Memories Of Fleeting Peace

Kyouko sat inside the room, hugging her knees. Unlike other monsters, she was singled out.

Expected; she wasn't a monster, she was human.

So, she spent her time thinking about how many ways there were to kill her, eat her... or worse.

When the door opened, she had already resigned herself to her fate. Wanting to at least see the faces of her executioners, she looked up and saw... Moka, Mizore, Kurumu and Yukari.

Oh the irony of sending the four girls who liked Tsukune, or at least pretended very well that they did, to kill his cousin.

"Kyouko-san... I think it's time we had a talk about Tsukune-san." Spoke the candy-haired girl and Kyouko looked at her surprised, she had definitely not been expecting that.

"Talk? Talk about what? Talk about how you corrupted my cousin and turned him into a monster? Talk about how you're going to eat me? Talk about how Tsukki became that monstrocity? Talk about what Moka-san?"

Noting Moka's courage all but destroyed, seeing as how the girl still considered herself responcible for Tsukune's awakening as an Akuchi, Kurumu stepped forward.

"How about we talk about how Tsukune is feeling after being rejected by his own family? How about we talk about how his own flesh and blood abandoned him at the first sign of problems? How about we talk about how you insulted us in front of him? How about we talk about how lucky you are to be alive? How about we talk about how we are right now risking our lives to cover for you being human? Want to talk about that Kyouko-san?"

Well, the succubus may absolutely suck at school work, but damn if she can't turn a conversation around. It was with little wonder that Kyouko was struck speechless after that little tirade.

"The point is, Kyouko-san," Began Moka again. "That things are dangerous for you here, we need to get you out of here. Thankfully, the Headmaster will help us with that. But until then, you need to stay out of sight and out of mind. If anyone asks you, you need to say that you're the same ayashi as Tsukune. Otherwise... otherwise some students really will eat you. And you have yet to apologize to Tsukune-san."

"What the hell are you talking about? What have you done to him?" Spoke a freaked out Kyouko.

Mizore's voice answered her from behind a flower pot. "Tsukune isn't human any more. Things have happened and he has changed. He still hates himself for it. You hurt him. If you do it again..." The voice trailed off, but there were several tell-tale sounds behind that pot and Kyouko gulped.

Moka and Kurumu sat down next to Kyouko, trying to console her. "Tsukune-san tried to protect me you know. When he was still only human, with a weak and fragile body, he tried to protect me and everyone here. Me... a great Super Vampire, more powerful than even other vampires... He was too weak... I..."

"Moka broke some of the cardinal rules." Interrupted Kurumu. "Rules that would get her executed without a trial if things became known. She gave him her vampire blood, her youki. She... Moka turned him into a vampire for a little bit to fight or protect himself..."

"But it wasn't safe..." Lamented Moka, still feeling bad about the way Tsukune had turned. "It hurt him, it broke down his own body and... and... I... I still did stupid things and got him into trouble... but... Tsukune-san..."

"Tsukune wasn't completely human, his family had run-ins with other monsters, more than a few thousand years ago. He didn't have any monster abilities. But Moka's blood... it re-vitalized his bloodline. It strengthened his monster blood enough to destroy his humanity and..."

"Tsukune-san became what is known as an 'Akuchi'~desu." Spoke Yukari. "If monsters are real, then so are demons, but we don't like them. Demons were banished and sealed away with an unbreakable seal a long time ago~desu. Tsukune-san's power is to borrow their powers and take their forms to fight. But... it's not that easy to control and has even worse side-effects..."

"Tsukune has a second personality inside him, an inner demon that tries to corrupt him. He's changed so much because he has had to fight every moment of his life, waking or not, against an inner demon that wants to corrupt him and change him. And you just made it harder for him by rejecting him!" Kurumu's condemnation struck harshly on Kyouko's ears.

"That... That's impossible! Demons and monsters and... and... and how do I know you're telling the truth?I don't know if I can trust even Tsukki like this! What if the inner demon thing has really corrupted him huh?"

"Well, you certainly didn't help things." Shot Kurumu at her. "But I don't know how we can convince you if you really don't want to believe us... If you think about it though, it does make sense, as well as why he hasn't told you everything. If his 'cousin that is like a sister' thinks like that of him, how would someone else react, huh?"

"Perhaps, I would be able to assuage Kyouko-san's fears..." A creepy as hell voice came from the door and even Mizore looked surprised; no one had sensed him. "Greetings child, I am the Headmaster of this Youkai Gakuen, a name more literal than you presumed..."

In another room, Tsukune was on the bed, the lights off, his forearm over his eyes. How could things have gone so wrong? How could have let his cousin see that side of him. Now she hated him.

Now, he could never go back.

It was something he had known for some time now; he could not go back to his human family, his human friends, his human life.

He had known, but he hadn't realized it. He hadn't accepted it, always having that sliver of hope and fear that he would be able to go back to being 'normal'.

Normal for what? A human? A Ghoul? An Akuchi? What was normal? What was his home? Where did he belong? Where should he go?

In that small, dreary, lonely room, Tsukune wept and mourned for what had happened to him, for what he had become.

He was glad in a way that no one was here. He didn't want anyone seeing him like that, especially them, his friends, all of the female persuasion to the chagrin of his growing hormones.

A knock on the door. Tsukune wiped his hand over his face, hoping to hide away the evidence of his weakness, ignoring his Inner Demon's mocking comments about his weakness being more than just momentary.

"Tsukune-san..." A familiar voice, Ruby, the witch at the side of the Headmaster. "May I come in? I would like to speak with you..."

"S-Sure, come in... just keep the lights off, I kind of have a headache." His voice didn't come out exactly right, but he hoped that she didn't catch on to that.

Tsukune and the others had yet to realized just how attentive to details their friend was. It was a necessity for magic and a very helpful thing to have even outside that realm.

"Tsukune-san... we need to have a talk. I... I think I know some of the things you feel and I want to help you, like you helped me back at the Witch's Knoll..."

"Back when I was human, you mean." He replied bitterly.

"And you are not one now? Apart from a few new abilities and changes, you are still human."

"Still human? How can I be still human? Look at me! I can change into a freaking 8feet tall monstrocity, I have a demon inside my head telling me to kill, how am I still human? Even my cousin hates me now!"

"Because to me..." She said hesitantly. "To me, Tsukune-san is Tsukune-san. You may be scary when in your other form, but I know you want to protect us all, so I'm not afraid."

In that moment Tsukune had a moment of terrifyingly familiar deja-vu. That sentence she said; "To me Tsukune-san is Tsukune-san."

He had heard it before, no he had said it before, he had meant and felt its importance before.

"Because to me Moka-san is Moka-san."

How long has it been since it was him saying these words? How could he have forgotten that?

Tsukune smiled at Ruby and, even though it didn't quite reach his eyes, she knew he was feeling better, if a bit.

"Thank you Ruby-san. You just reminded me of something I had almost forgotten. It's alright. Even though it hurts that I won't see my family or Kyou-chan again, I think I can go on. Thank you very, very much."

Ruby's eyes glinted mischievously and Tsukune had a sinking feeling he was about to get teased. "Well, if I may be allowed, Tsukune-san's other form is also very attractive in its own right, it's so... commanding and wild and dominating... I do not hide that I have often thought of how it would feel to draw its attention, if but on a more pleasurable level! Especially the tail, even now I can imagine it..." It was about then that she noticed he had fainted, though she had managed to coax a dribble of blood from his nose.

Ruby giggled at his reaction, despite it all he had remained so similar to the carefree boy he once was.

The very next day, the school was deemed too damaged to continue the festivities, something to be expected of course after all the chaos.

Parents and other dignitaries left somewhat disgruntled, but they had been told how it was an event unconnected to the school. In fact, they were assured that the school was quite safe; any other place would have been destroyed by the attack. Not many believed it, but their hope in the school was rekindled slightly when they saw Tsukune greeting them, even though he had been hurt trying to protect everyone merely two days ago. It was as if he were a monster of healing abilities.

Tsukune himself didn't see Kyouko, and neither did the girl see him. The talk she had had convinced her to wait for him to come to the human world after a short time. He would be calmer then and they would be able to talk rather than loosing control of their emotions. It was the girls' idea in fact after they were told by the Headmaster that the school would close. So, the sole pure-blooded human of Youkai Gakuen was more or less escorted out under complete secrecy by the Bus Driver.

And now, there they stood, the extended Newspaper Club. All of them carrying large amounts of baggage, all except Tsukune.

"Yahoo! Tsukune!" Called out Kurumu as she saw her Destined One approach, quickly noticing he lacked bags and luggage of any kind on him. "Tsukune, why don't you have anything with you?"

The boy looked rather uncomfortable at that, but managed a quick excuse. "D-Don't worry Kurumu-chan! I'm still a member of the student council, so I have a few things to take care of before leaving. More importantly, are you all alright? It was a pretty sudden announcement about the closing of the school..."

Mizore crept up from behind a tree, freaking the hell out of him. "Not really, we learned about it yesterday. Why are you lying Tsukune?" Blunt as always.

"L-Lying? I'm not lying Mizore-chan! Really!" His stutter killed the conviction in his voice however. Thankfully, he was rescued from further prodding by the girls when two hands landed on his shoulders.

"Tsukune-san, I think we need to have a talk..." The combined voices of Kurono Ageha and Shirayuki Tsurara.

He was not rescued at all!

The two mothers dragged the boy to the side, away from his friends and pushed him on a wall. Tsukune began to get worried when he saw Tsurara's face become cold and harsh as if judging him.

"You will tell us everything! Spit it out! Who're you working for-"

She was interrupted by Ageha finger flicking her ear. "Sheesh, don't scare the kid so much you walking icicle. I always knew your spy fetish would rot your brain some time. But I agree with her, Tsukune-san. You will tell us everything..." And then she lost the serious look which was replaced by a more frantic, and dare he say it worried one. "Why aren't you going for my daughter? She's beautiful isn't she? She is, right, right? You're not gay or something, are you? I'd be fine if you're bisexual, but don't tell my that my daughter picked a gay for her Destined One!"

"W-W-Whaaaat?" Predictably, he exploded. "What are you talking about?"

"It's simple Tsukune-san..." This time it was Tsurara. "We know you care for our daughters, as well as that annoying pink-haired girl, we've seen how protective of them you are. And you must also know that they in turn like you." She waited for his nod before continuing, though her face had again become somewhat scary. "The why by Father Winter's beard aren't you already making babies with my daughter?"

"Excuse me?" Normally mothers discouraged their children from having children while in high school. Then again, normal for Youkai Gakuen wasn't anywhere near normal for everywhere else.

"What she wants to say is... why don't you go for them? We know you like them, you know you like them, they like you back... so why aren't you pursuing any of them? It can't be that terrifying having one of our daughters, or even that pinky, as a girlfriend. Our races have always been renounced mistresses and..."

Her voice trailed off once she took notice of the frigid look on his face. "Me and them? Be together? Look at them." He pointed at the happily talking girls. "They are so happy, so carefree even now, not two days after someone almost killed them. Me? I'm a demon. I don't deserve them, any of them much less all of them. They are so much better people than me that I would never sully them with my impurity, just to satisfy some desires. I care for them, maybe even love them, I don't know. But as long as I am cursed with this power of mine, which is forever, I can't be with any of them. You have no idea what burden it is to be a..." He stopped wanting to preserve his secret.

"An Akuchi?" Finished Tsurara, smirking when she saw his scared face. "Yukari-chan's parents were with us remember. Who do you think taught her all that stuff? No, we know what you are and we still wonder why you're not going for it, really. I mean, it only makes you a stronger monster than most others... Strong parents give strong children after all-"

"But I'm not strong! I'm weak and pathetic! If I were strong, Moka would never have been injured! If I were strong, Kurumu would never have cried because of me! If I were strong, Mizore would never have been pushed almost to suicide because I couldn't understand her! I'm not strong! I'm just one pathetic human with a freaking demon lodged in my head! When you have to spend every waking moment of your life with an Inner Voice doing a pretty damn good job of convincing you kill everyone you ever cared for, only then can you tell me you understand anything of being an Akuchi! Want to know why I can't be with them? Because I'm scared, alright? There you have it, Aono Tsukune, an Akuchi, is scared! They all deserve someone better than me, someone who can love them completely, not a half-man like me. Now, if you'll excuse me." He walked away, rubbing away the tears that had gathered in his eyes, leaving behind two mothers re-evaluating everything they knew about the boy.

Ageha and Tsurara shared only one look before marching back to their daughters.

Within moments they were in front of them, looking straight into their eyes and spoke in a freakish unison, almost like they had practiced it; "Mizore-chan/Kurumu-chan... Don't you dare let him slip away from you!"

As one they turned on their heels and stormed off to get the Sendou couple updated about Tsukune's situation, leaving behind Kurumu and Mizore to wonder about what that was all about before shrugging it off.

Of course, both the witch and the warlock were as interested in Tsukune's unique psyche as they were in cataloguing and understanding his Akuchi power. Such lore was very hard to get to and he defied all traditional stereotypes of being an Akuchi; that of an insane, blood-lusting, berserker. Well, Yukari had to get her curiocity from somewhere...

It took quite a bit for Tsukune to return to his friends, he had to hide all evidence of crying lest he worried them.

Though they didn't say it, it didn't work. They were neither stupid nor inattentive enough to miss the signs. They saw his fake smile and they hated it, hated how he didn't trust them with his problems to help him just as he helps them. They hated it, but each for their own reasons didn't talk about it.

Used as they had been to seeing each other every day, they could not believe that one of them could suddenly disappear from their lives. They could never believe it could happen. They were after all teenagers and in that age, two things are definite; puberty and the feeling of invincibility. Had they not triumphed against unbelievable odds like Hokuto, Ishigami and others? Their victories made them confident and more than a bit lax. But it also made them a tight-knit group of people and that would keep them together when all else failed.

The goodbyes were tearful, but they all promised to meet each other as soon as Youkai Gakuen opened again. It was the promise that kept more than one of them from going off to meet the others in their own homes.

Three days later, Kuyou was walking through the ruins of his school more than a little bit disgruntled.

How could it come to this? How dare some disgraced fool attack his school, his dominion!

Inexcusable!

The Youko raged and his subordinates flinched away from him, knowing his wrath rather well.

Kuyou's day became all the more stranger when he spotted a familiar form sitting on a piece of cement. Why was that civilian, as strong as he might be he grudgingly admitted, over there? They had all been told to leave, right?

"Aono. Why are you here." A demand, not a question and both knew it.

"Because Kuyou... this is greater than either of us, or did you think that a single disgraced teacher that escaped the authorities could cause all that chaos by herself? Someone's targetting my friends and, human or not, I'm going to defend them, with my life."

"Human? Aono-san is a human?" Asked many of Kuyou's entourage and more than a couple of them attacked the boy.

Kuyou only smirked when Tsukune dodged them flawlessly before his right hand began to bulge and transform, becoming a large, clawed limb that smashed the offenders into a wall.

"Was human. Apparently, the Headmaster has greater insight than anyone anticipated. Had I not come here, I would have remained only human. But I did and I became this. Kuyou, you know what I'm talking about right?"

"Of course, you want training, correct?"

"Yes and you are one of the few I can go all-out against and not kill accidentaly. You are a four-tailed Kitsune and that means your power is not to be underestimated."

"Hmm..." Kuyou hummed, thinking about it, ignoring the shocked looks of his subordinates. "Very well, I too wish to test myself against one like you. You are rumoured to rival a Vampire at full power, which may not be true but still speaks highly of your prowess. But, I want you to perform some things for me as well. You will help me train the new members. Your group taught me humility and to know my own limits. These here" He waved to the gawking students behind him. "obviously missed that lesson. So, your first job for today is to beat every one of them up, at the same time. You may start."

Annoyed at being dismissed like that, several of the student police members roared and attacked the human in front of them.

Like Kuyou had predicted, they had not learned humility or their own limits and had ignored their friends' failure.

A roar answered them as they charged and what met their charge was all but human.

Kuyou smirked. Finally someone he could actually test himself against. Progress is impossible without a counter-acting force and so was surpassing his own limits.

Next time he and Akashiya Moka fought, it would be his victory, cleanly and without underhanded tricks.

In another dimension, a Succubus and a Yuki-onna were talking conspiratorily.

"So,what are we going to do? Moka is ridiculously strong and Tsukune get's stronger every time he fights. I feel like being left behind!" Said Kurumu, eating a homemade cookie.

"I know the feeling..." Said Mizore. "There's only one thing to do... train and become stronger..."

"But to do that, we need a teacher, can't practice all on our own..."

At that moment, their peaceful moment in the cafe was interrupted by a waitress screaming 'Pervert!' and promptly smashing her tray on someone's head.

"Ouch... Damn that girl's got a heck of an arm! She must like me!"

Hearing the man's voice, Kurumu's and Mizore's heads creaked to the side where Gin sat on the pavement, rubbing his head. "Gin... senpai?"

"Oh! My two cute subordinates! What are you doing here, decided to drop that idiot Tsukune and go for a real man like myself?" His greeting was followed by him draping his arms over the two girls and shamelessly looking down Kurumu's cleavage.

"Cool your head pervert, or I'll do it for you." Said an annoyed Mizore. He was touching her in a way she only wanted one male to touch her. She wasn't his damn plaything!

"More like had the misfortune of meeting you. What are you doing here, coming to take photos of more panties? Like the whole school isn't enough for you!"

Gin shook his head and sat down on their table. "Nah, waiting for a friend of mine, Miyamoto Haji, leader of the Karate Club. He challenged me to a spar. Can't let his overblown ego and stupid woman ideals grow any bigger."

"You? Take on the leader of the Karate Club? Miyamoto Haji, undefeated in over fifty matches in a row?" Asked a clearly disbelieving Kurumu. Who knew their pervert of a club leader was that good?

"Yah, why? Don't forget, it was only bad luck that I lost to Moka back then, not to mention I can't very well hit a girl full-power without serious reason, much less one as beautiful as her."

Mizore and Kurumu looked at each other and in an unwitting mimicry of what their mothers had done a few days ago turned to Gin. "Gin-senpai... we have a favour to ask of you..."

Poor Gin had no idea what he was about to get into. The girl's desire to beat Moka was strong, now that they also had to compete for their loved one's feelings...

Even the letch and ever-perving Morioka Gin'ei knew better than to peep on them when 'that time' came along. He valued his manhood very much, thank you.

In yet another dimension, things were going far simpler for one Akashiya Moka.

Simpler of course did not make them any less annoying. Why? Because she had to endure her Inner Self's ranting and descriptions of Tsukune's youki-infused blood.

It was making her hungry dammit! And she had no blood to suck!

Moka's head met the table with a groan. "Ura-chan... please..."

"Please what? I want to suck his blood too. You should have felt the taste, the texture, the feel of it, going down my throat, warm and hot and full of power! Indescribable!"

"You're describing it pretty accurately though Ura-chan..." The pinkette's whining continued.

"Not my fault I haven't sucked any of his blood ever before! You've been hogging him all to yourself! I have needs too, but never get to fulfill them! When we get back, you're going to have him remove the Rosario. I want a day off, or on at any rate. I want a day to myself. Maybe I could train him. Yes, that could work, considering he has been showing hints of Vampire abilities. He may even be a Ghoul, were it not for his Divine Lock. Alright, it's decided! Once we get back and with some free time, I'm spending a day free of this!"

"Ura-chan..." The girl tried to reason with herself. "I don't mind if you're out for a day but... please.. I beg you... STOP TELLING ME ABOUT TSUKUNE-SAN'S BLOOD!" Mount Moka had erupted. "I'm thirsty too now!"

Her head met the table again and she only whispered. "Tsukune-san... I want to suck your blood..."

"You're not the only one! So do I! Especially his tingling, youki-infused blood, so warm and flush with life!"

And the discussion between two obsessed, thirsty and more than a bit irritated vampires went on. Pity the poor mail man who went to deliver her a pack of blood bags from the blood bank.

She almost tore him apart to get to them!

Too bad she had already gotten used to rate-A++ blood, which meant that the blood bank did very little to satisfy her newly-refined palette.

Three months down the line, Tsukune stood against Kuyou, both ready to fight.

"Alright, get ready. Remember this time we're training your human abilities. Going into your demonic form is forbidden, if you do you fail. From what we have been observing, the stronger you are, the stronger your transformation. So, get ready!" Fire blossomed over Kuyou's palm and Tsukune gulped uneasily. He had come to learn to read the Youko in the past few months very well. That smartass grin told him he was in for quite some pain.

When the lash of fire came, he leaned backwards to avoid it, his bare chest reddening under the heat of the flame, causing perspiration to gather.

The onlooking Police members, all of them curiously female, drooled and cheered.

In the throes of their puberty-driven hormones, they had several ideas of what a man as... flexible... as Tsukune could do in non-combat situations.

The poor boy had to run away from them every day. Fangirls were scary. Imagine fangirls with enough power to subdue almost any monster without even getting serious.

Tsukune would never know that it was Kuyou himself who gave away his position every time he hid. To others he called it 'reaction and speed training'. To himself, he admitted it was 'payback'.

While their beloved was desperately dodging lances of fire, Kurumu and Mizore did not stand idle either.

Training with Gin destroyed any preconception they had had about the werewolf.

He didn't hold back except when they were almost dead, tired or not.

He didn't hesitate to point out their flaws and smash the ever-important lesson of humility into them, literally.

Unfortunately, he also didn't stop being a letch and coping feels or taking pictures of them at every opportunity. It certainly provided them with ample incentive to chase him, even as tired as they might otherwise be.

Moka's life was almost normal. If you consider 'normal' having a very talkative voice in your head at the throes of withdrawal.

Poor Moka had her own thirst and addiction to Tsukune's blood to deal with. She didn't need her other side on top of that!

Unfortunately, Tsukune's kindness had had a very weird effect on the girl, both sides of her.

Witnessing his sacrifices, his will to go ever on to protect them. Knowing he thought neither of them better than the other. Seeing his strength growing every moment.

Being in puberty sucked for Moka. Now, instead of getting relatively harmless and tame dreams about her and an unrecognized other doing 'couple' things, like holding hands or taking picnics...

Now she dreamed of doing other things with a very recognizable male, Tsukune.

The problem? Neither she nor her Inner Self could admit to liking him, one out of embarassment, the other out of pride.

Their bodies however had no such reservations and neither did their raging imaginations. Waking up every morning went from a glorious escape from her progressively more dangerous dreams to a chore.

More than one alarm clocks could attest to just how irritated Moka got at their sound on Sundays. They will always be remembered; they were good clocks, meeting an unfortunate end.

And so the months went by until the notice they had all been expecting reached the mailbox of four-or five really- girls.

Nothing however reached a fifth girl that had spent the past six months waiting and dreading for that call from her aunt that Tsukune had come back.

She was only human though and no monster ever came to her door, no one from that school came after her.

Kyouko often spent her days on her bed, hugging her pillow, waiting for that damned phone to ring, anything to happen.

She was glad, in a way, that her parents were mostly gone from the house. She didn't want to explain to them why she had tear marks on her cheeks or why her she was having such nasty nightmares.

In that loneliness, that separation from the one person she wanted to see, to apologize to, Kyouko came to a sickening realization; Tsukune had probably felt exactly like she was.

Rejected, cut off, cast away, ostracized. Just as she had left him behind.

Having had enough, she took up pen and paper and got to writing. If Tsukune didn't come to her, then she would get to him!

It was only as she was getting out of the house, dressed and ready to meet the Bus Driver that things changed and someone did come to her door.

A somewhat familiar man with a thin moustache and glowing eyes. Next to him, a rose-eyed, raven-haired girl with a handlebar haircut. "Kyouko-chan, we've come here to talk with you. It's about Tsukune."

She thought about telling them to leave, she thought about ignoring them. In the end, she let them in and put water in the boiler for tea.

They wanted to talk about Tsukune? Fine, then she would get her letter to him, no matter what!

About that time, the boy in question smiled; he had just read the timetable of the arriving of the students. He had to move quickly, Moka-san and the others were coming back!

Back to Youkai Gakuen, the one place he thought of as... home.

A/N: Well, this one came out fast as well. Truth be told, I had written the past three chapters but with my father getting a surgery and me getting swamped with stupid tests (along with playing Dragon Age 2) I couldn't get the chance to fix them up to my standards. They are still not very good, but at least the fact I posted them in rapid succession will at least make it better.

And so we have reached the conclusion of RosarioVampire, right before getting to the sequel. You should be warned that many things will change, especially some things I don't agree with (such as Akasha's disappearence and Moka's childhood). Bigger and bigger changes will start to show up from now on, because admittedly I only rewrote the series by this point, which I seriously dislike. Do not worry, I will try to make more things original and inspired to give this fic the unique story I think it deserves.

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.