Chapter 1: A Choice
"Ja ne!" shouted Ayumi, as she and the others departed their separate ways to home.
"Ja ne!" replied the others, just as enthusiastically. Conan smiled just as happily as the others as they waved goodbye, but inside he was in turmoil. Every day he lived as Conan was another day he lived as Conan, not as the famous high school detective Kudo Shinichi. The distinction between his double lives was so great that he always wished for his almost perfect life as Shinichi. All he needed to do in that one was confess to Ran and then everything would be perfect. Absolutely perfect.
As Conan, he was faced with multiple problems at once. First of all, he had to deal with the Black Organization. That alone would be a tremendous task, but added to that was his girlfriend's Ran's hopes and worries. Not only that, but he was in the middle of them.
"URRRGH!" he screamed childishly, causing stares from the few passersby. However, he did not care. Right now he was a little kid called Conan, not a respected and well-known detective. If only he could change that! He would give everything he had to change his fate on that one day, the day where his destiny entwined with the BO, causing him to look like this…
Suddenly, he stopped. Was it just his imagination or…
No, it definitely is there. He thought as he peered into a dark and winding alleyway. He saw a strange girl, hovering just a few yards in front of him. She looked about his age, with long, cascading purple hair and two giant horns sticking to the sides of her head. Cosplay? Conan was not sure.
She smiled at him and whispered, "Hello Conan-kun. Or should I say, Shinichi-san?"
Conan/Shinichi nearly had a heart attack. Who is this girl? How does someone he never knew know his biggest secret? "Wh-who are you?"
The girl giggled softly. "You need not be afraid, Shinichi-san. I only wanted to confirm and grant your deepest wishes. You wish to go back to the time you first met the men in black, correct?"
"Correct, but how do you know?"
She smiled at his obvious confusion. "I am not from this world. I am a ghost of sorts, and I could turn back time. I have been watching you for the past few months, and I want to help you get over your 'little problem'. Would you accept my help?"
Being a detective, Conan/Shinichi did not believe her one bit. She was beginning to look suspicious to him. "Sorry, but I do not trust strangers. Now if I could find out where you got all this information, I would like to make sure this never happens again." Being a detective, he did not lose his cool (easily).
"You do not believe me? When I am giving you a chance to redeem your previous life? To be with your girlfriend? To forget your whole experience with the BO? Are you going to throw it all away?"
Conan hesitated. Sure this was all a fantasy, but the chance to redeem your life? Now that was very tempting…
"Alright. If you can turn back time and show me, I will believe you. Not that I really believe any of this. You got that?
"Loud and clear. Now let me explain how this works…"
"Explain?"
"Yes. There are some things you should know before we go. First of all, you will go back in time as Conan to persuade your past-self to do whatever. Secondly, after the night when you meet the BO, you shall disappear from the world and go into your newly modified present. Of course, no one will remember you after you disappear. Got that?"
I feel like a fool. "Yeah, I got it. Now hurry up and take me there."
"There is no need to rush. We shall go when you are ready."
Conan was getting very impatient. "I'm all ready so you can take me there right now!"
The girl was slightly surprised. "You are already ready? Are you sure?"
"Positive. Now let's go."
"Alright, it is your choice." She said shrugging. "I hope you make the right choice though…"
"The right choice? What do…"
But then a bright light blinded him, and a whooshing sound drowned whatever else he was going to say. Just what did she mean the right choice?