A new story...

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Everything happened in the nights of winter.

The present. The past. The future.

The white blanket of snow, from white...

(Paused)

The happy nights turned into mournful nights.

Filled with sorrow, despair, and loneliness.

And from white, it turned into red...

(Questioning)

Why does a blanket of snow turned into red?

Was it a bloody night? An event that struck us?

Whose fault was it anyway? You? Mine? Us? Them?

(Hands pointing at different directions)

This story began because he brought him here. (Rido, Kaname)

But this story will not flow without her as well. (Yuuki)

He kept the secret and she wished to know.

But alas...

(Clock chimed)

Not everything...

...will have a happy ending.

(A slight thud)

This tale was no exception.

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In a lifetime, a person has one chance to lead a life and die. To all, the second chance in life rarely occur unless you were the chosen one. However, even if you were given the chance, you would not live the life you had before. Instead, you might live as someone else. A human, an animal. A new life, with promise.

The door creaked and slowly opened. The group of bats peered and fled inside in swift motion. Their destination was toward the middle of the room, to their master sitting on the coffin. A hand lifted and the bats stayed in their positions, flapping their wings as they waited for their master's further instructions.

Kaname's eyes were closed as he was quietly meditating. He returned from his meeting earlier than expected and as usual, upon realizing Yuuki was not yet home, stayed inside this hidden room to meditate and view the past and the present. He didn't dare to view the future, feared that the future might not welcome his presence. His lips curved into a smile. "How nostalgic," he murmured.

"Nostalgic, or pathetic?" a voice said, followed with a screeching laughter. Kaname's eyes slowly opened and he noticed a burden behind his back. Not bothering to turn around, he stayed still and waited. "The precious princess of Kuran has left you, Kaname? It's only a year and you've lost the game?"

"If your presence here is to mock me, then please leave. I am not interested with your mocking words."

A chuckle followed with a reply, "I won't go, even if I want to." The voice disappeared and reappeared in front of Kaname's waiting eyes. "Quite rude, Kaname," the voice said, a bit annoyed. "I was behind there and you never bother to greet me, your uncle?" he said.

Kaname laughed. "I do not have an uncle, not you. Not an uncle who would kill his two siblings, destroyed the life of his nephew and gave fear to his niece. You call that caring, Rido?" he asked.

"I didn't kill Juri, that's for sure." Rido's voice was soft when it was about Juri, but he kept his mask on.

"You were the cause of her death, that I am sure!" Kaname's voice rose. "It is no use reminding you of the past because you knew what happened. Clearly." He quietened down and said, "You didn't come here because of that, Rido. What is it?"

Rido laughed at Kaname. "What a lovely outburst, my nephew!" he said, smirking. "Very well. I came to ask about Yuuki. Where is she? Don't tell me that after a year, you lost her to the human world, again? You cannot become weak, Kaname!" he cried.

Kaname hissed at the man. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?" he asked. "Yet you appeared as that."

"Is it wrong? To appear in front of you without surprise? You cannot sense me just now, I noticed."

Kaname flinched. He knew why he couldn't sense Rido a moment ago. He didn't know when Rido entered the room, with whom or as what. He managed a glance at his bats, all of them were present but...? "You're a soul, of course." That was his answer. "I cannot sense you because you're already here in the first place. This room is sacred but a Kuran can find his way here, with or without realizing it."

Rido waited with a smile. "And you were here before, Rido. You woke me up from my deep slumber."

"It is strange that Haruka and Juri didn't realize the existence of this room since they lived here for years but I wonder why I could enter this room if it's sealed after you entered your deep slumber, Kaname?" Rido questioned, and received a snort as a reply from Kaname. "Seriously Kaname, if you want to reply, reply properly."

Kaname answered his question with disgust. "Answer your questions yourself!" he ordered. "When you're young, you're one curious brat! Your father often found you lingering along the hallways with no purpose while you filled your time inside the study. It is no surprise that the likes of you found the secret pathway to the hidden room, right, Rido?" asked Kaname, his eyes fixed on Rido's.

"Yes." Rido nodded.

"You were able to break the spell because you knew the method. From that point," Kaname pointed his finger toward the door, "You saw a coffin. An old coffin. Curiosity kills a cat but you're a vampire, you don't die because you're curious. Nevertheless, you entered this room and opened this coffin I am comfortably sitting on." Kaname placed his right hand on the coffin. "My coffin."

Rido winced. "Getting back at me, huh?"

"Winning at your game, Rido."

Rido shrugged and scratched his head. "Still, if I didn't wake you up, I don't think we'll both be standing here, quarrelling to no ends, right, Kaname?" he asked. "Be thankful that I found the pathway and woke you up. If not, we'll be getting a different kind of future."

"Why? I didn't ask anyone to wake me up but you assumed I needed to wake up. I chose to die in my slumber, you chose to mess up my life. I don't need this life!" Kaname's voice rose once more. "If you didn't wake me up, if I didn't exist in this time, the future will change. There will be no senseless deaths, the ones who died will live and the ones who're supposed to die will die!" he said. "After all, I led a life before so there's no need for a second chance in life."

"People will want a second chance if given but you refuses?" Rido questioned with uncertainty. "Are you not happy with this life you are leading right now? A person to love, enemies to kill and a new life to explore? You can even have children, a new generation of your descendants."

"You never realize it?" Kaname asked. "The life I am leading is not based on truth. I refused this new life, I refused what turned out from my presence. Haruka and Juri died to protect Yuuki, but I never forget the life you killed to force me to be awakened. The child whose name was the same as I, the child who knew nothing but ended up being a sacrificial lamb. You did not have any mercy on an innocent, Rido."

"It is needed, Kaname. If his name is not the same as yours, how can I revive you?" his answer was innocent but cruel.

"That child needed his life, why sacrifice it?"

"Is that why you're pretending to be the brother?" Rido changed the subject just quick before their conversation dragged on.

Kaname winced at the words. "Only for a moment. My feelings towards Yuuki is genuine, though."

"Genuine? Because you're the ancestor of Kuran or the brother to the princess?"

"Both. Yuuki is the light of my darkness. This life will not worth it if she doesn't exist."

"Ah. I see what you meant in leading a life based on lies, Kaname."

Kaname closed his eyes and murmured, "A life made up of lies, sins and guilt, I cannot possibly continue this life without feeling worried. I've lied to a lot of people, pretending to be someone I am not. They trusted me but I cannot return the trust as I've lied. I've sinned because my existence sacrificed the lives of my loved ones. Guilt because I betrayed them. If my secrets are revealed, I am done for."

Rido listened to Kaname's confessions before the latter looked up at him and questioned the man, "Do you even understand my pain, Rido? This life you've given me have trapped me inside this never ending cycle; the war between humans and vampires, the war that I've led all those centuries ago! Why do you wish it to be repeated?"

"Humans are fools." That was his answer.

"They are foolish." Kaname agreed wholeheartedly.

Rido stared at Kaname, "The Hunters' Association will never agree to this peace treaty. They'll break it, somehow."

"I am well aware of it but for Yuuki's sake, I will ensure that the peace will be achieved."

"Even if I interfere?" Rido offered. Kaname opened his eyes and stared emotionless. "A year ago, the princess and the Kiryuu boy killed me but I am still alive and laughing. I wonder how they will react at my presence, Kaname? Even the strongest hunter was unable to kill me and they are convinced that I am truly dead. It'll be the laughing joke once it's known I am alive."

Kaname raised his hand and pointed toward Rido as he said, "You are dead, Rido. Your body is no more but your soul struggled to live. If I am to declare who is the pathetic one, it is you, not I. You struggled for life even when your body was completely destroyed. There will be no second chances for you. A third life never exist, even for us vampires."

You will never have the chance to regenerate and ruin other people lives once more, Kaname said mentally.

"Cats have nine lives, why can't I have a third life?"

"Because you're not a cat, you annoying creature."

"Hmph. That's insulting. I will still interfere, whether you like it or not. I much prefer war rather than peace. Humans need a lesson from us vampires. Even you are not happy with the humans way of survival, no? They misused the freedom they have in this world. Blood is too important for them even when they don't drink blood!"

Kaname slowly rose and said, "It's true that they hunted vampires for our blood, still that's all in the past–"

"What about the time they use vampires as the base for the hunters' weapons? The weapons that are used to kill us?"

Powerful weapons that are created through the flesh and blood of our kind, used against us!, Rido added mentally.

"Rido, enough."

Rido continued his speech, completely ignoring Kaname's increasing warning. "I know this is painful but you're not the only one suffering. We are the predators and they are our preys. We spend time pretending to act like humans, to live among them for this so-called peace but they are wicked. They are hunting us. Our roles are reversed, Kaname. They become the hunters, we become the victims!"

"Blood is essential to us, humans become our preys because we need their blood, our food!" he continued. "But it turned around! Humans hunt us for our blood because we're special! Now they want us, now they are able to kill us! What are we to become, Kaname? We become the weakest, not the strongest. Humans played with our mind and we just want to ruin them!"

Kaname sighed. "That kind of thinking bring you to your worst, Rido. What do you want by telling me all of this? As I stand here, I know the humans' activities and their behaviour. That is why they have vampire hunters, to hunt vampires with such low-minded brains, like you." He pointed his finger and continued, "If you want war, we already have war with them, except it's between our minds, nothing physical but minds, Rido."

"Pardon?"

"Take a chess game between two players; white and black. Each player take turns to create their moves while the other player waits. In other words, in the reality, the hunters are waiting for the vampires' next move. As long as the game is stalled, nothing can be done since the vampires have not made their move. If you take it in the other manner, it's the peace treaty. It's the situation to see who will control their movements as discreet as possible."

Rido nodded in understanding. "Even if you find your life worthless here, you are quite the brilliant strategist. Manipulative and resourceful, that's what you are, Kaname. I suppose there's no other fine words to say that you are the reason why the Kuran family rose in power. That's interesting."

"The war I led and won in the past and the current war we're having is different, Rido. This war is not supposed to be the bloody war as before. This war will have no bloodshed and destruction, only death to those needed. Hopefully mine will follow as well."

Rido groaned and said, "Not with the death talk again, Kaname."

"Since you are here to meddle with my life, I believe I should do the same, annoy you."

Another groan came from Rido as Kaname chuckled at his reaction. "Serves you!"

XxXxX

(TBC)

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A/N: This story is leading in its own direction, therefore, do not question whether this story is related to the canon, because it's not! It is based on chapter 58 – Kaname and Rido conversation – but what I wrote here is based on my theory. If it's confusing to you, it is meant to be confusing. Reviews, please.

In case you're curious about how Kaname come to appear in Haruka and Juri's lives and their reaction after Rido awakened him, you can read The Snow, The Past. It is Kaname when he's around three to four years old facing the truth of his identity.