Again They Meet.

Enjoy:

"It is the end!" He turned to me, and said with grave solemnity:- "Not so; alas! not so. It is only the beginning!"

― Bram Stoker, Dracula

Six years later; Yokai Academy's Enforcer Office.

The creature howled as his opponent, taking advantage of the timely distraction, slid behind him and did her best to restrain the fiery beast. He shook as best he could, vainly trying to release himself from the iron grasp of the ruby-eyed predator. She would have none of that, tightening her hold with every ounce of strength still left in her. With a sense of urgency echoed in her voice, she yelled out at the one who provided the opening; the same boy who, a mere few seconds ago, was still an unconscious human on the verge of dying from the severity of his wounds.

"Tsukune, now! Run towards me!"

The creature stood quietly. He could remember that voice. Somewhere amidst the bloodlust that swelled in his mind as the old nemesis struggled to move away, a semblance of Tsukune Aono persisted to remain in control. Memories, fragments of his original life, slowly returned to him as the vampire blood flowed through his veins; the part of him that laid dormant was reawakened by the familiar infusion of the crimson liquid.

"Tsukune,.." Moka cried out once more. This time, the boy reacted as the full scope of who and what he was finally sunk in deeply enough. "You've got the strength now…!"

"Kuyo…" came the nearly inaudible whisper.

He longed to beat that wretched monster into submission once more. Twice now did that self-proclaimed school protector almost turn him to ash; the burns might have faded but the dreadful sensation lingered a while longer, inspiring Tsukune with an amount of hate he did not often feel. The desire to destroy Kuyo burn more brightly than his human form ever did; he would roast him with his own flames.

"Never! You'll never beat the law!" Kuyo yelled in rage, unwilling to admit his defeat.

With no further hesitation, Tsukune ran towards his archenemy, intent on delivering the greatest blow possible. His arm was drawn back as he neared the target. With the momentum created by his accrued speed, and the full force that a frustrated vampire could deliver into his fist, his punch made contact with the anger-stricken face Kuyo made. It turned to abject pain, then nothingness, as the broken foe fell backwards unto the floor, he was knocked out before his body touched the stone flooring.

He turned to the sliver-haired beauty and wanted to speak, to tell her everything her blood revealed to him. Alas, the details became murkier as the seconds passed. The past life he lived, the knowledge of future and past events alike that swirled around in his brain, it all slipped away from him. He did his best to try and focus, he had to tell Moka. He had to tell her… something important. What was it? Before long, the boy fell back into his slumber in Kurumu's waiting arms, unable to meditate or reminisce on an encounter that was once more lost to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A day later; Yokai Academy's rooftop.

Instead of fading out, it surged back into him as the blood circulated through him anew. Moka, or rather Akasha, gripped onto his uniform tightly. His opponent, Chopper Kikishi, already made his move. The full force of his oversized hand, couple with the abundance of power that trolls wielded, was thwarted with his own, barely pushing back the gargantuan creature's attack. The half-hearted effort he put into it was enough to irritate and amaze the would-be fighting champion of Yokai.

"But I can cut through boulders with that!"

Tsukune simply felt incapable of working up any sort of sympathy. To attack him out of the blue was one thing, but to threaten his friend, even if that friend had a lot of explaining to do, was an offense he was unable to forgive. Just as they continued to stare at each other, frozen in this surreal pose of a mighty David effortlessly resisting Goliath's onset, a voice resonated inside the newly returned vampire: it was a voice he cherished hearing.

"Do you get it now, Tsukune? I pumped vampire blood into you… again!"

He smiled as the silver-haired vampire went about her monologue from within the confines of her magical prison. She used to be so pompous back when he first got to know her; the pretentious façade she put up around her words, the haughty tone oozing with pride, the perpetual expression hat mingled both boredom and a know-it-all attitude, it was all so very nostalgic to the brown-haired vampire.

"Which means you have vampire powers… for a while. But it only lasts for a few minutes."

The realization was the last piece of the jigsaw to fall into place. Tsukune, despite the fog that enveloped his mind, understood now why he reverted back: it was all linked to the blood. The vampire blood was the means through which he could recall his past life. As soon as it dissolved into his body, which was bound to be soon, he would forget everything he so recently regained. The somber epiphany, as dire as it may have sounded, also possessed something a silver lining. As the boy went about subconsciously beating the troll to a bloody pulp, his mind continued to process the information. The automatic gestures, guided by a reborn instinct to fend off a challenger, allowed him to take a moment to formulate the following idea. If his memories were interlocked with him being a vampire, then all he had to do was bide his time until he was confronted with the anti-schoolers. If his hypothesis was correct, he would not succumb to ghouldom twice.

"Do you get it now, Tsukune? You're fighting with power borrowed from me… and when the fight's over, you go back to being a weakling. Did you really think it would be that easy to become the strongest of all monsters?"

He did his best to stifle the giggling fit that nearly overwhelmed him. Though he recognized the need to stay impassive for the moment. He couldn't help but mentally agree with the ruby-eyed predator: it really did take a whole lot more than a couple transfusions for him to turn into the strong monster that faced off against Alucard and Fairy Tale. The battle was over, and the captain of the Wrestling Team was unconscious, the thorough thrashing had been too much for him.

"You better learn your place, little boy… or you're going to get stepped on!"

To which he accidentally conceded, "You have no idea."

"What?" The proud vampire exclaimed, flabbergasted that he could actually make a mental connection while under the influence of her blood.

It was too late. Tsukune had reverted back to his human persona, all memories of the exchange were now gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One month after the Enforcer fiasco; Witch's Knoll.

"No human could survive that!" Ruby yelled out.

Tsukune had to agree with her, if it wasn't for Moka, or Akasha, he would have stayed dead. For some reason, although the excursion, and the encounter, happened the same way it did last time, it felt like this was a closer call than last time. Perhaps the imminence of the event marked him a bit more profoundly this time around, it was the first time he remained conscious after being torn apart by Ruby's razor sharp wings, after all.

"So, you aren't human?!"

The last thing he wanted to do was attack. Still, the blood wouldn't last that long, and it was imperative that he end this while he was still able to command the abilities of a vampire. He charged off and attacked, throwing himself at her. He could feel her go limp, wrapped his arms around her, and mouthed a silent apology. He tried the best he could do make the landing softer. The youth held on to her tightly, all the while thinking about the fate he had been too late to alter.

"Forgive me, Ruby."

And with those last few words of parting, Tsukune's inert form fell unto Ruby's. Even asleep, he implored her forgiveness, just as his mind went blank yet again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One week after the Witch's Knoll incident; Yokai Academy's cliffs.

A good-for-nothing tried to molest his friend. The vampire couldn't be expected to hold back on such a lowly animal. He did not even bother to wait for the dazed teacher to regain his senses, he held him up by the neck and slowly tightened his grip. The bones cracked beneath the bruised skin, but it was not enough. Nothing short of Okuto Kotsubo's death would quench his thirst for carnage. He tried hard to stifle the laugh that bubbled up. How dare this pathetic make Mizore cry.

"Tsukune! Stop!" Moka implored from a distance.

Her pleading reached him and the need for destruction melted away in a flash. He dropped the kraken instructor and contemplated what he'd almost done. He could feel it, the vampire nature was returning to him, just as he remembered it. It overwhelmed him for he lacked the resilience he possessed all those years ago. Living as a human had taken a toll. In that instant, he foresaw that finding his way back when his human body gave way would be a more trying endeavored than he would have presumed. He continued to ponder the matter in utter silence until, once more, he was no more than a flicker in a more ignorant version of himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One day before the fight with the anti-schoolers; Yokai Academy's grounds.

This transition was the hardest one so far. It left him in pain and dizzy, not at all prepared to deal with three nuisances that took Moka hostage. The first had his back turned. His vision was blurry. He stretched out his head and the first assailant fell. The second one was a ways away, he was down soon thereafter. All that was left was a Saizo left in disbelief. He could tell he was yelling at him, but no more: the ringing in his ears was too loud. He grimaced as Saizo quickly followed the other two monstrels; one more annoyance had been dispatched. Soon his body reverted back; still, the amnesia hadn't set in yet. He could feel the tug coming; nonetheless, it was nothing compared to the last few times. And so, his mind slipped away, gently this time, relaxed by the comfort knowledge that it would be the last time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Six years and two months after the assimilation; Yokai Academy's abandoned dormitory.

Moka bit into him and gave as much blood as she could. She had long since cast away any measure of precaution; she knew what she risked unleashing but she could not bring herself to let the chance slip her by. His body was breaking down, she could feel the flesh around her fangs and around her fingers rippling, shuddering as it struggled to take in the potent blood that slowly went about molding itself. He was losing his humanity, the sweet lovable boy she protected so diligently, for whom she harbored so many hopes and dreams, his mortal coil fought with every ounce of power it had; she was forcing him to become something else entirely, something very dark, very evil. The gamble was taken, and the second he rose up and attacked the Anti-schooler that took her prisoner, Moka knew she lost the wager. Despair settled in as the sweet and kind-hearted youth laughed a twisted laugh, an unholy raucous of noise closer to a wounded animal crying out for an end to his suffering that any laugh she heard a human or monster produce.

The ghoul, unaffected by the water that dripped, continued to punch and kick with all the glee a bloodthirsty animal had for its occupation. The blood that flowed from the monstrel's wounds only excited him more, provoking him to be as savage as the nature that overtook him. Moka looked on, waiting for Yukari to shut off the sprinklers that kept her from stopping the monstrosity; she dreaded this moment ever since she first infused him with her blood; she thought she would have more time, that the blood wasn't affecting him this severely.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered under her breath.

The creature paused. His back itched. Slowly but surely, he could feel the irritable sensation on his skin burned brighter with every passing second. The pain turned excruciating, every inch of his body yelled out. Vainly, the beast struggled, ripping off his wet shirt did nothing to alleviate the torture.

"Tsukune?" Kurumu tentatively asked, fearful that her Mate of Fate was acting so strangely.

The gang was assembled. They watched as the once jovial ghoul now contorted itself in abject suffering, the howling was deafening. Moka wasted no time, she knew what she was up against. With the water no longer flowing, she sized up her target and drew from the full specter of her power as it flowed back into her. By some miracle, the abomination was distracted, she had the perfect opening. The ghoul narrowly dodged the red-eyed vampire's kick; he wanted to attack, but the humidity sapped his strength. Avoiding the blows as they came was already a daunting task to the former human, now driven by pure instinct.

"What are you doing!?"

The silver-haired vampire leaped back but did not let the ghoul out of her sight; the succubus' accusatory tone barely registered. "That isn't Tsukune anymore."

"What?"

"His humanity has been corroded, he's a ghoul now."

Still, the blue-haired temptress cried out in protest, begging her to let him live. That insolent little brat had no idea how badly she wanted to do just that. Were the choice hers, she would whisk the boy away and take him far away from here, but it wasn't. Not only that, she recognized that gleam that crossed those once innocent almond eyes: it was the same urges that woke her up every morning and rocked her back to sleep every night; it was the unrelenting need to kill, to destroy; the unique blend of maddening contentment and malign joy derived from bringing others to ruin. She couldn't take him away, he was already gone. She couldn't preserve his body, it would be an insult to Tsukune's memory than to leave that thing to roam around freely, masquerading as the gentle soul that dwelt there. She couldn't bring the boy back, nothing was left in that shell. All she could do was end this and grieve.

"I'm so sorry, Tsukune. You deserved better than this; you deserved better than me..." She yelled out the youth's name and charged in for the decisive blow. She was barely inches away from his face when something gave her pause. In the deepest recess of his mind, tucked away deeply inside the most profound part of him, a spark of the former human ignited. She watched the flame of consciousness illuminate his features, set his eyes ablaze with renewed vigor and comprehension. For one brief and shining moment, she imagined seeing the love of her life back in control, faced with impossible odds. The glint of sentience took color, replacing the empty brown irises with the vivid color of the blood their kind so adored. The pupils narrowed, becoming the renowned slits that haunted the dreams of humans and monsters alike. In that instant, she was about to forget all that happened and cry his name to the heavens. The feel of a feathery rope encircled her ankles and wrists, snapping her back to reality. Before she could fully turn her attention to the assailant, she was drawn back and left suspended several feet off the ground.

"Not so fast, Ms. Akashiya. It would be a shame to kill such a promising pupil," the groggy Tsukune Aono, now returning to his former self, knew that chilling laughter that followed all too well.

"Free me!" she growled.

"So ungrateful… and to the person who is about to save your friend, no less."

Wh-What's going on?" Tsukune weakly mumbled, still somewhat drowsy.

The Chairman hurried and brought the crucifix up to the boy's forehead. His body convulsed as the seals were set into place. The knowing glance the two exchanged was all they needed to understand, they were both fully appraised of the ongoing situation. The newly remade vampire wanted to ask how, even as his body was locked away for the second time. The blood in his veins calmed itself, the need for violence was being quelled; and yet, unlike the past experiences he had dealing with the aftermath of Moka's blood, he recalled the entirety of his past two lives without the faintest trace of difficulty.

"Be quiet, son, or you'll jeopardize Akasha's plan. We'll speak later."

That sentence was the last thing he heard. After that, he drifted off to sleep, gladdened that he was complete.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The gang anxiously waited outside of Tsukune's room hospital room. Now that his powers were sealed, they were more than willing to give him a little time to adjust. What went on behind the closed doors, between the Exorcist and the recently recreated vampire, was a conversation altogether different from what they would have been led to believe.

There was a moment of silence as Tsukune propped himself upright and examined the individual who lurked at his bedside. Mikogami was in the corner, smiling the whole time. Neither were expecting small talk to break the ice. They knew each other too well by now to try and pretend like this was their first meeting.

"You remember," the boy stated with a sigh. No matter how many times this happened, he always hated to see the Chairman be the most well-informed person. This annoyed him to no end.

"Akasha told me the same night you went to see her. A portion of the memories you carried were mine. But enough about that, you must have many questions."

Truth be told, there was only one that obsessed him whenever he had a spare moment to think about his previous life. "Why did she send me away?"

"To avoid compromising the future, of course. Thanks to this, we have a roadmap of the future. Every move Fairy Tale or Alucard will try to make is known to us. Why would we compromise that advantage?"

"Why not tell me this before making me leave?"

"Would you have listened if you knew?" Hearing no retort, the Headmaster's grin only grew more sinister. "I didn't think so."

"But I remember everything, it all ends up being the same."

"Not so. You used to be a liability. Now, you're our best trump card: a First Ancestor masquerading as a sealed ghoul. Can you see the potential?"

Then it dawned on him. A pivotal moment was about to come up. An event in time that, if altered, would shift the balance of power in their favor. They wanted to sabotage Fairy Tale without their knowledge. Eliminate two high-ranking agents whose true allegiances lied with a far more macabre foe.

"You want me to bring in Hokuto."

"Precisely. Repeat what you did last time and we will be one step closer to our ultimate goal."

"Alucard," Tsukune stated matter-of-factly.

"Quite right."

"What about Moka and the others?"

"They can't know. Not yet, at least."

As much as the rest of the plan was to his liking, he had some trepidation about lying to his friends; he could easily surmise that this was one of the reasons Akasha sent him off to be assimilated in the first place. "It isn't fair to them, they have a right to know."

"A right? You may be correct," he pensively conceded. "For now, pretend like this never happened. I promise they will be told in time. "

The Chairman rose up and made his way to the door. They'd come to an agreement, his business here was concluded. Besides, he could sense the two witches on the other side of the door trying to break through the wards that prevented them from eavesdropping: it seemed it outstayed his welcome. He also felt the rumbling of the monstrel nurse downstairs, as did the boy; the next act of the play was about to commence, and it would be dangerous for him to stay in the vicinity: Hokuto had to believe the ruse.

However, Tsukune was of a different opinion. There was still one detail he desired to know. Considering that the Headmaster was as aware of the future as he was, he was perhaps the only person who might humor him on this topic. "There's one more question I want to ask: What did it feel like to die?"

"Well, it was strange. I imagine it would be oddly similar to being set on a collision course with a speeding bicycle."