"My kid? Oh, he thinks he knows everyyyything." - Rihan Nura

4 years ago, Ukiyoe

"Master Rikuo! Master Rikuo! Maste-Ahhhhhhh!" The soft calling for the resident devil came to an abrupt stop. Transforming into a surprised scream as a trap suddenly strikes the golden-eyed girl. Her long black and blue tresses and snow-white skin betrays her identity as the Nura's House resident Yuki Onna. Otherwise known as Tsurara.

The prank, because it is, in fact, a childish trick instead of an enemy attack, fulfills its purpose. Leaving the girl hanging precariously from a random branch. It belongs to one of the many cherry trees planted to beautify the Main House's gardens.

She should have seen this coming, the Yuki Onna thinks to herself. All the while asking the heavens to please make her stop spinning. While her hands scramble to save her modesty, which is currently being exposed by her kimono. An exited laugh pulls her focus, forcing her thoughts away from her predicament. It is unpreoccupied and happy—a rich young sound. A part of Tsurara reproaches herself for liking it.

Really, nothing made her happier than to see Rikuo smile, but the Young Master is laughing at her for Nurarihyon's sake! With so many thoughts and sounds, Tsurara is starting to feel dizzy. And at that moment when she is about to cry out again, the rope stills. Yuki Onna ends up face to face with the culprit of her current situation. Conveniently, the same boy she has been searching for.

Rikuo's face is naturally mischievous. Expression stoic but eyes alight in mirth. At nine, he is already growing into his predecessor's footsteps, only the ones specializing in causing and distributing chaos and mayhem. How does he accomplish this? Pranking, and lots of it. His favorite target? None other than his gentle caretaker. Unfortunately for Tsurara, there is nothing Rikuo enjoys quite as much as a good prank.

"You fell for it again, Yuki Onna!" Rikuo states proudly. His infuriating smirk will become as idiosyncratic as his father's closed eye or his grandfather's fox skin. Despite the sun peeking along the horizon coyly, the Nura's Young Master holds his standard form. He truly is a carbon copy of the Nura Clan's leaders. With hair protruding from his head in the same dramatic fashion. Tied at the end in a way that reminds many of the Nura's early days. The most significant difference is the coloring. The young youkai's head is white on top and black under it.

The eleven-year-old own eyes are slightly too big for his head, orbs the color of blood. They look hypnotically alluring as they clash starkly against his pale skin. The same ways they look in his mother's own face. Rikuo's youkai form shows, despite his age, that he will follow Nurarihyon's footsteps. Effortlessly, he'll turn into quite the heartbreaker.

Still, as magnificent as it is, this side will soon disappear physically. After all, morning will be arriving in minutes. Once the sun is high enough, its ray will pull out another side of her Master. His other side will emerge; the softer side, the human side, the weaker side.

"Master, you will be late for school! And you still haven't had breakfast," the Yuki Onna scolds tiredly. She is hanging by her left calf. The snow woman does not miss that, this time, the rope isn't painful, and it seems to be made of some kind of thick, soft rubber. Ah, she thinks, he does feel guilty about last time. Her face softens. Quickly she changes her expression to one of uninterested disapproval. Not allowing for the younger youkai to get even the hint of a reaction.

"I must be the only youkai that goes to school," He grumbles childishly, all amusement gone. Master Rikuo doesn't despise school as he finds the fact he is made to attend an affront to his pride. If Rikuo will be the Supreme Commander, he has no need for schooling.

Attending school implies that the clan may not name him Third. Yuki Onna also knows that the Master will be the Third Heir without a doubt, but Master Rihan wishes for Rikuo to accept his human side. Something the Young Master is struggling with as he considers 'Day' Rikuo useless.

His human form is unable to defend himself, not even against other humans. Master Rihan never tries to hide how this family works. Before friendly people, the Nura Clan is Yakuza Organization. Master Rikuo approves. How can he not, when he has been raised this way? He knows how much danger he is in every single day.

His own worth as an ayakashi keeps people from attempting to kidnap him. The strength he is forced to lose for a minimum of six hours everyday… It bothers him. Secretly, Yuki Onna thinks Young Master is scared.

She thinks he worries that he may just die one day due to his human side. Or that maybe, he'll let someone die because he will be unable to protect them… Still, accepting himself is the road to maintaining balance. To find strength in his weakness will prove him an adult.

"Remember that one part of the Young Master is human. That part deserves a chance to meet humans, to learn from humans, to be human," the Yuki Onna intones gently.

"Pfttt. I'm barely human!" he refutes, a childish frown mars his face. As simple as that, he begins to change. His long hair shortens and becomes completely black. His red eyes turn darker and darker until they too wear the color of the abyss. They seem even more prominent now in the rounder face; his size becomes smaller. Making his green kimono sag around his shoulders and slide along the floor. A barely-there smiled settles on his face. It isn't a smirk, and that is a huge difference. It means she isn't talking to the same person as before.

"Your body seems to disagree, Master." The snow girl giggles. For a moment forgetting that she is still hanging from a tree, one hand reaches her face to contain her giggles. Her kimono reveals the unmentionables for all to see once again. Quick hands race to cover everything. A soft sigh escapes her lips. "Even if you deny it, Master, it is true."

"Mouuu… Yuki Onna! I know. You don't have to rub it in…" Moments like this are the ones in which Rikuo honestly seems like two different people. The younger looking Master is full out pouting. His face is sporting a softer frown than before, fuller with boyish fat. Giving the impression that he isn't really displeased at all. All features enhance his currently puffed out cheeks. He looks adorable, and Yuki Onna can't help but smile.

"How Cute!" Tsurara screams. She sees as her Master's already pink cheeks turn red. However, a part of her cannot help but worry about the weird glint adorning the Young Master's eyes.

"I think I'm late for school. Better go change!" His face struggles to remain impassive.

"You're right!" The Yuki Onna realizes, horrified. She has wasted too much time! "Put me down, and I'll help you. You still need to bathe and have breakfast. Oh! I wonder if Kejouro is done with your lunch…" Her words haven't finish leaving her mouth by the time her Master is long gone.

…So that is what the weird glint is about.

Present time, Ukiyoe

"Young Master, Kiyotsugu has left the mansion premises," Yuki Onna bows.

"Thank you," Rikuo settles back, reaching for the sake she serves.

"The walls say he's brought along interesting news," the woman prompts, sitting in seiza, pale and dignified with her eyes close. Rikuo loves her, will always love her and her grace, cold and crips like winter. He smirks a little to himself, giving Yuki-Onna a lingering glance. Bright yellow eyes meet his.

"Doesn't he always?"

"You sound very fond of Kiyotsugu," she murmurs. It would've bothered him, once, the assumption that there might be a human he respects or appreciates, but if there's one redeeming soul amongst the sea of bigots and outsiders, it's Kiyo. Not that Rikuo will ever tell him so, the teen is already much more comfortable around the Fear than he should be.

"I've always enjoyed the company of those who have little common sense, apparently." In lieu of agreement, the snow woman only bows her head. Knowing her, Rikuo can safely assume that she's laughing at him, and it takes all of him to not huff in disagreement.

He turns Kiyo's new information around in his mind; it's an exciting development, one Rikuo has been looking forward to for years now. The Nura Clan has undoubtedly taken the reins to subjugate and curving the supernatural's most distasteful assets and allies, but that's not really Rikuo's job. Alas, someone had to do it, but apparently, the humans were finally stepping up their game.

Rikuo wonders if the exorcist is going to join that ridiculous Occult Club Kana has been running. Kiyotsugu had brought it up once when it was first created years ago, and then never again. It's fair to think that it might be dissolved. Humans are finicky creatures, their memories so short. That night under a collapsed train might mean everything to Rikuo. However, for his former classmates, it is one more supernatural bleep to be forgotten, shielded under reason and shaky notions such as reality and safety. Fear does not care for frivolous things such as truth.

Kana had never been incredibly strong-willed, but Rikuo quickly realized that he hadn't known his childhood friend as well as he would've liked to after what happened that night. He believes that if Kana's club had dissolved, Kiyo would've mentioned it, which means that with the exorcist in town... Kana would no doubt fill her in.

"What brews in your mind, Young Master?"

"That my father and I need to have a chat." Sadly, choosing what to do with Ukiyoe's newest resident doesn't really come down to Rikuo, not yet.

"Master Rihan is preparing for the upcoming general's meeting," Tsurara reports.

"Wonderful timing then."