Author: J.J.
Warning: It's an AU and it's BASED ON THE MANGA... it contains not too descriptive rape, some OOC, some use of Japanese words (the Dictionary is at the bottom), a bit of sappiness, some spoilers...
Notes: This work is based on the manga. It makes perfect sense if you haven't read it but you will find things going differently from the anime... oh well since this is an AU and things will go differently from the manga too it shouldn't be a problem.
About the characters... Tsuzuki's character is based on the first volume of the YnM Manga and that's why he's more serious. If you get the 1st volume of the manga you'll see a more adult looking Tsuzuki than in the rest of the series. As for Hisoka... He's purposely partially different from the original.
Inspiration came from the YnM manga and a lovely pic from Akane available at her 'Cursed Moons' Web (The pic is the one called 'TsuHi-raburabu')
Warning over notes: This fic is filled with notes. You will find them at the bottom. Each time you see a number between brackets it means there's a note connected to the word/sentence that preceded it. Many of them explain references to other series, to YnM manga only or YnM anime only facts for who didn't get to read the manga or see the anime, explain apparently illogical things or warn you there's an explanation for illogical facts but that you'll get it later. However I suggest you to read the notes AFTER you finished the fic unless the word/sentence connected to the note is really troublesome for you to understand. Anyway the fic should be still understandable without the notes. Notes are merely extra explanations for who wants to know more or search for spoilers.
Disclaimer:
"Yami no Matsuei" belong to Matsushita Yoko. I'm merely using her characters because I love them... especially Touda, Tsuzuki and Hisoka...
Ehy, do I own something here? Oh yes, I own the plot and a sensible heart which would surely break if you give me harsh reviews... so please be honest but nice ok?
Thanks: To Lothlorien for betaing this! Thank you a lot!
Summary: Alternate version of the 'Nagasaki Arc' Manga version. What if Muraki managed to break Hisoka and Enma planned Tsuzuki & Hisoka's partnership?
"Toki wa michite
Oo Meshia Oo Meshia-ra
YUDULIYA-VELE YUDULIYA VELE
YUDULIYA-VELE
YUDULIYA AIYALIYA
Aa, soko-nashi no kyoufu wo hikitsure
Aa, semarikuru jaaku na ta - ma - shi - i
Makerarenai unmei no wakare me
Yaru shika nai Yoake ni inochi wo kakete
Kono te de!
WOW WOW Kanarazu
Ore wa ore wo koete 'ku ze!
WOW WOW Ki wo atsumete
Kurayami wo tobase!"
("Time overflows
O god O gods
YUDULIYA-VELE YUDULIYA VELE
YUDULIYA-VELE
YUDULIYA IYALIYA
Ah, drawing fathomless terror
Ah, evil spirits come near
I won't lose The eyes that depart from destiny
I can only go on Leaving life to the dawn
By my own strength!
WOW WOW Definitely
I'm the one who will surpass myself!
WOW WOW Gather your energy
Blow away destiny!")
(Hironobu Kageyama - "Unmei No Hi Tamashii vs Tamashii")(1)
He was there, sitting on the cold floor of their miserable house, in a darkness dispelled only by the pale light of a candle. She was there too, sitting near him, holding his hand, the same look of love in her purple eyes shining in his own amethyst ones. Weird, inhuman eyes, eyes of monsters. They were the only ones with those abnormal eyes. Alone in the world. But as long as they were together they weren't alone and it was fine. It was okay, it could still be beautiful. There could still be happiness. He smiled, and she smiled back, the two mirroring an expression of love. That was life, that was happiness, that was his everything, that was his strength and his soul. If only it could last forever. He knew it wouldn't. He knew that as the candle burned and the light of the flame dimmed, the illusion that what belonged only to the past was real was fading as well. His hold on his sister's hand tightened as the sensation of holding it dimmed. He couldn't, he couldn't keep her with him and he knew it, he just... he just couldn't accept it, refused to accept it in the same way he knew there was nothing he could do to stop her from leaving him. She was already a silhouette, a dark silhouette that lived in his mind only, but he wanted to cling to the illusion a little more, only another minute, only another second, only another...
Then darkness fell and he was alone.
Alone, as usual.
Alone.(2)
The door opened, allowing light to filter through the darkness, and he could recognize the form of the same man who had come for him the first time darkness had fell on him, standing in the doorway, watching him with the same kind and understanding smile he'd had that first time. Natsume Sempai.(3) His first partner. His first mentor. His first friend. With his kindness, his confidence, his acceptance. With his strength, his power, his ability. Enma DaiOh's right hand man. Oldest Shinigami in Meifu, older than even Konoe Kacho himself. Best Jujutsu expert. A barely acceptable swordsman who firmly believed he was even better than Himura Battosai(4). Proud of taking care of the Kyushu territory, his birth country. A troublemaker who never did paperwork and always played pranks on his co-workers. Stubborn and willed enough to stand up to Enma himself. The man he had admired. The man he had wanted to be. The man he had failed to save. There he was in that illusion, in that dream, smiling at him like he always did, calling him back to reality like he had done for so many years.
"Come on, Asato-kun, it's time to get back to work..."
Yes, it was time. He smiled back and stood, ready to go, ready to face reality once again.
"I'm coming... Sempai..."
As he half opened his eyes and returned to consciousness, Tsuzuki was immediately hit by the distinct impression that something was 'wrong'.
He was one of those 'lucky' persons who needed only a few seconds, if not less, to be fully awake, and so he also remembered clearly what had happened, remembered Hisoka being kidnapped, Muraki, the Magami and the blow he took.(5)
He also knew that with the injury he had sustained, even with his Shinigami high healing power, he would have needed a good amount of time before recovering consciousness again, more than enough time for Muraki to attack them again or... well... do something. Even if his mind was alert, his body felt numb, disconnected from his mind, too weak and pained to move, even if only a little bit. Yet apparently both Hisoka and himself were still in the same position they had been before he fainted, and apparently still unharmed.
What had stalled Muraki for so long?
him to assimilate the foreign energy but was simply forcing it inside him, similar to gulping down too much food all at once.
Uncomfortable.
But it was working, he realized, as he felt his strength returning fast. But who...? He realized he was being hugged tighter. Hisoka. He should have understood it sooner. They had told him the boy had great potential healing powers. He was ready to bet that Hisoka was probably not even aware of what he was doing. Lucky boy who had the gift to heal others...
Healing powers were, basically, the ability to pass the healer's energy to an injured person, but an energy transfusion was in a way like a blood transfusion. If you passed incompatible energy you ended up killing the person you wanted to heal. Tsuzuki's energy was simply too strong, too thick, too raw to be donated. Only Tsuzuki's Shiki were able to bear it. Hisoka's energy, on the other hand, was... just perfect, he realized, as he became more aware of his surroundings.(6) Hisoka and Muraki were talking, apparently unaware he was recovering. Either his feelings were still too... numb for Hisoka's empathy to catch them up, or the boy was too focused.
He needed a plan.
Hisoka wouldn't stall Muraki forever, but he needed a bit more strength to manage to summon one of his twelve Shikigami. Hisoka's hold tightened as Muraki threatened him. Tsuzuki groaned internally. The man was going to attack again and he hadn't enough strength yet.
'Keep him talking Hisoka! Keep him talking!' he thought frenetically.
The child nearly jumped as if he had effectively heard Tsuzuki's voice in his head but couldn't believe he really had.(7)
'Keep him talking Hisoka! It's our only chance!' he thought again.
If someone had bothered to teach Hisoka how to control his empathy or his healing powers, even minimally, he would have considered synchronizing with the boy. It would have made everything easier, but like this it was a risk they couldn't face. Without a control over the boy's empathy their whole personality and sanity were at stake, at risk to merge one into another and became unable to separate again later, and the whole process could end up causing more damage than help.
So now they had to use plan B. Hisoka was talking to Muraki, apparently getting him to talk back. Good boy. Madmen always had a thing for long speeches and it seemed Muraki was no exception. Now, about his summon... Suzaku-Neesan would do. He would need all his ReiKi to summon her but she probably would sense he was in danger and hurry to come.
Fire Shiki were like that. Overprotective.(8) He would have smiled had he the strength to do so. He loved them for it too.
He felt Hisoka's trembling increase. Muraki was moving to attack. Enough stalling. It was time to try.
'Hisoka! The spell I taught you to create a Kekkai around the television studio! Use it now!'
He almost felt the child's confusion. Yes, as weird as it was, the child could hear him, their minds connected even if neither of them was a real telepath. Nostalgia threatened to drown him at the memory of the only other long dead person capable to do so, but he fought it back, in face of the present danger.
'Now, Hisoka! You remember how to do it, don't you?' he thought again.
Hisoka nodded, accepting without question the improvised mind communication, and murmured the words just in time to create a Kekkai before the Magami hit.(9) Of course the Kekkai shattered at the first blow, but it managed to take the full impact of the hit before shattering, keeping them unharmed. Good boy, a corner of Tsuzuki's mind noted, he did the spell right. Using Muraki's hesitation that came from the surprise and the confusion for that last stunt, Tsuzuki gained the last seconds he needed to collect his strength and make his summon before the man could give another order to his creature.
"Humbly I present my wish to those twelve that grant me divine protection. I command you to appear before me. Come forth, Suzaku!" he said in a low voice, more like a murmur as he felt his energies lowering again, the summon sucking away power from him like a hungry newborn would with his mother's milk. Now the trick was to stay conscious. Suzaku wouldn't attack him no matter how messed up he was, but should he lose consciousness, she risked losing the energy she needed to stay in ChiJou as well. It was his power that allowed Suzaku to move from GenSoKai to ChiJou and to take a physical living form there. Without it, it could be troublesome for Suzaku to remain on her own.(10)
With some difficulties he managed to turn towards Muraki, Suzaku hovering over them, ready to attack or to protect. He felt Muraki releasing his grip on his Magami, allowing it to return to the world from which it came and summoning another.(11)
OhRyu, one of the highest dragons, was now facing them. It still shouldn't be a problem for Suzaku-Neesan, the NanpouSyugoJyu. If he managed to stay conscious, that was it. Muraki and himself simultaneously gave the order to attack and witnessed as the two summoned creatures' powers hit each other till the point when Suzaku's prevailed, wrapping OhRyu and the ground around him and his master in flames. He heard Muraki's voice from behind the wall of insurmountable fire and he became dimly aware the man was laughing as he slumped back against Hisoka, unable to sustain himself any longer. Suzaku's form faded into nothingness as she returned to GenSoKai. Next time he saw her she was probably going to scold him for having been careless and allowing himself to get hurt. He sighed as he felt some energy returning to him and was dangerously close to slipping into unconsciousness again when a voice tugged at his consciousness.
"... uki! ... uzuki! Tsuzuki!" Hisoka cried as he felt Tsuzuki going limp. He hadn't quite understood what had happened, but he was starting to feel weaker and more nauseous and the flames were starting to envelop the whole building and... Tsuzuki... Tsuzuki...
"We've to leave," Tsuzuki managed to murmur, fighting to keep his eyes open. They couldn't rematerialize in Meifu, neither of them had enough energy for that, and if they tried to go in their spirit forms as weak as they were, they would be too... unstable to be safe, to hold their souls together, so they had to get out using their legs.(12) Tsuzuki managed to raise himself slightly, more due to his stubbornness than everything else, and Hisoka did the same. Together, limping and dangling, sustaining each other and leaning on each other, they managed to get out and ten steps away from the building before collapsing on the ground, panting. Neither of them dared to move at first, while the sirens of the firemen's vehicles sounded closer. Tsuzuki forced out a sigh.
"Another building destroyed. I don't want to know how much I will have to pay for the damage this time," he mused, forcing a normal even if barely audible tone, trying to roll in a more comfortable position and not lean on Hisoka at the same time.(13) The boy breathed in relief as Tsuzuki's weight was moved from on top of him, then whimpered. Weakness and nausea were starting to get too strong for him to bear. He was still using his powers to heal Tsuzuki but his empathy was reflecting the effects of the forced healing on him too.
"Hisoka. Stop it, boy, or we'll both be sick," Tsuzuki warned. Hisoka looked at him confused, not understanding what Tsuzuki was talking about. "I'll be fine, Hisoka. No need to keep passing me your energy," Tsuzuki explained. Hisoka felt even more confused. He was... but he didn't even know how he was doing it!
"I... I..." he whimpered, unable to explain himself better in his tired and emotionally exhausted state. Tsuzuki understood his problem anyway. The man had a gift for understanding other people's problems as easily as he swallowed sweets.
"Relax. I'll be fine. Think only this. I'm fine and you have to relax. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine," he murmured in Hisoka's ear softly, as he wrapped his arm around the boy a little tighter. Somehow Tsuzuki's soothing chant echoed in his mind too, sounding real enough for him to believe it. Something... unlocked inside Hisoka, and the boy relaxed, tears of exhaustion coming to his eyes. The nausea receded and both of them sighed in relief.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." he whimpered, "I wanted to help but I didn't know how to and I... I..."
"You did well. You did very well. You did amazingly well, so don't worry anymore," Tsuzuki reassured him while hugging him. Tsuzuki's healing system was finally moving to an acceptable pace now. It was slower than before but more effective, like a carefully done job instead of a rushed one. Hisoka managed to curl against Tsuzuki, crying and hiding his face against the man's chest, like a scared child, not caring anymore if it was proper or allowed. He only wanted to be with Tsuzuki, to stay close to him, safe in his arms.
"You've been brave Hisoka, very brave. I'm proud of you," Tsuzuki whispered reassuringly, smiling down at him, as he managed to stroke the boy's honey blond hair gently. He allowed them both another couple of minutes of rest before realizing the sirens were now echoing too close for his liking. They would do better to get up if they didn't want to have to explain what they were doing near the burning building to the firemen, and most likely to the police as well. Tsuzuki, with a pained moan, managed to sit up, dragging Hisoka up as well and keeping him sitting on his lap. The boy was a mess and was wearing only his shirt, which was open. A wave of anger filled him. That bastard! He had... He felt Hisoka whimper as the boy's empathy picked up his rage, so he forced back that dark feeling, somehow removed his almost ruined coat and wrapped what remained of it around Hisoka's shoulders. That damned Magami had badly ripped and burned the material. Thank Kami-sama he had another coat at home but still...
"We have to get back to Meifu," he announced, forcing back his annoyance at the loss of his coat. He was good at ignoring his feelings. Too good. He always paid for his ability in very unpleasant, mind sanity threatening ways, and he knew it even if he couldn't help it.
"Ne Hisoka, I fear tonight we will both have to sleep in the infirmary," he said in a lighter tone. Hisoka looked up at him with fear filled eyes. One didn't need to be a genius to understand that Hisoka feared hospitals and doctors more than a Magami. "Don't worry," Tsuzuki assured him. "I won't allow anyone to hurt you. It'll be really okay this time."
Hisoka forced down a whimper and leaned on him, energies spent, his fists still holding tightly onto Tsuzuki's shirt, refusing to let it go. The kid had done enough, had gone through enough, and Tsuzuki knew it. Physical injuries like the one he'd gotten would still heal fast, no matter how serious they were, especially when one was an old, strong Shinigami like him. What Muraki did to Hisoka, the emotional stress the boy had to deal with, and the healing attempt without even being conscious of it, were going to require more time, especially from an almost newborn, weak Shinigami like Hisoka. Tsuzuki managed to stand, another action he could accomplish more due to his strong will than to the physical strength he had at the moment, and holding Hisoka in his arms carried them both just out of Enma-Cho.
The place was almost empty due to the late hour but Tsuzuki knew if he managed to limp to Watari's lab, he would probably find him there.(14) Watari almost lived in his lab, using his house only seldom, and as Tsuzuki was relieved to discover, as he slumped sitting on the floor in exhaustion, that day wasn't an exception. Watari was there, and as soon as he saw the messy condition in which his co-workers were, he rushed to help.
JJ's Notes:
1. 'Unmei No Hi Tamashii vs Tamashii' is an insert song from Dragonball Z. I've been told it's played when Gohan fought Cell. It was tragically censored in the Italian version.
2. For those who haven't guessed, the girl is Ruka, Tsuzuki's sister. I'm supposing she too had purple eyes. In the manga it is never said if she also had them or not.
3. In 'Yami no Matsuei Character Sketchbook' there's a page with pictures of a certain Natsume-san. My poor Japanese knowledge only allowed me to understand this guy was Tsuzuki's caretaker (no idea if he was his mentor when Tsuzuki was alive or when he was a Shinigami and I'm not even sure if I understood this right). Anyway I decided to use this name for Tsuzuki's first partner. I made him up of course and I pictured him as someone who was in Meifu by longer than Konoe and well, had been the strongest Shinigami Enma-Cho had before Tsuzuki. After all in Vol. 3 Tsuzuki said he learned Jujutsu from his sempai who worked in the second district and it make sense that a promising Shinigami like Tsuzuki had been left in the care of someone powerful and expert. In addition to this they had likely been partners for long time considering that Tsuzuki joined Enma-Cho around 70 years before the series start and Tatsumi, Tsuzuki's third partner, around 50. This leaves 20 years in which Tsuzuki had two partners only and I'm assuming he spent a good part of those 20 years with his first partner.
4. Himura Battosai was a legendary samurai and a very skilled swordman who lived in the Heian Era (If I'm not wrong). The manga 'Rurouni Kenshin' is based on him.
5. Apparently Tsuzuki wakes fast in the manga while Hisoka needs a lot of time before being fully awake. This doesn't mean Tsuzuki doesn't fall asleep at work.
6. I made up the whole theory about healing powers. Nowhere in the manga is it explained how they work but it's said that Tsuzuki's Shiki use Tsuzuki's energy to materialize in ChiJou so I guess, if my theory is correct, they would be able to 'feed' on Tsuzuki's energy.
7. Hisoka's powers are clearly stated as empathy so someone has an idea about how he's a telepath when Tsuzuki is around? I made up an explanation that will be exposed in future chap. but it's still a mystery...
8. I've no idea if all the Fire Shiki are overprotective. Suzaku surely is and Touda is, in his own way, protective of Tsuzuki as well.
9. Since Muraki tortured Hisoka in a way different from the manga he had enough strength to build a kekkai, even if a weak one.
10. Normally, if a Shikigami senses that the one who summoned him is weak, he would turn against him. Tsuzuki's Shiki, however, are connected to Tsuzuki not only by their bond of servitude but also by a deep affection and would never attack him no matter if he's conscious or not (See Vol. 8). Also... a Shikigami needs to use his summoner's power to materialize outside GenSoKai and keep a physical form. I suppose, since long time ago Shikigami lived on ChiJou, they could still manage it without their summoner's power but it would require them to use a good part of their own energy.
11. Anyone have any idea about where Muraki's Shoki went? I supposed he sent it back but the manga didn't bother to explain it...
12. Let's go on with the list of unexplained things... how do Shinigami move from Meifu to ChiJou and vice versa? YnM fandom usually suggests teleportation but nowhere in the manga is it stated that Shinigami can teleport, just that they 'can move from Meifu to ChiJou and vice versa'. This travel implies more of a 'dimension warp' than a teleportation (teleportation implies a sudden movement from a place to another, not from a plane of existence to another), and in addition to this it is said several times that Shinigami had to walk or use trains or other vehicles to reach their destination. So no, I'm not going to use teleportation in this fic. They can fly and they can turn into their spirit form, which is incorporeal and invisible to human eyes (unless they've a strong ReiKan). As for the 'moving from Meifu to ChiJou and vice versa'... would you be tremendously annoyed with me if I don't go into how they actually do it?
13. In the manga it's said that Tsuzuki had to pay for the building he destroyed while in ChiJou... which is kinda weird because I doubt someone would go all way to Meifu to get money from him... so I'm supposing that, since Meifu is a reflection of ChiJou, if Tsuzuki blows up a building in ChiJou he automatically blows up one in Meifu. The thing doesn't work the reverse way or he would have destroyed Tokyo Diet Building twice (one in Vol. 2 and one in Vol. 8)
14. Yes, in the manga is said that Watari had an apartment somewhere in Meifu's version of Tokyo but practically lives in his lab.
JJ's Extra Notes:
The whole dream sequence Tsuzuki had while he was unconscious was a 'last moment
addition'. Somehow I like it very much. I would appreciate greatly if someone could
tell me what the 'Yami no Matsuei Character Sketchbook' says about Natsume-san.
Some of you can miss the whole synchronizing thing. Personally I'm not fond of it and anyway
I couldn't really use it since Hisoka doesn't know how to handle his empathy.
I would have liked to develop Muraki further but... there was no space... sorry about
this.
I had to make up a lot of explanations about how things work... I hope everything is
clear.
The 'Nagasaki Arc' manga version is quite different from the anime one. Since Viz
recently printed the first YnM volume I guess now there are many more people knowing this.
Anyway... for those who want the basic differences...
In the manga Tsuzuki asks Hisoka to synchronize with him. The two join forces. Muraki
summons OhRyu. Tsuzuki makes sure Maria is fine then sends her away, and uses Hisoka's body
to summon and control Suzaku that beats OhRyu. Muraki rambles while he's surrounded by the
flames. Outside, Maria sees the building being consumed by the fire. She's worried but then
she sees Tsuzuki, carrying Hisoka, walking out from it.
So no, in the manga Suzaku didn't fight the Shoki/Hydra thing but OhRyu, and well, Maria had
the role that GuShoShin had in the anime. Let me also point out that I didn't understand why
Tsuzuki used Hisoka's body to summon Suzaku if he could move around... oh well...
Dictionary:
-kun: Young
-sama: "Lord" or "Lady"
-san: "Mr." or "Mrs."
ChiJou: Land of the Living
DaiOh: "Great King". Enma's title
Enma: "Demon of Darkness". Ruler of the Land of Dead
Enma-Cho: "Office Enma". In the 5th district of JuOhCho. It's ruled by Enma himself
and controls only Tokyo's territory. It hosts the Shokan-ka
GenSoKai: "Illusory World". It's where Shikigami reside and it's a mirror copy of
ChiJou located in JuOhCho network
GuShoShin: "Twin Living Gods" or "Twin Gods of Life". Enma-Cho's chicken-like
librarians
Jujutsu: Magic Art
JuOhCho: "Ten Kings Office". Meifu's bureaucratic organization ruled by Enma. It's in
charge of judging the deceased in Japan
Kacho: "Section Chief". Konoe's title
Kekkai: Shield
Magami: "Demon God". Summoned evil creatures
Kami: God
Meifu: Land of the Dead
NanpouSyugoJyu: "South Guardian Beast". Suzaku's title
Neesan: "Sister" or "Older Girl"
OhRyu: King Dragon
ReiKan: Spirit Sense
ReiKi: "Spirit Energy" or "Spirit Aura"
Sempai: "Older Workmate" or "Older Classmate"
Shiki: Short for 'Shikigami'
Shikigami: "Ceremonial God". Summoned creatures with two forms (usually one is animal
looking while the other is human looking) that live in GenSoKai
Shinigami: "God of death" or "Death God". Nickname for the Shokan-ka workers
Shokan-Ka: "Summoning Division". Division in Enma-Cho that deals with summoning the
dead to appear at court. It enters in action only when the souls of the dead don't go
spontaneously to Meifu
Replies to reviews:
To Everyone who reviewed: Thank you! You're a great encouragement for me!
To Silverfox: I'm happy to hear you like this too! Thank you for reading it and yes... I mourn Touda's absence in this story...
To tenshiamanda: LOL! Can you whack Muraki for me too please?
To GoldenRat: Even if technically this Hisoka is less strong and more messed up I wanted him to keep his courage. Hisoka's real strength lies inside him.
To Chaos-Empersonified: This chap is a bit more happier. I hope you like it!
To Daemonchan: I love 'In the Shadow'! Such a great song! As for Tsuzuki... well I do think he's a nice person but with his own dark side as everyone else. He's just better at hiding it because he refuses to allow it to hurt other and he's scared that others would abandon him if they knew he's not that nice. Tsuzuki's life must be hard...
To Touya's Angel: I'm trying to finish it! After this there are only 2 more chapters so it's almost done.
In the Next Chapter:
Being back to Enma-Cho doesn't necessary means troubles are ended... troubles are just around the corner... well... Not exactly... Enma's residence isn't so close but still...
Send me your comments!
