I think, with this chapter, there's only one character left to bring into the fic. Don't worry, he's not an OC.

I have about one episode of interaction to base Natori and Madara's interaction off of, and it's not even in a comparable emergency. In the end, here, Natori vents and Madara pouts, lol.

Thank you for reading this far, whoever you people are!

Chapter 10

Madara soared through the sky, the sun shining on his ink white fur. This wasn't his typical joy ride, though. In his mouth he held a few packages, some favors he had promised the Fujiwara's. This way was just faster for transportation.

Last night had been unfruitful, yet again. He had even swallowed some of his pride and deigned to ask the local spirits, but they had all replied in negative. Misuzu had apparently ordered them to keep an eye out for Natsume, but the fool was still missing without a single sighting.

He shifted the bags that were lodged between his teeth. Living as Natsume was frustrating in all sorts of new manners. He liked the Fujiwara's – they gave good food – but they relied on Natsume entirely too much. He was running to and fro every single spare moment, and he couldn't refuse because the idiot softie wouldn't say no to anything.

Why was he doing all of this again?

He honestly didn't know.

But as a result, his searches were limited in scope; Natsume couldn't have gone far (Madara doubted he was seriously taken out of Japan), but there must have been some sort of trick to keep him from being detected. The entire situation was bizarre and so like Natsume.

Living two lives, though, on top of his fraying nerves, growing impatience, and heightened anxiety (not that he would ever admit to any of the three) was starting to make him feel strained. Stretched thin like a balloon about to pop.

If this were some elaborate prank of Natsume's, screw everything. He would be the ones to clamp his jaws shut over Natsume's dead body, Yuujinchou or not.

Yuujinchou. The book had been such a constant of his life, it was surprising (or not) how little he thought about what was supposed to be his ultimate goal for housing with the human boy. Well, he was a prideful creature, he'd admit, and it really was beneath him to just steal the book. At the very least, he would get Natsume back, kill him himself, and then take the book. That was more honorable.

Didn't really matter now, though, now that both book and boy were missing.

He surged forward, but just as he was about to take another step, he caught a familiar sight – a man with sunglasses and a very familiar hat.

What was Natori Shuuichi doing on this side of Japan again, and so near Natsume's house?

It seemed that just as he noticed the man, Natori had also noticed him. The exorcist looked up and waved. Madara decided to humor him and landed.

He almost chuckled at Natori's dumbfounded expression when he assumed Natsume's form. Almost, but even his mood was so down that he couldn't grunge up the humor.

"What is it?" he said gruffly after he'd removed the packages from his mouth.

The man sighed. "I'd thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but hearing you talk puts me at ease, in a way. Just what are you doing in Natsume's form, fat cat?"

Madara bristled a little. "Watch where you're directing that tongue of yours, exorcist."

"Something's happened to Natsume, hasn't it? Otherwise you wouldn't be running around looking like him." There was one thing he could hand to the exorcist; he wasn't stupid.

"Is there something you wanted with this area?"

"I had received a request. I received a request about an unexplainable phenomenon just yesterday. Many crops from a rice field were destroyed; it seemed like a fairly simple job. Though it's a bit far off, I thought Natsume might have wanted to come along, since it was on the way for me." Natori pushed his glasses up. "However, it seems that something far more important has come up."

Snorting, Madara crossed his arms. "You go on with your petty job. I'm looking for Natsume."

"And you've done such a good job finding him."

"What do you mean by that."

"Exactly what it sounds like. You haven't found him yet, and yet you're warning others from helping? Just how arrogant can you get? I had thought before that Natsume was like a buffer for you, but I didn't realize just how much."

The spirit was quite tempted to change back and stomp a foot down on Natori's stupid smirk. "I have been busy, all four paws full."

"And that brings up the question of what you're doing in his form in the first place."

"That's none of your business."

"You have your priorities mixed up – if Natsume were to worry about his foster parents worrying about him, he'd have to be here to worry about it." He paused. "Could it be … that you're that fond of him?"

There was a flash before Madara's eyes, and the next thing he knew, he had sunk his fist into Natori's jaw. The exorcist fell backwards.

"Sensitive topic, I take it?" The man rubbed at his jaw, moving it to see that it wasn't broken. Madara was almost proud that even in his moment of rage, he managed to hold back on the measly human. Luckily, Natori dropped the issue. "I'll do what I can to help; kill two birds with one stone. I'll ask around where I'm heading. I suppose you've already covered the vicinity?"

Apparently Natori took the spirit's silence for a "Yes." After he picked himself up and dusted himself off, pausing every now and then to poke at the newly formed bruise, he continued, "Before I go, one last piece of advice. The Fujiwara's will never know you lied to them if you find Natsume, but if you continue with this, at this rate Natsume will never return."

After the man left, Madara punched the gate, rocking the stone pillar and dislodging a few loose pebbles from the wall. He swore, but whether it was from anger, frustration, or pain he didn't know. He swerved around and snatched Touko's package from the ground and went in the house.

He made sure to slide the door quietly before taking a deep breath and yelling, "I'm home, Touko-san!"