Been wanting to get this typed up for a while now, so here you go!
Rated T to be safe.
Sherlock Holmes: the sharpest mind of the age, regardless of fictional status. None could match "the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen."
Kudou Shinichi
14
Teitan Junior High School
Football Captain
Chuugakkoo Tantei
Irene Adler: "to Sherlock Holmes she was always the woman." An enigma. Irene was a force of incredible wit and dominance, outwitting even Holmes himself.
Miyano Shiho
15
London Academy of Science
Black Organization Scientist
"SHERRY"
Arsène Lupin: the gentleman burglar. A romantic and charming criminal. Always seeming to win out over Holmes…but just by the skin of his teeth.
Kuroba Kaito
14
Ekoda Junior High School
President of the "Magic Club"
Magician Extraordinaire
Mycroft Holmes: the most brilliant man in the world perhaps, but the most uninspired. Able to beat Holmes at his own game, but choosing, instead, a more humble life.
Kudou Yuusaku
34
Former Private Detective
Novelist
"The Night Baron"
23 August 2005 - 9:38
The small porcelain cup clanked as it came into contact with the wood of the table, the dark liquid inside swirling fiercely as if protesting this mistreatment. Newsprint crinkled as brusque hands folded it carelessly, the ink blotching soft fingertips and palms.
Shinichi opened his mouth to yawn a bit, his jaw creaking in response and small drops forming at the corners of his eyes. His hands abandoned the paper on his lap as his arms reached toward the hanging lamp above him. He blinked slowly before taking in another gulp of his liquid addiction before returning to the headlines of the Law & Society section.
A resounding ding-dong rand through the rooms, echoing in resonance. Shinichi looked in the direction of the door with a bored expression, wondering who would possibly be disturbing his Sunday morning; the one day he had away from school.
He frowned as he stood, stretching a bit more before folding the paper neatly and setting it down squarely next to the mug. He slid the chair in, prone to the manners that had been oh so delicately shoved down his throat as a child, and slid his feet as he dawdled to the door. The doorbell had stopped by this time and the annoyance began pounding on the cherry finish of the oak doors. Shinichi's frown grew at the abuse. How had they gotten past the front gate anyway?
"Hai! I'm coming!" he called in frustration, but this person was obviously distressed because the pounding continued. He groaned at reaching the door, wondering if he had left the front gate unlocked the previous night after movie night with Ran and Sonoko. Maybe it was Ran herself, come to take him to mall to catch all the wonderful Sunday bargains before they were all gone.
Finding the latch and opening the door just enough to allow him sight of the person, he was greeted with an elderly man, hardly decrepit but with quite a vacancy on the top of his head. He donned a black suit, not expensive but emitting and air of dignity. The elderly gentleman was wringing his hands - anxious or worried? - as he glanced over what he could see of the boy.
He had been suspecting Ran or perhaps a delivery from his parents, but an elderly man to whom he had no connection was more interesting.
"Ah, ohayo, Kudou-san!" he spoke jubilantly. "My name is Konousuke Jii. I have a request for you." Shinichi nodded once in response, a little taken aback. "I have already spoken to a few private investigators and they've all called my case impossible. Heavens! I've even gone to the police and they were stumped as well! They said that if I was truly adamant about this, and I am, that I should come to see you. They said that you can see clues that normal adults cannot."
"Konousuke-san, I-" he started.
"Iie. Please call me Jii."
Shinichi ran it through his mind a few more times before answering. "Alright…Jii-san. You have to calm down. Please come in and make yourself at home."
"Arigatou."
Shinichi led him inside to the library and study, motioning for him to have a set. Finally comfortable in their seats, Jii on the couch and Shinichi in the arm chair, the younger began to inquire of the man's distress.
"Sumimasen…" he began. "My memory has become a bit vague over the years but I believe it was five years ago. I've been so worried that the time has just flown by."
"That's quite alright, Jii-san. Just take your time."
He nodded. "I…I was living in Master's house, as an apprentice of sorts. It's not far from here, actually…"
"His name?"
Jii looked confused. "What?"
"This 'Master'. What was his name?"
"Oh! Kuroba Touichi was his name."
"I see, and what were you an 'apprentice of sorts' of?" Shinichi asked, jotting a note here and there.
"Magic. Touichi-sama was a magician," Jii answered brightly. Shinichi didn't miss the change in address.
"Was he a well-known man?"
Jii hesitated before muttering, "Well, depends on what you mean by 'well-known'…"
"What was that?" Shinichi asked, not catching it.
"Ah, sorry. Yes, as a magician he was quite famous. Had a few friends in the law-enforcement as well." Jii chuckled. "But he passed all that time ago; you must have been a mere child."
"My condolences."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kudou-san. As I was saying, Touichi-sama was the greatest magician; top-class!" Jii grew silent, trailing his last few words. "But not amazing enough…"
"What happened, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Oh, no. It's nothing. Touichi-sama died in an accident on stage five years ago."
"I see. Please continue."
"He was a noble man with a wife and son, but…"
"'But…'?" Shinichi urged.
"Just before the accident, he sent his family away."
"Why is that?" he asked and Jii became a bit flustered, not unnoticed by Shinichi.
"Th-that's not the problem. My request for you, Kudou-san, is to find them. Kuroba Minami and Kuroba Kaito. I haven't seen them since."
"Why is it so important?"
"What?"
"Jii-san," Shinichi started seriously, leaning forward. He knew enough now to know that this man wasn't dangerous. "You've gone to countless detectives, even the police, and you're desperate enough to come here to a mere boy. I don't like to believe that most people think I can't help but the truth is that they do. There is definitely more to this than you want to divulge."
"No, really! I just figured, when they told me about you, that maybe you could go undercover as a student if there were any leads."
"Undercover?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow.
"H-hai. Bocchama would be about fourteen now as well."
"Alright, but there aren't any leads to suggest where he might be going to school. Besides the fact that we don't have any recent pictures."
"Well, actually, I'm sure he would look a lot like you."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You. You're the spitting image of Master."
Shinichi decided it was best not to argue the point since he didn't know what the man looked like anyway. "Regardless, you seem to have done some research on me."
"What do you mean?"
"For one, you knew my face."
"The police showed me a picture."
"I'm afraid that's impossible. Even if my family were to know someone in the police, one: how would you know? And two: why would they recommend me and not my father? If you went to the police, you must know that they see me as about as reliable on a case as a seven-year-old. They don't trust me, even if they know what I can do. Which may lead to the idea that they're just making fun of me with an impossible case, but I would prefer to steer clear of that assumption. Or the thought that this is a ploy of my dad's.
"And another thing: they would never open police files to a civilian. The last picture I took, before the one in my police file, is with my parents from when I was nine. And how would you know my age?" It was almost as if Shinichi's entire thought process was spilling out.
"You're famous." Jii was obviously uncomfortable.
"Heh. Like I said, the police don't trust me so I've only worked on a total of three cases with them. Not enough to even the attention of the mass media. No, you researched me before you came. You had me in mind. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure I will figure it out.
"In the meantime, why don't you give me your phone number, go home to rest, and I will start looking." Shinichi concluded, standing.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Oh, arigatou-gozaimasu, Kudou-san! I'll pay you handsomely, my dear boy! Please find Bocchama." He stood, folling Shinichi as he led him to the door. He penned the phone number on his hand, having left the tablet, and they bid their farewells. Jii continued to ramble his thanks.
When it was finally quiet again, Shinichi went back to the study and recorded the number. Glancing at a few noticeable points in his notes, Shinichi sat down to continue pondering his predicament.
He knew something was off. Konousuke Jii was keeping something from him, but with only the information he had been given, there was no way for him to figure it out. If the man had planned out exactly what he was going to tell him, he was very good at keeping the secret, but not so good at keeping the secret a secret…which made better sense in his head.
Kuroba Touichi sent his wife and son away before his performance, suggesting that the man knew that something bad was going to happen. He feared for their safety. That insinuates that his death wasn't an accident, but premeditated murder. So why was Jii trying to avoid his questions on the subject? Best way to figure that out would be to snoop through the report.
That being so, Kuroba Touichi probably confided the information to someone in order to protect the family. Now, if he could find out who that person was he would be well on his way to finding the location of the family.
Shinichi stood up. Just sitting there thinking wasn't accomplishing much. He hadn't been a real detective for two years yet, but even a child would know that a little leg work was required.
Hope you enjoyed! R&R!
-DiGi