I mean, it wasn't as if Kaito hadn't just wanted to enjoy his hot chocolate and cake in peace or anything. No - he'd walked out especially to a certain cafe for his snack, not because he was especially pleased at finally developing a new version of his knock-out gas, but because he wanted to be interrupted by the least likely person he'd expected to see all the way out in Ekoda.

"Hey there, mister! I'm not from round here, could you point me to the nearest park? I said I'd meet someone there..."

The thickly laid-on 'innocent-child' façade had become normal for Kaito, having listened in on Conan's conversations with adults more often than he probably should have, but he wasn't quite used to it being used on him. As soon as he heard it, his first instinct was to throw a smoke bomb and get out of there as quickly as possible (he wasn't scared, he was just cautious, okay?), but he knew that that would only reveal to the detective exactly who he was and what his real face looked like - not exactly ideal. Onto plan B.

"Look, kid, I've gotta go meet someone soon so I can't come with you. Go ask someone else, okay?" Kaito nervously excused himself from the task. Going anywhere with Tantei-kun of all people was out of the question.

"But," the small child tried again, "I really want you to show me to the park. No one else can show me, I'm too scared of strangers!"

"If you hadn't noticed, I am a stranger to you so..."

"But, Kid-san-"

Kaito stood up from where he was sitting in the cafe. The cutlery on the table clanged against his plate of half-finished chocolate cake, alerting those around them in a five-foot radius of the commotion.

Looking around with calculating eyes, judging the best course of action, he grabbed Conan's wrist and dragged him away. Somehow an amount of ¥460 appeared on the table as they were leaving - the exact price of Kaito's food.

"Kid-san, where are you taking me?"

The voice annoyed Kaito to the maximum. Normally, Tantei-kun wouldn't bother with it when just around him: instead taking up the sarcastic and generally unimpressed persona of Kudo Shinichi (unless you mentioned Sherlock Holmes - then you would find an excited fanboy with glittering eyes praising the existence of Arthur Conan Doyle, something which cracked up Kaito to no end). The fact that he was using the voice now seemed like he was mocking the thief; it was as if he was arrogantly showing off his ability to finally find out and locate the civilian identity of the Magician in the Moonlight.

Once they were on a fairly deserted street that Kaito was comfortable, he turned to his companion, not letting go of his wrist, "What the heck is up with you, Meitantei?" He glared at Conan, whose innocent smile just kept on adding to his annoyance, "And how'd you find out who I was?"

Conan laughed happily, "Ooo~! I get to use an idiom that's actually literally true!" Okay, now this was getting over the top for even Conan's acting. What was going on? "Hey, hey, Kid-san! You know what? A little birdie told me." The boy giggled. He GIGGLED. Kudo Shinichi does not giggle. "Well, technically the birdie told my friend who told me, but that's technicalities, you know~?"

"A...birdie...told your friend?"

"Yup~! Well, it was one of your doves. He says they're very polite."

"I would...uh...hope they were...?" Kaito trailed off. This can't be Tantei-kun. There was no way. So who was it and why were they here?

The little kid nodded firmly, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Kid-san. I'm looking foreword to your next show!" The kid turned to leave, "See ya- ow!"

Kaito had taken a tight grip on the kid's wrist. He wasn't going to let him get away that easily. He was a phantom thief and he had his pride dammit!

"Who are you? Tell me you little squirt!"

The kid tried to pull away, "Aww~! You weren't meant to catch me!"

Kaito huffed in frustration. Although the little guy was pulling, he didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. The kid seemed to have him right where he wanted and it was pissing Kaito off.

"Okay. That's it! You're coming to Jii-chan's with me you damn squirt."

Frowning, Kaito dragged the kid by the wrist and out of the alley, the squirt complaining all the way. He could already feel the stares of passers by as they came out of the alley and into the streets. It was going to be a long walk to the Blue Parrot.

-xxx-

Jii nodded, "I see...you seem to have found quite the troublemaker, Botchama."

The little kid grinned and rubbed his head, "Heh...heh..."

Kaito groaned and dropped his head onto the counter, still firmly gripping the kid's wrist in case he ran away, "Arghh...! Jii-chan what do I do!"

Jii sighed, "I don't think there's much to be done. You can't hold onto him forever, after all."

But what if he tells people?! Kaito complained to himself, What then? "Dammit..."

"Well, Botchama, if you want to figure out his identity, why don't you ask Saguru-kun? He's a detective after all."

No...the kid would blab to Hakuba, and Hakuba's an idiot enough to believe him - especially if he looks like Tantei-kun. Even if he did ask someone, it's not like they'd believe it's not-

Kaito straightened up.

"Yes! I've got it! I've gotta ask some detective, right? So why not Tantei-kun himself?!"

"The real one, Botchama?"

"Yup! All I gotta do is dress up as Meitantei then ask. Surely he'd be interested in figuring out who the squirt is! He looks just like him after all."

The kid yawned and pouted, "Stop talking like I'm not here! It's annoying~!"

"Shut up. We're going to Tantei-kun's!"

-xxx-

In the end, Kaito decided that it would be safer to avoid the Mouri Detective Agency and to first pay a visit to the mini scientist. If he'd turned up to the Mouri's being Shinichi with an added duplicate Conan he'd hate to think what Ran-san would do to him. He shuddered at the thought.

He shuddered again at the thought of arriving at the scientist's place too, but at least he wouldn't find himself face first in a wall this way...

"Ne, ne, Kid-san? Why are you going as Kudo Shinichi-kun?"

Kaito groaned and ignored his captured companion. Well, at least he knew his suspicions were correct and this was definitely not the Tantei-kun he knew. With a reluctant hand he knocked on the door. Why was he doing this again? If it was just curiosity this was very well not worth it...

The door opened to reveal the expected scientist grade schooler, wearing an expression of utter disgust, "What is it, Kid-san? And is that you, Edogawa-kun?"

"Hai!" 'Conan' greeted her with a salute, "How are you, Haibara-san?"

The girl visibly cringed and sighed, "Come inside..." She stepped back and opened to door more widely, then turned and led them in, "Close the door behind you!" She ordered as they stepped onto the mat.

When they'd been shooed onto a sofa and Proffessor Agasa had been sufficiently surprised with the appearance of two Kudos, then proceeded to be even more dumbfounded at the kid's giggling (the giggling was the worst), Haibara finally asked the question: "What did you do, Kid?"

Kaito looked at her in disbelief, "Excuse me?"

The scientist sighed, "I asked what you've done to Kudo-kun. He's obviously not working right, and I'm pretty sure you're going to cut off his circulation at some point with that grip you have on him."

"I did nothing!" Kaito protested, gripping the kid's wrist even harder, "This damn chibi squirt just ran up to me and told me to take him to the park, I swear it's not the real one! He giggled at me, what was I supposed to do?!"

Haibara nodded grimly, "Well, I can't blame you for getting upset at the giggling...but why would you bring him here?"

"Well I couldn't very well go to the Mouri Detective Agency, could I?" Kaito complained. Looking at the scientist's disapproving stare, those weren't the right words to say, "Arghh, could you just go call the real Tantei-kun for me? I've got to find out who this fake is and he was all I could think of!"

"I doubt Kudo-kun will be able to help you here..." Haibara mumbled to herself, "But anyway...I guess I can bring him. Wait here."

Kaito nodded. Why was this becoming so troublesome? All because some stupid kid had figured out his identity? What a joke... Oh well. What'll come is what'll come.