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Akuma no maaka na tsuki. |
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[The Devil's Crimson Moon] part1 |
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Key: |
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// // = thoughts and/or memories |
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\\ // = demonic voice |
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[ ] = these holds the english translations of japanese words that you may not know. |
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Normal disclaimer applies, enjoy! |
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Black liquid spilt upon the ground staining the pink sakura blanket. A howl of growling pain echoed in the night as a figure stood holding a saber that glinted with moonlight. A violin piece known as 'The Devil's Trill' played soundly in the background. "Kissama!!" [Bastard/Bitch] the creature cursed in a gargling voice. The figure knelt down as the violin music filled the air. An elegant pale hand reached out and caressed the scaled skin as dark blood spilled down the hand soaking the sleeve and dripping off at the elbow point. The thick dripping sound hardly audible as the musician continued to play. "Kappun, I told you not to go after him did I not?" the voice was smooth and elegant. The beast only growled almost choking on it's own blood. Yellow eyes shown fear when pale lips curved into an amused smile. The figure got up taking their sword in hand once again. "You wouldn't!" the demon screeched. "Hn," the person nearly laughed and the sword came down. |
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"Owatta!" [Done] Minase Hijiri took his violin bow and violin away from each other. |
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He looked out the window, "Oh? Hm, thought I heard something. My imagination, I guess." |
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With a shrug he put his instrument safely away. Flopping down on his bed he stared up at the ceiling, his green eyes blinked slowly as he let his mind wonder. |
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//How can I face you after what I had done?// |
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Hijiri rolled onto his side. |
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//HI~~~CHA~~~N!!!// |
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His eyes began to mist. |
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//Hijiri!!// |
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He curled up into a ball. Memories always came back especially the ones that you don't want to remember. Maybe that was the reason why he had stopped thinking about things and just did them. It seemed to him that whenever he let his mind work he would remember Kazusa, Hisoka, Watari, and most of all Tsuzuki. He wished that he could remember the man's smile and not his pained face? but you don't always get what you wish for. There was a knock on his door. |
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"Come in," he rolled back onto his back. A teen about his age walked in with the bill of their black baseball cap almost touching a blown bubble of bubble gum. The teen came in pulled up Hijiri's desk chair closer to the bed and saddled it. The front of their green shirt pressed against the back of the chair as they folded their arms on the wood. |
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"And you want?" Hijiri wasn't too delighted with his new roommate. |
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"You're depressed again, as your loyal friend not to mention roommate I'm here to cheer you up." |
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The boy sat up and looked at the tomboy in front of him. He frowned when he noticed that she was warring a pair of his jeans again. "Why are you warring my pants again?" |
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She blinked and chewed on her gum, "Because they're comfy. Hey, hey, I'll wash them and give them back to you all nice, clean and undamaged when I'm done warring them." |
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"You said that a week ago, Erin." |
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"True but I wasn't done warring them. Let's go out on a walk, it's a nice night." |
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Hijiri sighed, he knew that she would get her way no matter what he did. |
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\\... Tsuzuki... // |
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The purpled eyed shinigami looked up. He was surrounded by old, warn brick walls. The rustic cream color was slightly bathed with morning light. The ceiling was held up with ogee arches with floral, lunate, and cross designs carved in the stain glass window that spilled shattered colors of light upon the man. |
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\\? Tsuzuki?// |
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"Whose there?" Tsuzuki turned around. |
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Feeling uncomfortable he picked up his feet and left the room. He walked down the hallways that had magnificent architecture that could be found in churches that were over a thousand years old. The marble and statues were worn with age and colored with dust. Turning a corner he stepped into a well furnished room. //Looks like someone's still living in this room.// The clack of his heels became muffled upon the carpet. |
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"Wow, what a pretty place," he smiled then stopped. |
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A chill ran down his spin, the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He wasn't alone. Quickly looking around he didn't notice anything. //Maybe it's my imagination...// Then he spotted a large mirror in the corner of the room it was around ten feet wide and seven feet tall. It was rimmed with a festoon of golden and brass ivory leaves that looked almost alive. |
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"That's odd... why would anyone want a mirror that big?" |
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As he walked closer to the large slab of glass his gut instincts howled, yelled, begged, and pleaded for him not to go. His mind shouted, //No! He's in there, he'll cause more pain!! Don't go!// Pearly white teeth bit down upon pink lips, for some reason Tsuzuki couldn't turn and run. He wanted to, he wanted to just run out run away from that horrible feeling but he couldn't, as if he had no control over his body. The closer he got the more creeped out he was. The shinigami saw no reflection in the mirror at first but step by step the surface rippled. A blur could be seen through the waves of glass that moved like pound water. Black clothing came to a rest only an inch away from smooth glass. The mirror no longer rippled, now Tsuzuki could see it, see him. Deadly purple eyes gazed back with a smirk that foretold of future disasters. |
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"N... n... no... Y-you're!" |
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"I'm still here," a deep, echoing, gravelly voice spoke. A strip of torn cloth fell down a well muscled shoulder and coffee brown hair ruffled as black feathers crept into sight. "And I'm coming back." |
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"GEH!" Tsuzuki's eyes snapped open. His heart thudded against his rib cage as sweat trickled down fine flesh. Purple eyes closed as the shinigami took in a slow breath to calm himself down. |
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"Oh good... only a nightmare." |
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Hoisting himself up and out of his futon Tsuzuki decided it was about time that he went to work? Even if it was about an hour before he would usually leave. |
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"Ah? Tsuzuki-san what are you doing here so early?" Tatsumi asked meeting his fellow shinigami at a joining path. |
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"Hm?" Tsuzuki obviously didn't hear him. His mind was some where else while he approached the building that he worked at. |
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"Something wrong?" Tatsumi pushed up his glasses. |
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"Not really... Just a bad dream that's all...... So is there anything new that I may have to deal with?" |
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Blue eyes blinked in surprise, that was the first time that he had ever heard Tsuzuki leap into work with out mindless chatter before hand. The secretary cleared his throat and adjusted his suitcase. |
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"Actually..." |
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Hijiri slammed his hands down upon the table causing the ramen dishes to jiggle. Erin looked up at him with some noodles still in her mouth. Her glasses were slightly steamy from the hot soup. "I'm not going to put up with it!" the boy hollered. |
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Green eyes looked at him quizzically as she finished her strand of noodles. |
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"Hijiri you're making a spectacle of yourself. Remember this is a Ramen house and not home. Please sit down and think this over rationally." |
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The brunet heavily sat back down as he folded his arms across his chest. He crossed his legs and watched his roommate eat. "Why?" he finally asked over the slurping sound. |
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"Because I chose that as my profession, Niisama will help me." |
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"He doesn't dabble in that field does he?" |
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She shrugged causing her backwards hat to pop up slightly. "You never know with him... So why are you antsy about me becoming an exorcist?" Memories came washing back like a tsunami in Hijiri's mind. "Because you can get into a lot of trouble," he summed up not wanting to get into further details. The girl sighed as she tucked her brown hair back into the cap. |
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"So don't do it, please," her roommate continued. "If not for your own then for mine? Rethink it." |
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She took in a slow breath then nodded, "Fine I'll talk with Niisama about it... He's rational like you at times?" |
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"Good," he settled back into his seat. "So when is the older brother of my freakish roommate supposed to show up?" |
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Erin looked at her watch on her right hand, "In three minutes." |
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Hijiri leapt to his feet, "He's going to arrive at our house in three minutes?! But it took us five minutes to get here! Damn, I didn't want to make him wait." |
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"Don't worry, don't worry," she got up and went to the front counter and paid for the meal. "We'll take some short cuts and arrive there before he does." |
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"Say what?" |
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Hisoka frowned, why did the case have to involve that poor boy again? Minase Hijiri had enough problems, from what he had heard. The boy was about to graduate from high school and go into a well-respected University, he had to deal with midterms and finals not to mention the criticism that comes from the rich kids. That was enough but... there was the whole ordeal of the past with Saagatamusu and Tsuzuki being possessed. Then there was this. |
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"Apparently this boy is in danger, once again, with the demon world." Tatsumi folded his arms, "We don't know what is exactly going on but so far he has not physically encountered with any of the opposing threats." |
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Tsuzuki leaned against a table, "So you're saying that we have to go and protect him right?" |
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"No," Konoe interfered before the secretary could say anything else. |
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"Huh?" The two shinigami partners looked at the old man. |
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"You are to investigate the force that is protecting him." |
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Purple eyes frowned, "But why?" |
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Tatsumi broke in, "The theory is that he is being watched by an 'Eclipse'." |
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Hisoka blinked as Tsuzuki gasped. The older shinigami's eyes widened in surprise, "But that would mean?" |
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"Yes," blue eyes closed as Tatsumi adjusted his glasses. |
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"Damn? Come on Hisoka, lets get going." |
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Tsuzuki ran out of the room quickly grabbing his coat on the way out. Hisoka hesitated slightly then ran after his partner. "Tsuzuki! Oi, Tsuzuki!" the boy called out. "What's wrong?" |
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"We've got to get to Hijiri as soon as possible!" |
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Hijiri placed a tray down on the table and began setting cups of tea and plates of cookies out. He was rather glad that Erin's older brother was a sensible guy. That way he could double-team her and she would listen for once. |
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"But!" The girl protested to the man across from her. |
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"I said it would be too dangerous. Remember you're body can't handle much." The man spoke up as Hijiri placed a plate of tea cookies in front of him, "Thank you." |
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"You're welcome," Hijiri sat back on his zabuton*. "Erin, you said you would listen too him. So do it already!" |
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Erin wrinkled her nose and looked at Hijiri angrily. She didn't like it when he was right, of course she didn't like it when she was wrong but she knew that her roommate would find away to make her relive it. When he held up his hands in a calming gesture she hit her elbow down on the table and rested her chin in her hand. |
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"Now now, don't be mad," her brother spoke up as he lifted a teacup to his pale lips. |
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"Whatever... Fine, I'll remain a disgruntle telemarketer for a few more years..." |
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"Why don't you become a comic artist, you're good at drawing or even a doctor like your brother here," Hijiri offered. |
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"I wouldn't suggest a medical profession for her... she becomes ill quite easily." |
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"I'll say," Hijiri laughed with the man. |
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"Oh that's so not funny Hijiri, Kazutaka." |
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Muraki smiled, "Forgive us we are only being playful." |
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"Yea yea," she looked at the time. "Damn!" |
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"What?" Hijiri looked at the clock too, "Oh no! Your orientation, get going or you'll be late!" |
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Tsuzuki ran down the street looking from building to building. He was way ahead of Hisoka who was now resting so his lungs wouldn't fail him. They had gone back to the place where they last knew Hijiri had lived and found out that he had moved in with a friend. They got the address and were trying to find him before anything else could happen. His skidded to a stop at a familiar white figure. //...Muraki!...// his hands curled into fists. |
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Then he felt it. A feeling that couldn't be described by any language or any other means. His eyes beheld a girl that was no older than 19 years of age. She was warring men's clothing and waved a hand to Muraki who smiled and waved back as he got into his car. "Later Kazutaka!" the girl took off down a narrow street with a backpack strapped on. |
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"Ma... Matte!" Tsuzuki took a step forward reaching out. But she was long gone and out of sight. |
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"Oya? Tsuzuki-san... What brings you here?" Muraki had stopped his car next to the shinigami. |
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"Muraki..." Tsuzuki growled. "How can you still be alive?" |
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"Hn hn, you don't honestly think that something like that would kill me now do you?" |
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The shinigami glowered at the person that leaned over the passenger side seat of the red car. White lips curled, "You wish to know about 'Eclipse' don't you." That was no question, the doctor knew exactly what the shinigami was after. It seemed that the man was always one step ahead, always. Tsuzuki's face crunched in anger. That man always made him feel sick to his stomach and hated the site of him. The albino sat back up when Tsuzuki leaned down to peer in. |
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"What is it that you want?" |
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Muraki chuckled, "I'll tell you some other time... At this moment you are curious as to whom the Eclipse is. If you get in, I'll tell you something interesting." The amethyst eyed man hated it when the albino did things like that. It was as if he was backing him into a corner but what other choice did he have? Muraki has yet to lied to him and his information was rather reliable. With a frown he opened the door and got in. |
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"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka watched his partner get into a mysterious car. Then the car left leaving him behind. He huffed and frowned. There was something about that car, or the driver that he didn't like. He really didn't like the feeling that he had gotten from it. But Tsuzuki was an adult and even tough he didn't look like it he was fully capable of protecting himself. |
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"Are? Hisoka? Is that really you Kurosaki Hisoka?" |
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The blond turned around to see Hijiri standing next to a Dumpster. The boy smiled, "Ah, it is you! How are you doing?" |
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"... Hijiri..." |
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"Where are we going?" Tsuzuki growled with his arms folded. |
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"You wished to have information correct. Hn, I know a very intelligent young woman that has what you are looking for." |
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"Why are you doing this?" |
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The doctor didn't answer that, "Even though she may look like a common person she is quite extraordinary. Her intelligence is far beyond most and her comprehension level is greater than what you can imagine." The shinigami winced at the happy tone in the man's voice. That indicated one thing, a new doll to add to his collection. Tsuzuki wasn't going to let that happen, not over his dead body. They pulled into a parking lot and Muraki cut the ignition. He turned to his passenger and smiled his wicked smile of content pleasure. |
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"It's quite interesting really," he reached over a pale hand and began to trace Tsuzuki's jaw. "Her theories on the Ego and Id." He leaned in so that his breath tickled the shinigami's lips. "How the Ego is only a façade for the Id to hide behind." The doctor continued as one of his hands began rubbing Tsuzuki's thighs, "The Id is said to be the part of the mind that desires to do the things that society forbade." Tsuzuki was shaking, he was frightened, no terrified. There was just something about male and male relationships that scared him and how Muraki forces himself upon him terrifies him. |
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"AH!" they both looked over to see a band of boys ganging up on someone. |
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"That girl..." Muraki backed away and got out of the car. |
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Tsuzuki panted, he was saved but someone needed to help whoever was being ganged up on. |
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"I said no, you freaks!" she jerked her hand away from the boy. "And if you value your limbs I suggest that you back away." |
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"HA!" a gangster pulled out a switch blade knife. "Little slut, we'll teach you to meddle in our affairs!" |
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Erin frowned, "Huh? I only pushed you out of my way. You're the ones that chased me down, great now I'm going to be even more late!" |
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"What is going on here?!" Muraki stepped into the light of the late night parking lot lamp. |
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"What the?!" |
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Erin took this moment of distraction and punched the man with the knife square in the jaw. He flew onto his back and didn't move. The rest of the gang looked at her in slight shock then moved out so that they could include Muraki in their attack. They charged. One threw a punch at Muraki who easily side stepped it, took the boy's arm in a pin and broke it. His scream howled in the night as Erin took her backpack off and swung it knocking another down with a bone-cracking thud. Muraki easily disposed of the three that had rushed at him all at once. It was a pity that they were all fools. A yelp reached his ears. |
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"Just say right there," the boy had some kind of made up accent. "And no ones gets hurt." |
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Silver eyes glowered behind a curtain of light colored bangs. The frightened teen had a knife to Erin's throat. The blade bit into tender flesh as he stepped back, his hostage wasn't moving with him. He pulled her over so that he could look at her face while the blade still nursed on fresh blood. Her expression was blank but almost sad. She wasn't scared in the slightest. |
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"Come on you whore! AH-!" |
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Tsuzuki had grabbed the boy's wrist and squeezed the pressure point causing him to let go. "You shouldn't treat women in such vulgar ways," the shinigami narrowed his eyes. |
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"Why you!" the youth quickly pulled a second knife out. |
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The shinigami quickly captured the boy's assaulting arm and kneed him in the gut to keep him from attacking at least for a bit. The gangsters quickly picked themselves up and ran. |
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"You okay?" Tsuzuki smiled down at the girl. |
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She looked up at him and attempted to smile but it seemed to be more sad then anything else. Erin was about to answer him when something seemed to pull at her. Her feet moved quickly, "Kazutaka!" Muraki looked over his shoulder in time to see a throwing knife pierce through green cloth. He was slightly shocked to see Erin pull the steely tooth from her side. It had gone in far. Looking up he saw one of the punks from before snapping his fingers and turn. He quickly took the knife from the girl's soft, blood coated, hands and threw it back. The pitiful weapon stabbed into the boy, but no one would know where because of the dark cover of night hid it. |
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"Erin?" Muraki turned to the girl that held both hands over her side wound. |
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"I'll... be fine..." |
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A wave blackness hit her and she fell to her knees. |
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"Oi!" Tsuzuki ran up to her. |
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"Eclipse?" Hijiri handed Hisoka some tea. "All I know about an eclipse is when the moon passes over the sun or the other way around." |
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"Same as I, but it seems that there is some kind of being known as an eclipse. I was hoping that you would know about it." |
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The violinist sat next to his friend. "But I haven't seen, heard, or experienced anything abnormal? That is? after Erin and I met." |
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Hisoka turned his gaze to the young man sitting next to him. |
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"Could you elaborate on that for me?" he asked. |
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Hijiri smiled, "She's a nice girl. Kind and caring but can be really annoying at times. She wares my clothes whenever she feels like it but always return them in mint condition, even when she borrows the torn ones. I guess you could call her a normal tomboy? Except.." |
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"Except?" |
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"She's very intelligent and her ability to comprehend things is way beyond me. She even holds lectures at our high school and the University we're supposed to go to." Hijiri leaned back in his seat, "Then there is her health." |
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Hisoka blinked, what did her health have to do with any of it. To him it seemed that the girl was just your average intelligent high school student. There have been others like that, many others. |
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"She seems to be always tired and pushes herself almost every day." Dark bangs waved forward as Hijiri hung his head, "She works full time, goes to school, pays the rent and the bills... All I have to do is pay for the food, and she's always hungry it seems. Damn I feel like such a moocher and even if I insist that I help around with the rent and bills and normal house work she just brushes me off." |
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"Did she ever give you a reason why she doesn't let you help pay for the bills?" |
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"She said, 'Leave it to me, besides I have to keep and eye on you.' Weird girl huh?" |
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Hisoka sipped his tea as he nodded. //Yes... weird girl indeed... She might be the one we're looking for.// The phone rang, Hijiri sat there for a bit then got up to answer it. Lifting up the receiver his gut twisted, there was something wrong. "Yes?... I see... I'll be there as soon as I can... Yes, thank you very much." Hisoka watched the boy hang up the phone and take in a deep breath. He was about to ask if there was something wrong but Hijiri spoke before he got the chance. "That was Erin's brother on the phone? He's taking her to the hospital... He said to tell you that Tsuzuki's with them..." |
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"Tsuzuki?... What happened?" |
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Hijiri was pulling on his coat, "He said it was an encounter with the local gang. Figures... sounds like something she would do." |
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Tsuzuki sat on a chair waiting, he was worried about her. Of course he was worried about anyone that got hurt. Then Muraki came out of the room, his arm was locked with Erin's they looked like a gentleman and a lady. He stood up and approached the two. |
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"How are you feeling?" Tsuzuki asked the girl. |
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She looked at him strangely, took a step back and hid her face behind Muraki's arm. Tsuzuki blinked, was the girl scared of him? She didn't seem to be that way when that fight was over. |
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"Please forgive her Tsuzuki-san. She is... shy," Muraki chuckled when his sister's muffled protest came to his ears. |
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"N! Erin!" Hijiri's voice came from down the hall. |
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The young man came screeching around the corner and dashed down the hall careful not to bump into anyone. He zoomed passed Tsuzuki as if he wasn't even there. His face scrunched up in a frown. "Okay where is it and how bad is it this time?!" |
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"It missed my ribs and didn't puncture anything vital." |
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"This time!!" Hijiri growled, "I swear you're going to be the death of me and yourself!" |
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//This time?!// Tsuzuki's mind shouted. So the girl was used to getting wounds like that? That was awful, just ridiculous. He watched the girl lift her shirt slightly as Hijiri looked at the wrapped up wound and yelled at her for being so reckless. She recoiled and grabbed a hold of Muraki with big teary eyes. |
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"Go-gomen!" she squeaked hiding her head in Muraki's jacket. |
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"Apologizing isn't good enough!" Hijiri lectured. |
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Tsuzuki placed a hand on his young friend's shoulder. "Calm down Hijiri, she's okay. You should be glad," the shinigami smiled. |
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"Tsuzuki?...... Tsuzuki!" Hijiri hugged the older man, "I've missed you!" |
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"I've missed you too." |
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Hisoka glared at Muraki as the man sat across the table. His glance went over to the young woman that was lost in the doctor's white trench coat and trying to find her way out. He wondered what kind of spell Muraki had cast on her, maybe he was saving the spell for later and was just plotting to use her to get Tsuzuki later on. So many other bad things popped up in his head, all possibilities of what the albino could do to the unsuspecting child. |
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"A sleeve, I found a sleeve, look Hijiri I found a sleeve!!" Erin said from with in the cloth cocoon. |
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Tsuzuki was trying to stay hateful towards Muraki but seeing the small arm waving in the extremely large sleeve. He couldn't help but chuckle every once in a while. |
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"Kazutaka..." |
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Muraki lifted up a part of the coat to look at the girl hidden inside, "Yes?" |
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She had her free hand under her pair of glasses holding her left eye. Muraki pushed the cloth back and took off her glasses. Reaching into his breast pocket for a penlight he removed her hand. Tsuzuki gasped when he saw blood pooling at the corners of her eye. |
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Go to next chapter? |
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