AN: Okay, last chapter I wasn't proud of, but I needed something to branch into this. Shit gets real. Shit gets really real. :D (warning, TsuraraxRikuo fans will not like this part D: )

Disclaimer: I don't own Nurarihyon or anything associated.

…

Pleasure of Betrayal

…..

"I don't get it!" Kasai growled in frustration, surrounded by golden fire, her tails all sorts of fluffed up, her kimono a mess of burnt tatters. Blood trickled down her bare arms and legs. There were small bursts of flames lighting up where ever she had been cut, one by one burning away the cut with her strange regeneration. "How the fuck is ice going to help me!"

The training arena was a mess of ice and fire, broken walls and fallen training dummies. Tsurara stood on the other side, panting heavily. She was dressed in a tight blue shirt and white shorts, both scared with the evidence of fire. In her hands she wielded a glaive made out of pure ice, a weapon made from her Fear much like Kasai used her fire to make a sword. Although it didn't help with defend against the kitsunes intense offence, there were other ways she was handling that.

They were alone. It was the second day of the festival, late afternoon. The two of them had spent the entire day, beating back attacks from each other, skipping out on classes, much to Kasai's delight.

Tsurara was throwing everything at her. Blizzards of the deepest cold, projectile of icicles meant to pierce and kill, storms of tiny shards of ice that were as sharp as needles that could leave the enemy in tatters on the ground. But Kasai's defence was as complex as her assault, setting up walls of fire to completely surround her, looking more like a tornado of flame encircling her body.

Through the attacks on Tsurara, Kasai couldn't get close. Fire had less of an impact when thrown from a distance, and more often than not, the energy balls that she threw were wild, and easily deflected with a sweep of Tsurara's staff. When Kasai managed to get close enough, she was thrown off by the huge walls of sharp ice that the Yuki-On'na could put in place. Webs of ice slowed her down, and her fast, erractic attacks often meant she came very close to impaling herself on the glaciers sharp peaks.

Fire hours of this left them exhausted, wet, and cold. The kitsune let out a scream of frustration, slamming a wild ball of fire into a huge sheet of ice that hung off the ceiling nearby. There was a huge crash as the fire hit it mark, exploding into a whoosh of steam and half cold water, most of it pouring over her.

Drenched, the kitsune slumped down to the ground, her knees spread eagled underneath her as she flung back her head and gave an anguished sob. "Whyyyyy? Just tell me what to do, Momma!"

Tsurara looked on, pitying Kasai. In battle, she was impressive, but outside, she was completely useless. Crowds made her uneasy; actually everything that moved made her uneasy. She had no discernible skill apart from what she had in battle, and even that was unpredictable and unreliable.

Also, she had a tendency to whine a lot. And even though she was generally easy to get along with, when under pressure, Kasai had a tendency to throw a tantrum for several minutes. Don't even think of asking her to clean or cook. Tsurara had already tried that. It didn't end well.

Aotaba hadn't recovered yet. Poor bastard.

Sighing, Tsurara relaxed back, her pole weapon melting away in her hands as they dropped away from her hands. "She won't just hand this to you, Koneko-san." She said as kindly as possible, a small smile on her lips, slowly catching her breath.

The kitsune sobbed wetly in reply, looking absolutely pathetic sitting in a puddle of water that had formed from the destroyed ice. There were no more fires left. They had all gone out instantly as soon as Kasai had given up on fighting. "Izanami, I hate her so much."

Tsurara made a face at her words, moving over to pull Kasai to her feet a little forcibly. "Koneko-san." She began softly, wiping the kitsunes tears away kindly with her sleeve. "Somethings been bothering me."

"Eh? Oh Tsurara-san, It's just that I don't like the feeling of my tails being so constrai-"

The Yuki-On'na chuckled lightly, shaking her head lightly. "Oh, I get the short kimonos. Though, I wish you hadn't cut my favourite one up." Kasai made a guilty face, pouting lightly, making Tsurara giggle more. "No, I meant. Did you know you had to find me?"

Koneko made a small 'oh' sound, and gave a shy smile. "Not…. 'you', per say." She arched her back about at an angle, gripping her left tail and squeezing out the water in its white fur. "Momma knew what I needed. She specifically said "Yuki-On'na's."

The left tail fell from her hand with a wild flick, sending the rest of the water flinging about. The other tail came around for her to squeeze out. "When I was first left here, Iknew very little about Yokai, even less about humans. SoI asked around some of the local Yokai where I was staying. They told me of the Ice Yokai that follow the Nura and Tono Clan. I was making the point of avoiding everyone. Especially Yuki-On'na."

"You…really didn't want to fight, huh." Tsurara watched her flick out her right side tail, stepping out of the spray zone.

"I…Don't like the creature I am when I fight." She said; her voice a little unsure. "Momma once told me. The fire comes in twos. It can obliterate everything in its path. But after the fire, nature comes back, reborn a new."

Kasai looked up to Tsurara with a smile. "She told me its what I represent. The destruction. The rebirth. I just like the rebirth side."

The Ice Yokai mirrored Konekos sad smile, taking her hand in hers. "I guess it's hard for you to fight."

Kasai shook her head lightly. "It's disgustingly easy for me to kill."

Surprised by the revalation, Tsurara opened her mouth to respond when suddenly, her phone started to ring in the corner. It was the alarm. Actually, it was the second alarm. They were running late to meet Master Rikuo. Screaming suddenly, the ice maiden gripped Kasai tightly, dragging her bodily from the training rooms, up the stairs and into the main house, speeding through the corridors to her room, taking the kitsune with her.

Gozumaru was sitting on the decking, shirking his cleaning duties when the two sped past. He almost choked on his drink when his eyes focused enough to catch a glimpse of Tsurara dressed in tight white shorts, and a shirt that…that.

Slowly, he got to his feet, turned away, and walked away. Cold shower.

…..

Rikuo stood beside Kana, smiling warmly for her gently each time she turned her pretty eyes from the huge parade of glowing lamps. He had given him her arm to grip as the group of five had pushed through the crowd to the front of the spectators, and so far, she had yet to give it up. He didn't mind. She looked so beautiful a traditional yellow kimono, with black silk roses imbrued on its sleeves and around the bottom.

Natsumi and Saori stood to the left of him in matching soft green kimono, the color suiting both of them perfectly for different reasons. They had planned it like this way, and were more than pleased with how they looked with everyone in traditional garb for the festival. Kiyotsugu and Shima looked awkward in Haori and Hakama, but never the less handsome. Rikuo's Yokai self had taken over, tall and sharply handsome with his silver and black hair forcibly tied down so people wouldn't look at him suspiciously. Although many people had long forgotten Sanmoto's threats that had nearly saw the human population of Kanto murdering Rikuo and Tsurara, it doesn't hurt to take some precautionary steps. Like keeping his spare sword hidden in his hakama.

Especially as he got older, with his Yokai persona slowly merging with his human one.

There was a reason they were all dressed up. Usually, most women chose to wear the traditional garb throughout festivals, but usually the group, save Rikuo whose family was naturally considered old and traditional on principle even before they knew about his Yokai heritage, never bothered with it. Tonight, after the main fireworks at midnight, four hours from now, they were invited to Kiyotsugu's family mansion for a celebration. Really, despite all his pushiness, being friends with the Yokai Enthusiast really had its benefits.

Shima turned his head around curiously. "Oikawa-san hasn't come yet. What's wrong?"

Kana made a face at the mention of the name of her rival, leaning closer to Rikuo gently, who smiled at her before turning his attention to Jiro. "She had to take Kasai shopping. The girl has no clothing except for the ones on her back." It was half a lie. Kasai had clothing, but she was probably as fickle as how she described her mother to be when it came to her appearance. He didn't care to mention the last time he had seen them, Tsurara had had Koneko pinned down, a blade of ice on pressed on the kitsunes throat.

"I'm sure she will be here soon, Shima-kun." Ienaga called over the music, tugging at Rikuo's arm. "We should go get some food. I'm starving."

Kiyotsugu lead them away from the parade, taking them towards a dango and sushi stand where they could sit down at a table without being disturbed by the crowds. They settled down, Rikuo taking position next to his childhood friend, Maki and Torii sitting down opposite, one each side of their host, Kiyotsugu. Shima sat on the other side of Kana, but not catching the waitress's eye and summoning her over.

They had a massive order by the time they were done. It took at least a good half hour before it was laid out in front of them, various dango and sushi making each one dribble with the smells that were wafting from the food. None of them bothered to wait for the missing couple. There was so much food, a combination of Kiyotsugu and Rikuo's deep pockets, that it wasn't possible that Kasai nor Tsurara would miss out.

Kana giggled girlishly through the noise as Rikuo leaned over her, his eyes glinting mischievously as they bore into her own. His hand raised, a half shelled oyster held threateningly in his fingertips. There was laughter around him as he moved closer to Kana, a smirk painted across his face, watching her try to inch away from, or at least, pretend too.

"Eat it, Kana-chan!" Natsumi sang, leaning over the table, watching the two intensely. "It's good, I promise! C'mon!"

"Nooo!" Kana laughed, her hands up in the air, defending against the assault half-heartedly. "They're so slimy!"

"Wait, wait!" Saori laughed happily, rushing around the table suddenly and grabbing Kana around the waist, holding her tightly. "Now, Nura!"

The handsome yokai launched forward, grabbing a hold of Kana's flailing hands and held them down easily, pushing the oyster shell firmly, but gently to her lips. "Open up, Ienaga-san." He practically purred, dark red eyes dancing wickedly. "You have no ch-"

"Ooooh my god." Natsumi suddenly breathed, her mouth hanging open. "Is that Oikawa-san?"

Rikuo looked up to look over at the dark haired girl as Kana swallowed the slipping oyster he was forcing on her. Kiyotsugu and Natsumi were both wearing a gobsmacked look, their jaws slack. Rikuo swore he could see the leader of the Paranormal Squad drool just a tiny bit.

"No fucking way." Kiyotsugu breathed. "That can't be."

He looked around, following their line of sight through the crowd, frowning lightly. Until he spotted Kasai no Koneko.

He really needed to do something about her short kimonos, though, he admitted, she looked amazing. This one was predominately black, but as he looked closer, he could see the red silk layer of colour fabric like vest over the main body of the kimono. The skirts were pleated, border lining on too short and puffed out with black lace skirts that could just be seen under the main skirt. Her sleeves were tight until they flared out at her wrists, with a back of the same red silk on the cuffs. Crotched black lace layered the entire thing, some of it hanging off the sleeves and skirts loosely, like it had been torn away. A black corset wrapped tightly around her waist, complimented with silver buttons and threads of black silk rope hung off the corset, sitting loosely on her right hip, curling around to the back. Knee high black combat boots seemed to compliment it.

Kami, Rikuo wondered, frowning at her as Kasai turned about, looking for them amongst the crowd. How much did that cost me?

He saw the kitsune turn about and spot them. A look of relief came over her face as brown eyes (since she was in her human form) settle on his familiar face. Eagerly, she waved at them all, before twisting about, dragging a woman from the crown.

There had been a moment with Amaterasu when he thought his heart would explode, out done by her force and beauty. This. This… was nothing compared to that. It was a thousand times worse.

Tsurara stumbled into the clearing, laughing at Kasai happily as the kitsune hugged into her. She was…amazing. The kimono, too short for Rikuo's sanity, was soft cotton, mostly sky blue in colour, except where it turned violet that melded into a midnight blue along the lower skirts and the tips of the long sleeves, like it had been dipped into the night sky. Along the sleeves and the bottom of her skirts, blue sakura flowers had been stitched into the fabric, complimented with silver and white snowflakes, small crystals glimmered along the fabric in the light like soft snow. The sleave tips nearly touched the ground as she straightened up and the upper sleeves tight against her slender arms before angling out like at the middle, longest at her wrists, looking like some kind of fins or wings. Around her waist a silk corset pulled the kimono tight around her body, violet flowers patterns sewn into the silk. At her back, a huge bow of the same midnight blue silk was tied, attacked to the corset like it was just one big ribbon tied around her waist. He could see the ribbon ends flittering around the back with the same silver embroidery along the ends, each one with two small pink sakura flowers etched into the fabric.

He wondered where his breath was as his eyes went down to those long, ivory legs, focusing for a bare second on the sky blue sandals heels with thin leather straps that kept going til her just below her knees that were as stupidly practical as they were elegant. The split in the kimono skirt that were on her thigh, a tease of forbidden fruit that made his hands clench with the overwhelming urge to slap Jiro for looking. The solitary navy blue silk garter ribbon tied on her upper thigh. The milky white cleavage that he could see peaking from v of her collar, her lack of scarf looking so strange. The way the dark tips of her mostly white hair complimented everything in what Rikuo thought the most evil of manner. And the way her blue eyes met his, the way that her cheeks went red under his intense gaze.

He couldn't tell if he was angry or not. Everything in his brain seemed to have stopped. His heart thumped in his throat.

Rikuo watched as a few young men gathered around the two, that strange feeling of his heart coming through his chest came back, making its home on his throat then thudding heavily.

Yep, he was angry.

He tried to sit back down, but Tsurara and Kasai began walking across, arms linked together, Kasai hissing at men half heartedly. His personal body guard, and definitely the source of his discomfort, dragged her forward lightly, but only casually walking across, as if to lengthen the tortourous time it took for her to get from point A, to point B. Point B being by her Masters side.

There was sudden coughing from beside him and the sound snapped back his attention like a whip. The young master turned about to see Kana, choking on her drink badly. Trying not to think of… certain things, Rikuo clapped Kana on the small of her back, his face clad in worry until she took a quick breath.

"Oh! Whats wrong with Kana-chan?" Tsurara's voice cried worriedly as Saori tried to help Kana with Rikuo.

Kana quickly recovered, panting a little before leaning into Rikuo's side gently. "Ah, sorry. I think I ate a chuck of wasabi." She lied, her eyes levelling on the two new comers, more specifically, glaring at Tsurara.

Kasai cocked her head innocently, not catching the death glare that the brunette was giving her Yuki-On'na. "Wasabi?"

Jiro stammered to explain, but Rikuo cut him short, his eyes darting between the two, lingering more on Tsurara then the kitsune. "You're late." He said coldly, trying his hardest to force that suffocating feeling down. "Where have you been?"

Saori leaned in over Kana a little. "Tell me where you go those kimonos. I need. So badly." Natsumi nodded eagerly, holding one of Tsurara's sleeves in her hands.

Koneko beamed happily. Somehow, Rikuo could practically see her tails wagging, even though they were hidden by her Fear. "Rikuo-sama's mother gave them to us. Aren't they so pretty?"

Rikuo felt his jaw drop a little. "Mom….gave them to you?"

Tsurara blushed softly at his words. "Wakana-sama brought several short kimonos for Koneko-san. It's the only thing she will wear." She explained, taking a seat next to Torii tentatively, who leaned back to examine the bow on her back. "She brought me this one on a whim, I think."

"Aaaaannnd someone maaaay have set fire to someones wardrobe." Kasai purred happily, ignoring the angry look that Tsurara shot her. "Who knew Yokai were so attached to their clothing? Oh, is that sushi? Izanami, I've heard of that stuff…" The kitsune clambered over Shima, pushing the blond boy across with a hand too his face and wriggling in between Rikuo and the shocked Jiro. Right in the middle where most of the food was.

Rikuo finally seemed to settle back, but his eyes never left his personal aid. Natsumi and Saori had her immersed in conversation about her kimono. He leaned backwards, running his hands over his face slowly, trying to clear his head.

Never had he felt like that before. He never wanted to go through it again, yet something, deep inside of him, craved that intense feeling, where he dared not breathe in case his heart exploded in his chest from the pressure.

The conversation slowly lead away from Tsurara and Konekos appearance and fell back into comfortable normality. The humans of the group found it amusing at how much Kasai consumed, the way she almost bit Rikuo's hand when he went to take a dango sweet from her plate. The deserts they ordered were just as numerous as the main meal, and once again Rikuo found himself teasing Kana by tossing berries down the front of her with Tori and Maki. Jiro was caught by Tsurara's beauty, and could not stop making excuses to look at her, or talk to her, his face flushing each time she answered his questions.

It was Kiyotsugu who suggested it. Rikuo will never forgive him for what was to happen.

"That is one pretty ferries wheel." He said conversationally looking up to the looming carnival ride, letting Saori lean her back against his side as she teased out Natsumi s hair. "We should go have a ride before the fireworks starts. Father said it was the best he could get."

Kana turned about in her seat, looking up to the lights of the ferries wheel that was high above the crowds. It was an open carriage, made only for two or four people, the carts looking like an ice cream cup slowly. She grinned widely, and reached over, taking Rikuo by the arm tightly.

"That sounds like fun!" The pretty brunette smiled widely, tugging on the Young Master. She could feel the icy glare from the Yuki-On'na from across the table. "I bet the view is breath taking from the top."

"Hmm?" Rikuo followed her eyes to the ride and frowned. "Well, maybe we can catch one of the four person ones, split up between us."

"Even if we have to split into twos, I'm sure it will be great." Kana said, getting to her feet, pulling her childhood friend with her

Kasai frowned at the thing. "As long as I get to be with Tsurara-san, I'll follow." The ice Yokai gave her a tender smile, leaning over to give the kitsune a gentle pet on the head, something Tsurara found Koneko loved.

They abandoned the last of the food to join a long line of waiting. It took a good twenty minutes to make their way to the final boarding area for the ferris wheel. It was a bit of an effort to keep Koneko's attention fixated on it, but Tsurara stayed loyally by Rikuos side, trying her hardest to not look at the way Kana clung to her Young Master, or the way he smiled at the teenage human with such warmth. Instead, she concentrated on her charge, keeping the kitsune close.

Tsurara was so distracted by a whining Koneko that she failed to notice the four person carriage come down. Shima tried to catch her attention, calling out her name, but was bodily pulled into it by Kiyotsugu, joining Maki and Torii in the carriage. There was no way those two girls were going to miss out on more…personal time with the rich heir, and left the three Yokai and single human alone, waiting for the next carriage.

"You two are next" The ride operator said, bored, looking Kana and Rikuo up and down, before his turning his eyes to the two other Yokai. Koneko had completely clung to the ice maiden, holding Tsurara arm tighter as they got closer to the ride – heights were apparently something else she didn't like.

"No more four person ones?" Kana questioned, not bothering to hide her smile at the idea.

The carni shrugged carelessly, his eyes concentrating on Tsurara's exposed legs. "Not unless you wanna wait for another fifteen."

Rikuo frowned lightly, looking back to his personal aid, who met his gaze for a bare second before Koneko took her attention away. "Is that alright with you-"

"Hurry up!" the operater suddenly called as the newly emptied carriage waited for them. "Now or never."

"C'mon Nura-kun!" Kana called, pulling at his hands impatiently. Tsurara seemed to sigh, and wave him away, not meeting his burning gaze, rather, leaning into her trouble-making charge. He chuckled, nodding. No harm in splitting up There was no way he was getting Kasai to leave Tsurara, and waiting fifteen minutes for another carriage just sounded painful.

"Okay, okay. Koneko, stay with Tsurara." He ordered firmly, helping Kana up into the carriage.

The kitsune pouted lightly at the order, watching the gate close and the carriage begin to move. "I don't need telling that, shadow sneak."

Tsurara just shook her head at the other Yokai, trying her hardest not to be too frustrated with her. Kasai wasn't the best in crowds, and since she seemed only to listen to the Yuki-On'na, she had little choice in the matter. Anyway… Kana Ienaga was her Young Masters closest friend. Despite how…. Touchy Rikuo could become when he was drinking, things had not changed.

Tsurara was his loyal servant. She should be happy about this.

I feel sick. Biting her lip, she pushed Koneko into the next carriage.

The view was beautiful. The parade of lanterns had came to the stop in the middle of the festival, and around it people danced, the sound of taiko beats vibrating through the air. Laughter and lights seemed to make the atmosphere almost electric. Kana leaned over the edge fearlessly, gasping happily as the sight of the fire dancers amongst the drummers.

"This was such as great idea, Rikuo!" She cried happily, coming back to her seat, snuggling close to his side. "I'm so glad we did this, considering we didn't get to see each other on your birthday."

Rikuo chuckled lightly, his arms stetched out along the back of the carriage, allowing his friend to lean on his body. "You get scared around Yokai, Kana-chan. Y'know how crazy things get when my clan drinks."

She gave him a cute pout, those big brown eyes sad. "I could get used to it."

This made him laugh more, placing his hand affectionately on her head. "So you say. I have yet to see this."

"It's not so bad when they look human." She contemplated, her hand on his chest. "You can just tell them to make themselves look human, yknow."

He made a face at the suggestion. "Not all of them can do that, Kana. Only those with high amounts of Fear." Rikuo explained, "Many of them still dislike humans. I don't ask you to put on a Yokai mask, do I?

"Oh." She seemed put off at the disapproving tone of his voice. "I suppose not."

Silence fell between them, for the exception of the sound of the festival below. The cart began to reach the peak of the wheel. He was just starting to relax, comfortable with the warmth of the human snuggled against him, absently watching the lights of the festival.

"Tsurara's is beautiful." Kana suddenly spoke, her words completely catching him off guard.

Rikuo felt his heart clamp up in his throat, remembering how the Yuki-On'nas skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. "Yeah. She is."

Silence. He cursed himself silently for his stupidity, "But that's part and parcel of being a Yuki-On'na."

"Oh."

Frowning lightly, Rikuo continued. "You are just as pretty, Kana-chan." He said, looking down at her, his voice full of warmth. He wasn't lying. Kana would always be beautiful to him, with her earthly warmth and kind but fiery nature.

Suddenly, she moved, planting herself in his lap. He stared up at her, surprise written all over his face as Kana's hands pushed against his chest softly. When she moved forward, he didn't resist, lost in the moments feelings. He could feel the heat of her body against him, and part of him, a long lost human part that had wanted this woman, ached.

"Tsurara-san, what's wrong?"

What harm was there in a little bit of fun? He felt his hands on her waist, encouraging her as she pushed closer. The cart had halted at the very top, and he found her lips on his, breath mingling. A soft, amused sound came unbidden to his throat as Kana's timid play fell apart and her lips parted, welcoming a probing tongue-

"Yes, I can see. What are they doing wrong? I don't understand."

He wondered why he had never done this before. The feeling was intoxicating. It was wrong though. His heart thudded heavily, but it was a pained feeling. The heat was overwhelming, but something in him craved the chill of the night air. When her hands began pushing into his haori, her touch burned worse than Kasai's blade. Somewhere, in the very back corner of his mind, a name was called.

"No, please, don't cry, Tsurara! Let's just go."

Her body was starting to pull away, the kiss broken simply because their bodies were screaming for oxygen. He looked up, his eyes glazed over, watching how her breath misted in the air as she laughed, her face flushed bright red. He smiled at her warmly, unable to help notice how gorgeous she looked with snow falling on her…

Snow? But… It was the summer?

Someone screamed.

It wasn't til then that he noticed that the ferris wheel had not started moving again. Frowning, he looked around at his surrounding, confused. He could still hear screaming, but somehow, he realised that it wasn't the screams of a person, but rather the metallic screaming of a machine struggling to move. He gently put Kana down to the chair, and looked over the edge

The entire thing had been encased in ice.

He flung himself back as huge shards of clear ice began to encase his cart, completely trapping them in within seconds. He could hear muffled panicked yelling from the outside, but as he reached out to touch the ice, it spiked out, forcing him to fall back or be impaled by the shards.

Kana cried out, terrified. Rikuo quickly pushed her down against the floor of the cart, telling her to keep down furiously. This... this could only come from one person…

"HEY SHADOW SNEAK!"

There was a sudden explosion of steam above his head, the cart rocking so violently that for a heart stopping moment, he thought that it would fall out from underneath him. A gap in the ice appeared, and, as the cart shook dangerously, the young master leaned forward, inching his head out survey his surroundings, looking for the source of the sound.

His heart stopped.

There was ice and snow everywhere. People were screaming on the ground, terrified. Close by, arching from the cart just behind them, a huge glacier cascaded down to the ground, looking like the worlds steepest, most dangerous slippery slide. On the very top stood Kasai no Koneko, tails flared out, gold eyes gleaming menacingly as they met his. The ball of gold fire in her hand glimmered threateningly.

" You made Tsurara-san cry." She growled lowly. "Fuck you and mothers war."

Her hand arched back, and Rikuo ducked, flinging himself over Kana protectively. The explosion was huge, the heat of the steam burning into his back as the ice melting in a hot waterfall around him. The cart creaked dangerously, and then, with the scream of tearing metal, it dropped out from beneath them. Quickly, he gathered the screeching Kana in his arms, struggling to get to his feet as the world rushed around him, readying himself to jump from the cart before it crashed in the ground.

Kana though…

In her struggles, she grabbed at his hair, the grip putting him off balance as pain shot through his scalp. His feet slipped out from underneath him, the zori he wore unable to grip the ground from the ice that had formed there. He fell, crashing on top of his friend. Out of time, Rikuo cursed, unable to move before in time before the cart hit the-

The temperature suddenly dropped below freezing, and the violent decent came to an abrupt, but much less violent stop. He looked up to see ice, once more completely encasing the cart, saving them from smashing into pieces on the ground below. Shaking, Rikuo struggled to his feet, peering out of a gap in the ice, swearing to himself that he would kill the kitsune himself.

He watched Kasai cooly slide down the glacier to the ground, trotting over to a large chunk of snow that was at the slides base. Tsurara stood there, staring up at him, her gaze colder then the ice that surrounded him. Around the two Yokai, the place was in chaos. People were running everywhere, screaming. The falling snow was picking up, looking more like a blizzard.

"Tsurara!" Rikuo yelled angrily.

The Yuki-On'na turned her face away from him. Kasai made a rude gesture, making his blood boil with frustration. Pulling back, he drew his sword from his haori and began hacking at the ice around the cart, yelling his rage as he did so. Slowly but surely, the ice gave away to his wild attacks. Furiously, he flung himself out of the cart.

But they were gone.

His Tsurara had abandoned him.