Thanks to Demonprist and Gengkotsuya for their help and encouragement!
Thanks too to all who have kept reading. I'm really grateful for your comments, big and small - it's all your fault this fic is so long.
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Miss Kittin has done this ethereal portrait of Muraki...so soft and dreamy. Otakusoei has done a creepy, more sinister Muraki blatantly showing off his torso against a gothic backdrop of a moon and crimson sky. You can see them by visiting my site (see bio).
Chief Konoe's request was explicit.
But to Tsuzuki Asato, senior Shinigami in EnmaCho's Shoukanka, Muraki Kazutaka was an individual of intense interest - a fascination that threatened to become an obsession.
Forget about Muraki? He couldn't if he tried. More importantly, he didn't want to. EnmaCho's refusal to acknowledge Muraki as a threat only fuelled his curiosity.
With the silver hair samples in the breast pocket of his jacket, he visited Watari.
The laboratory was silent except for the scrape and tap of chalk as Watari wrote on a blackboard. A variety of birds kept him company: a penguin, a macaw, a goose, a pelican, a robin and 003 all perched on individual stools. 003 hooted and flew towards Tsuzuki when he entered the room.
"Hey, Tsuzuki! Come in! I was hoping you'd come to see this."
"See what?" Tsuzuki let 003 land on his shoulder as he goggled at the other birds. "Did you bring them all to life from your drawings?"
"003 gets lonely," Watari said, a trace of defensiveness in his voice. "She needs to spend time with her own kind."
"But none of them are owls. They're all different species."
"Hah! How do you know? When did you become a practising ornithologist?"
"Okay, okay." Tsuzuki hated it when Watari tossed out scientific jargon to show off his superior knowledge, but he reluctantly played along. "What is it you wanted to show me?"
"Grab a stool." Watari turned back to the blackboard and kept writing. "I have a lot of trouble drawing other owls. It was a stroke of genius I got 003 right when I did. I've never been able to replicate anything like her since. Sometimes creativity is like lightning - it never strikes twice."
Tsuzuki placed his stool behind the row of birds, while 003 fluttered back to her seat. It seemed rude to sit in front of them - he'd end up blocking their view. And they appeared to be paying attention to Watari, following his movements with their beady eyes, heads bobbing each time he changed direction.
"Watari, I'm here about the--"
"Quiet, everyone! No speaking in class!" Watari dusted chalk from his fingers and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Now who can tell me what is 22 times 3?"
Tsuzuki froze - those were the numbers on the anagram. In front of him, the goose honked.
"Very good! 22 times 3 equals 66." He wrote the completed sum on the board. "Now what is 22 plus 3?"
The pelican opened its big beak and squawked.
"Exactly! 25 it is! Now what is 22 divided by..."
Tsuzuki bowed his head and folded his arms, while the lab erupted in a cacophony of birdcalls.
"Hey! No sleeping at the back there! Answer the question! 22 divided by 3?"
Tsuzuki's reply was immediate. "7, remainder 1."
Watari blinked. "That's correct--"
"And 22 minus 3 is 19."
The birds turned on Tsuzuki, screeching and squawking their displeasure, their wings - flippers in the penguin's case - flapping in outrage.
"You're disrupting my class! Don't answer questions I haven't even asked yet!"
"And you're taking too long to make your point."
Watari sniffed. "I'm trying to jog your memory, because your anagram consists of a series of numbers and they don't correspond to any mathematical relationship I know of." He turned to the blackboard and drew a sketch. "The top part is III - three in Roman numerals. And the bottom part here is XXII - that's twenty-two."
Tsuzuki leaned forward. "What's the middle part?"
"It's an example of a monogram, a design created by combining letters so that one letter forms part of another. The earliest examples appeared using the Roman alphabet in the first century BC. You can still see them today in the insignia of royalty and military institutions, the emblems of exclusive fashion houses, and even the embroidered towels and bathrobes given as wedding gifts."
Tsuzuki thought of Muraki kneeling before him, head bowed, drying his hands with a towel. He shifted in his seat.
"The good news is that by studying many examples of monogram designs, I think I've worked out the letters in the centre." Watari grabbed a piece of coloured chalk and began to trace over the symbol. "This forms a cross, or X. And this part - if you ignore the curls and separate it out, it forms an elaborate V. Then there's the border at the bottom. You drew it so it extended halfway to the vertex of the V - I wasn't sure if that was carelessness - but then I noticed one arm of the V is thicker than the other. It forms a hidden letter - L. Isn't that clever?"
"X, V, L," Tsuzuki repeated. "What number is that?"
"Aha! That depends on the order." He wrote them separately on the board large enough for everyone to see. "In Roman numerals, L equals fifty and V equals five. So if we assume the number is LXV, the number is 65. But that makes no sense!" He whirled around to face Tsuzuki. "Twenty-two times three should equal 66! There must be a missing I! Are you sure you drew this properly?"
Tsuzuki stared at the letters, gaze narrowed. "Yes."
"Whoever thought up this anagram doesn't know basic maths. I even tried rearranging the order of the letters - XLV becomes 45, for example. But there's no way you can come up with 45 from 2 and 33."
Tsuzuki flexed his shoulders. "Maybe it isn't a number. Maybe it's a name."
"Well..." Watari rearranged the letters. "It is possible to make 'LVX' from the letters. In Roman times, "V' was used to represent the 'u' vowel. If we substitute 'U' for 'V,' it becomes LUX." He suddenly smiled. "Lux! That's the scientific measurement for the illumination of an object!"
Tsuzuki clenched his hands into fists. "Lux is also Latin for light."
Watari turned around. "I didn't know you knew Latin."
"I don't really. But I've heard a little from listening to funeral rites." Tsuzuki closed his eyes in concentration. "'Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace.'" When he opened his eyes and saw Watari's quizzical expression, he translated it: "Grant eternal rest unto him, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. Rest in peace."
"Oh." Watari scratched his head and laughed. "I didn't think there were many Catholics in Japan."
"I'm sure you're right. The Catholics in Nagasaki are few in number, but they are devout practitioners of their faith." Tsuzuki didn't smile back. "You knew what it meant. You didn't need me to tell you."
Watari smiled sheepishly. "Well...it's your dream, right? The significance of the dream is something only you can determine. Anyway, that's what I've deciphered so far: 3, 22, LUX."
Immeasurable light.
Muraki's power - brilliant white light. Saagatanus was dazzled by it. The buckles and the cat were imbued with its power. In his dream, Tsuzuki had been branded with its title.
Saagatanus knew - but there was no way to learn the truth from him now.
"The name 'Lucifer' means light-bearer," Watari mused aloud. "In Christian tradition, it's associated with Satan, the greatest of all the mythological demons. Then again, in that funeral rite you quoted, 'lux' refers to goodness, not evil. Parts of the Christian Bible refer to Jesus Christ as 'lux vera,' the true light. The reference doesn't necessarily imply evil. It all depends on the context. Why, in Greek literature, the title 'lucifer' was first given to Venus, the morning star--"
"Watari." Tsuzuki's voice was dangerously quiet. "You've done a lot of research on this, haven't you?"
"I can tell the anagram contains something of great significance - but I need to figure out the context." He went to Tsuzuki, and pulled out the scrap of paper Tsuzuki had given him. "You said you saw it on a body - but was it male or female? Dead or alive?"
Tsuzuki smiled brightly and stood up. "Don't worry about it - it was just a strange dream. You've worked on this long enough. Thank you for your help."
"But this is important, Tsuzuki! I can't help you unless I have more information--"
"He was an old man. A useless old man who died a long time ago and doesn't want to wake up again." He turned away from Watari's searching gaze to look at the unlit Bunsen burner and empty glassware hanging on the drying racks. "You've neglected your experiments to work on this, huh? I noticed it was quieter than usual when I came in."
"It's no trouble. I wanted to help." Watari held up the anagram again. "Are you sure there's nothing else? Are you sure you didn't see any other letters or lines?"
Tsuzuki walked past him. "You've even cleaned your bench. I never thought I'd see the day." The lab bench, usually cluttered with books and papers, was partially cleared for a small leather-bound Bible and a range of books on numerology, occult practices, and mathematics. "I'm so sorry. I honestly never meant to inconvenience you so much. Don't worry about it anymore. You've done more than enough work."
"But we have to figure out what it means!" Watari placed the paper on the bench so Tsuzuki couldn't miss it. "Tsuzuki, I've read about a secret tradition of numerology practised in some early branches of Christianity. They believed that certain numbers had powerful magical qualities. Because their numerical system was based on their alphabet, they were able to assign these special numbers to names, phrases, even entire sentences. The verse in the Book of Revelation about the number of the beast, 666, is the most well-known--"
A shiver of atavistic fear ran down Tsuzuki's spine. "I know, Watari. I know."
"--but there are many other Biblical examples as well. The '3' and '22' could refer to some word or name...or maybe '66' has some significance. I need to read more about it." He frowned as he looked at the anagram. "Tsuzuki, are you sure there aren't a couple of C's there? If that bottom number was 222, it would be a mystical triple number--"
"That's all there was." Tsuzuki picked up the paper, and resisted the urge to tear it to shreds. His shoulder blades began to ache. "If you want to investigate it further, you're welcome to do so. But I already know all that I wanted to know, thanks to you. There's no need to put yourself out if you have other things to do."
"It's no trouble at all! Give me another day and I'll see what I can do." He noticed Tsuzuki's pained look. "Is something wrong?"
Tsuzuki braced himself against the bench. He bit his lip as the sizzling pain went down his spine. "I feel a little hot. Could I get a glass of water?"
"Sure! Can one of you grab a glass?" he asked the birds.
They flew up as one flapping mass of feathers and swooped for the nearest sink. Honking plaintively, the penguin hopped off the stool and waddled after them in last place.
"Hey, not that one! That's non-potable water!" Watari ran after them, waving his hands wildly to attract their attention. "003, you should know better!"
In the ensuing chaos, Tsuzuki took off his jacket and placed it over the Bible. He undid the collar of his shirt and took deep breaths. He eased the pain yesterday in the hotel room. He knew he could do it again.
He shut his eyes and thought of cold water. He imagined rippling streams, torrential rains, splashing waterfalls...
Saagatanus spluttering and coughing and writhing in vain as the water poured down his throat...
Muraki's eyes glowing with approval...and his teeth marking his shoulder as reward.
I will brand you with pleasure where he once branded you with pain.
A trickle of ice crept across his shoulders. The pain eased across his back.
Tsuzuki closed his eyes in relief. This erratic new power could be mastered like any other. He slid his arm beneath the fabric of the jacket to clasp the Bible. As he lifted it up, the jacket draped over his arm, concealing the book from view.
Watari held the glass of water aloft like a trophy. "Got it!" The robin was perched on one shoulder, the big macaw on the other. 003 roosted proudly atop Watari's head.
Tsuzuki drank it in one gulp. "Thanks, Watari. I should go - I've already disrupted your work enough for one day." Carefully he began to step over the pelican, penguin and goose at Watari's feet. "Thanks again!"
"Sure, any time. If you ever need my help, you know where I am."
Tsuzuki decided to keep the hair samples. Once Watari saw them, he would feel obliged to tell Konoe - the last thing Tsuzuki wanted. There was no need to place Watari in such an awkward situation. Tsuzuki knew of other methods to find out what he needed to know. "I'll remember that. See you later!"
Watari sighed once Tsuzuki left. "Some people don't have the attention span to focus in a classroom environment."
The birds chirped and squawked and honked and hooted in agreement.
It was a pleasant day outside, much like every other day in Meifu - warm and sunny with a welcome breeze to dispel the heat.
Tsuzuki walked past the sakura trees, a lone figure in black amid a sea of pink. Blossoms floated to the ground from boughs creaking under the weight of hundreds of pale pink flowers.
With each step, he crushed fallen petals into the ground. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice their fate.
The library building was off-limits to him after the Gushoshin imposed their library ban, and he didn't want to test the anti-shinigami defence system again. So he made a big detour around the building and headed for the maple trees that grew between the library and the dojo. Finding a secluded spot beneath one of the trees, he placed his jacket over the brilliant red leaves scattered on the ground and sat down. Occasionally he came here to read when he needed solitude - or when he was expelled from the library for making a nuisance of himself.
He leaned against the tree trunk. The gnarled bark was solid and rough, a reassuring weight against his back. He rested the Bible on his upraised knees. The gold cross embossed on the cover gleamed in the dappled sunlight.
His knowledge of Western religion was rudimentary, but he knew enough about Christianity to understand the main tenets and symbolism. All Shinigami received education in the major religions to assist them in their work. Showing an image of Jesus to a Christian or Kannon, Goddess of Mercy, to a Buddhist soothed the soul of the devout more than any official document from JuOhCho. Background information about a subject's beliefs and superstitions was extremely useful for a case.
Muraki never mentioned being Christian, but he had made enough allusions to Christian beliefs to make Tsuzuki wonder.
Tsuzuki opened the book and squinted as he skimmed Revelation. There were angels warning of impending disaster, followed by a parade of strange beasts of such fantastic description that it became difficult to tell one beast from the next.
...I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion... And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed...
Miraculous recuperative powers. Hmm.
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men... He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the name of a man. His number is 666.
His anagram was written on his body, not his hand or forehead. When the top and bottom numbers were multiplied together, they equalled sixty-six - six hundred short. He was under no illusion that he had the deep voice of a dragon. And he had no horns like a lamb. Not yet, anyway.
Tsuzuki touched his head, then chuckled ruefully at his own foolishness.
"Tsuzuki-san?" Gushoshin Younger floated before him. "What are you doing out here? You're not planning another attack on the library, are you?"
"Hey! I'm obeying your library ban." Tsuzuki shut the book and smiled. "It's a nice day for reading outdoors and work is quiet. So how are you? How's everything going with the demon database?"
"We need to double-check names. There's been a problem with spelling some of them. Some demons have adopted multiple names to confuse us!"
"Well, that's understandable. Demons need to be protective of their names. But it's more work for you, huh?"
"Yes. Keeping track of all the demons out there is no easy task." The Gushoshin floated to roost on Tsuzuki's shoulder. "What are you reading?"
Tsuzuki showed him the Bible. "I'm refreshing my memory on Christian beliefs. You never know when it might come in useful."
"That's good." It shifted from one foot to the other. "Reading is a much more constructive hobby than random acts of violence and destruction."
"It is, yeah." Tsuzuki eyed it questioningly. "Did you want to speak to me?"
"No. Don't let me interrupt you from your reading." The bird spirit fluffed its feathers out, but didn't move from its spot.
"Okay." Tsuzuki opened the Bible and flicked through Genesis. There were references to covenants here somewhere - around the time of Noah and the great flood. He bent his head forward to read. If only he'd brought his reading glasses. The print was so small...
The Gushoshin bent forward to look at Tsuzuki. "Do you think Muraki was Christian?"
Tsuzuki jerked up so fast the bird spirit almost fell off his shoulder. "Gushoshin!"
"Hey!" The bird spirit waved its arms wildly, its talons clutching Tsuzuki's shirt. "Don't make such sudden moves!"
"Then don't shock me like that! He's got nothing to do with it!"
"Yes, he has!" the bird squawked. It floated around to face Tsuzuki at eye level. "I remember what happened that night in Nagasaki."
"You...you do?"
"Of course I do! I'm not as powerful as a Shinigami, but I can combat spells. It took me two days, but my own spiritual energy triumphed in the end! Why did you put a spell on me?"
"I'm sorry! I didn't want anyone to worry about me...and I didn't have time to explain." The Gushoshin were beings of pure energy. He should have known they couldn't be manipulated as easily as a living person. "So...when did you know?"
"This morning. When I woke up, it was like a fog had lifted over my mind. I remember the dinner at the ramen restaurant, the argument in the bathroom, the argument on the street, the weird kissing--"
Tsuzuki grabbed its beak shut. "That's great! You're completely recovered." He looked around. "Have you told anyone?"
The Gushoshin settled on Tsuzuki's knee and tried to shake its head.
"Good. I don't want anyone to know about this, not even your brother." Tsuzuki released the bird's beak. "We have to keep this secret, okay?"
"But I don't understand! Why are you chasing him when he's not a suspect in a new case? He's nothing but trouble, and you know it!"
"We know he's the person responsible in at least three cases over the past four years...and who knows how many deaths before that. Hisoka was cursed to die by Muraki's hand and an investigation was never instigated. Don't you ever wonder why?"
"We don't have unlimited resources to investigate every suspicious death," the Gushoshin reminded him. "The Shoukanka is only called in when a series of deaths occur without explanation, and supernatural interference is suspected. You should be grateful - the workload would be impossible if you had to investigate every single suspicious death out there."
"I know. A few deaths scattered here and there may have escaped attention. But if we assume Muraki first began killing the year he cursed Hisoka, then he's escaped punishment for about seven or eight years now." Tsuzuki lowered his gaze to the Bible. "Konoe doesn't want me to investigate him, but I feel he's hiding something. It's as if he's afraid."
"Of course he's afraid! Have you seen the repair bill you generate together? The Shoukanka's finances can't cope with any more damages like that!"
Tsuzuki looked sheepish. "I know. But...but things are different. We don't fight like that now." He kept Muraki's vaguely ominous prediction about the full moon to himself. No point alarming Gushoshin Younger more than necessary.
"You're seeing him, aren't you?" the bird spirit whispered in horror. "But you know the rules! Shinigami must always work together in pairs!"
"I know, but I don't want to risk anyone else--" Tsuzuki could hear voices. "Hush. Someone's coming." Quickly he murmured the words of the vanishing spell. Gushoshin Younger followed his example.
Between the trunks of the maple trees, he caught sight of Hisoka and Tatsumi outside the library. They stood apart, each facing the other and respectful of the other's personal space. Tatsumi handed a book to Hisoka, who bowed and accepted it.
"Tatsumi-san was looking for some books on kagetsu magic earlier," the bird spirit whispered. "Is he really going to teach Hisoka-san?"
"Looks like it."
Hisoka always wanted to prove himself equal in ability as a Shinigami. Tsuzuki knew he sometimes resented their disparity in power, though Hisoka never revealed his feelings in words. But he had seen the occasional envy in Hisoka's eyes...a more muted version of Terazuma's jealousy.
So he knew Hisoka wouldn't accept Tatsumi's power fearfully - he would welcome it as the gift it was intended to be.
They bowed again. Hisoka entered the library. Tatsumi headed to the main building.
Tsuzuki waited until Tatsumi was out of sight before reappearing. "Hisoka learning from Tatsumi...it's a good thing for them both."
Gushoshin Younger frowned. "But you're Hisoka's partner, not him."
"I know, and I still am. But sometimes...sometimes an outsider can provide help in ways a partner never can." Tsuzuki smiled wistfully when the bird spirit remained puzzled. "Like you, for example. You can help me look up information much more efficiently than anyone else in the Shoukanka. I wouldn't ask Hisoka to do such things - I'd call an expert like you."
"Well..." The bird spirit pondered this piece of good advice. "That's true."
"Of course it is! Which is why I need your help now. I need you to look up a few things in your demon database - firstly, any reports of a demon using other elements besides Fire or capable of radiating a powerful white light."
"A demon that uses light?"
"Yes. Secondly, I need to know if there has been any history of insurgency under Duke Ashitarote's rule and the names of those involved."
"Wait a minute! We have enough trouble identifying demons, let alone figuring out what they've been up to!"
"I know, I know. But if you come across any reports of demons fighting among themselves as you work on the database, please tell me."
"It's for your investigation into Muraki, isn't it? You're disobeying the rules!" The bird spirit bounced on Tsuzuki's knee in agitation. "Shinigami should work in pairs!"
"Hey, I'm getting your help, right? That makes us a pair." Tsuzuki straightened the cap on the bird's head before it slid off. "This is important to me, Gushoshin. Muraki has hurt so many people, and it needs to stop. This is one case I have to solve once and for all."
The bird ruffled its feathers and sighed. "All right. But you know how dangerous Muraki is. A man like him can't be trusted."
"I know," Tsuzuki replied. He reached around to rub one shoulder blade. "Believe me, I know."
With Gushoshin Younger watching over his shoulder and interrupting him with questions about Muraki, Tsuzuki didn't get much reading done under the maple tree. Only after promising he wouldn't summon his shikigami in Muraki's presence did the Gushoshin retreat to the library, and Tsuzuki went back to his office.
Hisoka was at the library, and the work trays were empty. Neither of them was required by the Shoukanka.
Tsuzuki put on his trenchcoat. He still didn't know Muraki's ultimate scheme, but there was no doubting Muraki's ultimate objective. He had clothed his request in sexual favours, and Tsuzuki was too blinded by lust to understand until now.
Muraki wanted power, and therefore he sought energy. Once he accumulated energy by draining others and killing them. Now his methods were more direct and lascivious in nature, but the objective was unchanged.
Maybe by giving Muraki the energy he needed by a different method, he could nourish him a little - at least buy time while he uncovered the demon responsible for the covenant. The tricky part would be persuading Muraki to accept this alternative - his stubbornness wouldn't make it easy.
Tsuzuki placed the Bible in the inside pocket of his coat, and belted it up.
It was worth a try.
Deprived of access to the library in Meifu, Tsuzuki went to the city library in Nagasaki. He read about occult practices, and pored over a section devoted to Tarot cards. He remembered how Muraki understood the Minor Arcana cards Tsubaki/Eileen left with each of the victims on the Queen Camellia. Each of the four suits represented one of the four main elements in Western mysticism: Cups for Water, Wands for Fire, Coins or Pentacles for Earth, Swords for Air.
Tsuzuki sat back in his seat, his hand over his mouth as he pondered this. Eastern element theory was similar except that Metal was substituted for Air, and Wind - the movement of Air - was considered an additional power associated with one who controlled Metal. Tsuzuki already knew this, for he acknowledged this dual power in his invocation to Byakko:
Blade of air and steel of vacuum bearing fangs of silvery-white! Appear before me, Byakko!
He looked again at each of the four suits. He had an idea.
With the 20,000 yen change Muraki had given him, he went shopping.
He bought a steel grey lighter with a satin finish from a tobacconist - the modern equivalent of the Fire-bearing Wand.
He bought an onyx-encased fountain pen from the stationery section of a department store. With its rippling layers of black, red and white quartz, Tsuzuki hoped Muraki would recognise its Earthly origin and significance.
The jewellery store beckoned with its sparkling display of watches and gems and crystal ware. There was a large selection of pewter tankards and goblets, as well as crystal decanters and fine glassware. But the prices made him frown. He never knew these things were so expensive.
Maybe a cup wasn't practical for Tsuzuki's purpose. It had to be something small enough for Muraki to carry close at all times - the type of magic he had in mind wouldn't work over long distance.
A selection of cufflinks caught his eye. Tsuzuki was delighted when he caught a sterling silver pair of square cufflinks decorated with mother-of-pearl. Then he noticed the price tag. Damn.
"Good afternoon. Can I help you?" the saleslady asked.
Tsuzuki smiled sheepishly. "I'm looking for a gift for a...a friend of mine. These cufflinks are beautiful...but do you have a similar style that's less expensive?"
She showed him a set of smaller cufflinks made of silver plated brass. The mother-of-pearl was perfect - silver-white with occasional flashes of blue and pink as it reflected the light. Tsuzuki held one of them up to eye level. What would Muraki think? Muraki was a man of wealth and means - maybe he would laugh at the idea of wearing silver-plated jewellery.
As long as the cufflinks contained a product of Water, the setting made no difference to Tsuzuki. But if Muraki rejected them at first glance, his plan would be ruined.
The saleslady noticed his indecision. "The sterling silver ones do look more distinguished. Their prominence will add class to any man's wardrobe."
After examining them, Tsuzuki reluctantly agreed. Looking distinguished was important to Muraki. He chose the mother-of-pearl cufflinks in sterling silver.
"Excellent choice, sir! I'm sure your friend will love them. How will you pay?"
"Oh, I haven't finished yet. I need to get another present."
Metal would be easy - the only problem was deciding what piece of jewellery to give him. Earrings - no. He never took off the ruby studs: maybe they held a special significance for him. Necklace - no. A younger man might wear it, but Muraki's tastes were more conservative. Ring - definitely not. Muraki would get the wrong idea.
The display of glittering bracelets caught his eye, but the prices made his jaw drop. No gemstones - he would never be able afford them. Gold was also out of the question - it wouldn't suit Muraki's pale complexion anyway.
One bracelet, a flat hinged silver bangle, reminded him of a thin handcuff. The thought of Muraki wearing it made his heart beat a little faster, and the pain start between his shoulder blades.
"I like this one myself," the saleslady said. "Understated and elegant. It's ideal for business or formal occasions. Some men think that women only appreciate glitzy gemstones, but that's not true at all."
"This...is this a woman's bracelet?"
"Yes. Who are you buying this second gift for?"
"A man." Tsuzuki laughed at himself. "I'm new to this. I honestly can't tell the difference!"
"Oh, that's all right. This present is for another man?"
"No, no! It's for the same man."
"Ohhh." The woman smiled knowingly. "Then he is very fortunate to have a generous friend like you."
Tsuzuki blushed and shook his head. Muraki was anything but fortunate.
The saleslady showed him a selection of engraved bangles, wide cuff bracelets, as well as link and chain bracelets in a variety of styles. The chunky chain ID bracelets appealed to Tsuzuki very much, but they were out of his price range. He settled for a sterling silver flat mesh bracelet. Worn close to the wrist, it would be easy to conceal beneath the sleeve of a shirt.
Tsuzuki cast a longing look at the thick chain bracelets, then shook his head at his own vanity. Who cared if the bracelet remained unseen? As long as Muraki wore it, his plan would work.
With the leftover change, he bought wrapping paper, scissors, tape and ribbon. There wasn't enough money left to eat a proper meal so he grabbed a can of tea from a dispensing machine and sipped it on a park bench in the peaceful surroundings of Glover Park. He watched the sky change from blue to pink-gold as the sun began to set in the west.
When he was sure he was alone, he placed his hands together and whispered the summoning spell.
Byakko appeared before him in animal form - his head bent, white fur rippling in the breeze, as tall as a grown man. "Tsuzuki!" He came forward and licked Tsuzuki's face in greeting.
Tsuzuki embraced Byakko's neck and buried his face in the fluffy white fur. "It's so good to see you, Byakko! I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Don't be silly," Byakko snorted. "It is right that I serve you. You are my master." He lashed his tail impatiently, creating swirling eddies of air around them both. "Why haven't you come to visit us in Gensoukai? Kijin and Tenkou ask after you all the time."
"I've been busy lately," Tsuzuki explained. "A Shinigami's work is never done. I've been planning to visit--"
"I remember when you visited us all the time. We had so much fun together, remember?"
"I know." Tsuzuki stroked his head and scratched behind his ears. "I still remember." His shikigami were the one constant in his seventy plus years of service at the Shoukanka. Each time a partner left him, he would visit Gensoukai and find solace in their company. In many of his lowest moments, it was the thought of his responsibility to them that kept him going. They had chosen him as master - it was up to him to use them wisely and well. "It's just...I have commitments here and in Meifu. Please tell Kijin and Tenkou to be patient. Play with them in my place, okay?"
"Okay. I know you've had less time to visit us since you began working with Hisoka." Byakko looked around. "Is he here with you?"
"He's back in Meifu. I'm working on my own this time." Tsuzuki took out the jewellery box and opened it up. "I have a favour to ask of you."
Byakko's eyes lit up. "That's a handsome bracelet."
Tsuzuki presented it to him. "Please bless this for me. Charge it with your energy, the preserving strength of Metal combined with the swiftness of Wind."
Byakko closed his eyes, took a deep breath in, and blew gently over the silver bracelet. His breath was as cold as the penetrating winds that whipped the mountains with snow and sleet, freezing all living things in its path. Tsuzuki felt pins and needles in his fingers, followed by the numbness of frostbite, but he didn't let go. This was the power of the White Tiger, the lord of the mountains - the very same power he faced during their first meeting in the forests of Gensoukai when he challenged Byakko for the right to be his master.
"There." Byakko opened his eyes, sharp ears pointing at lopsided angles on his head. "As you have wished, so it is done."
He did the same with the other three gifts, charging them with elemental energy.
Impulsive Suzaku flapped her wings wildly and breathed fire over the lighter and into the air, so happy she was to be summoned. Souryuu was more restrained, as befitting the majestic shikigami entrusted with Gensoukai - he breathed clouds of water vapour from his nostrils to purify the mother-of-pearl cufflinks.
Genbu, the ancient black snake-tortoise, remained inside his shell when he materialised. His gleaming black oval carapace was the size of a small car, and protected with thick plates of armour. A row of smaller spikes lined each side of his carapace. First his leathery crocodile-like muzzle peeked out, ugly spike-like protuberances adorning the front of his upper and lower jaw. A second pair of spikes grew from each side of his head, pointing down like a grotesque imitation of rabbit's ears. He blinked sleepily in the afternoon light as he surveyed his new surroundings.
"Genbu! I hope I didn't interrupt you--"
His serpentine neck lashed out like a whip. His head hovered before Tsuzuki to look him in the eye.
"Tsuzuki. For so long you have ignored me--" he said in a deep rasping voice.
"No, no, Genbu! I always remembered you! But I know you're old, and you're not keen on fighting anymore--"
"I am the Black Warrior," Genbu reminded him, golden reptilian eyes flashing. He came to his feet and lifted his neck high. Tsuzuki had to look up to meet his gaze. "As God of Earth, I once tamed rivers and battled demons. I would receive the prayers of warriors who faced imminent battle, and calm their spirits with determination and courage."
"I know, Genbu."
"I can wreak terrible destruction as you well know, but I possess other gifts. I could have strengthened your resolve with my wisdom during your Kyoto case." He stepped back slowly, and the ground shook with each ponderous step. "You could have sought my guidance but you forgot about me, the same as the humans who once paid me homage."
Tsuzuki came after him. "That's untrue. I didn't forget. I just..." He swept his hair off his face, desperate to be understood. "I wouldn't have listened to anyone, Genbu, no matter how wise they were."
"So you wanted to end your pain. You wanted the final peace of death." The reptile tilted his head thoughtfully. "Do you long for the same peace now?"
Tsuzuki bowed his head, unsure how to answer. The guilt was an ever-present weight on his conscience. "I...I have learnt that I have friends who care for me very much. I don't want them to be hurt by my foolishness. I don't want them to be upset because of me."
"So you live by the will of others." Genbu drew out the last word in a sibilant hiss. "I understand." He draped his neck in a loose coil over Tsuzuki's shoulders. "But remember - humans are fickle creatures, inconstant in their loyalty. They have memories as fleeting as their lifespan."
"It doesn't matter. As long as they care, I will stay." He placed his hand beneath the leathery skin of the reptile's jaw. "Forgive me, Genbu. I haven't been much of a master to you."
Genbu cradled his head against Tsuzuki's palm. "You are old by human standards, but a baby when compared to divine commanders such as us. I knew this when I accepted you as master. I stand by my judgement then as I do now." He lifted himself from Tsuzuki, neck arched, head bent forward like a snake about to strike. "Ask and it will be done."
Tsuzuki took out the onyx fountain pen. "Please bless this for me. Charge it with your energy, the immutable power of Earth that bends Water to its will."
Genbu lifted one foot and stamped the ground, setting off a violent tremor throughout the park. Tree branches shook. Birds became silent. Tsuzuki lost his balance and stumbled backwards. A small crack appeared in the ground.
"Place it here," Genbu instructed.
"Try not to stamp so hard, okay? The last thing I want to do is trigger an earthquake."
Genbu hissed in annoyance. "The earth has become fragile in my absence." He waited until Tsuzuki had placed the pen down, then breathed on the pen and stamped again. The ground closed up around it.
Tsuzuki reminded himself to clean the pen later. Muraki would never accept a gift covered in dirt.
With slow careful steps Genbu stood over the spot where the pen was buried. With one foot, then two, and finally all four in rapid succession, he made the ground shudder. Grass and soil flew around him. The trees shook, leaves fell to the ground. Light poles swayed from side to side. Only by bracing his legs apart did Tsuzuki remain standing.
"Stop, Genbu! Enough!"
"It is done." Genbu stepped back and opened the ground with one more stamp of his foot.
Relieved, Tsuzuki picked up the pen. "Why couldn't you breathe on it like everyone else? If I'd known it would take this much violence--"
"My stamping was not merely to energise it. Look around you."
The branches of the trees grew out and up, new leaves sprouting before Tsuzuki's eyes. On the ground, shoots of grass sprang up around them.
"Once upon a time, the land was as lush and green as this." Genbu swung his head high to regard the city of Nagasaki below them. "The earth would tremble and erupt, searing the ground even as it released its treasure of life-giving minerals, the foundation of all life. But humans have forgotten their place in the cycle that binds all living things. They have depleted the Earth of its primordial energy." He turned back to eye Tsuzuki. "Let this be your reason for your existence as a Shinigami. Culling human lives is the only way to sustain the world of the living as you know it. Earth, like all elements, is not an infinite resource."
Chastened, Tsuzuki bowed. Genbu held the wisdom of the ages - his advice, when he chose to impart it, was always sound. "I will remember your words, Genbu. But this grass..." He looked around nervously. "The city gardeners will mow it down. People see such overgrowth as a sign of neglect."
"Really? Foolish humans." He stamped the ground once more, and the grass grew until it reached Tsuzuki's knees. "There, that will show them. Those who attempt to tame the Earth do so at their peril."
"Ahh! That's..." Tsuzuki hid his horror behind the brightest smile he could muster. "That's...wonderful! More than enough work for an old man." He patted Genbu's armoured shell. "Thanks for your help. You deserve to rest after such activity."
That was the real reason he seldom summoned Genbu - his willfulness made him a tricky God to command at the best of times, and his seismic stamping in quake-prone Japan could trigger more destruction than Suzaku, Souryuu, and Byakko working in unison. If he used Genbu regularly on his cases, Chief Konoe and Tatsumi would be even more upset with him than they were already.
That evening, Tsuzuki appeared outside Muraki's apartment building. The gifts were wrapped in silver paper and tied with red ribbon. Everything was ready.
With some trepidation, he approached the entrance. This time he would enter Muraki's apartment by the front door, respecting the physical laws that bound the living. He didn't want Muraki to expend energy on his behalf any more. This covenant had taken a terrible toll on him - Tsuzuki's goal was to stop it.
He pressed the intercom button for the penthouse suite, and waited. No answer. He pressed it for longer, and waited. Still no answer. Tsuzuki frowned. He was sure he had the right building. He pressed it a third time.
The speaker crackled to life. "Who is it?" The voice was curt and abrupt, but definitely Muraki's.
"It's me, Tsuzuki." He cleared a throat that felt dry with tension. "I thought you were expecting me."
A long pause. "I was...but not ringing my doorbell. Such politeness is highly unusual for you." The door unlocked. "Come on up."
Being in the elevator brought back memories of the first time he came here. He had struggled under Muraki's roving hands, but not very much. Tsuzuki's lips twisted in rueful amusement - that summed up his entire behaviour in their strange relationship. His gaze darted about, a little unnerved at how his image bounced off the mirrored walls to form reflections of reflections stretching into infinity. He caught sight of himself: dark hair falling into disarray over eyes that were bright with anticipation. His cheeks were warm. The corners of his mouth were tilted up, ever so slightly...
He looked away, disturbed at what he saw. Too distracting.
The lift slowed to a halt. The doors slid open. Muraki stood before him, dressed in his white yukata. He pointed a semi-automatic pistol squarely at Tsuzuki's chest.
Tsuzuki blinked, stunned. Bullets were nothing to a Shinigami...but this wasn't the reception he expected.
Muraki frowned.
"This must be the wrong floor," Tsuzuki joked. He lunged for the buttons.
"No!" Muraki slammed his free arm over one of the sliding doors and stepped inside. "This isn't for you." He looked around the elevator, then up at the ceiling with narrowed eyes. "Did any person enter the building with you?"
"I was alone. Are you expecting someone else?"
Muraki lowered the gun. "Whatever gave you that idea, Tsuzuki-san?" He suddenly smiled and put his arm around Tsuzuki's shoulders. "I was expecting you to appear before me in your customary dramatic fashion." He flicked on the safety catch as he guided Tsuzuki inside. "This was merely a precaution against unwelcome visitors interrupting our precious time together."
"I see." Tsuzuki cast him a suspicious look. These unwelcome visitors - could they be human? Muraki already knew about his recuperative powers - that was why he had been chosen as the subject for his head transplantation experiment in Kyoto. A bullet would not stop a spiritual entity. And there were magical options for keeping out physical and spiritual intruders.
Was Muraki's power so depleted a simple defensive ward was beyond him?
"Do you prefer me appearing out of the blue and violating your privacy?" Tsuzuki asked.
"You are so cute." Muraki squeezed his shoulder. "What is privacy to intimate acquaintances such as us? It is a meaningless term, used only by those ashamed and fearful of the ultimate melding of body, mind and spirit." He leaned across to nuzzle Tsuzuki's ear. "I have spent this afternoon purifying myself in preparation for you. Please forgive my oversight yesterday - of course you would never show yourself in the presence of that worm's vile stench."
Nameless dread filled Tsuzuki as his back began to ache again. He tried to step away, but stopped when he felt the cat rubbing its head against his calf. "Don't talk such nonsense! I don't care what you do with yourself!"
Muraki yanked him around so they faced each other. "Really? Then why do you come here? Why do you share my bed? Why do you beg and cry out when I--"
Tsuzuki shook his head wildly. "Never mind about that! I meant what I said this morning...I'm not interested in doing that anymore. That's not why I'm here."
Muraki released him and chuckled as he flicked his hair behind one ear. "Tsuzuki-san, I distinctly recall having this conversation during every one of our dates--"
"These aren't dates, dammit! I am conducting an investigation into you and the demonic interference in your life!"
"--and the final outcome each time was exactly the same. But if it will help jog your memory..." With a wicked glint in his good eye, Muraki untied his robe.
"Wait!" Tsuzuki averted his gaze and shoved the shopping bag in front of him to preserve Muraki's modesty - or lack of it. "I come to you bearing gifts!"
"Gifts? For me?"
"Yes! As a...a token of my appreciation for your...generosity." Tsuzuki glanced up, then away. Muraki's open yukata left nothing to the imagination.
Muraki's gaze narrowed. He lifted his glasses up to read the store label printed on the bag.
"I guess it's not as upmarket as what you're used to..." Tsuzuki dropped the bag, and found himself staring at Muraki's bare chest...and ribcage...and abdomen... "Hey, why don't we sit down and you can open them!" He took a step back, and almost tripped over the cat attempting to entwine itself around his ankles.
The feline hissed and scurried for shelter behind Muraki's legs.
Muraki's features were unreadable. "Very well, then." Slowly he tied the belt of his yukata and picked up the cat.
Tsuzuki fumbled with the parcels as he placed them on the coffee table. Inwardly he cursed himself - with his wealth, Muraki would never frequent chainstore jewellery outlets and ubiquitous department stores. Showing him the bag was an idiotic mistake. He quickly folded it away as Muraki sat beside him on the sofa.
There was a haughty tilt to Muraki's head as he stared down at them. "Are these all for me?"
"Well, yes...if you want them. Or you can pick the ones you like best...if any."
Muraki reached for the box containing the lighter, then paused, his fingers on the verge of touching the wrapping. His brow furrowed, and his lips curled in displeasure.
The cat stepped from Muraki's lap to the table. It went straight to the lighter and began cuffing the red ribbon with its paws.
Muraki switched his attention to the mother-of-pearl cufflinks. Slowly he lowered his fingers to touch the parcel. He picked it up in his hand, as if assessing its weight.
Tsuzuki watched, mesmerised. He pressed his steepled fingers to his lips to keep himself silent in case he disrupted Muraki's concentration.
Muraki's grip tightened around the parcel until his knuckles turned white. He looked as if he might hurl it to the floor, so fierce was his expression. After a moment's pause, he calmly placed it back on the table beside the cat. The feline yowled and jumped to the floor.
"Don't you want to open them?"
"Not particularly." The fountain pen was next. Muraki placed his hand over it and closed his eyes. The furrow between his brow eased, but he did not pick up or open the wrapping.
Tsuzuki deliberated on what he had seen. Muraki rejected Fire and passed over Water. Earth held some fascination, but not enough to hold his interest.
...I am in my element with objects of metal...
But Muraki ignored the bracelet. He looked at Tsuzuki, his gaze cold and remote. "These offerings do not interest me."
"Offerings?" Tsuzuki laughed at the word. "They're hardly that. It's the least I could do with your leftover change," he admitted. "I mean, you've taken me out to dinner, lent me money, taught me golf...it's high time I did something to return the favour--"
"I am yours. I belong to no other." Muraki grabbed Tsuzuki by the jaw, forcing it up. "I have no use for charmed trinkets. I must feed from the source."
"No! I said I wasn't--"
Muraki shoved him against the sofa. His lips devoured and sucked, his hands sought and found.
Tsuzuki stiffened against him. Muraki's firm grip brought his cock to twitching life, and melted his resolutions to mush. He pushed against Muraki's shoulders, and the white yukata slid free. He writhed and arched, and it only spurred Muraki to increase the rhythm of his strokes.
Finally he groaned and surrendered, his fingers spasmodically clenching as he dug his nails into Muraki's back.
Muraki lifted his head, his glasses askew, his own breathing heavy. "Come for me." He squeezed the crown with his thumb until a drop of precome appeared. He licked his lips then bent down to taste it.
Tsuzuki whimpered, jaw clenched against a plea for more. He refused to offer himself to that ravenous mouth - last night's sweet torture without relief was still fresh in his mind. But he didn't struggle when Muraki stroked his shaft with more vigour, sending waves of pleasure vibrating through him. He panted, his head resting against the arm of the sofa, eyes slitted as he watched Muraki's stern features.
"Don't you...ever...give up?" he managed to gasp.
"Never." Muraki lay on his side, one arm snaking beneath Tsuzuki's shoulders to cradle him close, the other stroking his cock to throbbing hardness. "Feed me. Nourish me. Break the seal that binds you - you know you have the power."
Tsuzuki choked back a groan out as Muraki released his cock to fondle his balls, still hidden within the folds of his clothing. He was semi-dressed, incredibly enough - his trousers and underpants chafed against his thighs and buttocks, while his torso remained fully clothed. "This...this is...crazy. I-I can't..."
"Tsuzuki-san..." Muraki's voice held a tremor of desperation. His good eye glittered wildly through the smudged lens of his glasses. He seized Tsuzuki's cock once more. "Come for me...please. What more...must I do? What more...do you want?" He kissed him again, fiercely. "I must feed!"
"Muraki..." The jagged pain in Muraki's voice penetrated the drugging euphoria of lust. "It's no...use." A dim memory floated on the wisps of consciousness - Tatsumi murmuring reassurances, serving him with selfless tenderness and restraint to no avail.
"Focus on yourself! You know you need this!"
"Not your fault." Tsuzuki touched his cheek. "I tried before - it never worked. Stop...before it becomes agony for us both. Please."
Muraki scrunched his eyes shut. He turned away from Tsuzuki's hand as if it scorched him. Without a word, he lifted himself from the sofa and stood up, shoulders hunched.
"Muraki?"
"I need to change," he said tightly. "I promised to take you to dinner."
Tsuzuki blinked as he watched Muraki's nude figure storm to the bedroom. His own breathing was still ragged, his heart pounding, his cock aching for completion. How could Muraki switch emotions so quickly - urgent lust one minute, closed indifference the next?
Tsuzuki clumsily put his own clothing to rights. His gaze fell on the table without conscious thought. The parcel containing the lighter was missing. He bent down to check the floor. The cat was playing with it. It had already torn open the wrapping, but the box was proving difficult to open with its claws. When Tsuzuki picked it up, the feline hissed and scratched his hand.
"Calm down. I'm only trying to help." Tsuzuki flipped open the box and held out the lighter.
The cat pounced, knocking the lighter from Tsuzuki's hand and diving on it like a hunter with prey.
When Muraki emerged a few minutes later, elegant and distinguished in black tuxedo, he scowled when he saw the cat's new plaything.
Tsuzuki pushed himself up from the floor. "At least someone appreciates my gifts."
Muraki snorted in reply and threw a new pair of velvet gloves at him.
Tsuzuki snatched them in mid-air and threw them on the coffee table. The clatter of buckles echoed in the room. "Why should I accept your 'gift' when you won't even open mine?" He grabbed the bracelet. "You completely ignored this one!"
"What does it matter? Your taste is crude and common, utterly lacking in sophistication. There is nothing in that parcel to interest me." Muraki turned away. "There is no comparison between our gifts."
Tsuzuki was stunned. He had spent most of the afternoon worrying about the suitability of each item, searching for something that would please Muraki's discerning taste. True, he was ignorant about the latest fashions and trends, but he had done his best with the money available. To have Muraki dismiss them and him...
It enraged him. And somewhere deep inside, it hurt.
"I don't give a--" He bit back the profanity, and reined in his temper. "I'm not wearing your gloves any more! I'm too crude for them - you said so yourself!"
Muraki shrugged as he dusted imaginary lint from his shoulders. "As you wish."
The bastard. Tsuzuki couldn't believe he'd actually felt sorry for him minutes ago. Muraki had well and truly manipulated him on the sofa. So much for his need. So much for his pain. So much for...
The cat rolled on the carpet, the lighter clasped between its front paws, tail curling and uncurling in delight.
"Come!" Muraki barked.
It meowed loudly once, then rolled on all fours and deserted the lighter for its master's side.
On a hunch, Tsuzuki slid the wrapped bracelet in his pocket.
"You are woefully underdressed for the establishment we are about to visit," Muraki said. "But the service is excellent, so I believe they will discreetly ignore your inappropriate attire."
"Fine by me," Tsuzuki replied lightly. Muraki wasn't the only who could put on an act. "Let's go."
Note: The Biblical quotes are from Revelation 13, New King James Version.