Yuki Kuran

Yuki Cross (黒主 優姫, Kurosu Yuuki) is the main protagonist of the Vampire Knight series. She is a student of Cross Academy's Day Class and one of the School Guardians, along with Zero Kiryu. She is later revealed to be a Pureblood Princess of the Kuran family and is able to return to her Vampire status by Kaname Kuran, subsequently becoming Yuki Kuran (玖蘭 優姫, Kuran Yuuki). Following this, she leaves Cross Academy but later returns in their Night Class to help the students coexist as originally planned.

Appearance
Yuki has a petite slender build and big brown eyes fringed with red. She has shoulder length chestnut brown hair with red/dark brown hues. She wears the trademark black uniform of the Day Class with a white armband carrying the mark of a red rose, signifying her position as a member of the Disciplinary Committee. Additionally under her skirt, attached to her left thigh, Yuki carries an anti-vampire weapon: the Artemis Rod. She wears dark leather brown boots in the manga but wears ankle brown boots in the anime series.

Upon her awakening as a Pureblood Princess, it is instantly noticeable that her appearance is strikingly beautiful like her mother, Juri Kuran, and she has also been praised to have the same "kind and tender eyes/gaze" as her father, Haruka Kuran. Compared to her hairstyle and appearance as a human, Yuki's hair grows to be much longer, reaching down to the back of her waist as a vampire. Her character development as a vampire is portrayed to be more feminine and more toned down compared to her human side. Yuki's eyes glow red and less brown.

During the time that she had spent living in the Kuran mansion with Kaname Kuran and Hanabusa Aido, Yuki is seen from time to time to be wearing pajamas or long sleeved dresses that reach above her knees. She was also drawn to wearing high heeled shoes or sometimes barefooted. Yuki adorns pretty head pieces and accessories such as headbands, berets, pearl necklaces, and gloves with ribbons. During important Vampire or Hunter functions, she is dressed in long elegant ballgowns. However, whenever Yuki leaves the Kuran mansion to go to town in secret, she dresses more casually, but is still very neatly and fully dressed.

Yuki continues to use Artemis as her main weapon after it transforms into a scythe in 41st Night. However, in 83rd Night, Yuki uses Artemis to cut off her long hair, reverting to her old hairstyle to show Kaname that she is upset with his unknown plans and is disappointed by his sudden change in character. In 93rd Night, a thousand years have passed since Kaname threw his heart into the furnace, and it was shown that Yuki has grown out her hair again.

As a child, Yuki's hair was long, reaching the middle of her back.

Personality
Yuki was generally a cheerful caring and a rather comedic girl with her beloved smile. She was considered a poor student because she dislikes studying and falls asleep in class due to the fact that she stays up all night monitoring the school grounds and protects the Day Class students from sneaking into the Night Class students. She exhibits a strong attachment to her close friends, especially Sayori who Yuki affectionately calls "Yori" and Zero. Her indecisive nature and reticence can be attributed to her insecurity regarding her missing past. As a human, she has been seen as standing sides with vampires, but deep in her heart she feared all vampires (because of a vampire that attacked her when she was little) excluding Kaname Kuran.

Due to this fear, she rarely left the Cross Academy grounds on her own. Yuki doesn't like to reveal her fears and disguises it with a smile. Zero, however, having grown up with her for four years, was always able to tell when something is bothering her, making it hard for her to hide things from him and vice versa.

Following her reawakening as a Pureblood vampire, Yuki shed the fears she once retained. When a situation demands for it, she can put in an authoritative face as expected of a Pureblood Princess. As a result, she has grown more emotionally mature and thoughtful. Yuki's overwhelming fault is the tendency to burden herself with guilt over her ignorance when she learns of other people's sufferings that they have kept secret.

Yuki's favorite subject was Physical Education and her favorite food was ginger pork stir fry set, as well as parfaits.

History
Yuki was five years old when Rido Kuran attacked the Kuran Family household seeking to take her away. In order to protect her, her mother, Juri sacrificed herself to seal Yuki's vampire nature and erases Yuki's memory. Yuki's first memory was that of Kaname saving her from a Level E Vampire who tried to devour her while being alone on a snowy day. She grew up as a human in the care of Kaien Cross, who adopted her. Despite no longer remembering Kaname and their past relationship, he stayed as an important figure in Yuki's life, becoming her much beloved savior whose visits she always looked forward to, eventually leading Yuki to develop romantic feelings for him.

Despite having her memories sealed, Yuki experienced constant nightmares as a child, a problem which continued nightly until Zero Kiryu joined the Cross household. As a result, Yuki formed a strong bond towards him. She found comfort in helping Zero with his personal nightmares and unofficially appointed herself as his guardian, entering his room to check on him and always made sure he slept soundly and constantly worried about his well being. Shortly after Zero's arrival, another change occurred between Yuki and Kaname's relationship. The closeness they once shared was lost after she witnessed Kaname feeding blood off from a noble vampire, Ruka Souen, an act which frightened Yuki and reminded her of the difference between humans and vampires. Now keenly aware of the futility of her feelings, Yuki chose to distance herself from Kaname. Keeping her affections hidden away from him, though her longing and admiration for him still remained. As Yuki grows, wanting to know her past in order to move forward, Yuki found the courage to confront Kaname persistently about her past and her existence. In the end she did not get any answers which, and she decides to remember on her own. This however, caused her to evoke horrifying images of a blood stained room. In the end, Yuki's actions left Kaname with no other options available, but to reawaken her vampire self.

Upon awakening, she regains the memories of her past, her true race, the truth of her parents and who Kaname really is to her all along. After the death of Rido, Yuki chooses to leave the Academy with Kaname. She lived with Kaname for two years at the Kuran mansion with Aido being her tutor. Yuki had to deal with her new status as a Pureblood vampire and the restrictions she has to abide by. Often, Yuki is seen thinking she is inferior next to Kaname. As a result, Yuki and Kaname have an awkward stance in their relationship. At the final chapter of the manga, Yuki arrived late and couldn't stop Kaname from sacrificing his heart to the furnace in 93rd Night. Kaname told Yuki to stop trying to stop him anymore. Kaname confessed his sins and said he has to atone for them. Kaname told Yuki that she was better suited being in the light. Starting from 93rd Night Kaname's gesture took both Zero and Yuki by surprise when he told them that he wants them to be together. At the end of the manga, after a long time skip of a thousand years, it was revealed that Zero has already passed away. Yuki went to his family's grave to leave behind Bloody Rose as a memento. Yuki thanked Zero for the happiness he had given her over the years and left to go to where Kaname's body was kept. Finally the long awaited day came when the fire of the furnace can be put out. She then expressed her dismay and explained to the sleeping Kaname that the medicine Aido made which was found in the Kuran Mansion's library research study, could not awaken him nor can it be used on his heart, as they fear his heart might not be able to take it. Ultimately, in end, she sacrifices her life to awaken him and turned him into a human in the same process. Now, the finally reawakened, Kaname was free from his thousands of years of blood lust, a sad past and a darkness he had known since forever. Yuki left her final words to her children for the new Kaname which was: "I want to give to you whom I love, the world I saw as a human".

Powers and Abilities
Like all Pureblood vampires, Yuki has immortality and the ability to heal from anything excluding anti-vampire weapon wounds to the heart or head. Yuki has demonstrated the following abilities, though most of her abilities are instinctual and uncontrolled:
 * Telekinesis, breaking windows on the few occasions when she experiences strong emotions.
 * Ability to fly using a pair of wings on her back made of blood that resemble butterfly wings . This also, as Kaname puts it, the embodiment of her power; it's just like Yuki to have her embodiment take the form of something that craves the sunlight.
 * Ability to separate and disperse into a swarm of butterflies.
 * Ability to interfere with memory blocking through physical contact . This includes breaking memory spells on herself.
 * Ability to wield anti-vampire weapons both as a human and as a vampire and transform the Artemis rod into its scythe form, like her mother did.
 * Ability to cure hallucinations in other vampires using her blood.

Yuki is capable of telekinesis and wielding the Artemis Rod despite it being an anti-vampire weapon, as demonstrated during the Battle of Cross Academy when she used it to help Zero Kiryu control his power by cutting him in the shoulder, a wound he received when Ichiru shot him with the Bloody Rose, and severely wounding her uncle, Rido Kuran, to the point of collapse.

Weapon
Yuki's weapon is Artemis throughout the series. Artemis is an anti-vampire weapon given to her by Kaien Cross after she assumes her role as the school's guardian. During her lifetime, Juri Kuran was also able to wield the Artemis just like her daughter. Artemis' appearance looks like a harmless plain metal rod that can extend longer when force is applied. However, it can hurt any vampire just by a touch.

Yuki has used Artemis to pierce Rido Kuran in battle. Other than that, she has never used Artemis to kill or harm other vampires.

She has also offered the service to remaining Purebloods to take their life if they no longer wish to live in 57th Night.

Awakened Artemis

In 41st Night, it is seen that Artemis transformed, just like its wielder. After Yuki was reawakened as a Pureblood vampire, the appearance of Artemis completely changed. Artemis had features of a vampire and looks very much like a vampire itself. A blade resembling those of a vampire's fang, tearing flesh on the fang (showing its blood lust), a rod made out of bones and additional touch of bat wing designs on the back. All these features makes Artemis look like the most intimidating weapon out of all the other anti-vampire weapons. Even though Yuki is now a vampire herself, Artemis retains its ability just like before, making it her ultimate weapon against vampires.

History of Artemis

Artemis was born from a Pureblood, The Hooded Woman, who sacrificed her heart to the furnace to give life to anti-vampire weapons for humanity to fend themselves off from vampires with bad intentions 10,000 years ago. Artemis and Bloody Rose were originally Kaname Kuran's personal weapons before he gave them to Kaien Cross to be in charge of. They were later passed on to Yuki and Zero respectively when they became the school guardians.

Relationships
Kaname Kuran=

Kaname was Yuki's admired savior from ten years ago, when she was nearly devoured by a bloodthirsty vampire on a snowy day. Yuki has admired Kaname Kuran for almost her entire life. Starting from her childhood to her adolescence years. These feelings remained both before and after losing her memories. Yuki has tried to hide her affections and fondness of him, especially from him. She cuts off her long hair to get rid of the attraction, not knowing that Kaname notices every single detail about her and confesses that he loves them all. Despite the "love" between the two, many fans aren't happy with the fact that Kaname doesn't like others, especially Zero, getting close to Yuki. This is seen in a special chapter (Night 93.5-Life) where Sayori comments that he didn't let Yuki have any friends, although Yuki was completely unaware of this. It makes many believe that he is controlling and only wants to keep Yuki to himself because he feels as though only he can protect her.

During the time when Yuki wanted to know about her missing memories, he asked her to become his lover. This was in order for him to establish if she could adapt to the lifestyle of a vampire, and accept the special treatment that a Pureblood vampire would receive. That is also weighed upon if her willingness to uncover her true identity. However, he still didn't tell her anything about her past until after Yuki awakened as a vampire. After her reawakening, she obtains her lost memories and remembers Kaname as her brother.

Yuki and Kaname's life together begins after leaving Cross Academy. During the first six months, Yuki undergoes vampire education from Aido in order to broaden her knowledge about the vampire race. However, she persistently rejects her starved vampire self because she has her own difficulties that she has never told anyone. This leaves Kaname confused, and often wondering why she hides these problems. Eventually after observing her for the year of living together, Yuki's actions of suppression and awkwardness towards Kaname, spur him to reveal the truth - that he is not her real brother. Kaname carries Yuki to the coffin that he has been laying in for the past thousands of years. Kaname allows her to drink his blood in order to read his memories of a distant time. Times such as the the beginning of human civilization and the vampire race. From his memories, she witnesses how Rido had taken and killed her real brother to reawaken the Kuran Family's ancestor, Kaname. Rido had removed him from his slumber to devour his rich blood. Yuki also bared witness of Kaname's regression into a form of a baby, due to the lack of blood that was required for him to remain in his full form. Through these memories, Yuki learns that the Kaname that she knows, is not actually her brother, but her ancestor.

After learning the truth, Yuki begins to see Kaname as someone more than just a brother and admired savior, but also as her fiance. Yuki now sees him as an equal and wishes to start over with Kaname, to which he agrees. However with the reappearance of Zero at her debut ball, Yuki's heart begins to waver. With this in mind, Kaname decided to go back to his original plans after Yuki continuously defies him, even after he told her to wait for him. Kaname begins doing things that will make Yuki hate and doubt him even though he "cherishes and loves her". Afterwards Yuki uncovers the truth behind the series of unfortunate events, and has successfully catches Kaname, in which she confronts him once again. The two of them then make up after he assures her that he will not leave her (although she continues to call him a liar). The two make love only once (as shown in the manga). It is revealed in the final chapter that she gave birth to his daughter as a result.

Kaname tears out his heart and throws it into the furnace, for the vampire hunter weapons to remain strong. Yuki goes to him and tearfully asks him why he he did it, and goes on to confess that she didn't want to be in a world where she could no longer hear his voice. In her moment of grief as Kaname dies, she says that she wished she was never born, so that the Kaname of today wouldn't have to go through this. He tells her that he doesn't regret any of the mistakes that he had made, and that she mustn't say such things, since it makes it sound like he didn't receive any happiness. He says "It's not that I didn't receive any happiness, because there's a light at the end of the journey." Before he "dies", he says that he must also atone for the mistakes that he has committed by his own choice, alone. Yuki remains in shock after his "death" and shows no emotion when Zero reveals his feelings for her. Yuki, in the last pages of the manga reveals that although they found a method to turn a vampire into a human thanks to his research, he wouldn't be able to wake up from his eternal sleep nor endure the effect of the "treatment". Yuki, after living for many, many years, decides to sacrifice her life to Kaname so that he may be able to live the rest of his life as a human. (Just as her mother, Juri, had done for her those many years ago).

In the final chapter, it is revealed that Yuki had a daughter with Kaname. Yuki and Kaname's daughter gives Kaname a message with her half-brother. While hugging her younger brother, she passes on the message to Kaname that said, "I want to give to you, whom I love, the world that I saw when I was a human". As Yuki gives her life to turn Kaname human, she reflects "The long and endless journey... You, who existed with that thirst, may your thirst be quenched." To which Kaname is shown smiling and looking into the sunlight recalling the message and touching a butterfly.


 * -|Zero Kiryu=

Yuki met a distraught Zero back when they were 12 and 13 respectively. His family had just been murdered when he was brought into the Cross household. Zero had been bitten by Shizuka, unbeknownst to Yuki at the time, and fell into the depths of despair by the realization that he would soon lose his humanity. Seeing a suicidal Zero, Yuki did everything in her power to provide the boy with kindness and warmth. It was through Yuki that Zero finally decided to live. Zero grew attached to his childhood friend and her, "light" despite claiming that he refused to see her as family. Zero grew fiercely protective of Yuki and Yuki felt the same towards him.

When Zero finally lost to his bloodlust, he bit Yuki. Not understanding the situation, Yuki was frightened by this new development of Zero. She came to understand that Zero was turning into a Level E, meaning he would lose all reasoning and would savagely attack humans. To halt the progression Yuki began to offer him blood. This continued on for several months and Zero's transformation had slowed down significantly.

Feeling indebted towards her, Zero did not resist Yuki's attack of madness as her mother's spell began to malfunction. As Yuki's memories of her bloody past resurfaced, she turned to Zero for comfort. Yuki mentions to Zero that she feels that Kaname is somehow connected to her past. Zero wastes no time in confronting the Pureblood to find answers. Shortly after, Rido attacks Cross Academy and Kaname is forced into reawakening Yuki's true form - a Pureblood vampire. Zero comes across the scene right after Yuki is reawakened. Confused about what was going on, Zero angrily shouts that he sensed two Purebloods, not realizing the second Pureblood was Yuki. Yuki begins to tear up as she reveals her lost past, and she apologizes to Zero for not realizing what she truly was. She apologizes because she knows that Zero has been toyed with by Purebloods for his entire life. Zero is left feeling uncertain of this revelation and begins to question her existence.

When the two finally confront Rido, there is tension between the two. Then after defeating Rido, Zero turns his gun towards Yuki proclaiming that he will destroy every Pureblood vampire, including her. Yuki refuses to die and the two begin to face each other. Kaname comes in however, intervening and preventing anything else to transpire. The men then turn on each other and begin to engage in battle, until Yuki steps in between them. Kaname leaves and Yuki tries to soothe Zero into dropping Bloody Rose. She is shocked by his scathing glare and begins to move back when he embraces her asking if she is still the girl he knows. After confirming her identity as the same. Zero explains that he only desires her blood, and then right after drinks her blood. Once indulging his thirst, Zero latches on to Yuki and kisses her. Yuki doesn't understand what is happening and stands there in shock. Zero tells her to go be with the man who could spend an eternity with her. Before leaving he cryptically states that the next time they meet, he will kill her. To which Yuki tells him before they part ways that she will continue running so that he has enemies to go after.

Once Zero leaves, Yuki breaks down into tears not being able to come to grips with the fact that they are enemies now. As the story progresses, Yuki continues to think about the kiss that Zero took before leaving. During this time away, she finally realizes Zero's feelings towards her. After all the events that had occurred Yuki ends up going with Kaname to the Kuran Mansion. We learn that a year has gone by, and Yuki still hasn't spoken to Zero. She keeps trying to write him a letter, however something always stops her from finishing. A few days later Yuki suffers from thirst, and reveals to Kaname that a part of her heart belongs to Zero.

When Yuki runs into Zero again at her introduction to vampire ball she is uncertain on how to face him. Throughout the party, she often looks for him. When she finally meets with him again, as he gets into an argument with Sara Shirabuki, she barely places a hand on him when he snarls for her to leave him alone. His actions hurt her, but she tries to remain pleasant. Yuki continues to think glumly of his changed attitude and Zero continues to look at the wrist she touched with shock. It is revealed that his thirst was returning.

After Kaname's initial disappearance, Zero offers Yuki blood when her blood - lust begins to show after taking blood from him. She mentions that he is the one she never thought that she would attain blood from. After the feigned death of Aido's father, Yuki and Zero travel together to stop Kaname and his unspecified/unknown plans, causing them to work together again. Yuki states that this would be their last journey together.

During the masquerade ball, as Zero danced with Yuki, Zero breaks the silence between them, saying that "You look a lot like a girl who died last year. She meant a lot to me." Yuki then responds, "You too...you look like a boy I wanted to protect, but ended up hurting instead. But you couldn't be him...he'd never dance with a vampire." Yuki begins to reminisce about the past memories she had with Zero when she was still human, and feels remorseful for the loss of their bond. She also finally admits that she loves Zero. After Kaname's reappearance at the masquerade and escape, Yuki goes to Zero's room and stands outside the door describing her "what if" dream. She questions how their lives would have turned out if they had been normal humans, with Kaname solely as her brother, who worked together as prefects. She remembers some of their history which has changed to them not having any connection to vampires. and states how she wondered what would have happened in that scenario.

As she describes this dream, she tells Zero that she would still have scolded him while thinking about how handsome he was, and then wonders if more would have followed after tending to his numerous wounds. Zero scolds her for imagining a dream world since it would obviously never happen and reminds her that they should be focused on their reality. After describing her dream, Yuki erases all of Zero's memories of her. She decides that she is willing to sacrifice herself to turn Kaname into a human, and the last thing she wanted was to cause Zero to feel anymore despair.

However, Zero eventually regains his memories back by drinking blood from Yuki. With the return of his lost memories, Zero decides to face his true feelings for her as he remembered Ichiru's dying words. The weight in Zero's heart was lifted and his hatred for Purebloods faded away. In the final chapter of the manga, Zero eventually turned to dust after spending a thousand years with Yuki. When she went to his family's grave with the fragments of Bloody Rose with her, she left it with his family's grave. She reminisces about the memories she had with Zero, and states that despite having had a lot of quarrels, Zero made her happy. At some point, she gave birth to his son.

Sayori Wakaba was Yuki's best friend and roommate. Yuki affectionately calls her "Yori-chan". Sayori often worries about Yuki and her guardian duties, telling her she needs to rest and jokes about her being a vampire due to Yuki's sleeping habits. Sayori knows that Zero has feelings for Yuki and asks him about them, but Yuki most of the time has no idea what she's talking about. When Yuki was reawakened as a vampire and vanishes, Sayori is worried and tells Yuki that no matter what they will always be best friends. She has also told Yuki that she isn't scared of her despite Yuki telling her that she could have bitten her. In the last chapter of the manga, she is seen narrating the story of vampires and humans to her grandchildren.
 * -|Sayori Wakaba=

Also in the manga extra, it is hinted that she ends up with Aido and that during her funeral, he comments that despite him constantly trying to convince her to become a vampire so they could spend their lives together, she refused stating that she was fine with the time she'd been given. Having been friends for more that 60 years, Yuki (along with Hanabusa) was devastated by her death.


 * -|Hanabusa Aido=

Aido was Yuki's antagonistic senior classman who was jealous of her relationship with Kaname. After Yuki was revealed to be a Pureblood vampire and Kaname's younger sister, Aido ended up becoming her tutor and mentor. This is further enhanced to the status of being her protector as the series progresses. Though their new relationship is on a new, professional level, the two have demonstrated a better and closer friendship.

Manga

 * "...It's cold... White snow... What is "white"? What is "snow"? It is something that is not red. Something that is "red"... is what?"
 * "Have you ever wanted to end your life...?"
 * "If you don't devour what you desire, you'll be driven insane."
 * "The world that I saw through human eyes...I want to give that world to you, my love."
 * "No...I can't imagine a world where I'll never see you again! I don't want to imagine it..." (To Kaname)
 * "If...I'd never been born, if I'd never existed...everything would've turned out differently for you!" (To Kaname)

Anime

 * "It's my duty as a guardian to protect Cross Academy, day and night!"
 * "I long for him.... but I understand. There's a line that vampires and humans can't cross."
 * "Kaname-sama.... I love you! I love you! My world began with you. So...even if I can't remember my past, I'm not scared."
 * "I'll do anything for Kaname-sama..."
 * "I'll keep running away from you, if having an enemy gives you a reason to live." (To Zero)
 * "It's all right now. I'll be with you always, so you'll be all right." (To Zero)

Trivia

 * Yuki good at: P.E, vaulting box, comparing various parfaits.
 * Yuki respects: Kaname and Yori.
 * Yuki treasure: A rose that blooms every ten years, encased in resin (a souvenir from Kaname).
 * Yuki hobbies: Eating, sleeping.
 * Yuki favorite fashion: Sweet, feminine look that is easy to move around in.
 * Yuki means "tender" or "kind" (優, yuu) and "princess" (姫, ki). Cross (or Kurosu) is the Japanese pronunciation of "cross" and the kanji chosen for kurosu translates to "black" (黒kuro) and "master" (主, su). Yuki's biological surname, Kuran, translates to "nine orchids," as ku (玖) means "nine" and ran (蘭) means orchids.
 * Yuki represents Matsuri Hino's justice side.
 * A fragment of Yuki's will seems to remain inside her heart, which is now Kaname's heart.

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