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Hello fellow DC/MK fans
You will be pleased to know my muse has returned
And so, without further ado I present the begin of my next drabble collection

Written for manycases1truth challenge sixty-five: death

Horror

After all these years, Kaito had thought he understood the depths that mankind could sink to, the depravities they were capable of. This day had proved him wrong. The magician shuddered. He just couldn't get the scene out of his mind.

Those empty gazed bored into his soul in silent accusation. The gaping mouths and cold flesh a testament of their fates. Shakily one hand rose to his mouth, trying to block out the stench of rotting flesh, and the blood. Kaito swallowed hard. There was so much blood.

Indigo eyes darted in all directions. He had to get out., had to get away. There. One foot slid across the floor. It was only twenty feel. He could make it. He was after all the great Kaitou Kid-sama, an escape like this was nothing. Suddenly, something grabbed his ear and twisted, hard, causing him to yelp.

The teenager turned to see the irate gaze of his best friend, feeling the sudden approach of doom. She did not look happy, a scowl spread across her attractive features. “Don't you dare Kaito-baka!” Aoko threatened. “You said you'd come with me and that is what your going to do.”

She began to walk towards the tables, dragging the other as she went. It was for his own good, Aoko thought righteously to herself. Whoever heard of someone who was afraid of fish? He'd thank her in the long run.

As for Kaito, he whimpered. Yes, he had promised, but that had been before he had known she was going to the fish market. Cautiously he eyed the hanging eels, mentally weighing to pros and cons of a quick disappearance, only to shriek as something was shoved into his arms. Too late, he thought resignedly to himself.

“And don't you dare drop that salmon.”

FoGFoGFoG

I know, this challenge was put up months ago
But I have only just gotten around to writing it

Please review.
I will post either way but I do admit feedback means I will probably post faster
Until next time *_* peppymint

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If birds were capable of scowling the hawk would have done so. Just how could her fledgling be so impossibly dense? Had no one ever told him not to be so focused on your target that you miss everything else? Dedication was all well and good, but not when it caused you to miss important developments.

If the oddly colored human wasn't careful he was going to lose his prey to one of the other predators. The ones with the dark colored plumage who lurked in the shadows of the higher buildings where the loud one's hunting pack could not see them. She had tried to gain their attention by flying over the ambush sites but to no avail. She was only a hawk after all, what did she know about hunting?

Thoughtfully Watson shifted on her perch, reaching down to fluff the feathers between her talons with a deadly looking beak. Humans could be so blind sometimes. However, she supposed they couldn't help it, poor crippled things that they were. Only the moonlit form her human chased after seemed to understand the way people were truly meant to move.

Sharp golden eyes caught the flash of a rifle scope, the raptor letting out a displeased chirp. Not again. Powerful wings spread, the bird of prey launching her body into the air and taking up a circling pattern above the human crow. As per usual, no one seemed to notice, well none of the hunters in any case. Their prey was a different matter.

Very well then, Watson decided. If they were going to act like barely fledged chicks she would treat them like it. Only this once though, after tonight they would have to flush their own prey out. Letting loose a ringing cry, the hawk dove, razor sharp claws outstretched.

No way was that damn poacher getting away this time.

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The hand came out of nowhere. Grabbing Hakuba's arm and yanking him into the dark alley before he could react. He recovered quickly though, years of self-defense training coming into play as he tried to throw the other, only to have his attacker slip out of his hands like smoke. Not to be deterred, the blond shifted into a more favorable stance only to pause at the sight of the young man in front of him.

"Kuroba," he hissed. "What the bloody hell?!" It was unlike Saguru to speak so vulgarly. But, the magician had taken a good decade off his life with that stunt. All detectives of his caliber made enemies, and that was without taking his Father into account. There were a number of criminals out there who were willing to do him harm just to cause the Chief of police pain.

"Hey," Kaito greeted. The magician didn't look quite himself. Features taunt, clothes a darker shade than the other was accustomed to seeing him wear in either of his lives. Shifting uncomfortably Kaito let out his breath in an audible hiss, deciding to bite the metaphorical bullet. No pun intended. "I need a favor," he said lowly.

In truth, Kaito would have given a great deal to avoid this meeting. However, he had no other choice. He needed help, badly, and sadly he wasn't exactly flush for options. Even Kudo was out of town. The shrunken detective wouldn't be back for another week and by then it would be too late.

Part of the detective was tempted to tell the other to take a hike; the other part of him knew how out of character Kuroba was acting. Yes, he could leave. But Saguru had the sinking feeling that if he did so, he would regret it. "What is it?" he asked.

"Dig the bullet out of my shoulder."

For a moment the blond just stared. He could not have heard that correctly. The next he was striding over to the magician, nearly ripping the smaller boy's shirt off his body revealing blood soaked bandages. Paler than usual hands hovered over the roughly bandaged would, almost afraid to touch.

This was no scratch. Even though Kaito had been fortunate in that the small piece of lead had not torn through anything vital, if it had been a through and through the brunette could have easily bled to death before he had been able to seek help.

Hakuba's jaw clenched, only his knowledge of the magician's condition preventing him from shaking Kaito so hard the other's teeth rattled. Just what had that idiot been thinking?! Saguru was no slouch at first aid but something like this required a doctor. A real doctor. "We need to get you to a hospital," he reached into his pocket to pull out his cell phone only to have the object vanish from his hand.

"No."

"Kaito-kun."

"I said no tantei." A pair of unusually serious indigo eyes met Hakuba's before looking away. "I'd be dead by first morning's light." It was the truth. Kaito had no doubt Snake and the Black Organization were scouring the city for the Kaitou Kid at this very moment. They knew full well he had been hit.

A look of uncertainty crossed Hakuba's face. He knew the other teen wouldn't lie, not about something like this. Still, he could not help but hesitate briefly before hardening his resolve. "All right," he agreed reaching out to grasp Kaito's good arm. "But you are going to tell me everything," and he did mean everything.

As for Kaito, he could only close his eyes. "As you wish," he had known what price the detective would demand for his aid. But truly, there was no other choice.

FoGFoGFoGFoGFoG

Hope you liked it and please review

My muses need your help

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A dark grin spread over Snake's face as his examined his downed adversary. Kid's equipment was spread all over the carpet, some of it in pieces. Surrounded by the glass from the shattered window the thief had fallen through. As for the kaitou himself, he lay crumpled against the far wall, looking like nothing so much as a fallen angel. A slender figure draped in red and white silk framed by the light of the full moon.

Methodically, Snake reloaded his weapon before stalking across the floor. Part of him knew he should finish the kaitou off now, but the rest of him wanted to savor the moment. This night had, after all, been a long time coming and he wanted see the light in the thief's eyes go out for all time. There was no hurry, he told himself. Kid wasn't going anywhere.

Almost in response to the assassin's thoughts his prey stirred. Get up, Kaito screamed at himself. Get up now. It was no use. He had barely gotten one foot underneath himself when the knee buckled, sending him back to the floor. Desperately the teen reached for his card gun only to discover it wasn't there. None of his more defensive equipment was. And then his Father's killer was in front of him. The cool metal of the gun's barrel resting lightly right between Kaito's eyes, causing him to freeze.

Snake laughed then. "All out of tricks?" he taunted.

Kaito wasn't quite sure what prompted him then. Simple desperation maybe. All he knew was that one moment he was staring his death in the face and the next he had ducked under the gun. One groping hand grabbing a vase of flowers off a nearby desk to throw in Snake's face.

It shouldn't have done anything. Any other flower and it would not have done anything. But it did. "Posies!" Snake dropped his gun, staggering backwards as he attempted to wipe the pollen off his face. He choked, wheezed, then choked again. He couldn't breath.

As for Kaito, he could only stare in disbelief. Seriously. If he had known this sooner he would have started wearing posy oil years ago. He only snapped out of it when the assassin collapsed, face beginning to turn blue from lack of oxygen. Evidently Snake was very allergic, which meant it was time to call an ambulance, no matter how tempted part of him was to just let the other die.

FoGFoGFoGFoG

Have been suffering from massive writer's block lately

So I encourage you all to leave prompts for this and the Kuroba Verse

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Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly behind his high quality safety glasses as he looked over his notes one last time. Experimentation like this could be dangerous but not so dangerous as getting caught by the police, and more importantly being trapped when the Black Organization came for him, because his previous formula had been designed to deal with materials that were now a decade behind the times.

Turning down the Bunsen burner, the teenager glanced through his collection of chemicals before pulling one vial off the shelf. Just a few drops of this and a little sulfide and he should be good to go. Completing the last two steps he gave the flask a light stir before removing it from the flame.

That should do it. Now all he had to do was test . . .

Uh oh.

Hurriedly Kaito placed the flask down on the granite table that served as his work station, taking a few prudent steps back. Evidently his new formula was too effective. It was melting through the glass. Any thoughts the phantom thief had about how he was going to clean this up were derailed as a hissing sound reached his ears.

The brunette stared at the table in disbelief. He couldn't believe this. The stone was actually dissolving. Kaito winced as the remains of the beaker fell through the newly created hole and shattered on the floor. But it wasn't over yet. No, the hole was still growing.

Half an hour later saw Kaito standing at the top of a narrow tunnel. The teen wasn't sure how deep it was, and he wasn't about to go down there and find out. Not while that chemical could still be active at any rate. He was rather fond of his hands thank you very much.

After a moment later though, a rueful grin spread over the magicians handsome features. The formula did work, just too well. He only needed to dilute it a bit which should be fairly simple. Besides, Kaito had always thought it would be cool to have his own escape tunnel, and now he did.

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Aftereffect

Worriedly, Hattori knocked on the door of the room Ai said his fellow detective had locked himself in. Unfortunately she had been extremely evasive in terms of details. "Hey Kudo," he questioned. "Are you in there?"

Honestly, when the teen had made his plans to come to Tokyo he had been expecting good news. Ai had seemed so sure she had finally found the antidote. Unfortunately, that seemed less and less likely with every moment that passed.

In spite on his constant teasing, the Osakan was not unaware of the mental stress his friend was under. That Shinichi may someday tip over the edge was a real concern. "If you don't open this door I swear to God I'll break it down," he threatened. It wouldn't be the first time.

Finally the silence was broken. "Go away Hattori."

The teenager let loose a sigh of relief. At least now he knew the other wasn't lying in a pool of his own blood or something equally catastrophic. Even better, that had not been a child's voice, even if it didn't sound quite right.

"You're not Conan, so what's the problem," the teen demanded. "It's not like you've been turned into a girl or something." Hattori paused a moment to consider all the problems the apotoxin had caused over the years. "You haven't," he questioned worriedly. "Have you?"

"No!" the other practically shrieked.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

This was about the time the door mysteriously spilled open. Shinichi fell into Heiji, causing the two detectives to tumble several feet, landing at the feet of a white clad figure. Neither of them questioned how the thief had gotten there. When Kid was around, these things just happened.

"Tough luck." That was all the Kaitou Kid had to say on the matter. Kudo was going to talk whether he wanted to or not. "And what is with the hat?" It wasn't at all tantei-kun's style.He reached down with gloved fingers.

Shinichi tried to scramble away only to be thwarted as Hattori caught his arm. There was a moment of silence as the cap was ripped off.

"What the . . ."

The formerly shrunken detective lunged for the hat, only to be sent sprawling once again.

"And just what?" the thief asked with a tone of great displeasure. "Are those?"

Shinichi's only response the question was to hiss. The two triangular ears poking out of his head lying flat until they were almost invisible. "It's just a side effect," he muttered defensively. "Ai and the Professor are sure they can fix it.

"Oh no." Powerful arms yanked the detective off the ground and began dragging him towards the door. "No more science." The detective attracted enough trouble without looking like something from some perverts wet dream. It was time to talk to Akako.

FoGFoGFoG

Will try to get something else up tomorrow so stay posted

And as always, please review

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Happy New Year! My goal is to write more this year than I did in 2014. And to start it off welcome to Peppymint's Fanfiction Blitz, seven new posts for the first seven days of 2015. Hope you enjoy.

Terrors

Hakuba's legs trembled as he approached the sprawled out figure before him. This could not be happening. The thief was still, too still. The usually immaculate snow white suit stained crimson. The pieces of Kid's hang glider spread across the road in pieces. That the kaitou's latest prize lay carelessly a few feet from the magician's outstretched hand only brought home the seriousness of the situation.

Silently the detective prayed that this was just one of Kid's tricks. That the magician would jump up; throw a quick quip and his usual smirk before disappearing into the night. No one was supposed to get hurt. Wasn't that Kid's cardinal rule?

The blond sank to his knees, uncaring of the water, and other more questionable substances staining his clothing as he reached out to check Kid's pulse. There was nothing. Saguru pressed harder, more firmly. It made no difference. The thief was gone. Golden eyes blinked, fighting back tears. Slowly, he reached out to remove the thief's top hat, revealing Kid's face, a set of blank indigo eyes meeting his own in accusation.

"Noo!"

Gaze darting every which way, the detective struggled to control his breathing; pulse slowing as he realized where he was. A dream, he realized. It had only been a dream. Hakuba ran one hand shakily through his hair, resisting the urge to call Kuroba, or worse show up on his doorstep. Somehow he doubted the other teenager would appreciate a visit at 2:00 am.

Mechanically, the young man made his way to the kitchen, the familiar actions of preparing a pot of tea helping to calm his nerves. It would be easier, Hakuba reflected, if his dreams didn't have such a firm grounding in fact. His mind drifted back to the Kaitou Kid's last heist, only a few days before.

Kid had dropped and rolled almost faster than the detective could follow; the wall behind the thief exploding in a rain of splinters. The next day with Kuroba had almost been worse. His classmate had steadfastly denied that anything had even happened.

His fist clenched. For such a brilliant individual Kaito could be awfully stupid. Couldn't that moron see he was worried about him? Hakuba may have wanted to catch Kid, though to be honest was wasn't even sure about that any more. But he certainly didn't want him dead.

Saguru just wanted to know why. What was so important? What could possibly be worth risking one's life and freedom? Whatever is was, Kuroba had better have a damn good reason, otherwise he was going to chain Kaito in his bathtub for the rest of their lives.

FoGFoGFoGFoGFoG

Hope you enjoyed and as always please review

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Reunion
It had been fourteen years since his Father’s death. Six years since Kaito had learned there was indeed someone to blame, that his Father had been murdered; since he had first taken up the Kaitou Kid’s mantle and taken to the air on white wings. Three since Jii had followed his first master, dying at their hands, his Mother falling into a coma from which she had yet to awaken. Kaito refused to think that she never would.

Three years, though it seemed so much longer, since Kaito had been forced to fake his own death after narrowly escaping the real thing. Three years of his battle with Snake and company moving even further underground. Of knowing he was never truly safe. One year since the destruction of the Pandora Gem, even if he was the only one who would ever know. The magician took comfort in the fact that even if he fell, Snake would spend the rest of his life searching for something that no longer existed. He had thrown the shards into the ocean, just to be sure.

One week since Kaito had been forced to fake his death, again. Tantei-kun and tantei-han hauling his half frozen body into a real bed and feeding him until he could eat no more after the pair had stumbled across the scene. Seven days of the two detectives prying secrets from his lips like minors did gems from raw stone, in spite of all of his intentions to not get them involved. This was his business, not theirs.

Why am I still here? The brunette wondered to himself. Kaito could not deny that he had desperately needed the rest. However, Snake thought him dead, at least for the moment. He probably had at least another week before the assassin started to wonder about the fact his body hadn’t turned up. An excuse, a five minute head start, that was all the kaitou needed to disappear.

Except, that was the cincher wasn’t it. Except. How long could he keep up this game of cat and mouse? Pandora was gone true, but the gem had always been a means to an end. His true goal had always been to see Snake and the rest of his organization behind bars, and that did not seem like it was going to happen anytime soon.

Kaito’s hand clenched, fingernails digging into the flesh of his palms. As much as the brunette hated to admit it, he needed help. He would have to tell Kudo and Hattori everything. He opened his mouth only to be interrupted by a polite knock on the heavy wooden door.

The three young men froze. What the hell? That was not the front door and there shouldn’t be anyone in the house but them. Kaito would have been more worried save for the fact that in his experience professional killer’s rarely knocked. This didn’t stop the trio from rising to their feet and getting into more defensive positions.

Sharing a glance with his two companions, Shinichi returned his attention to the door. “Come in,” he called not willing to actually open it.

A delicate, perfectly manicured hand swung open the door, causing all three of them to stare. Heiji because this was not at all what he had been expecting when they had heard the knock. Shinichi because she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and that included Ran. Not that he would ever tell his fiancée that. As for Kaito, well, he stared because he knew her.

“Koizumi-san!” the magician choked.

The redhead’s golden charms swayed as she glided forward, stopping right before the phantom thief. Her gaze traveled up and down the slender figure. Kid’s immunity to her magic had never been so strong as to prevent scrying, she had known the other was alive. But it was still a relief to see the magician face to face. Not that she would let on to that fact; she had other business to attend.
Smack! Akako’s eyes flashed with anger as she lowered her hand, ignoring the slight sting where her palm had collided with Kaito’s cheek. “You foolish man!” she hissed. “How dare you!” Her long crimson locks swirled in a nonexistent wind, the room darkening slightly.

“Akako . . .” he started to respond only to be cut off.

“Aoko-chan cried for weeks.”

At that Kaito winced, his poker face crumbling. He regretted the pain he caused his best friend with every fiber of his being but it could not have been helped. It had been the only way to protect her.

“Saguru has spent countless nights trying to find your killer. He is still looking.”

Of course he was, Kaito thought to himself, not entirely surprised. The blond should have been named after a bulldog, not a horse.

“Why didn’t you come to me?!” the redhead snarled. “I could have helped you.”

The detectives were silent. They did not know who this woman was, or her connection with the kaitou, but they too were curious about Kid’s answer.

Kaito drew himself up, face smoothing over into something that could have easily been carved from marble. When he spoke again, it was clear he was Kid, not Kaito. “Your aid always has a price my dear Akako-hime. I find myself doubting such a thing would be worth it.” Also, although their relationship was complicated to say the least, he had wished to protect her as well. That though was something he would never say aloud.

The young woman looked away, feeling somewhat ashamed. She could not deny his words. All magic had a price. “I could have at least given you a safe place to sleep,” she whispered. Given the animosity Kaito sometimes showed in class, the crows never would have expected him to come to her.

The thief softened, his persona fading away. Suddenly he blinked. “And since when do you call him Saguru?”

Akako laughed, an amused sound as opposed to the chortles that always made Kaito wonder if she was plotting his death. “It would be quite odd to address my boyfriend by his surname.”

Now the magician blinked feeling truly befuddled. “You’re dating?” he sputtered. “Since when?”

The redhead sniffed, flicking a stray bit of hair over her shoulder in a move carefully calculated to draw the attention of anyone around her. “There’s no need to sound so shocked Kuroba-kun. A girl could do far worse.”

“But,” Kaito tried to put his thoughts in order before deciding to go with blunt and to the point. “Hakuba’s a detective. You’re a witch.” It just didn’t make sense.

“Now that’s just rude,” Hattori interrupted, unable to stop himself from commenting. “Aren’t you supposed to be a gentleman thief?”

The magician just rolled his eyes. “It’s not an insult,” he defended himself. “She really is a witch.” Flying broom and everything as he well knew.

As for the witch in question, she just shrugged. Saguru was a very logical young man. Once he had accepted, through his own observations, the truth of her powers they had not had any issues. He accepted her as she was. “It works for us,” anything else was frankly not their business.

“But,” Shinichi protested. “There is no such thing as magic.”

Slowly, Kaito turned his head to look as the detective, mentally weighing the pros and cons of trying to convince his rival Akako really was a witch. No, he decided, not worth it. “Whatever you say tantei-kun,” he said. “Just don’t come crying to me if she turns you into a frog.”

Finis
I know I know, not a definite ending. But I can’t write a full story based on someone else’s fic and this is where my little daydream ended. Hope you enjoyed and don’t miss the omake.

Omake

Ran stared, wondering if her Father had spilled beer into her dinner again. She had to be hearing things. “I’m sorry,” she said slowly. “But what?”

Hattori just grimaced. “I know how this sounds neechan but that is what happened.” He shifted awkwardly before holding up the small green creature again. “Look, could you just kiss the frog.”

Chapter Text

“Sooner or later Kuroba, Kid is going to make a mistake, and then where will you be?” Hakuba knew, though he was increasingly unsure just how he felt about that. He paused a beat before answering his own question. “Behind bars, that’s where.”

The magician just rolled his eyes looking faintly annoyed. “How many times do I have to tell you Hakuba?” he sighed. “I am not the Kaitou Kid.” Then he grinned. “Though I am flattered you think so highly of my skill. Besides,” he waved his hands as he continued. “It will never happen. Do you hear me? N.E.V.E.R.”

For a moment it looked like the blonde was going to reach out and shake the younger man. Ultimately though, Saguru just hissed in frustration before turning and stalking away without saying another word. If the other wanted to ruin his life, that was no business of his.

Kaito waited until his classmate was out of sight around the corner before letting his smile fade away. He had meant what he said to the detective. The Kaitou Kid would never end up behind bars. Unlike what Hakuba thought though, the thief did not mean that statement in a positive light.

No one was perfect. Anyone could be caught. The magician was not arrogant enough to believe that he was an exception to that rule despite what he told others. He had a few scars to prove it. But Kaito knew, he knew, there would be no bars in his future. If the taskforce ever caught him, the teen would lay even odds on Snake or one of the other crows putting a bullet between his eyes before the group even reached police headquarters. That of course being preferable to the other scenario; wherein the Black Organization would take out the whole Squad Car along with everyone inside. Either way, he was looking at a tombstone, not a jail cell.

The brunette smiled again, a much grimmer expression than the one he had offered the detective. “I suppose,” Kaito whispered, the words so quiet even he could barely hear them. “That just means I will have to be sure not to get caught.”

Chapter Text

Kaito rolled his eyes as he observed the most obsessed of his detectives watch the young woman longingly. Funny, before today he would have never pegged Hakuba as being shy. Still, the whole situation was getting to be a bit ridiculous. It had been almost three days now and to the best of his knowledge the blonde hadn’t said a single word to the object of his affections.

Kaito doubted the young lady would take the initiative either. That would require being aware of the blonde’s interest and Hakuba was far too experienced in covert surveillance to be spotted by a civilian girl. That was something they shared. Detective or thief, it didn’t matter, sloppiness could kill.

Turning the page of his newspaper the magician gave the young woman in question a subtle once over. Kaito may have avoided the so called ‘spring fever,’ or so he told himself, but if nothing else he had to applaud Hakuba’s taste. The young lady was lovely with her short raven black hair and striking storm blue eyes, intelligent as well. She also, he added in the privacy of his head, had a lovely smile, though not as lovely as Aoko’s.

The brunette sighed setting the paper aside. It really was none of his business, yet somehow, he felt obligated to intervene. It wouldn’t be hard. He was after all the great Kaitou Kid-sama. Arranging for the girl to trip at the proper moment would be child’s play. Hakuba, gentleman that he was would be sure to catch her and that would be that.

Once contact was made however it would be all up to tantei-san. He was no Cyrano to woo another man’s lady love from the shadows and the time it took to write a love letter could be far better spent on other things (such as the riddle for his next heist).

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“Nakamori-keibu.”

The police inspector jerked violently, lunging to his feet and spinning around with a speed that would have been the envy of anyone unfamiliar with a certain magician thief. Instinctively a hand groped for his rarely used service revolver only to remember he had placed it in the safe. Then, the older man froze, hands dropping to his side as he recognized the voice.

“Kid!” Ginzo hissed as he willed his heartbeat to calm. “What the ^@$%*$*%! Are you doing here?!” Anger was not an unfamiliar emotion when confronted with the kaitou, but this was different. This was his home, not some museum. He examined the figure with sharp eyes, as ever attempting to find a new clue to the enigma that was his long time prey. Kid had exchanged his usual outfit for something more stealthy, hat pulled low over his face to obscure his features. Dark eyes widened with shock as his unwelcome visitor bowed, true regret in every line of the thief’s body.

“I apologize for my intrusion Inspector. But I need your opinion on something”

Nakamori opened his mouth to demand why the hell he would ever freely offer the thief advice only to freeze mid-word.

“As an officer of the law.”

The Inspector blinked hard once, than twice, his gaze drawn to the neat line of small plastic totes stacked at Kid’s feet. His brow furrowed. This whole encounter was odd to say the least, but this was Kid. He would know the other anywhere (with the ease of long habit he ignored the many, many times he had failed to recognize the kaitou). Cautiously the older man took a step forward; Kid taking one back to match him as the pair slowly traded places.

Ten minutes later Nakamori was almost sorry he had opened the boxes. In fact he felt more than a little sick. The files read like the worst of the cases he had encountered throughout his career, only these were not isolated incidents. No, they were all the work of the same group of people, and it had been happening with no one the wiser for years. Perhaps even decades.

The thief’s notes were meticulous. Transcripts of recordings, bits of video, even a collection of physical evidence, all of which had been professionally bagged and labeled. It was all here. Resolutely, Ginzo turned another page only to pale, the blood draining from his face. It couldn’t be, but it was.

“Homora?” the inspector whispered. The man in that photograph had briefly been a member of the taskforce before a hidden camera had caught him stealing from the police lockup. The goods had been reacquired from the disgraced officer’s home. The evidence had been so overwhelming that the trial had been a mere formality and everyone knew it, yet to this day Homora still denied he had . . .”

“It was you,” Nakamori stated, looking up to meet the thief’s shadowed gaze. Homora really hadn’t done it.

Kid shrugged unapologetically. “He is guilty of worse things.” The thief’s ever present smirk was nowhere to be seen, his voice as cold as the artic planes. “And I certainly wasn’t going to leave him in a position where he could shot you in the back.” And yes, he meant that literally.
The magician almost hesitated, before speaking again. “What do you think keibu? It is enough for a conviction?” Please, Kaito prayed to himself. Please let it be enough.

“More than enough,” Ginzo said grimly closing the file. He would look through the rest later. He still had questions though. It was not unusual for Kid to bring criminals far worse than he to the attention of the police, but this was different. This was not something the thief had just stumbled across. Those boxes represented years of work. Dark eyes strayed to a collection of bullets, dangerous work. He stood, looking his long-time adversary in the eyes, or as close as he could manage. “Why?”

Kid didn’t even pretend not to understand. Gloved hands clenched, granting the officer a rare glimpse beneath his poker face, though his voice remained perfectly calm. “They stole something from me,” he answered in his usual smooth voice. “Something not even I can take back.”

Inspector Ginzo Nakamori may not have been one of the bright stars of the Force, but he was no fool either. He could decipher that statement well enough. It put the eight year hiatus in a whole new light, even if he doubted he would ever have the whole picture. “Why me?” he asked instead.

“I trust you,” came the simple, but shocking answer. “And I have decided I can no longer wait for Snake and his ilk to slip up.” The assassin was a slippery as the animal from which he took his name. Besides, even for a murderous psychopath, his Father’s killer had been acting off lately. Kaito was a little worried the other was going to do something extreme, and that was something he could not allow.

The thief bowed again; smoke billowing out of his sleeves to obscure the room. “Thank you keibu,” the soft words came from everywhere and nowhere. “I leave this in your hands,” though he would be watching. That was guaranteed.

When the inspector could see again, Kid was gone, only a list of trustworthy officers left behind. Ginzo’s gaze was dark as he picked it up. First, he would send Aoko to visit his late wife’s relatives in the country, and after that, it seemed he had a lot of work to do.

Chapter Text

Too late, he was too late. Too slow to stop this, but just fast enough to see the killer leaving. Fast enough to witness the aftermath of Hakuba’s encounter with the Black Org. member he had tentatively identified as Daiquiri.

Kaito had managed to pick her pocket as she left, but that was a small comfort all things considered. The compact case of deadly pills felt infinitely heavy as they sat in his jacket, more precious than any jewel he had ever stolen. For the moment though, he was more concerned with now than what the future could hold.

White gloves tightened on the edge of the Inverness cape he had often teased the detective about as he clutched the blond to his chest, uncaring of the mud and oil staining his pants. Poker face be damned; Kid knew there were tears in his eyes. He swore if Hakuba lived through this the blond could wear that stupid outfit until he was old and gray and he’d never say a word.

His classmate was pale; the detective’s face a mask of agony. Saguru looked as if he was dying, and Kaito was painfully aware that could very well be the case. “Please,” Kid whispered to himself, grip tightening as he prayed to anyone who might be listening. “Please.” Just this once, he asked, grant tantei-san a bit of his own luck. The blond would need it to beat these odds.

Kaito had never witnessed tantei-kun’s transformation for himself. How long did it take? He wondered. When would he know? The magician’s heart skipped a beat when Hakuba’s body began to steam. Was this . . .? The thief felt an overwhelming surge of relief as the form in his arms grew smaller and smaller until it resembled that of a child no more than seven years old.

Hakuba let out a pained groan as his eyes flickered open, only to be swept into a bone crushing hug. Even as out of it as he was, the blond knew something was desperately wrong. “Kid,” he croaked. “What?” Why was the other so big? Or was it that he was too small?

The sound of sirens brought the thief back to reality. Saguru grabbing wildly for the thief’s shoulders as he was swooped up into the others arms oversized clothes and all. Kid darting towards the shadows. “We’ve got to get you out of here.”

“But,” Hakuba tried to object.

“No buts,” Kid’s tone held no room for compromise as he scaled a twenty foot wall with effortless ease. An instant later he softened. This couldn’t be easy for the detective. “I will explain later tantei-san, I promise. But you cannot be found here.” His next words were dead serious. “Your life and the lives of all you love depend upon it.”

Chapter Text

Tense muscles relaxed as Hakuba inhaled the crisp autumn air. It was a beautiful day; not too hot, not too cold. The forest was a riot of color. The trees having shed their summer green for a magnificent mix of red and yellow. Pausing near the edge of the trail, the blond took a moment to admire the view of the fog wreathed valley below. He deserved it after last night’s heist.

The peaceful atmosphere was shattered as Saguru’s most infuriating classmate came barreling out of the underbrush at full speed. The detective’s first thought was annoyance. He opened his mouth to demand the other go away only for Kaito to grab his arm on the way past; the deceptively slender brunette bodily pulling him off his feet and over the edge of the hill.

“Kuroba!” Hakuba snarled, attempting to dig in his heels on the steep slope. “What the bloody hell are you . . .”

His question was abruptly answered when a tree just a few feet to their left exploded in a spray of splinters. Saguru yelped, his free hand coming up to shield his face as he stumbled.

Yanking his classmate back up, Kaito said just one word before releasing him. “Run.”

The magician didn’t have to tell him twice. Hakuba had spent more than enough time hunting in the English countryside to know what happened when a large caliber bullet hit a tree. His mind burned with questions, but this was hardly the proper locale for an interrogation.

Hakuba scrambled after his rival, following a natural obstacle course worthy of the Kaitou Kid at his finest. His lungs burned with effort. However, the detective was not tempted to slow down in the least. Not with a sniper in the woods.

At some point the blond managed to yank his phone out of his pocket, dialing 110. Not waiting for the responder to ask about the nature of the emergency Saguru quickly but clearly stated his name, location, and the situation before shoving the phone back into his pocket. Undoubtedly the police would be along shortly by virtue of his name if nothing else. As annoying as nepotism was it did have its uses occasionally the tantei supposed.

After was seemed like an eternity Kaito shoved the blond down behind a large fallen tree, diving after him to huddle in the dirt. “I think,” the magician panted. “That we lost him.” Either that or Snake had recognized the detective and decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Blonds weren’t exactly common in this part of the world after all.

Hakuba was inclined to agree, which meant. Reaching out, he snagged the front of Kaito’s shirt yanking him forward until their faces were only inches apart. “Who’s shooting at you?” he demanded, mindful of his volume. The gunman was still out there somewhere.

That’s when Kaito pulled out the look. Hakuba had seen several different variations of it since meeting the magician and hated every single one of them.

“How the heck should I know the name of some psychopath that gets his jollies from shooting at random teenagers in the woods?”

“Kaito,” Hakuba hissed, his arms trembling from the excess adrenaline in his system. He could not believe the magician was pulling this now. This was no time to play coy.

Smacking the hands away, Kaito made a spit second decision, forcing a realistic laugh from his throat. “Just what is it you want me to say Hakuba?” he asked. Scooping a thick stick off the ground, the brunette held it in the manner a newsman held a microphone, deepening his voice dramatically. “Upon discovering the murder of his Father by a massive underground crime syndicate teenager Kuroba Kaito vows to bring them to justice. Pursued by assassins on one side and law enforcement officers who misunderstand his intentions on the other our intrepid hero stands alone against the forces of evil.”

The magician held the pose a moment longer before dropping it. “Please,” he scoffed. “This isn’t a movie.”

Golden eyes met indigo and locked. “Somehow,” Hakuba said. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Chapter Text

Kaito’s eyes burned as the casket that contained the remains of the young man who could have been one of his closest friends, had they not been what they were, was lowered into the ground. It had been a closed casket funeral; however it didn’t require that much imagination to picture what Shinichi’s face looked like now. He had, unfortunately, seen far too many dead bodies not to know.

The young man wasn’t in disguise. Anyone who knew him would recognize him straight off. That did not however mean Kaito had not chosen his clothes with care. The straight lines of his dark suit gave the illusion of a football player’s physique rather than that of a gymnast, or a soccer player. His brunette hair had not been tamed, just the opposite if anything.

Also, in what was wholly inappropriate timing, the sun had come out. The bright rays of the sun had allowed the magician to wear a pair of yellow tinted sunglasses without looking out of place. This changed the color of his eyes, slightly. Kaito was still wholly unprepared to run into Yukiko Kudo, and he cursed himself silently for becoming lost in his thoughts. He hadn’t come here to upset anyone.

For a moment, the actress looked grief stricken, causing the dark skinned detective at her side to shift his weight threateningly. Then, she forced a smile, lips trembling as she pulled out a handkerchief to dab at her eyes. “Kaito-kun,” she choked out. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Noting the poor condition of Yukiko’s hanky, the brunette gently reached out and replaced it with one of his own. “I know you and my Father were close friends Kudo-san,” Kaito said softly, forcefully preventing himself from dreaming of a world where he and Shinichi had grown up together. “Since Oyaji can’t be here,” he shrugged helplessly as his voice trailed off and he swallowed. After a moment Kaito continued “You have my condolences for your loss.” Shifting on his feet uncertainly, the magician gestured towards his own face, “and well . . .”

But Yukiko was already shaking her head. “Don’t apologize for your looks Kaito-kun.” It wasn’t the other boys fault.

With a respectful bow, Kaito turned to depart only to have a deceptively slender hand clamp down on his arm pulling him close.

“Wait!” Blue eyes looked desperate. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” Yukiko whispered. Her grip tightened. “After what happened to sensei . . .” She didn’t want to attend another funeral. Not for this young man who had offered her a rose and called her obasan.

Gently, Kaito freed his arm. “I am always careful,” he promised. Whether that would be enough remained to be seen. But he couldn’t stop now, not with Snake still out there. Indigo eyes flicked to his rival’s grave one last time before walking away. The sad truth remained; some things were worth dying for.

Chapter Text

Good things, Kaito had often reminded himself on hard nights, come to those who wait. But now, finally, the waiting was over. Victory was theirs at last, and it was sweet. This moment made it all worth it; every sleepless night, the lies, the fear, the pain. The magician squeezed Aoko’s gloved hand where it was held in his. They had done it.

Though it seemed that Snake, slippery bastard that he was, might slip away into the night. Well not on their watch. The two best friends shared a look of complete accord, Aoko shimmying up a nearby pipe to take to the rooftops. As for Kaito, he dropped the dozen feet to the ground, landing lightly before setting off on the other’s trail. It seemed the hunter had become the prey. He took no care to avoid being seen. He wanted the officers to follow.

A fierce grin stole across Kaito’s features as his partner stepped into Snake’s path, Kid’s white cape billowing behind her as she stared coolly down the barrel of her card gun. “Going somewhere Snake?” she asked lightly.

The killer skidded to a halt before backpedaling. He knew better than the think the thief would provide him with such a tempting target without having something up his sleeve. He turned only to be confronted with a second, identical figure. For a moment, Snake’s gun wavered between the two before settling on the figure behind him.

Kaito laughed. Seemingly unconcerned that he was being held at gunpoint. “He thinks you are one of our tricks.”

The first figure smirked in response. “I suppose I am at that.” The pair were perfect reflections of each other; same outfit, same face. Same voice, same laugh; they even tilted their heads the same way. It was, to be honest, a little creepy.

By this time Inspector Nakamori and a squad of the task force had caught up with their long time prey and were examining the scene from cover, having left Section One in the dust. Nothing against their colleagues, the others were simply unaccustomed the speed and stamina that was a requirement for chasing phantom thieves. All of the officers were armed, and they all wore full body armor. Their main adversary may have been non-violent, but they were still cops. Though to be honest Kid, both of them, looked far from harmless right now.

“Did you really think that after everything, we would simply let you walk away?” Kid questioned. The mist seemed to emerge from everywhere and nowhere all at once, the two white clad figures vanishing like the phantoms they were sometimes called.

“We made a vow.”

“We promised.”

“We swore on his grave,” the two spoke together.

Snake was looking more and more unnerved, spinning first one way, then the other as he searched for a target. It was impossible to tell where the voices were coming from. Even Nakamori felt a bead of sweat run down his neck, and he wasn’t even the focus of the thieves’ ire.

“He was our teacher.”

“Our mentor,” came the unnerving echo.

“We loved him.”

“You killed him,” hissed the other.

“MURDERER!!!” It was as if all of Snake’s victims had called out at once.

It was then that Snake lost it, blindly firing in all directions. Nakamori yelped as one bullet impacted a wall not far from his head. “Down!” he ordered grabbing his nearest subordinate and hitting the ground. The rest of the squad was quick to follow. Risking a quick glance upwards, the inspector grimaced. The mist was now impenetrable. Then, the shooting stopped. It was dead silent.

“Keibu,” one officer hissed after few moments. “Nakamori-keibu, look.” The mist was clearing. The shooter lay sprawled on the pavement. Gun a few feet from his outstretched hand, a steel playing card embedded in the barrel. Snake was not moving, not at all.

Ginzo felt a wave of cold, more mental than physical. He had publically stated, more than once, that the only thing the thief (thieves?) would never steal was a life. But, the Inspector grimly replayed the conversation he had just heard. Everyone had a breaking point. Slowly, Nakamori approached, vigilantly examining the scene for any possible threat to him and his men. Taking a deep breath, he reached down to check the shooter’s pulse.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

The air left the inspector’s lungs explosively, knees going temporarily weak in relief. Thank the kami. Removing his cuffs from his belt, he secured the prisoner before professionally patting him down; removing three knives, a small holdout pistol and a ridiculous amount of ammunition.

Ginzo knew; a part of him had always known that his old rival was dead. And it hurt to know he didn’t even know the other’s true name. That he couldn’t even visit his grave. But, the Inspector’s dark gaze strayed back to the figure at his feet. Being able to take this piece of garbage to jail helped a little. Not a lot, but some.

Curtly, Nakamori ordered a couple of his men to haul the prisoner off the ground as their backup came screeching around the corner, sirens blaring. It was instinct, more than anything, which caused the Inspector to look up as Snake was loaded into the back of one of the cars. And there they were, standing on the edge of a building four stories up.

For a single instant, the world seemed to disappear. It was just them. Then, as one, the Kid(s) bowed deeply. There was no pink smoke, no dramatic swirl of the cape. One moment they were there, the next they were gone.

Never to be seen again? Ginzo wondered as he imagined a world without the Kaitou Kid in it. Then he smiled, reaching out to pluck a spiraling card from midair. Not hardly.

Chapter Text

A detective and a criminal stood on a rooftop. But this was no ordinary detective, nor was the criminal an ordinary thief. Conan had long ago stopped wondering about these encounters, and truth be told, he enjoyed Kid's company, most of the time. But tonight, he really wasn't in the mood.

Shooting his rival a withering look, the shrunken teenager snorted. "Baka, I am not going to wish on a star." He hadn't done that even when he was six.

The magician thief opened his mouth to speak only to be cut off.

"And don't even start with tantei having no soul." He had heard that speech so many times he could recite it from memory.

Kid pouted; a ridiculous expression on an internationally wanted criminal. "Come on tantei-kun it's Christmas. What could it hurt?"

Conan glowered. "If I do it," he asked. "Will you go away?"

"On my honor as a thief." The kaitou crossed his heart. One white clad finger pointed straight at the seemingly younger boy. "But no cheating. You have to close your eyes and make a wish."

"All right already," Conan groused. "I'm doing it." Closing his eyes, the detective wished for something far more precious than any material possession. "There," he said after a few seconds. "Are you satis . . ."

The detective paused, looking right than left, his brow furrowing in puzzlement. That was odd, had Kid really let him have the last word. The thief was gone; the only sign of his presence a small brightly colored package that Conan was unsurprised to see was addressed to him. XOXOXO on the tag and all.

Rolling his eyes, Conan picked up the small box and removed the wrapping paper before flipping it open. His breath caught in his throat as his brain short circuited. It couldn't be; how had Kid even gotten his hands on it? But it was; an almost full case of the apotoxin. Too small hands tightened on the precious case.

With this, Haibara might even be able to come up with a permanent cure. Conan stared up at the stars, uncaring of the tears that dripped from his eyes. Maybe, just maybe the thief was right. Maybe wishes could come true.

Chapter Text

Ginzo took a small sip of the cheap sake. It was somewhat tempting to get roaring drunk, but he knew better, especially now. Loose lips sink ships as they say. Dark eyes glanced around the room taking in every detail. This bar wasn’t too his tastes, not that he had ever been a heavy drinker. But it did have two things going for it right now. It was dark, and it was quiet.

Inspector Ginzo Nakamori, head of the Kaitou Kid Taskforce, had no illusions about himself. He was no genius and felt no need to pretend otherwise. That did not however mean that he was blind, or dumb. He reached into his pocket to finger the bagged object that had been the result of his clandestine, off-duty, visit to the site of yesterday’s heist. As he had suspected, even before he dug it out the masonry, it was a bullet.

That things weren’t quite right had been easy to miss at first. But slowly, the clues had added up. That house, obviously vacated in a hurry, the mysterious gunman on the train who had threatened Prince Phillip, that fake Kid at the magic show. Each of them could be written off separately, but when you put them and other incidents together . . .

What was that word he had heard from Kaito-kun the other day? Ah yes, hinky. Clearly something hinky was going on. Why? That the man did not know. Especially considering that in his opinion, Kid’s most infuriating trait wasn’t his magic, or his skill at disguise. It was that sticky fingers aside, the other was fundamentally a good person.

The inspector frowned. Then again, maybe that was the whole problem. Maybe Kid knew something, something the thief wasn’t willing to ignore. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop. Even worse, his official inquiries had gone absolutely nowhere. That meant things weren’t just hinky, they were downright rotten.

Ginzo rightly suspected what he was about to do would be very dangerous, but he hadn’t joined the force to be safe. He had enough evidence now to discretely pull in a handful of officers he knew to be above reproach. Where the path would lead? Once again he did not know. But he did know something else.

Just like with chasing the Kaitou Kid, slow and steady wins the race.

Chapter Text

This was it. He was going to die; and worst of all, Shinichi knew he had no one to blame but himself. Haibara had told him not to take the temporary antidote, but he had done it anyway. And now he was going to pay for it. Really though, what were the odds of he and Gin walking into the same coffee shop?

Blue eyes darted around the room as the detective thought frantically. There had to be some way out of this. From all indications, there wasn’t. Not to mention, when the heck had he become less helpless while stuck in the body of a small child.

Shinichi didn’t have his belt, or his power shoes, or his glasses. His stun watch had been left behind, as had his skateboard. He didn’t even have a soccer ball. Mournfully the detective looked down at his empty cup. If he hadn’t drank the hot liquid so fast he could have thrown it in Gin’s face. The teenager swore if he made it out of this somehow he would have Professor Agasa make him full size duplicates of all his gadgets. Before today he had never appreciated just how often they had saved his life.

The teen’s breath hitched in his throat as Gin came closer and closer. This was the end, he thought distantly. No more Shinichi Kudo. Ran, he thought to himself regretfully, was going to cry. The kids were going to cry. Hattori would yell, and then cry. Ai wouldn’t cry. Ai would come up with some way to raise him from the dead so she could kill him herself.

Gin glanced at his former victim, then away, and kept going. Shinichi watching with disbelief as the assassin crossed the street, got into his vehicle, and drove away. If not for the long strand of blond hair that had been left behind the tantei might have thought he had imagined the whole thing.

Shakily, Shinichi began to laugh, ignoring the barista’s look. He had heard that Gin was notorious for forgetting the faces of the people he killed. But the detective had thought it was a metaphor. It wasn’t. Evidently they meant it quite literally.

Chapter Text

Ten thousand different faces, yet each one is a lie
As a man stands unbowed, beneath a moonlit sky

Strong of heart and mind, with an iron will
The shadows that he casts, they hide a gaze of steel

His grin is careless, like he’s never been hurt
Seemingly untouched by the world’s endless murk

He flies through the air as though it’s a mere game
All those watching below, they think just the same

They have no idea of the evils that he fights
And he won’t ever share just why, he wears mourning white

Chapter Text

Burying his head in his knees, the brunette bit back a sob. He knew, intellectually, that it was foolish to be out on a night as cold as this one. At the moment though, Shinichi could not bring himself to care. If he had not been who he was, the detective would have almost found it funny.

There was only one truth. That was what he had always believed. The credence upon which he had built his life. Except, now it seemed he had been lying to himself.

I want to run a few more tests, just to be safe. But I believe I have found the cure to the apotoxin.

That's what Ai had said when she called him just a few hours ago. And Shinichi, he had experienced a brief moment of total elation before reality had come crashing down. For a moment he almost longed for the days of constantly looking over his shoulder for the Black Organization. The ever present threat had been a great excuse for his lack of self-reflection in retrospect.

He no longer had such an excuse. It had been six years. Two years since Shinichi had even taken a temporary antidote after Haibara told him bluntly that if he didn’t stop one of them would kill him. Six months since a joint task-force had brought the Crows to their knees. As much as he wished it otherwise, did he truly have anything to go back to?

Shinichi, the detective was forced to admit, had been a foolish, arrogant child with few ties. His classmates had moved on, not that he had ever been close with most of them, becoming adults. The police and the newspapers rarely mentioned him, and when they did it was with pity. Even Ran had finally given up waiting for him, not that he blamed her.

The brunette swallowed hard. It was time to face facts. Shinichi Kudo was dead, and Conan Edogawa had killed him.