Karina stared at the man who had just spoken. He seemed nice... but a bit weird. Then, realizing that it was her turn to speak, the girl jumped up, suddenly eager to introduce herself. After all, the girl did have a lot of practice doing that to all of her parents' friends.

"Hi!" Karina spoke softly but cheerfully, remembering what her father had told her about making a good first impression... the only thing she was worried about now was the big, scary man and the lady she had bumped into- the man didn't seem to like her at all, for no reason, and it wasn't very nice to bump into the lady. The girl tried to keep a natural smile on her face as she continued," I'm called Karina! I'm 11 years old, and I have a lot of pets; I really like puppies, 'cause they're cute, but I only have- had, i mean, one..."

Bringing up Plinky ' death wasn't very great for the girl's smile; the forced expression had turned into a sort of twisted grimace. "Um, yeah... That's all, I think. Oh! And also, I've only been a vampire - thingie for a few months, so please don't get mad at me if I accidentally make some mistakes!"

Krov felt a bit bad after Karina and Kuro had spoke. He probably should not have scared Karina like, that, and he probably shouldn't have busted in and demanded respect. He should have earnt it. He was only a Lesser after all. He had probably lost all respect from Chiyo. He needed to act more respectful. He had heard word that Priscilla the Ancient had been summoned to the sanctuary. If he could win the respect of the third oldest vampire in existence, he would have more chance of survival. Krov remembered something he had heard in The Art Of War:

"Sun Tzu said: The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.".

Krov then spoke. "Sorry, I should have shown more respect to you. I now understand that my comments may have come off as a bit brash, and a big arrogant and hotheaded. I will be a fiercely loyal ally from now on. You have won my respect." Krov's dark eyes twinkled when he said this.

"You're right, Hisako, we will need more humans to sustain our needs. 3 humans is not enough to feed..... Um.."Krov was never good at counting, for he had no education. "Several vampires. I could go and collect a few more, if that is needed for the benefit of the group as a whole.".

Greyson watched the other vampires as they introduced themselves, trying to keep still in order to avoid further aggravating her wounds. As Krov spoke, her expression shifted to hurt, and her gaze fell to the floor. Not the sort of hurt that was still resonating through her body from the attacks of the Black Blades, but the hurt pride that came when someone proclaimed you to be useless. Though she was relatively young for a vampire, that did not mean that she was inexperienced. A half a decade was plenty enough time. Even battle experience, which Krov boasted of, she had some of. Did he think that the blood on her clothes had materialized out of thin air? She'd had to fight her way out of the city, and it had been far from easy. However, she kept quiet. Greyson wasn't the sort to begin an argument over something so menial. And even if she were that sort, she was too weak at the moment.

The assembled group was varied. Chiyo seemed confident, and kind enough. As Kuro spoke, Greyson frowned. His voice was familiar, and it took her a moment to recognize him as the one who had given her blood outside. "You don't look too well, big sister... How I wish I can help..." he said to her.

"You're over a thousand years old, and you call me big sister?" she asked quietly, giving a weak laugh. Her smile quickly degraded into a wince at the sharp pain. Laughing was a poor idea. "But you did help. Thank you, Kuro-kun."

She went quiet again, listening to the remainder of the introductions. A young-looking girl spoke up, introducing herself as Karina. When she said her age, Greyson was surprised. She had never met a vampire so young. How had this girl been faring for the past few months?

And again, as Krov spoke, she forced herself to remain silent. At his suggestion to go out and find more humans, it was all she could do to keep from furiously agreeing. She had to exercise patience if she wanted to stay here. A wounded vampire was a liability more than anything. She had no right to be making requests for blood, though she was certain she could have drained a half dozen corpses at the moment. Clenching her jaw slightly, Greyson closed her eyes and let her head rest back against the wall.

Only eleven!? This girl is probably an example the reason fledgling is even a classification of vampire. Still, Kuro had said to be respectful. And even if Hisako was the one who had this place built, Kuro was the boss around here as far as she was concerned. He was an elder vampire; that in itself said something. Sure, Hisako didn't like following the orders of somebody who typically acted like a kid (though she'd much prefer that over listening to someone who actually was a kid), but he was the strongest here. Unless those rumors about Priscilla were true. Hisako shuddered at the thought. Not because she feared having an Ancient here; quite the contrary. Just the notion that somebody that powerful was going to be here.

"You're right, Hisako, we will need more humans to sustain our needs. 3 humans is not enough to feed..... Um..Several vampires. I could go and collect a few more, if that is needed for the benefit of the group as a whole."

"I'll tag along, but let's save it for tomorrow. At the very least, we can all get a nice meal for the next couple days, but you didn't count the one Kuro brought in. Four humans is much greater than three, and it seems the introduction circle has come back around to me. So again, I'm Hisako Saito, the founder of the sanctuary. I don't want anybody putting the place in danger, got it?"

"Speak your age," a second, taller woman said from the front door. Clad in black armor, with a distinctive mask over half of her face, and brandishing a black sword. The description fit only one vampire so well as Priscilla the Ancient. "I am Priscilla the Ancient, otherwise known as the Skull Queen, aged two-thousand, one-hundred and seven years old. The threat of vampire extinction in Japan has been deemed a crisis where I'm to be summoned, and thus, I am here."

Hisako looked as though her blood froze solid in her veins. Sure, she'd been casually dismissing the talk that an Ancient - Priscilla, no less - would be here, but to actually see that they were true was a bit overwhelming. "Yes...Hisako Saito, age 98."

"So much for her big talk," Priscilla muttered, entering the building proper and closing the door behind her. "Barring myself, who among you is the eldest? I've only been informed that vampire life is in danger in this nation, so I'll need somebody to explain to me the details."

Krov was silent. He turned to face the one who had just entered the door. He was shocked. The Art Of War nearly slipped out of his hands. He had heard the rumors about Priscilla, the Black Queen. He hadn't believed them fully. He had hoped that they would be true, but he doubted them. Why would one of the most famous vampires in existence come to this sanctuary, set up by a mere fledgling? Why would she care about the plight of Japan, when she was Italian?

He looked over at Kuro. While he was wise and the eldest, he was a bit.... Well..... Goofy. Chiyo could be quite rude. Greyson was very quiet, and Karina had only been a vampire for a few months. Krov decided to speak up.

"I am not the eldest, but I can inform you of the events in great detail. Oh, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. Krov Piyavki, also known as The Tsar, 129 years old, Russian. A month ago, the vampires of Japan came out of hiding. They announced that they were going to take over Japan for themselves. I was among the ranks of the uprising against the filthy humans. For a short while, it went well. Until the day when they sent out the Black Swords on us. They were equipped with everything that we fear. Silver swords, bright lights, garlic and holy water. They struck us down, and many of us were killed, while some sustained wounds" Krov thought of the burn on his leg. "Hisako over there, sent out a message to the survivors of the uprising. We traveled here, to find out if this was really the safehouse she described. So far, it is proving that way.".

After filling The Skull Queen in on the details, he stepped back, anxious to hear her reply.

Chiyo sighed with a smile, raising her arms in mock defeat as Kuro went ahead and stole the show. There he was again, going on about responsibility and equal treatment for all of them. Though to be fair, it wasn’t exactly a bad philosophy to live by, and Chiyo had to respect the older vampire for proclaiming his views aloud like that. Most mortal men would cower under the pressure of a mere speech.

“Alright, I think they get it Kuro-kun. Sheesh, I think I like you better as a kid sometimes. Less scary, you know?”

As the rest of their merry little group finally ended with the little blonde-haired vampire, Chiyo had to raise an eyebrow with the rest of them when Karina stated her true age. That young? Hell, even Greyson had a few years up on the kid…she had to wonder what could make someone so young turn to the life of vampirism. That is, assuming they weren’t forced into it.

Sighing, the girl with the dark jacket moved a little closer to stand next to Karina. Looking down, she gave the small girl a toothy smirk before crossing her arms. That smile was the only indication that Chiyo Shizune was pondering again.

However, all thoughts were cut short by a gale of cold wind, and Chiyo turned towards the still open front door….seriously, someone should close that thing.

“Well, well….holy shit indeed.”

Chiyo’s playful smirk got wider as an image of pristine black armor and a dark mask. Priscilla herself; one of the many Ancients to their kind.

"Barring myself, who among you is the eldest? I've only been informed that vampire life is in danger in this nation, so I'll need somebody to explain to me the details."

Ignoring Krov’s summary for the time being, Chiyo pointed straight at Kuro.

“He’s all yours Priscilla,” she snickered.

After Krov stated his resolve to change, Kuro nodded as he smiled at the russian. "You're not a bad person, Krov. You've just seen so many horrid things that it has changed your path; it made you stumble. However, just because you stumbled doesn't mean you've fallen. I welcome your resolve, Krov." Kuro chuckled as Greyson seemed to recognize him. "Big Sister, you need to rest you know? Hisako-chan, would it be possible for us to spare a human for big sister? I would believe that isn't really a drawback for us since I trust Krov-kun to refresh our blood supply. Besides, I've already done my share of blood today. I can last until two days from now." Kuro tilted his head. "It pains me to see a family member injured."

Suddenly, Chiyo reacted to his statement, stating that she liked him better as a kid. Kuro faced Chiyo with a grin while scratching his head. "Knowin' ya Chiyo-chan, it's hard to know whether you're praisin' or mockin'. Still though, you ain't gettin' any younger; we ain't gettin' any younger! Hahahaha!" Kuro chuckled as he turned to the youngest vampire, Karina. She was just eleven years old... so young, quite powerless. She needed all the training she could get.

"Karina-pyon. Since Chiyo-chan is goin' ta be your teacher, I know you can become a very powerful vampire in the future. Believe it!" Kuro gave the kid a thumbs up as he felt an immense power come nearer to their shack. Kuro shivered as he already had an idea of who was coming. "Priscilla..." Kuro silently mumbled as he shook his head, only to realize that Hisako was introducing herself again. "Hisako-chan, you haven't said your age again! Someone's gonna get angrrryyyyy...."

A cold voice resonated through the shack as Kuro smiled. The sound of armor clanking on the ground, the black sword... "Welcome back, Priscilla-dono." Kuro grinned as the powerful figure stepped into the room. Armor as dark as an eclipse, a sword that has been rumored to have slain a thousand souls, and an ominous mask that covered half of her face; this was the third of the ten ancients, a group of the most powerful vampires. This was, is, and will be, Priscilla, the third ancient. After Priscilla gave her introduction, she began to ask who was the eldest in the group. Before Kuro could speak, however, Krov did it for him. Kuro listened intently as Krov gave the important details to Priscilla. After Krov was finished, Kuro approached Priscilla. Kuro noticed his lack of height when compared to the ancient. The childish visage had once again vanished from Kuro's face.

"I think Krov has already said the most important details." Kuro nodded to Krov as he turned to Priscilla once more. "I would just say what the repercussions of the war would be. Since the whole of humanity got a grim realization that vampires were real, the ranks of the Black Swords, and even people who dabble in the Slayer arts, have increased exponentially. The only reason why this shack hasn't been found yet is because the only data they got is that the founder is merely a fledgling. If they knew that this shack is housing more powerful vampires, they would have sent their strongest hunters." Kuro spoke without missing a beat. "The humans have already developed intricate slaying techniques, and most of it, they've adapted during the Homo-Vampiric War. They're getting deadlier as time passes by. They managed to cut my ear, and if I was just a normal vampire, I would have been killed. The hunters I've fought were tremendously skilled; they have gotten stronger." Kuro pointed to his ear which had now almost completely grown back. "I am Kuro Nakatomi of the Kofun. A one-thousand, five-hundred, and six."

Kuro bowed as he took a step back. "That is all I have to say. It is indeed a crisis which requires your aid, Priscilla-dono."

"I am not the eldest, but I can inform you of the events in great detail. Oh, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. Krov Piyavki, also known as The Tsar, 129 years old, Russian. A month ago, the vampires of Japan came out of hiding. They announced that they were going to take over Japan for themselves. I was among the ranks of the uprising against the filthy humans. For a short while, it went well. Until the day when they sent out the Black Swords on us. They were equipped with everything that we fear. Silver swords, bright lights, garlic and holy water. They struck us down, and many of us were killed, while some sustained wounds" Krov thought of the burn on his leg. "Hisako over there, sent out a message to the survivors of the uprising. We traveled here, to find out if this was really the safehouse she described. So far, it is proving that way.".

"I think Krov has already said the most important details. I would just say what the repercussions of the war would be. Since the whole of humanity got a grim realization that vampires were real, the ranks of the Black Swords, and even people who dabble in the Slayer arts, have increased exponentially. The only reason why this shack hasn't been found yet is because the only data they got is that the founder is merely a fledgling. If they knew that this shack is housing more powerful vampires, they would have sent their strongest hunters. The humans have already developed intricate slaying techniques, and most of it, they've adapted during the Homo-Vampiric War. They're getting deadlier as time passes by. They managed to cut my ear, and if I was just a normal vampire, I would have been killed. The hunters I've fought were tremendously skilled; they have gotten stronger. I am Kuro Nakatomi of the Kofun. A one-thousand, five-hundred, and six."

"I see." Priscilla took a moment to absorb all of the information that had been given to her. A few seconds later, she spoke up again. "I trust the vampires responsible for announcing our presence were among those we've lost so far? If not, I'll have to behead them myself once this war ends." Making sure there were no vampires getting up to leave, Priscilla continued "We vampires have survived as a species not because we're superior to humans, but because we have been but horrific tales to them until now. At night, we are the supreme predators, but once the sun rises, we're the prey. Now that humans are not only aware we exist, but have apparently grown wise enough to build weapons that burn us like sunlight, our odds are slim. I probably wouldn't be here otherwise."

Then her one and only unmasked eye pointed straight to Kuro. "You and I need to discuss these matters further, without prying ears. Come with me." With that, Priscilla stepped outside, and started walking.

Kuro nodded silently while closing his eyes. Finally, someone had spoken the truth that not even Kuro had dared to speak of for fear that he would be assassinated by disgruntled vampires. Vampires were never a supreme being, they melted under the sun, and they only had a hard limit of 3 days before they shrivel and die should they be deprived of blood. Vampires NEEDED humans to survive while Humans didn't need vampires. Vampires are the parasites yet those foolish revolutionaries dared to upset that balance, hence, the result. Suddenly, Priscilla's eye looked at him, as if piercing into his undead being. Her cold voice carried an ominous message that made Kuro's eye twitch. She wanted to talk to him outside... It wasn't really surprising, but then again, this was an ancient and he was a mere vampire.

Kuro chuckled nervously as his crimson eyes looked at Hisako. "Hisako-pyon, please attend to Big Sister's wounds. Allow her a few servings of the blood, preferably from the serial killer I've captured. Don't kill him though, not yet." Kuro said softly as he turned to Chiyo. "Chiyo-chan, please show our guests their places. And... well, control the flirting." Kuro smiled as he looked at Krov, Karina, and Greyson. "Welcome to Hisako's Shack, where your new future begins. Take one step out of line that will endanger the lives of our family, and I will personally end you." Kuro's voice struck an octave deeper as his eyes flashed red. Then, he smiled and scratched his head while grinning widely. "Well, I hafta git goin'! Enjoy yer stay!" the elder vampire tilted his head as he followed after Priscilla who had already walked outside.

Priscilla was insanely fast, and she was STILL walking. Kuro soon caught up as he dropped whatever remnants of a child he had, and looked at Priscilla with vampiric eyes that was fitting of an elder; his eyes were serious and determined.

"To what do I owe this honor of having a conversation with one of the revered ancients, Priscilla-dono? I shall do my hardest to cater to your word." Kuro nodded as the smile from his face vanished, and turned into a deadly-serious visage of a child of night.

Krov stood silent as Priscilla beckoned Kuro outside. Krov didn't object to this, he knew that a vampire of her status would value age more than anything else. This was a thing Krov had always wondered why it was the case. An elder vampire that had done nothing and just lazed around for a thousand years would get lots of respect simply for their age, while a lesser who had done great things, seen bad things and was very wise wouldn't receive respect from anyone but fledglings. It never really made sense to Krov, but he just normally went with it. If he didn't he would lose the little respect he already had.

After the footsteps of Kuro and Priscilla died away, he turned to the others. He had been thinking something that he didn't want to say in front of Priscilla, something that he had been bursting to say. He spoke in a whisper: "I know it's a good thing that Priscilla is here to help us, but won't any Black Swords or any random hunters scanning the area notice the presence of the third ancient? Don't they show up well on sensors?".

Krov again remembered something that he had read in The Art Of War. It was one of the only books he could be bothered to read. He didn't read fiction, he found it useless and stupid:

"Sun Tzu said: Raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the resources of the State. The daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver. #

There will be commotion at home and abroad, and men will drop down exhausted on the highways."

Krov wondered who would walk into the sanctuary next. He imagined a situation where Namtar the First and Bel of Babylon walked into the room and said that they were going to help. Even though the current situation wasn't humorous, he chuckled at the idea of the two greatest ancients walking in at the same time.

"Welcome to Hisako's Shack, where your new future begins. Take one step out of line that will endanger the lives of our family, and I will personally end you." The man's voice was deep again, making the little girl squeak, grabbing onto Chiyo's arm tightly. Whispering, Karina asked, "Why does his voice keep changing? It's weird. Is he a good guy? He was being scary just now, but he was nice before..." the girl thought out loud, and then, with a loud huff, "I don't get it!"

Waiting until Priscilla and Kuro were outside, Karina turned to look up at Chiyo, tugging on her sleeve. "Chiyo-chan, who was that lady? She looked kind of scary," cocking her head, the girl added, "Has she ever murdered anyone before?" Karina, having fed off of just animals so far, didn't understand why vampires had to kill people to eat. Couldn't everyone just eat deer or something?

Karina quickly looked over her new 'family', widening at the bloodied girl. Karina had saw that she was all red and covered with blood, but the girl had tried not to look at her too much. "Chiyo-chan... Why is that girl," she pointed at the woman leaning against the wall, "so hurt? What did she do? Oh, did she jump off a swing? I did that once, and I accidentally landed on my knee, and it got all bloody, and it really hurt. Did she fall on her body? 'Coz she looks like she's hurting reaaaally bad right now. And she's bloody everywhere. What happened?" After a small pause, Karina scrunched up her nose. "What's going on? I don't get it!" The blonde repeated, frustrated.

Greyson was silent for a time, sitting with her eyes closed and her head leaning back against the wall. It looked almost as though she may be sleeping. In truth, she was conserving the remainder of her strength. She listened to the other vampires speak. Hisako introduced herself, and told of how she had started this 'sanctuary'. Greyson half-paid attention. However, after Hisako concluded her words, a new voice spoke up, demanding Hisako's age.

Greyson's eyes snapped open, and she looked to the door. There, the new vampire stood, and was instantly recognizable, even to those who had only heard of her. Priscilla the Ancient had joined their ranks. Instantly, Greyson felt herself slouching deeper into the corner where she sat. It was bad enough to be a fledgling vampire in the presence of the third oldest vampire of all time....but no, she had to be an injured fledgling. She could only hope that Priscilla wouldn't notice her. And after a few seconds, it seemed that this scenario was likely. Priscilla asked for the oldest vampire to speak up, and Krov decided to take the position of authority, despite barely being older than Greyson herself. Kuro quickly introduced himself, confirming what Krov had already said. That their position was far from ideal. Before following Priscilla outside, Kuro acknowledged the rest of the house. "Hisako-pyon, please attend to Big Sister's wounds. Allow her a few servings of the blood, preferably from the serial killer I've captured. Don't kill him though, not yet. Welcome to Hisako's Shack, where your new future begins. Take one step out of line that will endanger the lives of our family, and I will personally end you."

She acknowledged him with a barely-noticeable nod of thanks as he left; the best she could manage without pain. As soon as Priscilla and Kuro were out of the house, Krov spoke. "I know it's a good thing that Priscilla is here to help us, but won't any Black Swords or any random hunters scanning the area notice the presence of the third ancient? Don't they show up well on sensors?"

Greyson looked up at him. This was the one who had called her an inexperienced fledgling when she had introduced herself. Though it was true, it hadn't been something she had needed to hear in her current state. "I suppose we must consider both the benefits and the consequences at the same time," she answered him after a brief second, her voice quiet and hesitant. "Her presence may attract more attention...but would we really be any safer without Priscilla here? I don't thi-..."

She trailed off as she realized Karina was speaking. The young girl's voice was filled with confusion, fear, and worry as she pointed at Greyson. "-all bloody, and it really hurt. Did she fall on her body? 'Coz she looks like she's hurting reaaaally bad right now. And she's bloody everywhere. What happened?"

Greyson had to remind herself that not only did Karina look young, but she truly was a child. It had been some time since Greyson had last spoken to children. She only went out at night, long after the sun had descended and parents had called their children inside to go to bed. She glanced down at her shirt. The loose white fabric had been clean weeks ago, but was now stained with layers of blood both dried and fresh, and ripped in several places. Her pants were torn, the deep cut on her leg clearly visible. To an eleven year old girl, she must have looked truly terrifying. "It's all right, sweetheart," she said kindly. She attempted to sit up a little straighter to show Karina that she was okay, but the action only served to make her gasp in pain and grimace deeply. "Don't worry about what happened to me. I'll be fine, I promise."

There was no sense in trying to explain to Karina what had happened. She couldn't tell her about the war in the city, the poor child would be mortified. She couldn't even say something as simple as 'I got in a fight', for fear of making the girl worry even more.

Krov was a bit confused at Karina's words. What she said had an obvious answer, and even though she was only a fledgling, he felt it right to inform her of what really went on in vampire society. She would have to learn someday, and Krov decided that today would be the day she learned the truth about the society that she was still new to, that she was still learning and experiencing.

He walked over, and knelt down by the little girl, he slipped his book back in his pocket, but only now noticing that it had a little blood stain on the cover. "Strange" thought Krov, he hadn't noticed that stain before. When the book was safely tucked inside his pocket, he spoke up. "You are new to our society, and I welcome you to it. There are things that you will learn in due course, but I will tell you some things now."

Krov continued. "You see, to a vampire, age is everything. The older you are, the more respect you receive from your peers and your brethren. To Priscilla, anyone not as old as her, is below her. That's how a vampire society works. And yes, I definitely think Priscilla has murdered people, sorry to scare you. It is the truth, however. As a new vampire and as a child, I guess that you are feeding off animals instead of people. I was no different... Well actually I fed off dead bodies but that's not the point. The point is that animals cannot sustain you forever. When the time comes, you must learn to face your fears and feed off humans. We are the horrors of the night, we plague the nightmares of humans, not mice and hamsters. There are ways to feed of humans without killing, but a lot choose to just kill when they feed. They find it easier, and they feel that it is the punishment humans deserve for their atrocities.".

Krov looked up at Greyson, she was very bloody, and the girl had asked what happened. Krov simply said "She got away from them." Before standing up and stepping back, awaiting the girl's response.

"Welcome to Hisako's Shack, where your new future begins. Take one step out of line that will endanger the lives of our family, and I will personally end you."

Chiyo chuckled in amusement at the statement. It was just so like Kuro to go ahead and scare the newbies out of their damned minds, especially the little one who new clung onto her arm in fright. Looking down at Karina, the older vampire gave her a signature grin.

“Why does his voice keep changing? It's weird. Is he a good guy? He was being scary just now, but he was nice before..."

“Hmm? Him? Eh, don’t worry about it. He does that when he gets serious. Which isn’t a lot. Honestly, I think he likes using the “big voice” from time to time, but you really shouldn’t worry about it kid. That is, unless of course you screwed up big time. In that case, feel free to piss your skirt and pray to the Superior.”

"Chiyo-chan, who was that lady? She looked kind of scary. Has she ever murdered anyone before? Chiyo-chan... Why is that girl so hurt? What did she do? Oh, did she jump off a swing? I did that once, and I accidentally landed on my knee, and it got all bloody, and it really hurt. Did she fall on her body? 'Coz she looks like she's hurting reaaaally bad right now. And she's bloody everywhere. What happened?" "What's going on? I don't get it!"

Chiyo shrugged in amusement and she opened her mouth to answer the long stream of questions….only to blink when a certain Russian took the liberty for her.

"You are new to our society, and I welcome you to it. There are things that you will learn in due course, but I will tell you some things now. You see, to a vampire, age is everything. The older you are, the more respect you receive from your peers and your brethren. To Priscilla, anyone not as old as her, is below her. That's how a vampire society works. And yes, I definitely think Priscilla has murdered people, sorry to scare you. It is the truth, however. As a new vampire and as a child, I guess that you are feeding off animals instead of people. I was no different... Well actually I fed off dead bodies but that's not the point. The point is that animals cannot sustain you forever. When the time comes, you must learn to face your fears and feed off humans. We are the horrors of the night, we plague the nightmares of humans, not mice and hamsters. There are ways to feed of humans without killing, but a lot choose to just kill when they feed. They find it easier, and they feel that it is the punishment humans deserve for their atrocities."

As Krov finished his statement with regards to Greyson, Chiyo clapped her hands together.

“Wow, you sure know a lot Mr. Rookie. But, hmm…if I remember correctly, she was asking “Chiyo-chan”. Did she say “Krov-kun”? Hmm…no, don’t think she did.”

Although the grin was still present on her face, Chiyo’s eyes glinted with the faintest of threats.

“Don’t go around scaring the kid on her first day,” she warned, cheshire expression never wavering. “I will teach my apprentice about the ways of our culture at my own pace. Alright?”

The tension suddenly dropping in the air, Chiyo stretched to yawn before smirking at Krov.

“Hey, don’t be so serious, yeah? Serious people tend to get an early meeting with the Superior….alright let’s go then. Follow me people, follow me. As for you…” She looked down at Karina. “…try not to get lost.”

And with that, the vampire with the jacket strolled into the next room to the left, making sure to kick the door behind her to give both Kuro and Priscilla some privacy.

Leading them to the kitchen, Chiyo halted before looking at Hisako.

“Aren’t you supposed to be helping Greyson over here? I can’t exactly have you tour your own home fearless leader.”

~Priscilla the Ancient~

"To what do I owe this honor of having a conversation with one of the revered ancients, Priscilla-dono? I shall do my hardest to cater to your word."

"I would that we discuss the vampires living within this sanctuary. With little exception, they are all fledglings. How is it that so many fledglings made it here, yet you are the sole among them who may be called Elder?" To Priscilla, it made no sense. She'd experienced vampire hunts before, back in her days before becoming an Ancient, and the fledglings were typically the first to die. Granted, it was because the older vampires left them behind as distractions when running away or attacking, but what she didn't understand was exactly what she'd asked. How were there so many fledglings in one place, but only one Elder Vampire?

And even further, how did a fledgling manage to create a sanctuary? Under normal circumstances, only Greater Vampires and up had the rights to create them, but while she could admit that these circumstances were far from normal, it also had to do with that fledglings were weak. Building a sanctuary wasn't a quick process, yet this Hisako girl had done it so smoothly. To her, the whole thing seemed pretty strange.

---

~Hisako Saito~

To say the least, Hisako was rather intimidated. She'd been talking all that good shit just the other day about how those rumors about Priscilla showing up were just rumors, and then, bam. There she was. In the flesh. The name was legendary. Forget vampires humans deemed famous like Dracula; Mr. Tepes was worth jack next to Priscilla the Ancient. To think she'd be here from now on was taking some time to accept for Hisako. Sure, it would have been nice, but--

“Aren’t you supposed to be helping Greyson over here? I can’t exactly have you tour your own home fearless leader.”

"R-Right. I was just lost in thought is all," Hisako stated, making her way over to Greyson and holding out a hand. "If you aren't in shape, I won't be able to count on you for anything. Let me show you where we keep the humans." Then her eyes looked over to the young one; Hisako didn't even bother remembering the name of an 11-year-old vampire. "And only humans," she added, clearly addressing the fact that eventually, she'd have to drink human blood. Then her attention went back to Greyson. "In exchange for helping you out, I want you to come with Krov and I to hunt a couple more humans soon."

Kuro nodded as he closed his eyes in contemplation. It was indeed odd that he was the only one who could be called as an Elder; Chiyo was a Greater Vampire, but in the end, the fact remains that more than half of the group were merely fledglings. Topping it all is the fact that there was an 11 year old vampire! She was only a child of night for only a decade and a year; she could barely be of any help should the hunters collapse on them. However, times have changed. Before, only the strongest would remain because of power and authority; everyone wanted to be a Greater Vampire, much less to be an Elder. Just as times have changed, so did the humankind. The humans knew that only the powerful ones were of any real threat to them, hence, they were able to develop intricate methods and systems to track down these powerful vampires.

When the war ended in the defeat of the vampires, most of the greater vampires and even some elders were hunted down by the Black Swords. Fledglings were able to survive because the hunters didn't deem them to be of any threat and would only expend resources to kill them if they would meet one or if a fledgling was running amok. After the war, many of the greater vampires and elders fled Japan, and went off to other locations to salvage themselves. However, those who were too weak to slide between sunbeams, and move unseen by the Black Swords were forced to stay behind. They would escape if they could... If only the hunters would let them.

Kuro thought of these things slowly as he raised his head and opened his mouth to speak.

"Priscilla-dono, times have changed. As I have said, the humans are getting more and more technologically advanced, especially Japan. The humans know that the ones who pose a danger to society would be the vampires of greater ranks. Hence, through the time that has passed, the Black Swords have hunted down any notorious high-ranking vampire they could lay their hands on. In this case, the surviving high-ranking vampires fled Japan to save themselves from a grisly demise. Food isn't as easily acquired now as it was before. The fledglings survived because the Black Swords didn't deem them too much of a threat to waste their resources on; they needed to save what they have in case... a powerful one comes." Kuro made a little gesture with his pinky finger towards Priscilla, trying to make her understand that perhaps the Black Swords were amassing their defenses to counter HER arrival.

Kuro shook his head, deciding that it was useless to try to look tough and gallant.

"I admit. I did try to flee when the war began. I just didn't see the point of the war, and so I planned to leave Japan, and I would have... I would have left if I didn't receive news that the descendants of the ONE who killed my Lady would be in Japan; he was a Black Sword. Hence, I stayed to confirm the rumors. The vampires of Japan grew too arrogant of their ability, and for that, I was disgusted of them. However, I couldn't leave my Lady unavenged and so... I stayed in hopes of finding that person." Kuro continued as he inserted each of his arms into the kimono sleeves. "If in the old times, age and power decided the safety of a vampire... Now, that isn't the case. The more powerful, the more known, and the more threatening we become, the more danger we put ourselves in. We can't simply jump in and kill the humans... It's different now. A fledgling is the safest rank for a vampire in Japan to be, it's the only rank where you can live longer than the other levels. The reason why I, and perhaps Chiyo, are still kicking in this age is because we stayed low-profile. We didn't engage or kill a human in the open, nor did we leave any trace. We hypnotized and placed them in the cellar, and we don't do it regularly. We do it on random times so as to not attract unwanted attention." Kuro tilted his head as he sighed. "In short, the reason why there are more fledglings would be because... a lot of high-ranking vampires have fled, or worst case scenario, been slain."

Kuro rubbed his chin in thought.

"Hisako is talented in hypnosis. She was able to hypnotized a group of men to build this shack. The reason why there are no hunters here is because no one knows of Hisako's existence. She hid herself perfectly that records of this sanctuary is extremely limited; I would even say that most hunters wouldn't know that this sanctuary existed. It's not because they couldn't find out, rather, it's because they didn't bother to do so because the founder is a fledgling, and rarely, do older vampires listen to fledglings. If anyone found out about this shack, they would just deem it as a Low-Level Threat. That is the reason why there are a lot of fledglings but little older ones."

The lad yawned as he continued.

"Speaking of threat, the only real danger that this sanctuary has is you and I, Priscilla-dono. A convergence of an Ancient and an elder vampire is enough reason for them to launch an all-out assault. Should the humans be able to detect our presence, specifically, YOUR presence... Even those children at the shack will suffer. As of the moment, we are the greatest threat to the sanctuary." Kuro smiled weakly as he closed his eyes.

Greyson frowned in disapproval as she listened to Krov. After all the care she'd taken to try to not scare the young girl, he made no effort at all to sugar coat things. Was Greyson destined to someday reach an age where she'd been a vampire so long she no longer remembered what it felt like to be human? To be young and empathetic and innocent? She silently vowed to try to never let that happen.

She only realized she had completely zoned out when a voice brought her back to Earth. Looking up, she saw Hisako standing before her, a hand outstretched. "If you aren't in shape, I won't be able to count on you for anything. Let me show you where we keep the humans."

Greyson nodded, gratefully accepting the hand Hisako offered her. Even with the assistance, the motion and strength required to get onto her feet was agonizing. She gritted her teeth tightly, trying to stifle the noise of pain so as not to appear weaker than she already did. She doubted it had much effect. Anyone who showed up at the door weak and covered in blood was bound to be viewed as a liability. The second she was standing, she immediately stumbled back against the wall as her feet threatened to give out underneath her. "Thanks," she muttered quietly, once she trusted herself to speak without her voice breaking.

"In exchange for helping you out, I want you to come with Krov and I to hunt a couple more humans soon."

"That seems fair," she agreed, her Japanese accented with heavy English as she tried to focus on what she was saying. She looked at Hisako, waiting for her to lead the way to where their humans were. "I can help as soon as I get blood. Thank you."

“Hmm? Him? Eh, don’t worry about it. He does that when he gets serious. Which isn’t a lot. Honestly, I think he likes using the “big voice” from time to time, but you really shouldn’t worry about it kid. That is, unless of course you screwed up big time. In that case, feel free to piss your skirt and pray to the Superior.”

"What's 'piss'?" Karina asked innocently, "Oh! Oh- I've heard my cousins say it too. Plus they say other stuff like 'fuck' and 'shit' and 'crap' and 'damn' and 'motherfucker', and- I probably shouldn't have said those things. 'Coz mommy always got mad at them when they said that."

"It's all right, sweetheart," "Don't worry about what happened to me. I'll be fine, I promise."

Karina cocked her head. "But Grey-chan... You're all bloody," she gestured towards said girl. "We should get you cleaned up," Karina added, repeating what she had heard the school nurses say to hurt kids.

"You are new to our society, and I welcome you to it. There are things that you will learn in due course, but I will tell you some things now." "You see, to a vampire, age is everything. The older you are, the more respect you receive from your peers and your brethren. To Priscilla, anyone not as old as her, is below her. That's how a vampire society works. And yes, I definitely think Priscilla has murdered people, sorry to scare you. It is the truth, however. As a new vampire and as a child, I guess that you are feeding off animals instead of people. I was no different... Well actually I fed off dead bodies but that's not the point. The point is that animals cannot sustain you forever. When the time comes, you must learn to face your fears and feed off humans. We are the horrors of the night, we plague the nightmares of humans, not mice and hamsters. There are ways to feed of humans without killing, but a lot choose to just kill when they feed. They find it easier, and they feel that it is the punishment humans deserve for their atrocities." Krov answered her some of her other questions, startling Karina. Wasn't he trying to eat her earlier...?

The girl shrugged, and then frowned, trying to comprehend some of the 'big words'. "... Yeah. I get it." The girl could only really understand just half of what the older vampire had said, but she got the answers; the vampire that had just come in - Priscilla, she had said - had murdered, and vampires ate humans because it was scarier.

Chiyo clapped her hands after Krov's long speech, making Karina stare admiringly at the taller girl as she spoke to the Russian. Quickly following Chiyo into the kitchen, Karina grabbed onto her arm again, deciding to stick with her. "Wow, Chiyo-chan! That was reaaaaally cool! You were being so... badass!" Karina whisper-shouted as she waddled into the kitchen, remembering the word her cousins used to describe cool people.

"Speaking of threat, the only real danger that this sanctuary has is you and I, Priscilla-dono. A convergence of an Ancient and an elder vampire is enough reason for them to launch an all-out assault. Should the humans be able to detect our presence, specifically, YOUR presence... Even those children at the shack will suffer. As of the moment, we are the greatest threat to the sanctuary."

"And yet, we are their only chance to survive. The irony in that we, the greatest shield for this sanctuary, are also the dagger that rests on its throat, is indeed thick." However, Priscilla stood ready to fight. It was rather expected of an Ancient, especially since when summoned, it was typically a matter of hunters getting out of hand. The immense power of an Ancient was no laughing matter, though in this case, the job would also be political as well. Destroy the hunters, then hypnotize world leaders into bringing the populace back into the belief that vampires do not exist. The latter would be easy.

After a brief moment of silence to plan things out, Priscilla spoke her decision just as clearly as she spoke anything. "We should return. If this assault of theirs begins while we're away, they could be done before we're ever aware. For the time being, this sanctuary should resume activity as normal. If...rather, when these Black Swords arrive, we shall turn every fallen hunter into a risen guardian. Their attacks shall grow in scale, and we will have more and more soldiers to build an army with. For the time being, this is all we can do."

---

"I can help as soon as I get blood. Thank you."

"They're this way," Hisako said, leading the way around a corner to a small door. Opening it up, she pointed down a set of stairs and continued "We're storing the food in this cellar. Go drink your fill; I'll wait up here." It was dark down there. So dark that, were Hisako and Greyson not vampires, they'd probably be unable to see past the third step down. But, as creatures of the night, the ability to see in the dark was second nature; it was the reason Hisako didn't bother with light bulbs in this place.

"Wow, Chiyo-chan! That was reaaaaally cool! You were being so... badass!"

“Oh? That so?”

Chiyo paused in her tour-which wasn’t really much to begin with-to show off a toothy grin down at her newfound vampire apprentice.

“Yeah, I get that quite a lot. Stick with me kid, and I can teach you all sorts of badass things. Like how to shut up idiots. That’s really a life-learned skill, you know?”

Turning back to the others, she swept the arm not being clutched by Karina to highlight the kitchen they all stood in. Like most of everything else in this house, it was made of a dark wooden material with wooden chairs, a table, and even wooden drawers. A refrigerator that would probably only be used to store blood was hidden in the corner of the small room while a plastic chandelier squeaked above them.

At this point, Chiyo realized that only Krov remained in their touring group; Kuro and Priscilla were still outside and Fearless Leader took Gray to recover down in the basement.

“Sheesh, they should start paying me for this kind of crap…any questions so far Pierogi?”

She glanced down at Karina next.

“What about you Midget?”