Rosario + Vampire "A Confession and a Vampire: Reboot"
Chapter 37 "Tamiko's big day Out"
Based upon characters created by Akihisa Ikeda.
Original idea and story written by Gamera68.
Pairing: the real Moka Akashiya and Tsukune Aono
Rated K.
Alternate Reality, set after the events of the now-finished manga series.
Drama / Comedy / Slice-of-life
Moka and Tsukune are 19 years old.
...
...
A/N: Please read!
I'd like to thank everyone who wrote reviews for the previous chapter (Little Girl Lost) and who also voted on which direction to go for this chapter, which will cover the shopping trip since Tamiko needs clothing and whatnot. Please read and review. Thank you!
My OC Tamiko (Akasha) Aono belongs exclusively to me and cannot be used or borrowed in any way, shape or form. The same goes for any plots or story lines. I have seen a few, other, writers 'borrow' ideas from me again recently, even though I have asked them not to.
I know coming up with original ideas is not easy. But if you're going to borrow my story lines, plots, or dialogue, please at least give me proper credit. I always give credit to anyone who helps me out, either with Beta reading, certain plots or even chapter ideas. ALWAYS.
Beta by Jacoblee0463, Train48, and ColressLawliet from deviantArt. Thanks once again!
Okay, enough ranting. On to chapter 37!
…
...
March 25, 2015. Aono residence, Kanazawa Japan.
Tamiko Aono was quite excited; so much in fact, that she woke up extra early. After she had thrown on her pink slippers, she opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. She then tiptoed towards her surrogate parent's room and gently tapped on the door. The chibi vampire heard Moka mumble something incoherent then slowly turned the brass handle, and opened the door in front of her.
"Mommy?" she asked as she peeked into the bedroom of her "parents".
"M-mmm... yes sweetie?" Moka asked as she blinked her hazel eyes open in confusion. Even though Tamiko had only been there for the past, two, days; Moka had quickly grown accustomed to having the five year old around and had taken an instant liking towards her
"Are you up yet?" she asked with a toothy grin, as she remained glued in place by the doorway while she patiently awaited an answer.
"I am now, sweetie," Moka replied with a yawn as she sat partially up. Her mate turned over and smiled at the little vampire. She then scampered over to the bed and sat on the edge.
"Are we still going shopping today?" Tamiko wondered as she cocked her head to the right.
"Yes sweetie. We'll be going after we get dressed and have breakfast," Moka said as she gave Tsukune a gentle nudge.
"Yay!" she happily shouted as she leapt off their bed and sprinted out of their room. She then made her way downstairs to see where her grandmother was.
"Well - she seems rather energetic this morning," Tsukune commented as Moka then climbed on top of him. She then closed the short distance between themselves and gave her mate a deep, passionate, good morning kiss that quickly woke him up.
"M-mmm, so does somebody else," Moka said with a wink once they ended their kiss a few, moments later.
"Ah yeah, well..." her mate replied with a healthy blush as she sat up and straddled his thighs.
"I know love. We haven't been intimate since Tamiko arrived but I'll make it up to you tonight, I promise," Moka told him as she climbed off him then and ambled towards the closet.
"Um, okay Moka. I know it's been – difficult but she does seem to like us."
"Yes, you're right Tsukune. Besides, she starts school in less than two weeks. I'm glad we found a private school so close by, with Ruby's help," Moka replied as she quickly gotten herself dressed. Even though it was the first week of spring, Moka decided to wear a denim mini skirt, along with a simple, white, blouse and a pair of black, cotton tights since the weather was still chilly to a certain extent.
"Yeah, me too Moka. I hope she fits in well and makes some friends," he said as he sat up and ran his left hand through his disheveled hair.
"As do I, love," she agreed with a warm smile. At least Tamiko looked like a normal girl and would not draw any unwanted attention towards herself. Moka would have to sit her down and have a talk with her of course, so she would not show any of her abilities in school. Especially her enhanced strength or speed.
Even though Tamiko was very young, she was quite strong and fast for her age. She would not grow into her full abilities for another five years, or so.
"Let's go love. I'd like to head out soon," she suggested. Tsukune then hopped off the bed and yawned once again. Getting up early would take some getting used to, he thought, but would be worth it to see Tamiko off to school five days a week. At least he and Moka would have some quality "alone time" once she began school.
"Sure thing Moka. I'll be down in a few minutes," he answered as he walked over to the closet and soon found something decent to wear. Since Tamiko's arrival, Moka had moved all of her clothing into their bedroom since her old room was now occupied by their "adopted" daughter.
He did not mind of course, except the previously, half-empty closet was full to capacity as well as the dresser, too.
Moka blew him a kiss as she left the room, and then made her way downstairs. Hopefully it would be a good day and go without incident. They had a big day out planned for their new daughter.
…
"Good morning, grandma" Tamiko said as she walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the round, wooden table in the corner. Kasumi turned around and smiled brightly. Her granddaughter was far too cute and polite for her age.
"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep okay?" Kasumi asked as she set down a cup of tomato juice in front of her.
"Thank you grandma. Yes, I slept okay," she happily answered as she picked up the cup and took a few sips of the cool beverage.
"You're welcome sweetie. That's good to hear," Kasumi said as she returned to the stove to finish cooking everyone breakfast. Koji had already left for work since it was already past 9 AM.
"Good morning, mom," Moka announced as she walked into the kitchen and then took a seat across from Tamiko.
"Good morning, dear," she said as she placed a glass of tomato juice in front of Moka per her usual habit. Moka then gulped down the contents of said glass in a matter of seconds. Kasumi eyed her for a moment just as she set down two plates of freshly made pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup along with scrambled eggs for the pair.
They were joined a moment later by Tsukune who sported a pair of denim cargo pants and a short-sleeved, turquoise polo shirt.
"Good morning, sweetie," she said as he sat down on his mate's right and daughter's left.
"Morning," he said with a yawn. Tamiko giggled at him. Kasumi repeated the action and likewise set down a glass of juice and plate of food for her son once he took his seat next to Moka.
Kasumi then joined the trio of vampires and sat down herself with a cup of coffee and plate of food as well.
"Itadakimasu!" they said in unison.
"M-mm, grandma's pancakes are so yummy!" Tamiko announced in between bites with great exuberance.
"Why thank you, sweetie," Kasumi replied with a blush.
"You're welcome, grandma," the chibi vampire said with a blush of her own as she enjoyed her morning meal. Tsukune and Moka remained quiet as they thought about the day's activities they had planned for Tamiko and silently prayed everything would go according to plan. They had a few surprises in store for their new daughter in order to help her acclimate to living in their world better, since hers no longer existed. They would do whatever they could so she would feel welcomed, loved, and appreciated.
…
After the threesome finished their home-cooked meal, Moka took Tamiko upstairs so she could help her get dressed for their excursion. Tsukune waited for the pair in the living room while Kasumi finished up in the kitchen.
He was glad that Tamiko had come into their lives, although it was rather strange the way she just showed up like that, not less than forty-eight hours prior. From what he read in the letter addressed to Moka and Ruby from their counterparts, their decision to send Tamiko to their world was the only viable option. If not, she would have faced the same demise as everyone from her world.
Fifteen minutes later, Moka and Tamiko returned downstairs. Moka had dressed Tamiko like herself since their clothing tastes were somewhat similar. Her long, ebony hair was tied back into a ponytail and held in place by a large, pink ribbon. Kasumi gushed at how cute she looked and gave her granddaughter a warm hug since she could not hold herself back, she claimed.
The vampires bid Kasumi farewell as they left the house a few, moments, later.
They then made their way towards the downtown business district to purchase Tamiko's school supplies and everyday clothes. Tsukune was "volunteered" by Moka to carry her bags of course. He did not mind, as he wanted to help out wherever he could. Besides, how much clothes would a five-year-old girl possibly need, anyway?
More than he could ever imagine! She was a growing child, after all.
Luckily, it was a clear, cloudless day with a slight breeze that drifted inland from the Sea of Japan. Hundreds of bright, pink, sakura were still in bloom, which added to the early, springtime, atmosphere.
"Mommy! Look at the pretty trees!" Tamiko exclaimed which brought a smile to Moka's lips. She felt quite blessed to have this child in her life since she was unable to give birth herself. The elder vampiress had gotten used to the fact and was quite grateful but still was sad how Tamiko had lost her own, birth parents. But it turned out to be a blessing for the both of them. Tamiko was such a well-behaved child.
Her first night with her new family was quite trying, though.
The young girl had woken up in the middle of the night due to a bad dream. Moka heard her pleas and quickly went to her bedroom. She then sang her a song, which helped calm her down tremendously. Moka's heart went out to her right away of course. She had even slept next to Tamiko in her bed, so she would not feel so isolated.
Moka herself went through the same heartache when she was a child, even though she was twice her age at that time. But the pain was still identical: the loss of a parent. In Tamiko's case, both parents.
Moka told Tamiko if she ever felt lonely that she could sleep with her, which made the little vampire very happy and content. She knew that her new mother and father would be there for her, no matter what.
At least Tamiko had already been fitted for her school uniforms. Moka and Tsukune had paid for one dozen pair since she would most likely go through a growth spurt soon, since she would be six years old in about 3 months' time. The high probability of her need for a larger uniform size for the fall and winter versions, were taken into consideration, and would not be ordered until the end of the summer term.
Her current height was just a hair over one meter. (39.37 inches tall) That was average for a girl of her age. Since she was half-Japanese, (on her biological father's side of the family) her full-grown height would be around five foot, five inches, or so. She would grow up to be a couple of inches shorter than Moka, who stood five foot seven inches tall. Tsukune happened to be five foot nine.
The spring and summer seifku (uniforms) where the typical "sailor" type. The private school's female uniform consisted of a navy blue, knee-length skirt, a white, short-sleeved blouse with a navy blue tie, white tights for spring and short, white socks for summer, along with navy blue 'Mary Jane' type shoes.
When Tamiko went to be measured for her uniform, Moka made a huge fuss over just how adorable she looked. It was true though. The young girl was by far too cute for her own good. And Moka reminded her every chance she had, even if it was reasonably embarrassing to a small degree.
Tsukune took several pictures, per his mother's request, of course, which flustered Tamiko to no end. It was not her fault that she was too cute. She had good genetics, after-all.
...
As they came upon the downtown area, Tamiko's eyes lit up. She had never seen such a lively scene before. Moka and Tsukune each held one of her hands, so she would not wander around since it was quite busy. Other folks seemed to have the same idea as well it would seem. At least they decided to shop nearby and not head into Tokyo, as it would have been ten times as crowded, with the last-minute shoppers packed into the trains and streets.
It would honestly be too much for Tamiko to handle at one time. Maybe sometime after she had acclimated better, then it would be all right.
As the three vampires entered the huge department store, they both saw that Tamiko was quite lively. Moka and Tsukune walked her over to the girl's section to see what she would like. Moka told her beforehand that she would assist her in choosing and trying on different outfits. Moka showed several items to Tamiko who gave each one a hearty thumbs-up of approval.
Moka had gone by the size she presently wore of course, so it was not that difficult to choose the proper size for her.
"Oh mommy... look, look, look!" Tamiko shouted as she pointed to one item in particular that caught her undivided attention.
"Do you like this sweetie?" Moka asked as she removed the dress in question from the rack and held it up so she could see it clearly. It was light pink with 'Hello Kitty' sewn on the front. The bottom part of the attached skirt was ruffled with black polka dots printed on the cottony material.
"Um... yes... if it's okay," was her ambiguous reply, as she timidly dug her right toe into the carpet unsure of her answer.
"Oh sweetie... you don't have to be shy. I want to do this for you, okay?" Moka said as she bent down and gave her a reassuring hug. The young girl did her best to fit in but still felt somewhat timid to a small extent.
"Um... okay... mommy. Thank you," she said as she returned the unexpected embrace with a sniffle.
Moka then handed the garment to Tsukune who accepted it with a small smile. He then placed it in a shopping basket along with a few, other articles of clothing for his daughter.
"You're welcome, sweetie. Let's go over here and see what else we can find you. Oh, you'll also need new shoes and socks, plus some underwear, gym clothes, stockings, and everyday clothes as well," Moka said as she held Tamiko's hand and led her towards the back of the store.
Once she found a good pair of school shoes for Tamiko, Moka had her try them on, just to be sure that they fit her. The vampiress then decided to purchase a pair one-half a size bigger since children usually outgrow their shoes first.
After they had shopped for nearly an hour or so, the basket in which her clothes were set had grown quite full. Tsukune had to switch it out for a shopping cart instead. It would seem to him that Moka had gone a bit overboard like she normally would. The child now had enough clothes to last her throughout the spring and summer months.
"Let's go and see if these fit, okay? Then you can give daddy a fashion show," Moka teased which caused Tamiko's cheeks to flush bright pink from the very notion. As Moka walked her over to the changing rooms, Tamiko then turned around, placed both of her hands on her hips, and stared at Tsukune with a slight scowl.
Where had he seen that look before? Oh, right. He almost forgot; Moka used to scowl like that all of the time.
"No peeking, daddy," she admonished in a semi-serious tone. Moka snickered at her adorable antics and then led her into one of the many changing booths. Tsukune had a seat amongst the row of leather chairs that lined the opposite wall as he awaited their eventual return. He had a feeling they would be awhile since Moka had picked out a few, dozen outfits for their new daughter.
Most of the clothing choices included frilly dresses for any social affair, which a five-year-old would attend at that age such as birthday parties or even weddings. He was glad that Moka had also helped her to pick out several pair of shorts, skirts, and jeans as well as t-shirts and blouses in every color imaginable. At least Tamiko would be well dressed, right?
"Oh my goodness! Look how cute you are!"
"I wish I was as cute as you!"
"We might have to beat the boys away with a baseball bat since you'll be the school's heart-breaker!"
Way to embarrass the child, Moka.
Tsukune sweat-dropped whenever his fiancée made a comment about Tamiko when she tried something new on.
...
Roughly, an hour later, Moka and Tamiko finally returned. Tamiko dragged her feet and looked tired from trying on so many clothes. It was rather exhausting for the poor child!
Tsukune stood up, then knelt down, and picked her up. He could tell right away that she was completely depleted of all remaining energy.
"So, how did it go?" Tsukune asked Moka who pushed the buggy towards the cashiers. He had heard every comment Moka had made earlier, of course.
"It went well. Thankfully, everything fit her. The shoes she picked are a bit big but she'll grow into them in no time," Moka said with a small smile.
They made a quick stop by the stationary department to pick up Tamiko's school supplies as well. One boxful of Number 2 pencils. A container of two-dozen crayons. Two packs of erasers. Half-a-dozen folders; one for each subject, and lastly a leather backpack, which was bright red in color. Most children would use the same backpack, all throughout primary school. Moka hoped for the same, naturally since it was rather costly.
It was well past 1 PM by the time they had finished shopping. Tsukune noticed how late it was when he saw the time on the clock that hung on the wall behind the row of cash registers. Almost as if on cue, Tamiko's stomach loudly grumbled, much to her chagrin.
"Oh – somebody sounds like a bear," Tsukune joked that earned him a strange look from Tamiko. She buried her flushed face against his left shoulder.
"Sorry, daddy. Mommy made me try on everything," she said with a defeated sigh. He then set her down so she could walk by herself.
"It's okay honey. I understand. Why don't we have lunch after we're done here? Anywhere you like," he said with a warm smile. She returned the smile with great enthusiasm at the very thought of eating out with her new folks.
"Anywhere? Really, really?" she asked as she glanced up to him. Moka smiled too. Yes, she was definitely a mini Moka.
His mate was half-afraid that they would not bond, but she had worried for naught. Tsukune was just being his usual, helpful, self.
"Of course. Anywhere you like," he said as Moka leaned against him and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Oooooh... I know what mommy wants for lunch," she said with a wide grin, which caused both Moka and Tsukune to blush and sputter at her outlandish reply. The duo both turned away from each other and whistled a nameless tune as if nothing had happened. Kids do say the darnedest things, don't they! Ha!
As they made their way to the front of the line after they stood in one spot for nearly twenty minutes, Tsukune helped Moka to place all of their items for purchase on the cashier's counter. Moka then opened her blue, leather purse, and retrieved her wallet. After the total was rung up, Moka pulled out her credit card and handed it to the cashier who promptly processed her payment.
As Moka signed the sales receipt, the cashier packed all of her purchases into two, good-sized, bags, which Tsukune volunteered to carry since he was more than happy to help out.
Once they reached outside, Tamiko thanked her new mother for her more-than-generous gift. The little girl was beyond happy. She felt so blessed to be with such wonderful, loving people.
Vampires or not, they acted like a real family. That was something else she felt lucky for. As they strolled down the avenue, Tsukune told Tamiko to pick out anywhere she would like to have lunch at. A few, minutes, later she spotted a colorful pace to stop at.
It was a Mickey D's.
"Daddy... can we have lunch over there?" she asked as she pointed in the specific direction of the "Golden Arches".
"Sure honey. Let's go," he said with a warm smile. Moka was quite content. She knew that Tsukune was going above and beyond, but she was quite proud of him, truth be told. A few, moments, later, the family entered the clown-themed, fast food, restaurant and stood in line to place their order.
...
"So Tamiko... what would you like to have?" Tsukune asked as she looked up at the menu board, which the five-year-old found to be somewhat confusing to her.
She thought the question over for a few moments as the line slowly crawled forward. Moka then knelt down to her level with a suggestion. The vampiress could see that her little face was all scrunched up, as she was deep in thought.
"Would you like a Happy Meal, sweetie?" Moka asked with a smile.
"A Happy Meal?" she repeated. She liked the sound of that, most optimistically, as her face lit up once she digested the idea.
"Um, sure... mommy," she answered a moment later, as she looked up to them with a beaming smile.
"Alright. Um this will be for here. One girls' Happy Meal and two, number one combos, hold the onions please. She'll have a carton of milk and we'll have two Cokes, no ice, please," Tsukune said as he approached the counter to place their order. He then set the shopping bags on the floor momentarily so that he could remove his wallet from the back, right, pocket of his pants.
He then pulled out the proper amount of yen and paid the cashier. After he was handed his change and the receipt, he stuffed his change into the wallet and stuffed it into his back pocket.
After his wallet was put away, he picked up their bags and stood off to the side along with Moka and Tamiko.
"Um, why don't you girls find a booth while I wait for the food?" he suggested to Moka who was all smiles. She nodded yes, as she picked up the bags and led Tamiko towards the far side of the restaurant so they could find a decent place to sit.
Tamiko happily skipped behind Moka through the eating establishment as they searched and found a great booth not too far away. Moka then placed the bags behind the table, near the wall so they would be out of the way for the time being. She then spotted Tsukune walking in her direction. Tamiko decided to sit near Tsukune since he took her to a place she had never been before. She found it quite colorful, hence her eagerness earlier to eat there of all places.
"Here you go honey. Your Happy Meal," he said as he turned his attention towards her after he set the odd-looking box in front of her.
"Thank you... daddy," she said with a bow, which he found to be quite adorable.
Oh my kami... could she be any cuter?
"You're welcome, Tamiko."
On the front of the box itself, were colorful pictures printed of some anime characters she had never seen before. Moka helped her to open the box so she could eat her meal, as she had no clue as to how to proceed, since it was fastened closed.
"Here sweetie... let me help you," Moka said after she opened it up for her.
"Thank you mommy," she said with a sniffle. Tamiko then became quiet for a moment as a stray tear trickled down her pink cheeks.
"Is something wrong, Tamiko?" Tsukune asked out of genuine, heart-felt concern. Tamiko lightly shook her head yes, as she fought the tears back.
"It's okay sweetie. I know everything is so very strange and different here, but I assure you that we do love you so very much. As do your grandmother and grandfather. Just you being here, in our lives is a blessing. You don't have to worry about anything and we're always going to be here for you," Moka said as she reached across the table, held her small hands in her own, and gave them a gentle squeeze.
"It's just... that I never ate out anywhere. My other mommy would always cook for me before... all of the fighting started and daddy went... away," Tamiko softly confessed as she wiped her eyes with a clean napkin. Moka and Tsukune decided to not press the issue any further and possibly bring up any other sad memories. That was the last thing they ever wanted to do.
They also mentioned to her that they would wait for her to talk to them whenever she was ready to. No matter how long it took, they would wait for that day to come. Tsukune gave her a gentle hug from the side to let her know that he was there for her too.
"It's okay honey. We understand. Now eat your chicken nuggets before they get cold, okay?" he said with a warm smile that lit up her face. Moka was amazed how well he got along with her, and that his honest, loving smile was infectious. He just had that effect on people in general no matter how bleak any situation was. And she was rather appreciative for that.
"Okay daddy – and mommy. Thank you," she said as a small smile graced her lips as she dug into her food. She found the taste of the chicken nuggets and apple "fries" to be quite pleasant and happily smiled the entire time. At least Tsukune had chosen a healthy option for her lunchtime meal that Moka had gladly approved of. She was a growing girl, after-all.
Tamiko was also astonished that her 'Happy Meal' came with a free toy that was a small, stuffed cat, which slightly resembled a tiger.
As the new family ate, they just talked about different topics, as to keep Tamiko's spirits up. Tsukune realized that it had to be challenging for someone so young to go through that sort of pain. He would never wish that upon anybody. No one deserved that, especially an innocent, sweet, child such as Tamiko. It was not fair to her and it made him quite upset.
But he would be the best father he could with Moka's help. This was new territory for the both of them. They were not even a year out of high school and already had a child to take care of. At least Koji and Kasumi could help them out whenever they needed advice.
The young, vampire, couple were quite thankful for all of their generous assistance and opened up their home to the orphaned girl, of course.
...
After everyone's appetites were appeased, they had disposed of their refuse in the nearest waste receptacle bin. As they made it outside into the cool, spring, air, Moka and Tsukune could see that their daughter's mood had drastically improved.
Tamiko held Moka's hand firmly as they made their way home. She went over the events from the day so far and felt more at ease around her new family. It had not been easy for her but she soon realized that no matter where she was that she was loved. And she could not be happier than she was at that moment.
Once the trio arrived home several, minutes later, Moka opened the door and allowed Tamiko to enter first. Moka and Tsukune followed her inside and removed their shoes. Tsukune set the bags on the floor as they walked into the dining room.
"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted which caught Tamiko off guard. Dozens of pink and white balloons hung from the ceiling as well as matching steamers. A large, hand-made banner hung on the wall behind the table itself that read "Welcome to our home, Tamiko" in bright lettering.
The young girl was completely shocked. A party for her?
Kasumi and Koji approached the bewildered girl and gave her a quick hug. Those in attendance for the impromptu celebration were Ruby, Mizore, Yukari and Kyoko, Tsukune's cousin.
Before she knew it, Tamiko was led over to the table and was then surrounded by slightly familiar faces. They were younger versions of people she had known from her other world.
"What's this?" Tamiko asked with a puzzled look across her brow.
"This is a welcome home party for you sweetie. It was your daddy's idea" Moka explained as she sat down next to her. Tsukune took the seat next to her, with everybody else sitting around her. In the center was a large sheet cake, which was vanilla with strawberry frosting. Written on the cake itself was "Welcome Home, Tamiko" in simple kanji.
"Really?" she said with tears in her emerald green eyes.
"Yes, sweetie. We just wanted to welcome you to our home. We had called your mommy and daddy's friends so they could meet you," Kasumi explained with a loving smile.
"Oh my gosh! She's so cute!" Yukari cried. Mizore remained quiet, unsure of how to react to the news that Moka and Tsukune had suddenly decided to raise a child from an alternate universe, which no longer existed. It was a bit much to take in, she silently admitted.
Ruby was the one who had told her, Kyoko, and Yukari how it happened. They were all shocked to a certain extent and felt so bad for the child who had lost everything precious to her, just a few days ago. When Moka had asked Ruby to contact them and tell them of the wonderful news, the vampiress was unsure of how they would react.
She just wanted to share the wonderful, yet strange news with her friends.
"Hello sweetie," Ruby said in order to draw her attention towards her.
"Oh Aunt Ruby!" Tamiko said once all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
"You can call me Aunt Yukari if you want," the younger witch added in even though she was not properly introduced yet. Moka just sighed and decided that it would be best to give the proper introductions. Kyoko found the entire possibility of "alternate worlds" to be quite unbelievable, but there she sat a miniature version of Moka in the flesh.
…
Once the introductions were out of the way, Koji cut a slice of cake for everybody as Kasumi poured them a glass of juice or soda. The three vampires had their usual glass of tomato juice of course.
"Um – thank you for my party. I love you all very much," Tamiko said with a bow after she had finished her slice of the sugary treat.
"Awww" was the cumulative reply from the group.
"She really is a cutie, Moka" Mizore said with a slight blush. The yukki-onna was quite happy for her friends and wanted to be there for them. That's what friends did for each other, right?
"Oh yes, she is," Moka simply replied with a blissful smile of her own.
"Sweetie – we have some presents for you," Kasumi said as she could see that her granddaughter was deep in thought from all of the sudden attention.
"Oh... okay," was her adorable answer. Kasumi then bent down and picked up a rather large-sized present that easily weighed several kilograms.
"This is from grandpa and I," Kasumi said as she set it in front of Tamiko whose eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.
"Go on sweetie... open it," Moka lovingly nudged. With a bright grin, Tamiko swiftly ripped off the candy-colored paper with great speed and eagerness.
"Oh my gosh! Thank you grandma and grandpa," she squealed with delight once she figured out what the gift was. It was a Nintendo Wii game system with several games, which included Mario Kart and Pokémon XY. She then jumped off her chair and ran over to her grandparents. She then gave them a hearty hug.
"You're welcome, sweetie. We can set it up for you later on, okay?" Kasumi said with a happy tear in her eyes, once they ended their group embrace.
"Okay grandma. Thank you again" she said with a polite bow. She then scurried back to her seat next to Moka.
"Anytime sweetie."
"Here Tamiko. This is from me," Kyoko announced as she set a large, box in front of the little girl who her cousin and mate had adopted. She still found the sudden news to be somewhat far-fetched.
Tamiko quickly opened the box that was set in front of her. Once she pulled out the item, she was nearly in tears. It was a large, stuffed dog, light brown with long, floppy ears. She hugged her new plush animal and nearly cried.
"Thank you so much!" she cried out. Kyoko sat up from her chair and gave the little girl a warm hug.
"You're welcome, Tamiko. Let's get along from now on, okay?" Kyoko said after they ended their hug a minute later.
"Okay," the young vampire said with a small grin.
"This is from me, Tamiko," Ruby said as she handed the youngster another gift-wrapped box. On the simple, white, paper were small, purple, bats. She gladly accepted it with a smile.
As she tore off the paper, she was surprised at the box's contents. It was a play make-up set. It included several tubes of lipstick, blush, and so forth. Moka was not too keen on Ruby's present, but Tamiko was tickled pink.
"Thank you Aunt Ruby" she said with a grin.
"You're most welcome, Tamiko," the elder witch replied. She was not sure if her gift was appropriate for a girl her age, but she worried for nothing. It was something she thought a five year old would enjoy, since most kids liked to play "dress up."
"My turn! Here Tamiko, this is from me" Yukari said as she set a long, white box, rectangular in shape, in front of the girl. After she removed the red ribbon, she almost teared up at its contents. It was a princess dress, bright pink in color. It also included a crown; a pair of clip on earrings, and a "pearl" necklace; all of which were a lighter tone of pink.
"Oh thank you Aunt Yukari" she said with another smile.
"You're welcome. Ah, so cute!" Yukari said with a bright blush and nearly drooled.
"Um, okay... here Tamiko. This is from me" the snow maiden said as she handed the girl her gift. It was an oblong-shaped box wrapped in light blue paper. Printed on the paper were snowflakes for some unusual reason. Maybe it was a theme with snow people.
As Tamiko tore off the paper from the last, wrapped, present her eyes widened once she pulled out the item from the box. It was a Barbie Doll, dressed in a beautiful, blue kimono.
"Oh thank you so much!" she said as she got off her chair and ran over to Mizore. She hugged the snow maiden rather tightly as she was overwhelmed with happiness. All little girls loved dolls, right?
"Um... you're welcome sweetie" she answered as she returned the warm embrace, which caused her cheeks to become flush. After the short hug, Tamiko went back to her seat.
"Look mommy! It's Barbie!" she said with childlike wonder.
"I see. Very nice."
Moka was nearly moved to tears. All of her friends (the ones who had accepted her as Tsukune's mate at least) had all been supportive and made an honest effort to welcome their foster child into their lives. She hoped for everyone to get along and be there for Tamiko if she ever needed them. Moka was very appreciative for their profound generosity.
Moka then stood up with tears in her hazel eyes and bowed towards her extended family and friends. Tsukune quickly joined her and bowed likewise.
"Thank you everyone so much for welcoming Tamiko. You have our gratitude."
"Yes, thank you for everything," Tsukune added after he and Moka stood straight up.
…
As the party drew to a close, everyone said farewell to the vampire couple and their newly adopted daughter Tamiko. Kasumi and Koji thanked them as well for their heartfelt support.
"Thank you all once again for coming today," Moka said with a bow as her friends were ready to head out.
"Yeah, we're glad that you girls made it today on such short notice," Tsukune added as he scratched the back of his neck out of nervous habit.
"It was our pleasure, Tsukune," Ruby said as she gave the vampire trio a brief hug.
"Same here, guys. I still can't believe how she got here, but she's so cute!" Yukari added a moment later and gave them a hug of her own. Tsukune and Moka both sweat-dropped at her overly enthusiastic reply.
The couple mentally sighed and realized that even though Yukari had matured a lot over the last year, she was still the same little girl they met nearly four years ago. Where had the time gone, anyway?
"It was good to see you again" Mizore said once she had a chance to speak up. She was usually soft spoken around people she did not know and was unsure of how to react to the abrupt news of her friends being parents. But she was truthfully happy for them. They knew as much, despite her quiet nature.
"Yeah, at least you guys have Aunty and Uncle to help out" Kyoko added as she had her chance to give them a goodbye hug.
"Thanks again everyone. We'll see you next month at our wedding," Moka added as the quartet walked down the sidewalk to return to their individual homes.
Once Tsukune closed and locked the door, he had one more thing to add.
"Honey, your mommy and I have one more present for you," he said with a grin.
"Really?" she asked her voice full of curiosity. She silently wondered to herself what her birthday would be like if her "welcome home" party was any indication.
"Yep. Follow us," he said as he lightly grabbed her hand and led her towards the kitchen, Moka hot on their heels.
"It's in here?" she asked as she wrinkled her brow in confusion.
"It's actually outside, sweetie," Moka added as Tsukune opened the rear door and walked into the backyard. It was not much of a backyard, but it was big enough for her to play in and it was fenced in for her safety.
When Tamiko finally saw what her present was, she was uttered speechless.
"This is for me?" she asked as she ran up to it. Moka followed her over as did Tsukune.
"Yes sweetie. We had it delivered and set up while we were out shopping this morning," Moka informed her with a brief hug.
It was a swing set complete with a slide. It happened to be made of a reinforced, recycled plastic material, bright red in color. In the center of the play-set were 3 swings. Each seat was bright blue and was attached to the top bar with long, yellow ropes. The long slide itself was forest green in color. The entire set stood about 3 meters high. It was anchored to the ground itself so it would not topple over.
Tamiko gave her thoughtful parents a big hug and cried tears of joy. She had no idea what to say or any idea of how to react to her amazing day. She felt fortunate to have these wonderful people in her life who had accepted her arrival just two days, prior.
"Oh it's okay sweetie. I know. We do love you so very much. Would you like to try out your new swing set?" Moka asked after she had handed Tamiko a tissue she had in the pocket of her skirt, just in case.
"Um... thank you so much mommy and daddy. I love you too!"
"Oh sweetie. We love you too. So very much," Moka added as she fought back her own tears. This little girl had made such a huge impact in her and Tsukune's life. She had filled the emptiness that Moka had when she had told Tsukune that she was unable to have children of her own. They both felt quite blessed to be there for her as well.
After mother and daughter bonded for a while longer, they then both took to the swing set. Tsukune smiled as he saw how well they got along. He even gave them a push on the swings.
Moka and Tamiko played until sunset and laughed the entire time. The young girl had finally found her place in the world and felt much better. She knew in her heart that she had people in her life who loved her unconditionally, even though she had come from an alternate world. Her surrogate family would make sure she was reminded of that on a daily basis, no matter how long it took, of course.
…
...
Author's Note: Please read.
Wow. I worked on this chapter for nearly 4 days. I had it planned out since the last chapter – after I had gotten plenty of votes to go in this direction. I hope everybody likes this chapter as much as the last chapter when I introduced Tamiko Aono. (from my original R+V story)
This chapter went through a few revisions to get the plot smoothed over. I tend to do that so it follows a certain pattern. That's how I developed my own writing style. It's taken me over two years to get this far. I've written so much and invested thousands of hours to write for you, the fans of Rosario + Vampire.
If you liked this chapter, please let me know. It only takes a moment to do so. If you'd like to see certain plots in the future, I'm always looking for good ideas and will give due credit if they are used or adapted in some way. Thanks for reading my little story that has just a bit over 94,000 views as of this writing! Thank you all so very much for the continued support!