-1Disclaimer: Gosho Aoyama wrote DC/MK, I am not Gosho Aoyama; therefore, I did not write DC/MK. I also did not come up with the legend of Orpheus and Eurydices and the other 100s of versions out there cross countries… I think that might even be beyond Gosho.

Chapter Seven: Awakening the Monster

"Huge Cerberus, monstrously couched in a cave confronting them, made the whole region echo with this three-throated barking. The Sibyl, seeing the snakes bristling upon his neck now, threw him for bait a cake for honey and wheat infused with sedative drugs. The creature, crazy with hunger, opened its three mouths, gobbled the bait; then its huge body relaxed and lay, sprawled out on the ground, the whole length of its cave kennel. Aeneas, passing its entrance, the watch-dog neutralize, strode rapidly from the bank of that river of no return."

- Virgil, Aeneid

There is always said to be a guardian on watch at the gates. Sphinx, statues, demons or perhaps the worst of all the three-headed dog Cerberus. A giant creature whose very drool was said to create the poisonous plants of the world.

It took Kaito a simple glance to realize he might actually be in trouble.

Strange men who took you in boats into caves, strange gates that looked like massive ancestral tombs, they were legendary it was true, but up until this point there hadn't been anything that had really showed him he was stepping out of reality and into something that went beyond any myth.

The oni that stood before him assured that he was definitely no longer in anything that could possibly be called reality.

The monster that stood before him looked beyond even the demons or creatures that they created on an anime. A giant thing with three heads and a serpent for a tail, covered in hair that looked like it had never seen water, and did he mention the giant fangs dripping venom?

The stuff was pooling on the ground like a bizarre type of drool which caused the earth to sizzle and burn.

He wasn't quite as terrified as he had been as Aoko had lay dying in his arms, but for once Kaito would admit that he was actually scared.

Well as it was he highly doubted even his father would dare to try to get past a giant oni that looked as though he'd popped out of video game.

The sight was enough to pull him out of the haze that had surrounded him since Aoko's death. Up until this point his body had been automatic, simply going on for the purpose of living. Kaito had been a shell living for the soul purpose of finding and bringing back Aoko.

Seeing the gates of the underworld, the cowed creature meeting him at the banks of the river, even finding Pandora had seemed small in his search for her.

Well, giant onis that really had no right in really existing had a way of waking you up, and something told Kaito he'd need every instinct he had to get past this thing.

While the dog started to growl at him he began looking around the room for exits. The antechamber was huge, big enough to hold the monster and still give it room to move. Behind him stood the gate from which he'd come, the door just small enough to keep the monster in. From where he stood his eyes searched the wall until he saw on the far other side of the room a very small little roughly hewn exit.

Dark but the only other escape route he could see in the room, and from where he was it might as well be a mile away.

The dog had begun to growl louder and he put on his calmest mask possible as he said in a nice calming voice (or what he thought was one), "… Nice puppy" he managed weakly. "Good puppy… don't eat the poor Kaitou… I'm just trying to visit that's all- come on doggy"

He didn't finish the thought since the giant thing decided to lunge at him at that exact moment.

"Now puppy…. That wasn't nice…" he nearly yelled from where he'd landed at a nice high location at the top of the gate. He realized that his pulse was running high speed for once- not that much of a surprise seeing how he'd nearly been bitten in half by the center of the three heads.

Mabye it sensed he'd never been much of a dog person, always preferred cats. Much nicer creatures cats, sleeker, not like the giant things that had a tendency of yapping as soon as he came in view.

Looking at the giant thing that had attempted to have him for lunch a moment before, he wondered what did happen exactly if a person were to be eaten in the underworld. After all you were already in the world of the dead so- did you just sit in its stomach or…

Not a very pleasant thought. Well he had no intention of getting being killed by the giant puppy demon anyway, he had to see Aoko first.

There was the idea that maybe if he died he'd get to see Aoko anyway. And then maybe he'd get to spend eternity with her without even trying; however, he wasn't precisely sure that you got to live happily ever after if you died trying to break into death.

Not to mention he wasn't exactly the best candidate for heaven, so he didn't want to exactly risk getting eaten and spending eternity memorizing giant puppy dog's stomach.

He looked for an open location, seeing one if he cut through the dogs legs- he might have a clear opening the other side and once through the dog wouldn't be able to get through.

Taking one deep breath he set off full speed-

Only a well balanced flip kept him from ending up with fang marks in his stomach, as the serpent tail lashed out at him.

He hadn't thought it was that quick.

"Dammit…" he muttered feeling more than a little cornered. Meanwhile his mind was racing again, what on earth were those legends on the giant dog. For some reason the only thing coming to his mind was the big dog from that Harry Potter movie… what was the creatures name? Fluffy? But some how Kaito doubted this big monster would sit down for his music even if he knew how to play anything- and he wasn't exactly known for his singing.

Worth a shot?

He tried humming a bar of music-

He shut up when one of the heads tried to bite him again…

Well he never promised he was a good singer.

Dammit what was that legend! I know I looked it up. I had to when I was still looking for Pandora. Why couldn't it have been a giant Kitsune or something? I know how to handle riddles and tricks…

While he continued to dodge the creature he threw a flash bomb, only to nearly be caught unaware by the serpent again as he leapt away.

"Of course- giant oni of the underworld… why on earth would I think little human tricks would hurt it?" he muttered angrily.

For the first time in ages he was conscious of how tired he was. Physically and mentally- before he hadn't cared and left immediately. Whether he lived or died it really didn't matter so long as he saw Aoko again.

But this close-

It just wasn't in his character to give up when the gem was just in his grasp.

Not to mention he didn't really want to die being eaten by a giant three headed demon.

"Come on stupid dog… how on earth did people beat you!" He tried going through all the greek legends he could. What were those tales? Gods, Goddesses, there were the heroes… he vaguely remembered that Hercules was said to beat the creature, but that had been brute strength and Kaito was a trickster and thief, not some big strong hero. He relied on his wits not muscle.

He continued to dodge as the dog made another lunge. It was unnerving with three sets of huge eyes on his every move. The drool and slobber only reinforced the idea of a completely insane animal.

Mad giant beasts were not his cup of tea. An army of undead maybe… but giant monster things crazed with hunger-

Hunger.

That's right…

"Hey puppy! Look doggy- Do I reaaallly look like I'm that tasty?" said the thief leaping out of the way from one of the giant paws. He managed to leap against a wall and climb the gate watching the oni.

The monster snapped at him and Kaito tsked, "Look at me! I'm skin and bones- sheesh trust me I highly doubt I'd make you even a snack, come on puppy why would you want to go through the trouble?" He jumped back just in time for the thing to make a jump at him barely missing.

Hungry. He remembered now- there were several legends where the giant monster thing had been fed drugged sweets. The giant puppy of doom had a sweet tooth according to legend- he could try his sleeping gas but-

Mabye this would work better.

"Now now puppy- look here… if you're a good doggy look what I have!" he pulled out three sseemingly ordinary bar of chocolate. "Coming on you big giant demon puppy, have you ever tasted chocolate? I bet you haven't- let me tell you its heaven. Here puppy catch!" He threw the bars at the dog, and watched while all three heads swallowed the bars without so much as a second thought.

Kaito made a silent prayer hoping someone was listening. He had to admit he seriously doubted it would work, and he might have to risk the sleeping gas. It was a risk since his body was completely worn out and in such a in closed space he ran the risk of succumbing to it himself.

But then he'd made those chocolate bars drugged with strongest sleeping mixture he in knew. He'd thought they might come in handy for a rainy day, or if certain detectives got to annoying.

So maybe…

He waited still thinking the whole plan was doomed. After all, who had heard of a massive dog falling to sleep simply because of a tiny little candy bar?

The myths were… well… they had been mostly right up until that point. Not entirely right, but pretty darn close. So maybe this would work, maybe somehow his doped candy bars would actually keep giant puppy dog at bay.

He still couldn't believe it when the dog started to let out a growl only for it to change into a yawn-

And when it blinked a couple times only to slump to the cave floor he thought he might die of relief.

"Puppy?" he called out nervously.

Nothing.

"Puppy?"

When the dog didn't move again Kaito let out a long breath and silently leapt from his hovel. This was more his type of thing. Breaking and entering without a sound.

He never liked guard dogs, after all sometimes they tended to be smarter then the people that chased after him.

The fact that this one had been a couple stories high only meant he got across the room in half the time he usually would, and he raced into the little hall that was at the end of the giant chamber leaving the snoring dog behind him.

Relief was the first thing when he entered the small hall, a moment's breath of it before he found himself plunged into complete darkness.

So thick for a moment he wondered if he'd gone blind, and a despair that followed even blacker than the lack of light.

A/N: I wanted to extend this before I posted it but I felt bad and seeing how I really don't have too good of an excuse on why it has been so long in the posting… I decided to go ahead and just post ;; Figured as some sort of Christmas cheer if anyone is still reading ;;. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner, and there should be more actual interaction with peoples. Sorry for the late updates! Merry Christmas!