Here In My Arms

by Platinumsabr

(AU) What laid in wait past Anti-Thesis? A choice. What lay in wait past the choice? Consequences. A future...with who? Decisions, decisions, some not up to me, show me the truth, what I'm meant to be... (Rated M for adult content)

17. Homecoming

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^^ Homecoming ^^V

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A yawn was the largest sign of life that had been seen in one particular room for the better part of twenty-four hours, other than the occasional snore or shift in sleeping position. Arms still growing in adolescence stretched mightily from under haphazardly arranged blankets, and eventually Yukari Sendou's dark violet eyes fluttered open. Rubbing the crust from those eyes, the teen was shocked when her highly intelligent mind registered the fact that she wasn't in an ungodly amount of discomfort. Mizore and Kurumu had been very…enthusiastic in physically training both her and Ruby, and though there had been benefits already—more of which she knew would take some time to come—the price had been the health of her poor, underdeveloped muscles. If she kept up the training regimen she had been doing though, they certainly wouldn't be underdeveloped for much longer.

Be that as it may, she had been in pain for the better part of the two weeks they had been enhancing her nonexistent physical prowess, both in strength and flexibility, so she was more than slightly confused by the pain's sudden disappearance. Not that she was complaining, but something about the entire situation just seemed…off. Risking a glance over at the archaic clock on Ruby's wall, the young witch bolted upright when she saw it read well past noon. Some might have thought midnight initially, but if the sun coming in through the blinds was any indication it definitely meant post-meridiem. This might have not been so surprising if the black and white duet hadn't taken cruel glee in forcing their students awake so the majority of the day could be spent in their exercises.

She briefly wondered if this was just an equally cruel dream her subconscious was playing on her as she slept, and when she woke up it would again be too early for her tired body. One pinch took care of that. Looking around, the reason why she hadn't been awakened early was answered when she saw her two teachers—and tormentors—still sleeping on their futons. In fact, she was the first one up!

"I think I'm in a parallel universe or something," the pubescent teen muttered under her breath as she threw off her covers. Throwing a towel over her shoulder, she thought it best to use the time to her advantage. She hadn't had a nice long shower to do anything other than lessen the ache of her growing body ever since vacation started. Now she could change that, and oh was she was going to enjoy it.

The dorm was practically deserted as she made her way to the bathrooms, which suited her just fine. Witches had been gaining respect among the students ever since Ruby had become the headmaster's assistant, but it wasn't like views had changed overnight. There were still more than a few that looked down on the boundary beings, but she had learned not to care and actually mean it, not dwell on it inside. Her beloved Tsukune had once been human, and had faced prejudice that had threatened his very life. He was her beacon of light in a sense when it came to change, and she would never forget what he and Moka had done for her. The mumbles of those around her were pointless to her, she had something they would never have, and that was all she needed.

Casting a wink to herself in one of the mirrors, she stepped into the curtained area of a shower and stripped before allowing the gloriously hot water to massage her soft skin. She was part of a family that would never let her down, that counted on her to watch their backs. She was loved regardless of what she was, and the only thing that annoyed her was she couldn't show it until she was older. Her old Grow Drops invention had come to mind too often for her to count, just begging her to perfect its flaws and taste the fruits of what was forbidden to her now, yet she had held off on the temptation. It aged her body, there was no doubt of that, but it wouldn't change Tsukune's view of her. He cared for her, she knew that much, but she was still only thirteen years old.

Her body was changing, slowly but surely, just like every other person's did through those years of life. Puberty sucked, but in her mind it was only a stepping-stone to what she wanted, so she was all too happy to endure it. The sooner she was older the better. For now, she had accepted the fact that she would have to wait for her precious vampires to love her in that way. She would enjoy what was left of her younger years while she could.

Plus, it wasn't like she couldn't get a certain succubus to 'share the wealth.' That dream still made her tingle.

She giggled deftly.

Tsukune would have a coronary if he knew about that.

No, she was perfectly content for now. They had started calling each other by just their names, and allowed her to do the same even though she was so much younger than them! She would work hard to become the woman she knew she could be, a woman better than even her Grow Drops had shown she could become. She would defend her family proudly, and when the day came that she could give her body to them, she would do so with no regrets, as the woman that had waited for her vampires. No sooner, no later.

Thinking like that always brought a smile to her face, and this time was no different. Giddy with fresh energy from an amazing sleep and her first truly enjoyed shower in two weeks, Yukari very nearly skipped down to her room for a change of clothes. She wasn't thrilled about having to wear the unflattering track suit students were given, but skirts were by no means advantageous to a training environment. She was humming a cheery tune to herself as she shimmied into her pants when she took a look over at her alarm clock, her modern alarm clock, unlike Ruby's decorative antique one. Of course, that meant it had the wonderful feature of showing the month and day in a small corner off to the side.

Yukari Sendou paled. Was she anyone else she might have screamed too, or at least done a gurgling double-take. Actually, she did do the latter, as well as check every known source of time in the near vicinity as fast as possible, which only confirmed her clock's message.

She had been asleep for a little over twenty-four hours.

A whole day! Have we all been out for that long? How have we been out for that long?!

Her mind spiraled with possibilities, most revolving around an impossible theory that involved hibernation and excessive muscle damage, but there was the one floating around that suggested something of the more…induced variety. Since there were only two people that were capable of something like that among their group—she being one of them—that left a grand total of one person who could spike something of theirs with the requisite potion. Well, technically there were three people that might have the knowledge to pull something like that off, but considering Kurumu was more likely to blow herself up alchemizing anything other than love drugs or aphrodisiacs, there was really only one suspect to consider.

While she couldn't deny the restorative additives that she was actually quite grateful for, the teenage witch was more than a bit peeved that her older counterpart had found it fit to do it under their noses. It was ingenious if she was being honest, because by adding the healing supplements it made sure they would sleep until their bodies were back to peak condition, which also hastened their muscle growth at the same time. It was the only explanation for why she was suddenly back to full health. Why she chose to do it without consulting her was what had her confused and angry. She would have been more than willing to go along with it had she been informed beforehand! It was a great idea after all, and she had nothing against those. In fact, she didn't know why she hadn't thought of it. It was perfect for what they were trying to accomplish.

The more important thing she was worrying about was what Ruby had to gain by putting the rest of her friends into a temporary coma. There was no reason to! Well, she might have wanted some time to recover, and Yukari could understand that completely. If what she had been feeling was anything like what her body had been going through, she understood very well. Had Tsukune not been in a separate dimension she might have had motive, but the door to Paradise had been locked to prevent those that might try to get in from their side. Tsukune could open it from the inside of course, but the only ones who could open it from outside were the headmaster and…

The genius suddenly felt terrible for her friend. Moka's not going to be too happy if Ruby did what I think she did…

It had become increasingly obvious that their resident pink-haired vampiress was feeling the strain from being away from her blood-mate for so long. That was best shown in how Kokoa was the one sporting more than a few bruises at the ends of their sessions now, rather than the opposite as had been the case before. The way Moka had starting throwing herself into their spars as the days progressed had delighted the younger sibling at first, but it soon became apparent that there was more behind her blows than simply a desire to get stronger. Kokoa's seriousness had increased with the onset of that—she wasn't going to let such wonderful passion for battle go to waste—and their spars were looking less like training and more like real gladiatorial matches, which said something of Moka's growing prowess. It was more like she was relearning things she already knew than learning something new completely, so that probably explained it.

The fact remained that the absence of Tsukune—and likely his blood—was grating on the woman's nerves. Mizore and Kurumu didn't even try to hide it like she did, but they didn't have to go to blood packs now that he wasn't among them. The probability of the vampiress not reacting well to the likelihood of Ruby visiting Tsukune by herself was higher than one might think as a result.

An evil grin spread on Yukari's face. If I have to wait so long for my turn, I think some punishment is in order for someone who can't control themselves like I can. She giggled maniacally as she made her way back to the room they were all staying in. Sneaking in through the door as stealthily as she could, that smile stayed in place when she saw the others were still sleeping. Now, time to test this theory…

Surprisingly, that didn't take long at all. As soon as she moved the other witch's blanket down below her neck she was given irrefutable proof of acts better left unknown to a thirteen year old mind. The slightly discolored skin more commonly referred to as a hickey stood out plainly on her neck, and if that wasn't enough there were others that could be seen…before they disappeared under the fabric of her nightshirt. Where they were going was all too clear.

Tsukune you bad, bad boy, she thought with another giggle. That turned to a heavy gulp when she noticed they clearly weren't the only marks that had been left on the older woman's body, some just barely visible from under her pajamas, and all hinting towards different carnal acts. The evil grin returned as she carefully reached over and traced one of the hickeys on her neck, and the elder witch hummed happily in whatever dream she was having.

"Hehe…Tsukune…not there…" she mumbled sleepily, but instead of moving away she turned into the contact, exposing more of herself from under the covers. "So good…"

Yukari had to force herself not to burst out laughing. If there had been any doubt, any doubt at all, there wasn't any now. Doing her best to keep under control, she thought of the best way she could take advantage of the situation. If she was dreaming…

"Have you waited long, Ruby?" she whispered into the sleeping woman's ear, not even bothering to keep the smile out of her voice.

"Mmhmm," the drowsy response came, "so long. I waited…as long as I could…but it was so hard… I could never…never be alone with you. Busy…always busy. Not fair…"

And now she just felt terrible. Truth be told the exhausted witch had a point, and she knew it. She had waited a long time for anything to happen between them, especially since there was no annoying age-difference hindering anything that could happen. With all of their friends constantly around and her own responsibilities as overall go-to person in the school, time just between them was…nonexistent, now that she thought about it. She could hardly fault her for finally taking things into her own hands when the chance presented herself; she would do the same if she was in her shoes!

Too bad she hadn't noticed the emerald eyes that popped open when Tsukune's name passed the other woman' lips.

"Ruuuuuuubyyyyyyyy…" a new voice crooned, sickeningly sweet from over her shoulder.

That voice snapped the sorceress awake in an instant. Hesitantly looking to the side, Yukari was doing her best to fade into the wall while Moka stood before her bed, cracking her knuckles. The tick developing over her eye couldn't be healthy. She gulped. "Um…yes…?" she croaked.

"Did you go see Tsukune…without me?"

Another gulp answered at first, this one heavier than the last. "Um…yes?" She had thought only Inner Moka could project such a potent aura of doom when she didn't like an answer, but she was being proven wrong. Very wrong. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

The smile she received wasn't very comforting.

"Let's see…have you had to ache for a touch you knew, not a touch you imagined, week after week? Has your body literally throbbed to sink its teeth into a perfection it knows nothing else can compare to? Have you had to resort to tasteless, LIFELESS blood bags just so you could get up in the morning, knowing he wouldn't be there? Have you had an inner voice nattering in your ear as much as it could, so freaking deep in withdrawal you start getting fantasies when you should be getting instructions? I'm past my three-week limit and I've still got two more to go! The only reason I haven't made you bust down that door for me is I know Tsukune wouldn't want me to!" Her normally kind eyes glinted with manic light, and poor Ruby could only scamper into the corner of her bed facing the wall. "I believe the phrase I'm looking for here is: any last words?"

'Mommy' came to mind. She could always take the high road, maybe save herself some suffering…

"I regret nothing!"

Or maybe not.

Just as she thought, it hurt, it really hurt, but only after Moka had been able to stop laughing.

V^^^V

When everyone was up at last and Yukari had shared her—confirmed—hypothesis with them all, feelings of sympathy were in short supply. It wasn't that they didn't feel bad for the witch, it was just that they all wished they had been able to do the same thing. Well, Kokoa felt bad for the woman at least, likely because she was the only one in the room that didn't want to jump Tsukune at a moment's notice. Maybe she was just better at hiding it. None of them cared to find out right then.

Mizore and Kurumu had shared Moka's jealousy but they could only bow to the cunning employed by their elder. Most of Moka's frustration was spawned from her lack of preferred blood, which was only multiplied by her very physical longing. That both were from the same source made an already bad problem so much worse. Still, all had vowed never to get on Moka's bad side when in such a state. It was plain scary.

"I didn't think that position was humanly possible…" Mizore muttered in awed horror, blinking dazedly beside her duet partner.

"I'd agree with you, but since it's right in front of us…" Kurumu answered as she fought to keep her jaw from dangling. Yukari was looking rather pale off to their side, and Moka looked weathered but otherwise pleased with herself as she stood in front of the other witch's bed.

"She had it coming," the vampiress responded simply as she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled in satisfaction.

"Those ropes look…uncomfortable," the snow woman stated hesitantly.

"She didn't want to stay still!"

"What happened to her clothes?" the succubus dared ask. The longer she looked, the more oddly erotic the picture became.

"She didn't want to stay still!"

"So…the handcuffs?"

"See above."

"And the ball gag?" the ice maiden queried.

"It started to sound like she was enjoying it too much."

"Are those clothes pins?" the blue-haired woman inquired in veiled fear.

"Hence the ball gag."

"Where did you find this stuff?!" the two cried at once as they upped Outer Moka's position on their 'people not to piss off' list.

"Her closet," the pinkette replied flippantly.

They almost fell flat on their faces standing straight up. For some reason, that didn't surprise them one bit.

V^^^V

When her punishment was deemed finished, their assistant club advisor was freed—barring a promise to stay away from Paradise for the remainder of Tsukune's training of course. It went without saying that Moka hadn't been upset about her senior getting a taste of what Tsukune could offer behind closed doors—she had reconciled herself to that a long time ago—but she had been more than a bit angry that she had effectively knocked them all out to do so. She had to admit she did feel pretty good as a result of the concoction, but the least the other woman could have done was let her come along! That was most of the reason right there.

Ruby sat on her bed, newly showered, and popped some joints back into place with a content sigh. The lingering discomfort of her heated bouts with their lover had been reemphasized, but overall she certainly wasn't going to complain. She hurt, in many, many places, but it wasn't anything she couldn't live through. Stripping her towel without the slightest bit of shame, the witch sashayed naked to her armoire, proudly displaying her body to the rest of her family. Who was she to care if they saw her sans clothing? It was bound to happen sooner or later, so she decided to skip the pretenses. It also gave her a wonderful thrill, but she wouldn't tell them that anytime soon.

Kurumu and Yukari whistled appreciatively as she walked by and Mizore and Moka actually laughed, though naturally none of the light bruises and scrapes on her had gone unnoticed. Tossing them a devilish smirk from over her shoulder, she pulled on one of her softer undergarments and another of her raggedy skirts before tugging a light long-sleeved shirt over her impressive chest. Normally she wouldn't wear something so conservative, but in case she had to go outside her room she didn't want everyone else to see her reminders of Tsukune-induced bliss.

"He sure did a number on you, didn't he?" the charm mistress asked playfully as she admired the witch's physique. She knew some succubae that would find it hard to beat the older woman's body tone, but the same could be said of most of the women in their group, with the exclusion of Kokoa and Yukari. For now.

The aide sat down on her bed gingerly, just barely resisting the smile that wanted to break out at the memory of what had caused her need to do that. "And what a number it was," she replied with matching mischievousness. "I almost didn't recognize him. Whatever Rei-chan's doing with him, boy is it ever working. He's becoming a real threat over there; you can see it in him! God, he's just so…" She shivered in place, licking her suddenly dry lips with perhaps too much intent.

The pinkette of their group swallowed heavily, trying without success to fight off her newly-reignited imagination. "So he's doing alright?" she asked nervously.

Her answering grin radiated lust. "He's more than alright, Moka. He'd look no worse for wear at all if his clothes healed the same way he did!" She laughed there as she enjoyed the image that sentence recalled. "He said his shoes were a lost cause in just a couple of days, his pants are mostly shorts, and he's stopped wearing shirts altogether! Destruction to wardrobe aside, it's a great look for him if I do say so myself! Gotta love the wild…" The same dazed look came over all of them at the same time, including—as much as she would later deny it—Kokoa.

"Tarzan Tsukune ~desu! I wanna see, I wanna see!" Yukari cried in excitement, not that any of the others were about to blame her.

"You'll have to wait until he comes back, just like the rest of us," Moka said pointedly as she glared at one of their members in particular, who looked away bashfully in turn.

"Phooey!"

It garnered some much-needed laughter in the tense group, and finally things were less strained when they had stopped.

Sensing a change of topic was needed if she wanted to keep what little sanity she had left, the older vampiress among them attempted to steer them back on course. "So what are we going to do today?"

"The same thing we do every day, Pinky," Yukari replied with a huge grin. "Try to take over the world!"

The only thing they could do to that was laugh until it hurt to breathe.

"Oh man," Kurumu coughed with her own huge smile in place, "I needed that!" Stretching her arms above her head with a satisfied sigh, the succubus looked up thoughtfully. "And as for what to do, I doubt Ruby's gonna be able to do any training today." She knew that from experience. "Kokoa and Moka can do what they want, but unless you want to train with me and Mizore by yourself Yukari, I don't know."

"Actually," the subject of Moka's earlier ire started sagely, "I have a few ideas. Well, most are Tsukune's ideas, but I think they're worth looking into." That had everyone's attention in a hurry, which Ruby had to smile at. "I might have had an ulterior motive, but I also dropped by to give Tsukune a magic book with most of the basics. We might have a vampire well on his way to becoming a magus when he comes back, and he gave me some things to think on too."

With that Yukari truly looked hurt. "Y-You gave him a book of spells w-without me…?"

The older witch quickly hugged her younger equivalent, lest she get the wrong idea. "I just gave him a starter book with a focus, I wouldn't dream of teaching him without you there."

"B-But what if he gets hurt?!"

"Rei-chan might be more magical than either of us," she answered simply. "She would know if something was going to go wrong. Besides, the stuff I wrote down for him is really just the basics of the basics. It's to give him the language and some theory to work on, so we'll have an easier time getting him to understand the more difficult things later on. It's more of a pronunciation guide than anything. I only gave him a few actual spells to try. When he comes back we can exchange the notebook inside the book-cover focus I made for one more advanced, and when he has that one down increase the difficulty again, and so on and so forth."

That brightened the other girl's outlook considerably, and she clasped hard to the lovely aide. "I never should have doubted you ~desu!"

"So what kind of ideas could he have given you?" Mizore questioned honestly. She had seen many times the sheer power magic could have, not to mention Yukari's various magical machines, but for someone with no prior knowledge of magic to be giving suggestions seemed farfetched.

"Nothing I didn't already know, but he made some good points about which ones Yukari and I should focus on with the time we have left. We won't finish them all, but if we can get the highest priority one done we'll be a lot more useful in a longer fight. We'll need all the strength we can get if we're going to be fighting vampires."

"But…!" Moka started instantly, then bit her lip to stop herself. She didn't want her new family to be hurt, and even vampires like Alexander would be a difficult obstacle in any kind of group. They had every right to fight beside her, but… "…I just…don't want any of you to get hurt…it's bad enough Tsukune's all but completely blocked off from his vampire abilities, at least he has Rei-chan to help him heal if anything too critical happens! If I lost him I'd die, but if I lost any of you I don't know if I'd be able to live with myself…"

Every eye in the room warmed with empathy, and she was soon wrapped in an embrace from her whole family, both old and new.

"You think we'd be any better if we lost you? Yes, I'm talking about Inner too," Kurumu whispered. "We've all changed, Moka, and we've done our hardest to make sure it's for the better. Inner Moka cried, and not just that she cried right in front of us. She cried because she was just as scared of losing Tsukune as we were, and she wasn't afraid to show us that. I knew right then that I would kill to protect your happiness, the happiness of the both of you, just like I know you'd kill to protect mine. I'm not going to allow anything to happen to you—either you—or Tsukune. We're a family, you said so yourself."

It was a sentiment shared by everyone in the room. Even Kokoa, who had once not cared if anything happened to the former human, would extend her protection to him, for his life had become bonded to her sister's, and her happiness had become his. If she could do anything to keep that joy alive, she would without fail. She knew her sister would do no less than the same for her.

As was expected, Moka broke down into tears.

They had things to do and not much time to do them, yet a vow was renewed as the group sat huddled together, sharing strength. They would be just as ready as Tsukune when he came back, and nothing, nothing, by natural or supernatural means was going to force them apart. It was time to step things up again.

No one could see the ghostly figure amongst them, or the glistening trails running down her cheeks. Even if she had to face Kahlua, even if she had to face her, she wouldn't let anything happen to her mismatched group of oddities, these strange people she could refer to as nothing less than her family. She had found her mate in the last race she would have considered, and because of him she had found a family even better than the one she had lost.

Long canines exposed threateningly to the heavens, she joined in their promise.

'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate.' The saying had never seemed more fitting. All hope abandon, ye who enter here. Nothing will take this from us.

Nothing.

V^^^V

In another dimension, Tsukune Aono found himself smiling for no reason at all. Normally that wouldn't have been so strange, but usually his smiles when he was hunting were of the more…bloodthirsty…variety. With an impressive illusion lacking even any kind of eye-contact, the monster below him soon believed it had been knocked unconscious by an inexplicably irate tree. What the damn thing was he had absolutely no idea; he had gotten used to seeing things that made Youkai Academy look downright normal in comparison!

The familiar tingle in his blood told him this was yet another mystery that contained something he could use, sadly he was under strict orders from Rei to refrain from using those extras on the same day he acquired them. The dragon took note of every hunt he completed successfully and what he felt after he was done feeding. If it was anything of worth she filed that away for future use and made sure she remembered where the monster-in-question's usual stomping grounds were. She had a memory that was quite simply frightening to comprehend. The point was: if it was something she took an interest in he found himself hunting what was left of the species the next day and draining all but what was necessary for them to survive. Not that he had anything against the tactic, or more specifically the near nonexistent thirst that was a welcomed side-effect of such a gluttonous binge, but his dreams were always worse than what he had come to expect on those days.

It was a small price to pay for the dramatic increase in potency he couldn't deny the day after such an event. Over the past couple of days Rei had even been making it easier than normal by offering him a wounded arm for him to feed from as breakfast. He never questioned her hesitance to be bitten by him. He knew it was a privilege to be allowed by any living thing to partake of their very lifeblood in the first place; he wasn't going to make a fuss over who made the initial wound.

Other than hunting, the time since Ruby had left had been spent reading his little leather book, which was to say that he and Rei both had gone over it cover to cover at least twice since its acquisition. Of course he was still struggling to wrap his mind around the different language, but the handwritten notebook protected under its leather cover told in simple detail the proper enunciation of each word and what it meant in general terms. Grammar, tenses, and even the finer points of the language were laid out in easy to understand vernacular that would help in the construction of sentences. That alone excited him, because that meant that if he actually mastered the book it would be possible for him to put together his own, albeit relatively simple, spells. The time Ruby must have spent writing each line reminded him much of what Moka had once done for him in math. It made him treasure the gift all the more.

To give further credibility to the old adage about speaking of a certain fallen angel, his familiar dropped from one of the nearby trees with aforementioned gift in hand. He suspected her memory and aptitude for learning was what had made it possible to learn his language—and English of all things—in the positively miniscule amount of time she had, and that skill was being put to use again it seemed. She, and he for that matter, hardly knew there was a language called Latin before this last week, but in so many days her tongue was already adapting to the foreign dialect. Not that he could really know if she was doing it properly, he was no expert on the subject and Ruby had only given him the basest of crash courses before she had to leave, but when Rei made some minor alterations to one of the few spells written in its entirety and had him repeat those alterations…he had stopped doubting her after that.

Why she couldn't try it out herself was simple. She couldn't use magic actively in the sense he and the witches of their group could, hers was a more subconscious domination that made nature concede to her will, sometimes mere presence, alone. It stopped her from doing the more industrious aspect of spells and magic, but her sheer might in the realm was more than enough cause for some serious trepidation. Even unsealed, he knew he would have no desire to face her as an enemy.

Contrary to the lifestyle they had held in the earlier weeks they had been getting back on a schedule, something he was more than thankful for. The lighting they had rigged in her cave was poor at best, and despite his spectacular night vision reading the words in the book wasn't easily done by torchlight. It would also help him get back into some sense of normalcy for his return to school. It might not start right away when he got back, but he doubted the others would be on the same skewed time he was. It was nice to be out in daylight again when most of his first two weeks had been under the cover of darkness, and painful to boot! He knew he probably wouldn't be able to do anything about the pain part for his remaining time in the realm, but he'd take what he could get.

"I daresay you are growing as confident with illusions as you are with your ice. 'Tis good to see, Tsukki," the dark-skinned teenager said with audible pride in her voice. Just hearing it made him want to puff out his chest a little. There was something to be said for positive reinforcement. "Did it hold anything of interest to you?"

"Not really," the young vampire responded as he walked under the shade of the tree, where his familiar was waiting. Another thing he had learned was even though his skin was still darker than most when he was sealed, it wasn't the most resistant to sunlight anymore. Sunburn had been the least of his wounds over his time in Paradise, but it was still something he'd rather avoid. Lounging back on the grass with his unconscious prey just meters away, he cast Rei a cursory glance. "So? How'd I do this time?"

His chest did puff out when she smiled at him; when she was in her taskmaster mode that was high praise. "While I suspect a true succubus gifted in illusions would easily complete such a task, I am most proud to see you no longer relying on locking their gaze."

She was honest, no one could say anything against that. At least she balanced the bad with the good. "So what should we do next, Rei-chan? There's so much we could do and just not enough hours in the day!"

The dragon chuckled as she snapped the book closed. She had enough of it to memory by now for what she needed. "There is little else I can think of that can be accomplished in planned exercises. All else you have yet to learn for your ice and illusions can only be taught by you, as you have been accomplishing admirably in the encounters thus far. 'Twas my goal to make you comfortable in their use for hunting, what you do with them in battle is up to you. If your encounter with the hyakume has taught me anything, 'tis that you are more than capable of rising to any challenge. However, I have watched you fight without me long enough. I grow tired of looking on as a mere spectator. I will admit to my former inexperience fighting in this body, but was not your intention for us to do battle together when I became comfortable enough as well? I wish to be beside you, not behind you."

"You'll always be beside me, Rei-chan, you know that," he countered instantly.

The growl that thundered deep in her throat was loud enough for her true form. "Then why do I sense doubt in your heart? Is it because my appearance does not equal the age you believe me to be?"

He panicked at the turn the conversation was taking. "N-No, god no! Jeez, I know you're just as capable of taking care of yourself as anyone else my age!"

"Then why do you fight so against me? I am your familiar, Tsukki, and all that title entails. I have waited patiently, teaching everything I know of stalking prey and honing your instincts. We have flown together; you have seen the world through my eyes, experienced that which none before you has known. I trusted you with my life from when I was no more than an egg, you trust me to keep you from falling from my back, and to catch you if ever you have need. Have I not rightfully earned my place?" Her tone was more than a bit hurt.

"…Gah, dammit!"

The next thing she knew those arms she had watched tear into monsters like so much wet paper were holding her gently, pressing her growing frame to his half-naked self. If it was ever wondered if a dragon could blush, the answer was an overwhelming affirmative. Good thing he couldn't see her face from her position.

"I spent most of my first year here getting the crap kicked out of me, I told you that," he started softly, but didn't remove his arms from her. "I was too weak to honestly protect anything, no matter how hard I tried, and I always ended up being the one protected. When the ghoul thing happened I was too busy wallowing in fear and self-pity to even consider what I had been given was a gift, and even if I was on borrowed time that at least I could use it to protect the ones I cared about. From will and no power to power and no will. I got over that, obviously, but…I don't want anything to happen to you or any of the others. This time I'm the one with power to spare, if I can protect you or anyone from being hurt by taking it myself I'd do it in a heartbeat."

She punched him in the face.

Her cheeks were practically glowing and her heart felt strangely bloated in her chest, but another part of her couldn't believe what she had just heard. "You…you overwhelming…incompetent!" He sat on the ground staring at her, literally dumbstruck as he held his throbbing cheek. Stomping over to him, she smacked him on the head with his magical focus for safe measure. Glaring hard into his eyes, he had to wonder if she was capable of illusions too, because he was sure his life had just passed through his vision. "Have you learned nothing? At times your wisdom surprises even me, and then you go and say something so incredibly stupid it addles my brain! This time away from our treasures was not all well-received I see, for you to fall back into such delusion."

She smiled then, warm and inviting and everything she hadn't been a second before. "Do you think for one moment that I, or any of our treasures, would rather see you hurt in lieu of ourselves? I can say this much with certainty: you are worth no less to us than we are to you; I swear that on our bond. In this solitude you have forgotten the burden is not yours alone, and I in my own foolishness allowed you to. You have put too much weight on your shoulders to make up for past failures, when instead you should be sharing your newfound strength with others. The power that carried you this far was not you alone, or even your mate, but the strength you found in a group that was willing to put others above themselves. Imagine how light your troubles would be if the mighty vampire relinquished the brunt back to where it belonged, and a dragon added herself to your cause? We are not alone in this endeavor, Tsukki, 'twould be folly to think otherwise."

Silence. Utter stillness. Only the leaves and grass blew in the soft breeze carried over the land, ruffling Rei's jagged hair and blowing Tsukune's long bangs over his face. He picked himself up off the ground, somehow leaving that atmosphere undisturbed to walk towards her. Dragons were only ever small for a very short period of time, but when he stood before her she was reminded acutely of his superior stature in human form. He was an intimidating specimen of a male, with scars littered across bronzed flesh toned and finessed through untold hours of blood, sweat, and tears. She knew she had nothing to be afraid of, but there was something deep inside that shivered when his silver rosary caught the light.

This was all reduced to nothing when he moved to his knees, making himself smaller than her once again and bringing his face into her view. What should she find there but one of his heart-melting smiles.

"Moka usually just gives me the heel; you, on the other hand like to make sure I feel like one instead!" he joked lightly, his carefree attitude back and sobered with trust and understanding. She laughed with him; she had to, it was the truth after all. "You're an amazing person, Rei-chan, and I'm honored to have you with me. I've shown you what I can about fighting but I only know a bit about fighting with a partner as any kind of technique, so we'll both be in pretty new territory. I'm willing if you are. Partners?"

She grinned at his outstretched hand before folding one of her darker ones into it. "Partners."

Helping him to his feet, she held out his book to him, where her grin took on a more menacing glint when he reached for it. Then, without the slightest provocation she throttled the completely unprepared vampire in the head. As he lay on the ground with his eyes spinning, his familiar appeared in his swimming vision with her smile back in place, looking for all appearances angelic in her innocence before placing the miniature book on his chest and patting his head.

"Partners we are; now you are forgiven."

He took it back. Rei could 'give' the heel just as much as Moka if she wanted to. With a groan of grudging acceptance he picked himself up and tipsily followed the smug dragon to whatever torture awaited him next.

V^^^V

As much as he should have known better, he hadn't really meant it. What that meant was Rei's next course of action was in fact close to the cruel and unusual punishment he had inwardly joked about. She had led him back to the clearing in front of their cave home, picking up any small rock she found along the way. He hadn't given it any thought at the time, but when she turned around to look at him, holding the small pile purposefully in one cradled arm, he felt cold sweat drip down the back of his neck.

"Rei-chan…what are those for?" he asked fearfully. He cringed at the sparkle that entered her eyes when he asked that. That sparkle had long become associated with pain in the near future, with him as the lucky recipient. There was also the way she was tossing one of those numerous pebbles in her free hand. The kamaitachi had been dealt with for the day, yet somehow he knew this was going to be worse. Far, far worse.

"Page one, first word: name and description," she ordered tersely.

It took a whole two seconds before he knew what she wanted, and he had just gotten the book of magic open when he had to dive to the side, where a rock flew through the space he had occupied right before.

"Rei-chan! What gives?!"

"Name and description!" she repeated as she threw another, once again forcing him into motion. "A sorcerer's weakness is commonly interpreted as their inability to adapt to physical confrontation. I shall make sure you can cast spells without restricting yourself to standing still, or worse: a singular center of attention." To prove her point, Tsukune had to jump from another projectile aimed at his person. "For every wrong answer another stone will be thrown, and if you take longer than five seconds to respond, that too earns an additional throw. As we progress your time will continue to be taken away, until I expect no less than an immediate response. You will have that book memorized by the time we return. You have a vampire's ability, I shall simply force you to use it."

Her partner mumbled a curse. He should have known better than to think anything with her would be plain, or God forbid, easy.

"First word!"

"Uh…u-um…first word…" he stuttered in a panic as he frantically steadied his page.

"Too slow!"

A piercing sting resonated from his left thigh.

"OW! Gah-damn-mother-grrrr-argh…just, argh!"

On it went, word after word, welt after welt, paper cut after paper cut. Tsukune's inhuman reflexes served him well in the makeshift do-or-die position, but he learned quickly dodging everything wasn't always the best course of action. Even if it took half a minute to answer correctly and he had escaped damage, he forgot that Rei's supply of tiny pellets was limited. The only thing to do after she ran out was grab from the ground, and she wasn't near as picky the second time around.

"Page ten, word six!"

He breezed by the shot closest to him, but with both hands free she was able to grab rocks with impunity and hurl them just as quickly. The next one caught him high in the right leg with a meaty thump and he gritted his teeth to stem his anger.

"I swear you're aiming there!"

"Incorrect!" she yelled as another was let loose on her target.

"GAH! You realize I'd like kids sometime in the future, right?!"

Rei fought back the color rising up her neck.

The next one hit him in the head.

Much evading and inarticulate expletives later and he had finally answered her latest question. "I've got a torso you know!"

"I know," she replied, with maybe too much mirth in her voice.

He glared at her. As much as he hated to admit it, it really was going to help him memorize the damn thing, if not just to see the look on her face when he turned some kind of spell back on her when she asked for a word. She didn't say it had to be just the word. He would get the little demon back if it was the last thing he did.

What he hated to admit even more was he was having fun.

V^^^V

Fortunately when Rei finally stopped, she treated it like every other training exercise they had done, allowing him time to hunt and rest before moving on to something else. Tsukune didn't know what that 'something else' would be until they were out in the clearing once again. For some reason it came as a surprise when his familiar bowed to him.

"I am in your hands, Tsukki. Just as I am your trainer, so are you my own. I look forward to fighting with you."

Despite the memory of the bruises long since healed, he couldn't find it in himself to hold any real animosity towards her. Playful animosity on the other hand... He grinned. This is going to be fun.

"Alrighty Rei-chan; well, let's go over those katas I taught you to start with…"

She had learned well from him, moving through each pose with just as much purpose but not quite as much grace. That would come in time however, he above all knew that. He had never thought himself a teacher, but for one of his family he had, and would, try. Sure he had fought beside others before, but could he actually say he knew enough about fighting with a partner that he should be the one teaching it? A smile drew across his lips when a thought occurred to him. He did know some things about it.

Yeah, that'd work, wouldn't it?

Offering her his hand, with a raised eyebrow she took it.

"Now, Rei-chan, let's go through those katas again."

She started. "B-But Tsukki, you are aware that—"

"I know we're holding hands. Come on, let's go."

It was similar to dancing, with all the missteps, awkward movements and pain that its practice entailed. They were none too fluid by any extension, and more than once did the partners find themselves tangled in their limbs. Tsukune couldn't resist the temptation the aerobics presented, and kind or not he did enjoy watching her flail to the grass following yet another grievous 'mistake' on his part. Was it petty? Extremely. Was it worth it? Her indignant squawks as she lost her footing would keep him smiling on many a rainy day in the future.

After the fourth time Rei had fallen to the ground, she looked up fast enough to see his grin. Her beautiful steel eyes narrowed. "Would you so happen to be doing this on purpose, oh wonderful partner of mine?"

He gave her a smile similar to the one she would give him in the same state. "Not all of it," he responded mischievously.

She growled through her own smile and tackled him. Pick on me will he!

Giggles and laughter floated through the air as the two rolled around, neither seriously putting forth any effort but still playing nonetheless. This continued to its inevitable conclusion, when the older and larger male finally pinned his squirming dragon-teen underneath him. Panting and laughing in tune with each other, Tsukune only realized what they must look like when he figured out the air he was breathing in was the air Rei was exhaling. With skin moist and chest heaving, it suddenly pronounced her growing figure well from under her grossly oversized clothes.

He was standing faster than Gin could sneeze.

Obviously the same thought had hit Rei shortly after his presence was removed from her, for her dark face was that much darker. The only difference was she wasn't going to lose any sleep over it. To tell the truth, she might, but it would be far from unpleasant. To see her partner breathless and sweaty over her was so close to her earlier subconscious fantasies that her pulse had increased just at the connection to them. While not unknown to her, it drove the point home that Tsukune did indeed see her as her own person, a woman for that matter, and would treat her as his morals demanded despite their already inescapable bond. To him, there was no real 'familiar.' To him, she was simply Rei, a person who just so happened to have a unique and beneficial link with him, much like the rest of their group.

"R-Rei-chan, I'm sorry—" He was cut off when a small feminine hand placed itself in his again.

"Do not fret, Tsukki. Accidents happen, as they say. Now, shall we continue?"

He smiled gratefully.

Neither fell again.

.

V^^^V

.

Ten days. Ten days, six hours, twenty-seven minutes and forty-one seconds. He had counted the time since his last foray into the realm of the conscious, where he had deemed it necessary to bide his time and wait until he could move with some amount of success before he attempted to flee. The blood bags had continued to come and with each, so did his strength. It was a slow-moving process, being with the extent of damage his body had incurred, but he was finally regaining feeling—other than pain—in his nearly crushed arm.

He had been able to move for a while, but he didn't dare make any sign of that to the staff that routinely came in to check on him. As long as they thought him helpless, things were good. The only annoying part was they seemed to have no set schedule, often popping in at the strangest of times for no readily available reason. It made a plan hard to set into motion, so he had gone with the only one he could. Slipping out unnoticed would be the best, but for that he needed to either evade everyone, or incapacitate those he encountered. At his current strength the latter would be impossible, yet not so if he could ensure a decent amount of blood before anyone else was alerted to his activities.

It wouldn't take much now. If he had access to living bodies he had little doubt he would be able to escape without much trouble. All he needed was blood. He had waited long enough, worked himself into a rage that would see the Shuzen woman his over that time, or if not that then at his feet. Her social standing may be higher than his, but that was the whole point of the arrangement, why most on her long waiting list even agreed apart from her very noticeable beauty. It was seen as an act of good faith, or perhaps a warning. He didn't know, nor did he rightfully care. She had done nothing but prolong the inevitable with his hospitalization. Eventually he would get better, or possibly word would get out about what had happened and the others would come. She was not out of the woods; it seemed better to associate their meeting as her start into the woods.

However, he hadn't expected her to be able to remove her rosary. Like many others he had assumed it to be a prison, which was why they were being granted access to her in the first place. The boy complicated matters. Had he been able to defeat him before she had regained consciousness things would have gone much differently, of that he was sure. When he returned, he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Somehow the ice-user had managed to hold his own against a vampire of his standing, and that was unacceptable. Next time there would be no pulled punches. There was a weakness he knew of now, even if that same weakness had originally complicated what the plan should have been. He just needed to exploit it. An edge was needed, and he knew just where to get it.

A sound alerted him to a new presence in the room, and he cautiously cracked open an eye to see a nurse checking the greatly depleted blood bag by his side. Flexing his muscles experimentally, he was pleased to find them more responsive than before. They had made a mistake by believing him too wounded to tie down. He was going to show them the error of that assumption, and no better time than the present. The nurse didn't even have the time to scream before the vampire had launched towards her and sunk his fangs into her neck. Any noise she might have made, and even the hand she had struggling to the emergency button just inches away, were stopped in their progress as her strength was stolen from her, until soon she slumped into his arms, unconscious.

Alexander smirked victoriously as he felt his health return, so much faster than it had been able to before. They had been purposefully hindering his recovery, there was no other explanation, and they had good reason to, for Moka's sake. He could admire them for that, but now he had things to do. Maneuvering the woman into his bed and covering her with his sheets, he found the nondescript clothes every hospital kept in their closets and discarded the embarrassing gown he had been placed in upon his admission. It was time to move.

As much as he might have gained from his latest feed, he still needed more blood. A longing glance was thrown back at the body hidden under his blankets on what had been his bed, but he knew if he took any more he would kill her. It wouldn't have been the first time, but he didn't want to bring another Dark Lord into the mix if he could help it. As long as his prey was only protected by her friends his mission was possible; he knew the aloofness of Youkai Academy's headmaster and it wasn't likely he would intervene unless something truly pertaining to his school was threatened. She might be a student, but his goal was something allowed by the girl's own father and trumped anything the headmaster might be able to claim. If he killed a faculty member, that would go out the window. He already wasn't doing himself any favors by taking their blood, but teachers and the like had been assaulted in the past and he hadn't done anything, so he could only hope the trend continued.

Moving about as stealthily as he could and ignoring the persistent throbbing of what remained of his wounds, every healthy person he came across was attacked before they knew any better and drained into an anemic sleep. It served the double purpose of silencing anyone who saw him and returning his strength, and soon enough he was walking comfortably along, all traces of his former disability gone.

Now he could leave.

V^^^V

Far away from Youkai Academy, deceptively close to another of the wormhole tunnels, his home held the same foreboding it always did, welcoming the young master back into its halls with flickering lamplight. After he had wiped the grime from his body and dressed like one of his status was expected to, he felt his confidence come back with vigor. He had failed once, but he wouldn't again. He couldn't afford to.

"And so he returns at last. Did she prove to be above your limitations, little brother?"

He stiffened at the nonchalant jab, already knowing who was behind him. "I thought you didn't care," he snapped back gruffly as he turned with a snarl.

The man leaning in his doorway shrugged, pinning him in place with his rich wine-colored eyes. "I don't. Your response tells me more than enough however. You were given an opportunity because of our family's status, not your own. To fail in this will reflect badly on us."

Alex bristled, his fangs bared threateningly. "Need I remind you, you turned down the chance? I will succeed, so either help me or get out of my way, Nii-sama."

The older vampire's appearance shone into view as the veil of darkness was scattered with the flick of a switch, revealing a man that true to form, looked like an older, more refined version of the younger male standing opposite him. The differences showed in the brightness of their hair, and while Alexander made no effort to restrain his youki, his brother made no effort to flare his. His poise projected his confidence so much better, a fact Alex had always secretly tried to imitate. It didn't help that he already had a mate, one he had been together with for a surprising amount of time. He made no mention of his feelings every time he saw another woman exit their property after one of his brother's trysts, but deep down the younger vampire knew that he was disappointed he had yet to bring another vampire home.

A grayish-silver eyebrow inched its way up. His brother seemed genuinely curious now. "Did something happen?"

"She claims to have a mate."

That eyebrow rose higher. "Really?"

"A blood-mate," he hissed pointedly.

His brother blinked, his usual expression wiped blank in momentary surprise. "A blood-mate? Really?" he mused again, more to himself than any other it seemed. "Why were we not informed?"

Alexander growled. "You assume she had her family's blessing."

"Now that is interesting. I would assume this mate you mentioned was the one responsible for your late return?"

"In a manner of speaking," he responded slowly, spitting the awful taste of every word from his tongue.

"How so?"

"He hails from the snow people, but fights with a ferocity I've never seen in them. I would have defeated him, but I was…interrupted." He gritted his teeth at his brother's inquisitive glance. "…He can remove her seal. I waited too long. If he had been down before she awoke, there would have been no complications."

At that the other vampire had straightened from his casual tilt. "A snow man, and one able to fight a vampire for any length of time? Highly…unusual. I can see how that would complicate things. Lady Moka was always known for her power before she was sealed; it makes sense you would be no match for her if she was released."

Alex's hands were curled into white-knuckled fists, clutched so tight he almost broke skin. "She will be brought, just as was agreed. If the boy is broken, she is no threat."

"I take it you plan on telling her family?"

"I will…after I dispose of the boy. I need to save face; Lord Shuzen would not be happy if I reported my failure and not have done anything towards a solution. I'm sure he would be pleased if I got rid of the nuisance. I plan on going back as soon as I can, so will you help me or not?"

He contemplated the request for a little while. "Wait one day. If your demeanor is anything to go by you've only recently escaped confinement from…injuries…?" His question was answered by the glower directed his way. "Yes, injuries. Wait a day, allow your body to fully recover, and get some real sleep. We'll leave tomorrow."

The younger sibling couldn't stand it when his brother was right, but he saw the value in his advice. "Fine," he growled. "Tomorrow. They'll stand no chance against us."

Nodding, the other man shooed him off.

When he was alone, his eyes narrowed. "You may be a fool, but you're still my brother. If you want to save face, you have to face your mistakes first. Your pride is one thing, our family is another."

Between the two, he knew which one he would always pick.

To do that, he knew where he needed to go.

V^^^V

There was always a sense of insignificance brought upon him when he walked among these walls, but it was a necessary evil. He was glad for his calm, it was what gained him respect even amid people many times his better, and he wasn't about to abandon it just because of the mansion's impressive intimidation. He knew the castle's master was far, far worse.

"Well well, what brings you here, Vincent-kun? I thought you were happy with your mate?"

Vincent resisted the shiver that undoubtedly crawled down his spine despite his fight against it. Of course, even the master of the castle would have been preferred to meeting her, especially alone in the mansion's halls. The things he did for his brother. "Very much so, Shuzen-sama. I merely have something I thought I should bring to your family's attention."

Stepping out of the shadows, the oldest Shuzen sister was shown in her full glory. Mixed between interest and apathy, her face still looked as beautiful and unapproachable as ever, framed by dark ebony locks that belied her frightening power. Tall and voluptuous, mysterious and powerful, she was what every woman aspired to be and what every man wanted.

And she was the single most terrifying thing Vincent had ever met apart from her father.

"Oh? What would that be?"

He would help Alexander, but only after someone else knew his younger brother was acting on his own. Then the success, or more importantly the failure, would be his alone. His family wouldn't suffer because of his stupidity. All that was left was Moka Shuzen. More would come if they were unsuccessful, and at least that would be assured if he did indeed fail. Alexander wouldn't be the only one in trouble then, especially if what he had said was true.

.

V^^^V

.

It had taken a long time, but with Yukari's genius and Ruby's resourcefulness they had been able to get the concept down with a couple of days to spare. The metals had been the hardest to find, and it had taken even longer to alchemize them down into the proper components and combined before it could be molded into shape. Between their physical training and the research and labor required for the completion of their project, it was a miracle they were as far as they were. Even with Yukari, it had taken Mizore's steady hand and impossibly sharp ice to stencil the proper glyphs into the small items. It would have been easier if they had made them larger, but the smaller they were the easier they would be to hide, and to wear for that matter.

Lying on the ground was what they had worked so hard to make: two simple bracelets, covered with cloth to hide the markings carved into the metal underneath. There was still another step to complete before they could work as what they were made to be, the last thing they were currently toiling on. The plain bands lay in the middle of a complex magic circle, still being filled in at the edges by the two witches as the rest of their friends practiced by the dorm, far enough away as to not disturb their work. It was of increasing importance that they finished it at soon as possible. They knew their hospitalized enemy had escaped, and it was only a matter of time until he came back. They needed to be ready for that.

On this particular day the activities of both parties seemed to have attracted interest, though it certainly wasn't the first time it had happened over the holidays. Those not swooning—and some salivating—over the martial arts prowess of the two vampiresses and the black and white duet, were looking on at the artistic gibberish being drawn into the ground from the higher floors of the dorm, trying to find some rhyme or reason to the markings. It didn't help that it was in a language, or languages, that none of them understood. Whatever it was, it looked cool, and they all wanted to see what it would do. They knew they weren't welcome up close, but they were more than content to stand back and watch. Tsukune's girls were off-limits. Everyone knew that.

When a commotion happened over by the mock spars, that assessment was proved to be false. The reason why was seen easily enough, as the two approaching were obviously unfamiliar to the school. Instead of outrage, fear was the more common reaction, for the newcomers sported very familiar pale hair. While not even close to the bright silver they knew Tsukune and Moka's to be, their red, reptilian eyes and mass of youki placed them within their species easily enough. It was the looks on their faces that earned their fear. Unlike the kindness projected from the two at school, these ones were focused, their eyes daring any to draw near and meet their doom. The older one seemed apathetic enough, but they were no more willing to talk to him than they were his younger companion. It was easy to see where they were headed as well.

So focused were they on the new arrivals, they didn't notice Ruby hastily drawing a far smaller symbol beside herself and stabbing her wand into it, where it glowed with power for a short time before dissipating completely and was wiped from existence by her foot. Her visit had served more than one purpose after all. The headmaster had no desire to lose all of his favors in one fell swoop.

Naturally, the tone of everything had changed with the arrival of the two vampires. Friends once fighting each other for the purpose of improvement were now standing beside them, their expressions mutually hardened, while Yukari and Ruby had redoubled their efforts at completing the circle.

Vincent scanned over the group lazily, silently wondering why his little brother had left out the fact that his mark had a significant group of friends. That they were training came as no surprise to him. He knew just as well as anyone that if a quantity was known to be stronger, one just had to improve until it wasn't. If he had indeed seen what he thought he saw, they weren't to be underestimated.

Unfortunately, his brother wasn't of the same mindset. "So, it looks like the zeroes were trying to get stronger to fight me off. I'm touched."

Quite frankly, Moka couldn't care less about the returned Alexander. He was strong, there was no saying anything against that, but she was far more worried about the other vampire beside him. There was an apparent familial relation between them, but the older one was without a doubt stronger. She wouldn't allow her fear to show, she couldn't, not after what he had done to her.

"You? There's no way we'd do this because of you, to be totally honest I thought my dad would kill you. We're training in case someone stronger shows up, like your friend over there. Brother, maybe?" she asked calmly. Smirks blossomed all around at the look that came over their previous opponent's face, but the older man simply nodded.

"Yes. My name is Vincent, Miss Shuzen. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, even under these circumstances. I hope you can understand our situation here."

"Screw your 'situation!'" Kokoa snarled. "My sister's not going to be whored out to the lesser clans like some kind of business transaction!"

He sighed. "I understand, but everyone suffers if the agreement is not fulfilled. She has a responsibility to your family."

"And don't think that you aren't part of something either! You all have a part in your family, just as the assassin and the bargaining chip do! I wonder what will happen when you are of age?" Alexander crowed, and delighted in the sudden pallor of Kokoa's complexion.

Vincent sighed again when he saw how hard their eyes had become at his brother's outburst. "A lesson to you, Alex: never try to put yourself above one when it will directly affect the others that one is with."

The brother actually gulped when he saw the fierce expressions that had taken residence on his foes' faces.

"You're surprisingly calm for what you're about to try," Moka growled lowly, already in position in case either of them tried anything.

"I'm only here for a specific reason. You don't interest me at all I'm afraid, I've been happily mated for a few years now. I'm just here to ensure our family is given what it was promised."

"That makes you even more despicable!" Kurumu shouted angrily.

He shrugged. "That may be so."

Mizore's doll-like appearance was scrunched up with disgust as she clutched a freshly-made kunai. "You two sicken me, and anyone else that thinks like you." She just barely managed to keep from flinching when his red gaze regarded her, flickering from her features to the creation in her hand, and that was all he needed.

"This coming from one of a race that does indeed—how did she put it?—ah yes, 'whore out' its youths for fear of extinction. This is not an arranged marriage, pregnancy is not our goal; her mere attendance in our household is. For one of her status to serve something lower, that blow to her pride is more than you could know."

Kurumu had to physically restrain her partner from rushing him, not that she didn't want to just as much.

"So you have your choice," Alexander sneered. "Come quietly, or my brother and I will get rid of the rabble by force."

Eyes blazing, the black and white duet snarled, "Bring it on, Alex-chan," in unison.

"With pleasure!"

"Alex, wait—!" Vincent tried, but it was too little, too late; the other vampire had already shot to his challengers.

That proved to be just as disastrous as he had feared, for though he had been impressively trained at home, Alex had yet to delve more than superficially into the realm of true conflict. It wasn't hard to get by just on a vampire's reputation, and with a show of force that most monsters would shrink from that reputation was generally well-earned. What escaped his notice in this instance was that these monsters had been around two of the Shuzen sisters, they knew what to expect, and on a much grander scale. It was probably why the snow man had been able to fight him as long as he had, if the elder was to make any guesses.

Vincent couldn't even feel bad for his brother as the duet glided effortlessly through his initial strikes and when one spun low, the following blow to his stomach forced his face right down into the oncoming punch from the other, setting the unbalanced body up perfectly for a sweeping kick that knocked his legs right out from under him. Alexander had nothing to do but seethe as sharp fingers of crystalline liquid and long nails capable of destroying cement like nothing were held at his throat as he lay confused on the ground.

"You said something about zeroes the last time you were here too," Mizore murmured in hidden amusement. "We never got to show you how much we appreciated that."

"You know who we originally developed our techniques for?" Kurumu continued. When no response was forthcoming, she answered for him with a haughty smirk. "Moka. You, Alex-chan, are no Moka Akashiya."

They both only just noticed the danger in their peripheral vision in time to escape harm, as only seconds after Mizore had tackled Kurumu out of the way did a fierce kick ripple above their captive's body. It was with some concern then that they looked back, where Vincent stood helping his brother up.

"Foolish. Maybe if you had taken your time in the military when you were supposed to they wouldn't have gotten the upper hand so easily," the older brother said with a sigh. Taking another appraising glance of the two in front of them, the duo was shocked to find a hint of respect there. "You strike me as my commanding officers did, like true veterans compared to wet-behind-the-ears rookies. You've seen battle before; not petty schoolyard fights, but real life-threatening battle, haven't you?" It was said with no small sense of amazement. The two didn't relax from their stances, which answered that well enough. "Incredible. To think schoolchildren could be more battle-hardened than some vampires…"

"You get used to it," the blue-haired beauty hissed.

Her partner nodded. "Yeah, trouble seems to follow Tsukune wherever he goes." She couldn't help but smile at the irony of that statement. "Actually, we all seem to have that problem."

Moka had to wonder if it was sad that all she could do was shrug acquiescingly at the very real truth held there. "Just ask…well, everyone, I guess," she supplied honestly. "If Tsukune wasn't getting into some kind of mess by himself, one of us was getting him into one; usually me. Big surprise whose fault it is again this time." The group snickered, leaving the two males confused at the odd joke that was being shared among them.

"While I didn't anticipate something like this, I suppose it does make my presence here more worthwhile," Vincent pondered aloud. Motioning to his brother, the elder vampire assumed a relaxed stance that instantly put everyone on edge. "Come, Alexander, I haven't had a fight like this in a long time. Those two deserve our immediate attention. Once they're out, we'll see if they're willing to listen to reason."

Kokoa snorted. "Too bad they're all crazy then. I must be too, since I'm helping them! Oh well, what're you gonna do, huh?" she snarked rhetorically as Kou took the form of a larger-than-life hammer that would have made the Mario brothers proud.

When happened next was something no witness to the event would ever forget.

The two males burst into motion at the same time, rushing towards the infamous black and white duet with deadly aim. Unconcerned, they responded very similar to how they had the first time, weaving through the outrageously fast strikes with precision brought on from fights with Outer Moka and Kokoa. Admittedly they would have preferred Inner Moka, but that option had been cut off to them at the time, and besides, they remembered what Tsukune looked like after his 'sparring' sessions with the vampiress. There was improvement, then there was a death-wish.

It was unnatural, the way four bodies could fight in such close quarters so fluidly. Alexander might be lacking in many areas, but when it came to fighting alongside his brother the familiarity was evident, and Vincent made up for every weakness his younger sibling displayed. It was only their lithe feminine forms and grace that saved the two women facing them from painful ends, but their power wasn't to be scoffed at either. Together they were more than enough to blast oncoming blows away from them with only minor discomfort, and their ever-changing form enabled them to spin away from attacks that would have incapacitated one of them in an instant.

To those watching, it could have been mistaken for choreography. Side by side, the two duos threw their limbs at each other in smooth sequence that was just as smoothly batted away in equal yet opposite actions that flowed from one attack to the next without hesitation. A high kick from Alexander was evaded in a low backwards lean by Mizore, and Kurumu had ducked without prompting and spun to her partner's back, supporting the otherwise impossible tilt and setting her up magnificently to bring up both feet and launch them unimpeded into Alex's unguarded stomach. The unexpected double-dropkick forced his emission from the immediate fight but left them open, or at least it would have, had the ice maiden not rolled off the succubus' back and pulled her into the same action, yanking her out of the path of Vincent's vicious axe-kick and allowing them to return to form before he responded.

When Alex tried to return he was cut off by the arrival of a giant hammer, which was spun with ease into a side-blow that would have surely knocked him into the skyline had he not evaded at the last second. Like everything else that was merely a set-up, for when his vision cleared of the heavy metal, Moka was already in front of him, sending blows that numbed body parts with frightening accuracy. Move through one and a hammer was there to greet him, dodge that and the unattended opponent was in position for a painful counterattack anyway. The pace was positively relentless, more so than even his fight against the boy that had later released her seal.

Things were going good, far better than any of the group could have hoped for. They had really improved, and the fruits of their effort were showing. It only took one wrong move for everything to take a terrible turn.

In a stroke of genius, Alexander landed a debilitating strike to Moka's gut and sent the sealed vampiress to her knees, coughing blood and saliva. At the same time Kokoa was preparing for another strike, and when she saw the state of her sister, naturally, she saw red. That anger, combined with the lack of distraction Moka usually gave to permit the time needed for her strikes, telegraphed everything much too handily to the lesser vampire. Jumping at the downturn of her swing, he swatted the weapon off-course and sent the teen sprawling for balance against the sudden shock of unequal weight distribution. A devastating chop fueled by vampiric power and gravity hit the unprepared girl in her right collarbone as he descended, where a sickening snap proceeded to send burning pain through her dominant arm and forced her to drop her familiar. This left her completely defenseless against his next attack, which threw her through the air to land in agony by her sister.

The sounds drew the attention of Mizore and Kurumu just for a moment, but needless to say, Vincent took advantage of that. With five strikes to the corners of her torso and one just below her sternum, far more precise than Alexander's and lacking none of the power, Mizore suddenly found herself writhing on the ground and gasping for air. Though powerful by herself, the enraged Kurumu didn't think of using any of her other talents and was soon by her partner.

Rubbing more than a few wounds of their own and hurting more than they would care to admit, the two brothers reunited, for all accounts victorious.

"You two put up an impressive fight, much harder than any monster I've faced in the past. If you hadn't been distracted, I'm sure you would have beaten me," Vincent complimented to the duet glaring at him from their place on the ground.

"Enough!" Alexander growled, newly annoyed at being caused so much pain by what he believed to be weaker beings for a second time. "They're done, let's grab my prize."

Which they would have done too, had an explosion of eerie light from behind not earned their notice in a rather spectacular fashion. They both spun around, ready for anything, or so they had thought. Seeing two witches kneeling before an inordinately complex magical diagram with their hands on the edges obviously wasn't in that realm of expectation, and they could do nothing but squint against the blinding light radiated by the circle noticeably crackling with power and focused inward by winged tarot cards. Their fear escalated as the light likewise grew, and they shielded their eyes when with a frightening crescendo, everything was enveloped in that multicolored array.

When nothing happened in the moments after, both brothers hesitantly opened their eyes to see they were still very much alive, and had not been damaged by it at all.

"What the…?" the younger of the two muttered in shock.

"I don't care if you are vampires, we won't allow you to harm our family anymore!" a voice called from behind them, and again they spun, this time to find the two witches standing protectively in front of Moka, their wands drawn. Had they bothered to make note of their earlier attire they would have detected the new bracelet being worn by each of them, Ruby's on her left wrist and Yukari's on her right.

"That's right ~desu!" Yukari agreed vehemently.

To her ire, Alexander began to laugh. "Oh this is just too much! The rest of your little friends are already beaten and you think two half-breeds are going to be able to hold us off? This is the part when you realize you're beaten and bow out before I kill you!"

Expressions steeled with resolve, the two sorceresses stood their ground. The others behind them couldn't even bring themselves to plead against it. They had made a vow. They would protect each other until the very end if need be. They would fight, even if they had no hope.

Snarling with rage, the vampire began to advance, only to stop mid-motion when a shadow fell over the entire area. He wasn't the only one; everyone looked up in confusion to see dark thunderclouds roiling into existence above where before there had been only clear blue sky. Thunder clapped angrily as the formerly nonexistent breeze chilled around them, warping the summer day into unnatural winter while fog formed in the cooling. Frost crawled like a harbinger of death over the ground as the temperature continued to drop and the mist gained strength, coating grass and dirt alike before swarming up the trees, distorting their shape with icicles and snow into bizarrely beautiful perversions of their past selves. With breath now visible in the air, everyone of course looked to Mizore, who herself was looking around with wonder all over her features. She could, but in this case she hadn't.

"No, this is the part when the hero returns triumphant."

Every eye shot to the source of the sound: a body walking out of the haze with another right beside it, tall and proud. A man stepped into view first, his hands made of the very thing covering the landscape, unbothered by the cold. With torn pants fashioned into crude shorts on his legs and a worn black shirt conspicuously absent of both its sleeves over his muscled chest, he looked the image of squalor, yet in his fierce brown eyes burned a bearing more dignified than any king, a pride worthy of one who had tamed a jungle, and tamed itself by a humility intrinsic even deeper in his being.

A bronze-skinned young woman moved alongside him, her slim figure hidden under clothes many times too large for her. White hair formed in jagged spikes layered down her head and fell down her back, swaying with each step she took, and under her equally white eyebrows stood platinum eyes smoldering with hatred. As her fingers flexed, ivory nails sharpened into claws glinted with malicious intent, eager for blood.

Tsukune Aono had come home, and he was not happy.

"Now, let me show you why the level one boss never shows up in level two…"

V^^^V

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Author's Notes: 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