Legend of Tokyo: Chapter 1

[Neko12 0]

A/N: Official Chapter 1 here right now since I've already go the Prologue and chapters 1 and 2 up on my main sites. I'll be posting Chapter 2 up right after this. I mean, might as well have this site caught up with it's new brethren.

~~~

*** Different Location

--- Next Day

Italics Flashbacks

“…” Dialogue

‘…’ Thoughts

Chapter 1: Realization

*Time moves forward, never stops.

Only when you cease fighting the current, will you ascertain the truth.

~Neko12

“Hey, Kudo-kun?”

“Hm?”

“I’m nearly done.”

“Wha!? Really?” Conan gasped in astonishment nearly falling off the couch.

“In about two months the antidote will be completed.” Ai announced from her computer still typing away like a maniac typist.

“Shiho that’s great!” the shrunken detective cheered.

Ai flinched, a bit taken aback by Conan called her by her true name, though she smiled seeing him so full of glee.

However, though she smiled for his happiness, her smile was but a mask to hide the true turmoil coursing through her heart.

Oblivious to the chemists inner emotional confection, Conan continued giggling with delight as he readied to leave.

“Alright then, I’ll stop by tomorrow to see how things are coming alone. Bye Haibara!” Conan called out as he shut the front door behind him, not noticing he had but moments ago called Ai but her true first name.

Ai continued typing away at the computer not responding to the little detectives farewell. She remained silent for a few moments more until a wet drop hit the back of her hand causing her to halt all her actions.

Despite the average amount of lighting in the room, Ai’s thick bangs fully shadows her eyes. Streams of a water on either sides of her cheeks were sliding down her face until it reached the base of her chin and fell as droplets splashing more and more water upon her hands and legs.

‘Why…?’ she body trembled reluctantly. ‘Why did I have to live to only desire death even more…?’ Ai mused as she pressed her palms to her face and released her sorrow in solitude.

***

‘I’m going to be myself again! My real self!’ Conan continued musing with happiness. His face plainly showing his joy as he walked with his hands behind his head and a spring in this step grinning madly like the Cheshire cat.

He had gone to Professor Agasa’s house after school to check up on Ai. She had missed school for the last three days in a row and Conan had gotten worried about her. Though he‘d never admit it to her face. So right after school Conan decided to head straight to Agasa’s house to check on her. Being Friday and all he had plenty of time.

Upon his arrival he found no one in sight. Having a quick look around he located Ai down in her lab basement right outside her room. It appeared Agasa had recently left for a convention and left a note advising both Conan and Ai to be careful.

When Conan asked Ai why she wasn’t at school she had at first merely handed him a sheet of paper.

FLASHBACK

“Eh? What is all this Haibara?” Conan asked with puzzlement.

“Take a good look at it Kudo-kun.” she told him flatly.

“I don’t get it. All I see are numbers, lines, letters… Is-Is that a feather?”

“Kudo-kun, there formulas” Ai finally told him, sighing with irritation and most likely saving the detectives brain cells from any further self-inflicting damage.

“Formulas? For what?”

“Kudo, you’re a fool.” Ai accused bored.

“H-Hey!” he shot back.

“If you look closely you’ll recognize certain parts of the formulas.”

With that Conan diverted his scowled face to the piece of paper. He studied it for but a moment before gasping in astonishment.

“This… This is…”

“While I was doing some research I noticed certain things from some formulas I was reading on. Slowly numbers and letters came flooding back into my memory, so I jotted down what I could remember. And after a while,” Ai pointed to a mid-sized stack of eight notebooks a few feet from where Conan was starting. “I began to recall many more formulas. After spending sixteen hours writing all the notes I began working on fusing and formatting the formulas data. I’ve been at it for the past three days now.”

Conan, still seeming shellshock just gawked at Ai. ‘Haibara…? You really have been…?’

Conan was swiftly knocked out of his stunned state of musing when Ai spoke again.

“The greater news, though Kudo-kun, is this.” Ai held up a CD disk between her right hand pointer and middle fingers. Her left never ceasing it rapped typing speed.

Conan gawked wider.

“It seem the data I swiped from Pisco’s laptop wasn’t destroyed in the fire as we had original thought.” Ai stated returning the disk to it place beside her computer, her right hand resuming its previous typing fit.

“But, how? You said it fell out of her pocket while we escaped the fire.”

“This is just a hunch, but it might have fallen through the floor before the flames got to it. How it survived intact is a mystery of its own, but it did and some how made its way to the store. Where by sheer luck when I went to buy more blank disks I purchased it without realizing it until I put it in my computer.”

Absolutely dumbfound Conan just stared.

Sensing what the detective would soon ask Ai continued.

“The disks appears blank to those that are not suppose to see information on the Organization. However, with every Organization disk there is always the same hidden symbol in the very center of the screen. To the untrained eye it would appear nothings there, but on a careful and closer inspection by one to be able to detect the mark they would be able to notice the slightest of a faint outline of a tiny bullet standing upright. Noticing this I began typing out the codes and passwords to unlock the program protecting the files. Once I got through I had access to not only secret information about the Organization and its members, but all the data and research I had acquired when working for them.”

The room fell into a shocking silence, before Ai’s vague whisper murmured in the room, seeming to bounce off the empty walls and hit Conan’s ears clear as day, despite the audio she spoke in.

“Once the antidotes complete you will return back to your former self for good. You will have your life back, Kudo Shinichi.”

Though she said this with no emotion, Conan could faintly detect a spark of…regret?

“Haibara? Is there anything I could do to help?” Conan offered, timidly smiling, trying to make her feel better, but he felt more dejected then angry when she declined harshly.

“Absolutely not Kudo-kun! You’ll just only get in my way. You wouldn’t know the first basic thing to do without me having to explain everything. Go sit down somewhere or just leave, but stay out of my way.”

Dismal for some reason Conan turned and sat on the couch against the wall waiting for Ai to inform him of any other news. Shortly though Conan fell asleep.

Unbeknown to him that icy-blue, aquamarine eyes watched him with tenderness and warmth for four hours until he woke.

FLASHBACK END

‘Haibara has never been this determined before. And I wonder why she sounded remorseful, even slightly. Could she think I still blame her for all this…?’ Conan mused. ‘But that’s absurd! I thought I had made it very clean many times I no longer blame her. Then…what could be troubling her so…?’

Conan looked at his watch while waiting for the light to turn green.

‘It’s twelve past six in the evening, I should make it back in time.’

When the walk light flashed green Conan began to cross the street. Mid way he heard sirens and the sound of a speeding car.

Not even a moment later a bright red sports car flew around the corner and was zooming straight towards Conan.

No time to act, all Conan could do was try to shield himself with his arms.

The car seemed to accelerate more as Conan heard the shrieking tires spin closer.

It all happened so fast. Conan saw only a blur of gray, heard a thundering crash, flew though the air, and hit the pavement surprisingly light, with a sudden mysterious heavy weight on top of him.

His body ached for sure and blood was streaming down the right side of his head, but other then that he was fine.

Meekly he opened his eyes to only gape his mouth in a heart stopping gasp.

He now understood why he wasn’t either in excruciating pain or dead.

Lying slightly on top of him was a young teen-woman. By the looks of it she was no more then sixteen or seventeen years old. Her hair was a strange shiny gray that was sprawled out all over and blood was leaking from her right arm.

Conan carefully removed himself from under the woman try and wake her with gentle yet firm shakes, hoping she wasn’t dead.

“Miss? Hey miss, please wake up!? Miss!”

Finally the teen stirred and Conan gave a heavy sigh of relief.

“Are you going to be alright miss? I’ll call an ambulance.”

Before Conan could fully turn back around the woman rose to her knees holding her head.

“Ouch! Damnit! I keep forgetting in this cursed body I’m so vulnerable!”

‘Huh?’ Conan questioned mentally, wondering just what the heck the adolescent-woman meant by that statement.

She had blood trailing down the left side of her face, cuts and scrapes all over her left arm and leg, a mild gash on her right shoulder as well as her shoulder appeared to be dislocated.

Conan eyed the woman with breathtaking awe.

Only then did she finally seem to take notice of Conan presence as she turned and smiled at him.

“Are you alright little boy?”

Conan gave a weary chuckle with a twitching smile as he nodded his answer.

“Well, that’s good.” the woman exclaimed as she rose to her feet finally taking notice of her right shoulders condition.

“You should really have a doctor look as her injuries.”

“Ah no, I’m fine” the woman answered Conan’s concerned statement with natural calm as she took hold her shoulder with her left hand. Then with a twist, pull and a sudden sickening crack her shoulder was back in place and good as new.

“Ah, much better.” the woman sighed as she then turned towards Conan who was wearing a disturbed expression at what she just did.

For the first time now Conan was able to take in her full appearance.

The woman was fairly tall possibly a few inches taller then Ran, average skinny yet seemed to have some build from examining her slightly more-then-feminine-normal broad shoulders and biceps. However, she was a strange and bizarrely beautiful woman. Her hair it a stunning solid silver that cascaded down to the base of her back. Long flowy silver bangs and two small grouped strands of hair helping to frame the sides of her face. Speaking of her face, it was firm yet elegant like that of a feline, her creamy-tan skin tone and her eyes of astonishing emerald green only added to her abnormal, supernatural beauty. Not to mention her chest build was definitely something never to be shamed.

Conan eyed her in awe now, still taken aback by her stunning appetence. She wore a baggy sky blue blouse had a navy blue lace around her mid-section, and jet black thigh-high jean-shorts hanging loosely at the base.

“You should be more careful kid,” the she warned. “It’s dangerous for a child your age to be out here alone.”

Conan gave her a quick mocking smile as he mused, ‘If you only knew the truth.’

His expression flashed to concern. “Are you going to be alright Miss?”

For a moment the woman eyed Conan with puzzlement before answering him slightly nervous.

“Yes, I’ll be alright,” she paused for a moment then leaned down closer towards Conan’s face. “May I ask your name?”

Conan startled by the woman’s sudden closeness stammered, “E-Edogawa C-Co-Conan.”

The woman looked the child up and down and was about to wave him off when she caught the sight of his eyes.

Literally lunging foreword landing on her hand the woman pressed closer to gaze into Conan’s eyes.

Conan completely taken by surprise fell back as all he could do was allow this woman to “examine” him it seemed.

‘What the hells with her all of a sudden!? It’s like she a tiger about to pounce me!’ Conan mused in fright, sweat bearing down his face.

After only a few moment though the woman flew back with a sharp gasp and scurried to her feet with a look of sheer fear trembling in her eyes.

Without another word the teen-woman turn and fled away down an alley.

Conan now with his detective gaze, set firm eyes on the fleeing woman with alert suspicion. Only when she was out of sight did Conan finally take notice to a massive gathering of police cars surrounding the once speeding car.

Conan was going to go give them his statement when he fully took notice of the condition of the once polished red sports car. It’s entire front was smashed in as if something had caused it to concave inwards like hitting an electric pole. The hood had popped clear off and was bent in all direction crumpled to the side. It looked like something had dug into it several time, as if the markings were done by something incredibly sharp and strong. The engine looked like something had shredded it as if it were a block of cheese with a grader, and the front windshield had completely shattered with a few scratch marks on the outside of what was left of it clinging to the rim of the windshield.

The driver had been a murderer on the run for the past four days, but now he lie on the pavement profoundly bleeding from his nose, mouth, ears and a couple thin streams from his widen, lifeless, cold eyes.

A cop finally notice Conan and rushed to his side.

“Conan-kun, are you alright?”

It was Detective Sota. She looked exhausted and ready to collapse. A few scraps and bruises alone her face and arms, but nothing more.

Conan nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine Sota-san.”

“What happened to you Conan-kun? You’re bleeding” she said as she pulled out a cloth to clean away his blood.

“I was on my way home when that car was speeding towards me. I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough, but a woman throw herself at me and save me.”

Detective Sota listened eagerly before speak again.

“Did you see who or what that car might have crashed into to cause it such damage?”

Conan knew the question would be asked, but he had no idea how to tell her that the woman who saved him could have possibly done that to the car. She’d never believe him. He hardly believe himself on that matter. It was impossible for someone to damage a car like this in such short about of time. Even if they had a week and were professionals they could never do damage like this. The condition of the vehicle was completely unreal. So, Conan did the only thing he could; act like the child he appeared to be.

“I don’t know Sota-san… I was to scared to open my eyes. All I heard was the car coming at me, then a loud crash, I was flying through the air until I hit my head on the road. A few moments later when I opened my eyes I saw a woman over me cover in injuries. But, once I told her I was alright she got up and left.”

Detective Sota nodded to Conan in understanding.

“Alright then, you should get going home Conan-kun. Ran-san will be worrying.”

Conan nodded as he turned around and began his trek back home.

***

A long silver haired woman continued dashing through the city with unspeakable speed. Completely unseen by the human eyes, until she reached a building with the title Mouri Detective Agency.

She stopped and hid in the shadows of the alley across the street.

She only had to wait ten minutes before the boy she had encountered earlier appeared and just as she had gathered, he went into the building.

“So, this is your nesting ground? We pictured it to be far more elegant for one such as you. Though, I guess we shouldn’t complain considering your current “condition” at the moment. You shall meet us very soon young one. We all shall meet very, very soon.” the shadowy cloaked woman hissed with delight as a pair of emerald green lights faded from the shadows of the alleyway.

***

At the far outskirts of the city stretched a grassy clearing before it disappeared into the depths of the forest.

Four figures stood at the edge of the clearing looking out over the city. It’s manmade metropolises shun brighter then the stars from there own-made lights. The night seemed to buzz and hiss from the echoing commotion rising up from the human city known as Tokyo.

“Damnit! She’s late! How long does it take to track down the mortal!? I mean it‘s just a mortal. Though it should be giving off an aura right? Wouldn‘t that make it easier and quicker to locate!?”

“Argh! Enough of you petty squeaking Zhen. Jenn’la knows what she’s doing. And beside, we’ve been in this Plain for a century and a half now and we’ve still yet to locate the mortal.”

“But Valignatir, why do you suppose Jenn’la just suddenly took off instead of informing the rest of use?”

“You should already know the answer to that Kepesk. Jenn’la is known as the Souls Spirit for a reason. She most likely sensed the mortal nearby, but wanted to confirm it herself. Seeing as what happened the last time we though we had found our mortal.” Valignatir exclaimed placing a hand over the top of her chest feeling the deep scars that would forever be embedded within her flesh, plaguing her of the burning memories she disparately desired to erase.

The forth figure, who was crouched down to one knee finally spoke. “She’s returned.” Camlib announced.

Just like mist a fifth figure solidified behind them.

“Forgive my sudden departure everyone,” the fifth form apologized. Her body bent down, knees crouched in a bow, her head lowered, and one of her fisted hands gingerly planted before her into the grassy earth, supporting her balance.

“Welcome back Jenn’la. I hope you bring good news.”

“Better then good, Valignatir. I bring a heavenly report.”

All eyes and attention was now on the fifth body that had recently appeared out of nowhere.

“I have located the proper mortal as well as tracked him down to his temporary nesting ground.”

“Hm, so it’s a male we seek. And what do you mean by “temporary nesting ground” Jenn’la? The mortal should be of ascending ago if not soon.”

“Our mortal male has, some “inflicting” conditions.”

“Well then Jenn’la, please fill us in on what you have gathered.”

Raising her head slightly her long hair have a swift glint in the moons light as her eyes emanated an unrealistic green glow. “Very well Valignatir.” she purred delightfully.

***

“Shiho, please…?”

“I don’t give a damn! I promised to always protect you! How can I keep my promise it you remain the way you are…?”

“I need you…Shiho.”

“I know I’ve been a fool… And I’m more sorry then I can ever say… But you‘re wrong to think such thoughts!”

“Shiho, I can’t go on without you.”

“You’re my little Kitsune, Shiho.”

“Kudo-kun? Kudo-kun?” Shiho called out looking for Shinichi. She was back to her true form, Miyano Shiho, and she knew Conan had returned back to for she could hear his teen voice in the distance speaking words that made her heart, for the very first time in her life, flutter with warmth and tenderness.

She was walking through a woodland area following Shinichi’s voice when she came to an opening in the undergrowth that looked like it lead to a clearing.

Sighing with relief as her heart pounded with excitement at hearing Shinichi’s voice louder, Shiho burst through the thicket to see an enormous grassy hill with what looked to be an elegant cherry blossom tree at the very top.

She heard Shinichi’s voice again as she took off dashing up the hill to see him. Her heart ramming in her chest as her pulse throbbed with pure bliss with the anticipation of seeing him.

Shiho finally made it to the top and the view was breath taking as she watch a magnificent sunset, its mystical rays of fading warm colors reflected off the surface of the ocean. It was beautiful.

Cherry blossoms began to fall around her. Shiho really laughed and smiled with true happiness.

She head Shinichi’s voice once again on the other side of the tree and was starting to make her way around it when her heart shattered, her feeling of bliss was sucked away by a cold darkness leaving only a void of nothingness. Her eyes welled up with tears, not realizing that they were and her lower lip quivered slightly.

The sight the bestowed itself before her was one she dreaded for months to see, but knew it would come to be.

Up, pressed and pinned against the trunk of the tree stood Ran with her neck craned out towards Shinichi’s face. Shinichi stood before her, trapping her in place before him, though his body did not touch her. Blocking her exits with his long, muscle arms on either sides of her. His palms pressing roughly against the trunk of the tree, his nails digging into the bark so fiercely a thin trail of blood skimmed down his fingertips from beneath his nail-beds. Though most of all was his lips, Shinichi’s soft and tender looking lips that Shiho fantasized and dreamt of kissing were now pressing again Ran’s.

Ran’s eyes were closed, looking like she had been crying while Shinichi’s eyes appeared calm yet semi distressed.

‘No… This… This can’t be… Please Gods no… Don’t… Don’t show this too me! Not now! Not… Not me… No…no…no…!’

Finally when the tears started to fall Shiho cried out.

“No!”

***

“No!” Ai’s gasping cry jolted her from her dream.

Her blankets were damp and her spot where she had been sleeping was now drenched with sweat. Panting heavily she tried to recollect herself. Ai wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead as her began to regain her regular breathing.

“A dream…? No… More like a nightmare. But…” Ai pondered somberly. “Maybe fates showing what’s to become me. Alone once again.” Ai murmured the last words full of heartache and longing as her thoughts couldn’t help but continue thinking on her pain.

‘Kudo Shinichi… Why did I live only to suffer like this…? Falling in love with you, the one who’s life I ruined… And yet even know this I feel for you still. Clutching tightly to that final, fleeting light of hope in wishing you were mine. But I have no right… Despite my wishing and praying… I knowing I will never be yours… What reason would there be for a murderer as myself to be granted into your heart…’ Ai solemnly mused as she sat up for the next few hours quietly crying, musing alone until her tears forced her into an emotionally, exhausted, dreamless sleep.

---

Conan was making is way down his old neighborhood, Beika Block, Second Street, towards Professor Agasa’s house. It was a quarter past one in the afternoon, and even though Conan had got a good nine hours of sleep, he still felt tired. Most likely do the his over-accelerated, emotional, anxiety he’s experiencing. Sighing numerous time, the shrunken detective began wondering how he’d begin his approach towards Haibara on the matter of what he had concluded just last night.

FLASHBACK

“I’m home Ran-neechan!”

“Ah! Conan-kun!” Ran yelled anxiously rushing over to the small child she sees as a little brother, crouching down to his level and embracing him fiercely.

“Conan-kun, are you alright? Megure-san called for dad a little while ago and informed us of a really bad car chase accident! He said you had gotten hurt in the cars path!” Ran slightly yelled out worriedly, though there was evidence of previous tears in her eyes as well as proof of newly forming ones.

Smiling childishly Conan gave a small chuckle.

“I’m alright Ran-neechan. Sota-san bandaged me up. I‘m as good as new!” Conan cheered.

Ran gave a weak smile of relief and whipped her damp eyes before the fresh tears could fall.

“Thank goodness you’re not badly hurt. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you Conan-kun.” Ran admitted happily finishing drying her teary eyes.

Conan’s smile weakened, yet for some odd reason he no longer felt overly guilty like he use too. Which was strange, because even knowing he was going to return back to Kudo Shinichi in a couple months, he still didn’t feel any guilt. Or even more bizarre, eager.

In fact, he felt a since of relief and peace at being able to soon be leaving the Mouri Detective Agency, Kogoro-san, and strangely enough Ran behind.

“Alright then, are you hungry Conan-kun? Dinners ready.”

Conan was pulled out of his daze and turned towards Ran. Smiling gleefully and childishly once again he cheered.

“Yeah! I’m starving!”

Conan finished dinner roughly fast, to both he and Ran’s surprise considering to had had seconds, then he retreated to his room for the remainder of the evening saying goodnight to Ran.

Sleep, however, never came to him that night. Instead Conan lie on his back, his hands propped behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling with glasses-less eyes and a confused yet determined sheen in his cobalt orbs. He was desperately musing, trying to focus and figure out what was churning within him.

‘Okay, first off, I know why am I excited to get out of here. Mainly so I no longer have to deal with that drunken-fool, child abusive, sloth of a detective. Plus I wont have to endure this rancid smell of cigarettes and beer anymore.’ Conan crinkled up his nose in disgust making his point more solid.

‘But why am I feeling to relieved to leave Ran? I mean, I love Ran! Don’t I…?’

Conan pondered on Ran for a while longer, yet nothing click in him like it use too. He didn’t feel heat rise to his face when to remember them bathing together. His nose didn’t attempt to gush out blood when he pictured her naked. He didn’t even get turned on at the thought of them doing anything intimately sexual. Nothing!

With a gasp of realization, Conan- no, Kudo Shinichi realized he was no longer in love with Mouri Ran.

‘What could have changed everything…?’ Conan now pondered on all the events that had accrued over the past ten months since he had shrunk.

He knew one couldn’t just go from truly loving someone to all of a sudden, no chemistry forming. It just didn’t work like that.

He undeniably loved Ran when he was still Kudo Shinichi, just was to shy to tell her. Then when he became Edogawa Conan, his love for her flared even more because now he had gotten to live with her and do thing he had only dreamed and fanaticized about. Like bathing with her, sleeping beside her in the same bed, hug her in a romantic manner, even though it had to be secretive. Hell he even kissed her that one time when that sommelier, Sawaki attempted to drown everyone in the underwater amusement parks restaurant.

I mean, yeah it was only to give Conan so oxygen, but a kiss is a kiss regardless, right?

So what happened between him and her to cause this rift in his feelings towards her?

Conan continued pondering. ‘A month or so later is when I met Haibara and not long after was the case with those magic mirror eggs, but,’ Conan sighed puzzled. ‘I was still in love with Ran. And I was even ready to reveal my true identity to her when Kid showed up and bailed me out of that.’

Conan turned towards the wall sighing again in puzzlement.

‘Then about a month and a half later there was that case with that surgeon who killed Narasawa-san and Shiba-san, and nearly killed Sato-san would it have not been for Ran not being with her. Though Sato-san was shot multiple times and was critically injured she survived in the end. Ran though, during the ordeal had contracted amnesia. And that was when,’ Conan paused in remembering.

“That was when Haibara said some crazy nonsense about her wishing she too could lose her own memory and about her wanting us to be together forever.” Conan groaned irksomely, yet when he did this a slight twist of pain bit his heart, though her did his best to ignore it.

Turning onto his other side he noticed the quick drawing of himself he received from Master Kisaragi Hosui propped up on his desk against the wall.

Conan’s eyes clouded slightly in confusion before blinking a couple time.

Returning to his started pose on his back, hands behind his head and eyes fixed on the ceiling, Conan’s face features hardened as he began musing deeply on that particular case.

‘It had only been three weeks after the closing of the case with the murdering surgeon who tried to kill Ran. Haibara had planned on sacrificing herself to save me and the kids from the burning tower. Doc had taken the kids, Haibara, and myself camping and the little brats wanted to visit the Twin-Towers before we returned home.’ Conan continued musing.

‘But, I remember Ran looking at me with such a worried expression on her face after we all got out of the pool safe and sound. And then-’ Conan’s eyes twitched open wide.

‘I didn’t seem to feel guilt or ashamed about making her worry. In fact… I was focusing…on Haibara.’ Conan shot up in a sitting position, eyes filled with amazement, doubt, and bewilderment.

‘Come to think of it. That very same day when I first say Sonoko’s new hair style… The first moment I laid my eyes on her, I saw… Haiba- no, Miyano-san. The image of her from when I first saw her true form up on a roof the day I saved her from Gin and Vodka.’

Eyes trembling now, Conan began remembering events that occurred involving Haibara.

After only a few moments three very vivid memories popped in his head. Seemingly upon there own accord.

“The day of the Bus Hijacking… The very first time I realized how deeply Haibara desired her own death. And that…” Conan clutched his bed sheets. “That frightened me. And I had told her not to run away from fate.” Conan whispered this to no one but himself. As if hearing the words out loud would bring there meaning and existence to life.

Heart picking up speed Conan questioned, “Could I have somewhat meant for her not to run away…from me?”

At those last two words a warm, fluttering sensation sparked within Conan’s heart. Confused now more then ever at this sudden butterfly feeling, Conan began to analyze the second memory of the three he had mentally chosen that had all-of-a-sudden seemed to trigger a strong impact on certain emotions within him.

Taking a deep breath to steady his fluttering heart, Conan then began quietly muttering more facts and clues.

“Professor Agasa had taken Haibara, the kids and I to the big soccer tournament where the Tokyo Spirits versed up against Noir Tokyo, and the day Etsutoshi Oba murdered Kadotake Akano, the hooligan. And yet…” Conan’s voice seemed to tone down into a faint whisper. As he once again clutched the bed sheets, tighter then before as his hands trembled slightly.

“That was the day Haibara’s words truly started to scare me.”

Conan lowered his head as now his bangs completely shadowed his eyes.

“She had kept going on about how ‘There is no place for a traitor’ and about ‘Running away to a place far away where people didn’t disapprove of you’. But then, when the case was solved and I saw her on the opposite platform, with that look in her eye… It just…” Conan grit his teeth mildly in- Anger? Fear? Annoyance?

‘I didn’t even seem to think things through at the moment. I had just dashed off after her when the train had arrived, but as I got there it was leaving. As I watched it propel forward, farther away from me, I remember a painstaking stab in my chest I couldn’t understand. I tried chasing after it, despite the raw aching that was erupting from within my chest, but that cursed underground-railroad-machine just continued on speeding onward.’

Pausing for a few moment to recollect his thoughts and soothe his quickening heartbeats. Sighing a slightly heavy breath to help ease his nerves he resumed speaking whispered words to himself .

“Calling… I remember desperately calling-no, yelling out to her. As if yelling her name would somehow force the train to stop. It didn’t though, it just kept right on going. And for the very first time on that day, I realized…” Giving a nervous gulp and a twitch of his still tightened fists Conan murmured, “I didn’t want Haibara to leave. Not then, not now, not…ever. I… I wanted her to stay…here… With the Professor… With the Detective Boys… With… With me…”

Leaving one hand fiercely gripping his bed sheets so firmly his knuckle turned bleach-white while the other latched onto the front of his night shirt. He squeezed his shirt with such intensity his knuckles not only blanched, but his palms burned hot from the violent friction grip he held. His fingernails were pressed deep into the cloth as if attempting to try and rake through the unwanted garment to proceed at his cheat.

Conan bowed his head lower completely silhouetting her face. The shrunken detective, regardless of his status, quivered for still some unknown reason.

His entire body shuddered as his breathing weakened out into raspy gasps. An unknown yet indescribable anguish ripped and burned at his chest, reaching to his heart and feeling as if something were crushing it from within him.

Unable to hold back any longer; as the glow of the full moon finally poured into his window illuminating everything in its path, a shimmering sparkle gleamed like a tiny star on Conan’s face before it vanished beneath the bed sheets. Then came another small star, and another, and another until there was now a glistening stream of twinkling stars running down the shrunken teens face. With each little light of glitter that fell and vanished beneath the sheets, a small damp splotch began to appear upon on his blankets. A few stars fell and hit Conan’s hand forcing them to disperse into tinier specks of star dust before fading away all together.

Conan clasped his teeth together so brutally a thin trickle of crimson blood slid down the side of his right mouth.

‘Damnit! Even though she wasn’t on the train that day, and I became so utterly relieved and even felt soothed and warmed when she asked if I truly would protect her. When she asked me her gaze was so timid and gentle, her eyes seeming to be begging me, pleading me to say yes. It was then and there I realized something…’

“I care about her. I care a very lot about her.” Conan muttered as is voice staggered and shivered slightly scratchy.

His shaking suddenly ceased, he relinquished his death grips from his bed sheets and night shirt, and the agonizing pain in his chest just instantly faded away. The pain was replaced with a feeling of warm lightened-featheriness. And his heart… No longer raw with sheer torment, but now felt so hot he swore it would melt into a steaming puddle yet felt as if his body could and would take flight at any given moment.

Kudo Shinichi had admitted to himself he no longer held romantic feelings towards Mouri Ran, which surprisingly was very easy. However, his struggle to discover how and why those once purely true and forever feeling emotions had so easily seemed to just fade away without him fully realizing it, gave him the sudden emotional-rollercoaster he needed to finally understand and figure out. Mouri Ran wasn’t the beacon in his heart any longer, but Haibara Ai; true self Miyano Shiho had become not some mere little flame or hope of light. No, Miyano Shiho has become his North Star. His guide to find his way back home to her and sheer happiness.

At his final realization Conan gave a smiled so intense that would even cheer-up the Grinch.

“So, that’s what’s been truly bothering me. I do still love Ran, but not in a romantic manner any longer. No, it’s Haibara- No! No, it’s Shiho. Yeah, Shiho. My Shiho.” Conan seemed to purr out her true name each time it rolled off his tongue and glided between his lips causing this mouth a slight tingling feeling. One in which he thoroughly enjoys.

Freezing in his spot, halting all movements a conflict just dawned on him.

“I love Shiho, but… Does she even care that way about me? Or does she still hold some hatred towards me?” Conan asked himself. Fear imminent in his voice.

Then, Conan realized why his thoughts had chosen that last memory to burn deeply into his mind.

“The second day Ran had returned home from the hospital with her condition of amnesia… Was also that day Shiho had admitted her own feelings towards me, right?” Conan blinked a few time to finally cease the tears from falling any longer.

“You and I could finally be together… That‘s all I‘ve ever really wanted…” Conan recited Ai’s exact words as he finished with whipping his tears and minor blood trail away.

Once making sure his eyes were tear free and mouth spotless, Conan turned his now puffy red cobalt eyes towards his digital clock.

Giving a yawn that proved his tiredness, Conan buried himself back beneath his covers, turned over onto his right side and facing the moon he sighed for the first time in months, in absolute content.

He didn’t care that it was four ‘o clock in the morning, Conan was satisfied for now.

With a finally murmur, “I’ll talk to Shiho tomorrow.” Conan closed his eyes and drifted peacefully to sleep.

FLASHBACK END

Palms sweaty, knees shaky, and the absolute uncontrollable swarms of butterflies in his stomach which were causing his face to heat-up and a thin trail of red bridging his nose would most definitely go undetected from her massively sharp keen eyes.

Chuckling timidly, swallowing hard anxiously and already sweating up a storm, Conan took many deep breaths as he was just about too reach the gate. His heart pounding so fiercely he worried if it would burst right out of his chest.

Now merely a few feet from the gate and he would be before the woman he loved yet she didn’t know and he was here to confess is feelings. Just hoping and praying everything goes well.

“Pleasant afternoon Edogawa Conan. Or should we call you… Kudo Shinichi.”

Conan froze instantaneously. Sheer unconditional horror twisted his once-moments-ago antsy, happy, blushing features.

Conan slowly turned around to face the figure that had just addressed him by his alias and true name. Fear keeping his feet from moving, making it so he could only turn his upper torso.

The sight that greeted him made his blood run icy-cold.

Behind him, a few meters away stood five tall figures.

All of which are clad in raven-black.