Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The blood splattered across the walls were nearly dry – the thick substance let out a suffocating odour in the hot room, however the forensic buzzing about was entirely too used to it to be bothered by the smell. A woman holding a baby in a corner looked green. Every now and again she would hush and beg desperately for the little child to stop crying. On the floor, circles of chalk laid scattered. Each ring symbolizing a spot were body parts of Oruki Ryo, a rich CO, had previous lain. On a table stood a small, bloodied chainsaw.

The corner of the dining hall was the most populated one. A man sat on a single chair, head bowed as if sleeping. A single strain of hair stood up in his otherwise sleek hair. Around him stood a circle of eight people. Two inspectors followed his every move carefully.

A tall man in a meticulous suit was sweating. Every now and again, he would stick his hand in his pocket, just to withdraw it with a flinch. A habit he had had since he was a child.

Next to him stood an angry, brown haired woman. A slender, elegant foot tapped in an unknown frequency. She had things to do, places to be. She had no time to be involved with this time-consuming police investigation.

The third suspect was a light-haired woman. Her head was bowed as tears prickled down her face. She bit her lip, a hand covering the other. What should she do know? She owed everything to the CO. She loved him.

The last two in their little group stood further away, so as to not be in the way. The teen girl stood clutching the hand of a six year old boy. Earlier he had been running back and fro asking the forensics questions with childish curiosity. Sometimes she wondered about him, he was nothing like any other child she knew. However, she was mostly worried. Little children shouldn’t be involved with gruesome murders like these. But they seemed to be happening around them all the time, as if they were drawn to death (or death drawn to them). She didn’t pay attention to the child at the moment. Her awareness fully focused on the man sitting in the chair.

The boy had his head tilted slightly, eyes half closed behind thick glasses. Every now and again, his lips would twitch slightly, as if he was holding back a smile or trying to talk.

“The culprit,” the voice boomed from the man sitting on the chair. Every occupant in the room snapped in his directions, silence settled as everyone took an involuntarily breath. The sleeping-looking man’s arm’s twisted slightly, before it shot up, finger pointing. “ – Is you.”

Gasps of shock rang. Eyes turned around to eye the perpetrator.

“Shikowari-san, how could you!” The angry looking woman snapped towards the man standing next to her.

 The crying woman’s knees buckled, before she slid down to the floor with a soft ‘thud’. Her crying intensified.

Shikowari’s eyes widened in shock. He held up his hands. “I didn’t kill him! You can’t prosecute me without a piece of evidence.”

“It’s in your pocket.”

He froze. Hands twitched slightly, as if he considered running or grabbing something.

“You have a habit of sticking your hands in your pockets, don’t you? You have several times tried to do so, before stopping-“

“But we didn’t find anything in his pockets, Mouri-san.” A voice interrupted.

Shikowari turned around gratefully to stare at Takagi. He pointed at him. “Exactly, what the police officer said. You didn’t find anything in my pockets. You looked through them!”

If anyone had cared to glance at the six year old boy, they had noticed he had given up all pretence, and a small grin tucked in the corner of his lips. His eyes still half closed, the cerulean eyes examined Shikowari with hunger. Somehow, the man must have sensed something ominous as his entire body tensed.

“That’s true. However, isn’t your suits hand-tailored? It would be easy to request a hidden compartment in your pockets in order to hide valuables or, let’s say, a blood soaked handkerchief to clean your face?”

Understanding dawned on the inspectors’ face as Megure prompted ‘go check it Takagi’.

Shikowari flinched, taking a step back. His fists clenched tightly. “Fine, I admit it,” he growled through gritted teeth. “That fucker wanted to fire me. I’ve worked far too hard for this company to let him steal everything!”

“You are wrong!” The crying woman on the floor looked up. Face crunched up with tears. “Oruki-san wanted to put you on the board. Kagoma-san was retiring.”

Shikowari paled. “But. I heard-“ His eyes widened. Had he mistaken the conversation he had overheard? His thought’s flashed back as he remembered the conversation, he had only heard half of it. Despair wormed into his thoughts, what had he done? His knees buckled. Every ounce of his strength suddenly drained. He let out a heavy breath. His head felt fuzzy. Grasping his head, he took another step back. Why did he feel so weak all of a sudden?

Shikowari’s eyes started to wander all on their own. Flicker of black danced across his vision, threatening to overcome him. His eyes settled on a small form. Everything else in the room seems to have darkened, voices gone still. He barely noticed the police officer named Takagi grab his shoulder. Eyes flashed behind the glasses the little child was wearing. The boy lifted his head, and he was suddenly struck with helplessness in the power laying in those eyes. They were drawing him to him, like a moths around a fire. Later, when he woke, he would swear he had been hallucinating. Stuttering, the last of his energy was drained as he stumbled into a heap on the floor. The last thing he remembered was the glowing eyes.

…

“Culprits have a habit of passing out when you are around dad, isn’t that strange Conan-kun?”

Mouri Ran glanced down at the child walking next to her. The murderer had been ushered into a police car mere 10 minutes ago, passed out from stress or shock. The little group of three had been released to continue on with their day with promises of going to the police station the next day for their statement. Mouri Kogorou grunted.

“It’s because they are so wowed by my greatness. Going up against such a great detective as Sleeping Kogorou is taxing for the lesser intellects!” He let out a deep throaty laughter.

Ran hummed in amusement. “Whatever you say, dad.”

Conan twitched an eyebrow slightly as he regarded them. To his senses, Kogoro’s aura oozed of alcohol and failure. The stinking scent of resentment and grief radiated everything he touched. Regrets of the past laid heavy on the man. If he had only learned how to see past it, that aura would have dissipated and morphed into hope for a better future where yjru could be a family again. But regret and fear from Kogorou and Eri laid as a dark cloud over them. Their daughter the only light behind the clouds.

Ran felt like the spring rain. A radiance of happiness with all the belief in the world that everything would be alright again. One could wash of the regrets of the past easily. She was a child like that. All innocent looking and believing in a world where everything would be good in the end. Conan was surprised her innocence hadn’t been washed away ages ago, considering all the deaths she had seen. Somehow, she had managed to keep her hope for humanity intact. She was a blinding sun amongst the heavy clouds in the street. It was somewhat refreshing.

“Let’s go get something to eat, we skipped lunch. What would you like to eat Conan-kun?” The girl smiled warmly down at him.

Conan’s lips twitched slightly. “Whatever is fine, Ran-neechan. I’m not that hungry.”

He resisted the impulse to lick his lips like a content cat. He could still taste the mystery on the tip of his tongue. This particular murder mystery had his taste buds quivering in excitement. Human food could not compare. The radiance a solved mystery oozed of was not simply a taste for your palates. It was a taste that sang to him. It rushed through his blood. Filled his entire body with its flavour. Human words could not describe the feeling.

Humanity was such a curious specious. They all lied and deceived each other in a way demons could not dream to imagine. They tore at each other, broke their loved ones’ hearts, felt pleasure from pain in a way demons could never think of. Demons at least were true to their nature. They never pretended otherwise. Evil intent from humans were so easy to pick up, the flavour clung to their very essence. Just walking down a street amongst the crowd was enough to rile his hunger. He could smell them, the mysteries they concocted. Almost ripe to take, but not yet. He had to be patience. Good food would always come for those who wait.

That’s why he had chosen to follow this man after all. This failed detective with his many regrets. He did not blink an eye at the strangeness of the situation. He was weak minded enough that possession was so easy it was laughable. The perfect cover. Who would ever think a little boy was the puppet-master behind the deductions. It was such an easy task to snuff him out. He knew Kogorou’s mind well now, he barely had to utter the thought to render the sleuth unconscious. From there he stole his voice. It was only a partial possession. He had no desire to possess him any further, the very thought made him shiver in revulsion.

“Is that so? Maybe we should just go home then, and I’ll make something instead.”

Somewhere in front of them, Kogorou grunted as someone walked into him. Conan glanced up at Ran. Slipping into the know well-versed persona of a child, he gave her a large smile.

“Sounds good, Ran-neechan.”

Looking placated, the girl squeezed his hand. She had been unwilling to let his hand go since they left the building. “We’ll be meeting up with Sonoko tomorrow for lunch. We are going shopping. Isn’t that going to be just great?” The girl continued amicable.

Conan twitched an eye in displeasure at the idea. The logic of a teenage girl lay somewhere unreachable to him. Not to mentioned he had learned quite quickly how much he loathed malls. They were evil to the point that only the devil himself could have constructed such a building. It was a brainwashing torture chamber of the most despicable kind.

“Sonoko said she saw a gelato place with half price. So it won’t be too boring for you,” She tilted her head, her soft smile radiating like a sun. He looked up at her. Ran was a curious being, something about her was alluring. He couldn’t put his finger on it. His choice of staying had originally been swayed by her. He remembered well the day they had first met.

…

The rain pitter-pattered as it hit the concrete. The rain was insufferable, getting into every creak and crook. If given the fraction of a second chance, it would soak you to the bone. Shinichi raked a hand through his hair and felt the water droplets stick to his fingertips. He shuffled back into the brick wall behind him, trying to press his body as far away from the water as he could. The old Oaktree he was standing under gave him marginal cover from the rain.

He had forgotten how cold it could be up here – and he was reminded of how much he hated the cold. He had grown bored of the nether world. The mysteries, though plentiful, had come repetitive ages ago. Demons were so predictable. He had grown hungry, unable to sustain himself on the mysteries of the demon world. He fed on the mazes that protected evil, the mystery.

Shinichi glanced up. The leaves on the trees ruffled slightly in the wind. Drops of water slithered between the cracks opened, and it fell on his face. His nose creased in displeasure as he reached up to wipe it away from his face with a soft sigh.

 He had been drawn to the human world many a time over the years when the enigmas were too strong, too big, to ignore. Sometimes their world needed the supernatural to guide them. Cracks between the worlds would gape long enough for the respectable parties to enter. Shinichi closed his eyes. Oh, how satisfying those mysteries had been. He dreamed of their tastes for centuries. This world tasted so much better. An area of new palates he had never conceived of. He wanted to gorge himself in them.

That’s what had led him to this. How he wished he had been born within the classifications of the lesser demons. If he had, he would have been allowed to access the other realms whenever he pleased. If anything, it was Lord Yusaku’s fault. The smug bastard, lord of knowledge and riddles. How could he enjoy a meal when the demon lord enjoyed nothing more than spoiling the mysteries?

So here he was. Sneaking behind his back to enter the human world in search of a lousy meal. He felt a satisfied smile curl on his lips. At least Yusaku was forbidden to enter this realm, his very presence would struck a natural disaster. Any human within a hundred miles would most likely indulge in their darkest desires. Being as he was one of Yusaku’s entourage, the same affect would ooze of him in a smaller scale. Food was always attracted to predators. Regardless, the problem wouldn’t be apparent in the short term. He wasn’t staying longer than necessary. If he was found missing, the repercussions would be severe. On the other hand, demons kept their cards tight to the chest. Even if anyone saw him leaving, it could be months, years even, before anyone noticed he was missing. Time worked differently in the nether world.

“Are you alright?”

Shinichi started in surprise. Cerulean eyes shot up as he glanced at the female standing just a few meters away. He hadn’t heard her coming. He cursed inwardly, he should pay more attention to his surroundings. He eyed her carefully. She was a light-skinned girl of about 160 cm. She was slender, yet sported an athletic and curvaceous build. A martial artist? Her eyes were bluish-purple that practically eradiated kindness. She had long, dark brown hair tucked behind her ears with short wavy bangs over her forehead. The scent of spring rain and wet flowers tickled his nose. He took in the fragrance curiously, there were something more, something hidden in the smell he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” he finally answered after a spotted pause. A few seconds had been needed in order to fully absorb the current language. The girl shifted slightly, a look of worry still apparent in her eyes. By now, his interest in her had vanished. He wasn’t here to chat with the locals. He was hungry.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

With a sigh, his attention turned back to her. Though the meal would be dissatisfying, he could still feed on her energy. If she felt tired, there was a larger chance she would go away. The thought made his stomach churn. Unlike most of his apparent ‘siblings’, he had standards. He wouldn’t simply feed on anything.

“Yes,” he said crudely. Hoping his voice conveyed his irritation. It seemed she couldn’t take a hint as she took a step closer to him. He narrowed his eyes. The fragment of spring rain intensified. He opened his mouth to ask her, quite rudely, to leave, when she suddenly offered him her umbrella.

“Take this, home is just five minutes away, I don’t need it.” A friendly smile blossomed on her face.

Shinichi froze. Had the human female just offered her umbrella? The rain was thick enough that she would be soaked through walking for only five minutes. He had been nothing but rude since they started talking. What kind of mentally unstable person was she? He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Decreasing his tight hold on his powers, he let out coils of energy to survey the immediate area. He couldn’t sense anything of demonic in nature. She’s not possessed then. Focusing his energy on the umbrella, he could feel no malicious intent behind it. He shouldn’t have been so surprised, if the female had any intentions of tricking him, he would have smelled in immediately. Humans couldn’t hide the scent. He prayed on deceit and lies. So then why, did she smile at him like that? If she had any survival instinct, she should have run away screaming.

Shinichi’s stomach churned in confusion. The umbrella still offered out in the space between them. He tighten his control on his powers, the tingling scent would evaporate shortly in the rain. Hiding his presence once again. He turned his head away.

“I don’t want it.”

The girl blinked. Her hand shook slightly. “But you are soaked through! You’ll get sick if you keep standing outside here in the rain.”

He glanced back at her. Her voice thick with worry. Why is she so worried for a stranger? This human made no sense to him. There was no deceit in her voice, only sincere honesty. What could she possibly want with him? In his bafflement of the odd situation, he decided to question it. He needed to know what made her tick, if it wasn’t the same egoistical ideals everyone else has.

“Why do you care? I could be some kind of weirdo-“

He didn’t get any further before she interrupted him with a smile.

“Well, obviously.” Shinichi blinked. “Then why-“

“Only weirdos would stand outside in the rain without an umbrella or raincoat waiting for someone. But you must be a kind person too, if you are willing to wait in the cold and in the rain.”

Ah, he thought. A misinterpretation of a character. She assumed he was a good person based on misleading facts. A kindred spirit of some sort. It was a disappointing conclusion to this enigma. All interest evaporated and his eyes started to wander.

“So you are offering me your umbrella out of pity? I’m already soaked to the bone, it won’t make any difference either way.”

A tick crept into her forehead. “I’m trying to be nice here, don’t be such an asshole.” Her hand had still not withdrawn, the umbrella still offered in the space between them. Small droplets of water hit the back of her head, no longer covered by the umbrella.

 His lips twitched upwards. “It’s a simple deduction. I’m not going to be any less wet by taking you up on the offer. By refusing you, you wont be wet and sick tomorrow.” He shrugged. A drop slithered from his forehead, down between his eyes. A tongue flickered between his lips to lick up the water as it reached the corner of his mouth.

Her eyes narrowed, a ting of irritation melded with her scent. With a small huff, she turned around and started in a direction. Her long feet ate the distance.

He watched her leave in the corner of his eyes with amusement bubbling in his chest at her odd behaviour – or rather, he had a hard time understanding her. He wasn’t sure what had lead him to decline her. Every ounce of his demon part had urged him to accept the umbrella, just to get out of the rain for a little while. But the human had put his teeth on edge. She was something he had never encountered before. An unselfish creature who had offered her only source of cover from the cold weather to a stranger that done nothing but to mock her kind gestures. Could something like that truly survive in the world? In his world, she would be thought upon as weak and defected. She would not have last a day before she was devoured. The human world was a different place. He had never been here unsupervised before.

Shinichi closed his eyes. Maybe it had been a mistake to come here. He knew nothing of this world. As a Majin, he was rarely allowed to go anywhere. Naturally, as a disciple of Yusaku the knowledge of all the realms was easily in his grasp. He had studied the philosophy and sciences of this world. He could retell every topic with ease, even the most redundant ones. Facts, however small, was needed to know in order to solve any mysteries. But the human mind? He could not wrap his mind around any emotions that didn’t contain anger, or vengefulness or deceit. Kindness was not a word afflicted with the demonic language.

The scent of spring rain and flowers tickled his nose. Warily, he opened his eyes, knowing before he opened them what he would see. The girl had showed up again, in another 30 seconds she would be here. He groaned inwardly. What does she want with me?

Finally reaching him, she held her hand out. “Here.”

Shinichi glanced down on the object. It was a spare umbrella. His frown deepened.

“Why?” he said simply.

She cocked her head, a warm smile curled on her lips. “You seemed lost.”

Shinichi glanced up in surprise. She was more perceptive then he had given her credit for.

“And?”

She let out a deep sigh. “God, you are insufferable. Just take the damn umbrella.”

He eyed the object carefully. Why are you going to such lengths? He wanted to ask.

“If I’m taking it, there’s a very large chance you’ll never get it back.”

The female hummed in reply. “That fact is already taken into consideration. I’m giving you this umbrella. I don’t have any hopes in getting it back.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And that’s all right with you?”

“Would it help if I called it a gift?”

Shinichi snorted in amusement. “I’m a stranger, why would you give me a gift?”

She paused, before a large smile blossomed on her face. “I’m Mouri Ran, pleasure to meet you. Now that we are acquainted, please take this gift as a late birthday present.”

Shinichi stared at her. What was up with this woman? She seemed to have a strong-willed mind that was used to dealing with arrogance. How could she take him with so appease? He was a demon, he could suck her energy dry without a moment thought. In the grand of things, she was less than an ant under his boots. But here she stood, unafraid, lecturing him about kindness. Not knowing what else to do, he held out his hand.

She moved to put the umbrella into his hand, but did not relinquish her hold. “It’s common curtesy to introduce yourself in response you know.”

He glanced up into her face. Blueish eyes flashed dangerously as cerulean eyes met hers. She was certainly a frightening human. He caved.

“I’m Shinichi.” The dangerous lines around her eyes morphed into a friendly expression. “Nice to meet you Shinichi-san. Happy birthday.” She relinquished her grip on the object, and it fell into his hand.

His fingers curled around it. He blinked. What had just happened? He stared at her. She couldn’t possibly be human, could she? She had to have some drop of supernatural blood in her. He hadn’t felt anything earlier, but there had to be something there. It just had to. He hadn’t just caved to a human. Not him, not one of the disciples of Lord Yusaku. It was ludicrous, and If words ever got to him, he would never live it down.

“What do you say to that?” she had a hand on her hips.

Shinichi stared at her in incredulity. “I’m not going to thank you.”

Ran grinned. “You’re welcome.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I said I wasn’t going to thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”

Shinichi let out an insufferable noise, “whatever. Go away.” He shooed her away with a hand. After stumbling with the contraption, he opened the umbrella. That’s better. He was still wet, his clothes clinging to his body, but at least he had cover from the icy cold water.

“When’s your friend coming?”

Shinichi pursed his lips. “When he gets here,” he answered vaguely. He turned his head away, hoping she would take the hint.

“I’ll wait with you then.”

He stared at her in disbelief for a long moment as something curled in the tip of his stomach. However it didn’t seem as though she noticed his discomfort as she hummed in contentment. Perhaps if he ignored her, she would go away?

“Are you a student somewhere? You don’t seem to be more then seventeen.” She waited several seconds without getting a respond, before continuing talking as if the pregnant pause wasn’t there. “I’m seventeen too. I go to Teitan high. It’s a great place.”

Ran shuffled to stand next to him as their umbrellas brushed against each other. Her eyes glittered where the artificial light from lamps over head reflected off the falling water. “Do you have any hobbies? I’m the captain of Teitan Karate club myself. You seem rather athletic too. Do you do martial arts by any chance?”

This time she stopped talking, and looked at him with expectant eyes. He moved an inch away from here and bit the inside of cheek in confusion. Apparently she could not take a hint, it was time to change his approach to try scare her off.

“I slaughter babies for a living.”

Her bluish eyes widened slightly, before pursing her lips in disapproval. “That’s not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny, Mouri-san.” Shinichi couldn’t keep a sly smile away.

Ran scowled. She was pretty, by human standards he mused. A curious being. One second all sweet smiles, the next all fury and death glares.

“You better not. My dad’s a detective.”

That prickled his curiosity. That certainly explained the tinge of mystery in her scent. The smell of spring rain and flowers. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the smell. She smelled like wet sunflowers, it was a fragrant of being baked in the sun all afternoon before the rain fell, of rustling grass in the wind. Nothing in the nether world could compare to the freshness, of the life her soul sang of. He couldn’t tell if he liked it or not, it was certainly different. Maybe nice in an overly nauseating way. He took another breath for another taste. He froze.

Shinichi’s eyes snapped open. The rich flavour of a mystery coated his tongue. It was spicy and hundred times stronger than anything he had smelled in the netherworld lately. He could practically see it in the air. A shade of periwinkle dancing in the air, beckoning to him. Soon¸ it whispered. Before he knew it, he ran. A yell off “Shinichi” barely reached him in his excitement. If he wanted to see the mystery he had to go now.

The pavement flew under his feet. The streets fell away as the sweet, succulent smell thickened around him. His entire being tingled in anticipation. What ingenious contraptions of plot would unravel to him? He stopped abruptly. A second later a form bumped into him from behind. He did not pay it any attention. His eyes roamed the area. It was here. Something would happen here, he was sure of it. The street was for the most part deserted. Rain pitter-pattered as it hit the concrete. Next to a wall further down the street stood a lone, small figurie.

Rain dripped into Shinichi’s face, he must’ve dropped the umbrella in his excitement. He ignored it, it did not matter anymore. The thick, periwinkle aura filled the air. He could almost hear the euphonious hum. Anticipation trembled through him. Soon, soon. 

“Shinichi!”

Something shook his arm. “What’s the big deal? Why’d you run of like that all of a-“She was cut off abruptly. A black van splashed water all over them as it rushed by.

Shinichi closed his eyes a fraction in order to not get any water into them. Other than that, he ignored it completely. Any discomfort was meaningless in the grand of things. Next to him, Ran muttered a curse. The rustling of clothes told him she was patting her body in order to brush off the mud.

The van screeched to a stop, a second later a man jumped out of it, grabbed the small figure down the road. A scream had Ran looking up in alarm, before the person was dragged into the van. A second later the car started, and it was gone behind the corner before anyone could react.

Huh¸ he mused, how curious. The previous thick air dissolved. Only the shiver of the periwinkle aura remained at the scene. A child just got kidnapped, that certainly explained the sweetness of the scent. He could still smell it, the scent from the child. A girl, she smelled like apple blossoms, something immature but blooming.

Ran gasped.

Oh great, she’s going to scream, he thought crudely. Why had he been in such a hurry instead of spending ten seconds to make sure she was not following him?

 Ran did not scream, instead she calmly picked up her phone, pressed a few buttons and held it to her ear. “Dad? It’s me. There’s been another kidnapping.”

Shinichi looked at her in surprise. Interesting. The human had broken every expectation he had had so far. He paused at her words. Another kidnapping? A small smile tucked on his lips. The game is afoot.

…

An hour later, he found himself sitting in a sofa in Mouri Kogorou’s office. He was ignored for now, as police officers and Ran’s detective father went over the evidence. Ran had a remarkable ability to remember details. It was clear she was used to how investigations progressed. The case was simple. The last couple of weeks, children between the ages of 4 and 9 had been disappearing from the streets. There were no logical patterns as to where and when they struck. Parents were warned to keep their children from going home alone.

Shinichi stroke his chin thoughtfully. Couldn’t be a serial killer, so far no bodies had showed up. With the amount of disappearance there could only be one option. Someone was kidnapping children for human trafficking. Why they had suddenly increased he couldn’t tell. Theory; They are moving to a new location and so grabbing as much merchandises as they could. Second theory; they are desperately need for children for a reason. He glanced at the pictures and documents on the living room table. What was the connection?

“Want some tea?”

He looked up at Ran. He shook his head. He didn’t care much for human food.

She smiled softly in response. “I’m sorry for getting you involved with all this. We haven’t really gotten to talk since the police came.” She scratched her head in embarrassment as she let out a small laugh.

Shinichi waved a hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it.”

His eyes wandered back to the documents. Something niggled on his mind. This room, with all these police officers, echoed of mysteries. Some solved, some unresolved. It clung to their very presence. The smell of coffee and smoke overwhelmed his nose. It would take some time to get used to this in order to differentiate the unique flavour of each officer. He could smell the deceit and lies.

A man in his 40s in the corner was chatting up a pretty, blond forensic. He was cheating on his wife. It was a distinctive odour. A muddy rosewood colour oozed of him, a shade belonging to the characteristic of ‘pink’, but muddy, corrupted. It was disgusting and distracting his thoughts. His hunger flared.

“I forgot to ask earlier, but did you call your friend? It would be bad if he has been waiting outside in the rain for the last hour.”

Shinichi glanced at the girl in confusion. Friend? What is she talking- ah, that. He had completely forgotten. He waved his hand once more in dismissal. He paused. He had two options in front of him. One could get him a step in the door for the investigation. If he lied and told them he was a detective and had in fact been observing the area as he had figured out the culprits would strike there next. It would also give him an alibi as to why he suddenly ran away earlier. Possibly better access to the police resources. On the other hand, that would put him in under the police radar. Figuring out a good backstory in the long run would be difficult.

He glanced at the documents on the table. A second plan was forming in his head, one that would get him away from the police and Ran, but still keep him in the middle of the investigation. There was a gamble of course, but worth a shot. For some reason, the thought of getting the human girl involved churned his stomach. If it didn’t pan out, he could always just find a new mystery, they were bound to pop up sooner or later in his presence. The thought of fleeing felt tasteless. Curiosity burned in his mind. He wanted to solve this crime. No, he wanted to solve all of them.

Making sure to memorize the maps and information, he stood, dropping the towel he had borrowed earlier. His decision was made.

“You are right, I completely forgot about it.” He patted his pocket with a mock frown. “It seems I dropped my phone somewhere.”

Ran frowned in worry. “Maybe you dropped it in our run earlier? We should go look for it.”

He twitched an eyebrow slightly. This girl was just too nice.

“You mean I should go look for it.”

Ran pursed her lips.

He held up her hand before she could respond. “I need the fresh air. This entire debate has been quite shocking, I hope you understand?” He widened his eyes in what I hoped was a distressed expression.

 Ran face fell, a blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. The thought that he might be upset about what transpired in front of him had probably not crossed her mind when he hadn’t reacted accordingly in the first place.

“Of course, my apologies Shinichi-san. Of course you’d want to be alone for a while to collect your thoughts.”

“I’m glad you understand, Mouri-san.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I think I’ve done everything I can to help here, which wasn’t much considering your cognitive skills surpasses mine.”

Her blush deepened. The colour shifting to a soft sherry pink. The tint mirrored in her scent. He let the spring rain and sunflower wash over him for the last time. Such a curious being. So delicate, but so strong. Sunflowers could easily survive being stepped on, the stem too strong to be ripped up by bare hands. He snorted inwardly, it was time to leave if he was getting so semantical already.

“Take care.”

She grabbed his hand before he got two steps away. He turned in surprise. Cerulean eyes met blueish ones in curiosity. Sparks shot up his arm from where she was touching him. How odd. So far the humans had instinctively kept him at an arm’s length. Not even Ran had touched him, accident or otherwise. Hunger flared again. She was an enigma, this girl. However, it was not one he could prey on. Hers was not the kind that hid malevolent intentions. Even the deceit the cheating husband would be an inadequate meal. He would leave those to the lesser demons who preyed specifically on those.

“What?”

The girl avoided his gaze. By now, her entire face burned red.

“Will I-. Will I ever see you again?”

Shinichi widened his eyes in surprise. Had he just heard correctly? Did the female enjoy his company? No one had ever uttered those words to him, not in all the centuries he had lived. What was wrong with this female? She had no survival instinct. It could only compare to a lamb trying to befriend a hungry, flame-eating dragon. Part of him wanted to show her off with a laugh, to ludicrous her. He swallowed down the thought. He had somewhat enjoyed her company. She was alright, for a human. If anyone asked, he’d deny it.

His lips twitched slightly. “Maybe,” he said vaguely. It was all he could say really. His breath hitched slightly when she gave a tender smile in response. The word cute flashed through his head. Before he could even examine the feeling, he left the agency. He couldn’t afford the distraction. He would never see the female again anyways. There was a mystery to solve and a plan to put in action. Everything else fell away as his hunger purred in his ears.

Chapter Text

It was still raining. For days now the weather hadn’t let up. The bitter cold clung oppressive in the air, and the thick clouds made it feel darker than it should. Even in the middle of the afternoon, it felt like dusk. A lone figure walked down an empty street. Every other street light shone already, the rest either dead or missing. Now and again, he would jump over puddles of water in the way. Every step leaving a squeezing sound as water had long since drenched his shoes. He sighed and huddled further into his jacket. Why was it so cold?

The buildings on one side of the street was worn with age. The red was brick sun-bleached. A window on the second floor was broken, the shattered glass left looking like a spider’s web. Adjacent to the building was a run-down children’s playground. The wooden spring-riders – long since worn down by weather, looked shabby and ready to fall apart. The swings were missing a seat, the remaining one creaked loudly as a buff of wind flew by. Nettles and vine covered the seesaws.

Trickles of water dripped into his glasses. He ignored it. If he took them off, he would just smear the water out far worse than it already was. Instead, he settled with covering the hood of his jacket better over his face. It would have to do for now. He stopped by the entrance to the playground.

Empty cans lay scattered and a few burnt down cigarettes lay in a heap on one of the worn-out benches. He wrinkles his nose in disgust. It was apparent kids had long since abandoned the playground. It was now being used as a meeting ground for teenagers and young adults’ nefarious business.

“Oy, bouya.”

His head turned around. A tall man with an ugly scar on his cheek stood on the other side of the street. The streetlight above his head blinked a few times. He was a muscular man with arms that bulged under the army green jacket. His dark short hair stood like nails on his head. The boy didn’t answer. The man narrowed his eyes.

“Yah shouldn’t be ou’ here alone, yah know. Kids been disappearin’ lately.”

The child shifted his weight. “I know. I’m looking for a friend of mine who’s disappeared.” A ting of desperation crept into his voice.

The man stilled. He glanced around, before his eyes settled on the smaller form. “Is tha’ so?”

A packet of cigarettes snuck out from one of his pockets. With a practiced ease he shook it so that one long white stripe popped out. He placed it in his mouth, the other hand already twitching the lighter open. He took a deep puff. The child eyed him warily. A small grin settled on his lips.

“Want one?”

He held the package out. The boy stared in surprise. There was a long pause, before he replied with a small voice.

“I don’t think I’m allowed.”

He snorted in amusement. “If I’d listen to whatever people told me not tah do, I’d be bored tah death.”

The child did not reply. He kept staring at him with those hypnotic, cerulean eyes. Weird kid¸ he mused to himself. He could not be more than six or seven, but his eyes seemed older. Musta seemed somethin’ ‘orrible in ‘is short life tah look like tha’. He took another puff.

The clothes were clinging to the small body, soaked through the fabric ages ago. Now and again, a small shiver would rake through the small form. His face was mostly obscured by a hood, only the glare of the glasses visible. Every time the streetlight blinked, the few seconds in the darkness, the glare disappeared and he looked into cerulean orbs.

“Yah look cold.”

The child snorted. “Way to state the obvious.”

The man paused as he eyed him carefully. A small grin tucked on his lips. Oh, he liked this kid. He had guts.

“Let me rephrase tha’. Don’t’ ye want te ge’ ou’ of te cold?”

“Don’t you?”

The reply came quickly, almost flippantly in defiance. He grunted in agreement. He puffed at the cigarette. The bespectacled boy and man eyeing each other warily. After a wary minute, the child spun around and started down the street.

The man tensed. Shit. He threw the cigarette with a flick and started after him. Feet splashed through the puddles. The water leaking into his shoes. He swore. Even with the head start, the meters between them shortened as his longer strides ate the distance. The boy glanced behind him, eyes visible widened from the sight. The man was now grinning openly. An arm shot out, the fingers curled into claws as he grew nearer.

He grabbed after him, fingers nearly scraping the cloth around his neck as the child ducked. A second later, a small foot collided with his knee. He grunted in surprise. Crafty bastard. The boy rolled out of his sight, he barely got the glimpse of a now mud-covered back before the child got to his feet and ran back in the direction he came from.

This earned him a few seconds, as the crook took his time to turn around on his still aching foot. He growled. This hunt was no longer amusing him.

“Ge’ back ‘ere, ye brat.”

His only respond was a flick of a finger before the boy turned left into the playground. The now recovered man, ran after him. He stood by the entrance, taking a deep breath. Eyes scanned the area. No sign of the child anywhere. He clenched a fist.

“Come ou’ wherever yer at. I’m not gonna hurt yeh.”

There was no movement, only the rustling of grass and the creaking of the old swings filled the silence. He narrowed his eyes. He had to be here somewhere. A movement in his peripheral had him turning around, the sound of something hitting gravel. He grinned. No one was that stupid as to fall for that. He fainted interest as his step started in that direction, a second later the sound of small feet hitting the pavement had him turning around. He had expected that. He lunged.

The child tensed as he realized he was found out. With the last of his strength, he sprinted for the entrance.

A large body blocked his view, strong arms shot out to wrap a scrap of cloth over his mouth. He resisted, small hands tried to push the arm away, but for every second that passed, the struggling diminished. After 10, the small body relaxed as cerulean eyes fell shut. The man grabbed his shoulder before he could slide to the wet gravel. He picked up the small body. It weighted almost nothing.

A large hand stroke a few strands of hair away from the small, delicate face. He grunted in approval. It was quite a catch. Finally, he could get out of the rain. He swung out of the playground and started down the street.

…

The scent of a something sweet and chemical lingered in his nose. It had filled his head with a drowsy hum. He had never had any personal experience with chloroform, but the smell was unmistakable. It did not have any effect on him, but he had let his borrowed body fall into the forced slumber while keeping his awareness intact. It had been a child’s play to find an overlooked kid between the age of four and nine in one of the cities many orphanages. It had taken him less than two hours to track down a suitable host. It had not been a necessary precaution, but after a few days of playing bait, he was glad he took it. It was easier to hide his demonic nature as he didn’t have to consciously suppress his presence. In just a few hours now, the child would walk back into the orphanage unharmed, with a few days of memories missing. Whoever was in charge would most likely assume he ran away or had been caught by the kidnappers. Either way, it was not anything he had to worry about.

The car came to a stop; the momentum rolled his head into something with a soft ‘thump’. With the body currently sleeping, any sensation of pain did not register. They had not been driving for more than half an hour. The motor fell silence. He could hear the murmur of a conversation in the distance. He tried focusing on the words, however, it was a difficult task without stirring the child from his slumber. He let it go, it was not important. He waited in silence. The faint smell of saltwater and dust surrounded him.

The door opened. The familiar scent of something that could only be described as a mixture of wet-dog and smoke was the first thing that hit him, before he was picked up by ruff hands. He dangled motionless in the air for a long minute. He wished he could open his eyes and see whoever it was that scrutinized him. A flicker of uncertainty floated in the top of his mind. Had he chosen the bait poorly? He had been careful in his pickings in order to fit the criteria the culprit seems to have when it came to choosing their victims. If they decided they did not want him, there was nothing he could do to stop them before it was too late. There was always the possibility of leaving the body, but that would mean exposing himself to the humans. He would not take that chance. It was not like they could hurt him or anything, but it would definitely be a drawback in his investigation.

There was a sound of approval somewhere near his ear. He frowned inwardly. The voices around him were distorted. He had miscalculated when he had decided to feint. Next time he would be careful to only feign sleep. He had not thought human bodies would get so helpless so quickly. What a bother.

A breath of wind told him they were moving, carrying him to a cell or a room he mused. The scent of dozens of people overwhelmed him. He ignored them all as the distinguish succulent fragrance of a mystery hit him. He would have inhaled sharply if he could. It danced on his taste buds and hummed seductively to his senses. His hunger flared. He was starving. Without meaning to, his powers leaked out to stretch across the room. The room blossomed with colours behind his eyelids as he came in contact with it. It was not ripe yet, still cooking, not yet ready to be devoured. However, the hunger purred in his ears. Just a little bit, just a taste, it enticed.

Something shifted in the air. He froze. There was something there. Something that did not belong here. The surprise snapped him out of the hypnosis and he quickly rained in his control. Something lurked in the corner of the building. It gave him a bad after taste.

What is that? He mused. It was somewhat familiar. However, in his current state he could not analyse it properly. It could wait for now. He was not in a hurry.

There was a sound of a door opening, the sound echoed in the, what he deduced was a large, room. Key’s jangled, the metal creak of a door, and he was suddenly thrown into a hard mattress. A soft groan escaped his lips. A second later, a door slammed shut.

The rustling of clothes and the faint familiar scent of apple blossoms invaded his senses. It took him a few seconds to recognize the smell. Must be the child I saw kidnapped a few days ago. Something warm touched his fringes and a small, worried voice murmured something incoherent. He decided it was time to wake up. He poked at the bobble of unconsciousness laying heavy on his mind. Slowly, but surely he started to be aware of his surroundings. The gruff mattress bit into his back, and the cold air made him shiver. He fletched his fingers before his eyelids stirred. He opened his eyes.

The first thing that met him was baby-blue eyes filled to the brim with tears. The redness in her eyes told him the person had been crying for hours and then some. His pupils dilated to get a better look through the darkness. It was a little girl between six and seven of age. With short brown hair and a yellow ribbon. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed he was awaken. She rubbed her eyes to hide the fact she had been crying.

“Why are you crying?” he asked softly before he could stop himself. What purpose could she have for spending so much time and energy crying when she could focusing on getting out? The girl sniffed slightly.

“Because you got caught by the mean men too.”

He frowned as confusion bubbled in his chest. She’s crying for my sake? What an odd idea. It made no sense, they were not acquainted. He spent a second riffling through the boy’s short memories. Yeah, they definitely did not know each other. Another human he could not comprehend.  

“Have they hurt you?” He asked instead. Better focus on subjects he did understand. The reasons for kidnapping so many children still evaded him. He sat slowly up, the room spun slightly before settling. He must still be affected by the chloroform.

The girl shook her head. “They leave us alone for the most part.”

He nodded slightly, his eyes already wandering. It seemed they were in a warehouse. Metal cages filled one side. Some were filled with two or three children huddled together to seek warmth from the cold, others lay empty. The other side from where he could see were filled with boxes and crates, two cars could be seen by the outdoor entrance. A small stair led up to a door, presumably were he had been carried down earlier. Three cameras were attached to separate parts of the ceiling.

“I’m A-ayumi.”

He glanced back at the girl, she seems to have calmed down a bit. He was glad to see it, he did not fancy dealing with hysterical children.

“Edogawa Conan.”

He paused. That was not his name. Somehow, it seems fitting. The name niggled on his mind. It sounded familiar somehow. It clicked in his head a second later. It was the name of his host. He snorted slightly. Poor kid, he must have been bullied with a weird name like that. He decided to keep using it. He was Edogawa Conan right at this moment. Conan started to rise, only to have his feet wobble. He slid back down to the ground with a small ‘thud’.

“Ahhh!” Ayumi almost yelled as she shifted to steady him. “Don’t try walking just yet. You just woke up. The sweet sleeping cloth makes your head all fuzzy.” She vibrated around him, her face crumpled up in worry. It would have been amusing if it were not true.

I miscalculated. This body is too frail. I should have picked an older specimen.  

The periwinkle scent filled his vision, it was made up from the mixture of all the children caught. If he concentrated, he could tell the individual residue of Ayumi's apple blossoms: ice-cream and the beach, vanilla and salt, sun-baked soil and fresh carrots. Together they put the flavour in the periwinkle mystery. It laid thick on his tongue. He would feast on the kidnappers soon, the only thing that was needed in order to mature it was to figure out a way to free the children from the cages. Conan stood, slowly to make sure the trembling legs would hold him this time. They did.

He sauntered over to the cell door. He inspected the lock. I could easily break it open. The cameras are the problem. He glanced in their direction. He could not afford being picked up by the cameras. Another option was deleting them afterwards. There was always the option of leaving this body. However, that would have to be plan B. No fun if he used his demonic abilities, it would spoil the fun. He had also grown attached to this small form in the last few days. The other issue was whatever he had sensed previously. Whatever it was, it could not be anything good.

“Ne, Ayumi. Where do they usually keep the keys for these?”

The girl looked up startled. “Ehm, I've only ever seen them carrying them around.”

“Same key for all cages?” He tried remembering if he had heard the sound of a keychain, but the distorted dream state had warped most of what he had heard.

 Ayumi nodded. “I think so. But the door in to the building doesn't have key.”

Conan nodded sharply. An electric lock. Depending on the type of lock, it could be a bother. His eyes wander to the door, he could not see well in the distance, but it looked like some kind of panel was attached to it. If it were a coded or simple card mechanism, it would be child's game. Knock a guard down, steal his keys. He doubted a coded door would be too hard for him either. It was a simply trick of dusting the key panels to see which keys where used the most and work on from there.

“Are you going to get us out?” The girl's voice trembled with a mixture of hope and despair. Her eyes glittered a little with the first sign of life since he had arrived.

He stared at the girl for a long moment in curiosity: she was foolishly putting her faith in a stranger that could misuse her trust for nefarious gains. Only humans trusted without conditions. He would never understand them. “I promise,” he replied – her cooperation would help finish this whole ordeal quicker.

“They'll punish you.”

A small voice interrupted their conversation. Ayumi jumped in surprise, she must have forgotten there were more people around. Conan turned to the voice. It was an older boy of about 9 years old. His round face was pressed to metal grills as he stared at them from the adjacent cell.

“You aren’t the first one trying to escape you know. They take the kids who are a bother and take them somewhere.”

“Do you know where?”

The boy shook his head, his reddish shade of brown hair dangled in his face as he did. “They don't come back,” he muttered.

Conan frowned. This did not seem like a normal human trade operation. What were they doing with the children? There had to be a reason? The longer he stayed, the more questions he had. There was another mystery here to be solved. Underneath the periwinkle of the missing children hid something else. Something darker. It prickled on his mind. It was a putrid smell, but it was just out of his reach. What was he missing? What had he overlooked?

He snapped back to the present when Ayumi shook his arm. He looked at her with a sharp look. She blinked in surprise, a small blush blossomed on her cheek as she let him go.

“Sorry,” she mumbled as her eyes fell to the floor. Almost protectively she slung her arms around her form as a tremble raked through her body.

Conan sighed and reign back his annoyance with a flicker of his hand through his hair. “What did you want Ayumi?”

She kept her eyes down. Her lip trembled slightly as she stood there almost submissively. It took him a moment to realize she was scared. Conan frowned. Something was wrong with this picture; he had only given her a sharp look. Why would she be afraid of him? He glanced at the boy by the metal grills. The older boy had tensed, his hands gripping the barrier. His nostrils vibrated slightly. Conan could read the flight or fight reflex clear in his face. His frown deepened. They couldn't possibly have figured out what he was, could they? Children were more sensitive when it came to the supernatural. But they couldn't possibly know. His cover was impeccable.

Conan's face twisted into a scared expression.

“What's wrong?” He looked around quickly, eyes round as they darted around, trying to look for the hidden danger. He made his hands shook slightly to imitate their fear.  He noticed his peripheral that Ayumi's head shot up in surprise.

 She hesitated. A hand twitched as the natural mother instinct kicked in in the six year old girl as she wanted to reassure him, but something was keeping her at bay. A quick, uncertain glance with the other boy, and her will hardened.

“It's nothing, it's nothing,” the girl pulled him into a hug. More to reassure herself then him, he mused. He let his muscles relax slightly. He snorted inwardly. Humans. Regardless of the age and gender, they will always react to a child’s fear.

The other boy looked at them with a calculated expression. “Don't get to close, Ayumi. He could be one of them.”

Ayumi let him go and turned to glare at the other boy. “Don't say that Suzaku-kun. Conan-kun is different. They wouldn't have put one of their own in here.”

Conan blinked. Well, this was certainly getting interesting.

Suzaku's suspicious glare grew. “It could be a trap, to figure out what we know. Who knows what other spies are in here already?” He looked around quickly to make sure no one was listening and lowered his voice. “They could be anywhere. Even in the walls. My dad says walls have ears.”

Ayumi looked back and forward between them. Conan cocked his head, his curiosity now deepening. Who were they? Were they talking about the kidnappers in general or?

 “Well, I chose to trust Conan-kun.” Ayumi replied rebelliously.

The boy narrowed his eyes, suspicion glittered in his eyes. “If you die, don't come crying back to me.”

“I won’t.” The little girl stuck her tongue out. Conan glanced at her. What was up with female humans and trusting him after knowing each other for five minutes? Was it a common trait to trust strangers? Or had he just chosen a face that looked trustworthy? Whichever the answer was, it went unanswered.

“Who are they?”

Conan glanced back at the boy, of the two, he seemed to be the one who knew the most. Suzaku pursed his lips. He smelled of metal and melons, a curious mixture, but somewhat fitting. The rust-coloured hair stood in spikes. He was definitely a fierce and protective person. The boy hesitated for a long minute, before coming to the decision that there was nothing to gain to keep the information to themselves.

“Some of the grown-ups are,” he hesitated again.

Ayumi continued for him. “They are wrong.”

Conan frowned. “Wrong?” He mused loudly. “How can someone be wrong?”

Suzaku bit his lip and fidgeted. “They feel odd. Oily.”

Ayumi nodded in agreement. “They go about bossing the others around. They are mean.”

“They are the one who take the children that never come back,” Suzaku muttered with a soft voice.

The girl abruptly turned away from them, stopping the conversation as a small hand came up to rub her eyes. And Conan was left with an increasing bubbling confusion as Ayumi sniffled from what he could only describe as sadness for the lost souls. However illogical that sounded to his demonic mind.

Conan hummed slightly as the new information twirled in his head. Human that feels wrong to children? What could... ah. Why had the thought not crossed his mind earlier? He felt like bashing his head in with something. How could he be so stupid? It explained everything he had sensed since he stepped into the warehouse.

Conan grabbed his chin between thumb and index finger. His glasses flashed slightly as he angled his face downwards. This could be problematic. He had not considered the involvement of demons. A foolish mistake. Of course he wasn't the only one up here looking for a meal. The question was, what kind of demon? Something that fed on children or their energies?

Whatever the answer was, it did not matter. He had found a satisfying mystery, and he would not let it out of his grip for anything. He needed more information or process this before making his move. One wrong move, and he could have his arse hauled back to the nether world. He refused to leave before this was resolved. The most important question was thus, did they know he was here? Had they recognized him? If so, this could quickly escalate into a dangerous situation. He glanced at the children. If necessary, he would sacrifice their lives. The thought rang a bad taste in his mouth. Regardless of his nature, he was not a blood thirsty killer. However, if the situation needed, he would not hesitate to take lives for the sake of his own survival.

“How many are there?”

Suzaku glanced towards Ayumi before fixating his eyes on Conan as he replied with more gusto then the boy clearly felt. “Four or five.”

This time, Ayumi turned back to face them. Her eyes were a little more puffy then before as she stuttered out a warning. “And t-the boss. He's scary.”

Conan cocked his head in curiosity. “Scary how?”

Suzaku, noticing Ayumi's discomfort, answered for her. “Sometimes, the shadows moves and make it looks like he have a beak.” He moved his hands in front of his face to imitate a beak. Interesting. If they had animal features it was more likely not a Majin. That brought good news to him. At least he could not be eaten.

“It feels sometimes like he can look through you.” Ayumi wrapped her arms around herself. “It's oily and cold.” She sniffed as she trembled in fright. Suzaku nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, it's w-weird. They are all wrong.” He narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion as he regarded Conan again. “You felt like that for a second there too.”

Conan bristled. He did not feel oily. It was a blow to his pride and an insult. He was far above such weak demons. He suppressed the urge to sneer. The child did not mean it as an insult, he knew. But the defensive urge still shook through him. He clenched a fist. Control yourself, if the children can feel you then the devil know they will too. He took a deep breath as a put a better reign on his residue. Suzaku still stared at him with narrowed eyes. It did not seem like he had sensed him this time around. Good.

Conan sat down back on the hard mattress, the springs bit into the tender flesh. There was not anything he could do now but to wait. He needed to gather some more information. He had time to wait.

…

Ayumi's breath came out in deep, soft puffs. Every now and again she would twitch in order to find a more comfortable position. The tweaking however, did not rouse her from her sleep. A few meters away, Suzuku let out a snore. He had fallen asleep with his back pressed to the metal. Conan stretched slightly. He was cold and hungry. They had come with dinner a few hours ago. He had not eaten anything, letting Ayumi and Suzaku share his plate. The human food could not placate his hunger. The children needed it more. Not long after the dinner, the lights had been put out. One by one, the children had fallen into a restless sleep. The food had most likely been drugged.

Conan sighed. A spring was biting into his back. He did not move, he had to pretend he was asleep. His mind puzzled through the pieces of what had happened so far. A group of humans working under the direct order of demons had been kidnapping children from the street. He had a hunch of the reason and the culprit behind it. Getting himself kidnapped had been quite enlightening. He chuckled darkly at the thought.

The creaking sound of a door opening snapped him out of his thoughts. If he had not been listening for it, he might’ve missed the faint sound. He inhaled the smell softly, finally a chance to properly investigate their scent. His mouth watered. It smelled like mulberries, a mixture between grape and blackberries. Bitter but sweet. In his mind the mulberry colour stretched itself across the warehouse, the periwinkle from the children shrank away from the hostility. Now, this was a mystery worth eating. Instead of the previously soft hum that tingled through him, this was a song. He arched slightly as it rolled through him, setting every nerve in a pleasant fire. He was so hungry. He wasn’t even near it yet, but see how he reacted? He did not regret for a moment coming to the human world if it meant he could bask in this.

Conan clenched his hands. Not yet, Shinichi. Patience. It was not time just yet, he had to wait a little longer. Still, the urge to reach out for a taste was too strong. It filled his nose to a point where every other sensation drowned out.

“So you are here after all. I thought I sensed something earlier.”

He froze. Dammit. He had been too careless. He opened his eyelids slightly. Standing by the door stood four men. He relaxed. They knew he was there, but he did not know where just yet. He studied the three men and a woman. They were all dressed in black. How original, he thought drily. He could not see them well from this angle and distance, but the man with the short blond hair and a large nose seemed to be the leader. The man stepped further into the room, eyes taking in the sleeping form of the children with a speculative look.

An oily, musk sensation prickled over his skin. Conan swallowed in disgust. They really do feel oily. The man was obviously trying to pick him out from the herd. The feeling intensified. Next to him, Ayumi whimpered in pain. He did not dare glance at her in case the movement would be caught. It would have been child play to push the power away, however, that would destroy his cover. He growled inwardly.

The sound of steps echoed through the room. Something twisted in his stomach. He gasped and curled into a small ball. Suzaku cried somewhere. The sound of whimpering children filled the room. He’s hurting all of them¸ the realization shot through him. That’s why the children are so afraid. The pain intensified, it felt like his lunges were on fire as each breath got harder and harder to draw. The children were fortunate to be asleep.

“Found you.”

A voice whispered, the tone sounding amused. Conan’s eyes snapped opened. The short, blond haired man stood by the cell door. Now that all pretence vanished, he pushed at the power surrounding him. It dissolved like a piece of paper in a forest fire. He took a trembling breath as his lunges remembered how to inhale oxygen. Ayumi’s whimpers died out.

Surprise flickered through his captive’s face. “You are stronger than I thought.”

Conan did not respond, he rolled over on his stomach and slowly lifted his upper body. His arms shook slightly as he sat up.

“Imagine my surprise when I found out we’ve picked up a stray,” the man hummed slightly. “Careless of us. Nonetheless, I’ll have to punish Ryhuhobo for overlooking you. The human who found you can’t be hold responsible. What stupid cattle.” His tongue clicked loudly as it echoed.

Conan did not answer. His head felt fuzzy. He should not have kept his shields down for so long. The hunger had weakened him. The disjointed scent of the two mysteries swirling around him made it hard to concentrate when all he could thing about was food. Something must have read on his face for a second later the blond let out a hollow laugh.

“Got enticed by the smell of food, didn’t you? You weak, thoughtless demons deserves to be eaten by us further up the food chain. Just like these pathetic human beings.” He sneered, twisting his otherwise handsome appearance into something ugly.

Conan could smell him now. Earlier, the mulberry had covered him in blankets, masking anything individual. But now, he could smell the mountainsides and sun baked turned singed grass. His nostrils flared. 

“What, you can’t talk?”

Conan grunted in annoyance. This demon was talking too much. He had better things to consider. There was something familiar about this scent. He knew what it was, but from where? His eyes flickered from the demon towards his accomplishes still waiting by the door. The demon hissed in displeasure, obviously not used to be ignored. The shadows shifted in his face, and a long, black beak emerged. Conan’s eyes snapped back to him. So I was right. A small smile curled on his lips. The smell of mulberry intensified, the song sending shivers through him. This mystery is on the tip of my tongue. A small gasp escaped his lips in anticipation.

The beaked demon took the expression for one of fear. His grin grew.

“So you figured it out then? How much in a deep of trouble-“

“You talk too much.”

His jaw hung open, before shutting close with an audible ‘click’. Displeasure twisted in his face. “How dare you insult me, you slow-witted baboon. I should just devour you instead.”

Tendrils of oil-coloured energy erupted from around the man and stretched towards Conan in an alarming speed. He grinned and ducked his face. The glasses flashed in the darkness. The energy fell off an invisible barrier before it could hit him. He barely felt the impact on his shields. He rose slowly, no longer hiding his mischievous smirk.

“You are mistaken, Daitengu. The one who’s going to be devoured here is you.”

The beaked demon took a step back from the door. A flicker of fear shone in his face.

“W-what are you?”  

“Maybe I should explain how I know who you are first,” his purring voice echoed. His entire body trembled with anticipation. Soon, soon. “The first clue was the missing children, but no bodies have been found. There are a lot of demons who prey on their meat or their essence. Some even kidnap human children and raise them and twist them into dangerous beings. They are easily ruled out however, so many children wouldn’t have disappeared. Very few get a kick out of just taking them. As long as the kids never return back home, you can easily feed on the pain from their parents. As for your species, it was child’s play to figure out. If you cross-match your appearance and your smell. You can only be Tengu demons. The scent of scorched forest is unmistakable. Am I wrong so far?”

The colour in Daitengu drained slowly as he kept talking. He took the silence as confirmation.

“So you set up this nice little gang. Take children from the street and sell them to law bidding demons hiding on the surface. Easy cash, easy food.” Conan narrowed his eyes. “You are wrong though, the police have been narrowing you in. You’ve been careless.”

Anger radiated from the other demon. “The humans? Bah. They are too stupid to notice anything!”

Fury soared through his tiny body. What a careless, arrogant, being. If he got to run wild any longer, he would expose the supernatural to the humans. That was the one rule that was not to be broken, not under any circumstances. He sneered. Daitengu froze in fear.

“That’s enough. You and the rest of your gang of Tengus’ will abolish this trade immediately and return to the netherworld for your punishment.”

The beaked demon bristled. A gleam of defiance growing in his eyes. “And what if I don’t?”

A cold smirk grew on his lips. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Before the demon could react, he finally let loose his tender control on his hunger. There was a moment of silence when nothing happened, then, a burst of energy shot through him in glee. Thick coils attached itself around Daitengu. Like a dam opening, the flavour soared through him. It singed every molecule of his being, the song loud in his head, drowning everything around him. Every taste, every energy consumed, replenished his strength, making the sweet mulberry taste draw out from the beaked demon faster. His vision whitened. This was thousand more powerful than anything he had eaten in decades. The mixture of humanity and demonic cruelness left such a sweet, succulent taste. He drowned in every sensation.

“Stop. By the devil, please stop.”

The hoarse whimpered nearly went him by. Conan opened his eyes slightly, his mouth opened in a breathless pant. Daitengu lay on the floor, gasping in pain. In just the few moments that had gone by, his flesh had gone hollow. If it continued like this, he would die. Conan arched slightly as waves pulsed through him, he was still drawing energy from the room. The demons, being the centre of the energy, were all affected. Something niggled in his head, something whispering him to stop. But he didn’t care. He was feasting. He wanted to devour everything so this experience would never stop. It was exhilarating and addicting.

“We’ll go back. I promise. Please stop.”

The begging voice barely penetrated the fog of pleasure in his mind. Slowly, the rational part of his mind stirred. That’s enough, it murmured, barely audible in the swirl of music. He did not want to. He wanted to devour it all, every bit, consequences be damned. He had waited too long for this. That's enough.

 He snarled, the sound otherworldly in his throat. Something tugged on his hair, it took him a few seconds to notice it was his own hand. The song diminished slightly in his head as the pain penetrated the fog. Focus Shinichi, focus. He gasped. Not yet, please, not yet. He did not want to stop. The mulberry danced in his mind, the periwinkle twirled in his eyes. He tasted apple blossoms.

Conan tensed, his eyelids opened slowly. He had not noticed the whimpering that filled the air. Next to him, Ayumi was curled into a ball. Tears fell from her closed eyes. A trail of periwinkle trailed from her, the energy drawn to him as he absorbed it. He was feeding on the children too. That mystery was connected to them. He took a trembling breath. He had not noticed. He should have, that was why the sensations were so powerful, so addicting. If this continued, they would be devoured with the demons.

Conan arched. He tasted rust and sea water and sand and ice-cream. It was delicious, the taste of innocence. He had never felt anything like this before. His focus shifted as he regarded this new sensation. Bright colours lit his insides. Wrong. The sound clang through his mind. He flinched from the tone.

“I have to stop,” he mumbled softly. He could not take this much, it was too much. It could drive him insane. There was a reason he was not allowed to enter this realm. It was too tempting, too much. He could sense activity outside the docs; he could smell the sleeping people living in apartment complex in the distance, of the slightly burned coffee in a fire department. If he wanted to, he could reach out to all of them, he could devour their essence and no one would be able to stop him. The ever-greedy part of him wanted it all. Who cared if they did not have the perfect flavour of mystery? In the grand of things it would overwhelm his senses regardless.

Something trickled down his skin. Almost absentminded he took a hand to his skin, barely feeling the sensation. He looked at his hand. There was something sticky and warm coating them. I'm bleeding?' The thought crossed his mind sluggishly. Why am I-. Realization jolted through him. At this rate, he would burn his host. The human bodies were not meant to host this amount of power. That, if anything, brought him back to himself.

Conan closed his eyes, his jaw set in determination. He pushed against the torrent of sensations in his mind. The greed in him fought back. – It all, I want it all. He gritted his teeth. He would not let the demonic part of him win. Enough. He pulled the plug.

Conan stumbled, the song dissolved abruptly, leaving him feeling cold and alone. He crumbled. He pressed his head against the cold surface. That’s it Shinichi, slow breaths. He concentrated on his breathing.

“What are you?”

He opened an eye slowly to regard Daitengu. Still alive, huh? The euphoria withdrew slowly. Replenished power soared through him, crinkling under his skin, barely contained. He slowly sat up and turned to regard the other demon.

Daitengu looked like a mess. His eyes were hollow as they followed Conan's every movements. He smelled of fear. Conan grunted slightly.

“You are not a low ranked demon at all, are you?”

Conan's lip twitched slightly, and he rolled his shoulder blade till it gave a short click. “Depends on what you mean by that concept.”

The demon shook his head. Clothes rustled as he moved. He bowed his head down to the floor. “If I'd known, I'd be more than willing to give you a child to feed on, on the house of course.” His voice trembled slightly, but the words came out with a strong tone.

Conan shook his head, an expression of disgust flickering in his youthful features. “I'd decline. I don't feed on the essence of children.”

The Tengu froze, he moved his head slightly so he could stare at him with a confused expression. “What were you feeding on? Only the...” His voice fell silent as his eyes widened. “No,” he mumbled, “you can't possibly-“

Conan waved a hand to cut him off. “It doesn't matter. I spared your life. You better keep your end of our bargain. I spared your life for now. That doesn't mean I will if you are still here in a few minutes.”

The beaked demon looked at him thoughtful. He sat up slowly, whether it was because he did not have the energy for anything else or not to make any threatening movements, went unsaid. He nodded, craning his neck in order to make it look slightly like a bow.

“Naturally, how gracious of you, milord. Forgive our mishap.”

Conan waved his hand in dismissal. The formality an annoyance, but something he was used to. There was another silence between them. Suddenly Daitengu's eyes flared a dark green shade, and he collapsed on the ground, unconscious. In the distance, Conan heard the bodies of the four other demons hit the ground with a 'thud'. He was alone.

Conan sighed. What a mess. He crept over to the door and thrust his hand between metal stems. He grabbed at the clothes of the unconscious ex-possessed man. A minute spent digging through his pockets, and he fished up a key.

Chapter Text

Conan sighed. What a mess. He crept over to the door and thrust his hand between metal stems. He grabbed at the clothes of the unconscious ex-possessed man. A minute spent digging through his pockets, and he fished up a key.

He stood and shoved it into the keyhole. He twisted his hand, a second later the door opened with a soft ‘click’. He sighed in relief. Thank the devil it worked. He opened the door and withdrew the key. Conan turned to the other occupant in the little cell. With quick steps he crouched down to the sleeping form and reached out as he gently shook her shoulder.

“Ayumi. Wake up.”

The girl’s head bobbed slightly as she shook, but she did not stir. Conan sighed. Naturally it wouldn’t be this easy. He closed his eyes slightly as he held the palm of his hand pressed against her forehead. Slivers of violet energy sparkled across his palm before sinking into the pale skin. A moment later, Ayumi’s eyes shot up. She gasped in surprise, her pupils widening in fear before she recognized him.

He let his hand fall back. No noticeable nerve damaged on the kids at least. Relief flooded throw him. He couldn’t possibly have explained away the situation if the kids had all died on him. That would’ve have been one awkward conversation. The thought made him chuckle darkly.

Ayumi blinked slightly, before a small hand came up to rub a hand in her eyes.

“What happened?”

She sat up slowly. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the open door and the man laying unconsciously on the floor. She gasped. Conan followed her eyes as he regarded the situation. He looked back at her and gave an awkward laugh.

“Everyone seems to have suddenly fallen asleep, so I picked his pocket. Look!” He fished up the key and showed her it. Ayumi regarded him with large now, this time in awe.

“Really? We can get out now. We can all leave.”

Excitement shone in her face as she grabbed the key from his hand. She almost tripped as she ran out of the door to the next cell. Struggling for a few seconds, she shoved the door open. It hit the metal barriers with a ‘clink’. The sound echoed in the room. Conan flinched slightly and covered his left ear.

“Careful Ayumi,” he hissed. “You don’t want to wake the grown-ups.”

The girl paled. “Sorry Conan-kun,” she yelled whispered. A tone only children have narrowed down to an art. She ran into the cell and crouched next to the sleeping rust-haired boy.

“Suzaku, wake up. We can leave now.”

The boy did not stir. Conan sighed, his head fell forward. Do I have to wake up all of them? Waves of annoyance shook through him. He did not particularly fancy using his replenished energies for that task. He stepped towards the two children and reached to put his palm on Suzaku’s forehead.

“Go open the other doors, Ayumi. I’ll wake them up.”

The girl hesitated but nodded. She stood and left the cell to open the next one. Conan regarded the sleeping boy. He let a sliver of energy accumulate in his palm. Instead of shooting it through the child, he concentrated on a larger mass. A second later, the energy dripped from his hand as it sparkled on the ground in different directions. One sliver slithered over Suzaku before disappearing from view. For a long minute, nothing happened. Conan frowned. Had he miscalculated the spell?

A hand grabbed his wrist. He recoiled in surprise. Dark eyes fluttered open to stare at him intently. Conan arched an eyebrow.

“Morning sleepy-head. Mind releasing me?”

Suzaku’s eyes wandered down to stare at where he was holding Conan’s wrist. A small blush blossomed in his cheeks and he recoiled his hand as though burned. Conan mumbled a thank you and stood. By now, the other children had started to stir too. Mumbles of confusion and surprise filled the room. Ayumi kept opening the doors and beamed at everyone.

Conan left his cell. He stepped over the unconscious form blocking the door. Somewhere behind him he heard Suzaku ask Ayumi what had happened. Conan ignored them and started in the direction of the door. His eyes regarded the sleeping ex-demons to make sure they were still sleeping as he passed them. He eyed the door from the steps of the stairs.

The door was startlingly white in the dimmed room. Everything else in the room seemed faded and old, but this, this was a newly constructed item. A shiny box stood on the right side of the door. A red light shone slightly. It had a keyboard with numbers ranking from zero to nine. I was right. It was a coded padlock.

“How are we going to get through that?”

Conan jumped in surprise. He had not heard him following him. He shot a glance at the boy who regarded him with a curious and somewhat calculating gaze. Conan twitched an eyebrow. He looked around. There had to be something he could use. He eyed the card boxes stacked neatly by the wall.

If I’m lucky.

“Ne, Suzaku-kun. Check one of their pockets and see if any of them have a lighter.”

He barely saw Suzaku’s questioning look before he started towards the boxes. There was two things people always needed. If he was lucky, he could find both of them. He stood on his toes as he stretched his arms to open the first box. It was filled with canned food. He picked up a can of pineapples and moved to the other one.

“Found one!”

Conan grunted in acknowledgement as he looked through the third box. In the bottom he found his price. A relieved sound escaped his lips. He picked it up and backtracked his steps. Suzaku handed him the lighter.

“What are you going to do with that?

Conan flashed him a grin. “Just wait and see.”

He sat down on the tip of the stairs. He opened the canned box and handed it to Suzaku. By now, several of the other kids had wandered over to them.

“Make sure you guys eat what’s in it. If you want more there is a box in the corner.”

The children did not need to be asked twice. They were all hungry, not starving, but still hungry. He was handed the box back after a few seconds. Some of the older children had already picked up the card box and started handing it out. Next, he selected the lighter and brought the flame under the can. The next few minutes were filled with hushed voices and chewing as the kids dug into the food. The metal felt warm under his fingertips. It did not bother him. Conan turned the can. The underside was blackened with soot.

“Can I have another empty can?”

One was handed to him. He nodded his thanks and put it down on his knees. Bits of something unrecognizable bobbed in an orange coloured juice. He scowled.

“I said empty.”

“You should eat something Conan-kun.”

He looked up at Ayumi’s worried eyes.

“Yeah. You did not eat anything last time either. You gave us your dinner.”

Suzaku frowned at him. Conan sighed in exasperation. Why did they had to be so… so human?

“Fine, fine.”

He stuffed his mouth with the oily bits and swallowed without tasting it. That done, he got rid of the liquid. He wiped the inside dry with the corner of his sleeve. He picked up the first can and used the lid to scrape the soot into the now dry can. Satisfied with the amount, he put it away. He picked up the last item. It was a box of laundry powder. Specifically, laundry powder containing stark. He ripped the lid open and poured a small amount into the can containing the soot. He ripped the bottle ring from the lid of the can and used it to stir the contents together.

Suzaku and Ayumi was practically vibrating in excitement and curiosity. Thankfully, they held their tongue, letting him work in silence. After a minute of stirring, he rose. Anticipation filled the room like thick smoke as the children fell quiet as they regarded him with large eyes. Every step taken up the stairs echoed in the room. His neck hair stood. A slight shiver trembled through him. Those eyes were unnerving. He came to a stop on the top of the stairs. He drabbed his clean sleeve in the grey powder and rose to his toes. With feather light fingers, he started to apply the powder on the tabs. The sounds of footsteps up the stairs reached his ears. They did not approach him as he worked.

Conan took a step back as he finished. A satisfied grin danced on his lips. A gasp ran out in the room.

“Fingerprints!”

Suzaku appeared in his peripheral. His entire body shook slightly in excitement. Conan grin intensified.

“Yeah. You can improvise the powder by mixing starch and soot. It’s not exact science, but at least you can see which keys have been pressed.”

He eyed the key lock. The prominent grey powder lay thick on four keys. 1 – 3 – 5 and 8. That narrowed down the possibilities.

“You are so awesome, Conan-kun!”

Arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders as Ayumi tackled him from behind. He wobbled slightly from the weight. Quick lips pressed themselves against his cheek as she pecked him. An involuntary blush crept into his cheeks. Had the kid just kissed him on the cheek? What was up with these humans? He had practically sucked the life force out of them less than twenty minutes ago.

Suzaku grinned at him. “Can I? I’m good with numbers.” He waved a hand towards the padlock.

 Conan could not do anything but nod as Ayumi kept her grip on him. The girl hummed happily as the apple blossom scent attacked his nose. He wrinkled his nose, but managed to keep the disgust from appearing on his face.

Conan glanced towards the rest of the children, leaving Suzaku to deal with the padlock. They had started to put away the empty tin boxes and followed them up the stairs. Should I leave? He pondered for a short moment. The kids would figure out a way to get out soon. They would be safe. He paused. There were still more of the Daitengu’s human herdsmen around. He could not tell if they’d fallen unconscious too. He sighed inwardly. Guess I have no choice but to see this through then.

“It’s open!” Suzaku cried a few minutes later. The door buzzed as it was pushed open. Excited gasps erupted from the children.

“Let’s go!”

Ayumi let him go and he was pushed as the kids hurried towards the door. He hit the ramp with a groan.

“Wait!”

That made them freeze. A dozen or so eyes turned to stare at him in confusion. At least they were still listening to him.

“What is it Conan-kun?”

Ayumi eyed him with worry. Behind her, Suzaku looked puzzled. Conan sighed in exasperation.

“There are still more of those ‘mean men’ around,” he quoted Ayumi’s previous words. “We have to be cautious and stick together. I’ll scope the area and see if I can find a way out and possibly a phone.”

Suzaku frowned. “You can’t go alone. I’m going with you.” Ayumi nodded with him. The possessed child twitched an eyebrow slightly. Scratch that, they aren’t listening to me at all. He regarded them thoughtfully. If they came with him, he could not use his powers to knock the culprits out. They could get hurt. He shrugged. Oh well. Who cares.

“Alright. But if you die, don't come crying back to me.”

The rust-haired boy grinned as he recognized the words. He nodded in agreement. Ayumi just looked determined. Conan glanced at the rest of the children.

“Stay,” he warned as he turned towards the door.

…

Small feet smacked against the floor. The hallways continued down in what felt like mile: the curving in the corners making it feel like a maze. The thick forest and ash scent clung to the walls. They stepped over two unconscious bodies on their journey. Conan made sure to be the first one around the corner and a few meters in front of the two children. Twice now, he had reached into the minds of the abductors and snuffed them out before Ayumi and Suzaku could reach him. He panted softly. The host body still not recovered from the previous incident.

Conan continued down the hallway. The grey coloured concrete leaving him feeling blind as he stared around. He could not remember the path they’d taken when he’d first arrived. Doors lay scattered across the walls. They did not dare open them in case there were anyone inside. They could not afford being spotted before they could figure out where the exit was.

Something made him freeze in his track. The scent of leather and lemon surrounded him. His eyes wandered to a non-descriptive door. Something niggled on his mind. He reached out to open the door and stuck his head in. It looked to be a large office with several tables. In one corner stood several screens, now black. They had most likely showed live-videos of the warehouse. Whether the Daitengu had turned them out previously or he had accidently short-circulated them was unclear. The two men he had been forced to rend unconscious could have gone down the hall to see how the kids were doing. A man sat with his back to him drinking a cup of coffee.

Conan turned his palm up as he regarded him. He reached out with his mind. Flickers of consciousness and memories filtered through his thoughts. He ignored it as his vision blurred.

Welcome home, sweetie, how was school? Murmured a woman in his mind. Conan grimaced. He was getting tired if it meant streams of memories were slipping past his shields. He concentrated in digging further into the consciousness fluttering against him. Pay more attention in school Kyou, or you’ll have to retake a year. The scent of baked apricot filled his nose. Damnit Kyou. I can’t do this anymore. I’m breaking up with you. The slam of a door echoed in his head as he watched a retreating woman leave. Sorrow coming from the memory filled him with an alien feeling. Conan had enough. He tightened his hold on the mind and squeezed. Kyou froze, before he slumbered over a second later. His head lolled back. A snore escaped his now open lips.

Conan withdrew from the mind with a low grunt. He could not keep this up. Partial possessions took a lot of energy from him. He slouched on the door for several seconds, trying to regain his breath.

“There’s a phone in here!”

Conan was too tired to react when Ayumi yelled in his ear. She tried pushing the door wider. Conan lost his balance as it moved, but he was saved from falling as a hand clammed down on his shoulder. Ayumi slithered between him to enter the room.

“Are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

Conan glanced slightly at the taller boy, before shrugging his hand off.

“Don’t worry about me.” He gritted out. He was a demon, he could not show any weakness. Collecting himself, he walked after Ayumi. The girl stared at the slumbering man with an uncertain look.

“Why are they all asleep?”

“Who knows,” he muttered in reply. “Who cares. The longer they sleep, the better chance we have to get out.”

Rustling of clothes warned him Suzaku stepped up next to him. He too, regarded the sleeping guard. Conan turned away from them.

“Ayumi. Take the phone and call the police. Suzaku, guard the door in case someone walks by.”

The girl nodded, determination shone in her eyes. She went for the phone. A small hand curled around the receiver she picked it up.

“What are you going to do?”

Conan glanced at Suzaku. Burning eyes stared into his.

“Look for a way out.”

He left before the physically older boy could argue. Conan pondered his dilemma as he continued down the hallway. The kids would be safe now. He should leave before anyone found him. His business here was over after all. He had gotten his satisfying meal. He should return to the netherworld.

Not yet, I don’t want go back just yet, a voice murmured in his head. He sighed in exasperation. Fine fine. I’ll see this through. He was curious how the humans would react. A little bit more fun would not harm anyone.

Conan froze as he stepped around a corner. The guard adjacent to him froze in his step too. They eyed each other for a long minute. Well, shit. He could not partial possess someone who was alarmed, it would be too risky of being caught. He swore soundly, his eyes wandered over to a bottle laying alone in a corner. The guard seems to have gotten over his shock and moved towards him with threatening steps.

 Conan ignored him as he lunged for the bottle. He twisted his lower body and kicked the bottle. It shot up in an alarming speed and hit the guard square in the face. The man flew backwards from the momentum and hit his head with a loud ‘thump’ into the wall. Conan grinned. Demonic strength had its advantages, especially in a tiny body. 

“What the hell was that?”

The possessed child turned around in surprise. His eyes widening as he spotted Suzaku. The rust-coloured boy eyed him with shock. Damn. Why didn’t I notice him before now? He had been caught red-handed. What should he do? He could rend the boy unconscious. Should he rip him of his memories? They could be suspicious if he suddenly lost his memories. The only other option was to kill him.

“You are like them, aren’t you?”

Conan tightened his jaw. No one would believe a child if he told anyone about this. Could he risk letting him go?

 Suzaku frowned.

“Are you an angel?” The demon blinked in surprise. Him? An Angel? What a laughable idea. He couldn’t’ do anything but to stare in surprise. The imagination of a child knew no bounds. Maybe if he pretended he was one of those creatures Suzaku would keep his mouth shut. However, the thought of being associated with one left a bad taste. The taller boy nodded slightly to himself when Conan was too busy with his inner conflict, apparently making up his mind.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

Conan rubbed his forehead. Deciding not to contradict him. “Let’s just go find that way out, shall we?”

Suzaku grinned in responds. His steps lighter as he followed Conan down the hallway.

…

By the time the police arrived, the children had all exited the building. They stood under the roof of the adjacent building, holding around each other to hide from the cold and from the rain. Some of the kids who had been captured the longest enjoyed the feeling and the (somewhat) refreshing air. A couple was crying, some laughing and one or two curled against the wall in exhaustion.

(Conan slumped against the wall. Finally, it’s over. He let his eyes close as he breathed in the area. The buildings felt oily to his senses, somewhere on the periphery another mystery hummed. More warehouses in this district was doing dodgy business. He let it slip through his mind, he was content for now. His hunger long since satisfied.

“Are you alright, bouya?”

Conan opened his eyes slightly and took in the female officer crouching over him. Short brown hair framed her face. She wore a navy-blue jacket that matched her knee-length skirt. Eyes the colour of mauve hid intelligent. The scent of warm sugar and Oxalis acetosella tickled his nose.

The noise of police and medical personal buzzed in his ear. Now and again, the officers would drag the kidnappers out from the buildings. By now, civilian cars had shown up on the scene and embraced their children. Suzaku was talking amicable with his parents further away, Ayumi was hugging her mother and crying. Some, like himself, stood alone, while others had already been transported to the hospital in ambulances. Conan focused back on the policewoman and nodded.

“What’s your name? Has anyone called your parents yet?”

She was staring at him with a soft smile. Kindness shown in her mauve eyes. Conan hesitated. Maybe it was time to leave. Why was he still hanging around? He shook his head.

“I don’t have any,” he replied and looked away.

A line appeared in the woman’s forehead as she frowned. She stood a second later as it was made apparent he would not talk. Someone called her name in the distance. She wavered. She glanced at the boy before turning towards the voice, leaving him alone once again.

 Conan followed her with his eyes. He sighed. What a mess this has been.

He considered his options. He should get out of dodge, the longer he stayed, the possibilities of being discovered increased. When he left, his host would faint. Everyone would just assume it had been out of exhaustion and be transported to the hospital. When he woke up, all memories of what had transpired would be gone and the assumptions made would be that the boy had repressed them. However, something made him hesitate. A part of him did not want to go just yet. The human world was so fascinating. He wanted to see just a little bit more of it.

Conan eyed his surroundings with a wistful look. Who knew when the next time he would have the opportunity to come her again? Yukiko would never help him again. This had been once in a life time chance. The price had been high, but more than worth it.

His eyes wandered over to the police woman again. She stood now next to a tall male officer in a beige suit. They were talking to a couple of the children, including Ayumi and Suzaku. As he was watching them, Ayumi turned around and pointed in Conan’s direction.

Conan twitched an eyebrow. Oy, oy. What is she saying about me? This could be dangerous. The two officers turned in his direction. He was too far away to see their expressions. Something told him he should flee. A second later they stood and started in his direction. Conan looked away, pretending he had not been spying. The mixed scent of sugar, cinnamon and something he could not name waved over him.

“Are you Conan-kun?”

Slowly, the boy turned towards the masculine voice. Grey-beige coloured eyes met him in curiosity. After a full minute of eyeing the two, he nodded slightly. The woman looked at him with calculating eyes.

“The other children were saying you were the one who got them out, is that true?” the male continued.

Only taking a fraction of a second to decide he actions, Conan shook his head. “That’s not true! We were all helping each other.” He looked at them with childish eyes in what he hoped was an ‘I’m just an innocent child’ expression as he pitched his voice high.

 The man frowned slightly as he glanced at a notebook in his hand.

“That’s not what the other children has been saying. You got the key from the culprit and figured out a way to make fingerprint powder to open the padlock. You are quite an intelligent boy aren’t you.” It had not been a question. The woman eyes observed him with an intense look.

Conan swallowed nervously. Maybe it was better if he did not reply. He let his eyes fall as tears started to brim his eyes. He sniffed slightly.

“I was so scared, inspector. Someone had to do something. The grown-ups just fell asleep, I was lucky enough to be the closest. And-and, I’d seen a crime show where they made that powder. I was just hoping it would work!”

Tears fell from his eyes and a small hand came up to rub at it. The male officer fidget slightly before a hand fell on his shoulder and he leaned down to murmur consulting nonsense.

“You were a brave boy, Conan-kun. Thanks to you everyone is safe. No one is after you, we just have a few questions that’s all.”

Conan sniffed again and looked up. He nodded slightly.

“You were the first one to wake up, correct? Did you see anything suspicious?”

Conan furrowed his brow as he looked thoughtfully down.

“I think. I think I heard that blond person talk about an organisation coming after them. Something about treading into zones that didn’t belong to them?” His eyes widened slightly as he looked up at the grown-ups. “They were going to move us somewhere.”

The two police officers glanced at each other. The man scribbled something down on his notebook.

“That information is very important. Thank you for your help. We’ll come back and ask you some more questions later, alright?” The woman smiled as she straightened from her crouch. The two took a few steps further away and started whispering to each other.

Conan snorted as he slipped his hands into his shorts. Acting like a child was making him grit his teeth, but it was worth it if it meant he could divert their attention for quite some time.

…

A couple of hours later Conan found himself at the police station. He had been among the children whom did not need any medical attention and which parents the officers hadn’t managed to contact. Conan sat in a room with three other children. It had clearly been furnished for such an occasion in mind. The wallpaper on the yellow walls were decorated with different kinds of animals in a parade.

His eyes wandered over the decorations. His mind vaguely recognised some of the animals as cartoon figurines. An elephant with too large ears and a yellow hat. A duck wearing a blue hat and sweater and no pants. Conan grunted in disinterest and let his eyes survey his surroundings. There was a large screen filing up most of one wall showing an animated children show in Japanese. In the middle of the room was a low bench filled with building bricks and stuffed animals.

A black haired little girl wearing a bright yellow dress slept in one of the sofas. Her little hands curled around a teddy bear.

Conan stood from where he had been crouched over for the last hours. He stretched. This is getting boring. It’s time to go. He started in the direction of one of the larger chairs and crawled into it. He wriggled a little to find the most comfortable position. He let his eyes drift shut.

Thanks for the help Edogawa Conan. He took a last, deep breath and concentrated on filtering his consciousness from the boy. Alien memories shifted through his. Pictures of a laughing family flashed through his mind.

Conan-kun!’ A young woman smiled. She picked up the boy and twirled them around. The little boy, at maybe three or four giggled as he curled his small fingers in her directions. The laugher echoed in his mind before being switched out with another memory.

‘Mum?’ The boy tripped into the dark kitchen. He was certain he had heard something earlier. He stretched, trying to find the magical switch that turned on the lights. He couldn’t reach it. He gave up, dropping his hand.

“Mum?” he tried again. Silence met him. He started towards the bench. His feet tripped on something. A second later he sprawled on the floor. Pain shot through him. Eyes started to water as he tried suppressing the urge to start crying. He sat up slowly. He patted the ground in front of him, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Something cold and rubbery-like met his fingertips. The little boy frowned. He crawled closer. He could feel fabric now. The air in the room felt heavy. The only sound heard was his panicked breaths. He was scared. He wanted his mum.

“Mum, is that you? Please say something.” Small hands grabbed something that felt like shoulders and started to shake them. “Please wake up mummy.”

“Aniki, can you hear something?”

The boy froze. Unfamiliar male voices came from the living room. His breath quickened in fear. The lights turned on in the kitchen and he held a hand up to protect his eyes from the sudden light. A shadow crept over the floor. Conan shivered in terror. His eyes widened as he saw the man. He was fully clad in a black suit. His face hidden under a black hat and sunglasses. The two figures froze as they spotted each other. A second later the man fished up a gun from the jacket’s inner pocket.

“Oy. There’s a little boy in here.”

“A what?” A dark voice replied immediately. Another person entered the kitchen behind the broad-shouldered man. A silver haired man regarded the boy with green, cold eyes. Conan could not move. He was paralyzed like a mouse in front of a snake. This was a man who could kill without a care.

“So that’s why she ran away. She got a brat,” the man grunted. “Just kill it.” He turned away from the door. The other man smirked.

“Will be my pleasure.”

Conan stared at the metal in his hand. He had only ever seen one on the telly. The thought of death was a foreign word. What did it entail? Whatever it was, it was not good. He had to get away, somehow. He had to save his mum. He turned around to shake his mother just as a loud ‘bang’ echoed in his ear. He twitched as some force pushed him over the body. He gasped. Pain shot up from his shoulder. Unbelievable agony hundred times more than last month when he fell on his bike and scratched his knees. His vision blurred.

The next thing he remembered was heat. Waves of warm air surrounded him. He inhaled a breath, only to cough when it hit his lung. He felt dizzy and exhausted. His throat hurt. Eyes fluttered slightly before opening. Something niggled on the back of his mind. Something was wrong. He sat up slowly. Pain shot through him and he groaned in pain.

“Mum?”

He froze. His eyes slowly fell to the cushions he had been laying on. His heart quickened. His mother was laying on the floor, unmoving. He grabbed her.

“Mum, open your eyes, please,” he whimpered with a hoarse throat, not able to get out anything louder. Why was she not moving? He whimpered her name again as he tried shaking her, only to flinch back as another wave of pain went through him. What was going on? Had there not been anyone here earlier? He looked up as he remembered. Light flickered from the living room. He stood up with trembling legs. He held against his shoulder as he started to take small steps in the direction. Light meant someone had to be there right? Someone who could help him wake up his mum? He coughed.

Conan grabbed the doorframe and leaned against it. He was exhausted and scared. His shoulder hurt. Why couldn’t his mum wake up and patch him up with a smile and a kiss like she always did? He glanced into the living room and frowned. Something red danced across the floor mesmerizing. Crackling filled his ears. Something was wrong, this wasn’t’ suppose to be there. He coughed again. His vision blurring as he swayed. ‘I have to get out,’ something whispered in the back of his mind, ‘you’ll die if you stay here.’

Conan glanced back into the kitchen where his mother was. He fell to his knees as he started crawling back to her on his knees, only using one hand. The other swayed limply as he moved. Something sticky trickled down in.

“Mum,” he whispered, grabbing the cold body. “We have to leave. Please mum, wake up.” His eyes were too dry to shed any tears. He was so afraid. He wanted to leave this place, it was getting too warm. No reaction or answer came. He coughed. He could barely see anything, his energy long since drained. He grabbed her and started to push her. The body barely moved. Conan wanted to cry. He felt so helpless.

A large thud came from the corridor. Conan froze. Had the men came back to hurt him? He leaned over her, determined to protect her this time. A yellow monster burst through the door. Flames flickered around him. Conan widened his eyes, his heart quickening. Terror struck through him. The monster regarded the room. His face was black with two large eyes that mirrored the room. The face narrowed downwards to a snout. Conan could imagine how large the mouth would be. It could probably devour him whole. He coughed.

The monster turned in his direction. “Stay right where you are.”

Conan could not move even if he wanted to. The yellow monster took a step towards him. It’s head was covered in a bright yellow shell. Every now and again, it wheezed for breath. The boy cringed, lowing his shoulders to protect his mother.

“Don’t hurt us! Please go away.” He cried hoarsely before another coughing fit shook his body. Pain burned through him, both from his injured shoulder and his dry throat. The monster stopped in his track. He put something heavy down on the floor as he held up his hand. Only know, Conan noticed it was an axe.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to get you out. Please trust me on this.”

Conan shook his head. He clutched his mother tightly.

“Please don’t eat us. I don’t want to be eaten.”

The monster crept closer, still holding his arms up. He tensed at the boy’s words. A low chuckle escaped him.

“I’m not going to eat you, this is just a mask.” He held up his hand and tore of his face, showing pale, but unmistakable human face. “I’m a fireman.”

Conan widened his eyes in shock. His mouth came out in an ‘o’. He coughed, putting a hand over his mouth as the small form trembled. His vision blurred. The next few seconds went by in a haze.

When Conan blinked again, he was sitting outside a little further away from a burning apartment complex. A dark blue blanket covering his shoulder. He held a bottle of water in his hand. The boy frowned in confusion. What had just happened? He looked around. Where was his mother? All around him on the green grass people were busy. Several yellow monsters ran back a forward into the house, a few were holding a hose trying to extinguish the flames. A few, like himself, were sitting on the edge on white trucks. He put his bottle down and jumped off. He had to find his mother.

Conan slithered through the crowd, desperately looking around. Several minutes later had him standing at the edge of the parking slot. His mum was not here. Why would she leave him like that? He trembled. He was cold and scared, and he wanted to go home. His throat and shoulder hurt. He laid a hand over the bandage. He sniffed. He had to go find his mum. She had to be here somewhere. Casting a last glimpse back on the burning house, he turned around to look through the streets. Not one soul saw him leaving.

Chapter Text

Conan opened his eyes in surprise. His human heart thrummed in his chest, and his nostrils flared where he could still smell the phantom blood and ashes. A confusion that did not belonged to him echoed through him as he felt a shiver of the host’s consciousness brush against his own in fear. Taking a deep breath, he quietened the mind of the child he inhabited.

Why hadn’t he seen that memory before, he wondered briefly as his eyes snapped down to regard the small hands. What exactly had his host gone through before the orphanage, and who exactly was he? For a moment his ears were filled with nothing but the loud chimes of alluring bells, and his entire being brightened up with the dark intricate swirls of a mystery on a level he had never encountered before.

His hunger flared and even his soul salivate as he reached out both physically and mentally to grab at the tendrils surrounding him. The feeling was gone almost as quick as it had arrived, and he slumped back to his seat in near exhaustion. The hair on his forehead clung to his skin, and he stared around in almost a daze in surprise.

Had that been another glimpse of the child’s memories? Absentmindedly he darted a tongue out to moister his lip. He wanted another taste of whatever he had just felt – and the body he was currently possessing was the key to everything.

‘I think,’ he said to Edogawa Conan slumbering deep inside his own mind. ‘I’ll keep your body for a little while longer. I’ll find out what happened to your mother, and make sure they pay for it. Do we have an agreement?’

The only response he got from the boy was a shiver of his consciousness that he decided to take as a yes. It seemed like a fair deal. Decision made, he jumped out of the chair and started for the door. He reached up on his toes to open the door and slipped out into the crowded hallway.

No one noticed the child slithering around their feet as Conan followed the stream. This place overwhelmed his senses. The sweet luscious scent of mystery coated the walls. Different shades danced over his eyes, a dozen songs hummed in the back of his mind. His hunger stirred. He let a hand travel across the beige wall as he walked. Just behind it he could sense a man who had murdered his wife because she had given birth to a son that belonged to someone else. 'That cheating bitch deserved it.' Without meaning to, his senses reached out to taste the mystery surrounding him. The police did not know he was the culprit yet. He had an alibi for the time of the murder.

A small smirk twitched on the corner of his lips. He hummed a whisper into the police officer's mind. Find her phone and you'll have your proof. The scent of clean cotton tickled his nose. He withdrew from the mind before any of his memories surfaced.

The swirling colours of boysenberry began singing in his mind as he tasted it. Drew it into himself. The taste danced over his palates. His body tingled in pleasure. A small giggle escaped his lips. He felt light headed and a little tipsy. Have I eaten too much in such a short amount of time? He mused.

A police woman was eyeing him curiously. She must have heard him. Conan wriggled his fingers as he deflected her thoughts. A stream of violet flickered through her eyes as they got hazy. She turned away as she continued walking.

Humans, so gullible.

Conan continued his walk past the crowded area. Once more he had to deflect an officer’s attention before he slipped into an abandoned hallway as he continued his walk. A few minutes later, he stood outside a room reading 'archives.' He slipped in the door.

The room was filled with shelves after shelves with card boxes and documents. In a corner stood three lone computers. He headed in that direction. The computer was an old-fashioned one. It was already on. He moved the mouse and a window asking for ID popped up. Damn. He put his chin between two fingers. What should he do? He could temporary possess a police officer or pluck the information out how one of theirs head. That would consume a lot of energy.

Good thing there were a lot to eat here to replenish his strength. He jumped out of the chair.

The door opened. He froze, before hiding behind two shelves. He eyed the door with narrowed eyes. In came the male police officer from earlier. He was holding two documents under his arm. He crossed the floor and started mumbling to himself as he walked down a path trying to discover the right one.

Conan closed his eyes and stretch out his mind. Consciousness flickered against him in a struggle before succumbing a second later. Huh, interesting. He has a natural protection against lower demons. He hadn’t known humans had developed this ability. It was definitely worth looking into. A name flickered through his thoughts. Takagi Wataru huh? He withdrew a second later after implanting a suggestion. He would have to research this another time, he had things to do.

Takagi's eyes grew distant as he turned towards the computers. A mutter of 'Why don't I just use check the computer to figure out where those documents belong?' He sat down on the computer. The next few minutes were filled with the tapping of a keyboard. Takagi suddenly stood from the chair and wandered into the shelf maze. A slam of a door a few minutes later indicated the officer had left.

Conan stepped out from where he had hidden. He eyed the computer. A satisfied grin grew on his lips. It had worked. Takagi had not logged off. He sat in the chair and eyed the keyboard. It would be the first time he had used one, but he was definitely up to the task. He moved the mouse.

He was not sure what he was looking for, so he started up searching for a fire where someone had died one or two years ago. He was not sure about the age of the host when it happened. Thirteen fires popped up. He grunted in displeasure. Looking through them, he picked out the ones that was not an apartment complex. That narrowed it down to five. In two the total of three males had lost their lives. In one a baby and a little girl had succumbed. That left him with two. He clicked on the pictures.

A memory flickered through his mind. In front of the apartment complex was a children's playground. Laughing kids ran around. 'Mum!' A little boy ran towards a woman as he was picked up. The woman's face shone with laughter has she twirled them around. The boy giggled.

Conan shook his head. He had to figure out a way to lock those memories away if he was staying here any longer. If one popped up at the wrong time it could have disastrous consequences. He focused back on the document.

Night to 24th of September a fire started at the third floor in apartment 423B. The inhabitants of the apartment both perished in the flames. Only the 34-year-old Iida Sayo body was recovered. The remains of the son was not recovered and is assumed to be burned to a crisp. Death by asphyxiation. Too burned to identify. Identified by dental records. The 76-year-old Ito Hirata in apartment 411 C died of asphyxiation.

Conan droned out the rest as he continued down the page.

The investigation by the fire department has established that faulty wires in apartment 432B caused the fire.

In an attached file were photos of the deceased before and after, also picture of the burned down apartment. Conan frowned. There was only a picture of the woman post-mortem. No picture had apparently been found of the two. He scratched his head in confusion. There definitely should be some pictures. It had all been regarded as an accident. But he knew it had been a homicide. Also, why hadn’t the boy been found? He closed his eyes as a considered the memory. Only flashes of running in the night flickered through. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. Maybe they had forgotten about the boy in the chaos?

Conan pulled up the information on Iida Sayo. No pictures were attached, only the birth date, name of parents, where she went to university and where she had been working. He tapped a finger on his chin. This was clearly manufactured. Why had Iida Sayo felt it necessary to create a new identity? What had it to do with the boy? He thought back on the memory of the silver haired man.

So that’s why she ran away. She got a brat.

This left him with a conundrum. There was no sign of the killers. No clue left behind. They had disappeared like shadows. Conan knew they had been there, but who would believe a six year old boy? He raked a hand through his hair. His pulse quickened in anticipation. He had been right, it did promised a good mystery. A tongue coated his lips. It would be hundred times more satisfying then the kidnapping case, he could feel it. Like a bloodhound sensing a prey his hunger stirred once more at the thought of it.

There was no evidence left behind. Nothing.

Conan scratched his cheek. Hmh. Where to start? They had to have left something behind somewhere. His concentration turned back to the computer and he started tapping the keys.

Conan had to admit defeat after a few hours. This organisation, for they had to be an organisation, had left no clues behind. And if they did, someone could've accessed the archive and purged them of the documents. Danger prickled through his mind. If he continued down this path, he could accidently expose his identity. If he wanted to continue, he would have to find an older body. However, that would ruin the point of going after them. He had started investigate due to the boy's memories. Who knew what else hid in his repressed memories?

He logged off the computer and jumped off the chair. Another option was to let his mystery pass and go home. He had not gotten a trail of it yet. The thought left a bad taste. He wanted to solve this. he wanted to know more. His curiosity had been peaked. There had to be a third option somewhere.

Conan left the room, carefully to close the door behind him. He followed down the abandoned corridor and stepped back into the crowded hallway. Deep in thought as he was, he did not pay attention to his surroundings and walked straight into a pair of legs. He toppled over with a grunt. Pain tingled across his shoulder.

“Are you alright? Look where you are walking dad,” a young voice hissed before he was gentle picked up.

Wet sunflowers tickled his nose. Conan blinked in confusion. Why was that such a familiar scent? He looked up and met kind, bluish purple eyes. Eyes widened slightly as recognition shot through him. It was that Mouri Ran. He glanced at the guy that she'd introduced as her father. He was a tall, lean man with high cheekbones, a short moustache, and short black hair. His hair was slicked back with two loose locks hanging across his forehead. He wore a muted blue suit and a necktie.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere?”

Nimble fingers stroke his shoulder looking for damage. A sparkle of electricity emanated from her fingers. Conan squirmed slightly.

“I'm alright, Oneesan.”

He gave her a large smile. Typical his luck. Of all the people, why would he accidently encounter her twice? 37 million people in Tokyo alone. The odds were so diminutive it was laughable.

“See? The brat is alright, let's go,” Mouri grunted as he glowered at the bundle in her arms. Ran shot him a livid look. She put him back on the floor.

“Don't listen to him. Lets get some hot chocolate from the reception shall we? As an apology,” she added as the boy looked hesitating. Conan groaned inwardly. How could he refuse her without peaking her mother instinct of worry? Deciding there were no options (he also did not fancy returning to the hideous children playroom again either) nodded.

“I love chocolate!'” he forced a chirp into his voice, and it awarded him a smile from Ran as she grabbed his hand. So she wouldn't lose him in the crowd she supplied when he stared at her with barely disguised ire.

Humans.

“Are you one of the officer's kid?” She looked down at him. Curiosity plain in her face. He shook his head. A frown stretched across her forehead.

“One of the,” she hesitated, “visitors' son?”

Conan shook his head again. The girl paused, eyeing him carefully. Worry shone in her eyes. The possessed child swallowed the urge to smirk. He could imagine what thoughts swirled in her mind right now. If he was not anyone's son, he had to be either a lost child or one retrieved from an abused family. Either options would be a sore subject the girl did not feel confident in asking about.

Their walk continued in silence. She glanced at him every few seconds. Conan ignored her glances. He could sense nervousness emit from her. They entered the busy reception. Conan was told to go find them a spot while she got the drinks. He decided to take a seat by the corner so he could eye the room and the exit.

A large man with tattoos sat on the seat next to him. A blanket hid his hands from view, but the unmistakable bulge of handcuffs was clearly visible. He smelled of ozone and leather, a hint of a mystery oozed from him. Conan glanced down to his shoes. Something glittered in the dim light. Shards of glass, he observed. Broke into a shop. The glass fell into his shoes.

Conan tapped a finger on his knee. He licked his lips. The mystery hummed to him, the murky taste thick on his tongue as he devoured it. The tattooed man swayed slightly in his seat. A second later his eyes rolled back and he slummed on the seat, unconscious. Conan looked away, satisfied.

“Here,” Ran gave him a cup as she sat down next to him. Conan accepted it, but did not take a sip. He felt a little nauseas. I must have eaten too much, his mind supplied to him as he groaned slightly. Overeating, seriously? This world was feeding his avarice.

“Is this your first time in a police station?”

He glanced at the woman. “Yeah.” It was technically true.

Her eyes softened. “It's not scary. Everyone is quite nice.”

“Unless you commit a crime.”

She glanced at him in surprise before humming in amusement. “That’s true.” She took a sip of her cup. Silence settled between them once more. Conan's eyes wandered across the inhabitants of the room with curiosity. The room was filled with mysteries; it was making his head swim. His hunger stirred reluctantly. He was full, he couldn't possibly eat more in one day.

“What do you want to do when you grow old?”

His eyes snapped back to the woman as his lips tugged in amusement. He morphed his face into childish glee as he chirped sugar-sweet. “I want to be a detective!”

Ran's smile grew and she let out a laugh that sent a shiver down his spine. “My dad's a detective.” Then she let out a sad sigh as she glanced down into her cup. “I wish he was a better detective though, and not so lazy.”

Conan glanced at her in surprise. He cocked his head slightly. She had made a wish. To a demon. A small, cold grin tucked on his lips. Oh, he could work with this. She was a fascinating specimen. Maybe if he was close to her, he could figure out what made her tick. No being could be so self-sacrificing without a hidden agenda.

The demon child frowned slightly and looked down into his cup. The thought of possessing her father left a bad taste. He had seen the man. He oozed of failure and self-hate. He took a sip of the cup. However, he needed the sources a detective had. Ran being in the police station told him the detective was not as awful as he had originally thought. He needed those connections. His cerulean eyes narrowed in thought. There had to be an option that would satisfy the need to gain those connection and keep the child's body. They were both valuable resources.

A thought struck through him. A ridiculous idea, but it could work. It would definitely satisfy his inner demon's need for mischief. He did not hide the smirk this time. Oh, this could be so much fun. But first, his eyes wandered over the room. He needed all the energy he could get in order to execute this plan.

…

A couple of hours later, Edogawa Conan found himself stepping out of a car in front of a shop called 'Poirot Cafe.' Just over the building, large letters read 'Mouri's detective agency.' He snorted slightly, how ludicrous. It would work to his advantage though. He had a wish to fulfil. Make Mouri Kogorou a known detective, get more cases, and maybe, just maybe, he would find a clue as to whom the men in black really was.

“Do you like it, Conan-kun?”

Conan looked up at Mouri Ran as she stepped out after him. She had a warm smile. The boy nodded in agreement, but he forgot to add some childish excitement as his eyes roamed across the building with satisfaction.

“It looks perfect.”

Her smile intensified. “It's not much, but it's our pleasure to share it with you.” He begrudgingly accepted her offered hand as they started towards the stairs.

Conan felt like snorting. It had been laughingly easy to manipulate the humans into discharging him into the Mouri's care. Ran had 'offered' to look after him as they went through the kidnapping case. She had not felt comfortable with sending him back to the orphanage when they inattentiveness had let him be kidnapped in the first place. Kogorou had complained, but in the end caved.

He glanced around the room as they entered the office. He nodded in approval. This would definitely be satisfying. Even if his mere presence caused murders to happen, he had a useable implement right in his pocket. He grinned. This would work just fine.

…

The sound of laughing children filled the empty hallway. It easily drowned out the sounds of steps. A plaque on top of a door read ‘first class’. The door opened, and two people stepped into the room. The room fell silent as two dozen eyes eyed the newcomers in surprise.

Conan grunted in displeasure. He had miscalculated. He should have left this young body in favour for an older one. He did not want to be here. Why were they making him do this? It was unfair! He was thousands of years old. He was the embodiment of knowledge. And they were making him go to primary school. He gritted his teeth as the teacher introduced him. He bowed.

“My name is Edogawa Conan. Please take care of me.”

Dozens of smells overwhelmed him, he could not pick them apart. The children sat up in excitement.

“A new student? So late?” Murmur spread through the room.

Conan's twitched an eyebrow. Oh well, he could just ignore the children. He would make sure no one wanted to come within 2 meters of him. Something familiar tickled in his nose. The scent of apple blossoms. He frowned slightly, where had he -

“Conan-Kun, Conan-Kun. Come sit with me”'

He glanced up as a brunette girl waved at him, a large smile plastered on her face. Well, shit.

He had grossly miscalculated.

...

Conan shook the memories away. It had been three months since then. He had solved many crimes while half-possessing Kogorou. He got to feast every other day (sometimes twice in an afternoon). People died around him more frequently than he had originally estimated. However, he was not complaining. He loved solving mysteries almost as much as he loved eating them. It irked him that he had not found any clues about the black men just yet. They disappeared without a trace, like shadows on the wall. Could they be allied with demons? He hesitated developing that theory. That would mean someone high ranked, perhaps even a Maiji, was involved. And that could get very dangerous, very quickly.

Conan glanced up at Ran. She was still holding his hand. She liked doing that for some reason, and he had felt less and less inclined to complain. Not that he liked being addressed as a child, it was amusing at times, others really annoying. He hated being picked up. He glanced in the direction of Kogorou. The man kept hitting him and throwing him around. He had thought many times to punish him for it, but had in the end decided to let it go. It would not do to make him suspicious or hurt. It would complicate matters.

Conan let his eyes wander through the crowd. Hundreds of minds and smells crashed down on him. Busy places made his head swim. Too many sensations to take in. Mysteries after mysteries hummed at him until he got a headache. He could not follow them all, he couldn't even tell which directions they were coming from. Too many. Too much. He had learned quite early to be careful with how much he ate. Devour the good ones, keep away from the boring ones. He could afford being picky in a world where everyone distrusted and deceived each other.

Something niggled on his mind. Conan turned into the direction in surprise. Only something powerful could catch his attention in a place like this. He inhaled. Hundreds of sensations tore through him, but he concentrated with all he had on that one. Like a string, a bright, crimson red fluttered in the wind. He followed it with his eyes. It disappeared into a crowd. Sweetness overwhelmed him. It exploded behind his eyes like fireworks. A seductive song hummed. He opened his mouth, a tongue came out to taste the air.

There was something familiar with this sticky sweetness. It coated his mouth and left him wanting for more. Metallic and sugar sweet. Lavender and sakura blossoms. It twisted, changed for every time he tried to replace it. He tugged on the hand holding him restrained. He wanted to follow the red string. He wanted to find the owner and bask in it. Not eat it. Just bask in it. He would do whatever it said as long as he could be near it. Anything. Everything. As long as she kept looking at him.

“Conan-kun? Is something wrong?”

Conan blinked in surprise. With effort he tore his eyes away from the red string. He gasped for breath. Only one thing could make him react like this. A bloody siren. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Why was there a siren here of all places? And a powerful one at that. If he was any less of a man he would've fallen into her trap. If he reacted so strongly, imagine how the humans would behave. He snorted slightly. They would worship her.

He looked up at Ran with curiosity swirling in his chest – somehow Ran had saved him from the siren’s song with a simple change of attention. He still had not gotten any closer to understanding the human  at times he wondered if she was something more, however after all this time he knew she was human through and through.

“Nothing is wrong, Ran-neechan.”

She replied with a warm smile.

Conan glanced in the direction of the red string. He was ready this time as the sensation started to worm into his thoughts. This time they felt like pebbles on his shields as they dissolved. Maybe the witch isn’t as strong as I though. No matter how he looked at it, this complicated matters. He hated witches. Deceitful creatures who loved casting cruel spells. What should he do with this predicament? Kill her. He cast the thought away immediately. She had not provoked him or vice versa. He had simply walked into a pre-made spell in his inattentiveness.

Hopefully she hadn’t noticed and this would be the end of it. However, her abilities could be useful in tracking down any leads on the men in black. The thought made him hesitate. Pros and cons weighted in his mind. He wanted to do this alone, without the use of magic. And who knows what the price would be to ask a witch for help? He would not own favours to a witch he did not know.

As he was staring in the direction, the maze of people parted for a split second, letting him gaze at a wine haired woman. The red tread disappeared somewhere into her hair. She stood with her shoulder to him. His gaze wandered over to a teen standing next to her. All breath escaped his lungs. He couldn’t’ see the boy clearly, only the ruffles of a messy chocolate-brown hair. That wasn’t what had caught his attention. It was the light violet almost lilac aura that clung to his very being. Conan inhaled. His vision blurred as a serenade purred in his ear, filling his mind with it’s playful tone of freedom and mysteries. Somehow, it was also lonely.

For a moment, he forgot where he was. All he could focus on was that song and the scent of a white rainbow. He had never felt anything like this before. This thrilling and playful mystery that goaded him to dance. Come be we and be free, it enticed. It was not malicious, merely gleeful as it danced across his vision. He shivered. A gasp escaped him as it trickled in challenge across his chin. Something hot burned across his cheek. His hunger flared in respond. He wanted to taste it. Savouring it. This was a special kind of mystery and he wanted it so badly his body ached. He reached out physically, a hand stretched towards the boy.

Then, as fast as he had appeared, he disappeared from view as people walked into the space. Conan blinked as the world came crashing back. It couldn’t’ have lasted more than a second. He slumped. Exhausted somehow. He would never find it again in this crowd. Emptiness filled him. The meal eaten earlier long since forgotten. What was that? Who was that boy? What kind of mystery clouding him could be filled with so much joy and loneliness?

His musings went unanswered. The only proof he had that he had not been hallucinating was the still fresh taste in his mouth and the echo of a serenade.

…

The street was an endless stream of bodies bumping into each other. The chatter of hundreds of voices hummed like an angry snake. Akako was getting peeved. She wanted to go home and soak in her bathtub while getting a foot massage. Maybe then, some use would come out of this day. Next to her, Nakamori and Momoi chattered amicable. It was getting on her nerves.

“You are doing it wrong, you know.”

Akako glanced at the owner of the voice. The crow’s nest was not looking in her direction.

“Doing what wrong, Kuroba-kun?” She prompted after several seconds of silence. At that, the teen turned around to face her while walking backwards. It was a mystery he did not accidently walk into someone. Akako’s lips twitched downwards in displeasure. She was most certainly not in the mood for his impish nature.

“Smiling!” A large cheeky grin appeared. Before she could react with some well-placed cursing, he stuck his fingers into the corners of her lips and pulled them up. “Here, I’ll show you how to do it properly!”

Akako froze in surprise. How dare he touch me! Her eyes flashed dangerously. Power tickled her palms as she summoned them. She would turn him into a goddamn frog.

“Bakaito! What are you doing to Akako-chan?”

A shopping bag came out of nowhere and hit Kuroba square in the face. He recoiled and staggered into the crowd, effectively disappearing from view.

Nakamori looked enraged. Her aura imitating flames. Seconds went past, but no sight of Kuroba anywhere. Slowly, Nakamori calmed down. Her breath still coming out hoarsely. “Are you alright Akako-chan? His filthy fingers didn’t stain you?”

Akako glanced at her worried look. Her lips twitched slightly. “I’m alright thanks to you, Nakamori-san.”

Nakamori seems to brighten at that. She clutched her bag as she looked around suspiciously. “Now, where’s that Bakaito gone?”

On cue, Kuroba materialized in front of the enraged teen with a red rose in his nimble fingers.

“Missed my handsome features, Ahoko?”

The girl spun around in surprise. She had not heard him sneaking up on her. Red, angry splotches decorated her cheeks. She lifted her arms to hit him anew with her shopping bag, only to come up short when the only thing she was holding was a bouquet of flowers.

Akako blinked in surprise. When had the switch happened?

The second of hesitation was all Kuroba needed in order to disappear again.

Nakamori dropped the flowers with a furious expression. “What did you do to my bag?” She glowered into the crowd as though she was expecting it to part to reveal the magician’s whereabouts. She stepped forwards, and as her foot descended on the flowers, arms suddenly wrapped around her in an embrace and effectively picked her up.

“Be careful, Ahoko,” Kuroba chided with something akin to a mortified expression. “What did the innocent flowers every do to you? You almost killed them.”

Nakamori, who had previously been squirming while gawking in anger, stilled in his arms. Large eyes widened in surprise. “Sorry Kaito, I-I didn’t think. I shouldn’t- I’m sorry.” Her eyes fell down to look at the crushed flowers.

Kuroba’s anger deflated upon seeing the girl’s remorseful look. He put her down gently on the ground as he crouched. With quick hands, he picked up every single flower and petal. He stood.

“You got to be more careful. Flowers are alive too.” He moved his fingers with a blur. “It’s a good thing I’m a magician and can revive the dead.”

A wicked smile appeared as he let out a booming laughter identical to the one Victor Frankenstein had made in a similar incident. When his fingers stopped moving, the bouquet were once more fresh. Not a single petal missing. It was curious thing how Kuroba didn’t have a shred of real magic.

 Nakamori’s eyes widened as he handed her the flowers. She accepted them, careful to not drop them this time. Keiko was clapping her hands enthusiastically. 

Akako snorted in amusement. He certainly knew how to calm the girl down. She glanced at him.

Kuroba was grinning happily. “Oh, and Aoko?”

Nakamori looked at him curiously.

“Yellow stripes.”

Anger flashed on her face. She gripped the bouquet as she looked ready to hit him with them.

 The smirking thief ducked before she could make up her mind and hid behind Akako.

The wine-haired coloured witch twitched an eyebrow. She opened up her mouth to interrupt Nakamori’s swearing. She neve got as far as she suddenly froze. She had felt something flicker over her shields. Danger flashed through her mind as her eyes wandered over the crowd in panic.

What was out there that could ring her alarm bells? Every hair on her body was standing. Shivers of cold and warmth tickled down her spin. Her breath quickened. Someone or something was watching her with hunger. She felt the growls shaking her body, she felt helpless. All the power under her control and she couldn’t shield from this. It tore through her shields as if they were less then paper. Colours flashed behind her eyes in an intricate pattern.

As fast as the feeling had come, it suddenly evaporated. She staggered as the world came crumbling back. She heaved after breath as she curled slightly over, her hands covering her chest. What the hell was that? It had taken her completely off guard. She had not been actively shielding, not believing there were anything thing dangerous that could harm her. And it had just torn it away. Right at that moment it could’ve devoured her whole and she wouldn’t have been able to lift a finger in defence. Tears prickled in her eyes. And the worst part was, it hadn’t even been focused on her.

Akako grabbed Kuroba’s wrist and dragged him with her into the crowd. A confused Nakamori called after them.

“Oy, oy, Akako, I was just teasing-“

“Shut it,” she hissed through clenched teeth. Her pulse pounded in her throat. A metallic taste filled her mouth. She had bitten her lip at one point. She dried her mouth with a flicker of her hand. Finding a dark allay, she dragged him in with her into the crack between two buildings. She slammed him into the wall, a little harder than intended.

A grunt was the only thing that escaped his lip as he straightened. He held his hands up. A dangerous flash flickered through his indigo eyes.

“What do you think you are-“

She silenced him by grabbing his chin between two fingers. She barely registered the flicker of fear. Her eyes burrowed into his. There was something wrong with his aura. Something dark had attached itself to the usually bright blue shade. She let her eyes wander of the tiny holes. As she watched, it started to spread, like a star painted on a Van Gogh picture. She recoiled.

“Shit.”

Kuroba gaped at her in shock. “Akako. Did you just swear?”

She cast him an unamused look. “Shut up will you, this is serious.”

He let his mouth fall shut with an audible click. A flicker of annoyance fluttering over his face. He crossed his arm. “What’s going on?”

She ignored him. Her eyes narrowing on the crack in his aura. A violet crack. She pursed her lips. She had to get rid of it. Who knew what it would do to the thief? She held up her palm and concentrated her energy on it. Red sparkles only noticeable by those practicing magic ran across it. She examined it. It was faint, barely any energy. What was it meant to do? She did not feel any malicious intent behind it. She poked it.

That had clearly been the wrong move. Pain shot through her. She gasped. Foreign emotions flashed behind her eyes. Pain, loneliness, desperation roared in her head. She clutched her had. Was she whimpering? She could not tell anymore. Then she felt it, death lurking behind her. Stretching his bone claw towards her. Screams of thousands death echoed in her head. She was frozen to the spot. She could not move. How can anyone get away from that?

Arms grabbing her shoulders tore her away from the sensations. She only barely kept away the urge to grab into Kuroba’s shirt. She trembled. Her energy drained.

“Akako. Talk to me. What the hell is going on? Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”

She would have snorted at the comparison if she could. She let her head fall forward, wine-red strains of hair hid her face from view. What was going on? What was that phantom pain that had latched out to Kuroba? It had only been an echo of detached emotions. Not meant to harm or track. A claim? She shook her head. At least she had gotten rid of it. That was the most important part.

Kuroba released her shoulders, his face unreadable. “Aoko, talk to me. What happened?”

She shook her head. She had no answer. She fumbled through her purse and picked up a charm. She pushed it into his chest. He didn’t move to accept it.

“Take this. It’ll hide your presence from unseeing eyes.”

Disbelief cracked through his pokerface. His face twisted in anger. “The hell I will. Is this another rouse to trick me into becoming your slave?”

The witch’s eyes darkened with anger. “Kuroba. This is serious. Something targeted you. I purged the taint, but that doesn’t mean I’ll do it again,” she hissed through clenched teeth. She was scared. She had met demons on earlier occasions. But nothing like this.

Something must have shown on her face as the boy didn’t push her away. He looked at her with a calculating expression for several seconds. When he finally replied his voice was soft.

“What happened Akako? What could possibly scare you to this extent?”

She looked away. Why did she bother? He wouldn’t believe her. It felt like a nightmare. The memory faded but the feeling of terror still echoing. She grabbed his hand and curled his fingers around the charm.

“Take it or leave it. I don’t care. This’ll be the last time I do you a favour.”

She meant to sound testily, but her words came out tired. She stepped back and slipped out of the allyway and into the crowded street. She had to summon Lucifer. Hopefully he could shed some light on this bizarre evening.

Kaito glanced after her. His pokerface in place. He glanced down on the charm and turned it around. He shrugged and stuffed it into a pocket. One does not simply ignore what the witch said. Kaito slipped out of the alley while humming on an unfamiliar tone that suddenly had stuck in his mind.

Chapter Text

What had he possible done in his long life to earn such a cruel punishment? Rooms after rooms of torture chambers lay scattered inside this house of horror. For every room visited, the more weight one was forced to carry. The only escape was found in a fountain located in the middle of the hall. The statue of a mermaid guarding it promised safe travel to the afterlife. It marvelled him how not more people decided to take that way out. A week prior they had been witnesses to someone doing just that (Minus the whole doing it out of free-will part).

Conan eyed the fountain from where he was standing on the second floor. The option sounded very enticing right about now.

“Conan-kun?”

He glanced at Ran. Her eyes were soft and a smile curled on her lips.

“I hope you are not too bored.”

He twitched an eyebrow. What kind of question was that? Of course he was bored. This was tedious. How could anyone be delusional enough to believe this torture was fun?

“Hey Ran!” Sonoko waved at them from the escalator. Her hands were filled with bags. “Let’s check (Name of a known chain of torture chambers) on the next floor. They got a sale!”

Conan sighed as Ran nodded in excitement. He trailed after them with a last glance to the fountain. He had been feeling ill tempered all week. It could just be that this was the second weekend in a row that he had been forced to accompany the girls on their shopping spree (Why not a killing spree? Sounded like much more fun. For him at least). There were still no new signs of the Black Men either. How was he going to take them down if he couldn’t even find one proof that they existed outside his host’s memories? It was getting embarrassing. He was supposed to be a great detective. A feared demon detective. He shook his head. There were no chance in hell he was giving up on this. It would tear on his pride.

Then there was the issue with that boy he had encountered last week. He had gone back to that spot the day after hoping to catch a glimpse of the scent. The chances were moot. There had been a burning desire curling within him with the need of persuading the mystery. However, he had given it up as a lost cause after a week. He would never find it again.

“Are you alright? You look a little pale. Maybe we should go get something to eat?”

Conan glanced up at the worried girl. His hunger stirred in response. It had been a few days since he had last eaten. A snack would be good. But not the kind Ran was thinking off. His lips tugged slightly in amusement. Nevertheless, it was an offered opening to get the hell away from this place. He wouldn’t say no to that. He nodded and gave her a large smile.

“That sounds great!”

Ran nodded back in responds. Her sunflower smile always in place. She told him to wait for her by the entrance while she went to get Sonoko. Conan crossed his arms. Malls had their pro and cons. There were always mysteries in the making lurking about. Just last week they had stumbled over one, thankfully cutting the shopping spree short. Maybe if I’m lucky it’ll be cut short today too. He sniffed the air. No luck. No mysteries brewing that he could sense. There were only a hint of teal and bobbles. Nothing worth devouring. He sighed in disappointment.

“Conan-kun!” the scent of apple blossoms waved through him, and he recognized her presence long before Ayumi came into view. Her smile was lit like a light bulb as she strolled towards him. She wore a frilly, yellow dress – the pride glittering on her face told him clearly it was newly purchased. “I didn’t expect to see. You here with Ran-neesan? I’m shopping with my mum,” she continued before he had the chance to reciprocate her greeting.

Her bubbling cheerfulness only confirmed his suspicion. “Not by choice,” he replied, his tone a tad shorter then usual. He honestly was not in the mood for company. He turned his attention of Ayumi as she continued her one-sided conversation. A gamy scent suddenly tickled in his nose.

Curiously, he glanced around in the crowded room trying to locate the direction it came from. He spotted a teenage girl standing just a few meters away. She had dark brown hair in a ponytail, kept there by an orange ribbon. She wasn’t holding any shopping bags, but her clothes were stylish and looked brand new. He cocked his head slightly in curiosity. She didn’t seemed to be interested in browsing the merchandises, instead she was tiptoeing trying to look over the shelves.

Conan realized his mistake a fraction of a second later as Ayumi had suddenly stopped talking. As he turned towards her, her attention was locked on the girl he had been watching a second earlier. Her expression was mixture of focus and anticipation – she must have noticed his interest in her and knew from previous experiences that it usually meant something.

Before he could tell her it was nothing, Ayumi had already crept closer.

“Is something wrong. Oneesan?”

The girl jumped slightly at being addressed. Her eyes were wide in confusion as she looked around. Anywhere but at the child standing by her hip. With an inwardly sigh Conan followed his classmate as he cleared his throat.

The teenager stared down at the nose in surprise. As she noticed the children, a deep crimson colour blossomed across her cheeks from her mistake. “Oh, ehm, yeah. I’m alright.”

“Why are you talking so weird?” Ayumi asked, her eyes glittering with a childhood innocence he could never hope to replicate. It effectively punctured the tense atmosphere, as the teenager gave out a thrilling laughter.

“Its cause Im from Osaka. We got a kansai accent. I suppose it sounds odd in Tokyo.”

Ayumi nodded as though it made all the sense in the world. “Do you need any help? You look a little lost. You can go talk to the clerk and they’ll call for your friend over the intercoms?” If Conan hadn’t known better he would have thought the girl’s innocent smile hid a mocking smirk. “That’s what my mum always tells me to do!”

The teenager’s mouth opened a little in surprise, and her blush possibly deepened in embarrassment as she stuttered: “That’s not – I didn’t – I couldn’t –“

“You don’t have to be worried. They do it gladly. You shouldn’t go around on your own if you are lost. Something might happen,” the child nodded with a grave expression, and for a moment he could smell the scent of fear from her. She had been kidnapped off the street. Her need for safety was reasonable. “Bad things always happen when you are alone.”

The teenager kept blinking as though uncertain of what to do with a friendly child who only wanted to help. Conan couldn’t keep his lips from twitching upwards in amusement as Ayumi decided to take control over the situation.

“Here, Ill come with you,” she grabbed her hand and started to drag her in the correct direction.

“But,” came the stuttering reply, “I’m not lost. I’m looking for my friend.”

Conan decided to follow them, it was an amusing situation and far more entertaining then waiting for Ran’s return in boredom.

Ayumi stared up at the girl with an Oscar winning smile. “This is the fastest way to find them!”

The older girl opened her mouth a couple of more times before her shoulders dropped in defeat. What could she possibly say against the logic of a six year old girl?

Understanding that she had won the argument through sheer willpower, Ayumi dragged her to the back of the store.  A sleepy clerk looked at them without a hint of curiosity, although once he understood they were heading in his direction, he made a valid effort of looking more conscious.

“Niisan,” Ayumi started, “Oneesan lost someone, can we call for them on the intercoms?”

It took the clerk a moment to stir, and he did not manage to hide the large yawn as he nodded. “Sure. What’s your name and who are you looking for?”

The teenager’s cheek resembled tomatoes. She was looking back and forward between the girl and the clerk. Hesitation and shame turmoiled in her pretty features and she was clearly too rooted to the floor to come with a coherent reply. He could only imagine the panic tumbling in her mind.

“’Neesan,” Conan finally decided to speak up, and he only barely managed to keep his grin hidden as her desperate eyes glanced in his direction. For a moment he thought he saw hope glinting in her eyes. “You have to tell him, or we can’t find your friend.”

Her eyes darted around and her shoulder fell once again as she deflated like a balloon at the realization she could not get out of the conversation. Her head bowed and she mumbled something under her breath. Thankfully, Conan had excellent hearing and he turned towards the clerk.

“Her name is Kazuha. We are looking for Heiji.”

The man had been regarding them with dull eyes – clearly not entirely awake, or he simply didn’t seem to care enough. He nodded slightly at the information as it sunk in, and he turned halfway around to click on the announcement button.

“Kazuha is looking for a little boy named Heiji. She is waiting for you on the third floor reception. I repeat, Kazuha is looking for a little lost boy named Heiji. If you see him, please bring him to the third floor reception. Thank you.”

Kazuha crumbled and she hid her face in her palms. “Oh god. What did I just do?” was the only coherent muttering.

Conan had to turn away lest anyone noticed his smirk. Ayumi seemed oblivious to the situation as she beamed in happiness. Perhaps he should have done something to stop it – however a little mischief had never hurt anyone. At least it made the whole trip to the horror house a little more amusing.

“Conan-kun! That’s where you went. I was worried.”

Conan looked in the direction of the voice. His worried caretaker was followed by slightly annoyed girl. He forced his smirk into something assembling a smile. “I was just helping Kazuha-neesan look for her friend.”

Ran seemed to notice the other girl, and her smile turned sympathetic this time. “I heard about it over the intercom. I’m sure they’ll find him,” she told her with a kind smile. In any other situation, the reassurance would have been helpful. However, Ran had completely misjudged the reason behind Kazuha’s despair. She was dying of embarrassment, not worry.

Kazuha glanced up at her. “I really hope not.”

That had been the wrong thing to say, as Ran’s expression darkened as fury rippled across her features. “Did you lose the little boy on purpose?” the hiss in her voice was unmistakable, and a talon like hand grasped Conan’s shoulder almost on instinct as though she wanted him as far away from the stranger as possible. Ever since she had taken in Conan, she had been very protective against kidnappers and people mistreating children.

Sonoko frowned the spectacle from a safe distance, but made the wise choice of not commenting. Ayumi had lost her cheerfulness and let out a small sound in distressed confusion as she looked between the two with large eyes.

Kazuha’s mouth opened in surprise as she had not expected the response. “What? That’s not –“

Conan tuned them out with a mental laugh. This was far more amusing than he had originally calculated. Ran was furiously berating Kazuha, while the latter was trying to get a word in. Something tickled in his nose. He snapped his head in the direction. Something pungent had curled around them while he had not been paying attention. Cold realization waved through him. It was a familiar scent. The smell was almost visibly maroon as it danced in the still air. He inhaled it. Something stirred inside him in response.

Conan took a step back and hid behind Ran’s feet. If he was lucky, it had not sensed him yet. Perhaps Ran’s unmistakable scent would hide him. Most demons would not willingly concentrate to long on her bright nature. There was nothing to feed on. She really was the perfect cover.

The possessed child eyed his surroundings carefully. Where was the pungent smell coming from? He did not recognize it specifically. It was different and fainter. The distinctive sweetness of rotting flesh and bleached bones and somehow, blossoms. A characteristic of a lesser Shinpi demon. Yet, it was different. The crimson air twisted and turned into a shade of jade. Even the distinguished scent of a Shinpi was overpowered by burning orange peels. Something uncontrollable and rash.

Conan let out a sharp exhale of breath. That is impossible. It was still the same person, or creature, he was sensing. But somehow, it had changed. No one could alter their presence. Hide it yes, but completely turn it hundred and eighty degrees around? Inconceivable. Not even Yuusaku could do that. And he was the strongest demon Conan knew. Was this creature something new? Something he had never encountered before? The Shinpi were sub-demons who served a specific branch in Yuusaku’s realm. They were riddle makers, plot creators, the guardians of mysteries. Had one gone rouge without anyone knowing?

He swore inwardly. If that were the case, he would be in big trouble. They were one of his subordinates after all. They loved helping him solve a mystery. Often giving him riddles as answers. He had gladly taken over supervising their division. Both Yuusaku and him had a fondness for them. How could one have escaped without him knowing it? And what was it with this warped scent?

A masculine voice boomed across the floor, cutting Conan’s worried musing off.

“Kazuha! You ahou, what the hell is wrong with you?”

He turned in the direction of the voice. The sight that met him was that of a very enraged teenager. The boy froze in surprise. His nostril fluttering. So that’s where the scent was emanating from. He considered the teen with piercing eyes. He was dark-skinned with jade coloured eyes. His hair was dark-brown – a shade of hickory. It was a mockery of the maroon that waved around him in tiny coils. Conan followed their movement in confusion as they danced with the Jade. What was going on?

The girls fell silent as they eyed the new teen. He was breathing harshly as he glared.

Kazuha stepped forward with trembling legs. She pointed a finger at him as she yelled accusingly. “Ahou! I wouldn’t have had to do this if you hadn’t abandoned me.” She seethed with anger.

Surprisingly, the dark-skinned teen didn’t look particularly amicable when being yelled at. “My fault? You were the one who suddenly wasn’t there!”

“Me?!” The girl gawked in indignation. “I looked away for three seconds, and then you were gone. Three seconds. How the hell can you disappear in three seconds flat!”

The man who could only be Kazuha’s friend, Heiji, blinked. All anger drained from his face as he scratched himself on the cheek. A large, awkward smile blossomed on his face. “Sorry, sorry, I thought I saw something.”

Kazuha gave him a sharp look, before making up her mind. “Just don’t do it again. I was worried.”

The four spectators of the screaming match blinked in surprise. That certainly escalated too quickly to pay attention to the details.

Heiji wandered over to them, sharp jade eyes scrutinized them with barely a flicker.

Conan pressed his face into Ran’s tights and grabbed at the fabric of her skirt. The girl inched her face slightly as she gave him a worried look. He ignored her, his eyes glued to the stranger. The dark-skinned teen seems to have not spotted him yet. Thank the devil for short height of my host. He considered him. There were no apparent clue as to whether or not he was possessed by a Shinpi. They rarely, if not ever, travelled through the realms. Deciding instead to remain within Yuusaku’s halls indulging in their mysteries.

This entire situation was unnerving to say the least. He kept his tight control over his energies, not daring to let anything leak out. He was completely hidden, however the disadvantage meant that he couldn’t sense anyone either. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Should he take the chance? He couldn’t take the chance of being discovered. If anyone could spot him, it would be one of the Shinpi. Maybe he could manipulate it to not reveal him or rat him out to their king.

Conan decided to risk it. He closed one eye and pressed two fingers into Ran’s calves to hide the movement. A wisp of dark violet energy accumulated on the two extended fingers. Ran’s foot trembled slightly as if her foot suddenly had fallen asleep, as he let the energy travel from her and down on the ground. This way, the Shinpi wouldn’t be able to locate were it had come from. It slithered over the floor like electric snakes before disappearing into the sole of the dark-skinned teen’s shoes. Heiji tensed. Sharp eyes glanced in his direction.

Conan ducked his head. The echo of the energy whispered in his ear. He clutched at the fabric of Ran’s skirt. What was going on? The teen was not possessed. The hum of a demon was not presence. Not even an echo of a past possession. Then where was that demonic energy seeping from? He eyed the teen through half-lidded eyes. Who was he? And why did he feel like a riddle-solver?

Ran looked hesitant back and forwards between Kazuha and Heiji, before her eyes stopped at the man. “Are you Heiji?”

Heij’s eyes left Conan’s as he glanced at the girl. Only a few seconds had gone past since they had stopped yelling at each other. “Yeah. Hattori Heiji. Detective. Pleasure to meet yah.” A grin twitched on his lips as he introduced himself

Ran blinked in surprise. “Oh.” She turned to Kazuha as she bowed deeply in her direction. “I’m terribly sorry for yelling at you.”

Kazuha started to wave her hands in order to stop the girl from bowing. “No, no. Don’t worry about it. It’s understandable considering the situation.” Twin blushes decorated the girls’ features at the unfortunate mistaken. Somewhere behind them Sonoko laughed.

Hattori’s confused “Huh,” was his only intelligent reply.

Conan frowned from his not so successful hiding spot. A detective? The boy could not be more than seventeen. Could that be why his scent was like that? He shook his head immediately. Neither Ran’s father nor any of the police officers he had met had shared this scent. What was so special with this one?

He grasped his chin between two fingers. Something niggled in the back of his mind. He had heard stories of agents in the human world. Certain humans born with gifts, or curses, from the mystical world. He had never heard of anyone gain this ability. He considered the implications. Maybe it was not mysteries that followed this boy, but death. Perhaps he was an unconscious devotee of Yuusaku. Instead of being afraid of the deaths that fell around him, he had decided to solve them. It certainly made sense. However, it was unnerving. Why had he not been aware of this fact? And more important, were the more humans possessing this ability? Wouldn’t they be prune to demon attacks if they smelled like one? He shook his head. There were too few variables available to him.

Was Yuusaku even aware of this creature’s existence? He clenched his jaw. There was nothing the demon king did not know. They were definitely going to have words when he got back.

The girls’ ritual of apologising and forgiving continued. Hattori glanced down at the boy between Ran’s feet. He crouched down to be on the same eye-level. Apparently deciding the six-year-old boy was the only sane one in the group. Conan eyed him nervously.

“What’s up with them?” He hooked a thumb in their direction.

A smirk twisted in the corner of Conan’s mouth. “’Neechan thought Heiji-niisan was a little lost boy and yelled at Kazuha-neesan when she said she hoped you wouldn’t be found.”

An amused grin stretched across the teen’s face. “Really?” He rose from his position. “Hoy!” he bellowed.

The two girls fell silent and turned to face him with a shared, confused, expression. 

“What’s this about you not wanting me to be found, Kazuha?” He gave her a mock scowl.

The girl’s expression showed that of betrayal. A blush coloured her cheek. “I was just hoping you didn’t hear the broadcast, yah ahou! If I was hoping you weren’t found I would have just left you stranded on a road somewhere!”

“Oy, oy. I’m not a lost boy you can just abandoned!” They scowled at each other.

The tension in the air evaporated when Ran started to giggle. The two kansai-speaking teens turned to her with a perplexed expression.

Ran waved a hand in apologies. A deep blush adorned her face. “I’m sorry. You two are just a really cute couple.”

The two froze as twin blushes turned their faces red. A mutters of “We are not-“ “It’s not-“ “We are just-“ “Friends!” filled the air.

Conan shook his head in exasperation. There were definitely no chance Hattori was a demon in disguise.

“I don’t think we’ve introduced ourselves.” Ran hummed with a smile before pointing at the members of her group. “I’m Mouri Ran. This is Suzuki Sonoko. And this little, shy guy is Edogawa Conan.” She had a slight frown adorning her features as she introduced him. She was most likely confused as to his odd behaviour.

Conan mumbled a quick hello but didn’t relinquish his hold on her skirt. This situation was not to his liking. He was better off playing the angle of the shy child. He wanted to remove himself from this situation and think through the new information that had been revealed. He hated not knowing something.

“I’m Ayumi,” the fourth member of their group spoke up, and it seemed it was only then that anyone remember she was still there. Her expression was one of confusion and fearfulness. At one point she had retreated behind Ran too and was hiding behind Conan. The demon had been entirely too focused on the newcomer to take any stock of her.

Kazuha, apparently sensing the children’s unease, took a step in their direction and crouched down. She held out her hand as she smiled friendly in order to not spook them. “Hey Conan-kun. Ayumi-chan. I’m Toyama Kazuha. Thanks for helping me out.”

Conan decided not to reply as Ayumi peeked over his shoulder with uncertainty. “I’m sorry Kazuha-neesan. I didn’t mean to create trouble between you and Heiji-niisan.” Her voice was barely audible as he sniffed. Tears accumulated in her eye sockets.

Ran stirred from where she had been monitoring the exchange with a soft smile. Her lips twitched downwards in a worried expression. She gently removed his grip on her skirt as she kneeled down too in order to comfort the children – an action Conan hid is distaste for. He was not a child in need of console.

“It’s alright, Ayumi. Heiji is just a big meany,” Kazuha replied with a soft voice, the kind one used on children crying when you did not know how to handle the situation.

He had to swallow down his irritation, however Ayumi reacted to the voice with wide eyes. “Really?”

Kazuha beamed with relief that her attempt to calm her girl worked. “Honestly. Thanks to you, I found my little, lost boy.” She grinned, and his classmate seemed to calm down as she mirrored the smile.

Somewhere behind the teenager’s shoulder, Hattori grumbled in displeasure.

The affair was suddenly cut short as a old woman called out Ayumi’s name. The teenage girls stood up in surprise as someone resembling Ayumi – only older – approach. “I wonder where you went,” she chid despite the smile on her face.

The girl behind Conan’s shoulder perked up at seeing her mother. “Ill see you tomorrow, Conan-kun,” came the rushed reply as she approached the woman and the group waved their goodbyes.

He could finally breathe again now that the situation had been resolved – it had lasted far longer than he would have liked.

“Let’s go get something to eat,” Ran nodded in Sonoko’s direction, and she reached to grab Conan’s hand. The demon hid the displeased scowl threatening to show, but decided not to complain for the sake of the masquerade.

Ran turned towards Kazuha and Hattori with a bright smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you two. Please take care.”

Kazuha mirrored Ran as she bowed. “Likewise.”

Hattori nodded politely. “Be careful. There’s a purse snatcher somewhere around. I was asked by a family friend to find him, but I don’t have any clues yet.” He scratched his chin as he gave a lop-sided grin.

Ran and Sonoko nodded. “We’ll be careful.”

With that, they parted ways. Conan frowned slightly and glanced after them. A purse-snatcher? Was that the scent he had picked up earlier? Had the human boy sensed it too? There was too many question and not enough answers.

“That was certainly entertaining, but it has pushed our timetable,” Sonoko muttered as she checked her watch.

Conan twitched an eyebrow. Oy, oy. Is that all you think about? How much time you have to shop? He shook his head in disbelief. Humans.

“I’d say it was more than worth it getting to meet new people. They were a cute couple.”

“Yeah. I wish I had a knight in armour too,” the light-brown haired girl clasped her hands together as she sighed dreamily. “Someone like Kaitou KID. A gentleman, a magician. And drop dead gorgeous! What more can a girl ask for?”

The possessed child glanced at them. Kaitou KID? There was something familiar with that name. He waved away the thought a second later. Probably just a celebrity he had read about in one of their horrible fashion or gossip magazines. They stepped into the escalator.

“But Sonoko. You should be more realistic. He’s probably not like that in real life, and he’s a-“

Sonoko cut her short with a huff. “That doesn’t’ matter. It’s all about the fantasies, Ran. He’s dreamy, that’s enough for me.” She sighed happily, before her smile sharpened. “What about you and that Shinichi-guy you told me about a few months ago. Have you met him again?”

Ran’s cheek turned red as she looked down. Sadness flickered across her features. “Unfortunately no. He just disappeared somewhere.”

Conan tuned the rest of the conversation as he froze in shocked surprise. They had been talking about him? He had not imagined she would remember him. It had been months. They had known each other for less than hour. His heart pulsed in his throat. Confusion filled every crook of his mind. What was up with this woman. Why did she care so much about a stranger? He had been nothing but rude to her, and here she had been looking for him. This could get dangerous. Maybe it had been a mistake to decide to stay with her three months ago.

Something tugged on his arm. His shoes hit the end of the escalator and he tripped forwards. He would have fallen head first if it had not been for Ran holding his hand.

“Conan-kun!” The alarmed woman snatched him up and proceeded to make sure he was not hurt.

The possessed child grunted in displeasure. He had been too caught up in his thoughts to notice his surroundings. How embarrassing. Ran’s very nature continued to baffle him. It was disorienting.

“Are you hurt somewhere?” She started to fuss, trying to claw on his arm and holding him without dropping him all at once.

He slid slightly in her grip. The arm she had been holding twisted and hot-searing pain shot through him. He hissed. She must have pulled harder than he thought.

Ran heard the hiss of pain and inhaled sharply. “Let’s go to the pharmacy. It’s the closest. Someone must have some experience with strained-“

He cut her off. “Ran-neechan,” he started impatient. “I’m alright. You just pulled my arm.”

She didn’t look like she believed him. Worst-case scenarios probably flashed through her mind.

Sonoko grabbed Ran’s arm in aggravation. “Stop fussing so much. The brat is fine. And I’m hungry. Let’s go get something to eat and we’ll all be feeling much better.”

The girl looked back and forward between them. Hesitation clear in her pretty features. She bit her lip and caved with a nod. “Alright, you are right. I’m just overreacting.” She smiled softly before she looked down at the boy in her arms. “Think you can walk, Conan-kun?”

Conan supressed the urge to roll his eyes. For the love of- “Yes, Ran-neechan. My ability to walk hass not been compromised by an arm injury.” Irritation was clear in his voice. He knew his attitude was nothing like the shaken six-year old he was supposed to be, but he didn’t have the patience to fake it. Any he owned had been shattered before the conversation even started.

The brown-haired karate-champion blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth once, but decided to not say anything. She let him go, but captured his not-injured hand in hers.

Conan stifled the urge to growl. This was not how he had thought his day would go. He was miserable and hungry, making him less patient than usual. The sudden scent of bubbles tickling in his nose made him sneeze.

Sonoko glared down at him and made a pretentious huff. “As I was saying before the brat-“She didn’t get any further as a blur of darkness tripped her over. She fell in an undignified heap.

Ran released her grip on his hands as she leaned over her friend. “Sonoko! Are you alright?”

Sonoko hissed, not in pain, but in anger. She held a fist up after the retreating form. The man had not even looked back once. “Get back here you arrogant prick!” She made to stand, but froze. Her entire body tensed as she was moving around franticly. “Where’s my purse? He stole my purse!”

Conan turned to stare after the thief. Sonoko’s blue, expensive purse was perched in his hands. He chased after him without a second thought. A predator always chases the running prey. Its natural instinct.

The thief glanced behind him. Shadows hid his face underneath the dark-blue hood. He climbed the escalator, pushing people out of his way.

Conan stopped by the entrance. He stretched out his hand and focused. The teal mystery disappeared and reappeared as it mixed with crowd. He gritted his teeth. There were too many people, he could not get a fix on the thief in order to knock him out. By now, the thief had reached the top. The possessed child swore and stepped into the escalator. People moved aside as he climbed them quickly.

The second floor was crowded. People milled about. Conan eyed his surroundings. The more time he spent hesitating, the more time the thief would have to get away. Think Shinichi, if you were a purse-snatcher. What would you do to hide? An old man was chattering with two young girls by the elevator. A grandfather with his two grandchildren. His eyes wandered towards a couple who was entirely absorbed with each other. A young adult wearing a baggy shirt entered a video store. Conan smirked as he followed him.

The possessed child spied on him from a shelf. The man looked around, looking entirely too suspicious as he clutched his stomach. He dutifully approached him and looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

“Ne ojisan. Does your stomach hurt?”

The adult turned around slowly, his entire body tensed as his eyes shone of panic. He took a step back as his eyes fell to the small form. Something unnerving shone in those cerulean eyes. There was something dangerous and hungry looking through them. He staggered backwards. It was futile, he couldn’t run from that. Those blue orbs would hunt him down and devour him. His arms fell slack. Black spots danced across his vision. A feeling akin to despair was sapping away his energy. Why had he been doing this again? What was the point? The police would find him soon anyway. He should just give up.

Something crashed into his back.

Conan recoiled in surprise. His connection with the thief snapped in half. The thief fell slightly into the shelf behind him. Kazuha stood there with a concerned expression.

“Oh. I’m sorry! Are you alright?”

The man pushed away her arms as he straightened. He grabbed the shelf and threw it in the direction of the boy.

Conan cursed and rolled. The sound of crashes deafened his ears for a few seconds. A lone dvd box hit him in the head. Somewhere, coming warped as if from within a tunnel, Kazuha screamed.

The boy grunted, feeling fazed. Damn that woman. If she had not been there, he would have been able to finish his meal. Albeit a poor one, but he was hungry and irritated. Never a good combination. A weight settled on his arm. A soft voiced mumbled something underneath the piping in his ear. What were they saying? He tried focusing on the sound but to no gain. The weak, human body had decided to not cooperate.

It was several seconds later when he finally managed to sit up. Black spots danced in his vision. He grunted, waved away the hand on his arm and stood on trembling legs. He glanced around. Where had that thief gone? His eyes settled on a commotion just outside the boutique.

At one point, Hattori Heiji had tackled thethief and was not sitting on his back, pushing his face into the hard floor. Profanity escaped the enraged teen’s lips as Conan noticed his hearing was coming back.

“Why’d yah attack an innocent kid and lady like that, huh? What’s wrong with yah?”

The thief tried to squirm but an elbow dug into his back.

“Hattori-kun!” Ran and Sonoko arrived up the escalator. Relief shown in their faces. “You caught the guy stealing Sonoko’s purse. Thank god!”

Hattori had fallen still straddling the culprit. Confused, jade eyes regarded the girls. “The purse-?” His eyes widened as realization hit. He wrenched the guy’s hands back. The guy let out a sharp grunt in pain.

“You have the right to remain silent,” the tanned teen started to recite. He had clearly not connected the clues before now.

Conan turned away from the commotion. He rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He wanted to go home and take a long, warm, soak. Hattori’s burnt orange peel and shinpi scent drifted around him. Hunger stirred in responds. He opened his eyes slowly as he regarded the two.

By now, the security personal had approached them. The teen detective was trying to explain that he had not assaulted the culprit. From the way he was yelling they did not seem to believe him. The yelling escalated as Sonoko got involved and demanded her purse back. The purse-snatcher had fallen still on the floor. Most likely sensing the whole charade was futile.

Conan’s lips twitched downwards into a frown. The teal mystery had already evaporated. Only the sweet scent of bobbles remained. How splendid, he thought sardonically. There was no longer anything to eat. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Ran approach.

“Conan-kun. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”  Worry was written in her face for the third time today.

Conan stifled the urge to groan in annoyance. “Yes, Ran-neechan, I’m alright. No Ran-neechan, he didn’t hurt me,” he told her dutifully.

Behind him, the rustling of fabric warned him that Kazuha was fidgeting. Probably from guilt. Serves you right from getting in the way, he thought unkindly.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t pay attention and stumbled into him. Conan-kun almost got hurt because of me.”

Ran looked behind him to stare at the guilty looking girl with a soft expression. “It’s not your fault, Toyama-san. No need to apologise.”

Conan took of his glasses and tuned them out. They started the whole ritual of ‘No, I’m really sorry, and please call me Kazuha’ and vice versa. He rubbed his eyes in uninterested. Maybe if he feigned tiredness Ran would just take him home. There were too many people in this mall. It was wrecking his senses over. A massive headache had accumulated behind his eyes.

“As a thank you for your help. Why don’t we pay for lunch?”

“I don’t want to impose,” came the flustered reply from Kazuha.

Fabric rustled in his ears as Ran waved a hand in dismissal. “Nonsense, I insist. You caught the purse-snatchers after all! It’s the least we can do, right Sonoko?”

Conan cracked an eye open as the mentioned girl appeared. Her blue purse hanging from her arm. A flash of confusion flickered over her face before she nodded.

“Sure, the more the merrier.”

The girls smiled brightly at each other. The moment was ruined when Hattori barged in.

“Can you believe that ahou! He wasn’t listening to me at all. Me? Assaulting someone? That’s nonsense. I’d never harm a civilian.” A glare was sent in the direction of the security guards who had now apprehended the thief

Kazuha looked like she was not sure she whether wanted to agree. She nodded slightly. “Ran-chan and Sonoko-chan have invited us for lunch if you’re allowed you leave.”

Hattori’s head snatched in their direction. His face brightened at the prospect of a meal. “I’m definitely not going decline a free meal. And yeah, I can go. I’ve already given my report to the security guards.”

“A good! We know a perfect place to eat.”

With that settled, the teenagers started towards the escalator again while talking amicable with each other. Conan stared after them. What was the chances of him sneaking away unseen?

“Conan-kun! You coming?”

He sighed and let his head fall forwards in defeat. I thought so. He trailed after them.

Chapter Text

Fuglen Tokyo was a café transplanted to the concept of a backstreet corner a year prior. It was located not far from Yoyogi Park. The café was decorated with Biri-straw wallpaper, which was 50’s vintage and even had outdoor seating. The popularity of the place was due to the transfusion of Japanese and Norwegian coffee and food. Not that Heiji could see the appeal. He preferred traditional food. Fusion just clang badly to him. Why ruin two perfectly good meals by fusing it together? Made no sense to him.

He glanced down at the boy walking next to him. They had not spoken much except that one sentence earlier. There was just something unnerving about him. He did not act like a normal six year old boy would. He was quiet and calm. Something no child should. God knew he himself had been a reckless child. Annoying his parents 24/7, getting into trouble, being in general very loud. Conan seemed older than his years.

Heiji cocked his head thoughtfully. What could a kid have been through to look so serious? There definitely had to be some sort of trauma. He glanced at Ran. She seemed to be the most attached to him. However, they did not share last names or share any apparent facial similarities. That narrowed the options to either half-siblings, orphanage kids or just the simply explanation that they were neighbours and Ran was babysitting him.

Would it be considered rude to ask? They barely knew each other. He scratched his chin, eyeing the girls walking a few feet in front of them. Mah, maybe Kazuha would learn something. Girls did have a habit how talking about sensitive subjects that could not be breached by a member of another gender.

His eyes wandered back down on to the boy. He was wearing a rather grumpy expression. Clearly unhappy with the situation, but clever enough to not voice his complaint. Children should not be clever enough to not know when to complain. Children lived to inquire about everything and general make a nuisance. He shook his head in confusion. He placed a hand on Conan’s head.

“Brightened up, chibi,” he grinned good-heartily in hopes of shaking the boy’s expression. “Yah can nap while we wait for the food.”

 If Heiji was expecting a smile or a grumpy ‘I’m not a baby’ any child his age would make, he was fairly disappointed. The glare cast in his direction was one filled with seething anger, an expression that spoke of something dangerous. Every hair on his neck stood as his survival instincts blared in warning.

 “I don’t need a nap. I simply don’t want to spend any more time in your presence. You reek. It’s giving me a headache.

Heiji stopped abruptly in his track in surprise. That was definitely not the voice of a seven-year-old boy. Confusion flooded through him. He eyed the retreating form. Even if he had stopped, everyone else had kept going. What the hell was going on? Who is that kid? Curiosity mixed with dread waved inside him. Something was whispering in the back of his mind to stay clear of the kid. But why? Had there been something he had picked up unconsciously that warned him of danger?

No, he shook his head. That could not be it. Where could a child hide a weapon that was dangerous to him? No, it had to be… he gritted his teeth in irritation, intuition. He hated to rely on gut-feeling. There was a logical explanation to everything. He should know, he was a detective after all. Leave superstitions to Kazuha.

“Oy, Heiji. You coming or not?”

He blinked out of his thoughts as his childhood friend waved at him in exasperation. He held a hand up. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold your horses, Kazuha.” He hurried after them.

 Entering the café, the scent of fresh-brewed coffee hit him. He took a deep breath in pleasure. After the long day he had, he bloody well deserved a cup. He made to follow the girls to their tables, however he drew short as his feet collided with something soft. He looked down.

Conan stood frozen just inside the entrance. He was not moving a muscle.

Heiji crouched in puzzlement. Something told him not to ruse the child. He stood so very still, his chest barely rising to indicate he was breathing. The teen detective cringed his eyebrows in uneasiness. Was he having an epileptic seizure? He clenched his hands together so as not to reach out. He thought back on the pamphlets his mother had made him read while he was little. When someone has a focal seizure, do not restrain them, do not make any sudden movement or loud noises. He nodded to himself as he mentally clicked off the boxes. He made to rise to get Ran when something made him stop.

The boy’s eyes were half-lidded, somehow both glazed and focused on the room in front of him. Cerulean eyes seemed to almost glow. He frowned slightly. Probably just a trick of the light. He looked up to survey the room.

It was a spatial room, with the bar at one end by the entrance and two dozen or so seating places scattered around the room. Considering the early morning, the room was not even one quarter full. Next to the bar was two windows, one showing a chief chopping up vegetables and waving to a duo of girls. The other window was filled with white smoke. The unmistakable form of a person hid somewhere between the smog. There was a low whirring in the air. A barista handed a tray with coffee to a female waiter. Further down the room stood a male waiter taking an order.

Something prickled on Heiji’s skin. The unnerving feeling of being watched. He glanced back at the child. An aware, intelligent gaze met his. A shiver ran through him in surprise.

The boy seemed to have brighten up. An expectant gleam in his eyes. His lips twitched slightly as he was holding back a grin.

Heiji frowned in confusion. Had he missed something important in the few seconds he had spent surveyed the room? What had brightened up the eerie child? The thought of finally getting some food? The questions went unanswered as the boy tripped around him. Heiji stood slowly as he watched Conan head to towards the girls.

A smile blossomed on Ran’s face as she scooted over to make space. He jumped up without assistance.

Heiji raked a hand through his hair. Weird kid, he thought as he followed. He sat down on an unoccupied chair.

The girls busied themselves with opening the menus and general chatting between themselves that he droned out in thought. His eyebrow twitched as his mind tried to make sense of the odd circumstance. Only when Kazuha drilled her elbow into his side did he look up with a confused expression.

A silence had gathered around the table with eyes looking in his direction in curiosity – only then did he realize that he had been asked a question. A faltering smile curled on his lips as he tried to indicate with his eyebrows he had no idea what was going on.

Thankfully, Ran took pity on him as she repeated her question. “You are a high school detective, right? That’s pretty impressive. My father is a detective too.”

Heiji looked at her with renew curiosity. What had her name been again? Mouri? The name sounded familiar. Was her father a famous detective then? He ruminated through the detectives he knew about in the Tokyo are- He blinked it finally dawned to him. Oh.

“Your the Sleeping Kogorou’s daughter?” He could hit himself. Why had it not dawned to him earlier?

Ran’s cheeks coloured as she nodded briefly. “Yeah. You heard of him?”

Heiji snorted slightly. “Aye. I have ta habit of keeping track of the competition,” he grinned ruefully. In the peripheral, he could see Conan snap his head in his direction with a calculating gaze. He shuddered slightly as an odd feeling shivered down his spine. It felt like those cerulean orbs could gaze into his very soul. It was an unpleasant feeling. He dragged his eyes away and focused back on Ran. He swallowed slightly.

“He’s a pretty unusual case, ain’t he? Solving cases in a trance of half-unconsciousness and having no memories of doing so? He’s definitely an impossible case known in the PI circles. Just three months ago he was a-“ He stopped abruptly as Kazuha elbowed him again. He shot her an annoyed glare. One which Kazuha mirrored.

“What?” he hissed through clenched teeth. Confusion filled his head. What had he possible done to merit abuse? He had just been talking about – oh. Redness flushed his cheeks. He had almost said something rude about Ran’s father. Kazuha knew this particular rant well. He scratched his cheek to hide the blush. He cleared his throat.

“I mean. He’s a great detective, just a peculiar case, yah know?”

Uncertainty drained from Ran’s face as she hummed in agreement. “Yeah. Three months ago he was a lousy, sleazy and lazy detective.”

Kazuha squeaked slightly in surprise. Here she had tried to be all tactful while Ran just told the truth flippantly.

Heiji grinned. He liked this girl.

Ran smirked at their responds. She waved a hand slightly. “Don’t worry about stepping on something. I know my dad well. I live with him after all. He’s a drunkard and an idiot. But he’s a decent detective,” her face softened as she regarded the youngest member of their group. “I think he cleaned up his act when Conan came to live with us.”

Heiji glanced at the boy. Conan had gone very still and avoided their gazes. The little the teen detective could see, was something dark flickered in those cerulean eyes. He swallowed slightly, the earlier warning bells chimed in his ears.

“I’m a detective too,” Sonoko interrupted haughty, wanting to be included into the conversation.

Heiji snapped to her in surprise. Another teen detective? His pulse raced in excitement. He had wanted to meet one and go head to head in a battle of wits. He observed her with renew interest.

Light brown hair pulled back with a headband. Wide blue eyes. A face covered up with moderate – but expensive, makeup. His eyes wandered down to her hands. Long smooth, fingers, no callousness. Indicating no physical exercise nor used to labour. Expensive manicure. Her blue jacket, on fashion, probably worth more than his entire wardrobe combined.

Heji leaned back with a puzzled frown. This was not what he had expected from someone he might think of as an intellectual equal. He had expected something more than a rich bimbo. He shook the thought away. He should not jump to conclusions. First impressions could be misleading. What had she said her name was again?

He vaguely noticed Conan’s annoyed expression as he regarded the girl. The little body tensed with an unnamed emotion.

“Oh! Then you must be the deduction queen, right?” Kazuha tittered in excitement. “Heiji’s been going on and on about the case with the ducks,” she sent the aforementioned boy a mischievous grin.

Heiji had frozen in shock as he regarded the girl again. She was the Deduction Queen? This girl, sitting in her expensive clothing, was the teen he had been not entirely stalking? When the name ‘Deduction Queen’ had popped up out of nowhere three months prior he had thought it had been a lucky-strike. But when she kept being mentioned in one case after the other, he had looked into her. He had read the reports. Her deductions were brilliant. Once or twice even he had been baffled of one of the cases. His respect had risen as the weeks passed by. He felt cheated. He expected something more, something bright and dazzling that could never be mistaken for anything else. An intelligence so brilliant and witty.

Heiji slumped on the seat and raked a hand through his hair. He sighed heavily in disappointment. What was it that people usually said? Never meet your heroes (or in general people you admired)? You would only be disappointed.

Kazuha elbowed him again.

 This time he did not rise to the bait. He sent her a half-hearted glare.

Annoyance evaporated from her pretty features as she regarded him with a worried look. “Heij? Is something wrong?” her voice was thick with concern for her childhood friend.

Heiji shook his head as he avoided her gaze. He had no desire to chat. He needed time to digest his disappointment.

His brooding was cut short a moment later as the waiter approach their table. He glanced at her. She was of Caucasian decent. With heels she towered over their table around 178 cm tall, 18 cm taller than the average Japanese woman. He had a hard time not to follow the slender legs as they travelled upwards, disappearing from view into a yellow skirt.

Something hard elbowed into his stomach. A low groan escaped his lips in surprise. Tingles of pain crackled under his skin. Only his pride kept him from doubling over. He turned towards his assailant.

“What the hell Kazuha?” he glared. “Are you trying to incapacitate me permanently? If you don’t like me. Tell me straight in the face would yah. At least I’ll keep all my limps intact.”

Kazuha flushed with anger. To his utter surprise the girl avoided his gaze and slumped back into her seat.

Heiji blinked in surprise. He had expected another outburst from his childhood friend. A mixture of anger, disappointment and pain read clearly in her pretty features. Heiji’s stomach clenched in confusion and worry. What had been the reason for her devastated expression? He loathed seeing it. She was supposed to be fierce and fiery. Not this weak, timid creature. He did not like it one bit.

He rubbed his stomach absentminded. “Kazuha?” he queried softly.

She did not glance at him, keeping her head turned away. The one visible hand he could see, clutched on the fabric of her jeans.

“Kazuha-“

The sound of someone clearing their noise interrupted him. He glanced at the waitress. She looked uncomfortable. Blue eyes wide in her delicate, pale face. A strand of light blond hair curled between her eyes.

“Maybe I should come back later.” To his surprise, her voice had no foreign accent.

“It’s fine,” Kazuha’s livid voice cut in. Her face tight as she regarded the waitress. “I want coffee. Black.”

Heiji tried not to cringe. If she was ordering black coffee, she was definitely pissed off. She avoided his questionable gaze.

“I’ll have the gourmet white chocolate please,” Ran cut in. a strained, but friendly smile adorned her features. “and the smorgasbord,” she hesitated, her lips stretched out a few times as she tried to pronounce the foreign vocals.

The waitress clanked back and forward with an uncertain expression. A slightly fidget showing her indecision between being a good host and the urge to retreat.

Sonoko joined Ran in trying to pronounce the words.

Kazuha was glaring out the window. Heiji felt whiplashed. Just a moment ago he had been cranky, and now suddenly everything had turned hundred and eighty degrees. He shook his head slightly and sighed in resignation. Women were a mystery. He raked a hand through his hair and glanced at the youngest of their members.

Conan was ignoring them, seemingly not to have been paying attention to the confusing drama. His gaze absorbed the room with keen eyes. The little body shaking almost with anticipation for… what exactly? Food?

The sound of clattering and a large thump boomed through the café. The occupants of the room fell abruptly silent as every eye was turned in the direction of the sound. Conan jumped off the chair and was halfway across the room even before the sound of the crash had stopped echoing through the room. He disappeared through the door to the kitchen.

Heiji swore, taking a couple of seconds too long to squirm out of his seat. The waitress, who had gone still at the commotion, startled at his movements, and followed at his heels as he made his way towards the door.

The room was the one who had previously been clouded in vapour, the fan over their heads hummed as the room started to clear bit by bit. The furniture in the small kitchen room variated from several large fridges, benches and ovens. A large casserole sat upon the oven, boiling. On the bench next to it, stood a chopping board with several cut and uncut root-vegetables.

Heiji’s eyes snapped towards the figure on the ground. A man, possibly in his late thirties, Caucasian with sun-bleached hair lay on the ground. Another large pot lay halfway on him, the hot soup still trickled out of the pan, the rest already spread half across the room. A single, whole tomato lay squashed in their midst.

He turned towards the waitress. “Call an ambulance!” he barked out the order.

The woman widened her eyes as his words got to her, a hand came up to hide the lower parts of her face.

He swore loudly as the clear sign of going in to shock was visible in her too-blue eyes. Behind her another man appeared. He grabbed the woman’s shoulder and mumbled something incoherent to her. He then turned towards the detective and nodded.

“I will call,” he said louder with a thick accent. He then continued to usher the woman out of the doorway.

“Call the police too while you are at it.”

Heiji’s head snapped back into the room as another, dark and mature voice spoke. Had he somehow missed the presence of another person in the room? He scanned the room with his eyes as he stepped in. It was not before he settled his gaze lower, that he noticed –and remembered that he had been the second person to enter, Edogawa Conan. The child stood crouched next to the body, his face unreadable as he regarded the presumably unconscious chef.

The tan teen blinked in surprise, the wheels in his head working in overdrive trying to connect the presence with the voice. Maybe he had misheard? “Wha-“

“He has already been dead for at least an hour.” Conan interrupted him and stood. Keen cerulean eyes turned towards him.

Heiji’s breath hitched slightly. For a second he could have sworn he had been staring at an older person. The wheels in his head stopped completely as the child elaborated with an annoyed expression as the detective had been quiet for longer then he liked.

“Rigor mortis has already started to set in on his jaw. His temperature has already gone down one point five degrees, considering the humidity, that’s quite a defeat. Not to mention the blood on his temple has already dried,” the boy added dryly and pointed down.

Heiji’s eyes followed the motion. He swore softly to himself, how could he miss the clear evidence of dried blood? The blood-crust shade stood out like and Kansai-ben speaker in Toyko. He looked back at Conan.

The child stood there impassive, not once had the expression on his face wavered as he spoke. If Heiji had not known better, he swore the boy was doing nothing more essential than watching Kamen Yaiba or taking a morning stroll. Cold shivers raked down his spine. The only thing conveying that the boy’s not as indifferent to his surroundings, was the clear hunger gleaming in his cerulean orbs.

Who the hell is this kid?

…

The room milled with police officers less than twenty minutes later. The guests at the café had been ushered into the back, and was now giving statements to various officers. Megure and his closest subordinates had gone directly into the small kitchen. The four remaining employees sat around the table, head bowed in mourning, whispering between themselves or answering questions from the officers.

Next to her, Sonoko lay draped across the table, complaining every two seconds about how an utter inconvenience this was, and how horrible hungry she was. Kazuha had not elicited a single word as she followed Heiji’s trek around the room with her worried, green eyes. He had been unable to sit still for more than two minutes. Somewhere among the chaos, Ran had lost track of Conan.

“Ran-chan.”

The familiar voice of the only female officer in division one reached her. Ran looked up with a smile as she spotted Sato making a path towards them.

“Detective Sato, you haven’t seen Conan-kun anywhere by any chance?”

The question made the short-haired woman pause. It was clearly not the inquiry she had expected. She scratched her chin as a thoughtful expression flickered over her face. “Ehm,” she articulated. “I think I saw him in the women’s bathroom.” Her smile was hesitant, looking almost guilty as she regarded the teen.

Confusion filled Ran’s head with a haze. What is he doing in the women’s bathroom? She shook her head slightly. Clearly she had to talk to him about boundaries. If he had to go to the loo, he should have told her. Next to her, Sonoko snorted as she straightened slightly.

“That brat. Can’t even read the Kanji for the different genders yet.”

Kazuha shifted slightly, snapping out of her stupor as she turned towards them. “Actually,” she started, a blush crept up from her neck. “I was in the bathroom earlier, the signs for the bathrooms are in three different languages and there’s this really cute cartoon.”

Sonoko blinked, before chortling. “Then he’s just stupid.”

“Sonoko!” Ran exclaimed, quite exasperated at the way Sonoko always called her ward names. “Conon is an exceptionally bright boy,” she chided. “If you always call him names, he’ll think you don’t like him.”

Sonoko’s deadpanned expression of “I don’t,” did not come as a surprise to her.

Ran sighed deeply, giving up on her best friend. She leaned forward, settling an elbow on the table and rested her head on the palm of her hand.

Kazuha glared at Sonoko. “He’s just a child, why do you have to be so rude?”

Sonoko glanced at the Kansai-ben speaker with a confused expression. She sat up slowly and put her hands up slightly. “It’s not like I dislike him or anything. He’s just-,” she hesitated. A haze of uncertainty and nervousness settled in her eyes. “Weird,” she stated after several seconds of contemplation. “He makes me nervous at times,” she shrugged slightly.

Kazuha did not look particularly placated, making Sonoko sigh in frustration, the heiress waved a hand slightly in dismissal as she muttered darkly. “I’ll buy him a toy or something later as an apology. Happy?”

The sound of clothes rustling made Ran look away from the two girls. Amusement blossomed in her chest. She liked Kazuha better by the minute. She glanced at Sato, the same amusement shone in her face as a smile adorned her features. Her smile sharpened into a grin as they shared a look. Ran mirrored her expression.

Conan suddenly popped up in her vision over Sato’s shoulder. He zoomed in on the table with the four employees and started waving his arm and saying something to the male barista. She could not tell his expression from the distance, but she assumed he was wearing the usual amused confusion when talking to an over-intelligent seven-year-old boy. Ran smiled warmly to herself.

Edogawa Conan had popped into her life and squirmed into her heart faster than she had anticipated. She adored him greatly. She had never imagined having a little brother – someone to take care of, would change her and her father’s life so drastically. Kogorou seemed to have cleaned up his act now that he had to support another child. Conan seemed to look up the older detective as well.

Her musing was cut short a few moments later as Heiji popped up next to their table. He was now wearing a cap, the brim pressed down into his face. His jade-coloured eyes gleamed with excitement as he peered down at Sonoko.

Sonoko shot him an annoyed expresson. Her shackles raising slightly from the competitive glare the teen was giving her. He had previously tried to drag her into the crime scene to see who could solve the crime first, but Sonoko had blatantly refused. Heiji had earned a slap to the face as a reward for his persistence.

A large grin spread across his features. His voice filled with anticipation and gleefulness as he stated with a booming voice. “I figured out the trick! I know who the killer is.”

Sato twirled around in surprise, eyeing Heiji with renew interest. “Who are you?”

Heiji glanced at her, his grin still plastered on his face as he exclaimed proudly. “Hattori Heiji, Im a detective.” Before anyone could react, he had grabbed Sonoko’s arm and dragged her half across the room in the direction of the four employees. Sonoko’s protest and kicks fell on deaf ears.

Kazuha jumped out of her chair, shouting her childhood’s name as she followed with quick feet.

Ran and Sato stared after them in disbelief. They shared another look. Twin expression of ‘did we accidently walk into a zoo somewhere?’ shone in their faces. Ran stood, worry for Sonoko flushing through her.

By the time she reached them, Heiji had planted himself in front of the table. A large, red mark glowed slightly on his cheek. He was no longer attached to Sonoko, as Kazuha was now hissing angrily as she kept herself between the heiress and the detective.

Conan glanced up at them in confusion. He sought Ran with queried eyes. Something dark flickered through his cerulean eyes and she dropped her gaze uncomfortable. Sonoko was right, sometimes the child could be unnerving.

She shook her head slightly to liberate herself from the thought. Conan had been through so much in his short life. Some nights she could not sleep thinking about it. Found in the streets at the age of five, kidnapped at seven. Who knew what had happened to them before hand? Some evenings she just wanted to hug him, but he would rarely let her. Everyone else seems to keep him at an arm’s distance. Not her though. She refused to let him think he was unwelcomed. She was more intrigued than nervous, he reminded her slightly of that person she had met a few months prior. They shared the same aura.

Her thoughts were cut short as Heiji started to talk. His voice wavered slightly as the bruise from earlier started to swell on his cheek.

“Let us reintroduce ourselves. This is the Deduction Queen, Suzuki Sonoko,” he waved a hand in the direction of the mentioned girl.

Sonoko’s eyes narrowed in fury. Her hand shook slightly as if she looked ready to either murder the teen or run away.

Ran hurried to stand next to her. She grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Sonoko’s anger drained slightly as she glanced at her childhood friend. A thankful look flickered over her face as she squeezed back. The entire situation seems to make her anxious. Ran could understand it perfectly.

The waitress from earlier glanced around nervously, before settling on the teens in front of her. She squirmed slightly and folded her hands. “I’m Annette Bjørnvik. I’m the head leader of the personnel and the co-owner, as well as a waitress. I arrived together with Erik and Fredrik after 9 am. I never entered either kitchens. Thomas dislikes being disturbed when he’s cooking.” When she spoke, it was still soft and impeccable. No sign of any accent whatsoever. It still surprised Ran that she was speaking fluently Japanese, looking like a sore thumb. One needed no more than half a glance to see that she was definitely not of Asian descent.

“I Erik Henrikson. I second chef,” said the man sitting next to her. His voice was thick with a foreign accent. Drops of sweat trickled down his forehead as he looked severally constipated. Strands of red hair plastered on his forehead. He opened his mouth a few times, gurgling at some half-words before he leant towards the waitress. He mumbled something quick. The tones wavered up and down in what Ran could only describe as singing. A flush crept up from her neck.

Annette listened to him silently. She put a hand over his wrist and nodded. She turned towards them. “He said he went directly to his own part of the kitchen upon arriving, he did not greet Thomas,” she licked her lips nervously. Something unreadable flickered in her eyes. “We have two separate kitchen. One for slow-cooking and one for easily prepared food. Erik is responsible for the latter today, Thomas got in early to prepare a Norwegian dish called ‘Lapskaus’ for tonight. The beginning of every month we serve traditional food from our home.” She started to shake. Tears accumulated in her eyes and started to fall. The red-head next to her took an arm around her and started to hush softly. Annette burrowed her face into his chest, clutching on his uniform with clawed hands.

Ran evaded her gaze, a heavy feeling in her stomach. It never stopped upsetting her whenever someone was killed. What if it was someone she knew next time? She would not be able to bear it.

Sensing her distress, Conan shifted to stand next to her. He was glancing up at her with an unreadable expression. He reached up to yank at her cuffs.

She immediately lowered down to meet him at eye level. Before she could ask, he queried with a soft voice.

“What’s wrong Ran-neechan? Why are you crying?” His face lifted slightly as he regarded her. From somewhere, light reflected from his glasses, leaving his eyes hidden from view. But she knew, without

t any doubt, that his attention was solely on her. A shiver ran down her spine.

She reached her hand up to her chin, only then noticing that she had been crying. She chortled slightly at herself. Lifting up her free arm, she wiped the tears on the fabric. “I’m alright Conon-kun. I guess I was just thinking how horrible it would be to be in their shoes.”

The boy went very still next to her. His little hand twitched slightly, before letting go of her cuffs. The glare from the glasses vanished, leaving her with full access to the expression shining in his eyes.

She blinked in surprise. Her heart clenched slightly at the utter disbelief and befuddlement in those cerulean orbs. Her breath hitched as she contemplated the meaning. Why had her statement confused him so? Could he not believe her compassion? What could possibly have happened to him to someone so young to give that stricken look?

His face shut down a minute later. His eyes turned unreadable and dark. His eyes narrowed slightly as a cold calculative look gleamed in his eyes.

Ran’s heart contracted once more. “Oh, Conan-kun,” she mumbled and embraced him. She could feel the small body tense in surprise. He twitched slightly in discomfort, starting to pat her arm uncertain as to what to do after a few moments have passed. She vowed to hug him more often from here on out.

In the meantime, the previous conversation had continued.

Fredrick’s story matched the previous two. He had met them at outside the café and entered the building together. He too, was speaking Japanese fluently. His hair was a shade darker and his eyes a murky brown, indicating that he was possibly of half-Scandinavian half-Japanese descent.

The last of the four was the barista, Kino Ryushi. The only Japanese working in the cafe. His hair was dark brown. He had arrived first after the victim to start up the coffee machines. They needed a few minutes to heat up and boil fresh water. He was currently the main suspect.

Heiji waved the accusation away and told everyone to join him in the kitchen.

Ran disentangled herself from Conan when he started to squirm, clearly wanting to join the others. She did not like his obsession with crime scenes, but the point had turned moot weeks ago as they had happened to cross paths with murders everywhere they went. It was disconcerting to say the least. Had they been cursed by something supernatural? Her stomach dropped, and a cold shiver went down her spine from the thought. It was a scary idea. Logically, she knew the supernatural, and ghosts and vampires did not exist. Regardless of that, she could not help being scared of the ‘what if’’s. Her karate could do nothing to protect her.

Ran snapped out of her thoughts as the noticed she was alone. She blinked in confusion. Had she been so caught up in her thoughts she had not noticed everyone leaving without her? She picked herself up from the floor and hurried after them.

They were all in the adjacent kitchen from the crime scene, the two room separated by a wall. The rooms were pretty much identical, except this one was a mess. Several pans, pots and ingredients were scattered across the benches. They had been forgotten about in the chaos.

She focused on the people and motions in the room. Heiji had acquired a rope at one point. He was currently attaching one end to a large pot on the stove. It looped in an intricate pattern around Takagi, whom looked very uncomfortable.

Every now and again, the teen detective glanced at Sonoko. Said girl had her arms crossed as she glared into the room. Kazuha fluttered nervously next to her, not letting her eyes off the eccentric boy.

Conan looked up at her from his spot next to the doorway.

Ran stopped behind him. She looked upon the room with amused curiosity as Heiji started to balance on a chair, his hands sticking into the air-fan in the ceiling, attached the rope to the large blades. 

Ran leaned slightly over as she whispered to Conan. “What is he doing with the rope?”

The boy’s eyes slowly dragged away from the scene to regard her. A slight annoyance flickered in his eyes, making her frown in confusion. It not seem as if it was her he was irked at.

“They found ropes in the ceiling-fans in the adjacent room,” he replied, his voice dark as his head turned back to observe Heiji, his jaw clenched slightly. “Heiji-niisan is trying to reconstruct the crime scene.”

For some reason, the word ‘trying to’ echoed in her head. She blinked slightly in confusion once more, staring at the boy with wide eyes. Something chimed wrongly, but she could not put her finger on it.

“Alright, Officer Tamaki –“

“Takagi,” Sayo corrected hurriedly. Her voice a mixture of curiosity, confusion and exasperation. She folded her arms and eyed the teen with sharp eyes.

Heiji blinked, before his features smoothed out. “Right, sorry,” he coughed and continue with a louder voice as if the interruption had not happened. “Officer Takagi, rest your weight on the rope. Don’t worry, it’ll hold you.”

Takagi did not look remotely reassured. His eyes were wide, slightly panicked as he eyed the teen detective. Heiji’s grin matched the cat who hate the canary. His jade eyes gleamed darkly under the shadow of his cap.

Takagi searched Megure’s expression for advice on how to proceed. The head investigator squirmed slightly on the spot, uncertainty reading clear in his features. His moustache vibrated as he sighed. He waved a hand to either give permission or just as a ‘do whatever you want’. The meaning was ambiguous. One should think they were used to eccentric detectives by now, having to deal with the ‘Sleeping Kogorou’ and the Deduction Queen on a regular basis.

The poor officer wrapped in ropes still looked nervous and uncertain. Ran’s heart went to him. She did not imagine she could have trusted a stranger just like that.

Seeming to make up his mind, Takagi closed his eyes and relaxed. His body wobbled forwards. The ropes tightened slightly around him, and the pot jumped, but did not fall over. It must have been filled with something to keep its weight. Takagi’s eyes opened up on surprise. His breath came out in short breath as he exclaimed in exhilaration – and relief. “I didn’t fall! It can keep my weight up.”

Excitement swelled in the room between the inhabitants. Heiji ducked his head and grinned. A flush crept up from his collar. He turned to sought out Sonoko’s eyes as his grin sharpened in triumph. Sensing his intention, Sonoko’s smile dropped from her lips. They tightened slightly as she looked away.

“This is all interesting and everything,” Sato interrupted. She looked to be fighting several expressions mixed between excitement, calculative and sceptic. A hand fell on her hips as she regarded the display.

Heiji turned away from his staring contest with Sonoko. He grasped the brim of his cap and pushed it further down his face. Ran swore he looked slightly hungry for the conclusion of the crime.

“Someone turn on the fan.”

As a collective consciousness, everyone turned towards the inconspicuous button by the door. Several eyed it as it if would bit them.

Ran glanced down at Conan. Instead of looking at the switch, he was staring at Heiji with a fascinated expression. Something dark flickered in his cerulean eyes. It shut down a second later as he noticed – or more accurately felt, Ran’s gaze. His expression morphed into that of a child’s. Round eyes filled with childish curiosity, leaving Ran uncertain as to whether she had been imagining the previous look.

Someone reached out and clicked the switch. Almost immediately, the little room was filled with sounds as the fan started to hum. The rope tightened. And the pot tipped forwards. Takagi, who had been relying on the pot to stand up, wobbled backwards as the rope disappeared from underneath him. He tipped backwards, the pot falling with him. The room clang with metal as the pot hit the floor. Cold water splashed out, drenching the fallen officer to the bone. The rope coiled and disappeared into the vent as the rotating blades tangled it around the machine.

The room was completely silent for a full thirty seconds. Everyone looked upon the display with shock, trying to digest what had just happened. Someone murmured something that sounded like ‘awesome’.

Heiji looked smug.

The magic ended as Sato finally got her bearing back and stepped forwards. Her voice thick with mirth as she leaned over her partner. She looked like she could not decide whether to laugh or be worried. “Takagi-kun, are you alright?”

The soaked man gaped up at her, his mind still not completely back on track. He nodded just as someone called out. “Someone get him a towel.” An officer by the door slipped out of the room. He came back a few moments later with several towels. That cleared up, all eyes turned towards Heiji, begging for an explanation.

The mentioned teen’s eyes shone with triumph. “The culprit executed this trick easily. The fans in both kitchen is controlled from this switch.” He pointed towards it.

Once again, all heads turned towards the spot – except for a seven-year-old boy who did not relinquish his gaze on the tan detective.

“The only one who could have accomplished this plan is you,” he pointed at the chef.

Heads snapped in the direction. Ran felt whiplashed. Her neck aching from the abrupt movements.

Annette flinched away. Her eyes grew large as she regarded her companion. Her eyes started to shake as she mumbled, “Nei, nei.”

Erik looked back and forward, looking dazed and confused. Seeming to not understand the situation. He reached out to grab her shoulder, but she recoiled. His arms fell slack to his sides as he looked desperately around for an explanation.

Fredrick took piety on him and leaned forward to say something in that singing language. Erik paled and started to shake his head. “Nej, Nej.” He then switched over to Japanese to stutter. “Not me.”

Ran’s heart dropped. She was relieved the culprit had been caught, but the man looked so confused and heartbroken. Committing a crime in a different country where you did not speak the language? He would be swallowed up whole by the justice system.

Heiji’s smile turned possibly feral. “He’s the culprit, the only one who could have had the opportunity to commit the crime. He was alone in the kitchen when it happened.”

Annette startled out of her sob as she looked up. “But- why would he? Erick has no motive to kill Thomas. He had been picked out as his apprentice. He was like a father to him.”

Heiji shrugged with one shoulder. “Resentment against being dragged into a foreign country? Wanting to be the head chef? You ask him.”

Annette’s eyes watered with angry tears. She took a step towards Erik and grabbed his hand, hissing like a protective mother cat to the police officer who stepped forward to handcuff the man. “That’s not true. Erik is my fiancée. I was the one who asked him to come. If it’s someone he should be resenting, it’s me!”

Erik blinked in confusion, looking back and forwards between the two. Sensing his fiancé’s distress and anger, he squeezed her hand.

Ran curled a finger around her chin. Why would he commit a murder that was bound to be pointed in his direction? He clearly loved Annette. Something felt wrong to her, but she could not pin point what. She felt rather than saw Conan step back to hide behind her feet.

Suddenly, Sonoko swayed backwards. Her back hit the wall behind her and she slid down onto the ground. Her head flopped forward, shadowing the lower part of her face. Before Ran could turn around and ask what was wrong, her friend spoke.

“That’s a brilliant deduction, Hattori Heiji – detective of the west.”

Heiji turned towards her. A pleased expression on his face. “Seems like I win –“

“Too bad it’s wrong.”

…

Chapter Text

Suddenly, Sonoko swayed backwards. Her back hit the wall behind her and she slid down onto the ground. Her head flopped forward, shadowing the lower part of her face. Before Ran could turn around and ask what was wrong, her friend spoke.

"That's a brilliant deduction, Hattori Heiji – detective of the west."

Heiji turned towards her. A pleased expression on his face. "Seems like I win –"

"Too bad it's wrong." Sonoko continued without a pause. There were no triumph or condescension in her tone – she stated it calmly, monotonously.

The air in the room constricted as everyone fell silent. It suddenly felt far warmer than earlier in the small, crowded room. Heiji’s smile slipped. A deep, angry furrow settled in its place.

“Wrong? What do you mean wrong?”

“But Suzuki-kun,” Megure started, “Hattori-kun just explained the trick. Everything is tied up nicely. The rest nodded in their agreement, waiting anxiously for Sonoko to explain.

Ran took a step back, almost doubling over as she stepped on the boy behind her. She turned around to apologise but the teen did not change his expression. His eyes were half-lid, looking concentrated on something beyond her presence. It was slightly unnerving. Ran avoided her gaze, deciding not to say anything.

“Not everything is tied up. There is something out of place.”

Confusion settled as everyone glanced at each other. Heiji gaped, opened up his mouth a few times, resembling a codfish. He closed his mouth with an audible ‘click’. Without a second of hesitation, he stormed out of the room.

Sato followed on his heels.

Takagi glanced after them, before sneezing, huddling better into his towels. Megure scratched his shin as the words twirled in his head.

Kazuha shifted and moved to stand next to Ran. She leaned over to whisper. It still sounded loud in the small room. The only other sound was the hum from the fans. “So this is the deduction queen?” she paused only long enough for Ran to confirm. “Do you know what she’s talking about – something out of place?”

Ran shot her a small smile before shaking her head. “Unfortunately no. I might have a dad as a famous detective, but I’m rubbish. Sonoko is the real detective genius between us.” She frowned slightly, that had not always been the fact, however she would not question it. Sonoko had always been smarter than most thought from first glance.

Kazuha cocked her head, a thoughtful expression flickered over his features, before she tittered. “They are a handful aren’t they? Detectives I mean. Running after everything.” A rueful grin stretched across her lips and she winked playfully. “We should have them in chains, those bloodhounds.”

A blush crept up from Ran’s collar, staining her with a dark crimson colour. She squawked. “Sonoko isn’t like that. She only solves puzzles if she happens to accidently stumble over one.” She flushed even deeper as she continued. “And I’d never hold my dad in chains. That’s just – I can’t.” She trailed of, her eyes flickering back and forward desperate for another topic.

Kazuha had fallen very still next to her. Her face tinted red in embarrassment. She coughed loudly, trying to mask her mortification. “You are right, that was a very stupid thing to suggest.”

Ran shook her head sharply, her hair whisking back and forward from the abrupt movement. Her stomach churned in unease from the implication. “Don’t worry about it, Kazuha-chan. Not everyone can be so fortune to have such a smart boyfriend.”

Kazuha’s faced flushed deeper, her mouth gaping in shock. “That’s not –, we are not –, you can’t just –-“

Ran covered her mouth as she held back a titter. “That’s too bad, you’d make a very good couple.”

Kazuha dropped her gaze. Now even her ears were tinted a dark maroon. She squirmed slightly. “You – you think so?”

Ran gave a friendly smile as she put a hand on her shoulder. She beamed. “Definitely!” She had immediately liked Kazuha upon meeting her. She seemed to be a strong-headed but a sweet woman. One could only be blind to miss how the two Osakans cared about each other. “Besides,” she continued, trying to rectify the situation. “If I’d put anyone on a leash, it would be Conan-kun. God knows he disappears whenever I take my eyes off him.” She looked behind her to stare fondly at her ward.

Kazuha tittered slightly from her words and followed her gaze. The boy did not seem to notice them, seemingly to stare at nothing as he stood very still. Kazuha got a small frown upon on features as she leaned down. “Do you like Mysteries Conan-kun?” she asked with a friendly and open expression.

Conan did not stir. His eyes half lid and expression clear.

This time it was Ran’s time to frown. Unease crept into her mind. She squatted down on her knees. “Conan-kun?” Her hands fluttered nervously a few centimetres from him. What was wrong with the boy? Worry and concern swirled inside her, making her a little dazed from the strong emotions. She was just about to turn around to call for help, when Conan once more became animated.

He blinked once, his eyes hazy. The pupils contracted once, blew large again, before settling on Ran’s face. The fog in his eyes cleared as a large smile bloomed on his lips. “Yes Ran-neechan?”

Relief flooded through her. She let her arms drop. Her smile become softer as she regarded him. “Kazuha-chan was wondering if you liked mysteries.”

The little boy did not miss a beat at her words. His smile intensified to the thousand-watt kinds as he turned towards the girl. “I love mysteries, Kazuha-neesan.” His arms shot up as he chirped in a volume only joyful children can reach. “I want to be a detective one day, just like Occhan!”

Kazuha giggled at his word. She flushed with a rosy tint the way only adults do when finding small children adorable. “Really? That’s great! I’m sure you will be an amazing detective one day.” The beam she got in response was enough to replace her knees with mush. She tilted forwards, her arms fluttered forward as if to give him a hug. She froze halfway. Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. Something flickered across her face.

Ran started in surprise. Worry clenched in her chest as she regarded the girl. She put a hand on her shoulder, mumbling her name in concerned query. Could she be suddenly reacting to the heinous crime? She knew well how many people were not as accustomed to death as she was. No matter how many times she saw a crime unfold, it never stopped shocking her. She could remember the details of every single one she had even been to. Her stomach dropped in guilt. She had done the mistake of letting someone out of her sight after being a witness of a crime out of her reach once. She had vowed to herself not to repeat the mistake.

Kazuha started to move again as Ran’s palm touched her shoulder. She blinked once as she looked at Ran, a flicker of uncertainty moved over her face. She mumbled Ran’s name softly, before shaking her head, trying to fight off the haze in her mind. She did not get more than a few milliseconds before the kitchen door flew open and Heiji trampled into the room.

He turned towards the Deduction Queen dramatically. “Nothing was out of place in that room. What on earth are yoy trying to say?”

Megure sought Sato’s eyes as she followed the teen detective into the room. She shook her head to indicate she did not know either what the female detective was on about.

The room fell silent, as everyone stared in her direction. The peace seemed to have lasted too long for Heiji as he snapped loudly. “Don’t you dare ignore me –“

“You see, but you don’t observe. The distinction is clear.”

The teen detective flushed with anger as his face twisted, clearly indicating his dislike of being quoted from Sherlock Holmes’ A Scandal in Bohemia.

“Remember, it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”

Ran glanced at Sonoko in surprise. She was not aware that her friend had ever picked up a Sherlock Holmes book in her life, less ever read one.

The tan detective gritted his teeth, waving a hand either in dismissal or annoyance. “Fine, I get it. You are a Sherlock Holmes fan.”

She could swear he had said the latter as an offence. Next to her, Kazuha glowed with anger. She muttered something about ‘insulting, pain in the arse detectives’.

“Let me put it in a position you can understand then, Hattori Heiji.” Sonoko’s voice did not miss a bit, nor held any indication of amusement or anger.

Again, Ran was surprised that her hot-headed childhood friend did not react as she had originally expected.

“Annette-san.”

The mentioned woman perked up in confusion after being address. She licked her lips in uncertainty as she glanced towards the teen on the floor. “Yes?”

“Please repeat to our detectives what type of food Thomas-san was making this morning.”

Annette took a quick look around, the ever-showing confusion laying thick over her features. Her voice was shaken but clear as she responded. “He was cooking Lapskaus.” When no one’s expression cleared up, she continued with a sigh. “Lapskaus is a thick Norwegian stew of meat and potatoes. We usually also cook it with root vegetables.”

Heiji’s whole body shuttered visible and his face drained. With a groan, he buried his face into his hand. “The tomato,” he gritted through clenched teeth, his voice sounding distressed but also beaten. “The tomato doesn’t fit in. There were also only root vegetables on the bench.” He glanced up, peering between this fingers as he regarded the Deduction Queen. “Where did the tomato come from?”

Ran’s heart palpitated in surprise. She did not know Sonoko was accustomed with western cuisine. Must be a benefit of growing up in a rich household, having to be knowledgeable about different kinds of food in order to entertain guests from all around the world. She expected to see a triumphed or at least an amused grin settle over Sonoko’s features. Once again, her childhood friend did not react as expected. Her face was serene, as she always was when falling into her deductive trance.

“Before I answer that, let me ask you two questions.”

Heiji let his arms drop. His head cocking slightly as he mulled over her words. Coming to a decision, he nodded sharply.

“How fast do you believe this room would fill with smoke if all the pots were in use and the fans not working?”

The teen detective frowned at her words, not seeing where she was going with this. “I dunno, pretty fast I guess?”

“Annette-san?”

The blond waitress startled slightly at being addressed once more. She stuttered. “If the fans aren’t on, the kitchen pretty much get coated with steam within minutes.”

Heiji scratched his chin, glancing back at Sonoko. A sweat trickled down his temple, either in anxiousness or excitement, Ran could not tell for sure. No one dared to say a word.

“The kitchens have both window that shows what the cooks are doing. It’s a popular trend at the moment. We have full view of both kitchens from the outside. Second question, when we entered the café. What did we see?”

Confusion furrowed into Heiji’s brow. Ran was deep down relieved she was not the only one who seemed to be befuddled from Sonoko’s inquiry.

“Well. I remember that one of the kitchen were foggy with vapour, but the other one-“ He froze mid-sentence. His eyes widened as comprehension struck him. Air exhaled from his lunges as a blown balloon. “Don’t tell me.” He disappeared through the doors without saying anything else.

“What just happened?” Megure mused loudly. His moustache twisted slightly and he looked at his subordinates through the shadows of his hat. The closest officer paled, shifting his body away inconspicuously in the hope that the question would not be directed towards him.

“I have no idea,” Sato stated loudly. A hand on her hip. “Please elaborate Sonoko-san.”

Ran furrowed her eyebrows. Trying to understand what had just happened. Something they had seen when they had entered the café. Something to do about the kitchen? She closed her eyes, trying desperately to evoke the memory. I walked into the café with Sonoko. I scanned the beautiful décor of the room. What did I see? A picture flickered across her mind.

It was a spatial room, with the bar at one end by the entrance and two dozen or so seating places scattered around the room. Considering the early morning, the room was not even one quarter full. Next to the bar was two windows, one showing a chief chopping up vegetables and waving to a duo of girls. The other window was filled with white smoke. The unmistakable form of a person hid somewhere between the smoke. There was a low whirring in the air. A barista handed a tray with coffee to a female waiter. Further down the room stood a male waiter taking an order.

Her eyes shut opened, her mouth gaping slightly. She slammed a fist into her palm as she exclaimed. “The fans were on the whole time.” She turned towards Kazuha, excitement bubbling over her voice. “Remember when we first entered the café? One of the kitchens were clear, the other was not. I remember the buzzing of the fans!”

Kazuha blinked as understanding flickered across her features. “Oh.” She grinned. “I remember now.” She was not the only one whom the idea had dawned to. The police officers turned to each other and started to chat with soft murmurs.

Annette turned towards Erik and mumbled something to him. The man nodded sharply at her question. She turned towards the Japanese. “He’s saying the fans were on when he got there. Which isn’t a surprise as Thomas was cooking in the adjacent room.”

“Wait, hang on,” Sato cut in. “If that’s the case, then how was the crime committed? The trick Hattori-kun showed us turns moot with this new evidence.”

Hushed silent fell across the room once more. Every eyes turned towards the Deduction Queen again, waiting for the conclusion once more.

Heiji brawled into the room. His arms full with buckets. Something white steamed out of them. He put them on the bench and turned around, leaning his upper body against the counter. “This is what you had in mind, isn’t it?”

“That’s a correct assumption.”

Heiji grinned, possibly preening at the compliment. “May I have the honour?”

“You may.”

He shot her a grin in thanks and fished up a tomato out of seemingly nowhere. He laid it at the counter then continued to find a chair. “Turn off the fans would yah Kazuha?”

The girl did as she was told. Far too interested in what was happening to complain.

Heiji nodded as thanks and wobbled up on the chair, started to remove the rope from the vents. He jumped of the chair and made a beeline to the bench. He picked up a bowl and a picked up a wooden ladle. He spooned something up and put it in the bowl. He then stomped around with the ladle in the bowl, as if trying to flatten something. He then put two parallel bits of the rope and the tomato into the bowl. The next couple of minutes passed as everyone watched in silence as Heiji worked. He switched between putting something into the bowl and flattening it with the ladle. White wisps swirled from the bowl.

After what felt like ten minutes, he took a step back. A hand disappeared into his pocket as he fished up plastic gloves. He put them on. He then continued to pick up the bowl and turned it upside down on the bench. A white, block of ice slid out, hitting the surface of the bench with a low ‘thump’.

Ran blinked in surprise. She squinted in order to get a better look. No, she had deduced wrongly. It was not a chunk of ice precisely. The white vapour emanated from it. The two bits of robe prodded from the ice, she could vaguely see the tomato within in the chunk of ice. No, not ice. Dry ice.

Heiji turned towards the police. A grin spread across his lips. “Would someone be so kind as to pick up one of the pieces of rope?”

Sato took a step forward immediately. Her doubtful expression clear for all to see. She undoubtedly did not believe this would work. She picked up one end up.

Heiji gave her an appreciate nod and picked a coil from the other side. He lifted it up and took a few steps away from her. “Now pull it.”

Disbelief flickered over the female officer’s face before she nodded. She pulled it.

Heiji did the same.

Nothing happened.

Sato blinked in surprise. “Huh, it’s sturdier then I expected.” Her gaze settled on him with curiosity. Asking him to explain why the chemistry experiment was of any importance to the case.

The tan detective’s grin flashed as he understood her silent question.  He turned towards Sonoko. Heads followed his movement, eyes settling on the detective sitting by the wall.

“I’ll explain in a minute. Beforehand, I’d like to ask Sato-keiji a question.”

Said female office blinked in surprise at being referred to.

“Did you noticed something peculiar about the tomato?”

She frowned, licking her under lip in deep thoughts. Her eyelids vibrated slightly. One could tell the moment understanding dawned to her. “The tomato had a very unnatural look split, but what does that have to do about anything –“

“That’s the core of the trick,” Heiji cut in, his eyes darted to Sonoko once more. “Isn’t it, Deduction Queen?” Something flashed in his eyes under his cap. Anticipation showed clear in his features.

Sonoko did not take his bait. “That’s correct. The order of the events went like this. The culprit punctured a hole in the tomato, ran two ropes through it and then froze it solid.  The ropes were tied to the ventilation fans above the stove. Hung the corps on the formed loop and placed the pot on the stove. The vapour from the pots obscured the ropes, making it look like he was still alive. Nothing as fancy as Hattori Heiji showed us a few moments ago. With the pieces of rope tied through the blades, it stopped them from moving. The room was there for easily filled with steam from the cooking pots and the sublimated ice. The culprit then turned on the fans and thus completing the preparations. After a while, the tomato began to melt and thaw. And finally, no longer able to hold the corpse’s weight, split open. The chef’s head fell into the pot, tipping the pot over him as he fell on the floor. No longer any weight holding the blades still, the ropes were extracted into the fans. Thus completing the trick. Any dry ice still in it’s originally form would sublimate immediately upon being showered with the hot soup. No one would notice the white gas in a room filled with vapour.”

Dead silent accumulated in the small kitchen. Officers gaped in shock from this new information. Sato squirmed slightly, seeming embarrassed at being intellectual defeated by two high school students. It was a heavy blow to Division one’s pride.

Ran stared at her friend with something akin to astonishment. How on earth did her friend possess the ability to see through such intricate tricks? If she could do this, one should think Sonoko could do better than a C on her math tests. Maybe she was what one could label as a dumb genius? Brilliant in some areas, inept in others.

She glanced at Kazuha. The girl was gawking. Perhaps not used to others being clever than her not-boyfriend. Ran hummed slightly.

“So,” Megure finally interrupted the silence. “If this is the case, then who’s the culprit? Everyone could have done it.” He eyed the four employees with suspicion.

As if being one thinking-individual, they flinched from his hard gaze. Annette tightened her grip on Erik. “It wasn’t us. We live together, I did not let him out of my sight for most of the morning.”

“Loved ones aren’t valid alibies –“ Sato started, before Heiji interjected.

“No, she’s right. Annette-san and Erik-san are not the culprit. Arriving together to the café is their alibies. Neither could have done it.”

Megure narrowed his eyes at the two remaining men. “So, the only one who could have done it is the barista, Kino Ryushi.”

The Japanese man recoiled. His hands shot up to defend himself. “I’m innocent. I didn’t kill him. It wasn’t me!” He looked around, desperation crept into his voice and face. “Please, anyone believe me. It was not me.”

Ran avoided her gaze, Kino looked so sincere in his heartbroken distress. She knew well how sociopaths could be good actors, but her heart still went out to the poor man. She barely noticed the intense expression Heiji had as he fixated on the culprit’s hands. His lips twitched upwards.

“You are mistaken, Megure-keibu. Kino Ryushi is not the culprit.”

The head investigator exhaled like a balloon and Sonoko’s words. He peered down at her through the dark gaps of his hat. “It’s not?” the inquiry came out barely as a whisper, a beaten look reading clear on his face. He looked tired and done with the investigation. Seeming to want to just end it as fast as possible so he could go home to his wife. Possibly mope a little. No one gave any indication of hearing it. They respected their chief enough to honour his pride – not to mention that everyone else were feeling the exact same emotion.

Three suspects eliminated, all eyes turned to the last. The waiter, Fredrick, flushed slightly. “It’s not me either. You don’t have any proof.”

Heiji hummed thoughtfully, ignoring the man’s statement. “Tell me, Fredrick-san. Are you left handed or right handed?”

Confusion flickered over his expression. He gave them all a dubious look. “I’m right-handed. Why? Is that important?”

Instead of answering, the teen detective turned towards the shivering police officer. “Togaki –“

“Takagi,” Sato gritted out once more.

“Takagi-keiji,” Heiji continued flawlessly. “How was the victim murdered?”

Takagi stumbled slightly after being addressed. He blinked in confusion. His mouth opened up twice before starting to fumble with his soaked notebook. He cleared his voice, no evidence of the shivers raking his body anywhere in his tone as he spoke. “The cause of death seems to have been bludgeoning from behind with a blunt instrument.”

“Which side?”

Takagi blinked again. “Erh, left side?”

Heiji lifted an eyebrow.

The police officer straightened. Coughed once more, and said with a more determined and authoritative tone. “Left side. The victim was struck on the left parietal bone.

Heiji nodded his appreciation and turned back towards Fredrick. “You see. A left handed person would strike someone holding the weapon above their left shoulder to get more power into the swing. It is therefore reasonable to believe that the culprit is right-handed.”

Fredrick tensed, his eyes darting to the side before turning once again to scowl at the detective “So what? Lots of people are right handed. Heck, we are all right handed.” He swept his left hand to indicate the four employees.

Heiji’s smile twitched slightly. He took a better grip on the dry ice he was holding and took a few step forwards. “Mind holding this for me a moment?” He held out the chunk towards Fredrick.

Fredrick flinched backwards into the wall behind him, his eyes growing large. “Are you crazy? That’s minus seventy-eight degrees. It would burn my hands.”

The tan detective ducked his face, humming softly to himself. “Is that how you hurt your right hand?”

Fredrick froze. His breath haggard. He swallowed loudly. “What are you talking about, my hand isn’t –“ He did not get further, as Sato stepped in to grab his right hand. He howled in indignation as his arm was wrenched upwards. “Let go of me, you crazy –“ The last of his words were swallowed as gasps rang out in the room. In the wrist were large blisters made from handling the dry ice: pieces of the ice must have touched the areas by accident.

“You committed the crime, finished your preparations and snuck out of the café. Then you waited around the corner for the arrival of Annette-san and Erik-san in order to set an alibi.”

Suddenly all energy was drained as the man wobbled forward from the detective’s words. Deep, exhausting furrows grew in his face. His eyes lolled. “Fine. I did it,” his tone of voice shattered, filled with exhaustion. “I should have been made co-chef. Not that baboon who can’t even speak Japanese,” his eyes rolled to glare at Erik. He said something quick in that singing language and Erik paled.

The chef took a step forward but was held back by his fiancé. He answered, however, not with anger, instead it was filled with regret.

Fredrick gave a hollow laughter, but did not respond. His feet shook and he skidded to the floor. Pressing his head against the damp surface.

Ran covered a hand over the lower part of her face. Poor man. Keeping all the deceit and secrets hidden must have been so exhausting. The man looked pale and tired and drained. Ran would probably feel the same way if she ever had to cover up a large lie.

In the distance she vaguely heard Heiji explain to Sato and some of the forensics as to where they could find the murder weapon. If they went through the kitchen appliance with luminal they would find it among the equipment (she later learned that the culprit had used a rolling pin).

The next couple of minutes were covered in a fizz of movements. Fredrick was taken away in cuffs, Sato and some of the forensic went into the other kitchen to search for the murder weapon. Takagi left to get something warm to drink, courtesy of Annette who just wanted to get as far away from the scene as she could.

Heiji flaunted over to stand next to the girls. He gave a lopsided grin as he regarded Sonoko. “I guess you won then, huh? You really showed me up, even if you did not want to get involved.” He barked out an embarrassed laugh. “That was good of you, your deduction was superior to mine. I was pretty much mistaken from start to finish, huh?”

“Barou. In detective work, there is no winning or losing. There is no being superior or inferior. That’s because there is one and only one truth.”

Surprise flickered over Heiji’s face. He grabbed the brim of his head and shoved it deeper into his face. A flush crept up from his collar. “You’re right. It looks like I was too worried about our contest and lost my cool.” He turned his back around, hiding his expression from the girls.

Kazuha’s hands fluttered slightly, she looks like she wanted to reach out to her friend. Uncertainty shone in her eyes as they darted back and forward between the two.

“Thanks for bringing me into it in the end. I really appreciate the chance of redeeming myself.” He turned his head slightly, one jaded eye observing the Deduction Queen with an unreadable expression. “You are just as amazing and dazzling as I thought you’d be.”

Ran blushed slightly. She squirmed slightly in embarrassment. That sounded soo... ambiguous. She turned towards Kazuha to catch the look of hurt in her face. Ran’s stomach dropped. She would make damn sure Sonoko knew the Osakan was of limits. Girls had their codes after all.

Conan started to animate behind her, he stuck his head around her thigh to peer up at the teens with a curious expression.

Sonoko stirred, before aquamarine eyes slid open. She looked dazed and sleepy. A large yawn escaped her lips and she stretched. The audible sound of bones popping reached their ears.

Ran beamed down at her friend. That reaction meant that the Deduction Queen had curled back into her friend’s subconsciously and she was ready to keep going as her best friend. “That was an amazing deduction, Sonoko. I can’t believe you managed to see through that trick.”

Sonoko blinked up at her. The dazed expression morphed into that of confusion. “Huh? What deduction? What are you talking about?”

Heiji stumbled as he turned around. His eyes wide as they scanned her. A dubious furrow buried into his brow. “Oh, haha, I get it. It’s a joke. You are pretending to have forgotten in order to poke fun at me.”

Sonoko’s left eye ticked slightly. She picked herself off s the floor to glower. “I don’t need to come up with fibs to do that. Your face does that well enough on its own!”

The detective took a step back in surprise, the fiery aura around the girl enough to send shivers down his spine from the proximity. He gawked. “Huh?”

Ran glanced down at the boy at her feet. They shared an amused look. She could imagine what was going through Heiji’s mind. The same most experienced in the same situation in regard to her friend and father. How can someone who were so brilliant and intelligent under whatever trance they fell into, be so loud-mouthed and seemingly unintelligent in everyday life? It was one hell of a whiplash.

Kazuha, seeming to finally have enough, stepped forwards and grasped the boy’s left bicep. “Let’s go home Heiji.” She shot Sonoko a curious glance, not hostile as Ran had previous expected. It was not Sonoko she was upset with then.

Heiji did not resist her as she started to push him towards the door. His eyes however, did not leave Sonoko’s for a second. His eyes were large, filled with disbelief and uncertainty.

Ran could not supress her titter this time. “Don’t worry. Everyone reacts to Sonoko like that. He’ll regain his brain capacity in a few hours.” She winked playfully at Kazuha.

Kazuha blinked. She hummed thoughtfully and sent her a dubious, but large, smile in reply. “I’ll keep that in mind. See yah later Ran-chan,” she nodded to the pissed off heiress next to Ran. “Bye Sonoko-san.” They disappeared through the door.

The two friends and the little boy by their feet basked in the silent for a full minute. In the end, Sonoko cut in with an annoyed huff.

“I’m starving.”

…

Edogawa Conan, a possessed child, a Majin, and a detective, was not remotely amused. It started a few hours earlier not long after finishing their evening meal. Delivery men, and he stressed the plural form, had knocked on the door, holding several packages of every shape and size. Ran had accepted them with a curious expression.

He glanced across the floor. Cardboard and bubble wrap filling the entire surface of the flat. Mouri Kogorou snoozed on his chair, not noticing a large rectangular package leaning over him. He turned towards Ran.

The girl looked rather dazed, armed with a pair of scissors and her phone.

“Ran-neechan?” he spoke softly, trying to gauge her out of her stupor. When she did not react, he forced a distressed tone into his words as he repeated her name. That seemed to do the trick.

Ran blinked, her eyes automatically searching the child lost in the wave of boxes. She found him next to a box that towered taller than him, obscuring most of his left side from view.

“Did it say who sent these?”

The teen tightened her grip on her phone. She shook her head, but muttered darkly under her breath. "I have an inkling as to who the perpetrator is.”

Conan cocked his head as he regarded her thoughtfully. She did not seem particularly worried nor distressed. No, she looked rather irked at the entire spectacle. He turned to regard the packages. He had kept his keen eyes on the deliverymen. Malicious intent had not oozed from any of them. Not any form of deceit emanated from any of the packages either. Then why were they here? Who had sent them?

He turned to his side and picked up already open box. He pushed on the cardboard’s wings that covered the content from view. What met him was pieces of plastic formed in rectangular shapes of every colour known to the human colour spectre. The bright neon attacked the nerve endings in his eyes and he squinted in order to not get blinded. He picked up a yellow piece and regarded it with suspicion.

It was square, with four knobs on one side and hollow on the other. He picked up another, this one maroon and fitted them together. Hm. He mused softly. So the pieces were designed to build something. Lego, his mind supplied a second later. He dropped it in disgust. A children’s toy? Why would anyone send children toys to the Mouris? Least alone this huge amount of them.

Conan shuffled over to another box. This one was smaller in size and not yet opened. Something peeked his curiosity. He scraped off the tape and parted the wings. He peered into it. Something black and white shone back at him. He reached in and picked up the item. He held it up into the light.

The black and white criss-crossed across the surface. It was round. A football. He remembered this item from the child’s memory. He loved playing it. His eyelid slid down as he let the memory wave over him.

The sun was shining. Two dozen kids ran across a grass-covered field. A football was paced between their tiny, chubby feet. Conan laughed, drabbling the ball from one of his friends and kicked it up on his knees, another bob and the ball shot up to fall on his head. He ducked his head and shot his feet up as he headed it. The ball flew in the direction of the goal. He grinned as his teammates cheered.

Conan opened his eyes again, a small smile stretched across his lips. This game sounded like fun. The calculation in the game needed to correctly gouge the air current and distance to pull it off? One wrong variable, and one could accidently hurt oneself or send the ball too far for the teammates to reach. Maybe he could get the Shounen Tanteidan to play with him.

Somewhere on his distance, he could vaguely hear Ran hiss into her phone.

“Sonoko. Retrieve these packages at once. There are far too many of them. We don’t have any space.”

Chapter Text

Edogawa Conan was a peculiar kid. There was just something with him that rubbed you in a wrong way. Small for his age, but stronger and faster than he looked. His attire was always immaculate, no matter how much exercise he had done running after a culprit or crawling under a fence in the pursue of justice. Not a single hair was ever out of place in his groomed hair. It was defying gravity. Anything childish about the boy seemed exaggerated, as if someone had given him a script to rely on. A script made by a grown up’s prejudice on how a proper child should act.

What was the most remarkable about the boy, was his keen, unrelenting, analytic eyes that hid intelligence surpassing most minds he had ever encountered. Brilliant and clever, the kind that unnerved people. But still only a child. He would definitely become a frightening individual to battle wits with when he got older.

Mitsuhiko eyed Conan thoughtfully from his locale on the field. It had only been a few months since he stumbled into their lives and swept them away in a storm of mysteries. The freckled boy had been terrified and anxious when Ayumi had disappeared one afternoon. His mother had not let him leave the house to see Genta. They had to do something. They would not lose Ayumi. Without her, their lives would fall apart. A Yaiba without Mine Sayaka. Unthinkable.

Then, just a few days later, Ayumi had showed up without any worse for wear. The boys had been ecstatic and relieved. She had told them all about how a boy their age had outwitted the kidnappers and gotten everyone out safe. Naturally, Mitsuhiko had been dubious, no single child could have accomplished all the feats she had described. But then he had met him – Edogawa Conan, and suddenly everything felt possibly. An electric storm of enigmas and exhilaration and potentials. Mitsuhiko had found himself on his toes trying to keep up – keep his head over the water, to just keep up. His meagre abilities stretched so thin trying to prove that he could be useful, not drag anyone down. Without realizing it, he had learned a new way of thinking, of absorbing knowledge and remembering details. They had all felt it.

However, there was a problem that Genta and Ayumi never comprehended or remember. But Mitsuhiko would never forget, he had to keep his eyes open in order to protect his friends from Conan. The little detective made dangerous situations, murderers and crime scene feel like nothing more than fun and games. Something unreal, like in their video games or Kamen Yaiba mangas. Logically he knew their obsessions with mysteries and investigations would one day land them in deep trouble. Heck, they had already been in dangerous situations, where – if Conan had not been there to save them, they could have lost their lives. But it was hard to remember in the excitement of helping to solve a crime.

The thought left shivers rake down his spine. Conan was very dangerous. He made people want to strive to be better, to take risks, to follow him everywhere. If he said jump, they would ask ‘how high?’. And they were not the only ones he had noticed. Even the police followed his command without a second thought. There were something imposing about Conan. He expected his every word to be heeded and followed. Doing anything else was unthinkable. And that, if anything, was what scared Mitsuhiko the most. What sort of child at the age of six could possess such authority?

A ball smacked right into his face. He wobbled backwards and fell on his behind. Pain burned in his face and tingled from his arse. His eyes prickled.

“Mitsuhiko!”

Hands were on him, helping him up. He could not follow their movements. His head felt dizzy and hazy. Nausea waved through him, the faces peering at him doing weird somersaults. He gulped loudly, keeping down bile in his throat.

“Are you alright? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you.”

Ayumi’s worried voice cut through the haze. He blinked, trying to focus. He forced a smile and tried to reassure her. His voice was slurred as he spoke. “’M okay, Ay’mi.”

“Put him down, Genta. Standing isn’t helping his nausea. Let him get his bearing back. Too much moving makes it worse.”

Genta’s timber voice murmured something sounding like an apology before everything disappeared in a flash of white as he moved. He swallowed again, desperately trying not to be ill all over his friend. A second later, he felt grass under his fingertips and back. He exhaled in relief.

He did not know how long he lay there, letting the voices of his friends wash over him. Slowly, but surely, the pain receded and his vision returned.

Mitsuhiko pondered over what had just happened, his memories felt hazy. He had been standing on a field of emerald green grass, Ayumi had been laughing somewhere, Genta complaining about something. Then what? Something black and white had approached him in an alarming speed. It had hit him square in the face.

Oh, he mumbled softly. His head throbbed slightly as the memory flickered into place. They had been playing football in the park. A week prior, Conan had showed up with a brand new football and queried if they knew the rules for the game and would fancy teaching him. The detective boys had been more than willing. Finally their chance to teach Conan something he did not know. The thought had been exhilarating. Any thoughts of what kind of kid have never played football before never came to mind.

It had not been as they had expected. Conan seemed to absorb everything they showed or told him immediately. Within the first two hours, he could replicate everything they knew about football. The day after he approached them anew for a game of football, and now his abilities far surpassed them. He had been spending his evening reading and watching football and picked up tricks that were far too complicated for a kid to do. But somehow he had done it.

Mitsuhiko shook his head slightly. Their new companion was a scary individual. If there was something he did not know, it would take him less than a few hours to master it. That anyone could be that intelligent was unfair. He was not jealous he told the bitter voice in his head. Maybe a little bit envious, but what did he expect? At least he had parents.

His stomach dropped in guilt. That had been a mean thought. He should not be so gleeful about having something Conan did not. That would just be cruel of him. He could never imagine growing up without his parents or older sister (no matter how the latter always poked fun of him or nagged).

“Here.”

Something cold touched Mitsuhiko’s cheek. His eyes popped upon in surprise. His vision was eaten up by cerulean orbs. Something flickered across them. The freckled boy blinked.

“You should drink something.”

The orbs shifted as they moved back. The coldness disappeared from his cheek as it was offered to him in a more timely manner.

Mitsuhiko’s eyes followed the movements. He focused on the juice can and reached up to grab it. It felt cold in his hand. He lowered his gaze and murmured his thanks. He sat up slowly, his head swam, but other than that he was fine. He opened the can and took a sip. The orange flavour bubbled down his throat. He let out a content breath as his head cleared.

Rustling of clothes told him Conan was shifting away from him. Mitsuhiko looked up at him curiously.

Conan’s face was unreadable as he regarded him, except for a flicker of confusion across his eyes that did not last long enough for Mitsuhiko to be sure it had been there. He cocked a head in slightly. What could Conan possibly be confused by?

As he watched the young detective, the boy shook his head as to clear himself thoughts. He leaned down to pick up his football and placed it under his arm. He froze, eyes flashing as his nostrils vibrated. His eyes turned sharp and he glanced around with analytic eyes.

Mitsuhiko’s breath hitched in his throat in surprise. Conan reminded him oddly of a hungry shark. The freckled boy glanced around, body tensed. He recognized that expression, all the members of the Shounen Tantei-dan did. It meant something would happen. He picked himself slowly off the ground.

Ayumi squealed.

As one, Mitsuhiko and Conan turned towards the girl. One in panic, the other with sharp eyes.

Ayumi squatted over something. It took him a few seconds to recognize the shape. A ball of fur. Just a cat. He exhaled in relief. His heart still palpitating in his chest as adrenaline soared through him. For a second there, he had been certain something had happened to Ayumi again.

“Ayumi, step away from the cat.”                                             

The girl froze as three pairs of eyes glanced in his direction in confusion. Ayumi’s hands shook slightly before they dropped slack next to her. She stepped away.

The cat – an orange flecked tabby, meowed up at her.

Mitsuhiko frowned. How could a kitten be dangerous? He glanced at Conan who had not taken his gaze off it. His pupils widened as he surveyed the scene. Something dark flickered in his eyes. The Shounen Tantei-dan held their tongue, full aware they should not interrupt Conan when he had that look on his face. It was the kind that large grown-ups would pee their pants and turn the other way in an instance if turned towards them.

The silence lasted for several seconds, before the boy took a step forward. The cat tensed, his hackles raising. It hissed. Conan did not look concerned. He stuck his hand out, palm up and mumbled something incoherent. The cat hesitated before sitting down, letting the small detective approach.

Conan dropped his football, long since forgotten. He let two fingers rake through the hair on its head. The tabby rubbed against the hand and let out a soft purr. The fingers continued down the cat’s neck and shoulder, and further down the left foot. Coming to the paw, he cautiously prodded it. The cat continued to purr. To Mitsuhiko’s astonishment, the cat lifted his paw willingly.

A small smile stretched across Conan’s lips. He took the paw into his small hand and turned it over slowly, trying not to hurt the cat. He prodded at the pink pads. Almost immediately, the claws shot out. Conan ran a finger over one of the tiny claws and lifted it to his nose. He sniffed.

The Shounen Tantei-dan blinked in surprise and glanced at each other with questionable glances. Neither of them could answer the puzzled question in their eyes. What was their intelligent friend doing?

Something flickered over Conan’s features before he stood. He looked down at the cat. “This won’t do, you know. We have to rectify this immediately.”

The cat meowed up at him in agreement.

“Good. Lead us to your owner.”

The cat did not spare a moment as he stood and turned around, running down the street. Conan followed with a quick pace, not glancing back once. Trusting – and knowing, that the Shounen Tantei-dan would be right on his heels.

They did not disappoint. Without realizing the thought, they were already half across the street before they noticed they had moved. Conan’s ball was settled under Genta’s arm.

Mitshukio’s head felt like cotton in his daze. Conan could take to cats now? Somehow, that knowledge did not overwhelm him with surprise. Why would he not know it? Conan could do anything. He was supernatural in his own way. Nothing should surprise him anymore in regards to Conan.

The thought span around in his head as they ran down the streets. Cars and people fell in the background as the only beacon filling their vision was the orange flecked tabby leading their way. Eventually, the tabby stopped by a modern building. It looked brand new and stylish – in that typical obnoxious way rich individuals liked living in to show their wealth, at least fifteen floors tall. A bellboy did not blink an eye at the group of children following a cat ran into the building. The tabby made a beeline to the elevator. The children enter it.

The cat looked up at Conan and meowed. The boy nodded and reached up to push the button for the ninth floor. Horribly elevator music invaded their ears. Mitshukio grimaced.

Ayumi glanced between Conan and the tabby with curiosity. “Conan-kun?”

The boy turned his head slightly towards her, indicating that he had heard her. “Yes Ayumi?”

The girl licked her lips slightly, before blurting out. “Can you speak cat?”

Mitsuhiko squirmed slightly at her question. Deep down happy she had asked instead of him.

An amused smile tucked at Conan’s lip as he regarded her. “No. Someone had put poison on his claws. Dried blood indicated that he had recently clawed someone, I presume whoever gave the cat to his previous owner in order to poison him or her. Cat’s reacts to voices not words. I was hoping to convey my intention and that he was leading us in the right direction. When he entered he glanced up at the buttons. He had most likely seen his owner click on it many times in order to have the instinct to glance up at it integrated. From there I eliminate which floor he looked at by calculating his point of view.” He gave a one shoulder shrugged. “It’s not completely without fallacy. If the cat run out when we stop, then it’s the right floor, if he doesn’t, we’ll continue floor to floor until we find the correct one.”

The Shounen Tantei-dan gawped at him. Mitsuhiko blinked in surprise, the words whirling around in his head. It sounded highly logical and plausible. But something niggled in the back of his mind. Somehow, it sounded like Conan was lying to them. But that could not be right? No one real could talk to cats.

Before he could continue down that road of confusing puzzlement, the door clang open. The cat shot out before it was fully opened. The four children followed.

The tabby ran down the corridor, several yellow doors passed them by. The cat stopped by a door with a vase of flowers outside. It reached up to scratch the door with a meow.

Conan stepped around the cat, careful to not disturb it. He reached out to knock. Silent fell between them as they waited in anticipation.

The door creaked open.

A familiar face showed in the doorway. He blinked down in confusion at the four children. The tabby stepped past his legs.

“Takagi-keiji!” The children chirped happily.

Takagi blinked again, speechless. Behind him, Megure inquired as to whom it was.

“Wh-what? What are you guys doing here?”

A small, sharp grin twitched in Conan’s lips. “The Shounen Tantei-dan is here to solve the puzzle, what else?

The three others beamed in responds.

…

The sun had settled by the time Conan and the Shounen Tantei-dan left the building complex. The poor tabby’s claws had been coated with poison – he had smelled the disinfection. The victim, a Sawada Oriana, had been injected with tetanus. A bacteria, when entered the bloodstream through a wound, could cause fatality. The victim’s brother coated it onto the paws of her cat. It’s a new pet – bound to be a bit jumpy around her. A scratch is almost inevitable.

A clever trick. The liability would have fallen on the cat, and he would have been put down. Luckily –or unfortunate for the brother depending on the point of view, the cat had scratched him while he was trying to coat the claws. Blood would be recovered from them matching the brother, and it had been an easy task to manipulating the brother into confessing in the belief he too had been infected with the poison in a smaller dose.

A small smile stretched across the boy’s lips as he regarded the smiling children. He had enjoyed the horror on the culprit’s face. Using animals to do your dirty work was repulsive. He was happy he had had the opportunity to devour that particular mystery. Even if only to get revenge for the tabby.

Conan scratched his cheek. There was another issue that had started to accumulate. The amount of death and puzzles springing up around the Mouri’s was accelerating with an alarming speed. Someone would start noticing soon. The range had also expanded. He had to figure out a way to reduce it.

“Did you hear? The police received another notice.”

His ruminating was cut short as Mitsuhiko’s eager voice shot up two octaves in excitement. Ayumi brightened. A large delightful smile blossomed on her lips.

“Really? Do you know where – when?” She practically skipped in anticipation.

Mitsuhiko’s face fell fractionally. A small flush crept up from his collar. “No. Unfortunately the heist note was not shown in the newspaper.”

Conan cocked his head in puzzlement, trying to connect the dots mentally. However, he was missing some vital clues in order to put them together. Could they have been talking about some new videogame they enjoyed so much?

“That’s too bad,” Genta murmured, his timbre voice still quite loud. “That way the Shounan Tantei-dan won’t get the opportunity to solve it and catch him.”

A furrow appeared between Ayumi’s eyes. She looked contemplative. Several emotions flickered across her face before she brightened up once more. “Conan-kun could ask ‘Sleeping Kogorou’ if the police would give us a copy.”

All eyes turned to snap in Conan’s direction. Eyes gleaming with eagerness and confidence. Conan faltered. He twitched an eyebrow slightly. Oy, oy, what now? He cleared his throat.

“What are you talking about?”

Mitsuhiko blinked in surprise. “Kaitou KID who else?”

Conan’s face remained in that carefully blanc expression. Thoughts spinning desperately. Kaitou KID. It sounded familiar somehow. Had Ran and Sonoko not mentioned him briefly a few weeks ago? He filtered through his memories.

“Yeah. I wish I had a knight in armour too,” the light-brown haired girl clasped her hands together as she sighed dreamily. “Someone like Kaitou KID. A gentleman, a magician. And drop dead gorgeous! What more can a girl ask for?”

The possessed child glanced at them. Kaitou KID? There was something familiar with that name. He waved away the thought a second later. Probably just a celebrity he had read about in one of their horrible fashion or gossip magazines. They stepped into the escalator.

“But Sonoko. You should be more realistic. He’s probably not like that in real life, and he’s a-“

Sonoko cut her short with a huff. “That doesn’t’ matter. It’s all about the fantasies, Ran. He’s dreamy, that’s enough for me.” She sighed happily, before her smile sharpened. “What about you and that Shinichi-guy you told me about a few months ago. Have you met him again?”

Conan frowned in confusion. Why would the children be interested in a celebrity? Had he misinterpreted the previous conversation? But if the kids were talking about him with such fervour and about catching him. Was this Kaitou KID a criminal? But why would anyone sound as though they admired him? The puzzlement settled even deeper. Idolizing a mere criminal was beyond his comprehension. Should not all delinquents be considered depraved according to human law? He voiced his confusion.

“Who is he?”

The children stopped in their tracks and spun around to gawk at him.

“You’ve never heard about Kaitou KID?” Mitsuhiko’s voice was baffled in surprise.

“But he’s like, the coolest thing ever!” Genta interjected.

Ayumi’s head shot back and forward between the boys. Eyes large and several emotions flickering clear across her features. Apparently, the knowledge that he did not know who this person was mystified them like the time Conan did not know who Kamen Yaiba was all those weeks ago. Was this supposed to be common knowledge?

“No?” he tried, masking his utter bewilderment with the whole conversation.

Mitsuhiko knitted his eyebrows in concentration. “Kaitou KID – or Kaitou 1412 as he is also known as – is an infamous thief that steals art and gems all over the world –”

“But he always return the items,” Ayumi added with an excited tone.

“Kaitou KID still seems to be shrouded by mystery.” The freckled boy continued as though the interruption had not occurred. His voice lowered a few octaves as he tried recapping from a newspaper. “He first appeared eighteen years ago in Paris. Ten years later, he suddenly disappeared, and many said he passed away. However, now, eight years later, he has resurrected and is now mostly active in Japan.”

Genta wrinkled his nose. “If he was active eighteen years ago, he must be pretty old by now.”

Ayumi’s face wilted slightly at that. Her eyes wandered towards Conan. Another smile, more soft, appeared in its place.

Conan was not looking. He gripped his chin between his index and thumb. A thief? He did not understand their adoration, but a thief that never keeps what he steals would leave some excitement towards a larger audience. That’s the human race he supposed. But what was the point of stealing if they did not gain anything from it? Every action one took was always laced with a deeper egoistic reason. Whether it was to make oneself feel better by, for example give to charity, or to accumulate a larger wealth. Then what could the thief be after? Adrenaline-kick from stealing, and working against the police?

He shrugged. What did it matter anyway? Thieves were uninteresting. If this Kaitou KID simply got off on the shock he caused and deliberately increased his chances of getting caught by announcing his robberies, then he was just simply looking for attention. The more fuss people made over him, the happier he was. Better to just avoid those types altogether. Not an adequate meal at all – not worth devouring.

“You think he quit because he fell in love with a woman and got kids?”

Mitsuhiko and Genta sent a baffled expression towards the wistful smile on Ayumi’s face. Their face crunched up in disgust.

“Who would choose a girl over adventures and thieving, Ayumi? That makes no sense whatsoever.” Genta interjected, chins bulging in aggravation. “No one is that stupid.”

“Yeah,” the freckled boy agreed, bobbing his head twice. “Girls are yucky.”

Ayumi’s face fell, crestfallen. Eyes drowning in unexpected – for the boys at least – tears. She mumbled something about boys being stupid and started to run down the street.

The two boys stared at each other in shock, before starting after her. Mitsuhiko’s voice shrieking in a volume far above normal. “We didn’t mean you Ayumi-chan!”

Conan stood left staring after the spectacle. He scratched his chin slightly, wondering what on earth had just happened.

…

The chillness of the cold night burned in his throat.  The smell of the nightlife filled his nostrils – fumes, alcohol, the shamrock-green scent of desperation, mating rituals and the dark deceit only conceivable as the night crept in. Conan inhaled deeply. The odour of life danced on his palates in a not entirely unpleasant way. It tasted like humanity. Nothing to devour – simply a tease.

Conan blinked up at the light shining from the Mouri Agency as he finally reached his destination. Tiredness finally creeping in on him. Irking limitations on choosing a young boy as a host, they tired faster. Nonetheless he could not find the energy to be aggravated, he was still satisfied by the meal he had a few hours prior. He opened the front door and entered.

The light was dim in the small corridor. One of the light bawls had died in his absent. Ignoring it, he started up the stairs. On the top of the stairs a door opened. Ran’s sunflower scent waved down to greet him. He breathed in the familiar fragrance.

His body tensed as Ran stepped out into the hallway. Something clung to her presence. A faint trace of light violet and lilac drifted after her. Conan was already half up the stairs by the time his mind started to work. He grabbed after her hand.

Ran blinked down at him in confusion but complied to his grabbing motions. She crouched down, her face a mixture of amusement and concern as she regarded him. “Conan-kun? Is something wrong?”

Ignoring her, the boy pressed his nose against the skin of her hand. The smell of moonlight and rainbows filled his senses. A soft echo of a familiar serenade coated his mind with a playful hum. Conan widened his eyes as the recognition clicked in his head. That was the scent he had picked up all those weeks ago. Why was it clinging to Ran? It did not feel malicious – instead it was mischievous.

Conan blinked up to meet Ran’s gaze. In his silence they had turned marginally more worried than amused. What had she asked him –?

He shook his head, letting go of her hand. He plastered on a large smile. “Nothing is wrong Ran-neechan,” he chirped. “What did you do today? Meet any interesting new people?” he added, seriousness creeping into his tone unbidden. Curiosity churned in his chest as renew hunger purred in his ears.

Ran cocked her head in curiosity, a strand of hair fell down her shoulder at the motion. “I went to the museum with Sonoko,” a small smile blossomed on her lips. “Her family has a jewel on display.” She leaned forward, eyes almost sparkling in excitement. “Sonoko told me Kaitou KID is targeting it. Sent out a heist note and everything. Sonoko wants dad to catch him,” she tittered.

Conan blinked owlishly up at her. Kaitou KID again? Why had his name been mentioned twice a day suddenly? He sighed. Damn. If Kogorou had been recruited than he would be forced to go after the thief only to keep the ‘Sleeping Kogorou’s reputation intact. “Sounds like fun,” he forced a large smile. “I’m sure Ojisan will catch him easily.”

Ran hummed in agreement and ruffled his hair before she stood. “He’s currently working on the heist riddle. Why don’t you take a look?” she winked playfully.

Conan started to nod in agreement automatically, before blinking. A riddle? Curiosity finally peaked, he slipped into the agency. The rustling of clothes told him Ran had started up the stairs to the apartment.

Kogorou sat on his chair behind the office desk. Two empty cans of beer lay scattered on the floor. Either he had started drinking already or they were reminder of last night. He adorned a look of constipated concentration.

Conan stifled a snort. His eyes wandered to the paper and had to do a double-take. A shimmer of lilac emanated from it. Could it be? He stepped across the room quickly and scrambled up to hang from the counter as he looked at the piece of paper. It was a picture of a half-ripped note. His heart hammered in excitement as he read the elegant writing. The mystery danced across his eyes playfully.

‘April fool

When the moon divides two people

Under the name of Black Star

Pushed by the waves

I will arrive

Kaitou’

The rest was torn off.

…

“Amazing, it looks like the entire Tokyo Police Department is here. He really is an international thief, isn’t he?”

Conan made a noncommittal noise. His eyes darted back and forward trying to absorb every part of the room to memory. Two dozen officers stalked the room trying to look important and busy. In the middle of the room stood a pedestal with a black-pearl necklace. Kogorou’s voice drummed into the background noise as he stepped up to the Superintendent Chaki and Suzuki Shiro and started to chat.

Conan twitched marginally. His head felt fuzzy – the room was coated with the lilac mystery, drowning out everything else. He had been here, the though spun in his head. Could this really belong to the phantom thief? If so, then who was he? What was his goal? What could possibly be the source of this mystery?

The lilac danced across his eyes, the sweet fragrance of a moonbow filled his senses. Something playful, untouchable and only visible around the full moon. His hunger flared at the provocation. It wanted him to chase it – play with it. How could he refuse such a taunting invitation? It promised him a thrill of magic and mysteries.

I’ve become a little curious about this strange retro-thief who’s crazy enough to announce his moves.

But first he had to decipher the riddle.

“What about you guys?”

Conan snapped out of his thoughts as Sonoko spoke. He glanced up at her. Not noticing her arrival as he now stood alone next to Ran. He blinked owlishly before scowling. Had he been so lost in thought he had missed the commotion? That could be dangerous.

Ran shook her head marginally and smiled politely. “No thanks. We ate before we got here.”

Conan stared. Eat? He blinked, eyes widening. Wait, hang on. Maybe. He turned around on the heel of his shoes and ran towards the closest window. He vaguely heard Ran calling after him in concern. He stared out of the window, eyes darting back and forward, taking in the scenery. He lifted his writs and glanced down at the childish, too large wrist-watch Ran had given him a few weeks ago.

“What are you doing, Conan-kun?” Ran probed, crouching next to him.

Conan’s eyes darted towards her, and found himself explaining how one could determine directions with the aid of a clock automatically. He flushed marginally as she cooed in amazement. Her eyes was open and warm as she regarded him with a soft smile. Her face almost glowed.

Conan lowered his gaze. What was so amazing about that trick? Everyone could learn how – and accomplish it with a simple watch. He pushed down the puzzlement – ignoring the bewildering teen. Criminals were easy to understand. She – she was most certainly not. Even after all these weeks. A living contradiction. Kind one moment, fierce like a tiger the next.

In the background he heard Sonoko groused under her breath. “Know-it all brat.”

Taking no notice of them, he concentrated on the matter of hand. He glanced down at his clock.

South is at one o’clock, so southwest is two-thirty.

His eyes zeroed in on the large building opposite. The Haido hotel. A mischievous grin crept into his face. I see. I’ve got it, Kaitou 1412!

…

“The two people in ‘when the moon divides two people’ must be a satellite and the sun, and ‘the moon divides’ refers to the eclipse created when the moon gets in between the two. He should be arriving between 12.30 and 4.30 am when the BS broadcast is down. Also the Black Star’s initials are B and S. if the ‘waves’ in ‘pushed by the waves’ means electromagnetic waves, then he should be coming from the direction of the BS broadcast signals. BS broadcast signals are sent southwest, 42.3 degrees above sea level. The only place that is within view of Beika Museum and fits that description is the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel!”

…

That was how Conan found himself at the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel at 12.25 am in the morning. The wind whisked his hair and clothes into disarray. He was thankful for the glasses protecting his eyes from the stingy winds. Underneath him he could sense the slumbering minds of the guests of the hotel. The distance sound of traffic barely reached this altitude. The full moon shone brightly overhead. Peering down across the river he stared straight into Beika Museum, he could vaguely see shapes as police officers mingled.

Conan crouched down and placed the can with a firecracker sticking out of it. The bright lights emanating from them when lit would attract the police. He could naturally subdue the thief himself, but better safe than sorry. He stood slowly. Energy crackled under his skin in anticipation.

Looking down to his wrist he checked his clock. It read 12.28. Soon then, very soon.

He shoved his fingers into his pockets. It was cold.

Something waved across his vision – a lilac thread dancing in the wind. His eyes followed its random path. Another thread appeared in his peripheral. The two danced before emerging. He inhaled sharply, but the fragrance kept eluding him. Soon. Kaitou KID would definitely arrive soon. Just as the thought crossed, the hair on his neck prickled. He turned around.

Without disturbing the stillness of the night, he landed silently in front of my eyes, along with that fearless smirk that said he had foreseen everything.

The scent of moonbows and lilac overwhelmed his nose. Filling his head with the serenade. He swayed marginally. It was so loud – hard to keep his thoughts from scattering. Jokes and laughter and tricks danced on his palates teasingly. It was so light – playful. Far different than anything he had devoured before. The dark mysteries he usually encountered were spicy and succulent, but this one was ever so sweet. Like cotton candy melting on his tongue. Electricity prickled across his vision and he suppressed the urge to whimper in the delight. His hunger flared, stretching it’s claws in the thief’s direction.

A cape and silk hat. What a tasteless outfit. – I cant’s see his face clearly because of the monocle and moonlight, but he looks quite young. – thirties? Twenties? No, even younger.

The lilac seemed to be emanating from him, lightening him up. Where it touched his skin, the colour grew darker – almost violet. Conan dug his nails into his palm in order to keep himself at bay and not pounce like a starving wolf. Not yet, he assured the avarice that kept building inside of him for every second that passed. His insides burned with the need. But the mystery was not done yet – not yet matured. He could wait a few seconds longer. His vision blurred fractionally as the thief’s every step echoed as he drew closer. A curious smirk plastered on his face.

Conan forced himself to look away, only to keep the hunger at bay for a little while longer. He kneeled down for the can containing the fire-rocket– fishing up the lighter he had stolen from Kogorou earlier from a pocket.

The steps stopped behind him. Rustling of clothes warned him that the phantom thief crouched fractionally over him. “Yo boy. What are you doing? This can be a very dangerous place at night.”

Conan lit the firecracker. It shot up with a whine and exploded above their heads in multiple coloured lights – illuminating the rooftop for a few seconds. Conan suppressed his smirk and turned on his heel and peered up at Kaitou KID with the most innocent expression he could muster.

“Fireworks!” he chirped.

Kaitou KID’s face was unreadable under the shadows of his hat. Light reflected from his monocle. The scent of moonbows thickened around them, prickling Conan’s skin everywhere it came in touch. He reached out with his energy, filtering through the lilac – drawing just a little coil of it in. The moment it touched him, whiteness flashed behind his eyes – mimicking the firework. Pleasure shimmered down in his body. He felt feverish and hot from the need. This was something he had not experienced since he first arrived in the warehouse.

The serenade pulsated in his ears. Filling him with its playful music – of a promise of a magical moment. Just a tiny taste was affecting him this much. Imagine how it would be to devour it all. He would be satiated for weeks. He wanted it all, soak it in like a starved beast. Hunger purred with the beating of his erratic heart.

The sound of a helicopter cut through the haze. He blinked owlishly as he turned in the direction. Swallowing thickly he pointed at the helicopter. Thankfully his voice was steady as he spoke. “Look. A helicopter! It seemed like it’s seen us.”

Kaitou KID, whom had turned in the direction when he spoke, snapped his head to gaze down at him. His eyes were still hidden from view. Lips quirked upwards in amusement. “Imagine that. You are not an ordinary brat. Who are you?”

Conan turned towards him, a smirk adorning his face. “Edogawa Conan. Detective.”

For the first time since he had entered the rooftop, KID showed a genuine expression – one of amused amazement. “Oh~?” He practically cooed, as though he found Conan adorable like a kitten with a ball of yarn.

The child tried not to fluster. Annoyance flickered through him, once again disliking the fact that adults had a habit of looking down at him as an unequal. His grin sharpened. The phantom thief had no idea who he was messing with. How satisfying it would be to see that smirk faltered as he finally devoured him. He licks his lips – like the cat who ate the canary.

“Shouldn’t you be worried, Kaitou KID-san? If you don’t run fast, the helicopters will get here.” His smile and eyes were sharp as steal as he regarded the white-clad thief. He folded his hands behind is back, letting a trickling of violet electricity shimmer on his palm.

KID grabbed his chin between his thumb and index finger. A look of puzzled concentration flickered on his face.

Conan curled his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Energy danced across his vision. Just a moment longer. The moment the thief turned to flee he would catch him. He decreased his tight hold on his powers, ready to let it fly, to let it dance with the lilac and moonbow mystery – and draw in that intoxicating energy. He practically vibrated with anticipation.

 The moment he turns to run away.

Kaito KID calmly snug a hand into his coat. A second later he withdrew an item.

Conan faltered slightly. Huh? A radio? Why was the thief picking up a radio? Why was he not fleeing? He was torn between attack and waiting. The lilac waved across his vision, in his head the serenade giggled mischievously. The possessed boy’s curiosity was peaked. What was KID up to? The electricity on his hands died down and he dropped his hands.

He did nothing to stop the phantom thief as the lifted the radio to his mouth. “This is Chaki. I have sighted Kaitou KID on the rooftop of the Haido City Hotel.”

Conan’s eyes widened as the thief continued talking into the radio – changing voice several times. The child gawked. How was this possible? How could a human compose this so flawlessly without any sorts of device? He was reluctantly impressed. For he had to be human. This dancing energy that crackling between them was so human, so alive with laughter and enjoyment. A demon could never conceive of these feelings. For the first time, his stomach churned in uncertainty. The demon wanted to consume this mystery so badly his body burnt – to extinguish his thirst and keep the avarice at bay once again. But. But.

The thief – not knowing his opponent inner struggle – finished his fib and threw the radio casually away. His monocle gleamed in defiance as the ever-showing grin sharpened. "Are you satisfied now Tantei-kun?"

Conan’s mouth felt dry. The lilac mystery danced out of his reach, then swam back – taunting him. The serenade giggled – going deafening in his mind. Colours dazed across his vision. It felt as though he was standing in a whirlwind. Deafening, puzzling – captivated by a nature’s beauty. Something you most likely only experience once. He trembled with indecision. Strike – eat – devour? Or –

The door slammed open. A man appeared. Broad-shouldered, mussy short-hair and an impressive moustache. With a scowl he pointed his gun in the direction of Kaitou KID. “Freeze KID.” The bellow echoed across the rooftop.

KID turned in his direction and hummed in amusement. “My my, if it isn’t Nakamori-keibu. You sure move fast.”

Conan blinked owlishly as they continued their bantering. He swayed marginally. His mind was filled with thick haze. Hunger had stopped its purring and was instead growling furiously in his ears – almost drowning out the serenade. The energy slammed against his mind painfully – demanding he gave up his frail control. They – he – we – were starving. Thoughts of delicious, food, feed, spun around in his head. He grabbed his head with a hand. Dammit. He couldn’t. This was too much, too overwhelming. He had not expected how tempting the thief would be. If he let go now he could not guarantee anyone’s safety. Not Kaitou KIDs or the police officers. They were all coated in that succulent scent. He would not be able to differentiate between friend and foe.

Conan staggered – taking a step away from the thief to get some distance before the last thread of his sanity went into the burning whirlwind of hunger and want, need. Inside of him, the serenade would not stop its singing. He did not notice the half-glance KID shot him.

“Tonight is just a practice drill. I have no intention of stealing it.”

The words waved through him in the distance – barely audible through the haze of the inner chaos. He needed to think, he could not – would not – let his demon side prevail. He was better than this. He refused to be governed by instinct like a lowly creature. He was intellectual dammit.

“Oh. I’m sure I made it clear at the top of the note. I said April’s fools. In other words, ‘a joke’.”

“What?”

The sound of metal creaking made his eyes dart towards the phantom thief. The white mantle turned into a glider. A large, triumphing grin flashed.

“Don’t let him fly away. Get him!”

Officers launched forward desperately. KID moved his arm, something small tripped out of his sleeves. Conan had no more than a second to recognize the shape.

“A flash bomb”

The world flashed brightly, digging into his eyes painfully. A hand flew up to shield them. His head filled with giggling and mischief. The thick scent of moonbow in his nose. He could not breathe – the lilac mystery constricted around him in what could only be considered an embrace.

He could barely glint the thief’s silhouette from the source of the light.

“Kid, did you know?” KID purred mockingly. “A great thief is a creative artist, we device eloquent ways to steal priceless artefacts, but a detective is nothing more than a critic who follows our footsteps.”

The bright flash of light died and the phantom thief was gone.

Nakamori swore loudly, the next minutes filled with coloured language and frantic running officers. No one noticed the little boy among the chaos.

Conan stumbled to the side as a pair of feet collided with his back. His head felt hazy – the thief was still here, somewhere. But where? He covered his nose, trying to still his erratic breathing. Think, Shinichi, where would he go? His head swam. He had grossly underestimated the thief. There was only one choice – and that was to let the phantom thief go. For now.

He vaguely heard Nakamori yell something about another heist. He started in the direction of the exit. He would catch Kaitou KID next time. He would be ready for him then. He had only been caught off guard.

Until we meet again, phantom thief 1412.

Chapter Text

Sunlight slithered in through the gaps between the curtains. It shone into the room with an unrepentant glare. Across the green-spotted carpet on the floor, a few red balls reflected the light as they lay scattered on the floor. A lone jack of hearts lay forgotten under a shirt thrown in haste a few days prior.

The light stretched across the floor to shine at the figure in the bed. It crept closer as the minutes passed. Finally, reaching its destination – the figured stirred as the sunlight tickled his closed eyelids. Kaito let out a low groan, moving his head marginally – trying to get refuge from the brightness.

Not finding any shelter, he turned to his side and pulled the duvet over his head. He felt dizzy – his mouth dry. How long had he been sleeping? He peaked his head out from the cover and opened an eye slowly in the direction of the alarm clock.

Spots of whiteness flashed across his vision. He blinked. The spots did not disappear. He blinked again. Slowly, but surely his eyes stopped resisting and the bright red numbers shone sharply into his eye. He snapped it shut and let out another pitiful groan.

Nausea wavered through him – bile tickled his throat. He hid his face underneath his arm. Whatever the time was, it was definitely still too early to get up. That finally decided, Kaito exhaled deeply and settled back into bed. The minutes ticked by as his mind started to wander back into slumber.

However, now that he had finally woken once, his body started to itch. He noticed his nightshirt was glued to his chest – had he had a nightmare he could not remember that had made him sweat? His left arm prickled uncomfortable. With annoyance, he lifted an arm to scratch at the spot – the skin flaked off under his fingertips. Wait, hang on. Flaking?

Kaito’s eyes shot open in surprise, simultaneously lifting his hand to his face. No human flesh under the nails nor any blood. He glanced at his arm. It looked normal, except for some red marks. He looked at his hand anew. Something white covered the surface of his fingers. Frowning he sniffed the substance. A tongue flickered out and he gave it a lick.

He wrinkled his nose and grimaced – sticking his tongue out. The taste of something really salty spread across his palates. Yuk.

Kaito let his hand fall down back into the madras. He felt fuzzy – a headache throbbed behind his eyes. Had he been sick? He frowned. No, that could not be right. The memories evaded him. Had he not been doing something important? He closed his eyes – hoping a change of scenery would help bring back the memory.

Music, he could hear music echoing in his head. A single melody playing on a Stradivarius. A quick tone, as though the player lifted the bow a centimetre after every rub. Elegant fingers ran smoothly over the string. How could he possibly know that by just hearing the melody? However, it was the unmistakable sound of a genius. Not a moment hesitation between each stroke. The melody quickened – drawing him in. Increasing in strength. It reached out searchingly – observant. It waved through him as though it could expose every lie – every secret he possessed.

The tone felt hungry for adventure – for mysteries. Something dark and filled with secrecies.

Kaito creased his forehead. Where had he heard that melody? It was important somehow. He opened his eyes. Without noticing, his breath had quickened – adrenaline boiled in his throat. Another wave of nausea raked through him. The melody ceased.

Kaito curled into a tight ball. He tried coating his lips. Once again the taste of salt spread across his palates. Why was he tasting salt? A memory flashed across his vision. Water – cold water.

He sneezed. A full body motion. His forehead throbbed from the sudden movement. Ghad. He felt like shit. He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead. Think Kaito, what happened yesterday? There was a heist – cerulean eyes flashed across his vision – ah. He remembered now. He had had to swim to the shore because of that damn brat. How had a six-year-old boy managed to see through him? Remarkable, not even Nakamori had ever come half as close.

Kaito slid his eyes open slowly. Now that he was thinking back on it, the memory felt hazy. As if he was looking at it through glass. The boy – Edogawa Conan’s lips moved but the sound of the words felt worlds away. Those blue cerulean orbs drew him in. For a moment, just a fraction of a second – his resolve had wavered.

Kaito frowned from the memory before shaking it away. He could contemplate on the heist later. Right now he desperately needed to go to the bathroom and take a shower. Why had he not showered before he went to bed? The magician grimaced. He had no recollection on how he had gotten home.

He glanced at the clock. It read 9.38am. Groaning, he swung his legs over the brim of the bed. Lady luck be with him, he could not have had more than three hours sleep. He stood on trembling legs. The room span around him as another wave of nausea wavered through him. He swallowed thickly and pressed the keel of his hand to his forehead once more. Geez. Was he that exhausted?

Kaito stumbled out of the room and in the direction of the bathroom – having to lean on the walls a few times in order to keep the ground from bucking under him. Traitorous bastard. Reaching he bathroom, he closed the door after him. He undressed, throwing the salt-soaked nightgown on the floor. The sprays of water hit his skin.

Kaito let out a content moan as the warmth spread through him – loosening up his sore muscles. Why on earth had he not taken a shower yesterday before bed? He leaned his forehead against the cold surface of the walls. Closing his eyes, he let the warm water lull his mind into a comfortable daze. The throbbing headache lessened.

He stepped out of the bathroom reluctantly half an hour later. Dressed in clean clothing and feeling marginally better. He wandered down in to the kitchen. Chikage stood by the oven – assumingly glaring down at an empty pan. Kaito’s lips twitched upwards at that. Neither of them was particularly good morning persons.

“Morning mum,” he called out in greeting. “What’s for breakfast?”

He was just about to open the fridge as Chikage spun around on her heels, her morning coat spinning with her. With a hand on her chest she gasped in surprise. “Kaito!” She jerked forward, arms coming up to embrace Kaito tightly.

Kaito blinked in surprise at the greeting. He hugged her back, patting her back softly. “Is it really that much surprising to see me up so early on a free day? I can go back to bed if it’s freaking you out and appear in another two-three hours.” He grinned ruefully.

To his surprise, Chikage once again did not react as he had expected. She flinched around him, tightening her grip to the label ‘death by suffocation’. He gasped.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered hoarsely.

Kaito blinked and untangled himself from her grip. He cupped her face and peered into his mother’s eyes. She looked drawn and tired – dark circles under her eyes. A smudge in her usual impeccable make-up indicated that she had been crying.

The teen frowned, worry churned in his stomach. What could possibly have made his mother cry? He swallowed thickly. He would do anything in order for his mother to never have that expression on her face again. “Mum, what’s wrong?” He felt his lips tighten in supressed anger and concern.

Chikage avoided his gaze for a split second. Her face smoothed into the infamous Kuroba poker-face. She smiled brightly. “Nothing is wrong Kaito. Take a seat. I’ll make pancakes.” She pinched his cheek mischievously and turned towards the stove.

Kaito did not believe her for a second. He grabbed her arm, stopping her from turning. He scowled. “Mum,” he chided warningly. “I know you are lying. My chosen profession is thievery. You should know I can look through your lies.” His face softened marginally as he observed the stricken flicker across her pretty features. “And you are my mother.”

Chikage searched his face for several moments before sighing. The arm he was not gripping came up to sweep her bangs away from her face. “Why don’t you sit down.”

Frowning, he let go of her slowly. He shot her a puzzling – but concerned – look. What was going on? Why was she acting so weird? He did not like it one bit. Turning around he slipped into the closest seat. Chikage followed him and sat down on the adjacent seat. She grabbed his hands between hers and gazed down at them with a contemplative look. Her index finger moved in circles across the soft skin.

Kaito stared at her. Worry gnawing on his insides as the silence prolonged. What had put that fearful expression on her usual stoic face? His stomach dropped. Had something happened to Jii? Was that why he could not remember anything from the day prior. Was he in shock? Had Jii been – had snake found him?

He straightened in his chair in alarm. Adrenaline beat in his chest. “Mum –“

Chikage’s hands tightened marginally around his. She interrupted him before he could finish his inquiry. “What was the last thing you remember? Before waking up.”

Kaito frowned. Mulling her question over in his head. What did he remember? The boat, the pearls, the magic trick. Cerulean orbs flashed crossed his vision. Conan leading him out to the storage area. That football almost incapacitating him. Then, the feeling of despair. Of just wanting everything to stop – stop the lies and the midnight silliness. Who was he kidding? He was a high school student. He shouldn’t be out there risking his life – and the life of everyone he cared about.

Kaito avoided his gaze in thoughts. What had brought forth the wavering of his resolve so abruptly? For a moment there on that boat standing in front of that tiny detective, he had felt weak – as though something was draining him of his energy and determination of finding Pandora. But only for a moment before he remembered why he needed to track down the stone. He had implemented his back-up plan and fled.

He was most definitely sure about that part. He had not escaped – he had fled like a dog with his tail between his legs. And the detective had let him go. That tiny, brilliant child had let him escape. How? Who was that brat? How was he not leading the KID task force? Kaito scoffed at that in amusement. Imagine it. A division lead by a six-year-old child. He had gotten closer to him than anyone had ever managed before. On the other hand, maybe better if he did not. Heists would be dastardlier harder.

Kaito had swam across the bay after that. Too high on adrenaline to consider the evilness of the slimy finny things under him. He thanked Lady Luck for at least letting one thing go in his favour last night – no slimy finny things had mauled his innocence. He had crawled up the beach and collapsed. Then – nothing. Blank. He frowned. Had something happened then? He swallowed thickly.

Kaito’s eyes darted in the direction his mother. “I remember reaching the bay after my escape. But nothing after that,” he bit his lip. “What happened? Is – is Jii –?

Chikage blinked at him owlishly. “Jii’s fine Kaito.” A concerned look flickered into her eyes. “You don’t remember anything else?”

Tension drained slowly from Kaito’s shoulders. Jii-chan is alright. He dropped his head in relief, silently begging his heart to stop beating in his throat. Nausea waved through him again, dizziness coated his thoughts. “No. I don’t.”

Chikage’s nails bit into his hand. He flinched slightly. His eyes darted back up to gauge her worried expression.

“Kai-chan,” she licked her lips nervously. “Jii-san found you collapsed by the shore. You’ve been sleeping for almost twenty-eight hours.”

Kaito froze. His breath hitched in his throat. “What?” he prompted eloquently. He searched her expression, looking for any crack in her features that indicated this was some large hoax. She could not be serious. He had not slept for over a day, surely? His stomach dropped as no clear signs showed. Somehow it did not feel like a lie. It would certainly explain the nausea and the dizziness. He was dehydrated and his limbs ached. But why had he collapsed? Had the swim been that taxing? It could not possibly be. It made no sense.

Chikage’s expression softened. A hand reached out to cup his jaw, a finger trailed softly over his chin. Something unreadable flickered in her eyes. “I was debating whether or not I should call the hospital,” there were something despairing in that tone of voice.

Kaito’s heart dropped. Had he worried his mother to this extent? It had never been his intention. He would not let her lose him too. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, that action conveying his understanding and how sorry he was for making her worry.

A small curled in her lips. She stood and leaned forward to press a kiss to his temple. “No matter. You are wake now. I’ll make pancakes. Just sit here and relax.”

Kaito beamed at her in response. “Thanks mum, you are the best!”

His smile slipped off the moment she turned away. His eyebrows creased in concentration. What exactly had happened last night? Yes, he had been outwitted – it had been exhilarating. The fact that someone had been clever enough to outsmart him. Granted, a slight blow to his pride that his opponent was a six-year-old child. He definitely needed to be more careful in future heists.

Kaito glanced up as his mother placed a large glass of lemonade in front of him – the pitcher next to it. With a grateful smile he downed half the glass in one go. Chikage turned back and to the kitchen and started rummaging around. The room was filled with the opening and slamming of cabinets. Kaito winced slightly. For being the former Phantom Lady, his mother was quite nosy in the kitchen.

“Who’s this Edogawa Conan anyway?”

The magician blinked owlishly at the sudden question. A blush crept up from his collar. He was most definitely certain that he had not mentioned the boy to his mother. She would never let him live that down. Ever. He glanced away bashfully.

“Never heard of him.” He took another sip.

Chikage popped up from where she had been crouching, armed with a spatula in one hand and a ladle in the other. An eyebrow twitched upwards as she adorned an expression mixed with exasperation and amusement. “Don’t lie to your mother, Kai-chan. It’s all over the news –” She waved her spatula in the direction of the papers laying on the table. “How Kaitou KID was bested by an elementary school student.”

Kaito’s stomach dropped as his mother talked. In the news? He pounced across the table, arms wailing as he desperately tried to claw the aforementioned item in his direction. Dread churned in his stomach, doing nothing to stop his nausea. Lady Luck, please don’t let Aoko know. She would never, ever let KID get away by being ridiculed and outwitted by a child no less. His reputation was over – waved its goodbye as it boarded the train, a funerary tune played in the background.

Finally managing to get a grip on the paper, he sat down – pushing it with him. On the front page was a large picture of Edogawa Conan looking chagrined as he held up a piece sign in resignation. Next to him was several headlines reading from ‘Defended the black pearl all by himself!’, ‘An extraordinary elementary school student!’, ‘Fought off Kaitou KID!!’ and ‘Has the phantom thief finally found his equal?’

Kaito’s stomach dropped to the floor, his head flopped forwards. “Darn that brat,” he mumbled under his breath. Who the hell was he? Sharp, cerulean eyes flashed across his vision as the words the kid had told him yesterday – erh, two days ago? – echoed in his ears.

I might be just a critic, but the world need critics to appreciate good arts. How else could one differentiate between the exquisite and the repulsive?

Somewhere from the kitchen Chikage giggled.

Kaito dug his fingers into the paper. His head swam with puzzling questions. “Don’t laugh mum,” he protested to no wail. “He’s a bloodhound – no, a bloodthirsty shark. Have some pity.”

Chikage’s laughter intensified.

…

Some might consider Kaito’s ideology to be on the edge of something that was a little more then eccentric – boarding over to insanity. It was not his fault he believed in leaping while seeing, of never second guessing his first impression of a situation. If his mind screamed ‘duck’ he would not spend that one extra second to think ‘why?’, he would simply implement the command. He trusted every corner of his mind to be reliable, he could not afford second guessing.

That was what made him a genius in his own right. Many stopped to second guess every action, some had to go through all possible options before choosing one over the other. That was what critics did – the detectives. They went through every alternative systematically in order to come up with the best solution. Often within fractions of a second. Kaitou KID’s heists were a battle of wits – not brawns as Nakamori seemed to think. A mind game – analytical versus intuitive.

So far, Kaito had come up on top. No one had thrown a ripple in the clearness of his pond. Nakamori and the KID taskforce had no chance, not even Hakuba could crease it. Kaito could see clearly, trust his mind with confidence. A great deal of supernatural luck also had a finger in the play. Have you ever been to a quick quiz and you desperately thinking of a word in your head, and that’s the exact question you were asked? This always happened to Kaito. He thought left, and the critics went right. He thought up, and they down.

However now, he had found the one person that looked left – and up. Edogawa Conan was the crease in his pond – the wave that shimmered his previous clear mirror in a haze. The thought exhilarated and frightened Kaito to no ends. How should he proceed with this newfound knowledge? It would be dangerous to not consider the severity of the situation.

A crease in his pond.

Would he – and perish the thought – need to become a critic in order to survive?

Shivers raked through the magician’s spine. “No,” he groused. “Never ever.” He rubbed a hand through his hair – messing it up. The strands of hair stood in defiance.

“Never ever what?”

Kaito glanced up at his childhood friend. Aoko’s dishevelled hair met him. He hid his head into the palm of his hands. Not the person he had been looking forward to talk to. Not that he had looked forward to talking to anyone. It had only been a day since he woke up with the alarming news that he’d slept for over twenty-eight hours. He had not looked forward to going to class – however he needed to keep up his appearance.

“I just promised myself to never ever use my brain again.”

Rustling of clothes warned him that Aoko was moving. Knowing her well he knew she was adorning a vexed expression.

“Don’t be silly Kaito,” she chided. “If you didn’t use your brain how can you come up with more magic tricks to annoy me?”

Kaito blinked in shock. His eyes darting out from between a crack in his fingers to regard his childhood friend. That had almost been a –. “Aoko. Was that almost an encouragement?” 

Aoko’s eyebrow twitched as a scowl settled in.

He sat up, arms falling down and no longer covering his face. He grinned sharply. “I knew you liked them,” he grabbed a hand to his chest dramatically and sighed dreamingly. “Is this a love confession? You are unbelievable romantic Aoko. I’d be swooning if I was not already sitting.”

The girl’s irritation kept building throughout his monologue. Her hands convulsed as though they were desperately wanting to hold some kind of murder weapon to beat him silly.

Kaito kept down the grin that threatened to overwhelm him. “I changed my mind, I think I’ll swoon regardless.” He clasped his forehead and whipped the chair backwards – gravity took hold and the chair and he fell backwards, hitting the ground with a large ‘thud’.

Aoko hesitated from her spot. She craned her neck trying to see whether or not the idiot was fine – however the table obscured the view. Nothing stirred. With a swear and a worried call of his name she rambled around it. Only to find the floor empty of a certain childhood friend. She blinked. Air scourged suddenly under her skirt. Eyes widening she turned her head to regard Kaito.

The magician was crouching next to her, a hand on her skirt as he peered under it. A large grin spread across his face as he saw that she had spotted him. He had only a fraction of a second warning – her face flushed scarlet – before he had to dodge a chair.

“Bakaito!”

He jumped off the ground to perch on a table. His feet shuffled some paper, scattering them across the surface. The owner of the items – and currently occupying the seat belonging to the table – scowled up at him. The magician gave no notice. He held up a hand to placate his childhood friend.

“Wohow Aoko. Calm down would’ya. I have something very important to tell you.”

She faltered, eyes growing larger as she regarded him. Her lip trembled slightly.

Kaito blinked at the reaction – not what he had expected from his fiery friend. His stomach dropped in unease. Why did she look so crestfallen? He coated his lips to say something to brighten up her mood once more when she spoke.

“You are dying aren’t you?”

Kaito slipped on a piece of paper – abruptly falling off the desk. This time he had not fallen on a fib. Tingles of pain shot up from his back and he groaned. “Itai.” A shadow cast over him and he opened his eyes to gaze up at a worry looking girl. His heart beat in his throat in surprise. “No. I’m not dying Aoko. If I were ever to die, rest assure it would be by your doing.”

Aoko face crunched up. “Don’t joke about that.” To his surprise, she held out her hand. He grabbed it – and was pulled to his feet a second later.

“What’s up with your silly questions anyways, Aoko,” he poked her in the chin. “You are usually far more articulate.”

A grin flashed when she slapped his hand away, the usual vexation back in her features. “Well I’m sorry then for being worried. You just look like shit –“

A palm flew to clutch his chest dramatically. “You have such beautiful way with words.”

“Have you been eating – sleeping right lately?” she continued as though he never interrupted. A worried crease appeared between her eyebrows.

Kaito bulged his chin out. “No actually. I’ve been too busy thinking about your underwear –“

Aoko flushed scarlet. Anger and embarrassment twisted her otherwise beautiful appearance. “Bakaito!” she hissed through clenched teeth. Eyes darting to look for the next would-be-murder-weapon.

“– But I was just going to say. Yellow really isn’t your colour. Try blush pink or baby blue. It’ll definitely contrast beautiful with your –“

The rest of his sentence were cut short as Aoko roared. She picked up the closest table – the one Kaito had been previously perching on, the papers and books flew, leaving a bewildered student regretting ever showing up for class that morning – and slammed it into Kaito.

The magician – thankfully switched himself out with a dummy as his childhood friend turned around to snatch up her chosen weapon – peered down at her from his position on the ceiling. His fingers crammed as he desperately tried to hold on. A drop of sweat slithered down his nose.

Under him, Aoko was poking his doppelganger with the sole of her shoe. She glanced up.

Kaito flinched, body tensing as she spotted him. She shook her head marginally. “Why do you always do stuff like that?” She crossed her arms across her chest. The anger had subsided – she was thankful he had actually dodged that last attack.

Sensing the change in mood he dropped to the floor. He stretched his arms out to regain blood flow. “Cause I love you?” he tried with a cheeky grin.

Aoko narrowed her eyes marginally, nostrils vibrating – in a somewhat disturbingly endearing way – with aggravation. “Just shut your trap.”

He mimicked zipping his lips. Out of a pocket he fished up a small silver key. He then proceeded to put it in an invisible lock attached to his lips and handed her the key.

The girl took the key slowly. She wrapped her fingers tightly around the small key. Making up her mind, she nodded sharply. “I’m keeping this till lunch, gotcha?”

Kaito grinned in responds. He dipped his head and lifted a hand to his forehead to salute. Aye, aye captain.

A smile blossomed on her lips in response.

…

The idyllic peace and quiet lasted till lunch. Aoko had reluctantly given him back the key – but he had kept his promise to stay quiet. Which may or may not have caused some trouble whenever the teacher asked him a question. How was he to know holding up one’s arm indicated that he wanted to say something? – Insert innocent face –

Lunch went by peacefully until Akako strolled in. She had been absent from class the first few hours of the day. A wave of male admirers announced her presence. She sauntered in the door – red wine hair swishing with tiny sparkles of flash. The closest person swooned.

Kaito rolled his eyes and turned back to his bento. At least Aoko had been kind enough to keep the fish off his this time. With a large smile he called ‘itadakimasu’ and dug in – hunger gurgling in his belly. Off to his side, Aoko and Keiko talked about something or the other. He paid them no attention.

Chopsticks hallway to his mouth, a hand shot out to grab his wrist. Kaito tensed in surprise, eyes widening as he regarded the affronted hand. Short nails with dark nail polish. A scent of lavender and sakura blossoms waved towards him. Slowly, his eyes darted up to scowl at the person.

“Do you mind? I’m trying to eat here –“his words died in his throat. His breath hitched slightly.

Akako’s gazed down on him with a focused and hard expression. No, that was not completely accurate. It looked as though she was staring at something just above him. It was uncanny. A shiver went down his spine.

He cleared his throat – trying to snap her out of her staring. It did not work. He tried relinquishing her grasp on his wrist. Still no luck. “Akako,” he huffed miserably. “I’m hungry, let go.” He dug his fingertips into her hand while desperately trying to scuff away.

Aoko turned towards them in curiosity. “Is everything alright?”

Akako recoiled marginally, eyes blinking once – twice. Her gaze darted towards Aoko before settling once more on Kaito. “I need to talk to you – in private.” Her lips twitched downwards. She looked grim – an expression one did not argue with.

Kaito glanced down at his half-finished bento with solemnity. “Now? But I’m eating.”

Something flashed in Akako’s eyes. Something dark. “Yes,” she replied, the tone of voice clearly an order and left no space for argue. Before he could whine once more, she tightened her hold on his wrist and dragged him off the chair and towards the door.

Aoko exclaimed in surprise – a few men glared at the magician.

Kaito ignored the lot as his focus was directed towards trying to keep up and not let his arm get dislocated. Akako dragged him down a corridor and practically shoved him into an abandoned classroom. She spun around and scowled at him.

“Where’s the amulet?”

Kaito stumbled into the closest table – catching himself on his arms. The corner of the wood bit into his palm. He bit down a swear. He turned around to glare back at her. “What amulet? What the hell do you want Akako?”

The witch’s eyes flashed dangerously and lips tightened in displeasure. “This is not a joke, Kuroba-kun. I’ll only ask once. Where is the amulet I gave you?”

Kaito twisted around to lean his bum against the table. He crossed his eyes. “At home. Where all the other creepy stuff you have given me belong. Well. That’s wrong. They belong burning inside a volcano.”

Her body tensed at his words. Anger furrowed into her forehead. She stepped towards him and grabbed his tie. Yanking him forward, she hissed. “I told you to wear it.”

Not feeling timid, Kaito glared back. “Like hell I will. I’m not falling for your tricks again. Remember the chocolate heart? Unless you give me a proper answer as to why: I’m not doing anything you are telling me to.” He did not trust this witch one bit. She had tried pulling the rug under him one too many times.

Akako tsk-ed in annoyance and took a step back – the tie slid out of her grip from the movement in what could only be considered seductively.

Unpleasant shivers slithered down to his stomach at the sight. How could anyone find her attractive? She was a snake in human flesh.

“Listen to me, Kuroba-kun. There are far more than just magic in the world. There are creatures you could never hope to understand – both dark and light. That amulet is to keep your presence hidden from them.” She gritted her teeth – Kaito had fallen very still at her explanation.

“And now, because of your,” she poked him in the chest. “Idiocy. Something has been feeding on you.”

Kaito blinked owlishly – his train of thought withered to a stop. Creatures in the dark? He blinked again, something heavy accumulating in his stomach. Could it be – could it be that Akako was telling the truth? Had he accidently intruded on a magical creature when he climbed up to shore? That certainly could explain his exhaustion and why he had blacked out.

A hand came up to rake through his hair. Kaito glanced down – confusion adorning his face. He could believe I magic – but this? This was a little too farfetched to believe in. Right? He shook his head sharply. She had to be messing with his head.

The witch twitched – apparently noticing that her words were not sinking. “Just listen to me for once would you? This is highly dangerous. I don’t know who is responsible for this, nor who has their eyes on you,” she clenched her jaw. Concern flickered in her eyes. “Lucifer couldn’t give me any clear answer.”

Kaito held up his hands as he snorted in disbelief. “I’m sorry. Am I supposed to believe that you consorted with the devil to warn me against – what? A garden gnome? Fairies?” He shook his head. “I’m fine. Seriously. Stop mothering me –“

A ‘thud’ echoed through room.

The magician grabbed his reddening cheek. He blinked in surprise before narrowing his eyes dangerously. “Did you just slap me?”

Akako flushed in anger. Her open palm twitched in the space between them. “This is not a joke Kuroba-kun. Your aura looks like a smashed windshield. You are lucky they didn’t devour any of your life force.”

Kaito blinked owlishly, feeling his anger subsiding marginally. Akako looked so sincere – an expression he had never encountered before in the witch. She looked frightened and worried. He gawked his mouth a couple of times. However, no sound escaped.

The witch bowed her head fractionally, wisp of usually meticulous hair fell into her face, hiding her eyes underneath the bangs. “Please be careful. If you don’t want to carry the charm for my sake – then do it for Nakamori-chan. She’d be devastated if anything ever happened to you.”

Kaito looked away. A hand came up to scratch his chin awkwardly. He was not comfortable with this situation. He had already had a hard time swallowing the fact that real magic existed. But to believe in monsters? That was asking a little bit too much. He raked his nails through his hair and let out a small sigh. “I’m not saying I believe you. But I’ll wear the damn amulet as long as there are no side effects. Got it?”

The tension drained out of the witch. She gave a partial nod to his sharp eyes. “That’s all I ask.” She turned around and walked back towards the door. She flung her wine-coloured her just as she exited – sending him a dark look. “Besides, If you are to die by supernatural means it’ll be by my hand.”

The magician twitched his lips marginally and crossed his arms. That was the Akako he knew well.

Chapter Text

The rain pitter-pattered as it trickled off his umbrella. The lights seemed to dim in the thick rain. Professor Agasa huddled under his umbrella – a shoulder and leg sticking out, already soaked to the bone – as he hurried down the street. Today had definitely not been the best day to try out his sun-powered car batteries. Though the rain had only been forecast for the evening – his errands had gone longer than expected. Before he had realized, it had already gotten late. He was only half way home by the time the rain started – leaving him to abandon his poor Beetle somewhere on the road.

He would pick it up first thing in the morning.

 Agasa’s breath came out in quick puffs. He was tired, the walk had been longer then he had expected. His stomach churned as it protested – not approving of the exercise so soon after the large meal he had consumed for dinner with his friend. He hurried down the abandoned street. It was completely empty as everyone had already fled it for the sake of the warm promise of their homes.

Coldness bit into his nose, mixing with the flush from the quick pace. Cold sweat slithered down between his eyebrows. He definitely needed to exercise more. Maybe he could finish that self-workout machine? The only problem was the metallic tentacle arms kept malfunctioning. Thankfully no one had been hurt so far – except for some minor, harmless groping.

Turning another corner, Agasa’s mind was once more on the comfort of his home. He needed to change out of his wet and dank clothing. Maybe make some of that imported English tea? With those strawberry-jam biscuits he had purchased a week prior? He twitched his moustache marginally. Or had he already eaten those?

The professor shook his head. He would have to check once he got back home. Back to that lonely, dark house. He blinked. Where had that thought come from? He was not lonely per say. He had his experiments and his colleagues. But a wriggle of missing something niggled on his mind every now and again – on a cold rainy day. Maybe if he had not been so obsessed with his experiments in his younger years he could have gotten married – maybe even to Fusae Campbell – and had kids on his own. He adored children.

He rounded another corner. There, just a few houses away his modern glass-house peaked up. Next to him was a large mansion-looking house that had been deserted for as long as he had lived there to his disappointment. A house like that deserved to have kids growing up within their walls.

His eyes wandered to the gate, something white caught his eyes. A white jacket lay in a bundle in front of the gate. The professor blinked in surprise and stopped in his track. A bundle? Had someone moved in while he had been distracted with his work? No, he was certain he would have noticed something like that – or more accurately gotten complains from his new neighbour from all his failed experiments’ explosions. Someone dropped a jacket then?

With a curious churn in his chest he started in the direction of the bundle. He crouched over to pick it up. It was a white lab coat. His fingers gripped the fabric and he moved to pick it up. He froze in surprise – the jacket fluttered to the side to unveil a small head with auburn hair.

Agasa inhaled sharply. It was a child. He glanced around frantically. However, there were no one around. What was a little girl doing collapsed in the middle of the street alone? He bit his lip, mind churning in uncertainty. Were her parents out looking for her? Or had she – god forbid – run away from home?

Whichever option was true, he knew one thing for certain. He had to get the child inside soon or she would get sick. That decided, the large man picked the girl up gently into his arms. He moved the too-large coat to cover her from the rain. The umbrella lay forgotten behind him as he hurried home.

Entering his home, Agasa removed the wet lab coat and draped two blankets around her before laying her down on the couch. The girl let out a wet cough before burrowing herself unconsciously into the cover.

The professor’s stomach dropped in unease. What was a child doing outside alone in this weather? It was dangerous. Why had her parents allowed her to leave? He glanced towards the phone. Should he call the police? The hospital? He turned around and started towards the kitchen to boil some water. The child needed to get the warmth back into her body lest she got sick.

Staring down into the boiling water he made up his mind. Calling the police would be best. Her parents might be looking after her. And even if they were not, he could not not report this in. He reached for the phone.

“Please don’t.”

The professor jumped. The grip on the phone lessened and it slipped out between his fingers. It hit the ground with a soft ‘thud’ a moment later. Grasping his throbbing chest he spun around to face the direction the voice originated from.

It was the girl. She stirred from the sofa to regard him with an apathetic gaze, however there were fear, anguish and pain visible in the tight creases around her grey eyes. Her hand twitched marginally as it clutched the fabric of the beige blanket covering her.

Agasa blinked fractionally in surprise. He could have sworn the voice emanated from an adult. He cleared his throat to supress the sudden unease. “Excuse me?” he crouched over to pick up the phone.

“Please don’t call the police. Or the hospital. In fact, don’t call anyone.”

He frowned. Finally managing to grasp the phone he stood slowly. The girl sounded frighten under the monotonous tone of her voice. What had scared the girl so? Was she running away from an abusive home? The thought churned bitter in his stomach. How could anyone hurt a child? He glanced towards the phone grasped in his hand with uncertainty. He should call this in. Maybe they could catch her parents and get her into foster care?

His musing was cut short as the girl threw the covers off her and stood. Her feet trembled marginally but they kept her weight up. Without a second glance she started towards the front door.

The professor blinked in surprise. Where was she going? Realization flooded through him a moment later. “Hey, wait. Hang on! You can’t go back out there. There’s a storm, you’ll get sick.” He followed after her, his long feet quickly intersecting her.

The auburn haired girl tensed as he stepped in front of her. Her eyes darted back and forward like a frighten animal. She looked like a pitiful creature. Her auburn hair was plastered to her face from the rain. The clothes she was wearing was a couple of sizes too large, almost falling off her shoulders. She resembled a caged animal the way her eyes widened in fear.

“You don’t understand. I have to go. They’ll find me and kill anyone I get in contact with.”

The professor opened his mouth to respond but froze. She looked serious – scared and worried. Worried for his sake. She clearly believed someone dangerous was after her. He licked his lips slowly. “Maybe we should call the police –“

She shook her head violently. “They have infiltrated the police force. If you call in about me they will kill you.” Her voice grew sharper as her eyes narrowed from his disbelieving expression. “I’m not making this up. I’m not an inane child. Now stand aside.”

Agasa did not budge. His expression turned into that of concern. She must be having a very elaborate fever dream. “Alright. I won’t call anyone. Why don’t you go back to huddle into the covers while I go make some tea and find something for your fever,” he suggested kindly.

The girl did a full body twitch, several expressions flickered over her features. A mix of irritation, anger, worry and fear. The professor’s heart throbbed in his chest. What could possibly bring fourth such strong emotions in a small child? She could not be older than six or seven. Her expression seemed more fitting in someone at least ten years older.

“I told you,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “I’m not a pitiful child. Your kindness is misplaced. Thank you for your benevolence, but I must take my leave. You’ll forget you ever saw me if you cherish your life.” With that, she moved to pass around him.

The professor’s frowned deepened. Not willing to let her go he followed her motion and picked her up carefully. The girl started to squirm in protest immediately.

“I’m sorry young lady,” he groused as she bit into his arm. He did not drop her. “But I’m not letting you out of my sight anytime soon. If you don’t want to call your parents, that’s fine. But I’m not going to just let you wander around alone in the cold.”

Her struggling intensified as he carried her back to the sofa. Pressing her against his chest with one arm, he picked up the blankets with the other and started to bundle it around her. Happy with the result, he carefully sat her down on the couch.

The girl scowled at him from within the blankets. “Your death will not be on my head.”

Instead of taking her bait, his expression softened. “Don’t worry, no one will die today. I promise.”

This did not placate her at all. “Hundred and fifty thousand people die every day. That statement is making you a liar.”

He blinked owlishly down at her. Uncertain whether to be amused or concerned about the small girl’s morbidity. “Neither us will die,” he stuttered in uncertainty. His eyes darted towards the kitchen as a familiar ‘tut’ escaped from the boiler.

“Stay here,” he pointed at her warningly. “I will chase you if you leave.” Waiting a full minute for her to agree with a small nod he went into the kitchen, all the while keeping an ear out for the sound of moving. He really hoped she would heed his warning and stay. The state of the little girl was worrying. What had she gone through to look so frightened? He could tell she was beneath the tough exterior.

He put two cups on a tray. They had a flowery décor – a present from a colleague. One with white lilies, the other with yellow daffodils. The latter being quite an unusual adornment. After pouring water into the cups, he placed a bowl of sugar, biscuits – he thankfully had not eaten all of the strawberry jam ones – and a mixture of different teabags. He returned to the Livingroom.

Relief flooded through him as the girl still sat on the sofa. Her arms were crossed as she followed his movement with sharp, intelligent eyes.

He gave her a soft smile as he placed the tray on the table. “Thank you,” he smiled earnestly.

She looked away, jaw clenching marginally. “I didn’t do it for you. I simply don’t want to award your kindness with your death. The moment you fall asleep I’ll be out of here.”

Agasa gave a soft hum in response. He did not doubt her resolve. “Then I’ll stay up all night.”

Her eyes flickered in his direction with surprise before the expression smoothed over to an unreadable one. She grunted and leaned forward to sort through the teabags. Finding one that satisfied her, she dropped it in the warm cup.

A pregnant silence fell between them. Only the chiming of a silver spoon occasionally breached the quietness.

The professor took the chance to observe her closer. She looked tired and haggard. Dark rings circled her eyes. There was something sad and desolate about her – the air of someone who had given up all hope of survival. His chest clenched in worry. This poor girl. What was she running from? She seemed like an intelligent – though imaginative – little girl. How could someone have frightened her to this extent? His heart went out to her. He wished there were something he could do to help.

Her body was tensed, as though she would run from the smallest threatening movement. Her eyes darted across the room, absorbing and memorising every detail.

Agasa coughed, the silence making him uncomfortable. “I’m Agasa Hiroshi. I’m an inventor,” he smiled kindly at her.

The brown haired girl turned towards him. Something flickered behind her eyes. “I see,” she took a sip of her tea. “That explains the books.”

The professor frowned marginally. “Books?” He glanced towards his bookshelves. Rows of physics books, engineering documents and such filled the space. He blinked in surprise and turned to her with wonder. She had noticed that?

She regarded him with a smug expression. Her lips twitched upwards. Placing the cup back on the hard surface of the table she stood slowly. She moved around it to stroll over to the shelves. She picked up a seemingly random book and turned in his direction. He barely read Stephen Hawking: a brief history of time: from big bang to black holes before she opened it.

She turned the book in his direction as she flipped the pages to the first chapter. She then held it up in front of her face – the pages showing in his direction, the cover to her so she could not read the script. She cleared her throat.

“A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the centre of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise.” The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, “What is the tortoise standing on?” “You’re a very clever, young man, very clever,” said the old lady. “But it’s turtles all the way down!””

She dropped the book and picked up a new one. Once again she held it up in front of her face as she flipped to the first chapter.

“Chapter 1, elementary vector calculus; the vector field. Here we present a brief but essentially complete presentation of those elements of vector calculus essential for the physicist or engineer. A knowledge of the elementary algebra of vectors is assumed.

The position of vector and the line element; coordinate transformations. We consider a point in space is defined with reference to a set of rectangular Cartesian coordinates by the three numbers x1, x2, x3, which are the coordinates of the point, or the orthogonal projections of the point, on the three axes. The directed line from the origin to the point is the position vector of the point.”

Agasa had frozen in his seat. Eyes wide as he viewed the girl reciting the books from her memory. He gaped. Mouth moving up and down like a cod fish. Surprise and shock spun around in his head. Questions of how is this possible? and who is she? Filled his head. How could a six or seven year old girl read physics books from memory?

His eyes flickered to the title. Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers: Second Corrected Edition. By Royal Eugene Collins. And that was not even easy reading stuff. His heart palpitated painfully in his chest.

“How?”

The girl dropped the book. Her face looked guarded. “I told you. I’m not a child.”

The professor searched her face, looking for any trace of deceit. There were none. His mouth felt dry and he swallowed thickly. “But how is that possible –“

She shook her head sharply. “It doesn’t matter. Some very dangerous men are looking for me. For the sake of your safety, you will let me leave and forget everything about this evening,” her voice lowered as desperation crept in. “Please.”

He stood abruptly and grasped her shoulder. Her eyes widened as she peered up at him. She looked like a caught animal, panic shining in her eyes.

Agasa’s heart dropped. He let her go quickly and held a hand up to reassure her he was not going to harm her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” His lips twitched downward in sadness. How much had this poor young lady gone through? “I understand the risk. But I can’t just leave you like this. I doubt anyone will come looking for you here. Why don’t you just stay one night and get your bearings back?”

The girl looked away, her small fists clenching in nervousness. Indecision flickered across her face. She looked ready to flee.

He didn’t dare move a muscle. Instead he observed as strong emotions shifted in the youthful face. It felt wrong to be seeing such expression on the face of an elementary schooler. Slowly, the tension drained out of her face. She lowered her head and gave a short nod.

“One night,” she agreed.

Agasa smiled in response. “Let’s find you some dry clothes shall we.”

…

Miyano Shiho peered out the window. Splashes of colours flickered across her vision every now and again as cars drove by. She leaned her head against the palm of her hand and yawned. The professor should be back soon with the groceries so she could start making dinner. For an adult in his early fifties he was remarkable horrid at supplying healthy meals.

It had been just a little over a week since she shrank and escaped from the B.O. A week spent in looking behind her shoulder and cowering in cold sweat under the duvet in the bed, hoping desperately that Gin would not find her.

She did not want to die, neither did she have any reason to continue living. She would have to run for the rest of her life – hiding from the B.O. Her family was dead. Her researched gone up in flames. All her life she had been groomed into being a scientist for the organization. And now? She was searching for a grasp of purpose. She had been ready to die when she swallowed the APTX 4869.

Shiho had been fortunate that Agasa had picked her up. He was a kind old, marginally humorous man. Slightly eccentric when it came to his inventions. She felt bad for getting him into danger, however he had insisted she stayed for a couple of more days until she knew what her next step would be.

Which she did not.

She had no clue.

Groaning, she pressed the palm of her hand into her eye socket. Maybe it would have been far easier if she had just died in that warehouse. At least then she would not put the professor into any danger.

The phone started to ring, startling her out of her dark thoughts. She turned swiftly, her heart throbbing in her throat as she kept down the panic bubbling in her throat. It’s just a phone, calm down Shiho.

The phone stopped after three rings. Exactly thirty seconds passed before it started to ring once again. She let out a relieved breath. It was just the professor – they had made the code so she knew it was safe to pick up. The old man had not questioned her paranoid demand for caution.

Straightening up from her position by the window, she went swiftly to the cabinet to pick up the phone.

“Ai-kun?”

Blinking, it took her a few seconds to recognize the name. She had not been willing to tell him anything about herself. Not her name, not about who was after her and certainly not about the drug. The less he knew the better. The eccentric man had named her Haibara Ai after some famous female detectives.

“Yes professor? You are late.” She groused.

An audible swallow came from the phone. “I’m sorry Ai-kun. But I’m going to be late. I know I promised to buy groceries. But if you’re hungry, why don’t you just order pizza or takeout?”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “So you can eat the rest when you get home? Not going to happen. You have to watch your cholesterol.”

A beat of silence, then – “But Ai-kun –“

“No buts. If you are not going to go to the supermarked then I will. And I’ll cook you a proper meal with vegetables.” She ended the call. Only after did her words register. Inhaling sharply, she pushed down the panic threatening to overwhelm her – could not swallow her pride. Some days she felt as though she was babysitting him. She had not let left the house for over a week. It was time. She could not spend the rest of her life hiding inside.

Even if they do find me, they won’t be able to link my connection to the professor if I’m alone, she told herself reassuringly. She did not relish the thought of dying, but at least she could keep Agasa safe. With that in mind, she grabbed the jacket he had bought her a few days prior, some change he had left her in case of an emergency and exited the house.

She froze. Her eyes darted around frantically looking for sights of any suspicious strangers. When no one jumped immediately, she forced herself to relax. Just a trip to the grocery. You are just a normal seven year old child. She clenched her fists and forced herself to leave the street.

The sun shone down at her as she walked. The fresh air blew through her hair and she took a deep breath. She was not entirely sure where the shops were. However, that did not seem to worry her at this current moment. As long as she memorised her path she would be able to get back home. She passed by several cars, people and houses. Every now and again she would freeze up to look around carefully. But so far no one had rung any warning bells.

Shiho walked passed a playground. The sounds of children playing echoed from the park, stomping and running and laughing. None of the worries of adults crossed their minds, only how to elude capture by their friends. The rhythmic creaking of swings went back and forth, and some kids tried to time their jumps from the swings to the rhythm. The colours of the playground equipment were still fresh and bright, despite the years of wear and the endless use.

She stopped and stared at the spectacle with sad, wistful eyes. Growing up as part of the organization had never let her experience a proper childhood. Not like her sister, Akemi, had done. Her chest tightened at the memory of her sister. She missed her dearly. Why did you have to leave me Akemi? She turned away from the sight of the laughing children and continued her walk.

As she passed the immediate area, her eyes were drawn to a group of four children playing on the small football field adjacent to the playground. A girl, maybe around Shiho’s current physical age, stood behind a larger child wearing a green jacket. He held his arms out as though to either shield her or keep her away from the ball. Another boy stood still with a football firmly seated under his right foot. He eyed the boy standing between him and the others.

The third boy was the smaller of them. He wore glasses too large for his face, dark brown hair and a cowlick. She could not see him well from her position, but his body language expressed idleness.

Shiho stopped in puzzlement. She tilted her head fractionally as she regarded the scene. The little girl peaked around the body of the larger boy. She held up a thumb and beamed brightly. The boy glanced down at her before scowling at the smaller boy.

The bespectacled boy stood ignoring them. Hands in his pocket and looking up at the sky. The child with the football twitched nervously.

The shrunken-scientist frowned in confusion. There was something wrong with this picture. Were they bullying the child?

The boy with the ball suddenly lurched forward, his foot swinging to kick the ball. The ball shot up in the direction of the bespectacled child – who was looking in the wrong direction.

Shiho’s breath hitched in her throat. If he did not move soon, he would be hit. She took a step forward, arm shooting up as she called out in warning. “Look out!”

Just as the words slipped passed her lips, the bespectacled boy started to move. He spun around to face the oncoming ball. Jumping up on one foot, he bent his knee. The ball hit him square on the knee, the momentum absorbing the speed, sending it horizontal far above their head. Gravity finally taking its toll on the boy, he hit the ground square on his feet without trembling. Keeping his eye on the ball as gravity took hold and fell straight downward. This time he only bent his knee, catching it and continued to bounce it up and down.

Shiho blinked in surprise. Her hand fell down to lay slack next to her. For a six or seven year old he had surprising – no uncanny – control over the football and understanding of gravitational pull. To be able to calculate in split of a second where to move and how much force to use was astonishing. Even if it was only by pure instinct. He would definitely be a marvellous football player one day.

Just as the thought finished, she noticed she had attracted the attention of the three other children. A rose-pink colour tinted her cheeks as she remembered her – unnecessary – shout of warning. The little girl peered at her with curiosity. Eyes shining with such innocence Shiho could never possibly hope to replicate.

She turned away and picked up the hood of her jacket to cover her face. It would not do to be seen by children. She was out on a mission. Just as she was to start to briskly walk away, something in the air shifted. She froze, her breath hitching in her throat. Someone was looking at her. Not with mild curiosity or absent minded, but with clear intent. The hair in her neck prickled uncomfortably as fear shivered down her spine.

Have they finally found me? Have he come to kill me? The panicked questions spun in her head. She had to get away, get somewhere lonesome and private where no one would get in the way. As far as she could get from Professor Agasa’s house and the playground. She would not let anyone else die because of her.

Even if the voices in her head urged her to move, her feet would not listen. She was plastered to the sidewalk, unable to move as though someone was stopping her. Her head felt hazy from the share panic of flightflightflight. Slowly she turned in the direction the glare was emanating from, fully expected to see Gin’s manic grin. Only to fall short when she stood alone on the sideway.

Blinking she searched her environment. There were no one behind her or in the adjacent street. Only the laughter from the playground echoed towards her. If there were no one there, then who was staring at her? She could feel it burning into her with a fervent hunger she only associated with the members of the Organization. They could be anyone, an adult sitting in the playground?

She watched each figure carefully. She would not put it passed them to hide in there. However, once again no one sprang up immediately across her mind. Not a single one was turned in her direction. She felt unease travel down her spine. Slowly she turned towards the small football field, the only placed she had not examined.

Her throat constricted automatically. The bespectacled boy had stopped playing with the ball and stood rooted to the spot, cerulean eyes burrowing into her. His eyes were sharp, analytical and shone with far more intelligent than any child should possess. There was something dark and hungry with the expression. As though she was staring at a ravenous shark who had just picked up the scent of blood.

Shiho took a hurried step back. Why was she having such severe reactions towards a mere child? He felt to her just like any member of the Organisation did. Were there any connections between them? No, she shook her head mentally. That was not possible. Couldn’t be possible. Everyone who had been fed the poison had been accounted for. Besides, why would anyone degrade themselves to playing with mere children?

There was a short tug on her sleeve.

Gasping – her heart jumping to her throat, Shiho stumbled backwards. The heel of her foot hit the sidewalk and she went down flailing. Pain laced through her knees and bottom as she hit the concreted road. Automatic tears accumulated in her eyes, however she swallowed them down before they could erupt. She would not die begging.

Curling her hands she glared up at her attacker, fully preparing to see the smirking face of Gin as he casually said ‘I found you’. Instead, she was met with the sight of the little, brown-haired girl looking horrified.

“I’m is sorry,” she stuttered, eyes wide and distressed. She jolted forwards to grab Shiho’s arm to try pull her up and out of the gutter. “Wasn’t my intention of starling you. I’m is so so very sorry.”

Shiho had frozen at the surprised sight. She had not anticipated being approached by the children. She did not resist as she was pulled to her feet. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t see you.” She lifted a hand to brush off dust on her pants.

The girl  looked uncertain, before a genuine smile blossomed on her lips. “I’m Ayumi, do you want to come play with us?” She waved a hand in the direction of her companions.

Shiho followed the movement automatically. The freckled boy shifted in unease, looking ready to come for Ayumi’s help if needed. The largest boy who had shielded the girl earlier, scratched on the bald-spot on his head. His eyes flickered between the girls and something on the road behind them.

The last child, the boy with the glasses, had not stirred. Cerulean eyes smouldered as they gazed at her.

Another shiver raked down her spine. She could not look away from the hypnotic eyes. They scorched through her like fire. I see you, she imagined they whispered in her mind. I know what you did. Her throat suddenly burned, and she swallowed thickly to get the taste away. She swore she heard the sound of a single violin in the distance.

“Guys! That’s the icecream truck!” A voice cut in abruptly. A second later a familiar melody started playing in the distance, effectively drowning out the imaginary music chiming in her ears.

The green-jacket boy stepped in front of the bespectacled boy, cutting the unnerving gaze off. Shiho took a step back, drawing in ragged breath as the air suddenly felt lighter. Next to her, Ayumi beamed brightly. She turned to sprint back towards her friends.

“Do you think they have that new garlic ice cream? Let’s go Conan-kun!” She grabbed the bespectacled boy’s arm and started to herd him in the direction of the sound. The two other boys glared at the couple, innocent jealousy burning in their gaze.

By the time Ayumi remembered their fifth companion and turned to ask if she wanted to join them, Shiho was long gone – taken advantage of the distraction to flee.