Finally I get this chapter up… had it written and all but it took me a while to type it out and edit. Whatever, at least that's over with. Well then, enjoy the chapter, and thanks to those who followed and favourited this. :)

On the side note, I keep forgetting the swords name…. so let it slide….

~SiP

Rikuo quietly entered the room, careful as to not wake up the figure from last night. However there was no need to, since the figure was awake. They turned around, their hoodie still covering their face. "Oh, it's just you. Where's the bearer of Nuekirimaru?"

"I am," The brunette, now in his human form, answered smoothly. Assessing the figure once more. "You still haven't told me who you are."

"You don't look like the guy from before, he had much longer hair." The figure thought aloud, a hand on their chin in a thinking pose; seemingly ignoring the last statement. "Hm... this could very well be a trap... Hm... I see... yes... indeed a trap..."

With the fragmented thought trailing off into oblivion, the figure abruptly stood up. "Well I thank you for allowing me to stay here, but I have a mission to accomplish and that doesn't involve a scrawny boy like you. Later~"

"Wait, aren't you forgetting something?" The figure halted, turning around curiously. Rikuo merely sighed and pointed at the bag near the doorway.

A light switch seemed to flip in the hooded head, for the person nodded with recognition. "Right, thanks for reminding me, now I'll leave right after I take my bag."

A blade made the figure pause as they were reaching for their bag. One glance and a person could tell that it was the blunt side up, if the person was indeed not panicking. "Woah! Watch where you're pointing that thing! Someone could very well be injured, you know!"

"Then if you don't want to get hurt, you better start spilling on who you are." Rikuo threatened, slowly bringing the blade to the figures neck. He let out a slight bit of Fear to trickle from him, but was surprised with the little to no reaction he received. He didn't let it affect him though. "And it'd be wise to spill, after all I don't let just anyone inside the manor. My manor."

An audible gulp was heard, the brunette teen continued. "You also damaged the garden that Tsurara was so proud to clean. Letting her know of the disaster would be a pity for you, but I suppose that's the right judgment I can hand over to you. Don't you think so too?"

"Aha~ An angry girl chasing after me, huh..." The figure chuckled nervously. "A pity indeed."

"So what'll it be?" Rikuo pressed, his tone going one octave lower.

"Have you always been this tall?" The figure shifted slightly, clearly sweating bullets at the pressure they were currently receiving. It wasn't like the one from before; it was on a completely different level.

"I have had my growth spurt over the past summer if you must know," Rikuo supplied exasperatedly, but regained his seriousness. "Now will you answer my question or not."

The figure grumbled, but spoke up anyway. "I'd like to refuse but, seeing as my head is about to be ripped off, I'll talk. Seesh, just take the blade away from my neck."

"Gladly." Rikuo slipped Nuekirimaru into its sheath, his seriousness dissipating into air. "I wouldn't know what to do with you if you had refused continuously."

"You would have had my head, that's for sure." The figure grumbled sulkily.

"That's not possible," The brunette teen chuckled. "Nenekikimaru doesn't cut humans."

"So it was all a bluff!?"

"I guess you could call it that."

"Gah! I can't believe it! I fell for such an old cheap trick in the bag~" The figure was in full sulking mode. "I can already hear Gramp's long lecture on why I was stupid enough to get caught..."

"Ahem." Rikuo coughed, gaining the figure's attention once more. "Will you focus on the matter at hand? Or should I forcefully take it out of you?"

"Right, right, the job comes first." The figure nodded self satisfactorily. They brought down the hood revealing a slender pale face. Many would consider it beautiful with the long lashes framing the sapphire eyes. Her hair swept to one side. She smiled. "Forgive my rudeness, bearer of Nuekirimaru. I am an Exorcist, in line for the 27th Head of the Sanctuary. My name is Ross, Isabella. Sixth child in the Ross Family. I have come here on a mission to give the bearer of Nuekirimaru a parcel."

"Parcel?" Rikuo questioned, picking up on a piece of information that wasn't as useless as the rest. "What kind of parcel?"

"Hold on, I got it around here somewhere..." Isabella searched her bag for the item. Stopping only to think on its whereabouts and ending up in flipping her bag upside down to rid it of its contents. "Where could that thing be, I know I brought it with me..."

A few moments later, Isabella picked up an oval shaped package. Stared at it, then started peeling the wrapper off. In it, was a distinct purple hue opal. "Oh so it was in here~ I thought Mum gave me a boiled egg..."

Ignoring the girl's obvious stupidity, Rikuo looked down at the jewel in her hands. He was surprised to find it shoved in his direction, and looked up. Isabella looked at him expectantly, but soon figured she needed to explain further. Sighing she started her explanation. "This is the parcel that I was told to give to you. I don't know much about it since I sucked in our family history, so you better not ask any questions. Got it? So accept the stone happily and I wish you a happy life."

"Told?" Rikuo questioned, picking the opal out of her hands he examined it further. "Told by whom? Not many humans know of the Nura Clan."

"Well if you want an explanation, Gramps sent me here on the mission. I don't know of how or why he knows of you, but he does." Isabella huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "And if you're like what you said you were last night, then Gramps is seriously out of his mind."

"I see." Rikuo pondered on the explanation, looking thoughtful. He then put the opal away and stood up. "Well it was nice meeting you, Ross-san-"

"Isabel." Isabel cut in. "Ross sounds way too weird, and I don't want to be lumped with them."

"Alright, Isabel-san, but I'm afraid I can't stay with you any longer. I have University to attend to." The brunette smiled apologetically.

"Geez, you make it sound like I'm your wife." The dirty blonde huffed with a tinge of annoyance. "It's not that I care anyway. I finished my job and I now have to look around town for a place to stay. The apartment deal in Kyoto is off now, thanks to that… ogre demon."

Without waiting for a reply, Isabel put her hood on, grumbling, and left with her bag. Leaving Rikuo to stare at the last place she had been. He sighed. "Well, I better get going before I'm late."