Disclaimer: I don't own Rosario+Vampire, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story. Simple enough, ne? Just don't copy from this story and we're all good!
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V^^ To Challenge A Vampire ^^V
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There were some aspects to being a vampire that would never cease to amaze the fledgling that had just joined their ranks. As a ghoul he had been privy to many of the abilities of his benefactor, with none of their weaknesses, other than one very detrimental one that involved his consciousness ceasing to exist. As a full-blooded vampire it was a different story. Powers that he had once been scared to use too heavily came naturally, and fighting skills honed through terrible hours of practice were enhanced even more than before.
He had ripped into the group of youkai that had challenged him the day prior with an ease that he had only seen on one other, and had he not tried to save them serious injury that little bat might have found work as a match counter for him. He had been so frustrated he hadn't even questioned whether or not he should fight, instead it was whether or not he should hold back. It went without saying what the answer turned out to be. As much as he was now a vampire, one of the most feared and bloodthirsty races there were, his personality hadn't changed.
They were all in the infirmary, even with him holding back. He did feel kind of bad about that.
If there was one thing he was regretting, it wasn't that he had told Moka his true feelings, instead it was that he hadn't gone to her room before he had. As bad as it seemed, he really wished he had gotten some of those herbal pills she had mentioned, because he hadn't bathed in two days. Well, his dip in the sea could possibly be counted, but that hadn't been the most cleansing experience. He could only throw his battle-scuffed clothing into his hamper and pick out something else.
Passing the time had been nothing short of torture, and he even found himself finishing his homework before the night was done. Normally that was something he did with Moka and their group, though Kurumu didn't get most of it. He didn't even really understand how he had focused enough to do that in the first place, considering he had been completely absorbed in what to do the entire night.
Fighting women was, as a general rule, forbidden in his mind. Hitting Ruby—even though she had nearly killed him at the time—back at their first meeting had been hard enough; knowingly fighting the woman he wanted nothing more than to love was a monumental undertaking. Added to that Mizore's confession and his situation in the most 'normal' of times, and Tsukune was so mentally exhausted by the end of the evening he flopped into bed and was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
That night he dreamt of her. It wasn't his pink-haired goddess, but rather his silver-haired vampiress, the woman that seemed to be forever out of his reach. It wouldn't have been the first time she had haunted his fantasies, beckoned him to her alabaster beauty covered only by the darkest of red silk sheets. This time even his dreams offered him no escape, and instead faced him with his deepest fears, his every uncertainty. Even as the light bounced off skin just as pale as hers as his hand reached out, she was never close to his grasp, eternally running away, just as she had that day. Why couldn't she understand how much he loved her, how much she didn't have to be alone anymore?
Anger and heartache tore at his chest, and he awoke in a cold sweat, not in the least bit rested. He groaned when he saw the digital readout of his alarm clock and silently wished he had another eight hours to sleep. Of course, it didn't happen, and he pulled himself out of bed grudgingly. In a fresh uniform but unclean body, he realized he couldn't even brush his teeth anymore. That was plain unhygienic, especially for a vampire. That still managed to get him to chuckle, though he was quickly sobered by the melancholy that didn't seem to want to leave him alone.
I really need to get some of those herbal capsules today. Kokoa-chan would have some; she's my best bet for the moment.
He really needed a bath. At this point he just wanted to sink into the water and melt, responsibilities be damned. If the days kept continuing like they had so far he'd go insane if he couldn't. How else could he relax anymore? He honestly didn't know what he'd do next time he was alone around Mizore, and that scared him because she had so generously offered him her blood, and god would he be lying if he said he didn't need it. Kurumu was always dangerous, especially now that he was having trouble reining in his more base desires, so that ruled out her. Ruby was a threat in her own way, because she'd probably like whatever he unintentionally did, and there was no safe way to be around Yukari; not with her mind. For the youngest out of all of them, she was probably the most dangerous even.
Honestly, it sucked. The platonic relationships he had held for nearly three years were becoming unbalanced. No longer could he go to any one of them just to be with them, not without giving any of the others the wrong idea anymore. It wouldn't matter to Yukari or Ruby, but it would hurt Kurumu. Mizore…he didn't know what it would do to her, but he didn't want to risk it nowadays.
The walk to school was a daze, and the thirst never really hit him until he was pulled down into one of Kurumu's trademarked embraces outside the gates, where the rest of their group was waiting.
"Good morning, Tsukune!"
Even as he was choked by the cotton of her sweater her aroma filled him, pulled his memory back to when he had drank her blood the first time at the hospital. It was so different from Mizore's, yet no less enticing by any sense of the term. The succubus blushed a bright red when Tsukune pulled himself out of her hold like it was less than nothing and jammed his nose into her neck, impatiently memorizing the smell of her petite body. It went without saying the others—including the succubus herself—were rather surprised at how easily he had escaped her usual smothering, but she certainly didn't seem to be complaining.
"Go on Tsukune, it's my turn today!"
If he had any self control left that quickly and thoroughly shredded it to ribbons. Since he had once again forgone eating anything of substance before he had left he had no choice, and as usual he didn't notice the body in his grip convulse as his fangs plunged through the supple flesh of her neck.
Her taste was almost the polar opposite of Mizore. Where the snow woman's blood was cold like water just melted from ice, the succubus' was hot and tangy, nearly liquid sugar to his senses. It filled his body with warmth he knew only her heart could create, and it made his skin tingle as fresh awareness lit up his body. Now that he was more attuned to the strange power he had he could feel her strength flow into him, the mystic unknown of a mind's malady; the power of illusions. It felt like his very imagination had become a weapon, and the power whispered words of courage, promising its help in making his foes suffer his every machination.
As he licked the wounds closed she shuddered again, and he suddenly had new respect for the succubus who hid her great power so unassumingly. She was limp in his grip for a few moments, but seemed to regain herself fast enough, for she was soon hugging him tightly again. He chuckled for the second time that day as he gave her a reassuring squeeze, and she jumped from his arms happily.
"You're…amazing, Kurumu-chan." She turned red under his praise, and the others looked at him expectantly for an explanation to that unexpected comment. "I can feel it; the power you have. It's…it's indescribable. The illusions feel so strong, it's like I could do anything!"
She smirked proudly. "Never underestimate a succubus! Charms and illusions are our specialty!"
Kokoa snorted in a very unladylike way. "I still can't believe you're a Blood Sage. With that power at your command you're even more of a threat at this school than you would be even as a normal vampire!"
"Are the rumors really true, Tsukune-san?" Yukari squealed merrily. "Did you really send twenty students to the hospital yesterday?"
Tsukune looked horrified. "Of course not!" He paused there for a second, to think that over. "I think it was ten actually." The looks on the faces around him turned positively comical, and he waved his hands in front of him frantically. "H-Hey! They challenged me! I was just defending myself!"
"Hmph," Kokoa grunted approvingly, "seems the weakling does know how to defend his honor after all. You're a vampire, one of a proud race; I'd be ashamed if you backed down."
Well, at least his lack of patience yesterday had turned out to be a good thing. Moka's absence was noted with a sense of painful relief, because though he didn't want to see her, there were too many parts of him that wished he could. As tired as he was he wasn't even sure he could fight against the parts that wanted to, but at least Kurumu's blood had energized him enough that he didn't look like he was about to fall asleep on his feet.
"I'm beginning to see why Moka-san wanted that seal."
His redheaded junior just shrugged before they turned to go to school.
V^^^V
Putting on his regular energetic and cheery persona for the rest of the day when he felt so tired was quite a task, even for him. It didn't help that he could hear the whispers of those he passed in the hall, and though a good many of them were complimentary to his new appearance, there were a few that were far more critical. The rumors were really getting ridiculous by that time, and he had to admit even he would be afraid of himself if some of what they said was actually true.
Really, they were the ones that kept challenging him, why should he be the one they talked bad about? Still, it looked like it wasn't about to end any time soon, not if the stories kept growing as they had been.
He had never been happier when he finally walked into the sanctuary of the Newspaper Club clubroom after school. Sinking into one of the chairs, the young vampire rested his head on the desk in front of him and momentarily contemplated smacking his sleep-deprived cranium into the hard oak. He was the first one there, or so he thought, so at last he was allowed some peace and quiet. It wasn't that he didn't like the company of his friends, but they could hardly go anywhere without some monster with a god complex showing up and challenging the only visibly unsealed vampire among their group. It did offer some sense of relief however, that of the comedic persuasion, because Kokoa had dealt with more than one of them in an irate fury.
Moka had been there, but they had both been too pained to look at each other. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted things to go back to the way they used to be, but he couldn't. She had told him plainly what he needed to do, he just needed to pull out the courage to do it. He had never won against her before in training, not once, but that wasn't what had him hesitating. He was different than he was before, he could feel it in every cell of his once human body, but to fight her seriously…
"Are you all right, Tsukune-san?"
He nearly hit his head on the roof when the gentle voice called out to him, and the soft hand put on his shoulder didn't help matters. With the way things had been going lately he was up and around in a second, grabbing the hand and pushing the body to the table in front of him in a submission hold. When he finally realized his instincts had no need to react to the woman he was holding down, he backed off like she was on fire.
"I-I'm so sorry, Ruby-san! I didn't know it was you!" he apologized frenetically, but the way Ruby was shivering didn't really look like that of pain. Her face was almost completely flushed when she straightened herself out to look at him, and the look in her eyes was, if anything, gratitude.
"Such a warm greeting! Thank you, Tsukune-san!" She hugged him just like Kurumu was known to do so often, and his pale skin warmed at the unfamiliar flesh being pressed against him. When she finally let go of him she looked him up and down at length, taking in all of his changes more comprehensively than the meager examination she had been able to do at the hospital. "The headmaster was right, you really do make a good vampire."
He rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. "T-Thank you."
"But I did mean what I asked; are you all right? You looked kinda down. I suppose the first few days after the transformation would be kind of overwhelming, wouldn't they?"
Tsukune could only nod. She had hit the nail on the head, even if she didn't know the true broadness of the subject she was broaching. "You could say that, yeah. I never know when some idiot who fancies himself the next big thing will try to take me down. Heck, I had two at lunch again today!"
She smiled sympathetically. "The headmaster expected that. You've been giving the hospital staff more work than they've had since the riot during your first year!"
He rubbed his face in frustration. "Not exactly helping."
"Oh, hehe, sorry…"
The vampire slumped back into the chair he had been in, cradling his head in his hands and trying to get rid of the headache that hadn't seemed to have ever left him. "I'm just so…lost. I don't know what to do. I mean really, what the hell was I thinking?! 'If I become a vampire, everything will work out?' What would work out? I chose to tear off that lock, I had made up my mind that it would either work or I would die trying! Look at me! I've jumped from the weakest hunted to the strongest hunter! I took one gigantic leap forward and, for some unknown reason, decided where I started off was better! Dammit I…I just don't know what to do anymore."
Ruby looked at him empathetically. She could see the weight on his shoulders, one that had been gradually building ever since he was fifteen years old. He had dealt with more in three years than most humans would deal with given three lifetimes, but he was still only eighteen years old. His now immortal life was just beginning, and the lines of everything he had tried to keep clear were now blurring. She wasn't stupid; she, just like all of them, knew of Tsukune's kindness. He didn't want to hurt any of them, and he knew that was exactly what he was going to do if he kept going like this. Underneath the fearsome demonic energy and dazzling physical changes, he was still just a confused young man.
He tensed for only an instant when he felt arms wrap around him from behind, but he was too exhausted to care. The contact was exactly what he needed, a reassuring hold to keep him from falling apart. He allowed himself to relax into her warm arms and closed his tired red eyes. At that moment he didn't care what idea the others got, he just didn't care. He needed this.
"Everything will work out, Tsukune-san, just give it some time. You're allowed to vent, confusion is ordinary. You'll understand what you need to do soon enough, I'm sure of that. Don't worry, more than just me will be there if you ever stumble, you never have to worry about that."
God he was so tired, and her words just made him feel worse. "I don't deserve you…any of you…" And before the eldest witch in Youkai Academy knew it, the former human in her arms had fallen asleep with his head on the table.
Unwinding her arms from around him, the oldest member of their group watched him silently, studying the peaceful yet tormented expression he could hold even when sleeping. He must have been drained more than any of them could appreciate for him to fall asleep so carelessly, but she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the calm it brought to her heart. She turned to the door quietly. "You can come in now, I know you're there."
The door opened with the same small creak it always did, but it was noticeably more careful this time. Moka stood in the threshold, obviously trying to look like she hadn't heard every word. She took in the scene as calmly as she could, displaying just enough reaction at his sleeping form to suggest she hadn't been there the entire time.
"He's really tired, isn't he?"
The assistant advisor to the Newspaper Club made a noncommittal gesture with her head. "He's been dealing with a lot these past few days. Anyone else would have slept for a week after going out for a swim in their greatest weakness during a storm of the same thing. Now him on the other hand, he jumps back after only a day, and still has enough strength to fight off every challenger that comes before him. When he was a ghoul he was scary, now he's downright terrifying. The funny thing is he doesn't even know it."
"It's almost like he was born to become a vampire…"
Ruby almost laughed, but she did smile warmly. "A vampire? Maybe. I think he was simply born for greatness, but he's too humble to realize it. He's more of a 'boundary being' than Yukari-chan or I could ever hope to be." She raised her hand into the air with all five fingers clenched, and slowly began counting them open. "He was a human, who befriended a vampire, who gained the attention of a succubus, who earned the adoration of a genius witch, who drew the interest of a snow woman, and saved the humanity in another witch who had lost all but the smallest light of hope. He's the glue that's kept five races together for almost three years.
"He fought battles upon battles in a human shell barely capable of handling the slightest bit of youkai strength, and almost died countless times trying to prove his worth. From a human to a ghoul, he kept fighting, and gained control of supernatural power he should have had no inkling of like he had been born with it. But that's not the problem now, is it?" The older woman looked at Moka cryptically, and for some reason she felt the urge to shy away under that gaze. "Now as a vampire in every right, you're scared of him, aren't you?"
Both Inner and Outer Moka went stiff, shocked at that conclusion. "S-Scared? W-Why o-on earth would I be s-scared?"
Ruby walked straight up to her, peering unblinkingly into emerald eyes with her own wise pink. "Because you know he's done most of it for you." The finality in the statement made it all the harder to take. "Your pride made you reject him the first time, but then this happened, and he exceeded your every expectation. You had already dug yourself into a hole, but instead of letting him pull you up and admitting your failings, your pride made you keep on digging. Now you're down so deep you only know one way to get back up, even when you already know the most likely outcome. You need that, don't you? You need to see for yourself just how great he can be. It won't make your pride any easier to swallow, I can guarantee you that. My master…she paid with her life to learn that lesson."
She didn't show it half the time, but Moka was finally realizing that Ruby really was older than their entire group. She had dealt with hatred the likes of which few of them could understand, worldviews that warped reality and hampered change, and loss so great she had been willing to destroy humanity. She was more observant than any of them gave her credit for, but somehow they managed to forget that in her masochistic tendencies.
"How…how do you know all that?" Moka rasped, fear and confusion plain on her face.
Ruby did laugh that time. "A little birdie told me. Don't worry, I won't tell him; you should do that yourself. I would hurry up though if I were you, the longer you wait the less likely it is he'll understand."
You are a far more dangerous woman than I ever made you out to be before, Ruby Toujou, Inner Moka thought seriously.
"Well, since it looks like our clubroom has turned into a makeshift dorm room, I think we'll just skip club for today. There's not too much to write about other than the whole 'Vampire Aono,' thing anyway, and that would just bring him more attention as it is. It was kind of funny really, he was so out of it he didn't even notice I was in here working on paperwork when he came in!"
Moka didn't really want to stay, not after being evaluated more comprehensively than she had even been able to do herself, but she saw an opening in her elder's last words. "Do you need any help?"
The witch smiled. "Nah, it's just advisor stuff for the club, nothing you'd be able to help out with. I got a lot done today though, so if you want to deliver it to the headmaster for me while I keep going I'd appreciate it!"
She could hardly believe her luck, and was able to keep a surprisingly straight face outwardly. "S-Sure! Where is it?"
Ruby walked over to the desk she had in the far corner of the room, and came back with a pile of papers to hand to the pink-haired vampire. "Here you go. If you see the others, be sure to remind them we won't be having club today. Who knows what they'd do with a sleeping Tsukune-san!"
Moka—both of her—blushed what she hoped was inconspicuously. Probably the same things she would do to him. "W-Well anyways, I'll be off!" She did exactly that, and quickly backed through the door she had come in through before taking off down the halls.
The elder witch chuckled as quietly as she could before she shut the door, after placing the appropriate sign over it naturally. Silently walking back over to where the other vampire lay sleeping, she gently stroked her fingers through his metallic hair. "She's really not in any better shape than you are, you know that, Tsukune-san? She might have noticed she was leaving me here alone with you otherwise. She's lucky I'd rather have you awake." She sighed softly, unable to fight the tingles shooting through her from his silken hair. "A vampire's pride is a terrible thing. You really were an amazing human, to be able to do that to one even before you changed."
Looking down on his sleeping face, an ever-familiar warmth started simmering through her. Unable to resist, she leaned down and set a soft kiss against the corner of his mouth. She blushed as she held her lips and giggled. "Even though I'd prefer you awake, that doesn't mean I'm all that good against temptation either." She resumed stroking her fingers through his hair lovingly, unafraid of being interrupted.
"But really, that girl's just too predictable."
V^^^V
She didn't want to admit it, because it burned like water through her heart.
Ever since yesterday, she had known. Ruby was exactly right. She had dug herself into a hole, and instead of confessing her love she kept on digging. She was in too deep now, she would only look worse if she tried forgoing her plan at this point. She had just been given the key to that plan, however unknowingly. Moka Akashiya needed Belmont, because there was no way in hell she was asking Tsukune to remove her rosary for her.
Her lips were still tingling from that kiss, the soft surprise he had given her the day before. It made her whole body burn just thinking about it, how gentle and warm his pale lips had been on her own. It hurt to know that he had done it, knowing full well her vampire self would repay him in force, when in fact it had had much the same effect on the vampire within as it had her.
She wanted more. She wanted so, so much more. She wanted to feel him, taste him, feel his fangs ravish her neck just as much as she wanted him to ravish her. She needed to be sure, that was one thing she couldn't put off. Inner needed a reason to swallow her pride, something more physical than the intangibility of love fighting against the equally indefinable emotion of pride. As she was, she didn't even know if she wouldn't give herself to him anyway, even if he lost.
She couldn't worry about that now. The headmaster's office was unmistakably empty, but she had no idea where to look for such a priceless item. The room was dark and foreboding, and exuded character she would have normally found rather pleasant. As it was, she was too busy worrying about being expelled were she to be found rummaging through one of a Dark Lord's personal spaces.
Placing the papers on his desk, the first place she looked was the drawers, where nothing but a few unique odds-and-ends caught her eye. Not about to tarry in any place for too long, she quickly moved on, but each spot revealed less than the last. She was careful to make sure everything was in the same place she found it originally, but she was growing more nervous and frustrated by the second.
"If I was a priceless artifact, where would I be?"
"Probably in the hands of my owner, would I not?" a dark voice answered for her, and she squealed in a very un-vampire-like way. Whirling around like she was spring-loaded, her worst fears were confirmed when she saw the Exorcist standing calmly in one of the black corners of the room. The whip Belmont was coiled in one of his hands, and his strange eyes seemed to burn into her even in the darkness of the space. "Looking for this, child?" he asked as he held up the item in question.
"N-N-N-N-No!" she answered quickly, trying very much to look like she hadn't been caught with her hand in the rhetorical cookie jar.
"Oh? May I inquire as to what you were doing by searching through my office then?"
Fear settled in her stomach even though his tone was nothing if not lighthearted. He seemed to be enjoying setting her off-balance, and she knew there was no way to lie to the master of Youkai Academy in his own domain. She sighed wearily. "I…was looking for Belmont."
The man hidden beneath his robes chuckled, and she was sure he was disappointed his game had been brought to an end so soon. "Was that so hard? I can only assume the reason you would be looking for the item able to release you from the rosary's effects. It wouldn't happen to involve a certain fledgling member of your race, would it?"
Inner Moka grit her teeth. He was playing with her, and he knew it. He just wanted to hear her say it.
"Here. Let's find out straight from the horse's mouth." Just like that he placed Belmont in her hands, and the seal was disregarded instantly. The elegant vampiress took her place as the rightful owner of her body and stood before the Dark Lord with anger smoldering in her bright scarlet eyes, but he only chuckled again. "Such hostility could only mean I'm correct."
She barred her fearsome fangs, though she wasn't willing to act out against the man who had saved Tsukune's life. "Now that this has happened, I have one more thing I need to teach him," she answered without missing a beat, and the barrier master raised an eyebrow.
"Is that what they're calling it these days?"
Even she felt the flush wanting to rise up her neck, and she fought it down vigorously. "Your humor is not appreciated."
"I thought it was rather ingenious myself, seeing that you were so brazenly risking expulsion for young Tsukune-kun."
She glared at him. "Since it seems you know as well as I do what I want it for, why do you insist on playing these word games?"
"Because I would rather not give the hospital staff even more work than they already have," he replied pointedly. "Just yesterday our young friend sent ten mid to high class monsters to the infirmary, and his tally for today is already nearing the double digits, though I suppose your sister can take the blame for some of those. I find it truly remarkable how his reputation is still top-notch, but then again his habit of not fighting back unless provoked must be responsible for that. Even among monsters, he's a rather interesting case, isn't he?"
Her hard eyes softened only slightly. "That he is. For them to know he's a vampire and still see him no differently than he was before…only Tsukune would be able to do that."
He nodded simply. "Perhaps it's because of his humble origins? One with too much pride cannot sympathize with the masses, but a pauper turned prince would still be able to."
The blow to her arrogance was plain as day, and she almost winced at the truth in his frank tone. "Perhaps."
The Exorcist grinned enigmatically at her, and she got the same feeling in her stomach as when she was listening to Ruby. "You can't bring yourself to say it, can you? You vampires have always been an interesting lot, but your interactions with humans were always more fascinating because of that." He chuckled, as if reliving memories. "But back to the point. I will be willing to lend Belmont to you for this last 'session' of yours, but there are some conditions."
The silver-haired vampire nodded. "I expected as much."
"I would rather not have two S-class monsters fighting on school grounds, so if I might suggest a change in location…"
A pale eyebrow rose questioningly.
When they were done discussing the terms of the loan, the vampiress left his office with a wave of her metallic hair. The headmaster merely chuckled as he watched her go, and Lilith flew up from the flaps of his robes. The spirit of the Lilith Mirror giggled wildly as she watched the vampire go, and shook her head pitifully.
"What a pathetic creature. Her pride is respectable, but I can see her true desires. She was fortunate those years ago, that her pride still held sway over her other wishes. I would love to see her face reflected in my mirror now."
Her master laughed quietly. "Now now, Lilith," he chided mockingly. "She simply doesn't know any other way to deal with her attraction. I have to admit, it will be a rather amusing match to watch, won't it?"
The fairy laughed again. "Amusing? There's so much sexual tension between them it can't be anything but!"
He sighed finally as he sank down into his large chair. "If things keep going the way they have been, the goal of this school may actually be reachable. I never expected the first ties to be made with a vampire no less.
"Tsukune-kun, for all your cowardice you were a rather frightening human, full of the chivalry and valor waning in your race. I can only imagine what you will accomplish now."
V^^^V
When Tsukune Aono awoke he felt surprisingly better, though not entirely rested. After looking at the clock on the wall when he realized where he was, he figured out that was a good thing. If he hadn't woken up when he did, he might not have been able to get to sleep again that night. His rest had been mercifully dream free, though he felt soft warmth through much of it. While not something he could explain, he definitely wasn't about to complain about it. It had felt wonderful.
His neck had a painfully tight cramp in it and his arms were both numb, but that was rectified easily enough. When his arms finally had blood flowing to them again he stretched tiredly, flashing his gleaming fangs as he yawned widely. "Wow. That felt really good. I wonder if any of the others came by while I was sleeping?"
"Nope. I cancelled club for today. Wasn't like there was much to write about anyways," Ruby said as she walked into his field of vision. Since his nerves were finally calm after the rest, he didn't jump like he had before, thankfully.
He looked at her warily. "Were you here…the entire time?"
The witch giggled. "It was only a couple of hours. Besides, I had work to do anyway, so I would have been here regardless. You were a nice addition to the scenery though."
Heat suffused his cheeks. Not knowing how to respond to the compliment, his brain went to another concern to get his mind off it. "Oh, right! I still need to see Kokoa-chan today! I need some of her herbal capsules!"
At that the headmaster's aide's eyes lit up, like she had just remembered something very important. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I forgot! I'm so sorry, Tsukune-san!"
He cocked his head to the side in confusion, and he responded with the ever-elegant, "Huh?"
She went over to the lockers on one of the sides of the room and opened the one she had claimed, pulling out a large plastic bag filled with what would look like drugs to the untrained eye. The tablets were pretty large, but they certainly didn't smell dangerous. "The headmaster gave me these for you yesterday, I just forgot to get them to you. I've also got your new room assignment for you!"
That startled him. "Why do I get a new room?"
"Because there are no baths in the shower rooms of the dorms," she explained like it was the simplest thing ever. "The women's dormitory has a couple in their shower area, but even so some rooms have been designed with their own bathrooms. Kokoa-san and Moka-san have ones, for example. You'll still have a kitchenette to make your own food, but your own bathroom would be pretty necessary, since we can't very well filter all of the water through the academy with herbal supplements."
Tsukune's ears burned. "R-Right. Makes sense."
"I'm really sorry, Tsukune-san. I should have remembered yesterday when you told us about you splashing water on your face!"
He rubbed the back of his head, his face now completely red. "I-It's okay. My fault for not asking really."
Ruby pouted, but made no further argument. "Well, since I'm done I might as well show you to your new room. I can even help you move in some of your stuff if you want to!"
The young vampire almost choked. "N-No, that's fine. I don't have very much stuff, it won't take me long."
She eyed him skeptically. "If you say so. Alrighty, let's get going!"
V^^^V
The walk to the dorm was startlingly pleasant. He had almost forgotten how nice it was to talk to any one of his friends by themselves. Whenever they were all together things usually degenerated into some kind of mock brawl, and it was nice to just talk without being jumped by one, or all, of them. Of course, things hadn't been without incident, but one punch had dealt with that quickly enough. Ruby had sighed and sent a message to the hospital, but they went on their way easily enough afterwards. It was almost scary how smoothly he had gotten used to being challenged.
She had been surprised by how honest he had been; his room really was scarcely decorated. He had the essentials, and a few more gifts he had been given over the course of his time there, but most everything he had could be fit into one large suitcase. Nevertheless, she had demanded she help, and so grudgingly the two made their way to his new room.
It really wasn't that much different from his old room, other than the fact that it was bigger to allow for the full bathroom built in to one of the sides. Soon enough he was all set up, and Ruby took silent joy in the way she was the first one alone in his new room with him.
He flopped down onto his new mattress with a heavy sigh. "You know, I'm glad you talked me into letting you help. That was harder than I thought it would be."
Ruby laughed as she sat down beside him, and feeling the bed shift with the added weight, Tsukune shot upright with a blush once more coating his ashen cheeks. "I told you I was happy to help. Order me around however you like!"
Tsukune could feel the beginnings of sweat gathering at the back of his head. "I could have gone without hearing you say that."
She was the one that blushed that time, and fiddled with her various belts nervously. "Whoopsie, sorry…" The silence after that was rather awkward, and neither of them really liked that seeing as how the entire day had been so companionable before.
As if on cue, his stomach gurgled noisily. The discomfort was broken instantly as they both laughed at the unexpected noise, and he scratched the side of his neck nervously. He really needed to start paying better attention to his body. As a vampire, it could be hazardous to his health, but more importantly, the health of others.
"I may not be the best cook, but my master did teach me how to make some things. It'll be a good chance for me to show you how to use the herbal tablets as well. How about it?"
"I couldn't possibly intrude any—" His stomach cut him off again with a fierce growl, and he gave a longsuffering sigh. The thirst was definitely back, and some food would do him good. He couldn't wait until it died down to Moka's level, where she could feed once in the morning and be good with food for the rest of the day. "If you wouldn't mind."
Her feminine giggle made his skin tingle. "I already told you, didn't I? I'm sure Moka-san will be teaching you soon enough, so think of this as a…room-warming present!"
He couldn't help but laugh.
Her company was something he had never really spent an extended period of time in, at least not outside of that one day of training way back when. When her masochistic tendencies weren't at the forefront she was amazingly mature companionship, and they were able to talk almost the entire time they were preparing the meal. He learned the proper ratio of tablets to water, and was surprised by the potency of such a small capsule. He felt himself gravitating to her neck more than once, but he was able to control the urge much better now that he had a nap under his belt.
She smelled like sunflower seeds roasted in the sun and wild incense, likely from her study of her heritage's art. The more time passed the more he didn't know if he was smelling the food they were making or the delicious scent her body was giving off, but both were equally appealing. The witch gasped when she felt the soft skin of his nose and lips rubbing carefully down her neck, and she blushed brightly at the close contact even though she knew what he was really after. "As much as I'd like you to, you'd spoil your supper," she joked breathily, and the groan issued from deep in his chest had her thighs throbbing.
He pulled himself away guiltily, ashamed that even after all of his control he still hadn't been able to resist smelling the source up close. He licked his lips hungrily, taking in one last inhalation of her natural aroma. For all he fancied himself a peacekeeper, being a vampire around five women like them was absolute torment. He spoke before he could stop himself, something deep from the core of his long repressed urges. "Dessert then."
Ruby almost swooned right there. She had always imagined what he would sound like if he didn't ask her for something and instead told her, but nothing could have prepared her for the gravelly purr of his power-infused voice. The shiver that rocked through her went from the tips of her hair to the bottom of her toes, and she took a great, shuddering breath in to steady herself. "Sounds good to me," she croaked.
Trying to shake himself free of the trance her scent seemed to have on his body, Tsukune looked back at the food simmering on the modest oven. "When did you learn to cook for vampires anyway?"
Recognizing what he was trying to do, she pushed down the lust now simmering just as hot as the stove. "O-Oh, I hoped something like this might happen someday, so I read up on it. You vampires are a very secretive species, but the headmaster has plenty of scrolls and tomes dating way back, so as his assistant I'm granted a bit of leniency in the area. Besides, it's really not all that different from regular cooking, you just need to be careful about what kind of water you use."
Tsukune was shocked she had thought so far ahead. "W-Wow, I don't know what to say…"
She smiled warmly. "'Thank you?'"
Blood rushed to his face. "Thank you."
Conversation at dinner was the same it had been the entire day, and he had to admit though she certainly didn't look it, Ruby was a surprisingly capable cook. Then again, he supposed she would have to be. Her parents had died when she was young, and it had only been her and her master for the longest time. She would have needed to learn to cook if she wanted to survive.
For the first time since he had turned, Tsukune actually felt good about himself. The day had started out horrible, but it had redeemed itself quite nicely from afternoon to evening. When he pushed his plate away the thirst had been curbed substantially, and he could also be glad he would be able to take a bath before he went to bed.
"Thank you again, Ruby-san. You made this day worthwhile," he sighed out contently.
The urge to rub her legs together had been nigh impossible to ignore over supper, and she bit her bottom lip as the itch assaulted her again. Forget handsome, Tsukune's vampire form gave Inner Moka's beauty a run for its money, and the small smile playing upon his pale lips was more than enticing. "Y-You're welcome. Did you still want some blood?"
His deep crimson eyes honed in on her intensely, and she gulped. "I always want blood. It's just easier to ignore sometimes."
Flicking her long hair to one side, she exposed the neck covered partially by the top of her usual shirt's choker. "Help yourself."
He nodded solemnly before edging over to where she sat at the other side of the table. Her posture was perfect for the pillow she was sitting on, and he shifted himself behind her to once again inhale her natural perfume. She shivered as his hard body pressed itself to her back, and her hands bunched themselves in her skirt. She had seen firsthand what his bites had done to Mizore and Kurumu, but what he did before was just as stirring, if not more so. She would have to see.
God damn, when did Tsukune-san become so sensual?! she wailed mentally as she felt him trail up her neck slowly, like he was surveying a fine wine. Her skin was tightening in anticipation, readying itself for a completely different act, but when he bit her it made no difference.
There was a small amount of pain, just enough for her to be able to recognize it, but then the pleasure overrode her mind. The mixture, the inability to tell the two apart, had her breathless in his hold. Her mouth went dry as her body paradoxically sent moisture elsewhere, and the fiery itch evaporated in the all-consuming inferno burning through her every vein.
It was over too soon, and when she felt him licking her neck to clean it of the remnants of her own blood, her stiff body collapsed in on itself. He caught her easily as she slumped backwards into him, and he quickly carried her over to his bed. "R-Ruby-san! Are you all right? I didn't take too much did I?"
She smiled widely, almost drunkenly, as she listened to his panicked voice, and slipped a finger over his lips to quiet him. Casting her glazed pink eyes on him, she whispered, "I know why Mizore-san and Kurumu-san are willing to take turns now."
"W-What?"
She smiled again as she stretched like a contented cat before pushing herself upright. "Nothing, nothing at all. Feel free to come to me whenever you want an evening snack, I'll be more than happy to oblige."
He just scratched the side of his head. "O-Okay."
"Or a midnight snack for that matter," she purred. His whole body flashed scarlet, and she laughed, though she wasn't really kidding. "Today was really nice. I hope we can do it again sometime."
That time he smiled back. "Yeah." He cursed himself inwardly as he realized that once again something had gone too far, and the lines he had strictly set up were blurring even more. Ever the gentleman, he couldn't just let her go. "Do you want me to walk you back to the girl's dorms?"
Pink dusted itself over her cheeks lightly before she reached over and grabbed her wand. "N-No, that's okay. I think I can get away with flying back tonight." She only wanted to walk as much as she had to, it would be rather…uncomfortable, otherwise. "And I can only imagine what Kurumu-san and the others would do to me if they found out where I had been!" He joined her in laughing about that. It was so true it was almost sad.
"I'll see you tomorrow then."
She nodded as he helped her off the bed, and she stunned him seconds later by giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Hehe, couldn't resist. Goodnight, Tsukune-san."
He held his cheek, dumbstruck. "…Goodnight."
She skipped out the door happily, and he had almost recovered when her head popped back in. "Unless you want me to wash your back for you?" His skin turned so bright it matched his eyes, and she laughed. "Alrighty then, goodnight!"
His door closed, and he slumped to his bed. "I am so screwed."
He really wanted that bath now. After making all the necessary preparations, he sank into the water gratefully, more than happy at finally being able to wash himself again. For the time being at least, he could allow himself to forget his troubles.
But tomorrow would come soon enough.
V^^^V
The next day, the sound of hard soles clacking satisfyingly on the ground resounded through the schoolyard, and people turned and stared at the oncoming female. Mouths dropped and men stared, and cold ruby eyes kept anyone from approaching. Her elegant hair waved dispassionately in the mild breeze, and the sun gleamed from her alabaster complexion.
Five people in particular watched her come with a sense of foreboding building in their bodies, but one of them, the one her eyes were trained on, felt two different emotions rise up. They were polar opposites, yet two sides of the same coin, just a breath away from each other. Love and anger.
The vampire Moka Akashiya stood in all her graceful beauty before her group of friends, her eyes focused solely on the man who shared her appearance. No skirt adorned her body, no standard issue uniform sullied her appearance. This time she looked like a warrior. Tight cotton leggings were secured over her toned legs, with brown leather cross-stitches keeping the black fabric intact running down the sides. Her plain white shirt was accentuated frightfully with a form-fitting black bodice, and her bust was made all the more prominent because of that. Hard leather boots were on her feet, and all in all she struck a commanding presence, even more so than usual with the whip Belmont in hand.
"Come Tsukune, I have one more thing to teach you."
It looked like what he had said yesterday wasn't just metaphorical.
It had been a prophecy.
"I am so screwed."
V^^^V
.
Author's Notes: Wow, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I think the writers of R+V have downplayed what Ruby has gone through to focus more on her fetishist side for comedic relief, and I don't really like that. She's a mature individual that's dealt with more than much of the characters, and honestly I think her attraction to Tsukune is well-founded. Though Kurumu has the largest heart among them, her origin in the series was probably the least thought out. Really, she brought Inner Moka upon herself by trying to seduce Tsukune for her own selfish goals, and he simply saved her because he's a good person able to see the good in others. Of course, her character has developed radically over the course of the manga, and she's now a beloved character that I would never badmouth any more than this. Still, he saved Ruby's life in more ways than one, to the point where it actually looked like he didn't save her at one point in time. Out of all of them, I think I might like how Ruby was brought into the story the best.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or just want to talk, send me a line. I wouldn't object to you filling in that review box either.
'Til next time!
Sabr