Pinkshuchan: LALIHO! Hey guys it's Pinkshuchan! Sorry it's been so long. I've been really busy and I've been going through severe Writer's Block so I haven't been working on any of my stories for a while. But I'm back. Last chapter, Shuichi came into the story. Will he and Eiri get along? I think Eiri may be a little OOC here but I thought it would be kinda funny. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

The Forgotten Curse and the Loving Granny

Eiri continued moving north with his new ally Shuichi trailing behind. They did not stop since that time with the oni. They continued to move until it became too tiring for them. Shuichi helped relax the horse so she didn't freak out and he brought her lots of food to replenish her energy. Eiri on the other hand went off to chop down some wood. Though he wasn't as strong as Shuichi, he could chop enough to make a bonfire. When the camp was all set up, they sat there and ate. Shuichi managed to hunt down some meat so he and Eiri had something to eat. Eiri couldn't remember the last time he ate really good food. Except for the rustle of the trees and the calls of some nocturnal animals, things were really quiet. Shuichi did start talking about random stuff at first but stopped the moment Eiri told him to shut up. They just sat there by the bonfire until Shuichi stood up.

"What is it?" Eiri spoke in an annoyed manner.

"I feel like having a swim," said Shuichi, "I found a pond while looking for some water for the horse."

"And you didn't check to see if it was poisonous first?"

Shuichi didn't listen. He began to walk away in the direction of the pond; leaving Eiri by himself. Eiri had thoughts about abandoning the boy here but had second thoughts the moment a familiar feeling came upon him. The feeling of loneliness. The feeling of uneasiness.

The feeling of being watched.

He sat there as the feeling started to surround him. A part of him wanted to follow Shuichi and join him while another part of him didn't want to look weak. He hated to admit but he knew it was true. He was suddenly afraid to be by himself. Why? He was able to do such a thing since he began his journey. Why all of the sudden is he afraid to be alone? He just sat there; pondering in his thoughts until he heard a scream. It was Shuichi. He picked up his staff and ran in the direction of the scream. When he got there, he couldn't believe what he saw.

Over the misty blue pond was a bubble no bigger than a head floating there with glowing yellow eyes firing light beams. Shuichi was in the water, trying to defend himself. He tried to throw some rocks at the bubble but it was either too fast to hit or it would get hit but the rock would go right through. Any type of physical attack wouldn't hit it. Which meant that spiritual attacks would have to be used. Eiri looked up his prayer beads and began to chant. Luckily it worked. The beads were able to defeat the giant bubble and it fell in the pond. However, it caused some of the pond water and Shuichi to be splashed onto Eiri. The splash pushed them enough to knock them off of their feet; the bigger of the two on the bottom and the smaller of the two on top. Eiri was ready to give the boy a piece of his mind until he felt like a part of his robe was wet. That's when he noticed. Not only was Shuichi wet, he was naked. He felt a burning blush of crimson red cover his entire body. He pushed Shuichi off of him and turned around.

"What the hell were you doing in the water naked?" Yuki yelled.

Shuichi tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?" he asked, "I didn't want to get my clothes wet so I just took them off. Why is it such a big deal to you?"

"The only time you should be naked is either when you are bathing or if you are having sex. You must be fully clothed at all times otherwise. Now put your clothes back on!"

Shuichi began to smirk and moved closer to Eiri. "Yuki? Are you saying you've never seen another man naked before?" He began to laugh.

Eiri glared at Shuichi. "Shut up. I am a monk and we weren't allowed to bathe with others so..."

"Are monks really that uptight?" Shuichi brought himself even closer to Eiri. "Or maybe you're hiding the fact that you do like men."

"That's not it. Your body just looks like it would be more for a girl than a boy."

Now it was Shuichi's turn to glare at him. "I do not look like a girl."

Eiri smirked at Shuichi. "Really? Cause when I first saw you I really thought you were a girl. Your body screams femininity."

"IT DOES NOT!"

"Really? Do you want me to continue?"

Shuichi saw what was going on. Eiri was saying those things to make him self-conscious with his body and put his clothes back on. The worse part was that it worked. He sighed. "Alright you win. I'll go put my clothes back on."

Eiri was pleased that he convinced Shuichi, but something appeared to have caught his eye. Shuichi's back was completely black and red all over. It was covered with many scars and bruises. How did Shuichi get all of that? He walked over to him.

"What the hell is with those marks?" he asked.

Shuichi looked behind him to see his marks. "They're nothing," he said "They're something I gained just because I exist. You don't have to worr..."

"Lie on your stomach!"

Shuichi looked up at him. Eiri looked really serious. "But..."

"NOW!"

Without another word, Shuichi moved onto his stomach. Eiri walked over to the horse, grabbed an ointment from the bag, and poured it onto the boy's back. With his hands, he rubbed the ointment all over Shuichi's back; trying to get all the wounds. As Eiri was moving his hands upwards, he felt something on Shuichi's neck. It looked like some kind of necklace made entirely out of pearls. The pearls were so perfectly white it looked like they were glowing. Shuichi sat up.

"I see you noticed my necklace," he said as he grabbed the necklace to his line of sight without taking it off, "This necklace was the last thing I ever got from my mother before she disappeared. She told me to always keep it around my neck no matter what. I've asked her why but she only responded 'It's to keep you alive'."

"So you'd die if this necklace comes off?" asked Eiri, "I've never heard of someone dying just from taking off a necklace."

"I don't think she meant it that way. I think she planned her disappearance this whole time and this necklace was meant to be the last thing I ever get from her. So I guess she meant that if I take off this necklace, I may lose the only thing I have left of her," He let go of the necklace. "But then why has she been gone for ten years?"

"Maybe she was tired of you and snuck away so she wouldn't have to deal with you anymore." Eiri joked. However, it caused Shuichi to start crying. He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"No," Shuichi cried, "You might be right. Why else would she not come back after ten years?"

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you if she cares about you so much. Who knows? She might have not come back because she's dead." That did not help the situation. Instead, it only made Shuichi cry harder. He sighed again. "Look, it's not that big a deal if your mother is not with you. After all, I was taken away from my mother when I was at a very young age. I've never seen her since."

Shuichi sniffed and looked at him. "Really?" he asked, "I thought you would've had a mother to be with you whether you were a monk or not."

"Well, I'm sad to say that's not the case," Eiri explained, "My father took me away as soon as I was a young boy. After that, I considered that the monks were to be my new family. However, they weren't very fond of me. At that age, I wanted to play games and follow dreams but my father and the other monks wouldn't allow it. They said it wasn't the proper attitude for a monk to have. Also, I never had any friends. If I tried considering it, my father would abuse me until I had those thoughts out of my head."

Shuichi's eyes widened at the last sentence. "Your father really abused you? Same with my father. He only started it the moment my mother disappeared though. He said that as long as my mother was there with me, he couldn't touch me. But then after she disappeared, he was able to hit me as much as he wanted. It was always on my back though. It's the rule in the village. If a parent has to disipline their child, they are to only do it on the back. But my father would always hit me there no matter what I did. Even if I said just one word in front of him, he would hit me," He looked down at his lap. "I'm glad I left that village. I never want to go back there for as long as I live. I was not loved there. The only people that ever cared for me was my mother and my sister. But then my mother disappeared and Father ordered my sister to stay away from me. Everyone else treats me like I'm some kind of monster. But I'm not, right? I'm the same as everyone else, aren't I? Sometimes I just don't know."

Shuichi just sat there in silence; his eyes welling with tears. He was ready to cry again. He couldn't help it. Suddenly, Eiri pulled him closer to him and held him in his arms. Shuichi was shocked.

"Yuki? Why are you holding me?" he asked.

"Don't get the wrong idea!" Eiri yelled, "I just don't want you to keep crying on me."

Shuichi snuggled closer to him. "I didn't ask you to hold me." he said; his voice muffled as it hid in Eiri's chest but was still clear enough to make out.

"Then why are you getting comfortable?"

"Because you're so comfy." Shuichi felt like he was ready to fall asleep in Eiri's arms. Eiri on the other hand kept having the urge to stroke the boy's pink locks. However, he kept refusing to. He didn't want to look like he liked Shuichi's company. But that was far from the truth. They had only met a few days ago but Eiri felt like he had known Shuichi for a longer time than that? Why? Suddenly, a familiar voice ran through his head.

"I can't believe you!" the voice raged, "Why would you like this stupid boy more than you could ever like me? I'm far more powerful and superior for that matter than that brat. I tried to destroy him but you had to interupt me. You bastard! I'll make you pay! I'm the only one for you!"

The voice in his head hurt so much. He brought one of his hands to his temple and tried to rub it but it wouldn't ease the pain. He tried to rub them with both hands but it just wouldn't go away. Shuichi looked up at him; his eyes full with worry.

"Yuki?" he asked, "Are you ok?"

"JUST SHUT UP BRAT!" Eiri yelled. The pain in his head and his voice was too much for him and so it caused him to become unconscious. Shuichi was far from worried. He didn't know what to do. He was too terrified to think of anything. But he knew he had to do something. Eiri could be killed if he didn't do anything. But what could he do?

"Is something wrong?" a voice called to him from the trees.

Shuichi looked around. "Who's there?" he called out, "Show yourself!"

The next thing he knew, a mysterious hooded figure stood in front of him. The hooded figure looked over at the unconscious monk. "Ah, that young monk has gotten himself into so much mischief. He should've known better than to get himself cursed by a yokai."

"He's cursed by a yokai?" Shuichi asked.

"Yes. A nukekubi from the looks of it." The hooded figure turned and faced a pathway. "My hut is close by. I'll give him the best treatment possible."

Shuichi wasn't sure if he should trust that mysterious figure, but he knew this person was his only chance to save Eiri. And so, they headed to the figure's hut.

Eventually Eiri woke up. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around the place. His sight was blurry at first but then it got better. He continued looking around until he saw a familiar shade of pink. Shuichi sat there beside him.

"Yuki!" he cried out, "I'm so glad you're alright. Are you ok? That yokai didn't hurt you did it?"

Eiri cringed at the volume of Shuichi's voice. "Would you not be so loud?" he snarled, "I just woke up. I don't need you screaming in my ear."

Shuichi covered his mouth. "Sorry Yuki," he mewled, "I didn't mean to. I was just so happy to see you're ok. She said that you were cursed by a nukekubi and she did her best to destroy it without killing you in the process."

Eiri raised an eyebrow. "She?"

"Good to see you're awake young monk." a familiar eerie voice called out. Eiri looked over at screamed at who it was. Why out of all people did it have to be her?

There in front of him was that mysterious old woman from the crossroad.

"YOU!" Eiri screamed, "How did you find me? Why are you here?"

The old woman glared at him and walked over to him with the cane in her hand. "It's too early in the morning for you to be screaming," she yelled before hitting him on the head with her cane. She sat back down. "I was here on my own personal business in case you're wondering. That's when I noticed you and this young boy and decided to help you out. You're lucky! This boy never left your side for a moment. He's a very strong lad. He reminds me of my own son. Well, except the fact that my son was always the fat little boy," She chuckled her eerie chuckle. "I'm guessing you are travelling together to defeat all the yokai, yes?"

"Yes ma'am," said Shuichi, "Though we've been having some trouble along the way. By the way, I don't think I caught your name ma'am."

"Well, I am not the type of person who likes names but if you must need a name to call me, you may call me Granny."

"Hold on!" Eiri interupted, "You said I was cursed. By a nukekubi right?"

"You still haven't learned your manners," She whacked him on the head again. "And to answer your question yes. The nukekubi Sora, am I right?"

"How do you know that?"

"I met that stubborn child many years ago. Sora's family tried to eat me like they did with everyone else, but I managed to escape with the help of my dear son. It was during hard times for me but it was quite entertaining to be chased by nukekubi for once. Hehehehe. You were quite unfortunate to be cursed by Sora. Then again, you have a very handsome face by I can understand why they would want you. But I suggest you watch yourself carefully from now on. Who knows what other yokai may want you. But I don't think it should be a problem. After all, you have this sweet young boy beside you."

"Ma'am?" Shuichi interupted, "Sorry to interupt but I can't help but wonder. Before. you said you didn't like names. Why's that?"

Granny chuckled. "You're quite the little sweetie aren't you?" she asked, "Well, it just annoys me that everything is given a name to be considered different from all the rest. We are all given different names when really we are all the same. And what really angers me is the fact that we are judged based on the names we are given. Does that clear up any confusion in your head?"

"Yes," Shuichi spoke brightly, "Thank you Granny."

"Wait just one moment!" Eiri interupted again, "How come when I interupt I get a whack on the head and then the brat gets nothing?"

"Because he uses proper manners," she yelled as he whacked him with the cane again, "And I just don't like you. You are a disgrace to monks everywhere."

Shuichi noticed that the aura around Eiri and Granny was starting to get dark and knew what he had to do. "Well anyways we should get going," he spoke up, "Yuki and I still have to find all the evil yokai and destroy them before they cause anarchy in Japan."

Granny smiled her creepy smile at him. "Oh that's quite alright," she said, "If we ever cross paths again, don't be afraid to come speak with me."

"Of course." Shuichi bowed before the old woman. "Thank you ever so much for your hospitality Granny. I really hope we'd encounter each other again someday."

And so Eiri and Shuichi left the hut and went over to the horse who followed them there. Eiri looked back at the hut only to see that it disappeared. That was the second time it happened. First at the crossroad and now this? He decided not to let it bother him and the two continued moving north; unaware of the events they would encounter.

Pinkshuchan: FINALLY! I didn't think I'd ever be able to get it together. Well, I just needed to give myself a good kick in the ass. Read and Review!