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The Witching Hour	By : DrunkenScotsman Category: +M to R > Rosario Vampire Views: 14117 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: The characters and plot of Rosario+Vampire belong to Ikeda Akihisa. I make no money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 4: Words of Power
Because she’d never outright skipped class before, Yukari spent most of the day unsure what she should do with herself. She breezed through all of Monday’s assignments in only a few hours. She took a walk to the library and back to reacclimate herself to her adult body; it wouldn’t do for her to be a total klutz on her date tonight with Tsukune. After her walk, and with thoughts of her beloved Tsukune in mind, she returned to her room to think – to plan what she might say, to strategize how best to keep his attention on her tonight.
As the time for her date approached, Yukari grew increasingly restless. She dithered over her choice of outfit, wondering if it would come across as too formal. She reconsidered and revised the things she wanted to say to Tsukune in her head, thankful for her excellent memory. She indulged her body in another orgasm, which helped her relax.
At six-fifteen, she looked herself over in the mirror one last time. Final preflight check, Yukari thought with a giggle. Her violet eyes sparkled in her reflection.
Her crimson dress fit perfectly, just as she’d always dreamed; she especially enjoyed the gauzy sleeves that struck chords of both class and sensuality. The malachite brooch perched proudly just below the hollow where her clavicles met, its striking green striations drawing the eye. A fake rose adorned her hair.
On the way to the art gallery on campus, Yukari couldn’t stop grinning. The clip of her surprisingly-comfortable heels on the pavement made her feel even more grown-up, even more like a woman. The rustle of her dress’s silk added to the ambiance provided by the whispers of the first falling leaves.
She saw Tsukune already waiting for her outside, staring intently at a mass of metal rods warped and twisted into the shape of a giant lizard. Yukari took the opportunity to steady her nerves, fighting the urge to run and wrap him in her arms. Maybe that’s why Moka has held the advantage so far, came the flash of insight. She doesn’t behave like the rest of us do around Tsukune. She doesn’t tackle him or rub her bosom against him or cling to him. Well, not quite as much, in that last case.
Yukari set her mouth in determination. That’s how I’ll behave tonight during the date, she resolved. I’ll act like a classy lady instead of a silly teenage girl. Maybe that’ll help Tsukune see me the same way he sees Moka.
The witch took another moment to study her date in profile. Tsukune wore a jet-black button-up shirt with a red tie, complemented with khaki slacks and a black leather belt. His shoes weren’t quite as worn-looking as usual, leading Yukari to believe he spent time polishing them a bit. Even his hair wasn’t quite as unruly as usual. Yukari couldn’t suppress her giggle, elated that her date had put some effort into looking nice for her, despite the fact that he would be expecting the underaged version of her.
Hearing Yukari giggle, Tsukune turned toward the sound. His greeting for the young witch died on his lips when he saw the more-mature Yukari standing there against the twilit sky in the most elegant dress he could have ever imagined. His mouth hung open, and his cheeks burned as he fought to keep his eyes away from that green stone.
Yukari’s cheeks also felt as if they’d caught fire under Tsukune’s gaze. He was looking at her just the way she’d always wanted, always hoped, always dreamed: he was looking at her the way he often looked at Moka. Under such an intense gaze, Yukari found it hard to breathe.
“Tsukune,” she murmured, but didn’t know what else to say.
“Yukari,” he replied, seemingly in a daze.
“Tsukune,” she murmured again, taking a shy step forward. Oh my God, she realized, we’re doing that thing he does with Moka! This is even better than I’d hoped!
“Yukari,” he whispered, taking a shy step forward. Why am I doing the thing I usually do with Moka? Does this mean I might see Yukari the same way?
As much as she hated to break the spell – figuratively speaking – Yukari decided they should probably move the date forward. “You look really handsome tonight,” she told the young man.
Tsukune took a moment to respond, needing the time for his brain to finally click back into gear. “You look quite… lovely,” he replied, having decided “lovely” was a fairly safe word to use. Remembering his manners, Tsukune bowed partway at the waist; Yukari responded with a curtsy. “You also look,” added Tsukune, “well… not-thirteen.”
“It’s not like before,” Yukari replied, a bit too hastily. “I mean, not entirely. Last time, I was jealous of the other girls, and being beautiful turned into a contest.” The witch blushed and looked down. “Tonight, though, I wanted to look like this for you – mostly.”
The young man’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I wanted to look beautiful for you, and I didn’t want our date to be uncomfortable for you,” she answered. “The way you looked at me just now… never would’ve happened if I still looked like a little girl.”
Tsukune chuckled. “That’s true, I guess. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”
“Not at all,” Yukari responded. “In fact… it felt wonderful, to have you see me as a woman.”
Tsukune flushed and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
“Surely,” the young woman said as she took her date’s arm. She was certain he was just trying to be gallant, but she couldn’t keep her heart from pounding in her chest, seemingly near the point of catastrophic explosive failure.
As they entered the gallery, Tsukune told her, “I… I was afraid you wouldn’t show up tonight, after you skipped class today.”
Yukari giggled. “Were you worried, Tsukune?” she teased.
“A little,” he admitted. “It’s not like you to skip school. I thought… maybe what the nurse did to you… had some weird aftereffect.”
“No, no, nothing like that,” she reassured him. “I just spent most of the day getting used to this body again.” She flushed, remembering one particular way she’d ‘gotten used to her body’ that afternoon. She feared what Tsukune might think if he knew she did that sort of thing. “Besides, if the other girls had seen me like this, they might have actually seen me as a threat or something and interfered with us and ruined our date,” she added.
Tsukune hummed, “Good point.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully for a few moments. “You said earlier that you changed back into this adult body mostly for my sake,” he began, “but after Measuring Day, I thought you were okay with growing up normally.” He paused and scratched his head with his free hand. “I guess I’m just a little confused.”
Yukari flushed and looked away. “I was a bit selfish too,” she confessed. “I couldn’t go back to being seen as just a little girl, especially by you. Plus,” she added, more quietly, “I thought tonight might be… my best chance… to be with you.”
“Yukari,” Tsukune began, but couldn’t quite find the words. He glanced over, but now she was looking at the ground. He wished she’d look up at him; her eyes were so beautiful…
“If you’re going to break my heart,” she whispered, “could you at least wait until tonight is over? I… I at least want to make my case for being your girlfriend.”
“A rational argument about an issue of the heart?” he wondered aloud with a soft chuckle. “That sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think today,” Yukari replied. “Even love has its rational aspects.”
Tsukune just nodded, not knowing how else to respond.
The pair of teenagers made their way through the art gallery, which displayed the works of current students, alumni, and even faculty. Oil paintings, watercolors, pottery and sculpted clay, sketches, etchings and engravings in metal, mosaics and murals, photographs – all these and more were represented. Since the Academy taught monsters, the less-abstract pieces tended toward the grotesque, featuring warped and twisted near-human visages and monstrous appendages, or alien landscapes that defied the laws of physics. Uneasily Tsukune soon wondered if the art gallery was a good choice for a date after all. A glance at Yukari showed that she too found the oeuvre unsettling.
To take his mind off of the art, Tsukune said, “I’m actually curious to hear your arguments.”
Yukari blushed. “Let’s find somewhere to sit,” she suggested. “I have arguments in favor of myself, of course; but I also have arguments against Kurumu, Mizore, and even Moka.”
“Even Moka,” he repeated, shocked, “whom you also like?”
“Those were tougher to come up with, true,” she admitted with a laugh. They soon found a wooden bench, with legs carven to look like lion’s feet; it was the most normal-looking piece they’d seen all night. Yukari took a deep, shaky breath, knowing that here, now, was her opportunity to convince Tsukune that she was the best choice for him, and to do so in a poised, mature, womanly fashion.
“First, against Mizore,” the witch began. “Because she’s a snow-demon, she can’t handle warm temperatures. Remember when we all went to the beach, just before we met Ruby? Not only is she limited in where you could live or visit, but also in activities – no hot springs or Jacuzzis, for example. I’m not even sure if she can cook for you safely. Further, since human body temperature is usually around thirty-seven degrees Celsius, there’s no telling how her body will react to holding hands, or kissing, or… ummm… this or that.”
Tsukune blushed at the thought. “But, Yukari,” he argued, barely able to focus on his words, “her species has been around for ages, right? That means they’ve… y’know… figured out how to…” He trailed off and cleared his throat.
“Point taken, though she herself admitted her race is slowly going extinct,” Yukari reminded him. “That brings me to my second point. Yuki-onna can only bear children from about fifteen to twenty-five, give or take a few years.”
“That explains why she puts it as ‘let’s make a baby,’ specifically,” Tsukune realized. “Isn’t the fact that she needs me a point in her favor, though?”
“Not unless you want both of you to drop out to start your family,” retorted the witch. “Do you really want the responsibility of not just one child, but several children, within the next few years?” Tsukune looked at the floor, not answering. “Especially without finishing high school, you’d both have a tough road to travel to support your family,” she finished, certain she’d made that point crystal clear.
“Finally, there’s that whole ‘stalker’ thing,” added Yukari. “I don’t think I need to elaborate on that, do I? You seem to find that as creepy as the rest of us do.”
Tsukune just nodded. “I still want to be her friend,” he murmured. His hands seemed intent on remaining clasped together.
Smiling softly, Yukari reassured him, “I do too. We’ve always been able to count on Mizore, and I can relate to how she felt so alone.” Her gaze grew distant at the flash of painful memories.
“Who’s next?” Tsukune whispered, as if he didn’t really want to hear.
“Kurumu,” answered the witch. “First, she’s dumb as a brick.” Yukari shook her head in disbelief. “After helping her study to no avail, I have no idea how she got into Youkai Academy with her grades.”
“This is the only high school I got into,” the young man reminded his date. “And I read somewhere that two people in love should be about the same intelligence level, which would be a point against you.”
Yukari giggled. “You’re smarter than you think you are. Your average grades in the past were a result of lackadaisical effort. You did pretty well on the finals right before summer break, thanks to your intense study efforts.” She winked and added, “I’d expect that level of devotion to your studies all the time, of course, so you don’t embarrass me.”
Tsukune laughed. “I guess you’re right about the finals. You’re still way smarter than me, though. Not only are you at the top of the class, but you skipped grades too.”
The girl genius preened a bit at the compliment. “Back to you being smarter than you think: you’re making some good counterarguments yourself.” She beamed at her date.
There was a pause as Yukari refocused on her original point. “I mean, Kurumu is sweet when she wants to be. It’s just that her only skills are her looks, which are a shallow reason to fall for someone; her charms, which she won’t use on you and which she shouldn’t be using on others if she’s your girlfriend, especially in the human world; her, um, ‘seduction’ skills, which I can’t really comment on” – here Yukari blushed fiercely as she remembered the research she’d done on succubi – “and her cooking, which I concede is delicious, when she isn’t spiking things with aphrodisiacs.”
Tsukune chuckled and responded, “Well, they haven’t worked so far, I don’t think. Kurumu would make an excellent housewife, though; it seems to suit her skills.”
The witch nodded. “The only problem there,” she qualified, “is that it’s become increasingly more difficult to raise a family on just one income. At best, you’d be ‘poor but happy.’”
“Isn’t there something to be said for that?” asked Tsukune.
Yukari shrugged. “I can’t say I find the idea of poverty appealing. It can erode what happiness you have. I think ‘poor but happy’ is something more common in fiction than in reality.”
When Tsukune didn’t respond to that, the witch continued: “There’s also some stuff you should know about the nature of a succubus. She can hypnotize with her eyes and enslave with a kiss; what do you think might happen to you from… this or that?” She blushed fiercely again at having to discuss “this or that” with the man she wanted to engage in “this or that” with.
For his part, Tsukune also blushed. “She’s sworn off using her powers on me,” he protested. “She wouldn’t… do whatever… after… ummm….” He coughed lightly.
“Maybe not on purpose,” Yukari replied, “but she might on accident, in the heat of the moment, as it were.” She shuddered. “The descriptions I’ve read about a succubus’ victims… it’s not pretty, Tsukune.”
The young man wrung his hands. His date was obviously thinking much longer-term than he was about this whole business. It was daunting, yet it demonstrated to him that she wanted her thoughts to be taken seriously, that she wanted to be taken seriously. “Anything else?” he asked, sounding even less than before like he really wanted to hear.
“One final thing about Kurumu,” the witch answered, “is also tied to her nature as a succubus. Love, for them, is their source of life. Unrequited love is fatal for them; I imagine Kurumu might be in the early stages, but I’d need a monster-doctor’s opinion on the matter.”
“F-Fatal?” stammered the human boy.
Yukari nodded. “Before you claim that’s a point in her favor,” she pre-empted him, “consider this: You get together with her purely so she won’t die. Without love for her, she might die anyway; if not, you’ll start to feel trapped. If you leave, she dies; but staying makes you miserable. It’s essentially emotional abuse if she holds herself hostage like that, even if she doesn’t intend to.”
“I… never would have thought of it that way,” Tsukune murmured, his head falling into his hands. I never wanted to hurt any of them, much less cause one of them to die.
A thought occurred, which the young man voiced to take his mind from such morbidity: “How do you know so much about succubi and ice-demons?”
“Lots and lots of research on my rivals’ species,” the witch explained proudly. “After all, the great master himself said, ‘Know thy enemy, and know thyself: this is the key to victory.’”
Tsukune just sighed. Sensing a need for an encouraging word, Yukari told him, “If you let her down easy, and soon, I think Kurumu will be okay.”
Tsukune looked up into Yukari’s eyes, searching. He didn’t see any cruelty; in fact he had the distinct impression that she actually hated having to systematically dissect the other girls’ flaws. He also saw genuine concern and Yukari’s usual sincerity, so he knew she wasn’t making things up. I’ll have to confirm what she’s saying with the other girls, he resolved.
“And, as far as Moka goes…”
Yukari blushed. She’d been looking forward to this part even less than to the others, but she forged ahead regardless. “First, and most problematic, is the rosary thing. Pursuing the outer Moka means dealing with the inner one, and probably winning her over, too. At best, you’d be romancing two girls at once, and we both know that inner Moka isn’t what anyone would call ‘romantic.’ She’d probably beat you up every time you held her hand, whether she was ‘out’ or not.”
Tsukune frowned. “She’s not that mean. I think you’re exaggerating.”
Yukari just shrugged. “I don’t think so, but you do tend to see the best in us. It’s why we’ve all fallen for you so hard.” She smiled softly at him.
“The two-personalities thing certainly has its downsides,” Tsukune finally admitted after a pause. “It just seems cruel that they have to share a body.”
The witch nodded glumly. “Maybe inner Moka’s personality is so harsh because she stays locked up all the time, except when we need her,” she surmised, “and then it’s back into the cage of her own mind until you – I mean, we – need saving again.”
The human boy shot his date a look but couldn’t dispute the truth of her ‘slip of the tongue.’ He sighed, “I guess there’s a bit of an issue with romance at all with her. What if inner Moka doesn’t return my feelings at all? Is it still okay for me to pursue the outer one? Would… this or that… with the outer one be like forcing myself on the inner one, or vice versa?”
Yukari blinked in surprise. “You know, I hadn’t thought about that aspect,” she confessed.
“Well, I guess that just means all your arguments against me being with Moka are also arguments against you being with her,” Tsukune pointed out.
Yukari just nodded; he’d made a good point there. “That’s not all,” she resumed. “There’s also the fact that her psychotic little sister hates both your guts and the outer Moka’s. Now that I think about it, the other two have nutty families as well.” She raised her eyebrows, and Tsukune remembered the recent encounter with Ageha, Kurumu’s mother, and Tsurara, Mizore’s mother, both intent on making him their son-in-law at any cost. He shuddered at the idea of being related to either of them, or, worse yet, to Kokoa.
Satisfied that Tsukune conceded the point, Yukari continued, “Finally, there are a few issues with Moka being a vampire. No two of the sources I consulted agreed on the length of vampiric lifespans, but all of them suggested centuries, meaning she will outlive us.” Yukari paused to let that sink in.
Tsukune’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding – centuries?”
“Some sources claimed centuries,” she replied matter-of-factly, “others, millennia. A few even called vampires ‘immortal.’ My point is, you will leave her behind, a grieving widow for a long, long time.”
Tsukune didn’t reply. Yukari swallowed a lump in her throat; her mouth had suddenly grown dry when she saw her date’s eyes well up with unshed tears. “Maybe I should stop,” she murmured, afraid she might have hurt him with her too-heavy words.
As usual, though, Tsukune wouldn’t quit after receiving a heavy blow. He shook his head and croaked, “No, please, continue. You went to a lot of trouble to put all this together…”
Yukari blinked back her own tears. With each display of courage like this, her love for Tsukune grew stronger. “Water,” she managed. “You’ll never be able to go to the pool, or swim in the ocean, with her. She has to use special herbs just to bathe; and, honestly, they reek.”
Before he could figure out just how she knew about Moka’s bath herbs, Yukari, her face bright red, presented her final point. “Also, there’s the way she sucks your blood every day. You don’t really appreciate it, so don’t bother saying you do. You just put up with it so she doesn’t get upset.”
A sheepish nod was the human boy’s only response. “None of us like it either,” grumbled the witch. “It can’t be good for you. Jealousy aside, it bothers us to see you treated like a juice box.”
“It’s not like that!” Tsukune protested.
“Fine – like an energy drink, or a protein shake,” Yukari replied. “She even pretends to be all lovey-dovey so you let your guard down; then she goes for what she really wants.”
Tsukune stared at her blankly. “You don’t really think she’s like that,” he reasoned, “or you wouldn’t like her too.”
The young woman looked away; he’d caught her there. “I guess not,” she resigned, knowing full well she’d moved away from a purely logical argument. She added, “It sure looks that way sometimes, though.”
Tsukune sighed. Thick silence hovered over them for some time. Both teenagers shifted on the bench uncomfortably.
“I… I’m sorry if what I said about the other girls sounded mean,” Yukari apologized, her voice barely above a whisper. “Even if they’re rivals, they’re still my friends. I, um, just wanted to –“
“Explain why you’re the best choice,” Tsukune finished for her.
The young witch flinched slightly, hearing what she thought was a slight edge to Tsukune’s voice. “You’re mad at me?” she whimpered. “I just wanted to be totally honest with you. Honesty’s the mark of a true friend, I think, and a girlfriend too.”
The young man sighed. “I’m sorry, Yukari,” he told her. “It’s just hard for me to hear anyone talk badly about my good friends.” He paused a moment before adding, “Even if it’s the truth and I needed to hear it.”
“I thought… if you knew more about all of us,” the young woman added, “that would help you make an informed decision about who to be with.”
Tsukune looked at Yukari intently. Maybe she really is saying all this for my benefit, he mused. Why is it so hard to concentrate on what she’s saying, instead of how her lips move while she talks? Aloud, he managed, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I want to hear what you have to say, honest.”
A small smile alighted on Yukari’s lips. Her eyes glittered with gratitude, and she barely suppressed the urge to hug him. “Before, I’ve explained how witches stand astride the human and monster realms,” she reminded him, which he acknowledged with a nod. “That means I’m a lot more like you than they are – normal human lifespan, normal human biology. I hope that actually appeals to you.”
Tsukune looked at her thoughtfully. “I can’t deny that it does have a certain appeal,” he finally replied, “especially since the whole purpose of Youkai Academy is for monsters to learn to exist in the human world. You definitely have advantages there, as long as you aren’t caught doing spells and such.”
The witch nodded. “My parents are both like me – my mom’s a witch, and my dad’s a warlock – and they’ve hidden their true natures for decades,” she informed him, with a distinct note of pride in her voice at her parents’ accomplishment. “Also, there’s no need to worry about me letting out my ‘monster form’ accidentally in the human world.”
“Do witches even have one?” the human wondered.
“Wanna see?” Yukari asked impishly. Tsukune nodded eagerly. The witch closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she grinned and sang, “Ta-da!”
Tsukune found himself laughing, which she joined. “You set me up, Yukari!” he accused playfully. When she winked at him, he flushed. To get revenge, he teased, “It’s not very intimidating.”
“Neither is yours,” she teased back, giving him another wink for good measure. Butterflies en masse seemed to riot in her stomach. Are we… flirting? she wondered and hoped simultaneously.
I can’t believe I’m flirting with Yukari, marveled Tsukune. Without either of them noticing, the two teenagers had scooted even closer together. The young man fought to keep his gaze on his date’s face, rather than let his eyes wander over the rest.
Such an uphill battle increased further in difficulty as Yukari leaned closer, the valley of her cleavage becoming more pronounced. For her part, she wanted to kiss him again, with her adult lips this time, but refrained. “If we were together,” she breathed, “your life could be as close to normal as you could want. We could attend university together, for starters.”
“University?” Tsukune blurted. “You don’t think I could get in, do you?”
Yukari nodded. “If you really applied yourself. My parents and I would be disappointed if I didn’t go, anyway, but I’d want to share that experience with you, Tsukune.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “We wouldn’t have to get married and start a family anytime soon,” he said, remembering what she’d said about her normal-human biology.
“I’ll admit that I can’t be a housewife like Moka or Kurumu, since I plan on having a career.” She blushed and looked down. “I… I hope that’d be okay with you.”
Licking his lips, the young man cupped his date’s chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. “Yukari, I want you to be happy,” he explained, “and if that’s how you can be happy, I’m all for it.” His words earned him a beaming smile that twisted his stomach into a pretzel; that feeling intensified as Yukari’s cheeks reddened.
“I’m a safe bet too,” she murmured. “If things don’t work between us, I won’t die. I won’t even faint from anemia.” She swallowed as their faces drifted closer.
Both teens soon felt each other’s breaths on their lips. “This is when I usually… get bitten,” Tsukune commented. His eyes drifted shut, as did Yukari’s.
Rather than reply with something witty, like “You don’t have to worry about me biting you,” she seized the moment and pressed her lips against Tsukune’s, much as she had after her first ordeal with the school nurse. At first, he didn’t respond; her heart sank, her fears that she’d squandered her best chance rising to grip her throat. Within moments, those fears intensified when Tsukune began returning the kiss with none of the passion Yukari had hoped for.
Her heart pounded in her ears as she tried to convey with her kiss all the feelings she held for him inside her. If my heart could burst from my chest and take flight, she thought, it might have done so by now. It feels like it’s still trying. For the first time in my life, I, Yukari Sendo, have no clue what I’m doing.
At this point, she could only hope it worked.
_________________________________________________
A/N: This chapter was probably the toughest to write for me - I had to write all that stuff about why the other girls were no good for Tsukune, when I really want him to get together with all of them! Likewise, Yukari is my least favorite character, but I had to come up with how she would present herself as the best choice for him. On the other hand, Ruby's absence made it easier for me to focus on the Tsukune-Yukari dynamic; fret not, though, Ruby fans, for her part isn't quite finished. Anyway, I hope everyone reading this chapter enjoyed it. If so, or if not, please let me know via rating and/or review - review, especially, since you can let me know exactly what you hated and what you liked.
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The Witching Hour