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 267

Tsukune was wondering what was going on with his career. He had six months until he graduated from university, but over the past two years his work with the police had him running in directions he had never expected. His relationship with Kurumu was far more public than he wanted, whih he was willing to accept as a part of sharing his life with her. On the other hand it had made him into a minor celebrity that the National Police Agency was all too willing to make use of. When he was not doing recruiting work, he was pulled into special security operations. He was used on investigations, and was included on tactical missions. On paper Tsukune's career was the stuff dreams were made of.

In reality, Tsukune was feeling lost when it came to police work. He had not had a shift as a simple police officer in more than a year. The last time he had been to the Mononoke koban in the line of duty had been to conduct training. Beyond that he only visited when he was already in the area. Fortunately the Board Chairman wasn't calling upon Tsukune too much, and then it was usually to help out with a student that needed an understanding counselor.

Through it all, Inari had been an important part of his life. Most of the extra work that Tsukune did cut into his time for classes and studying. Inari helped him with taking notes and keeping him up to date with assignments. She had become one of the foundation stones of his life. Ruby was another. She kept his home, his building, and his accounts all in order. Like Inari, she was always ready to offer what support and comfort that she could.

Kurumu was also supporting Tsukune, if in a sneaky way. Karasu no kōhī was her idea. The small catering company was managed by Ruby, but Kurumu had put up the money to get it started. Tsukune was listed as the owner, but had not even found out about it until three months after the fact.

xx

"I am just hedging my bets," Kurumu had explained when Tsukune finally had an opportunity to talk with her about it.

"What do you mean?" Tsukune asked.

"Well as I am now, it would be improper for me to own my own catering company or restaurant," Kurumu answered. "But if writing doesn't turn into a solid enough of a career, I will have something to fall back on. I cannot be an idol for too long. It would start to attract the wrong kind of attention."

"But why put your company in my name?" Tsukune asked. "Why not your mother's?"

"Because I love you," Kurumu said with a wink. "The deal I made with Ruby is that you own the company, and she runs it. She can use it to help you however she wishes. While you and I split the net profit. In a few years I can publicly take control of Karasu no kōhī and lend it my professional reputation."

"Then I can grow it into a major business," Kurumu went on. "We can use it to support our family, and when I am ready to retire, I can pass it on to our children to manage."

"You have really thought this out," Tsukune observed.

"Of course I have," Kurumu gave him a smile. She was standing in the kitchen of her mother's apartment, dressed casually, like a housewife, cooking a gourmet supper. "If I am going to keep your love, I have to make sure I can prove my worth."

"Kurumu," Tsukune argued. "I love you. You do not have to prove anything to me."

"Thank you for saying that," Kurumu gave him another smile. "But this is for me. This is so I will know that I have something to offer you. This is so I can be sure that there will be some way for me to support our children."

"But..." Tsukune tried to argue.

"Oh no," Kurumu cut him off. "I know what you are going to say, and I love you for it. But Tsukune, what if something goes wrong? What if something happens that changes everything? One thing you taught me, by making me chase after you for years, is that we need to think ahead. We need to think more than just about the future we want. We also need to think about how to get there, and what will happen next."

"I guess you're right," Tsukune said. He was feeling a little impressed.

Kurumu had always been a straight forward kind of person. She was smart, he knew that, but she was usually only able to focus on one thing at a time, which had usually been her relationship with him. Now Kurumu was working for a magazine, she was going to school, she was doing work as a kitchen idol, and now she was making backup plans for the future. Tsukune admired the effort she was putting into everything.

Tsukune knew Kurumu was a smart and capable woman. Watching her cook was all the proof anybody would need. She could plan out a meal with sharp business sense, managing the budget, the time, and the ingredients to get the best results possible. Kurumu was even able to make a piece of performance art out of preparing a meal. Reaching for utensils and ingredients and putting them together was almost like a dance. She handled the knives with a deftness that would be enviable by a painter with his brushes, or even a drummer with his sticks.

Kurumu's ability to perform her art was thorough. When she set the meal on the table she did it with the finesse of a master. Floral arrangement was a formal art for women of the privileged class. Tsukune thought that Kurumu could teach them all some things about presentation. He knew that she could not only make delicious meal out of instant ramen and a handful of ingredients, she could make it look good too.

As for Kurumu, cooking was a way to express herself. Depending on her mood, she could cook dishes to either help her feel better, or to communicate her feelings to others. Once upon a time she had thought to use her cooking as a weapon, thinking that she could drug or poison her creations to make things happen according to her own wishes. Not only had that never worked right, Kurumu had learned that by simply being honest and persistent she could produce better creations.

A perfect example of her change in thinking was that dinner she shared with Tsukune. She had, as always, cooked her best for him. At the same time she had talked with him, sharing her thoughts and feelings. Once upon a time Kurumu would have been tempted to slip a little something into Tsukune's food to help arouse him. Instead of doing anything underhanded, she had expressed herself clearly, and in return, Tsukune had expressed his passion and affection for her. He had been clear, and thorough in showing Kurumu his love and desire for her. He had done it with her in the kitchen while she had been trying to wash up. He had done it with her in the bathroom. Kurumu was quite sure he would have expressed his desire and passion for her in every room of the apartment that night, if her mother had not come home.

Ageha had come home early, and in a sour mood. Her night had fallen apart. A ruptured pipe had closed the club down before sunset. Her intended playmate for the evening had come down sick. Her backup playmate had picked up a pair of girls at another bar. It was just a case of one thing after another going wrong. Frustrated, Ageha had gone home, forgetting that her daughter had a date that night with Tsukune.

Ageha remembered her daughter's plans as soon as she opened the door to her apartment. The odors from the candlelight dinner were still in the air. So too were the scents that came from a man and a woman sharing the joys of the flesh together. Ageha had been in the middle of the apartment when a naked and happy Kurumu and Tsukune came out of the bathroom.

Kurumu had been surprised by the flash of Lust that she felt. She turned her head and saw her mother standing there, and saw that the older succubus was almost completely caught up in the sight of Tsukune. The lust coming from her mother was something unexpected, and more than just a little disturbing. Kurumu quickly pushed Tsukune into her bedroom.

"Good night, Mother," Kurumu said before closing and locking her bedroom door.

XxxxxxX

Inari and Ruby sat together enjoying a relaxing breakfast. Tsukune was out on a date with Kurumu, so the pair were free to pass the time as friends. The core of their friendship was their mutual love for Tsukune, and their desire to support him. When Tsukune was out on a date the pair would meet up, take a little time to relax, and share notes about the master of their hearts.

"...It's Tate no Kai," Inari was complaining. "The public relations work is usually all short assignments, and even that is winding down. The investigations into Tate no Kai keep pulling Tsukune around. He gets sent out to look for someone, not because there is nobody better to find them, but to be seen, to be a tool for the other investigators. When Tsukune walks into a bar with a name and a picture, the investigators are already in place to watch to see who reacts. They had him in Fukui for a week asking questions while monitoring a list of phone and bank accounts to see which ones suddenly did something." Inari sighed in frutration. "It's working, but it takes so long... And why do they need Tsukune..."

"Tate no Kai has made five attacks since they first tried to take over the LaLaPort mall," Ruby observed. "They have not killed anybody yet, but they are attracting attention."

The attacks Ruby mentioned had been attention grabbing. Inari supposed that had been the idea behind them. In one city Tate no Kai had stormed a love hotel. The members kicked in doors and took videos. Anybody trying to hide was dragged out. Anybody resisting was given a beating. The attack lasted less than ten minutes. The thugs had cleared out before the police could stop them. Three days later copies of the video were delivered to every major media outlet in Japan. The video was edited to be split screen. On one side of the screen was the video of the raid. On the other, a man in black with a red hood covering his face was reading the Tate no Kai's statement. Tate no Kai was declaring itself to be the protectors of Japan, fighting to restore morality, and to redirect the nation back to the path of glory.

Business at love hotels dropped for more than a week. People were worried about being caught in the same kind of raid. The second love hotel raid three months later had an even greater impact on the business. While publicly condemned for their actions, there was a silent approval for Tate no Kai's attacks from some, because of the targets and their declaration against immorality. That was where the danger waited.

"But I don't understand why they don't send you with him," Ruby said.

"I don't know," Inari gave a shake of her head. "It probably has to do with some old-fashion idea about women in the police." She gave a sigh. "And I would have loved a week with Tsukune in Fukui."

"What about watching the places that have been getting attacked?" Ruby asked.

"With all the love hotels and host or hostess bars?" Inari challenged. "There are not enough police. Besides, the ones doing the attacks are just followers. We will catch some of them, but until we get the leader..." She shook her head. "We're trying, but it just is going to take time."

"It is going to take Tsukune's time away from home," Ruby said darkly.

The two women were in agreement. They did not like having to share Tsukune with his job. It was bad enough when their competition was a woman he was in love with, because there was a chance to come to some kind of compromise. For Tsukune when something became a duty, if he wanted it or not, it became something that could devour his life until it was resolved.

XxxxxxxxX

The restaurant was the kind of place Tsukune would normally have saved for a special date with Moka or Kurumu. It was the kind of place that looked like it had been copied from historical Japan from five hundred years ago. Modern touches, such as electricity and in-door plumbing were discretely kept out of sight, until someone had use for it. Most of the guests were dressed expensively, out to celebrate the new year in style. Kimono's and western outfits further blended the past with the present. The private dining room where Tsukune was seated would have fit into the court of a feudal lord's manor.

Tsukune was dressed in a suit, just like all the other men in attendance. The only women in the room were the restaurant staff. They were all in kimonos, with their hair up and their faces painted white. It was the kind of restaurant where menus would be recited by the staff, and prices were never mentioned. If you had to ask what something cost, you could not afford it. It was a formal gathering of people with money and influence.

Tsukune was uncomfortable at the gathering. The only two people he knew were sitting beside him. To his left was Tanaka Ito. To Tsukune's right was Tanin Ross. Looking around the room, Tsukune could not help but feel out of place. He was the youngest man in the room by about ten years. Additionally, he and Tanaka were the only ones that were not enjoying themselves.

Including Ross, Tsukune and Tanaka Ito were two police men in a room with fifteen yakuza members. To add to the strangeness of the situation, those fifteen gangsters represented three different and powerful organizations. Tsukune had finally accepted the invitation to meet with these people, at Tanaka's urging. The plan was to share information with the yakuza to gain their support in tracking down Tate no Kai.

The business part of the meeting had gone quickly, and very smoothly Tsukune thought. It helped his cause that Tate no Kai was attacking the kinds of places that the yakuza was frequently invested in. While traditionally the police and the yakuza were on opposite sides of the law, Tate no Kai was an enemy of both. The police wanted to shut them down for the public good and safety. The yakuza simply would not tolerate a group that was bad for business.

The yakuza leaders agreed to assist the police in shutting down Tate no Kai. The gangsters would pay attention for what has happening around Japan, and any information would be passed on to Tanaka's office. The police would then use the weight of law and the manpower available to them to combat Tate no Kai directly. It was left unsaid, but it was understood, that if the yakuza found it to their advantage, they just might stomp out Tate no Kai themselves.

There was no official contract of the agreement, of course. There would never be anything like that because not only would it be damaging to the police, but it would be an admission of gangster activity by the yakuza business men. It would remain a verbal agreement between gentlemen.

Once the main reason for the meeting was out of the way, it was time to enjoy the evening. Food and drinks were served in plenty. Men shared stories and traded jokes. After a while, when it was clear that the eating was finished, the kimono clad staff cleared away the dishes. The last member of the staff closed the door behind her as she left. Seconds later another door opened, a new wave of women entered, some carrying bottles of alcohol. The new servers were also dressed in kimonos, but Tsukune was able to spot a difference right away.

The newly arrived women were not the usual service staff for the restaurant, Tsukune was sure. Their hair was done up with the same careful attention to detail. The kimonos they wore were of a more simple make and design, more like costume pieces in the place of the traditional ones worn by the servers before. These women were also more friendly than the ones that had just left. Tsukune understood right away what was going on. He looked towards Tanaka and saw the older police officer give him a small nod with tired eyes.

As the private dining room became a private party, men started to mingle freely. Most were content to remain at their seats and accept drinks and attention from the women. Unfortunately there were some who wanted to hear a story.

"So tell us young Aono," The first boss spoke up as a pretty woman massaged his shoulders. "I hear that you were the one that shut down a talent and lending office near the beach a few years ago."

"I am sure the story you heard was more interesting than the truth," Tsukune tried to beg off.

Unfortunately for Tsukune the bosses had heard enough rumors and wild speculation about him over the years that they wanted to know more about him. What the bosses wanted their men encouraged. Tsukune left out some details, but the core of the events from that day were pulled out of him. The gangsters were duly impressed by the story of a high school student taking down a team of grown yakuza men.

Tsukune found himself talking for hours. He had to edit his stories for content, holding back what he needed to to protect the secrets of youkai and the people closest to him. Sometimes he had to refer to the youkai in the story as foreigners, other times as burakumin, though it bothered him to do so. He talked of standing up against would-be rapists, petty thugs, and small time gangs of teens trying to be bigger than they were able to be. His run-ins against Fairy Tail were the biggest hits with his audience.

Tsukune filled in some of the holes that Tanaka had not thought to ask before, but the yakuza members did ask. Tsukune talked of how Fairy Tail had used a school gang as a recruiting ground, a strategy organized crime has used before, and how that had put him into conflict against them. He talked about fighting the agent of Fairy Tail that had put the sea side yakuza group up to the task of kidnapping girls to exploit. The kidnapping of Kurumu was explained as another attempt at exploitation as well.

The story of the last big battle with Fairy Tail at the graduation ball was well known, but Tsukune was asked to tell it anyway. He told the story of how terrorists had intended to cause a lot of fear by killing teens at a party, in the hope of ripping apart the fabric of Japan's society. Aside from entertaining the members of the yakuza present, Tsukune was planting the seeds that would encourage them to support the authorities if any kind of similar threat should ever appear again. Tate no Kai was potentially such a threat. While the yakuza present had already agreed to help out, Tsukune wanted them to hold to that agreement, even if Tate no Kai started to look like an advantageous group to befriend later.

XxxxX

"So..." Ross drawled as he walked Ito and Tsukune out. "What do you think? We're a nice enough bunch ain't we?"

"I have never been one for large drinking parties," Ito answered.

"Bahhh..." Ross dismissed him. "You were born an old man." He focused on Tsukune. "What about you? You had fun right? A night free of youkai for a change."

"Well not entirely free of youkai," Tsukune said with a smirk.

"What?" Ross boggled.

"Four women and two men in there were youkai," Tsukune explained. "I've told you before, they are just like anybody else. They want to live a normal life, and for some, that means an office job. Others work in construction or farming. It makes sense that some would be a part of any large organization. And no, I won't tell you who they were."

"He has a point, Old Man" Ito said with a smirk. "The police have some, so why not your team as well?"

X

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(A/N: For those that wonder what my update schedule is, there are two things that control how fast I post new chapters. The first is how much time I get to work on the story. The other is how many reviews I get. I admit, I am an attention hog.

Please remember to sign in for leaving reviews, this way I can reply to you. Sometimes your reviews have pointed out corrections that need to be made to create a better story. One person even made me want to go back and edit more than five chapters to chop out a bad story arc idea.

Thanks for the reviews folks. Now I need to go look up some more Japanese for baby girls (insert teaser here))