Chapter 3: Suspicions + Dhampir
His dreams weren't filled with the horrors of blood and battle he grown accustomed to. They were filled with a pleasant night sky, a long grassy plain, and a woman covered in a silk veil, holding on to him affectionately. The bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi was there keeping the darkness at bay with its light. This became even more apparent when he realized he was holding Uzume in his arms as well. This was a foreign concept to him. He's been so used to being alone in bed before but now he's here with someone of the opposite gender. A woman that tried to kill a couple and then him once he intervened. A woman that kissed him and tied her life to his in ways he found unsettling. A woman that loved him and somehow could feel it in his bones.
Her soft skin pressed eagerly against his flesh and her body molded perfectly with his. He could tell she was very much a woman if his burning face was any indication. The neckline of her nightgown had fallen lower somehow during their shared rest, and its contents had nearly spilled out. He forced his eyes to look upward. He'd do well to not to be accused of being a pervert this early in the morning no matter how much that voice in his head told him to look.
His hand left Uzume's back earning a groan of displeasure from her. He was tempted to put it back and hold her close once more, but he needed to start the day. He reached down into the futon behind him for his phone and flicked it open. "Nine in the morning." It's getting later but couldn't find it within himself to get up. He probably couldn't even if he tried. Uzume's grip on his arm was rather tight. It became desperately tighter at his release to the point he was beginning to lose circulation in it. "Uzume-chan," Tsukune murmured. He drew circles on her cheek to rouse her awake.
Uzume woke to a warm feeling burrowing deeply in her chest. Her body was pressed firmly against the body of her Ashikabi and her half lidded brown eyes took in just of how close they were. Her legs were thrown over his, her head was resting just under his chin, and her chest pressing comfortably against his. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feelings her Ashikabi gave her. With Chiho, she felt content, even with the knowledge that the young girl would never be willing to wing her. She had believed that the disease-ridden girl would her one and only. She believed that she would never react to anyone else. Yet this… man… yes, it would be more appropriate to call him a man. No boy would ever be able to make her feel this way… or be the crap out of her. She giggled a bit at this and her ashikabi blinked in shock before smiling warmly at her.
Uzume cherished the warmth emitting from him body. She didn't need to have this bond to know his soul was pure. It was like his presence alone put her in some sort of natural high. It was absolutely exhilarating. She could feel everything about him from his touch alone. He isn't human, or rather he's not fully human. A sekirei can only meld with an Ashikabi that's human, Takekito had told her so. But Tsukune is much more than human. Maybe super human. Maybe a failed science project created by humans. Uzume nearly rolled her eyes at this. 'Been watching too many sci-fi shows,' she believed to come up with this. Though look at her and her race. They're genetically altered aliens sent to bond with humans pitted in a battle royal until there's only one. Anything could be possible.
Uzume thought back to the last night and what she remembered once she looked into his eyes. One moment his eyes were gorgeous, blood red, and sinister. The intent to murder her within them was branded into her memory once they met hers the night before. No normal human could fight a Sekirei and beat them. Uzume isn't weak by any means and can stand up to over 80 percent of the current roster now. Wounded as she was, she can't lose to a common human. Uzume found herself so curious of what exactly he is. She wondered if he was born like this or changed into a red eyed, whited haired superman with fangs. 'I won't pry though,' she decided firmly. Her Ashikabi's secrets belonged to him and him alone. He would tell her when he wanted to and not a minute before.
If she had been paying attention, she would have realized that her beloved Ashikabi was watching her reactions with both curiosity and amusement. 'So deep in thought,' Tsukune smiled a bit as her eyes looked through him. While he didn't know what was going through her mind, he could feel her desire for knowledge. That curiosity that cursed him seemed to curse his sekirei as well. As he wondered what she was she did the same in kind. Her eyes flowed to his hair and then to his eyes. She frowned when she focused on her face. Her hand caressed an aching bruise on his cheek as his answer to why. She's apologetic of what she caused. Tsukune smiled and nestled his cheek into her hand. Why isn't he freaking out right now? Why is he feeling so happy? Uzume giggled at him as if reading his mind and drew closer to him in a tangle.
'She's like a cat,' Tsukune mused. It was interesting, watching several different emotions flicker on her face at such a rapid pace. She was sad for a second, and then that sadness evaporated into so much happiness that he thought she'd explode. He was flattered for no one has ever reacted to his touch like that before. Not even the girls acted like that when he touched them.
The girls…
The thought of them spawned that old emotion guilt he held last night. The girls would be so upset with him when he returned. 'What a mess.' How could he explain this to them? That he was this girl's real destined one and not theirs? Would they still want to be his friend after rejecting them after everything they've been through together? The thought of even entering a relationship with one of them had been held at bay out of that fear. This type of cowardice ran in his family and he was afraid of ruining the hearts of the girls her cherished and loved him in their own way. He believed in monogamy despite having his supposed harem. He didn't want to seem like some playboy, though failed in that regard in his peers' eyes. Regardless of them, he never attempted to flirt with one of them nor did he wish to. Stay uncommitted to anything they offered out of fear of the rest. He's such a chicken when it came to things like that.
"Hey," Uzume broke her ashikabi's thoughts. The sadness she felt through the bond made her want to hold him closer to help. Tsukune blinked and looked up to his sekirei and the worried expression on her face. "Are you okay?"
Her squirming was starting to get a reaction from him much like her words. Tsukune felt a bit uncomfortable in a certain area and didn't want these thoughts to ruin this between them. She might think him a pervert and smack him for it. "Yeah," he nodded his head. It's best if they got out of this futon right now before someone made an unwanted appearance. Yeah, that's the reason he'll go with. It true but not the whole truth. "It's nice to see you awake, Uzume-chan."
Uzume almost swooned like a schoolgirl. His voice was so gentle, and his chest rumbled against her. It was a pleasant feeling that replaced the one she felt previously from her ashikabi. If all Sekirei felt this way with their chosen one, then they were the luckiest of race of all. She's watched a fair bit of romance shows when lounging around the inn and how human could create a bond, but it was only physical. She wagered the one between her and her ashikabi transcended anything two humans could have with each other.
To test it she decided to get a bit closer. Uzume picked her head up, snuggling into his chin with a happy smile on her face. "Good morning, my Ashikabi." She wasn't disappointed when her slightly seductive tone earned her a light flush from the man. She giggled a bit before she kissed her speechless destined one on the nose, making him blink. Before he could respond, she let his arm go then stretched hers out, mewing quietly as her back popped and she chest followed. Her saw out of the corner of her eye how his popped to her breast before looking anywhere but moments later. 'So adorable,' she thought but hid that side for now. She sighed pleasantly as she came back down before him. "Sleep well?" She questioned acting innocent of her little bit of fun.
Tsukune scoffed a bit at her antics. "I slept with you, didn't I?" The words came out of his mouth before he even had time to react. "I-I mean… uh…" He stammered for something or anything to save him. He found nothing and hoped that Uzume might have miss heard him.
Uzume blinked before a mischievous grin spread across her face and her ashikabi winced. She pressed her body against his suggestively and he shivered. It was like he was fighting himself to stay put and run away like a little boy. Blood rushed to his ears and his eyes shot everywhere. His face was just so cute that she couldn't help herself. Uzume made like a school girl and glomped her ashikabi right into her chest.
'Oh god. It's like Kurumu all over again!' Tsukune thought as air became very lacking in this position. He's fighting for his life to stay were he is to bask in the enjoyment Uzume is emitting. Opposing this is his desire to live another day. Its ironic that what makes him want to live right now isn't his friends or family but his sekirei going all Kurumu on him. Thankfully, Uzume seemed to pick his up, because she released him donning a sultry grin.
"It's good to know that my body is womanly enough for my Ashikabi." She cupped his chin and pulled it up until their noses touched. His flush increased into tomato red levels and steam even perforated out of his ear. This made Uzume chuckle a bit from amusement. 'Maybe my ashikabi likes my body in ways he can't handle,' she grinned at the thought. But this had gone on long enough and didn't need him passing out from lack of blood flow despite how funny that would be. "I like waking up to you too," Uzume glanced down a bit. "All of you."
Tsukune wondered just what she could be looking at, but her head blocked his sight. He felt it instead when her leg rubbed against it. 'NONONONONO! No!' He shook his head. This cannot be happening. This was too much. For all his experience with most of his friends being beautiful, not even in his wildest dream would be capable of keeping up, let alone flirt, with a woman like this. If she didn't stop soon he'd pass out like some kind sex starved Otaku. He didn't need that kind of embarrassment. His pride wouldn't allow it. "We should probably get up, Uzume-chan." He suggested halfheartedly.
"Chan huh?" She looked up and nearly lost his breath at her gaze. She was in complete control of him and she knew it. That smile said it all.
"What I meant to say is we should get going… Yeah, before something comes to check you know." His lame excuse even made him wince a bit. He didn't want this feeling to end, but he didn't want to embarrass himself by having the landlady barge into his room while this woman handled him like a teen before a highly experienced temptress.
Uzume hummed a bit at his excuse and all the little holes she could have pointed out. No one would bother them until 10 being almost an hour away. 'But this is Miya we're talking about,' the little voice in her head said and couldn't help but agree. She's got like a rule breaker radar implanted somewhere. She didn't want to introduce Tsukune to the Hannya mask as well and let it be her fault. He didn't deserve that kind of trauma, yet. Uzume sighed but nodded in conceit. "You're right." She climbed out the futon, stretching her body as she stood up. Her attention remained on her ashikabi knowing full well what she was doing.
Tsukune groaned in disappointment the moment her body heat left his. He would've protested like a small child if his eyes hadn't wandered up and down her form when she began to stretch in front of him. This time he didn't look away. He was entrapped by her charm until he saw it. Purple marks from his assault branded her flesh. Her chin had a small welt on it and her stomach and angry bruise from his kick. He examined them all with contempt for his actions. She hurt him first but he still felt like this could've been avoided.
Uzume grinned wickedly at her ashikabi's intense stares that wandered her body but didn't say anything. Her Ashikabi was attracted to her. She didn't even need to pull out the big guns to earn his attention. Her awesome body was all she needed his teenage mind filled in the blanks. That was a good thing. She'll enjoy breaking his will in these couple weeks. She'll widdle him down but keep him at a distance before sealing the deal. He will come to her and not the other way around. It's sort of black widowish if anyone knew the scheme she was formulating, but it's all in good fun. Plus, she didn't want to rush him into something he's not ready for. This man is still a just a boy. One she's have her fun with starting now. "I'm going to go take a bath," she worded slowly so he could soak in every word. She made sure to lean forward so her breasts hung and face was close to his. His eyes focused no her chest before firing back to her eyes. "Don't peak." She warned playfully and swayed her hips out of the room.
Tsukune watched her leave and close the door before dropping back down to his futon. He didn't even realize he was on his knees until he did. "Uh, what's wrong with me," he shuffled his hair with his hand harshly. "I've been through this before so how!?" He wracked his head over this. He's suffered the allure of the succubus and charm of a vampire. He's suffered flirting and seen girls naked more times than he's willing to admit. How does this one inhuman alien woman have this much sway over him where others didn't? Tsukune sighed. Uzume was completely different than what he assumed of her from last night and earlier this morning. She really wasn't shy, nervous, or unsure. She's confident, calm, and focused. Tsukune bowed his head and fell to his back into his futon. He had his hands full his hair and forehead forcing his eyes closed.
"Is this what Sekirei Plan does?" He thought back to the couple from last night and how they acted. If not for this bond Tsukune knew Uzume would've been a good friend to him and nothing more. Maybe it would've been the same with Takashi and Natsu if not for the bond. This bond forced them into a pair like his with Uzume. It tied them together and gave them power over the other emotionally. Tsukune found his thoughts clearer with Uzume at a distance and the emotional exchange between them waned. Tsukune wasn't sure if he liked this bond and what it did to him. It's like it siphoned his will away from him and made him a slave to the emotions of others.
"That love between them," he thought of Takashi and Natsu. The looks they gave each other are similar to what Uzume gave him. Even more so when she used the title? Yes, title, Ashikabi. It's forcing her into loving him where there was hate. Happiness where there was sorrow. "Is this love even real? Healthy?" This bond does feel good. It's like a drug and reminded him of his lust for blood and if he drank. It spoke to him sometimes and told him to let go and embrace the jubilation it could give. As Tsukune thought the similarities between the two the colder he grew within. Something told him he was being ridiculous… but then his instincts told him to be wary. And Tsukune has always trusted his instincts.
Then there's the connection between her, the landlady, and how he got back here.
"In time," he nodded to himself as his hand fell down to his sides. He gazed up to the ceiling and counted the cracks again. He learned these exercises to calm his mind and the raging emotions within. His mistrust and fear could be examples. He could be overthinking this. His eyes shot to a tile that seemed to be different somehow but passed it over.
"How did things get so complicated?" Tsukune sighed before climbing up to his light feet. He snagged one of his new blazers and follow on clothing to throw on just when Miya stepped into his room. The older woman was wearing a variation of the same purple hakama and white haori from yesterday. Tsukune couldn't help but wonder if that was all she wore.
Miya brushed a purple strand away from her eyes. "Ah, you're awake." She said in surprise. "Kagari brought you home last night. I thought you went to bed. Did something happen that you had to leave?" She questioned the young man.
"Kagari lives here?" Tsukune he asked in thought. That made sense based on what he remembers yesterday. That man Tsukune had seen before he fell into unconsciousness was Kagari then. He brought him and probably Uzume back to the inn. His body isn't covered in blood or dirt, so he probably cleaned him as well. Uzume, Kagari, and Miya are connected together in the sekirei plan then just like their connected to this Inn. They're dangerous and might need to be…
An ominous cold filled the room and Tsukune slowly returned his attention to the landlady. She was probably the most terrifying woman he had ever met right now. A monstrous Hannya mask floated behind her and a purple, evil aura enveloped her body. "Ah," Tsukune found himself stepping back. The cold sensation of fear filling him meshed with dread. This woman isn't human, and she's scarier than Inner Moka. 'What the hell is that!? What the hell is she!?'
Miya glared wickedly at the boy that seemed a little too engrossed in his thoughts. He ignored her for over a solid minute to think before she lost her patience. "Yes," she answered his question. "Kagari lives here so you can tell me how you know him? Then can you explain to me why one of my tenants was passed out in the streets covered in blood?" And how this boy could still be awake right now after what she witnessed last night. He's standing right now seems almost a miracle.
Tsukune stepped further back until he hit a barrier. The wall greeted him when he looked back. Her voice was so dangerously sweet it left him rattled. Her even expression was replaced with a smile that just made her look all the more terrifying. He couldn't think of anything outside of a quick escape from her. "S-s-sorry if I worried you, ma'am." Tsukune, a nearly grown man, was trembling like a small child in front of her. Had it been anyone else, he would've found the situation humiliating.
"Well?" She asked again. She wanted him to continue with his coming excuse.
Tsukune flinched inwardly as her eyes pierced his. He unconsciously reached for his belt to feel nothing there. 'The Belmont!' His eyes wandered the room and stopped on the desk in the corner of the room. It was there, probably brought her by Kagari last night, but out of his reach. "I just went out for a walk," he said quickly. "You know, to clear my head. I may have gotten jumped last night, but I really can't remember." His trembling stopped the minute the cold air disappeared. The sweet smile was replaced with a worried frown. He breathed easy once that mask was gone.
"Well you should be more careful. Shinto Teito can be rough sometimes at night." Miya shook her head at him. "Imagine my surprise when Kagari walked home carrying your unconscious body covered in blood. You certainly know how to make a good lasting impression," she teased him a bit.
"Sorry," Tsukune bowed his head. "I didn't mean to worry you." He was confused on why she hadn't mentioned Uzume at all. Had she left before Kagari took him away? He paled at a new revelation cycling back to his benefactor. It's possible that Kagari saw all his scars and even his regenerative abilities. Miya wasn't looking at him strangely, so perhaps Kagari hadn't mentioned it. Though someone had to nurse him back to health or at least wash his body. If they saw everything then why not question him on it? This realization only cemented his suspicions from before all the more.
Miya gave him strange look. "All is forgiven. I was just surprised as all. Now come. You can tell me how you know Kagari over breakfast." Miya smiled at the boy as his relaxed with a sigh.
Tsukune thought on her lack or reaction and decided it's best to follow along like nothing happened. If they won't bring it up, then he won't have to bother explaining. "You didn't have to make me breakfast!" Tsukune protested weakly.
Miya smiled. "Is there a problem?" That cold aura was beginning to resurface.
Tsukune waved his hands frantically. "N-no! It's perfectly fine! I'm shutting up now!" The woman's smile grew pleasant and that scary feeling disappeared in an instant. The woman turned around and left the room with a satisfied smirk. He panted a bit. "Why are all the women in my life scary?" He adjusted his tie before leaving the room after her. He really didn't want to feel her wrath right now. He's tired from the events of last night, this morning, and the one minutes ago. He'd leave his suspicions, the sekirei game, and this mystery for later. "I need some food," he declared and left his room to eat.
It was official; nothing in the world could possibly ever surprise him again. Fate must have taken one look at him and decided that he was going to be her punching bag for the foreseeable future.
The true consequences of what he had managed to get himself in too didn't really kick in until he saw his cousin walk in the door with a rather curvaceous brunette carrying a green bag as big as a car. He chose the "wait and see" approach and to keep himself hidden till they settled in. Afterwards he sat down outside to think about what he just saw. His gut was doing somersaults and he felt a little queasy as he realized that the Aono luck was really starting to make itself known. His human cousin had gotten himself involved in a death-defying battle royal of scantily clad women as his adversary. The Game Master told him that there can only be one. Tsukune banished these thoughts though except one.
It was like he never left Yokai Academy.
He forced a smile on his face as his eyes followed Miya opening the door to greet the latest additions to Maison Izumo. He held the Nosferatu tightly in his hands, his arms shaking with barely restrained anger. He had no problem playing this game. He'd protect Uzume to the death because of the bond. If he lost her, he'd lose his sanity. He was motivated to win this and save the world, but fate is a pain in his rear. His cousin, his human cousin, could die in this game. The threats from Minaka rang in his ear same with Uzume's attempted assassination last night. Uzume isn't bad, she's a light in his life, but she was more than willing to kill both sekirei and ashikabi. That could've been Minato and his sekirei last night or maybe the next night or the one after.
"Damn," Tsukune growled. He was being a hypocrite and he knew it. He saw the way his cousin watched that girl as they struggled to get in the room because of the kami forsaken bag getting stuck in the doorway. His eyes were exactly like his own the first time he set his eyes on Moka. His are just like the man from last night. Minato is love sick and it could get his cousin killed just like it got him killed. Bond or no bond he's enamored by her.
Aono men truly had the worst luck.
Tsukune sat down on the stairs of the inn as they talked a bit to think harder than ever before. His brown eyes roamed the contents of the Nosferatu, the leather spine sitting warmly in his hands, hungrily like a starved animal. The situation had shifted because of his cousin's involvement. He couldn't just be adequate enough to protect himself from Yokai anymore. He needed to be more powerful than everyone. He needed to be a greater demon than any monster within this city. He needed to get to the point where not even a team of Sekirei could stand to beat him.
His victory yesterday did nothing for him because he's no fool. Uzume's defeat at his hands was no true victory. She was far too tired and injured to prove any threat to his wellbeing. Had she been at full health when they battled, he believed she would've succeeded in killing him. Tsukune remember the aura he felt form her before. It was on comparison to Hokuto's, and Tsukune defeated him. He would've killed him had Inner Moka not intervened. But after becoming his sekirei Uzume's power far exceeded his own.
Tsukune wasn't ashamed that she was powerful, with him having been surrounded by female light years ahead of him. As an ashikabi in this game he was ashamed that she was more powerful than he was. He didn't wish to be sexist in anyway, but he didn't want to be protected by a woman. He wanted to fight on the battlefield alongside his friends not behind him. For too long he remained on the sidelines and let others fight his battles for him. For too long did he feel useless while others were hurt to protect him.
Tsukune couldn't allow the situation to degenerate to what he had at Yokai Academy.
He thought back to the fight last night and sighed. Uzume hadn't fought him as dexterously as she should have, despite the injury. She was fighting like a rabid animal trapped in a corner, or a mother bear that was defending her child. His mind was more focused than her own which gave him the upper hand in his tactical abilities. He grew curious of what she's capable of at full power and how long he could last against her. He wondered if he could grow strong enough to stand against those stronger then even her. She told him she was number 10. That means nine others stand before her in the power scale, which was a mood point. If he couldn't stand against her now how could he hope to survive a moment against the number 9 let alone the number 1?
"I need to train," he declared. He needs to train his body, mind, and spirit for the battles to come. There're more out there and they'll want him or Uzume dead to survive. To protect their loved one people are willing to sacrifice everything. Even their humanity and submit themselves to the darkness. This reminded him of Uzume in a way and the desperation he felt before. She didn't seem like the type of person to go out and commit murder on several other Sekirei for the hell of it. Then again, Moka didn't seem like a cute girl that sucked his blood for kicks. They both committed acts against life and limp for reasons they couldn't help.
'Moka,' he thought. He closed his eyes and let his chin drop. He could feel Inner Moka's disapproving glare and she wasn't even in the room with him. Sometimes he wondered what she thought of him. Did she care for him at all?
'The truth is, Tsukune… I wanted to be with you longer but…'
He shook his head forcing the voice to fade away. Of course she cared for him. They all cared for him in their own way, even if Moka would've never admitted it. But just because she cared for him didn't mean that she loved him. How could he stand by any woman in his life if he was so damn pathetically weak?
He clenched his fists. "That will change," he growled. The back of his neck shivered. "It has to."
"Ara," Miya giggled quietly, kicking him out of his depressing musings. He raised his chin up to the scene before him. He felt amusement at the strangeness of the scene in front of him. Minato's Sekirei, smiled happily while Miya acted like there was nothing wrong with the scene in front of her. "Oh my, I'm keeping you outside. Please, come in."
Minato nodded. "Thank you. We appreciate it." The raven-haired male stepped inside with his overpowered companion. Grey eyes found brown in a matter of seconds. "Tsukune," Minato exclaimed. "You were here this whole time?" Tsukune simply waved at his cousin in response.
"Ara, you left before he arrived, and it was already late at night, so I offered him a room to stay in." Miya glanced back at the browned haired young man. Tsukune nodded in agreement, slightly miffed that his cousin had left without him.
"Thank you." Minato bowed his head in thanks. He gave his cousin an apologetic look. "I didn't expect you to head immediately to the inn. I'm sorry, Tsukune."
Tsukune waved off the apology with an air of nonchalance. "It's fine. The company here was… nice and Miya made me dinner so it's not like I starved or anything." His claim wasn't much supported when his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. The delicious breakfast he had before was gone, leaving his stomach pitifully empty. Still he held on to his mask so not to worry his cousin with the burden upon his shoulders right now. He turned his sights to his sekirei and fought to keep the frown off his lips. "You're a strong one, aren't you?" He gave the woman with Minato an apprising glance.
She beamed. "That's because I'm a fist type Sekirei -MmmH!"
"Musubi-chan, confidentiality, confidentiality," Minato hissed. He was completely unaware of the slight narrowing of Tsukune's eyes, or the light of amusement in the eyes of the landlady.
Tsukune unconsciously clenched his fists. His earlier suspicions were proven correct.
He forced a smile on his face. "A fist type huh?" She's a hand to hand expert then. Uzume used her silky white cloth like whips and other weapons they could form into against him. Natsu obviously used knives if the cuts Uzume suffered before his arrival meant anything. 'So there are different types of Sekirei in this game. Sort of like a video game.' Tsukune rolled his eyes at his thoughts.
Miya giggled behind her hand. "You're so funny." Minato both sighed in relief. It seemed like she was willing to dash off any odd comments aside without a bat of an eye. It made Tsukune wonder how she was so used to it.
Tsukune shook his head at this scene. "It's nice to meet you, Musubi. My name is Aono Tsukune. I'm Minato's younger cousin."
"Ah! You're Minato-sama's cousin? My name is Musubi." She greeted cheerfully and Tsukune smiled in return. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet and practically off the walls in excitement at seeing someone new but connected to her ashikabi. Her innocent eyes shined in anticipation at their coming future together. If Tsukune was being honest Musubi reminded him of Yukari just without the brain or pervert nonsense. She held that same childlike demeanor and outlook on life. Though her body was almost a carbon copy of Uzume's. It's like someone simply changed the facial features and hair style but with a different power. But her attitude was a refreshing change to the dreary atmosphere he was used to dealing with.
Tsukune turned to Minato. "She's calling you sama still huh cousin. So, it's like that, huh?" His lips spread into a wide grin. "I get it now."
Minato's eyes widened. "No, you don't! This isn't what it looks like."
"No no it's cool," Tsukune shook his hands with a sly smile on his lips. "You simply abandoned me last night so you could spend the night with your girlfriend. I got you."
"That is so not what happened!"
Tsukune hummed noncommittally. "No, it's alright. I won't shun you for dishonoring the bro code." Leaving Minato to sputter incoherently, he gave Musubi a bright grin "Musubi, please take care of my cousin. He gets in a lot trouble." He said ironically. He probably gets into more trouble this his cousin on a good day than his cousin on a bad one.
"I don't need to be taken care of!" Minato argued.
Tsukune smiled, his teasing ending when he caught sight of Miya's amused expression. "You two are so funny." Their landlady giggled. "Minato-san, Musubi-san, let me show you to your room so you may unpack. It must be tiring for Musubi to hold that entire luggage while you two men do nothing. Shameful," Miya shook her head.
Tsukune nodded sagely. Shameful indeed," he agreed. "Auntie raised you better than that cousin."
Minato's face reddened as his cousin's scolding went full force. It really was like when they were kids again. He bowed his head. "Sorry, landlady." This day was one of the strangest he had ever had. "Hey she meant you too!"
Tsukune just smiled before standing to his feel to gang way. He allowed Musubi to go first and gauged her strength. She's not as strong as Uzume so a higher number then. Once the landlady past him she glanced at him making his spine shake.
BAM
"Uh. I'm stuck," Musubi sobbed at that top of the stairwell. The giant bag got stuck on the wall at the turn.
Tsukune didn't laugh like a child as he walked away, nor did he cry while laughing. That didn't happen at all even as he walked out the door to the back yard. He didn't hear his cousin groan and whine telling him to stop either. Once out of the inn Tsukune adjusted his blazer again. The blasted thing was far too tight for his body and he had suspicions that the ladies at the host club just wanted something to ogle. He didn't know why. He wasn't fit enough to ogle. Uzume and Kurumu might say different, but they're obviously biased. He tightened his tie that was too loose and did the same with his belt as well.
He was slightly ashamed to find that he's barely talked with his cousin since he arrived. It wasn't completely his fault with them moving the day after he arrived at his old apartment. Still, he had come to spend time with Minato, not involve himself in a battle royal. He chuckled lightly at the sound of Minato cursing. He must've dropped something heavy. Knowing his cousin and how much stuff was in that bag Musubi was carrying, it would take them a good while to finish. It'd give him time to think. He can't help but revert a bit once his cousin is before him.
He took out the vampiric journal Nosferatu once more. There were some aspects to having vampire powers that he still didn't know about or understand. With this moment to breathe he saw this a good time to actually see if he could use them. He waited with his eyes shifting left and right but kept his Yoki sense active for anything amiss. He tracked the landlady as she made her way through the inn leaving her cousin and his sekirei Musubi to their work. Once Miya was on the far side of the Inn Tsukune walked back within the Inn and stopped at the dining room. He thought back to when he followed his landlady through inn last night and where her eyes shifted previously. He followed the same route up and let his memory be his guide. He looked at a corner to nothing and this repeated several times. "Maybe it was nothing," he sighed before he noticed something. Tsukune narrowed his eyes at a corner in the ceiling at something. He didn't know what, but something was there.
"What's with this place," the vampire touched man muttered. He soon found his room and stopped at the door. The door to his room wasn't locked and unfortunately couldn't be locked. Maybe this was for a reason outside of barging in at odd hours at night. The old Tsukune wouldn't have noticed any of this and went with the flow. Him now, after everything he's experienced, can't trust so easily when all the pieces don't fit. He felt the landlady wasn't human like Uzume and Musubi and yet like neither one of them. He's unsure of her strength but her presence is heavy like comparing Inner Moka to the other girls. They are strong by their own right but Inner Moka was apex among them.
What did Miya have to do with Uzume's assassinations and Kagari's rescue? Why does she act so ignorant of the game if she knows about it? Then again, she might not be involved, but he highly doubted that.
Tsukune let his eyes flow from one side of the hallway to the next before sliding his door open. He walked into his room and shut the door slowly like everything was normal. His paranoia grew with every passing moment. His mind swam with questions without answers only serving to fuel his wariness. He wished to say that the landlady did nothing to earn it but since when did his wishes come true?
Tsukune looked back to his door and frowned. There's no doubt of the possibility of Uzume coming into his room. If she felt something odd, she might come running and then this bond between them will influence his actions once more. Tsukune realized that while this bond feels "nice" it's also equally invasive. "I might need a way to fight this," Tsukune said with his chin cupped. He's pretty sure if he said something Uzume wouldn't enter without his permission.
That left Miya.
She's the most apparent unknown he knows and the closest to him. She's filled with power he couldn't fathom but contains it well. If not for her eyes and stance he'd think she was human. "Focusing on this doesn't help me though," Tsukune rubbed his head.
Before getting down to studying and training he scanned his room a bit. Maybe this is born from being spied on for so long with cameras somethings involved, but he looked around his room from one corner to the next. His eyes spotted Belmont on the desk where he left it and opened the draws of it slowly. He remembered well when Yukari would prank him to "keep your senses sharp" but he didn't see it like that. Now he's checking cracks and corners of his room most wouldn't and even the floor because of it. He didn't want to step on a pressure plate or anything like that. Mizore had one with a camera to activate whenever he stepped on it. Tsukune smiled at the memory of Kurumu's reaction when she found out. Then frowned when they made a deal to trade photos. "Why did I even bother," he sighed.
Tsukune grabbed the desk last and pulled it over to a couple of the corners and stood on top of it. He reached up to the ceiling and touched the squares the push them up. "Solid," he muttered and moved on the next. As he checked to nothing, he shook his head from his senseless mistrust and paranoia. "I'm being stupid," he stopped at one last square. There's nothing here so maybe he… "Eh?" Something fell from above on top of him and he looked up to a square. He was able to push it up more than three inches compared to the others. Interestingly enough, it was the one that was different. He kept going and pushed it aside. He checked the door first before gripping the edges and pulling himself up to look inside. He couldn't see anything more than two or so feet and that's because of little light from his room.
He frowned and dropped down to the desk and grabbed Belmont. He felt his eyes burn then jumped back up to look inside, clearer than ever. "A crawl space?" He deduced in a growl. Mizore utilized these for only one reason and it was to watch him. For once he's grateful the girls kept his senses so sharp. This isn't part of the ventilation system because that's on the floor. This is separate. Tsukune spotted wires and scratch marks along the sides and a light in the distance in a square. It was enough for a small camera in his mind. He pulled his nose up and picked up the pheromones of something. A female that much he could recognize. Someone crawled through this space recently. He could tell from the lack of spider webbing. The question is who and why. "Are they watching me? Are they watching Minato as well?" He questioned and shook his head. In his mind if something like him walked into his life he'd have thirty eyes on that person not the normal human. That didn't change anything though.
Tsukune dropped himself down and rushed to his bag. Tsukune grabbed some pieces of an old shirt of his and tore it up a bit into strands. He's learned, thanks to Yukari, how to make the most basic of sling traps and web alarms. He tied them together and made a knot at the end of one. He shot up to the crawl space and stuck the knot at top then brought it to the left into some of the insulation. He brought it to the other side and looped it around a wire and placed a small bit of fabric on the edge of the square. He replaced the square like before with the fabric showing. Now if anyone passed by that fabric will move in and disappear from his sight. Tsukune hoped he's just overthinking this and that this is just a misunderstanding, but hope has done little for him in the past.
Tsukune rolled up the Belmont once more and replaced his desk to its corner in the room next the window. Now that he thought of it how long has that desk been there? It wasn't there yesterday or last night. Tsukune pondered on that but shook that thought away for now. He knows there's the possibility of him being watched and it made his blood boil. Can he trust anyone in this inn? It's day two for god's sake.
Brown eyes flowed towards his book and pulled it up before sitting down against the door. If anyone touches it, he will know before they get too close. It's something he did at Yokai academy a couple times a week. It's funny that he's forced to do the same on his vacation. This was a good position to see the entirety of the room including his alarm/trap above. His body shivered at the thoughts that swirled in this mind.
"Just like the academy," he smiled solemnly at this realization. "Until I know what I'm dealing with."
The vampire touched man took a breath and opened the book. His brown eyes eagerly scanned over the introduction. The introduction itself was merely the reasoning behind why the book was created and the history of the vampires. He had no time to actually read all of it, despite how interesting of a read it might be. He flipped over the Yōki section and the vampire body.
Buraddo: In order for young Nosferatu to use the Blood properly they have to come to terms with the dual energies residing in their body. The body holds one hundred and nine different threads that channel Yōki through the muscles, so the they may fully utilize their powers. Without the one hundred nine points, the vampire would be essentially drastically studded in terms of ability. Fortunately, the body can be separated into four points in which Yōki moves differently than the others.
Buraddo - Gēto: Located within the heart. It's the source of the demonic powers and abilities of Nosferatu. It transfers the demonic energy pumping from the heart directly into the muscles and bones much like a river and stream coming from a great lake. Without Gēto, they would be unable to access any of the Yōki within its body.
Dhampir: They are in an unfortunate position because unlike vampire they cannot access Buraddo and are forced to use a bastardized version called, Hāfuburaddo which harms their human body the more they use it. They trap themselves in the past instead of moving into their next evolution.
Once branches of Nosferatu tap into their separate skills manipulation of their demonic energy can become instinctive.
He looked on with an interested gleam in his eyes. It seemed like these terms and names connected with him somehow based on how warm the paper was to his touch. It's like it connected to him with the aim to give him the knowledge he needs to survive and thrive in his new existence as something more than human. He found himself reading the book just as much as he listened to the wisdom within. Like a play by play on how it worked. "Wow," he muttered before moving on.
He had never heard Moka refer to her blood and use of Buraddo by name before. He could only guess that the name itself was archaic and wasn't practiced anymore. 'That can be changed.' Tsukune felt a strong beat in this chest. He could even hear it in his ears and made him jump a bit. Tsukune placed his hand at his chest and looked around for a moment. Maybe it was nothing and just a product of his blood and this discovery. Since he was a Vampiric ghoul, was it safe to assume that his heart pumped vampire blood instead of that of humans? It seemed plausible.
If anything, he most likely taps into Hāfuburaddo instead of Buraddo itself. Did could also mean he's a Dhampir if he's going to convert to use of the old terms instead of new. Dhampir sounds more… correct than ghoul. Tsukune used to associate ghouls as mindless zombies that ate human flesh and hung around graveyards to scavenge like vultures like in folklore. Last he checked he did nothing close to this. He did have a thirst for blood at times; he ate enough food to feed five grown men, but he had no desire to flesh or body parts.
"Dhampir," Tsukune tested the word a bit and felt his spine tingle. "Dhampir, I like that better." Tsukune accepted that name over ghoul. If yōki caused him harm best he learns to use it carefully or maybe in bursts. Either way he must tread carefully to control his other side. With that thought he moved on to the next term.
Buraddo - Ribā: Located in the brain. It's the source of the intelligence of Nosferatu. It gifts them with the ability to relax their bodies and gather information afforded to them without need of sustaining immediate attention on the source. When focused it can pinpoint source of that information without diversion to sort for later use. It calms the mind and allows the vampire to regress into their prior thoughts, feelings, emotions, and past experiences in the midst of medication at enhanced speed, if used correctly. Without Ribā a Dhampir will degenerate into a Vampiric ghoul.
Tsukune's eye twitched. So, the term ghoul did exist in the past, but he thought of it and his moments of sitting down to think. On the bus he thought hard on his future and past events so much he regressed into a nightmare based on it. It's happened many times because he thought on it all the time. A couple times before he regressed deep into thought maybe as a type of sporadic meditation. On the stairs he compiled his thought together in mere moments once he had a moment of quiet. This might be a good indicator of how far gone he gets. Once he can't think deeply anymore, he knows he's degenerating into a Vampiric ghoul. He's not there yet.
"If this is a thing then Moka must be using it even now," Tsukune snort with a shake of his head. He never understood how Moka could sit there and not pay attention to the teacher and still have all the notes and a copy for him by the end of class. It seemed that all vampires could do that with ease. His lips curled up, Moka was such a cheater. His humor was shot down when he wondered what would happen if he said that to Inner Moka, playfully or not. It would probably be best not to think about it all. The pain she would probably cause would give him nightmares for weeks.
'Unless you move and fight back.'
Tsukune shook his head and continued on. Stupid voice.
Buraddo - Tsubasa: Located within the muscles and is directly connected with Gēto. The demonic powers coming from Gēto normally prove very harmful to the user. It tears apart the muscles, ultimately destroying them, but Tsubasa allows the muscles to easily adapt to the Yōki pumping through it until the muscles no longer have use of it in a cycle. With every use the muscles condense and grow denser thus allowed ease of movement without loss of strength. Tsubasa tends to fade after puberty for a vampire.
"That explains it," Tsukune muttered. Every time Inner Moka appeared she appeared stronger than the last. But did he have access to this ability since he uses Hāfuburaddo? It hurts him with use it hints his exhaustion right now but maybe he gets stronger with exposure as well. Dhampir can't be true Nosferatu like a vampire can, but the biggest difference is the greater risk at their use of powers. So, he's at more risk in the midst of his puberty but has the opportunity to grow stronger with every risk. In his mind this cemented the fact he must train every chance he gets. If exposure is the only way, he can grow then that's what will happen.
Tsukune glanced to the desk and the Belmont on top. "Maybe later."
Buraddo Raifu: The source of the vampire's regenerative abilities and unrivaled stamina. It forces the blood's healings abilities to activate and the source of the immortality residing in the vampire. Their cells die at a much slower rate after the 23rd year of their lives. It virtually becomes nonexistent after the 37th. Any wounds the Nosferatu may receive, depending on the type and the severity of the wound, can be healed in an hour to a week.
This was interesting to the young Dhampir…. He chuckled a bit at the new title he could hold. As he read on it said that Vampires no longer remember Buraddo due to their ignorance and foolish pride. How it was a shame that the vampire race has forgotten the old ways, perhaps for the sake of humanity. It questioned if it's better this way though.
While Vampires of the modern period may not know of the old ways in this book or how Yōki moves through the body, but they're still powerful. He's seen and felt it. Something told him Moka wouldn't like this book at all. It insulted the vampire race as a whole. He could see why the author was hesitant to publish it. One pissed off vampire was bad. The whole entire race was a massacre waiting to happen. Thought it offered him insight into what he could be. He's a type of race parallel to that of a vampire. An abomination since it appeared that it isn't recorded whether or not Dhampir reached their 23rd year like vampires have. That didn't bode well with him.
Tsukune felt himself fall and slump down. Heck, this book could mean nothing now. He could be just a stupid ghoul doomed to die like he first thought. "No!" Tsukune growled. He remembered the words of the Chairman. "A human that failed to become a vampire," he repeated in a quiet whisper. He hadn't forgotten where he is just yet. He's not a ghoul but something else. "He told me that there will be a time when I don't need this anymore," Tsukune held up his wrist. He's retained his humanity but is he even human anymore. He's not vampire then maybe he is a Dhampir. He can learn how to control this. 'I can do make it to 24 if I want. I have no choice.' He closed his eyes. Faces of his cousin, mother, and father came first. The girls at the academy next. Lastly was Uzume. He can't give in yet. For them and for Uzume.
Tsukune took a breath and leaned back up. He opened the book once more, his place saved by his hand.
In order to access Buraddo, meditation is required in times of calm or battle mediation when in conflict. The calming of the mind releases stress and reduces the chances of Nosferatu from injuring themselves due to accessing a fatal amount the body can't frowned at the last part but was nothing new. His body would fall apart because he drew on too much at the time, which poisons his mind, would cause his mind to degenerate to that of a ghoul, and he'd kill everyone around him.
"Simple." He shut the book and placed it back in his blazer.
As a human that failed to become vampire (possibly a Dhampir: Branch of Nosferatu) he had no doubt that he'll have a lot of difficulty accessing Buraddo, if he could do it. Dhampir are a type of Nosferatu meaning they he could become true Nosferatu now that he thought of it. Most if not all Dhampir apparently die before they reach their 23rd year since the history of their abilities are this limited. That means if he did live that long maybe he could survive this. He wasn't born a vampire and his body wasn't used to the Yōki being pumped, filtered from the holy lock on his wrist, but for his friends he'd go to hell itself. This isn't hell last he checked.
"The sooner I get started the sooner I get stronger."
Tsukune drew his attention back to Belmont. Kagari had brought it home he's sure of it. That train of thought left him paler than a sheet of paper now that his attention on this subject waned. "Oh no!" He shot to his feet in horror. He didn't need Kagari to think he was like Ruby-chan of all people. Someone with weird tendencies and stuff. He shook his head violently. He wasn't a masochist, he wasn't! He didn't like pain even if it made him feel alive and… "Oh god no…!" He killed that thought instantly. Now was not the time to be thinking about any of that.
He gripped Belmont tightly and let out a deep breath he had been holding for a while. The holy lock shook gently, and he could feel the presence of his Yōki in his muscles. This wasn't like last night when his body was acting on instinct, or earlier when his mind was focused, ignoring the pain. He could feel the corruption pulsing invisibly on his neck and he didn't need to see his eyes to know that they would resemble Moka's. He felt the burn. The Yōki was like a wave of energy he was desperately trying to prevent from crashing down on him and alerting everyone in the house. He was more than aware of what Moka's presence did to people and how far away they could feel her power. He didn't need the neighborhood going crazy because he lost control. 'This could be my method of learning control,' he thought. If someone can feel him, he failed.
The muscles in his forearms and biceps flexed and clenched painfully multiple times like they were trying to forcefully push his energy through them. Had he been a lesser man, he would've cried out in agony. There was no stress relief the more he pushed into his mind to relax. He was beginning to think that he had Hāfuburaddo like a Dhampir instead of Buraddo like a vampire. It's like he thought.
He bared his teeth, long elongated fangs peeking out from under his lips, giving him a feral appearance. A bead of sweat trailed down the back of his neck and he whimpered painfully. His Gēto had to be there. Wait a moment. Gēto was located in the heart… so that is where he needed to concentrate. He was a human who couldn't access Gēto naturally like a vampire child could. Maybe he's never done it once in his life to do it instinctively. He would have to force his concentration on Gēto so that Buraddo or Hāfuburaddo could fully function. It would spread this throughout his entire body instead of his neck and up.
His attention was focused on his chest where his heart thumped like a drum. It was a slow, agonizing process, but his efforts bore fruit. The pain had dulled tremendously give him a moment reprieve. His muscles were able to relax as the Yōki seemingly slithered through some openings within his body where it was allowed but bashed through the ones that resisted. Each forced entry brought with it pain at the abused point that dulled in time. "That… That wasn't so hard." He would've screamed for joy had no one been in the house.
He was by no means a master. Trying to tap into that power without instincts alone was painful, but now that he knew how to do it, he could practice it without fatally wounding himself. He took a glance at Belmont with curious red eyes. Belmont allowed access to his power without the use of the holy lock, not how to use it. Sooner or later, it would prove to be a crutch. The headmaster did say there would be a point in time when he didn't need this or the holy lock anymore. For now, this would be the best he could get. At least Uzume or Miya hadn't rushed upstairs so he must have done a good job of hiding it.
Someone opened the door making a loud smack.
'Crap the door!' In his excitement he forgot that he wasn't leaning on the door anymore. He was in face in the middle of the room. He remained in place, fighting every instinct in his body to see who it was that came to see him. 'I just need to be calm.' He thought. He needs to drop the whip in his hand and his eyes will return to their brown state.
"Tsukune-kun?" There it was. It was that tone of voice that made Tsukune look and feel like an bastard. "Are you alright? I felt something weird and went looking for you." He glanced back and automatically regretted it. Uzume's brown eyes were filled with concern and beads of sweat ran down the side of her head at something. Her eyes glanced as his back and the Belmont in his hands. "Why do you have a whip… and why aren't you facing me?" Her tone was that of a woman that's annoyed.
He swallowed. "I-I'm fine, Uzume-chan… Uh, and this…" Tsukune held up the whip. 'Think, Think, Think, Think!' He repeated this mantra, but nothing came. The bond… It was breaking his concentration a bit. He was… tempted to tell her the truth and nothing but. "It… a whip?"
"Nah, really?" Uzume eyes narrowed and she placed her hands on her hips. "And don't lie to me, Ashikabi-koi. This bond does more than keep us together forever." Her attitude was understandable enough and the truth in her words was apparent to Tsukune. It didn't seem like he would be able to hide anything from her. It's not like her could forever since she saw him all last night.
Tsukune held his breath then faced his sekirei. She blinked as she took in the color of his eyes. They became wide like dinner plates and she took a hesitant step back. "They're red." She murmured. "Just like last time." The fear in her evident in her tone. He didn't need the bond to feel it.
'She fears monster you like you.'
Tsukune gripped hold of that voice if he could and strangle it. "Well… there's an easy explanation for this." Uzume raised an eyebrow in curiosity, awaiting an explanation he didn't know how to give. "Sit with me," Tsukune ordered. He walked up to his sekirei and took her hand to pulled her into his room. She made a yelp of surprise before he closed the door after checking if anyone else was in the hallway. It was clear. He placed Belmont next to it and grabbed his futon quickly. He made it into a pillow and placed it in front of the door for his sekirei. Uzume stood silent as she watched her ashikabi silently. He grabbed the Belmont once more before sitting against the door once more. Uzume rose a brow but silently sat next to him, leaving no little than two inches of space between them.
Uzume had already seen his abilities once and it left her anxious. His secret was already blown from the last night, but still tried to hide it. That spoke volumes to her. He didn't see his power of a gift it seems but more of a curse. It certainly did seem that way to her. Could she help him suppress it if she knew was it was? She asked herself this in hope to save her ashikabi from become the monster she thought he was last night.
"I'll warn you," Tsukune broke her out of her thoughts. "It's not going to sound like a believable story."
"I trust you, Koibito." Uzume didn't hesitate.
Tsukune blanched. There it was again. That strange, warm feeling that erupted in his chest because she referred to him by something so affectionate, despite knowing each other for only a day. Did the Sekirei bond really affect her that much? To supersede what should take months in just hours? It affected him he knew this. Any other day, if some woman called him that who knew him for less than a day, he would've either thought they were being cruel to him or just teasing him outright. Not even Kurumu referred to him by that suffix and she called him her destined one.
Uzume's brown eyes softened the minute she took in the raging maelstrom of emotions that filtered through the red eyes of her Ashikabi. They weren't the bloody crimson she remembered last night. She knew exactly what he was thinking, and she couldn't blame him. For her kind, the Ashikabi was both a goal and a wish. The Ashikabi was the only person they could ever be compatible with and the only person they could love freely without a doubt. For a human like him meeting a Sekirei this had to be a lot to take in. Human mating habits were far different than theirs. According to the shows and manga she liked, they had to meet and court one another, and sometimes the relationship wasn't even guaranteed to work. If not, they ended leaving one another. In the eyes of a Sekirei, her included, that wasn't love at all. Love was giving your devotion to your life mate because they knew it would work. If they weren't compatible, it wouldn't work. But seeing as how she reacted to Tsukune, it was guaranteed to work. Even the Ashikabi she wanted in the past could've worked, for a time.
While Sekirei could love someone that was not their Ashikabi, they would never be able to use the full extent of their powers. If they couldn't feel the love of their Ashikabi powering them they'd stay stagnant and in place. Chiho was the young girl she had fallen for and her feelings for her still lingered. She loved her little Chiho, and she loved Tsukune. But that wouldn't per say mean she loved him unconditionally. While she did love him, she still needed to get to know her Ashikabi and him her. In this he could truly return that love she has for him. It was a common misconception MBI worker made that Sekirei loved the Ashikabi they were bound to. In most cases they did. If that Ashikabi was the one they reacted to, then it's guaranteed that they'll love that person. If the winging is forced however then it isn't a relationship and the Sekirei will never truly love that Ashikabi. The Sekirei would dream of their true Ashikabi with the knowledge that they could never have them and in time wallow in misery at their forced servitude.
Thankfully this didn't happen to her, especially with her current "employer". While Tsukune was very different from a normal person he's got a good heart and moldable mind. He feels for her, cares for her, and is affect by her actions. This much means they can be together forever, and that fact brought a smile to her lips. She felt bad about her thoughts when she saw his eyes. He was hurt by her reaction and need to make that right first. "You don't have to tell me right away, Koibito." Uzume reached up and brushed away a stray strand of hair out his eyes. Her ashikabi's eyes widened at the gesture. "Whatever secrets you have can be told at a later date. I'm with you forever."
"I… T-thank you," Tsukune's chin dropped. There she goes making him feel guilty. Something told him that she wasn't even trying to either. She's reached up to touch him and her actions almost apologetic in nature. This bond he swore will be the end of him if he's not careful. He sunk further down to the floor and closed his eyes. His back made the door groan at the added weight, but he didn't care about that. Could he really do this? Could he tell someone that wasn't Yokai about the Monster world and the Great Barrier that separates it? Would the chairman even allow that to happen? His eyes snapped open to her smile. If she was going to be with him forever, then the chairman would have no choice but to inform her. If he was going to live as this Dhampir thing then she has to know if not for the bond, then out of respect for her. He'd have to call later and see if he had permission to do so from the Chairman first though.
Tsukune sighed resignedly. "I'll tell you soon. This-this isn't something that I can really speak freely of. Not yet." He admitted. Her brown eyes were filled with slight disappointment that had him feeling guilty. "But I can tell you is that I'm not exactly, fully human."
Uzume snorted in a very unladylike way. "No shit. There's no human out there that can fight against a Sekirei and come out alive." He chuckled at the vulgarity and she quieted. She looked concerned for him once more. "Like, you were in pain, so I came to check on you. I didn't mean to pry."
He shook his head. "It's not your fault. If I wasn't so busy being irresponsible with this," he pointed to his eyes. "I wouldn't have scared you like that." It surprised him how easily he was talking to her. It was comparable to how he talked with the girls at school.
Uzume smiled. "I'm supposed to be the irresponsible one. You already took responsibility, my Ashikabi," Uzume reached up and brushed her fingers against Tsukune's cheeks. His cheeks flushed pink then red with ease. "You don't have to tell me anything right now. If anything, I just want to know why my Ashikabi's hair and eyes can change color. Oh yeah, and how he kicked my ass," she narrowed her eyes once more.
"You're stronger than me." He said suddenly, surprising her. "Believe me. If you hadn't been injured the night before, I'd be dead." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "The only reason I won was because I caught you off guard."
"Well, I'm glad that you did," she informed him. "If you hadn't, you wouldn't have become my Ashikabi. You probably would've been a nice little bloodstain on the streets." She put her finger to her lips in a thinking pose. "A really cute bloodstain."
It was his turn to snort. "Thanks for that," he said dryly. He tilted his head in a questioning manner. "If you don't mind me asking, why were you trying to… assassinate that Sekirei and her Ashikabi?" He went in for a blunt approach catching Uzume off guard. "You don't seem like the kind of person to go hunting for people without good reason. I'd like to know." It could also help him figure out how Kagari and Miya fit into this as well.
Uzume's demeanor darkened in an instant and Tsukune knew he had asked the wrong question. Her brown eyes were filled with anger and sadness, none of it directed at him. He felt horrible, but he had to man up. She was his Sekirei and he had to protect her, not the other way around. These many questions in his mind needed answers.
This wasn't Yokai Academy. Ignorance will lead him to death again.
She tilted her eyes downward. "Maybe I should just show you instead," she muttered. She gave him a pleading look. "Do you have to go anywhere?"
He shook his head. "No, I have time." Tsukune unfastened his belt and let it go through the lasso he made of Belmont before tightening it once more around his waist. The burn in his eyes receded same with the pain that shook his entire body. "Do you need to go somewhere? A place away from the Inn?" He questioned.
She nodded. "It'll be the easiest way to tell you why I tried to kill you and the other two last night." She winced at the kill part, but Tsukune took it all in stride. It wouldn't be the first time someone killed him for some purpose he didn't know about. It also wouldn't be the first time that a woman tried to kill him and fall in love with him at the same time.
"If that's what you want me to do I'll follow you anywhere." He smiled gently, buttoning up the rest of his blazer before standing up from the door. He brushed off some of the lint on his slacks before offering her his hand. She took it with a soft grin.
"Even to the futon," she teased and Tsukune irked, his flush increasing.
"Uzume," he groaned and Uzume burst into a fit of chuckles before climbing up to her feet.
"I'm just messing with you. Let's go then!" she yelled. "The faster we get out of here, the more time we have before dinner." She was a woman on a mission and nothing would deter her.
"Um, Uzume-chan…" Tsukune stopped her.
"Yes?"
"Do you want to put some clothes on?"
"What?" she looked downward. All she was wearing was her frilly pink nightgown that exposed more leg than what should be shown. She looked back to her Ashikabi, only to see blood rushing to his ears. She smirked. "Do I have to?" Uzume stepped a bit closer forcing her Ashkabi to step back. His back hit the wall next to the door effectively leaving him at her mercy. "Are you sure want me too," she whispered in his ear.
"I… W-we need to get g-going r-r-r-right?" Tsukune gulped.
Uzume grinned. "We got a minute too…"
The door opened again.
"Now there wouldn't happen to be anything illicit happening with the confines of Maison Izumo, would there be, Uzume?"
The brunette in question paled as the temperature in the room dropped. She could feel the Hannya mask behind her, and based off Tsukune's horrified expression, he could see it. "Nope not at all! I'll be getting dressed now! Bye!" The Sekirei ran like a bat out of hell, leaving Tsukune at Miya's mercy. He dropped down to his butt against as the mask drew closer to him.
"I'm sorry Miya! I didn't…"
Suddenly the mask disappeared, and Miya offered Tsukune a giggle at his reaction. "Ah, Tsukune-san, it seems I have to explain the rules to you." She giggled demurely and Tsukune paled. In all her dilly dallying her forgot to explain the rules to the young man. She didn't expect him to let his beastly urges to try and take Uzume's innocence already. She didn't expect him to become an Ashikabi in just a couple hours of arriving at her establishment. She won't blame herself though. That'll be silly.
Tsukune gulped again. That laugh was terrifying, and somehow a ladle appeared in her hands. He's positive it hadn't been there a second ago. He shrieked when the Hannya mask reappeared and rose his hands as defense. How is she doing this? Spawning a demon that pulls out the root of all the fear in this body like this?
"Rule number one: No illicit or explicit behavior at Maison Izumo!" The ladle went downward.
"Ah!" Tsukune cried. "My poor head." He reached up to rub the mistreated area.
"You should have followed the rules," Miya wagged the ladle left and right at him.
That's not even fair. He didn't even remember being told about any rules here! But he's not about to risk her wrath despite this. He needs to get to his 24th year after all.
Miya saw fit to teach him the rules while in her establishment one at a time which soon led them to the dining room with him sitting as far as possible away from her. Miya sat calmly at the head of the table, her mouth hidden by the sleeve of her kimono as she giggled at Tsukune's antics. A dark cloud hung over his head with comical lightning blasting all around it. The usually polite and happy boy sulked like a small child.
He moaned piteously, "How do you even do that?"
Miya tilted her head innocently. "Do what?"
The teenager groaned from his spot at the table and Miya had a difficult time keeping her laughter under control. He picked his head up passing the landlady and accusatory glare. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
The dark cloud grew larger in size and the dark wails could be heard from inside. Miya would be the first to admit that it was one of the most amusing sights she had ever come across of. "You wouldn't be accusing a poor old widow of anything malicious, would you?" That cold feeling returned and Tsukune slammed his head into the table. Miya blinked. She had people screaming in fear and running away before. She had never had Tsukune's reaction. "Are you alright?" She asked, but he didn't stir. "Ano… Tsukune-san?" She poked his head with the ladle that somehow appeared in her hands. He groaned pitifully. A satisfied smile spread across her lips, filled with some twisted sense of satisfaction. "Would you like for me to fix up that nasty bruise and cut you have there?"
He knew it. All the women in his life were evil creatures hell bent on making his life the most miserable it can possibly be. Well maybe except his mother… no she was just as evil as the rest of them. She changed his Saturday night cartoons to a soap opera channel. Maybe he should just stay a bachelor? Alone for the rest of his life but safe.
He sighed. "Yes please."
Miya giggled again. 'Such a silly boy.' She thought as she left to grade a first aid kit.
Once alone Tsukune breathed easier but shivered. His eyes shot up to the ceiling to the area he felt something before he slammed his head to the table.
BUMP
The young Dhampir's eyes widened with a twinge of red. 'Something is up there. Or maybe someone.' He narrowed his eyes at the spot and followed the presence move its way out of the area. Just like his first day at Yokai Academy, nothing is as it seems.
A/N: What in the hell did I just critically revise and write? By the gods I only wanted to get a bit further into this bond and how this Tsukune thinks outside of the norm, not turn this into a murder mystery. Now Tsukune is still a good guy hat protects people if he can but months of trial leaves a heart steeled and mind focused. He has a mistrustful nature towards those with an angle. Who can he trust in a world with people that have their own ends? I've never written a character with a moral background before or a story that will challenge his morals. This'll be fun.
Oh, and is Uzume a little too forward? I'm not sure.
Now according to the challenge Tsukune needs Two or more Sekirei as well as choose one of the Yokai Academy girls. God I'm not sure what to do and who to chose. Readers please help me out and I'll listen. I got a submission for Karasuba already and I'm looking for more.
Thanks for reading. Please review.