Because 69 lit a shippy fire in me appparently
I'm really happy with this chapter. Actually, I was really happy with Yuuki. She's standing up for her beliefs and convictions and was not the drama queen she's been in the last 19 chapters. She seemed to be fairly ambiguous about if this is something she's "free passing" Kaname but from the conversations she's having I don't get the impression that she will be doing that. I'm not getting a sense of desperation to be together with him like there has been in the past--just wanting answers and to stop whatever he's got planned. Which is exactly where she needs to be. She needs to question everything. She's talking a good game here, but she's always talked a good game and has been unable to back it up with her actions. It's do or die for her here. Either she'll step up into the shoes of a good heroine or she'll fall flat on her face.
When I first saw the raws and heard that she planned on going after that vampire, I thought it was because of whatever had happened to Zero. When I read the translation, I was actually a little shocked with her reasoning that she's doing it only to make a name for herself. I didn't like it at first but the more I think about it, the more the entire concept is growing on me. It's not about Kaname, it's not about Zero. It's about exactly what it needs to be about right now. Yuuki. Doing what she needs to do to in order to grow into the role she needs to play in society. The real role, not the still doll role she's had for the past year. Whatever she has planned, it has the potential to make her grow as an individual with no one elses opinions, agenda or expectations of her in the way to inhibit her growth. This isn't about this single vampire, I don't think. She wants to be the one to 'punish' him and show by her actions that she can be trusted and respected by all sides. She's a formerly human pureblood vampire who apparently wants to act like a 'vampire hunter'.
I don't see Yuuki as a killer, it's not something natural in her personality and punishment may not mean 'kill' here. I'm not sure of her actual plans, other than this is literally going to pit her against Zero in getting to them before him. The real Yuuki is extremely energetic and competitive, more so than Zero ever has been. Zero became a hunter by birth and downplayed his strengths growing up because he knew he stood out above Ichiru--always choosing to attempt to blend in and make Ichiru look better by covering for his weaknesses. Hunting was not a choice and I think he kind of considered it a burden until the end of the first arc--when he finally embraced it as a way to help him deal with his issues and get revenge.
Yuuki coming in and stealing his 'prey' is not going to go over well with Zero. Hino is pitting them against each other, which should cause some fun dynamics in the future chapters as they are forced to interact and gradually mend those fences as well as allow each of them to continue growing as individuals without relying on the dependent aspects of their relationship that made them unhealthy in the past to reform. They technically have the same goal in the end--stop the vampires who are hurting humans. They know each other better than anyone else to the point that they know exactly what makes the other tick, but unlike the first arc where there was a lot of talk and no action, this time it's all about the action.
For every time that Zero says he hates vampires and wants to kill them all, Yuuki will actually be experiencing exactly where that point of view is coming from and what he's doing to protect humans from them. On the flip side, Yuuki can hopefully open Zero's eyes to the other side that it's the individual and not just the species that makes someone a monster. The relationship that they had in the past had a LOT of faults due to issues they both have/had in the past. But it is the very strengths they possessed in the past that make this relationship actually possible as end game. The personal issues both of them have to tackle by the end of the series have nothing to do with the aspects of their relationship that destroyed their bond the first time, they are actually aspects that can be tackled by the others strength in their former bond.
A few examples of this. Yuuki right now needs to stand on her own two feet and make a name for herself by accomplishing things in vampire society. For her to take up her name and reach her goals, she is going to have to go out into the world and live her life by actually being a leader. By standing up to others. By pushing her own agenda, goals and believing in herself enough to actually do this. While vampire society pushes back and threatens her at every turn.
Kaname spent a year hiding her away from all the 'trouble' and 'unrest' in society deeming it too dangerous. He sheltered her, coddled her, and left her completely unprepared for this task. His one attempt at allowing her freedom was his way of proving to her that she needs to stay inside and let him protect her--yet immediately abandoned her to do just that very thing that he was trying to protect her from.
Zero in their former relationship was a huge source of support for her. Literal support-even if he didn't agree with her goals or desires, he still supported her in them. Zero was in love with her. She was in love with Kaname. Whose relationship did Zero support? After seeing Kaname drink from Ruka, Yuuki was upset and it was Zero who gave her strength to pick herself up and pretty much permission (though she didn't need it) to continue to love him though he was a 'monster' in her eyes. To get answers about her past, he helped her research and listened to her worries. When she physically needed his support when she questioned Kaname about his involvement, he went. He took her to the Hunter Association to research, thinking maybe there would be answers there. He even approached Kaname himself about it. There was no ulterior motive behind any of this--just his desire to support her. He hated Kaname and didn't trust him with Yuuki but it was never about HIM. Ever.
I don't think Zero will just roll over and allow Yuuki to do whatever against his own goals, but he's not going to view her as someone that needs to be protected or coddled. He knows she's capable of handling things on her own and will likely lend her a hand when she runs into trouble but only in situations where it will be needed to keep her on her path. He's used to working together as a team, even if they don't have the same opinions or goals and frankly they can be really good at it. He pushes her to be her best while allowing her room to move and grow. In having the same 'goal' to go after, the same vampires, the old proverb "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." will quickly come into play.
Now where have we heard that before?
They've been separated for long enough and it was not easy on either of them. It's not just going to magically get better, but Yuuki always did take Zero's support for granted because as long as she'd known him it was always there. He took it away in a very traumatic fashion which left her very bruised and scarred. She views Zero in a very different light right now, not badly, but she blames herself for what all happened because she did take him for granted and everything that happened because of that she deserved. Every ounce of support she earns back from him will be deserved on her part but more importantly will not be taken for granted.
The difference is, this time Yuuki understands that every piece of himself Zero gives is another piece of his heart. That every piece she takes and does not reciprocate is not fair to him. The roots of their relationship are too deep and raw from what happened a year ago. 'Friendship' isn't really an option for the two of them, I don't think. The way Kaname used Zero's feelings for Yuuki makes it impossible. If the end pairing is Kaname/Yuuki, I don't see a reconciliation with Zero/Yuuki happening at all. What we have now is what we get, them pretending the other doesn't exist and only interacting on a required basis with them maybe acting at best businesslike in their interactions. It isn't entirely about her being a vampire. There are large hurdles concerning Zero trusting to give his support to Yuuki with her main focus on allowing Kaname to protect her while he takes back Vampire Society or however he plans to do it. There's no trust.
So this is Yuuki's choice from here on. If their relationship mends during this process I can't see this being anything but ending in Zero/Yuuki. If she's choosing Kaname in the end, she just needs to let Zero continue to go on with his life without her in it and stay away from him.
When I first saw the raws and heard that she planned on going after that vampire, I thought it was because of whatever had happened to Zero. When I read the translation, I was actually a little shocked with her reasoning that she's doing it only to make a name for herself. I didn't like it at first but the more I think about it, the more the entire concept is growing on me. It's not about Kaname, it's not about Zero. It's about exactly what it needs to be about right now. Yuuki. Doing what she needs to do to in order to grow into the role she needs to play in society. The real role, not the still doll role she's had for the past year. Whatever she has planned, it has the potential to make her grow as an individual with no one elses opinions, agenda or expectations of her in the way to inhibit her growth. This isn't about this single vampire, I don't think. She wants to be the one to 'punish' him and show by her actions that she can be trusted and respected by all sides. She's a formerly human pureblood vampire who apparently wants to act like a 'vampire hunter'.
I don't see Yuuki as a killer, it's not something natural in her personality and punishment may not mean 'kill' here. I'm not sure of her actual plans, other than this is literally going to pit her against Zero in getting to them before him. The real Yuuki is extremely energetic and competitive, more so than Zero ever has been. Zero became a hunter by birth and downplayed his strengths growing up because he knew he stood out above Ichiru--always choosing to attempt to blend in and make Ichiru look better by covering for his weaknesses. Hunting was not a choice and I think he kind of considered it a burden until the end of the first arc--when he finally embraced it as a way to help him deal with his issues and get revenge.
Yuuki coming in and stealing his 'prey' is not going to go over well with Zero. Hino is pitting them against each other, which should cause some fun dynamics in the future chapters as they are forced to interact and gradually mend those fences as well as allow each of them to continue growing as individuals without relying on the dependent aspects of their relationship that made them unhealthy in the past to reform. They technically have the same goal in the end--stop the vampires who are hurting humans. They know each other better than anyone else to the point that they know exactly what makes the other tick, but unlike the first arc where there was a lot of talk and no action, this time it's all about the action.
For every time that Zero says he hates vampires and wants to kill them all, Yuuki will actually be experiencing exactly where that point of view is coming from and what he's doing to protect humans from them. On the flip side, Yuuki can hopefully open Zero's eyes to the other side that it's the individual and not just the species that makes someone a monster. The relationship that they had in the past had a LOT of faults due to issues they both have/had in the past. But it is the very strengths they possessed in the past that make this relationship actually possible as end game. The personal issues both of them have to tackle by the end of the series have nothing to do with the aspects of their relationship that destroyed their bond the first time, they are actually aspects that can be tackled by the others strength in their former bond.
A few examples of this. Yuuki right now needs to stand on her own two feet and make a name for herself by accomplishing things in vampire society. For her to take up her name and reach her goals, she is going to have to go out into the world and live her life by actually being a leader. By standing up to others. By pushing her own agenda, goals and believing in herself enough to actually do this. While vampire society pushes back and threatens her at every turn.
Kaname spent a year hiding her away from all the 'trouble' and 'unrest' in society deeming it too dangerous. He sheltered her, coddled her, and left her completely unprepared for this task. His one attempt at allowing her freedom was his way of proving to her that she needs to stay inside and let him protect her--yet immediately abandoned her to do just that very thing that he was trying to protect her from.
Zero in their former relationship was a huge source of support for her. Literal support-even if he didn't agree with her goals or desires, he still supported her in them. Zero was in love with her. She was in love with Kaname. Whose relationship did Zero support? After seeing Kaname drink from Ruka, Yuuki was upset and it was Zero who gave her strength to pick herself up and pretty much permission (though she didn't need it) to continue to love him though he was a 'monster' in her eyes. To get answers about her past, he helped her research and listened to her worries. When she physically needed his support when she questioned Kaname about his involvement, he went. He took her to the Hunter Association to research, thinking maybe there would be answers there. He even approached Kaname himself about it. There was no ulterior motive behind any of this--just his desire to support her. He hated Kaname and didn't trust him with Yuuki but it was never about HIM. Ever.
I don't think Zero will just roll over and allow Yuuki to do whatever against his own goals, but he's not going to view her as someone that needs to be protected or coddled. He knows she's capable of handling things on her own and will likely lend her a hand when she runs into trouble but only in situations where it will be needed to keep her on her path. He's used to working together as a team, even if they don't have the same opinions or goals and frankly they can be really good at it. He pushes her to be her best while allowing her room to move and grow. In having the same 'goal' to go after, the same vampires, the old proverb "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." will quickly come into play.
Now where have we heard that before?
They've been separated for long enough and it was not easy on either of them. It's not just going to magically get better, but Yuuki always did take Zero's support for granted because as long as she'd known him it was always there. He took it away in a very traumatic fashion which left her very bruised and scarred. She views Zero in a very different light right now, not badly, but she blames herself for what all happened because she did take him for granted and everything that happened because of that she deserved. Every ounce of support she earns back from him will be deserved on her part but more importantly will not be taken for granted.
The difference is, this time Yuuki understands that every piece of himself Zero gives is another piece of his heart. That every piece she takes and does not reciprocate is not fair to him. The roots of their relationship are too deep and raw from what happened a year ago. 'Friendship' isn't really an option for the two of them, I don't think. The way Kaname used Zero's feelings for Yuuki makes it impossible. If the end pairing is Kaname/Yuuki, I don't see a reconciliation with Zero/Yuuki happening at all. What we have now is what we get, them pretending the other doesn't exist and only interacting on a required basis with them maybe acting at best businesslike in their interactions. It isn't entirely about her being a vampire. There are large hurdles concerning Zero trusting to give his support to Yuuki with her main focus on allowing Kaname to protect her while he takes back Vampire Society or however he plans to do it. There's no trust.
So this is Yuuki's choice from here on. If their relationship mends during this process I can't see this being anything but ending in Zero/Yuuki. If she's choosing Kaname in the end, she just needs to let Zero continue to go on with his life without her in it and stay away from him.