Chapter 8 : Final Part

"I have found him, Natsume-Dono!''

The one who said this was the Dew God who was standing at the window of Natsume-Dono's room.

Natsume and Nyanko-Sensei quickly ran down the stairs and went with the Dew God, after this Ayakashi, they could not lose him, otherwise they might never find him again.

Running at a reasonable speed, Natsume could easily run faster than the fastest man on "Earth" without making the slightest effort.

Beside him was Nyanko-Sensei, who incredibly was managing to keep up with him despite his 'Size' and 'Stature', he was a talented Tanuki... and a fat Tanuki at that, it was strange.

"Are you sure?" said Natsume.

"Yes, he was fine on that mountain.'' Answered The Dew God who was on Natsume's shoulder because of his size, "I called him, but he ran away. Maybe he didn't go that far.

Going further into that place, suddenly Natsume stopped and Nyanko-Sensei beside him then said ''Beware!''

"There is something bad approaching." { Nyanko-Sensei. }

Needless to say, Natsume could sense this bad feeling from afar.

The surrounding Wind began to whisper and raise its intensity.

Just as the Wind began to increase, it also suddenly began to decrease and along with it came a Youkai who then said, "I have come."

He was bald with his skin looking like a tree bark, his two eyes were two empty black holes, his clothes consisted of a large black kimono that covered his entire body.

''I came ... I came ... I have come ...'' Ayakashi kept repeating the same words like a broken record machine.

. . .

'' ... You came?'' said Natsume, wasn't Ayakashi supposed to attack him like in the anime, or was there something else?

''Reiko ... My name ... ... Give it back.'' Ayakashi said.

For an instant, Natsume's eyes widened, which easily went unnoticed by Nyanko-sensei and Dew God, who were paying attention to the dangerous Ayakashi in front of them.

'Is my presence here already changing things? ... I did something that could drastically change the plot that ... 'No, besides killing that Ayakashi days ago I have done nothing but raise my level, raise my skills and spend my days with Nyx and sensei around.' Natsume started to think, but everything he did shouldn't change the plot that much for the Youkai who 'should' attack him to suddenly become so 'meek' like that.

'...Or could that be some variable? If that really is a variable, then nothing prevents other things from happening in the future.' { Natsume }

. .

Natsume's thoughts so fleeting that only a few moments passed, not wanting Youkai to be able to run away, he then said, "My grandmother ... Reiko, passed away some time ago, You ... what is your name?''

"Reiko passed away? ... I see, please give me back my name, I am Susugi'' said Susugi, the Youkai now with his name known.

Picking up the Book of Friends, Natsume took the two leaves he had torn off earlier and put them in his mouth, ''Susugi, Tsuyukami, I return your names!'' And at the end, he clapped his hands while sighing.

Causing the names to return to their original owners.

. .

Flashback > Susugi.

.

It was dark ... the environment was all dark where he could only see what was in front of him, as Susugi repeated the same words ...

''I came for food ... ''

The scenery behind him changed, he was now standing in front of a river with several people walking past him but ignoring him, This was repeated many, many times ...

"I came ...

Once ...

"I came...

Twice ...

"I came...

And three times...

"I... ''

The fourth time, when everything was getting darker, a nice, soft voice of a young girl entered his ears ...

"Hey, how about fighting me?''

That voice belonged to Reiko, Natsume's grandmother.

Again, the setting was changed, this time they were in a forest while he listened to Reiko in the background.

"If you defeat me, I will give you food, or you can devour me."

Reiko's voice stopped for a moment, Natsume could hear the wind softly as it whipped against Reiko's hair lifting it, then she continued:

"I am Reiko. What is your name?''

End of Flashback.

Watching Susugi's memories, Natsume didn't know what to think about Reiko, sometimes she knew she was so clumsy as to forget about the Ayakashi while managing to completely change their lives.

But he was pulled out of his thoughts into another Flashback:

This time he was in the shrine of the Dew God, in the background he could hear Reiko's voice:

"Can you hear me ... Tsuyukami?'' { Reiko }

"I am, Reiko." { Tsuyukami. }

"They won't bring offers forever. You didn't even get a peach today.'' Reiko. }

"Ah, you're right." {Tsuyukami. }

Crouching down, Tsuyukami began to look at his own temple, more specifically, the one peach that was given to him as an offering.

"People are cruel and only care about themselves. You must find a better home while you have power.'' { Reiko. }

Tsuyukami took that peach in his hand and looked at it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

''Thank you, Reiko. But once you are loved, ... that's how you love, you can't forget. {Tsuyukami. }

"Love? Nonsense. The few who are not afraid of me are the Youkais, the humans ... They're afraid of me because I'm different from them, I doubt that in my lifetime I'll have a "Love" like you said.'' { Reiko. }

Although he was not a great expert on emotions, Natsume could clearly hear Reiko's voice trembling and full of sadness.

''Life is of you humans is beautiful but so fragile at the same time, don't give up without trying first, no matter what happens. In the future, maybe a man will also love you so much that he would give you the world to see you happy.'' { Tsuyukami. }

'' ... Maybe, maybe you are right, but I would have to find someone like that by then.'' { Reiko. }

End Of Flashback.

End***