Chifuyu's Pov
I opened my eyes. At least I thought I did, but all I could see was darkness. No, my eyes were unquestionably open. I found myself in some pitch black area. I thought it could be a dream, but the sensation I was experiencing felt real. I didn't know how to explain it, but I knew this wasn't my imagination. A pinch sharply pricked my cheeks and I blurted out in pain in response.
"Ouch."
I pinched myself to see if I would wake up, just in case. I felt pain, so this wasn't a dream. Then, a sudden realization crosses my mind.
"Wait, what happened to Erika and Dakota?"
I remembered that we all dozed off on a hill and I later found myself surrounded by vampires. I couldn't have been asleep for that long, but since I was captured I figured Erika and Dakota also shared the same fate as me.
"Where the hell am I? I don't have time for this."
Running around in the darkness with my mind all over the place, I realize another important question.
"Hold on, how am I still alive?"
I somehow forgot a vampire tore into my stomach, but after feeling that area with my hand, I'm shocked to find out the severe wound is gone. My arm which was broken is also back to normal. This was unbelievable. As all the events that occurred finally caught up to me, I remember that strong vampire asking me a question.
"Do I want to live?"
Repeating it to myself, I start putting the pieces together. She healed me? Are vampires even capable of that? Not that I'd know. Then, I grimaced at what I thought the other possibility could be.
"Was I... turned into a vampire?"
Following those words, I began to hear distant yelling. I reflexively looked around even though I couldn't see anything. My vision lightens up, and the yells get louder.
I woke up.
After being in a place where I could only hear my own voice, the yells of several dozen people reverberated all around causing me to feel lightheaded.
"This boy is possessed!"
"Execute him!"
"Why must there be a trial? It should go without saying that all vampires must be put to death immediately!"
"This poor soul."
Shouts of wrath and pity were being directed at me. I found myself in a courtroom. I tried to move but shackles bound my limbs with my arms behind me, my body was assuming something similar to a seiza position. The yells were so loud I thought I was in a concert. Even my thoughts were being drowned out but the relentless screams.
"Chifuyu!"
I was able to make out 2 people calling my name, I looked at a certain section of the crowd and I spot Erika with Dakota.
I had no idea why they were here, but I was relieved nonetheless.
"Quiet down."
The person who was clearly the judge slams his gavel down a couple of times, silencing the crowd.
"Boy, state your name."
"I'm Chifuyu Kyotani. WHAT'S GOING O-"
"You will only speak when asked a question."
I answer the judge and try to ask what in the world is going on, but he slams his gavel telling me I'm not allowed to talk outside of answering his questions.
"We're here today to decide your fate Chifuyu."
A man I recognize speaks to me, it was the hunter I saw on the night of the Moon Festival.
"You see kid, you're no longer human."
My worst fear came true.
"You've become a vampire."
"No... I'm human! I'm not the same as those blood-sucking monsters."
I desperately cried out. Was this really the price for me to survive that night?
"Take a look for yourself."
The hunter pulls his phone out of his pocket, opens his camera app and squats down to me so I can see my appearance for myself.
My originally blue eyes were now bright red. My ears grew, pointing out at the top. Along with my canine teeth now noticeably sharper and longer.
Do I regret choosing to live now? I'm still not entirely sure. It felt like the obvious choice but how will my life be from here on out, assuming I even leave this place alive.
The onlookers continue their yells of displeasure, apparently they're all members of the Hunter Agency. Only being about a foot away, the hunter closes in on my ear and whispers something to me.
"Don't worry. You're not going to die here."
Leaving me with those words, the judge silences the crowd again and proceeds to ask me more questions. They were all simple, just confirming I was still myself. I look back over to Erika and Dakota, nodding my head trying to assure them I'm okay.
"Hm. You were able to correctly answer all the personal questions prepared for you. Under normal circumstances you would've been immediately disposed of because of the high risk you carry, but Shoyo insisted we hold a trial. Still, we don't know the possibility of you being possessed right now or the true motives of that vampire."
Possessed? I heard someone screaming that earlier, but what do they mean? And so that hunter's name is Shoyo. For some reason, he's smiling at me. I can't help but think he knows something everyone else doesn't.
"Looks like we won't get anywhere unless we talk to the vampire itself. So, assuming you truly are Chifuyu Kyotani, I have one final question for you."
Sweat drips down my face, I can't help but be nervous at this supposed last question.
"Since you're aware you've become a vampire, can you be certain that you won't crave human blood and attack an innocent civilian or even someone you know?"
My heart dropped. That's right, I'm a vampire now. Sooner or later I'll thirst for human blood. There's no way I can lie about this question, so I answered truthfully.
"I don't know if I'll be able to guarantee that."
Another uproar begins.
"You don't know??"
"What the hell does that mean??"
"This is a waste of time."
"This kid isn't taking this seriously."
Hearing that last line, I had to reply to it, even though I didn't know what to say.
"You're wrong! I am taking this seriously. I just... I'm not sure if-"
I get cut off by the same person.
"Possessed or not, you're a vampire! Take responsibility and die!"
"That's right, you're not human anymore! You're a monster who could kill us at the drop of a hat."
"'Take responsibility and die', huh?"
I said the words to myself to see if they even sounded right. Do I have a right to live now that I'm a vampire?
"Yawn..."
As I was thinking to myself, I heard someone yawn as if they were right next to me. I looked around and of course there was nobody. I'm in the middle of the courtroom shackled to the ground. Wait, was it... in my head?
"Good morning."
"Hold on. This voice. You're..."
I spoke aloud, earning quizzical looks from the onlookers and the judge.
"So the trial's currently going on, I'm gonna drag you in here so we can speak for a minute."
My eyes shut and my body slumped a bit. I had been brought to a similar space I was in before I woke up in the courtroom.
Someone brought me to the pitch black area which must be inside my head, the darkness slowly began to fade away as a greyish color replaced it with light fog forming all around. In front of me appeared the vampire who saved my life.
"Hey, I just woke up from a nap."
"What the hell do you mean you just woke up from a nap?"
"Do I really need to explain that?"
"No. What you do need to explain is what's going on. How are we inside my head, and how are you even here in the first place?"
I was on edge because of how dire my situation is. I'm about to be killed for becoming a vampire. This girl vamp is the one who turned me. But I'm not going to blame her. I wanted to live and this is the price I had to pay.
"I'll answer all your questions soon. You must be wondering how your life will be now that you're no longer human right? If you even survive today that is."
"Yeah."
I pause before continuing what I say.
"I'm grateful to still be alive. So of course I'm grateful to you. But I still don't know if I'll be able to live as a vampire."
"That's understandable."
I cast my eyes down, not knowing what will happen. The vampire walks closer to me, making a declaration.
"My name is Ariel Ryuji, I ranked among the great Vampire Lords but no longer wish to fight against humans. The moment I decided to save your life and you chose to live, our fates intertwined. Should you choose to continue living as you are, your life will not be the same. You'll likely have no choice but to fight for the hunters against vampires until the day you die. But, I will be with you. I have a responsibility to stay by your side as the one who saved you, thus dragging you into this situation. You might even regret not choosing to die in that forest. So tell me, do you want to live even though it may be a living hell?"
Should I have chosen to die then? I guess I'll have to find that out myself. Ariel made clear what the future may have in store for me. My mind was just filled with doubts a minute ago. But for some reason, they disappeared just like that. No, it's thanks to Ariel that my doubts are gone. I won't throw away my life that was saved. Even if I do regret it, I will continue to live.
"Ha, those eyes again. I see you've made your decision."
"Yeah."
"We're partners now, Chifuyu."
Ariel extends her arm to me with a slight smile, I comply and we shake hands.
"Looking forward to it." I said with a wry smirk.
"Listen, before I handle things I want you to stand your ground."
"What do you mean?"
"You've resolved yourself to continue living, but I'm sure most of the people in the courtroom want you to be executed. Do you see what I'm getting at?"
I put my right hand on my chin and try to figure out what she means.
"So by standing my ground, you want me to convey my determination to everyone there?"
"Correct."
I inhale and exhale deeply to prepare myself.
"You got it."
I open my eyes back to the courtroom with everyone staring at me. Not much different from before, except they're all looking with confused faces.
"Boy, what just happened?"
The judge rightly questions me. I'm pretty sure it looked like I fell asleep in the middle of the trial that's deciding whether I live or not. But I did talk aloud when Ariel first woke up out of surprise, so hiding anything will just make me look more suspicious.
"I spoke with the Vampire Lord."
"So she is inside of him!"
"That vampire could wipe us off the face of the planet!"
"Neither of them must be allowed to live!"
"Execute both these monsters before it becomes the end of us!"
The crowd just continues blathering, is that all they're here for? I was getting tired of it.
"SHUT UP!"
I yelled at the top of my lungs so they could cease they're annoying prattling.
"LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!"
I brace myself, I can't back down. This yell is coming straight from my heart.
"I'm not a monster! I was born and raised here in Shioto by the best parents I wouldn't ever be able to repay for how much they've done for me! I won't let my life end here, I won't let you take away the life brought about by my parents and the life that was saved by Ariel! I will live, even if I regret being saved! Call me a monster one more time, I dare you! I will never devour a human, I swear that on my life. To prove that, I will become a hunter and not just kill vampires, but put an end to their existence once and for all. No matter how many hardships I may go through, that's the decision I've come to!"
Everyone was silent after I finished proving my resolve. I gasped for air as I poured everything I had into that. I just had to hope for the best.
"Wow!" Shoyo exclaims in a comedic tone, though he was genuinely surprised. I noticed Erika crying while Dakota was hyped for some reason.
"You tell them Chifuyu!"
I can't believe he just blurted that out.
I thought I may have gotten through to the crowd, but they fell into an uproar again. There's no convincing these people.
"This boy is no longer human, what he says has no meaning, hurry and proceed with the verdict."
"That's right! My entire family was killed by a vampire, they all need to be exterminated, no exceptions."
Shoyo notices what that woman just said and asks her a question.
"Hey lady, so you say your whole family was killed by a vampire. What if one of them survived but it was at the cost of turning into a vampire? Would you still be vehemently shouting to have them executed, like you are with this boy?"
She stands there shocked, not being able to reply.
"I believe this is the first case where someone got turned into a vampire instead of being devoured. So shouldn't we handle it more carefully instead of this sorry display for a trial we're having?"
"How dare you try to turn this on me by bringing up my dead family. This boy is a monster now and must be put down! Are we not paying you to kill vampires?!"
"You didn't answer my question."
"SCREW OFF!"
"Ah, hypocrisy at its finest."
I can't say anything. I put in everything I had to try and convince them, but it didn't work. Now I just have to let Ariel handle the rest.
"Humans are foolish to no end, but we vampires who hunt them down for mere thirst are no better."
Ariel spoke, but it sounded like it was to herself. I was wondering what she has planned, but there's no reason for me to worry. We'd only spoken briefly, and yet I have full trust in her.
"I'm coming out."