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Satsuki Yumizuka Route - tsukihime quest

"-------"

I can't leave her alone.

Before I lose sight of her, I run off in the direction that Satsuki ran in.





*huff*

*huff*

*huff*


It's useless. I'm going as fast as my body can allow, which is quite fast, but Satsuki is just that much quicker.

It isn't long at all before I completely lose sight of her, right as we're reentering the shopping district.

----Well, I don't know what she's planning, but I guess I might as well just start searching around this district, on the off chance that I'll find her.

It's not like I really have anything better to do.



I search.



And search.



And search.





Well, it's a bit embarrassing to admit after doing the same sort of thing for the third night in a row, but I search for over an hour without success.

"-----Maybe she already went back."

At this point, it seems that further searching will be pointless, so I should probably just go back to the garage.

Even if she isn't there, I can just wait until she gets back, and ask what she was doing------





"-------!?"

From behind a building, I hear a noise, like the sound of something striking the ground.

I think, it came from the back alley.

"--------"

This seems really similar to what happened two nights ago------

So, I should probably just go check what it was.





The situation is remarkably similar to the one two nights ago.

Looking around, I slowly realize that I'm even in the same spot.

Everything is just as it was----- The time is after midnight, and the sound came only once.

The location is the same, and the night air is just as still as it was back then.



Still, there is one major difference.





That difference is me.

I am the me that I am now, not the me that I was back then.

My thoughts are different, and there is no fear.

Even my body is different than it was back then.

I still have my knife on me, and I still have my "eyes----" But, I doubt that I'll need either of those.



I head into the back alley.





Again, it seems the noise came from the open area at the end of the alley.

Without any hesitation, I step out into that open space.





"-----------"

Again, the alley is coated in red.

That color that I hate so much, covers everything.

Red drapes down the walls, and runs across the ground.

Tatters of human flesh lay across the ground, and not a single one of the bodies laying down are in any less then three pieces.

And in the middle of it all, Yumizuka Satsuki stands, bright blood dripping from her claws.





"Shiki---- kun----"

She calls my name, but I barely hear it.

Until this moment, I was eerily calm, but that feeling has completely faded away.

My palms are wet with sweat, and my mind is racing with more thoughts than I can comprehend.

My spine lashes violently out at my back, thrashing around in anticipation.



My sweaty palms feel steel, and I reach slowly for my glasses-----





But then, I see her.

Someone who looks strangely familiar, with flowing black robes and high-laced boots.

Recognizing the danger, but not thinking at all, I react on pure impulse.



The only rational thought that enters my mind is to save Satsuki, as well.





I jump forward, falling into a roll with Satsuki underneath me.

Multiple nail-like swords pierce the ground where Satsuki and I just were, as we roll to our feet.

Not wasting any time, I scoop Satsuki into my arms and jump into the shadows of a nearby side alley.



Relying solely on instincts I didn't know I had, I dodge into several more side alleys, all the while narrowly avoiding the blades being thrown at me, one after the other.

All the while, Satsuki is intelligent enough not to say a word, and to leave everything up to me.





Eventually, I manage to gain on my opponent long enough that she loses track of where we are.

Hiding in the shadows next to a building, I watch her as she lands out in the street, and looks around, apparently trying to pick up my trail again.

------She really does look like Ciel-senpai.

Still holding Satsuki, I stare out at my opponent.





What's with this awesome pressure?

I can feel that sharp, cold intent to kill emanating from her body as she looks around for us.

I know that if she finds us, she won't show any mercy.

But, even though my instincts scream at me to run away while I still can, my mind tells me that if possible, I should wait and observe this woman for a while longer.

I------



1. I should run while I have the chance.
2. I should stay and observe a little longer.
 
[X] I should stay and observe a little longer.

I have a feeling this will turn out to be one of those choices, where the MUCH more risky is the one where you survive.
 
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"But, I don't think she's a bad person. She helped all those people we drained of blood, out in the park----"

"Not a bad person, Shiki-kun? Don't be naïve.

If she attacked a vampire, then she's probably just what society desires. Good and bad don't factor in as long as the majority thinks it's right."



----I can see that Satsuki has done a lot of thinking these past few days.

Her views are mature and thought-through, and she doesn't hesitate to express them.

Basically, I think she's become very strong.

"Yeah, you're right, I guess. I just don't want to be enemies with anyone I don't have to be enemies with----"





"But, she attacked you first, right? So, she is already our enemy."

That's true. Not my enemy, but our enemy. She is alone, but I have Satsuki with me, so I don't need to worry too much.

"She was really quick and agile, though, and she carried all our victims like it was nothing."

"I also carried a fridge like it was nothing, Shiki-kun."

"That's true, but----"

"Listen. We'll just have to be even more careful from now on. If possible, we should avoid any confrontation. But if it becomes necessary, we may need to kill or be killed.

Could you handle that situation, Shiki-kun?"





"------"

I'm not sure if I could.

But, I guess if it came down to killing or dying, my body probably wouldn't hesitate.

"Yeah, I think I could handle it if things became desperate."





"--------Alright."

Saying so, Satsuki's expression softens.

The glare leaves her face and her usual smile returns, making me feel at ease.

"---If you're feeling alright now, Shiki-kun, do you wanna talk? It doesn't have to be about anything important…"

"-----Yeah, that sounds good."

I think it'll be fun to just talk about random, unimportant things for a while.





"Ah-----"

I know this feeling.

Suddenly, my head feels light, and my vision starts to swim.

Funny. It's pretty ironic to be getting anemia after drinking so much blood------





"Are you okay, Shiki-kun?"

"Ah, ha…. Yeah, I think I'll be okay----

Ugh----"

Satsuki looks at me with a visage of concern spread on her face.

"If you need to rest, just rest, Shiki-kun-----"

I don't really want to, but it looks like I have no choice.

"Yeah, I'll do that."



It's disappointing that I won't be able to speak with Satsuki for a while longer, but I shouldn't push myself.

If I just lay myself to sleep now, I should feel better when I wake up-----

With that thought, I allow the comforting blackness to claim my consciousness.

I find myself out on the streets, under the bright moonlight.

My body feels remarkably light, tonight---- So, I should hurry and find some suitable people as soon as I can.


I run through the moonlit streets.

It's unfortunate, but to keep things efficient, I have to dirty my hands again, tonight.





As I run towards the mouth of an alley, I see a young girl walking past it.

Without any hesitation, I tackle the girl into the alley and slice open her throat.

Putting my lips to that bright, red, bloody neck, I drink in the sweet nectar of her spilled life.



I can't stay out too long.

Sunrise is coming, and I know it isn't safe to be wandering these streets carelessly.

So, I pick up the girl and begin running through the moonlit streets once more.





It is then that I notice something interesting.

Changing my direction, I return to my "lair."



Within the recesses of the parking garage, I drink some more of the young girl's blood, before ruthlessly breaking her body against the concrete.

Sweet red flies all over, covering the ground and nearby wall.

One by one, I take the girl's organs and crush them with sickening sounds in my iron grip.

I save the heart for last, causing deep crimson to splash across my body.

With my claws, I mutilate every last inch of the girl's body, leaving her in such a disfigured mess that nobody will ever be able to identify her just by looking.

Not quite satisfied yet, I spread her entrails across the ground like butter.





And, most of all, I enjoy every second of it------
 
5/Duality of Wills II

5th Day/October 25th (Mon.)



I see an unfamiliar, yet nostalgic, face.

It is the face of someone I don't know, yet can't forget.

The face of someone whose fate is inexorably intertwined with mine, yet it is the face of someone with absolutely no relation to me whatsoever.

The face is hard to discern, yet I recognize it immediately.





Those crimson eyes.

Those pointed nails.

That lithe, powerful body.

And that unsurpassed beauty.



Right now, I am certainly dreaming of *******.





I awake from a strange dream.

I can't quite remember what the dream was about.

But, aren't most dreams like that?

I feel like the dream was important in some way, but I guess not, since I can't remember it at all.

-----It was a dream about----- somebody-----





"Guh-----!!"

Suddenly, I clutch my hand to my chest.

-----That's right. I don't know if it was the only dream I had last night, but after going to sleep, I vaguely remember------ something-------

Did I bring someone else back here last night?





------My chest hurts.

"So much red------"

That must be what is causing this awesome pain.

That disgusting color I hate, I've seen far too much of these past few days.

It seems like red is seeping into my vision, threatening to become the only thing I can see.



But, it's not the only thing I see.

Because, I can also see the "lines----"





"Glasses-----"

I reach over and quickly put on my glasses.

With that simple action, the headache that was slowly building in my head dissipates.

-----Though the pain in my chest remains, but I don't move for a while, and that eventually disappears as well.





I look around the room, and see Satsuki sleeping peacefully next to me----

On another futon.

When did she bring another one in? And from where?

Well, at least she's comfortable.

I can just ask where it came from later.





I can feel that the sun is still high in the sky, so it's going to be quite a while before I can go out.

Not only that, but I have no idea when Satsuki is going to wake up, either.

Since I have nothing better to do, I decide to wander around the parking garage.

"I wonder if there's anything interesting around here."

I slowly stand up and walk off.





"-------"

The first thing I notice is that this parking garage is unnecessarily big.

Sometime, I should check out what building it's attached to, so maybe I can find out why it's so huge.

But, that's pretty low on my list of priorities right now.

There's just too many other things I have to think about right now.

For example, why do I keep having such messed up dreams?

And, why do I know they're so messed up when I can usually barely remember them?





The second thing I notice is all the lamps sprinkled throughout the garage.

----Well, obviously I noticed them before, but I'm re-noticing them now.

They lead into the parking garage, and lead to Satsuki's room, but in a very roundabout and indirect fashion.

Plus, as vampires, both Satsuki and I can see in the dark.

So, I can't really fathom why the lamps are set up the way they are.

"I guess I should ask Satsuki-chan about that later, too."





Speaking of Satsuki-chan, that raises another important question.

She's said before that she likes me, but what is she to me?

That question, I'm not sure of.

I think of her fondly, and I want to help her in any way I can-----

But I don't know if that means I harbor any special feelings for her.


After all, I would probably do the same for other people if they were in trouble.





-------Or would I?

This isn't a simple matter of helping someone in need.

I, myself, have had my body changed to that of an inhuman beast.

I can't, really say, that I would do the same for just anybody.



So, does that mean she is special to me, after all-----?



Well, I guess the more time I spend with her, the better I'll understand my own feelings.

For now, I should-----





------For now, I stop dead in my tracks.

I can smell it.

The scent of a human corpse, emanating from a little further along into the dark recesses of the garage-----



"I think it's coming from over here."

I'm not sure if I should go look, but if it's just a corpse, it's not like it can hurt me.

Besides, I'm a vampire now. It's not like I can't take care of myself.

And, I still have my knife, along with my eyes.



Trying to withstand the sickening stench, I decide to investigate.





Thump.

As I near the source of the stench, my sense of smell reels in aberration.

My mind screams at me to leave this place as soon as possible, but I ignore it.





Thump.

I start to feel a bit unsteady from the overpowering stench.

I put my sleeve over my nose, but it does little to block the scent from my senses.





Thump.

I'm nearing the source of the smell.

Part of me yells that whatever I am coming across is something I simply shouldn't see, but I continue on anyway.





Thump.

This is it.

Around this final corner, is the source of this awful stench------





"--------Eh?"

Thu-- mp.



What I find---- is the mangled body of a person.

Dried blood is spattered all across the floor and nearby wall.

Crushed organs lie across the room, discarded like trash.

Entrails are spread across the concrete, leaving trails of tattered tissue in their wake.

The body has been disfigured horribly, to the point that I can't even tell if the corpse is male or female because it's features are completely unrecognizable.





"Ugh-----"

The stench here is truly unbearable.

Weakly, I fall to my knees.

Somehow, I barely manage to hold back the bile and vomit building in my throat.



"I----- recognize this place-----"

I feel that I saw this horrific scene once before.

Was it last night?

I have vague, spotty memories, but what I am thinking of feels more like a dream than reality.





"What was it!?"

Frustrated, I bang my fists into the floor, causing small cracks to appear in the concrete.

"Ah-----"

This is no good.

Being in the presence of this dismembered girl makes me feel like I am going insane.

So, I get up and begin blindly running.

Really, any direction is fine, as long as it is away from here.



But----- How did I know-------?





*puff*------*puff*------*puff*

I run blindly around the parking garage.

I find the darkness comforting, but it does nothing to assuage my distressed and frantic mind.

That girl wasn't just killed---- she was brutalized.

And I feel like I know more about it than I should-------





I feel the wet stickiness of my sweaty palms.

Even in the pitch darkness, bright red still permeates my vision.

I feel like I want to throw up, but am unable to do so.

Instead, my throat just retches painfully, ejecting nothing.





I continue running.

The spotty red in my vision is sickening to look at, and makes my head ache, so I tightly shut my eyes, seeing nothing but black.





Thud.



Still running deliriously, I hit a wall.

"Guh----!"

With a thud, I fall down on the hard, concrete floor.

With that, I finally feel my urge to run blindly around starting to quiet.





"Uh-----"

With a small grunt of pain, I open my eyes and look over.

It would seem as if I've run all the way to the surface, and in the distance, at the exit of the parking garage, I can see the faint light of the sun.



"----------"

Even looking at that pale, orange glow hurts my eyes.

------Though, the pain of that light searing into my vision does help me regain my sense of reason.





*pant* *pant*

Turning away from that distant light, I calm myself and try to even my breathing.

After doing so, I attempt to calmly assess my situation.





First point: A person was brutally murdered here in the parking garage, and from the looks of it, it happened recently. I feel like I know something about it, though I can't put my finger on it.



Is this the murderous impulse that Satsuki was talking about?

Perhaps I killed that girl without even knowing it------



But, when one goes into a murderous rage, would one forget everything that happened afterwards?

I'm not too sure.

I guess I'll just have to ask Satsuki about it, later.





Second point: If I did kill the girl, I would have had to go out of the parking garage to find her, which means that I would have had to do so after we returned last night.

But, the last thing I remember was going to sleep, and I was with Satsuki the entire time.

Since Satsuki went to sleep after me, she would be the only one who could possibly know if I left.

Well, I guess I'll just have to ask her about that, too.





Third point: I know next to nothing about being a vampire.

Really, the first thing I should be doing is learning as much about vampires as I can.

After all, the more I know about being a vampire, the more I can learn about achieving my humanity again.

And, the more I'll learn about controlling this vampirism, and whether or not I'm murdering people without consciously knowing about it.



But, the only real way I have right now to learn about vampires is to ask a more experienced vampire about it.

And, that means speaking with Satsuki.

She hasn't been a vampire much longer than me, but, it's better than nothing.





So, in conclusion, my obvious next step is to go and have a long talk with Satsuki-san.

If I'm lucky, she'll be able to help clear up some of this confusion swirling around inside my head.



Feeling much calmer than I did before, I begin walking off through the parking garage again.





When I get back to the room, Satsuki is still sleeping.

"---------"

Should I just wake her up now, or wait until she wakes up on her own?


[ ] Wake her now.
[ ] I can wait.
 
This is important.

I can't really just let Satsuki wake up whenever she feels like it.

So, I nudge at her shoulder.

"Wake up, Satsuki-chan."

She stirs a bit, but doesn't wake up.



So, I nudge a bit harder.

After a little coaxing, Satsuki finally opens her eyes.

"Oh, good morning, Shiki-kun. What's wrong?"

Her voice is full of sleepiness, but I don't care.

"I have a few things I need to ask you, Satsuki-chan."

Surprised at my serious tone, Satsuki sits up immediately so she can listen to me more attentively.

"What is it, Shiki-kun?"

"Um---- Well, first of all, is it possible that I left here after we got back last night?"

"Hmmmm---- Around what time?"

"Before the sun came up. I want to know if it's possible that I went outside."

"Well, that rules it out completely. I watched over you the entire night, so there's no chance you went outside."

Well, that's a relief. Although I still don't want to deem it impossible just yet, the chances that I went outside to grab and murder the girl are very slim.

"But, why are you asking me this, Shiki-kun? If you went outside, wouldn't you know about it?"

"Well----"

Actually, that brings me to my next question.

"Remember those vampiric impulses you were telling me about yesterday?"

Satsuki looks a little uncomfortable, but answers anyway.

"You mean, the uncontrollable urge to kill?"

"Yeah, those. If that started happening to me, is it possible that I wouldn't remember going out and killing people afterwards?"

Satsuki stares at me quite seriously as I ask this question.

"I won't say it's impossible. But, I will say that it's unlikely. Whenever I go into one of those homicidal rages, I can't really control myself during those times, and before I know it, I'm surrounded by dead bodies.

However, as soon as the vampiric impulse calms down, I remember everything that I did while it was in control."

"So, I would definitely remember if I went berserk and started killing people?"

"Like I said, I won't say it's impossible that you did it without knowing about it. But, at the very least, I would think you would remember what you did in something akin to a dream."

"A dream-----!? What do you mean?"

Satsuki looks surprised by my intense tone, but continues.

"Yes, a dream. Think of it like this: It's possible that you went out and killed someone, or several people, but only remember it as a dream. I had that happen to me once before. But, the difference between a normal dream and something like this is that the dream would be extremely vivid, despite still feeling like it was nothing more than a dream.

You know how you can't remember most of your dreams? Or that, even if you do, you can't remember every detail---- A lot of dreams that we do remember seem spotty, at best. That's why when people relate their dreams to others later, they often make up the more precise details, based on the bits and pieces that they do remember."

"Well, my point is this.

I really doubt that would happen if you were experiencing the vampiric impulse in a dream-like state. After it was over, you would remember every detail of whatever you did. That's how you would know if it was real, or if it really was just a dream.

However, you also have to keep in mind that I can only speak from my own experience. Just like humans, I'm sure there's at least some deviation in what different vampires experience.

Now, I have a question for you.

Exactly why are you asking me all this, anyway?"

"Ah---- um, well-----"

I guess after asking all those questions, I can't really hide it.

Besides, if I want to get to the heart of this matter, I'd better tell Satsuki everything.

At this point, she probably won't leave me alone about it, anyway.

So, I'll just have to trust her and hope that she can help me with this in some way.

"Well, the truth is, I think I had a vague, spotty dream---- about killing someone. I can barely remember anything about it at all, really------"

"You think you had? Then it didn't happen, Shiki-kun. Didn't I just go over the difference between real dreams and what only seems like a dream? If you did, you must have seen it because of the trauma on your brain from the last few days-----"

"But, I found the body, right here in the parking garage, while you were sleeping!!

I couldn't even remember anything about the dream last night until I saw the corpse, but I really feel like I did it, even though I feel like I didn't!!"

"Please calm down, Shiki-kun. I don't really understand what you're saying. You found the body? Where?"

"It's in the garage, closer to the surface. But, I didn't remember anything about it at all until I came across it by chance."

"-------Maybe we'd better go take a look at the corpse. Can you show me where it is?"

"-------Yeah, I guess so."

The truth is, I don't want to go see it again, but at least this time I'll be mentally prepared.

Also, I already decided to trust Satsuki with everything, so if she wants to go take a look, it's not my place to say she can't.

So, it is with somewhat heavy footsteps that I lead Satsuki through the parking garage.

Trying to take my mind off of what we're going to go see, I ask Satsuki an unrelated question.

"Hey, what's with all the lamps spread throughout this place?"

"Oh, those? Actually, um---- They're bait."

"Bait? How so?"

"Well, if people walking by happen to look inside and see that first light, they might get curious, right? So, they might decide to go check it out. If they do, they'll be led right back to our room, and then, we don't even have to go looking for people to drink blood from----"

"Oh-----"

I guess that makes sense.

If she was lucky, she could even catch people during the day with such a trap.

And, although I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, she caught me pretty easily with such a simple trick.

"Then, why are they spread throughout the garage in such a haphazard pattern? They don't lead to the room in anything like a straight line-----"

"Well, if I do it like this, first of all, it would take someone quite a while to find their way through the entire network of lights. They're spaced just far enough apart so you can barely see the next lamp, without being able to see any others."

"So, if I do it like this, then there's a higher chance anyone caught in this trap will still be around when I return, if I'm out hunting at the time.

Also, the person caught in this trap will lose all sense of direction, becoming so turned around that they won't have a clue as to where they're going if they lose their only beacons: the lamps themselves."

She has an excellent point. After all, I've seen that very trick employed once already-----

"Just like you did to me-----"

"Exactly, Shiki-kun. I'm sorry I did that, but I think it turned out for the best in the end."

Well, I'd like to think so, too.

After all, I've managed to get Satsuki to agree to stop consciously killing people. Though I can't say much about whether or not she can yet control her homicidal impulses-----

And, I'm still unsure of whether or not I've killed someone myself------

"You know, Shiki-kun, even if you did kill someone, it isn't really your fault if you didn't mean to do it."

As if reading my thoughts, Satsuki tells me that.

"------It isn't much further."

Grateful for her sentiment, but unable to respond to it, I lead Satsuki to the final corner separating us from the corpse.

"She's just around the corner."

"------Yeah, I can smell it."

With a distasteful look, Satsuki covers her nose with her sleeve.

With that, we both round the corner, and are confronted with that grisly sight.

------Now that I'm ready for it, I'm able to look at the corpse much more calmly than before.

The dried blood clings to the floor and walls.

The tattered remnants of flesh and organs are abuzz with flies and other bugs.

Like little grains of rice, maggots infest the pieces of flesh strewn throughout the area, as well as the caved-in mounds of various organs lying across the floor.

"Ugh------"

I immediately turn away from the sight, but Satsuki looks on, although a look of disgust is spread across her face.

"It does indeed look like the corpse is fairly recent---- Normally, it wouldn't smell so much yet, but that's what happens when it's ripped apart so thoroughly-----"

In a relatively calm voice, Satsuki continues her observations.

"I must say, I'm pretty impressed, Shiki-kun."

I don't know what she means, but she spends several more moments inspecting the corpse before speaking up again.

"-------Well, for now, let's go back to the room. I think it'd be better if we talk more there."

Feeling sick, I nod once, and we wordlessly walk off.

On our way back to the room, we say nothing.

Upon returning, however, Satsuki immediately speaks up.

"Please sit down, Shiki-kun.

I'd like to speak with you."

Her voice is frighteningly serious, and I immediately comply.

"Now, Shiki-kun. Let's see----- First, I'd like to ask you something. After becoming a vampire, have you noticed anything strange about your eyes? I'm not talking about your vision becoming clearer, or being able to see in the dark."

My eyes------?

Upon hearing this question, I immediately think of the "lines."

Certainly, my eyes are strange. But, they have been this way since the accident eight years ago, and there's been no change since I became a vampire------



-----Or has there?

I haven't taken my glasses off in a while----

But, I have had them off in the morning, and there was no change.

So------

"No, since becoming a vampire, nothing."

Satsuki arches a brow at me, but continues on anyway.

"Well, maybe that only strengthens my theory, anyway. Listen, Shiki-kun. Since becoming a vampire, I've found my eyes have definitely changed. Basically, I'm able to hypnotize people with these eyes."

"Hypnotize-----?"

"Yes, hypnotize. -----Maybe it's more like suggestion, but isn't that what hypnotism is all about?"

"But how, do you do that?"

"Well, keep in mind as I answer that I can only tell you how it works as I understand it.

First, I think humans are all born with certain "circuits" in their bodies---- For example, in their eyes. Now, when I became a vampire, a circuit in my eyes opened. Well, to put it more accurately, it closed, or bridged---- Allowing energy to flow along the bridge. Then, I feed energy through the circuit, activating it's power.

This energy then affects people looking into my eyes, and I am able to hypnotize them."

"So, it's like magic?"

Satsuki shrugs once.

"I don't know if it's accurate to call it magic, but I think it gets close enough to describe it well enough.

I also think that these "magic" circuits are responsible for our increased strength, speed, and so on. The main difference between these circuits, and the ones in our eyes, would be that once bridged, the circuits increasing our physical attributes experience a constant flow of energy over them, where, in contrast, I have to consciously feed energy through the circuit in my eyes."

"So, you think everyone possesses these circuits?"

"Yes, I do. You see, I think that most people are at least born with some magic circuits in their bodies, but most of the time, they never get activated.

I think it takes some sort of catalyst; for example, becoming a vampire, to bridge the circuits."

A catalyst? For example, having a near-death experience to activate a circuit in your eyes-----

"Something wrong, Shiki-kun?"

Satsuki seems to have noticed my momentary silence, and looks at me with a worried expression.

What kind of expression was I wearing as I thought that, I wonder-----?

"No, I'm fine. Anyway, Satsuki-chan, what's your point in telling me about all this?"

"Ah, yes. Getting back on topic, normally I would say that it would be impossible for you to have gone out to kill that person, because I watched you until the sun came up, meaning you couldn't have gone outside. There is a small chance that this person wandered into the garage on their own, later, but the chance of this is slim----- Based on the corpse, I think it's been there since at least last night."

"So, it couldn't have been me?"

I desperately hope that she'll still tell me I couldn't have done it.

"Well, normally I would say it couldn't have been you. But, there's one thing that bothers me."

"Which is----?"

I ask hesitantly, fearing the answer.

"When you were showing me the corpse, you told me 'She's just around the corner,' not, 'It's just around the corner.'

Quite frankly, there was no way I could discern to tell if the corpse was male or female. You, Shiki-kun, know too much."

"But, I couldn't have gone out with you watching me, Satsuki-chan-----"

"Normally, yes. But, what if you subconsciously used the power of your eyes that you don't yet know you have, and hypnotized me into believing I watched you all night? I'd like to say that it isn't likely, but I think the chances are actually pretty good, Shiki-kun."

"But---- That, is-----"

I can't get my thoughts in order, and I end up stupidly staring at the ground.

"Listen, Shiki-kun."

Satsuki's voice betrays her worry for me.

"Even if you did it, Shiki-kun, you didn't choose to do it. Rather, just think of it as the vampire inside you being responsible. All it means is that you have to fight to control it---- Trust me, it's not easy, but if we fight together, we can do it----"

"Satsuki-chan-----"

The truth is, I feel extremely grateful for Satsuki's words. And, something still doesn't add up---- There's still a chance that I didn't kill that girl.

"Satsuki-chan, I----"

"Shhh---!"

Surprised at Satsuki's urgent tone, I clamp my mouth shut.

Satsuki comes closer to me and whispers into my ear.

"Hear that? Someone's coming."

I strain my ears, and soon hear the dull murmur of voices in the distance.

Indeed, not just someone is coming, but a whole group seems to have made their way into the garage, and are heading in this direction.

Despite myself, my thirst roils in anticipation.

I look back to see Satsuki busily blowing out all the lamps in our room.

After she's finished, she turns back to me.

"Follow me, Shiki-kun."

I have no reason not to comply, so we dash into the darkness together.

First, Satsuki leads us up to the next level of the garage, where the group apparently is.

I can see now that she set a lamp up so she could barely hear people one level above us, from the room.

We make our way around the group, extinguishing the lamp two lamps behind them, first.

We then extinguish the lamp two lamps ahead of them.

Well, since they are just walking, and we are moving beyond normal human speed, we have plenty of time to do so.

Having extinguished the group's beacons, Satsuki motions me to come closer to her, and she speaks in a quieted voice.

"We'll approach from both sides. For starters, just try to knock them unconscious. It'd be better to just hypnotize them, but now isn't the best time for you to try something you've never done.

So, just knock them out, and be careful not to hit them too hard, alright? If we do this right, we both may be able to get enough blood for tonight just out of this group, without having to kill anyone."

I nod, and we run off into the darkness again.



Satsuki circles around, while I approach the group from this side.

It doesn't take long to close in on them, and I can start to understand their conversation.

"I don't know, this is a pretty creepy place."

"We've come this far, so we might as well check it out."

"But what about that killer we've been hearing about?"

And so on and so forth.

Well, too bad for them, seeing as they've been caught by a couple of vampires.

But, on the other hand, they aren't going to die, so maybe their luck isn't as bad as it could be.

In any case, Satsuki and I burst out of the shadows all at once.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Our victims go down quickly and easily, one after the other.

Some of them scream out in the second or so they have before being knocked out, but it doesn't matter in the dark recesses of this garage.

Here, no one is going to hear them.

I barely notice it, but I can see Satsuki isn't knocking most of her victims out with blunt trauma like myself, but instead merely looks into their eyes, causing them to pass out.

After the entire group is unconscious, we begin carefully draining each individual of blood.

The group consists of over ten people, so it's plenty for both me and Satsuki to get our fill.

As we feed, there is no conversation between Satsuki and I.

I find myself mainly concentrating on suppressing my tendency to completely drain each person of blood.

Somehow, though, I manage to control myself, and I only drink just enough from each person that they should be able to survive long enough to get proper treatment.

"I'll be right back."

Satsuki finishes before me, and runs back in the direction of our room.

In the meantime, I continue drinking my share of the blood.

Before long, Satsuki returns, carrying blankets from our room.

She quickly covers up the victims to protect them from the gradually increasing cold.

Soon after, I also finish my meal.

"All done, Shiki-kun? Have you got enough to last you until tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I should be fine."



"Well---- Do you wanna just talk, Shiki-kun? I don't wanna talk about any vampire stuff anymore------"

"Yeah, sure."



So, for the next hour or so, Satsuki and I just talk.

For a short while, we grope around for a topic, but just end up talking about school.

We don't really talk about anything important, but it's a pleasant way to pass the time.

All the while, we keep an eye on our victims, making sure none of them either wake up or slip into life-threatening condition.





Eventually, we hit a lull in our conversation, and neither of us says anything for several moments.

However, Satsuki soon breaks the silence.



"Hey, Shiki-kun. It's just getting dark enough for us outside------"

"Yeah? But, we already have enough blood for today."

"Yeah. So, um----- Do you wanna go on a date with me, Shiki-kun?"



"-----------"


Well------

I guess I can't really find any reason to refuse.

After all, how else am I going to discover what Satsuki really means to me unless I spend time with her?

"Okay, why not? We have all this spare time, so we might as well have fun."



Satsuki stares at me for a few moments, but then smiles widely.

"Alright! Thanks, Shiki-kun."

"But, first I think we should do something about these people."

"Yeah, we should. Let's just drop them off at the hospital quick."

It seems Satsuki doesn't want to waste any time.



Well, that's fine with me.

Nodding, I pick up a few of the people.

They seem remarkably light, and between the two of us, Satsuki and I manage to gather up each and every person.





We take the group to the hospital.

For some reason, I feel like I'm forgetting something important, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

"Hospital….."

But, we quickly drop them all off, and call for someone to come get them before dashing quickly off.

We heard someone coming, so we know they'll be taken care of, but nobody saw us, so we can't be linked to anything.





"Where do you wanna go first, Shiki-kun?"

I guess I've never really gone on a date before, so I don't know what to say.

"I don't know. Where do you wanna go?"

"Well----- Let's go to a movie, before the theatres close."

"Alright----"

I don't think the movies are going to close very soon, but I guess it's just something she wants to get out of the way.





It's still only around seven at night, but there should be some decent movies screening now.

We head to the movie theatre.



We arrive, and I start looking around at all the different movies.

------What should we watch?

"Hey, let's see that one."

I look over at Satsuki's suggestion.

It's just a normal action movie, but it's probably actually pretty good.

"Sure, I don't really mind either way."

"Oh----- Well, let's go in."





I then realize something important.

"----I don't have any money, Satsuki-chan-----"

"Don't worry. I have enough for both of us."


Saying so, Satsuki pulls a wallet out of her skirt pocket and opens it up.

----Indeed, it looks like she has quite a bit of money.

A lot more than a normal student would have, anyway.





"Where did you get all that?"

"Um-------"

Satsuki pauses for a moment, looking uncomfortable.

"I got it---- from people who didn't need it anymore."

"Oh------"



An awkward silence ensues as we approach the ticket booth.

Not really looking each other in the eye, we go in and sit in the theatre.





In the end, even though it wasn't anything special by any means, it was a pretty decent movie.

-----There was a love scene near the end, and Satsuki held my hand.



When I looked over, she just looked at me and smiled before looking back up at the screen.

------Despite myself, I felt my heart beating a little faster when she did that.





As we walk out of the theatre, Satsuki looks over to me.

"I'm kinda hungry now, Shiki-kun. Let's go get something to eat."

------Well, I'm hungry too, but just for normal food.

I assume she's referring to that rather than blood, so I agree, and we end up at a fast food restaurant.



Satsuki and I order our food and sit down.



I pop a few fries into my mouth before something occurs to me.





"Hey, Yumizuka-san, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, but only if you don't call me by that name again."

She takes a bite of her burger.

"Then, Satsuki-chan---- Why do you like me so much?"

"Ah-------"

Satsuki holds the burger for a moment, staring into space.



Then, she takes another bite as if nothing had happened.





"Why do you ask, Shiki-kun?"

"Well, I just figured I have a right to know. Plus, it might help me sort out some of my own feelings-----"

And, the truth is, those feelings could really use some sorting out.

I still have no idea how I really feel about this girl------





"------The truth is, I've always been watching you, Shiki-kun. Even before you rescued me in that warehouse that cold winter day, I've been watching you."

"------Really? Why?"



"Well, let's see. When I was in school, I was really a fool. I was always afraid of what others thought of me, so I tried to do everything right. I smiled when I thought I should smile, got angry when I thought I should get angry, and so on. Pretty soon, everyone was treating me like a class idol."

For some reason, her face looks very sad as she says this.





"But, when people treat you like that, nobody ever gets close to you. They maintain their distance, and even though it seemed like at first that I had a lot of friends, none of them were really close to me at all.

I guess that's why I envied someone like you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You didn't care what others thought of you, and even though you yourself maintained your distance from most of your classmates, you were always really close to Inui-kun."



The face of my bad friend flashes through my mind.

I don't know if I would call us close---- But our relationship was certainly an interesting one.

And, it's true that I would like to see him again.





"Yeah, I could never get as close to anyone as you were to Inui-kun, so I was really envious of you two. But, by the time you helped me realize it was my own fault everyone was so distant, despite being so friendly, it was already too late. I could never be like you and Inui-kun at that point."

"I----- made you realize?"

"It's something you probably don't even remember saying to me. Once, you told me that I didn't need to act like everyone wanted me to, and to just be myself.

Now, it seems like obvious advice, but at the time, it made me really happy."



It's true that I don't remember that at all.

-------Well, at least it's a bit cooler than telling her to go eat some Ozouni.





"It was at that point that I tried your advice, and started acting less like a class idol, and more like myself. But by that time, not only was it hard to separate the "idol" from the real me, but the distance between me and everyone else was already so large it couldn't be bridged.

But, at that time, I had another revelation. You didn't treat me like an idol at all. In fact, you treated everyone the same, except for Inui-kun. So, I wanted to become close to you, and at least let you call me Yumizuka-san.

Looking back on it now, it really was too small of a wish. But then again, it was impossible for me at the time to even accomplish that."





"But why would something so simple be so hard?"

"Because, Shiki-kun-------"

Satsuki pauses momentarily to add emphasis to her next words.

"It's completely impossible for normal people to get close to you."

"What? Why?"



Satsuki shrugs once before answering.

"I'm really not sure. It's like you have an aura surrounding you that keeps others away. Just being around you is like walking barefoot on broken glass----- Nobody is going to willfully put themselves through that. Even though I felt like I wanted to, my instincts warned me away when I tried. That's why we've barely even spoken, even though I've been fixated on you for so long.

------Well, Inui-kun is different somehow, and has been able to remain close to you all this time. I wonder why?"





"--------"

Well, I don't know.

I was never even aware it was so difficult just being around me.





"So, Satsuki-chan, what prompted you to start speaking with me recently then?"

Satsuki's eyes become very serious when I ask this question.

"I heard a rumor that you were wandering the streets at night, in the business district."

"Oh, yeah. You came and asked me about it at lunch."

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything dangerous. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you, Shiki-kun…."

"Oh……."




I can't think of anything to say.

Then, Satsuki's expression lightens considerably.

"Plus, I was really happy when I learned we lived in the same direction. I decided to try and become close to you, despite what my body was telling me---- So I wanted to walk with you to and from school."



"But, you didn't show up after the first day."





"That's because I went investigating that rumor that night. While I was doing so, I felt something heavy hit the back of my head, and the next thing I knew I awoke, a vampire."

"Oh. So, you don't know what caused it-----"

"It had to have been another vampire, right? Even before I became one, murders were occurring. So, the "modern day vampire" must still be on the loose, right?"

"Ah------"


That's right.

Something else must have caused Satsuki to become a vampire from the beginning, right?

It's comforting to know that Satsuki wasn't the one killing people from the start.





"Then, as residents of this town, and as people with power surpassing that of normal humans, shouldn't we find the killer ourselves?"

"That would be something, Shiki-kun. Vampires hunting other vampires. Just look at what happened last night. I think we should be more worried about that strange woman than worrying about other vampires."



"Well, what if she is the vampire?"

"It's possible, I suppose. But, I just get the feeling that isn't the case---- I can't really explain it, though."

"I see-----"

I don't have a clue what she's basing that assumption on, but then, she just admitted to not knowing herself.

So, it wouldn't do any good to ask her.





"But, I guess in the end it would be better for us to concentrate on becoming human again---- although the fact that there is a killer on the loose still bothers me-----"

"Even if we wanted to put ourselves through that danger, Shiki-kun, we wouldn't even know where to begin. And, you just said it yourself----- We'll be having enough trouble trying to find a way to become human again, without bothering with other things. So, for now, let's just forget about it, alright?"



"-----Alright. But, if something happens right in front of me, I won't be able to ignore it. Okay?"

I honestly don't know where this self-righteous feeling is coming from, but it's not a bad thing to want to help out the city I live in.

"Fair enough, Shiki-kun."





After polishing off the rest of her food, Satsuki looks up at me.

"So far, you've just gone along with what I wanted to do tonight. So, now we should go somewhere you want to go, Shiki-kun. Where do you wanna go next? I'll let you decide on anything you want-----"



"---------"

Well, we've already gone to the tried and true movie theatre, so I can forget about that option.

In that case-----



1. I'm not sure, so let's just go to the park for now. (SS5i)

2. -----Maybe the video arcade? (SS5j)

3. Obviously, a love hotel would be good! (SS5k)
 
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