"Shinichi- what's wrong with you!?" Kaito asked but his question fell on deaf ears and Shinichi just snarled, adding more strength. "Shit-" Kaito gritted his teeth and pushes the snarling brunette as hard as he could.

————————————————

Chapter 2. Still Human.

————————————————

Shinichi was ridiculously strong and that wasn't the first time Kid ever admitting that. The last time he did was due to a certain small version of the detective and a certain ball heading toward the thief's head, though yes he soon found out that the strong kick was because of the shoes that Shinichi wore as Conan.

But that wasn't it now. There's no smart complicated gadgets that increase muscle strength, no no no. Kid can tell that Shinichi was using his actual strength and that fact terrifies him. Kid felt like his bones were crushing underneath Shinichi.

With a loud grunt the thief shoved the feral detective with all his might. Shinichi let out a strangled growl as he fell and Kid quickly scramble to his feet, "d- Shinichi!! Snap out of it! What the hell is wrong with you!?" Kid didn't care if his facade as the gentlemanly thief was broken, his situation was far more important than trying to keep a face and composure.

Shinichi crouched down like an animal, baring his sharp fangs, ignoring the thief's question, and he looked like he was ready to pounced on Kid once again.

Kid gulped nervously, the detective was clearly out of it, looking so inhuman that made the thief shivers just by seeing those predatory eyes. While contemplating what he should do next to prevent Shinichi from hurting him, he then suddenly remembers what a certain witch told him this morning.

————————————————

Kaito was just minding his own business in class, having fun causing havoc (that left a peculiar British detective with a green neon hair and him laughing his ass off, because when was it not fun to prank Hakuba?) but his happy time was soon interrupted by someone calling out his name in a hurry, "Kuroba!"

The messy haired male let out a disgruntled noise, "ughh, what do you want Akako?" He asked, clearly displeased at the girl's presence. It's not that Kaito hated Akako, he was just annoyed that whenever the girl appears, it was always about her trying to make him fell in love or spouting riddles to him (though he gotta admit that those riddles helps him a few times when he was in a tight spot).

"Shush you. I want you to visit Beika street this night after your heist here-"

"For the last time, im not Kid!" Kaito interrupted. Did he forgot to mention just how annoying it is for Akako to imply that he was Kid, even if it was true, Kaito would never admit to it.

"Kuroba this is serious! This world has taken to a dark turn that even Lucifer can't comprehend. Humans have sinned, Kuroba." Akako's face turned serious, she knows what's going on. She was warned of the change. "The devil of light is going to die tonight."

Kaito stopped his thoughts for a bit, devil of light? He heard of that nickname a few times, after so long hearing it he realized that the name was referring to Shinichi Kudo, the Heise Holmes, a childhood friend that grew apart due to some circumstances.

The name wasn't what made him stopped tho.. the word "die" was stuck in his head almost completely, "die? Shinichi is going to die...?" Kaito can't help but feel a wave of sadness and worry, he knew how much dangers the detective are always in. While Kaito had to deal with a huge organization, Shinichi have to deal with murderers 24/7 and that was relatively just as dangerous as his own problem.

Should he act dumb? "I... i dont know what you're talking about.." Kaito said even though his poker face was so clearly shaken.

"I don't care about your reaction. I just want you to remember my words.. the devil of light will lose his light, even if there was a chance it'll be your choice to either kil-" Akako rethink her sentence, she wasn't sure if she should finish it. She knew well that the magician was affectionate toward the detective and how much he hates murder, giving him a choice to kill the detective was cruel.

So she just sigh, "just- just make sure to visit Beika." And with that she left Kaito wondering why she stopped mid sentence.

————————————————

Is this- is this what Akako had meant? Kid gritted his teeth, has Shinichi died? No, he refused to believe so. Even if he doesn't understand why the detective is acting this way, even if it's true that Shinichi died and this was nothing but his hallucinations from griefing. Kid will still refuse it.

Distracted from his mind, the thief didn't see the claws coming at him until he felt a sting on his chest, "!" He clenched his jaw, holding himself from screaming when Shinichi pinned him down, sharp claws digging onto his skin painfully.

The thief stares with wide eyes at the detective ontop of him, after so many years ever since he lost his father, Kid's indigo eyes that fills with mischief and bravery wavered, there was no recognition in Shinichi's face, "im too late aren't i? Im so sorry Shinichi... im so sorry" he spoke with a broken voice, he can feel tears forming from the corner of his eyes, Kaito didn't even care if the saliva from Shinichi's mouth was dropping onto his face, he didn't care about the pain in his shoulders, and he sure as hell didn't care about his night persona right now.

Despite them being a rival and Shinichi probably doesn't remember Kaito, he have always keep a good eye on the detective. Watching him from afar and oh how much he wanted to be friend again like in the past but he knew that he would just endanger Shinichi.

And then the weight ontop was lifted, Kaito noticed Shinichi moved away from him and was grabbing his head, "Shinichi...?" He sniffled.

"K... K... id" Shinichi finally spoke other than snarls and grunt, but his voice still sounded like a growl as if he was having trouble speaking like a normal human being, "i... i.." he was gripping his head, face twisted in pain.

"Ugh.. gruh.." then Shinichi screamed. Kaito felt his heart breaks, the scream sounded way too similar to wailing, it was heartbreaking to watch and listen.

————————————————

Shinichi was in pain, everything felt like static to his head, it should've left him feeling numb but it didn't, it stings. It's like he was being stabbed everywhere. Was everything slipping away from him..? Who was he? He.. was sure he was someone...

Ah.. that face- how odd, why are you looking at me like that, Kaito?

————————————————

Kaito can't bare watching the detective thrashing so violently, he tried to hold Shinichi still by hugging him, despite making himself also injured from Shinichi flailing his arms around trying to shove Kaito away, the thief still keep a strong hold.

After a few minutes the detective went completely still, Kaito glanced at Shinichi and notice that he went unconscious (tired maybe?) so he let out a sigh of relief. Kaito doesn't want to understand yet, he doesn't want to think about anything, he just want to bring the detective back home.

————————————————

Bringing Shinichi home was easy, setting him down to his bed was even more easier. What was not easy were the fact that Kaito had no idea what he should do now, he didn't even know anything! Everytime he tried to think of a way or a reason, Akako's words always came in mind.

What had she meant by the world taking a dark turn? Humans have sinned? Human have always sinned so Kaito didn't understand why that was such an important point for the witch. Does any of this got anything to do because of the sudden murder rate spiking up? Because of course Kaito would thought of that first because of Shinichi's occupation. But would that equal to a dying detective that looked like he got mauled by an animal and the same dying detective acting like a feral beast?

"Oh dad i need you..." Kaito silently sobs onto his hands, sitting beside the detective's bed. It was probably strange for the magician/thief to be so attached to this one detective, yes they were childhood friends before but that changed long ago and now they're nothing but rival, Shinichi wanted to catch him as a criminal and Kaito wanted to run away from him so he won't go to jail.

But if Kaito hadn't met Shinichi as a thief with a detective, his childhood memories that he would only remember were just the death of his father and he knew so much how getting reminded by that always brings him down.

Click

Was that the door? Wait no.. that doesn't sound like a door, it sounded like a gu-

"Don't move." A voice said, quite pitched, a female then.

Kaito stood up and turned around slowly, his hands raised slightly. What he saw was not what he had expected. A little girl not any older than 7, with light brown permed hair was pointing a silver pistol at him! Man, today just got weirder and weirder huh? (This wasn't the time for humor, Kuroba!)

"Step away from him" the girl warned and slowly pointed her gun toward Shinichi sleeping form.

Kaito was immediately alarmed by her action, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "why? Are you going to shoot him?" He smirked a bit, putting his Kid facade. (It was a miracle that his monocle didn't break in the ordeal but unfortunately he didn't had the time to wear his tophat)

"Yes." Well that short yet honest answer taken Kaito aback a bit but he quickly maintain his poker face. "He is dangerous to be left alive, you should know" the kid eyed Kaito's white suit that's currently tainted with both of his blood and a tiny bit of Shinichi's. Not to mention the scratch marks on his face was probably a dead giveaway.

Kaito raised an eyebrow slightly, "dangerous..?" It is true that Shinichi had acted hostile to him but the detective didn't hurt him all that badly, there's no reason to shoot him! "I have no idea what you're talking about. He is not dangerous." He defended.

The girl scowls, "you don't know what you're dealing with. It's better to end him before it's too late" for a while she had put her gun down but soon raised it again when she saw Shinichi's finger twitches.

Kaito couldn't hold a frown, this little girl clearly knows more, "would you like to explain why? Ojou-san?" He let out his Kid smile and in return the girl gave him a deadpanned look at the nickname.

She sighed, "were you the one who knocked him out?"

"No. He.. he passed out by himself" Kaito explains as he glanced at Shinichi with a sad look, he didn't want to recall the last moment before the detective went unconscious.

From that the girl's eyes went wide, Kaito was confused, was it not normal? "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just.. unusual. Especially for 'just turned'" confusion was so clear on Kaito's face, but somehow he would not like where this is going.

"Did he try to bite you?" The kid asked.

"... yes, but he didn't do it, i prevent him and the moment he had the chance... he didn't do it." Now that Kaito think about it, why did Shinichi tried to bite him? And the hunger look on his abnormally shiny blue eyes, "I don't understand. What happened to him?" The magician never liked showing any weaknesses but for Shinichi.. just once.

The girl had a hard look on her face, "i- i'll explain everything but first, tied him up tightly. We don't want him waking up feeling hungry again." She said and despite Kaito didn't like the idea of tying Shinichi up, that last sentence in itself made him agreed entirely.

"Alright.. this will be tough for you to digest but i know this information will be advantageous for your mission, Kid"

Kaito's eyes widened, he wasn't surprised that the girl knew who he was (he's an infamous criminal afterall), he was shocked that this 'kid' looked like she knew his real reason as a thief.

Many have often wondered why Kaitou Kid always return the gems he stole, at one side most believed that he was just a performer that likes to mess around with the police, enjoying the risk of being chased by cops all the time (well yes he do enjoy it). No.. his real reason was just the same as his father, finding a gem named Pandora.

Legend has it that the gem grants immortality on who drank its tears under the moonlight. Kaito finds it hard to believe but still continues on his family lagecy, infact he didn't care if it's real or not, as long he can destroys it... it'll be over. No one has to die for it and no one has to be blinded by greed.

"My name is.. " she went silent and Kaito observed her, he was aware that the girl had second doubts about telling her name, "Haibara Ai" that's a fake name possibly, Kaito noted.

"A few years ago.. someone had found the Pandora.."

Kaito felt like his breath had stopped, who had found it?! "Someone from the crows... Black Organization" Haibara said with a guilty look, "i- i was the one who found it.."

"Where is it now!?" Kaito hadn't meant to shout like that but he was already stressed from the earlier event and now knowing the one thing he tried so hard was in the hand of an organization, who he think might be connected to Snake's.

The short girl winced, "it's gone."

Kaito slumped to his chair, eyes blank, taking all the information in. It's gone. All his efforts... does that mean it was futile? Risking himself, lying to his friends that he hold so close, taking revenge for his father, has it all means nothing? The thief felt like he's going crazy, first Shinichi and now this!? Next time he knows Aoko probably gonna die because of him!

"The content. It's gone." Kaito blinked at that, what does that mean? He eyed the girl as she took out an object out of her pocket. A white gem..? No, white wasn't the correct description. It looked like a glass, hollow from the inside.

"This used to be pandora" Haibara locked eyes with Kaito, "but the content was taken."

"Are you trying to say that the immortality is real?" Kaito gulps at his own question, his beliefs toward something illogical were unclear, because the one thing that he ever been exposed to something as real magic or supernatural was Akako, the witch.

Haibara shook her head, "yes. But not quite." From that on, she explains to Kaito what Pandora actually do. And the horror that gradually grew on the thief's face was certainly something uncommon for Kid.

It was true that Pandora gave immortality but it wasn't as simple as that. Nothing is fair even for a gem that holds power beyond human capabilities. In order to gain that power then one must pay the consequences of becoming a monster. A demon or so Haibara said.

"Why a demon?" Kaito would asked and the girl answered that it was appropriate enough due to some beliefs and such. Kaito didn't understood how it was appropriate at first but as soon Haibara explains it more, he agrees with the term.

The one who was exposed to the Pandora's tear was Haibara's boss. The Black Organization's boss known as Anokata. At first nothing happened but as days went on.. there was clear differences. Infact, very shocking difference... long story short, the boss.. changed.

Haibara wasn't quite sure when it all happened but she remembered how she has to be the one to check on what's wrong with the boss. The sudden skin color change to very pale, the lack of appetite or puking everything out that isn't a rare steak, irritation toward sun (she was shocked when the sunlight literally burnt the boss's skin), and last the incident...

"The boss he.. ate someone" the young brunette said with fear and disgust in her tone, she still remembers it so clearly. The blood, the crunching noise, the scream of agony, and the ecstasy on Anokata's voice.

————————————————

Kaito couldn't believe his ears, perhaps this is exactly what made Akako looked distressed and if he thought of it more deeply, it does make sense to what the witch had warned him about.

And apparently it's contagious!? This curse- (Kaito would claim it as such, because having to live by eating nothing but human flesh for eternity and will literally burn underneath the sun, was not a blessing.) The Organization's boss turned all the higher member to be the same as him because apparently drinking the blood was a way to easily turn anyone, and Kaito wasn't sure if he was supposed to cry or laugh at the ridiculous thought of a very dangerous organization filled with man eating demons!

"Wait- are you.. one of them?" Kaito asked carefully at the child, it dawned to him that the girl was part of the organization.

Haibara shook her head, "no, not quite. I refuse to be.. to live like that. But maybe im a little bit of it" she said, leaving a very vague hint.

Kaito raised a brow and the girl sighed, "im not always a child, im in the same age as you are.. maybe. You look young." The thief gawked at that and Haibara can't help but smirk amusingly, "i wanted to run away, I couldn't accept for what they did. Forcing me to create a small container- pills containing their blood to turn others.. without caring who that person might be... i was so naive." Kaito saw a flash of deep grieving inside the girl's turquoise eyes and somehow he felt like he can relate to that sadness.

Haibara took a moment to calm herself down, she did not need for herself to get all emotional, not now. "As i said, i had to run away but risking that they will find out quickly.. I tried something that i would always objected. I tried drinking the blood from the pill, it usually takes about three pills to turn someone but i ate only one. Apparently the outcome was me shrinking to this body. I dont feel all that different and I certainly not craving any humans so i believe im still relatively human with a few modifications." She explained and to further prove her point, she took out a small pocket knife from her pants (honestly, is there any other weapon that Kaito should know?), she sliced her arm with the knife, not too deep but it was enough to cause a little bit of bleeding and Kaito cringed mentally.

Kaito can feel his jaw gaped wide open when the cut on the girl's arm start to heal slowly, "as you can see. The reason why i did such thing was in hope to confuse them of my smell, it almost like an everyday daily for the members telling me how delicious i smell... i am their food afterall" she said the last with a sarcastic tone.

"Can't say im comfortable with that thought" Kaito said with a wry smile and Haibara just snickered at that.

"It's an everyday life for me, mr. thief"

And then silence befall them, it's not that they don't know what to say, infact it was quite the opposite. There was many thing to say and ask, especially involving around the unconscious detective tied on the bed.

So Shinichi was one of them now..? But according to what Haibara has said to Kaito, the moment they were turned, their instinct as a demon will take over and fill their eyes with nothing but bloodlust. While that was true for a few minutes for the detective, Shinichi abruptly stopped himself from hurting Kaito any further (no, he does not want to say the word "eat").

After what felt like a forever, Shinichi stirred and blue slitted eyes open. Both Kaito and Haibara stood anxiously, staring at Shinichi who oddly look calm.

"Shinichi...?" Kaito hesitantly approach the detective, and Shinichi looked at him.

Haibara just watched, "again.." she thought. It was already strange from the thief's story, none of the demons she met behave the way the detective did. And now? Seeing these two just staring at each other with no indication of violence on the other was shocking for her.

Shinichi open his mouth, trying to say something but all that came out was incoherent noise between a whine and a soft growl. He then struggles in his restraint, soft growl turning into snarl as he looked desperate to break free.

"Wait Shinichi stop! Don't do that, the rope is nearly unbreakable so stop doing that... you're going to hurt your wrists.." Kaito said and surprisingly, the detective stopped his struggle.

"K..id.." Shinichi let out, staring at Kaito's face. At some point the thief felt fidgety at the stare, there was something odd on the detective's eyes. A very odd look that he was giving toward the white clad thief.

Haibara blinked, she can't help but think of how soft the demon's eyes look. "Untie him." She command.

"Huh?" Kaito whip his head toward the girl, "but I thought you said-"

"Just do it.. i want to test a theory.." She simply said, worse case scenario is that whatever she was seeing before were nothing but a manipulative act and if so, she have to pull the trigger.

Well Kaito wasn't against that, he knew that Shinichi is a very kind hearted person despite having an arrogant personality. And even if there was a slight fear inside Kaito's heart, he wanted to believe that the detective hasn't fully changed, so he undid the rope.

In an instant, Shinichi's hand went straight to Kaito's face and Haibara had almost pull out her gun to shoot.

Kaito had kept his eyes shut, not that he feared of getting mauled (well, kinda-). He feared that the next thing he'll hear is a gunshot.

But it never came. Instead he felt a slight brush on his cheek, he opened his eyes and were greeted with Shinichi's bright eyes. Kaito can tell so well that the brunette was being extra careful with the claws on his hand as he caress the thief's cheeks.

Haibara had pinched herself secretly, not believing in the scenery infront of her. For someone to maintain their humanity..

"Detective? Why are you looking at me like that? How uncharacteristic of you" Kaito used his Kid tone, he was trying his best to hold his tears, he was so happy and relieved when the detective still remembers him.

When Haibara told him that once they were turned, all bits of their humanity was stripped away immediately. But of course their desires would stay true, memories didn't disappear but morality will be twisted. Kaito was afraid that would happen to Shinichi. So dearly afraid.

Shinichi kept his hands on the thief's face, as if wiping an unshed tears, there was a gleam on his abnormally shiny eyes. Realization..? "Kai.. to"

Indigo eyes widened in surprised.

TBC

————————————————

Ahh sorry for the late update! Also haha... i should prolly update my 2 other fanfics.

So whatcha think of the story so far?

You might be wondering how did Haibara get there, dont worry it'll be explain on the next chappy~

And oh boy, Shinichi know who he is! Wonder how Kaito would react to that .0.)

Opinions and criticism are appreciated!!