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.

Chapter 160

Yukari had mixed feelings about the exercise with the baby dolls. She never really thought about having any babies of her own. She liked the idea of having an adult relationship with Tsukune, and knew that sex could lead to having a baby, but she was more interested in a career than a child. When it came time to put down the name of a partner, she had almost written Tsukune's name, but then Kuna had appeared beside her

"Yukari," Kuna said. "Let's list each other as our partners. We live together so it will be easier that way."

"But I was going to put down Tsukune," Yukari said. "It will give me a reason to spend more time with him.

"But isn't that what the rest of your friends are going to do?" Kuna reasoned. "If you and I partner up, we can help each other out. If you pick him, he is going to be too busy to help you."

"Well..." Yukari hesitated.

"In a way..." Kuna said slyly. "If you chose me to be your partner, you will be doing Tsukune and Moka a favor."

"I will?" Yukari questioned.

"Yeah," Kuna nodded with a smile. "I know you want them to be happy together. Imagine them working to take care of a doll together. If you pick Tsukune also, won't you be getting in their way?"

"I suppose..." Yukari tried to think things through.

"Thank you," Kuna said, giving Yukari a quick hug. "You and I will make perfect partners."

Yukari blinked as she tried to understand what had happened. Kuna had taken her registration sheet, finished filling it out, and turned it it with her own. She had then returned to Yukari's side with a baby doll bundled up with the other things they would need for the exercise. Apparently the rules of the exercise specified that everybody had to participate at least part time in caring for a baby. With the two girls working together, they only needed one doll between them.

Yukari had to admit that Kuna had been on to something. If she had tried to partner with Tsukune, she would have had to do most of the exercise on her own. By partnering with Kuna, it would be more of a half-and-half division of work. When it was time for dinner that evening, Yukari thought that maybe she had lucked out. She had gotten all of her assignments finished without having to stop to look after the doll. She took a turn looking after the doll after dinner so Kuna could have a break, and so that she could get familiar with it and understand what needed to be done. With Kuna's help, the exercise was going to be simple.

XxxXxxX

Tsukune took his time as he returned to the village to accept his fate. He wanted some time to think. If he could have it his way, he would partner up with Moka, and as much as he liked to be independent and take care of his own responsibilities, he thought about having Ruby take care of their baby doll. Of course he knew life could never be that easy. The thought of Moka, Kurumu, and Mizore waiting for him did remind Tsukune of the problem he still needed to find a solution for. He loved Kurumu, and because of the bond they shared, he knew that she would be a part of his life forever. What was he going to do in the future about his relationship with her, Tsukune wondered. What if Kurumu wanted to have a child with him? Tsukune wanted to marry Moka. What would that mean for his relationship with Kurumu? And all of that left the questions about Mizore to still be figured out as well.

Tsukune knew that someday he was going to have to do something cruel. Someday, he was going to have to make an absolute decision. He was going to have to set hard limits with all of his friends, and if they could not respect them, if they could not respect him, he would have to set them behind him if he wanted to have a normal life with Moka.

Tsukune quietly scoffed at his own thoughts bitterly. He didn't even know what he should think of as normal anymore.

Tsukune knew the life of a normal, average person had been forever denied to him. He looked at his right wrist. A gold chain, chipped and cracked, but still there was because he refused to turn his back on somebody he cared about. He wanted to protect her with everything he had. Now he had the strength to protect Moka, and his other friends and family, and had to wear the holy lock to protect them and everybody else from him. He looked at his left wrist. The iron bracelet that was Tetsu Odari had been given to him for helping and protecting his friend Akira, giving him a weapon he could use to help protect others. He knew he could use it to do more that just protecting others, but that was what he intended to use it for. Tsukune felt a dark mood trying to settle over him. The life that he had thought would some day be his was impossible now. Now, everything he did was to protect his chances for a life he could share with Moka. A life he could enjoy with her, while protecting her happiness. Tsukune wondered if he would spend his entire life protecting others.

When he returned to the manor, Tsukune mind was forced to focus back on the present. After he had dropped off his school things, Tsukune went to the sitting room, where Ruby told him he had guests waiting to see him. Moka, Kurumu, Mizore were waiting for him. Each one of them was holding a baby doll. Each one of them had a serious expression on her face. Tsukune didn't say anything, he just stood in the doorway wish his hands on his hips, waiting.

"Tsukune," Moka spoke up first. "You need to settle this."

"Tsukune and I are partners," Kurumu said to Moka. "We're going to take care of the doll together."

Mizore didn't say anything. She just looked at Tsukune with firm resolve.

"Kurumu," Tsukune said. "You signed me up to be your partner without even asking me."

"But Tsukune..." Kurumu tried to argue.

"No," Tsukune shook his head. "If I had known in advance, I would have chosen Moka to be my partner. You know this. I've told you before that Moka will always come first. Moka," Tsukune turned to her next. "I hope you know me well enough by now that I love you, and that I take my commitment to you very seriously. No mater what happens, that is not going to change. But when a friend, or a family member asks me for help, I don't want to refuse them just because it will make you doubt me."

"Tsukune," Kurumu and Moka protested with different levels of hurt in their eyes.

"Mizore," Tsukune said as he turned his attention to her. "I understand at least a part of your feelings in this. If I can, I will help you too."

"Tsukune," Moka said, demanding his attention. "Do you really mean what you just said?"

"Yes I do," Tsukune gave her a firm nod. "I know I may be insecure and immature about things, but this is how I feel."

"I... I... You..." Moka studered and then fell silent. An internal conversation made her face twist about with thoughts and feelings.

"Tsukune," Kurumu spoke up. "Maybe... I just..." She blew out a heavy sigh. "You're right. I was being selfish again." She took a deep breath and blew it out, ordering her thoughts. "Tsukune, if you have the time, I would really like it if you could help me with this baby exercise."

"If I am available," Tsukune answered her. "I would be glad to help."

"Thank you," Kurumu said with a note of relief in her voice.

"Tsukune," Moka spoke up again. "We... I have considered what you said. I am sorry. You have earned my trust over and over again, and proven your loyalty. I should not let my temper drive me to question you." As Moka spoke she fussed with the doll she was holding, almost as if it was a real baby, as an excuse to not face anybody in the room. She did not like admitting to being in the wrong.

A part of Moka's discomfort at the moment came from a conflict between her inner and outer selves. Tsukune, who stood there and professed his love and dedication to her, had reminded her that she was not a very good girlfriend. Inner Moka had caught what Tsukune said and it had made her angry. She seemed to think there was a cause to doubt him. Inner Moka knew Tsukune would always be loyal to her, by his relationships with other women were not clearly defined enough for her liking. Outer Moka felt her inner self's reasoning was too calculating and hard. Inner Moka thought her outer self was being too softhearted. While their reasoning was in contrast, they both agreed that they should make an effort to help Tsukune.

"I know you were not given a choice in this," Moka continued, talking only a small glance in his direction, still not wanting to meet his eyes. "I do not want to burden you needlessly, but it is by helping one another that we have come as far as we have. Tsukune, I know I can count on your support. Kurumu, I am sure, will not want to give you the impression she would be a poor choice for caring for a child, so she will not demand too much of your time."

"Yea... Hey!" Kurumu gave Moka and evil glare.

"Mizore," Moka said, ignoring Kurumu's outburst. "I will be counting on your support as well. I know that you will also want to have Tsukune's help, when he is free to provide it, so you will be close at hand should ether of us ask for some assistance."

"Tsukune," Moka gave him a quick look. "You will have Ruby help us as well..."

"No," Tsukune said, cutting her off.

"What?" Moka now looked him straight in the face, her eyes wide.

"I will help you," Tsukune said. "And be happy to be sharing the work with you. But this is an assignment given to us as third year students. I don't ask Ruby for help with my other assignments. She helps me by making sure the house and my uniforms are taken care of, but I write my own papers. I know Ruby would be happy to help if I asked her to, but I am not going to."

The reactions Tsukune received varied. Moka was stunned. Kurumu gave him a broad smile. Mizore looked down at the doll she was holding to hide a smirk. Moka, as her mind processed through what Tsukune had said, had to admit that he was right, but had not expected him to so openly disagree with her. Kurumu liked the way Tsukune was standing up for himself and being so manly. Mizore saw the shock on Moka's face and felt a sense of glee from seeing Tsukune standing up to her.

"Tsukune, I..." Moka found it difficult to get words to come out.

"And I am sorry if I seem a little short tempered," Tsukune said. "But I was told that taking care of a doll counted for up to ten percent of our final grade. That is ten percent per doll, for every doll that somehow my name got attached to. Between you three, Inari, and three girls I don't even know, up to seventy percent of my final grade is now on the line."

"They didn't tell us that," Moka said in almost a whisper.

"Tsukune," Kurumu suddenly looked a little nauseous. "Are you sure about that?"

"Helll, I don't know," Tsukune sighed in frustration, finally entering the room. He squeezed himself on to the small couch between Kurumu and Moka. "Ririko Sensei might have just been saying that to mess with me." He sighed again and then leaned forward. He had his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. "But she looked happy about it, and I think she still holds a grudge against me."

Moka and Tsukune shared a look over Tsukunes bent back. Ten percent for ether of them could hurt their final grade. But for Tsukune, it could be disaster. He knew of seven people that had put his name on their paper. Moka hand seen four more. How many others were out there? At the end of the exercise, Tsukune's final grade could already be decided.

"Kurumu," Mizore spoke up. "I will watch your baby if you will help Ruby make supper."

"Yes," Kurumu said. "We can use the guest room for a nursery."

In moments, Moka and Tsukune were alone in the sitting room. Mizore and Kurumu took the dolls and their accessories away to the guest room. Mizore put the three dolls on one of the beds, each with its respective workbook beside it. While she settled in to babysit and study, Kurumu went to the kitchen to help Ruby. It wasn't long before Ruby chased her out of the kitchen to go help Mizore. Meanwhile, back in the sitting room, Moka tried to comfort Tsukune.

Moka didn't say anything at first. She wanted to pick out her words carefully. Both sides of her were in agreement on the seriousness of the issue at hand. If Tsukune failed the term because of this one exercise, then it could ruin everything for them. Even if it didn't ruin his plans, it could be turned in to the kind of black mark that her family could use to keep them from being together.

"Tsukune," Moksa said at last. "I'll make sure it works out."

"I know you will," Tsukune said without looking up.

"You know, Tsukune" She moved to embrace him. "When we were getting our dolls, I was careful to get a girl. I remembered how you said you would like to have a daughter with me some day."

"Oh really," Tsukune sat up a little and turned to face her, accepting her embrace.

"I even have a name picked out already," Moka said, feeling herself blushing. She was embarrassed to admit that one little conversation had preoccupied her thoughts so much. She had taken time to pick out what names she would want to give her child, if she and Tsukune were ever that fortunate.

"And what name is that?" Tsukune asked.

"Otsune," Moka said in a shy voice as she ducked her head. She was blushing furiously.

"Oh," Tsukune said. "I was thinking of Momoko."

"What?" Moka looked up in surprise.

"Momoko," Tsukune said. "Because I would hope that she would be as soft and sweet as her mother."

"Tsu..." Mokas face became a twisted with feelings and her voice failed her.

'Soft!' Inner Moka thundered. 'Is that how he thinks of me?'

'He's talking about me!' The outer Moka roared back.

The argument was on. The two sides of Moka shouted at each other in the privacy of their mind. Tsukune watched with some amusement as Moka's eyes lost focus and her thoughts raced across her face and made her body tense and twitch. Finally he decided to do something about it.

"I also thought about Mika," Tsukune said. "The new moon."

"Tsukune," Moka's face grew smooth and her read and green eyes focused on his face. "Have you really been thinking about what you would want to name our children?"

"Of course," Tsukune said. "I have also wondered if they should take my family name or yours. Do you want them to continue your family traditions, or to be independent? I am sure your family has a lot to offer them, as a part of their traditions, and I wouldn't expect you to keep that from your children."

"Tsukuneee..." Moka(s) growled.

"I know I'm being foolish again," Tsukune sighed. "I'm sorry." Tsukune stood up.

Moka was so shocked by his obliviousness that she let him slip from her embrace. She felt stunned and confused. She looked up at him and tried to understand what was going on in that thick skull of his.

"You are welcome to stay of course," Tsukune said. "But I need to get my books so I can study." He left the room while Moka just watched him go.

'What the hell just happened?' Moka(s) blinked.