Kaitou KID ran up the stairs with his prize. He hoped that this was the correct one. He didn't know how much longer he could continue to search. It felt like he was already at his limit. Stepping out of the door into the moonlight, he raised the jewel to the light and watched as it flashed a bright red light. Smirking, he stored the jewel safely in his jacket pocket and took off into the night.
A few days later, a young adult sat in front of a grave. Looking at the name on the grave, he smiled sadly. He had learned to never show his emotions, but no one was around her anyways. This wasn't even in the same area as a grave would normally be. He was sitting underneath a tall willow tree on a tall hill. Heights, he hadn't always loved them but he had quickly learned to get used to them and then enjoy them. He had met his loved one in a high place after all. Most of their meetings took place during a heist which meant they were almost always located on a high place.
"I finally did it. Pandora has been found. I tried to destroy it, but it wouldn't even get a scratch from everything that I tried. Instead, I put it in the one place that I know no one but us would look for it at. I wish I could be with you again. I miss all the times you blushed, smirked, figured out a new trick, or did anything really. Why did they have to shoot you?"
Sighing, the man started cleaning the grave. It had been a few years since anyone had come up here. No one knew there was a grave here anyways or even who the occupant of the grave was. Not really anyways. There was a name on it, but no one knew the true identity of the occupant of the grave besides him.
"The Organization has been taken down. Eventually, the FBI joined with the police and everyone that we had found that was connected to the Organization that would help us. You should have seen their faces when we stormed their meeting. It wasn't reported either for a while, so the rest of the branches in different countries could be taken down. After all the branches were officially destroyed, the story was finally released to the media.
I found the pill. I know it was important to you and me to find APTX4869. Ai made an antidote even though I told her that it wasn't completely needed anymore. After all, you aren't here anymore so what use is there for an antidote? She insisted on making it though seeing as it was in her hands. You never know, there might still be people that could get caught up in taking the drug or it could help others that might be affected by similar poisons or genetic conditions. The future is an open book.
I better get going. Everyone is waiting for me. We are going out to celebrate Ran and Aoko getting married. Ran finally got asked the question by Eisuke and Hakuba finally got the guts to ask Aoko. Seriously, you should have seen Hakuba's face when Aoko was telling us. Of course, I pulled some pranks on them. It wouldn't be right if no pranks were pulled especially on Hakuba. I miss you, and I promise to come back to you when I can. I hope you are happy wherever you are."
He continued to go on his journey to the grave every year. Everything around him changed, but he could deal with it. It should have been expected when he saw the flash of light that the jewel had worked his magic on him. It wasn't noticeable at first, but over the last 20 years it became painfully obvious. He had already watched more of his friends age and die while he stayed the same. Never changing with the world around him.
"I'm back. I miss you so much. Hakuba has left now. Some crazed psycho finally caught him, and his body was found in the middle of a forest. His funeral was held yesterday. Aoko and her two sons and daughter were crying in a corner. She almost lost it when they started burying him. She will make it. Her kids will help her through along with all her friends and she is a strong girl.
It was a close call with Heiji. He was so close to being killed during a case because of his hot headedness, but he pulled through. I swear Kazuha has to have some special ability. It was her charm that helped Heiji pull through. He was almost stabbed, but just like with Conan, the knife got caught in the handcuff link.
So much is changing. I just wish that you would come back to me. I miss you more and more every day."
He finished cleaning the grave before he left for another year.
The next year, he found a surprise. There was a little kid standing in front of the already clean grave.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
The kid turned around startled. He had never seen this person here before and ever since he had found this grave, he had been coming to pay his respects to the person. This had been for the past 5 years already.
"Oh, no, I was just leaving. Sorry to bother you mister." The kid said as he hurried off down the hill.
"Well that was odd. What friends have you made while I have been away?
Ran is now a grandma. Her daughter gave birth to a handsome baby boy. She has another baby on the way too from her daughter-in-law. They expect for those to be twins.
Ai finally went through with it and married Mitsuhiko. He has been asking her for the past few years. Their wedding was held 4 months ago. They are also expecting a child from what I have heard. I worry for their kid. Ai is not good with children and they both are very busy.
Mistuhiko, Genta, and Ayumi work at the police station while Ai works in a hospital. She always was fixing us up. She wants to help people instead of hurt them like she had grown up to do during her first childhood.
So many people are moving on with their lives. Even Yukiko and Yuusaku's daughter has gotten married by now. She works as a teacher and loves dealing with the children every day. You would get along very well with her.
I should get going now. I have to be back to hold a magic show soon. Those idiots in the scheduling department should really know not to schedule anything this day, but I can't really argue with them. See you next year."
Two years later he finally made it back. The year before he had been forced into staying at the hospital. Just because he was immortal now, didn't mean that he couldn't get injured. He was still a human being except for the aging aspect.
"Hi again. Sorry for not showing last year. I couldn't make it. Some idiot decided to stab me as I was walking out of the restaurant. It should have been a fatal wound, but it only got me really injured. Just goes to show that Pandora really does work if it wasn't already known from my appearance.
Aoko found someone new to live with. He really is like Hakuba except for a little less stuck up. I never knew there was a Japanese person that acted like that. She seems to be happy with her arrangement even if it is still obvious that she misses Hakuba. At least she was able to move on with her life. I don't think I ever could do that. Even if I could age like everyone else, there can never be anyone but you for me."
"Who is this person onii-san?" the kid from the last time asked as he stepped out of the shadows of the tree.
"This is the most important person in the world to me. How did you find out about the grave?" There was no way that he could actually describe just how important the person was to him. They had gone through so much together. So many heists and cases that they handled together.
"I was hiding from my mom because she was trying to get me to eat something yucky. While I was out, I somehow made my way to this hill and climbed it. Should I not be here?" The kid frowned and he could see tears forming in the corners of those eyes.
"No, he would love it if you continued to come. He always was fawning over the kids we knew. Hey, do you want to see some magic?"
Nodding his head enthusiastically, the kid looked up and waited.
Soon enough, the kid was pulling off the same tricks that he had shown. He had to smile at him. The kid really was like his lost one. He always was looking for any answer to how the trick was pulled and could pull it off too.
"Hey, what is your name mister?"
He looked back at the kid. "Just call me Kaitou, kid. How about your name?"
"Kaitou? Doesn't that mean thief? Are you a thief mister?"
"No, not anymore. That part of me died a long time ago."
"Oh, well that doesn't matter. My name is Choukichi. See you again next year!" the kid, Choukichi, said as he waved and ran down the hill.
"Well that is an interesting kid. I am glad you made such a friend. I will see you next year."
He left and raced off after Choukichi. He needed to make sure that he really did make it home.
The next few years were different each time he went to the grave. He would show the kid different tricks while talking to him and telling his loved one all about what had been going on in his life.
A few years after that, all of his friends were gone. Their kids were still around, but they didn't get together as often as he would have liked. He understood though. They were all afraid of him because he never aged even though it was obvious that he was older than them.
Choukichi noticed that his friend was feeling depressed. They had been friends for 10 years now, and he could pick up on these things easier than he could before. The man always had a mask up. Doing what his instincts told him to do, he leaned over and hugged his friend. At first he felt a jerk, but then the man relaxed into him.
"Do you find it scary that I don't age?"
"Why should I? Not everything is explained in this world. It is always full of magic. Nothing will ever be fully explained as much as we would like for it to be that way. Have you been getting bullied because of you not aging? Do I need to punish those people?" Choukichi had a serious face like he really meant it to. Of course, he knew that Choukichi meant it.
"No, no one is going to get punished. I am just glad that you understand."
"Just remember, I am here for you. You are not alone in this world. I know your loved one wouldn't want you to keep getting depressed like this. He would want you to live your life to the fullest."
"Thanks, Choukichi. You are a good friend."
Choukichi's heart gave a little twinge at the word friend. He had learned over the years that he didn't come to this hill because he wanted to see his friend, but because he wanted this man to become his lover. He didn't care that he would eventually die before him. That would be a sad day, but he knew that he would do whatever it took to stay with the man as long as possible and search for a way to stay with him forever so he wouldn't be alone anymore.
"Well, I gotta get going. My mom is going to start getting suspicious if I don't get back soon. See you next year." With a wave he disappeared.
"That kid really is like you. I wish it were you, so I wouldn't feel so guilty about how I feel about him. I just can't move on. Not yet. I am not ready to let you go and I don't think I will ever be ready to do that."
He sat there for another hour before he decided to leave too.
The next year Choukichi didn't show. He wondered if it was something he did. Maybe he could ask him the next year.
Choukichi didn't show for the next 5 years after that. He was really starting to get worried. Choukichi was so important to him. He looked for any news on Choukichi and sighed with relief when nothing showed. If there was no news on him, he had to believe that he wasn't in major trouble. He decided to keep hope and maybe Choukichi would return.
He sighed with relief when he saw Choukichi at the top of the hill the next year.
"Where were you? I was worried so much!"
Choukichi turned around with a sad smile on his face.
"I know everything. You asked me to just call you Kaitou, but I know your real name. I just can't believe it. Why did you do it, Shinichi? Why did you take up his name?" Choukichi had to refrain from yelling. He knew he was being unreasonable, but he needed to know the answers that he sought so desperately for.
"What are you talking about? I am known as Kaitou, not Shinichi." He flinched when he heard that name. He hated being called that name. It made him remember everything especially the man that he loved.
"I know that isn't true Shinichi. Aren't you even a tiny bit curious about how I know any of this? You never talk about yourself except to him and you have covered your tracks very carefully." Choukichi gestured to the grave as he was saying this.
Curious? Of course I am curious. I am just afraid of the answers that I might receive. Shinichi, instead of confronting Choukichi like he normally would do, bolted. He couldn't stay and face the answers he was sure to get and he knew that Choukichi wouldn't leave. Choukichi was too much like him.
Choukichi let him run. He knew that Shinichi would eventually give in and if he didn't show up soon, he would go and find him.
Looking down at the grave he asked, "What should I do if he doesn't realize what he has in front of him? How am I supposed to show him what has happened? Can't you help me Kaito?" He had to laugh at that. He was asking help from the dead, and what was funnier was that he knew there would never be an answer until he came up with it. After all, he was the reincarnation of Kuroba Kaito, Kudo Shinichi's dead lover.
Shinichi tried to come back many times to visit Kaito's grave, but each time he would run when he saw Choukichi.
After a year had passed and Choukichi obviously showed no signs of leaving (seriously did he camp out on the hill? Shinichi wondered), he gave in and approached the grave. He couldn't leave Kaito alone for any longer. Ignoring Choukichi who had started talking as soon as he saw Shinichi was actually approaching the grave instead of running, Shinichi went about his usual ritual. He cleaned the grave and tried to tell Kaito about what had happened the past two years.
Choukichi, giving up on trying nicely to get Shinichi's attention, let off a loud sound and a smoke bomb. He grabbed Shinichi and tied him up. Obviously, he knew that Shinichi could get out of the ropes quickly, but he made sure to distract him enough to make the process take a longer time.
"Choukichi! Let me go! This isn't funny!" Shinichi struggled against the ropes. He knew the process was simple to escape from ropes especially when he had learned from the best.
"No way, not until you listen to what I have to say. I suggest you stop struggling or I will put you in a dress and kiss you!"
Shinichi stopped struggling at that and blushed.
"Good. Now, back to what I have to say. You need to stop looking at the past Shinichi. He has been dead for 37 years. You have to move on. He won't come back the way you want him to. I should know. Remember when I was gone for 5 years?"
Seeing that Choukichi was waiting for him to respond in some way, Shinichi nodded. He didn't trust himself to say anything.
"The reason for that absence was because I remembered everything. You see, I am reincarnated. My previous life was that of Kuroba Kaito."
Shinichi gasped when he heard this. "Liar! Don't use that name so disgracefully! You might act like Kaito, but you could never be Kaito!" Shinichi looked back at the grave behind him.
"But I am Shinichi. I might not look like your Kaito, but I can assure you that I have his memories and experiences stored in my mind. Kaito knew that you would be lonely and looking for Pandora. He, or should I say I, feared that you would actually find it and its power would work on you. Unfortunately, that fear has obviously proved true. I am so sorry. It was never meant to turn out this way. I wish I had known all of this earlier. I didn't find out until I fully realized how I felt about you though."
Shinichi gasped. He had expected Choukichi to have feelings towards him. He may have been ignorant of how others felt towards him in the past, but after living for nearly 60 years he picked up a few things. Wow, has it already been 60 years? Why did all my friends have to die so young? Even the Shounen Tantei-dan are gone so young.
"I don't believe you. What you are saying is just too absurd even from my point of view when I am immortal."
"What can I do to prove to you that what I say is true? I could say anything that you want to know about your and Kaito's dates, lives, adventures, heists, or ANYTHING. Just tell me what I have to do to prove it to you." Choukichi hoped that Shinichi would come up with something. He needed Shinichi to know that what he was telling him was the truth. If Shinichi didn't listen to him, it would make his goal harder.
"Bring me Pandora. If you are really Kaito, you will know where I hid the jewel. Just beware of the moonlight. It doesn't need the comet to work. All that is required is moonlight and a human in the vicinity. It won't work on animals."
"Got it, if you promise to stay here until I get back I will release the bonds. I need to prove to you that what I say is the truth. If you run, I will find you wherever you go."
Shinichi smirked. "I will stay for a while, but don't expect me to stay too long. You have until I am done with my visit to Kaito's grave to get back here. You better hurry. You only have 3 hours to get the jewel and return here."
Choukichi took off down the hill while snapping his fingers which released the bonds.
Shinichi went about clearing the grave again. While they had been talking, more leaves had fallen on the grave and he hadn't fully gotten it washed.
"Hey. I've missed you. Even more people have moved on by now. I am now truly alone in this world. Well Choukichi is still here, but if he doesn't come back in the time limit, he will be out of my life too. There is no way I can continue to be around him, as much as I feel I should, if he turns out to be lying. You would understand wouldn't you?
I am sure you wouldn't believe him either. How can he seriously think that what he says is true? As crazy as you are, you wouldn't pull a prank like this. He can't be serious. I doubt he will make it back in time. He obviously isn't who he says he is."
Shinichi stood up to leave when he heard Choukichi behind him.
"Are you sure about that Shinichi?"
Shinichi stared blankly at Choukichi. Choukichi just gave a very Kaito-esque smirk as he raised up Pandora.
Snatching Pandora from Choukichi he asked, "How did you find this? It should only have been known to Kaito and I! No one else knew of that spot, and no one goes there. Even I rarely go to that place."
"Oh come on Shinichi. Why can't you believe me when I say that I am Kaito? I may have a different name, but I am Kaito. I do remember everything that he experienced. Of course I would remember the place that we promised to hunt for Pandora together. It isn't that hard to figure out."
Shinichi just stared at Choukichi. He couldn't believe that he had actually achieved the goal he had set for him. He had to admit that Choukichi really was Kaito reincarnated.
"You cheeky bastard, you could have at least told me that you would come back eventually instead of leaving me so depressed all this time," Shinichi whispered to the grave behind him. Choukichi just laughed when he heard what Shinichi said. "Alright, I believe you."
Choukichi ducked just in time to avoid the soccer ball that shot at his head.
"What was that for?!" Choukichi whimpered as he dodged another shot.
"That was for making me wait all this time for you! Did you seriously think you wouldn't be punished for what you did to me? It's been FORTY YEARS! You missed everything important! Everyone is dead now and I was left all alone, yet now you are saying you weren't actually dead all that time? You were reincarnated 27 years ago! Why couldn't there have been some sign to show that you came back?" Shinichi continued to aim a kick for every sentence that he said. Choukichi dodged every kick.
"I only remembered recently! Give me a break. Please, Shinichi," Choukichi pouted as he pleaded with his boyfriend, yes boyfriend he knew Shinichi would agree too even if he hadn't been forgiven just yet.
"You remembered 7 years ago! You could have told me then! Why wait until now?" Shinichi prepared another soccer ball.
"I wasn't the same age as you! I wanted to be the same age as you are now before I confronted you. There was no way I was going to be younger than you. Did you really think that I would get together with you and then put you through this pain all over when I died after this life is over? I am going to be with you forever. I know the consequences of what I am saying, and I am prepared to deal with them. I won't leave you again!"
Shinichi missed the ball he had been preparing as Choukichi said all that. Wait, be with him forever? There was no way! He couldn't allow it! Choukichi couldn't know what he was trying to say! He reached into his pocket and came away with… nothing. "Choukichi! You can't really know the consequences! Immortality isn't all it is cracked up to be! Please don't do this! Just having you with me again works. I can't allow you to go through this even if it means we can be together forever. You don't age and have to watch everyone around you die! I don't want to put you through that! Please reconsider."
"Shinichi, please believe me. I thought through all of the consequences. I know what I am getting into. Yes, watching all of the people around me grow old and die will be sad. There is one thing that would be worse for me. Watching you stay the same while I grow old and eventually leave you just to have the process repeat for another reincarnation would be unbearable. I couldn't go through with it. Not when I know how lonely you will be during the years I am gone and growing up. There is no way I will put you through that pain again. I can handle the pain of seeing friends grow old and die, but not growing old and leaving my loved one behind."
Shinichi was going to open his mouth to protest, but closed it instead. He knew what Choukichi was saying. If it had been Kaito in his place and he had been reincarnated, he would have pulled the same stunt Choukichi had just pulled. "Do what you want but don't complain to me when the pain builds up and you feel like you made the wrong choice."
"You don't have to worry about that. Can I ask you one thing though? You were Conan the last time Kaito saw you, but you are now Shinichi. Even the age is the same as Shinichi's would have been on the day you found Pandora. Why did you take the antidote? I thought you told Kaito that you wouldn't take the antidote if he died before it was made." Man it felt weird to talk about Kaito like that when he is Kaito.
"Because you asked me to. When we had that same discussion, you told me to take the pill even if he wasn't there anymore. The future couldn't be seen. He didn't want me to be stuck as Conan for the rest of my life. Ai went through the trouble to create the antidote too. She stayed up for a week working on finding the correct formula for a cure to the poison."
"Oh, I didn't think you would actually pay attention to what I said at that time."
"It was your last request before THEY shot you."
"Whatever happened to everyone else? You mentioned that you are almost 60 years old. Shouldn't the others still be alive?"
Shinichi flinched. "They died. Hakuba was attacked by a maniac and found dead. Heiji and Kazuha were killed one night when a fire broke out in their home that was set by another crazed murderer. He was mad that Heiji sent his brother to prison and decided to get revenge. Aoko and her new husband died in a car crash while going on a vacation together. Ai was caught in a freak accident at the hospital. Some idiot spilled a container of a dangerous strain of bacteria in a room and everyone there died from exposure. Genta, Mistuhiko, and Ayumi were chasing a criminal down a back alleyway and had just captured him. They brought him to the police station then got hit by a car. Genta died on impact because he rushed in front of the others to protect them. Ayumi eventually died because the impact caused her to have something go wrong with her pregnancy which caused internal bleeding. Mitsuhiko had an accident again while going through therapy after the car crash and couldn't find the will to live again. He slowly wasted away until he died. Akako and Vermouth disappeared after the Black Organization was taken down. The rest died from natural causes."
Choukichi slowly got more depressed as Shinichi stated everything. How had Shinichi made it through everything that had happened? All of his closest friends had died horribly and Shinichi still stayed in this same area. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you bring up such awful topics. You didn't have to say anything. I would have understood."
Shinichi looked back at Choukichi. "Are you still sure you want to go through with this? Knowing that you will have to go through these same awful things? I know you want to be with me and I get why you want to do this, but I am just making sure."
"Shinichi, I will always be sure about this decision. I am a Kuroba after all, and Kuroba's always get what they want. I want you Shinichi, nothing else matters."
"Oi, you aren't actually a Kuroba. You just have the soul of a Kuroba in you."
"Isn't that the same thing?" Choukichi smirked.
Noticing the full moon was coming out, Choukichi raised Pandora. A flash of light later, and Choukichi smiled back at Shinichi.
"Shall we go?" Shinichi and Choukichi said at the same time then laughed together.
"Sure."
Shinichi passed it one last glance while looking at the name on the grave, Kaitou KID. He hadn't been able to put the true name on the grave and now he didn't have to, Kaito was right next to him even if he was now known as Choukichi.
Together they walked away from the grave and towards the future.