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 179
Tsukune wished that the excitement for the weekend could have been over after the attack. He would have preferred to be able to tell Moka and the others that, except for one attack, it had been a weekend of minor issues and nothing worth talking about. As it was, he knew he would have to report every small detail about the attack to the women in his life, no matter how much it would upset them.
He would have to tell them because they deserved to know what was going on, and because there was no way for him to gloss over the attack or to play it down. He knew that even if he swore his Student Police team to silence, that they would still spread tails about the weekend. It would be best if Tsukune told Moka and the others the whole truth before they heard wild rumors. Tsukune would have preferred to have nothing more to tell his girlfriends about the weekend than a bunch of dry facts about how well the Student Police had performed their job. Of course Tsukune knew life could never be that easy. He wondered if the frustrations fate kept handing him were a part of the price of having so many beautiful and special women in his life that loved him, and that he loved in return.
After leaving the headmistress' office, Tsukune made sure to be visible around campus. He met up with Yoshie and separated from Inari, and started to actively patrol the festival with strategic intent. Every student, human or youkai, that Tsukune knew the name of, he greeted with a warm smile and polite words. Tsukune concentrated on looking and feeling confident, secure, and friendly. Before the attack he had tried to be calm but professionally distant. After the attack Tsukune wanted to encourage everybody to feel safe and to enjoy the festival.
Tsukune let his picture be taken with students of the school. Sometimes one-on-one, other times with a group. A few times he even posed with a smile while cheek-to-cheek with a girl. He won some trinkets at a coin-toss booth, ate ramen and visited a 'maid cafe.' Yoshie was almost dizzy as she tried to keep up. At times it was almost like being on a date. At other times she had no idea what to think about what she was seeing.
At one point a woman in a yukata took Tsukune by the hand and dragged him to the booth run by a photography studio, where she and two other women had their pictures taken with him. Some of the pictures were friendly, others suggestively playful, and even a few looked almost like wedding photos. Through it all, Tsukune was a good sport and played along, even if his ears and neck did turn a little red. It wasn't until after a very suggestive group photo that Yoshie recognized the women as some of her teachers.
Tsukune was looking foreward to the end of the festival day as evening closed in. Unfortunately, the festival was scheduled to run into the late evening with the final event of the night being an informal dance in the gym. As soon as he had seen the dance on the schedule, Tsukune had been reminded of how close Valentine's Day was. When Aiko had caught up with him and told him his presence was expected at the dance, Tsukune started hoping for another attack.
XxxxxxxxX
The gym had been made over in typical fashion for the dance. Paper lanterns and bunting decorated the walls. The lights had been turned down to help create something suggestive of a romantic atmosphere. A long table held fruit punch and tea, and chairs had been set out in small clusters to help define the 'dance floor.' There was no stage, but a table was set up at one end of the dance floor with a sound system for playing music
When Tsukune entered the gym he was conscious of the attention that fell on him. He had avoided arriving early, and had waited until the very minute the dace was scheduled to start before entering. He carefully made his way around the gym to find a place near the sound table. He wanted to be seen, so everybody knew he was there to protect the peace, but he knew any wish to avoid attention would be in vain.
"Thank you everybody for coming," Aiko said in a slightly shaky voice into a microphone. She was standing in front of the sound table. Dressed in her best uniform with her hair and makeup done just right, she was a vision of modest, traditional beauty. "Because this is an informal event, please feel free to enjoy the music even if you are just dancing with friends and classmates. But before we begin, I would like to give a special thank you to some of the people that helped make this festival possible."
Aiko became a little more confident as she recited the small speech she had prepared. She took a little time to thank some of the local businesses for their support. She called off the names of the Festival Committee members that had helped plan everything and each one made a brief appearance as she did. Eventually, after thanking the Headmistress and the school faculty, Aiko reached the point Tsukune had felt coming.
"And now I would like to give a special recognition to someone that had been a big help to making this festival possible, and for it being so successful." Aiko said. Her voice gave away the her own excitement as she neared her goal. "Let us all show our appreciation for our friend and protector, Student Police Captain Aono Tsukune."
A cheer went up and all eyes turned in Tsukune's direction. He gave a smile and a wave from where he stood, but saw that he would not be able to beg off. Trying to not look nervous or annoyed, Tsukune walked onto the 'dance floor' and took up a place beside Aiko.
"Some of you know Aono Tsukune from our trip last Summer," Aiko said. "Where he and his friends put together a special Test of Courage for the sake of myself and my classmates so that we could have some special Summer memories from out trip. He was also the host of our school's representatives to his own school's annual festival, which helped to inspire our own festival and make it possible."
"What many of you don't know," Aiko went on. "Is that Aono Tsukune has been supporting our festival from almost the very beginning. He and I exchanged calls and emails so that he could share his experience with organizing his own school's festivals over the past three years, and help me to solve many problems before they could come up."
"In addition to his behind the scenes support," Aiko gave Tsukune a big smile. "Aono Tsukune and his team of Student Police came to our school to help protect the peace and security of our school and fellow students. I know that some of his team are even now patrolling out school to look out for us, but if any of you are in the gym, please come forward."
A total of fifteen Student Police were in the gym. Tsukune had hoped to lessen his own visibility by inviting the members of his team not on duty, and some who were, to be in the gym during the dance. As they came forward, Tsukune borrowed the microphone from Aiko. He called off the names, ranks, and years of each member of the Student Police he had brought along as a part of his team. He named the ones on duty patrolling the campus first, to make sure they received some recognition even if they were not able to make an appearance. When he was finished he handed the microphone back to Aiko.
"Now to open our dance," Aiko said. "I would like to invite the members of the Student Police to join us." She turned towards Tsukune and drew a breath.
"Ogono Aiko," Tsukune spoke up in a firm, clear voice. "In the spirit of partnership between our schools, my I have the honor of this dance with you?" Tsukune knew she had been about to ask him to dance, so he beat her to the punch. It gave him a chance to take control and to keep things more professional than personal.
"I would like that very much," Aiko said with a smile and a bow.
Aiko returned the microphone to the sound table and switched it off as the music started. It was an informal dance, so everybody could just relax and move to the music. Tsukune held out a hand to Aiko and drew her towards the center of the dance floor. Tsukune was careful to share only one dance with Aiko. At the end of the first song, he thanked her for the dance, gave her a small bow, and headed for the edge of the dance floor to make his escape.
It was then that events came together against Tsukune. Several young women approached him hoping for the next dance. There was some pushing for position among them. One of them stumbled and started to fall. As Tsukune moved to catch her the next song started; a quick-beat song that had been popular six months ago, and one that Tsukune knew well. Tsukune caught the girl with both arms in a slightly romantic pose. From the sound system came a synthesized voice that was half cheer and half battle cry.
"For the dance!" The words came out of the speakers facing the dance floor, as Tsukune turned about and eased the young woman into a safe standing position. It had been just a couple of steps that Tsukune had made in time to the music out of reflex. It wasn't a true dance, but it had been enough.
"Oh my god!" Somebody cried out. "It's you!"
Tsukune turned to see who had called out. It was a young woman he did not know dressed in casual clothing that flattered her athletic figure. She had an expression of excited surprise on her face.
"For the dance," She called out as she practically threw herself at Tsukune.
Tsukune caught the girl mostly to protect himself, and to keep her from getting hurt as well. Unfortunately that gave her a chance to get a hold on him. She tried to move closer to Tsukune while he tried to back away. Mostly in step with the music, it became a strange dance of its own.
"Aono-San," The girl gushed with excitement. "I am a huge fan. I saw your video during the Summer. And during the Winter break I saw the Sweetheart Cook and recognized her from when she danced with you. Oh my god. I wondered what had happened to you. I haven't seen you in anything else since that video." She giggled. "That kiss in the video was so hot! Whenever the Sweetheart Cook was talking about her boyfriend I thought she was talking about you. Was she? Are you really the sweetheart she is talking about?"
Tsukune was stunned by how excitedly and fast the young woman was talking. He couldn't get an answer out without cutting her off. At the same time she was clinging to him so tightly that he couldn't get away without possible hurting her.
"In your dance video you two moved so well together," The fan-girl continued. "I always wanted to have somebody to dance with me like that. And that kiss... Please tell me that was a real kiss." She paused at last and looked up into Tsukune's face with pleading eyes.
"Yes," Tsukune said with a curt nod. "She and I are still together. We are in the same class. And yes the kiss was real." Tsukune tried to slip from her grasp while he spoke. "Now if you will excuse me."
"Oh my god!" The young woman squealed, jumping up and down as she held on to Tsukune.
"Errrr," Tsukune was thinking that maybe a little harm would do the girl some good, or at least calm her down.
"Excuse me" Inari said as she placed a firm hand on the young woman's shoulder. "But I think you need to take a moment to calm down."
"But but but..." The young woman looked to Inari.
"You are causing a scene," Inari spoke in a firm voice as she pulled the fan-girl off her captain. "You need to cam down and compose yourself. Take a look around you."
The young woman did just that. All around the dace floor people were watching her. Inari put herself between Tsukune and the young woman, mostly facing her captain while she stood close to him.
"Oh!" The girl was quickly turning very red.
"If you will excuse us," Inari said, putting her hands on Tsukune's chest to turn him with her and away from the fan-girl. "The captain and I have something to do."
"I'm sorry," The young woman squeaked as she made a deep bow. Finally she hurried away, practically fleeing the dance floor.
"Thank you for the save," Tsukune gave Inari a grateful smile. "It looks like I owe you another one."
"Well that's three," Inari said without moving away from Tsukune. As she talked she kept gently guiding Tsukune in a small circle with her hands on his chest. "I am trying to save up as many favors as I can so I can trade them in on something big and special."
"I see," Tsukune said as he nodded slowly. "Maybe I should make sure to offer only specific rewards in the future then, so I don't end up with a debt I can't repay."
"Too late," Inari smiled. "You can't change the rules now."
"Speaking of rules," Tsukune smirked. "It seems like we are dancing."
"Yes it does," Inari agreed.
"We are in uniform," Tsukune reminded her as he came to a stop.
"I understand," Inari nodded with a small frown. "I will just have to wait until we are out of uniform." She took a small step back from him.
"We'll talk later," Tsukune offered.
"Yes sir," Inari replied with a small nod.
Tsukune took a quick look around and made his escape from the dance floor. Once off the dance flor it did not take him more than a few minutes to find his way to the exit. When he exited the gym the quiet of the night closed in around him. Tsukune gave a relieved sigh.
He walked the grounds for a while, enjoying the calm, until he found a bench not far from the dorm. It would be shaded by trees during the day. At night, the bench was lost in deep shadows. Tsukune decided to have a seat and enjoy a quiet moment. From his place in the shadows he looked out at the surrounding world.
"Nyan," Said a cat as it jumped up beside Tsukune.
"Do I know you?" Tsukune asked the cat as it climbed onto his lap.
The cat didn't answer. It settled itself into place on Tsukune's lap and started to purr. He didn't have anything he had to rush of to do for the moment, and the cat wasn't hurting anything, so he let it be, petting it idly.
"Captain?" Someone called out in a low voice.
"Yes?" Tsukune looked around to see who was talking. He spotted Kris coming towards him.
"Do you have a moment?" Kris asked as he came closer.
"Sure," Tsukune nodded. "Have a seat. Is there something wrong?"
"Not yet," Kris said as he sat down. "That is why I wanted to talk with you."
"What is it?" Tsukune questioned.
"This is strange," Kris began. "I never even thought something like this would come up, but maybe it has to do with all the girls around here." He gave a heavy sigh.
"Go ahead," Tsukune prompted.
"Well, I mean... Captain I know you are popular with girls and know how to understand them," Kris tried to express his thoughts. "But having so many girls around me at one time..." He sighed again. "I'm sorry, Captain. It's just that the girls wanted to talk to me, and it felt good to be so popular. And after the attack today, it was like the girls just couldn't stay away."
"Alright," Tsukune said to show he was listening.
"Well it felt good to be getting so much attention," Kris said. "And they kept asking me questions about what kinds of things I liked. Before I knew what was happening, they were asking questions about you too. I was careful no to say anything dangerous, or at least I tried not to, but... Captain, I think I might have said too much, but I can't even be sure what I said." He gave Tsukune a pained look. "It's just that one moment there were these girls talking and laughing, and in the next the all got quiet and were looking at each other."
"And then what happened?" Tsukune asked.
"They ran off laughing and blushing!" Kris looked nervous as he answered.
"I see," Tsukune said. He ran down the current patrol schedule in his mind. "Head on over to the dance. You will find Lieutenant Inari there. Ask her to come find me by the main building."
"Yes sir," Kris said getting to his feet. He hurried off, hoping he wasn't in trouble, or at least too much trouble.
"If you will excuse me, Neko," Tsukune said as he eased the cat from his lap. "I need to go and see your Nee-San."
The cat was reluctant to give up its place. In the nature of cats, it seemed to become boneless and double in weight as Tsukune tried to lift it from his lap. When he finally had it free from his lap, it suddenly became tense and bounded away from him. It shot him a look from the edge of a planter.
"Nyaaa," It complained once before disappearing from sight.
XxxxX
"Captain," Tama said in happy surprise when she saw Tsukune coming towards her. She was patrolling the main school building, but her watch was almost over. Seeing her handsome captain coming her way made her smile. It would be just like a romantic story if he was coming to her at the end of her shift to invite her to the dance.
"Tama," Tsukune said as he approached. "How are you doing? Anything going on?"
"I'm fine," Tama said. "And everything's quiet." She moved to walk beside her captain, rubbing her shoulder against his arm.
"That's good," Tsukune said with a smile and a nod as they walked. "And are you getting along with the students here?"
"Yeah," Tama said. "It is so strange. Before... In middle school I had a few friends, but it was like I was the friend they wanted to talk to when their other friends were busy. It was kind of the same way back at school until I joined the Student Police. But here, it's like they want to talk to me even when they are in a group."
"You are more confident now," Tsukune said. "And it shows.
"I was even invited to hang out after my shift," Tama said, looking up at her captain. "Some of the girls here are planing a dorm party they said. It will be first years, they said they will be watching a movie and eating ice cream... and talking about boys."
"I see," Tsukune nodded. "As long as you are careful, I hope you have a good time. Just be sure you are ready in time in the morning."
"I can go?" Tama beamed.
"Go," Tsukune said. "I'll even take the rest of this watch for you."
"Thank you Captain Tsukune," Tama hugged him tightly for a moment.
"See you in the morning," Tsukune said.
Tsukune watched the young cat-girl bound off happily. He had not been surprised by what she had said. In fact, it had been about what he had expected. The fact that it was first year girls that had invited Tama to hang out was something he had not thought of however. Kris had night monitor duty. That only left Inari. Tsukune continued the patrols of the main building as he waited for his lieutenant.
"You wanted to see me, Captain?" Inari asked when she arrived.
"Yes I do," Tsukune said. "I wanted to ask you something. Were you invited to go anywhere when you are off duty later?"
"How...?" Inari was stunned. "Captain, is their something going on?" Her body had tightened up and she was looking around for any signs of danger.
"So that is a yes?" Tsukune asked.
"I was invited to girls' night in the dorms," Inari said carefully. "More than once actually."
"You must have turned them down," Tsukune guessed. "That's why you keep getting invitations."
"I did turn them down," Inari eyed her captain. "How did you know?"
"Kris told me that some girls had pumped him for information," Tsukune answered. "He, Tama, you, and myself share a room. He has night duty,so Kris will be out of the room. Tama was invited to a girls' night by some first years. You were invited to hang out after shift as well. Do you see a pattern here?"
"You're being targeted," Inari said as a dark look came over her face. "What is it that they want?"
"I don't want to think about it," Tsukune said. "Instead, I am going to head them off."
"Oh?" Inari looked interested.
"Here's the plan," Tsukune smiled. "I want you to go on back to the dance. Any time one of the students here tries to get you into a conversation, I want you to find an opening to complain about how I am going to be walking patrol all night. It doesn't mater what it is you say exactly, just so whomever you talk to gets the idea that I will be out from the dorms all night. Between that and a locked window, I should be able to sleep soundly."
XxxxxxxX
Inari had trouble keeping a smile from her face. She could not believe her luck. Tsukune had just handed her a golden opportunity. The fact that her attempts to fight a smile were making her scowl helped her. Young women who she had talked with previously kept asking her if there was anything wrong. Now that Inari was aware of their plan, even if she did not know the whole of it, she was able to spot the conspirators by their nervousness.
"...Is there something the mater?" was an open invitation for Inari to plant her seeds of misinformation.
"I'm just worried about my captain," Inari said when the timing was right. "He works so hard but forgets to take care of himself..." She would spend a few moments building him up before complaining that he didn't take the time to rest when he should. She would talk about how he planed to spend most of the night patrolling the festival and the campus in general, instead of spending the night sleeping. She even added that because she was second in command of the team, she had to remain in the dorms with the others because there was no telling where the captain might be, and somebody had to be available if any problems came up. "And I was looking forward to sharing the room with him. I like being able to look at his sleeping face."
By the time Inari returned to the dorms, it was with a sense of a mission completed. She knew from the looks she had seen and a few conversations she had overheard, that there would be young women prowling the campus hoping to get caught and scolded by Tsukune. Once back in the dorm room, Inari drew Tsukune aside.
"Captain," Inari said. "You should go to our room now, but keep the lights off. If anybody peeks in you need to be out of sight."
"Alright," Tsukune nodded before slipping off.
With the lights off and the curtains closed, Tsukune dressed for bed. Inari had refused any invitations to be somewhere else. Along with the misinformation she had spread, any would be visitors in the night should be thoroughly discouraged. It had not occurred to him that that in solving one potential problem, he had created a new one.
Inari entered the room with a grin. Tsukune had given her an opportunity and she fully intended to use it. She was careful to keep the door closed as much as possible as she entered the dark room, and that it was closed tightly behind her.
"Tsukune," She said in a low voice. "Keep as close to the wall as you can and don't speak." She heard him move a little in the bed. "I'm turning the light on."
Tsukune, Inari saw, was in bed and under the covers. From the window he would be hard to see even if the curtains were open wide. Inari went to the window.
"I am going to make a show of being in the room alone," She told Tsukune softly.
Without giving him a chance to respond, or more likely argue, Inari pulled the curtains about half way open. She opened the window and looked out, scanning the area for anybody watching as she made a show of enjoying a little fresh air. Next she closed the window and pulled the curtains mostly closed. Gathering her things for a bath, Inari left the lights on, and Tsukune trapped in place, as she left the room.
When Inari returned she was carrying her uniform and bathing supplies, and was dressed in a simple robe. She moved to stand so that her shadow would fall on the curtains, and if anybody managed to peak, they would only see her and maybe a sliver of the room. Putting on her show, Inari went about her business for getting ready for bed. She made sure everything she would need in the morning was laid out, and everything else was packed away. When she removed her robe, she was turned half away from Tsukune, while wearing only her panties. She pulled on a nightshirt before sitting on Tsukune's bed and taking a little time to brush out her hair. With her face turned away from the window she smiled. From the outside, she looked like any other young woman getting ready for bed alone. While she could explain her actions to Tsukune that way, the truth was that she was enjoying the opportunity to give her captain a little flirtatious show. She wanted her captain thinking of her as a woman, and was not going to pass up a chance to remind him that she was.
Finally she put an end to her show. She did her little bit at the window for another breath of fresh air, and to see if anybody was watching. She saw light reflecting back from a pair of glasses in the shadows.
"Ahhhhh," Inari gave a heavy sigh. "Captain... You should be with me, not out there in the cold."
Inari closed and locked the window and pulled the curtains tightly closed as well. She stood In front of the closed curtains so her shadow could be seen as she bent over to ready a bed. At last, Inari turned out the light and climbed into Tsukune's bed.
"What are you doing?" Tsukune demanded in a quiet whisper.
"Protecting my captain," Inari whispered back. "Now shhh."
In silence, Inari and Tsukune lay in the same bed. Inari tried to listen to the sounds coming in from the outside, but the racing of her own heart made it heard. It was several minutes later that something moved int the bushes outside.
"Do you think they're gone?" Inari whispered.
"Five minutes," Tsukune whispered back.
Inari stared a slow count to three hundred. As she listened for movement outside, she was aware of how close Tsukune was to her in the bed. Her back was to him, but she could feel his body heat. She knew from the first two nights of the trip that he was wearing pajamas. She and Tama had both been a little disappointed by that. She had seen Tsukune dressed out in shorts for P.E. a few times, so it wasn't hard for Inari to imagine him on a pair of boxers. While images of Tsukune floated through her mind, Inari kept counting. When she reached two hundred and forty one, the bushes moved again; twice.
"Now they are gone," Tsukune whsipered.
"That's four you owe me," Inair whispered back. She quickly slipped from his bed to her own before he could argue. She immediately noticed how cold her bed felt after leaving the warmth of Tsukune's.
Tsukune didn't say anything. He knew that it would be pointless to argue, and that it was likely to undo all the subterfuge of him not being there if he tried. Instead, Tsukune tried to ignore the scent that Inari had left in his bed and meditated until sleep came for him.
(A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. To scott amendt, and my other readers, if you sign in to post a review I can reply to you, and you can also add this or other stories to your favorites to receive email notifications of updates.)
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