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 146

Yukari was feeling more frustrated than ever. At the start of the Winter break, she had applied herself to the study and identification of 'love.' It had seemed so simple in the beginning. She had started as any good scientist should, by documenting all of her observations. The scientific method was simple, theorize, test, observe, analyze, evaluate, repeat until question is answered. The problem was that the more she tried to define 'love' the less identifiable it became. Somewhere between one point and another, there should have been some identifiable point when an act became an act of love. Yukari buried herself in her research on the topic of love, and after a weak, she had not found an answer that really fit.

Yukari faced the challenge as a scholar. When her own work fell short, she looked for references from other sources. The school library, which was actually rather impressive, had contained any number of books on the topic of love, from the poetic to the analytic, to the biological. But everything she found ether reflected her own work to a useless degree, or was so mired with wild speculations and interpretations that Yukari wondered what the writers of such things must have been smoking, drinking, or otherwise polluting their minds with.

Friday evening found Yukari sitting in the front room of her house with Manny and her housemate Kuna. Manny was sprawled across Yukari's lap. The young witch was eating a tasty supper that Kuna had made, while she talked about the failings of her research. Kuna had been very supportive of Yukari during her manic research, preparing meals and taking care of the house.

"I just don't see how to make it fit together," Yukari lamented.

"But why does it have to?" Kuna asked.

"Love is supposed to be the most powerful thing in the world," Yukari explained. "It's been given credit for starting wars and saving lives. Light, sound, gravity, electricity, even the energy with in our own bodies can be measured. If love is so powerful, I should be able to define it figure out what I need to make it work."

"But Yukari," Kuna questioned. "What kind of love are you trying to measure?"

"What?" Yukari blinked.

"Well," Kuna said, reaching for one of the many manga's that were in the house. It didn't mater what room the two young women were in, there was almost always a manga or five in reach. "In this one, the heroine goes to the same school that her mother once attended out of love for her. While she's there, she makes special connections with friends, where they are willing to help each other out no mater what, because they have a kind of love for each other, and in the end, she and one her classmates even become lovers." She put the yuri manga down on the table. "There is more than one kind of love, and that is in a single title."

"Oh," Yukari blinked.

"There are so many kinds of love, Yukari," Kuna leaned into her housemate a little as she talked. "There is the love between parents and children, and that is different for the parent or the child. There is the love you have for studying." She looked into Yukari's eyes. "You shared you love with Manga's with me, giving me a love I can share with you."

"I..." Yukari felt her face starting to grow warm.

"I was never close to anybody before you, Yukari," Kuna said. "You really helped me find something to be excited about." She leaned a little closer, and her voice slid into a lower register. "I want you to know that I really appreciate what you've done for me."

"I... I," Yukari swallowed. "I'm glad I could do something for you."

"That's why I decided to start cooking for you, Yukari," Kuna said. "You gave my life something special. I know that studying, learning, is a passion for you, and I want to support your passion. So you don't have to worry about the cooking any more."

"Thank you," Yukari said, finding herself looking into Kuna's large, black eyes. They were like twin bottomless pools of ink.

"Yukari..." Kuna licked her lips. "I wa..Ahh!'

"Whaaa!" Yukari responded.

Both girls reacted to a knock at the door, and to each others surprise. The pair were suddenly sitting up straight and finding excuses to not look at each other as they smoothed their clothes and hair, while their hearts thundered in their chest.

"I'll get the door," Yukari volunteered.

"I'll clean the table," Kuna said.

Yukari gathered herself and stood. She concentrated on calming herself down as she crossed to the front door. A part of her mind was trapped in trying to understand what had just happened, or what had been about to happen.

"Tsukune?" Yukari said in happy surprise when she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello Yukari," Tsukune gave her a relaxed smile. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No," Yukari said, shaking her head. "Kuna and I just finished supper. Please, come in. Mizore, come in."

"Thank you," Tsukune said. "Please forgive our intrusion."

As they sat at the table, Kuna offered tea. The few stray signs of a hastily cleared table did not escape Tsukune's notice. Nor did he miss the way Kuna watched Yukari as she joined the three friends at the table. After a few minutes of pleasantries, Tsukune rought the conversation around to the reason for his visit.

"Yukari, I was wondering if you could answer a question for me, as a witch," Tsukune said. "I could ask Ruby if it's too much trouble, but I think you would be a better source of information."

"I'll tell you anything I can, Tsukune," Yukari said. A sense of pride and happiness welled up within her. A feeling of giddiness clashed with her seriousness when it came to sharing serious information.

"There is somebody I know from back home," Tsukune began. "She's a human, but she is hoping to transfer to the academy. It seems that she is feeling..." Tsukune paused to consider his words. "She is feeling frustrated by the way her mother and the rest of the people around her try to get her to be limited to their expectations of her."

"Another human?" Yukari questioned. "And a girl. Cool. Is she in the same year?"

"A year younger," Tsukune said.

"Another human?" Kuna asked.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors," Yukari said to her housemate. "Tsukune's human."

"Oh..." Kuna said, slipping into thoughtful silence.

"My friend," Tsukune continued. "I think that she could accept the truth about the academy, and with the support of some friends, I am sure she could be kept safe here."

"She could join the Newspaper Club," Yukari said. "Kokoa may not like it much, but her pride won't let anybody pick on a member of her club. Especially not when she will be in charge."

"That's a good idea," Tsukune nodded. "I'll suggest that to her."

"Yes," Yukari smiled. "We'll keep the club going."

"But before she starts here," Tsukune explained. "Before Hana officially applies to transfer in, I want to tell her the whole truth about the academy. I already told her a little bit about what the students here are like, but well... Yukari, is it possible for a normal human to learn to use magic the way you do?"

"Yes and no," Yukari said in a mater of fact voice, slipping into her lecture mode. "Tsukune do you know what magic is?"

"It's using willpower and personal energy to make things happen," Tsukune answered, remembering what he had gained from Lord Brone's book.

"That is the core of it," Yukari agreed with a quick nod. "Youkai, even half-youkai like Ruby and I have more energy than a normal human, but our youkai nature can restrict the way we can use that energy. It would be impossible for Mizore to use fire magic, for example."

"Yes," Mizore agreed.

"For a human to use strong magic," Yukari continued. "He or she could burn out, use up all of their life, in the casting of a single spell. For a normal human to use magic, they would have to make some serious decisions. The first is to decide if they are willing to be limited to simple illusions and small tricks." Yukari illustrated her point by holding up a hand. With a small flourish, Yukari snapped her fingers, ending up with her index finger pointing up with a single tongue of flame dancing over the tip. "Even this," Yukari went on, "Uses a lot of energy. The body counts energy as calories. To hold this flame in place, as a real flame and not just an illusion, for a whole minute, would cost a normal human about as many calories as a good candy bar." She let the flame vanish and lowered her hand.

"If that isn't enough," Yukari continued. "If the human wants to do bigger magic, they have to decide where they are going to get the extra power from. Human can team up and work together. There are ways to collect energy from other places, some are better than others; some are more dangerous than others."

"Like getting blood from a youkai," Tsukune nodded.

"Yes," Yukari agreed. "Humans have made deals with youkai for power before."

"I see," Tsukune said thoughtfully.

"Tsukune?" Yukari probed. "Why do you want to know if humans can learn magic?" She waggled her eyebrows at him. "Do you want me to give you some special lessons?"

"No," Tsukune said with a flat look. "My friend, when I was talking to her about school here, mentioned how she used to want to be a Magical Girl, but had outgrown believing in impossible things." Tsukune gave a bitter smirk. "She's the same age as Kokoa and was already turning cynical, and I didn't think that was right. I teased her a little bit over it, but I told her that Magical Girls are real."

"You what?" Yukari's eyes shot wide. "Tsukune!"

"I didn't give her any names," Tsukune went on quickly. "I just didn't want her giving up on her dreams before she had a chance to even try to make them happen. That would be like you ignoring a book because someone said it would be too difficult for you to understand it."

"That's just wrong," Yukari huffed.

"That's what I though," Tsukune nodded. "So I told her that I knew two Magical Girls." Tsukune gave a sheepish smile. "After I used Hiru to show off a little, Hana believed me. She asked me if she could learn to be a Magical Girl too."

"But what would happen is she did learn magic?" Yukari asked.

"We would have another friend in favor of coexistence," Tsukune said. "There would be one more person to help show that youkai and humans have more in common. Besides, the more people that believe in the impossible, the more that they will want to make the impossible happen. And the more people that can do even a little bit of the impossible," Tsukune touched his youki and snapped his fingers, balancing a tongue of flame over his index finger. "The harder it will be to ignore the truth of what is really possible."

"Hmmmm..." Yukari's expression tightened as her mind worked.

The small gathering broke up soon after. Tsukune had gained the information he had been looking for. Yukari had a new mental puzzle to play around with. Mizore, after finally getting a confession from Tsukune was getting impatient and wanted to get him alone some more while she still could. Even Kuna was content for the visitors to be on their way.

Xx-VvvvvV-xX

Moka was ready to settle the gnomes' ridiculous argument. They had finally handed her the perfect tool to straighten out the whole mess. She had been studying maps and pictures and diagrams of the inside of the Argent Cairn while listening to a seemingly endless debate of what to do about an unexpected vein of gold that was in the way of their silver mining. The argument was all the more silly because there wasn't even much silver to mine.

"Honored elders of the counsel of the Argent Cairn," Moka addressed the gnome leaders. I, your Dame, Akashiya Moka, have heard gathered enough information from your words that I shall now hand down my decision." She paused, eying the little men and women to see if they were going to object he putting an end to their happy bickering. "I recognize that the Silversmith clan wishes to preserve its history and traditions, but change is sometimes unavoidable. Even the stone of the earth moves. We all must accept that nothing is constant..."

Moka was less interested in making all of the gnomes happy than in settling the dispute. During the days of debating, there had been plenty, mostly younger adult members of the clan that had mentioned that they were willing to break away from the rest in order to mine the gold. Moka called out the ones that had used the strongest language, the strongest arguments in favor if being allowed to work and live without being bound strictly to traditions for traditions' sake. These individuals, and which ever among their families and friends that wished to follow them, were given one year to remove themselves from the Silversmith clan. Moka designated a section of mining tunnels for the named gnomes to make into their new home and gave them the task of mining gold. By decree, the Gilders clan was formed.

The Gilders clan would be allies and competitors with the Silversmith clan. The surface of the small mountain in which the clans resided would be divided equally, and in time it was expected that the Gilders would build up to match the Silversmiths. Moka said she was looking forward to see what kind of gardens the Gilders' women would grow, and what kind of things the men would build. She realized that the two clans of gnomes were likely to end up building up castles in an effort to out shine one another. Not only did she settle the dispute of what to do about the gold in the Argent Cairn, but she had given the gnomes a new hobby that should keep them entertained for a century or more.

Moka had tried to plan ahead when she came up with her solution to the whole gold problem. Decreed that in the absence of ether gold or silver, the respective clan would be free to keep its identity while carving tunnels and galleries out of the earth. Additionally, all such passages will be held as common ground for the gnomes sworn to her. The clans were allowed and encouraged to help each other in case of any emergency. While living separately, there was no restriction on fair trade, or social interaction. Moka tried to set down rules that would keep the Argent Cairn form becoming a battle zone. The new clan would borrow much of its way of life from the old, and even be taxed at the same percentage.

Moka concluded the meeting by swearing the newly founded Gilders clan to her service as Dame of the Argent Cairn. Following the meeting, Moka took the time to report to Lord Gray the resolution of the gold problem He approved of her reasoning and handling of the situation. With all of the business of her trip concluded, Moka was ready to return to the academy. She packed up her things and used her servitor to transport her back to her little house in the student village.

Moka was glad to have her trip over with. After the brain numbing debate, she was more than ready for a little fun and relaxation. Once she was back at her house, she put her things away and washed up. After a week in another time zone, Moka was wide awake in spite of the early hour Saturday morning. She still had a few hours before the sun would be up, but Moka was not in the mood to wait. As soon as she had finished her duties as Dame, Inner Moka had started talking about her personal needs and wants. Outer Moka was in agreement with her nearly point for point.

Moka slipped from her house and out into the darkness. The manor house at the end of the street was dark but inviting to the vampire. The living energy of those within were visible to her senses as she approached. She recognized Tsukune and Hiru without any difficulty. Mizore was also in the house, so Moka guessed that the other life she detected was that of Mizore's beast. Moka did not detect Ruby's presence as she slipped into the manor, but didn't let it bother her. It simply meant that there would be one less distraction to worry about. As quietly as she could, Moka made her way up the stairs and down the hall to the master bedroom.

Moka was aware of Tsukune's presence, and could tell that he was aware of her. As she moved closer, she could feel his presence changing state and starting to move. She was almost to his bedroom door when it opened. A half dressed Tsukune stepped out into the hall with a smile.

"Moka," Tsukune said. "I'm gad you're back. I missed you."

"I missed you more," Moka said with a wicked grin as she moved in close to him. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I didn't have anybody to help keep me company while I was away."

"Mok..." Tsukune was cut off my a kiss.

"Ahhhh," Moka broak the kiss. "And now I am going to collect what I have been missing."