?Warped Reality C:3

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short. I'll make up for it as next chapter will be longer and will be out very soon. Just wanted to update. Thank you for the reviews and enjoy!

"And now there's no one to get in between us!" Kudo eerily cheered in ecstasy as he tossed the head off to the side as if it were some useless prop. My eyes followed as an unsettling splat resulted at the impact. I watched in horror as Higo's head, his expression frozen in fear, slid down the wall, leaving a thick trail of blood in its path. I could not tear my eyes away from the sight.

My body... it's so cold... Probably due to loss of blood... Though, the wound isn't too wide, so it isn't enough to kill me. But from what I've learned so far, I have far much worse to fear than death right now...

Averting my eyes back over to the delirious man towering over me (apparently he had come in front of me while I was in shock), I find myself unable to utter even a single word. It's one thing that I find out he's a complete sadist with a creepy fetish for torture, but a full blown murderer as well? Not even Gin has frightened me to this level...

But, as much as I think about it, it all strangely fits. Now that I look back, there had been quite a few behaviors of Kudo that were peculiar, though I'd usually dismiss it, kind of like yesterday.

It's scary... frightening, even, how easy it is to be deceived and how easy it is for everything to change so quickly.

Gathering all my strength, I ask the one thing I can in my situation. "...Why...?"

When his expression fell serious, I grew silent. "You misunderstand the situation, Haibara..." He began with a frown. 'Misunderstand?' Just what the hell is there to understand about this? Does he really think it's that easy to accept that the closest person to me turns out to be some maniacal sadist?! As much as I wanted to yell, I needed to save my energy.

Closing his eyes in thought, he goes on. "...I have not changed. The only thing that has changed, in fact, is really just this little secret of mine is now at your disposal. In fact, with my next statement, I could easily change everything you thought you knew, almost as if the world you knew it didn't exist in the first place."

"...I'm not entirely following... I thought that I've already reached that point?" My gaze hardens as emotions well up inside me. "Kudo, all this time you've been lying and using me?! When we first met, did you already know who I was? Who are you, really? I have so many questions–"

"But alas, I cannot answer them all, now can I?" Interrupted the man with a rather cynical and impatient shrug of his shoulders.

Again, tears threaten to fall as I stare at him with heartbroken eyes. "...What about Ayumi-chan and the others? Hakase?"

"My my, Haibara, were you always such a talkative person?" The man taunted with a smug grin as if he enjoys watching me quiver about in helplessness.

Trying my best to ignore his comment, I continue. "And... what about Mouri-san...?" My voice was almost hopeful that at least some part of him that I've known is real... that the Kudo I've come to know and trust is not entirely a facade.

"What of them?" He deadpanned, completely unfazed. My hope and grief suddenly turned into anger as I find myself quickly growing restless. This pain, information, and whole situation in general is frustrating! "You know what I mean!"

"Listen, of course I knew who you were. After all, I'm..." Suddenly he trails off, shaking his head as if he had changed his mind about something.

"You are... what?"

"What if I told you right now that the Black Organization is actually on your side?" He blurts out all of a sudden, a mysterious smile reappearing on his features.

"On... my side?" I repeated, bemused. Well, I was certainly not expecting him to say that... then again, the last 10 minutes have been full of surprises. What could he mean by on my side? As in, they aren't the one I should be fearing?

"You must think I'm joking. Thats how crazy it sounds to you, right? Just like how you thought I wasn't being serious at first because of how 'preposterous' this all seems to you?" Every word he's saying is true. I guess I really don't know anything... "I don't jest in such serious circumstances like this, Haibara. I thought you knew me quite well?" His eyes watched my bemused reaction with delight. Does he really think that provoking me with such comments will help?

A sigh of exhaustion escapes my lips. "Clearly I don't... and I wouldn't exactly describe your words as enlightening." Ugh, my head is spinning. It's too cold... it's becoming really difficult all of a sudden to keep my eyes open... I can't... focus...

And just like that, with my last vision being of Kudo's everlasting amused expression, everything turns black.