by Rina K. Fenderson
9. Fury Search
The door slammed open with nothing short of a thunderous gale of wind, or more acurately a very angry aura. Konoe stood from his desk quickly sensing a threat, as Tatsumi prepared himself for a fight he knew would occur. When the door swung back slightly Watari caught it and shut it gently, behind him. It was Tsuzuki that had first enter with such rage, bristling with more fury than any of them had ever seen and Watari leaned against the door, having followed him in.
Watari�s amber eyes shone a look of concern as he stared at Tsuzuki waiting for him to speak as he had not said a word to the blond scientist, who tried to stop him in the hall to see why he was so enraged. Tatsumi stepped back, glancing at the chief for a brief moment before his gaze returned to Tsuzuki. �Tsuzuki--� �Where are the Goushoushin?� the question came out a demanding snarl; the vemon and ferocity were thick and his violet eyes flickered with some untold darkness. They had seem him weak and vunerable rarely; his mask of perfect calm and happy-go-lucky securely in place most of the time, but never before had they seen him furious with his shoulders and neck taunt and his jaw clenched painfully tight, the fists at his sides shaking. �In the library,� Watari said from behind Tsuzuki, his back against the door, hand to the knob in caution. �Tsuzuki...what�s wrong?� Tsuzuki�s shoulders flinched and pulled upward, then without a second�s hesitation he spun on Watari and snatched up the man�s lab coat. �Find out where Muraki is!� �W-what?� Watari asked, grasping Tsuzuki�s wrists and trying to pry them from the lapels of his coat. Tsuzuki really wasn�t much taller than he, but some how the older man had him on his toes, trying to balance. �Tsuzuki, why would you--� �Find Muraki!� Tsuzuki shouted, shaking Watari once, but roughly enough that the others stared on in disbelief that this was their mild mannered friend and co-worker. Watari looked to be cowering slightly, his arms up in a defensive gesture. �A-a-all right. I will try my best,� he replied, as Tatsumi stepped forward and placed a hand on Tsuzuki�s shoulder. �No you *will* find him!!!� Tsuzuki shouted, shaking Watari again. �Tsuzuki, stop that now!� Konoe snapped, coming out from behind his desk, as Tatsumi�s hand overlapped Tsuzuki�s urging him to release Watari. Tsuzuki fingers clenched tighter around Watari�s shirt, his arms shaking in fury. The usually carefree scientist stared back at Tsuzuki, watching the hitching in his violent breaths and the grinding of his teeth, and swallowed. �Tsuzuki, what�s wrong?� Tatsumi asked, calmly, his thumb pressing to a nerve in Tsuzuki�s arm. �Where�s Kurosaki?� The glare that Tsuzuki flashed Tatsumi would have floored him alone if Watari�s weight hadn�t been thrown into him, making him stumble back into Konoe�s desk. �Tsuzuki!� The shinigami was gone by the time Watari and Tatsumi regained their footing, the door swinging back and slamming closed. The trio stared at the door with utter shock and fear, before Tatsumi breathed out and closed his eyes, his hand covering in glasses. �And it begins again...this time the last, it seems.� �Tatsumi...,� Watari started then stopped and shook his head. �Yes, I know. I have never seen him like that either,� Tatsumi looked to his higher and frowned. �Permission to follow and assist Tsuzuki Asato, sir.� �Granted, but be cautious,� Konoe muttered, his eyes looking wary and fearful. �You are dealing with a desperate man. Not just Muraki Kazatuka, but Tsuzuki now as well. Muraki has stolen Tsuzuki�s life in Hisoka and our co-worker will not tolderate it or any obstecles in his way.� Tatsumi nodded, starting out the door even before the chief finished his sentence. He walked briskly through the complex of the Shokan Division, glancing in and out of places that Tsuzuki might duck into out of desperation. Finally he reached the research and records room, where the two Gushoushin brothers would be working. Fearing for the poor creatures lives, Tatsumi opened the door quickly to find Tsuzuki at one of their computers and the two chicken-like beings floating twenty feet away in what looked to be absolute fear. Sighing, Tatsumi walked slowly over to Tsuzuki, kneeling to his height as he was sitting at the desktop terminal. �Tsuzuki...� �If you�re not going to help, I�ll do this myself,� Tsuzuki hissed, typing frantically at the keys. Tatsumi watched him for a moment, noticing the anger in his eyes was deminishing to a glittering worry; his eyes were tearing even through his firm tone. Tatsumi brushed his hand over Tsuzuki�s temple, pushing back some strands of his dark hair. �Tsuzuki, you aren�t even giving us a chance to help,� the other male claimed, his tone soft and smooth. Tsuzuki�s shoulders dropped slightly in a notch less stress than before as Tatsumi continued. �You haven�t even explained what happened.� �He took him, Tatsumi...,� Tsuzuki growled, although the hiss sounded more pitiful than ferocious. His hands stilled at the keyboard, ameythst shimmering with tears. �He took him when I was right next door, when I was sleeping...how could I let that happen? Why didn�t I wake!?� Tatsumi frowned when Tsuzuki look at him in tell-tale self-blame and shook his head. �This isn�t your fault, Tsuzuki. Kurosaki-kun told me that Muraki claimed he would return to attack again. Kurosaki knew he would be the target...,� Tatsumi paused and nudging Tsuzuki up, taking his chair in front of the computer, and transfering Tsuzuki in the chair beside him. �Muraki is an intellingent man. He plans these attacks to a tee, expecting every unexpectant possiblity. You could not have known this would happen.� �But Hisoka would shout...and I didn�t even wake up. I should have felt him in trouble!� �Not if Muraki masked it and incapacitated Kurosaki-kun.� The reply was meek, violet eyes vunerable and worried. �So...what do we do?� Tatsumi smiled and touched his hand to Tsuzuki�s cheek, resting it on his neck, before turning to the computer and continuing the search that Tsuzuki had begun. The Gushoushin brothers inched closer, sensing the danger over. �We find Muraki...and we kill him.� Tsuzuki returned the smile half-heartedly. �Sounds good to me.�