123Hello, everyone. Yet again, I'm sticking my toe into another new series, one that caught my eye ears back and managed to mostly hold my attention in some areas. This story's been a thought in the back of my mind, but it was only with the help of Persona 5 (and this recent world-wide epidemic) that I've decided to finally go for it. A Rosario + Vampire story featuring a teacher-student relationship between Tsukune and Ms. Ririko. There you have it, you know this story's pairing, but hopefully you'll be interested in seeing how things reach that point between them.
The above said, expect the fallout from the above-mentioned pairing to be…well, expect some heartbreak, action, and discussion of feelings and some real-life issues. This story will be going to some perhaps controversial places (besides a student and teacher in a romantic relationship) and expect some minor fanon ideas backed by real-world mythology and folklore, which I'm also a fan of.
Alright, that's it. Onto the story!
I do not own anything.
Lessons Learned
Chapter 1-Lessons in Failure
Suffocating silences were something of a rarity in the News Paper Club meeting room. Given who its members were…that was quite surprising, and it more often than not spoke to the severity of the situation at hand. What that situation was tended to vary. Sometimes they were comedic, other times…not so much. Those thick silences were occasional broken by sudden outbursts, which were quelled by either attempts to voice reason, or equally outlandish statements that continued on and on. One could have said that showed how lively the club was, and indeed, the News Paper Club of Yokai Academy could be a rather lively bunch.
This time, however, the teenagers were all rather subdued.
It wasn't because of another crazed classmate or teacher, which they dealt with on an almost daily occurrence. Not this time though, albeit the problem they were staring down was ultimately a cause of dealing with the latter.
"I can't believe this!" Shouted the bustiest member of the club, slamming both her palms against the table causing it, and her boobs, to shake.
"Yeah, I know, it's incredible that you managed to pass by a total of two points. It should have been the opposite and double or triple that." Mused the group's resident snow woman. As per usual, she remained totally cool and composed as Kurumu's furious gaze fell on her. Behind the stoic façade, she was probably smiling at the fact that she managed to get a rise out of the succubus.
"No, you idiot, not that! What I mean is-"
"The fact that whatever good luck there was you sucked up from Tsukune?" Mizore chirped in the same flat tone. Kurumu's nostrils flared and she looked rather to leap across the table and sink her elongated claws into the snow woman's flesh. It wouldn't be the first time she'd tried it, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time that it resulted in a comedic brawl that left the meeting room in shambles.
As much as a part of the group's assembly's sole male member might have wanted to see such a thing, he overall didn't have the heart for it. "Kurumu, Mizore." He spoke in his same soft tone causing them both to quiet down. "This isn't Kurumu's fault or anyone's fault, it's really just mine."
"No, it's not. It's that batshit insane excuse of a teacher's fault." Kurumu growled, now directing her anger at the cause of the News Paper Club's latest debacle. "Seriously, why hasn't that four-eyed lunatic been fired already!"
Good question, but then again, why wasn't Mr. Kotsubo fired for attempting to rape Mizore…and probably trying the same stunt on God knows how many other girls. And that was just the most recent example that popped into Tsukune's mind. He wanted to add that to the conversation, but the young human bit his tongue and kept his thoughts inward. He told himself the reason was because he didn't want to bring up any uncomfortable memories for Mizore; that was one of the many "silent agreements" that they'd call come to. What was disheartening was that the PE teacher probably wouldn't be the last to set his sights on the girls, just as Tsukune feared his latest go-round wouldn't be the last either. Am I…are we going to keep on going through this all year? Into next year? Senior year? Won't some people have just gotten tired or gotten the hint by then? Leaning back in his seat, he lost himself in the train of thought, detaching himself from the conversation at hand between his friends. It wasn't the first time he'd done so, and it certainly wasn't the first time he'd done so in a hidden effort to run away from the issue at hand. The real issue.
His pondering wasn't unnoticed, but it was unspoken of. Moka had seen him drift off like this several times during their meetings, specifically whenever the group's squabbling grew. Sometimes she could tell what was running through his mind, at other times, it was a mystery that ate up her own thoughts. A loud thud caught her attention and turned it back to the rest of their group. Kurumu and Mizore had gotten physical again, with Yukari doing her best to stop them. "Hey, hey! Come on guys! Please, calm down! It's not like this is the end of the world!"
"No, just a crummy start to our first summer vacation!" The succubus whined.
"None of this would have happened if you'd just let Tsukune to study with me." Yukari chirped letting her wand fall against her palm with a disapproving frown.
"Yeah, and did we would have had a whole new set of problems." Kurumu sniped.
Not one to let the blow glow, the young witch popped one eye open and gave the older girl a sly smirk. To say that it annoyed Kurumu would have been an understatement. "Now, now, is that anyway to talk to someone who helped you pass your finals? And will probably need to help you do so again? Maybe next time I won't be so generous." The reaction Yukari had been waiting for, or rather, the fear she'd been searching for, was there. She briefly relished in bringing it out before jumping int the unsuspecting arms of the secret human. "Don't worry, Tsukune, with my tutoring, you'll pass all the make-up exams for sure!"
Completely off-guard, the sixteen-year-old just barely managed to catch the young witch, but even then, she'd thrown herself onto him with such force it rocked the chair he was in. Unfortunately, Yukari's actions triggered a chain reaction with Kurumu's face puffing up as the little witch made the most out of being able to cuddle up to Tsukune. In a heartbeat, she was ripped away allowing Kurumu to take her place on the startled teenager's lap, from which she proceeded to rub her bosom against his chest causing his face to turn cherry-red.
"Hey, why waste time studying with an annoying little witch when you can spend that time studying with me? Like you should have from the start. You know, just the two of us, Tsukune." Whispered the light-blue-haired girl looking the young man in the eye. She could feel a budding sense of arousal in him even as he tried to spit out some sort of excuse to refute her words. He wasn't coming up with anything, except hopefully an acceptance of her words.
"Except you just barely passed by the skim of your teeth, so if he's going to study with anyone, it certainly won't be with you." Mizore commented. Kurumu's seductive expression soured as she snapped at the stalker, only to find she wasn't there. Before she knew it, she was being pushed back and chilled by a light gale. The short-haired woman wrapped her arms around the human's neck from behind. "Now then, Tsukune and I, we can study together."
"Like hell you can! You just barely managed to pass, just like me!" Shouted the succubus.
"G-Guys, h-how's about we all just study together? You know, like we did before?" Moka injected in hopes. "That worked out pretty well, didn't it?"
"Yeah, for everyone except for Tsukune." Snipped the busty student giving Moka a sideways glare. She made it rather clear-cut how angry she was over the group's latest misadventure, and for a number of reasons. The two biggest ones were without a doubt the fact that the pink-haired vampire had been at the center of it…and Kurumu played no part in it at all. Instead, she'd been off studying herself, an act that had allowed her to pass her finals. Now, in hindsight, it seemed like a cruel payoff. "Look, it's obvious that Tsukune needs some place to focus for his studying."
"Right, and he'll be able to do that while getting suffocated by your over-sized knockers. That'll work out really well." Yukari snickered once more earning Kurumu's ire.
Tsukune inhaled through his nose, catching a brief wisp of Mizore's scent. It was of course scented with snow and frost. He'd gotten used to it, just as he'd gotten used to Moka's and Kurumu's uniquely scented perfume and shampoos, the former of which he'd gotten…closer too than he would have liked to admit. "Guys, look, it's like Moka said. This isn't the end of the world…but Kurumu's right in that it is kind of a downer beginning to summer." The two girls, no, all four of them, looked to him with sorrowful eyes. Though they could squabble, there was no denying the truth. Their first summer break was…not quite going to go as they expected. "But if it's anyone's fault, it's mine." Yeah, the fact is…I'm still not completely used to this place, a part of me doesn't think I'll ever get used to it. Inwardly thought the human teen, a small sliver of dread and sorrow ringing the thought.
"Tsukune," Moka started. "It isn't your fault."
"Moka, everyone here passed their finals…except for me." He countered.
"Well, not everyone." Kurumu muttered crossing her arms. "Gin failed some of his, though we really don't have to think hard as to why." If her beloved had passed, then she would have found it laughable, and close to perfect. Alas, fate had been cruel with the hand it'd dealt. She just couldn't quite bring herself to laugh at the fact that all of the girls had passed their finals while the guys had flunked theirs, and for the exact same reason. The same reason quite a number of men found themselves in trouble from time to time. "Seriously though, this sucks." She huffed finally returning to her seat. "Alright, what's the plan?"
"I study and retake my finals along with Gin, and then we all enjoy summer break." Tsukune answered like it was the most natural thing in the world. The rest of the group looked to him with what could only be described as genuine surprise. In turn, Tsukune looked back at the rest of them, specifically Kurumu. He didn't need to guess at what Kurumu was thinking, or Mizore since she was heading down the same pattern of thought. "Now look, as tempting as skipping retakes would be, I can't go down that route." Illuminated by a bolt of lightning were the faces of his parents, and even his grandparents, none of whom would let him off the hook. Even worse, Tsukune knew if he didn't at least make some sort of effort, he was going to face down the very real fear of failing the whole grade, that was one thing he wouldn't be able to hide.
The thing was, it seemed like he was the only one who seemed to care about such notions, which once more reinforced the fact that out of everyone in the entire club, he was one of the few sane ones, on top of being the only human.
Kurumu took his words with a very visible pout. Mizore sat back and quietly sulked, but resigned herself to his decision none the less. Yukari was in the some boat, but he could tell that something was on her mind. No doubt they were likely his test scores, which she'd no doubt wanted to get a look at so she could figure out where he was failing. Tsukune wondered with some amusement how she'd react to seeing it was a little bit of everything, though some more than others.
"Alright then, I think it's time we talked about what we're going to do." Moka spoke up moving the meeting along, and bringing some focus onto herself.
"What do you mean what we're going to do? We're all going to stay until Tsukune and Gin pass their makeups, shouldn't take any more than a couple of days, right?" Stated the succubus in a flippant manner. When a prolonged silence greeted her, Kurumu popped her eyes open and looked around. "What? Come on, don't tell me it's going to be longer!"
"Not for another week or two, depending on how many exams Tsukune failed." Yukari muttered with a downtrodden expression. "Again, it's amazing that you managed to pass all of yours, though odds are they were all by the skin of your teeth."
An eyebrow twitch singled another outburst. "Don't start, you pipsqueak!"
"Yukari, Kurumu." Started the secret human quelling the simmering fires between the two of them. "Look, like Yukari said, retakes are going to take some time, time that you all can better spend doing whatever you want."
"Which includes being near you." Mizore's response was automatic, expected really. "Moka, you've had something on your mind for a while, haven't you?"
The vampire didn't look too surprised at being called out. Mizore wore the "stalker" label with pride, and for good reason. There was little in their inner circle that escaped the snow woman's gaze, hell, at times it felt like they could barely escape her always-watchful gaze. Now, all eyes were on her, and Moka wasn't at all happy about it. Sighing in understanding, the dark-haired male reached out and placed his hand atop of hers. The warmth he brought her caused her to look up and smile at him, her confidence reaffirmed.
"The other day, I got a letter from my father asking me to return home. Some family-"
"So this means you'll be gone! Great! I'll help you pack and even escort you to the bus station! Don't be in a big hurry, spend some time with your family!" Shouted the sky-blue-haired girl bolting up from her seat, both arms stretched upward. No one was quite surprised by her jubilation at the thought of Moka leaving Yokai Academy, at least temporarily.
Never one to let such a prime opportunity go to waste, Mizore added her two-cents. "You're going on like this is an automatic win for you. All this means is that you'll be able to take second place to me instead of third place with Moka here."
"What did you say?!" Snapped the succubus with righteous fury blazing in her eyes and voice.
"Hey! What about me!" Cried Yukari, having quickly figured out where she fit in the lineup, including the lineup that included their pink-haired vampire friend. "Don't go discounting me!"
"Seriously, you're really shooting at the stars now." Kurumu snorted showing just how great she thought her chances were of losing to the succubus.
Tsukune felt an almost overwhelming urge to slam his head into the table. Why the hell didn't I see this coming? Why am I not surprised that it's happening now? Once more, the three were back to their squabbling, with Moka trying to break them up, and failing somewhat miserable at it. Partially because she was getting drawn into the argument itself, defiantly proclaiming that her absence wouldn't be a "free pass" to steal him away. The lone human fell back into his seat, arms hanging off his side and a vaguely amused look on his face as the squabbling continued; he couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the four girls fighting over him…while ignoring his presence. One person wasn't ignoring him though, and he was the latest entry into the room.
"So, I miss anything interesting?" Gin asked with a smirk. He too was taking amusement in the fact he too had gone completely unnoticed by the girls.
"No, nothing really. Oh, did you know we're the only ones who failed our mid-terms?" Tsukune coolly shot back. His response was a light tap to the shoulder. "At the very least I can say I had it better off than you, what with avoiding getting my ass beaten."
"Hey, don't get too high on that horse, pal. You had your brain jacked up six ways from Sunday, I'd put that on the same level as some of my antics, unless there was more to it than that."
His hand subconsciously went to his head, where he could still remember the feel of Ms. Ririko's tail clamping down on his cranium. More so, he could still recall the feel of the tentacles attaching themselves to the side of his head and the literally rush of information. Tsukune was half-tempted to go back for a "recharge" so he could get some of the info back, take his retakes, and ship off to summer break with the rest of his friends. Alas, that plan was as about as likely to happen as one of the four girls in front of him to lay down and admit surrender in the love war that had sprang up between them. A war that Tsukune was quietly reminded he could end, the same way it was within his power to do something about his failing grades, the issue lied with him.
Which was nothing new.
At least five minutes had passed with the girls having kept on going strong, having fallen back into a familiar pattern. Tsukune and Gin watched from the sidelines all the while. The latter looked to the former as he began to take grow tired of the squabbling; Tsukune concurred and made a rumble with his voice. Somewhat surprisingly, it didn't work.
"Hey!" He finally shouted catching their attention. "Look, guys, I know how much you may want to, but seriously, I'll be fine! All of you, go off, enjoy the first couple of weeks of summer! I'll be fine on my own, I'll have Gin with me!" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Tsukune quietly did a double-take and looked over at the werewolf. Gin seemed a tad caught-off guard himself to be listed in his reasoning, but he quickly recovered and gave a charming smile. Tsukune was half-encouraged and half-worried seeing it. And by that, I mean I'll probably be keeping him out of trouble…as much as a frail human like me can. God, with his sense of smell, what if he discovers my secret?! What will I do then?!
While the human male sat on the unfortunate outcomes he could face, the rest of the Newspaper Club took his declaration in their own respective way.
"I think I'll hang around here and watch over you, like I always do." Mizore answered.
"Oh, like hell I'm leaving Tsukune here with you, stalker!" Predictably countered Kurumu.
"And if you two are here, that means I'll have to remain as well to keep poor Tsukune from losing his head." Yukari added in. "And keep from missing Moka too much, luckily I'll be there for him." Of course, she just had to get her piece in as well. It, of course, caused the two other two girls to look to her with sharp eyes indicating that they in no way planned on letting her fantasies come true. What those fantasies were, well, Tsukune was quite sure there were just as many that focused on just him as there were that included him and Moka. As usual, he tried hard not to think about them.
"Whelp, looks like most of the gang's going to be here." Gin commented.
"Isn't there some rule or something? I mean, I've heard of some students sticking around even though they've aced their midterms but…" Replied the human male.
The werewolf gave him a sideways look of curiosity. It was quite easy to see that Tsukune was covertly trying to make the girls leave, but the reasons why varied. "Well, it's strongly advised if students don't have any business on campus, they're to leave." Offered the werewolf. Gin put himself in Tsukune's shoes and came to several conclusions for his instances; granted, he didn't dare say any of them aloud, especially in front of the girls. Likewise, he wouldn't press Tsukune to reveal those reasons, at least not out in the open like this.
Turning his attention back the on the four girls, Tsukune breathed out a sigh he seemed to be holding in for a while. Knowing him, it was likely the end result of attempting to steel himself as he made his case. "Guys, look, as much as I appreciate you wanting to stay…I want you all to get out there and enjoy the first portion of summer break. You can do more than being cooped up here at the academy with me. All I'm going to be doing is sitting around here studying for the make-ups, that's it." Exactly who are you trying to convince of that? Are you sure that's for the best? Or you sure that's even possible? A nagging voice in the back of his head chirped. Behind a composed face, Tsukune silenced that voice, just as he'd done hundreds of times in the past. "I'll finish things up and we can all meet up by the beach where we can officially start our summer vacation. Wouldn't it be great if I stepped off the bus and found everything ready and waiting?"
"Oh, you mean you want something to see? Something to make all of your hard work worth it?" Purred the sky-blue-haired girl seated directly across from him. The glint in her eyes and seductive lure in her smiles had Tsukune's cheeks heating up into a nervous blush. And then she was frozen where she sat.
"Something waiting for you, huh? I guess I can work on that. Practice creating the perfect shaved ice for you and just for you." Affirmed the snow woman, barely batting an eye at the struggles Kurumu made from within her icy prison.
"Well, if you're going to go down that road, then I certainly can't afford to lose!" Yukari chimed in, her eyes now burning with determination. While Kurumu was more often than not the one she directly competed against, the blue-eyed snow woman was yet another obstacle that she was determined to overcome. "It's settled then, Tsukune and Gin will take their retakes, pass them, and then we'll all meet up at the beach to enjoy the rest of summer break!"
No sooner had she finished the words did the ice imprisoning the succubus shatter.
"Was that a new record?" Tsukune innocently asked while Kurumu shook the residual ice off herself.
"Pretty sure it might have been. Mizore might start upping the ante so let's be a little careful from now on, huh?" Replied the vampire. Her eyes briefly swerved to her two rivals, who'd engaged and ended a short spat over the former's sudden freezing. It wasn't like this was the first time; at the very least they were pass the point of threatening death on one another and the threats now stopped at a certain point. "Like Yukari said, sounds like we have a plan."
Breaking off, Kurumu returned to her seat, trying not to let the sudden coldness of the chair get to her too much. "Damn right we do, and nothing's going to interrupt it, least of all another wacko teacher out for my Tsukune's blood!"
"Again, calling him 'your' Tsukune. Looks like you came out of this one with some brain damage."
"You know, if you suddenly, I don't know, get lost on your way to the meeting spot, I don't think it'd be too bad. Hell, it'd make me believe that there's some justice in the world after all."
"Justice would be me getting to put that overgrown scaly hag on solid, but I could settle for Moka knocking her block off." Mizore mused having finished her current lollipop and now moving onto the next. "Speaking of which, without her here, maybe you'll have some actual peace and quiet."
"For once, I agree with the snow woman." Kurumu spoke up. "Without Moka around, hopefully all the other students and teachers will leave you alone so you'll have some peace and quiet." In a flash, both of her hands were slammed on the table, her glare hard and focused in on Moka. She didn't shriek under the defensive glare that Tsukune shot her. "Look, someone's gotta say it, and it might as well be me. Half of the crap Tsukune ends up caught up in is because of Moka, so without her around, he might be able to catch up on some peace and quiet. It sucks it won't be spent with me-"
"Us, and we all know-"
"That he could use the wind down." Kurumu finished, not paying any mind to Mizore.
"Kurumu's right." Moka immediately spoke up, her emerald eyes darting to a stunned Tsukune. Said eyes then moved to Gin. "You two will watch out for each other, right?"
"Oh, come on? Do you really gotta ask that?" Laughed the werewolf throwing his arm around the human's neck and bringing him into a manly hug. "Sure, things may not have started out on the right foot, but it's all good now! Tsukune's a member of the newspaper club, not to mention my kohai just like the rest of you! Of course, I'll look after him!"
"And I'll look after you, making sure no one tries to cut off your hands, tail, ears, or you-know-what in return." His response earned a chorus of giggles and approving laughter from the four girls. Meanwhile, the werewolf looked down to him with a half-hearted glare; all Tsukune did was smile in return until Gin finally let out a sigh of defeat. "And when it's all over with, we'll all meet back up together for one big beach-side party! Newspaper Club, we have our plan for the summer!"
Now all we have to do is wait to see if this plan goes off without a hitch. Inwardly thought the lone human member of the group.
"So, um, I suppose I should explain myself, shouldn't I?" Started the pink-haired vampire with a nervous tapping of her feet.
"Moka, you don't have to if you don't want to. Whatever's going on, it's your family business and you have a right to privacy." Politely retorted the dark-haired human teenager. Truth be told, a part of him was curious, especially since he knew so little of Moka's family. Then again, he knew little of the families of most of his monster friends and they knew little his…which would have been a massive exposure for his identity as a human being.
From a glance, one could tell that Moka wanted to reveal the truth as well, but something was stopping her. Whatever it was, it was no doubt something that she'd been told not to spout into the open. Well, they weren't exactly in the open. They were on the rooftop of the school, which was thankfully free for the moment. It was just one of their many "secret" meeting places for when they needed to discuss things in private, specifically issues regarding the boy's secret humanity. It wasn't always as private as either of them would have liked, but it could work from time to time. They were hoping this was one of them.
Moka's hands clenched at the railings as she bowed her head in quiet frustration. "There's been…some incidents, some murders…of vampires." She whispered like speaking the words were some grave taboo.
They hit Tsukune with the subtly of a hammer. "Murders…of…vampires?" Immediately, he thought to the previous displays of power wrought by his friend's alter-ego. Just as quickly as the awe came, so too did the remembrance of those times where Inner Moka had come dangerously close to losing. In particular, the clash with the swim club came to mind, the vampiric weakness of water made even the strongest of vampires easy-pickings, next was just the simple possibility of them being outclassed in an area such as Gin in his werewolf form underneath a full moon. There was also garlic, silver, and… "Is your family at war or something?"
"I honestly hope not." Whispered the pink-haired girl clenching the rosario tied around her neck. "Last night was when I got a letter talking about them, and it was rather light on the details. There's a good chance that my father didn't feel safe giving them to me over a letter that could be intercepted."
"A bit paranoid, don't you think?" Quipped the human male. His response got a laugh out of the vampire, who lightly bopped him on the nose. "Suppose being a vampire leaves you with a lot of enemies, doesn't it?"
"Unfortunately." She admitted with downcast eyes; quickly, they were filled with positivity, though Tsukune could still see some darkness in them, unease almost. "On the bright side, I think I'm hoping I'll be able to see some of my sisters again!"
"Sounds like you'll definitely be having fun while I'm cooped up inside." Laughed the human body before turning his gaze back to the seemingly quiet forest that stretched out before the academy building. It was an amazing duality to it, how calming the forest could look from up high on the roof of the school being, yet being inside of it always brought with it a sense of danger. In Tsukune's case, the danger was merely greater as he'd tangled with death and dismemberment more than enough times here on this supposedly peaceful rooftop. There were very few places at Yokai Academy where he felt true safety.
Perhaps reading his mind, Moka reached over and placed a hand on his. "Tsukune, are you sure you'll be alright? I mean, Gin-senpai can be dependable…when he's around."
"I'll just focus on studying and that'll be it." Coolly replied the human. "Just keep my head down, focus on that and everything should be smooth sailing." I hope. Added the sixteen-year-old with a slight edge in his voice. It was a simple plan, but as he'd learned at Yokai Academy, things rarely went the simple way, and when they did, there were often for minor things.
While he quietly mused over his odds, Moka fled into the recesses of her own thoughts. She tried hard not to think about the cold validity of Kurumu's words, they had been right, most of the mayhem Tsukune experienced was in part due to his association with her. In the depths of her soul, she truly hated that fact her presence seemed to invite danger and intrigue, and usually not the good kind. It was yet another unfortunate aspect of her vampiric nature, the nature of monster kind's so-called strongest creature.
To be around us means to face mortal danger on a near daily basis, and he most assuredly isn't up to that. At least not most of the time. Her inner self had been largely silent, but now that they had some measure of privacy, it seemed she wanted to add her two cents in. Like the succubus, her words were a cold truth. Look, it's just a couple of days so hopefully it won't be too bad, and hopefully this family business will be a big fuss over nothing. Added the true self of the teenage vampire.
She dearly hoped that was the case as she clenched at her rosario.
Besides, you're so focused on him, you haven't thought about you, or rather, us. We'll hopefully be free for a couple of days of perverted idiots breathing down our necks. Honestly, that's the best part of leaving this school, then again, we'll just have to deal with all the idiots in the human world. I suppose it's a case of trading one for the other.
Behind a calm façade, Moka groaned in begrudging acceptance of her inner self's words. Looking to her right, she believed that such potential hazards would be bearable if she had Tsukune at her side. After all, surely one human could potentially balance out the rotten lot that was the rest, right?
The headmaster's office was a rather familiar palace to Ririko. For most of the faculty, that wasn't particularly something to be proud of. Doubly so given who and what the headmaster of the Academy was. Ririko on the other hand, belonged in a different grouping.
A chuckle of amusement came from the hooded man. "Seems like your mind is elsewhere, forgive me, Ririko, for taking up your time, but we really do need to talk about this." Her head fell in solemn acceptance of his words. Again, the headmaster laughed in amusement. "But before all of that…I have to ask, what did you think of him?"
"W-What do you mean?" Questioned the brunette noting the curious glint in her superior's eye. Like most of the staff, she'd become weary of that glint as it usually meant he was thinking something. And that something could be good or bad, or both.
"What did you think of Tsukune Aono? Had quite a bit of willpower, didn't he? It's been a while since a student was able to resist your powers."
"Almost a year, though he was better off receiving them since he ended up failing, no doubt thanks to that meddlesome vampire." Retorted the bespectacled teacher crossing her legs and an arrogant pout on her face. It caused the headmaster to chuckle, which only made Ririko pout all the harder until finally, a defeated sigh passed her red-colored lips. "Alright, fine, maybe I did get a tad bit excessive in trying to tutor him. Still, Tsukune desperately needed the help His grades are amongst the worst that I've seen, granted I don't believe it's his fault."
"Oh, you don't?" Inquired the hooded man.
"He tries, but circumstances always seem to conspire to put him in the worst possible position. Honestly, the school's had students like him before, but he seems to be just one massive magnet for trouble." Her legs crossed again as she put her fingers to her chin. The headmaster disappeared from her worldview as she retreated into her own mind to study all the clues she had. When it's not Moka Akashiya, it's him directly, though I can certainly see why. He gives off quite an enticing scent, it must drive some monsters mad…and others into a-
"Ririko, while you're more than free to do some thinking on your own time, I did call you down for a reason." Interrupted the headmaster pulling her out of her thoughts. The same casual smile remained on his face, and for the lamia, that was the unsettling part. That smile was…well, dangerous was the word, even though she believed she hadn't violated too many boundaries, at least none that warranted anything that could be called cruel and unusual punishment. "We do need to discuss your punishment and ensure that this doesn't happen again."
"And I take it part of that punishment will be me being ordered to stay away from Tsukune Aono?" There was a ring of disappointment in her voice as she spoke the words. She wasn't exactly hiding the fact that she might have liked being around him, though Ririko would argue it was more for his scent and the thought of teaching a student failing as badly as him.
With glee clear as ice, the headmaster answered, "Nope, but if you attempt to come onto him again, I will inflict a more severe punishment down upon you."
The busty math teacher crossed her legs and nodded in acceptance of his decree. Then his words actually sunk in. "What?!" In seconds, she was leaning against the desk, palms down and staring at the headmaster like he'd just revealed his true monstrous form. "Y-You're, you're going to let me-"
"Well, like you said, he is failing, something has to be done about that." Explained the hooded exorcist in a casual tone. This too was another trait of his; some found it endearing, others found it infuriating since he seemed to enjoy jerking people, especially his underlings such as her, around. "You are the best math teacher at Yokai Academy, even without your powers, which I am asking you to keep in restraint, Ririko. If not…well, hehehe, like I said, any more mishaps with Tsukune Aono and I'm afraid I will have to inflict more severe punishments on you. You don't want that, do you?"
At long last, it came. Ririko Kagome was one of the very, very, few to know what truly lay beneath the hood of the man in front of her. It was a creature whom she had no chance of fighting, it was a creature that could soundly fight and kill every other monster at the academy, including Moka Akashiya, and not at all be drained by the effort. For the headmaster, it'd be like swatting aside a mass of flies; the only question would be how much amusement he got out of it. In its twenty-plus years of being opening, there had been a handful of students and teachers who thought to challenge the headmaster. The results had ended…poorly for all of them, though some had it worse than others. As the headmaster rarely liked revealing his true form, he merely blasted his energy at the target of his irritation, a relatively simple tactic, but one that almost always worked. He was easily the strongest monster in all of the academy, and crushing any foe would be akin to stepping on an ant.
Or in Ririko's case if she lost control of herself, a snake wiggling along the ground.
As always, he derived enjoyment from watching her squirm in her seat. This too was a regular occurrence, one that would likely continue until a person came along with the willpower to challenge the headmaster. Ririko wasn't holding her breath on that happening any time soon.
Several minutes of tension-filled silenced in which the lamia said nothing, even the act of speaking felt like it could lead to worse consequences. Across from her, the headmaster continued to chuckle at the way he'd thoroughly petrified his busty employee. This was one perk he'd never grow tired of, much to the chagrin of the staff of Yokai Academy; thankfully, even his sadism had limits to it, not to mention he did try to keep his eye on the ball.
"Now that we've settled that, you're free to go! Do please get ready for tutoring and makeups, this year's been quite a ride so far." He finally said, his glowing eyes shimmering with delight.
"Not quite as bad as previous years, albeit Tsukune Aono has caused a great deal more mayhem than I thought he would. Quite odd considering he didn't look like much on the surface."
"Hehe, looks can always be deceiving. After all, just look at the two of us, to the masses, we'd just be two ordinary people." There was a short beat followed by a dark chuckle. "Or almost ordinary."
Ririko at least smirked at the blatant calling out of the…unusual features that the two of them possessed. In her case, Ririko was quite proud of her "features" like any woman would be. For the headmaster, well…like he said, "ordinary" was stretching it for him, albeit he preferred to keep to the shadows so it wasn't really much of a problem in his case.
Sighing in relief that she'd escaped the worst of possible punishments, she began, "So, am I free to go?"
"Yes, you are. Just remember what I said…and be mindful of the students we'll be having here on campus grounds. They're…quite a rowdy bunch, even dear little benign Tsukune." Commented the hooded monster lacing his fingers together.
The glint in his eyes were back, a reinforcement of the warning he'd given her. Ririko said nothing, but took it to heart. They echoed in her head as she left the headmaster's office and started down the hallways on her own.
Control myself around him? To ask such a thing of me? Thought the brunette as the sulking set in. Granted he…gah, I hate it when the headmaster's right! I was just trying to do my job as a teacher! I could do it far better than that annoying little Moka Akashiya! Near immediately, her blood boiled at the thought of the vampire girl, specifically her silver-haired inner self. There was still a slight aching pain from the one-hit defeat she'd suffered at the teenager's hands. Her pride had been dealt a bigger blow than her body, a blow that was still healing. It was the first time that a student had ever struck her in such a way, and worse, it was over another student who was clearly in need of her guidance! The more she thought about it, the more she burned with anger until she took a breath to calm herself. Following that, thoughts of said student filled her mind.
"They're quite a rowdy bunch, even dear little benign Tsukune." The phrase of the statement was troubling to her. Ririko may have focused exclusively on math, but she knew a thing or two about people. The headmaster had referred to the young man almost affectionately, as if he were an infant he was keen on nurturing. She couldn't quite say she failed to see where he was going from, Tsukune was a rather interesting boy who seemed to attract all sorts of oddities. What struck her was how when those oddities turned into dangerous scuffles and fights for survival, he never dawned his monster form. Coupled together with his scent which was quite human-like…
Behind her crystal-clear glasses, the math teacher's eyes widen, then returned to their original size. Keeping her emotions in reserve, she continued on her way back to her classroom.
Almost a week ago, she'd had it decorated for her "special tutoring session" for no one other than Tsukune Aono. What was supposed to be a night of ripe education and studying had devolved into a fight with a snow woman and a vampire. Her teeth gnashed as she remembered the searing heat of the ghostly flames created by her own candles being used against her and the harsh coldness wrought by the air-headed snow woman. Being a reptilian creature, the latter had been a greater danger to her than the flames. All of it ruined what she was hoping would be a nice quiet night spent with Tsukune, who was also the reason why the girls had come int the first place.
"Your scent…" It was vital for her to keep her voice quiet, even as the door was closed and it was seemingly just her. Yokai Academy was a place where there could always be an eye or ear open. Once more, her hands went to her chin as she let the pieces come together. "You smell like a human, your physical abilities are remarkably subpar, even for a monster, yet natural for a human. You never turn into your true form…perhaps because you have no 'true form' like us monsters to speak of. Coupled with the headmaster's interest in you…" Before he knew it, her butt was pressed against the comfort of her chair, legs crossed and squeaking as she crossed and uncrossed them. "Tsukune Aono…could you be…"
The thought hung in her head, just as silence hung in the room around her. One could wonder how long that silence would last once she began her tutoring classes two days from now. She hadn't quite had time to look over the entire roaster, but she had an idea. It was her hope that those stranglers didn't get too rowdy, especially thinking that just because Moka Akashiya got the drop on her, they could as well. If they did then…well, the headmaster had affirmed that Tsukune Aono was off limits.
Everyone else who crossed her were fair game.
One Week later, 10:58 AM…
Peace and quiet, two things that were ideal for studying, and even relaxing. At Yokai Academy, they were something of a rarity, but they could be found. Sometimes when they were, it was a time to sit back and reflect, that's what Tsukune chose to do.
Everyone's gone…it's just me and Gin. True to form, the morning he'd woken up, everyone was packed and ready to leave. Given the assumption was that they'd all be leaving together, it wasn't exactly a big surprise, not to mention if there was a time for it, it was now. All the buses were ferrying students who'd passed their finals off campus. The sendoff had been met with some fanfare as several gave their last words, almost like it was the last time they were going to be seeing each other On one hand, Tsukune found it slightly laughable, on the other, considering what some students got up into and what they were implied to do off-campus…yeah, it was quite a spectacle.
"Now, Tsukune, be careful, and focus on your studies!"
"Don't worry, Tsukune, we won't be separated for long! In the meantime, you better not have your eyes on another woman's chest!"
"I promise, I'll have the best shaved ice imaginable waiting for you."
"And I'll be sure to keep these three in line. As for you make sure to study hard! You don't want to repeat the grade, that'll mean you won't be able to graduate with the rest of us!"
Admittedly, there'd been some hysterics on his end as well, all curtsy of his four admirers. Inwardly, Tsukune was merely grateful that there hadn't been yet another brawl over his attention. At the very least breakfast had been relatively peaceful, and fulfilling.
"A full day of studying, kind of hard to remember the last time that I did something like that." He mused on his way to the school library where he dutifully believed he'd have some peace and quiet. On a usual basis, he could find it there, as could several other students who sought some refuge from the daily insanity that was the school for monsters. He believed he would be one of the many others who hoped that this time would be no different.
"Uh…"
Stopping dead in his tracks, the brown-eyed teenager spun on his heel to his right. Standing six feet from him was another a student, a female, and a foreigner.
He could tell in a heartbeat because no Japanese-native could have hair as radiantly golden as hers or eyes that sparkling blue. They were also filled with nervousness as she fidgeted, bouncing on her feet and darting her gaze from him.
"Yes? Can I help you?" Offered the human boy, a slight air of caution in his voice and posture.
"I…um…um…" She started looking him in the eye then moving off to the side. Looking at her, Tsukune had the oddest sense of déjà vu. "Y-You…k-know…um…" Quickly, she reached into her bag and pulled out, of all things, a sketch pad alongside a pen. A minute passed during which she scribbled something down on her pad. Once she was finished she showed it to him.
Tsukune blinked in surprise at the picture, a book overlaid with a building and series of directional arrows and a question mark. He was smiling a second later, "If you want, I can show you to the library?" A foreign exchange student who can't speak Japanese, who'd have thought? Mused the young man while the girl's expression became one of gratitude. She may not have spoke Japanese, but she was apparently able to understand it.
He noticed how the blonde girl kept her distance from him while following him. Thankfully, Mizore had given him the ability to take such a thing in strides and keep on walking. Also, with the dim hope that she wouldn't pull something behind his back, literally.
By the time he reached the door he realized throughout the entire two-minute walk, he'd been on guard. Any second, his body was ready to break into a run. Looking back, he was a tad surprised to find that so too was the blonde.
"Here we are." He started standing to the side and showing her in. She briefly smiled at him, then hurried inside. After she was out of his personal bubble, Tsukune let out a sigh of relief. God, I don't want to spend the next couple of days like this. Thought the teenager with silent dread. Thankfully, it didn't last long as he stepped into the massive gothic library. In spite of the somewhat dreary design, he felt at peace.
At least until she came back and pointed at the check-in station with another embarrassed expression.
Again, Tsukune felt his heart leap into his throat, but calmly smiled at her and decided to offer his aid to her again.
"Ah, another female friend, I see." Chuckled the librarian stationed at the front desk. Unlike the ravenous students he and Moka had saved Yukari from, Hitomu Hamasaki was a rather amicable lizard-man, one that preferred keeping the order in his library rather than disrupting it. He was also one faculty member who kept an ear to the ground and was more than willing to add his two cents to the social drama happening around the academy.
"I-It's nothing like that, H-Hamasaki-sensei. J-Just trying to help out a new student, that's all." Nervously waved off the young man, his cheeks gaining a slight heat within them.
"Uh-huh, that's how these things always start." Replied the lizard-man. In a heart beat, his gaze swerved from Tsukune to the blonde behind him. She snapped to attention under his gaze. Sandwiched between them, Tsukune wonder he was about to be witness to, he hoped nothing violent. "Tsukune," he started. "You remember where the foreign language section is, don't you?"
"Y-Yes sir, a-a-and thank you for the help." Replied the human giving the lizard man a slight bow then motioning to the blonde, who once more followed him. As they left, he could hear the snickering of the monster librarian.
They sat down at a table whose only other occupants were on the opposite end giving them some suitable privacy. Upon setting their things down, Tsukune noticed that the blonde had an extra bag with her, one imprinted with a familiar logo.
"A gamer, I take it?" Inquired the brown-haired teen causing the foreigner to freeze as she was about to sit down.
After several seconds of licking her liquids and darting her eyes to the side, she finally said, "Yes."
"So, you do speak Japanese." Answered the young man.
She smiled at him and held up her fingers, a smidgen of space between them. Tsukune got the hint and laughed. "Tsukune Aono."
Standing a few feet apart from him, she gave him a traditional bow that told him she'd studied up on the culture of the land she now found herself in. Smiling at him, she spoke in a clear and accented voice, "Audrey Alcott nice to meet ya'!"
Yep, British just like I thought. Briefly, he wondered if there was a Yokai Academy in Britain, or rather, what the "English Branch" as he'd heard it called was like. He remembered being told that there were multiple academies all over the world, at least one in every major country. Knowing that, he theorized that student exchange programs weren't completely off the table.
The lizard man librarian's words rung in Tsukune's head causing him to guide Audrey through the twisting halls of the bookshelves. Tsukune himself had gotten lost on his first visits to the library, not helping things were the fact that in addition to ordinary books you'd find in a school library, it also contained a few spell books. Sometimes, even closed a spell book could still leak out magic, potentially damaging magic. He didn't mind taking his time out to make sure a new classmate didn't go through the same thing he did; after all, it wasn't like he was on a timer. It was only the end of the morning and he had a full day ahead of him.
"I…think…I can…g-go…f-f-from here." Audrey spoke as they found the foreign languages section, which also includes an entire section dedicated to the Japanese language. It was just the thing that a foreign exchange student was in need of.
"Let me help you out a bit more, what subjects are studying?"
Her brow knitted as, then she reached back into her bag for a sketchpad. What she came up with were a plus and minus sign along with a few test tube beakers.
Tsukune laughed, "I can sympathize with the first one. Come on, follow me." It was funny how in spite of his failing grades, he had such an accurate idea of where the tools lay to fix them. He almost questioned why he was failing in the first place, then the answer darted across his mind in the form of a film real. A tap on his shoulder caused him to turn around. "Yeah, math it…well, let's say it makes my head hurt too."
It got a laugh out of the transfer student, which put Tsukune more at ease.
Audrey was quiet but attentive as he guided her through the library, pointing out where she need to look for subject material. He had to admit, it felt good being able to interact with another student, a female student, and not have to worry about his life being in intimate danger…or them trying to hit on him.
"Alright, I think that's everything. I'll be over by the table if you need anything, heh, not that I'll be much help since I'm failing too." Commented the male brunette nervously scratching the side of his head. "Anyways, well, welcome to Yokai Academy, Audrey."
Again, she bowed, thought she looked to his hand with flickering eyes. Getting the hint, Tsukune struck out his right hand, causing her eyes to light up. He was glad he was able to give her a sense of familiarity.
Believing he'd done all he could for her, he decided to return to the table that he'd picked out. Odds were Audrey would join him once she finished finding what she needed. When she did, Tsukune hoped it'd be a quiet afternoon.
His hopes were reinforced upon returning o the table and finding nothing wrong. Sighing in relieved bliss, he took his seat and began to go through his bag. A minute later and his good mood began to evaporate.
"Huh?" He searched again, practically dumping the contains of his school bag onto the table. Quickly, he began to sort through the documents and papers, searching for one specific set. "No, no, no, no." His heart began to race to its usual "panic" levels. "I-I must have just forgot them in my room. That's it, t-t-that's gotta be…" The words died as he noticed a red slip of paper amongst the clutter of his things, a red slip that most definitely wasn't there before. Sweat collected on his brow as he reached for the slip, it began to fall as he unfolded it and began to read.
You want them back, you come meet me back where this all started. No one's going to be around to save your ass!
The skull and crossbones at the bottom certainly weren't going to be winning any artistic awards. Creativity had never been a particular strong suit of the drawer, nor had brains, except for this time.
Go get Gin. He's got be somewhere close by! Even he'll understand! Cried one half of his inner self. That would have been the common sense thing to do in his situation.
But he didn't listen to his common sense, even as it screamed at him while his feet began to walk toward one of the library's side doors. The same voice that was urging him onward also told him not to let anyone see or notice him leaving, even though he left behind quite a mess in his wake.
11:26 AM…
Before he came to Yokai Academy, Tsukune never had much experience with graveyards. Like any normal person, he found them rather uncomfortable to be around. That side of himself had been lost, much like so many other things, while at Yokai Academy. He'd been forced to get used to them…and acknowledge that unless he was smart, one of the many tombstones that littered the school forests would end up being his.
So why was it he'd come all the way out here and not tell anyone? Or bring any sort of weaponry with him?
Well, that last part wasn't exactly true, he had brought some weapons with him, though calling them "weapons" was a tad bit of a stretch.
"Ah, so you did have the balls to show up without your girlfriends, speaking of which, how's it feel to be all by yourself? Has your hand been doing the job as well as Moka's mouth or Kurumu's tits?"
He'd steeled himself for the taunts, thus he was able to maintain a harden demeanor. "Saizō, if all you called me here for is insults, I'm going to be really disappointed."
His attempted retort bore fruit, albeit small ones. The orc's face contorted in anger for a brief second, but it was quickly overtaken by smug grin. "Trying to act tough, not bad, but it's wasted effort, Aono." Now revealing his jagged teeth, the full-blooded monster held up a red-colored folder that Tsukune recognized all too well. "Kind of like how all these notes are wasted on a loser like you, same thing with Moka's attention."
There was an urge to shoot back, but Tsukune held his tongue knowing doing so would only result in him walking away with greater injuries than before. Or not walking away at all. "Look, how do you feel about putting this off until retakes are over with, huh?" It was a slim shot, but the offer was only half-hearted. Saizō was big and more than a little on the dim-witted side, a distraction was vital if he hoped to have any chance to walking away from this.
The orc laughed at the offer. "You're going on like you've got a shot at passing! Hah! Like hell, you could retake the finals fifty times and it won't make a damn difference! You're weak and stupid! Which makes it an even bigger wonder why a loser like you would get Moka's attention!" His absurdly long tongue emerged in accordance with his fangs. Tsukune trembled with anger and disgust as said tongue dangled just inches from the folder, and by extension the notes inside of it. Saizō cracked up the folder and pulled out the papers within, the notes within. He ran them just below his mouth as if he were trying to catch whatever remained of the scent of the woman who'd written them up. What he got was less than pleasing as evident by the snarl that covered his face. "Without her here, you're really a first-class loser, scratch that, you've always been one of those. It's just now we're all free to say it without those bitches breathing down our necks!"
It was hard to tell who to focus on, his bully or the notes he held in his hands. His heart and brain were warring with one another as they were offering two radically different courses of action. One screamed for him to boldly charge in and take back the notes crafted for him by his vampire lover, the other told him to cut a deal while he could. Saizō was a through and through bully and delinquent, but Tsukune wanted to believe even he had some inclination to pass the grade. At the very least then it would have meant that he'd be able to torment Tsukune in the same grade instead of being saddled with the label of underclassman when confronting him.
Tsukune felt his right arm twitching. Not helping things was the murderous sneer on the orc's face. An attack was coming, and it comes coming in the next few seconds. Sure, he would hopefully dodge it, but what next? The only hope he had was getting a hit on Saizō before he took his monster form, after that, he'd have to summon all of his strength and sprint back to sanctuary and prey Saizō didn't catch up to him. Could he do all of that?
If he planned on living to see his friends and family again, he'd have to. It was all he could do since as the monster boy had so harshly pointed out…his friends weren't around to save him.
He was on his own. The thought filled him with a strange mixture of horror…and clear-eyed calmness.
While he'd been spacing out, Saizō's anger had been growing. It now seemed ready to burst. Then it all vanished as his sneer became a laid-back smile. "Hey, it's fine. Tsukune, you're getting yourself all worked up over nothing. You don't need to worry about these notes." The flash murderous rage came with a demonic smile. "Because you won't be alive for the retakes!"
Heart racing, Tsukune reached into his back pocket and went for his first weapon, fear fueling adrenaline pumping through his body. All too quickly he was overshadowed by Saizō, his monstrous form manifesting mid-lunge.
CRACK!
"AAAAAAGGGH!"
Blinking once, twice, thrice, and then losing count, Tsukune stood frozen stiff while Saizō's body went crashing to the ground, rolling in the dirt. His transformation had been erupted, but his uniform had begun to tear from the bulging muscles. Both of his hands went to his cheek, which was now sported a massive red sore.
"My, my, it seems I came at just the right time, preventing a violation of school rules." Mocked the sultry voice that caught both boys' attention.
A mixture of dread and relief fluttered through the human teenager as his eyes fell on the busty math teacher who'd brainwashed him and sexually harassed him little more than a week ago. He never thought he'd be so relieved to see her. "M-M-Ms. Ririko!" He sputtered out, his legs going a bit wobbly.
She looked to him with the briefest of smiles, then she was back to looking at Saizō, her whip in her hands. The leather weather was still fresh with the orc's blood. "Now then, Saizō, I believe you have somewhere to be…especially since you're doing amongst the worst of practically the entire freshmen class."
"You stupid bitch, don't get in my way!" Barked the thuggish boy, now back on his feet and glaring at the teacher.
Ririko wasn't impressed in the slightest. "Shut your mouth before I decide to fail you right here and now. It wouldn't be that hard as you've made it oh so very easy." Cross her arms, she stared down the teenage orc with her caramel-colored eyes, eyes that would not bend like those of weaker wills. "Glare at me all you'd like, but every second spend dragging this out is another second you could spend studying. Something both of you desperately need." As she finished, those same hard eyes swerved to Tsukune causing him to jump.
Well, she's not exactly wrong. Granted I was going to spend today studying, but then all of this happened. Again. Thought the human teen with a miserable chuckle. It was amazing how just a short time ago, he was in the library helping out a new student and getting ready to study for his retakes. Was Audrey back at the table? Was she wonder where he'd gone, and in such a hurry no less?
Saizō looked between his fellow student and the teacher. He, like hundreds of other males, and females, at the school always found the math teacher attractive. That held still even as she glared at him like he was an insect who'd crawled over her desk. It was infuriating; he hated it. Finally, his glare fell on Tsukune.
In spite of the relief still flowing through him, Tsukune hardened and returned the glare with equal intensity. Both boys knew that this wasn't over by a long shot. The animosity between them had been born on day one and would likely continue on until graduation.
Or until one of them finally axed the other. Tsukune knew the odds of him being the one axed were significantly higher than Saizō's.
Spitting some blood out, he turned his back to the two and began to walk away. It wasn't until he was out of sight did Tsukune finally collapse.
"Dammit, that one was close." Muttered the human teen about to fall flat on his stomach.
While he counted his blessings, Ririko sent her whip over to grab the object that had fallen from his grasp. She'd seen him holding something behind his back, a secret weapon she guessed. Her guess was proven right as she inspected a silver knife, the kind handed out at the school cafeteria. Bringing the weapon up close, she took a single whiff of it, then recoiled a bit.
"Hm, not exactly the best weapon to fend off an orc, but I suppose it's the best you could do." Began the brunette. The knife blade had been dipped in holy water, where, she could only guess as such objects were incredibly common if one searched hard enough for them. And if one had a damn good reason to such as the downed teenage boy. "You would have needed a lucky hit, which would have left Saizō stunned for…oh, maybe fifteen seconds or so. The odds of you making it to safety would be about thirty-percent, albeit I imagine the fear in you would make you run pretty fast. Humans can always move fast when fear's driving them."
A vacuum came after her words. Ririko counted off the seconds in which it dragged on, they quickly turned to minutes. During that time, she took in a nice inhalation of his scent. It was without a doubt, that of a human's…and it was mixed with cold hard fear.
Finally laying her eyes back on him, she was a tad surprised to see that Tsukune's posture was that of a deer about to break off into a run. He wasn't scared, he was terrified, but he was not so broken by her deduction that he was going to turn into a sobbing wreck begging for mercy. Though wide-eyed, he was watching her careful, waiting for the slightest sign of motion on her part.
Ririko was impressed.
"…Would you…be willing…to let me explain myself?" He began in a tight, controlled voice.
She regarded him with a neutral frown quite different from how she looked at in regards to Saizō. That should have put his heart to ease, but it didn't, at least not as much as it could have. He knew that he was now in a far worse situation than he had been before, or at least that's what he believed.
A warm wind blew across the forest, the rustling leaves and branches filling the vacuum between the human and monster who stared one another down. It was a stand-off.
Slowly, the busty teacher began to walk over to the human, who lay on his knees. His arm was twitching again. Ririko knew that he had more knives stored away, and the closer she got the easier a target she'd be for him. That said, getting away from her would be much more difficult than it would be with Saizō, a fact that the human teen knew all too well. Still, his eyes temporarily drifted down to her swaying chest, though they quickly snapped back up to her face.
Smiling, the brunette held out the knife. "Here, you'll probably need as many of these as you can get, albeit you can do better."
He wasn't sure what was more surprising to hear, her seeming acceptance or the fact that she said he could do better in terms of armaments. "H-Huh?"
Apparently taking it for the latter, she explained. "Look, you never heard this from me…but the academy has its seedier sides, some of which I'm sure you're perfectly aware of. Those same seedier sides could…give you what you're looking for. Of course, all that is for next year, provided that you pass your retakes. If you keep lying around here, that won't be happening."
Tsukune continued to stare at her dumbfounded, mostly anyway. Looking down to the knife offered to him, he nervously reached for it. "Y-Y-Y-You…y-you…you…"
Spacing her feet apart, she leaned in close, close enough that she could catch a nice big whiff of his very much human scent. It was…arousing to say the least, yet she didn't feel a hunger for his flesh. Even more, his eyes were what enticed her-wide and alert like he was ready to break off at any second. He probably was.
"You are a student of Yokai Academy." She began, her right index finger coming out. Finally, the fear left his face, confusion and a blush taking their place. "One who is in danger of failing. So, be. A. Good. Boy. And. Get. To. Studying. Okay?"
There were a hundred things running through his mind, all of which he could have tried to cram into a sentence. What came out was just this, "Okay."
Her breasts bounced as she stood up. "Good." And like that, she was walking off, whip in hand and not another word said on the matter.
Tsukune watched her leave, particularly her shapely legs and ass until she disappeared into the forest. Afterward, he looked back ahead of him, at the rough patch of ground where Saizō had lunged at him. Listening closely to the forest around him, he realized that he was alone, the orc had stalked off somewhere, hopefully some place far off.
His back hit the ground and his arms lay spread eagle. Exhausted eyes stared up at the puffy white clouds passing so lazily through the sky. They would have been doing the same had he actually died…or been dragged away to face punishment. Either way, the world would have continued to turn. Such a boundless existence…Tsukune was envious of them.
As the tension eased out of him, there was only one word he could say in the safe confines of the forest around him. "Fuck."
Whelp, that did it. Thirty pages of this new story that's been sitting in my brain for the last few years. Feels nice to have finally gotten it off my chest and gotten this story rolling on one chapter at least. So, as you can see this story has already diverged from canon, and that point is Tsukune flunking most of his finals…which in my opinion is a completely normal thing given his time at Yokai Academy is spent either fighting for his life or getting caught up in some ludicrous situation fighting off his classmates or teachers. Between all of them, it's hard to focus on schoolwork, or at least hard for him. The stress of both is going to be a running theme for I'd say the first quarter of this story as Tsukune starts letting certain feelings and emotions out, things that have built up over time. Those things will come spilling out, and I'm sure you can guess as to who they'll be spilling out in front of; there will be some reasons for that.
I'm going to be taking a crack at Tsukune finding other ways to survive at the school since I've always been interested in stories where he doesn't have Moka around to protect him, or stories that have him actually explore the other sides of the Academy and the other students and teachers within it. What sort of relationships would he form? How quickly would they potentially discover his human nature? What would they do with it? Why was Ririko so…lax in deducing his humanity? Some of those questions will be answered next chapter, so read on if you're interested in those answers…and the fallout from this latest episode. It's just the start of a very long and winding adventure I have planned.