A/N – Hello, to start with, I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I know I promised more than one it would be released in mid-May, and I'm ashamed to not fulfilling it. So in order to make up for it, I plan to release this and the next two chapters in June. Hopefully that should satisfy everyone, and I appreciate those who've read the fic faithfully since the beginning. So, with that in mind, on to the show.

And again, I do not own Rosario + Vampire or any of the Castlevania games. They are the licensed property of their rightful owners.

Part I Chapter IX
Trail of Despair

Moka hid silently deep within the woods outside the school, though she despised it immensely. The one thing that she hated more than anything was loneliness. She was still shaken from her encounter with the chairman, and looked down at her Rosario. "Explain to me again," she asked her inner self, "why are we hiding out like this?"

"You know what happened back there," Inner Moka replied telepathically, "the chairman can no longer be trusted. Looks like we'll have to deal with him and Colton."

The pink-haired girl sighed wearily in response. "You do realize you're talking about facing the head of the school, don't you," she asked in an uncertain voice. "Even if it comes to that, and we do manage to defeat him, what will happen to the school?" A dreadful thought came to her, and she gasped in response. "You don't think he did that on purpose, do you?"

The sealed demon somberly closed her crimson irises. She knew exactly what her counterpart had suggested, and what it entailed. Unfortunately, she saw little alternative in the matter. "At this point," she began, "I don't really care. If he won't do anything to stop Colton," she continued, opening her burning red eyes, "I will."

Moka made a sad face at her declaration.

"I know," the silver-haired woman spoke through the Rosario, "Chichi-ue worked so hard to help build this school." She looked to her hands, as she slowly closed them into fists. "And I hope he can possibly forgive me one day, for what I must do."

The young vampire sensed the heaviness in her alternate persona's heart. Unlike her sister, she truly cared about the school, and the thought of possibly destroying it in order to stop Colton's ambitions weighed heavily on her as well. "If it must come to this," she began, "why don't we find our friends," she asked, as her expression wavered slightly. "Find Tsukune."

"You idiot," Inner Moka replied with a scowl, "if we get near Tsukune, the chairman will spot us in a second."

The pink-haired girl looked startled at that. "How can you be so sure?"

"You know about that choker he made Tsukune wear. I'm certain he's using it keep tabs on him. We can't risk getting close to Tsukune." A deep sigh came from within the rosary. "Maybe, we should've never gotten close."

"HEY!" the sophomore exclaimed indignantly. "Are you saying you regret meeting Tsukune? How could you, he's the best friend I've ever had in my life! Without him I would've still been lonely, and you would've never awakened! Don't you even think about abandoning him!"

Inner Moka instantly regretted her careless slip of the tongue. She was also stung by her counterpart's remark about never being released from her prison. Even though she was tempted to lash out verbally at her, she knew it would've led to a long meaningless argument, which she'd seen her outer self caught up in far too many times for her tastes.

The pink-haired girl relaxed a bit, relieved that her counterpart had held her tongue. She definitely wasn't in the mood for an argument. "I won't give him up," she spoke in a calmer voice, "especially not now. I need him, and not just for his blood. I know he can help us stop whatever Colton's planning for the school."

"And how will you get close enough without Mikogami noticing," the sealed persona asked pointedly.

Moka sighed to herself. "I don't know, but I'll think of something. I just hope you're wrong about the chairman. I wouldn't want to imagine what could happen if he was really on Colton's side."

The silver-haired woman said nothing at first. She also dreaded the possibility, but refused to admit it. As she pondered the issue, she sensed a familiar presence nearby. "Hold that thought," she spoke to her outer self, "we have company."

The female vampire looked about the area. Though her senses weren't as keen as her inner self's, she also felt a familiar presence close to her position. She turned in its direction, and curiously went forward. She found herself approaching a dead tree, and beside it stood Kokoa.

The orange-haired girl blinked as her older sister approached her. "Onee-chan," she asked.

"Kokoa," Moka asked in surprise, as she blinked repeatedly, "why are you out here by yourself?"

"I could ask you the same question, what are you doing hiding out during school?"

"It's a long story," the pink-haired girl replied. On an impulse, she reached out and tightly embraced her younger sister.

"Hey!" Kokoa protested, as she struggled to free herself. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm just glad you're alright," Moka responded in a trembling voice, as she steadfastly refused to relinquish her hold. "I heard you'd disappeared from the school."

"I'm fine, now let me go! Only Onee-sama has the right to embrace me!"

The older vampire sighed mournfully, and released her sister. "Are you, are you still mad over what happened last night?"

Kokoa spun around, and folded her arms across her chest.

Moka sadly bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Kokoa. I know the other me said some very hurtful things to you." She took a step forward. "Kokoa, even though you don't acknowledge me as your sister, I still want to help you, if you'd let me."

"I don't need your help, " the orange-haired shot back.

The sophomore groaned to herself at her sister's sullen response. "If not me," she asked, "then who?"

Kokoa disdainfully thrust her nose into the air. "I am a royal vampire, I don't need trivial things like comfort. They are for those other useless youkai who pale in comparison to us."

The older vampire sighed deeply. She wished Tsukune was around, so he could've awakened her other self, who was seemingly the only person in school Kokoa admired. However, after what she recalled of the previous night, she wondered if it was still the case. "Kokoa," she finally said, "you don't have to be alone. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." She walked up close to the younger girl. "Especially you, my dear sister."

Moka reached out towards her sister's shoulder, but she abruptly pulled away. Discouraged by the orange-haired girl's unfriendly demeanor, the sophomore turned and began to walk away.

"Wait," the younger vampire spoke up.

The pink-haired girl turned back to her sister. "Kokoa," she asked, a twinge of hope in her voice.

"Don't take this the wrong way," the freshman shot over her shoulder, "you still haven't answered my question." She turned and took two steps towards her sibling. "What are you doing out here?"

Moka was somewhat discouraged, though not overly surprised. However, she was relieved that Kokoa hadn't turned her away in her time of need, regardless of the expressed reason. She glanced down, and brought her fist under her chin. "There was a terrible fight during lunch," she began regretfully. "Some of the boys from Tsukune's dorm blamed me for that attack, and... and tried to kill me." She immediately broke down into tears, it had been years since she'd felt such intense hatred.

"Hmph, again you show your weakness," Kokoa retorted dismissively, as she turned away and folded her arms. "Onee-sama wouldn't care how those idiots felt about her. And if any of them were stupid enough to challenge her, she'd crush them." She turned back towards her older sister. "That's what it is to be a vampire," she continued, as she pointed at the tip of Moka's nose, "and that's why I'll never acknowledge you as my sister!"

Incensed by the younger girl's callous demeanor, the sophomore instinctively lashed out and slapped Kokoa hard across the face.

"You wanna die!" the livid freshman declared as she grabbed her familiar, which immediately began to transform.

"You idiot!" the pink-haired girl shot back. "That's the reason I got expelled from school today!"

"That's it!" Kokoa exclaimed as she held her morning star in both hands, and slung it over her shoulder. "I'm gonna send you straight to Hell you half-baked two-bit third-rate Onee-sama-" She stopped in mid-sentence, as a surprised look crossed her features. "Wait, did you just say expelled?" She glared at no one in particular. "Who's the idiot who dared to try and pass judgment on my Onee-sama?"

Moka emitted a deflated sigh, for though she saw nothing good in revealing the whole truth to her excitable sister, she knew she wouldn't stop pestering her until she relented. It was such times that the pink-haired girl wished she possessed her counterpart's seemingly limitless strength. "The chairman," she finally admitted.

"WHAT!" the orange-haired girl exclaimed. "Who does that old coot think he is, pretending to be superior to MY Onee-sama? Ooh, that miserable geezer," she continued with a vexed expression, as she slammed her morning star onto the ground. "I'm gonna make him wish he was never born for trying to impose his will on Onee-sama."

"Um, Kokoa-sama," Koumori said tentatively, "did you forget he's the head of the school, dechu?"

"Shut up, Kou-chan!" the freshman snapped. "If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it!"

The transformed familiar winced, for he knew his mistress rarely consulted him on anything.

"You don't understand," Moka spoke to her fuming sister, "several people were killed in that fight." She brought her hands up, which trembled as she looked at them. "All by me." She clenched her fists together, as she tried to push the memories of the battle out of her mind.

"Good," Kokoa blandly remarked.

"Good!" the troubled girl shot back with an appalled look. "How can you say that, don't you care about anyone in this school?"

"I care about Onee-sama, and Onee-sama alone. Everyone else is just useless trash we can live without."

"How dare you!" Moka snapped. "That's the kind of attitude those people fought against! And if you were there, they would've attacked you, too!"

"Then I would've wiped the walls with those weaklings and saved Onee-sama the trouble of soiling her hands."

She released her weapon, and it turned back into Koumori. The bat flew near the older girl and closely examined her hair, face, and hands. "Um, Moka-sama," he began warily.

"She is not Onee-sama!" Kokoa interrupted. "Do not refer to that weakling as Onee-sama, or I'll use you for a biology experiment."

The bat shrieked at that, for he took great pains to avoid incurring his mistress' wrath. "I'm just saying," he began in a shaky voice, "she's starting to look a bit like Moka-sama today."

"Wh-what do you mean," the suddenly confused vampire asked the familiar.

"I see a bit of her hair, and her hands."

The pink-haired girl blinked repeatedly, trying to process the information. "I need a mirror."

"Sure thing," Kokoa replied with a devilish grin.

"Not that one!" Moka interrupted. "A regular one, if you don't mind."

"Sure thing, eh," the bat replied with an uncertain expression.

"It's alright," the pink-haired girl replied, "I know what you mean."

Koumori sighed deeply. "That's a relief," he said gratefully. "If only Kokoa-sama was as understanding as Moka-sama," he thought to himself, as he felt the older girl's grip on his body. Knowing exactly what she wanted, the bat polymorphed into a mirror which had batlike wings on the sides of its frame, and a bat head on top.

Moka's eyes went wide as she looked intently at her reflection. She saw a few locks of silver in her usually pink hair. Moreover, upon closer look, she saw her emerald irises had a slight reddish tinge to them, which she hadn't known beforehand. She was even more shocked to discover the scars on her face had completely healed. Her breath caught in her throat, as her mirror arm fell limply by her side. "It's worse than I thought," she said with a blank look, "the seal has degenerated so badly." Her head fell forward, as her pink and silver bangs fell into her eyes. "Tou-san will be furious."

She lost her grip on the mirror, which fell towards the ground. But before impact, Koumori immediately changed back into his usual form, and flew up towards Moka's face. "How could the seal have degenerated so quickly," he asked in confusion, "it's barely a month old."

"That stupid boy must've damaged it," Kokoa quipped. "This wouldn't have happened it he'd just left it to me!"

"NO!" Moka said sharply. "This is not Tsukune's fault!"

Both the orange-haired girl and her familiar were startled from the sophomore's outburst.

The young woman before them bowed her head, as if nonverbally apologizing for her heated words. "The Rosario was working fine until yesterday," she began, a twinge of sadness in her voice. "But since Colton Pierce came here, the seal's been acting erratically. Sometimes, my other half awakens partially while it's still in place."

"What," Koumori asked fearfully. "You mean that skull-faced man, dechu?"

"Yes. Ever since he arrived, terrible things have happened in the school." He held her Rosario in both hands. "This is but one of them."

"Kokoa-sama," the familiar spoke warily.

"You're getting so worked up over nothing, Onee-chan," the orange-haired girl interjected with a dismissive wave of her hand. "That old fool is no threat to us, he's just another idiot who has too much free time on his hands."

"You're need to take this more seriously, Kokoa!" Moka insisted. "He's dangerous, that whole attack last night was his doing. And no one else seems to realize it, not even the chairman." She sniffled to herself. "He... he allowed Colton to stay until this crisis is resolved. He doesn't know he's playing right into his hands."

"Are you serious, dechu," the familiar asked as she flew over the older girl's head. "And how is turning you into Moka-sama part of his plan?"

"I don't know," the sophomore replied as she ran her fingers through her hair. "But it didn't get like this until-" She paused, and sobbed more audibly. "Until the chairman, used that whip."

"Whip," Kokoa asked in surprise, "what whip?"

Moka wrapped her arms around herself. "The chairman wanted to speak with the other me, so he used this magic whip." She looked absently to her left wrist. "Once he wrapped it around my wrist, it neutralized the seal, even though the Rosario wasn't removed. But then something terrible happened and-"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!" Kokoa screamed at the top of her lungs, rage written all over her young face. "Ooh, I knew that old man was crooked! He's nothing but a blasted bootlicker of those bigoted bellicose bloodthirsty Belmonts!"

"What are you talking about," the pink-haired girl asked, a shocked expression on her face.

"That thing is a murder weapon!" the younger vampire declared. "It's killed hundreds of thousands of innocent youkai over the ages!" She brought her face close to her sister. "Including vampires!"

"What," Inner Moka asked telepathically. "A weapon that can destroy vampires? Preposterous!"

"That old geezer," Kokoa continued, "all that talk about coexistence with humans, ha! What a load of crock! He's nothing but a tyrant who rules by fear and deception, and kills anyone who opposes his twisted ideals!"

"How is that any different from us, dechu," Koumori asked.

The orange-haired girl drove her familiar into the ground with her fist, and stepped on him for good measure. "The difference is we royal vampires are a proud and noble race. And unlike certain school officials, we don't put on false airs. That con artist is the biggest fraud I've ever seen in my life, and we're going to take him down once and for all!"

"Hold on, Kokoa!" Moka spoke up. "You're getting way too ahead of yourself. What are these Belmonts you're talking about?"

"They're an evil clan of murderers who hunt down innocent youkai and kill them. No judge, no jury, just them as executioners. That whip they wield is the embodiment of evil itself! And the worst part is the humans call them heroes! Oh, the sheer audacity!"

"Wait a minute," the pink-haired girl asked suspiciously, "how come we've never heard about them? How come Daddy's never told us anything?"

"There's no time to explain!" Kokoa insisted. "I'm gonna end that old coot and destroy this sick joke of a school! Come, Koumori!" she commanded as she ran back towards the school.

"Wait for me!" the bat called out as he flew after his mistress.

"Kokoa, NO!" Moka cried out, but found her words had fallen on deaf ears.

Inner Moka growled in aggravation. "Can't those simpletons think before they act," she asked irritably. "AFTER THEM!"

"Right!" The pink-haired girl ran through the woods, desperately trying to catch up with her fleeing sister.

Tsukune sat alone in detention again, studying for his English assignment later in the week. It annoyed him that he still six more days to serve, but he found it unavoidable at the moment. And though he was still distraught over Moka's fate, he knew he couldn't let it crush him, as it did earlier in the year when she sacrificed her life for the school. The last thing he wanted was a repeat of that tragedy. Although the thought of never seeing Moka again terrified him, he silently vowed he would've found a way back to her. He was quite sure that if the roles were reversed, she would've done the same for him. That thought alone began to make his eventual choice easier. He hoped that once Colton's plans had been thwarted and peace returned to the school, then he could've made his choice.

He briefly looked up, and saw Ruby behind the desk instead of the chairman. He found that a welcome relief, for his supposed overseer was someone he trusted. With the head of the school acting increasingly suspicious, he began to have his own doubts about him. He didn't want to think of the possibilities of him deliberately cooperating with Colton, but if he found it was the case, he would've helped Moka and the others stop him. Granted, he realized it might've led to the downfall of the school itself, but if it was no longer true to its purpose, then he felt would've been better off without it.

Suddenly, a loud banging noise came from outside the room, along with enraged female shouting and the sound of running. Tsukune quickly lost his train of thought. "What in the world," he asked, as he rose from his desk.

"Stay where you are," Ruby commanded. "I'll check this out."

She immediately let the room, and closed the door behind her.

The brown-haired youth sat back down, as a faint prickling sensation came from his choker. "But that sounded like, Moka-san," he said to himself, "and Kokoa-chan." He blinked in confusion. "What could they be doing?"

Students dived out of the way as Kokoa charged down the hall like a mad bull, her huge mace slung over her shoulder. Five feet behind her, Moka raced after her headstrong sister, desperately trying to prevent yet another fiasco from occurring in the school that day.

"Just wait until I get my hands on that wrinkly old prunehead!" Kokoa called out. "I'm gonna pound him into blood pudding and then eat him!"

"Kokoa, stop!" Moka shouted as she chased after her sister. "You're causing a commotion again!"

"When does she not," Inner Moka grumbled within the Rosario, as she rolled her eyes into the back of her head. "Does the word 'subtlety' mean anything to her?"

Were it not for the currently chaotic situation, the pink-haired girl might've laughed at that.

"Shut up!" the sealed persona snapped.

"I didn't say anything!" Moka replied defensively.

"You were thinking it."

"How could I not?"

Inner Moka growled irritably within the Rosario.

"There will be no forgiveness for amoral, bureaucratic old bozos who think they can pull rank with superior beings like ourselves!" the orange-haired girl continued, oblivious to everything else around her. "I'm gonna make an example of that backbiting geezer's sad excuse of an seriously overextended life. And when I'm through with him, his tombstone will read, 'KILLED BY A VAMPIRE!'"

Both Mokas groaned at that.

Two freshman boys watched the vampires race down the hall. One was a tall young man with a crewcut and stitches on his head, while the other was shorter and more stocky.

"Man," the taller boy spoke, "that little brat is causing trouble again? How does she keep from getting expelled?"

"You said it, Vic," his cohort replied. "I hate people who think the rules don't apply to them."

The freshman grunted in response. "This is just like that mess at the opening ceremony. Man, I so want to see her get her comeuppance."

"Me too, now she's threatening to kill the headmaster?"

"And eat him afterwards." He shook his head ruefully. "Could this possibly get any worse?"

The portly boy got an idea. "I can think of one way."

Vic slowly turned his gaze to him. "How?"

"His tombstone could read, 'Killed by a strawberry.'"

The taller boy smashed his compatriot over the head with his fist. "Iggy, where do you come up with these lamebrained ideas?"

"It was just a thought," the burly freshman replied as he rubbed his head. "I mean, how can you not notice?"

Vic rolled his eyes up into the back of his head. "Why me?"

Kokoa raced up to the top floor where the chairman's office was located, with Moka still in hot pursuit. She charged headlong down the hall, headed straight for the chairman's door. "Better have your last will and testament written up!" the younger vampire declared, "because the express train to your ultimate demise is coming through! No refunds, no plea bargaining, just a humongous serving of excruciating torment and death headed your way!" The freshman leaped into the air with a primal scream, her mace slung over her shoulder. She came down, and swung with all her strength at the door. However, before her weapon made contact, it was stopped by an unseen force and repelled. Kokoa stumbled back, and gracelessly landed on the floor.

The orange-haired girl rubbed her posterior, annoyed by what had occurred. "What the hecht," she spoke in aggravation. She quickly got to her feet. "It'll take more than some cheap parlor trick to stop me!" She charged towards the door, swung her morning star, and got the same results. She tumbled back down the hall towards her sister.

"Kokoa," Moka spoke worriedly.

Undaunted, the freshman rose to her feet again, and slung her weapon over her shoulder. "You can't hide forever, old man!" she called out defiantly. "I'll break down that door, and then I'll break YOU! Nothing can save you from my all-powerful wrath!" She screamed as she raced towards the door. As she slammed her mace against the barrier, she found herself repelled yet again, and tumbled back towards Moka.

The younger vampire growled in aggravation as she got to her feet. She blew a few strands of orange hair out of her face. "Alright," she spoke irritably, "third time's the charm."

"Um, that was the third time, Kokoa-sama," Koumori interjected in his mace form.

"Shut up!" Kokoa snapped. "This time, there's no way that stupid barrier will hold. Nothing can withstand our sovereign power!" She charged headlong towards the door again. But before she reached it, she felt something had grasped her ankle and she found herself pulled onto the floor. She soon found similar restraints on her arms. "What is this!" she demanded, as she felt yet another restraint on her waist. "Who dares interfere with an all-powerful vampire?"

"Someone who's growing very tired with your incorrigible antics, Shuzen-san," an annoyed woman's voice replied behind her.

Moka gasped as she recognized the voice. She'd just barely dodged as she'd seen black tendril-like appendages shoot forth out of the corner of her eye. She blinked a few times, and saw her sister constrained by said appendages. She cautiously looked back, and saw a familiar woman ten feet behind her. She also saw the tendrils in question came from witch's six feathered wings. "Ruby-san," the pink-haired girl called out.

The older iwtch gave the sophomore a stern look. "Explain yourself, Moka-san. What do you and Shuzen-san think you're doing?"

The young vampire laughed nervously, and gave the witch an embarrassed smile, as a sweatdrop ran down the side of her head. "I was, trying to stop Kokoa from causing any more trouble."

The witch looked somewhat unimpressed, but chose not to comment. Her gaze turned to the still bound Kokoa, who struggled to free herself from her fetters. "And you, Shuzen-san," she began with a vexed expression, "assaulting the chairman's office, probably plotting to take his life, and this after you were suspended for what you did last night." The corners of her mouth lowered into a dark scowl. "Ever since you came here, you've caused one calamity after another. But this time, you have more than overstepped your bounds. And once the chairman hears of this latest fiasco, you'll be expelled for sure." Her pink eyes narrowed into deadly slits. "And rest assured, your father will receive a full report of what you've wrought here."

"Can it, you puppet!" the orange-haired girl shot back defiantly. "That old coot is a fraud! The school is a fraud! And I'm gonna put an end to this sick charade once and for all!"

Ruby immediately produced her wand. "You try my patience, Shuzen-san," she warned the younger girl. "You are no one to question the integrity and purpose of this school, not after everything you've done." She aimed her scepter at the bound vampire. "Stand down, Shuzen Kokoa. Your time here is at an end."

"Shut your cakehole! You don't have a clue what's going on, you're just a puppet of that con artist posing as a priest. But I see him for what he really is, an agent of those vile Belmonts. And once Dad finds out, he'll kill the old prune himself and burn down this useless school."

"You dare call Mikogami-sama a fraud?" the witch snapped, as her wings glowed with a purple aura. She slammed Kokoa hard onto the floor, and her elongated feathered retracted back into her wings. "That's it," she continued as the jewel in her scepter glowed brightly, "no more mercy for you!"

Moka immediately moved in front of the witch, holding her arms out wide.

Ruby narrowed her eyes into deadly slits. "Get out of my way," she spoke in a cold, hostile voice.

"No!" the pink-haired girl shot back. "I can't let you hurt my sister!"

"She's plotting to kill the chairman, how can you expect me to overlook that?"

The young vampire sighed deeply. "Because, even after all the trouble she's caused, she's still my little sister. Nothing will ever change that."

Ruby grimaced in frustration. "Moka-san, you know she doesn't feel the same for you. Have you forgotten how her stunt with Lilith's Mirror led to your death?"

Moka brought her fist under her chin, and looked downwards. "I know, but-"

As the conversation went on, Kokoa had ample time to recover. A sinister smirk crossed her features as she looked towards her older sister. "This is perfect," she said to herself. Springing to her feet, she rushed forward, grabbed the distracted girl behind the waist with one arm and brought her into a horizontal position. Continuing to charge forward, she drove her surprised sister headfirst into Ruby's midsection, which knocked her down the hall and hard onto the floor. Satisfied with the results, she dropped her sister, and ran down the hallway, her maniacal laughter trailing behind her.

"Wait for me, Kokoa-sama!" Koumori called out as he flew after his mistress.

A few seconds later, Moka got off the floor, holding the top of her head. She looked down the hall, and saw the raven-haired woman lying on the floor. "Ruby!" she called out, as she ran to her side. She knelt down by the fallen witch, horrified by what she'd seen. "Kokoa," she said in a broken voice, "how could you?"

"That insolent little worm," Inner Moka growled deep within her counterpart's mind. "AFTER HER!"

The pink-haired girl looked down the hall where her sister had fled. She looked down one last time at the prone Ruby, who groaned in pain from the surprise attack. "Kokoa," she said to herself, "you've gone too far this time." She immediately took off after her errant sister.

The irreverent freshman sped away from the chairman's office, with Koumori desperately trying to keep up.

"Kokoa-sama," the familiar called out, "not to downplay your miraculous escape, but was it really necessary to use your sister as a weapon?"

"Shut up!" the vampire shot back. "That travesty is not my sister! I can do as I please to her! Moka-sama won't care what happens to that useless persona."

"I wouldn't too sure about that," the bat spoke warily. "I hope she isn't still mad over what happened last night."

"That was not my fault!" the freshman shot back defensively. "Those worthless youkai have messed with her mind! We need to restore her to her true self, so she'll never abandon her loved ones again!"

"In other words, you, dechu," Koumori replied in a dubious tone of voice.

"Exactly, I'm the only one who truly cares about her! Once she's remembered her true self, she'll forget everything that happened here." Her emerald eyes looked down the hall. "And I'll make sure she forgets all about you, Aono Tsukune," she thought to herself. "After a few centuries, you'll be nothing more than a memory best left forgotten."

As she pondered her next plan of action, a door along the side of the corridor swung open, and a vacuum-like force pulled Kokoa towards the open doorway. She desperately clung to the side of the frame with all her strength, and Koumori latched his talons onto her pigtails.

"Kokoa-sama!" the familiar cried out. "We're being pulled in!"

"Tell me something I don't know!" the vampire snapped. "What is this nonsense?" She desperately tried to pull herself out of the doorway, but the force that pulled at her was much stronger than she'd anticipated. Even though she clearly didn't expect such an obstacle, she refused to admit it. Even worse, there were no edges along the wall to grasp save for the doorway, which made Kokoa's plight all the more bleak.

"KOKOA!" a girl's voice called out from down the hall.

"Oh crap," the orange-haired girl grumbled, "not her!"

A few moments later, a strong hand clutched onto her wrist, and the face of Moka appeared in the doorway.

"What do you think you're doing," the freshman demanded.

"Kokoa," the pink-haired girl spoke urgently, "give me your hand!"

"Get lost! I don't need your help!"

"GIVE ME YOUR HAND NOW, KOKOA!" Moka shouted in an unusually commanding tone.

Koumori was shocked by the unfamiliar inflections, but Kokoa was insulted instead. "Who do you think you trying to command me, you useless piece of trash!" She released one hand to try and strike at Moka's wrist, but only succeeded in completely losing her grip on the door frame. She felt herself pulled into the room, but stopped in midair. She looked behind her, and saw a huge black swirling vortex behind her, ceaselessly pulling at her. "What in the world is that?" she exclaimed in shock.

"Oh no!" Koumori cried out in horror. "Are we being sucked into another dimension, dechu?"

"Not if I can help it!" Moka's voice called out over the vortex.

Kokoa looked back to the doorway, and saw her sibling holding onto her wrist with one hand and the doorway with the other. Her mixed hair flew wildly about, hiding her face from view. The orange-haired girl struggled to free herself from her sister's grip, but found it increasingly difficult in her current situation. "Let me go!" she snapped. "I don't want to be saved by a weakling like you!"

"Um, I don't think this is the time to be picky, dechu," her familiar commented. "Please, Moka-sama, don't let go of Kokoa-sama!"

"SHE IS NOT MOKA-SAMA!" the younger girl screamed at the top of her lungs. She struggled even more aggressively to free herself, indifferent to what would've occurred. As she did, she heard a crunching sound from the direction of the doorway. "What was that," she asked with a leery expression.

Koumori looked forth, and saw that even though Moka wasn't losing her grip, the side was beginning to crack under the stress. "Oh no, the door frame!"

A split second later, the force of the vortex combined with the vampire's superhuman grip ripped out a section of the frame, and all three were pulled screaming into the void. The door promptly slammed shut behind them.

A couple of minutes later, Ruby ran down the hall, still holding her sore ribs. She suddenly stopped her pursuit when she reached the door of a rather infamous classroom. She sensed the area around her. "That's odd," she thought to herself, "the trail of their youki ends here." She briefly inspected the door, and found it to be locked, which didn't surprise her. And though there were also no signs of forced entry, she noticed the side of the door frame was damaged. As she took a closer look, she saw a sizable chunk was missing from the frame. She placed her hand inside the gap, and saw it was all but a perfect fit. Ruby gasped in horror as a dreadful thought came to her. She immediately slid the door open and then headed inside.

The dark-haired woman saw the inside was rather dark and foreboding. That didn't overly surprise her, though she was a bit disturbed that she couldn't have sensed Moka or Kokoa anywhere in the area. Not to mention the owner of said classroom was absent, so Ruby had no one to question about the vampires' whereabouts.

"This is not good," Ruby thought to herself, "our enemies seem to be one step ahead of us." She looked to the doorway which led out of the room. "I must tell the chairman about this immediately. I just hope it's not too late." She vacated the premises and closed the door behind her.

The last thing Moka recalled before being pulled into the void was a brilliant green light. It reminded her of the fateful day when Lilith's Mirror was unleashed on the school.

"Stay back!" Inner Moka said sharply.

"But," the pink-haired girl interjected.

"You say you trust Tsukune, but with that little strength, it's not enough to protect him!"

Another flash of light shot forth, and Moka found herself looking up at a high ceiling. She quickly sat up, holding the side of her head. "What happened," she asked herself. "I remember being trying to save Kokoa from-" She stopped in mid-sentence, and frantically looked about the area. She found her younger sister lying on a black marble floor near her. She immediately went to her side. "Kokoa!" she said desperately. "Kokoa, wake up!"

"Onee-sama," the orange-haired girl said weakly, apparently incoherent at the moment.

The older vampire sighed in discouragement, and ruefully shook her head. "Kokoa," she said to herself, despondent that her sister thought only of her sister's alter ego, even in her sleep. She picked up the sleeping girl's body and held her tightly against her chest, as a lone tear ran down her soft face.

"How touching," a cold, lifeless voice commented. "Meaningless, but touching nonetheless."

Moka gasped when she heard the foreboding voice. She looked about the area, and found herself in a massive chamber that was nothing like she'd seen on campus. She saw a blood red carpet that stretched from the huge double doors to the far end of the room. There, she saw a shadowed figure sitting upon a ghastly throne, that had batlike wings protruding from the sides. Though she was somewhat shaken by her unfamiliar surroundings, as well as not knowing how she arrived in the ominous chamber, she easily recognized it as the throne room of a vampire castle.

Gathering her courage, she stood in front of Kokoa's body and faced the shrouded being on the throne. "You, are you the one who's been causing all the trouble?"

The darkened being said nothing in response.

"Are you the one who sent Colton here?"

Again, the only answer she received was silence.

"Are you the one who's been torturing Tsukune in his sleep?" Moka demanded with increasing agitation. "Answer me! Why are you doing all this?"

"Gods do not explain themselves to underlings," the ominous being finally replied, "especially those who dare interfere with their agendas."

"What did you say!" the pink-haired girl retorted hotly. "How dare you blame me for all this chaos! If it weren't for you and Colton, none of this would've happened!"

"And just what has happened that upsets you," the figure asked mockingly. "It is no different than what otherwise occurs in life. The strong survive and the weak perish. That has been and always will be the rule of all universes. Those who attempt to deny this truth disappear and are eternally forgotten."

"You sound like a rogue," Moka said accusingly. "No self-respecting vampire would destroy lives so casually. It would start a war with all the other youkai races."

"Let them try to oppose me. They would be crushed, and realize just how powerless they are before me. Then they would have no choice but to consecrate their souls to me, lest they be cast forever into the infernal abyss of Hell."

"What sort of demented megalomaniac are you!" Inner Moka's voice demanded. "And how dare you involve Tsukune in your sick little games!"

The pink-haired girl gasped. Whenever the rosary was in place, she only heard her counterpart's voice in her mind. But in that instance, she heard it as if the sealed vampire was right beside her. And she was quite sure the figure shrouded in darkness also heard it.

"Gods do as they please," the unseen being replied blandly. "Lesser beings have no choice but to submit to our designs."

"What did you say!" the sealed persona of Moka snapped.

The dark figure chuckled in amusement. "Oh, did I hit a nerve," it asked mockingly. "You might as well get used to it, for soon you shall realize just how powerless you are before me," the sinister being went on, "Moka-san."

The vampire's alter ego hissed at her enemy's taunts. Yet despite her indignation, she realized the figure spoke perfect Japanese. But as she thought about it, she realized Colton also spoke perfect Japanese, even though he had a clearly European appearance. She would've dismissed the notion that her enemy lived close to home, but something in his voice disturbed her more than she cared to admit.

"Don't patronize me," the sealed vampire finally spoke. "You don't honor me, the only thing you seem to value is power, a trait shared by rogues. None of the elders would tolerate you, especially not my father!"

"Hmph, your father is a fool, a pitiful pretender to my sovereign throne. Soon even he shall be cleared from my path, and no one will be able to stop my grand ascension." He emitted a sinister chuckle. "And as for being a rogue, you are badly mistaken. Rogues are those who dare oppose me."

"Khhhhhhhhhhhhhk! Oh, that is it!" the silver-haired woman's voice snarled. "Let me out, I'm going to crush this insolent upstart!"

The darkened figure laughed uproariously. "You're going to crush me," he asked in amusement. "How laughable, you can't even raise a finger against me with that seal in place. And even if you weren't sealed it would still make no difference. That worthless cross is only good for hastening your own demise," it spoke venomously. "Those with power do not hide, they demonstrate the foolishness of opposing them. By hiding yourself away, you forfeit your right to survive. I could erase you now, but I still have use for you, regardless of how ungrateful you may be."

"What did you say?"

The foreboding being chuckled to himself. "Foolish child, your fate and the fate of your world has already been decided. You should relegate yourself to the role fate has already assigned to you. And once you have completed your objective, you shall no longer be a threat to me." It tilted its head to the side. "Not that you ever were."

"Stop it!" the pink-haired Moka interjected. "Don't you realize what you're saying? That kind of thinking will never create peace between humans and youkai!"

The unseen figure laughed maniacally. "Peace," it asked sarcastically. "What a farce, that line of thinking has no place in my world. I destroyed this little school once, I shall do it again. And this time, no one will ever rebuild this worthless institution."

The young vampire gasped in response. She'd never heard of a time when the academy was completely destroyed. "What are you talking about," she asked fearfully.

"Isn't it obvious? This academy and its purpose is blasphemous in my sight, so I have ordained its destruction. Once its gone, the youkai of this world will have no one let to turn to," it continued, "except me." It emitted a diabolical chuckle, which soon rose into maniacal laughter, that echoed throughout the entire room, as a huge wave of darkness erupted from the figure and engulfed everything.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" both Mokas screamed simultaneously.

What sort of diabolical machinations does the dark lord have planned for the school, not to mention Tsukune? And how does Moka fit into his sinister plans?

"Why does it have to come to this? Can't we all just get along?"

Good question. Anyway, tune in next time for Part I Chapter X Tomb of Treachery