"Kagome, kagome, kago no naka no tori wa. Itsu, itsu, deyaru? Yoake no ban ni. Tsuru to kame to subetta. Ushiro no shoumen dare?"

(Translates to- Kagome, kagome, the bird in the cage, when will you come out? In the evening of the dawn, the crane and turtle is that behind you?)

Those nightmares continued to haunt Hisoka even after him and Tsuzuki had left Gensoukai. He could hear the children's voices as they played Kagome, kagome. Hisoka couldn't help feeling uneasy and nervous. He still remembered when he had come back from Gensoukai after he lost Riko. Somehow Tsuzuki had found out about it and came to check on him. Hisoka was just sitting there staring into space.

"Hey Hisoka." Hisoka turned around in surprise. "Oh Tsuzuki I didn't notice you." "I heard about what happened with Riko. Are you alright?" "Yes, yes I'm fine you don't have to be so worried." "You're lying. You're blaming yourself and keeping it all locked up inside you. Hisoka if you carry on like this you will get seriously ill." "No I'm not alright okay? My first Shikigami and I managed to completely screw it up. He gave his life for me Tsuzuki even though I was a fool I should have listened to you and now- and now- I'll never be able to become powerful! I'll never be a good enough person to protect you! What good am I? What the hell sort of use am I to you like this?"

"Hisoka it's okay, you made a mistake tons of people do. Don't beat yourself up so hard about it. You are strong Hisoka after all you are the one who helped me when I went through my suicidal stage you were the one who brought me out of it. You pulled me out of the flames and clung onto me without letting go. You are strong please believe me." Hisoka tried to hold back the tears but he couldn't help it. He started sobbing right in front of Tsuzuki and he completely fell apart.

Tsuzuki pulled Hisoka into his arms stroking his hair gently. "Don't feel like you have to hold it in anymore Hisoka. When you're sad or nervous you can come to me and I'll comfort you. I'll assure you all you have to do is reach out to me and I'll pick you up off the ground. You're not alone anymore Hisoka." "Tsuzuki..." Hisoka kept on crying until he eventually grew tired and fell asleep. Tsuzuki tucked Hisoka up and kissed his forehead, wiping away the traces of the tears. "Goodnight Hisoka I hope you get a good nights rest."

After a couple of hours Hisoka began to dream. He began to cry out in his sleep. Tsuzuki was getting a drink when he heard the shouts. "No! No! I don't want to go back in there! No! Don't make me go back in there! NOOO!" Tsuzuki ran up the stairs to see to him. He saw Hisoka struggling in his sleep crying. "Hisoka! Hisoka! It's alright Hisoka!" "No I'm scared I don't want to go back in there never again! I'll be good I promise I won't ever use my powers again, just please let me out! I beg you!" Tsuzuki realized Hisoka was dreaming of being in the cell again.

"Hisoka it's alright you are not in the cell anymore you escaped from that life! Don't you remember?" "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I know I've done something wrong again but please forgive me!" "I forgive you. I forgive you Hisoka. You never did anything wrong but even so I'll still forgive you." At that Hisoka calmed down and opened his eyes "My head..." He gasped in pain. Tsuzuki walked up to him and embraced him. "Tsu-Tsuzuki whatever is the matter?" "Forgive me for not being able to help you when you were alone in that cell. Forgive me!" "Why are you apologizing? That wasn't your fault it was my fault." "No Hisoka it wasn't your fault you couldn't help it. You were crying and begging for forgiveness in your sleep saying you didn't want to go back into the cell again. Did you always have to apologize like that when you were locked in there?"

"Yes they wouldn't let me out until I apologized enough to make them satisfied. Whenever I was caught using my empathy I was locked in there and forced to apologize until they decided to let me out and normally it would take me about a day to be let out." Tsuzuki gasped in horror at this revelation. 'How could someone do that to their own child? It's unthinkable!' Hisoka smiled very weakly. "Thank you Tsuzuki I do appreciate that you care about me but it isn't worth getting angry about it now."

"What do you mean it's not worth getting angry over? Hisoka that's child abuse! You never deserved to go through any of that!" Hisoka rested his head against Tsuzuki's chest and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "F-for now would you just hold me like this? I just want to be reassured." Tsuzuki wrapped his arms around him again and held him tightly to his chest so Hisoka's face was completely buried into his shirt. "I'll keep you safe Hisoka I promise." Tsuzuki whispered. Hisoka replied by tightening his grip.

Hisoka fell asleep again against Tsuzuki's chest but Tsuzuki didn't mind if this would have reassured the boy then he was happy to let him sleep like that as much as he needed. He couldn't help but feel concerned for him after everything that had happened Hisoka seemed to be suffering from a stress related disorder. Tsuzuki started nodding off and right before he did he thought he could see a shadow of a young child at the edge of the bed which vanished in an instant Tsuzuki thought nothing of it and fell asleep.

Neither could anticipate the kind of horrors that awaited them...