The chapter is kinda short and sorry for that.
Disclaimer: I do not own Nurarihyon no mago.
.
.
The first sight that greeted her the moment she woke up were familiar faces – faces she had seen in the past during the Kyoto War – these people. They were the Tono clan. Still feeling groggy she tried to sit up and noticed Kejoro almost beside her.
"Easy, Tsurara," she advised kindly.
She took notice of Neve still unconcsious in her state. "How's Neve?"
"She's out of danger."
Tsurara nodded. "Dress up already, Yuki-Onna, we have a long way to go," said the guy, Itaku, that's his name if she remembered it right.
Confused, she only gazed up at him before she glanced at Kejoro to explain things. "You and a few others will go to Tono to train there. You, these yokai from the west, myself included, Kappa."
"What about Rikuo-sama?" she asked.
Kejoro sighed. "He will stay here. He finished his training there years ago. And his human friends were constantly being attacked since yesterday. They are at the other room. Rikuo-sama refused to leave Ienaga's side."
The last remark stung but Tsurara ignored it and nodded. "Nurarihyon-sama was the one who instructed as all to strenghten our power, to prepare us all for the inevitable clash." And when it was him who decided, he had good reasons for it.
She stood up. "I see. I would like to visit my district first to talk to the guys, if that is alright with you," she turned to Itaku who nodded.
"No problem. I shall be accompanying you," he stated and stood up as well just as the door opened to reveal Rikuo's friends.
"We heard Oikawa-san is already..." Maki's voice trailed off when she spotted Tsurara already up. "Oh, you're indeed awake."
"Uh yeah," Tsurara nodded with a forced smile. "I will be leaving you for a while since I have an errand to do," she politely declared then turned to Itaku once more. "Let's go."
.
.
.
Nurarihyon watched his grandson as he walked inside the room with his childhood friend. It might have only been yesterday but he knew something was wrong. Something happened. First, Rikuo did not object when he suggested that Tsurara train in Tono. He went along with the plan when Nurarihyon could clearly recall that he had been acting differently last week. Where did that protectiveness go? It shifted towards his friend? Was he wrong when he first thought that Rikuo had some feelings for the Yuki-Onna?
"Good morning," he greeted the two.
"Morning grandpa," the human form greeted.
"Good morning Nurarihyon-sama," Kana greeted kindly as well. Nurarihyon studied her closely. He was the one who started the idea of co-existence with the humans and yet for some particular reasons, he does not see this girl as someone who could co-exist with them. He did not mean that in a bad way though. It's just that she seemed suited for a normal human life no matter how many times she had been attacked by ayakashi.
And if he will allow himself to be selfish and choose which human would he like for his grandson if ever Rikuo chose a human over Tsurara, he would choose the Keiken heiress and not Kana. He shook his head to rid those thoughts and continued eating with the others. Their existence was already revealed to the human after they accidentally found out Rikuo's identity.
"Is the Yuki-Onna not awake yet?" Nurarihyon asked Ao.
"She has. Two of Rikuo's friends went to see her already," Kuro answered for Ao who had no idea if Tsurara was awake or not.
"I see. I believe Itaku said they will be leaving this afternoon. Even the yokai, Neve, will be brought along. As well as her friends I believe," he glanced at the shadow lurking just outside the dining room. "Isn't that right, controller of the shadows?"
As expected, everyone else turned to the same direction where they indeed found the beautiful yokai standing there with a smug smile, giving Rikuo an odd look before shaking her head. She bowed a little. "Pardon me for my intrusion. I came to check on Neve. We came to simply retrieve our friend."
"Were you attacked last night too?" Kubanishi asked.
He regretted asking when he noticed how she limped in her walk as she made her way inside. There was a bitter smile plastered in her face. "Thank you so much for taking care of her even though we were the ones who hurt the yuki-onna before," she bowed in humility.
Nurarihyon tapped his pipe against the edge of the table. "You and the yuki-onna have a common enemy. I already discussed this last night with my grandson and that is to have you, your friends and some of Rikuo's Hyakki go training in Tono where it has a good environment for a training ground. You'll quickly grow stronger there."
surprised at the generosity, Teidi simply nodded. "If it helps, I don't see the point why we have to refuse. Thank you so much."
"How is your human friend?" the former Supreme Commander asked, telling Teidi that he knew more than what he lets on.
Teidi stiffened at the question. She paused for a moment before she answered. "Aki is...dead," her voice was bitter cold as she revealed the truth. She will remember last night always and will make sure to make that ayakashi who killed her pay.
"No..." the voice came from the door to reveal Tsurara standing with Itaku and the few others from Tono.
"Yuki-Onna, are you sure it is safe to move around?" Ao asked in worry.
The snow woman nodded and faced Teidi. Her eyes were incomprehensible as if hearing that news made her realize something so suddenly – the weight of their responsibility. Especially her and the elemental yokai.
Even though she is not really close to Teidi's group, she felt their pain – the pain of losing their friend to an enemy. And to think Aki was not even supposed to be involved into this because she is a human. But the enemies have crossed the lines. She glanced at Rikuo's direction and saw him staring at her.
She has no time nursing a broken heart, knowing Rikuo really likes Kana a lot. She has to focus on this one problem first before her own heart breaking. She quickly averted her gaze and turned to the former commander and bowed down a little. "Thank you so much for sending us there to train," she spoke in a clipped tone. "I will go see the Arawashi brothers first, if you permit."
"Go ahead. Have breakfast first."
Tsurara shook her head. "I will be back shortly. How long will we be there?"
"One month at most. After all, the first snowfall is nearing."
Tsurara once again nodded. "I see. Excuse me then," with that she left the room without much of a backward glance, her shoulders stiff. For a moment, there was tension hanging in the air. Nurarihyon tactfully left while Teidi turned to Nura Rikuo.
"Are you going to Tono as well?"
"No. There is no one here to protect my friends. I fear for them because they are targetting them too. I am sorry about Aki," he sincerely spoke.
Teidi only nodded. Things are bound to change from this point on.
.
.
.
It wasn't a pleasant sight.
Shocked and frozen on her spot, Tsurara could only stare at the destroyed village. "What happened here?" Itaku asked more to himself as he looked around. A number of people were already gathered around, whispering how terrible the village was made into.
Tsurara snapped back to attention and started walking towards the Arawashi house located in the middle. She ignored the humans preventing her from going into the site.
"Miss, no civilian is allowed to - "
"I work there. Please allow me to go see my friends there," she pleaded and glanced at the broken house. Even the Arawashi sign was already broken into pieces, scattered into the ground.
"We found no one there - "
Tsurara glared at him for stalling her and it had its effect because the guy froze in fear and she took that as a chance and went running into the stores. "Nobu!" she called and started calling names once more as she looked around. She kept running, looking from every corner until finally she found them in one spot, hidden from the humans.
They were all wounded. Someone must have bandaged their wounds but it is clear they were all wounded. They were crying as they gathered together. "Everyone..." she bent on her knees to catch her breath.
"Tsurara onee-san..."
"W-What happened here?" she asked, fearing to hear the worst. Did the enemies also attacked this place last night?
One of them forced himself to stand up. "We were attacked by those ayakashi a few hours after you left. They've been wreaking havoc all over the place, destroying our properties in the process. We stood no chance."
finally feeling better, she moved towards them when someone from the group shouted that she stays where she is. "Stay there! Don't come any closer!"
surprised, Tsurara looked at them in confusion. Are they mad at her? Could they be blaming her for this attack? Hurt, she could only manage to stare. "A-Are you angry b-because I am their target?" she asked.
They gaped at her in shock. "What are you talking about?" one asked. "We are not blaming you for this. We just don't want you to see Nobu in this state."
"Nobu," she repeated the name and felt something cold at the pit of her stomach. She gulped and walked towards them nonetheless. "W-what about Nobu?" she asked, looking at each of them. They are keeping something from her. Not getting an answer, she shoved the two blocking her path and was greeted with Nobu being dead.
With lips trembling, she carefully walked towards the dead body of Nobu, her body shivering. Then she simply fell on her knees beside the body, her hands gathering him up, his head on her chest as she cried. Her shoulders shook as she racked him against her chest. The others could only look away in pain.
Finally unable to control herself, she raised her head as tears continued flowing down. "Nobu!" she cried out his name in grief.
That was the sight that greeted Itaku when he managed to find her after he tried to stall the humans. It was the sight of a grieving woman. Of a snow woman. He shivered at the sudden cold as the wind picked up. He could really sense an immeasurable power from this yuki-onna. Differet from Reira. He looked around as the rubbles were frozen in thin ice.
"Onee-san!" one said reproachfully as Tsurara's grief was taking over her emotions. She continued crying while holding Nobu. No one bothered to stop her though as she grieved. It was probably after an hour when finally, Tsurara set Nobu down and carefully stood up.
"Let's bury him," her face was now devoid of those tears. Instead, the Arawashi brothers were staring at a different persona. Itaku observed her quietly. A vengeful snow woman emerged from the one death of her family. He heard this district was given to her and that she cared for these people as much as she does to the others.
They worked in silence as they chose a sacred spot to bury Nobu. No one bothered to utter a word. Each of them is still lost in his own grief. Finally, when it was over, Tsurara turned to them and spoke. "I will be gone for a month to train and get stronger. I will return and finish this," she declared in an icy tone.
Itaku watched as one of them walked towards her and patted her head. "Don't ever lose yourself though, Tsurara," he advised kindly. "Take care there."
She nodded and started walking away. They wondered why it was another man who came with her this time and not their top boss. "Nobu's last words had something to do with her. To protect her at all cost when it comes to it."
"Let's get stronger, train harder and when those ayakashi will return, we will pay them back."
.
.
.
Rikuo was sitting under the tree, resting there while the others were busy inside with their own thing. His head really hurt. He does not know what is happening right now but he felt like something is wrong with him. First was his apparent disregard for Tsurara since yesterday. He remembered telling her he will protect her this time and yet can not leave his friends. And what more – his night form had been withdrawn. His brief appearance last night was only because of spotting Tsurara wounded along with Neve. But after that, he returned back to his human form.
He stopped mulling when he spotted Itaku and Tsurara stepping inside the gate. But something in the way Tsurara carries herself told her something went wrong. She immediately went inside the house while Itaku approached him when he noticed him there.
"What happened to her?" he asked in worry.
Itaku is not really attached to the yuki-onna but he could not rid his thoughts of her sight a while ago. "One of the members of her family was killed by the same enemies. It would seem they are killing allies randomly," he revealed and crossed his arms. "You haven't seen what I saw earlier." he gave Rikuo a pointed glance. "I always made it a point to keep tabs on you, you know. And I heard she's special. So in that moment when she was grieving, you were supposed to be the one there at her side."
Rikuo rubbed his forehead. "Something is wrong with me, Itaku. My night form is withdrawn. He doesn't appear any longer except last night when she was in trouble."
Itaku shrugged. "You're just confused perhaps.
Rikuo sighed. "I don't know. I really don't. In any case, I trust you keep a good eye on her while she's there."
Itaku stared at him for a moment before he decided to ask a question. "What is she to you?"
"She is my subordinate and friend," Rikuo was not aware that he had given different answers. He was not even aware that it was so different from what he told Kana just a few days back – that he likes her.
Fool.
Surprised, Rikuo jolted. It was his night form talking in his head.
"And what of the human girl?" Itaku continued asking, wanting to verify something.
"I like Kana."
Itaku sighed. "I see. Very well," he turned on his heel when he spotted his friends making their way outside the house already together with two more faces he does not recognize but perhaps they are the yokai from the west. A few moments later, the others stepped outside as well to see them off. Rikuo stood up and approached the others.
Not a few moments later, Tsurara stepped out carrying a small bag with her. She gave each one a single glance. She held Rikuo's gaze longer than the others before she spoke. "We shall take our leave then."
"What happened there?" Nurarihyon asked, noting the change around her.
"They killed one of the Arawashi brothers and I will not forgive them for that. Together with Neve and the rest, we will come back and put an end to this."
"Tsurara," Rikuo finally spoke and to the surprise of everyone else, his night form emerged even in broad daylight. He was looking at her, carefully studying her. And while the day form was acting wierdly, this one was not. He placed his hand on top of her head. "Take care there."
"Hai, Rikuo-sama," her tone was formal. The yokai frowned at this but kept quiet about it.
"Don't lose yourself in anger, Yuki-Onna," Nurarihyon piped in.
Tsurara did not respond to that and only nodded absentmindedly, her eyes falling into Kana who arrived with Wakana and the rest from the kitchen. Her eyes hardened a little bit as she glared which made Kana unconsciously step back in sudden fear. As fast as it came, the glare was gone when she turned to Wakana who was smiling kindly at her and handed her a bag.
"There's food for the whole journey," she said and hugged Tsurara who was unresponsive for a little while. The warmth from Wakana's embrace momentarily threw Tsurara off and she blinked back the tears. "I may not know a lot of things about your businesses but I know one thing right now – a mother's instinct. You're troubled and you don't know how to express all of it. When you return, I will be here to listen."
carefully, Tsurara returned the hug much to Wakana's relief. Then she stepped away, her face masked with indifference once more. This sudden change worried everyone else who were used to her cheerful side. She bowed once and was the first to leave.
Confused, Teidi glanced at Rikuo and then Kana. She noticed the icy glares thrown at the human earlier. What did just happen? She bowed as well and followed. Itaku was the last one who left and he turned to the whole Nura clan.
"What emerged from the death of the Arawashi was a vengeful yuki-onna – I fear she handled that grief differently and thus led to this. She is closely becoming a true yuki-onna – cold, heartless and not merciful. One month. We will train them for one month and that's all we could offer."
When they were already out of sight, Nurarihyon spoke for everyone to hear. "Not only grief but her own troubled heart caused this," he turned to Rikuo who involuntarily changed back to his human form. "While they train, let's investigate this matter at hand. We'll have to find their true hide-out." That being said, Nurarihyon headed to his room.
Kana cannot deny that for a moment when her eyes met that of Tsurara, she was terrified. Something about her made Kana afraid. Was it because of the way she glared? Was it because of what happened at school when she snapped back at her? She felt like it is more connected to that.
"Kana?" Maki called her attention. She remained standing there when everyone else went inside already. She snapped back to attention and stared at Maki who was giving her a questioning look. "Are you alright?"
Kana blinked. "Y-Yes. I was just momentarily taken aback by the sudden coldness from Oikawa-san," she admitted, blinking once more, as if doing that would rid her mind of that glaring look from Tsurara.
"Weren't you listening? One of her family members was killed last night," Maki informed with a frown although inside, she questioned if it has something to do with real family or just some connections.
Kana shook her head. "Uh, I see," were the only words she can come up with.
"Let's get inside," Maki suggested and started making her way there. Kana nodded and shivered at the cold that that trailed Tsurara a while ago when she passed by her. What is Tsurara's ability as a yokai? It was the first time she asked that. She knew Tsurara is a yokai but she never knew her abilities yet.
.
.
.
"Oh by the way, Itaku, have you noticed the few yokai lurking around the house since a while ago?" the yokai who looked like a girl asked.
"Ah. I took care of them. It seems they were there to spy on the Nura household."
"Does that mean they know where we are heading?" Teidi asked.
"Not at all. Like I have said, I took care of the spies. Kamaitachi Itaku. That's my name. I believe I haven't introduced myself yet," he said to her and the rest.
"Teidi. My unconscious friend is Neve, the other guys are Sasha and Kari. They don't speak much."
Itaku nodded and watched the back of Oikawa Tsurara who was quiet the whole time. Teidi followed his gaze and spoke. "She was like that after we attacked her before – cold. Given the proper training, I believe she can get stronger than the average yuki-onna."
"I noticed," he could only agree to that. He stretched. "This will be a long journey ahead but whatever. This might also be a good opportunity for Reira to train her own skills."
"Who is Reira?" Kari finally spoke.
"Our own yuki-onna."
Surprised, Teidi turned to her. "You mean there's one more yuki-onna left aside from Tsurara? Most have already been killed and sacrificed to weaken the ice barrier set by Setsura."
Itaku's companion spoke. "Setsura. Where have I heard that before?" he/she frowned then punched the air. "That's right. Reira talked about her once or twice."
"In the yuki-onna clan, Setsura is one legend for she managed to tap into another level of her power which none was capable of doing. Though I believe I heard it was forbidden since it requires a sacrifice," Itaku commented. Understanding finally dawned on him. "I see, so she is Setsura's daughter."
"And she has the potential to exceed her mother," Teidi said, remembering those glimpses of power Tsurara managed to show in fron of them.
.
.
.
Thanks to the following reviewers: AoiHana9, Lonely Athena, FeuWitch, wildkatz, Mayonaka no Sasayaki, darkdoll25, ELISA, Princess Ren, KoNan03, i'm sweetly insane, Animelover1885.