Detective Conan: Chibification Nation a work of Detective Conan fanfiction by The Eternal Lost Lurker Chapter Three: Expected and Unexpected! Four Visitors (Disclaimers and notes at end of chapter.) =========================================================================== When Conan returned home, he found an unexpected surprise. "Megure-keibu," he stated, noting the police inspector seated on the steps leading up to the second floor. "Ah, Conan-kun," Megure nodded. "I've been waiting for you." "Waiting...? Then why aren't you upstairs?" Megure shook his head. "I saw you leave earlier, but I lost track of you about three blocks away, so I decided to wait right here." *Something's not right.* "Ano...what's wrong? Am I in some kind of trouble?" With virtually no effort, he cranked up the 'innocent little kid' routine. Megure frowned slightly. "Not exactly. I just need to ask you a few questions." "Questions?" *Maybe it's just about a case...but then, why this...?* "Ah," Megure nodded, shifting slightly. "I've recently found some unusual discrepancies in numerous reports from cases over the last several months. Cases you've personally been involved in." Conan swallowed nervously. "Dis...huh?" "Don't pretend you don't understand. We both know better." The boy shrugged. "Yeah, okay." "Now," Megure continued. "I've found evidence that leads me to suspect you might be the key to the disappearance of Kudou Shinichi." "Shinichi-niichan?" Conan asked, tilting his head. "Why would I know--?" "I've found evidence," Megure cut across him, eyes narrowing, "that indicates that you *are*, in fact, Kudou Shinichi." *Oh SHIT.* Conan stood, poleaxed, staring in shock at the portly police inspector. *Okay, Kudou, think. How do you get out of this one?* Just then, a voice drifted down from the landing above them. "Aa, Megure-keibu!" Conan stared past Megure, who had begun to turn around, and felt another sharp lurch in his heart. *What the HELL?!* Kudou Shinichi leaned casually against the wall opposite the door to the detective office, smirking. * * * * * * * * * Megure stared. "Kudou-kun? But...I..." Shinichi snorted. "Barou. I heard it all. How silly is the thought I'd turn into some little megane brat? Na, Conan-kun?" "Ah...hai..." Conan stuttered, staring in shock at the apparition above him. *What the hell's going on here?!* Megure frowned, looking uncertainly between the two of them. "But..." Shaking his head, he muttered, "Maybe I need a break..." He then glanced back up at Shinichi. "Oi, Kudou-kun," he began, "about the incident Saturday..." "Oh, that?" Kudou shrugged. "Some punks tried to mug Ran and Sonoko. I just happened to be passing by, and stopped them." "Just happened to be...?" Megure spluttered. "I'm not as 'missing' as you seem to think, keibu-dono," Shinichi said with a smirk, eyes twinkling. "I've got a good reason for keeping a low profile right now, but I'm still around." He sighed. "In fact, I need to get going, as soon as I say goodbye to Ran. Oi, megane, you coming up for dinner or what? Ran's worried sick about you." Conan blinked. "Ah...hai!" He glanced at Megure. "Was there anything else, Megure-keibu?" The inspector sighed, shaking his head. "No, I guess not. Kudou-kun, I would like you to make a statement about the mugging incident at your convenience. Ran-kun too." "Of course," Shinichi nodded. "Oh, and I'd appreciate if you didn't let anyone know you saw me here." With that, he turned to disappear back up the steps, and Conan quickly followed him. Once the two of them had entered the apartment, Shinichi peered out the peephole to make sure Megure hadn't followed them up. Then he laughed. "Oh man, that was great!" "It worked? He fell for it?" Ran asked. "Hook, line, and sinker," Shinichi said, smirking. "You should've seen your face, Kudou," he added, glancing down at Conan and snickering. Conan looked between them. "Wh--what's going on here?" 'Shinichi' laughed loudly. "Ahou...you're supposed to be my equal?" Conan's eyes narrowed in realisation. "Hattori." The detective from Osaka grinned, wiping his face with a handkerchief--and removing a thick layer of makeup, exposing his darker skin. "Did I get it right this time?" "BAROU! You almost gave me a heart attack down there!" "It worked, then," Ran giggled. "And I'd say the timin' couldn'ta been better." The shrunken detective scowled, jamming his hands in his pockets. "You got any idea how much it sucks watching everyone on Earth pretend they're you? I mean, if it's not you, it's that damn Kaitou Kid..." "But it's convenient for you, isn't it Shinichi? It helps you keep your cover, right?" Ran asked, just a slight tone of hurt in her voice. Hattori chuckled. "Man, I know one guy who's in the doghouse." Ran frowned at him. "I'm pretty mad at YOU too, you know." She arched an eyebrow. "And I'm sure Kazuha-chan's gonna have a few choice words for you when SHE finds out." The Osakajin cringed. "Oi, oi...I'm innocent here! It's Kudou's fault..." Conan sighed, blowing on his bangs in frustration. "Mou...yareyare..." * * * * * * * * * Ayumi scuffed her toes on the ground as she walked home. None of her friends were able to play today; Genta was at the dentist, Mitsuhiko was out with his family celebrating an uncle's birthday, and Conan...had just run off after school, saying he had something to take care of. Ai, of course...well, she hadn't expected anything there. The young girl sighed, eyes never leaving the patch of sidewalk in front of her. *Conan-kun was really tense all day long. He was like that yesterday, too. Something bad happened. I know he'll never talk about it, though.* She gazed up at the sky, clouding up with the threat of an evening rain. "Why doesn't he trust me?" she asked the heavens, eyes glistening with their own precipitation. "Conan-kun..." A sound across the street caught her attention, and she looked up. She was standing in front of one of the more popular cake shoppes in Beika-cho. A plan suddenly formed in her mind. Scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her arm, Ayumi smiled and skipped into the store. * * * * * * * * * "So, how'd it go with that girl?" Ran asked as the three of them sat down at the table, cups of tea and a plate of rice crackers in front of them. "Hattori was right. She's one of us." Conan sipped his tea. "I don't think she's gonna help, though." "Eh? Why not?" The boy detective sighed. "Did Hattori tell you the details?" At Ran's headshake, he frowned. "She was engaged when it happened. And pregnant." Ran gasped. "Sonna..." "Yeah. It was too much for her. She doesn't ever want to go back to her old life, and doesn't want anything to do with who she used to be. Not even getting justice." He sipped his tea again. "She's made a new life for herself, and says she's happy. I think she's sincere. She certainly seems to have adjusted." He shrugged. "Maybe it's best if I leave her be. I did give her my card, though." Hattori nodded. "Still want me to watch her, like you asked?" "Just for a few days." Conan was silent for a few minutes. "Hattori...what exactly have you told Kazuha?" "I haven't told her about you, yet. I think she's starting to figure it out, though. She's not stupid, and what I had her helping me look for..." Conan nodded. "Okay. It's time to tell her the truth, then. Make sure she knows how important it is to keep it quiet, though, and make sure to give her the list of people who know." The door intercom buzzed. * * * * * * * * * Ayumi skipped happily down the sidewalk, stopping at the door leading up to the Mouri Detective Agency. Smiling, she darted up the steps. She faltered slightly when she saw there was an older girl already there, on the landing. The girl turned at the sound of Ayumi's feet on the stairs, and smiled. "You're one of Conan-kun's friends, right?" Ayumi nodded, bowing. "Yoshida Ayumi." The girl bowed. "I'm Toyama Kazuha. I'm a friend of Ran's. Were you going up to see Conan-kun?" Ayumi nodded. "Un! I brought him some cake because he's been down." She held up a bag clutched in her hands. Kazuha giggled, holding up a similar bag. "I brought some too as a visiting gift. Come on, I just buzzed Ran-chan that I'm coming up." As the two girls ascended the stairs, they saw Ran standing in the open door of the apartment. They also heard snippets of heated conversation inside. "--really need to lighten up, Kudou--" "BAROU! You need to take this more seriously!" "I *am* taking it seriously. I just think you're a little TOO serious..." "YOU try being stuck like this, having people out to kill you, and then the whole thing with me and Ran--" "AYUMI-CHAN, Kazuha-chan!" Ran greeted, rather loudly. The talking inside the apartment shut off as though a switch had been thrown. "Come on in!" The two girls bowed as they were ushered in, slipping off their shoes. As Kazuha exchanged pleasantries with Ran, Ayumi watched the others inside, brow furrowed. The tall, dark-skinned boy, she thought she recognised from somewhere. And Conan-kun had a very, very unpleasant expression on his face. He was also plainly surprised to see her--and not in a good way. Even the dark-skinned boy looked rather taken aback by her appearance, and Ran's smile was a bit strained. She clearly was neither expected nor particularly welcome. But she was already here, and it'd be awkward to turn around and leave, so she set her shoulders and marched into the room with a smile. * * * * * * * * * "So Ran-chan, I bet you're happy that Kudou-kun's back," Kazuha said idly as they sat around the table moments after the two girls had arrived. There were some rather strange reactions to this around the table. Heiji choked on a piece of cake, Conan looked rather panicked, and Ran nearly spat tea across the room. Ayumi's eyes widened. "Eeeh? Shinichi-niichan's back?" "Ah, well, that is...!" Ran laughed in a forced manner. "It's...well..." "He's not back, but he called Heiji-niichan to ask for help with something," Conan said hastily. "Ne, Heiji-niichan?" "Ee, sou da na," the dark-skinned boy nodded rapidly. Kazuha scowled. "Mou...that jerk! He's IN Tokyo, isn't he?" "Ah...maybe," Ran hedged. "I mean, he could be anywhere...he's moving around a lot. This case has him really busy." "And now he's dragged THIS ahou into it," Kazuha said, glaring at Heiji. "It's really gettin' old, watchin' these two jackasses run around, ne Ran-chan?" "Ano...eto...ee, sou yo," Ran said with a pained grimace and a halfhearted giggle. Kazuha stared at her, eyes narrowed. "Somethin's up, isn't it? What--" "AA!" Conan exclaimed suddenly, standing up quickly. "Ayumi-chan, wanna see a really neat book I got?" Ayumi glanced at him. "Demo...I wanna hear about Shinichi-niichan..." "It's a book I borrowed from his house! One of his dad's detective novels. It's a first edition! Come on, let's go see it!" He grabbed the girl by her wrist and started dragging her away. "Well...okay..." * * * * * * * * * The three teenagers were silent for a long moment. Kazuha blinked. After a moment, they heard Ayumi giggle happily, and Ran sighed. "Okay, that's helpful." The Osaka girl glanced at her friends quizzically. "What's goin' on?" "Kazuha," Heiji said, suddenly very serious, "It's important--absolutely *vital*--that you NEVER hint, to ANYONE, that Kudou's anywhere *near* Tokyo. Or even that you know he's still alive." "Still ali--what the hell're you talkin' about?" "Kazuha-chan," Ran said, "Shinichi is mixed up in some very, very deep trouble. Some very dangerous people tried to kill him. They know he's still alive now, and that's put us all in a dangerous situation. I'm sorry you've gotten involved in this, but now that you're involved, you need to know everything. It's going to have to wait until Sh--until Ayumi-chan goes home. She *DOES NOT* need to know ANYTHING about what's really going on." Kazuha stared, eyes wide. "You mean the reason Kudou-kun's been a no-show for *months* is because--" "He's been hiding from professional killers, yeah," Ran said, frowning. "I'm still pretty pissed at him for lying to me, but I've seen, first-hand, what he's been up against. I understand why he's done things...lied, hidden...it's really complicated, though." "Please, Kazuha," Heiji said, "You need to trust us. Me, Neechan, Kudou...and I know we can trust you, but you hafta know this is serious. Everything's so screwed up right now it ain't even funny." "It...it must be," Kazuha replied shakily. "I mean, if...but...is he still in danger? I mean..." "Yes. More now than ever." * * * * * * * * * "Bye, Ayumi-chan! See you tomorrow!" The door closed, and Conan leaned against it, sighing. "Sheesh..." he moaned, slumping back to the table. "Na, Hattori, Ran. You told Toyama-san everything yet?" "Not all of it," Ran said. Kazuha blinked at the change in tone of Conan's voice--not to mention the change in address to everyone. Something was very off here... Conan nodded, sipping at his tea and grimacing. "Che...of all the times for that girl to decide to visit...I've really gotta put a stop to this crush thing before it gets outta hand." "Looks like it's too late for that," Heiji said, smirking. "Mou, be a little nicer to the poor girl, Shinichi," Ran said. "It's not like she can help it. I mean, if she knew...but she doesn't, and she won't, will she? So you just have to humor her." *SHINICHI?!* Kazuha's mind blared, all trains of thought derailing. "Yeah, but it's driving me nuts..." He blinked suddenly. "Ah. I guess THAT's the part you didn't get around to telling her while I was babysitting, isn't it?" Kazuha was staring at Conan as though she were a deer, and his glasses were the headlights of a semi. Those glasses...which he was now removing and setting aside. He stood up. "Toyama-san, I don't believe we've actually properly met." He bowed. "Kudou Shinichi." *THUMP* "...well, she took that well," Heiji commented. * * * * * * * * * "I...I...but...what...how?" Kazuha had come around after a few minutes, to find fresh, hot tea in front of her, Conan--Kudou?--still with his glasses off, and... "It can't be that Conan-kun is..." "He is," Ran said. "It's a very long story," Conan said, in that eerie not-a-little-kid voice, and began to relay his tale... * * * * * * * * * The transceiver badge dropped from Ayumi's nerveless fingers, the tinny, distant voice of Edogawa Conan still rattling out of it, peppered with interjections from the other voices. No...not Edogawa Conan. Because Edogawa Conan didn't exist. He was a lie. He'd lied to her. All along. He wasn't who he said he was...and many, many things started to make sense. There was a hiss of static as the batteries of the transmitting badge--the one she'd nicked from Conan's room and tossed under the table as she was leaving--finally died. Ayumi didn't move to pick her own badge up or turn it off. It didn't matter anymore. The 'Shounen Tanteidan' were over. It was all a joke...everything. He'd just been...'humoring' her. And she drove him...'nuts'. And again, not in a good way. The tears began to fall, slowly at first; soon, they were streaming silently down her cheeks, dampening the pavement. She ran as hard as she could through the streets of Beika-cho, not caring who saw her, not caring what they thought. Nothing mattered anymore, because he... ...because *that* person... ...none of it was ever real. * * * * * * * * * [Sunday, 11pm -- Honolulu, Hawaii] "Ara maa..." "Nn? Doushita?" "Shin-chan ga..." "Nan da? Shinichi...?" "... ... ..." "Chikushou! Ano gaki..." "Mou, anata..." "Shoganai, na? Kaeruze." "Hai!" As the Japanese couple left the small diner, the two tourists that occupied the booth next to theirs shook their heads and chuckled. [Damn foreigners. Wish they'd learn t' speak th' language.] --------------------------------------------------------------- Author's notes and disclaimers: The last scene, I dedicate to everyone who has ever bitched about Japanese dialogue in an English-language fanfic. :P Disclaimers: Meitantei Conan belongs to Aoyama Gosho, Shogakukan, Yomiuri Television, VIZ Communications, and Funimation. Azumanga Daioh belongs to Azuma Kiyohiko, Dengeki Comics, Genco, JC Staff, and ADV. No permission has been obtained from any of the copyright holders for the use of characters and situations from these series. This work of fiction is not for profit and not intended to infringe on copyrighted intellectual property in any significant or harmful way.