Kurumu knocked on the glass, peering down the hall. Some showers were running as it was almost half past six. Eventually some guy would notice her and let her in.
She had woken up in only a tank top this morning. The growl in her stomach was tame, meaning she had at least picked up something to snack on again. She wondered if the staff could confirm daily usage of her card. She knew she could check the balance, but she could not recall how much had been on her card after lunch yesterday. She probably should pay more attention to that.
She had exchanged greetings with the little shower singer from her floor before taking her own. The tiny Ms. Dakuhime lived at the end of the hall and was part of the choir. While the girl had to be taller than Yukari, Kurumu had absently commented about the girl possibly being another smart girl that was in high school early. The flustered girl had quickly confirmed her age, and happened to be a couple weeks older than Kurumu.
Kurumu rapped the back of her hand on the glass again. It had been days since she had walked with Tsukune to breakfast and she was not in the mood to deal with Moka. She had stated a strong case against that player but Moka had chosen him over her friends. If it was going to be like that, then it was past time to make some advancement in her relationship with Tsukune.
She knew she should not push anything physical. She could wait the few days it would take to get those test results. In the meantime, she wanted him to at least start flirting with her. There was no reason for him to hold back for Moka's sake. Perhaps some flirting would knock some sense into the girl.
Even if Moka insisted on being some submissive doll, Kurumu craved some light hearted banter. The issue with Inui was out of her hands and she was unsure what she should do about the stoned girls. It was not like this was something she could tell Tsukune. He was only human. It was best if he was not involved any more than he had to be.
At long last the door on her right opened and a yawning boy in a grey shirt and block boxers stumbled out. Yamabato scratched his slick black locks as he shuffled over to the door and pushed it open for her. He yawned again, covering his mouth.
"Morning."
"It's early."
She grimaced as the pungent odor assaulted her even before she could step through the door. She would never get used to this.
"You need air fresheners. Lots of air fresheners."
Yamabato chuckled.
"You could wait outside while I wake him up."
"Where's the fun in that?"
She walked quickly down the hallway to Tsukune's room. She smirked, noting the small peep hole. Tilting her head, she glanced through to spy his slumbering form swathed in dark blankets. She could hear the buzz of his morning alarm, which he was ignoring. Grinning, she knocked on the door.
"So any crazy things happening that a girlfriend should be worried about?"
"I wish."
"Did the guys have dinner with Tsukune last night?"
Yamabato shrugged.
"I didn't see Tsukune last night. What were you up to?"
"Ms. Kagome's special sessions involve some hypnotherapy stuff that takes some time and leaves me incoherent. By the time I get to the dining hall, there usually isn't anyone around."
"Is anyone else in these sessions?"
"No. Why?"
Yamabato frowned.
"That's strange. Don't get me wrong. I think some of your math answers are hilarious and you probably could use the help… but I can't believe you would be the only student she would do this for."
Kurumu had never thought to question being singled out. It did sound odd, but maybe it was possible that she had the lowest math scores of all the students Ms. Kagome taught. That was not reassuring.
"I know some of the guys wish they had been so lucky."
Kurumu rolled her eyes. She pounded on Tsukune's door again.
"Tsukune! Get up! There is a reason you have an alarm clock!"
"I should go take a shower."
He started back to his room.
"Hey, Yamabato. Thanks."
He waved dismissively as he kept on pace for his door. She waited for him to duck back into his room before knocking on Tsukune's door again. She glanced at the watch on the inside of her wrist, worried about the time. They really should be out of here before seven if they wanted to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. She peeped through the hole once more, noting a white shirt staggering close. Backing away, she smiled as the door opened.
He looked pale as he nervously glanced about. Compulsively Kurumu stepped in and wrapped her arms about his slender torso. She nuzzled her head against his chest, breathing him in deeply. He was warm and had such a delicious scent. Her body was already reacting, wanting to rub more against him.
"Kurumu."
She pushed him back off the door as she leaned against him. Lifting her foot, she felt for the door and guided it back to give them some privacy. His hands gingerly touched her shoulders as she heard the door close.
"Kurumu. I need to get dressed."
"You smell nice."
His body relaxed.
"I should shower first."
"Do I smell nice, Tsukune?"
She could feel his want for her. It had been days since she had felt his desire to be this strong. She closed her eyes as she settled comfortably in his embrace.
"I need that shower."
She sighed, relaxing grip. Taking another deep breath, she backed off a step with her eyes still closed.
"Pat my head."
"What?"
"I've been a real good girl so you should pat my head."
His hand timidly touched the top of her head. Before she could even enjoy the sensation, he withdrew his fingers.
"Sheesh, Tsukune. It's not like I asked you to grope my tits."
She grinned at the feeling of his reaction, finally letting her eyes open a bit, though pointedly aside. She slipped her hand up the strap of her bag, drawing her fingers back and forth between the divide of her bosom.
"I'm sorry. I just… had a rough night."
Kurumu perked up, barely able to keep her gaze in check. She focused her eyes on the slight hollow where his neck and shoulders met. He had such smooth skin. Was it okay if she kissed him there? No, Yamabato had mentioned Tsukune's absence from dinner. Something could be wrong.
"Did you eat last night?"
"No… I… I don't know."
"You don't know if you ate?"
"No, not that. I'm just not sure what I saw yesterday."
Kurumu paused, wondering if this had something to do with Yukari's article. She idly reached out for his hands, effortlessly capturing them. She felt him pull away but she quickly entwined her fingers in his to hold him firm.
"Did you help Yukari finish her article?"
"Oh. Yea, we did do that."
So it was not something about Yukari's article. She smiled, noting how small her hands looked in his. His fingers were more slender than hers. She gave his hands a squeeze before relaxing her grip.
"So what's the matter?"
"Well… I forgot my sketchbook in art class."
"Did you see Ms. Ishigami?"
"Um… no."
"Oh, I thought you might. She was going to take us over to the art building to talk with Morioka, but Ms. Kagome wouldn't let me go."
Tsukune freed his hands for one to rub the back of his neck while leaving the other at his side. After a moment of standing within arm's reach, he turned about and moved to his closet, intent on gathering up his shower essentials.
"There was nobody there. At least I don't think there was."
Mildly disappointed that he had not tried anything, Kurumu wandered over to his discarded uniform. She knelt down and gathered up the dirty clothes.
"How late was it when you stopped by the art building?"
"It was almost dark. I didn't see anyone, but something felt off. Like I was in danger. And there was that thing in the closet."
Kurumu dumped the clothes into the small net sack where the rest of his dirty laundry had been gathered.
"Thing?"
He shook his head, taking a deep breath.
"It's nothing. I'll be right back."
Kurumu nodded, scooting over to the blankets as he left the room. Having helped him straighten up his room before, she knew where he wanted to put things away. She neatly folded up the sheets before placing them up on the top shelf of the closet.
There was not much else to do as she waited for his return. Having been in some of the other boys' rooms, she knew that his was tidy by comparison. Tsukune did not snack obsessively like his neighbor, Tanboshi, nor had he brought a whole bunch of things like Yamabato.
He should at least get a chair. That little niche carved into the wall with the smooth surface could function as a desk. It even had a switch for a wall light directly over the counter. Presently he only used it as a place to sling his keys and wallet, like she did. Though she wanted more than a chair for her room. After seeing Moka's and Tora's rooms, an actual desk with a mirror would be much better.
Glancing at her watch, she sighed. She wanted to flirt a little more but she figured he had taken his uniform. He would come back dressed which meant no playful towel tugging or risky teasing. She kind of wondered how big he was. She had seen his bulge but it was not like she had any experience to judge size off of that. What was a normal size anyways? Two fingers? Three? As is, it kind of hurt even putting one halfway in, and it was not even necessary if she just wanted to climax.
She missed her chats with Genzouyaki. Even though they had conversed only a couple times, she wanted that back. Fuck Morioka's story. When she saw Mr. Nagamushi today, she was going to take him to where the girls were. She could not imagine a husband with two kids would be involved in this mess.
She took a deep breath, pushing aside those sudden dark emotions. She had to be bright, cheery and flirty. If she started acting depressed, it would only cause Tsukune to sulk over Moka. She had to keep his spirits up. She giggled at the thought of keeping other things up too.
After some time of psyching herself up, Tsukune returned with his shower things and his dirty clothes. Apparently he had not remembered his uniform in his hurry to exit the room. Careful to keep her gaze astray, she watched him head for his closet to dress.
"I did speak with Ms. Sasayaki the other day."
"That was the science teacher?"
"Mhm. She ran some tests and you will be happy to hear that we are not expecting a child yet."
He stumbled. He forced a laugh as he resumed slipping into his shirt and jacket.
"I thought you were going to ask her about your species."
"She was more intent on taking samples from me. I kind of got caught up in what she was planning and forgot to ask any questions."
"Take samples?"
"Oh, you know. Blood samples, spit samples, skin samples. In the name of science, she even poked my pussy."
This reaction was delectable. Clearly he was thinking of doing some poking of his own. He fumbled with his slacks, trying to bring them up around his hips and hide that eager manhood straining for freedom against his loose boxers. Stuffing the erection down, he zipped up the front and tucked his shirt in.
"Why would she want that?"
"Well, I want to kiss you, Tsukune. It might be worth knowing if there is any truth behind the myth."
"About making me a slave?"
She nodded.
"I've never thought that deep about these things. Why can I charm people? Because I'm a succubus. Was there a need for more explanation? But I guess there are people like Yukari's grandfather and Ms. Sasayaki that want to know how these things work."
"What if it is just magic?"
"Then I guess I will have to ask Yukari for help. She is a witch."
Tsukune took his red tie off a hanger. He had left the knot in place, so he only had to slip his head through the loop and tighten it properly. He folded the collar down and fixed his jacket for a respectable appearance. With the money his parents had given him last weekend, he had bought both of these during the lunch hour on Tuesday, considering how barren his uniform selection had become over the weeks. It had been one of the random topics they had discussed during lunch yesterday.
"Have you ever thought that maybe two people can't be together?"
She sighed. Not wishing to discuss that topic, she wandered over to the open door. He was closing up his closet while holding his shoes in one hand.
"Do you miss being home? I know in the human world this is Golden Week."
He paused a moment. With a shrug, he leaned down to put on a shoe.
"I knew when I came here that I would not be going home for Golden Week. It is a boarding school, after all. I admit I was surprised we would still have classes. These are national holidays that teachers would have off."
"Yea… I had kind of forgotten about Golden Week. I haven't had this week off since I was ten. Monsters don't really care about nation pride holidays."
Tsukune finished with his shoes and walked over to the niche to retrieve his keys and schoolbag.
"It was not like we did anything this week. Mostly hang around the house and watch television. Kyoko used to get me out and do things, but she's been busy ever since she started high school."
Kurumu smiled as she started down the hall slightly ahead of him. She heard his door close and he even turned his deadlock in place.
"Your cousin, right?"
"Yea. She was so disappointed I bombed her school's entrance exam."
"Were you?"
"Not really. While it claims to be co-ed, Kita was founded as a girls' high school. I didn't want to be that weird guy that enrolled in a girls' school. I only took the test so she would stop bugging me about it."
"I see how it is. Playing video games was more important than protecting your poor cousin's heart."
"Maybe it would have been better if I had passed that exam."
She reached the end of the hall, pushing open the exit door. She took in a deep breath of the fresh air, waiting for Tsukune to walk out before letting the door go. Without bothering for permission, she snatched up his hand and started down the stairs.
"It's annoying to here you say such gloomy things. Where's the Tsukune that stood up to Nazohashi for his right to be here?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You should be angry."
"Angry?"
"Yes. Anger burns inside you. It moves you. It makes you do something about it. But never sulk. Nobody gets anywhere sulking."
Tsukune softly laughed.
"I don't think I could be angry. Violence solves nothing."
"Don't be silly. Violence solves a lot of things. We have a whole course on that subject. It's called history."
"I guess. But I wouldn't call wars solutions."
"But they are. They may not be the best solutions, but that does not make them wrong."
"So you think I would be better off using violence to solve my problems?"
Kurumu understood his position. As a human, there was no way he could fight any monster in this school.
"I'm saying if you're options are anger and despair, you pick anger. Even if you do nothing with it, you will feel better."
They walked down the rest of the stairs in silence. She knew this was about Moka and she hated that. But she stood by her words. She did not want to think how worse it would be sulking over his fixation with Moka. Despair was accepting defeat.
"I'm the girlfriend."
"What?"
"I'm your girlfriend, Tsukune. I know I've been doing all sorts of things this week, but you should have pestered me for more time."
"I thought we were spending time."
She sighed, supposing that was true. It was not so much a lack of time as it was a lack of quality.
"You should be touching me more. You've said it yourself. Our classmates are still trying to figure out which of us you are dating. If there was ever a time to clear things up, it was now."
"I wouldn't feel right doing that."
"They think you've been dumped and you're acting like you were. Do you want people to think that?"
Tsukune chuckled, shaking his head.
"I haven't thought much about that."
She was still angry about his behavior. Now that it had been established that Moka did not need Tsukune's blood as a food alternative, she had no reason to lug that dead weight around in the morning to make sure Moka had a proper breakfast. If she wanted to be Inui's play thing, there was no reason for Kurumu to fight for Moka's time. Decisively, Kurumu lifted up his hand.
"We are going to be doing more of this, okay. And if you can't wake up before I come get you, I'll have a word with Yamabato so I don't end up waiting five to ten minutes outside your dorm."
"Kurumu. Thank you."
She blushed as he squeezed her hand.
"What? I haven't done anything."
He stepped ahead of her and grabbed her by the shoulder. The embrace was awkward at first, as he still had hold of her hand. She let go as he rested his cheek against the top of her head, his freed hand able to press against her back as he took in a deep breath.
On the verge of collapsing into the hug, Kurumu panicked. Her body was acting all sorts of wonderful and she wanted to rub against him, but Yukari's words about her charming without sight suddenly scared her. He so rarely initiated contact. Frightened, she forced her palms between them, about to push back.
"Tsukune!"
Mortified, Kurumu turned her head, unable to move. Moka was staring at them wide eyed, her lower lip trembling. One hand clutched the strap of her school bag while the other was captured by a grinning Inui. The young man glanced them over, smoothing his hair back with his free hand.
When had they gotten there? While she supposed they were close to the dining hall, she felt dumb for not having noticed the couple at the end of the pathway. Then again the trees did block the view of the hall, so this was amazingly unfortunate.
"Moka?"
"In that case, I'm not sure what you are waiting for."
Inui turned, grabbing Moka by the hip. He tugged the startled vampire towards him, slipping his other hand around her arm to her back, pushing her into him. The confused girl looked up only to have a kiss stolen from her lips.
Tsukune's grip on her went lax, not resisting as she pushed him back a step. Kurumu saw the pained look in Moka's eyes as she turned her head sharply to break the kiss. Trembling with anger, Kurumu took a step towards them.
"There's no need to be shy. You never belonged with that boy anyways. He's not one of us."
Kurumu was about to lay into him but Tsukune took off running through the woods. She grimaced, hating Inui's smug expression and how Moka stood there, sulking in his arms. With an indignant huff, she turned away to chase after her boyfriend.
For a human, he could run pretty fast when he wanted to. It did help that she was short, her legs were not in the best shape and running always caused her tits to jiggle more than she liked. It was not that it hurt but more of a concern that she might break her bra. She had to run with an arm holding her babies in place as a practical precaution.
After a couple minutes, she snatched up his hand which caused him to slow. He was panting, shaking his head as he came to a stop. She imagined the main path was somewhere off to their left beyond the trees and bushes. At least she hoped so, as she had no idea where they actually were.
"Tsukune."
"Maybe… it's for the best."
Her breath caught in her throat as tears threatened her eyes. Angrily she yanked him around and slapped him across the face. He staggered, wide eyed.
"For the best?! What about that was for the best?"
"Kurumu?"
"Do you think that was for her best? To have her first kiss taken by some guy that fools around with different girls?"
He stared off, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"I don't care if he is a vampire. I don't care if their families decide to have those two marry. I refuse to hand over my Moka to that arrogant prick!"
"What is it that you would have me do? I can't fight a vampire!"
"It's better than nothing! What have you done, Tsukune? What have you done? Have you even raised your voice? Have you protested? Have you done anything?"
He clenched his fists, looking away.
"I have tried. I can tell she isn't happy. I can tell something isn't right. I have straight up fought for my right to still be her friend, but she won't listen to me."
"If you can't get through to her, then what makes you think I could?"
Because she loves you. She could not say that. She took a deep, steadying breath. She had to be calm. She had to be careful.
"Tsukune. You are much more important to her than I am. You've always been on her side. Moka's vulnerable right now. So when this guy comes by, reminding her how things are for vampires and then you don't even put up a fight… How could I bring her back from that?"
Tsukune sighed.
"What should I do?"
"Tell her to dump that loser."
Tsukune snorted.
"You think it's as simple as that?"
"Yes."
"And what if that doesn't work?"
"Then you can be angry. Like I'm angry. And every time you see Moka acting like somebody ran over her dog, you can remind her that you're still angry and that she should not be with that guy."
Tsukune placed his hands on her shoulders. She smiled, gingerly touching the hem of his open jacket.
"I guess we should go find them."
Thinking it would be best that they did not stumble across Moka while holding hands, Kurumu gestured for him to take the lead. She had no idea what Tsukune would say to Moka, but anything was better than nothing. Well, maybe not an undying declaration of love. That could be annoying if there were witnesses.
Eventually they found the main path that went to the school. They had only started a few paces towards the school when she noticed a familiar figure running down the trail towards them. Yukari was holding her hat in place as she kicked her tiny legs up as fast as she could go. Which actually was not that fast. Like it took a whole minute for the little witch to catch up to them, heaving and gasping as she fixed the purple framed glasses resting precariously on her pert nose.
"Yukari?"
"Moka's in trouble!"
Kurumu glanced about, seeing no signs of the vampire. There were a few students walking to school, but nothing out of the ordinary.
"What are you talking about?"
Yukari held her arms out to Tsukune.
"Carry me."
Kurumu grabbed the girl by the collar and hauled her off her feet. The witch squeaked indignantly, crossing her arms about her tiny chest.
"I asked a question."
"Rude. Our vampire playboy has shown his true colors and is attacking Moka as we speak."
"What?"
"He's not even a vampire. He's mimicking an illustration that was added to my grandfather's work. Anyone that's seen Moka's true form knows that's not how a vampire actually looks."
Kurumu set the witch down and Yukari promptly tidied up her uniform.
"How do you know all this?"
Yukari smirked, touching the rim of her pentagram glasses.
"I always have my eye on Moka."
Kurumu shook her head, doubting they had time for this.
"Where is Moka?"
Yukari handing her hat over to Tsukune. Once he had taken it, she started jogging down the path again. Kurumu trotted after the little girl, finding the pace slow enough that she did not even need to hold herself. With his height, Tsukune could keep up without any effort.
"So when did you get those glasses?"
"I've been wearing them all week."
"No you haven't."
"I removed the invisibility charm. You know how hard it would be to find these if I had dropped them while running?"
"And you can see Moka with those?"
"When I borrowed those crystals from Ms. Deshi, I figured out how the spell worked. After the trouble I had following Moka around on Sunday, I decided to place that spell on these."
"Okay, but how does that keep an eye on Moka? I thought those crystals were paired. And with how heavy Moka sleeps, she would probably forget to put on any pair of invisible glasses you gave her."
"The items did not have to be identical. I simply put the sister spell on something she never takes off."
Kurumu frowned, unsure what Yukari was talking about. They were veering off the main path towards the old cemetery by the chapel.
"Her rosary!"
"Precisely, Tsukune."
"Does Moka know you placed a spell on her rosary?"
Yukari glanced over at her indignantly.
"Does it matter? She can thank me later."
Kurumu had half a mind to have some words now, but she could see the old cemetery up ahead. There was a loud crash of stone crumbling and Moka cried out. Worried, Kurumu ran past the little witch, though Tsukune's longer legs got him to the scene faster.
Inui had broken free of his shirt and his torso had bulked up considerably. He scowled upon seeing them, but quickly turned his attention to his quarry. He swiped at the trembling Moka but Tsukune dove in to push the vampire aside before the monstrous hand connected. Inui's palm smashed through the headstone as if it had not even been there.
"Tsukune!"
"What's it going to be, Moka? Do I have to thrash this boy for you to understand a vampire has no business being with someone so weak?"
Moka immediately stepped around Tsukune, thankfully unharmed, holding her arms out wide.
"Stop! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't hurt him! I'll do anything! Even quit the club! Please!"
The frantic cries and the tears in Moka's eyes were too much. Kurumu launched herself into Inui before he could react. She clamped onto his torso with talons piercing through his shoulder as she brought her other first up to smash repeatedly against his face. He gargled out in pain, grabbing her by the waist and shoulder, pushing her back. Reflexively she wrapped her legs about his torso, squeezing him hard.
This was not a vampire. There was no fear, no dread, nor ominous power. She had no idea what this guy was, but he was not going to be able to pull her off him. He had no leverage. He staggered, falling down to one knee.
"Kurumu!"
She shrieked, pummeling his face till she heard something crack. His bloodied eyes rolled back and his body pitched to the side with her in tow. Her breasts heaving and body trembling, Kurumu extracted herself from his limp body. He was not dead, but she doubted he would recover anytime soon.
Yukari whistled.
"He's right. My Moka does not have any business being with someone so weak."
Onimodoki. According to Yukari, Inui was like a shape shifter that could mimic the appearance of other creatures. While she could not explain why Kurumu's charm did not seem to affect Inui, it was abundantly clear that his level of strength and durability could not withstand an angry succubus. Other than the blatant blood stains splattered on her uniform, her clothes had not even been damaged in the fight.
Moka had been all apologies on the way to school. The vampire felt so bad at not realizing Inui was a fake sooner. She had remarked that hanging out with Inui had been somewhat like hanging out with Morioka. But last night he had been more domineering, even suggesting that she leave the newspaper club so that she could have more time with him.
They all agreed that they would have some words with Morioka about bringing that cad to the group.
She yawned, slowly bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. That asshole Takurami was reading off a passage for Mr. Nagamushi. Turning her wrist over, she glanced at the time. It would not be long before she took care of the other matter.
Oddly Nazohashi was absent. As far as she knew, the girl had never missed a day of class. As Tomisaki sat next to her, he had been recruited as the temp class rep for the day. It seemed fitting, as he had been the one to sit in on the student council meeting for her last weekend.
She glanced over at Tsukune and smiled. The air about him was much lighter. He did have the tiny marks at the base of his neck, but he had wanted Moka to and Kurumu had felt she owed Moka at least one more time. After all, it had been well over a week since her last nip and Yukari assured them that it was not any more dangerous than donating blood. According to her grandfather, drinking blood was how a vampire gained power and that Tsukune was under no threat of turning into a vampire from it.
The Rite of Ascension. Yukari had mentioned it as a potentially fatal way to make someone more compatible with a vampire, but Moka had assured them it was not actually necessary. She technically could have children with other races, but such children would be looked down upon by her kind. Already familiar with the disdain for monstrels, Kurumu did not need much more explanation.
As she regarded Moka, she realized they had not brought up Yukari's stalker enchantment. She doubted Moka would be fine with that little pervert watching her every move. Guessing this thing with the missing girls could potentially eat up all her lunch hour, she figured she could bring the matter up during club. She would love to hear the brat try to explain her way out of that.
Noting the time was near, Kurumu raised her hand. The quirky teacher noticed the gesture, continuing his reading till the end of the sentence. Lowering the notebook, he garbled something that had her name in it.
"I would like to have a word with you after class."
He clucked his tongue, wagging a finger.
"In English."
She stared at him.
"I would like to have a word with you after class."
He sighed, shaking his head. What did he honestly expect? She flunked the English part of the exam. There was no point for her trying to speak something important in some foreign tongue. He glanced at his own watch.
"Excellent class today! You are welcome!"
He thumped his notebook on the podium. He gestured in her direction, allowing other students to conclude the class was over. It was less than five minutes before the bell, so they would definitely take the early release for a shorter lunch wait.
"If you two don't mind, I was hoping to bring everyone on this."
"What are you talking about?"
"Could you go get Yukari, Tsukune? She would probably be upset if I didn't include her on this."
"Uh… sure."
"Actually I was hoping to see Ms. Ishigami."
"Huh, why?"
"Well, she seemed worried about me being with Inui yesterday. I know she hangs out in the art building this hour, preparing for the day's project."
"I guess that's fine."
"I'll try to be back for lunch."
Kurumu waved as Moka headed off for the back door. She doubted they would be able to have lunch, but had no reason to worry the girl. She looked back to Tsukune, whom still had a dubious look.
"Get Yukari."
"She will still be in class."
"That's Ms. Nekonome's class. Probably should bring her too."
"What's going on?"
"Something I should have done yesterday. Now go!"
Having shooed him off thoroughly, Kurumu got up from her desk. Hedoyami was still struggling to free himself from his seat, so she pointedly took the aisle on the right of her desk. Many of the other students closer to the doors had taken off.
Mr. Nagamushi grinned as she approached, already having his briefcase in hand at his side. He absently fiddled with his black tie, though it was as perfect as it could be in the collar of his pale blue dress shirt.
"So what is it that you wished to speak to me about?"
"I understand that you're a gorgon and can reverse the petrification powers of other gorgons."
He rolled his eyes.
"I swear, did Ms. Tonari have another accident? What did she do this time?"
She genuinely had no clue whom he was speaking about.
"Actually, this would be the work of someone else."
"I beg your pardon."
"Do you recall the posters of missing girls that we hung up a little more than a week ago?"
"I remember there being an issue and the disciplinary team taking them down."
"Well, there are seven missing girls now and we found them. They were all turned to stone and are being kept in a storage shack on campus."
Mr. Nagamushi chuckled.
"Preposterous. I have taught here for years and have been notified of every gorgon student that has come through these front doors. I have a hard time believing any of them are capable of a series of kidnappings."
Kurumu waved her hand dismissively.
"I don't care what you think about who did it. I just want the girls brought back. Let them tell you what happened."
Mr. Nagamushi paused, his demeanor changing. He placed his briefcase back on the podium, raising a hand to stroke his smooth chin.
"How long have these girls been missing?"
"Weeks. Some days. It depends on which ones we are talking about."
"If what you say is true, we will need Ms. Hitori."
"Ms. Hitori?"
"Those girls will require immediate medical attention. While nobody will actually die while stoned, the body does not take too kindly to being… preserved in such a state for long periods of time. Once I turn them back, they could die within minutes."
She grimaced. Yukari had made things sound more optimistic.
"Ms. Hitori is probably in her class. I will go get her."
Kurumu held up a palm. She had this terrifying thought that she could not let him out of her sight.
"Wait! Tsukune will be here in a couple minutes with Ms. Nekonome. You can have her get Ms. Hitori."
He frowned.
"All right then. What can you tell me about the girls?"
"I… uh… one went missing this last Sunday. That would be Genzouyaki Nerume."
"The girl that sleeps in class? Hmm. I figured she was simply not coming anymore."
"This was reported on Tuesday. I was assured the staff knew about this."
"I'm sorry, but we are rather busy. Short of me being assigned directly to the investigation team, I would not be notified of a missing girl."
"That's insane. How would any investigation succeed if the staff doesn't even know what is going on?"
"I know that Ms. Hitori was part of the first investigation team which involved the two girls that disappeared after the welcoming ceremony. But that case was closed after two weeks when no conclusions or evidence could be brought forth."
Kurumu scowled. Fucking school policy.
"Well, we found all of them. There's a third girl that I think disappeared on the first weekend and a fourth one that vanished after the tests. The twin mermaid girls disappeared during the week after that and I already told you about Genzouyaki."
He stroked his chin again as the bell sounded the end of the period.
"We might be able to take the mermaid girls to the pool. Their water would be more restorative for them than any services the hospital could offer. But those first four will have to be taken to the hospital before restoring them. I can change them back when the nurses are prepared to care for them."
It was not much longer when Tsukune returned through the back door with a smirking Yukari and a concerned Ms. Nekonome. The trio wandered their way up to the front of the class. Smugly Yukari regarded her.
"So you finally decided to do the responsible thing."
"I didn't mean to give him more time than I did. That was Ms. Kagome's fault."
"If I had known where they were, I would have told Ms. Sasayaki at lunch yesterday. Ridiculous."
"I'm sorry."
"What is going on?"
"Ms. Nekonome. These kids claim to have found the missing girls. If their story is true, we will need Ms. Hitori."
"We found them?"
"Yes, Tsukune, we did. I didn't want to tell you because Morioka wanted to keep things quiet until after he caught the person responsible for it."
Ms. Nekonome touched her breast, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Mr. Morioka has been absent these past two days."
Kurumu frowned.
"What?"
Mr. Nagamushi set his briefcase down on the podium.
"Ms. Nekonome, get Ms. Hitori."
"Yes."
As the teacher scurried for the door, she nearly collided with the staggering redhead that sauntered into the class. She made a slight bow and apology before hurrying out of sight. The redhead barely noticed the teacher, her different colored eyes brightening upon seeing Kurumu. Sakamori held her steel flask in one hand and her wallet in the other. She brandished her wallet at them as she staggered in close.
"Excush me. But hash you seen my Sakura?"
Realizing that Morioka was missing, Kurumu glanced over at Mr. Nagamushi.
"It might be eight girls now."
"Ms. Sakamori has been blathering about her friend two days now. Nobody…"
She stared at him. Realizing his error, he held his hand out to the girl.
"Do you have a picture of your friend?"
"Sur rah here."
She held up her wallet. She looked at it and giggled. She unfolded her wallet to reveal the picture inserts, displaying it to them.
"Oopsh, thash mum. Ish thish one."
She adjusted the picture to a different one, holding it out. Kurumu took it out of the girl's hand, glancing it over. It looked like the picture you could take at an arcade. The redhead was leaning up against a dishwater blond girl with what looked like wind chimes that had been braided into her hair. The hazel eyed girl was smiling nervously.
Tsukune took the wallet from her, his gaze wide.
"Where did Moka say she was going?"
"The art building to see Ms. Ishigami."
Thrusting the wallet back in her hands, Tsukune bolted down the aisle.
"Tsukune!"
He did not hesitate or stop. He ran through the open back door, clearly intent on finding Moka.
"He seemed in an awful hurry."
"She wouldn't…"
Kurumu frowned, glancing up at Mr. Nagamushi.
"Ms. Sakamori. Could you please go to lunch?"
"Why?"
"Because it is the lunch hour. Now go to lunch."
"Okay."
Kurumu smiled, handing the redhead back her wallet. Sakamori smiled, regarding the picture. Stumbling about, she pressed her wallet to her chest and lifted the flask. Taking a hearty swig, she slowly stumbled her way back out of the classroom.
"So is there a reason for us to wait for Ms. Hitori, or should we be heading down there?"
"We should be going. Mr. Nagamushi?"
"Young lady. You are the one that knows where these girls are. I will be following you."
Realizing this was true, Kurumu lead the group out into the hallway. She paused a moment, wondering if they should take the stairs down here or if they should take the set by the bathrooms. Given that it was lunch hour, there were already so many students lingering by the doors of the home economics room. Decisively, she led the group down the stairs, casting glances over her shoulder to make sure they did not miss Ms. Nekonome.
She was a little worried about Tsukune running off like that. He must have figured out about the missing girls, but it was not like they needed Moka to handle this. They would have teachers with them. Once the girls outed the person whom had done this, they could let the teachers handle the fighting.
As they turned about at the bottom of the stairs, she spied Ms. Hitori with Ms. Nekonome slipping out of her classroom. She raised her hand, waving to get their attention as they approached the pair slipping through the mass of students. Thankfully Mr. Nagamushi had been doing the same, as he was much taller and easier to spot.
"Ms. Hitori, Ms. Nekonome."
Ms. Hitori tilted her head, her eyes flashing gold before returning to hazel.
"So where are we going?"
"Lead the way, Ms. Kurono."
Kurumu nodded, gesturing them to follow as she continued down the hallway on the side that was not burdened with students. She glanced over at Yukari.
"Do you still have those glasses?"
Yukari peered up at her innocently.
"What glasses?"
"Where is Moka?"
"Oh, she's probably talking with Ms. Ishigami right now in the art building."
Kurumu rolled her eyes. She led the group to the stairway on the left. She pushed open the exit door and started off. The teachers paused a moment at the door, but overcame their hesitation when Yukari hurried out to keep up with her. She had a feeling she was going to be scolded about her lack of shoe manners when this was over.
It only took her a few seconds to locate the small path Morioka had shown her two days ago. Confident she had the right trail, she gestured for the teachers to follow. After three short minutes of blazing the trail till the woods were so thick that they had no clear vision of the school, she came across the ominous shack. The eerie stillness remained thick upon the air, daring any life to tread into its realm. Feeling relieved that she would finally have this burden lifted, she hurried her step up to the small ramp that preceded the door.
A new padlock had been secured upon the door frame.
"Morioka had broken into this place at the start of the week. I doubt he put this lock on the door."
Mr. Nagamushi stepped ahead of the others. He moved to the door, lifting up the padlock.
"I would imagine Mr. Morioka is inside. You can't surprise a gorgon in a territory they have marked. I'm sure she knows someone is here."
"She?"
The instructor tugged the padlock down, it breaking off the hinges. Turning the knob, he yanked the door open and strolled inside the dark room.
"With how many of us are here, she will panic."
"Oh."
"Yukari?"
"Ms. Ishigami is attacking Moka."
Kurumu's heart skipped.
"What about Tsukune?!"
"Never mind him. We can undo anything she might do to those two. While Hitomi has certainly done a strange thing here, I doubt she can cross the line of murder. She must have taken that break up harder than she let on."
Ms. Hitori clucked her tongue as she walked into the room behind him.
"I told her that man wasn't worth it. So what order shall we do this?"
"Do you recognize the two from your investigation?"
"It's dark in here."
Ms. Hitori held up her hand. Instantly a tongue of flame appeared, hovering over her thumb and extended fingertips. The impromptu light revealed the nearest figure. It was a girl, still clothed in her uniform, with her back to the doorway. As Kurumu stepped inside the room, she realized whom it was.
"Nazohashi!"
The braided girl stood still, her hands outstretched to the other statues in the room. Her expression was locked in a state of shock.
"She must have realized your club found her spot. But there are too many girls here. There was no way she could move them all without being noticed."
That was why she had sent Moka away yesterday. Having done the twins, she knew she could handle two of them. If not for Ms. Kagome, she would be standing here next to Nazohashi.
"There's Morioka."
Their president had been lifted up onto a dusty table. He was thankfully dressed, but his form was locked in a crouching position. His hands were held close together, as if he had been holding something. His camera. His camera was missing. His head was turned slightly over his shoulder, suggesting he had been taken by surprise.
The rest of the statues were stripped bare. Perhaps they had been asked to? It did look like all of them had been posing in some sort of fashion before they had been petrified. One of the twins even had a goofy smile, making it easy to distinguish which one was Tarako. She pointed at the pair on the far table, the smiling twin kneeling upright with her hands on her sister's shoulders while the seated twin looked grumpy as ever with her arms crossed to hide her small breasts.
"Those are the Unabara sisters. The mermaids I told you about."
"Hold up for a moment."
Mr. Nagamushi wandered all the way to the back of the building. He paused by a basin and leaned over. He turned something and the sound of water followed.
"That's good. I can fix the most recent ones right now."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Take one of the two you were investigating straight to the hospital. Tell them the situation and leave the girl in their care. Then come back here for the others."
"Right."
Ms. Hitori hefted one of the unfamiliar girls that had been staring off to the side with a slim smile and her hand covering her crotch. Her other hand was on her hip, brazenly baring her modest bosom.
"My apologies in advance, but your bottom is the best place to grab."
Ms. Hitori waddled towards the door. Yukari quickly darted inside to avoid being in the way. Ms. Nekonome lingered on the path outside, wringing her hands with indecision.
Once Ms. Hitori had gotten down the ramp, she looked up at the sky. A burst of flame sprouted from her back soon followed with the fluffing of four grand wings of crackling fire. Her clothes caught flame and lasted a mere second before the teacher was in the same state as the statue she was holding. And then she was gone.
"Huh?"
"Phoenix."
Kurumu glanced at the awestruck Yukari. The girl turned her wide eyes to the other teachers.
"You have a phoenix."
Mr. Nagamushi had come back from the running water and was looking over Nazohashi. He looked over at the little witch and nodded.
"Yes."
"Teaching home ec."
"She didn't want to teach anything else."
Yukari shook her head dumbfounded. Kurumu did not understand the significance of Ms. Hitori being a phoenix. All she knew was the woman had vanished in a pillar of flame. She assumed the teacher was still alive.
"How is Moka?"
"Oh… she's tied up right now. It also seems like there is another petrified girl in the art building. I presume that would be the one Sakamori spoke of."
"We don't need to worry about that now. She'll most likely turn Ms. Akashiya to stone and then try to run."
Mr. Nagamushi placed his hands on the sides of Nazohashi's face. A slight glow emanated from his palms and fingertips. In moments the stone took back her tanned skin tone and the girl gasped. She staggered forward into the teacher, whom promptly wrapped her up in a hug and patted the top of her head. Nazohashi's arms circled about him and she choked out a cry.
"It was a teacher. It was a teacher."
"There, there. It's all right, little one."
The girl sobbed into his chest and it really hit Kurumu. Nazohashi had been so frightened of the other students in this school. She had taken comfort in the belief that the staff would look after her. There was nothing she could say to this. She realized now why Morioka had not wanted her to be involved.
"Save those tears now. You should drink some water."
He pushed back on her shoulders and she graciously gave him the space. Lifting up her arms, she rubbed her eyes against her sleeves as she slipped around him. Sniffling, she made her way to the back of the room where the water was running.
"Uh… Maki? Do you need me to do anything?"
"Just stay there. I doubt she will try to stop me, but we have no idea what state of mind she is in."
"Yea, I would guess she's completely lost it. I wish I could hear what she's saying, but it's kind of fun dubbing her lip movements."
Kurumu doubted anyone could appreciate the humor Yukari had with this. Shaking her head, she made her way about the statues. She smiled as she noted another seated girl. Genzouyaki was cross-legged with her elbows on her knees while leaning forward a little with her head tilted and a slight smile. Returning the smile, Kurumu brushed her fingers across the smooth temple.
"Hey, sorry for taking so long. But I'm sure you heard that idiot over there, trying to play hero. I should have known better."
Mr. Nagamushi had moved over to said idiot. He placed his hands on Morioka's cheeks in the same fashion as before. In moments their club president shifted forward before letting out a heavy sigh. Groaning, Morioka straightened up out of Nagamushi's grasp. Patting himself, he hopped down from the table.
"Well I found the culprit."
Kurumu rolled her eyes.
"Clearly."
"I am disappointed in you, Kurumu."
"What? You're disappointed?"
"Indeed. Now what shall the title of our article be? Faculty comes to the rescue of newspaper club that was in over their heads. That's sad journalism there. I knew I shouldn't have trusted you to handle this on your own."
"Why you little prick!"
He held a finger up to her, grinning.
"I assure you, there are no little pricks in a room full of naked girls."
"Senior."
Morioka flinched. He turned with a wide smile as he regarded Tora whom was hovering near the sink.
"Tora, Tora. I'm so sorry about how this turned out."
She swallowed and gestured to the running sink.
"I should have a drink."
"Oh, Tsukune has come to the rescue."
Kurumu flinched. That was not good. Mr. Nagamushi probably assumed Tsukune was just another monster kid, which was why he was in no hurry. She had no idea if she should mention his error.
Mr. Nagamushi walked over to her, gesturing to the statue.
"Which one is this one?"
"Genzouyaki."
"The Sunday girl. I should be able to safely revive this one, though… I don't think we have any clothes for her."
"I don't think anyone here would care how modestly they are rescued."
"All the same, I think I would prefer not to have a girl come out of this stasis while facing me in such a state."
Mr. Nagamushi took off his brown tweed jacket and draped it over the girl. He then stepped around the desk, touching the girl's cheeks from behind. His fingers radiated the restorative light, turning the stone back to her usual pale flesh. Her half lidded eyes blinked and her mouth turned wide open as she let out a loud yawn. She licked her lips.
"Thirsty."
Kurumu felt so much relief as the girl behaved like she was waking up from a long nap. She tentatively reached up to grab the girl by her shoulders while Genzouyaki promptly pushed her hands away so she could rub her eyes.
"My eyes hurt."
"They are probably dry."
Mr. Nagamushi placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her forward. The small girl groaned, allowing him to push her off the table. She managed to get her feet down but pitched forward into Kurumu's arms. She nearly took them both down to the floor, but Kurumu managed to help the girl back up on her unsteady feet.
"Uh… help."
The teacher slipped back around the desk. He lowered a hand to grab under Genzouyaki's arm, lifting. It was enough for Kurumu to steady Genzouyaki and herself.
"You should get some water, young lady."
Kurumu nodded, trying to get the shaky girl to move in the direction of the sink. She glanced about after the first couple steps.
"What do we do now?"
"Not much that I can do. We have to wait for Ms. Hitori to return. When she does, we will know she has things ready at the hospital and then we can take the twins over there to the pool."
"What about the other girls?"
"Well, I will be traveling separately. So once I'm done with the twins, I will head to the hospital. Ms. Hitori will come back here to get each of the remaining girls."
"You won't travel together."
"I prefer to keep my clothes intact."
Made sense. She struggled a couple more steps when a hand was offered to her. She scowled looking up at Morioka. He grinned, ignoring her look as he leaned down and hauled Genzouyaki off the floor and out of her grasp. The girl mumbled a slight protest that quickly turned into another wide yawn. Genzouyaki wrapped her arms about Morioka's neck, rubbing her cheek on his shoulder as he cradled one arm under her knees.
"I'll have you know that your friend Inui will not be joining the club."
"Oh? That's a pity. He will be missed."
She was about to strangle his smug ass when Yukari squealed with glee.
"How's 'Vampire drop kicks crazy teacher for the knock out' work for a title? Oh, and you should also add a trip to the art building. I think everyone there might need some medical attention."
"Tsukune?"
Yukari chuckled.
"Oh don't worry about Tsukune. I'm sure he got hard for Moka."
Yea… nobody would appreciate that sense of humor.
It was late. Kurumu ran her fingers through the pink locks of the vampire resting in her lap. Moka had passed out a good twenty minutes or so ago and it had been far more uncomfortable with her dead weight leaning on her shoulder. If she had not guided Moka's head safely into her lap, the poor vampire would have fallen off her chair.
Kurumu favored the occupant of the hospital bed with a soft smile. The staff had stripped the unconscious boy down, redressing him in the simple gown all medical places had on hand. The covers had been drawn up to his chest and one of his arms remained out and extended, hooked up to a medical drip bag. She understood it was for hydration.
A lot of things had happened today. When Ms. Hitori had returned, the teachers had discussed over the plans. They had been sent back to the school with Ms. Nekonome, while Mr. Nagamushi had left for the pool. Morioka, whom had behaved rather calm and appeared uninjured, had been sent off to fetch Ms. Amekoshi so they could confirm that the twins did not need the hospital.
Nazohashi had returned to the dorms with Genzouyaki. Kurumu had no idea if the girls had come back to school later in the day, as she had steadfastly refused to go anywhere without seeing if Tsukune was okay. Already having her 'eye' on Moka, Yukari had politely returned to her classes.
Ms. Kagome had shared a homemade lunch with Kurumu as they waited for the faculty to handle the situation in the art building. The math teacher had agreed with Ms. Nekonome for each of them to cover one of Ms. Hitori's classes, given it unlikely the woman could return in time for them. When the bell sounded the end of the lunch hour, the two had left for their fifth period classes, leaving Kurumu in Ms. Uchikawa's care.
Ms. Uchikawa was a dirty gray haired woman that wore her bangs over one of her pale blue eyes. As one of the elective teachers, she had no classes until the sixth and seventh periods. While chatting with the animated health instructor, she had learned that the woman was in charge of the cheerleading squad, was the youngest of four sisters and would be attending her cousin's wedding this weekend.
She had been spared the woman's enthusiasm when Ms. Tsumugi had come down to let her know that her friends had been brought to the infirmary. As this was about halfway through the fifth period, the hallways had been empty as she hurried off to check on her friends.
To her surprise, it was not her Moka waiting for her. The silver haired demon had been standing watch over the petrified Tsukune and Senjo. The true Moka did not have much to say, though it was clear she was angry with Kurumu. Stop allowing these things to happen. Before she could manage a protest in her defense, the vampire had slipped the rosary back on. As hair quickly regained its pinkish color, the kind Moka had passed out.
She absolutely hated that other one. It was like dealing with an authoritarian mother whom was infallible. Nothing she could do would ever impress that girl. No thanks for handling Inui. She was just a damn failure because she did not predict Ms. Ishigami going mental. She had to wonder if that Moka was emulating Moka's family life. Considering the impression that Moka barely had a family life, it made sense.
Shortly after the start of the sixth period, Mr. Nagamushi had arrived in the infirmary to remedy the situation. As Moka had just started coming to, he fixed up her legs and arm first. He then did Ms. Senjo, whom quickly dressed up in the spare uniform that had been laid out for her.
While doing these things, he had answered her questions about Ms. Ishigami and the Unabara twins. The art teacher was being held by Kuyo for the time being. If any of the girls perished, she would be executed for her crimes. Her best case would have her resign from her position with a notable mark on her resume. It was unlikely any school would hire her again, considering most were funded by Fairy Tale and all had ties.
Losing Ishigami was not a huge blow to the faculty. She only taught the art elective and was the advisor for the archery club. Having assisted her in past years with the club, Mr. Nagamushi figured he could handle that role until someone else stepped up. As for the art elective, Ms. Sano, the manga club advisor, did not have any classes those hours and had already been asked to fill that role until they hired someone else.
As for the twins, it seemed both would be fine. Ms. Amekoshi had been super chatty and excited to have her freshmen twins back, but he had amicably excused himself as he was running late for his fifth period class. With that finished and having made arrangements with Mr. Hakuru to cover his last class, Mr. Nagamushi was free to handle things here and at the hospital.
But Tsukune did not recover after being changed back. Confused, Mr. Nagamushi shared a few words with Ms. Tsumugi in her office. When he concluded that Tsukune's constitution was more fragile than expected and would require medical treatment, Kurumu had pleaded to accompany him. When Moka joined in, the teacher quickly caved in.
Carrying Tsukune in his arms, Mr. Nagamushi had led the girls off the school grounds to the faculty parking lot. There had been a brief argument over which of them would ride in the back with Tsukune, but Mr. Nagamushi had firmly told her to take the front seat. In a huff, she had complied.
From what she understood, there was only one major road that wrapped about Mononoke and the grounds of Yokai academy. To preserve the air of a time before vehicles, this road only turned into parking lots that were located near school buildings and important town services. Even the lot for the hospital was a fair walk to the actual building.
A clothed Ms. Hitori had greeted them in the hospital lobby. Having finished her task while the others attended to their fifth period duties, the crimson haired teacher had gone home. She had spared only one inquiry about Tsukune before focusing the discussion on the girls.
The teachers went their own way while the staff took Tsukune another. The nurses had been amicable, allowing them to stay with Tsukune while he was carted off to a room and hooked up. Other than an hour break to eat dinner in the hospital's cafeteria, they had not left the room.
Mr. Nagamushi had come for them around six. He paid for the dinner and let them know about the girls. Morisato's friend, Ms. Kisurusu, had already been released and it looked like Ms. Kinzoku would be sent home first thing in the morning. The last two girls were still in pretty bad shape, but it seemed like it was more a question of when they would recover than if.
He had offered taking them home, which they had politely declined. After telling them not to worry so much, he had excused himself with a light hearted remark about his wife not being happy when learning he had spent most his day looking after a bunch of naked young girls.
It was almost nine. A nurse had already told her that there were visiting hours and that they would be kicked out. She sighed, wishing Tsukune would at least wake up. Even if he spent the night here, she wanted to leave knowing that he would be fine.
"You know, I would have brought the results to school. You did not need to drop by the hospital."
Kurumu managed a smile at the familiar voice. Ms. Sasayaki stood in the doorway, this time wearing the white lab coat. A small ID badge was clipped to her left breast pocket. The woman sauntered over, resting her long fingers on Kurumu's shoulders.
"I see now."
Her fingers lifted up, tracing up Kurumu's neck to slip into her locks. She stiffened at the intrusion, but she dared not move much with Moka resting against her. Those fingers moved gently in her hair, thumbs moving up to the base of her neck.
"He is a delicate one. The process of turning to stone and back again is quite a shock to the system. But he should recover."
Mr. Nagamushi had said as much. At this point, she suspected they all knew about Tsukune's true nature. The school nurse, Mr. Nagamushi and now Ms. Sasayaki. She wanted to trust the faculty, but she felt scared. It only took one to disagree with the notion of having a human on campus.
"What should we do?"
"You? Go home would be a start. I was sent to escort the two of you off the premises, but I could drive you back to your dorms."
"Will he wake up tonight?"
"It's possible."
"I don't want him to wake up alone."
The woman laughed softly. Freeing one hand from that comforting massage, Ms. Sasayaki gestured to a corded line that ended with a red button.
"This is a hospital. If he wakes and needs something, there is always staff on duty to attend to him."
"It's not the same."
"That may be true, but we have rules on visitation. I would say come back after nine, but you girls should be in school then. I can't encourage skipping classes."
Kurumu sighed. Even if she did, she had to finish her track article. There were too many people counting on her for that. And she did not want Tsukune to still be unconscious this late tomorrow.
As she absently stroked her fingers through Moka's hair, she realized Moka no longer had a suitable article. They would need to find a new topic if Morioka was insistent about having their first paper ready for next week.
"Do you think you could sit down with Moka for an interview tomorrow?"
"Hmm?"
"Moka was doing an article on Ms. Ishigami, but I doubt we can use that. I was thinking we could do you instead."
"I can't tomorrow, but I could manage something Saturday."
"Thanks."
"Though I don't think talking about my work would be all that interesting. Perhaps present it as a family piece."
"Family?"
"Why yes. Many of the faculty are friends and family with each other. Maybe I can even convince my sister to drag him and the kids along. It has been a while since we've all done something like a picnic together."
Kurumu smiled at the thought of doing an interview at a picnic. Even if this was for Moka's article, she would not mind tagging along for that. It sounded like it would be fun.
"I'll check with Nazohashi in the morning if we can do that. She has a better idea how much space we should be using."
"Well, you know where to find me. Shall we be going?"
"Yea."
Kurumu reached down and shook Moka's shoulder. The girl moaned.
"So when will you have those test results?"
"Optimistically, Monday. Realistically, Thursday."
Kurumu paused in her shaking of the stubborn vampire. She did not have the impression this hospital was very busy. It would not surprise her in the slightest if they were the only patients in the building.
The hospital was a five story building, but the layout was simple. The first floor was waiting rooms, emergency rooms, admin offices and the gift shop and cafeteria. The second floor was all the exam rooms, testing equipment rooms and more offices. Third floor was the labor and delivery while the fourth and fifth floors were nothing but patient rooms, storage closets and unoccupied spaces. They were on the fourth floor and it was deathly quiet in the halls.
"Could you wake up?!"
Frustrated she popped Moka on the side of the head. The vampire groaned, lifting a hand up to rub the spot. Yawning, she slowly lifted out of Kurumu's lap into an upright, seated position.
"Is it morning?"
Kurumu smirked, getting up from the stool. Grabbing Moka by the hand, she tugged the girl to get her on her feet. To her surprise, Moka tugged back, and rather hard. Before she knew it, the vampire had grabbed her up in a stiff hug.
"Hey. What's this for?"
Moka squeezed tightly at first, but then her body relaxed. Her cheek pressed on Kurumu's shoulder, breath tickled her throat. Then she became heavy.
"Don't sleep on me."