Gifts
Prologue
Author: J.J.
Warning: It's an AU and it's BASED ON THE MANGA... it contains not too
descriptive rape, some OOC, some use of Japanese words (the Dictionary is at the
bottom), a bit of sappiness, some spoilers...
Notes: This work is based on the manga. It makes perfect sense if you haven't read it
but you will find things going differently from the anime... oh well since this is an AU and
things will go differently from the manga too it shouldn't be a problem.
About the characters... Tsuzuki's character is based on the first volume of the YnM Manga
and that's why he's more serious. If you get the 1st ve ofe of the manga you'll see a more
adult looking Tsuzuki than in the rest of the series. As for Hisoka... He's purposely
partially different from the original.
Inspiration came from the YnM manga and a lovely pic from Akane available at this address:
http://www.cursedmoons.com/ (The pic is the one called 'TsuHi-raburabu')
Warning over notes: This fic is filled with notes. You will find them at the bottom.
Each time you see a number between brackets it means there's a note connected to the
word/sentence that preceded it. Many of them explain references to other series, to YnM
manga only or YnM anime only facts for who didn't get to read the manga or see the anime,
explain apparently illogical things or warn you there's an explanation for illogical facts
but that you'll get it later. However I suggest you to read the notes _AFTER_
you finished the fic unless the word/sentence connected to the note is really troublesome
for you to understand. Anyway the fic should be still understandable without the notes.
Notes are merely extra explanations for who wants to know more or search for spoilers.
Disclaimer: "Yami no Matsuei" belong to Matsushita Yoko. I'm merely using her
characters because I love them... especially Touda, Tsuzuki and Hisoka...
Ehy, do I own something here? Oh yes, I own the plot and a sensible heart which would
surely break if you give me harsh reviews... so please be honest but nice ok?
Thanks: To Lothlorien for betaing this! Thank you a lot!
Sum: Alternate version of the 'Nagasaki Arc' Manga version. What if Muraki
managed to break Hisoka and Enma planned Tsuzuki & Hisoka's partnership?
1996, summer's end - Somewhere in Japan
It hurt. It hurt to feel _HIM_ moving inside him, but he had long ago learned
to not try to get away. He had had almost 3 years to learn it and thank Kami-sama,
_HE_ said his time was almost up. He didn’t know anymore if he was waiting for
death so anxiously because it would dissipate the almost constant pain of his
‘sickness’ or because it would free him from _HIS TORMENTOR_’s
possession. He stared at the ceiling with empty eyes as _HE_ kept moving over
him knowing every sound he made excited _HIS TORTURER_ more. Soon he would be
free. Soon he would be free. Soon he would be...
... In Meifu, land of the dead, where the sakura blossom forever. He never expected to
discover that there, in charge of judging the dead of their past deeds, was a bureaucratic
organizatiolledlled JuOhCho and that its top bureau, Enma-Cho, resided in a mirror copy of
the Tokyo diet building, and at its first floor there was a special division, the Shokan-Ka.
The old man(1) explained that the Shokan-Ka's 18 workers were JuOhCho's high
ranked employers and their duty was to continue investigation on cases unsolved and deemed
impossible by the other Cho in order to solve all the troubles related to the
administration. They also had the privilege to move from Meifu to ChiJou and answered
directly to Enma DaiOh-sama (to avoid any negative impacts on the boy, however, he avoided
mentioning that Shokan-Ka employees were nicknamed Shinigami and that their salary was the
lowest). He could have the privilege to be one of them. Enma DaiOh-sama was personally
interested in him. The boy turned his empty stare on him and flatly refused.
The news didn't take too much time to reach Enma DaiOh. The ruler of JuOhCho stared at his
underling, frowning.
"What’s 'He refused' supposed to mean? Did you explain the terms of our proposition
clearly to him?" he asked, his well-modulated voice betraying annoyance and disappointment.
"Of course, DaiOh-sama, but he doesn't want to consider our proposition at all. Apparently
all he wants is oblivion and he doesn't want to set foot again on ChiJou at all. To stop him
from being moved over as he wanted and you had forbidden, I had to temporarily assign him to
the first district," the kneeling man informed him. Meifu's rules were clear. Dead could be
stopped from moving over and assigned to whatever task the judges deemed appropriate no
matter if they liked it or not, but no one could become a Shinigami without
agreeing.(2)
"Mn... I see." First district was collocated in Meifu's version of Okinawa. Far from
Enma-Cho and therefore fromfrom Enma-Cho's employees' gossip and eyes, but, differently from
9th district that was in Meifu's version of Hokkaido, easy enough to reach at any time of
the year. First district was busy only in summer and that's why only one Shinigami was
assigned to it. Since Shinigami worked in pairs, Okinawa Shinigami a raa random partner from
the Shinigami who weren't busy at the moment when a case presented itself. Also, to speed up
operations, Okinawa Shinigami, who was the last entryShokShokan-Ka, Akamine Chizuru, resided
in 1st district. Since she had been a Shinigami for a year only, and only rarely got to
interact with the other Shinigami who resided almost all in Enma-Cho, it was unlikely she
would get involved in the matter. No one had to know Enma DaiOh had his eye on the boy and
that the ungrateful whelp had refused his offer. "Any chance he shared with his new
co-workers the fact that he was selected as a potential Shinigami?"
"I doubt the boy will talk about it. Not only he was asked not to, but this boy is... well,
particularly introvert and closed in on himself. I don't think he'll manage to make friends
easily."
"Well done. We'll give him some time to get used at living here in Meifu and then we'll...
nudge him towards the right choice..."
"DaiOh-sama, I doubt he could be a good Shinigami. His attachment to ChiJou is too low for a
start, and he's too closed in on himself, too apathetic to..."(3) The man closed
his mouth quickly as he noticed Enma's glare.
"May I remind you of the fact that you already had an introverted, apathetic employer who
turned out to be the best of your division?" the ruler of Meifu pointed out. The man bowed
his head, defeated.
"I am sorry DaiOh-sama. I will do as you wish."
JJ's Notes:
1. Yes, the old man is Konoe.
2. No idea how JuOhCho works beside what's said in the manga. I'm making rules up.
3. In the manga it's clearly said that Shinigami need a strong attachment to ChiJou.
However, after the 'Nagasaki Arc' Hisoka believed Muraki was dead, therefore his
attachment to ChiJou should have vanished... (unless he had other things that connected him
to ChiJou and no, Tsuzuki doesn't count. He's not on ChiJou.). So it's still possible to
keep as a Shini a i a person with no attachment to ChiJou.
JJ's Extra Notes:
I know there's people who think Enma is nice because he didn't punish Tsuzuki in 'Akuma
no Trill'... but the manga explains clearly that if he didn't it was only for his own
profit. In this fic all of Enma's personality is based on the manga... therefore he's not
too nice.
Also... in the manga Hisoka was asked if he wanted to be a Shinigami but at first he refused
and was sent to work in ShinKou-Cho. Then Konoe asked him again to become a Shinigami and
Hisoka, after hearing rumours about how his death wasn't due to sickness but due to a Juso,
decided to accept in hope to discover something. Chizuru should have already been working
there since she became a Shinigami a year before Hisoka joined.
Dictionary:
-sama: Lord
ChiJou: Land of the living
Cho: Office
DaiOh: "Great King". Enma's title
Enma: "Demon of darkness". Ruler of the Land of Dead
Enma-Cho: "Office Enma". In the 5th district of JuOhCho. It's ruled by Enma himself and
controls only Tokyo's territory. It hosts the Shokan-ka
JuOhCho: "Ten Kings Office". Meifu's bureaucratic organization ruled by Enma. It's in
charge of judging the deceased in Japan
Juso: Curse
Kami-sama: God
Meifu: Land of the dead
Sakura: Cherry tree
Shinigami: "God of death", "Death God". Nickname for the Shokan-ka workers
Shokan-Ka: "Summoning Division". Office in Enma-Cho that deals with summoning the dead to
appear at court. It enters in action only when the souls of the dead don't go spontaneously
to Meifu
Don't grumble silently, please let me know what you're thinking of this!
Send me your comments!