Vampire Knight: Season of Transience

Chapter 2

The next morning, Zero concentrated seriously on his daily task of splitting logs.
Holding up the hatchet with both hands, he fixed his eyes upon the target firmly before swinging it down. Although he was well trained, Zero had yet to outgrow his child's body.
The large, heavy hatchet and the sheer number of logs he had to split made it a strenuous and daunting task. He would not be able to chop the logs if he did not swing the hatchet down with enough force and momentum, but not controlling how he used his strength would result in sore arms later. It was quite a conundrum.

'This is bloody troublesome," Kaito spoke up after splitting а few logs. He flung down the hatchet. 'Zero, do mine for me!'
'...but this is supposed to be part of our training. If we train our arm muscles and back muscles, our constitution will improve and...'
'That's just stupid,' Kaito interrupted. 'This will help us improve? Do you really believe what Yagari says? He only made us do this because he wants to save himself some trouble, that's all!'
'But, since it's our training...'
'You know how good I am, don't you?'
'But Kaito...'

Seeing Zero's refusal to back down, Kaito looked up at the sky with annoyance on his face, lifted the hatchet easily with one hand and split the log cleanly into halves.

'Get it now? You're using both hands. I'm using one. Obviously, I'm better. That's why while you may need the training, I certainly do not.'

The log halves rolled to the ground with a dull thud.
'Hmph, I can't believe my master actually got himself injured on the job... Thanks to that, l had to get Ieft in a place like this and suffer as well! Talk about a nuisance. Call yourself a professional... How could you be so disgraceful? Besides, I'm completely fine on my own without Yagari to "take care of me"!'
Without thinking, Zero countered, 'Kaito... I think you're taking it a bit too far. It's a good thing your master survived with just some injuries. His life isn't in danger, right?'
After blurting out his piece, his body tensed.
Не could feet the air around Kaito turn sharp and icy.
'...for a boy who hasn't actually fought before, what would you know?'
'I...'

Zero was unable to move, pinned to the spot by Kaito's piercing glare.

'You're a son of the Kiryuu family, aren't you?' Kaito asked. 'So spoilt and pampered that you couldn't even kill a rabbit. I can't believe how casually you're treating the whole thing. Do you really understand what being a vampire hunter means? Do you know what responsibilities they have to shoulder? You don't even look like you have half a clue! Do you really think you're ready for this?!'
'Ready for this...?'

It was true that Zero was striving to be a vampire hunter because that had been the profession of the Kiryuu family for generations. He had also decided in his heart that he was going to become a first-class hunter for the sake of his weaker twin, Ichiru, but ask him if he was ready to face whatever was out there...

In all honesty, he had no idea.

The only reason he had chosen to become a hunter was because he wanted to follow in his parents' footsteps. That was all. He was training hard now in order to live up to his parents' expectations, to help lchiru, and to become a well-known hunter together with his twin brother.

The job of vampire hunters was to kill the vampires that were on the execution list. He understood that the killing of vampires seas not considered a crime.

However...

Zero had yet to experience an actual 'hunt' before.
'Hey, Zero!' Yagari's face appeared suddenly, and there was a rare gleam of warmth in his ebony eyes. 'Bet you're happy! You have visitors!'
'Eh? Who...?'
'Zero!'
The boy who ran forward to envelop Zero in a hug was like a mirror image of Zero himself, with his silky hair and handsome features. It was none other than his twin brother lchiru.

'Eh? lchiru?'
'It's been a while, huh, Zero?'
'How have you been?'
'Dad and Mum too...?!'
lchiru grinned happily at Zero, who had yet to recover from his shock. Behind him stood their parents.
'Yup! My fever went down, so l asked them to bring me along!' Ichiru explained.

'But, Ichiru... will you really be all right? Shouldn't you be resting somewhere...? Your health...'
'I thought so too, but lchiru wanted to see you so much that he absolutely would have none of it!'
'I should've been training here too if l hadn't come down with a fever! Right, Master?' lchiru flashed Yagari an innocent smile. Yagari gave a light shrug.
'Yeah, that's true...'
'I'm going to start training here today as well,' Ichiru declared.
'That's okay, right? Zero and I are going to become hunters together when we grow up!'

Meanwhile, Kaito stood uncomfortably by himself at the front door, unsure of how to react to the suddenly livelier house. Zero and lchiru's father reached out to pat Kaito's head kindly. The dry and large hand of the vampire hunter conveyed his feelings with more eloquence than any words would have.
'I heard about your master. He barely escaped with his life, didn't he? Thank goodness he's all right.'
Kaito's only reply was to lower his head in silence.