Tempered Heart

Tsukune groaned as he woke up, hating how the white ceiling was there to greet him.

"Ugh... There and back again... How often do I have to come here?" A rhetoric, bitter question that caused Tsukune quite a bit of chuckling once he noticed that he had actually rested during his sleep.

A survey around the room revealed a napping Kurumu, who apparently had spent quite a few hours watching over him while he slept. There were a few scents too, scents he could recognize due to both the increased senses afforded to him by his 'transfiguration' as well as the fact that they were isolated enough from the rest of the school. And how could he forget these scents? The scent that always tickled his nose when Moka leaned in to drink of his blood... a lifetime and something ago. There were also... two other scents he didn't recognize, but they must have been the doctors. One was vaguely familiar and, if he were to hazard a guess, it was Mizore. The stalking Yuki-Onna always had the habit of watching over him, it stands to reason that she would still do so.

At least that would mean she didn't change her attitude towards him, still saw him for who he once was. She still knew he hadn't changed that much.

It was a comforting thought for the former human.

Tsukune smiled at the sleeping succubus, her face into a gentle, happy smile. It was nice to see that someone didn't avoid him as much, even if he felt she should give him some breathing room. It felt... nice to be wanted, to be cared for. For an instant, he entertained the idea of faking an illness just to have the girls pamper him. But he stopped it on grounds that it would worry them. His Inner Demon however disagreed; they should pamper him lest he grows angry and seek penance from the stupid bitches.

Thankfully, the Divine Lock did a good job in drowning the other side. For now. Tsukune had felt, first hand, the vile, repulsive spirit he housed within. He knew that nothing would hold it back forever. But for now, it was enough.

The boy slowly got up, making sure to not give the sleeping girl in the room any free 'gratuitous fan-service' as he slipped on his clothes. Then he shook her shoulder softly.

"Kurumu-chan, Kurumu-chan, it's time to wake up..."

He didn't catch her reply, but he did catch a few words, such as 'destined', 'too tired' and 'broken bed'. It didn't take much to understand where her dreams had brought the hormonal girl to and he blushed hotly. He kept shaking her softly, whispering her awake, until her eyes opened. The way they opened wide was quite comical, once she realized he was up and dressed.

"Tsukune! You're awake! I'm so glad!" And then came Kurumu's trademark hello; a glomp in which she tried to smother the boy in her bountiful figure. "I stayed here after class, but it got late and I fell asleep and I had made my special get-well cookies but I got hungry and ate them all! But don't worry! I will make another batch and they will be even better and we can share them!"

Tsukune was quite relieved to hear the girl rant on and on while she tried to smother him. Not only because of the location of his head, he was a healthy male after all thank-you, but also because of the sense of normalcy and bonding, something he desperately needed.

When he finally managed to get his release from the 'hug of pleasant death', Tsukune stretched lazily, enjoying the satisfying 'pop' sounds of his joints.

"So... how long have I been out? Two, three days?"

Kurumu looked at hims strangely, but not in a bad way, almost as if she were proud of him. She probably was. "No. It's just over half a day really. You heal very fast now, it's awesome! Now we can spend more time together, alone!"

Well, her intentions were quite obvious and Tsukune couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. It was a balm to his troubled heart to be near the vivid girl. Despite any harsh whispers from his Inner Demon. Which is what they would stay if Tsukune had his way; whispers and nothing more.

How one's desires and wants often fall so woefully short of reality.

"Kurumu-chan, not that I don't enjoy you being here, because I do, but shouldn't you be at school? I mean, your grades must be suffering with how much we all get in trouble... Wouldn't want you being forced to leave."

The succubus giggled at him; he really was telling the truth. And it was true that her grades were suffering lately, what with all the misadventures and all.

"It's alright, really! Mizore's covering for me, see! They should be coming over soon too. Leaves us just a bit of time to play around!" The succubus was all too glad to put any depressing thoughts behind and try to push her Destined One back to the bed.

Alas he didn't let her do that, instead sitting on the bed and pulling her next to him as well. Despite it not being as intimate as the girl would have liked, it still was good enough for her and she rested her head on his shoulder as the pair waited, content in being next to him. Mere moments later, Mizore, Gin and Ruby entered the room, followed by a very hesitant Yukari. The little witch seemed to hide behind the elder one, as if she would protect her.

Tsukune's heart twisted at that. Yukari was his friend and she was afraid of him, of what he could become, of what he became.

A part of him wanted to shout at her for not believing in him, but he squashed it down; he knew where that threat had come from. Didn't mean that the urge went away however.

So, the male put it behind him and raised a hand in greeting. "Hello everyone!"

And cue a facefault. He sure seemed... energetic. The most perceptive of them however, meaning Ruby and Gin, noticed that he was hiding his true sadness.

Deciding to mess with his kohai, and not really knowing why Tsukune was down, Gin decided to mess with him. "Yo, Tsukune, I heard ya got pretty trounced huh?"

Tsukune rubbed the back of his head as if embarassed. "Y-yeah... It happened a bit too fast for me, I think the guy actually rivaled your speed Gin-sempai!"

Of course, the proud werewolf took that as a challenge. "That so? Then I'm gonna get him and beat his ass!"

Ruby turned away at that comment, she had seen the remnants of the attacker. Moka had been truly ruthless in her punishment.

"That aside, where's Moka-san?" Asked a very curious Tsukune. He had expected her to be there. Even with what he had become.

Kurumu looked pissed at that question, she was really angry at the pink-haired vampire. "She's not coming. Said something about having something to do."

The scowl was mimicked by Mizore, who was shyly looking at Tsukune from behind a closet. Tsukune however bore a different expression, sadness, anger, fear... All kinds of emotions flitted across his face.

"I... I see. Well, shall we go? I mean I need to catch up with everyone and we have homework to get down to as well..."

And with that the group left the hospital room, making their way out of the dreary place.

Coming around a corner, Tsukune's eyes caught a flash of pink and, sure it had been Moka turned to the direction his eyes, and even some part of his instincts, told him to. "Everyone go ahead, I'm going to check on something. I should be back in a few, alright?"

Getting a positive nod from the others, the boy jogged off to see if his feeling was right. But, while he moved, he couldn't help but wonder why she was moving away from him; every time he took a turn, he would just see her hair vanish behind another wall.

His confusion only caused the demon's whispers to grow stronger, telling him how even she didn't want to be near him, how she looked at him after he transformed in front of her, even if it was to protect her. Tsukune grasped his Divine Lock reassuringly and tried to ignore his Demon's words.

Easier said than done.

Because it knew exactly what to say to strike the boy's troubled psyche, hit him where it hurts and plunge him into a never ending torment of self-doubt and depression. Sealed the demon might be, but it was definitely not out of the fight.

But Tsukune moved on, trying to ignore it as he chased after Moka. Somehow he knew that was Moka, somehow, some part of him, an instinctive awareness told him that she was there in front of him, just out of his reach. And it was that same instinct that told him that something was wrong. What, however, he didn't know.

In the end, he caught up, in front of some stairs. He raised a hand and called out to her. "Hey, Moka-san! Where are you going?"

The girl stopped abruptly, too suddenly, almost as if shocked. Then she turned around and Tsukune could tell something was wrong, her face was too apathetic, her eyes were different.

"Tsukune..."

"Moka-san?"

The girl moved towards him and he towards her, happy he could see his friend. Last time he saw her after all was blacking out from another's attacks. Then she was right in front of him, gazing into his eyes with an undecipherable look.

"Moka-san, what's wrong, what hap-"

His words were frozen in his mouth as a smirk formed itself on her face and her right arm lashed upwards towards him.

Tsukune fell back to the ground, sudden pain gripping his chest. The reason became clear; in Moka's hands was a knife, a scalpel to be exact.

"M-Moka-san?"

"Die... Tsukune."

So... that was it? She... she really hated him, didn't she? She wanted to kill him, didn't she? She wanted to kill him herself, didn't she?

Sorrow, unbelievable, uncontrollable sorrow welled up from his heart, a heart that was falling to pieces.

A heart wounded far harsher than any weapon could hope to.

'Why? Why is it always me? Why does she want to kill me? Am I really that much...'

Then resignation. If she killed him, it was fine. If she was the one to kill him, it was fine.

"It's alright... if it's you, then it's alright. Go ahead Moka-san..." His lips twisted in a broken smile.

Even through her daze, Moka stopped moving, for a second.

Even for a second, the Demon Within was suppressed by a power that surpassed its own yet was diametrically opposed.

But the second passed quickly and time moved again. The demon roared its defiance and the blade moved towards the boy. Tsukune closed his eyes in acceptance, perhaps looking forward to his death, the release from this cursed life.

A blond-haired woman smiled wickedly as another woman, this one having silver and yet pink hair, screamed out in abject fear and terror.

A body crashed into Moka and sent her careening into a wall, almost breaking it.

From the cloud of dust, Kurono Kurumu rose, her normally smiling face twisted in a mien of hate and fury as she looked at the unconscious girl at her feet.

The blond-haired woman growled in heart-scorching fury while the other woman, the one with green and red eyes, sighed in relief before her world went black.

Tsukune just wondered why he was alive, but not in the good way; he had accepted his death, why wasn't he given his peace? Why wasn't he granted his salvation from his torture?

Kurumu just seethed at the unconscious girl under her. She raised her claws to impale her when a hand wound itself around hers and Ruby stopped her.

"Wait Kurumu-san. Go take care of Tsukune-san, I will see why Moka-san did something like this. Gin, go to the Headmaster, tell him trouble has come to the hospital."

Kurumu huffed as she turned, followed by Mizore, who as always snuck around rather than appear in front of her crush, or boy she liked as it were. Gin just vanished, leaving Yukari to run to the elder witch's side, making an obvious attempt to look away from Tsukune. It still hurt her to look at him, still terrified her. And the worst pain came because she knew how her actions hurt him, but couldn't do anything about it.

Several minutes later found Tsukune seating on a raised bed, a doctor looking over his newest wound, waiting for Kurumu to get back from his room with a new shirt. An absent-minded thought about how often he seemed to destroy them lately crossed his mind and he had to wonder about his sanity; he had much worse things to worry about but he still griped about how his parents would react to his extra uniform calls.

In another room, the blond-haired schemer cursed and raved about how her plan had gone. When a presence showed up behind her, she turned and almost skewered the intruder with her extended fingers, fingers that looked almost like a syringe rather than a claw. They even dripped a clear fluid from the tips as they snaked through the air.

"My, my, you are very upset aren't you Miko-san? You should be, considering how badly your plan failed... We don't like failures after all." The creepy, mocking voice from behind her caused the woman to turn and stare at the half-bored, half-amused, mismatched eyes of her speaker. She scoffed at him.

"A minor setback. Don't think I am unaware of why you're here, I've had to dispose of others before, you know. No matter, I will deal with it Kiria."

"Oh, getting quite familiar with me are you? You must be more upset than I thought. No matter, but make sure not to fail. You are nothing but a pawn after all, you do not have the leniency of failure, not in Anti-thesis."

"Shut up! I'll kill him, no I'll kill her as well! I'll kill them all!" Her scream showed a lot of anger, but an even greater amount of fear, almost at the onset of hysteria.

The reason was obvious; she was nothing, her failure would be her death.

In her anger, she didn't realize that her monster form had been revealed, or maybe it had been her fear activating her natural weaponry in an attempt to protect itself from the overbearing killer intent of the being in front of her. It was like a demon looking at her. So, when patients noticed the fact that her fingers had extended to snake-like ropes with pointy ends that dripped some form of poison, they reacted as any other being would; by freaking out.

The screams angered the already irritated nurse more than she already was and she cried out in anger as she lashed at the annoyances. Her previously pink-colored uniform was splattered with drops of blood from those who were too close to her when her syringe-like fingers stabbed them at various places.

In yet another room, Ruby was doing her best to calm down a crying Moka.

"I don't remember anything! I don't know why or how I was there! I just remember a doctor telling me to follow him and then... and then... and then I was standing over Tsukune-san with a knife in my hand just before Kurumu-chan had knocked me on the wall!"

Yukari next to the vampiress was almost ecstatic; Moka-san was innocent of all charges. Then she realized that would mean she would have to see Tsukune again and her happiness was diminished. That didn't mean she stopped hugging Moka.

Ruby did her best to calm down the vampiress, giving her the support she needed.

"I don't remember anything... nothing at all... the dark room and... and... and there was someone else and... a... a pain? In my neck? What... what happened... I..."

But slowly, her memory came back and the pink-haired girl gasped as the truth dawned on her. She now remembered what happened. She shot off from her seat, running towards Tsukune, he needed her, he was in danger!

Tsukune however was unaware of all that. He was finally released and he was making his way through the hospital towards the exit. He noticed how... quiet the place was, but really, it was a hospital. Some things should be the same as the human world after all.

Then, as he turned a corner, he realized why the place was so silent; a large, wide corridor... sprayed with blood... fallen bodies everywhere.

Fear gripped his heart; not for himself, he was rather hard to kill after all, but for the people around him. What had happened? Had someone hurt another because of him? The anger within him this time had nothing to do with the demon.

As he bent down to check on the nearest one, suddenly the arm latched on his own and held him tight.

"Hey, let go, you're hurting me!"

But the fallen man didn't reply neither did he go. And when his eyes were visible to Tsukune, he saw the same feeling of emptyness as he had seen before, just a few minutes ago, on another's face.

His eyes widened, but he got no time to react as many arms latched on him and held him.

"It's useless to fight back against all my puppets Aono Tsukune-kun." A person in a nurse's outfit walked into his sight, her deformed hands drawing his attention. Her smile was there but it was evil and reminded him of the devil within his blood. "They are under the control of my power, my obedient little pawns!"

"D-Don't tell me... You're-"

"Yes! Yes, I'm from Anti-thesis and you have irritated us for the last time Aono Tsukune-kun! Last time you escaped by beautiful plot, but this time, even at the cost of my life, I will kill you!"

The insane-looking woman lashed out with her hand and several snake-like appendages launched towards the immobilized Tsukune. He growled as he tried to transform, but he couldn't make it in time with the seal resisting his power.

Then another body fell in front of him and took the blows aimed for him.

"I'm so sorry Tsukune..." Came Moka's pained voice. "I didn't want to hurt you, I..." Then her eyes gradually lost focus as the poison took effect within her.

"Kukukukuku! She must like my injections to want a second dose so quickly!" The chuckle was menacing and victorious.

Tsukune cursed. He couldn't transform now, his attempt had stopped the moment Moka had come into his sight and he knew he couldn't do it with her so near to him. He just couldn't let any harm fall to her. But what could he do?

The demon roared victoriously.

Something silver glinted in the light and Tsukune remembered the group's other trump card; the other side of Moka, the undefeatable Super Vampire, the real Akashiya Moka.

His hand lashed out faster than anyone anticipated, even as he moved towards the incoming blow of Moka, thereby avoiding it, and tugged hard at the silver cross.

A pillar of power exploded outwards from the stunned pink-haired girl, but when it died down, Tsukune was not greeted with familiar red eyes and silver hair; the even more familiar green and pink were still there.

But something was different. Moka's eyes had cleared a bit. She could form words now and slow the movement of her body, even if just for a few seconds.

'Why hasn't he transformed yet?' She wondered in her mind.

Then she remembered the words of a succubus: "He'd never hurt you. He just can't. Because... because he cares for you more than he cares for himself."

Then she felt so stupid, so shallow. So worthless. He didn't transform because that would put her in danger. And he would accept his death if that meant her life.

The silver-haired warrior-queen within her roared in defiance.

As the blow moved closer to Tsukune's heart, the hair turned silver and eyes became reptilian red.

A spurt of blood and a gasp of pain.

A body falling on the floor.

Tsukune's eyes widened in terror as the vampiress fell to her knees, injured by her own attack, diverting it from him.

"What are you waiting for Tsukune?" She demanded harshly, pain in her voice. "Fight!"

The command set of a series of chain reactions within Tsukune and the boy's determination steeled.

He dove straight into the source of his power, the demonic power within him and seized it. He grabbed it, pulled it, put it under him and commanded it.

An explosion of power surged forth from the boy and the hanging patients were thrown away. He fell down to a crouch as the changes began to overtake his body.

But unlike other times, this one was gradual, controlled and not nearly as flashy. Plates didn't burst from the skin, they resurfaced. Skin didn't fall off, it was overcome by muscles like a wave of water. The tail erupted and wagged slowly behind him. Nails became sharp claws and his lips pulled back to reveal changed fangs.

It was longer, less flashy but no less imposing and Moka could honestly say that she didn't quite mind him when he controlled himself. In fact, the way he looked at her and then homed in on the attacking hybrid gave her a weird feeling of satisfaction. But, under her goals, the reason of her damnation, she squashed it and refused to soften her features.

The demonblooded warrior roared and the walls shook. A powerful leap from poweful legs brought it several feet closer to his target as a wall of poisoned patients made a wall in front of him.

Too bad they were not of stone; the beast pounced on them and brought them to the ground before moving on without sparing them another look, and luckily without doing anything else to them.

Mikomaru Miko was scared.

One moment, her plan was going perfect.

The next, Tsukune had turned into that and was coming straight for her.

She didn't need anything to tell her that he was stronger than her; she could see it as plain as day.

Closer.

He was on her.

Stunned as she was, held in fear, she could offer no resistance as the demon crashed into her and bull-rushed her on his shoulder, crushing her on the wall.

Spit and blood flew off her mouth as a hand, larger than her head, grabbed said part and crashed her on the cold, hard floor.

Through eyes blinded by blood, blood that came from a wound on her head that would at least cause a mild concussion, she gazed into the cold, harsh eyes of the demon.

A real demon.

A bitter laugh wormed its way into her mind; Kiria was not a demon, nowhere near one. She could feel the sweet taste of vengeance already when Kiria and this demon would meet. She would be waiting for the bastard in hell!

"Rrrr..." The demon growled at her and she was surprised to hear its butchered speech, punctuated by growls. "Don't... hrrr... fear... You... not...grrr... die... Inter...rrrr...rogation..."

Its voice was raspy and bestial, but it got the point across. With another smash on the floor, Miko was unconscious.

The next thing she would see would be Kuyou framed by the Exorcist.

Tsukune turned away from the defeated hybrid and stalked towards Moka. As he walked towards her, his form seemed to break away to dust, leaving behind his original, human shape.

Tsukune stood before the vampiress, his eyes steel and his countenance that of a tired but still standing veteran.

She would never admit it, but she was so proud him at that moment.

But, she couldn't let it go, she had to stop it. "I won't thank you, you know. I could have beaten her on my own, even with this wound."

The boy nodded. "Yes, yes I know. And you know I didn't do it for your thanks. I did it because I wanted to."

Her smile was even harder to hold back this time, her eyes filled with pride at being his friend and sadness for what she would have to do to him one day.

She turned around quickly and grabbed her silver cross before he could look at her and see her sadness and joy. The seal was in place with a soft click and she was free to release her emotions in the safety of her rosario.

Ironically, her prison had become her one spot of freedom.

Strong arms caught the pink-haired girl as she fell, exhausted as always from her sealing and Moka, the Outer Shell this time smiled gently at the boy who held her.

She didn't need him to tell her that she was forgiven of the fault that was not hers.

All was well.

Tsukune was Tsukune.

After all, only Tsukune could become a demon and still not kill the one who hurt his crush.

She bet his blood had only gotten tastier.

Her fangs bit on his neck and she was joyous to find that 'tasty' was a severe understatement to how perfect it had become.

A/N: Mikomaru Miko and her scheming took a rather unpredictable turn for the worse, didn't they? The relationships are still strained, as expected with such rapid changes, but at least they are being mended. At least on the surface.

Hopefully, this chapter is better than the others, though it still leaves me with a feeling of incomplete... I don't know why though... Also, I have fixed the minor error in the first chapter; Shinso is a vampire, not the source of Alucard's power. Alucard is just the oldest known vampire with Shinso blood. I apologize and thank Four Elements 678 for telling me.

Today, on this 9/6/2012, I, Soulblazer87, do hereby leave this site, possibly forever.

I shall not update this, or any other story.

I shall leave them on, however. Should you desire to follow my stories, do so in my new site of residence: www dot yourfanfiction dot com.