Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction ❯ He Who Fights Monsters ❯ Circling The Drain ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: hawker_748 
Anime/Manga: Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.20.2013 | Updated On: 08.23.2013 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 518 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.20.2013 | Updated On: 08.23.2013 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 518 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Rosario + Vampire:
He Who Fights Monsters…
Chapter Three: Circling the Drain
Written by: Hawker_748
Tsukune's eyes cracked open, blinking away the blurriness before the focused on his alarm clock. 7:34. He'd forgotten to set his alarm the night before, but he hadn't slept very much anyway, his subconscious torturing him over committing murder the day before. Reluctantly pushing himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes to clear away the sand, Tsukune shambled towards the shower. He didn't have the time to review his monster encyclopedia, but he wasn't in the mood to either. When sleep had come it had been filled by sounds and images of Kenichi burning to death.
'Why haven't I been taken away?' he asked himself. Tsukune had killed someone, in front of many witnesses, in a rather non-subtle manner. He'd expected the Student Protection Committee to break down his door and lead him away in chains, if not execute him on the spot. Yet it was well over twelve hours, and so far there hadn't been any consequences for what he'd done; fights at Youkai Academy were commonplace, but he hadn't heard of any deaths so far.
Part of Tsukune was ready to just wait for the local authorities to come and collect him, waves of regret and remorse continued to wash over him, but he knew he had to go on as if nothing had happened. He was starting to consider the possibility that there wouldn't be any official action over what he'd done, and while that sickened him, it also meant he had to keep going to school and keeping up his outer appearance. The hot shower helped wake him up, but it didn't make him feel any better, and he could still hear Kenichi's screams every time he closed his eyes. Drying off in front of a mirror, Tsukune saw he had dark circles under his eyes and they were bloodshot as well. He also looked a little gaunt, there were scratches on his face and chest, and a bruise on his stomach.
Swallowing three painkillers, Tsukune then got dressed, putting on a clean shirt and tie, and wondering if he'd have any undamaged clothes left by the time the semester was over. Making sure he looked presentable, he took a deep breath before putting on his 'mask.' Youkai Academy's only human moved the desk away from the door, made sure he had a new hairspray aerosol in his bag, unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway, making his way to the cafeteria. He had no appetite to speak of, but he knew he needed to eat, even if he'd have a hard time keeping it down.
When Tsukune walked into the cafeteria all the talking didn't stop, and everyone didn't turn to look at him, which almost made the young man sigh with relief. But it did seem as if the volume of chatter got lower, with several students leaning in close to talk with the people next to them, and Tsukune noticed a few people giving him looks before turning away. He could swear he heard his name whispered a few times, but he acted as if he hadn't, not wanting to react to anyone, possibly provoking something he wouldn't be able to handle. Putting on an air of confident nonchalance Tsukune filled his tray and took a seat at an empty table near the exit, all the better if he needed to run.
Even though Tsukune suspected he was the subject of more than a few conversations over breakfast, he was able to eat in peace, reviewing his homework, without anyone approaching him. Finishing his meal and putting his books back in his bag, Tsukune placed his tray at the collection area and started out towards the school. As usual he walked alone, trying to keep from encroaching on anyone's personal space, or drawing any unwanted attention to himself. But as he got closer to the school, he noticed a thin ribbon of smoke rising into the grey overcast skies; it was so wispy he hadn't noticed it earlier and he knew what it was instantly.
Tsukune approached the final resting place of Kenichi Ogawa, the fire having long since burned itself out, but a solitary column of smoke was rising into the sky. He wanted to give it a wide berth, not even wishing to set eyes upon yet another reminder. But Tsukune was afraid it might be interpreted as a sign of weakness, so he kept up his pace and steeled himself for what he was about to see. It reminded him of the morning after a bonfire; greyish ash with a few scattered embers glowing a dull red. As he passed the burned out funeral pyre of his tormentor, Tsukune gave it a cursory look, almost expecting to see just a charred skeleton.
But other than some ash, and a few small pieces of charcoal, there was nothing left of the dendroid. 'They just let him burn?' Tsukune wondered silently, briefly closing his eyes and offered inner prayers for whatever passed for a soul of Kenichi. He hadn't deserved a fate like that, even if he'd tried making Tsukune's life hell, and he used the guilt to anchor his humanity. Moving past the charred remains, he headed for the steps of Youkai Academy, trying to ignore the occasional whispers and pointed fingers he noticed.
"-and Kenichi's got 'im on the ground, kicking his ass…'
Tsukune's composure almost slipped when he overheard the brash voice coming from his homeroom. He really didn't want to go in at the moment, but there were a bunch of students behind him, and stopping would just cause a traffic jam of monsters in the hallway.
"It looks like the scrawny guy's had it, game over. But just as Ken rolls him over to finish him… Whoosh! Aono whips out a spray can and lights him up like a torch." Tsukune's classmate was holding court, half the class around him as he regaled them with the tale, no one apparently noticing that the star of the story had arrived.
"He just lit him up, turned him into a bonfire. And if that wasn't enough, cool as ice he just takes a smoke from some huge guy and uses Ken's burning limbs to light it. Never saw anythi-" The storyteller broke it off when he looked up and saw Tsukune walking in. He slipped into his desk, thoroughly cowed and suddenly finding his textbook quite fascinating. The students who'd listened in rapt attention sheepishly returned to their desks, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Tsukune stomped down a sigh as he made his way to his desk, bothered by the enthusiasm that his classmates had shown talking about a murder. He sat at his desk and took out his books, when he felt a chill run down his spine. It took him a second to realize that it hadn't been fear, he had literally gotten cold for a second or two before it passed. 'Was that the air conditioner?' Tsukune glanced up to see if he was under a vent. Finding none, he just shrugged, only noticing a girl with purple hair at the doorway out of the corner of his eye.
He saw striped socks, and a look of utter disdain before she left the class. 'Who was that? Was she in our room before?' Tsukune was trying to recall if he'd seen her before when Ms. Nekonome walked in. Filing away the unfamiliar face for now, Tsukune opened his textbook to follow along with the lecture. But as class went on, he subtlety looked around the class, curious how his actions might have affected how he was viewed by his classmates. Tsukune didn't know whether to be relieved or depressed that there seemed to be a few respectful glances towards him before they returned their attention back to the lecture.
What was the biggest surprise to him was when a rather pretty girl two desks over, with jet black hair that had to reach her knees, briefly locked eyes with Tsukune when he glanced over. He was astonished to see a faint blush on her face before she dropped her gaze back to her book. Tsukune was ready to scream; he'd killed a classmate the day before, and instead of being ostracized, it had actually raised his status in his other classmates' eyes. And a girl was even crushing on him now? He was certain this entire school was insane, and if he didn't get away from here soon, he'd end up that way as well. Trying to concentrate on Ms. Nekonome's lesson, Tsukune vowed that the first chance he got he was going to make sure he received the paperwork to start the transfer process.
XXX
He'd gotten away with murder.
Tsukune was certain of that now. It had been almost an entire day, but aside from becoming a topic of gossip among his classmates, there had been no other repercussions. As he packed up his bag and prepared to return to his room to change – the cross country club had a run scheduled for today - Tsukune wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all. Snapping his bag closed, he paused as a shadow seemed to fall over him; a quick glance up revealed Saizo standing next to his desk, arms crossed, practically sneering down at Tsukune.
"So, you like being a wimpy human?"
Hoping that the monster couldn't hear his heart racing, Tsukune kept his cool, having more practice with that the past few weeks than in his entire life. "It's why we come here, right?" he kept his tone as calm as possible, not wanting to antagonize Saizo any further.
Saizo scoffed. "We should just kill them all… One day we will," he remarked coolly. "When that day comes, will you remember which side you're on?"
Tsukune felt his expression harden. "I'll never forget that…"
The monster smiled cruelly. "Glad to hear it." Saizo nodded approvingly and walked away, having no idea that the hatred he'd witnessed was directed at him.
Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, Tsukune willed his hands to unclench, and clear the sudden pleasant image of blowing the back of Saizo's head off. Thinking like that was foolish; he didn't have any firearms, and if he let himself get carried away he'd make a mistake that would get him killed. Giving his head a shake, he stood up only to bump into another of his classmates. "Sorry, pardon me."
"It's alright."
A shock of pink hair drew Tsukune's attention. Moka Akashiya, the school's most popular girl, with a fan club larger than even Kurumu's. 'What happened to her, anyways?' Tsukune wondered in a sudden thought. 'I haven't seen her since that run in with the Enforcers.' Realizing that Moka was looking at him clinically brought his thoughts back to the present. This was the girl who'd nearly run him over with her bicycle when he'd first arrived, and the way she was looking at him made him uneasy. "Is something wrong?"
"Why do you try so hard to be human?"
"That's why we’re here, right?" Tsukune really didn't feel like discussing this topic with anyone.
"I'd rather not, I hate humans."
"Why?"
"When they found out what I was, they were cruel to me."
'Probably afraid you'd eat 'em.' Tsukune thought. "At least you won't have to deal with them here." The irony nearly made him laugh. Turning and walking out of the class, leaving the school idol to her adoring throng in the hallway, Tsukune made his way back to his room. After changing into his running clothes, he slipped his knife into the small scabbard he'd attached to the back of his waistband.
The run was painful, tiring, but otherwise uneventful, Tsukune managing to improve his time a little, but still not able to match the pace of his panic fuelled first run. He was rather surprised that he finished first yet again; whatever strength monsters might have had, endurance didn't seem to be their strong suit. After humbly accepting Ichiro's praise for his ability and commitment, Tsukune made his way back to his room to shower and change. He had an appointment that evening with the school's public phones. He hadn't been able to get a signal for his cell phone even once, not even one measly bar, but the payphones worked fine. It was time for his regular call/disinformation session with his parents.
XXX
Kasumi Aono turned off the stovetop and rushed over to the phone, her heart skipping a beat. "Hello?" she answered after picking it up.
"Hi mom," Tsukune's voice reached out across the distance.
"Tsukune, it's so nice to hear from you again, I missed you so much!"
"It's only been a week since the last call," her son reminded her, and she was certain he was blushing.
"You're my son, of course I'd worry about you."
"Of course, that's why you sent me here."
"Is something wrong?" The connection with Youkai Academy, wherever it was, wasn't very good, Mrs. Aono had often noticed. The interference on the line had made her son's gentle voice sound rather harsh and cruel.
"No mom, nothing's wrong, I'm just a little tired, that's all."
Now her son sounded more like she remembered. "You're still running, right? Has that been helping you sleep?"
"A little," Tsukune admitted. "But it's hard to sleep well in such a strange place."
Kasumi smiled softly. Tsukune had always been so gentle, he would need to grow up a little if being away from home could disturb him so much. "Have you made any new friends? Found a girlfriend yet?"
"Lots of people know about me," Tsukune replied. "They were talking about me during breakfast and lunch."
"That's great!" Kasumi gushed. "I knew that getting accepted into Youkai Academy would change things for you."
"Yeah… It has."
Hopefully Youkai Academy would get a cell tower soon, so she wouldn't have to hear her son's voice sounding so bitter. "You still say that your father and I can't visit you?"
"That's right, it's not allowed," Tsukune replied emphatically.
Kasumi sighed in disappointment. At least he hadn't screamed this time. "When you come back for break you'll have to tell me all about it."
"If I last that long…"
"As long as you study hard, you'll do fine."
"…Right… Listen mom, there's a line-up here, I'll call you again next week. Goodbye."
Kasumi's eyes watered. Tsukune's farewells seemed so solemn. "Take care, we love you."
"Love you too." Tsukune's voice was followed by a click and a dial tone.
"Was that Tsukune?" His father asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, but he had to go."
"How is he?"
"He sounds like he's doing just fine," Kasumi told him proudly.
XXX
Tsukune removed the calling card from the phone and sighed, the short breath sounding insignificant in the empty hallway. As much as he wanted to tell his family everything, there was no way they'd believe anything as fantastic as the idea that their son was the only human at a school for monsters. Satisfied that he'd reassured them he was okay for another week, Tsukune returned to his room, his footsteps in the deserted hallways sounding as lonely as he felt. Keeping his face a stoic mask was second nature to him now and he unlocked his room and opened the door, his mask slipping for a second when he looked down.
He quickly pulled the door shut, rapidly looking around to make sure there weren't any other students around. 'No way, I did NOT see that,' he told himself. 'I have to be imagining things.' After making certain that he was alone in the hallway, Tsukune carefully reopened his door and looked at the floor, and against all expectations, the envelope was still there.
A pink envelope.
A pink envelope, with red hearts.
A pink envelope, with red hearts, and his name on it.
Nudging it further into the room with his foot, half expecting it to spring to life and attack him, Tsukune closed and locked the door. Pulling out a lighter and taking hold of a can of hairspray, he knelt down and looked closely at it. The envelope looked harmless enough, and while incinerating it in place might be the safest move, human curiosity compelled him to reach out for it. Tsukune picked it up gingerly, and then threw it across the room, hitting the floor and covering his head. When no explosion occurred after a few seconds, he looked up and saw it lying on the floor, looking no more dangerous than it had originally.
Feeling a little satisfied that it wasn't going to kill him, and blushing in embarrassment, Tsukune picked the envelope up from the floor and opened it, an aroma of lavender wafting into his nose. Cautiously unfolding the pink paper the envelope held, noticing hearts and kiss prints on the paper alongside the feminine looking writing, Tsukune began to read.
To my most special person,
You may not have noticed me, but I always noticed you. I watched you from afar, afraid to make a move, but I've gathered up my courage to tell you what I feel. I've waited too long to do something, and if I don't say it now I'll lose you, and I couldn't bear that. Please meet me behind the school after classes tomorrow, and accept my feelings for you…
The love note was signed 'An anonymous admirer.' Meeting behind the school was the most isolated area on the grounds, but that was supposed to be the custom for this type of thing, not that Tsukune had any practical experience in such matters. Showing up for this might be hazardous to his health, but part of him was curious about what sort of monster would take a romantic interest in him.
Tsukune felt his features harden as another possibility entered his mind; maybe someone was just trying to lead him into a trap? He couldn't discount that possibility, but it was more likely (and that thought inspired a grim chuckle) that this was just what it looked like, a young girl's admission of affection. Tsukune decided that he would go see who had sent this note tomorrow after school, listen to what she had to say, and then gently decline her feelings.
His paranoia didn't desert him though, and he made a mental note to bring along his improvised weapons, just in case. Tsukune would also make certain he had a clear path to escape if he needed to use it. Slipping the note into its envelope, and tucking it into his desk, Tsukune went to wash his hands, make sure he was presentable and headed down to the cafeteria for dinner. After a late meal, he retired to his room to study, boning up on his mathematics, and reading the last hundred pages or so of his monster encyclopedia.
XXX
Tsukune leaned against the stones that made up the exterior of Youkai Academy, his eyes flicking back and forth as he watched the other students walking about. The back of the school wasn't as deserted as he had feared, and Tsukune was pretty sure that he could get away cleanly at the first sign of trouble; his cross country membership had paid off handsomely. He was known as a hard runner to catch, and that was without using the panic induced speed he'd displayed in the first run. If anyone questioned his lack of bravery, he'd simply point out that a human's first thought would be to run like hell.
There.
A girl was making her way towards him, a faint blush on her cheeks visible even at a distance. She looked familiar to Tsukune, but he was certain she wasn't in his homeroom class. When she stood in front of him, he finally recalled that she was in the same English class as him, sitting a few rows over, if his memory served.
"Hello Tsukune."
"An anonymous admirer?"
The girl, who was a little shorter than him with ash blonde hair and chocolate color eyes smiled politely. "Yes, that's me. My name's Guno Yasai."
"It-it's nice to meet you."
"Did you like the letter?"
"Yes, it was quite pretty," Tsukune admitted, trying to think of the best way to let her down gently.
"I'm glad to hear that," Guno replied, keeping her head bowed. "I worked on it for a long, long time, trying to get it just right…"
"I could tell."
"Six months I worked on that, getting the kisses and hearts placed perfectly…"
"You-you didn't have to work that hard-" Tsukune's reply died suddenly when his mind registered what she'd said. 'Wait, I haven't been here six months…'
"We grew up together," Guno continued, ignoring the worried look growing on Tsukune's features. "I always wanted to give him the perfect note, and tell him how I felt, but now I can't." Guno's voice had gotten harder, her shoulders starting to shake, and when she looked up at Tsukune, he nearly cried out in fear at the hatred he saw there.
"I was already to give him the note two days ago, but he went after you. I wanted to marry him, love him, but you killed Kenichi, and I don't want to live without him," Guno rasped, fury and heartbreak at war in her eyes. "But I'll be sure to kill you first!"
Tsukune had been backing away slowly, undoing his satchel to get at the hairspray when Guno transformed into her monster form, and he froze with surprise. He'd been expecting another dendroid, but the vengeful monster that glared at him in utter hatred was something else. "A golem," he murmured. With bodies made from wet clay, a blast of fire would only annoy one, and his knife would just sink into the mass without cutting anything. It would be like stabbing a carton of ice cream.
With running the only possible option, Tsukune turned on his heel and scrambled away, going all out to put as much distance between him and the heartbroken monster. From what he remembered reading, golems weren't supposed to be fast, so he hoped to able to get away so he'd have time to think. When Guno lurched out of the ground in front of him, Tsukune frantically tried to stop, but his inertia carried him towards her, increasing the force of the impact when she drove a fist into his chest.
Barely able to suppress a scream when he felt his ribs crack, the air driven out of him violently, Tsukune gasped pathetically as he lay on his back, feeling helpless as Guno loomed over him. 'Golems aren't supposed to be able to move through the soil!' his mind protested, just managing to roll away when she smashed her foot into the earth. Tsukune struggled to get back to his feet to run; if that blow had connected, it would have killed him. He managed to take a few steps when another fist slammed into his shoulder blades, careening him forward to crash in a heap.
"Kenichi was the nicest person I ever knew!" the golem screamed accusingly. "And you burned him up!"
His body wracked in agony, a red haze of pain blurring his vision, Tsukune crawled forward, trying the get away from the vengeful monster. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the golem disappear into the ground, only to spring up and reform right next to him. Guno grabbed him by the jacket collar and yanked him up, casually tossing him forward. Tsukune managed to land on, and stay on, his feet, and he desperately lurched away from his assailant.
"Still playing human? Fine. Monster or human form, you're dead…"
Pushing through the pain, Tsukune managed to get himself to run again, frantically watching the path ahead of him for Guno to ambush him again. He'd never be able to evade her outside, so he made his way towards the school entrance as swiftly as he could. Weaving through classmates while being chased was getting depressingly commonplace to the young man. Ignoring the cries of annoyance from the people he zipped by, he didn't even consider try to apologize. Somehow he managed to make it to the concrete steps without crashing into another monster or taking another hit from Guno.
"You won't escape hiding indoors!" the golem yelled as she pounded through the doors seconds behind Tsukune. "You can't escape a young maiden's heart!"
"He shoulda just left me alone!" Tsukune shouted back. He hadn't wanted to kill Kenichi, and he could even understand why Guno was so driven for revenge. Part of him even felt sorry for her. But he wasn't about to just give up and let her kill him either.
"Shut up and die like a monster!"
'I'll pass,' Tsukune told himself as he reached the staircase. Instinctively, humans tend to head upwards when being pursued, a genetic memory from their early mammal origins, during which time the best method of self-preservation was to climb a tree. Going against eons of instinctive behaviour, Tsukune descended into the basement. It hadn't changed at all from how it had looked the time he'd wandered down here, wanting to be familiar with all the areas of his school.
Poorly lit, dank, with cobwebs and dust giving silent testament to how infrequently this space was used. There was even a rat scurrying along the floor, but Tsukune saw the two things he'd recalled noticing the last time he'd ventured down here, and they were the most welcome sight he'd ever laid eyes on. He stopped running and leaned against a wall around a corner at a junction in the hallway, deliberately allowing part of his left shoulder to stick out, making sure that the golem would be able to see him. Catching his breath, and trying to shut off the pain through sheer force of will, he gripped the object he'd come for tightly in his hands.
The golem slowly made her way down the stairs, her footsteps heavy in the enclosed space. She smiled thinly when she saw her prey making a pathetic attempt to hide around a corner. Guno could hear voices above her on the stairs as the bystanders had followed the chase, always interested in a fight. "Did you come down here to hide with the other rats, Tsukune?" she called out, standing in the center of the dark corridor.
"No, this is the only place where the floors have a drain…"
Tsukune stepped out into the open, the brass nozzle of a fire hose in his hands, the hose swollen with water after he'd opened the faucet as far as it would go. When he twisted the machined brass to let the water fly, the force of it nearly tore the nozzle from his grip, and he had to struggle to keep it under control.
The blast of water drove into the golem, clay washing away under the liquid onslaught. A terrified shriek came from the monster's throat as Tsukune managed to get the bucking nozzle under his control, unleashing the narrowest stream the hose could produce, the high pressure water lancing into Guno like an ice pick. She desperately tried to block it with her hands, and was horrified to see them erode away before her eyes, leaving rapidly dwindling stumps in their wake. Screaming in utter agony and fear, Guno tried to make a break for it, but Tsukune focused the spray on her right leg, directly at the knee. This washed away the joint and sent her crashing down into a growing puddle of water and her own body, both of which were swirling into the grate on the floor.
Gritting his teeth to suppress his own gasps from the pain each breath sent through his body, Tsukune widened the column a little, not slicing as deeply into the golem, but washing away more of her every second. He dragged the hose towards her, making sure to give her a wide berth to not allow Guno the chance to lash out blindly at him or the hose. Taking a position at the base of the stairs, cutting off the only viable escape path, Tsukune tightened the stream slightly as he played the blast over the cowering golem. By now the floor was covered by muddy water and he took a second to give the drain a shot every few moments to make sure it wasn't getting plugged up. He was certain he could hear the monsters watching behind him murmuring, barely audible over the whooshing rush of the water.
The process reminded Tsukune of washing down the outside of his home during spring cleaning, and he kept trying to think of it like that; it was far better for his mental well-being than thinking of it as murder. With all the mist in the air and the poor lighting it was difficult for Tsukune to see how much of Guno was left, he couldn't make out any movements, and the screaming had mercifully stopped. Twisting the nozzle and cutting off the water, he peered into the gloomy darkness, hose at the ready if the golem was simply playing dead.
Guno Yasai was next to the drain.
What was left of her, anyway.
Tsukune had washed away so much of her mass, all that was left in front of the chrome grate was a right arm and shoulder, less than a quarter of a torso, as well as a head and neck. Only the face looked human now, her brown eyes wide in terror, the ruined mass of her arm up in a futile attempt to protect herself. "I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone, I don't want to die, please don't kill me…" she mewled piteously up at the man she'd just tried to murder.
Tsukune's hands trembled as the held the dripping nozzle. She'd never tried to harm him before, and all she'd wanted was for the boy she liked to notice her. She was helpless now, frantic and terrified, wanting nothing more than to live, something he could relate to. Letting her go was the compassionate thing to do, probably even the right thing. Had they been alone, Tsukune probably would have spared her.
But his classmates were behind him, watching his every move, and at Youkai Academy showing mercy seemed to be signing your own death warrant. Tsukune briefly allowed his mask to slip, letting Guno see the anguish and regret he was feeling, silently mouthing the words 'I'm sorry.' Then his expression went blank again as he opened the nozzle, sending the stream of water directly at her, concentrating on the rushing sound to try to ignore her screaming.
"Kenichi…"
Tsukune thought he heard his first victim's name through the burbling, and then it was quiet, except for the watery mud flowing down the drain, and he widened the spray, not closing the nozzle until the water going through the grate was clear.
"Is that the same one who burned a guy?" A girl asked out to no one in particular.
"Yeah, that's him…" another bystander replied. "Saw that one too. This guy's harsh."
Concealing his agony, Tsukune dragged the hose back to the tap and shut off the water, opening the nozzle to let out the last of it. His mind numb, he headed for the stairs.
"Humans really fight like that?" an upperclassman remarked as Tsukune walked by.
"Yeah… Trust me, they do," Tsukune responded, struggling to keep his focus. He ignored the wary looks of the witnesses, wishing with all his heart he hadn't let go of his bag, since he had to go get it before he could go back to his room to succour his wounds. Wracked in pain he stiffly made his way behind the school, picked up his satchel and trudged back to the dormitory. Finally back in the questionable safety of his room, Tsukune bit his pillow and screamed into it, most of the sound muffled. Practically sobbing, he took off his jacket, tie, and shirt, struggling to wrap up his ribs again.
As bad as it hurt, Tsukune took minor comfort that he hadn't punctured a lung, and he didn't think he had an internal bleed. If it was true that broken bones healed stronger, by the time he escaped from Youkai Academy, Tsukune figured his ribcage would be bulletproof. The chest wraps and painkillers hardly even lessened the pain, and he wondered if he'd even be able to sleep that night. He longed to seek medical aid, but even a perfunctory exam would reveal his true nature, and he doubted he'd survive the exposure. Slowly making his way to the bathroom to wash his face, Tsukune's eyes fell upon the drain in the sink.
Was Guno still down there, somewhere? He didn't think that she'd be able to come back, but he couldn't be sure. Tsukune let out a depressed sigh; now he couldn't even go near plumbing without getting tense. The regret and remorse hit him harder this time, and he truly wished he could have avoided all this, and he hoped that if there was an afterlife, Guno and Kenichi were together now. Once he'd finished cleaning up, Tsukune leaned his head down until his mouth was inches from the drain; "I'm sorry…" he murmured down the pipe, hoping that Guno was more human than he had been. After his apology, Tsukune stuck the plugs in both the sink and the tub, and put down the toilet lid.
Carefully slipping into bed, gritting his teeth as his tormented ribs jostled in ways they were never intended to, Tsukune closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But now two screams haunted him, and his mind was filled with the images of him murdering a couple, one with fire, the other with water. Sleep was a long time coming that night, and when it finally took him, the pain from the simple act of breathing disturbed it, leaving Tsukune bleary eyed and weary in the morning.
End of Chapter Three.
Author's Notes:
Pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. All errors are mine, not theirs.
Rosario + Vampire:
He Who Fights Monsters…
Chapter Three: Circling the Drain
Written by: Hawker_748
Tsukune's eyes cracked open, blinking away the blurriness before the focused on his alarm clock. 7:34. He'd forgotten to set his alarm the night before, but he hadn't slept very much anyway, his subconscious torturing him over committing murder the day before. Reluctantly pushing himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes to clear away the sand, Tsukune shambled towards the shower. He didn't have the time to review his monster encyclopedia, but he wasn't in the mood to either. When sleep had come it had been filled by sounds and images of Kenichi burning to death.
'Why haven't I been taken away?' he asked himself. Tsukune had killed someone, in front of many witnesses, in a rather non-subtle manner. He'd expected the Student Protection Committee to break down his door and lead him away in chains, if not execute him on the spot. Yet it was well over twelve hours, and so far there hadn't been any consequences for what he'd done; fights at Youkai Academy were commonplace, but he hadn't heard of any deaths so far.
Part of Tsukune was ready to just wait for the local authorities to come and collect him, waves of regret and remorse continued to wash over him, but he knew he had to go on as if nothing had happened. He was starting to consider the possibility that there wouldn't be any official action over what he'd done, and while that sickened him, it also meant he had to keep going to school and keeping up his outer appearance. The hot shower helped wake him up, but it didn't make him feel any better, and he could still hear Kenichi's screams every time he closed his eyes. Drying off in front of a mirror, Tsukune saw he had dark circles under his eyes and they were bloodshot as well. He also looked a little gaunt, there were scratches on his face and chest, and a bruise on his stomach.
Swallowing three painkillers, Tsukune then got dressed, putting on a clean shirt and tie, and wondering if he'd have any undamaged clothes left by the time the semester was over. Making sure he looked presentable, he took a deep breath before putting on his 'mask.' Youkai Academy's only human moved the desk away from the door, made sure he had a new hairspray aerosol in his bag, unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway, making his way to the cafeteria. He had no appetite to speak of, but he knew he needed to eat, even if he'd have a hard time keeping it down.
When Tsukune walked into the cafeteria all the talking didn't stop, and everyone didn't turn to look at him, which almost made the young man sigh with relief. But it did seem as if the volume of chatter got lower, with several students leaning in close to talk with the people next to them, and Tsukune noticed a few people giving him looks before turning away. He could swear he heard his name whispered a few times, but he acted as if he hadn't, not wanting to react to anyone, possibly provoking something he wouldn't be able to handle. Putting on an air of confident nonchalance Tsukune filled his tray and took a seat at an empty table near the exit, all the better if he needed to run.
Even though Tsukune suspected he was the subject of more than a few conversations over breakfast, he was able to eat in peace, reviewing his homework, without anyone approaching him. Finishing his meal and putting his books back in his bag, Tsukune placed his tray at the collection area and started out towards the school. As usual he walked alone, trying to keep from encroaching on anyone's personal space, or drawing any unwanted attention to himself. But as he got closer to the school, he noticed a thin ribbon of smoke rising into the grey overcast skies; it was so wispy he hadn't noticed it earlier and he knew what it was instantly.
Tsukune approached the final resting place of Kenichi Ogawa, the fire having long since burned itself out, but a solitary column of smoke was rising into the sky. He wanted to give it a wide berth, not even wishing to set eyes upon yet another reminder. But Tsukune was afraid it might be interpreted as a sign of weakness, so he kept up his pace and steeled himself for what he was about to see. It reminded him of the morning after a bonfire; greyish ash with a few scattered embers glowing a dull red. As he passed the burned out funeral pyre of his tormentor, Tsukune gave it a cursory look, almost expecting to see just a charred skeleton.
But other than some ash, and a few small pieces of charcoal, there was nothing left of the dendroid. 'They just let him burn?' Tsukune wondered silently, briefly closing his eyes and offered inner prayers for whatever passed for a soul of Kenichi. He hadn't deserved a fate like that, even if he'd tried making Tsukune's life hell, and he used the guilt to anchor his humanity. Moving past the charred remains, he headed for the steps of Youkai Academy, trying to ignore the occasional whispers and pointed fingers he noticed.
"-and Kenichi's got 'im on the ground, kicking his ass…'
Tsukune's composure almost slipped when he overheard the brash voice coming from his homeroom. He really didn't want to go in at the moment, but there were a bunch of students behind him, and stopping would just cause a traffic jam of monsters in the hallway.
"It looks like the scrawny guy's had it, game over. But just as Ken rolls him over to finish him… Whoosh! Aono whips out a spray can and lights him up like a torch." Tsukune's classmate was holding court, half the class around him as he regaled them with the tale, no one apparently noticing that the star of the story had arrived.
"He just lit him up, turned him into a bonfire. And if that wasn't enough, cool as ice he just takes a smoke from some huge guy and uses Ken's burning limbs to light it. Never saw anythi-" The storyteller broke it off when he looked up and saw Tsukune walking in. He slipped into his desk, thoroughly cowed and suddenly finding his textbook quite fascinating. The students who'd listened in rapt attention sheepishly returned to their desks, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Tsukune stomped down a sigh as he made his way to his desk, bothered by the enthusiasm that his classmates had shown talking about a murder. He sat at his desk and took out his books, when he felt a chill run down his spine. It took him a second to realize that it hadn't been fear, he had literally gotten cold for a second or two before it passed. 'Was that the air conditioner?' Tsukune glanced up to see if he was under a vent. Finding none, he just shrugged, only noticing a girl with purple hair at the doorway out of the corner of his eye.
He saw striped socks, and a look of utter disdain before she left the class. 'Who was that? Was she in our room before?' Tsukune was trying to recall if he'd seen her before when Ms. Nekonome walked in. Filing away the unfamiliar face for now, Tsukune opened his textbook to follow along with the lecture. But as class went on, he subtlety looked around the class, curious how his actions might have affected how he was viewed by his classmates. Tsukune didn't know whether to be relieved or depressed that there seemed to be a few respectful glances towards him before they returned their attention back to the lecture.
What was the biggest surprise to him was when a rather pretty girl two desks over, with jet black hair that had to reach her knees, briefly locked eyes with Tsukune when he glanced over. He was astonished to see a faint blush on her face before she dropped her gaze back to her book. Tsukune was ready to scream; he'd killed a classmate the day before, and instead of being ostracized, it had actually raised his status in his other classmates' eyes. And a girl was even crushing on him now? He was certain this entire school was insane, and if he didn't get away from here soon, he'd end up that way as well. Trying to concentrate on Ms. Nekonome's lesson, Tsukune vowed that the first chance he got he was going to make sure he received the paperwork to start the transfer process.
XXX
He'd gotten away with murder.
Tsukune was certain of that now. It had been almost an entire day, but aside from becoming a topic of gossip among his classmates, there had been no other repercussions. As he packed up his bag and prepared to return to his room to change – the cross country club had a run scheduled for today - Tsukune wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all. Snapping his bag closed, he paused as a shadow seemed to fall over him; a quick glance up revealed Saizo standing next to his desk, arms crossed, practically sneering down at Tsukune.
"So, you like being a wimpy human?"
Hoping that the monster couldn't hear his heart racing, Tsukune kept his cool, having more practice with that the past few weeks than in his entire life. "It's why we come here, right?" he kept his tone as calm as possible, not wanting to antagonize Saizo any further.
Saizo scoffed. "We should just kill them all… One day we will," he remarked coolly. "When that day comes, will you remember which side you're on?"
Tsukune felt his expression harden. "I'll never forget that…"
The monster smiled cruelly. "Glad to hear it." Saizo nodded approvingly and walked away, having no idea that the hatred he'd witnessed was directed at him.
Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, Tsukune willed his hands to unclench, and clear the sudden pleasant image of blowing the back of Saizo's head off. Thinking like that was foolish; he didn't have any firearms, and if he let himself get carried away he'd make a mistake that would get him killed. Giving his head a shake, he stood up only to bump into another of his classmates. "Sorry, pardon me."
"It's alright."
A shock of pink hair drew Tsukune's attention. Moka Akashiya, the school's most popular girl, with a fan club larger than even Kurumu's. 'What happened to her, anyways?' Tsukune wondered in a sudden thought. 'I haven't seen her since that run in with the Enforcers.' Realizing that Moka was looking at him clinically brought his thoughts back to the present. This was the girl who'd nearly run him over with her bicycle when he'd first arrived, and the way she was looking at him made him uneasy. "Is something wrong?"
"Why do you try so hard to be human?"
"That's why we’re here, right?" Tsukune really didn't feel like discussing this topic with anyone.
"I'd rather not, I hate humans."
"Why?"
"When they found out what I was, they were cruel to me."
'Probably afraid you'd eat 'em.' Tsukune thought. "At least you won't have to deal with them here." The irony nearly made him laugh. Turning and walking out of the class, leaving the school idol to her adoring throng in the hallway, Tsukune made his way back to his room. After changing into his running clothes, he slipped his knife into the small scabbard he'd attached to the back of his waistband.
The run was painful, tiring, but otherwise uneventful, Tsukune managing to improve his time a little, but still not able to match the pace of his panic fuelled first run. He was rather surprised that he finished first yet again; whatever strength monsters might have had, endurance didn't seem to be their strong suit. After humbly accepting Ichiro's praise for his ability and commitment, Tsukune made his way back to his room to shower and change. He had an appointment that evening with the school's public phones. He hadn't been able to get a signal for his cell phone even once, not even one measly bar, but the payphones worked fine. It was time for his regular call/disinformation session with his parents.
XXX
Kasumi Aono turned off the stovetop and rushed over to the phone, her heart skipping a beat. "Hello?" she answered after picking it up.
"Hi mom," Tsukune's voice reached out across the distance.
"Tsukune, it's so nice to hear from you again, I missed you so much!"
"It's only been a week since the last call," her son reminded her, and she was certain he was blushing.
"You're my son, of course I'd worry about you."
"Of course, that's why you sent me here."
"Is something wrong?" The connection with Youkai Academy, wherever it was, wasn't very good, Mrs. Aono had often noticed. The interference on the line had made her son's gentle voice sound rather harsh and cruel.
"No mom, nothing's wrong, I'm just a little tired, that's all."
Now her son sounded more like she remembered. "You're still running, right? Has that been helping you sleep?"
"A little," Tsukune admitted. "But it's hard to sleep well in such a strange place."
Kasumi smiled softly. Tsukune had always been so gentle, he would need to grow up a little if being away from home could disturb him so much. "Have you made any new friends? Found a girlfriend yet?"
"Lots of people know about me," Tsukune replied. "They were talking about me during breakfast and lunch."
"That's great!" Kasumi gushed. "I knew that getting accepted into Youkai Academy would change things for you."
"Yeah… It has."
Hopefully Youkai Academy would get a cell tower soon, so she wouldn't have to hear her son's voice sounding so bitter. "You still say that your father and I can't visit you?"
"That's right, it's not allowed," Tsukune replied emphatically.
Kasumi sighed in disappointment. At least he hadn't screamed this time. "When you come back for break you'll have to tell me all about it."
"If I last that long…"
"As long as you study hard, you'll do fine."
"…Right… Listen mom, there's a line-up here, I'll call you again next week. Goodbye."
Kasumi's eyes watered. Tsukune's farewells seemed so solemn. "Take care, we love you."
"Love you too." Tsukune's voice was followed by a click and a dial tone.
"Was that Tsukune?" His father asked as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, but he had to go."
"How is he?"
"He sounds like he's doing just fine," Kasumi told him proudly.
XXX
Tsukune removed the calling card from the phone and sighed, the short breath sounding insignificant in the empty hallway. As much as he wanted to tell his family everything, there was no way they'd believe anything as fantastic as the idea that their son was the only human at a school for monsters. Satisfied that he'd reassured them he was okay for another week, Tsukune returned to his room, his footsteps in the deserted hallways sounding as lonely as he felt. Keeping his face a stoic mask was second nature to him now and he unlocked his room and opened the door, his mask slipping for a second when he looked down.
He quickly pulled the door shut, rapidly looking around to make sure there weren't any other students around. 'No way, I did NOT see that,' he told himself. 'I have to be imagining things.' After making certain that he was alone in the hallway, Tsukune carefully reopened his door and looked at the floor, and against all expectations, the envelope was still there.
A pink envelope.
A pink envelope, with red hearts.
A pink envelope, with red hearts, and his name on it.
Nudging it further into the room with his foot, half expecting it to spring to life and attack him, Tsukune closed and locked the door. Pulling out a lighter and taking hold of a can of hairspray, he knelt down and looked closely at it. The envelope looked harmless enough, and while incinerating it in place might be the safest move, human curiosity compelled him to reach out for it. Tsukune picked it up gingerly, and then threw it across the room, hitting the floor and covering his head. When no explosion occurred after a few seconds, he looked up and saw it lying on the floor, looking no more dangerous than it had originally.
Feeling a little satisfied that it wasn't going to kill him, and blushing in embarrassment, Tsukune picked the envelope up from the floor and opened it, an aroma of lavender wafting into his nose. Cautiously unfolding the pink paper the envelope held, noticing hearts and kiss prints on the paper alongside the feminine looking writing, Tsukune began to read.
To my most special person,
You may not have noticed me, but I always noticed you. I watched you from afar, afraid to make a move, but I've gathered up my courage to tell you what I feel. I've waited too long to do something, and if I don't say it now I'll lose you, and I couldn't bear that. Please meet me behind the school after classes tomorrow, and accept my feelings for you…
The love note was signed 'An anonymous admirer.' Meeting behind the school was the most isolated area on the grounds, but that was supposed to be the custom for this type of thing, not that Tsukune had any practical experience in such matters. Showing up for this might be hazardous to his health, but part of him was curious about what sort of monster would take a romantic interest in him.
Tsukune felt his features harden as another possibility entered his mind; maybe someone was just trying to lead him into a trap? He couldn't discount that possibility, but it was more likely (and that thought inspired a grim chuckle) that this was just what it looked like, a young girl's admission of affection. Tsukune decided that he would go see who had sent this note tomorrow after school, listen to what she had to say, and then gently decline her feelings.
His paranoia didn't desert him though, and he made a mental note to bring along his improvised weapons, just in case. Tsukune would also make certain he had a clear path to escape if he needed to use it. Slipping the note into its envelope, and tucking it into his desk, Tsukune went to wash his hands, make sure he was presentable and headed down to the cafeteria for dinner. After a late meal, he retired to his room to study, boning up on his mathematics, and reading the last hundred pages or so of his monster encyclopedia.
XXX
Tsukune leaned against the stones that made up the exterior of Youkai Academy, his eyes flicking back and forth as he watched the other students walking about. The back of the school wasn't as deserted as he had feared, and Tsukune was pretty sure that he could get away cleanly at the first sign of trouble; his cross country membership had paid off handsomely. He was known as a hard runner to catch, and that was without using the panic induced speed he'd displayed in the first run. If anyone questioned his lack of bravery, he'd simply point out that a human's first thought would be to run like hell.
There.
A girl was making her way towards him, a faint blush on her cheeks visible even at a distance. She looked familiar to Tsukune, but he was certain she wasn't in his homeroom class. When she stood in front of him, he finally recalled that she was in the same English class as him, sitting a few rows over, if his memory served.
"Hello Tsukune."
"An anonymous admirer?"
The girl, who was a little shorter than him with ash blonde hair and chocolate color eyes smiled politely. "Yes, that's me. My name's Guno Yasai."
"It-it's nice to meet you."
"Did you like the letter?"
"Yes, it was quite pretty," Tsukune admitted, trying to think of the best way to let her down gently.
"I'm glad to hear that," Guno replied, keeping her head bowed. "I worked on it for a long, long time, trying to get it just right…"
"I could tell."
"Six months I worked on that, getting the kisses and hearts placed perfectly…"
"You-you didn't have to work that hard-" Tsukune's reply died suddenly when his mind registered what she'd said. 'Wait, I haven't been here six months…'
"We grew up together," Guno continued, ignoring the worried look growing on Tsukune's features. "I always wanted to give him the perfect note, and tell him how I felt, but now I can't." Guno's voice had gotten harder, her shoulders starting to shake, and when she looked up at Tsukune, he nearly cried out in fear at the hatred he saw there.
"I was already to give him the note two days ago, but he went after you. I wanted to marry him, love him, but you killed Kenichi, and I don't want to live without him," Guno rasped, fury and heartbreak at war in her eyes. "But I'll be sure to kill you first!"
Tsukune had been backing away slowly, undoing his satchel to get at the hairspray when Guno transformed into her monster form, and he froze with surprise. He'd been expecting another dendroid, but the vengeful monster that glared at him in utter hatred was something else. "A golem," he murmured. With bodies made from wet clay, a blast of fire would only annoy one, and his knife would just sink into the mass without cutting anything. It would be like stabbing a carton of ice cream.
With running the only possible option, Tsukune turned on his heel and scrambled away, going all out to put as much distance between him and the heartbroken monster. From what he remembered reading, golems weren't supposed to be fast, so he hoped to able to get away so he'd have time to think. When Guno lurched out of the ground in front of him, Tsukune frantically tried to stop, but his inertia carried him towards her, increasing the force of the impact when she drove a fist into his chest.
Barely able to suppress a scream when he felt his ribs crack, the air driven out of him violently, Tsukune gasped pathetically as he lay on his back, feeling helpless as Guno loomed over him. 'Golems aren't supposed to be able to move through the soil!' his mind protested, just managing to roll away when she smashed her foot into the earth. Tsukune struggled to get back to his feet to run; if that blow had connected, it would have killed him. He managed to take a few steps when another fist slammed into his shoulder blades, careening him forward to crash in a heap.
"Kenichi was the nicest person I ever knew!" the golem screamed accusingly. "And you burned him up!"
His body wracked in agony, a red haze of pain blurring his vision, Tsukune crawled forward, trying the get away from the vengeful monster. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the golem disappear into the ground, only to spring up and reform right next to him. Guno grabbed him by the jacket collar and yanked him up, casually tossing him forward. Tsukune managed to land on, and stay on, his feet, and he desperately lurched away from his assailant.
"Still playing human? Fine. Monster or human form, you're dead…"
Pushing through the pain, Tsukune managed to get himself to run again, frantically watching the path ahead of him for Guno to ambush him again. He'd never be able to evade her outside, so he made his way towards the school entrance as swiftly as he could. Weaving through classmates while being chased was getting depressingly commonplace to the young man. Ignoring the cries of annoyance from the people he zipped by, he didn't even consider try to apologize. Somehow he managed to make it to the concrete steps without crashing into another monster or taking another hit from Guno.
"You won't escape hiding indoors!" the golem yelled as she pounded through the doors seconds behind Tsukune. "You can't escape a young maiden's heart!"
"He shoulda just left me alone!" Tsukune shouted back. He hadn't wanted to kill Kenichi, and he could even understand why Guno was so driven for revenge. Part of him even felt sorry for her. But he wasn't about to just give up and let her kill him either.
"Shut up and die like a monster!"
'I'll pass,' Tsukune told himself as he reached the staircase. Instinctively, humans tend to head upwards when being pursued, a genetic memory from their early mammal origins, during which time the best method of self-preservation was to climb a tree. Going against eons of instinctive behaviour, Tsukune descended into the basement. It hadn't changed at all from how it had looked the time he'd wandered down here, wanting to be familiar with all the areas of his school.
Poorly lit, dank, with cobwebs and dust giving silent testament to how infrequently this space was used. There was even a rat scurrying along the floor, but Tsukune saw the two things he'd recalled noticing the last time he'd ventured down here, and they were the most welcome sight he'd ever laid eyes on. He stopped running and leaned against a wall around a corner at a junction in the hallway, deliberately allowing part of his left shoulder to stick out, making sure that the golem would be able to see him. Catching his breath, and trying to shut off the pain through sheer force of will, he gripped the object he'd come for tightly in his hands.
The golem slowly made her way down the stairs, her footsteps heavy in the enclosed space. She smiled thinly when she saw her prey making a pathetic attempt to hide around a corner. Guno could hear voices above her on the stairs as the bystanders had followed the chase, always interested in a fight. "Did you come down here to hide with the other rats, Tsukune?" she called out, standing in the center of the dark corridor.
"No, this is the only place where the floors have a drain…"
Tsukune stepped out into the open, the brass nozzle of a fire hose in his hands, the hose swollen with water after he'd opened the faucet as far as it would go. When he twisted the machined brass to let the water fly, the force of it nearly tore the nozzle from his grip, and he had to struggle to keep it under control.
The blast of water drove into the golem, clay washing away under the liquid onslaught. A terrified shriek came from the monster's throat as Tsukune managed to get the bucking nozzle under his control, unleashing the narrowest stream the hose could produce, the high pressure water lancing into Guno like an ice pick. She desperately tried to block it with her hands, and was horrified to see them erode away before her eyes, leaving rapidly dwindling stumps in their wake. Screaming in utter agony and fear, Guno tried to make a break for it, but Tsukune focused the spray on her right leg, directly at the knee. This washed away the joint and sent her crashing down into a growing puddle of water and her own body, both of which were swirling into the grate on the floor.
Gritting his teeth to suppress his own gasps from the pain each breath sent through his body, Tsukune widened the column a little, not slicing as deeply into the golem, but washing away more of her every second. He dragged the hose towards her, making sure to give her a wide berth to not allow Guno the chance to lash out blindly at him or the hose. Taking a position at the base of the stairs, cutting off the only viable escape path, Tsukune tightened the stream slightly as he played the blast over the cowering golem. By now the floor was covered by muddy water and he took a second to give the drain a shot every few moments to make sure it wasn't getting plugged up. He was certain he could hear the monsters watching behind him murmuring, barely audible over the whooshing rush of the water.
The process reminded Tsukune of washing down the outside of his home during spring cleaning, and he kept trying to think of it like that; it was far better for his mental well-being than thinking of it as murder. With all the mist in the air and the poor lighting it was difficult for Tsukune to see how much of Guno was left, he couldn't make out any movements, and the screaming had mercifully stopped. Twisting the nozzle and cutting off the water, he peered into the gloomy darkness, hose at the ready if the golem was simply playing dead.
Guno Yasai was next to the drain.
What was left of her, anyway.
Tsukune had washed away so much of her mass, all that was left in front of the chrome grate was a right arm and shoulder, less than a quarter of a torso, as well as a head and neck. Only the face looked human now, her brown eyes wide in terror, the ruined mass of her arm up in a futile attempt to protect herself. "I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone, I don't want to die, please don't kill me…" she mewled piteously up at the man she'd just tried to murder.
Tsukune's hands trembled as the held the dripping nozzle. She'd never tried to harm him before, and all she'd wanted was for the boy she liked to notice her. She was helpless now, frantic and terrified, wanting nothing more than to live, something he could relate to. Letting her go was the compassionate thing to do, probably even the right thing. Had they been alone, Tsukune probably would have spared her.
But his classmates were behind him, watching his every move, and at Youkai Academy showing mercy seemed to be signing your own death warrant. Tsukune briefly allowed his mask to slip, letting Guno see the anguish and regret he was feeling, silently mouthing the words 'I'm sorry.' Then his expression went blank again as he opened the nozzle, sending the stream of water directly at her, concentrating on the rushing sound to try to ignore her screaming.
"Kenichi…"
Tsukune thought he heard his first victim's name through the burbling, and then it was quiet, except for the watery mud flowing down the drain, and he widened the spray, not closing the nozzle until the water going through the grate was clear.
"Is that the same one who burned a guy?" A girl asked out to no one in particular.
"Yeah, that's him…" another bystander replied. "Saw that one too. This guy's harsh."
Concealing his agony, Tsukune dragged the hose back to the tap and shut off the water, opening the nozzle to let out the last of it. His mind numb, he headed for the stairs.
"Humans really fight like that?" an upperclassman remarked as Tsukune walked by.
"Yeah… Trust me, they do," Tsukune responded, struggling to keep his focus. He ignored the wary looks of the witnesses, wishing with all his heart he hadn't let go of his bag, since he had to go get it before he could go back to his room to succour his wounds. Wracked in pain he stiffly made his way behind the school, picked up his satchel and trudged back to the dormitory. Finally back in the questionable safety of his room, Tsukune bit his pillow and screamed into it, most of the sound muffled. Practically sobbing, he took off his jacket, tie, and shirt, struggling to wrap up his ribs again.
As bad as it hurt, Tsukune took minor comfort that he hadn't punctured a lung, and he didn't think he had an internal bleed. If it was true that broken bones healed stronger, by the time he escaped from Youkai Academy, Tsukune figured his ribcage would be bulletproof. The chest wraps and painkillers hardly even lessened the pain, and he wondered if he'd even be able to sleep that night. He longed to seek medical aid, but even a perfunctory exam would reveal his true nature, and he doubted he'd survive the exposure. Slowly making his way to the bathroom to wash his face, Tsukune's eyes fell upon the drain in the sink.
Was Guno still down there, somewhere? He didn't think that she'd be able to come back, but he couldn't be sure. Tsukune let out a depressed sigh; now he couldn't even go near plumbing without getting tense. The regret and remorse hit him harder this time, and he truly wished he could have avoided all this, and he hoped that if there was an afterlife, Guno and Kenichi were together now. Once he'd finished cleaning up, Tsukune leaned his head down until his mouth was inches from the drain; "I'm sorry…" he murmured down the pipe, hoping that Guno was more human than he had been. After his apology, Tsukune stuck the plugs in both the sink and the tub, and put down the toilet lid.
Carefully slipping into bed, gritting his teeth as his tormented ribs jostled in ways they were never intended to, Tsukune closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But now two screams haunted him, and his mind was filled with the images of him murdering a couple, one with fire, the other with water. Sleep was a long time coming that night, and when it finally took him, the pain from the simple act of breathing disturbed it, leaving Tsukune bleary eyed and weary in the morning.
End of Chapter Three.
Author's Notes:
Pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. All errors are mine, not theirs.