Chapter 10: Misery

"Alfred, do you really think I'm a clone?"

As Kiku spat out those words, Alfred looked at Kiku in complete confusion. "Of course you are!" He saw Kiku die, and in the body storage…

Kiku responded with short giggles and him squeezing himself. "The Reviving Project."

"'The Reviving Project'? What?" Alfred repeated.

Kiku smirked and leaned against the wall. "What would you do if you found out you could bring someone back to life?"

Alfred paused, "I would bring back Arthur and Kiku!" This once again caused Kiku to laugh.

"I told you, I'm right here."

"Do you really expect me to believe you?" Alfred snapped back. Kiku would never act in any way that this clone was!

"Hm, do I have to prove it?" Kiku tilted his head to the left. "I guess I did a good job, or you're really easy to fool," He traced his index finger up and down his arm until he spoke again, "How should I 'die' this time, Alfred?" The other didn't respond as confusion once again filled his face.

Kiku sighed. He continued to trace his finger on his arm until he went upwards again and traced his finger to his throat. Once he moved his finger, there was a line that quickly began to gush out blood. "How about death from a slit throat?"

Alfred's eyes widened, and Kiku grinned. "Don't worry, it's just illusionary blood!" He touched the blood coming from his neck, and some began dripping from his finger. "Alfred, you seem horrified!" Kiku lightly clasped his hand on this throat, and when he moved his hand all the blood was gone. There wasn't any trace of it at all. Any signs of Kiku's throat being slit were also gone.

"How… H-How did you do that?"

"That's a secret. Oh, and remember that the corpse you saw earlier was fake. Does that also need explaining?"

"If you really are Kiku… Why would you pretend that you died? Why would you act like you were a clone?"

Kiku looked like he wanted to laugh again. "If I was at least you, I would think it was suspicious for Kiku to know about this place and things about the government that no one else knows. Also bringing you here in person without just telling you what's inside."

"And why the hell did you really take me here?" Alfred demanded.

Kiku clasped his hands. "To kill you of course. Which I still need to do."

Alfred first seemed surprised before he angrily held Kiku back with one hand, and pulled out his pistol with his other, pointing it directly at Kiku's head.

"Ah, I had a feeling it would end up like this," Kiku shrugged. "If you kill me here, promise me you'll use me for The Reviving Project…you'll find all the files on the other side of the building. Just do what it says."

It was crazy that Kiku was able to casually say this to Alfred. His finger hovered the trigger, but he still seemed hesitant.

"Oh? Aren't you going to shoot? I don't care as long if you do as I ask."

"…Dammit." Alfred spat. He lowered the gun. Kiku even said he was going to kill him! Why couldn't he shoot him?

Kiku huffed. "You aren't going to kill me? Alright." It was almost a flash when Alfred ended up on the ground. Kiku had immediately pushed him down and pulled out his katana. When Alfred fell, he dropped his pistol.

Kiku smirked as he raised the blade above his neck. "If it is truly possible, I'll you bring you back." After saying that, Kiku swung the blade down.

Kiku was crazy if he really thought that Alfred would just stay still for him. He was too late to try to move away, and on instinct he quickly moved his leg to the left where Kiku was standing, causing him to almost fall himself while his katana nearly went into the wall. Alfred used this opportunity to quickly crawl to his pistol. Never did he know he would actually be fighting with Kiku like this.

"This time I will fucking shoot you!" Alfred threatened.

"…" Kiku glanced down. "Such a shame. I lost." Kiku sighed. Alfred didn't say a word, but once again the gun was pointed at Kiku. "This time if you really do kill me, please do what I asked earlier."

"After what you've done do you really expect me to do what you want?" Alfred angrily responded.

Just by what Alfred said, Kiku's legs began to shake. "You have to! O-or…"

"You're not going to kill me and I won't do what you say!" Honestly if Alfred did shoot Kiku, he didn't know what he would do afterwards.

Panic suddenly overtook Kiku. "N-no! You have to!" Kiku gasped. He glanced at Alfred, and then to his hands which were now both shaking. His face was distraught as he thought about what he should do.

Kiku slowly held his katana up. Once again Alfred hovered the trigger, ready to shoot if he had to. Kiku ran towards him, looking like he was going to try to hit him. But instead Kiku turned left—towards the door.

Alfred quickly shot Kiku's right ankle, causing him to fall and drop his katana. "Where the hell do you think you're going? Did you think you could just leave like that?"

Kiku reached for his ankle but then stopped. "None of this matters anymore!" He put his hand on his forehead. He never answered Alfred's questioned.

Alfred couldn't believe this was the same Kiku he had befriended before.

"You could of brought back your Arthur friend too…" Kiku tried to reach for his katana this time. Alfred kicked it away from him.

"I can't just trust you!" He did wish Arthur were here now. Alfred shook his head. He should probably treat Kiku's wound so he didn't bleed too much.

Kiku sighed. "I have a handkerchief…" he said, like he knew what Alfred was going to do. He slowly reached into his pocket, pulling it out and unfolding it. He once again reached for his ankle and successfully tied the handkerchief around his ankle.

After a bit of silence, Kiku glanced at Alfred. "What are you going to do now?" They couldn't stay there forever.

"Tell me, why did one of us have to die for this reviving thing you were going on about?" Alfred questioned.

Kiku glanced at Alfred dully when he asked this. "You could've found out. You still can."

"I'm not going to kill you!" Alfred exclaimed.

The other looked away. "That's your fault then." He then got an idea. "Would you like to know that secret from earlier about that illusion I did?"

Why did Kiku want to tell him all of the sudden now? Alfred nodded.

Kiku rubbed his arms. "I have a chip in me," he shrugged, "it can do things like that…"

Alfred blinked in a surprised manner. "Where did you get something like that?"

"Huh? Is it possible that you want one?" Kiku asked. "I could get you one. But there's of course a 'price' to it."

Alfred didn't want one. It was impossible to trust Kiku now. "Price? What price?" He did wonder what Kiku meant by that though.

"…" A chuckle came from Kiku. "Your price is your free will! No more thoughts of your own but it's all worth it if you get what you want from the chip! It's the perfect price in the end!" Alfred gasped when Kiku explained this.

No free will was the price.