The Sharpest Blade (My Vampire System Fan-Fic)

Stepping out from the elevator, Vorden made his way to the double doors at the very end of the left hand hallway, just like he had the night before. As he walked up to the desk once again the little old lady Marsa, Shiro's receptionist was standing just in front of her chair, and leaned over her desk. She was stretching herself as far as she could, craning her neck and holding her breath.

Vorden almost ran over to her in panic, thinking maybe she was hurt, or something was wrong. Thankfully though she was fine, just a busy body. Immediately Vorden heard what she was trying so hard to see. The double doors were not closed all the way, and there was a small crack through which one could see inside, from a certain angle.

At that moment Vorden jumped slightly from surprise when a loud and very angry voice was heard booming from the other side of the doors.

"This is bullshit Shiro, and you know it! Is this because of that freckle faced lame? Did he come to you and cry? I swear when I see him..." The enraged voice was one that Vorden knew too well. Just then a loud bang could be heard and the door shook violently before swinging open another couple of inches further. Vorden was only guessing but he was pretty confident that Raten had just thrown something at the door.

With that he figured now would be the optimal time to get in there and try to subdue the wild beast. He briskly walked towards the door and by the time Marsa had noticed he was even there Vorden had already slipped inside and closed the doors behind him with the usual click.

As he turned around to face them both he could feel the hairs on his neck standing up and couldn't help but to notice a slight tingling on the back of his head as well as sense fluctuations in the air around him. He heard the faintest whistle moving closer on his right side. " Oh shit...".

Vorden spun around as swiftly as he could and right at that moment shot out his arm and caught a heavy metal bookend just inches away from his face. Slightly shaking he looked past the projectile, at its source. Not surprised at all, his suspicions were confirmed. A red faced Rated was breathing heavily and stomping around the room like he was searching for something else to throw.

"Hello to you too Raten". Vorden moved towards the book case and replaced the bookend on the shelf from which it came.

"Don't start with me Weak Balls! I'm in no mood for your goody two shoes, Saturday Morning Special of a lecture! So just save it!"

Vorden smiled at hearing Raten call him by the nickname he had given him as a child. Albeit crude, and it could be offensive if you didn't know him like that, it didn't really bother Vorden any more. It even kind of warmed his heart.

Vorden looked around the room, however Shiro couldn't be seen anyplace. Of course, he was there, crouched behind his desk and trying to take cover from Raten's outburst. Hearing Vorden's voice, and Raten addressing another, Shiro took advantage of the seemingly calmer moment with Raten being distracted. He poked his head out slightly, "I'm here" he said apprehensively, quickly retreating back behind the safety of his desk once more. Just in time too as it seemed, because within a millisecond another bookend went whizzing past Vorden and right where Shiro's head had just been. Thankfully no damage was done.

"Raten!" Shiro shouted back in response. "I told you... I have my reasons, but you won't be there forever! It's just for the week. I need the coverage!" Shiro's head was poking out a bit farther this time. Yet again, the same routine played out, except on this throw it was a coaster from the coffee table in the sitting area.

Vorden jumped from the sudden whirling sound that zoomed by his head as well. "Raten! Cut it out you psychopath!" Bellowed Vorden, "I've had it up to here with your bullshit, you big.... Big.... CRYBABY!" Vorden lost his cool for a second... And to everyone's shock, when he hurled the insults at the mid-tantrum tyrant, he had also simultaneously closed the gap in distance between them. Much to their surprise but probably even more so to Vorden's, he had done something else simultaneously too. As he had sprinted into action without hesitation, he wound back his arm. His fist connected with Raten's face. He used his momentum, all of his weight transferring through his punch and he sent Raten flying across the room, into the wall.

Raten wasn't hurt by this too badly, he was however, still sitting on the ground against the wall where he landed. He rubbed his jaw with a bewildered look on his face. Vorden walked over holding out his hand, and helped Raten to his feet. "Are you done now? I can see that you're upset about something, but I can't read your mind, you have to explain to me what's happened, and smashing Shiro's face does nothing to help you". Vorden looked at Raten with an expression of disappointment.

"Maybe, but it would help ME!" Raten grumbled to himself as he got back up into his feet. Still fuming but attempting to rein in his rage, through gritted teeth he began to explain his side of the events leading to this altercation. "This smug little dictator just gave me my new assignment!" Raten's pointed finger whipped out towards Shiro.

Vorden, confused, glanced over at Shiro for clarity. Seeing this Raten groaned and held out a slip of paper. Vorden could clearly see the letters, and next to Raten's name and the word assignment. He looked closer and could see the chart.

'Guard Duty: Perimeter: Lead: Nights'

This only confused Vorden more. He looked up from the paper at Raten. Then reread the assignment. "What is wrong with that? I mean you love to fight, if there are any intruders, you get to be the first one to get in on it!" Vorden laughed a bit which didn't help with Raiden's temper.

He snatched the paper out of Vorden's hand and marched over to Shiro, who quickly ducked back behind his desk. "He's punishing me I know it! That freckle-faced idiot came in here and cried a sob story about me breaking his nose, and now he's punishing me!" Ratens voice increased in volume as he spoke, and his face had turned back to vivid red.

"What are you talking about Raten? Nobody has complained about anything... Did you break somebody's nose?" Shiro stood up on the other side of his desk, a look of panic pained across his face as he sat down at his computer and began furiously typing. "When, where, who was it?" He started going through e-mails and checking recent incident reports, no longer fearing for his face as the heavy burden of being a leader completely took over his nervous system.

Raten folded his arms and continued "You're telling me that sniveling little worm didnt lodge any complaint?" He was surprised and thought a moment before he went on. "Then I don't get it, Shiro I don't care what dip stick over here says" pointing at Vorden, "We both know that only an idiot would be stupid enough to try to pull anything at this place, night guard is the most boring job there is here!"

Vorden and Shiro glanced at each other quickly and then Vorden stepped in. "Look, Raten, there's nobody to cover that shift this week, it's just for the week, then you can try something else, or it you find anything that interests you in that time you can put in for it at the end of the week. You'd be doing me a huge favor, and besides... You never know, maybe you enjoy it more than you expect". Vorden gave a devilish smirk which Raten didn't notice.

He looked from Vorden to Shiro, then groaned again. "FINE, but JUST for the week!" He said angrily. "But you both owe me, and I better get whatever I put in for!" Vorden raised both hands, showing he would put up no fight. Then Raten scowled as he turned to walk out the door and stomp off to find something to do until his shift started later that night.

After the door was slammed shut, echoing throughout the room, Shiro rubbed his eyes and sighed. " You know, I don't know which is harder, having him in my head, or out of it". He leaned back in his chair and took another deep breath before he moved on. Vorden chuckled as he sat in a chair by the desk just across from him.

"Yeah, I don't know, are you sure you'll be able to handle him while I'm away?" He'd be lying if he said the thought didn't make him nervous and question his decision to go. "Of course, after tonight I don't think he will give you any more trouble".

Shiro looked up quickly at the door, then looked back at Vorden, he leaned in to speak a bit quieter. "Yes, I hope so. It's all arranged for this evening. Do you really think this is a good idea? I don't think I can picture Raten being... Ya know" he shuddered at the thought.

Vorden chuckled again, and shrugged. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I might not have believed it". Shiro shook his head in disbelief. "Anyway, now that he's taken care of, let's get the other thing squared away".

Shiro nodded and opened his desk drawer yet again. He rummaged around through the papers for a second and finally closed the drawer, a thick black folder held in his hand. He set it down on the desk in front of him, and pulled his chair in closer to his desk as he adjusted his posture. Vorden was amused by this for some reason. Shiro seemed to be taking this very seriously, which caused him to feel a sliver of doubt start to trickle back in. Was it truly that important? Was Vorden not taking it seriously enough? The sudden fear of expectations, and pressure that began to weigh down on Vorden made it difficult to breathe. He felt his heart start racing again.

"Ok..." Shiro's voice resonating throughout the nearly empty office began to echo inside his head. Snapping his wandering mind back to the present. It was strange, when he would zone out before it was usually because he was speaking to Sil, or Raten, or Shiro in the dark room. However now, if he wanted to speak to any of them, he had to be out here, in the light.

"I have here some things that you'll be needing, most importantly is this". Shiro held out a golden card, on the card in thick, vivid black letter it had Sargeant Vorden Blade. Next to a photograph of his face. Vorden reached out and took it from him.

"Sargeant?" Vorden gulped. The feeling starting to come back again at just how heavy those words felt.

Shiro, noting the physical change in Vorden, his demeaner, his expression, continued. "Don't freak out..." He said confidently. Vorden looked up to meet his gaze, and Shiro saw it. A look that he had only seen on Vorden's face once before. The day that they first saw H. It was what Shiro could only presume was dread. "Hey, hey now, don't look like that, you aren't having second thoughts are you? Talk to me man, what is it?"

Vorden looked back down again at the gold card in his hand. He pressed his thumb on the corner and a symbol began to illuminate on the center of the card, proving his identity as a Seargent. "No, no, no. No second thoughts... I just, don't think I've ever had this much responsibility before, at least, not on my own". Shiro was begining to understand his problem. "I'm not going to lie... I'm a little bit... Intimidated, by the pressure. I guess I hadn't realized how serious this is. I mean, I take it seriously... But, what if I mess it all up? I have never had a job before, not technically, I have never had this much expected of me before". His head sank and his shoulders slumped down, he looked defeated.

Shiro hated to see Vorden this way. Vorden, Raten, and Sill were some of the strongest people to ever walk the earth. At one time they were his idols, his heros. Seeing one of them so... Deflated, vulnerable, and self doubting, was unnerving.

"Look, Vorden, I can't even imagine how hard it was for you all these years, all this time, being trapped inside somebody else, not having your own life, I was very fortunate to get the chances to experience life the way you never did". He leaned back and let out a huge sigh, thinking about his next words. "But, if you DON'T do this, I mean of course you are free to make your own choices, but if you let fear or uncertainty keep you from finally doing all that now ... Then what the hell did we put you in a new body for? Wasn't that the whole POINT?"

Shiro was all but shouting at him, full of conviction and his voice sounded strained like it might crack. He was emotionally charged now. Vibrating with passion and power. It touched Vorden's heart to hear these words from Shiro. This man in front of him, truly believed in him, even if he didn't necessarily believe in himself. "Vorden, I promised myself I would never do this". He shook his head with his eyes squeezed tightly closed. He rubbed both of his hands down his face, then leaned forward with both of his elbows on the desk. "You are feeling a lack of self confidence, and you feel the immense pressure of the expectations you believe this duty to carry. That is normal. Everybody feels this at one point in their life. Especially when you feel like you do not have the real experience one would expect. The problem is that typically that kind of thing happens in your twenties, when you are just starting out, you have too high of expectations for yourself. I have just one thing to say about that". He leaned back again in his chair, folding his arms. Vorden suddenly felt slightly more nervous.

"Do you think I wasn't filled with self doubt when Quinn asked me to travel with them to Blade Island? To touch the tablet next to a demon tier beast when I was just a teenager with no ability?" Vorden's mouth hit the floor. He didn't just say that thought Vorden in disbelief. Smirking now, Shiro continued. "Do you think I wasn't nervous when Sil asked me to go inside his mind to get you both and bring you out into the beasts? Do you think for one second that I wasn't frightened facing the Dalki or the Vampires?" Vorden was stunned into silence. Was Shiro invoking... A GUILT TRIP?

"I was scared shitless!!!" He finished big with both arms out on either side of him. He held his position for another moment, ensuring the dramatic effect has a chance to really soak in. Then he slowly brought them back down, and folded them in front of himself. "I know you are worried, you haven't been away from Raten or I, well... Ever really. That's a big deal. However, if you want to experience things... If you truly want to live... You have to get out of here. Life is out there brother".

Shiro's words gave Vorden a new found resolve. He was right, he was absolutely right. "Thank you Shiro. For everything. You are right, and if you can face Demon tiered beasts, vampires, or the Dalki, all before the age of 18, then what kind of Blade would I be if I backed out of this now? I will do it, for you for Sil, For Quinn". Shiro stood up and walked around his desk to offer Vorden a handshake. As Vorden stood up and took Shiro's hand, he pulled Vorden in for a hug. Patting his back a few times before he reached across the desk to pick up the folder and hand it over to Vorden.

Vorden took a deep breath and tucked it under his arm. Shiro started to walk him to the door. "First day of term is next week, so you'll want to get there the day before. Ive arranged a shuttle for you, I will have Marsa send over all the details for you later today". As he placed his hand on the door his hand flew up and smacked against his forehead. " Oh man, I almost forgot! I have one more small favor to ask..." He said sheepishly.

"Yeah, go for it. What's up?" After the conversation that was just had, how bad could it be?

"Tonight... Just in case our patrol guards get... Distracted, could you possibly shadow the guard duty? Just in case?" Shiro really did think of everything.

"Yeah, no problem". Vorden gave him one last pat on the back and then headed out of the office, and back to his room to go over all the information in the folder. He smiled to himself as he walked, excited for that evening.