Chapter 2:
A/N: Thank you for all the responses and tips from the previous chapter. I apologize in advance for any future grammar errors that may catch your eyes (though don't be afraid to PM me about it).
Since this varies in fanfiction, I just want to establish a few things to avoid confusion in the future:
"—" means someone was in a mid-sentence/thought but got interrupted.
Anything in italics is a thought. I will usually write down "X thought" beside it but sometimes it gets too repetitive so I might have stand-alone sentences that are written like this. If there are quotation marks around it, it is most likely from a flashback/memory. Any other cases, I'll let you know.
". . ."- is going to be a longer-than-a-comma pause. Yes, I know it's supposed to be the dash's job (which I'm now using for interruptions) but it feels it makes more sense that the dash is used during an interruption. That and the dash looks too similar to the hyphen and I don't want too much confusion from that. This will be used while thinking and/or talking.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Natsume Yuujinchou other than OCs Chimeu and Saisei (both who will be properly introduced in this chapter).
Natsume continued to soar through the sky, high above the ever-blurring forest on the flying beast. While both middle-class youkai had managed to grab onto his tail and climb up before they left, the third one raced rapidly on the ground.
"Sorry about Chimeu" the ox apologized while sitting next to Natsume. His partner was guiding Madara to the location.
"It's fine", Natsume assured him although he still felt uneasy. He was definitely not used to both the ox's and ogre's rather serious behavior instead of their usual cheery attitudes. To distract himself, Natsume asked while pointedly looked downwards "Who is he?"
Following the boy's gaze, the ox replied "He is Chimeu, the bodyguard for the guardian of Fukkatsu Springs. While he is a young youkai, he has been protecting him for about 40 years. He probably won't admit it but he deeply admires and respects the spring's deity". The ox then began to frown, "Ever since the exorcist stole the jewel, he's been rather angry and short-tempered"
Natsume nodded in understanding before looking down below. The youkai would have looked very much like a human if it weren't for its smoky grey complexion. He wore a white clothe-like mask that only revealed one eye and the basic outline of his nose and mouth, his grey skin visible from the ends of his combat-like outfit. His dark blue hair spiked out on the other end of his mask, making him look like scurrying porcupine. The youkai managed to run very swiftly despite carrying a massive sword. While its appearance was intimidating, its hilt was decorated with various bells. The youkai started to slow down as they reached a clearing in the forest.
"We're here" Madara alerted the group. Natsume nodded as he felt himself being lowered.
There was a large but not-working fountain in the middle of a yellowing-grass field. Some water had pooled in the basin.
As Natsume got a closer look, he discovered the foundation was also a statue. The marble statue vaguely resembled the bald head and neck of a girl. There was a hole on the top of the head and a thin but deep, circular indentation that was carved around the neck. The fountain was rather beautiful, the craftsmanship a sight to behold. However, it contrasted with the scene around him. The place was surrounded with resting, ill-looking youkai: young, old, human-like, animal-like, beasts and several different types of youkai that Natsume wasn't even aware existed.
There was one in particular that stood out amongst the others. Resting near an oak tree, it wore a pale blue mask with a painted black smile and two bottomless eye-holes. It wore a simple but very elegant dark cloak and it had no arms and legs. It looked rather old, weak and tired.
"Saisei-sama" the three youkai called before rushing to that youkai's side and bowing. He saw one of them whispering to him, which Natsume presumed to be the guardian. The creature looked up towards Madara and Natsume before nodding. He gracefully floated, much like a ghost, towards the two despite his much weakened state.
"Thank you for coming here, human. My apologies for calling you out like this", the youkai spoke with a deep and hollow voice, "I am Saisei, the deity of Fukkatsu Springs. I see you have already meet Chimeu"
Said youkai huffed, causing Madara to return with a glare.
"As you see, one half of the gem is stolen as part of a necklace", Saisei explained as his cloak fluttered around the crevice. Sure enough, there was circular, shallow hole beneath the indentation that was partly covered by half of a red gem. "While it still has enough spiritual power to keep the remaining water in, it can no longer purify it"
"Then why don't you give up some of your own blood to make a new one? That is what the gem is made out of, isn't it?" Madara boldly questioned.
"Sensei!"
"How dare you-" Chimeu started but Saisei intervened.
"If I could, I would have not bothered to call the two of you in the first place, however", Saisei explained before he looked regretfully at himself, "The exorcist that attacked us has placed a curse on me during the fight. My blood is now tainted and spoiled. It is not fit for a replacement gem but the water from the fountain can heal me from the curse. That is why it is so important that we find the original"
Natsume nodded before his eyes focused on the fountain once more. "Who's that a statue of?"
"Ah yes", Saisei reminisced as if lost in happy memories, "Although I had created the gem, it was through the work of a human who made it function. I had asked the workers to carve the fountain of our hero instead of me in honor of her act of kindness"
Human? Who could that—
"Helping the youkai again, are you Natsume Takeshi"
A/N: This wasn't my favourite chapter to write, probably because I had to write scene descriptions (even if it was short). Thanks for reading. Though I am updating this week, I don't think I can update next week because I will be pretty busy with stuff from school. Hopefully, this chapter was sort of interesting enough makes up for it.