Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry for the long wait. Small warning: yes dialog from the anime/manga is within the chapter. I'm aware of this. I know its short but the next chapter will be longer!

Part III

A scaling hot tempered cat sitting on my bedroom floor. I even made a peace offering and set a small plate of fresh watermelon in front of the spirit.

"Eat that and leave." I said firmly as I turned toward the hole in my closet door. It needed to be fixed so I wouldn't have questions from Touko tomorrow morning. I'm thankful the sound of crashing didn't wake her up. The cat stared at the plate but shortly as if it couldn't possibly resist—it grabbed one of the pieces and immediately started to eat it.

"Are you a freeloader here?" the cat asked slightly interested.

"Shut up, you're just a cat." I retorted irritated.

"What do you mean, "Cat"? How rude!" the spirit gushed at me suddenly as if I poked it with a stick and made its feathers ruffled. I ignored him and continued fixing the door. Picking up the sheet after I painted the door with super glue.

I heard the cat turn and sit as it continued to yell, "This fortune cat form is not my true form! My true form is quite elegant!"

This made me finally turn and give the cat a blank stare. "You're not a cat, then?"

"That's what I've been trying to say!" It hissed, trying to prove a point to me I'm not just understanding. I decided to humor the spirit and grab a cattail I had recently picked and started to wiggle it in front of the cat. The spirit immediately started to jump and try and touch it. Humming as it do so.

"You're a cat." I concluded.

"No!" It yelled realizing what it did.

I shook my head. "Well, whatever. Just finish and leave. I don't want any trouble."

"No."

"What? Why?"

"I know you have the Book of Friends. I also owe you for breaking my seal." The cat pointed out while munching on a piece of watermelon. "So in return I'll be your bodyguard. You can call me master."

I ignored his comment and made up my own name to call the trouble maker. "Nyanko. Also...is it that dangerous?"

The cat jerked in its place. "Nyanko?" he gushed clearly caught off guard by the name.

I nodded. "You're a lucky cat. So Nyanko."

The spirit blinked at me like I was crazy. But knew I wouldn't change the name after I set on saying it. So he huffed and let it go. But shortly after answered my question. "What? You don't know anything?" it asked curiously.

"No... I don't." I replied dumbly.

The cat sat upright and narrowed its eyes. "Within the Book of Friends are the names of Ayakashi that Natsume Reiko defeated."

"Names?" I repeated. This was highly interesting as I stared at the book before me. Flipping through the pages and looking at each symbol written there by youkai.

"Reiko challenged the Ayakashi she met, one after the other. Since she had immense spiritual power, she was undefeated. And those who lost were made to write their names on paper as proof of their subornation. The Book of Friends is composed of those who wrote their names."

"So their names of youkai..." I muttered closing the book.

"It is said that they cannot defy the one who holds their contracts and calls their names. Basically, if you have the Book of Friends, you are able to control the Ayakashi linked with the names in it. See? Dangerous, isn't it?" the cat said giving me a look that made me edgy. Just then I noticed something.

"A seed," I stated making Nyanko throw me an odd look. "Is stuck beside your mouth." I said blandly as the cat blinked owlishly as it wiped its mouth. "I see, so this is why you want this book, Nyanko."

I looked back to the book, picking it up by the binder and wiggled it out of boredom. The cat immediately yelled at me.

"You idiot! Don't play with it carelessly! Its said if you damage the characters within the book, you'll hurt the one with the name as well!"

"Oh? Really?" I said, now completely interested. Then a thought hit me. "So... are you in this book as well?" I asked, staring the cat down as it frowned.

"Like heck I am! I'm just telling you how delicate it is!" Nyanko turned his head stubbornly while yelling at me. Not even looking at me. I have a feeling his name is in the book but won't admit it to me.

"Really?" I asked deadpan. Not believing him in the least. Nyanko struggled to keep himself together as he jumbled up words and sent them out of his mouth.

"W-What's with those eyes? Do you think I'd lose to someone like Reiko?" it chirped as I narrowed my eyes even more.

"But you were seal too weren't you?" I pointed out.

The cat sighed and turned its head. "That's another story!" it said stubbornly and turned its head away from my sight once more. I could tell Nyanko easily got embarrassed about his sealing and simple things like accusing him of being a cat. I slightly grinned at this, thinking I could get underneath this youkai's skin so easily.

"That book holds immense power. Be warned the Ayakashi whose names are in there are desperately searching for Natsume Reiko to get them back," Nyanko paused as he narrowed his eyes once more. Staring at me intently. "You're in danger."

I leaned back more against the floor and sighed. "That's a lot of information to take in, you know. I haven't even gotten used to the school here or the people." I muttered thinking about how I would be in school tomorrow. I know a few students are thinking about being friends with me. But if they knew about my creepy ability... I didn't want to think how much I would be shunned. The thought of it reminded me of earlier today. Natori and his servants... the youkai that attacked me and now Nyanko who followed me home.

I'm exhausted. And I never got to cleaning and doing my homework. I clicked my teeth together at the mess I've created. Quite problematic. I closed my tired eyes for a moment before opening them once more. "I need to go to bed. I have school tomorrow." The spirit didn't move as I picked up the plate and pointed my finger at the ceramic cat.

"You should head to bed as well." I turned to leave, book still in hand and plate in my other. Heading out the door and into the kitchen downstairs to place the plate into the sink for wash it later. Just as I placed the dish in the sink, I felt a presence close to me. I jumped on my feet and spun around to see what was there.

I was faced with a pair of glowing red blood eyes.

The same youkai as earlier!

My eyes widened as I opened my mouth to scream, but then remember about Touko and Shigeru and kept it close the best I could. I couldn't let them freak out and run down here just to be attacked by this youkai! I gasped loudly instead as I felt myself being slammed into the kitchen floor and long claws closing around my neck again. I choked as those red eyes bored into my skull. I heard the book hit the flooring above me and I could do nothing to reach for it. I couldn't breath and I immediately struggled as I kicked and wiggled myself in its grip.

I was trapped and quickly running out of options.

"Reiko!" the spirit shouted menacingly. "I've got you now!"

I started to feel nauseated, dizzy and could see small black and white spots in my vision. I was slowly losing it. I clenched my teeth as my nails pried into those finger-like claws the hardest I could. Trying to get this nasty, perverted monster off of me. I let out a choked sound as I struggled once more, kicking the spirit in the large shadow-like arms which didn't go anything to it. It was like trying to attack smoke. I looked up to see the book laying on its backside underneath the kitchen table. Maybe the spirit didn't see it yet. I hoped so. But what good will that do if I'm going to die?

"How annoying," a voice said from my right. I knew at that moment Nyanko appeared, almost floating in the air. Its body suddenly glowing brightly with light and a symbol appeared on his head, suddenly flashing the spirit. "Get out of my sight!" Nyanko roared as the spirit jerked back, leaving my neck free and me gasping for air. I rolled onto my side, my fingers inspecting the damage as I felt the skin so tight around my neck. I kept gasping for air. I never knew how much air meant to me until you've been choked almost to death by a delirious youkai. The said spirit whimpered back against the light and then its body twisted firmly to the side and then in the opposite direction.

Then it was gone.

I fell limp against the kitchen floor. Completely exhausted.

Nyanko trotted next to me and stared me down. "Are you okay?"

I only shook my head in reply. Telling him I'm both alright and not alright. The cat sat still, its voice lingering beside me. "I told you, you were in danger." the cat mocked, probably feeling smug for telling me so. I exhaled and inhaled once more before sitting upright. My body ached and my head now throbbing painfully. I wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep.

"Do you need help getting back to the bedroom?"

"Why...are you being so helpful?" I said hoarsely from the floor. Wasn't his main purpose for being here for the book? If I had died he could have easily taken it and left. Then that would have been that. This left me with questions.

"I told you I would be your bodyguard, didn't I?" the cat said easily still watching me.

"But if I had died right then. You would have been able to take the book." I state obliviously curious as I look back up from the floor and grab the Book of Friends not too far away from me. Nyanko stayed silent for a moment before answering me.

"Think of it as a thanks for the watermelon." he said simply.

I blinked perplexed at the notion. Just for the watermelon? I sighed against my better judgment and left it alone. Nyanko wouldn't give me the answers I wanted no matter how much I would have pried. I than said yes to his offer on getting help back to the bedroom. The moment I said this, Nyanko shined again, his light transporting us back into my room. I wouldn't question how he was able to do that. He's a youkai. I should already know he has powers I don't understand quite yet.

I crawled to my bed on the floor, pulled up the blanket, tumbled in and immediately passed out.