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 275

Tsukune had a lot going on in his head when he went home that night. His conversations with Ross and Tanaka had set his mind to thinking. There were things he wanted to take care of, both professionally and personally. He realized that with everything he had been caught up in, Tsukune had almost forgotten what he wanted for himself.

Out of his circle of friends, Tsukune had the most irons in the fire it seemed. But now that he had his degree, school was not going to be taking up a lion's share of his time or attention. With more time for himself Tsukune could easily visit with Mizore or Kurumu more. He could also spend more time with Moka. As much as he liked those ideas, the more practical part of his mind had something to say about such things. Kurumu was still working hard on her career after all. Moka may be on break, but she still had a few more years of law school to look forward to. Mizore would always make time for Tsukune, but there was a danger in letting himself be distracted by his Winter Wife's affections.

Tsukune spent the trip home form the club thinking about what he wanted. It wasn't enough to know where he wanted his life to go. Tsukune also had to plan out how he was going to get there. Even if he didn't have a whole plan in place, just putting some energy in gathering the pieces together and moving forward in a general direction was better than just sitting still and waiting. When he got home it was late afternoon. He had time enough to relax a little before supper, but he had a different idea.

"Welcome home, Master," Ruby greeted him as he returned home. "How was your day?"

"It went well enough," Tsukune answered as he kicked off his shoes.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Master?" Ruby asked.

"Yes there is," Tsukune said with a firm nod. He kept talking as he walked towards his home office in the den. "I've mentioned before how I want to start my own security company."

"Yes, Master," Ruby replied to signify that she was listening.

"I want you to design the uniforms for my company," Tsukune told her.

"Really?" Ruby stopped short.

"Yes," Tsukune turned to give her a smile. "Come up with some ideas and we will look at them together. When you have the right design planed out, you can make a set for Inari and I." He paused for a moment as his smile turned mischievous. "And if you make a set for yourself, you can do a private modeling for me before we show them to anybody else."

"Master! Thank you!" Ruby gushed. Not only had Tsukune assigned her a task, but it was something that was important to his future happiness. And he had made it clear that there would be a reward for her when it was completed.

XxxxxxXxx

On the surface the place was little more than a hole in the wall. A ramen counter and beer bar that served the lower income residents of the area. The beer and ramen however were just a distraction, a screen for what was going on in the back room. It was a feature that was easily missed if a person was not looking for it. An entrance to the back half of the building where tables and chairs were set up for customers to enjoy games of skill and chance while being served by young women in distracting costumes.

A man in casual clothes entered the illegal gambling den and headed to the small bar. Nothing about his over all appearance made him stand out in any way, but his attitude was that of somebody focused on the task at hand. He reached the bar, and when he had the bartender's attention, he flashed a card with a red shield on it. The bartender didn't say anything to the man, he only nodded and produced an envelope of money that he handed over. The man accepted the envelope and left without saying a word to anybody. He never looked around at the people in the secret den. He didn't see the manager sitting with two men in the corner. It escaped his notice that the manager had a swollen and bruised face.

Once out no the street again, the man simply walked away from the place as if everything was as it should be. Even if he had noticed, he would not have cared that the manager of the gambling den had been roughed up because he had agreed to pay protection to Tate no Kai instead of reporting the problem to his bosses. But then again, the man believed that he was acting in the interests of a higher ideal, and that it was only proper for him to be doing what he was. He did not think of things much beyond his own views and interests. If he had been a little bit more aware of what was happening around him, the man might have avoided some serious pain.

Ross watched as the man was jumped by four others. They were professional muscle men and knew their business. When Ross had reported to his own bosses about Tate no Kai poaching with their protection racket, nobody had been happy to hear the news. The plan worked out between him, Tanaka, and Tsukune however had been given limited approval. That approval was why Ross was out late with six other men, instead of being home with his wife... Or out late with some women...

The beating was quick and effective. The professional muscle left the man on the ground, taking his cell phone, wallet, keys, and the envelope of money he had been sent to pick up. There job for the night was over. Ross turned to the man to his left.

"I think that should do it," Ross said.

"If anyone else comes trying to collect we'll pass it on," The local lieutenant said with a small nod. He set off to follow his muscle for a drink before calling it a night.

"You've got it from here, right?" Ross said as he turned to his right.

"I'll let you know how it goes," Tsukune said.

"You sure you can follow him without being seen?" Ross continued to turn in a complete circle, wondering where Tsukune had gone.

"Don't worry," Tsukune chuckled. "I learned from the best."

XX

The first man had a hard time picking himself up off the street. His face was bloody and swollen. His nose was likely broken. However, the men that had attacked him had known their business. The man only thought himself lucky that no bones were broken in his arms or legs. His muscles burned and would be covered in bruises in the morning, but with a lot of groaning he was finally able to drag himself up onto his feet. Without any money or a cell phone, he was forced to walk, or stagger in this case, to his destination.

The second man lived in a small apartment where he felt he was making the best out of an unjust situation. He had to live on earnings that he felt were less than he deserved, because life had no justice in it. When the first man knocked at his door, much later than expected, the second man had been angry at being kept waiting. He was more angry still when he discovered what had happened. Both men seemed to believe that the first man had been the victim of a random mugging.

Both men were likely not seeing deeper because they were too focused on different details. The first man was glad he was alive and free of truly serious injuries. The second man was angry at the way his night had been ruined, and that he had to report up the chain that the protection money had been lost. Nether of them had known that someone had been listening under an open window.

By dawn both names were on Tanaka's desk. Soon their bank accounts and phone records would be open books to the police. All things considered, not a bad night's work.

XxxXXxX

Tsukune looked at the building with a critical eye. It was old and gray, boxy and simple. It had probably been built as a warehouse originally. Its last recorded use had been as a small factory that had gone out of business. It was on the edge of a more modern industrial zone, near a lower income neighborhood. Tsukune sat on Hiru's back as he considered the building.

He was considering things that other might not even think about. Aside from location and appearance, he examined the limited parking area in front and the loading docks on the side. The rail spur it had built next to had been pulled up, leaving a back alley that was unpaved and choked with weeds. When he had looked in through the open hole where a door had once been, Tsukune could see how the inside had been remodeled by previous residents.

Tsukune had discovered the building by happenstance in the early Fall. Between visits to the Imperial Guard's office and recruiting photograph sessions, Tsukune had passed the building by. He had passed it more than a dozen times before he had even noticed it. When he started thinking about setting up his own office, the image of the old building floated to the front of his mind. The more he thought about his plans for the future the more he found his mind wandering back to the old warehouse.

Tsukune's first visit to look at the building had just been a short stop while traveling between his different responsibilities. His second visit had been to specifically walk around the outside of the building and to look in through the windows. Now on his third visit, with Winter's chill starting to take hold, Tsukune was waiting for the real estate agent to show him the inside and to discuss prices. He had already decided that the building would be the place for his office.

If Tsukune had just wanted some office space, he could have taken over one of the store fronts on the ground floor of his own building, but that was not the way he wanted to go. When he had done a little research on the old warehouse, he thought he may possibly have found an opportunity others might pass up. The warehouse, he had learned, had an unfortunate history, making it change owners many times over the years. The businesses that had occupied the building had never thrived.

The real estate agent finally arrived when Tsukune was starting to think of getting lunch. There was a small bar down the street that called itself a diner. The place served the workers from the industrial area and did most of its business in the evening. Tsukune was thinking of making a quick visit to the place when an old sedan pulled into the lot of the warehouse.

The car was a reflection of the owner. It was in fair condition over all, but it was showing its age in the details. The real estate agent, a middle aged man with thinning hair, climbed out of the car, pausing a moment to work the stiffness out of his back. He was well dressed in a simple but professional suit. From the back seat he pulled out a briefcase that was worn around the edges. Everything about the man said he was practical and serious. After composing himself he approached Tsukune.

Tsukune dismounted from Hiru when the real estate agent had first pulled up. He wasn't too worried about his appearance, because he was sure that the real estate agent wanted his business. Tsukune could afford to wait. The building had been unused and on the market for years.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Aono-san," The agent said with a bow.

"Thank you for coming," Tsukune said with a small bow of his own. "I hope I am not putting your through any difficulties."

"It is fine," The agent dismissed the concern. "I am always willing to accommodate a prospective client." He gestured to the old building. "Would you like to inspect the property?"

"Yes I would," Tsukune nodded with a smile.

Since it was missing a door, and several sections of glass from the windows, Tsukune could have entered the building at any time he wanted. The reason he had waited for the real estate agent's invitation was to follow some very old rules. The agent was the legal representative of the property owner, so with his permission entering the building would not count as trespassing. It also meant that Tsukune was not an aggressor. Even from the street Tsukune had been able to feel the energy of the spirits within the building. Following the rules of hospitality, or at least waiting for a legitimate invitation before entering, should help appease the resident spirit, or spirits, at least long enough for him to have a chance to know what he was dealing with. If he went in uninvited, as the aggressor, the spirits might try to drive him away, or they might just hide themselves. either way it would be best to avoid trouble if possible.

As he stepped into the building he felt the presence of the resident spirits and knew they were watching him. He scanned the interior as he moved deeper into the building. When he looked back to the entrance he saw that the real estate agent had stayed outside.

"Is everything alright?" Tsukune asked.

"Oh, I assure you Mr Aono," The agent replied with a nervous smile. "The building should be perfectly safe. I just don't get out of the office as much as I should, so I'll just wait out here in the fresh air."

"I understand," Tsukune said while keeping a smile from his face. He understood that the agent had heard about how the building was haunted or cursed. He understood that as much as the agent liked to think of himself as a modern and well grounded man, he was, at some level, aware that there was something unusual about the warehouse that he did not want to be too close to.

As he explored the inside of the old building, Tsukune eventually let himself smile. He projected a sense of calm as he walked with smooth, unhurried steps. In one area there was a pile of old equipment and rags where he could feel the presence of some of those that watched him. Another nest was in what was left of an abandoned refrigerator that had been tipped on its side. A third was in a badly dented and bent up filing cabinet. The residents were small, and while they were weak compared to Tsukune and the youkai he knew, he had no doubt that they were more than willing to protect their home with all they had.

There was one last detail he had to take care of. He couldn't help but grin a little, because he was going to use things he had learned that nobody had realized they were teaching him. As Tsukune headed back out to talk with the real estate agent, he plotted out how he was going to negotiate a deal on his own terms that the agent would be unable to refuse.