Guilty All The Same (English)

2-Ferid Bathory

"Maybe nothing in this world happens by accident. As everything happens for a reason our destiny slowly takes form. "
Silvers Rayleigh

The whistling of the wind patterned in the ears. She closed her eyes. It wasn't the sound of a spring wind, it was a menacing wind that presaged the climate of death and despair outside the walls. It reminded her that bad feeling she had the day before. "Yurika,are you already here?" The girl opened her eyes. "I couldn't wait to leave." "Liar." "Before we depart, before we finish. Guren where is everybody?" "Shinya went to pick up the van. The others are coming." Yurika turned in his direction. "Perfect." She saw the members of Guren's squad. They seemed much quieter than usual. She watched them amused. Yes, it was six in the morning for everyone. "Good morning, Guren-sama!" Sayuri greeted him warmly. "Yurika-sama." Yurika reciprocated with a slight smile. "Always in great shape Yurika." Colonel Norito approached her. Yurika gave him an intimidating look. "I'm only complimenting a beautiful girl, don't take it always so bad!" "Find another girl to compliment." She replied a bit cranky. "Sister, how acid you are this morning!" Shinya had arrived. "Explain to me how you're so cheerful, please explain it to me because I don't understand you." Yurika snorted, then turned towards Norito. "Maybe I overreacted." "We can fix that." Norito looked up. "... Let me think how..." "Settle for an apology." Shinya laughed. "You have to excuse her. Maybe she has met our big brother and... " "Shinya do not mention him." She said in a calm and soft-spoken tone. Shinya sighed. "Well, if no one opposes, I'm driving." Yurika sat next to his brother. "By the way, someone would explain the usefulness of the mission?" Inquired the girl as soon as they were gone. "You don't know why we go?" asked Colonel Mito surprised. "If I knew I wouldn't have asked... Let's say I had a problem and I lost part of the meeting..." "Are you or aren't you a Hiiragi? You could inform you. " Yurika was surprised by the harshness of her words. She turned to the window, contemplating the landscape, if so could be defined. It was Shinya who broke the silence. "In fact the matter is quite simple. We gain territory. Kill vampires. It's still useful. " The girl continued to look out. It didn't seem a very sensible response, but she didn't protest. She didn't feel like staying there to answer back. Slowly, the others began to converse, but she made no attempt even to join their speeches. She felt so out of place. She darkened. They knew everybody for a few years, they started to fight together and they were all still there. She was an intruder. She didn't hit anything with them. She clenched her fist.

After a time for her endless the car stopped. Now came the great part of the mission. Partner with those people. The first to take word was Guren. "I think we could split into two groups, Yurika? Shinya? " "Yes." Answered both. "So...I, Shigure and Sayuri go together... Shinya?" Shinya darted a look at Yurika. "What is it?" "Are you okay?" "To me, anything goes, just get moving." Guren smiled. "Perfect. Good luck to all, we find ourselves here in two hours." And the two groups were separated into two different points of the city. "Colonel Jujo, Colonel Goshi, sorry, but it seems you have to endure my presence." Norito and Mito exchanged glances, both had realized that the girl was particularly sour. "Yurika, listen." Mito tried to talk to her, but she was quickly interrupted. "Forget it. Let's worry about the mission. My brother says that there should be no nobles. Let's find out if it's true." Colonel Jujo remembered the dialogue between Shinya and Yurika from before and she thought that maybe Shinya was right, it looked like the girl was angry with her brother. The one who considered you a nobody but that nevertheless never missed an opportunity to send you to the battlefield to die. Just where Yurika was now. Well, it really wasn't in a situation so risky, but the substance didn't change. Almost immediately they encountered a group of vampires, but they were all low level and, despite being in only three, they overcame them with ease and continued so, without a hitch. The girl was happy it was going to be okay. Suddenly the walls of a building collapsed and she found herself separated from her companions and she was facing other vampires. "Damn!" She swore. She took the cross again evoking the demonic weapon. She was surrounded by three vampires, but still she managed to muddle through. She looked around looking at the piles of rubble that surrounded it. She had no idea where Mito and Norito could be.

The only thing she could do was to start moving in hopes of crossing someone. Shortly afterwards she heard a scream away from her. It froze the blood in her veins. It was the voice of Sayuri. She ran in that direction, hoping that nothing had happended. The scenario that showed up upset her. It had been the girl to scream, but she wasn't the one in danger. Sayuri and Shigure were both unarmed on the ground. Not far from them there was a vampire with long and silver hair. And he was blocking a bleeding Guren on the ground with one foot. She immediately understood that he was a noble. Her brain initially panicked when the vampire turned his crimson eyes on her. She would be the one to fight him now. She strucked the sword hilt, ready for the coming battle. The vampire smiled at her. "And there we have reinforcements, though... It doesn't seem right to let fight a girl all alone." And he left Guren, approaching Yurika. The man was able to recover and he pounced again on the vampire. "I'm sorry, it looks like someone hasn't completely knocked down." He smiled at her. "I'm coming back to you in a second." He turned to Guren and threw a kick sending him several metres away. Yurika's eyes widened, the vampire appeared much stronger than what she thought. How could she only hope to stand up to him? She had to use all her power right away. "Possess me, Kurena." She felt the power in her veins and she lunged at the vampire, but he intercepted her shot. "Not bad, my dear." She didn't give up and continued to hit. She seemed to be able to stand up to him, but she knew it was just an illusion. The vampire was just having fun with her. She felt a sharp pain in her right arm and nearly lost her grip on her sword. He had managed to hit her. The vampire's gaze rested on the bleeding wound of the girl. She took the opportunity to try and kill him. She gasped seeing the vampire sword fell to the ground. She had unseated him. The sword was a few centimeters away from him. Maybe she could... "Why don't you kill me?" He asked by tilting his head to the side. "You won't have a similar occason again, you know?" Yurika looked at him. Why was he continuing to smile at her? What was he up to? Before she could do anything the vampire pluged her right wrist by dropping her sword and put an arm behind her back, nearing her to him. Yurika felt something pass behind her back. "I'm the one who is fighting against her. Do not interfer, please." And after this worning to the others vampire he looked back at the girl. "You should thank me, I've just saved you." She closed her eyes. "Your blood looks delicious, I hope you don't mind if I try some." Yurika tried to break free from his grip. "Don't be like that." And he lifted her right arm. The wound on her arm was still bleeding. Yurika closed her eyes and turned her head slightly, preparing to the pain. Something wet passed on the wound. She opened her eyes and saw the vampire licking her wound. Despite all she felt a strong heat in the cheeks. He smiled at her again. "Did you see? I treated the wound." Yurika couldn't understand what he was doing. The vampire left her wrist and lifted his hand on the girl's head. She tried to pull back, afraid. Then she felt something fall on her shoulders. He had untied her hair. He used his hand to fix the strands. "They're better like that." "Yurika!" She heard the voices of Norito and Mito somewhere behind her, but never ventured to turn around. The vampire moved his hands on her waist. "I am Ferid Bathory." He whispered. The withe tiger of Shinya separeted them. Ferid threw one last look at her. "See you soon." And he vanished. Yurika took a deep breath and flopped down on the ground. Shinya, tottering, approached her. "How are you?" He asked. "Fine." She answered by continuing to stare in front of her. Shinya approached her putting a hand on her shoulder. Yurika whirled. She watched the blood oozing from his temple. "You're hurt." She whispered. Suddenly she remembered she wasn't the only one to be there. "Sayuri, Shigure, Guren! How are they?" "Come on, Yurika, don't pretend to be worried. It won't be a tragedy for a few broken bones." Guren appeared supported by Norito. Yurika stared at him intently, they had fought the same oppponent and yet they had gone out completly differently. Guren was bruised and bloodied, while she hasn't anything. And she wasn't stupid enough to give the thing to the simple fact  that she was an Hiiragi: she had felt the strong gap between her and the vampire and she was certain that he hadn't really engaged in the fight. She shuddered thinking back at the touch of his hands on her body and the way he had fixed her hair. Sure, Shinya was intervened by separating them, but it was clear that the vampire could end herat any time. Raising the gaze she realized that they were all staring at her. She stood up trying not to pay attention to that. "Well, I think that's enough for today. I think the time has come to return. Shinya, since I'm better than you, I think it's best if it's me to drive. " "What do you mean you're better? I can drive and then... In case Norito could drive, also he's pretty well..." "I said I want to drive." Said Yurika in authoritarian tone. "Please." She added. The brother sighed. There was no need to fight, though he seemed to see his sister a little weird. First of all it was the first time she even begged to ride. Yurika began to walk, without worrying about being or not being followed by the others. She needed to get behind the wheel and concentrate on driving, it was the only way she had to relax and not think about that enigmatic vampire named Ferid Bathory.

23/04/2017