1st Scene
Narrator's Point of View:
Wings flapped hastily and heads snapped instinctively all evening. The Sanbagarasu then landed on their feet in Nura Main House after scouring the whole area in the First District for the Third as Karasu Tengu and Nurarihyon waited patiently for the report.
"Father, the Third… is nowhere to be found." Said Kuroumaru, the seemingly leader of the trio.
"Hm… so this is a serious subject matter indeed. For Master Rikuo to disappear during the night for three straight weeks there must be something untold. What do you think, Supreme Commander?"
Nurarihyon remained still; his eyes closed with arms folded naturally. Then sip a cup of tea did Karasu Tengu do after pondering over those things. The conversation appeared to be more tensed as the deafening silence grew stronger among the sitting folks. The Sanbagarasu didn't even move an inch from their positions after narrating the young master's status updates. And although the Nura mansion overflowed with countless yokai loitering around everywhere— from the ponds beneath, within and outside the house up to the rooftops of the dojo— an odd and heavy sensation was felt by everyone, especially the Supreme Commander himself.
"It is a concern we have to take deep knowledge and understanding of. My grandson has already surpassed me after defeating the Nue and now I am worried that we may not be able to catch up with what's occurring at this very moment."
Subsequently, a gust of suspicious wind brushed through the entire area that hushed everything, making it possible for anybody to fully observe the absence of Nura Rikuo as the crying cherry blossoms shed away its blinding magnificence, preparing for yet another winter season.
2nd Scene
Zen's Point of View:
Rikuo sure knows how to create a ruckus! Huh. Just right after a battle, here he goes making us fret about him again and again… so much like his grandfather, making gibberish decisions and later on we'll get tagged along his game. I guess he really has grown up, that little kid I once used to take care of.
"Zen-sama! Have you seen Master?" Opening my eyes from my chain of thought, I turned my head and saw Yuki-Onna, rushing towards me with a bento box on her left hand and a bag on the other.
"I last saw him yesterday with Gyuki at Mt. Nejirerme on my way back here… Didn't he come home last night?"
"Oh, well, no. We're not in the same class during the day at school and I rarely see him at night. Master has many things to do, after all, since he's the Head of the Hyakki Yako now." And she sat at the nearest bench, sighing heavily at what she said.
How reckless could you be, Rikuo?.
"Let's go and look for him then!" I exclaimed, looking at her, hoping she would cheer up a bit.
"Ah, but it's already dusk, Zen-Sama. It'll be very difficult to find Master—"
"That's why we should find him in his human form before he changes into a yokai, baka!"
*Tooong!*
"Ouch! Zen-Sama, why did you hit me?" She cried out.
I ignored her complaints and headed to my carriage.
"Hurry up and move, Yuki-Onna!" I commanded when I noticed that she froze in place.
What's wrong with her? Could she have realized?
Narrator's Point of View:
Snapping out of her meditation, Yuki-Onna followed Zen.
"Where are we going?" she mused upon reaching up the ride.
"We might want to drop off the Main House first— to tell the Supreme Commander, that is. Then we'll go and search for Idiot Rikuo."
A simple joke was what Yuki-Onna thought those last two words were… But to her disappointment, Zen was quite serious about it. For a while, a solemn stillness enveloped them since no one dared to speak after Zen's remark until they heard a cluster of yokai complaining upon reaching the mansion's gate.
"We must see the Third immediately!" Shouts the yokai at the very rear of the group.
"Bring that coward and uncaring leader of yours here and we'll make a true man out of him!" An ill-tempered spirit yelled, unafraid of the consequences he may face.
Flabbergasted by what the fellow uttered, all of those who were able to listen found themselves speechless while Aotabo and the others, who impeded the mob, stayed quiet all throughout that specific moment. Also, at that time being, Gozumaru and Mezumaru who had, a minute ago, overheard the commotion, nailed themselves exactly at a corner of the mansion beside the gate to observe secretly.
"Well, well! This is troublesome. The folks from the First District discovered something they mustn't have. We need to do something or Master Gyuki will be disappointed at us. What do you think, Mezu?" Gozumaru murmured as softly as possible to avoid their exposures.
"Yes, I know, Gozu… Ah, look!" Mezumaru, his voice a bit loud, pointed out.
In front of the entrance stood Yuki-Onna and Zen with both Fears activated to the point where their very presence overwhelmed everything. Then, as the ball of fire in the firmament finally set, darkness crawled under the whole place. Petrified were those yokai in between Nura Rikuo's Hyakki Yako.
"Never again will you speak of Rikuo like that or you'll cease to exist, imbecile!" Zen sternly stressed.
"Zen-Sama truly has a high respect for Rikuo, doesn't he?" Mezumaru elbowed his partner, forming a teasing smile as he glanced at him.
"That Nura Rikuo…" Recalling the past occurrence, Gozumaru intently gazed at the full moon sitting on the chair of constellations above.
Gozumaru's Point of View:
*flashback*
We were on our way to the Kekain Main House to deliver a message from Master Gyuki. It was already dusk, so Mezu and I decided to take the shorter route. The road was oddly hushed and Mezu was playing with his strings, so I kept my running thoughts to myself.
That brat is always acting so superior… Giving us orders like he's our boss… Who does he think he is?
"Gozu, behind you!" Mezu screamed at me not long after, his clothes covered in blood when I turned around.
"Nani…?" I couldn't comprehend what happened at first.
Everything was colored green— the sky, the road, posts and houses— and there were no other animals or humans.
"Ogi Meikyo Shisui, Sakura." A voice too familiar I will not forget from whom that belongs to said.
In a blink of an eye, the place became normal once more. Then, I stared at the burning creatures circulating us at the corner of the isolated street in Kyoto, and Nura Rikuo's yokai form appeared, piercing me with his inescapable glare. Slowly, I came to realize that Mezu and I were ambushed by unknown spirits.
Darn! How come I didn't feel the presence?
"You should not even once let your guard down. How reckless and stupid could you be? Stop daydreaming and try not to die before delivering your purposes." He said plainly.
"Huh! Well, what are YOU doing here?"
"Protecting my family and friends is what I do."
With that, he left me dumbfounded and I thought: this guy may truly lead a Hyakki Yako to its pinnacle of success. But then I came back to reality when Mezu groaned for help, almost slithering to the nearest tree for support.
*end of flashback*
Removing my stare from the moon, I closed my eyes and puffed out a gulp of air suspended in my lungs. Mezu saw that, but I didn't let him speak; I walked out of the bushes where we hid.
"Let's go."
He grinned and trailed behind me.
These people… they're all being spoiled. I can't believe Nurarihyon's grandson.
^End of Chapter One^
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