Author's note: Hey, this is my first story, so tell me what I'm doing wrong, or right... You know what, I love compliments, so lets stick to those... But yeah, normal exchange, you give me feedback, I'll give you updates. Fair right? Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Rosario + Vampire, any of the characters from it or the story itself (though you and I both know I'd like to)
Tsukune Aono stared into space out of his bus window, allowing the unchanging scenery along the roadside to pass his vision, his thoughts were turned towards not where he was, but where he was going.
I"ll finally a chance to stay in one place... was the thought that kept running through his mind, he'd had enough new starts for a lifetime, and was hoping this one would be his last, that at boarding school he could finally settle down, make connections with people. The hope was almost funny to him, having been to 7 schools in as many years on 3 continents. He followed his father whatever base he was assigned to next, such was the life of an army brat. He couldn't say it wasn't interesting, but showing up in a school, a city, a country, knowing no one, trying to fit in with people who sometimes literally couldn't understand what you were saying. He was actually relieved when his father told him.
"Youkai academy?" he asked his father earlier that summer, "so we're moving again?"
"No, its just you this time, Tsukune. Its a boarding school back in Japan, and a highly selective one at that, I had to pull some strings to get you in. You'll get to attend there all of high school, no more moving."
Now that he was finally on his way he wasn't sure how to feel, he was excited but scared too. Over the past 7 years, he stopped trying to make friends, finding himself, for one reason or another, always unable to fit in; always knowing that at the end of the year he would be forced to pack up and move. It was a routine, one he was comfortable with, and one that centered on his father. Through all the moves, his dad was his best friend, a stalwart ally against the legions of cruel children, bullies, and cliques.
But now? His dad wasn't here… Tsukune was by himself, with only the promise of three years keeping him going. Three years with the same people, the same place, the same language; it was exhilarating just for him to think about, but he worried if he could fit in.
These thoughts left him as his vision darkened. Tsukune blinked several times to adjust to the darkness, and realized the bus had entered a pitch black tunnel. He looked out the back window of the school bus for some trace of the tunnel entrance, but could find nothing. Searching out to the front only revealed the dull glow of the bus driver's cigar reflected off the windshield.
The glowing coal emerged into view as the bus driver grinned behind him, "You know kid, Youkai Academy is a scary place, you'd better prepare yourself."
"I'm prepared, sir." That was one concern Tsukune did not have. Very few things frightened him, a consequence of both his military upbringing and the horrors he'd been through at school.
Just as suddenly as the light had disappeared, it came back, though Tsukune kind of wished it hadn't. The bus drove down a gravel road, lined with dead trees, along cliffs overlooking a blood red sea, the entire sight hemmed in by mounting thunderheads.
"Remember what I said, kid" the bus driver called to him as it drove away, leaving him next to a scarecrow/signpost pointing him towards the school.
There Tsukune stood for a moment, taking it all in, the unnerving flora and the gothic main tower of the school building. His messy brown hair got in his eyes as a strong gust off the sea suddenly started up. His eyes matched his hair, a warm coppery color that he got from his mother.
Tsukune took a deep breath and straightened his posture, trying to feel as calm and confident as he looked. The green blazer and dress shirt he wore hung off his thin six foot frame (he wished they weren't a size too big) and the tie felt oppressive to his unaccustomed neck. I'll have to get used to the uniform I guess... He began walking in the direction of the tower, listening to the rustling of the dead leaves as they shook in the wind on the bare boughed trees of the increasingly dense forest the path cut through. He thought he heard something in the distance behind him, it was a ringing… a bell? Tsukune paid it no mind and continued, but the ringing drew closer and closer, until he heard from behind-"Look out!"
The voice shouted and Tsukune turned , just in time...
...To be run over by a bike.
"Are you ok? I'm so sorry..."
Blood pounded in Tsukune's ears as he propped himself on an elbow, groaning softly as he did so and bringing his other hand around to rub the back of his neck stiffly. It was then he realized there was someone on top of him. Finally looking up to see her, he was instantly taken by the sight. She was utterly gorgeous. Emerald green eyes set in the most beautiful face he had ever seen, pink hair that reached to her mid back and a perfect body.
"I, uh..." he practically swallowed his leaden tongue when he tried to compose himself. "I-I'm fine, just a little dizzy."
"Oh, I'm so relieved," she said with an incandescent smile. "I thought I'd hurt you."
"Nope, perfectly fine! Do I uh, have something on my face? Tsukune notice that she was staring at him, moving incrementally closer, those soft lips formed words he barely heard.
"You smell good"
"Aaaaaahhhh!" he screamed as she sunk her teeth into his neck. "What are you doing!?"
She flew of of him in surprise to his reaction and fear of his next words, but her ankle seemed to crumple under her and she fell to her knees just out of arms reach
"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly, eyes glued to the ground "I-I've never done that before… but, you just smelled so good. I don't know what came over me, it might have been my anemia; I just couldn't help myself." She looked like she was about to burst into tears after trying to rip out his throat.
He realized at this point that he wasn't bleeding and that he hadn't responded. At this point curiosity and a strange concern for his assailant replaced his shock and anger. "No, no, it's ok. I'm fine, just dizzier. You bit me because you're anemic?"
"No, because I'm a vampire."
Tsukune was positive his jaw hit the ground when he heard that, but he collected himself as well as he could and after several seconds was composed enough to awkwardly segue the conversation. "You must of hurt yourself, let me see your ankle."Tsukune moved close to the injured limb, noticing some mild swelling as he gently manipulated her foot. He was thankful for the time to think about what she had said. After about a minute, he gave his diagnosis. "It looks like a sprain, you shouldn't walk until this gets wrapped up, promise not to bite me and I'll get you to the infirmary."
Her blush was utterly luminescent. "I promise..." She mumbled.
"okay then, up we go." He lifted her surprisingly light frame into his arms. "You know, I still haven't gotten your name, I'm Tsukune Aono."
"Moka Akashiya, nice to meet you." she responded. "What should we going to do with my bike?"
"I've actually got a plan for that…" Tsukune moved her over to the bike, propped it up against a tree and placed her on the seat. He began to walk the bike, holding onto the handlebars. "Soooooo, you said you were a vampire?"
"Yes, I may not look it right now, but if you were to take off this rosary, I would become a big scary vampire." She said gesturing to the cross hanging from a chain right over her ample bosom.
He caught himself before his inspection of the object could be considered staring,"So you're a vampire like Dracula, or are you more like the ones from Twilight?" Tsukune wanted to hit himself, that was such a stupid thing to say!
"I'd say closer to Dracula, my grandfather's even from transylvania, and we definitely don't sparkle." She responded with a little smirk. "How do you feel about vampires?" Her countenance suddenly changed, "You don't hate them do you?"
"I wouldn't say that, I mean I've never met one… No I don't hate vampires." Oh my god, she must think that I'm such an idiot
"That's great, then if you don't mind, would you be my friend?" Her once sad eyes flashed relief and then, counter to her previous assertion otherwise, sparkled.
She's like me… "Yeah, I'll see you after the entrance ceremony is over!" He said as they reached the infirmary. As they parted Tsukune couldn't help feeling great. First day and I've already made a friend! And she is the cutest girl I've ever seen too!
A few hours later, after the opening ceremony, Tsukune sat down in class just as the bell was ringing.
"Ok class," began Ms. Nekonome, the homeroom teacher. "welcome to Youkai academy, as you know its a school for monsters."
After the shock with what had happened earlier that morning, Tsukune's surprise was dulled, but he still nearly fell out of his chair. His first thought was Well... there goes fitting in for once, though that does explain the cat ears...
Said ears twitched before she continued "Now as you know, the main purpose of the school is to help you integrate into human society."
"Why don't we just kill all the humans?" Asked this ugly guy with multiple facial piercings, and bleached hair. He was huge, probably had a good 5 inches and 45 lbs on Tsukune. I wonder what type of monster he is? He asked himself, with equal parts horror and curiosity.
Nekonome continued as if she hadn't heard him. "This academy is in a special dimension, which makes it impossible for humans to find, but if a human were here they'd be killed, or something…"
I can't let anyone know I'm human… or I'm going to die… Dad, why did you have to sign me up for this school? As Tsukune was suppressing his minor panic attack, the door suddenly burst open.
"Sorry I'm late…" Moka said as she failed to come in without drawing much attention. The class after all fell dead silent at the sight of her.
"Oh, its fine, just sit anywhere, dear"
As if on cue, the room exploded into conversations about the latecomer. "Wow, she is so pretty."
"I'm so lucky I'm in this class!" "I think I'm in heaven…"
As Moka made her way to the empty seat in the back, she noticed Tsukune. "Tsukune?..."
"It's Tsukune! I'm so glad we're in the same class!" At this point Tsukune was suffocating under the dual threats of a hug of superhuman strength, and the glares coming from every male in the room. You know, I think it doesn't matter if they find out I'm human, I'm dead either way…
After enduring an entire class period of death glares, Tsukune decided for self-preservation's sake to take a walk; Moka of course asked if she could come. He ended up being dragged along by her as she toured the school."Ooooh, I love the architecture here, its so different from my last school!" Oddly enough he agreed with her.
After about fifteen minutes, they eventually ended up at the vending machines, Moka needed a tomato juice to curb her "thirst". Suddenly, the humongous blonde guy who wanted to kill all humans showed up, Tsukune was almost certain he had been following them.
"You're Moka Akashiya right? I'm your classmate Saizo Komiya!" Taking a few steps in, Saizo lifted Tsukune clear off the ground by the lapels of his uniform jacket, pinning him to the wall. "What is such a beautiful girl doing with such a loser, if you don't mind me asking?" He said over his shoulder.
Tsukune felt Saizo's forearm increase its pressure on his chest. "Why don't we go somewhere nice and private, and have a little fun?" His tongue licked his lips, seeming to grow in length, while he, pressing ever harder on Tsukune made a movement to grab her. "So what do you sa-
He stopped when two quick strikes knocked the air out of him.
"So what do you say you leave her alone?" Saizo turned on Tsukune, towering over his opponent, and yet seeing no fear. He cocked back his fist and scanned his 'audience' only to see that Tsukune was gone
Moka ran with Tsukune in tow, stopping eventually when she thought it was finally safe. "Ok, I think we've lost him… are you ok?How did you do that?" She asked, still amazed.
"It's nothing, just a pressure points, self-defense basics, really." Tsukune was still out of breath.
"Where did you learn how to fight?"
Tsukune rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, my dad taught me how, its how we spent a lot of time together." His gaze drifted up to a clock on the wall nearby. "I had no idea it was this late, I need to get to my room, see you tomorrow Moka-san!"
"OK, bye Tsukune!"
Sitting on his bed in an otherwise empty room, Tsukune weighed his options. This was supposed to be my chance to belong, to find somewhere I am accepted, and everyone here wants to kill me, probably Moka too… His last thoughts as he went to bed were I'll stay if she wants me.
His sleep was fitful, haunted by nightmares of his past and his future. Tsukune awoke with bloodshot eyes, dripping in sweat, and with visions of these horrors still fresh in his mind, set to paper ...To whom it may concern, I Tsukune Aono am hereby withdrawing from Youkai Academy….
The next morning he awoke, still uncertain of his future, in his hand, his letter of withdrawal. He sighed deeply, placed the letter into his bag, and strode out the door. As he was walking down the path from his dorm to the school building, deep in thought, Moka ran up to him.
"Morning Tsukune!"
"Morning Moka-san!" he replied as cheerfully as he could muster.
He noticed her nose twitch slightly as she inhaled his scent "Tsukune, you smell good." Two painfully sharp things were sunken into his neck and he could feel the blood draining from his body. When she was done, he fell to the ground, dropping his bag. "Your blood is so delicious, the balance is perfect, it has that subtle tang of iron, it's the best!"
"Is that all I am to you, a juice box?" He asked, his anger bubbling to the surface.
"No, you're my friend! Here, let me help you, Tsukune, you dropped this… letter of withdrawal?" Astonishment and sadness crossed her gentle features."You're leaving? No, you can't go!"
"I don't belong here, I don't fit in anywhere, and you only consider me to be your lunch! I'm leaving, going back to the human world, to a human school!"
"You can't go to a human school! I hate those humans! All the way up to now I went to a human school, and I felt so alone. But, I'm not alone anymore, because you're here and you said you'd be my friend even though I'm a vampire, you can't go."
Tsukune hung his head, eyes glued to the ground. "Would you still stop me if you knew I was human?"
She reached out, tears pouring from her eyes, grabbing his sleeve. "No, you're not… you can't…"
"You can't even hide your disgust with me, just let go! I don't belong here!"
Tsukune turned on his heel and burst into a run, refusing to stop until he reached the bus stop. His vision tunneled as he, barely, held back the tears building up in his eyes. His hands balled into fists so tight that his fingernails dug into his skin, it hurt, but was nothing compared to how he felt when he saw her face. When he finally got to the signpost, the bus was there, as if it was waiting for him.
"I thought you'd show up," The Bus driver greeted him.
Tsukune solemnly handed his letter to the driver and trudged to the back seat of the bus; staring out the open window of the vehicle at the blood red sea, hopefully for the last time. I don't belong here, I never did. I was stupid to think that I could fit in here, let alone spend three years in a school full of monsters. He let out a sigh.
"You know, you seem like the type to run away, you're so unlike your father…"
"No, I-I" Tsukune didn't have any response, this wasn't what his dad taught him, to turn and run. A sudden cry broke his thoughts.
"Help! Tsukune!"
Moka was screaming, she was in danger. He had to stay. I might not know anything about vampires or monsters, but I know bullies, I've been through hell, I can handle high school! Finally galvanized he replied to the bus driver: "No, I'm staying. My friend needs me!"
As the boy ran off into the distance, the driver chuckled. "Like father like son…" He sighed to himself. "All he needed was a reason to stay."
A few minutes earlier…
"Tsukune… No… don't go…"
Moka was in tears, but more importantly, she was alone… again. After years of wanting nothing more than a friend, after giving up the hope she could even find one, she had finally found someone who liked her for what she was and she turned him away because of what he was; an irony that made her feel all the worse. She hated herself, she didn't deserve any friends.
"What are you doing here all by yourself," Saizo, already gripping her by the wrist, then brought his lips right up to her ear. "When you can be with me?"
Moka recoiled in fear from the quickly transforming form. "No, get away from me… Someone… Help! Tsukune!"
Saizo, at this point had reached almost fifteen feet tall, with a disgusting tongue that was even longer. His skin thickened into armour and turned a stony grey. The orc began advancing on her, tongue wagging side to side as he eyed his prey hungrily.
"I-I-I'm w-warning you," Moka began to feebly stutter out "I'm a vampire, don't come near me…"
"All the better a conquest then." He responded as the tip of the slimy appendage licked his lips. Saizo backed her up against a headstone, advancing towards her until his massive frame was just inches from hers. His tongue wrapped around her, touching her cheek and licking her ear.
"Hey!" Saizo's eyes snapped in the direction of the shout, searching the edge of the tree line for the owner of the voice."You ugly bastard, why don't we settle this? Leave Moka out of it!" Tsukune emerged into the clearing, standing defiant, drilling holes into Saizo's black beady eyes with his copper ones.
"Fine, I'll take her after I kill you." He grinned a wide, evil smile.
"No, Tsukune, don't, he'll kill you!" She begged him, struggling in the monster's grip.
"It's ok Moka-san." He said with a small smile, as if resigning himself to his fate. Turning to Saizo, he spat. "Put her down and fight me like a man, you fucker!"
Small pupils contracted into pinpricks as Saizo retorted. "I'd tell you I'll make it quick and painless, but I'd be lying." When he finally put Moka down, it began.
Saizo stared Tsukune down, his prehensile tongue lolling in and out of his gaping mouth. Tsukune stripped off his green academy blazer and hung it on a low hanging tree branch; he rolled his neck to the left then the right, eliciting a low crack with each movement. As Moka finally cleared away, Tsukune made his move. Running at a full sprint, Tsukune began closing the gap between them. Saizo reacted by striking out with his tongue, using whiplike strikes from both sides. Moka peered from between her fingers, afraid to see what the behemoth's strikes would do to her friend, to her surprise: nothing. Tsukune, without missing a beat or losing a step, shifted his weight to either side, effortlessly avoiding the slimy strikes by the slightest of margins. Saizo became enraged at the nonchalance of his opponent's maneuvers, his fury expressed itself in a feral scream as he cocked his left arm back for a haymaker. As Tsukune drew within his range, the huge orc stepped forward, and delivered the punch, bringing a fist as large as a person's head around towards Tsukune. Tsukune, anticipating the attack, pushed off hard with his right foot, jumping to the left onto the arm of one of the many stone crosses that littered the area. With another step he was on top of it, and the third launched him into the air, clear of Saizo's fist. Tsukune twisted in the air, bringing his left foot around and smashing it into Saizo's jaw with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed as Saizo bit into and then completely through his tongue, dropping to his knees as screams muffled by hands desperately attempting to stem the flow filled the air. For one long moment, Moka stood there agape at what her friend had done, unable to believe that such a human could deliver such force. That moment ended when Tsukune landed feet first and crumpled to his left. Instantly into action Moka rushed to his side, knelt down next to him and looked at him with worried eyes.
"Tsukune… You came back for me…" She choked back tears that vacillated between joy and sorrow for the sight of him.
"Of course I did, we're friends." He said, showing off a megawatt grin despite his pain. Moka brightened up and smiled back at him.
"Your leg… are you okay?" She reached out gently and touched the injured foot.
He exhaled raggedly as she did so. "Yeah, its a small break, I've had much worse." He finished his sentence by rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassed confirmation of the fact. She smiled again at this, and Tsukune smiled in return, forgetting his pain for a moment. It was a nice, quiet scene. Wait… Quiet?
"Tsukune!"
Tsukune turned around, again, just in time to be hit. The fist struck him dead center in the chest, instantly ejecting the air from Tsukune's lungs. The entire world catapulted away from him as he flew backwards. A limb caught the ground and set him tumbling, ground and sky rapidly changing places until he blacked out.
"AY Go yu, yu fukuh!" Saizo exhorted from his maimed mouth, still holding his jaw with his left hand.
Tsukune ended up fifty feet away, his ballistic journey leaving him in an almost sitting position against a newly cracked tombstone. His arms and legs were bleeding slightly from countless cuts incurred from the tumble. After a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open. The first thing his mind was pain, this time he might not have had worse. His head pounded, his ribs stabbed at his lungs with every raking breath, and pain scored across almost every inch of his flesh. The second thing he noticed was that he held a cool object in his hand. He looked down at the clenched fist, slowly opened the fingers and was surprised to see a red eye with a reptilian slit looking back at him from its setting in a silver cross. "If you ever remove this rosary, I'll become a scary vampire…"
Tsukune found himself pushed flat against the tombstone by some unseen pressure, like the shockwave of a bomb,the sky turned red, dyed by a single pillar of bloody light, reaching up as high as could be seen. Thousands of bats converged on the center of the pillar, and then, as soon as it happened, the bats were gone, the light had died. And there, remaining, was a woman with silver hair and ivory skin. A goddess whose incredible beauty was only surpassed by her unassailable power. The air around her hummed with energy, and shifted with her every movement.
"You want me? Why don't you try to take me by force?" The air resonated with the power of her voice, "I shall show you your place!" With that she delivered a single bicycle kick, launching Saizo high into the air, the fight was over before he landed, which would not occur for some time.
She strode towards him, ruby eyes holding his gaze as she approached. "Your father taught you to fight eh? Tell me Tsukune, what do you think of vampires now, do you fear me?"
"No, you're Moka-san, I will never be afraid of you, no matter what form you take." His answer was instantaneous, he could see it in her, she was like him deep down, a lonely kid going to great lengths to finally find a friend.
"You're not lying, I smell no fear on you. You sustained serious injuries dislocating the jaw of an ork, impressive, for a human. You interest me, Tsukune Aono."
"Thank you?"
"I shall leave my other half to you. I am too tired to maintain this form so soon after awakening from my slumber. Farewell, until we meet again." She replaced the rosary onto its chain and Moka collapsed into his arms, her hair already fading from silver back to its pink color. She stirred gently, eyes fluttering open, a look of confusion on her face.
"Do you remember what happened Moka-san?"
"Saizo, and then you got.. and then I?" Her eyes widened as she realized what had occurred. "Are you ok, you got hit pretty hard?"
"I'll be fine" he assured her with a gentle smile. "But next time you can get my back?"
"Sure!"
On a distant hill, near the school's inter-dimensional gate, a pair of binoculars watched them head towards class. The silent observer put down the binoculars, and spoke into his radio. "The operation failed. Target stayed on the premises, Saizo was unable to motivate his departure. The wheelman may be involved. Aono is now with a vampire, Moka Akashiya, I'll assemble a dossier on her when I return. He appears to be set on staying, we're going to need to use more drastic methods next time. Prep an inside operative, I want this done soon!" He looked out over the school one last time. "I'll get you Aono." He enabled the gate and left the dimension.