampires, but the association thought I could handle it. So they sent me off to kill them. In truth, there was actually a whole pack of them. The association was misinformed it seemed. They all attacked me, and even I can't handle a whole pack of them alone. Before long, my rifle was out of bullets and they were too close range for me to shoot them with a bow and arrow. I was all prepared to die, but lucky for me, Shina had been nearby and sensed the vampires and the commotion. She saved my life." He was silent for a while, and I glanced at him side-ways, trying to comprehend his words.

"So you owe my mother now," I stated. Yagari dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Is that why you agreed to teach me?"

"Partly," Yagari admitted. "But I wanted to see how a lower class vampire like you could cope. You had to be somewhat interesting, if you were the only Level C Kaien would allow into the academy."

"Oh," was all I could say. I hadn't realised that I was that much of a curiosity. Yagari stopped walking,   and I realised with a start, that we were at the van.

"Get in the van," Yagari pulled open a door. "I'm supposed to take you back home."

Hastily, I reached for the van door, pulling it open and hauling myself inside.

"Perhaps it's not in my place to ask," Yagari began, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "But what are you to Kaname?"

Why does everyone ask that? The answer's simple. To Kaname, I am just a puppet, someone to control, and someone to do the dirty work for him.

"Nothing," I replied stiffly. "I don't mean anything to him."

"So how come I've seen you being carried around by him a couple of times already?"

"Huh?" What was he talking about? "Have you been spying on me?"

"I have better thing to do than stalk you," Yagari sounded amused, but slightly annoyed. "It's hard not to notice when Kaname marches into the academy with you in his arms."

"When did that happen?" I asked him dumbly. "I don't remember that." Well, actually. I did remember one occasion when Maria told me, but I wasn't going to admit to it.

"If that's how you want it," Yagari replied with a shrug. "I don't care what happens between the vampires in the academy, as long as it doesn't affect the peace between humanity and vampires. And as long as it doesn't affect Shina either."

"You care a lot about my mum," I glanced at him side-ways. "Does she mean a lot to you?"

"I owe her my life," Yagari responded gruffly. "It only seems fair that I try to help her in return."

"Mhm," I nodded. He had a point there. "You had a fiancé didn't you?"

Yagari was silent, but gave a slow nod, his hand going instinctively to the eyepatch on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologised immediately. Didn't he say something about his right eye hurting every time he thought about her? "I forgot..."

"It was a long time ago," he replied calmly. "But my eye still hurts every time I think of it.""I'm sorry," I repeated lamely, staring at my hands.

"I guess you deserve to know why happened," Yagari sounded resigned.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I reassured him. Yagari looked at me with his good eye.

"I'll tell you, unless you don't want to hear it."

"Oh, no, I do want to hear it, I mean, if you want to talk, you know, I me-"

"I get it," Yagari growled, his snappier nature settling in. It almost relieved me to see him like that. but common sense told me to keep my mouth shut. He began talking again, but more gravely.

"It was about ten years ago anyway. Midori and I were engaged. I liked her, we got along well together, so it was a good pairing. She worked as a nurse at Zero's school. It meant she could keep an eye on Zero and Ichiru as well. However, one day, when I went to visit, she...changed. She had been bitten by a pureblood vampire, and had become a Level E. She went mad, trying to attack me and Zero. I told Zero to run, but he refused, thinking Midori still had some level of sanity. Because he didn't listen to me and stayed, Midori attacked him. I defend Zero myself, and so," he raised a hand to his eyepatch. "I lost my right eye. It was impossible to revive Midori back to a manageable state - she had fallen that far. I had to kill her."

I didn't know what to say. It must have been horrible, having to kill your own fiancé like that. But he had to protect Zero and himself. It was his job as a vampire hunter.

"It must have been hard," I finally said softly. "To have to kill your own fiancé. It must have been hard."

"I had no other choice," Yagari said, looking as though he was saying it to himself, rather than me. "She couldn't come back from Level E, and Zero and I would have killed. It was the only way." In one swift motion, Yagari pulled the parking brake, the van parked. 

"Saki!" The shout from the front door must have carried throughout the neighbourhood. "Saki, I was so worried. But you came back, you came back," the senseless mumbling slowed as Mum wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. "I was so scared. If they had you killed because... But what was your sentence? Have they decided it? You're not going to get a-"

"Shina," Yagari appeared, a hand resting on Mum's shoulders. "Maybe you should try calm down a bit."

"Yagari?" Mum looked surprised, breaking out of her hysterics momentarily, and brushing a strand of black hair out of her face. "I hadn't realised, I'm sorry, Saki, I mean-"

"Don't worry about it," Yagari reassured her gruffly. "Maybe you and Saki should go inside and talk things through. I'll be going now."

"No, it's alright," Mum shook her head. "I would really like it if you could stay. Unless you have something to do."

"Are you sure?" Yagari glanced at me. "You and Saki might need to be alone for a bit. I'll only be an interruption."

"Yagari," Mum reached over to tug his arm gently. "You're never an interruption. I would be glad if I wasn't alone with Saki. It's a bit too late for that. Come inside." 

Watching Mum pull Yagari into the house, how she talked to him kindly, and with a hint of...no, it couldn't be. That was impossible. But stil, seeing how peaceful Mum looked when she talked to Yagari - it made me wonder.

As long as it doesn't affect the peace between humanity and vampires. And as long as it doesn't affect Shina either.