The Road to Darkness

Case 1: Yato Ushio, Private Detective

I ran as my partner yelled at me. My target inches away from my hands. He ran faster, knocking over some crates before running into an ally. I jumped over them in a single leap and followed closely, fiddling for something in my belt.

I smiled, seeing a fence up ahead, blocking him. He climbed and jumped the fence laughing as a car turned to pick him up at the end of the ally.

"Maybe next time Mr. Detective," the thug mocked.

I continued to run, to my left laid a few trash cans.

With no hesitation and full force, I jumped on one of them and cleared the fence, landing right in front of the thug.

"No need for a next time," I responded, closing in.

"Fuck off!" he growled as he ran at me with a knife.

I pivoted around him grabbing his arm and twisting it, taking him to the ground.

Before he even noticed his knife was out of reach he felt a cold metal wrap around his wrists.

"You're under arrest for manslaughter and rape," I listed off, picking him up off the ground and walking back to the cop car.

The car that was going to pick him up peeled off at full speed but I had memorized the license plate beforehand.

As I walked out of the ally my partner jogged up to me out of breath.

"You...actually caught...him..." he gasped for air.

"Let's hurry to the station I have work to do," I stated, walking away.

"Yeah......okay let's go...." he agreed, getting the keys.

As he drove us back to the station I stared at my pocket watch.

"Hey what time is it, Yato, time for lunch?" my partner chattered, trying to make conversation.

"You go on without me I have work to do."

"Work, work, work, it's all you ever do. You're a private detective now and you've only been doing this for three years and to top it all off you've caught ten famous criminals in one month!"

"That's why I can't stop if I letup crime will rise, who will stop it then?"

As we reached the station he stopped the car and looked at me.

"You're not the only detective, Yato, take a break" he pleaded, looking a bit worried.

I got out of the car and tugged the criminal along with me.

"Sorry but...this is the life I've chosen," I told him as I walked into the station.

"Oh Yato..." he sighed, driving away.

"Great job, Yato, what's this? Your third criminal this week?" the front desk officer asked.

I nodded, not really caring.

"Hey, how about I take you out to lunch, my treat?" the man offered.

"Sorry but I have more work to do," I shot him down, handing him the criminal and going to my quarters.

I let out a huge sigh as I sat down and scrolled through some files on my computer.

Endless digital stacks of potential killings, suicides and civil cases.

"Nothing big ever happens round right eh Yato?" a voice commented from behind me.

A young man, about twenty-five, walked up to me in a black suit and a briefcase.

"Berry? What are you doing here?"

Berry Miles, a childhood friend of mine that actually got me this job three years ago, he's a top attorney around here.

"Oh, I just came by to get a few files for a case. I heard you've been overworking again."

"So what? I always do that" I shrugged as I continued to scroll through my computer.

"Exactly why you need to take a break now. Come on I'm taking you out for lunch" he insisted, ripping my hand away from the mouse.

"What is up with everyone wanting to take me out for lunch I'm very busy!" I snapped, slamming my hands on my desk.

Berry got closer to me and smiled.

"Listen, I know what today is and I know you want to...anyway I'm taking you out to lunch, no questions asked" he firmly stated.

I let out a sigh, "fine but make it quick."

Berry smiled, "yeah okay, let's go."

He took me to a little café about four blocks down from the station, one his father would take us to when we were little. I would usually tag along with them because they were my ride home and to school.

We ordered what we use to back then and talked about work and various memories from down the lane.

"Ah, just like the good old days aye, Yato?" Berry smiled, reminiscing.

"Yeah...like the good old days" I nodded, munching on my sandwich.

Berry let out a small sigh, "listen, I know today's a big day so I got one picked out for you."

"Picked out for me?" I inquired, confused.

Berry gestured to a waitress. She carried over a cake with strawberries around it.

"It's vanilla, just how he liked it," Berry winked.

I forced a fake smile on my face, "thanks, Berry, I can always count on you."

We finished our meals and went our separate ways. I headed back to the station and finished up some work before heading home. I got a call from my partner but let it go to voicemail.

"Damn it, Yato, if I would have to know what today was I would have helped you more..." he clenched his fist, leaving me a message.

As I went to my house I opened the door and placed the cake on the table. I left the lights off and grabbed a few candles and a lighter. Placing them on the cake I lit them one by one before sitting down in front of it. There were four plates of silverware laid out on the table but only I was there. As I lit the final candle I sang the birthday song out loud in the dark.

"Happy birthday," I muttered as I blew out the candles. "Dad..."