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, than you should not read this.

With special thanks to Tripod for his feedback. And thank you to the people that review... The more reviews I get, the more I want to update.

Chapter 100 (woo hoo)

Tsukune's muscles burned and his vision blurred from fatigue. Somehow he had managed to achieve every goal he had set for himself over the weekend. Ten people had applied to the town police department and had made it through the selection process. While the ten new recruits had endured a time condensed three day training session, Tsukune had suffered through five days, and had still managed to get all of his school work completed. While he was physically fit, thanks to all of his training over the last two years, he was receiving new training in how to move, and think, and fight. He was being given classes in bare handed fighting, as well as with a baton and the short staff sometimes used by riot police. Tsukune's classes also included leadership skills and communication methods for dealing with subordinates, victims, witnesses, and suspects. At times it was like information was literally being pounded into him. The abusive teaching methods of the math teacher Ririko Sensei seemed gentle by comparison.

It was late Sunday afternoon when Tsukune returned to his house. A week after the end of Summer break, and Tsukune felt weaker than when he first came to the Youkai Academy. As tired as he was, Tsukune had a mental list of things to do before he went to bed.

"Ruby," Tsukune called out as soon as he opened his front door. "Is the bath ready?"

"Yes master," Ruby answered. She quickly appeared, dressed in a simple robe.

"Good," Tsukune said as he dropped his bag and kicked off his shoes by the door.

Ruby was glad to see Tsukune looking so tired, because it meant that she would get to take care of him. When she washed him, she started with his hair and worked her way down. She was diligent to make sure she didn't miss anything. Tsukune was of two minds about Ruby's attentions. It was nice to be pampered a little, and very nice to get clean, but the way she went about washing him was a little much. As long as he kept his focus, Tsukune was able to stay calm, and even accepted Ruby's attention as a way to help strengthen his self control. Ruby had cast off her robe, so that she was as naked as he was, and didn't hesitate to rub her body against his. The strange little smile on her face as she cleaned his lower front was easy for Tsukune to read the meaning of. While her focus on his flesh seemed a little excessive to him, Tsukune had to admit that her hands on him did feel good. The way she looked as she cleaned him made it clear that she was enjoying her work, so Tsukune let her have her little fun as a reward for the rest of the things she did for him. All too soon from Ruby's perspective, and not soon enough from Tuskune's, it was time to rinse off.

"Ruby," Tsukune said as he settled into the hot bath. "Before you take care of my things, please go and ask Moka if she would like to join me for supper tonight."

"Yes master," Ruby said.

XXXX XXX XX X

The Tsukune Fanclub held their meeting Wednesday afternoon. Tsukune was busy with his police, and Student Police, duties and training, giving the young women a few hours to put their heads together without fear of being discovered. They all held the opinion that Tsukune would not appreciate them plotting together about how to help manage his life, or how to share access to him, as they had in the past.

Each member of the fanclub had their own title for themselves, even if they didn't share it openly with the others. Moka was Tsukune's lover, but settled on calling herself his girlfriend aloud. Kurumu aspired to the title of lover, and was quite happy to be his girlfriend, but had taken to calling herself Tsukune's Fiance. After all, her mother had approved of Tsukune and had asked him to take care of her, and he had open called Ageha 'Mother.' Ruby, of course, simply called herself Tsukune's slave. Mizore wanted to be Tsukune's wife more than anything, but was accepting the title of friend. She tried to be gracious about her limited place in Tsukune's life, and to hide her growing frustration. Yukari was having a hard time finding her role. She had come to realize that being Tsukune's and Moka's lover was asking too much of them, and the best she could hope for if she continued would be to alienate their affections. Yukari still did not feel like giving up however, and decided that she could take the role of concubine, the kept lover for when he needed a little special attention.

In spite of their rivalry, the young women took comfort in each others presence. They shared a common desire, and a common worry. For a week and a half since the end of Summer break, Tsukune had been applying himself to meeting his responsibilities with determination. While there was little they could actually do to help Tsukune with his load of responsibilities, they discussed what they could do to help support him in small ways. The meeting was more about reassuring each other that they were not alone in their concerns than about actually forming any definitive plans.

"There is one thing we need to do," Moka said, carefully not looking at Kurumu. "We need to let Tsukune be free to enjoy the free time he has with the company he chooses."

"What?" Yukari questioned, not understanding Moka's point.

"You're right," Kurumu said with a small frown. "If we let our own jealousy get in the way, Tsukune won't be able to relax as he should. If we try to get in each others way, then we will be to busy to see it if Tsukune is in need of something."

"Are we going to have a truce then?" Moka asked.

"Oh no," Kurumu said. "I prefer to think of it as a change of strategy. Ruby has had the right idea for close to a year now. We let Tsukune do whatever he wants, with whomever he wants, and when he gives me the chance, I will prove to him that what he really wants is me."

"I understand what you are saying," Moka looked to Kurumu, baring her teeth. "Nothing really changes, except that we save our... opinions for when he is not around. That way he will be able to enjoy 'our' company more."

The pair shared a soft laugh. It was the kind of moment that would have made most people wonder about their sanity. The feeling from the two was that of a pair of armies poised to clash at any moment. Yukari was nervous as she watched them. Ruby smiled calmly, knowing however their battle turned out, she would be at Tsukune's side no mater what. Mizore was just as much of a predator as ether of them, and what she saw were two hunters too focused on each other to keep their eye on the prize. While the snow maiden knew Tsukune was not some common animal, Man was her people's traditional prey, and he was the greatest catch she could imagine. While Kurumu and Moka watched each other, Mizore resolved to watch Tsukune, and to watch for her moment of opportunity.

XxXxXxXxX

Tsukune made his way back to the house with a sense of relaxed calm. He was jogging back from the koban after his watch with Hiru keeping pace. Tsukune was dressed in his gray track suit, while Hiru was in her beast form, with Tsukune's duffel secured to her back. After three weeks of police training, in addition to everything else he had going on, Tsukune felt like he was finally getting used to his busy life. It also helped that he thought that he might have finally come up with an idea of a career. While being a police officer was an honorable and respectable job, it was by no means of any significance when looking for status and recognition among the rich and powerful. But, Tsukune reasoned, he could take his training and apply it to starting his own business. He could start out as a private investigator, and build his business into a private security company. He could recruit youkai as well as humans, expanding on the vision of the Youkai Academy. Even if his business didn't become a major organization, it would still be his business, and it would be better to lead his own small domain, than to be just another follower in some other empire.

Tsukune found a new confidence in himself now that he had a plan for the future. It was still little more than a dream, but it was a start. His pay as a police officer was modest. Hour for hour, he had made more as a performer, but it was still a far cry from the small allowance his parents provided while he was attending school. Tsukune figured that if he was careful with his schedule, he could support himself while attending a university. The extra time working would help his career, both on paper and with real experience. Yes, Tsukune decided, it felt good to have a plan.

XXX XXXX XXXX

Mizore had noticed a change in Tsukune. He was smiling more and moving with an improved confidence. It had been a sudden change. Over the past week the excessive fatigue that had been showing on his face had started to ease. Mizore had read that to mean Tsukune was getting used to the demands placed upon him. But the new confidence had blossomed over a single weekend. Mizore watched Tsukune all week, exercising her youkai talents to follow and observe him as much as possible. A few times she thought that Tsukune had intentionally tried to escape her, only to be surprised to discover him watching her. Mizore had felt a little embarrassed about being caught stalking Tsukune, but for some reason he smiled at her. It was not his usual warm smile, one that was filled with caring. Instead, Tsukune's smile seemed to be happy and filled with pride.

Mizore thought that Tsukune's training must be the cause of the changes in him. The police would offer him a stable life, something that he had expressed an interest in. She even thought that some kind of investigation training might have inspired him to try and catch her following him. That Tsukune had in fact caught Mizore in the act of spying on him would explain his pride and improved confidence, but she thought that there had to be more to it than that. There was a mystery to puzzle out, and Mizore intended to do just that.

Mizore formed a plan to find out what was going on with Tsukune. It was a very basic and simple plan, but simple was usually the best. In setting her plan into motion, Mizore had an unwitting ally in her house mate. The rain spirit, Anna, with whom Mizore officially shared the house, had made a boyfriend towards the end of the previous year. Her boyfriend had graduated and was now living in the human world, so Anna had gotten a campus pass and a work permit so she could work part time and go visit her boyfriend, usually one weekend a month. Mizore adjusted her plan for the next weekend, when she would have her house to herself. It was a simple plan, but she hoped that Tsukune would appreciate that over subtlety.

It was Friday when Mizore committed to her plan. All day long she had watched Tsukune carefully to gauge his mood. He was still showing the improved confidence and calmness she had observed before, which she though was a good sign. By asking simple, friendly questions, Mizore had confirmed Tsukune's schedule for the weekend, to make sure her plan would not be intruded upon by his commitments. When the last class for the day ended, Mizore made her move.

"Tsukune," Mizore said, planting herself by Tsukune's desk so that he couldn't miss her. "After your training today, please come to my house for dinner."

Tsukune was startled by Mizore's blunt invitation. She had a serious look in her eyes and her body was tense. He knew that this was something she really wanted. He didn't have any reason to refuse, so he decided not to.

"Alright," Tsukune said. "I should be there around half past eight. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes," Mizore nodded.

Mizore slipped away without another word. Moka and Kurumu hardly had time to realize what had happened. They were still turning to confront Mizore, to challenge her with the old argument about who Tsukune should be spending his time with, when she evaded them and escaped from sight.

XXXXX

Mizore was careful to have everything ready in time. She wanted to have nothing go wrong with her date with Tsukune. Her house mate had left on schedule, getting her safely out of the way and insuring Mizore's and Tsukune's privacy. Mizore had been working on making the house spotless all week, but gave it a thorough cleaning once Anna was gone for the weekend. After that, it was time to start cooking. The groceries that she had were all selected with her plan and Tsukune's tastes in mind. At eight o'clock the table was set and the meal was just waiting for the final touches. Mizore took the time to attend to herself then. She washed herself diligently and dressed in her yukata. She lit the candles on the table and around the living room and turned out the lights. Mizore was just making the last touches to the meal when Tsukune knocked at her door.

"Tsukune," Mizore welcomed him with a smile. "Please come in."

"Sorry to intrude," Tsukune said politely as he entered. He offered her a small, wrapped bundle. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Thank you for coming," Mizore accepted the gift. "You are just in time. Please sit down."

Tsukune sat at the table and admired the meal laid out for him. Mizore cooked dishes with lots of meat in them, which Tsukune enjoyed. She joined him at table and began serving him. Tsukune recognized some of the dishes from the few times Mizore had cooked dinner for him in the past, and commented on them. Mizore was glad that he remembered such details. It made her feel special to think that Tsukune cared enough about her to remember the things they had shared.

After the meal, Tsukune and Mizore sat together sharing small talk for a while. Mizore had not abandoned her plan, but was enjoying the chance to just be alone with Tsukune. It was when Tsukune suppressed a yawn that Mizore knew she had to act.

"Tsukune," Mizore said. "You have been acting different lately. You have been more calm and confident for some reason. Did something happen?" It was a very simple plan. Mizore got Tsukune alone, helped him relax, and then asked him directly what was going on. As simple as her plan was, Mizore felt her pulse pounding from the effort of talking so clearly.

"Ahhhh," Tsukune smiled. "I hadn't realized that I was acting differently. It's just that I think I solved a problem that had been bothering me."

"What problem?" Mizore asked attentively. "You know that I will help you any way I can."

"It's not like that," Tsukune reassured her. "Remember when we talked about what we wanted to do after graduation? I have been trying for a long time to think of what I wanted to do for a living. With all that has been going on, I think I have finally found a career I can build a life on."

"You told mother that you wouldn't have any children until you had a good career," Mizore remembered. "You want to be able to take responsibility and provide for your family."

"That's right," Tsukune nodded. "Before I came to this school, I always imagined that I would have a normal life with an average job. Bat after all that has happened, I know that some average job will never be enough for what I want in life. It was bothering me for almost a year, but now I think I finally have an idea on what I can do."

Tsukune shared his idea with Mizore. He talked about using his police training to help him get started, and to get through university. After he had some money saved up and some experience, Tsukune would start his own security company. He would hire humans and youkai to do the kind of work people expected of security guards, but he could also do private investigations and have employees that had special abilities that competitors wouldn't expect. With youkai all around, it would be foolish to not make use of them, if they were willing to work for him.

Mizore listened to Tsukune's explanation and saw a light burning in his eyes. He had found a plan that would help give him the future that he wanted. Mizore might not be sure of her place in his future life, but she wanted to do all that she could to help Tsukune find happiness.

"Tsukune," Mizore said. "I can help you."

"What?" Tsukune questioned.

"I can help you," Mizore repeated. "I can teach you how to move about like I do, to hide and follow people. You said you would do private investigations. I could teach you things that can help you. I can even help you myself. I could work for your company."

"Mizore," Tsukune smiled at her. "Thank you."

Mizore saw the smile on Tsukune's face and the light in his eyes, and she wanted to melt. He was happy with her and was accepting her in at least a limited fashion, and that made Mizore happy. She reached out to him and touched his cheek. His Warmth ran up her arm and made her body tingle. She wasn't trying to draw it in. Instead, Tsukune was so happy and excited at that moment that his Warmth was radiating out of him, and because he was thinking so strongly about her, his Warmth just flowed into Mizore. Strong emotions overwhelmed her.

"Tsukune," Mizore said in a voice somewhere between a sigh and a cry.

Tsukune didn't understand what happened. Mizore touched his cheek, and suddenly he could sense something from her. It was not the same as what he felt from Kurumu, except that it was. It was a tiny sliver of Mizore's feelings, a single candle's light compared to a bonfire, but it was there. Tsukune had to concentrate to understand what he was feeling. Happiness, fear, excitement; they were all tiny little sparks on the edge of his awareness. He reached up and held Mizore's hand against his cheek as he heard her say his name. He looked into her eyes and saw something there. His heart trembled for a moment.

"Thank you, Mizore," Tsukune said. "Thank you for talking to me, and for always being there for me." He carefully, gently pulled her hand from his face. "I have a lot to do tomorrow, so I should be going."

"Alright," Mizore said.

They stood and shared a hug. Mizore walked Tsukune to the door, where they hugged once more. After saying their goodnights, Tsukune stepped out into the night.