Welcome to chapter fourteen!
I was going to end the story in the next chapter but, I came up with a last minute story piece that added at least two more chapters on. Is that a bad thing?
Also, there is a little cameo in this chapter from a CLAMP character. I know that crossover fics can become rather… well… corny… but I really had a purpose for this character. He isn't going to be in much… Really he's just going to do his job in the next chapter and be gone. However, it'll be a neat challenge for me. I hope you enjoy!
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Chapter Fourteen: The Curse
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Muraki and Tsuzuki sat quietly in the theater as the play progressed. Muraki had gotten them a private balcony seat. The play was nearly over and all Tsuzuki knew was that it was a tragic drama that he had never seen before but, he couldn't keep focused on the show.
"I'm here. What's the loophole?" Tsuzuki kept his eyes locked on the actors. If he saw Muraki's smirk one more time he was liable to kill him where he sat.
"Isn't this play magnificent? I'm sure if you were paying attention you would realize why I brought you to see it, as it is the answer to your question." Muraki closed his eyes and leaned back.
"What do you mean?" Tsuzuki turned his gaze to Muraki. The man in white had a look of concern on his face, rather than his usual smirk.
"The woman in the play comes to love a man. Soon that man is sent to battle for Japan. Five years pass and she still receives no word on him. Frustrated, she looks for an answer. She discovers that he died on the way to battle. His death in transit does not merit his loved ones being told of his demise." Muraki's face stayed somber.
"I don't follow." Tsuzuki was beginning to get frustrated again.
"Three years ago I first met that boy. I laid a curse on him that was supposed to slowly kill him. It was made to kill him in three years of that date. When his body finally gave up and breathed its last breath is the only time he would be free from the personal hell I bestowed upon him." Muraki's smirk slowly reappeared. He turned to Tsuzuki. "Do you understand, Tsuzuki-san? The woman waited five years before she attempted a search of her beloved. In that time, he had already died."
"What, you're saying if I don't do something Hisoka will be dead when I finally do?" Tsuzuki felt the rage boiling inside of him again. "Is that all you wanted to say? There's no loophole?"
"The only loophole out of the troubles of life is death, Tsuzuki-san. Surely you would know this."
"I'm sick of your riddles." Tsuzuki stood and turned towards the door.
"Tsuzuki-san, that boy will die before you reach him. I saw to that." Muraki cackled a sick, gurgling laugh.
"Shut up! You sick bastard…" Tsuzuki hissed and lunged forward. He pulled Muraki up by his coat collar.
Muraki's smile stayed. "The only way to save me boy is to kill me, Tsuzuki-san. And if you do that, you'll be put away. Either way, you'll never see the boy again."
Tsuzuki slowly let go of Muraki. "I'm leaving…" If Muraki wasn't lying about the curse, then Tsuzuki had only one option.
"Your mind has been made up. I see it in your eyes. You are going to do one last search and, if it comes to no avail, my life will end. Am I correct?" Muraki straightened his coat collar and sat back down. "I wish you luck, Tsuzuki-san."
Tsuzuki bit his tongue and clenched his fists. He swallowed his rage and slowly walked from the balcony.
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"Hisoka-kun?" Hana knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she slowly slid it open and peered in. Hisoka was still in his futon. She couldn't see his face but, she could tell he was shaking. She ran to his side. "Hisoka-kun?" She turned him onto his back and pulled away the blanket. He was clutching his chest as red marks burned across his skin. "KEI! KEI!" Hanna screamed and ran from the room.
Hisoka groaned in pain. "Tsuzuki… It feels like I'm… being torn... from the inside out…" He arched his back and screamed in pain. Kei and Hana dashed into the room. "Help… me… HELP ME, TSUZUKI!"
Kei grabbed Hisoka's arms and held him down. "What the hell is this?" He looked over Hisoka's bare chest. The marks were burning brighter, almost as though they could melt the flesh. "Hana, call the doctor and bring some cold water."
"Of course!" Hana dashed from the room again.
"Tsuzuki… Tsuzuki…" Hisoka's eyes were squeezed shut. He could almost feel as though his heart was collapsing.
Kei stared down at the boy in shock. He couldn't find any words to calm him. Hana rushed into the room and they could already hear the sounds of ambulance sirens.
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Tsuzuki sighed in relief as his house finally came into view. "How can any patients feel comfortable around a doctor like that?" He sighed. Muraki's statements had been flowing through his mind the entire trip. He had come to the conclusion that he couldn't trust anything Muraki said. However, he also couldn't afford not to trust him. As he opened the door, the phone rang.
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After two hours, the doctor finally appeared. He had a bewildered look on his face as he approached Hana and Kei. "I honestly have never seen anything like this. As a doctor, I don't typically believe in curses but, I had one of our nurses who study such matter look at the boy and she claims he is covered by a very powerful one. She says that he is rotting from the inside out." The doctor sighed. "Either way, he is stable now. You can go see him. He isn't conscious but, throughout the entire procedure he has been asking for someone named 'Tsuzuki.'" The doctor led Kei and Hana to the room. "Please, call for me if anything changes."
"Thank you, doctor." Kei watched him leave then followed Hana into the room. He closed the door and sighed.
"Kei, I think we should call… him…" Hana stroked Hisoka's hair. He was sleeping but, the marks were still radiating on his skin.
"You know we can't. Besides, we don't even know how." Kei sighed and sat in a chair in the corner of the large room.
"I do…" Hana sighed. "I wrote him a letter to tell him we were taking good care of Hisoka-kun. I got his address, work address, and home phone number."
"Hana! You know that's against the regulations! We could not only lose him but, Hoshi and Haruko as well." Kei walked up to her. He set his hands on her shoulders. "I know you want to help him but, we have to find another way to do so."
"Tsu…. Zuki…." Hisoka's voice was barely a whisper. Replaying through his mind was the events of the fateful meeting with Muraki.
Kei sighed. "You can call but, use my cell phone. If he doesn't know the hospital, he can't show up."
Hana smiled and kissed Kei's cheek. "Thank you, anata…" She took the phone and quickly punched in the number.
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"Gaaaaah!" Tsuzuki fumbled through the dark house for the phone. "Don't hang up! Don't hang up! Got ya!" He grabbed the phone. "Tsuzuki Asato speaking."
"Tsuzuki-san? This is Tanaka Hana…" Hana's voice was hushed as though she was whispering.
"Tanaka-san?" Tsuzuki gasped. "If… If you're calling, there must be something bad…" Muraki's statements flooded his mind again. "Hisoka!"
There was a silence. Finally Hana's light voice answered. "He had red marks burning on his skin and he was convulsing. The doctor doesn't know what it is but, the nurse says it's a curse that is rotting him from the inside out. Do you know what we can do?"
Tsuzuki nearly dropped the phone. Muraki wasn't lying. "It's a curse that Muraki put on him for witnessing a murder. What hospital is it; I have to come see him…"
"No! If they know we talked to you they will take Hisoka-kun away and even we won't be able to see him!" Hana's voice was shaking. "I just thought I should tell you and see if you knew how to help but, since you don't…"
"Please… Please don't hang up… Muraki said the way to end the curse is to kill him. I don't care if I'm put to death, if I can save Hisoka I'll…"
"Goodbye, Tsuzuki-san…" Hana quickly hung up.
"Shit!" Tsuzuki hit redial. He was kicked to a cell phone voice mail.
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Hana hit the power button on the cell phone. "Tsuzuki-san said it was Muraki-san who put the curse on Hisoka-kun and that to end it Muraki-san has to be dead."
"There has to be another way. What about an onmyoji?" Kei took the cell phone and returned it to his pocket.
"Is there a strong one in Tokyo?" Hana didn't like relying on such methods but, if this was a real curse there was no other choice.
"The strongest is in Tokyo. When I worked at Sunshine 60 I met him. He's young but, the strongest there is…" Kei fumbled through his briefcase and finally pulled out a red business card. The card was bare except for a single phone number and the name 'SUMERAGI SUBARU' in bold on the top.
"I suppose… if he can help Hisoka-kun… I'll call from the hospital phone." Hana took the card and left the room.
Kei looked down at Hisoka and touched one of the red marks. The marks didn't just look like they burned, they actually were warm to the touch. He removed his hand and sighed.
