Sacrifice
Kaito awoke with his face pressed into the ground. His head pounded, and his body ached. He felt sick and dizzy. All he could hear was a ringing in his ears. And then a slow clicking noise. It was constant, metronome. Click, click, click, pause. Click, click, click, pause.
Kaito realized what it was. Footsteps. He shifted his weight, rolling painfully onto his shoulder. The pain was worth it though, he had a clear view now.
Kaito felt his eyes widen. Similarly to the comms room, the walls around him were covered in written notes, sketched out diagrams, and other various clutter. However, while the comms room had been devoted to the mission, this room's subject was much...stranger.
"Kaito." a soft voice spoke. Kaito saw Shuichi over to his right.
"Shuichi! What the hell's going on?" Kaito hissed.
Shuichi's eyes widened. "Shh, stay quieter." Like the others, he was still pale and sick looking. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I think so." Kaito said, glancing around the room more. Kirumi and Tenko were laid out on the ground before him, the former still asleep, the latter looking around worriedly. Like she had before when Kaito entered the room...
She'd been trying to warn him. Kaito tried to get to his feet, only to discover that his hands were bound behind his back. His ankles were tied together.
"I wouldn't try standing. You'll only fall, and I fear it will be quiet painful."
Kaito couldn't see Korekiyo, the room was dimly lit, and he could only see the first half. "I dunno, getting whacked across the head with something hurts pretty badly, and you didn't care much about that."
"My apologies. You took me by surprise. I assumed that Angie had found you." again the clicking noise. Was he pacing?
Kaito strained his eyes. "Can you come out where I can see you?"
"I'm not going to hurt you." Kiyo's voice was soft, yet it still sent chills down Kaito's spine. Only the footsteps gave away Kiyo's location. If it weren't for the noise, Kaito wouldn't have known where to look. Korekiyo indulged in his request, and Kaito watched as the anthropologist seemed to melt out of the shadows.
"Thanks." Kaito said, mouth dry.
"Of course. We're friends, aren't we." It wasn't a question, and it wasn't a statement either. Kiyo had always had a softer voice, but it was even softer now.
"Yeah. We are." Kaito said, watching as his crewmate approached.
Kiyo reached him and bent down, gold eyes meeting Kaito's. The gaze was intense, and Kaito looked away. Instantly, he felt a hand on his neck, and his chin was lifted.
"No. Look at me." The words were still soft, but they were spoken forcefully. Kaito only met his gaze for a few seconds before his chin was dropped. Kiyo made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat, and he drew away. "So you know too."
"What?" Kaito asked weakly.
"Don't play the fool, we both know you're not an idiot." Kiyo said, facing Kaito again, arms crossed over his body. "I haven't forgotten. That's how we met, isn't it. You thought I was calling you an idiot. I never thought you were stupid." the pacing resumed. "I wanted to watch you. I was your Charon, I ferried you safely to this voyage."
"Wait, wait." Kaito said, shaking his head. "Look, can we talk this over? Yeah, I saw some things, but I wanna hear it from you-"
"So you can laugh? Mock me?" Kiyo hissed, arms tightening around himself. "Taunt my love, my acts of passion and loyalty?" Tighter still.
"No." Kaito said, shaking his head. "No, I won't. I already talked to Angie. She listened."
"And she told you to come after me?" Kiyo cocked his head. "How touching, yet tragic. I suppose not even she could understand."
"Let me understand." Kaito begged. The words he had seen on the datapad swirled through his mind. Incestuous relationship, serial killer, occult rituals.
"I can see it in your eyes." Kiyo said. "You're disgusted. You think I'm disgusting."
"I-"
"Don't. Lie."
"Kaito." Shuichi said softly. "I don't think he's in a good state to be reasoned with."
"I know you're talking about me, mocking me." Kiyo's hands flew to his face. "Apologize, apologize."
"Do you know-"
"What the file said? No, but I figured out some things for myself." Shuichi said. "I think whatever walls he put up to keep himself functioning were torn down by the information release."
Shit, one crewmate had entered a depressive state, another enraged, driven by the urge to protect, and a third had practically gone insane. He'd done this. Kaito had done this.
Kiyo was still talking. Kaito could hear him muttering "apologize, apologize" under his breath.
"Is there a chance he'll listen?" Kaito asked.
Shuichi looked nervous. "I don't know. I'm sorry, I don't know."
"It's ok." Kaito said. "I got this." He turned back towards Korekiyo. "Hey! If you want me to apologize, I will. But can we at least talk. Please." Kaito said.
"There are...some sides to be heard." Kiyo said softly. He stepped back until his body was mostly obscured in shadow. "Fine. Talk."
Despite swallowing hard, Kaito's mouth still felt dry. "Well-"
"Not sure how to say it? I hardly blame you." Something slid to rest against Kaito's foot. A datapad. "Why not borrow the words of those who did say it? You already know, you might as well see the whole thing. And I can watch your reactions. I'll observe..." Again he lapsed into silence, something that Kaito took to be his cue. He inched closer to the datapad, and began reading aloud.
The Secret of Korekiyo Shinguji: Once upon a time there were two children, a boy and a girl. Their parents were never home, so the two were left to fend for themselves. The girl was older, and as most younger siblings do, the boy idolized his older sister. Thus is the beginning of the twisted story of the Ultimate Anthropologist. The Shinguji family name is well known, photos of the family in their younger days can still be found, where the four stood proudly, normally. The daughter, [Redacted] fell ill at a young age. She was soon hospitalized, isolated from the rest of the world. However, she was no trapped princess. [Redacted] had been spiteful and cruel from a young age, exploiting anyone she could. And when the only person around her was her brother, she made sure to take advantage of that. The younger Shinguji did whatever she asked, no matter what it was. He was her link to the outside world, she lived through him. One day the sister read him a certain book, which set him on his path to becoming an Ultimate. It was her dream he followed, acting as a stand in, going where she could not. As they grew, her noose of words tightened. Rules were established, the most clear being "Obey or else." The girl reached an age where she wanted more than familial love. She wanted romantic. Her foolish brother obliged, and the two began an incestuous physical relationship, built on what both would call "forbidden love." She was the only one who ever loved him, who would ever, or could ever love him. He existed to serve her. She fed him poisonous words and touches, exploiting, manipulating, abusing. It should be he who lay dying. But it wasn't, and [Redacted] died, succumbing to her illness. Korekiyo Shinguji should have been free, but this is not where the story ends. He was still filled with her poison, a life raised in shadow. He could not thrive without her. So he chose not to. He would have joined her himself, but he still had a role to play. Instead he acted on another one of her requests. She wanted friends, and she didn't have to be alive to get them. Years passed, and Shinguji observed humanity, choosing females his sister would deem worthy, and sending them to her. He killed them, mainly by strangulation, before using his knowledge to perform several occult practices to ensure that the souls would reach his sister. When she died, he died too. Only a shell walked the earth. A serial killer born of delusions of love. A tainted creature. A tainted human. Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist, an inhuman shell twisted beyond recognition, who killed for incestuous love. But the biggest secret was that she never loved him.
Kaito's voice was cracking from the dryness by the time he finished. His entire body was trembling. The words read like a terrifying fairy tale. He had a feeling that had been intentional on the ground control's part.
"See?" Kiyo said softly. "A monster."
"But why?" Kaito asked. "Why now? She never loved y-"
"YES SHE DID!" it was the loudest he'd ever heard Korekiyo speak. "She did." he repeated, regaining composure. "She did, she did, she had to, of course she did." he began pacing again, allowing Kaito to see him clearly.
"You're right." Kaito said. "I'm disgusted by, and scared of and mad at a monster in that story, but it's not you."
"Ninety eight." was the response. "That is how many I have sent. How many I have saved. I was merciful Kaito, I only took the ones that were dying anyways."
"Even though you're saying you're a monster, it sounds to me like you're trying to convince me you're not one." Kaito continued. "If anything the monster was your siste-"
"SHE WAS NOT A MONSTER!" Kaito flinched. "She was perfect, she was everything." Kiyo continued.
"She-"
Korekiyo glared at him. "No, you do not need to say anything else. I want to hear our detective speak now." he turned to Shuichi, who looked pale. "Now, what do you know about me?"
"I didn't mean to." Shuichi's voice was shaking. "I made a connection, and I looked too much."
"Tell me." Kiyo's voice was almost gentle now.
"It was your last name." Shuichi said, staring at the ground. "I remembered, my uncle used to let me look at old case files."
"How could you discern my identity? There were no files the last time I checked-"
"If you're talking about your serial killer profile, I'm not talking about that. There was one when you were a kid."
"There was?" Kaito could tell that Kiyo was genuinely shocked by this revelation.
"Well, younger at least, not a kid-"
"Continue."
"O-ok. A hospital nurse filed a claim of possible a-abuse."
"I never abused her!"
"Please c-calm down. It was about you. The nurse was worried about you. Sh-she said she saw your sister verbally abuse you, then m-make you...satisfy her."
"I did it voluntarily." the response was delivered instantly, almost like it had been trained.
"Th-that's not what she said..."
"If this is true, why did no authorities come?" Kiyo crossed his arms.
"Because she died, and you disappeared." Shuichi said.
"I left the country for work." Korekiyo said softly. "Yes, that is true."
"And by the time you came back, well I guess they dropped the case, since she wasn't there any more." Shuichi said.
"But you made more connections."
"Yeah. There were pictures of her memorial service. And there was a note. It said "A hundred friends before myself. Then we will be together again."
"I still do not understand how you made the connection." Kiyo said.
"Well, I thought, she's dead. What would she do with friends now? And before you, that made it sound like you and the friends were going somewhere. And if they were for her...they'd have to die."
"So you concluded that I was going to kill them? From that?"
"Not yet." Shuichi said. "I looked into any mysterious deaths I could find. And eventually I saw a pattern. Only seventeen of your victims have been found by police." He took a deep breath. "So I think you're telling the truth by only killing people who were alright with dying. Most of them were probably homeless, or had a lower status."
"Correct."
"But the seventeen had a signature." Shuichi said. "Red rope. There were different ropes, different materials, but they were all red."
"It sounds like you concluded that I had a plan to kill, and that a string of murders were connected, but how did you tie it back to me?" Kiyo asked.
"I didn't make the connection until we met." Shuichi admitted. "I mean, I was reminded of it when I heard your name."
"But? What gave me away?" Kiyo appeared to be hanging onto Shuichi's every word.
"The comms room. You used red rope to string up documents. You also used the same knots."
Korekiyo laughed, the sound still soft and raspy. "I see, I see. You truly are the Ultimate Detective.
"I knew about the murders." Shuichi said. "But not about...you and your sister. I read the report, but it was dismissed since-"
"We were such a perfect family?" Kiyo broke in. "Yes, looks are deceiving."
"Kiyo." Kaito said. "I had a feeling something happened to you-"
"Because I'm insane? A freak?" Kiyo whirled towards him. He had gotten closer as Shuichi spoke, as if the words were drawing him in. He was close enough for his hair to brush across Kaito's face, and for Kaito to see him clearly.
"Oh god." Kaito said. "You're bleeding."
Kiyo was paler than he had been, a combination of the lingering illness and stress. Kaito had noticed the response of crossing his arms over his chest, or pressing them against his face or head, but now scratches could be seen across his face and arms, most likely where he'd dug his nails in.
"Am I?" Kiyo looked genuinely surprised, touching his face lightly.
"You gotta be in so much pain." Kaito said. "Jesus man, I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"What happened to you." Shuichi said.
"Nothing happened to me-"
"You gotta know it's true deep down." Kaito said. "That she didn't love you. She abused you."
"NO!" Kiyo shrieked, doubling over, hands pressed into his face again. His shoulders shook.
"Hey, hey." Kaito said. "It's ok-"
Slowly Kaito became aware that Kiyo was laughing. It was more than the soft rasping sound he usually made. This laughter sounded strained, like he was holding it back and losing.
"You're wrong. You're wrong about her." Kiyo said. "Apologize."
"DEGENERATE!" In the time that they had been talking, Tenko had managed to somewhat free herself. At the very least, her mouth was free. "YOU DISGUSTING MURDEROUS DEGENERATE!" Tenko's rant went on a moment longer, and to Kaito's surprise, Kiyo stood and listened.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." he said finally. "Your words truly wound me. You've become quite special to me Tenko. A friend. And I am too selfish to keep you to myself."
Realization dawned upon Kaito. "No-"
"Yes." Kiyo continued. "I'm saving you, Tenko. You will be safe forever, with dozens of women to protect. You will be happy, I'm saving you."
"Are you kidding me?! The first degenerate male I open up to, and he turns out to be a murdering psycho!" Tenko snapped. To Kaito's surprise, she softened. "Wait, no I didn't mean that. Look, we might not be close, but you're special to Himiko. She wouldn't want you to do this."
Kiyo emitted a strained gasp before doubling over again. Kaito felt a pang of sympathy. He seemed to be so tortured that it was physically hurting.
"Untie us." Kaito said. "We can help you."
"And ignore my sins?" Kiyo asked. "Please. I'm not a victim as you say I am. I still have done terrible things."
"I'm not forgetting that." Kaito said. "But people change. You're a good person, I know you are. You went after Ryoma in the tunnels, you apologized to me after we had that misunderstanding, a monster wouldn't do those things."
"No, no." Kiyo mumbled.
"Yes." Kaito said. "Come on, it's ok."
"I can't stop now." Kiyo slowly straightened. "Just two more. Two more." Tenko and Kirumi.
"No-"
"Two more friends, and two more sins." Kiyo looked at Kaito and Shuichi sadly. "I cannot let anyone who knows leave this room alive. I-I'm sorry. You were my friends too..." he took a deep breath. "It will be quick-"
And then Tenko pounced. Kaito was amazed at the speed at which she moved. She dragged Korekiyo to the ground, struggling with him. "GO!" she yelled back at Shuichi and Kaito.
Kaito began struggling against his own ropes. As he fought, the lights clicked on, triggered by all the movement. Kaito could see that the rest of the room, mainly the floor, was plastered with occult symbols and sigils. "Holy shit..."
"Kaito!" Shuichi had managed to free an arm, which he used to untie Kaito's. Within a few seconds, the two were free.
"Tenko we gotta go-" Kaito was shoved against a wall. Something was looped around his neck.
"If either of you move, I break his neck." Kiyo said calmly.
"How-" Kaito stuttered.
"I couldn't touch him for long. It reduces my power." Tenko said in a small voice.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kaito saw Kiyo crush the remaining datapad with his foot. "This is a shame Kaito, and yet ironic. The roles have reversed."
"I was never gonna kill you." Kaito hissed. The rope tightened slightly.
"I truly am sorry. I felt connected to so many of you." Kiyo said.
"I forgive you then." Kaito said.
"What?!" yelled Tenko.
"I forgive you." Kaito said. "If you have to kill me, then kill me. Do it. If it helps you, then I want you to do it."
For the first time, an expression of true shock was displayed on Kiyo's face. "Kaito..."
"DO IT DAMMIT! I SAID I FORGIVE YOU!" Kaito saw a flash of movement and braced himself...the rope fell away from his neck. Kaito slowly opened his eyes.
Kiyo was on his knees, sobbing, head buried in his hands. For a moment, everyone stood still, stunned.
Kaito was the first to move, kneeling down beside his previous attacker.
"Why...wasn't I...good enough?" Kiyo rasped. "Why didn't she love me?"
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can answer that." Kaito said. "But she was an idiot. You're worthy of love."
"I can't...can't breathe." Kiyo said weakly, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Hey, hey." Kaito went to kneel down, but Kiyo recoiled.
"Stay away from me."
"No can do." Kaito said.
"What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone?" Kiyo looked up at Kaito, gold eyes burning with pain.
"Nothing." Kaito said. "I'm not leaving you like this."
"Ninety eight victims. Ninety eight murders." Kiyo turned to Shuichi. "You've been raised under the law. You can't ignore that, can you?"
"I-" Shuichi's voice shook. "If I've l-learned one thing, it's that crimes a-aren't always open and close. Like I s-said, I believe you only killed people who w-wanted to die. I mean, n-not Tenko or Kirumi, but..." He trailed off, looking at the ground.
"The world went to shit a long time ago." Tenko said, surprising Kaito. "I think everyone here has done shit they regret. And now it's all out in the open. I guess this is our chance to start fresh."
"This isn't a start for me. This is an end." Kiyo said, shaking his head. "I chose the final two as they were the only ones available from the small pool I have access to."
"What about Earth? You couldn't have waited until you got back?" This was one of the stranger conversations Kaito had ever had.
"I never intended to return to Earth, even before the secrets were leaked." Kiyo said, his voice sharp. "That was going to be the end. I would have fulfilled her wishes. I would have lived out a full career in her name, visited and seen everything she wanted to, and given her everything I could. I gave her friends. And since there is nothing left for me to do in this world, she stated that once I completed my work, I was to join her in the next. So she could finally have everything."
"She told you to-" Kaito felt his fists clench. "You don't have to do anything for her. She's gone. She's been gone for years. You don't have to keep living like this."
"She's always with me." Kiyo said softly. "The veil must be thinner in space. She's been speaking to me."
"What?" Kaito asked, feeling a chill go down his spine. "We're still talking about the dead sister, right?"
"Why should death stop people from speaking?" Kiyo asked, tilting his head. "I don't understand it. I'd given up on talking to her in this world. But she spoke to me."
"How?" Shuichi asked.
"The data room. I noticed several lights flashing. Upon investigation I realized it was a message." Kiyo said, pointing towards a stack of papers. Kaito carefully made his way over to them, examining what appeared to be the translated message.
"Why are you giving up now? Don't you want to see me?"
"Don't you still love me? Come on, just two more."
"Are you abandoning me? You're so selfish."
"Two more, and then you join me forever."
"I love you, and if you love me, you'll finish what you started."
"There's nothing left for you in this world. You're only hated here."
"Are you seriously thinking of choosing these strangers over me? You're heartless."
"You're a monster to them. None of them like you. I hear them wishing you were gone."
"Come to me, please. And you'll never feel pain again."
"I'm watching you. I'm always by your side. I see everything you're doing."
"Do not disappoint me."
"I'll see you soon."
"What the fuck?" Kaito said softly, showing Shuichi.
"She's watching me. I have to." Kiyo said softly.
Kaito looked from the papers, to Shuichi, to Kiyo, and back again. Aliens was crazy enough, but ghosts?
"Wait." Shuichi said suddenly. "What if I can prove that's not your sister talking to you?"
"You couldn't." Kiyo seemed to be drawing into himself, his eyes glazed over and empty.
"I think I can." Shuichi said. "That's a closed circuit system, meaning that information only comes from one place. Any data and transmissions only have one of two places to go. This ship, or the ground control. Nothing else can enter, nothing else can exit."
"That's not what I was told." Kiyo said, a spark of confusion flickering across his eyes. "When I read the diagnostics of the ship on my datapad, it said that the main system was open circuit."
"No, Shuichi's right." Kaito looked up to see Kiibo peeking in nervously. "It's closed circuit."
"Then wh-"
"Some of your datapads were...different." Kiibo said slowly. "I didn't know why at the time, only that certain people were supposed to get certain pads."
"Jesus, they played you." Kaito said.
"They...did." Kiyo said softly. "I'm truly an idiot."
"That was tailor made to pull you in." Shuichi said. "My datapad has a larger camera, and it um, makes it look like I'm being watched. I know that's nothing compared to this..."
"Jesus, it's all been rigged from the start." Kaito said. "But like...did they want us to die?"
Shuichi shook his head. "They made a mistake. I don't think they made the connections I did. If they knew what Kiyo's end goals were, they would have put more precautions in place. I think they were trying to make him more obedient. The notes never specify what the two things are. I don't think they knew they were murders."
"But they were alright with him ending himself at the end." Kaito said. "I'm gonna kill em."
"Why? Why does this evoke range in you?" Kiyo asked. He'd started shaking.
"Because you don't deserve to die. I think I know more about all of you here then they do, no matter what secrets they have. I know what kind of person you are. Hell, the type of victim you picked shows you have a heart. I trust you, I believe in you."
"I died a long time ago." Kiyo said, shaking his head. "Tenko even said I look like a corpse."
"I saw you with Gonta in the bug cemetery. How did you feel then?"
There was a pause. "I felt...alive."
"Exactly. You can't give up now. Tenko's right. You have a chance to start a new life now."
"I can't. I can't be alone. I need her-"
"You won't be alone." Kaito watched as Himiko made her way over to them. "I cast a friendship spell on everyone in the crew. You can't get rid of us. It's impossible."
"How can you stand to be near me?" Kiyo's eyes filled with tears again.
"Ryoma killed, and we don't see him differently." Kaito said. "You both did what you did for your own reasons. And I'm choosing to believe in you."
"You're making a mistake. I have nothing left. Everything I did in my life was for her. There's nothing left of me."
"I don't think that's true." Kaito said. "Sure, she may have suggested it to you, but I think you genuinely enjoy your talent. At least from what I've seen. And your personality is...unique."
"I can't make promises."
"Then just try." Kaito said. "For me? As a friend?"
Kiyo exhaled heavily, seeming to physically relax for the first time since the encounter started. "I can try."
"I can act as a companion." Kiibo spoke up. "I don't understand human superstitions, and I'm definitely not afraid of ghosts! But I can stay with you for a while. I can act as emotional support and companionship with um...varying success. If you want, I don't think you like me all that much. You did put me in a closet."
"If it is all the same to you, I would have done that to anyone who was in my way, robot or not."
Kiibo's eyes lit up with happiness. "Really?!"
"I do like you." Kiyo slowly got to his feet. "What gave you the impression that I didn't?"
"Well, you said humanity is beautiful, and I'm not human." Kiibo said, looking at the floor.
"Your baseless compassion towards me despite my actions both against you and others is one of the most human things I've ever seen. It's beautiful." Kiyo said softly.
"I guess I won't need my novel on robot human interactions. Yet." Kiibo said.
"Are you all truly willing to move forward after this happening? You can't forget it, can you?" Kiyo said, looking at them all.
"No, I won't. I won't forget anything." Kaito said. "But we're all going to have to move forward together, no matter what our secrets say. That's the only thing we can do. Believe in each other and ourselves.
"That belief could be foolish." Kiyo said. "Are you sure you're satisfied with that strategy?"
Kaito felt himself smile for what felt like the first time in years. "I just gotta believe."