Chapter 63.3 - With Roses like these…
"So lame." Rihan sighed as he walked out of a shopping district at the night. Interestingly, many of the windows in that district were broken. "So damn lame."
"You're insulting a life here, Rihan-dono." A voice greeted him. "And someone's hard work."
"Hmm?" Rihan looked at this person. More precisely, he looked at this youkai. "I don't think we've met. Are you an enemy or…" He looked at a man dressed in some ragged, very old-fashioned western clothes, and wearing a hat and a mask resembling a bird with a long beak. "No, we haven't met but I still feel like I know you…"
"Now that's interesting." The youkai put one hand on his mask and another behind it. Soon after, he removed it and revealed a human face. "You have met my human form."
"Ahhh… you are Araya's doctor." Rihan remembered him now. He was the person who healed his wounds after Rihan and Shiori fought that night when she was trying to assassinate Onieda Masato. "What was your name again? Gavan or something?"
"It was Giovanni Ventura." He said and put his mask back on. "But my real name is the Plaguesdoctor."
"Plague's Doctor? I don't even need to hear your tale to understand that I don't want to get medical services from you ever again." Rihan said and walked past him.
"That's rude, Rihan-dono." The Plaguesdoctor said as he walked alongside Rihan. "All doctors have some downsides."
"Let's end the pointless chatter. Did Shiori send you to observe me?" If Giovanni Ventura worked for the Ichinoe household and he was secretly a youkai, than that also meant that he was a youkai serving Shiori. Seeing as this night was Rihan's first time (or second if one counts his fight against Bonnouma) serving as a Main Character, it was natural that someone serving her would keep an eye on him.
"No, there's no point in me doing that. Netto no Yose is able to observe every angle of yours and even record it for others to see."
"Then what are you doing here?" Rihan took a hand out of his pocket and put it closer to his sword, just in case. "Do you want to challenge me?"
"Oh no, Rihan-dono. I just wanted to meet you personally. After all, you are now an important comrade to us and your existence brings a lot of changes. How can I resist not adding a first encounter with you to my tale? And I had to see you fight."
"So you were observing me."
"Indeed. But just out of my own interests. Speaking of which…" He put his hands behind his back. "What happened to the Window Crusher? Is he dead?"
"Window Crusher? That's his name? Gah, even his name is lame!" The youkai he was sent to deal with, in whichever way he wanted, was a youkai who appeared in the towns of Tokyo every ninth night. He was breaking windows with a baseball bat, and whenever a human would come close, he would break every item he could in attempts to scare them off. The foolish humans who still went forward were met with the bat itself, albeit nobody ever died. But some strikes of the bat were more serious than others.
"His creator had a better one, but the audience preferred this one."
"Now that I think about it… For a lame youkai like him, a lame name is more than fitting."
"You continue being cruel, Rihan-dono." Plaguesdoctor shook his head. "So, what happened? Did that tale's delinquency finally come to an end?"
"I gave him a good beating and threw him right into a trash can. He was not worth taking my sword out. How could such a weak youkai ever be dangerous?"
"He's dangerous to humans. He was never created to stand up against other youkai, mind you. But he is still alive… I wonder how that will affect his tale."
"What about you?" Rihan started and the Plaguesdoctor looked at him with his expressionless mask. "You came here to see me in action and asked what I did. Any opinions?"
"None really. But as you said, the tale here wasn't very challenging. Shiori-sama probably wanted to give you an easy task."
"One should start with something more motivating. I'll need to have a talk with her."
"I'll take it that you are going to her? After all, the Nura Household is in the other direction."
"Yes, I'm going there. Do you intend to follow me?" Rihan asked without hiding the hint that he wanted Plaguesdoctor to leave.
"I'd love to, but I fear that my nurses need me. I hear they found a fun subject to play with. But you better stay careful, Rihan-dono. I don't care much about you, but there are many amongst us who dislike you joining us, and there are many who outright hate having you with them."
"Well, they'll need to get used to it."
"Or you'll need to get used to it." Plaguesdoctor replied and then took a different road. "Well, see you again, Rihan-dono."
Rihan, on other hand, continued where he was going. Shiori sent him the address at which he could find her, and he did not intend to waste time. Yet, it would take some time to reach that place so he had ample time to think about all that was going on.
Although he understood all why's and how's, Rihan still felt like this whole situation was otherworldly. Until three days ago, he was the enemy of Shiori and all the youkai that saw her as their mistress. But three days ago, when he fought Bonnouma and accepted his own nature, he found himself on her side and ended up joining her.
It was a strange feeling. His human blood was dissatisfied with the fact that he was running together with the people who were probably not that much different than the ones who committed the Gagoze Slaughter. His colder blood made him feel regret for technically betraying his clan and family. Yet his Nurarihyon's blood, ironically, was satisfied. He himself did not know how this would end, and he himself was not sure how he wanted it all to end. Well, no point in thinking about it. I bet that two months later, I'll have it all figured out.
"Well look who we have here." A girl's voice echoed and Rihan raised his eyes. "A Nurarihyon."
He saw two people. One of them was a boy whom he fought once, called Hikine. He was a cat in a human form, known for protecting schoolgirls from all kinds of evils.
The other one was a floating schoolgirl who had nothing below her torso. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes looked at Rihan with bloodlust. She was no doubt Kashima Reiko, one of the most infamous Urban Legends, an enemy of the Nura Clan for many decades and a servant of Shiori.
Oh, that means I must have reached my destination. Rihan averted his eyes and looked at a large, traditional Japanese house. It was nothing like his household, but it was still quite spacious and impressive. The address fits.
"Oi!" Kashima Reiko flew to block his vision. "Are you ignoring me, punk?"
"Oi? Punk? Come on, I've enough of that yakuza crap at my home." Rihan replied without and care or emotion.
She clenched her teeth in annoyance. "What the hell are you doing here, Nura?"
"I was invited. I thought you would've been notified."
"I know that. But that isn't what I'm asking." She put her arms on her hips and floated close to him. "What in hell made you think that you would be welcome here, among us?"
"Who said I ever thought that?" I'm not nearly stupid enough to think that you guys and I would suddenly become friends. There was too much bad blood between him and them. Not only did he know how she felt, but he felt similarly towards her and many of her friends. If he were not friends with shiori for many years, and had he not fallen for her, he doubted that he would have gotten along with her either, let alone with the likes of Kashima Reiko. "Anyway, what is it that you want? I've a date waitin-"
"Look at my eyes." She pointed up at herself. "Do you see what my eyes tell you?"
He could see deep hatred in them, but he did not feel like admitting it. "Indeed, I've seen that look many times." Rihan sighed. "You sure are passionate, Reiko-san."
"Of course I am! Now listen here, you-" She started, but did not finish her sentence because Rihan put an arm around her shoulders, pulled her back and put a quick kiss onto her cheek "Eh? Ehh?"
"I'm sorry m'lady, but I'm taken." Rihan feigned sadness. "Please, I hope you're satisfied by that quickie. I can't give you anything more, you understand."
"You… YOU LITTLE SHIT!" A scythe appeared in her hands and her Fear engulfed the entire area. "I'LL KILL YOU, NURARIHYON! I WON'T JUST SPLIT YOU INTO TWO HALVES! I'LL SPLIT YOUR HEAD YOUR TORSO YOUR ARMS YOUR-"
"Oh my, did I just hit a nerve?" Rihan asked with a smirk and his sword unsheathed. He did not even pretend that he misunderstood her earlier signs.
"You… you think my hatred is a joke?" Her voice became lower but raspier. "I hate you. I hate all of you Nuras." Her right eyes shone red through her bangs, while she kept her hand on her left, its fingers digging into her forehead. "I will kill you. You being with…. Her… will not save you…"
Rihan could feel several more youkai around himself, all of a Fear similar to Reiko's. And Reiko's Fear alone was enough to startle Rihan, though he did not allow it to show on his face. This girl's Fear is stronger than I expected. No wonder the Nura Clan could not take her down over all these years. He smirked in excitement.
But Reiko took the smirk as another insult. She started shouting again and raised her scythe. "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, I WILL-"
But then Hikine grabbed the scythe from behind, and she stopped moving.
"Do you intend to stop me, Hikine?" She gave him a dangerous look.
"Calm down, Reiko-sama." He used a very formal tone. "This does not befit you, especially not towards a guest." He looked at Rihan, who was already returning his sword to its sheath. "I want to gut this guy as much as you do, but this is not the time nor the place."
She looked at him, and then at Rihan again. And then at the house. "Fine." She let go of her scythe and the murderous aura disappeared. Damn, after that disappointing Window Breaker I actually hoped for some excitement,
However, her malice towards Rihan remained. "Remember this Nura: I do not accept you and one of these days, I will come and rip you to pieces!"
"I look forward to it." He replied with a smile.
She spat on the ground and flew away.
But Hikine was still with him. "You sure went out of your way to keep the situation calm, Nura." It was now his time to speak with a poisonous tone.
"You don't hold back your hostility towards me." Rihan looked at him. "Then why should I hold back mine?"
"As a sign of good faith maybe? You are an outsider, and not a popular one. With such an attitude, you make it harder for me to not see you as someone who is waiting to destroy us from inside."
"You know, I can guess her motives for hating me. She had a long history with my family, and I'm sure it was not filled with roses. But why do you hate me that much."
"I'm a loyal servant of the Hyaku Monogatari and I'll protect it. And you still seem like an enemy."
"Plaguesdoctor doesn't seem to care. Heck, I could feel excitement in some of your comrades while it still looked like I would kill the Window Breaker, but no malice." Rihan tilted his head.
"I speak for myself. Much of my clan does not care about such things. But I'm Shiori's Shadow, and it's my role to protect her, and the clan, from the shadows." Hikine walked to Rihan's side. "And if I get a proof or a strong feeling that you are an enemy, I'll kill you."
"I don't think your mother will be pleased by it." Rihan said but did not look at him.
"I don't care if I lose my life, if it is to kill someone who would endanger Mother and the clan."
"Strong words for someone whose ass I already whupped."
"I did not put my life on the line back then." Hikin said and started walking away. "Nor was I used to your style back then. Now I know better."
And with those words, he too left him. With friends like these… who needs enemies? Rihan grinned and walked into the house.
Just look at all these mementos. The walls of this traditional house were decorated with various paintings, poetry and other items that Rihan believed were used to create either art or youkai.
He could also feel faint Fears inside the house, and occasionally he could feel that someone was watching him. It was nothing strange to him though, as he was used to it, but he was unused to silence. Is it usually like this, or because I'm the guest of honor?
It was not a large house (by his standards) so he quickly reached the place where he expected that Shiori was waiting for him. He could hear two girls talking so he took a few moments to eavesdrop.
"That's not the issue here!" A voice, which Rihan did not recognize, argued from inside. "This rule that we had yet to declare was supposed to be our ace! You should've discussed it with the rest of us!"
"It was a do-or-die situation, Kirie." Shiori's voice replied. "Even if I wanted all of your input, I did not have the ability or time to call you guys and hold a meeting."
"I don't know what your exact situation was, but I know you too well to think that you couldn't have come up with anything else."
"Then you overestimated me." In contrast to the other girl, Shiori's voice sounded calm and unconcerned. "I did not have other choice, that's all I can say here."
"You sound like a crime suspect who knows that they've no proof they've done a crime. Well, no matter." The unknown voice sighed. "But a Nurarihyon? How the heck did you come by him and why did you ever think he would be welcome? The Songstress did not hide her disapproval, and the Whisperer's acceptance was as empty as it gets! And the Wordsmith's silence was disturbing!"
"I thought those three hated you. Sure is strange to see you so concerned about what they think."
"If they disapprove too much, they may turn against you. If something happens to you, I'm ruined! So yes, I'm concerned about their opinions!"
Rihan was getting tired of eavesdropping, but he also did not want to just walk in. That felt too normal. I could use this situation.
"Oh? So you have no hard feelings about this?" Shiori smirked. She sat on the floor in a black kimono decorated with golden flowers and drank a cup of tea.
"I do have hard feelings!" A girl of ashen hair wearing extravagant gothic clothes hit the ground. "You made up an important rule that we depend upon and you made a Nurarihyon, of all people, be the subject of that rule! And the more I look at it, the more I feel like you are doing stupid things just because he showers you with some bland love!"
"Bland? Now that's something I can't keep silent about." Rihan spoke up, but still kept his presence hidden thus the girl called Kirie started effortlessly looking around. "I prefer to think that my love is strong and enthralling, but maybe I should let you be the judge of that?" When Rihan revealed his presence, he already held Kirie in the position befitting two tango dancers.
"Eh?" The girl blinked several times while trying to understand the situation.
"Thankfully, I've enough love to bless another pretty and cute girl." He kept on a flirtatious grin while he spoke to her and lowered his head closer. "So relax."
"Ah… ah…" The girl started blushing, and eventually closed her eyes, put her hands together and looked like she was prepared for anything.
Rihan then looked at his real target. But he did not like what he saw. "Tz." He clicked his tongue, straightened up Kirie's body and started walking towards Shiori who still sat at her table.
"Come on, you cut the good part." Shiori said as if this entire matter did not concern her.
"What's up with this?" Rihan softly slammed the table with his palms.
"What are you talking about?"
"Why are you like that? Where's that cute jealous pouting that I expected from you?"
"What's there to be jealous about? Hey- ah!" Annoyed, Rihan started squeezing her face and manually make her pout. "Hey, that hurts!"
"I want my cute jealous pouty face!" Rihan reminded her, but let go of her.
"You are Nura Rihan, I presume?" The girl from before spoke up while Shiori rubbed her cheeks.
"Oh. Yeah, I am." Rihan turned around and looked at the gothic lolita. "And you are?"
For some reason, that Rihan pretended to not know, she looked blue and annoyed. She did not reply to his question, but Rihan could hear something by just looking at her. "I will kill you." Or he heard her whisper.
Shiori decided to break the awkward silence and finish the introductions. "This gal is Minezawa Kirie. She is one of leaders of our coalition, so try being friends with her, 'kay?"
"Well, at least we had a great start." Rihan said and winked at Kirie.
In contrast, Kirie shook. "No, I don't think we did…"
"You'll get used to me." Rihan said to the pouty girl and looked back at Shiori. "Anyway, what's up with that lame tale? Even its name is lousy."
"What did you say?!" For some reason, Kirie had a very strong reaction to this. "How dare you call my child lame?! And it's name is not Window Breaker, no matter what others say!"
"Uhhh… I guess he is a tale you made." Rihan looked back at Kirie. "By the way, what is its real name?"
"The midnight crusher of hopes and dreams." She said with a straight face. "Well, that's the title. His name is Timmy." She still kept a straight face.
"...seriously?"
"What? You have complaints?"
Rihan looked baffled. But his only reply was a facepalm.
"Hey! What is that supposed to mean? I'll let you know that he is the ghost of a poor boy who was bullied his entire life by his family, classmates and part-time employers! His malice has-"
"Please, I don't want to know." Rihan put his hands together. "I think it will kill the little respect I still had left for him."
"Permission granted by me." Shiori raised her hand. "I too want to save the poor guy's decency."
"You guys…" Kirie seemed extremely annoyed. "He spared his life, so I'll let it go. I can't complain if a ghost whose tale I wrote was able to depart in peace."
"Depart?"
"He died thinking that bullies never get their just deserts so he became one. After you showed him he was wrong, he was happy and passed away in peace."
Soooo laaaaaame! Rihan tried not to show his disappointment on his face. Yet still, he was pleased that the ghost was able to find peace.
"There! The seed of friendship has been planted!" Shiori spoke. "That's good, we need a strong camaraderie!" Shiori raised an arm in an L shape and put another arm under the former's muscle. "Work well on it!"
Commence Operation Jealous, round 2. "Of course! I'll make sure to get very close to her." He said and made a wink that both could see.
"Good! And friends need to exchange phone numbers!" Shiori did not seem to have understood what he meant. "Netto has already added both of your numbers to each other's phones." For some reason, Shiori said this with a grin.
Both he and Kirie had a bad feeling about it so they checked their phones. He had a bad feeling that what he had said was what she wanted all along for a prank.
"Why is he called My Master on my phone?" Kirie asked. "And you The Great Mistress?"
After looking at his own phone, Rihan sighed. Then he walked up to Shiori and started to mercilessly pinch and pull her face.
"Aiyaiaiyiaia! That hurts!"
"What is with that Concubine #1 for her? Are you that resolved to not show jealousy? Is this a challenge?!"
"Whfhat arwyou evvn talknnn but?" She tried talking, but Rihan was relentless in his pinching. He finally let go of her so she could talk. "Didn't you watch any Anime, Rihan? You are the Main Character and all of them have harems! It goes without saying that, for your own Fear, you mus- awwwyhhhh!" He started bullying her face once again.
"I'm leaving." Kirie said and left the room while trying to change the labels.
But Rihan did not pay any attention to her. "Speaking of which, your name on my phone was changed to Wife, wasn't it? Since we are not married, I can just give it to someone else, right?"
"Impossibr!" She said and Rihan let go of her again. "You'll never love any girl as much as you love me!" She said with an index finger raised up. "And I intend to corrupt you even further, until your love becomes unreachable! In conclusion, nobody can be the Wife but me!"
"Oh, is that the proposal?" Rihan asked, ready to return the tease. "When is the wedding?"
"Am I to take it that you are ready to marry me?" Shiori asked happily, with her hands laying on her cheeks. "Oh my… and we were a couple for only four days!"
"Uhh…" No wait, don't become embarrassed now! You are not one of those gutless Anime protagonists! "Sure I am, if you're ready."
"Uh…" It was her time to falter and show that she was just fooling around. "We'll need to decide on the wedding! Oh my, all the invitations we would need to send out!"
"Is that even a good idea?" Rihan sat down beside his girlfriend. "Our in-laws would just start killing one another."
"It would be a sacred oath made amidst blood and tears! With such a sacrifice, our m-m-marriage would last for an eternity!" She blushed when she had to say a certain word.
It isn't jealousy, but that embarrassment is cute in its own way. I should pick on this! "That's a bit morbid."
"That's the girl you fell in love with." Her eyebrows lowered themselves.
"I know." He put a hand behind her shoulder and pulled her back for a quick kiss. Nice, but I need some more embarrassment. "Oh, and we need to discuss names."
"Names? What names?"
"Names for babies of course!" He said with a wink.
As he had hoped, her entire face had turned red. "B-b-b-b-ba… "
"Of course, babies!" He tried to keep a straight face, but he could feel his own face reddening. Okay, this might be looking too far into the unlikely future… but I can't give up now! Not until she at lčeast hides her face behind her hands! "Well, of c-c-course we… umm… we should… you know what, let's just end this discussion here."
"Yeah. This is a bit embarrassing for high schoolers ha ha…" Shiori laughed it away and let her head fall onto his shoulder..
They continued sitting in silence like that for a while. Rihan expected her to be the one to start a conversation, but she looked like she was thinking about something. Rihan thought of breaking the silence, but there was a melancholic look in her eyes. It looks like she might be thinking about something sad. Rihan squeezed his own leg due to thinking that he may have been responsible. Did I say something wrong?
"You know…" After some time, she herself spoke up, though the melancholic look remained. "I heard that you Hanyous have it tough, having to live as both a youkai and a human."
"Hmmm…" He wondered why she asked him something like that, but he let go of that thought because he had to answer her. "Yes, it is kind of tough. On one hand, you have to live as a human and go to school and all that jazz, and on the other hand you also have to live as a youkai of your clan. It can be annoying."
"Do Hanyous actually need to go to school? And do all of them belong to such families like the Nura Clan?" She raised her head up.
"Ah… no. You're right, my answer is probably a wrong one." He scratched his chin. "Yeah, what's tough would be your own nature, not your social circumstances."
"How so?"
"Humans and youkai are different, which you probably know as well as me." He put his hand together and crossed their fingers. "When you are a youkai, the world seems different to you. You have this primal urge that makes your blood boil whenever there is some excitement. Sometimes, it feels like an addiction, and you start craving more excitement. That is why the youkai are always so rowdy… also, your morality is a bit…"
"A bit… what?"
"Different. When humans see death, they lose their shit. But when a youkai sees death, or kills someone, it's… different I guess? Now that I think about it, neither me nor sis did not feel much when we made our first kill. I don't think I even remembered which youkai it was… dad too. I hear he killed someone when he was nine years old, and he did it without hesitation or regret."
"That sounds quite… alien to me." Shiori commented. "I'm still haunted by deaths in my past."
"Yeah… I guess that even being a Tale Maker doesn't exempt a human from regret huh?" Rihan made a fake smile. "But that's just the radical part. We Hanyous are still part-human and it comes to us from time to time, just to remind us that we aren't pure youkai." Rihan looked at his palm. "This situation for example… my youkai blood is happy about being close to you, loving you. But my human side haunts me, it reminds me of evils you commit… that your youkai commit." He made a fist. "Such contradictions in your consciousness, being unable to keep your stance constant… it's hard to describe, but it's nothing comfortable."
"I see… it's tough for a kid to be a hanyou."
Huh, kid? Why do I've a feeling that we are continuing the discussion from before?
"You know… I was eight years old when I…" Her eyes shook. "When I… created my first tale."
"...I have a feeling that it wasn't a harmless one."
"No… no it wasn't. I created it by accident… just drew a little picture. Next I know, I was dreaming about how it killed people, people that appeared in the news. I've done a lot of things since then but… it's those faces that still haunt me."
Rihan did not know what to say. He never thought about when Shiori became the person she was now, but eight years was shocking. For a human, that would be traumatizing.
"I hated myself… and I feared myself. I even climbed onto a roof once, thinking about jumping down."
"An eight-year-old girl should never…" He started, and then a vision of a girl near the edge of a roof appeared before him. Huh? Why am I remembering that?
"Yes, that is too cruel for a child. Even in our families, you don't start making Tales until you are an adult. But such things… are not that rare of an occurrence. When you are fated to be part of something that creates creatures of darkness, tragedy always looms above you."
"Sounds messed up. You guys should just stop." He said what was on his mind.
"For a normal human, you youkai endlessly killing one another is also messed up."
"But you are still-"
"We are humans. But we are not normal, the Hundred Tales keep you a part of it. Those who try to escape their destiny meet a tragic end. When you think about it, the same goes for the Onmyouji as well. You can't really abandon your nature." She looked up. "But you can find a purpose, for which you can spend your gift."
"And what is your purpose?"
"I wonder. After all, it would be boring if the girl reveals all her secrets." She winked. "Anyway, we both still had it good."
"How could we possibly have it good?"
"We could have been someone who has both of those problems." She said with a fake smile, but there was sadness in her smile.
"This… as I thought, you are continuing that discussion that we agreed was embarrassing."
"Yes… I guess I am." She looked away. "But… it was something that haunted me for many, many years. I think about my child, which whoever it may be, having to go through what I did… and I shudder. But at the same time, I hate myself for that."
"Why?"
"Because it feels like I'm cursing my parents, who birthed me. But… I'm grateful that I'm alive, that I was born. I… I guess I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"I see… sorry for bringing it up. It was just supposed to be a little joke…"
"No… there is nothing wrong with what you said. It's something I can't ignore, and I'm happy that I was able to talk about it with someone."
Even though you say that, I still feel awful. He wanted to say or do something that would make her not only smile with joy, but also clear her mind of all her troubles. But he did not know how he could manage that, and he was old enough to know that it was probably impossible. One could not make all worries and problems disappear with one word or hug. It frustrated him, but he had no choice but carry it on. Look at me, thinking like I was someone to feel sorry about for being unable to help my girl.
"It's high time we move onto business, I think." She looked at him. "I think three days was more than enough for you to think about the recent turn of events, and you already met Hikine, Reiko and others. So how do you feel about it all?"
I see that we're wasting no time in changing the topic. Well, this is what she called me here for anyway. "The best term would be awkward, no doubt about it. I basically joined my family's sworn enemy, fell in love with a woman whom they hate and whom I tried to kill and your comrades all look like they're making plans of the best way to kill me. So yeah… awkward."
"Yeah, it is awkward." She scratched her own cheek. "But will you be able to handle it all?"
"It'll be hard, but things like that can't be easy." He then gave her a smile. "Besides, where's the fun in it being easy?" He said it half-honestly: his human blood disagreed, but his youkai blood agreed.
"Well, as long as you prove yourself to be a strong youkai and loyal to us, you won't have many problems."
Yeah, but I have to be loyal, right?
"What is currently important is what kind of tale you wish to create for yourself."
"I don't follow."
"In other words…" She rose onto her feet. "What precisely is it that you plan to accomplish?" She asked as she sat down in front of him. "How do you intend to accomplish it? How do you intend to treat others? Who gets to live, and who gets to join your Hyakki?"
"That's a lot of questions. Wouldn't it be more natural to watch and learn?"
"Normally, that's what I would do. And at the end of the day, that's what I will do. But you said it yourself: as a Hanyou, you are torn apart by your dual nature. And I know for sure that your entire state is… even more complex than that. I don't buy it that the part of you that Bonnouma wanted to strengthen is gone. As such, I think that you will be an unpredictable person."
"And you need me to be predictable?"
"Of course. As fun as unpredictability is, as a leader of a large number of youkai, and the people who create youkai, I must know some things for certain."
"Well, what can I say…" Rihan crossed his arms and looked at the ceiling. "I don't feel like becoming someone's hero, but I don't see myself ever killing innocent people, puny humans or close my eyes at others doing it in front of me."
"Does that mean that I should see you as an enemy?" She put a finger atop her smiling lips.
"There's… a possibility I guess. But not for this." He looked at her as he spoke. "Besides, I don't believe that you're honestly a bad guy."
"Oh? Thats nice to hear. But what if I'm merely manipulating you?"
"Then you are so damn fine at it that I can't even be angry."
"Fufufu… well, you should still be careful. If not of me, than of others."
"I know. I won't allow the likes of Bonnouma to play with me again."
"I sure hope so… anyway, you still haven't told me what is your long term plan? Where do you see yourself in the future?"
"Is this a job interview? It sounds like a job interview."
"It is a job interview, love."
"Damn. I should've brought my suit. But where I see myself in the future, eh?" Rihan scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm a youkai of simple desires: I just want to live in a nice house I earned for myself, have a bunch of cool guys following me around and causing a mess with me, a gorgeous woman to sleep together with." He looked at Shiori and winked. "And do something cool that will make the whole world know my name. Maybe even own a fancy sword or two."
"So you want to be a Master of all youkai?"
"Hell no. That's too much responsibility for me. I'd rather be their enemy. Maybe I should prepare some villainous lines for them, especially for sis." He then took a more serious expression. "I guess the biggest mystery is… what should I do to make my name known. Just being a strong guy would not cut it."
"Maybe you should accomplish the ultimate harmony between humans and youkai?"
"You're being sarcastic, aren't you? I'll leave such goals to my sis, she loves it when she makes others happy."
"Don't you love it too? You said it yourself, you won't tolerate evil deeds in front of you."
"I won't tolerate it because of my ego, not because it makes me feel happy inside. In that way, I'm eviler than you."
"How come?"
"I can feel the happiness in you whenever something good happens. When you saw Ao-Ju becoming a good guy instead of a monster, I could feel pride and happiness coming from you. And whenever you do something bad, your smiles always feel forced. It is for this reason that I earlier said that I don't see you as a bad guy."
"But I'm a-" Shiori started, but Rihan did not let her continue.
"I on other hand don't care much about that. My blood boils at the thought of others feeling terror at my presence, and humans feeling fear and respect from just hearing my name."
"Doesn't that also contradict what you said earlier, about how you won't tolerate evil in front of you?"
"If you have to use a term, use pettiness instead. Anyhow, ability to feel terror is something that both good and bad guys have in common. It's not as if I have to harass innocent people to be terrifying. I just need to harass whomever I decide I don't like or whoever seems like they would be a fun enemy."
"Hmmm… I see. You seem quite sure of it all after only three days."
If three days wasn't enough, why did you even ask? "To be honest, I'm just basing it on what my great-grandfather said as he talked about his adventures."
"Your great-grandfather… that's the original Nurarihyon, right?"
"Yes… Dad's and Grandpa's stories were cool and all, but they never resounded within me. But his stories… I kind of want to be like him."
"Hmmm… I guess I should not be surprised. After all, when we saw those Memories at Nejireme, you did look at him with admiration."
"Heh heh… I guess I did."
"And what about your old desires?" She put on a more serious expression. "Before you faced Bonnouma, that is."
"Those days…" He frowned. "I don't care about it anymore, but I feel like it sits somewhere deep inside me. Even back then, before I faced Bonnouma, it always felt so alien. It was always like a demon sat inside me, but this time I'm not listening to it anymore, not now that I'm fully aware of it."
"But it is still in there, right?"
"Yeah… and I can't guarantee that it won't try to claw its way out again." He put on a faint smile and looked at Shiori. "But if I can't beat such an enemy, I'd be a lousy Main Character, right?"
"Heh, that is right I guess. Many Main Characters in stories have inner demons. But don't underestimate demons, Riha-chan. Should your old traumas start resurfacing, it will grow again."
"I know." He sighed. "Well? Are you satisfied with your interview? Did I get the job."
"Of course you did, three days ago." She said and crawled to him. "But it's good to talk to you nevertheless. A woman's gotta know her man." She said as she sat on the breathing distance from him.
"Do we finally come to the good stuff?"
"Well, we still have to talk about your name."
"My name."
"Yes, your name. I love my Nura Rihan-kun." She pushed her head closer and gave him a quick kiss that felt more like a rubbing of lips. "But we can't have a Nura be our hero, and you probably don't want everyone know that you are working with us, right? Besides, my guys might feel more at ease if they use a name that doesn't have words Nura and Rihan in them."
"Ah… I did not think about that before. But you have a point."
"Then let me baptize you with a new name, my love." She put her hands on his cheeks and sat onto his knees. "You are a man who tries to walk a fine line between what you consider good and evil so... What about Kokuhan (Dark Half)?"
"Sound good to me. Are we done with business? Can we go to the good stuff now?" He pulled her further in, so that every part of their bodies touched.
"I'd call using my female charms to corrupt you to the dark side an important business matter you know." She said and unveiled the sash on her kimono. "Dark side is delicious I hear."
"I know." He gave her a soft kiss. She called it the dark side, but he remembered how he was before. But you know… in my eyes, you're the light in this darkness.
I-I-I-I-I
Author Notes:
It was a long while since I posted an omake in this place. But it was a promise: those who solved the mystery of the Ryoko arc, as well as those who helped me with the writing, got the right to commission an omake or a oneshot fanfic and here is the first, commissioned by Digitalwriter92.
It shows some of Rihan's first interactions with the Rose coalition members, some more insight into characters as well as the yin couple of the fic discussing their childhood a little. It wasn't anything long, but I hope it was a good read nonetheless.
Here are some previews for upcoming ones:
- Ukiyoe Noir (Citsimsan) - Ao-Ju and Ritsura investigate a dark mystery in Ukiyoe High School
- Arachnophobia (Chessvain) - the continuation of the scene where arachnophobic Ao-Ju and Endless Thief fight Ryoko's spider shikigami
- The Expectations of the Son (Hell Vanguard) - takes place soon after Rihan Jr.'s birth, shows the Nura Clan's expectations for the new heir as well and maybe some dark foreshadowings
- Mahou Shoujo Magical Kana (Dennou) - a canon omake jokes (or reveals?) that Kana used to be a Magical Girl. Well, let us see what it was like ;P
- ? (Gvek) - still discussing