The New Year

"Eli didn't come to class again." Tsukune said as the group walked to the bus stop for the Hands On Training class for Juniors and they shook their heads with sad looks, "I wonder if he's attending Yokai this year?"

"There's no way he wouldn't!" Kurumu said in an upset tone but even she wasn't sure anymore and they listened to Ms.Nekonome's explanation of the class's objective for the day. Tsukune didn't like the look of the Monster Durian they would be looking for but Moka decided to lift everyone's spirits by making finding it a competition and they immediately split up, with Tsukune and Yukari following Moka.

"We need to find the others." Yukari told them out of nowhere and they gave her a confused look, "I just remembered that the fruit is a trap used by the carnivorous plant to lure in food!"

"I got it!" They heard Kurumu yell nearby and instantly sprinted in her direction. They saw her holding the fruit above her head in victory and Moka took the fruit from her while pushing her back.

"I found it first so don't you dare che-" Kurumu didn't get to finish when a giant plant brust from the ground and they watched in horror as it swallowed her whole, "It got her!"

"She's fine." Inner Eli said as he set Moka down behind them and their eyes widened in surprise as he casually walked towards the plant monster. It shot vines at him to pull him into its mouth but he dodged them with ease as he continued to walk forward before he suddenly blew a hole through the center of it with a powerful punch and picked the durian up from under it.

"Where have you been?!" Kurumu asked as he returned to normal and he rubbed the back of his head with a nervous look, "We were afraid you weren't coming back!"

"I had some things to deal with before I came to school." Eli told them as he tossed the fruit up and down in his hand and Tsukune sighed in relief as he helped Moka get to her feet, "I didn't mean to make you guys worry."

"We should get back to Ms.Nekonome and let her know we got the fruit." Tsukune said with a small smile and they made their way back to the starting area. After going over the situation with her they cut the fruit up into equal parts and while the others were happily eating it, with the exception of Tsukune, the bus driver walked up to him with his usual wicked smile.

"So did you find out anything?" The bus driver asked him as he lit his cigar and Eli nodded with a serious look, "It must have been shocking."

"Yes it was." Eli said as he sat down and the bus driver chuckled as Eli bit into the fruit. The rest of his day was spent constantly apologizing to Kurumu and Mizore and finding out that they were in the same class that year but he was more or less prepared for all of that. Him and Tsumune even managed to get the same dorm room again and Eli figured that the Headmaster had something to do with it. The next morning Tsukune decided to leave a bit earlier and Eli chuckled knowing that it so he could walk with Moka alone. He made his way to class and was surprised to hear the sounds of fighting from inside.

"The hell is goi-" Eli was cut off by a desk hitting him in the head with enough force to slam him into the hallway wall and he glared as he walked back into the classroom, "Who the hell did that?!"

"This little brat keeps attacking Moka!" Kurumu explained as a girl with reddish brown hair tied into double ponytails ran towards Moka with a giant mace and Eli could tell from her demonic energy that she was a vampire, "Stop already dammit!"

"Not until I beat her!" She yelled as she swung the mace but Eli switched places with his other half before stopping her almost instantly and he could tell from the force of the swing that she really was another vampire. Her eyes widened when she saw who prevented her attack before she suddenly sprinted out of the room and leaving them confused.

"Who was that?" Eli asked Moka as he switched back, "She was definitely a vampire whoever she is."

"She's my little sister Cocoa and we used to spar all the time before my power was sealed away." Moka explained with a sad look and Eli was deep in thought as he processed what he heard, "She's been after me ever since I left."

"So it's a sibling rivalry?" Tsukune asked in a relieved tone as he sat down before turning to Eli, "I wonder why she ran away when she saw you?"

"I'm not sure myself. I've never met her before as far as I know." Eli told them with a genuinely confused look and Moka couldn't tell them why either, "This year is off to a hell of a start."

"Story of our lives." Kurumu said as she laid her head on her desk and Eli decided to confront Cocoa about her reaction after school was over.