Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rosario Vampire. I am merely twisting the creator's vision into my own dream. If the supernatural, sexuality, or violence is offensive to you, then you should not read this.
Chapter 91
Moka came awake with a lazy stretch and a yawn. She felt well rested and refreshed. She had stayed up half the night with Tsukune interrogating him about his trip with Kurumu. He had been late coming back to school, and Kurumu had looked entirely too happy while carrying her things in to her house. Tsukune had been completely open and honest with Moka, for which she was grateful. She was a little surprised about how willing he had been to tell her everything, including how he had played romance coach to a bunch of boys, to the details of his 'date' with Kurumu after the last event was over. He even told Moka about how he had called Ageha 'mother.' Moka was less then happy about that, but was glad that Tsukune was honest.
After Tsukune had finished his report on the trip, and Moka had run out of questions, she declared the topic settled for the night. She was not going to spend all of her time with him talking about another woman. Tsukune and Moka shared supper together, and then the bath. It was early in the morning hours that they finally fell asleep in each others arms.
Moka sat up slowly, taking her time to come fully awake. Tsukune was still beside her, sleeping soundly. Moka allowed herself to admire his sleeping face for a little while before slipping out of bed. She wanted to wash herself before Tsukune woke up. Bathing together was nice, but some personal care was a little embarrassing to be seen doing. As Moka slipped from the bedroom she saw Ruby coming out of the bathroom, both women were in their bare skin.
"Good morning," Ruby said with a smile. "Would you like me to wash your back?"
"I'm alright," Moka said. "Thank you."
"Is master awake?" Ruby asked.
"No," Moka answered with a small shake of her head. "He's still resting."
"I see," Ruby said with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Excuse me." Ruby turned and headed for her room.
Moka was wondering what Ruby might be thinking, but decided not to press the issue. Moka wanted a chance to wash herself after her passionate night with Tsukune while she could have the bathroom to herself. As she washed, enjoying the feel of getting clean, Moka idly wondered if there was a business opportunity for youkai friendly bath houses.
XXXXxxxxXX
Tsukune was feeling alert and refreshed as he walked into the Student Police Headquarters. He had given himself the first two night shifts as supervisor so his night watch commanders could have some extra time to enjoy Summer Break. Thursday the Newspaper Club was scheduled to take a trip together, and Tsukune was looking forwards to it, but before he went off and enjoyed another weekend away from school he thought he should give his officers a chance to take a break as well. After spending a pleasurable night and lazy morning with Moka, Tsukune had taken the time to visit with Mizore for a while. After a nap, which Ruby had insisted on, and supper, Tsukune was in positive spirits as he started his shift.
Four hours later, Tsukune observed that his good mood was trying to sneak off somewhere. With Summer Break started, some of the student body was having trouble adjusting to the free time on their hands. It was mostly the first year students that were causing problems. For most of them attending Youkai Academy was their first trip away from home, and Summer Break was their first real taste of freedom. The patrol pares had been bringing in reports of students breaking curfew all weekend, but Tsukune had expected them to have as many problems on a Monday evening. An hour after curfew and eleven incident reports had already come in. Three were for breaking curfew, three for 'disturbance,' which was a generic label for being too loud or too rude but not actually fighting or performing vulgar acts. Three students had been caught sneaking in to the main school building. Two separate girls had been caught at the boy's dorms. One had been peeping at the boys bath, while the other had been caught with a gi and underwear taken from the room of a member of the Judo club, as she tried to slip out the window. Tsukune went over the reports and suppressed a groan. At the end of the shift he would get the reports from the branch office in the girl's dorms, and he was worried about how bad they would be.
It was an hour past midnight when Tsukune decided to get some exercise. He told the desk officer and the runner that he was going to go and check up on things before heading out of the building. Tsukune very carefully walked around the headquarters building before he did anything else. Once he was confident that he was unobserved, Tsukune stripped the waist. He gathered his blazer, shirt, and undershirt into a tightly folded bundle and secured it with his tie. Next, Tsukune carefully gathered his youki and concentrated. He summoned forth his wings and felt the strength of his inner youkai flowing within him. With a single leap, and a down beat of his wings, Tsukune took to the air. While flying by instinct worked, Tsukune wanted more control then that. For a long time he had tried not to think too much about his youkai form. His battle mode was something to suppress. After his last weekend with Kurumu, Tsukune realized that he was avoiding taking responsibility for his own condition. He was willing to train himself to fight, and to use his youki in assorted ways, but he had tried to keep himself as 'normal' as he could. Tsukune had finally realized that it was irresponsible of him to ignore potential strengths because he was afraid of being abnormal.
Tsukune landed a short distance from the dorms. It had been enough of a flight to give his body a workout, and he felt good about that. By the time he was dressed again, thinking that he had to have Kurumu teach him how to use his wings without ruining his clothes, Tsukune was feeling calm and composed. Tsukune was glad that he took a little break for himself, but it was time to get back to work.
XXX XXX XXX
Inari wanted to scream. What was it about Summer Break that made students turn stupid? There had been two fights in one night in the baths, and four peepers. Two girls had been caught trying to sneak boys into the dorms after curfew, and one had been caught trying to sneak her boyfriend out. It did not help Inari's mood to smell alcohol when she had gone to investigate the second fight in the baths. There were times Inari thought about quitting the Student Police, but she didn't want to let her captain down.
"Tama," Inari said to her runner. "I'm going to go out and check on things. If any problems come up, whistle for me." Inari let her fox ears out. "I'll hear it and come running."
"Yes, Sempai," The cat girl said.
Inari took her shinai and headed for the door. She wanted a chance to clear her head and stretch her legs. Sitting in the office half the night wasn't a problem because of the hours, but because she was confined. Inari opened the door and stepped out into the night, almost walking into Tsukune.
"Captain!" Inari gasped in surprise. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," Trsukune said. "I just thought I would come by and see how you were doing. Troublesome night?"
Inari was so flustered by her captain's sudden appearance, and his words, that she would never be sure of what she said. She knew that she had started by giving him a report of recent student misconduct as she walked with him around the dorms. He somehow made Inari feel relaxed and tense at the same time. All the time that she walked with Tsukune, her captain, Inari was too excited to think straight. His voice carried a note that was just on the edge of her inhuman hearing. She remembered hearing it in his voice before, earlier in the school year, with her human hearing, and it had put her in heat, or something very much like it. Hearing that note, that special tone at the edge of her hearing, gave Inari a special thrill, as if Tsukune's voice was somehow caressing her in ways that excited her body. She didn't understand what that tone was, or why it was in his voice, but Inari wanted to keep Tsukune talking.
Tsukune finished his visit / inspection of the dorms and parted ways with Inari. He was glad to see that the lieutenant was managing the branch office so well. It was a shame that she would be graduating at the same time he was, because Akira could use her support. As proud of Inari's performance as he was, Tsukune had stared to feel a little uncomfortable around her. The fox youkai had started showing that unfocused look that Tsukune was used to seeing in Moka's eyes when she was ready to bite him. While Tsukune didn't expect Inari to be after his blood, but what ever primal desire she was feeling, he did not want to be on the receiving end of it. Tsukune returned to headquarters to wait out the end of his shift.
XxXXxxXXxX
The bus stop was a lively scene. The Newspaper Club was assembled for their Summer trip, complete with luggage. Hiru was lurking near by, ready to follow Tsukune and his friends. Also waiting for the bus was the Drama Club. Both clubs were on their way to Kyoto. The Drama Club was going to watch some traditional plays at a historical theater. The Newspaper Club, as per usual, knew where they were going, but the why was left unclear. Tsukune suspected that they were being sent out to solve some youkai/human problem once again. The fact that the Drama Club would be in the area made Tsukune a little nervous.
Once the bus driver arrived the loading could begin. Bags were loaded and then the passengers boarded. The faculty adviser for the Drama Club was a teacher that Tsukune didn't know. She was an older woman with salt-and-pepper hair tied up in a tight bun. She and Nekonome each had one of the front row seats. Kurumu and Moka, probably out of a perverse desire to keep each other from getting extra time close to Tsukune, sat together. Yukari was seated with Kokoa. Ruby sat behind Nekonome sensei, acting the part of assistant adviser to the club. The only other Newspaper Club member for Tsukune to sit with was Mizore. The Drama Club had a larger membership then the Newspaper Club, but the only member that Tsukune knew very well was Emmy. The Drama Club members took up more then half of the seats. Tsukune looked around the bus as it started to move, and he realized, that for the first time since he had started attending the academy, he is riding in a full bus.
The trip to Kyoto was neither long nor eventful. Tsukune, more accustomed then the rest to traveling through the strange pathways to and from school, found the trip more enjoyable then surprising, and tried to guess where each jump would lead. Some of the jumps he knew from his own trips. As he relaxed and looked out the window, Mizore relaxed and leaned against Tsukune, hugging his arm lightly.
Mizore was glad to have Tsukune beside her, even if it was just for a short time. Lately he had been drifting further from her reach. Mizore knew he was in love with Moka, and she suspected that Tsukune might have feelings stronger then friendship for Kurumu now as well. Mizore wasn't bothered by that as much as some people might have been. She had long since resigned herself to having to share Tsukune. It hurt to have to admit that she wasn't first in Tsukune's affections, but as long as she held even a small place in his heart, she would be happy about that.
The bus arrived at a hotel that was popular for school groups. The four story building had large rooms for accommodating school teams and clubs, along with smaller rooms for teachers. The men's and women's baths both had an open-air section, but the genders were divided from each other by the hotel pool. When the Youkai Academy bus arrived at the hotel, three other buses were already in the parking area. The youkai students carried their bags into a lobby filled with students from other schools and a handful of frustrated hotel staff.
"My appologies," The manager said with a small bow to the Youkai Academy teachers. "It was a mistake we should have discovered sooner, but we accidentally overbook our rooms. We will refund your deposit if you wish, or if you are willing to share rooms with another group, we will give you a discount."
It was an easy enough choice to make. Trying to find accommodations on short notice would be difficult at best. The girls from the Newspaper Club and the Drama Club would be sharing a room with fifteen girls from another school. Likewise, Tsukune and the boys from the Drama club would be sharing a large room with a group from an all boys school.
Tsukune found the arrangement much more satisfactory then his friends. The young women of the Newspaper Club gave sour looks when they learned that they would not have their customary all-in-one room. After a round of assurances that he would not be too far away, Tsukune took his bags and headed off to meet the group he would be sharing space with.
"Tsukune?" A surprised voice sounded.
Tsukune turned when he heard his name. He cast about for a moment among the unfamiliar faces to see who might know him. Among a group of ten young men in blue and gray uniforms, Tsukune spotted a face he recognized.
"Kota?" Tsukune questioned. He approached his old friend. "What are you doing here?"
"Club trip," Kota said with a grin. "How about you?"
"The same," Tsukune said, taking his friend's hand and giving it a shake. "In fact," Tsukune looked around a second time. "I think the hotel put us together. They over booked the rooms."
"I know," Kota gave a shudder. "It was almost the end of our trip." He did a double check. "Put us together? You're going to be sleeping with us?"
"Yes," Tsukune said. "My school has two clubs here, but the rooms got messed up. So the girls from our clubs are sharing a room with some other group, while the guys from the Drama Club and I will be with your group."
"Well we'll make the most of... Wait," Kota did another double take. "You said your school's Drama Club is here. Does that mean Emmy...?
"Yes," Tsukune gave his friend a nod, watching a smile light up his face
"Yes," Kota pumped his fist.
"Alright men," A voice cut through the lobby. "P.R.C. Gather 'round."
"That's Taro Sensei," Kota said, scooping up his bags. "He's the adviser for our club. He's a little strange. At school he teaches chemistry, but he is fascinated with alchemy."
"I see," Tsukune said, following his friend.
"Men," Taro Sensei addressed the assembled young men. "Our trip will continue as scheduled. If you look about, you will notice some men with us from another school. The hotel management has arranged for them to share our room, and the cost of the room." The man turned his attention towards Tsukune. "Who is the leader of your group?"
Tsukune realized that the five male members of the Drama Club were standing close to him, and were looking to him to be their leader. Tsukune thought it was foolish of them, because he wasn't in their club, but chose not to argue the point. He gave his school mates a nod then turned back to the teacher from Kota's school.
"I am Aono Tsukune," Tsukune Introduced hiumself. "We are from the Gakuen Academy. Thank you for sharing your room with us."
"Well said, my boy," The teacher said. "Alright everybody, let's go up to our room."
The group of students, sixteen strong, carried their bags up the stairs to the second floor. The room had a view of the pool, but not quite of the baths, thanks to some careful construction. Hotel staff were still bringing futons for the students to sleep on when Tsukune and company arrived.
"Alright you guys," The teacher spoke up after a quick look around the room. "Time to lay down some rules. First, Mister Aono and his friends get the end of the room closest to the window. I wouldn't put it past you guys to try to get a peek at the girls, while they come from a coed school, so they shouldn't be too bothered by the idea of being around girls. Second, I don't want to hear of even a whisper of a rumor that any of you have tried to sneak into any girls' rooms."
"What if a girl tries to sneak in here?" A guy from Kota's school asked.
"The chance of that happening," The teacher said with a smirk. "Is so close to impossible, that I wouldn't believe it even if I saw it with my own eyes."
"But will it be against the rules?" The boy pressed.
"Mister Ki," The teacher glared at him. "If, by some unexplained phenomenon, a girl wants to visit this room, while you guys are here, then she certainly may, because she is probably so mentally unstable that it would be dangerous to try to stop her."
The leader of the Drama club, Rune, looked towards Tsukune with a tight smile. Tsukune looked back and suppressed a groan. Kota noticed the exchange and gave a questioning look.
"Aono Sempai has a way with girls," A Drama Club member told Kota in a low voice.
XXXXX
Ruby, as the nominal leader of the youkai girls performed the introductions. While the teachers talked together, the students had a chance to meet. The group the youkai girls were joining was from a private, all girls school. They were in Kyoto to tour historical locations, to help them develop a better cultural awareness in order to become proper ladies. The humans thought that the Drama Club and Newspaper Clubs had a better chance of having a good time, especially when they were traveling with boys. Before much more then basic introductions could be shared, it was time for the girls to be showed to their room on the third floor. When one of the human girls was heard complaining about having to be on the third floor, and having to take the stairs to reach it, their teacher explained, at length, how it was a safety measure. There were no boys staying on the third floor, so there was no reason for any of them to be there except to be up to no good, and they would be caught quickly.
"Alright ladies," Said a woman, with more makeup then Kurumu, Moka, and Mizore combined, once the girls had reached their designated room. "There are far more boys here then I expected, so everybody needs to be careful. You can't let your guard down for a minute, or they will violate your privacy and take liberties with your person..."
The woman continued talking for half an hour. The group of fourteen human girls the woman was in charge of set themselves to the task of picking out futons by which to set their belongings, while making a show of paying attention. It was clear to anybody that listened that the woman had a low opinion of teenagers, especially teen boys. According to her, teens were irresponsible and prone to taking foolish risks, while boys were only interested in causing trouble. She went on to lecture the girls about how they should act to keep from attracting unwanted attention from any boys during the trip, and to stay in groups to discourage the boys from approaching them. She ended her oration with the threat of dire penalties for any girls caught doing anything wrong, then left them to settle in.
"I thought she would never finish talking," One of the human girls said with a sigh.
"I know," Said another. "This is our chance to make some memories."
"I know," Agreed the first. She turned her attention to the strangers. "I'm sorry," She addressed Ruby. "What was your name again?"
"I am Ruby," The witch said with a friendly smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," The human girl said. "I'm Ogono Aiko." She gave Ruby a puzzled look. "You're not wearing a uniform?"
"I'm not a student," Ruby explained. "I'm an assistant adviser for the club."
"Awwww," A voice sounded. "Now we'll never get to do anything fun."
The small sour look on Aiko's face said the same thing.
"What's wrong?" Kurumu asked. She had staked out a futon by the window by placing her bags on it. "It's not like we're going to tell on you."
"Ruby is faculty," Aiko said, wondering why the large busted girl didn't understand. "It is her responsibility to keep us from getting in trouble."
"This is true," Ruby said with a small nod. "But only if I know if you are doing something dangerous." Ruby absentmindedly looked down at the floor. "But I have other responsibilities to see too first."
Aiko was a little confused, and maybe worried as well. Something in the way Ruby had mentioned her other responsibilities had caught the attention of several of the other girls' attention. Three of the girls from the other school all did the same thing, turning their heads down as if looking at the same thing. It was only for a second, but it was creepy.
"She's right," The busty girls said as her head came up. "It's not like we are going to be with you every hour of the day. Besides, we want to have our own fun." She held out her hand. "I'm Kurumu," She introduced herself anew.
"Nice to meet you," Aiko shook her hand.
XXXX
The second bus ride of the day was different from the first. Tsukune found himself seated on a commercial chartered bus with its own driver. Ruby and four teachers were seated up front. All of the boys were on the left hand side of the bus, while girls occupied the right side. Somehow the different groups had all been booked for the same tour of historical sights of Kyoto. The human girls were there for a cultural awareness study. The boys from Kota's schools were interested in investigating legends and ghosts stories. The Youkai Drama Club was interested in historical stories, and apparently the tour would include a classical Noh performance at one of the scheduled stops. The Newspaper Club was bundled along for the ride, Nekonome was confident that her club members would find something interesting for the next edition. Her casual lack of planing frustrated Tsukune. He was all the more frustrated because he was sure that she was right. Tsukune felt tense, wondering if he and his friends would be able to keep all these bystanders safe when the inevitable trouble arose.
"Hey," A boy reached out and tugged at Tsukune's sleeve. "Aono. Those girls are from your school, right?"
Tsukune turned his head to see what the boy meant. It was easy to see where his attention was. The girls from Youkai Academy was more noticeable then the other human girls. While the uniforms were not much different, the blazers were a lighter color and the skirts were a bit shorter, the girls themselves were very different, in little ways. The Youkai Academy rules allowed for a lot of personalization, such as Kurumu's sweater vest and Mizore's oversized tunic. There was also Yukari's hat and half-cape and Moka's rather prominent rosario. Kokoa's hair ribbons were accessories not much different from what the Drama Club girls were wearing. One of the girls from that club had her hair tied back with a large red bow that had to have been starched in order for it to stand up so high. Another girl had little gold stars pasted on her right cheek, under her eye. In comparison, the human girls, while pretty, looked very modest.
"Yes," Tsukune answered the boy's question. "We go to the same school."
"Do any of them have boyfriends?" The boy asked.
"Most of them have their hearts set on someone," Tsukune said, feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Hey Mick," Kota said from behind the boy. "Don't go causing Tsukine problems."
"I was just asking about the girls," Mick said. "Besides, I saw you looking at them too."
"I was j-just looking at one of them," Kota blushed.
"You said you have a girlfriend," Mick scoffed.
"He does," Tsukune said. "She goes to my school."
"He really has a girlfriend?" Mick looked surprised.
"Told you so," Kota said with a grin.
On the other side of the bus, sitting at the edge of her own group, Aiko noticed the exchange between the boys. She could not hear what they were saying, but saw some of them looking at the colorful girls from the other school. She turned in her seat and caught the attention of the rather plain looking girl who had also been watching the boys.
"I wonder what they are talking about?" Aiko asked casually.
"I heard them saying something about girlfriends," Emmy said with a small smile.
"Do you think any of them have girlfriends?" Aiko questioned.
"I know that three of them do," Emmy answered.
"Really?" Aiko was openly interested in the conversation now.
"Yes," Emmy nodded. "See the one with the little frown on his forehead in my school's uniform?"
"Yeah?"
"He is the director of my Drama Club," Emmy said. "He is dating Yumi, that girl with the big hair bow. She specializes in doing costumes for our performances."
"I see," Aiko spared a look at the girl with the bow.
"And Aono Sempai is the editor of the Newspaper Club," Emmy went on. "He is the tall one with the warm brown eyes. Two seats behind him, in the blue and gray uniform, is sempai's friend from junior high. That's Kota, my boyfriend. Sempai introduced us to each other."
"And you said your Sempai has a girlfriend?" Aiko questioned.
"Yes," Emmy nodded. "She is in the Newspaper Club also."
"Oh really," Aiko scanned the colorful girls and wondered who the unnamed girlfriend might be.
By the time the bus reached its destination the students were all talking happily. The topic of conversation was, predictably, the opposite gender and relationships. Most of the faculty was content to let the students pass the time, so long as nobody was causing trouble, however they wished. The teacher from the all girls school kept looking over her shoulder at the boys, expecting to catch one or more of them trying to get away with something.
XXXXX
"Ahhhh," Kurumu said with a stretch as she got off the bus back at the hotel. "Time to relax."
Aiko agreed with the busty girl, even if she wasn't going to express her fatigue in such a way. It was only early evening, but Aiko felt like the day had been much longer. The bus had only taken the student to two historical sites, but that had been enough to make Aiko feel tired. The Ginkaku-Ji, or Silver Pavilion had been beautiful and relaxing to visit. The traditional style was soothing when compared to the modern Kyoto with its lights, traffic, and crowds of people. Even without the lectures from her teacher, Aiko was able to appreciate the cultural inspiration of the Silver Pavilion. Following a modest lunch, the bus took the students to Kinkaku-Ji, the Golden Pavilion. All that the Ginkaku-Ji was, the Kinkaku-Ji was also, and more besides. The Silver Pavilion could be seen as an inspiration of how to be a proper lady of Japan, Aiko thought, calm, soothing, filled with traditional values. The Golden Pavilion showed Aiko that a lady could have all the traditional values in her heart, and still shine with beauty.
While Aiko had enjoyed the historical sites, they were not the only things she had been interested in. She liked to think that she had a natural interest in romance and the opposite gender, and having boys as a part of the tour group was an unexpected opportunity. From the beginning there were two clear couples that Aiko could observe. The first was pair from the other school's Drama Club. They seamed to have a normal looking relationship, by they way that they walked together and one would wait for the other when they parted company for whatever reason. The couple that was from different schools was also interesting to watch. Aiko saw how they kept smiling at each other and blushing, and when ever possible, the pair would hold hands. It was very sweet to watch.
On the other hand, Aiko was confused by what the colorful members of that Newspaper Club did. The leader of that group was obviously the one Emmy called Aono Sempai, and the other members were all dancing attendance around him. While Aono was a good example of what a young man should be, he was polite and courteous, the girls appeared to have a hard time blending in. The girl with pink hair, Moka, Aiko remembered, had a poise about her that made her a good match for Aono. Moka was respectful of the other people around her, which was something most of the others in that little sub group lacked. The two younger girls in the group, it was a shock to learn that the most childish was actually a third year student and not a first year, also appeared to have their senpai on their minds. The hyper one kept trying to hang on him, while the other kept alternating between scowling at him, or being dreamy eyed. Kurumu, the short girl with the impressive bust was frequently forward almost to the point of rudeness, but a sharp look from Aono was all it took to settle her down, for a while at least. That girl in the strange tunic kept disappearing and reappearing at the most unpredictable times, and always had here eyes on Aono. Aiko had to admit that Aono was a good looking young man, and he moved with an inspiring confidence. All it took was a smile from him and the girls in his group would just light up in their own ways. Even the group's assistant adviser was clearly wrapped around his fingers.
Romantic relationships were a foreign thing to Aiko. What she knew about romance and the relationships between men and women she had learned from the limited amount of access her parents had permitted her to popular media, and classic stories. She had hoped to meet girls from outside her normal social groups at school so that she might learn a little more about men before her family arranged to marry her off.
After a long day for everybody it was time to relax. The students streamed from the bus eager to wash up and have dinner. Kota and Tsukune, having known each other for a long time, had no trouble getting along. Their friendship helped the two groups of young men come together. Tsukune was glad to see his youkai school mates getting along so well with their human peers. While the PRC was mostly interested in researching legends and ghost stories, trying to discreetly measure electromagnetic fields around the shrines and take inferred and ultraviolet photographs during the trip, the young men had also been aware of the girls. The Drama Club director as well as Kota and Tsukune were admired for their relationships with members of the opposite gender. Girls were the main topic of conversation as the young men collected what they needed from their room before heading to the baths. There were male students from other schools in the baths as well, when Tsukune and his companions arrived. They proved eager to talk about girls as well, sharing stories, speculation, and once in a while, a true experience. Tsukune kept his mouth shut and tried to just enjoy the idea of being a normal High School student. He was enjoying a soak in the open air section of the bath when he heard the topic of conversation around him take a bad, if unsurprising turn.
xx
Moka was the only girl not looking forward to the bath. Her weakness to water meant that she would ether be left weak or dirty. Past experience had taught her that if she could not bath her own way, then she would have to settle for a little embarrassment to minimize her problem. While she could use her herbal mix for her personal wash basin, when it came to rinsing or soaking in the bath, she would be in trouble. Moka would have to stall as much as possible, taking trips back to the room because she 'forgot' something. A visit to the toilet before washing. Little things to give the other young women a chance to, if not finish up, to at least be preoccupied enough to not notice her discomfort. Mizore had a problem much like Moka. She couldn't take a long soak in hot water. She could wash and rinse with cold water, as long as she was not close to anybody else, without standing out, but a hot bath would make hear weak, to the point of being physically sick, if she was not careful. She would have to go into the bath or risk standing out, so Mizore would just have to keep her time in the hot water as short as possible without being seen as strange.
The female students filled the bathroom with chatter. Kurumu had no trouble flaunting her chest and even let the human girls touch them in admiration. Yukari criticized her as she always did, and the bathroom was soon divided into three camps. The full breasted versus the small breasted, with the ones that really didn't care off to the side. Aiko enjoyed the lively atmosphere. It was an exaggeration of what she was used to, making it interesting, but at the same time comfortably familiar. The girls from the other school, while a little stand-offish at times, were much like her own school mates.
Aiko was enjoying a good soak, listening to the large breasted Kurumu talk, about cooking for boys of all things, when something strange happened. Kurumu stopped talking in mid word. All of the girls from the other school paused in mid action, their attention all turning in the same direction. Some of the girls looked nervous, while the others looked serious.
"Everybody back inside," Ruby said, standing up in the open air bath. "Now." The assistant adviser was tense and her voice was firm. Even the girls that were from different groups, staying in different rooms and didn't know her, moved to obey, especially when they saw how quickly the ones that did know her moved.
"Quiet," Kurumu insisted. "Get inside and cover yourselves." A look of concentration was on her face, as was a dark smile.
"What is it?" Aiko asked. "What's going on?"
"It's Tsukune," Yukari said. "Something is happening in the boys' bath." The younger girl looked towards Moka. "Should we go to help him?"
"No," Moka said. "This is something different. He's calm, I think."
"It's his way of warning us," Kurumu said with a nod, seeing that everybody was inside. She could detect waves of Lust from more then one source moving around.
"Warning?" Aiko questioned, worried. "What are you talking about."
"There," Kurumu pointed at the fence around the open air bath.
Aiko had just a heartbeat to see what Kurumu was pointing at. The top of somebody's head was just starting to rise up over the top of the barrier. A sudden rain of wash basins suddenly crashed down on that head and a chorus of surprised and pained voices came from the other side of the fence.
"What is going on?" Aiko demanded.
"A bunch of boys," Kurumu explained. "They were trying to peek at us in the bath."
"What?" A girl from Aiko's group was startled. "Is that who you were talking about?"
"One of the boys from your school?" Aiko questioned. "Did you expect this to happen?"
"Aono Sempai," Emmy said, understanding bright on her face. "He did it as a warning."
"What are you talking about?" Aiko demanded even as she tried to get dressed.
"I'm sorry," Ruby said. "Our school is for students with unusual or unfortunate circumstances." She was borrowing from Tsukune's way of explaining about the school and why it was so strict about visitors, or students visiting home. "Aono Tsukune is the head of our Student Police. He must have realized that some of the boys were going to try to peek into our bath, so he gave us a signal as a warning. Because we are from the same school, we knew what to... listen for." As she talked, Ruby concentrated her energy, spinning a feeble memory alteration spell. She did not need to make the girls forget what had happened, just to accept her explanation.
"Aono Sempai has worked very hard for the school," Emmy said proudly.
"Remember the school festival last year?" Another Drama Club member said. "We heard all those whistles, but didn't know what they were. The Student Police knew though, and they answered. Someone was trying to make trouble, but Aono Sempai stopped them."
"We were there too," Yukari protested.
"We were," Moka said. "But only because we were with Tsukune when he heard the whistle code. We followed him."
"Your school sounds dangerous," Aiko observed, wondering if her parents' lectures about lower class families might not just be a lot of hot air after all.
"We are not that different from any other school," Moka said, trying to project a sense of calm. "But our student body is made up of individuals that take things to extremes some times."
"What do you mean?" Aiko asked, pulling on her hotel robe.
"My sister and I come from a very old and rich family," Moka explained. "We have a lot to live up to, but also a lot of freedom, as long as we observe certain traditions. People from families like mine are used to getting their way. They grow up expecting the world to accommodate them, and can cause trouble when it doesn't, expecting their family's money or name to settle everything in their favor."
"I understand what you're saying," Aiko said. Much of her social circle reflected what the other woman was saying. "But how does this make your school different?"
"In my first year," Moka said. "The first day of class, there was a boy in the same class that was used to always getting his own way with girls. He thought that he should be free to take what he wanted from me."
"What happened?" Aiko wondered with here eyes wide. In her mind she could imagine how she would feel if a boy had tried to force her to go with him, it was a scary thought.
The girls were walking together from the bath back to their room. The ones close enough to overhear Moka were listening attentively, caught up in her story. Aiko, accustomed to a sheltered life, saw the story as a chance to experience, at least from a distance, a different kind of existence.
"Tsukune saved me," Moka said with a smile, remembering how happy she had been to see him come back for her. "He heard me crying with fear, I was unable to do anything else. Tsukune came and challenged the boy who had attacked me. It was because of him I was able to get away, and then the two of us were able to beat him." Moka was careful not to say too much about what had really happened, but it was true that it was a combination of herself, or a part of herself, and Tsukune that had won the day. "The boy that attacked me was never expelled," Moka went on. "He stopped coming to class for a while because he had been beaten. He was embarrassed. The next time he tried to make trouble, he was beaten even worse, and then his friends beat him. It is a hard way to learn, but everybody needs to understand how to get along. If somebody breaks the rules, the school administration can punish them, but if we students look out for each other, and correct each other, we become stronger as a group"
"I used to be stuck up," Kurumu admitted freely. She cupped her breasts and gave them a shake at the human girls. "I used to think I could do anything I wanted, have anything I wanted, because I was better looking and better developed then anybody. I didn't think I needed anybody. Moka and Tsukune taught me I was wrong. I was wrong about how I treated people, and I was wrong about needing others. If I had been expelled, or even just given detention, I would have never changed."
"Wow," Aiko felt a touch dizzy. She was having trouble imagining a school where student fights would be allowed, in the best interests of the students no less. She was still trying to understand the logic of it all as the girls reached the dining room.