Hi everyone, MidnightStarHunter here!

Um, hi?

I'm SO SORRY for taking so long to update. I have no excuse except to promise that next I'll try for the next chapter not to take so darning long to come out. What I can assure you is that chapter 3 is partially written, so, at least you have that.

Now, before I get onto the reviews, I wanted to ask something.

I have tried to write a second chapter to Not So Average, my other story, but I really didn't like how it turned out. I'm not quitting, but I would like to know if you, as readers, would like it if I turned it onto a one-shot collection of vaguely related happenings in that same AU. For example, a one-shot about how Nate spends his time in the Yo-kai world at night, about his friends realising that it had been some time since they hung out outside of school, about how Nate goes around town helping others and how he deals with being seen as one of the lot. Review your opinions in Not So Average, my ears are open!

That said, onward to the reviews!

MagnusAmbassadorSt : The best? Oh, shucks, you're making me blush! Thanks for spelling out for me how the royal family is related to each other, but in this AU Faust is just a normal boy with no Yo-kai parentage whatsoever. Now you'll wander, then how did Nate get into the elevator? Heh... you'll have to keep reading to find out! ;P And yup, Spanish is indeed my first language.

Dia2007: Thank you so much!

Dimension Cupid: I forgive you. Just please stop and think about how the author may take it when you post a review that only says how horrible their story/plot/idea is. I appreciate encouragement and constructive criticism, but if you are only here to make people feel bad about themselves nobody is obligating you to read this story. And from now on, please read my notes? Because I actually mentioned there that Nate was not dead.

Neolight: Thank you! I have a shaky idea of marking this as complete when the Yo-kai make it back to the human world in front of Nate, or maybe after a couple of chapters about how Whisper and Jibanyan find out just how badly affected Nate was by the abrupt separation. We'll see.

Miau: Pues sí. Lo de emparejar a Nate con Katie está súper repetido, entonces me dije a mí misma "Pues voy a hacer algo al respecto!" Y... este es el resultado. ^^' Y no me creo que después de Nate descubra un nuevo mundo debajo de sus narices y esté todo el rato alrededor the espíritus no haya cambiado absolutamente nada. Como mínimo, muchas de las historias que sus amigos le cuentan sobre cuando estaban vivos le habrá dejado al menos mucho más consciente de su mortalidad. Si no has jugado el juego, siento decirte que vas a ser poseído por Spoilerina muy pronto. :P Y lo de la serie es simplemente ridículo, no podría ser más obvio que lo supernatural existe si les diese una torta en la cara, y aun así es Nate siempre quien acaba llevándose la culpa o acabando en el lado erróneo de la travesura de algún Yo-kai. No te preocupes, en este AU Nate será mucho más sutil. Muchas gracias por tu apoyo, y sí, se quién es Idaho. Maku es el americano con el pelo rojo, no?

It's My Opinion: Don't worry, I don't think it was rude. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and I thank you for pointing my confusion with the genres. I'm glad you like my story so far, and yeah, the ending was beautiful. I actualling whooped aloud when the Yo-kai came back to the picture, but I haven't gotten the second game yet, so I can't compare the endings. I'll take your word for it.

Nyanlight: Welp, here is the update. :P

I swear I'm not trying to up the word count, but somehow my authors notes always end up nearly doubling it's length. I'll try to curtain it in the future, sorry.

Anyways, enough is enough. On with the chapter!

At first, nobody noticed when the portal finally closed completely. To be fair, the Yo-Kai directly involved with the whole McKrakken incident had been incredibly busy ever since they said goodbye to Nate. They had to round up the huge number of white Yo-Kai that had turned tail as soon as the overgrown squid was defeated, and the Yo-Kai who weren't involved directly didn't even know that the portal was closing in the first place, content to demand answers from those who did know and taking up everybody's attention. (And making sure that everyone knew that Yo-Kai could uselessly mill around just as effectively as humans. Go figure.) The only ones keeping an eye on the portal were Venoct and Kyubi, and both were arguably the busiest, being the battle de-facto leaders of the White Extraction and checking the headcounts to ensure every Yo-Kai had arrived back from the Human Realm safely. Even Whisper, who wasn't a battler, and Jibanyan, who usually just lazed around and napped when there weren't any nearby trucks to fight had found themselves up to their necks (or where they were supposed to have necks. Yo-Kai biology is weird) in work, making sure every effort was put towards getting their world in order once again. (And if it was so they could get to work on opening the portal between worlds as soon as possible, well, no one had to know.)

And if someone accused them that the only reason they put so much energy into their world's rehabilitation was so that they wouldn't have to think about the emptiness in their cores? Stuff and nonsense, of course. They were perfectly fine without humans before. Just because they befriended Nate for a couple of months it didn't mean that they felt his absence keenly like a fresh wound that never quite healed.

Of course. Not at all.

("Liar, liar, pants on fire, hang them on a telephone wire-!")

Anyway.

It didn't quite hit them how far McKrakken's world-conquering ideologies had reached until they were hunting all over their world for his little white nuisances, Whisper mused as he hovered a safe distance behind a battling Venoct, recording on his Yo-Kai Pad another three white Yo-Kai captured and to be put into prison and rehabilitation. It was a wonder how they were able to keep their plan secret for so long when they had so many Yo-Kai reported as missing in their cause. Venoct wrapped up the battle (well, less of a battle and more of a beat-down, actually) with his Soultimate attack, the twin dragon heads of his scarf blurring with a sudden burst of speed, seeming to multiply as vicious bites rained down on his unfortunate opponents.

From under him, Jibanyan sat on the ground, watching despondently as the ninja yo-kai roughly tied up the defeated colourless spirits and threw them onto the flying carpet that will take them to the prison with surprising ferocity. The bakeneko had been unusually quiet ever since they came back to the human world, and cool-headed Venoct was displaying a new white-hot anger that he released in the ferocity of his battles, usually causing the Yo-Kai to which it was directed to unnecessary pain. Then again, those two weren't the only ones in an odd mood.

Kyubi didn't flaunt or gloat nearly as often as before (they were forced back-), his battles ending quickly and quietly before returning to guide the inhabitants of his previous territory safely to their new assigned homes. Komasan had gone back to visit his mom on the countryside with Komajiro, but before leaving he had looked somewhat despondent, looking at the untouched ice-cream spire in his cone mournfully as Komajiro patted his back sympathetically ("I'm sure you'll see him again," the orange pup consoled even as he eyed the slowly melting treat worriedly). Hidabat had been unusually present in gathering information, digging out report after report on missing Yo-Kai that may have gone to McKrakken's side, therefore giving those contributing in the battles an idea on where to look while also managing her business at the same time, not a small feat. But she looked lost every time someone forced her to take a break, fluttering from one way to the other in search for the familiar nook of darkness that she no longer had (it might have not been a mansion, but the closet was cosy and comfortable and the kindness of it's owner made it feel like a home-). Even Whisper himself had been somewhat quiet, instead of trying to bumble his way into convincing anyone that he didn't need his Yo-Kai Pad to provide him information ("It's just for reference!" "Whatever you say, Whisper") as usual.

For those Yo-Kai that didn't know them very well, there didn't seem to be much difference. Kyubi still occasionally preened, Venoct was a fierce a battler as ever, Hidabat was still quiet and reclusive, nothing in the world would make Jibanyan ever give up chocobars. But Whisper found himself eyeing the despondent cat out of the corner of his eye, and could see Venoct doing the same as he stood off to the side, eyes seemingly on the flying carpet drifting away with their captives, but actually observing the bakeneko quietly out from the corner of his eye.

It was an unspoken understanding between the Yo-Kai who had been there to see McKrakken fall. They all knew why they were acting weird, they knew all the others knew why they were acting weird, and they all decided to not acknowledge it. For most it was a matter of pride, for others it was the belief that it was all in their head.

After all, what Yo-Kai worth their salt would admit that a human child affected their behaviour so obviously?

The ex-butler shook his head and put his Yo-Kai Pad away as the flying carpet became nothing but a smudged fading dot in the horizon. Venoct started floating towards them, and Whisper nudged the feline not so gently to get the message across. Jibanyan stood up, ready to move even if the cat's eyes still seemed somewhat blank as they regrouped with the ninja and started walking. They were done with battling for the day. It was time to go share their progress with Kyubi back in town.

The trio quietly wound their way back down the long walkway from the Third Gate in the direction of the Entry Hall, having just came up from Hooligan Road (they really need a better system to arrive there rather than jumping off a cliff) which unfortunately meant the journey back was going to take some time, specially with how busy everything was. The hustle and bustle of other Yo-Kai hurrying past gave them an excuse to not talk, dodging the harried bodies (or heads, as Helmsman proved when he floated past, Armsman once again chasing after. There's a reason why nobody bothered even trying to understand Yo-Kai biology) of others who were out with the same objective of searching and containing the White Yo-kai still roaming about. Nate had befriended a surprisingly large number of Yo-Kai in the brief time he had possessed a Yo-Kai Watch (how long ago was it since it had been forcibly returned? They measured the pass of time in their dimension in relation to the Human World, but since the portal closed it was more difficult to keep track of, seemingly stretching too long and going by too fast all at once-) but few stuck around for long after being summoned, as they had their own lives to attend to. However, Whisper was willing to bet that most if not all of them were helping with the White Extraction, as Babblong had jokingly dubbed their efforts to contain and rehabilitate those influenced by McKrakken's propaganda. The name had surprisingly (normally everyone just tuned the chatterbox out without listening to a single word) stuck.

They continued to move through the shifting crowd, the silence between them somewhat awkward as Jibanyan continued to move almost robotically ahead, eyes not quite focusing in what was in front of him. The ghost winced internally in sympathy. The bakeneko was a relatively new Yo-Kai, not having haunted the near-miss intersection for long before Nate found him, asides from being the first Yo-Kai Nate ever befriended. Hapierre and Dismarelda had been too caught up relishing the fact that they were no longer fighting with each other, so they had forgotten to give Nate their medals in the beginning. They passed by Nate's house a couple of days after meeting Jibanyan to drop them off with an apology for not remembering to thank him sooner.

But the point stands that Jibanyan was probably the closest Yo-Kai friend that Nate had, despite their continuous arguments, and was really affected by the abrupt separation from a friend whom he normally spent a great part of, if not all the day with. It could also be because now the cat wouldn't be able to search for Amy, his previous human owner, but as much as Jibanyan loved the girl Whisper honestly doubted that was what had the yo-kai acting so distant.

The crowd slowly gradually thinned as they passed the First Gate, Gargaros giving him and Jibanyan the evil eye even as he nodded at Venoct in respect, for the Ninja Yo-kai had become known for his battle prowess. Whisper floated ahead hurriedly. Facing the oni who had chased them through Springdale's streets in that twisted version of a daydream was something he could have honestly done without, which was one of the reasons why finally sighting the Entry Hall was a relief.

Of course, that's when everything went to hell on a happy little hand basket.

I know, I know. I'm horrible for leaving the ending open AGAIN, but you all have been waiting patiently for a new chapter and it's been FOUR MONTHS ALREADY. And I was left feeling super guilty every time a new email informed me that I had gotten a new review, or someone had added this to favourites, soooo I decide to get over myself and post THIS. We get to see what Nate's spiritual friends have been doing since they parted ways, and I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit like a filler. I wanted to have things happen NOW, buuut I decided it was best to have it put on two different chapters. This way you have a new update sooner, and although I would have liked to be able to write a longer chapter (trust me, writing long chapters is a LOT harder than it seems) I can always add it later. I'll post an author's note at the beginning of next chapter if I end up doing that.

Other than that I'm REALLY SORRY for taking so frickin' long to update! I just want to thank you all for your amazing reviews, I can't believe all the positive attention this story is receiving. You are amazing.

Thanks for reading me ramble. MidnightStarHunter, out!