A.N. Okay, let's see. I had an idea for this story a while back, and now have started to write it. I personally hope that I won't drop this story like the rest of my stories. Also, I may have screwed upon somethings. If I do, please tell me about them. Harsh criticism may make me mad, but they're also accepted.

Also, extreme thanks to Casey for help on this. I wouldn't know how to write correctly without your help. Though we both have poor writing skills. And you know it.

EDIT: There was something wrong with the spaces. Sorry about that. It has been fixed. Hopefully.

Kitaro simply woke up. It wasn't like something important is happening, or something woke him up. He just opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for a moment. The ceiling was a plain white color, nothing of any importance. Though the main reason he was still in bed was because he couldn't get up. Kitaro wasn't exactly normal. Kitaro suffered from a stroke after his 2nd year of high school. He lost all contact with his right arm, had horrible scarring all over him, and his right leg suffered from a limp. He was also blind in one eye and the other was near-sighted. Thankfully, no motor skills or his ability to think were affected.

He tried to get up from the side that worked, only to roll over and nearly fall off the bed. "Damn it, I do this every day, what makes this day so different?!" Kitaro cursed before finally being able to get his good leg on the floor, then the limp one, slowly raising himself off the bed. He sighed, and stared at his body, pale from the lack of sun he'd been getting, and the stroke he had didn't exactly help. The scarring looked like veins popping out, covering the upper part of his body.

He sighed as he slowly got up and limped to the bathroom. He looked at the door for a moment, before twisting the knob and seeing the brown room that was his bathroom. He took a quick sniff of the mocha-scented air. He shook his head from the smell, and limped to the toilet.

After finishing his business, he took a quick bath and went to go get his clothing for the day. He took out a simple long black sleeved T-Shirt and some jogging pants. 'Not like I'm going to do any dealings that my family wants me to do today while I'm still in the recovery state,' he thought. Sighing, he put the T-Shirt on, making sure that it covered most of his scars. He clenched his teeth in pain. He then slowly put his pants on, careful to avoid any unnecessary pain.

'This body has become so weak, all because of a stroke. Man, who knew cramming for the final exams could do that to a guy,' Kitaro thought, trying hard to find any light to his situation. 'Well, there was one, but that's more of a burden to her. Why does the only light I find in this situation make me feel awful?'

He felt a tinge of pain in his stomach, something not uncommon for him. He gently brought his hand to where the pain had originated, and sighed deeply, trying to ease the pain.

"Damn, I just got out of the hospital, and I still feel like I need help. I don't want to burden my weakened state onto anyone..." Kitaro sighed, just as the door to his room opened, and out came his sister, looking worried for his well being. "Oh hi, Naoto-chan."

Naoto stared at her uncle. While he was her uncle, he was only two years older than her, and they acted as if they were siblings. Though she became distant from him, he still held that brotherly, no, fatherly instinct for her. Naoto's parents, and Kitaro's brother and stepsister, died in a car crash. Now that Naoto thought about it, that was when she became more distant from him. That was until his stroke, where she took a hiatus from a case to help support him.

Naoto Shirogane, also known as the Detective Prince, had to masquerade as a man. The police wouldn't accept a female, especially a female child, to be a detective. It was only due to her family, the Shirogane family, that she was able to be a detective. She still had to pretend to be a boy, except in the house they were renting.

"Uncle Kitaro-ojisan, what are you doing out of bed?" Naoto asked her uncle, who simply stared back with an impassive face.

"I was going to get something to eat, I was getting hungry." Kitaro said to Naoto. Naoto just stared at her uncle, wondering if he was lying, though she quickly gave up on that. If Kitaro wanted her to know if he was lying, he would already show it. He was good at lying, since his face barely changed.

She had to admit, though, that because of him, she could easily figure out if someone was lying or not. She guessed that Kitaro himself would've been a better detective than her, but ever since his stroke left him scarred and...

No. no, she didn't want to think those thoughts. 'Me, jealous of my uncle?' she thought. She couldn't be jealous now, now that he was in a state of pain. She needed to help him anyway she could. 'Uncle, I know you can never be what you were, I just hope that one day, you can go back to your good natured self.' Naoto thought, sadly.

"Naoto-chan." Kitaro said, breaking the silence that enveloped his room. Naoto looked up at her uncle, who was trying a smile that simply didn't look right. "Please, don't pity me, even in this state, I'm still your strong uncle Kitaro-ojisan. And since Grandfather Shirogane is still on his trip, I am your legal guardian."

"A-Anyways, Uncle, we're going to the town of Inaba at three, so we'll take the train tomorrow. I'm sorry for the small stop at this hotel." Naoto quickly bowed to her uncle. "It's a quiet, peaceful town, so it's ideal for your recovery."

Kitaro nodded to his niece, before sending her off. Naoto closed the door behind her. "Uncle, I promise, I will protect you. You've been with me my whole life, and I hope that someday, I can repay your kindness to me." She said, before walking away to get her stuff ready for Inaba.

A.N. Read, Review, Kill me, Maim me, etc. Personally I hope this is good. Also if you don't like how I write Kitaro/Minato, or are confused why I use Kitaro, well, it's because neither areCANON. That, and I personally want to see if I can differentiate from the main writers. However, if it IS too awkward to read. I am personally sorry, somewhat. Not really. Anything you want to add, Casey?

Casey: ...Dolphins are Australian spies.

DarkDP: Beautiful Casey, now go back to your corner.

Casey: THEN FEED ME FOR ONCE, D*MNIT!

DarkDP: I'll think about it.

Casey: :c