Chapter 18

A Bitter Taste

"Hello?"

"Hello, my daughter. How are you today?"

Mizore paused, closing her eyes and cursing her luck. When the phone had rang, interrupting the argument between her and Kurumu, she had quietly feared that the person on the other end would be her mother. Kurumu had apparently come to the same conclusion, and, recalling what had happened the last time she had answered the phone, had dashed upstairs to check on Moka. Mizore ached to follow her, at the least to keep her from sneaking a visit alone to Tsukune, but now there would be no escape.

"I'm fine, mother." Mizore forced a smile into her voice. "Is there something you need?"

"Straight to the point; I would almost say that you don't sound happy to hear from me." Mizore could imagine her mother's smile, gentle and yet sharp. "I just wanted to check on my beloved daughter, to see how she was doing… to hear about her progress…"

"Ah." Mizore fought the urge to sigh. "I'm doing just fine, and everything is going well with Tsukune."

"I recall that you said that were to have a date with my future son-in-law, yes? Yesterday, was it?"

"Yes, it was." This time, Mizore did sigh, but not out of exasperation. Instead, her cheeks colored as she stared off into the distance, leaning against the wall and smiling indolently. "It was wonderful, mother. We spent all day together, and we went to a movie together, and he put his arm around me…"

Tsurara's happy laughter was like ice chimes tinkling together. "Magnificent! So…" Now, her voice took on a lascivious tone. "Does this mean that I can be expecting a new member of the family soon? Or, even better, two?"

Mizore blushed as she realized what her mother was implying. "No, no, we didn't… It wasn't like that. We went skating, and to the movie, and took a walk in the park. We talked a lot, too… It was the date I wanted," she insisted firmly.

"I see." Tsurara's disappointment was evident as she analyzed what her daughter had said. "So… not even a kiss, then?"

Mizore froze in place. A kiss. She had wanted to, of course, but she hadn't- there hadn't been a good opportunity- she hadn't wanted to scare him, she was using different tactics now. Pushing had gotten her nowhere, that was why she hadn't tried to kiss him. She wanted him to make the first move, as a show of his affection for her. It wasn't that she was afraid of being rejected if she tried…

"I see." Her mother's voice rang out like a judge's final pronouncement. Her next words, however, lacked all such gravity, instead with a brightness that only just seemed forced. "So, you mentioned visiting an ice skating rink. What was its name? I have friends that run one in that area, you see."

Mizore furrowed her brow, caught off guard by her mother's change of topic. "Um, I think it was Ice World, if I remember correctly. I…" Her eyes widened as she realized her fatal error. "Mother. You said 'in that area,' but I haven't told you anything about where we are staying. How would you know, then?"

"Oh ho ho." Tsurara's pride was evident in her voice. "I didn't, but you certainly narrowed it down for me."

"Mother, why would you be trying to track us down? We're doing quite alright here, and I am doing fine with Tsukune. I don't need your help."

"My dear daughter, of course I have faith in you. It's just that I thought to send a few things to help you… crushed Snow White petals, perhaps, or one of our special teas…"

Mizore waited, thinking as quickly as she could. If it was a lie, it was a fairly convincing one, at least. And, such things might prove useful in this game, albeit unfairly so. Still, she had decided to win Tsukune on her own, without resorting to such tactics. "No thank you. I'm doing just fine on my own, so there's no need. Thank you for the offer, and for thinking of me, but I ask you to trust in me."

Silence gripped the phone for several long moments before Tsurara answered, doubt in her voice. "If you are certain, Mizore, then I won't act… for now. But remember, this is not only important to you, but to our entire race. Guilt may sting, but it is better than the sadness you will bear should you lose Tsukune to one of the other girls. If you want my help, I am always here for you, my daughter." Tsurara's voice gradually grew softer, but it was obvious that she still felt troubled by the matter. "And next time, at least a kiss, I plead."

"Yes mother." Mizore chuckled, her smile returning. "I will do my best."

"I should hope so." The warmth in Tsurara's voice dulled the reproach. "I shall trust it to you, then, my daughter."

Moments later, Mizore replaced the phone's receiver and turned to leave the kitchen, eager to race up the stairs to check on the other girls and, more importantly, Tsukune. She had barely left the kitchen, however, when she nearly ran into Kurumu. She stepped back, a quip on the edge of her lips, but let it die into silence as she noticed the dark scowl the succubus wore. "Something wrong, Kurumu?"

"Nothing." Kurumu looked away from Mizore, up the stairs. "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, right." Mizore inspected her friend closely. "Come on, just say it."

Kurumu turned her anger towards the snow maiden, but it quickly wavered. Finally, Kurumu sighed, her eyes downcast. "When I went upstairs, I decided to check on Tsukune. I was just making sure he wasn't busy, so cracked the door just a little…"

"You were peeking." Mizore shook her head in exasperation. "And I'm supposed to be the stalker."

Kurumu glowered in response, but failed to come up with anything further. Instead, she continued. "Moka was in there, and she stepped up to him, and he moved his collar but then she kissed him, on the lips!"

"Are you sure that she wasn't just biting him? We've made that mistake before."

"I'm sure." Kurumu glanced again up the stairs, the fury reigniting in her eyes. "I could see it all clearly. After forbidding me to kiss him, she goes and- Argh!" Kurumu's frustrated roar couldn't have gone unnoticed by the other residents of the Resting Place.

Mizore felt a chill trickle down her spine as her mother's words returned to her. "A kiss, huh?" Fear warred with anger inside her as the air around her began to grow crisp. When she met Kurumu's gaze, her own blue eyes shimmered with a brightening aurora. "Perhaps we should talk to her about this."

"Uh, is everything alright?" The two girls turned to see Tsukune standing at the top of the stairs, a nervous grin on his face as he scratched the back of his head. "I, ah, heard a noise and thought I would check to see if something was wrong…"

He flinched back from the anger the two wore, but their expressions swiftly softened, hurt overcoming their ire. He swallowed, realizing what must be at the heart of their discussion, but, before he could bungle his way into an awkward apology, Kurumu answered.

"Everything's fine," she lied, glancing sullenly to Mizore. "I was just going upstairs to do my homework."

"I was going to take a walk," Mizore noted, nodding brusquely to Tsukune before walking into the kitchen, immediately lost from view. Kurumu took that as her cue, marching up the stairs, fighting to keep from meeting Tsukune's eyes. She passed him without comment, but paused as she heard him softly say her name.

When she turned to face him, she saw that he had one hand half-held out, as if reaching for her. She stared at his expression, trying to read him; it felt like there was genuine pain and regret in his eyes, something deeper than before, but she was afraid that it was merely a hopeful illusion. No, this was probably just pity for hurting her feelings, not the conflict she was imagining. Nodding tersely, she turned back and walked to her room, not hearing his whispered apology as she left.

'So,' a bitter voice whispered in his mind as he stared in the direction she had gone, 'this is what it will feel like, when I choose. Only so much worse.' With this dark notion hanging over him like a personal stormcloud, washing away the euphoria he had felt after his kiss with Moka, Tsukune returned to his room.

The second secret to good kissing is good eye contact. After all, they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, so being able to stare into your partner's eyes gives you an opportunity to see what they are feeling and react to it appropriately. While closing your eyes may feel natural, at the very least wait until you make contact to save yourself an embarrassing miss; many a nose has been inadvertently smooched due to a kisser closing their eyes moments too early.

Another advantage to maintaining good eye contact is…

Kurumu let the magazine fall onto the bed, staring blankly forward. Though she had taken it up and dove into the article with a rapacious intensity, her attention was already beginning to waver. Time and again, her mind returned to what she had seen earlier, Tsukune and Moka in their embrace with lips pressed together, and try as she might to replace Moka with herself it did nothing to alleviate the crushing pain she felt in her chest. She didn't understand why she felt so betrayed; after all, the point of their arrangement was to allow for Tsukune to do things just like that with each of them in the hopes of him reaching a decision, so it was only natural that Moka, who had the greatest advantage, would already be enjoying such things with him.

'Yes, but I'm not.' Kurumu sighed, her head dropping down onto the blanket. She shouldn't have been so angry, especially not at Tsukune, but looking back she realized it was because she was afraid. After all, despite her earlier bravery she felt like she was already at a disadvantage, one that she feared was quickly becoming insurmountable. Her's was the last date, and seeing Moka kissing Tsukune had only reminded her that she wouldn't be able to do that without breaking their rules… and risking Tsukune's freedom. She was worried that those things would keep her far enough behind that she would not only lose Tsukune, but never really have a chance with him before he made his decision.

She lay there for a moment, her depression pressing her down onto the bed, but a slow yet relentless fire began to spread throughout her. Her eyes snapped open as she gritted her teeth, and she pounded a fist against the bed before pushing herself up, swinging her feet off the bed and onto the floor. Let Moka do as she liked with Tsukune, but Kurumu was not going to give up, not until the day that Tsukune told her to, if even then. She cared too much about him to let something as minor as a kiss make her falter; when Tsukune chose her, she would have all the kisses she wanted.

Kurumu crossed the room and began rifling through her clothes, searching for something. The analytical side of her mind was beginning to wonder if her earlier exchange with Tsukune would make things worse for the next day; she would have to patch things up with him before their date to make sure that her chances weren't hurt. She had plans for that, but they could wait. Now, she wanted to start getting things ready for the date itself. That would be when things got interesting.

Finally her search proved fruitful, and as she held up the article of clothing she had been hunting for by the strings, a wicked smile spread across her face. Nodding, she carried it and its mate over to her bed, and then turned back to pick out the rest of what she would need for the next day. She had to take her advantages where she could find them, and she had gotten quite skilled at that, in her own humble opinion.

Yes, tomorrow would be interesting indeed.

"Hey, did you see that?"

One of the men walking through the forest turned to the other, following his gaze to an open window and the blue-haired girl just inside. Shaking his head, he glared at his partner in disappointment, not willing to believe what he was hearing. "Peeping, Gabriel? You amaze me sometimes."

"H-Hey!" Gabriel shot his friend a wounded glance, shaking his head. "No, no way! I was just looking around, and I happened to notice… I wouldn't!" Pausing in his tracks, the blond-haired protector straightened, raising his chin dramatically as he stared nobly into the forest. "Anyways, she is too young for my tastes," he added calmly, his composure rescued.

"Considerably."

"You know what I mean! Physiologically, not just actual age." Gabriel sighed, shaking his head wearily, but his devious mind had already begun to process what he had seen. Quickly coming to a conclusion, he raised a hand and clapped it comradely against Michael's shoulders, smiling brilliantly. "Y'know, I was just thinking. I remember that we had agreed that you were supposed to tail Tsukune tomorrow, but I was thinking that it might be better if-"

"Forget it."

"Hear me out! We know that our enemies are hunting for Tsukune, so the main danger is them discovering this place, right? After all, if they want to get all of the girls and Tsukune, then they'll have to come here eventually, and it would be best if the stronger of us, that being you, is close enough to intercept if one of our wards is triggered, and-"

"Not only is your logic flawed," Michael resignedly pointed out, "but now you're sounding desperate. Just give it up."

Gabriel stopped, let his partner continue on ahead as he struggled to come up with an answer to the other protector's statements. Finally a dark smile spread across his face, and he nodded to himself before hurrying to catch up. "Oh?" he demanded, already certain of his victory. "Then let me ask you this. Do you have all the proper equipment for this mission?"

Finally his curiosity was piqued, and Michael turned back to stare impatiently at his colleague. Gabriel stood proudly a distance away, a challenging smirk upon his face. "You're the sort to pack light, figuring you can hammer your way through any problem we face. Me, on the other hand…" Victory glowed on Gabriel's face.

Moments later, Michael surrendered, and it was decided that Gabriel would be the one to trail Tsukune and Kurumu on their date.

An hour had passed from the time she had left the Resting Place when Mizore discovered the stream. For several minutes, she had felt the presence of water, and her snow maiden abilities had drawn her in the correct direction, until finally she had all but stumbled into it. Lost in her thoughts and aimless, she glanced at the rushing water for just a moment before beginning to walk alongside it, following it uphill towards its source. Something about the sound of the trickling stream made her feel at ease, and she desperately craved that now.

She hadn't been too surprised to hear from Kurumu that Moka had kissed Tsukune, but that didn't keep her from being concerned. After all, even without their constant interference Moka and Tsukune's relationship had always been awkward and shy, and it was likely only the current conflict that had led to their progress accelerating. Mizore groaned as she realized that her boasting the previous day had probably contributed by putting Moka on the defensive. Surely, if they had just left the matter alone Moka would be having no more success with Tsukune than usual… but, then again, neither would she or Kurumu.

Still, she didn't know why she felt threatened by it. After all, Moka's embarrassment after her date had suggested to Mizore and Kurumu that she had kissed Tsukune, and while that had only been a suspicion, it should have been enough to anesthetize Mizore to this occasion. Plus, Mizore herself had shared a kiss with Tsukune, back during their final battle with Mori Retsu, so there was no reason for her to feel so jealous.

'Yeah, but that was in a dream,' she bitterly mused, pausing her walk. 'And it might have just been him trying to free me from the nightmare, anyways. Not even a real kiss, just him trying to save me…'

Shaking her head to free herself from such doubts, she continued to follow the stream. She knew that her mother's words lay at the heart of her fears; after all, until this morning she had been perfectly satisfied with her date with Tsukune. While they hadn't physically closed many gaps, she knew that they were closer now, although she worried about how he would feel about her reaction earlier. While she eagerly anticipated their physical intimacy, it was their emotional connection that she was focused on now. But, on the other hand, wasn't it true that physical progress could hasten their emotional ties, just as it would vice versa?

Her mother's suggested aid reoccurred to Mizore, and for just a moment she felt tempted. Though the petals of the Snow White flower from her hometown would lose much of their potency, they would still retain enough of their aphrodisiacal effect to tip things in her favor. Mizore admitted to herself that, when it came to a physical relationship, she might be somewhat lacking in tact, and so using such outside assistance would doubtlessly help make up for her shortcomings. With just a call to her mother, she would have an ace up her sleeve that would tip things in her favor, just if things got too out of balance in one of the other girls' favor…

No. Memories of the time that they had visited her homeland flooded into Mizore, and she remembered well the price she had paid that time, and the price she had nearly paid beyond that. By almost taking advantage of Tsukune, she had put her friendship with the other girls at risk, just as they had become closer. Now, after all that they had been through, she didn't think it would be worth it to her to take the easy path. Plus, she felt uneasy at the thought of what such actions would do to her relationship with Tsukune. No, she would keep to the rules this time, and pray that in the end she was successful in showing her feelings to Tsukune. She had asked her mother to have faith in her; it was time she had faith in herself.

Mizore paused as she reached the end of the stream. Before her was a small pond, nothing compared to the lake near Yokai Academy yet still possessing its own charm. There was something in the green moss that coated the piles of stones, the way the water gently flowed into the stream with a bubbling constancy, that made this place feel private and yet welcoming, a secret meant to be shared. It took Mizore only a moment to realize that someday, no matter what, she would bring Tsukune to this place and show it to him, just the two of them. Something about this quiet scenery, distant and hidden yet beautiful, felt familiar to her, and she wanted desperately to bring Tsukune there.

She didn't know how long she spent at the edge of the pond, her eyes slowly tracing over each rounded stone and flowing current, but the sky had begun to dim when she finally turned to return to the Resting Place. Though she couldn't explain why, she no longer felt the gut-clenching conflict that had sent her to this place, but instead had a tranquility that she had lacked for some time. What hadn't changed was her determination, and it was with bright eyes and an eager smile that she took the path back towards the house, ready to face Tsukune once again and begin her fight for his affection anew.

As she began to disappear among the trees, following the flowing waters of the stream, the depths of the pond behind her began to stir. Silent ripples spread across its surface, until two rounded heads emerged, dark eyes staring after the girl that had discovered their lair. Sharing a pointed glance of confirmation, the two watched until she was gone before they sank once again into the pond, already making plans for what would happen if the girl returned to this place.

They would wait, for now.

"Dinner is served!"

Kurumu beamed as she finished bringing the plates to the table, batting away Mizore's reaching hand as she bent to personally serve each person sitting nearby. The reasons for this quickly became obvious as Tsukune gaped at the immense pile of food sitting before him, while Moka swallowed quietly as she stared at her own meager portions. Finally Kurumu took her seat, nodding for her friends to enjoy.

Mizore ran her narrowed eyes over each plate in turn, nodding to herself as she came to a realization. "These dishes… they're for stamina, aren't they?"

"Well, Tsukune and I will need a lot of energy for our date tomorrow!" Kurumu exclaimed, not hesitating to enjoy her own cuisine. "This way, we'll get a good rest and a good meal, and have plenty of get-up-and-go for everything I have planned!" She offered her friends a dazzling smile, as if snidely pointing out that she was the first to think of such a plan.

Tsukune stared in shock at the feast before him, but shrugged and began to make an effort to conquer it. At the very least it was delicious; Kurumu's culinary skills did not simply extend to the sweets she preferred, and her cooking articles in the Yokai Times had gained quite a readership. Still, he shot nervous glances at the mountain of rice rising from his bowl, and compared it silently to the small mound that cowered at the bottom of Moka's bowl. "Moka, would you like some? You don't have hardly any," he offered hopefully.

Moka glanced down at her bowl, and then over to Kurumu, whose smile looked tight enough to be painful. Finally the vampire shook her head resignedly, picking at her meal. "No, I'm not that hungry anyways." After what had happened earlier in the day, she had expected worse from the succubus, honestly, and decided not to press the matter.

And so the meal continued, punctuated by Kurumu's repeated prompting for Tsukune to eat more, until finally the teens stood from the table and wandered in various directions, Tsukune being the last to unsteadily rise and make his way towards the comfort of his bed. Stretching out would do him a world of good at the moment, he decided, and at least he wouldn't have any trouble sleeping this night. He reported his destination to Mizore and Moka, who were watching television in the common room, before beginning to force himself up the stairs. As he reached the top and turned towards his room, however, a soft voice from nearby made him pause.

"Tsukune," Kurumu said, and when he turned to face her he noted how mysterious her smile seemed. "Rest well," she offered, and he nodded, smiling in response before offering his own good wishes. He turned to leave, but again she drew him up short.

"Oh, something else." This time, her smile was all but devious. "There is one thing you need to bring, if you packed it. Do you have swimming trunks?" When he nodded, her smile brightened. "Good. You'll need those." She waved to him, her expression never wavering. "Good night, Tsukune. I'll see you tomorrow."

It was hardly minutes later when Tsukune, who had recently found sleep at a premium due to his tortured thoughts, found his previous prediction confirmed. As he swiftly drifted into slumber and for a good while after, however, Kurumu was lost in eager thoughts of her own, distantly aware that she would need rest but too energetic to even dream of trying to sleep. Like a child on the night before Christmas, she envisaged a thousand different ways that the next day could pass, the pleasant possibilities completely submerging the turmoil from earlier in the day.

Moka had the advantage, sure… but Kurumu would not go out without a fight. Tsukune would notice her tomorrow, she would make certain of that. If she tried hard enough, she knew she could win his heart, and she was willing to give everything to that effort.

The game wasn't over yet.

Author's Note: Sometimes, you write the story. Sometimes, it writes itself. The latter option is hardly the easier alternative; far from it, I say, since the beleaguered author is dragged along for the ride, trying desperately to keep some element of control. So it was with this chapter: after a certain point, events took on a life of their own, and I just tried to keep it in line with my plans. I fear this may make the cohesiveness of this chapter a tad rougher, and I may consider this one for stylistic revision once I've distanced myself from it enough for a fair evaluation. The events it contains, however, I'm happy with; this chapter manages to develop Kurumu and Mizore's emotional states a little while also putting into motion several key events that will return in later installments.

Next time, the beginning of the date, which, thanks to this chapter, I've had sufficient time to assemble. Look forward to more romantic escapades, and the appearance of a canon character who had not yet received any screen time in this fic. After all, if neither Moka nor Mizore's date enjoyed a peaceful first half, why should Kurumu's? Expect Chapter 19 sometime in the next 3-7 days!

Speaking of chapter numbers, I feel oddly compelled to mull over my final numeric goal for this tale. After all, it is only fair I caution you how long I expect this thing to get, though it is perhaps laughably late for such a warning. Hrm, let's see… my rough count is coming up to 38, but I'll say 40 just to be safe, although I am giving myself a lot of leeway for the action chapters in that number. Which means this thing isn't quite halfway finished. Good lord, what insanity have I committed? Take refuge in the notion that this has been intended, since its conception, to be the largest of my R+V fics, and the sequels should be considerably shorter. I am, after all, totally capable of reigning in my plots and keeping the story succinct, right? Sigh… look at it this way, assuming that you enjoy this tale as it is, there will be plenty more for you to read yet to come.

Ah, and to GrrDraxin: First, I congratulate you on making me do my first genuine double-take in some time, when I noticed you on the credits list of the translation of R+V Season 2, chapter 14.5 on Mangafox, while I was doing research for this chapter. Thank you for that contribution to our addiction. Also, as for your previous review: thank you for your, ah, unorthodox compliment, though I admit I spent several unpleasant moments trying to deduce how one would achieve the typing feat you mention as a third possibility before I decided to just avoid that one altogether. Close guess on the onsen, but how close shall be revealed in the next chapter… or the one after, I suppose.

And, once again, thank you all for reading, and for your kind reviews. I shall hope to see you all again soon, assuming I don't stumble over my next section for Project Toren (gah, I've not even started it yet…). Wish me luck, since I'm running out of ice cream for Pepsi floats, and the coconut rum is nearly gone.

And now, to sleep.

~Wynn Pendragon