Review Thanks:

AnnReading: Thank you very much! I'm sorry if you had to go through anything like I did.

Tsukiko K: Thank you :)

Yana5: It is and thank you for the review!

yokishko: Yes, Kyo is the jealous type ;)

Altros: You'll just have to wait and see!

About Natsume's name: yokishko brings up a good point and I have been meaning to explain this for a while (I just always forget). The reason that Kyo still calls Natsume by his last name is because, well, everyone does. Even the anime's title calls him by his last name. The only people that call him Takashi are the Fujiwaras. It just feels weird to call him by his first name. As for Kyo's name. Same reason basically. So I hope that it doesn't bother anyone to much.

AN: Look another chapter! After this chapter things should pick up and the end of the story is in sight! I hope you all continue reading. Please leave a review ;)

Chapter 57

Natsume's pulled out his phone to call Natori wondering what exactly to tell the man. In truth, he didn't want to call him as he didn't want to involve the him in something so dangerous, but he knew that he couldn't do this alone either. He then looked around the room at Kyo's family. All of them were looking at him anxiously. He knew that he didn't have a choice, especially if he wanted to break the curse. He quickly hit the speed dial for Natori's number and had to wait several rings for the man to answer.

"Hello," Natori said sounding weary.

"Natori, its Natsume. I need your help again," Natsume said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Natori asked sounding slightly more alert.

"It has to do with Kyo's family. It's probably best if I explain it all in person," Natsume told him hoping the man didn't ask too many questions as he didn't want to explain what was going on over the phone.

"Alright, where are you?" Natori asked.

"With Kyo's family." Natsume then gave him the address of the place he was at.

"I'll be there soon. I was already on my way to that area anyway. Yokai have been fleeing that city in large numbers and I was coming to see why," Natori said. "I'll see you soon Natsume." The man then ended the phone call so Natsume put his phone away.

"Is he coming?" Kyo asked. Natsume nodded and Kyo let out a relieved sigh.

"Do you mind if I ask how this Natori can help us?" Hatori asked curiously.

"He's an exorcist and like Natsume he can see yokai," Kyo explained.

"And how does he know about our family?" Shigure asked.

"He actually found out by himself, with no help from us," Kyo said. Natsume noticed the uneasy looks the family shared.

"Don't worry, you can trust him," Natsume said hoping to quell some of their fears.

"I guess all we can do now is wait," Haru said with a sigh. "I might as well make us something to eat."

The meal was eaten in silence and there was an uncomfortable tension in the air. Natsume could imagine what the family was going through. They were so close to what they always wanted that the hope they felt was almost tangible. There was a time when he too would have given everything to give up his ability to see yokai. Now though, now he wasn't sure. If it wasn't for his ability, he wouldn't be able to help Kyo. Then there was the Book of Friends to consider. He was taken out of his musings when there was a knock at the door. Everyone in the room stopped eating and looked at the door anxiously.

"I'll get," Natsume said as he got up from the table. He opened the door to, not surprisingly, see Natori standing there. The man opened his mouth like he was going to speak then shook his head giving Natsume a rueful smile in the process.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time Natsume?" Natori asked.

"It's a long story," Natsume said as he opened the door wider so the man could come in noticing for the first time that he was alone. "Where's Hiragi?" Once again Natori shook his head.

"With the energy that's coming from the city, we thought that it would be best if she stayed behind this time." Natsume was about to nod in understanding when he noticed the lizard was wrapped around Natori's wrist and it was shaking. "Even this can sense it," Natori said as he held up his hand.

"You better come in, everyone is anxious to meet you," Natsume said as he walked towards the family that was sitting quietly in the small kitchen.

"You mean the Natori you were talking about was the Natori Shuuichi! The actor!" Momiji said once again looking excited.

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are," Natori said as he gave them all a pleasant smile. Introductions were quickly made and then all of them made themselves comfortable in the living room.

"How much do you know about our family exactly?" Shigure asked.

"Everything," Natori said. "Well everything except what's going on now." He then looked expectantly over at Natsume and Kyo.

"Do you mind if I show him your family book?" Natsume asked.

"Whatever you need to help break the curse," Hatori said. Natsume nodded as he pulled their family book from his satchel glad that the Book of Friends was hidden upstairs. He then launched into a very long story as he explained everything that happened to him, leaving out the brown-haired man, and everything that he had learned.

"I see," Natori said as he flipped through the book a curious expression on his face. "And Natsume you can read this?" Natsume slowly nodded.

"You can't?" Natsume asked feeling dismayed. Natori shook his head. He always just assumed that Natori could read the yokai language as well.

"Do you think that you'll be able to break the seals?" Haru asked.

"I won't know until I look at them, but between me and Natsume we should be able to," Natori said as he handed the book back to Natsume. "What happens when we break them though is anyone's guess."

"What do you mean?" Hatori asked.

"I'm not sure how the yokai, that's been sealed for so long, will act or how it will affect any of you or us," Natori explained. Everyone in the room shared an uneasy look. None of them had thought of that.

"Break mine first," Shigure said after a long moment of silence.

"Shigure!" Hatori said shock clearly on his face. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"No, but what choice do we have?" Shigure asked. "It's not like we could let one of the kids do it or the others that aren't aware of what's going on."

"I could always go first," Hatori said, but Shigure shook his head.

"You're the doctor. We need you in case something goes wrong," Shigure said.

"Why can't it be me?" Yuki asked looking upset which just made Shigure sigh.

"I want no arguments on this!" Shigure snapped then turned his attention to Natsume. "You said that once the seal is broken that we'll be given a choice, right?" Natsume nodded. "Well I already know my answer and if something goes wrong or the yokai is angry and lashes out, at least we'll know and Hatori will be able to patch me up."

"What about the rest of the family?" Momiji asked.

"It's best to see what happens with me, before we worry about them," Shigure said.

"And there's Akito to consider," Kyo added. "I mean will he be able to tell that we are breaking the seals?"

"There is a very strong possibility," Natori said, "and there's this shadowy figure that Natsume has seen too. I have a feeling that this shadowy creature and Akito are somehow related."

"For some reason that doesn't surprise me," Kyo said with a sigh. "And there's no way to break the curse other than breaking the seals.

"No," Sensei said speaking up for the first time. Natsume let the talk flow around him as he flipped through the book until he found the map with the dog yokai and sighed. It would take at least a day's worth of traveling by car to get there.

"We better leave soon then," Natsume said as he explained how long it would take to get there.

"Kyo, I assume you're coming along," Natori said.

"Of course," Kyo answered as he wrapped his arm around Natsume's shoulder and pulled him close before he gave the exorcist a dark look. "What about how Natsume's been disappearing?"

"That puzzles me as well," Natori said as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'll write a protective spell on him. Hopeful that will stop Natsume from being pulled away."

"So, this is happening," Momiji said hope in his eyes. "The curse is going to be broken."

"It is," Natsume said as he gave the other boy a kind smile one which Momiji returned.

"I know that you are all in a hurry, but would you mind if we spent the night here and left in the morning?" Natori asked.

"Of course not," Kazuma said. "Besides that, will give me time to pack."

"Pack?" Kyo asked curiously. "Why?"

"Because I'm going with you of course," the man replied like it was obvious.

"But Shishou…" Kyo tried to argue, but the man shook his head.

"I didn't help you the last time and I almost lost you. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice," Kazuma explained. "Besides didn't you say that when they use their powers they get exhausted. You might need my help."

"Thank you," Kyo said as he gave the man a smile.

"You don't need to thank me Kyo," the man said as he returned the smile.

Natsume once again let the talk flow around him. Tomorrow they would start their mission. He just hoped that breaking the seal would be enough. But like Kyo said there was still Akito and the shadowy figure to worry about. He just hoped that they would finish their mission before the shadowy figure found them.