I will admit, this fic can get confusing, especially with "serializations" like here because you just forget what's happened previously.

I suppose the only hints I can give are these:

1. Whose POV you are reading from matters because, even without realizing it, the narrator may lie. Actually, I do lie, a lot. Sorry? (But I will not repent! lol)

2. Events are sort of crisscross-mentioned between at least two chapters. This should help, somewhat, with consolidating the two POVs together.

3. Also, almost everything happens for a reason. You probably know this already, though ^^;

There will be a "guest" POV coming up soon, I believe. Enjoy this chapter, in the meantime!

Don't forget to review!

Chapter 12

"You're going somewhere, you said?" Shigeru asked over lunch.

Madara, in Natsume's form, nodded.

"He said it was for a visit to … uhm … Natori-san, was it? The one who came last time?" Touko added.

Again, he nodded.

"Well, you still have some time left before school starts. You're a grown boy now, so feel free to do what you want," said Shigeru.

Madara thought so too, but regardless Natsume always liked to report to them. Besides, this would be last "goody-goody" act he would be doing for a while, so may as well do it to the fullest. "I won't be gone long. You sure you'll be all right?"

(He was getting too good at this. He was definitely going to take a good, long drink after this, which would hopefully convince him that this whole episode was just a dream.)

"My, you don't have to worry about us two. It's only a week."

The meal continued with a hitch, and Madara savored the Fujiwara's food while he could. Perhaps he could convince them to make him a lunch for the trip (that was going to disappear down his stomach the moment he left the house).

Back in his room, he tried not to think about how he was actually taking the stupid exorcist's advice while he packed a bag for the trip-that-wasn't-happening. He would probably leave it with the Yatsuhara lot, who should be more than happy to watch over "Natsume-dono's" things. It was already late into the night by the time he finished.

"I'm leaving!"

"Have a safe trip!"

Standard human fare, and the last of it.

Good riddance.

When he opened the door, though, he realized his troubles were only beginning. Sighing, he shifted the shoulder the bag was on as he glared balefully at the visitor, who had the presence of mind to cringe. "What do you want, Tanuma?"

Madara looked the boy over. Not surprisingly, he didn't look too good; he had panda eyes, and he was definitely a bit paler than he was before – not that the priest's sickly son was that tan to begin with. He had his schoolbag with him, which was odd, but before he could ponder more on in, Tanuma broke in on his thoughts, "I need you to come with me."

The spirit snarled. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Tanuma didn't even seem to notice the implied threat, though, so nervous was he. He was barely even looking Madara in the eyes … no, scratch that. He wasn't looking into them at all. "I need to tell you something, and I don't think you'd want Natsume's parents to know."

Madara glowered. The boy had something right, for once. "Come, let's walk over to Yatsuhara. You live around there, don't you?"

The boy nodded.

"I need to drop something off there, too, so you can tell me whatever it is you want to tell me on the way."

Tanuma shifted. "I'd … rather we get there first before I talk."

The spirit snorted. "Have it your way."

And so it was that two high school boys made their way down the streets of summer vacation, each with their respective bags. Heavy silence revolved around them, but Madara made no attempt in breaking it. Tanuma seemed to be sweating too much to even notice. Honestly, he couldn't think of any reason why the kid would be so nervous; it had been two days (three, if you counted the fact that it was almost past midnight) since he'd last talked to him. Surely he wasn't that bothered by what he'd said? If so, then he truly was a weak human.

When they had arrived at their destination, Madara set his bag down by the small shrine that stood in the forest. "So? What is it?"

Tanuma hesitated, as though he were carefully picking his words. "You've been with Natsume for a long time, so you know about his possessions."

Where was this going?

"And … I think you'd know what this is." With this, Tanuma reached into his bag … and pulled out something Madara, in his wildest dreams, had not even hoped to see any time soon, and certainly not before he had found the brat.

He swiped the harmless-looking book from the boy and flipped through the pages. It looked like all was in order – although he couldn't vouch for every single name, none were crumpled, ripped, or stained. The names were all still usable. "Where did you find this, kid," he demanded.

Tanuma flinched at the harsh tone. It must be odd, the expression he must be making with Natsume's face, but there were more important things to be worried about. Like why someone who wasn't Natsume had the Yuujinchou. Finally, with a bit of gulping, Tanuma seemed to regain some of his confidence and glared defiantly back, as though just to say, "I'm not afraid of you."

"I found it in your garden," replied the priest's child, "that day I visited you, after you left."

Madara couldn't stop shock from appearing on his features, but he quickly schooled it quiet. "You didn't do anything with it, did you?" By now, he was positively snarling.

Thankfully, Tanuma only shook his head. "I … tried to find out what it was. At first, I looked it up in the library, and then on the internet, but I couldn't find anything. There was nothing, though." Which wasn't surprising, because no human had ever heard of the Yuujinchou, and those that had probably had the brains to keep it to themselves.

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing else. I didn't even tell Taki about it…" At this, the boy's eyes shifted towards the ground again. "…How does Natsume do it? Keep secrets from all of us, I mean. It's … not easy."

Madara considered the boy in front of him, then sighed. "Starting to appreciate his hard work, are you?" He gestured to the book that was gripped tightly in his hands. "I'll be taking this. Be a good brat and run on ho-"

"Wait!"

He didn't appreciate being interrupted, and he let it be known.

"No, I don't want it back. It's just … the past two nights, while I had the book, I've been … having these strange dreams. It's … they're about Natsume."

This caught the spirit's attention. He narrowed his eyes. "Explain."

"I dream of his disappearance. A giant spirit comes and takes him away."

"Why are you only telling me this today?"

"Because I thought it was only a dream the first day! But then … when I had the exact same dream the next day, last night, I figured it probably had something to do with that book, which was why I brought it to you." Tanuma shook his head. "You can keep it. Natsume trusts you more than he trusts me."

Madara ignored the barely hidden pained expression on the boy's face. "What did this spirit look like?" Perhaps there were some clues there.

"It was really vivid, and it was only my second time seeing one, so I remember it really well." Tanuma looked skywards. "It was about as tall as that first branch on the tree there, and it had long white hair. Its skin was slightly green, and … well…"

"Spit it out."

"I don't know if this sounds weird, but its body was a head, only a head"

And just like that, Madara knew exactly who this particular demon was … except last he'd checked, it was with…

He looked down at the book in his hand. There was a long period of silence that wasn't even interrupted by the humming of summer cicadas. He suddenly stepped forward, closing in on Tanuma. Before the other had the opportunity to look scared or uncomfortable, Madara reached for the damn brat's schoolbag and thrust the Yuujinchou into it.

"What…"

"Take that, and the bag there. I'm going. Keep that for a week. The kid'll be back by then."

"So the dream was true? It really was-"

But before he could finish his question, Madara vanished, to Tanuma's eyes at least. To the spirits and a few choice humans, he was now a giant beast, a great white dog that would rain terror on the stupid fools who had decided to lay hands on what was his.

"Why?" cried the boy, regardless of the fact he could no longer see whom he was questioning, "Why me? I never had that power in the first place…"

"Just be glad you could help Natsume in the first place," grumbled Madara as he leapt from the forest floor, though the other couldn't hear him. Quite honestly, he had no idea either, although if he had to speculate, it was because demons weren't the only ones capable of forming attachments.

The book wanted to go back to Natsume.

What an absurd thought. It was an object, a thing, albeit a thing surrounded day and night by spiritual energy as strong as Natsume's. Still, it wouldn't have been enough to cause sentience.

Shouldn't have.

Now was not the time for such thoughts, though. Either way, now that he knew who had taken Natsume, he had to look….

So focused was Madara on his thoughts, he almost didn't notice when a great black blur shot right in front of his path through the sky. Just in time, he bounded backwards, avoiding collision.

"What do you want, Misuzu? I'm in a hurry."

The horse demon grinned, an absurd stretching of the lips on an equine snout. The smile held no mirth, though. "Oh, surely not so much in a hurry that you wouldn't have time to hear this."

"Have you found something useful?"

"Oh? The great Madara has lowered himself to hearing the words of others, on his own will? What sort of wind blows here?"

"Just tell me. I told you I'm in a hurry."

The horse's eyes narrowed. "It seems that would be wise, for Natsume-dono is most likely at Tateyama."

"Tateyama…" It was at least half a day's flight, even at full speed. "What do you mean 'most likely?' Were your little friends unable to determine for sure?"

Misuzu ignored the jab. "The last sighting of Natsume-dono was over the area before he was dropped from the sky by the demon that had him in its jaws." He huffed. "Unfortunately, there is a strong barrier around the forest, enveloping approximately half the mountain and some of the human settlements besides, impeding any detection of Natsume-dono's aura signature."

"Stop speaking in riddles, stupid rocking horse."

"Think, for once. It means that once you arrive, you will find yourself effectively blind. Also, those who have tried to enter have all been chased out by a vicious beast who, according to local residents, is a new occupant. There is no way to ascertain that Natsume-dono is truly in the area, and that he is alive." The pale eyes shifted over to rest on Madara. "Wouldn't you be overcome with joy, then, for then you would be the rightful owner of the Yuujinchou?"

"Hah, sucks to be you, doesn't it?" because Misuzu's name was still, after all this time, still scrawled on those innocent white sheets. Madara looked into the distance, though, trying to mentally draw a map. His knowledge of geography was rusty; he hadn't used it in a while, always having relied on human transportation recently, and being sealed before that.

Once he was sure he had his destination correct, he shoved by the other spirit and leapt forward, striding forward two bounds at a time.

Misuzu's departing words just barely reached his ears, threading through the wind, "I will follow, in due time. Don't rashly cause Natsume-dono to lose his life!"

The dog spirit snorted at the warning and promptly decided he would forget it.

He knew where Natsume was. Natsume was there, and most likely in danger. If he wasn't already, then he would be in a very short period of time.

And hopefully, hopefully, he was still alive.

Because the enemy they were dealing with this time never did like to wait, and they didn't take failure for an answer.