Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction ❯ He Who Fights Monsters ❯ Come Into My Parlor... ( Chapter 4 )
[ 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 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.5K | Visits: 608 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.20.2013 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.5K | Visits: 608 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Rosario + Vampire:
He Who Fights Monsters…
Chapter Four: Come Into My Parlor
Written by: Hawker_748
Tsukune sipped his coffee slowly, using the hot beverage to wake himself up after yet another night of insufficient sleep. This time, he knew people were talking about him, and they weren't hesitant to occasionally point and stare either. It could have been a lot worse; no other suitors had come out of the woodwork, and it appeared that the official penalty for killing two students was the same as just one. 'At least they're consistent,' Tsukune thought grimly.
If he'd had to guess how others viewed him, Tsukune would say he was most probably respected, or more likely seen as a person to be wary of. He supposed that was better than being seen as a victim, or an easy target, but the way he'd earned that rep was horrific. In the human world neither of the deaths would have been considered without cause; both victims had been assaulting him and threatened to kill him. Legally he was allowed to defend himself, and using deadly force would probably be seen as acceptable.
But even if he'd been pardoned completely, Tsukune still bore the guilt of what he'd done. In time, he figured he might be able to come to terms with what he'd done to Kenichi, but the cold hearted way he'd dispatched Guno would always weigh heavy on his conscience. When he could have been an example of human compassion, he'd flushed her down the drain, just to keep people from thinking he was soft. Just a few weeks at Youkai Academy had led him to do unspeakable things; what would he be like after a semester? After graduation?
"Hey."
Tsukune broke out of his pondering when he noticed someone across the table from him. "Yes?" he replied, his shoulders tightening up in case this was another student angry about a friend or loved one.
"You're Tsukune Aono, right?"
"Yeah…" There was no point trying to deny it, and pretending to be someone else might further enrage the young man in front of him. Tsukune subtly repositioned himself so he could grab at the knife he now kept in his jacket, ready to lurch out of his chair to bolt if necessary.
"I'm with the school newspaper, my name's Gin," the student explained with a disarming smile. "Mind if I join you?"
Still on alert, but allowing himself to calm down a little, Tsukune nodded slowly. "Be my guest."
"Thanks," Gin replied as he eased down across from the cautious human. "You're in the cross country club, right?"
"That's right," Tsukune acknowledged, wondering what this was about.
"Heard from Ichiro you're pretty good, even in human form."
"I just do my best," he replied humbly. "Ichiro makes too much of it."
"He figured you'd say that," Gin remarked wryly. "But I digress. I've got a proposition for you, have you ever heard of the school newspaper?"
"Yes… Isn't Ms. Nekonome the advisor, or something?"
"Oh yeah, she's your home room teacher." When Tsukune simply nodded, Gin continued. "How would you like to join the newspaper club?"
"Why me?"
"From what I've heard about you, I think you'd bring a unique perspective…"
Tsukune thought back to the hostility between Ms. Nekonome and that Enforcer that had rescued him from Kurumu. The possibility of getting caught up in that wasn't that appealing, even if he'd been able to defend himself, and he didn't feel like putting his teacher at risk possibly covering for him. "I… I appreciate the offer, really, but I'd rather just stick to running."
"We really could use someone like you," Gin pressed.
"Thanks, but I'll pass. Sorry."
Gin shrugged. "If you ever change your mind, just tell Ms. Nekonome." The young man stood up and left Tsukune to his breakfast.
The human felt his shoulders slump in relief, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. At least not every student here was planning to kill him when his guard was down. Tsukune pursed his lips as his stomach churned a little; even after he'd eaten, the stress of constantly watching for threats was playing hell with his digestion, and he figured he'd produced enough stomach acid since he'd arrived to dissolve Tokyo Tower. 'Ulcers, lack of sleep, injuries, stress… Even if no one tries to kill me, I don't know how I'm going to survive…'
Finishing his meal and setting the tray in the collection rack, Tsukune made his way towards school, trying to both walk normally and protect his re-cracked ribs from hurting too much. He'd finished off his first bottle of painkillers that morning and opened a new one, wondering how long this one would last. Even with four of the white pills in his system, every step, every breath sent a grinding ache through him that threatened to break through the compartmentalization he'd tried to build up to protect himself. Tsukune longed to be able to take a few days off and hole up in his room, give his tortured body even a short time to regain its strength, but if he did that the day after a fight, others might (correctly) think that he was approaching his limits.
Making a mental note to steal a book on meditation, hoping that it had something to help with pain management, Tsukune reached the school. But instead of heading directly to his class, he took a minor detour, pausing near a door in the main hallway labelled simply: Infirmary. Tsukune felt his grip tighten on his school bag, staring almost longingly at the red cross on the frosted glass window, wishing he could stroll in and get some stronger painkillers. OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine… The names of full strength analgesics danced through his head, promising relief from his almost constant agony. He longed to walk in and beg for some help with his pain.
But no sane physician would just hand out medicine like that to someone who asked without some kind of examination, and if his humanity was discovered, it was likely his pain would be permanently eliminated. Tsukune also considered the possibility that there were only monster pain killers in there, and who knew what the effect might be on a human? If he didn't find some way to deal with his injuries, and if the pain grew to be too much to bear, he was going to break into the infirmary one night and find out for himself, consequences be damned. Or perhaps there was a drug dealer at the school; Tsukune vowed to keep his ears open to listen to any gossip. If there was a pusher here, he or she might be getting a new client in a little while.
Pushing dangerous, but not unappealing thoughts aside for the moment, Tsukune walked to class, feeling relieved when no one was talking about his latest murder this time. Reminding himself to tighten his chest wrappings the first chance he got, Tsukune made his way to his seat, noticing a few respectful glances shot his way as he passed. Settling into his desk, muffling a pained groan as usual, he opened his bag and took out his books in preparation for class. Tsukune noticed the same long haired girl casting furtive glances his way and when he looked at her, their eyes met briefly.
She smiled at him, gave a quick wave, then dropped her eyes back down to her notes, a noticeable blush coloring her cheeks 'The last girl who acted like she liked me tried to kill me…' Tsukune reminded himself. It wasn't really necessary, his aching body was a constant reminder, and Guno's screams had etched themselves into his memory. Even if the girl turned out to be human herself, there was no way he'd ever drop his guard around anyone else again. Forcing himself to concentrate on the welcome distraction of Ms. Nekonome's class as his teacher walked in, Tsukune tried to force the haze of pain away.
XXX
Tsukune clenched his fists tightly, the fingernails digging into his palm, using the focused pain to force himself to ignore a wider one. The cross country club was running again, this time extending the distance to six miles, and he'd felt every excruciating foot of it. The taped ribs and the pre-emptive dose of painkillers were making things almost bearable, but every stride he took made his still hurting ribs rattle together, unneeded reminders of his latest trauma.
He could have gone to Ichiro and asked to skip this run, the club president couldn't stop praising him for never once breaking human form, but Tsukune believed that if he stopped he'd never be able to force himself to start again. Besides, the rush of blood the exercise brought would help him heal faster, and the running helped him produce endorphins to deaden the pain. That's what he kept telling himself anyway, after wave upon wave of pain washed over him, as the finish line finally came into view. As usual Tsukune was in front of the pack in the final stretch; he couldn't believe that he could outrun a group of monsters over a long distance. But even as strong as everyone else was in their human form, while moving things from the phys-ed storage room, Ichiro had casually moved a vaulting horse that had to be over 300 lbs, at anything over a brief dash they tended to struggle.
Granted, he'd only outrun their true forms once, and that had taken everything he could muster, but it gave Tsukune a small glimmer of hope, and he'd take as many of those as he could get. As he approached the welcome sight of the finish line, Tsukune caught sight of Ichiro making a last effort to pass him. Pushing down the pain, and forcing himself on, Tsukune picked up his pace more, beating Ichiro to the tape by a couple of strides, before slowing down and bending at the waist to try to catch his breath.
"Damn," Ichiro grumbled, panting to get his own wind back. "I thought I'd be able to catch you this time…"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Tsukune replied with a grim chuckle, gasping for air.
Ichiro returned the chuckle. "Nothing to be sorry for. Didn't I tell you you'd learn to like running?"
'Like' was too strong a word in Tsukune's book, but he agreed with the sentiment. "Never imagined it'd be so useful," he admitted honestly.
Ichiro gave Tsukune a friendly hit on his shoulder. "Good run, as always. See you next time…"
"Yeah," Tsukune rasped, hoping he'd be able to move his arm again later. "Seeya…" Gripping his aching shoulder in his right hand and walking back towards the dorm, Tsukune opened and closed his left hand to try to make the numbness pass. When he reached the entrance it felt almost normal again, and he absently wiped his sweat onto the sleeve of his t-shirt. The pain from his ribs had become like part of the background now, always there, but not really noticed in passing. As he reached his room he thought longingly of a hot shower, a couple more painkillers, dinner, and whatever passed for a night’s sleep for him.
"Tsukune Aono."
He idly looked over where he had heard his name and very nearly jumped out of his skin in fright. A woman with long violet hair and matching eyes was behind him in the hallway. But what Tsukune had noticed first was the black short sleeved jacket and skirt, and the yellow armband that declared her a member of the School Protection Committee. 'ENFORCER!' his mind screamed in a panic, an urge to barricade himself in his room was almost irresistible.
But he remembered how effortlessly this woman had taken care of Kurumu, and he'd be no match against her one on one. Just managing to keep the nervous hitch from his voice, Tsukune managed to force out, "Yes…?"
"I'm from the School Protection Committee," she told him unnecessarily. "There's a matter I need to discuss with you. Is this a good time?" Her tone made it clear that had been a rhetorical question.
"It's fine," Tsukune murmured. "Should I go with you?"
"Not at all," the spider woman replied with tooth rotting sweetness. "Your room will be fine, this won't take long."
"C-come on in…" Opening his door, his nervous fingers fumbling with the lock. Tsukune had to move aside when the Enforcer brazenly marched into his room. She stood in the center of the room, arms crossed and waiting impatiently as her reluctant host closed the door. Tsukune briefly flicked his eyes over to the closet; he'd purchased two aerosols of insecticide after he'd seen his guest, even though he had no idea if it would be toxic to her. Even if it turned out she could guzzle it, he'd chosen one that was also flammable, just to be safe.
But the aerosols were in his closet, out of sight and reach, just like all of his improvised weapons. When the Enforcer sat in the chair at his desk, she unknowingly cut him off from more of his supplies. Tsukune kept a hairspray and lighter under his pillow, but he didn't think he could reach it in time. And on another level, while the Enforcer was frightening, she was also the closest thing that Youkai Academy seemed to have to an organized authority, and taking action against her might be the local equivalent of killing a cop. Sweating from more than exertion now, Tsukune sat on the bed, keeping a wary eye on his uninvited guest.
"You may be able to guess why I'm here…" Keito began, leaning back in Tsukune's chair, casually letting him know who was in charge.
Mentally playing back images of the two murders he'd committed, Tsukune nodded solemnly. They had been trying to kill him, so maybe he'd be able to plead a case of self-defence.
"Why were you talking with Ginei Morioka?"
Tsukune blinked. "I'm sorry, who…?"
"Ginei Morioka," the Enforcer repeated brusquely, taking a more disciplined position as she moved forward.
This was certainly an odd way to interrogate someone. "Listen, um, I never got your name…"
"Keito."
"Keito, I don't even know a Ginei Morioka…"
The spider woman's eyes narrowed. "You were seen talking with him at breakfast."
"Oh, you mean Gin? That's what he called himself."
"So, you did talk with him?" Keito asked, radiating suspicion.
Tsukune wouldn't have called it much of a talk, but the Student Protection Committee apparently felt otherwise. And from Keito's behaviour, it seemed less to him that she was interested in what happened, but more if he would confirm what she already knew. "He asked me about my running a little," Tsukune admitted.
"Anything else?"
Shrugging, Tsukune decided to be completely honest. "He also asked if I wanted to join the newspaper club."
"Really…" Keito had a tranquil calm about her that made the hairs on the back of Tsukune's neck stand up.
"I-I turned him down," Tsukune added hastily, not liking the vibe he was getting. "I just want to keep running, that's all."
Keito smiled thinly, causing Tsukune's eyes to momentarily flick over to the pillow his makeshift torch was under. "That was very sensible of you." She nodded to herself, as if mentally checking something off, then stood up. "Thank you for your honesty and good judgement, we're done here."
"T-that's all?" Tsukune blurted out before he could stop himself.
Keito gave him an uncomprehending look. "What else would there be?"
'How about the fact I killed two students!' Tsukune wanted to scream at the indifferent Enforcer, but his survival instincts suppressed that urge. His guilt over what he'd done wanted him to answer for it, but his self-preservation motivations were stronger. "Never mind, it's nothing," he murmured after a long silence.
Walking towards the door, Keito paused as she reached for the doorknob. "Actually, there is one other thing…" she added as she turned around, opening the front panel of her jacket. Tsukune was scrambling up on his bed, lunging for the aerosol and lighter, but the Enforcer simply pulled out a folder, not allowing her spider legs to spring free. "Is something wrong?"
Tsukune was sprawled on top of his bed, feeling rather foolish at the moment. "S-sorry, leg cramp…" he croaked out.
Keito opened the slim file. "There are a few gaps in your student records," she explained coolly. "Your name, age, grades, that's all there, but it's missing a few other things."
"L-like what…?"
"Family information, home address, and a few choice details about you," Keito remarked, flipping lazily through the documents.
Tsukune chucked nervously. "Didn't know that, my-my mom filled out the forms, not me."
"It's not a major concern," Keito continued. "But we in the Student Protection Committee don't like omissions on official records. There's a note from the headmaster saying it's all taken care of, but I'd be happier with some confirmation."
"What kind?"
"Do you have a friend attending here who could vouch for you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Tsukune shook his head. "I-I don't know anyone here."
Keito clicked her tongue. "Maybe a girlfriend here, or back home? Someone who could tell us about you?"
"I'm single," Tsukune squeaked. "N-no girlfriend."
"How… lonely," Keito mused. Shrugging, she tucked the folder back under her jacket. "Thank you for your time, and cooperation."
"No problem…"
"Oh, yes. Kuyo, the head of the School Protection Committee, commends you on your dedication to following the rules."
"I-I try," Tsukune croaked, wishing he could wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Keep up the good work." Keito sauntered out of his room, leaving the door open behind her.
For a few seconds Tsukune stayed stock still, amazed at still being alive. Then he lurched over to his door, his legs nearly buckling even from the short trip, slamming bodily against it, closing and locking it. Managing to erect his barricade, the shaking human collapsed to the floor in fear and relief. Tsukune hadn't been this frightened in all his time at Youkai Academy, and he couldn't believe he'd escaped intact.
He wanted to laugh in giddy relief at having avoided punishment yet again, but he felt guilt over being relieved and grateful that nothing had happened. Tsukune suspected that deep down he wanted to face the consequences of his actions, even if they were fatal, and twice getting away with murder troubled him. After letting himself indulge in a few minutes of trembling and fear, Tsukune forced himself to get to his feet and get cleaned up. But the memory of how vulnerable he had felt a few minutes earlier made him move some of his aerosols so that he'd always have at least one in reach at all times from now on.
After a shower to sluice away the sweat and fear, Tsukune wrapped his aching ribs back up, noticing that they weren't quite as bad as they had been the night before, and hoping that he'd be able to avoid any more trouble for a few weeks, giving them a chance to heal up some. Purposely taking one less pill than he wanted, and getting dressed for dinner, Tsukune went to eat, before coming back and reviewing his homework. Afterwards he studied the monster encyclopedias again, and trying not to think about what would happen if Keito decided to look into his past. Tsukune paid special attention to the spider woman entry as he slowly drew his knife over the whetstone.
XXX
The end of the week arrived without further incident, and Tsukune allowed himself to feel a small measure of relief. Not only had he not been forced to defend himself, the request forms for the bid to apply for permission to transfer had finally been given to him. His joy had been tempered when he'd discovered that the documents had to have been responsible for an entire forest being cut down; he'd never seen such a long form in his life, and only his desire to get away kept him from feeling despair. After what felt like an entire night he'd filled them in and given them to the secretary, who'd told him the application might take even longer. But knowing that he'd started on the way out had been enough to boost his spirits, and he'd promised himself a day or two off in celebration.
Granted, it wasn't as if his weekends were busy, but Tsukune usually spent the time reviewing textbooks and other reference books, running, and trying to keep out of trouble. But this weekend there was a staff meeting, which meant no Saturday class, so he'd spend all of it resting up, letting his body heal, and getting his strength back. As he chewed his food slowly, his eyes fell upon the young looking girl he'd seen around the school occasionally. At first he'd thought she'd just chosen a juvenile looking witch disguise, before learning that she was actually a witch, and apparently the school prodigy, taking classes far over her age level.
But Yukari Sendo, he'd learned her name from overhearing chatter, looked awful. He left arm was in a cast, and she had a vicious looking bruise covering half her face. She was supposedly some kind of trickster, but she'd obviously pissed someone off who didn't have much of a sense of humor. Tsukune felt awful about what had happened, but he was too busy keeping his own self intact to be worrying about saving someone else too. 'I hope whoever did that got it out of their system,' he mused, silently wishing the girl good luck. He returned his attentions to his textbooks, planning to not look at them for the rest of the weekend. Taking a sip of water, Tsukune reminded himself he was supposed to call his parents that evening, then spend the rest of the time recuperating from his latest batch of injuries.
"Hello Tsukune."
Tsukune nearly choked on his water when Keito appeared in front of him; her perpetual sleepy looking eyes made her look almost peaceful, but he'd remembered what was underneath that. Gasping to catch his breath, feeling himself getting tense as he eyed the satchel within easy reach, he managed to croak out, "Y-yes…?"
Keito sat down across from him, without bothering to ask permission, and gave Tsukune a cool look. "Relax, I'm just here to clear up a few loose ends."
"What do you want?" Tsukune asked guardedly. At least she wasn't wearing her Enforcer's uniform this time; in the normal school uniform she looked a lot like the average student she was masquerading as.
"We still haven't cleared up those discrepancies in your file, but the headmaster has assured us that's no reason for concern," Keito explained briskly. "I just have a few questions about you. First, you don't have any tests next week you need to study for, correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"You usually run Saturday afternoon, and spend the evening alone, right?"
"Yeah. What's this-"
"You also said you don't have a girlfriend here or at home?" Keito continued before he could answer.
Tsukune had no completely lost sight of where this could be going. "What are you-"
"You were staring at Kurumu's chest, even when she tried killing you, so you're not gay."
Knowing his was blushing, and hating himself for it, Tsukune finally managed to get a complete sentence in. "Just what are you DOING…?"
"I'm simply showing why there's no reason for you and I not to go out tomorrow." Keito used the same tone of voice she'd have used if asking for the time.
For a few seconds Tsukune's mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. Even learning the truth about Youkai Academy hadn't short circuited his thinking this much. When he finally got past the shock and surprise Tsukune managed to force out, "You're kidding…"
"I never kid."
"I can't," Tsukune replied.
"I already pointed out why there's no reason why you can't, remember?"
"Suppose I don't want to?"
Keito cocked her head a little. "Why wouldn't you want to go on a date?" she asked sincerely.
'You're a full-on, homicidal, double-nut fruitcake spider woman, with mandibles the size of butcher knives,' he thought to himself. "I-I'm probably not your type…"
"You follow school rules without exception, your grades are improving, and you excel in your club activities," Keito explained. "That's suitable."
"I'm just suitable?" Despite the situation, Tsukune actually felt a little insulted.
"We work with what we have," Keito replied dismissively. She handed Tsukune a small note. "That's my room number. You'll pick me up tomorrow at six o'clock."
Tsukune wanted to crumple the paper and throw it back at her, but remembering Keito's position at Youkai Academy killed that impulse. "I don't think so," he muttered.
Keito gave him a blank look that still managed to send tremors up Tsukune's spine. "You will." She then stood up and walked away, leaving a shaken human behind her.
Tsukune stayed motionless for a few moments, trying to comprehend just what had happened. He shook his head in disbelief, attempting to come to terms with the notion that a member of the Student Protective Committee, who starred in more than a few of his nightmares, had effectively press-ganged him into going out with her. 'What the hell…?' If she had the slightest inkling of what he really was, she'd kill him without thinking about it, and yet she'd all but menaced him into a date. It briefly passed through his mind that maybe she did know, and she just found it more amusing to trap him. Glancing over at another table Tsukune saw a few students giving him sympathetic looks, but a few that obviously were, 'better you than me.'
Picking up his tray, his appetite having suddenly run for the hills, Tsukune walked to his room, trying to keep from scowling as he made his way through the hallways. Relatively safe in his room, Tsukune lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering why the universe had decided that he was going to be the punch line in a cosmic joke. When he considered the mood he was in, calling his parents that night would be a mistake, so he decided to put it off for a few days. "Assuming I even survive," he muttered out loud.
The part of Tsukune's mind that worked to keep him alive began to consider what the best thing to do in this case was. While he'd read up on spider women, there wasn't much that he could use in a battle aside from what he already tried. Tossing a bug-bomb into her room while she slept was a possible tactic, but he had no idea if it would even work, and more to the point, she hadn't made any threatening moves yet. A pre-emptive strike on a member of the Student Protection Committee might bring the rest of them on top of him.
As he pondered what he could do, another strategy occurred to Tsukune. Keito had even told him that he wasn't much of a catch, so why not become even less of one? If he went out of his way to be uninteresting, then she'd probably drop him and try to pick up a monster she'd enjoy spending time with. Of course, if he went too far and angered her, Keito might attack him, but at least then he'd have reason to defend himself, and if she was close enough maybe he'd be able to incinerate her.
Deciding on that course of action, yet feeling disturbed that he was actually planning the best way to kill someone, Tsukune got ready for bed. After washing up and brushing his teeth, rewrapping his ribs and swallowing his nightly dose of painkillers to help his sleep, Tsukune crawled into bed, the lights in his room still on, as usual. When sleep did come, his dreams were again filled with images of him tangled in a web, while a monstrous spider crawled ever closer.
XXX
Late that Saturday afternoon Tsukune laid on his bed, flipping through his latest acquisition, a book on meditation techniques he'd liberated from the school library after lunch. He found it fascinating, the possibility that he'd be able to manage the pain he dealt with on a daily basis, without going through pills like they were peppermints. Considering how little they seemed to work for him now, they might as well have been peppermints. Keeping his ribs wrapped up helped more, and he was hopeful that he'd be able to take the bandages off in about two weeks.
He glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes before six. If he jumped up and hurried, Tsukune could make it to Keito's room with about a minute or two to spare for their 'date.' Licking his index finger, Tsukune turned the page and continued to read, trying to absorb as much knowledge from the book as he could. When he looked at the clock again it was twenty after six. But the book was getting to a really key point about managing pain, so he kept reading. The chapter was so engrossing to him that by the time he glanced up to check the time, it was five to seven.
With reluctance, Tsukune folded over the corner of the page he was on and slipped the book into his night table, slowly getting up and stretching, hissing when his ribs protested the movement. Glancing at his reflection, he debated whether or not to comb his hair before deciding to just leave it as it was. Slipping his recently sharpened knife, a lighter, and a small spray can into his jacket, Tsukune moved his desk aside and left his room, slowly moving through the hallway, pausing to read some of the new notices on the bulletin board. There was nothing that concerned him so he exited the dormitory and strolled over to Keito's building, taking his time and enjoying what passed for a nice day at Youkai Academy. When he finally reached her room, the clock on the wall said it was ten after seven, and he knocked on the door, taking a step back, just in case she came out angry.
"Is that you Tsukune?" Keito's voice called out from behind the door.
"Yeah." He was a little surprised she'd even responded. Being late for a date was supposed to be a deal breaker.
"Come in, it's unlocked."
Taking a deep breath, and readying himself if she decided to exact some revenge in private, Tsukune carefully walked in. He hadn't known what to expect, a darkened room with corpses wrapped in webbing had come to mind, but Keito's room was as ordinary as his own.
"Perfect timing Tsukune," Keito's voice came out from a partially closed bathroom.
"Excuse me…?" Tsukune knew he was well over an hour late. The only reason he'd come at all was to keep her from trying to track him down.
"It took me longer to get ready than I thought," she explained. "Just five more minutes."
"…okay…" Tsukune rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Figures it wouldn't be that easy.' So much for his hope of the date crashing and burning out of the gate. Fortunately, he'd had other plans as well…
Keito walked out of the bathroom about five minutes later, wearing her normal school uniform, and looking pretty much the same way she'd looked the day before. "I sometimes take too long getting ready," she admitted.
"You look okay," Tsukune remarked off-handedly. If being late wasn't enough to cool her ardour, perhaps indifference would work.
Keito actually smiled thinly, surprising the human. "Thank you," she replied with more sincerity than she'd ever shown before.
Tsukune gave her a curious look. "What for?"
"Too many guys go overboard, saying I'm a vision of loveliness, a goddess, or other crap like that," she told him. "I'm impressed with your honesty."
"You don't say…"
"I appreciate honesty," she replied sardonically. "Without truth, there's no order. I value integrity."
Tsukune wanted to beat his head against a wall. Honesty? He'd been living a lie since he'd arrived, he'd had no choice in the matter. It dawned on him that if he was completely truthful with Keito about himself, he'd be a dead man. The date hadn't gotten off to a very good start in Tsukune's view; his attempts to drive Keito away in disgust had actually worked out for the better. He gestured for her to follow him with an abrupt jerk of his head, and was dismayed when she fell into step beside him after he unceremoniously walked out of the room. Tsukune made a point of all but ignoring her, not holding doors open, or making small talk, and he even let his eyes obviously follow attractive women when they passed them.
But Keito walked beside him without even once reacting to his many obvious transgressions. She was either oblivious as a blind man, or she simply didn't give a damn, and Tsukune was quite certain she wasn't oblivious. Still, there was one last card left to play, and he was pretty sure that it would be the deal breaker he'd hoped.
Almost as if reading his thoughts, Keito spoke up for the first time since they'd left her room. "So Tsukune, what have you planned?"
Tsukune smiled grimly, first making sure that Keito couldn't see his face. "I figured we'd catch a few movies."
"What movies?"
Congratulating himself for reading and remembering the small notice on the bulletin board earlier this week, Tsukune told her. "The film studies club is having a special showing, a pair of German existentialist films, in the original language, with subtitles." One of Tsukune's older classmates had once sneaked a DVD with a German title out of his father's collection, mistaking it for foreign porn. He called it the worst thing he'd ever seen, with a plot that made no sense, and actors doing stupid things. He'd only finished it due to some kind of horrified fascination, like slowing down to look at a train wreck.
Everyone had had a good laugh at the poor guy's expense, but Tsukune was counting on the films having the same effect on Keito. "I hate when they dub them, they never get the meanings of the original language." He paused when he realised that Keito had stopped walking and he head was bowed, much like Guno had been before he'd been attacked. "Keito…?"
"Tsukune…"
"Yes…?" Tsukune clenched and released his fists nervously, idly recalling that there was a staircase only a stride or two away.
"Do you mean to tell me…" Keito murmured softly. "That your idea of a date, is to take me to a pair of German existentialist films…?"
"Um, yeah…" Now he was getting even more concerned. He'd planned the entire date to be unpleasant, but maybe he'd gone too far.
"The truth?"
Tsukune swallowed nervously and made a noise that sounded vaguely affirmative. If he had to, maybe he could pass it off as a joke to keep the Enforcer from getting violent. Keito then suddenly lifted her head, and Tsukune took an involuntary step back.
Not in fear, surprise.
Keito, who even when she was smiling still conveyed an air of menace, had an excited smile on her face like a child on Christmas morning that had found a pony under the tree. "I just LOVE German existentialist films!" she practically squealed, her hands clasped together in front of her. "How did you KNOW…?"
"L-lucky guess," Tsukune croaked.
"I've been wanting to go see these film for days," she declared. "I'd figured I'd have to go see them alone, even though that's just pathetic."
Tsukune winced, feeling a piece of his soul wither. He'd seen more than a few movies all alone, and now even a spider woman was unknowingly calling him out on it. "Pathetic…" he agreed with a pained grin.
"What time do they start?"
"Seven thirty," Tsukune replied weakly.
"We have to hurry," Keito told him as she grabbed his right hand. It felt like it had been caught in a vice. Tsukune was barely able to contain his scream when his date broke into a dead run, very nearly dislocating his shoulder. Somehow managing to keep himself on his feet, Tsukune struggled to keep up, running faster than he usually did in cross country club.
Tsukune's only consolation was that Keito didn't use her monster form to run along the walls or ceiling.
After a mad dash that had Tsukune struggling to maintain his composure and suppress the pain his ribs had taken from the jolt, the pair arrived at the film club room. The student acting as an usher seemed surprised to see them, but gestured for them to walk in, telling them to sit where they liked. There was a large TV and DVD player set up in front of the room, with several rows of chairs arranged in front. Tsukune was struck by the fact that despite the time being one minute to show time, all the chairs but one were empty.
"Where would you like to sit?" Keito asked.
"You decide," Tsukune gasped, still not quite done catching his breath.
Keito took a seat in the center, and Tsukune reluctantly sat next to her. When the lights went down he stifled a frustrated sigh; nothing he'd planned had worked, and now he had to spend several hours in the dark with someone who regularly haunted his nightmares. As the opening credits appeared, he realized he'd also have no choice but to endure the movies as well.
He honestly couldn't decide which was worse.
XXX
"The camera work was amazing!" Keito raved as the two of them made their way back to her room. "The use of black and white to show depression, and the circus with the crying clown showing misery, it was a masterpiece! And when the triplets wearing party hats each had miscarriages…"
Tsukune just nodded occasionally, having no idea what either film was about. Even with subtitles, it might as well have been in ancient Greek. The first film had been a long stream of one confusing image after another, vague notions going right over his head and making it hard for him to stay awake. These had been punctuated by brief periods of sheer terror when Keito occasionally grabbed his arm in what she probably thought was affectionate, but to Tsukune felt like his arm was being crushed. Discretely biting his thumb of his free hand to keep from screaming, he couldn't even ask her to loosen up. As far as he knew, Keito might have had a girly grip by monster standards, even though she cut off the circulation in his arm, Tsukune having to work his fist after she let go to get rid of the pins and needles.
The movie had been long, excruciating, and just when he began to think that they were still filming and beaming more footage into the TV, the ending credits finally rolled. Tsukune felt a tear of utter joy roll down his cheek, looking at his watch and being astonished that less than ninety minutes had passed.
And then the second feature had started…
Less than two hours later Tsukune and his date were walking into Keito's dorm, one of them glad to still be alive, the other still gushing over the films. From her excited state, Tsukune had a sudden, nightmarish though that she might be gushing in some other way, but he'd experienced enough mental traumas already, so he shook off that thought.
"-you think was the best part?" Keito's question interrupted his train of thought.
"I-I'm sorry…?"
"What part did you think was the best?" she repeated.
"I… really couldn't pick a favourite," Tsukune admitted, making Keito nod knowingly. "Isn't this your room?" he asked, wanting to change the subject and put the entire night behind him.
"It is," she acknowledged. "You better get back before curfew."
"Yeah, don't wanna break any rules," Tsukune agreed, hoping to get away cleanly, and not giving any unintended hints he wanted to take things further. He almost sighed in relief when she opened her door and went in, giving him no sign of an invitation to follow.
"I had a wonderful time Tsukune," she told him as she closed her door. "Next Saturday, I'll pick you up at six."
"Goodnig- Hey! Wait!" Tsukune found himself talking to her door as she closed it and locked with a click. For a few seconds he couldn't even think clearly, before he turned around and nearly snarled in frustration as he began his trip home. He was silently fuming as he walked across the campus towards his own dorm, furious at the way things had worked out, and annoyed at himself for not showing a little more spine. But he tempered that with the realization that there wasn't much he could do about it, without actually getting violent, and he didn't want to make an enemy of the Enforcers.
Back in his room, door locked and barricaded, Tsukune stripped of his shirt, scowling when he saw the bruises on his upper left arm. He took some solace that at least they hadn't been put there out of malice –he hoped- but it was another minor injury that would further tax his ability to recover. Tsukune had been trying to think of another way to escape the spider woman's attention; being a borderline jerk hadn't seemed to work, and she'd unexpectedly loved what he'd hoped would drive her away. As unpleasant as it seemed, staying with her until she found someone else to amuse her was probably the best bet.
His only other hope was that she'd tire of him before she decided to get physical, a prospect that had Tsukune shuddering.
Resigning himself to seeing more of Keito than he was comfortable with –if he never saw her again, it would still be too soon- Tsukune got ready for bed. During the night the nightmares returned as normal, the Enforcer woman once again taking a starring role.
End of Chapter 4
Author's Notes:
None, except this was pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. As usual, all mistakes are mine, not theirs…
Rosario + Vampire:
He Who Fights Monsters…
Chapter Four: Come Into My Parlor
Written by: Hawker_748
Tsukune sipped his coffee slowly, using the hot beverage to wake himself up after yet another night of insufficient sleep. This time, he knew people were talking about him, and they weren't hesitant to occasionally point and stare either. It could have been a lot worse; no other suitors had come out of the woodwork, and it appeared that the official penalty for killing two students was the same as just one. 'At least they're consistent,' Tsukune thought grimly.
If he'd had to guess how others viewed him, Tsukune would say he was most probably respected, or more likely seen as a person to be wary of. He supposed that was better than being seen as a victim, or an easy target, but the way he'd earned that rep was horrific. In the human world neither of the deaths would have been considered without cause; both victims had been assaulting him and threatened to kill him. Legally he was allowed to defend himself, and using deadly force would probably be seen as acceptable.
But even if he'd been pardoned completely, Tsukune still bore the guilt of what he'd done. In time, he figured he might be able to come to terms with what he'd done to Kenichi, but the cold hearted way he'd dispatched Guno would always weigh heavy on his conscience. When he could have been an example of human compassion, he'd flushed her down the drain, just to keep people from thinking he was soft. Just a few weeks at Youkai Academy had led him to do unspeakable things; what would he be like after a semester? After graduation?
"Hey."
Tsukune broke out of his pondering when he noticed someone across the table from him. "Yes?" he replied, his shoulders tightening up in case this was another student angry about a friend or loved one.
"You're Tsukune Aono, right?"
"Yeah…" There was no point trying to deny it, and pretending to be someone else might further enrage the young man in front of him. Tsukune subtly repositioned himself so he could grab at the knife he now kept in his jacket, ready to lurch out of his chair to bolt if necessary.
"I'm with the school newspaper, my name's Gin," the student explained with a disarming smile. "Mind if I join you?"
Still on alert, but allowing himself to calm down a little, Tsukune nodded slowly. "Be my guest."
"Thanks," Gin replied as he eased down across from the cautious human. "You're in the cross country club, right?"
"That's right," Tsukune acknowledged, wondering what this was about.
"Heard from Ichiro you're pretty good, even in human form."
"I just do my best," he replied humbly. "Ichiro makes too much of it."
"He figured you'd say that," Gin remarked wryly. "But I digress. I've got a proposition for you, have you ever heard of the school newspaper?"
"Yes… Isn't Ms. Nekonome the advisor, or something?"
"Oh yeah, she's your home room teacher." When Tsukune simply nodded, Gin continued. "How would you like to join the newspaper club?"
"Why me?"
"From what I've heard about you, I think you'd bring a unique perspective…"
Tsukune thought back to the hostility between Ms. Nekonome and that Enforcer that had rescued him from Kurumu. The possibility of getting caught up in that wasn't that appealing, even if he'd been able to defend himself, and he didn't feel like putting his teacher at risk possibly covering for him. "I… I appreciate the offer, really, but I'd rather just stick to running."
"We really could use someone like you," Gin pressed.
"Thanks, but I'll pass. Sorry."
Gin shrugged. "If you ever change your mind, just tell Ms. Nekonome." The young man stood up and left Tsukune to his breakfast.
The human felt his shoulders slump in relief, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. At least not every student here was planning to kill him when his guard was down. Tsukune pursed his lips as his stomach churned a little; even after he'd eaten, the stress of constantly watching for threats was playing hell with his digestion, and he figured he'd produced enough stomach acid since he'd arrived to dissolve Tokyo Tower. 'Ulcers, lack of sleep, injuries, stress… Even if no one tries to kill me, I don't know how I'm going to survive…'
Finishing his meal and setting the tray in the collection rack, Tsukune made his way towards school, trying to both walk normally and protect his re-cracked ribs from hurting too much. He'd finished off his first bottle of painkillers that morning and opened a new one, wondering how long this one would last. Even with four of the white pills in his system, every step, every breath sent a grinding ache through him that threatened to break through the compartmentalization he'd tried to build up to protect himself. Tsukune longed to be able to take a few days off and hole up in his room, give his tortured body even a short time to regain its strength, but if he did that the day after a fight, others might (correctly) think that he was approaching his limits.
Making a mental note to steal a book on meditation, hoping that it had something to help with pain management, Tsukune reached the school. But instead of heading directly to his class, he took a minor detour, pausing near a door in the main hallway labelled simply: Infirmary. Tsukune felt his grip tighten on his school bag, staring almost longingly at the red cross on the frosted glass window, wishing he could stroll in and get some stronger painkillers. OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine… The names of full strength analgesics danced through his head, promising relief from his almost constant agony. He longed to walk in and beg for some help with his pain.
But no sane physician would just hand out medicine like that to someone who asked without some kind of examination, and if his humanity was discovered, it was likely his pain would be permanently eliminated. Tsukune also considered the possibility that there were only monster pain killers in there, and who knew what the effect might be on a human? If he didn't find some way to deal with his injuries, and if the pain grew to be too much to bear, he was going to break into the infirmary one night and find out for himself, consequences be damned. Or perhaps there was a drug dealer at the school; Tsukune vowed to keep his ears open to listen to any gossip. If there was a pusher here, he or she might be getting a new client in a little while.
Pushing dangerous, but not unappealing thoughts aside for the moment, Tsukune walked to class, feeling relieved when no one was talking about his latest murder this time. Reminding himself to tighten his chest wrappings the first chance he got, Tsukune made his way to his seat, noticing a few respectful glances shot his way as he passed. Settling into his desk, muffling a pained groan as usual, he opened his bag and took out his books in preparation for class. Tsukune noticed the same long haired girl casting furtive glances his way and when he looked at her, their eyes met briefly.
She smiled at him, gave a quick wave, then dropped her eyes back down to her notes, a noticeable blush coloring her cheeks 'The last girl who acted like she liked me tried to kill me…' Tsukune reminded himself. It wasn't really necessary, his aching body was a constant reminder, and Guno's screams had etched themselves into his memory. Even if the girl turned out to be human herself, there was no way he'd ever drop his guard around anyone else again. Forcing himself to concentrate on the welcome distraction of Ms. Nekonome's class as his teacher walked in, Tsukune tried to force the haze of pain away.
XXX
Tsukune clenched his fists tightly, the fingernails digging into his palm, using the focused pain to force himself to ignore a wider one. The cross country club was running again, this time extending the distance to six miles, and he'd felt every excruciating foot of it. The taped ribs and the pre-emptive dose of painkillers were making things almost bearable, but every stride he took made his still hurting ribs rattle together, unneeded reminders of his latest trauma.
He could have gone to Ichiro and asked to skip this run, the club president couldn't stop praising him for never once breaking human form, but Tsukune believed that if he stopped he'd never be able to force himself to start again. Besides, the rush of blood the exercise brought would help him heal faster, and the running helped him produce endorphins to deaden the pain. That's what he kept telling himself anyway, after wave upon wave of pain washed over him, as the finish line finally came into view. As usual Tsukune was in front of the pack in the final stretch; he couldn't believe that he could outrun a group of monsters over a long distance. But even as strong as everyone else was in their human form, while moving things from the phys-ed storage room, Ichiro had casually moved a vaulting horse that had to be over 300 lbs, at anything over a brief dash they tended to struggle.
Granted, he'd only outrun their true forms once, and that had taken everything he could muster, but it gave Tsukune a small glimmer of hope, and he'd take as many of those as he could get. As he approached the welcome sight of the finish line, Tsukune caught sight of Ichiro making a last effort to pass him. Pushing down the pain, and forcing himself on, Tsukune picked up his pace more, beating Ichiro to the tape by a couple of strides, before slowing down and bending at the waist to try to catch his breath.
"Damn," Ichiro grumbled, panting to get his own wind back. "I thought I'd be able to catch you this time…"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Tsukune replied with a grim chuckle, gasping for air.
Ichiro returned the chuckle. "Nothing to be sorry for. Didn't I tell you you'd learn to like running?"
'Like' was too strong a word in Tsukune's book, but he agreed with the sentiment. "Never imagined it'd be so useful," he admitted honestly.
Ichiro gave Tsukune a friendly hit on his shoulder. "Good run, as always. See you next time…"
"Yeah," Tsukune rasped, hoping he'd be able to move his arm again later. "Seeya…" Gripping his aching shoulder in his right hand and walking back towards the dorm, Tsukune opened and closed his left hand to try to make the numbness pass. When he reached the entrance it felt almost normal again, and he absently wiped his sweat onto the sleeve of his t-shirt. The pain from his ribs had become like part of the background now, always there, but not really noticed in passing. As he reached his room he thought longingly of a hot shower, a couple more painkillers, dinner, and whatever passed for a night’s sleep for him.
"Tsukune Aono."
He idly looked over where he had heard his name and very nearly jumped out of his skin in fright. A woman with long violet hair and matching eyes was behind him in the hallway. But what Tsukune had noticed first was the black short sleeved jacket and skirt, and the yellow armband that declared her a member of the School Protection Committee. 'ENFORCER!' his mind screamed in a panic, an urge to barricade himself in his room was almost irresistible.
But he remembered how effortlessly this woman had taken care of Kurumu, and he'd be no match against her one on one. Just managing to keep the nervous hitch from his voice, Tsukune managed to force out, "Yes…?"
"I'm from the School Protection Committee," she told him unnecessarily. "There's a matter I need to discuss with you. Is this a good time?" Her tone made it clear that had been a rhetorical question.
"It's fine," Tsukune murmured. "Should I go with you?"
"Not at all," the spider woman replied with tooth rotting sweetness. "Your room will be fine, this won't take long."
"C-come on in…" Opening his door, his nervous fingers fumbling with the lock. Tsukune had to move aside when the Enforcer brazenly marched into his room. She stood in the center of the room, arms crossed and waiting impatiently as her reluctant host closed the door. Tsukune briefly flicked his eyes over to the closet; he'd purchased two aerosols of insecticide after he'd seen his guest, even though he had no idea if it would be toxic to her. Even if it turned out she could guzzle it, he'd chosen one that was also flammable, just to be safe.
But the aerosols were in his closet, out of sight and reach, just like all of his improvised weapons. When the Enforcer sat in the chair at his desk, she unknowingly cut him off from more of his supplies. Tsukune kept a hairspray and lighter under his pillow, but he didn't think he could reach it in time. And on another level, while the Enforcer was frightening, she was also the closest thing that Youkai Academy seemed to have to an organized authority, and taking action against her might be the local equivalent of killing a cop. Sweating from more than exertion now, Tsukune sat on the bed, keeping a wary eye on his uninvited guest.
"You may be able to guess why I'm here…" Keito began, leaning back in Tsukune's chair, casually letting him know who was in charge.
Mentally playing back images of the two murders he'd committed, Tsukune nodded solemnly. They had been trying to kill him, so maybe he'd be able to plead a case of self-defence.
"Why were you talking with Ginei Morioka?"
Tsukune blinked. "I'm sorry, who…?"
"Ginei Morioka," the Enforcer repeated brusquely, taking a more disciplined position as she moved forward.
This was certainly an odd way to interrogate someone. "Listen, um, I never got your name…"
"Keito."
"Keito, I don't even know a Ginei Morioka…"
The spider woman's eyes narrowed. "You were seen talking with him at breakfast."
"Oh, you mean Gin? That's what he called himself."
"So, you did talk with him?" Keito asked, radiating suspicion.
Tsukune wouldn't have called it much of a talk, but the Student Protection Committee apparently felt otherwise. And from Keito's behaviour, it seemed less to him that she was interested in what happened, but more if he would confirm what she already knew. "He asked me about my running a little," Tsukune admitted.
"Anything else?"
Shrugging, Tsukune decided to be completely honest. "He also asked if I wanted to join the newspaper club."
"Really…" Keito had a tranquil calm about her that made the hairs on the back of Tsukune's neck stand up.
"I-I turned him down," Tsukune added hastily, not liking the vibe he was getting. "I just want to keep running, that's all."
Keito smiled thinly, causing Tsukune's eyes to momentarily flick over to the pillow his makeshift torch was under. "That was very sensible of you." She nodded to herself, as if mentally checking something off, then stood up. "Thank you for your honesty and good judgement, we're done here."
"T-that's all?" Tsukune blurted out before he could stop himself.
Keito gave him an uncomprehending look. "What else would there be?"
'How about the fact I killed two students!' Tsukune wanted to scream at the indifferent Enforcer, but his survival instincts suppressed that urge. His guilt over what he'd done wanted him to answer for it, but his self-preservation motivations were stronger. "Never mind, it's nothing," he murmured after a long silence.
Walking towards the door, Keito paused as she reached for the doorknob. "Actually, there is one other thing…" she added as she turned around, opening the front panel of her jacket. Tsukune was scrambling up on his bed, lunging for the aerosol and lighter, but the Enforcer simply pulled out a folder, not allowing her spider legs to spring free. "Is something wrong?"
Tsukune was sprawled on top of his bed, feeling rather foolish at the moment. "S-sorry, leg cramp…" he croaked out.
Keito opened the slim file. "There are a few gaps in your student records," she explained coolly. "Your name, age, grades, that's all there, but it's missing a few other things."
"L-like what…?"
"Family information, home address, and a few choice details about you," Keito remarked, flipping lazily through the documents.
Tsukune chucked nervously. "Didn't know that, my-my mom filled out the forms, not me."
"It's not a major concern," Keito continued. "But we in the Student Protection Committee don't like omissions on official records. There's a note from the headmaster saying it's all taken care of, but I'd be happier with some confirmation."
"What kind?"
"Do you have a friend attending here who could vouch for you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Tsukune shook his head. "I-I don't know anyone here."
Keito clicked her tongue. "Maybe a girlfriend here, or back home? Someone who could tell us about you?"
"I'm single," Tsukune squeaked. "N-no girlfriend."
"How… lonely," Keito mused. Shrugging, she tucked the folder back under her jacket. "Thank you for your time, and cooperation."
"No problem…"
"Oh, yes. Kuyo, the head of the School Protection Committee, commends you on your dedication to following the rules."
"I-I try," Tsukune croaked, wishing he could wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Keep up the good work." Keito sauntered out of his room, leaving the door open behind her.
For a few seconds Tsukune stayed stock still, amazed at still being alive. Then he lurched over to his door, his legs nearly buckling even from the short trip, slamming bodily against it, closing and locking it. Managing to erect his barricade, the shaking human collapsed to the floor in fear and relief. Tsukune hadn't been this frightened in all his time at Youkai Academy, and he couldn't believe he'd escaped intact.
He wanted to laugh in giddy relief at having avoided punishment yet again, but he felt guilt over being relieved and grateful that nothing had happened. Tsukune suspected that deep down he wanted to face the consequences of his actions, even if they were fatal, and twice getting away with murder troubled him. After letting himself indulge in a few minutes of trembling and fear, Tsukune forced himself to get to his feet and get cleaned up. But the memory of how vulnerable he had felt a few minutes earlier made him move some of his aerosols so that he'd always have at least one in reach at all times from now on.
After a shower to sluice away the sweat and fear, Tsukune wrapped his aching ribs back up, noticing that they weren't quite as bad as they had been the night before, and hoping that he'd be able to avoid any more trouble for a few weeks, giving them a chance to heal up some. Purposely taking one less pill than he wanted, and getting dressed for dinner, Tsukune went to eat, before coming back and reviewing his homework. Afterwards he studied the monster encyclopedias again, and trying not to think about what would happen if Keito decided to look into his past. Tsukune paid special attention to the spider woman entry as he slowly drew his knife over the whetstone.
XXX
The end of the week arrived without further incident, and Tsukune allowed himself to feel a small measure of relief. Not only had he not been forced to defend himself, the request forms for the bid to apply for permission to transfer had finally been given to him. His joy had been tempered when he'd discovered that the documents had to have been responsible for an entire forest being cut down; he'd never seen such a long form in his life, and only his desire to get away kept him from feeling despair. After what felt like an entire night he'd filled them in and given them to the secretary, who'd told him the application might take even longer. But knowing that he'd started on the way out had been enough to boost his spirits, and he'd promised himself a day or two off in celebration.
Granted, it wasn't as if his weekends were busy, but Tsukune usually spent the time reviewing textbooks and other reference books, running, and trying to keep out of trouble. But this weekend there was a staff meeting, which meant no Saturday class, so he'd spend all of it resting up, letting his body heal, and getting his strength back. As he chewed his food slowly, his eyes fell upon the young looking girl he'd seen around the school occasionally. At first he'd thought she'd just chosen a juvenile looking witch disguise, before learning that she was actually a witch, and apparently the school prodigy, taking classes far over her age level.
But Yukari Sendo, he'd learned her name from overhearing chatter, looked awful. He left arm was in a cast, and she had a vicious looking bruise covering half her face. She was supposedly some kind of trickster, but she'd obviously pissed someone off who didn't have much of a sense of humor. Tsukune felt awful about what had happened, but he was too busy keeping his own self intact to be worrying about saving someone else too. 'I hope whoever did that got it out of their system,' he mused, silently wishing the girl good luck. He returned his attentions to his textbooks, planning to not look at them for the rest of the weekend. Taking a sip of water, Tsukune reminded himself he was supposed to call his parents that evening, then spend the rest of the time recuperating from his latest batch of injuries.
"Hello Tsukune."
Tsukune nearly choked on his water when Keito appeared in front of him; her perpetual sleepy looking eyes made her look almost peaceful, but he'd remembered what was underneath that. Gasping to catch his breath, feeling himself getting tense as he eyed the satchel within easy reach, he managed to croak out, "Y-yes…?"
Keito sat down across from him, without bothering to ask permission, and gave Tsukune a cool look. "Relax, I'm just here to clear up a few loose ends."
"What do you want?" Tsukune asked guardedly. At least she wasn't wearing her Enforcer's uniform this time; in the normal school uniform she looked a lot like the average student she was masquerading as.
"We still haven't cleared up those discrepancies in your file, but the headmaster has assured us that's no reason for concern," Keito explained briskly. "I just have a few questions about you. First, you don't have any tests next week you need to study for, correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"You usually run Saturday afternoon, and spend the evening alone, right?"
"Yeah. What's this-"
"You also said you don't have a girlfriend here or at home?" Keito continued before he could answer.
Tsukune had no completely lost sight of where this could be going. "What are you-"
"You were staring at Kurumu's chest, even when she tried killing you, so you're not gay."
Knowing his was blushing, and hating himself for it, Tsukune finally managed to get a complete sentence in. "Just what are you DOING…?"
"I'm simply showing why there's no reason for you and I not to go out tomorrow." Keito used the same tone of voice she'd have used if asking for the time.
For a few seconds Tsukune's mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. Even learning the truth about Youkai Academy hadn't short circuited his thinking this much. When he finally got past the shock and surprise Tsukune managed to force out, "You're kidding…"
"I never kid."
"I can't," Tsukune replied.
"I already pointed out why there's no reason why you can't, remember?"
"Suppose I don't want to?"
Keito cocked her head a little. "Why wouldn't you want to go on a date?" she asked sincerely.
'You're a full-on, homicidal, double-nut fruitcake spider woman, with mandibles the size of butcher knives,' he thought to himself. "I-I'm probably not your type…"
"You follow school rules without exception, your grades are improving, and you excel in your club activities," Keito explained. "That's suitable."
"I'm just suitable?" Despite the situation, Tsukune actually felt a little insulted.
"We work with what we have," Keito replied dismissively. She handed Tsukune a small note. "That's my room number. You'll pick me up tomorrow at six o'clock."
Tsukune wanted to crumple the paper and throw it back at her, but remembering Keito's position at Youkai Academy killed that impulse. "I don't think so," he muttered.
Keito gave him a blank look that still managed to send tremors up Tsukune's spine. "You will." She then stood up and walked away, leaving a shaken human behind her.
Tsukune stayed motionless for a few moments, trying to comprehend just what had happened. He shook his head in disbelief, attempting to come to terms with the notion that a member of the Student Protective Committee, who starred in more than a few of his nightmares, had effectively press-ganged him into going out with her. 'What the hell…?' If she had the slightest inkling of what he really was, she'd kill him without thinking about it, and yet she'd all but menaced him into a date. It briefly passed through his mind that maybe she did know, and she just found it more amusing to trap him. Glancing over at another table Tsukune saw a few students giving him sympathetic looks, but a few that obviously were, 'better you than me.'
Picking up his tray, his appetite having suddenly run for the hills, Tsukune walked to his room, trying to keep from scowling as he made his way through the hallways. Relatively safe in his room, Tsukune lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering why the universe had decided that he was going to be the punch line in a cosmic joke. When he considered the mood he was in, calling his parents that night would be a mistake, so he decided to put it off for a few days. "Assuming I even survive," he muttered out loud.
The part of Tsukune's mind that worked to keep him alive began to consider what the best thing to do in this case was. While he'd read up on spider women, there wasn't much that he could use in a battle aside from what he already tried. Tossing a bug-bomb into her room while she slept was a possible tactic, but he had no idea if it would even work, and more to the point, she hadn't made any threatening moves yet. A pre-emptive strike on a member of the Student Protection Committee might bring the rest of them on top of him.
As he pondered what he could do, another strategy occurred to Tsukune. Keito had even told him that he wasn't much of a catch, so why not become even less of one? If he went out of his way to be uninteresting, then she'd probably drop him and try to pick up a monster she'd enjoy spending time with. Of course, if he went too far and angered her, Keito might attack him, but at least then he'd have reason to defend himself, and if she was close enough maybe he'd be able to incinerate her.
Deciding on that course of action, yet feeling disturbed that he was actually planning the best way to kill someone, Tsukune got ready for bed. After washing up and brushing his teeth, rewrapping his ribs and swallowing his nightly dose of painkillers to help his sleep, Tsukune crawled into bed, the lights in his room still on, as usual. When sleep did come, his dreams were again filled with images of him tangled in a web, while a monstrous spider crawled ever closer.
XXX
Late that Saturday afternoon Tsukune laid on his bed, flipping through his latest acquisition, a book on meditation techniques he'd liberated from the school library after lunch. He found it fascinating, the possibility that he'd be able to manage the pain he dealt with on a daily basis, without going through pills like they were peppermints. Considering how little they seemed to work for him now, they might as well have been peppermints. Keeping his ribs wrapped up helped more, and he was hopeful that he'd be able to take the bandages off in about two weeks.
He glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes before six. If he jumped up and hurried, Tsukune could make it to Keito's room with about a minute or two to spare for their 'date.' Licking his index finger, Tsukune turned the page and continued to read, trying to absorb as much knowledge from the book as he could. When he looked at the clock again it was twenty after six. But the book was getting to a really key point about managing pain, so he kept reading. The chapter was so engrossing to him that by the time he glanced up to check the time, it was five to seven.
With reluctance, Tsukune folded over the corner of the page he was on and slipped the book into his night table, slowly getting up and stretching, hissing when his ribs protested the movement. Glancing at his reflection, he debated whether or not to comb his hair before deciding to just leave it as it was. Slipping his recently sharpened knife, a lighter, and a small spray can into his jacket, Tsukune moved his desk aside and left his room, slowly moving through the hallway, pausing to read some of the new notices on the bulletin board. There was nothing that concerned him so he exited the dormitory and strolled over to Keito's building, taking his time and enjoying what passed for a nice day at Youkai Academy. When he finally reached her room, the clock on the wall said it was ten after seven, and he knocked on the door, taking a step back, just in case she came out angry.
"Is that you Tsukune?" Keito's voice called out from behind the door.
"Yeah." He was a little surprised she'd even responded. Being late for a date was supposed to be a deal breaker.
"Come in, it's unlocked."
Taking a deep breath, and readying himself if she decided to exact some revenge in private, Tsukune carefully walked in. He hadn't known what to expect, a darkened room with corpses wrapped in webbing had come to mind, but Keito's room was as ordinary as his own.
"Perfect timing Tsukune," Keito's voice came out from a partially closed bathroom.
"Excuse me…?" Tsukune knew he was well over an hour late. The only reason he'd come at all was to keep her from trying to track him down.
"It took me longer to get ready than I thought," she explained. "Just five more minutes."
"…okay…" Tsukune rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Figures it wouldn't be that easy.' So much for his hope of the date crashing and burning out of the gate. Fortunately, he'd had other plans as well…
Keito walked out of the bathroom about five minutes later, wearing her normal school uniform, and looking pretty much the same way she'd looked the day before. "I sometimes take too long getting ready," she admitted.
"You look okay," Tsukune remarked off-handedly. If being late wasn't enough to cool her ardour, perhaps indifference would work.
Keito actually smiled thinly, surprising the human. "Thank you," she replied with more sincerity than she'd ever shown before.
Tsukune gave her a curious look. "What for?"
"Too many guys go overboard, saying I'm a vision of loveliness, a goddess, or other crap like that," she told him. "I'm impressed with your honesty."
"You don't say…"
"I appreciate honesty," she replied sardonically. "Without truth, there's no order. I value integrity."
Tsukune wanted to beat his head against a wall. Honesty? He'd been living a lie since he'd arrived, he'd had no choice in the matter. It dawned on him that if he was completely truthful with Keito about himself, he'd be a dead man. The date hadn't gotten off to a very good start in Tsukune's view; his attempts to drive Keito away in disgust had actually worked out for the better. He gestured for her to follow him with an abrupt jerk of his head, and was dismayed when she fell into step beside him after he unceremoniously walked out of the room. Tsukune made a point of all but ignoring her, not holding doors open, or making small talk, and he even let his eyes obviously follow attractive women when they passed them.
But Keito walked beside him without even once reacting to his many obvious transgressions. She was either oblivious as a blind man, or she simply didn't give a damn, and Tsukune was quite certain she wasn't oblivious. Still, there was one last card left to play, and he was pretty sure that it would be the deal breaker he'd hoped.
Almost as if reading his thoughts, Keito spoke up for the first time since they'd left her room. "So Tsukune, what have you planned?"
Tsukune smiled grimly, first making sure that Keito couldn't see his face. "I figured we'd catch a few movies."
"What movies?"
Congratulating himself for reading and remembering the small notice on the bulletin board earlier this week, Tsukune told her. "The film studies club is having a special showing, a pair of German existentialist films, in the original language, with subtitles." One of Tsukune's older classmates had once sneaked a DVD with a German title out of his father's collection, mistaking it for foreign porn. He called it the worst thing he'd ever seen, with a plot that made no sense, and actors doing stupid things. He'd only finished it due to some kind of horrified fascination, like slowing down to look at a train wreck.
Everyone had had a good laugh at the poor guy's expense, but Tsukune was counting on the films having the same effect on Keito. "I hate when they dub them, they never get the meanings of the original language." He paused when he realised that Keito had stopped walking and he head was bowed, much like Guno had been before he'd been attacked. "Keito…?"
"Tsukune…"
"Yes…?" Tsukune clenched and released his fists nervously, idly recalling that there was a staircase only a stride or two away.
"Do you mean to tell me…" Keito murmured softly. "That your idea of a date, is to take me to a pair of German existentialist films…?"
"Um, yeah…" Now he was getting even more concerned. He'd planned the entire date to be unpleasant, but maybe he'd gone too far.
"The truth?"
Tsukune swallowed nervously and made a noise that sounded vaguely affirmative. If he had to, maybe he could pass it off as a joke to keep the Enforcer from getting violent. Keito then suddenly lifted her head, and Tsukune took an involuntary step back.
Not in fear, surprise.
Keito, who even when she was smiling still conveyed an air of menace, had an excited smile on her face like a child on Christmas morning that had found a pony under the tree. "I just LOVE German existentialist films!" she practically squealed, her hands clasped together in front of her. "How did you KNOW…?"
"L-lucky guess," Tsukune croaked.
"I've been wanting to go see these film for days," she declared. "I'd figured I'd have to go see them alone, even though that's just pathetic."
Tsukune winced, feeling a piece of his soul wither. He'd seen more than a few movies all alone, and now even a spider woman was unknowingly calling him out on it. "Pathetic…" he agreed with a pained grin.
"What time do they start?"
"Seven thirty," Tsukune replied weakly.
"We have to hurry," Keito told him as she grabbed his right hand. It felt like it had been caught in a vice. Tsukune was barely able to contain his scream when his date broke into a dead run, very nearly dislocating his shoulder. Somehow managing to keep himself on his feet, Tsukune struggled to keep up, running faster than he usually did in cross country club.
Tsukune's only consolation was that Keito didn't use her monster form to run along the walls or ceiling.
After a mad dash that had Tsukune struggling to maintain his composure and suppress the pain his ribs had taken from the jolt, the pair arrived at the film club room. The student acting as an usher seemed surprised to see them, but gestured for them to walk in, telling them to sit where they liked. There was a large TV and DVD player set up in front of the room, with several rows of chairs arranged in front. Tsukune was struck by the fact that despite the time being one minute to show time, all the chairs but one were empty.
"Where would you like to sit?" Keito asked.
"You decide," Tsukune gasped, still not quite done catching his breath.
Keito took a seat in the center, and Tsukune reluctantly sat next to her. When the lights went down he stifled a frustrated sigh; nothing he'd planned had worked, and now he had to spend several hours in the dark with someone who regularly haunted his nightmares. As the opening credits appeared, he realized he'd also have no choice but to endure the movies as well.
He honestly couldn't decide which was worse.
XXX
"The camera work was amazing!" Keito raved as the two of them made their way back to her room. "The use of black and white to show depression, and the circus with the crying clown showing misery, it was a masterpiece! And when the triplets wearing party hats each had miscarriages…"
Tsukune just nodded occasionally, having no idea what either film was about. Even with subtitles, it might as well have been in ancient Greek. The first film had been a long stream of one confusing image after another, vague notions going right over his head and making it hard for him to stay awake. These had been punctuated by brief periods of sheer terror when Keito occasionally grabbed his arm in what she probably thought was affectionate, but to Tsukune felt like his arm was being crushed. Discretely biting his thumb of his free hand to keep from screaming, he couldn't even ask her to loosen up. As far as he knew, Keito might have had a girly grip by monster standards, even though she cut off the circulation in his arm, Tsukune having to work his fist after she let go to get rid of the pins and needles.
The movie had been long, excruciating, and just when he began to think that they were still filming and beaming more footage into the TV, the ending credits finally rolled. Tsukune felt a tear of utter joy roll down his cheek, looking at his watch and being astonished that less than ninety minutes had passed.
And then the second feature had started…
Less than two hours later Tsukune and his date were walking into Keito's dorm, one of them glad to still be alive, the other still gushing over the films. From her excited state, Tsukune had a sudden, nightmarish though that she might be gushing in some other way, but he'd experienced enough mental traumas already, so he shook off that thought.
"-you think was the best part?" Keito's question interrupted his train of thought.
"I-I'm sorry…?"
"What part did you think was the best?" she repeated.
"I… really couldn't pick a favourite," Tsukune admitted, making Keito nod knowingly. "Isn't this your room?" he asked, wanting to change the subject and put the entire night behind him.
"It is," she acknowledged. "You better get back before curfew."
"Yeah, don't wanna break any rules," Tsukune agreed, hoping to get away cleanly, and not giving any unintended hints he wanted to take things further. He almost sighed in relief when she opened her door and went in, giving him no sign of an invitation to follow.
"I had a wonderful time Tsukune," she told him as she closed her door. "Next Saturday, I'll pick you up at six."
"Goodnig- Hey! Wait!" Tsukune found himself talking to her door as she closed it and locked with a click. For a few seconds he couldn't even think clearly, before he turned around and nearly snarled in frustration as he began his trip home. He was silently fuming as he walked across the campus towards his own dorm, furious at the way things had worked out, and annoyed at himself for not showing a little more spine. But he tempered that with the realization that there wasn't much he could do about it, without actually getting violent, and he didn't want to make an enemy of the Enforcers.
Back in his room, door locked and barricaded, Tsukune stripped of his shirt, scowling when he saw the bruises on his upper left arm. He took some solace that at least they hadn't been put there out of malice –he hoped- but it was another minor injury that would further tax his ability to recover. Tsukune had been trying to think of another way to escape the spider woman's attention; being a borderline jerk hadn't seemed to work, and she'd unexpectedly loved what he'd hoped would drive her away. As unpleasant as it seemed, staying with her until she found someone else to amuse her was probably the best bet.
His only other hope was that she'd tire of him before she decided to get physical, a prospect that had Tsukune shuddering.
Resigning himself to seeing more of Keito than he was comfortable with –if he never saw her again, it would still be too soon- Tsukune got ready for bed. During the night the nightmares returned as normal, the Enforcer woman once again taking a starring role.
End of Chapter 4
Author's Notes:
None, except this was pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. As usual, all mistakes are mine, not theirs…