Vampire Knight Fan Fiction ❯ Of Living and Learning ❯ Of Living and Learning 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter1

Kairi Ratoleia stared up at the massive castle-like structure of Cross Academy. She sighed in resignation. I wanted to avoid coming here…going so far as to bring up suggestions of being put up for adoption. A whole lot of good that did. Squaring her shoulders, she walked past the giant gates and into the building, intent on finding the Chairman's office.

Chairman Cross would be happy to have another `daughter'…

15 minutes and 7 wrong turns later, Kairi wished the gods had blessed her with a better sense of direction. She was hopelessly and utterly lost. It didn't help that the campus grounds were so massive and the school didn't bothering pitching up a directory.

Right now she was wandering down a sheltered walkway that connected one block to another. The previous building she was in had been the classroom block which didn't have a single soul since today was a Saturday. Honestly, couldn't they have labeled the buildings with some huge signboards? The redheaded girl was sure she wasn't the only directionally-challenged student here in the prestigious boarding school. Was she?

Never mind that, Kairi put more purpose in her stride and hoped she would chance upon someone to ask for directions. It was bad enough that she had to travel by ferry to the island and almost got lost a few times getting to Cross Academy itself. Now the evening was setting in and she had yet to locate the administration block.

The looming medieval structure ahead caught her attention. It was larger than the other blocks she had passed so far on this side of the campus. She was sure as hell she had strayed way off course. The building looked more like the student dorms. Kairi prayed it wasn't the one for vampires.

Oh, she knew all right. She had known of the existence of vampires since she was a tot. Truth to be told, she was fascinated by them. Sure, people were always saying they were fearsome blood-sucking creatures and all but her scientist parents got her so interested in them.

Dr. Lucas and Reiko Ratoleia were top leading scientists in their field. They specialized in the research and study of bio-genetics. The couple took their work to the next level by examining vampire cells and their genetic make-up instead of sticking with human ones. They had wanted to find out what was incorporated in these ethereal immortal creatures' DNA that was able to repel all sickness. Though vampires had the same physical appearance as that of humans, their DNA structure had to be vastly different as they had superpowers plus the need for blood, her parents had theorized.

So after Kairi was born, Lucas and Reiko immersed themselves with finding out the secret of the vampires' immunity to disease and time. And to have precious bonding moments with their daughter as well, the couple always had Kairi in the lab with them during work. As such, she'd grown up knowing about vampires, studying about vampires and ultimately becoming captivated.

Her mother had told her once when she was seven that the research daddy and she were doing was to help humanity. To find out why vampires were immune to viruses and to spread the knowledge to other people so that the sick and suffering would have hope. Her young mind back then had absorbed all this with a cheerful outlook, believing wholeheartedly her parents were Mankind's saviors.

Now she wished her parents hadn't delved into the secrets surrounding those beautiful creatures. She almost wished she didn't know about their existence either.

Lucas and Reiko Ratoleia had cracked the first few stages of the mystery that was known as Vampire. They had found out why these creatures had need for blood and why they remain constantly immune to sicknesses. The World Health Authority had praised the couple for their efforts and endless dedication to the project. Another 7 years later, her parents stumbled upon something big, something concerning the Purebloods and that ability of theirs…...

The ability to turn a human into a vampire.

This knowledge that they had stumbled upon made the World Health Authority Board decide that her parents had overstepped their bounds regarding the project. Those old coots felt that they now knew things that were too important, too harmful for Mankind.

So they gave the order for Lucas and Reiko Ratoleia to be eliminated, along with their years of hard work.

Kairi still remembered how her mother had begged her with her dying breath to seek out her grandmother and to continue on their research for them. Her father had already been dead by then, shot down when he shielded her and her mother. By some stroke of luck, she'd survived, her mother's corpse draped over her as protection in the final moments of maternal love. The assassins had assumed she was dead too and had left, looting on their way out.

She made her way from the States to Japan where her only grandparent was left. Her maternal grandmother had embraced her and given her the backup copy of the project. Apparently, her parents had anticipated something like this and had left a copy of their research where it would be safe until their daughter came to claim it. So for the next one year, she had lived in Japan with her grandmother, attending school like a normal girl.

Until hired killers came knocking at their door.

The day her only other relative died, Kairi felt a door close on her forever. The solicitor for her grandmother's sprawling estate had shown her the will of her parents. It was stated that under the circumstances should she have no where else to go to, Chairman Cross of Cross Academy would gladly take her in as his own daughter since her parents and he were on close terms.

To be sent to a boarding school where vampires roamed in abundance, Kairi didn't think she could take it. She had argued tooth and nail for other options but the solicitor was firm. The will stands so she was off to a foreign island to attend prestigious Cross Academy after affairs of her grandmother's funeral had been settled.

Kairi didn't know if she should scream in anguish or jump for joy. All these years of studying vampires and their hierarchy, she hadn't seen one yet so the prospect of actually meeting one was exciting but at the same time served as a reminder why her parents had died.

Damned humans; killing off my parents like that after all the sweat and effort they put into improving humanity…all because theywere the ones scared of the immense knowledge surrounding the Purebloods!

Her feet finally stopped in front of the massive doors of the building. Kairi cleared her head of murderous thoughts toward her own species. She was at Cross Academy and it was the here and now that matters. At least, she wouldn't have to worry about anyone getting killed because of her. The vampires held court here and she doubted those cowards dare to venture into the lair of the beast, so as to speak.

She raised her fist and knocked firmly. There was no response. She frowned and knocked once more. Again, nothing. With furrowed brows, she grasped one door handle and pushed. The door swung open and the redhead blinked back her surprise. She poked her head in and took in the sight of an empty elaborate dorm lobby that resembled more the sitting room of a rich mansion. Cautiously stepping in, she closed the door soundlessly behind her. Noticing a set of steps leading up, she crossed the room and began to climb.

Not halfway up the stairs, a smooth baritone voice halted her ascend.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Kairi froze and lifted her head up to look at the person. What she wanted to say caught in her throat.

The person standing besides the railing atop the stairs was ethereally and impossibly good-looking. He had a silken head of dark hair that trailed around his neck and forehead and searing crimson eyes. Those eyes were pinned on her and she came to a startling realization.

“Vampire…”

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Notes:

This will be a KanamexOC, with YukixZero on the side. If you're not thrilled at the idea, don't read.

I suppose Kairi can come off as being some perfect girl, all good looks and prestige but she'll be having major weaknesses too. More of the emotional kind though. So don't wreck at me about her being another Mary Sue type OC. I can't stand those too.

This chapter is dreary but I had to lay the groundwork. I always have a habit of doing that for every first chapter…which I think I should break.

Reviews/comments are welcomed! And if you criticize, try to make it reader-friendly.