Raine- "It's been that long?"

Tokita Ohma," Year? It's 2020, you don't even know what year it is?" Raine suddenly sprung to her feet in a blind panic feeling her heart sink. Hide and Ohma looked at her in confusion as she pulled up her sleeve and stared in a comatose state at her birthmark. First Progenitors were blessed with the marksmanship of a red rose to prove their birthright as noble-born. However, the mark grew weak whenever a noble member died and now her once prominently red rose on her shoulder was dulled.

Kimura Hide, "Raine how long have you been asleep?" Hide knew pain when she could see it and the mixture of confusion and the way she looked at the world as if brand new set off a lightbulb in her brain. Perhaps Raine only acted and spoke like this because that was all she knew...

Raine, "I was put to sleep in 1920, so...it's been that long." Forcing herself to hold back her tears she turned away covering her mouth, a gut-wrenching pain overwhelmed her. That meant she'd been sleeping for all this time. Ohma was starting to put the pieces together, his grandfather said he was turned by the First Progenitor's brother, that meant his bloodline was strong. However, he couldn't see the tattoo on Raine...Sighing he sat down with Hide and began pulling out some old books from under the coffee table. Hearing pages flipping Raine glanced at the table only to see countless pictures of people she recognized.

Tokita Ohma, "I don't see you in any of these pictures. My grandfather had records of all the first progenitor's descendants, there was no record of a female child birthed. So who are you?" Hide gritted her teeth and hit his arm hearing him rudely question her. Raine was in a trance staring at one sole image.

Kimura Hide, "Cut her some slack would you, she just woke up and you're interrogating her. You are an asshole!" Ohma snapped and argued back fiercely.

Tokita Ohma, "This girl knows too much about us already! You know what happens if were discovered Hide, we will all be killed on the spot so please excuse me for trying to protect my clan!" While they bickered Raine reached and gently picked up a family portrait. In it was a beautiful woman in a red kimono style dress linked with a handsome man with red eyes and white hair just like hers however it was hard to make out because of its aged quality. Still...she knew these people. Tokita paused from his argument as she stroked an image carefully, looking at it in complete awe.

Tokita Ohma, "Ah? That's the Rose family leaders, they say King Hiroshi was the son of the first-ever vampire to roam the earth but of course, that was just rumored. The woman was his wife Mei Hiroshi, she was also of noble blood. Do you know them?" Raine felt her mind flooded with questions.

Raine, "You said 'was', what do you mean by that?" Ohma flinched hearing an overwhelming fear in her voice.

Tokita Ohma, "I mean they both disappeared the day the treaty was established. You don't know anything do you?" Her hand trembled as she began shaking her head frantically trying to brush off what she was feeling.

Raine, "You're saying they passed the equality law...after they tried so hard to fight against it..." She whispered between gasps flopping back onto the old brown sofa, her hands shook so much the image looked contorted through her teary eyes.

Kimura Hide, "How do you know these people, did you see them back then? How is it possible for our kind to sleep for 100 years, I thought you told me we could sometimes sleep 6 months at the most." She was questioning Ohma hoping to get some answers for this poor lost in a world she wasn't born into.

Tokita Ohma, " I was once told some nobles are put to sleep for preservation but never for this long. You're lucky to be alive. Answer the question how do you know those people?" Raine went to speak but it already looked like he was ready to reject whatever she was going to say.

Raine, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. They just vanished, has no one seen them ever since?" Tokita shook his head, whoever these people were they seemed very important to this girl. It was true they had vanished but not presumed dead under the fact there was no evidence.

Kimura Hide, "He might not but I will. Please tell me about them, the people in that picture." Reassuring she held the other side of the picture grasped tightly in Raine's hand almost as it were precious. Still, unsure feeling Ohma's eyes burning into her skull she took a deep breath.

Raine," I was born in a palace back when rural Tokyo was at war...Humans and Vampires hated each other so strongly it didn't matter if you were a woman or child if you were in the way...you were destroyed along with everyone else. Sometimes you could hear the blood-curdling screams of people begging to be inside the palace walls for refuge, my room was hidden underground away from the progenitors. I was a secret..." Her head throbbed trying to remember her cruel past, Tokita who wasn't initially interested tuned in hearing similar details to what his grandfather had told him.

Raine, "I was told to always keep myself hidden from everyone else...the reason I'm not sure. So I spent most of my time in my room, occasionally my parents would come to see me when they had time. My mother was so loving and caring, so was my father even though he was trying his best to heal the wounds of war by himself. I loved them...more than anything."

Kimura Hide, "So, you've been locked up for your whole life, that's awful...were your creators the only ones who knew you were there?" Hide was intrigued by this story, it sounded a lot like the child's tale rapunzel.

Raine, "No apart from my parents there were two others who knew about me. My father's closest friend and my mother's sister. If I remember their names correctly they were called Amari Tame which was my aunt and, Kuno Tadayoshi," Ohma's mouth dropped open as he fumbled for a picture of the whole family. Raine pointed them out immediately with a smile.

Tokita Ohma, "Wait...Amari Tame's only sister was...the queen Mei Hiroshi. Are you saying?"

Raine, "Yes, those two people are my parents." Hide scrunched her brows.

Kimura Hide, "Don't you mean creators, that's what you call the people who turned you." Raine returned her cofusion and bit her lip.

Raine, "I wasn't turned. I was born?" Ohma let a laugh escape his mouth, that wasn't possible.

Tokita Ohma, "First of all you can't be turned by this family, they strictly noted that to keep the bloodline pure they would not turn humans. Secondly, vampires are infertile, the only way for someone to become is a vampire is through a biting exchange." Raine looked seriously offended by that, he was wrong.

Raine, "I'm not lying. My mother gave birth to me in the palace in secret." Kimura had to agree with Ohma on this one, there was no way a vampire could be born.

Kimura Hide, "Um Raine, he's right. There has never been one vampire birth in history, the progenitor blood is either passed down in a blood exchange or gifted to an ancestor." Surprised Hide had been listening he gave her a sly smile. Raine clenched her fists before reaching in her nightgown pocket and pulling out a crumpled picture.

Raine, "Vampires also don't grow either right? Then how do you explain this?" She slammed the picture on the table. Hide and Ohma each grabbed it and stared intensely at the old image. In it was the king and queen with a little girl sat happily on their lap. Ohma was in a whirlwind of confusion, they put the picture up next to Raine and couldn't believe their eyes. The red eyes and snow-white hair, they were identical. Except for the little girl in the picture had short curly hair and only a few teeth, but her fangs were prominent.

Tokita Ohma, "I can't believe it." Raine smirked triumphantly proving her point. Then a sudden lonely feeling washed over her. They said no other vampires had been born, did that mean she was the only one?

Raine, "My father named me Raine which in French translates to a queen, my mother wanted to call me Yuki for the kanji 'Snow.' but they decided queen was more suited. I guess they wanted me to be unique...Look I have no idea how my mother and father created me but I do know that they are without a doubt, my parents." In total shock, Ohma leaned back in his seat trying to understand why this had been kept a secret and why she was telling them of all people.

Tokita Ohma, "Okay...I believe you. But why us? You could have just kept this hidden as they wanted, why are you here?" Remembering her quest Raine then pulled out a note signed by her father. Hesitantly she peeled it open and showed Ohma the message.

'Look for the thorned rose crest, they will help you. We love you sweet daughter, please survive." It was very brief but the signature on the bottom was distinctly Ara Hiroshi's. Raine had found them using only a small detail which he found profoundly incredible.

Raine, "They told me I would have to sleep for a while, so like always they kissed me goodnight and left. Next thing I know I was covered in rubble and my home was gone. That was the only thing I had left from them as well as the photo." Hide tried to hide her sympathy for this girl, she knew what happened to the ancient palace where the noble vampires lived but didn't want to break her heart. Ohma wasn't as understanding.

Tokita Ohma, "The palace was destroyed by the fourth progenitor when your parents refused to conform to the treaty. Technically they are our ancestral creators but after that day like I said they vanished. Some of the first progenitor kin managed to escape like my grandfather but the rest were either killed or missing. I'm sorry..." Raine felt her lip quiver, hearing her parents could be dead tore her heart in two. Hide wasn't an affectionate person but the urge to hug this girl and tell her everything was going to be okay overcame her coldness. Then a strange scent knocked them both ill.

Raine, "It was him, wasn't it? Koda Jakachu, did he do this to my family?" Hide stood up startled to see her fangs grow along with those bright glowing red eyes. Tokita didn't see this often in vampires usually their bloodlust was contained to a certain degree but this kid had no controlled one bit.

Kimura Hide, "You know him? Yeah, he's the leader of our race now." Excited to see another person hate his guts like herself she sprung at the chance to ask about him. Tokita hushed her down, Hide was too naive to see the danger in this situation. Bloodlust was released on three occasions. One, feeding. Two, Anger. Three, killing intent. There was a thin line between the second and third reasoning but Raine had crossed that too fast. Being secluded most of her life contact with outside emotions could be life-threatening for them.

Raine, "Leader! That monster is the beacon of hope for our race, don't make me laugh!" Hide wobbled slightly feeling the floor shift. Ohma clicked at Hide telling her to step away while he slowly approached Raine. Her head was down and her hair stood on end, which was a warning sign of transition. He'd spent so much time questioning the girl he'd forgotten to take precautions against the reason noble vampires were of high rank.

Tokita Ohma," Raine...please take a deep breath and calm down. You're forcing a transition, it could be very dangerous for you." Hide gasped hearing the feared word 'Transition', that was the code word for an expression of power. Each progenitor was gifted with a special ability usually associated with their hair color. From Tokita's information the Second Progenitor's hair color was red, their emblem a flame encrusted on the left thigh and their gift was the ability to control fire. The Third Progenitor's hair color was green, their crest was of a tree and their gift was the ability to control nature. The Fourth Progenitors' hair is sunshine yellow and their emblem is a lightning bolt, their gift was the ability to control the weather which is said to be the most dangerous. That was decided until today...The First Progenitors were by far the most powerful breed, blessed with pure lily-white hair, their emblem a white rose, their gift is the ability to control matter and heal the weak. If Raine truly was the child of the Hiroshi family, that meant she was technically the last surviving member.

Raine flexed her finger feeling a numbness pulse up her arms, what was this overwhelming feeling of fear enveloping her. Suddenly Ohma grabbed her hands and squeezed them tight because this was the first time feeling another person warmth since waking up she jerked back. Hide could barely breathe and her legs were shaking profusely.

Tokita Ohma, "It's alright I know you're scared, this must all be a lot for you but if you take a breath and listen to me I promise I can help you." Hide couldn't believe the soft-spoken words coming from this rough bodybuilding man. Ohma was never kind to anyone...

Raine, "I can't...what is wrong with me..." He leaned back in surprise, this poor girl didn't even know what a transition was. Did that mean she was also hidden from her true abilities too?

Tokita Ohma, "T-This is what we call a transition. Because your a direct blood descendant of Ara Hiroshi you also inherited his gifts. But my grandfather told me if the gift is released too drastically it can have bad effects on the host." Hearing that seemed to calm her down and as instructed she inhaled a large gulp of air. The cold numbness dissipated overtime until she could feel her body again, that was an awful feeling she never wanted to feel again. It was like her body had a mind of its own...

Kimura Hide, "Damn...so that's a progenitors pheromone. I thought I was a goner for a second." She chuckled trying to alleviate the deep scar imprinted by the scent. Hide was very resistant to others scents which Ohma knew, so hearing that from her rang alarm bells.

Raine, "Forgive me, I d-didn't mean too!" Regretful she stood up and bowed trembling from head to toe whatever had just happened sucked the energy from her body.

Kimura Hide, "Hey it's okay, I know you're having a tough time. Also to be honest with you it should be me bowing to you. If she's their daughter, that makes her the princess right Ohma?" As he was about to agree Raine stopped him.

Raine, "I wasn't born for that title so please refrain from calling me that." That was the second time she'd mentioned her title in an unreformed way. Hide was starting to wonder why it annoyed her so much to be named.

Kimura Hide, "Then why were you born if not to carry on the bloodline?" That question seemed to silence her. Ohma clenched his teeth seeing Hide had overstepped a mark but then Raine did something not many vampires could do.

Raine, "I don't care about blood, power or anything else in that category. I was born to help people...not hurt them. You see people got their morals wrong a very long time ago and only started to care about what the progenitors did. Is it so abnormal to want to survive without causing suffering to everyone else?" She felt very strongly about the way things were now and how much she hated it even though only being awake for such a short time.

Tokita Ohma, "Hmm my grandfather had very similar principles, he said he learned that from your mother Mei. So what do you want to do Raine?" It was the question they had been wondering about since her arrival. Why now? Why her? With an almost slick grin, Raine faced them both with determination in those large eyes.

Raine, "I want to change Japan, little by little but first I need allies. My parents were very private but trusted a couple of people. One of them was your grandfather, the other my aunt and finally my father's closest friend Kuno Tadayoshi. Do you know of any descendants of them?" Hide gulped and looked at the disdain on Ohma's face. Unfortunately, he did know one descendant of Kuno Tadayoshi but he wasn't a very nice person to be involved with.

Kimura Hide, "Maybe he'll be happy? Shouldn't we at least try?" Raine felt a glimmer of hope in her darkness but Ohma didn't look like he wanted to ask for help from this person.

Raine, "Um, who are you talking about?" Giving Hide a very disappointed look for bringing him up he sighed and slammed down his fist.

Tokita Ohma, "Dammit Hide why can't you just keep your mouth shut..." There wasn't just anger in that voice, there was also a hint of sadness. Did that mean he had a bad history with this person?

Kimura Hide, " I know he's a bit of an asshole but remember he's still family. He's the last living descendant of him, he can help Raine." Ohma rubbed his temples in stress, Raine was starting to feel regretful for asking seeing another heavy-duty argument on the horizon.

Tokita Ohma, "Hide he stopped being family the minute he left us to work for that bastard. Oh and correction he'd not a 'bit' of an asshole, he's a complete asshole. Walking around with his head held high acting like the rest of us are beneath him!" Hide clenched her fists and got face to face with him looking as if she was about to kill him on the spot.

Kimura Hide, "We don't know why he left because we turned our back on him too. Stop acting like he was the only one at fault, he told you how much pain it caused him to be here and you tried to tye him down anyway! You're the asshole Ohma!" Raine stepped in between them before blows were exchanged.

Raine, "Please don't fight. I can speak to him myself all I need is a name. You don't have to trouble yourselves." Ohma clicked his tongue, if only it were that easy. In a rage, he picked up a magazine and threw it on the table for Raine to see. It took a second for her eyes to adjust. Titled 'Head of Administration; Japan's hottest Bachelorette.' Hide also averted her eyes in shame.

Tokita Ohma, "His name is Mikaela Tadayoshi, the only descendant of Kuno Tadayoshi your father's friend. As you can see he's the big shot now so getting to him is impossible. Sorry kid."