Hi everyone, it's time for another exciting chapter of "The Trial". Thank you for all your reviews, they really gave me encouragement to not slack off like last time and I was really focused and dedicated in writing this even though I had twice as much work to do at school.
This chapter was really hard to write. The amount of action, emotion and mental gameplay that went into it made me have to write and rewrite certain parts again and again. But I think I'm satisfied with how it came out. This is the first part of a two or three part finale (I'm not sure yet) where you finally see the outcome of the story.
There was a question asked by meg in the reviews: How come Tsuzuki and Isorou never heard from each other during their time as shinigamis? The answer could be that Isorou hadn't been a shinigami for that long when he was sentenced to the trial. After the trial, as I mentioned in the story, all data on him was erased so neither did he have time to get to know any of the other shinigamis nor anyone else was able to get to know him.
Things that happened in the last chapter:
Tatsumi met the Earl and they had a heart to heart talk about Tsuzuki, at the end of which Tatsumi received a message from Isorou to go and meet him where Tsuzuki was kept. Meanwhile Hisoka went to see Oriya and asked him for kendo lessons. On his way back however, he ran into Nourian who ensnared him with her magic as part of Isorou's master plan to finally break Tsuzuki.
The Trial—Chapter TwelveHe always followed the same routine when something was done. The lights were out, the burners turned off save for those with slow reacting chemicals still boiling in colorful beakers on top of them. Those he left alone, knowing that eventually even the slowest reacting experiments would come to fruition. Time was the only deciding factor there. Time and the belief that the passage of it would eventually make things right.
He strode across the lab, realizing he had forgotten to shut down the computer. Not that it terribly mattered since no one could access his account without his knowing about it. Still, in a situation like this where half-angels and vengeful demons prowled the facilities you could never be too careful.
Another stride, this time to the messy desk on the side of the lab, to retrieve keys and his cellphone. A light was flashing on it, a text message from Tatsumi.
Watari grabbed the phone tightly in his hand and looked at the screen. Fingers so tense they shook as he punched in the code to check the message. 'Tatsumi… I had forgotten about you. Where are you? Please Enma-sama, let it be happy news this time. Let it be that … for a change.'
He looked at the message for a long time. Thinking, gauging the meaning. 'It is over, isn't it, Tatsumi? That's what you're trying to tell me. But what do you mean by that's an order? Are you saying it's all come down to this and you want me out of it? Are you truly out of your mind? What are you planning to do? I need to know, Tatsumi-san. I need to know when you'll be facing ultimate evil so I could be there to protect you. Yes, me protecting you, Tatsumi-san. Because, sadly enough, there is no one else left to protect.
'Which reminds me, have I told you Hisoka has gone missing since last night?
'We have to do this together, Tatsumi-san. Shinigami work in pairs. And I thought I'd never have to remind you of that.'
He closed the last cabinet door and turned off the last light. The lab plunged into darkness very much like his mood. He couldn't shake the feeling of finality out of his senses. Maybe he should have worked on something that would bring everything back to the way it was before this all had happened. Before the Holy Spirit, Isorou and the nightmare. He didn't have that, but at least he had something. He reached into his pocket and squeezed the small bottle he had placed there. It might not be enough he thought, might even be of no use at all, but at least it was something real he could feel in his hand.
'I will not leave any of you alone, I promise. I may not have magic powers of your caliber or strength beyond what I have endured, but I can give you what I have: my gift of science. I won't let you face the demons alone. Tatsumi, Hisoka,…Tsuzuki. I will be there. I promise you that.
He closed the door behind him as he left, bottle still clutched in hand. Time for scientific research was long over.
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The wind had picked up again, unrelenting and cold, when Tatsumi reached the top of the short hill. Isorou was there, standing tall in his usual clean-cut suit. Yet all Tatsumi could see was Tsuzuki on his knees. Tsuzuki's head was hanging low and the chocolate brown tresses of his hair blew in the wind. Even as Tatsumi's heart trembled at the sight he forced himself to stay focused and keep his eyes on the enemy although they insisted on straying towards his love. It had been more than a week since he had seen Tsuzuki. When he had left the young shinigami, he was still aware although intensely struggling with the pain, and he had been sitting tall on his knees despite the harshness of his condition. Now, what he saw was an empty shell of the man he used to know. Soaked with blood and rain, there was not a single spot on Tsuzuki's shirt that wasn't stained. His pant knees and parts of his shirt were torn, and through the gaps his wounds were showing. The winding of the barbed wire had forced his upper body to hang from his outstretched arms in a painful way. Tatsumi couldn't see his face but right now, strange as it may sound, he was grateful for it.
It was an effort to turn his head away and acknowledge the fact that the appalling prosecutor was talking to him.
"…finally showed up. I thought a simple invitation wouldn't be enough."
"What do you want?" asked Tatsumi.
Isorou's eyes squinted and his mouth formed a thin line. "Did you have a pleasant time with the Earl?" he asked.
"None of your business." Tatsumi replied.
The thin line turned into a smirk and like a predator, Isorou strode to where Tsuzuki was. Hooking the toe of one shoe under the shinigami's chin, he lifted the delicate face to flaunt it before the secretary's eyes, saying, "I thought under the known circumstances we had established, you would already know that around here, business-wise I mean, pretty much everything is mine." He emphasized his words by giving the unconscious shinigami's head a slight shove.
Tatsumi's eyes were glued on the tormented face. The rest of Isorou's speech was lost to his ears in the roar of blood that had rushed to his head at the sight of his beloved's face so helpless and in pain. Tsuzuki had been crying, the dirty tear tracks on his face evidence to that. He must have been in so much pain before he had passed out. The thought of his friend's quiet suffering where there had been no one to comfort him was too much for Tatsumi to take.
Just then a whimper escaped the thinly parted lips and Tsuzuki's eyelashes trembled without him opening his eyes.
Tatsumi almost lost it when he saw Tsuzuki wasn't entirely unconscious after all.
"You are hurting him. Leave him alone, you bastard," he yelled.
"Then do as I say." Isorou barked, releasing Tsuzuki and walking back to Tatsumi. "Answer me when I ask you a question and you won't cause more suffering for your friend."
Tatsumi badly wanted to beat the man to death but he knew it wasn't possible. The rules were still the same. If he fought the evil man Tsuzuki would pay the price. Instead of giving an answer to Isorou's challenge he simply looked away.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you." Isorou's snapped. Tatsumi met his eyes evenly.
"When I speak, you listen. When I ask a question, you answer. And you always, always look me in the eyes when I speak to you, understood?" said Isorou.
Tatsumi gritted his teeth and nodded very slightly. He looked at Tsuzuki, helpless and at the mercy of his good behavior and it was enough for him to suppress his pride.
It was the day when Tatsumi Seiichiroudiscovered that pride was not a banner you could hold constantly over your head. He learned that sometimes you would have to drop that banner, trample it with your feet and leave it on the ground, especially when it came to a slacking, broken, underpaid employee.
The one person he loved most in the world.
He hung his head in defeat.
"Get on one knee." Isorou ordered.
Tatsumi obeyed, head still bowed. The ground was cold meeting his skin, wet and moldy. How had Tsuzuki held out for so long? He could see some worms coming out of their holes because of the rain.
Isorou was towering over him now. "Look up at me." Two sets of eyes met, one guarded, the other full of vengeful enjoyment. "Now tell me what the Earl told you."
"Everything. I know that you are not a prosecutor of EnmaDiao's court but a butcher sent by Lord Mahorath."
Isorou's eyes sparkled. "I see. So you know you have no chance against me until the trial is over."
"I also know that Mahorath considers the trial long over and that it's you who still insists on upholding it," Tatsumi said.
The satisfied look didn't disappear on the other's face, but the gray eyes darkened. The prosecutor moved to stand over Tsuzuki, looking down and speaking in a distant voice that betrayed no emotion, like he was talking to himself.
"It ain't over till I say it's over."
As if sensing the evil presence close to him Tsuzuki's body shuddered and he let out a soft moan. Tatsumi shut his eyes.
"At least let me go to him," he begged.
Isorou looked his way. "Under one condition."
"Name it. You've already taken everything from us. What more could you possibly want?"
Casually, Isorou walked back to him, studying the kneeling man with cold eyes.
"I will ask you questions," he said, "and you will answer all of them truthfully. If you lie, or refuse to answer, I will revoke all the privileges I have allowed you with your friend."
Tatsumi gaped. Was that all? Answers to his ridiculous questions? It couldn't be. There was definitely something behind the uncharacteristic lenience that the evil prosecutor was hiding. He would not let him to Tsuzuki so easily if it weren't part of his big devastating plan.
But then, who was he to look the gift horse in the mouth.
"I accept."
"Alright," Isorou stepped aside, clearing a path for Tatsumi, "he is all yours, for now."
Tatsumi leaped to his feet and ran to Tsuzuki, dropping down and kneeling by him. Careful not to touch the shinigami too roughly and irritate his wounds he wrapped his arms around him and proceeded to take some of the weight off of Tsuzuki's outstretched arms.
Tsuzuki weakly cracked open his eyes, looking at Tatsumi with a bleary, bewildered gaze. "Tatsumi…-san?" he whispered, disbelief lacing his voice, and then jolted, trying to free himself from the embrace.
"Shhh," Tatsumi cooed, "It's ok, It's ok. I'm here, Tsuzuki-san. Don't worry." He tried to keep his voice soothing as he stroked the shinigami's dark brown hair at the back of his head.
"No, you're not," Tsuzuki sobbed, leaning his cheek against the broad familiar chest and letting his tears fall, "You are… an illusion. Just like the rest of them. Like…Muraki. She… makes me…see you." He turned his head then, burying his face in the fabric of Tatsumi's suit, and cried. "I'm so tired. Why won't it end? Tatsumi-san, tell me why it won't end? I can't take any more."
Tsuzuki was leaning into him like a child, despite his belief that Tatsumi was just another ghost. The shadow master liked to believe – and was actually partly sure – that deep down inside Tsuzuki knew that he was the real Tatsumi, but had been deceived so many times and hurt because of it that he didn't want to keep the hope up.
He continued petting the shinigami's head. "It's all right, Tsuzuki-san. I'm not an illusion. I'm real." Gently he pulled away to look at Tsuzuki's face. "Look at me, love. Do you not see the real me? Do you truly think this is an illusion?"
The purple eyes stared back, child-like and glazed. "Nightmares are illusions, they know nothing about feelings. They don't cry, and they don't bleed." Tsuzuki recited in a monotone. Tatsumi was confused by the seemingly meaningless words. He looked into Tsuzuki's eyes and in their depths saw Tsuzuki's soul breaking in a way none of his past experiences had managed to do. He could feel his friend slipping away from him, and in an instance of pure clarity, realized that there was nothing he could do. He was too late saving Tsuzuki.
"What have you done to him?" He gritted between his teeth.
"I'm asking the questions here." Isorou replied.
Tatsumi looked up with hatred in his eyes. "The trial is over. He endured everything you did to him and more. You are just grasping for straws. Why won't you admit that you've lost and let him be?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"It is none of your freaking bus--" Tatsumi almost said it before remembering his promise to the prosecutor. He clamped down on his anger and lowered his eyes, keeping up the gentle ministration of Tsuzuki's hair.
"I care because…he's my friend."
"What a lame answer. I might have actually believed it had I not peered into his dreams. Now tell me the real answer like you promised you would."
Tatsumi's hand tightened into a fist, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "What do you want me to tell you?" He growled. "That I still dream about him nights? That I can't imagine a day without his smile, his beautiful purple eyes? That the look he gives me every morning as I come into the office is the only thing that keeps me going all day? That there isn't a day I don't blame myself for hurting him the way I did back when I thought I was doing the right thing?" He opened his eyes and looked up in pain. "What do you want from me? You know I can never have him so why do you make me say it?"
Strangely enough, Isorou's features softened at the confession. "Do you still love him?" he asked.
"Would it make a difference if I did?"
"Answer my question with a sentence, not a question."
"Yes."
"Yes what?"
"Yes I love him."
Isorou smiled. "Then you must feel extremely jealous of the boy."
Tatsumi froze.
Of course he was talking about Hisoka. But what was this all about? How could that man accuse him of such a thing? How could he dare? When it was Tatsumi in the first place who had suggested Hisoka to be paired up with Tsuzuki.
"You have no idea what you're talking about," he retorted, "You think you know everything but your knowledge is as primitive as that of an animal."
Isorou lifted an eyebrow. "You're going to deny it? Are you saying you don't even feel a slight bit of jealousy when you see them sitting together under the sakura trees, the boy's head resting on his shoulder? Not even when they stay over at each other's places, something you never dared do outside the assignments? When his eyes brighten and dance every time he sees that scrawny kid coming towards him?"
Tatsumi's breathing quickened. Horrified, he turned to look if Tsuzuki was listening and saw the shinigami's eyes closed, looking like he was sleeping. He turned back to his tormentor and tried to gather all his strength for his reply.
"You are a pitiful being, Isorou Masaki. How dare you say something like this? Is this your way of putting a guilt trip on me or are you trying another method for tormenting Tsuzuki-san?"
Isorou smirked. "No, I'm actually looking for the truth, Tatsumi-san. And no matter what you say, all evidence points at your guilt in this matter, your incessant fascination with the condemned shinigami as well as your utmost jealousy of his current partner."
Tatsumi couldn't believe it. What was the man trying to achieve? Or was it fun he was taking out of all these questions? He opened his mouth to deny the claim again but felt something inside him screech to a halt. He had sworn to Hakushaku-sama that he would tell the truth, even before his imposed bargain with Isorou. He had promised to be true to himself when it came to his feelings for Tsuzuki.
Was he being completely truthful now?
"Tell me it doesn't bother you when you see their joined happiness. Tell me you don't feel sad or lonely when they leave together after work everyday, without you."
Tatsumi was quiet. He was looking at the ground - Tsuzuki still held protectively in his arms – or else he would have seen the malicious smile that formed on Isorou's lips.
"I do feel…lonely, sometimes." Tatsumi replied.
"Excellent. Finally a true confession. How about angry? When the kid steals him away from you, do you feel any anger?"
"S-sometimes, maybe."
"Maybe?"
Tatsumi looked up sharply. "I don't know."
"Yes, you do. Now answer, does it make you angry?"
"No, all I want is for Tsuzuki to be happy. Even if it is with someone else. I can accept it as long as he is happy." And that answer was the truth.
Yet, Isorou still continued the challenge. "How about when he is not happy with the boy. I'm told the boy is quiet a bit of work most of the times. How about when his sour mood flares up and happens to lash out at his partner?"
"Hisoka has had a very tough life, his soul is very fragile. As adults, we know how to help him without reprimanding him for his mistakes." Tatsumi answered.
"What about the times he scolded Asato? What about that time he left him in the rain, crying, and you found him and took him home? You did have a talk with the boy the next day, didn't you?"
Tatsumi didn't bother to ask how the man knew. After hearing so much, he already knew the extent of the powers these hell pawns possessed and how they could read into someone's even most private memories. Instead he decided to continue with his position of telling the truth. Thus far, it seemed to have worked best.
The incident Isorou was referring to had not been too long ago. Hisoka had had a bad day, and Tsuzuki, the oblivious puppy that he was, had pushed a little too far in his attempt to cheer the boy up. The result had been a catastrophe, ending with Hisoka yelling at a crying Tsuzuki in the rain and running away from him with the promise to ask for a new partner right the next morning. Tsuzuki had sat on the ground where he had been left, tears streaming down his face and his hand clutching the tiny gift he had bought for his partner for their anniversary. It had been a nightmare getting him back on his feet and believing once again that he wasn't worthless or a nuisance.
Tatsumi winced at the memory. "I was… quite angry that time. It was also because Tsuzuki had been innocent. It was just a matter of bad judgment and one that I felt I had to clear up."
"Did you reprimand the boy then? Did you yell at him? Tell him how wrong he had been? Did you make him understand how he had no right to hurt 'your Tsuzuki-san'?"
"I don't remember." Tatsumi said.
"Sure you do." Isorou replied. "And I can tell you even took pleasure in it, finally releasing you pent up frustration at the kid who didn't appreciate the treasure you'd so readily laid at his feet."
"Sure. Whatever you say."
"Would you get really mad if this Hisoka truly hurt your Tsuzuki-san? Would you go as far as attacking the boy?"
Tatsumi only raised his head but didn't look at the prosecutor. There was a strange expression on his face.
Shadows all around them became restless.
"Would you kill him? If he harmed Asato?"
Tatsumi felt his bones ache, there was a cloud forming in his chest. Shadows began to slowly rise from the ground. Yet they didn't matter much to Isorou.
"Answer me, Tatsumi-san."
Tatsumi finally looked him in the eyes.
"I would kill anyone who hurts Tsuzuki-san."
"Even Kurosaki Hisoka?"
"Even him."
Silence. Stare…
"Tat--Tatsumi-san."
The voice that finally broke the moment was Tsuzuki's, and it drew all of Tatsumi's attention to him.
"Tsuzuki-san, are you awake? How are you feeling?"
"I--I heard Hisoka's name. Is he here?" Tsuzuki whispered.
The blue in Tatsumi's beautiful eyes darkened, his expression masking any feelings he might have held. "No. Kurosaki-kun isn't here."
He didn't notice that Isorou had stepped away. Didn't see the shadowy figure that slowly appeared out of thin air, holding a deadly sharp blade with both hands.
It was the voice that pulled him out of the space he had locked himself and Tsuzuki in.
"You perverted psychopath, get your filthy hands off of him."
Tatsumi turned in shock, and saw Hisoka standing a distance away with a katana in his hands and a mad look on his face. Like waking from a bad dream to a reality even worse, Tatsumi blinked to clear his vision; unsure if what he was seeing was true of a product of his tormented, befuddled mind.
It didn't take him long to realize Hisoka wasn't looking at the prosecutor but at him.
"What…have you done to him?" he said to Isorou as he stood up.
Isorou was standing on the sideline now as if clearing the field for the two of them. His reply was accompanied by a chuckle. "Not much. It's been fun messing with his head, drawing out what had been inside for so long, just like the things that had been inside of your head. You remember the confession you made only minutes ago, don't you? Neither of you are the saints you claim you are."
"I never claimed to be a saint. I have sinned in my life, and afterlife. But nothing to warrant Kurosaki-kun's hatred."
Isorou coughed his laughter this time. "Then could it be that he's mistaken you for someone else, maybe?" He raised an eyebrow and the smile on his lips reached his ears.
With horrified apprehension Tatsumi turned to the motionless figure standing with the sword. In a heartbeat everything fell into place. They had done the unthinkable and now he was the one who'd have to pay the price, along with Hisoka and perhaps even…
His heart sank as he turned sharply and saw Tsuzuki staring at the scene with frightened purple eyes.
'No…!'
His eyes sent daggers when he looked back at the demon of a man. "You did this, didn't you? You made him lose his mind, and now he thinks I'm…."
"I suggest you keep your guard up, Tatsumi-san. I've heard the boy's extremely good at kendo and wouldn't hesitate killing the one who's hurt his partner." Isorou sneered.
As if on cue, Hisoka let out a loud shriek and charged toward Tatsumi with blinding speed. Although Tatsumi had excepted it, the swiftness of the attack as well as the fluidity with which Hisoka moved the sword clearly took him off guard.
The cut on the back of his hand hurt way more than it should, and the pain rendered his left hand almost useless. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, looking up bewildered as the boy stood still at the end of his ark. The wound that was supposed to heal in a few short seconds continued bleeding in gushes.
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you. That is a special sword he's holding. It's blessed with my personal charms and said to have the effect of slowing down a shinigami's healing so I guess you should be extra careful if you are going to fight him." Isorou suggested helpfully.
Tatsumi, cradling his injured hand, shot an angry glare his way and snapped, "Thanks, but I'm not planning on fighting with him so--."
His sentence was cut short when Hisoka released another ear-piercing cry and lunged at him with the naked blade raised over his head. Tatsumi barely managed to roll away and get on his feet quickly, his eyes widening.
"In that, my friend, you have regrettably very little choice," the gray haired man commented nonchalantly.
Tatsumi's eyes were fixed on the livid boy as Hisoka turned around promptly and threw himself at him with the sword held above his head again.
He tried to evade the attack once more but Hisoka had anticipated his move this time and didn't allow him the opening. As soon as he shifted to one side Hisoka blocked his way and the sword came slicing down his shoulder and arm.
He had to clench his jaw to keep from crying out.
Standing on the sideline still, Isorou saw the secretary wince as the new wound was inflicted and exclaimed, "Why won't you use your shadows on him, kagetsukai?"
Tatsumi glared at him for a split second before he was forced to turn back to the fight. It was getting harder and harder to remain passive in the battle. Though young, Hisoka showed remarkable skill in wielding the blade, possibly due to his hours of training in the dojo. Still, Tatsumi could have easily defeated him with his shadow magic if he were inclined to do so, and risk hurting the boy.
Another slash, this time across his thigh, made his resolve slightly falter.
Isorou continued observing the scene for a few more seconds before turning his attention to his true objective, taking the few steps to reach the man hanging in his barbs who appeared to have fallen unconscious once again.
"Asato, you are awake?" he called.
The dark haired shinigami whimpered quietly before raising his head and looking at the prosecutor, his eyes blurry and wet. Like a trapped bird he had started shivering again.
"Look Asato, your friends are here." He pointed at the field in front of them where the fight was happening. Slowly Tsuzuki turned his head and stared at the scene, not able to completely comprehend what he was seeing.
"… 'ts going on?" he asked shakily.
"Don't you recognize them? That's your partner Kurosaki Hisoka…."
Just then, Hisoka performed another skilful move and got his sword to slash Tatsumi across the chest. Frustrated and more than a little hurt, the kagetsukai acted on pure instinct and a shadow rose from one side to lash at the charging boy. In an instant Hisoka was knocked to the ground.
"And that," Isorou added triumphantly, "is our resident shadow master, Tatsumi Seiichiro."
For an indeterminable length of time Tsuzuki only stared. He might have looked frozen to anyone else seeing him, encouraging them to leave him alone. But Isorou waited, patiently, for the information to sink in and for the result he was looking for to present itself.
"No," the shinigami finally croaked, "It's… another illusion, isn't it?"
"Oh, you think so?" Isorou said, "But look, the boy is crying. And your friend Tatsumi is loosing so much blood."
It was true. Hisoka was in tears as his attacks became more and more desperate. It was harder for him to strike now that the shadows were fighting back. Even still, Tatsumi's attacks were still mostly on the defensive side. As Hisoka held the blade level to his chest and parallel to the ground in preparation for a head on strike, Tatsumi called on a new set of shadows rising like tendrils from the ground and wrapping themselves around the empath's arms and legs. Hisoka struggled wildly against them, but his waning strength was no match for the kagetsukai's powerful magic. He lost his footing and fell on the ground on his back, his sword clattering a few feet away.
Seeing the opening he's been waiting for Tatsumi lunged himself at Hisoka and pinned the boy down before the struggling teenager could free his limbs from the confining hold of the shadows.
They were both out of breath, panting hard and looking each other in the face, one soaked with tears and the other dripping blood. Until Tatsumi asked, "Kurosaki-kun, what is the matter with you?"
Hisoka didn't reply, only attempted another abortive leap to get himself free. When that proved futile, his body went limp and he stared right up into the eyes of the man who was holding him. He whispered, "You can do whatever you want with me but don't you dare touch him again. Don't you think you've caused enough damage already?"
The words were nonsense to Tatsumi yet they still struck a painful cord deep inside him that he couldn't comprehend. "Kurosaki-kun," he responded, "What in the world are you talking about?"
Hisoka's head turned to the side, defeated. He continued as if Tatsumi hadn't spoken at all. "You chase him, catch him, beat him, rape him, cut him with your knives. You wrap your darkness around him, around everything you touch, just like you did to me. But you've already left your mark on me. I'm tainted by you. I won't let you taint him as well."
Understanding flashed in Tatsumi's eyes like an oil-drenched torch lightened by fire. Horrified he looked down at the broken, tearful boy whose wrists he held tightly against the ground. Hisoka was now looking at his fallen katana with sad, forlorn eyes.
"You think I am…" All of a sudden the magnitude of the misunderstanding hit him. He let go of Hisoka's wrists and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him frantically. "Hisoka!" he yelled, "Hisoka, wake up. Look at me. I'm not Muraki."
From the distance Isorou looked on in satisfaction. Things had gone exactly the way he had intended. He looked over at his captive and saw the shinigami looking at the scene with horror on his face. The purple eyes were wide and trembling. The poor soul still having a hard time believing. Well, that could be helped.
"Do you see what I mean?" he sneered. "These two are in this state because of you. Although with the secretary, I'm not sure whether he is pushed over the edge or fulfilling a long suppressed desire. He did say just a moment ago that he would kill the boy if it came to you."
Tsuzuki's eyes were fixed on the scene, the orbs so wide they looked unnatural. His face was a tight mask of pain and the trembling of his body had increased so much it almost looked like he had a seizure.
I would kill anyone who hurts Tsuzuki-san.Could it be that…?
Hisoka let out a gut-wrenching cry and lunged for the sword one more time. Tatsumi-- caught off guard--pushed him back to the ground and bent over him, letting out a cry of his own.
Isorou drawled, "It's ironic I should say, how this image so closely resembles that of the boy's faithful night with the beautiful doctor. It seems like no matter where he goes or whom he trusts, he always ends up in the same position." He was looking intensely at Tsuzuki as he spoke, choosing his words carefully and flinging them at the man on the ground like sharp, jagged stones.
"NO…" a loud cry escaped Tsuzuki and he leaped forward in his bonds only to be caught short by them. "Hisoka," He tried again, failed, tried again, his wounds starting to bleed at an alarming rate. "HISOKAAAAA!"
The yell caught Tatsumi's attention and he looked over his shoulder at Tsuzuki. This was getting from bad to worse, he thought. He had come here to be at Tsuzuki's side and defend him against that crazy prosecutor but now he was fighting Kurosaki for a reason he didn't understand, leaving Tsuzuki alone with that monster. He couldn't see clearly what was happening over there, but he knew Tsuzuki was looking at them. Gods, Tsuzuki must be horrified seeing them like this. Tatsumi felt Hisoka move under him again, using his distraction to shift his body a bit. He reeled back and pushed the boy's shoulders down again.
"Hisokaaaaa!"
Tsuzuki's voice was desperate now. Tatsumi looked back and saw him tearing his body against the wires. 'No…I have to do something or else Tsuzuki will kill himself in his frenzy.' He decided he had wasted enough time. It was either end it now or let everything be destroyed.
He turned back to Hisoka. The boy lay on his back with a strangely serene expression on his face. It baffled him for a moment, before he felt the tip of the sword pierce through his heart. He looked in horror at the calm face, still the same even as Tatsumi's blood poured over it and stained the smooth cheeks. A look to the side revealed everything to him. The katana! Somehow, Hisoka had managed to pick it up while he had been distracted and it was now lodged deep within his chest where the boy had thrust it with the last of his strength.
"You…won't be ever …touching him… again," the boy said before closing his eyes and falling into unconsciousness.
'This is all a nightmare. It has to be.'
Tatsumi stared in shock at the blade protruding from his chest, and his hand that was smeared with blood—his own blood—and at Hisoka who lay unmoving underneath him.
Then he fell.
Through dazed, red-screened vision, Tatsumi saw a strange light engulf Tsuzuki as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Like a dome it surrounded the purple-eyed shinigami. Not that clear in the head, Tatsumi still remembered what it was: Tsuzuki's evil side breaking free. The demon in him, restrained for so long, was unleashed and soon that light would explode and expand to destroy everything in its path. Tatsumi thought about all this with a strange sense of detachment, like the distant curiosity of someone remembering a story. It was something far and beyond him that he might have cared about one time if he wasn't so numb and cold. He looked at Isorou with the same kind of indifference and saw him chanting something before he threw his hands over Tsuzuki and cast a spell. As soon as he did it the light surrounding the shinigami disappeared and his body slumped forward senseless, hanging limply from his restraints.
Tatsumi knew he wasn't dying. He was a shinigami and no matter how deadly a wound, how slow his healing, he'd eventually survive. What worried him was that in the state he was in, he was helpless against any attacks Isorou might send his way. The same way he wasn't able to do anything to protect Hisoka. Now that it seemed they had served their purpose, there was really no reason for the hell pawn to keep them around.
His fears were confirmed when a moment later Isorou turned away from Tsuzuki and started walking towards them. He turned onto his back, reaching to grasp Hisoka's hand in his own. Even if he had to go out, it still didn't mean he wouldn't do his damnest to save the boy. He hadn't promised that to Tsuzuki but it was the sort of thing between them that didn't need verbal confirmation.
He looked up into the prosecutor's face when he finally reached him. It was hard to make out the details, but he could tell that the man was at least not leering. His hand that was holding Hisoka's went further up, grabbing the boy's shirt and pulling him towards him in an attempt to cover the smaller body with his own.
Isorou's face was expressionless as he stood over them, his eyes returning Tatsumi's glare before the secretary slowly closed his eyes in acceptance. Isorou saw the hand that was holding the boy and his eyes remained on it for a while. Still, no emotion registered on the stoic face, as if the man was carved in stone. Tatsumi waited, for the searing pain, for the heat of Isorou's magic to pierce his body, twist his soul and end his immortal existence. Yet nothing happened. When he opened his eyes again he saw Isorou still looking at him.
"It's over." The prosecutor finally said.
Tatsumi tried to sit up but his wounds were too great for him to do it. Instead, he took a deep, shuddering breath and stared, his question evident in his eyes.
Isorou answered it, "He broke down. He called on the Apocalypse. And now, he belongs to Makai."
Tatsumi remained silent. Apocalypse. Tsuzuki's devastating, demonic nightmare power that was capable of wiping out an entire village was unleashed. But why was nothing happening.
Reading that question on his face too, Isorou explained, "I delayed it. It will happen, only a little while later. I needed time to get myself and my associates out of here."
Tatsumi exhaled, a word perched on his breath. "Bastard." But it was too quiet for anyone to hear. Isorou had already turned to walk away, dismissing both him and Hisoka. "Ja-ne. I'm sorry it had to end like this," he said in a mocking tone, "I must admit you were a nuisance from the beginning, Tatsumi-san. Still, I think we could have been friends had we met under different circumstances, perhaps if you weren't so stubborn."
Tatsumi opened his mouth to give him a retort but only blood came out. His vision was dimming and he was loosing his hold on Hisoka. 'No,' he thought, faintly, 'this is not how it is supposed to end.' He looked at Hisoka, lying unconscious on the ground, over at Tsuzuki, equally senseless in his bonds. He himself could hardly move, his eyes drifting open and close, knowing what was about to come he gasped sharply, bringing more pain to his chest. In a minute or two they were all going to die, burned into crisps by Apocalypse's powerful blast. Their lives would lie at Tsuzuki's feet and the guilt over it would most certainly destroy him. That is, if the knowledge of belonging to Makai didn't do it first.
It was not supposed to end like this.
He heard someone calling his name. It was probably a dream, the kinds you have when you're about to die.
"Tatsumi-san!!!"
It became louder and this time, even Isorou heard it. Tatsumi turned his head and saw Watari running up the hill.
"Tatsumi-san. Hey, Tatsumi-san. Thank gods I found you."
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the scene in front of him. "What the h…? Tatsumi-san?"
Immediately the scientist knelt down by the secretary, gauging both his and Hisoka's condition. Looking over at the blood on Hisoka's hands and face and the bloody katana sticking out of Tatsumi's chest he bristled. "Tell me it's not what I think. How in the world…?"
Tatsumi opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a choked gurgle. Watari rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket to retrieve a small vile. "Thank goodness I finished brewing this in time. To think that it would come in handy so soon." Gently, he removed the sword and placed his hand under Tatsumi's shoulders to lift him up and pour some of the contents into his mouth.
He saw Tatsumi's eyes flash open, looking at a point beyond his head and mouthing something before his lapel was grabbed from behind and pulled him to his feet. It was Isorou of course. The prosecutor was clearly pissed as he drew the scientist close to his face. "Watari-san. What are you doing here? I don't recall inviting you to this meeting."
Watari scowled. "Invite me? Didn't realize I needed your invitation to walk in Ju-Oh-Cho's own back yard. Now let go of me." He tried to free himself from the tight grip.
"No," Isorou pulled him back, "You don't understand. It is dangerous here. You have to leave this place right now or you'd be incinerated like the rest of them."
"Incinerated? What do you mean? What is going on here?"
Isorou tightened his grip on him and said, "What's going on is that your dear friend, the demon shinigami, has called upon the destructive forces he harbors inside and they are soon to blow up the whole place and everything in it into tiny crisps and unless you get as far away from here as possible right now you'd be ending up the same way. Now was that clear enough for you?"
Watari blinked. "Tsuzuki? What have you done to Tsuzuki? And what about Tatsumi and Hisoka? Why are they injured like that? What are you planning on doing with them? Were you about to leave them here?"
Isorou started dragging Watari with him. "I don't care about them. I only care about you because you are my friend and I don't want you to lose your life over pathetic matters that could easily be avoided."
That made Watari's eyes blaze with fire. With a growl he pulled himself out of the prosecutor's grip and stood back, panting hard to get himself under control.
"What the hell are you talking about? Who gave you permission to make decisions about other people's lives? Oh, but I'm harping the same old tune, aren't I? We all know that people's lives are less than dust to you."
Isorou looked genuinely surprised at the scientist's outburst like he was caught off guard.
"But friends?" Watari continued, getting more agitated by the minute. "You're calling us friends? When will you stop living in your own make-belief world?"
He ignored the stunned look on the prosecutor's face and continued to ride on the rush of adrenaline that had prompted his daring outburst. It could have also been his inner self, finally responding to Isorou's incessant harassments by giving the man a piece of his mind.
"Us as friends, that's what you keep raving about. Let me ask you one question: on what basis exactly is this friendship founded? When did it start? Just because I didn't directly go up against you or you didn't have an opportunity to hurt me like you did the others doesn't necessarily make us buddies."
He looked away from Isorou's shocked stare and swept his eyes over Tatsumi, Hisoka and Tsuzuki.
"These people have been my friends for a long time. They have helped me, stood beside me, consoled me and done sacrifices for me, just as I've tried to do the same for them. Now look at what's become of them and ask yourself, are you truly my friend?"
Having said that Watari sat on the ground next to Tatsumi and helped him drink the medicine he'd brought with him. He put the prosecutor completely out of his mind not even lingering on the stricken look on his face or worrying about his reaction. There were more pressing matters at hand.
Tatsumi coughed and sputtered but finally was able to keep his eye open long enough to recognize Watari. The scientist's warm smile seemed to give him strength and before he knew it, his healing powers were kicking in at full force and the wounds in his body started closing. He sat up and stared at Watari in surprise.
"Welcome back," the scientist said, "I knew my formula was great but I didn't expect it to work so fast." He almost sparkled. "Oh my Enma. I guess this means I've officially surpassed my own personal record of awesomeness. I, Watari Yukata, am the greatest scientist in Meifu."
Tatsumi, still a little shaky, stared at the glowing scientist without comprehension. Then, remembering something, he turned his attention to his side where Hisoka was lying on the ground.
Watari's mood immediately sobered. He sat up and glanced at the boy. "What's wrong with him?"
Tatsumi had to swallow a few times before he could speak. "Nourian--I think the demon witch did something to his mind. He thought… I was Muraki."
Watari gasped. He reached for Hisoka right away bringing the small bottle of his magic potion close to his mouth. "I will fix that right now. And Tsuzuki is next. For the love of Enma if I have to go back to the lab and brew some more of this, I will do it." He tipped the bottle over Hisoka's lips.
"You would do none of that."
Watari shot an exasperated glance at Isorou who seemed to have finally snapped out of his trance and was now looking daggers at him. It didn't seem to affect Watari in the least as he continued to hold onto Hisoka and go ahead with his treatment.
When the evil prosecutor made a move toward them however, it was Tatsumi who intercepted him.
"Get lost. You have no more business here; you got what you wanted so leave us in peace."
"Big words from the man who was choking on his own blood only a minute ago. I won't take orders from you or anyone else here, and I won't leave unless Watari-san comes with me."
Watari growled but it was Tatsumi who showed the most intense reaction. A huge slab of gray-blue shadow, lifted from somewhere, hit the prosecutor fully in the chest, propelling him ten feet away and slamming him to the ground.
Watari gasped, as he had truly not expected that. Tatsumi stood tall, despite his still weakened state. He glared at the man in challenge and said, "Leave us alone. Watari-san does what he wants to do and so do I. And right now, what I want most is to beat the life out of low-life, well dressed reptiles who have no regards for others."
Isorou wiped a trail of blood form the corner of his mouth and smiled. "You? Beat me? Don't make me laugh. You must've forgotten the outcome of our first meeting. I suggest you back down while you still can or else…"
He was cut of when a cluster of lashing shadows attacked him from every direction. It only took a second for Isorou to get to his feet and make a gesture with his hand that caused them all to drop like autumn leaves. Still, despite his swiftness some of the shadows found their mark and left bloody welts on his body before they disappeared.
The man from Makai unleashed his fury then, attacking Tatsumi with the force of his unseen powers and causing the secretary to immediately fall on his knees, clutching his side and breathing hard. Isorou wasn't content to just smirk this time. With great, angry strides he walked toward the secretary his evil intent showing on his face.
It was Watari who blocked him this time, standing protectively in front of his friend.
"Step aside, Watari-san. I won't hesitate to destroy you if I need to."
"Over my dead body. You think I'll let you to hurt another one of my friends? We should have finished you off first day you touched Tsuzuki-san, you bastard son of Makai."
Isorou halted. "So you know," he said, eyes flashing dangerously, "Then you know that I won't be holding back. This is my last warning Watari-san. Step. Down."
But Watari only squared his shoulders, assuming a guard pose. With a growl Isorou waved his hands toward him and as if blown by a great wind, Watari found himself lifted in the air and slammed back down into the ground.
The wind left his lungs and he felt every bone in his body jar.
Isorou approached him slowly, anger showing darkly in his eyes. He looked down at him saying, "So, you're not my friend you say? And here I thought I could at least be kind to one of you. You shinigami…, your kind is all the same. Lazy, trouble-seeking scumbags who think they can do anything they want and get away with it. I will teach you a lesson." He raised his hand and a fireball started forming over it.
Watari looked on in dread, genuinely scared now. He looked over at Tatsumi who returned his glance with an equally helpless gaze. There was no question. No matter what they did, when it came to power they were all insects compared to this man whose demonic strength fed directly from the pits of hell. The only thing that could save them now was a miracle.
Which was exactly what Watari thought was happening when a moment later something large and flaming appeared in the sky right above Isorou's head and landed directly next to them throwing the prosecutor and his magic off balance. Isorou let out a surprised yelp, turning to see what had happened. Watari, who was as shocked as his enemy was, but at the same time relieved for having been spared Isorou's attack, raised his head and looked in the same direction. This new development wasn't comforting to his senses either.
Until he heard the cries of the phoenix.
"Suzaku," he cried out in joy, thrilled to see the phoenix and the big white tiger in their human forms standing in a circle of dying flames. For once, in a very long time, Watari felt a jolt of glee, wondering if things had finally taken a turn in their favor. He prayed that it was true, that somehow, in some way, this meant a new hope for their side and a chance for them to retaliate against the evil powers that were bent on destroying them.
In the end, it was Tsuzuki who once again had indirectly come to their rescue.
TBC
I should have posted this a long time ago but this week I was (and still partly am) busy changing computers and that took a whole chunk of my time, not to mention school projects which took the rest of it. I hope to start right away on the next chapter though. I hope you all liked this part.
Please review. I'd really appreciate it if you did. Even if you are reading this way after it was posted, it would still warm my heart to hear from you and to know that people are still reading and enjoying my story. Let's face it, reviewing brings joy to all of us, writers and readers alike. So please take part in bringing joy to other people or else you'd be like Isorou ;)