A group of several male yokai stood staring at me in utter shock which included Rikuo, Aotabo, Kurotabo, Shoei and several of the other yokai I met at the gathering earlier that evening. And I was standing before them, dripping wet, protected by only a towel, and just out of the bath.
So I did the only logical thing I could think of…
"GET OUT!" I screamed as loud as I could. They fled in hordes, falling over each other all the while. Poor Natto kozo was the only one left with his trampled natto beans spattered everywhere. I pealed him off of the floor and threw him into the hallway.
When I entered the changing room, I felt as if I was going to faint, making sure all the doors were locked tight before putting my school uniform back on, not even bothering with a bath robe, and trudging out of there like a samurai out for revenge. This was all Kejoro's idea! Sure I went along with it and the reason she told me to go take a bath was not actually because I smelled. Rather, she just wanted me out of the room so that she could flirt with that other yokai! But couldn't someone have warned me? No! "This is what I get for staying in a house with yokai!" I reprimanded myself. "This was a bad idea from the beginning. There is no way what they said could be true! I'm not one of them!" I was so angry, I desperately wanted to shout, "I'm NOT a YOKAI and I NEVER WILL BE!" But my seething words came out more through clenched teeth as I stumbled out of the foyer and down the cobblestone path with nothing but the clothes on my back, heading for home.
From a nearby alley, two men watched...
"There it is…" A voice motioned.
"It's about time the demon came out of there," said his partner in a gravely tone.
The first man moved to attack but the second grabbed his arm. "Wait a little longer. We're still too close to the mansion and it would make things difficult for us if he were to get involved."
The first drew back reluctantly as they began their pursuit.
"I wonder if I'll see him tonight…" Kana thought innocently as she stepped onto the grass of the neighborhood park dressed in her best skirt and cutest pink top. It was a beautiful night. The moon floated high in the sky and a couple of dark clouds flew above the tree tops. Kana walked under the branches of tall trees. "Yes, tonight for sure…" she thought excitedly. She stopped at the rocky edge of the glistening koi pond as it reflected the light of the moon. She could sense that something was different about tonight. Something wonderful was about to happen.
A warm breeze blew in from the entrance to the park.
"Who the hell do they think they are anyway?!" I spouted in blind anger while making my way home from the Nura's, and passing through the park. A little ways in I spotted Kana, one of my oldest friends, standing by the koi pond and I ran to meet her, "Kana!"
Kana heard a voice and looked around, trying not to appear too frightened. She recognized this voice, "Kaya?" she thought. "But wait… isn't Kaya dead? Then how could she be here right now?" "Who are you?…" she said shakily, turning on her heels and looking around the park as far as she could see, but she couldn't see anyone…
I stood less than five feet from Kana, yet still I could not be seen. "So it's true… Humans really can't see me..." I thought but decided to try once more. "Even if she can't see me, I still might be able to get through to her!" I thought with confidence. "Kana," I urged, grabbing her sleeve. "It's me!"
Her expression clearly showed fear but she did not pull away. "You're… a ghost?" urged Kana. I was surprised at how little she reacted to me. I half expected her to run away screaming, but she just stood there shaking, looking in my direction. It was like she was used to this...
"Something like a ghost-" I replied, almost laughing before a strong gust of wind blew from behind me, coupled with the sprinkling of water. Kana's knees buckled as she looked on fearfully, and I got a bad feeling. Someone was standing behind me; I could feel them; their frigid presence.
A black leather sleeve passed in front of me and in a flash, pulled me back into the man's chest, holding me by the neck, choking me.
His hand pressed hard into my back. "Kaya!" yelled Kana over the sound of zapping electricity.
"Gengen. Run…" a gruff voice commanded.
It felt like several tiny bombs had gone off inside me and I couldn't move anymore. Water splashed everywhere and out of my mouth. My body became week.
The man who had spoken began to laugh in a guarded tone. As he did, I felt another strange feeling wash over me, the body holding me straightened, and for one horrifying moment, I couldn't see anything. The laughing stopped.
A few seconds later, my vision rematerialized near a line of trees.
Someone was carrying me in his arms wearing a black and blue kimono with weapons protruding from his back. I looked up and the person who met my eyes was Rikuo! He was in his yokai form.
"This dark night," he paused, allowing the moonlight to reflect off his sword, "is perfect for a little sparing between friends, wouldn't you agree?"
My attacker, a man wearing a long coat with spiky coal black hair and a grim expression grit his teeth at Rikuo's words.
"Ryuji! Stop this now!" an aggressive female voice demanded and a girl who looked about sixteen, the same age as Rikuo, Kana, and myself stepped forward. I realized it was the same girl who attacked me in the alley, Yura. But what was she doing here?
"Sorry Yura, but you know I can't do that," stated Ryuji arrogantly.
"Brother, she hasn't done anything. She may be a yokai now, but she was once human! And she is with Nura! I'm sure she's-" Yura stopped when she noticed the hand positioned inches from her nose, about to strike and glowing with electricity.
In a burst of light and smoke Yura was pulled behind Rikuo, while someone jumped back carrying me. A familiar hat and dark cloak stood in front of me protectively, staff raised. It was Kurotabo.
"Ma- Mamiru," Yura stuttered. He was the one who attacked her with the lighting from his hand.
"I think it's about time you guys put down those shikigami of yours. We had a pact remember?" shot Kurotabo.
"That was only to defeat Abe no Seimei," spat Ryuji. "And besides, you're the one interfering in our business! -Garo!" his water shikigami reacted inside their bottles and spread with terrifying speed around him to resemble the form of a dog from Hell.
"We're the ones interfering?" implied Rikuo.
"That girl belongs to us. And if you already figured out she's a yokai, then you know about the tag concealing her. And that's why we cannot let you escape," Ryuji shot and I took a step back. The red-headed onmyoji began running and the shikigami Garo followed next to him. Mamiru broke away as he reached Rikuo, circumventing the swing of Rikuo's sword, and heading straight for Kurotabo and me. Yura pulled her paper shikigami from her purse and tried throwing it at Mamiru and Garo, but too late. Garo weaved itself through Yura's shikigami, causing it to become wet and temporarily useless. Garo next went after Rikuo, leaving Rikuo with no choice but to stay behind and deal with Ryuji's troublesome shikigami as it tried to engulf them.
Kurotabo and I would have to deal with Mamiru on our own.
"Yura," called her brother. "You know, you really shouldn't get involved" he sneered. Yura appeared as if she was being torn in two and it showed on her face. She hated having to fight her brother and she hated having to fight Mamiru. "You knew this day would come eventually."
"No!" Yura exclaimed in exasperation and stood firm as she began summoning her next two shikigami. Though, once again she was too slow. Ryuji snapped his fingers and a geyser erupted from the ground under Yura's feet, immobilizing her.
Kurotabo raised his sleeve and a seemingly endless wave of weaponry shot towards Mamiru. Sidestepping them with impressive agility, he came within striking range of Kurotabo. Lighting began rushing out of his hands.
I couldn't help but close my eyes. Hearing a shrill clank-ing sound, I chanced opening one eye a sliver.
Kurotabo was holding Mamiru at bay with a staff, but not his usual golden one. No, this was made of a silvery metal with a black-rubber grip covering its length except for the ends. "Rubber doesn't conduct electricity," he stated with satisfaction. Mamiru continued his assault, apparently unfazed. Energy surged through the pole. Kurotabo tried desperately to hold on but his control was shaken for a split second and in that time, Mamiru grabbed him by the collar and threw him into a nearby tree. He wailed in agony as he collided with an earsplitting crash. His hat fell to the ground beside him. I felt like the air had been punched out of my stomach at seeing this and then Mamiru looked at me.
Rikuo glanced quickly over his shoulder while trying to defend against repeated assaults by Ryuji's shikigami. Fighting the onmyoji without Motoi and his spirit blade was difficult. But his comrades were in danger! "I have to keep protecting them!" Despite Rikuo's great skill, his steel sword could do very little against Ryuji's water, even as he charged them with his fear.
As Rikuo looked back, Mamiru began to charge at me again. I could feel the air around us becoming humid and difficult to breath. Horrified, I realized in a few seconds I really would be dead.
Using Makyou Shisui Rikuo disappeared, rematerializing in front of me and fending off the lighting attack. As Mamiru attempted to sidestep him again, Rikuo jumped with graceful movements, cutting a long gash into the onmyoji's back right between his shoulder blades. But despite his injuries, Mamiru wheeled around, his hand extending towards Rikuo's face.
The sudden desperation of Rikuo's aura startled Kurotabo into wakefulness. Reaching deep into his sleeves, he pulled a collection of little paper balls and threw them into the fray. They hit the ground and exploded into giant clouds of smoke.
The crashing of weapons subsided as the smoke spread, engulfing the field and everyone in it. The air dropped to an eerie silence.
Smoke swirled as both parties rushed to take advantage of the low-visibility.
A soft rain (instigated by Ryuji's water shikigami) began to fall, causing the smoke to disperse.
At the edge of the forest, Rikuo, Kurotabo, a disheveled Yura, and I stood beside one another as the air cleared. Near the pond, Ryuji held an arrogant, unsatisfied expression. And next to him, Mamiru held Kana by the throat.
"Kana!" Rikuo yelled. The fight had distracted him. He had hoped they would leave her out of this because she was human. "Damn. They won't get away with threatening her," Rikuo thought darkly.
"Let her go and fight us with honor! She has nothing to do with this!" Kurotabo retaliated.
"What does it matter? She's here. I think it's only smart if we utilize all means available to us," said Ryuji in a slimy voice.
"Let…Her...Go..." Rikuo warned as he increased his fear.
"Ts," Ryuji hissed as his arrogant smile grew larger, but he couldn't hide the slight feeling of worry building inside at witnessing the fear of the leader of the Night Parade.
Ryuji felt wind rushing behind him.
In an instant, Kana stood between Kurotabo and myself. A blade hovered by Ryuji's right ear and in his left, Rikuo threatened, "Get out of my town."
Mamiru flinched but Ryuji waved him off, cautioning his partner to stay back. "We will retreat for now, but this is not the end. That girl belongs to us," he scorned, glaring daringly at me. Kurotabo's staff moved between us protectively.
"Gengen," he called and his shikigami whizzed to recollect inside the bamboo bottles.
Rikuo lowered his sword and the two defeated onmyoji stalked away, disappearing into the deepening shadows of the city.
A few terribly silent moments passed...
"Why would they do that?" Rikuo finally asked.
"Do what?" Yura responded dazedly.
"Go out of their way to attack a yokai, especially one who has never harmed humans-"
Yura looked like she was about to cry despite her great strength and skill as an onmyoji. Facing her only brother and dear childhood friend brought out terrible feelings. "How did this happen? How could I let this happen? Only three and a half years have passed since we fought together to protect the world from Abe no Seimei. Do they really still feel such bitterness toward yokai?" Yura was beside herself. She knew their feelings hadn't developed overnight. The Keikain's hatred of demons had lasted for generations. But still she was upset she couldn't change their minds.
Kana tried to comfort her, "Yura, it's okay, I'm sure everything is fine. Right?" she asked Rikuo, still in his night form.
Rikuo grunted disappointingly. He couldn't bring himself to give her the answer she was looking for.
"It's the group my brother joined recently. They claim to be the 'true essence' of the Keikain clan and will do anything to eliminate yokai," Yura answered, fighting back the lump forming in her throat as she tried not to cry in front of them.
"This sounds like the people Gramps mentioned…" Rikuo realized.
"They attack without any hesitation and use people like shikigami. They're downright cruel and I tried to stop my brother from going with them, but… he just wouldn't listen!" her hands fisted at her sides.
"Don't worry about it," Rikuo breathed, bringing his hand to her shoulder to comfort her. "Everything will be alright. We've got this, so just let us handle it."
Yura looked at him thankfully but she was still very worried about her brother and Mamiru.
"Kuro-" Rikuo called to his servant.
"Yes Master!"
"I'll take these girls home," he motioned to Yura and Kana. "You take Kaya back to the house."
"Yes Sir," Kurotabo responded with a small bow, hiding a glad smile under the rim of his hat. "At first I was skeptical of Master Rikuo's plan to follow Kaya from the house -with just me along to guard the master- but it actually worked out well. Now it will be easy to get information about her condition." But more importantly, he would get to spend some quality alone time with a woman that was sure to make him the envy of all the yokai, especially Aotabo.