You Illuminate My Path

(Y/n)'s P.O.V

By the time we arrive at the shrine it's already noon. Even though we left early— extremely early— we somehow got held up by air traffic that was caused by confused seagulls and loads of pigeons. You would think that the birds just flew off to the side or we would just zigzag between the birds, but they didn't budge...so it took a while!

"Stupid birds..." I grumble, hopping off the carriage I've been in for far too long. Being locked up in a flying carriage for seven hours straight isn't necessarily a walk in the park. I fix my attire, smoothing out the wrinkles on my skirt. "Speaking of stupid birds," Tomoe says, his voice slightly intimidating. He nods towards the entrance where Kurama is seen, curled up into a ball, using his wings as a blanket. He's sleeping soundly. Honestly, it looks kinda cute.

"C'mon Tomoe, be nicer towards him him, will you!" Nanami scolds. She walks up to the celebrity and shakes his shoulder, and after not receiving a response, proceeds to poke his face. The moment his eyes open, he jumps to his feet, scaring Nanami a little. "Oh, you're back," he casually says, as if he didn't just wake up.
.
.
.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT YOU STINKING CROW?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WHAT DO I MEAN? I'M STATING SOMETHING, GEEZ!"

"What are you doing here?" Tomoe asks, clearly annoyed. Kurama crosses his arms over his chest.
"In case your small brain hasn't processed the situation yet, fox, I've been waiting for you three to come back-"
"Come on, Nanami. Go wash your hands, you'll never know where the crow has been," Tomoe says with a smile, ushering Nanami inside while casually passing Kurama as if he's nothing but air. "What the?!"
I laugh, trying my best to keep it under control. "You can come inside," I say, walking through the door.

Once we step inside, I offer Kurama a seat and something to drink while Nanami excessively apologizes for Tomoe's outburst.
"Whatever." Kurama shrugs. I put down a glass of water in front of him. "You said you were waiting for us, right?" The tengu nods.
"Not here to steal any of my mistresses, are you?" Tomoe bitterly says from the kitchen. "Shut up! I'm here to...ugh...to invite you to my home," Kurama says, awkwardly fiddling with the glass. Tomoe gives the celebrity a look, as if he stuck his hand out and slapped him right in the face. "What are you on about?" Tomoe demands to know. He sets down the knife on the old wooden cutting board.

Kurama sighs heavily, leaving all traces of any emotion when he says, "A kid from my home managed to find me. He said that something is wrong with the master and I need to go back, but...I don't think I can go alone." He eyes the room, desperately waiting for someone to smile and just go with it, but I'm just as shocked as everyone else.
"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?" Nanami manages to ask.
The tengu right in front of me sulks.
"I don't...I come from a mountain that houses many other tengus. I left as soon as I could and made a career out of singing while leaving my past behind me. That is until that kid managed to find me," he explains. "Ha! You can forget all about it, crow," Tomoe says after a while. "It's not our problem."
Kurama just sits there, not willing to put up a fight. I approach him carefully, afraid that he might break by any sudden movements or speech.
"We would like to help you."
Nanami nods while Tomoe looks like someone just kicked him.
"(Y/n), you are not-"
"You're not the boss of me, Tomoe. I wanna help," I cut him off. Earning a glare from my Familiar, I sigh.
"Look, I know you two don't get along, but Kurama and I do. So just stop being cold and mean and just help."
Tomoe stays silent, but I take it as an 'okay'. Nanami looks at us thoughtfully. Her mind is somewhere else.

"When do we leave?" she asks.
"Tomorrow."
"What about school?"
The tengu sighs.
"Fine. The day after."

A little later Kurama goes home, or flies home, rather. Tomoe doesn't say a word for the rest of the evening until he says good night. Nanami and I know that he doesn't like the idea of us helping one of his enemies, but we don't care. I pack my bag and crawl into my futon, shutting my eyes and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

"We're late!"

Smash

"OUCH! WHO PUT THAT VASE THERE?"

Thud

"Careful!"

My eyes flutter open to the sound of people yelling and stuff breaking.
I sit up and look around the empty room.
"Crap, I'm late!"
Hurrying to get out of my futon is not a option. The covers are embracing me to the point where I look like a caterpillar in its cocoon.

Bam

"Nanami, do yourself a favor and sit down! You're knocking everything over!"

Thud

"I have no idea of what you're talking abou- OUCH!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

I grit my teeth. Is it possible for them to be any louder?

"DON'T HURT IT TOMOE!"

Alright, that's it.

"CAN YOU GUYS SHUT THE HELL UP!?" I yell at the top of my lungs.

What is going on in there?
I manage to wiggle out of the thick covers and get changed into my school uniform. Not bothering to brush my hair, I run into the living room.
"What is going on with you guys- is that a snake?" I point at the green eyed snake in Tomoe's grasp. It looks like it's chocking. "Tomoe let go of it!" I say. There are many things in this shrine, but a dead snake is not one of them. The pearly white reptile wiggles around, trying to find an escape.
The snake is beautiful. I didn't know that snakes like this one even existed.
"Tomoe, stop!" Nanami yells, pushing Tomoe so he steps off to the side. He sighs, turns sideways, lifts his arm, and gestures to drop the snake, but flicks his wrist, eventually tossing the snake to the other side of the room.

Thud

"There."
"I SAID LET GO, NOT THROW IT!"
Nanami and I yell in unison. Tomoe's ear twitches, making a hand fly up to it.
"Can you two stop yelling you're hurting my ears!" he growls. Looking to where the snake had landed, I sigh. "Poor thing."
I walk up to it and let it wrap around my arm. It's scales are silky smooth and it's large emerald eyes look like...well, emeralds. Opening a nearby window, I stretch out my arm and let the reptile slither to the ground. "It's just a snake, Tomoe. What's the big deal?" Nanami sighs, putting her hands on her hips. But Tomoe isn't listening. He's staring at me so intensely that it makes me feel awkward— his eyes wide. I fiddle with the hem of my skirt. "What is it?"
Tomoe points to my arm. Questioningly, I raise it and spot something.

A weird mark has appeared on my wrist.

I feel like this story is getting quite long...
Oh well :3