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, then you should not read this.

Chapter 292

For a long time, years in fact, Tsukune had stressed over how to tell his mother the truth about his life. He had worried about how to tell her, how much to tell her, and how she would take it. As he considered the scene in front of him, Tsukune wished he only had to worry about breaking bad news to his mother.

The scene in question was a scorched mess of metal and plastic that had once been a police department scooter used for parking enforcement. The fire was out now, but the sharp stink of the burnt materials was still strong in the evening air. The whole area was illuminated by the lights of the surrounding emergency vehicles, and by the portable lights of the gathering news crews.

It had been another firebomb attack by Tate no Kai. The police woman had been in the middle of her shift, and had just gotten back in her vehicle after writing out a citation, in time to see a molotov cocktail flying towards her. She had jumped out of the scooter in time to escape being caught in the fireball, but had not gotten far enough away to escape harm all together.

The smell of burnt hair was think around her. Her face was red and her bangs and eyebrows singed off. While the police woman was waiting to be taken to the hospital, just as a precaution, she was reporting what happened to both police and fire investigators. Tsukune wondered if the blistering of the paint on a near-by sign was from the fire or from the young woman's language. The officer was using venomous expletives as she expressed her opinion of Tate no Kai, and what she would like to do to whomever had nearly killed her.

"Do you think this is because of the press conference?" Tanaka asked as he moved to stand beside Tsukune.

"I do," Tsukune nodded. "People like Tate no Kai don't like it when you slander their good name."

"Their good name?" Tanaka questioned in surprise. "They are a gang of thugs and terrorists!"

"The truth isn't what they want to hear though," Tsukune pointed out. "Unless you say it with fear in your voice."

"They're just like school bullies," Tanaka snorted with disgust. "When you punish them they insisted they haven't done anything wrong, and then they want to 'get back' at whomever they think got them in trouble."

"Exactly," Tsukune agreed.

"But why here?" Tanaka changed topics. "We've never found any connections to them in this area before."

"That's probably..." Tsukune began.

"Don't say it," Tanaka cut the younger man off. "I already get it. The did the attack here because they are not established in this area. If we spend out time investigating the area we will come up dry." He gave a frustrated sigh. "They are going to make things ugly for us on purpose."

"We may have one break in our favor though," Tsukue said.

"I'll take any good news we can get," Tanaka replied.

"There is an electronics store across the street, and another down the block," Tsukue pointed out. "What do you bet they are both equipped with security cameras?"

"Good point," Tanaka allowed himself a small smile. "And I would also bet they are not the only ones in the area."

Both men saw the usefulness of any possible security footage. Tate no Kai may not be established in the area, but one or more of their members had to have been in the area. The camera recordings could be checked for possible suspects, and those images could be compared against known Tate no Kai members. It was not much, but it offered a starting place.

XxxxxX

"The good news," Tanaka was saying to Tsukune a week later. "So far we have five possible suspects, even if the images are only partial matches." He handed over a set of copies of the captured images the police were using to identify possible suspects without looking in the other man's direction.

"The bad news," Tsukune said as heaccepted the file while keeping his eyes on the scene in front of them. "Is that this is the third firebombing aimed at the police so far."

The scene this time was a patrol car that had been gutted by fire. The officer that had been driving was already being treated for second and third degree burns at the hospital. The patrol car had been stopped for a red light when the molotov cocktails had been thrown. Fortunately no bystanders had been injured. And of course, people being people, while accurate witness accounts were unavailable, there were plenty of cellphone pictures and videos of the burning police car.

It was up to the police to collect copies of as many of the videos and pictures of the incident as possible. Investigators would be looking for witnesses wherever they thought one would turn up. Tsukune walked a short distance from the scene to where a storm grate had been bent and damaged, with most of the damage being hidden under a tangle of trash. He stood beside the grate and spoke in a low voice.

"Is there anything you can tell me about what happened?" Tsukune asked of the presence he felt hiding in the dark storm drain.

"Leave me out of it," A wet, croaking voice answered. "It's not my fight."

"If you will share what you know," Tsukune offered. "I will trade you something in return." He waited for a silent moment without getting an answer. He thought about the feral youkai he had met in the past. "Would you like some meat?" There was still no answer. "Sweets?" A shuffling sound from the darkness told Tsukune that his audience was still listening. "How about some alcohol?" Tsukune offered.

"Saki?" A hopeful croak replied.

"I will be right back," Tsukune told the local before starting off for the closest store.

He bought three bottles of saki for his negotiations. The first two were the small 180ml bottles, one of which was the cheapest the store had in stock. The other small bottle, and the large, nearly two liter bottle, were both much higher quality. When he returned to the storm grate he opened the cheep bottle and poured some out before putting the bottle down.

The smell of the saki was strong, but it was almost lost in the odors coming from the storm drain. There was some scraping noises, then came a soft splashing sound. Tsukune could imagine whatever creature that was in the storm drain was lapping at the poured out saki to taste it. He gently kicked the opened bottle into the storm drain.

There were more sounds of movement within the darkness, followed by a couple of quick gulps. A growling sigh soon floated out of the drain. Tsukune opened the second small bottle and set it down near the storm grate.

"I have more if you have something to trade," Tsukune said.

"What do you want from me?" The voice croaked.

"What did you see today?" Tsukune asked. "What do you remember that stands out in any way?"

"Fire," The voice croaked at once as a blur of motion snatched up the small bottle. "Angry fire."

Tsukune guessed that whatever he was talking to was sensitive to heat and light, and was possible a water type youkai as well. Its reaction to fire made perfect sense with that in mind, but it wasn't very helpful. He waited to see if there would be anything else.

"Men with fire had waited," The voice went on. "Two men smoking, kept throwing butts in drain. Brother should have stopped them."

"Brother?" Tsukune questioned.

"Kawarko," The voice explained. "He was with the men. He boss them around. He told them to throw their fire. He knew I was here. He looked at me, but not stop men from throwing their butts in drain."

"That was bad of him," Tsukune said. "Where did they go after they threw their fire?"

"They go to bar," The voice croaked. "Old Man's bar."

"You sure?" Tsukune asked as he scanned the area for bars.

"I watch Old Man's bar," The answer came. "Old Man washes out bar. Much saki spilled there. When Old Man cleans bar, the saki water comes to me here."

"I see..." Tsukune grinned darkly at the logic of it all. He took his last bottle of saki and pushed it through a gap in the grate. "Thank you for your help."

Tsukune started towards the hole-in-the-wall bar that was a short walk from the storm drain. While the idea of youkai working with Tate no Kai was not a happy one, it was not really a surprise. Tsukune knew that there were plenty of youkai that had abandoned Fairy Tail as it went down in flames, and any group interested in causing strife would attract them.

The bar was not really a bar. It was really just a pair of ramen carts supporting some planks to make up a counter. The whole rig was parked against one side of an alley, with a few cheep chairs and short curtains set up to give it a little semblance of a place to drink. The smell of cheap alcohol was strong, making it clear that this was the bar the voice in the storm drain had been talking about, but Tsukune didn't bother to stop to ask any questions. He passed through the 'bar' and followed the alley.

The alley connected to a parking area and a run down neighborhood. Tsukune scanned the area for anything that stood out. The few people he could see showed no interest in his presence, so likely they would not have noticed the Tate no Kai men that had passed through the area. He walked slowly around the parking area, with his senses alert, as he considered his options.

Tsukune could report what he had learned to the police. If he did, Lieutenant Tanaka could have officers going through the area, knocking on doors and asking questions. Tsukune thought about his options and saw that the police wouldn't be able to learn anything. But just because the police wouldn't be able to discover any information, Tsukune knew that did not mean that there was no information to be discovered. With a plan forming in his mind he turned and found his way back to the main street.

XxxxxxxX

Aono Koji had spent the day with a frown. It was not an angry frown. Rather, it was an expression of worry and some frustration. A part of him wanted to grin broadly and strut proudly. His son was a man he could be proud of. Tsukune was rich and proving to be successful. Koji's son was a business man and a land lord. The younger Aono was in his mid twenties and in a position to support not only himself, but a whole household, including wife, children, and a serving staff. Koji realized that he could retire and his son could afford to support him.

The good news had not been all Tsukune had to share however. He had explained to his father about the price that had been demanded of him. Tsukune had explained to his father about the gang fights at school that had caused him to be hospitalized so many times. He had explained how some of those gangs had been among the fringe parts of the terrorist organization Fairy Tail. He then explained the truth of Fairy Tail...

…... Youkai...

Koji felt a chill run up his spine every time he remembered that part of the conversation. When he realized what he had done... Koji realized that he had been tricked, but that was a small comfort when he realized that he had sent his only son to live among monsters and spirits. He had very nearly sent his son to his death.

….Youkai...

Koji had a frown all day because he was trying to cope with his world view being shaken up. His son had been mauled and tormented in ways that belonged in horror stories. A trial by torture to test his courage was unforgivable, even if it had gained his son a modern building and a pair of maids. The most disturbing part of the evening had been when Tsukune had stripped off his shirt. Tsukune had shown his father an impressive collection of scars.

"This one is from me," Ruby had said in an embarrassed voice as she traced her finger along one scar. The scar in question ran at an angle down from Tsukune's left shoulder, towards the center of his torso. "The first time I met Tsukune was the night I had tried to kill him." She had transformed herself then, standing in the apartment with giant raven's wings.

Each scar had a story behind it. Each scar had been because Koji had been too happy at his good luck to question it, so he had sent his son into danger. He felt a deep sense of guilt about it. At the same time though, there was still a strong sense of pride for his son. Not only had his son survived, he had thrived.

Tsukune's body was powerfully muscled. His scars were evidence of overcoming challenges. A scar across his shoulder from an enemy he had turned into a loyal friend as close as family. Injuries suffered while protecting others were true badges of honor. Even the fractured stone that was embedded in his chest was proof of how strong and capable Tsukune had become.

Following the evening spent with his son, Koji wore a frown all day. His son, whom at one time had appeared to be on his way to becoming a disappointment, was now a man he could be proud of. Koji was now faced with two problems. The lesser problem was how to keep from bragging about how much his son had survived and achieved. His coworkers had been skeptical when they had been told about the bear. They would never believe that Tsukune had spent his high school years fighting monsters.

As proud as he was, Koji knew he would have to keep what he had learned mostly to himself. He would have to settle for telling watered down fragments when he went out with his friends and coworkers. No, the frown Koji was wearing was because of the one real problem he knew he would have to face some day soon.

Aono Koji knew that it was only a mater of time before he would have to stand up in support of his son. They were going to have to take the ultimate risk. They were going to have to tell Kasumi everything.