They had been trailing combatants from the Tournament, trying to find the
team owners. There appeared to be no particular reason, just that the
leader, simply known as Shinobu wanted to know. Those who made that
assumption were sadly mistaken.
Shinobu led his partner, Itsuki, forcefully by the wrist. Down the dark halls in the higher levels of the stadium they went searching for one person, Sakyo. Shinobu had been searching for him for several years, and now that the fool Koenma found a person to replace him as Spirit Detective, he could put his plan for revenge into action.
Itsuki didn't understand the obsession with Sakyo—more importantly, he didn't understand why his lover wanted him dead. He hadn't been there when Shinobu found him helping to torture demons and when he got away. Sakyo was the only survivor of the Black Black Massacre, but that was about to change.
"He's in here," Shinobu said after a long silence. Both of them stopped outside of a heavy metal door that resembled a stone wall covered in red webs. He looked to his partner and released his wrist from the tight grip.
Itsuki took his sore wrist into his left hand. His amber eyes fell to the floor as he whispered, "This may not be wise, Shinobu-sama..." Shinobu cupped his chin with his right hand and brushed Itsuki's long, blue-green hair from his face with the other.
"Trust me, this must be done!" he stated firmly. "Once we get rid of him, we can start on the rest of this wretched plain!"
"Shinobu-sama..." The slight demon was having doubts about the plan. He really had no desire to destroy mankind, nor did he really have feelings for any other human (only for his partner). He couldn't voice that opinion. If it would make Shinobu happy, then it was probably for the best. He shook his head and fell silent again.
The human reached to open the door. He paused when Sakyo's speech caught his interest. The muffled voice explained, "I want to create a gate between Makai and Nigenkai..."
"That would be suicide," whispered Itsuki.
"Why?"
"The demons would be able roam freely between the realms," he replied still in a whisper. "There are some demons who could destroy whole cities with minimal effort..."
Angry shouting could be heard through the door. Tall creatures began to storm the hall. Itsuki quickly tore the space behind them, creating a portal; he led Shinobu in and closed it with the same haste he had used to create it. Itsuki looked to his human companion, who appeared to be in deep thought.
"Itsuki... I just had a thought..."
"Yes, Shinobu-sama?" whispered the demon.
"Leave Sakyo to his follies, I have a new plan." He pulled the demon close with a firm grasp on his shoulders. "You have the power to make a bridge between the two worlds?" Itsuki nodded, afraid to ask why his lover wanted to know. "Good. We'll use that to our advantage. Science and currency would only get you so far in that kind of goal, but with your power... With your power, we can make the gate a reality! We can put an end to all of this odious world!" He eased his hold and looked to the ground. "This gate will be two ways, correct?"
"Yes, but why...?"
"Then this is my chance for atonement."
"Shinobu-sama... I... I don't—"
"You should understand! I've committed too many sins in the past. I have but a short time to redeem myself." He completely released Itsuki for a moment. Both hands cupped his face, and the human whispered, "Itsuki, please..." He then kissed him warmly on the lips. When he pulled away, he added, "It would make me peace in conscience if you could grant my last wishes."
To let Shinobu die by the hand of a demon and to keep his soul from finding rest in Reikai, those were the final wishes. It was hard for Itsuki to consider, even if it would make his love happy. He hesitated for several minutes...
"If that is what you wish, I will do it..."
Shinobu kissed Itsuki again, this time over the brow. He could sense that his ally was sad... Sad. That would be the world's biggest understatement. There was no word to express the sorrow Itsuki would feel; everyday living with the fact that he let the love of his life die....!
But it would make him happy. If it would make him happy, then he'd have to comply. It was the only thing he could do to really express his love for the former Spirit Detective. If only... If only there was an easy way out of this. If only it were a dream, maybe then, Itsuki, too, could have been content.
Shinobu led his partner, Itsuki, forcefully by the wrist. Down the dark halls in the higher levels of the stadium they went searching for one person, Sakyo. Shinobu had been searching for him for several years, and now that the fool Koenma found a person to replace him as Spirit Detective, he could put his plan for revenge into action.
Itsuki didn't understand the obsession with Sakyo—more importantly, he didn't understand why his lover wanted him dead. He hadn't been there when Shinobu found him helping to torture demons and when he got away. Sakyo was the only survivor of the Black Black Massacre, but that was about to change.
"He's in here," Shinobu said after a long silence. Both of them stopped outside of a heavy metal door that resembled a stone wall covered in red webs. He looked to his partner and released his wrist from the tight grip.
Itsuki took his sore wrist into his left hand. His amber eyes fell to the floor as he whispered, "This may not be wise, Shinobu-sama..." Shinobu cupped his chin with his right hand and brushed Itsuki's long, blue-green hair from his face with the other.
"Trust me, this must be done!" he stated firmly. "Once we get rid of him, we can start on the rest of this wretched plain!"
"Shinobu-sama..." The slight demon was having doubts about the plan. He really had no desire to destroy mankind, nor did he really have feelings for any other human (only for his partner). He couldn't voice that opinion. If it would make Shinobu happy, then it was probably for the best. He shook his head and fell silent again.
The human reached to open the door. He paused when Sakyo's speech caught his interest. The muffled voice explained, "I want to create a gate between Makai and Nigenkai..."
"That would be suicide," whispered Itsuki.
"Why?"
"The demons would be able roam freely between the realms," he replied still in a whisper. "There are some demons who could destroy whole cities with minimal effort..."
Angry shouting could be heard through the door. Tall creatures began to storm the hall. Itsuki quickly tore the space behind them, creating a portal; he led Shinobu in and closed it with the same haste he had used to create it. Itsuki looked to his human companion, who appeared to be in deep thought.
"Itsuki... I just had a thought..."
"Yes, Shinobu-sama?" whispered the demon.
"Leave Sakyo to his follies, I have a new plan." He pulled the demon close with a firm grasp on his shoulders. "You have the power to make a bridge between the two worlds?" Itsuki nodded, afraid to ask why his lover wanted to know. "Good. We'll use that to our advantage. Science and currency would only get you so far in that kind of goal, but with your power... With your power, we can make the gate a reality! We can put an end to all of this odious world!" He eased his hold and looked to the ground. "This gate will be two ways, correct?"
"Yes, but why...?"
"Then this is my chance for atonement."
"Shinobu-sama... I... I don't—"
"You should understand! I've committed too many sins in the past. I have but a short time to redeem myself." He completely released Itsuki for a moment. Both hands cupped his face, and the human whispered, "Itsuki, please..." He then kissed him warmly on the lips. When he pulled away, he added, "It would make me peace in conscience if you could grant my last wishes."
To let Shinobu die by the hand of a demon and to keep his soul from finding rest in Reikai, those were the final wishes. It was hard for Itsuki to consider, even if it would make his love happy. He hesitated for several minutes...
"If that is what you wish, I will do it..."
Shinobu kissed Itsuki again, this time over the brow. He could sense that his ally was sad... Sad. That would be the world's biggest understatement. There was no word to express the sorrow Itsuki would feel; everyday living with the fact that he let the love of his life die....!
But it would make him happy. If it would make him happy, then he'd have to comply. It was the only thing he could do to really express his love for the former Spirit Detective. If only... If only there was an easy way out of this. If only it were a dream, maybe then, Itsuki, too, could have been content.