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 126

Tsukune and his companions stood out in front of manor as they waited for the young women to present themselves. Tsukune felt more then a little foolish to be dressed in a uniform made of silk, but it was likely the best uniform in his closet, and it was going to be a night where appearance was going to important. Nagi and Kota were dressed in their own school uniforms, but only after Ruby had seen to it that they had been carefully cleaned and pressed.

"This is silly," Nagi grumbled. "Why can't we just wait inside?"

"It would be nice to relax," Kota agreed, tugging at his collar.

"It is all about the presentation," Tsukune sighed. "They want to make sure everything is perfect, and do not want us to see them before they are ready."

"But why can't we wait inside?" Nagi questioned. "Where we could sit down."

"Probably because they're worried we will see something before they are ready for us to see them," Tsukune shrugged.

"It still seems..." Whatever Nagi planned to say was lost when the front door of the manor opened.

Moka was the first one out the door. She was dressed in a form hugging black dress that left her arms bare and hung down past her knees. A long slit up the side kept the dress from restricting her movement. Her outfit included a matching shoulder wrap that she had draped across her shoulders and wrapped artistically around her arms. Her hair was pulled up into topknot before spilling back down, framing her face in silky waves. She paused in the doorway for a moment and smile confidently. She stepped forward and off to one side to make way for Aiko.

Aiko had tried to put together an outfit that would help her feel confident. She had on a red, sleeveless blouse with a narrow collar, and a black, knee-length skirt. Her black hair was parted down the middle and arranged to flow over her shoulders, framing the narrow display of cleavage shown through the open top three buttons of her blouse. Aiko wanted to be as confident as Moka and Kurumu. She wanted to be able to stand up in front of peers, friends, and strangers, and be able to keep her calm, so she had dressed in a way her parents would have frowned upon.

Behind Aiko came Iris. The young woman was dressed in a short, red strapless gown over black stockings. She had added curls and red ribbons to her hair that she had falling free about her head.

Kiyo had chosen an outfit that left Nagi stunned. She was dressed in a slinky black mini dress that showed off her curves and long, smooth legs to good effect. Her hair was a dark bronze gathered in six tight braids that ran back from her forehead to join into a single long braid at the back of her head and hung down to her lower back. The plushy cobra was draped around her arms and shoulders much like how Moka carried her own wrap. She saw the way Nagi looked at her, dumbstruck, and smiled.

Last out the door was Rina. Tsukune felt his stomach rebel at what he saw. Rina had her hair pulled up into a row of topknots that looked like a horse's mane. For an outfit, Rina had squeezed into a Youkai Academy uniform, minus the blouse, that looked like it might have belonged to Yukari, when she was a first year. The blazer was so tight that it pushed Rina's breasts together and lifted them, giving her the appearance of some impressive cleavage. The blazer didn't quite reach all the way down to the waistband of the skirt. The skirt itself was low on her hips and dangerously short. Her legs were mostly covered in black, thigh-high socks. Rina had accessorized her outfit with gold bangle bracelets and large hoop earrings. Her makeup was thick around the eyes, making them appear bigger than normal. Rina struck a pose that looked like it was stolen from an idol's poster and winked. Tsukune suppressed a shudder.

Moka was the first to move, breaking the tension of the moment. She walked to the edge of the porch slowly. Her moves were precise and smooth.

"Tsukune," Moka said in a calm voice as she held out her hand.

Tsukune felt his heart leap with joy. He moved to take Moka's hand in his with a smile. Tsukune was excited to be Moka's date. She looked beautiful.

"Dame Moka," Tsukune said with a small bow as he helped her down the steps. "You look fantastic."

"Thank you, Tsukune," Moka smiled a little wider. "You look handsome today as well."

"Thank you," Tsukune replied.

"Ladies," Moka said, turning her head to address them. "Let us be off."

xx

"Ahh," Nagi tried to talk as Kiyo approached him. "I... Err..." He took a deep breath. "Wow," he finally managed.

"Thank you, Nagi," Kiyo said warmly as she took his arm.

Nagi thought his face was going to burst into flames. He had never had any success with girls before, so he was feeling incredibly nervous. He didn't know if it was the excitement and novelty of being with a girl, or because of something about Kiyo herself, but Nagi realized that he was hyper aware of her. He had sprouted during high school and was now taller then anybody else in his class, something he had become a little uncomfortable about. Kiyo, in her heeled shoes, he realized was as tall as himself. Her slender body made him confident about his own build. As he walked beside her towards the school, Nagi kept glancing in her direction. He noticed that Kiyo had an odd little habit. She tended to keep her mouth open. Her lips were parted by little more than a millimeter, but it was enough for him to notice the tiny flicker of motion from within. Her tongue, he realized, kept pressing forward. She wasn't really licking her lips or anything. It was just a tiny little motion that happened at random times.

Xx

Kiyo was feeling excited. She had started to despair that she would graduate from the academy and never find a boyfriend. Her day had started out with trying to do something for Tsukune, and now she was going out on her first date with one of his friends. It was almost like a shrine legend. Kiyo was not expecting some magical romance to happen, but as long as she had the chance to be with a with a boy, she intended to make the most of it. Even though she was able to enjoy the situation, Kiyo had a hard time believing her good fortune. She kept testing the air unconsciously, wanting to make sure what she was seeing was real.

It was that same excitement, Kiyo thought, that made her want to be so aware of the boy next to her. He was tall and solid, and so very warm at the moment. His scent reminded her of old books. It was dry, with hints of warmth, like dried grass and maybe a touch of leather. The way he moved was soothing to her as well. He moved with a kind of sense of self that said to her that he was careful but alert about his surroundings. She gave his arm a little extra squeeze against the side of her breast. It gave Kiyo a thrill to feel him against her. She also thought it was funny the way it made him twitch.

XxXxX

Kota wasn't sure how he should feel. He was excited to soon be seeing a play that Emmy had worked on (she had helped with the sets and costumes but was going to be acting.), and to go dancing with her after, but he didn't know how he should take the attention he was getting from Aiko and Rina. The pair had each taken a hold of one of his arms for the walk from the village to the school. Having a pair of girls hanging on to him was strange all by it self. He tried to put on a straight face and remember the time he had to escort a pair of aunts up a a wedding. His ability to keep calm was quickly tested when the pair started touching his arms as if trying to feel his muscles.

He had never been athletic, but being interested in machines and engineering meant lifting more then just books, and sometimes a lot of books. Taking engines apart and building different kinds of machines took a lot of work. Kota had a firm grip, and his classmates had learned that he had good endurance when it came time to "Hold this right here until I can get it bolted..." While not as toned and hard as Tsukune, Kota had some muscles, and the girls holding his arms were having fun feeling them. One of them would give a muscle a little caress or squeeze, making it jump under her fingers. This would make her smile, or even giggle a little. When Rina 'stumbled' and pressed her hand to Kota's chest, she had been surprised to feel the firm muscle there.

Tsukune was not unaware of Kota's plight. He could see his friend trying to be stoic, in spite of the blush creeping up his neck. As long as the situation remained reasonably harmless, he resolved to leave it be. He had given Moka a quiet nudge and a nod, and her cute smile told him that she was watching the byplay as well. Between the two of them, Tsukune felt that they could keep things from getting out of hand.

XxXxX

Iris didn't mind walking unaccompanied to the school. She was close enough to the others to feel safe. She was going to see her boyfriend soon enough, so she didn't feel any need to hang on to someone else at the moment. Ken only had a minor roll on stage, he had told her. Like most of the Drama Club, his energies went into the behind-the-scenes work. He had helped with the stage design and working out the lighting that was to be used. Iris, because of her parents' desire for her to be as lady-like as possible, had been made to study traditional arts, and had found that she liked classic theater. She liked the colorful costumes and the creativity that was needed to take a story and bring it to life, without the special effects and fancy technology used in movies, or even modern plays.

Iris was looking forward to the show. She didn't get to see many traditional styled plays in person, and Tsukune had assured her that he had arranged good seats for the group. After the play, Iris hoped to have Ken take her back stage for a look around. It was going to be a special night for her.

XXXX XXXX

Tsukune knew from the beginning that the play was not going to be especially entertaining, for himself anyway. He grew up with television, movies, and video games. The play, while colorful, and probably well done, just seemed slow to to him. The only enjoyment he got out of sitting through the performance was the fact that Moka was next to him. He wished that Kurumu could have been beside him as well. He did turn his head to throw the succubus a smile between the first and second acts. He could feel her presence, and the rush of warmth told Tsukune that she had seen him smile at her. With a little concentration, Tsukune could also tell that Mizore was somewhere near by. Tsukune suspect that Yukari would have been there too, if she wasn't busy helping Kokoa with the club's booth. He made a mental note to find a way to reward the two younger girls later.

As the second act ended, Tsukune looked to his friends to see how they were doing. Kota kept blinking and frowning, trying to keep from nodding off. Nagi was still looking a little rattled, probably from the way Kiyo leaned into him. Iris had a smile on her face and a shine in her eyes. The play, and possibly knowing that her boyfriend was in it somewhere, was something she honestly enjoyed. Tsukune wondered if she should be interviewed for a review for the school paper..

That thought made him wince. The paper was going to be late in November because of the festival. That wasn't new, but Tsukune hated putting out a late paper.

He turned his attention back to his companions. Moka was watching the play with a look of polite interest, but nowhere near the enthusiasm Iris was showing. Aiko, on the other side of Moka had the same look. It was a little creepy. Tsukune tried not to look towards Rina to obviously, because he knew she was watching him. She tried not to show it, but Tsukune had learned to survive surrounded by some of the sneakiest predators in existence. Rina was bored with the play, and was entertaining herself in much the same way Kurumu would have, by trying to tease Tsukune. She frequently pulled at the lapel of her mini uniform blazer, and rubbed her leg against his. Tsukune knew the best thing to do was ignore her. Even protesting would only reward her with the attention she was looking for.

Before too long the play was over. The audience applauded and the cast and crew took their bows. Emmy and Ken disappeared for a while to get ready for the dance, while Rune and Yumi talked with Tsukune and the special guests. The director even gave Iris a chance to go back stage and talk with the cast members. The group stayed together for the tour, mostly because Tsukune took his responsibilities seriously. Iris enjoyed a conversation with Rune and Yumi until Ken returned.

When Emmy joined the group, dressed in a forest green kimono with white lilies, they left the gym. Ruby and the maids met the group at the cafeteria patio, where they had move some tables and chairs together, for a twilight picnic. Emmy tried to apologize for her attire. She explained that she didn't have anything else nice to wear. Moka and the other girls complemented her on her appearance, and assured her that there was nothing wrong with wearing a kimono to a dance. Kota just kept smiling and blushing, and said that she was pretty, making Emmy blush.

XXXXXX XX

The courtyard had been transformed by the efforts of the dance committee. Party lights ran from garland bedecked polls around the small lawn that made up the dancing ground. Paper lanterns created pools of soft lights. A small stage stood at one end of the courtyard where a band was set up. The music was a mix of classic rock and slow ballroom dance. Most of the attendants were couples, but there was a sprinkling of unattached young women and men, alone or in small groups, scattered around the area.

When Tsukune and his friends arrived, only older couples were dancing. It took him a moment to notice the nature of the dancers. He realized that they were alumni or parents of students. He was puzzled at first, but it made sense to him after he thought it through. He was feeling nervous about dancing with Moka, who was his lover, and with whom he hoped to share his future life with. He worried about being a good enough dancer to please her, and to make the night enjoyable for her, in spite of his dancing experience with Kurumu. He realized that if he was nervous about dancing with Moka, others close to his own age were probably scared stiff about dancing with their dates.

Moka was also feeling the excitement and tension of the moment. This would be her first dance with Tsukune. She had experience from attending her father's affairs, and had been forced by her family's expectations to learn how to dance at formal gatherings. She worried that she would be too formal for Tsukune. Would she end up leading during the dance, wounding his pride? Would she be too stiff, looking like she was unhappy with him? Little doubts nibbled at her confidence.

As the group found a table to gather around, an awkward silence started to settle into place. Tsukune held a chair for Moka and looked to her with questioning eyes. She realized that he had not been told what to expect. Moka removed her wrap and placed it over the back of the chair Tsukune was holding for her. She then held her hand out to him and gave him a small nod towards that dancing ground.

"Moka," Tsukune said with a smile as he took her by the hand. "My I have this dance?"

"You may," Moka smiled and nodded.

Together, the moved out onto the dancing ground. They were both aware of the eyes watching them as they came together, but it didn't bother them. It was a moment for the two of them to be close together.

Tsukune felt like he had danced with all the grace of a robot. A low end robot with limited range of motion. He felt stiff and thought that he must look like he was stomping about. In spite of the smile Moka gave him that made him feel as if he was glowing with joy, Tsukune was sure that his dancing was an embarrassment to her.

Moka was thrilled to be dancing with Tsukune. It was an activity, a moment, where they could share each others company, and it didn't mater who witnessed it. Even if she danced poorly, there was no shame or pressure of expectations weighing her down. Tsukune was firm, strong and stable, as he danced with her. Moka was so happy and free in that moment she felt as if she was floating.

Tsukune and Moka shared two dances together before returning to their table. By then only Aiki and Rina remained sitting. The others were together on the dancing ground. Moka had quickly told Tsukune what to expect. He would dance with her half of the time, and with his guests the other half. Because the guests were present, Inner Moka would remain sealed for the evening, but she would demand compensation later.

After he had seen to Moka's comfort, Tsukune turned to Aiko to ask her to dance. He chose her before Rina for the simple fact that the other girl's outfit just bothered him. As they reached the dancing ground a new song started. It was a quicker song, so it was fun to move to, and there was no reason to hold Aiko close. Tsukune had no objection to slow dancing with her, but he thought Moka would probably be more content with some distance between them.

XX

Aiko enjoyed the dance. When she got to dance with Tsukune it made her happy, and it was a lot of fun. She didn't feel carried away to a secret place, or as if she was dancing the clouds like it described in romantic stories. At first, when looking back on the evening, she wondered about that. At the time she was happy and excited. She realized that the reason she wasn't in the clouds when dancing with Tsukune was because as fun as it was, she was only dancing with a friend, and not a boyfriend of her own. But those thought came later. Aiko was having a wonderful time that she knew was all thanks to her chance encounter with Tsukune over the Summer. While they danced, when she saw his smiling face watching her, she felt the warmth of Summer within herself.

X x x X

Rina decided right away that she enjoyed dancing. Her family had tried to make her learn traditional dances, but it had just been a boring waste of time to her. Dancing to music just for the fun of it however, that was something that made her feel alive. She decided that she was going to find opportunities to dance as much as possible in the future. The song that she danced to with Tsukune had a faster beat then any of the prior ones, so Rina really got to move her body. Whenever possible she tried to move up against Tsukune as they danced. While Tsukune, to her frustration, was able to turn his body so that her attempts to rub up against him suggestively turned into clumsy bumps, every time, it was still fun for her. It was definitely be an evening to remember.

XxX

Kota and Emmy danced well together. It would probably be more accurate to say that neither of them danced very well, but they made a good pair. Both of them danced by moving their feet along with the beat of the music, usually while holding hands. The rest of their bodies just kind of went along for the ride, swaying a little as they smiled at each other. During the slow songs, the only thing they did different was that they hugged each other and moved slower. They looked like a good match, and they enjoyed each others company. For Kota and Emmy, it was a very special night.

XxXxX

Kiyo found evening to be an intoxicating experience. The play had been an enjoyable diversion, and Nagi had held her hand through the whole thing. With the old 'Here, try this...' ploy, she had been able to feed him a few bites during dinner with her chopsticks, allowing her to get in some indirect kissing. And then it turned out that he could dance. He had a natural sense of rhythm and a sharp eye. He was able to match her moves as they danced, making it easy to come together for the slow dances. When she held him close, Kiyo couldn't help but be aware of Nagi's body. He had some nice muscles, and his warm, unique scent was growing stronger around her tongue. When she looked into his calm, clear eyes, Kiyo felt like she could just fall into them.

xXx

Nagi wasn't sure how he should feel. He was having a great time with a girl that was more then cute. She had an exotic beauty, with her wide, almond shaped eyes of olive green, and a hint of gold-bronze color to her skin. She had a light, spicy scent around her, and he wasn't sure if it was her, or perhaps a perfume. Nagi couldn't help but be aware of her curves, especially when they danced close together. Her smooth grace as they danced was almost hypnotic. In truth, Nagi was so excited that he was almost scared. As he looked into her eyes, he was aware that she was always watching him in a way that made him feel special, even if she didn't seem to blink as often as she should.

XXXX

Tsukune walked back from the dance with a smile on his face and a girl on each arm. Moka was on his left side, embracing his arm firmly as she leaned in against him. Aiko, looking happy, held Tsukune's right arm lightly, smiling as she walked. The whole group was in positive spirits.

Tsukune considered the evening a success. Rina was humming and walking with an occasional skip, still caught up in the dancing spirit. Ken was carrying Iris on his back because she had turned her ankle while dancing. She kept protesting that she was fine, and could walk on her own, but never asked to be set down. Kota and Emmy held hands and smiled cheerfully, and traded quick pecks when they thought nobody would notice. Nagi was walking with an arm around Kiyo's waist. The stunned expression from before had faded, and he had a lopsided smile that twitched every time he shared looks with Kiyo. Kiyo had an arm around Nagi, and that plushy cobra across both of their shoulders. She had a smile of her own, resembling the way Nekonome Sensei looked whenever someone mentioned fish.

The dance had been the last part of the festival to close for the night. It was nearly all alumni and parents at the end, when Tsukune and the others left. The night was quiet after the excitement of the festival, with only a small number of students still about. They were almost to the fork in the path that would lead to the dorms or the village when Tsukune started to feel the pressure of focused youki.

"Tsukune?" Moka started to questioin.

"Yes," Tsukune nodded, sharpening his awareness.

The woods were dark around them. To Tsukune's perception, little glowing lights of youki dotted the landscape around them, with most of them in the direction of the dorms. One bright spot, two youkai close together, suddenly hardened with intent.

"Get back!" Tsukune barked. He reached for his youki as he swung his arms back, forcing Aiko and Moka behind him. He would protect them.