Thank you reviewers and people who put my story on their alerts list! You made my day, night and morning!
Wow, chapter 1 was first read by someone in MEXICO! Great! Awesome! My idle words spread to the other side of the country, floating on Nurarihyons wings (so it's not quite my victory, but I like it anyway). Just moments (or maybe hours) later the story was added as a FAVORITE. Wow, weird night I'm having...wait a sec...it's morning already. Oh, and the Kusarigama I mentioned is some sort of sickle on a chain with a weight at the end (ouch)
'I thought.. ah well, I'm not sure why I even came here today..didn't think, maybe hope, that you would actually attack me.. You really went out of your way, eh? You even trew a Kusarigama at me, Kana? So I scared you didn't I?' He turned to leave 'I wouldn't say anything if I were you..if you don't want to end up at an asylum'
Anger laced the kid's voice as his appearance was more like a demon's than ever. A faint hint of desperation wasn't noticed by anyone.
'Just remember this: did I ever harm you? Did I ever curse at you, hit you or kick you? Did I ever steal from you?...Some youkai far exceed the humans in the matters I just named, but none of them would that easily abandon a friend' And from here he walked away, Tsurara joining him as soon as he left the classroom. None looked back but they heard him say almost unhearable to not mention this to "the others".
'Rikuo wait!' Yura shouted, the first time she opened her mouth. She had not participated in the attack nor had she told anyone what she knew. Yura had wanted to explain it all together with Rikuo, but she never got the chance. The group was fired up after hearing the news about Rikuo, and they would never have agreed to an explanation. If she had mentioned that, they'd probably atttack her too, in fear of her being possesed by the demon.
'Are you I D I O T S?' The group stared at her with shocked eyes, before Kiyotsugu broke the momentary silence 'You should know! As an onmiouyi, it's your job to exterminate youkai!...' 'Yeah! But that idiot just now was our friend!'
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The hundred tales group was not uprooted yet, though some of their tales had been lost. Since the incident the clan had been keeping low profile and no other sightings of youkai had been registered. Since the youkai did not appear on film, only those who were there stuck too their story, until eventually they either got shushed or went on a little "vacation". Still, the youkai had not dissapeared yet. Each night the infamuos Nura Rikuo patrolled the street, along with his Hyakki. The same thing the Kiyo Cross Squad did, by far not as merry as before. This time, they were not just on a Youkai hunt, no, they were once again looking for one specific youkai. But they couldn't find him.
'Master, they are after you, you shouldn't go to them!' Tsurara whispered so Rikuo's other companions wouldn't hear it. Not that the discretion was really needed, since most of them had wandered off a bit in all directions. Their 'fear' had greatly increased, especcially Nura's, there were not many youkai left with the guts to attack them, and they never feared the humans. 'You guys can go back first. I'll be home shortly.'
After a little protest about him touring the streets alone while both the youkai and humans were after him and a lot of reassurances and promises from his side, the youkai dissappeared into the night. And so did Rikuo, simply dissappearing from sight. He walked behind them all night, though Yura noticed his presence, she couldn't find him. Oddly enough, the group was never attacked; because of their invisible friend, without their knowledge.
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'Nice to see that Nura-kun finally decided to join us again' The teacher said with a few bulging veins on her forehead. 'Also very nice of your grandpa not to call you sick and deny anyone acces at the door'
Rikuo scratched the back of his head with an apologetic expression, but said nothing and went to his seat, to great suprise of the squad members. And to great annoyance of the teacher. Sure, it's a good kid, but dammit! Annoyance to no end wtih that family of his.
Many classmates stole glances, but no one spoke but the teacher. Didn't matter anyway, since whoever looked at the kid was ignored.
Said "kid" now felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He knew who, and he'd give anything to just look back and smile, but that was just not possible. They'd have to drag him from his chair if they wanted him to aknowledge them.
'Rikuo..rikuo, please just listen...' Kana kept trying to get his attention, but after being reprimanded by the teacher she gave up, and sat quietly in her seat. The others didn't, and kept trying to get his attention. Shima was sent out of the classroom and as the teacher dragged him out, even more pieces of paper were added to the growing pile on Rikuo's desk. Looking at those, though not wanting to know it's contents, Rikuo was quick to ask for a bathroom break.
When he came back, his eyes were obscured by his hair. No one dared to bother him anymore, but there was one note folded out on his desk, clear for everyone to read "Just explain it to them! -Yura".
'Teachhheeer! Teachhhheeer! Keikan-san sent Nura a looooooooooove-letter!'
At that the note was conficated and trown away. Yura got detention.
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'...the Kudan, you heard it right..' '...Yeah. Unbelievable right?...' '..Oh, but that is such a nice kid! He helped me with this-and-that...' '..hard to believe he did that' 'Truly! Don't believe me? You see, a friend said his brother had seen him being attacked by yakuza-like people! And here he is, just fine, while they got wounded..' 'No way! I heard they were burned and there were bitemarks on the remains..' '...I heard there were no remains but for the blood, and the whole building was demolished..' '...This is just a government plot I tell you!...'
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I'm working on it now, but let's just go ahead and let you read it. Oh, and they are mean because they're scared, but now they're sorry...Next might be more action-packed (don't make promises, but I'll try my best)
