This is a one-shot on Nyanko's thought and Hinoe's talking with Nyanko about the difference of Reiko and Takashi. It's pretty short, but at least Natsume Yuujinchou is the one and only work that I've completed.
The Night Before The Training
Natsume was sleeping. It was late in the night, and yet, Nyanko is not out for a drink like he usually does. It was just that, his size for now is freakin' small, while Natsume, that pigheaded boy, Nyanko calls him, got himself a Five Day Curse. He already warn Natsume about the danger of having a soft heart when dealing with spirits, but he just shrug his advise off and ruffled his head.
Nyanko keeps staring at Natsume, trying his best to differentiate his face between that of the deceased Reiko, Natsume's grandmother. They look strikingly alike, yet different in some parts. Natsume is recklass in saving other spirits, while Reiko stays cool and calm. Natsume returns all the name Reiko got from betting with spirits and making them obey her when they lose. But the one thing that makes them alike in some places, is that both of them are marked as weird.
Seriously, it's not their faults they have this power, thought Nyanko. Those who was born with the ability to see other creatures invisible to human's eyes are always alone. Bloody humans, betraying and leaving their own kind to suffer alone. The first time he sees Natsume near the shrine where he was being sealed as a Maneki Neko, his first thought was, oh, this one looks like Reiko. But now, he knew he's not like Reiko.
No one understand or willing to befriend Reiko for her weird ability. She was left alone to defend herself, and angered by the fact that nobody but she alone can see what others can't see, she sought out friendship with the spirits. She vent all her anger on humans to the spirits who lost their name and their freedom to her, and even after she died, nobody remembers her. Only those who lost their names to her remember her, waiting for her to return and summon them, and waiting for the day they gain back their name.
Natsume is not like Reiko at all. It's true that he has power like Reiko's. It's true that he looks exactly like Reiko. But, his heart isn't. He don't despise those who can't understand him. He treasures those who care for him. He frees and helped those who came to him, despite the fact that returning their names drains his energy a lot. He, has friends of his own kind and spirits. Natsume Takashi is a really great and kind person.
Crawling out from his tea cup, Nyanko slowly made his way to Natsume, who was writhing and squirming in pain, with beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. The Five-Day Curse is spreading larger on Natsume's hand, draining him off his life. He really need to get rid of this curse quick, thought Nyanko.
"Getting sentimental, Madara?" said a woman's voice behind him. Turning his head with his usual Maneki Neko smile pasted on his over-sized head, Nyanko voiced out his opinion.
"Close the damn window, Hinoe. The wind at night here is really cold."
"Oh, are you worrying about that boy's health? I notice he cough a lot lately." Said Hinoe. She was just going to pull out her smoking pipe from her sleeve when suddenly, Nyanko warned her.
"If you're going to smoke that foul smelling pipe of yours here, I'm going to pull that seaweed hair of yours out from your head when I get back to my usual size."
Eyes widened, Hinoe smiled at the cat and put back her pipe. Both of them stayed silent and watch Natsume sleep, the moonlight illuminating his face and making his skin glow.
"He really looks like her..." whispered Hinoe silently as to not wake Natsume up.
Nyanko keep silent. Making his way back to his teacup, Nyanko sank into his cushion and said to Hinoe, "Close the window when you get out of this room will ya?"
Smiling, Hinoe made her way back to the window.
"Wake Natsume up tomorrow will ya? Don't make him late for the training..." said Hinoe to Nyanko.
Before she jump out from it, she take a last glance at Natsume and Nyanko, who is starting to snore, muttering something about frizzy hair and sake.
You've change, Madara. Thought Hinoe, before taking off into the moonlit garden of Natsume's house. The place where he came to love and treasure
Date Written and Finished: 2nd of December
Time: 1.30p.m
