Disclaimers: Yami No Matsuei is not mine.
Sorry but this is another cliffhanger. I know cliffhangers are evil...but I can't help it right now. (I am also waiting for some authors to update their stories.)
Please be patient with me. Thank you.
-----
It was an uneasy night in Meifu as the news of Tsuzuki's kidnapping spread.
Hisoka's distress was there for everyone to see. He had fainted on learning Tsuzuki went back to the warehouse. He was sure Muraki was the mastermind.
He was also sure that Muraki would hurt Tsuzuki. Scenarios playing in his head about what Muraki would do to his partner. Other scenarios playing in his head was what could he have done differently. Guilt and worry were building inside and tearing him apart. He dreamt of Muraki inflicting untold tortures on Tsuzuki.
The scream built up in his chest and he woke up in a cold sweat.
"Hisoka-san! Hisoka-san!"
He found Gushoshin hovering above him.
The bird saw the disappointment on the boy's face.
He was looking for Tsuzuki.
He needed Tsuzuki.
Hisoka wanted to cry and to hear his partner tell him that everything was okay but... Tsuzuki wasn't there.
"Uhm it's nothing." Lied the young shinigami as he pretended to go back to sleep.
Gushoshin had been watching over him in the infirmary while the Tatsumi and Watari went to the warehouse and look for Tsuzuki. It wasn't easy for the librarian to watch him caught in a nightmare only to wake up to the brutal reality that his partner was still missing.
"We will find him Hisoka-san."
He made no reply. The pain was just beyond words. He turned his head away as he blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Tsuzuki come home..."
------
Tsuzuki had to make sure his friends were okay. Did Muraki have them somewhere else? Was he torturing them? Where were they?
He managed to roll off the bed. He had a killer migraine but he started crawling for the door.
He had to get out.
The pain intensified as he staggered into the hall.
He leaned on the wall, trying to get better support.
"I'm coming..."
------
Back at the warehouse...
"Tatsumi!" Watari called out as he held out a piece of parchment. "It's written in blood."
To my favorite puppet,
Something to remember your dear partner by.
"I want you to give me a complete analysis of this." Tatsumi said as he handed the note back.
------
Muraki was watching the shinigamis from a distant rooftop. He decided to make things more interesting by summoning a beast for them to play with.
Tatsumi ordered Watari to stay out of harms way and did short work of the snake like beast... but Muraki had expected that. The doctor had in fact counted on it.
The beast's dying breath was pure poison.
The poison got into the shadow master's eyes and lungs. He dropped to his knees coughing violently.
"Tatsumi!" Watari cried out in alarm. He saw his friend's eyes begin to swell, and even with the regenerative properties of a shinigami, there was some damage, which was taking more time to heal. He was just about to rush to his friend's side when Tatsumi shouted sharply-
"STAY BACK!"
The command froze Watari in place.
"It's poison." Warned Tatsumi. "Keep talking and I'll find you."
Muraki had to admire the man, still able to think logically after being poisoned. Even a shinigami body registers pain and Muraki had especially chosen to summon that beast to inflict the most pain possible... a sacrificial move that would keep the shinigamis from interfering.
Watari promptly teleported back to Meifu with the secretary.
------
Hisoka's hopes were dashed when Watari came in with the secretary.
Tatsumi's eyes had to be bandaged and the secretary didn't like it. The shadows were restless but unfocused.
"Just for tonight. You should be find tomorrow." Watari said.
The secretary was never known for patience unless it was for a higher goal. Right now his goal was to find Tsuzuki and bring him back safe and sound. Tomorrow... this night was going to be one long night.
"What about the analysis?" The secretary's mind was still working overtime.
"You'll have it by tomorrow. Now you need to rest." Watari paused. "We will need you in top form tomorrow."
Watari looked to find Hisoka watching them.
"You too Bon."
Hisoka released the breath he didn't know he was holding in.
"Now both of you should get some sleep...doctor's orders." Watari still managed to smile it was only in that capacity that he would dare order the no nonsense secretary to do anything.
------
Muraki had enjoyed his little game and went back to his 'patient'.
He found the room empty.
"Tsuzuki-san..." He signed softly, then smiled like a cat. "I thought you were too tired to play games..."
He went down the hall, which Tsuzuki had taken.
"If you insist I'll play your little game ... then it will be my turn to choose..."
------
Tatsumi knew he was dreaming.
He was walking along when he noticed he was stepping on someone's shadow. He turned to look behind him and saw Tsuzuki bathed in moonlight standing in a shallow pool.
Tsuzuki didn't seem to notice Tatsumi, he busy staring down at his own reflection. He stood there as an angel with robes and wings of the purest white reaching to the heavens.
"Tsuzuki-san!" He called out.
He was just about to go to him when he noticed Tsuzuki's reflection.
It was Tsuzuki as a child crying tears of blood and instead of white robes he was wearing crimson robes... red as blood and instead of angel's wings he had wings of the darkest ebony hanging at an unusual angle... beautiful black broken wings...
"Tsu-" His voice failed him.
His friend still didn't seem to notice anything around him, not even when the 'child' reacted out his bloodstained hands to the 'adult'... breaking the water's surface and dragged the silent angelic Tsuzuki into darkness.
Tatsumi ran screaming Tsuzuki's name ... but as the ripples cleared it was only his own reflection that he saw, grief stricken at the loss of his friend.
"No!"
He jumped into the water searching... but there was nothing.
"Bring him back! TSUZUKI!"
The water turned into blood.
He saw his own hands. His blood soaked hands.
-----
Tatsumi woke with a start. It took him a moment to remember why he couldn't see. He listened carefully to find out if there was anyone else around.
He heard Hisoka's quite breathing... at least he didn't alarm the young man. The empathic shinigami had enough to worry about... he knew first hand what horrors the doctor could do ...and Tsuzuki was his partner.
"It's no longer your place." He reminded himself quite harshly.
-------
tbc
Thank you to all those who have reviewed.
Some chapters have been reposted with some changes, just to let you know in case you have only been reading what you think are new chapters.
Thank you for your patience (no one has tried to kill me yet) and for your impatience (all those reviewers clamoring for the next chapter).
I am sorry I am not able to give you more right now but if I force myself to write I will burn out.
02-22-04
Sorry but this is another cliffhanger. I know cliffhangers are evil...but I can't help it right now. (I am also waiting for some authors to update their stories.)
Please be patient with me. Thank you.
-----
It was an uneasy night in Meifu as the news of Tsuzuki's kidnapping spread.
Hisoka's distress was there for everyone to see. He had fainted on learning Tsuzuki went back to the warehouse. He was sure Muraki was the mastermind.
He was also sure that Muraki would hurt Tsuzuki. Scenarios playing in his head about what Muraki would do to his partner. Other scenarios playing in his head was what could he have done differently. Guilt and worry were building inside and tearing him apart. He dreamt of Muraki inflicting untold tortures on Tsuzuki.
The scream built up in his chest and he woke up in a cold sweat.
"Hisoka-san! Hisoka-san!"
He found Gushoshin hovering above him.
The bird saw the disappointment on the boy's face.
He was looking for Tsuzuki.
He needed Tsuzuki.
Hisoka wanted to cry and to hear his partner tell him that everything was okay but... Tsuzuki wasn't there.
"Uhm it's nothing." Lied the young shinigami as he pretended to go back to sleep.
Gushoshin had been watching over him in the infirmary while the Tatsumi and Watari went to the warehouse and look for Tsuzuki. It wasn't easy for the librarian to watch him caught in a nightmare only to wake up to the brutal reality that his partner was still missing.
"We will find him Hisoka-san."
He made no reply. The pain was just beyond words. He turned his head away as he blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Tsuzuki come home..."
------
Tsuzuki had to make sure his friends were okay. Did Muraki have them somewhere else? Was he torturing them? Where were they?
He managed to roll off the bed. He had a killer migraine but he started crawling for the door.
He had to get out.
The pain intensified as he staggered into the hall.
He leaned on the wall, trying to get better support.
"I'm coming..."
------
Back at the warehouse...
"Tatsumi!" Watari called out as he held out a piece of parchment. "It's written in blood."
To my favorite puppet,
Something to remember your dear partner by.
"I want you to give me a complete analysis of this." Tatsumi said as he handed the note back.
------
Muraki was watching the shinigamis from a distant rooftop. He decided to make things more interesting by summoning a beast for them to play with.
Tatsumi ordered Watari to stay out of harms way and did short work of the snake like beast... but Muraki had expected that. The doctor had in fact counted on it.
The beast's dying breath was pure poison.
The poison got into the shadow master's eyes and lungs. He dropped to his knees coughing violently.
"Tatsumi!" Watari cried out in alarm. He saw his friend's eyes begin to swell, and even with the regenerative properties of a shinigami, there was some damage, which was taking more time to heal. He was just about to rush to his friend's side when Tatsumi shouted sharply-
"STAY BACK!"
The command froze Watari in place.
"It's poison." Warned Tatsumi. "Keep talking and I'll find you."
Muraki had to admire the man, still able to think logically after being poisoned. Even a shinigami body registers pain and Muraki had especially chosen to summon that beast to inflict the most pain possible... a sacrificial move that would keep the shinigamis from interfering.
Watari promptly teleported back to Meifu with the secretary.
------
Hisoka's hopes were dashed when Watari came in with the secretary.
Tatsumi's eyes had to be bandaged and the secretary didn't like it. The shadows were restless but unfocused.
"Just for tonight. You should be find tomorrow." Watari said.
The secretary was never known for patience unless it was for a higher goal. Right now his goal was to find Tsuzuki and bring him back safe and sound. Tomorrow... this night was going to be one long night.
"What about the analysis?" The secretary's mind was still working overtime.
"You'll have it by tomorrow. Now you need to rest." Watari paused. "We will need you in top form tomorrow."
Watari looked to find Hisoka watching them.
"You too Bon."
Hisoka released the breath he didn't know he was holding in.
"Now both of you should get some sleep...doctor's orders." Watari still managed to smile it was only in that capacity that he would dare order the no nonsense secretary to do anything.
------
Muraki had enjoyed his little game and went back to his 'patient'.
He found the room empty.
"Tsuzuki-san..." He signed softly, then smiled like a cat. "I thought you were too tired to play games..."
He went down the hall, which Tsuzuki had taken.
"If you insist I'll play your little game ... then it will be my turn to choose..."
------
Tatsumi knew he was dreaming.
He was walking along when he noticed he was stepping on someone's shadow. He turned to look behind him and saw Tsuzuki bathed in moonlight standing in a shallow pool.
Tsuzuki didn't seem to notice Tatsumi, he busy staring down at his own reflection. He stood there as an angel with robes and wings of the purest white reaching to the heavens.
"Tsuzuki-san!" He called out.
He was just about to go to him when he noticed Tsuzuki's reflection.
It was Tsuzuki as a child crying tears of blood and instead of white robes he was wearing crimson robes... red as blood and instead of angel's wings he had wings of the darkest ebony hanging at an unusual angle... beautiful black broken wings...
"Tsu-" His voice failed him.
His friend still didn't seem to notice anything around him, not even when the 'child' reacted out his bloodstained hands to the 'adult'... breaking the water's surface and dragged the silent angelic Tsuzuki into darkness.
Tatsumi ran screaming Tsuzuki's name ... but as the ripples cleared it was only his own reflection that he saw, grief stricken at the loss of his friend.
"No!"
He jumped into the water searching... but there was nothing.
"Bring him back! TSUZUKI!"
The water turned into blood.
He saw his own hands. His blood soaked hands.
-----
Tatsumi woke with a start. It took him a moment to remember why he couldn't see. He listened carefully to find out if there was anyone else around.
He heard Hisoka's quite breathing... at least he didn't alarm the young man. The empathic shinigami had enough to worry about... he knew first hand what horrors the doctor could do ...and Tsuzuki was his partner.
"It's no longer your place." He reminded himself quite harshly.
-------
tbc
Thank you to all those who have reviewed.
Some chapters have been reposted with some changes, just to let you know in case you have only been reading what you think are new chapters.
Thank you for your patience (no one has tried to kill me yet) and for your impatience (all those reviewers clamoring for the next chapter).
I am sorry I am not able to give you more right now but if I force myself to write I will burn out.
02-22-04
