The Case of the Girl's Night Out!
Part Two: Swinging Moods and Swimming Pools
A Detective Conan fic by BGlanders
-----
After finishing up their lunches, the girls rode the JR to Tokyo Station, and from there caught the 4:15 Hikari line heading north for Sonoko's summer home. While Sonoko had picked up the bill, they had to ride in the non-reserve section, which meant they were slightly scattered until the train could drop off several passengers. Currently, Sonoko, Kazuha and Ayumi were sitting in one cluster of seats while across the isle, Ran and Ai were squeezed in.
Ran had been scared that Kazuha would feel put out by the two younger ladies traveling with them, but to her surprise Kazuha and Sonoko both seemed to be pretty engrossed in talking to Ayumi The little girl was very open to conversation and her friendly, outgoing nature reminded Kazuha of Ran's personality.
Sonoko was long familiar with Ayumi from having to baby-sit along with Ran, but that didn't mean she was tired of the girl or disliked her. On the contrary, Sonoko found Ayumi's constant happiness and innocence to be strangely addictive to be around. It was one of the reasons she had invited the young girl in the first place. That, and when she heard about how heart broken Ayumi had been over not being able to go to the Kamen Rider stage spectacular, she had decided to make it up to her small friend.
Ran knew Sonoko's reasons for inviting the girl and was glad that her friend was so considerate. However…
Ran's eyes drifted to the quiet form sitting beside her and silently worried to herself. She knew that Sonoko had been hesitant about asking Ai to come along, but Ayumi had a way of making adults agree to things they normally wouldn't, and she was a master at making people feel guilty. Idly Ran wondered if what she was seeing was just raw innocence or practiced conniving. Knowing Ayumi, Ran was pretty sure it was just a massive case of the former.
Still, that didn't change the fact that one member of their party seemed decidedly out of place.
She knew Ai was a good kid, and through talking with Dr. Agasa she knew Ai had come from a troubled background, but Ran had never really understood why she felt so put off by the little girl. Ai was polite enough, but there were times when Ran would catch her gaze and feel cold, almost as if Ai was looking through her with…anger? Hostility? Ran wasn't sure. She honestly liked the girl and knew that the other children adored her, but she still felt like there was a wall between the two of them that she just hadn't been able to break down.
'Maybe I can change that today,' Ran thought to herself.
Ai had sat quietly for most of the ride, seemingly content to watch the scenery as the train rolled on. Ran watched her out of the corner of her eye and debated with herself for at least ten minutes before scooting closer to the quiet woman-child and tapping her on the shoulder.
"Ai-kun? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Ai blinked and looked away from the window to Ran's smiling, hesitant face. After a moment, Ai said, "what would you like to talk about, Mouri-san?"
Ran shifted in her seat, unsure of how to broach the subject. Finally she decided on using the direct approach and said, "Ai-kun, I get the feeling that you're not very comfortable around me."
Ai looked at Ran passively and continued to ride in silence.
"I don't want to make you feel like that, Ai-kun. I don't know if I've done something to offend you or make you feel uncomfortable, but…"
"You have never offended me or done anything to cause me harm, Mouri-san. You have no need for worry."
Ran nodded but still felt that cold expression boring into her. Undaunted, she continued. "I'd like to get to know you better, if you're okay with it. Maybe we could even be friends, if you like."
Ai studied the woman next to her and pondered her words.
'If you only knew the reason I have to force myself to look at you sometimes,' Ai thought to herself, 'True, you've never done anything to directly offend me, but… Would you look at me with such caring and kindness if you knew the reasons I disliked you? If you knew why your very existence makes me feel so…uncomfortable?'
Ai looked into Ran's eyes and realized, 'Yes, you probably would.'
'Sigh'
'Fine.'
"Mor… Ran-san, I just don't feel comfortable around… older girls." Ai finally answered. It wasn't a complete lie; Ai really didn't feel comfortable around the girls. Or the boys. Frankly Ai didn't like to be around much of anyone if she could help it.
Ran visibly relaxed as soon as Ai answered. Bemusedly Ai thought that Ran must be as uncomfortable as she herself was, but the woman was trying, and Ai couldn't fault her for that.
"Is it because of your family?"
Ai instantly tensed up and shot Ran a look so cold Ran felt a shiver go down her spine.
"Please don't be mad," Ran said, "but… I asked Dr. Agasa once about your family. He said that you didn't really have any outside of him, but that you used to have a…"
"My family is none of your concern, Mouri-san. I would thank you to stop prying into my personal affairs." Ai bit out coldly. Ran flinched as the young girl scooted away and resumed looking out the window.
Ran sighed and reached into her pocket. She brought out two small, woven bands of golden thread. Still smiling despite the hurt she felt from Ai's attitude, Ran gently offered Ai one of the two bands. Ai looked over with a slightly curious glare.
"I'm sorry, Ai-kun. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. When I was very little, my parents were separated and my mother went away. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love, especially when the reason they're gone is…pointless."
Haibara's eyes dropped to her lap as Ran continued.
"That's all Agasa told me. He said you had a family, but they were taken from you and that the reason was pointless. I know I can't understand what it is to lose someone on that level, but… Ai-kun, I've never had a sister,"
Ran saw Ai visibly tense, her jaw tightening. Ran thought the girl was going to turn and snap at her or start yelling, but she kept silent. Ran continued, "I don't know what you're going through, but I do know it's hard to hold that all inside. I meant what I said, Ai-kun. I want to be your friend, if you'll let me."
Ran offered the band of fabric to Ai, who after pausing, reached up and quietly accepted it. Upon examining it, Ai saw the words BEST FRIENDS woven into the side in bright red letters.
"It's a friendship bracelet," Ran said, "I made one for Sonoko when I was your age. When you wear it, you know that your friend is there for you and thinking of you, even if they're not around. I made this one for you. This one," Ran held up her wrist which now also had a yellow band with the words BEST FRIENDS woven on the side, except in blue, "is mine. I'll wear it so that I'm always thinking about you, even if I can't be there. Is that okay, Ai-kun?"
Ai turned the bracelet over and over in her hands, letting the fabric rub against her fingers as she mutely stared at the handmade gift that Ran had given her.
Ran, the woman she honestly did not hate.
Ran, the woman that she couldn't help but avoid.
Ran, who made her see everything she hated about herself without even trying.
Ai looked across the train car to Ayumi and watched her for a moment as she adamantly told Kazuha and Sonoko about the fantastic adventures of Kamen Rider. Ai watched the three of them go back and forth concerning super heroes as her vision started to blur.
'That little girl over there barely knew me several months ago, but to her, I'm like a… a sister.'
'And this woman to my right… she honestly cares about me. She doesn't expect anything in return, she just…cares. How long has it been since someone has simply cared?'
Ai felt something hot run down her cheeks and land on her clenched fists. The BEST FRIENDS bracelet twisted in her grasp as her tiny frame started to shake.
'Ayumi cares. Ayumi really does care. So do Genta and Mitsuhiko. They're just children but they really, honestly care about me… so does Agasa… so does Kudo-kun… Oh God, so does this woman beside me.'
Ai sniffled and shut her eyes tightly in an effort to not cry, her body starting to convulse with silent sobs.
'You're not supposed to make me feel like this. You're not supposed to care about me! Damnit, I don't deserve your caring! Why can't you see that? Why do you have to remind me of things I don't want to remember? I'm not…I don't want this! I hate you! I HATE YOU! CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? I HATE YOU!'
"Ai-kun?" Ran hesitantly asked as she touched the young girls shoulder. At that moment, Ai suddenly drew in a shaky, sobbing breath and let her tears finally spill out. Instantly Ran drew her up into her arms and rocked the sobbing girl back and forth slowly.
It was only later that Ai realized her own arms had tightly clung to Ran's neck as she desperately sobbed into the taller girl's shoulder.
Ran returned her hug and held her until the tiny girl had run out of tears. She continued to hold her while Ai simply clung to her, not moving or saying a word. Silently, Ran stroked the tiny girl's hair as she nestled her head gently atop that of her charge. Ai just continued to breathe, her face still buried in Ran's shoulder.
'I hate this.'
Ai didn't know how long it had been. She didn't know how long she had cried, or at what point she had stopped. She didn't notice Ayumi coming over and asking Ran if she was okay, nor did she feel Ran gently shaking her head 'yes'. Ai couldn't tell how long she just sat there, buried in that shoulder, quietly breathing and giving off the occasional sniffle. Her eyes felt hot and puffy, and the lower part of her face felt sticky with snot and tears.
'How long has it been since I just cried?' Ai thought to herself.
After a while, Ai finally pulled herself slowly away from the woman she did not like but honestly did not hate. She did not say a word as Ran offered her a Kleenex and only lightly sniffled as she handed it back. She did not meet Ayumi's gaze as her concerned friend sat across from her, her eyes large with worry.
Ai just sat there with her head down and her hands in her lap. She was so quiet that Ran thought she had gone to sleep until she heard her softly say,
"Thank you."
Ran looked down at Ai's hands and saw the friendship bracelet tied firmly around her right wrist.
'If you knew, you'd still love me just as much.'
'You'd still be my friend.'
'My friend.'
"Ai-kun?"
Ai looked up into the worried gaze of Ayumi, who was now standing in front of her. "Are you all right, Ai-kun? Did you have a bad dream?"
Ai looked into her friends eyes and smiled.
'My friends.'
'My…family?'
"I think so, Ayumi-chan."
Ayumi leaned over and hugged the small scientist. "It's okay, Ai-kun. I have bad dreams on the train, too, but it's over now, see?"
Ai returned the small girls hug and smiled her first genuine smile all day. "I suppose it is, Ayumi-chan. I suppose it really is."
As Ran scooted quietly away so that Ayumi could take her place, Ai looked to Ran and then to Ayumi as a new and unnerving, yet strangely comfortable thought set in.
'They aren't my sisters. They aren't my family, but..."
"Ai-kun! Let's play cards!"
'For now, they're close enough.'
-----
"What was that all about?" Kazuha asked as Ran came across the isle to sit beside her friend. Behind her, Ayumi had taken Ran's former seat and was currently trying to shuffle a deck of cards that she had pulled out of her coat pockets.
"Just a conversation between friends, that's all," Ran said. From across the isle, Ai looked up and for a moment, Ran made eye contact with the tiny scientist. While her expression was mute, for some reason Ran didn't feel the same cold, uneasy feeling she normally got when Ai stared at her. In fact, it almost seemed… questioning? Thankful? If anything was there, it vanished in a heartbeat as she picked up her cards and began playing what looked like a slightly cramped game of Go Fish.
Kazuha shifted in her seat and looked out the windows of the train. "So Sonoko, how far away do you live, anyway?"
"Actually, I live in the city but my mother owns a place up the coast. That's where we're heading for the weekend. My family likes its privacy, so the summer home is pretty secluded."
"Ah," Kazuha said as the view rolled on behind her. "Must be nice, having all that money. I'd like to live in a place like that."
Ran nodded and said, "It would be nice, but I think I'd miss my home in the city. It's kinda of cramped and messy, and it smells like boys, but it's still home."
Kazuha stifled a laugh and said, "smells like boys?"
"Well, you try living with two males who can't seem to find the clothes hamper and tell me how fresh your place smells!" Ran shot back.
Sonoko let out a giggle. "Smelly boys."
"Oh stop it! I can't say anything around you!"
Kazuha laughed and said, "Ran, I understand completely. Heiji-kun's room smells like a dead body is buried somewhere under his dirty clothes!"
"Considering how often our guys find dead bodies, I wouldn't be too surprised!"
Both women laughed as Sonoko, along with some nearby passengers, slowly scooted away out of nervousness.
"You both worry me. You know that, right?" Sonoko asked her laughing friends. Ran just shoved Sonoko in the shoulder and stuck her tongue out.
"Is it bad that our sense of humor has been warped to this point?" Ran asked.
"Naw. Besides, if they weren't I doubt we'd be able to deal with our guys," Kazuha answered. "Speaking of which…"
"Before you ask, no, I haven't heard from him lately. At least, I don't think I have…"
Kazuha shot Ran a questioning glance as Ran stared off into space for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Before she could ask what Ran had meant, all three women heard Ayumi say, "Hey, do you wanna play cards with us? The train's almost empty now so there's room if you want."
Ran instantly snapped out of her trance and looked to Sonoko and Kazuha. "Wanna play?" she asked her friends.
Kazuha knew when to press an issue, and she knew from Ran's behavior that now probably wasn't the best time. "Sure, why not?"
Sonoko also knew that the Do Not Discuss topic probably shouldn't be broached again until some serious snackage, movies and the like had been partaken of. Besides, this was a pajama conversation, and the Hikari probably wasn't the best place for it. "I'm in!" She said. All three women rose and joined the two girls who were scooting to make room.
"What are we playing?" Ran asked as Ai deftly shuffled the cards with the skill of a Vegas dealer.
"Texas high-hand, low spade splits for the kitty." Ai said without pausing in her shuffling.
The other women stared.
"Just kidding," Ai said with a slight smile. "Actually, I was thinking about Rummy."
The girls gave a collective sigh of relief. Ayumi asked, "Rummy… do you mean Gin?"
Ai nearly faltered in her shuffling and leveled a silent glare at Ayumi.
"No," Ai said as she began to deal, "I do not."
-----
They were greeted at the station by the Suzuki family's stretched Bentley. Ayumi and Kazuha couldn't help but squeal with delight as the driver took their bags and patiently held the door for them.
"It's like being in a fairy tale!" Ayumi exclaimed.
"This is just too cool! Sonoko really knows how to party, doesn't she, Ran-chan?"
Ran nervously giggled and said, "You could say that. She's kind of going all out this time…"
Beside her, Ran heard Ai ask, "Is the transportation meant to make us accept her for something more than she is?"
Ran glanced down at her companion and said, "I think she just got a little carried away. I know this might sound strange, but this is her first time having a large group of friends over to spend the night. She's just excited, that's all."
Ai considered this for a moment and said, "Seems there are a lot of firsts happening today, Ran-san."
Ai calmly walked to the car as Ran, noticing what Ai had called her, watched with a smile. "It seems there are indeed, Ai-kun."
The ride to the mansion was short but filled with twists and turns along a winding coastal road. Upon arriving and seeing the massive mansion for the first time, both Kazuha and Ayumi gasped in awe at the sheer size of the property. Even Ai raised an eyebrow at the massive structure that was more of a castle than a mansion.
"Thanks, Uehara-san," Ran said to the driver. He gave a slight bow and smile in return.
Ayumi was floored. "I feel like a princess in a fairy tale, Sonoko-chan! Your home is really beautiful! This is SO COOL!"
Sonoko giggled and said, "I'm glad you approve, Ayumi-chan. Thanks again for accepting my invitation!"
While the girls talked, Kazuha went ahead and started climbing the front steps of Sonoko's estate in wonder. "This really is cool, Sonoko-chan, and nice of you to do. We never get to hang out!"
"That's because you live too far away, Kazuha-chan!" Sonoko teased.
"Mou, you're the one who lives too far away! You need to get away from all this and experience some real living down in Osaka!"
Sonoko laughed as Ran and Ai made their way up the front steps to where the two women were talking. "So, what's the plan, Sonoko-chan?"
"Well," Sonoko started, "first I figured I'd flaunt a bit and show you around."
"Sounds honest enough," Ai commented.
Sonoko continued, "Then I figured we could go swimming in the pool since the weather isn't cooperating," she gestured to the dark clouds overhead. "After that I thought we could cook some American-style pizzas, watch some bad movies and stay up till dawn doing…sleepover things!"
"Hey, sounds good to me," Kazuha said.
"I'm in," Ai added.
"Sounds great!" Ayumi chimed in.
Ran grinned and grabbed her bags. "Let's get started then! We've got a girl's night ahead of us!"
Sonoko visibly brightened even more at her friend's approvals. Smiling and laughing, the five young women headed into the mansion just as the rain started to come down in a fresh torrent. The clouds overhead rumbled mildly with thunder as the door behind them closed.
-----
"Aww man, it's gonna rain!"
Mitsuhiko looked to the darkening sky above him as the Kamen Rider Spectacular played out before himself, Genta and about 200 other screaming kids on the Beika Park outdoor stage. Idly he wondered it this was God's way of saying 'ha ha!' for getting his hopes up too high about wanting to see his hero in action.
Beside him, Genta shrugged as he bit into his snow cone. "So what? Kamen Rider can handle a little rain. He's not going to let a storm get him down, you just wait and see! GOOOOO, KAMEN RIDER!"
Mitsuhiko was still unconvinced, but smiled anyway. "Hey, Genta-kun? Do you think we shoulda waited for Conan-kun? Maybe he wanted to come, too…"
"Naw," Genta said, wiping his face with his sleeve. "If he wanted to come he'da come. 'Sides, he didn't have a ticket anyway."
"But, there are so many empty seats. Would it have mattered?" Mitsuhiko gestured to the sparse seating around him. 'They probably stayed home because of the weather. Aww well… their loss!'
Again, the clouds opened up with a fresh torrent of rain for what felt like the millionth time that day. As the rain came down heavy and hard, the actors were suddenly assaulted by crew members who were hurriedly trying to rush them off stage.
"We're sorry folks, but due to the heavy rains we'll have to postpone until next weekend. Come back then for a free, limited edition Kamen Rider gold foil card! Thank you, and good night!"
Genta and Mitshuiko just stared.
"I guess even Kamen Rider doesn't like the rain," Mitsuhiko said.
"Yeah, I guess so," Genta said.
Defeated, both boys trudged home through the pouring storm, their dreams of watching their hero defeat costumed villainy in their park washed away like so much rain water.
-----
It was going on 7:00 PM when Hattori started to feel anxious. By 7:15, he was getting nervous and slightly angry. By 7:30, he was practically fuming.
"Come ON already! How long does something like this take?!" He yelled.
"Easy, easy," Conan said, his voice showing signs of weary agitation, "I'm sure that…"
The sound of the door buzzer interrupted both their trains of thought. Instantly, both boys scrambled for the door that Dr. Agasa was calmly opening.
"Hi! Did you order 3 Sukiyaki dinner combos, three shrimp tempura combo meals and a quart of miso?"
The trio inside nodded, their eyes sparkling with hunger.
Five minutes later, Agasa's living room was a food-ridden war zone. Boxes of steaming takeout were being devoured by three extremely hungry geniuses as Kid's riddle lay before them on the doctor's coffee table.
"Thank God," Heiji said between bites. "I don't think I could have lasted another minute! You never have to wait this long for delivery in Osaka, Kudo. Now there's a city that knows its food!"
"Yeah, if you have a craving for all things bland," Conan mumbled.
Agasa entered from the kitchen carrying an armful of bottles. Gingerly he set them on the coffee table, mindful of the note lying undisturbed in the center. Eagerly the boys reached for some Cokes to wash their dinner down.
"Thanks Doc," Heiji said as he polished off his bottle in three long swigs.
It had been an uneventful night. They had done some research in the professor's newspaper library, combed the Internet, and had gone so far as to scour the television channels (this the professor called 'quality research'), but when they were finished they'd come up completely empty. Conan and Heiji both were frustrated, but undaunted in their determination. Nothing but nothing was going to stop them in their efforts.
Save for dinner, of course.
"So Doc," Hattori said, "How's come we had to order out? Don't you keep any food around here?"
"Oh, sure," Agasa said as he swallowed a breaded piece of shrimp, "I've got plenty. Now, ask me if I know how to cook!"
Conan shot the doctor a weary, sarcastic look, "Don't tell me; you've been making Ai cook all your meals?"
"She insisted! She claimed it was her way of helping out around here."
Heiji snickered and said, "Smart girl like that, and she can cook? Hmmm…"
Conan directed his glare towards Heiji. "What are you getting at, Hattori?"
"Well, I was just thinking. She's smart, quiet, self-sufficient, she can cook… and she is your 'age'. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it, Kudo."
Conan scoffed. "Actually… no, I haven't. Not seriously. If I entertained that thought, I'd be consigning myself to staying like this, and I'm not the kind to just give up, Hattori. Ai is a friend. For that I've had to work long and hard, but she is my friend. Nothing more, got it?"
"Oh, but Heiji-kun has a point," Agasa joined in. "After all, she does call out your name in her sleep from time to time."
"She…does not. You're making it up." Conan scowled; a hint of red across his cheeks.
"Ohhh… really? Tell me doc, what else does she say about him?" Hattori was grinning ear to ear as the doctor started to smile. Conan pretended to focus on the note as Agasa continued.
"Well, she does mention the things he's done in school… sometimes she talks about him over coffee… and in the lab… and when we're just sitting around… actually, she talks about him a lot, come to think of it."
Conan was really, really trying to not be interested in the world beyond that tricky note.
"What does she say?" Hattori was practically falling off the edge of his seat, his grin threatening to tear his face in two.
"Well…"
Conan was so not paying attention.
"Actually…"
Nope, not at all…
"She mostly makes note of his day to day condition. He is the only viable test subject for her antidote, after all."
Conan gagged on a piece of squash as Hattori started laughing.
"I hate you. I hate you both." The glare from behind those glasses could have melted lead.
-----
Ayumi had seen Phantom thieves, kidnappers, the better part of Japan, had stood atop sky scrapers, been inside the most advanced virtual reality machines on the planet and had been involved with countless adventures.
At the moment however, none of those things were as cool as what was before her.
"BONZAI!!!" She yelled as she leapt for what had to have been the fifteenth time off of the diving board to Sonoko's private, indoor pool.
After getting their things inside and ordering from the cook, Sonoko had gotten down to business and suggested relaxing in her pool. Ayumi and Kazuha were skeptical considering the weather, but then Sonoko took them to the back of her home.
There, Sonoko showed them the massive, kidney-shaped indoor pool and glass gazebo. Along side the pool was a Jacuzzi and a door leading to a sauna. While both were inviting, all the girls had decided that getting in the pool was their first priority.
Their journey had been interrupted only once, as Sonoko's mother stopped them on their way to the pool to inquire if the girls wanted anything to eat.
---
"Sure!" Sonoko happily said, "We were going to cook some pizzas and drink as much pop as we can! I already told the cook… could you ask him to start? We should be pretty hungry by the time we're done."
"Just be careful, dear." Mrs. Suzuki said in her prim, dominant tone, "I don't want you and your friends cleaning us out of house and home."
"Mother, please!" Sonoko laughed as her mother cracked a smile. "By the way… how come you're so dressed up?"
Mrs. Suzuki smiled and said, "I had a charity dinner this evening in Nagoya that was cancelled on short notice. I just haven't had time to change today, so I haven't even had time to put this away," Sonoko's mother gestured to the shining emerald pendant that adorned her left breast.
"Wow! That's gorgeous, Suzuki-sama!" Kazuha and Ran exclaimed.
"Isn't it? It was supposed to be a part of the family collection on display, but since that's been postponed, I guess it will actually have to stay with real family members for a while. Considering what it's gone through, I don't mind, of course…"
Ran nodded in understanding. "That's the Heaven's Eye, isn't it? Wasn't that almost stolen three weeks ago?"
Mrs. Suzuki nodded. "Yes…almost. The thieves got away, but fortunately they didn't get their hands on this. Since then, I've kept it near my heart. It's a trifle sentimental, but the press just eats it up. Shall I have the maid bring down dessert, Sonoko-chan?"
"That would be wonderful, mother! You're the best!" Sonoko said as she kissed her mother's cheek.
"Thank you very much, Suzuki-sama," The girls said.
Mrs. Suzuki smiled. "Don't worry about it, and it's good to see you again, Ran-chan."
With that, the master of the Suzuki fortune turned and headed off in the direction of the kitchen as the girls, two of them slightly awestruck, continued to make their way to the pool.
---
Ai cringed and tried to shield herself as her bright green inflatable tube drifted dangerously close to Ayumi's landing point. Off to the side, Sonoko, Ran and Kazuha were floating on clear, inflatable one-person rafts.
Ayumi shot to the surface and gasped for breath. Quickly, she splashed her way over to Ai's inner tube and grabbed on. Ai made room for the panting, happy girl.
"Maybe you should take it easy, Ayumi-chan," Ai calmly said. "Your blood pressure is already high and you haven't eaten since we boarded the train. I'm concerned that…"
"Ai-kun, you've gotta try this! This board is the greatest! Come on!"
"But, I really thiGWA!"
Ai was cut off as Ayumi grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the far side of the pool. As Ai tried to hang on for dear life, Ayumi towed her to the pool side and suddenly pushed the floatie so that it blocked their view of the other girls, creating a flimsy, yet semi-stationary barrier for the moment.
"Ayumi, what are you..?"
"Ai-kun," Ayumi asked, her voice and face suddenly taking on a serious tone. Ai was muted by surprise as Ayumi continued. "What happened on the train today? Why were you crying? Did something happen?"
Ai stared in surprise at the young girl and then smiled slightly as she relaxed. "Nothing bad happened. I just had a talk with Ran-san and… started to clear some things up, that's all."
Ayumi nodded, but the concerned look on her face didn't diminish.
"Something happened to make you sad, didn't it?"
Ai looked into Ayumi's determined stare and decided to buckle a little.
"Yes, Ayumi-chan. Something happened to make me sad. I was… reminded of someone, that's all. Someone from a long time ago."
Ayumi nodded in comprehension. "You miss your sister."
Ai paled in shock at Ayumi's deduction. "Wh…what?"
"I overheard some of what you said on the train, and I've picked up on some other things. I saw a blurred photo at Agasa's once. There was a lady who looked a lot like you, but she was older. Was that your sister?"
Ai nodded slowly as her thoughts went back to that photo. It was the only physical evidence she had that her sister even existed. She could still remember how furious Conan had been when he found out she had gone to retrieve it. That fight had resulted in them not talking for nearly a week.
"Yes, Ayumi… that was my sister."
"Oh… Um… Ai-kun?"
Ai noticed how uncomfortable her friend looked. "Yes, Ayumi-chan?"
"Are you…mad that I talked about her?"
Ai slowly began to understand. Ai realized that Ayumi must have thought she was furious with anyone brining the subject up. Knowing that the girl meant no harm, she shook her head and smiled.
"Ayumi-chan, don't worry about it. I'm fine. In fact, I've had more fun today than I can ever remember having."
"Even more than the time we pantsed Conan at the Zoo?"
Ai remembered how red the young detective had turned, his hands too full with a hot dog and large drink to pull his shorts back up.
"Possibly," she answered.
Smiling, Ai climbed out of the pool and said, "So this diving board is the funnest thing in existence?" With that, she took off at a light jog, mindful of the wet spots on the deck.
Laughing, Ayumi chased her to the board.
-----
It was going on 8:00 PM and Conan had resumed studying the note before him with a sense of mild urgency. He wasn't quite sure when or where the Kid would strike, but what he had already figured out led him to think that he'd better hurry.
Beside him, Hattori finished off another Coke and asked, "So, any luck with the poem? Are there more literary references?"
"Not sure, but…" Conan continued to study the letter. "The first clue refers to a poem about a crime committed over a ring. Then there are these lines here, the ones about a city and glasses…"
"Rings? This isn't going to be some cheesy Lord of the Rings reference, is it? I barely sat through that crap."
Conan balked. "What's wrong with you? I thought that was a pretty decent portrayal of the story. Besides, the special effects were pretty good, too."
"Bah. I prefer the classics. If you're gonna go fantasy movies, let's go for the classics. I'm talking Jason and the Argonauts earlier. Now there was a good movie!"
Conan snickered and said, "Yeah, but it wasn't nearly as good as Harryhausen's other works. What about The Golden Voyage of Sinbad? That was good, too."
At this point, Agasa cut in while sipping his tea. "When you say 'classics' I truly think classics. My favorite was always The Wizard of Oz. Now there was a classic fantasy story! I still remember watching it and feeling amazed at what I was seeing."
Conan smiled… and then froze. Understanding flashed through his head like a lightening bolt as the clues to the letter began to snap together.
Conan suddenly rose and went to the doctor's collection of books, kept neatly arranged on the far wall. "Hattori, how much did your parents read to you as a kid?"
Hattori shrugged, "A lot, I guess. Mostly I read on my own, though. Why? You notice something about that line?"
"Yeah… something strange… something… some…hmmm…" Conan continued to hunt. "There was an old storybook my mother had that I used to read when I was learning English. The original Frank L. Baum version of The Wizard of Oz. You know the story?"
Hattori nodded, "Yeah, I saw the movie like the Doc, but I never read the book. Why? Is there something special about it?"
Conan found the volume he was looking for and started flipping rapidly towards the back.
"Maybe. There's something about this clue that's bothering me, like it's something I should really be able to put my finger on, but it's just not clicking. Something I heard recently…"
"In Oz… In the book about Oz, all the people of the emerald city were duped into believing everything they owned had been made of emeralds by wearing special glasses."
Conan gestured to the note. "The lines here about a ball of fire and a timid sage… the more I look at these the more they sound like descriptions of the Wizard, but why would...?"
Conan turned a page and froze.
Browning's quotes. The Wizard of Oz. A Ruse.
He suddenly knew the where and when, and through those, the how…
More importantly, he knew the who.
He also knew why the note had been sent to Hattori and not the police.
And knowing all that, the rest of the riddle made perfect sense.
Conan half walked-half ran for the phone hanging in the Doctor's kitchen. Hurriedly, he dialed the number for the Suzuki estate and prepared the dials on his bowtie for a conversation as Shinichi. After several seconds of waiting, Conan was greeted with, "we're sorry, the number you have called…"
"Damnit!" Conan yelled as he slammed the phone down. Heiji was already sliding on his shoes as Agasa asked, "what's wrong?"
"He's mad because the storm has knocked out the phone lines to the house." Hattori answered.
Conan raced to the doorway as Agasa scratched his head. "Then why not try her…"
"Cell phone?" Conan answered. "No point. My signal is already weak and they're out in the country near the coast. With this storm they won't have any signal. In other words…"
"They're trapped." Hattori finished as he reached for his helmet.
Agasa followed the boys outside as the rain started to come down in uneven sheets on the pavement. Cursing, Hattori zipped up his jacket and hopped on his rental bike with Conan closely following. Over the wind and rain, Agasa shouted, "Why do you need to call them? Kudo-kun, what's wrong?"
Conan yelled back as Hattori revved the engine of his bike to life. "It's the Kid! He's there, now, with the girls at the Suzuki estate!"
Agasa stood dumbfounded as the two detectives raced off into the stormy night, the wind and rain now whipping his coat around his person.
-----
'I'm BORED.'
The job had been entirely too simple. In fact, it was almost below his standards. He was in and out before anyone even noticed he was finished, and frankly… he was disappointed.
'Maybe they got held up in traffic?' He thought to himself.
Still, a job was a job, but to do it like this was just… beneath him somehow. There was no challenge. More than that, he just wasn't having any fun.
'Try to do something nice for someone and this is what you get. Ahh well… kinda figured this was the way it would go.' Kid mused as he unzipped the bag of tricks that he had brought especially for this particular job. Grinning, he pulled out the necessary items that would be required to make the evening 'fun.'
Well, not as fun as one of his normal heists, but fun enough.
While the anticipation of the chase was fantastic, the chase itself was always the highlight of the evening. Whether it was done by a thousand screaming policemen or one pissed off, four-foot high detective, it was always worth it to get that surge of adrenaline.
And hey… if he could catch up on a little girl talk while he was at it, who was he to complain?
The Kid had a saying for situations like this:
In moments of uncertainty, improvisation is the only solid thing one may rely on.
After a final check of his makeup, the Kid snapped his compact closed, straightened his outfit and prepared for another of his dynamite performances.
-------
NOTE: I fixed the Sonoko section. My bad- it was from an earlier draft where she had already been waiting for the girls at the mansion and neither I nor my pre-reader caught the slipup. Least, I don't think she caught it. I sure didn't.
This is soooo going to be a three part story. The first part was heavy on comedy and deduction, the second is mostly conversation, character plot and so forth and the third… ADVENTURE! No foolin'. There's a great chase awaiting you in part three, along with deductions! Humor! Resolution! Answers! And smelly boys!
Actually, the real reason for a break here is because we've got something really, really nifty planned out. The original ending was a bit… weak, so we're adding a special twist that should rock your socks. That should be available in about… I'd say one week.
Aside from the glaring misspelling of a character's name (heh heh, oops), there were some other grammatical changes I need to make to chapter one. A cleaned-up version will be available soon.
You see this? -----
I hate using -----. I want to use my magical stars again. Stories look so much cooler with stars. Screw you,
VERY special thanks to the best damn pre-reader anyone could ever ask for, SubDivided. You, Madame, doth rock.
Thank you to the readers how sent words of encouragement and correction. They were very much appreciated.
Mariata: No, I never got a letter, but I appreciate the thought. ;
Also, thank you again to Ysabet for her permission on a cameo.
Detective Conan is so obviously not owned by myself. All characters mentioned within this work are the property of Gosho Aoyama and is not meant for sale, financial reciprocation or commercial trade. This is a work of fiction.
Any and all comments, criticisms and what not should be directed towards This is my first Conan story and I'm still a bit rusty, so PLEASE, if there was something you didn't enjoy or thought could use work, let me know!