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 218

Mizore was having trouble keeping her spirits up. Tsukune had taken her being pregnant with their first child better than she feared, but not as well as she had hoped. He had not rejected her, but he had left, saying that he needed time to think, instead of spending the night. Mizore was worried that Tsukune would use his 'time to think' to think of how to reject her politely, or maybe to decide to simply never return to the village.

It was not uncommon for a man to learn that his Winter Wife was with child and decide to leave her. Most men saw their relationship with a snow woman to be something shallow, so when faced with real consequences of their involvement, they would run away. Mizore knew about this. It was one of the reasons for a low birth rate among her people So many in the past that thought that they had found love had lost it after only a single child. Others were careful to hide the existence of their children from their fathers, to help keep him coming back longer. The fact that Tsukune had actually been to the village, willingly, more than once, really made him an exception to almost everything the people there had come to expect. Now that he was aware of Mizore's pregnancy, everybody that was close to her was waiting anxiously to see if this was the end of their relationship.

Mizore spent that night and all the next day hoping Tsukune would continue his relationship with her. In hindsight she realized that she had not taken the best course of action. She hoped that Tsukune would understand that she had been acting out of fear as much as out of love. She had never intended to hurt him.

But Mizore had hope. Tsukune had not rejected her outright. He had even asked her to come to his new home. As long as Tsukune was still willing to be with her, even if it was just as friends, Mizore had hope that the two of them could work things out eventually.

On the second day after Tsukune's brief visit, Mizore was trying to work up the courage to face her neighbors. She knew that they had to be talking about her. She knew they would be speculating about her relationship with Tsukune. Mizore knew that sooner or later she would have to face them, and no matter how polite they were about it, they would question her.

Mizore was cleaning up after breakfast when she heard the chimes at her front gate. She felt a weight descend on her shoulders. She was sure that it was one of the neighbors, or maybe a cousin or aunty, coming to start the investigation into her relationship with Tsukune. With a sigh, she went to see who had come calling.

Mizore spared a brief moment to check her appearance before opening the front door. She slid it open and felt her heart stop. In the middle of the front garden, coming up the walk, dressed in dark clothes that stood out against the surroundings, was Tsukune. At the sight of him, Mizore's knees went weak. She had to hold on to the door frame for support.

"Good morning, Mizore," Tsukune said. He gave her a pained smile. "I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Tsu... Tsukune," Mizore managed to stand on her own and offer a bow. "It is good to see you again so soon. Please come in." Mizore was holding on to her pride with all of her might to keep from making a scene in her front garden. "You know that you are always welcome here."

"Thank you," Tsukune said.

"I... I am surprised to see you," Mizore said as he took his jacket.

"That is my fault," Tsukue said. "And I can't stay very long, but I wanted to talk with you."

"Alright," Mizore said.

Tsukune accepted Mizore's attentions and hospitality. He complemented her house and her creativity again as she served him tea at the traditional low table. Tsukune was amused that Mizore of all people had a kotatsu. Hers used a ceramic, charcoal brazer built into the tabletop, where it functioned as a foot warmer as well as a cooking surface.

"Mizore," Tsukune said after a sip of tea. "I don't tell you as often as I should, but you are amazing."

"Thank you, Tsukune," Mizore blushed.

"I'm surprised that you have a kotatsu," Tsukune observed. "I thought your people would find them uncomfortable."

"We don't use them often," Mizore agreed. "Sometimes they are necessary though. This one has been in my family for many generations."

"Necessary?" Tsukune questioned. He had not missed that Mizore had chosen to kneel beside the table without putting her bare legs under the futon skirting. While his mind was taking in trivial details, he was aware that he was really just stalling.

"Because..." Mizore hesitated. "Because sometimes the children born in the village are more human and are weak against the cold until they get older."

"I see," Tsukune said with a nod. "Well I can enjoy it whenever I come to visit at least." He gave her a smile.

"I'm glad," Mizore said in a small voice.

"Mizore," Tsukune said. He took a deep breath and gathered his courage. He had to do the right thing, even though it scared him clean through. "I mean it," Tsukune hoped he sounded more calm and confident than he felt. "I plan to visit. I want to be here, when I can, to be with you, to be with our children."

"Reall?" Mizore perked up with surprise and excitement. "Children?" She had not missed that Tsukune had said 'children,' plural.

"Mizore," Tsukune said with a warm smile. "I love you. That is not going to change. And if I love you, and you love me..."

"I do love you," Mizore said eagerly.

"..Then we will probably continue to make love," Tsukune went on with a small blush. "Which means we will probably have more children. That is, if you want to. If you are ab..."

Tsukune's words were cut off as Mizore tackled him and smothered his mouth with a kiss. Happy tears filled her eyes. Tsukune put his arms around her and kissed her back. For Mizore it was as if all of her fears and worries were swept away. Tsukune still loved her. Tsukune still accepted her. Everything was going to be alright.

"I do wish you had talked to me first," Tsukune said some time later, when Mizore let him. They were still cuddled together, with his legs still under the kotatsu. "I would probably have been stubborn, or at least tried to be. But Mizore, I understand how important this is to you, and I want you to be happy."

"Thank you Tsukune," Mizore said. "It means a lot to me that you understand why I did this."

"I'm willing to accept responsibility," Tsukune said with a mock firmness in his face and voice. "But you have to also."

"I know," Mizore said. "I thought about this for a long time, even before... Before I decided I couldn't wait."

"I am sure you tried to," Tsukune said. "But there is still something you have to do."

"What is that?" Mizore raised herself up over Tsukune.

Her yukata was more than a little open after their sudden round of closeness, giving Tsukune a view of her chest. In spite of everything, he felt his desire for Mizore rising. Impulsively he lifted a hand and slipped it under her yukata and cupped her breast. Mizore leaned into the touch, encouraging Tsukune to be more firm with her body.

"I know your mother must be happy with what's happened," Tsukune said. "And you and I should probably go and see her."

"Later," Mizore said with a smile as she untied her yukata.

"Later," Tsukune agreed. "We will have to explain our relationship to her, but that will be the easy part."

"Easy?" Mizore questioned as she started on Tsukune's buttons.

"You told me that your people had a tradition of being Winter Wives," Tsukune said. "Of being the second wife. Your mother should be able to accept that."

"That's true," Mizore admitted. "But she would still rather have you marry me and live here full time."

"I am sure she would," Tsukune said, using both hands on her breasts now. "But as I said, she will be easy to talk to. Just wait until we talk with my mother."

Mizore gasped and her eyes went wide. She had not thought of that. She had not considered that she would have to present herself, pregnant already, to Tsukune's mother, and explain how she was the willing concubine, the 'other woman.' Even as a new fear blossomed in her imagination, it was balanced out with a new joy. Tsukune was willing to take her to his mother and acknowledge their relationship and their baby.

"Tsukune..." Mizore purred as she bent down to kiss him.

XxxxxxX

Mizore was walking with a smile on her face, surrounded by smiling faces. She and Tsukune, after reaffirming their love and desire for one another, had gone to talk to her mother. Shirayuki Tsurara had been equal parts happy and angry with Tsukune. She accused him of toying with Mizore, and of leading her on. Mizore rose to Tsukune's defense. Their argument was dangerously close to turning violent when Tsukune spoke up.

"I am sorry if our relationship offends you," Tsukune said, using the opportunity to practice what he might have to say to his own mother. "If you can't accept it, we will understand. We won't force our decision on you, and won't ask for your help with the children."

"You..." Tsurara glared angrily at Tsukune. "You... You wouldn't dare..."

"If you can't respect your daughter's decision," Tsukune said firmly. "Then I don't want her to feel like she is in the wrong every time we need a babysitter."

"You..." Tsurara growled. "That is a coldhearted thing to say to the grandmother of your child."

"It's your choice," Tsukune said. "I don't want to take Mizore and our child away from her people, but I won't let my children grow up anywhere they are not loved and accepted."

"Mizore," Tsurara turned her attention to her daughter. "You would let him take you away from me?"

"Mother," Mizore said with a proud smile. "Tsukune just offered to take me into his home to raise a family with me." Her smile hardened just a little. Her eyes were shining with pride. "When was the last time a Winter Wife was offered that kind of support?"

"Tsukune!" Tsurara turned back to him. "You! You... You better take good care of my daughter, and my grandchildren. And if you have any children with your other wives, or whatever you call them, you better bring them by to see me too. They need to see where their siblings are from." Tsurara's eyes were shining with happiness for her daughter's success in finding something truly special with Tsukune. "And I want to have a chance to play with them as well." She moved to embrace Tsukune and Mizore both as she started to cry. "Because family is important, and I want to be a part of a big family with lots of grandchildren, and you and the others need to call me mother from now on, and, and..."

"Thank you for your support, Mother," Tsukune said.

"Oh..." Tsurara and Mizore both clung to Tsukune, and each other. Mother and daughter shedding happy tears together.

After visiting her mother, Mizore took Tsukune for a walk through the village. Officially, she was taking Tsukune to collect some things for the house. She took him to the woman who was a seamstress to have him measured for some kimonos so he would have something to wear that fit him when he visited. She also showed him around to some of the places she said she thought he might be interested in. In truth, Mizore was showing him off.

She was walking around the village holding his hand. Word had already gotten out about her. Everybody knew she was pregnant, and there she was, walking through the village with the father of her baby holding her hand. All around her, snow women of all ages were smiling. Smiling at Mizore's good fortune. Smiling at the prospect of a new child in the village, smiling at the sight of a man that was willing to accept one of them as somebody special, and not just as a distraction or a casual fling. It was not some arranged relationship for his profit or for the good of the village. It was very romantic, and in a village populated mostly by women, romance was a popular idea.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Moka was not happy about Tsukune going off again so soon. She and Tsukune had talked things though. He had really been upset about not being asked, and admitted that he was worried about the things that could go wrong now. Tsukune had also explained that after three years of the Board Chairman using him as a tool, and as an experiment, he was sensitive to being manipulated.

Moka was glad that Tsukune had taken the time to explain his feelings to her. He still did not look happy, but he accepted Moka's offer of an apology about not letting him know something sooner. Tsukune apologixed for losing his temper. Moka decided to not push for too much attention after that. They did spend the evening together, but Moka returned to her own apartment before she gave in to her desire to bite Tsukune. In the morning, Tsukune had packed up and gone off to visit Mizore again. Tsukune had explained to Moka that Mizore deserved more than to be left with uncertainties, and Moka had agreed.

Moka understanding Tsukune's position and feelings did not make having him away from home any easier to take. In addition to going to see Mizore again, he was going to be going back to work. Tsukune had packed so that he could go directly to his koban from Mizore's house. Moka wished that she had more time to smooth things out with Tsukune before he was going to be in the company of anybody else.

XxxxxXxxxxxX

Mizore saw Tsukune off in the morning with a lingering kiss. It was still early, with the auroras above providing most of the light. It was the kinds of morning that Mizore hoped she would have many more of. Tsukune was off to work, after sharing a kiss on the front doorstep with her, looking confident and handsome.

Mizore knew that, at most, all she would ever be is Tsukune's part-time wife, but she was more than able to accept that. That was what a Winter Wife was. Traditionally a Winter Wife would only have her man for a single winter, enough time to love him and to receive a child from him. A fortunate Winter Wife would find a man that she would see year after year, possibly having several children with him. Always though, the Winter Wife would be left behind when the man returned to his human family. Mizore was content to be Tsukune's Winter Wife; his part-time wife, because it still meant that, part-time or not, she was Tsukune's wife.

XxxXxxxXxxX

Inari was already at the Koban when Tsukune arrived. It was still a little before the official change of watch when he arrived so he spared a moment to share a polite greeting with her before putting his things up in the locker room and getting his uniform put together. Finally they handled the shift change, and once the other officers were out the door, Inari turned to Tsukune with a more than just friendly smile.

"Well Captain," Inari purred. "It looks like I have you all to myself for the moment."

"Looks like it," Tsukune nodded as he looked around the otherwise empty koban. "You know what that means?"

"I know what it means," Inari said with an almost hyperactive cheerfulness. "It means we get to work together in a professional manor. Yay." She transformed into somebody who looked not quite bored with her job. "So I'll make the tea while you watch the desk."

"Good idea," Tsukune grinned.

"With all due respect, Captain," Inari added. "Pthththththth."

Tsukune gave a laugh as he settled in to start the shift. Inari started making tea, and a snack that could be considered breakfast. She was waiting for the right opportunity to show Tsukune her new familiar. A part of her just wanted to blurt it out, but at the same time she wanted to appear calm and composed. When Tsukune first got Hiru, he didn't show off or race around just because he could. Even now, when Tsukune went on patrols, he walked instead of riding.

Inari served the tea, and snack, and settled down across the desk from Tsukune to share it with him. She watched how calmly he just went with the moment and wondered how she was going to keep from bursting.

"Tsukune," Inari finally just gave in. "How do you always stay so calm?"

"Excuse me?" Tsukune said after swallowing down a bite of toast.

"In all the time I've known you, or known about you," Inari explained. "You always seem to be so calm when all kinds of things are happening."

"I don't know about calm," Tsukune said. "I always wondered how I kept from panicking all the time."

"Panicking?" Inari questioned.

"Inari, I was a human going to a school for youkai," Tsukune replied. "I was nearly killed too many times to count. Every time it started to look like things might start to go smoothly, some new problem would come my way."

"But Tsukune, it couldn't have..." Inari began.

"The first cute girl to be interested in me was a vampire," Tsukune cut her off, speaking in a serious voice and a small frown. "Once I thought I had a handle on how to keep a low profile and just enjoy being with Moka, Kurumu came along. When the Newspaper Club got going well, the Public Safety Commission tried to shut us down, and then tried to kill me. I got to go on a club trip over the summer break, and got attacked, first by someone that wanted to kill me for being human, and then by mutant plants. When that was over and I think everything should be good come the next term, up popped Mizore, who got me voted as class manager, when I was still trying to be invisible because I was only human, because she thought I was good looking and she liked my writing style." He paused and blinked. "Should I go on?"

"But their had to be some good things too," Inari insisted.

"Oh yeah," Tsukune agreed with a nod. "I got a girlfriend, I got my first kiss... OK so the first kiss didn't go well."

"You founded the Student Police," Inari pointed out.

"Under threat of expulsion," Tsukune countered.

"You made the school a safer place," Said Inari with a determined look.

"I had a lot of help," Tsukune said. "It wasn't just me."

"How about when you got Hiru?" Inari demanded, thinking she had found her opening. "That had to be a big deal."

"That happened after I got out of the hospital," Tsukune said. "After we rescued Kurumu. I was still recovering, and Kurumu was still not herself yet ether, so getting Hiru was a little lost in the chaos."

"Still..." Inari pressed.

"I remember wondering why the Board Chairman wanted me to have something like Hiru," Tsukune explained. "I wondered what he was going to have me do that would require me to have Hiru and her abilities available at all times."

"Oh," Inari said.

"I think the answer to your question is in there somewhere," Tsukune said.

"Huh?" Inari blinked.

"How do I stay so calm?" Tsukune reminded her. "I stay calm when good things happen because I am on guard for something bad to follow after it. I stay, well... I don't panic too badly when bad things happen because it would only make things worse, and I have people depending on me."

"So you stay calm by being worn out and depressed all the time?" Inari asked.

"Sure," Tsukune smiled.

"What about now that you've graduated?" Inari challenged him.

"You only see me when I am on duty," Tsukune said. "Where I have to appear calm and professional. Trust me, I was not doing well with staying calm a few days ago."

"Why?" Inari asked, concern showing on her face. "What happened? Is everybody alright?"

"It's gotten better now," Tsukune said. "But Mizore, Moka, and I had a... A misunderstanding."

"What happened?" Inari asked.

"Well..." Tsukune tried to think of what he should say. "I guess it all started with the pressure of graduation. We knew that we were going to be drifting apart, moving home after graduation. We were all feeling a little... I don't know."

"Like you were going to lose something?" Inari offered.

"Yes," Tsukune agreed. "We were going to lose some of our closeness. But then something happened."

"What?" Inari was giving Tsukune her full attention.

"I don't know," Tsukune shrugged. "Nobody will tell me."

"What?" Inari blinked in disbelief, or maybe confusion.

"Whatever it was," Tsukune went on. "It frightened Moka and Mizore, and even Kurumu. For Mizore it was the worst. She was afraid... Well... Mizore was under a lot of pressure from her mother, from her people. They have a declining population and they were pressuring her to hurry up and settle down and start having children. After whatever had happened, Mizore was afraid that she might lose the chance to... Well..."

"She was afraid that she might never be able to have children," Inair said. It wasn't a question, but a statement that gave her chills.

"Yes," Tsukune nodded. "So she decided not to wait."

"Oh," Inari's eyes went round.

"So she and Moka had a talk," Tsukune went on. "I don't know what frightened them, but it was real enough that they agreed that since Mizore was going home after graduation, and that she didn't have any career plans anyway, that it would be acceptable for her to have her first child right away."

"So is she?" Inari asked.

"Yes," Tsukune nodded.

"Are you?" Inari felt a spike of jealousy as she asked the next question.

"Yes," Tsukune nodded again. "Only nobody told me what was going on, until a few days ago when I go to visit Mizore and find out she is already pregnant."

"Oh my," Inari gasped. "What happened then?"

"I didn't take it well," Tsukune said. "I was upset that this big decision, that involved me, was reached without even letting me know it was being discussed. I was suddenly frightened by the responsibility. I left Mizore by herself while I tried to... To... Honestly, I had to jst take the time to stop being a jerk and calm down enough to think about more than what I wanted for myself."

"Oh..." Inari said. "But you said everything is alright now. You were able to get everything worked out, right?"

"It's better now," Tsukune said with a sigh. "I had a talk with Moka, and I went back and made things right with Mizore. I'm still upset about being the last one to know, but that doesn't give me the right to hurt anybody else."

"I see," Inari gave Tsukune a quick smile before falling silent. Somehow her own excitement seemed to have escaped her. Inari decided that she would wait a little longer before trying to share her news with Tsukune.