I do not own Rosario + Vampire...other than the manga.
Chapter Two: the Welcoming Committee.
Tsukune Aono and Moka Akashiya had been through two long years together at Youkai. Despite the best efforts of Kurumu Kurono, Mizore Shirayuki and Yukari Sendo as well as the various other hostile denizens of the Youkai realm to end their relationship (and his life), the two were a happy couple. Tsukune had long come to terms with the dual personalities of Moka as well as his own newly acquired ghoulish nature. They were looking forward to graduating at the end of the current school year and to whatever life had in store beyond.
"How are you feeling?" Moka asked Tsukune as the couple strolled down the lane toward the bus stop.
"Oddly enough," Tsukune began. "I am happy to be back. Despite everything that has happened to me…to us…I would not have missed this for the world."
Moka looked over to Tsukune and noticed the far off look on his face.
"Anything wrong?" she asked.
"No," Tsukune replied at length. "I was just thinking of how happy I am here…with you." He smiled at her.
Moka blushed a deep shade of crimson.
"Kurumu won't be happy to hear that," she replied finally, smiling.
"Kurumu knows how I feel about you," Tsukune said, firmly. "She may not like it, but that is the way it is."
As if on cue, the busty succubus came bounding down the lane a short length behind the couple and wrapped herself in familiar embrace around Tsukune.
"Gah, what the-!" he exclaimed.
"Tsukune!" she squealed excitedly. "I missed you so-o much! How are you?"
"Ku-Kurumu!" Tsukune began, but was quickly cut off when Kurumu planted a big, wet kiss on his cheek, blithely ignoring Moka in the process.
Kurumu began to babble on about her adventures over break, about how she thought of Tsukune repeatedly and how she could not wait for the start of the new term.
At length, Kurumu's story came to its exhausted end. Turning to face Moka, she said," Oh, Moka, I completely forgot you were there. How are you?"
Moka scowled at the liberties this-this-girl was taking with her man.
"I am well, thank you," Moka replied, the disdain barely held in check.
The two girls had come to what could only liberally be referred to as a truce. Only by Tsukune's choice was Moka his girlfriend and Kurumu had a hard time accepting that. Still, she refrained from openly challenging the relationship and grudgingly accepted it…for the time being. Still smarting from the thorough thrashing she received at Inner Moka's hands their first year, Kurumu knew she was no match in a toe to toe slug fest and so resorted to more subtle tactics.
"We weren't expecting you until tomorrow, Kurumu," Tsukune said pleasantly.
"I got in last night," Kurumu replied happily. "I couldn't wait to see you, so mom put me on the night bus."
"Probably to get rid of you," Moka muttered under her breath.
"What?" Kurumu asked, somewhat acidly. "What was that?"
"Just remarking on your perseverance, Kurumu," Moka replied with false cheer and barely concealed sarcasm. "You were always such a diligent student."
Not recognizing the insult hurled in her direction, Kurumu smiled broadly and wrapped herself around Tsukune once more.
Tsukune smiled as he let his mind wander. The always awkward, sometimes dangerous, but never boring atmosphere he found himself in certainly kept him on his toes.
'I wonder if this sort of thing would have happed had I stayed in the human world,' Tsukune thought to himself. 'Oh well, at least life is not boring and I have two hot chicks…three if I count Mizore…all vying for my attentions.'
At the completion of this train of thought, a thin trickle of blood escaped his nose and he began to giggle like…well, like a schoolboy.
"Tsu-Ku-Ne!" The girls shouted in unison, snapping his reverie.
"S-Sorry," Tsukune blurted out. "Got lost in my own thoughts for a moment. What was the plan today?"
"We're on newbie patrol," Kurumu said, a very faint tone of snobbery creeping into her voice.
Moka cast a sidelong glance at Kurumu, before continuing. "Yes. We are here to greet the incoming first year students, show them around, get them used to the place and make sure they get settled in before classes start."
Kurumu sniffed absently into the air, a look of disinterestedness on her face.
"As long as it doesn't take too long," she said.
"I recall you as a fresh youngster when you came here two years ago, Kurumu," Moka said, a slightly harsh tone creeping into her voice. "Don't tell me you forgot those days already."
"I just wish it didn't have to be all of us," Kurumu stated flatly, her gaze fixed on Moka.
"I suppose we could have sent someone else," Moka said, apparently rising to the bait.
"My thoughts exactly," Kurumu said, smiling impishly.
"Perhaps someone more…qualified," Moka riposted. Kurumu's face dropped in shock. Moka had taken her set up and turned it upon her.
At this point, a muffled sniggering was heard in a nearby bush.
Moka sighed and said, "Come on out, Mizore."
Having been caught spying, a humbled Mizore slunk from the bush at the foot of an enormous oak.
"I gave myself away again, didn't I?" Mizore spoke sheepishly. Her gaze fixed permanently to the ground.
"That, and you have a habit of turning up in the most unexpected places," Moka said, smiling.
"And at the most inconvenient times," Kurumu felt compelled to add.
"Now now," Tsukune interjected. "Let's not have any bickering today. The bus carrying the first years will be along any time now and we want to make a good impression."
All three girls nodded their agreement as they settled upon a fallen log near the bus stop and began discussing their duties for the day.
A/N sorry I slipped in a Harry Potter-esque montage there. Been re-reading the series and couldn't help myself. Anyway. I hope you like it so far. The action is just heating up as a new, and potentially very disruptive force is about to enter the world of our favorite monsters. Please read and review so I can improve the next chapters.