Note: I DO NOT OWN Vampire Knight.

Chapter 56: Battling together (1)

"Nii-san! What are you doing bringing Mochi-chan to a dangerous place, you baka!" exclaimed Ichiru while Mochi sat in the middle of the twins.

"And what!? Watch her uncle get killed!?" replied Zero before the twins clashed their foreheads together but before they could even argue further, Zero started to feel a sense of familiar comfort coming from the younger twin...their nostalgia that they had when they were younger.

"Ah...No...But I have something I want to tell you..." said Ichiru before looking at Zero in a softer gaze and pulled Zero into a hug along with Mochi, causing her cheek to rest on the younger twin's chest but concentrated more on moving her family towards a safe place.

"Although we have become different "species", hugging you really calms me down, is it because we were from the same egg?" he said while Zero gave a look of confusion at Ichiru.

"Zero...I want you to take a piece of my life...eat it..." Zero's eyes widened.

"Are you crazy!? I'm not a level E anymore, I don't need it!" said Zero, but Ichiru smiled slightly and brought the katana and then sliced a small cut in his neck. Not enough for him to bleed to death but enough for Zero to drink a little.

"...Ichiru."

"Do you know what I'm saying? If you drink my blood, you will be able to take back the strength that belonged to you before you were born and you can finally have enough strength to defeat him."

Zero shook his head vigorously. "No, I won't do it."

"No, you will."

"I won't!" he yelled, startling Mochi a bit. Zero immediately started rubbing comforting circles around his daughter's back before turning back to Ichiru.

"Fine! I'll do it but..." with a blink of an eye, Zero took Ichiru's katana and sliced a section in his neck.

"N-Nii-san!?" exclaimed Ichiru but Zero looked back indifferently.

"If we drink our blood at the same time, we can finally have the same level of strength...You can protect Mochi to your full potential as well."

Ichiru looked at his older brother in disbelief before he started laughing and wiped a tear after his laughing moment. "Geez...What am I going to do with you...alright, it's a deal but only because I am able to protect Mochi-chan more efficiently."

Zero nodded before bringing his hand to pull Ichiru closer towards his open wound and at the same time he went closer towards him. Then finally, they both managed to drink the blood from each other's slashed wounds.

They also noticed that Mochi stopped the flower beast from moving and they pulled away. Ichiru wiped the trail of blood off the corner of his mouth while Zero started rummaging through his uniform jacket to pull out two cartoon bandages of a depressed egg, which he forgot the name of.

"Nii-san that bandage..."

"Hm, What? Got something against gudetama?" Ichiru shook his head no after Zero helped him attach the bandage on his neck wound and then his own.

"So...how do you feel?" asked Zero. Ichiru gripped his hand but didn't really feel any difference but he did feel...refreshed.

"Like a weight has finally been lifted off my chest," replied Ichiru with a small smile.

"That's good, but I think this is our stop," said Zero before Mochi finally opened the flower to reveal that they have arrived at the front doors of Cross's residence.

Mochi was the first to hop out and chirped happily at the pair behind her. Zero smiled at his adorable daughter. "Good job Sweetie, you did so well." he praised before lifting her into his arms.

However, they started noticing the multiple unsettling presence surrounding the area. Zero glanced towards Ichiru. "Hey, Ichiru, ready for your first hunt with me?" he asked.

Ichiru sighed tiredly before sheathing his katana and nodded in agreement. "Ready."

Meanwhile back in the Night Class dorms...

"Ugh..." groans Shiki as he sat up feeling a little light-headed before a flash of memory about all things that his father...no, Rido has done. Then, he noticed a familiar blonde ahead of him.

"Ichigo-san? What are you doing?" he asked, causing young Ichigo to turn and smile warmly at the familiar presence of the pocky loving vampire.

"A weird vampire showed up and attacked you guys while you were asleep." Ichigo replied while Shiki's expression turned serious. "Other than this, don't you have somewhere else to go? I'm fine now, so..."

Ichigo chuckled at Shiki's attempt to go on without him. "Alright, I will leave Rima to you then." said Ichigo before sheathing his katana in place and leaving the room.

Once he was gone, Shiki turned towards Rima's unconscious body. "I'm sorry..." he muttered before giving her a hug, but stopped before sensing a presence behind him.

"Although, I have lost my way...but I'm only here to confirm my suspicion...Are you Rido-sama's puppet? " asked a well-dressed male vampire as he happened to find an opening to enter the room.

Shiki smirked and pierced the palm of his hand, allowing his blood wipes to be summoned. "Yeah, a puppet that is now able to move on its own." he replied. However, before he could even land the first attack, a branch from a nearby tree managed to pierce the vampire's chest and threw him out of the window at lightning speed.

Shiki looked on in shock before noticing that veins and branches started growing in record speed as they surrounded the dorm outside, almost like a barrier to keep unwanted vampires out.

He chuckled, "Thanks a lot Mochi-chan, I owe you one." thought Shiki before glancing at the branched out veins by the dorm room.

Aww~ Ichiru and Zero are finally patched back together, but the battle is getting started~ I wonder what will happen?

But! If you have any comments, questions, concerns or requests, just ask away~ See you in the next chapter~! Have a good day/evening!