Well hello there. For those of you who have been following my renewed activity on this site, this is a completely new chapter which I added to flesh out Muraki's current 'ahem' situation a bit more. Again, revamping is fun.

Enjoy

Muraki blinked. He did not remember having blinked for a very long time as his sense of self had left his body a while ago. Under normal circumstances one would call it dying. Having come close to the door of death on several occasions before and he felt certain familiarity to the process although this time he was reentering from the other side of the door - from the state of non-existence. He noted that his eyes must have been open all the time until he regained his consciousness. He could not see though. Gradually other senses started kicking in along with tremendous burning pain that left him gasping for breath.

It was hell. His body felt like it was on fire. He gasped and at the same time tried not to move since his burnt skin peeled and tore at every movement. Whatever it was that he was lying on just seemed to cling to his scorched skin and pull it away like one would pull skin off a baked potato. After what seemed to be agonizing hours the pain subsided and his vision started to return, if only in his one eye. He understood now, his retina must have been completely destroyed by the laboratory fire. Something had saved him from that inferno and was healing him. His body felt lethargic and exhausted after regenerating all that tissue and he once more fell into slumber.

This time Muraki was woken up by the thump of little muffled steps that he initially assumed belonged to a child however then he heard it mumble and that voice definitely belonged to a senior person. The doctor stayed still just in case it was hostile and tried instead to assess where he was with his eye closed. His skin had completely regenerated by now and he felt that he was in fact laying on a carpet. The room was warm enough and to his better knowledge he was naked.

-"Lord count, lord count, there is a naked man in your library!" Muraki heard the owner of the little feet say somewhere nearby but not in the same room. He could not decipher the response of the lord count in question but his voice sounded as if he was perfectly aware of the fact. The conversation carried on with more "Lord Count" and Muraki moved or at least he hoped he could move. When he opened his eye his vision swam so he had to pinch it shut lest he became nauseous. Instead he attempted to stand up and realized that his body had become unruly and unresponsive. He felt around for something to steady himself and attempted opening his eye again. This time it was better, still he was making too much noise for his own liking.

Watson was charged with making their new guest feel at home and was balancing a platter of tea and some assorted nibbles on his head whilst entering the library. He carefully set the teacups and other cutlery on the table and was about to turn around only to be forced into ground with a muffled squeak. Muraki had opted for a less damaging attack just in case he needed help from the servant. Moments later he was forced to release the body as he realized that Watson was composed of decaying flesh so instead of his bare hands he quickly opted for a chair to keep restraining the servant in place.

-"What is your name?"

-"Watson, sir?" The poor manservant blurted out. "Please do not hurt me."

-"Where am I Watson?" He considered lifting the little body off the ground for emphasis but Watson seemed to be sufficiently terrified by him as it was.

-"In castle of candles, sir."

Then it all clicked. He was going to be judged by Emna and the rest of... he did not have a moment to finish the thought when the door swung open revealing the Lord Count himself or rather what he appeared to be - a mask and a pair of gloves. Muraki stood up suddenly being much more aware of his nakedness and not because of the draft the opened door created either.

-"Why, I hoped for a nice cup of tea but there you go and assault poor old Watson." The count tutted not at all sorry for his servant.

-"My apologies to you Watson, it was indeed uncalled for." Muraki nodded his head in the direction of the undead butler who made a non-descript noise and disappeared behind the door. Once left alone Muraki turned to face the Count who`s mask had floated to the vacant seat next to the table that Watson set just moments ago.

-"Please, Doctor, there is no need to be so stiff. We all are old acquaintances are we not?" A white glove gestured towards the other chair.

For the first time that evening Muraki felt the discomfort of not having binocular vision, he had difficulties estimating the distance to the chair and then to the items of china set on the table. The Count had noticed this.

-"I`m afraid we did not manage saving that wonderful piece of machinery from the fire. It had melted right into your eye socket so we had to remove it before the reanimation could take place."

-"Had I known I would need it in afterlife I would have ordered a spare." Muraki looked into the empty eye of the mask calmly and sipped his tea. He was curious about what was happening to his now unoccupied eyesocket as he had not had a chance to take a proper look at himself in the mirror. However that could wait, in fact many things would have to.

The Count did not reply, instead his mask moved closer to inspect Muraki`s face, so close in fact that it now hovered suspended half way across the table.

-"Do you have any idea why you are here doctor?" There was a grin in his voice and probably some ill intent that Muraki chose to ignore.

-"I assume that you have more bones to pick with my animated self rather than my charred remains. I must commend you on your reanimation skills though." Muraki extended his hand to inspect it properly. Having reanimated a handful of corpses in his career as the local villain he was well acquainted with the setbacks especially when the body was damaged beyond help. "Beautiful execution given what you had to work with."

-"It was a hassle indeed but we just could not let you escape so easily."

-"I feel flattered Count. But why all the effort? Would it not be easier for you if I remained dead?" Muraki sipped his tea, it was some foreign blend that he was not all that used to.

-"And indeed it is!" The Count rejoiced "But you see, only ever so rarely we come across an asset like this."

Muraki lifted his eyebrow. "Asset? Are you thinking of turning me into one of your undead dogs?" He laughed now, the concept was ludicrous.

The Count made an affirmative noise and continued. "We were lucky with Tsuzuki, even though your grandfather wanted to keep him for himself. And finally we got the last heir of the Muraki family and a body of such quality!"

-"You speak of him as if he was your personal belonging." Muraki referred to Tsuzuki whilst trying to assimilate the new information. On the other hand an unwelcome memory flashed in his mind - his mother beckoning him, calling him her most perfect treasure, her doll. He shivered in disgust - he was to become the Ministry`s animated corpse.

-"He owes me too many favors." The Count shrugged. "Furthermore with new crew coming in the division I just might get Lord Emna to reconsider Mr. Tsuzuki`s position in the active force."

Muraki was aware that the Count taunted him with the prospect of Tsuzuki on purpose. "One must pay one`s dues, I suppose." Muraki took a biscuit and washed it down with tea, he was hoping that carbohydrates would soon start kicking in and would make him less lethargic. "Speaking of dues, I was certain that I was on the Ministry`s blacklist but I was not aware that this applied to my entire family."

-"Murakis were, and I hope you do not mind me using past tense, do you doctor? So, your family had been a thorn in our side since the last century. Your great grandfather and grandfather alike were exceptional both when it came to their skill as doctors and their more supernatural pursuits. It was easier with your father, mostly thanks to your mother. We hoped Muraki lineage would end with this woman but no, she fell in love and you exceeded even our wildest expectations."

-"That woman, my mother, it was not a coincidence that she married my father was it?"

-"We knew for sure she could not bear children, but somehow you came into being beyond our control."

Muraki narrowed his eye. -"Just one question Count, at what point exactly did I turn from a mere hindrance into a desirable asset?"

The count set his chin into his palm and made a humming noise. "Since the incident with your half brother, I`d say. We had hoped that he might finally finish you off but he did not and from there on you were just like a box of surprises. No matter what we threw at you."

Muraki could not believe that he had been so toyed with. "So you had planned it all along." The disruption of his family, the bits and pieces of occult knowledge that he thought he had found through his own effort.

-"What do you think doctor?" the count giggled. "Your family has meddled with our affairs long enough. It was only a matter of time when we would get our retribution and we took our sweet time."

Muraki had not noticed that he had risen up. Never in his life had he experienced hatred and despair so profound. His mother, father, grandfather, his obsession with Tsuzuki. The damned Saki, everything was a twisted scheme of the ministry higher ups to execute vengeance upon his family.

-"Oh but do not blame us for everything. Pallid looks are much more befitting to an angel of death than a life-saving doctor, don`t you think?"

-"You destroyed my future." Muraki took a butter knife from the table and sliced it clearly through the open slit of the mask where he hoped the count`s eye might be.

The count only laughed at this the knife still sticking out of the mask. "Oh no, you did it all yourself, we just gave you a little push."

Muraki had murdered for thrill, benefits and sustenance but today he wanted to murder the man in front of him because he in all rights deserved it. He struck for the air around the mask hoping to come into contact with something tangible but instead he felt his wrist restrained and pulled back. He glanced at his wrist only to see a hand restraining him. A bloodied arm emerged from portal behind him opening into sea of blackness from which no light escaped. It was like a pool of black water suspended vertically in the air. Soon another arm latched on his left leg. He felt his skin scorch under the restraining limbs as if the healing his body had undergone only hours before was being undone. He gritted his teeth and pulled against the overwhelming force. He had to reach that bastard and kill him, it was going to be the last thing he had to do, the objective of his existence. Another limb grabbed him around the abdomen and started pulling him closer to the opening. Muraki yelled, struggling against the force. "I`ll come for you, even if it takes me an eternity to do so, I`ll come for you." He was being dragged deeper into the hole now, the dark matter was burning his skin off his bones. The Count was laughing in his face and there was nothing he could do. The hole closed off.

-"Having an angry man on your side, Count you should consider the consequences." Came Emna`s voice from behind.

-"As long as Mr. Tsuzuki is around we have him on a leash."

-"As long as he is interested in Mr. Tsuzuki."

-"He is a dead man, there is nothing he can do and nowhere he can go that we do not know. Eternity is mighty long, we might as well have entertainment, don`t you think?"

-"You have my permission for now."

Several months later laying on the exact same carpet Muraki remembered that he had blinked into existence several times already. Again blind, again in scorching pain with faint memories of what had happened before. The same little rushed footsteps of Watson woke him up. The memories of being torn up in hell only to be pulled out to heal up and be thrown back again.

He recounted the last scenarios he had been in that is escaping the castle of candles and failing, trying to kill Watson and Count in several attempts, setting the castle on fire and killing himself which all resulted in him being thrown into the pits of hell for another go like in some sort of a deranged Groundhog day.

This time when the Count came for tea Muraki did not bother with pleasantries. His psyche was worn to the bone and he feared that he might end up losing himself if he continued. "What do you want Count?"

-"Took you long enough." Over their previous interactions the count had grown weary of Muraki as well. -"You follow our orders and we do not throw you back into the pits of hell."

-"Can I pair up with Mr. Tsuzuki?" That earned Muraki another visit to hell.

On their next meeting Muraki accepted the Count`s offer with no comment. He felt dirty for it but vengeance was best served cold. Staying in shinigami service would grant him the only shot at it he had.

...Present day...

Muraki blew a white feather in the air. It had floated into his little office through the open window and offered some entertainment in his otherwise bare office. He had finished his readings on demonology for time being. It seemed that due to his previous exploits the ministry had deemed him appropriate for investigation of demon interference as clearly he was not allowed to interact with mortals because of his recent demise. As far as he could see hunting the underworld folk was a dangerous and dirty business more than anything. However so far he did not yet have to face off the things, that is not until he got a suitable replacement for his mechanical eye or a partner...

He rubbed the lapel of his shirt, the fabric was as good as he was used to. Figures, his possessions, his lavish home, priceless library, car and other belongings had been managed by the ministry clearly not in his favor. He was a blank slate, he had no identity in the real world, he possessed nothing and knew nobody.

What seemed most boring though was the social quarantine or office confinement of sorts which he had to put up with. He was not allowed to interact with the most of the staff apart from the absolute necessary people. So far he had spoken to Gushoshin brothers who regarded him with scorn because it was indirectly his fault their beloved library building was demolished. That is when he had tampered with Tsuzuki`s psyche thus making his shikigami go berserk and raze the place. He had a chat with the leader of demonology department but that was it. The summons section was just in the building across but so far he was only allowed to leave his office for toilet breaks. It was only obvious that he had not seen a glimpse of Mr. Tsuzuki. Furthermore everyone knew it was his weak point, probably even the brunette himself.

That was alright however, eventually he would get a chance, time was the only unlimited resource he now had.