Chapter 27
Heating Up
"Hmm… you have this, we can use it as a substitute… but this won't do…"
Aside from her soft comments on the Resting Place's supplies, the kitchen was nearly silent as Tsurara glanced through the cabinets, and a short distance away Mizore watched her mutely, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to prepare herself for whatever thoughts were brewing inside her mother's head. She knew that Tsurara's decision to visit them was not entirely benign; she had no doubt grown impatient with her daughter's progress with Tsukune, and had come to press events in the hopes of 'helping.' But, Mizore wailed to herself, it wasn't necessary! Things were going just fine with-
"So…" Tsurara began casually, not glancing back at her daughter. "He hasn't chosen, I take it?"
'And so it begins,' Mizore winced. "No, he hasn't. I meant to call you and tell you, but things have been busy-"
"Oh?" Now Tsurara turned, and her eyes gleamed faintly as she smiled gently at her daughter. "How so?"
There was no escape, Mizore knew, and so she resigned herself to the inevitable. Bracing her courage, she explained to her mother Tsukune's words to them after they had visited the karaoke club, as well as Kurumu's plan for the following days, and at Tsurara's precise prompts was forced to describe what she and Kurumu had discovered the previous evening when they came to end Moka's session. Though Mizore expected her mother to be angry at Moka's progress with Tsukune, the snow woman showed no sign of her ire, her emotions concealed beneath a layer of icy nonchalance. Instead she calmly questioned her daughter, wringing every last bit of information from Mizore as she continued to gather the materials for the evening's meal.
Finally Tsurara had learned enough, and she allowed a sharp smile to creep onto her face. "So, what you are telling me is that, while Tsukune didn't choose Moka, he has given you no real signs of preferring you, either. She has kissed him numerous times, while you have not managed one, even though there is no rule barring you from doing so, like with Kurumu. You have made no attempt to seduce him after your date, and have not managed to get him alone for any reason, though I begin to wonder if you would know what to do if you did. My beloved daughter, you seem content to blend into the background and to watch as he walks away from you." She turned to Mizore, and her eyes blazed a frigid blue as the temperature in the kitchen lowered by several degrees. "Is this the case?"
A handful of furious replies bubbled up in Mizore, but she choked them down, lowering her head in wounded silence. She tried to reassure herself that her mother was wrong, that things were going well with Tsukune; she had thought that to be the case, both after their date and the night that he hadn't chosen. After all, since he was unable to choose, that meant she still had a chance, right? That was better than it was before, she believed. But hearing it from her mother's perspective made her doubt her judgment, and she tensed as she felt old fears creeping back in from the shadows she had banished them to. What if he did choose someone else, what if he left her behind… what if she had to live the rest of her life without him?
"Mizore, you have tried to win him honorably, and I admire you for that. But too much is at stake here, for you, to let this chance slip by you. I brought some extract from-"
"No."
Tsurara paused, pursing her lips as she stared at her daughter. Mizore lifted her head to face her mother, and the elder yuki-onna could not help but see the stubborn resolution in her daughter's eyes. Something about coming here had changed Mizore, Tsurara noted. She had begun to trade prudence for determination, and her mother was not entirely certain that, in this case, it was a good exchange. Still, despite her concerns for her daughter's happiness she could feel her respect for Mizore growing, and eventually broke their shared gaze by subtly bowing her head. "So be it, then." She turned back to what she was doing, but did not intend to surrender just yet. "Still, the perfume I brought you… you would want to be certain to use it away from the others, to ensure that his, ahem, amplified attention not fall onto them instead of you. So, since you said your session with him would be last, you have the night to think on it." Tsurara glanced back to her daughter solemnly. "Please do so."
"Yes mother," Mizore responded flatly. "I'm going back to the common room, unless you need me."
"No, that will be fine," Tsurara consented, finished with her preparations but honoring her daughter's need for a few moments with Tsukune to recover from her doubts. "I'll join you in a few moments, just need to check a few other items."
After Tsurara heard Mizore leave the kitchen, and renewed conversation begin in the common room, she smiled sadly to herself. She regretted pushing her daughter like this, but she knew all too well how risky their situation was. Mizore was a yuki-onna of impressive potential, her control over their favored element improving rapidly, and others of their village had begun to ask questions about her future. Her arranged marriage to Fairy Tale's representative had thankfully fallen through, but Tsurara did not know if she could stave off such a demand a second time. No, for her daughter to be happy, Mizore had to be the one to win Tsukune's heart…
No matter what that took.
"This is a nice place you've got here!"
The three teens and Tsurara turned to face Ageha as she entered the common room some time later, Kurumu trailing behind her. The elder succubus smiled brilliantly, nodding to Tsukune. "Especially your room. That's a big bed… must be lonely." She glanced offhandedly to the side, but her half-lidded eyes soon drifted back in his direction. "Unless you're used to people sneaking into your room at night…"
"We have a solution for that," Moka stated sternly, all but glaring sullenly at Ageha. "We all agreed not to go into his room at night, and anyways the Headmaster sent a seal with us that Tsukune uses to keep the door locked."
"Oh?" The succubus tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Just one seal?"
"Yeah…" chorused the trio of girls, suddenly alarmed.
"And no one has tried sneaking in through the door to the balcony outside? I'm disappointed." Her smile was all teeth. "Not to give you any ideas or anything."
Tsukune swallowed loudly, sweat dripping down his face as the three girls looked to each other warily. The silence was only broken by the faintest of chuckles, and by Tsurara's attempt at defusing the growing tension. "So, that does raise the question… what will be the sleeping arrangements for this evening? I realize that you weren't expecting company, but surely this house must be stocked with spare futons… no?" The faces of the four teens plummeted as they shook their heads, realizing the problem this might lead to.
Ageha offered her rival a grudging smile of approval before nodding enthusiastically. "Y'know, I hadn't thought of that! There's always the couch, but beyond that the only bed big enough for more than one person is…"
All eyes fell on Tsukune, and the ensuing silence was too much for him to handle. "I… need to go see if we've gotten any more assignments through the Hellmaw, I'll be right back," he blurted, practically fleeing the room. He knew full well he wouldn't have a real say in what came next; better to deal with it when it was all over with.
With his departure, the teens and the mothers exchanged stares, measuring the level of their opponents' determination. For now at least the girls stood united; while two of them had had little problems in the past pushing Tsukune's boundaries, they did not enjoy being pushed in turn to do so. Still, the tantalizing image of being permitted to step beyond the seal that had become their bitter enemy was enough to tempt each of the trio; time alone with Tsukune, in an intimate setting, would almost be worth the risk. The mothers knew all too well what was going through their minds, and exchanged a hidden glance to celebrate their victory.
The game had begun; now to determine the rules.
"Well, of course I wouldn't want to kick poor Tsukune out of his bed," Ageha mused casually, resuming her earlier line of thought. "But, if you three are too nervous about it, I would be willing to volunteer. I mean, Tsukune's away from his parents… perhaps he would appreciate an adult's tender care."
Moka and Mizore's faces expressed their blank horror at Ageha's suggestion, but her daughter grinned viciously. "Yeah, you look matronly enough for the job, certainly."
"Matronly?" The word was all but a shriek, and Tsurara was forced to choke back an uncharacteristic snicker.
"Yeah, now that I think about it…"
"…almost old enough to be a grandmother, really…"
Ageha jerked at those words as if being stabbed, a vein beginning to twitch in her forehead. "Fine, fine," she snarled, crossing her arms. "One of you three can have the bed, then. But who?"
The trio stood in silence for a long moment. They wouldn't accept anyone but themselves taking that position, but how could they convince the others? Well, that was a lost hope; better to find an objective way of deciding. But- "How about a game?" Tsurara suggested quietly.
"What kind of game?" Mizore asked cautiously, trying to read her mother's face.
"Ooh, ooh, I brought 'Twister!'" Ageha cheered, making her own child twitch violently.
"How do you decide who wins that game, anyways?" Moka asked, confused.
"Everyone wins," Ageha purred, and after shuddering the three teens turned to each other with a solemn nod.
"We'll draw straws," they chimed in simultaneously, making the two older women stare at them in surprise.
"But…" Tsurara started, concerned. 'You can't cheat as easily at that!' she thought to herself, before correcting herself with 'Unless I am holding the straws…'
Her plans were foiled once more as Tsukune reentered the room, staring distractedly back towards the kitchen; he had thought to spend a few minutes outside to calm his nerves, but the nagging feeling of being watched had chased him back into the house. Now, however, he almost regretted that as his friends turned to him once more. "Tsukune, we need to borrow you for a second!" Kurumu blurted, and the two mothers slumped simultaneously, revealing that their thoughts had paralleled.
A moment later, it was done. Moka bit back a cheer as she stared at the longest straw, while the other two girls sighed in despair, realizing that they should have known far better, considering Moka's luck with the previous two draws. Her smile submerging for the moment, the vampire turned to Tsukune with a bashful blush. "That is, if it's alright with you…"
"All right, now we know who gets the couch!" Ageha announced, clapping her hands together. "Now to draw for who gets to sleep with Tsukune- I mean, who has to share a bed." She didn't flinch from the building monstrous energy as Moka turned towards her, murderous wrath in her eyes, nor did she pay particular attention to the way the rosario twitched at the vampire's neck. Her friends, however, couldn't help but notice, and Kurumu and Mizore watched her with concern.
"I'll sleep on the floor. That fixes the problem, doesn't it?" Every other person in the room turned to stare at Mizore in shock. The snow maiden managed to keep herself from fidgeting under the scrutiny, not certain that she was making the right move but unwilling to let the matter devolve into a fight. Anyways, she wasn't being entirely selfless; she had no real intention of sleeping on the floor of her room, but they didn't need to know that. Still, she couldn't allow herself to meet her mother's eyes, unwilling to see the condemnation that no doubt lurked there.
The eyes she found herself looking into were Tsukune's, and he smiled gently as he mouthed a 'Thank you' in her direction. That was comfort enough to reassure her, and she nodded, her resolve hardened. "I don't mind, and I'm not one to use a lot of blankets anyways."
"Well, if you're willing to do that, I guess I can take this room," Ageha conceded generously. "I'm accustomed to couches."
"I've never known you to sleep on the couch," Kurumu pointed out, immediately regretting the point.
"Oh, I've never slept on one."
Tsurara sighed irritably, shaking her head. "Well, that matter is decided, then." She offered her daughter a frigid smile before turning to Tsukune. "Now, why don't you all fill us in on what has been happening recently? Mizore has told me some, but I'm sure the story would be better if you all could contribute."
"Ah, sorry, but I'm going to have to bow out of this one," Kurumu apologized. She gave her friends a meaningful glance before motioning towards the stairs. "I, ah, need to clean my room, so if you'll excuse me…" She turned to leave, but brushed against Tsukune on her way out, drawing close enough to whisper towards his ear "Come up to my room whenever you're ready." She was gone before Tsukune could grasp the meaning of her words, but he nodded to himself anyways. It was time for their session, then.
It took him nearly an hour to free himself from the conversation, using the Headmaster's added homework as an excuse. He felt bad for abandoning Moka and Mizore to the attentions of the two older women, but it would soon be time to start preparing dinner, which could entertain all of them save Ageha, who would have no reason to interfere… assuming she knew what it was that Kurumu intended, anyways. Of course, when it came down to it, even Tsukune didn't know what she had in mind for them to do, but he knew he would find out soon enough.
When he opened the door into Kurumu's room, he found that it was considerably darker than he had expected, with aromatic, flickering candles spread across the room providing the room's only illumination. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, before trying to make out Kurumu's darkened figure. She stood in the room's darkest corner, and as he watched she struck a match and held it to the wick of the final candle.
The dancing flame revealed her to him, and his eyes widened as he noticed that she had changed into a two-piece bikini. She smiled sultrily as he gaped at her, and walked towards him slowly, placing the candle atop the dresser and picking up a plastic bottle, which she held out towards him with one hand as the other reached behind her for the knot of her bikini. "I hope you don't mind," she said, her voice heavy with desire and the cautious need for his acceptance. "But…" She met his eyes, and he swallowed as he saw the eagerness in their depths.
"Why don't you take your shirt off and join me on the bed?"
On a rise above the Resting Place, a battle was ready to begin. Considering the state of one of the potential combatants, and the fact that he was outnumbered two-to-one, it hardly seemed a fair fight. Still, he showed no sign of considering retreat, and did not even seem all that concerned; instead, he stared impassively at the two black-clad men that had emerged to challenge him, waiting for them to make the first move. His hand slid, however, towards his waist, and to the collection of vials that he had secured there. Hoping to distract his opponents from his movements, and from his weakened state, he stared up at the blond guardian sitting in the tree above and addressed him, ignoring the other for the moment.
"Well, well… I should have expected to see your kind here." Hokuto smiled darkly, shaking his head. "The Hell-King is nothing if not cautious. Still, to send his personal guardians to protect a handful of students-"
"We know about Thanatos," the dark-haired guardian interrupted brusquely, eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses. "But we want to know more about what Fairy Tale wants from him. And you will tell us everything we ask, or else."
"You must forgive my partner, he tends to be a tad… direct. But yes, we do have a few questions, if you don't mind." The blond protector shrugged indifferently. "That is, of course, the easy way of handling this."
"I've never been one for the easy way." Hokuto reached up to pull the glasses from his face, folding the earpieces and placing them into a pocket. "I have no intention of wasting my time on you, let alone discussing our plans with you. Stand aside, and you won't end up like the guardians that tried to stop my plans back at the academy."
The dark-haired guardian reacted to the antagonism just as Hokuto had expected, growling softly deep in his throat as a mask of cold rage slipped over his face. The other man, however, merely winced and glanced down at his comrade, his expression pained. "You really shouldn't have said that. He trained those guys."
"Not well enough."
When the guardian moved, Hokuto was ready, or at least he thought so. Instead of lunging at him, however, the dark-haired man stepped behind one of the trees and didn't emerge. Confused, Hokuto barely managed to heed his instincts and throw himself to the side as the attack came from behind him, a forward punch that tore through the place he had just occupied and slammed into a nearby tree. The noise of the collision resounded through the forest like cannon fire, and the waist-thick tree fell against its neighbors, its trunk shattered at the point of impact. The black-haired guardian pulled his fist back slowly, turning towards Hokuto with a grim fury that managed to unsettle the Fairy Tale agent more than he cared to admit.
The guardian's deliberate hesitation gave Hokuto the time he needed to prepare himself, and he swept two of the vials from his belt, popping their stoppers simultaneously and raising them to his lips. He swallowed the viscous liquid hurriedly, and waited for the surge of energy and numbness that came with each dose. "Not bad, but don't tell me that you are going to try to fight me alone? Even the Headmaster himself didn't fare too well the last time I got serious." Hokuto straightened, an eager gleam in his eyes as he glanced back at the man above.
The punch lifted him into the air and threw him back against a tree, pain reverberating through his body despite the medication's numbing effects. His vision swam for a second, but he quickly recovered, snarling away the agony of his jostled spine as he forced himself into a fighting stance. On his perch in a tree between Hokuto and the other protector, the blond man leaned down towards the younger man and cupped a hand around one side of his mouth, offering in a conspiratorial shout, "Wouldn't mention that, either. Michael doesn't take well to someone threatening the boss, and, well, what you did…" The guardian straightened, shrugging as he reached up to his sunglasses, mimicking Hokuto's earlier motion by pulling them from his face and slipping them into a pocket. "But to answer your previous question, no, I'm perfectly happy where I'm at. Because, y'see, I don't have to get involved. He's more than enough to take you out."
"Hardly!" Hokuto roared, charging forward at his opponent. The elixirs had taken full effect, and he sprinted at Michael, twisting away from the guardian's strike and offering a swing of his own. Michael's earlier speed had not diminished, and he knocked the blow to the side before coming at Hokuto with a right hook that nearly scraped the younger man's temple as he leaned away, forsaking his balance to avoid the attack. Even though his footing was unstable, he managed to use it to his advantage, burying his knee into the guardian's stomach, drawing a loud grunt from the stockier man. Seizing this opportunity, he regained his stance and prepared to push Michael further back, but the guardian's hand came back around in a swat that sent Hokuto tumbling backwards.
"It seems I'm out of practice," Hokuto admitted, determination burning in his eyes. He stood again, dismissing the pain from the strike; even the guardian's weaker attacks carried a significant amount of force.
"Maybe," the tree-sitting protector conceded, shrugging. "But it doesn't matter." He smiled down at Hokuto, and his golden eyes shined in the sunlight. "You beat some of our boss's people before, but then again… There are guardians, and then there are guardians." He motioned offhandedly towards his partner, who was waiting for Hokuto to regain his footing. "It's just a shame for you that you ran into the wrong sort. I think Mikey there is taking it easy on you, however, since you used to be a student." The blond man beamed at the other protector, who frowned up at him in response.
"Then he's a fool." Hokuto dashed forward, stiffening his hand into a flat plane as he came. Anger and desperation added to his speed, and even as Michael dodged the first attack a flurry of strikes were being set in motion. Such was the younger man's fury that the guardian focused his efforts on defense, allowing Hokuto to tire himself out. Hokuto, on the other hand, had no intention of allowing that to happen, and he felt the monstrous blood stir inside him as his right hand reshaped, bone-like projections spearing out of his flesh as he slashed up at Michael's face, feeling the whisper of contact.
The sunglasses flew into the air, one lens nearly completely cleaved in twain, but when Michael looked down at Hokuto it became obvious that such was the extent of the damage his surprise attack had wrought. Grudging admiration burned in the guardian's unnatural eyes, their shade a perfect match for those of the fight's spectator, and he fell back a couple of steps. His opponent smirked in victory, but even as he opened his mouth to taunt the guardian his advantage was stolen from him as agony raced up and down his spine. The elixir was not meant for battle, and had been all but expended; he had no more time, and could not hide his anguish as his back bowed and his human fingers curled into claws.
"Looks like we better cut this one short," the man in the tree suggested, shaking his head as he looked down on the stricken Hokuto. "Since we have things we have to be taking care of anyways, and since I believe I may have gotten a very unfortunate splinter… what say we cut you a deal? You tell us what you know about Thanatos, and we let you go."
"Gabriel!" The dark-haired protector glared up at his partner, who shrugged in response.
"Don't think I'm beaten yet!" Hokuto snarled, forcing himself to straighten despite the pain.
"Fine, fine. Then how about we show you why you should give up and take the deal?" Gabriel motioned towards his partner casually, the mirth dying in his eyes. "Show him what you can do, Michael the Fist."
The other man hesitated, staring up at him warily. "Don't worry, I'll dampen it; they won't feel a thing," the blond protector promised, jerking a thumb in the direction of the Resting Place. Visibly swallowing, Michael nodded, lowering a hand to his waist. When he faced Hokuto, there was regret in his eyes, and he didn't look away as a scabbard materialized at his belt. He gripped the hilt of the sheathed sword, and pulled it free with a soft whisper of metal on leather, holding it horizontally before him.
The blade gleamed brightly in the shadows of the forest, too silvery to be steel. It was a European bastard sword, long enough to be wielded either by one hand or both, and looked well-kept with edges free of scratches or nicks. Though it looked to be heavy, the guardian held it effortlessly, the blade perfectly parallel to the ground. Its guard was a simple cross, but the blade itself sported ornamentation in the form of a series of golden runes, lettering of a language that Hokuto had never seen. The light seemed to dance along its surface, especially on the runes, which almost glowed. The guardian's eyes bore into Hokuto's, and as the younger man met them he noticed that they, too, had begun to shine.
"The Judgement," Michael spoke solemnly, and the sword immediately reacted, liquid-yellow flames erupting from the runes. The emergence of the flames was accompanied by a massive surge of monstrous energy, enough to stagger the guardian's opponent and to draw a faint whistle of admiration from the branches above. The sword burned brilliantly, making Hokuto shield his face, but the other man waited patiently for him to recover, his expression grave.
Though he knew that he would be unable to defeat such raw power in his current state, Hokuto refused to accept defeat; he wouldn't even be able to retreat without being caught shortly after. Instead, he laughed manically, savoring the challenge. "Do you think that will be enough? You insects won't interfere!" He lunged forward, drawing his hand back as he came, throwing everything into his final attack.
He never got close. The guardian slashed the sword before him, though it would have had to be ten times its length to reach Hokuto, but such was unnecessary; the massive ball of golden flame that exploded in front of the Fairy Tale agent was enough to end the fight. Hokuto was thrown back through the air, saplings and branches shattered by his passing as he careened over the lip of the rise and finally reunited with the earth, rolling haphazardly down the slope. When he finally came to a stop, his form was tangled and twisted, with branches in his hair and leaves crushed against his jacket. Groaning, he reached with a shaking hand for his belt and for the sole remaining vial that, hopefully, still waited there. His desperate search was halted by the sound of a footstep just a few feet away, and he waited for the guardian to come closer with a vicious smile on his face, the pain buried inside. It wouldn't end like this.
The footsteps stopped at the sound of a closing door in the distance, and Hokuto managed to push himself up to glance in the direction it had come. There, there was the house, and the shed, and walking towards it was… "Tsukune Aono," he mumbled, the edges of his grin falling away. The man that had, for better and worse, changed so much of his life. This was why he had come, despite the danger; he had just wanted to see Tsukune one final time, before he was forgotten forever. Before everything he had accomplished was erased.
"Talk."
Hokuto sighed as Tsukune stepped into the shed, and he turned with a smile towards the waiting protector. "Sorry, but I don't know anything you would want to know."
"If you say nothing, then we'll take you back to the academy, and they'll make you talk." Michael's face was impassive, but he noted the shiver that ran through Hokuto's form at that suggestion. The former student was not one to fear torture, but his memories of Yokai Academy were too strong and too bitter for him to stomach returning… yet.
"Fine, then. I'll give you the only thing I know." Hokuto slipped the vial from his belt and lifted it to his mouth, drinking deeply. Swallowing with effort, he waited a moment for the drug to take effect before continuing. As he waited, he heard the other guardian approach, but didn't turn to face him. "Three days, at the latest. That's when he'll arrive, and that's why I came today." Hokuto chuckled, shaking his head. "I wouldn't want to be here when he arrives." His eyes gleamed as he stared straight at Michael. "And neither will you."
"We already-" Michael paused as an energetic tune exploded from a short distance away. With a sheepish grin, Gabriel dug into his pocket, pulling free his cell phone and flipping it open, mouthing the word 'Zach' towards his partner. He turned and stepped away from the prone Hokuto, who had turned his attention back to the shed as Tsukune stepped out of it and walked back towards the house, glancing vaguely in their direction with a discomfited expression. Sighing, Michael sheathed his sword and nodded to his opponent. "Fine. Leave this place immediately, and we won't interfere. Take one step in that direction…" He let the threat hang in the air, but Hokuto smirked, gradually climbing to his feet.
"I'm done here. Congratulations on performing your duty." The compliment dripped poison. "But, when I come back for the Hell-King… you had better not stand in my way."
"I look forward to that day," Michael responded honestly, the faintest trace of a hungry smile on his lips.
Minutes later, Gabriel turned back to his partner, who was staring into the forest that Hokuto had disappeared into. Hearing him approach, the dark-haired protector scowled back at him. "Why did you make him that deal? We already knew that Thanatos was near, and a full interrogation would have yielded a lot more information, no matter what he claimed."
"And it would have involved us returning immediately to the academy." Michael blinked as he heard the defeat in his partner's voice, and stared quizzically at the other man, unused to the morose expression he was wearing. "Some good that was, in the end." He held up the phone wearily. "Bad news: the boss wants us to report back in. Tomorrow evening." Gabriel watched as his partner's face fell, knowing exactly how he felt. "We're out of here, and Tsukune's on his own."
Michael glanced towards the Resting Place, unable to comprehend what he had heard. Now, when they knew absolutely that Thanatos would be arriving soon, they had to leave? There was nothing they could do but obey, and pray that the Hell-King's plans would be kind to Tsukune, but still… Michael's fingers clenched as he imagined taking up his sword once again, to fight against the monster as they had once before. Surely that would be better than-
"Come on," Gabriel said, sympathetically placing his hand on his partner's shoulder. "We still have a few things to take care of before we can leave, and the sooner we start the more certain we'll be that this place is ready… or at least as much as it can be." He shrugged and walked back into the forest, certain that his partner would be right beside him.
It was only after several long minutes of staring into the darkness that Michael rejoined him, but neither said anything of it. There was nothing left to say.
"Ah…"
Tsukune grunted from the effort as he leaned harder against Kurumu, smiling only slightly in response to her appreciative moans. His eyes narrowed in concentration, he moved his hands in circles against her, heeding her muffled suggestions as he did so. Beneath him, her body gleamed wetly in the candlelight, and the sight of so much of her bare flesh brought a blush to his face. "Does that feel good?" he asked, pressing harder.
"Oh, yes," she sighed, luxuriating in his ministrations. She looked up at him with dull eyes and an indolent smile. "You're so good at this. I can hardly believe you haven't done it before."
"I haven't," he admitted, focusing on the skin before him. "But… it's kinda nice."
Kurumu mumbled consent as she focused on the attention he was giving her, lost in her bliss. Above her, Tsukune's brow tightened as he began to search for the next sensitive area, combating his inexperience with experimentation and diligence. It seemed that he had done well so far, though Kurumu had chided him for being too cautiously gentle at first. Still, he was impressed with himself, really.
This was, after all, his first time giving someone a massage.
As Tsukune continued to rub Kurumu's back, his eyes fell once again on the strings of her bikini, which trailed out from under her front, running across the bed on one side and off the edge on the other. Blushing, he tore his eyes from the sight, staring instead straight down at her, watching as he rubbed the muscles along her shoulder blades up towards her neck. He was admittedly running out of ideas on how to vary his technique, but thankfully Kurumu seemed to have no problems at all with repetition, content now to let him do as he wished and to soak up the pleasure in silence.
As he worked, Tsukune let his mind wander slightly. He moved his way down along the center of her back, remembering her true form as a succubus; her wings would come out here and here, but he couldn't feel them. Was that a result of the magic that hid her true nature, or merely part of their natural adaptations? Would the same be true for her ears, and her tail? His rubbing trailed down, following the slight rise of her spine as he scanned her skin. Did it hurt to transform, he wondered, and how did her wings and tail emerge? There didn't seem to be any sort of openings for that, neither near her shoulders or- Kurumu's surprised moan reminded him of how low he had wandered, and to her disappointment he reversed direction with a jerk, his hands spreading out to massage either side of her lower back. Perhaps it would be better to focus on what he was doing, he decided, kneading her skin dutifully.
Some time had passed when Kurumu glanced back and up at him, a mixture of grudging disappointment and hungry enthusiasm in her gaze. "I guess that's enough," she grumbled, but there was a smile on her lips. "Now it's your turn."
"Huh?" Tsukune blurted as she began to raise up. "W-wait, your bikini…!" Kurumu glanced down in surprise before hurriedly covering up her nearly-exposed chest, fumbling with the strings and offering them back to Tsukune, who securely tied them before standing from the bed, allowing her to rise to her knees. "Kurumu, this is supposed to be your time, so I can make up for… you know. You don't have to-"
"Nope!" Kurumu patted the bed beside her, smirking up at him. "You have to do what I want, and I want to return the favor. You'll enjoy it, I promise."
Realizing that he had no choice, and not entirely certain that he wanted to win this debate, Tsukune relented, sliding onto the space she had indicated. After some efforts at positioning themselves on the bed, Tsukune found himself in its center, with Kurumu straddling his upper thighs as she reached for the bottle of massage oil she had offered him earlier. Tsukune tensed as he heard the wet splurt as the bottle expunged some of its contents, and shivered as Kurumu touched it to his back, quickly spreading the fragrant oil over his skin.
While Tsukune had come into this activity more than slightly unprepared, it was obvious that Kurumu had done some research on the practice, and despite the accumulation of anxiety and tension that Tsukune had earned over the past… well, two years, he found himself swiftly surrendering to Kurumu's deft maneuverings. Her hands moved across his muscles in focused order, working her way outward as she pressed each tightened section into submission, her lips pursed as she enjoyed the feeling of his skin, the slight gasps he occasionally emitted despite himself. His face was turned to the side against her pillow, and she drank in the sight of his eyes closed and his mouth slightly opened, the faint emotions that stirred just below the surface of his expression. This was addicting, she admitted to herself; a mere hour-and-a-half wouldn't be enough by far, even though she had initially wondered how they could spend all that time doing just this.
As time rolled on, however, her mind also began to wander. Tsukune had gone through a lot during his time at Yokai Academy, and the proof was written on his skin in the broad slashes of scars he wore. None were as alarming as the 'X' carved into his chest by one of the monstrels, but they were still dotted here and there, even on his back. Her face fell as she eyed them, unable to identify where each of them had come from; they had been through so much together, and each of these felt like a personal failing, a time she hadn't been able to protect the man she loved. The scars might fade, but the pain of that knowledge would not be erased. Jaw tightening, she reached over and picked up the massage oil once more, squirting some into her hand and rubbing it over each scar in turn. She couldn't destroy that pain, but she would do everything she could to make certain that there would be no new scars to join these, and perhaps in time she could replace the pain that he had suffered with pleasure and warmth.
If Tsukune noticed what her attention had become focused on, he made no sign. As she returned to her original activities, he sighed deeply, almost lulled to sleep by the relaxing motions Kurumu was making. So comfortable was he that soft moans and grunts escaped him with growing regularity, and the succubus atop him noticed, her lips tightening in a hungry smile, her breath quickening. He was enjoying this, she knew, and that knowledge fueled her own pleasure, even above the thrill of the intimacy of the act they were sharing.
Kurumu made it several more minutes before those thoughts, that swelling desire, managed to overwhelm her. Biting her lip, she stopped suddenly, staring at his face as confusion began to blossom there, though his eyes still did not open. "Is something wrong?" he finally asked, curious as to her sudden stillness.
"Tsukune…" she began, her warring emotions making her voice heavy. "I…" She reached out to him, running her hands gently over his back. This was no longer a massage, just the soft touch of a lover's caress. "Please… forgive me?" The question was obviously a request, and she didn't move for a long moment aside from her trailing fingertips, waiting for him to respond. He, too, was still, not understanding what she was asking. She needed something from him, wanted permission… but for what? He knew it would be dangerous to accept, could very easily lead to things getting out of control… Kurumu had often taken things too far, and there had been times when he had almost succumbed. No, it would be wrong to agree, not until he knew what it was that she wanted.
He nodded anyways.
He couldn't see the rapturous smile that spread across her face, nor the way she licked her lips as she gently lowered herself closer to him, her hands trembling slightly as they rested beside his arms. His relaxed muscles snapped back to tension as he felt something, or more precisely two very soft somethings, press against his bare back as Kurumu lay atop him, her breath gusting over his neck. She said nothing more, inhaling his scent over that of the massage oil, her cheek pressing against him for a moment before she pushed herself up slightly, higher on him. He shuddered as he felt the first soft kiss against his neck, but it was only the first of many as she slowly worked her way up from his shoulders towards his ear. She kissed his earlobe, nipping at it gently before returning to the center. It was the soft, slightly damp caress that drew the moan from him, her tongue tracing the line of his spine up towards his hair, and her breath made him shiver uncontrollably afterwards, drawing an unseen smile from above before she directed her attention to the other side of his neck.
Minutes later, Kurumu pushed herself off him regretfully, her cheeks flushed crimson as she struggled to restrain the urge to continue, to go ever-further. This was her chance, she could have everything she wanted if she would just take advantage of- No. Not yet, she berated herself. She didn't want to push him, but… she wanted to, so badly. She didn't even realize that she was growling softly, but neither did Tsukune as he shifted uncomfortably, Kurumu's attentions having had certain inevitable effects. 'Not again,' he groaned silently, trying to shift as best he could beneath her.
"Alright," she said, her cheerfulness slightly forced. "Roll over, and I'll get massage your chest."
Tsukune's eyes widened as he stared at the pillow before him. Uh oh.
"Ah, no, that's alright, you've already-"
"Well, if not, you could always massage my front…" Kurumu threatened with a grin, her earlier frustrations cheering inside her.
"Ah…" The accompanying visual in his mind didn't help.
Kurumu blinked down at him, modifying her balance to try to get him to move. "Come on," she coaxed, tugging at his shoulder. "You'll enjoy- ah!"
Tsukune gasped as he felt her weight disappear off him, and he quickly raised up, glancing off the side of the bed. "Are you alright?" he asked hurriedly, staring in concern as he watched her rub her shoulder, which had no doubt slammed against the nearby nightstand. She nodded up at him, one eye closed as she winced against the pain.
"I'm fine," she assured him, despite the surges of sharp pain that promised a bruise would soon emerge. She started to climb to her feet, but a change in the flickering light drew her attention, and she glanced over to the nightstand she had slammed against when she fell from the bed. Her eyes widened as she saw the candle lying on its side there, one of several that had shifted in their impromptu arrangements and now edged precariously close to flammable objects, such as the multitude of stuffed animals spread across the room. "Quick, the candles!"
A minute later, when all of the candles that had been upset by Kurumu's fall had been righted or extinguished, Tsukune flopped onto the bed with a chuckle. "I guess that's the problem with using those," he admitted as Kurumu blew out one of the candles in a fit of pique, her irritation at being further interrupted obvious. Her eyes fell on the nearby clock, which glowed all the brighter now, and her happiness withered as she realized that her time was all but expired. She turned back to Tsukune, her face mostly hidden in the now-darkened room, and she started to walk towards him.
Later, Tsukune would discover that the object on the floor was the bottle of massage oil, which had been thrown off the bed when Kurumu had tumbled. Now, however, Kurumu did not see it, and when she stepped upon it she tripped forward, arms flailing as she lurched towards Tsukune, who did his best to catch her as she plummeted onto the bed, and onto him. Groaning in frustration, Kurumu cursed her growing clumsiness, but such thoughts died as she realized where she was.
Tsukune looked down at her, his arms still around her from his efforts at slowing her fall. She was atop him, pressing him onto the bed, and their faces were mere inches away, their eyes widened by the darkness as they stared at each other silently, both of them swallowing nervously as the realization of their proximity chased away all other thoughts. Tsukune's eyes were the first to drop, sliding down her face to her lips, and she inadvertently mimicked his motion as she stared at his slightly-opened mouth.
An eternal moment passed before Tsukune leaned forward slightly, his face tilting to the side as he came, and Kurumu moved forward to meet him. This was it, the moment she had been starving for, her long-awaited kiss with Tsukune. With this, he would be hers at last, hers forever-
Tsukune grunted as Kurumu roughly shoved him back, her head snapping to the side. Blinking in confusion, he watched as she abruptly stood, refusing to meet his eyes. "You had better get your shirt on," she suggested quickly. "Time's almost up, and you don't want them to catch you like that." She couldn't hide the despair she wore across her face or the growing moisture in her eyes, so she turned her back to him. "I'm going to go wash this oil off my hands; I'll be right back." Without looking back at him, she stepped to the door and was gone.
Tsukune watched her go, confusion in his eyes and disappointment reigning over his heart. He sat there in silence, and when the alarm rang a couple of minutes later he was still alone. He didn't know what had happened, why Kurumu had looked so hurt and lonely.
But he intended to find out, soon enough.
"This has gone far enough. Someone is going to have to step in, and to take care of those kids. It is obvious that those who should be are neglecting their duties!"
Roy Cooper groaned as his wife's tirade began anew, as it had done again and again over the course of the evening, ever since they had driven away from the Resting Place. Repetition had not dulled the fire burning in his wife's eyes, however, and she was oblivious to his despair as she continued vehemently.
"Those two…! They are hardly fit to be called mothers! Why, just the thought of them, actually encouraging that boy's lustful dalliances! Don't they know what could happen if those girls succumb to his advances? The shame!" Wendy's face reddened as her fury built upon itself, and she shook a fist in the general direction of the two women who had prodded her into such a rage. "And, did you see the outfit that one wore? It must save on her clothing expenses, since that dress was missing enough fabric to create another just like it! What sort of example is she providing for her child?"
Roy sighed, reaching for his newspaper, but freezing in place as his wife's wrathful eyes speared into his extended hand. He paused, then completed the motion, opening the paper to the classifieds as an idea occurred to him. It would be unfortunate, but anything would be better than continuing to put up with this fiasco. "Honey, we can't do anything about it now, so why don't we just try to think of a solution? Maybe sleep on it?" he prompted hopefully as he scanned the page before him, on the trail of his idea. This spared him from seeing the baleful stare Wendy Cooper directed towards him.
"How can I sleep, knowing that those girls are in such danger? I had hoped that their mothers being there would have kept them safe, but now I wonder if it won't make matters worse!" She shuddered at the scandalous notions parading before her mind's eye. "No, it is up to us to see that they are safe from such… depravity."
Roy Cooper nodded absent-mindedly, his eyes bright as he focused on one entry. This would do, he mused with a small smile; it would hurt their budget, but the expense would be worth it. It might even mean defying the situation the Hell-King had put in place, but surely he would understand. This would be for the best.
"Roy, we have to do something! I cannot sit here mutely any longer. No, tomorrow we need to go to them, and-"
"How about this?" Roy rumbled, holding the page out to her, a finger indicating the entry he had discovered. Her eyes darted over it, and a sinister smile spread across her lips as she read, a low chuckle of approval her only response for a long moment. Finally she turned her eyes back to her husband, and the two shared a dark look of mutual satisfaction.
"Perfect," she commented, proud of her husband's idea. He nodded to the compliment, but his smile slipped as he glanced up in the direction of the Resting Place. Tsukune would understand, he hoped, but he knew it was the only way.
"We act tomorrow," Roy Cooper said resolutely, closing the newspaper.
"Ah ha."
In the darkness of the common room, Ageha smiled to herself as she heard the soft footsteps on the stairwell. She shook her head, pushing herself up slightly on the couch as she shoved her tiredness aside. She had expected this, but whoever it was, they were even more impatient than she had expected.
The evening had passed quickly, though she had enjoyed spending time with her daughter and her friends even more than she had anticipated. She could now easily see why Kurumu had chosen Tsukune, though the notion of such single-minded devotion still felt more than a tad naïve; more than that, she could see why Kurumu was so fond of each of her friends. Even the chilly Tsurara had begun to let down her guard among the group, though Ageha had ultimately failed at convincing her to join in their game of 'Twister;' her loss, since Ageha had taken full advantage of all the opportunities it provided to inspect her daughter's prospective suitor, both visually and, during tragic losses of balance, in a slightly more hands-on manner. It had been a wonderful reminder of why she so enjoyed that game.
She had even enjoyed dinner, though she preferred a bit of spice with her food, not to mention a little heat in the cooking process as well. Yuki-onna cuisine was certainly… unique, though Tsukune had seemed to greatly appreciate it, to the excitement of Mizore and her mother. Still, that was one arena that Kurumu should have an advantage in, Ageha hoped.
When night had fallen, however, camaraderie and kindness had fallen to the wayside; now was the time for self-indulgence, the hour of abandoned rules. Ageha had planted the seeds earlier, and was eager to see who it was that would be willing to risk it all in order to slip into Tsukune's room; it was so thrilling! That didn't mean she wouldn't interfere if it was anyone but her own daughter, however, since she did have her own wishes to care for, after all.
Sure enough, the soft footsteps passed the entry into the foyer and headed into the kitchen, and Ageha slinked behind, waiting until she heard the door leading outside open before she peeked into the room. She caught the glimpse of violet hair before they were gone, and her lips tightened. Well, it was a shame, but she would have to intervene after all. Still, she would take it easy on her, even after all the girl's mother had said earlier in the day.
She crept to the exit, peering outside. She knew the snow maiden was trained in the arts of stealth, but she couldn't see her at all on the small balcony outside Tsukune's room, and there was no way she could have picked the lock that swiftly. No, she had to be outside still, but where? Carefully, Ageha snuck further into the yard, sticking to the shadows until she could see atop the small shed near Tsukune's bedroom. Her search was immediately rewarded: there Mizore was, laying face-down on the roof of the shed, her elbows resting against its surface as she held the binoculars before her. She was peering into Tsukune's room, even though the lights had been long extinguished.
Mizore was watching him sleep, Ageha realized, and she admitted that she found that oddly romantic. Frighteningly creepy, yes, but romantic nonetheless. She was glad that her own daughter didn't use such unnerving methods in her pursuit of Tsukune, since a forthright approach always trumps subtlety and caution. She had spent time around enough men to know exactly how dense they tended to be, especially in matters of the heart and other related organs. Better to confront them directly, to expose your desires and the benefits of surrender, and to take any advantage you had. Self-restraint was self-destructive; that was practically the motto of their race!
Still… Ageha's smile softened as she stared at Mizore, seeing the curl of the snow maiden's lips as she watched her beloved in his slumber. The girl's emotions were completely exposed now, and the love that she felt for the boy was obvious. For Ageha and Tsurara, this fight had a lot to do with fate of their respective races, but for the girls it was something much more. Their happiness hinged on the feelings of Tsukune Aono, and there was little that could be done to change that now. And, as she had watched them earlier in the evening, she had realized how deep the connection between all of them had run. She had met the other girls before, but now their friendships seemed even deeper, and she had been surprised to find that even their competition for Tsukune's attention had seemed more… gentle, good-natured, than before. There was a smile in their outrage that hadn't been there before, even as they each struggled to claim Tsukune's eyes for themselves. Even Kurumu had acted that way, despite the funk that she had slipped into after her session with Tsukune… depressed that her chance to be alone with him was over, no doubt.
Still, the bonds between the girls could only lead to tragedy in the end, Ageha admitted to herself as she slipped back towards the house. Their friendships would suffer no matter who Tsukune chose; this battle was destined to end in a pyrrhic victory, at the best. The victor would gain a lover, but lose her two closest friends. No, Ageha realized, it would almost be better if Tsukune never chose at all. In this game for love, there could be no winners, only losers.
H…If they played by the rules, that was. A dark smile spread across the lips of the elder succubus, and she crept back to the couch, her mind already working on the possibilities. Sacrifices would have to made, of course, but still…
At the least, it would be fun to watch!
Author's Note: Sorry for this chapter coming a day late, but I defend myself by pointing out that it is, comparatively, a monster length-wise; not even "Epiphany" is longer. I had debated breaking this chapter into two, but decided that it would work best in its current form so that the various elements would be closer together, lest the balance be upset. Plus, I had a hell of a time getting this one out of my head, which may work in my favor, since I tend to get more reviews on such than on the chapters I have an easy time with. This is not a subtle plea for you to contribute to such a trend… not at all.
On the subject of feedback, at least peripherally, I cringe to admit that another reason this chapter was delayed was my funk stemming from FFN's recent hits-counter bungle. They haven't posted about it as of yet, but I wasn't getting any traffic info from the time I posted the last chapter until yesterday. So, essentially, I had no idea how many readers that chapter drew in. Since I tend to use that to stoke my enthusiasm for getting to work on this story (childish, perhaps, but I'm okay with that), I was in the dumps for the better part of that time. Another reason is that, due to my concerns that my writing might have suffered from my off mood, I wanted my live-in reviewer to glance over it before I posted; thanks, m'lady.
On to the story itself: I had been looking forward to this one for a long time, and I hope I did it justice. The fight scene in particular gave me fits, but I feel it accomplished my goals well enough. The romantic developments, on the other hand, came easily… considering that it was one of my first concepts for this story, it doesn't come as that much of a surprise. I hope that this chapter also answers some of the criticisms from its predecessor; while I saw the point in your disappointment in not getting more on the Coopers, the reason was that I thought it would fit better here, in order to better develop what comes next with them.
As for what comes next… well, the next day is to be Mizore's, so expect that soon. Considering how much I have crammed into that day, I expect it to take a full three chapters (depending on when you ask me; other times, I will say only two), with at least one major event in each; wish me luck in getting it all put together! It's time for a few major problems to be solved, and perhaps a new one to arise…
And, since I've written the majority of this chapter in a single night, it is time I yield to exhaustion and drooping eyelids. I aim to return on Tuesday by the latest with the next installment, barring unforeseen complications with my work on Project Toren. I shall hope to see you all then (well, at least your anonymous blips on my hits-counter) and to hear your opinions in the time in-between.
And now, so that I might write again… I sleep.
~Wynn Pendragon
P.S.: I just purchased the latest edition of the official translation, and I wanted to express my utter dismay at one of their choices. Seriously… Koko?! I mean, it communicates the drink theme, but isn't Kokoa good enough? Koko sounds like… a parrot's name, or somesuch! I stick as close to the official translation as I can, but I declare this the second instance in which offended pride will not allow me to do so (for those curious, the first was my unwillingness to refer to yuki-onna as 'snow fairies.') So, yes. No Koko for me!
P.P.S.: I said Tuesday, but it seems Wednesday will be the more accurate prediction; I could have the chapter finished today, but I would prefer to properly quality-check it before posting. I apologize for the delay.