Chapter Two

Author's Note: Back by popular demand! Honestly, I was shocked and so happy by all of the reviews everyone left me that I felt inspired to keep this going! I will continue this because I know as well as you do that feeling when you want to see a story continue.

Kurumu found herself landing on the roof of Yokai Academy. She hadn't really planned on a destination when she took off, but her wings, by habit most likely, brought her back home to Yokai. It was dark by the time she made it back and, as her feet touched the roof's surface, she realized how exhausted she was. She collapsed on the slanted shingles of the roof and curled her legs up to her chest, making herself as small as possible.

She had so many memories on this roof. The worst of which was seeing Tsukune almost killed by the fox demon and head of the Security Committee, Kuyo. Moka's blood had saved Tsukune when Kurumu had failed. Kurumu dug her head into her knees and drew her legs even more tightly into her chest.

She should have known then that Tsukune and Moka were meant to be. Moka had injected him with her blood, likely marking him as hers. Kurumu didn't understand a whole lot about vampires, but she knew that if a vampire was willing to give up her precious blood, then she must love that person very much. Even more than that, Kurumu realized, Tsukune was the only one who could remove Moka's rosary. It probably could only be removed by someone worthy of her. Her soul mate.

Kurumu threw herself back onto the shingles, gazing up at the sky. Her tears had finally stopped falling, but Kurumu had no desire to leave her sanctuary. She suddenly felt both exhausted and at peace. She finally knew how Tsukune really felt and, even though it hurt, she was glad to know and accept the truth. She loved Tsukune for his kindness, but sometimes he was too kind. He was right earlier, Kurumu thought, he really should have told us before.

Kurumu knew that once she left her refuge, the pain would return in full force, especially when she saw Moka and Tsukune together. She snapped her eyes shut and shook her head rapidly, clearing away those thoughts. No! I will not think about it anymore. I'm going to just enjoy being out here and at peace.

She opened her eyes to gaze at the stars some more. Content to just be. As her eyelids began to droop, she heard a voice call out, "You know, I this might actually be the last place I'd expect to find you, Kurumu."

Kurumu shot up, her claws extending and ready to fight. Seeing who it was though, she retracted her claws. "Oh, hello, Gin," and, noticing the camera held securely in one hand as Ginei Morioka approached, she added, "I'm assuming you've been out taking pictures of innocent and unaware girls."

Gin nodded, unabashedly, "Yep, but then I noticed you up here through my lens and decided to come investigate." He sat down beside her and added, "Don't get me wrong, I had a nice view of your panties from my location, but as Newspaper Club President I felt it was my duty to make sure that my club member was okay."

Kurumu glared at Gin and extended her claws once again. "Don't think I won't use these, perv."

Gin set down his camera and held his hands up in an "I'm harmless" fashion. "Hey, I didn't take any pictures! I promise," he assured Kurumu, but added under his breath, "This time."

Kurumu lightly slapped his chest with the back of her hand. "You're such a creep," she said with a small laugh, "But I appreciate your concern, as twisted as it may be."

Gin nodded, relieved she wasn't mad at him. "So, what's up? You seemed really upset about something. Was it that punk Aono?"

When Kurumu nodded, Gin shook his head. "I never understood what you all saw in him. I mean, he's a nice enough guy, but definitely didn't know how to work with what he had," he looked at Kurumu, "The guy could have had four beautiful ladies, but he didn't even try anything with any of you! If it were me, I would have tried dating all of you at once."

"And that, Gin, is why none of us wanted you," she said dryly.

"You girls have such issues with sharing. I would have thought you of all people, Kurumu, would understand! You're a succubus. You could have all the men trailing after you," he shook his head ruefully, "Man, that power is wasted on you. I'd love to work some mojo on the ladies."

"You know, Gin, there was actually a time where I wanted that," Kurumu said softly, "Actually, before Tsukune and Moka came to school, I had all the guys in our class trailing after me. Then they show up and most of the guys went after Moka. I, of course, used my charms and got all of them back. But Tsukune, even then, only had eyes for Moka. I determined that I would make him mine, but Moka kept getting in my way. Then Tsukune broke the spell I had put on him." Kurumu's voice was wistful, "I decided to kill him."

"What?! How have I never heard any of this?" Gin asked, stunned.

"Probably because we never talk about it. Well, since Tsukune doesn't have any powers, he did what he's always done and released Inner Moka. She 'taught me my place,'" drawing air quotes around Inner Moka's catch phrase, "But then Tsukune leapt between me and her and stopped Inner Moka from killing me. I don't know who was more surprised, me or her. It was then that I think both of us saw Tsukune's true kind nature and pure heart. Honestly, I didn't know boys were actually that nice. I always thought of them as dispensable objects and that I eventually needed to pick one to be my mate."

Her eyes filled once more with tears, "But I didn't realize that I could find someone that I could actually respect and admire. Someone I could see as my partner and equal. But he doesn't feel the same way about me." Kurumu drew her knees up again and buried her head, overcome by a fresh wave of sobs.

Gin was really uncomfortable. He had no idea how to actually interact with someone who was crying. He'd never actually had a real girlfriend before and his misguided attempts to get one had never gone over well. He had actually, for a long time, become more and more enamored with Kurumu once he saw how in love Moka was with Tsukune. He knew that Kurumu loved Tsukune as well, but he saw that Tsukune only truly had eyes for Moka, so that had given him hope that Kurumu might one day give up on Tsukune Aono.

At Kurumu's words now, he felt completely lost. She had described the way he had always felt towards girls perfectly. Maybe that made him a misogynistic pig, but that's how he felt. He really only saw women as objects to look at and fawn over. Having a partner? The thought had never really crossed his mind. It was something to think about, but that would probably mean giving up his photography obsession and he wasn't sure he wanted to give that up just yet. Too many beautiful and perfect bodies to document.

Gin looked over at Kurumu. He had to do something. He inched his way over to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. She stiffened, but he said quickly, "Relax, I'm not trying to pull anything. Geez, what kind of a person do you think I am anyway?" She let out a watery chuckle and leaned into Gin.

He pulled Kurumu closer and she buried her face in his shirt. She was soaking his shirt with her tears, but Gin didn't really mind. In this moment, he just wanted to be there for Kurumu.

I'm alone again, Mizore thought sadly as she walked slowly back towards Yokai Academy, for lack of anywhere else she wanted to go. Tsukune had help me fill that empty feeling, but now he's left me alone. Tsukune had never promised her his love, but he had promised her friendship. Mizore had taken that to mean more. She realized now how foolish that was, but her emotions had gotten the better of her.

Back in the snow village, she had been the only one her age and so Mizore had grown up a wild child, free to roam around the slopes. It was a very lonely and solitary childhood. Mizore used to track anyone or anything that ventured out into the snowy landscape. She had followed her fair share of animals, Yeti, humans, and other snow people. That's how her "stalking" skills, as the others called it, became so finely tuned. Her parents saw no problem with this behavior, believing it's the domain of a snow woman to be at home in the snow.

Mizore's mother had never understood Mizore. The closest Mizore had ever felt to her mother was when they conspired together to steal Tsukune away. It was then that Mizore finally felt her mother was proud of her. What am I going to tell her now? Mizore thought dejectedly. She'll never want to talk to me again. She'll see me as a failure.

Unbidden, tears began to fall down Mizore's cheeks. My tears are warm, Mizore thought, surprised. They feel almost hot on my face. Mizore couldn't remember the last time she had actually cried. The sensation puzzled her. She decided that she wasn't a fan of the feeling.

"Mizore? Is that you?" Yukari's high-pitched voice asked. The small witch fell into step beside Mizore.

"Oh, hey," Mizore said solemnly, wiping away her tears. They were almost at the dimensional tunnel that would lead them back to Yokai Academy.

Yukari seemed to sense the way Mizore was feeling. She reached out and grabbed the older girl's hand. "Hey, Mizore, I know this is really sad for all of us, but we're still friends, right?"

Mizore wasn't sure she wanted to be friends with anyone now that she couldn't have Tsukune. She felt so lost and dejected.

"I don't know how to go back," Mizore said truthfully, keeping her eyes carefully forward.

Yukari seemed to think about this. "I know what you mean," she said. "The whole group dynamic will be different. But you heard what Tsukune said, he still wants us to be friends. He wants us to forgive him."

Mizore said nothing for a while. They reached the entrance to the dimensional tunnel and, wordlessly, they entered it. They continued down the kaleidoscopic path, keeping their eyes on the light ahead. After a little while Mizore finally said, "I don't know if I can forgive him. I know in my head that he was only trying to keep all of us happy and preserve our friend group, but my heart is angry at him and extremely hurt."

The little witch processed this. Then she said, "Well, before I found you, I was thinking about how I really feel. And to tell you the truth, I think I liked the idea of Tsukune more than I actually liked him." Mizore looked like she wanted to interrupt, but Yukari held up her hand. "Look, I'm several years younger than all of you and I'm just at a different stage than you—as much as I try to prove otherwise." Mizore was surprised that Yukari was being so open and realistic about her feelings. Yukari usually tried to pretend that she's just the same as the others.

"Moka and Tsukune were the first people to view me as an equal," Yukari continued, "So I may have gotten a little overenthusiastic in my gratitude."

"You think?" said Mizore, sarcastically.

Yukari ignored her. "It became a sort of competition for me, to see if I could get Tsukune before any of you. But I don't think I really wanted him to be my boyfriend, I just liked the idea of him as my boyfriend, you know?"

Mizore actually thought she did. She hadn't realized how similar her story was with Yukari's. Tsukune had also been the first of her peers to view her as an equal. Did she only like him because he had given her the time of day? It's a very interesting thought that she decided she'd think about later, on her own.

Mizore was far from being over Tsukune, but she felt much better in the knowledge that she still had a friend like Yukari. She wondered how Kurumu was doing. And, much to Mizore's surprise, she hoped Kurumu was doing okay.

As Yukari and Mizore stepped out into the light, fresh tears welled up in Mizore's eyes because she realized that she was, in fact, not alone at all.

Author's Note: As always, let me know what you think in a review or private message! I love your feedback.