The both of them cried until they had no more tears to shed. Neither seemed to notice the existence of the other while they both sat together in silence and sorrow. After a long time, Fuzen looked up at the little apparition and with no intonation in his hollow voice,

"You knew them well?" The apparition sniffled and rubbed its eyes, it didn't look at Fuzen, but still spoke softy,

"I am their house spirit," It rubbed the floor with its small hand nostalgically and said, " I was born when they moved in." It gave a little laugh as it continued to speak, "I felt like I was both their child and their parent. I watched them as they grew, but they were also responsible for my birth. I always loved watching them and hoped that they would always be happy. I was here when your mother got pregnant, and I was here when they took you home. I saw how happy they were, and it filled me with joy too, but I was lonely. When your mother passed, I was sad and happy. Sad because it broke your and your father's hearts. Happy because I finally got to talk to one of the people I had been watching over all this time. If it was a short moment before she went to the underworld, that was everything to me." It wiped its eyes and sniffed again before continuing. "Who would have guessed she chose to stay? That isn't something small, throwing away the underworld, regardless of who it was for filled me with sadness for the fate of her soul and guilt at my happiness that I would no longer be alone. We lived together for  long, and I finally figured out that I was their child. She was always kind and loving and even gave me a name. Those days were bliss for me. Naturally, when your father saw his wife, he stayed with her. When your father came to us, I was overjoyed, and although they were happy at their reunion, they more worried about the two of you. I lived with the two of them for another year before... Well, you know."

Fuzen nodded vaguely and asked, "Were they at all happy?" The little apparition shook its head and said,

"How could they be? Seeing how you fell apart and your sister suffered, their last days were filled with bitterness. I only saw them smile three times after your father came to us. The reunion, when you were worried sick over your sister's cuts and when they..." The little apparition stood up and looked at Fuzen with a smile filled with sadness, "You know what's crazy? When that demon came to reap their lives for you, they were willing. They died with a smile on their face, and they left me alone again." The little apparition's face was filled with grievance. Fuzen looked up and asked it one last question,

"What is your name?" The apparition looked a little surprised, but smiled self-mockingly and spoke, 

"Yuki, because I will always be alone and surrounded by the cold indifference of the void." Fuzen shook his head, 

"No, my mother is not so vicious. You are named Yuki so that you may live out your days in happiness." The little apparition, Yuki,  looked at him strangely and said,

"How am I supposed to do that? How am I supposed to be happy if they are gone?" Fuzen let out a long sigh and said, 

"I don't know." Fuzen laid down and looked at the ceiling in thought. He stared at it a long time before he said, 

"Have you ever left the house?" Yuki shook its head, 

"No, house spirits can't leave their domain."

"Is there any way around that?" Yuki scrunched its face and looked at Fuzen in confusion,

"Why are you so insistent?"

"I have a little place that I like to go, it makes me feel better when I'm sad." Yuki's face scrunched up and it asked,

"Why do you care so much for others so suddenly?" Fuzen let out a sigh and a hollow laugh before replying dryly,

"I don't know, I just felt that I've been wrong, and I need to start taking care of the Ogawas, I owe my parents at least that much."

"I'm not an Ogawa, save it for your little sister, you've tormented her for too long." Fuzen smiled and said,

"You are right and you are wrong. I have mistreated my little sister, and although I can't promise to be perfect, I will at least give her what she is owed, but you are an Ogawa. As the child of my mother and father you are my..." Fuzen looked over at Yuki, raised an eyebrow and said questioningly, "My sister, no brother" He bit his lip and shook his head, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

Yuki gave out a small laugh and said, 

"You could choose either, as a spirit I don't have a gender, we do not reproduce like physical beings do and thus do not generally follow those lines of thinking. I would not be bothered being a brother or a sister. In fact," Yuki gave a small smile, "It would make me quite happy." 

"Good." Fuzen nodded, "So, is there any way for you to leave the house?" Yuki tentatively nodded its head and said,

"Yes, there are a couple, but there is only one way available to you." Fuzen nodded his head,

"and?"

"You would have to make me your spiritual guardian."

"Ok then." 

"No no no wait, house spirits are one of the lowest good spirits, the protection of a more powerful being would give you more strength"

"I can have more than one can't I?" Yuki looked surprised as it asked tentatively,

"How did you know?" Fuzen pulled up his shirt showing the ink black snake tattoo on his chest, he said,

"I imagine that that is what this is. A protection from a spirit, although one that isn't so good. Seeing as you already knew I had it and since, I didn't think you'd waste your breath with something that couldn't be done." Yuki nodded gravely and replied, 

"Yes, its just that the more protections someone holds, the less influence each one has on them. That might sound good, but the power inherited also declines." 

"Are protections the only way for humans to gain power? To be honest, I don't know too much, nor I have seen the power this thing supposedly gave me."

"Protections are just spell inheritances. Some spirit gave you some of their spells, your ability to use them is reliant on you. You can't cast or even see any of the spells you've inherited since your spirit isn't strong enough."

"Ok then," Fuzen smiled," How does this help you?" Yuki said seriously,

"Giving out inheritances doesn't really effect spirits too much generally, but when really weak spirits give out inheritances, they tie their lives to the inheritor instead of their spiritual home. This makes them mobile, but also..."

"But also what?" Fuzen looked concerned, "We are doing this for you, if there is a problem that makes you unwilling, then we won't do it." Yuki smiled and said, 

"Well, ok, I'd like to take a chance." Fuzen nodded and asked,

"Ok, then what do we need to do?"

"Just hold out your hand." Fuzen was obedient, and Yuki placed its hand in his. He felt a chill travel his arm and reach the top of his head, after a short time, Yuki nodded proudly and said, 

"It's done, I think black hair suits you better anyway."

'Black hair?'

"Black hair?" Yuki nodded proudly causing Fuzen to rush towards the bathroom to find the mirror. What greeted him was black hair and blue eyes, he was distraught. All these years he had kept his hair pink for it all to be ruined in a moment of thoughtlessness. What a tragedy! Seeing Fuzen so wounded, Yuki could not help, but laugh. However, shortly after, Yuki's expression became as it looked towards Fuzen and said gravely, 

"By the way, you have three."

"Three?"

"Three protections, not just two. Me, the demon, who else?"

Fuzen was flummoxed, he did not make a deal with anyone else!