Facets
- a Detective Conan story -

Author: Ryuosen
Chapters: 1/30
Words: ~ 1500
Rating: M for violence, blood and gore
Genre: Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het
Pairings: YukikoxYusaku
Warnings: violence, blood, character death, also a slight crossover with Eternal Darkness
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own DC/MK because otherwise they would have a lot more of crossovers!

Summary:
Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have dressed up their lack of knowledge as gods and demons. Over the years I discovered that sometimes, the fates of gods and mortals intertwine – I would know, I'm one of them after all…

"talking"
thoughts, letters…

Author's note
So for those still following this story, yes your eyes are not deceiving you. This is in fact an update of some kind. As I told some readers who discovered the story only a not so long time ago, I've fallen pretty much out of the DC/MK fandom due to the slloooow moving main plot of DC. However after watching some Magic Kaito and reading a few good stories, I suddenly wanted to write again. However after reading the story again, I wasn't satisfied with its pacing. So this is a more refined updated version.
This is the updated prologue and the other reworked chapters should follow in the next days as well as a completely new chapter. Also I'm a very big fan of Poe's poems so there will be snippets at the beginning of each chapter.

As always reviews and critics are more than welcome.

Readers already familiar with the story will probably notice that the pairings tags have changed. They will now always reflect the pairing of the newest chapter. Though that doesn't mean that their wont be any shonen ai/shojo ai pairings, since the rework there are possibilities for other pairings. Romance will not be the main focus of the story, however it will play an important role concerning the character development of both Shinichi and Kaito.

If you don't like the thought of two boys/girls together, then either ignore it or don't read the story, thank you very much!

If there are any questions, drop a review or a pm or find my lj of the same name.

Now I hope you'll enjoy this new version.

Cheers
ryuosen

Prologue - Flesh and Bone

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting"

-Edgar Allan Poe

They were going to die.

Sharing a glance with her husband, Yukiko was certain. Both of them wouldn't last the night. Running would get them nowhere and nothing they could attempt would change their fate. It had already been sealed years ago.

A lone tear trailed down her face as the realization settled into her mind, changing her premonition into certainty. Her hand found Yusaku's, twined their fingers together and Yusaku answered her silent plea, pulling her into his arms. Together the sunk to the ground.

She clung to her husband's stronger frame although both their bodies were shaking, their fear a tangible shadow already flexing its claws. A monster all too real and it was coming for them.

The roof was empty and silence surrounded them, making the thudding of their hearts all the louder.

Yukiko was glad her son was safe and wouldn't be there to see their end. He was already tethering on a tightrope. Their deaths might be the final straw before the rope snapped and the madness - festering inside his mind - engulfed him.

Eventually Yusaku stepped back, looking at his wife. He wasn't surprised to see her crying. He'd thought they were prepared to die but now that the moment was almost upon them, he tried desperately to think of a way out. But every solution he thought up was discarded nearly a second later. They had literally backed themselves into a corner with no escape.

"It'll be okay," he told her, voice a near whisper.

Yukiko offered him a thin smile and a nod, though she had undoubtedly seen through his lie. It didn't fool Yusaku at all, under any other circumstances she would have struck a pose and said something so vain that it could only come from Yukiko.

The faint sound of an explosion reached his ears, confirming what they had already known. They had found them.

His hand went for the revolver he was always carrying, to his left Yukiko was doing the same. Quietly he checked the weapon - recently cleaned, loaded, safety off, ready to use. He knew she kept hers in the same condition. Though without Shinichi here, the guns were just that - guns. They would still do damage but it was nothing compared to what they could do with their son's aid.

They would have to make do, as long as Shinichi was safe and Edwin had promised he'd be when he'd carried their unconscious son out of the loft they had been hiding in for the last weeks.

All for Shinichi...

Sounds of someone ascending the stairs. At least the broken elevator electronics had slowed them down.

He chanced a look at Yukiko and their eyes locked. For a moment they were back in time, back when they didn't have to worry about being murdered every night, where their greatest fear was his deadline and how to escape his agents. A time where Shinichi had been their bright little boy - far too intelligent and inquisitive - whose greatest interest was solving another riddle.

"I don't regret anything!"

For all her strong words, Yukiko's voice was nothing but a whisper, tears still trailing down her face, but Yusaku had long since learned to understand what his wife wanted to say without speaking the actual words. He squeezed her hand briefly before aiming his revolver.

I'll love you... forever

Yukiko felt her arms tremble as she lifted her own weapon and aimed at the single door leading to the rooftop. For any onlooker it probably looked like a clichéd showdown out of one of those b-rated Hollywood movies, especially with their backs so exposed.

It wasn't.

The knob of the door was turning and Yukiko froze, goosebumps breaking out all over her skin, her hair in the nape of her neck standing up.

They weren't alone.

Her frame lost the tension and she turned around - her usually perfectly coiffed hair wiping around her face - ignoring Yusaku's sounds of surprise and looked beyond the edges of the roof and wished she hadn't. On the skyscraper to their left was someone and she just knew what was going to happen. The scream died in her throat as she saw that little red dot appear on her husband's back, a barely audible sound reaching her ears.

Then Yusaku was collapsing, dark red spreading on his blue jacket. Yukiko was at his side a moment later, her weapon clattering to the ground. She cradled her husband, the sound of the door a mere side note. At least until a very familiar pair of heels stepped into her vision and all hopes she still had held onto died.

"So this is, how it is..." she murmured, her fingers gently carding through Yusaku's hair, trying to soothe the pained noises he made.

The light chuckle made her flinch, she couldn't even hide it. Only Yusaku's whimper made her hastily loosen her grip. Unnecessary pain was the last she wanted to cause him... for as long as they still had. She didn't want to look up, to confirm what she suspected but did it anyway.

Sometimes the truth was something harsh, something ugly, something you wanted to hide from and never come out. But Yukiko couldn't hide, no matter how much she wanted to. She couldn't allow herself to falter either, not as long as the life of her son depended on it.

For her son she would and had gone through hell and back, had lied, had killed and now...? Now she would die for him.

There was an emotion in her old friend's eyes, something Yukiko thought she shouldn't be capable of feeling still, but apparently did. Her voice though, was cold, when she spoke once more, "You can stop this... Yukiko-chan. You know what we want, give it to us and your life will be spared."

Gods Yukiko wanted to, she dearly wanted to. Had she known what was to come, she'd never set a foot inside that damned country so many years ago. But that ship had long since sailed and now here she was with Yusaku bleeding out in her arms and unable to stop it. Her own helplessness was making her want to weep but she would never allow herself to show anymore weakness than she already had.

So Kudô Yukiko kept her silence with the dignity of a queen, her hand once more intertwining with Yusaku's. She would face her own death with her head held high.

"A pity, but this wasn't up to me..."

The voice sounded faint and Yukiko knew her old friend wouldn't remain to witness their deaths. No, she would let others do her dirty work. For a moment Yukiko was tempted to call her on her obvious cowardice but refrained when her executioner stepped forward. Long years of running away had schooled her eye and she knew what was hiding beneath the stretched skin. The hissing sounds only confirmed her suspicions.

She wanted to be brave but found only fear in her heart. The monster before her was capable of things better left unspoken. Backing away with Yusaku in her arms was hard but she had enough practice and adrenalin to drive her on. At least until she came to the edge of the roof. One more step and there would be nothing but the abyss.

Yusaku looked up at her with a calm acceptance belied by his pounding heart.

This is it...

For but a split second she wished that they had never found the heart of the temple, had never discovered what rested in its depths. Because then it would have never chosen their son and they could have lived their life in blissful ignorance without fearing those dwelling beyond the shadows.

Her arms tightened around her husband, around the only man who had ever managed to challenge her, hold her interest for longer than a fleeting glance and who she loved with her all her heart. They would be together in this until the end.

I'm ready, she thought

Eyes open, Yukiko smiled and stepped off the edge.

tbc...