Oi THERE ! I could, of course rant and excuse myself for not writing sooner, for not updating other stories, but I wont - I have the updates half done, but I cant make myself finish them, furthemore - I have a hell of stuff to do. really a lot - and this was a sort of relief for me - to write this - once I get my Christmass holidays, ill finish other chapters - a nice Christmas present to you all but not yet - loads of stufff is cramming over my head -and Ive started drawing more often than I used to - which means - do you realize how much it takes to make a quality picture? well - to a non prefessional like myself - quite much, but its well worth the effort.
Yours truly,
Morality aka Turboferret
-„Ow, ow, ow, ow. My head." Tsuzuki blinked to darkness, startled he sat up. He's been laying on his arm, so now it was numb and unresponsive, like a piece of rubber. He shook and tugged on it, trying to get some feeling into the limb while noticing that it was being held back by something. He groaned in annoyance and tugged on the irritating bond. It did move, but not much, so he started feeling around himself with his good hand. His fingertips perceived hard floor, lying beneath a thin layer of sand, a piece of cloth and a limb, which definitely wasn't his.
-„ Ugh." Groaned in a near proximity of Tsuzukis left foot. He fought a desire to kick the groaner.
-„ Who's there?" The shinigami exclaimed, thrashing around frantically, trying to see a glimpse, a faintest spark of light or an outline of the place he was in, although there was nothing but darkness to see.
-"Mr. Tsuzuki?" A husky voice enquired, a bit rough from the lack of use. It sounded like a growl of a bear fresh from hibernation.
-"Muraki . . . MURAKI!!! Muraki, you bastard what have you done to me! Why can't I see, where am I and who have you killed again?" The shinigami fidgeted desperately, pulling away from the source of the voice, which by the way groaned and growled back in irritation.
-"Ow! Mr. Tsuzuki, stop pulling my arm out f it's joint!"
-"I don't care about your arm, where are we? Answer or I'll pull your arm out of its socket." Tsuzuki threatened, making as significant pull that made the doctor swear loudly.
-"Would it upset you greatly, if I said I don't know." Muraki grunted, rustling sound indicating that he was changing his position to a more preferable one, that was also punctured by a tug on Tsuzukis hand.
-"You're lying! What are you planning to do now?" Sounded the irritated voice somewhere near Muraki, so he turned his head in the direction of the sound.
-"Hmm, let's say – persuade you not to maim my arm?" He stated calmly as possible, slightly gritting his teeth, when Tsuzuki shifted again, thus placing the limb into an even more uncomfortable position. Frankly Muraki felt like a turkey on Thanksgivings day. Tsuzuki being the one who wanted to tear a delicious wing offHe heard a little growl from his companion and then a slight twist and pull.
-"You sound as if you were drunk." He heard only faint chuckles on the other end. Not seeing Murakis expressions was quite distressing, although he couldn't quite get why, since doctor's poker faces could make some dealer envious. "Oh you think it's funny?!" Tsuzuki growled now feeling his arm being slowly bent in a different angle.
-"No, I don't, but the echo your voice is causing hurts my head." Now Tsuzuki started feeling that his arm would soon leave its original attachment.
-"Ow, stop it!" The movement stopped as Tsuzuki felt another arm bluntly groping him a little above the wrist. Fingers exploring the tender skin and the shackle, after humming several times, Muraki saw it fit to return his fingers on Tsuzukis forearm, and glide them higher, under the hem of the shirt.
-"Your skin is so soft, Mr. Tsuzuki. Although I can't see you, you still manage being so wonderfully alluring. Come here." Tsuzuki was yanked forward, which set him tumbling head over heels. The man struggled away, feeling the body of the other somewhat under him.
-"What do you think you're doing! Keep your hands away from me!" Tsuzuki yelled and twisted and turned until he found himself in safer distance from the maniac.
-"Tsuzuki san, I find it quite difficult, especially when I'm so close to you and with nobody in my way. . ." Muraki trailed off. "You do see my point. It's a bit like you being locked in one room with the apple pie you like so much."
-"It's not the same!"
-"Why yes it is."
-"Muraki, I don't want to rape my food!" Tsuzuki objected faintly remembering a reference of American pie.
-"It's not the matter of what happens afterwards, but desire itself."
-"Muraki, I don't desire apple pie that way!"
-"Come to think of it, you do rape it, with your mouth." Tsuzuki suddenly felt like he wouldn't be hungry for a very long time.
-"When people eat, they're not engaging in an intercourse with FOOD!!"
-"But the pleasure you get from it is a whole different thing, now isn't it?"
-"Oh shut up, I don't care, I'm going in one direction, and don't even think about following me." Tsuzuki finished and stood up; trying to walk, but soon felt being yanked back "What now? More of your ravings about potato salad orgies!"
-"Apparently, Mr. Tsuzuki, we're handcuffed together, isn't it nice?" Muraki mused a foot away from Tsuzukis ear.
-"Nice? Being stuck with you in one place is bad enough, but being stuck to you is disgusting!" The shinigami accented his frustration with another tug on whatever that held them together.
-"Now, Mr. Tsuzuki, you speak as if I carried some dangerous parasites, It's somewhat insulting, regarding that I'm a doctor in a respectful clinic in Tokyo." Tsuzuki could almost see the man brushing his white lab-coat off casually as he spoke.
-"You could be Napoleon or Che Guevara[1 for all I care!" Tsuzuki stated crossly, a pout being heard in his voice.
-"No, no, you overestimate my goals, Mr. Tsuzuki. I'm not an emperor or a revolutionary. Regime change isn't my aim, at least now. Although I'm flattered." Murakis words had obviously startled Tsuzuki out of his meditative state, because he wasn't all that quick to respond.
-"Eh?" He asked sheepishly while digging within confines of his coat.
-"I gather it didn't make much sense to you." Muraki stated a bit annoyed by the lack of attention to his person.
-"What do you think I am, an idiot?" Tsuzuki snapped, just because he didn't like any situation with Muraki involved. Unhindered by Shinigamis less than friendly resolve the white man spoke.
-"NO, well, maybe somewhat, yes." The other fell over.
-"Well, screw you, I'm going home!" Asato finally made up his mind not to challenge the man any further and stood up again.
-"Shame on you, such bad language." The doctor teased, standing up himself.
-"That's what you get for calling me an idiot."
-"If you remember right, I didn't quite call you anything, so you just presumed it yourself."
-"Well, you deserved it anyway."
-"Hmph, it can't be helped, I guess. As for your decision, do you even know in which direction the so called home is?"
-"Away from you that's for sure."
-"Khem, I think you're forgetting something." Muraki remarked casually
-"Oh, right." Tsuzuki scratched the back of his head, not to mention that they were conversing in total darkness.
-"You should really do something about those disturbing memory losses." Muraki sounded concerned.
-"I don't have any!"
-"Now, there is nothing to be ashamed of." He continued, most likely happy that he'd found another sensitive spot.
-"I don't have memory losses!"
-"You know I had a patient once, who was very ashamed of the fact she couldn't remem-"
-"I said I DONT have any memory losses!!!"
-"Are you certain?"
-" Argghh!! Muraki! Did you handcuff us together to annoy me?" Tsuzuki was on the end of his tether.
-"Mr. Tsuzuki, I'm appalled. Do you really think I would consciously put myself in a situation where you and I had equal chances? I would make sure I had something to hang over your tainted conscience, and persuade you to do as I please."
-"Well, maybe your plan failed?" He heard chuckles in darkness.
-"I think you might be developing a persecution complex."
-"Not like you didn't lend a hand in that."
-"Now, do my attentions make you uncomfortable, Tsuzuki san?"
-"Stop acting like an innocent lamb!"
-"But I so like you being unnerved."
-"You're right there."
-"Finally we're reaching some consensus. I wish you knew how much it pleases me." The doctor didn't waste any time, in showing just how much he enjoyed that fact.
-"Ew, stop it this instant!" Tsuzuki pulled away, wiping salvia off of his cheekbone. "Your aim is off."
-"Please forgive me, it's so dark here I have some trouble in locating your mouth, perhaps you'd give me another chance?"
- "Muraki!" Shinigami cried outraged of his boldness.
-"There is no shadow master to stop me this time." The seductive purr was getting closer, so Tsuzukis hand darted in the dark before him to stop the onslaught.
-"Stop it or I'll gauge your eye out!" Tsuzuki was both furious and desperate; he grappled the ground around him, hoping to find anything that could help. He grasped a handful of sand to throw it on the man's face, but his hand was soon pinned down.
-"This again, you're becoming quite a bother, Mr. Tsuzuki." Muraki growled in Tsuzukis ear.
-"The only bother I have is hanging on the end of my hand." Tsuzuki buckled and twisted under doctor's grasp. "Let me go!"
-"Now there is no need to panic, no one will hear us here." Tsuzuki felt the warm breath tickling his ear shell.
-"That's the reason I'm panicking!"
-"Mr. Tsuzuki, why don't you just give into me huh?" Doctor nuzzled Tsuzukis hair and nibbled on the earlobe. Meantime under the onslaught brunettes tormented mind came up with yet another theory of him being right here.
-"Maybe it's a dream?" Tsuzuki tried convincing himself until he got a distinctive pintch on his rump " Ya! What do you think you're doing?!"
-"Why I wanted to convince you that it's nothing but reality, by your reaction I can tell this is quite virtual."
-"Well, maybe it's your dream ." Asato suggested, pushing the yielding wall of chest back.
-"No, Mr. Tsuzuki, you're quite different in my dreams." Muraki chuckled quite amused by Tsuzukis revelations.
-"How come?"
-"Well, where should I start." The surgeon trailed off.
-"Wait, I changed my mind, don't answer that!"
-"All I wanted to say was that you were more cooperative."
-"That's just an excuse."
-"Do you wish me to give an in-depth explanation?" Most likely getting guidance of his better judgment he cut the topic short. "I think we should be going now."
-"Where to?"
-"Do you suggest sitting here?"
-"Well. . . "
-"Mr. Tsuzuki, we don't know where we are and I am not intending to spend the rest of my days here."
-"Me neither!"
-"Well then." The little flame flickered from his lighter. "We should be going."
-"Where are we?" Tsuzuki looked awestruck around the place. They really were in a cave. It might have been a sandstone cave, and the fact it was dry, indicated that they weren't anywhere under the sea level.
-"Or rather why we are here." Muraki corrected the shinigami. "Do you remember what happened before we ended up here?" Tsuzuki shook his head.
-"Actually, I don't remember ever meeting you after Kyoto, except for this moment." Tsuzuki stated as they took a look around the place and saw it being a medium sized cavity in sandstone. There was a narrow passage in the wall of the cave, which could have been the only way out.
-"So you don't remember anything?" Muraki looked a bit disappointed.
-"Nope." Tsuzuki traced his palm over the sandy wall and drew a smilie in it, just because.
-"That s interesting, returning to your memory loss theme."
-"Cut it out! It's getting old." Tsuzuki snapped irritated.
-"Yes, yes, of course." Muraki stated heading towards the narrow earthy passage, dragging Tsuzuki with him.
-"What are you doing?"
-"What's the use of telling you if you either forget or mistrust what I say?"
-"You could still entertain me, out of the lack of a better thing to do."
-"For the lack of any other exit, I gather that this is our way out."
-"Shouldn't we try braking apart first?"
-"I don't regard our bond as a burden, but if you do, by all means, lead the way and free yourself."
-"Where are you going?" Muraki was dragging him through the sandy, passage and Tsuzuki had no other choice but to follow. Light from Murakis lighter flickered on and off, as he let the steel rim cool a bit, not to burn his fingers. Every now and then, the earthy passage would flicker in sight and disappear into darkness again. The passage had low ceiling, so they had to walk almost crouching. Soon Tsuzukis eyes were tired from the flickering light, colorful dots of green and yellow danced before his eyes behind the closed lids and he was annoyed by dragging a step behind the doctor not to step onto his heels. "Muraki, I'm tired, my eyes are sore, where are you dragging me?" Tsuzuki whined.
-"To the exit." Muraki stopped abruptly, as they stood at the entrance to a dim lit hall. Tsuzuki bumped into him. The hall was circular, and there were doors lining the walls. "Or at least I thought it was the exit." He added thoughtfully. When Muraki was about to step inside the room, Tsuzuki jerked him back.
-"What do you think you're doing? This might be a trap!" Muraki glanced at him, light dancing eyes in his eyes.
-"Why, Tsuzuki san, I never thought you cared." He lifted his hand up in attempt to caress Tsuzukis face. The brunette swatted doctor's hand away and sneered.
-"It's just that I'm stuck to you. I don't want to get in trouble because of you doing something stupid." Tsuzuki stated looking in another direction.
-"Well, if you feel so courteous today." Muraki mused, and Tsuzuki was suddenly showed inside the hall where he stood flinching for a few moments and, when nothing happened, he turned at Muraki.
-"What the hell did you think you were doing?! Pushing me inside like that!" Tsuzuki cried blue murder at doctor ho seemed to pay little attention to his tantrum.
-"Since you weren't going to let me check if there were any traps or not, somebody had to do it after all."
-"Bastard." Tsuzuki grumbled and took a look around. In the middle of the hall stood a small glass table. "Wow, look at this, it looks so fragile."
-'It's just a table, Mr. Tsuzuki." Muraki couldn't help but notice.
-"Well, per chance you haven't noticed – there IS a table in the middle of a cave. "
-"Yes, Tsuzuki san, and there are doors in walls around us, so why don't we pay our attention to them, instead of that table. Granted one of these might be our way out."
-"It must have been put there for some reason." Tsuzuki continued his train of thought.
-"Yes, Tsuzuki san, and it's more likely to hold traps than anything else here." The doc went for one door while the shinigami went for the table, and they both were yanked back abruptly by the unknown force of gravitation. Muraki glanced at the bond with distaste. - - "This is becoming quite a bother."
-"Told you so." Tsuzuki couldn't help but gloat. Muraki raised an eyebrow at him, but otherwise stayed silent.
-"We should settle who leads and who follows."
-"I'm not following you." Tsuzuki stated firmly.
-"I don't think you have a choice here, Mr. Tsuzuki."
-"Well, I'm not moving from this spot."
-"You're unreasonably stubborn."
-"Well, that doesn't quite stop you from doing what you want does it?"
-"Precisely." Muraki just picked the shinigami up and flung him over his shoulder as if the other was nothing more than a scarf.
-"Hey, put me down, put me down this instant!" Tsuzuki pummeled Murakis back, but soon found it useless as he was being carried from one door to another with little success – they all were locked. "You know, I can walk myself." He stated when he was bored of examining walls and the tail of Murakis trench coat. The man didn't answer, so Tsuzuki continued counting the doors, when something caught his eye – something glinted on the table he so wanted to see. "Muraki, go to the table, I saw something there!" He heard the other man sigh and he was put down to the ground. Immediately, Muraki was dragged to the table by his hand and much to his displeasure – there laid a key – a quite small one, in comparison to the locks in the doors.
-"Yes, what a useless little trinket." He stated seeing Tsuzukis happy expression.
-"You're saying that only because you're a sore loser." The brunette objected. "This one can definitely unlock something; otherwise it wouldn't have been here!"
-"Your logic surpasses any of my arguments." Muraki stated sarcastically.
-"Well, you tell me, why it is here then." Tsuzuki challenged, putting his hands on his hips.
-"I have no idea."
-"C'mon the infamous Muraki Kazutaka is at loss of ideas?"
-"At least I don't make silly presumptions." The doctor stated, fishing in his coat for some cigarettes. Meanwhile Tsuzuki was looking around for places to apply his discovery.
Hmm the doors are too big, perhaps it unlocks something within the table? No, this can't be. Perhaps there's a hidden door? But where? Tsuzuki looked around curiously. Hmm, door, door, door, oh, look a cookie!
Tsuzuki wasted little time on debating why it was there, so he just threw it into his mouth and chewed merrily. It tasted like gingerbread with a bit of butter and cinnamon; frankly it was so delicious, his ears and wagging tail popped out and for the first time that day he was happy.
-"What's happening?" Murakis voice pulled him out of the momentary bliss and he opened his eyes only to notice that the table was growing bigger and bigger – finally reaching over his head.
-"Whoa, it's so big; I never thought I could look at it like this." Tsuzuki stated in awe, "The table grew so rapidly. Maybe it was a hallucinogenic cookie, or I'm developing an Alice in wonderland syndrome."
-"What hallucinogenic cookie?" Muraki retorted quite irritated by Tszuzkis wandering mind.
-"The one I ate jus moments ago." There was a silent pause between them, during which Muraki tried deciphering whether Tsuzuki was joking or not, or whether the thing he ate really had a hallucinogenic effect on him.
-"Well your pupils aren't dilated, which means there was no drug in what you ate, but let me remind you the basics of hygiene – like not eating things you've picked up in places you don't know and aren't sure about their origin. Secondly, you're not the only one who's seeing things."
-"Really? Hmm so either we're both going insane, or it's just a dream."
-"I think we had gotten over the dream part already, or would you like me to prove it again?"
-"No thanks, first time was convincing enough."
-"Hm let's see, you ate something, and we both became smaller."
-"No, the table and other things grew."
-"It doesn't matter, it affected us both."
-"No, no, you don't get it, the cookie was charmed so that when somebody ate it – all things got all big. That's why we both see it, if the shrinking effect was caused by a cookie, then why by all means are you the same size as me?"
-"I don't know, but making things around us change size, requires a lot of magical output, and I felt none."
-"Actually none of our theories is plausible enough."
-"Let's leave it at that then."
-"Ok, oh, I wanted to ask though – how did you survive? You know Kyoto and all." Tsuzuki asked abruptly. Muraki blinked for a moment. That wasn't the question one might expect after waking up being chained to your desired one in the middle of who knows where and after a session of shrinking.
-"I was saved by the terrible white light." Muraki shrugged as if it was something obvious like eating breakfast.
-"You're joking, right?"
-"No, I'm completely serious, why do you ask?"
-"Well, aren't you taking it for granted? I mean, didn't you get curious eventually – about who could have done it and why?"
-"Yes, I did."
-"And?"
-"You know, Tsuzuki san, you look wonderful today."
-"Muraki, you're avoiding my question, awkwardly at that."
-"Yes, I know. I thought you might get the hint"
-"You're not going to tell me."
-"Yes." Tsuzukis features changed in such progression – first there was amazement, then suspicious frown and then – an expression of utter terror.
-"S- s –s-SPIDER!!!" Tsuzuki was terrified – pointing over Murakis shoulder.
-"Now really, Tsuzuki san, it's a mere arachnid, and surely it cannot cause you any harm." Muraki continued in a calm tone, until Tsuzuki got a grasp of his shoulders and spun him around.
Murakis eyes widened.
-"Holy shit!" There were eight hairy legs before them and glistening pair of fangs, moving up and down in anticipation. Four of its visible eyes were seated atop of the hairy head – Two dominant ones reflecting both men. It was crawling towards them carefully – ready to strike any moment. It would have been harmless if they were still big, but alas, the creature was a bit bigger than them.
Muraki took a cautious step back, and felt Tsuzuki behind him, mimicking the motion. It resembled an awkward waltz.
-"Gosh, we're busted, we're so busted!" Tsuzuki muttered clutching Murakis shoulder.
-"Tsuzuki san, I would advise you to use your magic." Murakis otherwise calm voice was laced with tension.
-"I can't use it on creatures from this world and non spiritual entities of this realm." Tsuzuki squeaked.
-"It's no time for joking, Tsuzuki san." Muraki stated annoyed
-"I'm serious dammit!"
-"Then we are in trouble." The creature didn't fail to follow – It was steadily covering the distance between them. "Tsuzuki san, when I say run, we run, in one direction,"
-"Ok, whatever you say."
-"Ready . . ." Muraki took a piece of rock and aimed at the critter. "Set . .." He said as steadily and pulled his hand back for a throw. "Go!" He exclaimed right after hitting the thing on its head.
They spun on their heels and . . . experienced a severe tug on their joint arms.
-"I said one direction!" Muraki growled.
-"Well, how should I know which this "one direction" is?" Tsuzuki whined, and was suddenly yanked to the side, nearly avoiding a strike from their eight legged friend.
-"This way." Muraki called and they broke in a run, matching each others pace.
-"W-where .. huh. .. . are we. . huh . . .going?" Tsuzuki panted, hearing the scribble of eight feet behind them.
-"No . . idea." Came an exasperated answer. They ran, rows of doors passed their sight as they approached the other end of the hall steadily – as fast as their miniature bodies could take them. Tsuzukis was becoming a bit breathless.
-"Uh . . too much . . I can't .go on." Tsuzuki puffed and panted, falling behind Muraki steadily.
-"I see a door. . . . Tsuzuki, . . .get . . together." Muraki stated and gave Tsuzuki a tug. He on the other side strained and in the end – came stumbling towards the door.
-"The door is about our size. It's locked." Muraki noted, probing the simple portal, while Tsuzuki was leaning down and panting.
-"Great . . . /pant, pant/" He bent down and supported his forearms on his tights like a marathoner.
-"Do you still have the key?" Muraki stated after a closer inspection of the lock.
-"What key?"
-"From the table!"
-"Uh, just a sec." Tsuzuki dug in his pocket and produced a small shiny key. Muraki grabbed it and tried opening the door. The key did go inside, but the lock wouldn't budge.
-"Dammit!" Muraki swore and punched the door. Meanwhile Tsuzuki had regained his composure. He took the key out of its lock, still certain that it would fit somewhere someday.
-"Obviously it's not our way out." He stated and pulled Muraki in other direction. Instead he was yanked back.. "What the?"
-"Look." Muraki pointed at thin, almost transparent threads, aligning the floor, glistened in the eerie lit room. "The spider web." Muraki stated. "If we were to touch these strings, we would become its meal." Tsuzuki gulped
-"When did it manage doing that?" Tsuzuki whined.
-"It doesn't matter. What matters is …" Muraki trailed off glancing upwards
-"But where is the spider itself?" Tsuzuki looked around them frantically. Something poked him on the shoulder. He stiffened in anticipation of what it could be and jumped up in shock, to find out it was only Muraki. Only Muraki? Since when had he started thinking this way? "Good God you nearly scared my lunch out of me, why did you do that?!" Shinigami was fuming, the doctor only pointed up.
-"Is it what I think it is?" The brunette asked without looking. The doctor nodded slowly and took a step back towards the web. "Wait, we're trapped like this." Tsuzuki pulled the man back.
-"Tsuzuki san, use your charms." Tsuzuki was about to object. "Do you see another possibility?"
-"Well. . ." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, while he could see a vein pulsing in Murakis temple. Was he really irritated, was he? Brunette thought gleefully.
-"Tsuzuki san, we are running out of time." Muraki stated stoically and lit a cigarette. Funnily enough all the things they had with them – excluding the key, had merged alongside with them. "Well?"
-"I can carry you."
-"That's preposterous. I can walk fine by myself." The man dismissed him a bit haughtily.
-"But I can fly." Muraki turned to look at Tsuzuki, his look speculating whether or not to trust the purple-eyed beauty.
-"And why exactly didn't you use that option earlier?"
-"It skipped my mind." Tsuzuki laughed airily, scratching the back of his head in a silly manner.
In the meantime the spider got closer to its victims, slowly crawling down the wall, leaving a trace of spider web in its wake. Towards the locked door, the scribble of its clawed legs came, making no distraction for the both arguing persons.
Phew this was like THE longest one chapter Ive ever made - it was some 8.5 pages in Word format. (Oo) my poor, poor eyes. Well hanyways, until we meet again