Kinsey Adler

I made my way through the halls of the elementary school to the door of the second grade classroom. It stood at least twice as tall as me. My breath came out in a sigh. Am I really doing this!?

In order to open the door I had to stand on my tiptoes. As soon as it was open I could hear the screams and chatter of the little kids that went to school here. I couldn't tell if the voice I was looking for was there or not. It was a voice I had heard only once, and it had changed drastically. Maybe he would recognize me, after I told him who I was. All I could do was wish. For the tenth time I checked the papers in my hand, then walked into the classroom. The noise was louder in here, and I winced when my head pounded. I would sneak a children's Tylenol later, since I hadn't had any today. My feet took themselves to the teacher, almost without my leading since I was slightly zoned out. I scanned the room for the one face I was interested in and finally zeroed in on it.

There he was! The boy I had searched for since I had been turned into this. His tracks were slightly obvious when you knew what to look for. Before I approached him I had to deal with the teacher. I reached up to pull on her skirt, so as to get her attention. She turned toward me and smiled down. I grinned back at her.

"Hello, my name is Kinsey Adler. I'm new, from the U.S.A." I said quietly. Her smile grew.

"Oh, hello. I was told I would have a new student. Where are your parents?" She asked. Why did she have to ask about them?

"They just dropped me off. I knew I could handle it on my own!" I answered brightly, a bit louder than before. I had to create my image as a bright innocent little girl.

"That is very good! I'm glad you found it alright. Is it alright if I introduce you to the class?" the teacher inquired. I almost snorted, but held it back.

"Sure! I can't wait to make friends!" I squealed. She nodded and turned to the class.

"Attention! We have a new student today!" she announced, waiting for the class to turn to her, "This is Kinsey Adler from the U.S.A. She is a long way from home, so please make her feel welcome." The boy's head snapped up at me in surprise as soon as my name was called, and I smirked at him. The girl next to him noticed his stare, and glanced at me as well. They whispered for a second then he calmed down slightly. This made me suspicious. Why did he depend on her so much?

"Hi, Kinsey!" the class called. I smiled at them sweetly.

"Hello," I replied shyly.

"Now, Kinsey, why don't you go sit by Ayumi? She's the girl in the pink over there. Are you sure you are advanced enough in Japanese to do the work?" the teacher asked, handing me the papers for the day.

"Yes, my mother is Japanese, and I've spoken and written it as long as English." I said confidently, "It's not any harder than English."

"Good! We will start the lesson in five minutes. Go make some friends until then!" she encouraged. I walked to the back of the room, only tripping once. Back home I had been considered the most clumsy person around, even though I did gymnastics and ballet for 10 years. Ayumi smiled at me as I sat down.

"Hi! My name's Ayumi! It's nice to meet you! We're going to be such good friends." Ayumi babbled. Two boys, the boy I had been watching and the girl with him all crowded around. "This is Genta, Mitsuhiko, Conan and Ai!"

"We're the detective boys. There's no mystery we can't solve!" Genta added. I giggled.

"Nice to meet you! You already know my name's Kinsey." I said. Conan's eyes bored into me again. I smirked. "A detective group sounds cool. Have you solved any mysteries?"

"Yes, a fair few." Mitsuhiko replied. Both he and George were also staring at me, but for a different reason. I sighed. Boys loved shiny new things, and now I was it.

"That's amazing! You must be really good at figuring things out." I commented, attempting to see what they thought of Conan.

"Not really, Conan figures most of them out." Ayumi sighed. I had to hold in my laughter. Of course he did!

"Hey, you know, you look a lot like Conan." Mitsuhiko said, glancing between me and Conan. I stared at Conan, standing across from me. We really did look alike. Our hair was the same shade of black, and our eyes were the same shade of blue. We both had glasses, fake of course. My hair was so long I sat on it, though, and I was a few inches shorter than him. I was almost unnaturally skinny, while he was normal for a child of our 'age.'

"You do! Cool, you could be related!" Genta said excitedly. I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes. Conan looked to be doing the same, and Ai looked bored. I had already come to the conclusion that she was more than she seemed as well.

"I doubt it. The probability of that is-" Mitsuhiko was interrupted by the start of the lesson.

After the most boring day of school in the history of the world the 'Detective Boys' took me to their base. Basically the area in front of Genta's locker. Of course, they didn't have any cases there, but it was cute how excited they got. Out of all of them Conan was the only one who really knew the excitement of solving a case.

"So, do you want to join the Detective Boys?" Genta asked. I grinned.

"Sure! That sounds so fun!" I squealed, and clapped my hands together. Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi cheered, while Ai just watched and Conan smiled quizzically, staring at me. I guessed that he was trying to figure out who exactly I was. We had met a few years ago, but I doubted he remembered. When I was younger I was a lot different anyway. If he figured it out, I would be amazed.

"Ai, can you get the professor to get her a watch and a badge, like ours?" Ayumi asked. I was confused.

"A badge and a watch?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah! We have these cool flashlight watches, and our club badges! They are communicators." Ayumi explained, showing both to me. Ah! So that was how Conan kept them out of danger. The badges must be trackers as well.

"Amazing! He invented them for you?" I asked, playing ignorant. The three nodded enthusiastically. Before anyone could actually say anything, a boy ran up to us. He was panting, and had come straight from class.

"What's wrong?" Conan asked.

"Is it a case?" Mitsuhiko said. The boy nodded.

"My name is Zach! My sister's missing! The cops think she ran away, but I think she was kidnapped! She went on a walk yesterday, but didn't come back. She said she was going to meet a friend to talk, but I don't know who it was." he panted.

"When was this?" I asked, switching into detective mode. I could see Conan do the same, and we both moved to stand right in front of the boy.

"Y-yesterday at about 11:00pm. My parents called all of her friends but none of them had seen her. The cops said since she had fought with my parents she had probably run away. They can't even do anything until tonight anyway. Please help me!" Zach begged. We nodded.

"Take us to your house." I was surprised when Conan made the statement, simultaneously. We exchanged a glance - his perplexed, mine knowing. We were more alike than even I had realized. Once we had turned our attention back to the boy, he led us to his house, running.

Before I went in I searched the ground for any clues. On the grass next to the path an earring was half hidden in the grass. I picked it up, slipping it in my pocket. After I finished I ran into the house and to the only open door. Everyone was gathered in the middle of the room. Ayumi motioned me over.

"Ok, this is my sister's room. She took her wallet with her last night. It had about $30 in it, but nothing else and she doesn't have a cell phone. My parents were going to get her one for her next birthday." The boy said. He picked up a picture of their family off of the bedside table and pointed to a girl who looked about 11. "This is my sister."

"Ok, we'll search this room, and if we don't find anything we'll go on the path she took to walk." I told him. Conan eyed me questioningly.

"But we don't know what way she went." he pointed out. I smiled.

"You didn't pay attention to the footprints. She turned left at the gate. From there we can search the paths she could've taken." I answered smugly. He sighed.

"Well, for now, let's look for clues." He gave in. I giggled. Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko watched our conversation admiringly. Apparently they weren't used to Conan giving in to anyone. That would be changing now. We spread out, Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko to the bed and bedside table, Conan to the dresser, Ai to the closet and myself to the computer desk. I jumped onto the chair in order to see the top. There was a laptop there with books and papers spread around it.

First I looked through the papers, looking for something she could have scrawled down or read. There was nothing except old school papers and unfinished homework. The books had nothing in them either, no bookmarks even. She just dog-eared the place she left off. It annoyed me. I hated when people disfigured their books. When I had established that there was nothing to obtain from inspecting them, I turned to the computer. It was turned on already, and I saw an I.M. icon. Clicking on it, I searched the recent chats. There was a lot of correspondence with a person called URbuddy131. It appeared to be an older man that she had met online. It didn't bode well. She had told him where she lived, and dictated her days to him, ranting about small things. Of course, there was a chat about yesterday's fight.

She had told him about fighting, and complained that her parents weren't fair. She said she would take her usual walk, and go get some ice cream to cool off. He encouraged her, and asked the store she was going to. It was the one three blocks away. She told him she'd meet him there. Hopefully, someone at the store would know who he was. I attempted to jump off the chair, but my foot got caught. Right before I hit the ground Conan pulled me up. I sighed, while he put me on my feet.

"Thank you, I'm so freakin' clumsy!" I huffed. He laughed.

"Yeah, I can tell." he teased. I glared at him.

"Oh, thank you, great detective." that reminded me, "Oh, yeah! I found something. She had an I.M. buddy who is suspicious. She was going to meet him at the ice cream store three blocks from here. I bet he took her. Maybe a store worker will know who he is?"

"That's the best lead we have. Let's go there. I'll ask how you found it out when we talk later." he hinted, giving me a look, and went to tell the others. I smiled, and then followed him. Once everyone was in on it, we left to investigate. Conan and I in front and Ai in the back.

"So, Kinsey. How did you get your name?" he asked, casually.

"Well, there are these people called my parents and they came up with it." I said sarcastically, wincing at the word 'parent.' He noticed, but didn't comment.

"Really? I had the notion that you had made it up." he suggested. I laughed.

"Did you? Well, maybe I did and maybe I didn't. You'll just have to find out." I retorted, and then whispered, "When we are at a place where we can't be overheard." He nodded, looking confused, and fell back to talk to Ai. I smirked, and sped up. They followed.

When we arrived at the store I immediately went up to the counter and got the woman's attention. She smiled down at me.

"Yes, sweetie what do you want?" she asked. I took out the picture of the girl that we had taken and showed it to her. The others crowded around again.

"I was just wondering if you were here last night and if you saw this girl with a man." I replied. She shook her head.

"Sorry, hun. I wasn't here last night. Mike was, though. You want to ask him?" she answered.

"Yes! Definitely!" Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko said. I giggled.

"Ok, wait here." She went into the back room and soon came back with a seventeen-year-old boy. He looked curiously at us.

"Have you seen this girl? Was she with a man?" Conan asked. Mike inspected the picture.

"Yeah, I've seen her. She comes in 'bout three times a week. There's a man who meets her here. What of it?" he said.

"Do you know the man? Where he lives?" I asked.

"Yeah, he lives right across the street. See the house? It's the gray one." he pointed out the window to the plainly visible house. The kids cheered.

"Thanks! That was a big help! Could you call the police? We think the man kidnapped the girl!" Ayumi asked. The boy snorted.

"What, are you playin' a make believe game or somethin'?" he asked, and turned away. I huffed. Being a kid was so stupid. We went out the doors, and gathered on the corner.

"Ok, Ai, you call the police. Tell them it's us and that we need help. Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko you guard the entrances while Kinsey and I go in." Conan directed. Genta glared at him.

"Why do I have to guard while Kinsey goes in? I'm stronger!" he argued.

"Because she's the one who got us here, and we need stealth not strength." Conan retorted.

"Yeah, and if the bad guy runs out you need to catch him!" I added, trying to aid Conan. Genta gave in. Ai went to the phone booth, while we crossed the street. Ayumi stayed at the front entrance and the rest of us circled around to look in the window. There was a side door that Mitsuhiko went to guard and George ran ahead to get the back door. Conan and I looked in a window to find that the girl was in the living room. She had been tied up and was crying. He popped the screen out and eased the window all the way open. I crawled in first, and tiptoed over to the girl. As soon as she saw us she opened her mouth to say something, but I put my finger to my lips and quickly untied her.

"Wait! He said he'd come back in just a few minutes! He's just in the next room. If he finds you two here we'll all be in trouble!" she whispered, frantically.

"Don't worry. We're getting you out of here no matter what." Conan said. She nodded, and we guided her to the window in which we had entered. Right as we reached it the door opened. Conan and I quickly pushed the girl out the window while the man cried out in rage and ran over to us. A knife was in his hand. I attempted to scramble out the window and pull Conan with me, but then, of course, I fell. I landed on my back with an 'oomf.' It gave the man enough time to grab me by the back of my shirt and pull me up. I dangled in the air, three feet above the ground. I saw Mitsuhiko outside, helping the girl get away.

"Who are you brats?" the man snarled. He had also grabbed Conan, who was playing with his watch. The man noticed this. "What are you doing?" I was thrown half way across the room, and landed in a heap on the ground. Wow… that hurt. The wind was knocked out of me. I watched as the knife was brought to Conan's throat. Police sirens sounded in the background. They wouldn't be here in time.

"Hey! You!" I wheezed, "Put him down!" I shakily stood up and ran toward him. He smiled.

"My pleasure." He agreed wickedly, and threw Conan even farther than me. I switched directions toward him.

"Are you ok?!" I asked. Conan coughed.

"Yeah, I'm fine." In a second he was up. I nodded and went to the man again. Instead of running into him I flipped into the air and aimed a kick straight at his face. It worked, but I didn't have enough strength in this small body. He rebounded and caught my foot, dangling me upside down. I kicked and struggled, trying to get away. Suddenly, a soccer ball appeared from behind me and hit the man in the face. He staggered back, and then dropped me. I was concentrating on not falling on my head, so when I looked up he was on the ground unconscious. Conan came over and helped me up.

"Was that you?" I asked. He nodded.

"Are you ok?" he asked. I nodded as well.

"A little bit shaken, but I've had worse. You ok? Where'd you get the soccer ball, and why'd it deflate?" I asked.

"I'm fine, and I'll explain later when you explain how you learned that kick. Right now we'd better get out to the police and explain what happened." he replied. We made our way out to the street where two police cars and the rest of the group were. We told them what happened, leaving out most of the fight. Soon the police were gone along with the man, named James White, and the two siblings. We were left to walk home.

"Yet another mystery solved by the amazing detective boys!" Genta shouted. Ayumi giggled.

"Conan and Kinsey did all the work! They were amazing!" she pointed out.

"I would've done that much too, if I'd gone in!" Genta stubbornly defended. We all laughed and he groaned. We reached the crossroads between the kids' houses and Conan's and Ai's houses. I pretended I also lived at a house that was that way, even though I really didn't live anywhere yet. I had been staying at the hotel room my parents checked into and sending down the money from the stash we'd brought since I'd been changed. It'd been about a week. I'd cleaned out this morning, and was planning to ask Conan for a place to live. It was rash, but I figured once he heard my story I'd stay with him. I never expected to find another person like me.

"So, where are we going? It can't be that detective's place. Is there someone who knows your secret?" I asked.

Ai glanced at me and answered, "We're going to the professor's."