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The Mystery of the Amaterasu Lab was solved. The case behind the murder of Dr. Huesca was solved. The culprit’s life was taken. Other answers were found. Yomi was arrested by the peacekeepers, Makoto leaves Yuma with something, and Yuma and Vivia returned to the room where the others were.
Their Chief was lying on the same mat he was laying on. The other detectives bombarded Yuma and Vivia with questions as they returned. They’re told the case is solved.
Then Halara uttered those words.
“Now the Chief…can rest.”
Yakou Furio, the culprit of this case and killer of Dr. Huesca, was dead. The Chief of the nocturnal detective agency was dead. Yuma’s father figure…. was dead.
And it was all his fault.
If only he hadn’t listened to the note Makoto sent him days ago. He should have listened to Shinigami.
“He passed away some time ago…” Halara said with a melancholy tone.
As all the other detectives were grieving for Yakou, Yuma felt sick. His stomach churned at the sight of Yakou dead on the mat. His head was spinning. Too many thoughts were going through his head.
“Was he already dead before? Or after the Mystery Labyrinth? We’ll never know…” Shinigami commented with her arms crossed.
Vivia was about to leave, but then he looked down at Yuma. Noticing he was almost hyperventilating.
“Yuma… What's wrong...?” he asked with concern.
Yuma couldn’t hear him. His mind was clouded. He felt sick to his stomach, in his head, everything. He couldn’t get the regretful thoughts out of his mind.
The Chief is dead….and…I killed him.
“Master…?” Shinigami said looking Yuma’s way.
Its all my fault…the chief died…I…
Yuma’s eyes were giving out, then his body went limp, and he had fallen straight down, but not before Vivia swiftly caught him.
“Master!!” Shinigami cried.
“Yuma…!” Vivia called out loud enough for everyone to hear.
All the other detectives stopped their grieving and looked over to where Vivia was holding Yuma upright. He had fainted in his arms.
“Yuma!” Desuhiko and Fubuki cried out in unison. Both rushed over to Vivia's side.
Halara remained by Yakou’s side but was also concerned.
“Vivia, what happened!?” Desuhiko cried out still shocked.
“Oh, please no! Not Yuma too!” Fubuki also cried out as there were already tears from the grieving, but she was more concerned about the sight before her.
Vivia looked down at Yuma. Tears were in his eyes, and he was whimpering in pain. His face was sticky and red. The taller detective placed a hand to his forehead.
“He's burning up...” Vivia said quietly.
“What!? Again!?” Desuhiko loudly exclaimed in shock. “But he just got better 2 days ago!!”
“Yuma, please stay with us!!” Fubuki cried as more tears came from her eyes. "We cannot lose you too!!"
"Calm down Princess, he's not dead!" Desuhiko angrily exclaimed.
“You’re sick again!? Jeez, Master! This is getting as old as when you pass out!!” Shinigami exclaimed.
But she seemed to be unaffected this time. “Oh, wait that’s kind of the same thing…” she quieted down as she talked to herself.
Yuma could hear none of this. He was out cold.
“The shock of it all probably got to him.” Halara said standing up. “We need to get him back to the base to rest.” Then they looked down at Yakou’s body “…And the Chief too.”
The three other detectives nodded as Fubuki and Desuhiko also stood up walking toward the door.
Halara walked over to Vivia and knelt.
“I’ll carry Yuma.” They said about to pick him up.
But Vivia shook his head. He lifted Yuma up in a bridal carry standing upward.
“No… I’ll carry him… You get the chief…” he said.
“Wow Vivia, I didn’t think you’d want to carry him” Desuhiko commented. “I guess even a cold guy like you cares too, huh?
Vivia doesn’t respond as he looks down at Yuma. Yuma leaned his cheek on Vivia’s shoulder panting and mumbling something.
“…m’ sorry…it’s…all…my fault…”
Viva sighed seeing Yuma still feel responsible despite the resolve he had back in the Labyrinth. Then he looked over to everyone else.
“We have to hurry…” he said in a serious tone.
As everyone returned to the agency safely, Halara and Fubuki leave in order to give Yakou a proper burial. Shinigami, Desuhiko and Vivia remained at the agency to watch over Yuma, who was laying on the purple checkered sofa, unconscious once again. Panting and whimpering.
Desuhiko grabbed the blanket chief Yakou used to keep Yuma warm when he was ill just a few days ago and placed it over him. Tucking him in as Yuma squirmed around in his sleep. Vivia walked over to the desk to try to find the thermometer that was used days ago. Shinigami hovered over Yuma watching him from above, her face full of concern and pity.
“Can’t believe this happened to him again…” Desuhiko responded. “Though it’s not a surprise…losing the chief…must be a shock to him especially.”
Vivia returned with the thermometer and slumped down on the floor beside Desuhiko.
“Go get him water…he needs to hydrate…” Vivia said, looking at Desuhiko with a serious face. “And get a basin of ice water and washcloths…he needs to be cooled…”
With the Chief gone, Vivia was now taking charge for Yuma's well being.
Desuhiko winced at how scary Vivia looked.
“A-All right man, I’m on it! No need to be so intense!” Deushiko practically fled to the kitchen.
“Yeeesh!! You really ARE Scary!!” Shinigami said shivering at Vivia’s reaction.
Vivia then got to work as he slid the blankets off Yuma’s upper body. He then lifted Yuma’s shirt up and placed the thermometer under his arm, sliding his shirt back down.
Yuma groaned as Vivia's cold hands touched his upper body.
“Hang on, Yuma…” Vivia said looking serious with a hint of worry in his eyes.
Desuhiko returned with basin of ice water, dry washcloths and the glass of water.
“Alright I got I them!” he said, placing them all on the table.
“Good…” Vivia said. Then the thermometer beeped.
Vivia slid his arm under Yuma’s shirt to grab it and looked at it silently.
39.1.
“What did it say?” Desuhiko asked.
Vivia handed it to him without saying a word.
“Ah, Yuma…” Desuhiko said looking at the device with a sad look. "You pushed yourself too hard, my man..."
Vivia grabbed one of the dry washcloths, dipping it in the basin of ice water and wringing it out. His pale fingertips began turning red from the cold.
Desuhiko stared in surprise.
“Wow Vivia... I didn’t think you’d be this worried about him.”
“Of course…Yuma is…a dear friend…” he said as he placed the cloth on his cheek beginning to wipe the sweat away slowly.
Vivia also understood him better than everyone else right now. He knew exactly what struggles and pain that Yuma was going through. And he wanted to stay close to him to give him whatever support he could. Just like he did in the Labyrinth. And when he was sick before.
He also felt guilty and a bit responsible for this. The way he acted towards him in the Mystery Labyrinth, the death threats he gave him, and even fighting him. All of it had to have caused him all sorts of stress. And he wanted to make amends.
“Yeah, he’s something else alright.” Desuhiko said looking over to Yuma seeing his face change to one of discomfort. “But dang, that fever’s nasty… Here lemme give you a hand.” He grabbed another washcloth and placed it in the basin. Wincing a bit at the ice cold water touching his hands making them feel numb, but he continued nonetheless.
“You take care of his face; I’ll get his arms.” Desuhiko said with a reassuring grin wringing the washcloth out.
Vivia looked over to Desuhiko saying nothing but giving a slight nod.
Shinigami watched both the detectives working hard to stabilize her master's burning temperature.
"There we go..." Desuhiko said as he rolled Yuma's sleeve up and placed the cold washcloth on his hand moving it up to his arm.
Yuma moaned with the ice cold water touching him as he twitched a bit in his sleep.
"Hey, easy does it Yuma." Desuhiko commented. "Just trying to get that fever down..." he continued to wipe his arm.
Vivia did the same but wiping down his cheeks and the top of his forehead.
Shinigami sighed with a smile.
“Good for you. They really do care about you Master…” she said quietly.
“I wish I could help too, buuut I’m a ghost and I can’t touch anything!” she laughed to herself as she continued watching in silence looking sad. It was lonely having nobody that could hear her.
Deep down she longed to try to help.
The two Master Detectives continued to wipe the sweat off Yuma, until Yuma’s heavy breathing eventually stabilized. Another cold cloth was draped under his bangs on his forehead.
Desuhiko sat back on the sofa Fubuki usually was on.
“Whew… He really can be a piece of work huh?” Desuhiko said breaking a sweat. “Ah man, now I’m all sweaty…”
Vivia then took the water glass from the table and propped Yuma’s head upward placing the side of the glass to his mouth then slightly tilting it downward. The water made its way down his throat into his system safely despite him still being unconscious. Vivia made sure to be gentle and easy so he wouldn’t choke on it.
Practically repeating what he did for him just a few days ago.
Vivia smiled.
“Good…he successfully drank it this time…” he said quietly taking the glass back and placing it back on the table. Then he placed Yuma’s head back on the pillow.
Yuma was completely quiet the whole time. There was a bit of water dripping from his mouth, Vivia took a dry washcloth and wiped it off.
The sick trainee moaned but still didn’t open his eyes. As if he was having a dream of some sort.
Desuhiko quietly watched Vivia work. To think the guy who did nothing but sleep and read all day, would take being a caretaker THIS seriously. He was almost impressed.
Vivia tucked Yuma back under Yakou’s blanket and Yuma grabbed it instinctually.
Tears began to form in his eyes. He could practically smell the chief from it.
“Yuma?” Desuhiko called. "Hey, you good my man?" he got up and walked over to look down at him.
No answer.
Yuma turned his head slightly, burying the lower half of his face in the blanket gripping it tightly. The tears wouldn’t stop falling down his cheeks.
“He’s mourning…” Vivia said looking sad.
“Yeah…that’s gotta be it…” Desuhiko said also looking at him with sympathy.
Eventually Halara and Fubuki made it back in the base. Halara was practically supporting Fubuki as she was crying in her hands as the taller detective had their arm around her. They had both finished burying Yakou and were both depressed.
“How’s Yuma?” Halara asked, with Fubuki still crying and unable to speak.
“See for yourself.” Desuhiko said pointing to Yuma.
He was curled up on the sofa practically nuzzling his face in the blanket covering him with tears streaming down his cheeks sniffling. He was doing no better than anyone else.
“I figured as much…” Halara said.
Instead of sitting in their own chair, Halara decided to sit on the couch Fubuki sat on in order to continue supporting her as she cried. She clung to Halara’s coat and sobbed into their shoulder.
“As you can see, Fubuki’s…. not faring much better.” Halara was practically hushing the girl to stop crying.
“Can you blame her? This is a loss that affects us all, hell it even sickened one of us!” Desuhiko said in minor annoyance.
“I think it’d be for the best for us to all return to the hotel and gets some sleep for the night.” Halara said. “We need to try to recharge for whatever gets thrown at us tomorrow…”
“But what about Yuma? He can’t be here all by himself.” Desuhiko responded.
“True… With the Chief gone, one of us will have to-”
Vivia got up.
“I’m staying...” He said with conviction.
“You Vivia??” Desuhiko said with surprise.
“Are you sure? I’m perfectly fine to stay here and watch over him.” Halara said still consoling Fubuki.
“No… I want to do it…” Vivia said.
Desuhiko nodded standing up. After seeing how determined Vivia was to take care of him, he thought this was the best option. Plus seeing Vivia determined about anything was a refreshing change of pace.
“Yeah, let’s leave Yuma to Vivia.” He spoke. “Besides, I don’t think the Princess will wanna be alone tonight… You got a full night ahead of you Halara.”
Halara sighed. “Alright, we’ll leave Yuma to you Vivia.” They stood up. "Give him one of the tablets I bought him when he wakes up."
Vivia nodded.
Halara turned back to Fubuki still crying. "Come on Fubuki. Lets go back to the hotel and rest."
The two walked out of the room. Fubuki’s sobbing could be heard from outside the door.
Desuhiko nodded then propped himself up and walked toward the door.
He turned to look at Vivia.
“Good luck. I’m counting on you man.” He said looking at him with a smile.
“Yeah…Leave it to me…” Vivia said quietly as he sat on the floor beside where Yuma was.
Desuhiko waved then walked out the door.
Soon it was just Yuma and Vivia. Just like when Yuma was sick days ago, and Vivia took care of him for the first time. Even if it was hard and a pain, thinking back on it he gave a small smile. This felt almost nostalgic to him.
“Don’t worry Yuma…” he said as he placed his hand to the boy’s cheek. “You’re not alone…”
Yuma was trapped in another fever dream. This time it didn’t involve Number One. It was hard for him to get his sleep stabilized at first, but then eventually he was able to sleep a bit more calmly. In his unconscious fevered slumber, he heard a voice call to him.
“Yuma…?”
Who was this voice? Was someone calling him?
“Yuma…”
There it was again. Yuma couldn’t quite wake up and was struggling. This voice…could it be?
“Running a fever again kiddo? Man, you really are a handful.”
Yuma’s eyes shot open when this was said. That voice, it could only be…
“Chief!?”
Yuma shot his head upward and found himself lying on Yakou’s lap.
It was practically the exact same scenario that happened days ago when he was sick and delirious on the sofa laying on Yakou. But it was just them alone. Nobody else was there.
“Hey, you doing, okay?” Yakou asked looking down at him, giving a smile.
“C-Chief…” Yuma’s eyes filled with tears. He immediately threw himself into Yakou’s arms and Yakou accepted the gesture returning it smiling with his eyes closed petting Yuma’s head.
“Hey now…gonna cry again, are we?” Yakou said. “You’re such a kid Yuma…”
“I-I can’t help it…” Yuma said practically sobbing. “I-I thought…you were…”
Yuma couldn’t finish his sentence. He just continued crying.
This smell. It was him… He was here. He was alive.
Yakou sighed with a slight chuckle.
“Calm down. Just try to get the words out Yuma…” Yakou said still petting him.
Yuma tried to speak but it was cut off by sobbing again.
“Yuma.”
“I-I thought…you were…dead…!” Yuma cried.
Yakou closed his eyes, cigarette in his mouth.
Then something chilling came from his mouth.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Yuma then looked up to him with his tear-stained face. “Huh...?”
“I’m dead alright.” Yakou said. “That is the truth.”
Yuma was in disbelief. But he was right there. He was okay.
He could smell him.
…Right?
“Yuma. Look at me.” Yakou said.
Yuma then erupted into a sobbing mess after this.
“I-I’M SORRY!!” he wailed.
“Sorry for what?” Yakou asked.
"I-ITS ALL MY FAULT...!! IF ONLY I DIDN'T LISTEN TO THAT NOTE MAKOTO SENT ME...! IF ONLY I DIDN'T GO TO THAT LAB...!"
"Yuma..."
“I’M SORRY I KILLED YOU…!! I’M THE REASON YOU DIED…. I… I…”
Yuma clung to Yakou like his life depended on it.
Yakou sighed then pushed him back up, he placed a finger to Yuma’s mouth to shush him.
“Now you listen here.” he said sounding angry. “You were not responsible for what happened.”
Yuma protested. “B-But I…!”
“No buts. None. The one responsible for my death, was me and me alone.”
Yuma looked down.
“What I did was of my own volition. I chose to do this. I had my reasons.”
“But… why…?” Yuma said still crying. “Why didn’t you…tell us about this…”
Yakou sighed.
“How could I possibly tell you all that I was planning to kill the doctor? Planning to use you all for my own murderous agenda? For the crime and the blood on my hands…using my own team as pawns…”
Yakou smoked his cigar blowing it out. “I’m a lousy excuse for a person Yuma…”
“That’s not true!” Yuma said with minor anger grabbing the chest area of his coat.
He looked down, voice shaky.
“You…took me in when I was lost, looked after me when I felt alone, gave me advice if I asked, took care of me when I got sick…you gave me, someone with nothing, a place I could call home…”
Yuma placed his head to Yakou’s chest.
“You were…like a father to me chief…”
“Yuma…”
Yakou put his arm around him.
“I’m glad I got to know you kid… I really am… Amnesiac or not. Troublemaker or not. You were nice to have as a roommate. Thanks for keeping me company.”
Yuma silently cried, not saying a word for a while but then he spoke again.
“You’re…the best chief…”
Yakou smiled.
“Thanks Yuma…” he placed a hand on the boy’s head.
“Sorry that I chose to go this path…”
“Wasn’t there…any other way…?” Yuma asked looking up at him.
“The past is the past Yuma. You need to look at what you do now.”
Yuma fell silent.
“My crime and my death were all on my hands. All you did was find the truth. There is no wrong with that. That is what detectives do. That is the detective’s way, no matter how cruel the truth is, you found it. And for that, I am proud of you.”
Yuma’s eyes welled up again.
“It…hurt…so much…” he buried his face in his hands.
“Yeah… Sorry I put you through that.” Yakou said as he leaned his head on Yuma’s. “But I trusted you to find the truth. And you did. You’re one hell of a trainee. I think you’ll earn your master detective stripes in no time.”
Yuma started sobbing again.
“I…miss you Chief…” Yuma said.
“It’s going to be okay Yuma…” Yakou said hugging him.
“What…am I going to do…without you…?”
“Move forward.” Yakou said. “I know you have it in you Yuma. You have relentless determination and that will keep you moving forward, as a detective, and as a person. You can do what I could not.”
“Chief…” Yuma sadly said.
“You’ll be alright, kid.” Yakou said closing his eyes and putting his chin to the top of Yuma’s head. “And you’ll be a hell of a great detective; I know you will.”
“Chief Yakou…I…I….”
Yuma was starting to lose consciousness as he laid himself back on Yakou’s leg.
Soon he was unconscious.
But not fully before he could hear one more thing, but it was faint.
Yakou’s Last Words:
“Goodbye, Yuma.”
Yuma had slowly opened his eyes to find himself laying face up on the checkered sofa, there were tears streaming down his face he looked around, it was super quiet. He tried sitting up, but he still felt dizzy from the whiplash of his dream as well as the fever. There was a cool washcloth on his head as well.
“Mmm...Master?” Shinigami said slowly waking up herself.
Yuma looked over to the right. Shinigami was laying beside him on the sofa before she floated upward yawning.
“Shinigami…” Yuma said quietly. “What…happened?”
“Well...after we went back to reunite with the detectives at the lab room, you fainted seeing Fuzz Head’s body and hearing that he’d been dead for a while. Then you got another fever and the others have been watching over you since.”
"Not again... I'm so pathetic..." Yuma said looking putting a hand over his face on the cool washcloth sighing heavily. But then he looked back up at his ghostly partner.
“Wait...You’re not sick too…?” he asked puzzled by Shinigami's perfect health. She fell sick the last time this happened.
“Hmph! Don’t flatter yourself Master! Getting sick is a one-time only thing for me! You really think it’d happen again? I think NOT! Kyahahaha~!”
“I see... Well, I’m glad you’re okay…” Yuma said looking down.
“Huh…?” Yuma noticed his right hand was held by someone else. He saw Vivia lying his head on the side of the sofa again like last time. But this time, he laid himself closer to Yuma.
“Vivia…” Yuma said quietly.
“Yep. The anemic vampire was with you the whole time.” Shinigami commented. “He sat by you as you tossed and turned, cooled your fever down, gave you water, and when you started crying in your sleep, he wiped your tears and held your hand.”
Yuma then thought back to why he was crying but then it came back to him.
He saw Yakou one last time. In his dream. But it felt so real…
He looked down and saw he was covered in Yakou’s blanket.
That was why he could smell him.
Yuma began to sob again, burying his face in his hands.
This woke Vivia up. He lifted his head up slowly.
“Yuma…” Vivia said.
“Oh Vivia… I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you up...” Yuma said wiping his tears away.
“Its okay…” Vivia said. He stood up, walked over to turn one of the lights on, then sat down on the sofa beside him.
He placed his hand to Yuma’s forehead. Yuma closed his eyes as he was touched.
“Still...warm...” he said quietly.
“I'm sorry for the trouble…again…” Yuma said gripping the blankets.
“Do you…want some water?” Vivia asked.
Yuma nodded. “Sure…” He managed to sit up a bit.
Vivia reached over for the water glass on the table then handed it to him.
He also gave him another one of the tablets Halara bought for him before.
"Take the medicine too...it should lower your fever..."
“Thank you…” Yuma said taking the cup and the medicine, placing the small tablet in his mouth and taking a small sip from the water.
He gave the cup back to Vivia and Vivia set it back on the table.
"How...are you feeling?" Vivia asked.
Yuma sighed. "Tired..."
Vivia looked upward to the wall in a daze. Then he spoke
“Yuma… The Chief’s soul… It was here…”
“Huh…?” Yuma said.
“I went through spectral projection and could see him… He was worried about you...”
Yuma’s eyes welled up.
"I...got to talk to him for a bit..."
The hiccups devolved into small sobs.
Yakou was here?
Is that why...his dream was...
Was Vivia... allowing him the chance to use Coalescence in his dreams? To see him one more time?
Vivia turned to face Yuma.
“Was he able...to say goodbye to you too?”
Yuma couldn’t hold back tears any longer.
He broke down burying his face in his hands.
"Ch-Chief...Yakou..." he softly said between his hiccupping sobbing.
"D-Dad..."
Vivia sighed then did something unexpected.
He pulled Yuma into his chest and wrapped his arms around him.
Yuma was shocked. He looked up at Vivia who was facing away from him.
“I’m…not very good at this…” he said softly.
“But… I can at least copy…what the chief did for you that day…”
Vivia then turned to face him. Looking down at him with a small smile.
“I know its not the same but…. you can cry… I can take it…”
Yuma’s eyes got misty again.
Vivia placed his left hand to Yuma's head just like Yakou did for him days before.
“Its okay…let it all out…Yuma…” Vivia said with his eyes closed. “I'm... here for you.”
Yuma buried his head in Vivia’s coat by his shoulder and cried loudly into it.
“Waaaaaaaaah!! Viviaaa!! I-I miss him!!! I miss him so much!! Why did he have to go!?!”
Yuma was crying like a baby once again, just like he did with Yakou when he was ill.
It may have been embarrassing before, due to his delirium. But now? He didn't care. He realized then and there, that his breakdown...was one of his most precious memories spent with Yakou.
A Heartfelt Memory.
Even in his dream...he remembered it fondly.
And now once again, he was breaking down. Crumbling to dust. Eyes burning with the tears falling as he cried from his burning body temperature.
After all the time he was fretting for his death before...it was real now.
Yuma had lost him for good this time. And Vivia gave him permission to unload it all. So he did. Maybe more so than before.
Vivia consoled the crying boy as accurately as he could trying to remember Yakou's actions towards him when he cried before.
“There there…” Vivia said petting his head. “We all miss him…”
Yuma continued to cry, and Vivia continued to support him.
Shinigami watched from the sidelines.
“Huh. I didn’t think ‘master’s crybaby breakdown’ would get a sequel… But… This one’s not as fun as the first one…” Shinigami said knowing how much pain Yuma was in, so she decided to not tease him about it.
The crying went on for a good 10 minutes before it stopped.
Eventually Yuma felt drowsiness from the medicine he took. Vivia laid him back down and checked his temperature again. It went down to 37.6 and it continued to drop as the night went on.
Soon Yuma was fast asleep. But he wasn’t alone. Vivia went to sleep right beside him. Shinigami was also asleep on top of him. Yuma clung to Vivia’s coat with his head laying on his chest. Vivia’s arm was around Yuma like a pillow or teddy bear, and both were covered in Yakou’s blanket as they slept on the small checkered sofa together.
Smelling their dear departed chief’s musky familiar scent one final time as they slept, with tears in both their eyes.
Despite the fun and heartfelt memories they shared, they knew he would never be forgotten.
