Author Notes: Warning people, this chapter is SUPREMELY OOC! I mean really, I don't know how, even I wasn't expecting myself to ruin it this badly! As in, this may not even be the same character at all! I couldn't think of another idea though...I'll...um, just sorry, I'm really sorry. This is bad.

Disclaimer: Only meant to change the plot line, not ruin it, sensei :'(

Why do I feel like I know him...?

To her very pleasant surprise, she had enjoyed a nice, dreamless night of sleep. It was her luck that her parents were currently out of town so she did not have too much explaining to do to anyone. But it had been quite a shock when she got home and took a look at her reflection in her full body mirror to see dusty patches on her face and cuts on her thighs and arms. Astounding how she had completely forgotten about them, even with all the excitement of that night to justify it.

Her own desire had been to just collapse on her bed but the onmyouji who had very graciously accompanied her home and offered to stay the night, insisted otherwise. So, sleepily she had patched herself up, asking the short haired girl for help when she needed it and soon, without bothering to see what a sight she looked after the job, fell asleep.

And right now she did not intend to change her bandages but while looking at herself once again in the mirror, in her school uniform, she could not help but have second thoughts about going. However, she must go. There was too much, too many things in her mind that she needed to think about in full force and she could not suppress them for much longer. Resignedly, she cursed her luck when she had been blessing it last night that the uniform had no alterations to the cobalt blue skirt for the winter.

"Seriously," she sighed, awkwardly looking at the random bandages throughout what could be seen of her legs, "I wish I had tights to wear. It's not even that hot yet."

It was a bright, clear and favorably moderate morning, neither cloudy nor too sunny. Feeling the freshness of a new day she thought she might never live felt so inspiring, filling her with optimism as she walked to school with Yura. Though she had done this hundreds of times before, going to meet her fellow students and study felt like a new experience, the fact that she had lived today to carry out her normal, happy routine once more had never been of much significance to her. She wondered how other children could overlook such details so easily and curse their alarm clocks, books and teachers ungratefully.

Yura on the other hand had had that detective face ever since last night. Kana was sure she had stayed up later than her for at least an hour. Letting her smile wear off a little, the brunette stopped walking.

As a reflexive (and maybe protective) reaction, the onmyouji glanced at her.

Good.

It was better than saying her name three times to make her listen.

"We'll talk, when recess begins. I want you to tell me what you've been thinking, Yura-chan. And I'll tell you something about what I heard them say while they were taking us there," she declared in a serious tone.

"Uh?" Darker brown eyes widened slightly at that but the taller one simply nodded, "Alright."

With that set for the time being, the twelve year old looked irritably at her left hand's palm while fingering her cheek, both of which were bandaged.

"Can't I take at least these off?" she moaned but saw exactly what she expected – the other girl shaking her head sternly.

They had not greeted many people besides Natsumi Torii and Saori Maki and fled before the two could ask many questions. As a matter of fact, during the time she was free, Kana even took her chance to sit in a junior class, simply to avoid the stares she was getting, and dragged Yura with her so they could avoid any ideas Kiyotsugu Kiyojuji may have about another meeting.

Her mind was not very focused on the class at all. She was actually using this chance to let out her feelings on paper, a unique remedy not popular in practice for those who did not write journals. But if it escaped her in a rush of thoughts, feelings and memories all at once, she would crack up and she knew it. It was too much for her to handle, the realization, the (potential) trauma of it all, the incredulity and all of those sensations without a change in her expression. Not in front of class with an attentive teacher, she could not. She had to look at one fact at a time, do her best to not picture it and recall, not interpret, but simply pen down her observation. It had taken a lot to stop herself from looking at the one who was occupying a space in her mind so big that she was angry. The Keikain was sitting at the back like her but at the extreme right.

As the bell rang, she took a look at what she had written so far.

'That rat youkai said "Nura". He kept on saying that, even when he was dying.

Rikuo-kun came and asked him to let us go.

The rat said he was the heir of the "Nura Clan".

So Rikuo-kun has some connection to this. His last name is Nura so how could he not?'

Then the other man with dual hair colors had popped into her head.

'The youkai called him the leader.

He said that he wanted the "Nura Clan" gone.

And before that, he had called Rikuo-kun the heir.'

She had briefly looked up at the blond teacher while contemplating on that point, what it could mean. Though she was not studying, she had never used her mind this much before. And she had been accusing Yura of the detective look in her mind…

"Wow, I can't believe how much Nura-kun's grandfather looks like a real youkai!"

The exclamation of Jirou Shima had popped into her attentive head as soon as she had seen the sensei's blond hair. How convenient it was for her today. So she wrote something again.

"Yura-chan said something about defeating the leader. I asked her last night and she said he was called Nurarihyon. The only family Rikuo-kun's got who could be related is Nura-san.'

"Come on, Ienaga-san," the onmyouji called, walking over to her while slinging her white satchel over her shoulder, "Let's go, it's break time."

"Where exactly do you think we'll be alone to talk?" the brunette questioned a little testily, irked at her muse being interrupted.

"The Kiyoujuji Paranormal Patrol might not find us in here," she agreed and proceeded to take a seat beside her.

"Just give me a moment," the hazel eyed girl murmured and gripped her pencil firmly.

'But, when I looked at him, I felt nostalgic. I couldn't figure out why…I still haven't. But this is what I think.'

She took another breath and then bent over fully to her notebook.

'Rikuo-kun is the heir to some youkai clan which's the last name he has. He tried to make them let us go but he was kicked out. Then this "leader" appears and his hair is kind of like Rikuo-kun's. It's just longer and white at the top but he was a youkai. Rikuo-kun is human.

Maybe this is what he wants me to assume.

Nura Rikuo

Nura…ri

That girl who brought him his lunch was there.

That lady who brought us our tea was there.

It's definitely a possibility.'

The sounds of hurried tapping as she filled her hand with sweat was making Yura very curious. Even so, she heeded her request and remained seated.

"Okay, Yura-chan. Let's just get to it," she sighed, folding up her writing and turning her chair to face her. Addressee did the same.

"That Yuki Onna I was staring at, I was staring at her because I've seen her here."

"I knew it. I saw her here today," the girl admitted in realization.

"Same with the hair lady?"

"She's the youkai Kejourou, who invokes Fear using her hair."

The brunette received further confirmation as she remembered the abundant weight and number of her wavy locks.

"Tell me, what do you think of Rikuo-kun?" she asked, making her question sound abrupt and random.

The placid look on Yura's face did not fade.

"I was sensing a lot of youkai in his house. I don't really know him," she thought out loud, sparing the teal green board a glance, "I thought I didn't see any but I definitely saw Kejourou. She could easily pass for a human but there was something about her –"

"Here," the Ienaga student intervened, handing her the folded piece of paper, "I don't…I think you'll understand this better than if I talk."

She began to busy herself in packing her pink pencil case. All the while, she had gritted her teeth to resist some anger she could not identify very well. His bespectacled face kept flashing continuously in her mind, so much so that she was amazed it was not hindering her eyesight right now. Then, pretending she could not see her friend or her eyes widening with each line she swallowed, she opened the white fusuma and took a brief look outside. Contented that no one had wanted to linger in corridors in nice weather, she closed it again.

By now, Yura was staring blankly at the ceiling, the note clutched in her right hand.

"It…it all makes sense…" she whispered to herself. Then she dreamily turned to the brunette.

"Ienaga-san, so, were you awake the whole time? Ever since we were captured?"

The bandaged girl grinned a little.

"I played possum in case there was something I could do to help. Now that you know this…" she once again took her seat in front of her, "…I want to tell you that I'm so sorry for making a big deal out of all those rats surrounding me. I mean, there even bigger rats in front of you! Hold on…" she put up a hand as the girl made to object, "…as an onmyouji, you had a duty to exterminate youkai. You gave that up for me, just so I would be safe…" her face cringed uncomfortably at the memory, at how terrified she had been and the worse nightmare this temperament had thrown them both in.

"This wasn't your fault!"

"Of course you'd say that," she waved off, closing her eyes, "Anyway, what happened to us tonight proves it. I did my best to notice as much as I could, if I could lower my own uselessness by even one small percent…"

"Ienaga-san."

"Yura-chan, I've known Rikuo-kun since we were little kids. I know he's not evil no matter what form he takes. I somehow know he's not the one you should defeat and even if you do, you shouldn't destroy him," she opened her eyes and looked straight at the onmyouji from Kyoutou.

"For someone who's known him since that long, you sure had no trouble accepting him for a bonefied youkai," she observed dryly.

"I had – I had a lot of trouble actually…" her gaze shifted to the floor and her eyes began to tremble, making Yura regret simply pointing that out, "But you've already compromised for me once. You do what you came here to do, just please don't kill him because he's human too after all."

"Hmm, I guess you're right there," she gave in, "His mom was definitely one. But Nurarihyon is definitely his grandfather too."

The brunette did not answer, bracing her lower arms against her knees as she went on staring.

"I was always taught that onmyouji were white and youkai were black. To tell you the truth, it felt a little odd to accept it at first but I've been staying true to it like my family wants," she confessed, moving her head to look out at the window, "Don't worry. Now that I know the truth, I'll stay and try to figure out his motives before doing anything."

"Huh?" this revelation made the bandaged one look upwards promptly, "Even if it means going back home and becoming the head?"

"I'm still young to actually want that kind of pressure," the Keikain shrugged with a light snort, "Plus, I'm here for training too. I don't think I'm strong enough to stand up to his Fear yet, seeing as he's Nurarihyon's grandson. I'll wait."

Kana did not say anything much following that. She looked down at the ground, her palms joined together and her fingers becoming intertwined. For a moment, her hands trembled and almost as though to cover it, she perked up and proclaimed,

"Yura-chan, I think I'll go home. I can take notes from the others."

The black-haired one squinted a little at her in surprise.

"What's the matter?"

"I-It's not much –" she bit her lip, wishing to close her eyes and let her brain show her the images she would need to keep away to act normal, "I…just need a little time…need to figure everything out…I'm sorry, wanting to leave like this when I just promised I'd be there for you at school…but please –"

The onmyouji shook her head with a dutiful air.

"Ienaga-san, I'll go to your place with you. I'm still not sure how safe this town is and with your family gone, it might be too risky," seeing that the brunette opened her mouth to object, she said in a louder tone, "It's fine, today's a half day anyway. Plus, the Paranormal Patrol might be looking for us and even I don't want to go through their questions just yet."
She smiled reassuringly at the taller girl and nodded.

They did not need or take very long to go to the gate. The young brunette was trying not to show anyone her face since she was getting more distressed creases on it by the minute. Students were now just filing in classes, contrary to them who were going out of the building. They narrowly avoided the students of their own class as they made it to the footpath outside. Without a word to each other, they walked all the way to the gate, not noticing two pairs of eyes on them as they did so.

"Let me take that for you, Master," one of the owners offered, extending snow-white hands to take her companion's lunch box.

After seeing them leave, the bespectacled brunet briefly cast a glance at the indigo-eyed girl by his side and handed over the box in his hand, the frost and navy haired student quickly turning around to head back inside. She glimpsed back a little and saw her master still staring there with his back to her.

"I don't really get it…why not just become someone you can be proud of?"

The small boy's chocolate-brown eyes looked bemusedly at her, the downhearted look still prevalent on his face.

"Maybe you can be the one who'll show them the way!"

The brown orbs widened until they were fully open.

"Show them the way?" he repeated.

The scene changed.

Now they were in the classroom they had been out of moments ago. A younger Kiyotsugu Kiyojuji was finishing giving his presentation regarding youkai. She heard the boy from before stand up and start criticizing it. One line in particular, struck her hard.

"I know, because my grandpa is the Supreme Commander of the youkai!"

"Then that means, your grandpa must be Nurarihyon," the Kiyojuji son analyzed, holding his chin with his index and thumb.

"How did I even forget that!" she gasped loudly, pulling the pillow in front of her into a crushing embrace as she fell backwards on her bed.

She was alone in her room, her head starting to burn with the thought process. She had gone over all memories related to the word 'youkai', not that she could use a search engine to filter them but they kept surfacing and quite easily after last night's incident. And this had not been her only hostile youkai related incident in all her life. Hoisting herself back up into sitting position again, she stared into the white of the pillow and her sheets, her eyes beginning to tremble as she realized what this meant.

There was nothing neither she nor he could do to deny it.

"But still…how could this be?" she mumbled, not wanting to let it sink in, for after over 12 hours ago, a whole host of new possibilities was bumping into her brain, "Rikuo-kun, you were the official 'good guy' of our school…you've always been with me…how on earth could you be him?"

However, last night was not the first time he had helped her either. Naturally, he did not say who he was.

Again, the 'snatch' was interfering with her proper judgment of the situation. She supposed that if she had found out about it in some other manner, not relating to so much chaos (even if she just eavesdropped on him or something), she would have had a more anticipated reaction. She would have felt awed, disbelieving, maybe even exhilarated, despite having the temptation to tread more carefully around him. Rikuo was a good person and he had done nothing wrong as long and far as she had known about him, being kind to her and most other students, hence his nickname. As scared as she had always been of youkai, she would have felt sure he would not hurt her.

No, even then when the other person had just glanced at her, she had felt nostalgic and somewhat comforted. But, and she did not know where this practical streak came from within her, she simply could not forget those words the rat leader had said, though directly, they could have been harmless.

'You're friends with the Third Head, aren't you?"

That sentence in itself…she was clear on one thing, Kyuso had been haunting her mind even after his death, the imminent danger that he could still suddenly pop out of somewhere and only Yura's presence helped her keep that worry in binds. That question made it very clear exactly why they had been kidnapped.

She had seen how brutally youkai fought, mercilessly ripping and sniping at each other, even taking pleasure in it, especially when they won. They hated losing but they lost anyways. Still, for her the point was their lethality. And there was one simple hunch that she considered very valid, regardless of her personal opinion of her best friend because she, alas, only knew the person she saw at school, no one else.

They came for them once. To get to him, they could easily come again.

And 'they' could be anyone. While she thought of all she could remember of Kyuso's lines towards Rikuo Nura, she did not think it was far-fetched that he might have other enemies out there somewhere. What really mattered was that he kept a secret of who he really was from his friends but somehow, not from his enemies. What was that supposed to achieve?

The conversation she had just recalled was from four years ago. And their school bus had been attacked four years ago. He had shown up four years ago.

Even if he is some kind of leader, is Rikuo-kun only realizing it now?

Because, come to think of it, if his foes knew about how good friends they had been, she had been in danger for a long time now, but nothing happened then. And her onmyouji friend, whom Rikuo did not even know very well, had been in just as much trouble.

She could not judge him so cruelly though. She was his own age after all, soon-to-be-thirteen and knew that she could probably not have done much better was she in his shoes. And he had genuinely cared about their release, going so far as to get beaten up and even agreeing to give up his position (even if he had eventually decided against it and made the less gullible decision) to have it happen.

In spite of stressing herself over it, she could not draw a definite conclusion. Her childhood friend never meant for all this to happen but apparently he never meant for them to find out about his identity either. At the very least she would be careful not to wander around at dark! And he could not very well stop the troubles that came with it either; again, he was still a boy, a young human like her.

"If he thought I'd turn on him if he told me, he should have really thought twice. I-It would've scared me…" a twisted smile crept up on her face, her eyebrows furrowing in hurt, "But now I'm terrified…tell me, Rikuo-kun, is this how dangerous it is to be friends with you?"

You couldn't trust me to support you, even after all this time…but you could trust me to keep out of your 'personal' business just like that? You kept me in the dark…

She let out a cracked, trembling sigh, looking at the flaming sunset at the window, the brilliant, gold rays of the sun making her blink.

…but that wasn't the same as keeping me safe…it was no solution!

Author Notes

I believe simply making her keep her eyes open in the anime's first episode would have made a lot less hassle, had I chosen to write from that POV :D Once again, Kana is nothing like, well, Kana. I intended to make her different but I still hoped she would be the same at base. *facepalm x 10*

No point in adding this A/N later, you people come for the chapter but anyway

Special thanks to, Awesome D.T, uchiha-sakura193, izzywalz1999, mafia king, Rose Rain 7, TacticalFan, Androgynous-Heron, Kar Blackheart, SmileRen, xLollipopLovex, hawkeyeriku, ELIZABETH of Darkness, orange and black panda, Zepharia, Ankou 13, Rose Blood Cat, snowy1219, Thanatos The Forsaken, Vongola Ventitreesimo, ShinigamiNoKitsune129, Arina Lakhanda, Betula, Capt. Jack Harkness, CrossoverxToxThexDarkxSide, Dragon God xxx, LadyNightRain, Lord Nayrael, Not-Gonna-Update, OkitaRetatski for faving and following (sorry if I missed anyone). And to the Legendary Dennou for the support. Thank you for having stuck with me. :) Oh and yes, you too a random person, I'm sorry I forgot.