Unforeseen Tragedy

Part 2

Flashback Hisoka's POV

It was one of those times. Another murder, another mission, another investigation, another trip to the world of the living, and… another blood-red moon. Tatsumi had lightened up and after about an hour-long argument/begging period, he arranged for the two of us to stay at a fairly decent hotel, for once. It was not huge, but it was clean and warm, and we had actual beds to sleep in. despite the fine area and room service, which was keeping Tsuzuki satisfied, I was not able to enjoy myself, distracted by the unsettling view. I stood frozen still by the window, unable to draw my eyes away from the moon hanging just above the tree line. Tsuzuki assured me that it was fine, through a stuffed mouth, but I still wasn't so sure. I hate being right, sometimes. We had been stuck in that few sets of rooms on a stakeout for half a week, and Tatsumi was not eager to continue spending money on a lost cause. He was coming to pull us out of there.

It was only a few short moments after he had arrived that we witnessed an alarming explosion outside in the courtyard. I turned to the window and saw a tall plume of red and black smoke. It was so loud, I barely heard when Tatsumi suggested we leave the building. I turned back to them, only a minute having passed since the first explosion, before the second. This time, it came from directly outside the window I was standing at. Time seemed to move so slowly then…

First, I heard a loud growling noise from outside, and then the walls behind me sounded as if they were cracking apart. The explosion blew the whole wall inwards, and the glass shattered, following the pattern of destruction. I was propelled foreward before I could take even one step, and hit the floor with great force. I tried to move, clawing at the burnt remains of the floor, desperately trying to grab onto something to support me. A lifeline, if you will. My body felt numb all over and all I could hear was this loud buzzing noise for, what seemed like a long time- longer than it actually was. Feeling started to come back to my body, before my sense of sound, and the first thing I felt was a thick, cold liquid draining from my left ear. I had probably gone deaf, but, no doubt, my immortal body had already begun to fix that problem. Then I heard, barely, as Tsuzuki and Tatsumi called to me and grabbed me up by my arms, helping me to my feet.

"Hisoka! Are you okay!"

"Can you make it outside, Kurosaki?"

"I-I'll be fine!"

lying to them was the only way I could respond. I was in pain, but I couldn't think strait, and that response had long been programmed into me. It's been like that for so long. Together, we made it out of the building and into the courtyard, where we immediately had to split up into three different ways to avoid a blast aimed at us. I stumbled. My world spun about me, and I fell to my knees as my headache grew to intolerable levels. I coughed, some, and left myself open, unprotected against the concerns of the other two.

"Hisoka!"

"Kurosaki! Say something!"

I lifted my dizzy and pained head to see that the others had moved far from where I now was; maybe twenty or thirty feet away, I thought. My eyes wandered about, searching through the thick smoke, and they went wide as a white trench coat and a silver glare came into view. A large beast-like dragon was at his side.

"It looks like I've successfully managed to draw you out, yet again! I had not intended on making a direct hit from way down here, but now I'm quite glad I did! I amaze myself, sometimes…!"

I glared, as well as I could with my headache, and tried to stand. I failed, miserably, which earned me more incoming worries. I didn't like it, but my weak body just could not support my weight and I ended up back on the ground. I thought I heard Muraki laughing at me.

"Stay down, boy! You stand no chance at beating me in your current, pathetic state! You will have to sit this one out, and watch as I take what should be mine!"

"Muraki… damn you!"

"Hisoka, it's okay! Don't push yourself…!"

Slamming my fist onto the ground, I remember cursing myself, and at the same time, begging my body to heal more rapidly. Whether or not I shouted my curse aloud, I still received no reply from anyone. Though I was down and out for the time being, Tsuzuki and Mr. Tatsumi were standing tall and strong, prepared to take on the sadistic psycho.

"What the hell do you want NOW, Muraki?"

"The same thing I have always wanted from you, Mr. Tsuzuki! For you to realize your fight against me is futile and come running into my arms!"

The damn man held out his arms as he spoke and then brought them back to him, hugging his own shoulders tightly. I saw the way Tsuzuki shuddered, and the blush that came upon his angry face.

"That is never going to happen!"

"You think so?"

"Muraki! This, will be the end for you!"

"I do not agree, master of shadows! I do not agree at all!"

Muraki ordered his creature to fire upon the two. Tatsumi jumped to the side, preparing his shadows, as Tsuzuki took out a fuda spell to protect himself with. During that time, I must have lost consciousness. I have no idea what had happened then, but the next thing I can remember was being pulled to my feet by the collar of my shirt, and an icy voice spoke into my ear. The darkness I felt then was… intoxicating.

"Don't you die yet, boy. I want to see the look upon your face as I make your companions suffer terribly!"

"M-Muraki…"

"Hisoka! No! Muraki, let him go!"

"And why should I do that?"

I gasped as Muraki swung me out in front, twisting my arm back behind me in a way that I could not pull free. I bit my lip as not to yell out, and I could instantly see… and FEEL the hate radiating off of my partner.

"Mr. Tsuzuki, give me your anger! Let your anger and fury feed this beast! He yearns for blood!"

"No! Tsuzuki, get away!"

Muraki ordered his dragon to spit more fireballs at Tsuzuki, who dodged them quickly. He wasn't ready, however, as rubble from the building above him came crashing down. I again tried to get free of Muraki's hold as I saw that Tsuzuki's leg was trapped under the mess. He wouldn't be able to dodge the next attack, I knew, and I was scared for him, terrified, beyond rational thought.

But Muraki snapped his fingers, and again, the dragon launched its final attack. I yelled aloud, and that… that is when it happened. The voice I heard was not my own, for mine was already raw. The voice came from… the other. Yes, it happened, then. Mr. Tatsumi stepped right in front of the blast with his arms held out. …he let the attack hit him square in the chest. All the while, I had to watch how wide Tsuzuki's eyes got as he stared at his former partner bled. It felt like time had stopped and eternity had ended for us, but time returned to us all, if not too quickly. The blast tore the older man's nice, clean, pressed suit to pieces, and his blood spilled out as he fell back. Landing on Tsuzuki's lap.

Mr. Tatsumi's eyes were closed. He was in obvious pain, and his dark crimson blood spilled out of his chest and mouth and onto Tsuzuki, very gently, shaking, Tsuzuki shook the secretary.

"T-Tatsumi… no… no, Tatsumi…! Tatsumi, are you…..!"

The other didn't answer. If someone as frightful and strong as Mr. Tatsumi had been taken down just like that… then I figured we were all facing the end. It was then that I heard Tsuzuki's blood-curdling scream. I couldn't even shield my ears from it, and it was even harder on my empathic mind.

"Tatsumi!"

I knew the worst was yet to come…