[Natsume Yuujinchou] Trouble Arrives
Title: Trouble Arrives
Fandom: Natsume Yuujinchou
Characters: Hiiragi, Matoba, Kitamoto, Natsume Takashi, Tanuma, Natori, Nyanko-sensei
Rating: PG
Words: (+/-) 3047
Summary: A curious Matoba makes an appearance and Natori actually teaches Tanuma something.
Part 1 . Part 2 . Part 3 . Part 4 . Part 5 . Part 6 . Part 7 . Part 8 . Part 9
Hiiragi had been tasked with watching over the school and keeping inquisitive humans away from the otherworldly tree. It was a boring job, for very few humans wanted to go anywhere near the thing. There was one, however. A young man with messy dark hair and bright blue eyes. His lips were constantly pressed into a thin line when he approached and there was a sort of uncomplicated air about him. It was the polar opposite to the other boy, Tanuma, whose soul was naturally a storm that built and built until it ravaged anything standing in its way.
As the human grew closer to the tree, Hiiragi would attempt to chase him off with paltry tricks. Footsteps sneaking up on him, leaves rustling in the other nearby trees, twisting the shadows into fearful monsters - not once did the boy turn to see what was behind or beside him. He faced forward and inspected the tree like a puzzle, one he was itching to solve. Then, without Hiiragi having to do anything but wait, the boy would leave and meet up with another boy - a brash contrast to his friend, and who seemed to stay as far from the tree as he could.
She had been guarding the place for three days and the routine had yet to change. It didn't deviate until a stranger to the boy said, "Excuse me, may I ask you something?" Except the person wasn't a stranger to Hiiragi, and she promptly drew her sword and stood in front of the boy. The man, with his long dark hair that hid the right side of his face, spared her an amused curl of the lips before ignoring her completely.
The boy rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I guess. Is it about this tree?" He jerked his thumb at the willow he had turned his back on, ready to leave for the day. A ways off, the other boy - the impatient one - was kicking a black and white ball around, missing this exchange in its entirety. How fickle humans were, to only pay attention when something concerned them.
"You are correct," the man said. "You see, I am interested in the unknown and there are many rumors about this town. Tell me, is it true that Natsume Takashi is dead?"
Hiiragi stepped closer to the man, her sword threatening close, as the boy scowled and demanded, "What does that have to do with you?" His knuckles had turned white from where he gripped his school bag, Hiiragi noticed out of the corner of her eye. Bringing up Natsume wasn't a good idea with someone who had known the boy and didn't know what was going on; she would make sure this man understood that.
"Leave," insisted Hiiragi, "or I will not be held accountable for my actions." She knew what a threat like that would accomplish, and it was disgraceful - but if it was to keep Natori happy ...
"I won't be leaving until you answer the question." Twirling the closed umbrella he carried, he pointed it at the boy - and by extension, Hiiragi. "Now is there a problem? Perhaps a reason you don't want to say anything?"
"He was my friend, you -" The boy had to catch himself before he said something without respect. "Listen, Natsume has nothing to do with any of this. He's been missing for nearly three months, but he isn't dead. And he isn't haunting this tree."
"You seem so sure of yourself," mused the man, "maybe you have seen what truly haunts this tree?" He stared directly at Hiiragi, a victorious gleam hidden in his gaze. "Well then, I think the real mystery here is: where is Natsume Takashi?"
Dropping her stance, Hiiragi resheathed her sword and scowled behind her mask. "Natsume is none of your concern."
"Forgive my late introduction," the man spoke over her purposely, bowing to the boy. "My name is Matoba Seiji, and I would like nothing more than to help you find your friend."
--
"Kitamoto Atsushi," replied the young man. He didn't return the bow. "You seriously think you can find Natsume when even the police and his family couldn't?"
"I know I can," Matoba boasted, "because I know where to look." The serious face of the young man contorted into something bewildered, as if remembering a distant memory that didn't make much sense until he remembered it now.
"Huh, someone said something similar a few days ago." Kitamoto didn't say who, but Matoba had that one figured out. After all, contracted youkai didn't wander frivolously. They stayed close, meant to serve their master at a moment's notice, and that meant his friend was also in town. He would have to drop by for a visit.
Though first he needed information. "Why do the rumors presume your friend dead, may I ask?" It was one of the casual details that had been omitted through countless retellings.
"He was sick," said Kitamoto through clenched teeth. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go now."
"You do not wish to see your friend again? Is it really all right to leave him alone?" He knew he had the boy at once. The crushing weight of the word 'alone' seemed to be the best choice after all. And thankfully, Natori's little spy had gone off to alert its master and couldn't interfere. "I apologize, then. I have meddled where I should not." Turning on his heel, umbrella propped up on his shoulder, he took one step and -
"Wait!"
With his back to the boy, Matoba's let slip a triumphant smile.
--
Madara was appalled when he learned of what Natsume had done this time. It was an utter insult for an ayakashi to rely on the power of a human in that way, even more so if that human was an exorcist. Sharing of power was meant to happen between ayakashi when they deemed the other being worthy of being their life partner. It was a commitment, one that wasn't taken lightly. And then humans had to come along, muck around in waters they shouldn't tread, and take for granted something that actually mattered to him. It was offensive.
As soon as he was within reach of the boy, he had lashed out at the beads, smashing at least two with his true form's power. The purifying light was strong enough to eradicate false bonds, if not an illness, and the chipped pieces fell to the carpet as both Natori and Natsume sat in jaw-dropping awe. His form was pretty majestic when furious.
"Sensei!" Natsume had the nerve to look hurt as he stared at the remaining eight beads. He probably hadn't been told the meaning behind any of it. Madara allowed his temper to simmer and returned to his lucky-cat form, jumping up into Natsume's lap and hissing at the exorcist beside the boy. "What's wrong now?"
"This one is mine, foolish man," Madara directed his words to Natori, dismissing Natsume's concern. "Do not touch him again." A hard punch to the head made him exclaim, "It hurts!" But it also brought him out of his blinding rage. "Stupid Natsume. Do you ever stop to look before you leap?"
"Now, now," Natori tried to soothe, reaching out to pet the not-cat on the head - mocking him no doubt. Madara reacted by biting the hand before it could so much as lay a finger on his noble fur. He dug his teeth in deep and drew blood before he let go, spitting the taste out of his mouth. "Ah ..." Natori didn't seem surprised, merely contemplated his hand and let the blood trickle down his wrist. The youkai beneath the man's skin fled from the sight and coiled half around the man's neck instead. Creepy, Madara thought, licking his fur to get rid of the foul scent that permeated the room.
Natsume put him on the floor like a common household pet and rushed off in a hurry. Alone, Madara glared at the still morbidly fascinated Natori and growled out, "Explain."
"I'm injured," pouted Natori, "can't this wait?"
"Sure. I can wait. How long do you think it'll take for you to digest in my stomach? Because that's as long you get."
Finally staunching the blood, Natori got up and moved over to his desk, where he picked up a letter and flashed it in Madara's direction. "This. I've received word that the Matoba clan is making its move. And I think you understand what that means, my fine furry friend. A temporary contract with me is the last of Natsume's worries."
"You'll be the last of mine if I find out you're lying," Madara promised, just as Natsume returned with a first aid kit.
--
Tanuma arrived to a scene of mayhem. He had knocked for a good five minutes - but when no one answered, he had simply opened the door and let himself in. A mistake, because an ugly cat came barrelling at his face a split second later, an angry Natsume not too far behind. After removing the cat and handing it off to his friend, he glanced around the room to find the owner of the apartment, who was resting on the couch with a bandaged hand over his face.
"What happened here?" he asked, toeing off his shoes and stepping into the sitting room. "Is Natori-san okay?"
Natsume shook his head. "Sensei attacked him, and now he won't sit still and let me lecture him properly."
"Who would!" the cat cried out. "You humans are always sticking your noses in places they don't belong. It's not my fault you're all idiots."
"Huh," Tanuma couldn't think of anything else to say. With a shake of his head, he fished out a book from his schoolbag and approached Natori, holding it out expectantly. "Here, this is where I found ... you know." He glanced at Natsume apologetically, but his friend was no longer paying attention, too busy trying to get Ponta to calm down.
Natori snatched the book away and flipped through it, a frown down-turning his lips. "And you didn't think it at all suspicious?"
"Of course I found it suspicious, but what else was I going to do? He was about to ..." The dark-haired boy stopped short and sighed. "Look, if we're going to help each other, we need to stop this."
"I have no idea what you are referring to by that." Natori snapped the book shut and settled it across his knees. "We have been nothing but amendable since our newest addition to these lessons."
"And you don't think that's a problem? That we can't stand each other until ..." Again, he looked to Natsume who was being ambushed by sharp claws. It didn't seem that either of them was winning. "I don't think we should be working together if that's all we have in common. When it comes down to it, don't you think we're putting Natsume at risk this way? If we can't cooperate we're going to get someone hurt, and I'd rather that not be him."
Natori steepled his fingers over the book and rested his chin on top, a flicker of smile shining through. "You are awfully mature, but still naive. I think, Tanuma-kun, that might be our problem."
Warily, Tanuma asked, "What do you mean?"
Before Natori could reply, a strange chill had entered the room. Tanuma tensed, ready for something to attack from nowhere, and then spun to face Natsume, afraid his friend might have disappeared. He breathed a little easier when he noticed the other boy was still arguing with his cat. The relief was short lived, for the next moment Natori had stood up and gripped him by the shoulder, leaning down to whisper, "Trouble has arrived." And he knew, from a foggy recollection about a man named Matoba, things had just gotten a lot more complicated.
"... You have a plan, I'm guessing?" He had tried not to make it sound like a question, but he had failed. Miserably. He needed assurance that this untrustworthy teacher could in fact be relied on when it counted. He wanted to get along with this man, if only for Natsume's sake, except it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be in theory.
A quick pat to his shoulder and then Natori let go, mumbling something along the lines of, "I always have a plan." The actor stepped around him and moved toward the kitchen after a fleeting glance in Natsume's direction. "Come on, we need to talk."
--
Natori was a complete mess within the safe confines of his mind. He would have started laughing, a touch hysteric, but he was positive Tanuma would have used that opportunity to have him committed. And he really didn't feel like listening to his manager rage about another scandal. Like that time at the hot springs. He had gone through a great deal to explain there was a misunderstanding and he had been with a young man. Any and all photos taken had been inadmissible and slander and he made sure the reporter behind the whole ordeal was fired.
If only it was that easy to make Matoba disappear.
After the door was shut behind him, he leaned back against it and crossed his arms, tilting his head up as he considered how best to approach the situation. He could go straight for the ayakashi at the school and exorcise it with some assistance. Tanuma wasn't there yet, but Taki was promising ...
Or better yet, he could use the ayakashi to his advantage and keep Matoba busy. It would allow for more time. However, it was a dangerous gamble. If Matoba figured out what game they were playing, he would adjust the rules. Then Natori would be the one struggling to figure things out. An unpleasant thought, but Natori was good at improvising.
Dropping his gaze from the ceiling, Natori leveled an appraising stare at the young man in front of him. Tanuma stared back, patiently waiting. Or not so patiently, if the nervous shifting was any indication. "How good are you at games, Tanuma-kun?"
The boy rubbed at the back of his neck. "Pretty good I guess. Why?"
"Excellent." Natori pushed off from the door and started toward the cupboards. "What concerns me is your strategy. I admit, you are a lucky young man, but what happens when you are under stress?" He had seen firsthand what Tanuma was capable of - the boy was resourceful and good in a pinch, but there was a major flaw. "Are you perhaps the type that relies on other people?"
"What?" An undertone was hidden there that Natori didn't know how to place. It wasn't anger, for once, but it wasn't disbelief either. Maybe he was willing to fix the problem? Oh, this was going to go a lot smoother if that was the case.
"Yes. I noticed it a while back when you were working alongside the lovely Taki-chan." Rummaging further into the cupboard, he finally found what he was searching for and let out a happy, "Aha!" He opened the box he had stumbled upon and took out the ear pieces inside. They were mini-phones from a spy movie he had worked on a few months ago. The prototypes used for the stage props. He had somehow talked the prop coordinator into parting with them. Well, money had done most of the talking, but he had contributed a few sweet words. "Wear this." He tossed one at Tanuma and placed the other one in his own ear. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to have a little chat with our ayakashi friend. By yourself. On your own merits."
Tanuma had fumbled to pick his up from the floor and now stood there with his mouth hanging open in a most unattractive way. "You can't be serious."
"You're right," mused Natori. "What is a stronger word for serious?"
The young man closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tell me you aren't anything even resembling serious. How am I going to speak with something that I can't see?"
"You do the world an injustice with that, but you should know that won't be a problem this time. So no, I won't be accepting that excuse." Natori tapped the piece against his ear and adjusted the volume while Tanuma's piece gave a startling screech and hit the floor once more. "Best be careful with that, Tanuma-kun. I wouldn't want you to destroy our only line of communication."
"This has to be your idea of a joke," Tanuma insisted, bending down to retrieve the ear piece again. He located the little spin dial for volume and hastily turned it down. "Why do I have to be the one ...?" He trailed off and bit his lip in thought. "Does this have anything to do with what you talked about before? About this being my fault?"
Natori simply shrugged. It would be remiss of him to confirm or deny those worries when he wanted the boy to start focusing on his own actions. It wasn't a problem of Tanuma making the wrong decisions - that was debatable and Natori didn't have time to entertain such thoughts. This had more to do with Tanuma second guessing himself. Constantly. If he could get the
young man to believe in himself, to trust he was making the right choices, the kid would go far. He certainly had the determination, but there was a lack of courage - the brazen, headstrong kind he saw in Natsume - and that was the root of the problem. "Think about it. You have time. Lots of it. Well, almost. You have until you get to the school. Shall I show you out?"
Struggling to get the ear piece to fit comfortably, Tanuma pretended to ignore him. It was cute how he tried, but also frustrating. He wanted this lesson to work where the others had failed. A lengthy pause put him on edge, but at last Tanuma spoke. "You have ten seconds to explain how this weird thing works before I give up and toss it out the window."