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 186

Inari was grateful that the dorms were empty as she hurried to her room. She would have slipped her form to something faster if she had not been wearing stockings. As it was, once she was out of Tsukune's sight, she had sprinted for her room, pulling at her uniform as she went. Once she reached the privacy of her own room, Inari shed her school clothes as if they had been on fire. Almost as quickly, she pulled on the clothes she had left out earlier. A dark tan blouse of silk, narrow-leg black jeans, a double breasted jacket of black leather with a cinch bet, complete with stainless steel snaps and buckles, and black, mid heel boots that rose to mid-calf. Before heading for the door, Inari took up the bag she had packed for the occasion, and the special surprise she had been saving for just such an occasion. Inari had bought her own motorcycle helmet. It was a half-helmet with an open front and a retractable visor. The helmet was black with red and silver trim, and looked a little like what racer or fighter pilot would wear in an anime.

Inari double-checked her appearance before leaving the dorms. Her outfit flattered her figure, and she thought that the black should be eye-catching enough without appearing as a demand for attention. She spared a moment to check her makeup, and then it was time to return to Tsukune. Inari forced herself to move more calmly as she returned to where her captain waited. It just would not do to arrived flushed and out of breath.

"Tsukune," Inari called out as she approached. "How do I look?"

Inari stuck a pose a short distance from Tsukune. He had her bag in one hand and her helmet in the other as she held her arms out a little. Tsukune observed the way she stood, with a turn of her hips and a tilt to her head. He knew that she had picked out an outfit she hoped he would find pleasing. A very small part of him wanted to cringe.

"You look nice," Tsukune said with a small smile and a nod.

"Thank you," Inari said. "Now let's go get you ready."

Tsukune didn't reply. He just turned towards the village and started walking. Inari caught up to him, doing a little skip where he couldn't see. Once she was beside him she slipped her arm around his.

"How long have you had that helmet?" Tsukune asked.

"About a month and a half," Inari answered as she blushed.

"I see," Tsukune said.

"Were you thinking of asking me to take you for a ride as one of your favors?" Tsukune asked a little while later.

"Ma-a-aybe," Inari found herself smiling shyly.

"I see," Tsukune said. He walked along in silence for about thirty meters as he thought carefully. "So if this examination had not come along, where where you going to ask me to take you?"

"I hadn't decided on that yet," Inari admitted.

"Ahhhh," Tsukune said with a nod.

They walked on in silence until they reached the edge of the village.

"Tsukune?" Inari spoke up.

"Hmmmm?" Tsukune responded.

"You're alright with taking me to the exam aren't you?" Inari asked a little nervously.

"Of course I am," Tsukune answered.

"I mean you're not doing this just because you owe me a favor, but you're really going to resent doing it, right?" Inari tried to express her concern.

"You mean would I have been willing to take you even if I didn't owe you a favor?" Tsukune asked.

"Yeah..." Inari answered in a small voice as she nodded.

"Why wouldn't I?" Tsukune asked her. "You and I have shared a lot this year. We're applying to the same university, so we are both going to take the same exam. This will just be one more thing we can share."

"So it's alright for me to go with you?" Inari asked.

"Yes it is," Tsukune gave a firm nod.

Before Inari asked any more questions they reached the manor. Tsukune actually had to unlock the door for a change. Usually Ruby would be at the manor to welcome Tsukune home, but she was still at work up at the school. Tsukune let them in and showed Inari to the sitting room.

"I'm going to go change," Tsukune told her. "Make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back down."

"Alright," Inari said.

After Tsukune left the room, Inari started pacing. She was too excited to sit. She was alone with Tsukune, and for once they were both going to be out of uniform. The last time she had been handed such an opportunity had been when they were both in the hospital. As she paced back and forth, Inari had to fight the urge to explore the manor. She wasn't that curious about the house itself, but about what little tidbits she might discover about Tsukune. With a mischievous smile she imagined finding his laundry hamper.

"Bad Inari," She whispered as she knocked her knuckles against her own forehead.

In spite of her determination to be not too bad, Inari almost went exploring anyway. She didn't know if it was because of her nervousness, but she was feeling the call of nature. She was about to go in search of a water closet when Tsukune returned.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Tsukune said with a smile as he returned to the sitting room.

"That's alright," Inari said as she took in Tsukune's appearance.

Tsukune was in business casual dress. His white, button down shirt was tucked into a pair of black jeans that showed just a touch of fading. His black tie had a silver cross pin holding it in place. In his hand was a black and red riding jacket. Inari felt her heart flutter uncomfortably. He was dressed like her, but at the same time he was different enough that it looked like a coincidence and not on purpose. Her hope of looking like a couple slipped a little.

"Before we leave," Tsukune said. "We should make sure to use the water closet."

"Wha... Oh," Inari's attention suddenly returned to her bladder. "Yes. Where?"

Tsukune showed her the way to the closest toilet. Inari was a little worried that Tsukune might be close enough to hear her, but she needed relief too much to not take advantage of the water closet now that it was available to her. When she was finished she was glad to discover that Tsukune had actually been waiting for her back in the sitting room.

"Are you ready?" Tsukune asked her.

"Yes," Inari said.

Tsukune lead her back out the front door. As he locked the door he sent a mental call to Hiru. The creature trotted into view and looked up at him an eager grin on her reptilian face. Tsukune stepped down from the front porch of the manor and scratched Hiru behind an ear.

"Are you ready for a run Hiru?" Tsukune said as he channeled some of his own energy into her.

Hiru answered with a purr like distant thunder as she transformed into a motorcycle.

"I've never seen it do that before," Inari said with some awe in her voice.

"Hiru is impressive," Tsukune agreed. "And she hasn't shown me everything she can do yet."

Tsukune put their bags into Hiru's saddle bags while Inari strapped on her helmet. He pulled his cap from his back pocket and as he placed it on his head it transformed into a three-quarter helmet. Inari liked the way his helmet left his face visible. He settled into place in the saddle then gave Inari a look and a nod.

Inari felt her heart leap. It was a moment she had been waiting for. Trying to look confident and calm, she approached the beast and put her foot onto a peg and her hands on Tsukune's shoulders. She stepped up and swung her lag over, finding the other peg before lowering herself onto the seat. Once she was sure of her seat, Inari slipped her arms around Tsukune's waist.

Inari felt herself almost shaking with excitement. She was so close to Tsukune. His hips were between her thighs and her arms were around his body. A sigh of happy contentment escaped her.

"Are you ready?" Tsukue asked.

"Yeah," Inari said. Holding Tsukune so close made Inari feel ready for anything.

XxxxXxxxxXxxxxX

Looking back on the experience, Inari would always remember that first ride with Tsukune. She felt Hiru come alive underneath her. It vibrated with a growl that seemed to echo within Tsukune as she held him close. The world around them slid by in a kaleidoscope of images as she tried to take in all the sensations of her new perspective. Then Hiru reached the end of the paved village street. The ride didn't become rough, but it wasn't smooth ether. The road was little more than a wide path as they traveled through the forest. Around a curve, up and over a hill and then down.

"Hold on tight," Tsukune said over his shoulder with a grin. "I'm going to let Hiru run."

In reply Inari squeezed Tsukune a little tighter. That was enough for him. He gave the throttle a twist and Hiru surged forward. Inari thought that she might have cried out then, but was never sure. The world around her became a blur. It felt like she was flying. She had a glimpse of the red sea beyond the cliffs as they sailed past the bus stop. Then everything was swallowed by blackness that expanded into a dark rainbow as they leaped out to the greater world.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"That was fantastic!" Inari declared as she finally got her feet back on the ground. The trip had taken over two hours, and each turn and 'jump' had thrilled her. It felt every bit as good as running on all fours, but was even more exciting. Inari knew that she was going to have to grab every chance to go riding with Tsukune she could.

Tsukune watched Inari as she reacted to their ride. She was walking in little circles as she worked out the tightness in her legs from the trip. She had a smile on her face and a glow to her cheeks that spoke volumes about how excited she was. As he dismounted, he hoped that Inari's excitement would not distract her from the examination.

Because they were out in public, Tsukune put his helmet into a saddle bag. He handed Inari her bag and took her helmet to put away as well. Tsukune didn't have a bag he wanted to carry, but instead had a nice binder with all the things he thought he would need for the examination.

Once Tsukune and Inari checked in for the examination, they discovered that they were going to be split up. Tsukune wasn't too surprised by that, but Inari did give a frustrated pout. Tsukune gave her a smile and promised not to leave without her.

XxxxxX

Inari found herself in a room with a dozen other women and a score of men. Most looked young, like herself. A few looked older. A handful were in uniform. Every seat in the room was quickly filled. Each of the examinees followed the directions of the man at the front of the room. Inari felt her anxiety starting to rise. She gave herself a small shake and grabbed on to her determination with both metaphorical hands as the examiner told them to start.

XxxxxxxX

Tsukune turned in his written examination feeling confident. The strange, condensed training he had been put through had helped him with the exam. His time studying with Moka, and Yukari, had also helped him. The examination had taken hours, covering everything from general education to critical thinking skills as applied to police duties. Tsukune now just had to face the most challenging part of the exam, the wait for his results.

XxxXxxX

Inari didn't know if she should feel relieved or sick to her stomach. By the time she had finished the examination she had felt rung out. The idea of having to wait a week for her results made her nauseous. She wanted to score highly so that she could be with Tsukune. The idea that she would pass and he wouldn't was unthinkable. She had to get a high score. It seemed to her that after every tenth question she had made a silent prayer for luck.

After she had turned in her exam, Inari had gone to the restroom She found herself in the company of nearly every young woman that had taken the exam with her. They were all looking strained as they checked their reflections. Inari wondered how many of them were could be her future classmates. As she touched up her makeup, she realized that all of the women with her were her rivals. Only so many people would be able to make the grade, and the more who scored high, the harder it would be for those that didn't.

XxxxxxXxXxX

"Hey," Inari said as she found Tsukune standing by the entrance.

"Hey," Tsukune turned to give her a smile. "How did you do?"

"Ahhhhh," Inari hesitated to answer. "I think I did pretty good, if I have a little luck on my side."

"Hmmmm," Tsukune nodded. "I wish you luck then." He looked up at the sky. "But I hope we have some left for the ride back."

Inari looked up and knew what Tsukune was talking about. Dark clouds had filled the sky while they had been taking the exams. If they had used up all of their luck on the entrance exams, they might be caught in some bad weather.

"Maybe we should find a temple to pray for some luck," Inari suggested.

Xx

The return trip started out well enough. It was still early enough in the afternoon that traffic was light. Tsukune decided to stop for lunch at a family diner, wanting to recharge a little. Besides, he had noticed that Inari was looking more than a little worn out. After lunch they hit the road hoping to get back to school before the weather turned ugly.

Two jumps out of five on they way back to school put Tsukune and Inari under a mostly blue sky with high, scattered clouds. Tsukune eased off the throttle a little as they passed through the area. Inari was glad that he did. They were in a rural area that was still half farmland. Open areas allowed them a wide area of visibility.

"Tsukune," Inari called out. "There!" She pointed to a torii that was visible in front of them across an open field.

Remembering Inari's comment about visiting a temple, Tsukune decided that a short stop wouldn't hurt. At the next intersection he turned them towards the torii. When they reached their objective they found a small temple surrounded by green trees. As Inari dismounted, Tsukune looked up at the torii and saw that it had once been painted a red-orange. The path from the torii to the temple was paved with flat stones that was in need of a good sweeping.

"Tsukune," Inari said. "Come with me."

"Alright," Tsukune agreed. He dismounted as well.

They left their things in the saddle bags. With a quick look around, Tsukune started for the temple. Inari reached for Tsukune's arm. As they approached the temple, Tsukune felt an itch at the back of his neck. Looking ahead, something about the temple teased his mind.

Tsukune and Inari were just past the torii when rain started to fall. A few drops at first that quickly turned into a strong shower out of a blue sky. Tsukune and Inari hunched their shoulders, held each others arms, and hurried for the shelter of the temple. They hurried up the steps of the temple and under the cover of the roof.

The Sunshower only lasted for a minute. It had started with a few drops before turning into a downpour. It was already starting to lessen as Tsukune and Inari reached shelter. As they stepped under the temple's roof, a quickening breeze made windchimes ring.

"Awww," Inari gave a frustrated pout as she thought how the sudden wetting could have messed up her hair and makeup.

"It's alright " Tsukune said, running his free hand through his hair.

"Congratulations," A voice from within the temple said.

"What?" Inari said with a start.

"Excuse me?" Tsukune said.

"Congratulations," Came the voice again. An ancient Shinto priestess came towards them from inside the temple. She looked a hundred years old, hunched over and wrinkled, with snow white hair tied up in a bun. She was dressed in traditional clothing Ivory white and russet brown, all in silk, with a long string of large jade beads around her neck "We have not had a wedding her in such a long time. Come in, come in," She beckoned them.

"Sorry to intrude..." Tsukune said.

"Wedding?" Inari's voice almost cracked. When the old priestess had surprised her, Inari had held on a little tighter to Tsukune's arm. At the mention of a wedding, she was suddenly aware of the fact that it was Tsukune she was clinging to, without any protests from him.

"Why, Kitsun no Yomeri," The old priestess said. "This calls for a celebration. Come in, come in."

A little bewildered, Tsukune and Inari followed the old woman into the temple. The priestess went to the altar first where she bowed and said a silent prayer for a short moment. Then she turned back to the young visitors.

"Come, come," She waved them in. "Have a seat while I fetch refreshments."

"We don't want to intrude," Tsukune said.

"Please," Inari said. "Don't go out of your way for us."

"I insist," The old priestess said in a firm voice. "And don't you dare go sneaking off. That would be rude." She hurried out a side door.

"Ahhhhh?" Tsukune blinked.

"I guess we wait," Inari said. "Besides, I wanted to visit a temple, and this looks like a good choice." She let go of Tsukune arm and approached the altar to pray.

Tsukune looked towards the altar and understood why Inari approved of the place. On ether side of the altar was a fox statue. Tsukune remembered that his friend was named after the Goddess Inari, and realized that the temple was dedicated to her namesake. Who better for her to pray to for luck.

Tsukune approached the altar to pay his respects and to offer a small prayer of his own. As he stood in front of the altar, Tsukune felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if he was being watched. Looking about he thought the fox statues looked like they were smiling at him. The chimes around the temple rang in the breeze again and Tsukune felt a sense of welcome and peace.

"Have a seat, have a seat," The old priestess said as she returned. "When The Mother spoke to me in my dreams, I was surprised. I had just been taking a nap when she appeared."

Tsukune and Inari bothed turned to the old woman when they heard her voice. She was carrying a tray on top of an old book. Tsukune moved to help her.

"You are a good boy," The old woman said as Tsukune lifted the tray and book from her hands. "Now have a seat," She ordered as she lowered herself to the temple floor.

Inari followed the old woman's example, sitting close enough for a polite conversation over tea. Tsukune handed her the tray and sat down beside her, then handed the book back to the priestess. Inari set the tray down on the floor between them all. On the tray was a simple service for three and a plate with some small rice cakes.

"It is a meager feast, I know," The old priestess said. "But that isn't as important as what is in your hearts." She gave Inari a quick look. "It's never too soon to learn good habits. It is your place to pour the tea now."

"Yes ma'am," Inari said with a small bow of her head. She reached for the tea pot.

"Now then," The old woman opened the old book. "I haven't looked in this book for years. When I was just starting my training, the old priest that used to take care of this temple told me to write down my dreams. Well the ones that had felt special I put down in this book."

Tsukune saw that the book was a filled with old drawing and notes. Some were organized and laid out, probably by whomever had first produced it. Others had obviously been added later, ether by inserting pages, or had been simply scribbled down in the margins or wherever they seemed to fit. The priestess produced a pen from her sleeve as she flipped through the book. Tsukune knew she was close to the page she was looking for because she held the book close to her face to look at the small writing closely.

"Ahhh," The old priestess said at last. "Yes, yes. This is you. Not much here. It is a good thing The Mother showed be what you look like, or I might not of recognized you." She held her pen over the page she had selected and looked at her guests over the top of the book. "Now what are your names?"

"I am Aono Tsukune," Tsukune introduced himself. "And this is my..."

"I am Sansai Inari," Inari spoke up before Tsukune could label her as just a friend. She knew that the more Tsukune called her that, the harder it would be for her to become more than that.

"Oh my, oh my," The priestess chuckled with a nearly toothless smile as she wrote down their names in her book.

Inari served the tea as the priestess talked and wrote in her book. Something about the way the old woman looked at her made her feel nervous for some reason. She looked to Tsukune to see how he was handling the strangeness of the situation, and was surprised to see him watching her. He gave her a warm smile, and Inari ducked her head shyly, feeling herself blushing.

"Yes, yes," The old woman said. "That's how you should do it."

"Excuse me?" Inair looked up at the priestess.

"Don't worry dear," The priestess said. "You're a natural." She gave her a wink.

The priestess closed the book with the pen marking her page and set it aside to reach for her teacup. She lifted it up and offered it towards the altar once, and the to Tsukune and Inari. With a wide smile she spoke a blessing.

"May your lives be long and your blessings many," The priestess said. "For The Mother came to my dreams and told me that the Warrior will shield the children with all that he is, and when his burdens weary him, her Daughter will comfort him." She sipped her tea and gave Tsukune an Inari a look of expectation.

The priestess continued to watch the young couple, even starting to frown at them. Tsukune finally suppressed a sigh and sipped his tea. Inari followed his example and the old woman smiled again.

"You have been blessed by Earth and Sky," The Priestess said to Tsukune. "I name you the Warrior that stands upon the precipice of Light and Dark." She looked to Inari.

"Your union has been witnessed by the spirits of the land," The priestess continued. "I name you the Daughter."

"Wha... What are you saying?" Asked Inari. She was feeling excited and confused at the same time. She looked to Tsukune and saw a small frown on his face and a growing tightness in his shoulders.

"A house needs a strong foundation if it is to last," The priestess said. "So too does a man need the support of a good woman."

"But... But, but," Inari looked between the priestess and her captain, blushing.

"I think you are mistaken," Tsukune said.

"Do you really think so?" The priestess challenged him. "I think you are just choosing not to see." She gestured to the open front of the temple, and to to world outside.

Green trees swayed in quiet breeze. The Sunshower had passed, leaving sunlight to sparkle off countless surfaces. From the trees, shadows danced over the ground, making the reflected light flicker. The world looked like it was caught up in silver flames. As Tsukune watched, the world started to change.

Tsukune felt a sense of detachment as he looked out. The world was not exactly as it first appeared. Some of the shadows that moved across the ground moved apart from the others. Some even seemed to stand and run and play on legs, two or four or more. The quiet breeze carried whispered voices.

"Everybody loves a wedding," The old priestess said.

Tsukine blinked and turned back to the old woman. He wasn't sure what he had just seen, but he knew something of it would stay with him, had become a part of him. He raised his hand up and touched the curved bead he wore under his clothes.

"Just so," The old woman gave him a nod.

"Who's wedding?" Inari questioned, feeling like she had been ignored.

"The Sunshower when we arrived," Tsukune sighed.

"Just so," The priestess smiled.

"What?" Inari asked.

"Inari," Tsukune took her hand. "Do you remember what people used to call a Sunshower? Kitsune no Yomeri. The Fox's wedding."

"But what does..." She looked down at Tsukune's hand holding hers, and then back up at him. "But I'm..." Her eyes grew wide and she whipped her head around to look at the priestess. "You said..."

"Congratulations," The old priestess said.