Chapter 49

Just Give Me A Reason

Darkness surrounded Tsukune while he laid prostrate and in pain, isolated him from the rest of the world with only the dirt and his own blood to keep him company. It was almost fitting, in a strange and bitter way; after having fought so hard and for so long for the woman he loved, waiting for the end felt simple, far simpler than having to deal with the trials this bossy, little bitch seemed to enjoy putting him through. Her cryptic words of wisdom didn't help things either, but then he should have expected as much from any witch recommended by the equally erratic Ruby.

Goddamn it! He wearily thought.

The darkness had been inviting; however, a bright shaft of light crept over from above as some stone slab was being slid out of view, which illuminated his surroundings, denying him his want to lie down and surrender to ordeal.

And then, standing in that light high above this long, massive pit was her shadow, calling down his name.

"Tsukune!"

He struggled to get up, but everything hurt; and yet, still she called down impatiently:

"Tsukune! Rise! Do you hear me?"

"Get off my back, woman," he said aloud.

Strangely, he found himself lying on some bathroom floor, not in a crypt. The light was now phosphorus and artificial, while a gun, the barrel still smoking, laid nearby. His head rang with pain and his hearing shot, like a loud blast had roared dangerously close to his ear. He glanced up and noticed blood leaking from the top of his head onto the floor, while still above a bullet hole in the tile wall, flecked with his blood. Eventually, his rattled mind began to make sense of the situation: he'd missed; at the last second Tsukune had changed the gun's trajectory, the bullet narrowly missing his head, but the blast had been so loud that it nearly rendered him unconscious.

"You gotta be kidding me," he thought.

He'd been so ready to end his suffering, but in the very last second, he chickened out.

What if his craven act could have sent the bullet through the wall and hit some innocent bystander? How could he have been so careless?

Fortunately, upon inspecting the hole, Tsukune finds the slug wedged in the wall; evidently, the bullets he bought were subpar. Even if he had gone through with it, this revelation left him with little encouragement that the bullet would have done the job. It provided him with a bit of dry, humorless irony, prompting him to laugh at his worthless self, bitterly.

Hmph, he thought morosely. I can't even commit suicide right.

"Tsukune!"

Struggling to his feet, he couldn't help but think about that hallucination of a memory from so long ago, working that summer job to buy an engagement ring for Moka; it was the fifth time and it felt so real, but why that moment. It was like there was something so pivotal about it, despite being his worst experience about that job, and yet he could still hear that witch of a boss call his name.

"Tsukune!" It came again, followed by some frantic knocking at his door; it shocked him to reality, realizing that he wasn't hallucinating. "It's me, Lucy, from the club!"

"What the f…?"

The voice sounded desperate, but he was in no mood to deal with anyone, much less figure out what she wanted from him so badly.

"I-I know you're in there!" She said, making it obvious that she wouldn't stop.

"Go away!" He called.

"…Are…are you okay?" The girl asked. "I heard a noise in your room!"

"I'm fine!"

"Look I…I just…I wanted to talk! Please, let me talk!"

"Go…away!"

"P-Please, Tsukune!" Moka pleaded, resting her head feverishly against the door. "I have to see you, please open the door!"

When there was no response, she continued to knock and beg to be let in as if her very life depended on it.

"I won't…go away, Tsukune! Dammit, I have nowhere else to go, I have nowhere else I want to be; all I really need is to see your face! I've waited and waited and I'm not waiting any longer!"

She could break down the door, and perhaps should; Moka didn't know why she wouldn't. It was as if this was eight years ago, back at school, and her mind steeped in confusion or terror that Tsukune has shut her out. It made her begin to break down, sliding to the floor, practically on her knees begging.

"Tsukune. I know you're in there; the you…that I've known all these years, from the first time that I saw you, is in there and no matter what's happened, I know…So, don't shut me out, now! Let me see you!"

Moka couldn't hold it in, anymore; she balled her eyes out as though all control over her body had been lost. One piece of wood stood between them, and yet it might as well have been an ocean between them. But, when it seemed hopeless, there came a low groan as the door slowly opened and a pair of brown eyes stared down, staring into her tear soaked, mascara ruined eyes.

"Come in," he said, quietly.

She enters and only sheepishly sits on the edge of his bed, occasionally looking at him, but quietly contemplating on what to say now that they were alone.

"…Well, you're here," he says. "Got what you wanted; now what?"

"…You look…just awful," she finally says. "When was the last time you took care of yourself?"

He sighs.

"I might have something in here," she says, rummaging around in her purse. "Some candy or…"

"Look, if my mother sent you over here…"

"She didn't. I came on my own; just had to see you."

"You had to see me," he says. "Well, here I am. I don't know why you would even…"

"Why didn't you come for me?" She blurts out; the question just pushed to the surface by pent up emotions. "I waited and waited for you, all alone in that hell, but you never once came to get me. Didn't you notice something was wrong? I…"

"…What?"

"I…I don't know what I'm saying," she said, eyes watering up. "I've been losing my mind; all I know is that you were always in my heart when you should have been in my arms! That's, pretty much, all I have to say…Say something!"

"Say something," he muttered.

He had no idea what she was talking about and racked his brain to figure it out. All he could think of was that she meant high school, how out of all the girls who surrounded him only to be ignored because of Moka, that he hadn't noticed Lucy.

"Because I'm an idiot," he finally responded. "I'm a blind, stupid chump who couldn't see the truth if it stood right in front of me, screaming. You deserved someone better; I deserved nothing. If you came all this way just to hear me say I'm sorry, then I'm afraid that's all I can tell you: I'm sorry."

"…No, that's, that's not true; you're not an idiot and you're not a chump."

"There you were! Right in front of me, I should have known better, I should have noticed something was wrong, I should have been more insightful, but I wasn't! Most women would spit on a piece of shit like me; if that's what you want, then go right ahead! I won't stop you!"

"I won't spit on you! Tsukune, it's not your fault, I shouldn't have said all of that. Besides, you've already been through enough, only someone jaded would kick you while you're down."

"I should know," he muttered. "Well, what do you want?"

"Can…can I stay in here, with you?"

"You're wasting your time, I'm not in the mood for sex."

"I'm not here for that."

However, she smelled fresh blood, his blood and noticed it trickling down the front of his face.

"D-Did you hurt yourself?" She asked, getting up and drawing closer to his face.

"It's noth…," he started to say, before she began licking the blood up.

"Oh, sorry!"

"It's fine; wait, what did you say?"

"What?" She asked.

"…Nothing, nothing."

"Tsukune…?"

"Lucy, is it?"

"Y-Yes."

He couldn't tell if it was this odd conversation or just having her so close to him, where he could take in her alluring, feminine scent as she licked him, but it stirred something from within. Now, Tsukune looks at her, really looks at her, studying this strange girl from the long, semi-muscular thighs with a mesh of fishnet stockings draped over their smooth skin, all the way up to a tiny, leather mini skirt that hugged Lucy's shapely hips and what he could imagine was a perky ass. Indeed, he recognized how stripping had done wonders for her body, allowing her to sport an athletic figure accentuated by a low cut, leather halter top. If it weren't for the neon green hair, which he knew was a wig, he'd have had a pretty good image of her, which only added a bit of mystery. What he knew though was that she the spitting image of Akasha, in both physique, tone of voice and demeanor, if not for a rosary chain around her neck that looked eerily like Moka, and yet he wondered why he thought of her mother instead. Then again, he was spurned too much to show any affection.

"…Forget it," he says brusquely, turning his back. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"…I'm sorry."

"You said it again; why?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"I'm sorry for everything you're going through; if I had been a better person to you..."

"Since when do vampires apologize?"

"We do, when we've hurt someone dear to us."

"…Why me, you don't know anything about me."

"Yes, I do."

"Just because we went to school together, doesn't mean we know each other."

"I know you; trust me, there's a lot about me you don't know yet, but I do know you! You are handsome, you are kind, you're the most compassionate person I've ever known, never afraid to stand up for what you believed in, and it gave us hope during the darkest moments!"

"A lot of good that did me! All my sacrifice for others, and two of them did this to me!"

"You just fell in with the wrong couple of people, the wrong…girl. If it helps, I always adored those qualities."

"Then where the hell were you?"

Moka looks away in shame and Tsukune suddenly realizes just how raw he's been to her, who has been nothing but nice to him.

"I'm…sorry," he says. "You were asking me why I didn't come for you, and here I am asking why you didn't come for me."

"It's alright, Tsukune. We've both been hurt, but not by each other."

"Yeah."

He could smell her cherry perfume, the kind Moka used to love, and yet she looked more mature than her.

"Tsukune, listen to me!" She says, as if sensing his distress as she stared into his broken eyes, desperately trying to snap him to. "You are Tsukune Aono: fearless, determined, mightier than any monster or man that walked this earth; how dare you demean yourself! You deserve better!"

"Why are you telling me all this?" He asked, turning away. "What do you want from me?"

"Tsukune, I…"

"And, stop calling me by my name!" He snaps. "Maybe we did go to the same school together and just never met before now or maybe you're one of Caro's whores trying to butter me up!"

"That's not true!"

"Whatever it is, I am not for it! I'm a tool, and I'm tired of being toyed with!"

"I'm not toying with you! I told you all I wanted was…!"

"Was to see me; well, mission accomplished. You can tell Caro or whomever sent you that you did, now…"

"Tsukune, listen!"

"Get out! I don't want what you're selling, I don't want any of it!"

"Then what do you want!?" She snaps back, her loud, shrill voice filling the room, silencing him.

"…What?" He asked, stymied.

"What the hell do you want, huh? What's it gonna take to make you happy again!"

"What do I want?" He repeats, stymied further by the question.

"Yes! What will make you happy, tell me!"

"I…I don't know…"

"Bullshit; everybody wants something. What do you want?"

There was a long pause, and for a moment a lost look fell on his face, a look which brought a surprising and rather tragic epiphany to Moka.

"Don't…Don't you have anything you want?" She asked him. "Doesn't Tsukune want something for himself?"

"I don't…I…" He muttered to himself.

"Oh god!" She gasped as she watched him muttering and gesturing to himself as though he was having some silent, mental breakdown. "You've spent your entire life…sacrificing yourself for m…others; your friends, your family, even…the girl you loved, but it never occurred to you that maybe you deserved something, too. I'm right, am I?"

"…L-Leave me alone," he tried to stutter, but Moka wouldn't.

"Tsukune, tell me what it is you really want; I know you want something for yourself, tell me and I'll, I'll get if for you!"

"Stop. I-I don't want anything."

"Yes, you do!" She said, grabbing hold of his shoulders and refusing to let go despite his feeble attempts. "Everybody wants something, everybody's gotten something, at your expense; now, it's your turn!"

He looked at her with the most devastated eyes she'd seen on him yet, as he started to realize that she was right; he'd sacrificed everything for not just Moka, but everyone until it broke whatever humanity, whatever sanity, was left to give.

What did he want?

"Tell me, Tsukune," she said, her evergreen eyes, on verge of watering up, staring intently into his shattered, worn down soul. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? I…I just wanted to be happy."

She smiles warmly and says to him:

"Well, let's see what we can do about that; shall we? I promise, I'll pay."

Tsukune had grave misgivings, but she was pretty and, whether genuine or not, was going through an absurd amount of interest in him, and she was paying; he figured what the hell.

Elsewhere, Tsukune's mother, Kasumi sat alone in her hotel room, still reeling over the situation with her son when a sudden knock jolted her from such morose thoughts. Wiping away tears, she was in no mood to entertain anyone, but the insistent knocking proved to be less understanding, so reluctantly she asks:

"…Who is it?"

"It's me," said a very familiar, and unwelcomed voice.

"Go away," she said in a weary, but irritable tone.

"Kasumi, please…I really want to talk with you."

"No…I can't, Koji. Just, leave me alone!"

"Dammit, I know you don't want to see me, but with everything that's happened now we can't afford not to be divided like this! Kasumi, please just hear me out!"

"There's nothing to say!" She yelled.

"Oh, I'd say there's plenty to be said," said Akua who appeared suddenly from the corner of her room.

"AAAAAHHH!" She screamed.

"Kasumi?" Koji called.

"Who…H-How did you get in here?" She asked the vampire, who casually unlocks the door and lets an equally startled Koji stumble in.

"How did you get in here?" He also asked upon seeing Akua.

"I do apologize for my intrusiveness," Akua said as she humbly bows. "But, time is of the essence."

"You're with her?" Kasumi asked him, her gaze upon him no less pleased.

"Well, more or less."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She angrily inquires, ready to accuse him of more infidelity.

"It's not what it sounds like; I'd just stopped Moka from…trying to take her own life."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine."

"Yes, she is," Akua interjects. "Had it not been for your former husband, my young sister would be lying dead on the Vegas Strip. So, despite what you may think about him, Mr. Aono is still quite an honorable man, would you not agree?"

"…I don't know what you might know," Kasumi said. "And, I'm not ungrateful for what he did for Moka, but…he betrayed me, betrayed my trust with another woman; I can't forgive that."

"Kasumi, I made a mistake," he tries to explain. "I'll go to my grave regretting it, I don't know how many times I can tell you this."

"You think that'll erase what happened!? Our life, our everything is over, and for what!?"

"For an insidious, self-absorbed plot by my skanky elder sister," said Akua.

"Excuse me?" Kasumi asked.

"When your husband came clean to you about his 'infidelity', what details did he provide?"

"What difference does that make?" Kasumi asked.

"I spared her the details," he flat out said, as if the very idea of having said more would make things worse.

"Why don't you run it by her again, for my benefit?"

The formerly married couple glanced at one another, visibly upset by this odd request.

"I thought you wanted to help us?" Koji asked.

"I am, by getting to the bottom of what really happened?"

The confused glances from the two was all Akua needed to continue talking.

"Let me guess, Mr. Aono told you that he got hammered at a work party and slept with another woman, which turned out to be his new boss and Moka's sister, Ria, am I right?"

"How did…how'd you know that?" A stunned Kasumi asked.

"Mr. Aono," Akua carried on, "do you even remember fucking my sister that night? Now, think hard!"

"What?" He asked, shocked to be asked such a thing in front of his estranged wife. "Why w…?"

"Just answer the question, it's not like saying more is gonna put you in the dog house."

"Um, I…well, I…uh, no. No; we drank Saki, I had like one or two, no two glasses and then…Next thing I knew I was…The rest I'm sure you know."

"You woke up in bed next to Ria, who also woke up beside you just in the nick of time whereupon seeing you, acted all shy and innocent, and threatened to expose your rotten deed unless you be her puppet, which you, after freaking out, agreed upon, is that right?" Akua asked.

"…Is that what really happened?" Kasumi asked him, to which he looked shamefully away and nodded.

Akua then asks:

"It never occurred to you, to either of you, that maybe you were set up?"

"Set up?" The couple had asked.

"Think about it, Mr. Aono. Ria buys your company out of the blue, gives you a big, fat raise, and a cushy new position that pays ten times more than your last position, am I right? Then, while celebrating this important merger, and your promotion, you share a drink with your new boss, Ria; it's all innocent, of course, and you're super grateful so you accept a few drinks with her, but pass out and awake to find her next to you in bed, nude. Answer me this, was she sweating? Were you? Did it even feel like you two had sex?"

"I…I don't remember."

"What are you trying to say?" Kasumi asked. "That they didn't have sex?"

"You didn't notice how strange it all was why poor, victimized Ria didn't alert anyone, let alone Moka of such a tragic situation, if indeed she was the offended rape victim?"

"Well, because she wanted my son to herself," Koji said.

"Yes, but how?"

"…She set me up," he finally realized. "Oh my god, she set me up. We didn't have sex, did we?"

"No. She played you the moment she bought your company," Akua went on. "She wanted your son, not you, and it while she has literally fucked people for so much less, it is so much easier to make you think something had gone on between you than to actually do the deed."

Flabbergasted, Kasumi wanted to believe it, but a part of her remained hesitant.

"W-Why should we believe you?" Kasumi asked. "How do you know all of this?"

"Because, I know my sister, I know people like her, and getting some hapless fool, no offense, to go along with you through guilt is the oldest trick in the book."

"Oh my god!" Kasumi gasped, while Koji was left speechless.

"Mr. Aono, you didn't betray your wife; you're no more an adulterer than your son's wife."

"…W-Why?" Koji finally asked. "Why would she do all of this? Just to get with our son?"

"…Yes!" Akua flat out replies.

"I don't understand," said Kasumi. "Why is everything so centered on Tsukune? I mean no disrespect but, you people are so obsessed over our son that you're willing to cause all of this madness!"

"Well, I'd say it goes back to when you were tricked into sending your son to school for monsters," said Akua.

"I don't understand; because we sent him to a school for monsters, you want him?"

"Oh no; that only got him noticed! It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's something I'll have to explain later, right now I need you two to cooperate with me."

"What now?" Koji asked. "What more do you want from us?"

"I need you, Mr. Aono; remember, I'm here to repay a debt."

"By telling us how I allowed your older sister to trick me all these years into believing I cheated on my wife just so she can use my son; how the devil is that repayment?" He asked.

"No," she replies. "I brought you here, to your wife, to tell you this: that you, your son, your niece, my baby sister and all their friends out there have more at stake than what is between you. Ria did trick you, and she's divided you, now another product of my twisted family has divided your son from all of you; it seems our enemies have succeeded in separating all of you for their own selfish desires. Now, is the time for vengeance; I want revenge, so do you, so does that blue haired succubus out there, you all want revenge against those who've wronged you. I am willing to fight for that, and Koji's presence would be a big help; how about you two? If helping your son is that important, if revenge or justice really is what your heart desire, then at least put up a good fight for what you want!"

Koji and Kasumi looked at each other, this time their expressions have softened as Akua's words had cut through both like a long, sharp lance.

"What do you want from me?" Koji asked.

"What do you intend to do with...with my husband?" Kasumi asked.

"I need his business sense, that's all. As I'm sure you know, Ria's the corporate head of father's business; we're going to wreck that position. You in?"

"…Give us a moment, please," he tells her.

"As you wish," she says and exits out the room so quietly and suddenly, that it was as if she'd disappeared.

"…Well," he says to Kasumi, at last alone.

"Well. She's right."

"Yeah."

"It doesn't look like we've been trying all that hard."

"Oh, come now, dear. I admit, we've had a lot on our plate, but…"

"Koji, it's true. We haven't been fighting very hard, while our enemies have just been laughing at us!"

"Maybe our eyes have been off the ball; but, it's not too late."

"I turned my back on how much I still loved you. I was wrong."

"You still love me?"

"I never stopped. I was so mad, so shocked at, at everything; I should have fought to get you back."

"You never lost me, not for a second, I let this whore into our lives, let her control me like a puppet so she can get to our son; that's not the man you married."

"You were never a puppet," she says, kissing him gently on the lips. "You're just a good man, good men often tricked by whores; it happens, sad to say."

"What happens now?" He asked, looking longingly into her beautiful, brown eyes, eyes that were never like anyone else's.

"Do what you have to do, but make that bitch pay; in the meantime, I'll do what I can to help make that other bitch pay."

"…You got it, babe," Koji smiles. "Akua, I'm…We're ready!"

"Splendid," she says, reappearing in the room and startling the two. "Brace yourselves, Mr. Aono, it's going to be a rough ride."

Moka led Tsukune by the hand through the throngs of people that crowded the Vegas Strip, trying to find something he'd enjoy, something that'd bring a smile to his face. There was a time when just seeing her smile would have been enough, which she took for granted, now not even that seemed to do it nor did any of the myriad of dazzling features around them faze him.

"Oooh, that looks fun!" She exclaimed, pointing to an extravagant dinner and a show. "A Medieval themed restaurant! You want to go in and see the show, maybe eat something."

"Doesn't matter to me," he says. "Whatever you want to do."

"Tsukune!"

"I don't know what you want me to say, Lucy; I don't care!"

"We'll see," she said as she led him to the establishment, determined to get him excited again.

A line outside greeted them however, but that wasn't about to stop Moka whom, after learning from Caro and now showing more moxie than before, barged her way to the front passed disgruntled patrons.

"End of the line, Miss," said the greeter.

"Hey, yeah!" The angry customers yelled.

Tsukune felt uncomfortable, thinking he would have to intervene on someone else's behalf once again.

"Lucy!" He hissed.

"I got this!" She said.

"Lady, I'm not gonna tell you again," said the greeter.

"I'm awfully sorry," she said, putting on her most persuasive act, that included putting her perky breasts out there for him to peer down, "but my brother and I had to step out for a bit; we couldn't get cell phone reception in there and we really need to call our folks and let them know we're fine after such a harrowing evening! So, I'd really appreciate it if you were to let us in, our food is probably at our table already and it could be cold!"

"Well…"

"Please, big man!" She said running her finger on his chest, which brought a smile to his face.

"…Go ahead."

"Thank you," she said, giving him a small peck on the cheek and leads Tsukune in amidst the jeers and complaints of those behind them. Tsukune was speechless.

The place inside was a combination of casino and restaurant, where at the dining area she pulled the same trick again, this time getting a younger male waiter dressed in medieval clothing where, she simply whispers something in his that left him smitten, led them to some of the best seats available, right by the arena.

"You see," she said after seeing Tsukune's face, "no problems."

"How did…?" He tried to ask.

"You can learn a lot from working at a Gentleman's Club."

"Yeah, but they usually do that to please their John's."

"You're not a John," she said. "Besides, this is your night, and every other night after that; I'm going to make it all up to you for… always taking advantage of you!"

"You don't have…!"

"Shall thou maiden and good sire desire anything?" Asked their waiter.

"Tsukune?" Moka asked.

"No."

"Just the menus, then," she said. "Come on, Tsukune have a seat and watch the show!"

"What are you doing?" He asked, noticing her pull out his chair.

"A bit much?"

"Yeah!"

"Sorry."

"You don't…never mind."

Her frequent use of an apology still irked him for some reason, having grown so used to Moka and her ilk, and how they'd chastise him for it. Yet, here was this strange woman, every bit the vampire as Akasha, not only being considerate, but so concerned for his well-being.

He ordered nothing special, just wine served in a cup of Meade, but as before, he couldn't drink it. Even when Lucy suggested he share some of her order, he found no desire in trying it, despite her looks of concern. He tried to relax, even after assured that Lucy would take care of the bill, but nothing mattered, while this entire spectacle of a dinner and a show felt like a pale imitation to what Mizore's village had offered. Watching these actors fake joust and duel to the thrill to all but him, it was as though monsters like Moka, Ria, Gin, Lotharius and even Hiba had succeeded in draining the human out of him.

"Are thou enjoying thine selves?" Asked their water.

"We are, right?" Moka asked Tsukune.

"Huh; oh, yeah," he said, momentarily distracted from aimlessly watching the show.

He hadn't followed any of it; at one point they did a joust, minus the shedding of any blood, and now there was a knight facing off against a paper-mache dragon.

"I bet this takes you back?" Moka asked.

"…Yeah, it's fake," he said with little fanfare. "I killed a larger dragon than that back at the Snow Village; they loved it, these people wouldn't."

"…Uh, no," she said. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean? I've had to fight and kill a lot so…"

"That wasn't the dragon I was talking about."

"Then what?"

"You remember, the dragon you had to fight over the summer break before our last year of high school. You had to work for a fortune teller to buy two engagement rings."

"How'd the hell you know about that?" He asked, curious.

"Uh, your friends told me…Yes, they told all about it. You fought a dragon and he awarded you two ruby rings, like the one…you…are…or were wearing."

"Oh," he flat out said like it was nothing, and returned to watching a spectacle he had little interest in.

"Say?" She asked, just now noticing he wasn't wearing the ring nor had seen those priceless gems anywhere. How could she forget them; while dealing with seeing Tsukune again and trying in vain to reconcile with him, those beautiful rings always remained in the back of her mind, and hoped to see them again.

"Tsukune, um, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but…whatever happened to them; the engagement rings, I mean? C-Could I see them?"

"I pawned them," he simply replied without ever looking up, it already a dead issue to him, but the sound of those words and the thought they were hocked off like cheap trinkets figuratively pulled the chair right out from under her.

"Y-You…I can't…I…You sold them!?"

"Yeah."

"YOU SOLD THEM!?" She cried, creating a scene. "H-How? Why?"

"What's it to you? Besides, they were for Moka; won't be needing them, anymore."

"I-I…!"

She was mad, devastated and confused all at the same time, and in her erratic state, the only thing she noticed was how difficult it was to breathe.

"Excuse me!" She gasped and fled to the nearest restroom, looking and asking around, the panic on her face apparent to all who saw her, worried that something physically was wrong and luckily directed the upset, young woman to one that was situated away from prying crowds.

Once safe in the bathroom, the coast clear after checking the stalls, Moka braced herself against the sink and let it all out: every emotion, every pain one could feel in one, agonizing second came pouring out in a long, drawn out wail that reverberated against the walls and threatened to shatter the glass.

These weren't just any engagement rings, they were priceless symbols of all the hardships she and Tsukune had went through together just to find love. Moka recognize with bitter epiphany just how silly, even corny this intense focus of love and happiness would seem to those who only care about getting laid for one night, and it made her all the more furious at everyone who had a hand in ruining her life. It was their passion, her man, and her beautiful gems whose radiance under the light was like power; now, disposed of with nary a feeling of pain or remorse by people who don't even care.

It was a cruel and thoughtless reaction to a cruel and thoughtless act that no one had the right to do.

"…Goddamn you," she muttered, her voice hoarse, her body shaking from the rage. She had hatred instead of love, and now she wanted revenge on Ria, her twin, even Inner Moka who mercifully remained quiet; they'd all taken everything from her, everything that mattered but meant nothing to them, for no other reason than they could.

No more! She thought, angrily. She was gonna tell him everything, get him to tell her where those gems were, and settle everything once and for all; to hell with the consequences. She stormed out of the bathroom, passed startled patrons and back to where Tsukune was sitting, only to find him gone.

What? Where is he?

There wasn't difficulty tracking him down, his rich blood made it that unmistakeable in the crowd. Evidently, he grew bored with the entertainment and, without bothering to wait for her, had meandered into the nearby casino and started playing with the slot machines.

"Tsukune!" She said. "So, you're just going to leave me, is that it?"

"Yep," he said before briefly taking his eyes off the machine, which luckily hit the jackpot, though he hardly seemed thrilled by it.

"W-Why? I did all of this for you and…you're gonna just…How do you expect to make this up to me?"

"Here," he says, handing her one of the many gold coins that came raining out of the machine.

"I don't want it!" She said, slapping it out of his hand.

"Then put me in my place and be done with it; you do whatever you want. Here, you can have the rest."

"Do whatever I…I wouldn't…"

He gets up and walks away, leaving Moka to grab as much of the coins as she could and hurries after him.

"You know what I want?" She asked. "I want my life back, I want the man that I fell in love with back; I want you to want something so that he can be normal, again!"

"You're wasting your time!" He responds. "It was a mistake to begin with! It's over! Now, leave me the fuck alone!"

"…Tsukune!" She snapped.

Looking around angrily, just wanting to grab or do something that'll turn this place upside down, she laid eyes on a Harley up for a prize in some high-stakes poker game.

Perfect, she thought.

Tsukune, however had meandered a bit before getting ready to leave, and was just about out the building when a commotion grabs his attention, followed by the loud roar of an engine that drew rapidly closer from within the crowd, until…

WHACK!

His feet instantly lift off before he even knew what hit him and is sent tumbling along the street, crashing into a palm tree just as a motorcycle slides to stop only mere inches from his face.

"What the…?" He asked, his back wracked with pain and angrily glaring at the rider, expecting to find some lunatic who had too much to drink, but is instead surprised to see Lucy staring down at him.

"HEY!" Someone yelled from inside the casino. "SOMEONE STOP THAT BROAD!"

"Get on," she ordered.

"You can't be…?" He asked.

"Get on or I'll make you get on!"

When she saw that he'd remain obstinate, she softened her mood.

"Look, don't do it for me, do it for yourself because I just told them that you're with me!"

He could hear the voices of irate people from inside the building and knew she meant business.

"You want me to ride with you?" He asked.

"No, drive."

"What?"

"THERE THEY ARE!" He heard someone shout.

"You better hurry!"

Bruised, but not badly, he was conflicted about taking this strange vampire's even stranger request and yet the prospect of getting into an altercation with the unsavory crowd in this town or going to jail hardly felt inviting.

"Dammit!" He muttered as he hops onto the driver's seat, with Moka holding onto him as they barreled uncontrollably down the Strip, in the nick of time.

In their wake, however was a buxom, dark skinned prostitute watching stoically at the larcenous couple, soon joined by her smaller, Asian looking partner. They were both striking to look at, with the taller girl stretching out a tiny, white mesh skirt and the shorter one in a short, black skirt that was both classy looking, yet accentuated her behind; indeed, they fit in with the type of people around them. But, it was all smoke and mirrors, as the taller, curvier whore makes an impromptu call to their employer.

"Mistress, this is Katerea reporting."

"Fine," replied her lackluster mistress. "What now?"

"It's Lord Aono; he seems to have fallen in with one of the succubus' strippers and she has created quite a raucous."

"Oh me, oh my, what ever shall I do? Anything of relevance, fool?"

"She did prevent him from taking his own life, my Mistress."

"…Am I to understand that you would have let him?"

"N-No, we would have intervened, b-but…?"

"But?"

"…This woman, she's not an ordinary woman. It seems she is a vampire, herself."

Immersed in her chess game, alone and half naked, Ria Sekitan's attention is finally aroused by this stunning revelation.

"Who is she?" She inquired. "What family does she hail from?"

"They call her Lucy; that is all we know, but she's strong, has drunken from his blood and carries a seal around her neck not unlike…"

"Follow them and eliminate her; I don't care what you do, I do not want my future Bloodmate in between the legs of another vampire, do I make myself clear?"

"It will be done, my mistress."

Too distressed to continue her game, Ria knocks over the board and scatters the pieces as ponders on what to do next.

"Your mourning period is over, I'm afraid, dear Tsukune," she mutters to herself. "Time to come home."

In the meantime, the mad ride through town was a harrowing one for Tsukune, while his passenger seems to enjoy it, holding on tight and squealing with delight as the wind whipped through her green hair which waved to every startled onlooker like some neon light. They swerved in and out of oncoming traffic, hopped onto sidewalks, narrowly dodged frightened tourists. It wasn't until he finally took control of the hog that Tsukune found himself having fun, feeling a rush he hadn't felt in so long; his limbs tensed, his blood pumping, and all senses sharpened for the thrill of it. In fact, it was the heat radiating from his back and the sensation of the bike between her legs that caused Moka to uncontrollably bite Tsukune's neck and salivate over his warm blood in euphoria, for which he didn't seem to notice or care. She was not too consumed in her passion to hear laughter in his voice, the first time she'd heard it in so long; and it sounded like music.

They drove for hours, enjoying every minute of it, before stopping in a store parking lot.

"I…I can't believe it!" Tsukune laughed breathlessly as he rested against the bike, his very muscles relaxing from the rush of riding on that bike. "I cannot believe we just did that!"

"Yeah," she said, her small head against his arm. "One of the best moments I had in my life, how about you?"

"Well, I…"

"Come on, admit it, you were having fun!"

Though a part of him didn't want to admit it, so reluctant was he to forget the pain out of fear of returning to his naivete like before, but the joy, the satisfaction and fulfillment, all with this good-looking woman proved too much to ignore; it brought a small smile back to his face.

"Alright," he said. "I admit it was…interesting! Never ridden a bike, before."

"Never stolen one, neither," she said. "First time for everything, huh?"

"I guess so."

Glancing at the welcoming lights of the store, Moka felt like grabbing some items to celebrate.

"You know, you still have plenty of money to spend," she says.

"I do?"

She reveals the loads of thousands of dollar bills from the casino, stuffed in her purse.

"There must be thousands," he gasped.

"And, then some," she wryly said, coyly revealing a few more stuffed in her blouse.

"You took the time to cash those tokens before stealing the bike?" He asked.

"Waste not, want not."

"Why didn't you just buy the damn thing?"

"Because, it wouldn't have gotten your attention!"

He shook his head, but started to laugh.

"Lucy, you're…you're some woman."

"I'm glad you think so. So, the night's still young, how about we go buy some liquor, maybe a few other items, and go have some more fun!"

"Sounds like fun."

Though the night was young to them, the store felt nearly deserted, which made it perfect for the two to mill about like horny teenagers on a date. Indeed, Tsukune couldn't remember when he acted this way with a woman, even while with Moka, going around the store and just grabbing beer, medicine to get high off, and an assortment of random things their loot could buy just to pass the time away with Lucy. As for her, she enjoyed being with him, believing they were finally reconnecting, even if this behavior of hers was different from what she's used to.

"Hope you have enough space to hold?" He asked, both their arms loaded with items.

"Oh yeah, I got it," she responds as they head down the toothpaste aisle towards the front, whereupon she recalled something important that Yukari had told her, something that had to do with where they were. "Hey wait!"

"What?"

"I think I might've forgot…"

"Forgot what?"

She looks at the rows of toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, everything before stopping at the mouthwash.

"Mouthwash; we need mouthwash!" She says. "Never know if it might come in handy."

Instinctively, she goes for the cinnamon flavored, it's strange color appealing to her.

"You want to share?" She asks.

"Cinnamon," he says, the tone of his voice dropping.

"Yeah; you don't like it?"

"…No. But, um I guess I'm not surprised you like it."

"What does that mean?"

"It's nothing."

"No, what?"

"It's just that…it's what my, soon to be ex-wife loved; said it reminded her of blood, or her eyes, I can't remember which."

"Yes, the color is…Well, we don't have to share," she said, growing uneasy about this debate over mouthwash.

"Let's go," he said. "You through?"

"Wait, we can get one for you, didn't you used to have a-a particular brand?"

"Forget it!"

"C'mon, tell me."

No, don't get mad at me again! She thought, frantically. Everything was going great, why'd it go wrong, because of mouthwash? What did I do?

"I said forget about it, let's go!"

Damn it, Yukari! What was I supposed to…?

"Tsukune; wasn't there a flavor that you liked. What is it, I'll get it for you!"

"…I can tell you what she didn't care for: green!"

"Green?"

She looks down at the row of multicolored mouthwash and sees mint flavored.

"You mean, mint?"

"What's it to you?" He challenged.

"We can get mint, if you want; did you like its taste? It's no big deal!"

"I just used to like it; didn't think too much about it before I fell in love, now…"

He grunted and turned to leave.

"What? What did I say?"

Desperate, she grabs both items and hurries to catch up with him, but he'd already dumped his stuff at the counter just as she caught up.

"You pay for this," he ordered and walked out the door.

"Tsukune, wait!"

"Is that going to be all, ma'am?" The cashier asked.

"Yeah," she replied, but her focus was elsewhere, looking at the closed, glass doors with only a black background to show, wondering if he was leaving, contemplating on what happened and what it was she was supposed to know about mouthwash.

He didn't used to like it until he fell in love? Was I supposed to know something, important?

"Looks like someone has a thing for green," she heard the cashier say.

"Huh?"

"This," she replied, holding up the minty mouthwash. "You know, green hair, green eyes, green mouthwash. I imagine it's for you; most folks would think it's freaky, but I think it's kinda cute."

Suddenly it hit her like a bat to the head, and it nearly caused her to feel genuine pain, but of shame and utter shock. In the day, Tsukune had always worn his emotions on his sleeve, and when it came to love he fell for hard Moka, so hard that something so redundant would be his way of showing it to her.

"Oh, I'm so…," Moka muttered. "It was because of my eyes! It was because of my eyes!"

"You okay, ma'am?"

"…Keep the change!" Moka yelled, slamming down a stack of bills and grabbed everything, despite it being over the correct price; but, all that mattered was to catch up with Tsukune.

Why? She wondered. Why, is it so hard to get you, sometimes!

But, being bombarded by the cool, night air and stuck in the middle of this semi-deserted parking lot, with no one to be seen, it's lonely atmosphere becoming greatly apparent, did it became apparent that the problem wasn't solely on him.

"I was in love with you, too just like you with me; so, why didn't I show it the same way? I'm such a fool. You were always doing this, always trying to prove how much I meant to you, and I just…God!"

In anger, she fishes out the cinnamon mouthwash and, no longer appealing to her, throws it away.

"My goodness," said a woman's voice. "So, wasteful!"

"I agree, sister."

Off to her right, Moka notices two prostitutes slowly walking towards her, which in this town was hardly unusual. What was unusual was the vibe that they gave, giving her a reason to be on guard.

"Who are you?" Moka asked, ready to fight. "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point; nothing gets past you, does it?"

"You're not human; what are you?"

Suddenly, before her nervous, green eyes the two shape-shifted into a pair of chimeralike beasts whose very aura suggested a ferocity she, in her current state, could not hope to contend.

"I know what you are," she points out. "You're shifters."

"Shape-shifters to be precise," said one of the creatures. "And, we're here under orders of our mistress; you must die."

"Ria. You're working for Ria, aren't you; I should have known."

Without wasting any time, they attacked, both working in tandem to create confusion. However, Moka, so ready for anything, somersaulted on the head of the first monster to reach her and delivers a sharp kick to the face of the second monster; it was an impressive strategy, but as the two monsters hardly seemed phased, it seemed clear the kind of strength needed to incapacitate them wasn't where she wanted.

"Back off!" She warned as they surrounded her. "Or else!"

"You're gonna have to do better than that," one of the creatures said, distracting Moka enough for her partner to move in for another attack.

Desperate, Moka swung her bag of groceries as a bat with a hard swing and knocks the creature clear over some parked cars, along with some of her recently bought purchases; but, unfortunately that too was a distraction for the other one, who was already in mid leap, with fangs just inches away from her green head.

"Look out!" Tsukune yelled as he kicks the beast away just in time.

"Tsukune!" Moka cried with joy.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh Tsukune, look!" She said, rummaging the through the half empty bags. "I realized why you liked mint so much, so threw the other one away and stuck with the mint so now we can sh…"

"Lucy."

"No, now we can share it; you and me…If only I had thought of it sooner, I…"

"Lucy!"

"Oh no," she moaned, not finding the mouthwash in the now partially emptied plastic bag, and looking in despair at the discarded items strewn across the lot. "Those stupid bitches; I can't believe they made me...!"

"Lucy!" He cried, shaking her shoulders. "That's not important, right now!"

"But, but, it is; it is important! I should have known!"

"That's great, but right now…"

"Tsukune Aono!" One of the creatures, poised to strike and glaring at them menacingly with yellowish eyes, bellowed. "We are not under orders to harm you, but if you do not stand aside and let us have the girl, you will be gravely sorry!"

"It would be in your best interest, my lord!" Said her partner.

"Not happening," he said, standing before Moka in a defensive manner. Just this sight, this feeling of protection, his broad shadow standing over her like a guardian spirit, all took her back before any of this happened, to a simpler time.

But, Moka knew he wasn't as strong as he used to be; days without eating and caring for himself was evident in his fragile frame; and yet, he was willing to protect her.

"Tsukune," Moka quietly said.

"The bike is just a few yards away," he whispers, backing them both by inches, never once taking his eyes off the creatures. "You run for it and get out of here; I'll hold them off!"

"No!" She says. "You're not strong enough; don't do this, not for me!"

"This isn't up for debate! I won't let them kill you!"

This girl maybe strange, he thought. She maybe impulsive, intrusive even, but she has a good heart and…and she really cares about me. Whether or not she's really a prostitute, I can't let anything happen to her. I won't let anything happen!

"I can't let you do that!" Moka says and suddenly raced toward the two monsters.

"LUCY!" He cried.

"Foolish, little girl," said the first shifter who leapt forward to meet the girl.

Moka, likewise leapt into the air, ready to deliver a kick, confident it will connect and do some damage. But, she didn't see the other one emerge just inches to her lower right until it was too late, as both creatures were about to sandwich her between them.

Oh no! Moka thought, closing her eyes for the inevitable when a sharp force slammed into her and was knocked onto the cold pavement, where a sweet, smell of blood had begun to emanate; but, it was not her own.

Slowly, she opens her eyes and was devastated to learn what had happened, and whom had taken the punishment for her foolish action.

"TSUKUNE!" She squealed, horrified to see him lying on top of her with three gashes along his back. "You didn't have to."

"Stupid girl," he grimaced, trying to get back up, his hands grasping tentatively on her blouse for leverage. "I said, I am not going to let these freaks hurt you, and I meant it!"

KLING!

The sound, as soft as a small bell, so loud to her ears that it might have been from nearby church bells, because in Tsukune's feeble attempt to get up and challenge their attackers, he clumsily grabbed ahold of the rosary cross around her neck and ripped it lose with little effort, now standing with it in his hand.

"Prepare yourself then, fool!" One of the chimeras threatened.

"Come on!" Tsukune said, shaken, tired, but focused nonetheless to die on Lucy's behalf, resigned to his fate, yet didn't notice holding a metal cross in his right hand or the slight change in the air.

"Wh-What's going on?" The second chimera asked, fear in her voice.

He hadn't figured what was going on, but suddenly a monstrous blast of crimson light erupted behind Tsukune, the energy of the blast knocking him off his feet and shaking the store, the parking lot, even the frightened chimeras who looked on with horror as a lone, shadowy figure, stood up before them.

"This is bad!" One of the monsters said to the other. "This is really bad; we should…"

Before her partner could even finish, something snatched the other one within the blink of an eye and sent her flying far into the night sky. Now alone, she was left to deal with this new threat that seemed to be darting around faster than can be seen.

"WHERE ARE YOU!?" She cried.

Tsukune, having regained his senses, was able to see better than the chimera could, and yet couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was Lucy, that much he could tell of the blur dancing around and taunting the beast, but she seemed, and felt different somehow.

"L-Look," the creature tried to reason. "We were only following ord…"

The dancing stopped and now the creature came face to face with a pair of red eyes, with inhuman slits in the pupils that pierced her soul; and, when the shifter had been effectively silenced, this mysterious woman had finally whispered three, chilling words:

"Know…your…place."

Before she could fully process what was said, a blinding, sheering pain erupts across her face, the last thing she remembered before the ground left her, giving way to a feeling of weightlessness while all consciousness faded away as if it were all some painful, dream.

The creatures were gone, people nearby were in an uproar, confused as to what happened but ignorant as to what or from where, and yet only Tsukune was a witness to this unprecedented change standing before him. Lucy had changed; taller, more muscular, her legs, which she flexed every now like she hadn't used them in days, were longer and more toned than before, the muscles rippling with every movement. Her body, which she stretched extensively, appeared taut like a sports model. But, what had changed the most were her now crimson eyes that looked over at him with a dangerous, hungry glance, as her full lips spread into a wry smile and said teasingly in a newly, husky voice:

"About time you let me out to play. Long time no see, Tsukune."