Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei is not mine, it will never be mine. The
characters are the sole property of Matsushita Youko. This story and
concept are the property of Lockeheart (that's me!) - So please don't
steal. I have been working hard on this!
This story is loosely based on the manga and the anime, taking components from both, but not necessarily all points. Some liberalization taken by me to suit my plot. Hope I don't offend or confuse.
Original Characters are the property of Lockeheart.
So on with the Show!
Chapter Fourteen – Divergence of Paths
By Lockeheart
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Do you think we are going to make it?"
Wakaba's voice was hushed and Watari turned to glance up at her momentarily then turned his attention back to his task. He looked back down to the mangled shield generator he was trying to keep alive and cursed as electricity leapt out at him from the open circuitry. Watari fought the urge to kick the machine in frustration and he paused to consider Wakaba's question. Did she want the truth, or a sugarcoated version of what he hoped would happen?
The shields were failing, plain and simple. A thin wall of energy and a few Shinigami were all that separated Meifu's souls from death. The shield was a double-edged sword, as it protected, but also hampered the defenders ability to escape. Those beneath the shields were protected but also trapped, and the demons knew it. Watari momentarily squeezed his eyes shut momentarily and rubbed at the headache forming under his temples. He needed time to heal, to replenish his energy, but it wasn't likely to happen. Watari glared at the sparking circuitry board before him and wished that he could will it to work properly. The shields would not hold forever, and when they fell . . .
He could feel Wakaba's gaze upon him and Watari grimaced. It appeared as if she wasn't going to let him get away without answering – great, as if he hadn't more important things to do! Watari shifted his position slightly so that he could continue to work on the panel, but still address Wakaba's question. He decided to go half and half with his answer – sugarcoated truth.
"We have to make it because we can't afford to lose." Watari sighed and looked up at the cracks slowly forming across the surface of the shield. "If Meifu falls, it will upset the balance of life and death. Meifu regulates the destinations of souls, decides when one will reincarnate . . . everything. This is the bureaucracy of the afterlife, and as much as we hate it at times, we must protect it at all costs. The price of not doing so is just too high." Watari turned his head to look through the haze of the shield to the battle beyond. Konoe and Terazuma were battling near the edges of the shield, fighting along with any others who had the ability to do so. A battlefield was no place for a scientist, Watari groused as he frowned at the mass of wires in front of him. "Besides, our friends, our family, our home . . . they are worth fighting for . . . aren't they?"
A sonic boom rattled the ground beneath them, startling Watari and Wakaba, but did little to diminish the impact of Watari's words. Watari watched as Wakaba raised her head at Watari's comments, but refrained from commenting. Watari hoped the words would give Wakaba the comfort she needed, even if Watari himself could find little hope in the situation. They had a snowball's chance in hell to survive – and that was if he was optimistic. The majority of Meifu's citizens were with Watari, and to the demons the shield was like a piñata. All they had to do was break the shell, and the demons would have a feast of souls. The cavalry from above should have come by now, but instead they remained alone and forsaken. Only Trinity was there but their objective was different from the Shinigami, and Watari didn't know if he wished Trinity good luck or bad.
Tsuzuki's Shikigami soared in the sky and raced across the ground, and from what Watari could figure, were in a defensive formation against the demons. It was unlikely that the Shikigami were acting under their master's orders, considering the mental state Watari had last seen Tsuzuki in, it was most likely that the Shikigami were taking their own initiative. The Shikigami were a double edged sword, helpful at the moment, but on the turn of a dime could become more deadly than the swarms of demons currently ravaging Meifu. They were unpredictable, and for Watari, that was unacceptable. They needed dependable allies, rather than allies with wavering loyalties, but the Shikigami were all they had for the moment. Just where was Enma? And where was help?
The panel Watari was working on began to spark violently and he fell backwards from it as it showered the immediate area with electricity. Frustrated and perhaps a little scared as well, Watari threw his wire cutters at the dying panel. "This is hopeless Wakaba, I am only one person! The shield system wasn't designed to last long – it was designed as a backup countermeasure, not to be the goddamn first line of defense!" Watari remained seated where he had fallen and slammed his fists into the ground in frustration. "Why are the Shinigami the only ones here protecting the people? Doesn't Enma or the High Council care?!"
"I wish I had some answers to give you . . . but I don't." Wakaba leaned over Watari's shoulder and grabbed the fallen tool, careful of the showering sparks. "There must be something we can do." Wakaba fingered the edge of the tool lightly and Watari watched Wakaba's eyes shimmer slightly. "It cannot end like this."
Watari pulled himself back onto his feet and ignored the aches of his still healing muscles. "The circuits are frying as fast as I can reroute the power. The shield will only last as long as each of these generators can hold on. As each one fails, so does the shield." Watari kicked the piece of machinery and cursed his action immediately as his foot protested the impact. "If you think you can do better then by all means, go right ahead!" He threw his hands up in the air and stalked away from both Wakaba and the sparking generator.
Wakaba frowned slightly at Watari's words and Watari felt like a heel for jumping down Wakaba's throat, but he couldn't help it. He sighed and reached out to take the tool back from Wakaba. "I'm sorry Wakaba . . . it's just –"
"No, it's okay." Wakaba cut off Watari's apology but refused to let go of the tool Watari had reached for. She raised her eyes to meet Watari's and he stared at her dumbfounded. "It's frustrating knowing that you are doing the best you can but that your best still isn't good enough." Watari smiled softly at Wakaba's words and he felt his anger at the situation drain slightly. Not that he was angry at Wakaba but at the situation. Sensing Watari calming down, Wakaba then released the wire cutter to Watari's grip and pointed toward now dead generator. "Without these we won't survive, so that just means that we need to come up with another strategy."
"What could be more important than maintaining our defense? It isn't like you and I can fight like the chief or Terazuma." Watari replied sullenly and sat down, his physical injuries reminding him that they were still there. Maybe Wakaba was right, maybe they needed to form a new plan, before the shields failed. Sighing, he pulled his battered notepad from the pocket of his lab coat. The notepad had always been a source of inspiration to him, and depending on the circumstances, his only defence.
"Sometimes the greatest defence is a strong offence." Wakaba spoke solemnly and then laughed at the cliché of her words. "You and I are not like Terazuma and the others. We aren't fighters – but that doesn't mean that we cannot fight back." Wakaba knelt down beside Watari and flipped the notepad open. "We both have skills – you can bring life to your creations, if you choose to."
"And what am I supposed to draw exactly?" Watari glanced down at the paper and shook his head. He looked up at the cracking shield, then over to the huddled people they were trying to protect. They were depending on him, on those with the power to protect them. He looked back to the blank piece of paper and frowned. Wakaba wanted to place their lives in the hands of a man who could barely draw stickmen. At another time Watari would have found it hilarious, but right now he felt sick to his stomach. "You know my gift is flawed; I cannot draw to save my life."
"Well here's your chance to do so."
From the frying pan and into the fire . . . Watari sighed and pulled a pencil from his pocket and let the lead rest lightly upon the paper. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was little he could do to save the shield, but that didn't mean they would have to die at the hands of a demon. He needed to let go, to disregard everything that was happening around them and just let his imagination take over. He ignored the roar of the battle beyond, the hushed murmurs of the people they were trying to protect . . . everything.
Watari let the pencil move across the page but kept his eyes shut. It was when Wakaba let loose a gasp that Watari opened his eyes to see the image of a butterfly upon the paper. "It's beautiful, Watari." Wakaba reached out to trace the line of the butterfly's wing and Watari frowned. He had hoped to draw something useful – something that could help his battling companions – but he had drawn a butterfly instead and Watari could not see how an insect would help.
A sudden roar from above startled them, and they looked up along with everyone in the vicinity at the imposing form of SohRyu. All of Tsuzuki's Shikigami had gathered in the sky above the bloody battle, and it seemed to Watari as if the Shikigami were having a conference of sorts. Watari struggled to stand but halted when his chest vehemently protested to the motion, causing him to hunch over in pain. Wakaba laid a reassuring hand upon Watari's shoulder, but her gaze remained affixed upon what was happening above them.
"What's happening?" Wakaba whispered in Watari's ear, as if worried her voice would somehow disturb the gathering in the raging sky above. "Why have they gathered?" A sort of silence spread across those in the area, as if everyone was holding their breath. All of them were curious, and perhaps a little afraid of what the gathering above could mean.
The swirling assemblage of colors above did little to calm Watari - in fact, it frightened him. The Shikigami for the most part seemed to be helping to defend Meifu, but their actions could easily change if they heard from their master – or if they felt that he was in peril. Watari wasn't sure which option he preferred as neither told him if Tsuzuki was himself once more, or if he still remained the vacant eyed, shell of a man Watari had last seen.
"Oh!" Wakaba's sudden gasp startled Watari out of his reverie and he watched as Tsuzuki's Shikigami suddenly headed off to the horizon. The quiet that had built in those few moments when the Shikigami had gathered shattered in an instant, and the sudden loss of the guardians seemed to give the demons a second wind. Their battle cries deafened Watari and through the haze of the flickering shield he could see his companions desperately trying to push the wave of demons back. The battle had begun anew, and Watari could only stare at the spot SohRyu had once occupied. Why had the Shikigami fled? Had something happened to Tsuzuki?
Then as though suddenly aware of their precarious situation, Watari shook his head and sought to rise from his seat, only to have Wakaba push him back down. The regeneration his body accomplished a little while ago had drained him, and his body could not keep up at the pace he wished to maintain. Wakaba fingered the bloody stains across Watari's lab coat, the only physical remnants of Watari's close brush with death. "Are you sure you are okay?" She asked as she leaned over to clasp Watari's unsteady hand in her own. "You are pushing yourself."
Watari shrugged and looked at the sketchpad and pencil in his hands. "You saw what just happened." Watari said stubbornly and he pulled his hand out of Wakaba's grasp. He still felt a little dizzy; perhaps he wasn't quite healed up yet. "We don't have the luxury to sit here and hope for the best. I don't want to stay here while our friends risk their lives out there. There has to be something you and I can do . . . some sort of miracle we can pull off."
Wakaba said nothing, but merely leaned over to trace her finger once again along the edge of the butterfly wing. Taken aback by this unexpected gesture, Watari merely followed the path of Wakaba's finger, the silence between the two of them strangely comfortable, despite the dire situation they found themselves in. It was only when Wakaba suddenly shouted that Watari startled, and he reached out to grasp Wakaba's arm as she tried to stand. "What's wrong?" Watari tried to not let his own emotions seep into his question, but it was hard not to.
"I've got it!" Watari raised an eyebrow as Wakaba's hands clasped his own, nearly crushing the pencil in his hand with her tight grip. "I know what we can do!"
"What?"
Wakaba grinned and pulled out a fuda and pointed to the butterfly Watari had drawn. "You and I are going to create a miracle."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The impact with the ground was sudden and dozens of red scratches appeared on Tsuzuki's body as he slammed into the ground. His ears were ringing and Tsuzuki saw stars, but he continued to lie sprawled where he had been thrown. After all, it was the best choice for him; the pain kept him in touch with reality, away from both the darkness within him and the insanity that seemed inevitably linked with that dark power.
To have the demonic power to destroy . . . it was both his punishment and his sin to bear; a cosmic joke at his expense, for his soul was gentle despite the burden it bore. The darkness stained Tsuzuki despite his attempts to bury it, and he feared that some day it would also stain those he loved. No matter how hard Tsuzuki tried to change things, fate was a cruel mistress, and innocent people were hurt because of him, because of the darkness that tainted him. The darkness was like a monster in itself – a curse – taking, through Tsuzuki, the lives of those Tsuzuki wished to save. How could Tsuzuki NOT slip into insanity, knowing everything he touched would eventually be ruined by the darkness within his soul?
As much as he wished it was not true, Muraki had been right – he was not human. Hisoka had been a fool to tell Tsuzuki otherwise, to believe that Tsuzuki was stronger than the darkness that cursed his existence. Tsuzuki stared at the smoke-filled sky dazed, and felt more than a little lost.
Tsuzuki wished he could see Hisoka's face.
Chymos leaned down so that his face was little more than inches away from Tsuzuki's own and Tsuzuki flinched. "I saw the destruction you rained down upon Meifu earlier – such raw power, but how uncontrolled. What a naughty Shinigami." Tsuzuki turned his face into the ground to avoid looking at Chymos, but the demon just pulled on Tsuzuki's hair, forcing him to look up at Chymos. "Are you ashamed of the darkness within you? Are you scared at what you did?" Chymos plowed Tsuzuki's face into the ground and Tsuzuki stifled a cry of pain. "It whispers on the edge of your sanity doesn't it? The darkness within you . . . it separates you from all the other Shinigami. A demon's power . . . Just what are you Tsuzuki?"
Tsuzuki spat out a mixture of blood and dirt and just glared at Chymos, but made no attempt to move. "I'm human . . ." He spoke the words quietly, and a tear fell down his cheek. "He said I was . . ."
Chymos laughed and Tsuzuki cringed at the mocking tone that Chymos' voice took. "'He said?' Are the words of a stupid child enough to deny the darkness that stains your soul?" Chymos grinned and pulled his foot back to give Tsuzuki a rib-cracking kick in the side. "They are words from a boy that pitied your existence, nothing more than that." Chymos turned his head to look to the fallen form of Hisoka. "A stupid boy who believed till the end that you would come for him – but you didn't save him . . . you failed."
Tsuzuki squeezed his eyes shut and huffed out a pained breath into the dirt beneath him. Chymos's words hurt worse than the vicious kick he had dealt because they rang with truth. He had not been able to save Hisoka.
A set of hands roughly pulled Tsuzuki off the ground and hauled him to his feet. Tsuzuki hung unresponsive like a rag doll in their grip, his will to fight gone. It was only when Chymos hoisted Hisoka's body into the air by his shirt collar that Tsuzuki found his strength once again. He owed Hisoka dignity in death; it was the least he could do to amend. "Does it hurt, Shinigami, knowing that you failed to protect this fragile boy?" Chymos pulled Hisoka's lax face close to his, prompting Tsuzuki to strain weakly against the hands holding him immobile. Anger was beginning to replace the grief within Tsuzuki – and it was both a blessing and a curse.
"Perhaps I am too presumptuous . . . the kitten did brandish his claws at me more than once . . . not that it did him any good in the end." Chymos trailed a wet trail of saliva down Hisoka's cheek and Tsuzuki wished he could smash Chymos' face in for his disrespect. "Hisoka is beautiful though, isn't he, Tsuzuki? A provocative combination of fire and ice . . . a shame he isn't alive to feel my touch upon his skin."
Chymos trailed his hand down Hisoka's chest and Tsuzuki found that the whispers of the darkness within him were getting louder and much more persuasive. "Stop it . . ." His voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper, but the anger in his tone was undeniable.
"What did you say? I can't hear you." Chymos laughed and shook Hisoka's body roughly in his cruel grip. Tsuzuki found it hard to keep control over the darkness within as it pushed frantically at his weak control over it, his anger not helping matters at all. "This is nothing more than a shell, a husk that once contained a soul." Chymos smiled and turned to look Tsuzuki in the eye. "What does it matter what I do to the carcass?"
If looks could kill, Tsuzuki was sure that Chymos would be dead right now. His anger wasn't any better at keeping control, but it cleared Tsuzuki's mind of the fog that had enveloped it. Tsuzuki strained at the hands holding him in place but they maintained their bruising hold.
Tsuzuki shook his head, steeled his resolve and took a deep breath. "I'm warning you one last time. Let Hisoka go," Tsuzuki narrowed his eyes and sent an instinctive summons to his Shikigami. There was no need for words: Tsuzuki could feel his Shikigami as they could him, particularly when they were as close as within the realm of Meifu. Though they were creatures beckoned by his summoning, the Shikigami were still independent beings, and had come to Meifu without his permission. But Tsuzuki was glad that they had: their presence filled him with strength, and he spoke defiantly, "I'm not as weak as you think, Chymos!"
Chymos just turned and gave Tsuzuki a smile that brought shivers to Tsuzuki's spine. "I'm counting on that." Chymos contemplated Hisoka's dead body, gave a shrug, then with a motion so quick that Tsuzuki barely had a chance to register what was happening, flung Hisoka's body toward the massive battle between Trinity and the horde of demons. There was no time to think, Tsuzuki reacted instinctively.
Like a dam bursting, the darkness within Tsuzuki broke free and violet-tinged blackness swirled about Tsuzuki's form once more as he broke free from the hands that bound him. Hisoka's body was flying in a graceful arc toward the chaos of the battle beyond and nothing else mattered to Tsuzuki except his partner. The darkness caressed him like a lover, but this time, Tsuzuki was himself despite the manifestation of the darkness within. As the darkness enveloped him, Tsuzuki could hear the fearsome cry of SohRyu, and a small part of him gave thanks for his Shikigami's arrival. Chymos was yelling, presumably at Tsuzuki, but he didn't care. The demons would tear the youth's body apart, and then there would be nothing left.
Tsuzuki surged toward Hisoka's form and pulled his partner's body away from the surging battle and into his own arms. As if time had stopped, Tsuzuki clung to Hisoka's body and nothing else mattered. The violet-tinged darkness swirled to encircle the both of them, and it violently forced back any who dared to get close to the two of them. Chymos' voice raged from what seemed like a distance, but Tsuzuki heard little of that. There were no demons, no Chymos, no Shikigami, no Trinity; just the two of them.
"Hisoka." Tsuzuki breathed his partner's name painfully and pulled Hisoka's form close to his own in a fierce embrace. The violet-tinged darkness continued to swirl about the two of them, creating a void that separated them from everyone else. The darkness within him was a tool to be used, a part of him but not HIM – and at the moment, Tsuzuki wished nothing more than to be left alone. It would be so simple to just stay there in the darkness. No one could reach them or tear them apart in here – but it meant nothing without Hisoka. Tsuzuki brushed Hisoka's hair with trembling hands and he sobbed. It was then that Tsuzuki felt it, a gentle rush of air against his cheek. Tsuzuki's eyes widened as the implications of what that feather-like touch meant.
Hisoka was breathing.
Hisoka was alive.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Don't struggle Hakushaku . . . things are coming to an end.
Hakushaku fought to turn his head as Muraki's crimson aura fought to hold him in place. The voice was not from anyone within the room, and it seemed as if only Hakushaku himself could hear it. The words echoed in his mind, a rich tone, and the Earl closed his eyes as he realized just who was 'speaking' to him. Even as his life essence was being drained, Hakushaku focused his attention inward, toward that voice which was from the Being that the Earl served faithfully.
My Lord . . .?
I was wondering how long it would take you to finally hear Me. There was a slight pause and then Enma spoke within Hakushaku's mind once again. I see the faith I placed in Muraki was not misplaced.
Hakushaku suddenly opened his eyes upon 'hearing' Enma's words and he looked to Muraki who continued to chant his complex spell. I don't understand . . . Muraki is not a part of the plan . . . The Earl focused solely on Enma's voice within himself. You did not tell me of the doctor's role in things.
You of all people, my Earl, know that God works in mysterious ways. I have been laying out the pieces of this game for a long time, and only now are things coming to an end. Another pause and Hakushaku shuddered as the pain began to increase. It was necessary to keep you in the dark. The tool would not use you if he knew how I manipulated him to come here.
My Lord . . .
Do not trouble yourself over the details my Earl. Enma's thoughts caressed Hakushaku's mind like a balm, and the pain inflicted by the summoning of Hisoka's soul eased a little. Just know that all the threads I left undone so long ago are finally being tied. Hakushaku took his Lord's words to heart as his consciousness faded.
He hoped that Enma knew what he was doing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"It worked."
Tatsumi listened to Muraki's hushed tone with a mixture of relief and horror. Muraki had managed to bring back a soul that should have been dead, but at what cost to Meifu and her people? Tatsumi tightened the shadows about him and looked toward Hakushaku who hung limp in the vortex of energy Muraki had ensnared him. Muraki stood standing with his back to Tatsumi, contemplating the glowing golden words that had begun to dissolve in midair. Hisoka was alive . . . Tatsumi breathed a silent sigh of gratitude to Muraki. The irony of his gratitude was not lost to Tatsumi, but he did not have time to contemplate the twisted implications of that thought.
He couldn't allow Muraki to try to bring another soul back – it would likely kill Hakushaku the next time around. Not to mention that bringing back those whose names were within the Kiseki violated the very foundation of the afterlife and its laws. A soul that passed on was just that - passed on. Tatsumi wasn't even sure if Hisoka would be allowed to 'stay' when all was said and done. It was a bridge Tatsumi would deal with when he got to it.
Muraki turned around and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes as the doctor finally noticed him. "Oh, it is you." Muraki spoke the words coolly and flicked at the hair hanging over his eyes with an indifferent flourish of his hand. Tatsumi straightened from his crouch and stood up straight as he contemplated Muraki's form over the rim of his glasses. The doctor barely looked winded from his exertions, unlike the haggard form of the Earl. Tatsumi cast a glance at the earl once more and he shook his head. The room was unnaturally quiet and the stillness bothered Tatsumi. It was like the calm before the storm – a storm that Tatsumi knew would be deadly.
The glittering characters that had spelt Hisoka's name were gone, and the only major light source within the room came from the sickly red energy that encased the Earls form. The magics that had lit the Kiseki room were flickering weakly and Tatsumi could see the webs of energy race across the ceiling as it tried to maintain the light. Candle flames danced weakly, casting numerous shadows everywhere. Tatsumi straightened his glasses; the situation suited him just fine.
"Oh, don't give me that look." Muraki raked his eyes up and down Tatsumi's form and sneered. Tatsumi glared at Muraki, but maintained his silent stance. The doctor walked a couple steps forward and gestured to the Kiseki. "You wanted that spell to work just as I did," Muraki gestured to the space where Hisoka's name had hung. "Is what I am doing really so bad when you consider the outcome?" Muraki smiled slightly and looked Tatsumi in the eye.
Tatsumi's eyes flashed with sudden emotion and lowered his arms to his sides. "The end does not justify the means no matter how much you would argue it. I am glad that Hisoka is back – but what you are doing is wrong." Tatsumi shook his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "And I am not going to play your stupid mind games, Muraki."
"Not as weak minded as dear Tsuzuki, hmm?" Muraki gave Tatsumi a mock stance of being insulted, but Tatsumi knew the man was far from it. Tatsumi tensed as Muraki lowered himself into a defensive stance and Tatsumi followed suit. "Who says this is a game to me?!" With a speed almost inhuman, Muraki magically manipulated the stone beneath Tatsumi's feet in an attempt to bring a thick wall between the two of them. Tatsumi leapt clear of the rising marble and landed a couple feet from Muraki, but the doctor already in motion. Tatsumi focused his concentration and stretched out his senses – this was it, the final showdown.
"This ends now!" Tatsumi flung out his arm in a sudden cutting motion, and Hakushaku sank into darkness as Tatsumi enveloped the earl within a void of shadow. "You cannot use him anymore." Without the light from the energy that had encased the Earl, Tatsumi found himself at a disadvantage, but he knew he could not leave Hakushaku at the mercy of Muraki. "Without his life force to drain you cannot attempt your soul call spell again."
Muraki looked to the space that held Hakushaku and then turned to Tatsumi. The gleam within the doctor's eyes did little to comfort Tatsumi and he pooled the shadows about him. "Who says I need to use the life force of the keeper of the Candles?" Muraki shrugged slightly and tilted his head slightly to crack his neck. "I will enjoy killing you." Tatsumi's eyes widened and flattened to the ground as a bolt of energy sizzled past the spot he had been standing at. The wall behind him exploded in a sudden shower of stone and wood, and Muraki used that confusion to escape Tatsumi's sight.
Cursing mentally, Tatsumi drew upon the shadows about him and in seconds had located Muraki by the doctor's shadow. The inability to see did not hamper Tatsumi in the slightest, and Muraki fell to one knee in pain as Tatsumi utilized his power. Muraki's shadow shuddered violently, and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes in concentration. It was only the flare of crimson light that Tatsumi saw out of the corner of his eye that saved him from becoming ensnared as Hakushaku had been. He dodged Muraki's magic but the sudden motion broke Tatsumi's focus on squeezing the life out of Muraki though his shadow.
Muraki got to his feet and wiped at a trickle of blood that fell from his lips. "Nice attempt, but not good enough." Muraki waved his hands about him in preparation for another spell and Tatsumi flung a bolt of shadow toward Muraki in an attempt to stop him. The shadow should have struck Muraki clean in the chest, but instead the bolt rebounded. In the billowing clouds of debris, the shadow was clearly visible and Tatsumi dropped to the ground as it soared over him so close that he could hear the magics crackling. The wall behind Tatsumi shattered with a loud boom and this time Tatsumi let out a cry of pain as a large, sharp chunk of marble stabbed him through the lower back.
The blow took Tatsumi by surprise and he lay momentarily stunned from the fiery pain that lanced across his back. Tatsumi's only saving grace was that he was a Shinigami and the damage to his organs would heal, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. Tatsumi glanced across the room to see Muraki striding slowly toward him, a crimson arc of energy dancing between his outstretched hands and a cold smile upon his face. "Sitting behind a desk has made you soft, Tatsumi." Tatsumi struggled to his feet while trying to ignore Muraki's verbal barb. His legs felt numb and his back was aflame with pain and it annoyed Tatsumi that he was wounded from an indirect hit. Tatsumi could see a smug confidence within the doctor's eyes and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes.
Muraki was an idiot if he believed that Tatsumi was finished.
Tatsumi waved his hand in a quick flourish and melted through the broken marble beneath him into the shadows. He could hear Muraki's angry yell but Tatsumi couldn't care less if the doctor was pissed that he was not an easy prey. His back protesting fiercely, Tatsumi gathered his power and prepared to surface once again to the real world. The longer he stayed in the void of the shadow, the greater the likelihood that Muraki would be prepared for him.
Like a phantom, Tatsumi rose from the shadows far across the length of the room away from Muraki. Muraki must have extended his senses though because just as Tatsumi let off a shadow bolt, he saw a crimson blast heading toward him. There was no time to dodge – the speed of each type of magic was insane – and Tatsumi raised his hands defensively to ward off the impending explosion that would come from the impact of the two bolts.
What he didn't expect, though, was that an outside force would stop both hurtling forces in their tracks. The crimson and shadow bolts melted into nothingness almost at the point at which they would meet and Tatsumi's eyes widened as he saw just what had stopped it.
Oriya stood between Muraki and Tatsumi, his kimono bloody and his face visibly shaken. Tatsumi could hear Muraki let loose a choked cry and for once Tatsumi was in agreement with Muraki. A presumably dead body, a lost soul, was standing before them once again – living and breathing.
This changed things.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Blood welled from multiple wounds upon Konoe's body, many of them gained just as fast as his regenerative ability could restore them. The demon before him had a dozen sets of gleaming eyes, each deadly in their gaze, all of them trained upon Konoe. Sweat drenched his suit and Konoe eyed his dwindling supply of fudas with unease. The demon sneered at Konoe but continued to just stare at Konoe, as if its gaze could freeze Konoe in his tracks.
They had been holding their own against the demons because the majority had been drawn to the Shikigami instead. Their intense hatred toward those beings that allied with Enma's own dividing the demon forces, and in essence, giving Meifu a chance to survive. With the abrupt departure of Tsuzuki's Shikigami, the demons were once again focused upon cracking the shield that protected Meifu's people. For the first time since the beginning of this mess, Konoe began to consider the idea that they wouldn't make it.
A twinkling of gold caught his eye and Konoe whirled around to face the new threat. The many-eyed demon roared in anger and Konoe kept the foul demon within his sight as he assessed the new threat. Konoe raised the fuda in his hand defensively but found himself momentarily stunned as he realized just what the golden light was.
It was a butterfly.
The tiny insect hovered in the space before Konoe's nose, its features indistinct and unnatural in design. It looked almost like a drawing come to life, and as Konoe looked closer he realized that it was indeed made out of paper. One of Watari's living creations no doubt, but that did not explain the strange glow the insects emanated. Konoe blinked stupidly at the butterfly as it flew away.
There were hundreds of paper butterflies dancing in the heavens.
Konoe looked around to find the source of the fluttering creatures and his eyes lighted upon the failing shield. The butterflies were beautiful but seemed little more than a distraction at most for the demons. The fact that they were also glowing puzzled the Chief and he looked to the glowing swarm in confusion. To what purpose Watari produced the mass amount of butterflies, Konoe was unsure – until one of the fluttering things touched the shoulder of the many eyed demon which had given up its deadly staring contest in opt of bashing Konoe's brains out instead.
The delicate butterfly alighted upon the demon's shoulder and as if suddenly struck, the demon dropped to the ground. Konoe blinked stupidly at first at the fallen demon and then at the butterfly. The butterfly sat unperturbed upon the fallen demon, its wings opening and closing slowly as if it were sunning itself. Konoe edged over to the fallen demon and nudged its form with his foot. It didn't move. The demon was still breathing, but as to what had just happened, Konoe was bewildered.
He pulled the battered form of the radio from his satchel and depressed the talk button. "A demon just dropped unconscious mid-run right in front of me because a butterfly touched it. You guys care to clarify what in Enma's name is going on?"
The radio crackled for a moment and Konoe could hear the breathless reply of GuShoShin. "So it is working? Great! I'll make sure to relay that to Watari and Wakaba! Just make sure you don't let the butterflies touch you okay?" There was a muffled click as GuShoShin cut the transmission.
Konoe stared across the land as demons fell to the ground defeated by the simple touch of a glowing butterfly. In equal dismay, Konoe could see his own people dropping to the ground as well. Don't let the butterflies touch him indeed!
He tightened his grip on the radio and shouted into the receiver so loudly that Konoe was sure those under the protection of the shield could hear him without the radio. "I want an answer damn it! GuShoShin!? Watari!? Wakaba!?"
The radio crackled in his hand once again and Konoe glared at the contraption as Watari's voice came through. "Wakaba and I came up with a plan – something that everyone here can help with. This is our home, a place EVERYONE wishes to defend. Wakaba's wits and my talent – a miracle is born. Take this chance to regroup and form a plan; those demons won't stay asleep forever!" The radio crackled and Konoe glanced at the innocent- looking butterfly upon the fallen demon.
"You have got to be kidding me."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"This fight is pointless."
Oriya's voice rang through the stunned silence of the shattered Kiseki room and Tatsumi was stunned at this turn of events. Oriya turned to face Tatsumi and the longhaired man gave Tatsumi a weary smile. "I know you think what you are doing is right, but if you continue on like this you may lose more than you are willing. There are people who depend on you, people who need you. Killing Muraki will not make things right. There is only one being who has the ability to truly judge Muraki – and you are not Him." Oriya shook his head and pointed to the shattered threshold of the Kiseki room. "There are others who need your help. Go to them."
It was unlikely that Muraki would blast Oriya away to get him, but Tatsumi could not take that chance. He let the shadows about him bleed back into their proper forms, but maintained a defensive stance. The crimson aura about Muraki abruptly vanished and Tatsumi eyed the stunned expression upon the doctor's face in disbelief.
"How can this be? You are dead . . . you died in my arms . . ." Muraki's voice wavered slightly and Tatsumi could hear the conflict of emotions within Muraki's words. The sudden change in demeanor was a contrast to the callous and angry Muraki Tatsumi had witnessed just moments before. Tatsumi rose from his defensive position and watched in silence as Oriya turned to speak to Muraki. He had never seen Muraki this stunned, but Tatsumi was sure that seeing the one you care for rise from the dead would be enough to stun anyone – even Muraki.
"I was given a . . . 'choice' by God." Oriya spoke the last word with slight contempt and Tatsumi watched as Oriya clenched his fists slightly. "I chose the path toward the darkness, the path toward you instead of passing on. I cannot let you continue on the dark path you choose Muraki . . . I need you . . . and I think you need me." Oriya extended his hand toward the immobile doctor and Tatsumi could see that Oriya's hand was shaking ever so slightly. "I've come to save you, Muraki."
Muraki stepped away from Oriya as if stung and Tatsumi felt as if he were an intruder upon something private, but he dared not leave. Many souls hung in the balance from what occurred right here right now, because Muraki was warping the very laws of life and death. But Tatsumi also knew how hard it was to stand by and watch a loved one move on. He would give Oriya a chance to speak to Muraki.
Muraki let loose a low laugh and both Tatsumi and Oriya eyed the man with raised eyebrows. "You are an idiot Oriya . . . you had a chance for heaven and you threw it away for what – a chance to save me?" Muraki raised his eyes to stare at Oriya but remained kneeling upon the shattered stone floor. "Do you think that I will let you stop me from getting what I desire? I will kill Saki with my own hands."
"Is that what you have been after all this time? Is that the sole reason you have plunged the afterlife into utter destruction and madness?!" Anger flashed in Oriya's eyes and Tatsumi watched as Muraki flinched ever so slightly at Oriya's remark. "Bringing Saki back to life just to kill him will change nothing!" Oriya laughed a bitter laugh and Tatsumi cringed at the sound. "You risk destroying everything with your selfish desire!"
Muraki slowly rose to his feet and Tatsumi eyed the rising crimson energies about Muraki with growing concern. "So what?" Muraki surveyed the destruction about him with feigned disinterest and Tatsumi knew that little good could come from this discussion. "The world as it is SHOULD be destroyed. Can you honestly tell me that this sick, twisted, fucked up world is worth saving?" Muraki raised his eyes to met Oriya's own and smiled sickly. "I am just fulfilling my duty as a doctor by putting a hopeless patient out if its misery. Killing Saki is just an added bonus to an otherwise boring task. It is the HUMANE thing to do for the world though . . . don't you think?"
"You're insane."
"Perhaps . . . or maybe I am the only sane person left in an insane world." Muraki spread his hands before him in a conceding gesture and shrugged. "It doesn't really matter though. The demons are overwhelming Meifu's forces, and still Enma does not act to save His realm. If God does not care what happens to this realm or that of the mortal world, why should I?"
Oriya squeezed his eyes shut and Tatsumi could see the shimmer of a tear in the corner of the man's eye. "I made a terrible mistake when I turned a blind eye to your actions, because I was afraid to push you further away. In a sense, I am as much to blame as Saki is for the pain you have gone through – more so, because I could have stopped it." Oriya took a couple steps toward Muraki, his hand still extended. "I cannot change what I feel, just as I cannot change what you feel. God help me, but I love you, Muraki . . . I can't explain it. I just do and because I do, I cannot let you continue like this." Oriya spoke with intensity and Tatsumi knew that what Oriya sought was a heavy burden.
"It's not love you feel for me, Oriya, but pity." Muraki's eyes flashed with a sudden sadness that quickly disappeared. "I don't want or need your 'love'! I don't need you!"
Tatsumi knew that Muraki had said something that struck a cord within the swordsman from Oriya's sudden stillness. "You're lying . . ." Oriya's voice was soft in the strained silence but the emotion behind it was strong. "Your eyes say different. Does it frighten you that much, knowing that I love you despite the blood that stains your hands?"
"You are a fool, Oriya." Tatsumi watched as a mixture of emotions that contradicted the callous words flashed across Muraki's face. The man's harsh words did not match up to what Tatsumi could see within Muraki's eyes. "A fool to believe you can stop me now, and a fool to believe that 'love' would make everything alright."
"Everything I am – everything I have become – is because of Saki. Both in life and in death, he has haunted me." The crimson wisps of energy began to swirl faster about Muraki and Tatsumi eyed the crimson energy with growing concern, but remained still. "I hate Saki with every fiber of my being, and I have sacrificed too much to let him win now." Muraki raised his eyes to meet Oriya's own and Tatsumi could see the doctor's eyes narrow. "You should understand that much about me." Tatsumi could see a wild, almost insane glimmer within Muraki's eyes and Tatsumi was fairly sure that Oriya could see it as well. "A pawn and a puppet, Oriya . . . is what you have become? You are little more than Enma's plaything!"
With that, Muraki cast a bolt of energy at Oriya. To Tatsumi's dismay, Oriya just stood where he was and let the deadly magic come for him. Tatsumi raised the shadows around Oriya and dust and stone exploded into the air as the two magics collided. "Muraki . . . NO!" Tatusmi yelled without thought, and as he willed the shadows to move he couldn't for the life of him understand why he protected Oriya. The man was neither his responsibility nor concern, but neither was Oriya an enemy.
The billowing cloud began to settle and Tatsumi could see the look of shock upon Muraki's face as the doctor realized what he had just attempted to do. Tatsumi willed the shadows about Muraki to pin the doctor where he stood and Tatsumi was shocked when Muraki offered little resistance to the shadow master's action against him. But before either Tatsumi or Muraki could react Oriya's voice called out from the cloud and his outline became visible once more.
"I am no one's puppet, not yours, and most certainly not His. I am my own person and this is my choice." Oriya's clothing was bloody where Tatsumi's hasty shield had not been able to protect and Oriya's voice was weak. Oriya turned to look to Tatsumi and shook his head. "Please release Muraki from your magic Tatsumi; it isn't necessary." Oriya turned back to address Muraki, and Tatsumi shook his head doubtfully at Oriya's words, but he lowered his shadows from Muraki's limbs.
"I don't want you to hurt others or yourself. Why can't you take my hand, Muraki?" Oriya began to close the distance between the two of them and Tatsumi eyed Oriya's approach with disbelief. Muraki had just tried to kill Oriya . . . yet he approached Muraki with trust. Was he mad? "Love . . . pity . . . label what I feel as you wish Muraki, but I know what lies within my heart. Death is the only way to save you and everyone else from yourself. If death is the only way to keep you at my side then so be it!" Tears were spilling down Oriya's cheeks but the proud swordsman paid them no heed. "Can you even begin to understand how much this hurts me? Wishing death for one I love?!"
"Oriya . . ." Muraki whispered the name almost reverently and to Tatsumi's surprise, fell to his knees once more. It was almost like something had broken within Muraki to Tatsumi, and perhaps something had. Oriya stood little more than a couple feet away from Muraki, and Tatsumi sensed an end to this verbal battle. But it was a hollow victory at best he gathered for Oriya, and Tatsumi bowed his head.
"If you continue . . . your fate will be much worse than death, Muraki . . . this is my – our – only chance. You are destroying more than you can understand." Oriya reached out with his trembling hand to touch Muraki's cheek lightly and it was then that Tatsumi noticed the strangest thing.
Golden glowing butterflies were descending from the broken ceiling to fly about the room. Paper butterflies . . . Tatsumi could recognize his friend's handiwork anywhere and he could feel a powerful magic upon the paper creations and drew the shadows about himself protectively. It was best not to let an unknown creation from Watari touch, who knew what it would do? Tatsumi noted that Muraki did not pull away from the featherlike touch of Oriya or from the approaching insects.
It was almost surreal, the golden light from the Kiseki and the butterflies, along with the slowly dying crimson glow coming from Muraki. He didn't know the function of the flying creatures, but Tatsumi could feel power coming off of the butterflies so he kept away from them. For all he knew, the butterflies could be flying mines. Tatsumi watched as the butterflies circled about the room without purpose but he still kept his attention upon Muraki and Oriya. "Killing Saki with your own hands will not change anything, but coming with me now will. Please Muraki . . ." Oriya raised his eyes to look directly into Muraki's own.
"Oriya . . ." Muraki's voice trembled with both anger and agony and Tatsumi watched as Oriya knelt down to wrap his arms about Muraki's still form, holding the doctor close to him. This was wrong. Muraki was a monster not human – so why was he displaying such emotion? Perhaps the doctor did truly love Oriya . . . The air about Oriya and Muraki suddenly lit up and Tatsumi was forced to look away from the couple. It lasted for only a moment and then it was gone, along with Muraki and Oriya.
Tatsumi reached out with his senses but could not find any trace of Muraki or Oriya in the area. The butterflies continued to circle the room, providing the light for the room and Tatsumi shook his head in confusion. He stepped toward where the two had last stood and examined the swirling remnants of energy there and then looked at the Kiseki. Book pages were flipping madly, and Tatsumi approached the artifact with caution.
Cloaked as he was within shadow, Tatsumi remained untouched by the fluttering butterflies. The Kiseki stopped upon a page and Tatsumi leaned over to read the new name that had been inscribed with glowing script. Tatsumi stared long and hard at the name that had appeared in elegant script with a mixed sense of satisfaction and sadness. Inscribed beside Oriya's own was the name of one Kazutaka Muraki.
Muraki was dead.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Tsu . . . Tsuzuki . . ."
Hisoka's voice was so quiet that Tsuzuki almost did not hear it. Encased as they were within the violent-tinged blanket, the sounds of battle beyond were barely audible, but Tsuzuki could hear Hisoka's faint whisper clearly. Afraid to break the illusion if it was one concocted by his frazzled brain, Tsuzuki took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look down upon Hisoka's face. When beautiful emerald green eyes looked back up at him with life, Tsuzuki was stunned. Hisoka – his Hisoka – was alive.
Tsuzuki reached to gently touch Hisoka' face, as if to make sure what he was seeing wasn't an illusion. "Oh . . . Hisoka . . ." Tsuzuki shook his head and he began to cry. Hisoka reached out weakly to touch one of Tsuzuki's tears. "You're here . . . you came back to me . . ."
Like a soothing balm, Hisoka's empathy reached into Tsuzuki's mind and Tsuzuki felt as if everything would be alright. He could feel Hisoka's presence and Tsuzuki's tears fell anew at the miracle of it all. Somehow . . . Hisoka was alive. Hisoka cupped his hand against Tsuzuki's cheek and Tsuzuki opened his eyes to gaze into Hisoka's own. "It's okay . . . I'm . . . here now." Hisoka spoke the words solemnly, and Tsuzuki buried his face into the crook of Hisoka's shoulder. Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's hands touch the back of his neck with trembling effort. "Are . . . you okay Tsuzuki?"
"I'm sorry . . ." Tsuzuki spoke the words into Hisoka's neck, unwilling to pull away to look Hisoka in the eyes. The darkness swirled about them, shutting them off from the real world. "You died . . . I held your lifeless body in my arms . . . Chymos said it was my fault . . . that I couldn't save you."
Tsuzuki felt Hisoka's hands pull weakly upon Tsuzuki's shoulders and he leaned back to let Hisoka see him. "I felt your pain . . . like a knife in my heart, I could feel you, Tsuzuki. It hurt so much . . . knowing you . . . were breaking and that I could . . . do nothing." Tsuzuki focused upon Hisoka's labored words and he could feel Hisoka's body shake with exertion. "In a way . . . I think we are saving one another . . . fair enough? I don't want to hurt like that again . . ." Tsuzuki smiled weakly at Hisoka and he brushed Hisoka's cheek lightly with his thumb.
"Is Chymos . . . here?" Tsuzuki shook his head to Hisoka's question and nearly dropped Hisoka as the youth tried to jump out of Tsuzuki's arms. Tsuzuki clung to Hisoka even tighter, not wanting his partner to hurt himself anymore. Hisoka slumped back into Tsuzuki's arms and Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's muscles trembling weakly. "Everything he said . . . is a lie! He is a demon, Tsuzuki . . . you cannot trust what he says."
"Then how can you trust me, Hisoka?" Tsuzuki lowered his head in shame and gestured to the violet-tinged darkness surrounding them. "There is power within me . . . like a demon and just as dark. I am not human . . ." Another tear rolled down his cheek to land upon Hisoka's hand. "I lost everything when I lost you, and couldn't restrain the darkness within me."
A strained silence formed between the two of them and Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's body tremble within his arms. Even though a miracle had happened and Hisoka was living and breathing, Tsuzuki could feel just how weak Hisoka was and he feared for his partner. But even so, he still leaned against his partner for emotional support. Tsuzuki needed Hisoka . . . he couldn't help it.
"You are human . . . you are the most human person I know. The term represents much more than just physical appearance. If you weren't human . . . you couldn't love me." Tsuzuki raised his eyes in shock to meet Hisoka's own and he stared into their depths. "I made a promise to you . . . just as you did to me." Hisoka's voice was weak, but the emotion within was strong and Tsuzuki smiled amidst his tears. "If it remains within my power . . . I will stay by your side . . . for as long as you will have me."
"Forever . . . I need you with me forever." Tsuzuki whispered the words fiercely and he pressed his forehead against Hisoka's own. "My friend . . . my partner . . ." The darkness within Tsuzuki receded and the violet-tinged darkness fell away to reveal the damage he had caused Meifu since the lost of Hisoka. The sounds of battle rang loudly in Tsuzuki's ears but Tsuzuki focused his attention upon the angel lying within his arms.
Flames and smoke filled the sky with macabre effect, and the crumbled ruins of buildings about them filled the air with dust. Tsuzuki could see his Shikigami fighting against the demons, giving all they had. Trinity had regrouped behind the intimidating figure of SohRyu, but Tsuzuki could see that even his Shikigami were hard pressed against the determination of the demons there. Tsuzuki watched as Hisoka took it all in and he felt the horror that Hisoka felt even without the empathic link. He did not wish to have Hisoka see what had become of their home . . . of what Tsuzuki had done in his mindless rage. "I'm sorry Hisoka . . . I should have been able to stop this."
"Tsuzuki . . ." Hisoka's voice was hushed and weak. Tsuzuki leaned down once more to press his head close to Hisoka's own.
"Crying over your lost love? How pathetic you are! Tears cannot bring back the dead!" Chymos' voice boomed from behind Tsuzuki and he struggled not to turn and face the demon. Tsuzuki rose slowly to his feet, keeping Hisoka away from Chymos and presenting the demon with only his back. His Shikigami surged throughout the air around him, all of them locked in deadly battle. He could see Chymos' shadow get larger upon the ground as the demon approached Tsuzuki once more. "Finally the darkness within you has come about again. You have buried it for so long, haven't you Tsuzuki? Isn't the strength of that darkness something to be coveted rather than shunned? If you wished you could wipe out every demon right here with your power, but you hesitate, and that is your downfall. Your world is on the brink of destruction and still your attention wavers to your dead partner. You are weak Tsuzuki! We have won!"
"Shut up."
Tsuzuki spoke the words quietly and he slowly turned around to face Chymos. Hisoka tensed within Tsuzuki's arms, but made no move other than stare back at Chymos. The darkness pushed at his barriers, but the first time in forever, he was not afraid of it. He was human, Hisoka had told him so. Chymos stood with his mouth hanging for a moment as he took in Tsuzuki's change of demeanor and Hisoka's sudden comeback. "You are right Chymos, I am weak." Tsuzuki glanced up to his Shikigami and then to Hisoka within his arms. "But there are those who believe in me and they are my strength. I won't let you harm them."
Chymos back up a couple steps in surprise at Hisoka's sudden revival. "How did he? It isn't possible . . . it cannot be." Chymos' words faltered as the demon tried to understand what had just happened. Hell, Tsuzuki wasn't even sure what had happened – but Hisoka was back with him, and that was all that mattered. Perhaps the demons around could feel the change of power within the air, because a number of them stopped in their tracks to look to Tsuzuki and Hisoka. The darkness within him blossomed like a flower about Tsuzuki, but this time it was his alone to control, not the other way around. Hisoka was his anchor; his reason to struggle to control the immense power within him . . . Hisoka was his heart. Chymos smiled for a moment as he saw the darkness, but faltered as he realized that Tsuzuki was still himself.
Chymos stepped toward Tsuzuki and Tsuzuki could see the sheer malice in Chymos' eyes. The air about Chymos rippled, and Tsuzuki could feel the negative aura spilling from the demon. There would be more than broken bones this time around – but this time Tsuzuki would fight back. Tsuzuki looked down at Hisoka within his arms and he knew he had to do something. Hisoka needed medical attention, not a battle – but they had to set things right first. He looked back up to stare into Chymos eyes and Tsuzuki narrowed his eyes. "You have not won, not yet."
"You cannot deny what is within you, Tsuzuki!" Chymos screeched loudly as he took flight. "You hold darkness within similar to us, a demon's power. No matter how much you wish to hide from it or deny it, you are not human!"
Tsuzuki looked up at Chymos. "Maybe I am not . . . but it doesn't matter. I am Shinigami. That is enough." Tsuzuki flared the dark aura about him menacingly and Chymos flew to perch upon a shattered wall. Tsuzuki looked to his Shinigami who hovered above him protectively and Tsuzuki nodded his thanks to them. "It is about time I stop hiding from what is within me . . . and realize that while it is a part of me, it is NOT me."
It was then that tiny flutter of wings flew between Tsuzuki and Chymos, totally unconcerned by the glowing aura about Tsuzuki or the smoldering demon. Tsuzuki, Hisoka and Chymos stared at the new arrival with varying degrees of emotion. It was a butterfly . . . and then another. Butterflies, thousands of glowing paper butterflies . . .
"What the hell?" Chymos wrapped his wings about his form defensively and crouched upon the ground as the butterflies flew into the area. Tsuzuki watched in apprehension as the first butterfly alighted upon a nearby demon and the demon dropped to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Hisoka stirred sluggishly in his arms and Tsuzuki could hear Hisoka's whispered response. "Paper butterflies . . . these must be . . . Watari's?" Tsuzuki listened to Hisoka's faltering words with growing concern. Hisoka was weak, so very weak. There had to be something he could do to help . . . "They're . . . beautiful . . ."
Tsuzuki watched as the butterflies descended into the area, dropping every living being to the ground they touched. Like manna from heaven, it leveled the playing field and Tsuzuki watched as Trinity surged toward the confused demons. With the demons unconscious, there was perhaps a chance . . . a way to save Meifu without anymore damage. Tsuzuki craned his neck to look at the butterflies, and then down to Hisoka in his arms. He leaned in close to whisper into Hisoka's ear. "I have an idea but I need your help . . . can you merge with me like before?"
Hisoka's eyes fluttered open weakly but Tsuzuki could see strength in his partner's gaze. Hisoka nodded once and Tsuzuki felt the empathic link between the two of them strengthen. Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka as they synchronized once more, and Tsuzuki knew that together they had the power to expel the intruders from all of Meifu – he would make sure of it. Tsuzuki reached out in his mind to caress the energy within him, drew upon Hisoka's essence to control it, and formed his single desire and most powerful promise to Hisoka. He would live for Hisoka . . . and stay by his side forever. The violet tinged darkness about Tsuzuki and Hisoka flared with newfound strength and Tsuzuki opened his eyes to meet Chymos' own.
"It's over."
Tsuzuki spoke the words with calm and he closed his eyes once more. The energy collected about Tsuzuki and Hisoka and then exploded outward. With a sonic boom the energy rippled outward across Meifu like a tidal wave – taking every demon with it in its wake. Darkness flowed across Meifu, lit only by the radiance from hundreds of golden butterflies . . .
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author's Note:
I do have things I want to say, but I will leave them for the epilogue. Instead I want to apologize for those readers who have been waiting for the ending to this story. Writer's block stuck me, while at the same time I got caught up in the process of moving. While it is not an excuse for the extreme lateness of this chapter and the epilogue, it is an explanation. So instead of just posting the one chapter, I opted to just post it all at once. I have kept people waiting for too long, and hopefully, I still have some readers who will read this. Bows head
I also want to thank my proof-reader, who has been invaluable in helping me out. I won't name names, because I respect privacy, but you know who you are. Thank you.
Reviews on this chapter and the story in general would be most appreciated. It would be nice to know if anyone is still bothering to read this story or if I have lost everyone who had been following this because of my huge delays. Once again, I want to thank everyone who has read and those who have reviewed this story. Thank you very much!
Also I just have to thank Matsushita for creating such wonderful characters! Humor, darkness, romance - all the fun stuff rolled into one! Thank you!
This story is loosely based on the manga and the anime, taking components from both, but not necessarily all points. Some liberalization taken by me to suit my plot. Hope I don't offend or confuse.
Original Characters are the property of Lockeheart.
So on with the Show!
Chapter Fourteen – Divergence of Paths
By Lockeheart
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Do you think we are going to make it?"
Wakaba's voice was hushed and Watari turned to glance up at her momentarily then turned his attention back to his task. He looked back down to the mangled shield generator he was trying to keep alive and cursed as electricity leapt out at him from the open circuitry. Watari fought the urge to kick the machine in frustration and he paused to consider Wakaba's question. Did she want the truth, or a sugarcoated version of what he hoped would happen?
The shields were failing, plain and simple. A thin wall of energy and a few Shinigami were all that separated Meifu's souls from death. The shield was a double-edged sword, as it protected, but also hampered the defenders ability to escape. Those beneath the shields were protected but also trapped, and the demons knew it. Watari momentarily squeezed his eyes shut momentarily and rubbed at the headache forming under his temples. He needed time to heal, to replenish his energy, but it wasn't likely to happen. Watari glared at the sparking circuitry board before him and wished that he could will it to work properly. The shields would not hold forever, and when they fell . . .
He could feel Wakaba's gaze upon him and Watari grimaced. It appeared as if she wasn't going to let him get away without answering – great, as if he hadn't more important things to do! Watari shifted his position slightly so that he could continue to work on the panel, but still address Wakaba's question. He decided to go half and half with his answer – sugarcoated truth.
"We have to make it because we can't afford to lose." Watari sighed and looked up at the cracks slowly forming across the surface of the shield. "If Meifu falls, it will upset the balance of life and death. Meifu regulates the destinations of souls, decides when one will reincarnate . . . everything. This is the bureaucracy of the afterlife, and as much as we hate it at times, we must protect it at all costs. The price of not doing so is just too high." Watari turned his head to look through the haze of the shield to the battle beyond. Konoe and Terazuma were battling near the edges of the shield, fighting along with any others who had the ability to do so. A battlefield was no place for a scientist, Watari groused as he frowned at the mass of wires in front of him. "Besides, our friends, our family, our home . . . they are worth fighting for . . . aren't they?"
A sonic boom rattled the ground beneath them, startling Watari and Wakaba, but did little to diminish the impact of Watari's words. Watari watched as Wakaba raised her head at Watari's comments, but refrained from commenting. Watari hoped the words would give Wakaba the comfort she needed, even if Watari himself could find little hope in the situation. They had a snowball's chance in hell to survive – and that was if he was optimistic. The majority of Meifu's citizens were with Watari, and to the demons the shield was like a piñata. All they had to do was break the shell, and the demons would have a feast of souls. The cavalry from above should have come by now, but instead they remained alone and forsaken. Only Trinity was there but their objective was different from the Shinigami, and Watari didn't know if he wished Trinity good luck or bad.
Tsuzuki's Shikigami soared in the sky and raced across the ground, and from what Watari could figure, were in a defensive formation against the demons. It was unlikely that the Shikigami were acting under their master's orders, considering the mental state Watari had last seen Tsuzuki in, it was most likely that the Shikigami were taking their own initiative. The Shikigami were a double edged sword, helpful at the moment, but on the turn of a dime could become more deadly than the swarms of demons currently ravaging Meifu. They were unpredictable, and for Watari, that was unacceptable. They needed dependable allies, rather than allies with wavering loyalties, but the Shikigami were all they had for the moment. Just where was Enma? And where was help?
The panel Watari was working on began to spark violently and he fell backwards from it as it showered the immediate area with electricity. Frustrated and perhaps a little scared as well, Watari threw his wire cutters at the dying panel. "This is hopeless Wakaba, I am only one person! The shield system wasn't designed to last long – it was designed as a backup countermeasure, not to be the goddamn first line of defense!" Watari remained seated where he had fallen and slammed his fists into the ground in frustration. "Why are the Shinigami the only ones here protecting the people? Doesn't Enma or the High Council care?!"
"I wish I had some answers to give you . . . but I don't." Wakaba leaned over Watari's shoulder and grabbed the fallen tool, careful of the showering sparks. "There must be something we can do." Wakaba fingered the edge of the tool lightly and Watari watched Wakaba's eyes shimmer slightly. "It cannot end like this."
Watari pulled himself back onto his feet and ignored the aches of his still healing muscles. "The circuits are frying as fast as I can reroute the power. The shield will only last as long as each of these generators can hold on. As each one fails, so does the shield." Watari kicked the piece of machinery and cursed his action immediately as his foot protested the impact. "If you think you can do better then by all means, go right ahead!" He threw his hands up in the air and stalked away from both Wakaba and the sparking generator.
Wakaba frowned slightly at Watari's words and Watari felt like a heel for jumping down Wakaba's throat, but he couldn't help it. He sighed and reached out to take the tool back from Wakaba. "I'm sorry Wakaba . . . it's just –"
"No, it's okay." Wakaba cut off Watari's apology but refused to let go of the tool Watari had reached for. She raised her eyes to meet Watari's and he stared at her dumbfounded. "It's frustrating knowing that you are doing the best you can but that your best still isn't good enough." Watari smiled softly at Wakaba's words and he felt his anger at the situation drain slightly. Not that he was angry at Wakaba but at the situation. Sensing Watari calming down, Wakaba then released the wire cutter to Watari's grip and pointed toward now dead generator. "Without these we won't survive, so that just means that we need to come up with another strategy."
"What could be more important than maintaining our defense? It isn't like you and I can fight like the chief or Terazuma." Watari replied sullenly and sat down, his physical injuries reminding him that they were still there. Maybe Wakaba was right, maybe they needed to form a new plan, before the shields failed. Sighing, he pulled his battered notepad from the pocket of his lab coat. The notepad had always been a source of inspiration to him, and depending on the circumstances, his only defence.
"Sometimes the greatest defence is a strong offence." Wakaba spoke solemnly and then laughed at the cliché of her words. "You and I are not like Terazuma and the others. We aren't fighters – but that doesn't mean that we cannot fight back." Wakaba knelt down beside Watari and flipped the notepad open. "We both have skills – you can bring life to your creations, if you choose to."
"And what am I supposed to draw exactly?" Watari glanced down at the paper and shook his head. He looked up at the cracking shield, then over to the huddled people they were trying to protect. They were depending on him, on those with the power to protect them. He looked back to the blank piece of paper and frowned. Wakaba wanted to place their lives in the hands of a man who could barely draw stickmen. At another time Watari would have found it hilarious, but right now he felt sick to his stomach. "You know my gift is flawed; I cannot draw to save my life."
"Well here's your chance to do so."
From the frying pan and into the fire . . . Watari sighed and pulled a pencil from his pocket and let the lead rest lightly upon the paper. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was little he could do to save the shield, but that didn't mean they would have to die at the hands of a demon. He needed to let go, to disregard everything that was happening around them and just let his imagination take over. He ignored the roar of the battle beyond, the hushed murmurs of the people they were trying to protect . . . everything.
Watari let the pencil move across the page but kept his eyes shut. It was when Wakaba let loose a gasp that Watari opened his eyes to see the image of a butterfly upon the paper. "It's beautiful, Watari." Wakaba reached out to trace the line of the butterfly's wing and Watari frowned. He had hoped to draw something useful – something that could help his battling companions – but he had drawn a butterfly instead and Watari could not see how an insect would help.
A sudden roar from above startled them, and they looked up along with everyone in the vicinity at the imposing form of SohRyu. All of Tsuzuki's Shikigami had gathered in the sky above the bloody battle, and it seemed to Watari as if the Shikigami were having a conference of sorts. Watari struggled to stand but halted when his chest vehemently protested to the motion, causing him to hunch over in pain. Wakaba laid a reassuring hand upon Watari's shoulder, but her gaze remained affixed upon what was happening above them.
"What's happening?" Wakaba whispered in Watari's ear, as if worried her voice would somehow disturb the gathering in the raging sky above. "Why have they gathered?" A sort of silence spread across those in the area, as if everyone was holding their breath. All of them were curious, and perhaps a little afraid of what the gathering above could mean.
The swirling assemblage of colors above did little to calm Watari - in fact, it frightened him. The Shikigami for the most part seemed to be helping to defend Meifu, but their actions could easily change if they heard from their master – or if they felt that he was in peril. Watari wasn't sure which option he preferred as neither told him if Tsuzuki was himself once more, or if he still remained the vacant eyed, shell of a man Watari had last seen.
"Oh!" Wakaba's sudden gasp startled Watari out of his reverie and he watched as Tsuzuki's Shikigami suddenly headed off to the horizon. The quiet that had built in those few moments when the Shikigami had gathered shattered in an instant, and the sudden loss of the guardians seemed to give the demons a second wind. Their battle cries deafened Watari and through the haze of the flickering shield he could see his companions desperately trying to push the wave of demons back. The battle had begun anew, and Watari could only stare at the spot SohRyu had once occupied. Why had the Shikigami fled? Had something happened to Tsuzuki?
Then as though suddenly aware of their precarious situation, Watari shook his head and sought to rise from his seat, only to have Wakaba push him back down. The regeneration his body accomplished a little while ago had drained him, and his body could not keep up at the pace he wished to maintain. Wakaba fingered the bloody stains across Watari's lab coat, the only physical remnants of Watari's close brush with death. "Are you sure you are okay?" She asked as she leaned over to clasp Watari's unsteady hand in her own. "You are pushing yourself."
Watari shrugged and looked at the sketchpad and pencil in his hands. "You saw what just happened." Watari said stubbornly and he pulled his hand out of Wakaba's grasp. He still felt a little dizzy; perhaps he wasn't quite healed up yet. "We don't have the luxury to sit here and hope for the best. I don't want to stay here while our friends risk their lives out there. There has to be something you and I can do . . . some sort of miracle we can pull off."
Wakaba said nothing, but merely leaned over to trace her finger once again along the edge of the butterfly wing. Taken aback by this unexpected gesture, Watari merely followed the path of Wakaba's finger, the silence between the two of them strangely comfortable, despite the dire situation they found themselves in. It was only when Wakaba suddenly shouted that Watari startled, and he reached out to grasp Wakaba's arm as she tried to stand. "What's wrong?" Watari tried to not let his own emotions seep into his question, but it was hard not to.
"I've got it!" Watari raised an eyebrow as Wakaba's hands clasped his own, nearly crushing the pencil in his hand with her tight grip. "I know what we can do!"
"What?"
Wakaba grinned and pulled out a fuda and pointed to the butterfly Watari had drawn. "You and I are going to create a miracle."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The impact with the ground was sudden and dozens of red scratches appeared on Tsuzuki's body as he slammed into the ground. His ears were ringing and Tsuzuki saw stars, but he continued to lie sprawled where he had been thrown. After all, it was the best choice for him; the pain kept him in touch with reality, away from both the darkness within him and the insanity that seemed inevitably linked with that dark power.
To have the demonic power to destroy . . . it was both his punishment and his sin to bear; a cosmic joke at his expense, for his soul was gentle despite the burden it bore. The darkness stained Tsuzuki despite his attempts to bury it, and he feared that some day it would also stain those he loved. No matter how hard Tsuzuki tried to change things, fate was a cruel mistress, and innocent people were hurt because of him, because of the darkness that tainted him. The darkness was like a monster in itself – a curse – taking, through Tsuzuki, the lives of those Tsuzuki wished to save. How could Tsuzuki NOT slip into insanity, knowing everything he touched would eventually be ruined by the darkness within his soul?
As much as he wished it was not true, Muraki had been right – he was not human. Hisoka had been a fool to tell Tsuzuki otherwise, to believe that Tsuzuki was stronger than the darkness that cursed his existence. Tsuzuki stared at the smoke-filled sky dazed, and felt more than a little lost.
Tsuzuki wished he could see Hisoka's face.
Chymos leaned down so that his face was little more than inches away from Tsuzuki's own and Tsuzuki flinched. "I saw the destruction you rained down upon Meifu earlier – such raw power, but how uncontrolled. What a naughty Shinigami." Tsuzuki turned his face into the ground to avoid looking at Chymos, but the demon just pulled on Tsuzuki's hair, forcing him to look up at Chymos. "Are you ashamed of the darkness within you? Are you scared at what you did?" Chymos plowed Tsuzuki's face into the ground and Tsuzuki stifled a cry of pain. "It whispers on the edge of your sanity doesn't it? The darkness within you . . . it separates you from all the other Shinigami. A demon's power . . . Just what are you Tsuzuki?"
Tsuzuki spat out a mixture of blood and dirt and just glared at Chymos, but made no attempt to move. "I'm human . . ." He spoke the words quietly, and a tear fell down his cheek. "He said I was . . ."
Chymos laughed and Tsuzuki cringed at the mocking tone that Chymos' voice took. "'He said?' Are the words of a stupid child enough to deny the darkness that stains your soul?" Chymos grinned and pulled his foot back to give Tsuzuki a rib-cracking kick in the side. "They are words from a boy that pitied your existence, nothing more than that." Chymos turned his head to look to the fallen form of Hisoka. "A stupid boy who believed till the end that you would come for him – but you didn't save him . . . you failed."
Tsuzuki squeezed his eyes shut and huffed out a pained breath into the dirt beneath him. Chymos's words hurt worse than the vicious kick he had dealt because they rang with truth. He had not been able to save Hisoka.
A set of hands roughly pulled Tsuzuki off the ground and hauled him to his feet. Tsuzuki hung unresponsive like a rag doll in their grip, his will to fight gone. It was only when Chymos hoisted Hisoka's body into the air by his shirt collar that Tsuzuki found his strength once again. He owed Hisoka dignity in death; it was the least he could do to amend. "Does it hurt, Shinigami, knowing that you failed to protect this fragile boy?" Chymos pulled Hisoka's lax face close to his, prompting Tsuzuki to strain weakly against the hands holding him immobile. Anger was beginning to replace the grief within Tsuzuki – and it was both a blessing and a curse.
"Perhaps I am too presumptuous . . . the kitten did brandish his claws at me more than once . . . not that it did him any good in the end." Chymos trailed a wet trail of saliva down Hisoka's cheek and Tsuzuki wished he could smash Chymos' face in for his disrespect. "Hisoka is beautiful though, isn't he, Tsuzuki? A provocative combination of fire and ice . . . a shame he isn't alive to feel my touch upon his skin."
Chymos trailed his hand down Hisoka's chest and Tsuzuki found that the whispers of the darkness within him were getting louder and much more persuasive. "Stop it . . ." His voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper, but the anger in his tone was undeniable.
"What did you say? I can't hear you." Chymos laughed and shook Hisoka's body roughly in his cruel grip. Tsuzuki found it hard to keep control over the darkness within as it pushed frantically at his weak control over it, his anger not helping matters at all. "This is nothing more than a shell, a husk that once contained a soul." Chymos smiled and turned to look Tsuzuki in the eye. "What does it matter what I do to the carcass?"
If looks could kill, Tsuzuki was sure that Chymos would be dead right now. His anger wasn't any better at keeping control, but it cleared Tsuzuki's mind of the fog that had enveloped it. Tsuzuki strained at the hands holding him in place but they maintained their bruising hold.
Tsuzuki shook his head, steeled his resolve and took a deep breath. "I'm warning you one last time. Let Hisoka go," Tsuzuki narrowed his eyes and sent an instinctive summons to his Shikigami. There was no need for words: Tsuzuki could feel his Shikigami as they could him, particularly when they were as close as within the realm of Meifu. Though they were creatures beckoned by his summoning, the Shikigami were still independent beings, and had come to Meifu without his permission. But Tsuzuki was glad that they had: their presence filled him with strength, and he spoke defiantly, "I'm not as weak as you think, Chymos!"
Chymos just turned and gave Tsuzuki a smile that brought shivers to Tsuzuki's spine. "I'm counting on that." Chymos contemplated Hisoka's dead body, gave a shrug, then with a motion so quick that Tsuzuki barely had a chance to register what was happening, flung Hisoka's body toward the massive battle between Trinity and the horde of demons. There was no time to think, Tsuzuki reacted instinctively.
Like a dam bursting, the darkness within Tsuzuki broke free and violet-tinged blackness swirled about Tsuzuki's form once more as he broke free from the hands that bound him. Hisoka's body was flying in a graceful arc toward the chaos of the battle beyond and nothing else mattered to Tsuzuki except his partner. The darkness caressed him like a lover, but this time, Tsuzuki was himself despite the manifestation of the darkness within. As the darkness enveloped him, Tsuzuki could hear the fearsome cry of SohRyu, and a small part of him gave thanks for his Shikigami's arrival. Chymos was yelling, presumably at Tsuzuki, but he didn't care. The demons would tear the youth's body apart, and then there would be nothing left.
Tsuzuki surged toward Hisoka's form and pulled his partner's body away from the surging battle and into his own arms. As if time had stopped, Tsuzuki clung to Hisoka's body and nothing else mattered. The violet-tinged darkness swirled to encircle the both of them, and it violently forced back any who dared to get close to the two of them. Chymos' voice raged from what seemed like a distance, but Tsuzuki heard little of that. There were no demons, no Chymos, no Shikigami, no Trinity; just the two of them.
"Hisoka." Tsuzuki breathed his partner's name painfully and pulled Hisoka's form close to his own in a fierce embrace. The violet-tinged darkness continued to swirl about the two of them, creating a void that separated them from everyone else. The darkness within him was a tool to be used, a part of him but not HIM – and at the moment, Tsuzuki wished nothing more than to be left alone. It would be so simple to just stay there in the darkness. No one could reach them or tear them apart in here – but it meant nothing without Hisoka. Tsuzuki brushed Hisoka's hair with trembling hands and he sobbed. It was then that Tsuzuki felt it, a gentle rush of air against his cheek. Tsuzuki's eyes widened as the implications of what that feather-like touch meant.
Hisoka was breathing.
Hisoka was alive.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Don't struggle Hakushaku . . . things are coming to an end.
Hakushaku fought to turn his head as Muraki's crimson aura fought to hold him in place. The voice was not from anyone within the room, and it seemed as if only Hakushaku himself could hear it. The words echoed in his mind, a rich tone, and the Earl closed his eyes as he realized just who was 'speaking' to him. Even as his life essence was being drained, Hakushaku focused his attention inward, toward that voice which was from the Being that the Earl served faithfully.
My Lord . . .?
I was wondering how long it would take you to finally hear Me. There was a slight pause and then Enma spoke within Hakushaku's mind once again. I see the faith I placed in Muraki was not misplaced.
Hakushaku suddenly opened his eyes upon 'hearing' Enma's words and he looked to Muraki who continued to chant his complex spell. I don't understand . . . Muraki is not a part of the plan . . . The Earl focused solely on Enma's voice within himself. You did not tell me of the doctor's role in things.
You of all people, my Earl, know that God works in mysterious ways. I have been laying out the pieces of this game for a long time, and only now are things coming to an end. Another pause and Hakushaku shuddered as the pain began to increase. It was necessary to keep you in the dark. The tool would not use you if he knew how I manipulated him to come here.
My Lord . . .
Do not trouble yourself over the details my Earl. Enma's thoughts caressed Hakushaku's mind like a balm, and the pain inflicted by the summoning of Hisoka's soul eased a little. Just know that all the threads I left undone so long ago are finally being tied. Hakushaku took his Lord's words to heart as his consciousness faded.
He hoped that Enma knew what he was doing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"It worked."
Tatsumi listened to Muraki's hushed tone with a mixture of relief and horror. Muraki had managed to bring back a soul that should have been dead, but at what cost to Meifu and her people? Tatsumi tightened the shadows about him and looked toward Hakushaku who hung limp in the vortex of energy Muraki had ensnared him. Muraki stood standing with his back to Tatsumi, contemplating the glowing golden words that had begun to dissolve in midair. Hisoka was alive . . . Tatsumi breathed a silent sigh of gratitude to Muraki. The irony of his gratitude was not lost to Tatsumi, but he did not have time to contemplate the twisted implications of that thought.
He couldn't allow Muraki to try to bring another soul back – it would likely kill Hakushaku the next time around. Not to mention that bringing back those whose names were within the Kiseki violated the very foundation of the afterlife and its laws. A soul that passed on was just that - passed on. Tatsumi wasn't even sure if Hisoka would be allowed to 'stay' when all was said and done. It was a bridge Tatsumi would deal with when he got to it.
Muraki turned around and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes as the doctor finally noticed him. "Oh, it is you." Muraki spoke the words coolly and flicked at the hair hanging over his eyes with an indifferent flourish of his hand. Tatsumi straightened from his crouch and stood up straight as he contemplated Muraki's form over the rim of his glasses. The doctor barely looked winded from his exertions, unlike the haggard form of the Earl. Tatsumi cast a glance at the earl once more and he shook his head. The room was unnaturally quiet and the stillness bothered Tatsumi. It was like the calm before the storm – a storm that Tatsumi knew would be deadly.
The glittering characters that had spelt Hisoka's name were gone, and the only major light source within the room came from the sickly red energy that encased the Earls form. The magics that had lit the Kiseki room were flickering weakly and Tatsumi could see the webs of energy race across the ceiling as it tried to maintain the light. Candle flames danced weakly, casting numerous shadows everywhere. Tatsumi straightened his glasses; the situation suited him just fine.
"Oh, don't give me that look." Muraki raked his eyes up and down Tatsumi's form and sneered. Tatsumi glared at Muraki, but maintained his silent stance. The doctor walked a couple steps forward and gestured to the Kiseki. "You wanted that spell to work just as I did," Muraki gestured to the space where Hisoka's name had hung. "Is what I am doing really so bad when you consider the outcome?" Muraki smiled slightly and looked Tatsumi in the eye.
Tatsumi's eyes flashed with sudden emotion and lowered his arms to his sides. "The end does not justify the means no matter how much you would argue it. I am glad that Hisoka is back – but what you are doing is wrong." Tatsumi shook his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "And I am not going to play your stupid mind games, Muraki."
"Not as weak minded as dear Tsuzuki, hmm?" Muraki gave Tatsumi a mock stance of being insulted, but Tatsumi knew the man was far from it. Tatsumi tensed as Muraki lowered himself into a defensive stance and Tatsumi followed suit. "Who says this is a game to me?!" With a speed almost inhuman, Muraki magically manipulated the stone beneath Tatsumi's feet in an attempt to bring a thick wall between the two of them. Tatsumi leapt clear of the rising marble and landed a couple feet from Muraki, but the doctor already in motion. Tatsumi focused his concentration and stretched out his senses – this was it, the final showdown.
"This ends now!" Tatsumi flung out his arm in a sudden cutting motion, and Hakushaku sank into darkness as Tatsumi enveloped the earl within a void of shadow. "You cannot use him anymore." Without the light from the energy that had encased the Earl, Tatsumi found himself at a disadvantage, but he knew he could not leave Hakushaku at the mercy of Muraki. "Without his life force to drain you cannot attempt your soul call spell again."
Muraki looked to the space that held Hakushaku and then turned to Tatsumi. The gleam within the doctor's eyes did little to comfort Tatsumi and he pooled the shadows about him. "Who says I need to use the life force of the keeper of the Candles?" Muraki shrugged slightly and tilted his head slightly to crack his neck. "I will enjoy killing you." Tatsumi's eyes widened and flattened to the ground as a bolt of energy sizzled past the spot he had been standing at. The wall behind him exploded in a sudden shower of stone and wood, and Muraki used that confusion to escape Tatsumi's sight.
Cursing mentally, Tatsumi drew upon the shadows about him and in seconds had located Muraki by the doctor's shadow. The inability to see did not hamper Tatsumi in the slightest, and Muraki fell to one knee in pain as Tatsumi utilized his power. Muraki's shadow shuddered violently, and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes in concentration. It was only the flare of crimson light that Tatsumi saw out of the corner of his eye that saved him from becoming ensnared as Hakushaku had been. He dodged Muraki's magic but the sudden motion broke Tatsumi's focus on squeezing the life out of Muraki though his shadow.
Muraki got to his feet and wiped at a trickle of blood that fell from his lips. "Nice attempt, but not good enough." Muraki waved his hands about him in preparation for another spell and Tatsumi flung a bolt of shadow toward Muraki in an attempt to stop him. The shadow should have struck Muraki clean in the chest, but instead the bolt rebounded. In the billowing clouds of debris, the shadow was clearly visible and Tatsumi dropped to the ground as it soared over him so close that he could hear the magics crackling. The wall behind Tatsumi shattered with a loud boom and this time Tatsumi let out a cry of pain as a large, sharp chunk of marble stabbed him through the lower back.
The blow took Tatsumi by surprise and he lay momentarily stunned from the fiery pain that lanced across his back. Tatsumi's only saving grace was that he was a Shinigami and the damage to his organs would heal, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. Tatsumi glanced across the room to see Muraki striding slowly toward him, a crimson arc of energy dancing between his outstretched hands and a cold smile upon his face. "Sitting behind a desk has made you soft, Tatsumi." Tatsumi struggled to his feet while trying to ignore Muraki's verbal barb. His legs felt numb and his back was aflame with pain and it annoyed Tatsumi that he was wounded from an indirect hit. Tatsumi could see a smug confidence within the doctor's eyes and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes.
Muraki was an idiot if he believed that Tatsumi was finished.
Tatsumi waved his hand in a quick flourish and melted through the broken marble beneath him into the shadows. He could hear Muraki's angry yell but Tatsumi couldn't care less if the doctor was pissed that he was not an easy prey. His back protesting fiercely, Tatsumi gathered his power and prepared to surface once again to the real world. The longer he stayed in the void of the shadow, the greater the likelihood that Muraki would be prepared for him.
Like a phantom, Tatsumi rose from the shadows far across the length of the room away from Muraki. Muraki must have extended his senses though because just as Tatsumi let off a shadow bolt, he saw a crimson blast heading toward him. There was no time to dodge – the speed of each type of magic was insane – and Tatsumi raised his hands defensively to ward off the impending explosion that would come from the impact of the two bolts.
What he didn't expect, though, was that an outside force would stop both hurtling forces in their tracks. The crimson and shadow bolts melted into nothingness almost at the point at which they would meet and Tatsumi's eyes widened as he saw just what had stopped it.
Oriya stood between Muraki and Tatsumi, his kimono bloody and his face visibly shaken. Tatsumi could hear Muraki let loose a choked cry and for once Tatsumi was in agreement with Muraki. A presumably dead body, a lost soul, was standing before them once again – living and breathing.
This changed things.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Blood welled from multiple wounds upon Konoe's body, many of them gained just as fast as his regenerative ability could restore them. The demon before him had a dozen sets of gleaming eyes, each deadly in their gaze, all of them trained upon Konoe. Sweat drenched his suit and Konoe eyed his dwindling supply of fudas with unease. The demon sneered at Konoe but continued to just stare at Konoe, as if its gaze could freeze Konoe in his tracks.
They had been holding their own against the demons because the majority had been drawn to the Shikigami instead. Their intense hatred toward those beings that allied with Enma's own dividing the demon forces, and in essence, giving Meifu a chance to survive. With the abrupt departure of Tsuzuki's Shikigami, the demons were once again focused upon cracking the shield that protected Meifu's people. For the first time since the beginning of this mess, Konoe began to consider the idea that they wouldn't make it.
A twinkling of gold caught his eye and Konoe whirled around to face the new threat. The many-eyed demon roared in anger and Konoe kept the foul demon within his sight as he assessed the new threat. Konoe raised the fuda in his hand defensively but found himself momentarily stunned as he realized just what the golden light was.
It was a butterfly.
The tiny insect hovered in the space before Konoe's nose, its features indistinct and unnatural in design. It looked almost like a drawing come to life, and as Konoe looked closer he realized that it was indeed made out of paper. One of Watari's living creations no doubt, but that did not explain the strange glow the insects emanated. Konoe blinked stupidly at the butterfly as it flew away.
There were hundreds of paper butterflies dancing in the heavens.
Konoe looked around to find the source of the fluttering creatures and his eyes lighted upon the failing shield. The butterflies were beautiful but seemed little more than a distraction at most for the demons. The fact that they were also glowing puzzled the Chief and he looked to the glowing swarm in confusion. To what purpose Watari produced the mass amount of butterflies, Konoe was unsure – until one of the fluttering things touched the shoulder of the many eyed demon which had given up its deadly staring contest in opt of bashing Konoe's brains out instead.
The delicate butterfly alighted upon the demon's shoulder and as if suddenly struck, the demon dropped to the ground. Konoe blinked stupidly at first at the fallen demon and then at the butterfly. The butterfly sat unperturbed upon the fallen demon, its wings opening and closing slowly as if it were sunning itself. Konoe edged over to the fallen demon and nudged its form with his foot. It didn't move. The demon was still breathing, but as to what had just happened, Konoe was bewildered.
He pulled the battered form of the radio from his satchel and depressed the talk button. "A demon just dropped unconscious mid-run right in front of me because a butterfly touched it. You guys care to clarify what in Enma's name is going on?"
The radio crackled for a moment and Konoe could hear the breathless reply of GuShoShin. "So it is working? Great! I'll make sure to relay that to Watari and Wakaba! Just make sure you don't let the butterflies touch you okay?" There was a muffled click as GuShoShin cut the transmission.
Konoe stared across the land as demons fell to the ground defeated by the simple touch of a glowing butterfly. In equal dismay, Konoe could see his own people dropping to the ground as well. Don't let the butterflies touch him indeed!
He tightened his grip on the radio and shouted into the receiver so loudly that Konoe was sure those under the protection of the shield could hear him without the radio. "I want an answer damn it! GuShoShin!? Watari!? Wakaba!?"
The radio crackled in his hand once again and Konoe glared at the contraption as Watari's voice came through. "Wakaba and I came up with a plan – something that everyone here can help with. This is our home, a place EVERYONE wishes to defend. Wakaba's wits and my talent – a miracle is born. Take this chance to regroup and form a plan; those demons won't stay asleep forever!" The radio crackled and Konoe glanced at the innocent- looking butterfly upon the fallen demon.
"You have got to be kidding me."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"This fight is pointless."
Oriya's voice rang through the stunned silence of the shattered Kiseki room and Tatsumi was stunned at this turn of events. Oriya turned to face Tatsumi and the longhaired man gave Tatsumi a weary smile. "I know you think what you are doing is right, but if you continue on like this you may lose more than you are willing. There are people who depend on you, people who need you. Killing Muraki will not make things right. There is only one being who has the ability to truly judge Muraki – and you are not Him." Oriya shook his head and pointed to the shattered threshold of the Kiseki room. "There are others who need your help. Go to them."
It was unlikely that Muraki would blast Oriya away to get him, but Tatsumi could not take that chance. He let the shadows about him bleed back into their proper forms, but maintained a defensive stance. The crimson aura about Muraki abruptly vanished and Tatsumi eyed the stunned expression upon the doctor's face in disbelief.
"How can this be? You are dead . . . you died in my arms . . ." Muraki's voice wavered slightly and Tatsumi could hear the conflict of emotions within Muraki's words. The sudden change in demeanor was a contrast to the callous and angry Muraki Tatsumi had witnessed just moments before. Tatsumi rose from his defensive position and watched in silence as Oriya turned to speak to Muraki. He had never seen Muraki this stunned, but Tatsumi was sure that seeing the one you care for rise from the dead would be enough to stun anyone – even Muraki.
"I was given a . . . 'choice' by God." Oriya spoke the last word with slight contempt and Tatsumi watched as Oriya clenched his fists slightly. "I chose the path toward the darkness, the path toward you instead of passing on. I cannot let you continue on the dark path you choose Muraki . . . I need you . . . and I think you need me." Oriya extended his hand toward the immobile doctor and Tatsumi could see that Oriya's hand was shaking ever so slightly. "I've come to save you, Muraki."
Muraki stepped away from Oriya as if stung and Tatsumi felt as if he were an intruder upon something private, but he dared not leave. Many souls hung in the balance from what occurred right here right now, because Muraki was warping the very laws of life and death. But Tatsumi also knew how hard it was to stand by and watch a loved one move on. He would give Oriya a chance to speak to Muraki.
Muraki let loose a low laugh and both Tatsumi and Oriya eyed the man with raised eyebrows. "You are an idiot Oriya . . . you had a chance for heaven and you threw it away for what – a chance to save me?" Muraki raised his eyes to stare at Oriya but remained kneeling upon the shattered stone floor. "Do you think that I will let you stop me from getting what I desire? I will kill Saki with my own hands."
"Is that what you have been after all this time? Is that the sole reason you have plunged the afterlife into utter destruction and madness?!" Anger flashed in Oriya's eyes and Tatsumi watched as Muraki flinched ever so slightly at Oriya's remark. "Bringing Saki back to life just to kill him will change nothing!" Oriya laughed a bitter laugh and Tatsumi cringed at the sound. "You risk destroying everything with your selfish desire!"
Muraki slowly rose to his feet and Tatsumi eyed the rising crimson energies about Muraki with growing concern. "So what?" Muraki surveyed the destruction about him with feigned disinterest and Tatsumi knew that little good could come from this discussion. "The world as it is SHOULD be destroyed. Can you honestly tell me that this sick, twisted, fucked up world is worth saving?" Muraki raised his eyes to met Oriya's own and smiled sickly. "I am just fulfilling my duty as a doctor by putting a hopeless patient out if its misery. Killing Saki is just an added bonus to an otherwise boring task. It is the HUMANE thing to do for the world though . . . don't you think?"
"You're insane."
"Perhaps . . . or maybe I am the only sane person left in an insane world." Muraki spread his hands before him in a conceding gesture and shrugged. "It doesn't really matter though. The demons are overwhelming Meifu's forces, and still Enma does not act to save His realm. If God does not care what happens to this realm or that of the mortal world, why should I?"
Oriya squeezed his eyes shut and Tatsumi could see the shimmer of a tear in the corner of the man's eye. "I made a terrible mistake when I turned a blind eye to your actions, because I was afraid to push you further away. In a sense, I am as much to blame as Saki is for the pain you have gone through – more so, because I could have stopped it." Oriya took a couple steps toward Muraki, his hand still extended. "I cannot change what I feel, just as I cannot change what you feel. God help me, but I love you, Muraki . . . I can't explain it. I just do and because I do, I cannot let you continue like this." Oriya spoke with intensity and Tatsumi knew that what Oriya sought was a heavy burden.
"It's not love you feel for me, Oriya, but pity." Muraki's eyes flashed with a sudden sadness that quickly disappeared. "I don't want or need your 'love'! I don't need you!"
Tatsumi knew that Muraki had said something that struck a cord within the swordsman from Oriya's sudden stillness. "You're lying . . ." Oriya's voice was soft in the strained silence but the emotion behind it was strong. "Your eyes say different. Does it frighten you that much, knowing that I love you despite the blood that stains your hands?"
"You are a fool, Oriya." Tatsumi watched as a mixture of emotions that contradicted the callous words flashed across Muraki's face. The man's harsh words did not match up to what Tatsumi could see within Muraki's eyes. "A fool to believe you can stop me now, and a fool to believe that 'love' would make everything alright."
"Everything I am – everything I have become – is because of Saki. Both in life and in death, he has haunted me." The crimson wisps of energy began to swirl faster about Muraki and Tatsumi eyed the crimson energy with growing concern, but remained still. "I hate Saki with every fiber of my being, and I have sacrificed too much to let him win now." Muraki raised his eyes to meet Oriya's own and Tatsumi could see the doctor's eyes narrow. "You should understand that much about me." Tatsumi could see a wild, almost insane glimmer within Muraki's eyes and Tatsumi was fairly sure that Oriya could see it as well. "A pawn and a puppet, Oriya . . . is what you have become? You are little more than Enma's plaything!"
With that, Muraki cast a bolt of energy at Oriya. To Tatsumi's dismay, Oriya just stood where he was and let the deadly magic come for him. Tatsumi raised the shadows around Oriya and dust and stone exploded into the air as the two magics collided. "Muraki . . . NO!" Tatusmi yelled without thought, and as he willed the shadows to move he couldn't for the life of him understand why he protected Oriya. The man was neither his responsibility nor concern, but neither was Oriya an enemy.
The billowing cloud began to settle and Tatsumi could see the look of shock upon Muraki's face as the doctor realized what he had just attempted to do. Tatsumi willed the shadows about Muraki to pin the doctor where he stood and Tatsumi was shocked when Muraki offered little resistance to the shadow master's action against him. But before either Tatsumi or Muraki could react Oriya's voice called out from the cloud and his outline became visible once more.
"I am no one's puppet, not yours, and most certainly not His. I am my own person and this is my choice." Oriya's clothing was bloody where Tatsumi's hasty shield had not been able to protect and Oriya's voice was weak. Oriya turned to look to Tatsumi and shook his head. "Please release Muraki from your magic Tatsumi; it isn't necessary." Oriya turned back to address Muraki, and Tatsumi shook his head doubtfully at Oriya's words, but he lowered his shadows from Muraki's limbs.
"I don't want you to hurt others or yourself. Why can't you take my hand, Muraki?" Oriya began to close the distance between the two of them and Tatsumi eyed Oriya's approach with disbelief. Muraki had just tried to kill Oriya . . . yet he approached Muraki with trust. Was he mad? "Love . . . pity . . . label what I feel as you wish Muraki, but I know what lies within my heart. Death is the only way to save you and everyone else from yourself. If death is the only way to keep you at my side then so be it!" Tears were spilling down Oriya's cheeks but the proud swordsman paid them no heed. "Can you even begin to understand how much this hurts me? Wishing death for one I love?!"
"Oriya . . ." Muraki whispered the name almost reverently and to Tatsumi's surprise, fell to his knees once more. It was almost like something had broken within Muraki to Tatsumi, and perhaps something had. Oriya stood little more than a couple feet away from Muraki, and Tatsumi sensed an end to this verbal battle. But it was a hollow victory at best he gathered for Oriya, and Tatsumi bowed his head.
"If you continue . . . your fate will be much worse than death, Muraki . . . this is my – our – only chance. You are destroying more than you can understand." Oriya reached out with his trembling hand to touch Muraki's cheek lightly and it was then that Tatsumi noticed the strangest thing.
Golden glowing butterflies were descending from the broken ceiling to fly about the room. Paper butterflies . . . Tatsumi could recognize his friend's handiwork anywhere and he could feel a powerful magic upon the paper creations and drew the shadows about himself protectively. It was best not to let an unknown creation from Watari touch, who knew what it would do? Tatsumi noted that Muraki did not pull away from the featherlike touch of Oriya or from the approaching insects.
It was almost surreal, the golden light from the Kiseki and the butterflies, along with the slowly dying crimson glow coming from Muraki. He didn't know the function of the flying creatures, but Tatsumi could feel power coming off of the butterflies so he kept away from them. For all he knew, the butterflies could be flying mines. Tatsumi watched as the butterflies circled about the room without purpose but he still kept his attention upon Muraki and Oriya. "Killing Saki with your own hands will not change anything, but coming with me now will. Please Muraki . . ." Oriya raised his eyes to look directly into Muraki's own.
"Oriya . . ." Muraki's voice trembled with both anger and agony and Tatsumi watched as Oriya knelt down to wrap his arms about Muraki's still form, holding the doctor close to him. This was wrong. Muraki was a monster not human – so why was he displaying such emotion? Perhaps the doctor did truly love Oriya . . . The air about Oriya and Muraki suddenly lit up and Tatsumi was forced to look away from the couple. It lasted for only a moment and then it was gone, along with Muraki and Oriya.
Tatsumi reached out with his senses but could not find any trace of Muraki or Oriya in the area. The butterflies continued to circle the room, providing the light for the room and Tatsumi shook his head in confusion. He stepped toward where the two had last stood and examined the swirling remnants of energy there and then looked at the Kiseki. Book pages were flipping madly, and Tatsumi approached the artifact with caution.
Cloaked as he was within shadow, Tatsumi remained untouched by the fluttering butterflies. The Kiseki stopped upon a page and Tatsumi leaned over to read the new name that had been inscribed with glowing script. Tatsumi stared long and hard at the name that had appeared in elegant script with a mixed sense of satisfaction and sadness. Inscribed beside Oriya's own was the name of one Kazutaka Muraki.
Muraki was dead.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Tsu . . . Tsuzuki . . ."
Hisoka's voice was so quiet that Tsuzuki almost did not hear it. Encased as they were within the violent-tinged blanket, the sounds of battle beyond were barely audible, but Tsuzuki could hear Hisoka's faint whisper clearly. Afraid to break the illusion if it was one concocted by his frazzled brain, Tsuzuki took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look down upon Hisoka's face. When beautiful emerald green eyes looked back up at him with life, Tsuzuki was stunned. Hisoka – his Hisoka – was alive.
Tsuzuki reached to gently touch Hisoka' face, as if to make sure what he was seeing wasn't an illusion. "Oh . . . Hisoka . . ." Tsuzuki shook his head and he began to cry. Hisoka reached out weakly to touch one of Tsuzuki's tears. "You're here . . . you came back to me . . ."
Like a soothing balm, Hisoka's empathy reached into Tsuzuki's mind and Tsuzuki felt as if everything would be alright. He could feel Hisoka's presence and Tsuzuki's tears fell anew at the miracle of it all. Somehow . . . Hisoka was alive. Hisoka cupped his hand against Tsuzuki's cheek and Tsuzuki opened his eyes to gaze into Hisoka's own. "It's okay . . . I'm . . . here now." Hisoka spoke the words solemnly, and Tsuzuki buried his face into the crook of Hisoka's shoulder. Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's hands touch the back of his neck with trembling effort. "Are . . . you okay Tsuzuki?"
"I'm sorry . . ." Tsuzuki spoke the words into Hisoka's neck, unwilling to pull away to look Hisoka in the eyes. The darkness swirled about them, shutting them off from the real world. "You died . . . I held your lifeless body in my arms . . . Chymos said it was my fault . . . that I couldn't save you."
Tsuzuki felt Hisoka's hands pull weakly upon Tsuzuki's shoulders and he leaned back to let Hisoka see him. "I felt your pain . . . like a knife in my heart, I could feel you, Tsuzuki. It hurt so much . . . knowing you . . . were breaking and that I could . . . do nothing." Tsuzuki focused upon Hisoka's labored words and he could feel Hisoka's body shake with exertion. "In a way . . . I think we are saving one another . . . fair enough? I don't want to hurt like that again . . ." Tsuzuki smiled weakly at Hisoka and he brushed Hisoka's cheek lightly with his thumb.
"Is Chymos . . . here?" Tsuzuki shook his head to Hisoka's question and nearly dropped Hisoka as the youth tried to jump out of Tsuzuki's arms. Tsuzuki clung to Hisoka even tighter, not wanting his partner to hurt himself anymore. Hisoka slumped back into Tsuzuki's arms and Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's muscles trembling weakly. "Everything he said . . . is a lie! He is a demon, Tsuzuki . . . you cannot trust what he says."
"Then how can you trust me, Hisoka?" Tsuzuki lowered his head in shame and gestured to the violet-tinged darkness surrounding them. "There is power within me . . . like a demon and just as dark. I am not human . . ." Another tear rolled down his cheek to land upon Hisoka's hand. "I lost everything when I lost you, and couldn't restrain the darkness within me."
A strained silence formed between the two of them and Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka's body tremble within his arms. Even though a miracle had happened and Hisoka was living and breathing, Tsuzuki could feel just how weak Hisoka was and he feared for his partner. But even so, he still leaned against his partner for emotional support. Tsuzuki needed Hisoka . . . he couldn't help it.
"You are human . . . you are the most human person I know. The term represents much more than just physical appearance. If you weren't human . . . you couldn't love me." Tsuzuki raised his eyes in shock to meet Hisoka's own and he stared into their depths. "I made a promise to you . . . just as you did to me." Hisoka's voice was weak, but the emotion within was strong and Tsuzuki smiled amidst his tears. "If it remains within my power . . . I will stay by your side . . . for as long as you will have me."
"Forever . . . I need you with me forever." Tsuzuki whispered the words fiercely and he pressed his forehead against Hisoka's own. "My friend . . . my partner . . ." The darkness within Tsuzuki receded and the violet-tinged darkness fell away to reveal the damage he had caused Meifu since the lost of Hisoka. The sounds of battle rang loudly in Tsuzuki's ears but Tsuzuki focused his attention upon the angel lying within his arms.
Flames and smoke filled the sky with macabre effect, and the crumbled ruins of buildings about them filled the air with dust. Tsuzuki could see his Shikigami fighting against the demons, giving all they had. Trinity had regrouped behind the intimidating figure of SohRyu, but Tsuzuki could see that even his Shikigami were hard pressed against the determination of the demons there. Tsuzuki watched as Hisoka took it all in and he felt the horror that Hisoka felt even without the empathic link. He did not wish to have Hisoka see what had become of their home . . . of what Tsuzuki had done in his mindless rage. "I'm sorry Hisoka . . . I should have been able to stop this."
"Tsuzuki . . ." Hisoka's voice was hushed and weak. Tsuzuki leaned down once more to press his head close to Hisoka's own.
"Crying over your lost love? How pathetic you are! Tears cannot bring back the dead!" Chymos' voice boomed from behind Tsuzuki and he struggled not to turn and face the demon. Tsuzuki rose slowly to his feet, keeping Hisoka away from Chymos and presenting the demon with only his back. His Shikigami surged throughout the air around him, all of them locked in deadly battle. He could see Chymos' shadow get larger upon the ground as the demon approached Tsuzuki once more. "Finally the darkness within you has come about again. You have buried it for so long, haven't you Tsuzuki? Isn't the strength of that darkness something to be coveted rather than shunned? If you wished you could wipe out every demon right here with your power, but you hesitate, and that is your downfall. Your world is on the brink of destruction and still your attention wavers to your dead partner. You are weak Tsuzuki! We have won!"
"Shut up."
Tsuzuki spoke the words quietly and he slowly turned around to face Chymos. Hisoka tensed within Tsuzuki's arms, but made no move other than stare back at Chymos. The darkness pushed at his barriers, but the first time in forever, he was not afraid of it. He was human, Hisoka had told him so. Chymos stood with his mouth hanging for a moment as he took in Tsuzuki's change of demeanor and Hisoka's sudden comeback. "You are right Chymos, I am weak." Tsuzuki glanced up to his Shikigami and then to Hisoka within his arms. "But there are those who believe in me and they are my strength. I won't let you harm them."
Chymos back up a couple steps in surprise at Hisoka's sudden revival. "How did he? It isn't possible . . . it cannot be." Chymos' words faltered as the demon tried to understand what had just happened. Hell, Tsuzuki wasn't even sure what had happened – but Hisoka was back with him, and that was all that mattered. Perhaps the demons around could feel the change of power within the air, because a number of them stopped in their tracks to look to Tsuzuki and Hisoka. The darkness within him blossomed like a flower about Tsuzuki, but this time it was his alone to control, not the other way around. Hisoka was his anchor; his reason to struggle to control the immense power within him . . . Hisoka was his heart. Chymos smiled for a moment as he saw the darkness, but faltered as he realized that Tsuzuki was still himself.
Chymos stepped toward Tsuzuki and Tsuzuki could see the sheer malice in Chymos' eyes. The air about Chymos rippled, and Tsuzuki could feel the negative aura spilling from the demon. There would be more than broken bones this time around – but this time Tsuzuki would fight back. Tsuzuki looked down at Hisoka within his arms and he knew he had to do something. Hisoka needed medical attention, not a battle – but they had to set things right first. He looked back up to stare into Chymos eyes and Tsuzuki narrowed his eyes. "You have not won, not yet."
"You cannot deny what is within you, Tsuzuki!" Chymos screeched loudly as he took flight. "You hold darkness within similar to us, a demon's power. No matter how much you wish to hide from it or deny it, you are not human!"
Tsuzuki looked up at Chymos. "Maybe I am not . . . but it doesn't matter. I am Shinigami. That is enough." Tsuzuki flared the dark aura about him menacingly and Chymos flew to perch upon a shattered wall. Tsuzuki looked to his Shinigami who hovered above him protectively and Tsuzuki nodded his thanks to them. "It is about time I stop hiding from what is within me . . . and realize that while it is a part of me, it is NOT me."
It was then that tiny flutter of wings flew between Tsuzuki and Chymos, totally unconcerned by the glowing aura about Tsuzuki or the smoldering demon. Tsuzuki, Hisoka and Chymos stared at the new arrival with varying degrees of emotion. It was a butterfly . . . and then another. Butterflies, thousands of glowing paper butterflies . . .
"What the hell?" Chymos wrapped his wings about his form defensively and crouched upon the ground as the butterflies flew into the area. Tsuzuki watched in apprehension as the first butterfly alighted upon a nearby demon and the demon dropped to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Hisoka stirred sluggishly in his arms and Tsuzuki could hear Hisoka's whispered response. "Paper butterflies . . . these must be . . . Watari's?" Tsuzuki listened to Hisoka's faltering words with growing concern. Hisoka was weak, so very weak. There had to be something he could do to help . . . "They're . . . beautiful . . ."
Tsuzuki watched as the butterflies descended into the area, dropping every living being to the ground they touched. Like manna from heaven, it leveled the playing field and Tsuzuki watched as Trinity surged toward the confused demons. With the demons unconscious, there was perhaps a chance . . . a way to save Meifu without anymore damage. Tsuzuki craned his neck to look at the butterflies, and then down to Hisoka in his arms. He leaned in close to whisper into Hisoka's ear. "I have an idea but I need your help . . . can you merge with me like before?"
Hisoka's eyes fluttered open weakly but Tsuzuki could see strength in his partner's gaze. Hisoka nodded once and Tsuzuki felt the empathic link between the two of them strengthen. Tsuzuki could feel Hisoka as they synchronized once more, and Tsuzuki knew that together they had the power to expel the intruders from all of Meifu – he would make sure of it. Tsuzuki reached out in his mind to caress the energy within him, drew upon Hisoka's essence to control it, and formed his single desire and most powerful promise to Hisoka. He would live for Hisoka . . . and stay by his side forever. The violet tinged darkness about Tsuzuki and Hisoka flared with newfound strength and Tsuzuki opened his eyes to meet Chymos' own.
"It's over."
Tsuzuki spoke the words with calm and he closed his eyes once more. The energy collected about Tsuzuki and Hisoka and then exploded outward. With a sonic boom the energy rippled outward across Meifu like a tidal wave – taking every demon with it in its wake. Darkness flowed across Meifu, lit only by the radiance from hundreds of golden butterflies . . .
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author's Note:
I do have things I want to say, but I will leave them for the epilogue. Instead I want to apologize for those readers who have been waiting for the ending to this story. Writer's block stuck me, while at the same time I got caught up in the process of moving. While it is not an excuse for the extreme lateness of this chapter and the epilogue, it is an explanation. So instead of just posting the one chapter, I opted to just post it all at once. I have kept people waiting for too long, and hopefully, I still have some readers who will read this. Bows head
I also want to thank my proof-reader, who has been invaluable in helping me out. I won't name names, because I respect privacy, but you know who you are. Thank you.
Reviews on this chapter and the story in general would be most appreciated. It would be nice to know if anyone is still bothering to read this story or if I have lost everyone who had been following this because of my huge delays. Once again, I want to thank everyone who has read and those who have reviewed this story. Thank you very much!
Also I just have to thank Matsushita for creating such wonderful characters! Humor, darkness, romance - all the fun stuff rolled into one! Thank you!