FicWad

Chapter 2





A half a year had passed since the last of the houses had fallen, and it was now summer break. Chiyuki, Ren, and Ryuu had finished their time helping Blade to set up a chapter of the Clan in Detroit, and Chiyuki and Ren had finished their globetrotting. They decided to settle down, while Ryuu was in and out, fairly well doing his own thing. He had a place set aside for him, but he was out of it more than he was in it. He was not quite done grieving for the loss of Ai, and even though the situation had improved greatly for Clan, it wasn't quite enough to cure his somber mood. He indeed still had the cure of The Vagabond still resting on him, and even if he didn't old habits die hard. It seemed all his kind, no matter what form they took, had that curse on him because of his actions, even though things were better. Yes, they were known of by American government, and had its protection, but they still could not come out in the open unless the "mark of Cain" seen upon them in a proverbial sense cause their annihilation. Yet, he knew that would never happen, because he also remembered how God would allow Ryuu vengeance against anyone that tried to kill him or wrong him, and this sat true on his kind. This did not stop civil wars amongst their kind, and bloody wars that, at the very least, rivaled normal human wars. He wondered if there was any way that things could be better.



It was now near summer break, and that year, Hondo exacted revenge for his loss to the Rail Splitters the previous year by winning the state baseball title, and doing so against the Splitters. This created a great rivalry now between the two schools, even though it was well known that the two coaches were great friends. It was that year that Jean-Claude hoped he could take Yuriya and the kids on holiday somewhere nice. He was hoping for Florida, but he wasn't sure. Things seemed to be going well, but they were not quite.



Keelin, (the daughter of Chiyuki and Ren,) was nine years old by this point, and attending the same elementary school that both Kannon and Franklin attended. However, she began to take on her a personality not too dissimilar to that which Anjou had at that age, (and still had to some extent at that point.) Still, this was getting worse, and Chiyuki was becoming more frustrated because her quiet child would not tell her what was wrong. It almost seemed like a bi-polar condition, but they wondered if such a chemical imbalance in her brain was possible, considering what was wrong. That day would mark the start of new adventures that would force such adventures to be put on hold.



That day, Keelin was staring out the window, her face completely blank as she watched the sun set. Her mother would be up soon, and as if to speak of the devil, (quite literally in this case,) a flash of silken red and her mother was there, Keelin sitting in her lap, but looking quite unmoved. "So? How was your day at school?" she asked, petting her head.

Keelin shrugged, "Not much Okaa-san." she said quietly, (using the honorifics of the Japanese that meant "momma,) but clear and defined, you would be sure to hear her voice. When she wouldn't answer, Chiyuki became frustrated. "Keelin Nezumi Makka, tell me how your day was before you get in real trouble." Chiyuki said, furrowing her brow in irritation.

Ren entered the room in his robe and stated, "Kind of makes me wonder if there were problems with the other kids."

The conversation was broken up by a small knock at the door as Franklin had come down to see if Keelin wanted to play. Chiyuki glared at Keelin and set her off her lap, moving to open the door in a quick lightning fast movement, obviously knowing the scent. "Hello?" she asked in a pleasant voice, like a phone operation would use, except with that friendly tone, because she knew him. "Um," he said, stirring his foot on the ground, "Can...um...Keelin come out and play?"

Keelin stood up and started walking, but Chiyuki put her hand in front of her to stop her from leaving, "In a minute she can. Right now I'm trying to get her to talk." Chiyuki said, grinning.

He looked past her and said to Keelin, "Getting her to talk? No offense auntie, but that's going to be a neat trick!"

Chiyuki laughed heartedly, "Fine, you're off the hook for now Keel-chan," but then mildly threatened, "But understand I will get you to talk!"

Keelin, even though her face didn't change, something in it made all around her think she was chuckling as she walked out the door. Franklin and she were in different first grade classes, but he had heard stories. "Let's go up to Sophie's," he said, "By the way, what did you do!"

She became all pouty and said, "Someone insulted Okaa-san and I threw them across the room, erasing their memory was botheringly boring."

Not thinking about her reaction, (very much like her mother's,) he just focused on other things and set it aside for the moment. :Gee, I wish I could do that," then he stopped, and said, now realizing the implications of what she had said, "Hey, wait! You'd better be careful! If teacher tells on you, Daddy, your Uncle Jean-Claude, will know. He teaches Phys Ed at a high school, you know! Boy, I hope I don't have that problem when I awaken."

After a second, he then said, "By the way, do you have to use the honorifics? This is America, you know. It gets on my nerves when Aunt Anjou uses that stuff."

Keelin stared at him with a piercing stare, and said coolly, "I am Japanese; it is part of who I am, English is only my second language."

"Oh yeah?" said Franklin, now willing to play the game of one-upmanship, "Well, brother and sister don't use 'em, Idon't, and we're Japanese...sort of!"

"That is their choice, plus Okaa-san," she said, dragging out "Okaa-san," as if just to irritate him, "Likes me to call her by that."

He just stuck out his tongue, and gave her what he was excited to learn was called the Bronx Cheer. He may have been born in Maine, but as far as he was concerned, he was a New York City boy. He then said, "C'mon: Sophie is great at Monopoly, but I'm going to beat her this time!"

"Sure you are, and then you'll beat me at chess while at it," she said, glancing over at him slightly mocking.

He giggled and ran for the special elevator, contemplating whether or not to try and close the door on her before she could get in. Yet, before he could decide, Keelin was there, standing next to him, asking,"So are we going or not?"

"You're no fun!" he said, "I can't even play ajoke on you!"

She just smiled in a little girl's kind of way as if to say, "Ha, ha!"

He pressed the button that led to the second highest spot in the building, the one before the throne room itself. This was where the empress lived, but to the kids, she was just Sophie. Franklin knocked on the door, hoping they were not holding court. Keelin was standing behind him, quiet and her face completely blank, all hints of her earlier playfulness gone. Innocent opened the door and said, "Oh, hello! Can I help you kids?"

"Can Sophie play right now?" asked Franklin. Keelin didn't make eye contact at all, her face void, and glancing at the floor.

"Oh certainly, come in, sweeties," said Innocent, and that was when she noticed Keelin looking down. She then said, "What's wrong, honey?"

She glanced up, her voice coming out the same it always did when she talked, quiet, but somehow really loud. "Nothing," she answered simply.

"Well, come in," said Innocent, "Kannon's here too with Karin. Have some fun."

Karin came up and kneeled down to meet her eye to eye and said, "Hi, sweetie," as she stroked her hair, "How is one of the most beautiful little girls in the world doing today?"

Keelin shrugged and said, "Fine, Aunt Karin."

Karin smiled as she stroked her cheeks, saying, "So much like your mother! I owe her so much! Remember, if you ever have anything you ever want to talk about, you can always come to me, okay!"

Keelin nodded, and though she wasn't showing it, she got slightly more depressed. A voice came from the back, and she said,"Alright, I'm going to get you guys this time. It's mine--IT'S ALL MINE, BWAHAHAHAHA!"

It was Kannon, making like a mock dictator as she sat over the Monopoly board, rubbing her hands together, but Sophia just sat there, acting much like Anjou, keeping a knowing grin on her face. Keelin stared, and sighed, unconsciously as she leaned her head on franklin's shoulder. Franklin, (who had not yet awakened,) said, "Hey, Kee, what's up?You don't seem yourself today? Hey, today could be the day when you beat Sophie!"

"I just don't feel well," she mumbled, her body starting to get a little limp.

Karin and Innocent both looked at this, and began to detect a familiar pattern beginning to form. Karin came up with a dark soda, and she asked, "Take a sip, and tell me what kind of drink this is."

She sipped it, and spat it out. "I hate soda!"she said.

Karin then asked, "Did you taste anything?"

"Uh, kinda, not really," she said sheepishly.

Karin got a knowing look on her face as she nodded up and down, and said, "Open your mouth for me, would you, please? I want to look at something."

Keelin opened her mouth, and her canines larger than a normal humans, but nowhere near vampire size. Now she began to smile abit, and told her, "Honey, go ahead and play, okay? I think I know what's going on with you, but its okay."

She then picked up the phone and called Chiyuki and Ren.



Keelin glanced back suspiciously and went to do as she said. Chiyuki picked up on the second ring, answering, "Hello Karin."

"Hi," she said in return, and then Karin said, "Um, I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but I noticed your daughter starting to act lethargic, and I began to suspect something. So, Itested her taste, and it is not as sharp as it was, and her canines have grown somewhat. In my humble opinion, I think she's starting to awaken. It's an odd thing, too, because this is younger than when it happened to Anjou. At this age, she's going to need all the support she can get. Tell me, has she been getting more sensitive to sunlight?"

Chiyuki was both amazed and confused at the words she was hearing, and she answered, Uh...I suppose so, I tend to be...asleep, or busy at that time of day."

Karin then said, concerned, "I think she's awakening, and it may be time for a little talk. Shall I send her back?"

"Yeah," she said gruffly, and then she hung up. One would imagine, given you knew her well enough, she was doing one of two things: cheering, or being unpleasantly surprised. Karin, wanting to put Keelin at ease, began to stroke Keelin's hair, as if she were trying to style it a touch, and she said, "Um, honey, I just talked with your mother, and she needs you to go home, okay? You're not in any trouble, but she just wants to talk to you, okay?"

She kissed her on the top of her head as Sophia said, "Fear not, Keelin, for good things are happening to you."

Keelin glanced up, shrugged and walked out, back towards her mother.



Chiyuki hung up the phone and explained things to her husband. Ren was now talking to Chiyuki, and saying, "How is it that she is awakening so early? This is very odd."

Chiyuki slumped into the nearest chair, and hushed Ren by putting a finger over his lips. A quick rapping came from the door, and Chiyuki instantly perked up and opened it, leading Keelin in. "Why hello little girl," said Ren, "Looks like our treasure is growing up!"

Chiyuki noticed how nauseated Keelin looked and knew the instant she passed out that it was as she feared-she was awakening! Chiyuki ran over to catch her, Chi's hair coming out of the braid and falling everywhere. Though this seemed like a serious moment, Ren knew that this was par for the course when it came to the awakening. He then said, "I remember my awakening, and Anjou's. She needs blood, and she needs to find her preference."

Chiyuki nodded in agreement, and carried Keelin outside; running faster than the human eye and mind could comprehend. It would be troubling for a vampire to try and figure out her next move. If it was fighting, the years added to her thousand had only improved her, and childbirth had not hindered her, she retained no fat from the pregnancy. However, Ren knew what the deal was, and went after his wife, making sure to keep her from doing something stupid, and also to be able to watch this rite of passage for his daughter. Chiyuki took her outside, and instantly, Keelin shot up and tackled a man with greasy hair, and on closer inspection, slashes all over his wrists. Ren was stunned when he got outside to the park and realized just how quickly Keelin had acted. This was indeed odd. "Wow, that didn't take long," said Ren, and Jean-Claude, sitting at the bistro, talking with his wife, could not help but notice the action, and went outside to investigate. When he saw, he said,"She awakened?"

Chiyuki chuckled, as Keelin finished and wiped the person's mind. It surprised him that she could already do this, but then he knew that Chiyuki would have been training her for this day, so it should have not been such a surprise. Chiyuki looked at her and asked, "Any idea what is was...the preference, I mean?"

"Yes...Inferiority," she said, vanishing as soon as Jean-Claude appeared. Chiyuki then looked at Jean-Claude and said, "And, yes she did, as you can see."

"There's so much to do now," said Jean-Claude, "I mean, it's good she's come out and all, and it is something to celebrate, but saying good-bye to the sun, to her classmates... If there's any way I can help ease this, just let me know. I owe you much anyway."

Chiyuki nodded, saying, "We should manage."

"Come on, babe," Said Ren, "We have to get her inside. There is much she needs to learn," as he looked around, trying to figure out where his daughter had gone. However, Chiyuki pointed at Keelin, who was grinning from ear to ear waving at them from the top of the building. Ren's eyes nearly popped out of his head while Jean-Claude said, "Oh, for the love of..." and headed for the special elevator that led to the royal floors and the roof.



Keelin was grinning from ear to ear. She could feel it now-how strong she was. She could feel it flickering through her bloodstream, and the sweet taste from her meal lingering on her tongue and lips. She felt so strong, maybe even stronger than her mother: the fastest, strongest vampire in existence, besides Ryuu, and Keelin had only met him once. Jean-Claude made it to the roof, but he was not angry, just concerned. To keep from startling her, he began to speak as soon as he emerged and said, "That was pretty impressive. Not even Anjou could to that when she came out, and she is pretty powerful herself."

Keelin sighed and said, "I suppose, it is just very nice this high up."

Keelin sighed and stood up, walking to the edge of the building, saying, "I like how high it is."

"Yeah, it is pretty, isn't it," said Jean-Claude, "You can see the Chrysler Building here, and the RCA building, all the lights in Central Park. Isn't it almost like a new set of eyes?"

Keelin glanced up and mumbled, "You're strange."

Jean-Claude was taken aback at that statement, not sure what she meant, and he said, though not in a mean way, "Wow, that's the first time I ever recall you calling me weird. What makes you say that?"

Keelin glanced up, "You are just weird. I mean, Ican't read anything, your movements...anything. I can't see too far in your eyes, so I avoided you, I never trusted you much."

"That may be because of what I am," said Jean-Claude, "Are you saying your mother never told you about any of our adventures together?"

Keelin raised an eyebrow, "I know all about it. Iswear it is all she talks about."

"Then she must have told you the nature of what Iam," said Jean-Claude, "Have you ever heard of a dhampir?"

"Yes...I'm not curious about what type of vampire you are silly! I'm curious as to why you are the way you are."

"Well, having all the benefits of vampirism and few of the weaknesses gives me benefits like that. I also think it has something to do with divine intervention but that's neither here nor there. Being half human has a lot to do with it. Because half of me is human, you have to find different ways of tracking me. It can be done. Believe me, the first time I met your mother, she pegged me quick, no matter how hard I tried to hide. I tried to move, and she was right behind me as if I had materialized. Kinda mix together the techniques that you would use to track a human with tracking a vampire and you may have it."

Keelin listened this time, when he finished she spoke again, asking, "I mean, why can't I find any darkness?"

"Ah, that!" he said, "Now THAT has a lot to do with divine intervention. Some time ago, I came to grips with that, and, to make a long story short, got the victory over that which would have been darkness over me. Now, don't think it's not there; all I have done is rechanneled it to be a weapon. What was once darkness becomes what I call righteous indignation: I turned it into something else. This way, I can keep sharp, not make rash decisions, and not go over the line so to speak. Oddly enough, my blood preference is evil, and I am not sure if that has anything to do with it, but that's the best explanation I can give you--unless someone finds out something else. Maybe I should ask Ryuu. Or maybe you could ask him?"

Keelin stared and said, "Like I said; weird!"

"It's not so much if you learn the source of my peace," said Jean-Claude, "That is, if you're willing to hear."

Keelin grinned and giggled as she said, "It's not like I have much of a choice, its either you or Mom trying to be a grown up."

Jean-Claude took note of how her daughter saw her, and about the seeming lack of maturity in Chiyuki, or her trying to act mature when she was not, and filed it away for another time. He then just came up to Keelin and put an arm around her, and shared his beliefs with her, and he said, "It's not that I would expect you to believe all that, or that I would force you. That's something that you would have to decide. Yet, that is the source of my peace. You know, all this is going to mean that you can't go to school anymore. You can't go out into the sun. That can be hard. Yet, Kenta is the engineering major, and he can home school you. You still have your cousins. And I am sure there are others your age that are what we are. And always know that I am here for you too."

He smiled at her and tousled her hair. Keelin stared, and didn't seem much affected by the messing of her hair. Usually, she hated it, but as for now, the initial shock was a bit much to deal with. Jean-Claude sensed this, and he knelt down to look her in the eye, (as he had learned in his education classes at school,) "She didn't prepare you for this day, did she?"

He hugged her, and said, "I am so sorry; I wanted you to be eased into this. It is always a hard change, but there are plenty around you that went through this, and they can help you. Come on, let's go talk to Aunt Anjou, because she awoke young as well, and it was not easy for her. She can sympathize with you and help you."

Keelin's eyes widened at being hugged, she blushed slightly and pushed away. Jean-Claude was trying to be the loving uncle at this point, and he let her go, stroking her face, and said, "Are you mad at me?I could understand why. I do apologize for telling you like this. There could have been better ways to say it. Do you want to tell me what you feel right now?It's okay to feel and tell me honestly, because they are your feelings, and it's okay to have them, and tell others how you feel. Maybe that's why I said something. When I was your age, I liked to be told-where we are going, if it tastes good, if it's going to hurt, because you are a person, and just as important as anyone else. What you have to say matters too. You can tell me right now, and I will not get mad at all."

Keelin stared at him, and backed up towards the edge of the building, ready to run off and out of his range, hoping she was faster than him. She didn't want to talk; she wanted to find it out for herself. And most importantly, she wanted someone who understood her desire not to talk. "Why don't you talk to Aunt Anjou," said Jean-Claude, "If it's too hard to tell me, I know she would understand," knowing well that sometimes kids need space to think. However, he kicked himself for being so abrupt. He did say before she left, "I love you just the way you are."

Keelin's face lost all confusion: yes, he assumed she wanted to talk, and wrongly so. With that, she ran past him as fast as she could go-nowhere near as fast as her mother-but defiantly, one day, she would outrun her mother. "Well, dipwad," said Jean-Claude, "That's another one you mucked up!"

He went back down to the restaurant for some latte. He wanted to drown his stupidity in a good caffeine high.