Borrowed Empathy : Chapter 5.
Watari and Hisoka ran as fast as they could to Tatsumi's office, and skidded to a stop at the secretary's door. They pushed it open...
And froze in shock.
There, in the middle of the room, sitting at his desk, exactly the same as always, was Tatsumi.
His desk was organized. His glasses were perfectly positioned. His brown suit was un-wrinkled. His hair was neatly combed. The secretary was sitting calmly at his desk, leaning on his elbows, with his eyes closed, looking like absolutely nothing was wrong.
Around him, however, was total chaos. The room was filled with blackness. It looked like a tornado of shadows was spinning around him. Dark shapes rose like flames from his body, spread to the walls, took form, and whirled frantically around him. Tendrils of dark energy lashed out, knocking books off the shelves, throwing the chairs against the wall, and breaking the glass in the window.
And in the middle of the destruction, oblivious to the catastrophe around him, Tatsumi was sitting completely still. His blue eyes were closed behind his glasses. The only indication that anything was wrong was the slight scowl on his face and the fact that he was pressing his fingertips against his temples.
"Tatsumi-san!" Hisoka called, unsure if the shadow master could even hear him. "Tatsumi-san! STOP! You have to stop!"
Beside him, the golden-haired scientist stared at the scene for a few seconds in disbelief and confusion.
"Bon! What is going on?! It was supposed to give him empathy, not do anything to his shadow magic!" Watari exclaimed frantically.
"I think… I think it did give him empathy..." whispered the boy.
Hisoka frowned in concentration. Green eyes narrowed for a second as he lowered his shields to sense what Tatsumi was feeling.
NOISE. Voices. Too many voices. What is happening to me? Stress. No, heat. No, fear. No, surprise! Why? Music. Exhaustion. Cold. Death. Regret. Guilt. Happiness. Almost time for dinner... I don't understand.
Why can't I raise my shields? NOISE!
Dreams. Was that a dream? No, not anymore. Roses. Sadness. Pain. FEAR. Confusion. Voices. I am so hungry... Library. Loneliness. Memories. Snow, falling. Loss.
Faces. Faces. Who are you? I'm sorry. Outrage. Tea and sakura petals. Is this a memory? Whose? Concern. Moonlight. Laughter. Joy. Images. Fear. Screaming. I wonder if... Stress. Running. Chaos. Murder. Children. Anguish. Regret. Fear.
Faces. Voices. Purple eyes. Guilt. Contentment. Mine? NOISE.
Noise. So much noise. Past, present, dreams, reality, emotions, it hurts, MAKE IT STOP, why won't it stop, IT HURTS, stay away from me, shut up, shut up, it hurts, it hurts so much!
My shadows will protect me.
Hisoka yelped and slammed up his shields. He staggered back a step, his arms wrapped around his stomach, like he always did whenever his empathy was too strong.
"Oh, no... He can feel everyone in the entire building," Hisoka whispered. "He's overloading."
Watari shook him by the shoulder. "Hey, are you all right?"
"Don't worry about me! Help him!" Hisoka shot back desperately. "Don't you understand?! He doesn't know how to control empathy like I do! He's in agony!"
Golden eyes flickered to the statuesque figure of Tatsumi, still seated motionless in the middle of a raging storm.
"WELL, DON'T JUST STAND THERE! DO SOMETHING!" Hisoka yelled.
"Oh! Right!"
Watari vanished on the spot. He teleported to the infirmary, and immediately teleported back. The scientist reappeared with a syringe in his hand. He dashed into Tatsumi's office with Hisoka right behind.
But no sooner had they stepped inside then Hisoka let out a yelp of surprise. A huge black tentacle had grabbed him around the waist, lifted him into the air, and pinned him against the wall.
"Tatsumi! Relax! It's just us! You're safe! You don't need to fight!" Watari was saying, trying to approach the secretary's chair and dodging shadows at the same time.
Watari was surprisingly fast and agile. He managed to avoid the thrashing shadows and was almost close enough to the man to deliver the shot, but he was unable to get any closer without getting shredded.
"Tatsumi, stop this! I know it hurts, but I'm going to help you!" Watari pleaded. "Tatsumi… Tatsumi?! SEIICHIROU!"
Blue eyes flew open to reveal cobalt spheres swirled with black.
The man bolted out of his chair.
Watari lunged for him, grabbing his arms. The brunette fought him wildly, but Watari overpowered him.
He had just managed to slide the needle into Tatsumi's arm and push the plunger before a shadow caught his wrist and yanked his hand away.
Tatsumi stood for a moment more, his blue eyes disoriented. Then, he swayed and collapsed. Watari caught him before he hit the floor.
The instant Tatsumi was unconscious, the shadows returned to their places, lost their mass, and stopped moving.
Hisoka fell to the ground with a grunt.
Panting, he crawled towards the other two shinigami.
Watari was holding the sleeping man close to his chest. Tatsumi was limp, now, but still sort of on his feet, and the blonde man was supporting him. Very gently, he scooped the taller man into his arms.
"Watari," Hisoka began in a very controlled voice. "Exactly how much of that potion did you put into Tatsumi-san's tea?"
Watari chuckled nervously.
He gave a little shrug and said in a small voice, "Um... all of it?"