Ha...hai guys...

Hope you enjoy the updated chapter.

I hope so...

Umm...and sorry...

Disclaimer: Both Nurarihyon no Mago and the cover picture are not mine

Tamazuki and Tsurara

Tamazuki who was now already standing at the door covered his left ear with his palm while another holding the puppy that now was wimping cowardly upon hearing the scream. His face showed an obvious annoyance.

"Slow down woman! Aren't you one of Nura Rikuo's hyakki-yakou," cutting the chase, Tamazuki said while leaning against the door.

Tsurara who was in a guard stance eased and sit in seiza position. Truthfully, she was not comfortable with their situation with her still on the futon and his examining stare. After a few second later, Tamazuki got up and walked outside.

"Muchi will come with your cloth. Meet me at the living room after that," Tamazuki instructed which made Tsurara sighed in relief.

"Muchi?"

"The one who were nursed you just now."

"Oh.."

Later, Muchi came with her furisode and upon dressed, Tsurara immediately met Tamazuki with Muchi's per unfriendly instruction.

Tamazuki was already waiting while sipping tea. There's a little girl of 9 years old was serving him tea and snacks. She had a sharp, big eyes and dark-green hair tresses that reached her shoulder.

'That was peculiar,' Tsurara thought.

It was really obvious that the girl is a human and yet, Tamazuki being nice to her or even allowed her to be in the mansion.

Isn't he hates humans? Or hated? Or she was wrong about it all along?

Acknowledging her appearance, Tamazuki put down his cup and turned to the kid.

"You can go now Kagi," he said, patting the girl's head.

"Yes Tamazusa-sama. Should I bring some snacks?" She smiled, insisted to stay.

"No Kagi, it's late, you should go home. Besides, I have guest," replied him, ignoring the girl's insinuation.

She pouted, glaring at the said guest that was crouching and clutching the door, and ran outside.

For a moment, the room was silence without the both of them talking. Tamazuki was patting his dog gently and Tsurara still crouching.

Tamazuki sighed, "Are you done laughing?"

And boy he was wrong since Tsurara's stifled laughter become apparent right after that.

"Hahahaha….I'm sorry..I…puhuhu….I mean…hahaha…Tamazusa…puhaha..seriously?...," Tsurara managed to speak her broken sentences.

"Hihihi…it doesn't suits you at all you know…hahahaha…."

And for some reason, Tamazuki let the ice maiden gave him a good laugh.

XXXXXXXX

"Actually, Tamazusa was the name my father gave me when I was born. I changed it because I felt that the name would not instill fear to my opponents or hyakki," Tamazuki started after Tsurara's laughter died down.

Tsurara open her mouth to speak out but was cut when Tamazuki continued.

"That girl, Kagi; I found her when she was lost while playing and she got attached to me. It's only later that I realized that she's Kabinari-onna's reincarnation that I end up asked her to call me by my real name…."

"A…," and again Tsurara was cut,

"And if this guy over here can talk, I would ask him to do the same," Tamazuki finished while looking at the puppy in his arms.

At that Tsurara realized that Tamazuki, in fact want to make some retribution to his hyakki. She had a lot of questions like

'How did he knew that Kagi was Kabinari-onna's reincarnation'

or

'Why that puppy was is still a puppy. Isn't it the one that was with Tamazuki when he attended for Rikuo's welcome home party eight years ago?"

But she restrained herself since she's…well, not a busybody person; although she was really curious

And as far as she knew, Tamazuki is not a youkai with many words. He was talkative when he was the enemy though.

Tsurara took a seat across him.

"U..umm..I'm sorry for the sudden outburst just now and I still not show my gratitude to you for helping Rikuo-sama when he's fighting Nue," Tsurara bows, showing her gratitude.

The tanuki heir looked at her and sighed lazily,

"Whatever, so, what are you doing in my turf," he did, without showing it, was interested on why she's in his turf.

Tsurara's heart leaped a beat when asked the question and immediately came with the answer that of course, will not be the truth or avoiding the truth. She quickly patting her outfit meant for searching the thing that she managed to save before been ambushed by the Tanuki's youkai.

"There it is," Tsurara pull out a sheet of paper from her left sleeve and open it. She closed the distance between her and Tamazuki and disseminated the paper on the floor for the Tamazuki who were seated in besides her.

The paper turned out to be a map that had been violated by a lot of marks and notations at various landmarks.

"You see, I wanted to go to a harbor that could bring me to Kyoto which should be here," she notified while pointing at some fog-like covered area in the map, "but somehow, I ended up here. I wonder if I got the wrong map from Reira-san, what do you think Tamazuki-sama?" Tsurara raised the map from the floor and spread it in the air in front of her, looking puzzled.

Tamazuki gave out a blank expression towards the end of her explanation before sighing irritated. He adjusted his position so that he almost facing Tsurara who were still perusing the map. He took the map from her hands without changing the page's position and rotated the paper in anti-clockwise manners.

"I think, you didn't get to the place that you wanted and instead end up here is because you read it upside-down. That's what you get when you have a map without description. But, at least, please be aware of the north's position," he said coolly but at the same time somewhat mockingly. Even the white dog that faithfully snuggled in Tamazuki arm barked as if in agreement.

Tsurara mentally-slapped herself for failed to read the map. She just laughing awkwardly for the 'aid' and let out a comical river of tears at her own clumsiness. She just in a rush to go to Kyoto after hearing her mother's story that she didn't specifically asked Reira for a map that had clear description on it. Since Reira was also not used to travel outside of Toono, of course she also didn't get direction on how to take the train.

"Well, I think you're not fit to be travelling now considering your condition. Just take a night rest here. It feels good if Nura Rikuo is indebted to me for taking care of his stupid aid," Tamazuki let out an audible mutter and an evil smirk before disappeared behind the closed door leaving Tsurara shivering in bad premonition. Nevertheless, Tsurara made an absence bow for his hospitality.

"Rikuo-sama is great. He can make a yesterday's enemy become today's comrade," she smiled before changing to a blank, distance expression.

XXXXXXXX

Rikuo sat on his favourite tree by the backyard with a blank, distance expression. He remembered a day when he told Tsurara that he needed her to be by his side when both of them looking at the sunrise...

"Damn it Tsurara! You said you will be by my side forever!" Rikuo covered his face with his palm, clenching his teeth in frustration.

He had been to everywhere around Kanto area but no one ever saw Tsurara since she disappeared.

"Rikuo-sama, it's time for you to go to Toono," Aotabou came and announced.

Rikuo came down and walked towards Aotabou. He put the muffler given by Tsurara.

"Let's go Aotabou."

Tamazuki and Kooribashi

"DOG!"

Tsurara immediately woke up by the scream. When she opened the door, Kagi was frantically running passed her.

"Kagi, what happened?"

"Dog…he's gone," she frenetically explained and swooshed like a wind.

'Dog?'

'Oh, the one that always with Tamazuki,' Tsurara mind concluded.

"Wait Kagi. Let us find them together," Tsurara grabbed Kagi's small arm. She didn't know why she even bothered but she recognized the voice that desperately called for his dog when she woke up.

It was Tamazuki.

"Wait for me. Let me change first," she said.

XXXXXXXX

"Dog….where are you?" Tsurara called.

"Please come back. Let's play again," Kagi sobbingly called.

Apparently, the puppy was lost when playing with Kagi. After it went to catch the stick that Kagi threw, it didn't come back. Tamazuki was there when they played, that's why they knew that something went wrong after it didn't show itself even after half an hour passed.

And now,it's almost an hour but they didn't find any traces of the dog while they were already deep in the forest. Tsurara almost gave up when she saw a big pot.

"Waahhh…I never knew that there were such a big pot here," Kagi spoke in amazement. Her sobbing ceased.

"That's my father's," Tamazuki came, startling the ladies.

"It's the pot for shaved ice that my father always used long time ago," he continued.

Suddenly, an idea hit Tsurara.

"How old do you think this kooribashi?" She asked.

"It had been used for generations but my father already lost interest in using it, maybe over 100 years old," albeit confused, Tamazuki still answered.

Tsurara appeared to have a long thought before she signaled both Tamazuki and Kagi away from the fifteen feet pot. Then she blew a huge amount of ice that appeared had been shaved onto the old artifact.

Suddenly, from the shaved ice, a woman appeared. She looked confused as both Tamazuki and Kagi but upon looking at Tsurara, she grinned cheerfully and jumped off the pot. She looked like a girl of fourteen years old and wearing a white-coloured yukata.

"My name is Kururu. Could my ladyship care enough to bestow me your name?" She said while keeling in front of Tsurara.

"Oh, I see. Tsukumogami isn't it?" Tamazuki began to realize Tsurara's plan. "Good thinking Yuki-onna."

The praised woman smiled in understanding and introduced herself to the small youkai.

"I'm Tsurara, nice to meet you Kururu."

"Let's cut the chase shall we?" Tamazuki interrupted while fully intended to ask the newly-born ice-based youkai about his puppy.

The cheerful smile from the rosy red mouth changed.

"Who are you?" Her tone was cold and she looked royally pissed.

"Tamazuki, the head of….."

"Shut up, Tama - something. I'm talking with my master here," said the tsukumogami, crossing hand around her chest, eyes looked distasted for the interruption.

"Eh? Master?"

"How dare you speak like that to the Lord of this land!" Kagi snapped from her amazement after hearing such words towards her beloved Tamazusa-sama.

"Shut up, human brat!"

"Don't you dare speak to her like that! Know your place youkai."

Finally, the three-way argument stopped by a chilling statement from Tsurara,

"Now..now..fellas. Stop it or we will lose Dog. By the way Kururu, did you see any puppy passing by?"

Kururu looked in deep thought for a while before snapping her fingers.

"Ah, if you are talking about white puppy; I think I saw it with a shabby old man with shabby kimono and drinking sake shabbily," she said and scowled, "Urgh…I don't want to marry a man like that."

Tsurara mumbled her thought, "A man with shabby characteristics….I used to get acquainted with someone like that…. "

"A shabby Ossan…he sometimes came here, right Tamazusa-sama?" Kagi inquired an annoyed-looking Tamazuki.

"Dassai~"

XXXXXXXX

"Yo Tamazuki! Let's have a drink?" there he is, the sake-drinking youkai sitting leisurely at the garden.

"Dassai-ossan! How dare you kidnap Dog! KYAA! Dog-chan~!" Kagi snapped and run furiously towards Dassai. At the same time, Dog appeared, wriggling off between ropes that tied neatly on Dassai's obi.

"That was mean Kagi-chan, I just took him and put him in the safety of my ropes. He's the one who squirming non-stop," Dassai retorted, already drunk.

Tsurara stood behind Tamazuki that already have an poker expression but betrayed by his murderous intent.

Meanwhile, Kururu behind her was mumbling non-stop, "I don't want to marry this kind of man~"

In a split second, the appearance of the young man named Tamazusa or Tamazuki changed from a dark-haired lad to a white-haired, masked tanuki. His thirst of blood became apparent and in no time, without a doubt, he would after Dassai's head.

"KYAAAA!"

Tamazuki stopped upon the scream and dread fall over him. He totally had forgotten about Kagi in the middle of his anger.

The situation had happened before this; well, actually, it always happened where Dassai would kidnap Dog and he would get angry and they would fight until both of them were exhausted. However, there's one time Kagi was present and when she saw his transformation, she screamed and fainted.

Tamazuki suddenly felt the surge of pain on his chest. He grimaced inwardly, 'human and yokai wasn't supposed to get along weren't they?'

However, his guessed was way wrong for the scream was not out of fear but instead, out of glee. It's not even Kagi who screamed but a youkai named Kururu.

"Oh my gosh! Is this your true form Tamazuki-sama?"

'Tamazuki-sama? Didn't she call him Tama – something just a while ago?'

"Look at this hair, this built~ Kyaaa~ just marry me…" Kururu jumped towards Tamazuki and touched him all over overwhelmingly.

Tamazuki tried to squirm off from her grasp. The suddenly friendly Kururu did make him uncomfortable but to the important thing was what happened to Kagi? He's worried. She was awfully quite for a while now.

"WAIT! Stopped touching him as you like," Tamazuki's unoccupied right hand was grabbed. There she was, looking unafraid but irritated.

For a while, the bizarre moment of Tamazuki getting fought by two ladies erased the possible feud that should be unfolded; even Dog suddenly besides him, while biting his cloth.

Now, there were two ladies and a puppy fought over Tamazuki.

Dassai sneered,

"My…my…aren't you a sinful man Tamazuki?"

Hyakki and Sentiments

"Thank you for your hospitality during our stay here Itaku."

Itaku smiled superiorly while crossing his arms, "Likewise, thank you for being my entertainment by sparring with me Rikuo."

Rikuo snickered while rubbing the back of his neck that was still aching credit to Itaku's attack the day before.

He supposed to have diplomatic talk but instead, he spent his 3 days trip sparring with the leader of Toono.

"Whatever happened to you, I hope you could make it through," Itaku continued.

"Eh?"

The look in the young Nura leader made Itaku sighed.

"Look Rikuo. All this while, you almost looked like a zombie."

"Zom….?!"

"And it's disgraceful."

Itaku's tone was neither intimidating nor discouraging. It was smooth and inexpressive but it felt like someone splashed cold water over him.

Rikuo never felt humiliated in all his life. Itaku's right. Since Tsurara's gone, he'd been neglecting his duty as the leader of the Nura clan although he pretended like he cared. He realized that some complaints from the branch family were brought in to his grandfather but the old man turned the blind eye at his actions.

He knew, upon hearing that the news of Setsura's rage, the old man also began to worry.

He closed his eyes. True, all his hyakki feel for him; supported him even. And all of them also missed Tsurara.

"Please become a fine commander who protects his important nakama"

"Didn't you know? We've always been with you."

"Rikuo-sama! Pull yourself together!"

The sudden reminiscence of the ice woman invited tears on his eyes but he blinked them off.

After parting from the Toono youkai, they came across the view of the sunrise and the memory with Tsurara came back.

"Hey," he called out, still looking at the sunrise but still knowing that the others heard him.

"Thank you…So much..."

He felt it.

Aotabo, Kubinashi, Kurotabou and Shoei that were accompanying him to Toono were smiling. Their bonds strengthen.

Without any words

Unspoken

But loudly implied.

He had made the decision. He will be a better leader, without his emotional turmoil clouding his judgments and maybe, he will try to rely on his hyakki's sentiments at times.

Before they proceed to continue to go back home, Reira came. While handing Rikuo a box covered with white cloth,

"Rikuo-kun, please give this to Tsurara-chan. This is a medication for her nausea since I didn't get to give it to her last time she came. By the way, how's she?" She inquired ignorantly.

What?!

XXXXXXXX

"Thank you very much for your hospitality Tamazuki-sama," Tsurara bowed while paying her respects.

It's been almost a month Tsurara had been intruding the Tanuki's mansion and somehow, they gave her the right medication and made her feel better.

Flasback

"How's your health?" Tamazuki asked while they were having their dinner.

"Peculiarly, I feel so much better. The nausea had gone and I feel energetic again," Tsurara answered confidently. Indeed it's true. She felt great.

Tamazuki snickered, "Of course you are okay. The medicine that we gave you was proven effective through our generations."

Although, the medicine was given to pregnant youkai but Tamazuki didn't feel the need to mention it. After all, whatever business the Nura clan had with their hyakki was not his business.

End of flashback

Since she was better, she wanted to continue her journey to meet Hagaromo Gitsune.

She turned to Kururu who's sobbing had become louder and louder by the minutes and said,

"Make sure to take care, Kururu."

"Wahhhhh! I want to follow you my ladyship," now's wailing, Kururu blew her nose to Dassai's; who apparently came to 'visit' again; cloth.

Unaffected, Dasai pulled the youkai's shoulder near him, "Come here little lady. Let the old man comfort you."

"GET AWAY OLD MAN! YOU REEK!" Pushing away Dassai, she ran to Tamazuki, "Tamazuki-sama~ comfort me~" and Tamazuki stretched his hand to hold her head so that she didn't come closer.

Chuckling, Tsurara then bowed, "Thank you for everything Tamazuki-sama and thank you for sheltering Kururu."

"Don't mention it. She's my father's thing after all."

Tsurara and Kekkain…..

Finally! Finally! She reached Kyoto!

And she felt energetic!

Thus, Tsurara continued to her first destination: Kekkain's house. She did need Yura's help to locate Hagaromo Gitsune since only Rikuo and Shodaisho who knew where she was.

Again, her heart ached when thinking about him. How she missed him; his smile, his words, his touch, all about him.

Gripping her hand, he look forward in determination,

'Just a little more. And then I will come back and told him the truth. I hope Rikuo-sama didn't worry about me. In any case I did leave a note.'

Ignorant on how her leaving affect the clan, she wandered around the city from the station, vaguely remembered the way to Kekkain's household the last time she went there.

After relying on her memories and a lot of asking around, she finally reached a familiar place. If she made a left turn, she will see the Kekkain's household at the end of the road.

However, her contentment was short-lived for massive black-coloured water forming a ferocious beast came from the back fully intended to hurt her.

The attack itself was scary but the presence was not strong enough for her to let her yoki out in broad daylight with humans around her.

Thus, she simply stepped out from the line of attack and faced her attacker. Indeed, the attack was weak since it quickly disappeared after failed to attack her. Tsurara gaze fell on a woman and a boy.

Her cold stare assessed the woman; she was a beautiful adult, light-coloured hair that was tied neatly on her back into a bun and held by a delicately carved hairpin. She's wearing a blue kimono that emphasized by black daisies pattern. She looked shocked and terrified.

Meanwhile, the boy had black hair and wearing a gray coloured kimono. He aged around 3 - 4 years old for human's age. He put a fierce expression and his stance spoke clearly that he was the one who launched the attack.

The attack was obviously by shinigami and no doubt that the boy was,

"Onmyouji huh?" Softly she remarked, all the while locking her icy gaze to the boy.

It seemed that he still determine to attack her for he took out two bamboo cylinders and aimed at her.

By that time, the place was deserted after the boy's reckless attack.

"Mikado, don't! What happened if you hurt her?!" The woman shrieked.

"Don't worry, I'm not wrong. She's a youkai!" The boy replied and launched his attacks.

Unperturbed, Tsurara easily avoided the attack and as if she wanted to mock the boy, she made it seems that the boy called Mikado almost hit her.

After a while, she felt bored and a little frustrated. Who could blame her, she was almost reached Kekkain's household and here, she was playing tags with a 4 years old onmyouji-wannabe. Consequently, she dodged the attack while coming to the boy and let out a little of her yoki just to scare him and may be a little tap to his head.

However, she had to step back, when a powerful force appeared and threaten to kill her if she reached the boy resulting to a really heavy fog to spread around. When she regained her balance and the fog cleared a bit, she saw the woman stood in front of the boy. She held three talismans on each of her hands. Spelled beads connected to form a bracelet encircling right wrist.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!"

Thus, she stopped...and sneered,

"Ohhh...but you know Madam, your son who was the one who attack me in the first place," her yoki was still there barely shown.

Again, she looked at the woman. Her gentle look had become furious and the glint in her eyes showed Tsurara that she would protect her son even if he was the one who started the fight.

Nonchalantly, Tsurara walked towards the pair and she let out a bit more of her yoki.

"I like you. Name's Tsurara, what about yours?" She inquired, still with the superiority.

"A...Asumi...," the woman answered.

Asumi was scared, she realized; and she gripped her son's shoulder tightly to prevent him doing something stupid, she realized.

The boy, she chuckled, already lost his initial determination.

Her youkai instinct kicked in and she wanted nothing than freeze the pair.

Yes, it would be wonderful.

"GAROU! DEVOUR!"

Well, like she could do something like that. Rikuo would hate her for life.

While thinking that, her yoki thickened and before the attack reached her, it froze.

"Move away from them, bitch!"

Tsurara knew without turning, the owner of the powerful attack.

She relaxed an with mischievous face she turned. The man behind her looked shocked for a second and then irritated as if initiating that he was none at all happy to see her again.

"Yo! It's been a while!"

It was Kekkain Ryuuji.

"When we feel that we are the only one that suffered, we didn't realize that there are people in this world that shares the same pain as us"

Preview and spoiler:

You may don't like the next chapter since the headlight will be Kekkain's love story.

Just need to give you this spoiler since I don't want you to hate this story just because this one particular pairing.