Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Nurarihyon No Mago, large or small.
A/N: (Please Read!) Okay, guess who's back! Me! *Silence* …Anyway, this is the second chapter of 'Accepting the Yokai Side.' This one is actually longer than the previous chapter, so that's good right? Or maybe you all prefer that I write shorter chapters…? Nah. Regardless, now that the first chapter is uploaded, and hopefully if you are reading this, then you have read the first chapter. If not, please go back and read the first immediately. So, I will respond to a couple of the reviews I received, as I said I would. Here we go!
Kunikohime Madoka Tanuki: Don't worry, there will be many moments with Tsurara and Rikuo, as this is a romance fic in addition to being an adventure fic. I think a few are in this chapter. I also can't really see myself doing any Kana and Rikuo moments, unless it is truly plot necessary. And since this is a Rikuo/Tsurara thing, of course you may anticipate kissing between them in the future! Thanks for reviewing!
lil'storm (Or whatever your real profile name is): I'm glad that you approve of my Rikuo! And that I was able to keep Tsurara within the realm of her true personality. And yes, I agree, Kiyo is the perfect comic relief, and you can expect me to utilize that fact to the fullest in the future. Thank you for reviewing!
FeuWitch: Allow me to allay your fears. I have the firm belief that all my chapters should be at least five thousand words or more, no less, but quite possibly a good deal more depending on if I get carried away. I am also pleased as punch to know you like this Rikuo as well. So, I thank you, for reviewing, my good reader.
Xzer04X: I am relieved to know that you find my version of Rikuo satisfactory as well! Even more so to know that my reasoning for it is plausible as well. As a matter of fact, the reason Tsurara is more open to her master, is because she saved his life, restored his view on yokai, and they bonded as time went on between then and now, so they are very close. Rikuo will be more kind to Tsurara than others because of this as well. Thus the romantic portion of this fic. As for your question, this will be based on the series, to a large extent. I will be making changes though, whether it be for plot-critical reasons or different characters bonding, we'll see. Thank you for your review as well!
Everyone else who reviewed: Thanks for your thoughts! I'm actually pleasantly surprised by how many agree with me about Kana. The reason I'm not going to respond individually to you, (you know who you are) is because you either did not ask a question, or I didn't see anything that needed answers from me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reviewing, it's because of you guys and those previously mentioned that this chapter is here!
There is the response to my viewers! I hope I was able to show how much I appreciate the fact you all took the time to review! Now, since I am sure you are all sick of my non-story typed words, here it is! The second chapter! I hope I made it satisfactory!
"Rikuo-sama! It's time to wake up!"
"Hm…?" Rikuo mumbled, hearing a loud voice. "Tsurara? Is that…" Rikuo opened his eyes to see Tsurara's face directly in front of his own.
"WAH!" Rikuo yelled in surprise, sitting up quickly, Tsurara lifting her head away to stare at the master in confusion.
"Rikuo-sama? Is something wrong?" She asked.
"Ah…Ahaha! No, no. You just surprised me is all." Rikuo clarified, his face turning a bit red.
Tsurara noticed this. "Master? Do you have a fever? Your face is kinda red…" She moved a bit closer, concerned for his well-being.
"It's nothing!" Rikuo announced quickly, turning away.
She didn't look convinced. "Okay…but you should come out soon. Breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes!" Tsurara announced, putting on the cheerful smile she usually wore.
"Oh really? Well, then, just let me get changed." Rikuo smiled, heading for his dresser. He quickly spotted his school uniform and fished it out from his other clothes, removing his night shirt as he did so. He turned to find Tsurara still standing there, her face quickly turning red.
He quirked an eyebrow. "Tsurara? Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Actually, Yuki-Onnas wouldn't be able to get fevers would they…?" Rikuo trailed off, trying to remember whether that fact was true or not.
Tsurara, as if snapping out of a daydream, gained an embarrassed expression before dashing out of the room with a quick "gomen!"
This confused Rikuo. "What's up with her?" He mumbled to himself, before deciding to simply dismiss the issue with a shrug of his shoulders, moving to finish changing.
Rikuo walked into the dining area with a smile, taking a moment to look around the room at all his friends. Every morning he would come to eat at the feast that was called breakfast. The table had food piled high on top of it, in order to feed the populace of the house, so much so that one might assume it would break from the strain. Luckily, it never did. He walked among the yokai, the few that paused in their eating long enough to notice the boy hastily bowing with a greeting of "master."
Rikuo's smile widened further when he noticed Tsurara waving frantically to him from her seat at the table. "Rikuo-sama!" The girl yelled in greeting, barely heard over the great din generated by so many yokai in one room.
Rikuo quickly walked over, taking a spot in the seat next to her. "Good morning Tsurara. And good morning to you too, Kubinashi." Rikuo greeted the Yuki-Onna beside him as well as the neckless yokai across from him.
"Good morning, Rikuo-sama." Kubinashi replied, offering a smile. "I was told by Tsurara that you will be going on a small adventure with your school friends. If you do not mind, I would suggest that you allow one or both of us to-" Kubinashi was cut off by a sharp gesture of Rikuo's hand.
"No way. I don't want to risk Kiyo noticing ANYTHING other than how creepy the building is." Rikuo smiled. "Don't lose your head over it, Kubinashi."
The yokai gave Rikuo a dry expression as Tsurara brought her hands to her mouth, stifling her laughter.
"…Right…" Kubinashi mumbled, rolling his eyes as he resumed his meal.
Tsurara, now calming down, turned to her master as he gathered food onto his plate, "By the way, when are you going to tell everyone else to stay away from the building?" Tsurara emphasized the latter end of her question with an annoyed gaze, bitter about being forbidden from following.
"Tsurara, I want you guys to stay away just as a precaution. And I'll tell everyone just before I leave for school. No need to keep it a secret. You guys would probably only use that as an excuse to come and you would say something like, 'Oh, you didn't specifically tell us we couldn't come, Rikuo-sama!'" Rikuo said, using a high-pitched voice in an attempt to mimick Tsurara.
"I don't sound like that!" Tsurara pouted.
"Master, with the description I got from Tsurara, the place does sound odd. We are only concerned for your well-being." Kubinashi stated, rejoining the conversation.
Rikuo looked to his friend, "And I appreciate that. But no need to worry; I already scoped the place out during lunch a couple days ago. Nothing's hiding in there." Rikuo paused, taking another bite of his food. "Besides, I'm sure I could handle it, if something were to show up."
"Whether or not you can handle it isn't the issue! I can't feel at ease unless I can see you are safe with my own eyes!" Tsurara exclaimed, giving Rikuo a hard glance.
"Well, let me prove to you that I'll be okay, with or without you guys. You'll see, I'll come back safe and sound, not a scratch on me." Rikuo replied simply, sliding out of his seat, having finished his meal. "Please tell all our friends to wait at the front door for an announcement. I'm going to get ready to go." With that, Rikuo calmly walked from the dining room, out of sight.
Kubinashi glanced to Tsurara whom appeared to be deep in thought, staring down at the table she currently occupied.
The neckless yokai let out a sigh. "I'll go ahead and tell everyone to assemble at the door." That said, Kubinashi left the table as well.
Tsurara just kept staring at the table.
"Okay! Everyone is here, right?" Rikuo asked aloud as he stood in the open door of his house, scanning over all the yokai before him, as per his orders.
"Yes." The messenger of the Nura clan affirmed, a small crow-like yokai dressed in clothes. "Every single one of the Nura clan's servants have assembled here." Tengu finished.
"Isn't this great?" Aotabo said, grinning. "The young master has agreed to accept the position."
"It's like a heavenly blessing to us servants." Kurotabo agreed, the samurai-like yokai smiling.
Tengu spoke again. "This is certainly a fitting procession for the third commander. Yes, yes!" Nodding a few times to reinforce his statement.
"You realize that is not what this is about…" Rikuo deadpanned. "And you guys are my friends, not servants. How many times do I gotta say it…?"
"Regardless," Kubinashi spoke up, "be it a fight or gang warfare, please give us your orders." He smiled, likely imagining what such scenarios would be like.
"That's not it." Rikuo dismissed the idea. "I had you all gather here to ask a favor…"
"A favor!" Kubinashi exclaimed, remembering what Rikuo told him during breakfast.
"From the young master to us?" Kuro questioned, surprised.
"That's right." Rikuo confirmed, "I want you all to keep away from the middle school's abandoned school building." Rikuo finished.
"The abandoned school building?" Aotabo tacked on another question. "You mean that place behind the school?"
"Exactly!" Rikuo confirmed with a nod of his head. "I'm sure you all know what I'm referring to." Rikuo looked about the room for confirmation.
"Why exactly is that?" Kuro asked yet another query.
"That is for me to worry about." Rikuo struck them with a strict glare. "The point is, no one is to go near that place!" Rikuo glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I'll be late if I don't leave for school now. Seeya!" Rikuo began to run off.
Rikuo's mother spotted him as he headed for the front. "Oh, leaving for school, Rikuo? Tsurara-"
"No time mom!" Rikuo exclaimed, jogging past her. "I have to hurry if I don't want to be late! Ja ne!"
"Hold on a moment!" Tengu called, flying toward Rikuo as the boy paused to put on his shoes. "It's dangerous out there! At least take a sword for self-defense…"
"Don't worry." Rikuo said as he turned to the bird yokai. "I've got a couple of switchblades. They should prove to be enough, should anything happen." He began to make his way to the gate of the compound. "I'm just going to school, anyway."
Rikuo began to walk forward once more, but noticed a tall man walking his way. "Gyuki." Rikuo greeted plainly.
"Young master." Gyuki responded with a face so emotionless it was as if it were carved from stone.
Rikuo responded with his face just as passive. "Long time no see. Doing well, I presume?"
"Being able to receive the respect of my master pleases me to the utmost." He responded with a small bow.
Rikuo looked back at him, confused by his off topic answer. "Riiight…Well, I'm gonna go to school now…" Rikuo resumed his quest for the gate.
"Rikuo-sama!"
Rikuo turned to the source of the shout to see a blue-haired girl almost tripping over her yukata to catch up to him. Gyuki turned, expecting her to greet him, but instead the Yuki-Onna brushed right past the man, intent on reaching her master. Rikuo smirked at that. "Tsurara? What's up?" He asked, turning his whole body to face her.
"Here!" She announced, thrusting an obento toward him. "I realized I forgot to make you a lunch, so I rushed to correct my error! Gomen!" Tsurara apologized, bowing to him.
Rikuo laughed a little, "Geez Tsurara, you don't need to apologize for making an obento for me. I mean, you don't have to, but you do it anyway. In actuality, I should stop being so lazy and make my own." Rikuo grinned.
"No!" Tsurara quickly discarded the prospect. "I want to make obentos for you!" She exclaimed, looking up at him. "I won't let anyone but myself take that responsibility!"
"Well then, I'll make sure to show my appreciation by telling you how delicious they are every day." Rikuo smiled, finally taking the obento from her.
Tsurara beamed up at him. "Rikuo-sama is so kind!" She exclaimed.
Rikuo smirked, and glanced at his watch. "Oh crap! I better go before I really am late!" Rikuo dashed through the gate, choosing to run to his destination.
"Goodbye Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara yelled to him.
"Seeya later, Tsurara!" Rikuo yelled back before turning around a corner and disappearing from sight.
Tsurara sighed blissfully.
Tengu looked to her and then to where Rikuo had vanished. Then back to Tsurara. "You know…" the bird yokai began.
"Yes?" Tsurara smiled to the messenger.
"I think you would make a good wife for the young master." He said plainly.
Tsurara blushed profusely at the suggestion. "Wha…" She stood there for a moment, before rushing back to the house, bypassing Gyuki once more, attempting to hide her red face using the sleeves of her yukata.
Tengu looked after her for a bit, noticing Gyuki still standing there, likely surprised at being so easily ignored. Then he turned to look back through the gate. "She would…"
"It has been a long time, commander."
Nurarihyon paused in drinking his tea to acknowledge the man behind him.
"Gyuki…so you came."
Gyuki didn't respond for a few moments. "Contrary to his appearance…" The man began, "It would seem that his way of thinking is that of a yokai…to an extent." Another pause. "I'm surprised."
"You can thank Yuki-Onna for that." Nurarihyon responded, taking a sip of tea from his cup.
Speaking up again, Gyuki began, "At some point, we yokai have lost the respect that made humans fear us. I wish to be clothed in true fear once again. I suppose this is when I should honor the oath we made at the temple gates on Mount Jisei after our bitter competition." He finished.
Rikuo finally reached the entrance to his school, taking a moment to check his watch. "WHAT! DID I SERIOUSLY RUN ALL THE WAY HERE FOR NOTHING! BAKA!" He yelled, pissed he wasted so much energy for nothing. He still had plenty of time before classes began. A few students looked at him strangely. He turned to a group of them. "Mind your own business." Rikuo said with an annoyed expression before making his way to his shoe locker.
'Man…' Rikuo thought as he exchanged his outdoor shoes for his indoor ones, 'The excursion to the abandoned building still bugs me…hopefully they'll listen this time.' Rikuo recalled many other times they did something unnecessary under the pretense that it was for his safety. He sighed.
"So, you ready to go to the abandoned building today?" Rikuo heard Torii's voice.
'Speak of the devil.' Rikuo thought, closing his locker while shifting his gaze to the group of girls that was made up of Torii, Maki, and Kana.
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Kana replied neutrally.
"Hey, you really think there might be yokai there?" Torii asked. "Lots of people say there are."
"Scary stuff, that's for sure." Maki replied.
"Isn't it?" Torii made a slightly displeased face.
"There's no way yokai exist." Kana said, suddenly noticing Rikuo standing off to the side. "Right, Rikuo-kun?" Torii and Maki then took notice of Rikuo as well, anticipating his answer.
"No, yokai totally exist." Rikuo responded with a deadpan expression.
All three girls stood there with bewildered looks. Kana began to say something. "Wha-"
"Well, see you in class." Rikuo said, beginning his walk there, leaving the girls to stand in shock.
"FINALLY! FOOD!" Rikuo exclaimed with glee from atop the roof where the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol usually ate their food, quickly but delicately opening the obento Tsurara made for him that he had so anticipated all day.
"YEAH! YOU SAID IT!" Shima agreed with equal vigor, preparing to dig in to his own lunch.
"HOLD IT!" A strong voice caused both caused Rikuo and Shima to pause and look to the source, Kiyojuji.
"What?" Rikuo demanded with a peeved expression, eager to eat. Shima said nothing, simply irritated at the interruption.
"So, all of you…" Kiyo paused for dramatic effect, "You're all okay for tonight, right?"
Shima was suddenly excited by the topic, "Of course, Kiyotsugu-kun!" Rikuo resumed the attempt to eat his food, losing interest. "You're coming too, right Nura-kun?" Shima asked, turning to his friend.
Swallowing a delicious morsel of food, Rikuo responded, "Against my will, but yes."
"I guess we all are…you sure it's a good idea though?" Maki questioned Kiyo.
"Tonight we shall carry out an expedition through the abandoned school building!" Kiyo exclaimed, obviously excited, "We will find some yokai!"
"You truly think that, huh?" Torii rhetorically asked.
"Geez, you really like stories about yokai, don't you, Kiyotsugu-kun?" Kana said as she exited the stairwell and walked to their group. "For all we know, you're the one spreading the rumors in the first place." She offered him an exasperated look.
Kiyojuji scoffed. "Rumors? Hardly!" He looked at the girl with a serious expression, "I saw them with my own eyes four years ago! Yokai definitely exist! No doubt about it!"
"You're joking, right?" Maki asked, unbelieving.
"There is no such thing as yokai." Torii agreed.
"Ha!" Kiyo looked smug. "In other words, you're all afraid of yokai!"
"Not really…" Kana said. "It's just that I really don't know enough about them to have an opinion." She looked at Rikuo. "Right, Rikuo-kun?"
"If you saw one, you'd probably faint." Rikuo deadpanned, not missing a beat. Kana sweat-dropped. He appeared to be more interested in his food than the actual conversation.
Kiyo smirked. "Well, how about you just look at this chance as a way to get to know yokai a little bit more?"
"But it's dangerous for them." Rikuo said, knowing that they would be defenseless against a yokai. And if he could get a couple of them to back out, then there would be less people to worry about. "Heck, for all of us."
"I don't mind going." Kana chimed in. "Either way you look at it, yokai don't exist, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Of course they don't…" Rikuo replied sarcastically, an image of Tsurara coming to mind.
"Well then, it's settled! Tonight, you get to see a real yokai in the flesh! Feel honored!" Kiyo said with a joyous smile.
Rikuo paused in eating, and sighed, 'I really hope they listen and stay away from there tonight…' Rikuo thought, finding this to be more trouble than it's worth.
"All right Gramps! I'm heading out!"
That's what Tsurara heard as Rikuo ran out the door, to go on that expedition of sorts. "Hmph!" Tsurara made a noise, unhappy about not being able to go.
She sat, motionless.
Still motionless.
Still quite what would be considered, motionlessly.
"Wahhhh…! I can't take this! There's no way for me to know if Rikuo-sama is safe! Rikuo-sama…!" Tsurara called to the empty room, as if it would somehow magically bring him back.
She looked at the clock. 'He'll be back soon, I'm sure!' Tsurara thought in an attempt to encourage herself, turning to look at the door Rikuo would open when he returned. The clock continued ticking…
"Hm…" Tsurara hummed to herself, trying to be patient.
"Hmmm…" Tsurara continued to hum, getting annoyed.
"I can't take it…!" Tsurara announced forcefully after what seemed like a long time, quickly standing while sharply turning her petite body to face the clock.
"…Thirty seconds." Tsurara said to herself, deflating. "Rikuo-sama…" She called one last time.
"Tsurara?"
Tsurara turned around excitedly. "Rikuo-sama…!" She looked hopefully to the source of the voice behind her.
She lost her happiness when she saw it was Aotabo. "Oh…" The snow girl deflated once more. "…Hi Aotabo…What are you doing?" Tsurara questioned as he opened the front door, her curiosity piqued.
"Going after the young master, of course." He responded as if it were obvious.
Tsurara brought her hands over her mouth. "But Rikuo-sama ordered us not to!" She cried in bewilderment.
"So?" Aotabo said, passively. "Rikuo-sama could be in danger, and I'm not going to sit around here while there is even the slightest possibility of that." The man announced with conviction.
Tsurara stood there for a moment, thinking about what could happen to Rikuo without her there to watch him. In less than a second, she decided on something she never thought she would think.
Screw Rikuo's orders!
With that thought on her mind, she set out to locate Rikuo with Aotabo.
"Creepy, huh?" Shima said as they stepped up to the boxy, run-down structure that was the abandoned school building.
"Let's just hurry up. In and out." Maki announced confidently.
"Y-yeah." Torii agreed, voice wavering as she stood behind Maki.
"I've got better stuff I could be doing right now, you know…" Rikuo said while yawning, as both he and Kana walked up. Rikuo looked up at the tall, imposing structure. 'What's with sense of foreboding, though?' He thought. Rikuo shook his head. 'It must be nothing. I told them to stay away…well, let's hope we finish this quickly. I don't want any of my friends back home to become needlessly worried.'
"Woah…Are we really going in there?" Shima asked in a slightly panicked voice.
"Mmhmhmhm…It really looks like there'll be yokai in there, for sure! Mwahahaha!" Kiyojuji laughed in a sadistic fashion.
The group hesitantly entered the building, all except Rikuo and Kiyo, one skipping happily onto the threshold, the other walking forward calmly without a care. The other four shared a look before continuing themselves.
"Oh no…I guess I am a little scared after all…" Kana said as they continued to walk further into the building.
"Don't worry." Rikuo said, "No yokai are going to come out tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Well, yeah." Rikuo affirmed. Kana let out a sigh of relief. Rikuo decided to tease her. "…But one night when you're walking home from school alone at night because you had to stay for some important school business, you're thoughts will become dark, just like the shadows around you…"
Kana got a nervous expression.
"…From out of the shadows it will come…"
Kana stopped walking, looking around, suddenly nervous. All of a sudden, she realized she couldn't see Rikuo anywhere.
"…A YOKAI!" Rikuo yelled from directly behind her, causing the girl to spin around and scream.
"AAAAAAHH!"
Torii sprinted past both Rikuo and Kana for the exit, Maki chasing after her. "Torii! Wait up!" Maki called after her.
Rikuo grinned. While those two may have not been his main target, he did not have to worry about their safety any longer, now that they had left the building. "You know, if you're too scared to go on you can go back home…" Rikuo said smugly, turning to see an irate Kana.
"I'M NOT SCARED!" She yelled, causing Rikuo to flinch in pain at the assault launched on his poor eardrums.
"Okay, okay…" Rikuo said carefully, backing away, hands raised in surrender.
"Hurry up you two! We don't have all night. We're down two people and we've got to check out the whole place!" Kiyo said impatiently, eager to track down a yokai. "We're going to check out this room first," Kiyo announced, opening the door and entering. Shima followed quickly after, flanked by both Kana and Rikuo.
Rikuo looked about the room. "Hm…No yokai after all, as I thought."
"I knew it!" Kana proclaimed.
"Don't be so quick to judge." Kiyo countered. "If they have been able to avoid us humans for this long, there is no doubt that they are skilled at hiding. Look carefully! Nura-kun, I'm entrusting those shelves to you." Kiyo ordered, beginning his own search on the other side of the room.
'Guess I worried for nothing…' Rikuo thought to himself as he looked around, reaching the end of the shelf…
…Only to spot a yokai sitting in the space between the shelves and the wall. 'Or I just spoke too soon.' Rikuo looked at the yokai calmly. It smiled at him. "Well! Looks like there's nothing in here! Okay, moving on!" Rikuo announced, walking back to the door.
"Yeah, we didn't find anything here, either. Let's go, to the next area!" Kiyo commanded, bounding out the door.
'Something tells me this is gonna be a lot more troublesome than I originally thought.' Rikuo thought.
"Hey, let's try this one…" Shima suggested, pointing to the home economics room.
"A-alright…" Kiyo agreed, reaching for the handle.
"NOOOO!" Rikuo yelled, sprinting to block their path to the room.
"WAAAHHH!" Kiyo and Shima screeched simultaneously, startled by Rikuo's sudden outcry.
Shima looked at him after recovering. "…Nura-kun, what was that for!"
"What's wrong, Rikuo-kun?" Kana asked, catching up.
"Gomen, gomen, I just was in desperate need of a drink of water! Parched!" Rikuo claimed, using an alibi.
Suddenly, a haunting voice was heard, just barely loud enough for Rikuo to hear.
"Blood…I need blood…" Rikuo smiled at his companions.
"…I really want…to drink it…" The voice mumbled, sounding desperate.
Rikuo slammed the door shut. "But I can wait!" He laughed.
"How about I take the lead now?" Rikuo suggested, walking down the dark, ominous hallway with the others following unsurely behind him.
The next hour or so was filled with Rikuo attempting, and barely succeeding, to keep his friends from spotting any yokai. Needless to say, he was exhausted. "Man, there really isn't anything here, is there?" Shima inquired, having gotten over his initial fear.
"Yeah…it seems that way…" Kiyo responded, downtrodden. "My investigation suggested there would definitely be yokai here, but…"
"So yokai really don't exist!" Kana said happily.
"…Sure…" Rikuo said, not really paying attention, another image of Tsurara floating through his mind. 'Man…' Rikuo thought, looking around warily. 'There are way too many unknown yokai here…I don't like the looks of this.'
"All right, all right," Kiyjuji suddenly spoke up, "we'll check out this last room and then leave." He said as he twisted the knob and pushed the door out of the way. The group carefully walked inside.
As soon as Rikuo entered the room, he could tell this was exactly where they didn't want to be.
Rikuo scanned the room quickly, settling on the large, dark green mass of yokai. It appeared to be some sort of arachnid variant, the difference being that it seemed like it fused with a preying mantis and possessed a somewhat humanoid face.
The yokai charged them. 'Yep…' Rikuo thought as the four of them ran out of the classroom, 'this one isn't friendly.'
First Kiyo and Shima sprinted out, escaping quickly, and Rikuo would have as well, if he had not heard Kana slip and fall onto the smooth, hard floorboards. "Kana!" Rikuo called, running over and crouching next to her. Kana looked over Rikuo's shoulder, spotting the yokai, fainting at the sight of it.
"OH COME ON KANA! I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULD FAINT!" Rikuo yelled, shaking her in a vain attempt to wake her up.
"RRAAAGHHHH!" The yokai roared behind Rikuo, as he set Kana down and whirled to face the yokai, a serious expression planted on his face.
Rikuo looked down at Kana, then back to the yokai. "All right. You wanna fight? Fine. I'll be your opponent." Rikuo challenged, his eyes beginning to change to a red color, deftly pulling two switchblades from his pockets, flipping the cold steel out of their respective casings. Rikuo put himself into a fighting stance…
…Then the window next to the yokai exploded inwards, a huge mass of something propelling the creature through the wall and back into the classroom it had just emerged from. Rikuo dropped the knives as he closed his eyes and threw his arms in front of himself in an attempt to ward off the raining glass shards.
…But they never came. "Close one! Aotabo, you are way too flashy!" a cheerful voice made itself known, as Rikuo opened his eyes, now brown once more, to discern the individual who spoke the words.
"Tsurara!" Rikuo exclaimed happily, relieved to see the Yuki-Onna that blocked the shards with her yukata's long sleeves.
"Rikuo-sama." Tsurara greeted, suddenly serious. "Be at ease. I will protect you!" She said, facing the yokai who dared to attack her master.
"You will not touch the young master." Aotabo declared. "We'll be your opponents!"
"Supreme commander."
A voice made itself known in the meeting room of the Nura clan, addressing Nurarihyon. "How many years has it been since the second commander's passing?" The yokai asked. "How long do you plan to substitute for him before you finally retire?" The yokai pressed, concerned about the issue.
"As I have said many a time before," Nurarihyon started, "The only one who could possibly lead the ten thousand warrior demons of the seventy-second Nura clan is none other than my grandson Rikuo, the future third Commander." He finished.
"But Rikuo is still quite young." Another yokai announced.
"In addition to that, from what I've heard from leaked information so far, Rikuo-sama does not even want to do it." A female yokai on the other side of the table revealed.
"What?" Another said in disbelief.
"Supreme commander, is that really the case?" Another asked, hoping it was not so.
"I heard that the only time he ever revealed his hidden demon form was on one occasion a total of four years ago!" Yet another yokai claimed. The gathered yokai began talking uncertainly amongst each other.
"What everyone is saying is certainly plausible." A voice was heard over the crowd. Everyone turned to find the source.
Gyuki was found leaning against the wall; noticing he got everyone's attention, he resumed, "Nonetheless, true fear is when a demon hides his whip. That is to say, he is without a doubt the lord of the dark world." He paused, eyes closed. "Well, to put it simply…On the day that Rikuo-sama grips that whip…" Gyuki opened his eyes. "That will be the day in which he is wrapped in true fear." He finished.
The yokai began talking amongst one another once more.
The arachnid-like yokai lifted itself out of the rubble that came as a result of the wall's destruction. Tsurara quickly followed up on Aotabo's attack as she jumped toward the enemy yokai.
"Freeze to death!" The girl declared, using her ice breath to turn the yokai to ice, inside and out.
Aotabo then ran forward and gave the yokai a strong punch, shattering most of it as the rest of its frozen corpse was sent careening outside the now-destroyed window. "Hmph." Aotabo made a satisfied grunt, deciding that the beast was sufficiently destroyed.
"…Guys…" Rikuo said in surprise, not expecting them to be there in the first place. He would have said more had he not been interrupted.
Unexpectedly, Tsurara lost the serious air she had when she showed up, reverting back to her regular self. "RIKUO-SAMA!" Tsurara jumped at her master, tackling him to the ground. Tsurara then raised Rikuo up from the floor to their knees as Tsurara wrapped her arms around the quarter-yokai. "I WAS SO WORRIED RIKUO-SAMA!" Tsurara cried as little ice droplets flew from her eyes. "You told me that you would be just fine and nothing bad would happen if I let you go alone! And look what happened! You got attacked by a yokai! WAAAHHHH!" Tsurara pulled the boy closer as the little Yuki-Onna cried into his shoulder, Rikuo wrapping his arms around the girl's petite frame.
"Sorry! Sorry…" Rikuo apologized, not knowing he made Tsurara feel this bad just by disallowing her from following him for half a day. "It won't happen again, I promise…"
"You bet it won't!" Tsurara declared, lifting her face from his shoulder, locking his brown eyes with her piercing blue ones. "As your protector, I can't risk leaving you alone again! I have to be by your side at all times! No exceptions!" She moved her face closer, to the point Rikuo could feel her chilled breath. "Do you agree to these terms?"
"…After this little episode, I don't really have a choice, do I?" Rikuo asked. The snow girl shook her head in the negative. "Alright, then I agree to the aforementioned terms, and swear to abide by them. If only to make sure you don't become this distressed again." Rikuo agreed, truly feeling bad for what he put her through. He brushed a few ice particles left over from the tears off her face, staring into her ocean-like eyes as she looked into his dark brown ones...
"Ahem."
Both Rikuo and Tsurara quickly turned their heads to Aotabo, realizing they were not alone, quickly untangled themselves from each other, full-fledged blushes taking residence on both of their faces.
"We should probably get out of here now…" Aotabo suggested.
"U-um…R-right! C-come on, Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara ordered, grabbing his hand and beginning to drag him to the exit.
"Aotabo! Could you-"
"I've got her." Aotabo answered Rikuo's question before he finished, picking up Kana and following Rikuo and Tsurara to the exit.
With that, three members of the Nura clan plus one unconscious Kana made their way steadily out of the building.
"By the way…" Rihuo spoke to both of his friends, as Aotabo set Kana down at a bench they found at the gate of the school grounds. "Why aren't you guys at home? I told you to stay there…not that I'm ungrateful or anything." Rikuo asked, sitting down on the bench next to the unconscious Kana.
"Master, since that day six years ago we have always been watching over you." Aotabo explained.
"Just because you ordered us to stay back…your safety takes priority. Regardless of what you tell us to do." Tsurara clarified, smiling at him. "We have always been by your side…"
"Always?" Rikuo mumbled, thinking back. "Maybe you're more stealthy than I give you credit for, Tsurara. You too, Aotabo. Frankly, you're kinda hard to miss." He smirked.
"We have our ways…" Aotabo smirked as well.
"At home, outside, and even at school." Tsurara spoke. "Don't you remember seeing this form?" She finished, as her and Aotabo were surrounded by a white light.
"Huh?" Rikuo looked on in surprise at the two people who now stood in front of him. In place of Aotabo was a tall boy with the garb of a male student school uniform, the changes being mainly that of his face and skin tone. For Tsurara, she also wore a school uniform, that of a girl's, whilst her eye color had changed from yellow to blue, though her blue hair was ever-present. "You guys actually attend my school?" Rikuo asked, feeling stupid for not having noticed earlier.
"That means that these disguises work, if you have not noticed before!" Tsurara exclaimed, twirling around to show off her 'disguise.'
"Even the young master was fooled." Aotabo stated, taking pleasure in having been able to outsmart the mischievious boy.
"Yeah, yeah…" Rikuo mumbled. "In all honesty, I feel like an idiot for not connecting the dots earlier." He looked to them. "Oikawa-san and Kurata-kun from class one." He looked at Tsurara. "I assumed the name similarity was pure coincidence. Although with your looks, I should've put two and two together a lot sooner." Tsurara blushed.
"Yes." Aotabo began. "Young master…" He said, with the intention of switching topics, "If you don't ascend to the third commander…"
"…We will wait for you no matter how long it takes." Tsurara finished for him.
Rikuo stared back at her.
"Just like that day four years ago…until Rikuo-sama stands on top of the demons' pandemonium procession once again." Tsurara revealed, looking at Rikuo with compassion.
Rikuo sighed, "That day…" Rikuo started. "I told you, I don't remember much…" Rikuo looked down at the pavement. "The way I see it, I'm not ready. Not yet…" He stood, looking to the night sky. "But one day…maybe…" He trailed off, deep in thought.
"Hm…?" Kana mumbled, waking up.
"Oh!" Tsurara let out a noise of surprise, before both she and Aotabo vanished, so as not to be discovered.
"Where are the yokai?" Kana asked, now awake, Rikuo turning to her. "The monsters?" She quickly raised herself off the bench, looking around uncertainly.
"It's all right, Kana-chan!" Rikuo responded quickly, trying to calm her down. "There weren't any yokai!"
Kana gazed at him for a moment. "Really?" She asked.
"Really." Rikuo responded, nodding his head.
She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness!"
"It's late though." Rikuo continued, "Come on, I'll walk you home."
"Okay!" She happily responded, still thankful that there were no yokai.
As far as she knew.
There you have it! The second chapter!
So what did you all think? It makes the next chapter come out faster if you review more! Also, this one came out relatively fast because of the reviews I got, but also because I was hit with a figurative tsunami of inspiration, and sat myself down after school and worked on the story straight until midnight. Basically, I'm saying I might not be able to get chapters out this quickly, but I will certainly try my best to do so! I hope this chapter was sufficient to tie you over until the next update!
Well, please give me your feedback! Every donation goes straight to uploading the next chapter as quickly as is feasibly possible. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Please, no flames. Remember, flames will only be used to cook more nutrients for myself!
One more thing. Do any of you want me to add any romances for the other characters? Besides the main Rikuo/Tsurara relationship, should I put a smaller one off to the side? If you have any suggestions, please leave 'em in a review!
I'll try to update as soon as possible!
This is Kirbboy, over and out!