I do not own Rosario+Vampire; it was created by Akihisa Ikeda. The characters are being borrowed without permission for entertainment purposes only. However, any characters I create are my own. So don't sue me, you won't get much anyhow. I will be using elements from both manga and anime.

Thank you for reading, C&C is welcome.


Thicker than Water

Part Three: Sunflower Reunion

By: Anime Otaku


Wilhelmina Sangreal watched silently as her other half brushed her hair in front of the bathroom mirror. The events of last night swirled maidenly in her mind as she tried to make sense of it all. She didn't know the hows or whys, but there was one thing she knew for sure. Tsukune was alive. He was alive and he was more powerful than she thought possible. Probably even more powerful than her. Normally such a thing would not even cross her mind but she had felt the power that he gave off when he touched Moka.

It was unique. Not fully human and not fully vampire, completely different from when she injected her blood into him. As she pondered his new power, Wilhelmina's mind drifted back to the time when she believed Tsukune had been lost to her forever.

The water was hitting her skin with the feeling of thousands of knives stabbing her all at once. The magical backlash she was feeling from her powers being shorted out sent her to her knees as the electrical current coursed through her body, adding on to the pain she was feeling.

Midou was standing a few feet away, his arms raised to the heavens in some sort of mock prayer and laughing at her weakness. She felt her blood boil in rage. This pathetic little half-breed had the nerve to mock her for being weak when he was the one who had to result to underhanded tactics just to beat her. When she got her hands on him she was going to bleed him dry for his transgressions. Maybe he would learn him place just before he died.

The Monstrel was moving in her direction, his gargantuan arm poised to strike. Wilhelmina tried to move but the pain was too great and Midou was too fast. She closed her eyes and tensed up for the blow. It never came. Instead warms splotches of liquid landed on her face and a sweet smell assaulted her senses.

The female vampire opened her eyes to find Tsukune standing between her and Midou, the mongrel monster's oversized hand lodged into his shoulder. He fell into her arms, his life slowly bleeding out of him. For the first time in her entire life Wilhelmina felt cold fear grip her heart. She yelled at him, wanting to know why, why did he do such a stupid thing. And Tsukune, poor, foolish, loveable Tsukune simply smiled at her and said that both Mokas, the Inner and the Outer, were important to him. Then he asked for another injection so he could protect both of them.

She had objected. His body was already so badly infected with her blood that another injection could kill him. Ultimately they were left with no choice. Tsukune was fading fast and an injection was probably the only thing that would save his life. Leaning in close, Wilhelmina confessed that the reason she pushed him away was because she didn't want him to die. She then sank her fangs into his neck, injecting her blood into him. The combination of pain and blood loss was too much for her and she passed out into his arms. When she next looked at him he was not the Tsukune she knew.

The corruption was spreading across his body, starting at his neck and moving across his face and downward. Wilhelmina felt a heavy sadness settle in her heart then a firm resolve. The worst had happened. Tsukune had become a ghoul. And as the one that turned him it was her responsibility to be the one to kill him. Their friends showed up soon after and Yukari shut off the water. As soon as her powers returned, Wilhelmina set about ridding the world of the ghoul before it got loose.

She had been so close. Ignoring the protests of her friends and her own shattering heart, Wilhelmina prepared for the killing blow when she was suddenly restrained. Looking back on it now she could see what Ruby and the Chairman were trying to do. But something had happened. Something had set Tsukune off. Because as soon as she was captured he dogged the Chairman's attack that was meant to bind him. Tsukune began slowly backing up. Reacting like a cornered animal, he turned and bolted away from the dilapidated building.

The Chairman went after him while Ruby stayed and helped clean up. For weeks after that nobody heard anything. After a month had gone by the Chairman finally returned to the school but Tsukune had not. When the Newspaper Club pressured him for answers he told them that he had been tracking Tsukune in the Boarder Lands when he lost him. He told them the chances weren't high but he would still continue to look for him. It was another month before they heard anything else. And it was in the form of a news story. "Beast of the Boarder Lands Terrorizes Yōkai Academy." Everyone immediately knew it was Tsukune. The attacks came sporadically and usually left the victim drained of blood and half eaten.

They ran the stories until the end of the year when the Chairman finally called them into his office on the last day of school. Tsukune was dead. He had finally been tracked down by Sanctuary and put to death. Moka had dropped to her knees and cried. After everything they had been through, telling each other they would see him again, believing he was still alive, believing he would one day come back to them, the cold hard truth had finally slapped them in the face. Tsukune was gone forever.

A small memorial was held in the human world at the Witch's Knoll, as it was the only place in the human world they had ever been with Tsukune. There wasn't a single dry eye at the ceremony. Moka was trying so hard to keep her composure but in the end she couldn't. She broke down into a fit of sobs that never seemed to stop, even when Kurumu tried to comfort her. Wilhelmina suffered as well, but she preferred to suffer in silence during the day. Only at night, when Moka was asleep, did she allow herself to shed tears for the boy she had come to love.

The years went by and the group of friends soon came to terms with their grief and moved on with their lives. But last nights events threatened to reawaken old wounds and arouse quite a few questions. And she had quite a few of them. But the most important question of all weighted heavily on her mind: should she tell Moka. She could, but would Moka believe her? To the pink-haired vampire it would only be seen as a dream. A very real, heart tearing dream. So against her better judgment, she would keep quite. At least for now. When she had a better understanding as to just what was going on, then she would act.

"Okay," Moka said, breaking her concentration. "Looking good."

Her other self was putting the finishing touches on her outfit. Today was the day that Yukari was coming to visit. Apparently the young witch had a surprise for them but wouldn't say what. Wilhelmina fondly remembered the antics of the little witch back during high school. True she was too clingy and could be annoying as hell at times, but she was a dedicated friend and a powerful ally when needed. Her infatuation for Moka and herself never really went away over the years but it had toned down a lot.

Much of that was due to the fact that she lost Tsukune. Apparently the witch's feelings for the boy ran deeper than just a childish crush, as everybody else had thought. She would still latch onto Moka every day but it was never as energetic as it used to be. Yukari tried so hard during those sad years to be the bright, optimistic one of the group. It worked to some extent but everyone could still see how much she hurt.

Once everyone had graduated, Yukari had left. She took the first university offer she was presented with and ended up in America. Moka heard from her off and on but the only time she was seen was when they all gathered to visit Tsukune's grave. She finished college in record time and took a teaching position not long after. For all intents and purposes, Yukari seemed happy. This made Wilhelmina wonder about the surprise she had in store for Moka and them. She couldn't even begin to wonder what it was; the young witch could be as random as a shrine's fortune drawing.

The trip from the apartment complex to the airport was a long one and Moka and Kurumu kept themselves occupied by talking about their memories at Yōkai Academy. Wilhelmina, on the other hand, tuned the two women out and concentrated on Tsukune's nighttime visit. From what she remembered before Moka's vision became blurred by tears, Tsukune didn't appear to be wearing a holy seal of any kind. But he was able to suppress his demonic aura and approach Moka without her sensing him. More importantly he had erased Moka's memory with magic. These were not spells that one learned over night. They took years of practice and tutelage. Someone had to be teaching him. That meant Tsukune had been alive the entire time. The question now was, when did he regain his humanity and how?

Her thoughts were once again interrupted when Moka's body was nearly sent to the floor. Wilhelmina smiled. Yukari had arrived. Deciding to put her questions on the back burner for now, Wilhelmina watched as Moka and Kurumu had their joyful reunion with Yukari.

---------------

"Let go of by boob you flat-chested little twerp!"

Kurumu shouted loud enough for half of the people in the terminal to stop and look her way, most of them wearing a look of shock on their faces. Moka's face turned slightly pink and she turned back to the two women, trying to ignore the stares everyone was giving her.

"Ha! You can't call me that anymore, you airhead! I'm a C-cup now!" Yukari proudly stuck out her chest to emphasize her point.

Kurumu turned red with anger and grabbed one of Yukari's boobs and squeezed. "You can't call me an airhead anymore! I graduated high school and college. So there!"

Yukari laughed and squeezed harder, which was difficult to do given Kurumu's breast size. "And became what? A gym teacher!? Pathetic! At least Moka became an academics teacher. That job requires you have your brain in your head, not in your chest!"

Kurumu snarled and leapt back, magic power flowing into her hands. "That's it! I'm gonna kick your ass all over this airport!"

The witch smiled and readied herself. "Hit the nail on the head, did I? Fine then, bring it on!"

Moka started to panic. She had to find a way to diffuse the situation before they destroyed half the airport. She started to reach for Yukari when a man came up behind the witch and wrapped his arms around her.

"Why'd you run off like that, Yukari? I had to carry all the luggage. That's not easy, you know."

Yukari immediately turned away from Kurumu and smiled really big. "I'm sorry, Kevin," she said, throwing her arms around him. "I was just so excited about seeing my friends again."

Moka and Kurumu looked at each other then at the embracing couple. "Do you know what's going on?" the succubus asked.

Moka simply shook her head. "Um, Yukari? Who's this?"

The witch broke the embrace but didn't let go of the man. She giggled like a school girl and never lost her smile. "This is my surprise."

The succubus and vampire looked at her with blank expressions. "Huh?"

Yukari giggled again and gave the black-haired man a slight nudge forward. "Go on, introduce yourself."

The man looked embarrassed as he stepped forwarded. He cleared his throat and slightly bowed. "Hello," he said in fluent Japanese. "I'm Kevin O'Reilly, Yukari's fiancé."

Moka and Kurumu stared with mouths open as Yukari held up her right hand to display a gold engagement ring with three diamonds on it.

It took them a full minute before they recovered enough to shout, "What!?"

---------------

"So you and Kevin met through school, huh?"

Moka looked at the couple sitting across from her and Kurumu. Kevin had his arm round Yukari and was playing with a strand of her short hair. The four of them had stopped off at a nearby diner to get some lunch. Airline food, according to Yukari, was as fulfilling as a small candy bar.

"That's right," the witch said, scooting closer to her fiancé. She was enjoying the attention she was getting. "Kevin is one of my brightest students. He's had me as a professor for just about every class he's ever taken for the past seven years."

Kurumu looked between the two. "An open relationship between a teacher and a student? Isn't that kind of thing frowned upon?"

"I suppose," Kevin said, taking a sip of his drink. "But I'm not too worried about it. Hell, I've got a friend who married his Language Arts professor last year and he's still in school."

As Moka talked with the couple, Kurumu carefully studied the man sitting across from her. He was tall, close to six foot. His skin was lightly tanned and his face was round and boyish. His hazel eyes would completely focus on anyone he was talking to and stay on Yukari when she demanded his attention. Kurumu considered herself an excellent judge of character when it came to men. Part of the reason she never dated was because she knew that when a man looked at her, all he saw was a chance to get laid. Kurumu didn't want that. She wanted a meaningful relationship. She wanted to be seen as a woman, not a sex object.

She almost laughed out loud at her own contradicting thought. She was a succubus. Succubi by their nature were the very definition of sex and lust. What Kurumu wanted was seen as nothing but a dream by her race. But her dream had come true. Tsukune had fulfilled her secrete desire, he saw her as a woman first, not some object to be used then thrown away. Since his death she had been unable to find anyone else like that. Kurumu was beginning to wonder if Tsukune was a once in a lifetime opportunity that was violently snatched from her grasp.

She was jerked from her thoughts when she realized that Yukari was talking to her. "Huh? What?"

"I said have you heard from Mizore?"

"Oh, yeah, I have. She called before we came to get you. Said she was already up there. She'd have things set up by the time we arrived."

"And Ruby?"

Moka shook her head. "She won't be coming again this year. Too much work she says."

Kurumu folded her arms with a huff. "She uses that excuse every year. She can't be working that much."

Kevin looked between the three women. "Is something going on, Yukari? Did I ask to come at a bad time?"

"You mean you haven't told him?" Moka asked, perplexed.

"I meant to," the witch said, rushing to defend herself. "I just forgot. With all the excitement of seeing you guys again and introducing Kevin to you, it slipped my mind."

"Told me what?"

Yukari looked at the two women, silently asking permission. Moka and Kurumu both nodded after a brief moment of silence.

"We're going to a memorial, Kevin." She started out slow, carefully choosing her words. "A very dear friend to all of us died close to the end of our first high school year. We're going to visit the private grave we set up for him." Yukari reached out and took his hand. "And I'd like you to come with us."

The other two women were shocked. "What?"

"I want to introduce him to Tsukune," she said defensively. "I want to show Tsukune that even though I still love him, I've moved on and that I'm happy."

"Yukari," Kevin said. "I appreciate the thought, but if this is a private affair between the three of you, then I don't want to intrude on it."

"But, Kevin..." Yukari started to protest.

The American slowly shook his head. "It's all right. I'll go to the hotel and wait for you there. Take as long as you need with your friends. I'm sure I can find something to keep me occupied until you get back."

Yukari wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for being so understanding."

Kevin smiled and pat her head affectionately. "You're welcome. Well then, I believe I've wasted enough of your time. How about I get everyone a cab so you can make any last preparations you need?"

The girls all agreed when they realized how late it had gotten. As they exited the airport, Kevin raised his arm and let out a sharp whistle, prompting a nearby cab to pull up next to them. Moka looked at his wrist when something metal caught the fading rays of sunlight and reflected them into her eyes. When she saw the bracelet she felt her entire body go cold. It was just like the one Hokuto, the leader of ANTI-THESIS, had worn. When Kevin turned around to help Yukari with her bags he noticed Moka staring at his wrist. He held it up and looked at the bracelet.

"Do you like it?"

"Huh?"

"My bracelet. Do you like it?"

"Oh, no. I mean yes! I mean, it looked familiar to me. I knew a person who had one just like it in school."

"Really? Was he Catholic like me?"

"You're Catholic?"

"I am. I just find it easier to wear this instead of carrying around a rosary all the time. This wont be a problem, will it?"

Moka shook her head. "Oh no, not at all. I was just surprised is all. Yukari never said anything about it in her e-mails."

"Moka! Hurry up!" Kurumu yelled from the cab, waving at her impatiently.

The vampire quickly climbed inside and Kevin closed the door. He waved until they were out of sight then hailed his own cab. He got inside and gave directions to the hotel he was staying at. He then pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. After three rings it picked up.

"Yes?"

"Target confirmed," Kevin said in English. "How are the Brothers?"

"Ready to move on your order. Shall we bring all of them?"

"Yes. I don't want to take any chances. We lost many good Brothers while dealing with her father and step-mother. I will not repeat that mistake. What of her sisters?"

There was a pause. "The two eldest have been dealt with. Our informant within Sanctuary was very helpful. But the youngest managed to escape somehow. I have a team tracking her down right now."

Kevin frowned. "Make sure they find her quickly. We can't have her running off to warn her sister and her friends."

"Are they all together?"

"All but two, the werewolf and the second witch. The rest will be together. Make sure you bring the appropriate countermeasures."

"Understood. When will we strike?"

Kevin looked at his watch. "Tomorrow evening. My previous scouts informed me that they hold the memorial at sundown. That is when we will move in."

"Understood. Once we eliminate the last Sangreal His Holiness will undoubtedly be most pleased with us. We shall await your arrival tomorrow. Godspeed, Brother."

The line went dead. Kevin put away his phone and leaned back with a smile on his face. They were so close now. After nearly two millennia of searching their bitter war with the Sangreal vampires would come to an end. And after they were dead the Vatican would sweep across the world and eradicate every single monster on Earth. Not even the last two Hell-Kings would be able to stop them. Unfortunately there was one piece of the puzzle that they were unable to procure with Marias Sangreal's death: the Rosario of War. Their informant had been wrong, the artifact had not been on his body or anywhere in his castle home. Although Kevin did have a theory on were it was.

"Out in the open the entire time and no one knew it. Not even her."

Sighing, he paid the cab fair when it stopped in front of his hotel and hurried up to his room. He wanted to get some rest. He and his Brothers had a busy day tomorrow. A busy day indeed.

---------------

Mizore waved at Moka and her friends as they piled out of the cab and grabbed their luggage. The pink-haired vampire immediately dropped her overnight bag and ran up to the snow woman, pulling her into a hug. Yukari and Kurumu joined them, each greeting their super-shy best friend.

"Where have you been, Mizore?" Moka asked as they walked inside. "I hardly hear from you anymore."

"Work," she said, expertly speaking around her lollipop. "I get a lot of requests so I'm usually very busy. I'm lucky enough to get time off to come here every year."

"So it's true that you're a private investigator?" Yukari asked, throwing her own overnight bag in her room and shutting the door.

Mizore nodded. "Best one in all of Hokkaido."

"Well it's no wonder," said Kurumu as she plopped down on the couch. "As much as you stalked Tsukune it's obvious you chose that lifestyle."

"Maybe so, but at least I had skills that could be applied to real world use. If you hadn't become a teacher the only other profession you could've done was prostitution."

Kurumu visibly twitched. "Watch it, stalker-girl.

"Or what?" Mizore's ice claws were already forming on her hands.

Kurumu jumped to her feet, nails elongating into claws and her tail twitching. Her wings were just starting to form when Moka jumped between the two, her hand on her rosario.

"Stop it," she said in a low threatening tone, "or I'll pull it off."

Mizore and Kurumu realized that the vampire was not joking and backed off, returning to their human forms. The succubus mumbled an excuse to leave and went to her room, Mizore doing the same. Moka released a breath and sank into a nearby chair. Those two would never grow up it seemed.

"You okay, Moka?"

The vampire looked up to see Yukari standing over her, a concerned look on her face. She simply smiled and nodded.

"I'm fine, Yukari. Those two can just be such a handful sometimes. I really don't like to use my other self to settle their arguments but sometimes I don't have much of a choice."

Yukari nodded in sympathy. When Moka had to remove her rosario it didn't come without drawbacks. She always felt extremely tired afterwards and it took an hour or two of sleep and an infusion of blood to get her at one hundred percent again.

Moka absently played with her rosario, lifting it off her chest and letting it fall back down. Before, such a threat would've made the girls laugh, but after Tsukune's disappearance, it no longer became a laughing matter. When Hokuto Kaneshiro had attempted to bring down the barrier separating the Boarder Lands from the human world, Moka had to forcefully remove her rosario in order to stop him.

The magical backlash she suffered from removing the seal herself had put her in the infirmary for almost a week. It was during that time that the Chairman had come to her telling her that, as a Hell-King, he could temporary alter the rosario's seal, enabling her to remove it at will if she wished it. But only once. She would have to get her father to make it permanent. Moka had been ready to tell him no outright but he reminded her that without Tsukune there to remove it for her, the violent nature of the school could put her and her friends in greater danger than before.

After talking with her other self she agreed to the Chairman's proposal. And not a moment too soon. When the cultural festival arrived the school was presented with another threat to its safety. Hitomi Ishigami, the former art teacher, showed back up and using the Lilith Mirror unleashed a wave of destruction on the school. Thanks to Moka's new ability to remove the rosario herself, she and her friends stopped the crazed gorgon before the entire school was destroyed.

After being sent home until the beginning of the second semester, Moka had made a short trip to her father's castle to ask King Marias to alter her seal permanently. The Hell-King had inquired to his daughter's sudden change of heart but all she could tell him without breaking down into tears was that things had changed.

Second and third years came and went and Moka was glad she had decided to alter the seal. The Newspaper Club had its share of troubles and it was largely thanks to Moka that they had come through alive and together. After school had ended, she had pondered going back to her father and have him alter the seal again, but she decided not to. Just because she was going to the human world didn't mean that her troubles would be over with. So, to be on the safe side, she had left the seal alone.

Fortunately she never did have to remove it as there were very few monsters living in the human world who wanted to pick a fight with her.

Moka reached into her pocket and removed her cell when it started going off, pulling her from her memories.

"Hello?"

"Sister! Thank god it's you!" Kokoa Shuzen screamed into her receiver.

Moka blinked. "Kokoa? How did you get my--"

"Where are you!?"

Moka started to get worried. Kokoa sounded scared and panicked. "I'm at Witch's Knoll, why?"

"Stay there, don't leave! You can't leave, they'll get you too!"

"Who'll get me? You're not making any sense, Kokoa."

"Them! They came to the castle while father was away. Said they were from Sanctuary. Said we needed to come with them. Then they...then they...oh god!"

By now Kokoa's voice was so wracked with emotion that Moka could barely understand her. After getting Kokoa to calm down some, Moka told her to start from the beginning.

"There's no time," Kokoa said urgently. "They're still chasing me."

Moka tried to keep herself calm but she could feel herself start to panic as well. "Who's chasing you? What happened to our sisters?"

"They're gone!" Kokoa said in a burst of sobs. "Big Sister Kahlua and Big Sister Bailey...they're--"

The line went dead.

"Kokoa? Kokoa, are you there? Kokoa!"

"What's wrong, Moka?" Kurumu came out of her room when she heard Moka start to shout into the phone. Mizore followed not far behind her.

"My sister Kokoa just called me. She sounded scared."

"Scared?" Kurumu huffed. "Ha! The only thing that scared that little twerp was her sister." The succubus trembled, remembering what Kahlua had done to all of them at the snow woman's village.

Moka nodded. "I know, but she sounded really frightened. And she said something happened to our sisters. Something bad from the way she was acting."

"Want me to find out?"

The vampire turned to Mizore. "You could do that for me?"

The snow woman nodded. "Sure. I have lots of contacts in the human and monster world. One of the many perks of being a private eye. Let me make a few calls. I should know something by tomorrow evening at the latest."

Moka came over and gave the other woman a hug. "Thank you, Mizore. I'd do it myself but we can't leave here until the day after tomorrow so..."

"No problem," she said. "And there's no need to thank me. I don't mind at all."

"Okay. When will you call?"

"Tomorrow," she said, turning to her room. "It's too late in the evening now. Best get some sleep."

Kurumu nodded. "She's got a point. I'm beat. And who knows, maybe it was nothing at all. Maybe she came home, found the place empty and panicked."

"Maybe," Moka agreed but didn't quite believe it herself.

Telling the others goodnight she went to her room and closed the door. She dressed in her night cloths and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

I wish you were here, Tsukune. You always made me feel better.

That last thought going through her head, Moka closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

(End Part Three)

---------------

Author's Rant: Thank you all for the reviews. Keep them coming. The more you review, the faster I type. I hope this chapter grabbed your interests and leaves you begging for more. See you next chapter.