Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei belongs to Yoko Matsushita and that's it.
+ ~ Hisoka´s POV ~ +
Wow.
Just what was going on here?
Had everyone turned crazy now?
Turning to make another round through my room, I shook my head. Wrong question. I should be rather questioning myself _when_ everyone has gotten crazy. Ever since the two shikigamis had ushered us into our rooms, I had been wondering what was going on. I had been doing this for quite a while now, if I might note.
And all the time I couldn't get rid of the feeling that there was something more to it. What had Touda said? Something bad and mighty had invaded the palace, vicious enough to set off every single alarm in the area. Really, from the fuss they're making about it, you should think that they were to evacuate everyone. Still, it was so eerily silent that it almost scared me.
Almost.
After all, I'd just suffered one of the biggest shocks of my life when I thought Kurikara was seriously going to kill me, had witnessed how Tsuzuki´s generals were continually patrolling through the hallways (I think they were searching for the invader), and the fact that Tsuzuki was in the room just next to me. I could count on Tsuzuki, though. No matter what, he'd shown up and saved me when things got worse. If he didn't get molested by Muraki. Not to mention the fact that I was an immortal ´god of death´ (-I like the Japanese shinigami better-) with nearly unlimited healing powers. That and the fact that I was over two years dead.
Like I said, I wasn't afraid at all about their strange behaviour.
No, not at all.
Someone tapped my shoulder.
"GYAAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"
"Whoa. Are you always that chicken?"
I stared at the dark-haired shiki in front of me. Kurikara RyuOh was standing in front of me, one hand propped onto his hip in an already familiar pose, watching me with a slight surprised and much more impish expression while I was still trying to calm my poor heart. It sounded as if it was going to explode every moment.
Kurikara smirked at me. "I didn't surprise you, did I?" Despite my shocked state I managed to glower at him, only to earn myself an amused stare.
"Kurikara!" I huffed. The dragon-king merely raised an eyebrow. All right, so maybe this wasn't the most clever thing to say… It was very fitting to what I was thinking that moment, though.
"What… What are you doing here?" In the middle of Tenkuu. Wasn't he worried in the least that the older shikigami would sense him? The seemed-to-be child shrugged.
"I was in the area and wanted to see if you were listening to my advice. Obviously not." I scowled at him. He didn't think I'd really believe him, did he? That was absolute nonsense.
The expelled shiki grinned. "All right, all right…. Lying to an empath… difficult…" The scowl got deeper. "I remembered something important I think you should know."
I rose a sceptical eyebrow. "Is that so?" Kurikara gave me a serious look, suddenly dropping the smart-ass act completely.
"It is. In fact, it is even very important that you listen to me."
Stepping forward, he utterly surprised me by reaching out and touching my hand. Resisting the urge to immediately draw back, I gave him a shocked stare. I didn't like being touched, as an empath, you also wouldn't; and, from what I've seen, Kurikara couldn't stand it as well. Yet he was here, initiating it willingly. "Kuri…kara?"
"What is it? What-" Noticing something trickling down his forehead, I caught my breath. "Why are you bleeding?!" Kurikara just gave me a serious look that made me shiver inwardly.
Like this, his posture belied his physical appearance. Seeing him like that made you realize that you weren't speaking with some small thirteen year old child, but with a spirit old and experienced enough to stick up against the gathered power of all the twelve heavenly generals. Now also considering that it took them about a whole week to take him down and that he was still alive, it made him a pretty darn strong entity.
Well, guess he wouldn't be called ´flame-surrounded dragon king´* if he weren't.
After all that was the reason why I'd chosen him out of all possible shikis, right?
A slight squeeze, neither too soft nor too rough, called me back from my thoughts. Kurikara was dead serious by now.
"… boy, what I'm telling you now… I know that it's going to be hard to believe. I don't even ask you to believe me, just to listen and think over it." I frowned. What was it that was serious enough to make him act like that. Like hell I'd listen!
"Just start speaking."
He seems surprised at my words. For a moment, a connection between our feelings opened, and I could clearly feel his astonishment at them. Astonishment …and relief? I decided to keep that thought for later. This was nothing to let go.
"It's about…"
"HISOKA!!!"
At the sound of Tsuzuki´s voice, we both whirl around, half-expecting my brash partner to stand in the middle of the doorway. Luckily he wasn't. Seeing us like that, one couldn't be too sure what he'd think about what exactly we were doing. (He had had some bad experiences you see? Most of them including somebody whose name started with ´M´.)
The door shook again under the heavy bangs of his hands. "Hisoka!! Let me in!" I frowned, but moved nonetheless to open the door. Something tugged at my hand.
Sparing a startled look back, I realised that it was Kurikara. The fire dragon seemed reluctant to let go of my hand.
"Kurikara…"
"Don't go."
Now I was clearly surprised. "Huh?" He evaded my eyes.
"Don't go. … Please. Listen to me first. It's important."
I still didn´t understand. "Kurikara… „
He suddenly shook his head, making jet-black strands of hair fly violently. Since when did he have short hair anyway? Pushing away my irritation, I tried my best to look reassuring. (and completely failed, by his reactions.)
"Look. It's just Tsuzuki. He just sometimes has really bad timing."
That just triggered another shaking.
"Iie! It's important! Now!" If you don't listen now…
Thoughts whispered over our empathic connection, most of them laced with profound horror.
#Two people, talking. One of them clearly hurt.
A heavy aura of icy indifference.
". …Why did you…
..…I was waiting…"
".So?"#
I jerked my hand away with a gasp, the feeling of hurt momentarily becoming too much for me to bear. What was that?! Gods…! I still felt as if my heart had been ripped out with brute force. That voice… It had sounded so apathetic..
"Hisoka-!"
I stared at the short spirit in front of me. Gone was the impressive dragon king, leaving a desperate-looking, young boy. The banging on the door got louder.
"HISOKA!!"
"Please…Hisoka…"
I was torn between the two of them. I knew that Tsuzuki was only worried about me. But Kurikara… What in hell was going on?
"HISOKA!!!"
"Coming!" At the urgent sound in my partner's voice, I had no other choice than to react. Quickly turning to the small black-haired boy, I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring pat on the shoulder and said in a lowered voice.
"Look. It's just Tsuzuki. If I don't let him in now, he's going to attract the attention of the whole palace." Seeing the shiki´s still doubtful look, I added. "He's just worried about me."
Slowly, Kurikara drew back.
"…You're lucky that you have such good friends."
"HI-SO-KA!!"
"He really seems to care a lot about you."
I smiled weakly. "Yeah. That he does…"
I went to open the door when I heard the soft rustle of clothes. "It would be better if he doesn't finds me here."
"Hisok~a!!"
When I finally opened the door I realized something. Kurikara had just called me ´Hisoka´.
+ ~ + ~ + ~ +
Hisoka was distracted, I immediately could see that the moment he finally opened the door and let me in.
"Hisoka! What happened to you-? Kouchin said that the invader had taken a rout leading directly to this part of Tenkuu… I was worried!"
Hisoka just stared at me, making me even more nervous. "I… It's nothing." "Hisoka?" Yup. Something was definitely wrong.
"It's nothing, I said!"
Wha-? I backed down, my astonishment clearly written on my face. What was suddenly wrong with him now?
"Um, um. I just asked… I was worried!" That brought me a cold glare, but at least that was something I was used to by now. "I´m fine." Yup, that's the partner I'm used to and deeply care about. A Hisoka who wasn't grumpy and glaring at least once in a day wasn't a healthy one. Still, I wasn't going to leave him here in this room where every possible danger was lurking. He was my precious partner, after all!
+ ~ + ~ + ~ +
I watched with a certain sick fascination how the boy got dragged out by his older partner. Boy, that brat had could swear! Add that to a temper which could almost match mine.
I almost started pitying Tsuzuki. Almost. After all it was because of him that I didn't get to tell the boy. Frowning, I stepped out of my hiding place. What was it anyway that I never ever came to have a normal conversation when it came to something important?! Just bad karma, I guess. My temper or way of arguing had definitely nothing to do with it.
Yeah… The conversation. What I wanted to tell him, what had been so important, I- Argh!
A sudden wave of vertigo send me staggering. I dropped to the floor, clenching my head with my hands. Ow! Gods, what was that?! The dizziness got only worse. Instead of going away, a screeching sound started tormenting my ears to no end while a dull pain was soaring in my head.
Ah! Hell! I gasped, sucking in my breath. Why-? What…?! How did I get into this room anyway? I can't remember…. And where were Futsu and Ame? They should be with me… .
Something wet was trickling down my forehead. Huh? What was that? …Blood? I was bleeding? How? Releasing my death-grip on my head, I slowly brought my fingers forward, trying to figure out what was ha-Ow! A new wave of pain ran through my skull.
What . was . tha-!! This time I couldn't keep myself quite from crying out loud. What was- I came here to talk with somebody, but who? The boy… The boy, I wanted to talk with that shinigami boy, right? …I have to warn him. I gasped again as the pain got too much, and I sunk into the grateful darkness of unconsciousness.
+ ~ + ~ + ~ +
"Tsuzuki wha-? Stop! Wait! I have to get my stuff first-"
It didn't work. Damn, it didn't work! Tsuzuki was vehemently tugging me down the corridor and away from the room.
"Damn! Let go!!"
I yanked my arm free. Did that guy actually never get it into his head that I didn't like being touched? Obviously not.
"But Hisokaa~!"
Taking a quick step to prevent the tugging game starting again, I gave Tsuzuki a serious look. "I just have to quickly do something before leaving. I'll be right back." According to the look he gave me, he didn't believe me.
"But…"
Before I could find a suitable answer that would calm his worries enough - It's not as if I would mind him being concerned about me- but I had to go back and tell Kurikara at least that I wasn't going to stand him up there willingly. The memories and the hurt accompanying them were still quite vivid in the back of my mind. I didn't want him to think that it was happening again. Oops, my thoughts were straying. Anyway, just when I was to about to answer, we both got nearly run over by Suzaku.
Following hot on her heels was Byakko. All we could do was gape at them (after doing a rather less than graceful full-length dive to evade being simply run over by her).
"Suzaku! Byakko! What's wrong?"
The armed female didn't even pause to answer, but Byakko turned at Tsuzuki´s shout. "We found him! We finally located where the evil aura's coming from!"
"Where?"
I gasp behind Tsuzuki. Please, don't let it be… Byakko gave his master a weary smile. "You were really lucky that you weren't hurt. It's directly over there." He pointed at the entrance of my room.
"Ah! Nee-san, wait for me! You know that it's dangerous!"
With that he dashed off, trying to catch up with Suzaku, who was just entering my room, her sword ready. I was too shocked to react. Don't tell me that they- No. Impossible. They couldn't possibly be thinking that the malicious, evil spirit that had invaded Tenkuu was… I never came to finish that thought as the doorway suddenly seemed to explode.
Suzaku was blasted out of the room and landed hard on the floor. Crouching over her, holding her own sword to her throat was nobody else but a maliciously smirking Kurikara.
"Well, birdie. Lost your way?"
______________
CONTINUE . . . ?
*According to my poor translation abilities, it's about what it could mean in English. ^^;
Back again.^^ Whoo, this story got reviews, reviews! Arigatou!^__^ So, this is the chapters end and like always, I´d like to ask ya to tell me what you think of it.^_~