It was about 2 years from the first time I saw him, when he solved my father's murder. Everything that Night had a feeling of… it felt like end, I came to a conclusion later. Ever since the beginning- from the series of murders, to various clues that were left for Neuro to follow like a dog set on a scent. Or in his case, a demon set on his next meal.
It was extremely dangerous, but he of course, wouldn't be persuaded to leave it. Not that I tried. I did learn something from the punches through these years we spent together. Godai didn't even bother to ask what was going on, but later he told me that even he knew that case was different somehow. He figured it out partially from Neuro's behavior that was more erratic than usually. That Night he was sent by Neuro to dispatch police after us at a set time.
"Finally a meal that will fill me up completely", he said when the first scent of the Mystery came to his attention. I remember the investigation and the preparations for catching the villain. "The ultimate feast", he called it. Barely containing the suspension he strode gracefully to the hideout of his pray that Night. Of course, he dragged me into it occasionally bumping me in my head or simply bragging about finding the Ultimate Mystery.
We ended up in a warehouse near the docks. We launched a surprise attack (using me as the battering ram) and, well, what happened next is more or less described in all the newspapers that wanted to make any news the following day. Of course, they never knew of the battle that took place inside. It was one of the rare moments I saw Neuro in a condition such as that. What took place that night will always haunt me, even than I knew. It seemed he had used up all of his energy, his demon powers failing. But he emerged victorious. The Mystery he devoured emitted a truly vast amount of negative energy. Even I, a human, could feel it was on a different level than the ones before.
I watched as the fire started by the fight illuminated the expression of sheer content that for a moment could be seen on Neuro's face. Than he started laughing in his usual maniacal way. As for me… I felt as if a huge boulder was suddenly lifted from my chest. He did it. But a cliff-like burden completely covered me after that split second.
"Neuro!" I called trying to come through to him. Amazingly enough, I could fell his attention turning to me, his gaze asking a question that remained unsaid. Shakily rising from the position I was in after a wall nearly hit me I started my way towards him.
"So, my slave Number 1… it is done" his smile was unwavering.
A flashback lead me to a scene that played a few days earlier.
"An Ultimate Mystery? So it will be over then?"
"Yes, I guess you will finally be free." Neuro rested his legs on the table, spying Yako from the top of the newspaper he was checking for clues his pray would occasionally leave. "But until than…" too fast for Yako to move out of the way he jumped from the chair, knocking her onto floor. Using his knee and holding her hands he neatly locked her into a painful position. "…you are my slave." Neuro finished in a cheerful pitch. As if suddenly loosing the motivation he let go of her, effectively ending her painful "Auch!!"-es.
Getting back to the business, he sat on the chair again. "Actually, I was asking myself what will happen after you eat it. The Mystery, I mean." Yako continued while cracking herself back into shape.
"Well, I won't have to depend on your incompetent self so I don't starve."
"Erm, no. I was thinking what you'll do after that." Yako tried to explain her question to the demon. "I mean, you yourself said that Mystery would be the most delicious one there is. What's your goal after that?"
Neuro's hand stopped halfway from picking up the newspaper again. A frown formed on his usually careless face. "I meant to return to the Makai before my insides completely rot into human ones. And then…" his look, Yako noted, was not directed towards her. It wandered somewhere behind her, behind the walls of the apartment. He hadn't planned beyond that she realized. He only had that goal in his existence, the need to feed. Take that away from him and… she didn't know what then.
Coming back from the trance he snapped at her "It's not for mere humans to know my plans. Don't you have anything better to do? Go and eat some of that garbage you call food." Yako dodged the phone he aimed at her and sprinted for the door before he could get his hands on something bigger. She had to admit the treatment he was putting her through did wonders for her reflexes. And really, as she slammed the doors behind her a loud THUMP could be heard.
Words that Neuro said afterwards shouldn't have surprised me. But still. "You did well for a human I guess. I even had some thoughts about raising you to the rank of a mammal." His voice still cheerful. The rocks that buried me were becoming heavier still. "You… you are going now?" my voice was hoarse I guess. I don't remember if I was crying. Some of the pictures from that Night are still hazy to me.
"Why, yes, of course. Back to Makai." he paused to study me for a second. "As for the explanation for the police, you already know all the facts of the case."
"And what should I say about you? That we tracked the criminal and you died?" I couldn't face him, that I do remember. He simply nodded. "Yes that is the best thing to say. It's not like I'm coming back to this place." Looking around himself he noted "Unless you have any intentions to die here in flames you should go out. I already hear the police cars."
When I think about that time now, a voice in the back of my head keeps telling me I should have said something. Anything. But deep inside myself I know there were no words. Not then, anyways. Maybe now when I am a bit wiser I might have found them. But the facts are that I simply nodded and turned towards the exit. I could swear his heavy gaze I knew so good followed me as I ran. But now there is no way I could be sure. A sucking sound could be heard and I knew he was gone. Not even a simple goodbye. Not he would have ever preformed such a gesture. All those cases, from my fathers to this one, all the moments we spent in the office where he tortured me… they were gone forever.
Now that I think about it I must ask myself, couldn't he have done the whole fight without me? The man he fought even threatened to kill me at one point. I was clearly a hindrance. But maybe, just maybe, Neuro wanted me to be present when he leaves. I will never know for sure.
Sasazuka was there, together with the rest of the force, a grim look on his usually unreadable face. Godai was arguing with Usui who was holding him in a lock. Later I learned my friend wanted to run into the warehouse to look for me. The lights on the cars were turning, lighting the scene in a rhythmical change from blue back to the orange and red. The firefighters were coming I noted by the sound of the sirens. The noise was nearly unbearable. But all stopped as somebody finally noticed my shaking form in the lights that burned behind me. It seemed to me they were reflecting the fires that were destroying my guts.
A group of police officers came and dragged me from the collapsing building. I followed them mechanically. The rest of the story is what the public knows. "The great detective Katsuragi Yako and her assistant followed the clues and stumbled onto the dreaded criminal. In a fight that followed, an accident happened and the warehouse was set to fire. The suspect and the detective's assistant unfortunately perished."
So cold, those simple words. A bystander would never suspect a person hid behind that word "assistant". A friend I am never going to see again. A friend… no, he wasn't anything else. He never showed it. Aside from the occasional moments of comforting (weird and offensive actually, but coming from him they were meant to be comforting) words nothing else was to be seen. Still, those moments when I was hurt, like when X kidnapped me… no. It's no use thinking about things like that, now that everything is gone with no return.
The life went on; I got rid of the press only with Godai's help, threats and connections. A public announcement was made that I wouldn't be a private detective anymore. That part of my life was over I stated. Soon after I finished high school and entered the Police Academy. Everybody was surprised when I didn't choose becoming a detective and choosing criminal psychology instead and even more when I finished it in record time. Now I am the youngest profiler around and a good one I hope.
But still a hole is left besides the one that was made when my father was killed. One shaped as a parrot demon. This is so that I never forget what happened on that Night. As if I could.
Date mm, dd, yy, Katsuragi Yako
The young girl frowned and threw the diary in frustration. "Now this wasn't helpful at all." She paused and threw a glare at the brown leather notebook. "Well, other than I learned Mom was crazy even then. Demons and mysteries, really!"
She rose from the dusty floor and kicked the board that used to hide the collection of diaries Yako left. She regretted the action immediately as wood was heavier and harder than her foot.
"AUCH!!" resonated through the empty apartment. The girl skipped to the stairs and carefully went down to inspect the bruise in daylight.
She was barely 7, and looked even younger due to her small constitution, but the bright look from her brown eyes showed she was more adult than most of the kids her age. And it was obvious she knew much more curses than most of the kids her age.
The young girl skipped to the sofa and took off her sock. A blue bruise was already forming. She sweared again aloud out of sheer frustration. And added a quiet "Shit" for a good measure. But at least the pain was making her mind forget about a much more serious problem at hand.
When the pain died a bit, she ran through her investigation again. Look through mom's room, check. Look through pictures for acquaintances, check. List of those she knew, check. Look through attic, check. Look for more clues, check. Finding the diaries she held so much hope in when she stumbled at them but turned out very useless, (beeping) check. "I guess I should talk with her friends now." The girl mumbled in her knees, holding her chin against them.
She knew she was talking to herself to break the gaping silence, but had nothing against that temporary sign of being a bit, well, weird. Everything to break the deafening silence. It's not like being weird was a bad thing. Mom actually thought her deceased assistant was a demon. She was probably trying to make a bit sense to her life at that point. "At least I am rationale weirdo." She said out aloud again. She actually hoped grandma could come back faster. But this way she had more space for investigating… she had to bear with the apartment being empty.
She put her sock back on and rose. Godai was the first person on her list. He was one of mom's best friends. Besides, she liked the way he would get upset over every detail and started yelling. The best curses on her repertoire were from her time around him anyways. Picking her bag and keys from the kitchen table, the girl turned around to the living room again.
"Mom, where the hell are you?!"
Well, this is my very first fanfiction evah! Like it? Hate it? Let me know... Review now slaves! (As in the words of our favorite parrot)