I Love Your Past! (Tomoe x Nanami x Akura-ou)

Chapter 30: Something in return

It was to no use. Even after a whole day of trying in the town, Nanami had no luck in finding either the younger or the older Akura-ou. Suddenly, an idea popped in her head. 'Oh Gods, how did I not think of this earlier?' She mentally facepalmed at her stupidity. 'I should go and search around the red light district. And even if they aren't there, it's worth a try!' As she set herself to at leads give it a try, the little land god went back to the shrine and asked the shrine spirits to accompany her, which they gladly accepted. Walking the streets of the red lights district Nanami noted that there were distinctly less demons that the last time and the only time she went there. It was then that she formed the familiar contract with Tomoe and even if she thought back then that Nanami wouldn't have to come here anymore for the rest of her life, she was obviously wrong about that one.

"Nanami-sama, over there!!"

Kotetsu and Onikiri shouted in union, pointing their little fingers towards a building that had a few death bodies in front of it, signalizing that someone powerful was inside there. And who could be more powerful than the demon Nanami was currently looking for?

"Hello?"

The girl shouted nervously, slowly entering the building. She didn't want anything to happen to her just because she entered this building without permission, but she didn't have another possibility since there was no one around, as it seemed. Walking down the main hall and passing a few rooms that she checked inside for not finding anything or anyone in them, A sliding dor af a near-by room swiftly opened, revealing a shocked and scared looking Tanuki girl. She sharted running but before she got anywhere far off, a sharp katana slid through her neck, making the poor Yokai girl die in an instant. 'W-what...' Nanami's eyes widened, seeing the scenery in front of her. Someone was just killed and she was there, standing and doing nothing to help.

"Ho, ho, ho. If it isn't the little missy!"

A cheerful voice sing-sang. A tall figure of the younger of Akura-ous came out of the room, walking closer to the human.

"Why did you do that?!"

Nanami demanded, clenching her fists tightly while tears were threatening to spill down her face.

"Why? Well... Because it's fun!"

Akura-ou cheered, making it harder for Nanami to hold her feeling, but somehow, she remained with a cool visage and little by little she managed to really calm down again. Coming outside the building and walking next to the strongest Yokai alive was quite strange. Especially here, in the red light district. Everyone was running off, hiding and looking at the girl as if they saw a ghost, which was funny because demons were worse beings than ghosts, at least that's what the little god thought. While wending home to the shrine, Nanami told the demon of their current situation.

"Alright, i'll help."

He said after a bit of thinking about it. Nanami jumped up all happy and excited. Never did she imagine he would actually lend a hand and support her in the time she needed it, cus well... both Tomoes weren't in the greatest condition.

"...But you will have to do something for me."

Akura-ou smirked and watched the girls reaction. Nanami looked up at him, tilting her head to the side slightly and expecting what he would like to say next.

...

"Tomoe-dono!"

Kotetsu shouted, already back in the shrine. Running around and looking in every room, the shrine spirits finally found the demon familiar, sitting on the porch and looking at the sky, probably in deep thought. They didn't want to disturb him, but they had to, so they could inform him and his brother from the other era coming back.

"Tomoe-dono! Are you even listening?"

Onikiri pouted slightly, after trying to explain everything that happend, but Tomoe seemingly wasn't listening to a single word. His younger version, on the other hand, came rushing and nearly fell from the porch as he was in such hurry to get there, he nearly couldn't stop his speed in time not to fall, yet he somehow managed.

"What did you say? Brother's coming back?"

Smile spread on his lips, and his eyes sparkled. 'Must have missed him, Idiot.' His older self watched him, remembering the times he would spend all of his time together with his older brother, being happy and careless about anything and everything he was doing. Not giving a damn about wiping out a village or getting into a fight with the Dragon king.