The Beast Within (Shinkai/Kaishin)

KID or Shinichi?

"Koizumi, huh?" KID muttered, staring up at the large manor. An eery silence laid upon the Koizumi property. What was she for a person?
KID didn't care. Nobody touched his property without paying with his life. And yet, somehow... he felt like he knew this place. This creepy feeling inside his guts, the knowledge deep down within this mind that this place gave away pain and suffering to those who came too close... KID tried to push it away as best as possible.

Akako smirked into her crystal ball, watching as KID entered her manor with so much politeness not to break anything. Her eyes darted over towards the unconcious detective, unable to move, sitting inside a magic circle. She had been practicing this all her life, she had to manage that. And if not Kudo, who else could return Kuroba to her? It was up to Kuroba how he was going to decide his fate. This one thing, Akako knew, was out of her control.
Finally, steps were audible. Akako took a last deep breath to keep her cool and set up her mischievous grin, her pokerface. Inside, she smiled a soft and gentle smile, because it was Kuroba who had taught her the value of a pokerface.
She could have laughed if this situation would have been less serious. But Akako was ready, ready for everything Kuroba was going to do. In fact, she already knew what that was.

Doors opened with an agonizing screech, heavy and slow steps were audible. Akako swallowed and took another deep breath. Kuroba knew she was alone, huh? He didn't bother to hide himself, not that it would have worked.
"Ojou-san, may I ask why you try to challenge a thief?"
Akako stilled and looked up; KID was perched on top of her wardrobe and smiled disturbingly sweet down at her. Cold eyes moved from the quiet witch over towards the still unconcious Shinichi, unmoving.
"It's polite to answer a question."
Akako's mouth went dry as KID slid down her wooden furniture and landed with a barely audible thud on his feet, hands casually sticking in his pockets. He appeared so carefree and mischievous like he used to be, and Akako almost wished she could have deceived herself with this, that Kuroba might have returned already without her knowledge, that everything had changed and he was paying her a visit just to clear up the misunderstanding.
But a gaze into his expression, cold and calculating, revealed the truth to her.

"I am giving you an ultimatum, Kaitou KID... or should I address you as Kuroba Kaito? You need to decide... will you save yourself? Or Kudo Shinichi?"
Akako took a step back and flashed a glance at the trapped detective. Why hadn't he woken up yet? It was time for him to do so, else this wasn't going to work! At least her voice hadn't cracked and KID obviously believed her little show.
"Enlighten me, little Ojou-san."
Akako chuckled and crossed her arms, trying to remain in her confident role, but fear started to creep slowly into her soul, freezing her bit by bit from inside out. Was she ready for this? Was this really what she wanted?
"Either you remove the magic circle from below your detective... and pay the price... or you can just take your leave~"

KID took a step towards her, then another one. Akako swallowed but stood her ground, staring with an unwavering smirk right at the insane thief she once called her classmate.
She still hadn't moved an inch when KID stood right in her face, invading her personal space, sweet smile on his lips never faltering.
"That's an easy one, Ojou-san..." KID whispered into her ear and Akako didn't know wether she should run or keep herself here, allow herself to fall for his charm, and lull herself into a false sense of comfort.
Eyes shot wide open, Akako began to tremble, pain numbed her mind and body. KID backed a step away, observing his work, chuckling quietly. What was so funny? Akako slowly looked down and in a blink of an eye, horror overcame the witch. Blood. Everywhere was blood. And... there was an object stuck in her chest which was not supposed to be there.
The blood came from there.
She... she was bleeding.
Realization hit her like a train, panic settled in. Akako gripped at the ceremonial dagger she had kept hidden inside this room and desperately tried to pull it out of her body, yet to no attempt. It was stuck inside her ribcage. KID observed with so much as pleased glee on his face, enjoying the show Akako was giving him, struggling for her life in front of him like a pathetic animal.
"Little Ojou-san, there is only one answer to this question... if I kill the magic caster... we will both leave~"
Akako glared at KID, shaking like a leaf. She tried to reply but was forced onto her knees as blood gushed out of her mouth, colouring her ground a beautiful shade of red. Akako tried to calm down but her heart was beating fast, so fast. This was it. She was dying, she could feel the life draining from her body. But Akako had to tell Kuroba, she wouldn't dare to leave him with the smug impression that he outwitted her. She was a witch, for god's sake...!

Panting, blood flowing steadily out of her, Akako kneeled on the floor, bent over to support her body weight with arms and legs. Bowing like a dog to Kuroba Kaito, her murderer, she would have laughed if someone would have told her years ago that a man would be the death of her.
"K-Kuroba..." Akako purred with her last strengh, "Y-you... you didn't think... I-I knew this would... happen...?"
KID froze on the spot, smile vanishing, replaced by a feral frown on his face.
"Explain yourself, Ojou-san."
"H-ha... haha..." Quiet laughter emitted from Akako's mouth, yes, she had expected it to happen. She had studied Kuroba Kaito all those years as his classmate and had kept him under her watchful eye as KID. "T-too bad I... p-protected m-myself with a spell... s-should I die... you will... face..."
Akako fell to the ground before she could finish her sentence, eyes open, a tiny smile on her face. Because in her last moments, she had outwitted Kaitou KID, murderous magician under the moonlight.

KID glared down onto the lifeless bunch of meat which used to be Koizumi Akako with disgust all over his face. How could she dare to touch his property? Indigo eyes wandered towards the detective, and voilá, the magic circle below him had started to vanish. Just a few more seconds and KID could bring his Meitantei home. No way in hell was he going to leave him ever alone, KID shook his head in thought, sometimes things had to be locked up to be cared for properly.
He was just going to seal Kudo Shinichi away in his house... Forever.