Disclaimer: I don't own or make a profit on this.

Chapter 1: intriguing news

"Oi, Nura-kun Ienega-san, did you see the footage of the American mutants?"

Nura Rikuo and Ienega Kana looked up from the textbook they had been skimming, "The American what?" Kana asked, confusion coloring her voice.

"Mutants," Kiyotsugu's voice held almost as much excitement as when he talked about yokai. "They're humans with supernatural powers! Some of them were caught on film in America fighting a giant robot, and the whole country went into an uproar. Now as more coverage is coming out, other countries are starting to do the same."

Rikuo closed the book and Kana turned towards their dark-haired friend. "Are you sure it isn't some hoax?" she asked.

"No no it's the real thing! Some of Shima-kun's soccer friends who live in America showed him the footage, and he showed me. Look here it is."

He turned his laptop towards them. On the screen, shaky news camera footage showed several figures in brightly colored, skin tight outfits fighting a giant red and black robot. Although the images were distant, it appeared that some of the figures were flying and shooting energy beams or lightning bolts.

After the video ended, Kana glanced at Rikuo, "Maybe they're some kind of American yokai?" she asked.

Rikuo shook his head slowly, "I'm not sure," he said. "They could be, but it doesn't make sense for a group of yokai to get involved in a fight in broad daylight. They're denizens of the night generally speaking."

"No they are human." Kiyotsugu insisted, "they have something called an x-gene that gives them special powers. Apparently any human can have it. Some people are saying that it's the next step in evolution, but others think they're abominations and want to get rid of them."

"Hence the robot." Rikuo murmured.

Kiyotsugu nodded, "some guy who hates them designed it to find and capture mutants, the group it was fighting in the footage call themselves X-Men. They all live at some institute in New York."

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class and the three students hurriedly turned to face the front. As the professor started the lesson Rikuo was only half listening,his thoughts on the news of these new 'mutants'.

Their powers were impressive, but they were also unknown. And very public at the moment, his brow creased as a thought occurred to him. If a mutant could be any human in any part of the world, humans might start looking for, and believing stories of, strange events. Yokai were mostly hidden from the general populace, which was probably a good thing given how the humans were reacting to the mutants. But if they began looking for strange goings on, there would be all too many to find. In Ukiyoe town alone there were many yokai-run stores, that only escaped notice because the humans simply weren't looking for yokai. But if they began looking…. Rikuo narrowed his eyes concernedly, he would need to talk to the clan heads about this.

"Nura-kun!!"

His attention snapped back to the present as Tori whispered his name fiercely. He looked up to see the professor looking at him expectantly, apparently she had just asked him something.

"Eh…? Sorry Sensei, what did you say?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head, a sheepish grin covering his face as the professor sighed and repeated the question.

The mutants would wait for now.

.o.

After school Rikuo hurried to get it back to the main house. He relaxed slightly at the familiar shouted greeting from the smaller yokai, and the general hustle and bustle that surrounded the place. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched a small ogre being scolded by an irate fish demon. Apparently the larger had web throwing rocks in the water.

Natto passed by and Rikuo called out to him, "oí, Natto, do you know where Gyukki is?"

"Oh, ah, that way Third Heir." Natto warbled, pointing toward the back garden.

Rikuo nodded a his thanks and hurried around the outside porch until he reached the back garden.

There he spotted the older yokai sitting with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Excuse me Gyuuki-sama." Rikuo said respectively.

Gyuki turned toward him, "yes Rikuo-sama?" He replied.

Rikuo knelt alongside where the old warrior sat, thinking on how to word what he'd been mulling over that whole day.

"I learned some interesting news today," he started, "and I wanted your advice on how to deal with it."

Gyukki nodded slowly, "very well, what news did you hear?"

Rikuo described the video footage Kyotsugu had shown them. Along with the possible implications that had occurred to him about revealing the yokai, and the probable conflict that would surface because of it.

"While most humans enjoy listening to stories about yokai, they don't actually believe they exist. To be revealed suddenly would cause panic. Which is something we should avoid." The hanyou finished.

" Hmm, yes, panicked humans tend to act unwisely, as demonstrated in the hundred tales incident." Gyukki acknowledged. "So just what do you propose? I assume your plan involves me somehow, or I would be hearing about this during the next head meeting."

Rikuo smiled, the yokai was as astute as ever. "Well, I'd like to travel to America and observe their powers myself to determine whether or not the mutants themselves could become a potential threat to the clan. As well as see how the general populace are reacting to this new event.

Gyukki was silent for a while as he pondered the information.

Rikuo watched the wind blow ripples in the pond as he waited for the response.

Finally Gyukki spoke, "the idea that random humans could gain abilities rivaling those of yokai is troubling. But were you planning to travel to America alone? And how would you get close enough to these mutants to be able to study them? And who will lead the Hyakki yakou while you're gone? this would be a long trip, and you cannot simply abandon your duties here for that time."

"I wouldn't go alone, although I haven't thought about who I would bring, and I was thinking of enrolling in the high school that many of the mutants attend. That would allow a certain amount of contact with them. There is a transfer program in my school that I could use as a cover to go, and since the school year in America hasn't started yet it would not be overly strange.

My main concern is, as you mentioned, who would maintain the clan while I am gone. Gyukki nodded slowly, "I suppose you've already thought of a possible candidate?" He stated.

"Yes, I was hoping you would fill in for me Gyukk-sama." Rikuo stated, looking firmly into the surprised face of one of the oldest yokai leaders in the nura clan.

"You've already proven many times in the past that you are willing to go to any lengths to protect the clan, even if it cost you your life." He continued, "You have experience leading, and the respect of the other heads. I know you're retired, but I can't think of anyone else who would be suited."

"And what about your grandfather?" Gyukki asked, his voice neutral.

"He told me a few weeks ago, 'I have no intention of ever again leading the clan, so you'd better not die or anything or we will be in big trouble!'" Rikuo said with a grin.

"I see." Silence fell again, and Rikuo waited nervously, though he didn't show it, for the response to his request.

"I suppose I could fill in for you for a short while," Gyukki finally said. "However, I have a request in return."

It was Rikuo's turn to look surprised, "what is it?" He asked. Gyukki almost smiled as he said, "take Gozumaru and Mezumaru with you."

.o.

That evening at the main house was bustling in preparation of the head meeting. The heads were arriving with their entourages, food was being prepared, and all around small yokai were running about with errands and messages.

Shortly after nightfall the heads had all gathered and the and the meeting began. There was some discussion of goings-on's in the different districts, interactions with humans, foreign yokai and such; but soon the talk died down, and Rikuo decided it was time to review what he had learned that day.

"I learned of an interesting development today." He began, "apparently some few humans have been gaining 'supernatural' abilities. The largest known group that recently came to worldwide attention is in America, and has most human governments buzzing about how to deal with them.

"And Why should we care about strange humans that far away?" It was Hitotsume, being contradictory as per usual.

Rikuo suppressed a sigh, the one-eyed yokai still felt the need to challenge him regularly. "Based on the information I could gather today, nearly any human could develop these abilities, which includes the humans here in Japan. If people begin accepting strange powers as normal, they may begin to notice yokai more, which could lead to conflicts. Which would likely lead to us fighting against mutants, and while we don't have details on how their powers work, it seems that some of the mutant's powers could could rival a yokai power."

This statement caused a slight stir among the heads.

Rikuo leveled an unwavering stare at them as he finished, "I would much rather investigate now, then wait until one of them decides they don't like yokai and comes to challenge us, or one of our allies."

The third heir to the nura clan waited as the others murmured to one another. When they had quieted he spoke again, "For this purpose I've decided to go to the city where the most well-known group of mutants live, and determine their abilities and power levels."

There was an uproar at the announcement. Shouted protests and questions filled the room. Rikuo sat back, waiting for them to calm down. He noticed the Kubinashi and Tsurara remained silent; unsurprising since he had spoken to them both before the meeting began.

Finally Aotabo shouted over the din for everyone to shut up and quiet returned.

"Thank you Ao," Rikuo said, slightly amused, then turned back to face the general assembly, "While I am gone, Gyukki has agreed to fill in for me as leader of the clan."

There were surprised murmurs at this, but no one raised their voice. "I will be keeping in regular contact with what I learned about these mutants, and whether they are potential allies or threats, and I wish for every member of the clan to keep a watch out for mutants showing up around here.

"But Rikuo-sama, "said Kurotabo carefully, "is traveling to another country alone really a wise decision?"

"Probably not, which is why I'm not going alone. Kubinashi, Kejoro, Tsurara, Kappa, Gozumaru, and Mezumaru have all agreed to accompany me. This decision is final." He added seeing that Hitsume was preparing to speak.

"In the meantime I want each of you to advise your districts to exercise more caution, we need to avoid drawing attention until we know how things are panning out. Understood?"

The various heads agreed, some more grudgingly than others.

"Now, was there anything else that needed to be discussed tonight?" There were several muttered denials. "In that case the meeting is adjourned."

.o.

Afterword Aotabo, Kurotabo, Zen, and Shoei approached Rikuo as he sat outside in the sakura tree. He glanced at their expressions, then slipped down to face them.

"I know what you're going to say, and I am not taking any of you with me because you are needed here and you wouldn't work with our cover story." He stated preemptively.

"So what is your cover story?" Zen asked, disgruntled.

"A group of transfer students, with two chaperones. None of you would be able to pass as high school students, and you are needed here to head your district."

"Kubinashi and Tsurara both have their own districts as well." Shoei protested.

"Yes, but Tsurara's district has managed without a head before, and they can do so again. Kubinashi's district is very low maintenance, and they will be fine without him." Rikuo put up a hand install any further arguments, "we need a couple who can pose as chaperones, Kubinashi and Kejoro can fill that role very well. Better I might add any of you."

Kubinashi only passes as human better when his head stays in the right place. Ao muttered.

Rico smiled, "that is true. But he's getting better at that." He looked around at his four close friends, "if I thought it would work, I would bring all of you, but the fact is it wouldn't. I'm sorry." A gentler tone keeps into his voice as they nodded glumly.

"So why Gozu and Mezu?" Kurotabo asked suddenly.

Rikuo sighed, "Gyukki asked me to bring them, he said it would be a good training opportunity for them to practice posing as humans, and Gozumaru needs to learn how to get along with others better, and this is the perfect opportunity for that." He said with a rye look on his face.

Zen snorted, amused, "I am most pity you. But not quite."

Kurotabo nodded, "we understand why you've decided this, even if we wish we could accompany you."

A sudden shout caused them all to spin around. In the distance they could hear Gozumaru and Mezumaru's voices overlapping in what sounded like protests.

"Oh yes," Zen smiled, "you lot are in for a very interesting time.

.o.o.o.

Authors note 5/Nov/2017

Redone chapter. I added a bit more dialogue, changed a couple things. Nothing too drastic.

I appreciate constructive criticism, just because no one else writes this kind of fanfic doesn't mean I should get away with dumb mistakes, so if you see one please tell me!

I should be updating the other old chapters as well as publishing a new one in the next few weeks. So stay with me!