Chapter 9: Made Of Stone
Oh… I nearly forgot, it's my birthday in a few days- it'd be nice if I could spend it with Moka-san, Tsukune thought while staring blatantly at the pink-haired vampire.
He was put out of his fantasy by a newspaper in the hands of Morioka Ginei (who they'd met and already beat), who then proceeded to flirt with Moka, much to Tsukune and Moka's annoyance.
"Won't you go out with me, Moka-san?" Gin asked holding out a bunch of roses, as he started to follow her, his wolf-form started to sprout in places.
The door opened to let the light blue-haired Kurumu in, as she also professed her love. "Yeah, another day of being with you! I love you Tsukune!" she confessed as she hugged him with a smile.
Then Yukari, seeing this, dropped two objects on Kurumu and Gin, much to everyone's surprise.
"I won't let anyone get away with putting their hands on Tsukune-san and Moka-san. I'll stop them with magic, because I wuv them!" she declared in a childish manner.
How is it easy for everyone to confess their love like this? Tsukune deadpanned in thought, …but maybe I should be like that to Moka-san… I want to spend time with her after all, Tsukune thought with determination.
"Sorry Tsukune, my art teacher asked me to be a model for a picture so I can't go home with you for a week," Moka said to Tsukune as he looked back at her with shock.
My birthday's in six days… what's gonna happen to that?! Surely she hasn't forgotten… Tsukune thought in panic, recounting the moment when he told her about his birthday.
"Don't worry, I'll still work hard for newspaper club!" she stated with a smile, trying to reassure him, as her face lightened up before it started to form a blush.
"Would you let me suck your blood? …This might be goodbye for a while after today… I'll be lonely," she continued with a slightly flustered face as Tsukune started to fidget.
Mistaking Moka getting closer to him as a sign for a kiss, Tsukune also moved in closer… however, he did not feel any sensation on his lips, it was rather on his neck. Agggh, I let my guard down! Tsukune thought with frustration as Moka smiled.
"Thanks for the treat!" she added with a cute smile.
It was the next day, and in the newspaper club Gin was discussing the issue of missing females, and his desire to take part in rescuing them.
"Several female students have gone missing one after the other- seven in one month! These numbers are far too high for it to be normal!" Gin stated with a serious look.
Who knew the pervert could actually be this serious? This was the thought of everybody else as they looked at the piece of paper on the table.
"These are pictures and some basic information of the girls in question," he explained, pointing to the paper.
"As you can see, the missing girls are pretty hot. If someone is holding them hostage, I want to be the one saving them- seeing me in a good light will allow me the privilege of knowing them better hehe," Gin finished with a perverted smile and a glint in his eyes.
I really don't feel like helping… with all the stuff that's happening- I mean, what's inside of me? Does Moka-san even care for me, or am I just a daily drink for her? Tsukune though lightheaded as he continued to walk, stopping behind a large dead tree when he heard Moka talking to the art teacher. The teacher was thanking Moka for taking part in Art with her; Tsukune snuck a glance at the teacher. She was rather tall, and slim, as well as wearing both an apron with paint droplets on it, and a bandana around her head. Interestingly, some of her hair hung out as braids from both the front and back.
Packed with many students, he found that Art was pretty popular with the students, as well as the teacher herself. Hm, Ishigami-sensei is really popular, even with the girls, he observed as he saw other girls looking at the bandana-wearing teacher with admiration.
"Sensei! I'm skipping gym class to have fun with you!" a girl with medium-length streaking blonde hair said in excitement. Wow! Even girls from other classes- heh Gin-sempai would be proud, Tsukune commented in his mind as he looked into the classroom.
Beware boy, beneath that façade, that woman is a dangerous, twisted entity, the voice from before said in his mind as he walked away from the classroom. He took note of what it'd said, but decided to keep quiet for now.
Tsukune tried to talk to Moka for the days leading up to his birthday, to try and invite her, but they all ended up in failures thanks to completely random interruptions from various people. On the day before his birthday, he decided to go where he knew he wouldn't be interrupted: the art classroom itself.
"Excuse me! Is Moka-san here?" he asked, sighing as he saw the empty classroom.
"What… nobody's here- that is weird," he muttered in confusion, deciding to wait for Moka. However, the quiet sound of the sobbing against the hushed classroom grabbed his attention. That can't be anyone I know, right? Tsukune thought in panic as he remembered Moka. Opening the locker, he found a statue, and what seemed to be the source of the sobbing.
"Woah! The statue is crying! This is a Youkai school, but that's still messed-up!" Tsukune stated startled, as he jumped back. Wait… haven't I seen someone like that before- especially the hairstyle… it's a bit like the girl for before… Tsukune was about to inspect the statue closer, but then he noticed that he'd jumped into someone else.
"What are you doing to my art?!" an ominous voice questioned from behind him.
"Sorry Ishigami-sensei. I'm sorry, I barged in here…" Tsukune replied with a bit of fear. The words of the voice from earlier rang out in his head. There's probably something more to this lady, Tsukune considered with trepidation.
"Ohhh, you're Tsukune-kun for class three. If you're here to pick up Moka-san, then I'm afraid she's too busy being a model to spend time with you," the art teacher looked at him, as she swiftly shut the locker door. This was not unnoticed by Tsukune, who continued to show a slight smile, even as Moka walked in.
Noticing her, Tsukune decided to speak: "Well, you see, Moka-san…" Tsukune started with a determined look. But Moka herself interrupted him.
"Noo! I'll be embarrassed if you're here- so you have to leave. What I do, is none of your business!" she said to him with embarrassment and surprise, but even she realised that her last sentence was more venomous than it was intended to be.
"Hmpf, I get it now! Is that all I am to you?! I totally understand now- you don't care about me at all!" Tsukune shouted in anger and frustration as he turned away, even as Moka called his name.
Back in the newspaper club, Tsukune had arrived a bit late, just as Gin announced the disappearance of an eighth girl; Tsukune was shocked when he saw the picture. It was the same blonde-haired girl form a few days ago, and the same one, which he saw as a statue in the art classroom locker. That art teacher must be the culprit! That means that Moka-san is in danger as well, he deduced as he jumped out of the window, much to the surprise of Gin and everybody else in the room.
After running for a few minutes, he found himself back at the art classroom. He smashed his way into the classroom, and then saw Moka, wrapped with small, thin snakes, all alive. Then, to his side, it was Ishigami-sensei herself, and she was the creator of these snakes, all originating from her hair. She's a medusa?! There's even Greek mythological creatures at this school! Tsukune thought in surprise as he sliced the snakes around Moka with a swipe form his katana.
"Stop this madness! I'm not letting you turn Moka-san into a statue… " he said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"No, run Tsukune! You'll be turned into stone," Moka screamed with desperation as the snakes closed in around them, poised to turn them both into stone.
"Heh, I can't go on without you, Moka-san- even if I'm insignificant to you, I still need you," Tsukune declared, just as the snakes clamped onto him, turning him into stone.
Bright light shone as the art teacher looked on confused, her snakes torn apart by the extreme pressure from Moka- she had been unsealed. Unsealed Moka flipped up, shredding all the snakes around.
Tsukune could barely stand up, part of his body turned into stone, however before falling into unconsciousness, Tsukune saw black wings protrude from his back, and shoot out black feathers. The feathers caused small holes in the wall as they sped past, some of them striking the medusa in her torso and lower legs, much to her dismay as Moka kicked her right in the face, with the leg that had previously been turned into stone.
"How is it? Feeling the weight of your own stone in a swift kick?" Moka taunted with a serious look as she glanced down at the now-incapacitated medusa. Walking over to Tsukune, she picked up her rosary.
"Tsukune, for reaching into a nest of serpents to unhook the rosary and helping me in the fight, I thank you… it seems you've grown a little…" she whispered.
Tsukune woke up, he was in an infirmary bed, and Moka had her arms around him.
"I wasn't turned into stone?" Tsukune asked in surprise.
"Yeah, when Ishigami-sensei was defeated, her spell was broken and everybody turned back to normal, but you didn't wake up for a whole day. I was so worried," Moka explained with a slight smile as she moved to another part of the room.
A whole day?! I missed my birthday and a chance to spend more time with Moka-san- that sucks, Tsukune thought with disappointment.
"Tsukune, look- I hope you like it," Moka said as she unveiled a canvas, startling Tsukune from his thoughts.
"I worked hard in the theme of 'what's important to you'. Sorry for hiding it from you, I know I worried you. In exchange for being her model, I went to Ishigami-sensei to learn painting, so… happy birthday Tsukune, I love you!" Moka declared with a cute smile as Tsukune got up.
"Moka-san, I also lo-" he started as he got closer to her, but he was interrupted by everybody else from the newspaper club barging in. Oh well… at least there's some progress between Moka-san and myself…
Hi guys, ninth chapter. Some more stuff from the canon manga, as well as the addition of Tsukune's mysterious other part. My birthday's tomorrow (hurray!) and I'll be out so I probably won't be able to update tom, if I am then cool, but next chapter might be Sunday. Please review if you can. Thanks for reading and enjoy!