Chapter 5: Revelations + Dhampir

That boy was going to be the end of him.

Mikogami Tenmei, Board Chairman of Yokai Academy, knew as much as his glowing eyes scanned the mess of documents sprawled across his desk. It was a rare moment in history when he truly didn't know what the future would hold for his world and that of the humans.

His plan had been simple. Take a child from the human world and throw him headfirst into the monster world through the doors of the academy and see if he could push pass those prejudice views he once had before and make friends. To say that the plan had failed miserably was an understatement and the first subject had died. If he recalled correctly, it was a werewolf attack. Very messy and bad for business. He had known then that taking a generic human from his world would be a mistake so he had attempted a different approach.

What better way for a human to relate to a monster if he too hated the race of humanity?

Hokuto had been the first he had ever placed his hopes on in succeeding. He had the charisma and the appearance to make friends with anyone that was willing. It was a shame that no monster was willing to do so, realizing that there was something very distasteful behind the fake smile he wore and they treated him no better than his own race had. Hokuto nearly died and another monster had injected his blood into him in the hopes of saving his life. For Mikogami, it had been the catalyst that ripped away any shred of morality from the young man and he knew that his second student was just as much a failure as the first, even if this one had survived.

Then he came.

Aono Tsukune. He was a boy that the chairman saw nothing in, only crossing by once during one of his nightly escapades and he was sorely disappointed in what he saw. The brat was pathetic in every way. He was too frail to be any of use and too gentle to want to defend himself. He was the butt of every joke and the delight of every bully that ever caught sight of him. He had made a mistake and accidently dropped an enrolment form in the streets after returning from a debate with many of his holier brothers. He didn't wear the priest robes for just show.

He was a seal master by profession and sealed his true personality for the safety of others. Imagine his surprise when only several days later at the beginning of term, the same human child he had deemed pathetic and worthless had arrived to his beloved school with a vampire as his friend.

Mikogami knew from personal experience that many vampires held humans in disdain. They saw them only as food for the taking. The young woman didn't know that the young man whom she held happily was none other than a creature who had abused her in her childhood. He had deemed it a lucky chance and shrugged it off. The brat would leave and withdraw from the school once he realized the true nature of the school.

To his surprise, Aono hadn't left. When the vampire girl was in danger, the boy, a human of all things, stood against an Outcast Ayashi with a frail body, knowing full well that one hit from the Yokai in front of him would most likely end his life. He remembered how warmed he had felt upon realizing that perhaps… this boy would complete her dream.

He was everything his dear friend had believed a human could be if they strove to do so. He was gentle, preferring diplomacy over the use of combat. He was a guardian even if he didn't have the power to protect. On more than one occasion did the chairman witness the boy use his body as a shield to protect his friends because he didn't have another way to do so… to witness it was inspiring.

'But his feats didn't stop there.' The Chairman mused.

Not only did he align himself with a vampire, he befriended two witches, creatures that his kind had hunted for their impurity and use of the black arts. To him, that didn't matter. He went even beyond that and earned the love of a succubus and snow woman, both of whose races were slowly dying out.

It had filled him with glee, watching the seeds of his patience finally bearing fruit. But then it happened. The past had repeated itself and the young man sacrificed himself for the vampire woman. She had injected him with her blood and resurrected him as a ghoul. When he had sealed the boy, he was left with disappointment.

Mikogami had believed that the boy would declare his hatred for all things Yokai and leave the academy and his friends behind. To his shock and approval, the boy stood firm and declared that everything that had happened to him happened because he allowed it to. The minute the boy proved his worthiness to him, the chairman had decided that he was the one that would bring about true peace and unite two worlds.

All was going well… then the brat went up and started another harem. He had suspected it would happen if he allowed the young man into Shinto Teito and it was something that he had jokingly stated would be hilarious, but in reality, he didn't want it to come to be. Fate had other plans because he didn't have a choice.

He knew the boy was contemplating ending it all to protect his friendds, and he couldn't have Aono dying just yet. Not when peace was firmly in this foolish boy's grasp. Now it seems that the boy needed him again. He had promised that he wouldn't help anymore after gifting him with Belmont and one of his most prized possessions, but it seems he can't keep all of his promises. Perhaps he's getting soft willed and weak, but the boy needed more guidance. The million soul question is how would he go about giving that guidance. How can he help in a way when he claimed that he was not going to interfere anymore?

"Chairman-sama, you requested my presence?" the handle bar haired assistant of the well-known exorcist poked her head into the room; her red eyes alit with curiosity. Mikogami chuckled. Maybe he did have a way of helping the boy without helping the boy

He gave his assistant a chilling smile. "Ah, yes. There's something I want you to do…" His scheming and "assistance" would make this much more interesting for the boy.

Maybe kill two bats with one stone.

Foolish boy forcing his hand once more.

"Achoo!" Tsukune sneezed hard in an overly exaggerated fashion that nearly threw out his back. He snort of coughed from the sheer force of his sudden exhale into a swift recovery.

"Bless you," a woman donning an amused smile in her face said amidst her chuckling. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Tsukune wiped his nose with his handkerchief then suddenly felt a shiver run up his spine. It was like he just got a target placed on his back and someone somewhere was taking aim. 'I hope it's no one I know,' he silently prayed. He's not sure just how much more adversity he could take before bursting at the seams.

This was the first outburst they've had since saying farewell to Chiho. Neither Uzume nor Tsukune had said a word since they left the hospital after that. The young woman's spirits had dampened as she had come to realize her friend's condition was getting worse, and with the upcoming revelation of how she knew Higa. Meshed with her ashikabi's ominous silence her mood wasn't improving.

Her ashikabi so far has felt unspeakably empty to her. It was like he wasn't feeling anything and reserving it for later. It unnerved her a bit especially with what's coming next. How does one go about explaining that the owner of a multimillion corporation was secretly blackmailing her to do his bidding? The best thing to do was avoid the whole conversation, but if she knew her beloved Ashikabi, that wasn't going to happen at all.

As her brown eyes lingered on his form, she had realized something. She had chosen a different path with a different ending than what she had perceived. She had never regretted taking on an Ashikabi this much. Sure, she was desirable in nearly every way and was a proud flirt, but she had so much baggage that she was afraid of her Ashikabi's reaction.

She had to ask herself the real questions. Would he be disgusted by her actions? Would he hate and abandon her like some scrapped number? She felt he would never do this but the anxiety was still present in the back of her mind. Every answer to her questions as well came up blank. This uncertainty is eating away at her, widdling her sanity with every passing second.

The process should've gone smoothly. Toyotama shouldn't have even showed up. Tsukune should've been blissfully unaware that he gained a legion of enemies for even participating in the game on her behalf. He shouldn't have even been an Ashikabi and led to a normal life. She's not even sure what he is and that outcry when she told him their lives are tied burned into her. She regretted what she was forced to do then she had to go ahead and kiss him on the spot.

She was such an idiot.

"Uzume…"

Her back went rigid instantly. His voice had lowered in pitch and was laced with so much concern that it sent pleasant shivers down the back of her spine. She couldn't believe how aristocratic his voice sounded and how the timbre of it alone spoke of the nobility that flowed in his blood, whether he knew it or not.

The Veiled Assasin didn't need to face her Ashikabi to know his own brown eyes burned over her entirely. His gaze as heated as his blows she remembered fondly from last night. Uzume flinched and refused to face him. She had put a man, the evidently cared for others almost more so than himself, in Higa's scope.

She was a danger to him. This happened to be a fact she sadly had to admit, and it shamed her.

Even with his cool power, that he still hadn't explained to her, she was worried for what could befall upon him because of her. She's fearful this would be the last time he would see her for the foreseeable future. He was a good man. He wouldn't want someone as tainted as her.

Against her body's protests, she found herself relaxing as strong arms wrapped around her in a comforting gesture. She looked up hesitantly from the safe haven she found in his arms. They said that everything would be okay. They said that she was safe and he'd shield her from anything that hurt her. Even from herself. These arms hurt as much as they help for she could barely hold back the urge to cry.

Whether he realized it or not, Tsukune was an intimidating figure when he allowed his emotions, mainly anger, get the better of his calmer and gentle side. Sixteen, nearly seventeen years old and yet his face held the appearance of someone just a bit older than his cousin. With his constant presence in the monster world, his body adjusted and rebuilt itself in order to survive in a harsh environment it would soon find more comfortable than the world where his origins lie. This body of his was built for a purpose and its one he'd use to help his loved ones in need without a second thought.

"Uzume, listen to me." He ordered softly. His brown eyes had hardened slightly and the slight pulse in the bond alerted her to how much pain her sadness was causing him. She had forgotten that the bond was a two way street. The Sekirei had to obey the Ashikabi and the bond was responding on her need to tell him the truth. Because the truth hurts her its hurting him. This realization only seemed to make her feel worse though.

"Look, I'm not going to force you talk, but if we're going to spend the rest of our lives together I need to know what is causing you so much pain. It hurts me to see you like this." His brown eyes looked deep into her soul and she felt bare to him. For a moment, he believed she knew about the truth of Chiho's condition, but denied it. It's a human trait that proves as yet another parallel between human and Sekirei. One he took note of.

She swallowed nervously but her nerve was steeled. He's hurting because of her and her reluctance to talk to him. To free themselves of this block the bond has taken action and is trying to remove it. Resisting it because of her internal plight is doing more harm than good. "Okay. Give me a moment."

They had taken the bus from the hospital to the halfway point in between the inn. During the walk she took that time to gather her courage only to wallow in self-pity and shame. It force her ashikabi to act where he shouldn't have to. This is becoming a bit of a trend now that she thought of it. Uzume took a breath and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "You wanted to know why I hate Higa of the East so much, correct?"

"Yes." Tsukune put simply.

"Higa runs a pharmaceutical company and the hospital that Chiho's a patient at. What you didn't know is that he's an Ashikabi and a powerful one at that, one of the three most powerful in Shinto Teito. He's part of a Triumvirate."

Tsukune raised a brow. He knew Higa was an ashikabi already with many enforcers already but didn't knew he was part of something like that. "Triumvirate," he murmured. That's an old term he learned about in the joint history of the monsters and their part in the destabilization of the Roman Empire. It's been interesting to discover just how much sway monsters had and continued to contribute to human history. "So, there are two others then? This Triumvirate that Higa is in must mean he's powerful but equal to two others."

That term reminded him of the three Dark Lords, the Triumvirate that ran the monster world. He only knew one personally and the other two were unknown to him.

"All three Great Ashikabi have more than one Sekirei. Higa has twelve in total. Because of that, each Great Ashikabi holds a piece of Shinto Teito. Higa holds the East, Mikogami has the South, and Sanada Nishi patrols the West." She informed him quietly.

Tsukune nodded. That explained all the sekirei he felt in the hospital but still. That matched with what Kocho had informed him of the bonds between ashikabi that didn't place an emotional impact on their sekirei. Still though, twelve Sekirei? He wasn't aware that you could have that many. What sort of man can attract that many? He had to be strong as an ashikabi then. Tsukune though was left to wonder though.

"I thought you said that a Sekirei bonds with their true soul mate, their Ashikabi? How is it that Higa has twelve?" Compiled with everything he was told and witnessed he didn't see a man like that attracting that many in the same way Uzume was attracted to him and vise versa.

She frowned at the reminder of just how Higa operates. She was thankful that she shielded herself from Higa to save her own status as unwinged until meeting her current and true Ashikabi. "I guess I forgot about that. An Ashikabi isn't limited to having one Sekirei and is expected to have more depending on how powerful the Ashikabi is. I won't be all that surprised if we found another Sekirei reacting to you. I'm just one number shy of a single number so that makes you pretty powerful." When Tsukune hadn't reacted or responded Uzume looked up. "Uh hey, are you okay?" Her brown eyes hadn't missed the way his skin paled to the point where it was whiter than the clouds in the sky.

Tsukune shook his head through grit teeth. "So, you're telling me that there's a chance that I'll have another Sekirei in the future?" His tone alone spoke wonders of how he felt about the situation. He hadn't accounted for this. That there are more out there that could be tied to him. Then he thought towards Kocho for a moment and her words. Heads or tails?

Uzume crossed her arms. "You know, most guys would kill to have harem. Can't handle that much woman?"

"I can," Tsukune scoffed with a shake of his head. He'd done it before and they app happened to be monsters or supernatural beings. "But that's not the point! I'm not like most guys…" He bowed his head. "I'm content with just having you around. I don't want any more girls that hold my heart like you do." Holding back the torrent of emotions he suffers from Uzume is hard enough, so he can't imagine anymore to add to the pot. More lives tied to his. More thoughts, feeling, and emotions impacting his own mental state at once. Uzume's is heavy on his shoulders same with his oath to Chiho. Anymore, he couldn't even imagine it. 'Why does this crap always happen to me!' He roared in his head.

Uzume giggled a bit at her ashikabi's antics. Unknowingly she felt his distress and connected it to his desire to have only her. It was partly true but she couldn't see the innermost cause of it. "You're sweet." He blushed at the soft feeling of her lips on his cheek. She pulled away with a satisfied smile. "But I don't mind if you have more Sekirei, Tsukune-koi."

"Y-you don't?" He stammered. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The girls back at the academy couldn't even stand when another woman came onto the fold and beat the living hell out of each other every time one of them tried to put the moves on him. Uzume doesn't care if another Sekirei comes into his life?

She smiled softly. "We're going to need all the help we can get if you and I are going to win this game. I'll admit, I'd like to have you all to myself and make you mine in every single way possible," she purred earning an shiver for her ashikabi. "But," she put her finger up and flicked her ashikabi on his cute little nose. "With that power of yours, you're going to be like a Sekirei magnet to the really strong ones. The more of us you wing the stronger you become as well."

"I see," he muttered under gus breath. He rubbed his nose from that strong flick as well making Uzume giggled. He smiled at her turn around in emotion. It pain all but dulled now that she was a bit distracted. But, her words didn't have the calming effect that was intended. The Dhampir was doing his upmost to keep himself hyperventilating. An image popped into his head of a dining table filled with countless women beating the hell out of each other for his affections… it wasn't pleasant in the slightest.

Uzume sensed that his distress didn't fade and smiled sweetly to get her ashikabi to calm down. It wasn't a big deal as long as he didn't wing anyone crazy or dry. "Ya know, if it makes you feel better, the possibility of having twelve Sekirei is slim to none."

"It doesn't matter," he shook his head. This place is just like Yokai Academy, only the size of a city. He needs to grow stronger to protect Uzume but doing so will attract more sekirei towards him to bond with. Two opposing forces but he desires life over death if he can help it for not only his sake but Chiho's sake as well. "How do these guys have so many?"

"I never said all of those Sekirei came willingly." She said darkly and his eyes widened in alarm. "You winged me naturally. A natural winging is when the Sekirei reacts to the Ashikabi and goes to him or her willingly. Because MBI messed with us, although on accident, a Sekirei can be forcibly winged to an Ashikabi they aren't responding to."

"You can't be serious!" He growled as his thoughts went back to Kocho. She was nice enough to help him but only had the chance because she was corralled like cattle to that hospital. She hinted at this force wing thing but he didn't want to assume anyone would be that much of a bastard. He was wrong like so many other times in his life.

She shook her head. "I'm dead serious, Koibito. A Sekirei can be winged by kissing someone or being kissed themselves. If someone who isn't their destined Ashikabi kisses them, they'll be winged, no matter how much they dislike it. It's a fate I don't wish on anyone. It's why I don't mind if you get more Sekirei. It's better for them to be naturally winged than for that decision to be taken from them. If another Sekirei reacts to you, you have to wing them because if you don't, they'll never be happy and someone will steal that happiness away from them."

'Son of a bitch,' he blinked with his mouth agape in surprise and horror. Tsukune looked back in the general direction of that hospital with his fists clenched.

Uzume watched his reaction carefully, taking note of the sheer disgust in his brown orbs. His features changed in an instant and for a moment, Uzume almost believed she was looking at a different person. He had changed from a kindhearted young man to something else in an instant. To be blunt, Tsukune's bodily appearance appeared to have calmed completely, no sign of tenseness or agitation in his muscles. His face however, spoke a far different story. His jaw was set in a thin line and for a second, she almost thought she saw fangs peeking from his lips.

His usually wide brown eyes had narrowed dangerously, his eyes sporting a slit instead of the regular pupil. They say that the eyes are the window to a person's soul and Uzume could believe it. She could see the maelstrom that continually bubbled inside the gentle boy. It was a maelstrom that he always tried to keep at bay and she knew why.

For a second, she saw the Black Sekirei in him. That stifling blood lust. That desire to maim, murder, kill, and burn the world around him. She couldn't begin to understand what he's feeling because there's too much. The bond couldn't help her making her feel disconnected almost from her ashikabi. It frightened her, but she dared not get in his way. She felt wrong as well for comparing him to a homicidal sociopathic woman like the Black Sekirei, but the darkness the cursed her eyes nearly shadowed her Ashikabi's. The manner they fight when excited, or maybe provoked, is almost similar.

Uzume thought back to her bout with Tsukune and his temperament before he let go. He stopped holding back and threw punches that could've broken the bones of a human with ease. Being a sekirei, her bones are denser and sturdier but he came close. Her ashikabi was still holding back, she's sure of it, because that desire to kill he's shrouded in now was absent in their bout. With it though she can only imagine the Carnage he'd raise.

"T-Tsukune?" Uzume reached up, fighting against her desire to run to that his arm in hers.

Tsukune tensed at this new sensation nearly smothering his blood lust. The slight hue of red in his sight fade swiftly and his breathing calmed a bit. He glanced towards his sekirei and saw it.

'Fear?' He recognized with ease. She's afraid right now and knows it's because of him. He focused on Uzume and took a breath to calm down. Uzume drew him closer to him with the seconds passing and that fear faded, but his jaw clenched still. "Sorry, Uzume." He let his chin drop a bit. He can't let his issues become hers in such away. He can afford to lose control, but this situation just keeps getting more and more complicated.

So, if he rejects them someone else will take them. He'd be dooming their existence for all the right and wrong reason. No matter the reasons though he was sure that he couldn't turn away a sekirei now. Then there's that chance that he might feel them when it happens. He experienced Uzume while they weren't bonded together, and it left him unstable. If a sekirei was forced upon that's supposed to be bonded with him then...

"I won't let that happen if I can prevent it." He declared firmly.

Tsukune thought back to how the reactions were made and the cause. It's almost instant once the sekirei and ashikabi cross paths. They feel a marginal amount of emotion from the other, depending on how extreme it is. That made since if last night was evident. He felt broken in the inside and it came from Uzume. There's also an unconscious interest spawned that effects both sides. One that draws both in almost instinctively. That interest and curiosity that buds and grows to match the two together. Could he identify it if it happened again? Now he's sure he probably could.

Tsukune still couldn't believe what he had heard. It was stunning and horrifying. How could fate be so cruel? How could this even be a thing? A broken heart could be healed after time, but this bond could potentially hurt as much as it heals. This… forced love was something that couldn't be undone. The one between him and Uzume is proof of that. He realized that at this point, there's no going back. This was a fact for this Sekirei Plan and his own position.

Tsukune's a human that loved everything and tried to see the best in everyone, but now he's a monster. He was alone and average without friends then gained a harem of beautiful girls. He was weak and pathetic as a boy but then became a monster of a man. He'd come to this city to live a calm life but now it's Yokai Academy all over again. The women here are stronger than him, where his lives spawn paranoia, and he's under the fingers of a mad man, again.

The difference now is him and the tools at his disposal. He's not an idiot like before and willing to fight for his right. He couldn't allow himself to be compared to the true monsters that roamed humanity under the guise of human skin. He's no ghoul and never again will he be one. He's a Dhampir with the strength to grow stronger than ever before.

The thought of leaving the Sekirei Plan would've been one of the first he'd be having and following through with. The thought of having more than one Sekirei, in the past, would've scared him enough to pack his bag and disappear. Now he's a monster with vampiric blood coursing through his veins, a man with a heart that cares for his cherished ones, and an Ashikabi sworn to protect those destined to stand with him forever. He belonged to three worlds, and this one desperately needed his help.

"Uzume, with your approval, if another Sekirei enters our life we'll gladly accept her. I do this knowing the consequences if I don't make it my responsibility to ensure that she receives the right Ashikabi."

She had never been gladder to pick him as her Ashikabi. He wasn't going to abandon his Sekirei out of fear, and he was willing to push aside his own morals to ensure any Sekireis that reacted to him to safety. It almost made her believe that he wouldn't abandon her after he learned of what she did and what kind of monster she was. Sometimes she wondered who was worse, the Black Sekirei or her. At least number 4 had the decency to stay with the body till MBI could retrieve it safely. She on the other hand left the body alone and MBI had no idea who was murdering Sekirei out of the blue.

Higa had covered his tracks well, making sure there was no pattern in the Sekirei that were dying. Uzume was a quick and efficient killer. She was his faithful assassin, until now.

Uzume had never been more disgusted with herself but now she felt hope.

"Now," He said now that he had calmed slightly. "What's your being an assassin connected to this Higa?" He asked firmly.

Willing herself to face him, she fought the stirring of fear that filled her stomach and swallowed hesitantly.

Tsukune noticed this right off and bat and placed his hand on her shoulders. The support from him helped her steel her resolve. It wasn't about her happiness. She cared only for his. If he didn't want her anymore after this, she wouldn't stop him. As long as he was happy, she would remain content. Or so she told herself.

She told him everything that had occurred before her release into the human world and the truth of why she did what she did. She told him of her escapades as the veiled Sekirei, a supposed bounty hunter that prowled the night in search of powerful Sekirei to terminate. She told him the story of a Sekirei that viciously crushed her opponents despite to her un-emerged state. Without the ability to use Norito, it was impossible to give her kin a painless death. As she talked, her brown eyes scanned his face, silently begging for his approval and forgiveness. Yet his face was emotionless as he took in her words.

The emotions of a Sekirei were different, yet the same as humans. Different because their emotions were much stronger, and the same because they expressed it just as humans did. To admit to her Ashikabi that she was a murderer was taking its toll. She chose him. She couldn't bear the possibility of losing him. Tsukune listened on with calmness comparable to Inner Moka. No longer could he admit that the world was a great place to live in.

There was nothing good about what Uzume was telling him, admitting to him. He was more observant than most gave him credit for. This woman was afraid of his reaction. There was no begging to be forgiven or excuses, only acceptance for whatever would happen.

He wasn't blind. In the past he would've been disgusted. She had murdered Sekirei on the orders of a man who viewed the contract as nothing more than a business deal. Yet, he understood her far more than she knew. She was doing these acts to protect the young woman he had met just moments before. She had a reason, a good one at that. She wasn't evil and he had no right to judge her in a negative light. His own feats and crimes could run parallel with hers.

The irony was shining brighter in front of him than the sunlight. How could he be angry with Uzume when her actions weren't that much different than the women in his life now? Ruby had nearly killed him, Yukari humiliated him, Moka turned him into a Ghoul, Kurumu attempted to turn him into a slave, and Mizore tried to kidnap him so he would sire her children. He never held a grudge. There was no point in that. He loved to see the good in people and Uzume wasn't any different. She was a young amazing beautiful woman unfortunate enough to be caught in an inescapable situation. She was like the members of the newspaper club of the past.

Uzume wouldn't abandon her precious people. They followed the same code. They'd give anything to keep our precious people safe. For Uzume, it was her innocence. For Tsukune, it was his humanity. They were one in the same. She was his Sekirei. This was meant to be… but it still feels like there's more to come.

This may be the bond causing this, but this woman loved him enough to admit her many faults and mistakes. This woman loved him enough to let him decide if he ever wanted to see her again. He couldn't say that he had fallen in love with her just yet. However, he could return her affections? That's still the question.

He cared for her, and the bond strengthened that emotion. He was an Ashikabi, and she his Sekirei. They belonged with one another. That was the fate they shared.

Then there's the other side much like Kocho had told him. The bond will force its way to mend their minds and emotions together until any individualism between them will be all but destroyed.

Her head jerked up in shock when she felt his warm hand grip hers softly. He looked down on her with a gentle smile filled with benevolence. "You're just like me." They are so much alike.

Her head heart lodged itself in her throat.

"W-What…"

"You're not the monster you claim to be." He took a hoarse breath, his shoulders shaking. "You followed the orders of cruel man because Chiho needed your help. At first, you thought it would only be a one-time thing till he found out just how valuable you are. You trained yourself to the breaking point and killed your heart again and again to keep the person you love safe." He wrapped his hand around hers, trying to convey the understanding he felt. "You protected her even when she didn't think she needed it. If that makes you a monster, then what am I?"

They were lucky that the trees around the area they were in hid them from onlookers. Tsukune undid his tie and unbuttoned his blazer. Uzume could only watched her ashikabi proceed to remove his clothing in the open. This was a surprised and out of nowhere. That was until her pulled his entire top up and over his head. He grasped her hands tightly once his chest was in full view.

"Dear God…" She gasped, her hand covering her mouth in horror.

The skin of his chest was alabaster in tint and littered with scar and after scar, some in places that were guaranteed to be fatal on the body of a human. Minutes seemed like hours as her terrified brown eyes roamed his chest with something akin to grief.

Her ashikabi had worn a shirt to bed before, and she had only assumed it was because the temperature was cold in Maison Izumo. He even wore long sleeved shirts or clothing, but she assumed it was just his style. That was as far from the truth as one could get. There was no concept or understanding of the agony she felt just looking at him. She could fathom what it might have been for him to be branded in such a way.

His chiseled chest was marred with heavy scars. From a glance she can tell many of these scars would've led to fatal wounds that would've deactivated a sekirei without a doubt. Uzume literally rose her hand to cup her mouth to keep her jaw from hitting the ground. Her eyes widened further with every single, ugly mark that spell death or crippling pain for a normal person for sure.

A large almost craterlike wound rested just above his heart, his skin showing small signs of intense burns and a large X shaped scar spread from the top of his shoulders to just above his naval. Claw marks littered his arms and legs and two small pinpricks resided just under his neck. It was ugly and horrid like the monster she was before barred it's scars always. This wasn't possible. Something like this couldn't have happened to her beloved Ashikabi, but the truth was staring at her in the face. This was a nightmare before her and yet she knows she's wide awake.

"Oh my goddess," Uzume gasped with a critical step back, unsure on how to handle this reveal.

Tsukune's brown eyes searched into hers, looking for anything akin to disgust or hatred. He had seen her react to his scars, he had seen the terror, and he had watched as she took a step away from him. But the moment her brown eyes returned to his gaze, he realized that she wasn't looking at him with fear. She feared for him.

"A monster bears the scars of its sins… or rather a demon does." He gave her a solemn look. "If you are a monster, than I must be the incarnation of evil itself. I must be a demon. You gave up your naïve innocence so Chiho could live on, but I gave up my humanity, my former self, and this scarred and ugly body to keep my friends alive. The horror I've committed," Tsukune closed his eyes as his chin dropped. "I've earn everything you see."

Uzume stared at her Ashikabi in both horror and sadness. She was scared for him. He wasn't human. Most of those scars were proof of fatal wounds no human could survive. She had been so caught up in the fact that her sacrifices were supposedly evil that she hadn't taken into fact that her Ashikabi might have done something similar, if not worse. His last words had dawned on her as she slowly stepped forward, her soft hand grazing the largest scar on his chest. "You lost everything. Even your humanity."

"Sekirei aren't the only thing humans aren't aware of." He said softly, ignoring the fluttering feeling of her nails tracing every scar he had to offer. "You were kind enough to tell me your story. I think it's high time I told you mine. We're forever and ever, right?"

Her eyes darkened." Right,"

Tsukune didn't notice, opting to move them to a more secluded location in a park nearby, shielding them from the eyes and ears of potential eavesdroppers. The trees made the area feel secluded and hidden, and his barely acceptable Yōki detector couldn't sense any Sekirei nearby. Once they settled onto the grassy ground, his back resting against cool bark, his Sekirei's head resting on his lap, he began his story.

"My story began when my father met a priest…" He was a coward and he had told her as such. She listened eagerly, thirsty for anything that could give some background on her mate. He described how he first felt when he took in the sight of the most dangerous place he had ever had the honor of attending. He mentioned his meeting with Moka, leaving nothing out. Uzume had the grace to be truly honest with her feelings. He felt obligated to do the same. There were moments when he mentioned his feelings for her that he believed Uzume would react negatively, but to his surprise, there was only a small hint of jealousy but no anger on her part.

He grimaced as he recalled his second meeting with Saizo and how he had first met the Inner Self of Akashyia Moka. From what Uzume could tell, there was love for this Moka, both sides her. She didn't know what to feel, but seeing the worried gaze directed at her was enough for her to push aside those feelings. She'd have to get used him getting involved with other women. He was an Ashikabi after all.

Uzume was slightly skeptical when he revealed that the school was for monsters but remembering how different he had looked when they first met removed any doubt in her mind. He had honestly looked like a vampire from those silly kid's stories. She almost choked when he revealed that a Succubus had taken a shine to him and teasingly asked if her breasts were as nice as hers. She laughed when he turned into a sputtering mess. She shook her head in amusement when she learned of the Succubus's morning greetings and made a quiet vow to one up the woman, missing the way the young man paled.

He continued on, regarding her with the tale of how he met a Yuki-Onna, that like the Succubus, had declared him the soon to be father of her children and that he could sire as many as he pleased. That had left her a giggling mess. She had paled slightly when he mentioned a perverted little witch that had a knack for reading Boys Love manga and making small declarations to be the meat in a vampire sandwich. The Sekirei had given him a strange look and begged him not to be a lolicon, much to his horror and embarrassment. It had taken several moments for the boy to recover before continuing on his story.

The Veil Sekirei complained that her Ashikabi was a man whore when he revealed that an older witch had taken a shine to him as well and wanted to be his… slave of sorts. She smirked before saying that Tsukune should take her in to spice up the bedroom life. She wouldn't mind. Getting into the mix of Uzume's tease he just waved her off and continued his story.

The atmosphere had darkened considerably when she realized that less and less of his life was becoming happy and more of it became filled with needless danger. He told her of Anti-Thesis and the Public Safety Commission. Her hand traced each scar as he explained each story surrounding each one. She had nearly cried when he told her that his powers had come with a deadly cost, a cost that could kill him in the future. A cost that cost them both their lives and souls if the worst were to come.

"You gave up everything for a woman who might not even love you?" Her brown eyes had narrowed in both sadness and great confusion. There was also a twinge of pity there for her ashikabi's choices. They didn't make much sense at times but reserved her musing for later.

"It didn't matter if she loved me or not, Uzume. My friends and loved ones are all that matter to me. Midou had nearly killed me that night and Moka-san was forced to perform another blood transfusion on me. I don't think she knew what could have happened."

"But you said she gave you those transfusions in the past. What was so dangerous about this one? It obviously gave you a big power up if you could fight a Sekirei to a standstill."

Tsukune closed his eyes. "That final transfusion had turned me into a this." He pulled his sleeve up, revealing the golden lock he had kept hidden from her eyes. "It transformed me into a creature so foul that the monster world had a kill on sight order for it. I may have looked like I'm a vampire, but in reality, I'm actually a Dhampir. I'm still trying to figure out what it could mean for us but if the worse happens I'll become a ghoul, a dangerous creature that prowls the night with no sanity, but only senseless hunger."

Uzume paled. "You mean like a flesh eating zombie?" Her beloved Ashikabi wouldn't go zombie apocalypse on her right? She nearly smacked herself. Tsukune would never do that. Something must have happened if he wasn't trying to eat her right now. "Wait, what do you mean by Dhampir?"

"Well, instead of flesh, I seek only blood. I'm like a vampire in the sense that I drink blood and have all of their powers, for the most part." He muttered thinking back to the Nosferatu. "Unlike vampires though I don't have there weakness but with it the cost of an unstable mental state. If I lose my sanity, what keeps me tied to humanity, I will become a ghoul. Before I stayed at the school in case the transformation became permanent. Moka-san would've been forced to kill me but everyone would have been safe. It would've been better that way and…"

"Don't you say that!" Uzume said seriously. Her ashikabi leaned back, the shock evident on his face. "Don't you dare say that bull shit about how if would've been better if you were dead. I swear I'll beat you into a pulp," she warned seriously. This man is amazing and after everything still pushes forwards. Her love for him has grown more the deeper she's gotten into his story and wants none of that. They will live together, and she'll make him happy. She swore this to herself leaving no room for argue. Apparently, she left no room for a response because her ashikabi was rendered silent.

Uzume sighed a bit before turned her attention to his accessory. "Is that what the lock thing's for? To hold your inner monster back?"

He gave her a surprised look before nodding. "The Holy Lock is the only thing keeping me sane right now. If my lock ever breaks, there's a high chance that I'll turn into a Ghoul again."

She hid her shaking hands well. "H-how does the lock break?" There had to be a way to save him! He couldn't be just like Chiho and have some strange sickness. He can't die on her. She couldn't take it is she suffered that pain in Tsukune as well.

"If I lose control of my anger or just using too much of my power I could…"

Her head snapped up. "But you used your power against me! Your lock would have broken you idiot! Stupid Tsukune," she scolded him.

He smiled at her reaction. "The Chairman had another way to help me." He gestured to the whip and her eyes widened.

"This guy isn't a pervert, right?"

Tsukune blinked. "Not that I know of… Maybe?" He does have Ruby as an assistant. Heck, she could probably help him with some of this control stuff. She's pretty good at it sometimes.

"I see heh he. Continue," Uzume waved for her cute man to do as told.

He shook his head. "The whip is called Belmont. It allows me to bypass the holy lock on my wrist and lets me use my powers with less chances of going mad. As long as it's with me, I should be fine." He saw the contemplating look on her face and bit the problem before it could grow. "Before you even ask, I will be using my powers."

A gasp of shock escaped her. "But what if you don't have Belmont? You could die." She exclaimed angrily. "Tsukune, let me protect you. That's what a Sekirei is supposed to do."

He shook his head. "If I don't have Belmont on me, then sure, but I don't plan on this becoming Yokai Academy all over again. I will fight instead of watch from the sidelines like I do the girls. How am I supposed to make sure we stay together forever if can't fight with you?"

"B-but…"

"If it makes you feel better, I won't… I won't ever remove Belmont when we're outside just in case. The Chairman gave me a book, so I could learn some techniques without hurting myself. I'll be fine. We will be fine." He assured her gently. There was no way that he'd let her prevent him from fighting. He got the whole deal that traditionally a Sekirei fights by herself and protects the Ashikabi, but he didn't like the game, so screw the rules. There was nothing in the rule book that didn't say the Ashikabi couldn't participate. Until he gets a rule book that won't change.

They lapsed into silence, both content to lean on the other. Surprisingly enough for the both of them, they had taken the story of the other well. Uzume was skeptical at first but realized that she was an alien. There were chances that Yokai existed as well. Besides, her Ashikabi wouldn't lie to her.

His hands gently kneaded her shoulders and slowly pushed aside any discomfort she felt. Her eyes trailed along each link of the holy lock and she shuddered. Her Ashikabi was essentially on death row and he didn't seem to care. He was so confident on the outside, but what would happen if he lost the whip? Would he be so confident then? She couldn't understand why he was so insistent on fighting alongside her.

Tsukune felt her worry and had the answers to alleviate it. But he need to be sure of something. "Hey Uzume."

"Hm," she hummed. She waited to hear more and expected something interesting.

"About Miya," he started off and Uzume's eyes narrowed a bit. "What I've told you today… and anything I'll tell you afterwards, can you keep this between us and only us? I'd rather no one in the inn know… ya know they might not understand," he smiled. 'Please just go with it,' he begged.

Uzume steeled her gaze on her Ashikabi. She searched within the bond for something to help her narrow down his intent but saw emptiness greet her. Did he have an issue with Miya perhaps? She didn't see a reason for that. Miya was awesome even when she went hell face on her. It was for a reason and protected her from MBI. Protection she doesn't need now since Minaka forgave her. Her ashikabi desired to keep his secret between him and her. It sounded simple but nothing about her ashikabi is simple. 'He does seem more tense in the inn than he did out here,' she noted after taking in the silence.

Tsukune felt what she was doing though the bond. 'She's trying to figure me out,' he noticed. He's thankful the bond doesn't allow her to read his mind, but she can pick out lies. He can't lie to her without risking her ire and be compelled to tell her everything. Even more so than he is now. He dropped his smile and looked down with a blank expression. "Please Uzume. I don't understand much in this game or at the inn and I'd rather it go both ways. These secrets are mine and if they find out I want to tell them. Can you do that for me?"

Uzume bit he lip. "I…" The order from her ashikabi forced a weight upon her shoulders. "Yes, Ashikabi-sama." Her ashikabi blinked at the way she answered. She had resisted a bit but couldn't. She didn't want to keep anything from Miya, Matsu, or Homura but couldn't go against the wishes of her ashikabi. It made sense as well and out of respect for him she had no reason to say no. He'd understood her choices and she's sort of understood his, even though it felt like he was being leashed along in her mind.

Despite the dull answer she gave he smiled fondly. "Now that we got that off our chests, let's head back home. I don't think Miya-san will be very happy if we end up late to dinner." The silence returned. It wasn't uncomfortable for Uzume. Her maybe have uncertainties for the future but her fears had been washed away. Tsukune felt the burden of his secret disappear, even if it was just for a little while. Those that watched him, maybe now, didn't needed to know but his Sekirei. She's a part of him and he a part of her. She needed to know but wouldn't suffer anyone else if he could help it.

His thumbs gently rubbed the back of her knuckles and palms with gentle care and a small smile filled her lips.

Everything would be okay.

"Until I find you… demon."

"What the…?" Tsukune looked around. That voice… it wasn't like the other one in his mind. It wasn't the monster, the ghoul. It wasn't his humanity, his old self. It wasn't anything he recognized but filled him with more dread than any other. Dread and strangely enough, longing.

"What's wrong," Uzume asked worriedly. Her ashikabi was alert and afraid for a moment but something else. It made her blood boil and didn't understand why.

"You didn't hear that?"

"Hear what?" She asked. She was a little concerned now. He can't be hearing voices now, can he?

"I…" He shook his head. "It was something." He couldn't say nothing. It was much more than nothing for he knew, somehow in the marrow of his bones, it was coming for him.

"And I will find you."

"I guess it's nothing." He remembered that voices were always a thing.

'But I need your help…'

That voice was different and sudden enough to bring him to a pause. Tsukune wondered on whether or not this is because of his starvation He didn't get a chance to eat in the midst of that Land Lady's chastening. Being a monster he needs five times the amount of calories a normal human being needs to sustain his body and dampen the primal side. Without food he'd be hungry and you wouldn't like a vampire when it's hungry. He's sure it's the same in his case.

Tsukune took that moment to collect this thoughts while Uzume and him walked hand in hand down the street. Before he wasn't entirely sure, not wanting to make assumptions and all, but the presence of the bond is significant. He can feel it like an itch under his skin, nibbling at his will until he breaks enough to scratch it. Once pressure from the bond had relieved from his shoulders it got him feeling lighter than he's ever been before. With that release it pulled the cover from over something else.

'What is this?' the Dhampr wanted to know, because this sensation didn't feel right. He noticed the closer he drew to the inn the tenser the feeling got in his chest. Once free from Uzume's raging influence upon him something reared it head and replacing the dread he previously felt. This feeling is alike the many times the girls needed help or were in trouble. Tsukune was needed somewhere.

He reached up to his chest and gripped his heart. Tsukune took a breath to try and find something he could relate this sensation to. With Uzume at peace he realized this stemmed from an external source. Different emotions but Uzume doesn't seem to notice like him. There's something he needed to address.

"Uzume, a question."

"Hmm," Uzume smiled at her ashikabi for a moment before he noticed how grim his expression became. "What is it?"

"Can you tell me a bit more of how Higa operates," the Dhampir asked with another side of himself revealing itself once more. It felt bolder once he brought Higa up. "Like… how he moves sekirei in and out and the like."

"Why?" Uzume stood confused on what her loving ashikabi wanted. She's more than willing to tell him anything he wanted but this was a bit sudden after everything. "What are you thinking?"

"That maybe… I'm might have fate you on your last words." Uzume blinked in confusion. "That you don't mind me having anymore sekirei."

With that Tsukune took Uzume's hand and marched back in the direction of the hospital. He had a feeling it's going to be another long night.

A/N: A slightly shorter chapter but more meant to being things full circle. Time to get a bit more original now.