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Long December	By : DrunkenScotsman Category: +M to R > Rosario Vampire Views: 6725 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I make no money from the writing of this story. All characters and locations of Rosario+Vampire belong to Ikeda Akihisa.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
Chapter 14: Wish You Were Here

Monday morning dawned over Yokai Academy. Winter’s chill still lingered over the campus, but it at least seemed less bitter than the last few weeks. Normally climate-controlled, the school (through its officials) theorized that the disruptions to the Barrier inflicted by the rampant use of Lilith’s Mirror had linked the school’s climate to the human world’s, but that the link seemed only temporary.
Tsukune Aono realized he only thought he’d dreaded Monday mornings before. Not even waking up with Moka could allay the dread he felt, nor could the memories of their night of passionate lovemaking. Sneaking her out hadn’t proven a problem – the vampire had simply leapt from his window to hers in a prodigious display of her power. Instead, the young man’s worries revolved around whether Moka would relinquish her status as girlfriend to Kurumu without a fight – one the succubus had no chance of winning.
Making the young man even uneasier, the vampire intercepted him on the way to the school buildings. Moka smiled and kissed his cheek and interlocked their fingers. Tsukune swallowed and scratched his head, scrambling for the words to use, to remind her that her time had expired.
Unfortunately, Kurumu arrived before Tsukune could broach the subject. The gleeful expression the buxom girl had worn to greet her Destined Mate immediately transmuted into surprise, followed swiftly by dismay. “What… what’s going on here?” she sputtered, her amethyst eyes welling with tears.
“I wanted to hand Tsukune over to you personally, so you’d know I’m serious about this arrangement,” explained Moka in a matter-of-fact tone. “I admit I didn’t consider how it might look to you, to give the opposite impression.”
Kurumu approached, uncertainty written all over her face. Moka made a show of holding Tsukune’s hand out for the succubus to take. Tsukune smiled warmly to set Kurumu at ease. Moka simply raised an eyebrow, waiting.
Kurumu took Tsukune’s hand. Locking eyes with her vampire nemesis, the succubus brought the human’s hand right to her bosom. In the past, this action would’ve triggered a nosebleed in the young man; now, though, it simply caused a slight flush and uncomfortable tightening in his pants.
“If you’re going to do that, I’ll be on my way to class,” huffed Moka as she began walking off.
At Tsukune’s exasperated, disapproving look, Kurumu moved his hand away and called, “Wait, Moka… I’m sorry. I just… I just needed to be sure, y’know? How you’d react to me doing that would show me if you really meant what you said.” She giggled. “After all, you could’ve been stealing just a few more minutes with this stud-muffin.”
Moka stopped about ten paces away and turned to look over her shoulder, a small smirk on her face. “Who says I wasn’t?”
As the tension drained away, all three teens laughed and walked together towards the school. Kurumu linked arms with Tsukune so that her breasts would graze his arm frequently. Mizore and Yukari joined them as they approached the gates. Ruby paused her morning broom-work to wave cheerily at the group as they passed.
Life at Yokai Academy is back to normal, Tsukune reflected, or as close to normal as you can get at a school for monsters.

~~~~~

During club activities that afternoon, the Newspaper Club brainstormed ideas for the next issue of the Yokai Gazette. None of the topics mentioned seemed to hold anyone’s interest, though, and they soon began talking in circles or rehashing things they’d already covered. Finally, Gin, the club’s senior member, walked out in frustration, though everyone had an inkling the notorious peeping Tom had left to snap upskirt photos.
“I can’t remember the last time we struggled this much to figure out what to write,” observed a frustrated Tsukune, who ran a hand through his hair.
Ever the dutiful girlfriend, Kurumu stood behind him, just far enough that her bosom wouldn’t rub the back of his head, and massaged his neck and shoulders. “It’s a little too early for the Christmas edition, too,” she added.
“Not much has happened over the last few weeks,” commented Ruby wryly, serving her latest role as assistant advisor to the Newspaper Club while Ms. Nekonome attended faculty training sessions.
“That near-miss with Lilith’s Mirror was a big fucking deal,” Mizore pointed out in her usual candid manner. “Everyone’s still a little jittery about that.”
Yukari’s eyes lit up. “Mizore, that’s brilliant! We could investigate the Barrier and report on its status! Everyone might feel better knowing it won’t break down again.”
Kurumu felt her beloved Tsukune tense under her hands, and she had a good idea why. “I know you still miss her,” she soothed. “I can tell it still hurts.”
With a glance at Moka, who gave him a pained smile, the young man sighed, “Not as much as before. It’s just… gonna take some time, that’s all.”
“For what it’s worth, I miss her too,” admitted the succubus.
Mizore nodded, a sad look in her fathomless eyes.
Yukari sniffled, and Ruby handed her a tissue. The older witch placed a comforting hand on the younger girl’s shoulder.
“As much as she was our rival, she was also our friend,” Kurumu added, her voice soft and pensive, as it usually became when she dropped her “flirty succubus” façade and revealed the sweet, sensitive girl she hid from all but these whom she most loved.
“We never even got a chance to say goodbye!” Yukari, who’d had a crush on the pink-haired girl since early in their first year, wailed.
Kurumu’s eyes widened as a thought occurred. “We should have a memorial service for her,” she proposed. “A small one, just for us… maybe Wednesday? I’d want all of us to, um, say something… and I think that’d give everyone enough time.”
Ruby smiled warmly. “I’ll make arrangements with the Headmaster to allow us into the Barrier chamber, unless somewhere else might work better?” She looked to Tsukune, not wanting to hurt him worse.
“That sounds good,” he answered distantly. “Maybe you should also talk to the Headmaster about a spot for everyone at school to pay their respects later.”
“That’s a great idea!” gushed Yukari. “Outer Moka did save the whole school, after all, and she was super-popular besides.”
“Who’s writing the obituary?” asked Mizore, garnering strange looks from the others. “It’d only be appropriate, if we’re writing about the Barrier and the Mirror and shit, to write about the person who sacrificed herself to stop the whole damn world from ending.”
Moka looked up sharply from whatever reverie she’d been lost in. “I’ll write it,” she volunteered. “That girl and I shared a body, after all. That’s closer than even a sister… or a boyfriend.” The vampire looked over to Tsukune with an expression that nonetheless asked if he objected.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, the young man shook his head, and a few tears ran down his cheek. “I’m not sure what I could write… not for the whole school to read, anyway,” he answered. The strained agony in his voice made Moka wish desperately she could take him into her arms.
Kurumu rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “At a time like this, we should all support the one we love,” she declared, waving for the others to approach if they wished. Moka shot the succubus a grateful smile and moved to Tsukune’s side, where she took his hand in hers. Mizore appeared at his other side and rested her cheek on his shoulder. Yukari stood nearby, wanting Tsukune to see her stricken expression but also knowing that her touch might make him feel uncomfortable, due to her pubescent form. Ruby brought the tissues and, with the younger witch’s help, dabbed the young man’s cheeks.
A brittle smile rested on Tsukune’s face as he looked around, silently thanking each of them in turn – particularly Kurumu, who’d so generously waived her exclusivity for the sake of the whole. He silently vowed to make her feel so good tonight that she’d have trouble seeing straight tomorrow. Aloud, he whispered to these wonderful women who’d somehow fallen in love with him, of whose love he’d never feel worthy: “You guys are the best. We’ll get through this, just like we get through everything else – together.”

~~~~~

A soothing green glow suffused the vast chamber housing the altar and rosary which powered the Great Barrier that Wednesday afternoon. Ruby led the Newspaper Club inside, bearing a candelabra from the Headmaster’s office in hand to light the way. Moka walked behind her, a small framed photo of her erstwhile pink-haired persona in hand. Tsukune and Kurumu trailed behind her, arm in arm. A hatless Yukari followed them, already a blubbering wreck. Mizore brought up the rear, her stoic mask in place but a soulful glint to her eyes hinting at the blizzard of emotions within.
Moka set the picture atop the altar, and the group fell into a semicircle around the strange mystical artifact, the last place they’d seen their lost friend. Ruby, in her latest role as mistress of ceremonies – and she’d insisted on “mistress,” much to everyone’s chagrin – stepped forward and turned to face the others. “We’re gathered here today as dear friends of Moka Akashiya the Outer,” the witch intoned, “to celebrate the life she lived, brief and unusual though it was. I invite each of you to say farewell in whatever way best expresses your feelings.”
Mizore stepped forward first and hovered one hand over the altar, not far from the inset rosary. She focused her monster energy to create a shape a small quantity of ice; when she moved her hand, a rose of sculpted ice remained in its wake. “I never told you this back then, but I liked your articles in the paper too – not as much as Tsukune’s, of course,” she added with a smirk around her lollipop, “and, honestly, I felt so jealous you got to know him first. Anyway, once I’d won Tsukune’s heart, I thought we could become friends. None of the rest of it went according to plan, but I’m glad that much came true.” The ice-woman returned to the group and silently wished she could stand beside Tsukune, where the silver-haired Moka stood. She settled for a spot beside Kurumu, her rival-turned-friend-turned-lover.
Yukari blew her nose loudly and approached the picture. The young witch ran a shaky hand over the pink-haired girl’s face. “You’re the first person I ever loved, and my first friend,” she sniffled. “I’ll miss you so, so much – your kindness especially. I promise to look out for Tsukune and the other Moka, and love them as much as you did.” On impulse, she leaned down to kiss the photographed cheek before returning to her friends, tears flowing freely.
By this point, Kurumu was in similar shape, her cheeks stained with tear tracks as she approached. “For so long, you were my rival,” she began, voice stronger than anyone expected. “I thought, ‘If only you weren’t around, I’d have my Destined Mate.’ Over time, though, you became a close friend too, and I wanted to hate you for that. So many times, I thought, ‘If only I could hate you, I could compete with you with a clear conscience.’”
An unexpected laugh bubbled up through her lips. “Strange, huh? I was the succubus, one who lived for love, seeking only Tsukune’s love, and you were in my way. I should have hated you… but I never could. You made me rethink everything I thought I knew. I can still live for love, but you helped me see that love…”
A watery smile overcame Kurumu’s entire face. “Love comes in many forms,” she choked out. She ran a finger tenderly over the rosary before returning to Tsukune’s side, blotting her tears in his shirt. She could tell the young man would need another minute before he was ready.
With a kiss for luck from his girlfriend, the young man trudged forward as though his feet were encased in lead. Falling to his knees as his legs gave out, Tsukune embraced as much of the altar as his arms cold hold. Much to his surprise, he didn’t feel sad, exactly – just numb and sort of hollow. “Yukari took most of what I wanted to say,” the grieving young man attempted to joke, even if it ultimately fell flat. “Ever since you ran me over on your bike that day, I’ve felt like we were meant to know each other. The times I spent with you are some of the best in my life.”
Tsukune pulled himself slowly to his feet. He smiled fondly at the beaming green-eyed beauty in the photo, remembering shared laughs, shared lunches, shared looks, shared longing. “Supposedly, you weren’t real,” he murmured, “just a projection or illusion or something. You were real to me, my love, and that’s all that matters. I only wish I’d been honest about my feelings sooner, so we could’ve had more time together.” He remained in place, unable or unwilling to leave just yet.
The silver-haired Moka walked to his side and slipped an arm around Tsukune’s waist. Having seen how much he’d grieved for the other girl, especially at Father’s manor, she hoped this farewell would give her beloved the closure he needed in order to heal. From the look on his face, he had more to say, so she let him.
“You taught me that it doesn’t matter if someone is a monster or a human, that who we are is more important than what. That must’ve been your mother’s influence.” Here he shared a meaningful look with the Moka beside him. “Whatever I do with my life, it’ll build toward the goal of making the world better for both humans and monsters,” he promised his fallen friend and girlfriend.
“I think you inspired us all that way,” Moka chimed in. “Moka, I owe you a lot. For years, you were my face, my window to the world. I may have hated being sealed away, but I never hated you. Through you, I met Tsukune and the others; I’ve even joined the Newspaper Club to spend more time with them.”
The vampire picked up the picture she’d brought and regarded the face that most people associated with her name. “I’m glad we got a chance to meet face to face, if only briefly. Like Tsukune, I wish we’d had more time like that. You were more than a friend to me; you were like a sister, a real sister.” She smiled tightly, glad Kokoa hadn’t attended but also hopeful that one day she could say similar things about the redheaded vampire.
“From now on, I’ll have to learn to become my own person. I’ll do my best to make you proud and protect Tsukune, our friends, the school, and the monster world,” she vowed. The young woman brought the picture close for a conspiratorial whisper. “You were right about my feelings for Tsukune, even though I didn’t want to admit it then. I’ll love him twice as much in your stead.” With that, she returned her counterpart to her position atop the altar.
Tsukune wrapped an arm around Moka’s shoulder, and together they returned to the group. Kurumu took her boyfriend’s hand in hers, heartbroken for him and surprisingly nonplussed by his and the remaining Moka’s mutual support. They need each other right now, she thought, so screw the rules; I’m doing what’s best for my Destined Mate and my friends.
Mizore’s cool hand clasped Kurumu’s free one, startling the succubus from her ruminations; the snow-woman hoped her cool demeanor might grant the others at least a modicum of strength.
Yukari had pulled herself together enough to feel embarrassed about how much she’d already cried; she stood in front of Tsukune and Moka, for once glad for her small stature, since they could still see over her.
Ruby joined them, standing next to Moka. “I didn’t know you well,” the older witch addressed the absent Moka, “but the quality of your friends always showed what sort of person you were.” She shook her head sadly. “So much has happened since you helped save me from my self-made prison at Witch Hill. The Barrier was my responsibility, and I failed my duty. Because of my failure, you had to sacrifice yourself.”
The older witch paused for emphasis. “I will not fail again, so your sacrifice will never be in vain,” she swore.
One by one, they all bowed. Moka retrieved the other Moka’s picture and held it close, murmuring, “Whichever parts of you were Mother, I’ll miss you too.” She began walking away, hot tears blazing a trail down her cheeks. Tsukune and Kurumu fell in behind her, hands clasped; of the two, the succubus wept harder, but not by much. Yukari trailed them, trying not to resume bawling her eyes out, with limited success. Mizore followed; having spoken her piece, she now thought of ways she could cheer up her beloved Tsukune and her heartbroken friends.
As Ruby brought up the rear, she noticed the green glow from the altar strengthen. A look over her shoulder confirmed the increased luminescence; but what it meant, she couldn’t fathom. For an instant, the glow seemed to coalesce into a vaguely-human shape – feminine in its curves, with long flowing hair – standing next to the altar. The witch squinted, but the effect had vanished. With a mental shrug, she hurried to catch up to the others, though she made a note to monitor the Barrier closely in the coming months.

~~~~~

The next day, the Headmaster approved of a small table to honor outer Moka, located outside Ms. Nekonome’s classroom, for the whole school to pay their respects. Friday’s edition of the Yokai Gazette, with its focus on the Great Barrier Crisis and outer Moka’s role in sealing the rift, ushered in a wave of small gifts and notes of thanks and farewell from the student body. Outer Moka had been a popular girl, with fans and admirers in every class.
On Saturday, a copy of the newspaper arrived at Lord Shuzen’s castle, delivered by the bus driver to the butler. The vampire lord ordered a frame for one specific page, which he hung next to the portrait of his beloved Akasha. He only read it once; he could only stand to read it once:
< While she may have been, in the strictest sense, “just” the spirt of the rosary we wore made manifest, the girl everyone knew as Moka Akashiya was, in many ways, my better self. Anyone who met her felt drawn to her. She was kinder and friendlier, obviously, but she also possessed a wisdom I can only hope to match one day.
She may have seemed weak to most of you; but when this school faced its darkest hour to date, she didn’t hesitate to yield her existence to protect us all – not just monsters, but the humans on the other side of the Barrier, too. Our mother taught us from a young age that humans and monsters could coexist, and that girl gave her life for that cause. Yokai Academy was also founded on that ideal; therefore, if we can live our lives in service to it, we will honor her legacy. >
Signed “Moka Akashiya,” the obituary also bore a handwritten signature and a personalized epigraph from the author: “Father, as promised, my first article for the newspaper. I hope it meets your approval. Your dutiful daughter – Moka”
_________________________________________________________________
A/N: Closure at last! A farewell to the being known as Outer Moka. I hope it brought a tear to your eyes - if so, let me know in a review or a PM on the forums. If not, please use the same venues to tell me how trite this "memorial service" was.
Just one more post, coming next week - the epilogue.
- 13
- 14
- 15
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Long December