Finally allowed out of Kantarou's room, Youko made her way as silently as possible to the kitchen. Kantarou was abusing their names more than usual today, so it was best to avoid him as much as possible. "I'm no pervert," Kantarou huffed, "Besides which, what do you think I could do like this?"
Haruka rolled his eyes, "Just keep running your mouth, genius."
Ignoring the tengu's comment, Kantarou stated, "I have a plan, believe it or not. Having had the most experience with Ibaragi and friends, I think this'll work."
Taki gasped, covering her mouth, "Ibaragi, like Douji Ibaragi?"
Kantarou smiled, "You're a well-learned little lady. The very same. She and her friends are the ones keeping Natsume-kun captive."
"Natsume's been taken captive?" Sadsada wondered aloud, seeming rather shocked by this development.
Attempting to explain their confusion, Taki added helpfully, "Sasada-chan came to visit me, and we were on our way to visit Takashi-kun when we overheard his aunt and uncle talking about him and saying they were worried about him and hoped 'that man' and Tanuma would get to the bottom of it, so we went to Tanuma-san's house to investigate, and then we saw him leaving with Natori-san..." Her voice trailed off as her face brightened. No longer the shy girl who felt like she was intruding, she burst into the room, nearly knocking the wounded Kantarou over as she ran to the lucky cat that had just come out of the room. "Kitty! Fluffy, soft, cuddly," She continued to rant while everyone but Tanuma and Sasada, who were used to this behavior, stared on.
"She's obsessed with that cat of Natsume's." Sasada offered with a sigh.
"Kantarou, you attract strange people." Sugino commented, waving for Youko to serve him first when she came in with the tea.
"He's the strangest of them all," Haruka agreed, looking down to his master who was pouting back at him, "Are you ready to sit down and have some tea now? You're supposed to be in bed, you know."
Kantarou huffed as he allowed Haruka to help him sit, everyone else joining him on the floor, with the exception of Taki, who was still swooning over Madara. "I'll debrief you quickly, but then we need to get going. I don't think they'll kill him so long as they think I'm dying, but it'd be bad if he talks too much." Though everyone seemed rather confused by that last bit, they listened patiently as Kantarou caught Natori, Taki, and Sasada up to the situation, leaving out the details that might give away either of Natsume's secrets. "So we have to go... wherever Sugino-sama tells us... to get to him before Minamoto finds out I'm not dying and starts with the murder threats again."
"It's bothersome that so many powerful forces are working together against us." Natori said thoughtfully.
Kantarou grinned, "What, are you scaaared?" he teased, "I'll have you know we've had countlless encounters with them and always come out more or less alright."
"That's because of the contract," Haruka muttered, though he knew his master wasn't listening.
"Anyway, the good news is, now we know that the mantra and sutras I put on Tanuma-san work against Ibaragi, so... Here's the plan: Haruka, Natori, whatever minions Natori can scrounge up, and Madara go in there, guns-a-blazing, and start attacking Minamoto, Ibaragi, and Watanabe-"
"That's insane and going to get you all killed." Sugino stated bluntly, earning the attention of everyone in the room. "But by all means, go on. I have nothing against the death of the two of you, and I know the demon eater will make it out fine without your idiocy holding him back."
"Your support is overwhelming, Sugino-sama." Kantarou said sarcastically, "Just keep listening, I'm not done yet. We're not going in to start a real fight, just a distraction while Youko-chan, Sasada-san, and Taki-san untie Natsume and escape."
"And where will you be during all this, oh great leader?" Youko mocked.
"Ideally, in bed, recovering." Kantarou paused with a sigh, "Realistically, the front lines with Haruka."
"Do you have a death wish?!" Youko snapped, "I know they don't want to kill you, but being out there is just... It's completely reckless, even for you, Kan-chan!" Youko scolded, worried for her master's safety.
Kantarou smiled and said dryly, "That's the plan. Avoiding killing me will be another distraction, just in case."
"And if you die in the process?"
"I prefer not to think about that." Kantarou stated simply, "Ye of little faith. I'll be just fine, just you wait and see."
"Kantarou..." Haruka's voice was low and dangerous, knowing all of the repercussions of Kantarou's potential death.
Kantarou smiled at the tengu, "Take good care of me, Haruka," With much difficulty, he stood up and said, "Sugino-sama, you don't have to stay for the fight, but will you please lead the way?"
"Fine. Are we leaving now, then?" He asked, standing as well.
"Not quite. We have to place the mantras and sutras on Youko-chan, Sasada-san, and Taki-san. Natori, I assume you know how to do at least that much without hurting anybody?" He questioned with a glare at his fellow exorcist.
"There's no need to be so hostile towards one of your own."
"You and I are nothing alike." Kantarou grumbled, glaring at the man.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking," Tanuma interjected, "When you and Natsume-san put the sutras on me, I had to undress... So... Who's going to...?"
A grin broke through Kantarou's angered face, "For Natsume-kun, of course."
"Pervert." Youko and Haruka mumbled in unison.
"You first, Youko-chan~" Kantarou turned to the kitsune, smiling. Appearances might suggest that he was punishing her, but things are not always as they seem. When they got into Kantarou's room, where he was going to get her marked up while Natori did Sasada in her room, he told the youkai, "Don't worry so much, Youko-chan. I know what I'm doing, and you're my secret weapon."
She blinked, then scowled, not believing him, "Don't yank my chain, Kan-chan."
"I'm serious," Kantarou struggled to keep his voice down, "You're special in that you can revert to your youkai form, unlike the human girls. In youkai form with these sutras and mantras, you'll be rendered invisible not only to Ibaragi, but to them and Tanuma as well."
"Where are you going with this?" Youko challenged, curious now. He did have a point there.
"Youko-chan, if I'm right, and this is a long shot, but... When the restraints are loose enough that Natsume can get away, I need you to tell him privately that Ibaragi has the Book of Friends. His power and rage should create enough of a distraction for us to get away clean, at which point we can tell him the truth." Kantarou explained, "Like I said, it's a long shot. In addition to that, you can help him erect a barrier to make sure that I don't get too close to the action. You know enough about mantras to spell one out for him, don't you?" He smiled gently at the kitsune, who nodded in response, "See? We'll be just fine... But don't tell Haruka about this conversation."
Youko frowned a bit, "Why can't we tell Haruka-chan?"
"They say people get stronger when they have someone they need to protect, someone who needs the help only they can offer. You've seen it in me, haven't you? When I set Haruka free, and when Minamoto had that cannon pointed at him..."
"That was incredible, Kan-chan, you were so fast..." Youko remembered, smiling a bit, "I trust you, Kan-chan."
Grinning, Kantarou mussed the kitsune's hair, "That's the spirit. Now come on, let's get the sutras on you before they start to wonder."
When the two emerged from Kantarou's room, they were greeted with questioning looks. "Certainly took you long enough," Haruka commented, eyeing his master. He didn't really believe that Kantarou would do anything untoward to Youko, but there was always a reason when the man acted suspiciously, and it was rarely something he wanted to hear.
"Give him a break, Haruka-chan, he's got three broken ribs, remember?" Youko reminded, reassuring the other youkai that everything was fine between her and Kantarou.
"I'll take care of Taki-san, then, if he's not feeling up to it." Natori challenged.
Seething, Kantarou snapped, "I'm feeling just fine, thank you! Tanuma, I'll refresh your sutras. You seem to have washed them off."
"I looked like I'd been run over by a car," Tanuma argued as Natori and Taki went to Youko's room. "Besides, the mantra probably wore off by now anyway."
"Fair enough," Kantarou said, seeming a bit distracted as he motioned for Tanuma to follow him to his room.
Intrigued by this sudden behavioral change, Haruka decided to listen in on their conversation through the door. "Haruka, eavesdropping is rude!" Youko scolded, though he simply raised a hand to silence her.
"Ichinomiya-sensei, is something bothering you?" He heard Tanuma ask. Apparently he wasn't the only one who'd noticed that Kantarou was acting strangely.
There was a pause, a silent hesitation, before Kantarou finally replied, "I'm not sure this is going to work." Another pause, obviously Tanuma was surprised by this. "Last time, Natsume-kun and I had been working together on both the sutras and mantras, so both of our energies were embedded in your protection. Ibaragi may not look like much in her preferred form, but she's insanely strong... By myself, I'm not sure this is going to work against her."
Another thoughtful pause, "Then why don't you work with Natori-san? That's why he's here, right?"
With a frustrated sigh, Kantarou stated simply, "It's not enough. He and Natsume are on two entirely different levels of spiritual energy. Probably about the difference between himself and Taki-chan."
"That much?"
"I hate to admit it, but he rivals even myself... but his energy is raw, and he seems to have trouble controlling and focusing it. Another reason why that exercise was good for him. Unfortunately, the fact that it's so in-your-face is going to stand out to Ibaragi and Minamoto." Kantarou explained, lowering his voice.
"Why does that matter?" Tanuma wondered.
"Why? Well," Kantarou hesitated, trying to come up with the right excuse, "He has the kind of power that they want on their side, willingly or not." Not a lie, really, just not the whole truth. "Anyway, no more talking. If Haruka stands in the doorway much longer, Youko-chan will get curious. She doesn't need to hear about this. She'll freak out and insist on waiting, but frankly, we don't have the time for that."
Surprised to hear his name, Haruka asked, "...How long did you know I was here?"
"You came over just about a minute after I closed the door. You should know by now, I feel you, Haruka." This was followed by the chanting of the mantra, Kantarou's way of ending the conversation. Not long after, the two emerged, only to find Haruka waiting for them. "You didn't have to stay after I called you out, you know."
Haruka sighed, "I hope you know what the hell you're doing."
"Have some faith in your master, would you?" Kantarou used this opportunity to lean on Haruka and wrap his arm around the other's neck, using him as a crutch. "This part may fail, but our ultimate goal of saving Natsume-kun is in no great danger."
Finally, when everyone was gathered in his kitchen, Kantarou said, "Alright, Sugino-sama, lead the way."
Hehe. Tactics, if I dare say so myself. Kan-chan is the little tactician with his secrets.