So I am somewhat back. It's a shame that many of my followers left, but to all that managed to stay onboard, I give a hearty thumbs up! I will try to make it as smooth and interesting as possible. Sorry about the mistakes. Honestly, I revised that sucker 3 times. I think I might just have trouble with words since I can't seem to SEE the mistake. Ah well, I'll still try harder.
Hope this will satiate you for another few weeks!
XxXxXxXxXxX
"It's true, but I don't think he could be romantic. I mean... look at him." The two girls whispering gave a secretive glance to the side. They stared at a particular orange-haired boy that had wandered into the library for research.
The other girl with pigtails nodded. "Yeah, he always has that scowl on his face. It makes him look mean."
"But handsome!" The other one added, causing both girls to giggle. Then the other one gesticulated with her hand, telling her to keep it down.
"Shhh! Don't say too loud. I hear his girlfriend gets jealous. If she catches you..." She left the words hanging.
Meanwhile, the object of their conversation happened to have found his book and sat a table close to them. The girls hushed their conversation the moment he arrived, which was not lost on Ichigo. He shrugged mentally, he didn't really care what they were talking about. He needed to figure out Kanji for a certain word.
The girls couldn't keep quiet though. They ended up talking once again, albeit, in a very hush-hush tone. "Look at that! He looks like a man when he's concentrating like that."
The friend with the pigtails giggled before forcing herself to be quiet. "I'm kind of jealous. I'm pretty sure if he was still single, he'd have every girl fawning over him."
"Probably. I know I would." She grinned before she paused in thought. "Though, I haven't heard anything romantic lately."
"What do you mean?" Pig-tail girl asked.
"I mean, sometimes Kurumu babbles on about everything she does with Ichigo. While it's okay that she loves him for who he is, isn't it kind of sad that he doesn't do anything romantic?"
Her friend thought about it, her nose crinkling at the thought. "Yeah, I guess so. I like it when guys do romantic things and are still manly."
And as the girls continued their conversation, they failed to realize Ichigo had been listening in. He hadn't meant to, but they were so close and though they tried being quiet about it, they weren't exactly the type to speak quietly. He sat quietly, one ear large to the conversation he was hearing. He wasn't romantic? He scowled at that. He didn't want to considered unromantic, especially by Kurumu. It wasn't like he had a choice though. Most of his life revolved around fighting. Even if he wanted to, he didn't think he would've had the chance. His finger tapped hastily against the book's binding. What should he do.
Then it hit him. He was in a library. A rather large one at that. Since there was no other place to go, there were a lot of imported books, making the library vast and large. And since a library was full of knowledge regarding anything and everything, he knew what he had to search for. Slamming the book closed and startling the girls, he embarked on his quest to make himself more romantic.
Not that he had any clue where to start. He realized that there was literally an entire wall and some sections simply for the section of love. There was young love, old love, forbidden love, young love, sweet love, sad love and any other love you could possibly think of. It was mostly human literature, but Ichigo noticed there were a few monster love books there as well.
Ichigo ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He didn't know where to start. So instead, he just opted to look through the books one at a time. He reached for a book in front of him. He opened it up. He read a few pages and then decided it wasn't what he was looking for.
Ichigo filtered through the books faster than anyone could see. Granted, he wasn't exactly reading. He was skimming titles in the hopes of finding something that pertained to his situation. He didn't move sections until he accidentally wound up in the forbidden love section. Thankfully, just like any other books he had done, he had only skimmed and not looked too deep inside, protecting himself from mental scarring. This wasn't to say that no one else had seen him pull out the book. The two girls he had startled were spying on him, and he realized they were blushing at possibilities that Ichigo couldn't even fathom. He sighed. Whatever, let them think what they want. He didn't care.
He continued along, glancing at the sections as he passed them by. Then he passed a book that read, "Love advice 101: Karma Sutra." He looked at the cover, the silhouette of a man and a woman pressed together intimately though it was shaded out so no personal parts were revealed. Ichigo coughed at that, but curiosity gripped him. He looked around, making sure no one was looking. Thankfully, he seemed to be the only one in this section for the moment. He quickly went to reach for it until he felt something soft and chilly interrupt his grabbing of the book.
Ichigo looked to the side. His eyes widened slightly as he recognized the person. "Mizore?"
"Yo." She greeted, waving his lollipop at him. Then she looked at the book, ignoring their touching hands for the moment.
"I see you're finally making the initiative. Good for you Ichigo." She nodded, clearly enthused by Ichigo's desire to take the lead.
Ichigo pulled his hand away, his cheeks flushed. "I... just don't want to be considered unromantic." He groused, avoiding the Snow Girl's gaze.
Mizore's eyebrow tweaked upwards, her interest thoroughly piqued now. "And what makes you think Kurumu doesn't consider you romantic?"
Ichigo paused as he recalled the two girls whispering. "Just something I heard." He was deliberately vague, but that didn't bother Mizore. She didn't really care for the reason. She was more interested in how Ichigo thought he was going to solve his problem.
"So, that something you heard made you go to a sex book?" Mizore plopped her lollipop back in her mouth, her cool gaze looking upon Ichigo's tense one.
"I was just browsing, it wasn't on purpose." He sighed. How could she be so calm about this? Granted, Mizore was always cool in her demeanor no matter what seemed to happen.
Mizore made a sound that told Ichigo she didn't believe him. "Regardless, what is it that you want to improve exactly?"
Ichigo opened his mouth, but realized he was stumped. He didn't actually have anything specific in mind. He just didn't want to be considered unromantic. So that was his reply to her.
"I see." Mizore tilted her head in thought. "Well, I don't know what you and Kurumu are doing on your dates, but if she's not complaining, there really shouldn't be any need for you to try to improve yourself." Then she patted his shoulder. "But I like the effort. Paying attention is something every girl wants in a man." She looked at him and she could tell he still wasn't satisfied. She closed her eyes and shook her head at his stubbornness until she thought of something that could potentially appease his ego.
"Actually, follow me. I think I have the book you're looking for." Ichigo did just that and followed her to a self-help section. Ichigo looked back, wondering why they left the romance aisle. It wasn't until he passed the self-help section that he realized Mizore had taken him to an area marked "Relationships." She then pulled out a book and handed it to Ichigo.
"Ways to rekindle a dying romance?" Upon reading that, Ichigo's eyes bugged out as he faced Mizore. "My romance is not dying!"
"SHHHH!" The librarian hushed him, Ichigo feeling bad that he had burst out so suddenly. Mizore chuckled.
"I never said it was. It's just a book that gives you all sorts of ideas on how to be romantic. It's what you were looking for right?" She asked. Ichigo looked at the red book. He held it in his hand as if it was a valuable relic of some kind from an Indiana Jones movie.
"Yes." He admitted after a moment.
"Honestly though, from my point a view as a woman. I think you just need to relax a little." Ichigo looked at Mizore, a question on his face. Mizore replied to that question. "You're too tense when you try to be romantic. And you don't do anything until your emotions overflow and you gain confidence."
That stung Ichigo a little, but he took it as constructive criticism. He had realized that himself, but not to the extent Mizore had told him.
Mizore crossed her arms and twirled her lollipop. "I think... you just need to let things come out naturally. There's another book somewhere here that matches what kind of romances a certain personality type should take. It kinda deals more with the psychological aspect of a relationship, but it still helps."
Ichigo stared at the book once more, feeling the weight of it in his hand. "I wonder what my romance should be." He murmured to himself, more Mizore's ears caught it.
Mizore made a thoughtful noise before replying a second later. "Loyal type romance. You strike me as the person who will just be there, regardless of what happens." The she tapped her chin. "Although you could be Uberly romantic too, I've seen how you sometimes show Kurumu your sex eyes. It makes her melt."
Ichigo sputtered a little. Sex eyes? What the hell did that mean! As if answering his question, Mizore said, "Basically, you have an unconscious ability to seduce any woman." Then she proudly stated, "Except for those already taken and truly in love."
"Sex eyes?" Ichigo repeated, the words strange on his tongue.
Mizore nodded. "Sex eyes." Ichigo didn't look too pleased.
Mizore consoled the boy. "I think it's good. You have the loyalty of a long-lasting partner with the fiery passion of a passionate lover. Good combo I think."
Ichigo's tongue was currently in a knot. He didn't have any clue as to what to say. All he could really do was listen to Mizore's advice for the moment.
"So, you're sure this will help?" Mizore nodded before adding one last thing.
"Sure, and if it doesn't, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Ichigo gave her an incredulous stare.
"Gee, thanks." He scoffed when Mizore took it as genuine thanks and gave him a thumbs up.
"No problem. Just don't overdo it." Was her final tip before turning around and leaving.
Then she turned back around and asked Ichigo. "You're not going to grab that Kama Sutra book are you?" She asked. Ichigo shook his head.
"Great." And now she left, book in hand.
Ichigo looked at his red book, hoping it would have the answers he needed.
XXX
Some time later on.
"You wouldn't believe who I met at the library."
Tsukune looked at her, his eyes turning away from the movie they were watching. She was excited, though most people wouldn't have picked it up.
"Who?"
"Ichigo." She replied. Tsukune wasn't too sure why that was big news. Unless...
"Was he looking for something?"
Mizore nodded. "Yep, specifically about romance."
Tsukune let out a quick, low whistle. "Wow, never thought I'd see him take the initiative."
"That's what I told him." She looked at her boyfriend, her eyes looking amused.
"Huh. Well, I'm glad." He said, but then was curious about one thing. "So did you end up helping him?"
"Yeah. I gave him a few books. Oh, guess how we met?" She completely forgot to mention how they met, she was sure it'd surprise Tsukune.
"How?" She must've been excited since she would've ordinarily told him anyways. Now she was making him guess.
"We both reached for a Kama Sutra book." Her tone rose a little, showing a little more of her excitement. "It was almost like something out of a romance novel."
Tsukune guffawed, but not because his girlfriend's hand touched Ichigo's. "Wait, Ichigo was actually going for a sex book?"
"I know right?" Mizore's tone was now definitely excited, yet still cool in its inflection. "I'm surprised that was the first thing he went for."
Tsukune thought about it. He wasn't too sure. Ichigo wasn't that kind of person. Just the fact that Ichigo thought about trying to be more romantic was already surprise enough for the brown-haired boy.
"I don't think so." Tsukune offered his perspective. "It doesn't seem like him."
"Well, he did say he'd heard rumors." Mizore told her boyfriend.
"Rumors?"
"Yeah. He said the reason he was looking for something about romance was because he heard rumors that he was unromantic."
"Ah, that makes more sense." Tsukune said as he made like Sherlock Holmes and solved the puzzle. "He was probably looking through other books beforehand." Then he turned to ask, "Did you ask how long he'd been searching?"
"Nope." Tsukune grinned.
"So did you give him any advice?" He asked her.
"I simply told him to not worry about. Just let it come naturally. He's already got the effort part down. All he really needs it to just let go of his worries." Mizore replied.
"Well, that's as good as it gets." He summed up.
Tsukune briefly looked at the tv screen before turning back to his girlfriend only to see a look of deep thought etched into her features.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Well, I'm giving him relationship advice. But the only person I've dated... I mean really dated was you. It's not like I have a whole lot of experience either." She twirled her lollipop as Tsukune mulled over her words.
"I guess so." Then he smiled. "I guess we're still trying to figure it out huh?"
Mizore looked at her boyfriend and entwined her fingers with his. "And I'm glad it's with you."
The boy smiled, nodding his assent before the couple returned to watching the movie, albeit with a little more snuggling this time.
X
Back with Ichigo and his stupendous research of epic proportions.
Our orange-haired hero turned the book, page by page. He swallowed the facts and statistics as if it were the answer to all his problems. Well, considering most of his problems revolved around romance, the books were the answer to all his problems. Imagine that?
The one thing that stuck out to him was to go out on more dates. That seemed like a no-brainer, and he felt rather stupid not being able to think of that first. Still, he read it. He was surprised when the book didn't mention anything extravagant. In fact, they were things he could do. The book mentioned to say simple words after every departure. Words like, 'I love you' or 'I'll miss you.' Ichigo was surprised the book was actually quite simple considering its size. Each chapter read more like a pamphlet rather than an actual book. Still, he wasn't complaining. These ideas weren't too hard and he felt like he could do it. He shut the book, intending to practice.
Ichigo inhaled, calming himself down. He turned to his left, imagining Kurumu was there. The scenario: They were talking and it was time for her to go. Which choice of words would he say? He imagined her smiling face, which unintentionally brought a similar smile to his. He continued to imagine the scenario. Her figure moved to get up and leave towards the door. Yet, despite telling himself this would be easy, Ichigo realized it was anything but. He was still sort of shy, unless he was already in the mood as Mizore had said. He stood up, gathering his courage to say the words he wanted to say.
But it was too late, by the time he thought of something to say, Kurumu would've already left. He cursed himself and plopped himself back down on the couch. Kurumu hadn't even really been there and he'd already messed up. He ruffled his hair in frustration before briefly sighing. Managing simple words was harder than he'd expected. But he persevered despite his lack in eloquence. However, when it seemed he was only going to draw blanks, he moved on to the next chapter.
Give her flowers, it read. Sure, in this inhospitable landscape. Where would he get the flowers? Granted, monsters had different tastes than humans. Maybe he could gather some of the ones out there? Though, when he remembered the Dorian Fruit experience it left a bad taste in his mouth, both literally and figuratively. He revoked that idea with a passion as his body sent terrible shivers up his spine. He had goosebumps.
Ichigo placed the book down, folding his hands beneath his chin. His visage bore one of deep thought. His mind brought him back to Mizore's words. She had told him to relax. He sighed. Could it be he was trying too hard? He ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he was over-thinking it. The book was simple, yet he couldn't understand it. Was this a case of "The simple solutions are the best solutions?" If so, then Ichigo was seriously going about it the wrong way and he knew it.
So he relaxed. Thankfully he had brought his Ipod as he unfolded his headphones and placed them over his ears. Everything else around him went silent as the music began to play. The guitar solo came in before it exploded into a cacophony of instruments that were similar to rock. Ichigo could feel his muscles unwind. He was relaxing. All that stress was simply ebbing away. His mind joyfully accepted the wondrous music that was playing in his ears. Ichigo's head moved to rest on the couch's arm while his legs rested on the other end. His arms were folded back behind his head, his hands supporting the back of his neck
Despite the adrenaline-pumping song playing, his thoughts veered towards Kurumu. He thought about her face, how radiant she looked when she smiled. Her laughter was the best music to him, and when she played with him, it made him want to embrace her and never let go. Ichigo sighed peacefully, feeling his mind go poetic on him. Her energy was contagious and he was pretty that not even his Hollow could dampen his spirits when she was around. In fact, she did fill him with life. He was more talkative, usually more expressive when she was around. He would smile more and laugh more. He was... so much more with her, simply put.
But those eyes. So expressive, so full of emotion. And they were large, making him feel like he could swim in her gaze. He got lost in them sometimes, and he was pretty sure Kurumu noticed this too, hence the teasing. Ichigo briefly lifted up his hand over his face, slightly embarrassed as he remembered some of said teasing words. Then e looked at the tips of his fingers, realizing how often he actually touched her. Just by mere thought, he could feel her soft skin when he hugged her and when they were being intimate. There was not a bump on her skin. His heart began beating rapidly as he remembered the times when his hand hugged her hips, taking in the curvature of her body from hip, to waist, to chest. He coughed when he realized he was being turned on and he tried to veer his mind away from those thoughts. Now was definitely not the time to get horny.
He plastered his hand to his face, as if to cover the embarrassment of such thoughts. Even so, his fingers were splayed so that one eye could still see through his hand. He looked at the ceiling, the light grabbing his attention for a moment. He looked at it intensely as he imagined her face in that light. He realized then and there that now his thoughts were getting corny. But he also realized one more thing. She was the light in his dark world of fighting and violence. He honestly couldn't imagine being without her. Such a thought brought a cold pang to his heart and slight fear.
He rolled his body upwards before swinging his legs over the couch. "Don't you ever leave me." He muttered to himself. Then he realized he was getting worked up simply by thinking too much, defeating the purpose of relaxing. Still, it brought a truth to the surface that he suspected, but hadn't really thought about. He was scared of her leaving, or potentially anything worse. Like an epiphany, the romantic words entered his mind and escaped through his lips as he repeated "Don't ever leave me."
He repeated the words once more. Yeah, he liked the way it sounded. He felt it matched him perfectly. It was like Mizore had said. Maybe he didn't need to be overly romantic, but find a kind of romance that suited him better. He was the loyal type, and that reflected in his words. He would always be there, whether she needed protection or to be loved. Ichigo spontaneously got up, letting out a victorious grin. His chest was puffed out in pride as he actually felt like going to Kurumu and saying those words. It wasn't until he realized it was late at night that he realized how long he'd been doing research. He felt the weight of sleepiness trying to pull him under. Ichigo craned his neck, cracking it a little and relieving some tension. He did the same with his shoulders as he rolled them to get them to relax. Ichigo looked at the book that lay on the table once more, giving it thanks—which would be strange for anyone else—and left to turn in for the night. Needless to say, his dreams were filled of him and Kurumu being together and whatever fluffy, mushy romance that came along with it.
X
Kurumu shivered. She looked outside her window, trying to find the source of that pleasant tingle. Before long, she turned her attention back to her diary. In it was written, 'The ways I love Ichigo.'
There were 50 reasons already listed, although half of them were, 'Because I just do.' The other reasons spoke about his caring heart, his handsome face, his strong loyalty, and other points. She sighed pleasantly, thinking about how wonderful Ichigo had been the other day. The barrier that had been forming between them finally seemed to disintegrate. Kurumu giggled like a school-girl (which she was) before getting up and running her to bed and throwing herself over it. She bounced a little before she hugged a stuffed tiger. She looked at its brown orbs and said, "You're my Ichigo and only my Ichigo and no one can have you Ichigo cuz you're my Ichigo. Is that understood?"
Her hand moved the tiger's head, making it nod. "Good!" She squealed as she hugged the stuffed tiger between her breasts. She was a little sad it wasn't actually Ichigo, otherwise things would've really gottenexciting. But she made do with what she had. Her thoughts began to wander as she absent-mindedly petted Ichigo, her stuffed tiger.
"I really love Ichigo, Ichigo." She told her stuffed tiger. "He's the best boy I've ever met. He treats me so nicely, he respects me, and he cares for me." Then she gave a sultry giggle. "And he can be really nice when he gets in the mood." Her mood sobered up as she clutched her tiger tighter than before. "I really hope we can be together forever."
After a few moments of quiet contemplation, she prepared herself for bed. Of course, this routine wasn't quite like anyone else's. First, she would grab some cookies from her cookie jar and pour herself a glass of milk. After finishing up her snack, she would then take a shower. Depending on what had transpired that day and her mood, she would sing different kinds of songs, using her luffa as a microphone. And, depending on how intimate Ichigo had been, things would get a little bit more personal. (Hint hint, wink wink).
After getting out of the shower and drying her hair, Kurumu would contemplate for at least 15 minutes on what underwear to wear. It all depended on how she thought Ichigo would act tomorrow. If he seemed in to be in a, uh, good mood; then she would wear lacey underwear. If tomorrow would be too busy for any intimate interactions, then she would wear more comfortable underwear. She always sighed at this part. Why were decisions so hard to make? She would often ask Ichigo (Tiger) whether she should simply give up wearing underwear and simply walk around with an illusion. She'd been so tempted to try it out too. The only thing that really stopped her was the off-chance that her illusion wasn't all encompassing and some other guy other than Ichigo got to catch a glimpse of her most intimate side reserved only for her Destined One. Just imaging that tore her heart so she always decided to wear underwear. But maybe one day. Just one day. That's all she was asking for.
Kurumu giggled. "Ichigo would be really surprised wouldn't he?" She giggled naughtily, "Especially down there!" She giggled some more at her brazen attitude.
After deciding on her underwear for the next day, she would do what she called 'breast exercises.' They were simple exercises meant on keeping the breasts from sagging and keeping chest and back muscles strong. Despite Kurumu always fighting and mocking Yukari, she took the young witch's words to heart. Big breasts did sag, though considering her mom, she wondered if that only applied to human women and other species. Still, she didn't want to take the chance and would always do these exercises. She wanted to keep the 'boin boin' to its maximum for as long as possible! After those exercises were done, she would often look in the mirror, not to see her face, but to see if her rear was getting too big. It never escaped her that Ichigo actually liked to rub his hands up her sides and around her rear. He seemed to like touching in general, but especially in that area. She blushed a little when she realized her body was reacting to her thoughts, so she shook her head. She had already taken a shower and taken care of herself already, there was no need to go through that again. Besides, she needed to save up that energy for Ichigo.
She gave her rear a light tap, content that the amount of jiggleage was satisfying enough and not over the top at the same time. Finally, after all was said and done, she would re-arrange her toys to the right of her bed, lining them up and pretending Ichigo was sleeping next to her with Ichigo's (Tiger) head resting on the pillow. She looked at the stuffed tiger, smiling a little.
"Good night Ichigo." She would say before placing a kiss on its tiny nose. Then she would fall asleep, content and happy.
X
Meanwhile, somewhere in the depths of the underworld, where horrible experiments were had and terror unbound roamed.
A.K.A. Yukari's room.
"Hmm." The young wtich rubbed her her chin. She looked at her twitching male frog, wondering what had gone wrong. "He was supposed to bounce on the female frog, not get seizures."
"Did I mix too much Nitroglycerin?" She wondered to herself. She grabbed both male and female frogs, putting them in a box and apologizing to them. "Sorry for this, I hope you'll feel better soon. I'll return you to your swamp tomorrow!"
That's when she heard the light Ding of her timer going off. "Oh! Is it ready?" She went up to her machine with childish excitement. Her eyes widened. Could this be it? Could she have really made something that could make Ichigo love Moka and potentially her? Despite all her genius, she had only recently began trying herbs and plants as aphrodisiacs instead of her usual chemical concoctions. So far, they proved far more potent then she ever thought possible. Nature really was the best, she surmised. She looked at the powder. She didn't know if it was tasteless, but she noticed that when she put it in water, it dissolved into nothingness and left no aroma. She sprinkled the powder into the water supply of the male mouse.
She saw it take multiple sips, but it didn't seem to change his usual drinking behavior which potentially indicated that it was indeed tasteless as she'd hoped. Nothing seemed to happen first, not even when she ushered the male and female mice into the same compartment. Then, something miraculous happened. The male mouse looked over towards the female one and paused. Not only that, but it seemed to female seemed to have take a sharp interest to the male one. Yukari's eyes widened, could it be a hormonal attraction? Why didn't she think of that before! Still, she watched intently as the mice circled each other, clearly attracted to each other. Then nature took its course.
Yukari blushed at the scene, looking away. But she couldn't help but feel she'd done it. She'd created a genuine love potion. She was so happy. With this, Ichigo would surely fall for Moka and eventually her. For once in her flat-chested life, things were finally going her way. She wiped away a tear of happiness, not knowing what to feel at the moment. However, she soon realized it was getting late. She grinned as she tucked the powder away and put it in a vacuum-sealed area, lest it be contaminated. She would begin human testing tomorrow. And hopefully, her dreams would come true tomorrow as well.
X
"Morning Ichigo." Kurumu greeted, looking beautiful as ever. Ichigo grinned at how peppy she was, regardless of the time of day. He'd never seen her tired now that he'd thought about it.
"Morning Kurumu." Ichigo remembered the book he'd been reading the other night. He recalled sometimes simple things were best. He gave a furtive glance at Kurumu's hand, his own hand twitching as it desired her touch. They were now walking to school, and it would be a perfect time to do it. He summoned his courage and entwined his hand with hers.
Surprise overtook Kurumu's features. Her lips opened slightly in surprise, but then let out a giggle of delight. She went up on her tip-toes and delivered a cute kiss to his cheek, making the boy blush a little. She walked just that much closer to him, feeling that things were looking up. It wasn't until Moka showed up that Kurumu's mood dropped a little. Not that she hated Moka, but she just had to come in when Ichigo was finally opening up.
"Hey Ichigo." Moka greeting happily. Her eyes slid down towards the couple's coupled hands. She blinked before returning her gaze back towards Ichigo. "How are you today?"
"Good." Came Ichigo's reply.
Kurumu replied in the same manner before asking, "We always meet up in the classroom. What made you decide to wait for us?"
Moka didn't want to say that she was hoping on catching Ichigo alone, but she did have a legitimate response. "Oh, there's been rumors of a mysterious prankster. I was hoping we could all get together today just a bit early so we can do some investigating." She smiled at Ichigo with her hands clasped behind her back.
Ichigo regarded the pink-haired Vampire and nodded. "Sure, we'll be there."
With that out of the way, it became sort of awkward. But Moka tried to make the best of it. "So, can I walk with you guys?"
Ichigo's lips were oddly tempted to form into a frown. But they didn't. Through all his recent events with the Vampire, he was still technically with her just as he was with Kurumu. "Sure." He replied.
Moka's eyes widened happily as she took the empty spot to Ichigo's left. Gingerly, she stuck her fingers between his, causing a certain amount of ire to fill Kurumu. She didn't want to sound mean, but Ichigo's fight with Moka had allowed her and Ichigo to spend most mornings together. Now she'd have to share. She sighed internally. Well, it was fine. She has every right to Ichigo just as she did. In fact, she was a little bit happy to be honest. This meant that things were returning to normal, that there was no more bad blood. Though considering she was a Vampire, she wondered if Ichigo would end up running out of blood one day.
The triple couple—trouple—entered the school, gaining a myriad of stares as they walked in. Most regarded the tri-relationship with immense jealousy—mainly the guys—while others simply ignored them. Or in the case of the fanclubs, cried. The group shrugged it off, being a usual occurrence. However, if one paid attention, there was a secret battle going on. Every once a while, Ichigo would be pulled to the side. He would smile at Kurumu, who would smile back. When Moka noticed this, she would frown and fight back by pulling Ichigo towards her. Ichigo would look at Moka and slightly grin. The Kurumu would pull. Then Moka. Then Kurumu. Then Moka. Kurumu. Moka. Kurumu, Moka, Kurumu, Moka.
"Tch, cut it out!" Ichigo demanded. Both girls smiled apologetically as Ichigo face-palmed. Or would've had his hands not been taken. Ichigo's mood was close to being ruined. He had to curse fate a little. The time he actually tried something romantic was the time someone had to interrupt him. Though, he did feel a little guilty in thinking that. It wasn't like Moka planned to ruin it. Things were getting back to normal. Which was a good thing, he tried to convince himself. It did little too alleviate his annoyance at the whole situation, but he supposed he should just let it go. Deep breaths Ichigo. Deep breaths.
"Sorry." The two girls apologized.
Ichigo sighed internally. "No, its alright. I just didn't get enough sleep." Which was the truth.
Kurumu arched an eyebrow. "Really, what were you doing?" Then she grinned lustrously. "Were you thinking about me all night and..." She let the words hang, but Ichigo got the implied meaning. His ears turned bright red as steam came out of his ears.
"No!" He told the giggling girl. He almost felt like rolling his eyes. Boy did she love to tease him. But that's what made her the girl he loved, he supposed.
"Then, can we ask what you were actually doing?" Moka asked, still curious.
"I was researching a topic and I stayed up too long." He was being deliberately vague, but the girls swallowed the half-truth, knowing that Ichigo was actually a studious person.
"Research sucks." Kurumu commented with a pout. She perked up though as her eyes shimmered merrily. "But the reward the comes from getting good grades is oh so good!"
Moka nodded, despite not understand the inside joke. "Yeah, it does make you feel good when you do well, doesn't it?"
"Immensely." She jabbed Ichigo with her tone, making the poor boy cough.
"Yeah." He still agreed.
Finally they made it to their homeroom class. Most of the day went back without a hitch.
That is until.
"Man this school is boring." Kokoa said as she helped out the Newspaper Club. "Nothing interesting happens anymore."
"Well, there was that doppelganger incident a while back." Moka corrected. Kokoa huffed at that.
"So? That was one thing out of many things that could've happened. Here." Suddenly she pulled out some old Newspapers that had been saved in an archive in the library. "Do you see that? There were reports of murders, mysterious vanishings, creepy things happening. None of that ever happens now except for a few isolated incidents."
"I think it's because Ichigo is here." Kurumu stated proudly. "He's been protecting the entire school."
Ichigo scratched his head. "That's not entirely true. There really hasn't been anything for me to do around here."
Kurumu blinked, not understanding. "Before, there was usually something I could stop, like a fight. But now, there's nothing to do. Everything is peaceful." Not that he was complaining. He was kind of glad things were turning out to be peaceful.
Though, considering what else was housed inside his soul, sometimes he did crave just a smidget of wanton violence.
"I rest my case." Kokoa stated triumphantly as she smacked the newspaper down on the table. Everyone sweatdropped at the over exaggeration, but it seemed the girl had a point.
"So, what? You want a murder to happen? You want something to happen to someone?" Kurumu chided (synonym). Kokoa's eyes widened slightly as she met Kurumu's stern ones.
Kokoa leaned her head to the side, eyes veering away. "Well, no."
"Then?" Kurumu pressed.
Kokoa threw up her hands. "I just want something interesting to happen alright? Like the serial prankster thing that's been going on." Kokoa huffed as she forced herself into a chair, nearly tipping herself over.
Mizore pitched in. "I have been hearing about that. The prankster seems to enjoy tearing up girls' uniforms."
"People say he's recently gotten violent though. Some of the girls have reported injuries." Tsukune added.
"Aha! See? Something interesting. We should follow the lead. Maybe even Sister could be the one to catch the prankster."
The croup collectively sweatdropped at that. It seemed Kokoa's sister complex was still in full gear.
"That doesn't sound like such a bad idea." Kurumu said aloud. "I mean who knows? It might actually be good material."
"Yes!" Kokoa said triumphantly. "I'll go start investigating and..."
"Wait a minute. Where do you think you're going?" Kurumu's voice rang out.
"Eh? What do you mean? I'm going to find his whereabouts and..."
"You will do no such thing!We will all go together so nothing bad happens to one of us." Kurumu said with finality.
"What! But he might escape by then! He strikes at night and its close to night already!" Kokoa argued.
"True, but we don't want anything happening to you, isn't that right Ichigo?" Kurumu turned to her boyfriend who was looking confused since he wasn't entirely sure how his say mattered.
"Umm, I guess." He shrugged. That was all Kurumu needed, however.
"There, see? Listen to your father Kokoa." Kurumu chided.
"Yes mom." Kokoa hung her head. Then a vein popped on her forehead as she sputtered, "Hey wait, you're not my parents!"
Kurumu didn't seem to hear that last statement as she sighed. "I don't know how we do it Ichigo, raising such a rambunctious child. I think she takes more after you than me."
A blush of embarrassment spread across Kokoa's face at being treated like a child. No, specifically the child of the cow in front of her. Who did she think she was?
Ichigo scratched his head, not sure how to make heads or tails of Kurumu's imagination. He chalked to more of the same thing: an over-active imagination. It was the only thing he could do to keep from sighing.
Meanwhile his girlfriend was having thoughts about what their own flesh and blood child would be like. Would they really have to deal with such rebellion? Somehow, she didn't mind. In fact, Kurumu sighed dreamily as her mind wandered. If they did have a child, they'd be living in a cozy house along the coastline. Possibly even in Ichigo's hometown since it did seem quiet enough. Though honestly, she would rather live in a city where there were many things to do. She was torn between the two decisions as a grin lit up her features.
"What's she grinning about?" Yukari asked when they noticed the Succubus suddenly got quiet.
Ichigo turned towards Kurumu briefly before shrugging. "Sometimes she just gets lost in her own little world." He smiled a little when Kurumu gave him an indignant stare.
"Hey..."
"It's true."
Kurumu paused. "Yeah..."
That brought a couple of grins to the group and a blushing Kurumu. But to get back at him she curled up against him, her frame teasing his with her soft skin. "But... they're mostly of you and me doing... you know."
Ichigo's cheeks heated slightly as he face-palmed himself. He should've known. He never wins when it comes to a battle of teasing. It didn't help that Tsukune gave a wolf whistle that made the defeat all the more humiliating.
"Sorry Ichigo. I had to do it." Tsukune offered apologetically.
"I win!" Kurumu giggled as she stuck up her two fingers in a V.
"You never stood a chance Ichigo." Mizore commented.
"Whatever." He groused even as everyone continued to grin like madmen save for the stoic Mizore and the scheming Kokoa.
Kokoa, still frustrated, noticed that they were all busy having the time of their lives. Well, while they were doing that, she was going to find where the serial prankster hid and expose him and then give credit to her Sister. She grinned. The plan was fool-proof!
X
It was eerily dark as a fog rolled in. Not that it wasn't usually foggy. In fact, this was quite the norm and every student has come to see it as such. Still, the fog seemed to smother itself against her skin, giving a strange chill. Not that her mind was even remotely on the chill. She was on the lookout for a good story, something that would catch everyone's interest.
"Something like a kidnapping, or a ghost, or maybe even something just spooky. Or maybe..." Kokoa told herself. Her feet crunched against the gravel as she head something rustling. Her ears perked up as she caught a silhouette from the corner of her eyes. "A murder..." she finished, blinking.
'What!' She thought as she ducked behind some brush. Clad in all its fur stood a werewolf, standing tall over the form of an unconscious girl.
A wounded unconscious girl.
Suddenly Kokoa thought she got more than she bargained for. 'Was I just witness to a murder?' She thought anxiously as her eyes peeked through the brush.
However, being a Vampire she demanded justice. But it wasn't she who spoke up first. "Damn, you've seen something bad." The werewolf spoke in a deep Osaka accent. "Forget it, there's no need to tell anyone what you saw. You wouldn't want to get hurt now would you?"
Kokoa got ready, her shape-shifted following her tune. "Wait, just who are..."
She was cut-off as the werewolf spoke again. "Don't mix yourself up in this. It's for your own good!"
Before she could blink, the werewolf was already running away. Werewolves were the fastest creatures, and this one was no exception. Yet, Kokoa was determined to catch him. "You think I'll let you get away you bas..."
Before she could finish, the injured called out for her to stop. Kokoa did so and noticed that she was still breathing despite the injury. Upon closer inspection, the wound seemed quite shallow. It was more like the prankster cut the clothes and accidentally bit the weapon in too far.
The girl looked like she was about to cry. Her uniform was all torn up, a slash tracing upwards from the lower part of her chest to the top.
"W-What just happened?" The confused girl cried. She touched her hand to her chest, noticing the blood on her clothes. The girl gave a shudder before screaming out as Kokoa did her best to calm her down.
In any case, this meant she would have to report this to the group. Not that she wanted to face Kurumu at the moment.
X
The group discussed the serial prankster and the girl that was recently attacked. The girl in question was named Kokko Nakamato, a quiet girl that and reserved.
"We can't allow this to continue happening." The younger Vampire said. "I don't really care about the pranks, but a cowardly bastard likes him needs to be put away."
Ichigo looked at the girl. She seemed to have a strong sense of justice. He didn't like that she was being put in harm's way anymore than Kurumu did, but he did respect her independence as a person.
"You saw the perpetrator didn't you Kokoa-chan. What exactly was it?" Tsukune began the review over the facts.
"A werewolf." Kokoa was quick to reply. The girl's eyes moved as she thought back to what else stuck in her mind about the wolf. "Another thing that stood out was his Osaka accent like he was actually from there."
Almost as one, a light bulb began forming in the minds of the group. "He also wore a headband." She continued.
The light bulb grew brighter even as the groups' collective faces fell.
"I think he was wearing a silver choker too."
Everyone sweatdropped.
Just to make sure, the group took a quick field trip towards the boy in question.
"Oh hey, it's been a while guys." The character named Gin smiled at the group after looking away from his newspaper.
Immediately everyone knew that Kokoa's description was none other than their Club President.
"So you're together today? It's quite a sight to see all you beautiful girls." He smiled that smile that would've melted any girl's heart.
Well, aside from these girls. Tsukune decided to introduce him to Kokoa since everyone else seemed to be frozen. "He never comes by, but he's our club President."
Kokoa's eye twitch. Then she pointed towards the werewolf. "You're the culprit!"
Much to everyone's surprise, and certain pleasure, Kokoa ran as fast as she could and began shaking the werewolf by his collared shirt.
"You're the culprit!" She continued to shake, banging the boy's ahead against the wall.
"W-Whoa! What the hell's wrong with this chick!" Gin demanded even as his head began bleeding.
"Wait Kokoa-chan!" Yukari came in and pulled the angered girl away before she ended up killing.
Though, that wasn't such a bad idea either.
"Stupid." Mziore told the fiery girl. "You're supposed to point out the culprit after you've gathered the evidence."
This did nothing to dissuade the girl. "I swear by my sister's name that I will expose you!"
Tsukune sweatdropped as his girlfriend patted the girl's head to calm her down. What struck him as odd were her exposed monster claws. He knew that she didn't like guys like Gin, but to be in monster form? She must've been paranoid.
Meanwhile Moka was apologizing to Gin for Kokoa's behavior. After that was settled, Gin brushed it off as if it was nothing. Instead, he put on a suave feature as he looked at the girl. "So this is the younger sister you were talking about? This is my first time meeting her." He eyed the girl, Kokoa not feeling comfortable beneath this man's gaze.
"She's quite a pretty one isn't she?" Kokoa flinched, feeling the sudden urge to back away. Still, the way he was talking. It was obvious it was him. That or she really got the wrong guy.
She held her ground as the werewolf approached her. He had two fingers to his chin in a thoughtful expression. His eyes scanned her face... then a little lower... then much lower.
"Yeah, but these are still sort of..." He glanced to the side, seeing the enormous assets of one Kurnono Kurumu. He grinned perversely as he went to reach for them. Being a werewolf, he was still quick even out of his true form.
But he wasn't faster than a protective boyfriend.
"I'm guessing you don't want your arm anymore?" Ichigo grinned viciously, a vein throbbing angrily on his forehead. "I can help you with that if you want."
Gin paled. "Uh..."
"I'll take that as a yes." Ichigo began slowly crushing Gin's arm, causing the boy to pale even further.
"I-It was just a joke Ichigo! I wasn't really gonna touch her. OUCH!" Gin was on his knees now as he tried pulling from Ichigo's death grip. He looked to Kurumu for help, but even her kind nature did not kick in for the pervert. Instead, she merely stuck out her tongue at him.
"I think that's enough Ichigo." Tsukune tried to reason with the angered Shinigami. "You're really going to end up breaking up his arm."
Ichigo turned to face Tsukune. "So?"
"Good point." Mizore vouched for Ichigo. Tsukune sweatdropped. There was Mizore's paranoia of Gin's type kicking in.
"I mean. Is it worth being considered a jerk simply because you couldn't control your temper?" Tsukune saw that Ichigo was beginning to see reason, so he pressed on. "I mean, people respect you now. What do you think they'll say that you broke someone's arm for almost touching Kurumu?"
Mizore snapped her fingers. "Wouldn't that actually make them stay away?"
Tsukune felt like the world was against him. Here he was, trying to stop Ichigo from doing something unsavory and his girlfriend was countering his arguments! Wasn't she supposed to be on his side?
But Ichigo by now had calmed down. He was hot-headed, yes, but he wasn't the type to do things impulsively. He let go of Gin's arm, the boy giving him thanks. Yet, despite this, Gin's eyes still leered towards Kurumu's chest. Ichigo sent the boy a wave of spiritual pressure which finally got him to back down. Ichigo let out an explosive sigh as he struggled to not let his Hollow have his way with him.
"You did the right thing Ichigo." Tsukune commented, smiling at him.
Mizore tilted her head. "I don't know, I think a fractured arm would've taught him more." She twirled her lollipop in thought as her boyfriend stared at her with a ghastly expression.
"Well I'm just glad you came to my aid." Kurumu giggled as she kissed him on the cheek. "You're my knight in shining armor!"
Ichigo smiled slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. He looked into his girlfriend's expressive eyes, noticing how enamored they looked. He felt empowered by her gaze, so much so that he didn't feel embarrassed when he said, "Whenever you need me, just call me and I'll be there."
Their faces now were close, Kurumu having to stand on her tippy toes slightly. "Ill... keep that in mind." Her mind grew fuzzy as she reached for a kiss.
Until a cough interrupted them.
"Not that we don't want you to kiss." Tsukune interjected. "But we're kinda still in the open. We never closed the door." To emphasize, Tsukune pointed towards the door where a few students had opted to stare at the couple trying to kiss. Mainly girls since the guys had gotten jealous and simply left.
Both Ichigo and Kurumu had the decency to blush, but Kurumu didn't really mind. In fact, this was good. It would forever cement the idea that they were a couple into the minds' of the flock. She stood proudly, one hand reaching over for Ichigo's and placing his arm between her two soft breasts. Ichigo by now was getting rather overheated, but he went along with it.
After all, there was nothing bad with where his arm was, now was there?
The werewolf's actions did tell Kokoa one thing though. Gin was the culprit. He didn't care what he'd been about to do to Kurumu, but his actions proved that without a doubt he was the serial prankster. She would expose him, no matter what it took.
X
Back outside, Kokoa followed the werewolf. His pretty-features attracted a lot of girls, she noticed. In fact, every single girl he'd crossed paths with had stopped to talk to him. It didn't really bother her too much. She just wanted to expose him as the serial prankster. It wasn't until she hid behind a rather ticklish lamppost that she realized she wasn't the only one following Gin.
The pole in front of Kokoa melted away as Kokoa realized that her hand was on Kurumu's sides. The girl was having a fit since Kokoa had been squeezing a little. "S-Stop that!"
Immediately Koka retracted her hand as if she'd been touching a acid. "What are you doing here?"
Kurumu wiped away a tear before replying. She regained her composure before replying. "Same as you. I'm following him. I don't like Gin and any chance to get some dirt on him is an opportunity I'm willing to take!"
She let out an airy sigh as she wiped away another tear. Thankfully it didn't seem as if Gin had heard her little outburst. Both turned around when they heard the solid sound of hand meeting cheek. Both girls immediately scuttled around the wall where the action had taken place. They peeked from around the corner. Gin was still grinning even as the girl he'd just groped was shaking her fist at him angrily. They peeled away as Kurumu spoke up.
"So do you really think he's the Serial Prankster?" Kurumu asked the fiery girl.
"I don't really know him. But I know what I saw." The girl stated firmly. There was no hesitation in her voice.
Kurumu smiled. "Well I don't really have any grudges towards him. I have Ichigo." She leaned back against the wall, looking proud. "If he ever did something to me, Ichigo would repay him back 10 times over."
Kurumu nodded to herself. However when she opened her eyes she realized that Kokoa was frantically pointing to her side.
"That may be true, but Ichigo isn't here is he?" Deviousness was in his voice as Kurumu's body froze. She'd been caught red-handed. She felt an ominous aura as she saw a hand coming up to her.
Reflexively, she yelled out, "ICHIGO!"
That brought that dastardly hand to a stop. The hand froze, centimeters away from the area that only Ichigo was allowed to touch. When she looked carefully, she realized that his other hand sunk below the waistline. Apparently, he was also going to try something else, something Kurumu would rather not imagine.
Then, like a hero falling from the sky, Ichigo flashed into existence with a Shunpo. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he had apparently pushed himself a little and didn't fully control his landing. When the dust cleared, a distraught-looking Ichigo tore his head side to side trying to find a sign of danger. And since he didn't regard Gin as dangerous, his frantic mind didn't think Gin was the cause of it as his eyes and senses scanned the area. "What? What is it? I felt your energy go crazy and..." He paused, though not of his own volition. His lips had been taken in a kiss that left him both bewildered and pleasantly surprised.
That still meant he had no clue what the hell was going on.
"You're my tiger in shining armor." Kurumu smiled cutely at him, a blush on her cheeks as she realized that he was true to his words. Her heart thumped pleasantly in her chest as she snuggled up against Ichigo's.
"Umm. Thanks." Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck, feeling flustered.
And still confused.
Meanwhile Gin had taken this as a cue to leave before Kurumu decided to explain. However, Kurumu did not explain. Instead, she was just going to let him stew in his own guilt. But then again, judging from how he treated women, he'd try to do more cooking than stewing. Hopefully it wouldn't end up with him having a bun in the oven, so to speak.
Kokoa looked on. Even though Gin had gotten away, his actions further solidified that Gin was the perpetrator in her mind. Yet as she looked at the couple, she couldn't help but feel a little bit of jealousy bubble in her heart. They were being mushy mush right now, whispering something to each other that she couldn't quite catch. Then they began kissing. Kokoa's blinked. Then they began touching each other more intimately. Kokoa's eyes widened. Then Kurumu began unbuttoning his blazer. That's when Kokoa thought they crossed the line.
"I'M STILL HERE!" She yelled in exasperation, her cheeks catching on fire as she caught a glimmer of rock-hard abs when Ichigo's shirt lifted up a little. She looked away, trying to stop her nose from bleeding.
All Kurumu and Ichigo could do was to apologize.
X
Meanwhile, Mizore and Tsukune were left to solve the puzzle.
"I really hope he's the prankster." Mizore commented as she twirled a kunai made of ice on one of her ice claws.
Tsukune sweatdropped. "You know, he hasn't really done anything to you."
"I'm preemptively despising him." The girl replied. Tsukune shook his head.
Mizore raised an eyebrow. "What, don't tell me you think it's not him?"
Tsukune gestured with his arms, raising him to either side in surrender. "I didn't say that. I mean, isn't there a possibility that there's someone who looks like him? He's not the only werewolf out there right?"
Mizore's features told him she wasn't convinced. Or rather, didn't feel like being convinced. 'I guess it's up to me for the moment.' Tsukune inwardly sighed. He looked at the evidence. Still, he couldn't imagine Kokoa lying. Besides, she'd never met Gin before so how could she have described him so well? It didn't make sense. Granted, Gin had never denied it. But he didn't take credit for it either, which struck him as odd since he was always groping girls. It shouldn't have mattered to him.
His thoughts were broken when Yukari came through the door, waving around a piece of paper. He noticed how frantic she looked and told her to take a breath.
"Look at this!" The young witch handed them both a copy of the paper. "It looks like Gin was the prankster after all!"
"While researching the victims' friends and social circles, I've learned that each one of them has some history with Gin."
He looked at Mizore, whose eyes seemed to sparkle. She was taking this evidence of proof of his crimes. That was until Moka came in, panting a little. "Wait, that's not all!" Moka was on her knees, panting. She took a breath and handed the group another piece of paper. A name was circled, and the name didn't fit any of the criteria on the list which gave rise to another conclusion.
"We need get the group together and discuss this." Tsukune offered. Everyone seemed to agree as they left to find the remaining three of their Club.
Well... Yukari stayed behind. Being members everyone had their own special cups. She saw Ichigo's cup, the one with a picture of a tiger with the number one over its head. Seeing as how Ichigo hadn't cared about customizing it, Kurumu had done it for him. Yukari scanned the room. She heard nothing but silence. Her heart hammered as she pulled out a vial and poured it into Ichigo's cup. It was still halfway filled with water. She stretched out her hand and took of the lid to the vial. Her hands shook, trembling with excitement. She wondered, was this the day her dreams would come true? It seemed too easy. It was only two days since she'd concocted the potion. She shook her head, clearing her mind and reinforcing herself. She poured the vial and quickly hid it away in her cape. She walked out of the room, taking one last look at the cup before rejoining with rest of the group.
X
Kokoa hadn't told the group that Gin had contacted her. The note she held said to meet her in the second cemetery of the school. Now, she was facing the person named Gin. His hands were in his pockets and he exhumed an air of confidence around her. She was a bit nervous, but that wasn't about to deter her. Still, it seemed odd that Gin chose her to be the one he would confess to.
That meant he was lying.
"You obviously want to kill me." She stated firmly. "'I'll tell you everything' yeah right."
The area around them was quiet and away from any common school routes. "You're trying to silence me aren't you?"
"Nah. I'll tell you everything." Beneath the moonlight, Kokoa saw Gin's transformation. His mouth and nose formed into a snout, his canines sharpening to become powerful knives in their own right.
Kokoa grinned viciously as she extended her hand to her bat, Ko-chan. The bat knew what its master was thinking. Their opponent was fast, so a heavy weapon wouldn't work. They needed something to match his speed.
"Let's go Ko-chan!" She yelled as the bat transformed into a rapier. As soon as the weapon landed in her hand, she lunged with intent to stab. She saw the werewolf block and felt her weapon hit something. She grew confidence. I'm landing hits, she thought as she pressed on.
"I'll defeat you just like you asked and make you explain everything!" She yelled out. That was until she saw nothing but broken stone in front of her.
"Pretty good. You're Moka's sister for sure." Kokoa just had enough time to see the Werewolf's incoming attack out of the corner of her eye. "But the thing you're hitting is just a tombstone."
Just as his attack was about to land, he felt a gust of wind. His fist hit nothing but floor. He looked up to see Ichigo holding Kokoa in his arm like a sack of potatoes. His eyes looked at Wolf's sternly.
"So you guys came too. Stupid followers." Gin tenses a little, knowing Ichigo was there. But something was up. Knowing Ichigo's temper, he would've already attacked. That meant he knew what he was planning.
"Let's get him." Mizore said, her eyes looking fiery. Even if she too knew what was going on, that didn't mean she was going to pass up this opportunity to beat up Gin. Tsukune inwardly sweatdropped.
"Wahh! Stop! You don't have to kill me! All of you attacking is overkill! Somebody help me!" He yipped out like a scared dog.
Mizore, Kurumu and Kokoa immediately lunged.
Only to be blocked by a girl with glasses and a quiet demeanor. "Stop!" She yelled out. She began to tear up as she continued her plea, "Stop, please just stop."
The three stopped, looking at each other. Kokoa recognized as the girl she'd rescued the other day. The girl realized how things looked and decided to clarify. "Coincidence. It was just a coincidence. I just happened to be walking by when I heard the sound of fighting, so I..."
"It wasn't a coincidence." Moka stepped up. "You protected Gin. That's proof of your feelings for him. Those same feelings motivated you to commit these crimes."
The girl turned to see Moka coming up to her. "You're the serial prankster aren't you Kokko Nakamato?" Even though it was a question, the girl felt like they were convinced. Still, she had to try.
"I'm the culprit? Why would you think that?" Even as she said that, she must've looked guilty because everyone looked at her with a small measure of pity. Moka came and handed the girl the victim list she and Yukari had come up with.
"This is the case's victim list. All these girls have one point in common. That point could be considered the reason they were targeted." Moka looked on, feeling empathetic towards the girl. She knew what it was like to do things for the person you loved, even if they were bad. She eyed Ichigo momentarily before she continued. "But the thing is, Kokko-san, you were the only one among the victims that didn't share this common point."
Kokoa looked confused, but then she began understanding the gist of everything. Still, she didn't like that she'd been used as bait. She felt like pouting until she saw Kokko's face erupt in blood.
"Yes, you've seen right through me." Kokko said.
"Y-You're bleeding!" Kokoa pointed out with worry.
"Don't worry about it. I'm a creature that can manipulate my 'blood'. When you saw me on the ground the other day, I merely used my own blood to pose as a victim. I attacked the girls while hiding in a fog I made with this 'blood'. Ripping their uniforms was a warning to stay away from Gin." The group noticed how the girl's voice wavered, torn between guilt and feeling justified in her actions.
"So... it was really you." Kokoa said, finally understanding everything.
The girl's eyes began to water as she recounted her feelings. "I did it because they just got in the way. Since there were so many girls around him, the only thing I could do was look at him from far away." Her body began to tremble as tears flowed out freely. "If only there weren't there anymore, if only those girls stopped going near him."
"I felt so worthless! Even if it was just once, I wanted him to notice me." Her tears streamed down her cheeks, but she did not bawl. She took of her glasses, wiping away the tears with her sleeve.
She hiccuped as she continued, smiling briefly. "The common point was that they were all Gin's ex's. The only one who isn't is me." Her voice dipped low, "That was stupid of me..."
Kurumu felt moved. She understood what was going on. She knew what kind of love the girl was feeling, but for a guy like Gin? That part she couldn't understand. "Are you crazy? Going that far for a sleazy guy like hi—"
She was cut-off by Gin, who laughed uproariously. He had turned back into his human form as well.
"I can't believe she was snagged so easily! What a dumb bitch!" The words cut into the girl's heart like a knife. Her shocked face made everyone a uneasy.
But no one stopped his tirade. "I'm relieved that I caught her. There are loads of girls that are pissed at me." Then he held up a hand, counting the girls he'd been with. "There's Ami-chan from the Mochi shop. There's the ex-Yankee girl Yumi-chan, jealous possessive Misako-chan, and cool, scary Miho-chan. Nao-chan. Ringo-chan. Asako-chan." He continued with his list. Even if they knew the truth behind what Gin was trying to accomplish, that didn't mean they had to like it.
Especially Mizore and then Kokoa when she heard Gin insinuate that she had been influenced by his charms. Gin simply laughed it off as if it were nothing severe. "Damn, I am one evil dude! So make Kokko-chan's punishment light, reeeaal light!"
"The only one that's gonna get punished is you, you scumbag!" Both Kokoa and Mizore united forced to beat the werewolf to a pulp. Ichigo had restrained Kurumu because he was sure that would've been overkill.
That left Kokko, who fell to the floor when Gin spouted his hurtful words. "Horrible man. Why did I ever fall for that guy? Heh... I'm really stupid." She said to no one in particular, the girls looking on with empathy. She took off her glasses to wipe away the tears.
"Hey, you're really pretty without your glasses you know." Kurumu commented, making the girl smile through the tears. The girl let out a couple of short, terse laughs.
The Youkai Newspaper that was released the next day didn't publish her name. Since the crimes fell under the category of 'misdemeanor' and due to the arbitrary decision of the director; under the condition of apologizing and making reparations to the victims, the whole matter was put away. In this manner, the incident was quietly resolved.
"I still don't believe that Gin did it out of mercy." Kokoa huffed, her arms crossed as she walked angrily towards the chair. "That means he was doing a good thing... him, the royal pervert!" Her tone rose angrily. But everyone knew Kokoa was just sore that she'd been used the entire time.
"Me too." Mizore agreed. But the way she said it made Tsukune feel that Mizore's image of Gin hadn't gone up at all.
"But you know. I kind of get what she was going through." Kurumu shifted her gaze towards Ichigo. "I mean, I love Ichigo. I would probably do anything to get his attention."
"Even commit a crime?" Mizore asked out of curiosity.
Kurumu eyed the Snow Girl, but she didn't hesitate. "Yes." She then added, "But not for a guy like Gin. I mean... just look at him."
All the girls nodded.
"I guess love is blind." Tsukune offered.
"Yeah." Kurumu let out a small sigh. She smacked her lips, suddenly realizing the excitement had left her thirsty. She went over to Ichigo's cup since at the moment, it'd been the closest. She failed to see Yukari's eyes widen, her mouth wanting to say something, but not doing so for fear of being caught in another experiment.
"Hmm. Tastes a little sweet. You sure you got water Ichigo?" Kurumu commented even as she took another sip. She put it down and immediately noticed something. "Oh, some strong water." She muttered. An indescribable heat ran through her body. She felt like a furnace, even feeling the need to take off her sweater.
"Something wrong?" Ichigo asked. Kurumu was trying to cool herself off by waving her hand.
"I don't know, I suddenly feel very..." She turned around and Ichigo became the sole object of her attion. "...Hot."
Ichigo gave her a worried look. His eyes took in her blushing face and it made him wonder if she potentially had a fever. Well she did have something, but it wasn't no fever! Kurumu sauntered over to her boyfriend, tripping slightly. It gave the appearance of a slightly drunk, but lustful woman. Ichigo suddenly found himself not able to tear his gaze away from those shining purple orbs that belonged to his girlfriend. He leaned in when she fell, catching her. This made their faces come close enough that they could feel each other's breaths.
She kissed him, unabashed and uncaring of anyone in the room. Her lips were already wet and she had forced her tongue into his mouth. The suddenness made him unable to enjoy the moment. He was more worried about why she suddenly started to act that way. And then, a strange happened. His heart sped up and he could feel every muscle in his body tense. A powerful heat flourished inside him right until he found himself returning the fevered kisses.
"Ummm, guys?" Tsukune called out to get their attention. They didn't notice.
"Wow." Kokoa blushed when she saw them go at it. Her face became a tomato when Ichigo's abs flashed for a brief moment when Kurumu's fingers got caught on his shirt and untucked it briefly.
Then the clothes started coming off. Like a cascade, Tsukune immediately covered Kokoa's eyes and Mizore did the same with Yukari. But with her free hand, Mizore covered Tsukune's eyes too. Being faithful, Mizore closed her eyes of her own volition.
Moka stared.
Hearing the moans and groans and stuff being shoved from the table onto the floor, Tsukune surmised that they were getting to that part of the event. After all, he'd done the same thing when Mizore at one point.
"We should leave." Tsukune said. Everyone nodded.
"I can't see though." Mizore said. Tsukune raised an eyebrow.
"No one's covering your eyes though?" Tsukune said.
"Idiot. I'm closing my own eyes." Mizore said softly. Then even softer. "I wouldn't do that to you..."
Tsukune felt his heart beat for the girl, leaving him with a grin.
"I can guide you guys... my eyes are open." Moka said with no small amount of embarrassment.
"Lead the way." Mizore said. Moka ended up tugging the group away just in time as the underwear began to fly.
Of course, seeing as how it was still day time, the group had to guard the entrances so no one could sneak a peek. Tsukune and Mizore covered one end while Yukari, Kokoa, and Moka covered the other.
They were surprised when it took them three hours to finish.
What a way to end a day huh?