iThis is the part where I start giving the chapters titles, usually titles of songs. This one is from Gravitation, and I THINK it's preformed by Bad Luck, but I can't be too sure...anyway, enjoy. *Absently kicks Hiryuu*/i

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Chapter Three: Break Through

Okay, now I know some people say that panic is a beautiful thing, but...it's not. It's horrifying.

Especially when the panicking is like this.

"Hisoka! Hisoka, ucalm idown/i/u!" The younger Shinigami is kneeling on the floor, his hands on both sides of his head and shaking his head violently.

Tatsumi grabs Hisoka by the shoulders. "Kurosaki-kun!" And in panic, he slaps Hisoka square across the face.

All is quiet.

"Tatsumi-san...?" Hisoka's voice is weak. "I can't feel anything anymore...no more empathy..." And he sags into Tatsumi's arms.

My eyes widen. "No more empathy? But...but that was a part of him before he became a Shinigami!"

i"The severity of your anger pierces my soul..."/i (*)

Tatsumi sighs. "Apparently Muraki has gotten stronger powers..."

"No. That wasn't Muraki." I explain about psuedo-Muraki and Hiryuu.

The shadowmaster was immediately shaking his head. "He must be lying. Nobody can feel that human and not be human. It's impossible."

I will make allowances for the fact that not only did Hiryuu get into the Meifu -god knows how- and that this whole thing is an emergency. My eyes turning garnet, Hisoka's loss of his empathy, and who knows what else. This whole thing is an emergency for JuOhChou and Tatsumi is the one who has to tell Konoe-kachou. Not a pleasant task.

"Well, tell Watari to scan the hairs of Muraki closely." We had at least one strand of Muraki's hair because of the fact that we might need it. I don't know how we got it, nor do I want to. "Then we'll find out what he really was."

Tatsumi looks as though he wants to protests but he just agrees and goes over to Watari's lab after gently lying Hisoka onto the bed next to me.

He looks so peaceful - Hisoka, not Tatsumi. His eyes are closed, and he looks dead to the world. I gently brush his bangs away from his face and then settle against the headboard.

When did I come to feel for the green-eyed boy so strongly?

All I know is that I want to protect him, to keep him with me at all times.

Is this love? I don't know.

Furthermore, why am I thinking about this when we have a crisis on our hands? And I'm still curious about the fire, dammit.

Watari rushes in, hair going everywhere (as usual) and 003 on his shoulder. "Tatsumi's gone to Konoe-kachou, but you were right. Hiryuu wasn't lying - Muraki wasn't human, at all. Hiryuu manipulated the way Muraki felt so that we thought he was human."

"It explains why the bastard never stayed dead." Why do I sound so calm?

Why do I keep thinking about Hisoka?

What's happening?!

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*iThis is what my subtitles say that Hisoka said when Tsuzuki was mad that Hisoka was trying to get into the restricted part of the library and stood him up. You know, when Hisoka was sitting against the wall, clutching his knees to his chest? Yeah. So I don't know if it's wrong or not./i