Sorry for the long delay in updating. My excuse - it's a lot easier to write smut than plot.
Thanks to Gengkotsuya for her invaluable help. And thanks once more to those who've sent encouraging feedback - I appreciate it very much! Sometimes I feel frustrated with how long it takes to transfer ideas into writing, and how things always seem so much more clear in my head. So if you think there are areas I could make improvements or clarify, please let me know.
Tsuzuki opened his eyes to find himself in the moonlit garden of his dreams. The rose bushes were covered in glossy green foliage - a sign of good health. Their buds were lifted up to the silvery moonlight. A few had begun to unfurl, revealing delicate whorls of pastel pink and yellow petals.
Roses. His mother's favourite flower.
He loved them best when they were about to open. Once in full bloom, their petals fell quickly, their overblown beauty too fragile to withstand the ravages of nature. But as demure buds revealing a hint of fragrance and colour, alive and fresh and full of promise, they were perfect.
He bent down to sniff one bud. Something cool caressed his cheek and brow. Tsuzuki jerked back to see a stray tendril from the rosebush fall away. He rubbed his face. Had he imagined it? Maybe the lingering memory of last night's dream was making him paranoid.
Children's laughter reached his ears. He walked between the rows of bushes towards it, hands in the pockets of his black trenchcoat.
In a small clearing, a woman knelt on a mat spread on the ground. Two small children, a girl and a boy, were with her. With their back to Tsuzuki, they watched the full moon hanging low in the night sky.
"I'm sleepy, Okaa-san," the girl said. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I want to go inside now."
"Not yet, Ruka. We have to wait."
"Why? This is boring. I want to go to sleep."
"The bunny is coming," the woman said. "Don't you want to see the bunny?"
"Bunny!" the boy cried. "Where is bunny?"
"Can you find it, Asato? Look hard."
Crouched within the shadows of the rosebushes, Tsuzuki caught his breath.
The dark-haired boy looked behind her, then in front of her. "No bunny." He walked around to his sister. "Onee-chan, bunny where?"
"I'm not a bunny, silly."
"I want bunny! Where is bunny?"
"All right. Here." She sat up and held her hands over her head to mimic bunny ears.
The boy jumped up and down, chuckling. "Onee-chan bunny! Onee-chan bunny! Bunny here, Okaa-san!"
"Hush! You must be quiet. Sit down and look at the moon. Look carefully and don't make a sound."
"We've been looking at the moon for ages. The moon is boring. I want to go to sleep."
"I want bunny! Bunny now!"
"Sit and I will tell you where the bunny lives. Ruka can rest her head on my lap if she's such a sleepyhead."
Sitting with his knees bent to his chest, chin resting on his forearms, Tsuzuki was overcome with a sense of nostalgia. He remembered how his mother would tell them bedtime stories exactly like this, and the way he and Ruka would absorb every word.
To experience this memory as a distant observer felt wrong. He wanted to sit on the mat next to the mother and sister he lost so long ago. But interrupting them would be rude - his younger self was already there, waiting wide-eyed for the story.
When his mother ruffled the boy's hair, Tsuzuki wistfully lifted his fingers to his own head.
"A long time ago there lived a magnificent archer named Houyi and his wife Chang'E. Houyi's bow and arrows were full of magical power. Many times Houyi saved the kingdom from ruin with his bow and arrow. When the sun shone so bright it scared away the clouds and burnt all the plants, Houyi shot his arrows at the sun to bring back the rain."
"Was the sun hurt, Okaa-san?"
"Only a little, but it was a naughty sun. It made the earth so hot that everything began to die."
"Is the sun naughty now?"
"No, because the sun learnt its lesson thanks to Houyi. And Houyi became famous throughout the kingdom for his deeds. The great queen rewarded him with the pill of immortality. But first she warned him not to eat it straight away - he needed to fast and pray for a year to prepare himself to receive this blessing.
"So Houyi brought the pill home and kept it hidden in his house. But one day, his wife Chang'E found the pill and swallowed it. She looked down and discovered she could float on air!"
"Ohhhh," both children chorused.
"When Chang'E heard her husband come home, she became afraid and flew out the window. But she couldn't stop floating. She flew higher and higher into the sky. Houyi chased after her with his bow and arrows but he couldn't bear to shoot down his own wife. So she floated all the way up until she landed on the moon and coughed up the magic pill. The pill turned into Gyokuto, the jade hare.
"To this day, Chang'E lives on the moon with Gyokuto for company. Gyokuto is very busy - he pounds the elixir of eternal life in a mortar and pestle to make more pills of immortality. Look carefully at the moon. Can you see him working?"
The children looked.
"The moon's too far away." The girl yawned. "Ohh. Okaa-san, is that a bunny ear?"
Her mother pushed her hand down. "Don't be so rude! Chang'E will cut your ears off if she sees you pointing at her like that!"
The boy kept staring, oblivious to their exchange.
"A hare on the moon is no fun." The girl became restless. "I'd rather see a real hare. I'm sleepy, Okaa-san."
"Go to sleep, Ruka. I'll tuck you in later."
She became still in her mother's lap.
The boy was transfixed by the full moon. Despite the late hour, he was wide awake.
The mother looked at him tenderly. "Do you see Gyokuto, Asato?"
The boy nodded. "Gyokuto-sama is big," he said in a loud whisper. "Will he play with me?"
"You must ask him. If you don't ask, you'll never know."
He held out his arms to the moon. "Please come down, Gyokuto-sama! I want to play with you! Gyokuto-sama! Please come and play with me! Okaa-san, why won't he come down?"
"I'll call him too. If we call together, maybe he will come. Gyokuto-sama! Gyokuto-sama!"
The boy's sing-song voice joined hers in chorus. "Gyokuto-sama! Come here and play with me!"
Tsuzuki stood up, bemused. What on earth were they doing, shouting in the middle of the night? He began to walk closer, taking care not to make noise on the soft grass.
"Gyokuto-sama! Gyokuto-sama!" The boy lowered his arms, and his shoulders slumped. "He won't come, Okaa-san. Why won't he come? Why won't he play with me? Is it...is it because of my eyes?"
"No, no! Your eyes are special, Asato. You must never be ashamed of your eyes." She hugged him close. "The other children only make fun of them because they're jealous of your special eyes."
"I don't want special eyes. I want normal eyes." His sobs were muffled against her chest.
She rocked him back and forth. "Hush now. Don't cry." She froze when she saw Tsuzuki. Her arms tightened around both children.
"It's okay. I...I haven't come for anyone."
Slowly her tension eased. "I did not recognise you, my lord." She bowed her head. "Thank you for passing over this humble household once more. When we first met I wanted to die, but now I have a purpose to live." She shook the boy's shoulder. "Look, Asato. Look who answered your call."
The boy looked up. Tousled dark hair fell into big eyes of deep violet. So cute, Tsuzuki thought, then felt a little guilty for thinking such a thing. It seemed vain to admire oneself.
Tsuzuki knelt down next to them. "Hello. What's your name?"
"Asato." The boy stared with an intentness that belied his years. "Have you come from the moon to see me?"
Tsuzuki laughed. "No, no. I'm from a place even farther away than the moon."
"Look at his eyes," his mother urged. "What colour are they?"
The boy wriggled out of his mother's arms and stood before Tsuzuki. He wobbled a little, and Tsuzuki held out a hand to steady him.
"Purple!" Chubby fingers prodded Tsuzuki's cheek, narrowly missing his eye. "You have purple eyes like me! Does everyone have purple eyes where you live?"
"No, I'm the only one." Tsuzuki tried his best to smile. "Just like you."
"Do people call you bad names because of your eyes too?"
"A long time ago, yeah."
"What did you do? How did you stop them calling you bad names?"
"I..." Tsuzuki looked away, a pained look on his face. "I never did."
"Ohh." The boy frowned, easily able to sympathise.
"Asato, come back here. It's rude to ask so many questions." His mother wrapped her arms around him, fiercely protective. To Tsuzuki she said, "I know he suffers much for being different. But I love him more than life itself. I would rather he bear their taunts than be deprived of his gentle presence in my life. I know how wicked it sounds. Who said maternal love is selfless? My love is selfish to the core."
Selfish. That was the last word Tsuzuki would have used to describe his mother. In his memories, she was nothing short of a saint: patient, kind, loving, wise. He didn't remember the glint of fear in her eyes, the tremor of desperation in her voice, the unsettled anxiety of her fingers caressing her son's head.
To see his mother as a vulnerable young widow clutching her children for dear life...
He stood up and looked away. It hurt too much to see her like this.
"Asato is my greatest treasure. Barren soil becomes fertile when he places his hands in the earth. Dying plants are revived when he touches them. The garden you see here is all his doing. With the flowers, fruits and vegetables he provides us, we will never starve." She caressed the boy's hair. "Even cursed with the stain of my sin, he blesses us. You are a good boy, Asato. Too good for a mother like me. I know you will survive these trials. Like the plants you tend, you too will flourish and prosper."
In retrospect, Tsuzuki remembered he hadn't been the only one to suffer. His entire family had been ostracised. A widow choosing to live on her own, away from her husband's family - it was considered scandalous for the times. The insults of the village children merely reflected the prejudice they'd picked up from their parents.
Tsuzuki bit his lip and lowered his head. "Don't say such things about yourself. You are a worthy mother for him. It's clear...he loves you very much. As long as you love him back, that is enough."
"Thank you." She bowed low before him. "Thank you for bringing him into my life. Thank you for answering my prayers. May he be pleasing in your sight."
"Huh? But I didn't do..." He caught himself when he saw her surprised expression.
"You are too modest, my lord. Unless..." She looked embarrassed. "Forgive me. I did not mean to impugn your reputation as a God of Death. Your destructive power remains formidable."
"No, not at all!" Tsuzuki shook his head. Who on earth did she think he was? This situation was becoming too strange for words. The best thing to do was play along. "He's...he's very pleasing in my sight." He smiled at the boy. "Don't believe what they say about you. It's stupid to judge someone by the look of their eyes." An image of Muraki with his false eye and retracted eyelids flitted through his mind. "Appearance isn't important. What's inside your heart, and how you treat other people - these are the things that matter the most in life. So don't take any notice of those bullies. Ignore them. Don't believe a word they say."
"Okay," the boy said. "I'll do my best."
"Good." Tsuzuki smiled, but he sounded inane to his own ears. Ignore the bullies! If only it were that easy.
"They persecute you because they know they can never compare to your greatness. You are the ray of light in the darkness of this cruel world." The woman kissed the boy's forehead. "You are too good for them. A day will come when the heavens will be your playground, and the four celestial guardians your protectors. Those who once bullied you will cower in awe at your power. When that day comes, Asato, you will never fear anyone again."
Tsuzuki was disturbed by her knowing smile. There was no way his mother could know his future - she was dead long before he became a Shinigami. No, this was not the mother he remembered.
This entire dream had to be Muraki's doing. Muraki once claimed he had insight into his imagination. This dream was a ploy to unsettle him with distorted memories of his past.
But to see his family before him, solid and real, was too precious an opportunity to pass up. He could not turn away from this dream just yet.
"So I will have friends?" the boy asked hopefully.
"Many, many friends. Look up." She tilted his jaw up. "Look past the moon. Look at the stars scattered across the heavens, too numerous for the eye to see. Seated in the heavens, the great spirits watch over you. They wait for you to summon them."
"But they are so far away. Will they be able to hear me?"
"They are all-powerful - of course they will hear. But you must call them by name, for their name is their power. Speak it aloud and they will be yours."
"What are their names? What do I call them?"
Her eyes were on Tsuzuki. "One day soon they will be revealed to you. When the time is right, you will claim what is rightfully yours."
The boy was unhappy with this. "But I want a friend now." He looked at Tsuzuki. "Will you be my friend?"
"Asato! Don't be so rude!
"He's not being rude." Tsuzuki smiled kindly at him. "I wish I could be your friend, but I live far away. But you have your mother and sister with you. They'll look after you, and you must do your best to look after them. They are your family. They are your flesh and blood. Having friends is all well and good, but you must never forget your family. Promise me you won't forget them."
...the way I forgot mine.
"Okay." The boy held out his little finger. "Pinky promise."
Tsuzuki blinked, not understanding at first. "Ahh, okay. Pinky promise it is." He bent down and held out his little finger, and realised he wore velvet gloves with metal buckles.
"I promise never to forget my family." The boy hooked his little finger around Tsuzuki's much larger digit. "I promise this to you... What's your name?"
"My name?" It came out as a strangled squeak. "Ahh...my name isn't important."
"But everyone has a name." He looked at his mother for confirmation. "What's his name, Okaa-san?"
"If he prefers to keep his name secret, we should respect his wishes. There are some names too sacred to be spoken aloud by mortals."
"But everything must have a name." He frowned at Tsuzuki. "I will give you a name! You will be Gyokuto-sama!"
"Gyokuto-sama?" Tsuzuki laughed and scratched his head. "What kind of a name is that?"
"You visited me on the full moon. You came when I called 'Gyokuto-sama.' So that is your name!"
"But the real Gyokuto-sama is on the moon. You better check with him first, ne? He may not be happy about someone else using his name."
The boy looked up at the moon. He shook Tsuzuki's arm. "Look! Look! Gyokuto-sama, the moon!"
A golden glow was gone - a gauzy red mist shrouded the moon. Like a living entity nourished by blood, it grew in size. The stars swarmed around it to form twelve swirling clusters. Before his eyes, they coalesced to form silver threads twisting against the velvet background of the night sky.
First Muraki's eye, then in his mind's eye...and now in the heavens for everyone to see. In each of his dreams, this ominous symbol haunted him wherever he went.
"Living words..." the woman murmured.
Tsuzuki clenched his hands into fists. "Look away. It means nothing."
"That's untrue," the woman said. "It may mean nothing to a mere mortal, but to one with the eyes to see... Asato, this is a message from the heavens. Look up and try to memorise it all. This is a sign of the great destiny that awaits you!"
"No, it's not!" Tsuzuki turned on her. "It's a demonic curse! It's a contract! It's...it's..." He shook his head fiercely and whirled around. "Muraki! Muraki!"
"Okaa-san, what is 'Muraki'?"
"Hush. It may be a sacred invocation. We should not speak it without permission."
"Come out and explain yourself, dammit! I know you're here! Muraki!"
Lying in her mother's lap, the girl rubbed her eyes. "What's this noise?" She sat up when she saw Tsuzuki. "Okaa-san...who is this man?"
"You may not remember. He visited us after Otou-san passed away."
"His name is Gyokuto-sama," the boy told her proudly. "He flew down from the moon to visit me."
The rosebushes around them rustled, as if shaken by an imaginary gust of wind. The buds grew upwards and unfurled their petals, releasing their cloying fragrance to the moon in silent offering.
"I don't want your flowers! I don't want your gifts!" Tsuzuki unbuckled the gloves and threw them to the ground. "Reveal yourself to me! Explain the meaning of this!"
When a stray rosebud turned away from the moon to bloom towards him, Tsuzuki ripped off the petals. Within his fist, they withered into blackened ash.
"Who's the one hiding now? Who's the coward refusing to show his face?" Tsuzuki unclenched his fingers, letting them fall. When they each made contact with the soil, a tiny green shoot sprouted in its place. At his feet, the earth began to shake and tremble. Behind him the children shrieked in terror.
"Earthquake! Earthquake! Lie flat on the ground!" the mother shouted.
Jagged lines crisscrossed the surface of the red moon, reminding Tsuzuki of a hatching egg. Something was breaking free...
Tsuzuki snatched a barrier fuda and gave it to the woman. "Stay there! This will protect you!"
She stared at it, then at him. "What is it--"
It was too late. Tsuzuki was already ascending into the air with the ease of a soaring bird.
"About time you decided to show yourself! What type of powerful demon manipulates a human to do all his dirty work?"
"Nowww!" A voice rang out around him, piercing and high-pitched like a young girl's. "Nowww! Nowww!"
"Who is it? Who's there?"
"Nowww! Nowww! Ne-owww! Ne-owww!"
It sounded like no human voice Tsuzuki had ever heard before. "Now what? What is now?"
Something heavy pressed against his chest, squeezing him of breath. Intense white light poured forth from the lunar cracks. Tsuzuki squeezed his eyes shut against the glare. But there was no escaping the light - it pierced the darkness, sharp pinpricks of pain stabbing his eyes.
Tsuzuki cried out and covered his face.
The high-pitched yowl and the scratches over his fingers made him open his eyes.
Lounging on his chest with regal arrogance, one front paw extended to defend itself, Muraki's dark grey cat glared down at him. "Meowww!"
Tsuzuki blinked. He was in Muraki's bedroom. Faint light shone through the curtains. Morning again.
Damn. He was so close to seeing the demon - he was sure of it. This was one nightmare he didn't want interrupted.
"You..." He cast a look beside him. Muraki lay on his back, eyes shut in slumber, silver hair falling carelessly off his forehead. Odd. Was he able to influence dreams in his sleep?
"Meoww!" The cat thumped his chest with a swish of its long tail.
"What? What is it?"
Satisfied it had Tsuzuki's attention, the cat leapt off him to land beside Muraki's head. It bent down to lick the ruby stud earring, then sat on its haunches, waiting. When nothing happened, it meowed loudly at Tsuzuki.
Tsuzuki sat up. "You want him to wake up?"
The cat stepped away so Tsuzuki could look.
Dried blood stained Muraki's shoulder blade and the sheets. The bite mark gaped open, with blood slowly oozing forth.
Tsuzuki's heart sank. It must have reopened during the night.
The metal bracelet was cold and empty to the touch. Without Byakko's preserving power, Tsuzuki knew it was useless. He checked Muraki's cut palm. To his relief, it remained healed.
"Your demon is useless. He doesn't come to your aid. You don't even summon him. This covenant of yours is worthless...and you're a fool to uphold it."
The cat yowled and lashed its tail.
"What do you expect me to do?"
The cat bent forward to lick the bleeding wound.
"Hey!"
The cat hissed and reared up to scratch Tsuzuki's hand, then jumped to the floor and hissed again.
"He's already weak enough. All this time he's nourished and kept you alive, and this is how you repay him?"
The feline glared at him, then deliberately licked its paw and began cleaning itself. Muraki slept on in blissful ignorance.
Talking to a cat - he had to be mad. But it did seem to understand him. Belatedly Tsuzuki realised it may have been trying to help Muraki in its own feline way.
But Muraki was human. He needed bandages, disinfectant...maybe stitches. Things Tsuzuki knew nothing about.
"A doctor," Tsuzuki muttered. "That's it. I'll take him to a doctor."
The cat jumped up beside Muraki's head, this time holding the cigarette lighter in its mouth. It rubbed its cheek against the lighter, then licked Muraki's earring. It repeated this three times, then sat back, waiting.
The ruby glowed red for a moment, then winked out. The wound continued to ooze.
Tsuzuki blinked. Energy transference in action...
The animal repeated the ritual. It only transferred energy to Muraki's earring, not directly to the wound. It went to the trouble of keeping the lighter between its paws, taking care to avoid direct contact between it and Muraki's skin.
But why couldn't Muraki directly absorb the elemental energy of Fire himself? Could it be...
Tsuzuki bit his lip, thinking hard. Of course...
Fire was known to melt Metal. Their controlling relationship in the material world was mirrored in elemental magic. No wonder Muraki avoided the lighter. The cat must realise it too.
Last night Muraki proved he was Metal-dominant. White was the colour associated with Metal and Byakko, God of Metal and Wind. Muraki's preference for wearing white and his achromatic complexion were physical signs of the power he carried within him. He used Metal energy to create wards on the velvet gloves. And he chose to wear the Metal-blessed bracelet: confirmation of his dependence on this elemental power.
So why give Fire energy to the ruby earring? Ruby was not related to Fire, apart from its red colour. Ruby was a precious gemstone of Earthly origin.
But Muraki needed Metal to replace his depleted energy levels. During his time in Nagasaki he had expended too much of himself. The battle with Saagatanus, in which Muraki channelled power through him, must have been the most draining.
Tsuzuki touched Muraki's hair, gently fingering the silver strands. It was easier to touch Muraki in sleep, without the force of his domineering personality to distract him.
"I never asked for your energy," he whispered. "Never."
You were the one who defeated him. I merely nourished what lies dormant inside you.
Nourishing him with the Metal energy he possessed...to generate a Water attack...
Tsuzuki exhaled sharply. Nourished! That was it!
Not a controlling relationship - a supporting relationship! Muraki had hinted at it all this time, and he'd missed it completely.
He knew material elements were bound by supporting relationships in which one element nourished another. By continuous renewal of one another, these elements ensured the survival of all living things. These relationships formed the generation cycle binding the elements together: Fire nourished Earth with its cleansing flames. Earth nourished Metal deep within its rocks...and Metal, with its soluble minerals, invigorated the Water flowing from mountains to the sea.
Fire. Earth. Metal...
This was exactly what the cat was doing now, but with elemental energy! Energy flowing from the Fire-blessed lighter, to the Earthly ruby and then the Metal-dependent Muraki - it obeyed the energy flow of the generation cycle.
"Is that why he wears the ruby earrings? To nourish the dormant Earth inside him...and generate the Metal he needs?"
The cat meowed and rubbed its head against Tsuzuki's hand, but he was too stunned to scratch its ears.
Elemental energy generation. The concept was staggering, shocking. The process of element generation occurred constantly in nature. But elemental energy generation was forbidden knowledge...wasn't it?
In his initial shinigami training under Chief Konoe, Tsuzuki had been taught the dangers of generating one elemental energy from another. Beings of pure energy such as shikigami and demons did not generate new types of elemental energy. They worked exclusively with one type of elemental energy to minimise chaos - the ultimate enemy of all spirits. Energy disordered was energy lost, for it could never be harnessed again. For the same reason, shinigami did not generate new elemental energy either. Though they may be compatible with one or two elemental energies, they never learned how to generate new energy - they were only permitted to use their chosen energy type for a specific purpose.
Transforming one elemental energy type to another type greatly increased the level of disorder in the universe. Entropy was accelerated, leading to chaos - the death knell to all worlds, material and immaterial alike.
Elemental energy generation was the ultimate taboo.
Tsuzuki scrambled out of bed and paced the room. If he was correct, then this was more serious than anything he had imagined.
What was Muraki? He was still a member of the material world, wasn't he? A human who knew how to transform elemental energy...and depended on such energy for his survival.
Tsuzuki snorted to himself. Who was he kidding? No human could do this. No demon would dare either.
With his mind in turmoil, he went to the window and pulled the curtains aside. The early morning sun shone over the city of Nagasaki. The sky was clear, and the sea glittered in the distance. It was going to be a beautiful day.
"What do I do with him?" Tsuzuki covered his face in his hands. "What do I do?"
He had to stop Muraki, but how?
Scenes of their bloody confrontation at Shion University flashed through his mind, making him tremble. Violently he shook his head. No, he wouldn't let it happen again. He was weary of killing. He wanted to bring life, not merely stay the hand of death. Besides, JuOhCho had not seen it fit to issue a summons for Muraki yet. Until they did, he was supposed to live.
Tsuzuki cast a guilty look back at the bed, remembering the shoulder wound. Muraki's shoulder wound wasn't immediately life-threatening, but there was the danger of infection and blood poisoning. Healing him by nourishing his Metal with Earth would almost certainly work, but it would invoke the forbidden generation cycle...and increase universal disorder.
But it was already too late to worry about disorder. Muraki had already nourished the Metal energy within him so he could battle Saagatanus using Water. Dispersing Saagatanus's energy signature was a blatant act of destructive chaos...and Tsuzuki had no regrets. Even with the benefit of hindsight, he would have accepted Muraki's Metal energy again in a heartbeat. Saagatanus did not deserve anything from him, least of all his mercy.
As for what Muraki deserved...
A prickling sensation flashed over his shoulder blades for a second, then vanished.
Tsuzuki massaged one shoulder, thinking. Maybe Muraki wasn't Metal deficient after all. Could it be Muraki's Metal energy was weak? If so, Earth energy would help him more than Metal. Earth could strengthen and nourish the Metal energy within.
If he transferred Earth energy to Muraki, they would no longer in each other's debt.
Quickly he went to the lounge room. He returned, tearing the wrapping of the onyx pen to shreds.
The cat stepped aside as Tsuzuki sat by the side of the bed. Holding the pen in one hand, he held the ruby earring between the thumb and index finger of his other hand. It was time to put Muraki to the test.
He bowed his head and recited the spell:
Enduring gatekeeper of all wisdom, courageous protector of the righteous - release the energy from this amulet.
He channelled the energy from the pen along his arm, across his shoulders, into his other arm and through his fingertips to the ruby earring. At once the jewel began to glow. The energy left him with speed of rain sinking into parched soil.
Tsuzuki increased the energy flow, pleased at the rapid uptake. The ruby he held grew bright, its radiance tainting Muraki's high cheekbone and wispy hair with a tinge of deep red. The same shade of red as the moon in his dream. Red, the colour of passion and life.
Muraki's brow furrowed a little. Maybe he sensed something...but it wasn't disturbing enough to awaken him. Good.
It proved difficult to channel energy through the earring to Muraki himself. Something impeded further energy flow - a barrier similar to the ones he set up with his fuda. Maybe these studs were a reservoir of energy that could only be tapped by the wearer. He channelled energy into the other ruby stud for good measure. The wound did not heal.
Tsuzuki peered closer at the wound. Muraki's acts of violence would never cause him permanent harm, yet a moment of anger on his part left an indelible mark on Muraki's fragile body - a gory reminder of his savagery.
He started when Muraki reached up to touch his cheek.
"Good morning, Tsuzuki-san." Muraki's gaze was heavy-lidded and slumberous like a sleepy feline. His fingers carded through Tsuzuki's overlong hair, playing with the fine hairs over the nape of his neck. "How are you?"
Pleasure skittered along Tsuzuki's spine. "I'm fine...but the wound on your shoulder has returned."
Muraki smiled and lifted his jaw, stretching the bite mark apart until it bled anew. "You know what you must do. Take my blood and drink it."
Why wasn't Muraki alarmed by the wound? Unless... "You did this! You...you undid the effects of the Metal energy. Why?"
Muraki silenced him with a finger over his lips. "I merely redirected the energy to where it was needed the most."
They both looked down as one. Muraki's morning erection was ready for action.
"Are you crazy? You don't need any more energy there, you pervert!"
"How else can I match your staying power? Your sexual stamina is like nothing I have encountered before."
"We don't have to do that anymore! I told you already, that's not why I'm here!"
"Hush. There may not be a need, but there is definitely a desire." Muraki pulled him into a gentle kiss. "You have such an expressive voice, Tsuzuki-san, and last night you used it to the full. Every word you said...each time you called my name...it was oil on the flames of my desire. When you begged me to continue, I felt the same way too - I never wanted it to end."
"I...I was drunk at the time..." But he knew he was lying - he didn't have a hangover headache. It took more than a bottle of wine to make him drunk, let alone tipsy.
"Drunk with lust," Muraki teased. "As I was too. But there are other draughts even more intoxicating." He tried to guide Tsuzuki to his shoulder. "Drink it. When you drink, you will understand."
"Stop it!" Tsuzuki took hold of one of the ruby studs. "You never take these off, do you? When did you first start wearing them?"
"Long enough. I've been thinking about changing them to amethyst, the exact shade of violet as your beautiful eyes."
Embarrassed pleasure made Tsuzuki blush. "Ruby is more rare and valuable. It is the crystalline blood of Earth - the ideal stone to support the Metal within you."
Muraki glared at the cat sitting on the rumpled sheets. The feline returned his gaze, and lashed its tail.
"I've transferred Genbu's Earth energy to your earrings. Draw on this to generate Metal energy. Use that to heal your wound."
Muraki's nostrils flared. "The only energy I am interested in is yours! Now it's your turn!" He grabbed Tsuzuki's head, pulling it down. "Now drink!"
Tsuzuki's face was trapped within the crook of Muraki's shoulder. Cold wetness slid against his cheek and jaw. The sickly sweet scent of human flesh tickled his nostrils. "Let go, you..." The rest of his words were muffled by fine silver hair.
"Why do you fight this? You think you can hide yourself from me? Now we have shared essence, there can be no turning back. Cast aside the remnants of the seal that binds you. The unveiling awaits!"
Blindly Tsuzuki fumbled for Muraki's throat, and followed it up the other side of Muraki's face until he found the ruby stud. He focused on projecting its stored Earth energy into Muraki. But there was too much resistance. Between his fingertips, the ruby began to heat up.
"Take it," he muttered between clenched teeth. "Take the energy and heal yourself! That's an order!"
Muraki grasped the back of Tsuzuki's head. "Then accept my blood. Drink from me. Only through communion can we become one."
The prickling sensation along his shoulder blades was back, this time worse than before. The scent of blood was everywhere, suffocating him.
He shook his head, panic-stricken. "Enough!" He shoved against Muraki's chest, squirming uselessly for freedom. He didn't want any more energy, blood, essence...anything. Muraki was the one who needed these things, not him. He groped for Muraki's erection. Drain him dry. Threaten his survival. Force him to call on Earth.
Muraki tensed. He wrenched Tsuzuki away by the roots of his hair.
"Muraki." Tsuzuki took great gulps of air. The scent of blood lingered in his nostrils. "Ahh..."
But Muraki looked furious. His earlobe was covered in blood, and the ruby stud shone with the intensity of a laser beam.
"What happened to-"
Muraki jack-knifed to a sitting position and roughly hurled Tsuzuki across the bed.
The cat jumped aside, but not fast enough. The two of them tumbled onto the floor with a series of noisy thumps.
"You dare reject me?" Muraki snarled. "Then I reject you!"
Tsuzuki swore and opened his eyes. The world spun crazily around him. He had a splitting headache, and his lower back ached - it had taken the brunt of the impact. At least the prickling sensation over his shoulders was gone. Apart from the backache, this felt remarkably like the hangover he deserved.
Damn Muraki. Why was he such a stubborn bastard? Tsuzuki imagined tightening his fingers around the long pale throat and throttling the life out of him.
But he couldn't. It would be an unequal contest, for Muraki didn't have the recuperative powers of a shinigami.
The cat scrambled over Tsuzuki and jumped on the bed. It yowled and hissed, tail lashing.
"Be silent! Once again you overstep your authority! Did I ask for your interference?"
The cat replied with a litany of yowling protests.
Slowly Tsuzuki came to his feet, using the back of his hand to wipe Muraki's blood from his cheek. He saw Muraki and his cat glaring at each other on the bed. The ruby stud adorning Muraki's bleeding earlobe remained aglow. The bite wound on his other shoulder glistened red...but it was a fraction of its previous size.
So it was true. Elemental energy regeneration...and the ability to accelerate the downward spiral to chaos...
Human or not, how could Meifu ignore someone with such power?
Muraki reached up to touch the wound. His lips curled when he realised it was smaller than before. "Get out! Go beg at Enma's feet like the dog you are!"
Tsuzuki bowed his head, but he was unmoved by Muraki's fury. He was accustomed to Muraki's sudden shifts of mood. "Uhh...okay." He went to search for his clothes then remembered - he'd already sent them back to Meifu. He darted a glance at Muraki again. "I...I'm really glad your shoulder's better. If you use some of the energy in the other earring, I'm sure it will heal up completely. Your earlobe too." He grinned cheerfully. "Earth nourishes Metal, right?"
Muraki's expression was cold enough to turn water to ice.
Tsuzuki was acutely conscious of his nudity. Idiot! Even wearing wet clothes was better than parading naked like this. "You're right - I should get moving. I have a bad habit of turning up late to work. Make sure that wound heals up, okay? You're supposed to be a doctor - you should set a good example to your patients by looking after your own health."
Muraki removed the stud from his bleeding ear. When he dropped it on the nightstand, the cat leapt up to lick the blood from the earring. "What time will you come to me again?"
Tsuzuki's heart jumped. "It depends." He did his best to match Muraki's aloofness. "The early evening, maybe the afternoon if things are quiet."
"Very well." Muraki held his gaze, lips curving in a hint of a smile. "I will wait."
Turning up to work on time risked arousing more suspicions among his Shoukanka colleagues, so Tsuzuki set off for Watari's lab first. He found Watari sitting in front of his computer, 003 perched on his shoulder.
"Hey, Tsuzuki!" Watari waved him over. "I've been doing more research on those numbers in your anagram."
"That's good. What have you found?"
"Remember how I mentioned numerology was important to the early Christians? Well, I've found this tradition was also important to the Bible writers. Many of the numbers that crop up again and again have a deeper symbolic meaning. Maybe that's the case with your anagram. The numerals it contains date back the Roman Empire, and the use of Latin for LUX is from the same era. So maybe the numerology system they used will explain the meaning behind your anagram!"
"Numbers with meaning...you think it's possible?"
"Well, why not? Demons use all kinds of ancient influences in their seals, huh? They reference many different cultures - I bet they do that to show off how knowledgeable they are. Demons are natural show-offs."
Tsuzuki went still. "Do you think a demon is responsible for my dream?"
"It's your dream. What do you think?" When Tsuzuki didn't answer, Watari added, "That's why you asked me for the list of demons the other day, ne?"
"Yeah." Tsuzuki smiled sheepishly. "Am I so easy to read?"
"Not at all!" Watari chuckled and slapped his shoulder. "As a scientist, observation is a speciality of mine." He brought up a file for Tsuzuki to read. "I compared the numbers in your anagram with a database on the Biblical numerology. And look what I found for the number 3!"
Tsuzuki bent forward for a closer look. "Three...is the Holy Spirit?" He reached for the mouse to view more of the document, but Watari grabbed it first.
"Yes! In Judaism and Christianity, the Holy Spirit provides sustenance and comfort, much like the Earth Mother archetype in ancient cultures. It's associated with abundance and generosity and food. This meaning is also depicted in the third Hebrew character Gimel." He pointed to three squiggly lines on the screen. "It shows a rich man running to give alms to the poor - a cheerful giver eager to share his bounty with others. Cute, huh? See the resemblance?"
Tsuzuki tilted his head, trying to make it out. "Hmmph. It looks as good as your stick drawings."
They both laughed at the jibe. But inside, Tsuzuki was reeling.
Feed me. Nourish me.
"Watari..." He cleared his throat, suddenly serious. "This doesn't sound like any demon I know."
"Me neither." Watari stroked his chin. "But remember, demons can appear generous when they are after something they want very much. That's how they lure humans into contracts, right?"
"That's true. So what does 22 represent?"
"Aha! Now this is where it gets interesting." With a couple of mouse-clicks, Watari brought up another file. "The 22nd and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Tav - meaning mark, sign or cross. It refers to the impression branded on the thigh or neck of animals that identified them as property."
"Like a seal." Tsuzuki's voice was flat. It wasn't a question.
"Exactly! Now a seal is a stylised identification mark. It contains information on identity, authority...and some reference to one's greatness and longevity." Watari shrugged at Tsuzuki's snort. "There's an ego-trip aspect to having one. But when I read this, it made me wonder if your anagram could be a seal. Seals were used in the Bible as a form of protection. Righteous people were marked with a seal on their foreheads to spare them from the wrath of God."
"Not only the righteous," Tsuzuki added. "Have you heard of the 'mark of Cain'?"
"Hmm. The name sounds familiar." He reached for his keyboard. "Let me look it up."
"In Genesis, Cain, a son of Adam, killed his brother out of jealousy. God punished Cain by branding his forehead with a sign of his terrible crime."
"Well..." Watari blinked. "Seems like I'm not the only one who's been reading."
"Only a few passages here and there. I had a few more leads I wanted to follow up." Tsuzuki took out the Bible and slid it on the desk.
"That's where it was! I thought I'd lost it!"
"No, it was me," Tsuzuki said quietly. "Sorry for taking it yesterday, but I was in a hurry."
"No problem, no problem." Watari took hold of it and placed it to one side. "That was tricky of you! I was so worried about getting in trouble with the Gushoshin. You know how strict they can be." He stopped when he saw Tsuzuki's seriousness. "You didn't look well when you left yesterday. Are you better now?"
"Much better." Tsuzuki smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "There's no need to worry."
"But everyone is worried. You haven't been yourself lately. We don't see much of you at the Shoukanka, and when you're here you seem preoccupied with something else. Bon has been pestering Tatsumi for information, but he's keeping tight-lipped. Yesterday Chief Konoe was rushing back and forth between here and EnmaDaiOh's Court." He looked around, then leaned towards Tsuzuki. "I heard about Saagatanus," he whispered. "He had it coming to him."
Tsuzuki stiffened. "Who told you?"
"Don't worry. No one here. The other Shinigami have been kept in the dark."
"Then how do you know?"
Watari's expression became sly. "As long as people gossip, no secret can remain hidden from me for long. Research is the art of information gathering." He caressed his keyboard. "That's another of my specialities."
003 hooted and fluffed her wings in agreement.
"That's why I asked for your help in the first place." Tsuzuki's expression was contemplative for a moment. "Despite spending most of your time stuck in the laboratory, nothing escapes your attention."
"Why, thank you! But you know, successfully binding a demon is no small feat either. As for destroying one...well, that's nothing short of a miracle. How did you do it?"
"I didn't."
"You're being way too modest. If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"
Tsuzuki paused. "Entropy," he murmured to himself. "Chaos. The greatest killer of all."
"Entropy? Chaos?" Watari sat back in his seat, eyes wide as saucers. "Hey, have you been holding out on me all this time? You never took an interest in my scientific research, and now out of the blue you refer to the second law of thermodynamics - the tendency for disorder to increase in a closed system!" He laughed and hit Tsuzuki on the back, jolting him out of his reverie. "This isn't the Tsuzuki I know! What's got into you lately?"
"Nothing, nothing at all." Tsuzuki managed a weak laugh. "Entropy's reach extends far beyond the material world. Meifu and the virtual world of Gensoukai are not immune from its effects. Even an idiot like me knows this."
He weighed up the risks of telling Watari more. He needed someone with a high security clearance to access information from the JuOhCho supercomputer. Watari was the best person for the job - he was a lot easier to deal with than the pedantic Gushoshin brothers. As for the likelihood of Watari informing Chief Konoe... it was a risk he would have to take. Muraki's catastrophic potential needed to be halted before it spiralled out of control.
You have been given considerable leeway by the administration, Tsuzuki. Your leash remains lax as long as you stay within its reach.
He touched his unbuttoned collar. It would be all right. He had a stiff neck.
"Watari, do you know why the virtual world of Gensoukai was created? Do you know why shikigami chose to reside there?"
Watari looked surprised. "Sure. With the advances in science and technology since the Industrial Revolution, humans have taken charge of their lives. Many of them abandoned the old superstitions and worship rituals - they no longer called on shikigami to intervene in their problems. Children were taught the physical laws governing the universe instead of the names of hundreds of spirits. Feeling redundant in the modern world, the shikigami decided to recreate a paradise world in which they could exist in peace and harmony on their own terms."
Tsuzuki rested his jaw in one hand. "That's part of the reason. Humans became more adept at manipulating the elements than any other living creature. They prospered and flourished, but at a price. The air and sea became polluted. The forests were cleared, altering the landscape beyond recognition. Many animal and plants species died out. The shikigami were concerned by these changes. They came to the conclusion that the unrestrained use of their elemental powers combined with humanity's technological progress would lead to further destruction and suffering. So they chose to withdraw from the material world and reside in the virtual world of Gensoukai for the good of humanity."
"Did they say that? Hah! Humans have done just fine without them anyway." Watari put his hands behind his head and sighed. "Imagine the existence they must have now. It must be a lot easier for them in Gensoukai. No prayers to answer. No constant summoning. Much like a permanent vacation. A nice living if you can get it."
A flash of irritation flitted over Tsuzuki's face. "Have you ever had the chance to visit Gensoukai?"
"No way! I'm too busy with my experiments! Why do I need to go there? Not everyone is as gifted as you in negotiating a contract with a shikigami. Look at poor Terazuma."
"He offended his shikigami with his bad temper and rudeness. But your temperament is nothing like that. I'm sure if you wanted to find one, you wouldn't have the same trouble he did."
Watari chuckled. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm not interested in a shikigami. I believe in using my own ingenuity and skill - that's why I decided on a low-level power that brings my drafts and sketches to life!" He grabbed a sheet of paper and scribbled on it. Moments later, he pulled out a small leather-bound Bible, an exact replica of the one already on the desk, and handed it to Tsuzuki. "I don't need to be strong using a shikigami's power. Knowledge is all the power I need."
Tsuzuki flicked through the pages - even the print was identical. "Thanks, Watari. But not all of us are as intelligent as you."
"You're being modest again, Tsuzuki." Watari clicked his tongue. "You don't have to be, especially after defeating a demon like Saagatanus! Now don't change the topic - tell me what happened!"
"I didn't defeat him. If I knew how, I would have destroyed him during the Minase Hijiri investigation instead of waiting all these years." He placed the Bible in his coat pocket.
"So you asked someone - or something - else to do it for you." When Tsuzuki looked up sharply, Watari simply smiled. "Just a logical deduction."
"Another speciality, huh?" Tsuzuki didn't smile back. He reached in his pocket and dropped a clear plastic bag on Watari's desk. "Here."
Watari held it to the light. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the colour. "Tsuzuki...this hair..."
"Please use your scientific knowledge to analyse this. I need to know if the owner of this sample is deficient in nutrients, particularly minerals. Can you compare it with the sample you have from the Shion University case?"
"I should be able to...but why minerals?"
"I know you have other responsibilities, but please do this for me. I am depending on you, Watari. I promise I will explain later." Tsuzuki stood up, making the chair jerk back with a loud scrape on the floor.
"But Tsuzuki, you can't just throw this at me without an explanation--"
"Why do you need me to explain anything?" Tsuzuki retorted, his patience wearing thin. "You're the specialised know-it-all, Watari. You figure it out."
There was a brisk knock, followed by the door swinging open. Watari dropped his hand to the desk, concealing the bag. Tsuzuki turned around, his heart thumping in dread.
It was Tatsumi - folder in one hand, briefcase in the other - looking every inch the officious secretary.
"Good morning." He nodded, unsmiling. "Forgive me for interrupting your conversation. Tsuzuki-san, may I see you when you're finished?"
Tsuzuki pulled his coat around him. "I was about to leave anyway." He gave a tiny shake of his head to Watari's imploring look. When Tatsumi was in one of his grim no-nonsense moods, he didn't take no for an answer. "I'll join you right now."
Notes:
1. Houyi, Chang'E and the Jade Hare on the moon comes from an old Chinese myth. There's also a single reference to the Jade Hare in a Hanayume installment of Gensoukai arc (or was it Kamakura?).
2. The information about Biblical numerology comes from The Bible Wheel website.
Use Google if you'd like to learn more. Annoyingly enough, I can't paste URLs into chapters. Arrgh!