Detective Conan: Witness
Kudo Sh-Edogawa Conan enters his-Kudo’s house for the last time. He’ll have to get used to thinking of himself as Conan, now. He toes off his shoes and makes his way to what used to be his room. This isn’t his house any longer, just another loose end to be cut.
Conan opens the door to Shinichi’s room and stops dead. Everything’s…different. He can see it clearly, now that he’s no longer pretending. All Shinichi’s favorite things are out of place, all moved to be easily accessible to a small child. He’s been trying so hard to keep living his old life that he’s ignored the fact that he doesn’t fit anymore.
Suddenly, Conan can’t stay in Shinichi’s room any longer. He turns on his heel and walks out. He keeps walking until he knows he couldn’t turn around and see that open door. He stops, and drops into a sitting position. He hasn’t really been thinking about this, and that has to change right now.
He isn’t Kudo Shinichi anymore and he isn’t ever going to be again. He needs to separate the living from the dead. He needs closure. He needs a witness. And he has to choose very, very carefully.
Agasa is out. For all that he’s known from the very beginning, he’s distant from the feelings Conan is trying to purge.
Kogoro is out. Even the thought of calling on him seems ridiculous. Besides, he doesn’t know. The same goes for anyone on the police force and especially any of the Shounen Tantei.
Ai started this, with her hope and her failure, but that doesn’t give her the right to see it through to the end.
Ran…Ran is out. The kindest thing he can do for her now is keep her completely in the dark for the rest of her life. Better that she doesn’t know how much they’ve both lost, or how close they seemed to come to regaining it before it was cruelly yanked away for good. He never should have called her. He never should have let her believe. This will be harder on her now because of his weakness.
Hattori would help, has in fact, offered numerous times to help however he is needed. But he wouldn’t be able to stand silently and witness. And Conan really doesn’t think he could stand to be called “Kudo” right now.
That leaves only one option. Conan turns all of his not-inconsiderable brain power toward the mystery that, until now, he has avoided solving. If anyone will understand, he will. Kaitou Kid knows masks better than anyone. He knows rebirth.
An hour later, Conan has a name: Kuroba Kaito. He also has an address, and a school that will get out in less than half an hour. He doesn’t realize he’s started moving until he stops dead at the front door. His fists are clenched and his eyes are dry, but Conan takes the first step.
BONUS: Here's the draft of the first scene I wrote for this story, before it changed directions on me. It's pretty rough and unfinished, but I still like it.
Step.
There’s never going to be a cure.
Step.
I’ll never be able to tell Ran-anything.
Step.
I can’t be Kudo Shinichi anymore.
Step.
I’m going to be Edogawa Conan for the rest of my life.
Step.
“Hey, Co-kid, are you okay?”
Stop.
Kid. Ironic. “I need your help…”
Pause. Look away.
“…Kid.”
[Kaito looks at him, takes in his demeanor, the glasses clutched in his right hand and comes to a decision. He crouches down.]
“If you’re going to ambush me at school where Hakuba could hear you, the least you could do is call me Kaito, Conan.”
[His hand enters Conan’s field of vision.]
“Why don’t I take those [meaning the glasses]. You can tell me what you need from me on the way to wherever we’re going.”