Chapter 2: Research

With Natsume's help, Natori made dinner, and later that night they set up a mattress in the guest bedroom. Pulling out a blanket from the closet, Natsume realized he hadn't seen Hiiragi at all, or any of his other servants for that matter.

"Natori, where's Hiiragi?"

The man stared blankly at the wall, before resting a pillow on top. "Oh, she's helping me with a project. She'll be busy for a while."

Natsume nodded hesitantly.

"Well," Natori clapped his hands together and stood up straight. "I'm off to work on this curse of yours Natsume. You and your pet can go to sleep. If you need anything I'll be in my study."

"He's my pet!" shouted Sensei.

Natsume ignored the cat. "Wait. You said we could help you."

Natori paused in the doorway frowning. Then turned his head back with a smile. "It's later than I thought it would be. You need the sleep, Natsume. There'll be plenty of time tomorrow to help, because chances are, this won't be fixed in one night."

"Well what about you?"

Natori gave another smile that barely reached his eyes. "I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you."

And before Takashi could object again, he left the room and closed the door.

Natsume sat down on the mattress and Sensei waddled over to him. "He's not telling us something," he said sitting down as well.

Natsume sighed. "Do you think he did know about the Book of Friends?"

"No," the youkai replied, "and I don't think he's going to try to use it. But he knows something else. Something that's troubling him."

Looking down at the floor, Natsume thought to himself, I know, but then laid back against the pillow.

"What are you doing? We should be investigating this." There wasn't any anger in his voice, only concern.

"I trust him Sensei. If he thinks we shouldn't know then I won't ask. And besides, Natori is a very good exorcist, he'll be able to help us."

Nyanko-Sensei didn't say anything, but instead walked up beside the resting Natsume and curled into a ball.

When they woke up the sun was shining through the window and the dream Natsume had made him believe he was not at Natori's house, but back in the grey room. But that was impossible; there were no windows in that room. Sensei heard him gasp and looked over.

"Natsume?"

And the door opened. The boy was frightened once again, but it was only Natori, holding a tray full of delicious-smelling breakfast.

"How was your sleep Natsume?" he asked.

"It would have been better in our own beds!" said Sensei and Natsume gave him a look.

"It was fine, thank you."

"Good. Here's your breakfast. When you're done I'd like you to come downstairs. I found some things I'd like to discuss with you."

Natsume nodded, and Natori set the tray down in front of him. Sensei started to pounce but rammed into a hand. Natsume struggled to hold him down until the man left.

"Hu," he sighed and let the cat go. "Be more polite, Sensei."

He looked up with his mouth covered in food. "I treat him how he deserves!"

"He is helping us. And save some for me."

Natsume didn't get an answer and looked out the window. There was a girl outside walking, wearing a school uniform like his. He almost thought it was Sasada at first glance, but the hair was too dark. He stood and tried to catch a glimpse of her face, and when he did, he didn't recognize her.

"Hmm, must be a transfer student."

Nyanko-sensei looked up and bounced his way onto Natsume's shoulder. "What are you looking at?"

"She's wearing our school uniform."

Sensei lost interest and waddled away, satiated. "Stop admiring girls from afar and eat something, twig boy."

"I am not admiring girls from afar!" Natsume shouted, blushing angrily.

"Sure, sure…" and his voice drifted off as he went to go exploring.

When Natsume finished the remains of food, he hurried downstairs.

Natori was busy reading through a book when Natsume found him in the study.

"Natori," he said quietly.

"Hm?" he looked up with his glasses on. "Oh, yes. Sit down." He flipped back the pages of the book in front of him, looking for something. "Here it is. I think I've found the curse you were looking for, but it's been altered. It was originally meant to kill youkai upon physical contact with an object, and your description of how they died matches this perfectly. However, whoever did this made it so that rather than physical touch, it is by 'returning a name'. When you return a name is it a ceremony or offering you do?"

Natsume still thinking about all the things Natori had just said Natsume, frowned at the floor. "I suppose."

"Natsume, which one, or both?"

"Oh, yeah…" he felt a falling sensation in the pit of his stomach. "I clap my hands together, and speak the name of the youkai."

"Is that all, the more you tell me, the better I will be able to help you."

Natsume thought about saying who had cursed the Book of Friends, but it would just worry Natori, and he felt guilty enough about dragging him into the situation this far. Natori would almost certainly seek Matoba out and then who knew what might happen?

"Natsume?" Natori looked concerned, and he realized that he'd been quiet for a while.

"That's really all I can think of." Natsume wasn't a good liar, but besides the look he got from his friend, there was nothing to say Natori didn't believe him. "Anyway," Natsume continued, "do you know how to reverse it?"

"Not yet, but hopefully with some more research we'll be able to do something."

At that moment Sensei stumbled in, reeking of sake. Both of their jaws dropped.

"SENSEI!..."

"I can't believe he drank a whole bottle... at 11 in the morning..." said Natori.

Natsume crossed his arms as Sensei held his recently slapped cheek that was throbbing violently, but looked up suddenly. "11 o clock? Sensei! I haven't done my homework and school's tomorrow."

Natsume stood up from his chair and began to rush out of the room.

"Wait!" came a shout from behind, and Sensei who started following after crashed into his feet.

"What?" he asked.

"I'd really prefer you not leave until Hiiragi gets back."

"But-"

"I'm going to have to ask you to stay."

Natsume was about to ask why, when Sensei spoke up, sounding much more sober. "This is the second time you've kept us from leaving, and though this idiot thinks you can be trusted to keep secrets from us, I will be using my better judgement now."

Natori looked stunned to say the least.

"What are you hiding, exorcist?"

The man wiped his face of all expression. "That's none of your concern."

With that the room temperature seemed to raise ten degrees as Sensei's eyes flared. "No human, let alone a weakling exorcist like you is allowed to speak to me like that." His voice became frighteningly low, just loud enough to be heard by those nearby.

"Sensei," said Natsume calmly, and the air lightened as the half transformed cat returned to it's common form.

"Please tell us," he asked sincerely.

And Natori lowered his head. "It's dangerous out there. I'd just rather someone be looking out for you. Someone I can trust."

"And you don't trust me?!" asked Nyanko-sensei.

Not wanting to incite his wrath again, Natori's hands waved in front of him. "No, no, it's just I've known Hiiragi for-"

"I am perfectly capable of protecting Natsume-"

"Stop it!" shouted Natsume. Everything became quiet, and he took a deep breath. "What is it that's so dangerous?"

Natori looked Natsume in the eye with guilt in his own. "I can't tell you."

"Then we're leaving," said Sensei. "Come Natsume."

The cat began to walk out of the room and Natsume hesitantly followed.

"Wait!" came another shout. "Just give me a moment."

Oi! Cliffhanger, I'm sorry! As much as I hate reading cliffhangers, this was a good place to stop. Anyway, I am in the zone so I have been writing like crazy today and hopefully this will continue for a while. Unless I state otherwise, lack of inspiration or ideas will probably be my reason for not updating.

Also, little note, someone left a comment that expressed some confusion. I'm not sure if this was for a lot of people, and if it was, please pm me so I can make it more clear. But the name Natsume returned after school did die, just after it left because the reader (and Natsume) was not given a chance to see it happen.

That's all for now folks!