The full moon shone brightly that night and everything was silent except for the Nura household…
"I HATE YOU RIKUO!"
Everyone in the Nura household was taken aback with the loud voice and the name of their leader being added to it. The sound came from one corner of the enormous house, in a bright room where a woman, was currently in labor…
"Hurry! Bring in the basin of water!" Kejoro said as she slid the entrance to let Kubinashi enter with a basin in hand. Screams could be heard inside and all yokai outside winced and trembled in fear. The man currently the source of the mayhem was on a branch of his sacred Sakura tree, trembling slightly and sweating. His wife was currently inside the room giving birth to his child with his mother and other female yokai who were helping around.
'Remind to self… never get her pregnant again…' he thought sullenly.
He winced as another loud yell came from inside as well as his name being cursed. He took in a sharp breath as he tried to control the urge to enter the room where his wife was. But he was instructed to wait outside, since during the first few minutes, he was starting to annoy those inside the room, the only people allowed to enter were his most trusted underlings. He narrowed his golden eyes as he remembered how he was rudely pushed outside the room.
Nura Yura was a dangerous woman when in labor… not that she wasn't while she was pregnant. For the first few months she was fine, then came the emotion shifting… heck, she would almost attack any yokai one meter away when she felt really pissed at something, be it a comrade or not.
She was even stronger than before and her appetite was twice the usual serving she had. Well, his mother said she was eating for herself and the baby anyway… and she had the most unusual cravings…
"She's so going to beat you up after this ordeal…"
Rikuo looked down to see his dearest brother-in-law standing below him with his arms crossed and looking at the bright moon.
"Like I don't know that… Yura's even scarier than any other yokai right now…" Rikuo hissed.
Ryuuji smirked. "Well, that's what you get from marrying someone who's your supposedly natural enemy… But… don't worry, she's strong… nothing bad is going to happen…" he spoke.
Rikuo's eyes widened slightly. He gave a light smirk. 'He read through me…' he thought to himself.
The two winced once more as a louder scream came from inside the room. Rikuo couldn't take it anymore, he jumped down, and as he did a new cry was heard. It wasn't Yura's though, it was a baby's cry. His eyes widened even more. Ryuuji was grinning at him.
''Its finally over…" he added as a large number of yokai's ran towards them. "Master! Your baby's born!" everyone yelled as they surrounded him and gave him pats, and hugs. "Oi, let him through now… he should see his kid anyways." Zed came out and gave a grin and patted him at the back. "Well done Rikuo-kun." He said. "Young Master… go now…" his closest comrades pushed him to the entrance inside. He ran as fast as he could towards the rooms direction. "Young Master! It's a boy! A boy!" an excited Tsurara met him on the hallway along with Kejoro who was smiling. He gave them a smirk as he ran past them. He finally reached his destination and he saw Gyuuki, his very pleased mother and his grandfather outside the door. Gyuuki gave a curt nod. "Get your butt in there." His grandfather beamed at him.
Rikuo entered the room slowly. There lying on the futon was his wife, who was still sweaty and panting from the whole ordeal and a small bundle beside her. His eyes softened at the sight of his tired wife who opened her eyes to look at him.
She slowly smiled at him and signaled him to near them. He slowly walked towards them and knelt down on his knees.
"Hold him…" she softly urged him as she held the bundle close to him. He stretched his shaking hands and took the bundle. The baby had some hair the same color as his day form. He opened his eyes and gold met gold. Rikuo's eyes widened the umpteenth time that day. His day form and night form's characteristics were taken by this child. The child made a cooing sound and yawned soflty as he closed his eyes to sleep.
Rikuo had an unreadable expression on his face. He was trembling as if he held such an expensive treasure, which was of course much more than that. He was holding his son… their son… a yokai and an omyouji's son…
He closed his eyes as he remembered what they had both gone through, before he and Yura finally got married… they faced a lot of opposition back then, but also received a lot of support from their closest friends and even Hidemoto, saying that it would be very interesting. He gave a low chuckle. He was brought out of his thoughts by the voice of his wife.
"Rikuo… I was thinking…" Rikuo turned to look at his wife, who for a woman who had just finished giving birth was even more beautiful to him.
"What is it, Yura-hime?" he said as he used his free hand to move some hair away from her face. Yura's smile grew.
"I was thinking… if we could name him… but if you don't want to…well… we could…" Yura was debating with herself again. Rikuo chuckled as he brought his forehead against hers. "We'll name him any name you want…" he murmured.
"Lets name him Rihan…" Rikuo's eyes shot open as his eyes met the strong gaze of Keikan Yura, no… it was Nura Yura now.
Rikuo's mouth opened slightly, shocked at his request. Everyone who was gathered at the door looked shocked at the request as well, they patiently waited for their leader's approval, which they hoped, he would agree to his wife's request.
"Well? I doubted to tell you…but… I just… its just that… well… if…" Yura started to ramble on which made Rikuo get out of his shock. He gave her a silent kiss on the lips to quiet her before breaking it off and laughing out loud.
Yura had wide confused eyes looking at him.
Rikuo held his son closer to his chest. He stopped laughing and gave Yura a genuine smile before smiling at his own son.
"That's… a wonderful idea Yura… it's the best idea I've heard you say…" he said. He looked at her lovingly, as he kissed her forehead.
"Thanks… Yura…" he mumbled to her ears. He then stood as he looked at everyone who were at the door. Gyuuki, Nurarihyon, Wakana, Tsurara, Kejoro, Karaus Tengu, the Sanbagarasu, Aotabo, Kubinashi, Kurotabo, Kappa, Jami, Satsura, Zen and his comrades, Gozumaru and Mezumaru, Ryotaneko, some close comrades from the Toono village, Some Keikan family members and the rest of the Nura household yokia's who huddled together as most had filled inside the room surround the couple and their son.
He smirked proudly at them and gave a proud pose as he lifted his son. "Listen up everybody! From today onwards, this little one here is my successor and his name… he'll be called Nura Rihan!" he declared with such authority in his voice. The audience cheered.
'Idiot.' Ryuuji mumbled to himself as he shook his head. "Ow! Oh, Sorry Keikan-san!" he looked to see the girl who had bumped him on his right side. It was the brat's comrade, Yuki-ona. He would have frowned but as to not destroy the atmosphere he gave a curt nod. "Tsurara…right?" he confirmed. The ice maiden's cheeks flushed slightly. She smiled at him and gave a cheerful smile. "H-hai!" she said as Ryuuji smiled slowly at her.
Wakana was sniffing and wiping away unshed tears in her eyes. 'I wish you could see this Rihan…' she thought to herself. She turned to look at the new family again, her eyes widened slightly at what she saw. Their behind Rikuo who was still holding his son, was her beloved. Rihan had a hand on Rikuo's left shoulder. No one else seemed to notice. Wakana and his eyes met and Rihan gave a sweet smile for her, a smile she would never want to forget. She gave a big smile of her own and nodded her head as Rihan's form dissolved into light specks of light. No one still seemed to notice. She looked at her daughter in-law who was looking at the specks of light that had disappeared before looking at Wakana with a knowing smile.
'He'll be always with you…' Yura mouthed at her and she smiled even more.
Rikuo knelt down near Yura and gave her another smile. "Thankyou…" he murmured.