Me: Hey, Rikuo, you remember the last time I updated?
Rikuo: No.
Me: Well, look up.
Rikuo: Wow. So you've been procrastinating for over a month and you didn't have the decency to update on a critical part?
Me: Well, when you put it that way…
Rikuo: How is anyone supposed to remember the storyline?
Me: …FLASHBACK!
Yura gasped. "I sense a yokai presence. No, several. And, it's right nearby." Tsurara started, swiveling her head left and right. The only building in the area was…the meeting room.
No! Those doofuses can't be having a party now! Acting excited, Tsurara ran ahead of Yura, calling out, "Ooh! Yokai! I can't wait to see one! This will be fun, YURA KEIKAN!"
…
"YURA KEIKAN!" Everyone in the meeting room stopped, pausing for a moment, registering that name.
Natto Kozo was the first one to react. "Omnyoji!" He exclaimed, running wildly. When he accidentally hit a wall, everyone else followed suit, panicking, trying to find a place to hide, not quite covering up their yokai aura.
"Ah, great. Right when I was thinking that we wouldn't have to deal with her!" Kubinashi exclaimed, exasperated. He picked up an unconscious Natto Kozo. "By the way, you might want to look before you run next time."
…
Rikuo was calm now. He had managed to slow down his overworked mind and find peace in his small room. Yuki Onna would be fine. Yura would be fine. He would be fine.
Everything would be fine.
Then the paper door flew open as a huge gust of wind swept through the room, rustling Rikuo's hair. Taking a deep breath, he grasped his katana tightly.
Okay, so maybe not tonight, but still, everything will be fine…Right?
Rikuo: No, you did not just copy and paste that.
Me: Stop being such a whiny pants and say the disclaimer!
Rikuo: Fine, but only because you promised to give me a break.
Me: …
Rikuo: Guess what, readers? InuApril does not own me or the show or the manga. Thank the anime overlords!
Me: All right. This intro has been long enough. Here's the next chapter of Twenty-Four Hours!
"How did you find me?" Rikuo asked, slowly getting up from his once-comfortable position on the hardwood floor. He was facing Kazeshima, the wind yokai from the roof of Ukiyoe Middle School.
"I am the wind! How do you think I found you?" Kazeshima cackled. Rikuo raised an eyebrow.
"You mean you were stalking me?"
Everything was deadly silent, except for the distinct rustling of leaves outside the paper door that now separated the two powerful yokai from the world.
"You did not just say that," Kazeshima breathed. With a lunge, he screeched, "You did not just say that!"
Rikuo sidestepped, barely avoiding the claws that seemed to come from nowhere. He looked around. Kazeshima was still by the door, and yet Rikuo could have sworn that he had just seen the yokai lunge. His head swiveled around, taking in his surroundings. Kazeshima smiled. "Awww, is the little human confused?"
Rikuo caught the movement from the corner of his eyes. He sidestepped again, placing him two strides away from Kazeshima. The yokai resembled a Cheshire cat, now, with his ever-widening grin. "You can't beat the wind, little human?"
Rikuo took a deep breath. At this rate, Kazeshima would tire him out and beat him easily, before the sun even had a chance to go down. The Third Heir would have to do something drastic if he wanted to change the tide, or in the case, the wind.
Sliding his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, he squinted, concentrating only on the yokai in front of him. It was obvious that with one more attack, the two would be within arm's reach of each other, and Kazeshima would get the upper hand.
So, basically, I can't move when I'm gonna have to move, Rikuo thought dismally, amazed at how much time Kazeshima was giving him to think.
Quite a pickle you seem to be in, Rikuo. Quite. A. Pickle.
You're very annoying, and I don't have time for this.
Actually, Night Rikuo appeared behind Rikuo tapping his shoulder, "You have all the time in the world. It's a time stop."
Rikuo sighed. "Well, as long as that means I get a break and the bet's still on, I'm okay."
Night Rikuo smirked. "Well, in reality, you're not. Even though I'm the one using the power, it's your body that's suffering the consequences. When I pull out the time stop, you're going to feel soooo tired! I doubt you'll have the energy to fend off another attack by Kazeshima."
Rikuo stood there for a moment, his glasses slipping down his nose. Finally, he pushed them back up. "If you weren't usually on my side, I'd say you're pure evil. See, this is the reason why I was so afraid of yokai before!"
"No it isn't," Night Rikuo said.
There was a moment of silence, then, "So, is there a point to making me suffer even more? Were the bruises, scrapes, gashed leg, and overall annoyed mood not enough for you?"
Night Rikuo shrugged. "I just thought you'd want to move the lower-level yokai in the meeting room before Keikan finds them and, oh yeah, discovers your secret about being a quarter yokai. Tell me how that goes."
Rikuo rolled his eyes. "You'll know how it goes. Remember, the whole, 'I see what you see' deal?"
"You have exactly twenty-eight minutes and fifty-two seconds. Whoops, make that fifty. I'd go if I were you."
Rikuo groaned, but ran out the doorway. Turning back, he stood beside Kazeshima. "Whatever I do now affects him, right?" Night Rikuo just nodded. Now it was Rikuo's turn to look like the Cheshire cat. "I'll be at the meeting house in a sec."
…
Rikuo was out of breath when he finally reached the main house, and even more so when he got to where Tsurara and Yura were standing, outside the doors of the meeting room. Tsurara was yelling something, probably trying to warn the yokai inside.
"Why would they even be in the meeting house tonight? What could they possibly be doing?" Rikuo brushed aside the paper door, sighing. "Of course. I should have known they'd be partying. At least they were heading into their hiding places." The room was in the middle of an all out confusion fest. A few of the yokai, such as Kubinashi and Notto Kozo, were already behind the statue in the back of the room. Then there were Ao and Kurotabo, fighting on the rug in the middle of the room.
"All right." Rikuo sheathed his sword, bracing himself, then he set to work. He decided to save Ao and Kurotabo for last, since they were the bulkiest, and started with the smaller yokai. Kappa proved more difficult than expected, being slippery and all.
There were fifty yokai in the room, and time started before Rikuo had moved half of them. And then everyone was even more confused then before.
"WAAAAH!" Natto Kozo shouted, running into another wall.
"Would you stop doing that?" Kubinashi exclaimed stepping out from behind the statue to pick up the broom-like yokai. Looking around, he asked, "Was everything like that before?"
"No! Why else would I be so confused?" Rikuo ran over to Natto Kozo, covering his mouth.
"Get behind the statue!" He mercilessly threw Natto Kozo at Kubinashi.
"Master?" Ao asked, releasing his wrestling hold on Kurotabo. "By the way, I was about to beat you to a pulp."
"No, you were not. I was merely holding back on you. I would have squashed you in a second if-"
"Would you guys please just hide already?" Rikuo pleaded, pushing a few smaller yokai into a connecting room. "Don't you know that Keikan is outside?"
As if on cue, there was a shout of, "Wait, YURA KEIKAN!" Rikuo could have kissed Yuki Onna for being so discreet in her warnings.
"Why do you keep shouting my name, Oikawa?" Yura asked. Rikuo slapped his head. Figures.
He took another glance around the room. There were only five yokai left, wondering what they were going to do or where they were going to hide. Apparently, hearing the onmyoji's name a second time had sufficiently scared the other house yokai.
Nura looked around. All the hiding places were taken, and the door was opening.
…
"Honestly, Oikawa. For someone so intent on seeing yokai, you have dragged this out for quite a bit." Yura managed to squeeze behind Tsurara, rolling her eyes. "I must investigate this yokai…aura…" Yura opened the door, seeing a completely empty room.
Well, empty besides Rikuo, whose baggy cloak was now bulging in some areas.
"Nura? But, weren't you just…" Yura pointed back at the room where she had seen Tsurara and Rikuo a few minutes ago. There was a doorway on the back side of the room, so maybe he got in through there? Yura shook her head. "Is there something wrong with your cloak?" she asked, noticing that a few of the bulges were moving.
"W-What? No, there's nothing wrong with my cloak. Absolutely, positively-" Rikuo's katana fell out of its once snug spot in his cloak. "Sorry," one of the hiding yokai whispered. Rikuo stood still, a deer in headlights.
"Rikuo Nura, you're hiding something." It wasn't a question.
Tsurara looked back and forth between Rikuo and Yura. Keikan never called him by his full name. This was bad. "Hey, how's this weather?" Tsurara interjected, stepping between Yura and Rikuo. "I mean, it's five o'clock. The sun should be up for another two or three hours, and yet it's completely dark outside. Japan, huh? We get the craziest storms."
Yura brushed Tsurara aside, not about to be distracted. "Rikuo Nura, are you hiding yokai? A small aura is coming off of you."
Rikuo would have answered, whether with an excuse or the truth, we will never know, however.
Because right then, an ear-breaking screech filled the air, followed by a wind so sharp that it cut through the paper doors.
Rikuo couldn't help but smile. Both he and Night Rikuo.
He had been wondering when Kazeshima would notice the scissor right beneath his foot, the haircut, and the bucket waiting to swing at him as soon as he stepped outside the hallway of the house.
Night Rikuo had to give props to Nura for that. Couldn't have done it better myself…Well…
All right. Here's one of the longest chapters, you know, to make up for one of the longest pauses. I'll stop mentioning that, and just end this lovely day with
PLEASE REVIEW! In the name of all things good and anime, REVIEW! You've made it past the main course. Now it's time for dessert.
And yes. That made sense in my mind.