AN: Hi, it's me again. Somehow the stupid formatting didn't work for
this, and yet it worked for my other fics..~blink blink~ So I apologize for
the way it is.I hate reading that kind of stuff myself And wow, this
chapter has gotten me the most reviews per chapter ever!! You guys are the
best!
Disclaimer- If you think I own this wonderful anime.you need help :P
Nhung- Thanks for the encouragement! Now I have my thoughts organized a little better, this chapter will be longer, I promise!!
Penny- I'm working on it. Sorry about the first chapter ;-; I don't know if this chapter will be any better though.if it's not, I don't know what to do -_-
M- I'm typing as fast as I can, believe me ^_^
Kreuz Swords- Why thankees ^_^
Asidian- My psychiatrist prefers the term 'mentally unhinged' ^^' And who can resist puppy-dog eyes?!?!?! Not me, that's for certain. And angst will occur, just.probably not the way you'd expect it too ~_^
Hisoka sat down on the swing, lost in thought. So far, the murders had ceased, but who knew how long that peace was going to last? 'Muraki, for one,' he thought bitterly. A chill crept up his spine.
" Speak of the devil," he muttered under his breath. 'Why did I have to walk so far away from the stupid hotel?' Hisoka cursed himself mentally for his stupidity. The white-haired man chuckled quietly, sitting on the swing next to him.
" I wondered how many young girls it would take to bring you two to Earth," Muraki said softly, staring at Hisoka. Hisoka, for his part, scowled, trying to keep as far away from Muraki as possible.
" Why don't you just send Tsuzuki a frikkin invitation to lunch or something if you wanna date him so badly? May cost a bit more but you'll still get the same answer and without all the murdering." Muraki chuckled again. Hisoka twitched.
" Ah, but a simple letter isn't as fun, is it Hisoka?" Before he could react, Muraki had a hand on his wrist and his other around his neck, lifting him off of the swing. 'S***' (censor friendly!)
" Besides, for once, it's not Tsuzuki I want, boy. It's you. I figure for all the hard work you've done, I should give you a small reward." Hisoka stopped struggling, eyes widening. 'Tsuzuki.' Muraki's hand came down over his head, and the world went black.
Tsuzuki was worried. He had woken up to find Hisoka gone, with a note. 'Gone for a walk. Don't eat all the food. It's midnight. Hisoka.' It was now 1:30, and he still wasn't back.
" I hope he didn't get lost or anything," Tusuzki fretted, glancing out the window. The bushes rustled, and a large black dog stepped out into the moonlight. The only problem with the dog was that it was carrying a note, and it's eyes were glowing. 'That is not normal dog behavior,' he thought rather belatedly. Opening the window of the hotel room, Tsuzuki jumped out into the small courtyard to confront the dog, summoning Suzaku as he landed. The dog merely growled and dropped the note.
" Stupid shinigami, I am not here to fight. If I was, do you think I would have just walked out into the open air?" Tsuzuki blinked. Good point. He kept Suzaku around, just in case the dog changed his mind.
" Well, if you're not here to fight, then what are you here for?" He demanded angrily. The dog snorted.
" I came here to deliver a letter. My master wishes to talk with you." After that, the dog simply vanished. Blinking, Tsuzuki let Suzaku go as well.
" That was..odd." Muttering to himself, he picked up the slightly chewed note, noting with slight distaste that the dog had drooled on it slightly.
" Eww." Unfolding it, Tsuzuki skimmed the three lines briefly before pocketing the note and breaking into a full run, calling Byakko. 'Baka, why does he always have to do this?' He demanded mentally, skidding around a corner, Byakko close behind, growling. Racing past a phone, Tsuzuki skidded to a stop to make a quick phone call.
" Moshi moshi, Watari here!" Watari's cheerful voice seemed inappropriate for the situation.
" Watari, it's me, Tsuzuki. Muraki has Hisoka. Meet me at the school that all the murders have been happening around." Without saying anything else, Tsuzuki hung up the phone and resumed running to the high school. He didn't like what the note said, not one bit. 'Hisoka suggested I try writing you a letter. I have him with me. Meet me at Yotsubadai High School as soon as possible. Muraki.'
Hisoka awoke to pain. 'Not a very nice way to wake up, I have to agree. Urg..' Opening his eyes slowly, he waited for his vision to focus on the man in front of him. He was tied up in the style of a cruxification again, except this time he was only in his pants.
" Muraki," he choked out as best he could.
" What the h** do you think you're doing? Bakayaro!" Muraki merely let loose one of his annoying chuckles and continued to cover him in a sticky white substance. Hisoka blinked, noticing that his curse was glowing brightly, except for the places covered in the white stuff. Muraki noticed his gaze.
" For lack of a better name, call it a curse white-out, if you will. The erasure of your curse will cause you a fair amount of pain of course, but I believe it's quite a deal." Hisoka panicked and began thrashing.
" Let me go, you twisted psychoid!" Not now, not now, not now!
" Hisoka!" Muraki paused, standing to face the newest guests rushing into the schoolyard. He repressed a groan. 'For all the times for me to be without a shirt on.' Muraki glanced at him, smiling maniacally.
" Oh, it won't happen yet." Hisoka fixed a glare at Muraki, resisting the urge to try and double over as another wave of pain hit him.
" Let Hisoka go, Muraki." Watari looked more than a little upset, as well as Tsuzuki. White fur that felt like silk brushed against Hisoka's arm, and Suzaku screeched, behind Tsuzuki. Muraki tsked, standing up, his job finished.
" All of this for me? I feel honored, Tsuzuki-kun." Hisoka's vision wavered as his skin started to sting and tingle. A rough tongue licked the side of his face, followed by a concerned growl
" Byakko.I'll be.ng.just fine." A snort answered his statement. 'Ok, so maybe I'm lying a tiny bit.' If there was a battle to get him back, Hisoka wasn't awake to see it.
" Itai desu.." A fuzzy outline of a face peered over him, in a halo of yellow.
" Ah, bon! You're awake! You had us worried there for a bit!" Upon realizing who was looking at him, Hisoka attempted to cover his face with a pillow, but moving his arms proved to be difficult. Tiny bolts of pain shot up his arm muscles, causing a deep-throated groan to issue from his chest.
" How long?" The tiny lightning bolts in his arms were starting to subside, and he concentrated on breathing slowly. Watari sat back, thinking for a minute.
" Three days. Why?" Hisoka bolted upright, ignoring his screaming muscles. After a brief check under the covers, he stood.
" I have to go talk to Konoe!" He took one step and nearly toppled over.
" In a couple hours, that is." Hisoka amended quickly, feeling a twitch of anger at Watari's undisguised laughter. However, there was to be no rest for the weary, for at that moment..
" HISOKKAAA!!!! I'm sorry you got caught, I'm sorry I brought you with me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" A blend of grey and black tackled Hisoka over just as he was regaining his balance.
" Ah, Tsuzuki-chan, I don't think that's such a good." Watari moved quickly, but not quickly enough.
" Aah! Kuso! Get off of me you overgrown puppy!" Hisoka shoved Tsuzuki off of him rather roughly, clutching his sides. 'Che.why does it hurt so much?'
" Ahh, gomen nasai Hisoka! I didn't mean to, honest!" Glancing up at Tsuzuki, Hisoka ventured a weak grin.
" Eh, I'm fine. Just a little sore. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to Konoe." He managed to walk off, leaving Tsuzuki and Watari staring after him in amazement and disbeliefe.
" Did he just.?" Tsuzuki smiled at Watari.
" He just smiled! And offered reassurance!" Tsuzuki immediately turned puppy-mode, not believing his luck that Hisoka didn't try to throttle him for bowling him over. 'He must be in a very forgiving mood today.'
Konoe raised an eyebrow at Hisoka, who was standing in front of his desk, looking rather uncomfortable. Whether it was the fact that he had walked from the infirmary to his office when he was clearly in pain or whether it was from the story he just told, Konoe couldn't be sure.
" Do you really expect me to believe what you told me?" Hisoka sighed.
" Not really sir, but it's the only reason that I'm asking for the holiday. It only needs to be for a few days, a week at the most." Konoe frowned at the boys tone. He wasn't being disrespectful, but he sounded very defeated, almost like he was giving up on something. It wasn't like Hisoka, and it worried him.
" I'm going to need proof, Hisoka." The boy sighed, as if he was expecting this. Bringing his head up, Hisoka looked at him with a sad intensity that startled the older shinigami.
" Do you have a full-length mirror?"
Hisoka sighed, staring up at the hotel sign. After he gave Konoe his 'proof', he was sent to Earth as soon as he could pack a few things. Walking in, he scanned the room for the person he was looking for, spotting him almost immediately.
" Oi! Oriya! C'mere for a minute!" The man in question glanced up in annoyance, saw him, and rushed over.
" Hisoka, what are you doing here? Scratch that, more like why are you here? You look like crud." Hisoka grinned wryly. He was well aware of that. Even though his appearance in a mirror had changed, he could tell from the sunken eyes and the pale skin that the curse removal was affecting him. It still hurt to walk, and he had to practically sneak past Byakko in order to get here.
" I need to stay in a room for a couple days. Muraki." That last statement seemed to answer all of the questions the older man had, and Oriya nodded, showing him to a room and giving him a key.
" Here. Freshen up a bit, and then come to my room for some tea. You can explain everything in there." Hisoka shot him a grateful look, ran a hand through his hair, and shut the door. Glancing in the mirror over the desk by the wall, Hisoka had to fight to keep his nerve. 'D*** him.' His hand raised and tugged on air near his shoulder, and he scowled into the mirror before heading to the bathroom. Shucking all of his clothes, he turned to water to a warm temperature and closed his eyes, letting the water hit his face.
' Well, I suppose I'd better just accept it.at least this time the change won't wind up killing me.' Hisoka thought dully as he reached for the shampoo, humming lightly to himself. After about 2 minutes, a wave of pain shot through his body, but he kept humming the song, even as his voice changed and took on a lighter, silvery tone. He remembered the song from before he was put in the cellar because of the powers that he had. Another wave, almost making him double over, but he was determined not to weaken this time. 'Pain.it's amazing how easily we can adapt to it.' He squeezed a large glob of the shampoo onto his hands, now slender and slightly longer in the fingers, and started rubbing it through his hair, which now reached his back. Memories flooded his mind, all before that night when he took a wrong step and saw Muraki murdering that woman. Strange even now that he didn't bother to find out her name.
' Mommy, look, a teddybear! Can I have it, please?' A little girl flashed in his mind, looking adorable with her wide eyes and hair up in ribbons. She was wearing a summer kimono, and was clutching tightly to her mothers hand, laughing. 'I was so happy then.' Turning away from the stream of water, Hisoka opened his eyes, which rapidly changed from their brilliant green to a vibrant dark blue, becoming more almond shaped and feminine. Other changes also occurred (which I won't describe 'cause this is a PG fic ^_~) and soon Hisoka was completely and utterly female. The 16-year-old girl that now stood in Hisoka's place let out a mirthful chuckle, smiling softly to herself even as tears escaped her lightly closed eyes. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and started up the blowdryer that she had packed with her. After that was done, she ran a hand through her thick long maroon hair, sighing ruefully as she changed.
" It looks like my past has indeed caught up with me."
Oriya sat patiently, mulling things over in his mind. Muraki went on another killing spree, only to stop suddenly. That he just attributed to the mans nature, which he had to admit was slightly insane. But Hisoka showing up three days later looking like he did.either Muraki seriously messed with his mind, or injured him so badly it took him that long to recover. And for a shinigami to take that long.
" Muraki, you demon, what are you up to?" Oriya pondered out loud, sipping his tea. 'Hisoka should be here soon.ah, here he is.' Oriya poured a cup of tea as he heard his tatami slide open, and took another sip of his own tea.
" I apologize for being late, Oriya." He glanced up in surprise, and then proceeded to spew out his tea. The goddess that stood in the doorway giggled behind her hand, eyes crinkling softly in amusement. She was wearing a light blue kimono with gold embroidered sakura blossoms on it. Her hair was tucked up in a bun, but several strands of hair escaped to hang around her face and shoulders. All in all, she was beautiful. He stood rapidly, forgetting about the tea.
" Can I help you miss?" She smiled, shaking her head lightly. Then she walked into the room and sat on the cushion opposite of him, and took the tea cup that he had poured for Hisoka.
" You can sit down, Oriya. I believe I have a bit of explaining to do. First of all." she watched as he made himself comfortable, taking another sip of his tea. " I'm Hisoka." Out went the tea again, splattering on an invisible wall in front of the girl. He looked at her in amazement. " Nani??" She smiled, and the spilt tea vanished. Continuing, she brushed a rogue strand of hair away from her eyes. " Or rather, I'm the female that the boy Hisoka sprang from."
Tsuzuki was frantic. Or rather, he was slightly worried. After Hisoka had gone to talk with Konoe, he had practically disappeared. Poking his head into the infirmary, he meant to talk to Watari when he saw that Konoe was with him. Disregarding this, he burst in, disrupting the conversation that the two were having.
" Have either of you two seen Hisoka? I can't find him anywhere." Tsuzuki's puppy ears drooped. He thought that Hisoka wasn't mad at him, but he could be hiding now just to avoid him.
" Ah, Tsuzuki, just the person we were looking for. Bon has taken a bit of a holiday, just to relax for a few days." Tsuzuki frowned slightly.
" And he didn't ask me? We're partners, we're supposed to take holidays together in case something happens!" Konoe sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Watari smiled brightly, 003 hooting on his computer. Watari spoke up.
" Well, Bon just needed some time alone to sort out everything about what happened at the school. Seeing Muraki again.well, you know how Bon can get." He smiled apologetically.
" We never should have let him come on that mission, should we, Watari?" Tsuzuki asked dejectedly. He missed Hisoka already. Even though his partner wasn't exactly the most friendly person, he was still nice to hang around with, even if Tsuzuki knew that he probably annoyed him more than anything.
" Well, I don't know about that. Maybe this'll just give him time to figure out what he wants in the afterlife. He'll come back relaxed and not tense, and it'll be better for work. Don't worry about it, Tsuzuki-san, Bon will be just fine!" Sighing, Tsuzuki nodded, marginally satisfied with what Watari and Konoe were telling him.
" Besides, we're working on getting you a temporary partner as soon as possible. Just until Hisoka comes back."
" And when I saw Muraki, well, you know the story. Three days after he wrote the curse on me, I changed into a male." The girl chuckled again.
" I was terrified, started screaming my head off. The maid that was in charge of making sure I didn't die or anything was the only one who heard me, and she reacted by getting me proper clothes and acting like it was normal the whole time." She sipped her tea, and then poured herself some more. Oriya sat in shock.
" I knew that Muraki murdered a lot of people, messed with their minds, but that? Turning a girl into a guy? I don't know if I can accept that." She smiled at him.
" Well, it was odd that way. I didn't just change physically. My psyche also changed, so I was, in every way, male. I still had my memories as a female, but it didn't seem so strange to me, all those changes. I think if I remained with the mind of a girl, I would go insane. It's the same way it is now. Muraki has removed the curse, and I now have the mentality of me again. Thus the kimono. And I still have my memories, so I'm fine in that aspect." Her face fell.
" But?" Oriya asked worriedly. This time he feared his friend went farther than was permissible. And for Muraki, that was saying quite a lot. She seemed to be fine, but Oriya was a master of reading people. It was part of his 'second job', the one that often dealt with people with a less than spotless past. She was in pain, and she didn't know what to do next.
" But how am I going to tell Tsuzuki-kun? I mean, I've already told Watari, Tatsumi and Konoe, but." Her façade was slowly cracking, and she sniffled quietly, wiping at her eyes. Oriya sighed. He had seen it there when she was Hisoka, but had chosen not to mention it in the short time that they were together. She cared deeply for this Tsuzuki guy, and this was a large blow to her. Muraki, in the part of hitting his enemy where it hurt most, had hit the nail on the head, as the saying went. He reached over to her and wiped her tears gently.
" Hey, hey, don't cry. I can't stand to see girls cry, it's one of my weaknesses. Just don't tell anybody that, ok?" He said grinning, and winked at her. She gave a weak chuckle. He had to admit, the girl was brave. In fact.
" And besides, if it doesn't work out, just come back here. You'd make an excellent hooker, and I can get you a job in no time flat." He couldn't resist the jab. She fixed him with a glare that would've killed a human without magical abilities, and soon her pale fist was flying towards his face, hitting his nose square off.
" Baka!!" He sat up, rubbing his nose and fixing her with a mournful expression, making her giggle.
" I think you broke it.." This brought out her smile and laugh, which was what he was going for. He couldn't let her sink into a funk, because then it could be weeks or months before she pulled out of it.
" Men are such babies." She smiled, fully acknowledging his next comment.
" Yes, I was one too, at times. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get something to eat.and then try and figure a way out of this mess." Oriya scrambled up, rubbing his nose from time to time.
" Let me treat you. I'm guessing you didn't have time to grab much money. Besides, it would be an honor to take a lady as beautiful as yourself to dinner." She turned red at the mention of her forgetfulness, for in truth she hadn't taken much money at all, and also at the compliment. She had been in the cellar a long time, and besides the comments of 'adorable' as a child, she had never really had anybody compliment her before.
" By the way.my name is Jade." Oriya smiled at her.
" Right. Pleased to meet you, Jade. And.please don't hit me.but I was serious about the job offer. You'd never hurt for money, that's for sure." She fixed him with an appraising stare, a thin eyebrow raised, and then a ghost of a grin appeared on her face.
" I'm sure I'll keep that in mind."
Disclaimer- If you think I own this wonderful anime.you need help :P
Nhung- Thanks for the encouragement! Now I have my thoughts organized a little better, this chapter will be longer, I promise!!
Penny- I'm working on it. Sorry about the first chapter ;-; I don't know if this chapter will be any better though.if it's not, I don't know what to do -_-
M- I'm typing as fast as I can, believe me ^_^
Kreuz Swords- Why thankees ^_^
Asidian- My psychiatrist prefers the term 'mentally unhinged' ^^' And who can resist puppy-dog eyes?!?!?! Not me, that's for certain. And angst will occur, just.probably not the way you'd expect it too ~_^
Hisoka sat down on the swing, lost in thought. So far, the murders had ceased, but who knew how long that peace was going to last? 'Muraki, for one,' he thought bitterly. A chill crept up his spine.
" Speak of the devil," he muttered under his breath. 'Why did I have to walk so far away from the stupid hotel?' Hisoka cursed himself mentally for his stupidity. The white-haired man chuckled quietly, sitting on the swing next to him.
" I wondered how many young girls it would take to bring you two to Earth," Muraki said softly, staring at Hisoka. Hisoka, for his part, scowled, trying to keep as far away from Muraki as possible.
" Why don't you just send Tsuzuki a frikkin invitation to lunch or something if you wanna date him so badly? May cost a bit more but you'll still get the same answer and without all the murdering." Muraki chuckled again. Hisoka twitched.
" Ah, but a simple letter isn't as fun, is it Hisoka?" Before he could react, Muraki had a hand on his wrist and his other around his neck, lifting him off of the swing. 'S***' (censor friendly!)
" Besides, for once, it's not Tsuzuki I want, boy. It's you. I figure for all the hard work you've done, I should give you a small reward." Hisoka stopped struggling, eyes widening. 'Tsuzuki.' Muraki's hand came down over his head, and the world went black.
Tsuzuki was worried. He had woken up to find Hisoka gone, with a note. 'Gone for a walk. Don't eat all the food. It's midnight. Hisoka.' It was now 1:30, and he still wasn't back.
" I hope he didn't get lost or anything," Tusuzki fretted, glancing out the window. The bushes rustled, and a large black dog stepped out into the moonlight. The only problem with the dog was that it was carrying a note, and it's eyes were glowing. 'That is not normal dog behavior,' he thought rather belatedly. Opening the window of the hotel room, Tsuzuki jumped out into the small courtyard to confront the dog, summoning Suzaku as he landed. The dog merely growled and dropped the note.
" Stupid shinigami, I am not here to fight. If I was, do you think I would have just walked out into the open air?" Tsuzuki blinked. Good point. He kept Suzaku around, just in case the dog changed his mind.
" Well, if you're not here to fight, then what are you here for?" He demanded angrily. The dog snorted.
" I came here to deliver a letter. My master wishes to talk with you." After that, the dog simply vanished. Blinking, Tsuzuki let Suzaku go as well.
" That was..odd." Muttering to himself, he picked up the slightly chewed note, noting with slight distaste that the dog had drooled on it slightly.
" Eww." Unfolding it, Tsuzuki skimmed the three lines briefly before pocketing the note and breaking into a full run, calling Byakko. 'Baka, why does he always have to do this?' He demanded mentally, skidding around a corner, Byakko close behind, growling. Racing past a phone, Tsuzuki skidded to a stop to make a quick phone call.
" Moshi moshi, Watari here!" Watari's cheerful voice seemed inappropriate for the situation.
" Watari, it's me, Tsuzuki. Muraki has Hisoka. Meet me at the school that all the murders have been happening around." Without saying anything else, Tsuzuki hung up the phone and resumed running to the high school. He didn't like what the note said, not one bit. 'Hisoka suggested I try writing you a letter. I have him with me. Meet me at Yotsubadai High School as soon as possible. Muraki.'
Hisoka awoke to pain. 'Not a very nice way to wake up, I have to agree. Urg..' Opening his eyes slowly, he waited for his vision to focus on the man in front of him. He was tied up in the style of a cruxification again, except this time he was only in his pants.
" Muraki," he choked out as best he could.
" What the h** do you think you're doing? Bakayaro!" Muraki merely let loose one of his annoying chuckles and continued to cover him in a sticky white substance. Hisoka blinked, noticing that his curse was glowing brightly, except for the places covered in the white stuff. Muraki noticed his gaze.
" For lack of a better name, call it a curse white-out, if you will. The erasure of your curse will cause you a fair amount of pain of course, but I believe it's quite a deal." Hisoka panicked and began thrashing.
" Let me go, you twisted psychoid!" Not now, not now, not now!
" Hisoka!" Muraki paused, standing to face the newest guests rushing into the schoolyard. He repressed a groan. 'For all the times for me to be without a shirt on.' Muraki glanced at him, smiling maniacally.
" Oh, it won't happen yet." Hisoka fixed a glare at Muraki, resisting the urge to try and double over as another wave of pain hit him.
" Let Hisoka go, Muraki." Watari looked more than a little upset, as well as Tsuzuki. White fur that felt like silk brushed against Hisoka's arm, and Suzaku screeched, behind Tsuzuki. Muraki tsked, standing up, his job finished.
" All of this for me? I feel honored, Tsuzuki-kun." Hisoka's vision wavered as his skin started to sting and tingle. A rough tongue licked the side of his face, followed by a concerned growl
" Byakko.I'll be.ng.just fine." A snort answered his statement. 'Ok, so maybe I'm lying a tiny bit.' If there was a battle to get him back, Hisoka wasn't awake to see it.
" Itai desu.." A fuzzy outline of a face peered over him, in a halo of yellow.
" Ah, bon! You're awake! You had us worried there for a bit!" Upon realizing who was looking at him, Hisoka attempted to cover his face with a pillow, but moving his arms proved to be difficult. Tiny bolts of pain shot up his arm muscles, causing a deep-throated groan to issue from his chest.
" How long?" The tiny lightning bolts in his arms were starting to subside, and he concentrated on breathing slowly. Watari sat back, thinking for a minute.
" Three days. Why?" Hisoka bolted upright, ignoring his screaming muscles. After a brief check under the covers, he stood.
" I have to go talk to Konoe!" He took one step and nearly toppled over.
" In a couple hours, that is." Hisoka amended quickly, feeling a twitch of anger at Watari's undisguised laughter. However, there was to be no rest for the weary, for at that moment..
" HISOKKAAA!!!! I'm sorry you got caught, I'm sorry I brought you with me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" A blend of grey and black tackled Hisoka over just as he was regaining his balance.
" Ah, Tsuzuki-chan, I don't think that's such a good." Watari moved quickly, but not quickly enough.
" Aah! Kuso! Get off of me you overgrown puppy!" Hisoka shoved Tsuzuki off of him rather roughly, clutching his sides. 'Che.why does it hurt so much?'
" Ahh, gomen nasai Hisoka! I didn't mean to, honest!" Glancing up at Tsuzuki, Hisoka ventured a weak grin.
" Eh, I'm fine. Just a little sore. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to Konoe." He managed to walk off, leaving Tsuzuki and Watari staring after him in amazement and disbeliefe.
" Did he just.?" Tsuzuki smiled at Watari.
" He just smiled! And offered reassurance!" Tsuzuki immediately turned puppy-mode, not believing his luck that Hisoka didn't try to throttle him for bowling him over. 'He must be in a very forgiving mood today.'
Konoe raised an eyebrow at Hisoka, who was standing in front of his desk, looking rather uncomfortable. Whether it was the fact that he had walked from the infirmary to his office when he was clearly in pain or whether it was from the story he just told, Konoe couldn't be sure.
" Do you really expect me to believe what you told me?" Hisoka sighed.
" Not really sir, but it's the only reason that I'm asking for the holiday. It only needs to be for a few days, a week at the most." Konoe frowned at the boys tone. He wasn't being disrespectful, but he sounded very defeated, almost like he was giving up on something. It wasn't like Hisoka, and it worried him.
" I'm going to need proof, Hisoka." The boy sighed, as if he was expecting this. Bringing his head up, Hisoka looked at him with a sad intensity that startled the older shinigami.
" Do you have a full-length mirror?"
Hisoka sighed, staring up at the hotel sign. After he gave Konoe his 'proof', he was sent to Earth as soon as he could pack a few things. Walking in, he scanned the room for the person he was looking for, spotting him almost immediately.
" Oi! Oriya! C'mere for a minute!" The man in question glanced up in annoyance, saw him, and rushed over.
" Hisoka, what are you doing here? Scratch that, more like why are you here? You look like crud." Hisoka grinned wryly. He was well aware of that. Even though his appearance in a mirror had changed, he could tell from the sunken eyes and the pale skin that the curse removal was affecting him. It still hurt to walk, and he had to practically sneak past Byakko in order to get here.
" I need to stay in a room for a couple days. Muraki." That last statement seemed to answer all of the questions the older man had, and Oriya nodded, showing him to a room and giving him a key.
" Here. Freshen up a bit, and then come to my room for some tea. You can explain everything in there." Hisoka shot him a grateful look, ran a hand through his hair, and shut the door. Glancing in the mirror over the desk by the wall, Hisoka had to fight to keep his nerve. 'D*** him.' His hand raised and tugged on air near his shoulder, and he scowled into the mirror before heading to the bathroom. Shucking all of his clothes, he turned to water to a warm temperature and closed his eyes, letting the water hit his face.
' Well, I suppose I'd better just accept it.at least this time the change won't wind up killing me.' Hisoka thought dully as he reached for the shampoo, humming lightly to himself. After about 2 minutes, a wave of pain shot through his body, but he kept humming the song, even as his voice changed and took on a lighter, silvery tone. He remembered the song from before he was put in the cellar because of the powers that he had. Another wave, almost making him double over, but he was determined not to weaken this time. 'Pain.it's amazing how easily we can adapt to it.' He squeezed a large glob of the shampoo onto his hands, now slender and slightly longer in the fingers, and started rubbing it through his hair, which now reached his back. Memories flooded his mind, all before that night when he took a wrong step and saw Muraki murdering that woman. Strange even now that he didn't bother to find out her name.
' Mommy, look, a teddybear! Can I have it, please?' A little girl flashed in his mind, looking adorable with her wide eyes and hair up in ribbons. She was wearing a summer kimono, and was clutching tightly to her mothers hand, laughing. 'I was so happy then.' Turning away from the stream of water, Hisoka opened his eyes, which rapidly changed from their brilliant green to a vibrant dark blue, becoming more almond shaped and feminine. Other changes also occurred (which I won't describe 'cause this is a PG fic ^_~) and soon Hisoka was completely and utterly female. The 16-year-old girl that now stood in Hisoka's place let out a mirthful chuckle, smiling softly to herself even as tears escaped her lightly closed eyes. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and started up the blowdryer that she had packed with her. After that was done, she ran a hand through her thick long maroon hair, sighing ruefully as she changed.
" It looks like my past has indeed caught up with me."
Oriya sat patiently, mulling things over in his mind. Muraki went on another killing spree, only to stop suddenly. That he just attributed to the mans nature, which he had to admit was slightly insane. But Hisoka showing up three days later looking like he did.either Muraki seriously messed with his mind, or injured him so badly it took him that long to recover. And for a shinigami to take that long.
" Muraki, you demon, what are you up to?" Oriya pondered out loud, sipping his tea. 'Hisoka should be here soon.ah, here he is.' Oriya poured a cup of tea as he heard his tatami slide open, and took another sip of his own tea.
" I apologize for being late, Oriya." He glanced up in surprise, and then proceeded to spew out his tea. The goddess that stood in the doorway giggled behind her hand, eyes crinkling softly in amusement. She was wearing a light blue kimono with gold embroidered sakura blossoms on it. Her hair was tucked up in a bun, but several strands of hair escaped to hang around her face and shoulders. All in all, she was beautiful. He stood rapidly, forgetting about the tea.
" Can I help you miss?" She smiled, shaking her head lightly. Then she walked into the room and sat on the cushion opposite of him, and took the tea cup that he had poured for Hisoka.
" You can sit down, Oriya. I believe I have a bit of explaining to do. First of all." she watched as he made himself comfortable, taking another sip of his tea. " I'm Hisoka." Out went the tea again, splattering on an invisible wall in front of the girl. He looked at her in amazement. " Nani??" She smiled, and the spilt tea vanished. Continuing, she brushed a rogue strand of hair away from her eyes. " Or rather, I'm the female that the boy Hisoka sprang from."
Tsuzuki was frantic. Or rather, he was slightly worried. After Hisoka had gone to talk with Konoe, he had practically disappeared. Poking his head into the infirmary, he meant to talk to Watari when he saw that Konoe was with him. Disregarding this, he burst in, disrupting the conversation that the two were having.
" Have either of you two seen Hisoka? I can't find him anywhere." Tsuzuki's puppy ears drooped. He thought that Hisoka wasn't mad at him, but he could be hiding now just to avoid him.
" Ah, Tsuzuki, just the person we were looking for. Bon has taken a bit of a holiday, just to relax for a few days." Tsuzuki frowned slightly.
" And he didn't ask me? We're partners, we're supposed to take holidays together in case something happens!" Konoe sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Watari smiled brightly, 003 hooting on his computer. Watari spoke up.
" Well, Bon just needed some time alone to sort out everything about what happened at the school. Seeing Muraki again.well, you know how Bon can get." He smiled apologetically.
" We never should have let him come on that mission, should we, Watari?" Tsuzuki asked dejectedly. He missed Hisoka already. Even though his partner wasn't exactly the most friendly person, he was still nice to hang around with, even if Tsuzuki knew that he probably annoyed him more than anything.
" Well, I don't know about that. Maybe this'll just give him time to figure out what he wants in the afterlife. He'll come back relaxed and not tense, and it'll be better for work. Don't worry about it, Tsuzuki-san, Bon will be just fine!" Sighing, Tsuzuki nodded, marginally satisfied with what Watari and Konoe were telling him.
" Besides, we're working on getting you a temporary partner as soon as possible. Just until Hisoka comes back."
" And when I saw Muraki, well, you know the story. Three days after he wrote the curse on me, I changed into a male." The girl chuckled again.
" I was terrified, started screaming my head off. The maid that was in charge of making sure I didn't die or anything was the only one who heard me, and she reacted by getting me proper clothes and acting like it was normal the whole time." She sipped her tea, and then poured herself some more. Oriya sat in shock.
" I knew that Muraki murdered a lot of people, messed with their minds, but that? Turning a girl into a guy? I don't know if I can accept that." She smiled at him.
" Well, it was odd that way. I didn't just change physically. My psyche also changed, so I was, in every way, male. I still had my memories as a female, but it didn't seem so strange to me, all those changes. I think if I remained with the mind of a girl, I would go insane. It's the same way it is now. Muraki has removed the curse, and I now have the mentality of me again. Thus the kimono. And I still have my memories, so I'm fine in that aspect." Her face fell.
" But?" Oriya asked worriedly. This time he feared his friend went farther than was permissible. And for Muraki, that was saying quite a lot. She seemed to be fine, but Oriya was a master of reading people. It was part of his 'second job', the one that often dealt with people with a less than spotless past. She was in pain, and she didn't know what to do next.
" But how am I going to tell Tsuzuki-kun? I mean, I've already told Watari, Tatsumi and Konoe, but." Her façade was slowly cracking, and she sniffled quietly, wiping at her eyes. Oriya sighed. He had seen it there when she was Hisoka, but had chosen not to mention it in the short time that they were together. She cared deeply for this Tsuzuki guy, and this was a large blow to her. Muraki, in the part of hitting his enemy where it hurt most, had hit the nail on the head, as the saying went. He reached over to her and wiped her tears gently.
" Hey, hey, don't cry. I can't stand to see girls cry, it's one of my weaknesses. Just don't tell anybody that, ok?" He said grinning, and winked at her. She gave a weak chuckle. He had to admit, the girl was brave. In fact.
" And besides, if it doesn't work out, just come back here. You'd make an excellent hooker, and I can get you a job in no time flat." He couldn't resist the jab. She fixed him with a glare that would've killed a human without magical abilities, and soon her pale fist was flying towards his face, hitting his nose square off.
" Baka!!" He sat up, rubbing his nose and fixing her with a mournful expression, making her giggle.
" I think you broke it.." This brought out her smile and laugh, which was what he was going for. He couldn't let her sink into a funk, because then it could be weeks or months before she pulled out of it.
" Men are such babies." She smiled, fully acknowledging his next comment.
" Yes, I was one too, at times. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get something to eat.and then try and figure a way out of this mess." Oriya scrambled up, rubbing his nose from time to time.
" Let me treat you. I'm guessing you didn't have time to grab much money. Besides, it would be an honor to take a lady as beautiful as yourself to dinner." She turned red at the mention of her forgetfulness, for in truth she hadn't taken much money at all, and also at the compliment. She had been in the cellar a long time, and besides the comments of 'adorable' as a child, she had never really had anybody compliment her before.
" By the way.my name is Jade." Oriya smiled at her.
" Right. Pleased to meet you, Jade. And.please don't hit me.but I was serious about the job offer. You'd never hurt for money, that's for sure." She fixed him with an appraising stare, a thin eyebrow raised, and then a ghost of a grin appeared on her face.
" I'm sure I'll keep that in mind."