Master and Yokai
Gahh... I don't know whether to do the 100 tales arc or not... I can work with it but it will definitely take an unusual turn... Or I can pretend that it never happens and continue with randomness... Hmm... Oh you know what, I barely found out after I updated the last chapter that the income for the Nura household is from the land gods and the offerings given to them. Oh well... Kiyotsugu, as new chapters come out, I gain more respect towards you yet at the same time you are such a comedy relief that I can't help but pick on you. By the way, in this chapter it might be a bit jumpy in terms of time, but bear with it please.
Reviews:
FeuWitch: Don't you just love immature Rihan? He's the life of the party! I think he has the right idea about parenting.
Yu-na milan: Best parenting tip for a parent, not so much for the children. Poor Rikuo.
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Chapter 9 Tsurara and Yokai
"WAH!" Tsurara cried out in joy, overflowing with tears that quickly froze to ice droplets as they fell. She jumped and danced, pumping her fists into the air. "I have my own clan now! The Tsukumogami! Even the Arawashi family's supporting me! I wonder how I'll break the news to Rikuo-sama." She paced back and forth in building apart from the Nura clan.
"Tsurara-chan," a voice called from another room in the house. Tsurara stopped for a moment then went into that same room to return the call.
"Yes, mother?" Setsura was resting on her futon, woken from the noise her daughter made. (I have no idea what happened to her in the manga but oh well)
"Judging by that ruckus, something good must have happened."
"Ah.. Yeah. Sorry, did I wake you?" Setsura smiled and moved a few strands of stray hair out of her face and sat up.
"Tell your mother all about it," she gestured her over. So Tsurara hopped over giving, the full and insanely detailed story of her new clan. "Wow, that was long... But good for you." She ran her fingers through Tsurara's hair and got up. "Well shouldn't you head to the main house now? Come on, out you go!" She gently pushed Tsurara outside and closed the door.
"Did I just get kicked out...? I guess she wanted her sleep... BYE MOM!" She yelled and took off with a trail of Tsukumogami after her.
"...Bye..." murmured Setsura from inside. Yep, she got kicked out. Tsurara was barely entering the town after spending a night with her mother in her separate cottage, away from the lively Nura mansion, and then stopped running suddenly. She turned to face her clan members.
"You can't fly around like that with humans around." Oryou looked at her fellow yokai and changed back into inanimate objects, falling to the ground where Tsurara had to catch before they actually hit the ground. She made an ice box that would most likely catch a lot of attention and put the Tsukumogami inside before resuming her run to the Nura mansion. Luckily it was still early so there weren't many humans wondering about or even up. It was New Years Eve. She put the box into her room first then went to prepare for the festivities and planned out how to tell everyone the good news. In the kitchen, Kejoro and Wakana were already up with few other yokais making the preparations. "Morning."
"Good morning," they responded. Food was being prepped for later when they actually start making it. There were loads of sake on the side. They seem to love their sake. There wasn't that much to do at that time of day so they all went to go clean. Rikuo woke up and cleaned up.
"Ah, good morning, Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara greeted cheerfully as ever, beaming beautifully.
"Ah, Tsurara-chan, good morning," Rikuo yawned as he rubbed his eyes.
"If you're still tired, then you should go back to bed."
"It's fine. Besides I have to train; Itaku will be here soon. If I keep him waiting, then he'll have my head..." He began stretching and went to get a bit of food from the kitchen.
"But, it's New Years Eve!" She followed.
"I know, but there isn't that much time before then. I have to get stronger no matter what! If I don't then how can I ever protect those I want to protect?" He headed off to the front to wait for Itaku.
"Rikuo-sama..." Then it hit her. "Wait, why would people from Toono come out here...?" In the manga, Itaku pointed out that Rikuo only went over to Toono the first time and the rest he had to go to the Nura household. He might as well just join the Nura clan but he has too much Toono pride to join. "Oh, Rikuo-sama! I have my own now!" She blurted out with great joy.
"Is that so? Good job." He responded half tired, not looking back.
'That's it...?' Tsurara turned away sadly from her gaze at Rikuo and the gate to return to her cleaning until...
"You lazy brat..." a voice scorned.
"Lazy? I got up this early cause you insisted!" Rikuo argued.
"You make me come all the way here to train you when time isn't helpful if you aren't in yokai form..."
"Then train my human form!"
"I'm supposed to train your yokai self. As human you can't even use your abilities until nightfall! Useless... At least in Toono, you'll be in your yokai form..."
"Get over it, I need to train both because it won't likely be only my yokai self fighting. Battles can go on for long periods of time and not every battle ground is like Kyoto or Toono!" Tsurara just watched the growing unrest between them before deciding to move on and that they'll just fix it themselves. Those two just took their argument into violence in the basement to train. Very soon, fellow "family" members of the Nura clan entered. The higher ups entered one by one with their subordinates. As some of them are not particularly important, they will generally be ignored in the story but are still there in a sense. They're surprisingly early. Considering the distance some of them have to cross, the must have gotten up even earlier as it's barely day break.
"A-ah! Good morning!" She bowed to them. They gave her a brief nod as they bustled in. "You all are here surprisingly early," she commented to Karasu Tengu who wasn't supposed to be back until night time as he and his children were visiting home. He appears somewhat shorter and covered in bandages. 'What happened...?'
"Yes. This is an important day," he merely responded without facing her.
"Still, it's mostly at night time."
"Well, Rihan was the one who asked us to come earlier."
"Rihan-sama...?" If she looks closely at who entered so early, she'd see a common relation. It was only a few yokai too. "Okay..." She went back to her early morning cleaning.
Several hours later...
It was night time and the rest of the clan had came to party. They were awaiting the new year at the stroke of midnight. Preparations before that was insane! All the food had to be cook, constant delivery of sake, and common spills. It was a long while before they could just sit down and enjoy the festivities. It sometimes got ugly when certain yokais get drunk. Rikuo was covered in bandages from his training. He and Karasu Tengu were applied with Zen's medicine, which he couldn't believe he had to make on such a special day, not that he complained about... much... It was a bunch of fun and games as it was mess and ruckus. They were having the time of their lives, loosening up before having to get serious and deal with bigger problems like Nue.
Much earlier that same day...
You all must be dying to know why Rihan called some of them up. Well... Rihan was up early, eagerly waiting for three yokai. When those entered, Rihan stood up to greet them. "Good morning!"
"Morning." They are wondering why so early. Who are these three?
"Well you all expressed some interest in parenting. So I must comply! Take a seat and welcome to Parenting 101!" Oh Rihan, what are we going to do with you... Karasu Tengu, Hihi, and Gyuuki (though he doesn't have any kids of his own blood, he has two that he's the guardian of) all took a seat to taken in a piece of parenting wisdom, using the term very loosely. They have seen Rikuo grown up (he's thirteen so he'll count as grown up in yokai terms), and they'll like to have a bit bestowed on their own. Has it occurred to them that their children are most likely older than Rikuo and are generally well behaved?
With the children,
As they entered the mansion, their children were with them, but they sent them off to go play. The children found it a bit odd and suspicious, but they obeyed and didn't question it. They just sat on the porch idly and quietly waiting. Well, the offspring did. The other two... Well, they went to go pick on Yuki Onna who was working. The Sanba Garasu and Shouei watched, shaking their head disapprovingly.
"Leave me alone!" Tsurara sent ice flying at Gozumaru and Mezumaru. The icicles often were evaded, hitting the house and almost the other four instead. Furious, she picked up her cell phone to make a call. "Hello, Kiyotsugu-kun? You can have a meeting here today. Rikuo will be busy but Gozu and Mezu are dying to have another meeting about yokai!" Their faces were stricken with panic and anger, mostly one of them.
"Really? Yosh! Then we'll be there soon! Thank you Oikawa-san- Wait, why are you at Rikuo's?" The recipient asked.
"Oh, I help out here often. See you soon!"
"Okay! Bye!" She hung up the phone. She would have much rather deal with humans than those two. With Kiyo's group around, it'll keep them on their toes and behavior.
"ARE YOU STUPID! TODAY THERE WILL BE MANY YOKAI HERE!" Gozumaru burst out enraged at her 'stupidity'.
"At least this will shut you up... Relax, they'll be gone before evening." 'I hope...'
"We don't have time to be entertaining humans!"
"Really? It seems to me, you have plenty of time." She flipped her hair to the side. "Well, you better change to your human forms. They'll be here any second." Tsurara evilly chuckled as she went to go finish cleaning and warn everyone else.
"That Yuki Onna..."
"Wah! I don't want to pretend to be a girl!" Mezumaru complained only for Gozumaru to whack him on the head.
"Blame her..." The the other four would be dragged into entertainment too, or at least seen. so they changed to human form.
"So we must take care of Rikuo-sama's friends for the time being...?" Sasami sighed.
"Well, it'll pass time. What else could we do for the next twelve hours?" Kuroumaru pointed out to his sister. "All we have to do is not get caught as yokai."
"Even if we are caught, it would be far better than if we got a punishment from mother..." Tosakamaru dreaded the very thought about his mother punishment with his siblings.
"Hello!" They're already here. They were certainly fast, though only one of them is completely awake and happy. "Thank you for having us!"
"Oh hello. Inside is a bit busy so if you need to use the restroom or so, use the one in that room," Wakana greeted and pointed as she passed by with a basket of laundry. "You kids, have fun." Kids... Some of them are not necessarily kids, but let's go with it... The squad saw the six yokai in their human forms there, somewhat uncomfortable with their presence, not that the humans could really tell. Among the humans are Kiyotsugu (of course), Shima the side kick, Kana the yokai magnet, Maki, and Torii. Yura is back at the old capital, Kyoto, to be with her family for a while.
"Hello," they greeted the six.
"Hello," some of them greeted friendlier than others.
"Where's Oikawa-san?" Shima pondered looking side to side.
"That stupid girl's inside..." Gozu grumbled. Then an ice cube hit Gozu right on the head. Tsurara held a fist towards him glaring with another cube ready to be thrown. Oh hey, her aim's back!
"Who's stupid, stupid...?" She hissed. She showed her darker side, which isn't completely shocking after what she had to deal with. There were about ready to tear each other apart with everyone worrying and a bit panicking. Those two were pushed apart by Shouei before they got a chance to land a hit.
"Enough both of you. You're acting immature. Go cool off," Shouei ordered. Although he is probably younger than them, he's still an imposing figure, tall and strong. Not someone you'd want to tick off.
"Gladly..." Tsurara said, still glaring at Gozumaru who glared back.
Kuroumaru whispered to the once bickering yokais, "If something big were to happen by your fighting, I will report it." Sanba Garasu, the Nura clan's peace keepers, information gatherers, and tattletales.
"..." Both of them merely responded to that warning. Neither of them want to take the problem up with the higher ups.
"Umm, Oikawa-san? Are these more of Rikuo's relatives?" Kiyotsugu asked trying to get onto a better topic.
"Uh, yeah..." It was getting colder so they all relocated to the dojo to talk more about yokai for the next several hours.
Back with the parenting...
"Now what do you think is the number one thing you must do?" Rihan asked his.. erm... "class". It was quiet. After a good amount of silence. "Come on. I need your participation. It's very easy. Go ahead and guess." Still quiet. 'Are they asleep...?'
"Do not boost their confidence, degrade them if necessary." They all turned to Karasu Tengu with a perplexed face.
"Uh... No... Not necessarily... I'll get back to your answer... Any other guess? I'll give you a hint, it's something good."
"Love them?" Hihi finally spoke.
"Yes! If you knew it, then why didn't you say anything?"
"I thought it might have been a trick question..."
"What makes you think that?" It was silent. Rihan can be a very unpredicable person, who knows what his answer could have been. Well probably not an abusive answer like a certain bird's. "Now, yes love is very important. BUT! We should not spoil them. That's where we go to Karasu Tengu's answer, but not to the extend of verbal insult. Point out their mistakes, so they can learn from it and that they don't think they're perfect. If they think they're are perfect, then they may grow up to be snobs. That's a no no." So far, his lesson is pretty reasonable and understandable. Is this really Rihan? "Gyuuki, are you going to say anything? You've been pretty silent."
More silence crossed the room. After perhaps three minutes, Gyuuki finally answered, "I have nothing to say."
"Oh okay.. Well things might be different for you since you don't have any blood related children. The next thing a parent must do is embarrass their children!" Oh dear... "A parent must embarrass or tease at some point. It's our job! Aside from taking care of them anyways. This also goes back to not spoiling. If embarrassed, then they wouldn't be as cocky as they would be if they were only praised. Oh yeah, white lies like 'You're the best' is a no no. That would lead to spoiling, snobby kids. That would be horrible.. However, I wouldn't say we should go to such an extent as you did, Karasu Tengu. You should try giving your children some more love." The three just sat there, taking all the info in. Whether they apply it to their parenting is up to them. Outside that room in the hallway, Rikuo groaned.
"Someone just kill me now..."
"I'll be happy to comply," Itaku assured. They were going to get some water when they over heard the lesson.
"Okay, that's all for today. Well, more like that's all in general... But if you want more advice or help, I'll be more than happy to!" Rihan waved bye to them, despite the fact they'll see each other again at night or just at a later time. Karasu Tengu and Hihi thought hard about the advice where as Gyuuki didn't really do anything about it, only keeping it in mind. The latter just took a seat in another room, quietly sitting with Nurarihyon who was reminiscing.
"What do you think about it, Hihi?" Karasu Tengu asked as they were walking the open hallway to nowhere in particular. Probably just looking for their offsprings. The mothers would probably not be very happy if they somehow lost the kids, especially Nuregarasu.
"Hmm, I'm not too sure... Should I tease him?" The much larger yokai questioned.
"Well, Rihan-sama suggested it... How would I express more love?"
"Well, for starters, lessen the verbal abuse. Replace those abuse with praise?"
"Alright, I'll give it a try."
"How should I tease?"
"I'm not sure about that. I do not know him too well." Are they really going to do it? They seem serious. Then we must see the reactions! They, for some reason, felt compelled to go to the dojo. The door was closed, but as they approach, they could hear the humans and yokai including their children talking. Before entering, they took human form. The door slid open; the ones inside turned to the direction of the door. They saw one that they did not recognize, mostly because he never took on a human form. So it took a while to realize who he was, though the three birds quickly noticed after a moment of confusion. Just picture Kuroumaru with some features of the other two. As for the other guy, pretty much the same?
"F-father," the children called to their respective parents a bit shocked that they're there. The kids were pretty much playing games and talking about yokai which was surprisingly very fun and entertaining.
"Hi hi!" Hihi smiled, not that anyone can tell with that mask on. He patted Shouei on the head repeatedly for a while, which did embarrass him a little.
"Hello, people and my wonderful children," Karasu Tengu managed to say.
"Eh? EH!" The Sanba Garasu were extremely shocked. They huddled together at the side of the room to talk in secret, despite others still capable of hearing the conversation.
"No baka?" Tosakamaru asked.
"Did he say wonderful?" Sasami couldn't believe her ears.
"Is this a dream?" Kuroumaru thought they were imagining things. Karasu Tengu fought the urge to insult.
"Maybe he's just trying to be nice."
"If it's some sort of trick, then we could just tell mom."
"I can hear you..." Karasu Tengu finally said, twitching uncontrollably. He probably can't say anything else nice. In fact he might have to relieve himself with insults. "You three, outside now..." Following orders, the four went outside and a good distance away. There was a blast of distant shoutings, one of them being 'baka sons' (so it's only directed towards two of them?). Apparently, it wasn't far enough. Well, he didn't last long...
After they stopped staring out the door in the direction of the shouts, they looked back at the newcomer. That mask is really distracting. "What's with that mask?" Shima accidently blurted, quickly slapping his hand over his mouth when he realized what he said.
"Hmm? Oh, is it weird?"
"... Yes..." They all admit it except Shouei who probably seen it all his life so it looks normal. Starting to wonder if he ever even seen his father's face (probably).
"Is that so?" He took it off, revealing a rather feminine face, to take a look at it. They can now kind of see the resemblance between the two. "Doesn't look weird to me."
"Now I see the resemblance, faintly," Maki commented.
"Eh? Faintly? I was told no resemblance." Hihi looked at his son for a good amount of time, making the latter a bit uncomfortable. "I feel a little bit better. Yeah, he looks a lot more like his mother. Even got his mother's hands." That caused Shouei to examine his hands. So he has girl hands, a bit odd. He and Rikuo both got a lot from their mothers.
"Father... Don't tell me the reason why Rihan call you over was for that...?" Shouei dreaded. He figured it out. Hihi only teased him more before they eventually got back to having fun until the humans had to leave around five.
...
Yeah, it's bit scattered. I was going to talk about Tsurara's clan and the other thing but I didn't feel like recapping the manga like that. I hope this is okay despite how odd it is. Ah, family unity inspired by Rihan. Poor, Karasu Tengu, he tried to be more loving but his little birds took it the wrong way. Okay for the next chapter I may do the 100 tales arc but I'm still not sure, please help decide.
Oh, updates will definitely vary with all the things I have to do, other prioties. I actually chose to update this rather than finish my art that I will do now before the I type up the next chapter, though that will be for my KH fic.
R&R Please!