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 247

"Tsukune, this is such a treat," Kasumi said with a wide smile as she hurried to embrace her son. "All my friends are jealous that my son is giving his parents a weekend trip."

"It is good to get out of the city once in a while," Tsukune's father said.

Tsukune was picking his parents up from a rural train station. It was all a part of a careful plan of deception. Officially he and his closest friends were getting together for a late summer get-a-way for the weekend. It was late August and the heat and humidity of his home town was enough to make just about anybody want to go somewhere cooler. The story he told his parents was that he was treating them to a visit to a small village in northern Japan that usually catered to tourists that wanted to go somewhere a little off the beaten path.

A part of the story was true. The village did exists in northern Japan, but it had seen very little in the way of tourist traffic, or any other kind of traffic in years. It was all but abandoned due to the declining population. Incidentally, the village was the closest place of human occupation to Mizore's home village. Because it was so far north, and at a high elevation, the weather would be tolerable for Mizore's people, and comfortable for humans. At the same time the isolated location made it unattractive for most potential tourists. It had been a farming village, once upon a time, but geography had prohibited expansion so the locals could not compete with larger growers. The isolation of the region would help support Mizore's cover story of being from someplace remote.

After his dinner with Kurumu and Ageha, Tsukune had started thinking of ways he could help strengthen his relationships with the different parts of his family. His mother had been more than willing to have Kurumu and her mother over for a small dinner party, and of course all of Tsukune's close circle were welcome, but Mizore was being pressured by her people to limit her traveling while pregnant. Tsukune had asked Moka for her input on the matter. While she was in favor of Tsukune's motives, she did not have a solution.

Tsukune had decided that he would have to look for an answer to the dilemma closer to the source. He took a trip to talk with Mizore directly. It turned out that Tsurara had the best solution. Mizore's mother mentioned the farming village. In times past, when the human village had been more prosperous, it had been a favored place for young Snow Maidens to seek out men.

Curious, Tsukune invited Mizore for a trip to investigate the farming village. It was close enough to home that her people couldn't object. A jump point wasn't even needed. It was only an hour ride out of the valley where Mizore's people lived and down to the farming village.

The village had certainly seen better days. Only half of the homes were occupied. The farms were only enough to support the locals and did not offer enough to make the expense of shipping goods to market elsewhere anything more than enough to provide basic living expenses. Along with a low birth rate, the near constant migration of the younger villagers out to find better jobs had reduced the local population. And when a local son or daughter did succeed in their career, when their parents got older, they would move them in, away from the village, to help take care of them. It was, in a way, a little sad.

Tsukune and Mizore rode slowly through the village at first. The main road followed a river. Most of the buildings were on one side of the river, with the fields on the other. At some time in the past fifty years or so, a section of fields had been built up into some more modern buildings, including a small apartment building, municipal building, and a school. The school was boarded up. The apartment building was rundown. The municipal building served as town hall (where a clerk sat alone beside a desk with a rotary phone while he read a book), the koban, which was closed, and a library.

After a trip through the village, Tsukune and Mizore found a small general store. It was the size of a small convenience store, and carried most of the same things. They parked Hiru there and started walking. They played a little at being tourists as they walked the few streets that ran though the village. There was no way the pair could not stand out. They were young strangers, holding hands and sharing smiles as they walked.

The locals were polite. The village was quiet. All in all, it was a nice and relaxing place. It made Tsukune a little sad to think that it was slowly dying.

As they walked, Tsukune felt... something. He felt it almost like a summer breeze, warm and cool at the same time, but he felt it within himself. With Mizore beside him, Tsukune tried to figure out where the feeling was coming from.

The village had been built up following the geography of the land. This meant that its longest dimension followed the river, covering several kilometers. In contrast, the village spread back from the river only a little less than a kilometer as it was forced to climb the hillside. Along the river was a shrine dedicated to the local river kami, where traditionally prayers for good crops and offerings against flooding were made.

Tsukune felt something as he and Mizore walked by the riverfront shrine. It was similar to what he had noticed soon after they had started walking together, but different. It was not as strong. Finally Tsukune felt a need to investigate.

He relaxed his hold on his inner self a little, letting his youkai nature become more alert, to help him be more aware of what was around him. Tsukune could sense the glowing youki that was Mizore beside him, the the bright lifeforce that was their child within her. He was also aware of the life all around him. The flow of life that was the river stood out in the small valley, but there was something else in the valley as well. Tsukune could feel the direction he needed to go. He explained what he was feeling and thinking.

Following his inner awareness, Tsukune lead the way through the village, up the hillside. While some of the oldest houses were along the river, so were some of the newest. The larger houses were along the highest street in the village, and enjoyed a beautiful view of the valley. Tsukune walked to where the street ended. The old pavement had crumbled and nature had encroached on the roadbed, reducing it to a narrow path. When Tsukune found the overgrown path, he knew he had to follow it.

It took a good thirty minutes of walking to reach the end of the path, but Tsukune knew it had been worth the effort. The path had lead over a ridge into a draw in the mountainside. After making one last turn and crossing a wide stone bridge, the path opened into a wide clearing.

"Oh..." Mizore gave a small gasp of appreciation of what they discovered.

Tsukune had to agree with her. The clearing had obviously been left untended for a very long time. Most of it was weed choked, but it had once been a garden. At the top end of the clearing, a stream game down the mountain side in a series of falls and pools. Within the clearing, stained dark with age, was a collection of interconnected buildings made of stone and wood. As old as it was, and showing clear need for some repairs and some serious cleaning, the buildings were beautifully crafted in traditional fashion.

Tsukune knew as soon as he saw it that what he had been feeling was coming from that clearing, and probably from within the building. He stood at the edge of the clearing for a moment and studied the area in front of him.

"It doesn't feel dangerous," Mizore observed. Still holding Tsukune's hand, she stepped into the clearing. "It feels..." She cast about as if trying to listen to something. "It feels almost like home."

Tsukune took a step forward and entered the clearing. Once he was inside the clearing proper, he could understand what Mizore had meant. There was a sense of nature in the area, but less random than in the surrounding mountain forest. It was clear that somebody had done something to direct the natural flows within the clearing

"Do we want to investigate this?" Tsukune asked. As he spoke to Mizore he looked towards her and deliberately looked down at her rounding abdomen.

"We will be careful," Mizore said. "But I think we will be safe here."

"Alright," Tsukune gave her a nod.

Together they walked around in the clearing. The remains of the garden paths still made for sure footing. The buildings were mostly single story wings, although the center-most building with its high peeked roof was a good ten meters tall. As they explored the clearing, Tsukune noticed that a short wing of the building ended against the mountainside where an outcropping appeared to stand out, but had been cut short.

The clearing, in spite of its lack of care, was a beautiful place. Tsukune and Mizore found where stone benches had been set beside a stream-fed pool. Within the clear mountain water, in the shade cast by the over hanging stones that made up the edge of the pool, dark silver-gray koi could be seen swimming lazily.

After exploring the clearing, Tsukune turned his attention to the buildings. The traditional structures were nice to look at, be there was still something more to discover. Finally, he turned to Mizore.

"I need to go inside," Tsukune said simply.

"I..." Mizore started to say. She corrected herself and started over. "I will wait at the entrance."

"Thank you," Tsukune said softly as he leaned in to give her a light kiss.

The approached the main doors of the building. Mizore let go of Tsukune's hand and stopped in front of the step onto the porch. Tsukune gave her a smile before moving forward. The old timbers were sound and supported his weight without protest. He crossed the porch and held out a hand. Laying his hand against the heavy wood doors, Tsukune could feel the warm energy that flowed through the whole building.

Tsukune gave the door a push and was rewarded by the creaking of hinges as the door opened into the building. The only light inside the building was sunlight that spilled in through the door, windows, and some holes in the roof. The door opening startled small animals into motion. Birds in the rafters flew into the air, while other creatures scurried for cover.

"Hello," Tsukune called out. "Please forgive my intrusion."

After being answered only by silence, Tsukune started forward into the building. He only went a few feet. He was far enough forward that he was clearly inside the building, but he was still standing in the daylight that came in through the door. He was also standing in a position that would keep the door from being able to close, unless he was forced out of the building.

"I know you are here," Tsukune called out. He felt a little silly saying that, because he did not know if there really was anybody in the building, but he had a suspicion. "If you want me to leave, just say so."

Once more, only silence answered him. Tskune allowed a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness of the building ahead of him. When he was ready, he started forward again, pretending not to notice the thick ice that had formed at the base of the door to keep it open. Tsukune knew that if he looked carefully, a thin trail of ice would be forming in his wake over the floor. Mizore had once let it slip that she could use light traveling though the ice to see around corners. He tried not to think about it, because he just knew that she must have used the same trick to spy on him in the past.

Tsukune did not spend a lot of time investigating the whole building. He made his way though the center of the building, following the flow of energy that had lead him up from the riverfront. He found his way to the short wing, little more than just a wide hall that ran up to the mountainside. He reached a set of doors that hung open. Tsukune saw that the way in front of him continued into the mountain itself.

"Hello," Tsukune called out.

"Hello," A scratchy voice answered him.

From with the dark passage a figure emerged. Tsukune was expecting some frail old person, maybe a priest or a monk. Instead what appeared was a broad if stoop-shouldered man dressed in the faded remains of a samurai's clothes.

"It is about time someone came here," The man said. He looked like he could have been anything beyond middle age. His hair, with it's topknot partially covering his bald patch, was salted with gray, but still head plenty of black in it.

"But I suppose this is what I get for chasing everybody away so long ago." The man gave a heavy sigh. "I have done such a good job of protecting this place that it has become forgotten."

"It is very beautiful," Tsukune said. "I can see why it would be worth protecting."

"Thank you," The man said.

"If you will forgive me," Tsukune said being careful to be polite to the stranger. "What is this place?"

"I thought you were looking for this place," The man gave Tsukune a shrewd look. "You are in service to the empire are you not?"

"Ahhhh..." Tsukune was taken aback by the question. He realized that he was treading on dangerous ground. "I am Captain Aono Tsukune of the Mononoke division of the National Police Agency of Japan." Tsukune said in formal introduction.

"You are not Samurai," The man observed. His stance shifted and his hands moved to his obi. "Are you a lord?"

"Only in the most minor way of looking at it," Tsukune admitted. He brought his own hands together, putting the right over his left wrist. "I have a small piece of land with a few tenants, and only two sworn retainers and two servants."

"A minor lord in truth," The man nodded slowly. "So I think that I needs must test you."

'Tetsu Odari, wake!' The thought pulsed from Tsukune's mind with a flow of youki.

Clang! A suddenly materialized sword clashed against the short metal rod that Tsukune held. The two men froze, looking into each others eyes. Tsukune was the first to move.

Tsukune's left hand took hold of the other man's sword handle. With a pull and a twist of his body, he forcefully disarmed his opponent. Tsukune continued the move, turning himself about and moved a step away, so that he was facing the man once more from a distance that would give him some room to move.

"Who are you?" The man demanded.

"I am Captain Aono Tsukune," Tsukune answered. "Who are you and what is this place?"

"I am Awara Tashiko," The man introduced himself with a bow. "This is the summer house and hunting lodge of my master."

"I see," Tsukune said. "And you have been doing your duty even after..."

"In life," Awara explained. "I was the loyal retainer of my lord, The daimyo of this region in the tenth year of Ninko. My lord, while out hunting, discovered this place. A monk lived here, tending a shrine within a cave. The monk told my master that he would be blessed if he agreed to watch over the shrine and the valley. The house was built here to that end. I was placed in charge of the house, it's staff, and a small garrison." The man seemed to wilt then. "We were abandoned along with the house. My master told me that I was to protect this place for him, but he never returned."

"It is good to know you are so well trusted," Tsukune said. He reversed the sword and offered it back to the samurai.

"No," He waved away the offer. "My lord is gone. I have been defeated. I am free of my charge." He gave Tsukune a deep bow. "Lord Aono, I entrust you to watch over my master's property and the shrine within the mountain. I will now go to my rest." As he stood up straight again, Awara started to fade from view.

"Wait," Tsukune said as the sword evaporated from his hand. "That's not why I came here."

"...Protect," Awara said in a voice that grew more distant.

"I..." Tsukune felt the other presence fade away completely. "Shit!" Tsukune looked at where the samurai had stood and scowled darkly. His eyes traveled into the darkness where the shade had come from as he considered what had just happened. "Shit!" Tsukune swore again as he started forward.

Tsukune's mood darkened quickly as he entered the passage in the mountainside. He had been enjoying his time with Mizore even as he had tried to look for ways to bring the different facets of his family closer together. As he continued forward, moving closer to whatever it was that he had been feeling, Tsukune felt the urge to swear and spit. He had just been made responsible for something else.

"Shit!"

XxxxxXxxxxX

Once Tsukune found the shrine within the mountain he instantly knew why someone long lost in time had felt that it was a sacred place. The passage had opened up into a huge grotto. Tsukune stood on a ledge that had been shaped out of the rock of the mountain itself. Tool marks were still visible to his supernatural vision in the low light. Some places had been cut down to make a rough floor, while others had been built up with shaped blocks to expand the ledge. The very limited light came from small, swirling pools and was reflected of crystalline surfaces in the walls of the chamber. The air was warm and humid, telling Tsukune that somewhere far below there was a hotspring.

The grotto was massive. Tsukune's building could fit within the chamber with room to spare. Looking up, the roof of the grotto looked like a piece of night sky. Looking down, he saw small, glowing pools where shadows occasionally flickered, irregular ledges and outcroppings, and dark blotches that were openings into deeper recesses of the mountain.

As he scanned the chamber, Tsukune saw places, like the ledge he was standing on, where intelligent hands had used tools to reshape the stone. The smoothed out sections sometimes cut into the walls of the chamber to expand a ledge. Mostly the tools had been used to make spaces where a person could safely stand, or even walk, among rounded or jagged sections of the cave. It took him a moment, but Tsukune finally realized that he was looking at a path that had been made through the grotto.

Tsukune scanned the grotto and studied what he could see and feel of the place. On the far wall from he stood, near the bottom of the chamber, Tsukune located the heart of the energies he had been feeling. In the near darkness, Tsukune could see where torii and a small pagoda had been constructed. He considered the size and layout of the cavern as he stripped off his shirts. The path he could make out lead from where he was standing around to the shrine at the far side of the grotto, but from where he stood, Tsukune could see that more work had been done than just a single path and a shrine.

Tsukune wanted to finish at least a simple exploration of the grotto quickly. He called forth his wings and hopped from the ledge. The glide across the cavern was an easy one, but Tsukune did not land near the torii. Instead of simply taking a shortcut, or following the path to his left, Tsukune landed between a pair of pools to the right of where he had started. His new position was about two thirds of the way down to the floor of the chamber. He was now on the same level as the torii and the pagoda. Turning to scan the grotto once more, the torii was to his right, while the entrance was above and to Tsukune's left.

Now that Tsukune had a different view, he could see what had been hiding under the ledge he had been standing on. Tsukune wondered what had inspired what must have been a life's work for at least one seriously dedicated stone carver. Underneath the ledge was a massive sculpture cut out of the living rock. Tsukune took in the sight and decided that he had seen enough of the cavern for one day. He leaped and beat his wings, returning to the ledge with quick efficiency. Banishing his wings as soon as he landed, Tsukune pulled his shirts back on as he headed for the exit.

XxxxxX

After leaving the cavern, and bolting the doors to it closed, Tsukune made a quick tour of the buildings. After he was sure it was safe for her, he went out and invited Mizore to explore the buildings with him. While they investigated the many rooms, peeking in open doors and looking around corners, they held hands and pointed out small details to each other. Finally it was getting late enough that they had to go.

The walk back through the village did not take long, nor did the return to Mizore's house. Once safely back in Mizore's home, she and Tsukune talked about what they had discovered. The next day the couple visited Tsurara and shared the details of the adventure with her. Tsukune described how the old hunting lodge was more of a mansion, and how it even resembled an old ryokan inn.

"It seems such a waste," Tsukune said with a sigh. "And now I have to figure out a way to help look after the place."

"Surely you don't have to take on everything yourself," Tsurara observed.

"I know," Tsukune nodded. "But this time I kind of want to. I don't need a mountain retreat or anything like that." He paused to give Mizore a warm smile. "Not when Mizore has such a beautiful home." He turned back to Tsurara. "But it doesn't feel right letting that place be neglected, and something about that shrine makes me want to keep the place safe." He gave another sigh of frustration. "I just wish I could think of a practical way to look after the place and restore it. I mean, it is so close to here, and the village there... I just think it is all just so wasteful. I... And I didn't even find anyplace I could use for a family gathering like I had hoped. "

That conversation was what had started everything into motion. In Mizore's village nothing got around as fast as gossip. This was especially true if it involved men in some way. Word of Mizore's and Tsukune's date made the rounds and was the topic of conversation among the board and unfulfilled of the village. The curious nature of the hidden lodge added some interesting mystery to the story.

Tsukune had not known about what had been set into motion at first. Like such things do, it had started small and insignificant, until it snowballed into something completely unexpected. A pair of snow maidens slipped down to the human village and found their way to the old country mansion. After returning home, they spoke to their friends. Word got around. Word that Tsukune wanted a place near by, but still in the human world, where he could bring visitors to meet his Winter Wife.

Little things stared to fall into the growing pile of ideas and speculations. Tsukune was a loving and romantic, poly-amorous man. Mizore had shared stories about how Tsukune had helped other friends of his to find partners. Tsukune wanted to bring visitors close to the homeland of the Snow Fairies. Tsukune wanted to do something about the neglected country mansion...

As such things do, it had started with what seemed to be a good idea at the time. An enterprising trio of snow maidens paid a visit to the lodge and set to work cleaning it up. They soon had to return home for more supplies. The scrounged and borrowed what they thought they needed, talking with their friends as the did. Five maidens went together to continue the work. Mizore caught wind of what was happening, and saw how it could possibly be useful in getting Tsukune to come see her more often.

Mizore was careful to be visiting a shop in her village in time to catch a bit of gossip about what those nine maidens were up to, working in turns at the old manor. She listened to the conversation as she inspected a pair of boots. When her opening came, she struck quickly.

"I think it sounds wonderful," Mizore spoke up, while keeping her voice light and friendly. "My Tsukune really did like that place. He would be glad to know others are helping to take care of it." She gave the other women in the shop a bright smile as she casually caressed her gravid abdomen. "Once he hears what is happening, I am sure he would want to do something to help out."

Mizore's words were the breeze that touched off the avalanche. Two weeks after he had discovered the old country mansion, there were twenty women from Mizore's village working to restore it. Mizore sent him a letter to tell Tsukune what was going on, and to lament that there were no men available to help with some of the heavy work.

Tsukune caught the meaning behind the message Mizore had sent him, and it had given him some mixed feelings. On one hand, he was glad that the old lodge was being restored. On the other hand, he realized that he would have to take at least some responsibility for what was already going on, because he had opened his big mouth at the wrong time. He considered what resources he had available to him and considered his options. Finally he decided to make some calls.

XxxxxxxX

Officer Yamada Sana sometimes was less than happy about his choice of a career. He liked most of the things about being a police officer, but being a public servant did not make for a lavish lifestyle. Most specifically, he found living in the dormitory with his fellow officers crowded, and occasionally too convenient for his superiors when they needed some extra hands. He had been enjoying a little television in the day room when the phone had started ringing. Of course somebody answered it, knowing that it had to be from the office down stairs. Officer Yamada had been more annoyed than surprised when the person that answered the phone told him that he was wanted down stairs.

Officer Yamada grumbled as he answered the summons. He wasn't on duty, so he wasn't in uniform, but he still wanted to take a moment to make sure he looked presentable. After a quick cleanup, he made his way down the the duty desk, where he was actually surprised by something.

"Captain..." Officer Yamada's mind fumbled at being taken off guard.

"Officer Yamada," Tsukune said with a friendly smile. "It is good to see you again."

"Yamada," The desk sergeant spoke in a voice that always seemed to be caught between happy and angry somehow. "Captain Aono says you helped him out the other day so he came to talk to you about something."

"Thank you Sergeant," Yamada made a small bow, thankful for the reminder of the visitor's name.

"Hrm," The sergeant nodded before turning his attention to other things.

"How can I help you, Captain?" Yamada asked as he came around the desk to talk with the man that had come to see him.

"I was working on something recently," Tsukune said. "When I remembered when we crossed paths that day. I was wondering if you would be interested in a short alternative assignment."

"You mean undercover work?" Sana perked up.

"No," Tsukune said with a small smile and a shake of his head. "This is something important, but almost as invisible as undercover work. Customer and community service."

"Huh?" Sana blinked.

"There is a small community up north," Tsukune explained. "Their local police are in need of some new staff, but some of the people in the area are very old fashion. There is a small project to restore a local historical site. I am going to be making a trip up there to help out."

"Ahhhh..." Sana was unclear of where the conversation was going.

"I can tell you like being a police officer," Tsukune said. "But in an area like this, there is always a lot going on, but not a lot of opportunity. If you are interested in getting posted to a small village, it could be a chance to stand out, because you would be one of a very few police in the area. While you shouldn't have a lot of crime to deal with, you will have the local people to look after. Community service, like knowing who's in poor health so they need to be checked in on during the winter. And there is always a need for people that can think and act in an emergency."

"Yes," Officer Yamada nodded. The police were among the first to be able to respond after an earthquake or an accident. He imagined that in a small town it would be important to have the police be well trained. It would be easier to stand out as one in five instead of one in twenty five, even if all he did was help direct traffic and look for lost cats most of the time.

"Is you are interested," Tsukune said. "You can come out with me to help with the restoration project. It will give you a chance to see the area and meet some of the locals. You might decide you would rather stay here, or that maybe you want to be reassigned." He held out a piece of paper with instructions on it. "If you are interested, call this number. Lieutenant Tanaka will help you with any schedule issues."

"Thank you, Captain," Yamada said as he took the note with a small bow.

"Just remember to pack for a camping weekend," Tsukune said. "And make sure to bring some work gloves, and maybe something casual but nice for after the work is done."

"Yes sir," Officer Yamada said with a smile and another bow. "Thank you."

XxxxxX

"It's Ross," The yakuza lieutenant answered his phone. It was mid morning and the man had been enjoying an extra cup of coffee before setting out to work when his cell phone rang. With a small grimace, he answered it without checking the caller ID.

"Ross," Tsukune said over the phone. "This is Aono Tsukune, I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Aono..." Ross perked up. "Hey... Bro... How have you been?"

"Good," Tsukune answered. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing alright for myself," Ross answered. "So... What can I do for you?"

"Lieutenant Tanaka told me you have a son that recently graduated," Tsukune said. "I even met him at the dance in April."

"That's right," Ross replied. "Jessie's my son."

"I was wondering if he would be available this weekend," Tsukune said. "I am looking for a little help with a project."

"What kind of project?" Ross asked, trying, and almost succeeding in hiding his interest in the direction of the conversation. He was used to people calling him up for favors, because that was one of the ways the yakuza worked. A favor here for a favor there...

"There's a place up north," Tsukune explained. "An old house in the country that a friend has told me is being fixed up. The thing is, her friends that are doing this are all women. They could use some extra help with the heavy lifting and some of the bigger repairs."

"Is that so?" Ross said in the most casual tone he could manage.

"Honestly though," Tsukune said. "You know what kind of friends I have. These women need help with heavy lifting about as much as you need help getting things done."

"Then why are you calling?" Ross asked.

"Because even when you don't need help," Tsukune answered, "Sometimes you want it. Because if you ask someone for a little help, then you have a chance to show how much you appreciate that help. You have an honest and open reason to give them something, or maybe do something special for them in return."

"Go on," Ross prompted in his business voice.

"I am looking for some guys around my own age that are willing to do a few days hard work helping out some shy young women in the country," Tsukune explained. "Tanaka has asked for some young officers to volunteer their time, but a squad of police would probably not go over well."

"You may be right," Ross commented.

"So since I don't have any single friends at the moment," Tsukune went on, "I thought I would see if Jessie and a friend of his would like the chance to impress some women by working up a sweat. In return, a little camping, some good food, and a chance to have a young woman show him her appreciation."

"What do the women get out of it?" Ross wanted to know. Not only was it just good business to know as much as possible before making a deal, but he wanted to look out for his son.

"If they are really lucky," Tsukune said. "A husband they get to choose on their own, instead of waiting for their family to arrange a marriage."

"What do you get out of it?" Ross pressed.

"It would make my lover very happy if some of her friends and cousins would stop pressing her to help them find boyfriends," Tsukune answered.

"What is Tanaka getting out of the deal?" Ross was curious to know.

"He hopes to get some young officers connected to the kind of isolated communities where Fairy Tail tries to get into," Tsukune answered.

"How many men do you want?" Ross said in a voice that was dead serious.

"Just Jessie and a friend," Tsukune said. "Or someone like him. He handled himself at the dance well."

"Just two?" Ross questioned.

"This is for a singles retreat," Tsukune said. "Not a fight. I will be picking everybody up Friday and have them back Monday; unless they decide to stay longer."

"And Tanaka has agreed to this?" Ross asked.

"It's a chance to keep a watch out for Fairy Tail," Tsukune explained. "And to show my friends in the area that they are still Japanese and deserve the same protection as anybody else."

"I'll talk to Jessie and call you back later," Ross decided.

"Thank you," Tsukune said.

XxxxxX

Lieutenant Tanaka was still feeling some doubts about the plan, but had to admit that it made sense in a strange sort of way. He looked at the empty police office in the old municipal building and resisted the urge to shake his head. The idea that the safety of a village was being neglected simply because it could save a little money was offensive. The last officer assigned to the local police office had retired eight years ago, but still lived in the area. It had taken a little research, but Ito had tracked him down. After a phone call, the old man had agreed to meet the lieutenant at the municipal building.

"Don't know why they never sent somebody new," The old man said as he showed the office to his visitor. "I sent all the paperwork in. My retirement was approved. I even stop in every couple of weeks, weather permitting, just to see if there is anything to worry about."

Tanaka looked around the office with a critical eye. The dust cover on the typewriters were dusty, as was everything else. What was really depressing was that the office was in a little better shape than the apartment that Tanaka had rented next door. The apartment building had been put up to provide housing for government workers, such as police, firemen, and school teachers. The police had been unstaffed. The school had been closed. Tanaka Ito really did not want to think about what fate had done to the local fire department.

Lieutenant Tanaka was visiting the remote village on official business. He had come to accept his position as the go-between for the police and the Imperial Cosmologist. It was a strange position to be in, because he had effectively become the one person in the Imperial Guard to be in charge of things that just a year prior he would have scoffed at and dismissed as foolishness. Now he was the one that was sent all the reports of "strange sightings." If anything he thought was important enough came up, he would pass word to his superiors. When Aono Tsukune had called him, Tanaka had decided right away that the issue was important enough to be involved.

Lieutenant Tanaka had two reasons for his trip to the remote village. The obvious one was that the koban was going to be restaffed and made operational again. His second reason was so he could be in the area and ready if any trouble cropped up. Aono was going to be bringing a group of young men out to work at a local site that had fallen into disrepair, and introduce them to some locals that were already at work on the site.

Tanaka Ito was not sure how he felt about what Aono was doing. Strictly from a legal perspective, the only thing that might be wrong is a case of trespassing and vandalism, which would have a hard time sticking when the suspects were cleaning up and repairing an old house or shrine in the mountains. He was glad that Tsukune had called him and told him what was going on. The idea of a bunch of youkai working together to restore an abandoned lodge seemed like nothing more than a curiosity, except that Aono had called to see if the lieutenant would like to send some young men along to lend a hand.

Tanaka had been curious enough that he decided to play along. The Imperial Cosmologist, when the lieutenant had shared the news with him, had agreed that it was something worth being involved in. Tanaka had still been looking for people to participate when a young officer called and said Aono had referred him for a for a community service mission. After speaking to Officer Yamada, Tanaka saw how he could participate with Aono's plan.

A few phone calls got everything in place. Some were official, but not all. A pair of young officers from the Imperial Guard, who's main function so far had been guard duty around the palace to watch and assist tourists were asked to volunteer for a little community service. They were more than happy to agree to the plain clothes work. If everything went well, Tanaka would enjoy a long weekend of dry bureaucratic work to help get things lined up for the village police department. And if was really lucky, he might even get a chance to do a little fishing.

XxxxxxXXxxxX

Kasumie had no idea of the amount of work that had gone into making her trip to the mountain get-a-way possible. She didn't know how many lives had been potentially changed in the time it had taken to get the old country manor into shape. Aono Kasumi did know that she was looking forward to a nice weekend someplace cool where she wouldn't have to do any cooking or cleaning.

Tsukune had picked her and his father up at the closest train station and drove them the rest of the way himself. With the windows open, the air blowing through the minivan was cool and clean compared to the developed sprawl to the south. Kasumi found all the green nature pleasant and was already starting to relax., which was a good thing considering how long the trip took. Tsukune kept driving even as the roads seemed to keep getting smaller. When he turned up the hill though a village, his mother was starting to wonder if maybe he had gotten lost. When the pavement ended and Tsukune kept going, with branches occasionally hitting against the mini van, she was sure of it.

"Tsukune..." Kasumi said with a worried look.

"We are almost there," Tsukune said. "Don't worry."

"Well if you say so..." Kasumi said without much confidence.

"In fact," Tsukune shot his mother a quick smile. "If you look ahead..." His words trailed off as he made the last turn.

Ahead of them the dirt road was almost a tunnel as it passed though the trees. The old stone bridge was just wide enough for the mini can to cross over without scrapping against the sides. Ahead, the shadows of the forest gave way to bright sunlight. The restored house came into view.

"Ooooh..." Kasumi breathed at the sight of the old manor and it's surroundings.

XxxX

XxxX

(A/N) with this chapter, once you take out all the repeated disclaimers, the story really is a million words long. Thank you all for reading.