This fate had already been chosen for him,

But if he had chosen to walk down that path,

Can he really blame fate?

"Come here, partner." The words drip from his lips that sends a jolt up Souji's spine. "You wouldn't turn on me in my time of need, now would you?" A smile creept across his face, showing that the boy was now cornered.

Everyone started talking at once. "Senpai! What's he talking about?" "Who are you calling partner?" "Shut your damn mouth!" "Wait, what?" "Souji-kun, is what he's staying true?" "Senpai would never go to your side."

But the voices around him are droned out by Adachi's eyes, which are trained solely on him; the goofy grin replaced with something much more sinister. Souji had been manipulated by this man, at least that's what he told himself. He had taken his side in a desperate attempt to save a man who wasn't asking to saved.

That night Souji Seta had decided to confront Adachi on his own, he had to ask before he could even think about bringing up the possibility that he was the murderer to his friends. He had to know, and Adachi would never keep anything from him, right?

The lights in the hospital hallway were dim when he saw Adachi leaving his uncle's hospital room. "Adachi-san," He says in a low, but audible voice.

The detective jumped, surprised by the sudden greeting. "Geez, you scared me kid," He chuckles, walking over to him and placed a hand on Souji's shoulder. A gesture that he had been getting from all kinds of people since his uncle and cousin had been in the hospital. But something was different this time, a light squeeze, pulling his shoulder down by the weight. "Dojima-san just fell asleep, maybe you'll have better luck next time." The older man squeezed his hand one more time before walking down the hallway in the opposite direction.

"Actually, I came to see you," Souji was still facing the door, but he could here the squeaky soles of Adachi's dress shoes stop.

"Oh?" His voice rose in pitch. "Shall we step aside then?" Adachi's hand was on his shoulder again, giving him a slight push into an unoccupied hospital room.

Once Adachi closed the door, he turned back around to face him. Before Souji can even speak, Adachi started talking, "I've been so busy. With Dojima-san out of commission I can't slack off anymore. Although he hasn't rested since he got here, I've still had to tie up the loose ends." He let out a nervous laugh that quickly fades. "Well, anyway, what's with the sudden visit? Can I help you with something?"

They're standing a small distance apart. A few moments pass as Souji studies his face, he can't see through his blank stare. "Did you do it?"

"Do… what?" His face turns to a slight frown, a wave of confusion washing over him.

Souji steps forward, taking the split second to compose himself to try and not sound accusatory. "The murders."

"Me? Kill Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi?" Adachi chuckles, "What's this about? Are you serious?"

The silver haired boy gives a curt nod, not taking his eyes off the older man. He had always taken pride in reading people, but Adachi wasn't giving anything away.

"Oh come one. Even if you're kidding, this is a pretty bad joke." Adachi opened his mouth a bit and stroked his jaw. "Did you forget? You're the ones who brought Namatame in."

"Namatame told us that he kidnapped all of those that went missing, but he didn't murder Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi. I believe him," Souji said, looking over to wall. Snapping his head back remembering that he needed to keep his focus on Adachi.

"O-oh I get it. You're still playing detective." He smirked. "Okay, say I AM the culprit. What did you come here to do? Convince me to turn myself in?" His hand dropped back to his side as his face transformed back into a smile.

"No." The words escaped his lips before he even realized what he was saying. But, how could Adachi of all people do something like this? It wasn't like him.

"So… what? Are you trying to blackmail me?" His voice rised a little bit.

"No." He wanted Adachi to try and redeem himself, to know that he could still be saved.

Adachi adverted his eyes and reached his hand up to scratch the back of his head. "Well, Listen up. Unlike you, we police aren't made of time. We still haven't even cleaned up Namatame's mess." His voice reeks of authority, something Souji forgot the man had over him. "Besides, you don't have any proof that I did it."

Souji looks down, he had a point there. He was just going on a gut feeling. That wasn't proof.

He shook his head. "Well…?" Souji looked back up. "Are you going to keep playing detective?"

He needed to know. Things could never be resolved if he didn't say something. Adachi slowly started for the door, waiting for the no he was expecting so he could be on his way. Faced with panic, Souji said the only thing he could think of to know the truth. "I'm on your side."

Adachi shook his head once more. "You're on my side? Are you trying to be the hero or something?" He paused a moment, an eery grin appeared across his face. "No wait. You're saying you're on the killer's side… in front of a police officer. Do you understand what that means?"

Souji studied his face, but he wasn't giving anything away. He needed to go deeper. "Yes," He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I see…" Adachi turns his head to face the wall. "Do you remember this?" He asked, pulling a folded and crumpled piece of paper from his jacket pocket. Souji instantly remembered that it was the threat letter than was sent to his house. But Adachi, in what Souji believed to be poking fun at him, stated, "It's the threatening letter that got sent to your house. I accidentally forgot to forward it over to Forensics." He shook his head, but he could tell that he wasn't at all sorry for the deed. "I'm sure it was just a prank," The older man ran a hand through his disheveled hair cut, "but maybe it was connected to the murders. Who knows? This might be the piece of evidence that could turn this whole case upside down."

Adachi held out the letter, and Souji took his in-between his fingers. "The real killer wouldn't want the police to have this. But you're with me, right?" He grinned again, his eyes making him feel an uncomfortable feeling of welcoming and acceptance. "So if I'm the real killer, and you're with me," He let out a slow breath, "then that makes you my partner in crime. Isn't that right?"

His hand snakes back into his jacket and pulls out another object. One small enough that it's enclosed entirely by his hand. Adachi hands it to Souji, once it's in his own palm he can feel the smooth plastic against his skin. It's a lighter.

"If I send this to Forensics, they might pull some evidence off it. Maybe a clue to capturing the real killer…" Adachi pulled his eyes away from the scene, looking at the ceiling instead. "You, your friends, and Dojima-san have all been busting your asses for a whole year to solve this case." His neck snapped back to Souji. "It's a damn shame that no one's caught the real killer yet."

There's a moment of silence. Souji is almost positive he's asking him to burn the letter for him. That didn't surprise him in the least, the only thing running through his mind was the thought of burning that paper.

"Well…?" Adachi arched his eyebrow, waiting for Souji's decision.

He looked at both of his hands. One with the letter. The other with the lighter. If he burned the letter, he'll destroy the one piece of evidence that exists… It would be a betrayal of the truth he swore to find. But if he doesn't do it, will Adachi truly be able to redeem himself? Will he ever be able to obtain the truth?

Souji felt his finger on the spark wheel and it quickly ground against the flint stone underneath. A small spark jumped before the flame appeared out of the nozzle of the cheap gas station lighter. His eyes gazed at Adachi, his face was turned towards the ceiling. The light illuminating his white toothed smile. This was the only way to the truth. He hovered the flame under the corner of the letter and watched as it caught fire and receded up the heavily handled paper. The ashes fell to the ground that he had cleaned on so many evenings.

His actions only struck him when the black flakes that were once the threat letter were scattered about the hospital floor. What had he done? Was this really a step closer to the truth? He was so confused, he didn't know what to believe anymore. But something told him this was a one way path, he couldn't go back.

The smell of burning permeated the hospital room. Souji looked up to see Adachi's face is swept with pure shock. He jumped a bit when the older man lets out a cackle that echoed across the hospital room's empty walls. "You actually did it!" His voice is filled with mischievous glee, it's unsettling of Adachi's usual composure. "Do you understand what you just did?" A cocky grin broading on his face, his eyes flickering with a complex mix of psychotic and disturbed power. "You destroyed evidence… That's a crime you know!" He chuckled out the last sentence. Soon he went into full blown laughter. It went on long enough to make Souji feel like he was intruding, the way his voice bounced from wall to wall, coming at him in all directions. He quieted down, simply because he ran out of breath. That didn't stop the older man from stepping closer and placing a hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it harder than before, and pushed enough to make the younger man's knees buckle under the added pressure. "Now this little incident is covered forever." He leaned in close, still flashing his perfectly straight teeth. He reeked of cigarettes and boiled cabbage. Souji winced. "All because of you."

Adachi pulled back, reached in to his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number and Souji was sure he was going to be arrested. Soon his own phone rung. "Pick it up, kid," He said, surpressing a laugh.

Souji's fingers trembled as he reached into his jacket and flipped it up to see an unfamiliar number was calling. He held it up to his ear. Before he could say hello, he was cut off, "And it's the police's duty to keep tabs on those who've committed crimes…" He could hear Adachi in front of him, then a split second later through his phone's ear piece. "If you get calls from this number, you'd better pick up. There's no use changing you number. Don't underestimate the Japanese police- it's easy to track you down." Adachi cracks another smile before erupting into another fit of laughter.

It is then that Souji realizes he had chosen the wrong path. This wasn't the right way to get the truth out of him, but his thoughts had been too foggy. His actions we so monstrous, how could he have been so persuaded? Instead of playing the hero and giving Adachi a chance to redeem himself, he turned into an accomplice. Walking down the furthest path from redemption.

"You want to find the truth, without being swayed by the voices of society…" His tone is low as he flips his own phone shut. Souji can't find the strength to put away his own, so Adachi's words are accompanied by the background noise of the phone's dial tone. "But the truth a sinister thing. It seems like something absolute, yet it exists in everyone's hearts. For you, THIS was the 'truth.'" A weak laugh escaped his lips, before all emotions were swept away. His face regaining the innocent composure it always held.

"Well, I'm going back, so be careful on your way home." The detective made his way to the closed door, opening it slightly before turning back. "The fog is getting thicker and thicker, after all." He devious smile returned. "Goodbye, partner." With that he turned on his heels and left.

Souji blinked a few times as he watched Adachi walk down the hall with a certain stride he had never seen before. He had been tricked by the devil, now he was devil's right hand man. All in pursuit of the truth.

"Senpai! Can you explain what's going on?" All the voices around him suddenly stopped as the rest of the Investigation Team stared at him. Rise was always able to collect everyone so easily.

Instead of answering, Souji broke through his sea of friends and walked slowly to Adachi. His teeth gleaming, even though the fog. "Hey partner," The younger man said, feeling Adachi's hand on his shoulder while he continued to concentrate on not hurling on his partner's dress shoes.

"That a boy," Adachi said to him softly. "You hear that you brats?" He looked passed Souji to the Investigation Team. "Your so called Leader is with me now" The detective let out a bloodcurdling cackle. One Souji had gotten accustomed to the last month through the phone calls he would get at midnight every night. The same cackle would play through the receiver, mocking him.

"No! Souji, Partner! He would never do that to us."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"I didn't see this coming, I should have been able to read you. I should have seen this coming."

"Go on, kill your friends." Adachi whispered to him. "They're standing in the way of the truth aren't they? Those that stand in the way of the truth don't seek it, they're just in the way. Didn't you say that to me that night?"

He couldn't remember those words, but he believed them. All of those that stand in the way of truth must fall. Souji turned around to face his friends, all their eyes widened as his persona card appeared in front of him and he crushed it with his hand. "Izanagi," His voice low, his persona appeared before him. Souji shot his hand out sending the persona towards the Investigation Team. He watched as they scattered like mice. But he knew they'd fight him, after all, what other choice did they have?

"Finally listening to reason." Adachi stood beside him, his own persona already getting in on the action. "You've always pulled through for me, partner."

The two villains sat across from one another at a low table. The lifeless bodies of his friends lie around them as they sit in silence. A cup of hot tea is in front of each of them, but Souji ignores his. "You could have just lied to me you know, instead of twisting me into something I'm not, using me as a puppet to get what you desire."

A smirk creeps across Adachi's lips. "What would have been the fun in that?"

"It would have given me some god forsaken mercy," He hadn't wanted to fight toe and toe with his friends. But the devil made him, and he had to listen to what the devil told him to do.

"Don't you see?" Adachi slammed his palm on the table, shaking both the mugs causing them to spill droplets on the surface. "The gods are the one that hand out mercy, I have no such power." He took his mug in both hands and took a sip. "Besides, by knocking you down a few pegs I made you believe that I was forcing you to do this, when in reality you wanted this for yourself. It shows you how easily the human mind can perceive things in times of weakness."

"You're wrong…" Souji said firmly, but Adachi ignored him.

"You're just like me. Wanting the world to be covered in fog. For all mankind to be turned to shadows. That's what you believe of course, or you wouldn't have joined me." Souji shook his head, he'd do anything to make him stop. "It's our duty to see this though, we have to help mankind get what they want."

"This isn't what they want…" Souji looked down at the table as Adachi flew up.

"Well, it was easy enough to convince you of the truth that you wanted! If you don't even know what you want, how can you be so sure what the collective mind wants?" Adachi yelled, letting out an aggravated groan. "All you brats are the same. You think you know everything. Ppfth. Reality is a harsh place, no one wants to live in it, they only do so because they have no other option than death." He plopped back down on the floor and took another sit of his tea.

"So what are our options?" The younger man looked up at the older man. He had been right, he didn't know what the world wanted, especially if he didn't know what he wanted.

Adachi laughed. "You think we have options? No, kid." He shook his head, placing his mug on the table. "We stay here until the shadows finish us off. Then our bodies will be transported to our world, just like your brat friends."

"What?" Souji clenched his jaw. "I thought you said this world loved you! That this was your playground!"

"It does love me." His teeth shined despite the lack of light. "It loves me because I accept it for what it is, but that doesn't mean it won't deal me a hand with death. Fair is fair."