Volume 3

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Volume 3

Vol. 3: The King of Swords Arc

Throwing everything else away, if

My love for you could be fulfilled

Then now I could die in my paradise,

We two alone in our own world.

Ah, embracing those shoulders

We seek something in each other

I say that my only desire is you

In a dying voice that is heartbreaking

Now I can die at the farthest reach of love

Where your purify is my reality.

Ah, closing our eyes we find each other

Falling without fear of sin

Ah, embracing those shoulders

We seek something in each other

Ah, closing our eyes we find each other

Falling without fear of sin

Shindemo Ii (Now I Can Die) by Weib Kreuz

The character that appeared in this arc were:


Kakyouin Tsubaki: She was born with a weak heart and came under the care of Muraki. Muraki performed her heart transplant and she loved his good side.	Kakyouin Takeshi: After losing his wife, his world centered around his daughter. He went into the black market of organs to get a heart.	Irene (Eileen): She became Tsubaki's friend and gave her a Camilla when she was done selling flowers for the day. She went with Tsubaki to Japan, but she disappeared.	Hohjou Kanako: actress and lady of the evening. She knew the secrets that were on the ship.	Wakabayashi Syozo: politician who was blackmailing Mr. Kakyouin and was in on the organ black market ring	Abiko Tetsuhiro: He is a medical student that was on the cruise ship.	Akiyama: he was Mr. Takeshi's ship manager who had no clue about the illegal acts that happened on the ship.

U&M: Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream.

Muraki: Everyone sing this song,

Love, exciting and new

Come Aboard. We're expecting you.

Love, life's sweetest reward.

Let it flow, it floats back to you.

The Love Boat soon will be making another run

The Love Boat promises something for everyone …

Hisoka: BAKA! Stop singing that horrid song!! *Makes a direct hit on Muraki's face with the Crime and Punishment book and knocks him over*

Everyone: *Hold up average scores of 5.5 due to the book not killing Muraki*

Unicorn: Yes Hisoka-kun, I am such a dingy.

Tatsumi: Please spare us your bad boat humor and 80's jokes.

Everyone's a mean critic. And, I'm not that old. *Pouts*

*Sits up with a hand over his right eye* Please, no one move!! I lost my artificial eye! *Starts feeling around for it*

Everyone: O.O…?!

^.^; Oh dear, I just put in my purple super shag floor rug that Watari helped to put in. I think I lost one my cats in the rug today? I wish you luck in finding your eye.

Watari: Humm, reminds me that I need to vaccum out the cookies I lost in this rug.

Now on with the story, after Tsuzuki drools all over his sweets again, My partner and I were called into Chief's office. Tatsumi-san gave us his threatening pep talk.

Tsuzuki: Why does he give me all the angry looks?

To show you how much he cares for you.

The Chief told us our assignment was to investigate a cruise ship which might be connected to the number of soul disappearances based on the records checked which went back to the time when Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997. This problem could be tied back to the Earl who noticed an increase of lives being prolonged unexpectedly. Once again our side mission was to get some food souvenirs.

The two went with older Gushoshin brother to Hakata Harbor (mid pic) in Fukuoka, which is located on the northwest side of Kyushu. Fukuoka is a major domastic and international entry into Kyushu. A long time ago, Hakata use to be a separate district from Fukuoka by the Nakagawa River. The merchants and trade were in Hakata while the lord and samurai were in Fukuoka until 1889 when the two merged to just Fukuoka. During the late 13th century, the area faced Japan's Mongol invasion. Twice, the Japanese had to keep them back. Anyway, They boarded the cruise ship, Queen Camellia. Hisoka's role was Azumi Hibiki, a son of a rich businessman, and Tsuzuki had to work as a card dealer. The ship went off on a three-hour tour, err… I mean on a two weeks trip to Hong Kong and back.

Final Fantasy XII made a Cameo for us. How sweet of them <3.

Too bad I didn't get the chance to shanghai Sephorith.

That long, silver haired guy was freaky when he played cards at my table. Meanwhile, Hisoka-kun went to the ship's party, and I got lost while trying to get back to our room. Some mean guards, who spoke in English, started yelling at me and I tried to tell that I didn't understand them. Then out of nowhere a wine bottle of Chateau Margo broke on my head, knocking me down. I discovered that Muraki was still alive and threw the bottle at me.

What a waste of good wine.

You're complaining over the wine? What about my precious head?

Precious? I would highly doubt that.

Others: Hai...hai...

Meanies....=P

As for Hisoka-kun, he was stressed out since many people were around him. His personal space was violated by Abiko feeling him over to check his health. Muraki mentally called Hisoka and forcefully moved him. He ran into Tsubaki. The two got acquainted. To help make Hisoka-fun feel better, Tsubaki told him about her pet name as Tsubaki-hime, after a character from a book and about her doctor who was no other but Muraki.

Lady of the Camellias: Alphonsine Plessis (Marie Duplessis) [January 15, 1824-February 3, 1847] is well known as "The Lady of the Camellias". She was a Parisian courtesan who got involved for a short time with the French novelist and dramatist, Alexandre Dumas fils He later named her "Marguerite Gauthier" in his novel, "La Dame Aux Camellias", written in 1852. It was adapted to a play called "Camille" in 1852. She was named as "Violetta Valery" for Verdi's opera La Traviata in 1853, which was based on the play and the novel. She died because of tuberculosis.

*Gazing at Tatsumi while in a red and black kimono. His hair tied up with large hairpins and 003 perched on top with a camellia in beak (heart)* The story in the novel is about a young courtesan in the mid 1800's who fell in love with a young man, Armand Duval. She tried to escape her questionable past but it ended up haunting her so she returned to that kind of life as she died painfully and alone with the knowledge that she was a noble woman at heart. She gave up her happiness for the good of her lover. *Bats his eyelashes*

T.T Someone should make a censor fuda on this.

Kat: In case you want to know, the movie "Moulin Rouge" about a young writer falling in love with a courtesan is based on her story.

Tatsumi-san do you want me to sing a love song for you?

This is a karaoke nightmare.

If you didn't put the two together, Tsubaki means Camellia ^_~

Anyway, Muraki told me how wonderful my eyes were and that he was just being a doctor to Tsubaki, not scheming something evil. He threatened me to leave him alone and wanted to take me to bed. Why do I have to be stuck with a crazy doctor that wants me as a lover?

I guess he wanted to be different from all the other bad guys.

Muraki checked on Tsubaki, and she asked him to check to see what was wrong with me, which I declined. Once again that hentai doctor was sexually harassing my partner.

When Tsuzuki and Muraki left. Tsubaki-chan gave Hisoka-kun a kiss to make him feel better. Ahww…It was a Kodak moment. Meanwhile, we see Mr. Kakyouin being blackmailed by Wakabayashi to fix the games.

The next morning, Hisoka tried to sell me to Muraki as being 'a rich patron'.? My partner never respects me. We found Mr. Kakyouin and Akiyama in the hallway, and Akiyama told us he had trouble getting Mr. Wakabayashi to answer the phone. The rest of the VIPs that we knew showed up. Tsubaki found the minor arcana tarot card, the Ace of Wands slipped under Mr. Wakabayashi's door. Hisoka-kun senses something was wrong in the room. Akiyama opened the door to a bloody scene of a seated Mr. Wakabayashi with his heat ripped out on his lap. He also had two fang marks on his neck and held a candle. I wondered if Muraki was playing Dracula again. *Everyone stares at Muraki just in time to see him finding his eye. 003 had found it and made a nest in the purple shag floor rug and was sitting on the artificial eye like it was an egg.*

*Muraki reaches for his eye and 003 fluffs up. 003 bites Muraki's index finger and hangs on as Muraki shakes his hand.* Itai, itai, itai …!!!! *003 let go and sits back on the eye fluffing up even more. Muraki prostrates on the carpet to 003 begging for his eye. *

Umm…I better get 003. This is getting too weird even for me, no da. *He grabs 003 quickly before owl knew what he was doing.

*Muraki gets his eye and goes to bathroom to clean it.*

Well back to the story, Muraki preformed the autopsy and revealed that styrene in the wine had killed Mr. Wakabayashi. Muraki was being cute when he said one of them was the killer. He didn't know who because he is not a detective or an investigator. Like I would believe that, not with a huge violet box file he has on Tsuzuki at home. The stalker even used violet paper.

The murder had to be kept a secret from the other guests on board to avoid panic. We also discovered that the radio was broken and could not go back to port. I blamed Muraki for the murder, but he had Tsubaki to confirm as his alibi. Hisoka-kun and I planned to search to ship some more.

Tsubaki-hime came to us and showed us a letter she found in her room with the connection to the Ace of Wands. The letter said,

Beloved Tsubaki-hime,

I give to you one that loves you truly.

Consecrating the sacrificial heart on the altar, Ace of Wands.

Now we get into the tarot cards, which I based on my image links on the one's that appeared. No Tsuzuki-san, I will not read your fortune. Here, have fortune cookie instead. I will only cover the cards that were used (For very simple tarot meanings, click here to another site). The Ace of Wands is in the minor arcana that embodies physical aspects of the divine mind, and the suit of wands' direction is South, and the element of Fire and represent physical expression. The key actions of the Ace of Wands are creative force, enthusiasm, confidence, and courage. In Tsubaki's case, it means beginning.

I went back to working at my card table. Muraki came in with a bouquet of red Queen roses for me and that hentai doctor wanted to play a game on the bet of having my body for the night.

I can't believe you agreed to play the game with him and actually thought you were going to win.

This is Tsuzuki we are talking about -_-;

Haaiii…T-T

No fair! It was part of my job. Yes, I played the game and lost. Then Hisoka-kun came to my rescue even though he tired to sell me cheap to Muraki for 50,000 yen ($400?). He challenge Muraki to a game. It was embarrassing to be marked as the prize. While they were playing the card game, I heard about this girl, Eileen, who was a card dealer and disappeared. Then I overheard Mr. Kakyouin and Akiyama talked about Eileen being an extra person on the ship's list, but number of people on board was one short.

As I was playing the game, Muraki tried to cheat by fooling around with my emotions and the night he cursed me. In the end, I won the game. Why do I feel I won the booby prize instead?

Don't be bashful...you really wanted him as a prize. You want to have a puppy, right? It has nice purple eyes, too. *throws an apple pie towards Tsuzuki*

*catches* Ahem, we go back to our room, I reported what I had heard and got elder Gushoshin to look up the girl's name in the records.

Tsuzuki-kun strikes again and ordered room service with alcohol.

In the morning, Tsubaki came to our door and gave us another scary letter. Mean Hisoka-kun pushed me away in the face. Then Abiko-san came by looking for Muraki, but he didn't show up at their meeting time. Tsubaki ran to the doctor's room, and we got the door open only to find Muraki dead in a bed of roses with the King of Swords torn in two. The letter said,

Beloved Tsubaki-hime

I give to you one who loves you truly

Sleeping in a coffin of roses, the black gentlemen of two people...

King of Swords.

I knew we should have staked him and cut off his head just to make sure he was dead.

^^; Blood thristy, are we? Too many horror flicks?

Okay, okay, we should have burn him and scattered the ashes. I get these ideas from books.

Hey that is so mean of you to say that. It hurts my feelings to hear you say that. *Grabs Tsuzuki for comfort*

U&H: Pervert!

Help me! *003 pecks at Muraki to let go*

I am close to hating you, owl. >.<

Miss Tsubaki has fainted from shock. She had settled down when she slept. We all had gathered to hear about the autopsy report of Abiko. He said that the death is the same as Wakabayashi. Hohjou quickly interrupted him by shouting that the ship should turn back. Kakyouin wanted to protect the reputation of his ship so Hohjou accused him of being more worried of his money and threatened to haunt him if she died. She immediately left as Abiko continued that unlike Wakabayashi, Muraki has no wounds and there is very few blood so Muraki's heart is most probably still intact in his body.

Later on, Tsuzuki asked me if I believed Muraki was really dead. I was quite undecided as to what to feel then. We then had a meeting as to what we learned so far regarding our case on the missing people. We thought that Kakyouin group is involved since Tsuzuki pointed out that he learned that a certain Eileen was missing. Tsuzuki suggested that he would look into the disappearance of Eileen while I would try to learn the connection between the killer and Tsubaki who was the only one getting the tarot cards.

The elder Gushoshin was about to report their progress when he said that he cannot contact EnmaCho. Tsuzuki freaked out big time over it.

How could I not freak out!! They would cut my salary and who knows what!! They would think I'm slacking off!!

^^;; Okay...relax...relax...where was I? Ah yes, so the elder Gushoshin suggested that Tsuzuki send one of his birds to inform EnmaCho on what was happening. Tsuzuki thought more about the two cards as their clues and Hisoka is doubting if Eileen actually exists.

Hmph....well, I'm right after all, aren't I?

At that time, who would have believe you? The sixth level of the ship is quite tight security. No one had seen her and if she existed who could have kept her.

We should have just get a big ax then and chopped down the walls or something to find any secret hiding places!

*sarcastic* The brilliant mind speaks....of course, not....you baka, we would have been sued.

Add, you might have sank the ship.

Who would sue dead people, anyway?! It was doomed to sink anyway! Let's see Muraki survive drowning. Ha!

My, my...Tsuzuki, you wanted me to be a ghost so that I can be with you always....don't be shy!

Anou....I think it is better for you to be was alive then.....now, get lost, I'm working. Ahem, we found out that Wakabayashi's Ace of Wands is a White while Muraki's King of Swords is a Marseille. The two are actually two different types of Tarot Cards. The White deck originated from England while the Mraseille from France. I think there is a reason for this and as to why the King of Swords was cut into two. For more information on the King of Swords, here's Unicorn! focusses spotlight on Unicorn* Applause please!!

All: *claps*

e.e Haha, very funny. Well, the King of Swords key actions are intellectual, analytical, articulate, just, and ethical. Tear it in two, you also get the opposite meanings too. The King of Swords is in minor arcana court cards and has the awareness of spirial truth. The suit swords represnt spiritral truth expressions and has the direction of North and element of Air.

I thought that Muraki's card could mean a man of power or a man of cruelty. It could have a special meaning from the killer.

That you like me, too?

Who asked you?!

Hohjou interrupted us, so Tsuzuki tried to change the subject by asking about her bracelet (it was a ring in the anime, which Tsuzuki broke). She admitted that she stole it from Wakabayashi. Later on, I walked around the ship and found the door to Muraki's room ajar.

*hugs Hisoka* Afraid of ghosts? Don't worry, I'll protect you.

^^; No, I'm not. Get off me. It was Tsubaki. She told me how she met Muraki. He turned out to be her mother's chief physician. Her mother also had a weak heart which Tsubaki most probably have inherited. Heart transplants is not widely accepted or even allowed in Japan so people would have to get theirs in other countries. She had wished for her white angel to come and help her. She believed that it was Muraki and she is still in denial that he is dead. I tried to tell her that she doesn't know the real Muraki but for her, he was someone different...different from how I knew him.

Here is some tissue...

Thanks. Well, she also told me that she knew it is one-sided since Muraki already loved someone else. No, it is not Tsuzuki, it was a girl unless Tsuzuki is actually a girl.

I am not! You want to take a peek!

NO!! I'm kidding. ^^; There might be some children reading this.

And, we don't want to scar them for life.

Anyway, she was Muraki's childhood friend. He wanted me to be her 'Armand' just like in the novel, the one who gave the heroine her will to live. I told her that I would not be a stupid noble man like him who eventually had caused Marguerite/Camille to die. I then took her inside.

*spooky voice* Somewhere else on the sixth level of the ship, someone went inside a room. It seemed to be a boy with untucked shirt. He took Hohjou's bracelet.

I went back to the room and boy, I was tired. I learned from the elder Gushoshin that my bird haven't returned yet, but I told him to wait tomorrow then we will do something about it. We then heard the voices of Hohjou and the owner. They seemed to be arguing.

I have already retired in my room and have heard something, but I dismissed it as my imagination.

The next day, another envelope was found with a camellia flower. Tsubaki found it on her door and she was quite freaked out about it. Tsuzuki noticed that Hohjou was not there so they went to her room. They saw a straw weaved box wherein ribbons and a part of flower-printed kimono with fresh blood stains. Akiyama told us that it was Hohjou's trunk. Tsuzuki opened it and another tarot card fell to the ground.

Beloved Tsubaki-hime,

I give to you one that loves you truly.

Heartless dolls closed in a contrived box...

Six of Pentacles.

It was Hohjou! All bloodied and blindfolded inside her clothing trunk. Her kimono was loosened so that the killer could remove her heart.

In EnmaCho, Konoe was getting impatient since they had not been reporting. I told him it would be fine since the elder Gushoshin was with them. The younger Gushoshin came rushing in to tell us that he cannot contact his brother. He explained that there seemed to be some electrical interference. Konoe ordered me to go to Queen Camelia with the peace preservation division. To stop whatever havoc, Tsuzuki can cause. TATSUMI, THE BRILLIAN SLAVE DRIVER OF AN ACCOUNTANT WILL COME AND SAVE THE DAY FROM EVIL DESTROYER CALLED TSUZUKI!!! BWAHAHAHA!!!

Ah...did someone put something in Tatsumi's tea?

*whistling innocently*

0_0 You didn't use my Starbucks' tea did you?! *Tsuzuki runs away* SHINE!!!! *chases him with a katana*

Back to the story, Abiko told them that Hohjou died the same way Wakabayashi died. There was a strange wound on the neck, poisoned then ripped the heart out. Tsuzuki is puzzled who could have done it since their suspect was Muraki and he was the only 'vampire' they knew who suck energies of people. They discussed what to do with the body and finally decided to leave the crime scene untouched.

I picked up an envelope and it contained two cards. Tsuzuki wondered out loud if someone else was killed. Abiko and Tsuzuki remembered that Hohjou and the owner were arguing last night. Tsubaki quickly defended her father's innocence. We decided to check out the owner's room. One of the message of the cards was:

Beloved Tsubaki-hime...

One that loves you truly gives to you.

Dead people can't speak.

(Do you still not understand?) Seven of Wands.

*returns after being chased by Unicorn* Huff..huff...it was such a horrible sight that Tsubaki fainted. Kakyouin was hanged with his arms and legs torn off. His mouth was sewed together. Hisoka quickly brought Tsubaki out of the room. Abiko also freaked out over the scene and since there was a storm, the ship had swayed. It caused Abiko to lose his balance and from him, Hohjou's bracelet fell. Abiko quickly denied that he had anything to with the murders. For the meaning of the latest cards, here is the ever so nice, Unicorn-sama! *with wide grin*

You cannot bribe me! *while looking at the grumpy Tsuzuki* Anyway, the Six of pentacles is the domain of awareness of pure nature, and the suit of pentacles represent mental expressions with the element of Earth and the direction of East. A reversed Six of Pentacles key actions are neither having or not having: resources, knowledge, and power (very tricky card). The Seven of Wands is the domain of existence of physical experiences. A reversed Seven of Wands key actions are peacefulness, submission, and doubt.

Somewhere, where they have put my body, I started to move. I woke myself up before 'that girl' awakens. That scene could be in any horror movie, well, specifically vampire movie. hehehe Time to get some victims....

Yeah, from a very class B film.

^^; Really playing to the hilt, huh?

Hmph, you are just envious of me.

Am not!

You are!

*ignores them* Akiyama decided to tell the ship's crew about what's happening. I accompanied Tsubaki while she slept. She seemed to be having a nightmare so I had held her hand. A flash of images flooded me. Most of them are about this Eileen, Tsubaki having a heart donor whose name is confidential and someone saying goodbye to Hong Kong and being friends always. I had an overload so I collapsed. Of all the dreams that I could have, I have to dream about that night with Muraki!!

I'm just irresistible. ^_~

e.e Why do I feel like I just watched an X rated film? Definitely, a major censor fuda on this scene.

Will someone remove this hentai doctor for a moment, please?

Yokai! *gets a crane machine and catches Muraki* Bingo!

LET GO OF ME!!

Sure! *tosses him to in Kat's and Unicorn's large garden pond* (was nearest ocean)

You better not hurt our koi, Muraki-san! >.<

Ah, Unicorn....I just replaced the koi with piranhas to clean out the bugs and pest in the pond.

Argh!!! Get them off me!!!

With him out of the way, Hisoka is mine....ouch...ouch!!

*pulling Tsuzuki's ears* What did you say?

Nothing....back to the story, Hisoka woke up from that nightmare and lied to Hisoka if I heard him say anything in his dream. The older Gushoshin reprimanded me on lying but I said it was for the good of everyone.

I dressed up to cover those writings of Muraki's curse on my body. They always appear when I dreamt of that nightmare.

^.^; Umm, Hisoka-kun, did you forget that the film camera was on when you were changing clothes?

T.T That crazy Muraki bugged my room and gave the tape to the author. Well, Hohjou's bracelet fell from the table and it was broken into pieces. Tsuzuki said that there is a microchip inside which the older Gushoshin went to check it out. Tsuzuki told me that Abiko was a fan of Hohjou so he wanted to have a souvenir from her so that is why he took the bracelet. Tsuzuki then cheered me up in this own Tsuzuki way. *slight smile*

^-^ Well, Hisoka asked me if we have progressed with the card mystery and I said nope. I think it was too cheerful of me since I got a scolding from Hisoka. *sniff* We studied the facts that we had so far.

1. The layout of the cards.

Wakabasyashi's Ace of Wands - right side up

Muraki's King of Swords - unknown since it was torn

Hohjou's Six of Pentacles - reversed.

Kakyouin's Seven of Wands - reversed.

2. Except the body of Kakyouin, all of the victim's bodies were found in a locked chamber but anyone can make a master key to their rooms.

3. The type of cards used are White and Marseille. It is hard to determine if a Marseille card is upside down or reversed in knowing its meaning if they are not picture cards so old diviners would put a mark to know how to read the card. In one card, the picture is Marseille but the numbering is white. The suspect would have been worrying about the position of the card.

4. The meaning of the cards, according to Tsuzuki's book which was borrowed from Tsubaki.

Ace of Wands = beginning

King of Aces = advisor or cruel man since the position is unknown.

Six of Pentacles = receiving a bribe

Seven of Wands = threaten

They were interrupted by the older Gushoshin to tell them that the chip contained the blueprints of the ship. There was a spot which was marked with an X. Tsuzuki decided to check the food storage area where it was marked. Hisoka wanted to come, too but Tsuzuki told him to go check on Tsubaki.

Oh, does the X mean buried treasure.

In this case, I think it means food to Tsuzuki-kun is treasure.

Tsubaki seemed a bit fine when I saw her. She brought up the subject about Muraki and me. I told her the truth that four years ago Muraki killed me and that I'm a shinigami. I showed her the marks of Muraki's curse on my body.

*coughs* Light striptease.

I DID NOT!!!

While Hisoka was chatting away with Tsubaki, I went to the food storage area. I was really disappointed since there is no food in that place. They must have rats here and ate everything. Mmm...I should have worn a fur coat there, it is way cold there. Suddenly, someone grabbed my neck!! Argh...argh...cannot breath....

^^;; Don't get carried away....

What an over active imagination you have.

Back to my conversation with Tsubaki, I told her how I met Muraki and what was the connection between Muraki and me. Tsubaki cannot believe it so I have to prove that I am already a shinigami by stabbing my own hand.

How dramatic. Isn't there a better way to do that without inflicting pain on yourself?

Maybe he likes to be in pain....

Good thing that Tsubaki didn't faint when she saw that, she did have a weak heart. Konoe would have killed us if she died prematurely.

*ignoring the side comments* Ahem...the hand quickly healed and I told her that the reason I became a shinigami is for revenge against Muraki for what he has done to me. I also told her the reason why I'm on this ship. Tsubaki empathized with my cause so I decided to take this opportunity to ask her about Eileen.

Tsubaki told Hisoka that Eileen was her friend while she lived in Hong Kong. Eileen was a flower vendor and would always give her a red camellia on her window sill. When they are going to return to Japan, Tsubaki's father let Eileen come to the ship by working as a card dealer. It was a happy time for Tsubaki since they talked about themselves, their families and their dreams for the future. One day, Eileen just disappeared. Before Hisoka left the room, Tsubaki asked for his real name.

*Muraki comes in dripping wet with his clothes all chewed up and the sleeves torn off*

*with a big harpoon* Hark! There be the demonic white whale!

Huh?

Ooo,ooo, I want to be Ishmael, Captain Ahab!

e.e Call me Queequeg. [<-- He has tattoos for the part]

This is disrespectful to the book classic, Moby Dick.

Umm Tsuzuki-kun, you better continue because Tatsumi-san is getting a headache and will get grumpy.

Back to my story, whoever grabbed me pushed me through some glass and started to drain my energy. I was growing numb so I used up all my strength to grab a piece of glass and slash at my attacker. Then, something fell down....it was a metallic eye...and sigh, it is Muraki.

Hah, you thought you can get rid of me that easy, huh?

Ya, I know, you are like a cockroach which keeps on coming back.

How mean, being compared to an insect. Mm..well, my dear Tsuzuki, you have a brain of an insect to actually believe that I could die of poison. Since I was a child, I have been drinking fatal dosage of different poisons to have a resistance against them for I think it is necessary.

And, it has affected your brain, it seems.

I'm not asking for your opinion, shrimp.

Why you!! *unsheathing his katana*

*holding Hisoka back* Take it easy...we need to finish this story....*whispers* kill him after story.

How nice of my darling Tsuzuki, so concerned.

Tsuzuki: Kill him, Hisoka.

*Kat places up a censor fuda*

Sorry for this slight interruption. *bows*

W&Tats: How embarrassing -_-; T-T

*all bloodied and slashed* Where was I? Ah yes, that time, I have to explain to dear Tsuzuki that I have to attack from behind since I needed some spiritual energy to completely recover. It would be easier from the mouth but since we haven't known each other that long, it would be better for me to take it indirectly. But since, we knew each other long enough now, maybe...

Don't even think about it. That hentai doctor even had to keep on blabbing about how my spiritual energy taste like. Well, I'm sure his energy taste like blood pudding (Burnt sheep's blood).

How about your cooking....

*didn't hear what Hisoka said* Then he blabbed about taking care of Hisoka so that he won't get hurt by Tsubaki since she is known to play with men. He was referring to the character in the novel. He continued about how he had first met me in Nagasaki. I would have fallen asleep if he kept on talking but good thing, he stopped and we went upstairs for it is very cold in the storage.

*in new clothes and bandages* My Tsuzuki told me what had happened while I was taking a beauty nap. When asked about the Seven of Wands, I hinted to him that Kakyouin was being blackmailed for fraud by Wakabayashi and Hohjou. Once in every month, big time people come to the ship to gamble real money.

They were spotted by Akiyama who freaked out since he though Muraki is a zombie.

Muraki-san sure did look freaky with an eye missing.

Tsuzuki calmed him down and explained everything. Muraki decided not to tell Tsubaki that he is alive since she would be in a more state of shock which her heart might not be able to bear. Muraki told Akiyama that because of an accident before, he had to make an artificial eye. Much to Tsuzuki's dismay, Akiyama thought Tsuzuki and Muraki are such good friends.

Back in our room, Tsuzuki told me of the new info Muraki had provided us. We theorized that Wakabayashi wins games by fraud and gets money illegally so his card meant threatening the owner. Maybe he was killed to shut him up. Wakabayashi could have learned something which the owner and someone else is doing. Tsuzuki suddenly remembered something and wanted to tell me that Muraki is alive. I already knew because his clothes reeked with Muraki's cheap cologne.

Hey, that is expensive _____________!!

Yeah, the really smelly stuff like Love Potion No. 9.

Or, Success de Paris' Fujiyama

Are you a dog?

*hits Tsuzuki on the head* Well, I'm happy that Muraki is alive so that I could personally end his existence. Tsuzuki then mused about my revenge and I'm being worried about him. Tsuzuki then brought us to the storage room since he find a certain place narrower than on the blueprint. An instance that his clumsiness is actually beneficial. He leaned on a wall and it opened.

It was a hidden room like a Bluebeard room. It was most horrible. Lots of body parts and bodies all over the place. So it was Queen Camellia's secret. Then, we heard someone screamed. It was Abiko. We quickly ran to where he is and found him being strangled with a thick rope. It was Tsubaki. How could a fragile girl overpower him? An evil looking Tsubaki looked at us and told us that we were wrong for she is Eileen. We were puzzled as she continued that she was betrayed and killed by Tsubaki.

While they were busy being shock over what happened, I was calling Sakaki to make preparations and stand by for after five minutes, the barrier around the ship would be removed. I warned Sakaki that they will be coming so he should take care of the shootings.

Back to where we found Tsubaki, I wondered aloud as to what was happening. Eileen in Tsubaki's body told us that the heart transplanted to Tsubaki's was hers.

She told them that she was tricked into working but actually, they wanted her heart. The other children there were sold by their parents for a small amount of money in exchange for their organs. They were kept from escaping by cutting their limbs and stopped from screaming by sewing their lips.

That is just sick minded!!

Tsuzuki: *throwing up*

Don't imagine it vividly. *gives him a paper bag*

I asked if that was why she hated the owner and the others. Eileen confirmed it for who wouldn't be angry for they had tricked her and it is only right for her to make them suffer as she did. She only wanted to be with Tsubaki.

Eileen then confessed why she killed them. Wakabayashi was responsible why Kakyouin is in financial problem, so he had to continue the organ smuggling ring. Hohjou witnessed the murder of the owner so she had to be killed. Muraki knew that it was her heart that will be transplanted to Tsubaki and he still did it. I thought that she still didn't know that Muraki is alive. Eileen then asked us to follow her for she has something to show us.

Eileen showed them diskettes and papers regarding the information about the organ smuggling ring route and everything else. Eileen said that there is another man who is threatening Kakyouin and had Kakyouin under his control. Before Eileen could continue, she was shot by Muraki at the back.

I warned her not to be so talkative and do not turn her back on the enemy. I knew all along that they would be coming to that room. How cute of Tsuzuki to actually believe that I'm the nice guy here. I was being nice to them by giving them the rest of the details of this case. Enmacho sending such fools...they must be really be bankrupt.

We are over worked and under staffed.

*glares at Tsuzuki* Hmph, it doesn't help when a certain person kept on destroying our place.

^^;; *hides behind Hisoka just in case*

The Seven of Wands meant the true blackmailer which was me. The Queen Camellia was built for smuggling, selling and dealing of organs. I was the accomplice of Eileen's murder plans for I was the one who gave the poison and added the neck wounds so that all suspicion would be on me. That is why the King of Swords was torn into two. If I stirred up JuOhCho enough to act, it would be a nice opportunity to deal with those who are related. I was the real culprit, the killer's advisor and Eileen was trying to tell you about it, but as I said, your IQ is quite low but I still like you anyways. *looking at Tsuzuki*

You are really pushing my buttons!!

*embraces Tsuzuki* Ah, really...I really wanted to be your center of attention, Tsuzuki.

Help!!!

^^; We are in a serious part here so stop playing around.

Muraki: *ignores him*

=_= # If you want to continue, please go to a room somewhere!!

Hehehe....*drags Tsuzuki to a room*

K&U: Not in our house!!

No...please, don't...Hisoka-kun....I'll be nice.....*puppy eyes*

*cannot bear Tsuzuki being molested* Watari-kun!!

*uses crane to pick Muraki up and has to shake him hard for him to let go of Tsuzuki then brings him to his lab* Wee....a guinea pig....hehehe....I always wanted someone to try my new sex potion.

@_@ dizzy....

Ahem, Muraki then told us that Kakyouin helped out in the smuggling just to find a matching heart for Tsubaki and he planned to quit afterwards. Muraki didn't think that it was fair for Kakyouin to be so selfish so Muraki used a special hallucinogen drug with almost no side effects which he can only produce to heal Tsubaki. Kakyouin had no choice but to cooperate. He then told Tsubaki that it was Eileen's heart so she had killed Eileen in order to live. The guilt inside Tsubaki made her believe that Eileen had lived on within her.

Tsubaki then recovered a bit and saw Muraki. Apparently, the shooting had returned her to normal, so she was surprised to see him alive. She confessed her love for him but Muraki answered back that he didn't love her. Hisoka was a bit confused over this and wanted Muraki to somehow give Tsubaki a better response. Muraki, being a cold brute, told Hisoka of ways to use Tsubaki by pretending to love her.

Hisoka began to feel Muraki's cold feelings so I stopped this conversation by punching him in the face. Unfortunately, there was a barrier.

*escaped from Watari* I praised Tsuzuki for he was able to crack my special barrier which cannot be destroyed by cannonballs. *looks at his notes* He becomes more stronger when it is protecting others. I like it. *laughs* Well, it was time for us to part then for I had placed a bomb on the ship to sink all the evidence with the ship. I quickly ran off to escape.

Arr me maties. He'd scuttled the ship.

Boy, was I pissed. I wanted to go after him to make him pay for what he did. Hisoka seemed a bit stunned so I was forced to take the elder Gushoshin with me.

Tsubaki apologized for what she did. She had bet against herself that she would love the first guy she will meet that night and that she would forget Muraki, but in the end, she could not. She knew that the drug could create an alternate personality and it was used to blackmail her father. In fact, everyone knew and that she was a bad girl for keeping it all to herself.

She had been with Muraki for such a long time that she can no longer determine if he was a good person or not. Yet, she still believed that he used to really save people's lives. Hisoka could not understand Tsubaki's blind love for Muraki even though she knew that Muraki was just using her and everyone for his own evil purposes.

Tsubaki hushed me up to prevent me from saying anymore mean words against Muraki. She thought she was the lowest of all human beings and doesn't deserve any understanding from other people. It is for people worthy of me, she said. She asked me to kill her for she doesn't want to die knowing that Muraki was the one who killed her.

On the deck, we saw a helicopter and Muraki was riding on it. He bid me goodbye and promised me a million roses. That pervert. He escaped as I can only complain of Muraki's deceitful ways. Gushoshin reminded me of the passengers safety. Then, I saw a light above. Someone was calling me.

The bomb had exploded somewhere in the upper decks. I didn't care as the water on the floor is quickly rising up. I remembered Tsubaki telling me not to be sad and that there will be someone more worthy than her for me and will protect, care and understand me. I saw Tsuzuki from the helicopter, calling me. We rode on the helicopter piloted by Tatsumi.

Well, I'm the one whom Ms. Tsubaki was talking about *hugs Hisoka very tightly*

Argh...cannot breath...let me go.

Uh, sorry.

*collapse to the floor then after a moment, grabs a thick novel and hit Tsuzuki with it* I thought I'm going to be squeezed into a pulp back there! You moron, I'm not an orange!!

Ouch!....sorry!!!

Well, everything....the ship, the money, the information....sank into the ocean and it would be impossible to retrieve. Muraki destroyed everything. Hisoka confessed that he shot Tsubaki through her heart with Muraki's gun. Hisoka wondered if he would become like Muraki but Tsuzuki told him it will never happen and comforted him. Hisoka thought that he killed Tsubaki because he was a dishonest weak coward who cannot change Tsubaki's heart regarding Muraki whom she loved.

Somewhere on my chopper, I'm off to Tokyo to have a cup of Sakaki's coffee. I saw a Camellia flower on me and threw it away into the ocean. I think it was dirty.

I felt sorry for Muraki, not being truly loved when he was young and could not respond to certain emotions.

Sigh...Tsubaki wanted me to understand that she didn't love a criminal but a human being who was Muraki.

True love or compassion is in forgiveness.

Some time later, I suggest that we go back to the site where the ship sank for a short ceremony for Tsubaki.

You don't have to remind me what happened there. It was bound to be a failure, moron.

It is the thought that counts. And, it was all Watari's fault.

Watari: ^^;;

The ship was designed by Watari. Goodness, it was so ugly that I thought it would sink. There was also a stampede because the other people near the port thought it was a monster.

Stop complaining!! It got you there, right?

Well, we did got there. After the ceremony, we cannot go back because the ship's compass kept pointing to the wrong direction.

^^;; *puts 003 with business suit and left them* Talk with my lawyer.

003: *with a tag saying I'm the lawyer.* Hoot.

^^;; Well, after a month, we finally got back and guess who was waiting for us?

A fuming Tatsumi because we didn't work for a month.

So, will you guys stop yapping and get back to work!?!

Hisoka & Tsuzuki: Hai! Hai!! *they tie a handkerchief on their forehead as they work away with piles of paperwork*

~ end of this arc~

Continuing the Juohchou Basics lecture, Meifu's layout mirrors the real world. The Diet Building (Diet is what the Japanese call their parliament) in Tokyo is Enma-sama's main building in Meifu.

Humm, it sounds like Alice Though the Looking Glass.

The employees of the Summoning division do have apartments to live in if they wish to. Meifu has similar four seasons like the real world.

The only catch is the Cherry trees are always in bloom. They reminded me of the red moon night I first saw Hisoka-san. <3

Crazy hentai >.<

A shinigami learns to use magic from a person, who has a similar special skill, or from books.

Now for the Castle of Candles, it is located just near Meifu and is marked as holy ground in Juohchou ruled by Hakushaku (the Earl).

The following information are concepts related to the structure of Meifu and etc. There must be a book somewhere that has contains folklore of Japanese after life, but I have to figure this out on my own. It is like not reading Dante's Divine Comedy to learn about the levels of Hell and Heaven in Christianity, sorry, the Bible is very vague on them. I searched for two weeks under Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese mythology, Shintoism, and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (Pure Land type. I found it magically while sorting used books to be put away.) You have to love Japan in being collective in their beliefs. I give credit to people I got the info from, so no suing or cmplaining. Remember, ignorance leads to suffering.

Okay, Buddhism does have Hells, but not earthy or permanent one's. These Hells are the one's you have made in your mind due to your actions and rebirths. Buddhism came into China where they had Hells (Yomi) ruled by ten kings and two types of Heavens as Western and Southern. These ideas were added onto Buddhism in the Mahayana sect. Japan's old religion was Shinto (the way of the Kami), and it had three levels to the world around us. China's influence had Japan take in the ten kings/lords of Hell, but they changed the idea a bit. Then Buddhism came over to Japan and Pure Land was developed (Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism). Japan had combined the ten kings/lords with the Pure Land idea with bodhisattva names added on. The result is this in connection to Yami no Matsuei:

Shinto: The three worlds,

Takama no Hara (the world of high heaven, kami, and universe) = Gensou Kai

Nakotsu Kuni (the world of the present) = Chijou

Yomi no Kuni (the world after death) = Meifu

Pure Land: The ten Hell lords (in order),

1. Shinko = On the 7th day after death, the dead are judged by him and urges the dead to renounce evil and pursue good.

2. Shoko = Tries the dead on the 14th day and watches them go over the river of three crossings.

3. Sotei = Inquires the dead on the 21st day on the offence of fornication.

4. Gokan = Inquires the dead on the 28th day on the offence of lying.

5. Enma = Judges the dead on the 35th day on the degree of evil which the dead have committed and has two guards or recorders (Gushoshin) to torture them for their offences. (Enma might be a lady in YnM)

6. Henjo = Censures the dead on the 42nd day for their evil deeds and exhorts them to perform good deeds.

7. Taizan = Sees the dead on the 49th day and decides where the dead will be reborn in their next life.

8. Byodo (Heizei) = Sees the dead on the 100th day and passes impartial judgement on the dead.

9. Toshi = Sees the dead a year from the 1st judgement and teaches that the living by devotion to the Lotus sutra and by making images of Amida Buddha can save the deceased.

10. Godotenrin = On the 2nd year from the 1st judgement, looks into the stupidity and earthly desires of the dead.

As for Makai (Demon World), the idea also came from China and is a very scary place on its own.

=.= Now, I can get some sleep. -.-Zzzzz

~End of Volume 3~