Author: J.J.
Warning: It's BASED ON THE MANGA... it's unbetaed, it contains 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 even if it makes perfect sense even if you haven't read it. After all this story is placed before the series start so it shouldn't be a problem.
About the characters... Tsuzuki and Touda are a bit different from the original because this fic is placed back in their past. I'm supposing they and their relationship changed with time.
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 Candy-chan who encouraged me to write this! Thank you a lot!
Summary: 1936. GenSoKai. A city had been burned. Completely. Touda is suspected, Tsuzuki is trying to fix things while Kotaro and Kojiro are there to complicate the mess.
"All this black and cruel despair
This is an emergency
Don't you hide your eyes from me
Open them and see me now
Can you see me now?
Can you see?
Can you see me now?
Can you see?
Can you see?
Can you see?
Can you see?
Can you see me now?"
(T.A.T.U. - "Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)")
Everything around him was burning. Dark, purple flames, the fire of hell.
That was the power of the Akuma in front of him.
That was the power of the Akuma who had burned three cities and had been about to burn a forth one.
That was the power of the Akuma who had mocked him, a mere Shinigami who was daring to try to stop him.
That was the power of the Akuma he had trapped in a Kekkai.
That was the power that was going to kill the Akuma himself now that he couldn't escape to his own flames.
That was the same power Touda had, the same fire that could burn everything and Tsuzuki was standing in the middle of it, unafraid.
He couldn't leave; he had no strength to fly anymore and the flames all around him won't allow him to walk out of that mess.
The Akuma was going to die trapped by the small yet powerful Kekkai that Tsuzuki had managed to raise around him, he was going to die in his own fire in the same way in which he had condemned to die those innocent Shikigami whose cities he had burned and Tsuzuki was going to keep him company in his last journey.(1)
Before being trapped the Akuma had managed to light a fire all around them and now there were too many flames and too much smoke and it was getting too difficult to breathe for Tsuzuki.
Tsuzuki didn't mind it in the same way he didn't mind dying.
It was fair, after all. He had killed so many, and now was going to murder even this Akuma.
He shouldn't sympathize with him but was he really that different?
He didn't know.
All that mattered was that he was going to die again and all his mind could think was: 'Finally'.
People were going to be disappointed in him, he knew that.
He didn't mind, really. He'd always been a disappointment and in the long run they would forget about him, maybe even thank the day he had died again.
He was a creature of darkness after all. Who could care for him?
"Tsuzuki!"
He turned as he heard his name being called.
Touda? What was he doing there? Why had he come? His mind couldn't come up with an answer as his vision got blurred. He swayed then fell. He felt himself being grabbed before he met the hard ground, he felt arms circling him, raising him, carrying him and the odd feeling that someone was caring for him then nothing more.
Touda stared at his master. He had got Tsuzuki out of the fire but the man had fainted and he was giving no sign to plan to wake up in the near future. He didn't look well. He didn't look like he was breathing either.
He cursed the fact it never dawned on him it could of some help to learn how a human or a Shinigami's body worked, what they needed to stay alive, which sort of medical help they could need. He knew they were different by Shikigami but he had no idea how much.(2)
Tsuzuki was pale.
He knew that it wasn't a good sign.
He stared at him feeling helpless. What was he supposed to do? Tsuzuki... Tsuzuki wasn't going to...
He grabbed the man's shoulders and shook him harshly, calling him.
He refused to even consider the option. Tsuzuki was going to wake up and that was the end of the discussion.
Darkness was everywhere.
Darkness was nice.
He could lose himself in it.
He curled up into the darkness and it was a travel back to his childhood when he and Ruka used to curl up together in their Futon, holding their hands so they would knew they weren't alone. He could almost see her next to him, feel her hand into his, inhale her scent, ear her soft voice whispering kind words to him. He could almost do it and that was enough for him. Ruka was all that mattered to him, the only one who cared, the other half of his soul, the only other person like him.
He wanted to stay with her.
Forever.
But someone was calling him. Calling him, almost desperately. He didn't really want to answer to that call, he didn't really want to go, he didn't really want to leave, but he knew he had to. Someone else was needing him and he couldn't just abandon this someone else. He couldn't abandon him as he had been abandoned. He couldn't. So he had to leave darkness and wake up.
Touda's fingers unconsciously tightened their hold on Tsuzuki as the man drew in a sharp breath and then started coughing. He seemed in pain but he was undoubtedly alive. He stared at Tsuzuki at first, unable to move, watching him coughing, then Tsuzuki managed to crack open one of his eyes between the coughs to look at him and attempted a smile.
"Idiot..." he whispered. "Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, IDIOT!" he stated saying each 'idiot' a bit louder than the previous until he reached the point in which he was yelling. "YOU'RE THE WORST IDIOT I'VE EVER KNOWN!" he shouted. He was trembling and he didn't know why, his fingers clinging Tsuzuki likely in a too tight way to be comfortable. Tsuzuki made an attempt to stop coughing and raised one of his hands toward him. He felt the man brushing his cheek and then caressing his hair gently and he lowered his head, fighting a weird emotion that he had never felt before and that was threatening to drown him.
Tsuzuki was alive. Tsuzuki was alive. It was all that mattered to him right then.
Tsuzuki's hand pushed him gently down, dragging him closer and he submitted wordlessly to his hand's pressure and ended up leaning against Tsuzuki, his head resting against Tsuzuki's chest. He could hear a beating there, the man's heart thumping steadily even if a bit hurriedly as Tsuzuki's raspy breath brushed his hair.
Alive. Alive, alive, alive, alive. So wonderfully alive.
"Sorry," Tsuzuki managed to say between coughs. "I never meant to worry you."
Had he been worried? Was that what one felt when he was worrying for someone? He had never cared about others... The... the fear... the pure terror he had felt... even worst than the one he had felt when he had feared he would be trapped again... had that been due to the fact he had been worried about Tsuzuki? He didn't know... He couldn't even think straight at the moment. All that mattered was that Tsuzuki was alive and was caressing his hair and wasn't going to leave him.
He closed his eyes, inhaling Tsuzuki's scent. Vanilla, sugar powder and sweat.
Tsuzuki.
His master.
His friend.
The only one who cared for him.
The only one he cared for.
Alive.
"You're an idiot, do you know that?" he said again and his voice sounded odd in his head. Forced, as if something was trapped in his throat and wasn't allowing him to speak well.
"I know, Touda. I'm sorry," Tsuzuki replied softly, affectionately, again between coughs. The Shikigami's eyes narrowed and he raised himself.
"You're not breathing well. I should..."
"Burned throat," Tsuzuki interrupted him. "The air was too hot inside there. I'm lucky I'm not roasted." Tsuzuki made a weak grin. "Don't worry, it'll heal fast."
"Yes but..."
"Stay, Touda. Please. Just for a while." Touda blinked than complied, returning to lay on Tsuzuki. If Tsuzuki needed closeness he could give him that easily. Somehow he felt more tired and weak than he was supposed to be. Maybe it was due to the bond he shared with Tsuzuki. His strength gave strength to Tsuzuki and Tsuzuki's strength gave strength to him. It was a symbiotic bond the one that united them, the one between a master and his Shikigami. With Tsuzuki so out of energy he too was affected. At least that was what he was telling himself. Deep down he suspect it was an effect of his excessive emotional reaction to Tsuzuki's nearly death experience.
"I thought you were dead," Touda admitted, unconsciously snuggling closer, seeking him too contact, a proof he wasn't dreaming and that the man was really alive. "You weren't answering and I didn't know what to do. Ningen aren't my ground of expertise," he explained gruffly.
"I thought I was dead too," Tsuzuki replied but there wasn't fear for the idea in his voice. On the contrary he had sounded almost as if he'd been happy to believe he was dead, as if he had longed for death. "Then I remembered it won't be nice if I left you back and kind of woke up," he continued, smiling softly at Touda, as if Touda's happiness was more important than his own. Touda frowned.
"But you didn't want to wake up, did you?" the Shikigami asked.
Tsuzuki didn't reply and turned his gaze away, confirming Touda's suspicions. No, he hadn't wanted to wake up. It didn't matter what he did, what happened, with whom he was. A side of Tsuzuki still longed for oblivion. A strong side of him that Tsuzuki had refused to listen because he didn't want to hurt anyone, especially Touda.
"I can't say I'm sorry you're back Tsuzuki... I'm not..." Touda said honestly. "But I'm sorry I imposed my wish on you. I didn't mean to," he admitted. In his wishing for Tsuzuki to wake up he had forgotten to consider that the man might wish the opposite. Tsuzuki had killed himself after all. He might still be wishing for death, a death that was so complicate to obtain for a Shinigami due to his high healing powers...
Tsuzuki sighed.
"You didn't impose your wish on me. You simply called me. I remember when I called Ruka," Tsuzuki closed his eyes and gulped. His throat was getting better but at the moment he didn't care. At the moment he was feeling another type of pain, way stronger. A pain that never really left him. "I remember it very well. She didn't answer. She couldn't. I couldn't do that to you."
No, Tsuzuki couldn't allow someone else to feel that same type of pain. At that time he had only Ruka, like Touda had only him. One day the Shikigami would have other people around him, one day Tsuzuki's survival won't mean so much to him but right then he knew Touda would be completely alone without him and he couldn't let him feel alone, abandoned, left behind, no, that was a thing he couldn't do.
He would have other chances to die. He had waited so long. He could wait a bit more.
Touda listened attentively as Tsuzuki talked. He knew that remembering his sister always hurt Tsuzuki. He hadn't understood before why the man took her death so badly. People died every day. He had never thought before that to waste some time mourning another being was worth his time. He had never cared about someone before. Now he did. Now he could understand.
"I'm sorry you had to lose her," he told him. Honestly he didn't give a damn about Tsuzuki's sister but that kind of pain the man should have felt when he had lost her forever... he hated the idea Tsuzuki had to feel it. The man was born to be happy. He didn't deserve pain. Pain shouldn't have touched him. It wasn't fair and he couldn't even help Tsuzuki against it.
Tsuzuki blinked.
"Ne, Touda, are you sympathizing with me?" he asked in open wonder. Touda normally listened him, he was ready to listen him for hours as he babbled of everything that came to his mind, from life or death matters to meaningless little things, he would listen and never reject Tsuzuki no matter what Tsuzuki said, but he had never sympathized when Tsuzuki talked about Ruka. He just... didn't understand why Tsuzuki cared about her. He was almost annoyed when Tsuzuki talked about her. He would listen but he wouldn't understand why she had meant, why she still meant so much to him.
He couldn't.
No one had cared for Touda before and he had cared for no one. Jyazoku had no family concept and tended to be loner. Tsuzuki understood that. If Touda now could understand what it meant to lose someone you care for, it meant he had someone he could lose as well. It wasn't really hard to guess whom. It was troublesome since Tsuzuki didn't want to live but it was also oddly... comforting.
"Idiot," the Shikigami muttered but he sounded almost... embarrassed and that was new also because Touda was never embarrassed since he rarely cared about what others could think about him or his actions. Tsuzuki smiled.
"Let's rest a bit, Touda. I think this time we deserve it."
The Shikigami nodded. Tsuzuki's smile widened. Touda had made no attempt to move and was still leaning against him. For once Tsuzuki wasn't alone and it felt good.
They didn't really rested that long. Not much later Tsuzuki felt Touda raising his head as if he had heard something.
"Someone's coming," he warned. Tsuzuki sighed tiredly. He could feel it to, thanks to the bond that connected a Shikigami with his master. SoRyu, Suzaku and Byakko.
"Yes. We'll do better to get up now," he said.
"Uncomfortable?" Touda asked raising his eyebrow. Tsuzuki shook his head.
"They'll worry if they'll see me laying down. They'll just think something bad had happened," the man explained. Touda frowned as he stood. Tsuzuki had always to think at others first.
"Something had happened. And if you didn't want it to happen you should have summoned someone," he muttered grumpily, then, as he noticed Tsuzuki wincing as he tried to sit up, he hurried to help him. The idiot was likely not completely healed yet. Tsuzuki turned on him smiling a grateful smile and Touda felt oddly satisfied as he helped him up. That was what he was born for. To help Tsuzuki out. He couldn't think of a better destiny, of a better purpose.
"You know I couldn't, Touda. It wouldn't have been fair if I summoned SoRyu to get him in a bad situation now that I know he can't trust my judgement. It's bad to have to blindly obey to someone you don't trust while you're in the middle of a dangerous situation."
"You care too much for him," Touda stated, annoyed.
"Of course I do. No matter if he trust me or not, I'm still his friend," Tsuzuki replied with a smile. Touda frowned but said nothing as he watched Tsuzuki managing to stand on his own, more due to his stubbornness than to his strength.
It wasn't fair. SoRyu had hurt Tsuzuki with his lack of trust and here Tsuzuki was forcing himself to stand in order to not worry SoRyu. Stupid Ryuzoku...
He heard Suzaku and Byakko's voices calling for Tsuzuki in a worried tone. SoRyu, of course, didn't call. Ryuzoku didn't go around screaming people's names. Jyazoku didn't do it either but at the moment he found SoRyu's proper behaviour annoying. It didn't took long for Tsuzuki to be trapped between Suzaku and Byakko who were hugging him so tightly they were likely hurting him, babbling about how they had been worried for him. Tsuzuki didn't complain for their breathtaking hug, merely tried to reassure them he was fine.
"You should have summoned someone, Tsuzuki, you shouldn't..." Touda could hear Suzaku saying. Tsuzuki interrupted her.
"You know I couldn't do it, Neesan. It wouldn't have been fair," Tsuzuki stated, firmly.
There was a moment of embarrassed silence. Those fools hadn't believed Tsuzuki would stick to his decision and not summon them anymore merely because he believed it wouldn't have been fair toward them. Idiots. Let's have them taste the bitter truth. They deserved it. They had risked losing Tsuzuki because they had lacked of trust in him.
SoRyu frowned. The Ryuzoku likely knew that, as Tsuzuki's Shikigami, he wasn't allowed to doubt his words. A Shikigami didn't discuss his master's orders, he just followed it. SoRyu had failed to accomplish his duty toward his master and, in doing so, he had almost caused his master's death. He had undervalued Tsuzuki's stubbornness and his loyalty to his word. He'd been wrong and now an apology was in order. He walked closer to Tsuzuki, ready to kneel in front of him and ask for forgiveness when Touda placed himself in front of him, stopping him in his track.
"He thinks of you as a friend. Don't hurt him further remembering him he's only a master for you," the Fire Shikigami hissed.
SoRyu glared. Tsuzuki wasn't just a master for him, he had never been, what was Touda trying to imply?
"SoRyu? Touda? Is there something wrong?" Tsuzuki asked, gently freeing himself from Byakko and Suzaku's hugs as he walked toward them. "Well?" he asked concerned, leaning his hand on Touda's shoulder and turning his gaze from one to the other. "You aren't going to argue, are you?" he asked worriedly and SoRyu knew that Tsuzuki worried merely because he cared for them, he cared, he was one of the few masters who cared for his Shiki and...
'He thinks of you as a friend. Don't hurt him further remembering him he's only a master for you...'
Of course, when he had thought to apologize to Tsuzuki he had planned to offer him a formal apology, fully forgetting that the man hated formal behaviour, hated to see them bowing in front of him, judged them friends, not servant. It wouldn't have made him feel better if he had apologized to him like that. He stared at Tsuzuki who was still looking anxiously from him to Touda and back.
"Nothing is wrong, Tsuzuki. I... merely wanted to apologize to you," he admitted slowly. He wasn't that good at apologizing. It was so long from the last time he had to do it... "I should have trusted you, or at least listened you. I merely thought I knew better because I'm older. I'm sorry. I never meant to imply I don't trust your judgement. I'm proud to be your Shikigami and to fight for you. Can you forgive me?" he asked hesitantly. Tsuzuki blinked.
"What's to forgive? You did nothing wrong, SoRyu," he replied in his usual dismissing matter.
"Then summon me the next time you're in troubles, Tsuzuki. I won't disappoint you," the Ryuzoku requested.
"You can summon me too, Tsuzuki!" Byakko added eagerly. "Please! I'll be happy to help!"
"Me too, Tsuzuki! You know I love you!" Suzaku exclaimed as well. Tsuzuki smiled at them.(3)
"I'll do it," he promised just as the Tengu also joined them.
"Is everything all right, Tsuzuki-dono?" the two asked.
"Kotaro! Kojiro! Sure everything is all right. I was being well cared for!" Tsuzuki replied cheerfully, giving a quick glance to Touda as to imply he had been the one who had took care of him. Touda was incline to disagree. He didn't feel like he had done much. "Is everyone else safe?" Tsuzuki asked. The Tengu nodded. "SoRyu, Suzaku-neesan, Byakko, those two are Kotaro and Kojiro. They had helped us a lot in this mess," Tsuzuki explained, pointing at the Tengu who had gotten quite nervous when they had realized with whom Tsuzuki was. SoRyu, Byakko and Suzaku nodded in approbation to the Tengu.
"Now, there's only the little matter to discover how that Akuma had managed to enter in GenSoKai..." SoRyu muttered. The Tengu paled and became even more nervous.
"I'm sure it's something that won't happen again," Tsuzuki stated dismissively. The Tengu and Touda looked at him in surprise. SoRyu frowned.
"Tsuzuki. You know something," he hissed. "That Akuma had caused a horrible mess and if you know something about who had allowed an Akuma to enter here..."
"I know it won't happen again. You should learn to trust people more, SoRyu," Tsuzuki replied gently. "So you won't end up accusing the wrong ones..."
SoRyu stared at Tsuzuki. Then his gaze slowly turned on Touda. Oh yes, he had unfairly accused him. He wasn't too pleased with himself. He didn't mean to be unfair toward Touda. He just had believed him guilty. And he still believed it would be better if he was trapped. But...
"About that I'm sorry I accused you without proofs, Touda," he said stiffly but honestly.
"Do I look like I care about what you think?" Touda replied.
"Be nice, Touda..." Tsuzuki told to him. Touda turned to look at him.
"Do I really have to?" he asked back. He saw no reason to be nice to SoRyu. The Ryuzoku was tough enough to not need coddling and he honestly didn't care about SoRyu's opinion...
"Yes," Tsuzuki stated, firmly. Tsuzuki should have a thing for 'niceness'...
"Apology accepted," he said to SoRyu with a shrug. Tsuzuki sighed. "It was nice!" Touda complained. At least as nice as he was going to be with SoRyu. Suzaku grumbled something, but it was under her breath so that Tsuzuki wouldn't hear her. Touda ignored her.
"You're a hopeless cause," Tsuzuki said affectionately. "Well, I guess I'll have to say bye now."
"You're leaving? But... why?" Byakko asked in a pained voice.
"Well, I came here without asking for permission and dumping all the work on the Sempai's shoulders so I guess I'll do better to get back in a hurry now that everything is all right..." Tsuzuki explained.
"You came without even asking..." SoRyu couldn't complete the sentence. Tsuzuki had told him he had came in a hurry but he hadn't realized how much of a hurry it had been.
"If you're in a hurry we could open the Suzaku gate for you, Tsuzuki-dono!" the Tengu said.
"Won't you two end up sending him in the Makai instead than in Meifu?" Touda asked doubtfully.
"Touda-sama!" the Tengu complained.
"Everything will go just fine, don't worry, Touda. I'm sure Kojiro and Kotaro will do a fine work!" Tsuzuki said with his usual optimism. The Tengu smiled at him. More Shikigami Tsuzuki had managed to charm but who didn't end up charmed by Tsuzuki? Touda's thoughts were interrupted as Tsuzuki hugged him, tightly. "You'll take good care of yourself, okay?" the man told him as he hugged him. "And stay out of troubles." Touda shrugged in agreement. He wasn't good with words especially when he knew Tsuzuki was about to leave. Tsuzuki released him to say bye to the others. The man was hugged by Suzaku, ruffled Byakko's hair and then rested for a minute his hand on SoRyu's shoulder then he waved at the Tengu before jumping in the portal they had opened for him.
And then... he was gone.
Silence fell over each of them.
Touda turned and made to walk away.
"Hey! Where are YOU going?" Suzaku asked immediately. He was tempted to reply that those were none of his business then remembered that Tsuzuki told him to stay out of troubles.
"Tenku-kyuu. Isn't it where I'm supposed to be?" he replied, annoyed. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave the place. He had figured that, now that everything was finished he should be back there.
"Not if you don't want to," SoRyu replied, surprising them all. "In all the time you'd been out of it you had caused no troubles, proving you can be left without supervision. Besides I know Tsuzuki drags you out every time he thinks I'm not looking..." he added in a grumble. He had faced the matter with Tsuzuki quite long ago. He had lost the argument but at least Tsuzuki had always handled things carefully so that SoRyu's defeat had never been known. Touda stared at him, not saying a word for a whole minute then nodded slowly. SoRyu figured it was all the thanks he was going to get from him. Touda had never showed much respect but that was nothing new. Suzaku complained. Byakko simply stared at them in surprise and confusion. "Thank you for protecting Tsuzuki," SoRyu said simply in reply to Touda's nodding.
"Tsuzuki is mine to protect too," Touda replied curtly before leaving. SoRyu wondered if he had realized that in that sentence he had showed the typical Fire Shikigami's possessiveness for their master from which Jyazoku were usually spared. Probably no. Touda was a troublesome Shikigami but, SoRyu realized for the first time, he too cared for Tsuzuki and that, more than anything else, reassured him over the fact that the Shikigami wouldn't cause troubles from now on. Hopefully, from now on, everything would be back to normal.
Tsuzuki tiptoed in the office trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. It was still quite early and no one should have been there but one could never know. He knew he shouldn't have gone in GenSoKai without asking for Konoe's permission or, at least, telling Natsume Sempai first. He feared he'd got the man in troubles. Partners were supposed to be responsible one of the other and with his action... He froze when he felt a hand on his shoulder, then turned slowly.
"Sempai... I can explain..." he said hesitantly. The man smiled down at him.
"Did everything go well?" he only asked. Tsuzuki smiled as he nodded. "Then you've nothing to explain, Asato-kun."
"But Konoe Kacho..." Tsuzuki started to say.
"Oh, he knows he should do better than worry about where my partner is," Natsume Sempai stated dismissively. "Now let's go get a breakfast snack before the others will arrive! I bet you hadn't eaten anything yet and I know a wonderful new bakery!" he said cheerfully, uncaring of all the troubles Tsuzuki's absence could have caused at him. Natsume Sempai had been Tsuzuki's first friend, the one who took care of him when he came in Meifu, still half out of it after he had finally ended his life. Natsume Sempai was the man he would like to become, always smiling, cheerful and confident. Natsume Sempai was the man he wanted to help and please more than anyone else.
"Sounds like a great idea!" Tsuzuki replied enthusiastically. The two men smiled again at each other before exiting. Theirs was a wonderful partnership.
JJ's Notes:
1. Just to make things clear... Tsuzuki had trapped the Akuma and only the Akuma in a Kekkai while the Akuma was using his own fire. Due to this part of the fire too had been trapped inside the Kekkai and had started to burn the Akuma. Even if the Akuma is more resistant to it the Fire of Hell it's quite powerful and in the end it had started burning the Akuma. However before being trapped the Akuma had managed to set the fire around the place in which Tsuzuki was too. Since the fight and the spell to raise the Kekkai had depleted Tsuzuki's energies he can't leave as well, even if he's not trapped inside the Kekkai.
2. Shikigami and Shinigami should be physically different in some way which is why I'm assuming Touda didn't exactly know what to do with Tsuzuki.
3. Suzaku always says to Tsuzuki she loves him. I don't think she means in the romantic sense.
JJ's Extra Notes:
I'm sorry for everyone who wanted a detailed description of the battle between Tsuzuki and the Akuma. To me it just didn't sound that interesting to describe so I cut it.
Yes, Tsuzuki is suicidal. He had killed himself and ended up in Meifu. To me he had never looked too happy to be still alive right from Vol. 1.
I would like to remember to everyone again that SoRyu wasn't trying to be mean to Touda when he had accused him of being the one behind this mess. Touda was the logical answer to the question 'Who could have caused it?'. Also Touda is and had been a troublesome guy. SoRyu is responsible for GenSoKai's well being. He's not too happy to have a potential time bomb around.
Suzaku's disliking is instead based on the over protectiveness she felt for Tsuzuki. She likely wouldn't care much about him if she didn't see in him a danger for Tsuzuki.
As for Touda being left free to wander... I assumed Tsuzuki let him do so, unofficially, so to avoid discussions with SoRyu who knew but pretended not to. SoRyu's words in this fic makes Tsuzuki's permission official.
As for Tsuzuki admiring Natsume Sempai... well, I made it up but I think that even Tsuzuki needed a male model to look up.
Dictionary:
-dono: Name ending used to show respect, somewhere between '-san' and '-sama'
-kun: Young
-sama: "Lord" or "Lady"
-san: "Mr." or "Mrs."
Akuma: Demon
ChiJou: Land of the Living
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
JiGoku no Kuro no Honoo: Black Fire of Hell
JuOhCho: "Ten Kings Office". Meifu's bureaucratic organization ruled by Enma. It's in charge of judging the deceased in Japan
Jyazoku: "Snake Race" or "Member of the Snake Race"
Kacho: "Section Chief". Konoe's title
Kekkai: Shield
Makai: Demon World
Mazoku: Member of the Demon Race
Neesan: "Sister" or "Older Girl"
Ningen: Human
Meifu: Land of the Dead
Ryuzoku: "Dragon Race" or "Member of the Dragon Race"
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", "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
Tengu: "Heavenly dog". A race of winged Shikigami who're in charge of the Suzaku gate
Tenku-kyuu: "Sky Palace". Tenku's title
'JiGoku no Kuro no Honoo' Ending notes
This fic had been planned for almost a lifetime but without Candy-chan's support I don't know if it would ever see light. I've always been fascinated by the relationship between Tsuzuki and Touda and I really adore to try to picture how it could have developed in the years. It's interesting because the growing of their bond in my eyes match with the growing of Tsuzuki as Shinigami.
I gave to this fic this title because the fire of hell is not only Touda's power but also the reason of his troubles. Due to the use he made of it he had been condemned to be stuck in a prison, due to the Akuma's having the same power he's suspected to be the responsible of what the Akuma did, due to its great power Tsuzuki can't summon him which make him a 'not useful Shiki', with it he also tried to kill Tsuzuki in the 'Kyoto Arc' and also because in my opinion it's an interesting imaginary for this fic, something that express the torment of the characters but also their will to not give up.
I left the title in Japanese because... well, Touda's power should be famous since it's mentioned a bunch of time in the TV series.
Information Sources
Manga translations were either made by Theria or by me using the YnM Star Comics Italian translation as reference.
Anime translations were either made by Tetris no Miko or by whoever subbed my YnM dvd.
Lyrics transcriptions come from various lyrics webs. I'm sorry I don't remember them all.
Thanks
To Candy-chan who encouraged me to write this! Thank you a lot! Without your help and your work this story would never have been as it is! Thank you, thank you!
To Candy-chan, ThisbeCeyx, Silverfox1, TeeDee, maria, May, Lothlorien1, Arlaikeeno, nocturnal for their reviews! Thanks a lot! Your support made me really happy and encouraged me to finish this fic!
To Yoko Matsushita for her wonderful story, to Hana to Yume & Hakusensha for printing it, to Star Comics for printing it in Italy, to J.C. Staff for giving life to the wonderful anime series.
To the Various Authors of the Song Lyrics used.
To Theria for her YnM manga translations, to the Owners of the web Mangagedon, Rainkitty and Compulsion for the scanlations of the manga, to Tetris no Miko for her translations of the YnM Tv Series scripts.
To yaminomatsuei e-group & Tsusoka e-group for hosting this.
To Everyone who read this. I hope you also liked it!
Replies to reviews:
To Everyone who reviewed: Thank you! You're a great encouragement for me!
To nocturnal: Happy to know you enjoyed the previous chap! I hope you'll like this one too! I can't help much the gramar mistakes, English isn't my language, sorry.
To Silverfox1: I don't think Touda would be charmed by chibi-himself... expecially because even if chibi they are self sufficient enough to not need him and they're likely going quite different from Tsuzuki. I think SoRyu would be the one who would insist about someone watching after them. He's from a race that raises children and he didn't need them to grow up like Touda... Of course I would be totally unable to resist to them...
Send me your comments!
