The Final Reveal

It was time, time for Death the Kid to learn the truth and he was going to get it no matter what. His father was not going to get away with lying to him again. That was the only thought that had been running through his head since he got up this morning after having that odd nightmare. Of course, the young Shinigami did hope that whatever the Kishin had said in his nightmare was a lie and that everything was going to be fine. It was most likely wishful thinking but some part of him had to be positive.

If Death the Kid completely gave up hope that would mean that he wouldn't be him. No, Kid was usually a positive person, someone had to be positive in a world full of madness. However, in recent times it was beginning to be hard, especially when madness already had a small grip on him. Still, he was doing his best not to let it win, he had to be strong, right?

Of course, the day was going along fine and with each moment passing, he was closer to finally confronting his father. Of course, he wanted to make sure that no one would suspect that anything was going on. His problems were his own and he didn't want his friends to worry about him, because it was getting to the point of annoyance. Why did everyone have to doubt him every time they thought something was up. He was fine, he was always fine…

Everywhere Kid went he could swear he saw that damn Kishin. Every corner of every room, it seemed like he was stalking him. This made focusing on simple tasks very difficult. One thing he wondered, though, was why the Kishin so interested in him, even if what he was saying was true (which it wasn't.) In addition to the appearance of the Kishin, Kid could also see black spots that looked like black blood. He kept trying to tell himself he was things, that it wasn't there and the Kishin was just messing with his mind.

When the final class ended and the students, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a matter of time now.

"Hey, Kiddo, what's taking you so long? Hurry up why don't you," Liz shouted from the door and gestured him over, "What are you doing, daydreaming?"

Kid chuckled at her words before standing up and heading towards the door, making sure to wave to Stein on his way out. Once he was at the door, he and Liz exited the room, closing the door behind them. Everyone was already heading towards the exits but Kid only stood where he was.

"You all go ahead, I won't be too far behind, okay? I just got to handle something before I go," Death the Kid said with a smile before turning around that he was facing the opposite way of the gang, his face now turned serious as he advanced forward, not aware that his weapons had decided it would be nice to follow him.

For a moment, Kid stopped at the door and once more took a deep breath. Now that there were no more interferences, he could finally get to business. Without hesitation, Kid opened the door and stepped inside. Death must have had some idea that he was coming because he was already facing Death the Kid's direction.

"Hey there, Kiddo-Kun, are you feeling any better," Death asked as he watched Kid walk towards him, "I've been worried about you since you left last time."

At first Kid said nothing, no, all he did was stare at his father. Despite the fact that he had so much to say, he wanted to do his best to keep his composure, at least for now. The younger Shinigami took a step closer before clearing his throat and speaking.

"Let's not get side-tracked father, I have questions to ask you and I want you to answer them truthfully," Kid said calmly as he looked seriously at father, "Also, I would like it if you would not lie this time."

The room went silent for a quite a while. After their last encounter, Death was expecting Kid to come back and do the very thing he was doing now, despite him having told him that he was only trying to protect him. Apparently, his feelings had the opposite effect. The older male frowned and sighed.

"Kiddo-kun, I told you before that everything I haven't told you I've kept secret because I only care about you, as my son, I am only trying to protect you." Lord Death quickly replied, hoping that it would satisfy Kid but apparently that didn't happen.

Kid shook his head violently. Go figure his father would try to avoid the subject already but he wouldn't budge. No matter what, he was going to get answers whether they were what he wanted to hear or not to hear.

"You aren't trying to protect me, father, you are only being selfish and want to protect yourself," Kid said as calmly as he could, pausing for a moment before continuing, "If you insist on lying to me than you are only proving that you could care less about me and more about yourself."

At this point it would be too late to evade the fragments questions due his persistence. Lord Death had to tread carefully, though, because he if he wasn't careful he might cause more harm and he didn't want that. The older Shinigami sighed but didn't say anything, waiting for the boy to speak.

"Have you had any other children… do I have a brother," Death the Kid asked, watching his father closely and noticed that father was more quiet than he had ever been before, planting more suspicions in his head, "Tell me."

Death takes a moment to think it over. What prompted Kid to ask such a question. More importantly how would Kid know anything about that? There had certainly been no hints pointed at him indicating the truth. What was going on in the little head of his? Death gulped before responding in a low, but serious, tone.

"Kiddo-kun, I don't know where you got that assumption-" Death was interrupted before he could continue his sentence.

"I'm not a child anymore, father, and I am tired of all of your lies," Kid snapped and shook his head once more, his fists clenched, "I deserve to know the truth! So, don't you dare try to evade me."

Death had no choice because if he lied, god knows what would happen…

"To answer your question, yes, you do have a brother," Death said quietly, looking away in shame, "I did have another fragment before you but you really don't want to know about him, so please don't dig any deeper."

"Yes, actually, I do want to know more, I want to know that everything you haven't told me," Kid pressed on, glaring at his father, "Who is my brother and what exactly are fragments?"

Once more, Death goes silent. Lord Death really loved Kid, so much that he didn't want to see him hurt. If Kid knew the whole truth, it just might break him but what option did he have at this point. Kid was right, he wasn't a child anymore and it was getting harder to hide things. Still, how did he know these things? Did the Kishin…? No…

"The only way Shinigami can be created is by part of the soul of another Shinigami, you are the second one I created," Lord Death replied hastily, "The first fragment, your brother, there are things that happened with him, things that I wish wouldn't have happened. That's why I made you, to make a good Shinigami, the perfect Shinigami."

What Kid was gathering from the information that his father was telling him was that so far the Kishin was proving him wrong. His father hadn't mentioned the Kishin yet, but he got the impression that that was who he was talking about. Kid closed his eyes in frustration.

"So, what you are telling me is that when one fragment disappointed you, you practically threw him out and made me, who you assumed would just follow you blindly?" Kid asked and was finding it hard not feel betrayed, "This first fragment, my brother, what did he do that was so horrible, who is he?"

There he said it. That dreaded question that Lord Death hoped that he would never have to answer. Death feared that this day would happen, the day that Kid would learn everything and possibly do something that he might not like. However, Kid was nothing like Asura, so maybe he had nothing to worry about. Wishful thinking.

"Before I answer your question, answer me this," Death stated, staring down at Kid with sad eyes, "Why is it that you want to know about your brother? More importantly, how do you even know that you have one? What happened?"

"Does it really matter how I know? What matters to me is that I had to find out on my own because you don't trust me enough to tell me a damn thing," Kid snapped once and took a step back, "The Kishin, the one that we tried to prevent from being released, he's my brother, isn't he?"

All Death could do was nod and he could no longer look his second son in the eyes, which probably only provoke the younger Shinigami even more. When Asura was released, it must have done something to Kid, considering he never reacted this way before the whole ordeal. The more he thought about it, the more it began to scare him.

It was most likely that Asura knew that he and Kid were fragments, he could probably sense it. Death himself never dealt with anything like that but it was the only thing he could think of. Asura must have gotten to Kid. If he wasn't careful, he would lose Kid, he couldn't… Not him.

"Kid, listen to me, whatever the Kishin said to you, you mustn't listen to him, he is only trying to mess with you," Death pleaded as he looked back up at his son, who looked angrier than before, "Please don't let him ruin what we have…"

Suddenly the air went cold, all of the warmth that Death had felt in the room was now gone.

"The Kishin was right, he's always been right, hasn't he?" Kid muttered to himself, his glare now turning colder as his fists began to redden, "I hate to break it to you, father, but I am not your perfect little boy, I never have been. Instead of protecting me, all you have managed to do was lie to me. I should have believed the Kishin."

As Kid spoke, five lines appeared over his mouth, making Death gasp. Kid himself wasn't aware of the change but he could feel the madness tightening its hold on him. For so long he'd been fighting it but there was no denying the truth, the madness was winning. Over time, the strong-will Kid contained wasn't as strong, it's barriers were weakening.

"Kiddo-kun, listen to me, you can't just let the madness win," Death shouted out in attempt to snap kid out of it, "You are so much stronger than it if you just try…"

For the first time in a long time, possibly his whole life, he felt more at peace but not because he'd finally gotten his father to tell him the truth. He could practically feel the madness pull him in and in a way, it made him feel better than he had before, the Kishin really was right.

"I'm tired of fighting it off, father. You just simply don't understand, do you?" Kid asked before smiling up at his father and turned to face the door, "It was nice seeing you father, but I really must get going, I have places to be, people to see."

Kid summoned his board and without saying another word fled the room. When the doors to room opened, though, he did run into the Thompson sisters but he didn't stop to help them. Instead he just left.

Goodbye Death City.

|And here it is! Let me know what you all think!|