Melting the Heart - Chapter 5
Hisoka and Tsuzuki arrived at the Medical Campus right at 8:00. The met with the director and were introduced to the rest of the staff and their respective assistants. Based on the information Konoe had faxed to the university prior to their arrival, they were placed in the department dealing with mental health. Hisoka couldn't get over the irony of Tsuzuki having a position of prominence concerning mental health. 'Deep thinking Tsuzuki.didn't happen often' he thought. 'Oh well' Hisoka sighed. He figured he be the backbone of the whole assignment anyway - the one that actually dispensed the medical knowledge. If it hadn't been for how young he looked, he knew Konoe would probably have assigned him the role of doctor and Tsuzuki assistant.
"This will be your office. There is your desk along with your assistant's," the director pointed to the two cherry oak desks outfitted with flat-screen computers. The carpet on the floor was plush and had one large, central design on it. There was also a nicely sized window that let the sun in. Tsuzuki liked feeling high up. It was a lot better than his cubicle back at ShoKouCho. Lack of a raise or promotion weighed heavily upon him when he saw his new temporary office. 'It's been so long since my last raise,' he mentally sobbed.
"The computers are for whatever you need them for, but only use them for leisure activities on your time, not the University's time, please. I hope everything else is to your liking. We pride ourselves in having comfortable work environments," the director said smiling.
"It's very nice," Tsuzuki replied, returning the smile.
"Well that's all for now. Please have a good rest of the day," and with that the director left the office leaving Tsuzuki and Hisoka to themselves. As soon as the director had left, Tsuzuki noticed that Hisoka was already pounding away on the keyboard pulling up information on the deceased students. Tsuzuki leaned over Hisoka's back, "Woooow! You're amazing," he exclaimed as Hisoka kept pulling up window after window containing the student's information.
In all Hisoka had pulled up 20 windows, each containing individual information on all of the deceased students. Hisoka was grateful that the information was still in the university's database; he had previously feared that it might have been deleted upon their deaths. Hisoka inserted a nearby blank disk into the computer and began to download the information just in case such a thing was to happen.
"I truly think Muraki has something to do with this," Hisoka said after the information had finished downloading to the disk. Tsuzuki was busy blasting alien warships on his computer. He loved the university's hispeed connections.
Hisoka got up from his chair and thwacked Tsuzuki on his head. "Pay attention!" Hisoka scolded. Tsuzuki rubbed his head gingerly. "So what's the connection," he asked.
"They were all medical students," Hisoka said simply, "they also all died within the same two months."
Tsuzuki thought this information over for a minute and then asked, "So you think because they were all medical students, Muraki has his hands in this? Also, were they killed here, at the university, or at a different spot?"
Hisoka was a bit surprised by Tsuzuki's actually logical question; however, he thought that he shouldn't be since Tsuzuki did have that quality to be serious and logical when it need be. "I don't know," Hisoka replied. "I will check in with Konoe on that later."
There was a knock at the door. A young woman walked in. "Dr. Tsuzuki, there is a patient to see you."
"Bring the person in," Tsuzuki said, using a very official tone of voice.
A young medical student stepped into the office and laid down on the reclining couch used for patients. She was obviously sleep deprived.
Tsuzuki rolled over in his chair to the young woman, while Hisoka stayed behind his desk, computer program opened and ready to record her session.
"What's your name, miss," Tsuzuki began.
"Watanabe Hanako."
"And what has been troubling you?"
"I can't sleep," she began, "my dreams are troubling. I never remember them, but they are troubling. They pull at me and leave me with such a fear in my heart - I'm afraid to sleep."
"You can remember nothing about them?"
Hanako thought for a moment and then answered, "A crimson moon. I remember a crimson moon." This sent a shock wave through Hisoka. Tsuzuki just nodded.
"Kurosaki," he directed to Hisoka, "do you have any suggestions on good relaxants that will induce sleep?" Tsuzuki had no clue what to prescribe the woman.
"I recommend Ambiex Lictrate. It will relax her into a gentle sleep."
"Very well," Tsuzuki said as he began to write down the prescription for her. He also handed her a small fuda, "A little good luck never hurts either," he said with a cheery smile. The young woman smiled back, thanked them both, and left.
"A crimson moon.," Tsuzuki pondered aloud.
"Looks like it is Muraki," Hisoka pointed out grimly, almost sadly. "By the way, what was that fuda you gave her," he asked.
"It was a powerful one to help protect her mind from the fear that whoever is causing her to have."
"If Muraki is causing this, could he actually figure out a way to trap souls in such a manner," Hisoka directed the question towards Tsuzuki.
"Well if he's manipulating them with fear from the inside and killing them off that way, killing them mentally, it's likely he could find a way to somehow get the soul of the person, after death acourse, and prevent it from entering Meifu. Although, I don't think he could steal it in such a way we couldn't get it back.at least I hope he can't do such a thing."
Hisoka shuddered at the thought again. The idea that Muraki could hold souls hostage and possibly steal them.it was mind-boggling. He hoped to heaven that it wasn't true.
So their first day continued, more or less, without any more cases resembling that of Watanabe Hanako's, although it was still a very busy day. People coping with phobias, emotional problems, counseling on domestic problems, they all came to the office that day.
Finally, 5:00 p.m. came, and Tsuzuki and Hisoka saw the last patient out and then began to close everything down. Hisoka checked both computers making sure all the information for the day was recorded accurately, set up a system of passwords for both computers, and grabbed the student information he had downloaded earlier. Tsuzuki closed the blinds on the window and they made their way out of the office, Hisoka locking the door behind them.
"It's good to be home," Tsuzuki said, childish happiness permeating his voice as he opened the door to their apartment and dashed to the bedroom, "flopping" on the bed, "Work was difficult!"
"And how was that? I did all the diagnosis, I prescribed the correct medications - " Tsuzuki interrupted him saying, "Yes, but I had to pretend to know what I was doing! It was taxing," Tsuzuki said, looking quite sheepish.
'I suppose."
Hisoka laid down beside Tsuzuki - tired himself. He wanted to go over the assignment more. The very thought that Muraki was around and almost surely involved in the recent chain of events plagued him. It would not let his mind rest. Sleep, however, won out in the end. It had been exhausting for him after all and what could a little nap hurt?
Hisoka woke, glancing immediately at his wristwatch, noting the time as 7:00 p.m. He had slept for nearly two hours. There was also the smell in the air that something had been cooking. A silent prayer went out to almost everything he held holy that Tsuzuki hadn't taken the initiative to cook.
Getting up cautiously from the bed he looked at the kitchen table through the doorway, but saw there was nothing on it. Thankful, Hisoka rose fully from the bed and made his way into the kitchen. "Noooooooo," he screamed mentally. Tsuzuki had taken the initiative to cook dinner; he had just sat it on the counter, a place where Hisoka could not have spotted it from the bed, instead of the table. "This is the last time I fall asleep before cooking," he grumbled slightly under his breath. The thought then hit him, 'Where is Tsuzuki?' It had not occurred to him that Tsuzuki was not there. He became frantic for a moment, both visibly and mentally, but then regained his composure.
"First things first," he said to himself, "see if there is a note anywhere. He could have gone out." Hisoka walked around the kitchen looking for anything that might be scribbled with the quick message that Tsuzuki had gone somewhere. There was nothing.
"Okay, action two. Check the apartment." Hisoka glanced over into the living room, but acourse there was no Tsuzuki. There was also no Tsuzuki in the kitchen. He was also sure there was no Tsuzuki in the bedroom but he walked back in there anyway. Nope. There was no Tsuzuki anywhere in the bedroom.
Hisoka stood in the bedroom, dumbfounded. However, during this period of silence he heard a faint whistling sound. It was some current song that was being played a lot on the radio. He glanced over and noticed the bathroom door was shut. He felt stupid suddenly for worrying. There should have been no need for worry. 'Tsuzuki's cooking must have caught up to him,' he remarked mentally, quietly laughing a little at the cruel joke. Just to make sure though, Hisoka walked over to the bathroom door and knocked, calling to see if Tsuzuki was in there.
"Yeaaah! Be out in a second," Tsuzuki yelled back to Hisoka. He walked back over to the bed and sat on it.
Tsuzuki came out of the bathroom a few seconds later, and greeted Hisoka with playful grin. "Good evening! You ready to eat dinner? I made it!!" Tsuzuki said proudly.
".Eh..yeah," was all Hisoka could get out.
"Well then lets go into the kitchen and eat! Well you can eat, I've already had my share," Tsuzuki babbled on as he extended his hand to the still sitting Hisoka, who hesitated a moment before accepting the gesture. Grabbing his hand, he noted how soft it was; Tsuzuki had a really nice touch he decided a second before Tsuzuki yanked him to his feet. Hisoka followed Tsuzuki, silently praying, into the kitchen.
A.N.: Gomen. This isn't one of my better chapters. I blame it on the medical thing. I want to keep with it, but it's the first medical type thing I've written. So it's sub-par. Please don't let this slightly bad chapter deter reading though ^^;;; I will work harder to make chapter 6 better AND to begin wrapping everything up ^^ Thank you everyone who has read so far and for the encouraging reviews I have gotten ^_^
Hisoka and Tsuzuki arrived at the Medical Campus right at 8:00. The met with the director and were introduced to the rest of the staff and their respective assistants. Based on the information Konoe had faxed to the university prior to their arrival, they were placed in the department dealing with mental health. Hisoka couldn't get over the irony of Tsuzuki having a position of prominence concerning mental health. 'Deep thinking Tsuzuki.didn't happen often' he thought. 'Oh well' Hisoka sighed. He figured he be the backbone of the whole assignment anyway - the one that actually dispensed the medical knowledge. If it hadn't been for how young he looked, he knew Konoe would probably have assigned him the role of doctor and Tsuzuki assistant.
"This will be your office. There is your desk along with your assistant's," the director pointed to the two cherry oak desks outfitted with flat-screen computers. The carpet on the floor was plush and had one large, central design on it. There was also a nicely sized window that let the sun in. Tsuzuki liked feeling high up. It was a lot better than his cubicle back at ShoKouCho. Lack of a raise or promotion weighed heavily upon him when he saw his new temporary office. 'It's been so long since my last raise,' he mentally sobbed.
"The computers are for whatever you need them for, but only use them for leisure activities on your time, not the University's time, please. I hope everything else is to your liking. We pride ourselves in having comfortable work environments," the director said smiling.
"It's very nice," Tsuzuki replied, returning the smile.
"Well that's all for now. Please have a good rest of the day," and with that the director left the office leaving Tsuzuki and Hisoka to themselves. As soon as the director had left, Tsuzuki noticed that Hisoka was already pounding away on the keyboard pulling up information on the deceased students. Tsuzuki leaned over Hisoka's back, "Woooow! You're amazing," he exclaimed as Hisoka kept pulling up window after window containing the student's information.
In all Hisoka had pulled up 20 windows, each containing individual information on all of the deceased students. Hisoka was grateful that the information was still in the university's database; he had previously feared that it might have been deleted upon their deaths. Hisoka inserted a nearby blank disk into the computer and began to download the information just in case such a thing was to happen.
"I truly think Muraki has something to do with this," Hisoka said after the information had finished downloading to the disk. Tsuzuki was busy blasting alien warships on his computer. He loved the university's hispeed connections.
Hisoka got up from his chair and thwacked Tsuzuki on his head. "Pay attention!" Hisoka scolded. Tsuzuki rubbed his head gingerly. "So what's the connection," he asked.
"They were all medical students," Hisoka said simply, "they also all died within the same two months."
Tsuzuki thought this information over for a minute and then asked, "So you think because they were all medical students, Muraki has his hands in this? Also, were they killed here, at the university, or at a different spot?"
Hisoka was a bit surprised by Tsuzuki's actually logical question; however, he thought that he shouldn't be since Tsuzuki did have that quality to be serious and logical when it need be. "I don't know," Hisoka replied. "I will check in with Konoe on that later."
There was a knock at the door. A young woman walked in. "Dr. Tsuzuki, there is a patient to see you."
"Bring the person in," Tsuzuki said, using a very official tone of voice.
A young medical student stepped into the office and laid down on the reclining couch used for patients. She was obviously sleep deprived.
Tsuzuki rolled over in his chair to the young woman, while Hisoka stayed behind his desk, computer program opened and ready to record her session.
"What's your name, miss," Tsuzuki began.
"Watanabe Hanako."
"And what has been troubling you?"
"I can't sleep," she began, "my dreams are troubling. I never remember them, but they are troubling. They pull at me and leave me with such a fear in my heart - I'm afraid to sleep."
"You can remember nothing about them?"
Hanako thought for a moment and then answered, "A crimson moon. I remember a crimson moon." This sent a shock wave through Hisoka. Tsuzuki just nodded.
"Kurosaki," he directed to Hisoka, "do you have any suggestions on good relaxants that will induce sleep?" Tsuzuki had no clue what to prescribe the woman.
"I recommend Ambiex Lictrate. It will relax her into a gentle sleep."
"Very well," Tsuzuki said as he began to write down the prescription for her. He also handed her a small fuda, "A little good luck never hurts either," he said with a cheery smile. The young woman smiled back, thanked them both, and left.
"A crimson moon.," Tsuzuki pondered aloud.
"Looks like it is Muraki," Hisoka pointed out grimly, almost sadly. "By the way, what was that fuda you gave her," he asked.
"It was a powerful one to help protect her mind from the fear that whoever is causing her to have."
"If Muraki is causing this, could he actually figure out a way to trap souls in such a manner," Hisoka directed the question towards Tsuzuki.
"Well if he's manipulating them with fear from the inside and killing them off that way, killing them mentally, it's likely he could find a way to somehow get the soul of the person, after death acourse, and prevent it from entering Meifu. Although, I don't think he could steal it in such a way we couldn't get it back.at least I hope he can't do such a thing."
Hisoka shuddered at the thought again. The idea that Muraki could hold souls hostage and possibly steal them.it was mind-boggling. He hoped to heaven that it wasn't true.
So their first day continued, more or less, without any more cases resembling that of Watanabe Hanako's, although it was still a very busy day. People coping with phobias, emotional problems, counseling on domestic problems, they all came to the office that day.
Finally, 5:00 p.m. came, and Tsuzuki and Hisoka saw the last patient out and then began to close everything down. Hisoka checked both computers making sure all the information for the day was recorded accurately, set up a system of passwords for both computers, and grabbed the student information he had downloaded earlier. Tsuzuki closed the blinds on the window and they made their way out of the office, Hisoka locking the door behind them.
"It's good to be home," Tsuzuki said, childish happiness permeating his voice as he opened the door to their apartment and dashed to the bedroom, "flopping" on the bed, "Work was difficult!"
"And how was that? I did all the diagnosis, I prescribed the correct medications - " Tsuzuki interrupted him saying, "Yes, but I had to pretend to know what I was doing! It was taxing," Tsuzuki said, looking quite sheepish.
'I suppose."
Hisoka laid down beside Tsuzuki - tired himself. He wanted to go over the assignment more. The very thought that Muraki was around and almost surely involved in the recent chain of events plagued him. It would not let his mind rest. Sleep, however, won out in the end. It had been exhausting for him after all and what could a little nap hurt?
Hisoka woke, glancing immediately at his wristwatch, noting the time as 7:00 p.m. He had slept for nearly two hours. There was also the smell in the air that something had been cooking. A silent prayer went out to almost everything he held holy that Tsuzuki hadn't taken the initiative to cook.
Getting up cautiously from the bed he looked at the kitchen table through the doorway, but saw there was nothing on it. Thankful, Hisoka rose fully from the bed and made his way into the kitchen. "Noooooooo," he screamed mentally. Tsuzuki had taken the initiative to cook dinner; he had just sat it on the counter, a place where Hisoka could not have spotted it from the bed, instead of the table. "This is the last time I fall asleep before cooking," he grumbled slightly under his breath. The thought then hit him, 'Where is Tsuzuki?' It had not occurred to him that Tsuzuki was not there. He became frantic for a moment, both visibly and mentally, but then regained his composure.
"First things first," he said to himself, "see if there is a note anywhere. He could have gone out." Hisoka walked around the kitchen looking for anything that might be scribbled with the quick message that Tsuzuki had gone somewhere. There was nothing.
"Okay, action two. Check the apartment." Hisoka glanced over into the living room, but acourse there was no Tsuzuki. There was also no Tsuzuki in the kitchen. He was also sure there was no Tsuzuki in the bedroom but he walked back in there anyway. Nope. There was no Tsuzuki anywhere in the bedroom.
Hisoka stood in the bedroom, dumbfounded. However, during this period of silence he heard a faint whistling sound. It was some current song that was being played a lot on the radio. He glanced over and noticed the bathroom door was shut. He felt stupid suddenly for worrying. There should have been no need for worry. 'Tsuzuki's cooking must have caught up to him,' he remarked mentally, quietly laughing a little at the cruel joke. Just to make sure though, Hisoka walked over to the bathroom door and knocked, calling to see if Tsuzuki was in there.
"Yeaaah! Be out in a second," Tsuzuki yelled back to Hisoka. He walked back over to the bed and sat on it.
Tsuzuki came out of the bathroom a few seconds later, and greeted Hisoka with playful grin. "Good evening! You ready to eat dinner? I made it!!" Tsuzuki said proudly.
".Eh..yeah," was all Hisoka could get out.
"Well then lets go into the kitchen and eat! Well you can eat, I've already had my share," Tsuzuki babbled on as he extended his hand to the still sitting Hisoka, who hesitated a moment before accepting the gesture. Grabbing his hand, he noted how soft it was; Tsuzuki had a really nice touch he decided a second before Tsuzuki yanked him to his feet. Hisoka followed Tsuzuki, silently praying, into the kitchen.
A.N.: Gomen. This isn't one of my better chapters. I blame it on the medical thing. I want to keep with it, but it's the first medical type thing I've written. So it's sub-par. Please don't let this slightly bad chapter deter reading though ^^;;; I will work harder to make chapter 6 better AND to begin wrapping everything up ^^ Thank you everyone who has read so far and for the encouraging reviews I have gotten ^_^