Hmm, well even though it looks like a long chapter, it actually isn't. This is mainly a filler with tons of dialogue, but there are some important parts too. =D

Warning: A little spoiler at the end of my author's note at the bottom of the page, skip it if you don't want to know it.

Phantasmagoria

Natsume Yuujinchou

Chapter 17

Another Member in this Overpopulated Group

After a blow to the head by Suzuya, Homura and Suzume finally calmed down enough to listen to his rants. Well actually, it was more than enough. Homura kneeled with gritted teeth, frustrated, and Suzume just looked as if the fist that was brought down to his head earlier was nothing compared to his evident happiness. Meanwhile Tanuma had already excused himself in a hurry, only then remembering that he to run an errand, and Natsume stood some ways off, glad he wasn't included in that kneeling group.

"Can't you just get over it already, Suzuya…" Homura grumbled.

"Yeah right! I went for just a number of days and already you had gotten yourself caught in a stupid mess and meet up with this guy!"

The tengu's angry tone didn't disconcert Suzume one bit, and Homura took notice of that. "You don't have to be so angry, look at him, he looks so happy!"

Suzuya's eyebrow twitched. "I did not leave my old home for no reason," he said darkly.

Suzume's eyes widened, before his shoulders drooped as he leaned forward and to one side. The ends of his wings brushed the forest floor dismally. "I see…" he said quietly. "So you left because you hated me…"

Homura gasped. "Oh my gosh, Suzuya, how rude can you be?" he asked.

"Breaking somebody's heart isn't what's considered to be a gentleman, Suzuya," Natsume played along.

Suzume didn't get the drift. "No, Hiyo's not rude. It's not his fault."

Homura canted his head as he looked at Suzume. "You're really something, aren't you? Defending a heartless bastard like that? I wouldn't." That earned a kick from the pissed off tengu. "Damn you, Suzuya…"

Suzuya huffed, arms crossed. "Look, I don't hate you, okay? That wasn't the reason why I left. You're not at fault, and I don't particularly dislike the fact that you looked for me, but I'm not going to go back with you."

"… Haha, ha, Hiyo hates me after all… I see, spending years looking for him was a meaningless effort, such a waste of time… No, time isn't that important a factor, I can live for a few hundred more years, I think… It's not like these past few years have taken a precious amount of time off my back… I see, I should go home now and forage for mushrooms… Ah, maybe I can give some to that old deity who lives in that shrine nearby… Ahh, mushrooms…"

Homura leaned away from the depressed Suzume a bit, and finally jumped to his feet and slapped Suzuya's back. "He's breaking down! Apologize!"

"Damn, why should I—" He looked up to Natsume, hoping he'd help him out of this ridiculous situation, but oh no, he just had to look at him the same way. Damn all these people. He sighed deeply. "Hey, I did say that I'm not going back, but if you're willing, you can stay here instead." He ignored Suzume's too quick of a reaction to gawk at him.

A smile crept to his lips. "Hiyo…"

"On one condition. Stop calling me Hiyo already," he said sternly.

That smile disappeared almost instantly. "No. Your name is Hiyo and will always be Hiyo."

Suzuya growled in aggravation as he scrubbed his hair. "I'm not a brat anymore! I have a new name now, and it's Suzuya!"

Suzume got up and inched closer to Suzuya. "Who named you?"

Suzuya pointed sideways at Homura. "I've just become his shiki today, but I've been named some time ago."

Homura noticed the way Natsume's eyes widened. He gave him a reassuring smile, promising him he'd spill all the details later on. It seemed like Natsume got the message.

Suddenly Suzume dropped to his hands and knees again, and bowed until his forehead met his fingers. "Please accept me as your shiki, Homura-sama."

"Wait, what? How'd it become this way?" he burst out, taking a step backwards.

Natsume scrunched his eyebrows. "That's it. I can't follow your conversation anymore. I'm heading back home, guys…"

"Wait, Natsume? ! You're leaving me with these two? Help me! I can't handle this by my own!"

"Sorry Homura. Touko-san will be very worried. I'll see you tomorrow," he replied with a smile, but his eyes were averted.

"You're just using Touko-san as an excuse! Argh, damn all this!" First Suzuya's sudden reappearance, then getting caught up with that icky black thing, then Matoba, then that horrific flying experience, now this? Homura felt like he was in a torture chamber along with Raoul and the Persian in The Phantom of the Opera.

He truly wished he was in the torture chamber now.

Bringing both Suzuya and Suzume back along with him probably wasn't such a wise idea, but he had to do something or he'd be expected to spend the night in the forest. He ignored the old lady's stare at the corridor—not to be rude, she really is a nice person who greeted him in the mornings—as he hurried the two along in their human forms.

Both had reverted back to their youkai forms once the door had been hut and locked. He had punched Suzuya when he didn't take his shoes off, sat them both in the sofa immediately before any of them had the chance to poke around, and settled his own butt in the armchair opposite them.

"Now, start explaining. What exactly is the relationship between you two, Suzume?" he asked. Yes, he addressed Suzume because if he had asked Suzuya instead, he would've gotten a bunch of useless, empty sentences. Living alone in Yatsuhara for seventy years, my ass. It's obvious he came from another place now, ain't it?

But Suzuya had a puzzled expression on his face. "'Suzume'? Since when have you been 'Suzume'?"

"What do you mean?" Now even Homura was getting confused.

"I'm sorry, Homura. I'm not a sparrow youkai and my name isn't Suzume," Suzume admitted. "It was just a fake name."

"Oh, yeah, don't worry about it," Homura said sarcastically. Honestly, he had just about enough with all the names.

"This guy isn't even a bird youkai to begin with. He's a shape-shifter," Suzuya explained. "He maintained this look recently, but he's been a number of animals in the past. I used to call him Kinoko, 'cuz he was picking mushrooms when I first met him."

"Hmm~ So, how about starting from the beginning?" Homura suggested. He had to admit that he was a bit curious to know about their past.

"Years ago when I was out looking for food, I found this little baby bird. It was Hiyo. I think I was a cat then, and it was true I felt the urge to eat him…" Homura bit his lip to keep from laughing. "But then I got attached to him and made myself a sparrow so I could take care of him. We stayed in a tree. Then, he was gone when I got back from taking a bit of food from the village… I was pretty worried then. I thought that maybe the child had found himself in the stomach of another youkai, or maybe he had fallen into a hole somewhere…" he sighed.

Suzuya's eye twitched, but he kept silent.

"How old are you, by the way?" Homura asked.

"Me? I'm about twice as old as Hiyo."

Ooh. Over a hundred.

"Oh~ So Suzuya, why did you leave?"

His cheeks reddened as he looked away. "You don't have to know about that."

Eh? What? Seriously? Is he blushing? No way. "Tell!"

"I got hooked on chasing a butterfly until I found myself in the middle of nowhere, okay!" he yelled angrily. "Kinoko never brought me out far so I had no way of finding my way back home! So I wandered around and settled down here instead! Happy! ?"

… Priceless. This whole thing is priceless! Homura broke into a fit of laughter, lying back against his armchair. "Oh my god, oh my god, you were… you were lost… Hahahahaha!"

"Enough!"

"I'm glad…" Suzume's—no, Kinoko's, Homura corrected himself—voice brought them out of their little argument. "I thought that Hiyo hated me, that's why he left, I'm glad…"

Homura froze for a second as he watched the two in front of him talking. Is it just me or did it just become way livelier? Is it because of these two? If they weren't around, I would probably be losing myself in television around this time…

"… Hey?"

Both fell silent and looked at him, expecting.

"If you… if you don't mind, why don't you consider living here with me?" he asked, a bit hesitantly at first, but slowly gathering enough courage within himself to at least try.

"Haaa? Live with you? I'd rather just—"

"You will cook for us too?" Suzume interrupted Suzuya.

Homura smiled. "Well, if you're going to be living with me, I have to, don't I?"

"… You won't expect us to become your slaves in return? Being your shiki doesn't mean you can order us around," Suzume asked seriously.

Why the heck is this guy saying something that bastard tengu over there would probably have said? "Disregarding that, are you sure you want to be a shiki too, Suzume? I don't have the need to 'own' you guys or anything, besides, Suzuya was the one who forced himself upon me. You don't have to force yourself to go along with his stupid decision, too," he said, ignoring Suzuya's 'oi'.

"As long as Hiyo is by my side, I am happy. I'm not forcing myself."

Homura sighed. "Fine. So be it."

"That's not enough, Homura. You should properly name him," Suzuya said.

"What? Do you have to give your shiki a new name every time?"

"Not really, but both the names Kinoko and Suzume are not 'official' names. They're just names we created on a whim. On the other hand, have him change into something else, too. Me being the only bird youkai here is plenty enough."

"Hm. What do you want to be, Suzume?" he asked. It felt weird, having that question come out of his mouth, as if he was asking a kid what he wanted to be when he grew up. It is like that, in a way.

"Anything you ask for is fine. But I'm only limited to animals. And I'd prefer it if you don't want me to be a fish or the like."

"But… I can't decide. You decide yourself."

Suzume's wings disappeared, and pinkish scales started surfacing his skin, and his eyes narrowed into slits. "A snake?"

"No. That's kinda creepy."

The scales melted away, replaced by mouse ears and a long tail.

Homura shook his head. Even though it looked cute, he considered the possibility of Suzuya bullying him by pulling that tail of his very seriously. Suzume looked too innocent, too adorable, he was willing to bet Suzuya wouldn't be able to resist teasing him one day.

The long, thin tail was replaced by a light-colored, fluffier one, as did the ears.

Being an animal lover, much like his other friends were, he couldn't resist.

A dreamy smile across his face, he petted his head, liking the way the ears felt against his skin. "This is nice…"

"Get your lecherous hands off of Kinoko, you filthy human!" Suzuya said as he kicked Homura away.

Suzume smiled, liking the attention. "What's my new name, then?"

Homura sat up from his position on the floor. "Kirinosuke," he answered almost immediately. "Kii for short."

"Why?" Suzuya asked.

"No specific reason."

This boy, it's just like the time when he named me. So fast at giving out names and yet without any real reason.

Kirinosuke wagged his tail from excitement, and Homura felt compelled to touch that soft-looking fur again. But he didn't since he didn't want to get kicked yet another time. He had been roughed up enough for one day.

"Well~ then, now that everything's settled, you guys stay here and watch TV or something while I make dinner. I'm tired and hungry. What about curry?"

Judging by their blank faces, they never had curry before. Of course. They live in the forest, and it's not like curry has been a local dish from ancient times. They can't have eaten it before.

"Don't worry, it's really good, I bet you'll like it!" He pushed the 'on' button on the remote and after telling Suzuya which buttons to press if they wanted to change channels, he got to work.

"Okay, it's done!" Homura said, setting the last plate of curry rice on the dining table. He had to admit, it was kinda fun to be cooking for a few more people than yourself. "Turn it off and come here."

Both youkai obediently did what they were told, since both were pretty hungry themselves too. Neither denied when Homura told them they were gluttons, because they are.

As both scooped a spoonful of the curry rice to their mouths, Homura regretted making it. He forgot that these two probably had never eaten anything spicy before, and being the kind who loves it spicy, the choice of making sweet curry instead never presented itself to his mind at all.

Suzuya's face flushed a deep red, and Kirinosuke's eyes watered. Homura was just about to apologize when Suzuya gulped it down quickly and started yelling, while Kirinosuke still had the spoon in his mouth.

"What the hell is this! Are you trying to poison us, human! And here I thought it smelled delicious!" No kidding. He really thought it smelled delicious as Homura stirred it earlier.

"I-I'm sorry, I like spicy stuff, so…"

Kirinosuke started coughing, with his eyes squeezed shut.

Okay, so maybe it was too spicy for them.

Suzuya leapt to his feet and cupped a hand under Kirinosuke's chin. "Here, spit it out." The currently-fox youkai hesitated before spitting into Suzuya's hand. When he went away, muttering under his breath, Kirinosuke lowered his head as he wiped his mouth. Homura could see the way his fox ears drooped, he was embarrassed.

"Hey, no need to feel embarrassed, alright? You can't help it if you feel it's too spicy. I'm at fault too, for making this."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

The human chuckled. "I am, too! Let me make something else, okay? It'd have to be simple though, it's getting late."

"… But you're tired. And who would finish this? I can eat it, no problem."

"Oh no, I can finish them all, don't you underestimate me! I might be a little full later on, but oh well. I'm sorry, okay?"

Kirinosuke managed a brief nod, and Homura once again felt the urge to pet his head.

"Oi Homura. What do I do with my hand? Where should I… discard this?" Suzuya asked from the kitchen, but he could hear him perfectly fine since the countertop was the only obstacle separating the dining table and the small kitchen.

You fricking mood killer. "Throw it away, you idiot!"

"Like I said, where! ? In this bin, or in this place where you placed the dirty dishes!"

Stay calm. He doesn't know what a sink is. Remind yourself that he's a youkai and not a human.

"Throw 'it' away in that bin, then wash your hands in the sink, the place where I placed the dirty dishes. Turn the knob-like thingy slowly. Get it?"

Suzuya managed to turn the faucet and wash his hands clean. "Ohhh…! Human houses are so convenient! They don't need to go to a stream to wash their hands, see, Kii? They can even drink in the comfort of their home!"

"… What's up with you, Homura?" Natsume asked a little reluctantly when he walked in first thing in the morning to see Homura slumped over his desk before homeroom even started. "I hope you're not mad at me about yesterday?"

"Oh no, I'm not. It's just that…" he sighed deeply. "It was a really tiring day… Those two, have somehow become my housemates…"

"Eh, really? How?"

Homura told him everything from start to finish. Natsume smiled a little when he imagined how Suzu—no, it's Kirinosuke now, looked like with fluffy ears and a furry tail.

"And then, they discovered the sink, the refrigerator, the bathtub, the piano, TV… They referred to the fridge as a 'magic food box', the hot water in the bath as 'an indoor hot spring', the TV as a 'holy thing'… They were excited at how different a piano key sounds from another, and when I scolded them and told them to just stick to TV, they really did. They really did stick to TV. They didn't want to sleep last night, Natsume, you don't know what I've been through."

Natsume patted Homura's head. "You did well to put up with them, didn't you?"

"Trade with me? Can I have Nyanko-sensei instead of a hungry bird and a fox?"

He withdrew his hand. "No. Nyanko-sensei is my bodyguard. Besides, if he went to your house I don't think your piano will be very safe anymore during his drunk nights."

"Oh yeah… He drinks a lot, doesn't he? I think I heard him sing the other day, when I was on my way to the convenience store…"

"Ah, yeah… Putting that aside, after all that yesterday, have you done your homework?"

Homura gasped loudly and immediately sat upright. "Oh damnation. I'm dead. I'm so dead."

"Yo, Homura! Judging by your face you haven't done your homework too! No worries! You and I are the same! We'll go through this together, partner!" Nishimura squeezed his shoulder encouragingly, openly saying that he hadn't done his homework without a worry for the world.

"I am not like you Nishimura! I had a reason I forgot to do my homework, unlike you who goes around doing nothing everyday!"

"Haah? Wanna say that again, Akatsuki? Even I have matters to attend to when I—"

"Enough," Kitamoto sighed, slapping his workbooks on the table. "Just copy mine and Natsume's before classes start or you're both finished."

"Thank you!"

Hahaa~ Sorry I keep changing Suzume, he's become a fox and Kirinosuke now! Honestly I think I like him better as Kirinosuke though, the image of him wagging his tail was just too cute, even if it's just an OC in my head. *p* And the way he said "Ahh, mushrooms…". I had the image of Tamaki from OHSHC, lolz…

Sorry it wasn't really an interesting chapter—no action at all, hnnnngh—but I'll try and think of something for the next chapter! Thanks to those who've stuck with me, reading this fic although most people would ignore something with an OC! (OCs, in this case)

Random: Today is Shizu-chan's birthday, woohoo~ [stalks Pixiv and Zerochan for them sexy fanart]

SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILER BEWAAAAAAREE

Oh. And YunLuffsPandas, yeah, you already asked that question before. XD But be patient! I have my own ways to tortu—I mean, write about Homura overcoming that! [insert evil laugh right about here] But, yeah, let's say that at one point he'll meet it again. [ohmigod I have just revealed to all of you a big-ass spoiler I am such an idiot] /( =「」=)/