Important Note at the bottom. In the meantime, please enjoy this belated update!
Natsume sighed, watching the spirit – Haru – floating around in his class room.
He was so close on skipping the class, and he had belatedly realize that it was going to put him into so much trouble – from the stray youkai to the school finding out he wasn't there – if he were to recklessly skip school (which he did sometimes, but it was different because they weren't the Fujiwaras). Thus, Natsume decided to stay put until the class is over.
But here what's troubling him. The child – spirit – was distracting him. With how she continues to try and gain reaction from his classmates by moving their pen across their table or the occasional falling book from the bookshelf on the back of the classroom. And if that wasn't enough, the window would randomly be opened to let the gust of chilly spring wind inside.
At least it was a random occurance to his classmates, the inability to see the spirits is a blessing sometimes. But these random occurances only managed to distract Natsume – and the exasperated sigh that sometimes followed each prank of the girl's had gained his teacher's attention multiple times – as he was the only one who could witness the her in the act.
He wasn't amused.
...
"I can't believe Minami-sensei actually remembered our homework!"
Natsume smiled sheepishly, glad that he had done his part of the homework the night before.
"How come you didn't do yours, Nishimura?" Kitamoto asks, bewildered.
Nishimura wailed. "Because I thought he would forget to collect the homework, like he always does."
Kitamoto sighed, "You should have done yours, Nishimura. How about we do our homework together so someone could keep an eye on you and make sure you've done yours?" he suggested a grin, which only make the brunet groan.
However, Natsume was no longer paying attention on the ongoing conversation, nor hearing Nishimura's reply as his gaze focused to the small spirit walking out of their classroom.
"I'll be right back," Without a backward glance, Natsume rushed out of the classroom to the direction where he last saw the bright sun-dress the child-spirit went to.
Allen looked at his surroundings with the air of despair he reserved only for the Asia Branch.
He was sure that this is the third time he saw the same lamp-post on the slightly cracked sidewalk, the same black banner with gold writings – though he couldn't read anyting because Cross hadn't had the time to teach him to read kanji – and the same sugary smell of a bakery shop.
He was lost on a foreign town with language he couldn't read.
It wasn't really foreign since the Spirit had tagged along with him until a few hours ago.
"Good, now that I've shown you places, I'm going to check on something." That's what the cat had said before leaving him alone in the city.
He should have said that he's bad with direction earlier, to avoid this from happening.
Allen groaned at the prospect of not getting back in time before Natsume would get worried. That is, if he found the way home.
He shuddered.
"Are you sure it's here?" Natsume asked when they arrived at a rather run down amusement park with the small – spirit – girl leading him through a small gap between the crumbling gate.
The school had ended a while ago, and with various excuse he could find to convience his friends that he had some urgent matter to attend to – it was harder to convience Tanuma or Taki from tagging along, he just couldn't bear to get his friend involved in something he decided on a whim –, Natsume left the school premise with the bubbly spirit to lead him.
How long has this place been abandoned? He wondered briefly. The gate has fallen off, torn by age. The surrounding wall around the park were covered with thick layers of ivy vines. As he went further inside the park, he noted how most of the ride has crumbled and covered with rust.
"Mister...?" Natsume returned his attention back to the small girl, now a few pace ahead of him.
"Ah, sorry. I was just a bit distracted." The little girl only nodded and gestured him to follow.
Natsume began to walk after her, taking in every single detail he could and remembering the path they had came from. He stared at her transqulent back, trying to gauge any response from her as he began to make a small talk. The spirit hadn't said anything for a while, and honestly, it was starting to make Natsume cautious.
Having had seen the spirit bubbly personality, this contrast change had thrown him off guard.
He could deal with chattery youkai, or slighty more violent ones, as they would likely blurt out whatever demand they seem to expect from him. At least it made him aware of their real intention. However, the same couldn't be said with the quiet ones.
And so, after maneuvering through another collapsed ride, Natsume finally asked her what she wanted him to do because it was starting to make him anxious.
"I was there... with others." She paused, taking another turn to the left, and walked silently until they reached a medium sized two-story building.
Natsume looked at the building sceptically. It was rather odd for a gothic style building to be in the middle of the park, but considering that it has an eerie atmosphere, one that's only found in a haunted house, Natsume could accept that it's one of the main attraction at the park.
Natsume shuddered. He never had a good experience involving a haunted house. One of the reason that he could see a legimate youkai, and his classmate would often tease him because he kept seeing a strange monster lurking out on the shadow, or when he screamed for no apparent reason when they ventured into one.
Needless to say, that was the first and the last time he'd ever step foot into a haunted house.
"It's here... we are inside... that man brought us here... and left." The spirit began to phase through the closed double doors, and left Natsume to wonder if he should follow her or wait for her. After a few minutes went by without the girl's tell-tale transquelent figure, Natsume decided he would follow her inside.
He pushed the wooden double door slowly, cringing when the hinge creak at the disturbance. He left it open to give the room more lightning, and a quick gateway if they ever needed to escape.
The first thing he noticed were how dusty the building is, as the wave of dust seemed to assault him the moment he opened the room, making it hard to breathe without coughing. The next thing he noticed were how dark it was, with the light from the dusty windows and the open door as the only source of lightning, he couldn't see much inside the dimly lit room.
He silently wondered if he was doing the right thing by going to this place, but the girl had said this is where her body was. Something the spirit had been adamant on retrieving.
He looked around curiously, he never expected anything much from a former haunted house. But there was something especially eerie with the abnormally well kept painting a few paces in front of him, if he was honest, it was creeping him out. Maybe it was to set the atmosphere for the rest of the way as visitors venture the rest of the building?
Natsume was too caught up with his musing that he did not notice the eyes that was following his movement as he went deeper inside the building.
I'm so sorry for the late update (and shorter chapter), I've written half of this right after I finished last chapter but I got no motivation nor inspiration to continue it, in short; I was on writer block. I had a lot to stress at IRL, so I'm sorry if it affects my updates. (I don't have any update schedule, I will update whenever the chapter is ready.)
Regarding the Ocs, most of them – if not all – are going to be one time only. They won't stick on for too long, just like the manga for Natsume Yuujinchou, the problem is, since I'm going to have Allen to work, I had no idea who are going to be his coworkers. There's already one side character from Natsume and I'm thinking of using her. Should I use OCs for the rest of his coworkers or should I borrow some character from another anime to fill the space? Their background and story will be simple and explained of course.
It's not that I don't want to use OC, I just found it hard to maintain consistency for them, OR even remember that I even used OCs at all.
On another note, what should Allen call Nyanko-sensei? Everyone has nickname for him so I thought it would be fun if Allen has one too XD All the names I was thinking of were lame ;-; so I need more suggestion.
(was thinking of nick-naming him Maru for Allen lmao)
So, don't be afraid to tell me what you think guys, I don't bite. I don't mind constructive criticism as well, because I'm not the most descriptive authors out there.
Thank you so much jy24, Guests, zacuna, GenderlessPerson, and Firehedgehog for reviewing! as well as people who read and followed/favorited. You guys seriously made my months! It was full of misery *gives hugs* that's why I'm so happy for the feedback!
