Title: Fast Forward to the Stars
Author: modern warfare king
Fandom: Nurarihyon no Mago
Pairing: Yoru (Night!Rikuo) and Rikuo Nura (Day!Rikuo)
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Nurarihyon no Mago. I only own the plot! I hope you guys enjoy the ride anyway!
NOTE (PLEASE READ): This fanfic is AU. No incest or anything. They totally live on separate worlds. And yes, this is SHOUNEN-AI.No flames or anything of the sort. I've already warned you.


CHAPTER 8: AFTER THE END IS ANOTHER BEGINNING


In a situation like this, there was only thing to do…

"Run!" Rikuo shouted at his friends, putting on his fighting stance as the alleged yokai was closing in. "I'll buy us some time!" His heart raced, his eyes glued to the unknown silhouette.

All of his friends were hesitant leaving Rikuo, especially Kana.

"B-But, Rikuo-kun—"

"Just run!" Rikuo roared. He didn't want them in his way but he most especially didn't want them hurt. He'd never forgive himself if he failed to protect his own group of friends.

Kana wanted to stay behind but Saori grabbed her arm forcefully, dragging her with them. She reached out to Rikuo desperately. What if this was the last time she would ever see him again?

"If you don't come back, I swear I'll go down with you!" Kiyotsugu exclaimed. "I'll be back with my exorcism stuff!"

Rikuo chuckled. That was Kiyotsugu for you. Loyal and careless. No wonder why he wanted his friends safe at all times. "Hit hard enough to knock it down the ground. Then run like hell," he thought to himself. He gripped the handle of his bamboo sword tightly, taking deep breaths. Training helped him deal in times of great distress like these. He wasn't intimidated or scared at all, just a little bit nervous.

He blinked as it suddenly stopped. Then it started laughing. Creepily. No one in school could ever manage to pull off a laugh insanely like that. This wasn't a genius prank in any way. Rikuo could barely see it due to the darkness.

"How unexpected of you to be the brave one of the bunch. And I thought you'd be the most terrified, judging from your appearance and all," it chuckled.

Rikuo took it as a compliment and smirked. "Well, you thought wrong." One percent of him felt relieved because of this casual conversation. He hoped the other would be humane enough to at least call it a night. But that was obviously just hopeful thinking.

It laughed again. "I like you already, kid." Well, that wasn't good. "But unfortunately…" That sounded worse. "I still need to strike fear in your heart, like I did with your friends." Uh-oh. "So you'll be my little guinea pig tonight." Make that a bigger UH-OH.

"Sorry, but I won't become anyone's guinea pig tonight," Rikuo disagreed, glowering.

"A feisty one, eh?" it said. "I'll teach you manners 'round us yokai then!"

Rikuo bit his lip. So it was a yokai. Stick to the plan, stick to the plan. His heart raced faster every fleeing moment. It could launch itself towards Rikuo anytime. And when it did dash towards Rikuo, he immediately thought of hitting the back of its neck. But shockingly, it didn't actually face Rikuo head-on. It aimed for the same thing Rikuo had in mind. Rikuo immediately turned around and deflected the bulky yokai's attack with his bamboo sword but to very little extent. The impact was so strong it broke Rikuo's arsenal in half. Rikuo didn't have time to recover from the attack when the foe suddenly punched him hard in the guts. The chocolate hair coughed up blood. The attack must have hit some of his internal organs. Rikuo fell helplessly down the floor, light-headed and weak.

The yokai knelt before the chocolate hair and grabbed Rikuo's hair, smirking. Rikuo panted heavily, glaring at the yokai. "First rule," it started saying, "give up and give in immediately when you know you have no choice against us!" The yokai's manic laugh was the last thing Rikuo heard before something hit the back of his neck greatly.

And everything faded to black.

Rikuo winced in pain the moment he woke up. If he wasn't treated soon, the damage would possibly be permanent and it was all because of his carelessness. He felt ropes restraining his hands and feet. He groaned loudly to himself. "Great, now I'm taken hostage," he thought, deeply frustrated and regretful. Well, at least he wasn't chained to a wall. Rikuo could crawl his way out, if ever the yokai fell asleep or went on some errand. He shook his head, fighting the dizziness and excruciating pain. He squinted at the two figures apparently chatting. Oh, so he has a friend? Cool. He immediately knew the first one was the jerk bulky yokai and the other… it looked very familiar… and very human too. It was on the tip of his tongue but couldn't point out. But that wasn't important, he needed to free himself as soon as possible. He blinked and saw something… most convenient.

"…he seems interesting," said a indistinct voice. "Striking fear into his heart is very recommended and very rewarding. We rarely meet these kinds of humans nowadays."

"Agreed," the bulky yokai said, nodding.

The other then patted its shoulder. "I'll leave it to you then."

"Yes, master." As the "master" left, the yokai turned around to Rikuo who was faking his unconsciousness. It then planted its huge elephant foot at the chocolate hair, smirking.

"Stop the acting, kid. I know you're awake," said the yokai. Then the light bulb above his head flickered on. He sneered smugly as he grabbed Rikuo's hair and dragged him to the stage of Ukiyoe High School's auditorium. The chocolate hair should have known they were actually at the backstage because of all the props around him and all.

The bulky yokai dragged Rikuo to the center stage where the moonlight coming through the windows shone upon him. The foe then started narrating the situation, "Behold, a helpless young man! A brave hero, I might say. He sacrificed himself for the wellbeing of his friends. Such a noble act indeed! But I'm afraid we'll have to witness… his sad, sad downfall…"


NURA RESIDENCE


"Rikuo?"

No response.

Usually, Rikuo was home at this hour. Why wasn't he back? Yoru remembered Rikuo having to do school stuff for its festival. Maybe he was pulling an all-nighter with his friends?

But why couldn't he help but feel something was terribly wrong? He always had faith in his instincts, and he believed it now. And it signaled him to go after Rikuo immediately.

As he rapidly jumped from roof to roof, he sensed the presence of yokai not too far from where he was right now. He estimate the distance between them. His heart raced when he realized it came from Ukiyoe High School. And Rikuo happened to be there. He sped up, desperately hoping Rikuo was okay.

When he arrived at the campus, his bad feeling got worse. He quickly spotted students running with tools in their hands. They must be Rikuo's classmates. And judging from the looks in their faces, something was definitely up. And Yoru's eyes widened in shock when he heard one of them shout the name he really didn't want to hear that moment.

"Rikuo!"

"Where are you?"

"Like I promised, I'm back here with my exorcism stuff! Now where the hell are you?!"

They all sounded like they were about to cry. Yoru cursed under his breath and ran his fastest, almost untraceable to the naked eye. What did Rikuo do now?

The Kiyojuji Paranormal Investigation Squad stopped as they saw something pass by the window. They couldn't make out what it was because it moved fast. This startled the group again.

Yoru then commenced his search around the campus…

Not in the court.

Not in the gymnasium.

Not in each and every single classroom. Make that any room in the school for that matter.

Then he heard some lame and trying-hard narrator narrating his heart out from the auditorium, the last place of hope for Yoru. The lines were cliché and old-fashioned. It annoyed him but it gave him clues. Hero? Friends? Fear? As he entered the building, his eyes widened, meeting Rikuo's brown and surprised ones. He was all tied-up in the center stage with a bulky and strong-looking yokai.

"Y-Yoru!" Rikuo thought. Never did he expect him of all people (or yokai) to come for him.

"…" Yoru glared intently at the other yokai who just happened to notice Yoru. The antagonistic yokai's eyes widened in surprise. So his master's hunch was right. The leader of powerful and infamous Hyakki Yako was around here.

"Ah, what a wonderful addition to our play tonight. Presenting… Nurarihyon's grandson!"

"Hmph. Some play," Yoru scoffed. "And I do happen to have a name, you know."

"But mind you, this is a play worth dying for!" it cackled.

"Are you just all talk? Or will we finally settle things?" Yoru said, staring intently at the other as he drew out his blade.

Its laugh echoed throughout the auditorium. "So the rumors are true… You're just like him… saving puny useless humans all because you have humans as lovers," it said. "Wait till master hears about this…"

Yoru and Rikuo's eyes widened. "He knows?!" they both thought in panic.

"Hmmm… But I'm most curious to find out who your love interest is." Rikuo and Yoru mentally sighed in relief. The yokai rubbed his chin as it raised an eyebrow at Yoru.

"You look so eager to save him," it snickered. "Do you guys actually have some sort of connection?"

"No, we don't," Yoru replied, deadpan. He then smirked. "I just won't tolerate this kind of behavior towards humans. I follow in my old man's footsteps, after all."

The enemy yokai chuckled in delight. "And now we've reached the devastating climax. Will the crimson eyed yokai be able to save the brave yet weak human hero?"

"Or maybe the human hero could actually save himself for once?!" Rikuo shouted as he stood up with the help of his free hands. He managed to set himself free without the yokai knowing. The hacksaw behind him happened to be a life-saver. He then clasped his hands together and hit the back of the bulky yokai's back hard, knocking it down the floor. Rikuo felt agonizing pain hitting the other.

"Now!" he managed to shout at Yoru. The enemy yokai recovered as he knelt and pushed Rikuo to a wall. Yoru's eyes widened, his blood boiling at extreme temperature. His crimson eyes flared as he lunged his blade at the yokai, stabbing right through it.

"Don't you ever lay your filthy hands on him again," Yoru hissed, stabbing it deeper. The other yokai coughed up blood.

"I knew it… you two are…" it gasped as Yoru suddenly drew back his blade. It then fell on its knees and chuckled as it faded away into ashes.

Yoru immediately ran to Rikuo who coughed up blood again. "Rikuo!"

Rikuo chuckled. "Darn… you saved me again… but…" he coughed again, "at least I managed to set myself free this time… right?" Yoru held the chocolate hair in his arms and shook his head.

"You're a careless idiot," Yoru said. "Don't ever pull out a stunt like that again…"

Rikuo hugged back and smiled. He felt super relieved and thankful Yoru was here with him again. "Okay… thanks…" Then the embrace loosened when Rikuo fell asleep again. Yoru sighed in relief as he caressed Rikuo's hair, smiling. Yep, he was a careless idiot alright.


MORNING


Rikuo's eyes fluttered as the sun's harsh glare passed through the blinds. He turned his head from side to side and noticed he was in a hospital. The first person he saw was his mother sleeping in a chair by his bed. Yoru must have brought him here.

Wakana slowly woke up and saw her son finally awake again. She cried tears of joy as she jumped and hugged Rikuo. "Oh, Rikuo!" she sobbed. "I was so worried!"

"Morning, Mom," Rikuo chuckled nervously.

"Nura-kun!" Kiyotsugu called. The Kiyojuji Paranormal Investigation Squad ran to Rikuo with open arms, sobs and chuckles. They brought bouquets of flowers with them as well.

"It's been two days!" Kana exclaimed worriedly, teary-eyed as she hugged Rikuo tightly.

Rikuo's eyes widened. "Really? Wow… I must have been tired…"

"What are you talking about? You're gravely injured. You're lucky you survived," Wakana clarified, rubbing her temples. "What happened anyway?"

"Uh…" Everyone looked at Rikuo with curious and anticipating eyes. Rikuo couldn't possibly tell his actual yokai experience so he thought of another valid story. "I got into a fight with those gangsters from other schools… they were trying to scare anyone who'd stay the night. But they won't come back now…"

"I knew it was just a prank," Saori sighed in relief.

"But don't be so careless next time, Rikuo-kun!" Kana reminded. Rikuo nodded and chuckled.

"Stupid punks. I ought to give them a taste of my knuckle sandwich," Shima said, looking all tough.

Being with the people he loved most in the world, it was the warmest and best feeling. Rikuo couldn't help but smile.


MEANWHILE


"He's dead…? Such a shame," he said as he looked at the town's scenery from an abandoned building. "Which just goes to show… maybe there is some connection between them."

"Your orders, master?" a yokai asked, appearing from nowhere.

He smirked widely. "Hunt him down… hunt Rikuo Nura down," he said. "And… kindly bring him back to me. Alive, if possible."


A/N: Chapter 8 eight up! See? I did get post the eight chapter today! That's how loyal I am to my words and to you lovely readers. I'm so happy with its views, faves, alerts and reviews. I LOVE YOU ALL. LET ME HUG YOU. And ohohoho- a new major antagonist. I wonder who that is? I always want to leave you people hanging outta control. That's just the way I am. Maybe I'll reveal his identity in the next chapter.

Special and loving thanks to Soul Vrazy, MegumiHana, HikariNoTenshi-San and akira45 for their endless love for my story.

I'll say my usual words again coz I just can't stop saying it for some reason: How was the chapter? Hope you guys liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Stay tuned for the next chapter!