Double-M and KID vs. Conan: Chapter 2.2
Part 2 of Chapter 2!!
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Chitose, Japan
Chitose Museum
July 28, 6:51 PM
"So, where's the amethyst?" Heiji asked looking around the large room they were still in.
"Not here," the head of the Keshiki family, Keshiki Sakuma, an elderly woman around 75 wearing a simple light green skirt and blouse. Her grey hair was pulled up into a tight bun at the nape of her neck though there were some stray wisps flying around. "The exhibit isn't due to open until the fourth of August so the amethyst is still inside our house. I wouldn't give the museum our heirloom this early thief or no thief. I suppose you would like to see the amethyst." She looked at her watch and mumbled incoherently.
Heiji bent down, "Did you hear what she said Kudo?"
Conan shook his head, 'Of course I heard it, but it was just about the time. Speaking of time, we still don't know when Masked Mage is going to strike.'
Keshiki Sakuma led the group outside the building and into the night, piling into the waiting limo first. The others followed. Conan pulled out the heist letter once again. "Ah le le? The note's different."
Heiji, who was just about to get into the vehicle, bolted back out and grabbed the note, "What are you-what the hell, it did change!"
Mouri joined the two boys and stared at the note, "It's a KID note too." Heiji mumbled, "Who would've known."
"It's announcing the same place and object but not the time." Mouri mused. Mouri grabbed the letter and read it aloud, "'Surprise, surprise. Didn't expect me did you? I've come to steal the Purple Tear from its precious hold. Kaito KID.'"
Sakuma's head popped out, "There's someone else after my jewel? The nerve of those young people! Stealing an old woman's most precious object."
Mouri walked over to the lady, "Don't worry, I, Mouri Kogoro, will protect the Purple Tear at all costs!"
Heiji and Conan rolled their eyes. Heiji froze, "Why do you say 'young people'?"
"I say that because Kaito KID and Masked Magician are both in their late teens." Sakuma stated plainly.
"Demo Oba-san, how can you tell Masked Mage is a teenager? He always wears a mask." Conan asked, looking up at the lady.
"It's the agility. A-gi-li-ty. That thief is all over the place what with him or her flipping around like that. There's no way someone older would bother with fancy tricks like that. Maybe a few leaps and such but nothing fancy. I also believe that thief is or was a dancer." Sakuma explained, looking at Conan.
"A dancer," Heiji looked at Sakuma. "Why is that?"
Sakuma sighed, "I guess its just dancer's intuition. Though I can't tell what kind of dance that thief did or does." Sakuma got back into in car with Conan, Heiji, and Mouri climbing in after her. Once in the car, Sakuma sighed once more, "I wish I'd continued Ballet and Tap."
Ran finally spoke up, "You did Ballet and Tap? That's so cool!"
Kazuha nodded, "That would be fun, going to a ballet."
Ran nodded back and smiled. Heiji elbowed Conan and whispered, "Hey, there's a possible date location." He snickered.
Conan glared at the teen, "Urusei. I can't really do that if I'm stuck like this." He retorted, pointing out his current form.
"Heh, so are ya admitting the fact that ya want to take Ran out on a date." Heiji taunted.
Conan looked at Ran and sighed, "Well I guess I owe her that much. I've made her wait too many times, I guess she deserves it." The image of a weeping Ran swept to the front of his mind. Shinichi cringed away from the memory, 'I don't ever want to see her cry like that again.' (A/N: That may have been an actual line from the show and if it was… I didn't mean to copy it)
The car began to move. Ran sighed quietly. "Is something wrong Ran-chan?" Kazuha asked her friend.
"Not really," Ran shook her head. "I was just thinking about how Kasuma would respond. She loves studying rocks and gems. It seems to be her best subject in school. She would've loved to tag along."
"Didn't you ask?" Kazuha pressed.
"Well, yeah but, she said something about babysitting. At least that's what I think I heard." Ran shrugged, "We can bring her next time I guess."
Mouri looked at Ran with a raised eyebrow, "You want to wait for another heist by those two thieves to come up just so you can bring your friend?"
'That's supporting their thefts Ran.' Shinichi smirked.
"Well, she does also seem to be interested in Kaito KID and Masked Magician. When I visited her house, there were dozens of files on the heists those two had pulled beginning from four years ago with the Mage and twenty years ago with KID." Ran said, thinking back. 'She had said something else about them but… I can't remember what she said.'
"By the way, Ran-neechan, did you see Kasuma's brother when you visited her house?" Conan asked.
Ran shook her head. "No, there wasn't anyone else there. Maybe he was at a friend's house."
"Oh. Wakarimashita (I see)." Conan mumbled.
"Disappointed?" Kazuha asked Conan.
"A little bit. I wanted to meet her Otouto-san." Conan frowned.
Ran smiled warmly, "I'll ask her next time I see her. Okay, Conan-kun?"
"Arigato!" Conan exclaimed.
"Anyway," Heiji diverted, looking at Sakuma, "What's the situation with the Purple Tear? Do you have a security system set up?"
"I always have a security system enabled but not for valuables like that. It's merely for valuables like my family. I don't believe in protecting material items, as long as the family itself is safe and secure." Sakuma stated.
"Then you don't want the Purple Tear protected?" Mouri asked.
"Not me but my daughter. She's taken a liking to it and wants to keep it safe. She's the one who suggested we call for backup. She insists that it stay in the family as our heirloom, not be known as a stolen object that is in the hands of the two greatest phantom thieves, even if they do return it." She sighed, "The jewel itself isn't protected, it's only held inside a jewelry box."
"So does that mean it's a necklace?" Conan asked.
"That's right boy. What made you think that?" Sakuma asked the boy.
"Well, you said it was kept in a jewelry box and since it must be too big to fit on a ring or bracelet I thought it must be a necklace. Was I right?" Conan asked.
The old woman smiled, "Yes, that's right. It is rather big, even for a necklace. It's been a tradition throughout the family that when a woman in our family gets married, she wears the Purple Tear to the reception, and the reception only mainly because I don't like to advertise it too much."
The limo slowed down to a crawl as a large mansion came into view. Outside the gate, it came to a full stop and the passengers all piled out. Keshiki Sakuma led the group down the pathway and up the stairs leading to the house. A butler opened the door and stepped aside, letting everyone in. The door was closed shortly after that and the same butler offered to take everyone's coats. Sakuma walked up to the stairs and ascended them, the others following closely behind. The lady made a right turn and opened the first door. "This is my room. It is also where the Purple Tear is." Sakuma stated. "Let's see… well, you've have a long journey, how about some dinner? I'm sure you all are hungry."
"That would be great, thank you." Ran said, "Would you like some help around the kitchen?"
"Thank you for offering but the staff will be alright. You may all rest until the food is ready. All the rooms to the right of this room are bedrooms. You may use one for the time being. Please make yourselves at home."
Everyone exited the room and Sakuma locked the room up using her key. "Oba-san, do you always keep the window in there locked?" Conan asked.
"Yes, it's always locked. I haven't opened it in probably years, it may not even open easily." Sakuma answered, smiling. "Aren't you a little security guard, but even guards need to rest. Why don't you sleep in this room here?" Sakuma opened the neighboring room's door and walked in with Conan. Inside, there was a large queen bed with dark red beddings and a matching cherry colored desk and closet. In the middle of the room was a big red rug sitting elegantly in its place. "Wow, this room is so big!" Conan exclaimed.
The lady behind him smiled. "Of course, this is the master bedroom."
Conan turned around, "You don't use the master bedroom? Why?"
"I never really liked elaborate pleasures like these. I prefer the more average setting. It's cozier." Sakuma remarked. "Well, please make yourself at home."
"Arigato!" Sakuma walked out and closed the door quietly. Conan walked up to the large bed and pulled back the covers. He looked at two doors opposite of the entrance and, instead, went to open it. There was a long, white balcony that stretched along the side of the house and led to many of the other bedrooms. Conan turned to the right and looked through the windows and into the room. "This is Sakuma-sama's room." He mumbled to himself.
Conan turned and headed back to the master bedroom. Up ahead, there was another person on the balcony. Though the person looked familiar, at the same time, she didn't. Conan shrugged and walked back into the room and closed the doors. He then turned and collapsed onto the bed.
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Chitose, Japan
Keshiki Mansion-Master Bedroom
July 28, 11:50 PM
"Oi, Conan-kun. Conan-kun! Wake up." A female voice called out.
Conan felt his body shake slightly by someone at the edge of the bed, "Ran?"
A different voice appeared, "It's almost Showtime, and I refuse to let you sleep through my wonderful performance planned for tonight."
'Wait a minuet…' Conan thought, 'That's….'
Conan's eyes shot open and he found himself staring right into the mask of an infamous thief. Masked Mage straightened, "Much better. And now that you're awake, it's time for me to finish the opening preparations."
Conan sat up and looked at his left wrist. "Where's….. watch. Where did it go?"
"You mean this?" Masked Mage held up a silver watch in the dim light. "I borrowed it; can't have you shooting me with this thing. As for the time, the second watch is almost over." Masked Mage walked to the balcony doors and opened them rapidly, streaming moonlight bouncing off the mask, causing it to glitter. Conan ripped off the covers and clambered out of the bed, closing the distance between detective and thief in seven large strides. Before he could lay a hand on the long, white cape, Masked Mage pushed off the balcony rail and landed on the roof. Conan looked at the mask in front of him, "Is that glass?"
"That was a rather random question but yes… it is glass." Masked Mage set the Stun-Gun Wrist Watch on the edge of the roof and disappeared into the night.
Conan growled and glared at where the 'visitor' had placed his watch, 'He's trying not only to mock my size but laugh at me because of it.' Conan walked along the balcony, peering into the doors, "Heiji's gonna never let me live this down."
Conan saw Heiji and Kazuha bickering, again, and sighed, walking towards the doors and knocking twice. Kazuha looked out the door and tapped Heiji's shoulder. Heiji turned, shrugged, and opened the door, "What is it Ku-"
"Hayaku Heiji-niisan." Conan interrupted.
Conan pulled Heiji outside and dragged him to the balcony outside the master bedroom. "What the hell Kudo?"
Conan looked up at Heiji, "Someone's being mean to me. Look what they did with my watch!"
Heiji looked at the watch's perch, looked down at Conan and burst out laughing. Kazuha joined them and looked up at the watch, "Heiji! That's rude!"
"Sorry, sorry. It's just funny!" Heiji chocked out, still laughing.
"It's not funny when a thief does it." Conan glared at the moon.
Immediately Heiji stopped laughing and looked down at the boy. "You're joking."
"Baka na, that's not a joking matter. They're already here." Conan mumbled.
Heiji smirked and jumped up to knock the watch down where Conan caught it easily. Conan flung open the door to the master bedroom and bolted inside, opening the door leading to the hallway. "Wait! Conan. Hold on!"
Conan whirled around and looked at Heiji, "Where is everyone?"
"Well, there are still some people sleeping but most of the officers are in the dining room. I'll lead you there." Heiji turned and led Conan down a series of halls until they saw several detectives and officers.
Heiji opened the nearly-closed doors and the two of them walked inside. Detective Sato looked up and smiled, standing up and walking up to Conan. "Are you hungry, Conan-kun? You slept right through dinner and no one was able to wake you. There's some food on the table there, Ran-chan's kept it warm."
Conan nodded and ran up to the table, kneeling on a chair and peering into the bowl on the table. He looked around the room, searching for any abnormalities. Ran walked into the room. 'Wait, that's not Ran…' Shinichi looked at the girl. 'I think I know who that is but….' Conan yelped, "AHH! She's not supposed to be here! What if she's KID or Masked Mage!" he pointed at the girl.
The girl stopped short and an eyebrow rose. Inspector Nakamori shot up and announced, "She's not KID! I think I would know my own daughter!"
'That's what I thought.' Conan smiled weakly, "Gomen, Nakamori-kebu. But I thought maybe they'd already be in here. I saw Masked Mage outside my bedroom." Shinichi silently added, 'As well as inside.'
"WHAT? Masked Mage, here?" the officers on the couch stood up rapidly.
Conan nodded, "Right, Heiji-niisan? You saw what he did to my watch. He was being mean!"
"Is that true, Hattori-kun?" Inspector Megure asked.
Heiji snickered, "Well yeah, but I thought the brat was joking."
"Who you callin' brat?" Conan mumbled incoherently.
"When it comes down to Conan-kun, you probably shouldn't take his comments as jokes." Inspector Shiratori muttered.
Heiji smiled and shrugged. The clock struck. Everyone turned to look at the immense grandfather clock in the corner of the room. Conan looked at Inspector Megure, "We have to get to Keshiki-sama's room now! The third watch starts in five minuets!"
"How do you know?" Detective Sato asked.
"Masked Mage told me." Conan stated.
Conan ran out the door and down the hall. Heiji kept an easy pace with the boy two strides behind him. "What's this about Double-M?" he asked panting quietly.
"When Double-M stole my watch and before he placed it on the roof, he gave me the time… well, not an exact number. He just said, 'As for the time, the second watch is almost over.' He reminded me of the Vigiliae, the night watches from the Ancient Roman times. The Prima Vigilia is begins at six 'o clock pm and ends at nine 'o clock pm. The Secunda Viligia starts at nine 'o clock pm and ends at midnight. The Tertia Vigilia starts at midnight and ends at three 'o clock am. And the Quarta Vigilia starts at three 'o clock am and ends at six 'o clock am."
"Oi, Conan-kun, Hattori-kun, come back! The two thieves are on the outskirts of the building!" Inspector Megure yelled. "An officer just spotted them outside."
Conan and Heiji turned but didn't move. Inspector Megure, not waiting for the two boys, ran towards the entrance where the other officers had apparently already left for. Heiji started to follow but then looked at Conan, "Are you coming, Kudo?"
"You go ahead, Heiji." Conan waved his hand lightly. Heiji started to leave, "Wait, is there access to the roof?"
Heiji nodded, "Yeah that door right there leads to the roof." Heiji explained, pointing to a door behind Conan.
Conan looked at it and nodded, taking note of its location, "Arigato."
Heiji waved and walked away, heading to the outside of the building where the other officers had gone. Conan wandered down the hall and glanced at the doors as he passed, opening a few of them as he went. He stopped outside Sakuma's room and pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear any sounds coming from inside the room. Conan glanced at his watch and, while he was at it, turned the dial on his sneakers on. 'One minuet to midnight. As Double-M said himself, 'Showtime'.' Shinichi thought, recalling his earlier encounter with the thief.
With the seconds ticking, counting down until the beginning of the third watch, Conan strained even harder to pick up every minute sound. Right on cue, at the stroke of midnight, all the grandfather clocks including the one within Sakuma's room began their normal schedule of sending out loud sound waves heard as chimes and ringing twelve consecutive times. As if rehearsed, there was a shudder from inside Sakuma's room as, most likely, the window that wasn't supposed to be able to open, opened. Conan threw the door open and ran in, stun gun raised and poised for an attack. Kaito KID looked at the diminutive detective and smiled, "Welcome to the party, Tantei-kun. I'm glad you could make it."
"Where's your magician friend?" Conan asked.
"Distracted," KID stated tersely.
"Somehow, I doubt that." Conan mumbled.
"With good reason," KID smirked. "You are talking to an illustrious phantom thief."
Conan scoffed and looked back up at a still smirking thief. Slowly, Kaito KID moved his hand behind his back and when it was brought foreword again, his hand was clenching a gun; his card gun. The gun was fired. Conan flinched at the small breeze blowing at him and once he had blinked, the lights to the room were off. There was a rustling sound as KID made his way around the room, the only source of light coming from the open window since the hallway lights had been switched off earlier. "Hmph, nice shot KID." Conan applauded.
"Thank you very much," came the response.
'There,' Shinichi thought, turning to aim his watch at the direction of the voice. "Before you shoot, I want to say one thing." KID replied smoothly. KID picked up something before speaking again, "Attention! The KID out there is a fake! The real KID has been spotted behind the mansion; he's knocked out all the guards. Send some more people over here immediately."
Conan froze at the sound of Inspector Nakamori's voice in front of him. "KID, you idiot." He mumbled.
Before Conan had time to react, KID jumped out the window and started climbing. "Kusou!" Conan turned around and ran towards the exit Heiji had shown him earlier. The shrunken detective thrust the door open and ran up the stairs to the roof. Opening the door, Conan found not one but two thieves on the roof, preparing to escape. 'Like I'd let you.' Shinichi thought running foreword. Masked Mage turned around and pointed a gun at a crouching Conan. KID's visible eye widened and he glanced at the thief beside him. Conan could hear him whisper, "You wouldn't."
Masked Magician flicked some stray hair behind his shoulder. "Yes I would, I have a good shot." Behind the mask, the thief smirked. Conan, of course, couldn't see the action.
"Is that a real gun?" Conan, worry beginning to cloud his mind.
"Want proof, Conan….. Tantei-kun?" Masked Mage loaded the gun and pointed it back at Conan.
'No, I'd rather not,' Shinichi thought. Conan took in a deep breath and, at the top of his lungs, belted, "SOMEBODY HELP ME! HELP! I'M SCARED." Conan looked at the two thieves and smirked.
"Well played detective. But not well enough." Masked Mage said as he dropped the gun. The two thieves ran for the edge of the rooftop. Conan adjusted his sneakers to the correct setting, inflated a soccer ball and kicked it, aiming for one of the two thieves. Masked Mage turned to shoot a tiny projectile at the roof. Smoke emitted from the object and once the smoke cleared, there were two hang gliders in the air.
Conan walked toward the gun and, using a handkerchief to grab it, examined the weapon. 'Shit. It was real. If he had shot, I would have been a goner.' Conan released the trigger and set it back down where he found it. "KUDO!"
Conan looked up at Heiji who had just bolted onto the roof. "What happened?"
Conan looked at the gun, "Nothing. Just the typical chase-thieves-and-fail-in-catching-them routine. Kusou! I wouldn't have hesitated if he hadn't shown me that thing."
Heiji picked up the gun on the ground and studied it. "Isn't this one of the officers' guns? It's the same model as the others. What happened up here Kudo?"
"I was threatened with a gun. Nothing special."
"Baka… 'Nothing special' my ass! Like gettin' threatened with an officer's gun is 'nothing special'." Heiji rolled his eyes and removed the magazine from the gun. His eyes widened, "There are no bullets! It's empty!"
Conan jumped up and grabbed the object, looking at it with narrowed eyes. "Baka," he scolded himself. "I should have known. I doubted he would have used a real gun. He must have removed the bullets after stealing the gun."
"Like hell he did. The bullets are over here." Heiji announced.
Conan ran up to the high school student and bent over to look at the small bullets. "Double-M either threw them once he ran out that door," Conan began looking at the entrance.
"Or, Double-M was on that part of the roof and merely dropped them from up there." Heiji finished, glancing up at a higher level of the roof.
Conan punched the ground beneath him at glared at the wall. Shaking his hand slightly, Conan stood up and looked at the door by the wall. He walked to the door and peeled a piece of paper, colored like the door, off of the door. "'On the tertia dies of the month of Octavian, when the seconds bisect the twenty-second, I will perch upon the sunset and steal the ocean.'" The boy looked at Heiji, "Guess who it's from."
"Well maybe, just maybe, it's from a famous phantom thief!" Heiji muttered. "Damn, that thief has too much time on his hands."
Conan sighed, "Here we go again, showing another note to the Inspector."
Heiji nodded and led the way down to the entrance of the mansion.
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Outside the Keshiki Mansion
July 29, 12:34 AM
"Taku, another one?" Inspector Megure mumbled. The officer read over the note and frowned. The note was passed around until it made its way back to Heiji and Conan. There was a slight vibration in Conan's pant pocket and he looked down at the phone charm sticking outside it. The faux first grader pushed the note into Heiji's hand and ran off to the side to answer the phone. "Sorry, but this is kinda a bad time."
"Well, that's too bad," the voice remarked.
"Haibara? Why are you calling now?" Conan hissed.
Haibara sighed, "No need to snap, Kudo-kun. But I want you to drop by Hakase's house when you're done over there."
"I'm all the way in Hokkaido!" Conan exclaimed.
"I know that baka, which is why I said 'when you're done over there'. There's no way for you to try out the new prototype I created unless you're back in Beika." Haibara commented in her usual cool, collected tone.
"New…Proto…type..?" the puzzle pieces came together. "Have you found an antidote for Apotoxin-4869?"
"No... Where you even listening? It's a prototype, a mere test. If it is successful, this prototype should last much longer than previous changes."
Conan nodded, a grin slowly appearing. "Wakatta. I'll definitely be there." Conan closed the phone.
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Beika, Japan
Agasa Residence
August 1, 12:01 PM
"So what's your excuse?" Haibara Ai asked, breaking off a single banana and placing it on the kitchen counter.
"Excuse for what?" Conan returned, picking up the yellow fruit and fiddling with it absentmindedly.
"Idiot. Where is Conan going to be during your return? He can't just disappear."
Conan shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe off on vacation with my parents. It's the perfect time for that kind of excuse."
Just then, Dr. Agasa walked in. Pulling himself into the conversation, he added. "If you want to go with that reason, I can talk to Ran-kun about it."
Conan looked at the professor, "Guess so… but I'd better tell my parents so they won't be lost if Ran decides to check up on me."
Haibara looked at Conan, "You're eating that." She walked out of the kitchen.
Conan quirked an eyebrow then felt the fruit in his hands. He opened his mouth to respond but Haibara was already walked down to the lab.
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Beika, Japan
Mouri Detective Agency
August 1, 12:45 PM
"Is that right, Conan-kun?" Ran asked the boy.
Conan nodded, "Uh huh, Shinichi-niisan's parents said they wanted to take me sightseeing in Manila."
"Is that where they are right now?" Ran mused.
"Yup! Agasa-hakase said he could take me to the airport where they will be waiting."
"And how long is it going to last?" Ran asked, grabbing a suitcase.
"Around a week," was the reply as Conan bent down to place several articles of clothing in the bag.
Ran stopped in her tracks, hands on the top of the suitcase. "Is Shinichi with them?"
Conan also stopped. He looked at Ran's downcast face and sighed. "No…he's not…"
"Oh," Ran looked down at the suitcase.
"Shinichi-niisan has a later flight." Conan mumbled.
"What did you say, Conan-kun?" Ran's head snapped up.
'Deep breath!' "Shinichi-niisan has a later flight." Conan announced.
The door opened, "So that means I'll get to meet Ran-san's husband. That's a great turnaround."
"Mou, Kasuma!" Ran blushed.
Kasuma walked over to the bed and sat down, taking care not to knock over the piles of clothes that were sitting on the mattress. She flicked some stray hairs away and looked at Conan. "Where are you going?"
Ran resumed packing, "Shinichi's parents are taking Conan-kun sightseeing in Manila for a week."
"Huh, the Philippines? If you can, Conan-kun, you should drag Shinichi's parents to Bohol. The tarsiers there are adorable." She smiled and handed the boy a small pile of clothes.
"Arigato Kasuma-neechan." Conan mumbled.
"Say 'hello' to them for me. And ask them to scold their son for abandoning his wife."
This time both Conan and Ran blushed. Kasuma smiled and whispered, loud enough for only Conan to hear, "Ah le, why are you blushing, Conan-kun?"
Conan faced the suitcase and mumbled incoherently. Kasuma smiled and handed Conan another pile of clothes. Kasuma glanced at her watch and frowned. "It's almost one. Are you two hungry?"
Ran looked up, "Ohmygod! I forgot to fix lunch. Conan-kun, what do you want?"
"Uh, whatever is fine." Conan said.
"Kasuma, would you like to stay?" Ran asked.
"Sure. I'll help Conan-kun while you're getting lunch ready… unless you want help." Kasuma looked up at her friend.
"No. It's okay, I'll be fine." Ran opened the door and walked out, closing the door behind her.
"I'll cut to the chase, who are you?" Conan asked, facing Kasuma.
"I'm a Japanese-American by the name of Kazuki Kasuma. I thought that was obvious. Who are you? Not a normal seven-year old, I'm sure." Kasuma answered smoothly.
"You already know that, Kasuma-neechan!" Conan said happily. "Edogawa Conan…" his eyes narrowed. "Detective."
"Hm, a seven year old detective?" Kasuma smiled, "You like playing detective, don't you? Gonna take that up as a profession? Did Mouri Kogoro-san inspire you?"
"He can't solve a case to save his life." Conan mumbled.
Kasuma placed the last pile of clothes into the suitcase. "I know that," the faux seven-year old looked at her. "But, you must be a lucky charm. Apparently when it was just Oji-san and Ran-san, Kudo Shinichi-kun was the famous detective. But when you started staying with them, his fame skyrocketed and Shinichi-kun, in a sense, died."
"That's what I'm talking about, Kasuma-neechan!" Kasuma gave the boy a puzzled look, "How do you get all this information? It may not even be true but you have so much of it!"
"Research… Isn't that what detectives do? At least part of it is research, the other half is observation." Kasuma helped Conan close the suitcase, "That's what my friend from England said. He also said, 'A detective's job is to find the truth'." Kasuma pulled the packed suitcase out the door and placed it by the couches. "I don't know what's up with you, Conan-kun, but something is up. And I will unravel the truth."
'Determined much?' Shinichi thought, running into the kitchen and looking inside. Kasuma followed him inside and Conan looked up at Ran, "Is lunch almost ready, Ran-neechan?"
"Yup, I'm almost done. I just have to prepare these vegetables." Ran turned around.
"Would you like some help, Ran-san?" Kasuma asked.
"Go ahead, can you start chopping up the vegetables?" Ran asked Kasuma.
The high schooler nodded and grabbed the knife Ran was holding up in order to begin the task at hand.
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Beika, Japan
Agasa Residence
August 1, 1:39 PM
"Have fun, Conan-kun!" Ran exclaimed, waving as Dr. Agasa was loading Conan's suitcase into his small yellow beetle.
"Hai!" Conan returned. Ran turned around and met back up with Kasuma who had been standing in front of the Kudo mansion. The two of them turned and started back for the Detective Agency. Once they were out of sight, Dr. Agasa immediately unloaded the baggage and rolled it into his house, beaconing for Conan to follow. Conan entered the house and found the Professor and Haibara sitting in the couches. Conan walked over to Haibara and looked at her. "So why is this one supposed to last longer than any previous changes?"
"You were listening to that?" was the response Conan got.
"Well of course!" Conan exclaimed.
"My theory about that focuses on the severity of the common cold." Conan quirked an eyebrow, "My theory is simply: The less severe the cold or cold symptoms, the longer the change will last. Of course, your growing tolerance could hinder that theory useless but I suppose it's worth a try. I noticed you had a slight cough before you left for Hokkaido, is that still prominent?"
"Uh, yeah, a little bit." Conan answered.
Haibara nodded, "Then 'a little bit' should be enough. Here," Haibara handed Conan a small capsule and a glass of water.
Conan took them eagerly and left to go to a separate room. "Remember Kudo-kun, one week max." Haibara reminded him.
"Got it!" Conan said, closing the door and immediately ingesting the prototype. Suddenly, Conan cringed and collapsed, falling to his knees and clutching his chest. 'It's happening. It's really happening!'
Final Notes: Mua ha ha ha! Cliffhanger. I'm so extremely sorry about this weird updating schedule. With homework, sports, and life in general (as well as some VERY annoying writer's blocks) I wasn't able to finish this chapter as soon as I would have liked to. I will try to do better but I can't (unfortunately) promise anything.
I will end up adding Japanese phrases like Wakatta, Tadaima, Souka, Baka (some of which I have already used and some of which I will use in the future)
So what did you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know what you thought. Every writer loves commentary (like through R&R's) Jane! Until next time…. enjoy life! :)
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Chitose, Japan
Chitose Museum
July 28, 6:51 PM
"So, where's the amethyst?" Heiji asked looking around the large room they were still in.
"Not here," the head of the Keshiki family, Keshiki Sakuma, an elderly woman around 75 wearing a simple light green skirt and blouse. Her grey hair was pulled up into a tight bun at the nape of her neck though there were some stray wisps flying around. "The exhibit isn't due to open until the fourth of August so the amethyst is still inside our house. I wouldn't give the museum our heirloom this early thief or no thief. I suppose you would like to see the amethyst." She looked at her watch and mumbled incoherently.
Heiji bent down, "Did you hear what she said Kudo?"
Conan shook his head, 'Of course I heard it, but it was just about the time. Speaking of time, we still don't know when Masked Mage is going to strike.'
Keshiki Sakuma led the group outside the building and into the night, piling into the waiting limo first. The others followed. Conan pulled out the heist letter once again. "Ah le le? The note's different."
Heiji, who was just about to get into the vehicle, bolted back out and grabbed the note, "What are you-what the hell, it did change!"
Mouri joined the two boys and stared at the note, "It's a KID note too." Heiji mumbled, "Who would've known."
"It's announcing the same place and object but not the time." Mouri mused. Mouri grabbed the letter and read it aloud, "'Surprise, surprise. Didn't expect me did you? I've come to steal the Purple Tear from its precious hold. Kaito KID.'"
Sakuma's head popped out, "There's someone else after my jewel? The nerve of those young people! Stealing an old woman's most precious object."
Mouri walked over to the lady, "Don't worry, I, Mouri Kogoro, will protect the Purple Tear at all costs!"
Heiji and Conan rolled their eyes. Heiji froze, "Why do you say 'young people'?"
"I say that because Kaito KID and Masked Magician are both in their late teens." Sakuma stated plainly.
"Demo Oba-san, how can you tell Masked Mage is a teenager? He always wears a mask." Conan asked, looking up at the lady.
"It's the agility. A-gi-li-ty. That thief is all over the place what with him or her flipping around like that. There's no way someone older would bother with fancy tricks like that. Maybe a few leaps and such but nothing fancy. I also believe that thief is or was a dancer." Sakuma explained, looking at Conan.
"A dancer," Heiji looked at Sakuma. "Why is that?"
Sakuma sighed, "I guess its just dancer's intuition. Though I can't tell what kind of dance that thief did or does." Sakuma got back into in car with Conan, Heiji, and Mouri climbing in after her. Once in the car, Sakuma sighed once more, "I wish I'd continued Ballet and Tap."
Ran finally spoke up, "You did Ballet and Tap? That's so cool!"
Kazuha nodded, "That would be fun, going to a ballet."
Ran nodded back and smiled. Heiji elbowed Conan and whispered, "Hey, there's a possible date location." He snickered.
Conan glared at the teen, "Urusei. I can't really do that if I'm stuck like this." He retorted, pointing out his current form.
"Heh, so are ya admitting the fact that ya want to take Ran out on a date." Heiji taunted.
Conan looked at Ran and sighed, "Well I guess I owe her that much. I've made her wait too many times, I guess she deserves it." The image of a weeping Ran swept to the front of his mind. Shinichi cringed away from the memory, 'I don't ever want to see her cry like that again.' (A/N: That may have been an actual line from the show and if it was… I didn't mean to copy it)
The car began to move. Ran sighed quietly. "Is something wrong Ran-chan?" Kazuha asked her friend.
"Not really," Ran shook her head. "I was just thinking about how Kasuma would respond. She loves studying rocks and gems. It seems to be her best subject in school. She would've loved to tag along."
"Didn't you ask?" Kazuha pressed.
"Well, yeah but, she said something about babysitting. At least that's what I think I heard." Ran shrugged, "We can bring her next time I guess."
Mouri looked at Ran with a raised eyebrow, "You want to wait for another heist by those two thieves to come up just so you can bring your friend?"
'That's supporting their thefts Ran.' Shinichi smirked.
"Well, she does also seem to be interested in Kaito KID and Masked Magician. When I visited her house, there were dozens of files on the heists those two had pulled beginning from four years ago with the Mage and twenty years ago with KID." Ran said, thinking back. 'She had said something else about them but… I can't remember what she said.'
"By the way, Ran-neechan, did you see Kasuma's brother when you visited her house?" Conan asked.
Ran shook her head. "No, there wasn't anyone else there. Maybe he was at a friend's house."
"Oh. Wakarimashita (I see)." Conan mumbled.
"Disappointed?" Kazuha asked Conan.
"A little bit. I wanted to meet her Otouto-san." Conan frowned.
Ran smiled warmly, "I'll ask her next time I see her. Okay, Conan-kun?"
"Arigato!" Conan exclaimed.
"Anyway," Heiji diverted, looking at Sakuma, "What's the situation with the Purple Tear? Do you have a security system set up?"
"I always have a security system enabled but not for valuables like that. It's merely for valuables like my family. I don't believe in protecting material items, as long as the family itself is safe and secure." Sakuma stated.
"Then you don't want the Purple Tear protected?" Mouri asked.
"Not me but my daughter. She's taken a liking to it and wants to keep it safe. She's the one who suggested we call for backup. She insists that it stay in the family as our heirloom, not be known as a stolen object that is in the hands of the two greatest phantom thieves, even if they do return it." She sighed, "The jewel itself isn't protected, it's only held inside a jewelry box."
"So does that mean it's a necklace?" Conan asked.
"That's right boy. What made you think that?" Sakuma asked the boy.
"Well, you said it was kept in a jewelry box and since it must be too big to fit on a ring or bracelet I thought it must be a necklace. Was I right?" Conan asked.
The old woman smiled, "Yes, that's right. It is rather big, even for a necklace. It's been a tradition throughout the family that when a woman in our family gets married, she wears the Purple Tear to the reception, and the reception only mainly because I don't like to advertise it too much."
The limo slowed down to a crawl as a large mansion came into view. Outside the gate, it came to a full stop and the passengers all piled out. Keshiki Sakuma led the group down the pathway and up the stairs leading to the house. A butler opened the door and stepped aside, letting everyone in. The door was closed shortly after that and the same butler offered to take everyone's coats. Sakuma walked up to the stairs and ascended them, the others following closely behind. The lady made a right turn and opened the first door. "This is my room. It is also where the Purple Tear is." Sakuma stated. "Let's see… well, you've have a long journey, how about some dinner? I'm sure you all are hungry."
"That would be great, thank you." Ran said, "Would you like some help around the kitchen?"
"Thank you for offering but the staff will be alright. You may all rest until the food is ready. All the rooms to the right of this room are bedrooms. You may use one for the time being. Please make yourselves at home."
Everyone exited the room and Sakuma locked the room up using her key. "Oba-san, do you always keep the window in there locked?" Conan asked.
"Yes, it's always locked. I haven't opened it in probably years, it may not even open easily." Sakuma answered, smiling. "Aren't you a little security guard, but even guards need to rest. Why don't you sleep in this room here?" Sakuma opened the neighboring room's door and walked in with Conan. Inside, there was a large queen bed with dark red beddings and a matching cherry colored desk and closet. In the middle of the room was a big red rug sitting elegantly in its place. "Wow, this room is so big!" Conan exclaimed.
The lady behind him smiled. "Of course, this is the master bedroom."
Conan turned around, "You don't use the master bedroom? Why?"
"I never really liked elaborate pleasures like these. I prefer the more average setting. It's cozier." Sakuma remarked. "Well, please make yourself at home."
"Arigato!" Sakuma walked out and closed the door quietly. Conan walked up to the large bed and pulled back the covers. He looked at two doors opposite of the entrance and, instead, went to open it. There was a long, white balcony that stretched along the side of the house and led to many of the other bedrooms. Conan turned to the right and looked through the windows and into the room. "This is Sakuma-sama's room." He mumbled to himself.
Conan turned and headed back to the master bedroom. Up ahead, there was another person on the balcony. Though the person looked familiar, at the same time, she didn't. Conan shrugged and walked back into the room and closed the doors. He then turned and collapsed onto the bed.
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Chitose, Japan
Keshiki Mansion-Master Bedroom
July 28, 11:50 PM
"Oi, Conan-kun. Conan-kun! Wake up." A female voice called out.
Conan felt his body shake slightly by someone at the edge of the bed, "Ran?"
A different voice appeared, "It's almost Showtime, and I refuse to let you sleep through my wonderful performance planned for tonight."
'Wait a minuet…' Conan thought, 'That's….'
Conan's eyes shot open and he found himself staring right into the mask of an infamous thief. Masked Mage straightened, "Much better. And now that you're awake, it's time for me to finish the opening preparations."
Conan sat up and looked at his left wrist. "Where's….. watch. Where did it go?"
"You mean this?" Masked Mage held up a silver watch in the dim light. "I borrowed it; can't have you shooting me with this thing. As for the time, the second watch is almost over." Masked Mage walked to the balcony doors and opened them rapidly, streaming moonlight bouncing off the mask, causing it to glitter. Conan ripped off the covers and clambered out of the bed, closing the distance between detective and thief in seven large strides. Before he could lay a hand on the long, white cape, Masked Mage pushed off the balcony rail and landed on the roof. Conan looked at the mask in front of him, "Is that glass?"
"That was a rather random question but yes… it is glass." Masked Mage set the Stun-Gun Wrist Watch on the edge of the roof and disappeared into the night.
Conan growled and glared at where the 'visitor' had placed his watch, 'He's trying not only to mock my size but laugh at me because of it.' Conan walked along the balcony, peering into the doors, "Heiji's gonna never let me live this down."
Conan saw Heiji and Kazuha bickering, again, and sighed, walking towards the doors and knocking twice. Kazuha looked out the door and tapped Heiji's shoulder. Heiji turned, shrugged, and opened the door, "What is it Ku-"
"Hayaku Heiji-niisan." Conan interrupted.
Conan pulled Heiji outside and dragged him to the balcony outside the master bedroom. "What the hell Kudo?"
Conan looked up at Heiji, "Someone's being mean to me. Look what they did with my watch!"
Heiji looked at the watch's perch, looked down at Conan and burst out laughing. Kazuha joined them and looked up at the watch, "Heiji! That's rude!"
"Sorry, sorry. It's just funny!" Heiji chocked out, still laughing.
"It's not funny when a thief does it." Conan glared at the moon.
Immediately Heiji stopped laughing and looked down at the boy. "You're joking."
"Baka na, that's not a joking matter. They're already here." Conan mumbled.
Heiji smirked and jumped up to knock the watch down where Conan caught it easily. Conan flung open the door to the master bedroom and bolted inside, opening the door leading to the hallway. "Wait! Conan. Hold on!"
Conan whirled around and looked at Heiji, "Where is everyone?"
"Well, there are still some people sleeping but most of the officers are in the dining room. I'll lead you there." Heiji turned and led Conan down a series of halls until they saw several detectives and officers.
Heiji opened the nearly-closed doors and the two of them walked inside. Detective Sato looked up and smiled, standing up and walking up to Conan. "Are you hungry, Conan-kun? You slept right through dinner and no one was able to wake you. There's some food on the table there, Ran-chan's kept it warm."
Conan nodded and ran up to the table, kneeling on a chair and peering into the bowl on the table. He looked around the room, searching for any abnormalities. Ran walked into the room. 'Wait, that's not Ran…' Shinichi looked at the girl. 'I think I know who that is but….' Conan yelped, "AHH! She's not supposed to be here! What if she's KID or Masked Mage!" he pointed at the girl.
The girl stopped short and an eyebrow rose. Inspector Nakamori shot up and announced, "She's not KID! I think I would know my own daughter!"
'That's what I thought.' Conan smiled weakly, "Gomen, Nakamori-kebu. But I thought maybe they'd already be in here. I saw Masked Mage outside my bedroom." Shinichi silently added, 'As well as inside.'
"WHAT? Masked Mage, here?" the officers on the couch stood up rapidly.
Conan nodded, "Right, Heiji-niisan? You saw what he did to my watch. He was being mean!"
"Is that true, Hattori-kun?" Inspector Megure asked.
Heiji snickered, "Well yeah, but I thought the brat was joking."
"Who you callin' brat?" Conan mumbled incoherently.
"When it comes down to Conan-kun, you probably shouldn't take his comments as jokes." Inspector Shiratori muttered.
Heiji smiled and shrugged. The clock struck. Everyone turned to look at the immense grandfather clock in the corner of the room. Conan looked at Inspector Megure, "We have to get to Keshiki-sama's room now! The third watch starts in five minuets!"
"How do you know?" Detective Sato asked.
"Masked Mage told me." Conan stated.
Conan ran out the door and down the hall. Heiji kept an easy pace with the boy two strides behind him. "What's this about Double-M?" he asked panting quietly.
"When Double-M stole my watch and before he placed it on the roof, he gave me the time… well, not an exact number. He just said, 'As for the time, the second watch is almost over.' He reminded me of the Vigiliae, the night watches from the Ancient Roman times. The Prima Vigilia is begins at six 'o clock pm and ends at nine 'o clock pm. The Secunda Viligia starts at nine 'o clock pm and ends at midnight. The Tertia Vigilia starts at midnight and ends at three 'o clock am. And the Quarta Vigilia starts at three 'o clock am and ends at six 'o clock am."
"Oi, Conan-kun, Hattori-kun, come back! The two thieves are on the outskirts of the building!" Inspector Megure yelled. "An officer just spotted them outside."
Conan and Heiji turned but didn't move. Inspector Megure, not waiting for the two boys, ran towards the entrance where the other officers had apparently already left for. Heiji started to follow but then looked at Conan, "Are you coming, Kudo?"
"You go ahead, Heiji." Conan waved his hand lightly. Heiji started to leave, "Wait, is there access to the roof?"
Heiji nodded, "Yeah that door right there leads to the roof." Heiji explained, pointing to a door behind Conan.
Conan looked at it and nodded, taking note of its location, "Arigato."
Heiji waved and walked away, heading to the outside of the building where the other officers had gone. Conan wandered down the hall and glanced at the doors as he passed, opening a few of them as he went. He stopped outside Sakuma's room and pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear any sounds coming from inside the room. Conan glanced at his watch and, while he was at it, turned the dial on his sneakers on. 'One minuet to midnight. As Double-M said himself, 'Showtime'.' Shinichi thought, recalling his earlier encounter with the thief.
With the seconds ticking, counting down until the beginning of the third watch, Conan strained even harder to pick up every minute sound. Right on cue, at the stroke of midnight, all the grandfather clocks including the one within Sakuma's room began their normal schedule of sending out loud sound waves heard as chimes and ringing twelve consecutive times. As if rehearsed, there was a shudder from inside Sakuma's room as, most likely, the window that wasn't supposed to be able to open, opened. Conan threw the door open and ran in, stun gun raised and poised for an attack. Kaito KID looked at the diminutive detective and smiled, "Welcome to the party, Tantei-kun. I'm glad you could make it."
"Where's your magician friend?" Conan asked.
"Distracted," KID stated tersely.
"Somehow, I doubt that." Conan mumbled.
"With good reason," KID smirked. "You are talking to an illustrious phantom thief."
Conan scoffed and looked back up at a still smirking thief. Slowly, Kaito KID moved his hand behind his back and when it was brought foreword again, his hand was clenching a gun; his card gun. The gun was fired. Conan flinched at the small breeze blowing at him and once he had blinked, the lights to the room were off. There was a rustling sound as KID made his way around the room, the only source of light coming from the open window since the hallway lights had been switched off earlier. "Hmph, nice shot KID." Conan applauded.
"Thank you very much," came the response.
'There,' Shinichi thought, turning to aim his watch at the direction of the voice. "Before you shoot, I want to say one thing." KID replied smoothly. KID picked up something before speaking again, "Attention! The KID out there is a fake! The real KID has been spotted behind the mansion; he's knocked out all the guards. Send some more people over here immediately."
Conan froze at the sound of Inspector Nakamori's voice in front of him. "KID, you idiot." He mumbled.
Before Conan had time to react, KID jumped out the window and started climbing. "Kusou!" Conan turned around and ran towards the exit Heiji had shown him earlier. The shrunken detective thrust the door open and ran up the stairs to the roof. Opening the door, Conan found not one but two thieves on the roof, preparing to escape. 'Like I'd let you.' Shinichi thought running foreword. Masked Mage turned around and pointed a gun at a crouching Conan. KID's visible eye widened and he glanced at the thief beside him. Conan could hear him whisper, "You wouldn't."
Masked Magician flicked some stray hair behind his shoulder. "Yes I would, I have a good shot." Behind the mask, the thief smirked. Conan, of course, couldn't see the action.
"Is that a real gun?" Conan, worry beginning to cloud his mind.
"Want proof, Conan….. Tantei-kun?" Masked Mage loaded the gun and pointed it back at Conan.
'No, I'd rather not,' Shinichi thought. Conan took in a deep breath and, at the top of his lungs, belted, "SOMEBODY HELP ME! HELP! I'M SCARED." Conan looked at the two thieves and smirked.
"Well played detective. But not well enough." Masked Mage said as he dropped the gun. The two thieves ran for the edge of the rooftop. Conan adjusted his sneakers to the correct setting, inflated a soccer ball and kicked it, aiming for one of the two thieves. Masked Mage turned to shoot a tiny projectile at the roof. Smoke emitted from the object and once the smoke cleared, there were two hang gliders in the air.
Conan walked toward the gun and, using a handkerchief to grab it, examined the weapon. 'Shit. It was real. If he had shot, I would have been a goner.' Conan released the trigger and set it back down where he found it. "KUDO!"
Conan looked up at Heiji who had just bolted onto the roof. "What happened?"
Conan looked at the gun, "Nothing. Just the typical chase-thieves-and-fail-in-catching-them routine. Kusou! I wouldn't have hesitated if he hadn't shown me that thing."
Heiji picked up the gun on the ground and studied it. "Isn't this one of the officers' guns? It's the same model as the others. What happened up here Kudo?"
"I was threatened with a gun. Nothing special."
"Baka… 'Nothing special' my ass! Like gettin' threatened with an officer's gun is 'nothing special'." Heiji rolled his eyes and removed the magazine from the gun. His eyes widened, "There are no bullets! It's empty!"
Conan jumped up and grabbed the object, looking at it with narrowed eyes. "Baka," he scolded himself. "I should have known. I doubted he would have used a real gun. He must have removed the bullets after stealing the gun."
"Like hell he did. The bullets are over here." Heiji announced.
Conan ran up to the high school student and bent over to look at the small bullets. "Double-M either threw them once he ran out that door," Conan began looking at the entrance.
"Or, Double-M was on that part of the roof and merely dropped them from up there." Heiji finished, glancing up at a higher level of the roof.
Conan punched the ground beneath him at glared at the wall. Shaking his hand slightly, Conan stood up and looked at the door by the wall. He walked to the door and peeled a piece of paper, colored like the door, off of the door. "'On the tertia dies of the month of Octavian, when the seconds bisect the twenty-second, I will perch upon the sunset and steal the ocean.'" The boy looked at Heiji, "Guess who it's from."
"Well maybe, just maybe, it's from a famous phantom thief!" Heiji muttered. "Damn, that thief has too much time on his hands."
Conan sighed, "Here we go again, showing another note to the Inspector."
Heiji nodded and led the way down to the entrance of the mansion.
__
Outside the Keshiki Mansion
July 29, 12:34 AM
"Taku, another one?" Inspector Megure mumbled. The officer read over the note and frowned. The note was passed around until it made its way back to Heiji and Conan. There was a slight vibration in Conan's pant pocket and he looked down at the phone charm sticking outside it. The faux first grader pushed the note into Heiji's hand and ran off to the side to answer the phone. "Sorry, but this is kinda a bad time."
"Well, that's too bad," the voice remarked.
"Haibara? Why are you calling now?" Conan hissed.
Haibara sighed, "No need to snap, Kudo-kun. But I want you to drop by Hakase's house when you're done over there."
"I'm all the way in Hokkaido!" Conan exclaimed.
"I know that baka, which is why I said 'when you're done over there'. There's no way for you to try out the new prototype I created unless you're back in Beika." Haibara commented in her usual cool, collected tone.
"New…Proto…type..?" the puzzle pieces came together. "Have you found an antidote for Apotoxin-4869?"
"No... Where you even listening? It's a prototype, a mere test. If it is successful, this prototype should last much longer than previous changes."
Conan nodded, a grin slowly appearing. "Wakatta. I'll definitely be there." Conan closed the phone.
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Beika, Japan
Agasa Residence
August 1, 12:01 PM
"So what's your excuse?" Haibara Ai asked, breaking off a single banana and placing it on the kitchen counter.
"Excuse for what?" Conan returned, picking up the yellow fruit and fiddling with it absentmindedly.
"Idiot. Where is Conan going to be during your return? He can't just disappear."
Conan shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe off on vacation with my parents. It's the perfect time for that kind of excuse."
Just then, Dr. Agasa walked in. Pulling himself into the conversation, he added. "If you want to go with that reason, I can talk to Ran-kun about it."
Conan looked at the professor, "Guess so… but I'd better tell my parents so they won't be lost if Ran decides to check up on me."
Haibara looked at Conan, "You're eating that." She walked out of the kitchen.
Conan quirked an eyebrow then felt the fruit in his hands. He opened his mouth to respond but Haibara was already walked down to the lab.
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Beika, Japan
Mouri Detective Agency
August 1, 12:45 PM
"Is that right, Conan-kun?" Ran asked the boy.
Conan nodded, "Uh huh, Shinichi-niisan's parents said they wanted to take me sightseeing in Manila."
"Is that where they are right now?" Ran mused.
"Yup! Agasa-hakase said he could take me to the airport where they will be waiting."
"And how long is it going to last?" Ran asked, grabbing a suitcase.
"Around a week," was the reply as Conan bent down to place several articles of clothing in the bag.
Ran stopped in her tracks, hands on the top of the suitcase. "Is Shinichi with them?"
Conan also stopped. He looked at Ran's downcast face and sighed. "No…he's not…"
"Oh," Ran looked down at the suitcase.
"Shinichi-niisan has a later flight." Conan mumbled.
"What did you say, Conan-kun?" Ran's head snapped up.
'Deep breath!' "Shinichi-niisan has a later flight." Conan announced.
The door opened, "So that means I'll get to meet Ran-san's husband. That's a great turnaround."
"Mou, Kasuma!" Ran blushed.
Kasuma walked over to the bed and sat down, taking care not to knock over the piles of clothes that were sitting on the mattress. She flicked some stray hairs away and looked at Conan. "Where are you going?"
Ran resumed packing, "Shinichi's parents are taking Conan-kun sightseeing in Manila for a week."
"Huh, the Philippines? If you can, Conan-kun, you should drag Shinichi's parents to Bohol. The tarsiers there are adorable." She smiled and handed the boy a small pile of clothes.
"Arigato Kasuma-neechan." Conan mumbled.
"Say 'hello' to them for me. And ask them to scold their son for abandoning his wife."
This time both Conan and Ran blushed. Kasuma smiled and whispered, loud enough for only Conan to hear, "Ah le, why are you blushing, Conan-kun?"
Conan faced the suitcase and mumbled incoherently. Kasuma smiled and handed Conan another pile of clothes. Kasuma glanced at her watch and frowned. "It's almost one. Are you two hungry?"
Ran looked up, "Ohmygod! I forgot to fix lunch. Conan-kun, what do you want?"
"Uh, whatever is fine." Conan said.
"Kasuma, would you like to stay?" Ran asked.
"Sure. I'll help Conan-kun while you're getting lunch ready… unless you want help." Kasuma looked up at her friend.
"No. It's okay, I'll be fine." Ran opened the door and walked out, closing the door behind her.
"I'll cut to the chase, who are you?" Conan asked, facing Kasuma.
"I'm a Japanese-American by the name of Kazuki Kasuma. I thought that was obvious. Who are you? Not a normal seven-year old, I'm sure." Kasuma answered smoothly.
"You already know that, Kasuma-neechan!" Conan said happily. "Edogawa Conan…" his eyes narrowed. "Detective."
"Hm, a seven year old detective?" Kasuma smiled, "You like playing detective, don't you? Gonna take that up as a profession? Did Mouri Kogoro-san inspire you?"
"He can't solve a case to save his life." Conan mumbled.
Kasuma placed the last pile of clothes into the suitcase. "I know that," the faux seven-year old looked at her. "But, you must be a lucky charm. Apparently when it was just Oji-san and Ran-san, Kudo Shinichi-kun was the famous detective. But when you started staying with them, his fame skyrocketed and Shinichi-kun, in a sense, died."
"That's what I'm talking about, Kasuma-neechan!" Kasuma gave the boy a puzzled look, "How do you get all this information? It may not even be true but you have so much of it!"
"Research… Isn't that what detectives do? At least part of it is research, the other half is observation." Kasuma helped Conan close the suitcase, "That's what my friend from England said. He also said, 'A detective's job is to find the truth'." Kasuma pulled the packed suitcase out the door and placed it by the couches. "I don't know what's up with you, Conan-kun, but something is up. And I will unravel the truth."
'Determined much?' Shinichi thought, running into the kitchen and looking inside. Kasuma followed him inside and Conan looked up at Ran, "Is lunch almost ready, Ran-neechan?"
"Yup, I'm almost done. I just have to prepare these vegetables." Ran turned around.
"Would you like some help, Ran-san?" Kasuma asked.
"Go ahead, can you start chopping up the vegetables?" Ran asked Kasuma.
The high schooler nodded and grabbed the knife Ran was holding up in order to begin the task at hand.
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Beika, Japan
Agasa Residence
August 1, 1:39 PM
"Have fun, Conan-kun!" Ran exclaimed, waving as Dr. Agasa was loading Conan's suitcase into his small yellow beetle.
"Hai!" Conan returned. Ran turned around and met back up with Kasuma who had been standing in front of the Kudo mansion. The two of them turned and started back for the Detective Agency. Once they were out of sight, Dr. Agasa immediately unloaded the baggage and rolled it into his house, beaconing for Conan to follow. Conan entered the house and found the Professor and Haibara sitting in the couches. Conan walked over to Haibara and looked at her. "So why is this one supposed to last longer than any previous changes?"
"You were listening to that?" was the response Conan got.
"Well of course!" Conan exclaimed.
"My theory about that focuses on the severity of the common cold." Conan quirked an eyebrow, "My theory is simply: The less severe the cold or cold symptoms, the longer the change will last. Of course, your growing tolerance could hinder that theory useless but I suppose it's worth a try. I noticed you had a slight cough before you left for Hokkaido, is that still prominent?"
"Uh, yeah, a little bit." Conan answered.
Haibara nodded, "Then 'a little bit' should be enough. Here," Haibara handed Conan a small capsule and a glass of water.
Conan took them eagerly and left to go to a separate room. "Remember Kudo-kun, one week max." Haibara reminded him.
"Got it!" Conan said, closing the door and immediately ingesting the prototype. Suddenly, Conan cringed and collapsed, falling to his knees and clutching his chest. 'It's happening. It's really happening!'
Final Notes: Mua ha ha ha! Cliffhanger. I'm so extremely sorry about this weird updating schedule. With homework, sports, and life in general (as well as some VERY annoying writer's blocks) I wasn't able to finish this chapter as soon as I would have liked to. I will try to do better but I can't (unfortunately) promise anything.
I will end up adding Japanese phrases like Wakatta, Tadaima, Souka, Baka (some of which I have already used and some of which I will use in the future)
So what did you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know what you thought. Every writer loves commentary (like through R&R's) Jane! Until next time…. enjoy life! :)