Chapter 10
"Will he be all right?" asked Konoe.
Watari glanced over at the unconscious boy in bed. Saya and Yuma were fussing over him, though Rei was trying to calm them down enough to prevent them from tying gold ribbons in his hair. "He should wake up anytime now. Rei-chan is keeping a close eye on him."
He directed his attention on a small cup. "Tsuzuki is taking on Muraki right now, and I can't help but be worried." He walked over to Tatsumi and held out the cup. "Take this."
Tatsumi shook. "No. I'm not taking anymore of your damn potions!! I haven't been human in practically weeks!!!"
"It's just medi-"
"I'M NOT TAKING IT!!!!!!!!"
Konoe put a hand to his head. "At this rate, everyone's going to end up dead because of this whole 'lack of trust'."
Hisoka felt like he was under water. He couldn't hear anything, and it felt like he couldn't breathe.
I think something happened, he thought. Muraki attacked me; damn near killed me. But I heard Tsuzuki apologize to me.
He felt his face burn. Tsuzuki had said he loved him.
"Ready to wake up yet?"
Wait, he heard that. It was Rei.
He suddenly felt a roaring sound in his ears, then saw a bright light...
The bright lights were the ceiling lights. He quickly sat up. He was in the infirmary in Meifu.
There was a sigh beside him. "Oh, I thought you would never come out of that!! You worried everyone!!!"
Hisoka turned to Rei. She looked too tired.
He focused on the rest of the room. "Where's Tsuzuki?"
Rei's face fell. "Um, he's..."
"Yeah?"
"Fighting Muraki right now."
Hisoka jerked his head to her. "Say WHAT?!?!"
"He's fighting Muraki. Damn pissed off, I say. Byakko was here for a while, until Tatsumi-kun kicked him out."
Hisoka threw aside the covers and got out of bed. "I'm going."
"You can't!!!" Rei stood up in front of him. "You've just woken up!!! And you aren't at full strength!!!"
"It doesn't matter!!! I have to help Tsuzuki!!!"
Rei eyed him for a long moment, then threw up her hands. "Alright. But I'm going with you."
"You don't-"
"Hey, I'm not about to have two lovebirds die!!!"
Hisoka turned bright red. "Shut up!!!"
Rei laughed and slid on her coat. "C'mon, Hisoka-chan."
"Come now," said Muraki, summoning another creature. "You are clearly tired. Why not just submit to me? I'll make it worth your while."
Tsuzuki blanched, then straightened. There was no way he was going to lose. "Come forth, Souryuu!!!!!"
The Shikigami came forth, visibly pissed off and went right in for the attack.
While they fought, Muraki decided he needed to see blood. He gathered up some energy and threw it at Tsuzuki, who was still watching his Shikigami.
Souryuu shouted at him, and that was when Tsuzuki knew he was in trouble. He turned his head to see a wave of energy fly at him. He knew he didn't have enough time to put up a kekkai. He raised his arms to block it-
--and it came in contact with a shield before it hit him. It remained there for a brief second, and then hurled itself back at Muraki.
Muraki jumped out of the way in time. His face hardened. "Well, it seems we have some unwanted guests."
Tsuzuki turned around. Hisoka and Rei were standing there, both poised for attack and both glaring at Muraki.
Tsuzuki felt a rush of relief flood him when he saw Hisoka. But anger quickly followed suit. "What are you two doing?! This is my fight!!!"
Hisoka shook his head. "This is OUR fight. It has been our fight since the beginning. I'm not about to let you die on me."
Rei rubbed her head, and smiled. "Besides Asato-kun, we won't just abandon you. We'll be with you all the way."
Tsuzuki felt a smile tug at his mouth, but he ignored it. "You can't-"
"WATCH OUT!!!!!!!" Rei suddenly shrieked.
"Huh?" Tsuzuki turned around as a blast from the demon reflected off him and hurling back up, nearly hitting Souryuu.
Rei squinted at the Shikigami. "Souryuu?! Oh no..."
"What?" asked Hisoka.
"Souryuu doesn't like you very much, Hisoka-chan."
"Still?! I thought I called a truce with him!!!"
Tsuzuki rubbed his temples. "I just hope Souryuu doesn't get the idea to attack Hisoka..."
"C'mon, Tsuzuki-san!!" yelled Muraki. "You know you can do better than this!!!"
Rei looked around. "Where is Shirou? Once this fight is over, I have to take him ho-"
She stopped as she looked behind her. "Um, Hisoka-chan?"
"What?" demanded Hisoka, who was trying to find an opening to shoot Muraki.
She tugged on his sleeve. "Behind us."
He turned and gaped. About a dozen summoned creatures prodded towards them. Each looked VERY hungry. Hisoka could only choke out two words.
"Oh shit."
Souryuu killed the demon by severing its head.
"How do you like THAT?!" yelled Tsuzuki.
Muraki was laughing. "You fool!!!! Look behind you!!!!"
Tsuzuki turned his head. Demons surrounded both Hisoka and Rei, ready to eat them.
Against his better judgment, he called out to Souryuu. "Go help them out!!!"
Souryuu eyed the two teenage Shinigami. "..."
"Please!!!!!"
The Shikigami sighed, then flew down to aid them.
Muraki shook his head. "Got any other ideas?"
Tsuzuki glared at him. "Yes, and this one is going right at you. Come forth, Byakko!!!"
"Call forth Quezacotl!!!" yelled Hisoka as he fired at one of the demons.
Rei dodged another. "I would if I could just get a moment to concentrate!!!!"
Suddenly, the demons were blown away. Hisoka turned his head as Souryuu came to his side.
"This is by my master's orders," said Souryuu. "Don't think of it as anything else."
"Oh gee, I love you too," Hisoka said sarcastically, firing at another demon.
Rei finally got enough space. "Come forth, Quezacotl!!!!"
The thunderbird appeared. He wasn't injured anymore. He unleashed lightning upon the demons.
"All right!!" she yelled, cheering on her Shikigami.
The white tiger growled menacingly at the psycho doctor, who didn't look fazed.
"Is he suppose to scare me?" asked Muraki.
"He'll do more than that," said Tsuzuki. "Attack!!!!!"
Byakko lunged at Muraki, but Muraki raised his head and fired a blast at him. It hit the white tiger in the face, causing it to go flying.
"I can handle this!!!" Rei growled at Souryuu as Quezacotl got rid of the remaining demons.
"I am acting on orders," said Souryuu. "And you are disrupting them." he looked to the side, then ducked as Byakko flew past him.
Hisoka watched Byakko slam into the wall and fear lanced through him. Muraki had just attacked one of the most powerful Shikigami with little to no effort. How much had he improved on since he had last seen them?!
He checked his gun. Only one bullet left...
He raised the gun, aiming it carefully and pulled the trigger.
Tsuzuki heard the shock ring in the air. Muraki's body jerked violently, and dark blood started coming out of his chest. He raised a hand to his chest, the blood spilling out quickly.
"Tsuzuki!!!! Now!!!!!!" screamed Hisoka.
He saw Byakko slightly limping and Souryuu in a verbal argument with Rei. There was one thing left to do...
He hesitated for a second. He couldn't call upon Suzaku again, as she had been hurt. He had no choice...
"Come forth, Touda!!!"
Hisoka winced as Touda was summoned. Considering those 'rumors' that had been spread, he was afraid of what Touda might do to him.
Touda growled at Muraki, easily surrounding him in flames.
Muraki laughed, even though his demise was only moments away.
"So it seems I can't escape death this time," he gasped, holding a bloodied hand to his chest. "Ah well. This game was getting too old, anyway."
Tsuzuki could no longer see him through the flames. But he couldn't sense his presence, either. "Enough, Touda!!!"
Touda stopped his fires. Where Muraki had been was nothing more than a scorch mark on the ground.
The room was completely silent. Hisoka frantically pulled up his sleeve. No curse marks marred his skin.
I...I can't sense him," Rei said excitedly. "He's dead. He's dead!!!"
Tsuzuki fell to his knees in relief. Hisoka rushed to his side, only to come nose-to-nose with Touda.
"Um, hi?" he said tentatively.
"Payback time," growled Touda.
Tsuzuki held up his hand. "Enough, Touda. Go back to Gensoukai."
Touda sighed. "You got lucky. But next time..." then he disappeared.
Souryuu took that time to leave. Not before getting the last word in his argument with Rei.
"Dammit!!!" she cursed. Then she remembered. "Shirou!!!" she rushed over to her unconscious nephew and lifted him into her arms.
Hisoka helped Tsuzuki to his feet. "You did it, Tsuzuki. You killed him."
Tsuzuki smiled his sweet smile. "Not without your help."
Rei watched the two, smiling happily. "I think it's time we go home."
Aww!!!!! How cute!!!! Damn that seemed too short and too confusing!!!! But it ain't over!!! Still one more chapter to go!!! And in case I don't update before the holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!!!!! ^_____^
"Will he be all right?" asked Konoe.
Watari glanced over at the unconscious boy in bed. Saya and Yuma were fussing over him, though Rei was trying to calm them down enough to prevent them from tying gold ribbons in his hair. "He should wake up anytime now. Rei-chan is keeping a close eye on him."
He directed his attention on a small cup. "Tsuzuki is taking on Muraki right now, and I can't help but be worried." He walked over to Tatsumi and held out the cup. "Take this."
Tatsumi shook. "No. I'm not taking anymore of your damn potions!! I haven't been human in practically weeks!!!"
"It's just medi-"
"I'M NOT TAKING IT!!!!!!!!"
Konoe put a hand to his head. "At this rate, everyone's going to end up dead because of this whole 'lack of trust'."
Hisoka felt like he was under water. He couldn't hear anything, and it felt like he couldn't breathe.
I think something happened, he thought. Muraki attacked me; damn near killed me. But I heard Tsuzuki apologize to me.
He felt his face burn. Tsuzuki had said he loved him.
"Ready to wake up yet?"
Wait, he heard that. It was Rei.
He suddenly felt a roaring sound in his ears, then saw a bright light...
The bright lights were the ceiling lights. He quickly sat up. He was in the infirmary in Meifu.
There was a sigh beside him. "Oh, I thought you would never come out of that!! You worried everyone!!!"
Hisoka turned to Rei. She looked too tired.
He focused on the rest of the room. "Where's Tsuzuki?"
Rei's face fell. "Um, he's..."
"Yeah?"
"Fighting Muraki right now."
Hisoka jerked his head to her. "Say WHAT?!?!"
"He's fighting Muraki. Damn pissed off, I say. Byakko was here for a while, until Tatsumi-kun kicked him out."
Hisoka threw aside the covers and got out of bed. "I'm going."
"You can't!!!" Rei stood up in front of him. "You've just woken up!!! And you aren't at full strength!!!"
"It doesn't matter!!! I have to help Tsuzuki!!!"
Rei eyed him for a long moment, then threw up her hands. "Alright. But I'm going with you."
"You don't-"
"Hey, I'm not about to have two lovebirds die!!!"
Hisoka turned bright red. "Shut up!!!"
Rei laughed and slid on her coat. "C'mon, Hisoka-chan."
"Come now," said Muraki, summoning another creature. "You are clearly tired. Why not just submit to me? I'll make it worth your while."
Tsuzuki blanched, then straightened. There was no way he was going to lose. "Come forth, Souryuu!!!!!"
The Shikigami came forth, visibly pissed off and went right in for the attack.
While they fought, Muraki decided he needed to see blood. He gathered up some energy and threw it at Tsuzuki, who was still watching his Shikigami.
Souryuu shouted at him, and that was when Tsuzuki knew he was in trouble. He turned his head to see a wave of energy fly at him. He knew he didn't have enough time to put up a kekkai. He raised his arms to block it-
--and it came in contact with a shield before it hit him. It remained there for a brief second, and then hurled itself back at Muraki.
Muraki jumped out of the way in time. His face hardened. "Well, it seems we have some unwanted guests."
Tsuzuki turned around. Hisoka and Rei were standing there, both poised for attack and both glaring at Muraki.
Tsuzuki felt a rush of relief flood him when he saw Hisoka. But anger quickly followed suit. "What are you two doing?! This is my fight!!!"
Hisoka shook his head. "This is OUR fight. It has been our fight since the beginning. I'm not about to let you die on me."
Rei rubbed her head, and smiled. "Besides Asato-kun, we won't just abandon you. We'll be with you all the way."
Tsuzuki felt a smile tug at his mouth, but he ignored it. "You can't-"
"WATCH OUT!!!!!!!" Rei suddenly shrieked.
"Huh?" Tsuzuki turned around as a blast from the demon reflected off him and hurling back up, nearly hitting Souryuu.
Rei squinted at the Shikigami. "Souryuu?! Oh no..."
"What?" asked Hisoka.
"Souryuu doesn't like you very much, Hisoka-chan."
"Still?! I thought I called a truce with him!!!"
Tsuzuki rubbed his temples. "I just hope Souryuu doesn't get the idea to attack Hisoka..."
"C'mon, Tsuzuki-san!!" yelled Muraki. "You know you can do better than this!!!"
Rei looked around. "Where is Shirou? Once this fight is over, I have to take him ho-"
She stopped as she looked behind her. "Um, Hisoka-chan?"
"What?" demanded Hisoka, who was trying to find an opening to shoot Muraki.
She tugged on his sleeve. "Behind us."
He turned and gaped. About a dozen summoned creatures prodded towards them. Each looked VERY hungry. Hisoka could only choke out two words.
"Oh shit."
Souryuu killed the demon by severing its head.
"How do you like THAT?!" yelled Tsuzuki.
Muraki was laughing. "You fool!!!! Look behind you!!!!"
Tsuzuki turned his head. Demons surrounded both Hisoka and Rei, ready to eat them.
Against his better judgment, he called out to Souryuu. "Go help them out!!!"
Souryuu eyed the two teenage Shinigami. "..."
"Please!!!!!"
The Shikigami sighed, then flew down to aid them.
Muraki shook his head. "Got any other ideas?"
Tsuzuki glared at him. "Yes, and this one is going right at you. Come forth, Byakko!!!"
"Call forth Quezacotl!!!" yelled Hisoka as he fired at one of the demons.
Rei dodged another. "I would if I could just get a moment to concentrate!!!!"
Suddenly, the demons were blown away. Hisoka turned his head as Souryuu came to his side.
"This is by my master's orders," said Souryuu. "Don't think of it as anything else."
"Oh gee, I love you too," Hisoka said sarcastically, firing at another demon.
Rei finally got enough space. "Come forth, Quezacotl!!!!"
The thunderbird appeared. He wasn't injured anymore. He unleashed lightning upon the demons.
"All right!!" she yelled, cheering on her Shikigami.
The white tiger growled menacingly at the psycho doctor, who didn't look fazed.
"Is he suppose to scare me?" asked Muraki.
"He'll do more than that," said Tsuzuki. "Attack!!!!!"
Byakko lunged at Muraki, but Muraki raised his head and fired a blast at him. It hit the white tiger in the face, causing it to go flying.
"I can handle this!!!" Rei growled at Souryuu as Quezacotl got rid of the remaining demons.
"I am acting on orders," said Souryuu. "And you are disrupting them." he looked to the side, then ducked as Byakko flew past him.
Hisoka watched Byakko slam into the wall and fear lanced through him. Muraki had just attacked one of the most powerful Shikigami with little to no effort. How much had he improved on since he had last seen them?!
He checked his gun. Only one bullet left...
He raised the gun, aiming it carefully and pulled the trigger.
Tsuzuki heard the shock ring in the air. Muraki's body jerked violently, and dark blood started coming out of his chest. He raised a hand to his chest, the blood spilling out quickly.
"Tsuzuki!!!! Now!!!!!!" screamed Hisoka.
He saw Byakko slightly limping and Souryuu in a verbal argument with Rei. There was one thing left to do...
He hesitated for a second. He couldn't call upon Suzaku again, as she had been hurt. He had no choice...
"Come forth, Touda!!!"
Hisoka winced as Touda was summoned. Considering those 'rumors' that had been spread, he was afraid of what Touda might do to him.
Touda growled at Muraki, easily surrounding him in flames.
Muraki laughed, even though his demise was only moments away.
"So it seems I can't escape death this time," he gasped, holding a bloodied hand to his chest. "Ah well. This game was getting too old, anyway."
Tsuzuki could no longer see him through the flames. But he couldn't sense his presence, either. "Enough, Touda!!!"
Touda stopped his fires. Where Muraki had been was nothing more than a scorch mark on the ground.
The room was completely silent. Hisoka frantically pulled up his sleeve. No curse marks marred his skin.
I...I can't sense him," Rei said excitedly. "He's dead. He's dead!!!"
Tsuzuki fell to his knees in relief. Hisoka rushed to his side, only to come nose-to-nose with Touda.
"Um, hi?" he said tentatively.
"Payback time," growled Touda.
Tsuzuki held up his hand. "Enough, Touda. Go back to Gensoukai."
Touda sighed. "You got lucky. But next time..." then he disappeared.
Souryuu took that time to leave. Not before getting the last word in his argument with Rei.
"Dammit!!!" she cursed. Then she remembered. "Shirou!!!" she rushed over to her unconscious nephew and lifted him into her arms.
Hisoka helped Tsuzuki to his feet. "You did it, Tsuzuki. You killed him."
Tsuzuki smiled his sweet smile. "Not without your help."
Rei watched the two, smiling happily. "I think it's time we go home."
Aww!!!!! How cute!!!! Damn that seemed too short and too confusing!!!! But it ain't over!!! Still one more chapter to go!!! And in case I don't update before the holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!!!!! ^_____^