A/N: Wan! Wan! I got reviews! *Kelly breaks down in hysterical sobs and the
crowd watches her pitifully and murmurs something about aspiring fanfic
authors and stress* Thanks much to Ruby Tears, Rinny and Ice-Phoenix for
reviewing! Hopefully this chapter will do even better. Oh yeah, I forgot to
do the disclaimers for the prologue. but my psychiatrist says I'm getting
better in dealing with denial! Hontoni! Oh yeah, any overcharacterisation,
fluff, yaoi, lemon, etc, is totally intentional. *nods to self* yup. And
this happens after the Kyoto Arc. I conveniently ignored the Gensoukai Arc.
Warning: I took the liberty here to assume that Tsuzuki and Hisoka got together and it's a year after Kyoto. Ah, poetic license.
Disclaimers: Yami no Matsuei, its characters and affiliated stuff does not belong to me.*coughs*
Chapter One: New Recruit! New Test Subject??
He's waiting with bated breath. Every sinew, every muscle, every tendon is taut with nerves and anticipation. Sweat beaded his forehead and trickled down one smooth, high cheekbone, tracing the delicate contours, down an ivory-smooth neck, to disappear in the folds of his coat.
It had to work, it had to, dammit! He's waited too long, invested too much time and it could all be for nothing in the last few minutes. The thought of having to go through all of that again was nothing new to him, had done so countless of times even, but to watch it all go to waste again.
Wait, what was that? Could it be? Is it.? Is it??? Kami-sama!!
"I've done it, 003! Gender-changing potion batch A345111!!!" Watari crowed triumphantly. He held up a small beaker containing some very precious, pink- colored liquid in the air. Ah! See the way the light shines through it, highlighting the delicate dancing bubbles, the way the liquid glowed . . . .
003 flapped his wings together in celebration. Canons blew, sparklers erupted, fireworks fired! Truly it is a moment of history!!
"Ano. . . Watari-san?" Terazuma was standing hesitantly, just teetering on the edge of the threshold to the hellho-I mean, Watari's lab. His ears were twitching nervously. He hoped to Enma that he didn't hear what he thought he heard. . .
"Ah! Terazuma-san!" Watari bounded over, grinning maniacally. 003 followed at a more sedate pace (can owls be sedate?) and settled on Watari's shoulder, quietly reflecting his master's pride at his latest accomplishment. "What's up?" He was still holding on to the beaker with its mysterious pink liquid.
Terazuma swallowed hard, eyeing the beaker apprehensively. "Tatsumi-san sent me to remind you about the staff meeting. . ." He still had nightmares about that last Watari's experiment. . .he actually told Tsuzuki he LOVED him!
"Aa, arigato, Tera-san!" Terazuma twitched. "Ne, what do you think about my new po-"
Watari's lab coat suddenly billowed out and 003 nearly tumbled from his shoulder from the sudden buffeting wind that was Terazuma running away as fast as he could. There was only so much of Watari's experiments one could take before one developed experiment-phobia after all.
"Must be a stomach-ache."
003 facefaulted.
The meeting room was nearly filled when Watari slipped in with 003. He flopped into a chair and threw a smile around the room at everyone. Smiles were free after all. It had nothing to do with the 'cupcakes with pink and white frosting' he brought in under his coat. Nope. Na-ah.
Tatsumi was there, shuffling papers and looking as serious as always while keeping an eye on Tsuzuki who was teasing Hisoka unmercifully about their last case a month ago. Apparently several boys in the school they were assigned to on that case had sent love letters to Hisoka. Very steamy love letters.
The chief coughed deliberately, calling the meeting to order. Or at least, trying to. Hisoka was currently in the process of strangling Tsuzuki and if Hisoka's face got any redder, he'd be having nosebleeds. At the cough, Hisoka reluctantly released Tsuzuki and sat back down, glaring and muttering. The word 'baka' was quite distinct.
This unfortunately had no effect whatsoever on Tsuzuki who then went on to suggest in a stage whisper that they ought to try out some of the. . . er, suggestions those love letters had contained, later tonight.
Hisoka choked and spluttered and it was the chief's shout that saved Tsuzuki from another strangulation. "TSUZUKI ASATO!"
Tsusuki's head snapped up and he threw a big grin at Konoe, "Hai?"
"Is it too much to ask to have you PAY ATTENTION in a staff meeting and not harass other staff members, even if they are your spouse?!" Kacho barked.
"Mou, Kacho," Tsuzuki pouted, "I always pay attention! I do! I am one of the best employees of JuuOhCho after-"
"Tell that to the Gushoushin and maybe they'll forgive you for blowing up the library. again."
Tsuzuki opened his mouth to protest at this but was instantly cut off again by Konoe. "I said, pay attention you bottom-barrel, good-for-nothing employee with a 70 year track record!"
Tsuzuki eeped and sank lower in his chair. Hisoka threw him a smug smile. "Baaaaka."
"As I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted, " here, Kacho's eyes glinted evilly at Tsuzuki who sank even lower in his chair, "we are about to receive a new shinigami. He came on the recommendations of EnmaDaioh."
Watari perked up. A shinigami that was sent here personally by Enma himself? That meant that the shinigami was very special. but how, he wondered.
"As everyone currently has partners, I'll be assigning him to Watari as his field partner and as backup to any one else who needs it. Understand?"
"Ano, Kacho?" Watari piped up. "Much as I appreciate a new partner, where is he? And you haven't even told us his name yet."
"Ah, yes. Tatsumi? Do you mind?" Konoe gestured at Tatsumi, indicating to him to pick up where he left off. Tatsumi shuffled a few more papers (it produces a very hypnotic and soothing sound, I assure you) and picked out the relevant one.
"His name is Shiozaki Kyo. Age of death, 18 years old. Cause of death." Tatsumi hesitated briefly, "an accident. The Gushoushin brothers have been sent to pick him up and he should be arriving," Tatsumi glanced at his wristwatch, "right about now."
On cue, the door opened and the twin gods of human records stepped (sorry), floated in. "Here's Shiozaki-san, Kacho." The elder Gushoushin gestured behind him and everyone smiled expectantly.
And everyone's jaws dropped.
He was. . . beautiful. But there was nothing effeminate in his beauty, like Hisoka was. In fact, as Watari noted with a blush, his beauty was all male. Hair as black as Tsuzuki's and just as silky, it looked like, brushed his eyes, softening the high angular cheekbones and the aquiline nose. But it was his eyes that drew their attention. They were perhaps the lightest pair of eyes anyone ever saw. It was the color of a clear summer sky, a color blue that is so intense, so pure, it's almost white, made even more noticeable by the dark ring encircling the irises.
From where he sat, Watari could see that he was nearly as tall as Tsuzuki, with a lean and lithe body. The way he moved, Watari could tell that he was trained in the martial arts. He flowed with an easy grace with each step and Watari could see Hisoka admiring that, from the corner of his eye. Hisoka had been complaining that he had no one to practice his kendo with and now it looked as though his wish had been granted.
Shiozaki stopped before the table and bowed low. "Hajimemashite, my name is Shiozaki Kyo." He smiled and Watari felt the irresistible need to smile back, as did everyone else in the room. He may not be gushing buckets of genkiness as Watari did, but it was clear that this Kyo was a friendly and open person. Thank Kami.
Tatsumi stood up and quickly introduced everyone around the table, apologizing for Terazuma's absence. When Tatsumi introduced Watari, the scientist stood up and ushered the boy to a seat next to him.
"So you'll be my new partner then, Shiozaki-san?" grinned Watari.
"Hai, and please, call me Kyo. Shiozaki-san sounds way too stiff," Kyo smiled back.
"Kyo-san? Very well then! This definitely calls for a celebration!" with that announcement, Watari whipped out from underneath his coat, a plateful of those 'cupcakes with pink and white frosting' and placed it on the table. "Ta-da! My very own recipe! Full of sugary goodness!"
Tsuzuki beamed at this,
"and it's on the house!"
Tatsumi beamed too.
"Please, minna, help yourself," Watari urged, "It's a special day after all."
Everyone took a piece (Tsuzuki, two) and each were just about to bite into that sugary fluffiness when Terazuma suddenly burst into the room, banging the door open.
"Stop!" he panted, draped over the table and gasping for breath. His conscience finally got the better of him (and the thought of the possibility of Tsuzuki proclaiming his undying love to Wakaba) and he had run as fast as he could to warn the others. "Watari! New potion!"
At the word 'potion', everyone quickly threw the cupcakes back onto the plate, including a very reluctant Tsuzuki, breathing a sigh of relief. Saved.
"What's wrong?" Kyo asked. Slowly, like a bad special effects in a B-grade movie, everyone turned. . . and saw a bite missing from Kyo's cupcake.
Pandemonium reigned. Everyone was shouting, Terazuma had run off again, and Saya and Yuma had tried to glomp Kyo, to witness firsthand any changes that might have occurred. Kacho meanwhile, thumped his head resignedly on the table ("And it's his first day too," he sighed) and with a tug on his jacket to get rid of non-existent wrinkles, Tatsumi stood up, coughed and the shadows in the room loomed suddenly over them.
Without even a whimper, everyone crept back to their seats except Watari, Saya and Yuma who were still fussing over Kyo.
"Watari-san?" Tatsumi's tone was polite. Cultured. Civil even. Not a hint even of the violence that could be unleashed at any moment on the poor, hapless (yeah, right) scientist.
Sigh.
"If it's any consolation," Watari began, disappointment clear on his face," I don't think it worked." Another collective sigh of relief was heard, until. . .
"Hey," Kyo spoke up brightly, "I got breasts! Cool!"
~to be continued~
A/N: That was just an introductory chapter, obviously. Was it pretty bad? Oh God, it is, isn't it???? (yes, I do have a self-confidence problem.)Any suggestions, anyone?? I sort of have a plot in mind but any ideas is greatly welcomed! And did anyone notice the discrepancy about how I described Kyo here and in the Prologue? I assure you, it's not a typing error, but plays a relevant part in the plot! (I hope!) Please, R & R!!
Warning: I took the liberty here to assume that Tsuzuki and Hisoka got together and it's a year after Kyoto. Ah, poetic license.
Disclaimers: Yami no Matsuei, its characters and affiliated stuff does not belong to me.*coughs*
Chapter One: New Recruit! New Test Subject??
He's waiting with bated breath. Every sinew, every muscle, every tendon is taut with nerves and anticipation. Sweat beaded his forehead and trickled down one smooth, high cheekbone, tracing the delicate contours, down an ivory-smooth neck, to disappear in the folds of his coat.
It had to work, it had to, dammit! He's waited too long, invested too much time and it could all be for nothing in the last few minutes. The thought of having to go through all of that again was nothing new to him, had done so countless of times even, but to watch it all go to waste again.
Wait, what was that? Could it be? Is it.? Is it??? Kami-sama!!
"I've done it, 003! Gender-changing potion batch A345111!!!" Watari crowed triumphantly. He held up a small beaker containing some very precious, pink- colored liquid in the air. Ah! See the way the light shines through it, highlighting the delicate dancing bubbles, the way the liquid glowed . . . .
003 flapped his wings together in celebration. Canons blew, sparklers erupted, fireworks fired! Truly it is a moment of history!!
"Ano. . . Watari-san?" Terazuma was standing hesitantly, just teetering on the edge of the threshold to the hellho-I mean, Watari's lab. His ears were twitching nervously. He hoped to Enma that he didn't hear what he thought he heard. . .
"Ah! Terazuma-san!" Watari bounded over, grinning maniacally. 003 followed at a more sedate pace (can owls be sedate?) and settled on Watari's shoulder, quietly reflecting his master's pride at his latest accomplishment. "What's up?" He was still holding on to the beaker with its mysterious pink liquid.
Terazuma swallowed hard, eyeing the beaker apprehensively. "Tatsumi-san sent me to remind you about the staff meeting. . ." He still had nightmares about that last Watari's experiment. . .he actually told Tsuzuki he LOVED him!
"Aa, arigato, Tera-san!" Terazuma twitched. "Ne, what do you think about my new po-"
Watari's lab coat suddenly billowed out and 003 nearly tumbled from his shoulder from the sudden buffeting wind that was Terazuma running away as fast as he could. There was only so much of Watari's experiments one could take before one developed experiment-phobia after all.
"Must be a stomach-ache."
003 facefaulted.
The meeting room was nearly filled when Watari slipped in with 003. He flopped into a chair and threw a smile around the room at everyone. Smiles were free after all. It had nothing to do with the 'cupcakes with pink and white frosting' he brought in under his coat. Nope. Na-ah.
Tatsumi was there, shuffling papers and looking as serious as always while keeping an eye on Tsuzuki who was teasing Hisoka unmercifully about their last case a month ago. Apparently several boys in the school they were assigned to on that case had sent love letters to Hisoka. Very steamy love letters.
The chief coughed deliberately, calling the meeting to order. Or at least, trying to. Hisoka was currently in the process of strangling Tsuzuki and if Hisoka's face got any redder, he'd be having nosebleeds. At the cough, Hisoka reluctantly released Tsuzuki and sat back down, glaring and muttering. The word 'baka' was quite distinct.
This unfortunately had no effect whatsoever on Tsuzuki who then went on to suggest in a stage whisper that they ought to try out some of the. . . er, suggestions those love letters had contained, later tonight.
Hisoka choked and spluttered and it was the chief's shout that saved Tsuzuki from another strangulation. "TSUZUKI ASATO!"
Tsusuki's head snapped up and he threw a big grin at Konoe, "Hai?"
"Is it too much to ask to have you PAY ATTENTION in a staff meeting and not harass other staff members, even if they are your spouse?!" Kacho barked.
"Mou, Kacho," Tsuzuki pouted, "I always pay attention! I do! I am one of the best employees of JuuOhCho after-"
"Tell that to the Gushoushin and maybe they'll forgive you for blowing up the library. again."
Tsuzuki opened his mouth to protest at this but was instantly cut off again by Konoe. "I said, pay attention you bottom-barrel, good-for-nothing employee with a 70 year track record!"
Tsuzuki eeped and sank lower in his chair. Hisoka threw him a smug smile. "Baaaaka."
"As I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted, " here, Kacho's eyes glinted evilly at Tsuzuki who sank even lower in his chair, "we are about to receive a new shinigami. He came on the recommendations of EnmaDaioh."
Watari perked up. A shinigami that was sent here personally by Enma himself? That meant that the shinigami was very special. but how, he wondered.
"As everyone currently has partners, I'll be assigning him to Watari as his field partner and as backup to any one else who needs it. Understand?"
"Ano, Kacho?" Watari piped up. "Much as I appreciate a new partner, where is he? And you haven't even told us his name yet."
"Ah, yes. Tatsumi? Do you mind?" Konoe gestured at Tatsumi, indicating to him to pick up where he left off. Tatsumi shuffled a few more papers (it produces a very hypnotic and soothing sound, I assure you) and picked out the relevant one.
"His name is Shiozaki Kyo. Age of death, 18 years old. Cause of death." Tatsumi hesitated briefly, "an accident. The Gushoushin brothers have been sent to pick him up and he should be arriving," Tatsumi glanced at his wristwatch, "right about now."
On cue, the door opened and the twin gods of human records stepped (sorry), floated in. "Here's Shiozaki-san, Kacho." The elder Gushoushin gestured behind him and everyone smiled expectantly.
And everyone's jaws dropped.
He was. . . beautiful. But there was nothing effeminate in his beauty, like Hisoka was. In fact, as Watari noted with a blush, his beauty was all male. Hair as black as Tsuzuki's and just as silky, it looked like, brushed his eyes, softening the high angular cheekbones and the aquiline nose. But it was his eyes that drew their attention. They were perhaps the lightest pair of eyes anyone ever saw. It was the color of a clear summer sky, a color blue that is so intense, so pure, it's almost white, made even more noticeable by the dark ring encircling the irises.
From where he sat, Watari could see that he was nearly as tall as Tsuzuki, with a lean and lithe body. The way he moved, Watari could tell that he was trained in the martial arts. He flowed with an easy grace with each step and Watari could see Hisoka admiring that, from the corner of his eye. Hisoka had been complaining that he had no one to practice his kendo with and now it looked as though his wish had been granted.
Shiozaki stopped before the table and bowed low. "Hajimemashite, my name is Shiozaki Kyo." He smiled and Watari felt the irresistible need to smile back, as did everyone else in the room. He may not be gushing buckets of genkiness as Watari did, but it was clear that this Kyo was a friendly and open person. Thank Kami.
Tatsumi stood up and quickly introduced everyone around the table, apologizing for Terazuma's absence. When Tatsumi introduced Watari, the scientist stood up and ushered the boy to a seat next to him.
"So you'll be my new partner then, Shiozaki-san?" grinned Watari.
"Hai, and please, call me Kyo. Shiozaki-san sounds way too stiff," Kyo smiled back.
"Kyo-san? Very well then! This definitely calls for a celebration!" with that announcement, Watari whipped out from underneath his coat, a plateful of those 'cupcakes with pink and white frosting' and placed it on the table. "Ta-da! My very own recipe! Full of sugary goodness!"
Tsuzuki beamed at this,
"and it's on the house!"
Tatsumi beamed too.
"Please, minna, help yourself," Watari urged, "It's a special day after all."
Everyone took a piece (Tsuzuki, two) and each were just about to bite into that sugary fluffiness when Terazuma suddenly burst into the room, banging the door open.
"Stop!" he panted, draped over the table and gasping for breath. His conscience finally got the better of him (and the thought of the possibility of Tsuzuki proclaiming his undying love to Wakaba) and he had run as fast as he could to warn the others. "Watari! New potion!"
At the word 'potion', everyone quickly threw the cupcakes back onto the plate, including a very reluctant Tsuzuki, breathing a sigh of relief. Saved.
"What's wrong?" Kyo asked. Slowly, like a bad special effects in a B-grade movie, everyone turned. . . and saw a bite missing from Kyo's cupcake.
Pandemonium reigned. Everyone was shouting, Terazuma had run off again, and Saya and Yuma had tried to glomp Kyo, to witness firsthand any changes that might have occurred. Kacho meanwhile, thumped his head resignedly on the table ("And it's his first day too," he sighed) and with a tug on his jacket to get rid of non-existent wrinkles, Tatsumi stood up, coughed and the shadows in the room loomed suddenly over them.
Without even a whimper, everyone crept back to their seats except Watari, Saya and Yuma who were still fussing over Kyo.
"Watari-san?" Tatsumi's tone was polite. Cultured. Civil even. Not a hint even of the violence that could be unleashed at any moment on the poor, hapless (yeah, right) scientist.
Sigh.
"If it's any consolation," Watari began, disappointment clear on his face," I don't think it worked." Another collective sigh of relief was heard, until. . .
"Hey," Kyo spoke up brightly, "I got breasts! Cool!"
~to be continued~
A/N: That was just an introductory chapter, obviously. Was it pretty bad? Oh God, it is, isn't it???? (yes, I do have a self-confidence problem.)Any suggestions, anyone?? I sort of have a plot in mind but any ideas is greatly welcomed! And did anyone notice the discrepancy about how I described Kyo here and in the Prologue? I assure you, it's not a typing error, but plays a relevant part in the plot! (I hope!) Please, R & R!!