I'm moving on to one of the most troublesome parts in this story. Actually, I had finished writing this a couple of days ago, but it took me awhile to be satisfied with it. Anyway, enjoy reading!

Chapter 11

Natori did not have to see his face to know who that person was. Seriously, he hadn't really spoken to him face to face before, let alone a friendly conversation, the only exchanged words between them were merely polite greetings in a meeting they attended. Yes, he was in a somewhat good term with Nanase-san, the person's secretary, and had sometimes asked for her help, but the news that were spread of him were enough to make Natori decide not to ever cross path with him. But, this time, Natori thought, nothing could really be helped.

"Impressive, Natori, you are able to put up such a strong barrier around a huge place," Matoba said turning the paper parasol upwards revealing his face. He was a handsome young man, well, at least the author thought he was, and he was tall and slender, with ghostly pale skin. The long intimidating black hair that crowned his head had further emphasized his charming look. If it wasn't for the hideous bandage wound over his left eye, his features had all it takes to be called a celebrity just like his rival who stood in front of him. He was smiling as dazzling as those of Natori's and the latter smiled back at him.

"Motoba-san too wasn't bad at all for being able to tear that barrier down." Between Natori and Matoba, they were about the same age, but with Matoba's current reputation, Natori could not help using a much politer tone.

"Is that so? I'm sorry, did I hurt you that much?" The smile on Matoba's face widened into a smirk and that was when Natori secretly gulped to the macabre sense of humour. The blond's smile was still there, however.

Frankly speaking, Matoba was clearly taunting him. He knew that the brunet had the right to. The barrier he had put up yesterday was a powerful technique passed on through generations in Natori clan and as far as he knows, no one was ever successful to break it down, not even by brute force. But the young exorcist who stood in front of him had easily burnt the wall down and hurt him even while he was still inside the barrier. This was surely not an opponent to belittle with.

"I hadn't expected you to pay a visit, Matoba-san. Actually, I'm planning to go to your place to discuss this matter. And now that you are here, I'm hoping that you could kindly explain why you come."

"Em, and I'm pretty much ready to listen why you are here, getting on my way." Despite the welcoming look they had given each other, sarcasm was laced icily in their tone.

There was a sound of hasty footsteps coming and less in a minute, Natsume and the others arrived at the scene. Natsume, knowing well who it was that stood in front of Natori, halted with alarming expression on his face as if he had just witnessed an affair too scandalous to be true.

"Oh, Natsume Takashi-kun - what an interesting reaction! I'm glad to see you here, had saved some time for searching," he said cheerily to the boy.

"Matoba-san, I'm not giving you the Book of Friends!" the boy yelled, the shocked look turning to scowl. It was nothing more like an upset face of child, from Matoba's point of view, and he silently snorted to the thoughts that the boy was actually trying to scare him off using that method.

"Boy, I'm surprised that you know why I'm here!" he said as he turned back meaningfully to Natori whose expression had slightly hardened once the boy arrived. With that, Matoba smiled. In truth, there's no smile in this earth to be compared with his. If the grin of a youkai whose face was hideously swathed in an ugly drawn mask was considered frightening, beyond anything else, there's nothing compared to Matoba's smile, especially the one he was showing right then. Well, forget about how charming he looked, once the smile was shown, hell, the seers would shudder none too gently in apprehension. There's nothing in this world more beautiful but both unsettling and intimidating at the same time. It was as if all his desires and hidden intention were made known in a single smile but none was actually, clearly, and certainly read. It was an interesting, curiously troublesome kind of smile. All they have to do was to stay attentive and never ever to let their guard down once that appeared; thus Natori had significantly learnt after their encounter that day. Of course, he needed to learn this in the hard way.

"Now, that everyone was here, and our reasons were clear, it's about time for you to hand over what I want. Give me the book and then everyone can go home, as simple as that."

"If it's as simple as that, Matoba-san, then why did you let the whole cage of shiki to come for him? It's clear that you want him dead to begin with," Natori shot back. He was indeed dissatisfied with it even until now.

"It is just to teach a certain nosey exorcist a lesson," Matoba said rather cheerfully as he turned back to the boy. "As you can see, with many shikis in my command, you won't stand a chance, would you? I'm sure your injured friend can't defend you alone and… and also your fox-demon over there, it can't protect you forever."

"Don't listen to him, Natsume. He's just trying to scare you," Natori retorted.

"If you want to see your friends alive, boy, give me the book." As he finished that sentence, Natsume heard much snarling and growling coming from the direction of the woods. And in a few second, the group of youkai showed up crawling and creeping through the crispy sound of the trodden dried leaves. They encircled the four companions hungrily with hot saliva dripping from the corner of their mouth. The boy gripped his school bag nervously in his hand out of habit. He could almost felt its texture, its pages, its being inside and even as he held the bag, he could clearly see the powerful volume in his head. If this particular book was just handed to the man… If this cursed heirloom wasn't… If he was able to go back home today without any troublesome thing to occur… If he was fated not to… And, If Matoba was just trying to scare him, it really worked!

Truthfully, Natsume didn't want any harm to fall on either of his friends. Not Natori-san, not Sensei, not Hiiragi and even the trespassing youkai. If everyone can just go back to their normal lives unharmed, he would gladly hand over the book. But, as he clasped the poor worn bag with his hands, he remembered his other youkai friends. He remembered Hinoue, he remembered Misuzu, Kuchihige and the other forest gangs. He remembered the youkais whose name he hadn't yet returned. Were he to hand over the book that day, all their lives, all their dreams and their wills will be entirely controlled by the man named Matoba. Although for either good or bad, it was like the handing in of the contract of eternal enslavement. That one, the same as the previous, he could not possibly accept.

But, he is a human. The one at the disadvantage now would be only the youkai. Some names written in the book, he didn't even know them, right? Why should he put his life at stakes just for a bunch of strangers and spirits he hadn't met? And, besides, if he gives Matoba the Book of Friends, no one will be killed today. Slowly, he could feel something inside him was trembling.

Even so, as he was standing, with anxiety pulsing through his veins, he remembered what Sensei told him the other night while he was still up looking after the sick Natori. The cat had quietly crawled to him in search of warmth and had sleepily uttered the most soothing promise the boy had ever heard.

Natsume, the person we are facing are not those that should be trifled with, then please, do all you can to protect the book, and I will do all I can to protect you.

Natsume's hands shook a little as he held the black bag closed to his chest. He shut his eyes feeling Sensei's steady breath on his back. Sensei had not said a word then, but he could feel him standing behind him, covering for him. Sensei, he had said it once, and he would not go back on his words. Natsume quietly cursed himself for having a wavering trust for his own stance. Perhaps he had relied too much on Sensei, and Natori-san that he had forgotten the important duty of his part.

"I said, give me the book, boy." The black haired exorcist impatiently demanded.

"NEVER!"

Natsume was breathing hard as if it had taken his all just to utter one word. And he had even yelled it out, beyond all his courage, as if he had just defied his school principal. In an instant, the smile on Matoba's face vanished. The fact that the boy would go against his wish was clearly beyond his expectation, he was indeed pissed.

"If that be you choice then, so be it," the man said resisting the urge to roll his eye. Eventually, he focused back to Natori. "You know, the barrier that you put was invincible except for one weakness."

"I'll be glad to learn that from you, Matoba-san." Natori was still smiling. But, he didn't let his guard down even after the slight change of subject, especially not after all the number of youkai making a grand appearance before. The brunet walked to and fro before him as he began explaining. But, the other knew that he was just trying his best to control his eagerness and the anger he felt before. All the more reasons for Natori to stay alert.

"In the ritual to burn down the barrier, the blood of the conjurer who performs the pack is needed. Blood was used to build it, and the same blood is needed to undo it. But, to get the blood after the conjurer was safely inside the barrier was quite impossible. That was why, if we think and act one step faster before that happens, all we need was one little traitor, and one drop of blood will fall easily into our hands." Natsume didn't understand what the hell he was talking about, of course for a naïve child like him, he wouldn't, but he saw how Natori tensed listening to his last sentence. "Yes, the only weakness to that great barrier is a traitor, Natori."

Before anyone could say anything, before anyone could react, out of nowhere, Minami, the trespassing female youkai sprang to her feet and grabbed the school bag containing the Book of Friends from Natsume's grasp. Natsume in his shock, tried to snatch it back, but the small youkai was too quick for him and she hopped and landed about 7 feet away, tearing the school bag and all the other unrelated books to shreds.

Hiiragi was quick to get her. Unfortunately, Minami held out the green book high above her head with a small suspicious purplish bottle in her other hand. He leaned the bottle close to it.

"Don't move! Stay where you are. I have a highly acidic potion in my hand. One drop, and the book will be destroyed!" she shouted and poured some to her feet for the hell of it. The verdant grass on the ground instantly wilted and Hiiragi stopped short. Natsume gasped and Madara hissed behind him, but the feline didn't say a word. Everyone needed to be careful now, especially when that bastard leader was there, taking the upper-hand of everything. Natori stood as still as a tree watching the turn of event in surprise. He should have known about this, how careless! And, she was the one who tended his wound last night. She could easily steal his blood unnoticed.

Minami carefully walked away from them with each step closer towards her master. As she did, she turned her masked-face reluctantly in Natsume's direction once and quickly looked away.

"Good job, Minami. Now, hand the book over to me," the chief instructed with a winning smile stark on his face. He indeed, looked satisfied than he ever was. Yet, despite of being pleased of herself for getting the job done, somehow Minami looked uncertain. She rigidly stopped a distance away from her superior before kneeling down in front of him.

"I will give you this book, my Lord," she said with her small uncertain voice. "…if you could call my little sister here and free us both as promised." Everyone was surprised with that little statement she made, Natsume especially and so did Matoba. As the owner, he was expecting his shikis to obey everything he told them to do without questions unless they were indeed expecting some punishment from him. He would tolerate a reply sometimes, but Minami's reply sounded a little off to his ears. In fact it was entirely not a satisfactory reply.

He had indeed promised her to abolish her ownership if she presented The Book of Friends to him; that's what he told her when he assigned her that job. Well, it's not like she was too useful to begin with and the other sister being too weak, had been eaten by one of his shiki long ago. He was surprised that she hadn't figure out about it yet, so he made a promise just so that she wouldn't betray him for this important job. But, it was just beyond his expectation that she would voice out to claim the deal that fast and most importantly before she gave the book to him.

It finally dawned on Natsume, then, what was going on, what she meant when she told him exorcists had done cruel things to her family, what exactly is the thing she wanted to protect, and why she shot a reluctant look at him after betraying his trust. He almost cursed her when she took the book from him, he almost hated her, and what a fool he was for failing to realize this sooner. She must have been fighting this alone for quite some times now… He gripped the side of his shirt as he watched Minami kneeling defenselessly and entirely alone in front of the black-haired exorcist.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Minami," came the monotonous answer. From her crouching position, Minami gasped. And, as if understood it by instinct, she gripped the grass beneath her palm, nails digging into the soil. Even so, she needed to make sure of this. Minami raised her face to meet his owners' with determination in her heart.

"I understand that it is not according to the plan, my Lord, but she can just teleport herself here in an instant if you call her. That's what her power is."

Ignoring her plea, Matoba looked straight into her face and calmly said "Give me the book, Minami." There was a certain ring in his voice that made her cringe. Besides Minami, Natsume cringed as well. From afar he could sense the danger in the brunet's voice that made him secretly pray for Minami to just hand over the book to him. He didn't want to think what might happen to her if she still refused.

However, much to the boy's disappointment, instead of surrendering the said item, Minami got to her feet, thumbing the tightly lidded bottle opened. She leaned the tiny vial so precariously closed to the volume in her hand that Natsume could see a drop of the purple liquid almost dripped on it.

"I will pour this potion onto this book if you don't do as I say!" she hissed desperately, voice high and histerical, a sense of both anger and fear was written on her features. Indeed, despite looking unfazed Young Master Matoba was astonished. There was not a single shiki of his until now who had the courage to, dare him to say it, defy and threaten him. That useless youkai had indeed disgraced and humiliated him in front of them all. Natsume dreadfully saw the man's hand fisted before he closed his eye and snorted to himself.

"Minami," he said none too harshly. Indecipherable emotions where written on his face now. "Do you honestly think a lowly creature like you is worthy for a promise? If only you could remain silent and understand your place." She inhaled sharply and retreated as five huge youkai stepped forward towering above her. "And, the reason why I can't do as you say is because your weak little sister is already dead and soon you will be joining her!" Out from her trembling hands, the tiny bottle slipped.

"MINAMI!"

The moment Natsume screamed that name he could clearly see three big porcupine/ youkai bristled raining their prickles towards the stiffened ayakashi. In an instant, without a thought, as if by instinct, he found his legs moving, taking him towards the small youkai fast. Just as he did, the other two hawk-like creatures began to advance wildly towards him.

All who was there quickly sprang into action. Sensei, in his Madara form aggressively pounced onto the sprinting youkais, pushing and dragging them away in a crazy cat-dog fight. Hiiragi unsheathed her sword and advanced after Madara. Natori unleashed one of his secret spell and in an instant the place was surrounded in grey mist blurring the other youkai from charging towards the boy. Natsume safely reached out for Minami none too soon and the moment he saw her Minami was already falling to the ground. Her shattered mask slipped out from her face.

Damn, it was too late!

There were some grave wounds at her sides and shoulders and much to the boy's terror, the same prickle that hit Natori the other day was plunged deep in her chest. Natsume cradled her frail body as she coughed and writhed painfully in his arms.

"I'm sorry Natsume-sama. Look's like I fail to protect what's important to me," she said in a small weak voice.

"No, don't say that, Minami."

"I'm just trying to get her back, but now that she was…" A tear silently fell down from her eyes as she swallowed in the rest of the sentence. There's no way she could hide her feelings now that the mask was gone. The youkai later slipped a small hand in her pocket taking out two tiny bottles in her hand.

"Here, this is the medicine for your friend. He needs it till the wound truly heals. And this is for you, I made it this morning. It's a potion to weaken even the strongest of youkai. Keep it. I know it can help you."

"Minami." It took his everything not to cry. Natsume pulled the dying youkai closer in a tight embrace, resting his chin on her head as if the act would stop the time from taking her away. Then, with shaky hands she placed the unharmed Book of Friends into Natsume's hand. He gripped the hard cover of the handmade volume so tightly that his knuckle whitened.

"Please have back your book, Natsume-sama. And promise me to protect… those… important to…" And, then, she was silent. Her bloody small hand fell limply to her side, no longer moving, no longer living.

"Minami…" Tears slowly crept to the corner of his eyes as he sobbed. For the first time in life, Natsume felt like smacking somebody. He had seen this girl, living, speaking, complaining, wishing just the other day before, just a few second before, and now she was dead. She just wanted herself and her sister to be freed. Motoba would pay for this! Natsume lowered her body comfortably to the ground taking a last glimpse of her face. Just after he did her being vaporized into white shining particles and melted into the air.

Natori's voice was heard within the mist, giving a command to his only shiki.

"Hiiragi, cover Natsume! Natsume, now!" Alarmed by the other's command, Natsume quickly got to his feet, looked out for the secret markings on the ground before taking out two paper ofuda from his pocket. Brushing his tears away, he slipped one paper through his fingers in each hand, stretched out both his arms to his sides and began to say the spell as soon as Hiiragi appeared in front of him swatting a poisonous prickle away from the boy.

I seek the power of the scales that protects this life,

I seek the power of the tails that glides through this current,

Give us the light,

And repel the darkness,

Come forth,

Water Guardian!

Both Natsume's and Notori's voice echoed through the mist in unison and Natsume saw before his eyes huge waves of water rising from the ground right where the chained circles had been. It surrounded both him and Hiiragi with the deafening sound of the waves encasing them as if they were standing inside a water fountain. After that the waves vanished and all was silent again. Natsume had no idea what had happened, Natori-san only told him to unleash the spell if things get bad, or when he told him to, yet, Natsume knew, though not knowing how, they were already inside the barrier. The Book of Friends lay at his feet clean and dry. Natsume's clothes were untouched too despite the vigorous splashes before. The mist cleared and the world was revealed to him.

There's no sign of Sensei anywhere and that had him worried. He must be fighting with the other youkai in the woods just to get them away from him. Outside the barrier, Natori stood gallantly with the same coloured ofuda in his hands.

But, something was wrong. Natsume had been in a ridiculously wrong situation before, but this was something terribly different than anything else had been. Because Natori was standing outside instead of inside with him, something they had not agreed upon when he taught him the technique before. And, even as he stood there with his back facing him, he could truly sense a different intention that the exorcist had been hiding.

"Natori-san!" he called, banging his fist onto the already formed transparent wall but the elder ignored him as if he could not hear him. Of course, he could hear him, he wasn't deaf. He just didn't have a heart to face him now that he had betrayed him. He just hoped that the teenager will just remain inside, all quiet while not getting in his way.

Matoba was standing in front of Natori with a smile etched on his face.

"Impressive, it was quite awhile for me to witness the Twin Koi barrier or the famous Ryougi technique," he tauntingly praised. "If I wasn't wrong, it was first created by two exorcist siblings, and it won't worked without two energy in sync with each other. As expected of you, the Young Head of the House of Natori."

"As the Head of the Matobas, you knew a lot, yourself," Natori also praised not lifting his gaze from the man.

"But, I had not expected for the boy to be able to perform a part of it. You are really an interesting boy, Natsume." Matoba shot a creepy awestruck look his way. Even from inside the barrier, Natsume still shuddered looking at him. It sent chills running down his spine.

"He surely is." He heard Notori said rather proudly. Matoba slowly turned away from the boy facing the other exorcist.

"Let's forget about Natsume-kun for awhile, now that we are alone again, Natori. It's a perfect time to settle some unfinished business with you." He gracefully walked ahead till the blond was 5 steps away from him. His handsome face was serious and stern as he looked at the other. "Natori, it seems that you had intercepted the association request for me five times already. That is quite an annoying thing to do. I believed, Nanase-san had conveyed to you my warning."

"She did, about three months ago."

"Now, that I think about it, it's always the request from around this area. I wonder if it was Natsume-kun that you have been scared of me to find."

"Perhaps, you are right, Matoba-san."

"Care to explain to me who he actually is?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I tell you he's my housekeeper, would you?" Natori said smiling. The other began to laugh as well. He had quite a charming laugh for a scary person.

"Very funny, Natori. I can see how much we can enjoy each other if we had some time to spend for random talks." He said in a friendly manner, too friendly that no one would believe he was actually there to start a quarrel on the first place. In brevity, his laughter vanished and his face became stern again catching the other's attention. Despite his own calm expression, Natori felt tension coursing through his body as he regarded the other. "Usually, those who stood in my way will be wiped out in an instant. Remember the woman with all her shikis eaten. You are quite lucky that a shiki still remains." Natori made a glance Hiiragi's way as Matoba looked at her. The blond was thankful that she was safe inside the barrier, as planned. Of course, just like Natsume, he hadn't told her about this. He didn't want her to get involved when he settles things with Matoba

"And you are too lucky for I feel like being merciful today. Let's make a trade, then. I'm quite interested with the rumours I heard about you, Natori, and had been wondering ever since whose skills are better between us." A pregnant pause lingered as the two exorcists stared into each others eyes. Black versus red chocolate. Natori instantly understood what Matoba meant even without further explanation. "If you win," he continued. "I will let all of you go but if you lose, you need to hand over that book and the boy to me."

"All you need is the book, not the boy!" Natori cried in protest. His brows furrowed slightly listening to Matoba's absurd condition. For the life of him, there's no way he could agree on that.

"I'm sorry, but there's a change of plan," Matoba added with another charming yet taunting smile across his face. Yet, as soon as it emerged it melted away into a threateningly commanding look. All friendliness gone. "The trade only come once, Natori, take it or leave it."

There was indeed a long silence after that was said. A wild gust of wind suddenly came, blowing Matoba's long hair and Natori's striking blue haori to one side. As if brought by the wind, the faint sound of snarling and clawing was heard from afar in the woods where Madara was beastly fighting. He was battling with quite a number of youkai in there and Natori chided to the fact that he could not do anything to help him. He stood pondering onto the matter at hand looking straight into his opponent's face. He didn't dare to look at Natsume's, not even once. Then, he silently heaved a sigh.

"If you win, you will have what you said," he surrendered. "But…" He squinted straight to the brunet's face, eyes hardening behind the glasses. "…If I win you will let us all go and never attempt to take the book and come close to Natsume ever again."

"Hmm… I guess I can agree with that," The brunet replied so fast that Natori didn't think he had spent even a second to reflect on it. He seemed disturbingly confident to win the fight. "Any other condition? This is your territory after all."

"No shiki is to be used in this fight," Natori said without hesitation. With that Hiiragi tensed gripping the side of her own black haori.

"The fight of a true conjurer's skill, I supposed, how admirable. But, Natori, actually, she's the favourite, isn't she?" Natori didn't answer him, this time, but the fact that he was glaring now made the brunet's wolfish smile became broader than before. "Then, let the fight begins."

Tragedy-writer's mode ACTIVATED. I told you I will kill people when I got bored. I wonder who I should kill in the next chapter (grins)… Hmm, let's make it more interesting, you guys need to review or else I will kill Natsume in the next chapter. Wahahahahahahahahahaha!

…

Nah, I'm just kidding and I know you won't budge with my threat anyway. Haha… I hope you enjoy this chapter and please look forward for the next. ^_^