Me: Guess what?

Tsurara: What?

Me: I'm actually updating within a decent timeframe.

Tsurara: Gee, InuApril. It's a miracle.

Me: I know. Now, tell the nice people that I don't own you.

Tsurara: As the aide to Rikuo-sama, I hereby proclaim that InuApril does not own Nurarihyon no Mago.

Me: But, man I wish I did.

Tsurara: Too bad, so sad.

Me: You sound very unenthusiastic today.

Tsurara: It's because you're here.

Me:…Onto the next chapter!

"Good afternoon, Rikuo. How was school today?" A breeze lightly brushed Nurarihyon's robe as Rikuo walked right past him and turned a corner in the open hallways of the Main House. Seeing Yuki Onna, her eyes now amber, Nurarihyon asked, "Bad day?" Ice started forming on his shoulder when Yuki Onna just walked by him. Moving his arm in a circular motion, he rolled his eyes. "Talk about getting the cold shoulder. I tell you, kids these days…and I'm talking to no one. Now looks who's having a bad day…"

:)

"Rikuo-sama, what's happening?" Rikuo turned around. Yuki Onna didn't like that glazed look in his eyes. Something about him seemed, well, off. He hadn't looked this distraught since that whole "88 Demons of Shikoku" incident, when he'd realized he wasn't powerful enough to handle everything alone.

Maybe it's time to remind him that he's not alone. That with me by his side, he'll never have to be, Yuki Onna thought, taking a deep breath and getting ready to cheer up her master and best friend.

"So, Rikuo-sama, you remember that time that you caught Ao and Kurotabo in that hole? You were so proud, and Ao and Kurotabo didn't seemed to mind that you had somehow trapped them in a hole that you had them dig just the day before." Yuki Onna smiled. His eyes were starting to focus. He was coming back.

"Listen, Rikuo-sama, I know that today was rough, what with all those yokai attacking the school and all," Yuki Onna said, shuddering just at the thought of Kazeshima, "but don't worry. I mean, it's not like that happens every day. Now, why don't you let me get you one of my famous ice packs?" With that, Yuki Onna walked out. Just as she was about to close the door behind her, Rikuo called.

"Hey, Yuki Onna?"

"Yes, Rikuo-sama?" Those were the first words he'd spoken to her after school.

"You don't have to include the title with the name. I'm just Rikuo, and you're just Yuki Onna."

Yuki Onna smiled. "Hai! And…don't forget about Tsurara Oikawa!"

Rikuo watched her go, remembering how she was always beside him, whether it be in battle or schoolwork, talking with friends or defeating enemies.

See, there's that little crush we were discussing this morning.

And then Night Rikuo had to go and ruin it.

Hey, you shouldn't talk. You're not the one who's going to have to deal with all these bruises. When you make these deals, can you at least take the next few weeks into account?

Stop whining. You want to get stronger, don't you?

Rikuo smiled. Nah, not really. I'm pretty strong, even though I'm just a human. Stronger than you are, sometimes.

After that, Rikuo completely blocked out the following taunts that Night Rikuo threw at him in his head. But, in the very darkest corners of his mind, Night Rikuo was pleased. Whether he knew it or not, his day-form was getting stronger.

"Rikuo?" Hearing the feminine voice, Rikuo instinctively headed toward the door.

"Hey, Yuki Onna, where is Ao anywaaaaaa-Hi Yura!" Rikuo said, feeling that all too familiar knot in his stomach.

Oh no! Yura's here and all the yokai are just hanging around the house everywhere. I'm dead. D-E-A-D dead!

"About school today…" Yura said, making an effort not to meet Rikuo's huge, innocent, glasses covered eyes. Kana had said that Rikuo didn't need glasses. After the rat yokai incident, Yura wondered if he actually did. She also wondered what other secrets he could be hiding. She had to find out, for the sake of all the humans in Ukiyoe Town.

"I know, it was so weird. All those alarms and stuff. I'm just glad that we got out of school early!" Rikuo said, barely keeping the term "yokai" out of his vocabulary.

Yura blinked. "You didn't notice anything unusual?"

"No, nope. No way. It was just a normal, boring day-"

"Ending with you purifying a rat yokai."

Ooooh. If this didn't affect both of us, I would totally say that your cover has been blown completely off.

Not now, I'm trying to think of an excuse. Ummm, uhh.

"Ummm, uhh," Rikuo eloquently said, trying to differentiate his thoughts toward Night Rikuo and Yura. "You mean that huge rat thing that was in the hallway? I thought that was just some prank! Yeah, by that cosplaying guy…"

"Daisuke Kitatsuke? Oh, yeah, I've heard of him. There's a giant rat in anime?" Rikuo could hear the disbelief in his voice. If it wasn't for their history, Yura would probably be letting her shikigami fly by now.

"Listen, Yura, nothing completely out of the ordinary or yokai related happened at school to-"

"Rikuo! I have your ice pack!" Rikuo groaned. Of all the rotten timing to hear that sing-song voice.

Yuki Onna acted fast, taking in the situation. Yura, Rikuo, alone in a room. After a few blinks, she was Tsurara Oikawa. "Oh, I didn't know we had company today!"

"There were a lot of things I didn't know about today…" Rikuo sighed, crossing his legs and taking a seat on the floor.

And oh, so much more fun yet to come, Night Rikuo foreshadowed. Rikuo groaned, but Tsurara and Yura just assumed it was from his infinite bruises that he was currently making worse by sitting on the hardwood floor.

All righty. Review. It makes the author happy. And, there's nothing better than a happy author!