CH 14
In Tsukune's home town, a new spectator sport had arisen, watching buildings go up. Normally, around a construction area, there were a few people who stood and watched the men work. The barrier Jessica was at with a few other guards, the other side of the barriers were packed with mostly teenagers, watching the cyclones of lumber and material settle down into another house.
Tanya came running up. "Jessica, we have to move up, this block is almost done, we're turning right at the intersection."
Jessica nodded. And scanned the crowd standing in the intersection. "Everyone! We have to move the barriers up past the intersection! Please move back to the left here or straight back!"
Tanya went over to the truck with the barrier supplies to get more. Jessica directed a couple human girls to help get the barriers. To her joy, some of the crowd helped move the barriers they had up, across the intersection.
"Thank you for helping"" Jessica called happily. When the barriers were now in place, she had the detour signs changed to the next intersection down to the right.
Sweaty from the heat of the day, and the exertion, she took her hardhat off to wipe her brow on her sleeve. Some boys cheered, others took pictures. Jessica grinned and waved her ears at them. They all cheered and waved back. The truck came over, Jessica hopped on. A couple girls stayed at this intersecting, they rest moved down to set up the new barriers. Crowds went down the sidewalk, following them.
Moka noted this with an amused grin. She's been afraid that exposing themselves as yokai would cause a panic. Just the opposite happened, they were becoming a tourist attraction. They worst problem they had was keeping people far enough away for their own safety.
Moka's advertising for witches did turn up a couple. A dark haired girl with big glasses, and a tall light brown haired girl. They both proudly showed up wearing Yukari-style witch costumes. They were disappointed when Moka put them in construction clothes like everyone else.
Yuri and Hemori were high school kids who had learned how to mend, but didn't have the power to construct anything of any size. Dark haired and round glasses wearing Yuri was going to Yokai Academy, Light brown haired Hemori was home taught in her witchcraft by her aunt. Although they could not reconstruct a house, Ruby determined they would be good for fixing the roads and sidewalks, so Moka gave them that job.
Ten square blocks of houses, two apartment buildings and the four business buildings in the area were done. This next street they were at only held one store. Finishing the previous block, Ruby walked the next block with Moka. This one was long and on the edge of town a few houses on a short street ran off to the left.
Moka had arraigned with a few insurance companies to do the upper half of the entire town. No one had bid on the rest of the town yet, but the job was theirs if Moka wanted it. At the moment, Moka's crew had their hands full. She decided to wait. If someone else could do it, they were welcome to.
What started out as a good idea to get some people back into their homes was turning out to be a full time job.
.
After his interview, Tsukune found he also had more work, and not just in Japan. He'd unwittingly become the yokai 'spokes person'. He had to fly to various places in Japan to talk to humans and other yokai. Everyone wanted to see him at the same time to quell the locals fears. Going to a sports arena in Kyoto, he talked to a mixed crowd of humans and yokai who'd come to see him. The city had rented the place for him speak to the 12,000 people who came.
Kurumu was his traveling partner with Uzume to let Karasuba stay home to keep up her ballet fighting practice with Kahlua.
It seemed to Tsukune that his life was becoming plane rides and hotel rooms. The latest stop was a talk show in Osaka. Back in the waiting room as the show began, Tsukune sat between Kurumu and Uzume as they watched the energetic host do his monologue. Since many people had seen Tsukune and his girls in human form, the producers wanted to see at least one of them in their yokai form. Kurumu had been looking for a way to have some fun at these talks. Although it made Tsukune wince, The producers loved Kurumu's idea for the show. Tsukune had reluctantly gone along with it.
A bald man with a radio/boom mike headset poked his head in the door. "It's time, places," he announced.
Kurumu jumped up with a "Ya-hooo!"
Tsukune really hoped this went well. Kurumu raced out, he went out to stand by the side curtain to the stage with Uzume.
"Miss attention hound goes first?" Uzume asked quietly with a crooked grin.
Tsukune sighed.
On stage, Ichi, the host walked along he stage as he talked, " …Tonight we have very special guests. I'm sure you have all heard of the yokai that have made themselves known, and seen at lest one of the interviews with the Dark Lord, Aono Tsukune."
Getting to the far end of the stage he turned to walk back the other way. Kurumu in full yokai form dropped down behind him, flapping her wings once to stop. She clasped her hands behind her, matching his steps.
"Well folks, he's here tonight with two of his bevy of women, annnd, we will get to see what one of them looks like when she's not wearing what they call, human form!"
Kurumu smiled at the crowd and waved. The crowd was cheering and laughing.
"No really! She'll be right out." He turned to face the crowd, Kurumu flashed behind him. "In fact, she was supposed to be coming out very shortly," he said, waving an arm. Kurumu waved her arm, mimicking his actions. He turned to look at the side curtain, Kurumu moved to stay behind him.
"Ahhh, where is she?" he asked a sound man.
Kurumu tapped him on the shoulder. He looked, she smiled at him. He yelped and stumbled back to the delight of the audience.
"Hi," Kurumu said and waved at him.
Making a show of collecting himself, Ichi waved to her and said, "I present Aono Kurumu!"
"Hi everyone!" Kurumu yelled and waved heartily.
"So, Kurumu, what do you do, besides make people have a bathroom accident on stage?" he asked.
One hand on her hip, she pointed to herself and said, "I'm the family chef! I make all kinds of good, nutritious food my family!" Pointing a long nailed finger at him she added in a growling tone, "And don't you go trying to cook in MY kitchen!"
Holding up his hands in surrender, Ichi said, "I wouldn't dream of it! But, who's cooking there now?"
"Oh, Chiho. She's my helper. She knows how to make good things too." Kurumu said happily.
"I understand you can sing as well?" Ichi asked.
"I can. Want to hear a song?" she asked the audience as she put some Charm in her voice.
The audience applauded.
Kurumu waved a hand at the left side curtain. It pulled aside to show a band. They struck up a tune. Guitars played a beat, Kurumu began strutting across the stage, Drums joined in. Kurumu sang in a powerful, impassioned voice.
Please baby, can't you see my mind's a burning hell
I got razors a rippin and tearing my heart apart as well
Tonight you told me that you ache for something new
Some other woman who's lookin like something that might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screamin is gone
Go on, believe her, when she tells you nothin's wrong
But I'm the only one who'd walk across a fire for you
And I'm the only one who drowns in my desire for you!
Kurumu whipped an arm out to point at the audience, she did a hip dance.
It's only fear that makes you run, this demon that you're hidin from!
When all your promise are gone, I'm the only one!
Kurumu strutted slower back across the stage.
Please, baby, can't you see, I'm tryin to explain,
I've been there before and I'm lockin the door and I'm not goin back again!
Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away
You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow that holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screamin is gone
Go on, believe her, when she tells you notin's wrong!
But I'm the only one who'd walk across a fire for you
And I'm the only one who drowns in my desire for you!
It's only fear that makes you run, this demon that you're hidin from!
When all your promise are gone, I'm the only one!
During the instrumental, Kurumu raise her arms above her head and did a slow belly dance, tail swinging in time with the music that left all the men in the audience gaping at her in lust. She then stopped and pointed at the audience again.
Go on and hold her till the screamin is gone
Go on, believe her, when she tells you notin's wrong!
But I'm the only one who'd walk across a fire for you
And I'm the only one who drowns in my desire for you!
It's only fear that makes you run, this demon that you're hidin from!
When all your promise are gone, I'm the only one!
Yeeeah!
The music wound down an the audience burst into massive applause and loud cheers.
Kurumu thrust a fist in the air and belted out, "YA- HOOOO!" She waved at the audience again, then bounced over to the seats beside Ichi's desk , folded her wings in and sat down, the applause going on the whole time. When the applause died down, she looked at Ichi and asked, "Was it good for you?"
That sparked a roar of laughter.
Ichi looked at her and said, "You know, that makes me want to do inappropriate things with you, right here on stage."
Kurumu waited out the laughing, then said, "Oh, no, My Destined One would not like that at all!" She waggled a finger at him. "You don't want to get Tsukune angry. He get scary when he's angry."
"So let's meet your Destined One. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Dark Lord, Aono Tsukune!"
Tsukune stepped out with Uzume and bowed. People applauded. Tsukune shook hands with Ichi, Ichi got a brief hug from Uzume. Tsukune then shared a long hug with Kurumu before they sat, Tsukune bracketed by Kurumu and Uzume. He also noted that by having Kurumu come out first and making the audience happy had been a good thing.
"Lord Aono, I have to say, Kurumu is very talented. What is she?"
"A yokai," Tsukune replied. "Her species is a Succubus. Very loyal and also a bit … mischievous. Kurumu is a very good woman though. I am very proud to know her."
Ichi asked, "I thought succubi were demons?"
Grinning, Tsukune told him, "Only if you try to cook in her kitchen. Be ready to run."
"I see you have another very beautiful woman here," Ichi noted.
"Yes this is my lovely guard, Uzume. She is currently learning ballet."
"You have a guard?" Ichi asked. "From what I hear, the last person on Earth who needs a guard is you."
Tsukune shrugged. "She had made it her job. One thing I've learned is if a yokai woman tells you something, you better listen."
The audience laughed, some applause and a whistle sounded.
Ichi grinned, "Good advice for all husbands out there," he agreed. "So is Uzume like Kurumu?"
"Not the same species, but they do have very similar traits."
Ichi asked, "Kurumu, you mentioned Tsukune is your Destined One. Is that like a wife?"
"Tsukune is the only one for me," Kurumu explained. "We can feel who our mate is. It is them or nothing. I was lucky, Tsukune accepted me, and didn't let Moka kill me."
Ichi raised both eyebrows. "When was this?" he asked
"Our first year of high school. See Moka wanted Tsukune, but I was trying to steal him from her. We got into a big fight," Kurumu explained. "I cut down a few trees trying to kill Moka, but she managed to grab me and threw me through a few big trees …"
"Whoa, she threw you through trees?" Ichi asked in shock.
"Moka is very strong, even for a yokai. She's a Shinso vampire, the strongest of any yokai. She used me to batter down a few trees. THAT really hurt!"
"I'm surprised you're not dead," Ichi stated.
" I couldn't even get up, I hurt so bad. Moka was going to finish me off, but Tsukune stopped her." Shifting to gaze to Tsukune lovingly, she added, "He wouldn't let her kill me. He even carried me to the infirmary. Right then I knew he was my Destined One."
"This happened in HIGH SHOOL!" Ichi asked in shock.
Kurumu laughed. "OH, that was nothing compared to other things we faced."
"Our high school was for Yokai," Tsukune explained. "A few times, it got pretty rough."
"So Yokai schools have gangs too?"
Tsukune nodded. "They do and those gangs are rougher. Instead of being beaten if you don't bow to them, you might be killed and eaten, or just buried. Gangs don't like to be exposed and being in the newspaper club that made the school news, we got them angry by exposing them."
"We had some BIG fights, but we kicked their asses," Kurumu added.
"Moka did most of the ass kicking," Tsukune reminded her. "If it wasn't for her, I don't think we would have lived to graduate."
Kurumu nodded.
"No wonder you're so tough," Ichi commented. "I understand Moka is your wife now?"
"Yes, Moka is my Blood Mate," Tsukune told him. "That is the Vampire equivalent to being Kurumu's Destined One, and Uzume's Ashikabi. It's similar to humans being married, but these bonds are permanent. The only divorce is death."
"I human terms, you have multiple wives."
"Correct."
"You all live together?"
"We do, except Mizore, she's an Ice Fairy, so she has to live up in the snow covered mountains. She doesn't take heat well," Tsukune explained.
Ichi frowned slightly and said, "With what you've been telling us, during 'that time of the month' being at your house could be dangerous!"
Laughter sounded, including Tsukune.
Ichi asked, "Lord Aono, you said you were born human, and were changed into a yokai. I have to ask, how did your parents take that news?"
Tsukune let out a huff and said, "Not well. First off Dad had no idea he sent me off to a school for yokai. Besides me in shock at being there and dealing with …. things, I was afraid to tell them. At the time, it was forbidden for any human to know about yokai. I stayed at school the first break and just went on trips with the newspaper club. When I finally did go home during our second year," he eyed Kurumu and said, "Moka came to visit me. I'd never had a girlfriend before, so Mom was surprised. Moka was in her human form and looking very pretty."
"She was surprised you had a girlfriend."
"She was, and was trying to be a good hostess. I was petrified she would discover Moka was a vampire. We went up to my room, Mom brought us up some snacks, and Mom got another big shock, Kurumu was hiding in my bed, Mizore was hiding in my closet, and Yukari just came in through my window. Mom looked kind of pale at seeming my room full of girls. She dropped her tray. I had a lot of explaining to do."
Chuckles ran through the audience.
"It got worse," Tsukune told him. "To get away from the 'why are you here?' all of them were asking each other, I decided to go take a bath and clear my head. Of course I got followed."
"They all followed you into the bath?" Ichi asked with a wide grin.
"Not all. Moka was trying to calm Mom down, it was just Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari. Of course they started fighting. Yukari banged Kurumu on the head with a pan, Mizore made the floor ice covered so Kurumu and Yukari fell on their butts, Kurumu lost her towel, which was the only thing she had on. I forget who chased who out of the bathroom, but they chased each other around the house, straight out of the bathroom. That was the first time Mom fainted."
Laughter erupted from the audience. Ichi roared in a laugh also. Kurumu blushed.
Still chucking, Ichi said, "I take it, it wasn't the last time your Mom fainted?"
Tsukune shook his head. "And for a while, Mom thought I was a playboy and only toying with all the girls. I got the 'responsibility' lecture, and my cousin, Kyoko, joined in."
"So, all through high school, you hid your school and all your friends from your parents?"
"Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I talked about my friends in general terms, but I couldn't tell them anything specific like, Moka's a great girl, but she keep biting me in the neck, or I wish Yukari would stop hitting Kurumu on the head with her pans and Mizore would stop freezing things."
"Yukari carries pan around with her?"
"No, she's a witch, she makes them appear out of thin air, they drop down on you." Tsukune explained.
"Like tin pans?"
"Heavy brass pans."
"She STILL does that," Kurumu grumbled, wearing a frown.
"Yeah, and it does hurt," Uzume agreed.
"If you notice, she doesn't to do that to Moka, Kahlua or Karasuba," Kurumu said.
"Of course not, they'd beat her within and inch of her life then stuff her in a trash can," Uzume replied.
Ichi chuckled and said, "Maybe you should start one of those reality shows at your house. It sounds entertaining."
"To some," Tsukune replied.
"In some ways, it seems like your family works well together, but others, it's like your almost constantly fighting," Ichi noted.
"It's not constant," Kurumu stated.
"Lord Aono, do you parents know now about your … wives?"
"They do. That big typhoon that came through? My parents' house was right in the path. We got them out of the house and took them to Tokyo so they'd be safe. Of course that meant I had to let them know the truth. Mom only fainted a couple more times and Dad, he couldn't decide if Moka and Kurumu were super-scary or super-sexy."
"SEXY!" a man in the audience yelled, which brought some laughs and claps.
Kurumu yelled back, "Thank you!"
"This is now the area where Aono Construction is rebuilding the town?" Ichi asked.
"As much as we can, yes," Tsukune replied. "Moka has taken on heading that project. She's also getting businesses going again so people are slowly getting back to work. MBI is also supplying donations to help those who got injured and out of a job and their homes. "
Kurumu chucked, "Yeah Tsukune and Moka decided they had to get his folks home fast before Jessica slipped into the wrong room at night again."
Tsukune winced. "Kurumu, no details, please."
"Wrong room?" Ichi asked.
"Jessica' a rabbit yokai, they need a lot of sex. She didn't realize it was Tsukunes' parents' room. His mother was really angry!"
"Kurumu, no details!' Tsukune said firmly.
Frowning at him, Kurumu asked, "What? It's not like I told them your Dad didn't realize it wasn't your Mom until after they had sex!"
Tsukune face planted. Laughter erupted from the audience. Ichi laughed so hard he pounded a fist on his desk.
"And this is being televised," Tsukune said with a sigh, which added to the mirth. He glared at Kurumu.
"Opps, sorry," Kurumu offered meekly.
Ichi tried to regain his composure and failed, the laughter rolled on. Even Uzume was giggling.
Getting his breath back to speak, Ichi said, "I have to say this had been one of our most entertaining shows. Am I right?"
The audience applauded.
"Lord Aono, with all the craziness that goes on, how do you manage to get things done?" Ichi asked.
"It's called having a office door with a lock on it," Tsukune replied. "Really, we all get along well, we just have minor … incidents now and then."
Kurumu asked, "Tsukune, that lock isn't just for when I come visit you?"
"No, it's so I can do something and concentrate on it," he told her.
"You visit Ashikabi in his office?" Uzume asked.
"Just once in a while," Kurumu said with a shrug.
Uzume frowned "You cheater!"
"What?" Kurumu asked. "I AM his mistress."
"Then I get him to myself at home!" Uzume stated.
"NO, you don't!"
They stood up and glared at each other.
Tsukune got up between them. "OK, STOP before it gets started," he said firmly.
"Want to go out and spar some?" Uzume asked with a wicked grin.
"I said, stop," Tsukune said with a bit of growl in his voice.
"But she's cheating! We agreed, only at home and together!" Uzume cried.
"Only at home WHEN were together," Kurumu countered. "I didn't agree to anything when we're not."
Tsukune turned to Kurumu, then shook his head. "Stay out of my office."
"Tsukune!" Kurumu cried.
Uzume stuck her tongue out at Kurumu doing a little dance.
Flustered, Tsukune asked, "You two DO realize people are watching you, right?" He motioning to the audience where giggles were coming from.
Ichi pressing his lips together, looked off to the side. "I am so sorry to say this, but our time's up, now a word from our sponsors."
Tsukune let out a sigh of relief.
"Lord Aono, thank you for coming on with us," Ichi said, got up and bowed to him.
"My pleasure, Tsukune replied and bowed. He then hooked both girls arms. "Say goodbye."
"Bye," Uzume said with a wave. "Bye everyone!" Kurumu called in a happy bounce. Many men waved back.
Tsukune led them off stage. This was why he usually didn't let them speak when he talked to people. They headed back down the back stage hallway and the producer came running up behind them.
"Lord Aono, Lord Aono!" he called.
Tsukune and the girls turned.
Quickly, the producer said, "Kurumu is a real crowd pleaser. In three weeks, we are going to have an amateur singing contest. By her performance tonight, we would love to have her in that contest."
"Really?" Kurumu beamed.
The producer nodded vigorously. "Oh yes, by the reaction from the audience, We think you have a very good shot at winning."
"Ya-hooo!" Kurumu cried and looked at Tsukune.
"If you want to," he told her.
Kurumu clenched her fists to her chest. "YES!"
Uzume shrugged and asked, "How could miss Attention Hound say no?"
Kurumu cast her a frown.
The producer took a sheet off his clipboard and said, "Please fill this out. The date ad time it had to be turned in with what you're going to sing is on there, as is the date and time of the contest."
Kurumu took it grinning broadly. "Thank you! Tsukune, you're going to come watch me sing?"
"I'll be here," he assured her.
"We'll see you then," the producer said with a wave and went back the way he came.
"Ya-hoo-hoo-hooo!" Kurumu cried happily as she skipped along for the exit.
Tsukune smiled. He was glad Kurumu was happy. She had done that song well. He also knew she threw a bit of Charm out when she was doing it. Oh well, they did need positive publicity.